Memorial Day 2013

I wanted to post our Memorial Day hours to the site and I started thinking about this holiday.  It's a somber day.  It honors the women and men who gave their lives for this country.  It also marks the beginning of summer, so perhaps we overlook its meaning: instead, we think about barbeques, parties, sales and a long weekend.  Originally the holiday was called Decoration Day and there is some evidence that it was women who started the tradition of decorating soldiers' graves.  Now that women will officially be integrated into combat roles I was curious about the history of women in the military and I came across this great article about the history of women in combat. 

We will be open Saturday 12 - 5, Sunday 12 - 4 and closed on Monday.
Please come see us, our summer yarn and our current summery projects.

Lynn

Sheep in the Holy Land

I took this photo late at night on a street in Jerusalem.  At first glance I thought they were dogs, but when I got closer to the gallery window I realized they were sheep.  I couldn't see a signature so I don't know who the artist is and therefore can't give proper credit to the creator of this image, but I love it.

We set a record in Chicago today:  the only time in our record-keeping history that we've had a 37 degree jump in temperature.  Yesterday the heat was on and today we need air conditioning.  Here's the pathetic segue:  we have yarn for all temperatures!  Really, we do!  We just got some new colors of Shibui Linen; the palette is sublime with neutrals and brights.   I especially love linen for its season-spanning capability: wear it now, in the height of summer or in the fall.   There are some gorgeous designs from them as well, both accessories and garments.

We also just received the new Noro Magazine.  It's been awhile since I've liked a publication as much.  There are several lovely garments that would flatter all figures, plus some darling baby things.  Noro yarns really lend themselves to crochet and it's refreshing to see so many good crochet designs included in this magazine.

We cleared a space yesterday for a new yarn called Tee Cakes.  I never know what you all are going to like, but if you don't like it I'm just going to knit this all myself!  You have to see it!  I'm not telling you anymore.

So, here's a question:  What do you want to knit together?  We're talking about the next Knit Along and I'm stumped.  I spent some time today looking through Ravelry for some ideas and I thought I'd ask you.  So, let me know.  What's in your queue?  What's on your to-do list?  If it's something you want to tackle as a group, tell me.  Leave a comment here on the blog, I need your inspiration!

Thanks,
Lynn

Put Your Woolies Away

Let's get real.  It's almost May, people!  Can a girl get a little spring??  I don't care what Tom Skilling says, I'm going to put away the mittens and other cold weather garments.  Away as in give them a lovely bath and pack them in their storage boxes.  As an ode to spring* and to encourage you all to treat your woolens to a special treat, I'm offering 10% off on Soak, our favorite wash for winter knits.  Soak comes in several scents -- all of which are delightful -- or we have unscented if you prefer.  This offer is good through Sunday, April 28th.

When you come in you can check out all the wonderful new yarns.  Rowan outdid themselves for this summer, and we are expecting our shipment of T-shirt yarn and Anzula anytime.

Lynn
*explicit

Centered Double Decrease: s2kp2

“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Terry Pratchett, A Hat Full of Sky

The Undergrowth Hat has this great detail at the crown:  a centered double decrease --it's just one of the details that makes this hat a beautiful design.  I'm so taken with this little nugget of knitting genius that I thought I'd share it with you.

It's wonderful when you can use increases and decreases intentionally as design elements.  The right choice can add or detract from your knitting.  Single decreases slant left or right and can be used alone or in pairs to mirror one another, but that's another post.  This particular decrease results in a prominent stitch that makes a vertical line when worked every other row.

To work the decrease:

1.  knit to one stitch before the center stitch.  Insert the right needle into the next two stitches on the left needle as if to knit and slip them to the right needle.

2.  knit the next stitch

very blurry pic of step 2

3.  pull the two slipped stitches over the new stitch and off the needle.

step 3

This is so completely genius!  When you slip the stitches as if to knit in step 1, they cross each other, and then that little head of the 3rd stitch pokes its little shoulders up through those slipped stitches and makes that elegant vertical line.

Ahhh!

btw, I started the Pine Bough Cowl yesterday.  It's easy and addictive color knitting, no laundry got done today...

Lynn

Kenzie

I thought I'd give this little gem its own post.  This is a new yarn from Skacel.  Kenzie is a blend of wool, angora, alpaca and nylon silk noils imported from New Zealand.  We chose the saturated colors for the spring palette, though I'm liking it so well we may reorder the neutrals.  Its gauge is versatile -- you can knit it as a DK or as a light worsted.  One of our students is using it for the Undergrowth Hat and several other people have started sweaters. 

I love the Tayberry Hat, but I'm extra loving color work these days and I think I want to knit the Pine Bough Cowl.  Any advice for me??!

Tayberry Hat and Pine Bough Cowl in Kenzie

In another bit of news, thanks to Tim T, we now have our iPad hooked up to a wireless printer which means that you can print a pattern from your smart phone while in Knit 1.  Technically you could send the file to be printed from anywhere, like anywhere in the world anywhere!  Love technology.   The cartridges are sooooo expensive though I'm not sure whether or not I'll have to charge for printing, but at the moment it's free, so if you'd like to come in and print one of these patterns I will give you a 10% discount on Kenzie for the next week along with a color copy of your pattern.  Offer ends on April 15, 2013 (tax day!)

Thank you so much Tim T. 
Lynn