Tag Archives: scarves

Hello, Caper Sock.

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As many of you already know, String Theory yarns move quickly around here. One week, we’re tearing into a box of their hand-dyed yarn, and the next, it seems, we’re studying an emptying cubby of Caper Sock, wondering how we sold out of so many colors so quickly. It gives us an excuse to give them a call and request more, of course, and with each order, we are tempted by the many colorways we haven’t stocked before. Our most recent order brought the biggest variety of Caper Sock we’ve seen yet.

What a spectrum! I find myself selecting colors I’d normally pass over. Suddenly, I like purple, and grass green.

Those of you who subscribe to our newsletter may already know that I recently self-published a pattern using Caper Sock.

North Arrow is a two-color garter stitch scarf with a short-row triangle and chevron stripes. My version is now hanging in the shop, so you can see and touch the scrumptious, soft fabric that Caper Sock creates. With our current selection of colors, choosing a pair for North Arrow makes for a fun diversion. I’d love to see a North Arrow in any of these combinations, for example:

Or you could follow Anne’s lead, and knit a North Arrow in Malabrigo Sock yarn.

We have even more Malabrigo Sock to choose from than we do Caper Sock, if you’ll recall, making the color-combining into a seemingly-endless game. Come to the shop and play!

And do take a look at North Arrow on Ravelry, if you’re interested. I’d love to hear what you think!

Works in progress: short row edition.

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This month, perhaps more than most, Anne’s desk at the shop has often been crowded by multiple works in progress. She has (ahem) a small handful of projects started, many of which will grow up to be shop samples, showing off particular yarns in patterns for which they are particularly well-suited. At the moment, I have only one project going at the shop, but more at home, lest you think I’m gloating. The impulse to cast on with an exciting new yarn is strong, and succumb to it we do. Here are two of the latest works in progress you’re likely to catch us stitching on in quiet moments at the shop.

Anne is working on a shawl with the wooly, self-striping Kauni yarn, knowing that Nancy’s Wiggle Wrap is not a permanent installation in the shop. When the Wiggle Wrap leaves us, we’ll need something that shows what Kauni can do, and this shawl will do that very well.

The pattern is Wingspan, available as a free download on Ravelry, and it is an excellent example of just one of the many shapes that can be accomplished using short rows.

Myself, I’m at work on a ruffle scarf, another pattern full of short rows, albeit much shorter short rows. These rows are sometimes only 4 stitches long, short enough that I taught myself to knit backwards to save time on turning the needles around between short rows. If the pattern looks familiar, that’s because we already have one ruffle scarf hanging in the shop, which I wrote about on the blog last May. That one was made with two yarns held together, and because of this, it’s fuzzy, dense, and warm. With Spring on its way, and Cascade’s Ultra Pima yarn unswatched, we thought a thinner cotton ruffle scarf was in order.

That’s what we’re up to, or part of what we’re up to, at any rate. What are you working on lately?

Hello, Araucania Ruca.

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This drop stitch scarf, lent to us by Amy, has been getting a lot of attention since we put it up at the shop a few weeks ago. Like Nancy’s Kauni shawl, it wont be at the shop forever, so I thought I’d document it here on the blog.

The yarn is Araucania Ruca, a dk-weight yarn made of 100% sugarcane fiber, and it’s a particularly good match for the pattern. Plant fibers like sugarcane, bamboo, and cotton all lack elasticity, giving them a tendency to stretch out of shape. For some projects, that would be a disadvantage to account for by changing needle size or even adding an elastic thread, but for a drop stitch scarf, it’s a perfect fit. The elongated stitches of the seafoam stitch pattern drape beautifully in a plant fiber.
Amy’s scarf has gotten a lot of knitters interested in the Ruca yarn, so we ordered a few new colors to give aspiring drop stitch scarf makers more options. We were disappointed to discover that Araucania no longer produces the same colorway that Amy used, but we got two similar colorways for those that want the same look. 
Take a look at the Ruca when you’re seeking a smooth, shiny plant fiber, and if you’d like to make a drop stitch scarf of your own, you can download the pattern for free on Ravelry. See you at the shop!

More works in progress.

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About a month ago, I posted pictures of two of the works in progress that hang around the shop. Anne and I always have at least two samples for the shop on the needles–one on her needles and one on mine. Because the urge to talk about what we make and what we see others making is strong, we find ourselves talking about these projects at many points throughout the day. When the process is enjoyable, we’ll tell anyone who will listen about how soft the yarn is, how incredible the color. Since I last brought this conversation to the blog, two new works in progress have sprung up.

I’m working on a simple drop stitch scarf with the new Malabrigo Arroyo. This pattern is a particularly good choice for variegated yarns like this, as the elongated stitches highlight a stretch of color in the yarn that would otherwise be distributed differently along the row. We’re used to variegated yarns striping and pooling in stockinette and other texture patterns, but the drop stitch scarf pools differently, purposefully. 
Within three rows, I had the pattern memorized, and since then, it feels like it’s been knitting itself. 
Anne is also working on a scarf, but hers is made from the Swans Island Organic Merino in the fingering weight. The pattern came from our perpetual calendar, 365 Knitting Stitches a Year, a nice resource to turn to when you intend to make a scarf and don’t intend to use a pattern. Flip through the calendar, pick an attractive stitch pattern, cast on an appropriate number of stitches for said pattern, and go until you run out of yarn. A formula for scarf success.
This one will look particularly lovely when it’s blocked, I imagine. I can’t wait to see it. In the meantime, come by the shop to see these two very special yarns in action, and listen to us go on about them. See you soon!

Wiggle Wrap.

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If you’ve been in the shop in the past week, you may have noticed a new sample hanging on the wall. There are many sweaters, shawls, hats, scarves, and bags competing for your attention, of course, so it’s possible you missed this latest knit shawl. It’s quite striking, though, and wont be in the shop forever, so I thought I’d document it here.

The pattern is “Wiggle Wrap,” by Sally Brandl, and it’s knit with two balls of Kauni Effektgarn. One ball is a bright, fiery colorway and the other is dark, with deep blues and purples. The two, themselves self-striping, are striped against one another, creating multiple levels of stripes and gradations of color. The premise is simple but the effect is impressive. I’d like to see one in a pair of neutral colorways, or a black-and-white skein with a wild rainbow skein. Get to work, knitters.

Come by the shop to see the Wiggle Wrap while it’s still here, and check the Kauni Patterns binder for more Kauni inspiration.

(Many thanks to Nancy for lending us her shawl!)

Works in progress.

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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, and then what yarn, and what color? How much of it? What size needles or hook, and where to turn if a particular technique is unfamiliar? Finished and unfinished works carry all these conversations with them as well, of course, but not always with the same exuberance that drives one to begin. Occasionally, though, a break occurs in the project planning and a question comes: what are you working on now? With this question in mind, I submit these two works in progress, one of Anne’s and one of my own.

Anne is working on a pair of socks of late, “happy socks,” as she describes them. The pattern is simple, fundamental, even, and has been worked so many times that at this point, it can be summoned from her memory. Ribbed socks can be such a comfort in this way. The yarn is Claudia Hand Painted, in a fingering weight. Many a knitter has reached out to touch this sock-to-be, then rushed over to the Claudia cubby for a few skeins of their own.
I’m still working on my Saroyan, a scarf out of Malabrigo Lace yarn. I work on it only during quiet moments at the shop, and thus, am progressing slowly. Still, there is something to be said for the patience that knitting teaches us, and pleasure in the process. The yarn is soft and fine, the pattern well-written, and let’s not kid ourselves: this is totally not the only knitting project I have going at the moment. I have a sweater half-finished, two sock patterns half-written, another pair on the needles, and about thirty other knitting ideas competing for the title of Next New Project. Never a dull moment, I tell you. 
So, what are you working on now?

60 More Quick Knits.

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Since I first wrote about Cascade 220 Superwash Sport back in February, it has become one of our best-selling yarns, in spite of the fact that we had no pattern support for it. It’s been a go-to for both knit and crocheted baby things, due to its stellar washability, and used for colorwork of all kinds, due to its wide spectrum of colors. Those who are comfortable designing their own sweaters, socks, and hats have used Cascade 220 Superwash Sport, and those who like to work from patterns have found that it makes a good substitute for yarns of all kinds, between a sport and a dk gauge. There have been many excuses to work with this yarn, and this week, we received a new book which promises 60 more.

Hats, mittens and scarves of many kinds, all made from Cascade 220 Sport, the hand-wash-only fraternal twin to Cascade 220 Superwash Sport. We actually don’t carry the 220 Sport, but as is so often the case, the 220 Superwash Sport makes an excellent substitute. The 220 Sport has slightly more yardage, so you’ll want to do a little math when you’re choosing 220 Superwash Sport yarn for these projects, but that’s the only caveat. Knit with Superwash Sport and your mittens wont felt onto your hands, and neither will your hats when they are accidentally thrown in the washing machine.

Here’s a peek inside the book:


And that’s only a tenth of it. Find it on the teacart, which is just brimming with fall knit and crochet inspiration.

Helen Hamann scarf kits.

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The season of shop sample knitting continues unabated. As soon as the Linen Stitch Scarf sample was completed, I cast on for this next piece, a sample to show off two new things at once. The yarn is a new dk weight washable merino from Plymouth, and the pattern, Retro Scarf, is one we have both on its own and as a kit from designer Helen Hamann. Because of the scarf’s interesting construction, I thought I’d better show it in progress as well as finished. As of today, I’m about halfway done, and it looks like this:

Those three long strips will one day be braided, then joined together for a stretch, then separated again at the other end of the scarf. Interesting, no? The yarn is a pleasure to work with, a springy merino with excellent stitch definition.

I’d love to see the Retro Scarf made up in Helen Hamann’s alpaca yarn, for which the pattern is written–I bet that would make a lovely scarf. Check out the kits for yourself, if this project appeals, or if you’d rather substitute yarn, as I did for this sample, I’d be happy to show you a few options.

See you at the shop!

Linen Stitch All Knit Scarf.

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For the past month or two, Anne and I have been working on shop samples at an accelerated rate. As new yarns and kits arrive for fall, new ideas for showing them off are coming to us faster than we can knit them up. Eventually, though, we do finish them, and then proudly display them with the yarn, offering a tangible example of that yarn’s potential. Here is one such project, the Linen Stitch All Knit Scarf, which Anne and I passed back and forth, each knitting a few rows here and there until it was completed.

The Linen Stitch All Knit Scarf is available as a kit from Schaefer Yarn, and includes the pattern and three 2oz skeins of Schaefer Heather, a fingering weight blend of superwash merino, silk, and nylon. Worked in linen stitch in the round, this scarf has a woven look to it and a simple but unusual construction.

Around and around you go, never having to purl, and then at the end a small portion of your knitting is unraveled and braided to create fringe.

As I’ve mentioned here before, Schaefer Yarn names their variegated colorways after memorable women, from Elizabeth Zimmermann to Gloria Steinem to Jane Addams. Not only does each skein honor a memorable woman, each of the six color combinations honors a memorable female fiber artist: Sheila Hicks, Anni Albers, Diane Itter, Lenore Tawney, Magdalena Abakanowicz, and Claire Zeisler.

Come by the shop to try on the scarf and see these beautiful colors in person, and don’t resist the urge to get lost on google image search, exploring the work of the incredible artists these kits are named for.

Kusha Kusha.

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The Kusha Kusha scarf gets a lot of attention at the shop. This is in part because of its unusual, organic-looking shape, almost like a strand of kelp. Another reason to take note of this scarf is its fiber content. Kusha Kusha is knit with two strands of lace weight yarn held together, one of which is 100% merino wool, the other of which is stainless steel wrapped in silk. The stainless steel gives memory to the yarn and the resulting fabric, so that you can crinkle it up or stretch it out and it holds its shape.

The Kusha Kusha scarf comes as a kit from Habu Textiles, complete with the pattern and a cone of each yarn. We’ve carried these kits at the shop for some time, but our supply was getting low. When we reordered this past week, we got many more colors than we’d ever had before, a spectrum of elegant pairings.

Make sure to take a look at this unusual scarf the next time you’re in the shop. If you’re curious to see what others have done with this kit and pattern, check out the Kushua Kusha Love group on Ravelry. See you at the shop!