Thistledown Shoppe
Sliding into Spring
  April 17, 2020
In This Issue
Knitting out of Africa
The Best of INTERWEAVE knits
New and Updated
Knitting Needle Sizes
Trunk Show
Classes
Free Patterns

knitting out of africa

Lovely pullovers, vest, and cardigan knitted in in fingering weight yarns using the techniques of entrelac, double knitting, intarsia, domino, and Fair Isle.
 

bookFavorite designs from the first ten years include
designers such as Veronik Avery, Ann Budd, Kate Gilbert,  Kathy Zimmerman, Norah Gaughan, and Melissa Leapman with pullovers, jackets, scarfs, tanks, bags, and shawls.  There are also descriptions of techniques such as short rowing, lace knitting, seaming, grafting, and reading charts.
Greetings!

Hmmm, I think it is suppose to be spring.  But the weather seems to be unsure.  We go from 35 degrees to 80 degrees within 24 hours.  

When you are not busy working out in the yard, come on in and check out the new and updated yarns and notions we have in stock for the soon to arrive warmer weather.
 New and Updated

Magazine
KnitScene Easy


Needles
Addi Clicks - We carry the sets of regular clicks and have the lace tips on order. Let us know if you want to preorder a set, we are suppose to receive them in late May.

Notions and Miscellaneous
Mugs - KnitHappy to sheep, along with insulated mugs

Needle Holders and Notions Bags needle bags
Lots of new needle bags from Clover, Frabjous Fibers, Susan Bates, Roll Up Knitting, and Mimi Collections.

Socks from Laurel Burch

Patterns
Beach by Classic Elite Yarns
Knitting at Knoon

Yarns
Bamboo Velvet from SweaterKits - soft and cushy, just like velvet.

Cotton Fleece Worsted - more colors

Lumpy Bumpy yarn - this is new yarn for the shoppe and it lives up to its name. Farmhouse Yarns is in yarn
Connecticut and uses local sheep. Carol dyes the yarn at her farmhouse. Lovely colors. 

Sari Ribbon sari ribbon  This ribbon yarn is made from hand cut strips of silk fabrics hand sewn end to end. The fabrics found in this yarn are generally silks with some rayon or cotton and metal threads.

Serendipity Tweed - more colors

Simply Shetland Silk & Lambswool -a fingering weight silk (65%) and wool (35%) blend. This is a rustic yarn that can be used for lace or Fair Isle or double it up to use as a worsted weight. 

Sprout - wonderful yarn for summer. 100% organic cotton

Summer Sox - a glorious blend of cotton, merino, and nylon







 
 Knitting Needle Sizes - Why do I care?

Check out the chart below and notice that some US sizes have more than one metric size. Be aware of that when purchasing needles.

 
Metric size (mm)U.S. sizeUK / Canadian sizeJapanese size
2.0014
2.1

0
2.25113
2.4

1
2.5


2.7

2
2.75212
3.0
113
3.25310
3.3

4
3.54

3.6

5
3.7559
3.9

6
4.068
4.2

7
4.5778
4.8

9
5.086
5.1

10
5.4

11
5.595
5.7

12
6.010413
6.3

14
6.510 �3
6.6

15
7.0
27 mm
7.5
1
8.01108 mm
9.013009 mm
10.01500010 mm
12.017

16.019

19.035

25.050

Trunk Show


Wonderful trunk show from Classic Elite featuring One Fifty, Portland Tweed, and Sprout yarn. We will have it here until May 5.

Cabled cardigan using One Fifty One Fifty Cabled Cardigan

Sprout tee

Lacy tee with One Fifty

Portland Tweed vest

Portland Tweed hat hat

 
Classes

Like to knit socks and ready to learn new techniques?  Never have knitted socks, but want to learn?  Demarie will be teaching a class on knitting one or two socks, at a time, from the toe up.  Two circular needles with be used, the Turkish Cast On and short row heels will be taught.

You are required to know how to knit and purl.

There are lots of reasons to knit your socks from the toe up:

  • You do not need to know your gauge before you start, only that you are producing a dense fabric.

  • You do not have to worry about how many stitches to cast on - the answer is 8 (usually) for the square toe and 4 (always) for the pointy toe.

  • When you start at the toe, you simply make toe increases until the toe section fits the foot.

  • You make the foot section long enough to cover the foot up to the front of the ankle.

  • You can try on the sock at any time.

  • You can knit the legs until you're almost out of yarn.
Classes are scheduled for Sunday, May 16 and 23 from 1 pm until 3 pm. 

The cost is $40.

Registration is accepted until May 9.


Free Patterns


Classic Elite One Fifty Cardigan- Jill and I are doing a KAL on this. Want to join us?

Classic Elite Sprout set- fun yarn to work with. And it will make a great outfit for the little one.

ChildHood- a child's cardigan with a hood, knitted with Mission Falls 1824 Cotton

Team Germany Hat- if you like to continue knitting cold weather items, this is a warm hat for next winter. It was created after seeing similar hats on the German fans at this year's Winter Olympics. Use our Mission Falls wool or Lamb's Pride.

Another nice hat. Knit up the Scandi Snowflake Hat and use your color skills.

Want to knit a swifter cover? We have lots of cotton yarn that can be used for this pattern.


Thistledown Shoppe
PO Box 52, 419 N St Joseph St.
Suttons Bay, MI  49682
231-271-YARN(9276)

The Wee Shoppe with a Big Heart

Mon through Sat 10-6 Sun 12 -4

Yarn Lover's Night: every Monday 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

http://thistledownshoppe.blogspot.com/ Kathy Dawkins, Betsy Eike, Ruth Ziter, Diane Cavagnini, Doreen Tyrrell, and Susan Curtis
Don't forget that we take special orders and will ship to you.
Save 25%
Let us help you with your warm weather knitting.

Use this coupon for Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece, Cotton Fine and Serendipity Tweed.

This coupon must be printed and presented in person.

Not applicable to special orders. 

Yarn must be in stock.
 
Offer Expires: Sunday, April 25, 2010