Itty Bitty Witty Knitties are fun greeting cards with actual pieces of knitting. The knitted swatches are handmade by a group of about a dozen deaf women who participate in the vocational training programs of Asia Project Grace in Kunming, the capital of YunnanProvince in south-central China. Heretofore denied access to any education and unemployable due to their handicap, they are now being taught Chinese sign language, live in comfortable apartments, make a living wage, and are provided with retirement funds and health insurance. The verses are written and cards assembled a group of family and friends in Idaho. The cards are delightfully funny and are for every occassion from get well to thank you to happy birthday and just because. View them here. Enjoy!

 

Sharlene and Suzanne prowled the show floor at last summer's TNNA event in Columbus. You can thank them for us having Artyarns now. I'm not a flashy person and would have looked right past their yarns, but even I have to admit, they are pretty! We brought in a beaded luxury skein that takes one to make a scarf and a kit comprised of multiple hand dyed yarns accented with sequins and beads called Synergy. Take a look at Artyarns here.

 

Last week Deb came up to me and said, "I know this book was here when I started working here, but I never looked at it. It's GOOD!" I have to agree with her. Off the top of my head we have at least three samples in the shop knit from patterns in this book. Our latest one (shown below) is what prompted her to open it's cover. The sweater is knit using Berroco Ultra Alpaca. Does it feel good! Next time you are in, check out the sweater and take a peek at the book. I'll bet you are as pleasantly surprized as Deb was!

If you are a knitter or a weaver, your work has been affected by twist whether you realize it or not. Yarns are spun differently. For example,

 

Lamb's Pride = Z twist in a single yarn

Shepherd's Wool = S Twist in the plyed yarn

 

What does that mean, Z or S? As you look at a piece of yarn, look at the angle of twist. With your mind's eye, superimpose each of these letters on the yarn. Which letter's angle does it match? Most yarn is Z spun (spun in a clockwise motion) and S plied (in a counter-clockwise motion). Lamb's Pride is not plyed, just softly spun. Generally, unless you are spinning yarn, this detail doesn't matter. However, it is interesting to know (then you can talk to a spinner better!).

 

What is more helpful to understand is how you can change the twist in a commercial yarn. The act of making it into a ball or winding in onto a cone will affect the twist - either adding or subtracting as the winding takes place. Transfering yarn to a spool does not change the twist.

 

The acts of knitting, crocheting and weaving can change twist as well.  With both methods of creating fabric the motion adds twist. I had to hold the yarn and let the swatches dangle and untwist to get the yarn back to where it started. You've probably noticed this when you work with ribbon yarn - you have to pause and untangle or unruly knots build up. Changing the twist can cause the yarn to weaken (become unspun in the case of a single) or to become "ropey." The first isn't good because the yarn can break as you are knitting with it and the second will create a fabric that isn't as soft or smooth as it should be. Some yarns seem to be affected more by twist change than others. The trick is simply to pay attention as you work with the yarn to see if the original twist should be restored to the yarn (by dangling the work from the ball).

 

For weavers, the twist in yarn can affect the selvedge. The motion of rubbing against the edge thread as the shuttle enters and exits can cause the edge thread to lose or gain twist and create broken selvedge threads. If you see this happening and you think the twist may be the cause, periodically change direction of the shuttle by cutting the bobbin thread and throwing two consecutive shots in the same direction.

 

A related issue is how skeined yarn feels in the skein. I have seen countless fiber folks hold a skein up to the soft skin of their neck and see how it feels. This really isn't telling you a lot. Yarn usually feels coarser in the skein than it does in the garment because it is looser in a garment and it has been washed and blocked.

We'll have the Knitting Matters trunk show in the shop for another couple weeks. Kim Smith, a former employee, is doing a great job with her pattern business. She's done a few adult things, but the bulk of her patterns are for middle-range kids. Check out her full line on her website - most of the patterns are in stock at Heritage. The shot below is of Kim (on right) and Pat from the Rochester Knitting Guild at the Shop Hop last week. Kim had a great time visiting with customers, helping them select yarn to work her patterns and eating the yummy fudge and chocolate cherry bars that her show shared the table with!

 

Our original patterns are now in stock in the store. Over the next weeks, I'll be introducing you to a few at a time. Click on the image to learn more about each pattern. Enjoy!