krazy for koigu

Along with the delivery of the adorable minis, came these adult size skeins of Koigu KPPPM.  This  yarn is so gorgeous I thought each needed it’s own picture!

See here (from top to bottom) P517,P514,P350L,P429,P319,P410,P465,P511,P866,P164, all $13.50 for 160m (175yds).  This merino wool is excellent for socks, shawls and baby duds.  We even have enough of each dyelot to make a sweater or two.

We have a few spots still vacant in our workshops this week.  Join the baby blanket class (it is free with purchase of materials) on Friday May 11, and the Cabled Cowl workshop on Monday May 7 (TOMORROW!).   Full class list and descriptions here.  Call to register 416 533 5648.

Craftily yours
Kristin

Contest!

We can’t get enough of these mini skeins.  So much so, that we just added a punchy bunch of new colours.  So much so that we  have developed a contest with them as the focal point.

Here’s how you enter-

Go HERE, and in the comments section of the post, tell us all your grand ideas. What could you do with these pretty little bundles of joy. That’s it!

What can you win?-

You can win a $50 gift certificate to use at the Knit Cafe.  For those who are not so near you can use the gift certificate for mail order lovelies too.

Now – I would be remiss.  If I did not use this opportunity to send a great big thank-you to all the folks who helped us out at the Knitter’s Frolic, this past weekend.  Such a hard working and cheerful bunch, you all did a wonderful job and we are ever so grateful. You are the best- no contest!

Craftily yours
Kristin

a frolicing we go!

This coming weekend is The Knitter’s Frolic.
If you are in the Toronto area this annual event has some great things to offer the fibre enthusiast. Classes- taught by some renowned and expert instructors, yarn- from small producers and big ones too – roving – buttons – books – and other knit gadgetry – and a healthy dose of knit camaraderie; all of these are in abundance at the Knitters Frolic.

We will be there!

We will be bringing the Madelinetosh and expect to come home a whole lot lighter, so come early to our booth to get your choice of colours.
Other pretty yarns and our one of a kind patterns will also be going along for the ride.  There will be show specials too, so be sure to take advantage of those!

You can find us in the “Knit Cafe”!

Once again the Knit Cafe will be providing food and refreshments for hungry and thirsty frolickers.  We will be bringing delicious treats for breakfast, lunch, and snack time. Our yarn booth will be in the cafeteria area so if you stop by for a fuel-up you will not miss us.
Maybe we will see you there! If not, our store will be open on Saturday.  It may prove to be just the haven for peace and quiet and for getting some serious knitting done.

Craftily yours
Kristin

this and that

This is timely↓

A delivery of Eucalan wool wash!  It cleans your hand knits with less toil with it’s no-rinse formula.  Good timing – as one day soon we will be packing away our woolies for the summer season.  Keeping wool clean keeps it safe from moth threats.  An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure they say.   Eucalan comes in 500ml bottles or trial sized 100ml for $11 and $4 respectively and worth every penny! If you are involved in moth guarding or moth warfare have a look at this post for some ideas on how to fight the good fight.

How about that ↑ ? More linen from Louet has arrived!  Restock of popular colours like pewter and natural, aqua and eggplant.

This is fun↓

K                n               i              T

You too can write llama love notes.  Go to Llama Fonts!

This is useful ↓

I added this link to a very nice tutorial on how to cable without a cable needle to my Pinterest Account.  It really caught on!  It seems a great deal of other knitters are interested in getting rid of their extra needle when they do their cabling projects.  I intend to give it a go.  Novice cablers – check out this ↓

Iwona just finished this cabled cowl – the sample for our upcoming learn to cable class.  This lovely simple cable project is extra great as it is reversible (the same on both sides).  Without the buttons it makes a perfectly wonderful scarf too!

Cabled Cowl Class
Monday May 7, 6:30-9pm
$30, materials not included
call to register 416 533 5648

Craftily yours
Kristin

The postman rings several times

It has been a busy few days!

The mail carrier is a near constant visitor. 
Above is Perle Cotton tiny bundles of joy, hand-dyed from Valdani.  Last year I posted this project idea (and this one too) for the perle cotton and I still stand behind them as winners.  Some bright shades of embroidery floss came along for the ride,  arriving in time for our Friendship Bracelet Class in May.
Valdani Perle Cotton is $5 per ball. $2.75 per skein of Embroidery Floss.
This summer-sweater-ready-yarn from Berroco blends together the best of cotton and linen  to make a really wearable knit. Linsey yarn comes in 105 metre (114yd) skeins for $9 each.

We have two spring/summer pattern booklets Volume 10 and Volume 8 from Norah Gaughan which make good use of this yarn.

The Berroco box also held these goodies.  Vintage Chunky is now multi-coloured!  Many of you who are fans of this yarn for it’s price and washability might be compelled to try out some of the new colour-ways for your next baby gift. Vintage Chunky is $9 for 200 metres (217 yds).

What the heck? is what I imagine you might be thinking.  These cocoon shaped enigmas are actually hand-dyed skeins of yarn from Uruguay.  10 skeins come all bundled together like so.  Later, I will detach them and coil them individually and cram them into the shelves.  Three new colour options for the folks who are taking the First Sweater Class that starts April 30th.

If those nearly neutrals don’t grab ya there’s more!   Manos del Uruguay’s Bluejay, Potpourri and Mermaid are colours that might hit the spot.  There are only 2 remaining vacancies left in the First Sweater Class.  Call us for more info or to register. 416 533 5648.

…and that’s not all the postman brought us, but it is all for now.
Till next time,
Craftily yours
Kristin

small ideas

Here it is – as promised! Things to do with Mini Skeins!

Perhaps the most talked about project of the last year is The Beekeeper’s Quilt.  It is made out of knit hexagons that are stuffed and joined together.  This cat seems to enjoy it very much.  One skein = one hexagon.

This Fair Isle Hat from the Purl Bee was made to use Koigu Skeinettes.  Pick several colours that gradate to make this hat.  This same technique could be applied to other fair isle projects. Fiddlehead Mittens anyone?

I like these mittens.   Choose a different colour mini skein for each “pearl chain” for these Pearl Chain Mittens. Other fair isle projects from mittens to sweaters will no doubt be happy to employ a skeinette or two as accent colours.

If you are making the adorable Love Socks choose your favorite mini skein for the heart heels.

Elbow patches- not just for professors anymore! There is a fine tutorial here on how to make patches with duplicate stitch.  Apply this technique to add embellishments to other knitted goods.  Monogramming could be fun. Little skeins of Koigu are definitely up for this task!

If you have actual holes to cover over, say -some sock heels have worn from too much stepping, or a sweaters comes home wounded from a Moth War. Then, a little darning might be in order.  Pick a pretty skeinette and go to work.  Here is a how-to.

More yarn decorating can be done with embroidery techniques. Felted goods by Dadaya with beautiful embroidered details are something to aspire to.

“Koigu Needlepoint Yarn”- it says so clearly on the packaging.  Although I do not think we should be limited to this decree, let us not discount it either.  Check out these sweet coasters  by Cresus Artisant.  FYI – The Knit Cafe has a needlepoint class coming up in August!

Another needlepoint project – the Purl Bee Clutch.  Those bright embellishments come courtesy of Koigu.

Making little critters always involves a dab of this and a touch of that, for ear-innards, eyeballs, paws and manes, or in this case ↑ belts and hair-buns! These Star Wars figures come care of Lucy Raven. She sells patterns too.

Mini skeins will also come in handy if you are making these Toadstool Rattles! Add extra colour-oomph with a skein or two for the toadstool cap’s polkadots or the mushroom’s gills.

Speaking of colour-oomph – these Saarte Bootees have it in spades.  Use mini skeins to add details to your knitting projects.  Straps for booties, stripes on sweater yokes, boarders on cuffs and sock tops etc.

Mystery Monkey Socks could really take advantage of mini skeins too!

I love hidden details on garments.  Pocket linings in contrast colours, are hidden treasures and a great thing to add to hand knits to make them totally unique.  There is a tutorial for this technique here.

Here is another wonderful example of pocket highlighting from this clever knitter.  A few skeinettes could make some pocket-dreams come true!

Intarsia projects might also benefit from a skeinette intervention.  Intarsia always seems to call for small amounts of this colour and an even smaller amount of another.  Skeinettes might make for fewer leftovers in these cases.  Here are a few examples to illustrate this point. Traditional Icelandic Mittens on the left and a perfect pair of dog-walking mittens from Studio Morran on the right.

More hidden gems in hems! A hat or a sweater’s inside hem will be more fun made with something colourful.  I found this lovely example on the Quantum Tea Blog.

Here is another blanket that does not shy away from colour, or from using up extras in the yarn stash.  In such projects fresh mini skeins can be helpful for rounding out your colour pallet, augmenting your leftovers, and melding all the hues together. This wonderful crocheted blanket is called Babettes Blanket.

Got mini skeins? Make Pompoms!
The picture above is from the Knit Cafe’s Nuit Blanche Event from 2007.  Does anyone remember the Late Great Pom Pom Exchange? Folks were making pompoms all night long!  If only we had had mini skeins then.  A multi coloured pompom like the one on this team spirit hat might also need a mini skein!

Other small embellishments like crocheted or knitted flowers need mini skeins too!

The Purl Bee loves Koigu Skeinettes almost as much as we do.  Here is another project where they put them to good use. Find the pattern for these crocheted arm warmers here.

Last – but certainly not least, use your Koigu mini skeins to make Chair Socks! The Knit Cafe has posted details on how to make both knit and crocheted versions of these floor protectors here.

Please, please – if you have any other ideas about how to make use of mini skeins, then pass them along.  I would love to here them.
Craftily yours
Kristin

bits and bobs

A delivery of knit and crochet tools and accessories!

What you see here is:
Crochet Hook Set from Boye, includes 16 steel hooks AND 8 aluminum hooks. All are inclosed in a carrying case -$45
Double Crochet Hooks in packages of three.  Good for having around for picking up stitches and other tricks. $12
Clover Round Stitch Markers, packages come in small to fit 2mm-8mm -$5.25 for 30, and large to fit 8mm to 19mm -$5.75 for 20.
Clover Triangular Stitch Markers.  Some folks love this shape. They find it easier to slip and excellent for keeping tension. Markers come in small size- 3.75mm-5mm, packages of 16 for $5 and medium- 5.5mm-6.5mm, packages of 16 for $5.
Clover’s fine Elastic Thread to knit into tops of socks or legwarmers, to help them stay put! $6.95

I love these tape measures! Tiger, Pig, Panda and Frog are $3 each.

It might be time to replenish the tool kit, or make up a little gifty for a new knitter. 
Did you hear Mother’s Day is coming up soon? If not, then you have now.  Sunday May 13 is the day. Still time to knit a little something for Mom if you are so inclined.  A little shawlette is perfect this time of the year.  Or have Mom join you for a crafty class or a cafe latte at the Knit Cafe.  Together-time is probably what she would like best.

Craftily yours
Kristin