Archive for June, 2015

Kids Summer Knitting

Monday, June 29th, 2015

This one is for the kiddos……

Attention all children we have some great summer knitting plans for you!!

For those of you who already have some knitting experience, we are going to offer a few project based classes.  First off is the knit your own icord necklace or fashionable tie class. The yarn and needles will be supplied for this workshop but if the kids want to continue on with the project then needles can be purchased afterwards.

icord-necklace-beauty1

childrens-knit-tie-4_small2

Next up is the build your own monster class that will be a two class workshop. The yarn will be provided but kids will have to bring their own needles. We recommend 4.5-5.5mm needles.
Here are some examples:

p_titMonster_small2

Craft_032_small

Screen_Shot_2013-02-28_at_13.26.37_small_best_fit

All classes will be held on Wednesday mornings from 10-11:30am and start July 8th. Here is the link to our classes page for more info and all class dates- http://www.urbanyarns.com/classes/. We will be offering similar classes in August as well if these dates don’t work for you, so let us know what you are interested in! Sign up soon as there is a class limit of 8 kids. Come join us for some fun summer crafting ;)

Summer Strategizing

Monday, June 22nd, 2015

Seasonal knitting sometimes requires adjustments. I do know some folks who only knit during the colder half of the year, opting to hang up their needles when the mercury rises, but myself, I like to be able to knit year-round. To be completely honest, Vancouver does have a relatively mild climate – it rarely gets exorbitantly hot or cold, and rare is the day where the weather completely prohibits knitting.

That being said, I do tend to adjust my projects and expectations from season to season. Working a big, woolly blanket or bedspread is a great way to keep warm in the winter, but hardly a wise choice when knitting through July and August. Below are some of my personal tips for keeping comfortable and cool while knitting in the summer. Do chime in if you have any “hot” tips of your own.

1) Project Selection
The warmer months are the time to knit small and light projects. Think socks and mittens, light shawls and hats. Also go for lighter gauge yarns – lace and fingering weight yarns help to keep the bulk down and out of your lap. Lace and stockinette will be more comfortable to work with than garter stitch, cables, and colourwork.

2) Fibre Selection
Perhaps lay aside the extra-insulating angora and alpaca in favour of temperature regulating yarns out of fine merino or silk, synthetic fibres like Outlast, or bast (plant) fibres such as linen, cotton or bamboo. Just remember that these fibres have very different properties from one another – some research and swatching is highly recommended!

Sweet_Georgia_Tough_Love_Sock_Salt_Water__86952.1410920701.600.600
Sweetgeorgia Tough Love Sock

ShiBui_Linen_cascade_2033__78810.1410920702.600.600
Shibui Linen

Hand_maiden_Sea_Silk_saltspray__90183.1410922440.600.600
Handmaiden SeaSilk

3) Location, location, location
Knit on the beach, in the evenings, or with a fan circulating air around the room (probably best not to point it straight at your hands while knitting). Also take your time – my knitting speed and stamina certainly suffer in the heat. I just can’t sit on the couch with a pile of fabric in my lap for very long – and that’s OK. Above all, stay cool, stay hydrated, and knit on!

More from KAS Designs

Monday, June 15th, 2015

We are very pleased to announce the newest addition to our KAS Designs line up…..the Origami Pockets.  This design has been crafted specifically for us and our knitters!! It is a circular knitting needle case that folds up to nothing, like a fortune cookie and yet holds 8-10 needles.  A knitters dream- lightweight, compact, functional and of course beautiful to look at.  As with all of the other KAS designs, the attention to detail and craftsmanship of these little pouches is unbelievable.

Here it is…starts off like this….

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A tiny nice little package.

Then opens to this…

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Holds 8-10 circular needles and still folds up to nothing!

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Here it is shown open and closed.

There are even leaf shaped leather tags that you can label with your needle sizes….

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The pouches are made from the same high quality vintage fabrics and leather detailing that KAS Designs has become well known for. Come and take a look at these very unique circular needle cases, you will be blown away by their beauty and design, they truly are one of a kind!!

Random Summer Roundup

Wednesday, June 10th, 2015

It’s been nice and hot in Vancouver – and I’ve been far too busy with a lot of things. That means it’s time for a random roundup of summer products and projects! Some of these are new, and some are time-tested summer home runs.

Madelinetosh Twist Light
Well, the latest and greatest from the Southern Juggernaut has hit the shelves. We’ve got the new Madelinetosh Twist Light in a slew of rich and/or vibrant colours. I don’t need to talk this up to you, it really just sells itself. Make sure you come check it out before it’s gone!

Content: 75% superwash merino wool, 25% nylon
Weight: 50 grams
Length: 384 meters/420 yards
Gauge: 26 – 30 stitches/4 inches
Suggested Needle Size: 2.25 – 2.75 mm/US 1 – 2

Madelinetosh_Twist_Light_deep_322__02279.1433813900.600.600

sweetgeorgia
Ok, so I’m not really a glitter person, but the new Glitterati Sock from sweetgeorgia is fantastic. Even better? The adorable, summery, cheery Sail Shawl Kit they’ve put together! We’ve got some in-store (sorry, not online, but you can always call or e-mail us to sort something special out!) I love the colour combos, and I want to make them all.

kitgrid

 

Spud & Chloe Fine
I know I talked about the new Spud & Chloe Stripey Fine a few months back. But guess what? I still *love* Spud & Chloe Fine. In fact, it is one of my go-to summer yarns. I’ve just started a wicked fun and easy shawl that is the perfect summer project. Seriously, it’s just garter stitch, yos, and k2togs – doesn’t get any better than that for beach and beer knitting!
Colours of Choice: Popcorn, Sidewalk, and Anemone
Spud & Chloe Fine

Pattern of Choice: Quicksilver by Melanie Berg
Quicksilver

That’s it for this week! Go forth and knit – but make sure you keep cool, too! If one of these summer goodies doesn’t speak to you, we are always happy to help you find the perfect project!