We knitters have to plan ahead. When it takes anywhere from two weeks to a month (or more) to complete a project, some advanced planning is required in order to make everything happen before the time your finished project is actually needed. Have a few Holiday gifts in mind that you would like to make? Start knitting now! Nothing worse than feeling frantic and panicky about unfinished gifts, instead of relaxing and enjoying what should be the best time of year. Want to make a great Fair Isle sweater for the cold winter days? Start now. It is a lot more useful to you on your back, than in your knitting basket when the winter rain is coming down and it's 35 degrees outside.
The great thing is that this is the time of the year when all the new yarns for fall start hitting the shops, and at Kiwi they are coming in fast and furious. I have three wonderful worsted weight yarns to show you. Personally, I love worsted weight yarns, they are the work-horse of the knitting world. Hats, scarves, mittens, sweaters, felted projects... we'd be lost without our beloved worsted weights.
One of the most delicious that I have seen in a while is Malabrigo, a kettle-dyed, variegated, worsted weight yarn in luscious, melts-like-butter merino. Now, I admit that I joke about the Merino, the Goddess of All Knitting, but if you know me, you know that I'm not really joking - merino is IT for me. And the colorways are incredible. I have seen several of our customers standing and petting and oohing and ahhing over the colors, unable to make up their minds because the colorways have something for everyone, each one better than the last. Deep cherry reds mixed with chocolate brown, rich peach blended with sky blue, vibrant magenta set off by emerald. We are spoiled for choice with this line. And at 216 yds per skein, there is a lot to play with.
And... (are you sitting down?) we have Lamb's Pride! Lamb's Pride! This stuff is just so soft and wonderful that I want to take a skein home, name it and teach it to sleep at the end of my bed. With 190 yds. of 85% wool/15% mohair, it has a lovely bloom that would make any project knitted up in this yarn just look and feel so luxurious. The colors are super-saturated and rich, and every time I am in the shop I gravitate over to the cubies where it's on display to pet, pull out more colors to look at, and think about what I project I must start to give myself an excuse to buy this gorgeous stuff. Lynn ordered this in in just a ton of colors!
The last yarn I'll tell you about right now is from Nashua Handknits, called Creative Focus Worsted. This is a lovely blend of 75% wool/25% alpaca. Again in a lovely range of rich colors, and Lynn tells me that she has had several customers buy a sweater's worth of this already - and it is barely out on the shelves! With 220 yds. per skein it wouldn't take many to make that beautiful cabled yoke cardigan from the new Fall Interweave Knits that you have been fantasizing about. And alpaca! Need I say more about how this yarn feels?
So start thinking now about the projects you have been waiting all summer to start. August is on the wane, with September right around the corner. Yes, yes, I know that last October 1st I was driving home from teaching at Kiwi with my a/c on. But I also remember last November and December of freezing mornings at the farmer's market with everyone around me shivering and shaking, while I was wrapped up in one of my beloved hand-knit sweaters and with hand-knit socks warming my toes. And everyone around me wishing they had some. Plan ahead. Start knitting now!
Upcoming Classes-
Aug 20 - 1-3 - Beginning Knitting Series
7-9 - Knit Night
Aug 21 - 7-9 - Beginning Knitting Series
Aug 22 - Knitting Circle
7-9 - Beginning Knitting Series
Aug 23 - 10-12 Felted Hedge Hog
3:30-5 - Kid's Kamp
7-9 - Diagonal Seed Stitch
Aug 24 - 10-12 - Knit Doctor
1-3 Stepping Up Socks
Aug 25 - 9-12 Uniquely Yours
1-3 - Knitting Coach
No comments:
Post a Comment