Knitspired: Featherhead

We have a winner!  Henceforth, our new r e l a x e d KAL shall be known as the:

The particulars:

WHEN: October 15, 2010 - February 15, 2011
WHAT: Snowbird or any other pattern by PiPiBird
WHO: Anyone!
WHERE: Birds of a Feather KAL on ravelry - be sure to join the fun!

I do hope you'll join me (and the 8 other people who voted for the name "Birds of a Feather").  Let it be known that I did plan to come in prepared today - having purchased the pattern last week and swatched this weekend (embracing the "laid-back" credo of the KAL early on) and then left both at home this morning.  Oh, well.  I got gauge and will be casting on this week.  Expect to see infrequent updates and receive gentle reminders via the blog and ravelry.

Next on the list, what beautimanimousness do I have to share with you all today?  Well, I have developed a strange obsession with two things.  One, Guernsey sweaters.  Two, Nordic stranded colorwork.  It must be the strange La Niña autumn we're having.  Of course, that will not deter me or my coworkers from allowing encouraging our Startitis to get into full swing and thereby wreak havoc on our collective WIP baskets.*  

What does this have to do with anything, you ask?  Well, first, I broke down and bought twelve skeins of Shelter last week (yes, I am weak), to make this lovely, lovely thing:

Romantically titled "Guernsey Sweater 2" from the breathtaking Japanese pattern booklet, Guernsey and Aran Sweaters - a magnificent collection of traditional fishermen's sweaters.  I chose to go the tried-and-true route and make mine in the lovely off-white Fossil.

Second, my cohorts and I have been planning something wicked for several months now - a Nordic KAL, to start on November 1st.  We haven't really nailed down any of the particulars, only that the projects have to be stranded colorwork.  Like this:

Or this:

Or this:

I'll get the particulars next week and post more information (including what my coworkers are planning).  If you'd like to join us and are looking to be inspired, you should very definitely check out these groups on ravelry:

1. Stranded (and member projects)
   
2. Nordic Knitting (and member projects)
3. Nordic Knitters (and member projects)
4. Inspired bij Oleana (and member projects)
5. I Make Mittens (and member projects)

After poking around, I myself am developing a serious knit-crush on these mittens:

GraceIvy's Heart of the Mesa Mittens, her pattern entry to the Malabrigo Sock design contest.  I really hope she wins, because I want this pattern!  How gorgeous is that design?  What a great idea for Malabrigo Sock, too.  I think I'm going to have to dig through my sock yarn stash for our little Nordic KAL.  You might want to do the same (with your stash), and use some odds and ends.  Stranded colorwork is great for mixing colors in wacky combinations.

Want to strand some colorwork?
	Always!
	Not particularly.
	Only if there's a support system in place.
	Never. One color at a time, thank you.
pollcode.com free polls

Note the Birds of a Feather KAL badge on the sidebar?  Feel free to take one for your own blog!  By next week, we should have a ChristmaChannuKwanzYulekah** Countdown 2010 badge as well as one for our mini Nordic KAL.  With luck, we'll even have some tutorials forthcoming, too.  Don't think Sandy Kay and I have forgotten our promise.  In fact, maybe we should create a Nordic knitting one!  I'll chat with her this week and we'll see what we can arrange.

Until next week, we hope you're enjoying this unseasonal cold weather (pull out those handknits!) and will keep knitting away with us.  'Til then, happy knitting!

~ Sara M.

*Word to the wise: invest in extra-large WIP baskets this Fall.
** Say that three times fast.

True Plies: Shelter yarn by Brooklyn Tweed

Well, it goes without saying that we were beside ourselves with glee when Jared brought us samples of his new yarn, Shelter, during a teaching visit last July.  We were duly sworn to secrecy and waited as patiently as possible for the official launch date.  Lucky for us, Jared also brought swatches in a variety of stitch patterns ranging from lace to Fair Isle so we could see the full range of the line.

The best part of the experience was hearing the story firsthand, how Jared had spent more than nine months searching for just the right blend of American wools (Columbia and Targhee), then the right mill, and finally the right yarn weight and colors.  It was such a long haul, and he was all alone, which is what makes this achievement so unbelievably impressive.

Eva's Beatnik IP, shown in 'Wool Socks'

The fact that he sourced directly from farms across Wyoming and South Dakota was another plus, because the American wool industry has taken a hit in recent years and could use some loving.  Add in Jared's own sense of style and color palette, and it was a sure thing.  We told him we couldn't be more excited to carry the yarn and would be very proud to be a Flagship store.

Three months passed (slowly, so slowly) and we went live with our own eCard, A Tweed Grows In Brooklyn, just after his announcement.  The day of the launch, I took home one ball of 'Sap', because we staff members had promised to wait a week before making our own purchases.  I dutifully swatched that evening and fell even deeper in love with the line.

Wayfarer, shown in 'Sap'

As soon as my favorite color was back in stock, Button Jar incidentally, I grabbed a bag and ran as fast as I could (... that might be a bit of an exaggeration).  The simple fact is that this is a wool yarn made for wool lovers by an admitted wool addict.  If you're not a fan of wool yarns, you won't enjoy Shelter.  If, however, you are one of us lanophiles* you will LOVE this yarn.  Especially if you enjoy wool with a touch of lanolin and sprinkling vegetable matter.

Columbia is an American breed (see Jared's post, the wool, for more) that is graded as a Medium Wool - something you'd want for outer wear and the less 'scratchy' sensitive.  Targhee, by contrast, is a Fine Wool and can be worn next to sensitive skin.  Columbia offers an unusual bounce and resilience, while Targhee softens the cross enough to still wear it against skin.  Now, I wouldn't recommend Shelter for very sensitive skin - if Shetland wool is 'too scratchy' for you, the recipient, or whomever concerned, don't use this yarn.  As lovely as it is, this isn't the right yarn for your task.

Oleya's scarf IP, shown in 'Sweatshirt'

In addition to the unique fiber content, Shelter is set apart by the actual structure of the yarn and the color blending.  Starting with the structure, we covered the difference between worsted and woolen yarns in our October 8th Newsletter: Gimme Shelter.  The long and the short of it, Shelter is processed using a traditional technique that is not industry standard.  The end effect is a light-as-air wool yarn that has a shocking 140 yards per 50 gram skein.  If you do the math, that's 60 more yards per 100 grams than Cascade 220.  Which adds up when you need multiple skeins... a lot.

The second (or, rather, third) specialization of Shelter has to do with the color palette.  It may seem simple to create a tweed, but it isn't.  Each of the 17 colors in the Shelter palette is made with a blend of 3 to 6 solid colors that range from natural neutrals to custom-dyed primary basics.  Every single color in the palette had to be broken down to the base components and blended accordingly.  They didn't just throw some wool at a milling machine; the wool had to be dyed, processed, and then spun.  Much more labor intensive than dyeing the yarn after the fact, the amazing color palette (and delicate heathering) are due to incredible diligence and attention to detail.

And, remember, all of this is done in America by small businesses.  How awesome is that?

Alexa's Beatnik IP, shown in 'Button Jar'

Anyway.

After experimenting with my little sample skein, I have to say that Shelter is obviously the product of a lot of love and devotion.  Curious to see how it would react to washing (would I have to worry about fulling, or worse felting?), I gave it a bath in warm water with a little agitation.  For future reference, do not wash your handknits this way.  I then laid it out on a towel to dry overnight.  The next morning, I was pleased to see that the swatch had not fulled or felted and looked just a little bit plumper.

Swatch after blocking, shown in 'Sap'

Now, 'plump' does not translate to bloom, when a yarn grows so much during blocking that the gauge is substantially different before and after hitting the water.  By 'plump', I actually mean that the yarn filled out a bit and made the swatch just a little more opaque.  A good example of this can be seen in Clara Park's swatches - the unwashed swatch is to the right, the washed to the left.  The different isn't enough to affect gauge or drape, but it does make the yarn a little loftier.

This is, honestly, to be expected from woolen yarns.  As explained in our eCard last week, more air is trapped in yarn during the woolen process than the worsted.  This makes woolen yarns ideal for fulling or felting, because all that air allows the wool fibers freedom to move around.  Which is why many, if not most, woolen knits and woven clothes were traditionally fulled - lightly felted for added warmth and resilience.

 Blocking Wayfarer, shown in 'Almanac'

The fact that my swatch didn't felt immediately (hallelujah) means that I don't have to worry about accidentally fulling or felting a finished garment every time laundry day comes around.  It doesn't rule it out as a possibility, either.  I'm sure that with a little persistence and some hot water, one could make a dense felt in no time.  Personally, I'd love to see some beautiful fulled knitting patterns with this yarn.  They'd be a perfect match.

My final impression is this - Shelter is a beautiful yarn that is without a doubt worthy of the title 'artisan'; and, while I love it to death, not everyone else will.  The fact that the line is a truly 100% American enterprise makes it unusual, and it is a niche product that won't appeal to every knitter.  It isn't Cascade 220, nor is it Malabrigo.  Shelter is a unique yarn that deserves consideration, even if it isn't your cup of tea. 

My sweater IP, shown in 'Button Jar'

But I have to say, try swatching with it and you might just convert to the Tweed way of life.

*Yes, I totally just made that term up.

And a big 'Thank You!' to our staff members for lending us their samples for this post.

Knitspired: Birds of a feather

Twenty minutes left on the clock, so this is going to be something of a drive-by post.  Sorry for the nothing last week, I was out with the stomach flu.  Anyway, our blog news kept (and I promise I will post that in-depth review on Shelter later, honest) and is looking just as good a week later.

On the subject of Shelter, did you know that it has 68 projects on ravelry?!  Released twelve days ago - crazy, huh?  I can't even tell you how many skeins have flown out our door (no, literally, I can't count that high right now), and most of them didn't even go home with staff, either!  Several of us are working on Shelter projects, which I will share next week, during our in-depth review.

Moving on (19 minutes, eep!), have you been paying attention to our Christmas Countdown KAL and the Christmas Countdown Clock?  You should, Xmas is less than 3 months away!  How many people on your gift list are expecting hand-knit gifts?  Exactly.  You might want to get started now, rather than two weeks before they're due.  On that note, we have been assembling...

THE ULTIMATE LIST OF HAND-KNIT GIFT SUGGESTIONS

Seriously.  Check it out (and submit some of your own!), we're always hearing how helpful it is to provide suggestions for 1 and 2 skein projects, which is basically what that list consists of.

16 minutes.  Well, the 'Aye's have it with 85% of the vote, which means we WILL be having a PiPiBird/ Snowbird KAL!  Pick a PiPiBird pattern of your choice (or go with my pick, see below) and knit something for yourself as the holidays approach.  Trust me, you'll need a little 'me' knitting time by early December.  My choice...

Snowbird by Heidi Kirrmaier

Is a lovely long cardigan that will be simply blissful to wear when knit with Rowan Felted Tweed - in "Wheat", since I already have a bag waiting at home, anxiously awaiting it's new life as something other than yarn...

Such a lovely, warm color.  Definitely the right pattern for this yarn (which has been waiting ever so patiently for a project).  Now, before we call cast on, we need a KAL name.  I mean, I could come up with a name, but that would be so totalitarian.  Let's put it to a vote!

What shall our KAL henceforth be called?
	PiPiBird Snowbird KAL
	Birds Of A Feather KAL
	It's Mine, All Mine! KAL
	Treat Myself KAL
	Who cares? I'm not participating!
pollcode.com free polls

I guess we'll find out the results same time next week.  A good sweater KAL should last at least two months (so everyone can have a reasonable amount of time to finish), but with the winter holidays fast approaching, we should cushion that timeframe.  How does from October 15 - February 15 sound?  Leave a comment if you love it or hate it.

Less than ten minutes.  One last thing to mention, before end-of-day stuff:

This Thursday ONLY, Brave New Knits Trunk Show!

Thursday, October 14th, 6 - 8 pm

Sip champagne and chat with Julie Turjoman, the author/ interviewer who had the audacity to approach 26 of the biggest names in knitting (from Jared Flood to Ysolda Teague) and ask them for pretty patterns.  It should be fascinating, and quite lovely since the designs are beautiful.

And now I must away.  Be seeing you next week!
~Sara M.