Sock Yarn, Sparkles, and Love

I've been holding out on you guys.  I have a crush on a new yarn at the shop, and I can't really bear to see it all go quite yet.

Lana Grossa Lace Lux has got me (more information here).  I know at least a few of you have found it, too.  I've worked with a slightly heavier version of this yarn in the past, and I love how it turned out.  I ended up gifting my Age of Brass and Steam Shawl, and my friend tells me she gets compliments on it all the time.

I am pretty sure a lace weight version would be even more amazing.  I have also been thinking pretty hard about just making a whole sweater out of it, but I'm still on the fence.  One Raveler used three balls to create a really fabulous Citron Shawl (a freebie from Knitty), and I think the Stripe Study Shawl would be so cool and edgy in this...if a garter stitch shawl can look edgy.  What do you think?

I'm normally a rustic sheepy wool kind of gal, but I just can't stop thinking about the Lace Lux.  I suggest using a pattern with a little texture (cables, garter ridges, and the like) because the Lace Lux fuzz fills in and creates a nice shadow and depth in the finished product.  Each ball is more than 300 yards, and we have five colors right now: the beautiful ruby red and gold above and a gorgeous purple, teal, and icy blue. 

 

We have new sparkles, too.  Lana Grossa Alta Moda Sera (more info here) is a chunky chain yarn with some nice sparkle...kind of a heavier version of Berocco Flicker.  One ball should be enough for a little beanie, and two would get you a nice scarf.

The sock wall has seen some love, too.  Cascade Heritage is one of the best sock yarns for your money, and we have a great selection of the solids and paints.

Kollage's brand new Sock-a-licious has also made itself at home on the sock wall.  With 10% silk, it seems like a really nice sock yarn.  I like the colors a lot, too.  Tonal rather than variegated craziness.  I can see wearing the heck out of some pretty gray socks.

Last but not least, our much-loved Cascade 220 Superwash Paints are back.  I love these colors for kid sweaters, hat, and mittens, and I know many of you are already using it for baby blankets.  This stuff goes fast, so beware.

Okay, so I've come clean about my latest obsession.  Please save some yarn for me.

Knit a Hat

If you are still hoping to knit up a few handmade lovelies for holiday giving, may I suggest a hat? Just a few skeins of yarn and a few movie nights, car rides, or plane trips, and you have a finished gift! We have many great samples at the shop to help you make a choice. Here are some good ones.

Canape in Classic Elite Kumara:
Trellis in Classic Elite Ariosa:
Close Knit Waffle Hat in Misti Tonos Chunky:
Thistle in Classic Elite Lush:
Windschief in Amy Butler Belle Organic Aran:
Watch Cap in Karabella Superyak:
Earflap Hat in Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande:
We have all of these yarns and patterns available at Close Knit. We are open on Mondays for the next few weeks, and we're open until 10PM every Wednesday. Come on in and get knitting!

Umschlagplatz

I love to check out new designers on Ravelry, and I recently stumbled upon a great design label from Austria called Umschlagplatz created by these two lovely and very friendly ladies, Kat and Vera. (If you don't read German, here's the link to their Ravelry page.)

In 2007, they formed a knitting group in Vienna as a way to socialize and perhaps drink a few beers while knitting. Their group grew quickly, and they were soon asked to sell their original knitted hats at an art fair during the holidays. They met with great success at the market, and they branched out to sell their knitted items in their Etsy shop as well. Lucky for us knitters, they have made their patterns available online as well, several for free.

Kat and Vera are both working while they finish their graduate studies, and knitting helps them to relax and think about their studies while taking a break. Their designs are inspired by everything from their beautiful city to small details on plants, clothing, and flowers. I recently knit one of the newest designs from Umschlagplatz, Anna Karenina. I love the architectural little towers and the nice slouch.

I used Lana Grossa Cool Wool 2000 for my hat. It's a great machine washable merino. We have a nice range of colors from bright and variegated to some dark and subtle solids. It is soft and smooth, and would be perfect for kids and those sensitive folks. This is one of those yarns in the shop that just doesn't get the attention it deserves. Several of their hats would be great in Cool Wool, as well as Rowan Pure Wool DK, the new Cascade 220 Superwash Sport, and Rowan Wool Cotton.

I'm working on Bloom (a free pattern) in Misti Tonos Chunky. Kat and Vera's version is below, and mine will be in the shop soon.

In German, Umschlag literally means yarnover, but the definition has evolved to mean a sudden change as well. Their design label, Umschlaplatz, can be interpreted to mean the place where sudden changes or movements meet, and that seems very appropriate for a knitting label.

Thanks to Kat and Vera for all photos except my Anna Karenina hat.

Lovely Linen

With summer fast approaching, many of us are thinking about working with some of the lovely linen yarns that we carry at the shop. I love the rustic feel of linen yarns and we have some great pure linen, as well as some interesting blends.

Louet Euroflax Sport Weight feels a little rough on the skein, but the final results are perfect for floaty warm weather garments. This yarn should be machine washed and dried to bring out its true softness and drape. We have a few nice swatches at the shop to give you a feel for how it knits up.

We also have Louet's KidLin Lace Weight, a linen/mohair blend. The colors are vibrant and rich and we have this fabulous sample sweater on the way.

Classic Elite Firefly is a sport weight linen/viscose blend. I’m working on a simple bias stockinette scarf in this yarn and it has been a real pleasure to knit. I pressed out what I have knit so far with a steam iron and I love the result. I'll post a free pattern as soon as the scarf is finished.

Merletto from Louisa Harding has been getting a lot of attention lately. It is a DK weight linen/rayon blend with a sparkle streak running through the yarn. This would make a great top, shawl or summer scarf. We have some nice, muted earth tones available now.

Lana Grossa Linarte is a DK cotton/rayon/linen blend with great stitch definition and a lovely sheen. We have bright and subtle colors, but this red just asked to be photographed. We have a sample sweater in Linarte to give you a feel for how nicely it knits up.

If you prefer working with animal fiber blends, Classic Elite Soft Linen is a wool/alpaca/linen. There is a lot of pattern support for this yarn in the Classic Elite booklets and on their website. I love this shawl. We have a great range of colors in this yarn, too, including these pretty purples.

Finally, we just restocked our Plymouth Hillside Linen. Many of you have seen this wrapped around Sally’s shoulders over the last few months. I have some squirreled away for a sweater, and I can’t wait to get started on it.

Whether you’re looking to knit a linen top or wrap for summer or just want to try out some interesting new blends for your sweaters, scarves, and hats, we have a linen yarn for you. Come on by the shop and choose your favorite!

Thanks to Jenni for the yarn styling