Event: Jody Long Next Tues Sept. 26th

Jody is Back! 

 Tues Sep 26th  3-7pm

Join us for a another meet & greet with designer and yarn guy, Jody Long. It's the final leg of his year-long US Tour "Cables Across America." He'll have a new fall trunk show with tons of new garments and yarns. Theme is warm, cuddly and cables! 

Bring any of your problematic/finished Jody Long projects or wips . Now's a great time to ask the designer specific questions about his patterns, process and choices when churning our patterns. Hope he can give us his future trend predictions too (seeing he's already at work on Spring/Summer 2024 line). Excited that our weather looks lovely autumnal! Relieved it's not the usual too, too warm Sept for Jody. 

Light treats and drinks provided. We'll have giveaways and a specially designed Cables Across America pattern book for all attendees. Jody literally designed these as he made his way across the continent last spring. He'd have an event and go back to hotel to design! 

We're still waiting for a couple of the new yarns, but big order just arrived with more Ciao, Coastline, Andeamos and Albas.  Jody will have all new samples to fondle and examine so you can preview the yarns still on order. 

Join us 
Next Tuesday, Sept 26th  3-7pm

New Jody Long Fall Collection

Fall means there's new yarns, colors of favorites and lots of new pattern collections. Here in shop we love Jody's yarns. They've become staples and year-round yarns since introduced many years ago.There's a new siblings in the Alba and Andeamo lineup: Alba Aran, Andeamo Twist, Andeamo Lite Paints. Plus new colors in our fall favorite lines Alba, Andeamo, Andeamo Lite. 

Alba and Alba Aran

Alba, a lovely tweedy blend of merino, superfine alpaca in a dk/sport weight. Works up beautifully in a rich palette inspired by the Scottish Highlands. It's an awesome soft tweed and works up great held double to create unique marled items, or  single for lovely lighter weight-yet warm-garments and accessories. Great yardage each ball (382yds) with 21-25st 4" on US #5-7. Hook size F (3.5mm).

Below are a few patterns Jody designed for Alba. A mix of terrific pullovers. Larisa and Charmaine are brand new and highlight the trend towards intarsia bubbling up lately. 

Alba Aran is the same gorgeous tweed blend yarn in a bulkier weight. "Aran" is between worsted and chunky weight. It's a true aran gauge of 11-16sts = 4" on US #9, or #I hook with 11-14sc = 4". 

I'm in love with his newly designed patterns, especially Genevieve! It's a perfect Irish Cable Cardi!

Andeamo Collection

There's now a bunch of yarns in this wooly lineup: Andeamo, Andeamo Twist, Andeamo Lite and Andeamo Lite Painted  All are a blend wool/alpaca in super bulky to worsted weight. The Andeamo uses a #15 for fast work. 

Makes great quick gifts and he has perfect one-hank hat patterns.Grab 3-5 hanks for fast garter stitch lap blankets. Big cozy shawls or ponchos take 4-6 hanks. 

Here's the lovely marled colors of Andeamo Twist. The two-tone twisted colors elevates any pattern. Megan adores Enya. Actually we both do! And these hats are fast work for holiday gifts. 

Andeamo Lite is worsted weight, great yardage (437yds), super lofty and warm wool/alpaca. Fairly fast work on #8-9 at 16-20sts 4" and I repeat....a whopping 437 yds per hank! A perfect work-horse, staple wool to have for any winter, warm and cozy projects. Wide range of colors. 

New is Andeamo Lite Painted, a lovely soft multicolor palette. Same gauge range as it's solid sibling so patterns all interchangeable. 

Sneek Peek: Next Sweater KAL 

Brighton in Coastline

After last spring's Jody Long event we fell in love with his Coastline yarn. It's a heavier aran weight cotton/rayon/linen blend. Gradually we've added more colors with each shipment. Just finished swatching for this sweater and even in seed stitch...it's a dream to knit!

We have a sample of the Angela sweater and the drape, feel and weight is just amazing!  A perfect year-round yarn for our climate. We've picked Jody's Brighton pullover as our next shop sweater KAL. Nice pullover in seed stitch with flattering lines, boxy shape with very little shaping. 

KAL starts November. Meet Thursdays 12-2pm. Watch our blog for details.

 

Oct Mys Box & KAL!

What time is it? 

 Mystery Box Time!

Keep scrolling for all the juicy details!

Last week was first day when there's a hint of fall in the air. Seeing trees trying to turn colors.  Mornings are coolish and the air feels bit less summery. Pumpkin recipes are flooding social media and we're craving comfort foods! Despite this week's heat spike, next week's forecasts the mercury drops and tonight is a chance of thundershowers!  Our Autumn Mystery Box promises cuddling up under soft, cosy wrap to ward off this lovely chilly fall air is just around the corner. 

Wee Bit Different This Time....

This time round we know what's in the box up front! Our Oct 2021 Mystery Box is your choice Marie Knit Shawl or Elana Crochet Wrap, two new patterns designed by Melissa Leapman for Juniper Moon's Herriot Great, a 100% baby alpaca (omg....an amazingly soft & cuddly yarn). We lovingly say it's an affordable cashemere. Works up like butter! 

For the Knit option, your "Mystery" is weekly pattern reveals during a new Melissa Leapman Marie Knit-Along starting Oct 2. Look at all the stitch patterns and techniques!

See that fuzzy bloom? That's pure 100% baby alpaca and it is bliss! Juniper Moon's Herriot Great is the yarn and we adore it. Seriously like working with butter and just as soft as cashmere without the steep price tag.  

This Mystery Box a bit more expensive ($89.99) but Herriot Great is SO worth it! Plus we loved chance to dovetail with a KAL. Melissa Leapman will have zoom sessions and technique videos on her website. This will make a gorgeous gift for a favorite loved one too and holidays here soon! 

Crochet Option

Couple of Crochet Box Caveats

• Eliana calls for 6 hanks MC, 1 ea of CC1 and CC2 but......this scarf seems pretty dang long.....we think you could easily get by with just 4 hanks. Instead you can incorporate the CC colors to make up for using less MC.You'll only use a tiny bit of these contrasting colors so there's plenty to just add more repeats of the stripe pattern. Or just make the MC sections shorter. You choose. 

• We don't think this pattern is part of the official KAL so probably no zoom sessions or videos tutorials....but we're thrilled there's a crochet option! All same color options apply

Colors Options up the Whazoo! 

Knitting Fever created only two colorways for the Marie KAL....but come on....we need more than that! So we dreamed up a few more! (Plus it gave Kim an excuse to have all the Herriot Great colors on order ship earlier! LOL) 

Be sure to scroll down all the way for two brand new color options just added, not shown above! 

LATE BREAKING ADDITIONS....... 

Just got word this morning: More colors available to ship out today! Since eight color options isn't nearly enough (heehee) here's two more!

You can indicate in checkout "notes" which color your prefer for MC.....or let us surprise you! 

There's a custom option if you prefer to choose your own color adventure. Just choose that option and include which colors you want, or come by the shop to pick out in person.  Note #145 below still on backorder and won't be available in time. But all others good to choose - even discontinued ones. 

Order Here

Your box will ship out/pick up Wed Sep 23. 

Melissa Leapman says:

Knitted out of the softest chunky alpaca imaginable from Juniper Moon Farm, the Marie shawl offers a fun and easy way to play with color. Believe it or not, this beauty uses just one color per row (yes!!!) to create garter stripes, a cool mosaic pattern, and interesting colorful lace.

Join this fun knitalong with Melissa and her friends as we work through 3 separate sections of this amazing asymmetrical shawl. We will have optional live get-togethers via Zoom for each clue so I can demonstrate tricky sections and answer your knitting questions.

4 hanks of Juniper Moon Farm’s gorgeous Herriot Great“ in your choice of two colorways, four clues sent out weekly via email and Ravelry, free live Zoom sessions for demos and Q & A, and eligibility for amazing door prizes!

Marie KAL Supplies Needed

• Juniper Moon Farm’s Herriot Great (131yd ea/100g)
• Color A: 2 hanks
• Color B: 1 hank
• Color C: 1 han
• Circular knitting needle US10.5 (8 mm) or size needed to obtain gauge, 29”
• dpn's size US10.5 (8mm) or size needed to obtain gauge

Gauge
In Garter Stitch, 11 stitches and 28 rows = 4”, blocked.

KAL Schedule

Oct 2: Knitalong begins & Clue 1 released
Oct 9: Clue 2 is released
Oct16: Clue 3 is released
Oct 23: Clue 4 is released

Let's get busy looking forward to Fall's Return and a fun new Mystery Box Project! 

Autumn Newsletter

Yeah! Autumn is Here!! We're loving the cooler temps, leaves changing colors and knowing the dog days of summer are behind us.

This means it's time for the big Fall Yarn Shuffle: lots of new things arriving, moving things around like a jigsaw puzzle until it all fits. At one point I had 9 cubbies emptied!! Granted the shop looked like bomb went off and boxes, bags, piles made it a labyrinth. But I was like....

This week feeling even more victorious as shop put back together and feeling fresh. The empty cubbies filled and the big seasonal yarn swap pretty much done!

Warning: This newsletter about Yarn...because it's that time of year when thoughts turn to warm woolie projects. Promise next updates will include other items, like our new audio book program, a new novel about our great-great-great grandmother that has Kim doing cartwheels (audio)! Or our current Halloween and Thanksgiving display or upcoming classes,  Best way to get quick updates between newsletters is our Instagram. Follow us there to see mini-posts about current shop news.

What's new in Yarnlandia? Lots!

 

Big restocks of Juniper Moon's Herriot Great and Herriot. Love this stuff-like knitting with butter. 100% Alpaca that's an affordable sub to cashmere. Soon I'll have an actual finished sample in Herriot Fine: Heart Warmer by Lete's Knit.

Yes....always a truly momentous moment when I finish a project!

Herriot Great 

Kim's Almost Finished Heart Warmer Cowl

Another exciting new Juniper Moon Farm yarn is Patagonia. An Organic Merino with a "shut the front door" amount of yardage for the price: $15.99 for 382 yards DK weight yarn! They have great line up patterns for this debut: Matilda, Merle, Brienne wonderful accessories; Wilhelmina, Tove and Thjorven are lovely garments.

Patagonia

Patagonia patterns are awesome!

Another brand new line is by a young designer, Jody Long Knits. Knitting Fever is building a new brand around him. His first yarns are Ciao (100% Merino DK) and Alba (Merino/Alpaca/Rayon Tweed DK)

Ciao

Alba

Ciao is a springy, spongy superwash merino. I'm using it right now for a mitten and it's great! Perfect for durable and washable items. Pattern booklet: Winter Breeze.  Alba is a beautiful tweedy line with rich colors. Another one with insane yardage and price so great for garments needing lots of DK yardage. Pattern booklet: Seaforth   (For comparison these yarns are a la Debbie Bliss Rialto and Erin Tweed.)

 

Check out of Jody's patterns on Ravelry for inspiration. 

More restock of workhorse yarn: Painted Sky. This worsted weight superwash wool perfect for all kinds of accessories, blankets etc.... and we have free pattern for socks too! Lots of patterns.

More lines along the "Painted" theme: New colors and restock Painted Mist and Katia Paint. Brand new yarn perfect for quick chunky fun colored items: Katia Big Paint. 

Katia Paint

Katia Big Paint-perfect for chunky hats

Cotton isn't top of list during cold winter months but three lines have space year round in shop because we love them. All are from our favorite Juniper Moon Farm: Cumulus, Cumulus Dappled and Bud. Both are perfect for baby items, blankets, soft comfy neck warmers and hats for our less rugged winter climate. Cumulus and Cumulus Dappled is oh so soft and Bud is it's slubby, nubby cousin. Fans of Classic Elite's Seedling rejoice: this is same yarn! When CEY closed Juniper Moon Farm picked up this popular yarn and rebranded as Bud.

Cumulus

Cumulus Dappled

Bud

I know....you thought I forgot about my weakness, my go-to-boredom-buster Noro didn't you?! Ha. No way. We're all stocked up. Loving the new put-up styles too: new shapes with tons of yardage and many now 200g. This fall they've added fancy, pretty fabric labels on the new Ito, Kanzashi, and Bachi. And for non-Noro aficionados....if you have a Noro Nut on gift-giving list anyone of these gorgeous Noro "eggs" will be a perfect gift!

Bachi

Kanzashi

Ito

We also have a couple of new summer lines that we love: Akari and Geshi perfect for now.

Akari

Akari (with peek of Kim's "swatch")

Geshi

These two lines are more cottony, silky and brighter colors suitable for warmer months. I'm making a gorgeous NightShift shawl using Akari #5 and Silk Garden #269 (and my fellow Noro Nuts will totally know which colorways I'm talking about! LOL)

Noro Specifics: 
Ito: Aran 100% wool at 200g and 437yds
Bachi: Bulky 100% wool, 200g at 262yds
Kazashi: Chunky, boucle/nubby textured blend, 150g at 229yds
Akari: Worsted, silk/cotton/rayon blend, 200g at 528yds (I adore this yarn!)
Geshi: DK, rayon/cotton/silk blend, 200g at 656yds (yes....6...5...6..yds!)

Noro Magazines are the best source for patterns. Check out the last few issues for ideas:
Spring/Summer 2019, Issue 14
Fall/Winter 2019, Issue 15

Berroco Fall yarns also here too: Sesame, Pirourette, Coco, Providence and Ultra Wool Chunky.

Sesame

Sesame is a slightly textural/nubby worsted weight blend with lovely rich multicolored/stripy colors. Bunch of lovely patterns too.

Pirouette

Pirouette is a slightly boucle type yarn, very soft blend with color palette that co-ordinates nicely with it's cousin Providence, a tweedy merino blend. Both have pattern books: Providence, Pirouette

Pirouette and Providence

One of the most exciting new yarns is Ultra Wool Chunky. I squealed with delight our rep told us Berroco adding a chunky to this awesome line of superwash wool. Now we have all 4 sizes: Chunky, Worsted, DK and Fine.

Ultra Wool Chunky

Any of the Ultra Wools are great for durable, washable and long-wearing accessories and garments. It's all wool that can be washed and gently tumbled dried. It's become our go-to yarn. Now having a Chunky widens pattern repertoire!

Coco

Let's talk Super Bulky. It's that time of year. Coco is their new mega yarn: Pattern Booklet. It's 100% Merino with a thread twist around the merino, adding an extra textural interest when knit up. It's a white base merino overdyed with multi colors. These promise to be fast, quick knits with a lovely soft hand that is hallmark of pure merino wool.

Coco (with peek of fun novelty Furreal fur yarn that's so soft!)

We have 5 colors Free pattern: Glacier Cowl. Two balls Coco on #17 needles = Gift Knitting in a Night! Say hi to the model Betsy, who is our beloved Berroco Sales Rep! Hi Bestsy!!

Betsy models Glacier Cowl in Coco

On the subject of fast bulky knits....we're re-stocked up with a favorite: Macro. This wool/acrylic/alpaca blend is technically a #7 or Jumbo yarn. This is fast knitting at it's best. 250 g and 112yds on a #19. It's a go-to staple when you need speedy gifts!

Macro

More Macro...with new colors coming this week

Megan made an awesome blanket last year for Aaron: 1 hank ea 4 colors. Cast on a bunch and garter stitch until all yarn gone! Our new colors arrive this week and our big restock in shop, ready for fast gifts. Berroco has great free patterns in addition to their booklet patterns. For fast scarves 2 hanks makes a big long chunky scarf, or 1 hank makes big chunky cowl.

Aaron's blanket has Fritzi's stamp of approval. Well...according to him it's his blanket, not Aaron's. 

Are you still with me? This newsletter bit long-winded with all the new goodies in the shop.

The last entry into New Yarns: Ella Rae Silky Kid, a silk/mohair blend that is hot trend right now. You'll see lots of patterns where a strand of this is held double. Also on trend-garments and shawls with single strands. While it seems small...the fuzz allows this yarn to be knit at larger gauge than expected for light-than-air, super warm items.  Even a simple St st hat using a strand of Silky Kid paired with something like a Noro, or a solid like Ultra Wool Chunky,  creates a unique and gorgeous item perfect for gifts. (This is the Debby Bliss Angel rebranded as Ella Rae)

Silky Kid

Silky Kid

If you're liking this Mohair Trend but need fast and easy, then we've got lots of Amitola Brushed by Louisa Harding. Fun gradual color changes and stripes make for an interesting knit too.

Amitola Brushed

 This takes a big needle (#10-11) and soon I'll have a shop sample of this lovely Acadia Shawl finished. It's a very easy pattern and I'm using #11 so it's fast too. Free pattern with purchase of 1 or 2 balls of yarn.

Acadia Shawl

This pattern a good candidate for some knit-hacking into a lap blanket. Just make several and seam together for a gorgeous afghan or throw.  Hmmmmmm already my mind is wandering and itching to cast on more colorways.....

That's it for now! Enjoy our lovely Autumn weather and happy knitting!