August Long Weekend Hours

We will be open on Saturday Aug 4 from 11am to 6pm, but closed Sunday & Monday Aug 5 & 6.


Thanks!

TTC Knitalong make a Splash!

Thanks to Yvette/A Long Yarn for the photos!

Many thanks to the 100 ladies (and one husband) who made the 2012 TTC Knitalong a huge success! They raised a very respectable amount of money for Sistering, and had a blast doing it. The Torontoist even took note of their journey. 

Kudos especially go to the organizers. It's a big, tough, volunteer job, and we appreciate their hard work. :-)

As always, you can find us at Knitomatic.com!

NEW Schoppel Wolle Zauberball

Schoppel Wolle Zauberball

• Sock yarn with a very long colourway (it makes stripes all by itself)
• Very popular for scarfy little shawls, makes a GREAT Bermuda
• 100g/420m, 2 to 3mm needles
• 75% virgin wool, 25% nylon
• Pattern Ideas
• $20.97 per cute ball

I love this version of the Noro Striped Scarf (freebie pattern) using Zauberball in colours 1993 & 1963. 

I also adore how this Baktus worked out, using 1 skein of Zauberball 1993 and 1 skein on a solid coloured yarn. 

As always you can find us at Knitomatic.com!

New Madeline Tosh!

We just got a shipment of Madeline Tosh Meirno Light and Sock, and I can't tell you how happy it made me!  It was just a lovely feeling cracking open those boxes and tucking the yarn away on the shelf. 

Madeline Tosh: Tosh Merino Light 

• 100% Superwash Merino Wool
• Single Ply, Fingering weight: 2.25mm to 2.75mm 
• Soft, lofty with a slight sheen and glazed colours
• 382m: 1 skein for a pair of socks, 2 for a lace project
• Machine wash cold, lay flat to dry
• Pattern Ideas
• $19.97

Madeline Tosh: Tosh Sock

• 100% Superwash Merino Wool
• Two ply, Fingering weight: 2.25mm to 2.75mm 
• Soft, unique colourways
• 361m: 1 skein for a pair of ladies socks, 2 for a lace project
• Machine wash cold, lay flat to dry
• Pattern Ideas
• $27.97

As always, you can find us at Knitomatic.com

Summer Sale! 25% Off

Summer Sale - Take 25% off the following yarns from July 14 to August 11!

Free Patterns: Fruity Trivets & Chevron Baby Blanket

Cloud Cotton

• Great sub for Blue Sky Alpacas Worsted Cotton
• 100% Organically Grown Cotton
• Soft & cozy to the touch
• Worsted/Aran: 100g/150m, 5mm needles
• Made in Peru
• What I want to make with it: Hexagons
• Sale Price: $7.48/skein 

Free Patterns: Lanesplitter & Top-Down Raglan

Noro Taiyo

• Great summer sub for Noro Kureyon or Silk Garden
• Soft to the touch, has a nice airy loft
• 40% Cotton, 30% Silk, 15% Wool, 15% Nylon
• Worsted/Aran: 100g/200m, 5mm needles
• Made in Japan
• What I want to make with it: Lala's Simple Shawl 
• Sale Price: $14.98/skein

Patterns: Ilene Bag (free) & Kiama

Berroco Origami

• Cool & comfortable, perfect for summer garments
• Luxury quality Italian milled yarn
• 17% Linen, 16% Cotton, 48% Acrylic, 19% Nylon
• Worsted: 50g/90m,  5mm needles
• Made in Italy
• What I want to make with it: Kirra
• Sale Price: $6.73

Patterns: Tomten & Trellis (free)

Berroco Remix

• Great soft, machine washable sub for Rowan Summer Tweed 
• Looks like Tussah Silk: tweedy, soft, comfortable, machine washable, holds cables extremely well
• 100% Recycled fibers: 27% Cotton, 10% Silk, 9% Linen, 30% Nylon, 24% Acrylic
• Made in France
• Worsted: 100g/200m, 5mm needles
• What I want to make with it: Paisley Carpetbag & everything Brooklyn Tweed 
• Sale Price: $8.23 

Patterns: Cuddly Cotton Baby Blanket (free) & Umaro

Berroco Weekend Chunky

• Soft, comfortable, machine washable
• 25% Cotton, 75% Acrylic
• Bulky: 100g/ 110m, 6.5mm
• Made in Peru
• What I want to make with it: Cable Knit Throw & Hap Blanket
• Sale Price: $5.23/skein

As always you can find us at Knitomatic.com!

Summer Knit-Spiration: Creekbed Scarf

Creekbed Scarf

I think this little free pattern is a hidden gem and a great opportunity to play around with self striping yarns. It's knit with light, sock weight yarn, which make for easygoing summer projects. It's also light on the cerebral side, with just enough interest to keep you from nodding off in the heat. Add a colourful, self striping yarn like a Noro and it'll be easy entertainment. It's also a grab and go project, easy to travel with (even if you aren't going any further than your porch). 

I love kristenlynnea's version (above) made with Noro Silk Garden Sock and other scraps. It also looks great in CompulsiveKnitter's version made with Schoppel-Wolle Zauberball.

Suggested Yarns

• Noro Silk Garden Sock  $19.97 x 2 
• Schoppel-Wolle Zauberball $20.97 x 1 

I think I would make a few stylistic modifications to the pattern:

1. If using a striping yarn I'd drop the big centre band, I don't think it would do anything for the design.
2. If I was making the 2 border bands in a contrast colour I would make it a neutral (grey or brown) with a low to medium contrast to the main colours. A high contrast is too much for my delicate sensibilities (ie. no likey black). 
3. If using Schoppel-Wolle Zauberball I'd skip the border colour all together and let the yarn do all the work. 
4. If using  Noro Silk Garden Sock I'd choose 2 colourways and alternate every other row. Alternately, you can use 2 skeins of the same colourway and start the first from the inside and the second from the outside, and alternate every other row. 

As always, you can find us at Knitomatic.com

New Magazines: Knit.Wear Spring 2012 & Knitscene Fall 2012

Knit.Wear Spring 2012

The second issue of Interweave's special publication Knit.Wear just flew in and it's offering are gorgeous!  It's regrettable that the publisher didn't get it out on time (in the Spring), but there are lots of summer knits in it, the projects intended for Spring will be even nicer for Fall, and overall the designs are just damn inspiring! 

• Check out the projects HERE
• Find this issue on Ravelry

Knitscene Fall 2012

Summer only just got into gear, but if you're already done with it then you are very lucky because Interweave just sent us the new Fall issue of Knitscene. Included are lots of great knits, plus an article on how to sew a zipper into a sweater (fear the zipper no more). 

• View the projects HERE
• Find this issue on Ravelry

As always you can find us at Knitomatic.com

Summer Knit-spiration: Wingspan

More summer knit-spiration ....

Wingspan

Wingspan is a really cute little scafy-wrap that only uses 1 skein of sock yarn! It looks equally great with self striping yarn or semi solids. You can make it I think it's both a great summer knit but also a great holiday gift - it's always nice to double end your knitting.  It's also an easy knit that has a little technical interest and isn't too-too boring, and travels extremely well. Plus, the pattern is a freebie! 

Suggested Yarns

• Noro Taiyo Sock  $19.97 x 1 
• Noro Silk Garden Sock  $19.97 x 1 or 2 
• Schoppel-Wolle Zauberball $20.97 x 1 

Make a larger version by using a thicker yarn:

• Noro Taiyo $19.97 x 2
• Noro Silk Garden $11.97 x 3

Make a lighter, airy version by using a lace weight yarn:

• Zephyr Lace Weight  $17.97ea x 1
• Malabrigo Merino Lace  $11.97ea x 1

As always, you can find us at Knitomatic.com

Summer Knit-spiration: Color Affection

What to knit in the Heat?

Color Affection

I love this shawl. I've been eyeing it since it started making the rounds on Pinterest, and now that it's taken off in the blogosphere I've been hearing a lot of good things about it ("Addictive" is my favourite). You can make it with sock or lace weight yarn, nothing heavy in the heat. It doesn't involve too much thought, but it isn't too boring either.  Me likey!

Suggested Yarns

• Fleece Artist Trail Socks  $17.97 ea x 3
• Dream in Color Smooshy  $25.97 x 3
• Zephyr Lace Weight  $17.97ea x 3
• Malabrigo Merino Lace  $11.97ea x 3
• Madeline Tosh Merino Light x 3

As always, you can find us at Knitomatic.com