Woolstok Has Arrived

This yarn is going to be a popular one. The colors are so stunning, and the yarn is rustic and lovely. I think you all are going to like it.

We have large 150g hanks in some of the neutrals, with 370 yards each. I did a little math, and four of these beauties will make a whole adult lady-sized sweater. Only four.

We have a wide range of colors in smaller skeins as well, with 123 yards each. The colors are so very Blue Sky, and they look really nice together. I am dreaming of a fair isle sweater with a few of these groups.

Stop on by to appreciate this new yarn in person, and tell me what you'll make with Woolstok.

Eye Candy

I finally snapped a few pics of Natalie in her lovely Featherweight Cardigan. She used the toothy, crunchy Sincere Sheep Equity Fingering, a pure Rambouillet yarn, raised in Wyoming. 

This is one of her favorite summer pieces, and she raves about the yarn. The sweater is a great layer and would work up nicely in any fingering weight in the shop. We have plenty of great choices in many fiber options!

Summertime Knitting

As summer arrives, I've asked a few of our Close Knit gals to tell us about their favorite summer garments to help inspire you.

 

Melissa has this to say about her favorite piece: "I've knit lots of summery items: tanks, camisoles, etc. They all get worn a fair bit and are special and lovely, but my very favorite is the Peasy Cardi I made last summer with Classic Elite Firefly. The pattern is pretty simple, with just a little bit of lace to keep things interesting. Firefly is absolutely dreamy to wear - it's light & silky, but still provides a bit of warmth when things get chilly. I liked my sweater so much that I made a matching one for my daughter!"

Photo borrowed from Sincere Sheep

Natalie made a light weight cardigan, too: "My favorite summer thing is my Featherweight Cardigan knit in Sincere Sheep Equity Fingering, a 100% US grown and milled Rambouillet yarn. I wear it even more than I ever anticipated I would. I reach for it as a light layer to throw in my bag when I'm headed out. I throw it on in the mornings and evenings when it's a bit cool. The pattern makes for a perfect knit for summer adventures/road trips - so much relaxing stockinette!"

Chanin made this STUNNING Perkins Cove Pullover, and shared this with us: "It has been great finishing it just in time for Portland's sometimes hot and sometimes cool spring and summer. I ended up using the size 4 needle throughout the project as I liked the look of the gauge. It is an awesomely simple, top down, fun to knit around the kid, multi seasonal knit. The Shibui Linen I used has proved to be tough as nails and completely enjoyable, although any fingering weight would do. I wear it every few days over tank tops, over long sleeved shirts, and I'm loving the way it compliments my tattoo and simple style of not much accessory."

One of my most beloved is my Agnes Pullover in Classic Elite Sprout. I made a few changes to mine, mostly to the pockets. I used fabric instead of bulky yarn to avoid the extra belly pooch. This has become my favorite sweatshirt...I have slept in it, hiked, camped. The yarn is awesome, too. I throw it in the washer and dryer, and it's still going strong several summers later. I would knit this again in a heartbeat.

I hope our favorite summer knits inspire you to cast on and keep knitting as the weather warms up!

Eye Candy

It seems possible that summer is right around the corner. Tonight is the summer solstice with a big ol' full moon, and the extended weather forecast looks pretty lovely. Hold tight for summer knitting inspiration coming your way this week, courtesy of the Close Knit gals.

Woolstok

We chatted a bit about the Blue Sky Fibers Woolstok last week. Apparently, it is already on its way to us! Good thing Sally finished her Spicer Hat.

We also have the lookbook for the fall line-up, which includes all of the designs for Woolstok. Let's have a peek.

The Endless Wrap, Trimont Snood, and Silver Bay Scarf look warm and cozy. Love that contrast fringe. What a great idea, especially in those colors.

The Tonka Bay Touque is pretty cute with its funky tassels.

I'm not usually a dog sweater kind of knitter, but this dog and the Bird Island Dog Sweater seem like the perfect match.

Last, but not least, the Cromwell Pullover. This is pretty much my favorite kind of knit. Relaxed, classic, basic, and beautiful.

We are eagerly awaiting the kits for the 21 Color Slouch, which are still being pulled together. Each kit will contain just the right amount of each beautiful shade of Woolstok to make this cute striped slouchy hat. I'll let you know when it's in.

I can't wait to see what you all make with this lovely new yarn!

Support Love Today and All Days

Image borrowed from Pintrest. Thanks for sharing it.

Bio Bimbo

Bio Bimbo! It's the variegated cousin to Bio 5, a lovely fingering weight cotton that is as soft as bunnies sleeping on clouds. I used it for my little stripey baby sweater last summer. 

This pattern would be adorable with a Bio 5 and a Bimbo worked together. A Bimbo main color with a coordinating solid stripe? Or a subtle main color with fun stripes of Bimbo? So many options. I might need to make another one of these little samples.

Blue Sky News

Blue Sky Alpacas is making a change. They are joining forces with Spud & Chloe and changing their name to Blue Sky Fibers! They have a little blurb on their blog about the change. They are still offering all of their lovely stuff, though, with a new yarn on the way.

Woolstok Worsted is their newest offering, a pure wool with plenty of options. The label tells me it knits up at about 5 to 6 stitches per inch, and Ravelry is calling it a DK at this point. The yarn has a nice halo, though, so it seems like it would look nice worked up more loosely as well. It remains to be seen what all can be done with this pretty new yarn. 

To my eye, it is a little more rustic than Cascade 220 or Ultra Alpaca. The plies are a bit looser, and the finished knit looks a bit more crunchy and handmade. In a good way. It reminds me a bit of Quince and Co. Owl, actually, a worsted wool/alpaca blend. Woolstok is pure wool, but it has a similar look.

Sally is making a sweet and simple hat (surprised?) with our unofficial shop yellow. So far, so good. I'll let you know when the yarn and the hat sample hit the shelves!

Eye Candy

Bulky cotton edition. 
Come and see the pretties.

Heat

Oh, excessive heat warning. I am not interested in you.

I don't know about you all, but my winterized Oregon self is not prepared for this yet. I will pretend that it is still cozy and wintery and very much not melting weather. It's too hot to garden today, too hot to be out for very long. But the yarn shop is air conditioned and they have very nice yarn and patterns and books and magazines. If you can escape, grab a cool drink some knitting, and come sit at the shop. Or just pop in and jump start your creative brain with some lovely new things. Here are a few sneak peaks of some nice cottons...

Go home excessive heat warning. Save it for August.

Knitscene Handmade

Knitscene Handmade focuses on the handmade life, including articles on yarn shops, knitwear designers, and yarn dyers. Apparently this is a special issue of Knitscene, but it still includes lots of great patterns. Let's take a look at few!

What do you think of this special issue? See anything you like?