close knit: the neighborhood yarn shop


Wednesday, February 26, 2020

Lang Carina

Oh, lovely Carina. This alpaca blend is so soft and fluffy, and the colors are amazing! 
We have this funny sample rectangle in the shop to show off some of the colors of the yarn. It's another slow fade kind of yarn, and the project gallery on Ravelry really demonstrates what it can do.
Pic borrowed from Rav project page.
Look at this lovely Adama Cowl using two balls of the pink/grey/brown, and this rich purple Buckshot pullover is so vibrant in the purple.
Pic borrowed from Rav project page.
If you love rich colors and fluffy alpaca, you might want to come by and check out this new yarn!

Monday, February 24, 2020

Eye Candy

Gorgeous Isager Tweed for your Monday morning.

Friday, February 21, 2020

Cumulus Rainbow

This pretty stuff jumped right out at me when I walked into the shop. It's a new version of Juniper Moon Farm Cumulus, now with a long color-repeat rainbow effect.

This yarn is so light and fluffy, and it feels so much better in person than you might expect from a cotton/nylon blend. Melissa reports that it feels like knitting with air, and I think it feels like a cloudy marshmallow. 
An art teacher friend of mine is having a summer baby this year, so I'm thinking a rainbow tunic/dress using one of the brighter colorways. I can't wait to see how it knits up!

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Isager Books

The table is covered in Isager books right now, including the Amimono books The Bird Collection and The Map Collection.

We also have the newer book, Stitches. Let's have a little look.












We have lots of Isager yarn on the shelves for these pieces. If you like Isager and Amimono designs, get yourself in to peruse these gorgeous books and get started on your new project!

Monday, February 17, 2020

Eye Candy


I love it when sweet treasures show up in the shop. These lovely, loosely-woven handkerchiefs are so unusual. The ones above are the perfect size for wrapping up your hair or a gift. These brightly colored double-sided ones are smaller, but so adorable.

These locally-made project bags are also pretty fabulous. They are double thickness with a nice substantial draw string, so they are going to last. We are expecting more soon for the Rose City Yarn Crawl. Stop in and see the pretty things!

Friday, February 14, 2020

Tokyo Shawl Kits

We have samples and kits for the gorgeous Isager Tokyo Shawl, and oh my goodness are they fabulous. The graphic diagonal stripes of this design really show off the beautiful Isager yarns.
The samples and kits use Spinni Tweed and Alpaca 1. I love that our samples are different shades to really show off the cool options. That dark grey one is wowza. The kits are $150, which seems so reasonable for so much of this stunning yarn. The longer I look at these samples, the more I struggle to resist these!

Wednesday, February 12, 2020

Puyu Cowl

We are trying a new yarn from a new company. This is Puyu, a silk and alpaca blend from Amano Yarns.
The structure of the yarn makes it lightweight even though it's bulky. It is fluffy and lofty and so very soft. Sally made the January Squish Cowl using just one skein, and it is like the perfect cozy turtleneck...just the thing to tuck under your jacket.
I love the poofy stitch definition of those columns. If you love the look of this, stop in the shop and try it on!

Monday, February 10, 2020

Eye Candy

Loving this pretty pile of marled Cascade 220. The 220 Wave is a superwash worsted yarn that would be great for blankets, sweaters, gloves, and hats. The shades slowly fade over the course of the skein, so it will knit up into something beautiful!

Wednesday, February 5, 2020

Wool Clasica


Oh Wool Clasica, you are so beautiful. We have a skein of each color here in this basket and sososo much more in the shop.





This yarn comes from a cooperative of artists in Uruguay that has been empowering women by providing them with a source of income since 1968. You can read more about the story and the yarn here. I love supporting this company, and I love their yarns.
Pic borrowed from Rav pattern page.




This blanket, in particular, has always stayed with me. Completed in 2011, it is still the reigning champion of favorites for this yarn on Ravelry. It seems there is no pattern, but it's just strips sewn together. So good.  
Wool Clasica is great for blankets, scarves, hats, sweaters, felting, colorwork...all of the things, really. Its rustic texture and rich colors really add interest to the yarn, and the knitted fabric is thick and squishy. We have so much in the shop right now! Come on in and see this beautiful yarn for yourself.

Monday, February 3, 2020

Eye Candy

Look at this beautiful blanket, worked up in Noro Tennen. I love the unusual texture and the lovely colors. It's called Shadow Angles, and the pattern is in this great book. So many classic designs using textures, stripes, miters, intarsia, short rows...if you like to knit blankets, this book is a winner.