The Knitting Experience Café

How did you spend these rainy days? I've been knitting and cooking - a great fall combo.  My craving for fall food drove me to bake a pumpkin pie and roast a turkey breast.  Had cranberry sauce and everything.  Yum.

Add to that the tweedy yarn I've been knitting with all day and it was perfect.

But, before I tell you about my latest projects, let's catch up with the Knit at Night crowd.

Sandy arrived looking fabulous as ever in her recently blocked Seascape Shawl.

She was a tad bit earlier than the rest of the group for a very good reason... starting last week, Sandy is working with us at The Knitting Experience! I am so thrilled to have Sandy as part of our team.  As you can see, she is an amazing knitter and it just wouldn't be KAN without her. Welcome Sandy!

KAN was tons of fun.  We got to welcome a number of newbies. Hi Penny and Dori!

Donna was also new to the group, but my pic of her was totally out of focus.  Sorry Donna!

Did you notice Cheryl's shrug in that last picture? She made it in two, yes TWO nights! Gotta love chunky yarn.

It's the Anthropologie-Inspired Capelet and you can find the pattern here.

Anna was stunning in her Riding to Avalon hoodie out of Blue Sky Alpacas Alpaca and Silk.  It is gorgeous - and the drape is incredible.  

The pattern is from the Fall 2008 Knitscene.

I finished up a few things and had a blocking party on Friday.

My Dream in Color Tulip baby cardigan came off the needles Friday morning. 

Adorable, hun? And have I mentioned how much I love this yarn? It is Dream in Color's Classy - a superwash worsted weight.  It is so squishy it is almost silly.  At least, I get a silly stupid grin on my face while knitting with it.  

We've made up kits for the Tulip Cardigan so that you don't need to buy 8 full skeins.  Each kit contains enough yarn in every color to make the 6-9, or 9-12 mos sweater.  I'll have some in the 2-4 yr size soon.   Because these are selling quickly, we are taking reservations, so let me know if you'd like one. Currently, we have one kit left in-stock - here. 

Speaking of kits, we've added a few features to the online store, including kits! You'll also see gift ideas, latest additions, and a ball winding service.  I am particularly fond of the the little elf working on the ball winding.

I blocked my entrelac scarf out of Noro Silk Garden.

A little sweater for Maddie. This is my Fuzzy Bolero Sweater pattern from Soft and Simple Knits for Little Ones, knit in Debbie Bliss cashmerino aran.

And I finished the handspun sweater for Madelyn!!!!!!!!!!!!

More pictures soon to show you detail.  This is my first finished garment out of my own handspun.  It's pure alpaca and was hand painted by Amy of Spunky Eclectic.  I just love how the sweater came out.  I designed it as I knit, so there were moments when it gave me great concern and I had to just put it away for awhile.  But, little Maddie is growing fast and I wanted to get it to her before it no longer fits.  I'm in search for the perfect buttons this week.

Of course, when I finish things, I get to start more.  With the CPH KAL starting next Saturday, it would have been irresponsible not to cast on for my Central Park Hoodie and try out the cables, right?

This took me one afternoon and evening. It was awesome. I was having far too much fun knitting it and realized I would be done before we had time for some decent KAL parties, so I reluctantly put it away. 

But, I had caught the cable and tweed bug.  It drove me crazy on Saturday.  Anyone who was at the shop knows I was desperate to knit something in cables and tweed.  But what? 

For about a year now I've been searching for the perfect men's vest pattern to make for Peter. (After the  2 year sweater, I figure I have hope of finishing it without sleeves to knit.) 

On Saturday, I looked through all the books again. Through the Ravelry archives.  No luck.  Nothing was quite right. The problem was that I had a idea of what I wanted in my head and couldn't find it worked out by someone else. That left it to me to either pick a different project or design the damn thing. 

Then I saw this cable pattern:

Just what I wanted! And, it looks great in the yarn that was driving me crazy sitting on the shelf, teasing me.  We got in some Cascade 220 Tweeds and one of the colors is this olive tweed that would look perfect on Peter. 

So, in my effort to not knit my CPH too quickly, Peter is going to get a tweedy cable vest.

I'm making a pullover.  Seems he would prefer a cardigan and wanted to know if I could steek it.  Hmmm... . 

Ah.  No. 

I swatched! 

Yesterday, while Alec practiced his jumps and flips in gymnastics class, I whipped up a swatch for my Central Park Hoodie.  I'm going to love knitting this sweater.  Cables and tweed = FALL.  Gauge was achieved on a US 7 needle.  Technically, we don't start until October 4, but I'm going to cast on and get into the cables so that I can help anyone with questions.  

Mindy posted a great thought on our Ravelry.com forum - whether to knit the CPH in pieces as designed, or adjust it for knitting in the round.  Normally, I opt for knitting sweaters in one piece.  For example, I changed the Phyllo Yoke to be knit in one piece.  BUT, in this case, I think I'm going with the piece work, for a couple reasons.  First, this is a KAL and I want to be able to help people learn to seam the pieces together.  Second, seams do tend to give a sweater more structure and support.  While I don't think anyone would have problems with their sweaters if knitting them in the round, I think I want the seamed/structure look.  Third, I haven't done a seamed sweater in awhile and I'm feeling like knitting the pieces.  If anyone wants to knit this in the round, there is some great advice on the ravelry boards, and I can show you how to adjust your stitch counts - and of course, I'm sure your fellow KALers would be happy to help. 

And who might our knitters be? (Remember, you can join us at anytime.) As of this morning the roll call looks like this: (If I've missed you, let me know.  If you want to join - yay!)

Adrienne - Cascade 200 Tweed

Bridget - yarn undecided

Chesley - Debbie Bliss Donegal Tweed Aran

Cheryl B. - Debbie Bliss Donegal Tweed Aran

Christy - Cascade 220 Heather

Diane - yarn undecided

Jayne - yarn undecided

Jennifer - yarn undecided

Katie - undecided

Lesley - Cascade 220 Heather

Lizzie - yarn undecided

Mary Ellen - knitting alongside us with the Suzie hoodie - Cascade 220

Meg - Dream in Color Classy

Michelle - Debbie Bliss Donegal Tweed Aran

Mindy - Cascade 220 Heather

Pam - Cascade 220 Tweed

Peggy - Cascade 220 Heather

Terri - Ella Rae Amity

So many lovely things have been coming to the shop lately.  Among  my favorites are the Darn Pretty Needles from Grafton Fibers of Vermont.  Each beautiful needle is crafted from Vermont wood products that are dyed and laminated, creating a stronger needle. 

They feel amazing in your hands and have an impressive taper even on the smaller sizes. 

On the same day, we received the much anticipated Classic Elite Knits.

Some clever individual got the idea to take 100 of the best Classic Elite designs and put them together in one place. In this collection, you have patterns for women, men, and kids - this is a must have for your knitting library.

Speaking of Classic Elite, Cheryl came by to knit today and she was wearing a gorgeous sweater done from a Classic Elite pattern.

On Saturday, Diane had her completed Sprout ready to share. 

Doesn't it look incredible? You know how much I love this pattern.  I was wearing my own Sprout today.  Diane's is the first I've seen with a zipper - a fantastic idea!

Robin came in with her Debbie Bliss Alpaca and Silk jacket.  You could just live in it, it is so soft and cozy. 

And we had two relatively new knitters finish their first projects while knitting with us today!

Wesley learned to bind-off and then agreed to model his Malabrigo scarf:

Mary took no time in mastering double pointed needles to finish her Malabrigo hat.  Little Lily was the perfect model.

And our very own Amanda has just learned to lace! Check out her gorgeous cowl:

I REALLY want to knit this one.  Cowls are everywhere this fall, and I need a few before the temps start to dip. 

Programming note: the Short Rows on Lizard Ridge class has been rescheduled to Saturday, Nov. 1 from 9:30-10:30am to help accommodate busy September schedules. 

It's that time of year - slightly cooler evenings, crisper air in the morning, thoughts of sweaters and other yummy knitted things. With Fall comes the arrival of all kinds of cool yarn related stuff. Here are the latest.

Jo Sharp's newest collection, Knit 6:

New colors from Araucania in their wildly popular Ranco Multi sock yarn:

We also got a clever new sock yarn designed just for kids.  The colors were all picked with kids in mind, and each skein has just enough yardage for their little feet.

And we can't forget the Spunky Eclectic Color of the Month - Gin and Tonic in Skinny Sock. It will be 15% off for the month of September.

This doesn't count as new stuff, but I gotta share anyway.  I finished the ruffle on my cardigan and almost one sleeve. Yay!

You know how every once in awhile there is a yarn and a pattern that you just HAVE to knit, regardless of how many other projects are on the needles? That's what happened to me on Friday.  I've been eyeing (petting, loving, drooling over...) the Cascade Baby Alpaca Chunky since it arrived in the shop. I managed to resist temptation only for lack of a pattern that spoke to me. 

Then we got:

which you already know how much I love.

Check out the Lion Neck Cardigan. It is stylish and cozy all at the same time - AND - the gauge is perfect for the Baby Alpaca Chunky.

I cast on Saturday afternoon.  By Sunday morning I had this:

The body was almost done.  That's when I discovered that I am a complete idiot and read the pattern wrong. As a result, the fronts were twice as wide as the should be.  Ugh!  And the problem began on row 4.  There really isn't much you can do in a situation like this but

Yup. Ripppped it all out. 

But I was determined. Luckily the yarn is so heavenly that I really didn't mind knitting the body twice. 

By last night, I had this:

Past where it all went so wrong before. Then, in a burst of energy, I cast on for the ruffled collar.

Perhaps the boys will give me time to make sleeves this afternoon. It is going to be so hard not to knit a bit before then. Must not look at the knitting. Must go to work. 

Oh, my!

Looky what UPS brought today:

Kinda speaks for itself, doesn't it? Of course, with a picture, you can't squish it - and you can't bury your nose in it to inhale the wooley yumminess.

(Yes, I may have been seen doing that earlier today.)

Becka ran out of the shop with 4 skeins.  I'm debating between 2 colors to do a sweater from this book that also arrived today:

It's been awhile since a truly spectacular collection of knits just for women has caught my eye.  Leave it to Wendy Bernard of Knit and Tonic to produce the must-have-in-my-knitting-library book of the season.  

Speaking of seasons, the holiday gift items are appearing. The Yarn Harlot has an entertaining 2009 page-a-day calendar. Perfect for any knitter.

For the knitters and/or spinners, check out this one:

I've heard good things and I'm very eager to spend some time with my copy.  A quick look through tonight revealed many lovely patterns - including an impressive selection of aran knits.

And for all those younger knitters-to-be, I just couldn't resist this: