52 Weeks of Easy Knits.

52 Weeks of Easy Knits ($50) is the latest book from Laine, an inspiring tome packed with 52 approachable patterns for garments and accessories. Let’s take a look inside!

This is the third in Laine’s ambitious 52 Weeks series, and instead of focusing on a particular kind of garment, it invites knitters of all skill levels to cast on for pleasing, uncomplicated projects.

The book begins with an introduction to yarn choice, pattern reading, cast-ons, bind-offs, finishing – all manner of techniques.

The patterns themselves are fun, modern, and varied. You’ll find colorblock cardigans, slip stitch socks, bobbled shawls, striped scarves, ribbed beanies, textured mittens, and more within these pages.

You can see them all on Ravelry, a virtual way to browse the book; the list of designers is impressive, including Isabell Kraemer, Sylvia Watts-Cherry, Veera Välimäki, Jonna Hietala, Paula Pereira, George Cullen, Meiju K-P, among many others.

52 Weeks of Easy Knits is $50, not a bad price for 52 patterns – look for it here at the shop, or order online for local pickup or shipping!

Tukuwool Fingering & Silk Cloud + Sea Mist.

Flipping through the most recent issue of Laine Magazine, I was struck by how many patterns are shown in fuzzy yarns, with a soft halo from alpaca or mohair. One in particular caught my eye: “Sea Mist,” by George Cullen, an asymmetrical triangular shawl that pairs a rustic Shetland wool with a floaty mohair/silk blend.

Mohair is often held together with other yarns to add softness, but not in this case – here, Cullen moves between the two yarns in different sections of brioche and ribbed lace, highlighting the contrast between the textures and fibers.

Tukuwool Fingering and Shibui Silk Cloud are two such contrasting yarns, and they’re perfect for knitting a “Sea Mist” shawl. Here are a few color combinations I came up with!

Prefer to choose your own colors? Make an in-store shopping appointment to do just that! Or scroll down to see all the available shades in Tukuwool Fingering and Shibui Silk Cloud, and order online for local pickup or shipping. Can’t wait to see what you come up with!

Tukuwool Fingering:

  • fingering weight
  • 75% Finnsheep wool, 25% Texel wool
  • 213 yards/50 g
  • $12.50 each

Shibui Silk Cloud:

  • lace weight
  • 60% mohair, 40% silk
  • 330 yards/25 g
  • $26.50 each ($28.50 for Julie Hoover colorways)