Projects Bags, Magazines, Books, and more Firefly

We have so much new stuff in the shop this week.

The fully lined project bags from Knit Purl Sew What? are pretty fabulous. Sally chose the fabric at Bolt, the bags are made here in Portland, and we have them for you at Close Knit. Good local happiness.



The Shetland Trader Book One from Gudrun Johnston. We have a few individual patterns, too, including the Moch Cardi and Hansel, a traditional hap shawl.

Whimsical Little Knits 1 and 2 from Ysolda Teauge.

WestKnits Books One and Two. (Ravelry link with photos and details here.) There is discussion that the second might be even better than the first. Thoughts?

The brand new Interweave Knit & Spin. Details on this soon.

Interweave Summer 2011. More from that soon, too.

You people love the Firefly! We have increased our stock so everyone can make the Firefly Bias Scarf. I'm so glad you all like it.


A shelf full of Cascade Ultra Pima. So lustrous and soft.

If spring is going to keep us waiting, maybe we should knit some sunshine.

I'll be back soon with details about the books and magazines. Also dates for a beginner sock class to prepare you for the advanced stuff you all want to learn at Sock Summit. And perhaps a little surprise announcement this week? You'll have to stay posted...

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?

Knitter's Toolkit

After many years of knitting, I find that I’ve collected quite a few knitting tools and gadgets. Since the Close Knit staff is a group of seasoned knitters, I thought it might be interesting to find out what we all carry in our knitting bags.

There are a few crucial items that should be in every knitter’s toolkit. While a crochet hook, darning needle and stitch markers will get you through most knitting emergencies, many of us have much more than that in our little notions bags. We also tend to carry a measuring tape, row counter, scissors, cable needles, stitch holders and a knit check for sizing needles and checking gauge. I like to have a calculator close by and Elizabeth keeps a sketch book on hand for designing and jotting down ideas and inspiration.

Adrienne can’t knit without her row counter and stitch markers. She likes to “think as little as possible” when she knits, and these tools allow her to do that. She also swears by Addi Turbo needles to make the process as enjoyable as possible.

Sally, the minimalist among us, carries very few tools and prefers to make hash marks on her patterns over using row counters. She is a fan of interchangeable needle sets - just in case.

Nancy and Jenni both love the Lantern Moon measuring tapes and the fabulous Offhand Designs bags and needle cases.

The Pretty Cheep Bags from Blue Sky Alpacas and the silk bags from Lantern Moon are great for keeping smaller projects in their own little homes. A lot of knitters also like to use baskets, such as Bolga baskets and the rice baskets that we carry at Close Knit.

Of course, there are so many fun toys that can make the knitting process even more enjoyable. Elizabeth has her sights set on blocking wires and a fabulous wooden swift and ball winder, and Jenni would love to have a motorized ball winder for the shop.

What’s in your knitting bag? Earplugs? Wine bottle opener? Emergency contact numbers? Leave us a comment and tell us about your favorite knitting gadgets and tools!