Regularly Scheduled Programming

Okay, now that we have all of the silly Portlandia eye-rubbing and doily-selling out of the way, let's get back to our regularly scheduled programming, shall we?

I wanted to share a few things that flew under the radar in the last month or so.

This is a really pretty and incredibly soft scarf that Sally has been cranking out using the new Debbie Bliss Riva.  There will be a free pattern eventually, and it's a super simple knit, I promise.  The yarn is another one of the slow-color-change beauties that have been getting so much attention lately.  The shades are subdued and flow nicely from one ball to the next.  The pattern book is cute...the little capelet piece on the cover is my favorite.

We received a fresh batch of Royal Alpaca from Aslan Trends as well as the new King Baby Lllama & Mulberry Silk (all one yarn).  You should really check out their explanation of the silk harvesting process...you will have a new appreciation for mulberry silk.  The yarn is so soft with a nice sheen and halo all at the same time.  Perfect for a luxurious scarf or shawl.

Finally, the beautiful Malabrigo Rastita, the little sister of the beloved Rasta.  This is a single ply DK (about 5.5 stitches/inch) with more than 300 yards per skein.  Rastitia is great for hats, scarves, mitts, and even sweaters.

I normally shy away from single ply yarn for sweaters because of the pilling, but this one is slightly felted, so pilling does not seem to be an issue.  The bright colors would be so nice for a kid or baby sweater, and the variegated colorways knit up so nicely without pooling or flashing.  The people at Malabrigo know what they're doing.

We return to our regular schedules this week, with Open Knit kicking back up on Wednesday night and Knitting and Cocktails at the Cruzroom on Monday night.  Shop hours are all back to normal now, too.  Have a great week, friends!

Fall Arrivals: Aslan Trends, Little Red, and Kauni

New stuff is arriving!  Above is Del Sur, a super-bulky thick and thin yarn from Aslan Trends.  Imagine a big ol' scarf or the pointy elf hat from the cover of More Last Minute Knitted Gifts.

You guys loved the Royal Alpaca last fall, and we have a whole lot more in the shop right now.  This is one of the softest and finest alpaca yarns you can buy.  We have a sample of Nancy's lovely Lana Glove in the beautiful mustard yellow.  This yarn would be stunning for cowls, hats, gloves, or the most amazingly soft sweater you've ever worn.

 

We love Ysolda Teauge, and we have her newest book in stock right now, Little Red in the City.  This book is AMAZING.  There are seven classic sweater patterns, and the sizes range from a 30" to 60" bust.

In addition to the patterns, Ysolda outlines so many valuable techniques.  She really appreciates that simply making a sweater larger doesn't make it work for a curvy figure.  This book is packed with valuable design advice, illustrated in easy to understand hand-drawings and notes.  You could design a sweater from the ground up, or adjust one of her patterns for the perfect fit.  I can't even begin to describe everything in here.  Come by and flip through a copy before they are all gone.

 

Last but not least, a basket full of Kauni.  This lovely yarn is flying out the door, but we have more on the way.  More on this pretty stuff when we restock.

Royal Alpaca

We have a brand new alpaca yarn at the shop, Royal Alpaca from Aslan Trends. They tout this as the finest alpaca you can buy, and they actually have numbers to prove it!

The softness of a yarn is determined by the thickness of the fibers that make up the yarn: the smaller the diameter of the fibers, the softer the yarn. Fiber diameter is measured in microns, or thousandths of a millimeter, and Royal Alpaca boasts a micron count of 19, making it as soft as cashmere, which typically ranges from 14-19.

The hollow core of the alpaca fiber makes this yarn a great insulator. A cabled turtleneck might not be the best choice with this yarn unless you plan to wear it as an outer layer. Alpaca tends to be a very drapey fiber, so a project with less structure would be a good choice.

The natural shades at the top of the photo are undyed alpaca colors, and the dyed shades are rich and saturated with a nice sheen. With 220 luscious yards per skein, two or three of these would make an amazing scarf or wrap. Perhaps it's time to start thinking about gift knitting?