Blog

Relief Has Arrived!

POSTED: April 19, 2012 by Liz

Our most used and often neglected tool for making pretty stuff with yarn, is our hands. Just in are two new shipments from Bar-Maids and Windrift Hill. Both companies craft their products by hand for artisan results you can feel. Don't stop at just pampering your hands, these two companies each have lovely lines of bath and beauty products that will give you sweet relief. 

Windrift Hill is a small family run farm in Montana. They use milk from their herd of Nubian goats to craft a line of body products. (Pictured is a member of the herd, Stud Muffin.) Their goat's milk soap contains a minimum of one ounce of goat's milk and it won't leave soap film on your skin. Perfect for washing up before you sit down to knit. Also in are their body oil, body butter, and lip balm.

In addition to body products, Windrift Hill has a line of bath accessories. You will particularly love their woven Agave fiber wash cloths that gently exfoliate your skin. We also orderd a colorful assortment of crocheted wash cloths made by Windrifts Hill's resident granny!

Next up is Bar-Maids, with their line of Lo-Lo beauty products. Bar-Maids is based in Vancouver, Washington. They use only natural ingredients, eighty percent of them purchaced locally. We are particularly smitten with Lo-Lo's Face Pudding. With Emu oil as its stealth ingredient, it is rich in emollients without feeling greasy. You will love its less-than-there scent. Also in are Lo-Lo's Bars, O' For Feet Sake, and Lip Balm. 

Just so your yarn doesn't feel left out, we also got in a new shipment of Eucalan Wool Wash. Get on in here and check them out. Your hands (and knitting) will thank you for it.

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

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!

New Colors of Cascade Eco Cloud

POSTED: October 26, 2011 by Lizz

One of our new favorite yarns lately has been Cascade Eco Cloud.  This yarn is dreamy soft, with 30% Alpaca and 70% Merino making it super warm, too.  The cable-style ply makes it bouncy and full of life, and it comes in a great rainbow of colors.

The un-dyeds are certainly among our favorites ....

And now we are pleased to offer their colors as well!

A skein is 100 grams and yields 164 yards (150 meters), so it's a pretty generous skein.  One touch of this yarn will have you squeezing it and dreaming of your new favorite sweater.  Be sure to check out the samples we have knit up out of this yarn, and you'll see what we mean!

Knit, Swirl!

POSTED: September 20, 2011 by Lizz

Sandra McIver has written a new book that contains patterns that can appeal to all of us: they flatter every shape and size, and are knitted in one piece with only one seam to finish up at the end.  Introducing: Knit, Swirl!

This book contains patterns for swirl jackets, a type of jacket that has a construction easy to understand.  Each pattern contains several full-color photographs ....

Line-by-line pattern instructions, and a detailed schematic that makes it easy to construct.

There is a wide variety of patterns in this book that mean you can knit this style of jacket for any season!  They make wonderful gifts, and there is no limit to the colors and patterns you can incorporate.  Copies of this book are available at the shop, so be sure to pick one up while we still have them!

One Bike, Two Bikes, Red Bikes, Blue Bikes

POSTED: September 7, 2011 by Lizz

Tour de Fat

This past Saturday marked a favorite event of ours, New Belgium Brewery's Tour de Fat.  This awesome bicycle parade is a chance for people and families to dress up and show their love and support for non-motor-vehicle forms of transportation.  We had some tasty treats, amazing weather and comfy seats for people to stop and watch the parade go by, and a few people even brought their knitting!

We made this photo large enough so you could see it's covered with knitting!  From handlebars to kickstand, it's knitted!  How cool is the cabled bike seat?  And the yarn-y tassels!  The kickstand is even covered!

There were tall bikes ....

And pirate ship bikes ....

And whatever kind of bike this is ....

All in all, a fun day!  We already can't wait for next year.  Were you there?

Cat Bordhi Information

If you are taking one of Cat Bordhi's classes this weekend (Sweet Tomato Heel is Sunday, September 11 and Really Personal Footprints is Monday, September 12), we have some additional information for you.  For the Sweet Tomato Heel class, Cat has requested that you watch her YouTube demonstration video before class.  Here's a link to the video.  It is also helpful if you buy the eBook for the Sweet Tomato Heel, available for purchase on Ravelry or through Cat's website (you can use a credit card or your PayPal account).  The eBook is not required for the class, but it will be helpful as there are no hand-outs for this class.

If you are taking the Really Personal Footprints, we will have a hand-out available for you when class begins.  Please call the shop if you have any other questions.  Happy knitting!

Sweet Georgia Yarns

POSTED: September 2, 2011 by Lizz

It's always exciting when we get a new yarn line into the shop.  That's why we're thrilled to announce that My Sister Knits now carries SweetGeorgia Yarns!

SweetGeorgia Yarns is an artisan yarn company in Vancouver, BC that makes exquisite hand-dyed yarns for knitting and fibres for spinning. Their live/work space is also their production dye studio where they dye all their yarns.  Their bright vibrant colorways and luxury yarn bases make for an affordable and loveable "spoil yourself" treat.

The Sweet Georgia Tough Love Sock is an 80/20 mix of Superwash Wool and Nylon, coming in generous skeins of 425 yards.  We just got even more colors in, so stop by the shop to see everything we have!

Top row from Left: Pumpkin, Ginger, Saffron, Pomegranate
Bottom row from Left: Deep Olive, Botanical, Tourmaline, Pistachio

The Merino Silk Lace is ridiculously soft and we love the thought of wrapping it around our necks during the coming cold months.  It is a 50/50 blend of Merino and Silk lace-weight, and the 100 gram skeins are 765 yards.  Again, we have even more colors than what is pictured here, so stop by the shop to see everything we have.

See the pretty colors!

Be sure to compare and contrast with the Cashsilk Lace -- another "spoil yourself" treat.  This one is 55% silk and 45% cashmere, and the 50 gram skeins each contain 400 yards.  Perfect for a lacy cowl to wrap around your neck during ski season!  And plenty of colors to choose from (to make sure they match your ski pants)!

Left to Right: Berry Tart, Tourmaline, Ginger and Cypress.

Come by the shop to squeeze the yarn and hold it up against your face!

Don't forget to join us this Saturday, September 3 for the Tour de Fat Bike Parade!  We'll have a coffee cart courtesy of the Espresso People from 10am - 2pm.  Feel free to bring a lawn chair and your knitting to watch the parade go by!

Bike One, Knit All

POSTED: August 31, 2011 by Lizz

Tour de Fat

This Saturday, September 3rd marks the Tour de Fat: the annual bike parade put on by the New Belgium Brewery.  This bike tour is a town favorite.  Families, college students, kids and grandparents alike dress up and ride their bikes (tricked out and not), beginning at Civic Center Park and traveling up and down Mountain Avenue.  Afterwards is a carnival that you can ride experimental bikes, hear some great music, and of course eat and drink beer to your heart's content. Trust us when we say if you're NOT dressed up in costume, you will feel out of place.  This is a family-fun event that can't be missed!

Join us at MSK from 10:00am - 2:00pm to watch the parade go by and get some tasty coffee treats from Espresso People.  Be sure to bring your knitting!

New In the Library

Elizabeth Zimmermann is a knitting icon.  She has taught endless people how to knit, and her books live on as staples in many people's knitting libraries.  Her patterns range from basic and simple to complicated and brilliant, and her construction techniques border on the mind-bending.  Her daughter, Meg Swansen, has carried on in the knitting tradition and still runs Schoolhouse Press (EZ's original knitting newsletter press) to this day.

EZ fans everywhere were thrilled when they found out that another book of her patterns would be published posthumously (she passed away in 1999).  This was to be a book that Elizabeth had been pushing for since her first book came out -- one solely dedicated to her favorite stitch, Garter.  EZ's grandson, Cully Swansen has reconstructed and gathered a collection of Elizabeth's garter stitch patterns and published them all in this posthumous volume titled Knit One, Knit All.

This is a lovely book, filled with patterns of Elizabeth's creation.  It contains socks, sweaters, hats, mittens, gloves and jackets -- patterns ranging from beginner to advanced, and all based around garter stitch (what she calls the "bread and cheese of knitting").  Supplemented with notes and diagrams drawn in EZ's hand, it also contains a few sketches and watercolors done by Elizabeth.

We also love this Sideways Glove pattern that comes with instructions to make a fingerless version as well.

Knit on!

Dream In Color

POSTED: August 29, 2011 by Lizz

My Sister Knits now carries Dream in Color in two weights: Classy, their worsted weight and Smooshy, the fingering weight.

Classy is a wonderful worsted-weight, 100% Merino yarn.  It's a generous 250 yards in a skein, and we love the names!  Creative, but without leaving you guessing as to what color they resemble.  This is a great yarn for any basic sweater pattern, and the colors complement each other, so mixing-and-matching is a cinch!  The stitch definition with this yarn is ideal for cables or other detailed stitch patterns.

Smooshy is a versatile fingering-weight yarn, and with 450 yards in a skein, it's perfect for shawls and wraps as well as socks.  More colors are available than what are pictured for both of these yarns, so be sure to stop by the shop for a squeeze and an "ooooh!"