Wool Sweaters Done Just in Time for Summer

Well, I am really good at finishing up wool sweaters as the weather warms up.

I have been working on my Flaum for more than three years, and I am thrilled be wearing it a few times before the weather turns warm. This one is from Amirisu and knit up in Cascade 220 with a bit of mystery dark grey for the last inch of ribbing and tubular cast off. I learned some new tricks with this one, friends.

I had never tried Fisherman's rib, and I love it! It is a little like brioche but easier to repair when I made mistakes. I did, however, snag it the first day I wore it, so look out for sharp edges with this stitch. Good thing I know how to fix that sort of thing.

I also learned how to do a tubular bind off without having to separate all the knit and purl stitches onto separate needles. This new method still takes a long time, but the finished results are well worth the time.

I started my Felix in March, so I don't feel quite so silly finishing it up in the summer. Again with the tubular cast on and bind off on this one. It is so light and lofty. The designers compares it to the weight and warmth of a down jacket, and she is spot on.

I'm finishing up the first sleeve tonight and about to embark on the second. On a US10, this lovely Lopi knits up in no time at all.

I will wash these two and then pop them in the freezer for a few days to make sure I won't have any moth holes in the fall when I unpack these new friends. Maybe then I will cast on something for summer that should be finished right around October.

Sun

We are in the in-between season here in Portland. One day it's sunny and warm, then we have three days of rain and clouds. I'm not complaining...it's great to have spring last a little longer before it gets so hot. But sometimes I crave the bright colors, and this pretty Degradé Sun from Katia is certainly doing the trick!

This is a 100% DK weight cotton with a really pretty long-fade color change. We have this cute little raglan baby sweater in the shop to show off the nice colors effects.

Some folks on Ravelry commented on how it looks a little "dirty," but I think it looks painterly and rich. It reminds me of the Liberty Wool from Classic Elite that we used to carry. The extra grunge gives it a cool effect, I think, and makes it well-suited for all kinds of fun projects.

Look at this cute little top from Katia.

Pic borrowed from Rav pattern page.

I love this ombre ripple washcloth.

Pic borrowed from Rav project page.

Check out this cool use of colorblocking.

Pic borrowed from Rav project page.

Oooo, this pretty cotton Tecumseh is the perfect thing for summer, and the Sun adds even more interest to the colorwork.

Pic borrowed from Rav project page.

This fun Katia Sun might be the thing to get you through until the real sun sticks around! It will happen sooner than we all think.

Lang Bloom

Hello sunshine! Lang Bloom is a cotton/viscose/linen blend with some fun shimmery bits incorporated. It also does a lovely ombre thing over the course of the cake, which can give even the simplest projects some extra oomph.

I found this cool asymmetrical scarf published for free by the folks at Stitch Central yarn shop in PA.

Pic borrowed from Rav pattern page.

The Lafayette Scarf uses every inch of the yarn and really shows off the cool color changes. I would love to see what you all make with this unusual summer yarn!

Year of Hats

Welcome to the Year of Hats brought to you by Kelbourne Woolens and their Germantown yarn. Yes, it's already May, but we are really excited about these hats and this beautiful yarn!

Each month, Kelbourne Woolens is releasing a new free hat pattern as part of a kit that will teach you some new skills. The sweet kits include a skein of Germantown, a cute little leather tag, and two bits of contrasty colored yarn for sewing on the tag.

We have samples of ths February hat, the March hat, and the April hat in the shop for you to check out.

Germantown, aside from having an adorable label, is a sturdy North American worsted weight wool in some rich and classic colors. If you love knitting hats and trying new things, this hat project should make you very happy! I'll keep you posted about when we have the new shades for the May hat.

Eye Candy

I don't have as much time as I would like to make things right now, but I am still collecting publications like these for inspiration and serenity. When my brain needs a five minute break, I find I am so much happier flipping the pages of these lovely publications than I am staring at my phone. 

I am gathering my materials to make Apricite from the cover of Laine Magazine Issue 7. The orange Rowan Felted Tweed is from a frogged project (we have this in stock at the shop though), and this stormy blue Lang Lace is what Melissa and I decided would be the perfect thing to hold along with it. I can't wait to get started after I graduate next month!

Summer Interweave

There are some pretty sweaters and wraps in the newest Interweave Knits! Plus, lobster socks, of course.

Cashmere!

Brrr! We are back to chilly weather here in Portland! How about a cozy cashmere cowl? This Lang Cashmere Light is warm and knits up into a dense and buttery-soft fabric, and I love the pretty earthy-tones.

Here's the easy-peasy free pattern for the cowl. Enjoy!

Eye Candy

Rope baskets and canvas tote bags from Handmade By Whoo!

Making No. 7: Desert

Making No. 7 is calm and beautiful with it's cool desert palette. You can check out all of the knitting patterns in this issue here on Ravelry, but there is so much more.

If you are one of the many many makers who covets these, we got you.

Illimani Sabri

I hesitate to even mention this yarn.

We received a good size shipment last week, and apparently we sold almost 90% of our stock of Illimani Sabri over the weekend. We had five or six shades of this cotton/alpaca blend and now we are down to these three shades.

Maybe it's the charming little one-skein kerchief sample that has enchanted our knitters. We have this free pattern available for you in the shop with the purchase of the yarn. Perhaps you have all fallen in love with the unusual hand of the knitted fabric. It's smooth and textured at the same time. I'm not really sure how to describe it, but you had better pop in today if you want to take some home with you!

Eye Candy

The newest Noro is lovely! This is Noro Akari, a worsted weight blend of silk, cotton, wool, and mohair. We have these lovely muted shades in the shop, perfect for so many projects: a lovely wrap for chilly evenings, a drapey cardigan, or a cozy pullover. I love that seaglassy one at the top..and the shades of grey...and the sandy brown.

Jawoll Twin

Have you ever tried knitting with self-patterning sock yarn and struggled to match your patterns? I end up wasting yarn to get to the same starting point and sometimes it's not clear where the pattern even starts. Well this pretty new Jawoll Twin will give you perfectly matched socks every time!

The skeins all start at the same place, so your socks will be twins every time. Some colorways make a pretty ombre and this one knits up into a sweet rainbow. You can see all of the colorways knit up in this pdf from Jawoll.

Summer is a great time for sock knitting. Come check out this pretty yarn and maybe knit yourself a rainbow!