Sale Tower!

We have lots of new stuff on the way for fall, and I can't wait to tell you all about it. First, we need clear some shelves. Come take advantage of our sale tower while the goods are good! 

Debbie Bliss BFL DK and Aran, Rowan Kid Classic, Rowan Cocoon, and lot of other amazing stuff, 40% off for you!

The Sale Tower

The sale tower is currently full of this gorgeous stuff. The Debbie Bliss Blue Faced Leicester Aran has been discontinued, but what we have in the shop is ready to be yours at 40% off. Cables, colorwork, good ol' garter stitch...this yarn can do it all. It's still knitting weather, friends. Be prepared.

Eye Candy Monday

Pretty tonal Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino.

The book is great, too! So many cute kiddo sweaters.

Rialto Luxury Sock

Rialto Luxury Sock knits up with an almost-handspun look. Perfect for those of us who are not spinning our own fingering weight sock yarn. This lovely stuff makes beautiful and unusual shawls, scarves, socks, baby sweaters. 

If I were you, I'd cast on for a cute little Baby Surprise Jacket, or maybe a Flax Light. One ball of this pretty stuff would make one sweet baby sweater. This yarn would also be really cool paired with a complementary solid, as this knitter did with her Dovetail Shawl. She liked it so much, she made another!

Debbie Bliss Lara

Say hello to Debbie Bliss Lara! Which we have in lots of pretty neutrals, sticking with our unofficial fall theme.

Lara is an almost-boucle, superchunky alpaca/wool blend. The solids are subtle and heathered, and the variegated shades produce a mottled, almost tweedy fabric. 

You can see it paired with a solid black in the Long Line Waistcoat shown up top. Many designs in the Lara pattern book are really lovely, in fact. I liked the Tank Top, knit with only four balls.

The Sleeveless Top is cool, too. Dramatic and cozy.

I can imagine quite a few teenagers loving the Hooded Scarf (with mitts/pockets).

If none of these patterns are your thing, how about the fastest and easiest scarf ever? Sally dedicated two balls of Lara and one whole evening to this lovely scarf.

If you have a friend who is begging to learn how to knit or a young person who needs a little knitting kit for the holidays, this would be a great introduction. The yarn is gorgeous and soft. (Never start with yucky yarn...it takes the joy out of it.) Aside from the cast on and bind off, it's all knitting. The thick yarn makes for nearly-instant gratification, too. A winner all around. Here's the free pattern for you.

Come down and check out this great new yarn while we still have a nice range of natural shades available!

BT Fall 15

Have you all seen the latest from Brooklyn Tweed? The Fall 2015 collection is really something. Can I show you my favorites?

Sauvie is such a simple shape but so flattering. The seed stitch and the shoulder welts add interest to the knitting, but it's pretty simple overall. Knit up in a light fingering weight tweed, it's definitely on my list.

Trailhead is serious business. Look at all those details...cables, big collar, awesome pockets. It's knit with a fingering weight held doubled, which results in a worsted weight.

 

Willamette is quite the scarf. The unique cable pattern is double-sided, and the pattern is written for both worsted and fingering weights for two different looks. So cool.

I love the classic look and clean colorwork of Ashland. Those delicate little patterns are so minimalist and beautiful, and the neckline and the relaxed shape are perfectly flattering.

All of these lovely pieces are designed with Brookly Tweed yarns. While we do not carry these yarns, we have some great suggestions for substitutes. The worsted weight pieces will work up beautifully in Harrisville Watershed or Highland. We have a really deep and thorough stock of both of these right now. The fingering weight pieces will work up nicely with Debbie Bliss Fine Donegal. We recently received several new colors of this yarn, so we have plenty of nice choices for you all. 

If you love these pieces, we would be more than happy to help you select the perfect yarn for your project. Stop in and see us soon! 

All photos borrowed from Brooklyn Tweed.

Guess Who's Coming to Close Knit

So, Debbie Bliss is coming.  To our shop.  To chat with you about her fall pattern books, new yarn, and her design process.

Debbie is throwing out the opening pitch at the Stitch n' Pitch in Seattle on July 24, and she is making the rounds of the Pacific Northwest while she is in the neighborhood.  She has not been to the area in four years, and we are the only Portland shop that will be hosting a night with this iconic knitwear guru.

On July 21 from 6-8, we will have a chance to see her newest (not yet published) designs and try on samples from the fall books. There will be a book signing and a chance to pre-order all kinds of good stuff from her line.  Since we have such a cozy shop, the seating is limited.  We are asking that you pay a $5 class fee and sign up ahead of time by calling the shop or stopping by.

Sally is offering a 15% discount on all Debbie Bliss yarns and pattern books to all who attend the class.  Just keep your receipt from the class fee, and you can use that discount until August 21 on all Debbie Bliss goodies.  We will have a nice plump stock of our DB favorites like Baby Cashmerino, Paloma, and Cashmerino Aran.  Debbie will be bringing some of the new fall yarns with her, too.  We won't be seeing these in the shop until September or so, but we are really looking forward to checking them out in person.  Sally is particularly excited about the Fine Donegal, a tweedy sport weight with a touch of cashmere.

Debbie Bliss was instrumental in bringing knitting back, and her books, magazines, and yarns have impacted the wide world of fiber arts in countless ways.  Don't miss your chance to meet her!

Baby Cashmerino 5

We see these Baby Cashmerino books every year or so, maybe.  I am not normally moved by any of them, but Baby Cashmerino 5 was particularly adorable.  Mostly it was the Gingham Bear on the cover that caught my eye.  And, yes, there is a pattern for that in the book.  The baby is wearing the Simple Crossover Top, which would be such a nice basic.

This Garter Stitch A Line Jacket looks so wearable over the inevitable layers of the Oregon winter.  And who doesn't like garter stitch on kiddos?  There's a sweet little contrast edging at the neck, cuffs, and sleeves.  A nice chance to play with some easy colorful touches.

The Artist's Smock has an unusual neckline and some soon-to-be-filled up pockets.

I like the simplicity of the Single Stripe Sweater.  And that Gingham Bear again.

Looks like an interesting construction on the Trellis Stitch Jacket.  The cropped style is so sweet, and the cables look like they would be fun to knit.

The Square Neck Top is the one that really got me.  Debbie Bliss has published similar designs in a few previous magazines, but something about the color-blocking and the swingy shape of this one really appealed to me.  And that face.

The Gingham Jacket is a classic, and would be great for a little girl or boy.  Imagine all the fun color combos.

Debbie Bliss always seems to include a nice basic raglan, like the Two Color Raglan Sweater.  Adorable.

There is a Rosebud Bear, obviously, and a Rosebud Crossover Top.

The shelves are fully stocked with Baby Cashmerino, and I've found the Cascade 220 Superwash Sport to be a pretty nice substitute, as well.  It's a little thicker, so the sweaters will come out a bit bigger.  Good thing babies grow so fast!

Crisp

Are you all feeling that little change in the air?  I know it's still getting nice and warm most days, but fall is just waiting to explode, and we are getting ready ay Close Knit. Fall yarn orders are arriving almost daily, the knitting books and magazines are looking good, and we are returning to our extended hours this week.

I was particularly excited to see Debbie Bliss Blue Faced Leicester DK arrive last week.  Look at the cute little sheep silhouette on the label!  We have been carrying the Aran weight of this yarn in an amazing range of colors since last fall, and it is such a classically beautiful wooly wool.  The DK is equally timeless, but in a slightly lighter weight and a more heathered color palette.

Take a look at the pretty yarn close up.  This would be amazing for some subtle colorwork, don't you think?  I haven't decided what I need to make with this yet.  Any suggestions?

This shipment also included more Baby Cashmerino than you can imagine.  I spent a good two hours getting it on the shelves last week.  If you have a baby project in the works, you should be able to find everything you need.

The Fall 2013 Interweave Knits is pretty durn nice, and the Interweave Holiday Gifts 2013 has several real gems in it, too.  More on those this week.

Since the knitting season is gearing back up again, we are returning to our regular hours this week, although we will be closed on Monday, September 2nd for Labor Day.  Starting Tuesday, September 3rd, we would love to see you 10-6 Monday through Friday, 10-5 on Saturday, and 11-4 on Sunday.  Open Knit Night will continue on Wednesday nights from 6-9 PM.  Fall is coming...it's time to knit!

Harry Potter and Debbie Bliss

A few new magazines arrived in the shop.

The Unofficial Harry Potter Knits from Interweave is full of designs inspired by the books.  It's a little nerdy, but we like nerdy.  Let's take a look...

The classic House Scarf has been updated with some cool striping.

There is a very large, very cabled sweater for Hagrid.

I really like the Heliopath Vest, mostly because Luna Lovegood is a great character.  (Oops, my nerd is showing.)

Tracery is pretty incredible, too.

My favorites by far are the Mudblood Cardigan and the Lestrange Cloak, both classic pieces even without the HP influence.

If you have a Harry Potter fan in the house, maybe it's time to start gift knitting?  No pressure.

On the completely opposite side of the spectrum, the new Debbie Bliss Magazine is here, too.  It's so fresh that I can't even find any online information yet.

There is a section of really soft and sweet designs with beaded embellishments.  Some of these look right up your alley, Melissa...

There is a whole Chanel-inspired section, but the cover sweater is by far the best one of that lot.

There are a few cute kids things that would be fun for back-to-school.  Legwarmers and armwarmers are always a hit, especially in bright colors.

There is a wacky holiday section with things like these...

Then there is the section that took my breath away...

 

 

I love each and every one of these so very much, but the black cardigan will be mine...and then the red boxy pullover...I love it when the new magazines inspire new knitting!