KidLin

Louet also produces KidLin, a pretty linen and mohair blend.  While this yarn is 49% linen, the mohair definitely dominates the texture and the look of the knitted fabric.  KidLin lace weight, which we have in stock, knits up into a light fabric with the signature mohair halo.

Image from Louet

I know several of our knitters were quite taken with the sample of Cia that we had in the shop for a bit, and the lacey Monica stole was also quite popular.  We have a pattern for Myra at the shop, as well.

Image from Louet

Personally, I would stick to some simpler textures with this yarn.  A few clever Ravelers used KidLin to create some stunning versions of Amiga from last summer's Knitty (a free online pattern magazine).  The Ravelers who tried this used US7 needles and just three skeins of KidLin.

Photo from KnitSwiss, used with permission

I love the En Pointe Pullover from last spring's Interweave Knits, too.  The construction of this sweater is really unusual; the front is knit sideways, twisted, and attached to the back.  I'm pretty sure the sleeves are then picked up and knit down to the cuff, so the seaming is pretty minimal.

Image source

I think this sweater would be really flattering on a lot of body types, and it would be a great low-key knitting project, since it is all stockinette.

You could just keep it simple and knit a garter stitch scarf or a big ol' infinity scarf.  What will you make?

Nice Sweaters

My friend Ashley has been knitting for a few years, and she has produced some really amazing summer tops.

The Radian Yoke by Wendy Bernard didn't really grab me when I saw it in Knitscene, but Ashley's version looks so nice on her.

Knit with Classic Elite Firefly, her top is nice enough to wear to work, but easy enough to throw on with jeans or shorts.

The smallest sizes only require 5 balls of yarn, and I would suggest going down a size for at least an inch of negative ease. That means that the finished top will actually be an inch or so smaller than your bust measurement. I think the top in the magazine shots was too big for the model, but Ashley's fits so nicely. This yarn blocks out really well, so you can expect to gain a little bit of width with blocking.

Next up is Turmeric from Veera Välimäki of Rain Knitwear Designs. Ashley used Malabrigo sock yarn for this one, but the pattern would work with most sock yarns.

Veera designs pieces with such interesting details. This seemingly simple top features a graceful neckline, a flattering off-center pleat, and big pretty button.

Ashley is working on another sweet top from Knitscene, the Sackets Harbor Pullover in Louet Mooi. She is going to have a very nice collection of summer handknits.

Just because we can't wear those woolly winter sweaters right now, there is no reason to put the knitting away!

Scarf or Necklace?

I have been noticing quite a few of these scarf/necklace items in the knitting and retail world. More delicate than a cowl or scarf, but softer and warmer than a necklace. Here are a few of my favorites.

Sev[en]circle from Kirsten Johnstone of assemblage:

Kirsten includes instructions for a sport weight and a lace weight version of this piece. I'd like to try this with Misti Handpaint Suri & Silk. I'm not usually a huge fan of the variegated yarns, but the folks at Misti really know what they are doing in the dyepot. It looks like they might be discontinuing this yarn, but we have a nice selection in the shop.

Looped Loop, also from assemblage:

This one requires about 400 yards of a sport weight yarn, and it would be so nice in a drapey alpaca or silk, maybe Blue Sky Alpacas Sport Weight, Melange, or Alpaca Silk? Kirsten has several stunning designs available through her Ravelry pattern shop, and she offers these two little accessories as free patterns.

Cable Braided Necklace (also pictured up top) from Knit Creations of a Curious Mind, designed by Olga Buraya-Kefelian:

Olga used a cashmere blend for her original. Our Jade Sapphire Mongolian Cashmere 2-ply or 4-ply would be lovely, as would Karabella Margrite. Olga has a very thorough tutorial on her blog showing how to construct this sweet little piece. Despite the name, there isn't any actual cabling or braiding involved. Take a look.

String Theory Scarf from Spindleshanks, designed by Portlander Vivian Aubrey:

Such a cool scarf. I often admire a skein of yarn at the shop and think it would be beautiful just wrapped around my neck without even knitting it, and this scarf achieves that effect with a few bands of knitting holding it all together. This design almost cries out for a variegated yarn to show off the lovely color changes.

Movie Star Scarf from More Last Minute Knitted Gifts, designed by Joelle Hoverson:

This book is chock full of great stuff, and this little kerchief is so sweet. We have the Louet Mooi called for in the pattern, but any luxurious laceweight would be perfect. What a nice gift, too.

These little necklaces/scarves are so versatile, too. Imagine the Cabled Braided scarf knit up in a bulky yarn, or String Theory in a solid silk, or Seven Circles with some sparkles...

I know I'm not the only one trolling Ravelry and knitting blogs for cool stuff. Has something similar caught your eye? Please share with us in the comments.

Thank you to Kirsten, Olga, and Vivian for the use of your beautiful photos!

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