With Your Arms!

Did you know that Lisa can knit a cowl without using knitting needles? And she can do so in about fifteen minutes? Seriously.

Just one skein of Plymouth Baby Alpaca Magna makes this awesome cowl. 

Lisa cast eight stitches onto her arms with the yarn doubled, and then she knit until the yarn was gone and stitched it together. This seems to be the most popular arm knitting site, but there are plenty of resources and videos out there.

Sally ordered more of this lovely alpaca, so we should have a nice selection for you, but we have plenty of yarns in the shop that would be great. If you are in need of some actual, real-live last minute gifts, this might be your go to!

Bags

The fun bags keep rolling in to the shop! Sally picked up more Rebecca Pearcy (aka Queen Bee) bags today...totes, large and small zipper bags, waxed canvas, screen printed designs...all the good stuff. High-quality, locally-made goodies.

We also have these fabulous sturdy totes from Fringe Supply. I love the clean design, and they are large enough for your big ol' sweater project and all of your supplies. For your smaller works, the Pretty Cheep Bags from Blue Sky Alpacas are just the thing. Only $10 each, so you'll want several.

We always stock such lovely project bags during the holidays. I love seeing all of the beautiful choices. Which one is on your list?

Extra! Extra!

Please help me welcome Extra to the Blue Sky Alpacas shelf at Close Knit! We had a few shades earlier this fall, but they flew under the radar. Not anymore. Look at those colors!

Extra is a nice thick worsted/aran weight merino and alpaca blend. The label suggests 4-5 stitches/inch on a US7-9, but is seems thicker than that to me for some reason. Maybe it's the super-cushiness of the knitted fabric.

There are several lovely patterns in the shop featuring Extra: Cane Bay Wrap, Tatra's Fingerless Mitts, Tokyo Tower Bandana, Fractal Cowl, and Sweet Sixteen Hat. The Cane Bay Wrap calls for two skeins, but the others are just one skein projects.

 

Sally and I responded quickly to the North Atlantic shade and the Extra Slouch Hat. We are on a mission to see if we can get two hats out of one skein. I'll keep you posted!

Alpaca Dream

I think I've written before about my holiday knitting. I love making things for family and friends, but I also get a little selfish. I need to have a nice, mindless therapy project on the needles this time of year for my sanity. I want you to have one, too, so I'm offering up the Alpaca Dream.

Once you get started, it's just knitting in the round with some luxurious alpaca yarn. What better way to curb any potential holiday stress? You can pick this up and put it down without worry. Just keep knitting.

This project starts with a provisional cast on. Don't be afraid. Basically, you just cast on with some scrap yarn that will be removed later when you graft the ends together. Yes, I said graft. That's not scary, either, it just takes some time. It is also completely acceptable to cast on and off normally and just sew the ends together...you'll have a little ridge at the join. No big deal.

I made one of these for myself last year using some discontinued yarn, but Sally used Shibui Baby Alpaca to create the gorgeous sample we have in the shop. The shades are so rich and unusual...perfect for the big blocks of color.

Come on in and choose your three favorites...you deserve it.


Alpaca Dream Cowl

by Leah Bandstra

Yarn: 3 skeins Shibui Baby Alpaca (one of each shade)
Needles: US6 16" circular, a spare US 6 for grafting (a dpn works well)

Instructions:
CO 100 stitches provisionally.  

Join in the round, being careful not to twist, place marker.

 

Knit every round until you run out of the first color.

Knit every round until you run out of the second color.

Knit every round until you have about three yards of the third color remaining. Stop at the marker so you know where to start grafting together to avoid a twist.

 

Place the live stitches from the cast on onto the spare US6. I like to put 10ish stitches on the spare needle at a time for this part. Graft the ends together. Block a bit and wrap it around your neck!

Disclaimer: When I grafted mine (ahem, six months after I finished the knitting), it looked terrible. My grafting line was all wobbly, and the stitches were far from even. Try to work slowly and adjust your tension as you go, keeping the stitches as even as possible. I spritzed my join with some water after I grafted it, but you could also just wet block the whole thing. The alpaca is heavy enough that the weight of the knitted fabric will kind of pull and even out the tension over time, too. Don't be discouraged!

Lilly Brush

Save your sweaters!

Each of you needs one of these. I bought a Lilly Brush for myself last winter after trying many different sweater shavers and lint removers, and I love it! This little brush will depill a sweater more effectively than anything else I've used. Plus, you can use it to save your hand knits and machine knit sweaters. Tell your people to come in and grab one for you. It's the perfect size for your stocking.

Bumblebirch!

We have fresh Bumblebirch! Sarah is a one-woman show here in Portland, and we love being able to offer you all some local products.

We have a nice batch of Forage, the squishy worsted weight, in some fabulous colors. I used this to make a hat for myself, and I loved working with it. The colors are gorgeous, and the yarn is so soft.

Sarah also brought us a few colors of Heartland, her veryvery popular sock yarn. It's so popular that we have to wait until next week to get more colors! I'll let you know when it arrives.

Rasta and Zumie

I know we still have a few weeks until the gift-giving kicks in to full swing, but maybe you are already thinking about the big yarn and quick projects? I know these lovelies will be increasingly popular as the days tick by.

We have a shelf full of Malabrigo Rasta, one of the prettiest super chunky yarns there is. Malabrigo colors are really stunning...I am reminded why this yarn is so popular when I see the shelf full like this. One skein of this silky soft yarn will get you a significant cowl, scarf, hat...you get the idea. You'll have it done in one evening, too.

Sally has brought HiKoo Zumie into the shop this year, too. This is an acrylic/wool/nylon super chunky yarn in lots of beautiful colors. Perfect for the wool-sensitive folks on your gift list. As an added bonus, the pattern for this fun cowl is on the ball band.  Worked up on a 24" US13, this one will fly off the needles, too.

Come by and get your favorite colors while these super chunkies are so well-stocked!

Little Lo-Lo Goodies

Sally thought you all might like these fabulous, Northwest-made, eco-conscious LoLo Bar products from Bar Maids. Do you have to stuff your own stocking each year? Fill it with these.

I have gone through many of their amazing moisturizer bars, and I promise you will like them. These bars are solids discs of yummy smells, and they won't leave your skin all greasy. My hands are so dry in this crazy cold weather, and these bars make such a huge difference.

We also have their lip balm and cuticle sticks. I have not had a chance to try these yet, but I can only imagine how fabulous they will feel. In fact, my cuticles are in desperate need of some love right now...

New Yarns: Ultra Alpaca Chunky and Shibui Maai

We love seeing new yarns roll into our little shop, and I think you all are really going to like these, too. 

First up we have Berroco Ultra Alpaca Chunky. Most of you know and love the Ultra Alpaca worsted and DK weights for their great yardage, amazing softness, and excellent price. You will be please to learn that the chunky fits right in...only $11.25 for 131 yards of 50/50 alpaca and merino. Yes, please.

I am test-knitting a hat for our dear Nancy using this lovely stuff, and it's turning out great! I'll let you know when it's done and in the shop. Look at the pretty colors...

 

We are also excited to have the newest Shibui yarn, Maai, an alpaca/wool blend with that cool chained construction.

These skeins are light as air, and the colors are rich and beautiful, as expected from Shibui.

We even have a free pattern to offer you with the purchase of the yarn. Sally is working up a sample right now to highlight the Maai. The large version takes four skeins, and the smaller takes three. I can't wait to see it knit up.

Photo borrowed from Shibui

Come welcome these yarns to the shop and pick your new favorite. Stay tuned for updates on several old favorites, too.  The shop is filling up fast with so much great yarn!

Gorgeous Project Bags

Check out these great project and notion bags from Rebecca Pearcy at Queen Bee.

Unusual styles and graphics, super high quality construction, and lots of space and pockets for your goodies and projects. These make great gifts for your favorite knitter, or you can send your loved ones into the shop. We will make sure they pick out a good one for you.

I love the bucket! We have this perfect size and an even larger one for your big ol' blanket projects.

We don't have a ton in stock right now, so come check them out soon!

Vote for Sally!

Sally designed a fancy cowl with some really fun yarn, and you should go vote for it!

The Schachenmayr yarn company is holding a little Facebook contest, and we could win lots of amazing prizes and products for the shop if Sally wins. She used three different shades of Schachenmayr Boston to create her fabulous cowl: two solids, one marled, and one neon for the pop of color. The knitting is pretty easy, so this would be perfecto for a beginner. The yarn is machine washable, too, so you could hand this over to a teenager or college student and not have to worry.

Head on over the My Mountain Facebook page and cast your vote for Sally's Boston Cowl. You can vote once per day if you are feeling so moved, so get yourself over to Facebook and cast your vote!

Bling

We have some holiday sparkle happening at the shop. There is always a call for some glitter around the holidays, and Diana really fits the bill.

Lisa used one skein of the gold to create this easy-peasy I-cord necklace. 

Want to make your own? Here's the pattern. Using a US15, cast on 3 stitches and work I-cord until the yarn is gone. Bind off, weave in the ends and call it done. Lisa tied a knot in the end of hers.

Knit up some holiday sparkle with this fun stuff!

Tiverton Tweed

We have manymanymany boxes of yarn coming in to the shop this month. Lots of good staples, standbys and favorites.

But this. This is new. The Tiverton Tweed from Classic Elite is so pretty and unusual, and it's so brand new that there are only a few projects on Ravelry. Sally is working on a little cowl with a few different colors to show off this great new yarn.

I really appreciate the colorful flecks nestled in the neutral marled background. The label suggests that it's a worsted weight, knitting up at 5 stitches per inch on a 7, but it seems much thinner than that to me. Maybe closer to a DK or sport, but maybe it will bloom a bit. I'm looking forward to seeing Sally's sample.

Stay tuned for updates on all the good stuff coming in to out little shop, including more new stuff and so many old friends!

New Magazine November

How is it November already? So sorry for the unintentional blogging break. Between a weekend away, Halloween, and sick kids, the last two weeks have flown by. But there are things to tell, so let's get back to it.

I know many of you have been clamoring for the newest issue of knit.wear. It won't be coming. Interweave has changed the name to Knit.Purl and given it a bit of a new look.

I really like this first group of designs, particularly the Cocoon Shrug by our beloved Nancy Ricci. This would be great in the Plymouth Homestead we have in the shop. The design is open and flowy but warm and cozy...a perfect layer for our crazy weather.

 

Love the texture and the full collar.  Great work, Nancy!

The in-front-of-the-woodpile story includes several other gorgeous and highly-textured pieces, including the Equation Cowl and the Fisherman Redux. The cowl is begging for something soft and squishy, maybe Cascade 220 Aran Superwash or Shibui Merino Alpaca?

 

The Fisherman Redux is done up in a worsted weight silk and merino blend. I would try it in Berroco Ultra Alpaca myself, but I just love that stuff. 

You know how I feel about a good textured chevron pattern, so it's no surprise that I love the Chevron Cardigan by Michele Wang. Another thick and cozy knit that should fly off the needles.

There is a fun colorwork section that caught my attention. Love the Tilting Fair Isle set knit up in Jamieson's Spindrift. We have lots of colors available, but Rowan Fine Tweed and Harrisville Shetland would play nicely, too.

The Banded Sweater is unusual and interesting,don't you think? I would try Cascade 220 Sport for sure. We are anxiously awaiting our fall shipment.

Are there fingering weight colorwork mittens? Of course there are. The Minaret Mittens are perfect.

What else looks good? The Pintuck Cardigan is a stunner. Maybe in some Blue Sky Alpacas Sport Weight? Yes, please.

The Lupinus Cardigan looks like a great wardrobe staple, and I like the unusual split neckline of the Shifted Eyelet Yoke Sweater.

Sad to see the end of knit.wear, but thrilled that the new Knit.Purl has picked up where they left off!