Twelve Weeks of Knitmas: Week One

This week begins our countdown of the “Twelve Weeks of Knitmas”.  No matter what or how you choose to celebrate, giving should be embraced throughout the year.  For some, the tough times have passed, others may just have begun to experience them. A hand made gift need not be just for family. A child or family in a shelter can always use a hat, scarf, pair of mittens or maybe your local food pantry has a basket for cold weather items or small Christmas gifts. Your simple act of kindness not only warms your heart but the hearts of many.

Our beloved Christmas Mouse was a gift from Jen P., one of our many special customers. Search the craft stores, dollar stores or box stores for some organza ribbon, oversized Christmas ball ornaments and some hot glue. Adorn him with a winter scarf and he is ready for the tree or window. You can find the pattern in Susan B. Anderson’s Itty-Bitty Toys book.

A Very Mice Christmas Pudding by Abigail Orlando

If you don’t have Susan’s book, how about Abigail Orlando’s free pattern on Ravelry, A Very Mice Christmas Pudding. Some stash fingering weight, a little Joesph Galler Belangor and he’s ready to adorn an ornament, or be tucked neatly into some holiday greens on the mantel.

Christmas Robin by Jacqui Turner

One of my favorites is Jacqui Turner’s Christmas Robin. Four inches of holiday adorable available for purchase on Ravelry. I especially love TeaKat’s way of displaying the “flock” and her clever gift wrapping idea. I think mine are going to find themselves nesting in my kitchen window among some greens.

Churchmouse Yarns and Teas Felted Gingerbread

Don’t feel like knitting, stuffing and assembling? Churmouse Yarns and Teas, Gingerbread Felted Ornaments, simplifies with felted swatches ( grab some Cascade 220) cut out into gingerbread or heart shapes embellished with ribbon and buttons. The patterns will be available in the shop next week or just follow the link and you can purchase them online.

Tonight as I put the finishing touches on week one, the wind is howling, the snow is piling up in true New England N’oreaster fashion and the fire is roaring in the hearth. Mother Nature delivered on the inspiration!

Seven Eighty-Five

seven eighty-five

Marc Jacobs flooded the runway for Fall 2012 featuring  big, bulky, luxurious knitted and crocheted wraps, all with price tags that were just as big (hence the name)  and since this economy has sewn my pocketbook shut, it was time to get creative.

seven eighty-five

Seven Eighty-Five was created with (5) skeins of Blue Sky Bulky Alpaca (or 225 yards of a bulky of your choice) and worked in an easy ten row repeat. I closed it off with a 5″ Kilt Pin (just like the originals) but any closure will do the trick.

seven eighty-five

Sea Harbor Gull Wing Fingerless

Sea Harbor Gull Wing Fingerles2 NBK  click here to download

Sea Harbor Gull Wing Fingerless (NBK Fingering)

Long before Gabby’s Cardigan was created for Sally Goldenbaum’s newest May 2012 release, A Fatal Fleece, we had discussed designing a project for an upcoming book. An original sketch was for a pair of fingerless with a slightly offset cable design up the front that resembled seagull wings. Something Nell, Izzy and Cass could always use on their early morning beach runs. An early copy of the books release and some unusually chilly New England mornings prompted the casting on for these Sea Harbor Gull Wing Fingerless.

We have two samples knit up for the shop, one in NBK’s Fingering (Northbound Knitting) and one in Fibre Company’s Canopy Fingering and as you can see both provide their own distinctive look.

Sea Harbor Gull Wing Fingerless (Fibre Company Canopy Fingering)

Simply Skinny

SIMPLY SKINNY  click to download

For the past few weeks the bow-tied skinny scarf has been popping up all over Pinterest. This one happens to be an infinity scarf with a separate bow tie.

Simply Skinny

We simplified things and came up with the Simply Skinny. One skein of Schoppel-Wolle Baby Alpaka Naturbelassen on size 9 needles all stockinette, which means it rolls back onto itself (no blocking needed).  Tie it, bow it, stick pin it, Jul button it, any way to you want to wear it. Just have some fun.

Julie Hoover Designs

Julie Hoover, aka jgourmet on Ravelry, first popped up on our radar a year and a half ago and if you want to call us out on this, we have been stalking her ever since. OK, so we didn’t take a plane to Alaska, but faithfully followed her blog and her Rav page, just to visually inhale her photos, her impeccable knitting skills and her equally talented creative writing skills.

Julie’s schooling and background is textiles, quite evident in the fiber choices she uses  for her patterns. Just this spring, with a debut of (5) new patterns for the Manos Fall 2012 Collection and as the newest member of Jared Flood’s Brooklyn Tweed’s Design Team, with (5) more patterns, Julie managed a cross country relocation along with her husband and three boys from Alaska to  St. Louis. Seriously Julie? My head is spinning just writing this!

So with little time to come up for air, Julie was able  to unpack/repack and keep a promise she made  pre-cross country journey, to loan us Insouciant, Decalage, Tisse, Encadre, Decouverte and Chaleur, which are now on display in the shop from September 24th thru September 29th.

Julie Hoover Designs Trunk Show

Julie’s designs for Manos wowed everyone a week ago and we promise you will not leave here without going home with one or more of her designs in your bag. To entice you further, buy the yarn for anyone of these projects and the pattern is on us, while supplies last. Take the challenge. You can’t knit just one!

Northbound

Northbound over the border to Canada and this is where you will find Lisa Mutch, “Indie dyer,  knitwear designer and obsessive knitter”, for her company aptly named, Northbound Knitting.

Northbound Knitting Trunk Show

Some of you are already familiar with Lisa’s yarns and patterns which we introduced this summer, but for those who have yet to experience her unique hand dyes and her artistic ability to combine stockinette and garter ridges into each of her designs, please take note: the evolution of knitwear design is about to be tested.

As an artist and designer, you would think that I would be drawn to the dramatic and vibrant colors that I tend to use as accents vs. whole room themes, but in my clothing I tend to gravitate to the neutrals, earthy colors precipitated by the animals we pull our fibers from. Lisa “paints” in the same color palette.  Her pieces in greys, charcoals and pools of deep blues, lend themselves to the asymmetrical shapes , garter ridges, and offset patterns.  Reds find themselves electrified within the fabric, like a lightening bolt across the night sky. Her designs are simple, not in reference to skill level, but as in the process to the end result. Clean lines and  classic structure are what  make these garments worthy of an everyday “classic essential”.

NBK Fingering

Stop by and enjoy the garments from Lisa’s own personal collection on display September 17th to the 22nd and back again the first week in October and if you have not had the pleasure to knit with her NBK Fingering you really must. Currently we are the only shop in the US carrying Lisa’s beautiful hand dyes and we promise more is on the way. For this week only, purchase one of Lisa’s patterns or a skein of NBK Fingering and receive 10% off on any shawl pin, broach or button.