A word about FLOUNCE

DEAR People who love to knit with Flounce:

I post this due to a customer phone call today.  Last year’s colors of Flounce no longer exist.  You may get lucky and find a random cache.  Mine from last year is all sold out.  I do have every new color of both Flounce  and Flounce Metallic.  Flounce is $12 a ball and Flounce Metallic is $14 a ball.  I am always happy to ship.  You can check out the new colors on Knitting Fever or KFI.com.

Also arriving today were five bags of Ella Rae Lace Merino (OMG awesome with tons of yardage…maintains nice drape even when crocheted) and six new colors of Noro Silk Garden.

Ready with giftcards and gotchis to meet your holiday knitting and crochet needs!

loads of love, Mary Ellen and Summit Yarn

 

FAUXBERRY

An alternate way to drape Fauxberry; classic colorway version.

 

Due to the interest in this pattern and a request, I spent some time today developing alternate colorways for this shawlette/scarf.  Here are the photos.  If you are interested, I have all the supplies and am always willing to ship to you.  Just shoot me an email!  Simple as that!

The three balls together are the main colors; the other two are the edging and the highlight color -- knitter's choice.

 

 

Color way #2.

 

Color way #3 -- that is a baby/sky blue.

 

Color way #4.

 

Color way #5.

 

Color way #6.

 

Color way #7.

 

Color way #8.

 

Color way #9.

 

Color way #10.

 

Color way #11.

 

I hope this inspires you.  For more inspiration go to the Burberry Site and look at their color combinations.  Looking through the current Vogue, I was also really liking the use of color this year by the company called:  Mulberry.  Watching fashion trends, I would point out there is an emphasis on combining black, white and grey — BIG TIME…just random thoughts.

Have a great day…have more for later….C U then!  love and light, Mary Ellen

YEAR-END SALE:  You come in, tell me what you want and I will discount it as low as possible.  Win-Win.  Good until the end of August.  <3  xox m.e.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arsenic and Old Lace: Square #16 and Pediboo!!!

Square #16: The Carlisle Stripe

 I know this is just a simple knit/purl square…but looks can be deceiving, especially with this block.  This is a reversible stitch pattern and makes a masculine scarf and great stretchy socks because of its inherent rib stitch nature.  Only four more squares to go!

Here is a list of my current Pediboo Adventure.  I have now worked with every color of this amazing durable, soft yarn and it is officially my favorite sock yarn ever…the end.  I may have to begin hand-dying just so I can have the multicolors I like to play with so much and that make dreary winters so much easier to bear.  To my eye, the colors fall into one of three color categories, with some minimal overlap:  neutrals (in which category I include blue), muted colors which are reminiscent of Mission Falls color palates, and brights which are just outright fun to play with.  Photos please…

The Carlisle Stripe in dark green.

Diagonal Ribbon Stitch

Spring Thaw Leaf from a sock pattern by Cat Bordhi, Knitter's Spr/Sum '08

Victorian Lace Insertion (Weldon's)

Orenberg Peas Lace, Galina Khmeleva

It's A Sheep! (from a washcloth pattern of unknown origin)

Crocheted Pineapple Lace

a swatch of Clapotis (Knitty, Kate Gilbert)

Cables and Hazlenut Brocade, my inventions

Tunisian Simple Stitch with cross stitch Frog for Frog Tree Yarns

Entrelac Crochet (also known as Tulip Stitch)

Seafoam Stitch (see Barbara Walker)

Super Easy Cable Crochet...in dark brown Pediboo

Royal Quilted Stitch aka Faux Honeycomb (see Barbara Walker)

Estonian Full Patent Stitch as taught by Merike Saarniit

Estonian Net Patent Stitch as taught by Merike Saarniit

Crocheted V-Stitch with reverse Single Crochet border

Top-down Seamless Raglan baby sweater...my pattern

Shetland Spider and Web stitch sampler (Interweave Knits)

All of the above samples were knit with various sizes of needles from US4 through US10 to demonstrate the flexibility of Pediboo Yarn by Frog Tree Yarns.  The yarn could even be double for warm washable mittens, hats, neck warmers or any other project you can dream up.  I have run it through the wash with my clothes and it looks perfect, without fuzzing, pilling or fading.  I have hung up, blocked or laid flat to dry all items.

There is more on the way…stay tuned!

Here is your daily dose of cuteness ala Sputters:

Sunbathing Sputters

loads of love, laughter and light always, mary ellen and summit yarn studio

 

Customer Projects This Week at Summit Yarn

Lourdes was the first this month to finish the Summit Sock Club Kit!  Yay!  She wins the 50% off coupon towards the purchase of one item next time she comes to visit.  Congratulations Lourdes!  It was a tight competition this month.  Chris is at the heel turn, Donna finished one sock as did Jamie, so I really had no idea who was going to finish first.  It is great fun to see all the photos roll in and hear the feedback.  This is the sock pattern Frog Tree Yarns was generous enough to purchase from me for use with their delightful Pediboo yarn.

Lourdes is wearing her new socks for Easter!...on her itty bitty feet!

Chris knits her socks two at a time using magic loop and has just completed the heel turn and gusset.

Another project that has been a customer favorite is the Helix (or Lasagna) scarf.  Here is a version Chris found online and it is just beautiful and lacey:

the pattern is called Gilding The Lily...i think it is on Ravelry

That’s all I have right now…probably more photos tomorrow and all week as there are a ton of projects in the offing.  Take care and have a lovely day!  xox Mary Ellen and Summit Yarn

 

Swatch…why?

I just completed some yarn comparisons for a company as a consultation and it was a total blast.  For the last seven days I have been elbow deep in either merino or alpaca…real hardship case. (giggle!)  I was also delighted to see how many of you read and/or reacted to my soapbox blog about swatching.  Here is some more evidence to help you see what I see when I look at different yarns.  Below is a photo of the three swatches of merino candidates for a new machine washable yarn, one of which was an epic fail.

The blue sample felted, while the two white samples stood up well to three washings. I have doubts about the middle sample, that it might perhaps felt given enough washings. The right-hand sample was just awesome!

While knitting with each I became very aware of how differently they each felt in my hand.  The differences were less obvious when just looking at the skeins before knitting them.  The moral:  yarns feel different after you work with them, if a yarn catches your eye but you feel unsure about it, buy just one skein and dance with it…you might find you like it very much.  Read the label and then see if it lives up to what the label promises.  Can you get gauge with the needle suggested on the label?  Is it really washable?  Are there tie-ons in the skein?  Does it really weigh what it says it does on the label (use a postal scale)?  Be wary of hand-dyed yarns that approximate their yardage…always buy more than you think you need.  If you are purchasing at a Fiber Festival get the business card for each yarn you buy and stick it into that yarn…that way if you need more you know who to harass  contact.

this sample was very fuzzy to begin with and felted during the third wash

this 2 ply was nice but the hand felt "off"...just not as soft as it should

This 3 ply yarn was my favorite, with great stitch definition, zero fuzz after washing three times and was the softest of the three yarns.

When I swatch a yarn for the first time I like to really put it through its paces.  I use all kinds of stitch patterns: stockinette, garter, seed, cable, lace, and slip stitch.  This tells me how the colors in the yarn will pool or not, what kind of stitch definition I can expect, and whether a certain kind of stitch works better with the yarn than any others.  If I am working with worsted weight yarn, I cast on 30 stitches so I can measure my gauge in the middle of the swatch…i.e. no where near the edges.  This way, my gauge numbers are as accurate as they can be.

Another issue:  if a yarn does not swatch to gauge within one size of the recommended needle size…be concerned.  This is a yarn that has not been given the proper attention by its company and will not work out well for you.  That said, you also have to know your own average gauge for the weights of yarn you work with.  Like, I tend to need to go down one size from the needle recommended to get perfect gauge…sometimes.  Catch me on a stressful enough day and all bets are off.  Know your strong points and your limitations.  No judgement…just know what works for you and have fun.

loads of love, laughter and light always,

Mary Ellen and Summit Yarn Studio  ;-D

 

“Swatch” is NOT a four letter word

Learn to love the act of swatching like it is chocolate.

One of my assignments this week from the yarn company I have the immense pleasure of working with, was to evaluate three separate balls of yarn as they are considering bringing in a new yarn.  I began with the ball I liked least (I always like to save the most pleasurable tasks for last)…though it was a lovely color, it was not very soft and had I not known better I would have said it had something synthetic in it for sure.  These balls are supposed to work up to worsted gauge, but this first one I really had to struggle to bring home that 18 sts and 24 rows per four inches.  I wound up on US6 needles with 18 sts per four inches and 26 rows per four inches.  On the plus side for this yarn, it stood up to being ripped out multiple times.

When I worked with the next ball of yarn (still saving my favorite for last), I began with the US6 needles because there was zero visual difference between this ball and the first.  This one was softer, had a nice luster and good loft but still there was something in the hand that resembled a bad aftertaste.  This time I wound up working my way back up to US8 needles.  The gauge was true and the skein had better stitch definition.  Again, this yarn stood up well to being frogged…good thing.

The final ball of yarn was soft, excellent loft, no lingering feeling of “something” in the hand of the yarn as I worked with it.  It was a complete pleasure.  Now I am subjecting them to the washability test.  That aside, the point of this diatribe is, just as the old saying goes, you cannot judge a book by its cover.  It would never have occurred to me these yarns would have gauged so differently.  What I do know as an LYS owner, is that getting my 12 year-old son to clean his room is easier than getting my knitters to swatch.  I beg you, for your own sanity, swatch every single time.  You will be so glad you did.  Your yarn usage will be correct, your garment will fit and the pattern will work the way it was intended to…trust me on this.  You will thank me in the long run.

This yarn, which said it was superwash on its label, felted on the third time through the wash.

We had a new yarn rep call on the studio this morning, Les, a wonderful man from New York who represents Rowan, SMC (formerly schachenmyer and SRKertzer), Gedifra, and Regia, and more but I have the dumb now so I cannot remember.  What I do recall is purchasing some amazing British pure breed yarn…first to come will be Blue-faced Leicester and it is better than chocolate.  It smelled like heaven…I ordered four bags.  It has amazing loft, is plied beautifully and looks like it will stand up to anything I throw at it.  I am standing here doing a happy dance just remembering this incredible yarn.  Another breed is ordered, which was so popular last time the company carried it, they ran out…I ordered four bags of this too.  What is it?  You will have to come in and see for yourself!  I also found some lovely bulky yarns, some wool and some alpaca that were unusual and I think the local knitters will find very exciting.  There is yarn also on order for charity knitting and prayer shawls at a great price…some in bulky for those of you looking for instant gratification and not a long commitment to a project.  I found bamboo sock yarn for people allergic to wool and Regia in colors that were irresistable.  Here are photos of the rare sheep breed line:

This will be on its way next week. mmmmm...

I am still refining the little sheep pattern.  I have been commissioned to knit one as a gift, and am trading two for a pair of socks in a color of Regia that is no longer available.  The pattern for next month’s sock club is nearly hammered out and I love how the color is working with this new stitch.  We have only three spots remaining, so if you are interested please let me know.

We are getting ready for our holiday weekend here.  My son is happily on Spring break and into letting his brain rot for five days God bless his soul.  The Easter Bunny did a predelivery on the required chocolate bunnies…God Bless Mr. Leopold the chocolatier for his chocolatey creations…he is an absolute master.  Tomorrow the studio will be open from 10:15 to Noon and from 1-5 pm.  Saturday I will open from 10:15 until 2opm.  We will close for Easter Sunday.

No matter your religious persuasion, this is a big week.  So, Happy Easter, have a Zissa Pesach and live well.  May light always shine upon you and your endeavors in this world.

Take care and get your knit on!

with love, light and laughter always, Mary Ellen and Summit Yarn Studio

Nikkers

there is a reason Nikkers gets so much face time...this is all of them

Nikkers making yoga-toes.

 

Sock KAL: the magic as promised finally…

If you look in Nancy Bush’s book “Knitting Vintage Socks” (I own 2 copies…one for home and one for the studio) and look at the sketch from Weldon’s of the sock done in Ringwood Stitch you will notice the sketch is done in two basic tones.  The darker tone of ink shows all the stockinette stitch and the lighter tone of ink shows the textured pattern stitch.  This got me to thinking about trying this sock in more than one color.  After some internal debate, I decided to alternate colors every round and these are the two sides of the sock…the sole and the instep:

 

the sole of this sock

the Magic: the instep of the sock

 

Next part of the sock:  you will alternate colors every round by picking up the new color from underneath the old color.

Knit one round in your bright color.  Next round with dark color:   instep — *K1, P1; repeat from * to last st of instep, K1; sole: knit.  Continuing to alternate colors every round follow these three rounds until the sock is 2.5 inches less than the length of your foot measured heel to toe standing –

Round 1: Knit

Round 2: Knit

Round 3:  instep — *K1, P1; repeat form * to last st of instep, K1;  sole:  knit.

The heel will be the next part released.  Have fun and send photos to my email!

loads of love, mary ellen

 

if the brothers can't see you, you can not see them!

 

 

 

Discovery Sock KAL

The last two months have been challenging physically for me with a difficult GI illness.  I have not been able to go to the gym and work out, or do much of anything physical.  Major bummer.  Instead, I have spent hours looking through my knitting books and letting things “roll around in my head”…kind of like a slow burn, no bad puns intended.  The first design that resulted I used in this month’s Summit Sock Club Kit, which wound up containing two scarf patterns and a sock pattern.  The other design result was whimsical and accidental and not a result of any real intelligence on my part.

Today, we begin our KNIT-A-LONG.  The sock is called:  The Discovery Sock because that is exactly what happened.  Those are the only clues today.  More with the next post.  For now, we want to start with a toe up sock.  If you have a preferred way to do your toe…go for it.  You should have two colors picked out…one wild variegated color and one more solid subdued color (at least compared to your first color).  Really, for this to work well, the two colors should not have much to do with each other…like, two separate ideas that you don’t really expect to blend.  Pick your more subdued color to begin the toe of your sock.

I recommend Judy’s magic cast on either with circular needles or with dpns (I used dpns so I know this can be done).  The sock can be made in one of three sizes — an eventual stitch count of 56 sts for a ladies size 8-9 (64 sts for a larger ladies foot, or 72 sts for a man’s foot or a knitter with a tighter gauge).  I have a women’s size eight foot and a gauge of 7 sts = one inch on 2.75mm needles.  I will knit my sock using the 56 st sock.  A friend of mine who shall remain unnamed has a somewhat tighter gauge and different foot dimensions from me…she will use the 72 stitch sock.  If you have never knit a sock before go with 2.75mm needles and the 56 st sock.  If you have knit socks before, you will know which stitch count you like best.

Here goes:

50g WILD VARIEGATED COLOR sock yarn (200 yards)

50g SUBDUED UNRELATED COLOR sock yarn (200 yards)

2.75 mm needles or size which gives you 7 sts=1 inch in Stockinette Stitch

Using Judy’s Magic Cast On:  cast on 28 (32, 36) sts over two needles held together.  Knit one round.

Next Round: (K1, inc 1, knit 12 (14, 16) sts, inc 1, K1, place marker) X 2 then KNIT ONE ROUND.

THEN REPEAT THE FOLLOWING TWO ROUNDS UNTIL YOU HAVE A TOTAL OF 56 (64, 72) STS:

ROUND 1:  (K1, inc 1, knit to one stitch before first marker, inc 1, slip marker, K1) X 2.

ROUND 2: knit around.

Here is a photo of my toe (the real magic begins tomorrow!):

this photo shows a close up of the increases

 

completed toe

 

Nikkers this morning: what do you mean you are leaving for the day? How can you possibly leave me?

love, light and laughter always, Mary Ellen