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Warm Weather Knitting

POSTED: April 24, 2012 by Katie

Spring is here! A lot of people put down their knitting in the warm weather, but our needles are still hard at work here at MSK. Linen is our new favorite fiber and lacy shawls and cowls are great for a chilly Colorado evening. Check out what we are knitting in the sunshine.

Pei is a light lacy cowl from the LOFT Collection. We knitted it up in Isager Alpaca 2 fingering weight.

Linen is a great fiber for the warm weather. We used Louet Euroflax Sport, a 100% wet spun linen yarn, to make a sweet little vest. The pattern is called “Patricia” and it is perfect for this time of year.

When the wind picks up or you are eating dinner outside in Old Town, a shawl to cover your shoulders is the perfect accessory. Stephen West is the king of unique shawls and we have his Earth and Sky made up in MadelineTosh’s Pashmina.

Lastly, if you need a little more warmth, try SkintsB’s Triangle Pose shrug. It calls for a fingering weight yarn and is made from a series of triangles.  

So, don't stop knitting because winter is over! We certainly aren't.

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.churchmouseyarns.com/collections/churchmouse-classics-patterns/products/bias-before-after-scarf

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!

Cascade 220 Superwash Trunk Show Part II

POSTED: October 13, 2011 by Lizz

There are so many cute baby knits as part of the Cascade 220 Superwash Trunk Show that we had to split them into two posts. Julie Conway is a great friend of the shop, and we were really thrilled when she brought in so many cute baby things. Part I showed you some of the unisex and boy items, so Part II will show some of the girl items.



All of these patterns, and then some, are part of the book 60 Quick Baby Knits, available at the shop. Julie will also be teaching her Heels and Gussets class on Tuesday, October 18 ... a great class for sock knitters and sock knitter wannabes! Stop by the shop for more details and to check out these sweet samples.

Cascade 220 Superwash Trunk Show Part I

POSTED: October 5, 2011 by Lizz

Julie Conway has always demonstrated her awesome knitting skills.  Her Learn to Knit I and II classes are staples of our class schedule, and we love seeing her finished objects.  When she brought in finished projects from the sweetest book we've seen in a long time, 60 Quick Baby Knits, we couldn't stop ooh-ing and aah-ing.

60 Quick Baby Knits is a book that has exactly what the title promises: 60 quick and adorable projects for boys and girls, each one knit out of Cascade 220 Superwash.  Julie has knit several items out of this book, and we have them on display at the shop, so be sure to take a look when you're there.

Here are our favorite unisex and boy pieces:

Striped Leg Warmers and Lace Motif Cardigan

Hooded Pullover

And how cute is this sheep hat??  We love the backside ....

Stop by the shop to see these samples, and more!  And don't forget, Julie is teaching her Learn to Knit II class on Tuesday, October 11.  This is a great class for increasing, decreasing, slipping stitches, joining yarns and combining stitches to make rib stitch and seed stitch. Stay tuned for Part II of the Trunk Show as well ....

We Love Purl Bee

POSTED: October 3, 2011 by Lizz

It's always exciting to get a new set of patterns in, no matter where they come from.  When we're lucky enough to see new patterns from designers and companies that we love, then it's an extra reason to celebrate! 

One of our all-time favorites here is Purl Bee, by Purl SoHo.  Purl SoHo is a great shop in SoHo, Manhattan, and they have an awesome blog and newsletter that is always awash with excellent knit and crochet patterns, as well as writings on quilting, designers, other products, and so much more.  Julie recently finished two Purl Bee projects, and they definitely get us in the mood for some Autumn Knitting!

This owl is such a cute and friendly face!  This one is knit out of two strands of Cascade Yarns Eco Cloud held together, then stuffed with organic cotton.  It's soft, squooshy, and cuddly.

This crocheted blanket is another warm and cuddly thing to curl up with.  Perfect for napping during chilly afternoons, this blanket is made out of Madeline Tosh Light.  It's an easy project and quick to whip out, and the colored stripe adds just the right amount of interest and pop.

Stop by the shop to see these samples in person and check out the other projects we love from Purl Bee!

Grown Up Booties With Buttons

POSTED: September 1, 2009 by mysisterknits

Do not let the days between posts about these slippers mislead you. Each one really only took one short evening's worth of television knitting to complete. It just took me a while to find just the right finishing touch.

Pattern: Ysolda's Grown Up Booties from Whimsical Little Knits
Yarn: Caya Colour Jayne, 100% fisherman wool, 220 yds per 4 oz skein; color Avocado.
Needles: US 8 (5 mm)

While I matched the required stitch gauge on the US 8 needles with this yarn I was getting fewer rows per inch than called for. I calculated how long the decrease part on the slippers were in the pattern at the given row gauge and how long it would be at my row gauge. Doing so told me I needed to start the decreases approximately one half inch sooner than directed by the pattern. However, when looking at other finished booties on Ravelry it seemed clear that the snugger the fit the better the booties looked when on the feet. Plus, garter stitch is really stretchy and forgiving so I started my decreases an inch sooner than directed. The end result are booties about 2 inches shorter than my actual foot, but the fit is great. It seemed a good size for US9-10 shoes and perhaps even as small as 8 as long as they aren't narrow.

Because on US 8 needles I am already using smaller needles than I would choose for the yarn if I go down one more size to US 7 needles I think I'll nearly maintain the stitch gauge and may get a bit closer to the stated row gauge. With the Iron Oxide yarn I'm going to try the 7s. The more dense the knit fabric the more durable the slippers will be so I've not got much to loose. It might take a tad bit longer to knit up, but if they can then be worn for longer I think it is worth it.

I did decide I wanted to dress the booties up a bit and give them a nice finishing touch. I ended up stacking two different types of buttons from my button stash and sewed them along the outside toe seams. I think that was the perfect "frosting." I have something a little different in mind for the red ones. But of course I'll have to take a couple evenings "off" to knit those up yet. Soon though! It is always important to take some time for yourself.

See all the details, including sizing notes on my Ravelry project page. Stop by the shop and try them on for yourself too!