Chalet

We have a fresh and cozy supply of Classic Elite Mountaintop Chalet in the shop. So many lovely neutrals that look so nice together. This chained bamboo/alpaca is light and lofty and so very soft. We have this gorgeous colorblocked wrap hanging out on the shop ladies for you to see for yourself.

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!

Marled

Have you all noticed the marled trend out in the knitwear world?  You probably have...I am never on the cutting edge.  But we can talk about it anyway.  I like the fact that it's a little bit lumberjack, a little bit sock monkey.  Unless you do it like Shibui, and then it's just pure sophistocation.

Photo borrowed from Shibui Knits

Marled yarn (or fabric) involves different colors held together during the spinning of the yarn or the knitting of the fabric.  We have quite a few nice marled yarns at the shop these days.  Sally used the marled Cascade Lana Grande to make this awesome Hat-Shaped Hat.  It makes me think sock monkey, for sure.

Nancy also used it in her Charly Infinity Scarf.

Classic Elite released Crestone this fall.  I like the all of the colorways, from the subtle to the high contrast.  It's a worsted weight, so it pairs nicely with Vista, its solid cousin, or any of the worsteds we have at the shop.

We have the hard-to-say-but-lovely-to-knit Panguipulli from Araucania, if you like a little more color in your marl.  Here it is knit up as a little ribbed beanie.

Cascade Eco Duo has also been a very popular choice at the shop.  The black and white one is my favorite, but they are all really pretty.  And silky soft.  We also have several marled colorways of the Cascade Eco Alpaca, shown below.

Another way to achieve a marled look is to knit with different colors held together, just like the gorgeous Shibui Mix. No. 8 at the top of the post.

Photo borrowed from Savory Knitting

I am very excited about the awesome Moxie from Savory Knitting.  In fact, it is next on my list of things to knit.  Swatching has begun.  Sock yarn held doubled on a US6 is squishy and soft, like a favorite sweatshirt.

I considered several color combinations but settled on a nice burnt orange Cascade Heritage Sock and some chocolatey brown sock yarn to create my own sock monkey sweater, very similar to the original.

Photo borrowed from Knittimo's Ravelry page.

I have also been dreaming about the Spring Kerchief from Portland Designer Sachiko Uemura.  She used two skeins of lace weight to create her colorblocked, marled shawl.  I would love to have one in red and white, or maybe blue and grey.  I love the light, airy feel of this piece.

Any of you inspired by the marled look?  Anything similar on your list?

Petite Honeycomb Cowl

Melissa has been working on a little something for us!  She was inspired by a few lovely yarns from Classic Elite, Wynter and Blackthorn.  Using a Classic Elite freebie written for a super bulky yarn, she scaled things back a bit to create her very own version, the Petite Honeycomb Cowl.

The stitch pattern is deceptively simple.  Only one color is used per round, and slipped stitches are used to create the honeycomb effect.  Better yet, Melissa thoughtfully designed these so that you can knit both cowls with one skein of each color.  What a great plan for those holiday gifts everyone is talking about.

We first saw Blackthorn last winter, I believe, as part of the the Mountain Top collection from Classic Elite.  It's a lovely chunky yarn with lots of nice bounce and character.  The natural color palette is so pretty, too.

This fall, we saw Wynter, the colorful counterpart to Blackthorn.  Same great yarn, but in these vibrant shades.

Melissa combined the natural snowy white Blackthorn and the pretty teal Wynter in her cozy cowl.  Just the perfect colors for a few strawberry blondes!

What color combination inspires you?  Thank you, Melissa!

Petite Honeycomb Cowl

by Melissa Tyler

Yarn: Classic Elite Wynter and/or Blackthorn, 1 skein each MC & CC (for two cowls)
Needles/Notions: US 10.5 24” Circular Needle, stitch marker

Notes: Slip all stitches purlwise with the yarn in back.  Rather than cutting yarn at each color change, carry the yarn up the inside of the cowl.

Honeycomb Pattern Stitch (multiple of 10 sts, 18 rnd repeat):

Rnds 1-5: With CC *slip 2, k8; rep from *

Rnd 6: With Mc *slip 2, k8; rep from *

Rnds 7-9: With MC purl.

Rnds 10-14: With CC *k5, slip 2, k3; rep from *

Rnd 15: With MC *k5, slip 2, k3; rep from *

Rnd 16-18: With MC purl.

Rep Rnds 1-18 for Honeycomb Pattern

Cowl: With MC, CO 70 sts.  Place marker and join to work in round, being careful not to twist sts.

Purl 3 rnds.

Work Honeycomb Pattern 2.5 times (45 rnds).

With MC, loosely BO all sts purlwise.

Finishing:  Wet block and weave in ends.  Keep one for yourself & give one to a friend!

Close Knit Weekly Sale: Classic Elite Sprout and Seedling

Hey, how about a discount on some great cotton yarns?

We are offering a 20% discount on Classic Elite Sprout and Seedling this coming week!  The sale starts Monday, July 8 and continues through close on Sunday, July 14.  The discount applies to yarn that we have in stock and in-store sales only, and please don't combine this with any other offer or coupon.  Okay, enough logistics, let's talk about the yarn!

Above is Seedling, a worsted weight cotton with an interesting texture and nice bounce, reminding me a bit of the 1824 Cotton that was discontinued a few years ago.  Below is Sprout is a heavier weight cotton a very similar texture.  This yarn is surprisingly lofty for a chunky cotton yarn.

These yarns are part of the Verde Collection from Classic Elite, a line of "environmentally conscious" yarns.  The cotton is produced organically, although I don't think the dyes are.  Classic Elite claims that the cotton is "more robust and less stressed," improving its "absorbancy and color intensity."  I can say from experience that the nubbly texture makes a big difference when knitting with these yarns, as it seems to give the yarn more bounce than most cottons.  I did not experience the achy hands that I so often do when knitting with pure cotton.

I used Sprout to make my Agnes sweater last summer, and I love it.  Very much.  It's like a comfy sweatshirt, but way classier.  The yarn has held up nicely, too, even with regular machine washing and drying!  It really hasn't pilled up at all, and a short stint in the dryer helps it pop back into shape after I've worn it day and night.

Melissa knit up Lobster Cove from the Seaside Booklet for her wool-allergic sister using the same cozy grey.

Ann created this lovely lacey leafy cowl using two skeins of Sprout.  We have the pattern available in the shop.  Love the chunky lace!

I used Sprout to design my Tiny Baby Hat way back when, and I still say it's a winner.  The pattern is a freebie, too, any you can easily get two hats out of one skein.  That reminds me, a friend of mine is having twins this weekend...I guess I need to stop by and grab a skein.

As for Seedling ideas, we have a sample of Starboard from the Harbor Booklet, and Classic Elite has several pattern books for Seedling, many of which we have in the shop.

Our very own Melissa has been developing a sweet little top using just one skein of Seedling and basic little girls' tee.

The pattern and sample will be in the shop this week, and I'll post the pattern on the blog, too.  Look at that cute ruffle.

If you have been thinking about some cotton projects for the summer, it's time to come in and take a look.  Stop by, share your ideas, and pick up some fabulous yarn at a great deal!

Firefly Tunic

Hello, Firefly Tunic.

Photo from Espace Tricot Ravelry page.

The simple lines and elegant details of this not-so-basic pullover certainly grabbed me.  How about you?  The generous designers at Espace Tricot in Montreal have offered this up as a free pattern on their blog. (There are other nice ones, too.)  They have included a simple colorblocked cowl to top it off.

Photo from Espace Tricot Ravelry page.

Available in eleven sizes, simple knitting and finishing, and surprisingly minimal yarn requirements...why wouldn't you make one?  

We have some beautiful shades of Classic Elite Firefly, and our supply is still rather robust right now.  Go download the pattern and swing by to choose your favorite.  The rain can't last forever.

Smilla's Linen Dress

Do you remember All You Knit is Love and my Balloon Pants?  Well, that book is chock full of great stuff.  We have a few samples at the shop right now, and my friend Laura was inspired by Smilla's Dress.

She is expecting her little bundle of baby any day now, so she chose a linen blend for her summer version.  Just two balls of Classic Elite Firefly made the smallest size, and she had a good bit left over.  She reports that it was a fast knit, too.  I can assure you that it is even cuter in real life, and might be unbearably adorable on an actual baby.

Sally ordered several copies of the book, so we have plenty on the shelves right now.  The new shades of Firefly are really lovely, too.

The hardest part of this project will be choosing a color, don't you think?

Majestic Tweed

Earlier this fall, we received a shipment of Majestic Tweed, a beautiful new yarn from Classic Elite Yarns.  The colors are rich and tweedy, and it's so soft.  The angora gives it a nice subtle halo, and the silk really adds and interesting touch.

We now have a trunk show at the shop featuring designs from the Majestic Tweed pattern booklet, #9185.  Let's take a look!

From the cover, the lovely (and very long) Queen's Jubilee with a pretty stranded yoke.

Marquess, a swingy cardigan, employs some intriguing construction work.

Check out the sideways back detail.  Very unusual.

Lady Jane takes an interesting twist on the classic cabled cardigan by adding very deep armholes and wide sleeves...so cozy and easy to wear.

Baroness has a nice wide boatneck and grown-on sleeves.  I didn't care for the photos of this, but I really like it in person.

We have accessories, too!  The beret, Coronet, has a sweet and surprising leaf edging incorporated into the brim.

Perhaps my favorite of all is the unusual cowl, Tower of London.  This piece combines a classic cabled section with a strip of netting.  I love the way the two parts play together.  With four skeins of Majestic Tweed, this might be on the holiday gift knitting list for some special people. 

Jenni and I agreed that this yarn is so much more appealing knit up in these pretty samples than it has been on the shelf.  The subtle tweediness really shines through, and the soft hand and slight halo are really hard to resist.  We will have these for another week or so.  Drop off your ballot and come take a look!

Classic Elite Blackthorn

Our Blackthorn trunk show is on the ladies!  We're featuring the designs from the Blackthorn pattern book, #9182 for the next week.  If that chill in the air is getting to you, the soft and chunky Blackthorn might be just the thing for a quick knit to warm you up.  Take a look.

Blackthorn is a chunky wool/alpaca blend in the natural, undyed shades of the Classic Elite Mountain Top collection.  Knitting up at 3 to 3.5 stitches/inch on a US10.5 or 11, this one will make for some quick knits.

Jenni and I agreed that Spyder Lake, a cozy cabled sweater dress, is calling out for some skinny jeans and boots as the weather cools down.  The smallest size requires only seven skeins, so I think this one would knit up pretty quickly.

Birchfield features some really nice finishing, including a double-layered collar and folded under front edges for a clean look.  The thick collar stands up and holds its shape really nicely.  Love the asymmetrical opening and the chance to use some pretty buttons on this one, too.  Again, only seven skeins for the smallest size.

Photo from Classic Elite Yarns site

Widgeon Hill is knit lengthwise with just four skeins.  I thought this was a cowl at first, given the direction of the detailed edge, but I love the scarf length.  You could easily join it in the round for a nice long wrap-around infinity scarf.

Photo from Classic Elite Yarns site

A few of our knitters have already found these easy-peasy chunky mittens.  I know of at least one pair that will soon be off to warm up a loved one in chilly Minnesota.

These samples are here for you!  Don't be shy about stripping the mannequins and trying on the fabulous pieces.  We will have these until the middle of next week, so we'll see you soon.