Summertime Sale: Angora

I realize that it's not really fuzzy angora season, but we have some lovely choices at the shop, so we are offering 15% off all angora and angora blend yarns this week.

The Noro Shiraito is 45% angora, and just one skein makes this shop favorite, the Soft Waves Hat.  We have made this up in almost every colorway, and they are all good.

This little sample has been hanging around the shop to show off the Schulana Angora Print and Rowan Angora Haze.  It's just some K1P1 ribbing, but it sure is nice in these colors.

This beautiful lace top from the Rowan Angora Haze book makes me appreciate the delicate beauty of the yarn and color.  Totally not my style, but I still think it's breathtaking.

I always forget about these sweet little poofs of angora from Plymouth.  They are just 50 yards, but perfect for little accents or pompoms.

It's not so blazing hot right now, so maybe August is angora season?

Summertime Sale: Fingering Weight

Yup, all fingering weight yarns are on sale this week, starting August 11.  Fingering weights (not to be confused with fingerling potatoes...happens all the time) knit up at about seven stitches per inch on a US1-3.  We have a wall of sock yarn for you to choose from, as well as several other fingering weights around the shop.  Come find your favorite and save 15%!

Summertime Sales: Alpaca Time!

This week are offering 15% off all alpaca and alpaca blend yarns.  We have more lovely choices that I can begin to list, so come on in and find your favorites.  See you soon!

Summertime Sale: Berroco

Hey friends!  How is your summer knitting coming along?  I hope you found some great stuff at our sales.  Are you ready for the next one?  Me, too.

We will have all Berroco yarns at 15% off for the next week, July 7-13.  We have a really nice selection of stuff from Berroco, and I continue to be impressed by their yarns.  I recently rediscovered how much I love the good ol' Ultra Alpaca when I made the Little Girl's Shrug from Knitting Pure and Simple.

Just a skein and half for this little thing...I think I made the 10 year old size, and it's plenty big for my willnotstopgrowing 7 year old.  The color is rich and saturated, and I love the way the fabric knits up on a US7.  The 50% wool/alpaca blend holds its shape so nicely, but with the softness and drape that you'd expect from alpaca.  I need to make a sweater for myself using Ultra Alpaca.  Why have I not done this?

The beautiful and popular Folio (above) will be on sale, as will the well-loved Flicker. 

We have all been loving Weekend DK, too, and our color selection has improved since I snapped the photo above.  From crocheted pillows and doilies to amazing colorblocked sweaters, this yarn is versatile.  And a great value, too.  I have 6 skeins squirreled away to make another sweater for my girl.  The other cotton blends from Berroco, including Maya, Fuji, and Karma, will be on sale.  If you missed out on any of these during our cotton blend week, now is your time to get them on sale again.

Stay cool and keep knitting!

Summertime Sales

Oh, friends.  We miss seeing your faces in the summertime.  I know the lovely warm weather doesn't seem like the time for knitting, but I beg to differ.  

There are road trips, swim lessons, plane rides, beach days, post-gardening quiet times...so many moments to fill with knitting.

To entice you all to stop by our little corner of fiber heaven, we are starting weekly sales.  Lucky you!

Each week, a new fabulous sale will be announced, and each sale will last Monday morning through Sunday afternoon.  The best part?  It starts next week.  I know.

Starting at 10AM on Monday, June 2, all books, patterns, pamphlets, magazines, and booklets (basically anything made of paper) will be 15% off the regular price until close on Sunday, June 8.

We have some amazing stuff to get you inspired...so much that I wasn't even sure where to start with the photos.  You'll just have to come in and see for yourself.  I'll be there Monday at 10.  See you then, and stay tuned for the next one!

Firefly

When I first met the Classic Elite Firefly, I wasn't so sure that you guys would like it.  It's kind of fine and slinky with an unusual texture, and I had a hard time believing that it would get much love.  I was wrong.  So very wrong.

I took some home to play, which resulted in the perfect summer project, the Firefly Bias Scarf.

The scarf is all stockinette stitch (knit on the front and purl on the back), but the biased fabric prevents any major rolling.  The pattern is simple (and free), but not so mindless that you want to give up.  And the fabric that Firefly creates is really perfect for summer.  So many of our Close Knitters nabbed up three balls of this beautiful yarn to make their own, so Sally ordered even more colors for you this summer.  

The dark gray is still my favorite, but that gorgeous gold is starting to wink at me, and even the pink has been chatting me up, too.  Ann recently used the lighter grey to make the Fringed Scarf from the Picnic Book (#9109).

The newest Firefly booklet from Classic Elite, Peabody Path (#9174) has a few pretties, too.

I think the drapey open-front cardigan and net-like shawl are nice, but I loved Redbud from the moment I saw it.  The dolman sleeves, the boatneck, the understated lace.  True love.

One of my favorite designers is a fan of Firefly, too, and she has designed a few lovely pieces you might like.  Amy Christoffer's Robin Tank from the latest issue of Knitscene and her V-Yoke Cardigan from last spring's Interweave both play up the best qualities of Firefly: its flow and drape.

Look at the biasing!

Apparently you all are pretty good judges of yarn, and I'm glad you all fell for Firefly, too.  Come get yours at 15% off through Sunday!

Euroflax

Our collaborative linen sale starts today!  From now through May 27, Close Knit and Bolt Neighborhood Fabric are offering 15% off all linen and linen blend fibers.*

I gave you a little glimpse of our linens last week, and I'd love to give you a few ideas.  Let's talk about the pure stuff first, Louet Euroflax.

Louet produces high quality yarns, and Euroflax is one of the best summer yarns out there.  The colors are vibrant, the yardage is generous, and the yarn softens up unbelievably after a good wash.

I have used the Euroflax for face cloths and luxurious hand towels in the past, and we have a sample of one at the shop.  Little cloths like these make great gifts and are a fun way to play with a new stitch pattern or just make up your own.  The sample at the shop shows how far one skein will go, but you can easily produce two good size face cloths from one skein.  I love the Eight Linen Washcloths set from Knitter's Stash, but the sky is the limit here.

For something slightly more involved, you could try the Lacey Stole.  Feather and fan in pure linen?  So nice.  

This is a great beginning lace pattern, and the weight and texture of the finished product are so satisfying.  The results look pretty impressive, but the lace repeat is easy to memorize, all of the wrong side rows are purled, and the chart is only a few rows long.  I thought this was available as a free pattern on Knitting Daily TV, but it looks like that might not be the case any longer.  Either way, it is available as a download from Patterrnfish, and it requires three skeins of your favorite color.

We have the pattern for Patricia, a classic cabled tank that would fit into any summer wardrobe, whether you are going to the park or the office.

Image source.

Cocoknits' Liesl was very popular last summer, and I think it will be again.  The interesting hemline and unusual pockets appealed to many of our uber-cool Close Knitters.

Image source.

I think Kat Coyle's Linen Top is a great option for some mindless summer knitting, and mindless dressing for that matter.

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Okay, so this is a knitted skirt, I know.  I'm not usually drawn to things like this, but the Linen Kilt from Knit 2 Together is pretty stunning.

Image source.

I also lovelovelove Pipit from Pipibird.  Pretty much everything this woman puts out is amazing.  

I could go on and on: bags, cardigans, dresses(!), tanks, tees, pullovers.  For more ideas, take a look at what so many Ravelers have made with this beloved yarn.  The yarn changed names at one point, so be sure to look at the Euroflax Sport Weight, Originals, and Barcelona projects for maximum linen inspiration.

*On in store-items only, and please don't combine this generous offer with other offers.  Thanks!

Playing With Others

We had such a nice time sharing with our friends at Bolt Neighborhood Fabric during their last big sale, we decided to play again.

Firefly Fringed Scarf and Patricia in Euroflax

We are going to collaborate with Bolt next week to showcase linen, perhaps my favorite summer fiber.  Starting on Monday, May 21st, all linen and linen blend yarns will be 15% off at Close Knit.  Bolt is offering the same 15% discount on their linen fabrics.  The discount will be in effect through Sunday, May 27th at both shops, so next week is the time to get your hands on some linen fiber.

Classic Elite Firefly

Linen is really ideal for summer clothing, and we have some pretty choices at Close Knit: Classic Elite Firefly, Classic Elite Soft Linen, Louet Euroflax Sport, Louet KidLin Lace, and Fibre Company Savannah DK.

Louet Euroflax Sport

Linen creates such a nice drapey fabric with a satisfying weight and texture.  Some people find pure linen a little scratchy in the skein, but it softens up so much after the first wash.  One clever knitter I know has even washed the skein before she knit with it.  She tied the skein in several places, soaked it, and let it drip dry before winding it into a ball.

We have samples of all of our linen yarns at the shop, and I'll be sharing many more suggestions with you in the next week or so.

Dream Stripe Shawl in Classic Elite Soft Linen

Firefly Bias Scarf

You really need to handle these pieces to fully appreciate the loveliness of our linen yarns, and the same is true of the linen fabrics at Bolt.  Make a date with some linen and spend some time in our little corner of the world next week.  Stay tuned for more ideas and inspiration!

Also, both shops will be closed on Monday, May 28th for Memorial Day.  See you soon!

Prime Stuff

The Heather Prime Alpaca from Joseph Galler Yarns is back in the shop, I think.  The yarn is clearly here, but I am so confused about the weight and yardage.  The Joseph Galler wesbsite calls this a worsted weight, but the yarn label provides much different information.

The label promises 6 stitches per inch on a US5, so I feel pretty strongly that this is a sport weight yarn.  Oddly enough, they suggest doubling it to get about 4.5 stitches per inch using a US8.  These beautiful skeins contain a generous 665 yards of pure sport weight alpaca yarn, not 600 yards of worsted weight as the website suggests.

Whatever the story is with this pretty stuff, I would suggest swatching to get a fabric that you like.  I also highly recommend washing and drying your swatch, as alpaca has a tendency to bloom and drape when it's washed.  I'm working on a little swatching tutorial for you guys, so I'll go into more detail on this soon.

Pure alpaca can get pretty loosey-goosey if it's knit up on larger needles.  This can be great for a shawl or scarf, but not so much for hats or gloves.  For sweaters, it really depends on the sweater style.  If you have a swingy, flowy design, you might be just fine with a looser gauge.  If you want something with a little more structure, you might try going down a needle size or two.

Rich heathery alpaca in gorgeous earth tones, pastels, and brights.  That's spring in a basket right there!

Also, make time to come up to our little corner on Alberta and 22nd this weekend.  Bolt Neighborhood Fabric is having a great big sale, and we are offering a little something to those of you with a love for both fabric and yarn.  If you spend $5 or more at the Bolt sale this weekend (Friday through Sunday), show us your receipt to get 10% off your Close Knit purchase.  This is only going on this weekend, so come on up and get your fiber fix!

Cross-Pollination

Our fabulous friends at Bolt Neighborhood Fabrics are having a sale this weekend!  I know quite a few of our yarn lovers are fabric enthusiasts, too, so we want to offer up a little something.

Photo from the Bolt Blog

If you show us a receipt from the Bolt sale, we will give you 10% off your Close Knit purchase this weekend.  The Bolt receipt needs to be for $5 or more, it must be from the sale this weekend, and the discount at Close Knit will only apply during the same time period, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday April 13-15.  

Euroflax sneak peek!

The gals at Bolt are offering amazing discounts on fabric and books and a service coupon to Modern Domestic for purchases over $50 during the sale weekend.  Between all of that good stuff and a yarn sale...the weekend just got a little bit sunnier!

Local Fridays

I want to share a bit about two very cool events coming up in the next few weeks and show you a crazy cool scarf.

First up, we have Little Boxes.  I don't know about you, but the big box stores make me a touch homicidal, so I think it is super cool that the Little Box stores in Portland are banding together to encourage you to keep you holiday shopping dollars (not to mention sanity) close to home.  Several of you have asked about the flier at the shop, so here's the skinny.

On Friday, November 25 (a.k.a. Black Friday) you can line up outside of T***** at 1:00 AM, or you can sleep off you turkey hangover like a normal person and spend a luxurious day shopping at some of the best places in Portland.  

Start your day purchasing something fabulous at any of the shops listed on the Little Boxes participants list, keep your receipt, and enter the raffle.  Mosey on over to another Little Box store, and present your receipt from the first Little Box to receive 10% off your purchase.  Repeat as many times as you'd like at as many stores as you can.  Plus, you can enter the raffle at every single store all day long.  There is some good stuff on that raffle list, people.  Check out the Little Boxes site for additional details and a great map to help you plan your day.

The following Friday, we are getting even more local.  Several shops on Alberta have banded together to offer a little extra shopping time on the evening of Friday, December 2.  We're calling it the Winter Frolic, and we welcome you to join us between 6 and 8 PM for sales and merrymaking up and down the street.  The following shops are participating: Modern Domestic, Frock, Garnish, Stu Stu Studio, Collage, Red Sail, Tumbleweed, Grasshopper, Digs, Salt & Straw, Close Knit (hey, that's us!), Abrahams & Duffy, and PedX.  There really is something for everyone.  I recommend that you leave your distractions at home and enjoy a fabulous couple of hours strolling Alberta.

As a side note, I wanted to mention the 3/50 Project, too.  It's not really an event, but more a way of thinking when you go out to make purchases, especially as we enter the time of year when it all seems to get a bit out of control.  The basic premise of the movement is to choose 3 local brick and mortar shops in your community each month and then spend $50 in each one.  They have some pretty amazing statistics on how this kind of behavior would impact local economies.

And this sort of brings me to the Les Miserables scarf.  Our fabulous Ann knit this sample up and brought it into the shop with a note about how the style and the name of this design seemed quite appropriate for the global economic climate.  Quite so, Ann. 

Anyway, I will hop off the soapbox now.  We love our customers, and we love being the shop that makes you feel welcome, offers you lots of help and advice, and makes you want to come back again and again.  Regardless of anything else, allow us to give back and say thank you to you all.  Hope to see you on Friday!

Happy Sock Summit

As many of you already know, Sock Summit is happening at the Oregon Convention Center this weekend.  Although we won't be participating this year, we wanted to offer up a little something to those of you who are.  Thursday through Sunday this week during the Summit, we are offering 10% off your total purchase of items in stock at the shop.

As usual, we are open until 10PM tonight (Wednesday) for Open Knit Night.  As an added bonus, ae will be open until 9PM on Thursday for the monthly Alberta Art Walk (aka Last Thursday).  Alberta Street will be closed off after 6PM, and parking on side streets gets pretty full, so beware.

Enjoy your Sock Summit classes, and come by the shop for a nice sweet deal!

New Magazines and Even More Sale!

The newest issue of Selvedge and Knitscene are in the shop.  Selvedge is always chock-full of inspiration, and Knitscene has some lovely designs.

Pinstripe Pullover, part of a designer collection by Amy Herzog.

The Alameda Cowl and Southmoor Hat.

The Grand Palais Shawl by Tanis Grey.

The Abbey Pullover and Counterfort Pullover.

As for the sale yarn, there is some great stuff left on the table.  We have a nice selection of Louisa Harding Nautical Cotton...perfect for summer tops and cardigans.

Mission Falls is going out of business, so we have to say good-bye to some great yarns, including 1824 Cotton, 1824 Wool, and 136 Superwash.

There are sweater-quantities of Classic Elite Waterlily, too.  Aran weight, pretty tone-on-tone color.

Louisa Harding Kashmir Baby is great for baby blankets and sweaters.

There is even a tower of Noro with some good stuff.

Louisa Harding Jasmine, sparkles, bamboo, silk, and cotton.  So nice.

We are sad to see some of these fabulous yarns go, but happy to send them home with you.  Come enjoy the sale table for the rest of the week!