knitch

April 29, 2010

In This Issue
Shop Hours and Events
Dying for color?
Introducing a new vendor
Knitting the Norway Photo Essay
Farewell to FBCs

Shop Hours and Events

 

Next Evening Open Knit:
Thursday May 6th 
6-9pm
 
A reminder that our hours will change for the summer. Watch for details later in May.
 

OPEN KNITTING:
Every Wed
1-3PM

1st and 3rd Thurs

6-9pm

Socks on Sunday
1-3pm
 
REGULAR HOURS:
M,Tu, F, Sa: 10-5
W,Th: 10-6
Su: 12-4
What's a steek?
 "To steek" means to make a vertical cut in a piece of knitted fabric in order to create an opening for armholes, a neck placket, or cardigan front.

This technique is traditional for sweaters worked with 2-color stranded designs, such as Fair Isle and Norwegian.

It allows the knitter to work the sweater body in the round from bottom edge to shoulders, without interruption for shaping decreases and without the need to work the pattern backwards on wrong-side purl rows.

Sometimes the design includes extra steek stitches--like a seam
allowance--in the area to be cut.

Before cutting the steek, the knitter reinforces the cutting line with several rows of machine or hand stitching.

Sleeves or bands can then be sewn to the cut edges, or picked up and knit.

The cut edges are often enclosed in a knitted facing to prevent fraying.

Dying to add some color to your knitting? 
Create your own unique yarns
 Dyed samples for inspiration

The return of warm weather allows us to bring back Susan Forbes' popular yarn-dyeing workshop May 1st. 

The fun but messy process takes place outside, behind the shop.

A second workshop is offered on June 5th.
Quick Links
 
 
Introducing a new vendor: Stacy Tahki Charles
Check out these new yarns from their Filatura Di Crosa line

Pamper you favorite little people with Prestige Baby, a supersoft 90% merino wool/10% cashmere blend and Zarina 100% fine superwash Merino wool yarn. We stock solid baby pastels and color prints.

For texture-lovers, Tempo combines  a stand of multicolored print, a strand of thick-&-thin and a strand of nubby tweed for an elegant yet slightly rustic look and feel.
(51% Cotton, 37% Acrylic, 12% Nylon)
Join Our List
Join Our Mailing List
Greetings!   

Remember those "Before" views of  Mary and Kathleen's Norwegian sweaters in our last issue?  Well, call this "After--Part 1"

Mary and Kathleen

An intense weekend of knitting left them exhausted, but still smiling.

Lots of finishing work remains to be done before we can bring you a happily-ever-after ending to the Nor-way sweater saga. In the meantime, enjoy highlights of the class, below.

While guest instructor Arnhild Hillesland was with us last week, two different groups of knitters also learned 2-color stranded knitting and twined knitting with her.

We look forward to September, when she will be back to teach a class on reverse knitting aka double knitting for us. 
 
Remember May classes start next week. Check the schedule for details
Knitting the Nor-way with Arnhild
A photo essay
Since beginning their Norwegian-style sweaters in a weekend class with Arnhild last October, this group of intrepid knitters has met at least once a month to help keep each other on task.

The culmination of a winter's worth of knitting brought them together again last weekend with bodies, sleeves, and at least one button band completed.
 
The goal for the the 3-day session was to complete the steeks and establish the front and neck bands. (If you are wondering "What's a steek?" see the sidebar at left)
 
On Friday evening, students carefully marked where to cut the armholes:
Class in progress
 
Marking where to cut
Arnhild analyzes
Then the sewing machines went into action. Securing the knit stitches along the steeks:
 Stitching the steek
 
The moment of reckoning--Judy applies her scissors to the front opening:
Cutting the steek
  
After cutting the steeks for front and sleeves, students joined the shoulder seams with a 3-needle bind-off. By Saturday, the body-tubes were transformed into vests.

Marie and Kathy model their handiwork:
Marie 2
 
Kathy R. 
 
 
 All together now:
Group front view
 
The sweaters look great from behind, too:
 
Group-back view 
 
The students spent the rest of the weekend working on the front button bands and neck bands. After countless hours put into each sweater so far, everyone was determined to get the finishing details just right.

Rumor has it that there was some wailing and gnashing of teeth heard above the clicking of the knitting needles at this time--so maybe this explains why there is a curious absence of photo record for Sunday afternoon.
The students have made plans to meet over the next few weeks to make sure they have it right. Once they have finished the bands, buttons, and sleeves sewn in place, we expect shouts of joy and some wild celebrating around the shop.

Arnhild and crew
(L to R) Arnhild and her assistants Linda and Denise made the weekend enjoyable for everyone.
 Farewell to FBCs
Going, going, gone---April 30th
 
LAST DAY for using the old Frequent Buyer punch cards is tomorrow, Friday, April 30.
 

As of May 1, we will no longer punch or redeem FBCs
 
NO EXCEPTIONS.

Thank you for understanding.


Sign up anytime for the new computer-based REWARDS program. No cards to keep track of!