A rainbow of Lopi arrived in the shop this week!

Our order of  Lopi came in, and I am loving the colors of this wool! They're so bright and candy-colored. I think there's a lot of potential here for a colorful sweater to brighten up the long gray winters we get in the Pacific Northwest. Sure, it's June, but  fall and winter are just around the corner, so it's time to get planning!

The Isrond pullover is the Lopi pattern that's captured my imagination. I love the whimsical clouds and bright blues and teals - I think that would make me smile every cold and rainy day when I'm dreaming of blue skies.

Unique in its composition, Icelandic wool consists of two types of fibers:  Fine, soft, highly insulating inner fibers and long, glossy, water-repellent outer fibers. Together, these two distinctive fibers create a wool that is...

Lightweight - lighter than most other wools, keeps you warm and comfortable.

Water-repellent - repels rain and stays feeling dry.

Breathable - moisture passes through the fibers way from the skin, keeping you dry and comfortable.

Icelandic wool is perfect for colorful outwearwear garments, especially those using stranded colorwork or steeking!

Book Review: Annie and the Swiss Cheese Scarf (By Never Not Knitting's Alana Dakos)

“Annie is adventurous and loves to try new things. She really wants to learn to knit just like her mommy. But when her mommy tries to teach her the stitches, Annie feels frustrated and impatient. After all, her first knitting project looks nothing like she thought it would, and it is taking so long! Annie wants a bright pink scarf to wear to school. Can she be patient and keep trying?”

A great book for children whose favorite grown-ups knit and who want to follow their example. Along with a fun storyline and whimsical illustrations, there are clear and easy to follow knitting instructions in the back of the book. One of my favorite parts about this book is the fact that Annie wears many of her mother's beautiful handknit designs. If you're gifting this book to a special child, consider knitting the Playful Stripes Cardigan to go with it. 

For a less time-intensive companion knit, try the free companion pattern that goes along with the book! You can knit your own version of Annie’s scarf with the ravelry pattern: Annie’s Swiss Cheese Scarf. It introduces short rows, yarn overs and eyelets in simple steps.

We have the hardcover book and the deluxe edition in our shop. The deluxe edition includes a puzzle, paper dolls and outfits, and a sticker sheet to go along with the story!

Shop Spotlight: "What are you knitting?"

My current shop sample in progress is taking me outside my comfort zone - and I'm loving it! I'm not usually a laceweight knitter - I like big needles, bulky projects, and anything I can finish in three hours.

My Citron shawl is breaking me out of that box, and I'm really enjoying the process. This laceweight shawlette is teaching me to savor the process and not just the end result.


The pattern (Citron, by Hilary Smith Callis) can be found for free at Knitty.com. I would highly recommend supporting the pattern designer - she has a paid version of the shawl pattern, Citron Grand. It expands the free pattern to up to 10 sections (the free pattern only has 5), includes detailed instructions, and a photo tutorial to explain her garter tab cast on. Well worth the $4 in my opinion!

The yarn I'm using is Maharashta Silk in color 07, and I have to say, the hank doesn't come close to showing off how wonderful this yarn is. Maharashta Silk is 100% Silk with approx 800 yards per 100g. It knits to 9 sts per inch on a US 1 needle. Used in the Citron pattern, this yarn knits up into a light and airy shawlette that still feels substantial. The pattern shows off the pooling and color variation to a very nice effect.

The nice thing about a half circle shawl is that it zooms by...for the first two increase sections. The third section is where I started slowing down - jumping from 129 to 252 stitches definitely changed my pace.

I'm savoring the process with this shawl, and think I'm going to love the end product all the more because of the time and care I've taken with it.

If you'd like to knit a Maharashta Silk Citron of your own, you can order the yarn on our website, or call the shop! We ship everywhere.

Yarn Review: Viking Nordlys

This week we're looking at Viking's Nordlys yarn - one of my favorites in the shop. I love this versatile fingering-weight single ply yarn because it lends itself well to a variety of knit and crochet projects, and the colors range from vibrant rainbow to muted neutrals. There's a colorway for everyone, and everyone seems to have a favorite!




Yarn Label Details:
Fiber Content: 75% Superwash Wool, 25% Nylon
Yardage/Weight: 385 yards per 100g
Gague: Knits to 7 sts per inch on a US 2 needle.
Price: $16.00 / Ball
Find it on our website: Viking Nordlys

Why I like it:
The texture is wonderful. Smooth and just a little fuzzy, this fingering-weight yarn feels good in the hand. The colorways have very smooth, long changes, making it great for projects that show off the colors. For sock knitters, this works up into a smooth surface. You'll get some neat effects on heels where you can see one solid block of color.


Be aware:
It crochets up beautifully, but doesn't frog easily! If you do a crochet project with Nordlys, make sure you've checked stitch counts and gauge and understand your pattern. Frogging back a stitch or two isn't impossible, but ripping out the entire thing gets a little sticky.

Our Shop Samples:
Crocheted: Spring Crescent by Julie Aakjær. This lacy shawlette is just big enough to drape over your shoulders or wrap around your neck. Julie Aakjaer's designs are clear, easy to read, and are both written out and charted.

Knitted: Viking Yarn's simple Nordlys Sock Pattern. This pattern is worked from the top down, and is a good basic sock pattern. The ribbed cuff kees the sock up nicely, and the stockinette body shows off the yarn to great effect.

 Overall: Fun colors, machine washable, and affordable, with a soft texture and a nice weight. Good for shawls and socks, easy to knit and crochet with, one of my favorites in the shop!

Blue Moon Is Here!

When Blue Moon arrives at the shop, it's always the highlight of my month. These boxes mean a lot of work, but a lot of fun! We love carrying local yarns in the shop, and I think Blue Moon is the highlight.

 Locally hand dyed in Scapoose, OR the colors can't be beat and have fantastic names like "Frankenhen" "Awesomesauce" and (my personal favorite) "Tardis Blue".

The UPS guy has to deal with me excitedly asking, "Are all those for me?!" Sorry, UPS guy. I love Blue Moon day, and you get to share in the excitement.

 As I unbox it, our table slowly disappears. This month's shipment brought in some more of my favorite fibers - Luscious Single Silk (a wool/silk blend), Twisted, and Woobu. Woobu is Blue Moon's shimmery wool/bamboo blend.

All of them look amazing and it's hard to resist the urge to just dive in. I think my favorite color to come into the shop is the Luscious Single Silk in Awesomesauce - I'm plotting a big herringbone cowl out of that.

Of course, no unboxing would be complete without the before and after shots.

Before...

 And after!