Spring and KAL

It's spring.  Is the other shoe going to drop?  Is a late season blizzard going to blanket our new crocuses?  Will we ever be wearing sandals ever again?  Yes. The answer is YES we will wear sandals, but in the meantime I'm soothing myself with new projects and new yarn which I think is a perfect metaphor for spring and growth and renewal and all those words that make their way into the lexicon this time of year.  Look at what we're planning!

Spring Knit A Long!

The Modern Tunic Knit-a-Long is about to begin.  We're casting on Monday, April 13 and we'll wrap up on the weekend of June 13 and 14.  This is such a great garment and it can be knit in so many yarns and combinations.  When Lori was here for the workshop in January, she was wearing it knit in Shibui Linen and Cima.  I've started mine in that combo and I love it.  I'm continually impressed by the brilliance of Shibui yarn.  So many yarn combinations work and you can choose to mix colors as well.  You don't need to do it in Shibui, we have lots of other yarns that would be perfect.  Stop into the shop and we'll get you all set up.

Here are the deets:

•Come in anytime to buy your yarn and pattern and receive 10% off on all supplies specifically for this project.

•Check in with us here in the comments section or by email info@knit1chgo.com and/or here on Ravelry.  You must check in to get your discount.

•Join us on Monday evening for the official kick off.

•Great prizes for the first people to complete their garment.  Prizes will be awarded the weekend of June 14th.

Can't wait till I can wear this with some white jeans and sandals!
Lynn

Crochet: Two Classes by a Master Teacher!

I really love crochet.  It was hard for me to learn.  I might have been just a little cocky as a crochet student thinking that all my years as a knitter entitled me to proficiency in crochet.  And I admit, I struggled.  I'm much better now, thanks to a wonderful teacher that just walked into my life.  Her name is Tashia Butterfield.  She was patient, calm, encouraging and skilled.  And once I let go of having to be "expert" I became an acceptable crocheter.  I still have a lot to learn and there are many things I have on my list of "must crochet" but I'm no longer daunted by the strange language or symbols or charts.  So, when I got an email a few weeks ago from Tashia (who now lives on an alpaca farm in Nebraska, but that's a whole other story) saying she was going to be in town and was willing to teach some classes, I was elated!  So, people, here are the deets:

We are offering 2 classes taught by Tashia on Monday, March 30.
Advanced techniques: chainless foundation stitches and no-turning-chain dc and tr

Do you get frustrated with your foundation chains being too long or short? Learn to
create the foundation chain with your first row and it will never happen again! Do your
turning chains create a hole in your fabric? Learn a new stitch that eliminates turning
chains and looks just like a double or treble crochet stitch. These techniques will
transform the way you crochet and give your items a professional look. You must be
proficient in basic crochet (i.e., feel confident in your crochet abilities) with a good
understanding of how stitches are made in order to take this class.

1 - 3:00PM
Cost: $30 does not include supplies

Textured stitches: post stitches (cables), popcorns, and bobbles

Make your crochet items pop. Put all your basic skills together to add dimension and
depth to your projects with these textured stitches. If you’ve become bored with the
basic stitches, this is the perfect class for you. You must be proficient with the double
crochet stitch before class.

6:00 - 8:00PM
Cost:  $30 does not include supplies

Take both classes for $50.  All students are entitled to a 10% discount on yarn.

Please call the shop to register 773-244-1646.  Class size is limited.

Vintage Scotty Potholder

What the Mail Person Brought (in the snow...)

See Those Boxes?  That's Like 1/10th of What They Brought in Here This Week

It's still winter.  I'm looking at fresh snow and a thermometer that reads 17 degrees.  Fer real???!?  If you want to knit baby things and you're worried that it's still gonna be cold in May, we have just the thing for you!  We have beautiful, new bright (read: spring) colors of our stand-by, chunky baby yarn, Cascade 128.  Big, bold stripes of color would be gorgeous either knit or crochet.  Check it out!

Frabjous Fibers' Wonderland Yarns Mad Hatter:  The colors are so fantastic and the feel of this sport weight is fantastic.  I just knit a swatch and I was sad to bind off.  It's that nice.  It would make a gorgeous Color Affection or Hitchiker or how about these cool Fallberry Mitts by Anne Hanson?  Perfect for spring (should it ever arrive).

New Noro!  Kureopatora.  A soft, lofty wool in delectable Noro colors, and the best part?  270 meters for $18! 

Did you see this on Facebook?

It's named after our very chic customer, Gay.  We can point you to the pattern when you stop in.  It's made with one of the loveliest new yarns we've seen in a good long time - Cadena I.  It's a chain construction of 50% wool and 50% alpaca.  We have it in 10 gorgeous colors.  This version of the cowl takes 4 skiens, but there's a smaller version that takes 2.

That's a little preview, but more's on the way.  Come visit, the heat's on!
Lynn

Lori Versaci's Visit and KAL

As you may (I hope) have noticed over on the right there, we are hosting Lori Versaci at the end of the month.  Cory has knit several of her designs and we are pretty smitten with the well-written patterns and fantastic designs and shapes.  She has perfected her craft and will be sharing her knowledge and wisdom with us.  On Thursday, January 29th we will host a Meet and Greet with Lori starting at 2PM.  Bring your projects, your questions and yourselves.  We'll have a little refreshment a prize or two and it will be a casual social event.  From 6 - 9 she'll be teaching Knitting Successful Sweaters.  Here is her description of the class:

For sweater knitters new and old, this class offers guidance on everything from how to choose a pattern that is right for you, to picking yarn for the right look, to deciding which size to knit, to why swatching is so important and how to really use the information your swatch teaches you as well as tricks to successful blocking. No matter how experienced a knitter, everyone learns something new! Experienced participants are asked to bring a copy of a sweater pattern from a success and failure knit and everyone is asked to knit a swatch and bring it to class.

If you've never knit a sweater that's just fine, here's a great place to start! 

On Friday, January 30 from 10AM - 1PM is Knitting Textures

So many of my designs include pattern stitches and so many knitters are fearful of them. This class deconstructs texture patterns and provides key principles to maintaining pattern when increasing, decreasing and working short rows. Participants are asked to bring yarn and needles so that we can work on pattern stitches and shaping in class.

Each class is $60 and class size is limited to 8 people.  We are filling fast so please call the shop to sign up 773-244-1646

I'm Knitting the Worsted Pour Moi, I started it last week and I'm loving every stitch.  I'm knitting it in Anzula.  She has written this pattern in both DK and worsted and we have Anzula yarns in both.  I'm also thinking of fantastic combinations of Shibui....  Lori is starting a KAL for this pattern (the worsted) on January 8th.  If anyone wants to join please see the link here and we will give you 10% off your purchase of yarn.  

We have a binder of all of Versaciknits patterns at the shop so you can peruse in advance of classes.

I'm actually looking forward to this month!
Lynn

New Year's Day Sale!

George Benjamin Luks* - Knitting for the Soldiers

It's never to early to start that Holiday knitting, people!  Yes, we are holding our annual NYD sale!  It starts at 10AM and everything in the store will be discounted.  Please note that we aren't able to wind your purchases that day and we won't be able to honor sale prices on special orders.  There's plenty of great yarn though, and we will wind at a later date.  

*George Benjamin Luks, (August 13, 1867–October 29, 1933) was an American Realist artist and illustrator. His vigorously painted genre paintings of urban subjects are examples of the Ashcan School of American art.

Luks was born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania to Central European immigrants.  His father was a physician/apothecary and his mother was an amateur painter and musician. The Luks family eventually moved to Pottsville, in southern Pennsylvania near the coal fields. In this setting, he learned at a young age about poverty and compassion as he observed his parents helping the coal miners' families.