Okay, now to the photos, I have a lot since I didn’t post any last week…

Mary Ann Posey brought in several finished shawls to show us, done in Evelyn Clark’s beautiful Flower Basket and Leaf Lace patterns.  The light blue is made from Jaggerspun “Zephyr” and the darker is from Mountain Colors’ “Winter Lace”.

She also brought in her husband Ken in his new cardigan that she just finished, made from K1C2′s “Linus”.

Beautiful, Mary Ann!

Carla Frazer made these Twisted-Rib Mitts from our free pattern in a pretty brown shade of “BabyBoo.”  Although not a warm yarn, it’s smooth and soft and pretty and has no wool if you’re knitting for someone with allergies.

Sue Seidel came in to model her “Nimbus” jacket, in a beautiful shade of Berroco’s Borealis.  Sue is a relatively new knitter, but loves it and puts in the time to make sure she’s on the right track and will end up with a beautiful piece that fits and flatters her.

Joan Gruber, determined to pick up knitting again, learned to make mittens in two days of concentrated effort.  Here are the sweet little mittens in a bright shade of Plymouth’s “Jelli Beenz”, thanks to Joan’s efforts and those of Karen Walter, who stuck with her through the whole process:

Speaking of Karen, she made these pretty mitts from one ball of Classic Elite’s “Wool Bamboo” from a free pattern from their newsletter.  Get the pattern here.

Rochelle Mann brought in 2 finished (or nearly so) projects.  The first is this great kid’s cardigan in a bright blue shade of Plymouth’s “Encore”, with raglan sleeves and cable details:

and here is a small section of a wonderful (and humongus)ncomforter she has been making for a while, which is very nearly completed:

Isn’t it pretty?  Rochelle researches and figures out all her own patterns – that takes a very good knitter!!

And here is Sylvia Kurpiewski in a beautiful Adult Surprise Jacket.  She made a summer-weight version from “Ty-Dy Cotton” and wanted something warmer for fall.  Isn’t it just wonderful?  And she looks so pretty in it:

Janet, Donna and I have all been working hard on new scarf models to inspire your gift knitting.  I’ll try to get the pictures together for next time – or maybe send out an email if I get a minute.

See you soon!

Trish

Don’t miss David’s scarves from Classic Elite’s Liberty Wool.  They’re beautiful, and I’m glad he got some of the yarn because it’s out of stock and I can’t get more until later in November (they hope!)  This week I’m getting some Trendsetter Sierra, a multicolored bulky with textury-bits – should make great scarves, cowls, and quick sweaters.  Have you started your holiday knitting yet?  We have a million ideas.

Here is a link to a fashion show of handknits held in Philly during Fashion Week.  You’ll recognize some of the knits if you get the main knitting magazines, but it’s fun to see them on real people and in motion:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZrWm7aZlcM

People brought in great show-and-tell this week:

Caroline Simonson loves intricate projects and is currently working on an aran cardigan, but she brought in this wonderful throw to show us.  She worked it all using double-knitting, from which you get a double thickness of fabric with the motifs coming out light-against-dark on one side and dark-against-light on the other.  It’s a painstaking procedure, but look at the result and the very cute theme for a small boy:

Doris Luckinbill wore this great side-to-side sweater done in Noro Transitions (sadly discontinued):

when she brought this beauty in:

It’s a design from Maggie’s Ireland, done in Berroco’s Seduce with accents in various other yarns.  I hope the wonderful textures come through in the photo – it’s really a masterpiece!

Karen Wenrich is working on a Featherweight Cardigan in Noro’s Kirameki, their new laceweight.  It’s so beautiful I thought I’d show you the work-in-progress:

And here is another masterpiece!  Donna Guthrie finished her Great American Afghan, just in time to give it to her niece who is getting married next weekend.  Just look – I mean really look – at this – so perfectly finished and blocked, the beautiful sawtooth edging, and the blocks each beautifully rendered, then brought into the whole.

Many people have been working with Donna in her afghan classes, struggling through the harder blocks and learning a lot of new techniques.  To see this beautiful piece all together should really be a motivator to continue through all the blocks, no matter how tricky they are!

Well, I can’t top that, so that’s all for today!

See you soon…

Trish

And now, with the magic of blocking,  the pile of knitting above has been transformed into this:

A soft, lacy shrug that drapes beautifully, in gorgeous Manos Wool Clasica and will look stunning on my lovely niece.  I have to decide whether to edge it – single crochet is suggested in the pattern, but I like the way it’s stretchy all around and the edges all curl under and look fine, so I may not put any border on it.  I wish she could model it for us because shrugs really need a body in them to give them shape, but I won’t see her until Thanksgiving.

Here is the fuchsia lace scarf I talked about last week – it turned out so pretty when blocked (you have signed up for Donna’s blocking class, haven’t you?) and of course, the Road to China Light yarn is just wonderful.  It really gives cashmere a run for its money, I have to say.  The pattern is free at the shop with the purchase of yarn to make it:

David bought yarn to make it last week when he was down for class, so you’ll see his version when he’s done with it.  Did you see his adorable felted pumpkin basket by the way?  Too darn cute!

Our last knit-along night was cursed with ugly weather, so we didn’t get a group shot, but here are some of the beautiful finished jackets:

Trina Simcox used “Cayenne” from Katia and made her jacket textured, funky, swingy, and very cute!

Kathie Holm used Berroco’s Borealis in shades of blue and purple for a soft water-color palette. Martha Van Kouwenberg used two different but coordinating self-striping yarns to get her beautiful autumn tones.

Dianne Hershey loves color and this bright and beautiful blend of colors in Borealis was just right for her.  Think of the colors she can wear with it, from one end of the spectrum through the other.

Patty Golembiewski chose earth tones in Borealis for a fall look that can go from casual to professional in a minute.

Gosh, everyone looks washed out – I was trying avoid red-eye but it looks like we all emerged from living underground for six months.  I need a photography class – I see some blogs that have such beautiful photos.  Of course, there’s maybe one very beautiful photo per post, so – oh, just deal with my bad pictures.  It’s the projects, not the pics, that are important, right?

Here’s a photo I couldn’t mess up:

because the subject is so cute!  This is Barb Werner’s granddaughter, Tessa, very interested in petting Geordie (whose rear can be seen, waiting for more pets) and wearing a wonderful Angel Sweater that Barb knit for her.  Adorable!

Anne Stevens made this beautiful Boxtop Jacket (from Knitted Jackets – if you don’t have it, you definitely want it) from Debbie Bliss’s merino/cashmere Como and adorned it with one beautiful vintage button.

Now more than ever, this jacket is on my list!

And I mentioned that we were expecting Misti Alpaca’s Handpaint Lace – it arrived in 3 very gorgeous colors:

Blurry, but beautiful none the less!  Maybe one of these colors will be my sister’s lace triangle.  Some of their Handpaint Chunky just shipped this week. Misti’s colors are always well-thought-out and dyed to the stitch.

Okay, I have to go file down my claws – I can’t type more than 3 letters without making a mistake – it’s time for a manicure.

See you soon…

Trish

Cute, yeah?  Those little pleats at the bottom are short rows which change size as you travel from one side of the scarf to the other, so you’re always counting stitches and looking at the directions for the particular section you’re on. Plus every few rows you’re changing needle size.  It was repetitive and tedious without being easy, and I can’t say worse than that for a knitting project.  It’s Coquille from Knitty (here’s the link if you really must http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEff10/PATTcoquille.php)  I did like the yarn, “King” from Noro, a rayon-y blend that softens, fuzzes a little and reflects light nicely and has very subtle color changes through it.

I started and finished this wonderful garter stitch piece this week – it was fairly simple, although there is some subtle shaping that helps it fall nicely, and the yarn (Schulana’s “Pacolana”) is completely addictive.  Soft, warm but lightweight and lofty, lovely to knit with, fuzzy but not sheddy and lots of yardage on a ball.  You need to make something with this, you’ll just love it.

I haven’t knit socks for a while, but I was inspired by new colors of Fortissima Socka Mexico that came in recently:

Looks like we may get one more storm this afternoon – I hear my garbage can rolling around in the back yard – so I’m going to speed through the rest of this post.  Speaking of socks, don’t miss the pretty socks someone posted yesterday, they’re really gorgeous and she gave the link to the free pattern.  I’d love it if you sign your posts – Flicker just identifies them with our account name.

Karen Walter finished this sharp little Trina jacket, done in Blackstone Tweed from a free pattern on the internet.  (And, by the by, doesn’t she look great modeling it? Just look what a summer of eating sensibly and cycling your head off will do for you – unlike my summer of knitting and complaining about the humidity – somehow not the same results.)  It’s a great piece, soft and yummy but shapely and not droopy in Berroco’s Blackstone, which comes in such great grownup colors.

This beautiful sweater (and the model/knitter) are just gorgeous, and I’m afraid I’ve forgotten her name.  (She came in for buttons just when our knitalong group was coming in and I didn’t write it down. You know what that means – it’s gone!) The sweater is done in Classic Elite’s luscious Montera and it is absolutely perfect.

Check out the pretty little angel and pink ribbon beads that Patty Golembiewski found to embellish this wonderful felted bag.  She knitted like crazy to get it ready to donate it for a raffle to be held in October, which is Breast Cancer Month.

Isn’t it just great?

Donna Howard, who broke her wrist earlier this year, is back on track with her knitting, and finished her Puzzle-Me-This Jacket.  She did a wonderful job, and the color really sets off her hair and eyes.

Liz Heckman knitted this hugely-long Dr. Who scarf for her son, picking exactly the right colors and knitting it precisely the way the original was done (or at least the way the 4th Dr. Who wore it).  If you don’t know what I’m talking about, then just never mind.  Trust me, her son will absolutely love it!

Okay, I think that’s it – now the sun’s out so I didn’t need to worry, but I’m sure you’re sick of me already, so goodbye!

Trish

Here it is at its soft and drape-y best.  Even though it took several intense weeks of knitting, I really loved the project and couldn’t be happier with the results.  Norah Gaughan’s design for Berroco was excellent, the pattern had only one problem, and the only thing I changed was the top edging, by making it a few rows less wide.  It took 14 balls of Classic Elite’s Fresco and was worth every penny and minute spent on it!  And, thank goodness, it’s out of my system and I can get on with new things, which I’ll be talking about soon.  Meanwhile, if you feel as I did about this wrap – that it simply must be knit – the pattern and yarn (in wonderful colors) are available now at the shop.

The heat has been something else, yes? and I think my brain was cooked – couldn’t think of one thing to say here, plus the computer room was always so hot, I just didn’t want to be in it!  However, the best things about July are also here – ripe local peaches (got some beauties at the West Reading Farmers’ Market) and my homegrown tomatoes are ripening as we speak.  Two things I love and only eat in season.  The stuff they ship from elsewhere shouldn’t even be called the same name!  Thanks to David Ritz for posting his amazingly numerous and beautiful projects and providing inspiration (and provoking envy)!

Fall yarns are arriving weekly now and the gals and I will be talking about fall classes soon.  I don’t want to rush through life, but I have to say I’m ready for fall weather and fall clothes.  From what I’ve noticed so far, vests are making a comeback – check this out:

Yarn and pattern coming soon.  Armwarmers optional!

Longer sweaters, or short sweaters layered over longer tops.  Big wraps and capes. Cowls and neckwarmers of all types.  Hats that have something special about them – cables, an interesting shape, fair-isle patterns, several colors or textures.  And, so I’m told by yarn reps, who admittedly have their own agenda but also see lines from the European markets that haven’t reached us yet, there is new interest in “fashion yarns” – those fun yarns that make great trims and accessories without a lot of fancy knitting.

I’m on a quest to find a great outside jacket pattern in superbulky yarn that will be warm enough to walk the dogs and run errands when the weather gets quite cold.  Low hip length, a big collar that can be buttoned up to my chin, an overlapping front for warmth, and a yarn that will make a dense but not heavy fabric.  Pattern Quest.  We should design a video game!

Okay, enough!  The heat wave has broken and I’m going out to do errands and enjoy the freshness of this beautiful day.

See you soon!

Trish

The MadelineTosh has arrived and the afghan gals snagged a bunch of it.  I’ll have to reorder right away because I was at the store this morning (ordering fall yarn – gosh, so fabulous!) and saw that the carton was half-empty.  Still some wonderful things in there and I’ve got my eye on a skein of Tosh Sock that absolutely rocks.

Reminder: The shop will be closed on Sunday, May 30.

Let’s catch up with some older photos:

This is the Springtime Bandit shawl that I mentioned several weeks ago, a free pattern on Kelbournewoolens.com.  It’s pretty, fun, quick, and frankly, mine looks better than theirs, probably because of the blocking.  It’s a good pattern.

This is my Let’s dance a fandango! version of the Horizontal Feather and Fan shawl, a pattern that Janet teaches in her beginner lace class.  I used Noro’s Furin and inserted a few rows of Trendsetter’s Cha-Cha, and it’s just plain fun.  Fran Krieger is doing a beautiful version in off-white, very, very pretty.

Here are some photos that might get you into a class this summer.  First is Yuko Lewandoski’s version of the Adult Surprise Jacket.  The colors are bright but overall the effect is tailored and elegant.

This is Janet’s version of the shrug she’s teaching in her Mother-Daughter Design a Shrug class.  It’s too cute in a combo of Jelli-beenz and Fizz:

And here is the toe-up sock in progress, from Karen Walter’s class this summer.  It may be finished this week – it’s sort of like a striptease, every time I see her she shows a little bit more!  (This week she was in to raid the MadTosh before anyone else got their paws on it.)

Carol Whitcraft is knitting like a madwoman for her first great-grandchild.  Look at the beautiful blanket and this perfect little sweater in Jeannee, a soft cotton/acrylic blend.

And Karen Shearer’s granddaughter came in in her Baby Surprise, and even though we’ve shown her before, I had to take her picture again.  You can see why, can’t you?  Do you love the little pants or what?

Anne Nordhoy is an A-one knitter who knits like the wind and does the most intricate colorwork as naturally as you and I breathe.  She and her husband host an auction and fundraiser for the Y every year, and she knits many beautiful treasures to auction off.  Here are a sampling of what she’s offering this year.  They’re just too remarkable to remark on:

A Trio of Christmas Stockings

Thumb Detail (a boy and girl) of a Pair of Mittens

A Multi-Stitch Baby Blanket

Christening Gown and Bonnet

Delicate Lace Shawl

A Child's Ski Sweater

Child's Sweater

See what I mean?  It takes your breath away!

Enough for one day… see you soon!

Trish

Here is a shot of what we did most of the week:

That’s Karen vacuuming behind the shelves.  We moved winter yarns, fluffed and culled (the bargain bin is full!), then cleaned the emptied shelves and brought out the new goodies.  Bending, stretching, carrying, squatting, kneeling – whoof! But the new yarns look wonderful, and we’re supposed to have great weather this week so we’ll all feel very spring-y.  And I need to go into spring training!

Stop in soon…

Trish

That little gate you see is taller than my head.  I bet her dogs are still peeing on the deck!

The second wave that we’re supposed to get this week may not seem just so very special!  I have yet to dig out my driveway, because I can walk to work, but I think I’d better make the effort today and run all those errands that I’m tempted to put off. But first! Here are some fabu projects to inspire your snow-day knitting:

Loretta Hollenbach made it to class on Sunday all the way from the wilds of Womelsdorf and modeled her beautiful gansey:

and Sarabel Conn also sent a photo of herself in her completed gansey:

I should have a page just for these wonderful sweaters – they have all turned out so well, thanks to some very good knitting, persistence, and Donna’s Guthrie’s inspirational and supportive class.

Nancy Rambo had a back operation and came in beforehand to make sure she had some knitting to do while she was recuperating.  These two pretty baby blankets are the results, and I hope everything else went as well as her knitting.

Nancy used JelliBeenz for the top blanket and Encore for the lower. Both are from Plymouth’s 8-Hour Baby Blankets booklet, our most popular booklet, and you can see why it’s so popular.

Karen Shearer used a self-striping Encore for the child’s sweater above.  It’s from a pattern by Cabin Fever and we were all enchanted by the way the stripes worked out.  The pattern is fun to make – garter stitch, all one piece, no sewing to do!  There’s an adult version that I would love to make – it’s on my list for fall.

Debbie Andrews made our Scribble Lace Scarf and had enough yarn left over to make this adorable tam to match.  She looks great in the set and finished them just in time for all this wintery weather.

Some additions to our class schedule:  Donna Guthrie is starting a new group for the Great North American Afghan soon – if you’re interested, email me or call me at the shop 610-373-1622.  Janet will be doing a second session of the February Lady Sweater and the Beginner Cabled Scarf.  Again get in touch if you’re interested.  You can check out the projects on our Classes Page on the website.

Well, I probably won’t see you Wednesday but I hope to see you soon!!

Trish

I have to say, Berroco is right on top of these trends.  They’ve added an ombre line to their wonderful yarn Seduce and Norah Gaughan’s new collection is full of pleats, gathers, ruffles, and embellishments.  I can’t decide which to do for the shop, but I loved this the minute I saw it:

Lots of knitting but I think it may be worth it.

Karen Wenrich is knitting this gorgeous tank for the shop in black Bonsai:

This is the subtle pleat at the center of the eyelet detail.  Love it!

Bonsai and Seduce colors as well as the new Norah collection are at the shop already.  This was one thing I couldn’t wait for!

More about new yarns as time goes on.  Meanwhile, many of you are finishing up wonderful winter projects as you can see below.

Jettie Hunt and Kim Walker both finished their ganseys from the class that ended just before Christmas.  Jettie’s husband Michael is modeling his:

The sweater is not hot pink, it’s a gorgeous rich burgundy but I couldn’t get the photo to look like that.  So, I’m sorry, Michael, you’re not only headless but also extremely colorful!

Kim Walker knit her gansey in a beautiful dark green tweed, which  looks gray but gorgeous nonetheless in this photo.  It’s absolutely lovely.

The gansey was quite a project, with a huge commitment of time involved.  Congratulations to all who have finished theirs, and for those who are still working on it, keep going.  It’s definitely worth it!

Last week I showed you the Abstract Leaves Vest that Karen Walter is making and teaching.  It had three steeks (extra stitches added that allow you to continue to work Fair Isle in the round even after the garment has reached the armhole and neck openings).  This picture shows the neck finished and one armhole being worked on, while the third steek is still intact.

And here is the finished vest!

It really is a beautiful piece, and the yarn (Nature Spun Sport) makes a crisp design with a very soft hand.  Wonderful!

Lynne Nagle brought in this fabulous wrap that she crocheted.  It’s done in a self-striping yarn, with a beautiful swirling motif.

The pattern is called the Infinity Wrap and is available for download from Interweave Press’s store.  I hate to promote expensive downloaded patterns on this blog, but if the magazine is unavailable, at least it’s a good thing if the pattern can be still be purchased.

Jennifer Gensemer brought in this pretty cabled “snood” (which is not a snood but a neck wrap that can also be worn over the head as a hood.  A snood is an old fashioned hair net popular with Victorians.)  (Okay, I’ll try to quit the quibbling.) Jennifer did a beautiful job on it, working it in black Baby Alpaca Grande.  Margie Jozwiak was in the store and volunteered to model it for us.  Aren’t they both gorgeous?

Jennifer bought the pattern on the internet (Ravelry, I believe).  You can find it by googling “Snooty Snood.”

And here is this week’s Belle of the Blog.  Annie Harlin is a well-known artist and has worked in many media.  She’s retired, she says, but how do you retire from art?  By pleasing yourself and not potential customers, I guess, and look at the wonderful hooded cape she made from – oh, my gosh, I can’t even estimate the number of different yarns she used!  The braided fringing alone must have taken hours.  How wonderful to have this kind of vision, yes?

That’s it!  See you soon…

Trish

which I heart and have coveted since I first saw it at TNNA two years ago. The problemo, as I see it, is that the whole jacket is seed stitch which I hate, loathe, and despise when I have to do it in large amounts, but which I also love the look of when it’s done.  So, I finally started the jacket, using an expensive combination of yarns (Cambio from Zitron and Lace Merino from Ella Rae, held together to make a really neat fabric).  I have everything done (after a lot of moaning and groaning and rather juvenile temper tantrums) except one sleeve.  To avoid finishing that sleeve, I have an adorable cover-up thingy going in Debbie Bliss’s Como, a lace shawl in Mountain Color’s Winter Lace, and a wrap in Classic Elite’s Wool Bamboo.  The chair I knit in at home is almost invisible behind all the yarn, needles, and pattern books piled up around it.  I gotta finish something – another wave of new yarns is due in early August and I’ll be wanting to start something with those.  I may need an intervention, folks!

I hope you got your email from me about the sock yarn sale starting tomorrow through August 7.  I need to make way for new stuff so I hope you’ll take advantage of the good deals.  We’ll help you use it up, because I hope to have a sock of the month class beginning this fall.  And yes, I’m taking one more weekend off, so we’ll be closed August 8 -11.

Here is a pretty lace scarf knit by Chris Urban, a fairly new knitter who is totally in love with lace.  Isn’t this lovely?  She knit it in a soft DK cotton.

Donna Guthrie whipped up this beautiful little Ridged Lace Cowl to entice her afghan class.   We have the yarn (Elsebeth Lavold’s Angora, discontinued) in the sale closet for 25% off.  Donna used only 2 skeins, which made a very cozy neckwarmer.  The yarn blooms as you knit it and becomes very soft and fuzzy.

Here’s a link to the free pattern. Donna very kindly did a step by step worksheet which she left with me to give you if you come in for the yarn.

And here is the masterpiece of the week and probably the month.  Barb Werner is expecting her first granddaughter soon and made this gorgeous baby blanket from Debbie Bliss’s Rialto 4-ply extra-fine merino.  The knitting is expert, the yarn is luxurious (yet practical), and she lined it with satin, and tied it to the knitting with little pieces of yarn to prevent bunching.  There is just pure satin-y smooth yumminess everywhere you touch on this beautiful heirloom.

Wow!  And don’t miss David’s simple tank top in Bonsai colors, posted below.  Isn’t it pretty – the yarn has a beautiful surface to it so the shape can be clean and simple.  ‘Kay, gotta go get ready for the sale.  See you soon…

Trish