Random musings - Crazy for Ewe

2014-03-13T17:20:00.000-04:00

Photo courtesy of Cristina J via Ravelry

For all my mathematically minded friends and knitters - you know who you are...Happy Pi Day. Pattern is free on Ravelry.

Finished! Purple! Gorgeous! Hail, Mary!!

2013-10-18T15:45:00.000-04:00

Is there a more wonderful experience for a knitter than finishing your first sweater, and having it turn out to be EXACTLY what you wanted? Wonderful, flattering fit, great color, wonderful stitch textures, plump, bouncy yarn that's a delight to work with; and, for the piece de resistance, PERFECT buttons!

That's the experience that our delightful Mary Burns, a La Plata regular, is celebrating now. She wanted a comfortable, easy sweatshirt-style sweater that would look good tossed on over jeans and boots. She picked the "To the Cottage" pullover design by Sally Melville, published in The Purl Stitch (one of those books that, trust me, every knitter should have in her library). Worked in deep purple Karabella Aurora 8, washable pure merino, worsted weight. As you can tell, Shop Dog in Chief Caspian approves wholeheartedly. Four paws way up for the Aurora 8 sweater, Caspian says!

The stitch pattern is a challenge, but Mary did a terrific job. And as always with Sally Melville designs, the finishing touches (rolled reverse stockinette edges, a two-button henley-style placket, comfortable rounded neckline) take the project to a whole other level of custom-garment refinement.

Congratulations, Mary! That's the most amazing "sweatshirt" ever!!

Remember! LaPlata Shop Closed Saturday! (Tomorrow 9/7)

2013-09-06T14:05:00.000-04:00

Hi All,

Lynne here, just popping in to remind all of our LaPlata shoppers that we'll be closed all day tomorrow, Saturday, September 7th, for the special Chris Bylsma workshop. Back to regular hours on Tuesday.

There are a couple of spots open, so if you've been thinking about joining the fun with Chris, give me a call and I'll sign you up! It promises to be a delightful day.

The Leonardtown shop will be open regular hours on Saturday, so if you just can't do without a whiff of wool fumes, or need help with a project, you'll be most welcome there. Otherwise, we'll see you soon in LaPlata.

Cheers,
Lynne

Hazel Knits dk Lively

2013-06-10T14:28:00.001-04:00

DK Lively colors

Part of our order from Hazel Knits arrived last week. I was most excited about their dk weight yarn, a relatively new weight for them. It's called DK Lively, but it really should be called "DK Lovely" This is one gorgeous yarn - nice and round with a great spin. It's plied and has a perfect twist - not too much, not too little - like Baby Bear's porridge, it's just right. It has a terrific hand - smooth and elastic without feeling overly stretchy.

Then there are the colors. Wendee, owner of Hazel Knits, really gets color. She manages to get colors that are at once brilliant and sophisticated. There is nothing garish or clownish about Hazel Knits colors. She is truly and artist - and a really nice person too.

I was in love with this yarn just from the feel and look of it in the skein, but you know we like to put the yarn through its paces. Jenny and Lynne have both swatched it, and they agree that it more than hits the mark. Jenny has chosen it for her Vodka Lemonade knit along coming up in a couple of weeks. Lynne did a nice generous swatch on several needle sizes and in several stitch patterns and then washed it in the washing machine and ran it through the dryer.

DK Lively swatch machine washed and dried

In her email about the swatch, Lynne said, "What you can't tell just from the photo is that after wash and dry, the fabric feels like VELVET!! Swatch sections at 5 st/inch and 5.5 st/inch. No shrinkage, no change in gauge. Just lovely bloom from the fiber. Based on post-wash feel, I suspect that this yarn would work at 4.5 and at 6 as well, depending on the project."

I mentioned that it might make a nice Swirl Coat, and she said, that "nice" would be a cosmic understatement!

A swirl in the DK Lively would take between 6 and 8 skeins, depending on which style and which size you choose. It would be a little pricey, but so worth it. I think it's calling me.

Lady in Red!!

2013-06-08T14:19:00.000-04:00

In a photo courtesy of her Cobb Island pal Bernadette, Beverlie rocks the RED in her freshly finished Krista Tee (they're both wonderful knitters!).

Beverlie picked the brilliant Revlon-red Phoenix cotton for her Krista Tee—a sale-zone score both gorgeous and budget-friendly.

Take-away wisdom? Two things: First, just as Ellen wrote about in a recent newsletter—Knit in colors that make you happy. Happy colors make us smile (see that beautiful grin on Beverlie's face?), and a smile is absolutely the most effective beauty treatment ever.

Second: Make sure you stop into the shop regularly, to see what treasures have moved into the Sale Zone! Just for instance, if you'd feel as great as Beverlie looks in a Krista Tee in elegant black, or rich royal purple, I just happen to have Krista-quantities of Phoenix (100% mercerized cotton, with a great sheen; machine wash, dry flat) in the Sale Zone in La Plata, for 40% off!

Plus we have a bunch of other summer-perfect yarns in stock right now, many of which are on sale for 20% off (right in the front of the store). Others are full price, and worth every penny, I promise!

Thanks for sharing the photo, Bernadette. And three cheers to Beverlie, for another beautiful finished project! As one of our favorite designers and teachers says, "Knit what you'll wear. And wear what you knit!!"

New Noro Magazine

2013-06-03T18:31:00.000-04:00

Okay, you know that I am a hopeless Noro addict. The colors, the fibers, the whole aesthetic just me. So, you know I was super jazzed about the new magazine. This is the Spring Summer issue, and it has so many adorable garments and accessories I just can't believe it.

They've focused on smaller, lighter weight projects using their fingering weight yarns. While the labels call sock yarns, I think something was lost in the translation, because as lovely as they are, these fibers are not really great for socks. They are, however, spectacular for lacy shawls like these

Perfect for relaxed summer projects, these shawls use only the simplest of pattern stitches, relying instead on gorgeous Noro colors to make the statement. Fun to knit, fabulous to wear. All the colors of Taiyo Sock in stock at both stores now!

Pat's Serena Cardigan

2013-05-29T16:23:00.001-04:00

About a month ago when the summer Knit Simple came out, Pat Dunlevy admired this smart little cardigan with a lace inset. She chose Manos del Uruaguy's Serena in a lovely soft green that flatters her eyes, and got started. She's been working away at the shop and at home, and just finished up the finishing. She did a beautiful job, in selecting the fiber, knitting the pieces, and doing the finishing.

Here's a closeup of the sleeve. That lace inset detail which really opens up the fabric for that perfect summer sweater effect. See how perfectly the shoulders fit her--and the length is just right. Pat's also done a wonderful job styling her sweater - don't you love how she's layered it with a cute camisole! Pat, you look absolutely wonderful.

First lace

2013-05-28T13:30:00.001-04:00

Ann finished her Storm Fir lace shawl in Manos Maxima. Beautiful!

Getting to know you, getting to love you, Soja

2013-05-20T22:46:00.001-04:00

Last winter I had a meeting with a very nice rep named Matt. I was planning on looking at Trendsetter yarns, but when Matt arrived, he had Vincent, owner of Bergère de France along for the appointment. I had met Vincent several times before. He's genuinely friendly, kinda cute, and very French.

I had considered Bergère for a while because they have such great patterns - very French and very chic. I was especially impressed with their Origin line of luxury fibers. One of my favorite customers, Deborah, had fallen hard for this cute vest in Soja, so I decided to order Soja for the spring.

With the exception of yarn that comes in half pound skeins, I order yarn in bags of 10 or 20 skeins. Vincent said that we could order any amount because each skein is packaged individually. What? It took me a minute to process this concept. Then he produced this little packet with a skein of Soja tucked safely inside and the ends securely sealed. This is yarn ready for a voyage on the Titanic.

Vincent said that the packaging was meant to emulate high end cosmetics. Um, okay. It made Lynne and me think of Cheetos...or sanitary products. Yeah, I know...sorry.

I told Vincent that customers like to touch the yarn. Ah, yes, well there is a handy little display case where interested parties can see and touch a sample skein of the yarn. Well, maybe that works en France, but here in the good old US of A, we like to see all the colors piled up on the shelf. We want to touch it - every color. I want you to touch it. So I spent a couple of hours opening up every single plastic pouch, moving the price tag from the pouch to the ball band, and shelving the yarn.

You know, I'm really glad I did, because outside the sanitary wrapper, Soja is a gorgeous yarn.

I asked Jenny to knit a swatch using several different needle sizes. The ball band says 5 stitches to the inch, but I think it's a little firm at that gauge - much better at 4.5 stitches. It's a nice crisp fabric, and I wondered how it would fare in the washing machine. Here it is after a trip through the washer and dryer. On the sturdy cycle. With Johnny's jeans. It's perfect. This swatch didn't change one spec. It looks exactly like it did before the machine. That's super good news.

I still thought it was a little stiff at 4.5 stitches to the inch, and I wondered if it would work at the 4 stitch/inch gauge of the Krista Tee. Lynne kindly offered to swatch it in the Krista lace patterns. Looks fabulous. I think this yarn was made for this design! I am so jazzed. There's a Krista Tee in Soja in my immediate knitting future. I cannot wait for First Friday!

Simply beautiful sweater

2013-05-16T17:57:00.002-04:00

Several of our La Plata ladies are in love with a classic sweater by Sally Melville from her book, The Purl Stitch called the Simple Cardigan. I know, not a glamorous or exciting name, but like everything in Sally Melville's books, it is exactly the kind of thing you want in your wardrobe. Very wearable and comfortable, it's a garment that fits into your life and makes you wonder what you ever wore before you knit it. Here it is blue.

This sweater's simple styling is enhanced by a beautiful pattern stitch that's easy to do and makes a wonderfully plushy fabric. Lynne swatched the pattern (actually the entire left front in miniature), in gorgeous Aurora 8.

The fabric is so beautiful and plushy, it made me remember why this is one of my favorite yarns. I love the way the twist of this yarn makes even plain stockinette look interesting.

Beverlie's Cather

2013-05-15T17:00:00.001-04:00

Lovely Bev wore her newly completed Cather crochet top in to the shop today. She added two full repeats to the length. The yarn is lovely Manos Serena in a very subtle variegated blue green. Perfect. Nice work, Bev.

Special surprise spring sale

2013-05-10T08:44:00.002-04:00

This beautiful day puts me in a great mood, and I decided to share it with you! Check out these lovely spring yarns now on sale 20% off.

Rowan Softknit cotton ~ Noro Koromo ~ Noro Taiyo ~ Louisa Harding Mila ~ Schachenmayr Punto
and more.

In stock colors and quantities only - while supplies last.

Mothers' Day sales this weekend

2013-05-08T14:44:00.002-04:00

This weekend is Mothers' Day which means all knitting and notions bags are 40% off Friday and Saturday. These make great gifts for knitters and non-knitters alike - who couldn't use a new cosmetic bag or pretty little travel accessory bag! These are the kind of thing that just make you smile when you open your suitcase or tote.

Plus if you're a mom (or if you have a mom) you get 15% off any regular priced merchandise in the shop both days. It's okay if you buy for yourself - we won't tell your mom...

New in the sale bin - Uluru

2013-05-08T13:56:00.000-04:00

Uluru is a wonderful lightweight cotton blend that's perfect for summer accessories, and now at 40% off, it's also a steal! Fine enough to be worked a laceweight gauge, Uluru makes a beautiful Citron. See how pretty Mary's is!

There are also two free patterns for lightweight garments that each take just a few skeins. The free pattern first is this little cropped cardigan. Takes just two skeins and fits up to a 47" bust.

There is also this simple shell that would be perfect under a jacket or on its own in the summer - you could even make both for a lovely classic twin set.

Ayatori loveliness

2013-05-07T11:27:00.001-04:00

Susan just finished a beautiful self-fringing scarf. A perfect spring accessory-takes just two skeins of lovely Noro Ayatori, a decadent silk blend with terrific yardage. This project is under $30!

Sugar is sweet

2013-05-03T12:49:00.000-04:00

Nicole was in this morning and showed off her latest finished object, And so are You. This shawl is part of a series of designs by Rose Beck. It's an especially nice pattern because the crescent shape allows you to get a shawl that's nice and wide without being too long. This one is wide enough for Nicole to wear around her shoulders

but not too big to wear up close as more of a scarf. Great job, Nicole!

Kelmscott progress

2013-04-17T17:04:00.002-04:00

As I told you, I decided to work the sleeves of my Kelmscott first because I seem to have sleeve issues. I finished them earlier this week and blocked them last night.

I LOVE this yarn. Rowan Softknit Cotton. Exactly what it says - soft. But not soft and droopy or soft and pilly. This yarn is soft and bouncy. Smooth, soft, and bouncy, it's a pleasure to knit and makes a beautiful fabric. We're featuring it this week at 20% off - because I really want you to try it!

VK Crochet 2013 is a winner

2013-04-13T22:38:00.003-04:00

The new VK Crochet magazine arrived yesterday, and my goodness, is there some beautiful stuff in there. I picked out four favorites. This lacy spring top by Charles Voth is my number one pick, and not just because of the color, although it is a gorgeous color. The simple shaping allows the feminine floral stitch pattern to take center stage, and the slightly bell shaped sleeves look very modern and pretty. The lace collar is a nice touch, but you could leave it off if you prefer a cleaner look.

I also like this cardigan very much. A bit more tailored than the tee, I like it for many of the same reasons: simple shaping, floral stitch pattern and modern styling.

This one is nice too--simple shape done in Tunisian stitch. The yarn is a lovely metallic mohair blend and the color is, well, very pink. <3 br="">

And I like this wrap. Both the large motif and the rich color make it a very dramatic accessory. Hairpin lace and broomstick lace are the techniques used on this one.

Available in both shops now. This is truly one of the nicest crochet magazines I've seen. Pick up your copy this week because this issue will sell out.

Go Gators!!!

2013-04-12T17:41:00.000-04:00

Lew and Ty were in the shop this afternoon and Lew unveiled his latest masterpiece. How fabulous is that!

Knitting at the office?

2013-04-10T21:25:00.000-04:00

Sure, why not?

Barbara Butterfield was in today admiring the new praying mantis yarn bowls. We were talking about how she needed one for her office. It needs to be filled with beautiful yarn and luxury needles. It makes perfect sense. The bowls are a piece of fine art that just happen to be useful. Much better than the run of the mill office accoutrement. And when are you more in need of the calming focus of knitting than during a stressful day at work? Rather than running for a cup of coffee or some junk food, just close the door, pick up your luxury needles and work a few rows on a simple scarf in an indulgent fiber. Before you know it, your mind will clear, you'll relax, and you'll be able to function better overall.

Just try it and see if a few minutes of knitting at work doesn't make you a calmer, more productive person. I bet you'll be amazed.

News Flash!! Sweet New Sale Bin Bargains!

2013-04-09T13:33:00.001-04:00

Okay, everybody, here's some excellent news:

We've just refreshed the Sale Zone in both shops with some delicious bargains!

All remaining stock of The Fibre Company Acadia and Terra (alpaca, silk, and wool blends) are 40% off. We have terrific scarf and shawl patterns for this wonderfully textured and luxurious yarn.

The beautiful baby alpaca with subtle sparkle called Orielle is on sale for 40% off. We've got a sophisticated grey, a rich purple, and a fresh turquoise on the shelf in LaPlata. Helen Harrington just came in and got four skeins of the purple to make a Henslowe wrap for cozy shoulders however crazy the air conditioning may get at the movies, in your favorite restaurant, or at your desk.

If you've been eyeing some of those designs that call for a long-color-repeat fingering-weight yarn, you'll want to check out Amitola. It's a 50% wool, 50% silk single in super-wearable shades, with 273 yards per ball, and it's 40% off.

Finally, the cuddly, washable Spud & Chloe Sweater, 50% cotton, 50% wool blend is on sale for 40% off. We've got some great colors, from brights to neutrals.

So come on in and check out the bargains! Ever since our big, big sale last May, we've been working hard to keep the Sale Zone fresh and appealing; but I have to say, this may be the best sale batch yet.

Don't miss it.

Cheers,

Lynne

Mila and the Bamboo Shell

2013-04-08T20:56:00.004-04:00

Everyone knows I love sparkly things - and anything pink - just check out my Pinterest board on the topic! So you can imagine how I feel about our new yarn, Mila.

It's a beautiful cotton with the finest sparkly filament running through it. I've had it scoped out for a special project for weeks now but with the late spring, the weather has been too cold to get excited about its bright, juicy colors.

Today's high of 82 changed all that. When the sun shines hot, bright colors feel right. What I have in mind for Mila is this smart little design Lynne found last month, Bamboo Shell by Cheryl Andrews. It's a great new pattern with lots of reasons to love it. It's the kind of design that will fit nicely into your wardrobe, perking it up without being fiddly or hard to wear. I like that it's ribbed which will give it a nice smooth fit and keep the edges straight without a fussy border. The ribs are uneven and broken by garter rows which gives the fabric rhythm and interest.

Photo courtesy of Cheryl Andrews via Ravelry

I also like the way the armholes are cut in just enough for a sleek, flattering line. It feels fresh and modern but still modest and age appropriate.

Photo courtesy of Cheryl Andrews via Ravelry

Finally, I like this little side gusset that gives you some waist shaping. Actual waist shaping in the design allows the garment to skim, rather than stretch, over the body.

Photo courtesy of Cheryl Andrews via Ravelry

I can see myself wearing this all summer, but it is a sleeveless shell, and I totally get that not everyone is comfortable in sleeveless. But this is a perfect layering piece too. It would look great under a jacket at the office or paired with with a gauzy long sleeved blouse. I think this is a beautiful look.

Photo courtesy of SoftSurroundings.com

You could even do a matching bolero and make it a twin set. I'll be swatching the Mila tonight, but if you want to see more progress, check with Anne Boone, who started hers last week. She probably has the entire back already done!

Adrift with Anne

2013-04-08T16:46:00.003-04:00

The very lovely Anne Boone finished her Adrift last week in Galler's Heather Prime alpaca. This was lovely right of the needles, but a nice firm hand in the blocking really opened the fabric up and smoothed the edges out beautifully.

It looks great on the mannequin, but lots of things look great on the mannequin, so it was good to have a chance to see Anne come in and put it on post-blocking.

A little jushzing to get the shoulders just right

And voilà - so lovely. Great job Anne!
It's even more attractive on you than it is on the mannequin!

The Glass Palette - Saturday morning

2013-04-08T01:02:00.000-04:00

I was especially happy to be able to attend the workshop at The Glass Palette. It's an amazing place - part gallery, part workshop, and totally inspirational. Marie, owner, welcomed us warmly and assured us that we all that the skills to make something beautiful even though most of us were complete and utter beginners.

We started by deciding what kind of thing we'd like to make - plate, bowl, wall hanging, jewelry - there's no wrong answer. Then we got to the fun part - choosing colors and playing with shapes

Betsy got busy with a palette of blues

Sigrid cleverly decided to make a set of buttons to match her orange Symphony Jacket

Everyone was totally engrossed in the process!

I can't wait to see how everyone's creations turn out. Marie will fire everyone's masterpiece and mail them the the appropriate artist in a week or so.

It was so much fun that I decided to make two different pendants. I was going to make one for each of my daughters, but I thought they might rather come and make one themselves! Here are my pendants pre-firing.

I'll post a photo when the finished items arrive. This was a really wonderful experience, and I will totally be back. My mind is already buzzing with my next projects!

Friday afternoon

2013-04-07T00:12:00.002-04:00

Arrived at the Omni and was delighted to be offered champagne and strawberries in the lobby. Why, yes, of course, I would love some. How very civilized.

Just what we needed to fortify us for a walk down the mall in search of lunch.

It was late, so we opted for a very light, and somewhat un-remarkable lunch, but that's okay because we knew what we really wanted was Splendora's gelato. I ordered a small, but beware the vanity sizing. The small is big enough that you can get two flavors-not that I'm complaining. Choclolate hazelnut and salted caramel.

In search of a little coffee shop and bakery for tomorrow morning, we happened on Cappellini's Bakery

Not the answer to my coffee quest, but I did buy just one tiny chocolate cupcake.

Here we are - a coffee shop and bakery - Java Java. Great coffee and a lovely assortment of pastries.

We wandered a bit more through the shops on the mall. Stopped in at the used book store, the very chic decorating store that specializes in all kinds of things I don't need at all, but are so elegantly displayed you simply must have them. Like this impossibly charming picnic setting. The table cloth looks as if it's made of stones, and you feel as though you might have a few of the wee folk joining you at any moment.

Then it was back to the lovely Omni for cocktails and dinner.