I spent much of this new year’s eve weekend with a burgeoning pair of socks, made with Malabrigo’s newest yarn, Arroyo. I turned the heel on the first sock, then cast on for the second while watching a movie on new year’s eve. On new year’s day, the socks came with me to a friend’s … [more]
Because of the nature of a yarn shop, Anne and I probably spend more time talking with people about their projects in the future tense than we do checking up on older projects, both finished and unfinished. There is much more to chat about if one has not begun one’s project: what fiber to choose, … [more]
For the past few weeks, Anne has been hard at work on a sweater, a sample for the shop knit from a Habu kit. The yarn is a fine, slubbed cotton, and the pattern is in the Japanese style, with little to no written instructions. Instead, Anne’s knitting is guided by a simple diagram, a … [more]
Thanks to all the knitters and crocheters who made purple baby caps this year, we were able to send off a big box of 174 purple caps to the good people at the Period of Purple Crying project. They’re working to educate new parents and other caregivers that an infant’s increased crying is totally normal, … [more]
Though Anne and I were both beside ourselves with excitement over the arrival of the new Swans Island yarn, it’s possible I was more excited, because she had assigned me the task of swatching it. I began by looking through their patterns for inspiration–a good starting place, as their patterns are beautiful in their simplicity, … [more]
Yes, I know I’ve already gushed at length about the Marion Foale 3 ply wool. But we got something really special in the mail last week: a handknit sample from Marion Foale Knitting Collection 1, a sweater named Isobel. This picture hardly captures the color, and certainly obscures the detailed work that went into this … [more]
I’ve just posted a new fall class on the website, a 3 session class focused on a pattern from Malabrigo Book 3: the texured, ruffled Lakedale Shawl. The pattern calls for Malabrigo sock yarn (which, by the way, is finally scheduled to be back in stock at the shop sometime this week…!), but Katherine, who … [more]
I first wrote about the Shenandoe Farm angora goat yarn back in April, when I introduced the local yarns nook and waxed rhapsodic about this rustic, undyed yarn. It wasn’t long after I finished that cabled hat that I started on a sweater out of the same yarn. Now that I’ve completed said sweater, I … [more]
I’ve written before about our shop swatches. While some swatches are just little samplers with garter, stockinette, rib, and seed stitch, others take the form of actual garments. Nordstrom Knock-Off Scarf. They’re always pretty simple, patterns that let the yarn do most of the work, are easily memorized, and quickly explained. Lately, though, we’ve begun … [more]
You can now find my finished Chambered Nautilus Tam on the teacart, draped over the book that inspired and instructed me to make it. I’m so pleased with it! The spiral construction was fascinating, the yarn was soft and pleasant, and the result is quite fetching. Anne’s mother wears it well: We’re thinking that the … [more]