Excitement abounds.

Quite literally, in our case.

Sandy Kay and I are just beside ourselves that knitters are interested in our (slightly crazy, we admit it) Holiday Happy Hour series. We were a little worried, as we scheduled the classes, that we'd end up staring at each other (alone, with no students) on Wednesday nights for the next month and a half.

How exciting is it, therefore, to have so many students already enrolled! Thank you for encouraging us in our madness, everyone :D

Not familiar with our Holiday Happy Hour series? Check out the article "TGI... Wednesday?" in our latest Newsletter for more information on what the classes will cover and how to enroll. Tonight marks the first class, and the focus will be Pam Powers' Ruffled and Ruched Scarf. We'll be teaching students the double needle cast on while sipping champagne. If you're registered for the class, we'll look forward to seeing you this evening!

Anyway, I just had to share. It's the little things.

Moving on, we have some fantabulous customer projects to share from the past week. First, we have a beautiful (and entirely sumptuous) Cherry Scarf from Kathy.

Made with the delectable Isager Alpaca 2 (yum! and currently on sale) and Tvinni 1 (not on the website... yet!). You may remember the Cherry Scarf pattern as a free pattern released by Isager in the Fall 2009 issue of Vogue Knitting?

If not, here's a reminder...


It's such a clever knit. Helga Isager (the designer of Amimono) is a creative genius. It has to be said.

I do wish we had a modeled photograph of Kathy's FO, but it seems our customers tend to hide or duck when the store camera is pulled out.

Unless, it turns out, they're in handknit costumes!

Like Kristen and Cody were at our last Sip 'n' Stitch. Yes, you are really, truly seeing two handknit costumes (well, the masks and mittens were handknit) that an intrepid knitter (Kristen) made to wear this Halloween!

The first, modeled by/ knit for Cody, is a Dr. Zoidberg mask and pair of lobster mitts:

And, alas, there is no pattern for the set. (I know you were thinking about it)

The second costume was H.P. Lovecraft's infamous monster Cthulhu, modeled by Kristen:

...and attacking Martha...

(I bet you didn't know that Cthulhu wore glasses until now.)

Luckily, Kristen based her mask off of the Cthulhuclava (a purchasable pattern), so I can point other adventurous knitters in the right direction. I just know I'm going to be seeing more of these around. Imagine skiing while wearing one - wouldn't that be an amazing photo op?

If a blog reader does attempt such a thing, I demand to see photos. It's only fair.

And that's about it for this week's update. Check back next week for more fantabulous customer (and staff!) projects. I myself am planning greatness this weekend in the form of a new Christmas Ornament Kit!

Until then, happy knitting!

Fashionknitsta Thursday: 10/29/09

Happy Thursday, everyone! Welcome to another edition of Fashionknitsta. Today I have a wonderful assortment of things I've been waiting weeks to share with all of you.

First on the list is Shibui's Retro Tailored Cardigan by Olga Buraya-Kefelian. I have to begin by thanking Sara for putting this up on the web for me, and then continue by apologizing to her for the harassment she has had to endure because I've been bugging her about this pattern since pretty much my first entry.


I absolutely love this pattern and have been a teensy bit obsessed with it since the first time I saw it. It's done in ShibuiKnits Merino Kid, which is a yarn I love the texture of and it's reversible!

Totally cute either way you wear it, I really really like the color the sample is done in (Honey), but I have always sort of imagined it in the back of my mind done in Midnight so that is a going to be a tough choice (especially since ShibuiKnits yarns are on sale through the 8th of November).

Here is a shot of some of the details and the other way to wear it from Olga's Ravelry page:

Now, if you read last week's post you might have noticed that I featured one of Olga Buraya-Kefelian's patterns, the Akomeogi Tunic. I did not realize that both of these patterns were by the same designer until I sat down to write this post. I wish I had known before because she has a great collection of patterns she has designed on Ravelry and I really recommend you check them out.

Next on our agenda today I have a supercute (and easy!) slipper shoe to share. For a while now I have been stalking these Marc by Marc Jacobs flats on Zappos:

...and today I found a pattern for these adorable babies by FrenchPressKnits on Etsy:

Aren't they a perfect lounge around the house version? There are just so many options with these, they are so easily customizable using color and great buttons and how perfect would they be for holiday gifts?!

These are done with a worsted weight yarn and a size 15 needle and then they are felted. It looks like she uses Paton's Classic Wool, but I think they would be great done in Lamb's Pride Worsted for great color choices, or Joseph Galler Prime Alpaca doubled if you really wanted to treat your feet!

The designer's name is Melynda Bernardi and she has a great blog as well as a Ravelry account and I think both of them are definitely worth looking at. I just have to share this picture from her blog, I love it!


The final thing I have to share with you today is something I've been waiting oh-so-anxiously to show everyone. If you have been in the store, you have probably seen the lovely and ever-popular Oleana collars, like this one:

I think one of our most asked questions is "Where can I find a pattern for this?" and sadly, we have had to answer that there is not one...

...until now! I am very, very pleased to be able to announce the arrival of our newest pattern line, Art Fiber Designs, and to share with you the beautiful Ruffled & Rouched Scarf pattern that is now available both in store and on our website:


Much like the Oleana Collar, this is a wonderful accent to complement a winter coat or just over a sweater. We were so excited to find Pam Powers, the designer, that I have been having a really hard time keeping quiet about this one.

It can be done in an Aran or DK weight, and the original was made with Elsebeth Lavold Angora. I would really like to see it in Shibui Baby Alpaca DK. Sandy Kay just told me that she is on her second one using Art Yarns Silk Rhapsody, so I bet it's just luscious.

Coincidently, the Ruffled & Rouched Scarf is the featured pattern at our first Holiday Happy Hour, taking place next Wednesday, on the 4th of November from 5:30 pm-6:30 pm. If you attend the Happy Hour it costs $15 ($35 if you attend 3 of them), and we'll walk you through the double-needle provisional cast on needed to start this beautiful piece. Attending the Happy Hour also gets you a 10% discount that evening (an addedl bonus), and there are a series of these evenings listed on our classes page. Be sure to register before they are full!

And with that I leave you for another week, and hope everyone is enjoying the seasonal rain and staying warm. Until next time, stay chic blogfans!

-Lindsay