The Knaughty Knitter

OMG

The New Noro Magazine is here!  It is awesome!  There's knitting and crochet.....there are 11 of them, get 'em while they are still here (Yes I took one for me)

 

Yeah

Robin is going to teach a class on How to Read a Crochet Pattern! 4 people have asked me about this class this week and so here it is.    It will be at 3pm on Friday, March 1st.

Other classes of interest are:  

Beaded Necklace class, also by Robin, on Friday Feb 15th.  Learn to use beads in your knitting.  We have a few kits left for this one, but it you want you can also use other yarns and beads.

I'm doing a design your own top down sweater class February 9 & 16 too.  You can make a simple top down sweater, add stitch patterns or colorwork and have something no one else will be able to duplicate. 

The next monthly KAL is Feb 9th - the Ten Stitch Scarf which is an exercise in short rows.  This is a fun scarf by Frankie Brown who has a lot of great patterns on Ravelry.  Please print your own pattern and come on in to the KAL for help getting started. 

We are meeting for the Sky Scarf KAL on Tuesday, Feb 5th at 4pm if anyone wants to come and share.

 

Handspun Yarns and more

I was looking at an old Knitscene a little while ago and found an article about Knit Collage - a relatively new company whose yarn I love.  They hire women in India who prepare the fiber and then spin every skein.  They are a fair trade company so they pay a living wage to the women there. Often folks come in and are shocked at the price of hand spun yarn.  But think of the labor involved in just one little skein.  One of their lines is Rolling Stone and has little bits of other fibers and sparkle and other things spun in.  Gypsy Garden has little flowers in it as well.  All those those things require an extra step in preparing to spin and more time and attention in the actual spinning.  A single skein of 35 yds can take an hour or two just to spin.  Even my own handspun here at the store with fewer fancy elements requires a lot of time and energy.  Often it is hand painted fiber (mine or someone else's) and then spinning 4 ounces of fiber can take a couple of hours or all day depending on the thickness.

Enough lecturing now....Here's my latest thing - the knitted version of the Sparkly Cowl that I put out on Friday.  The crochet version can be purchased in store or on Ravelry.  I will put the knitted version up this afternoon.    I must confess I like the crochet version better - it was faster.  Sorry for the picture, this camera won't do the colors very well....It is really a nice Christmas Red with Shiny Bits......I did this one in Plymouth Aire - a super soft Alpaca yarn that feels awesome.

 

Robin's pick for this week

is an adorable baby hat from Cascade's 60 more Quick Baby Knits.  All the patterns in the book are made of Cascade 220 Sport.

We have LOTS of buttons to choose from here too.

And......my pick of the day is this cowl.  I made it Wednesday and the pattern is up on Ravelry now.  It is crocheted and I am working on the knitting version too...should be up by Monday.

And....just one more thing....We got a new yarn in today.  A superwash wool single that self stripes...by Elsbeth Lavold....it's a good thing.

Raggi x 2

We've restocked Raggi, the heavy sock yarn, with colors we loved from last year and new colors introduced this year.

 

And we've added new Mini Raggi, its fingering weight cousin!

 

We have a deal for ewe

Go 2 Facebook

See this cute little bag

It looks like knitting but is really Tunisian Crochet - and therefore a quick project.  It is made from Punta Yarn Meritwist hand dyed Merino....and is the perfect size for a sock project.  Notice the Knitter's Pride Needles there - we have more of those now in straights, circulars and double points.

So I know if I got a present of a ball of sock yarn and some needles in a neat little bag like this - I want to make that person a nice little gift too.

Little bags are a great quick project that you can use later for all sorts of things.....

Friday Lunch Bunch

is, of course, today.  Come in at noon with your lunch and we'll be playing Knitting Daily until about 1:30.  They are fun and full of great knitting tips and project ideas.  Is it supposed to rain all weekend? Cause that would be the perfect time to get started on gift projects for this winter...We have lots of ideas for that. 

Fancy knitted washclothes paired with a bar of hand made soap,

Knitted or crocheted dishclothes and a coupon for a weeek worth of dishwashing,

A set of knitted headbands/earwarmers for your favorite teenager

Scarves & Mittens

Hats (Crocheted no pattern hat class is next month, the knitted version is in October)

A wine cozy over a nice bottle of your favorite wine.

A tea selection, a nice pot with the felted tea cozy too.

Mug hugs

Your favorite book (some books should still be bought in hard copy)and a knitted bookmark

A set of felted coasters

Baby gifts: knitted toys, crocheted amigurumi, a baby cocoon for a newborn, fun knitted hats.

Gift certificates for knitting lessons

I don't know what got me started on this, except I have been working on samples for the booklet of scarves I am putting together and so I guess that got me started thinking of Christmas presents....because even though I don't think you can have too many scarves & cowls, I think I am really close to changing my mind about that.  I could wear a different one every day for months at t  his point.....

Oh I almost forgot....This yummy new sock yarn came in .... aptly named Indulgence...self striping, merino, and in a slightly heavier weight.

 

Meet Ms. Ruffles

Ms Ruffles is a wonderful beaded doll made for me by Vera - who tells enchanting stories and makes the most amazing beaded things (as well as free form crochets and knits and does a whole lot of other crafty things)  She is the diva of purls and is quite a wonderful sight.  She is up at the desk now, supervising my writing.

And here are some class samples....Hairpin lace is in August -

Lisa is teaching this and you can make a great lacey scarf.

And this is broomstick lace and almost a baby blanket.....

I am teaching this next month.

There is one spot left in the felted Teddy Bear Class on Saturday.....And for those in the class already please remember to bring a foam pad to work on.  Dense foam is best, at least 1.5 inches thick.  All the other supplies are here.

Afghan square folks:  41 st.

Another FO

This is Linda's scrap shawl.  I did a class for this back in the fall and she is very happy with her very cozy and really pretty shawl.  There is just a week left to get February's finished projects done.  I am working on my modern quilt shawl but I don't think I will make it.  I got distracted by some socks and a crocheted doily.

There is still a slot open in the Knitting 101 Class and 2 in the Hand Embroidery Class next week.