So, I'll admit it was my fault that Fashionknitsta Thursday was posted last Friday (sorry 'bout that!), but a combination of events this week (Sandy Kay working Wednesday - Sunday being not the least of them) has thrown us bloggers a bit off of our schedule. Sandy Kay and I are going to make every effort to get a tutorial or two done tomorrow, come what may. Lindsay is also resolved to be our darling Fashionknitsta tomorrow, as well. Please forgive the delay.
In the interim, however, I have some lovely customer and staff projects to tide you over. First, a most intriguing WIP from Katherine, Waverley:
Knit with Habu Textiles Shosenshi Paper A-60 and Silk/ Stainless Steel A-20/21 (Katherine opted for the silk blend, instead of the wool). The ensuing texture is quite fascinating and looks like it will be a wonderfully comfortable pullover come summer. To make things interesting, pleats have been added to utilize the architectural nature of the yarns to their best ability:
I hope Katherine will bring it in (or wear it in!) when she finishes. Don't tell Lindsay, but I think this pattern would have made a great Fashionknitsta feature. Aaand, moving on...
Beth brought in her IP Hepburn sweater:
Which is, admittedly, without sleeves. I understand that sleeves are forthcoming. At the moment, though, it also makes a great vest:
Which is not something you can say for every pattern! The pattern, incidentally, is from Lace Style. The yarn is an unknown element as Beth acquired it by raiding her mother's stash. She thinks it might be a discontinued Rowan yarn.
Next we have Joanne's completely finished sock yarn blanket!
This is something of an achievement for many local knitters, as we all donated sock yarn scraps to the effort. How exciting to see it come to fruition. Joanne has been knitting this blanket for months (almost as long as Lindsay was knitting hers... though, you'll have to wait a bit for that story!).
On the list of other Great Accomplishments, we have Nancy's Skif Heart pullover:
Which was the focus of a quick lesson on sewing handknits with a machine. I'm afraid, however, that the sweater was a little large on Nancy, so we're going to try tailoring it the next time she comes in... Maybe that will be a tutorial!
Lastly, and this is truly a Great Achievement, Lindsay has (once and for all) finished the blanket of DOOOOM:
Well, not doom. Okay, maybe a bit. It turns out (as we all watched Lindsay in horrified fascination for five months) that the blanket took 115,000 stitches(seriously, we did the math!), over five pounds of alpaca yarn, and countless hours of her life.
But the result is gorgeous. Simply amazing. We all took turns petting it and wrapping up in it's pure alpaca lusciousness. If you want to see more pictures of the fun we had with the Blanket of Doom (a.k.a. "The Beast"), check it out on flickr. Maybe we can even get Lindsay to put some pics on her ravelry journal.
Before I depart (it's past 6pm already?!), I have some staff projects (see? we do knit... occassionally):
Hello, and happy Thursday everyone! Hope you're all enjoying this lovely spring day (at least in Portland). So sorry for the unexpected break last week. With all of the anniversary festivities, everything just kind of caught me on the same day.
The first pattern I have to share today is one Eva showed me a couple of days ago. The Plain and Simple Pullover, by Veera Välimäki, is a free download on Ravlery:
I really love the neck on this, and it's perfect for layering. Knit from the bottom up in one piece, this sweater would be simple as well as versatile. Knit in a light fingering yarn, I'd really love to see it in Shibui Sock. Honey, I think, would be my choice of colorway. Veera has a few other cute patterns available for purchase on her Ravelry account (I am especially fond of the Modern Garden Cardigan). You should definitely check them out.
Another favorite from this book is Teal (possibly because it reminds me a little of Pas de Valse?):
Similar to Pas de Valse, this sweater is easy to dress up and down and wear in a variety of ways. Knit with Rowan Kid Classic, this would be beyond gorgeous in Rowan Lima.
A few days ago, I stumbled upon the website of New Zealand-based designer Juliette Hogan and fell absolutely in love with her Winter '10 collection "So Pretty it Hurts". One of my favorite looks from the collection was this one:
I love the playfulness the bow scarf adds to this polished outfit, it brought Portland designer Laura Irwin's pattern the Alpaca Silk Bow Scarf from her book Boutique Knits to mind.
The pattern originally uses Blue Sky Alpacas Alpaca and Silk DK, but I think this would be absolutely glorious in Shibui Knits Merino Kid or Baby Alpaca DK.
My next piece isn't really knitting related, but it's a pretty awesome fiber experiment (found on Design Klub, thanks to our graphic designer Jenny). The Idea of a Tree is a project by design team Katharina Mischer and Thomas Traxler. Threads are tinted based on the intensity of the sun. So, at the end of the day, you get a piece of fabric that reflects the visual recording of that specific day.
This is such an interesting concept. For more info about this project look here, and for similar things I'd definitely recommend checking out Design Klub.
And, with that, I'll have to leave you for another week. I hope everyone has a great weekend, check back next Thursday for another edition of Fashionknitsta. Until then, stay chic blogfans!
Anyone who has been watching us these past five years will have noticed that we tend to be a little whimsical and quite quirky. To celebrate this tendency, we're having another contest to test our customers' knitterly humor with the 5 for 5 Knitting Wit Contest.
Winners will receive $25 Gift Cards for being exceptionally quirky.
Would you like a slice of felted birthday cake?
To enter, contestants need to come up with 5 suggestions for one (or more) of the categories below. Only one entrant will win per category. Contestants may enter for all categories, but are limited to one entry per category. Only entries with FIVE suggestions will be accepted. Contestants must include their entry's category when they submit.
Starting today (April 16, 2010) and ending midnight on Wednesday, April 21 (2010), we'll be accepting submissions. The winners will be announced in the April 23rd Newsletter. To submit, simply reply to this post or email us at info(at)knit-purl(dot)com with your five suggestions.
Remember, this is all meant to be fun and not to be taken too seriously. The 5 categories are:
5 most inventive methods of hiding your stash from your family/ significant other/ roommates.
5 most creative excuses to go yarn shopping. ("My dog ate my knitting," anyone?)
5 most clever ways to acquire more knitting time.
5 most unique stitch marker alternatives in a pinch (this is for our MacGyvers out there!)
5 most unusual places where knitting should be required.
My goodness, have we got some reasons to party hearty around here. Our List of Awesome is quite lengthy, so you might want to get a snack and put on some comfy clothes before reading this post.
For starters our...
5 Year Anniversary is TOMORROW!
That's right, blogfans, Knit Purl turns 5 YEARS OLD on April 15th. Crazy, right? Check out the blog (here), our ravelry group, our twitter feed, and our facebook fan page for some fun and quirky contests tomorrow that involve a series of Awesome prizes that range from FREE yarn to knitting bags to needle cases to, well, you'll just have to wait and see.
Another bit of Awesome? We finally got our Stress-free Steeking Tutorial up! It took a little perseverance, as we forgot a sewing machine and then lost the sample and then Sandy Kay had to go a help her niece in Kansas. But we got it done and I think you'll find it interesting.
Next on the list: Felted Sweets.
Made by LeBrie Rich of PenFelt; who, incidentally, will be selling these super-cute cakes at the Crafty Wonderland Super Colossal Spring Sale on May 1 & 2. We might just have to borrow the big cake for our birthday tomorrow...
While LeBrie was visiting yesterday, Darcy had to try on the Cake Head(band)
That's a snazzy headband there.
Which we had to photograph for posterity.
Also, on the List of Awesome, we have two pairs of First Socks from this Sunday:
Pair #1 is by Georgia and was made with Noro Silk Garden Sock.
Pair #2 was made by Luci with Lorna's Laces Sock.
Both now-sock-knitters were in Judy's popular Two Socks on Two Circulars class and finished their pairs on the same day. Congratulations to them! May many more pairs of handknit socks be in their futures.
Another dynamic duo from this weekend were two students from LeBrie's Felted Techno Cozies workshop:
Who, unfortunately, I do not have any information on. But their cozies are clearly very cool.
And the list of Awesome continues with the Perfect baby gift set by Andrea. Click the link, fave it on ravelry, and be sure to coo where people can hear you. It's adorable.
Yet another item of Awesome (you thought we were done? ha!) is definitive proof that Estonian Mittens DO Exist All Around the World. Maybe it's a global mitten conspiracy, but here it is - or, rather, they are:
See that? Mittens bought by Kaaren in Estonia (years ago, many years before the book was published) that match the mittens in the book exactly. How very cunning these Estonian mitten knitters are. Truly, look at the mad skills they possess:
Notice that, in some rows, there are three colors! Madness. And Greatness. They're also quite attractive and fit really well (of course we tried them on). Now we all feel that we must make Estonian mittens for next winter. Clearly, the International Estonian Mitten Plot is working. (whatever that is)
The needles are super-smooth bamboo that are paired with the well-loved Addi joins and cords. These things are just plain lovely. You'll never want to knit with another set of bamboo needles again after trying the Natura.
Another stock update that is Awesome? We received a gianormous box from Malabrigo that contained many of the beautiful colors we know you love and have been asking for...
So come and grab it while you can. This stuff goes like hotcakes.
Lastly on our List of Awesome is a personal triumph. When we decided to try and carry The Knitter magazine, published in Britain, we had no idea that they'd fill our orders at the same time as British carriers. That means that we get the magazine almost exactly the same time as British yarn stores. This is a major triumph, as most American carriers (large bookstores, really) are several months behind - so we have to sit and sigh and look at the pretties on ravelry until the mag hits the shelves.
Well, not any more.
I was super-excited to open a box from Britain this Monday and see this peeking out:
Issue 17 of The Knitter (published April 2010). Especially since I had seen the sneak peek from Issue 16 (March) and been very interested in the number of complex cable patterns shown. My favorite new obsession? The Celtic Leaves shawl:
This pattern has so many techniques it should come with a warning label. Lace, cables, pleats, the Channel Island Cast On, you name it. And it's gorgeous, too. (Don't you love how that's almost an afterthought?)
Of course, if you're not a masochist like me, you might like one of the many beautiful and less mind-bendy patterns from this issue. So far staff favorites are the shawl above (not just me!), the cool twisted stitch mitts, and the Fair Isle pillow. Check out the pattern preview on our website for more.
And that completes our List of Awesome. Wow, my fingers are kind of numb from typing all that. Be sure to check back tomorrow for our Birthday contests AND another edition of Fashionknitsta Thursday. Until then, enjoy the Awesome!
Like it or not, Fair Isle is gaining ground in the knitting community. And, with it, come a whole slew of techniques a knitter will need to complete many Fair Isle projects successfully. The one technique that seems to cause the most anxiety among knitters is the Dreaded Steek.
As most knit pieces are knit with one strand of continuous yarn (looped together), it is counter-intuitive and a little frightening to take a pair of scissors and cut into your knitting. But, with so many beautiful stranded colorwork patterns now available, it's a good idea for knitters to come to terms with this intimidating concept.
Our sample for this tutorial was knit by Kristin (our resident Fair Isle guru) with Shetland Spindrift. A nice toothy (or sticky) yarn, many Shetland patterns recommend simply cutting into the project without any preparation. Well, not for us! We're going to walk you through the simple and easy way of steeking using this cool tea cozy. We'll actually use this same sample next week to create a tutorial on duplicate stitch.
Now, our method of stress-free steeking uses a sewing machine. If you do not have access to a sewing machine, you can hand sew your piece, but we recommend trying to find a machine first.
Text Instructions (each step has a corresponding photo):
Set up the sewing machine (it had to be said) for running/ straight stitch. We recommend you use a high-contrast thread so you'll be able to see it against the knitting more easily. In our sample we used pale grey thread against green, pink, and purple yarns. The stitch length and tension should be relatively low. As with any sewing project, TEST the machine settings on a scrap of fabric before sewing on your project.
Position the foot and needle for the first line of stitching - the line should be 0.25" from the cutting line and, if possible, 0.25" from the area the edging will later be picked up from. Should you have less than 1" to work with, always make sure the lines of stitching are 0.25" from the cutting line. If necessary, draw guidelines with chalk or water-soluble ink before sewing.
Start the machine slowly then, after a couple of stitches, backstitch over them to secure the thread.
Continue stitching to the end of the piece and be sure to backstitch over the last couple of stitches.
You'll now have one line of running stitch.
Reposition your piece with the foot and needle over where the second line of stitching will go.
Repeat Steps 3 - 4, being sure to backstitch over the first and last stitches of the line.
Now you'll have two lines of stitching that should be 0.50" apart - both 0.25" from where the steek will be cut.
Before cutting the steek, snip the thread tails.
Brace yourself and pull out your scissors.
Cut very carefully down the center between the two lines of stitches you just sewed. If necessary, draw a guideline with chalk or water-soluble ink to cut along.
Rejoice! You have just cut a steek. If you flip the knitting over, you will see that the lines of machine stitching are holding the yarn floats and knit stitches in place. This will help stabilize your knitting as you pick up stitches for the border, button band, sleeve, or hem.
Now, isn't that a lot less scary than just plain cutting into your knitting?
A couple of extra Obsessive-Compulsive tips from me (Sara M.) to make your steeking experience even less frightening:
Test your sewing-on-handknits skills by practicing with a swatch before sewing the actual project. An alternative (offered by Kristin) is to use an old sweater for practice, if you don't have a swatch.
Ziz-zag stitch over the straight stitch lines before cutting.
If you have access to a serger, serge the edges of the steak after cutting the fabric.
I especially recommend these tricks if you're going to be steeking something less toothy than Shetland wool (the sample above), such as cotton or superwash wool.
Next week I shall endeavor to corner Sandy Kay and whip up a duplicate stitch tutorial - you never know when you'll need it!
Hello everyone, and happy Thursday! I hope you're all enjoying the week so far. I have a few great things I'm really excited to share with you all today.
Last week Kristin and I were drooling over Pas De Valse by Portland designer Marnie Maclean from the Fall '09 issue of Twist Collective. Strangely enough that same day, Laurencame in wearing the one she had made. Fate? We think so.
We love the casual drape and perfect for spring weight of this cardigan and both can't wait to get started (we're working on convincing Eva to join us as well). Knit with fingering weight yarn, Kristin is going to use Habu N-68 Linen Wool Roving (a gorgeous 80% wool, 20% linen blend) color 5.
I was going to use Isager Alpaca 2 color 402 until we received a giant box of Madelinetosh this week including the brand-new-to-us Pashmina (coming to the website tomorrow!). Upon seeing this yarn the decision was clear - this 75% merino, 15% silk, and 10% cashmere blend is absolutely perfect for this sweater! It was difficult to pick a favorite, but I couldn't get out of the store without 5 skeins of the Moorland colorway.
I can't remember where I first read about this, but I found it again last week and I can't believe I haven't blogged about it yet! Andy Holden is an artist from England and until tomorrow you can see his Art Now Installation at the Tate Britain in London.
The Pyramid Piece is a work driven by conscience, which I think is really interesting. When Holden was 14, he visited Great Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt with his family and stole a piece from the pyramid. Over the years, the guilt he felt for this grew and giant replicas of the stone were created with yarn, foam, and steel supports.
This knit version of the stone is 100 times bigger (in length) than the original fragment and is 55 square meters of knitting in total. While the scale is a reflection of his manifesting guilt, it's also a meant to convey the feeling Holden first felt as a boy among the giant pyramids.
The Pyramid Piece is shown in conjunction with a film Return of the Pyramid Piece (2008) where he documented his mission to return the stolen rock to the exact spot from which it was taken. I really love this piece, if you're interested in this or Holden's other work I really recommend checking out his website.
It's no secret that all of us here at Knit Purl are big Julie Weisenberger and cocoknitsfans. While cruising her website last week for new things, I found this super-cute bathmat pattern available for free:
Knit with ripped up twin sheets on size 19 needles, this would be such a fast (and useful!) project. It might be fun to try it with Shibui Highland Wool Alpaca held double. This pattern reminds me a bit of that beautiful table runner from Rowan 45, I'm definitely going to attempt this project this weekend. If you've never looked before there are some really great free patterns (and tutorials) available through the cocoknitswebsite including my absolute favorite, the Smitten.
Unfortunately, I have a ton of Skif Sample Packets to ship so I'm going to have to cut this a little short today. Have a great weekend and check back next week for another edition of Fashionknitsta. Until then, as always, stay chic blogfans!
Just had to share this. We had so much fun last night during our Skif It Yarn Sampling!
Nine knitters plus Sandy Kay and I made for a room packed full of knitting enthusiasm. Plus, it was really interesting to see how people combined the 10 yarns provided:
Next time I swear I'll get photos of the swatches everyone made. Honest. They were too cool to miss.
Also, our mystery Skif knitter from last week was at the Sampling and informed us that she has updated her ravelry journal to include more information about her awesome Skif:
Liza, aka mythliza, is in the center. And now I must go back to being productive. I swear I called Sandy Kay to remind her to bring her sewing machine today, so we can do our Steaking Tutorial. We'll see what happens. Check back this afternoon for a new Fashionknitsta Thursday post!
It's Thursday again, and that means another edition of Fashionknitsta! I hope everyone is enjoying their April Fool's Day. I'm a little behind on writing today because it took me a while this morning to switch my keyboard back to English (thanks David, our hilarious IT expert). Those challenges behind me, I've got quite a few lovely things to share with you all today.
First, while continuing my hunt for a pattern with potential to achieve that layered look a la the Louis Vuitton F/W 2010 collection (which I've been lusting over for the past two weeks), I came across this little beauty:
It isn't exactly the look I was going for (it's bit too light and simple), but I really love this pattern. This is the Briar Dress from Kim Hargreaves' Winter Blooms, a book we unfortunately do not have in stock yet.
At first glance I thought this was pretty cute, but then realized it's done in Rowan Lima and I was sold. If you've felt that yarn, you know why. I talked about Lima a little bit in the last blog and it's still our current staff obsession. The simplicity of this pattern gives it so much versatility. I love the neckline and it would be just as beautiful a little shorter as a sweater.
The next thing I have to share today is definitely inspirational and I have to thank designer Julie Weisenberger, of cocoknits, for sharing this with me:
How beautiful is that coat? I have been day dreaming about it since she sent me the link last weekend. This image was originally found on Danish style blog Anywho, I love the stitch pattern and the shawl collar. Classic with a modern edge, this would work as a fabulous transitional piece for spring or fall.
So far the best pattern I've come up with for this one is a free pattern from Berroco, the Wishshaw:
The texture is almost right, but my favorite part of that coat is really the collar and the Berroco one falls a bit short in that regard. It would be most amazing if cocoknits came out with a pattern like this, maybe in Shibui Merino Alpaca? That sounds like a project I'd love to do. Maybe if we ask Julie very nicely?
During the hunt for coat patterns on Ravelry, I came across this gorgeous piece: the Audrey Coat by Cheryl Nelson.
It doesn't fit at all into what I was looking for, but isn't it fabulous? I want to see a detail shot, I almost don't believe this was hand done. Originally done in Blue Sky Alpaca Sport held double, I'd love to make this in Isager Alpaca 2.
The final pattern I have to share today is this adorable cardigan, Lauren by Ann Weaver.
This beautiful sweater is done in Malabrigo Worsted, which I love, but I think the stitch definition in that cable would be absolutely gorgeous in the newer Malabrigo Twist. Such lovely detail, this is definitely a cardigan you could dress up or down.
I'm going to leave you with a clever and fiber-filled commercial just for fun. Thank you for reading, and I hope everyone has a great weekend. Check back next week for another edition of Fashionknitsta and until then, stay chic blogfans!
