Newsletter 542

Yearlong Knitalong: February!
 
Join us today -- Monday, February 4th -- from 11:00 am until noon for February's installment of the Haus of Yarn Yearlong Knitalong; we'll be working on the 3 Color Cashmere Cowl from designer Joji Locatelli! It isn't a new pattern - it was actually released in 2015 - but it's one of our favorites and has become one of the go-tos that we knit again and again, and the timing couldn't be more perfect.  With the rush of holiday knitting finally over, we think you should just go ahead and make something for yourself! This is a lovely little pattern to while away the hours; there are no complex stitches - it's just a matter of assembling some stripes, textures and lace in any combination that suits you.

Yarn Suggestions: Rather than a budget-busting cashmere version, we chose to knit one version in Alpaca 2 from Isager and another version using a mini bundle of Fino from Manos del Uruguay. Alpaca 2 is a sumptuous blend of alpaca and merino lambswool that's dyed in a wide range of colors (we've featured just a few*); this yarn is perfect for any item worn close to sensitive skin. Fino is a blend of silk and merino, each bundle has five mini skeins totaling 490 yards of light fingering weight yarn. Although the 3 Color Cashmere Cowl pattern is actually written for, ummm, three colors, we veered outside the lines and knit ours with five (the Beatrix colorway is shown)...Change it up! Live a little! The Fino Mini Bundles have more than enough yardage for you to play around with placement of color and we've got thirteen different bundle options in-stock and ready for you to get your hands on!

For those of you working on (or wanting to start!) a block from our Afghan Block-a -Month Book, we'll be meeting at 1:00 pm today -- Monday, February 4th!

* Colors used in the Alpaca 2 version are 2s Light Grey, 17 Fuchsia and 47 Slate Blue

 

Winter Spark & Farmers Daughter!!
 
A fresh batch of Squish Worsted from The Farmers Daughter arrived last week! We knit the Winter Spark from Lisa Hannes using three skeins. This shawl is worked sideways in garter sections of three different colors with a textured star stitch that acts as a transition when changing from one color to another. We love its simplicity -- it offers restful breaks during the garter stitch sections, while the star stitch keeps you engaged!

While we have seventeen colors in stock - which translates into an almost endless array of combos - we're especially smitten with the following;

• Gary Cooper, Waylon and Willie and I've Got Dreams to Remember (that's our shop sample combo!!)
• Sinopah, Walking the Steel and Willow Creek
• Porch Pumpkin, Hill Country and Paul Newman (Meg is obsessed with this one but she's resisting the urge to take it home, giving y'all first dibs!!)