Tag Archives: swans island

The newest books.

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We’ve had several shipments of books in the past few weeks, filling the teacart with a wide variety of knitting and crochet resources.

There’s something for almost everyone here. The whimsical new book by Norwegian designers Arne and Carlos shows how to design and clothe the Knitted Dolls it’s named for. Woolbur is equally whimsical, a children’s book about a non-conformist sheep. Cast On, Bind Off and Charts Made Simple are excellent resource books offering guidance on essential knitting techniques: casting on, binding off, and reading charts. Beyond the Square: Crochet Motifs and The Beaded Edge 2 give crocheters new ideas for crocheted shapes and edgings. Knitting for Him, Knitting New Mittens and Gloves, and The Sock Report: Vol. 1 are all full of project ideas, perfect for paging through as you consider your next knitting project.

We also got the new French Girl Knits: Accessories, by Kristeen Griffin-Grimes. Hats, wraps, gloves, socks, and more are within. If you like the style, be sure to check out Griffin-Grimes’ French Girl Knits, as well.

Two books by Martin Storey also found their way to the shop–Nordic Knits and Aran Knits, each taking their inspiration from traditional patterns, but designed with contemporary knitters in mind.

And then there’s Knit Red, a collection of patterns in all shades of red to raise awareness for women’s heart health. Each pattern is by a different designer, and the list is long and impressive: Nicky Epstein, Norah Gaughan, Debbie Bliss, Jared Flood, and Ysolda Teague, among many others. Anne has just cast on for this beautiful linen stitch blanket from Knit Red, designed by Michele Orne for Swans Island Organic Merino Fingering yarn.

Come by the shop to browse all our books for inspiration, ideas, and whatever project it is that you decide you must cast on for immediately. We know the feeling!

A fashion show, a thousand things to see.

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Anne and Rosi and I had another long, excitement-and-yarn-filled day here at The National NeedleArts Association Trade Show in Columbus. We got up early for some interesting classes, then hustled over to the fashion show, scoring front row seats, thanks to Rosi.

Then it was time to start walking the showroom floor, where hundreds of vendors had set up displays of their yarn, patterns, books, and accessories. I saw so many things that I’d heard of, but never seen in person, and even more that I’d never heard of at all. There were an overwhelming number of new things to see, but we made sure to visit some familiar faces, as well, to order a few new things from old friends.

After seven hours spent strolling up and down the first five or so aisles of vendors (out of at least a dozen aisles), we dragged ourselves away and back to the room to sort through the business cards and sample skeins we’d acquired throughout the day. There is so much to think about as we decide what to bring into the shop, what would please our knitters and crocheters the most, and how to fill in little gaps in our inventory. We’re having so much fun deciding! And tomorrow, we do it all again, which means that now I must rest up for another big day.

Two new colors from Swans Island.

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Just two.

We expanded our Swans Island spectrum a bit, but with some self control–a difficult task in the face of Swans Island’s soft, squishy, organic merino yarns. Upon reordering colors whose numbers were dwindling, we pulled out the colorcard to see if we’d missed any. That’s when we gave in. We have room for a few new colors, right? Well: just two.

I just finished a sweater in the Swans Island Organic Merino Fingering, and while it was blocking, I bought another skein to play with, so I speak from personal experience: this is very special yarn. The care that went into its production is evident in the skein as well as in the finished knitted garment. Perhaps these new colors will inspire you to give Swans Island a try, and perhaps their beautiful pattern support will do the same. Come by the shop to take a peek.

A Handknit Romance.

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A new book arrived from Interweave this week: Jennie Atkinson’s A Handknit Romance: 22 Vintage Designs with Lovely Details.

The first thing I noticed in this book was the use of Swans Island Organic Merino Fingering yarn. The mere mention of Swans Island tends to stop me in my tracks, that I might join in gushing over their spectacular yarn.

Those of you who appreciate fine yarns at small gauges will appreciate A Handknit Romance, especially if you have a fondness for traditional feminine details. Take a look next time you’re in 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!

Swans Island. Again.

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Every time we get a box from Swans Island, Anne and I exchange an open-mouthed look of delight. It’s so exciting to open those boxes, to see the new colors and welcome back those that we’d already sold out of. 

And those are just the reorders. Our joy is doubled when we pull aside a bag of Swans Island yarn to reveal a packet of Swans Island patterns! There were so many in our most recent shipment that we had to get a bigger binder.

Below, you can take a peek inside the Swans Island Patterns binder, though I must say, it really deserves a full-on browse. Start here and if you like what you see, come by the shop to see the rest! You’ll be Swans Island junkies like us in no time.

Coastal Knits.

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Those of you who regularly cruise knitting blogs have probably already heard a lot about Coastal Knits, a collaboration by designers Hannah Fettig and Alana Dakos. I know I’ve been running into it online quite a bit lately. This book boasts the current most popular new pattern, according to Ravelry: the Rocky Coast Cardigan. If you haven’t seen the book on Ravelry, perhaps you saw that Swans Island linked to it, and that Clara Parkes reviewed it. I admit, I was intrigued. If your interest is similarly peaked, come by the shop to take a look at it yourself, because we just got it in stock this week.

Surprise! It’s exactly as beautiful as everyone has been saying it is. Coastal Knits is full of great patterns for sweaters and accessories, and studded with stories and photos showcasing the landscapes and places that inspired these designs. A nice touch: the book includes a bookmark with the yarn and yardage requirements for each pattern, making for easier yarn shopping. And they’ve given us another excuse to knit with the lovely Swans Island Organic Merino yarn in fingering weight!
(Like we need an excuse.) Come by the shop to take a look!

The Knitter’s Book of Socks.

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Clara Parkes has done it again, and by “done it again,” I mean “provided a practical, beautiful, fascinating, rigorous resource for knitters.” From the author of Knitter’s Review, the woman who brought us The Knitter’s Book of Yarn and The Knitter’s Book of Wool, here’s The Knitter’s Book of Socks.

If you’re a sock knitter, this is an indispensable book. If you’re an aspiring sock knitter, this book may be a good place to start. While many of the patterns include cables, lace, or colorwork, the first is an introductory-level sock with a simple texture pattern, using worsted weight yarn. Once you’ve worked up a pair of those, you’ll likely be ready and eager to dip your toes into some of the more complicated patterns. Also: those of you who are worried that your knitted socks will be too baggy or too tight, not stretchy enough, or that they’ll fall apart after one wear will be encouraged and emboldened by The Knitter’s Book of Socks. Parkes spends entire chapters on the effects of various fibers, twists, plies, and stitch patterns on the structure of a sock, giving knitters the information they need to avoid the potential pitfalls that may concern them.

The patterns come from an astounding group of designers, using all kinds of techniques to make socks in a wide range of styles. Cat Bordhi, Lucy Neatby, Ann Budd, Norah Gaughan, Nancy Bush, Cookie A, and Jared Flood all make appearances, as does a favorite new yarn of ours: the Swans Island Organic Merino, in fingering-weight.

I’m almost halfway through a sweater using this yarn, and had never considered it for socks, as it’s hand-wash only. Then I came upon Parkes’ ode to hand-washing hand-knit socks, which made the task sound more pleasant than inconvenient. Having just accidentally felted a pair of colorwork socks, I’m ready to make the switch to hand-washing, and it sounds like my socks will look better and last longer that way. Suffice it to say, I’m reconsidering putting that beautiful Swans Island yarn on my feet, and I have no doubt that The Knitter’s Book of Socks will change the way I pair yarns and sock patterns, making me a better, more educated sock knitter. Come by the shop to peruse this new book, and plan your next pair of socks!

Swans Island hat and mitts.

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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, allowing the knitter to relax and enjoy the yarn. I chose the Harbor Hat pattern, which progressed quickly, and soon I had completed it, with more than half the skein to spare. Back to the Swans Island pattern binder I went, this time, for the Blackberry Mitts. 

The completed set now lives on the teacart with the Swans Island yarn, perched atop the basket, ready to be inspected by those who are curious just how this stuff knits up. Allow me to spoil the surprise: the yarn is wonderfully soft, smooth, and consistent. The patterns are easy to follow and quick to knit. Our love affair with Swans Island continues. In fact, I’ve started a sweater for myself out of the fingering weight Swans Island, the New Zealand Pullover from Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Knit One Knit All. At 7 stitches to the inch, it’ll be a while before it looks like much, but I will surely do some show and tell once it begins to resemble a sweater.
Come in and admire the Swans Island yarn and patterns if you haven’t yet done so, and slip your hands inside these mitts. See you soon!

Hello, Swans Island.

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I could not possibly be more excited to introduce you all to this thrilling new yarn, an organic, hand-dyed merino from the Maine-based company Swans Island.

If you’ve been in the shop in the past two days, then you know that our excitement for this yarn has been obvious, reflected not only in our squeals of delight and our ear-to-ear grins, but also in its placement: front and center on the teacart.

Swans Island Organic Merino is spun and dyed in Maine, and comes in two weights, a worsted and a fingering. The worsted is put up in 100 gram skeins with 250 yards each, while the fingering boasts 525 yards to the skein. These details blur into the background, however, when you touch this yarn. Immediately, the yarn’s main feature is obvious: it is incredibly, amazingly soft. The secret to this softness is in the gentle, minimal processing that comes with ecologically-friendly natural dyes, which you can read more about on the Swans Island website. My new hero, Clara Parkes, author of the Knitter’s Book of Wool, wrote a characteristically in-depth review of the Swans Island Worsted on her blog, Knitter’s Review–a great resource if you’re thinking of giving this yarn a try. And if you’re thinking of giving it a try but don’t know what to knit, check out the first wave of Swans Island patterns, which can be found in a binder between the two Swans Island baskets.

Myself, I’m the lucky girl who gets to knit up a shop sample with this wondrous stuff, a hat, which I’ve just cast on for. Only four rows in, I can already tell you that this yarn is a dream. I have several Swans Island sweater daydreams floating around in my head, competing with one another. I’m so excited, I have no idea which to cast on for!