Tokyo Shawl Kits

We have samples and kits for the gorgeous Isager Tokyo Shawl, and oh my goodness are they fabulous. The graphic diagonal stripes of this design really show off the beautiful Isager yarns.

The samples and kits use Spinni Tweed and Alpaca 1. I love that our samples are different shades to really show off the cool options. That dark grey one is wowza. The kits are $150, which seems so reasonable for so much of this stunning yarn. The longer I look at these samples, the more I struggle to resist these!

Puyu Cowl

We are trying a new yarn from a new company. This is Puyu, a silk and alpaca blend from Amano Yarns.

The structure of the yarn makes it lightweight even though it's bulky. It is fluffy and lofty and so very soft. Sally made the January Squish Cowl using just one skein, and it is like the perfect cozy turtleneck...just the thing to tuck under your jacket.

I love the poofy stitch definition of those columns. If you love the look of this, stop in the shop and try it on!

Eye Candy

Look at this beautiful blanket, worked up in Noro Tennen. I love the unusual texture and the lovely colors. It's called Shadow Angles, and the pattern is in this great book. So many classic designs using textures, stripes, miters, intarsia, short rows...if you like to knit blankets, this book is a winner.

Craggy Hat

We finally have a sample for the Craggy Tweed! This yarn is really unusual, with its smooth texture and little tweedy bits. The hat is Shady Grove, and it's $5 on Ravelry. 

We have a nice batch of Craggy Tweed in the shop, including all of these pretty shades. This yarn is really worth seeing in person. Pop in and give it a squeeze!

Arranmore Hats

We have a few wonderful hat samples of the Arranmore and Arranmore Light from The Fiber Co.

This Chunky Ribby Hat in Arranmore is so so soft. It has a nice thick brim, and it reminds me of a hat my mom wore my whole childhood. Except this one is so much softer. We have definitely run through some of this yarn since I took this pic, but we still have a nice supply, and I'm sure we will get more.

This adorable Andi Hat is so cute in Arranmore Light. I love how it shows off the marled colorway. The knitted fabric has such a nice drape and thickness. Oh man, this is such a nice yarn.

So nice to have these beautiful yarns in the shop and to have these great samples to show them off!

Sweet Felix

Look at this sweet snow bunny sweater! Melissa used the light and lofty Cascade Aereo to make this perfectly wintery Felix Cardigan. The raglan details really make this sweater something special.

I made the pullover version earlier this year using orange Lopi. It is light and warm and so cozy, and I'm definitely planning a cardigan version. This is another fabulous pattern from Amy Christoffers, who can really do no wrong when it comes to sweater design in my opinion. Her designs are classic and modern, and always well-written. 

This would make a great first sweater project, and it works up quick like a snow bunny in Aran weight yarn. Thanks for sharing this with us, Melissa!

Eye Candy

Check out this pretty little Vidro hat in The Fibre Co Cumbria Fingering. So calm and soothing. It'll be in the shop this weekend for the Yarn Crawl if you want a better look!

Imperial Yarns Columbia

We are so excited to welcome Imperial Yarn back into the shop! We have a few stunning samples for you to try on and oggle. The Arrowhead Cardigan above is a serious project, and the results are certainly impressive. Colorwork, steeks...all the fancy techniques in this one. The Essential Sweater Dress below is a much simpler knit, but the look is gorgeous, too. This one can be knit as a dress or tunic with either a cowl neck or a hood.

The Raindrop Bag is very cool, with its elaborate cables and ample size. The bag is lined with fabric, so it's nice and stable. All of these beauties are designed and knit with Columbia, a soft and squishy 100% wool yarn, grown in Eastern Oregon.

We have a small range of colors for now, but I'm hoping that we will see more Imperial Yarn soon. If you love local yarns, stop in and take a look!

Pigeonroof Mitts

We are still enjoying the spoils of the yarn crawl. Our visiting artists have left us so many beautiful things! The mini-skein sets from Pigeonroof Studios have been joined by a rainbow of samples of the Gradient Mitts.

These gorgeous little gloves are just the thing for this chilly then warm in-between weather we are having. They are perfect with my raincoat! And with so many colors to choose from, they can be perfect with yours, too.

Eye Candy

Sally always chooses the coolest samples. Her Paper Bag Hat in Spun Right Round Sport Sock is perfection. I did not understand how the hat was going to work based on what she has done so far, but I looked at the Ravelry page and was totally excited to make my own. Go take a look for yourselves. The pattern is free, the yarn is awesome, and the knitting is easy. Added bonus: you can use up one whole skein of this gorgeous hand dyed yarn. Get thee to the yarn shop!

Boots and Hats

We have a few cute new samples in the shop right now that I thought you'd like.

Take a look at these awesome Non-Felted Slippers, worked up in Stout and Harrisville Turbine. It's a free pattern, and knits up so quickly on a US9 and bulky yarn. One skein of each yarn is enough for two pairs of slippers. Cozy and quick.

This cute hat caught my eye this week, too. Classic Elite Liberty Wool is so much fun to knit. It's cool to see how the colors will mix and blend together as your piece works up. Each hat takes about a ball and a half of Liberty Wool, so grab three balls, and knit two hats!

We are staying busy stitching away in these chilly months. What are you making?

Earth and Sea

Holst Noble and Coast have been gaining a fair bit of attention in the shop, but we have been lacking a sample! Emily to the rescue. Using a mix of the two yarns in some very appropriate colors, she is creating the Terre et Mer shawl. The lovely triangular shawl design is the perfect use for these light and lofty yarns.

This is going to be an ideal piece to wrap up under a jacket in the spring when our weather goes from chilly to balmy in the course of just a few hours. She will add the navy blue as the final color, and I can't wait to see this all blocked out and draped over one of our shop ladies. Look at all that crunchy texture.

Many folks comment on our inspiring and unusual samples when they come through our space. I agree with them! We do a great job of choosing stylish, wearable items that you might not be seeing in every other shop. Thank you to our sample knitters for having such wonderful taste!

Diversify

I will readily admit that this blog is rather knit-centric.  I tend to lean away from the crochet side of things because I am a terrible crocheter and the patterns look like mosaics to me.  There.  I said it.  However, at Close Knit, we have some very talented crocheters who want to fill a gap in our shop.  A few of our girls have been hooking away to bring you some lovely things.  Let's take a look.

Ann's Half Granny shawlette using Mille Colori Baby has created quite the stir.  She used two balls of the lovely sock weight yarn, and the result is really impressive.  It would also be wonderful in Crazy Zauberball or Noro Taiyo Sock.

It's a free pattern from Ravelry, and it uses some pretty basic crochet stitches to great effect...just the thing if you're looking for something new.

Lisa used a ball of the brand-new-to-us Noro Taiyo Sport to make a beautiful Calm Cowl.  It seems like the stitches are suitable for a beginner, doesn't it?  I can't say for sure.

I can say that it's a lovely thing and feels really nice to wear.  The Taiyo Sport is a cotton/silk/wool blend, and it's going to be a great summer yarn.  

It has a nice crunch from the silk, and the colors are Noro-tastic.  That brown/black/grey/natural one looks like a tiger to me.  I love it.

Lisa also made a bright green scarf using Malabrigo Worsted and the One Skein Scarf pattern from Sitch n' Bitch Happy Hooker.  There are over 3,000 of these listed on Ravelry.  Seems like a winner.

And we have hats!  The Men's Beanie has been in our shop forever, but it's a good basic.  It's a good beginner pattern, too...all single crochet.  This one used Blue Sky Alpacas Worsted Cotton, and I think it would be great in a weird bright color like Lemongrass or Tomato.

We also have the Boy Beanie from the Happy Hooker worked up in Cascade 220, a solid and a marled shade for a little fun bit o' contrast.  This one is less dense than the Blue Sky sample...great for summer.

If you're a crocheter and want to try a new class, take a look at Ann's Home Dec Crochet class starting at the end of April.  Crochet is ideal for so many home decor projects, from pillows to bags to blankets.  Ann will help you make it happen.

We hope you all enjoy seeing more crochet samples around the shop.  Maybe it will inspire a few of you to grab a hook and give it a go!  Maybe even me.

I made a hat.

This is Mix No. 10 from Shibui.  It took a minute, with all of that slipping of stitches, but it was worth it.  I love the texture, I love the soft halo, and I especially love the colors.

I used Shibui Cima in Suit, Ivory, Poppy, and Lumen.  Cima is a laceweight, but the yarn is held double for the whole pattern, so it goes a little faster than you might think.  Cima is also one of the softest yarns I have ever used.  Shibui is putting out more Cima patterns, and I am really looking forward to getting them in the shop.  Any excuse to use more Cima.

The pattern calls for a US2 for the ribbing, but I used a US1, based on the suggestions of several Ravelers who have also made this.  The body of the hat is knit on a US3, and I highly recommend a needle with a very smooth join at the cable.  The tiny yarn and the slipped stitches really need it if you are going to have an enjoyable time knitting this.

The hat requires four skeins, obviously, but I have enough left to make another hat.  I need to switch out the Ivory and the Poppy, but I think that will be equally awesome.

You really need to see this hat in person to appreciate the yarn and the texture.  It's at the shop waiting for you to admire it.  Enjoy!

Fresh Ombre

We have a fresh batch of Freia Ombre Lace in the shop.  Adreinne used one ball to make the Bateaux Mouches Scarf we spoke about last month.  We also received a bag of the beautiful blue grey Isager Alpaca 2 that Jenni used for her sample, too.  I know quite a few of you have been waiting for this shade.

Come claim your favorite!

Project of the Summer?

I've been working at our little shop for almost six years, and in that time, I have noticed that certain projects catch like wildfire with our Close Knitters.  It's always hard to predict, but when it happens, it is enthusiastic.  I think Sally new she had a contender when she brought in the L.1 sample knit up in Shubui Linen.  We all fell head over heels in love, and now it seems that you all have, too.

What is it that has you all so smitten?  The yarn itself is unusual and luxurious...fingering weight chained linen.  But who would have thought that would grab you?  Maybe it is the sophisticated Shuibui color palette.  Perhaps it's the chance to play with color to such a stunning end.  With the lazy days of summer approaching, I'm sure the basic stockinette holds some serious appeal.  

It doesn't really matter what it is, but I know we will be sending many more knitters home with Linen before summer is out.  Sally recently restocked our supply with some fresh colors and old favorites.  

The Poppy at the top has been wildly popular, and I love Suit (navy) and Cascade (bright blue).  The Brick, Apple, and Scale (orange) are great, too.  So are the neutrals.  I'm going to have a hard time deciding.  The Ash (grey) in the sample scarf is on backorder until the end of July, but we have so many other shades to mix and match.  We will be happy to help you create your own color combination.  

I included this photo because the guy walking in the background gave me a weird look and laughed at me for taking photos of yarn outside.  I just needed someone else to know.  The things I tolerate for knitting...

I usually suggest that people look at the yarn in the natural light outside the shop to see how the colors play together...hopefully Dude from the above photo will walk by again and we can really mess with his head.

Around the Shop in Several Samples

We have some fun samples in the shop right now.  Let's browse.

Sally created this beautiful cowl with the Gradient yarn we discussed a few weeks back.  She used a 3x1 rib to really show off the color changes.  We are out of this colorway, but there is more on the way, and we still have several lovely options.  This would be fun in Liberty Wool, too.

 

This is Sirle, a great little slouchy hat knit with the beautiful Classic Elite Vista, a 50/50 merino alpaca blend in the natural colorways of the MountainTop collection.

Ann, Our Lady of So Many Samples, has been a busy bee.  I am IN LOVE with the Fumior mitts by Julie Hoover in Manos Maxima.  We are optimistic that we can get a pair out of one skein (even though the pattern suggests two), so Ann is giving it a go.

Les Miserables is coming out at the end of the month.  Is there time to crank out a Les Mis scarf to wear to the movie?  We have a fresh batch of Cascade Alpaca Lace to get you going.

Jenni figured out how to make the Softwaves Magnum Cowl!  The knitting is simple, but the seaming is a challenge.  Come see Jenni at the shop for a tutorial.

The Wurm hat is so awesome.  The brim is doubled, so it is nice and cozy on the ears.  The slouch factor is just perfect, too.  Our sample is knit in Malabrigo Arroyo, which we have in some truly gorgeous colorways.

I have been wearing my Anna Karenina all over town and getting compliments every time.  I used a yarn that we no longer have in the shop, but it would be great in Arroyo, too.

There is so much more!  Come see us at the shop for even more inspiration and lots of great suggestions.