close knit: the neighborhood yarn shop


Friday, September 28, 2018

Interweave Knits, Gifts Edition

The new Interweave Knits Gifts is here! As usual, it's chock full of good stuff. Let's look...
Some great colorwork hats and mitts and cowls...




Love these cabled and textured pieces, too. (This hat is my favorite.)

 

How about this gorgeous hap shawl?
And, of course, the musk ox, the llama, French bull dog, and racoon.

The gifts issue is always a good one! See anything that inspires you?

Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Rasta Tribeca

Take a look at these gorgeous new shades of Malabrigo Rasta.
Sally is calling this color line "adult pastels," but Malabrigo calls it TriBeCa. You can read more about their inspiration on their blog, but mostly it's all about on-trend colors. They have several cool new patterns in an eBook to showcase this yarn as well.
Rasta is so much fun to knit, and the instant gratification can't be beat. Big yarn and huge needles make for speedy knitting.
I love that this beloved yarn company is staying current and putting out these beautiful shades in addition to their classic solids and multis. Lookin' good, Malabrigo!

Monday, September 24, 2018

Eye Candy

The new project bags with cork bottoms are so cute!
Some have gold sparkle cork. Can you see it on the green one?

Friday, September 21, 2018

Felted Tweed Has Returned

Several of us are thrilled to welcome Rowan Felted Tweed back in full force. Look at that tweedy beauty. Our stock of this lovely stuff has waxed and waned over the years, but I'm very glad to see it again.
It's a wool and alpaca blend, with a little viscose for durability, and the drape on this stuff is amazing. Your finished knit will be soft, warm, and flowy. Just right for a warm but light layer. And the colors...well, just gorgeous.
The new pattern book for Felted Tweed is pretty killer, too. Yokes, cables, colorwork...all the classic stuff. Take a look at some of my favorites.




If you love Rowan yarns and patterns like we do, I hope this new haul makes you happy, too!

P.S. Remember the post about my Ravelry favorites? This gorgeous striped sweater was knit with all kinds of Felted Tweed shades! 
Pic borrowed from Rav project page.

Wednesday, September 19, 2018

More Farmer's Daughter

Sometimes the hand-dyes are so bright and beautiful, they are hard to look at in a big group. So here are a few lovely shades of our recent batch of Farmer's Daughter Fibers.
This is Waylon and Willie in the Juicy DK, a superwash 100% merino.
Here we have Half Breed in the Foxy Lady, a merino/silk single-ply superwash.
And finally, Heartbreak Hotel on the Squish Worsted, another superwash 100% merino.

You'll have to swing by to see the rest of them...I don't want to overwhelm your internet with color.

Monday, September 17, 2018

Eye Candy

Well if that's not eye candy, I don't know what is! The suitcase full of Squish DK from Spun Right Round is so happy!


Friday, September 14, 2018

Mighty Mo

The folks at Farmer's Daughter Fibers have sent us a treat. The Mighty Mo is a silk and mohair blend in their gorgeous hand dyed shades.
This weight is really wonderful for holding along with another yarn to add an amazing silky halo. If you combine it with a DK, I'm pretty sure you'll get a worsted weight, but definitely swatch to make sure.
It's pretty rare to find this blend in a hand-dye, so it is a lovely surprise to see such gorgeous colors.
Pic borrowed from Rav pattern page.
A lot of folks on Ravelry have combined the Mighty Mo with the Juicy DK (also in stock at the shop and also from Farmer's Daughter) to make Caitlin Hunter's Kobuk Hat.
Pic borrowed from Rav pattern page.
The Mighty Mo is perfect for Andrea Mowry's Birds of a Feather Shawl from Laine Issue No 2, also available as a Ravelry download. Just combine it with your favorite fingering weight!

I don't think these rare beauties are going to last very long, so stop in soon if you see something you love.

Monday, September 10, 2018

Eye Candy...I Mean Soul Food?

We have this new line of yarn and design books from Lang Yarns called Wool Addicts. The designs are really cool and modern and the yarns are beautiful. But, they don't want to be called eye candy apparently. More on the yarns soon...

Friday, September 7, 2018

Sheepy from Yorkshire

We talked a bit about the Illustrious Naturals last week. (Oh my, that was only last week?) Let's look at a few more goodies from our friends at the West Yorkshire Spinners.
DK Fleece in Jacob wool
We have two weights from two breeds, making for four beautiful sheepy yarns for us to enjoy. Their Fleece line come in both DK and Aran weights, and these remind me a bit of the Rowan Purelife Sheep Breeds we carried long ago.
Aran Fleece in Jacob wool
The Jacob wool comes from the fabulous Jacob sheep. They have the coolest horns and some really beautiful wool. Hello, buddy!
Pic borrowed from our friends at Ruby Peak Farms
We also have the DK and Aran weights in Blue Faced Leicester (which is pronounced lester) believe it or not.
DK Fleece in BFL
Aran Fleece in BFL
These are some lovely sheep as well. Less ostentatious and very regal, if you ask me. And the yarn has a subtle luster that is unlike anything else.
Pic borrowed from HexenWald Ranch
I love these kinds of yarns. They help me feel a connection to the sheep and the farms from whence they came. I know many yarns will tell you the sheep breed, but I really like that these highlight the natural colors and beauty of the wool. If you like sheepy yarns, these will make your day. Stop in and have a look...and a sniff!

Tuesday, September 4, 2018

Swoon

This book is beautiful! If you're a fan of Carrie Bostick Hoge, you'll want to stop in and take a look at Swoon Maine. Sweaters, hats, mittens, kid's sweaters...so inspiring!

Monday, September 3, 2018

Closed Today!

Hi friends! We will be closed today, September 3.

Our fall hours start up tomorrow. We will be open 10-6 during the week, 10-5 on Saturday, and 11-4 on Sunday. Open Knit Night is still happening on Wednesday from 6-9PM, and we are open for retail during this time, as well. 

See you all soon for fall knitting and crocheting!