Archive for February, 2012

Party Time!

Tuesday, February 28th, 2012

Well it’s been quite a while since we started the Tiny Owl Knits KAL and it’s time to set a party date! Have your knits ready to roll on the last Friday in March, March 30th 6-9. There will be tea and cookies and many pretty knits to look at. 20120221_legwarmers_medium2

Kynna and Ann have been working away on their legwarmers. They are the Some Cloudy Day legwarmers and Kynna is knitting them up in Berocco Ultra Alpaca and Ann is working with the Rowan Felted Tweed for hers.

Amanda must have the most ambitious crazy knit of them all though with her O My Bear sweater! It’s possible that someone will arrive at the party with a finished Beekeepers Quilt, but until then I say Amanda is the maddest knitter of them all. This sweater is a combination of detailed intarsia/fair isle, textures, and a lovely fit to boot. Well done darling!

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So bring your fantastic knits Friday March 30th!

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Hey Girl….

Saturday, February 25th, 2012

This one had us rolling in the isles this Friday (thanks for sending it my way Em):

Ryan Gosling

There is just something about a cute boy who appreciates knitting prowess, a charming combination in my opinion! I think Ryan Gosling has a point though, the Honey Cowl is a great knit (and I wish mine hadn’t been a gift or I WOULD rock a Honey Cowl like no one else!). It seems as though everyone has knit at least one of these lovely textured cowls and there is always at least one hanging around the shop.

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Kynna seems to be permanently attached to her Glazed Pecan Tosh DK version (and I can’t say I blame her). Amanda’s Fathom Tosh Merino DK version seems to be watching me all day, begging me to knit another one… I’ve seen electric green versions, deep reds, variegated, kettle dyed, and solid versions. Longer ones, shorter ones, you name it, it has walked through the doors of Urban Yarns! About 450 yards of DK weight yarn is all you need to get started.

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Creative Linen

Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012

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Normally I’m a wool girl. Alpaca blends? A little cashmere? Some fuzzy angora? Sure! It’s not a rule set in stone but mostly I stick to an old classic: wool. I thought I was pretty clear with myself on this issue, I rarely feel compelled to go with a cotton, and even more rarely an acrylic. Lately though I find myself eyeballing all the new spring yarns with thoughts of light spring/summer knits.

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My first foray into other forays this season is a little garment I’ve certainly made before, Elizabeth Zimmerman’s February Baby Sweater. I made one before Hunter was born in a bright yellow wool but this time I decided to go with a cotton linen blend in a lovely neutral shade. It came out super cute and looking like an heirloom right off the needles.

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The yarn is Creative Linen from Rowan and while it’s not the softest to work with it does have the wonderful quality of linen that means it gets better with wash and wear. It will be nice to have a breezy version of this sweater for those cooler summer evenings! Because this pattern is a Zimmerman (a paragraph of writing somehow turns into a sweater, I’m always doubtful but it always works) I’ll give you the specks:

4.5mm needles

1 skein makes a short sleeved version (if you want it any longer or with long sleeves you will need 2 skeins)

Size: came out about a 6-9 month size

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Banstead

Friday, February 17th, 2012

While bobbing around the shop, helping people match yarns and patterns, I re-discovered an old favorite: Blue Sky Alpacas Suri Merino. It’s so soft and sumptuous. A single ply yarn in a charming mix of merino and alpaca, perfect for both large and small projects alike.

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In looking for a new project to match this wonderful yarn I came across the Banstead pullover. This simple, yet lovely, pullover is knit in the Suri Merino and sizes range from 42″-66″ classifying it as a ‘big girl knit’. I love the shaping that makes this sweater great. Urban Yarns is giving the whole magazine the pattern comes in (Interweave Knits Summer 2011) free with the purchase of yarn.

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Pashmina is Here!

Tuesday, February 14th, 2012

There was once a time when we had Madelinetosh Pashmina in the shop. That time was glorious, but rather brief. Why you might ask? Because Pashmina is such a beautiful yarn we couldn’t keep it on the shelves! It seemed to fly out the door and soon we were left with none. Not one lonely skein. After some waiting (it felt like a lot of waiting, I’m so pleased that Pashmina is back.

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Why is Pashmina so great you ask? The combination of Merino, Silk, and Cashmere is a good start. A generous 360 yards per skein doesn’t hurt. And the colour is the clincher. Pashmina is a sport/dk weight yarn it has those magical colours that only Madelinetosh seems to be able to create. Subtle variegation makes for a most stunning depth of shade in all the Tosh yarns and Pashmina is no exception. It’s time to cast on a spring cardigan!

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Levenwick

Sunday, February 12th, 2012

There is a lovely new combination lurking in the shop: Brooklyn Tweed’s Levenwick and New England Highland’s Harrisville yarns. Anina succumbed to this combo, in spite of a few projects waiting in the wings for some attention. The Harrisville, to me, is a real knitter’s yarns. It seems scratchy at first but it has the wonderful lightness of a wooly wool. You can feel the air that is trapped among the sheepy fibers, ready to keep you toasty warm for many winters.

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Michael went crazy for the Harrisville when it when it first came through the doors, whipping up a hat right quick. It’s so nice to be able to feel the yarn after it’s first wash. The yarn softens and plumps with a little wetting and drying. The great thing about such a knitter’s wool is the softening it gets with washing and wear, making it seem like an heirloom right off the needles.

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Heartfelt Rings

Wednesday, February 8th, 2012

In need of a lovely little gift for those you love on the 14th? Something small that says ‘I’m thinking of you’? Heartfelt rings are a perfect fit. A little knitting, a little soap and hot water, that’s it that’s all!

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Heartfelt Rings are a free pattern from Tiny Owl Knits, one of our faves. We are all currently knitting away for the Tiny Owl Knits KAL and some Heartfelt Rings would be a lovely addition. The yarn is a  sock weight (about 28 stitches per 4 inches), but make sure you are NOT using a superwash yarn, it won’t felt!

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Jenny Wrap

Thursday, February 2nd, 2012

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Since I’ve been back in the shop it seems that people are knitting one thing: the Jenny Wrap by Amanda Kaffka. I haven’t gone one day without someone exclaiming ‘Where is this pattern and what yarn do I need?!’. It’s quickly becoming a phenomenon.

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There are at least 2 reasons I think people are so enthused about Jenny. The first is the number of yarn combinations available and the gauge flexibility. The original Jenny was knit with a chunky alpaca held together with a strand of mohair. Why am I being rather vague about the gauge? It isn’t really crucial. Something kinda chunky with something kinda thin works. Something medium held together with something else medium works. Something medium with 2 thin yarns works. It’s anything goes! The fabric of the Jenny wrap is a little on the looser side so if your yarn combo is a little thicker or a little thinner, the wrap will just be a little denser or a little more open. Find a combo that works out to a chunky weight in the end, that’s all there is to it.

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There is also a lot of flexibility in the yarn type. Originally it was knit up in an Alpaca and a Mohair, but the current model in the shop has sequins. People have knit it in merino, silk, mohair, acrylic, sparkles, you name it! The Jenny wrap is also versatile in it’s wear. Around the neck, over a coat, around the shoulders, dress it up or dress it down. Make yourself one of these gorgeous wardrobe pieces in your personal combination!

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