Friday, May 15, 2020, Issue 148: What is on your needles?

Angela's gorgeous shawl definitely looks like spring though! She told me it is a Stephen West shawl so of course, I had to check out his patterns to see which one! This is the one I am sure it is, don't you agree?

Smock It by Stephen West is a colorful shawl is knit sideways using three colors with a lovely picked up border. Fade your colors from light to dark using a striping sequence that blends the colors together. The ribbed border features yarn over accents and a smocked knitting technique that gathers stitches together. A picot bind off finishes the edge with a decorative touch. This design is super easy to knit so you can enjoy the gradual color changes and fluid drape of the fabric.

Finished measurements taken after blocking are 20" at the widest part with a 95" wingspan. It is knit using fingering weight yarn - Color A - 290yds / 265m, Color B - 320yds / 293m, Color C - 350yds / 320m with a suggested needle size of 3.75 mm (US 5).

Suggested yarns include Hedgehog Fibres Sock, Ancient Arts Socknado (new to the shop!), Manos Alegria or Zen Yarn Garden Serenity 20 or any combination to get a beautiful fade! As a side note, a lot of my fingering has been bundled into kits which can easily be broken apart to be put back into inventory! Don't be afraid to ask if a colour is available but shows as not! Angela used Hedgehog Sock in Zephyr, Birthday Cake and Fly.

Joji Locatelli has a new one skein shawl! Venezia is a delicate shawlette perfect for any single skein of fingering weight yarn. Worked from tip to tip, with a reversible lace pattern and a diamond shape. It is framed by a gorgeous reversible diamond lace motif, and the main body of the shawl is worked in ribbing.

This shawl is designed to use up a full skein of yarn in fingering weight, but it can be made using a thicker weight yarn or a skein with more yardage. Joji used 4.5 mm (US 7) needles for a gauge of 18 stitches and 28 rows = 4 inches in Ktbl, p2 ribbing. Espace Tricot has shown it on Instagram being knit using a strand of mohair and fingering and 5.0mm (US 8) needles.

What about a combination of Shibui Lunar and Silk Cloud for your Venezia Shawl by Joji? Venezia is 20% off during this entire long weekend. No code needed, just add it to your cart and the discount will be applied automatically.

Tanis Lavallee has a new pattern out recently! The Rock It Tee is 25% off with code ROCKIT but only until midnight EST tonight (May 15, 2020. As Tanis says, there is nothing more comfortable than an easy breezy knit top. She has chosen to create tone on tone stripes by alternating between fingering and mohair yarn in my favourite shade of blue, but this basic shape lends itself to infinite possibilities when it comes to stripes and colour blocking.

The tee was designed using both a fingering weight yarn and mohair with each held single so should be lightweight and summery! The gauge is 24 stitches x 32 rows to 4 inches using a suggested needle size of 3.75 mm (US 5). The sizes for this pattern are the actual finished measurement of the garment. Select a size that is 6” larger than your actual chest measurement to achieve the recommended ease.

How about using Lichen and Lace 80/20 Sock and Marsh Mohair, SweetGeorgia Tough Love Sock and  Garnstudio Drops Kid Silk?

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I am ready to knit warm weather knits for spring and summer but with us being at home many of us are working on sweaters, ponchos, blankets and bigger projects for next fall and winter! Sirdar and Hayfield has these three Kits available for Drop Ship.

Sirdar No. 1 Chunky Poncho Kit is available for drop-ship for $135.00 CAD plus $8.95 flat rate shipping to you. A perfect project to capture your interest! Sirdar No. 1 Chunky offers a gentle sheen and silky finish. Choose from three super-soft shades.

The second Kit available is Hayfield Bonus DK Wrap for $30.00 CAD plus $8.95 flat rate shipping to you. Give yourself a warm hug with this elegant wrap. Choose from three rich shades of yarn!

Hayfield Bonus DK Wrap Kit includes: 4 (100 gram/306 yard) balls of Bonus DK and one free printed pattern.

The third available for drop-ship is this Hayfield Bonus Chunky Poncho Kit for $41.50 CAD plus $8.95 flat rate shipping to you. This luscious cabled poncho is sure to entice you to want this quick and satisfying knit.

Choose from three colorful shades! Hayfield Bonus Chunky Poncho Kit includes: 6 (100 gram/150 yard) balls of Bonus Chunky and one free printed pattern.

WIP's and FO's

I finished my City Limits by Tanis Lavallee. Above is me wearing it with the knit side out...

And here I am wearing it with the reverse side out! I got gauge using 4.0 mm (US 6) needles - I am a loose knitter so almost always have to go down a needle size - using one strand of fingering (Koigu) and one strand of Kid Silk. It will make a lighter sweater than holding two strands of fingering and one strand of mohair.

I used a Koigu Shade Kit which includes nine 50 gram skeins of KPPPM totally 1575 yards and although I started out with five Drops Kid Silk, I only needed four. I did play yarn chicken though needing to use my swatch to finish but I did it without running out! Only three City Limits Kits left but I can order more upon request. You just need to add in the mohair!

I took advantage of the sunshine on Wednesday to work on my Breathe and Hope Shawl by Casapinka outside! I love how my colours and yarn are knitting up but I sure hope the gauge differences between the stitches used will block out and even it out.

KNIT GROUP AND GALLERY

The current Knit-Alongs are the Any Sweater / Shawl KAL and the Knit Your Project: the everlasting knit-along to encourage and support you to knit is running from April 1 to June 30, 2020. Don't forget to post your finished projects so that you will be included in our quarterly draw! We will also add the option of posting your finished project to Instagram using the #sue2knitskal so that I can find them!

Jocelyne finished her City Limits by Tanis Lavallee! Jocelyne like Tanis are both slim enough that they can knit theirs with body shaping to show off their waists! Mine I definitely knit a-line with increases starting 3" below the underarm until the hem.

Lise finished this a couple of weeks ago as a test knit but had to wait until the pattern was released to post it! Pattern is Debut by Dani Sunshine.

Sonia (@soniabknits)’s Stray Cat Socks in Electric Avenue! Super fun socks!

Beautiful socks knit by Diane (@boujeeknits) for her daughter Michelina (@roadtripknits) last Christmas!

Victoria finished this awesome cardi for Elliot with arm patches and pockets to carry important things, like rocks or possibly cars! Pattern is Elevenses by @frogginette (Lisa Chemery). West Yorkshire Spinners BFL Aran in Light Brown and Shibui Tweed Silk Cloud in Dusk.

Here is the close up she took which shows the subtle marl she got holding the two yarns together for the ribbing!

Kathy (chantrykathy) has been trying her hand at needle punch! This is her Flower coaster.

This is her Peace Sign coaster. They are her very first needle punch projects. The yarn she used is Drops Flora and Koigu.

NEW IN!

New in today is Ancient Arts Socknado, a top quality merino blended with nylon fit durability.

Socknado is suitable for all your crafting needs and for all types of projects - baby clothes, sweaters, shawls, mitts, gloves, and hats, and it is our recommended yarn for knitting long wearing socks. This three ply yarn is soft and strong, and is a joy to knit and wear.

Just in also are a few Manos Fino Mini Skein Kits are five mini 20-gram skeins that are great for producing stripes for shawls, scarfs or any accessories. Fino mini skein kits are a world of fun! Gorgeous colour combinations in a luxurious blend of 70% Extrafine Merino, 30% Silk. Each kit can be used on it's own or combined with full size skeins of Manos Fino.

• 5 x 20g (98 yds (90 m) each
• 70% Extrafine Merino/ 30% Silk
• Fingering (single ply, heavy fingering)
• 6-7 sts = 1" on US 3-5
• Hand Wash Cold, Dry Flat

I also received Manos Fino in Havisham and Watered Silk. Manos Fino is not new to the shop but these two colours are new. Now I need to to separate the skeins and twist them.

• 70% Extrafine Merino/ 30% Silk
• Fingering (single ply, heavy fingering)
• 6-7 sts = 1" on US 3-5
• 448 m / 490yds per 100g
• Hand Wash Cold, Dry Flat

I didn’t receive the pieces I ordered from MAB Elements in time for Mother’s Day but they are in now! This was their ad in Vogue Knitting Late Winter 2020 Issue! I have these and a few other pieces available.

VIRTUAL SOCIAL KNITTING

Virtual social knitting using the Zoom app! It is a great way to knit together through social distancing! Join in with us either Tuesday afternoon from 2 - 4 pm or Thursday nights from 7 - 9 pm. We will continue each week until we can meet again in person.

Join our Cloud HD Video Meeting

Meeting ID: 407820804

Happy Friday. Happy Knitting, Crocheting and Crafting! Keep calm and keep on knitting and making!

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