[Behind the scenes at Knit Purl]

Fashion City

2011-08-29T12:56:00.000-07:00

It's no big secret that Portland is emerging as a city known for fresh fashion and design. The local design community has delivered a handful of winning designers on Project Runway and has been featured in fashion shows around the world. I recently discovered an amazing stage for these designers and their creations.

The Portland Design Collective is a group of local designers, vintage garment experts, and savvy entrepreneurs who have joined forces to premiere their creations in fashion shows, workshops, and a retail location. The retail store is located just a few blocks from the Knit Purl storefront and is a must see if you are in the neighborhood. The spacious 4,000 square feet of display floor is artfully arranged with salvaged signs, old store displays, and interesting architectural elements. This provides a stunning backdrop for the designer fashions and premium vintage finds.

There is a vast array of items to browse and the staff welcomes questions and comments. Women's clothing includes special occasion wear, dresses, separates, jewelry, and accessories. Menswear has both vintage finds and designer creations. Alterations are available on-site to assure a perfect fit. The quality is apparent in the garments and this is the place to find a one of a kind piece that nobody else will be wearing.

When asked about the mission of this fashion wonderland, owner Tacee Webb explains, "We wanted to bring locally curated vintage and new designers to the Portland fashion scene. We have tailoring experts in house who can expertly fit a vintage garment to the modern woman of today."

The store has received recognition in such publications as Sunset Magazine, PDX Monthly, and many features in the Portland Mercury. The store also hosts and organizes fashion shows and events which are advertised locally and on their Facebook page.

Tacee sums up her customer base as "young, urban, fashion-forward women who want quality clothing. They want something unique for a wedding, event, or occasion and insist that it be one of a kind. We are happy that we can provide the expert knowledge and tailoring to assure that selected garments will fit perfectly and look amazing."

We here at Knit Purl encourage a stop at the Portland Design Collective. It's a visual feast and you will leave feeling inspired! Be sure to look them up on Facebook. There are frequent updates and links to special events and local fashion happenings.

Portland Design Collective
902 SW Morrison Street
Portland, Oregon 97205
503-243-2433

What's New on Ravelry: Christmas Edition

2011-08-08T18:00:00.000-07:00

Greetings, dear readers!

If you subscribe to the newsletter or looked the front page of the website recently, you'll know that we're all been pretty excited by Christmas in August. I definitely agree with the tagline "It's Never too Early to Start". And really, it's not. Think about it. It's already August, and before you know it, we'll be in the midst of fall. As long as I've been a knitter, the holiday season always crept up on me before I was ready. Even projects I started in October didn't seem to make my deadline. Why not stock up on yarny goodness and start now?

So naturally, today's blog is going to highlight Christmas knits. I hope by now you've seen all the cute ornament kits (and book!) here at Knit Purl. If you start now, you'll have plenty of time to knit this festive sweater too!

I hope I'm not the only on one the planet who wants to knit this sweater. I love that it's a Christmas sweater that's not terribly tacky. Yes, it is a bit kitschy what with the deer and trees and all, but that's part of its charm. It's not over the top at all! I love the vintage details, with the puffed sleeves and the buttons at the back of the neck.

It's knit flat and seamed, and charts are included for both the fair isle and intarsia parts. It's a 5 dollar download through Ravelry at this link here, and also available as part of an ebook here. That ebook has plenty of other cute vintage patterns in it. (I think this one's the cutest, though!)

My yarn pick: it would look superb in Marion Foale. That yarn is simply amazing in stranded knits - my coworker made some mittens with the yarn and they were spectacular! Not only does Marion Foale look good in colorwork, it's very soft and machine washable. How cool is that?

I think it would best represent the Christmas Spirit in Dark Red & Cream.

Dark Red/Cream

It would also be fetching in Cranberry & Ivory Shibui Sock.

Cranberry/Ivory

Plus you can make extra matching Christmas balls with all the yarn leftovers. Bonus!

I bet you're wondering where all the other projects are. Don't fret - I am starting to shorten up my posts to create clear, concise blurbs about Ravelry patterns and how you can use our yarn to make something truly special! And in a little while, the single project posts will be more frequent so you'll get the same amount of project inspiration, just a little bit at a time. I hope it inspires you to create wonderful things!

Happy knitting!

Oleya

Looking Back at Sock Summit

2011-08-04T10:15:00.000-07:00

Now that the four fabulous and frenzied days of all things sock knitting are behind us, we finally have a moment to take a breath and remember some of our favorite parts of Sock Summit weekend.

We arrived Thursday morning to set up our booth amidst the sea of vendors. It was so exciting to transform our bare corner of the convention center into a miniature version of our store, complete with some favorite books, samples, and even our tiny Christmas tree!

After lots of teamwork, I must say our booth was looking pretty snazzy! Here's a close-up of our rainbow of Brooklyn Tweed, Handmaiden, Madelinetosh, and more.

Just as we were adding the finishing touches to our weekend abode, the crowd arrived. Hundreds of eager sock knitters rushed into the Marketplace at opening time on Thursday, and they never stopped! The Marketplace bustled with fiber fanatics thrilled to get their hands on all the gorgeous yarn and fiber Sock Summit had to offer.

Meandering my way around the Marketplace, I happened upon some treasures that even I could hardly resist. I swooned over the plush plaits of hand-dyed wool roving from Wonderland Dyeworks (top). I vowed then and there to improve my amateurish spinning skills so that I can someday make my own yarn with these wooly works of art!

These luscious skeins are from Tactile, creators of our new Linen Lace and Tussah Silk Lace yarns. All of Tactile's fibers are naturally dyed, making these colorful jewels beautiful and eco-friendly!

In their typically unique fashion, The Sanguine Gryphon transformed their booth into a medieval market stall with a tent emblazoned with their signature gryphon symbol. The tent plus the team's period dress certainly contributed to the buzz about their gorgeous yarns--every time I glanced over, the line wrapped halfway around the booth!

Perhaps the icing on the cake was the flash mob, where hundreds of knitters gathered outside the convention center to perform a synchronized dance with a favorite skein of yarn to the classic 80s ballad, "(I've Had) The Time of My Life." Yes, the one from Dirty Dancing. It was a sight to be seen--and very impressive choreography!

We had such an amazing time at Sock Summit, and it was wonderful to meet all of you who were able to visit us! Thank you so much for making Knit Purl a stop along your journey to Sock Mecca! If you couldn't make it, we still have loads of sock goodies in stock, including our exclusive handmade hardwood Knitpods and darning eggs. They make fabulous souvenirs for you or your favorite sock knitter!

Until the next Summit, thanks for the memories!

Portland's Super Bowl

2011-07-29T16:16:00.000-07:00

When you think of "bowls" a few things come to mind. The big Super Bowl game, the Hollywood Bowl, maybe even Grandma's crystal punch bowl. But here in downtown Portland, a champion reigns among the food cart community.

The Whole Bowl is an exciting meal option and the SW Portland location is just a block from our Knit Purl store. This food cart features healthy vegetarian fare and is an employee favorite for fast and yummy takeout. I asked our staffer Oleya a few questions about why this is her adored Portland food cart.

W: "Why do you like visiting The Whole Bowl?"

O: "The orders come out quick. Sometimes there's a line but the food always arrives delicious and fresh."

W: "Tell me exactly what's in a Whole Bowl serving."

O: "It's layers of yummy taste: brown rice, red and black beans, fresh avocado, salsa, black olives, sour cream, Tillamook cheddar, cilantro, and the famous Tali sauce. It's served in two sizes priced at $5.00 and $5.50 (the better deal)."

W: "Tell me about this famous sauce that everyone is talking about"

O: "Well, the Tali sauce is the best part. It's a lemony-garlic creation that makes the whole dish taste wonderful. It has other mysterious ingredients that make the sauce unique and truly addictive."

W: "Anything else you want to tell us about The Whole Bowl?"

O: "I like the cart not only for the food but the friendly service and consistent meals. The owner knows the customers by their names and they will make the bowls to order in case you want to delete some items. The bowls are very filling and the food keeps me going for the rest of the workday."

The Whole Bowl has three locations:

SW 9th and Alder (near the Knit Purl storefront), 4411 SE Hawthorne (this location features indoor seating), and 1100 NW Glisan Street in the Pearl District. All locations open for lunch and the Hawthorne location is open until 7pm.

The meals served at The Whole Bowl contain no meat yet meat-eaters often say they don't miss it. Healthy and 100% vegetarian, it's not hard to understand why this is such a popular lunch destination. Try it the next time you are in the neighborhood. But watch out... that sauce is addictive!

What's New on Ravelry: Sock Edition

2011-07-25T18:15:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to "What's New on Ravelry"! This week, I am going to focus my pattern selections on socks. Why socks, you ask? Well, here in Portland, in conjunction with Sock Summit, this week has been declared Sock Knitting Week by the mayor of Portland.

Even if you're not local to Portland, why not cast on a pair of socks in spirit with us? Summer is the perfect time to knit socks. They're small, so you don't have to deal with a lap full of wool, and they're portable, so they're small enough to tuck away in your overnight bag. If you're new to knitting socks, Knit Purl has a variety of patterns for even the newest of knitters, from baby socks (perfect for getting the technique down on a smaller, quicker size) to simple adult socks (a good pattern full of clear diagrams and photos). Now, on to the new patterns!

Flocked Socks, by Sara Morris/Rose City Knits

First off, I'd like to share a new pattern we have here at Knit Purl, Flocked Socks.
Designed by prolific knitter/designer Sara Morris of Rose City Knits, these socks include attractive details like garter stitch 'seams', and a cute flocked stitch pattern. I really love how Sara takes something traditional, in this case, a traditional Norwegian stitch pattern, and makes it her own. She is so clever! Best of all, the pattern includes a range of sizes, from child to adult male! You can knit matching socks for the entire family, if they are all knit-worthy, that is.

While her original design used Malabrigo Sock, I would love to see some of the new Tactile BFL sock yarn knit up in this pattern. Those natural dyes just glow!

My picks:

Pomegranate / Graphite / Denim

Sock Knitting Master Class, by Ann Budd. Available here.

We just got a really cool book in called Sock Knitting Master Class. It has a lot of great sock patterns by well-known sock designers like Nancy Bush, Cookie A, Anne Hanson, Cat Bordhi, and so many more. If the designers aren't enough to draw you in, there's much more in here for sock novices and sock aficionadi alike. With topics like sock design, toe up and top down construction, and the best bind offs for toe-up socks, this book will take you from zero to sock in no time. It also includes a bonus DVD, perfect for learning new techniques and a bit of extra explanation.

My favorite pattern from the book is probably the cover socks, Thigh High Stripes. I know they are a bit wild, but they remind me of socks I wore as a child - I guess I am a bit nostalgic. It seems like a great way to use up scraps, practice my stranded technique, and keep things interesting with the different colors.

If these aren't quite your style, don't worry! There are plenty of other dazzling patterns to choose from, like Stranded Socks from Nancy Bush, Mock Cables by Chrissy Gardiner, and Intarsia bloomed socks, to name a few (all shown below). This book is a perfect way to either get starting knitting socks, keep your sock momentum going, dipping a toe into the waters of designing, or somewhere in between.

Lastly, I would like to share a free pattern with you.

Bosnian Slipper Socks, by Donna Druchunas, Knitty First Fall 2011

In the most recent issue of Knitty, the Bosnian Slipper Socks caught my eye. The bold, graphic colors , vikkel braid, and Bosnian toe-shaping called my name. There's even an article about how to tension yarn using your neck! Seriously, check it out.

As I learn more about knitting, I find myself becoming more interested in wordly techniques, and learning just how many different ways there are of knitting and designing things. This Bosnian Sock could be just the thing to take your sock knitting in a different direction.

If you want to find out more about sock knitting techniques from different cultures, please read Around the World in Knitted Socks. It is truly an inspiring read, with gorgeous photography and fascinating information about all sorts of techniques for knitting socks. It's a must-read for any knitter!

Whether you are attending Sock Summit or not, I hope this post has you inspired and ready to cast on a pair of socks for the summer! Please let me know if there are any sock patterns you are wild about. Thanks for reading!

Swatch Watch: Pashmina Parade

2011-07-22T14:56:00.000-07:00

Today's focus is another of my very favorite yarns, the delightful Madelinetosh Pashmina. This sport-weight blend of 75% Merino, 15% Silk and 10% Cashmere is surprisingly versatile. It handles lace, cables and texture stitches with ease, and makes any project more delectable to knit - somehow, those Pashmina projects always finish so quickly compared to the others.

In fact, I will assert that if I had to knit with just one yarn for the rest of my life, it would be Madelinetosh Pashmina. A bold statement indeed!

The many faces of Pashmina, all knitted on a US 4/3.5 mm needle.

Madelinetosh Pashmina in Lepidoptera, knitted in a simple lace pattern from Barbara Walker's Third Treasury of Knitting Patterns

Gauge: 4.25 sts/inch in lace pattern, knit with size US 4/3.5 mm needles

This vibrant shade shows off a fun little lace stitch. I think this stitch pattern would make a great lace detail on a garment or even a little headband. Pashmina also takes the dye so differently than the other tosh yarns - the silk content in the yarn makes those skeins glow, beckoning knitters from across the room. Semisolid colors like this Lepidoptera look great in Pashmina, as the margins between shades are very soft and blended. I cannot resist these elegant colorways and I often find myself adopting the last orphaned skein from a lot. Since the yardage is a generous 360 yards, it is possible to make a complete project from one skein. The above swatch was knit with my ample leftovers from a Scroll Lace Scarf and I knit an Ishbel from one skein, with 90 yards to spare!

For a project using a stitch pattern similar to these playful dots, check out OlgaJazzy's new Mizutama Shawl. It would be so dreamy in Pashmina!

Madelinetosh Pashmina in Smokestack, knitted in a textured, reversible rib

Gauge: 7 sts/inch in rib pattern, knit with size US 4/3.5 mm needles

I made this swatch to try out my latest stitchionary acquisition. The light silver Smokestack colorway shows off the textured rib beautifully. I have been dreaming of making a tailored, textured vest for some time, and I think this may be the perfect stitch for it. It is soft and silky but the wool content gives it structure. A textured stitch like this one gives the already luxurious Pashmina a refined edge.

Madelinetosh Pashmina in Terrarium, knitted in an all over cable stitch

Gauge: 7 sts/inch in all-over cable pattern, knit with size US 4/3.5 mm needles

This stitch pattern reminds me of stylized tree bark, and the gorgeous Terrarium colorway really plays up the natural effect. The plump stitches make great cables, subtle and smooth on the stockinette background. A stitch like this could inspire a splendid pullover - soft and warm, but not too heavy. I'm pretty sure I could live in a sweater like that!

Madelinetosh Pashmina in Smokestack, Charcoal and Composition Book Grey, knitted in garter stitch with applied i-cord edging

Gauge: 6.5 sts/inch in garter stitch, knit with size US 4/3.5 mm needles

This swatch is a color study for what will become possibly the most posh Baby Surprise Jacket of all time. I discovered all these gorgeous shades of grey in my stash (surprise!) and I think they are so interesting together. The Composition Book Grey, used here in the applied i-cord edging, becomes more lavender/purple when juxtaposed with the cooler tones of Smokestack and Charcoal. The stitches are bouncy and stretchy, perfect for warm yet elegant baby winterwear. Even better, Pashmina is machine washable!

Pashmina is truly a dream to work with. If you haven't tried it before, treat yourself to a skein! You won't be disappointed. But watch out- you might become hopelessly obsessed, like me!

I hope you enjoyed my enthusiastic ravings about Madelinetosh Pashmina. Next week, we will explore some yarn combinations for a mysterious 4-armed sweater from Habu Textiles!

Happy Swatching,
Eva

Chocolate Standard

2011-07-20T12:32:00.000-07:00

I met a chocolatier today. Everyone else in the world has the wrong job. He goes by the name of Jesse, and he co-owns the chocolate bar Cacao, named after the cocoa bean producing tree. Located on SW 13th just off of Burnside, Cacao sets the standard for gourmet chocolate. Step inside and you enter a different sort of world. A world where brown explodes in to hundreds of delicious hues, where chocolate comes in bars, beans, butter, and nibs.

An eager employee walked us through the store, pointing out his favorite confections. Asked about the price range of Cacao's products, he gestures towards a towering gift box, but then passes on some candied wisdom: "You can buy a bottle of wine for three dollars or three-hundred, and they both might suck, but an eight dollar bar of chocolate will blow your mind."

Our minds were in fact blown shortly thereafter by a flight of three drinking chocolate shots. Dark, cinnamon, and smoky chili-infused one-ounce drinks slid across the table on a tiny tray after we made liberal use of the corporate card. Lilliputian yet lavish, each shot served up decadent sips weighty in substance and silky in texture.

I forget sometimes, in days defined by commutes and convenience stores, to ask myself: "What is delicious?" Today I remember that love exists not just as an idea, but can be imbued in the product of one's labor. And if I ever need a reminder, I need only stroll over to Cacao, a mere four blocks from Knit Purl.

Cacao
414 Southwest 13th Avenue, Portland
(503) 241-0656
www.cacaodrinkchocolate.com

Eat = Portland Food Carts

2011-07-13T13:27:00.000-07:00

Why would people stand in the rain for yellow chicken curry? Or endure a 90 degree summer swelter for a salad roll?

The answer is the amazing world of Portland food carts. For those who aren't familiar with this "food on the street" scene that is sweeping cities across the country, here's a brief history. Several years ago, a few tiny converted travel trailer kitchens started popping up in the downtown core area of Portland, Oregon. These tiny restaurants occupied empty spots in parking lots. It took a few years for people to figure them out, but once diners sampled the cheap, amazing food, the wave of food carts began.

In the city of Portland, there are several "pods" of popular food carts in the core downtown area. In recent years, carts have sprung up on the east side of the city as well as some neighborhoods. There have been several national news stories on the Portland cart community and this has inspired the food cart phenomenon across the US.

In this blog, we plan to highlight some of the Knit Purl staff favorite dining destinations. We are fortunate that our retail store location is just steps away from the carts located between 9th and 11th on Alder Street. We highly recommend that if you shop with us, you consider grabbing lunch or dinner at one of these unique little restaurants. Bargain-priced and always delicious, you should visit them and experience something that started right here in Portland.

The carts have an organized website complete with information, cart listings, and maps.

www.foodcartsportland.com

What's New on Ravelry

2011-07-11T16:23:00.001-07:00

Howdy, blog readers. I hope summer is treating you well! It is finally starting to feel like summer here in Portland. I have spent the past couple of weeks poring over Ravelry patterns for you, and here is what I would like to share:

© Kirsten Kapur

Abby's Blanket, by Kirsten Kapur, available through Ravelry

Newly released from Kirsten Kapur is this twee baby blanket pattern. I've actually been anticipating this pattern since I saw the striped version on her blog. I have a lot of handspun and odd balls in my stash and I love how the pattern looks striped up. Normally, I wouldn't combine stripes with lace, but somehow Kirsten has made this work wonderfully. The solid-colored version calls for Madelinetosh Vintage, and that is a perfect go-to yarn for baby knits. It's got a nice tight twist to it, it's superwash, and it's super soft merino, perfect for baby snuggles. The blanket takes three skeins of the main color and one skein for the border. My picks?

3 skeins Ink for MC and 1 skein Baltic for a classic baby boy blanket.

3 skeins Charcoal for MC and 1 skein Tart for a gender-neutral blanket.

3 skeins Curiosity and one skein Antler (not pictured, but in stock at Knit Purl) for a very soft, girly blanket.

The lace pattern does not seem too difficult, and it's worked from the center out, a perfect way to make sure to get all your yardage used. It seems like just the thing to whip up in antipation of the next baby shower.

© Olga Buraya-Kefelian

Issey Scarf, by Olga Jazzy, available through Ravelry

I am an avid reader of Olgajazzy's blog, and I had been noticing the Issey Scarf on her site for quite some time without a link to a pattern. I was about to email her about it, but then the pattern suddenly appeared with a link to download. It's pretty much got all my favorites here: Madelinetosh Pashmina, pleats, and it looks great in that grey she chose. It looks like it would go with everything! It has options: 4 or 8 inch width, and sharp or blunt tips. I love how a lot of her designs feature unsusual construction. I think it makes knitting boring things like scarves a lot more interesting! The skinner version uses two skeins, and the larger, three.

My color picks: Charcoal or Tart.

I'm sure you'll be seeing more of this (probably on the Work in Progress Page) when I knit mine. :)

© Julie Hoover

Decalage, by Julie Hoover, available through Ravelry

Customers are frequently asking me what to make with Habu Textiles' yarns. They are all so beautiful, but often overwhelming when a choice has to be made regarding a project. Well, there is one more pattern choice out there, thanks to JGourmet, also known as Julie Hoover. I have secretly admired Julie's beautiful knitting and stash photos on Ravelry, and I was additionally delighted to see she writes patterns.

Decalage uses Habu Textiles' A-177 Super Fine Merino and A-20/21 Silk Stainless to create a breathtaking gradient of wool and silken steel, resulting in a beautiful piece of art that just happens to be a scarf as well. There are so many combinations you could use, the possibilities are almost endless!

Since I like red so much, here are my picks for a very tonal red/orange version:

color 8 (brick) + color 18 (red) in Habu Textiles Silk/Stainless A20-21

habu fine merino 3044 (brick) + 3040 (deep red) in Habu Textiles Fine Merino

That is all I have for now, but please check back for more new patterns! If there is anything you have seen that is new and inspiring to you, please let me know, and I will mention it here. Until next time!

Stitch N' Pitch 2011

2011-07-06T18:14:00.001-07:00

Wondering what's going on in the photo below?

Well... that is a knitter on the "jumbotron" at a Major League Baseball game. This unusual knitting/crocheting/needle-crafts event is being held all over the country at baseball stadiums. Basically, it's just a (LARGE) group of needle-arts addicted people who travel to the ballparks for an exciting game and yes, some knitting.

The event is called "Stitch N' Pitch." We are happy to announce there's an event coming to the Pacific Northwest! On Thursday July 14th, Stitch N' Pitch will be happening at the Seattle Mariners game at Safeco Field. So here is your chance to experience a major league game and not have to put down your knitting project.

A local group is being organized by Lantern Moon (the knitting needle and accessories company) in Portland. They are taking reservations for a bus trip which includes a ride up and back to the game, tickets, and a goodie bag. Cost is $60.00. Space is limited.

Contact them via the link below.

We think this sounds like an awesome event and we can't wait to hear what it was actually like in the ballpark with hundreds (maybe thousands) of knit and crochet folks in attendance.

-William

www.lanternmoonblog.com

www.stitchnpitch.com

Swatch Watch - Shibui Central

2011-07-01T15:08:00.000-07:00

Hello, fellow yarn enthusiasts! This week we have something lovely to look at: a school of swatches in the new Shibui color palette! We have been having lots of fun playing with fresh color combinations within the family of Shibui yarns. Here are some of our favorites:

A happy set of swatches. Aren't they lovely?

2 strands Shibui Silk Cloud in Flaxen, 1 strand of Shibui Staccato in Dijon, worked in pattern for "Eustacia" from the Shibui Luxury Book

Gauge: 5 sts/inch on a size 7 / 4.5mm needle

Because the Silk Cloud in Flaxen is just a touch lighter than the Staccato in Dijon, the Flaxen really glitters and adds some nice visual interest. The texture stitch is really lovely in this fiber combination - the result is warm and dense without being overly heavy. A similar color look could be achieved by pairing Staccato in Artichoke with Silk Cloud in Green Tea.

1 strand Shibui Silk Cloud in Graphite, 1 strand of Shibui Merino Alpaca in Graphite

Gauge: 4 sts/inch on size 9 / 5.5mm needles

The color and feel of this swatch makes me think of December in Portland. It is the color of a heavy rain cloud, but feels much friendlier. Merino Alpaca is one of my favorite yarns on its own, but I really like it paired with Silk Cloud. The mohair halo adds softness to the almost rope-y texture of the Merino Alpaca. This pairing would be great for a warm winter cowl, perfect for keeping out the elements.

1 strand Shibui Silk Cloud in Artichoke, 1 strand of Shibui Silk Cloud in Green Tea.

Gauge: 4 sts/inch on size 9 / 5.5mm needles

By using two similar shades of the same yarn, one light and one dark, plain stockinette takes on a polished glimmer. This pairing would add some elegant interest to a Silk Cloud Pullover!

Other color pairs to try: Graphite/Ash, Fjord/Dragonfly, Bordeaux/Peony

1 strand Shibui Silk Cloud in Fjord, 1 strand of Shibui Heichi in Canal

Gauge: 4.5 sts/inch on size 8 / 5mm needles

Adding a fine strand of Silk Cloud changes the texture of Heichi dramatically. When used by itself, the worsted weight silk has a lovely drape and tends to grow after blocking. By adding a strand of Silk Cloud, the fabric becomes softer and will spring back into shape. This textile would be great for a year-round garment - it is soft, light and warm without being too hot.

2 strands of Shibui Baby Alpaca in Artichoke, 1 strand Shibui Silk Cloud in Artichoke, worked in Mistake Rib

Gauge: 3 sts/inch on size 13 / 9mm needles

In the words of our IT guy, David: it's "like petting a unicorn." I don't have first-hand experience with unicorns, but that does sound quite wonderful. This would be a great fiber combination for a cuddly cowl or other magical winter accessory.

1 strand of Shibui Merino Alpaca in Ivory, worked in stitch pattern from the Nehalem pullover from Shibui Texture, arriving later this summer.

Gauge: 4 sts/inch on size 9 / 5.5mm needles

Merino Alpaca is one of my favorite yarns for cables, and you can see why! It has great stitch definition and really makes those cables "pop".

That's all for now! Until next time, happy swatching!

-Eva

What's New on Ravelry

2011-06-27T17:18:00.000-07:00

Well, hello there blogger friends! As I anxiously await the arrival of summer weather here in Portland (I've been teased by a couple of sunny days, but nothing's sticking yet), I have been collecting more summer patterns to add to the queue. And well, I must admit, some of these are more suited for early fall. But nothing's wrong with knitting a season ahead, right? Now, on to the patterns!

Sheer, from Kim Hargreaves' Whisper

Last week, Knit Purl was bestowed with copies of Whisper, which (rather appropriately) took my breath away. The garment I can't stop making eyes at? Sheer, a tunic/dress with lovely details like puffed sleeve cuffs and delicate eyelet edging. I think this will work itself well into fall, and is probably pretty cute over patterned tights or solid-colored leggings when the breezes get a little much to bear bare-legged.

It calls for the warm-weather friendly Rowan Pima Cotton DK, but I think it might look really interesting in Rowan Purelife Revive.

I take pleasure knowing that the yarn is recycled, and the tweed created from the silk/cotton/viscose is truly delicious. I imagine the silk in the blend will give a nice drape to it. All in all, it will be a truly stunning piece!

Lexi vest, by Celeste Varner / Shibui Toddler

Kids need fun transitional garments, too, so I must share my next favorite: The Lexi vest from the soon to be released Shibui booklet, Shibui Toddler. It’s a super cute hooded stripy vest that would work well as a little summer cover-up, and also a good layering piece in the fall over a turtleneck. Knit in Shibui Sock, I love the bright primary colors (Finch and Midnight) paired with a neutral color (Ivory). If I am ever to make multiples of these, I would also like to use sock yarn scraps for the stripes (a self-proclaimed fingering weight yarn addict here – I have a LOT of scraps!) to make a more multicolored version. Fun! Would this work in an adult size? Hmm...

For those wanting to get a jump-start on their fall knitting, I have a couple of things I wanted to share:

Brownstone, by Jared Flood/Brooklyn Tweed

Not wanting to leave the men out, I wanted to share a semi-recent pattern that I really want to knit. It’s of course, designed by the prolific knitter/designer/blogger Jared Flood. I don't think you could get any more dapper than this. Shawl collar? Toggle buttons? SHELTER? Yes, please. Sign me up!
Of course, I am well aware of the sweater curse, and the only other man in my life I'll knit for is my dad, who lives in Sunny Southern California. Seeing as how he doesn't have much need for a wooly pullover, I guess I just have to make one for myself! I'm planning on fiddling with the numbers to make it fit me in the chest and also include some waist and bust shaping. It's definitely worth a try, right? Yes. Now, if only I could decide between Soot and Long Johns...

Darrin, by Laura Chau / Knitty First Fall 2011

Last, but not least, the Knitty First Fall edition came out a couple days ago, and of course I am in love with the simple grey sweater, Darrin. Knit in the luxurious Road to China Light, it’s sure to be soft, cozy, and wonderfully drapy. I think that ribbed bit on the shoulder is crying out for some vintage buttons.
Sure, it’s a looooot of stockinette stitch, but that wonderful yarn will make it all worthwhile. My color pick? Well, besides the original Hematite (which I love!), Smoky Quartz.

That's all I have for now, but stay tuned for the next version! And as always, feel free to leave me a comment if there's anything you think is worth mentioning in my next post. Happy knitting! (And queuing!)

A Jumbo WIP Wednesday!

2011-06-21T13:59:00.000-07:00

Hey there, blogfans! WIP Wednesday is back with a vengeance this week! We're all working on some fabulous summery projects that we're clamoring to share with you, some you've seen before and some brand new to the blog.

But first off, a big round of applause for Lindsay, who just bound off her Featherweight Cardigan yesterday--her first completed full size sweater! It's knit with one of our favorites, Madelinetosh Tosh Sock in Charcoal, and Lindsay improvised the textural seed stitch collar and trim. So gorgeous!

Anna also recently finished a project: her delightfully airy Citron shawlette, knit with Madelinetosh Prairie in Earl Grey. The color is magnificent, and the ruffled edge is pretty and feminine without being overly twee. Having knit one of these lovelies myself over the winter, I can say that this pattern is utterly addictive and so much fun to wear!

And now for some brand new beauties! Sandy is making great progress on Flynn, an adorable, richly cabled Grandpa-style cardigan from Rowan Summer Baby. The yarn shown in the book is Rowan's lightweight Cotton Glace, but Sandy decided to treat herself to a project made of one of our absolute favorite yarns, Marion Foale 3-Ply. It's a soft fingering weight wool that knits like a dream and is machine washable to boot!

Determined to overcome the dreaded SSS (Second Sock syndrome) that has plagued her in the past, Eva just cast on for a two-at-a-time pair of Pallazzoo socks, a pattern from our 2010 Sock Club, in Madelinetosh Tosh Sock. The delicate traveling stitch pattern (can you see it just under the cuff?) forms an intriguing lattice all over the sock. With this technique in her arsenal, Eva is sure she'll finish this pair!

Jenny recently started working on an ethereal Still Light tunic in Isager Alpaca 2, a cozy yet lightweight wool and alpaca blend. This dress, especially in a light neutral like Isager's color 2105, somehow manages to be summery and wintry at once--a surefire wardrobe stable throughout the seasons.

Oleya's latest is another pattern that seems to bridge the gap between winter and summer knitting perfectly: a Brooklet cowl in Madelinetosh Tosh Sock in Baltic and Steam Age. This double-sided cowl is knit in one piece with separate sections (one stockinette and one chevron lace) and then grafted together. I love the novel construction--not to mention that beautifully vibrant Baltic blue!

And don't think we've forgotten about you Liesl Knitalongers! We're still hard at work on our Liesls and making great progress. Anna, who was the last to cast on for her Habu Liesl, has actually become the first to finish and wear it to the store! I don't know what kind of knitting voodoo she's been up to, but we're all very impressed! Here's my Euroflax and Prairie Liesl, just about to reach the pockets.

And that's all, folks! We hope you're having a prolific summer of knitting so far as well! We'd love to hear about your projects, or any yarns or patterns that are inspiring you lately. Happy knitting!

Swatch Watch - An Ode to Tsumugi

2011-06-17T10:01:00.000-07:00

Hello! This week we will look at a collection of swatches (knit by yours truly) inspired by one of my favorite yarns, Habu A-1 Tsumugi Silk. My thought on knitting is often "why use one yarn when you could use two?" In most of my knitting experiments, I have found Tsumugi to be the perfect lightweight yarn to carry with another. I love the tweedy texture that a fine strand of nubby silk adds to a fabric, and I adore the huge range of color choices that Tsumugi provides.

Here is my collection of Tsumugi swatches. You can see my obvious proclivity for the earthy, mossy tones! Don't worry - Tsumugi doesn't only come in grey and brown.

Louet Euroflax in Pewter and Habu A-1 Tsumugi Silk in color 54

I made this swatch in preparation for my Aran Necklace Camisole. This was my first project working with linen, and I just love the results! The two yarns complement each other beautifully. The cabled shoulder strap and yoke are knit on a size 4 / 3.5 mm needle and the body is worked on a size 7 / 4.5 mm. I have been wearing this top on a weekly basis since I finally finished it this Spring, and it has softened up immensely. Now I can't stop myself from imagining more Euroflax/Tsumugi pairings for future projects! See Erica's Liesl in our last Liesl KAL post for a more colorful combination of these yarns.

Habu A-1 Tsumugi Silk in color 54 with Habu A-1 Tsumugi Silk in color 12 and 14

If one strand of Tsumugi is so great, how about two strands? This was an experiment to see how my favorite silk would perform when worked doubled. I knit this on a size 7 needle. The fabric is nicely filled in but not dense. Using two contrasting colors (as shown on the top of the swatch, colors 54 and 12) lends a sharply dappled "mothwing" effect. I am not totally in love with these colors here, and I think it would be nicer in two shades with a little less contrast, like the rust/brown (colors 54 and 14) on the bottom half of the swatch. I really like the hand of the fabric - very drapey and soft in a way that only silk can be. I might try the double Tsumugi for a simple summer camisole or nightgown - tweedy decadence!

Skif Cotton Tape in White and Habu A-1 Tsumugi silk in color 12

Before everyone here at Knit Purl caught "Liesl Fever" (see our Liesl fiber combination schemings here), I tried this lovely combination of cotton and silk. I measured my gauge (4.5 sts/inch) and started to ponder my pattern options. Something summery and light? How about a Liesl! These two yarns combine to make a fabric that is stretchy, light and cozy. The Tsumugi in a slightly darker tone adds a marbled elegance. I love the fresh, summery white of this swatch, but sadly, it was not a good color on me. This led me to the next two swatches.

Skif Cotton Tape in Black and Habu A-1 Tsumugi silk in color 74

It amazes me how different this swatch is from the previous one. A similar color concept and identical yarns can give such an incongruous result - all the more reason to swatch. I thought I would like this one more than the first, but not so. The Tsumugi gets lost in the overpowering darkness of the black Skif tape. On the bottom on the swatch I switched out the color 74 for Tsumugi in color 54, but it didn't quite remedy the situation. I would try this again using the Skif tape in Black and Tsumugi in color 2, a mottled charcoal grey.

Skif Cotton Tape in Banyon and Habu A-1 Tsumugi silk in color 75

This color combination was inspired by a customer shopping for a nice summery yarn. I showed her my two previous swatches and she asked me if there was a similar combination in an olive green. Genius! I swatched it that night (in the round, even) and I just adore the results. Now I am knitting these yarns into a lovely summer dress that I can't wait to wear!

That's all for today. If you have any swatches you would like to share with us, please email your photos to eva@knit-purl.com. Until next time, Merry Swatching!

Next time: Shibui Swatches

What's New on Ravelry

2011-06-13T14:00:00.000-07:00

Hi all!

I've been hard at work scouring the web and Ravelry for my favorite new patterns over the past two weeks. While I battle my seemingly endless WIP basket, I can't help but daydream about casting on for something new. Here's what I have for you this week:

The Jan Sweater, from The Knitter Magazine Issue 32

I'm always excited when I hear the newest edition of The Knitter is out. I love The Knitter for its fascinating articles and charming patterns. This month's issue was no exception, as The Jan Sweater caught my eye. I love vintage (and vintage-inspired) patterns, but often I am unsure about sizing and the way it will work with the yarn I have in my stash. This one has been revised by Susan Crawford, and uses sizing I'm familiar with and a modern yarn. It's so hard for me to decide what yarn I'd want to use for it (it uses a fingering weight), but Madelinetosh sock in one of the semi-solids or Sanguine Gryhon Eidos would be good candidates. Yum!

Nova, from Petite Purls, Spring 2011

Sometime last week, I was browsing Ravelry for patterns that used fingering weight silk/wool blends, and happened upon Nova from the Spring Issue of Petite Purls. While it's not a totally new pattern, it is a cute pattern that can pretty much be worn year round by kids from toddler to age 10. I love the stripes and buttoned flap - this tunic is totally cute! I think the hardest thing about this pattern is what color stripes to choose. Here are some combos I came up with in Shibui Staccato:

Suit + Ivory

Tide + Butter

Cotton Candy + Raspberry

Sothia, by Robin Ulrich

As if I don't have enough fingering weight shawls in my wardrobe already, I couldn't help but add Sothia to my queue. I love the three distinct sections: stripes, eyelets, and ruffles. It seems so light and delicate, but it's also a pretty substantial shawl, with the final dimensions measuring 60" wide x 20" height. Instead of going for the usual superwash sock yarn route, I might opt for Isager Alpaca 2 in some great neutrals.

402 & 100, perhaps?

Josefin, by Elin Berglund

Finally, I am very eager to knit Josefin, a much anticipated pattern from Elin Berglund. This simple stockinette pullover is elegantly edged with eyelet hems, neck, and cuffs. Not only is the pattern cute, but it includes 14 different sizes from 30" to 56". I appreciate the work that goes into including the large range of sizes. More patterns should do this, in my opinion, since we come in so many shapes and sizes. Hopefully other garment designers will take note! Designed in Madelinetosh Pashmina, it will look good and feel great to wear!

Well, that is all the pattern news I have for you here. I hope I have left you inspired. Check back in two weeks for the next installment. And as always, please share your latest pattern obsessions with me - I'd love to hear about them. Until next time!

Just a Little Knit: iFelt Cozy

2011-06-08T13:43:00.000-07:00

It's been a bit of a hectic week at Knit Purl HQ and much to my dismay, we didn't have a chance to get everyone's projects together for the usual WIP Wednesday.

But don't fret! We still have something new (and dare I say better?) to share today! As much as we love sharing our knits in progress with you, we thought it might be fun to go a little deeper into a few of the projects we make and love, and give you all the tools you need to make them yourself. We'll be sharing some brand new patterns with you, as well as our personal tips and tricks to help you along.

Today, meet the iFelt Cozy.

I designed the first version of this iPad case for my boyfriend, whose love of handknits is outweighed only by his love of shiny gadgets. The essential criteria: it had to be soft, to protect that impeccably glossy screen, it had to be simple in looks and simple to use, and it had to be the perfect hand-selected color. The iFelt was met with high fives of appreciation on all counts. Plus, the cozy is such a quick, simple knit that I had it finished and felted in less than twenty-four hours! You can tweak the size a little by felting more or less, and the pattern is easily adaptable for smaller devices, like cell phones or MP3 players (please feel free to email me if you need some guidance on miniaturizing your iFelt!)

I used one of my personal favorite yarns for the project, Shibui Merino Alpaca. It's beautiful knit up , so I wasn't surprised to learn that it felts gorgeously as well. The fabric is extraordinarily soft, but firm enough to protect the precious cargo within, and it has a slightly nubby texture that keeps things interesting. Pictured here is Merino Alpaca in Peacock, one of Shibui's classic watercolors, but the new solid line would be really stylish here too! One of the things I like best about this pattern is that it's sort of a blank canvas--the knitting is so simple that you're free to do fun things with color and decoration. Try stripes, variegated yarns, even some post-felting embroidery!

A disclaimer about felting: the pattern has only been tested using this yarn, and every yarn felts differently. Keep in mind that if you substitute yarns, they might shrink at a different rate and your results might vary a little from the iFelt shown here. That said, I would love to hear about your experimentations in the felting realm! Most wool yarns or animal fiber blends felt well, but just make sure you're not using superwash wool that has been treated to resist felting--exactly the opposite of what you want to do!

The pattern is available as a free download on Ravelry, and the yarn is available here on our website. I hope all the tech-lovers among you enjoy this project as much as I did!

Vintage Modern Knits Extravaganza!

2011-06-06T10:57:00.000-07:00

June is always a month full of excitement. School is out, summer is starting, and the days are getting longer and warmer . And now, we have another thing to look forward to: the ladies behind Kelbourne Woolens and Vintage Modern Knits are making a trip to the West Coast! That's right, superstar designers Kate Gagnon Osborn and Courtney Kelley are coming all the way from Philadelphia to visit Knit Purl for the first time, bringing with them an abundance of knitting knowledge and a whole lot of fun!

Courtney and Kate at a book signing

WHAT: A weekend of education and entertainment with Kelbourne Woolens
WHEN: Friday, June 24 - Sunday, June 26
WHERE: Right here at Knit Purl! (1101 SW Alder, Portland, OR 97205)

If you haven't already checked out Courtney and Kate's classes, now is the time! The pair will share their novel approach to vintage techniques and aesthetics with a fun, fresh twist through four unique classes centered around patterns from their book, Vintage Modern Knits. Each class will focus on teaching a different technique in an engaging group environment.

Entranced knitters at a Bohus-Inspired Knitting class

The weekend itinerary is as follows:

Friday, 5 pm - 7 pm: Book Signing with Kate and Courtney
Saturday, 10 am - 1 pm: Roositud Inlay, featuring Yvette Roositud Beret
Saturday, 2 pm - 5 pm: Setesdal Knitting, featuring Telemark Legwarmers
Sunday, 10 am - 1 pm: Fair Isle Stocking featuring Whitby Stockings
Sunday, 2 pm - 5 pm: Bohus-Inspired Knitting, featuring Baltic Beret

The classes are $75 for the first student and $25 for each additional person you sign up ($100 for two people, $125 for three, and so on). Try a class with a couple of friends for huge savings!

Plus, stop by during the free book signing on Friday evening for a chat with the awesome women behind those gorgeous designs! We will be serving delicious refreshments and we'll have plenty of books on hand, so if you haven't picked up your copy yet, pop in to have it signed by the designers themselves!

A very happy knitter with her newly signed book!

And as if you needed more to anticipate, Courtney and Kate are also bringing along their Vintage Modern Knits trunk show! Admire all the beautiful garments from the book up close and personal and get yarn and sizing advice right from the designers! If you've seen the book, you know these pieces are seriously a sight to behold (if not, you can see pictures of the patterns on Ravelry!). Come and get some inspiration for your own versions of the designs!

We hope you are as excited as we are to welcome Kate and Courtney to Portland! Whether you're taking classes or checking out the garments, we're sure you'll be inspired by their creative energy and style. Stop by any time over the weekend to take part in the fun!

Swatch Watch - Rhombus Wrap

2011-06-03T09:30:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the first installment of Swatch Watch! I am Eva, ardent yarn enthusiast and filler of online orders. I love experimenting with new yarns and playing with color and fiber! I know not everyone agrees, but for me, swatching is one of the most exciting parts of the knitting process.

Every other week I will post a collection of swatches from the staff here at Knit Purl. With so much inspiration around here (and knitters with itchy fingers), I'm sure we will have plenty to talk about!

This week we will look at Sandy's swatches made in preparation for her Rhombus Wrap. This versatile vest is from Ori Ami Knits, a beautiful book that uses a wide selection of yarns from Habu Textiles. Sandy did a great job of trying out some really unexpected combinations and the results are gorgeous!

Here are all the swatches together. These were all knit on a size 7 needle and give a gauge of about 5.5 stitches to the inch. The stitch pattern used is called Float Stich, composed of stockinette and slipped stitches.

2 strands Habu Aresco Cotton A-134

This is the yarn specified in the pattern. It has great stitch definition and lovely drape. I had the good fortune of trying on the sample vest when we had the Habu trunk show here last March, and I fell in love! Sandy is currently knitting her Rhombus Wrap in this yarn. You can see her progress in the last WIP Wednesday post.

Other yarn ideas: Habu Cotton Gima, the unspeckled sister to Habu Aresco, would be a lovely option for a solid Rhombus.

1 strand Louet Euroflax Sport in Eggplant, 1 strand Madelinetosh Prairie in Duchess

I love this swatch. The linen adds sheen and structure and the wool is soft and drapey. It would be wearable year-round in our temperate Portland climate, over a tank top in the summer and long sleeves in the winter. I might have to make this one for myself!

Other color ideas: Louet Euroflax Sport in Natural with Madelinetosh Prairie in Calligraphy

1 strand Punta Yarns Montoya Beach Linen in Navy

This linen is a little heavier and more loosely spun than the Louet Euroflax. With additional washings, this fiber would soften beautifully. A Rhombus wrap in Montoya Beach Linen would be a summer staple!

Other color ideas: A marled colorway of Montoya Beach Linen would give more depth and interest to the finished fabric.

2 strands Madelinetosh Prairie in Duchess, 1 strand Habu Wool Stainless A-148 color 49, 1 strand Habu Tokken Viscose silk A-165 color 27

What a unique blend of fibers! The Habu Wool Stainless adds fiber memory and the Tokken Viscose silk lends some toothiness to the finished fabric. The Madelinetosh Prairie (a staff favorite) is soft and cozy. Knit together, these fibers create a gorgeous fabric that is soft and light.

Other yarn ideas: 2 strands Isager Alpaca 1 knit together with 1 strand Habu Silk Stainless and one strand Habu Tsumugi N-76 would make similar (and equally interesting!) fabric.

1 strand Habu N-24 Paper wrapped with Raw Silk, 1 strand Louet Euroflax Sport in Aqua

Crisp and light. This combination would be great for structured, modern garments. I think the N-75 adds an interesting texture to the finished piece.

Other yarn ideas: Habu Shosenshi Linen Paper held with Isager Hoere would give a similar effect. Knit it in black for a unique and dramatic fabric!

That's all for today. Until next time, happy swatching!

Eva

IOU Thursday in lieu of WIP Wednesday...

2011-06-02T12:30:00.000-07:00

My sincerest apologies, blog fans, for dropping the ball on WIP Wednesday this week. Most of us are hard at work on our Liesl knitalong projects, but unfortunately we haven't been able to get all the projects in one place! Rest assured, however, that you will get a peek at our projects tomorrow, in addition to an exciting new blog column by Eva!

Thanks for your patience! More tomorrow!

WIP Friday: Liesl Madness

2011-06-01T10:04:00.000-07:00

Welcome to a very special edition of WIP... er, Friday! As you may know, Wednesday marked the official start of our summer knitalong, Liesl by Cocoknits, and we want to show off our new projects to all of you! We have been summer-starved for far too long here in Portland, so this quintessential summer project has given us a chance to pretend that it's warm and sunny outside... no wonder we can't get enough!

Eva, one of the forerunners of the knitalong, cast on about a week ago, and she's making amazing progress on her SKIF and Habu A-1 Tsumugi Liesl! Instead of the mitered decrease in the pattern, Eva is doing an improvised mirrored decrease for a very tidy side "seam." This springy, tweedy yarn combination will make for a soft and stretchy garment.

Another Tsumugi fan (this time with held with Louet Euroflax Sport), Erica is moving right along on her Liesl as well. Erica's linen and silk combo has a very beachy vibe; the vibrant aqua color suits her beautifully and just screams summer!

My Liesl has become my bedtime knitting project, and despite my drooping eyelids, I can never seem to put it down! The combination of Euroflax and Madelinetosh Prairie is highly addictive. This is my first time knitting with linen, and I love the stiff but soft dichotomy the yarn presents.

And Anna, suddenly struck by inspiration, just cast on today for her Liesl in Habu A-1 Tsumugi and N-75 Fine Merino. It's super lightweight and airy, the perfect warm weather project!

Have you cast on for your Liesl yet? Share the love in the comments! Wishing everyone a happy and yarn-filled weekend!

Last-minute Liesl ideas!

2011-05-31T15:35:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow begins our Summer Liesl Knit-along! For those of you who are waiting for fiber inspiration to strike, here are some lovely ideas for your Liesl.

Habu Cotton Gima A-174 in color 53 and Habu Tsumugi Silk A-1 in color 34

Habu Silk 6p N-84 in color 3 and Habu Linen Lace XS-55 in color 2

Habu Tokken Viscose Silk in color 21 and Skif Cotton Tape in White

Shibui Heichi in color Canal and Habu Linen Lace XS-55 in color 5 ocean blue

Shosenshi Viscose Paper A-60 in color 116 Eggplant and Isager Viscolin in color 36

Join us tomorrow as we welcome summer and cast on! Check in with us on our Liesl KAL discussion board. We would love to see your progress!

What's New on Ravelry?

2011-05-30T10:27:00.000-07:00

Hi there, blog readers. Oleya here. When I'm not hard at work filling web orders, I am wondering about what new and exciting patterns are out there. And I'd love to share what I've been looking at with all of you! From now on, I'll be blogging about my favorite new pattens every other Monday.

So what am I thinking about? I'm thinking about the summer. Even though it's not quite warm yet in Portland, I've been thinking about warm weather knits for those few weeks when it's actually nice in Portland. I've also included a couple of patterns suitable for cool nights and aggressively air conditioned buildings.

First: You may have seen it on this blog already, but I just finished knitting a Stripe Study Shawl, and I was really obsessed with knitting it.

Quite a few others are, too, seeing as how Ravelry says there are 677 projects (as of this writing!). I chose two of my favorite colors of Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light for my shawl. I could see others being made in The Sanguine Gryphon Eidos, or (my own personal tonal favorite) Shibui Staccato in Dijon, and Shibui Sock in Honey.

I'm not usually a fan of garter stitch (I'm quite partial to the look of stockinette), but the bold graphic stripes drew me in, and the fact that I didn't have to purl meant that it would be a speedier knit than usual. How could I not cast on for one?

The knitting was simple and mindless, but not boring, with frequent color changes and changes in row length due to the short rows. Now that I'm done with this one, I'm already thinking about my next! I have plans to make a tonal one out of Madelinetosh Pashmina in Charcoal and Smokestack. I'll keep you posted.

Recently, I've become very curious about knitting (and wearing) non woolen fibers in the summer, and Sparrow might be just the thing for me to try.

Sparrow is from the Spring/Summer issue of Twist Collective. Knit in a fingering weight 100% linen yarn, it's a fine pairing of cool and classy. I love the shaping methods: (double decreases and eyelets - how cute!), and the cute buttons down the back. I'm thinking about using Habu Textiles Natural Linen in Grey. I might double it or work it together with Habu Textiles Tsumugi Silk Fine in color 10.

My other summer knit crush is a tank called Make up Your Mind from the Spring/Summer edition of Knitty.

This racerback tank is a great layering piece, and knit in a fingering weight cotton, is light and cool. Another great thing about this pattern is that the stitch pattern changes every couple of inches, so it keeps things interesting. It would be great in Rowan Panama, or Isager Bomuld doubled.

Finally, I'd like to talk about Jared Flood's new cowl pattern, Setzer.

No matter what the season, my neck is always cold in the early mornings and at night, and this classic cowl looks like just the thing to slip over my neck before I go out. I really love simple knits, and what can get more simple than alternating bands of welted stockinette and garter stitch? Jared Flood has made this simple pattern more intriguing with a short rowed section of diagonal bands in the center. It's just what I like in a pattern - mindless knitting for the majority of it, with a few sections that keep my focus throughout so it doesn't become boring. I can't help but wonder what it would look like in The Sanguine Gryphon's Codex.

Well, that's it for now. Please let me know if there are any new patterns that have caught your eye that I must see! Happy knitting!

WIP Wednesday

2011-05-18T13:53:00.000-07:00

Welcome to another WIP Wednesday! It's a gorgeous sunny day in Portland, but don't worry, we're still knitting up a storm as always. We have some fresh new things to share, as well as some amazing progress on older projects. Here goes!

Oleya is quickly approaching the finish line on her Stripe Study Shawl. Check out how far she's gotten since last week!

Sandy has been working on the Rhombus Wrap from Ori Ami Knits in Habu A-134 Aresco Cotton. The top has an interesting geometric construction and the fabric is crisp and lightweight, perfect for summer. Just a few more rows to go!

After completing her Madelinetosh Pashmina masterpiece (check it out here!), Lindsay is making a second Draper shawl, this time in Shibui Staccato in Dijon.

Anna shared her beautiful "bus knitting" project, a Citron shawl knit in Madelinetosh Prairie in Earl Grey. This yarn... sigh. Such a gorgeous neutral, but with subtle hints of color.

Jenny has made tons of progress on her Big Herringbone Cowl, knit with Shibui Merino Alpaca in Ivory. So cozy!

Eva has been hard at work lately, first with her Rose Red beret knit with Madelinetosh Tosh Merino DK in Moorland. The yarn is an incredibly soft single-ply and gives these cables awesome stitch definition!

Secondly, as part of a knitalong, Eva's working on a summery Liesl pullover in Habu A-1 Tsumugi in color 27 and SKIF Cotton Yarn in Banyon. The product of much swatching with many different yarn combinations, this one is a clear winner.

As for me, because I clearly don't have enough things on needles already (ha!), I cast on for a Horai scarf the other night, knit with Shibui Silk Cloud in brand-new Graphite. With just over an inch done it's hard to say how this one will turn out, but I do know that I am absolutely crazy about this color!

How are all of your spring projects coming along? Drop us a line, even send some pictures, and your lovely knits might soon be featured right here on this blog! Hope to hear from you soon, and happy knitting!

WIP Wednesday!

2011-05-11T14:30:00.000-07:00

It's time for another Knit Purl staff WIP Wednesday, in which we share our latest project progress with all of you out there in Blogland! We apologize for our radio silence last week; this writer was on a road trip to Park City, Utah, and didn't have a chance to update. I did, however, make a ton of progress on my Hay Cardigan while on the road!

It's made with Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light in Filigree, which is absolutely heavenly to knit with. I'm so excited to wear this sweater, especially after my last attempt at a cardigan didn't turn out so hot. I'm determined to finish this one by the time it gets too warm outside to wear it (which at this rate will be quite a while, judging by the chilly rain today)!

Next up is Kristin's linen stitch bandana scarf, a pattern of her own design.

A sequel to the scarf she wears frequently around the shop, Kristin is knitting this one with silky Shibui Staccato in Summer Camp. Keep an eye out for this pattern to be released by Shibui in June!

Oleya continues the Tosh Merino Light trend with her Stripe Study Shawl.

The pattern has been immensely popular on Ravelry lately, but Oleya makes it her own with bold scarlet Tart and deep Charcoal. This gal can seriously pull off a good red!

Last but not least, we have Lindsay's Featherweight Cardigan, in Madelinetosh Sock in Charcoal.

With one sleeve almost complete, Lindsay is on track to finish her first full-on sleeved garment ever! I love the unique touch of style added by the seed stitch edging she's innovated from the original pattern.

That's all we have for today, but check back next week for more lovely projects from all of us at Knit Purl! Until then, happy knitting!

Crack the Codex

2011-05-02T10:21:00.000-07:00

There's been a lot of talk about the entity that is The Sanguine Gryphon around here lately, but each of their yarns is so special that I think they all deserve some individual attention. So today I want to break it down a little and share one of my new favorites with you. May I present to you... Codex.

Codex in "Captain Nemo"

Ah, Codex. There's truly something magical about this silk and wool blend. It has an almost unearthly glow, due in large part to the reflective properties of its high silk content. It also feels slightly cool to the touch, which is very refreshing after a winter of warm fleecy wools. Yet wool lovers needn't worry; almost half of Codex's composition is soft Blue-faced Leicester for lots of coziness.

And the colors... wow. Codex really soaks up the dye for richly saturated and complex hues, ranging from earthy browns to deep purple and navy to bright acid green and fiery orange. Even more fun is the fact that each color is named after a literary figure or reference (which might just be this English major's favorite part of the yarn).

Codex in "Brangion"

Hopefully you all saw Eva's gorgeous Paper Moon cloche in our last WIP Wednesday (scroll down if you haven't!), which gave us a glimpse at how wonderfully Codex works for cables. But have you seen it in garter stitch, or lace? Even though she's left the store, our dear Knitspired blogger Sara couldn't resist stopping in to share her Codex project with us (and you)!

Sara is working on a pattern of her own design in "Flash Harry." The yarn shows off the nubby garter stitch texture so nicely, and you can just make out how well-defined the lacy eyelets are in the last two rows. We hope Sara will keep sharing her progress with us!

As you can see, Codex is an incredibly versatile yarn, wearable year-round and excellent for a wide range of garments and accessories. I've been brainstorming on what to make with this yarn, and I think I've found it: Melissa LaBarre's Tea Leaves Cardigan by Madelinetosh.

Yum. But if you're not in the mood for a sweater, there's always Pam Powers's Ruffled & Ruched Scarf, for a little extra warmth and a lot of style.

With twelve luscious colors to choose from, there's a perfect Codex for everybody. Stop into the store or check out Codex on our website to admire this silken beauty for yourself!

A Wee WIP Wednesday

2011-04-27T11:41:00.000-07:00

Welcome to another WIP Wednesday! This week's update will be slightly abridged, as we've had a bit of a busy week around here, but we couldn't go without sharing a few amazing projects with you all!

First off, Oleya has proudly completed her Carnaby skirt in Brooklyn Tweed SHELTER in Sweatshirt! The yarn has such great structure to it; the skirt looks so well-tailored and doesn't sag. Oleya says the skirt is extremely light and comfortable. Plus, how cute does she look in it?!

Eva, after spending her vacation knitting with a vengeance, has two projects to share today. The first is Beth Hahn's Paper Moon cloche, with a modified cabled/i-cord border that Eva designed herself. She's making it with The Sanguine Gryphon Codex in Molly Bloom, which has great stitch definition for crisp cables.

Finally, Eva's second project is Jared Flood's Strago mittens. She's well into the second of the pair, and is loving the pattern (as always when it comes to Jared). The yarn is one of Eva's all-time favorites: Rowan Felted Tweed, in Clay and Seafarer.

That's all for today, but we hope we've provided a bit of inspiration for all of your projects! 'Til next week, happy knitting!

Epic yarns from The Sanguine Gryphon

2011-04-22T14:35:00.000-07:00

We've been stifling some Big News for a while now, and the day has come to reveal it to the world: Knit Purl has been chosen as one of the first retailers to carry The Sanguine Gryphon yarns! We've been admiring these gorgeous hand-painted yarns from a distance for some time now, and we're so thrilled to be able to share them with all of you from our very own store.

The Sanguine Gryphon Gaia Lace in "Goblin's Tree"

The Sanguine Gryphon has a wholly unique take on yarn, combining a sort of medieval rusticity with elegant flair. And their color names are delightfully strange; I think "Swamps of Despair" might be my favorite!

The Sanguine Gryphon Codex in "Swamps of Despair"

But one wonderful thing about The Sanguine Gryphon is that they don't sacrifice quality for quirkiness. They show off their individual whimsical style but still manage to create beautiful yarns that any knitter is bound to fall in love with.

The Sanguine Gryphon Bugga! in Northern Purple Gold Beetle

We'll be sharing more soon about each of these lovely yarns, but for now, enjoy the eye candy! For more inspiration, check out even more yarns from The Sanguine Gryphon here!

WIP Wednesday!

2011-04-20T13:42:00.000-07:00

We've been promising a big staff project post for quite some time now, but with all the comings and goings we had some trouble corralling everyone's projects into one place. But sometimes the stars align, and luckily I was able to borrow (almost) all of our staff projects for the afternoon! So, welcome to the first WIP Wednesday, our inaugural weekly staff project showcase! We've been knitting up a storm around here lately and thought today would be the perfect time to share our lovelies with all of you.

Anna has been working on the slouchy Lemon top from Marianne Isager's Amimono Knit Collection 2010 in Isager Wool 1. I'm loving the way the lace weight knits up in this ridged texture!

William, one of our more beginning knitters, is the first of us to venture forth with Artyarns Cottonspring, a brand new yarn at Knit Purl. He's knitting a sweet baby sweater (his very first sweater project!).

Oleya chose the gorgeous Sanguine Gryphon Bugga in scarlet Longhorn Beetle to make her Goodale cardigan. This color is absolutely stunning, and she's making such fast progress!

Jenny is hard at work on the always stylish Big Herringbone Cowl from Purl Soho, knit in scrumptious Shibui Merino Alpaca in Ivory.

Lindsay is speeding right along on her Featherweight Cardigan, in Madelinetosh Tosh Sock in Charcoal. She is seriously determined to finish this sweater as soon as possible, and I think her progress so far shows her dedication!

This adorable pixie hat, knit with luxurious Buffalo Gold Heaven and Joseph Galler Belangor, is one of a set of two for Kristin's neighbor's new twin girls (the other is still on the needles). It's unbelievably soft and almost unbearably cute!

Finally, here is the beginning of my Sugared Violets shawlette, in what I think might just be my new favorite yarn, Sanguine Gryphon Bugga in Tulip-Tree Beauty. So cushy and cozy, I can't put it down.

What about you? We'd love to hear what knitted beauties you've been working on! I now consider myself to have a standing date with all of you readers, so be sure to check back next Wednesday for another update on our project progress! See you then!

Getting Schooled on Blocking Lace

2011-04-11T14:38:00.000-07:00

In every knitter's repertoire, there is a technique that could use a little refresher. Whether its an uncommon cast-on or a special finishing trick, we could all benefit from a little how-to every now and then. So when Lindsay approached us in need of advice about blocking her recently finished project, we decided it was the perfect opportunity to share a brand new tutorial with all of you! Today's topic: how to block a lace triangular shawl using blocking wires.

The project in question is Lindsay's beautiful Draper shawl, knit with a single skein of luxe Madelinetosh Pashmina in Nebula (she made the small size and says she had at least a quarter of a skein left. Amazing!). But pre-blocked lace, even when crafted by an expert knitter with a delicious yarn, just doesn't quite live up to its full potential. Here's where the delightfully alchemical blocking process comes to the rescue! Blocking transforms lumpy lace into an impeccably uniform fabric, taking your handknits to new levels of loveliness. If you've never blocked before, you'll be amazed at the results. Plus, it's a fairly simple process, especially with the help of blocking wires designed to make the whole procedure as foolproof as possible. Grab your project, a set of blocking wires, and some T-pins, and let's get started!

Instructions (each step has a corresponding picture):

Soak the piece in cool water with a little wool wash (we love Soak) for about fifteen minutes to let the fibers relax. Next, carefully remove the piece, gently squeezing out any excess water. Lay it out flat on a towel, roll it up, and squeeze, squeeze, squeeze. Finally, lay the piece flat on a dry towel-covered blocking board (we use foam core, available at most stores that carry art or school supplies).
Begin threading a blocking wire through the edge of the piece, inserting it down and then up through the fabric.
If there are any points or scallops along the edge (like in Draper), you'll want to be sure your wire travels through these points to accentuate the decorative edging.
Continue threading the wire through the fabric at even intervals all the way along one side of the triangle.
When you reach the end of the first side, thread the blocking wire through the tip of the corner to emphasize the angle.
Here's what the first side should look like: nice and smooth, with the wire traveling in and out through the fabric at evenly spaced intervals.
Grab a new blocking wire and just as before, begin threading it through the adjacent side of the triangle.
Continue threading and finish as before with the wire ending at the very tip of the angle where the side meets the straight top edge.
Thread a third wire through the top edge of the shawl. Since it is a straight edge and there are no decorative points that need to be emphasized, the intervals at which you space the wire are not as crucial, but try to keep them nice and regular nonetheless.
Depending on the size of your shawl and the length of your blocking wires, you may need more than one to span the length of the piece. If so, overlap the ends of the wires where they meet for a couple inches to provide support and stability for the edge.
Check the piece once more, making sure it is flat, smooth and ready to pin.
Begin pinning at the top edge, starting in the middle.
Insert a pin every two inches or so, on the inside of the wire. Stretch the piece out slightly as you go, making sure it stays smooth and flat.
Note: properly blocked lace tends to stretch more than you think it will! Sandy Kay had to improvise some additional blocking board, so it might be a good idea to allow yourself more room then you think you will need.
Place a pin at the center of each protrusion and in each corner to keep the angles nice and sharp.
Here's what the pinned shawl should look like.
If you'd like, you can add some extra pins along the top lace tier to strengthen the scalloped appearance. Just place them at the peaks of the openwork sections, as shown here.

Let the piece dry thoroughly (usually overnight, but sometimes it takes up to a full day or two), and voila! Smooth, stunning lace you'll be proud to show off. You can use the same basic blocking techniques for all your projects: shawls, scarves, sweaters... basically, everything benefits from a little blocking. Watch your projects blossom from homemade into handmade, and enjoy!

Special thanks to Lindsay for letting us borrow her project, and Sandy for demonstrating the technique!

Knitspired: Slubbing

2011-04-07T11:09:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, as I was expanding my own stash, I was asked what could be made with the new Habu yarn, Wool Slub N-82 (shown below):

Habu Textiles Wool Slub N-82-1 (Natural)

The question came from a customer who had read the most recent Newsletter, Across The Sea, and was fascinated by the yarn, but had never worked with anything like it.

Habu Textiles Wool Slub N-82-3 (Charcoal)

My immediate suggestion was Ysolda Teague's free pattern, Urchin, from the Fall 2007 issue of knitty...

Urchin by Ysolda Teague

Which would, of course, be an excellent choice. But then I realised that I didn't have any further suggestions. So I promised to do some sleuthing and find a few more appropriate matches.

Now, because we're (slowly, oh-so-slowly) approaching spring, it doesn't make sense to include any large projects. That immediately limited the selection to anything that used less than 150 yards, or 2 skeins. And because the yarn is thick and thin, it won't provide any stitch definition (or even fabric), making anything complexly patterned also immediately out of the running.

Even with these restrictions, it seems that there are quite a number of fun (and super-quick!) projects available to a knitter coveting in this new yarn.

wham bam thank you lamb! neckwarmer by Susan Chang

At 106 yards, this funky geometric cowl will use two skeins of Habu's yummy N-82 Wool Slub and make one heck of a cool statement whilst, and at the same time, keeping your neck nice and cozy!

Marian by Jane Richmond

Featured in the Newsletter, this super-chic snood/cowl is just the thing for adding pizzazz to an outfit. The best part is, if you're careful, you might just make it with one skein!

My Kind of Town Cowl by Trish Woodson

Such a simple concept, but I love the execution. Perfect for layering (especially in freezing rain we've been experiencing), this cowl will keep your neck and shoulders nice and toasty - even in sideways sleet. And it'd look simply fantastic with a pea coat.

Carsaig Mitts by Dorothy Jane

Lastly, who doesn't always need another pair of fingerless mitts? With this yarn and pattern combo, you'll actually finish the pair in time to wear them before that spring weather we've been promised actually arrives.

Is your interest piqued? Be sure to check out Habu's newest yarn on our shelves (plus three new colors!) or online, and maybe do some sleuthing on ravelry yourself... you never know what you might find.

Next week we've some big, big news to share. In fact, one might even call it epic.

Until then, happy knitting!
~ Sara M.

Passing the Torch

2011-03-31T12:25:00.001-07:00

Things have been rather hectic around the Knit Purl Headquarters, and we apologize for our somewhat sparse communiques over the past few weeks and months. Lots of things have been shaking things up around here lately, not least of all the news that Sara, our Knitspired blogger and newsletter writer, will be handing over her keyboard as she takes on an exciting new job opportunity. While we'll feel her loss tremendously, we also want to make sure you know that this blog will definitely not fall by the wayside! On the contrary, we're planning to welcome some new writers to bring you the exciting behind-the-scenes updates and drool-worthy eye candy from Knit Purl that you know and love.

So without further ado, I'd like to introduce myself to our faithful blog readers. My name is Alexa, and you might know me from my stint on the Knit Purl sales floor. I've been a knitter for about eight years now, and I'm also passionate about reading and writing, art and art history, and cooking. You can most often find me knitting (of course) at home on the couch nestled in with my two feline fiber enthusiasts, or at a coffee shop sharing stories and pattern advice with my fellow knitterly friends.

As for my presence here, I've been a part of the KP crew since August 2010 and have loved learning from all of our visitors and and seeing so many of your beautiful works in progress and finished projects. While I won't be seeing your lovely faces upstairs much anymore, I hope that I can still share your intrepid knitting spirit through this blog! I'm on Ravelry as alexarenee, so give me a shoutout and show me your knits!

Whew, thanks for keeping up with me through that lengthy introduction. Keep an eye out soon for a big staff project post; we've all been hard at work on some lovely spring projects and can't wait to share! Also coming very soon: a triangular shawl blocking tutorial! Until we meet again, happy knitting!

The best laid plans

2011-03-15T15:16:00.000-07:00

Well, I had this whole post laid out detailing the grace and beauty of the latest Madelinetosh yarn to hit our shelves, Pure Silk Lace...

Madelinetosh Pure Silk Lace in "Sugar Plum"

Only to discover we have three skeins left in the entire building. Well, apparently the grace and beauty of Pure Silk Lace need not be lauded any more than it already has.

Not that we're lacking for subject matter when it comes to store (and yarn) news. We just received another enormous restock from Brooklyn Tweed (amidst much rejoicing), that contains some of our - and your - favorite Shelter colors, such as Fossil, Soot, and Pumpernickel.

Brooklyn Tweed Shelter in "Soot"

Lastly, we also just received three NEW colors of Shibui Silk Cloud (Newsletter spoiler alert!) that are quite simply to die for. I stole the following image from their blog, just to give you a teensy-weensy sneak peek at what'll be up this Friday:

Shibui Silk Cloud in the new colors "Artichoke", "Flaxen", and "Suit"

But you'll have to be patient with us until we can add the new colors to the website. Until next time, happy knitting!

Portland Yarn Crawl - prize winners!

2011-03-09T10:30:00.000-08:00

We've drawn the winners for both the Portland Yarn Crawl prize basket and for our own exclusive Knit Purl raffle. If you're one of the winners, please contact us to receive your prize!

Chane G.: Portland Yarn Crawl prize basket
Rebecca B., Anna B., Jane W.: A $25 gift card
Susan N.: Mistletoe sock kit & Heel in "Peppermint"
Tammy Y.: Woodruff Mittens & 2 skeins of Shelter
Devin H.: Around the World in Knitted Socks & Heel in "Cucumber"
Alicia K.: A Knitter's Home Companion & More Last Minute Knitted Gifts
Jeanne L.: Knitted Socks East and West & Weekend Knitting
Kirsten S.: Shibui Heichi & 2 skeins of Shibui Heichi
Andrea S.: The Marion Foale Knitting Collection 1 & 3 balls of Marion Foale 3-ply

To everyone else who visited us this weekend, we'd like to extend a hearty THANKS! to you for making this year's Portland Yarn Crawl a resounding success!

Portland Yarn Crawl - this weekend!

2011-03-03T14:40:00.000-08:00

That's right, this weekend we'll be participating in what is becoming an annual tradition in the PDX area, the Portland Yarn Crawl. This year, we've teamed up with 19 other area yarn shops, indie dyers, and local knitting companies to put on a knitting event that is not to be missed! Join other local (and visiting) knitters as the Portland knitting community pulls out all the stops and shows off our collective skills and unique creative energy.

To help you better navigate our fair city (and find all 20 shops!), we've devised our own FREE PDX Yarn Crawl Checklist, put together by your very own KP blogger, the Knit Purl Checklist. The addresses and phone numbers of each shop, plus a checkbox for each shop's raffle & scavenger hunt item are all there - just so you don't miss ANYTHING. For you early birds, we've decided to offer the first 20 Yarn Crawlers a free printout of our exclusive Checklist, plus a Yarn Crawl goodie or two.

Then, on top of participating in the yarn crawl raffle and scavenger hunt, we'll also be offering our own prize drawing with an exclusive Knit Purl raffle for a series of awesome prizes that can only be found at Knit Purl, as well as 10% DISCOUNT on all purchases made this weekend! The Knit Purl raffle is definitely not to be missed, as we've assembled a fantastic collection of prizes:

One of THREE $25 dollar Knit Purl Gift Cards.
A copy of the Marion Foale Knitting Collection 1 and three skeins of Marion Foale 3-Ply Yarn (winner's choice of color).
Mistletoe Sock Kit and one tin of HEEL Spearmint Foot Cream by Soak
A copy of Around the World in Knitted Socks by Stephanie Van Der Linden and one tine of HEEL Cucumber Foot Cream by Soak.
A copy of the Woodruff Mitten pattern by Jared Flood and 2 skeins of Shelter in the color "Homemade Jam".
A copy of Shibui Heichi and 2 skeins of Shibui Heichi yarn (winner's choice of color).

No purchase is necessary to enter, knitters only have to visit the store in person to put their name in for the drawing.

The Portland Yarn Crawl starts tomorrow, Friday, March 4th and will run through the end of day on Sunday, March 6th. We hope we'll see you here!

Just KAL me

2011-02-10T18:01:00.000-08:00

I am so far behind that I'm probably in another time zone. That said, I'm going to push forward and ignore everything missed in the last three (egads) weeks, and start over. Childish, perhaps, but also sensible when my desk looks like an archaeological dig.

By now, you're probably familiar with our Fashionknitsta's lastest knit-along, the Draper KAL. If not, here's a quick rundown:

WHAT: Draper by Sara Morris, released by Shibui Knits

WHEN: February 1, 2011 - February 28, 2011

WHERE: Here, ravelry, & facebook (choose your knitwork*!)

In the spirit of the KAL, I stole Lindsay's Draper to share her progress:

Lindsay's Draper, knit with Tosh Pashmina in "Forestry"

I believe she is was deeply entrenched in the first tier of lace. Sources in the field have just informed me that she ripped out last night, making this progress photo deceptive at best. Oh, well. That's where she was yesterday afternoon.

If you want to join the fun, several of us are knitting the pattern - in a variety of yarns - and we'd love it if you joined us in the discussion on ravelry. I'll try and corral everyone's wips next week for a group shot...

Moving on, we have Oleya's Honey Cowl:

Honey Cowl by Madelinetosh, knit with Madelinetosh DK in "Composition Book Grey"

The Honey Cowl is a free pattern available on Madelinetosh's website that is a great 1 to 2 skein project for those gems of Tosh we all stash and then don't know for what purpose. It's super-cute and I'm betting Oleya's going to love hers when it's done.

Then, in terms of staff progress, we have my Shadow:

Shadow from Shibui Heichi, knit with Heichi in 'Canal'

I'm almost (so close!) to the armhole shaping. And loving it, strangely enough. I thought the miles of Seed stitch would drive me to the edge of madness, but I'm really just chugging along. Which might be the madness in another form. Because, really, who loves Seed stitch?

Right.

Lastly, we have a bit of an update for all our devoted Nancy Bush students.

Nancy Bush during "An Overture to Estonian Lace", hosted by Knit Purl

For the many of you who were disappointed last week by the sudden cancellation of Nancy's classes & book signing, we'd like to inform you that Nancy is doing well and in excellent health. She had to rush home for a family emergency, but is looking forward to visiting Portland again in the next couple of months. If you were in one of the cancelled classes, you will be first in line for the rescheduled classes and we will contact you with the details once we've confirmed the dates.

Until then, I'll leave you with a couple of teasers from her "An Overture to Estonian Lace" workshop:

L to R: Shetland lace as compared to Estonian lace pieces

L to R: two traditional Estonian lace patterns, "Lily of the Valley" and "Twig"

Until next time, why don't you KAL with us?

*That phrase is going to catch on even if I have to use it in everything, darn it.

Fashionknitsta Thursday: 2/3/11

2011-02-03T11:09:00.000-08:00

Hello and happy Thursday everyone! It's been much MUCH too long since my last post and I hope you'll believe me when I say I've been absolutely itching to write one! (No really, ask Sara, I think I've been driving her a little crazy). Anyway, I have some great things I just can't wait to share with all of you, but before I get into that I have a proposition for all of you.

Yesterday, I cast on to begin a Draper Shawl, and if anyone would like to join me in a casual February lace knit-a-long I would love it! If you aren't familiar with Draper please check it out on the website here.

Designed by our own Sara Morris, I am absolutely in love with this pattern. A few months ago I started hinting (subtly, I promise!) to Sara how nice it would be to have a great lace shawl knit out of Shibui Staccato to wear to TNNA and, boy, did she deliver. We thought that the blend of silk and merino would lend itself beautifully to a lace pattern and were we ever right! The original is done in Staccato colorway Jackie, which is my very favorite of the Staccato multi's. Doesn't it just look great in this pattern? I'm obsessed. I think I took it off only to shower and sleep when we were in Long Beach.

There are two sizes, I'm going to do the small one. Sara is currently working on the large version for herself in Staccato colorway Poodle Skirt and it's looking great! I hijacked this photo of it from her Ravelry journal:

Inspired by Eva's Ishbel from last summer's KAL, I'm doing mine in Madelinetosh Pashmina colorway Forestry. It's going to be a birthday gift for a friend who has left us for the wilds of Alaska (sorry to ruin the surprise, Whit!), and I'm so excited to really get going! I'd like to finish (including blocking) by the end of the month so I'm going to try really hard to get through at least the first lace chart this weekend.

While I love the original Staccato, other yarns I think would be great for this project are Malabrigo Sock, Madelinetosh Merino Light, or Fleece Artist Sea Wool. If you'd like to join us on this KAL, please do! We'd love to see photos and hear your comments!

The next pattern I have to share I've been daydreaming about since the first moment I saw it. The Layered Ruffle Sweater by Kristina McGowan from her new book Modern Top Down Knitting (coming to the website soon). I think it might be, in fact, the most beautiful pattern I've seen to date.

I love everything about this. I feel like you could easily wear it dressed up or down, with the ruffle detail at the neckline, the slightly longer length, it's just so versatile! The original is done in Filatura di Crosa Zara, a DK weight wool, but I'd love to see it in Rowan Felted Tweed, Madelinetosh DK (superwash is always a plus!), or a more Springy version in Rowan Lenpur Linen (or Purelife Revive) would also be just gorgeous. This book has unfortunately not made it to our website yet, but it's up on Ravelry and there are some other really beautiful patterns in it definitely worth checking out. A couple favorites:

The Cafe Tunic

The Chrysler Skirt

Ok, I'm not trying to get into TOO much detail with these, but how absolutely gorgeous would this skirt be in Rowan Lima. Just saying.

...and finally, the Over the Ocean Slippers

The last pattern I have to share today is an adorable pair of Fair Isle knee highs, the Whitby Stockings from Courtney Kelley and Kate Gagnon Osborn's book Vintage Modern Knits (also too new to be up on the site yet, but coming soon!):

If you've ever read Fashionknitsta before, you probably know I have a knee-high obsession. From my very first post I've enjoyed finding several adorable versions to share with all of you and these are no exception! Something I especially like about the Whitby Stockings is the contrast toe and heel, such a cute detail! I love how these are traditionally Fair Isle inspired, but aren't overly done with patterning.

The pattern calls for The Fibre Company Canopy and I feel like that's really perfect for this pattern. I would also love love love to see these in Isager Alpaca 2 (big surpise, I still have a serious Alpaca 2 addiction). I just think the colors would look so great!

Unfortunately, Shibui calls and I have to leave you with this for today. Fashion week is rapidly approaching and I'm hoping we're going to see some really great things for A/W 2011. I'd love to post about them, if Knit Purl will have me, I had such a great time with my fashion week posts last year that I'm really looking forward to this year's!

Thanks for reading, I really miss this column, and it really means a lot to hear from all of you who do, too. I hope everyone has a great weekend and check back in a couple weeks for another edition of Fashionknitsta. Until then, stay chic, blogfans!

-Lindsay

Knitspired: Catching my shadow

2011-01-11T18:30:00.000-08:00

The past two weeks have been a wild ride here at Knit Purl HQ. I know I say that a lot, but it's true. Especially lately. After reading the incoming results of our Year End Survey (have you taken it?), it seems many knitters want more in-depth project ideas with yarn and pattern suggestions.

Well, let's make a go at that! Next week there WILL be a free hat pattern for all you lovely and generous Hard-Knock Kids Knitters (with three sizes, no less!); but, for now, let's try something different for the heck of it.

It's probably redundant to mention Shadow, from Shibui Heichi, again*. The response has been astounding and, well, I know many of you are thinking about it, so...

Shadow, by Sara Morris

I know I have been, anyway. I even invested in more than a dozen skeins of Heichi in Canal to make one for myself. Of course, for those of you out there who aren't sure about the suggested yarn, I have some substitution suggestions:

Shibui Merino Worsted, for a machine-washable vest that will make for easier care. It also comes in a wider variety of brights, for those of you who love color. (Neutrals? Bah!)
Shibui Baby Alpaca DK held with Shibui Silk Cloud. A combination so luscious that I'm actually starting to drool on my keyboard...
Madelinetosh Vintage (not Shibui, admittedly), for a machine-washable vest in one of those delicious Madelinetosh 'glazed' colors.
Brooklyn Tweed Shelter, for a lighter-than-air yet still woolly vest that will have the most magnificent stitch definition and drape.
Rowan Lima. I might have to fan myself over this one. The word that comes to mind is 'seductive'. Even better, Lima has almost the exact same yardage as Heichi, so NO conversions necessary. Can you imagine the decadence of a couture-esque Lima vest? Oh... my.
Rowan Summer Tweed, for a similar look (and fiber content) at a slightly lower price. Also, residents of more tropical climes might need that cotton in there to lighten up the silk.

But I gotta tell you that Heichi is a delightful yarn to work with. It's quite different from any of the other summery tweeds I've knit with and really does feel like there's wool in there even though it's pure silk. Moreover, the palette is fabulous, especially because each color has subtle flecks instead of the traditional giant slubs - giving each skein a very sophisticated feel and hue.

Of course, Shibui Heichi isn't the only exciting new arrival to our shelves (virtual or otherwise). There's a whole slew of new patterns up on our website for knitters who are sick and tired of all this Heichi business (sorry, but we have more Heichi news on the horizon!). For you, though, I've assembled some alternatives:

Overall Cabled Pullover by Helen Hamann (front)

Overall Cabled Pullover by Helen Hamann (back)

New from Helen Hamann is a decidedly cozy pullover that has me thinking of Ski lodges and hot cocoa. It's such a simple concept, but it's executed beautifully. What would make it even more exceptional would be a superb yarn choice. Lindsay will approve of my first suggestion, Isager Alpaca 2.

The design calls for holding two fingering weight strands together. How can you go wrong with a baby alpaca/ Merino lambswool fingering yarn? Impossible, I say! Aside from the additional snuggliness of the yarn (which would combine beautifully with the design), Alpaca 2 has fantastic yardage with 270 yards per skein.

If you're not into the Alpaca 2 as a jumping-off point (to each their own), we have some other ideas:

Isager Hoejlandsgarn. Mmm, Shetland lambswool in a collection of sexy heathers. (Heathers can be sexy, y'know.)
Habu Textiles Silk Wool A-113. For that elegant couture look straight off the runway.
Shibui Sock. Hand-dyed and machine washable for easy care.
Swans Island Fingering. Hand-dyed organic Merino. Oh, wow, that'd be a treat for the senses!

Lastly, before I run (after 6pm already?), here's a cute hat that several of us have been obsessing over:

Robin Hood by Grace Akhrem

Grace Akhrem's adorable Robin Hood hat. Knit with an Aran weight yarn (which is slightly heavier than worsted), I've already come up with some ideas for this one. First and foremost, Debbie Bliss Luxury Tweed would be a perfect fit. It's tweedy and soft enough for sensitive skin and comes in a wide assortment of colors, too. Added plus? You'd only need two balls for a hat you wouldn't want to take off all winter long. Ooh, this might also make a great pattern for our handknit clothing drive, too!

Anyway. If you're looking for options (who isn't, amirite?), we do actually carry several Aran weight yarns that would make for super-soft, nice and sqooshy hats that would make you not care about hat hair ever again:

Malabrigo Twist
Jamieson's of Shetland Heathers Aran
Rowan Amy Butler Belle Organic Aran
Shibui Merino Alpaca

And that's all we've got for now. I'll definitely be back by next week with a free Handknits for Hard-Knock Kids hat pattern and maybe even another project suggestion or two. Until then, stay warm!

*I assure you, it is no less weird for me (the designer) to be plugging this. But my coworkers assured me that it made sense to do so.

Knitspired: flocking together

2010-12-22T17:46:00.000-08:00

The last two weeks have been a blur. We've been just so busy this season that I can't even remember why I didn't post last week. Sorry, guys.

We were super excited to see (and hear) such enthusiasm for our Handknits For Hardknock Kids clothing drive and are more determined that ever to ~~match~~ best our 2009 - 2010 collection. We seem to be on the right track, as the donation box has filled up significantly within the past week! And that doesn't even include all the hats that I know you and I are knitting. Not to mention the mittens. I am told there are mittens in the works.

Now, in response to the results of the last poll, we've decided to go three for three! Check back next week for a FREE pattern, prizes, and official knit-along information. Why not share the love, amirite?

Since this is a holiday weekend coming up (please note: we will not be open on Saturday), it seemed like a fun idea to share all the staff projects - many of which are gifts. Never doubt that we LYS employees are as guilty as the next knitter of Last Minute Gift Knits Syndrome - a tragically unacknowledged and untreated seasonal illness that makes the holidays especially stressful for knitters. Hint: that's how we come up with our annual Last Minute Gift Knits list every year ;)

Anyway. Below we have an in-progress baby sweater being knit by Eva:

Eva's baby hoodie, knit with Vintage in 'Ink'

It's super-cute (this picture isn't quite current) because it has a little intarsia owl on the pocket! How sweet is that? I'll be sure to ask her for a finished photo to share.

Then we have a decadent scarf being knit with Pashmina:

Eva's Scroll Lace Scarf, knit with Pashmina in 'Lepidoptra'

Also by Eva. Which is actually blocking on the table in the next room right this minute.

Next we have Lindsay's very manly ribbed scarf:

Lindsay's Ribbed Scarf, knit with Prime Alpaca in 'Charcoal'

Pattern is her own. Yarn is a suitably drab and rugged color that will not be considering 'fussy' or 'weird'. Guess how many times we've heard those two words by DH's in the store with their knitters?

Moving on, we have a sweet surprise - Jenny's first pair of socks, knit for her boyfriend's mother:

Jenny's Monkey socks, knit with Sock in 'Breeze'

I'm sure we can all agree that it's not fair that her first socks turned out so perfectly or so quickly (2 weeks!). But that's life. Jenny also recently cast on a sweater that she's designing, using Joseph Galler Prime Alpaca. Here's where it was last week...

Jenny's Wrap Cardigan, knit with Prime Alpaca in 'Camel'

I'm sure it will make certain people twitch to know that she now has 18"+ inches and is shooting ahead, progress-wise. Let us all take comfort in the fact that we have a new convert, eh? The next time she has it with her, we'll get another photo. This thing is going to be cool, especially since our resident Knit Doctor helped Jenny devise the pattern.

And, lastly, we have a little shawlette I am making for my mother:

My (Sara M) Mystery Shawl, knit with Tosh Merino Light in 'Filigree'

Using my new favorite yarn. This stuff is crack. Only it's legal.

And that's everything - for now. Keep an eye out for the knit-along info, some beautiful customer projects (we just have to find the camera), and other store happenings.

Have a warm and wonderful holiday!
Sara M.

Knitspired: Spirit of the season

2010-12-09T18:25:00.000-08:00

So, this is somewhat of a non sequitor, but I think flu shots should include immunization against the stomach flu. It seems obvious to me - flu shot = flu + stomach flu - but I work with yarn not pharmaceuticals.

The reason for this irrelevance? Your intrepid (if occassionally tardy) Knit Purl blogger has been down and out with the stomach flu for over a week now. Which is why there hasn't been much going on here lately. To make up for the lack of content, I've tried to cram in as much as possible into 1,000 words or less*.**

First and foremost, today we had a visit from Dina of the Yarnfest BSD Project. For those of you unfamiliar with the effort, Dina is trying to collect over 1600 hats, scarves, and mittens for the over 1600 homeless children currently living in Beaverton, OR. Beaverton, for you non-PDX residents, is a Portland suburb that has been hit very, very hard by the recession. The fact that there are over 1600 documented homeless children in a city of 86000 is pretty darn disheartening.

Dina's original goal, to collect 1617 handknits for the homeless children of Beaverton by Thanksgiving, hasn't been met. So we're trying to help her reach that goal by Christmas. Dina collected several donations from Knit Purl knitters today, but considering the generosity of our blogfans (50 lbs collected for foster care children last winter!) I think we can do more. So, through December 22nd, we'll be collecting donations for the Yarnfest BSD Project.

If you'd like to donate and aren't in the area (I know you're out there), please mail any donations you knit to:

Yarnfest BSD Project
c/o Knit Purl
1101 SW Alder
Portland, OR 97205

There's no denying that there's a need and a home for anything you can knit. And if you can't make the deadline, we will very likely continue to collect donations for Dina after Christmas.

Fuzzy Pink Hat, knit with Casbah & Merino Worsted held together

Of course, there always is our Handknits for Hard Knock Kids foster care clothing drive (second year around!) to think of, too. If you miss the Yarnfest deadline, don't worry, we'll find a child in need who'll love what you've knit. Now the donation requirements for our Handknits for Hard Knock Kids clothing drive are much looser:

Handknits are preferred, but not required (store-bought clothing is more than fine)
Used clothing is acceptable, provided it's clean and in usable condition
Donations of intimates (such as underwear, socks, and diapers) are very, very welcome
Toys are also welcome (especially given the season)
All donations must be made by February 15th, 2011 - on that note, we will make three trips to the Oregon Foster Care Office. One each in December, January, and February. But, don't worry, we'll keep a running tally of the donations!

Please send all donations to:

Handknits for Hard Knock Kids

c/o Knit Purl
1101 SW Alder
Portland, OR 97205

And, same as last year, there will be a prize drawing. I just have to nail down some details with local dyers. To show my own support of the cause, I have both raided the stash and picked out some pretties from our new Madelinetosh stock...

I already have six hats and plan to knit at least a total of a dozen, though I'm hoping for 18 to 20. What can I say... other than that I'm a softy and my stash needs pruning?

But Dina and I (and Sandy Kay) can't do it alone. There are a lot of needy kids out there who could certainly use some handknit love. Especially considering the sad quality of store-bought knits. What child wouldn't benefit from a soft and warm 100% wool superwash hat?

Exactly. So, to entice our lovely blogfans to participate, I have a question for you...

Is it a special Handknits for Hard Knock Kids hat & mitten pattern? Or a list of pattern suggestions? or a fun knit-along? Or some really great prizes?

You tell me, and we'll see what we can do.

Preemptively, of course (cough), I have assembled a list AWESOME hat suggestions! Should, y'know, any of you amazing blogfans decide that you simply MUST cast on right this minute...

L to R: Flurries Slouch Hat, Struan Hat, Fair Isle Hat

Poet Society Tam, Ripley Hat, Fleeced Earflap Hat

Button Hat, Slouch Hat, Earflap Hat, Children's Hat & Mitten Set

So, c'mon, join the virtual party and knit a hat (or several) for a child in need. You'll be all warm and fuzzy inside and they'll be all warm and fuzzy outside. Clearly a win-win. Questions? We have answers.

Now, this post was originally (i.e. last week) going to be about something completely different - our colorworKAL projects' progress and a little Madelinetosh lovefest. As we have no new photos of colorworKAL progress (and there has been some, honest), we're going to just go with the one thing we got - lots of love for Madelinetosh.

The first of which has to be for this awesome hat Lindsay, our Fashionknitsta, wouldn't take off.

Poet Society Tam, knit with Vintage in 'Lichen'

And, thus, was featured in last week's Newsletter: Cuddle Up With THIS. It is a pretty awesome hat. Then we had Eva's lovely Ishbel, which she's been wearing to work a lot lately:

Eva's Ishbel, knit with Pashmina in 'Terrarium'

In a word: Scrumdiddlyumptious. Seriously. Pashmina around your neck... yummmm.

Then, lastly, my yet unnamed Purple Mystery:

My Purple Mystery, knit with Tosh Merino Light in 'Duchess'

Which I (and everyone else, too, it seems) LOVE. The yarn is to die for. Just delicious to work with. In fact, I've already cast on another of these with a skein of Tosh Merino Light in 'Filigree' using the same pattern (mine!). Too pretty. But now it's 6:25pm and I must away. Check back next week for a colorworKAL update (even if I have to nag my coworkers all week) and more fun happenings around here.

Until then, stay warm!
~Sara M.

*Any of you sassy knitters out there claiming that a picture is worth a thousand words shouldn't mention that while I'm living off of Saltines and toast.
** I dare any challengers to try and do better under the circumstances.

Knitspired: Diamonds are a girl's best friend

2010-11-24T18:00:00.000-08:00

I couldn't turn down a chance to use that as a title, it just had to be done. In fact, after my interview with Anne, I got to thinking. Of course, her book is a fantastic reference and I would suggest knitters interested in Argyle get a copy. But I also wanted learn more and to see what other knitters were doing with this technique. So I decided to do a little hunting.

First off, for our history buffs out there (yes, I know they were outvoted in the last poll, too bad), it turns out unsurprisingly that the technique comes from Argyll, Scotland, where the design was devised from the Clan Campbell tartan. Wikipedia has it dated to "at least" the 17th century, but between you and me and the blog, I'd bet it goes back even further than that as colorwork is one of the oldest forms of knitting - as proven by surviving samples from the 12th century. If you're interested in the history of knitting/ or colorwork, A History of Knitting by Richard Rutt is an absolute must.

Second, Argyle is a form of intarsia, a colorwork technique similar to tapestry weaving. Instead of carrying two colors across a row, sections of the piece are knit with one color then the next. Where the two colors touch, they are twisted together. Traditionally, Argyle is knit with three colors - two as the main diamond colors and a third accent diagonal color that is usually embroidered or duplicate stitched. The Italians call this the "kiss and run". No joke, I learned that in a tapestry class.

And, finally, there are patterns and a few tutorials to be found. As Anne said in her interview, learning from an instructor is usually easier for most - but not essential. I taught myself to knit intarsia and Argyle three years after learning to knit... using Stitch 'n' Bitch as a reference. If you're out there alone in a vast wilderness of nonknitters, never fear - you can do this.

In addition to Anne's excellent recommendations (you REALLY should see colorworKAL: Interview with Anne Berk for tips, tricks, and techniques), I've found some other resources online:

Cybersocks: Agyle Sock. Online Sock Knitting Classes with Edie Eckman
Argyle Origami by Moth Heaven
Knit Science, Episode 17: Mighty Argyle. Podcast by Miriam Quinn.
Duplicate Stitch - How To by Knitting Daily
Argylers Anonymous group on ravelry

In terms of patterns, I had a great time compiling a selection. The first two patterns that popped into my mind, I have to admit, were Anne's lovely multi-size Argyle Sock pattern, from Shibui Argyle:

Image copyright Shibui Knits

There's something so classic about an Argyle (or 'tartan') sock. Then, of course, I have long coveted Eunny Jang's beautiful Deep V Argyle Vest:

Image copyright Eunny Jang

Because it makes Argyle sexy. You can just imagine this on some chic executive in Manhattan. Or I can, anyway.

When I search ravelry, as you'll discover in my interview with Anne, there were over 140 patterns to choose from! Admittedly, some were more appealing to me than others, so I only selected a handful to share and inspire. Strangely, most of them were vests. I honestly don't have a preoccupation with vests, but they do seem to be the vessel for Argyle experimentation these days.

First, the man's Argyle Vest from Veronik Avery's Knitting Classic Style:


Image copyright Veronik Avery

The design is very graphic in an Atomic Ranch way. Note the lack of diagonal accent lines. It'd be hard to imagine a man turning this down. And, added bonus, no duplicate stitch afterwards!

Next, Ann Budd's Argyle Vest from Color Style:

Image copyright Interweave Press

This design is also extremely striking and quite reminiscent of the Atomic Ranch aesthetic, though it would look super-cute over a button-down blouse and a pair of jeans or slacks. The one concern I'd have would be for beginning intarsia knitters, as Anne correctly warns knitters from starting out with patterns with too many color changes every row. This design has six colors, so it might be for you Intermediate to Advanced Argyle knitters out there.

Finally, I just adore Jenn Jarvis' Argyle Jacket from the Fall 2009 issue of Twist Collective:

Image copyright Caroline Bergernon

This design is entirely modern and would look adorable over a mini-skirt or slacks with a turtleneck, camisole, or blouse. I also think the cut and style are ageless, and would look fabulous on different body types. It could be styled casual or dressy, work or play.

Now, I would include a staff colorworKAL update, but this post is getting quite lengthy. Next week, then! We also have several more interviews to look forward to in the coming weeks. Some of the biggest names in colorwork have signed on to answer our questions, including Ruth Sorensen and Lucy Neatby. If you have any question suggestions for these talented ladies, please feel free to include them in the comments.

Until then, why not try some intarsia?
~ Sara M.

colorworKAL: Interview with Anne Berk

2010-11-23T17:34:00.000-08:00

Anne Berk

Passionate about intarsia and Argyle, Anne is a veritable expert in colorwork techniques. Her booklet, Shibui Argyle, is devoted to restoring a traditional technique by adapting the design to appeal to modern knitters.

Anne's designs and articles have also been featured in Interweave Knits and Piecework Magazine. Knitting Daily TV recently released a Workshop DVD entitled Inside Intarsia with Anne Berk.

How did you start knitting?

I learned to knit in the 6th grade, in 4-H, but didn’t keep it up. I started again when studying in Ireland during my junior year in college. I knit sporadically until my kids started school and I decided to study knitting seriously, and began the TKGA Master Knitting program in 1993.

How did you discover intarsia and Argyle?

Knitting an Argyle sock is a requirement for Level II in the Master knitting program. I knit several socks, as practice, and enjoyed the technique.

What drew you to Argyle, in particular?

I feel a connection to knitters of the past, and Argyle was actually a huge fad after WWII. Legions of people learned to knit for the sole purpose of making something fun and fashionable for a loved one. Argyle patterns are still hugely popular, but they are mainly machine-knit, now. I think that is a shame.

Vest from Shibui Argyle

Do you have a favorite fiber or yarn for intarsia & Argyle?

I like to work with wool, as I can use short lengths and spit-splice them together, reducing the amount of ends to weave in. Any fiber works well, actually. I have knit with cotton, linen, synthetics…they all knit up just fine.

How do you choose yarn weight, fiber, and colors for intarsia & Argyle?

The colors are really important. I look for clear, strong colors with the largest amount of contrast possible, so that the design really “pops”. The weight and fiber used will be dictated by the design and type of garment, not the intarsia technique.

Would you recommend a specific needle type for intarsia & Argyle (i.e. circular vs straight vs dpns)?

I used to use straight needles, so that I could see all of the strands easily, and keep them untangled. As I got better with the technique this became less important, and I would use whatever needles were at hand. Now I am knitting intarsia mostly in the round, so I am moving to circulars almost exclusively. A beginner to the technique will probably find it easiest to get proficient using straight needles.

Do you have any tips & tricks you’d like to share?

Embrace the mess! There are lots of strands, lots of ends – it’s OK. The ends are woven in easily, and they are used to smooth gauge, duplicate stitch over the occasional error, the ends are our friends! Learn to manage the colors and ends with efficiency, and you will have a great time with intarsia.

Do you have any essential advice for new intarsia & Argyle knitters?

Really evaluate the chart you are going to use. Argyle is terrific for beginners because the chart is so easy to follow, and produces a wonderful, recognizable result. Beware of complicated intarsia charts that call for many colors in small amounts in random places. One of the things I teach in class is “Chart critique”, and how to modify a chart to make it easier and efficient to knit. This is supposed to be fun, after all!

Pillow from Shibui Argyle

Are there any essential (or strongly recommended) tools and references for intarsia & Argyle?

“Inside Intarsia” DVD, by Anne Berk, “Intarsia Untangled” DVD, by Lucy Neatby, or take a class on the technique. Intarsia is something that is best learned by being shown, doing it with someone who can help you refine your technique, and practice, practice, practice.

A big bag of yarn in many colors, to play with, is also helpful. I have an enormous paper bag filled with oddball leftovers, that I use when designing – to see what colors work well together, do gauge swatches, etc. It’s my “paintbox” – and is mostly Cascade 220 and Shibui Sock.

Any tips in regards to following an intarsia or Argyle chart?

I am a fan of Post-its. I have lots of other gadgets involving magnets, etc, but the Post-its are always around, and work really well. Put the post-it ABOVE the row you are working on, so that you can see that the stitches are lining up properly over the rows below them.

Don’t forget to count your sts, every few rows. Argyle, in particular, is very rhythmic. You won’t need the chart much, but you will need to make sure that the diamonds are all growing or reducing at the same rate. Problems are easy to fix in the first or 2nd row after you make them, but after that it gets tough.

Do you have a favorite time and/or place to knit?

I knit absolutely everywhere that it is possible, without distracting other people. Intarsia/Argyle is no more difficult that any other type of knitting, and is actually easier to carry around because of the small amounts of yarn involved. I have knit argyle in the movies, it isn’t a problem. My favorite place, though, is on my sofa watching TV. I have my scissors and sewing needles, and lots of yarn right there and handy.

Do you carry ongoing projects with you?

Of course!

Do you carry intarsia & Argyle projects, too?

Of course!

Shibui Argyle cover

Any tips or tricks for keeping them untangled?

I knit with strands of yarn about an arms length long, pulling them out every few rows to untangle. Sometimes I will want a longer length, and will wind it into a yarn butterfly, which is lightweight and doesn’t tangle easily. Intarsia really travels easily.

Do you knit Continental or English? Or Combined?

I knit with either method. I use both for stranded knitting, prefer Continental for needle sizes over size 9 US, and English method for everything else.

Do you have a least favorite technique?

Oh, this is a good question. I’m not crazy about knitting lace. I love having it, though, so I do knit a lot of lace – and it is usually the most complicated chart possible that I fall in love with. I also love lace yarns, so there you go. I do find lace to require more of my attention, this would NOT be carry-around knitting for me. And that would make it my least favorite.

What is a good starter project for intarsia or Argyle?

I have to say the classic Argyle sock. However, the project that I usually recommend for beginner’s is the child’s vest in “Shibui Argyle”. Knit in bouncy Shibui Sock, the stitches look great in intarsia, and the Argyle chart is quite short. The rest of the vest is solid-color stockinette. You get a lot of Argyle impact for very little actual intarsia knitting.

How did you start designing?

Designing was part of Level III of the Master Knitting program, so I got a good foundation. But really, it came out of playing with techniques and coming up with projects for my students to use for practice. I love patterns, and knitting books, and if you read and analyze enough of them, writing your own is the obvious next step.

Socks from Shibui Argyle

What drew you to designing with intarsia & Argyle?

There were none available! When I developed a class on the subject for Sock Summit 2009, I did some research and there was not a modern Argyle pattern – and certainly no charts - to be found, anywhere. Even the vintage patterns from the 1940’s were written poorly by today’s standards and require a lot of assumptions on the part of the knitter. There was obviously a niche to be filled, and I jumped in to fill it.

Do you have a favorite intarsia or Argyle pattern you’ve designed?

The pink cardigan in Shibui Argyle was actually supposed to be a personal sweater for me. I wanted something soft and pretty and Argyle to wear to Sock Summit for my class. By the time I finished the sweater I was planning to do the booklet, and had to keep the projects for it under wraps – so I didn’t wear the sweater, after all! But I really love the sweater, and everyone who sees it, loves it, too. It is “soft like a bunny”, feminine and modern, and a quick knit. (I knit it over a weekend!)

Anything else you’d like to share or mention?

Intarsia takes practice, but once you master the technique the results are truly impressive.

Any added encouragement for our blog readers?

Don’t ever be discouraged by someone else’s “bad” knitting experience. If you can knit and purl, you are a knitter, and you can do anything. Search and explore for the easiest ways to do things, and allow yourself to make mistakes. Before you rip them out, take a really good look at what you did, and why. There is a lot to be learned from mistakes. I played with “Intarsia in the round” for five months before the light bulb went on and I figured out how to do it without any seams. I made lots and lots of mistakes along the way. The reason that I figured it out is that I didn’t give up.

Hopefully Anne's enthusiasm and designs will encourage a new generation of knitters to make Argyle popular. If you'd like to try out this handsome technique, or Argyle in particular, there are many patterns available.

In fact, a search on ravelry revealed 142 pattern matches! So, I hope you will follow Anne's lead and expand your skill set. For knitters looking to learn from Anne in person, Anne will be teaching at Madrona Fiber Arts Winter Retreat in February, 2011.

Check back next week for another interview (with whom will be a surprise) and further updates about our colorworKAL. Until then, happy knitting!

- Sara M.

Knitspired: Pouring down rain

2010-11-09T18:15:00.000-08:00

Brr, that rain outside is coldcoldcold! Daylight Savings is a mixed blessing this far North, making knitting all the more appealing come a cold, dark and above all, wet, evening. While hand-knits are an undeniable essential in the PNWer's wardrobe, I saw the most adorable machine-knit knits that I had to share. It just seemed appropriate... given the weather.

First of all, I hope you've heard of Donna Wilson - the author and designer of the Knitted Odd-Bod Bunch.

A book that, sadly, we cannot keep in stock long enough to put online. It's rather hard to get ahold of. In any event, I recently discovered her personal website via an article on her in The New York Times and have simply fallen in love with these hilarious and quirky cushions:

Cloud Rain Cushion

Cloud Rain Cushion overhead

Cloud Lightning Cushion

Don't they seem like the perfect decor for any PNW home? Unfortunately, they're priced rather out of my range (at almost £70 a piece at an impossible exchange rate), but they're lovely to admire. I rather strongly recommend poking around Ms. Wilson's site. It's a fantastic little world that's definitely worth exploring.

Excitement abounds here because we have a brand-new yarn from Joseph Galler. But that is all I shall share. You will have to wait until this Friday's eCard for details.

Searching for relevancy, I managed to track down one other colorworKAL project. Eva, our outstanding web elf, brought in her colorwork hat - which I borrowed for a quick photo:

Eva's making an earflap hat for her father using Rowan Felted Tweed in two colors, Watery and Seafarer, and Rowan Purelife British Sheep Breeds DK in Mid-Brown BFL (#782). It's a shame she didn't have her swatch today, because the finished stitch pattern - featuring double stitched 'eyes' - is just ab fab. Maybe next time.

My mitt is progressing rather slowly as I had to rip out ten or so rounds last night, after realising that I'd started the thumb too late and thrown off the entire design. That was fun. Being much more careful this time around.

Now, in respect to our colorworKAL, we've had some interesting (and good!) developments. I've been emailing back and forth with several experts in the field and am hoping to post several in-depth interviews AND tips and tricks tutorials on the three aforementioned branches: stranded, intarsia, and argyle. Plus, maybe, some history and fun facts. You know how I looove to share the odd trivia.

My question for you is...

You know how I so love to include a poll every week, and this seemed like an opportune time to find out what you want to learn over the next seven weeks. Me? I'm always happy to learn something new and would love to research any of the above topics. If you have a suggestion that, for instance, I totally missed, please feel free to post a comment on this post.

And now it is past 6 o'clock (PM) and I must toddle. This is a bit of a short post, but next week should be very interesting. Especially if I can shoe-horn in an interview before then!

Sara M.

Knitspired: Laggard

2010-11-03T17:55:00.000-07:00

Late again, I know. I'm now off Mondays, so blogging will henceforth be moved to Tuesday/ Wednesday. First off, did you see last week's eCard, Making Mischief? If not, you might have missed our fantastic little Christmas tree creatures... shown on our sad little out-of-season tree:

Our 'Charlie Brown' Xmas tree

And up close and personal:

Owen the Christmas Tree Monster

Olive the Christmas Tree Monster

Rufus the Sock Monkey

I think it goes without saying that they are just stinking adorable. It was such a treat to work with Rebecca Danger on the two Christmas tree monsters - she was a really good sport about our oddities! And, of course, how could any knitter's holiday be complete without hand-knit ornaments?

We do have a debate going, which you're welcome to join in on:

If you picked the last option, the short answer is "It's not".

Next on our list, the knits! We've been busy here. In fact, we've talked ourselves into another knit-along! Yes, that's right, we're challenging ourselves to knit yet another project and we'd like to invite you to join us. Looking at your responses to last week's poll, the forecast is positive in terms of participation.

Now, because this isn't my own personal KAL, it's not going to be quite as r e l a x e d as our Birds of a Feather KAL, so the deadline to complete a project is a little sooner. Here are the specs (and a badge I whipped up in 5 minutes):

Join us!

WHEN: November 1, 2010 - December 31, 2011
WHAT: ANY colorwork project, be it stranded, intarsia, or argyle!
WHO: Anyone!
WHERE: colorworKAL on ravelry
WHY: Why not? Make something awesome for the holidays

Now, I think I can predict your next question: what will we, the instigators, be making? Let's see... I shall be the last person in the universe to make a pair of Anemoi Mittens, by Eunny Jang:

Image copyright Eunny Jang

With Madelinetosh Sock in "Rose" (pale pink) as the CC and The Sanguine Griffon's Eidos Sock in "Parmenides" as the MC (dark green):

Anemoi yarn & swatches

Please pardon the yellow-tinted photo - our office in underground. Also shown are swatches for the Birds of a Feather KAL and my insane attempt to make Guernsey #2 from Arans & Guernseys.

Moving on, both Kristin F. and Lindsay will be making Jared Flood's gorgeous Beaumont Tam:

Beaumont Tam by Jared Flood

And Eva, our intrepid web fulfillment elf, has waffled back and forth between mittens and a hat. I should have the final decision next week, plus some (hopefully better-lit) progress photos of our Shelter sweaters, my Snowbird, and our colorful KAL projects.

What are you going to make?

~ Sara M.

Knitspired: Featherhead

2010-10-26T12:43:00.000-07:00

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:

Stranded (and member projects)
Nordic Knitting (and member projects)
Nordic Knitters (and member projects)
Inspired bij Oleana (and member projects)
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.

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

2010-10-19T12:32:00.000-07:00

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

2010-10-12T17:54:00.000-07:00

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!

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.

Knitspired: Monsters, Sweaters, and Wool, oh my!

2010-09-28T16:45:00.000-07:00

Well, the Aye's have it with a margin of 94%. Which makes me feel better, at least I'm not boring all y'all to tears. This week's post is a mish-mash of subjects. First off, I want to tell you how truly excited I am by the upcoming visit of Rebecca Danger, creator and instigator of Danger Crafts. After some virtual chatting, she's agreed to come down and teach two workshops, her popular Toy Workshop and a special request, the new Design Your Own Monster class...

Which will be so much fun! Participants will get to create their own unique monster using instructions written up in advance by Rebecca. Basically, you get to make up your own design without having to do the hard part of figuring out increases and decreases (well, mostly, there will be some math involved). What I'm really looking forward to is seeing all the different creatures people create. It should be very interesting and a lot of fun!

Something else that has me knitspired (and suffering major Startitis) is this:

Heidi Kirrmaier's Vesper - which, in spite of the styling in the photo, is actually seasonless. Wear it layered over a long-sleeved shirt or turtleneck in Fall & Winter, and as is over a peasant skirt in Spring & Summer. Let it be know that Dolce & Gabbana is totally on board the '70s peasant look for the 2011 Spring/ Summer season, making this a very pragmatic knit-it-in-advance top. I'm already considering the options. Mostly in terms of Fall/ Winter, if I'm totally honest. It really would be super-cute in a wool/silk blend, worn over a dress shirt or turtleneck, like this:

Raindance, also by Heidi Kirrmaier

For something a little more traditional this Fall/ Winter season (I know you're out there, my peeps), how about Harvest Moon, the latest pattern by Heidi Kirrmaier*?

Of course, anything by Heidi Kirrmaier, a.k.a. PiPiBird on ravelry, would be great. Her sense of style and ability to drape knitwear is fantastic. And all her looks have a classic, almost timeless, quality that will help them stand the change of seasons well. I'd strongly recommend checking out her design page on ravelry. If only I could figure out which sweater I want to make first!

Light. Bulb. (Did anyone else love that movie?) Ahem...

We'll just wait and see. You know, I'm having so fun making these polls, we might have to have one every week...

In other news, we have some new yarn that's definitely worth a look-see. Knitters really should come up with an appropriate alternative to that - touch-feel, maybe? Does that sound wrong? Anyway. I was a little 'eh' when we heard the new Ella Rae yarns were coming. But then I got to interact with them firsthand. My goodness.

I have a moderate obsession with the Classic Heathers right now. It's so wooly. To which you're probably thinking, "Duh, Sara, it's 100% wool." Well, yes. But you can really feel the wooliness and almost imagine the sheep it came from. It also has a slight lanolin smell, something that seduces me every time. As for the Classic Superwash Chunky?

... less enraptured. Don't get me wrong. It is a GREAT yarn. But I think Jared and Clara might just be getting to me with their love of untreated woolens. For some reason, I've been a little indifferent to superwash yarns lately. To each their own, right? But this lovely (great colors!) superwash chunky yarn would be ideal for quick winter knits (Christmas Countdown, y'all) that would be very, very popular in colder climes.

Also, did I mention this?, great colors. I'm a sucker for heathered yarn every time. They have a wide selection of 'manly' colors that real men might actually wear. Which is another major plus in any practical knitter's evaluation.

Then, of course, we have:

Baby feet!! I.e. the new Churchmouse Wee Ones pattern series. Super-sweet, super-cute, and super-easy (heck, one's named Easy Peasy), little knits that will win you the Most Awesomest Gift prize at any baby shower. They're classic, they're simple, and they'll look beautiful in any nursery.

Also in from Churchmouse, are four more patterns in their Classics series. The design that really won the hearts and minds of our staff is the new Lace Bace Fingerless Gloves:

Knit with a single skein of sport-weight or fingering weight cashmere, they're sumptuous and relatively economical for a cashmere project. The design even comes with two lengths - elbow and wrist - as well as three lace patterns to choose from. This is another great pattern to lean on for the holiday season. This one pattern can lead to six different designs. How easy is that? Everyone gets something different without the work of finding six completely unrelated patterns!

The only teeny-tiny thing I would improve about the Churchmouse patterns (and this is not a criticism, just a... helpful suggestion) would be to shorten the names of the patterns. They're rather a mouthful in some cases. I'm a big believer in the two-word limit. But that's just me.

(Please note that this is not the opinion of Knit Purl, it's affiliates, or [other] employees.)

In every other regard, the Churchmouse patterns are completely and utterly amazing. The designs themselves, the layout, the photography, the helpful hints. Really, everything. They're simply stunning. And people love them - for good reason.

You can probably guess why I (and many of my coworkers) are suffering Startitis of the worst kind. First, it's Fall and the knitting season. Second, we have some fantastic new Fall yarns in. And, third, the clincher are all the amazing patterns out there to knit! It's kind of unfair. There's never enough time to knit everything you'd like. Which is probably why most ravelry users have a queue that ranges in three or more digits.

Oh, well. Next week we'll have a review of a brand new yarn that's debuting right here (Knit Purl) this Friday. We've been waiting a long time for it and couldn't be more excited to share it with the world. I'm going to tell you all the whole story behind the yarn - I even got to interview the creator in July - as well as some other fun facts and trivia. But you'll just have to wait (I promise it'll be worth it!). Maybe we'll even have some staff projects to share.

Until then, happy knitting!
Sara M.

*Are you sensing a trend? When you're on a roll...

Fashionknitsta Thursday: 9/23/10

2010-09-23T09:34:00.000-07:00

Hello and happy Thursday, everyone! If you read Sara's last post you'll know why we've had such a lag, but it's not an excuse and we are truly sorry! Unfortunately, I'm not going to be able to keep up with Fashionknitsta as a regular column anymore; but, thankfully, Knit Purl is going to let me post if there is ever a time I'm so overly-inspired I can't NOT share.

You might be aware that we are currently deep in the heart of the Spring/Summer 2011 fashion weeks, New York and London having both just finished and Milan opening yesterday. While I'm a year-round knitter, I tend to knit fall and winter pieces giving little thought knit garments that can be warn in the warmer months. So far we've seen an unusual amount of knitwear designs for a Spring/Summer season which I find refreshing and wonderfully inspiring. The A/W 2010 season was full of super chunky knits (seen everywhere from Prada, to Chloe, to Louis Vuitton) and Fair Isle (as seen at Dolce & Gabbana and Gucci), but the designs for S/S 2011 are (appropriately) much lighter and airier while still keeping the tone of elegance and femininity we saw last season.

The first collection I saw that really stood out this season was Jason Wu's capsule collection for luxury knitwear house TSE. Here are my favorite looks:

I love the juxtaposition of the knit-on top/ woven-on bottom in this dress. It's not exactly the same, but you could achieve a similar look layering this free pattern, the Drop Stitch Tunic from Lanaknits designs, under a high-waisted slim skirt. It would look great in Louet Euroflax Sport!

Lately, I feel like I've seen huge chunky infinity scarves everywhere. Which is great because I'm a big fan of chunky infinity scarves, like the Challah Infinity Scarf by Pam Powers of Art Fiber Design. I would so love to see a detail shot of this top, the gauge is so fine it would near impossible to reproduce a look like this by hand. It reminds me of the printed chiffon Fair Isle motifs from D&G last February.

While visually the last look was my favorite, technique-wise this dress is by far my favorite of the collection. Wu took sewn strips of chiffon and hand-knitted them into this dress, creating a garment that looks super chunky, while weighing almost nothing. What a fabulous way to do a chunky knit for warmer weather! I did some Ravelry hunting and haven't come up with a great pattern option for this look. If anyone sees something, please let me know.

The next collection I felt really showcased some great knits was Proenza Schouler:

This reminds me a bit of the Spring interpretation of those great looks I was so crazy about from Louis Vuitton's A/W 2010. The sweater is a little lighter, the skirt a little more flowy, but I feel the spirit is similar. Calm, by Kim Hargreaves, paired with a chiffon skirt would be a great way to get this look.

This is the final look I have to share with you today. I love the idea of a knit suit, and I love the vintage feel of this one. The drop waist and tweedy look of it really bring a vintage Chanel vibe to this look. This too, has proven to be kind of a tricky thing to hunt ravelry for. So far I've found quite a few vintage patterns (a lot available for free!) like this one, but nothing that's really perfect yet. I'll continue to hunt, and will definitely post if I find something.

Unfortunately, I'm going to have to leave it at that for today. I really miss writing this blog and I appreciate all the emails from those of you who missed it, too! Once the Milan and Paris shows are over, I'm hoping I'll be able to come back and post again. Until then, as always, stay chic blogfans!

~ Lindsay

Back again and knitspired.

2010-09-20T16:38:00.000-07:00

This post is long overdue. I'm embarrassed by the silence of the blog over the past two months and do regret it. I'm afraid an apology wouldn't quite fit as it isn't though we've been ignoring the blog, we've just been so darned busy around here. So many new yarns, new employees (two!), and a series of staff vacations have left us scrambling.

But, finally, everyone has settled in/ returned to their rightful places, and things are slowly returning to normal. With that, we should very much like to resume our blog schedule. In fact, though Linday (our resident Fashionknitsta) has been ~~stolen from the web~~ promoted, she WILL be posting a Fashionknitsta Fall Update this Thursday. Look for it!

Me, myself? So much has happened in the last two months. My ankle healed and I took a (much-needed) vacation. A book was published under my name. That's right, your Knit Purl webmistress/ truent blogger has put together a small collection of sock patterns under the title, you guessed it, Shibui Socks.

Crazy, huh?

Anyway. Because Lindsay has been ~~kidnapped stolen brainwashe~~ promoted and I'm just not as connected upstairs as I used to be, we're working on keeping the blog up-to-date and fresh, but still in the Knit Purl spirit. Keep an eye on the feed for more changes (and some new names!) as we work towards a larger blogger pool and increased updates.

I will probably be moving away from store/ customer updates and on to other topics like my old favorite True Plies, which has seen a recent resurgence in the Newsletter(!), and cool knitspiration. You may or may not know this, but I write the Newsletter as well as keep the website from exploding. My two favorite parts of the Newsletter are the True Plies articles and the Treat Yourself suggestions (this last week's Sericulture: A (Short) History of Silk was a personal favorite!).

Interestingly enough, they're two of the most comment-upon (and complimented) segments. So, I'm thinking it'd be fun to do a weekly column on project ideas, industry news, and possibly the occasional educational article. Whatever seems the most relevant and interesting at the time, really. How's that sound?

Now, I like pretty things. I like knitting them and I like wearing them. Which is what makes knitting (and working in a knitting store) so very, very dangerous for me. The yarn itself is temptation, the pattern whispers a sly 'come hither', and the finished project is a reason to preen for months, because I made that. I don't know about you, but it seems to me that all knitters (however deep down it's buried) have an addiction to the pretty. So, I say, why not collect the pretty and share? Maybe, if I inspire enough people (and thus get vicarious pleasure from your knitting exploits), I might just keep my addiction manageable.

Unlikely, I know. But sharing the pretty is also fun and a good use of blogspace.

Along that theme, I was searching on flickr and came across the most interesting photo group: Knitspiration. What a great concept! If you, like me, have an addition or affection for the pretty or glamorous, this is definitely a group to visit.

On our own shelves I've lately been fascinated by this new yarn, Rasta:

The fact that it knits up at 2 stitches per inch just fascinates me, quite frankly. Anything made with it would be thick and chunky and very warm. But also beautiful. There, quite simply, is no such thing as ugly Malabrigo. And the thought of a single-ply bulky yarn brings up some curiousities. If any of you have tried it, I'm sure we'd love to hear what you think about it. In fact, we're working on a customer reviews function on the website, so we can know what you think about all the yarns we carry.

But that's neither here nor there in regards to this post. I thought I'd also mention that I'm working with the brand-new Malabrigo Rios right now, in the color Azul Profundo:

Because it is absolutely and completely delicious. I love the feel of it and the squooshy texture of the four plies. My one teeny-tiny complaint is that the skein I'm working with did not take the dye evenly and I actually have some weird white specks. It's so nice to work with, though, that I can't bring myself to bring it back or complain to Malabrigo. Which must be a testament in and of itself as to the sheer addictiveness of Rios.

Quite simply, it is beautiful yarn and a real treat to work with. I highly recommend it. And what is the intended project, you ask? Well, it will be something slightly similar to this:

Glee, by Rachel Bishop

Which was, interestingly enough, featured on Fashionknitsta Thursday back in June. Rachel is an amazing designer and I definitely recommend trying any of her patterns (the Knitting Fates know I have a quite a few by her in my pattern collection). I love this design and would love to knit it eventually. Just have to find the right yarn. Maybe Joseph Galler Prime Alpaca or The Fibre Co.'s Canopy. Both would be amazing to knit and wear.

Anyway. Back to what is and not what may be. I am so super excited (really, like a 15-year-old girl) about this next announcement. You might just want to sit down, in fact (if you're not already). Alice Starmore's ground-breaking book, Aran Knitting, has been reprinted!!!*

Even better, it's been expanded to include 42 more pages of content that range from an all-new design by the legendary Starmore to an unbelievable stitch library. The new version is, admittedly, quite hefty and rather oversized. It's not something you'll be able to slide into your project bag easily. But it is a thing of absolute beauty and an unparalleled resource in terms of history, design, local perspective, and sheer inspiration. The photography makes it a great knitter's coffee table book, too.

If you an Alice Starmore fan or a cable fiend, this is an absolute must for your library. You can be sure that we Knit Purlers grabbed our own copies the day it came in. Luckily, we ordered extra copies and there are still a few books left. But don't expect that to last. Aran Knitting is going in the Newsletter this Friday (you've been warned) and I expect it to absolutely run out the door.

Next on our list of pretty new arrivals, the Vogue Knitting Mittens & Gloves collection:

Which includes over forty of Vogue's most famous and popular designs, such as Jared Flood's infamous Druid Mittens...

The cover patten from the Fall 2008 issue of Vogue Knitting that actually caused the magazine to sell out in record time. Since I, myself, did not manage to snag a copy of this magazine (yes, it was gone that quickly!), I am very seriously considering buying a copy of the book. The mittens are just that gorgeous. Also, the book includes several breath-taking designs by artists such as Tanis Grey and Deborah Newton, so it's truly an undeniable source of inspiration and great design.

Backing up to the subject of Jared Flood, have you seen his stunning new Shetland lace design?

Celes, a delicate lace shawl, has been designed using Isager's luscious Alpaca 2 yarn. A sumptuous sport weight blend of baby alpaca and Merino lambswool, it's super-soft and light as a feather. What a perfect pairing. And the fact that the shawl only takes 3 skeins? My virtual WIP basket just got bigger, lemme tell you.

We don't have the pattern yet, but should by the end of the week (if you'd prefer a paper copy, printed on acid free linen paper). If you're like me and can't wait that long, feel free to hop over to Jared's ravelry shop and purchase an e-copy. I'm thinking we might just need a Celes KAL, don't you agree?

Incidentally, the adorable girl in the picture? That's right, she's our expert stocker, Tessa! We were so excited to see her on Jared's blog. She was visiting friends in New York and was snatched up by Jared to model. How funny is that?

Now I must away. Check back on Thursday for a new Fashionknitsta and be sure to look for future updates from more Knit Purl bloggers!

Happy knitting,
Sara M.

*Yes, I used three exclamation points. The book is totally worth the additional two.

Fashionknitsta Thursday: 7/22/10

2010-07-23T17:16:00.000-07:00

It's another gorgeous (and busy!) day here in Portland. I'd like to apologize (again!) for dropping the blogging ball. It's been crazy here at the store and I just haven't had the time to scope out any of the great things the internet knitting world has to offer lately.

Now that all of these are leaving the building:

I finally have a free moment and I cannot go another day without checking in with our Fashionknitsa Knit-a-long!

If you haven't been keeping up with our blog lately, we've been doing a KAL of Ysolda Teague's Ishbel and you can read the Ravelry thread here. A few of us here in the store have been working on them. Sara has already completed hers (overachiever!) in a limited edition colorway of Glazed Sock from Madelinetosh, and it's just gorgeous:

I talked Kristin's daughter, Anna, into modeling it for us:

Here is a photo of Eva's from a few days ago, she's using Madelinetosh Pashmina. I'm really liking how it's knitting up, the yarn is a bit heavier that the sock weight yarns that Sara and I are both using. It's going to be so lovely to cozy up with in the winter!

I'm almost finished with mine (in Malabrigo Sock), about halfway through Chart D which is the beginning of the edging. I'm hoping to complete it this weekend!

I hope everyone has a great and sunny weekend. There will be no Fashionknitsta next week because I'll be on vacation, but check back the week after for another post. Until then, as always, stay chic, blogfans!

-Lindsay

Our Biggest Post EVER

2010-07-13T13:13:00.000-07:00

It's in the running, anyway. After all, it has taken me two weeks to write it. You might want to go and get a cold drink and a comfy chair before reading this one.

First and foremost, we have a collection of truly lovely projects - but no project details. Why? you ask. Well, there are several reasons: sometimes we lose them (and we're really sorry about that), sometimes knitters don't have time to fill out a project sheet, and sometimes they just don't want to fill one out. So, after collecting up all the info-less project photos from the past month, I have made a collage:

You can see each individual image on our flickr account - and maybe even claim an image or two, if you'd like. We're always glad to reunite knitters and project photos.

Next, we have a looong list of amazing knitters who are truly challenging themselves, and are willing to record it, too. Whatever your particular knitting addiction is, I think we have some eye candy just for you.

Starting with Nicole's gorgeous in-progress Harika socks:

Being knit with Madelinetosh Glazed Sock in Baltic and Citrus (great color combination, right?). The pattern is by Stephanie van der Linden and was published in the Winter 2008 issue of Twist Collective. And, lookie, I found Nicole's socks on ravelry!

I have to admit that socks like Harika and Wallflower make me super excited for the upcoming Sock Club year, because Stephanie has agreed to design a pair of Fair Isle socks for this coming year. I just can't wait to see what she comes up with.

But that's going to have to wait, because we have more projects to share. Since we've been discussing socks, what a natural transition to Katie's First Socks (ever), which is always momentous:

Katie brought them in to show 'em off, as she should. First Socks are a milestone in knitting and need to be celebrated. We were very impressed by how well they matched. My first socks were not so even or, y'know... wearable. These socks were made with "heirloom stash", so we don't have any information on them. One can only hope that they're machine washable. Either way, good job, Katie!

Next we have an adorable little bolero for a lucky little girl, knit by Juli:

Using Rowan Felted Tweed in Bilberry and the Knitting Pure & Simple Children's Bolero pattern. Juli used a DK weight yarn (the pattern calls for worsted yarn) to make the finished sweater a little smaller. I think we can all agree that the result is too cute!

And, speaking of cute - it's KITTEH time!

Sorry, couldn't resist. The kitten formerly known as Bagheera came by for another visit and we couldn't resist.

Okay, back to the subject at hand. We have another amazing FO to share, a beautiful shawl from The Fine Line, knit by Nora:

For her sister in Vienna. Lucky sister! The pattern, Dawn, is such a impressive design. Nora chose to change the palette a little, making the color changes more striking, instead of gradient. The finished piece is gorgeous, though, and it's nice to see a departure from the sample in the book. Can't but love the gauzy semi-sheer fabric when the laceweight Wool 1 is knit on larger needles.

Our next project is the antithesis of dawn - twilight. As in "Twilight Cuffs":

Knit by M, who admitted to being a closet Twilight fan, so we shall not use her full name and 'out' her. The cuffs were knit with three different yarns: Black Trillium Sock, Rowan Kidsilk Haze, and ArtYarns Mohair & Silk. M made them for The Author and is planning on making another set inspired by the Volturi. The design was all her own.

On a completely different note, I have snagged a couple of Eva's photos of her in-progress Aran Necklace Camisole:

Last I checked, she'd finished the cabling and was looking forward to lots and lots of plain knitting. Well, I say 'looking forward'... Anyway. It's going to be gorgeous and completely worth the hours of stockinette. Though, the way the weather has been acting, she might have to wear a wool sweater over it! Here's her project journal on ravelry, for more information.

But, wait, there's more! Up next we have Bonnie's awesome handspun yarn:

Spun single-ply, using Fleece Artist Bluefaced Leicester roving. Which we do currently have in stock. Lovely! Hopefully she'll bring in whatever she knits with it. Wouldn't that be fun? {{hint:hint}}

Aaand, last but most certainly not least, we have Nancy's magnificent finished Girasole shawl:

Say it with me, "Wow". She used Handmaiden Sea Silk (luscious!) in Amethyst and the result is just glorious. If you've never petted a Sea Silk shawl, you should. It's entirely decadent (we have one on display right now, in fact). But back to the beauty above. I wish Nancy had posted this on ravelry, because this is a project that deserves some love. The pattern may have caused her a little frustration, but I think she was very pleased with the results. Who wouldn't be?

And, with that, we have been brought up to date with all the lovely projects that enterprising knitters have brought it and shown off. With luck, our regularly scheduled blogging (including tutorial!) will resume next week. Of course, be sure to look for another edition of Fashionknitsta this Thursday. Lindsay might just be closing in on finishing her Ishbel.

Until next week, watch out for La Niña!
Sara M.

Fashionknitsta Thursday: 7/9/10

2010-07-09T15:43:00.000-07:00

Ok, ok! I know it's actually Friday, sorry for my absence yesterday! Time really got away from me and it's looking like today is going to be the same kind of story.

So, even though I don't have a huge post for you today, let's check in with how our Month o' Lace Ishbel Knit-a-long is going. I'm really excited by how many of you are participating in our Ishbel KAL. If you haven't already, check out the Ravelry thread here!

Here are Eva's (in Madelinetosh Pashmina) and my (in Malabrigo Sock) in progress Ishbels:

Eva (on the left) is almost through the stockinette center and I've just begun chart B. I've been having a great time knitting my Ishbel, it's going so quickly! By next Thursday I'm hoping to be through Chart C at least, maybe even getting ready to start the edging. I really have been surprised by how fast this is going, I've already begun contemplating yarn choices for my next Ishbel!

Here is Sara's, she's using Madelinetosh Tosh Sock in the limited edition colorway 'Skinnamarink' from last year's Sock Summit:

This photo is from a couple of days ago, I think at this point she was finishing up Chart B, so by now she's probably working her way through D!

I do have one really neat thing I just cannot wait until next week to share, the 365 Clock by Industrial designer Siren Elise Wilhelmsen.

Siren exhibited her knitting machine clock at the DMY International Design Festival in Berlin last month. This really interesting design seeks to make time a physical, tangible object. While at times minutes, hours, and days can seem subjectively long or short the '365' physically manifests those moments into a knitted cloth, always growing at the same rate like our hair or nails. One round is completed over the course of a day and after a year of use the clock creates a two meter long scarf.

For more information about Siren, or her projects, visit her website here - it's definitely worth checking out!

Sadly, I shall have to leave you with this for today. Please check back next week for another edition of Fashionknitsta. Until then, stay chic, blogfans!

-Lindsay

Fashionknitsta Thursday: 7/1/10

2010-07-01T17:21:00.000-07:00

Hello and happy Thursday, everyone! It's finally summer and gorgeous here in Portland, I hope it is wherever you are as well! Sorry for my absence last week, I forgot that I would be in California celebrating my brother's graduation. I'm very excited to share the final photos of my sev[en] circle with you and to kick off our Month of Lace Ishbel Knit-a-long!

Before we get into all of that I do have a few patterns to share today. Starting with a gorgeous project Eva found and shared with me, the Lace and Pearls Necklace (pattern by Marta Costa) made by Dogged on Ravelry. The pattern was originally published in the May/June 2010 issue of Crochet Today:

I've posted a few patterns like this one before, and I still love this look. This one especially reminds me of a piece out of the Japanese book Knot. Most people used cotton crochet thread to make them, I would also do a cotton as it would hold shape better.

The next pattern I have to share you may have already seen, its made the rounds a bit on Ravelry, but I'm a big fan and I can't help myself! Manu by Kate Davies:

This beautiful sweater is knit with a Sport or DK weight yarn, I'd really love to see it in Road to China Light or Mirasol Nuna. There is a gorgeous version done in the Joseph Galler Alpaca (colorway Silver Grey) on Ravelry by Knittimo:

Absolutely lovely. According to the project details it took 1.5 skeins of the Galler Alpaca, she went without the buttons and shortened it a little bit. I think it turned out fabulous. I would want to wear this gorgeous, feminine cardigan all the time. The rest of her projects are equally as beautiful, if you get a chance I would recommend checking them out here.

The last thing I have to share today is unfortunately not a pattern, but a great inspiration piece. The White and Lacey Lampshade by Vilma:

Detail:

She was inspired by some lace art she saw online and created this beautiful light fixture out of crocheted and starched doilies. This would be a great project and after some hunting I discovered there are a TON of free doily patterns on Ravelry. A couple I thought would be especially great in this pattern are:

The Starry Night Doily

The Mother & Daughter Doilies

and the Eight Point Star Doily

I would definitely attempt this in a cotton yarn to keep the crisp look, probably the Rowan Handknit Cotton, Cotton Glace, or the Purelife Organic Cotton 4 Ply.

Switching subjects a bit, here is the photo of my finished sev[en] circle:

and a detail shot:

I'm super excited to wear this and really happy with my yarn choice, the Mirasol Nuna, it looks so rich knit up!

Finally, the moment I know I've been waiting for, today officially marks the kick-off of our Month of Lace Fashionknitsta Ishbel Knit-a-long! I've started a Ravelry thread so we can discuss and follow along, and I'll be posting updates weekly on this blog with our progress in store. Here is a photo of mine (I just cast on this morning!) and my fellow blogger Sara M.'s (she just couldn't wait!):

Originally I was going to use Madelinetosh Pashmina, but after re-organizing and evaluating my stash I decided I would really like to use Malabrigo Sock in the colorway Turner. I'm so excited to knit with both this yarn, and colorway. Eva is still using the Madelinetosh Pashmina in colorway Terrarium and Sara is using Madelinetosh Tosh Sock in the limited edition colorway Skinnamarink, from last year's Sock Summit. I hope you'll join us!

And so, shipping calls and I'll have to leave you for today. I hope everyone has a great 4th of July holiday and will check back next week for another edition of Fashionknitsta. Until then, stay chic blogfans!

-Lindsay

Blog-jack!

2010-06-23T16:30:00.000-07:00

Well, not really. Maybe just a little bit. I have the camera with all your beautiful projects on it but, well, the camera cord has gone wandering. And since I am not really mobile (recent visitors might have seen me limping around in a walking cast), I'm not going to be able to hunt it down. Trees are moving faster than me right now.

So, in lieu of our normal posting, we have some really fabulous new arrivals that I want to share (and possibly infect others with my unhealthy obsessions).

First, have you seen some of the new Knitting Pure & Simple patterns on our website? I say 'some', because not all are up (see first paragraph, re: walking cast) yet. We're working on getting the entire line up as more new patterns come in. It seems to me (and please feel free to disagree) that this line is often underrated (or ignored) by knitters, because many of the patterns are simple, bare-bones designs that a beginning knitter could follow.

Except, of course, we tend to forget how hard it is to up-size patterns, even the simple ones. The best feature of this line is the fact that the designer, Diane Soucy, has clearly made an effort to make the patterns usable to vast majority of the knitting public. Take my new favorite, the Neckdown V-Neck Cardigan (#241):

It's a sleek and simple cardigan that could be worn with jeans, khakis, or a dress. It, quite honestly, looks a little like something off of the rack. Now, what really impresses me about this pattern is that has instructions for six sizes, ranging from 32" - 52" bust circumferences. Do you know how many petite and Reubenesque knitters come in to the store and leave frustrated because 'X' pattern doesn't come in their size?

Moreover, it's knit from the top-down, so a short or tall knitter could adjust the length of the body and sleeves so it fits. Which, I know, is a bit of a crazy concept in fashion these days. In fact, the Yarn Harlot has sung her praises of this pattern line, too. That's one heck of an endorsement.

Maybe we should have a Knitting Pure & Simple KAL or KnitFest or something this Fall. As soon as the Madelinetosh Vintage comes back in stock. 'Cause that's what I want to make my Neckdown V-Neck Cardi with. It matches the gauge of 20 sts = 4" perfectly, it's machine washable, and it's Madelinetosh (yumm). Talk about a match made in heaven. (I call dibs on eight skeins of Cove)

Any takers?

Of course, you haven't seen my next obsession, which might throw the above pattern completely out of your queue. It's certainly threatening to do so to me.

Another recent addition to our pattern library is the super-sexy Briar Rose bolero (just ask Dave, our IT guy):

I have to admit that I've been obsessing over this pattern for years, ever since it came out in 2007. It has all the grace and sophistication of the 1940s, minus pomade and a World War. Even better, this is another great pattern that comes in a wide range of sizes (28" - 48" bust circumference), making it knittable and wearable for many ladies with different body types.

The one hold-up I've been having is determining what yarn to use. The pattern calls for an Aran weight yarn with a gauge of 16 sts = 4". Maybe Malabrigo Twist or Shibui Merino Alpaca? Hmm. Peony or Azul Profundo? Just a thought. Especially since this little jacket would make a great transitional garment this summer and Fall, over sundresses and strappy tanks. Or over a turtleneck, too, when the temperature drops.

And while I'm on the subject of Ysolda, I feel the need to mention Lindsay/ the Fashionknitsta's upcoming Ishbel KAL...

I'm already in and trying to pick my yarn. I have ~~one or two~~ quite a few skeins of Madelinetosh Glazed Sock in the stash that would suit this pattern perfectly. Lindsay and Eva have already vowed to use Madelinetosh Pashmina, which would be great for the rest of us if we had more than one color in stock now.

On the other hand, a former coworker, Liz (remember Liz?), has made several Ishbel scarves using a variety of sock yarns, like Koigu KPM and Malabrigo Sock. So, please, don't be limited by our current Madelinetosh obsession.

Lastly, before I run off (ha), have you heard about the upcoming Tour de Fleece?

The concept is simple, They spin, we spin. A real spinning themed spin-along.

If you want to give it a try, or just follow our progress, or are a fan of the Tour de France, JOIN!

This year the Tour de Fleece starts Saturday July 3rd and runs until Sunday July 25th, 2010.

If you're a handspinner and want to challenge yourself this summer, please consider participating. I'm going to take part, even though I can't treadle anything for another 5 weeks (and counting). So, I've joined Team Spindlers. I'd just love to see some of our Knit Purl blogfans involved this year!

And with that, I must say adieu. Maybe next week we'll manage to get the camera and the camera cord in the same room at the same time. Wish us luck!

*What would encourage you* to cast on?**
	A free pattern!
	Pattern suggestions.
	A knit-along
	Prizes!!

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What should the focus of the articles be?
	History and origin of the technique
	Interviews with experts
	Interviews with an emphasis on technique
	Tips, tricks, and tutorials
	Fun facts
	All of the above!

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Monsters vs Monkeys?
	Monsters
	Monkeys
	Aliens, obviously
	How is this even related to knitting?

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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.

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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!

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Would you be interested in a PiPiBird KAL?
	Yes, definitely!
	Are you crazy? We're already doing a Christmas KAL!
	I don't knit sweaters. Ever.
	Maybe, if you pick a group project.

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Interest level:
	Love it!
	Indifferent.
	Hate it.
	Bring back the old content!

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