The Summer issue of Interweave Crochet is here.
Inside, you’ll find all manner of intriguing things to crochet in hot weather, from shawls, wraps, and tunics to jewelry.
Come by the shop to page through this latest issue of Interweave Crochet and many other spring and summer magazines. See you there!
Those of you who have visited our shop are likely well acquainted with our set-up: one of each color and kind of yarn out on the shelves, more of each in the back if you need it. There are exceptions to that rule, however; if you’ve ever seen a capital letter “L” written on a yarn’s label, you may already know that “L” stands for “last,” as in, that’s the last skein we have in that color.
Our Going to Market Sale has produced a lot of “L”s in Debbie Bliss and Noro yarns; what to do with those small quantities once you’ve gone and fallen in love with the color? One lone skein can become a stripe in a larger project, of course, but sometimes it’s enough for a small project of its own. Here’s one idea.
Last week, after I finished my first crochet project, I was so excited that I started another (much smaller!) crochet project: coasters. There are plenty of free patterns for crocheted coasters on Ravelry, and a more experienced crocheter might not even require a pattern, but I was happy to have some instructions to guide me. I settled on Citrus Coaster, a simple pattern which made use of the few stitches I already knew and taught me a few more, too. I used Debbie Bliss Eco Baby, a sport weight organic cotton with 136 yards on each 50 gram ball.
I made myself a set of four in two evenings, not because I’m so speedy with a hook, but because they’re such small pieces, measuring about 4.5″ across.
Each coaster weighs between 7 and 9 grams, so one skein can easily make a set of four, perhaps even six, though your yardage may vary depending upon your tension. At any rate, I thought it was a novel way to make use of one small skein, and could make a nice little gift, too.
Debbie Bliss Eco Cotton, the aran weight version of Eco Baby, would also make nice coasters or dishcloths, and a quick search on Ravelry for free crochet coaster patterns reveals that there are plenty of choices in aran weight yarns, too. During our Going to Market Sale, all things Debbie Bliss and Noro are 25% off, so come by before June 19th to take advantage of the discount!
Some reminders:
Thanks for understanding!
Recently I finished making a blanket, the largest project I’d ever attempted. It didn’t take nearly as long as I thought it might, in part because I became a little obsessed with working on it, and in part because of how I made it: crochet. I’m just learning to crochet, finding my way around a whole new language of stitches and abbreviations. It’s been a delightful experience so far, learning so many new things and being encouraged by the quick growth of my blanket. Having grown used to the slow, deliberate pace of knitting over the past six years or so, I was surprised and excited by how quickly crochet moves by comparison.
The color combination is crazy, I know, especially coming from someone who often professes a great love of gray. To choose these crazy colors, I went through my stash and pulled out all the superwash wools. Between all the odds and ends and extra skeins leftover from projects past, I had a little over half the yarn I needed to make a medium-sized blanket. So, I did what anyone starting a scrap project does; I went shopping for more “scraps.”
I started out thinking I’d use only sport and dk weight yarns, but a bit of worsted and even a few skeins of aran weight made their way into it and didn’t seem to affect the gauge much at all. The thicker yarns made puffier stitches, a slightly more dense fabric, but for my purposes, they were happy among the many other weights. Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, Cashmerino DK, Cashmerino Aran, and Rialto DK all made an appearance, along with Cascade 220 Superwash Sport, Berroco Pure Merino, Mission Falls 1824 Wool, and String Theory Merino DK, to name a few.
I only switched colors at the end of a skein, and then held the end together with my next color for a few stitches. This creates a few marled spots here and there where the colors mingle together. It meant I didn’t have to weave in any ends, and ensured that I used every last inch of yarn–no more scraps.
I had so much fun creating this wild-looking thing, throwing colors together that I’d normally keep far apart, and using up so much yarn that had sat around for so long. If you’re interested in taking on a similar project, I highly recommend it–go through your stash, figure out what you’ve got, and come to the shop to get the rest of the “scraps” you need! This tutorial got me started on the granny ripple stitch pattern. From there, you can make a granny ripple piece in any dimension you like; mine measures about 49″ x 65″, and used about 1,250 grams of wool, mostly in sport and dk weights.
It’s a good time to be shopping for yarn in blanket-making quantities, as all our Debbie Bliss and Noro yarns are 25% off until June 19th for our Going to Market Sale. With one colorful crocheted blanket under my belt, I find myself looking at these baskets differently, thinking of how good all the colors look together. Blankets can free you up that way–you don’t have to consider what you’ll wear these colors with, or how they look with your face, or whether the last four sweaters you made were in the same color family. Just pick what pleases you, and plan on curling up in it when it’s done.
Come by the shop to plan a blanket of your own, take advantage of the Going to Market Sale, and browse our ever-growing collection of crochet books. See you there!
Some reminders:
Thanks for understanding!
The latest issue of Noro Knitting Magazine has arrived!
The premiere issue came out last fall, and all our copies were quickly snapped up. Lovers of Noro will find plenty to knit in this current issue, too; all of these patterns take full advantage of those self-striping yarns. From shawls and scarves to sweaters and dresses, these patterns make good use of self-striping yarns in many gauges, often combining them with solid colors for an interesting effect.
There are patterns here for crocheters, too.
Come by the shop to grab a copy of Noro Knitting Magazine, and plan your next project with Noro yarns!
My collection of show-and-tell photos is growing, once again. It seems that we’re in a finishing season, for knitters and crocheters are completing projects left and right, and bringing them into the shop to share with us. Some are making garments, some are making bags, one industrious knitter is making bunny after bunny, and one industrious yarn shop owner has crocheted a rug. Let’s have a look at the latest show-and-tell!
Sue brought in a pair of finished garments from Vicki Square’s Knit Kimono Too, a seed stitch top and short kimono made in Cascade Ultra Pima.
The design is elegant and wearable, and the yarn, a dk weight mercerized cotton, has a slight sheen that highlights the texture of the fabric. If you like this set, come by the shop to flip through Vicki Square’s books for similar patterns.
Here, Bo models her first sweater, a hooded jacket made in Berroco Peruvia Quick. Technically, this is her second sweater; the first was made in this same yarn, then ripped out and reknit once this enterprising knitter took a careful look and decided she could do better. The first sweater was beautiful, too, but by the time she was done knitting it, she’d learned more precise seaming techniques, more symmetrical increases and decreases, and how to shape the fabric while leaving a neat selvedge edge, and she thought it was worth it to try again with all these new skills.
Sometimes, it’s truly worth ripping out and reknitting, even if it’s a lot of work–Bo is so happy with this completed sweater!
Here’s another happy knitter, Jennifer, showing off her Small Clutch Bag. Jennifer completed this bag in a class taught by Marsha, who also teaches Beginning Knitting, Fixing Mistakes, and many of our other technique classes. Along with being a great teacher, Marsha also does some knitwear design–the Small Clutch Bag is one of her own patterns, made up in the worsted weight Plymouth Galway. Come by the shop to see a sample bag and get yourself a copy of the pattern!
Anne and I have been making bags, too–you may have read about our Hexagonal Market Bag Knit-Along on the blog last week. We’re both happy to report that it’s a quick knit, and we have two completed bags to prove it. They came out sturdy and stretchy, capable of accommodating an armful of yarn.
Anne’s is made with Louisa Harding Nautical Cotton in black, a favorite color of hers, and mine is made in Plymouth Linen Isle in a natural beige, a favorite color of mine. Many knitters have been inspired to create their own Hexagonal Market Bags in a rainbow of colors; wont you join us in knitting along?
Becky is on a bunny kick, and this Bunty Bunny is her latest creation. The little details are incredible, the result of close attention and long hours of knitting, sewing, and embroidery. Becky brought her in to share with us before sending her off as a gift, and selected yarn to make another Bunty Bunny, this time in regal reds and purples–a queen bunny. I can’t wait to see how it comes out.
If you’ve been in the shop in the past few weeks, you may well have seen Anne crocheting this rug, a replacement for one she crocheted as a child that has only recently been clawed to shreds by her cat. Bulky yarn, like the Katia Irish Tweed that Anne used, makes for a sturdy rug that comes together quickly in simple rounds of single crochet. She inspired me to pick up a hook myself, and finally learn to crochet. The rug lives at her home now, but there are plenty of sturdy bulky yarns at the shop that would make beautiful crocheted rugs if you’re inspired, too.
Thanks to everyone who brings their work in to share with us! It is a delight to see such a wide range of knit and crochet projects, and inspiring to watch our yarns grow into finished pieces. See you at the shop!
More warm-weather stitching inspiration has arrived at the shop in the form of Vogue Crochet magazine.
Inside, you’ll find all kinds of things to make with yarn and hooks: sweaters and wraps, dresses and tops, bags and crocheted jewelry.
I spotted a familiar yarn in this issue, Tedman & Kvist Colina, an textured aran weight yarn composed of linen and cotton. Here, it’s been made into a sweet short-sleeved cardigan.
Come by the shop to see Vogue Crochet for yourself, and plan a springtime project. See you there!
The last of our expected Isager Trunk Shows has arrived!
Come by the shop to see garments from No. 11, No. 12, No. 13 … , a collection of knit and crochet patterns from Danish designers using Isager yarns. As ever, the garments are more vivid in person than in photographs, and it makes such a difference to touch the fabric that these yarns create, to see the colors with your own eyes, and to try on a sweater for size before you decide to make it.
Do come by soon, before these garments have to move on to their next destination, and see more of what’s possible with Isager yarns. See you at the shop!
Three new books have arrived from Interweave Press in the past couple of weeks, filling up the teacart with project ideas for knitters and crocheters interested in creating sweaters. These are sweaters broadly defined–some for cold weather and some for warm, some basic and some highly patterned, some close-fitting and some roomy.
Blueprint Crochet Sweaters, by designer Robyn Chachula, teaches the basics of sweater construction and offers advice to help you crochet a well-fitting garment.
Chachula covers sweaters constructed from the top down, from side to side, from smaller motifs, and more. Crocheters interested in taking the leap from accessories to larger garments should take a look at Blueprint Crochet Sweaters.
Vicki Square’s Light and Layered Knits focuses on creating lightweight garments using a range of different fibers.
In addition to a variety of patterns, Square also teaches a bit about those fibers along the way, offering up interesting information as well as wisdom about how different fibers behave in knitted fabric.
Another new book from Interweave is the revised edition of The Crocheter’s Companion, an excellent resource filled with all manner of crochet stitches and techniques. Not only can The Crocheter’s Companion remind you how to read a crochet pattern, it also covers basic finishing techniques and a variety of stitch patterns.
Find them all on the teacart at the shop, along with the latest knit and crochet magazines!
The Spring 2013 issue of Interweave Crochet is here.
Inside, you’ll find patterns for crocheted jewelry, shawls, and other openwork garments.
This lace tunic, by designer Doris Chan, was made with Prism Tencel Tape, a slinky variegated yarn that is perfect for spring and summer garments. It’s a knitted tape made of 100% Tencel, a plant fiber derived from tree bark.
Come by the shop to see Interweave Crochet and all the latest magazines, where you’re sure to find plenty of inspiration for spring stitching. See you there!
It’s been box after box of books lately. The teacart is filled to the brim with new magazines and books of patterns.
Scottish Knits is a colorful bunch of patterns from designer Martin Storey. Fans of stranded colorwork and cables will likely find something compelling between its covers, be it sweater, hat, or mittens.
Tunisian crochet is a technique that uses an elongated hook to crochet a fabric that sometimes resembles knitting. The New Tunisian Crochet offer a wide range of patterns for this technique, from garments to home decor.
Along with those two new books, we also received the latest issue of Koigu Magazine and two collections of patterns from the Craft Tree collection: Easy Knitted Hats and Easy Knitted Accessories.
Not sure what your next project will be? Come by the shop to browse these latest publications, along with all the rest.
