commuknity...a neighborhood yarn experience

Washable Handpainted Yarn?!

When Cascade 220 Superwash Handpaints came into the store, I couldn't believe it was really a washable wool. The color combinations are so bright and vibrant, and the yarn texture is remarkably soft...so I had to try it.

I picked Helena from Knitty. (Two skeins will make a sweater up to the 12 month size.) I let the yarn sit awhile, but then a new baby arrived and I had a mission!

This yarn is wonderful to work with -- it has a nice springy wool feel to it and the colors blend beautifully as you knit. The pattern is quick, too; it is knit top-down so finishing is minimal. And the style would look lovely on any little girl.

Adorable Baby Sweater from one skein?

I just wanted to use the Cactus Rose colorway of Frog Tree Alpaca's Handpainted Fingering yarn, so I picked this cute baby sweater. The design is based on Elizabeth Zimmerman's February Baby Sweater, with a different lace pattern. I found in on...Ravelry...of course!

Now, I wouldn't recommend using Frog Tree Alpaca for a baby sweater. (It isn't washable.) But you could use sock yarn to make a durable and washable sweater perfect for a newborn out of just one skein of Cascade's Heritage Sock yarn, Classic Elite's Alpaca Sox, or South West Trading Company's Tofutsie. Or you could use two skeins of Panda Silk --- mmmmm...

The pattern is Lucille by Courtney Kelley.

One Skein Gift Idea for the Guys on Your List

My one skein challenge continues! Awhile ago I made a hat and Fetching gloves for myself out of one skein of Malabrigo Worsted yarn, so I wanted to see if I could get a hat and fingerless gloves sized for a man out of one skein. Malabrigo's merino wool is soft enough for most wool-resistant men.

I used Sarah's Cabled Hat pattern (available on Ravelry as a free download) for the hat pattern; I intended to use Knitty's Dashing pattern for the gloves, but my husband vetoed them based on length. So I went back to the designing board to come up with a pattern that matches the cable motif of the hat.

The hat and gloves just squeak out of one skein with a yard or two to spare. Of course, if I hadn't had to re-do the gloves, there would have been more yarn. And shorter tails for casting on and binding off are a good idea, too. When all is said and done, use a hat pattern that takes about 100 yards, and fingerless mittens that take about 100 yards, too.

If you're not signed up on Ravelry, you really should. It is a great resource for finding patterns and reviews of patterns and yarns. The fingerless mitten pattern is available in the shop for free with the purchase of Malabrigo Worsted.

 

Round and round and round...

It's like Christmas every day working in a yarn shop! But so many new yarns keep coming in, I can't keep up. Thank goodness for little Sydney, because now I have a reason to knit and try out the new yarn for kid's clothes, Jil Eaton's Minnow Merino from Classic Elite.

I love Jil's patterns. The styles are bright and colorful, but for this yarn I chose a pattern from Knitting Goddess (a book that I think is out of print, but is available at the library). This is the Brigit Baby Blanket. It is knit in the round in a design based on Elizabeth Zimmerman's Pi Shawl, but there is a lot of opportunity for customization. I'm going with a plain stockinette stitch with eyelets for the increase. This is the third time I've made this blanket; before I used Crystal Palace Cotton Chenille, which is velvety and soft.

The Minnow Merino is also very soft; it is 100% SUPERWASH!! merino, but has an almost angora texture to it. It comes in so many great colors that it was hard to choose, but I went with a spring-y combination of pinks and greens. I think I will use a picot bind-off to add some interest to the edging. If I used a smoother yarn, I would add some lace to the pattern.

Parrot Sweaters! (Did that catch your attention?)

I bet we all have "half a pair" of socks...you know, one wears out or gets lost somewhere in the process of washing. Well, now there is a good home for these orphans: Parrot Sweaters.

This post implies that they also accept hand knitted parrot sweaters, but there isn't a pattern given. Someone has posted a Penguin Jumper pattern below the main post, but orphan socks work, too.

Happy Holidays!

One Skein Projects for Holiday Gifts

I've been challenging myself to come up with ideas for holiday gifts that use just one skein. I don't want to worry about getting a big sweater project finished in time, because I don't want the stress.

My first project was a headband made out of Rowan Romance. I wanted it to look like a crown so it would take advantage of the frosty sparkle of the yarn. I picked a wide woven cable pattern that looks complicate, but really isn't. It's just an 8-row repeat with two cable rows.

I think this will be a great gift for all of the princesses on my list. :-)

PS The pattern is available free with purchase of Rowan Romance yarn!

The Importance of Gauge

How important is it to get the correct gauge? Just take a look at the photo: It's the same yarn and the same pattern, the only thing that is different is the size of the needle. The larger one is the recommended needle, but I had to use the next smaller needle to get the correct gauge, otherwise, the finished project would have been too big. (The project is a hat from Vogue Knitting On The Go, Hats Two.)

So although it seems like a pain and a waste of time, always knit a swatch in pattern to make sure you are getting the proper gauge for your project. You can unravel the swatch if you run short of yarn, or save it along with a note about the pattern, needle & yarn and add it to your "swatchbook".

Which brings up the idea of keeping a swatchbook. It's like a scrapbook and recipe book combined. It will help you if you ever want to recreate the same project or if you use the same type of yarn again. You have a record of what you did and the materials you used...now if you can only remember where you put the book...

Elizabeth Zimmerman again

I've been reading through At Knits End by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (a great book) and one "meditation" that hit a chord with me was inspired by Elizabeth Zimmerman's quote:

"There is no right way to knit. So if anybody kindly tells you that what you are doing is 'wrong' don't take umbrage; they mean well. Smile sumissively, and listen, keeping your disagreement on an entirely mental level"

I have an unorthodox knitting style -- sometimes I "throw" with my left hand. When I remember to, I can pick from my left hand with my right, but "bad" habits are hard to unlearn. However, although I may not be the fastest knitter, my stitches and tension turn out even.

So don't be discouraged if you feel your knitting is awkward. Just keep practicing and knitting.

Huh! Who would have thought?

I just read this handy tip, and thought it might be useful, especially at this time of year when you might be working with novelty yarns:

"If you store your fluffy yarns in a bag in the freezer before you start to knit, this should prevent shedding." -- The Bumper Book of Knitting

How I spent my [summer] vacation...

I got to take some time off and travel a bit. I went to Vancouver, BC thinking that I would not see anything that had to do with knitting. Well, I had a great time whale watching, hiking through Stanley Park, visiting the Vancouver Aquarium, and seeing lots of native Canadian artwork. And, I did see this:

It's a spindle whorl carved from stone--- which makes me want to take another spinning class. Good thing there are a couple coming up in October.