Blog
Not your Grandmother's Lace...
POSTED: February 18, 2012 by Katie
Hello MSK community,
It seems that the big thing around the shop nowadays is lace! We have lots of new and beautiful lace weight yarns, as well as some old favorites, and some great patterns to go with them.
First, I want to tell you about Scrumptious Lace by Fiberspates Luxury Yarn. It is 45% Silk and 55% Superwash Merino. The silk in it gives it just the right amount of shine, while the merino keeps it soft. Even more amazing is the yardage you get from just one skein- over 1,000 yards! Recently, knitwear designer Ysolda Teague has released a new pattern book called Saturday Treat. It includes 6 accessory patterns, made to show off Scrumptious. She commented, “The colors practically glow with a rich depth so it was a delightful treat for me to put together an exclusive palette and accompanying designs.” If you love Ysolda, you have to come to the shop and check out this cute little book and the yarn to go with it.
http://www.fyberspates.co.uk/mall/Fyberspates/
http://ysolda.com/patterns/collections/saturday-treat/
MadelineTosh’s Prairie is another of our new favorites. It is hard to dislike anything that Madeline Tosh makes, though. Prairie is a single ply, 100% superwash merino wool yarn that is hand-dyed and machine washable. MadelineTosh’s colors are unlike anyone else’s, so if you are looking for some lace yarn for a special project, you need to check out the beautiful and different colorways that we have in Prairie.
http://madelinetosh.com/store/index.php/yarns/prairie.html
Lastly, an old favorite of ours has enjoyed some recent recognition around the shop. It seems that everyone is making Churchmouse’s Bias 'Before & After' Scarf out of Sweet Georgia’s Merino Silk Lace. It is a 50% fine merino wool/ 50% cultivated silk blend with 765 yards per skein. In combination with Churchmouse’s classic and elegant scarf pattern (with or without beads!), you will get a truly stunning finished product. We also carry Sweet Georgia’s CashSilk Lace, a 45% cashmere/ 55% silk blend that comes in 400 yard skeins. My favorite project to make out of the CashSilk is Purl Soho’s Simple Pleasures Hat. One skein is the perfect amount to make one very luxurious hat. If you love bright colors, you must try Sweet Georgia. We have more new colors on order as well.
http://www.sweetgeorgiayarns.com/
Happy Knitting,
Katie
Swans Island Yarn, Blankets, and Patterns
POSTED: January 31, 2012 by Katie
Hi MSK Community!
A few blog posts ago, I briefly got to tell you about one of our newest arrivals - Swans Island yarn. Since then, we have received new products from them and learned more about their company. I think that they deserve a whole post dedicated solely to them in order to give you a glimpse into their beautiful products.
Swans Island takes its name from Swans Island, Maine, where they first opened. These islands were traditionally used to raise sheep, so when the owners moved there in the early 1990’s, opening up a small weaving operation fit the location perfectly. Since their early days, they have expanded from just selling hand woven blankets to wraps, scarves, yarn, and patterns as well.
The people at Swans Island are true fiber artists. They have dedicated themselves to craftsmanship, timeless beauty, and sustainability. They use organic merino fiber that is spun in a certified organic mill, meaning they use less chemicals in the treatment of their fiber than other mills do. All of their dyes are produced from natural dyestuffs such as minerals and plants, so they beautifully represent the colors in the natural world. Swans Island describes their creative philosophy better than I ever could, so I’ll let them speak for themselves: “The Swans Island process is a labor of love and a meditation on the beauty and value of a handmade life. We approach our weaving and dyeing in a way that honors traditions of craft in order to create a more sustainable future. Each piece is created with techniques honed throughout centuries of fiber arts.”
At MSK, you will find Swans Island yarn, patterns, and blankets. We have their organic merino wool in worsted and fingering weights in many gorgeous colors. Since everyone at the shop is so excited about the yarn, we already have some finished articles to show you. The patterns that we have include mittens, scarves, hats, and shrugs. The projects reflect the simple and beautiful aesthetic that Swans Island embodies. We also have some of their hand-woven blankets, in both throw and queen sizes. They would be a perfect gift for someone you care about, even yourself!
Visit Swans Island's website to learn more about this unique company, if for no other reason than to remind yourself that a place like this really exists!
https://www.swansislandblankets.com/
Happy Knitting, Katie
What We're Knitting
POSTED: January 8, 2012 by Katie
Here at My Sister Knits, we try to keep new and fun samples of knitted projects in the shop for our customers. We think that it is the best way to experience a new yarn or the latest patterns, besides, we are all active knitters too! We are constantly inspired by each other and our customers, so I wanted to share what we are making, what we love right now, and hopefully inspire all of you as well.
Dawn has made MadelineTosh’s Honey Cowl. This is a very popular pattern on Ravelry, and I understand why. The pattern is simple, beautiful, and free! It calls for DK weight yarn and, while we do have Tosh DK in the shop, Dawn opted for Alchemy’s Temple. It is 100% superfine Merino wool, has 128 yards per skein, and comes in neutral as well as beautiful bright colors.
Check out http://madelinetosh.com/store/index.php/patterns/honey-cowl.html or Ravelry for the pattern, www.alchemyyarns.com for the yarn, and the shop for this beautiful sample.
Julie made a simple scarf to show off Rowan’s Kidsilk Haze Stripe yarn. A self-striping version of the traditional Kidsilk Haze (70% Super kid mohair/ 30% silk), one skein is enough to make this scarf. The pattern is even on the underside of the label! We have a few different color ways, all in lively colors- perfect for brightening up your winter and getting ready for spring.
See Rowan’s website to see more of this yarn: www.knitrowan.com
Lastly, I made the Ships and Seaside Cowl by Tiny Owl Knits. This cowl is knit in the round with a provisional cast on and then, instead of binding off, the two ends are grafted together to make a super warm tube with no wrong side. I love it! I used Rowan Kid Classic for this project; it’s a blend of wool with a little bit of mohair and we have lots of colors in the shop.
Tiny Owl Knits has lots of great patterns, so be sure to stop by their website: www.tinyowlknits.com
We always have new finished projects at MSK, so come by and see them for some inspiration!
New at MSK!
POSTED: January 2, 2012 by Katie
Hi MSK Fans,
I'm so excited to share the New Arrivals at My Sister Knits!
First up... Sweet Grass Wool and Wolf Creek Wools, hand-dyed Targhee wool from Montana. We have Mountain Silk (80% wool/ 20% Tussah silk) in an Aran weight and I guarantee that you haven’t felt any yarn like it before. It is very unique. We also have Bliss sock yarn (80% superwash Merino/10% Cashmere/ 10% Nylon) in beautiful colors. It would make a truly luxurious pair of socks! Check out their website --> http://www.sweetgrasswool.com
Next… Swan’s Island Yarn! Made from all organic fiber and natural dyes, this yarn is made by real fiber lovers, who put their knowledge and talent into everything that they make. Needless to say, all of us here at the shop are in love! We currently have worsted weight and we are anxiously awaiting fingering weight and BLANKETS as well! After you see their website, you won’t be able to resist either --> https://www.swansislandblankets.com
Last… some new stuff from some old favorites. We have some new yarns from Cascade: Pacific, Ultra Pima, Alpaca Lace, new colors in Eco Cloud, and Greenland- a 100% superwash merino with a very tight twist. We think it would be perfect for a pair of fingerless mitts!
We also got a ton of Anzula Cloud in gorgeous colors. It is an 80% Superwash Merino, 10% Cashmere, and 10% Nylon blend with 575 yards in each skein! The one-skein project possibilities are endless: socks, a lace scarf or a slouchy hat, just to name few!
Learn to Knit 1 and 2
POSTED: December 23, 2011 by Katie
Learn to Knit 1 and 2: January 14th and 28th, February 4th and 25th, and March 10th and 24th. Classes are from 10-12 and taught by Julie Conway. The cost is $40 dollars, including supplies. Call the shop to sign up!
We are taking requests for other classes and will schedule them according to demand.