Arcadia Knitting

2009-07-31T14:22:00.000-07:00

More parking & other good news

Okay I know most of us are a little frustrated with Mayor Daley's new parking regime. I think we may be one of the few places to benefit from this new system. We have expanded from 3 to 4 pay for parking spots. That space by the alley that you have all snuck into is part of the new pay for parking spot.

BUT...BUT even better news: two free spots!!! They moved the bus stop from west of Ashland to east of Ashland. They put the no parking sign, pointing east, on the same pole where the bus stop sign was. The sign for pay for parking is two spots west of the no parking sign at Ashland & Lawrence. So there is kind of two "free spots" if you interpret the pay for parking sign as the spot where you have to start paying for parking.

So, more parking!!!!

We have dollar coins in the shop to put in the meter.

Disclaimer: I don't know if it is true that where the pay for parking sign indicates the spaces where you have to pay for parking. But it has to be open for interpretation.

Plus what you really want to know: Yarn!!! Great new yarn!!! Come see it & touch it.

2009-06-27T11:33:00.000-07:00

Sweaters for Summer

Do you work in an over air conditioned office? Are you working on a winter sweater that you usually put aside in the summer because you will never wear it? Well, I've got one of those. Made from the bottom up to the yoke where all pieces are joined and finished as one piece. Usually I would have put it away by now but my new office is freezing. I need this wool & cashmere sweater for the summer!

Very cute, btw, from the spring Verena. I have to admit I was a bit put off by the styling in the Verena magazines when I first saw it. But every issue has something I want to make. The directions for this sweater were very nice. Somehow European magazines manage to write shorter pattern directions than many in the US and I don't see much difference in the outcome.

Kathy

2009-04-25T16:14:00.000-07:00

Letting Go

I've been away for awhile. Tons of things going on at the shop. A little surprise is coming your way. Tell your stash that it's days are numbered.

On the knitting front, I had to give up the Rowan #7 sweater. I COULD NOT GET THE LACE PATTERN. ONLY 2 ROWS IN THE PATTERN. ONLY 9 STITCHES IN THE REPEAT. I blame seasonal affective disorder. My mind was too muddled with the hell that was this winter. Eventually I moved on to a cardigan in the spring/summer 2009 Verena Magazine. It's a cardigan with a very basic 4 st cable on the body and sleeves and the yoke is a lacey pattern. It is worked from the bottom up and joined in one piece from the neck. I opted to make the bottom all in one piece. The pattern has short rows on the front and back before you join all pieces for the yoke. A very interesting thing to do which will make it fit better. The grey yarn looks great. I expect to be wearing this sweater for the next thirty years. Very classic.

Off topic but on all of our minds...THE WEATHER. For Pete's sake people it's 70, it snows, it's 60 , it rains, it's 40 and windy. That all happened in 1 1/2 days! Every morning this week I had to look at my coats and make a decision. I had three or four ways to go: heavier coat, lighter scarf, lighter coat, heavier scarf, umbrella yes/no, boots yes/no, gloves yes/no. Thankfully my new morning routine is yoga and green tea or I would be giant ball of stress before leaving the house.

2009-04-25T14:13:00.000-07:00

Disturbing Trend

I try to keep positive when I see knitting magazines and patterns and see all the hits and misses. There are things out there not to my taste. It is not my job to tell other people that it is ugly. I think about what a hampster wheel it is to finish one issue and have to go onto the next. But there is something else that I have begun to notice that I have to come out and say is wrong. I have seen lately in a number of magazines and books cardigan sweaters on models where the button band pulls and is gap-ey. Button bands are supposed to lie flat, not pull, not gap.

How do you prevent that? I would say in the case of the publications - use a model that fits in the sweater.

In the case of the individual knitter, here's a few tips:

Measure, measure, measure. Are you making the right size? Look at the finished bust. If the cardigan fits snugly on the model and the button band is gap-ey then there is no ease in the sweater. If you make a sweater with ease of 3 to 5 inches then it should not be too tight to button. Measure a sweater that fits the way you want this sweater to fit.

Is your front bigger than your back? Do you need to add on a few inches on the front? Sometimes you can make the front a size bigger than the back. You will have to fiddle on the shoulder but as long as your front isn't inches different than your back you can usually ease in an inch or so.

Look at how they have made the button band. Some button bands are knit as you go and others are added afterward. Garter stitch is not very firm. Going down a needle size or two or three will produce a much firmer fabric. If you can do a rib with twisted stitches that is very firm. If you can do a double thickness band, that is firmer. Or remember when people put a grosgrain ribbon on the back or front of the band? That was the function of the ribbon.

Kathy

2009-02-21T09:45:00.000-08:00

Big Plans Brought Low

I finished my Kinetic scarf from Fall 08 Knitty and it is love pure and simple. I held a lace weight mohair together with Karabella's DK Silk Merino and it is the softest, most luxuriant thing I have knit in a long time. I will definitely be making more things from the Karabella Silk Merino. It comes in a lace weight, too. Maybe a very lacey sweater for summer office wear in the frigid air conditioning.? A pale, icey blue?

With one project finished I could start another with head held high. A sweater for me from Rowan #7. Yes, Rowan #7. It was an era of shoulder pads, high-waisted pleated trousers, and most especially the models skipped and gambolled through the shoot. The models are happy in their knitwear, as it should be.

It is a cardigan with a very large ribbed border and then the top is lace. I have started and ripped back the lace pattern 4 times. I know it is always hard at the beginning of a lace pattern to get it all set up. It takes awhile to get it in your head. But this is a 9 stitch, 2 row repeat. Do you know how row 3 is different that row 1? It is offset by one stitch. So it is the same 9 stitches in row 1 and row 3. The beginning of the row is fine. I get to the end of row 3 or on my second repeat of row 1 and something is off. This is my tv watching project. It has to be easy. Sigh.

And so, to begin again.

Kathy

2009-02-07T10:17:00.000-08:00

It's so warm!

Let's do a little project review of what I'm working on right now:

Habu Sweater - kind of stalled

Kinetic Scarf by Norah Gaughan from Fall 2008 Knitty - deciding to go on and make it longer or stop now. Pros & Cons: if I stop then I am done with a project and therefore can start something else with a clear conscience, but it may be too short, but if I go longer it may be to big too wear as often as I think I want to wear it, but I love working with the yarn - Karabella MerinoSilk DK & Neighborhood Yarns Loft lace weight mohair & silk. The Karabella is to die for and I will be making a number of things in that yarn.

2 1/2 inch crocheted squares out of alpaca to eventually make an afghan for our bed. I have done the math. I need about 900 squares. If I make 10 squares a week I will be done in about 2 years. But they are very portable. I can fit everything I need in a Glad snack bag. This is repurposed yarn from an earlier afghan project. I think this is a better plan.

Knit Along Scarf - A simple looking lace pattern that I invariably f*** up after 2 inches. Very close but very frustrated.

Crochet Cardigan out of scraps - Done on the fly. I need to revisit.

Arty Farty Sweater out of Merino Frappe Stripes - Done on the fly late at night in a burst of inspiration that left me once I had to make my experiment look like a sweater that a sane person would wear.

I want to start a cardigan from a very old Rowan. Rowan #7! I have some lovely grey wool & cashmere from Simply Shetland in a dk weight. However I don't trust myself to pick the right pattern that will flatter me. Sharon is helping me with some ideas of how to adapt the pattern.

I love to start. I love to knit. But when I hit a roadblock or get bored I want to move on to the next thing. I think my adrenaline rush comes at the beginning of the project or when I have mastered something. It does not come at completion. I enjoy wearing what I have made but at the point I have worn something for years what I went through to knit it is just a fog.

How do you get yourself to the end of the project? Any games or tricks?

Kathy

2009-01-10T10:23:00.001-08:00

Scenes from a Yarn Shop

Scene: Yarn shop interior, day. Table & chairs where women are knitting.

Sharon: Knitting. Looks at needles. Frowns. Puts down knitting. Picks up Knit Check needle sizing gizmo and puts one needle through one of the holes. Puts down needle and puts needle with knitting on it in Knit Check sizing gizmo. Needle does not fit in same hole as previous needle. Needle does not fit in hole next to the hole for the first needle. Needle fits in hole two holes away from first needle's size. Sharon sighs heavily. She says: "Size 3 or size 5? I need to pick one and stick to it."

Kathy

2009-01-10T10:13:00.001-08:00

What I wore when it was sub-zero

Undies & bra - natch
tights
silk footie socks
1 pair socks made from Soxie
1 pair of socks made from Bearfoot
skirt
shirt
sweater
cashmere vest on top of sweater
shawl
scarf
coat
mittens
hat
another hat

I'm just saying that we're blessed when this weather comes along because we are prepared.

Kathy

2008-12-13T09:47:00.000-08:00

I Need More Sweaters!

When and how did this happen? Somehow, I don't have enough sweaters or the right sweaters. Every morning I go through my collection and some how there are too many pullovers, too big of a gauge, not the right style, not the right color. Huh?

It's winter, heat is expensive, and I own a yarn store so I actively promote the wearing of sweaters by being a shining example. But I feel as if I have fallen down on the job.

I certainly knit a lot. I produce things. Where are they? Let's take a little inventory of past projects. My body has changed in the last few years and what used to work on me no longer does. That was reflected in a few completed sweaters that somehow look great on Sharon. Some of my production goes to shop models. Before the store all production was about me all the time. The projects I do now are much more varied: lace shawls, socks, hats, crochet, etc.

I don't follow patterns a lot and when I do results vary. Ask me about my swallowtail lace shawl. It looks like none other. Patterns for me are just a jumping off point which leads to a lot of stops and starts. Lots of knitting, lots of ripping.

I was working on a sweater from a kit but when I finished the back and sleeves it was obvious that there was not enough yarn. The yarn came on cones so I couldn't do my old trick of weighing finished pieces versus yarn remaining to guesstimate whether I would finish or not. So, I went up a needle size, re-worked the pattern and I hope found a way to get it done.

So, it's an early New Year's Resolution to get back in there and make some sweaters!

2008-12-06T10:49:00.000-08:00

Yak Yarn - Knit, Worn, Tested and Approved

We have pure yak down yarn. It is extremely soft. I knit a pair of mittens and hat for myself. The yarn was a dream to knit with. Very soft and bouncey. By bouncey I mean it had some squishiness, some give to it. It was just a joy to knit with. I may make a sweater, hmm. Slippers for the house would be very nice, too.

Wearing the yak is lovely, too. No scratchiness. My hands are warm and not clammy. It blocks the wind. Rain, snow and sleet don't penetrate the fabric. I cleaned the snow off the car this morning and the snow just evaporated.

The only downside of the mittens is that people can't see you flip them off when you are driving. And I mean you lady - when I pull over for the ambulance that is not your opportunity to swing past me and keep on going - see, you almost hit the ambulance head on - yeah you, ma'am.

2008-11-08T09:33:00.000-08:00

Utility & Beauty

Knitting brings many joys. I love the pain and agony of searching for a new project and matching yarn to a project and vice versa. Should I look at my wardrobe and see what I am missing? Should I just find something beautiful and make what I love?

When I start I love the feel of the yarn. Right now I am testing a soon to be free pattern for Sharon using the new Mooi from Louet. Oh my word this stuff is luscious: 15% bison, 15% cashmere and 70% bamboo. It has a sheen to it. I am a sucker for sheen. The hand is so soft and butter. There is a slight loft. That is another joy: the tactile joy.

Finally, use brings joy. I love that my feet are warm, my head is dry, and my neck feels no draft. These beautiful objects that have brought me such joy in selecting and making also are part of my day to day life. They will be part of my memories: I was wearing my Jitterbug shawl when this happened, I was wearing my Arianne when that happened. Many joys.

I hope that it is the same for you.

Kathy

2008-10-20T14:12:00.001-07:00

MMMMMemories, like the corners of my mind.....

Okay, I started a new sweater from a Habu kit that we had been selling a few years ago. I had it at home and was saving it for a special day. Well, I guess we can say that that special day was when I finished a number of other things I had to finish.

I swatched and was on gauge. I started and after a few moments got a funny feeling. The yarn while not at all like anything I had worked with before was knitting up to look kind of like a yarn I had made a sweater out of in 1986. 22 years ago.

The style is not the same at all. In 1986 the style was very much a Chanel look. I think the pattern was from Pinguoin. Now that's a name that takes my mind back to leggings and big sweaters and big jewelry. Ooooops, that's what you have on now? Well, good for you!

So what's the point? I liked that old sweater. I'll like this new sweater. Pattern magazines come and go, yarn comes and goes, but it is nice to think that sometimes you can have a little bit of the past made new in your hands.

Bye the bye, great new yarns in stock! Lovely, and I mean lovely dk wool/silk blend from Karabella.

Kathy

2008-10-20T14:10:00.000-07:00

Franklin is Coming!!!

Fresh off his major success at Rhinebeck Franklin Habit will be at Arcadia Knitting on Sunday, October 26th. Visit the website for details. Call the store if you want to reserve a copy of his fabulous book "It Itches".

Come join in the merriment!

2008-09-19T17:18:00.000-07:00

What you missed when you didn't come to Friday Night BYOP

Other than getting a great preview of the new yarns we just got in before the weekend hordes descend, you missed this:

Kathy, on phone to husband: "Wash the chicken, pat it dry, go into the cavity and pull out and extra globs of chicken fat."

Husband: Like the sound Linus's teacher Miss Othmar from the Peanuts cartoon.

Kathy: "Look on the inside. There is usually a glob of fat."

Husband: Same as above.

Kathy: "Salt and pepper the inside & outside. Roll the lemons on the counter to soften them up. Poke holes in the lemon with a fork or knife."

Husband: Same as above.

Kathy: "About twelve holes. Go into the pulp. No, not all the way to the other side."

Husband: Same as above.

Kathy: "Tie the legs. Bend back the wings. Square pan. Blue square pan. In the cabinet next to the stove. Okay, how about the white round pan over the stove. Okay, how about the blue glass pan. Anything that fits the chicken will work. Okay, fine."

Husband: Same as above.

Kathy: "Breast side down. If you put it in the pan and you poke the top is it boney or fleshy? Are the knees pointing up or down? The knees should be pointing down. The wings should be on top. Yes, knees down, wings on top, boney on top, fleshy on the bottom."

Husband: Same as above.

Kathy: "Oh, the lemons are falling out. Use a toothpick to close the opening. Yes, fold the flaps over and poke the toothpick through. No, I don't see how you can hurt yourself. No, I can't imagine you'd have to go to the emergency room."

Husband: Same as above.

Kathy: "Love you, too. I'll take care of the brussell sprouts when I get home."

Actually it went on much longer.

Kathy

2008-09-19T12:25:00.000-07:00

When pretty and soft meet it's called Shepherds Wool by Stonehedge Fiber Mill

I found Shepherds Wool by Stonehedge Fiber Mill at TNNA and fell in love. I bought the softer colors that have flecks of color for a subtle tweedy look. Very subtle but lovely. The hand is incredible. The wool is all kinds of soft and squishy and lovely.

It's a worsted weight, 250 yards and $11.50 per skein. Please come in and buy it before I take it all home.

2008-09-13T14:24:00.000-07:00

Finishing Up & Moving On

I got ahead of myself and started too many projects so now I have to buckle down and finish things. I am finally sewing together a green cardigan that I started over a year ago. I got stuck, put it away and just didn't pick it up until a few weeks ago. I would have been done much sooner if: I had had an equal number of stitches in the sleeves, if I hadn't forgotten a buttonhole, if I hadn't been inconsistent in integrating the pattern into the raglan decreases, if I hadn't realized there wasn't enough yarn and I had to rip back and decrease faster in order to have enough yarn to finish. Now I have one sleeve to sew up and I have to pick some buttons. I may have to go back and do the collar again.

You know what else? It's too long for me. I finished another sweater a few weeks ago that looked horrible on me...but looked great on Sharon. How much do you want to bet this one will look good on her, too.

But I still enjoyed myself. I still have an endless stream of things I want to do.

Kathy

2008-08-17T09:33:00.000-07:00

Hi - We're back

Sorry for the long silence but Stitch N' Pitch took a lot of time. Great success: over 300 people at the park, a spot on NBC Chicago morning news, a piece with Gionafer Fields of WBEZ/NPR, and finally, wonderfully a committee to work with. While I know everyone who goes loves to see each other at the park and have fun, the real purpose of this event is to raise awareness for the needlearts. I think we may be getting close to fulfilling that goal.

In other news, it's the start of fall and things should be coming in now. Exciting new things. For you eco-conscious people some very exciting things. I found some wonderful yarns at TNNA that I just loved.

About my projects, I have been tackling some iconic projects that have just been getting the better of me. I have been trying to make a final push on an Arianne cardi by ChicKnits but keep f*^$ing up and having to frog. Multiple mistakes, multiple frogs. I am at the point where all the pieces are joined and I am decreasing the raglan sleeves. Forgot to do the buttonhole, frog, didn't stop doing the yarn over at the same time across the row, frog, forgot a decrease, frog.

I am also working on the Swallowtail Shawl by Evelyn Clark. I just realized that I am likely reading the chart wrong. Thankfully this means less of the horrible & beautiful nups. We just got Addi Lace Needles in the shop and I will switch to those to see if I can see the difference. Yes, I know, those needles have been out for a awhile and we just got them in? Sharon doesn't buy beta. Also, after a certain point no one asked for them. And looking at them I can't see much of a difference in the tip. I will try and test and see if they solve my problems.

Kathy

2008-07-13T12:15:00.000-07:00

YAK! YAK! YAK!

Yak yarn is here! It's super soft and repels water. It's a perfect little luxury to wear in the cold days coming up. Riding the CTA involves waiting and shivering and big gusts of wind, snow, sleet and ick. So we ordered CTA colors! Red line, blue line, green line, brown line and purple line! We have a perfect hat and mitten pattern so make yourself a set for winter. Also makes a great gift!

I am working on a mitten and hat set. Watch for details.

Kathy

2008-07-13T12:11:00.000-07:00

Hi!!! It's been awhile. But we've been busy. I went to TNNA and found some great stuff for winter. Things will be arriving in August and every week or so will mean new goodies until Christmas. I can't tell you exactly when things will arrive because some of the vendors are not dependable.

Best quote of the week? Sharon, natch.

"I've been knitting in the round on these size 0 needles forever...and I still have two inches to go!"

Note, an hour later she had and inch and a half to go.

2008-05-24T10:13:00.000-07:00

Knitting Flowers & Crocheting Flowers

These are two great classes coming up. If you are looking for ways to add interest to your projects learning to make flowers is a great thing.

If you have always wanted to try crochet learning to crochet flowers is a great introduction. If you're a knitter who wants to dip your toe in to crochet but doesn't want to fully embrace the hook learning to make flowers is a great way to embellish your other great works.

For both classes a book is included in the price. For the Knitted Flowers the book in Nicky Epstein's Knitted Embellishments. It has been out awhile but it still one of the books I refer to all the time for inspiration. The book included with the Crochet Flower is Sasha Kagan's "Crochet Inspiration". This book is new and is the best crochet book I have seen in a long time. First, the design is so gorgeous it can be a coffee table book. Second, the layout is fabulous. The pictures of the stitch samples are big, bright and in focus! The stitch patterns range from the most basic singles and doubles to filet crochet of scottie dogs and a maple leaf that is just astounding. The book has written directions as well as schematics. As I have crocheted more I rely on schematics more and more. If you are a committed knitter check this book out to see how gorgeous crochet can be. It has inspired me.

2008-05-12T10:01:00.000-07:00

Icelandic Fleece in Stock

Smitty the mailman just walked in with a big box and Sharon & I both squealed: FLUFF! Five pounds of Icelandic roving has arrived in five colors. It is from a small flock in Wisconsin. We even have pictures of the sheep it came from. WEE!

In other news, Sharon has been knitting shawls. She admits that she took 3 hours to cast off one shawl, had a snack and started another one. Go Sharon!

Kathy

2008-04-30T16:45:00.000-07:00

What I am working on now

People are always interested in what the knit shop ladies are knitting.

Here is what I am working on:

Baby Surprise Jacket in Regia 6 fadig, a dk weight multi. The color is great in the Baby Surprise.

Crocheted shawl out of Jitterbug by Colinette. I am using 5 different colors of the Jitterbug, another sock yarn that shall not be named, and some Lurex for fun. I am using a very simple pattern and trading off colors frequently. It is gorgeous and rich looking. I hope to have it finished to wear to an upcoming bat mitzvah.

What is on the needles but I kind of abandoned:

A summer sweater in Bali by Tahki. Bali is great bamboo tape. I love the grey color I chose but somehow I lost steam. I may frog and move on to a vest.

A Arianne by Bonne Marie of Chic Knits in RYC Cashsoft Aran. I have joined for the sleeves and my stitch count is off and I should just go back to where I joined but...

A Kaffe Fasset pattern pillow that I need to sew up and another that would be done in a few hours if I just sat down and did it.

Granny Square coasters. I make two granny squares and then put an old 3 inch floppy between them & join them with a slip stitch and voila! re-cycled kitschy coaster!

Kathy

P.S. I had to go into Sharon's apartment to look for something. She has a lot of yarn up there.

2008-04-28T09:48:00.001-07:00

Cripes! It's cold!

It is April 28th and I am freezing. Thankfully, there are shawls. I am not the best crocheter in the world but I can crank out a nice rectangular shawl pretty fast. These are not the most technically difficult stitches but great yarn makes them special. Right now I am working on one with a woven stitch in a variety of colors of Jitterbug. It will be stunning when it is done. I always get compliments. If you are a knitter and don't think you ever want to crochet, re-consider. I did and I'm very happy.

All I want to do today is drink hot coffee, nibble on chocolate croissants, and knit. Really I have to put together some books and yarn orders and work on Stitch N Pitch.

Kathy

2008-04-24T16:24:00.000-07:00

No Tugging

Sharon & I have very few hard and fast rules for knitting. We teach people British or Continental style. If you look at ten people knitting, no one has the same motion. She's a rightie and I am a leftie and we both knit Continental. My left hand is more dominant while her right hand is more dominant. When students say that they are left-handed and so will be reversing everything we point out that one of us is a rightie and the other is the leftie yet we both knit the same and that knitting takes two hands.

Our rules: put the needle in the right spot and wrap the yarn this way. For beginners we recommend that in the first week or two you have more or less the same number of stitches.

We never tell people to tug. So why do they do it? It stretches the yarn and the yarn just snaps back. It's an extra, wasted movement. No book or expert is going to tell you to tug. When the stitch is done, the stitch is done.

If you want a firmer fabric, use a smaller needle. Tugging won't get you firmer fabric.

So, why people, why?

2008-04-22T16:03:00.001-07:00

And that's why they call it Baby Surprise

We just finished up a class on the Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmerman. We used the directions at the back of the Knitting Workshop book. We had a very good mix of new and experienced knitters. I hadn't made one in years so it was a journey of re-discovery for me, too.

This is what we learned:

Don't stop doing it until she says so.
Do the math for the decreases and the increases to help you figure out how many ridges you will have.
If you are a stitch or two off, a row or two off, no worries.
In fact, if you keep your markers in the right spot don't take the time to count stitches.
No, there is no gauge. She assumes you will find a baby to fit the jacket, not the other way around.

I described her directions as elliptical.

Everyone used some self striping dk weight yarn and everything looked great. I have had a great time making one and see how it is a go to baby gift for the generations.