how many ways to wear a linen vest?

Everyone loves a reversible garment, am I right?
The other day I walked into the Knit Cafe and Iwona was wearing our Polka Dot Vest sample in a very creative way.  She looked very stylish of course! It seemed like the the vest was meant to be worn that way but then we turned it all around and upside down and confirmed the inarguable truth that this little item is a reversible one.

Here it is with the longer side at the neck making a generous collar and a high back.

 

Here it is with the short side up it hangs longer and more open at the front.

You can tie it in a knot, or use a shawl pin to close it, or really mix things up and wrap it around your neck.  No one will ever know it was a vest earlier in the day!

Lovely Edie shows off how it looks over a pretty dress.  This pic is from our photo shoot for the Polka Dot Vest Pattern, which you can find HERE

The Polka Dot Vest is made with Euroflax by Louet.  Here it is shown in Natural, which is the colour we knit our vest in.  The pattern comes in two sizes but because it is a very stretchy garment it fits size 2-20.  For either size it takes two skeins of whichever pretty colour of Eurofax you fancy. You can see more colours of Euroflax and some more suggestions for linen knit projects  HERE.

Craftily yours
Kristin

Sunny linen!

Is it safe to start dreaming of spring sweaters yet?
We’ve got this terrific linen yarn in from Shibui, and it needs knitting up!
I mean… look at it, it’s so neato!  Applying this chained construction to the linen fibre is such a good idea! It makes a nice light and subtle fabric.

Abyss, Ash, Tar

Brass, Sidewalk, Lime, Fjord

Suit, Ivory, Cascade

If you’re looking for something to make out of this pretty stuff, you shouldn’t have trouble finding something.  Linen is a new favourite for many stylish knit designers.  Here are a few new offerings that I’ve noticed.

Linium Tee by Bristol Ivy from the KnitScene Summer magazine 2014

Bohemian Tee by Erica Schlueter from Knit Wear Spring Summer magazine 2014

Perkin’s Cove Pullover by Pam Allen form Quince and Co

Outside by Melanie Berg

 

All these patterns were knit with linen yarn, some of them are knit with Shibui, some of them are knit with Euroflax.  We have a nice bunch of that too.
If we all start now we should have springy duds by the time the sun decides to shine.

 

Hooray!
Craftily yours
Kristin

it’s the little things

Sometimes it pays to focus on the details.  Things over looked only because they are so familiar can bring you so much joy if you just remember to pay attention.  Take the lowly dish towel for example.

My sister just found a new apartment, and the first thing she did was send me a picture of her pretty tea towels hanging off her new oven door.  You use your dish towels multiple times a day. Yes –  just to wipe your hands on or to dry a dish with, but why should they not be as sweet as can be?

That is why I am quite taken with this new project from the Purl Bee.  These linen tea towels with the decorative slip stitch patterns will be extra cushy and therefore more absorbent.   Durable linen is a classic tea towel fibre.
As always the Purl Bee includes detailed instructions on how to knit their patterns, including how to add on the functional i-cord loop that makes the towel easy to hang up to dry.

These tea towels were knit with Euroflax Linen. Here ↓ are all the pretty colours we have in the shop!  Make some towels now for host/hostess presents when you need them, and a few for yourself to make dish drying a little more pleasant.

How about a Linen Lesson?

If you’re keen – I highly recommend this video

It is not the fast paced animation we modern folk are used to, but if you take the time to see it through  I think you will find it well worth the watching. Especially if you find yourself curious about how a mole and his forest friends make linen from flax and then sew a pair of overalls.  A mole needs pockets- doncha know!

This animated classic is by Zdenek Miler.  You might fall in love with this little mole, even though you may not understand a word he says.  He speaks Czech.

Craftily yours
Kristin

new from knitbot

Who says you can’t knit in the summer?
If I didn’t already have a million reasons to spend a summer’s day with busy needles, now I have a few more.

A new book by Hannah Fettig!
This one is devoted to knitting patterns that feature linen.  That suits me fine, since I love the stuff.  The ebook containing 5 pretty and versatile pieces is available for preorders from Quince and Co. You can get individual patterns from Hannah’s Ravelry Page

The patterns were knit with 100% linen in a gauge that matches exactly to Euroflax linen.

These are the colours currently in stock.
Top row: natural, crabapple, aqua
Next row: steel, cream, island moss
Next row: charcoal, red, navy
Bottom: pewter
246 m (270yds) is $26

Craftily yours
Kristin

Lovely Linen

Our favourite summertime yarn is here!
It’s 100% linen by Louet Yarns called Euroflax.

pewter

navy

red

charcoal

island moss

cream

steel grey

aqua

crabapple
natural
Euroflax sport weight linen comes in 100gram skeins, 246 metres, 270yds each for $26.  We love this yarn so much that we have created two patterns for it, this one and this one.  In addition we have been working on a brand new one that will be released soon!
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

Spring has sprung!

Happy Spring Forward!

Ok – so we lost an hour of sleep, but we gained one beautiful day.  At least that is the case in Toronto, and I hope it is wherever you find yourself reading this.

Just like a spring thaw, new spring yarns are ever so slowly, trickling into the Knit Cafe.

Euroflax, 100% linen, sport weight, $26 per 246 metres
Pewter, Eggplant, Red, Mustard, Aqua, and new colours- Steel, Violet, Navy

This yarn is wonderful.  Crispy at first, but softer and softer the more it is handled, worn and washed.  It makes a fantastic summer fabric.  In fact it is my favorite summer yarn.
The Knit Cafe has two patterns made with Euroflax- Lacy Linen Scarf (which is a great first lace project and also has instructions for a shawl width) and Feather and Fan Skirt.

I also find this to be a very lovely skirt too

You can find the pattern for free here.  Isn’t that nice?

Happy first day of spring
Craftily yours
Kristin