Newsletter 384
Originally Published January 25, 2016
This Week's Inspiration: Arm Knitting
Who's ready for some arm-knitting? This super simple, no-knitting-needle-required cowl takes two skeins of Look from Katia Yarns...and about a half hour to make! This thick-thin super bulky yarn is a 75% acrylic/25% wool blend -- perfect if you're sensitive to all-wool yarn! We've only shown you four of the available colors here; stop by the shop to see these and more!
Did Somebody Say Arizona?
Ann Norling's Easy Cowl in Any Gauge pattern is one of our favorites! Pick any yarn, decide on the size you want (short enough for a single loop or a long one to double up) and the pattern will guide you regarding your cast on and needle size. We knit our sample in Dream in Color's Canyon, a 100% extra-fine wool in a wonderful Aran weight. From start to finish, this yarn is grown, spun, and hand-dyed in the USA! Canyon is super versatile, so let your imagination run wild. Create cozy sweaters, comfy cowls, warm hats, cuddly blankets, fun slippers…the options are endless! Canyon’s colorways are inspired by the moods and scenes of Arizona’s desert landscape -- after this past weekend's snow and cold, let's just all pretend we're there right now!
Books!
Right before #snowpocalypse2016 arrived, we received a long overdue shipment of books! One of the five boxes is still unaccounted for -- we figure it'll eventually make it's way to us -- but the four boxes we did receive, contained titles that we had long sold out of and newly-released titles, including the adorable Susan B. Anderson's just released "Kid's Knitting Workshop"! This accessible introduction to knitting in the round includes easy-to-follow illustrated tutorials on techniques from casting on and binding off to joining colors to make stripes, and 17 progressively challenging knitting projects -- beginning with simple infinity scarves and hats and building to super-sweet toys and decor. Step-by-step text and photographs that kids can read and follow on their own mean they will be knitting independently in no time.
The Yearlong Knitalong: January and February...Still Chugging Along!
We know a ton of you are well underway and fast at work on January's Yearlong Knitalong project but it's not too late if you want to join in! We have designated The Wonderful Wallaby project as a two-month long Knitalong so there is plenty of time to jump in and join in the fun.
The Wonderful Wallaby is an adventure in seamless knitting. The efficient use of double point and circular needles eliminates seams and joining of component parts. The Wallaby is sized children 2 - 12; adult Petite (31" chest) - Super Size (48" chest). Not interested in making the Wonderful Wallaby? You can still join the Yearlong Knitalong with an afghan block pattern from the Haus of Yarn Block-a-Month Afghan book.
As a genuine 'thank you!' for your participation, all materials purchased at Haus of Yarn that relate directly to each month's knitalong will qualify for double stamps on our Haus of Yarn Reward Card. DOUBLE STAMPS! We really do appreciate your participation and want to encourage as many of you to make as many of the monthly projects as possible. Earning double stamps will make it that much easier!
Not local? No worries! Join the Yearlong Knitalong virtually. We'll be creating threads for each Knitalong project in our Ravelry group. Click here to join our group and come knit along with us!
We'd love to see your projects! In process or completed...if you're on Instagram, join in anytime with #yearlongknitalong and #hausofyarntn.
A Note from Christina, Organizer of Threads of Kindness: