Something to Cowl about

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I'm loving this cowl!!!! My daugter, Emily, put it on, played with it, twisted it, and wore it the last 4 days she was us here this August. Until she wore it home to Brooklyn. It's been unusually cool & rainy for August & it works great as a chillchaser.

I love the idea of something that drapes this beautifully and keeps the chest and neck warm without the additional bulk of a second sweater. And how great is it that you can flip it up and use it as a hood when it cold or raining.




It knits ups so fast, and doesn't require constant attention. You establish a rhythm and can totally get lost in the zen of knitting, a good thing. It's been perfect for knitting on long drives here in Maine--of course' I'm not doing the driving. My husband is. I can pretty much enjoy the surroundings and just check in visually with the knitting every once in a while. Ok, so sometimes I knit past the starting point marker on my circular #6, and then have to rip out, but it's all about the process in knitting, right?

I've knit this one in a pale tan DK llama silk commercial blend you see in the images.
I'm working a number of permutations of this pattern. I'm trying it in another shade of the Llama silk, and have just spun some orange-y cotton from Halcyon Yarns

and plied with a soft, shine-y gold silk/wool blend yarn.
I think it will look great.

Orange cotton & gold wool/silk in the basket, waiting for me to spin, and, a sample of the yarn spun then plyed on the wheel.

Sample swatches: Knit side and purl side

So here are the instructions for this cowl.

Using #6 24" circular needles, cast on 145 stitches using a DK weight yarn. Join into a circle and *knit 3 rounds, purl 6 rounds*. Repeat between *'s a total of 11-12 times, ending with purl 6 rounds. This is a very flexible pattern. You can make this as long as you want. Try it on to see how you like the drape and Voila!

Guatemalan Brown

I'm having so much fun working with this brown fiber from Guatemala. A gift from my daughter after she returned from her recent trip there. The yarn was spun very tightly but plyed loosely (2 ply) and then wound tightly into a ball when I got it. I couldn't help buy wonder what hands where had worked with this before. Erica says the fiber is called "Brown Cotton" Gossypium Mexicanum, "Ixcaco" (in Mayan dialect--historically used in the creation of Mayan ceremonial garments), and "Cuyuscate" (Spanish).
I had been saving a pattern from a recent issue of Interweave Knits Magazine for the perfect yarn . A really lovely scarf with an unusual lace pattern and unique construction. When I had this South American yarn in my hands, I knew it was a good match.
You can see what happened (before sample) when I started to knit with it. They say a picture is worth thousand words. Take a look. You'll see what I mean........

Make a Smilebox postcard

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Spring Has Sprung!

That's it! Winter is over (officially now that it is March 21). And we are going to act like it is spring. Long walks outside. Keeping an eye open for courageous early spring flowers. Packing away bulky winter clothes until next winter.

However. ......That doesn't mean we won't be knitting. We're not that crazy! And socks always seem like the perfect project for spring & summer. Portable, small, discrete enough to be knit in inconspicuously at church or at a crowded meeting. And perfect for spectator sports events.

So here are a few of our new favorites.

Lace knitting pattern on leg made with Ranco hand-dyed sock yarn from KFI

Tube Socks (no heel or gusset!) made with worsted weight Nature Wool from KFI. Pattern from Knitscene Spring 2008)

Interested? Join us this March & April at our Spring Sock Hop

Mondays 2- 6 pm Downtown at 55 Whitney Avenue (203-776-9276)
Wednesdays 5 – 7:30 pm in Westville 910 Whalley Avenue (203-389-3369)
Now through the end of April

This is how it works.....
If you already knit socks and are interested in learning advanced sock knitting skills, like, socks on 2 circulars, knitting 2 socks at the same time, Magic Loop sock knitting, knitting lace & other advanced sock patterns, Cat Bordhi sock knitting techniques (for those truly skillful knitters looking for a challenge) to name a few, join us. Mini sessions are between $5-$15 based on the skill to be learned.
If you are clueless about sock knitting but know knitting basics—how to knit & purl easily—you are ready to learn sock knitting. Our Beginning Sock Class ($35) is 4 sessions scheduled at your convenience during the Spring Sock Hop days & hours.

Tarpley Knits

Tarpley came into our shop early November with her Dad. Her birthday was coming up and Dad wanted her to have some knitting lessons. He knew the potential here. That very first Saturday Tarpley was enthusiastic about the color and texture of the yarns in the shop, and was inspired by many of the shop knitted samples. I knew the potential here, too.

I asked Tarpley where she first learned to knit. "I learned when I was 9 and living in France. My family and some other familys rented a chateau for a couple of months. My au pair's hispanic mother taught me to knit while my au pair translated into French for me." Now a wordly almost-13-year old, Tarpley was ready to take her begining knitting skills and leap headlong into the world of creative knitting.

Inspired by a pair of fingerless gloves in the shop, Tarpley decided to make a set of these for a friend. You see the results here.

Then she decided she wanted to learn how to cable. She brought in a 5" square of paper from a knit calendar showing instructions for a premie baby cap with cables. We modified the pattern to fit her head and she was off and running. The following Saturday she walked into the shop, beaming broadly, and showed me the finished gray and white cap knit with angora-like self stripping merino yarn. Cables perfectly aligned, tapering at the top of the hat into a beguiling pattern. Really impressive.

"I love cables," Tarpley announced. "They're not very hard. When you've finished them they look so cool." Now she wanted to make a pair of lacey armwarmers from the Rowan Knit Magazine. She used the same yarn she had made the cap with but added a silky gray sock yarn to meet the pattern's gauge requirements. Her eye for color, texture and style is right on. I have no doubt the next time I see her she will be sporting her new lacey fingerless gloves eager to move onto her next project. There is no stopping her. It's a good thing.

January 2008

January always feels like organizing to me. I guess it has to do with the tradition of making resolutions. I resolve to spend less, or I resolve to eat healthier, or I resolve to be more environmentally aware. The magazines covers are full of ideas on how to organize, label, pare-down everything. I could make a resolution to organize my yarn stash and gift the excess--and there is plenty--to knitters who could make good use of it.

I have promised many knitter-friends that this winter, beginning in January, we will do a Lace Knitting Workshop. So, in keeping with making good on resolutions:

Lace Knitting Workshop

Lace Knitting is a magical coalescing of knitting skills. It puts to good use the skills advanced beginners have already learned--knit & purl with ease, mixed with a willingness to lose yourself in the meditative rhythm of the stitches, and thereby painlessly commit to many hours of knitting stitches. Lace knitting is definitely NOT the big needle, big yarn quick fix. While it doesn't have to be worked with Size 1 needles and lace weight yarn, it does require a lot of stitches.

Dates...................................... Shop............Instructor
Thur Jan 10 5-7:30 pm .........Westville...........Toni

Tues Jan 15 5-6:30 pm ..........Downtown........

Wed Jan 16 5-6:30 pm ..........Westville...........

Tues Jan 22 5-6:30 pm .........Downtown........

Thur Jan 24 5-7:30 pm .........Westville...........

Sat Jan 26 3-4:30 pm ............Westville..........

Cost: $30 for up to two 1 1/2 h classes, additional classes (beyond 2nd) $10 each. (Materials extra)
Dates: flexible scheduling (as above), with classes offered in January & February (TBA) at either of our shops so you can come when you have time in your schedule.
Registration: by phone(776-yarn) or in person. Materials and pattern will be discussed at the first session. Bring yarn & needles for swatching if you have it. You may make a project with any weight yarn, but we feel worsted yarn and larger needles (8-10) will help you reach the goals of the class without unnecessary work. Choosing the appropriate yarn is always a part of successful knitting.

Skills learned:You will learn how to read charts, because that's really all you need in terms of instructions for lace knitting. We'll also take a look at "translating" charts into detailed written- out instructions. We'll also teach you to "read" your stitches--to look at your work and to understand where you are in the pattern. We'll talk about correcting mistakes in the most creative manner possible. One of the skills I have developed as a seasoned knitter is "creative correction". Only if all else fails will I rip out. Correcting mistakes empower us as knitters. Lace knitting, especially in a large shawl, is very forgiving. A Knitting Quality Control Inspector would be hard put to find "creative corrections" in a handknit shawl that is worn the way it is made to be worn--wrapped and draped gracefully.

During this workshop you will be knitting some sample lace swatches, just to get into the swing of things. Then you'll be ready to commit to a lace knitting project.

We suggest either a hat (worsted or bulky weight yarn) http://www.knitty.com/ Autumn 2007 issue or a shawl (worsted weight yarn) from GGG/Rebecca. The "Birch" shawl from Rowan Knitting & Crocheting Magazine Issue 43 is also do-able, but involves more knitting. And of course the summer shawlette from http://www.interweaveknits.com/ would be fine for those who want a challenge. Or bring a pattern you like and we'll take a look.

We like to keep the workshops small so that you can get the attention you require. We will have extra staff if numbers get too large, but if you don't phone ahead, we might have to limit class size to those who have called. Remember, we are a small personal LYS. In order to keep class fees low, we ask you to be patient with us.

........AND continuing during the winter months our Sock Workshop.

Cost: $40 for up to three 1 1/2 h classes, additional classes (beyond 3rd) $10 each.

Dates: flexible scheduling, with classes offered in January & February at either of our shops so you can come when you have time in your schedule. Judy is working on that as we "speak".

Registration: by phone or in person.

We like to keep all workshops small so that you can get the attention you require. We will have extra staff if numbers get too large, but if you don't phone ahead, we might have to limit class size to those who called. Remember, we are a small personal LYS. In order to keep class fees low, we ask you to be patient with us as we attend to other shop needs.

Don't forget about our Knitters/Crocheters Workshop. Held twice a month on the second and fourth Thursdays of every month from 5-7:30 pm in our Westville store. Here's the place for you to work with other knitters and to bring you knitting problems to our staff. The fee is $5, but this is refundable if you purchase anything during the workshop session that night.

Jan 10, Jan 24, Feb 14, Feb 28, Mar 13, Mar 27 2008 (schedule subject to change due to weather--if the schools are closed, we are closed) Call us just to make sure. 203-389-3369

Merry Maine Christmas 2007

There are some things about Maine that just say Maine. Many of us make gingerbread for the holidays. We make Gingerlobsters. Here's how it happened.

Every Christmas we choose a different country and try to find a Christmas tradition from that country that will bring an element of international discovery & appreciation to our fairly modest family celebration. Last year we celebrated "France. We exchanged French themed gifts and made a Buche Noel. This year we celebrated "Germany". We talked about the Christmas tree or bough being an everlasting symbol of good fortune, and, trekked into the Maine woods (actually a farm up the road owned by a Bronx-born Jewish guy who has lived here 20+ years and harvests Xams trees) and of course made a gingerbread house. Food figures prominently in any of our family get togethers.

The well-planned gingerbread event began before Christmas, in order to insure a successful project. I made sure the Maine pantry would be stocked with the baking goods we don't usually keep. Blackstrap molasses,* 10-X sugar, cloves (decided to use the whole ones & grate them, rather than spend $7.20 for a teeny tiny plastic supermarket spice jar of them. Emily came up with the idea of grinding them in the coffee bean grinder & it worked like a charm. Coffee should have that je ne sais qua flavor the next time we grind beans in that thing. Anyway. Emily went to THE candy store in NYC, the Economy Candy Store on Rivington Street, for great decorating candies like, Necco wafers, red string licorice, gray colored M&Ms, & smarties that look like minature lego blocks. So we made the gingerbread house.

The original design called for several San Franciso type "painted ladies" houses with elaborate "frosting" detail. Once the project got underway, we compromised. Our house wound up being a tall Suburban, Anywhere, USA style house with attached car port ("they all have carports in Austin"), several "shrubs" and a tire swing (my favorite part) made with a Joyva Ring Jel (minature chocolate donut with red jelly inside), from, you guessed it, the Economy Candy Company on Rivington Street in NYC. We are all rather proud of this gingerbread house.

Being the creative bunch we are, we decided to make Gingerbread cookies to adore the Christmas tree with the leftover dough. Hmmmmmmmm. Shapes. Men, Women, Animals? Maine........hmmmmmmm. Lobsters! of course. We love 'um. WE even have them on our license plates up here.

And in keeping with the holiday tradition, we share. These cookies/Xmas ornaments have traveled to Texas & LA post-Christmas, carefully wrapped to survive plane travel, to be delivered as unique holiday gifts to others less fortunate than us i.e. they didn't spend Christmas in Maine.

*(my favorite molasses trivia) The Boston Molasses Disaster, also known as the Great Molasses Flood or The Great Boston Molasses Tragedy, occurred on January 15, 1919, in the North End neighborhood of Boston, Mass. A large molasses tank burst and a wave of molasses rushed through the streets at an estimated 35 mph (56 km/h), killing 21 and injuring 150. The event has entered local folklore, and residents claim that on hot summer days the area still smells of molasses.