Happy New Year!

Thanks to all our wonderful customers and friends, old and new, for sharing another fantastic year with us (we're coming up on 3...can you believe it?!).

We can't wait for another.  Keep an ear out for news about our Third Anniversary Party which will be happening in February...for now, have a safe and Happy New Year!!

Love,

~ Yarnia ~

Featured Yarn :: Jefferson

Jefferson

If you like orange, you'll love this sock yarn -- bamboo, regular wool, and merino wool mix to make this playful and subtly heathered yarn.  This would look fantastic knitted up into a pair of Journey Cable Socks!

• Fiber Content: 56 bamboo / 29 wool / 15 merino
• Yardage: 365 yards
• Yarn Weight: Sock/Fingering
• Amount on Cone: 5 oz.
• Care: Hand wash / lay flat to dry

Also available in our online shop!

A Weekend Project

Whenever I'm packing for a trip, there's always that innocent little item under the "toys" category of my packing template (what, you don't have a packing template spreadsheet with different category columns?), the one that's much more of a hurdle than throwing a stick of deodorant into my duffel bag and giving it a strikethrough: Knitting.

This one item holds so much responsibility!  Away from my stash with no opportunity to refuel??  If I'm just embarking on an overnighter I may toss whatever small project I'm in the middle of into my purse, checking to make sure I have plenty of leeway left.

If I'm driving, I may opt for whatever big, long-term project I'm working on like a blanket, or a sweater in pieces, or 81 squares that I am assiduously weaving in the ends for (I am, Jordan, I promise!).

But for a full-on weekend of work-free lounging, the past four days beckoned an entire knitting duffel bag, to make sure I had all the bases covered.  Most of the contents were merely backup, however; I knew I wanted to knit an entire project, beginning-to-end, before taking the ferry back to the mainland today.

And that's why before leaving work last Thursday, I wound up three little cones of yarn, destined specifically for a pair of Latvian Braid Mitts.

I made myself a pair of convertible fingerless gloves (a.k.a. "hoodie gloves") back in 2008 that I've been devotedly using as my biking/winter/everything gloves, ever since.  But after recently witnessing two of my new-to-knitting friends crank out a pair of fingerless gloves each, under my care, I was kind of itching for a similar project myself.

Enter Interweave Knits, Winter 2010 issue.  Your timing couldn't have been better.

These jumped out at me from the pages of that issue with urgency, although I knew I definitely wanted to make them a little more colorful.

These were fantastically fun to knit, and how often do you get to make gloves on straight needles?!  Well, because the primary feature of these gloves is the stripes and the length, you get to do just that.  

With a 69-stitch cast-on, you're working back and forth in long rows, alternating between simple stockinette stitch with the main color (and throwing in a short row here and there, to provide some subtle hand shaping), and these wonderfully intricate braid sections, which I chose to emulate in 100% bamboo.

There is the hassle of juggling three different cones of yarn simultaneously, which usually isn't an issue once you get them situated in stable places around you.  But what makes these braided sections look so cool is the fact that you're twisting the two braid colors around each other, with every stitch.  

(Typically, when doing colorwork like this, as long as you always remember to keep Color 1 wrapping over, and Color 2 wrapping under, you'll be tangle-free; this pattern specifically requires you to break that rule, leaving you with 69 twists in your working yarn once you've finished one of these rows.)

The pattern reassures you that though your yarn will be twisting as you work, it will untwist on the following row when you're coming back the other direction, doing the same thing in reverse.  While this is technically true, I still found it frustrating and too much to bank on during a purportedly relaxing weekend, so I just sucked it up and accepted the task of manually untwisting the yarn after each of these rounds.  Totally worth it.

These mitts are infused with about 4 cumulative hours of The Office (Season 5), six cups of coffee, 40 minutes of stoveside stirring of caramelized onions, and my mom reading Augusten Burroughs out loud to us while we stood watch over this little guy recovering from surgery.

And true to my word, a project completed, from beginning to end in a single long weekend, pretty much unmoving from the same exact spot on the couch. 

Featured Yarn :: Virginia

Virginia

A puffy cotton-rayon yarn is paired with a strand of golden rayon, and a peachy rayon-linen, while a strand of red merino wool gives this yarn a balanced highlight.

• Fiber Content: 54 cotton / 26 rayon / 17 rayon-linen / 3 merino
• Yardage: ~128 yards
• Yarn Weight: Bulky
• Amount on Cone: 8 oz.
• Care: Hand wash / lay flat to dry

Also available in our online shop!

Something To Ponder

Well, it's been a long time coming, but this weekend I finally had some time to sit down and...knit!  

This is the time of year where, ironically, as all the seasonal knitters kick into gear and start cranking out projects like there's no tomorrow, my open knitting time sadly recedes into but a memory.  (Don't feel too sorry for me, though.  Come Thursday my brother and I are skipping up to my mom's beach house on Vashon Island for the weekend, and I will have nothing but books and knitting in tow!)

But in the meantime, I have actually finished this:

Something to Ponder, by Erin Hartman

free on Ravelry

I'm always a sucker for the top-down raglan projects, and this was no exception.  Casting on at the neckline, the project steadily increases to accommodate for the armhole shaping.  

But once you get to the bust, there's a neat little feature -- the gathering row gives really nice definition to a fabric that might otherwise look baggy or floppy -- particularly because I chose a drape-y rayon/linen/cotton blend with which to knit mine.

Then, I totally love the edging at the bottom!  It looks cabled, but it's actually just a series of slipping-and-passing stitches, in small doses, so it gives the illusion of being cabled without ever having to pick up a cable needle.  Glorious.

570 yards :: rayon/bamboo/cotton/linen blend

cost of materials: $29.34

An Incredibly Quick Crochet Scarf

Wow, Portland.  I could get used to this kind of weather!  

Richmond Elementary, across the street

Admittedly it was a cold ride to work this morning, but I recently treated myself to an amazing winter biking jacket, so it was no biggie.  

These past two days of blinding sunshine have come at the perfect time -- I was just starting to get a little mopey about the prospect of fall ending (which I know is a premature concern, given Portland's undependable seasons); but it's by far and away my favorite couple of months -- sort of like the Sunday of the entire year, as everything winds down into a fantastic collision of sleepiness and holiday frenzy, where weariness is the societal consensus and self-care is celebrated.

I kind of love it when the most congratulated plan for an evening is to change into sweatpants at 7pm and catch up on my podcasts while I make some hearty food.

Full recipe on Six Dollars A Day

With the promise of spring lingering sometime in the distant future, it's kind of like getting to go on an awesome vacation, while still looking forward to a fun party that awaits you when you come home.  

So thanks, Portland, for reminding me that eventually I will again be psyched to leave the house without bundling up, accessorizing with sunglasses instead of my Brattleboro Hat.

So last night we had our last class until after the New Year -- a Beginner's Crochet class!  I had just finished up my Chevron Lace Cardigan at our Knit & Crochet night on Wednesday, so I was suddenly faced with starting a brand new project to work on as these two new fantastic crocheters entered the world.

I grabbed a cone of our worsted weight Surrey, a size K hook, and went to work.

Now admittedly, I don't actually do the holiday gift giving thing, but the fact that I whipped up this entire scarf in two hours while teaching this class (plus maybe an extra hour this morning while customers perused in the shop) made me think of all you who do.

Seriously, grab yourself a hook, because this is perhaps one of the quickest little beauties you can make, and with a week to go before Christmas, you've got plenty of time.

Here's what I did:

Chain 20 stitches

Row 1: Single crochet

Row 2: Double crochet

Row 3: Triple crochet

Row 4: Double crochet

Repeat these 4 rows until scarf is desired length.

Break yarn, pull through loop, and weave in ends.

Seriously, it's that simple.

Featured Yarn :: Pine

Pine

A gorgeous rich green mohair blend is blended with other shades of blue and green in this soft, lofty yarn, whose tweediness gives an almost iridescent effect.  Try it in the Britta Lalena Headwrap.

• Fiber Content: 54 wool / 40 mohair-acrylic / 6 merino
• Yardage: ~450 yards
• Yarn Weight: Worsted
• Amount on Cone: 8 oz.
• Care: Hand wash / lay flat to dry

Also available in our online shop!

Special (Extended!) Holiday Hours

What a weekend!  Thanks to everyone who came to check out Crafty Wonderland on Saturday and Sunday -- always so fun to see familiar faces...but in a different setting!

I love doing these shows and getting to set up a little mini-Yarnia, nestled amongst so much other inspiring craftiness.  But I have to say, I am just plain excited to get back to the shop this week, unpack, and catch up on real live Yarnia stuff over on good old Division.  I miss it!

In fact, I must really be missing it, because I've decided to open up the shop next week on Monday and Tuesday, usually the days when our doors are tightly closed, to help out with your last-minute holiday gift-giving needs!  

So, here's the run-down on both holiday closures, and special extended hours coming up in the next couple weeks:

As you may have expected, we will be CLOSED on Christmas Day, and CLOSED on New Year's Day.

However, as I mentioned above, things can get CRAZY the week before Christmas.  So just for you, just this once, we'll be open Monday and Tuesday of next week (December 20th & 21st).  

And for you last-minute shoppers, we'll even stay open late on Wednesday, December 22, (until 8:00 p.m.!) to make sure you can snag that last cone of yarn or gift certificates if you need to.  Then, it's back to regular hours for Thursday, Friday and Sunday (December 23rd, 24th, and 26th).

So just to recap:

Monday, December 20th: ***OPEN 11a-6p***

Tuesday, December 21st: ***OPEN 11a-6p***

Wednesday, December 22nd: ***OPEN 11a-8p***

Thursday, December 23rd: OPEN 11a-6p

Friday, December 24th: OPEN 11a-6p

Saturday, December 25th: CLOSED

Sunday, December 26th: OPEN 12p-5p

Saturday, January 1: CLOSED

Make sense?  Call or email if you have any questions!

Oh, and don't forget, our next Knit & Crochet Night is this coming Wednesday, December 15th, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.  Come finish up those holiday gifts and projects with us!  We'll have wine, tea, snacks, music, and a bunch of good company.  All skill levels welcome!

Knit & Crochet Night :: December 15th

It's that time again!

Next Wednesday night (December 15th), we’ll be having our monthly Knit & Crochet Night from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Same deal as last time -- wine, tea, treats, music, good company, and lots of knitting and crocheting! Let’s finish up those holiday gifts and winter wear together :) 

We’ll have our bargain basket fully stocked in case you need to cast on for that last-minute project.

All skill levels welcome!

See you then!

Textured Circle Shrug

Do you ever have a certain yarn that's taken on multiple incarnations?  That's what this yarn has been like for me.  Not because I don't like it -- in fact, I think it's the opposite.  

I wound it up with such a specific image in my mind of what I wanted this sweater to look like, but with no actual pattern to work from, so I've knitted it and re-knitted it seemingly dozens of times at this point.  Lucky for me it's a super bulky weight, on Size 15 needles!

Photo via Stefanie on Ravelry

A few months ago, I stumbled upon the Textured Circle Shrug by Stefanie Japel, and excitedly realized that this was the new destination for my identity-crisis yarn...except that the pattern calls for worsted weight, and this was clearly a different gauge, and not in the kind of way that you can ignore and be like, "That's okay, I like my sweaters a little baggy..."

So, I decided it was time for a little math.  I'm the kind of person that would rather adjust the pattern to fit my favorite yarn, rather than the other way around.  Sometimes this is pretty simple, and just a matter of going up or down a few needles sizes to accommodate for thicker or thinner yarn than the pattern calls for.  Hey, as long as you're getting the right gauge, no harm done, right?

But when you're doing some serious yarn substitution, like I was here, you've got to play around with some ratios.

 In some cases, this can be as simple as making little notes to yourself, indicating that even though the pattern might tell you to repeat a pattern over 13 rows, you'll really only be doing it over 6, because your rows are twice as big as the original gauge.

Or in some cases, you'll adjust the number of cast-on stitches based on those handy measurements that are given with the diagrams.  If I'm getting 2.5 stitches/inch, and I know the cast-on neckline is 9" long, then I'll be casting on 24 stitches (rounding up to keep an even number).

I know, I know, it's the holiday season and there's no time to really get down and dirty with the calculator right now.  I'll go more in depth with gauge adjustment after the New Year -- just wanted to give a sneak preview of what I've been working on, and how I'm making it happen!

Featured Yarn :: Charleston

Charleston

A variegated bamboo blends soft greens and blues with an olive green wool in this beautiful yarn.  The wool gives it enough elasticity to use in a tight-fitting sweater, and the bamboo adds a delicate softness.

• Fiber Content: 56 wool / 35 bamboo / 9 merino
• Yardage: ~370 yards
• Yarn Weight: DK
• Amount on Cone: 8 oz.
• Care: Hand wash / lay flat to dry

Also available in our online shop!

 

One Down, One To Go

Wow, that's all I have to say.  To everyone who came through the doors to the Urban Craft Uprising this weekend, you all are amazing.  This show was noteworthy in my mind because I realized, I recognized a ton of familiar faces!  

 Photo courtesy of Crystalyn Kae Handbags

Whether it was those of you who have driven down from Seattle to see the shop in person, or just stopped by our booth at these biannual shows to say hi and stock up on yarn for the upcoming winter months, it's so fun to have a crowd of customers that I know not only from Portland, but Seattle too!  So thanks to everyone for an incredible weekend.

And you know what?  It ain't over yet!  UCU may be ducking into hibernation until the next show rolls around, but guess what this coming weekend is?

That's right!  Now it's our turn here in Portland.  It's gonna be huge, an overload of crafty awesomeness...and free!  We'll have a booth there all weekend, along with two of our awesome UCU friends, and can't wait to get back out there and do it all over again!

(The actual shop will still be open regular hours all weekend.)

Believe me, after this weekend is over, there will be a very long nap in my future...

Urban Craft Uprising :: Free Cable Scarf Pattern

That's right, for all of you visiting us at the Urban Craft Uprising today and were promised the pattern for this guy...

Here you go!

Braided Cable Knit Scarf

MATERIALS NEEDED:
6 oz. bulky weight yarn
Size 11 straight needles

Cast on 36 stitches

Row 1: Purl all sts

Row 2: Knit all sts

Row 3: Purl all sts

Row 4: Knit 4, *sl 4 sts to cable needle and hold to back, K4, K4 from cable needle* Repeat from * to * to end of row

Row 5: Purl all sts

Row 6: Knit all sts

Row 7: Purl all sts

Row 8: *sl 4 sts to cable needle and hold to front, K4, K4 from cable needle* Repeat from * to * until 4 sts remain, K 4 sts

We've got tons more of this blend that I'm using here, Bigelow (on sale this week!) as well as many other bulky yarns that would work fantastically, in our online shop.  Or, try making your own with our Custom Yarn Creator.

Enjoy!

Chevron Lace Cardigan

I've knitted a lot of sweaters in my day...like, a lot.  Like, I usually average 2-3 a year, not including lightweight spring shells.  

But you know, in all my years of wielding needles and hooks, I've never actually crocheted a sweater.  Yeah, I know what you're thinking...so what?  Sweaters aren't really supposed to be crocheted, are they?

Well, believe it or not, there's been a pretty huge revolution in hip and stylish crochet design in the past five or so years, sprouting up dozens of cool new blogs, magazines, and books.  

This is the one that really caught my eye a few years back.  The cover sold me on it at first glance.  That's crocheted?!  Yep, just like knitting, you can use a fine gauge and a smaller hook to give your crocheted garments better detail, and a sleeker look than what you might first picture when you think of a crocheted sweater.

So a few weeks back, when I realized during a frenzied packing session before my trip to Miami that I hadn't picked out a knitting project to bring with me, I remembered that the Chevron Lace Cardigan has been in my queue forever.

photo via Without Seams blog

I hastily grabbed a smokey blue cone of DK weight yarn off the shelf (Kirkland; I've been searching for this yarn's pattern mate for ages!), my favorite J hook, tucked a copy of the pattern inside the cone, and crossed that off my list.

Here's an interesting fact for you: crocheting is SO MUCH FASTER than knitting.  Normally, I'd congratulate myself for being the most efficient packer on the planet and only bringing half a pound of yarn with me on a cross-country trip.  Because really, who needs more than half a pound of yarn for a weekend?

Well, apparently I do.  I've spent the past ten years trying to stave off my nightmare scenario of being trapped inside an enclosed space for an indeterminate amount of time, sans knitting...and wouldn't you know it, if you switch out those needles for a big shiny hook, I can plow through an entire half-pound cone before I even cross the Mississippi River.  (Okay, so there were a couple of hours stranded on the tarmac as well, and then a diversion from Dallas to Austin so we could "refuel before landing," (?) but still...)

So here's my advice to you: learn to crochet.  Tackle this super-simple, all-in-one-piece top-down cardigan before you think you're ready.  And don't underestimate yourself; bring that extra cone of yarn.

Look at those cute little sleeve holes!  This is gonna be so much simpler than adding sleeves to a knitted sweater...

Featured Yarn :: Yesler

Yesler

Light yellow bamboo and soft shades of tan and pink comprise this cute and super soft sock yarn.

• Fiber Content: 66 bamboo / 34 merino
• Yardage: ~430 yards
• Yarn Weight: Sock/Fingering
• Amount on Cone: 5 oz.
• Care: Hand wash or cold gentle cycle / lay flat to dry

Also available in our online shop!