The influx of soft cotton- and linen-blend yarns into the shop over the past few weeks has piqued the interest of many of our customers, and lots of summer-weight projects have already been started.  Heck, some of our more dedicated knitters have even FINISHED them already!

But don't feel left out, crochet friends!  There are a ton of cool crochet patterns that would look great in our various new yarns.  For example, this shawl is perfect for taking the chill off on a summer night.  It would look lovely in any DK weight yarn, but especially so in Rowan Summerlite DK:

http://www.elkstudiohandcraftedcrochetdesigns.com/2014/06/23/dixie-charm-a-free-summer-crochet-shawl-pattern/

Pick a couple colors of Berocco's Modern Cotton and make this cute bag, which is perfect for carrying your projects (or your swimsuit!):

http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/crochet-bag.html

How about something you can dress up a bit?  We've got that covered, too, with this tank, which would be beautiful in the sophisticated colors of Rowan Summerlite 4ply:

https://www.freepatterns.com/detail.html?code=FC00982

Here's a pattern that's a little more off-beat, and it could be worn year-round if made in the proper fiber.  I was so excited about it that I immediately started one using a vibrant chartreuse ball of On-Line Supersocke Swing Color.  (And I finished it a week later - come see it in the shop!) It would also be beautiful in something more sedate, like the wonderfully textured Shibui Pebble:

https://makemydaycreative.com/2014/07/25/multiplicity-buttoned-shawl/

Labels: 2016, bag, cotton, crochet, fingering weight, lightweight, linen, shawl, shell, silk, skirt, sport weight, summer, tank

• You made a pair of socks and had almost 1/4 of the skein leftover
• You bought an extra ball of yarn when making a sweater
• You bought souvenir yarn ... in every town you've visited for the past decade

Even if you've gone through and organized your main stash (have you seen how the Yarn Harlot does it?), it's inevitable that you'll be left with a some orphans.  Sure, you can stick them in bowls and use them to decorate your house, but wouldn't it be nice to find a crafty use for them?


Crochet is the perfect way to use up those precious little bits I can't bear to throw away.  For example, you can make:

• Embellishments - sew them on a hat or bag, or attach to a pin and use as an accent on many different outfits.

Labels: 2016, afghans, amigurumi, crochet, easy, embellishments, quick, stashbuster

When you find that perfect yarn and pattern pairing, it is like finding the end of a rainbow! That's what happened the moment I saw the finished Clementine cowls that were popping up during our Thursday evening social knit. My favorite Clementine FOs were the ones that used 1 skein of Spincycle Yarns Dyed in the Wool and 1 skein of Freia Fibres Handpaints Ombré Sport. The pairing of these two gradient style yarns got to me and I had to cast-on a shop sample right away!

Clementine Cowl Shop Sample Freia Dusk/Spincycle Pick Your Poison

Labels: cowl, freia handpaint yarns, gradient yarns, knitting, spincycle yarns, sport weight

1. Pick a hook size that is AT LEAST twice the diameter of your yarn.  Bigger is better, but don’t go crazy with it.  Work a small swatch to make sure you’re happy with the drape of the fabric you’re making.
2. Leaving an 18” tail when you make the slip knot, make chain stitches until this foundation chain is the width of the cowl you want to make (between 6” and 8” is pretty standard, but you can make it wider or narrower).
3. Work the linen stitch back along the foundation row - instructions here.
4. Continue in linen stitch until strip is desired length (or you don’t have enough yarn to complete another row), then cut yarn and secure last stitch.
5. Sew the ends of the strip together with the long tail you left at the beginning.  Mattress stitch is often used, but you could whip stitch it or use any other sewing method you like.  

• For a regular loop, join the two ends without a twist.
• For a Mobius loop, flip one end of the strip once before you join the ends.

6. Weave in ends.

Labels: crochet, easy, linen stitch, pattern, quick, stashbuster

Arika Cowl

At the studio many of us are fans of the designer Jane Richmond.  She recently had a knit along for her Arika  cowl and  I stumbled into it at the very end.  I was reviewing the projects on Ravelry after I found the pattern and most people had done it in some type of wool or alpaca.  I decided to break loose and use the yarn Norah by Stacy Charles because I wanted to be able to wear the cowl for most of the year rather than just the cold weather.  I totally fell in love with the linen and silk blend as I was working with it. I love the swing and the drape that results from the fabric you create.  It is kind of funny because some 300+ ravelers have made it to date and few have used something other than wool. Yarn substitution is often a bit of a challenge if you start to actually consider factors other than gauge.  In this case I am thrilled with the results and encourage you to venture into something not "so wooly"  as you work on projects this summer.

Labels: cowl, jane richmond. linen, knitting, silk

That's right I said "Blame it on my mom".  My mom's name was Veronica (Vroni) for short and she was a stay at home mom that never stopped.  She taught me the saying "Good better best, never let it rest,  until your good is better and your better is your best".  She was an expert seamstress.  We sewed amazing garments together.  We sewed pieces that were fashion statements, blazers, coats we did it all.  I learned fitting skills, the way fabrics acted based on their fiber content and most of all I learned how to create. I would fall in love with a fashion piece and we would analyze what made it special.  It is this skill that transferred over to my knitting and crocheting skills.  That ability to see drape and fit or think through how a specific yarn is going to act.

She was so nervous when I decided to open the store.  I will never forget her telling me that I should open the store with just a little bit of yarn and then grow into buying more.  More than that I will never forget the day she started working with bamboo needles that we had at the store.  My mom went out of her way to tell me how much more she enjoyed knitting with these needles....she was not an easy one to impress.  I know many of you met her, she used to come in and help me when she could.  She hated not having a task, so I would make up projects just to have her come hang with us.She loved people and people loved her back.

So next time you come in and the studio has been rearranged....think of my mom and recite

Good, better, best,
Never let it rest,
Until your good is better and
Your better is your best.

Happy Mother's Day Mom
You are missed.