What to Knit with 3 weeks till Christmas

Make scarves! They don’t have to be your regular old scarves they can be interesting shapes and textures in yarns of all shapes and sizes but make them quick to knit – yes please!

Try The Knit Cafe’s latest neck charmer pattern called Bonnie Bandit.
This bandana style cowl can also be worn by a tiny tyke as a poncho.  Knit with the so inspiring Hedgehog Fibres you will really enjoy making this project and even though the yarn is fine this is still a one skein project. Choose three colours like we did and blend them together or just choose one – this bandana looks great either way!

Hedgehog Fibre Skinny Singles↓

This Magical Striped Scarf is brought to you thanks to Noro Yarn. Noro is the wonderful Japanese yarn that gently changes colours as it progresses. If you stripe it like we have in this scarf project you get a multicoloured wonder that is so fun to knit! We have a pattern and lots of lovely Noro Kureopatora wrapped up in a Knit-Kit here in shop for this project but you can also find the pattern HERE

Noro Kureopatora ↓

Both Sides is a cowl project by the Knit Café. The pattern includes instructions for the short neck warmer shown here and also a double wrap version. Whichever you choose pick a pretty soft yarn like a hand dyed merino. We have lots of beauties from Lichen and Lace that will fit the bill. Knit in a worsted weight in an easy knit-purl stitch this project should give you no trouble.

Lichen and Lace Merino Worsted ↓

Brooklyn Tweed has been producing some great knit accessory patterns as of late. Have you seen their Holiday Collection? Among the gems in this collection is this cowl called Fretwork.  Such a good looking cowl which features pretty stitches on both sides!

Then there is Notch – also by Brooklyn Tweed. This lush scarf features a simple 2 row repeat with open stitches matched with cushy ribbing.

Both these Brooklyn Tweed Patterns are knit with Quarry, the fattest of the Brooklyn Tweed yarns, so a good choice for this time of year. Quarry comes in gorgeous colours and is so cozy to wear.  You can check out Quarry colours at Thee Knit Café HERE but we have a few restocked that haven’t made it to the webshop yet – pretty Geode and stunning Lapis.

Craftily yours
Kristin

What to knit with a month till Christmas!

Have you made your Christmas knitting plans yet? Or did you wake up one day and realize it’s almost December. That’s what I did. So, now that I truly believe Christmas is coming I have started to knit in earnest. I am making socks. In fact I am making these socks ↓

Sweet Sock by The Knit Café. This is our basic sock pattern, with a difference. Difference #1: you can make any size from child size to man size. Difference #2: these socks have a really cool looking reinforced heel that has a beautiful honey comb texture. Difference #3: these socks fit great because of the ribbing. Difference #4: a knitters could have a lot of fun switching up the toe colours. Difference #5: this pattern does not assume you are an expert sock knitter and is very detailed – there are even pictures!
PS: I started the day before yesterday and I am half way through sock number one!

Socks make a great gift. There are some real serious fans of hand knitted socks out there and that is who you should reserve your sock knitting for. For a sock with extra personality try The Knit Cafe’s Maud Sock Pattern. These socks have a textured stitch and an “after thought heel” knit in a contrast colour. These socks are sure to wow! This slip-stitch looks excellent with hand dyed yarn. The socks in the pic were knit with Zen Yarn Garden. Coincidentally we just got an amazing batch of this terrific sock yarn in stock.

This is not a sock ↓  – It’s a sock monkey! So, even better!

Curious by The Knit Café, is knit like a sock – that is – all in one piece (except for the ears). We knit this sample with a self-striping yarn made by Turtlepurl but they look smashing in plain colours too. At the Knit Café we also stock the stuffing, and the safety eyes and the 100% wool felt for the face. Everything you need!

Mittens are the cutest! Iwona is making these adorable pint size mits in multiples because little folks are known for losing their mittens.  The pattern is by Tin Can Knits. It is called The World’s Simplest Mittens . It is a free pattern and mittens can be made in all sizes. Iwona’s versions are made with Noro Kureopatora. It’s a gorgeous yarn that has a gradual colour change. If you knit with it in stripes you will end up with a practically endless colour variety.

The best mittens ever were designed right here in Canada. They are called thrum mittens! Thrum Mitten are super warm because a fleece lining in knit right into them making them thick and cushioned and wind stopping. The colourful heart shaped stitches on the outside are pretty wonderful too. The Knit Café has their own Thrum Mitten pattern with lots of sizes available. You can find the pattern HERE

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If you have never made thrum or any other kind of mittens before you can join our Thrum Mitten Class this Friday!

Thrum Mitten Class
Friday December 1, 8, 7-9pm
Register for this class HERE

Craftily yours
Kristin

 

 

All I can say is – Wow!

Oh My Dear you should get here right now!

I just opened a great, big box which contained this great, big, beautiful yarn. My sources say that this may be a yarn of a limited edition. Riverside Studio has dyed us these super bulky and super-duper, soft skeins of 100% merino, superwash wool. Wow! Kathryn, at Riverside says she may not be able to dye this Super Bulky wool again so get ’em while you can!

Thanks to Thanksgiving, I have not posted in a while. Apologies,  I have been remiss in my duty to keep you up to date on the comings and goings. One of which was the arrival of Riverside Studio’s Worsted 1ply. It is so soft and dreamy that a lot of it has left the shop already, but remarkably we still have…

this!

and this!

and this too!

Also today we received some NORO!
Noro yarns make us so happy with their happy, happy, rainbow ways.  To say that it is a self-striping yarn really undersells the wonderful effect of Noro’s blending and twisting colour patterns.

Along with Kureopatora, which is the worsted weight, merino blend we had last year, we received a brand new offering from Noro called Kureyon Air.
In short it is- BIG FAT NORO!

It weighs in as a bulky weight, calling for a 9mm needle and still has all the gorgeous striping colours Noro is known for. It is softer then it’s smaller cousin Kureyon and I encourage you to come in and give it a squeeze.

If you are inspired by the pretty Noro but don’t know what to make, we have many suggestions including this classic striped scarf projects which uses two balls (two distinct colour-ways) striped. So basically it is striping yarn that is knit in stripes.

If you are new to the land of knit, and need some help in making such a scarf- we have a class for that.

The Magical Striped Scarf Workshop ( – Learn to Purl)

Wednesday November 16, 7-9pm

Register HERE

Craftily yours
Kristin