Yarn Gallery Blog

Busy, busy last week as the nasty old humidity moved out and cooler weather arrived.  A crispness to the air, a chilly light breeze, a little shiver – and it’s autumn!  Instead of seeking shade, the boys and I walk on the sunny side of the street now, looking for warmth.  It’s so great to get the sweaters out of their summer plastic bags, smell the little bit of lavender or eucalyptus left over from their last Eucalan wash, shake them out and fold them onto their shelf or into the drawer where they’ll live for the next six months.   Finding the handknit socks that were in between the sweaters to keep the folds from being too sharp is like getting a little present whenever one drops out.

Okay, sorry – I do just love sweaters and can never wait to be able to wear them again!  Even though I make – what, maybe 30 sweaters a year, there are always 2 or 3 favorites that I really fall in love with.  I can’t wait until the yarn is no longer available so they can come home with me.  I hope you feel the same way about the sweaters you make – love them, care for them properly, and they’ll be friends forever.

Here’s one that will certainly become part of my wardrobe someday, modeled by Karen Walter, who was wearing the exact right color of shirt, so was bullied into having her picture taken Again:

This Snowfall jacket, in Fresco from Classic Elite, is from the Snow Angels booklet.  There is Half-Linen Stitch at the bottom, and Half-Linen Rib at the waist and cuffs.  It’s done in pieces on size 3 and 5 needles.  I won’t lie to you:  between the stitch and the needle size and the sewing-up, it took a while to make it  but it’s a very flattering and versatile piece.  I made it in purple, which seems to be my current obsession, but we have many other wonderful colors in stock.  I modified the sleeves, which were designed to be wide and split at the cuffs – I’m too klutzy to wear sleeves like that. Here’s another view:

Here is another sweater I just finished – after ripping 80% of it out and reknitting it:

Isn’t the yarn pretty?   It’s Riva from Debbie Bliss, a chunky wool/acrylic blend that (obviously) self-stripes but in a non-obnoxious way.  The pattern is Lutherie from Laura Chau, but I changed it a lot, keeping mostly the basic shape.  It looks better on a female body, as do most round-yoke sweaters, with a 60′s feel to it – 3/4 sleeves, a neckline that is reminiscent of portrait collars, waist-shaping and a bit of flare at the hip. The yarn makes it modern, but done in a solid color, I could see Mrs. Cleaver in this jacket, probably with elbow-length gloves and matching shoes and purse.

Carla Fraser brought in these cute baby socks, done in BabyBoo:

Very sweet!  They look like tiny little athletic socks.

Deb Schlarb came in to buy some yarn to make her son Jonathan a tiger (and ended up with enough yarn to make an entire savannah’s worth of animals) and allowed me to take a picture of her gorgeous Zauberball socks:

These could be models for the Zauberball labels, they’re so perfect. We have new Zauberball colors on order – I hope they’ll be here soon because now I’m inspired to knit socks again.

Billie Beadle found this turtleneck pattern in an old book and wanted to make it for her daughter.  We figured out what it would take and off she went!  Here is the amazing finished product, done in Manos Wool Clasica:

I still don’t know exactly how those cables are done in the contrasting color – we were too busy to take a good look at the wrong side and see what was going on!

Aren’t our customers stellar?

Enough!  I’ll see you soon…

Trish

This is it blocking, taking up all open floor space in my bedroom. I had to roll across the bed if I wanted to get to my blow dryer. Luckily, with the incredible temperatures we had, it dried in about 24 hours.  You can see the construction of the shawl in this photo, all the modules building from the outside edge to the center.

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