Thursday, April 30, 2015

Mothersday Giftspiration


Photos: Sally Melville

I've been thinking about this design, L'Enveloppe, for a little while, it's been in the back of my mind since I came across it in a search on Ravelry. Since I discovered it I've been seeing it in the flesh (or fibre, to be accurate). It looks good on everyone, and everyone who makes it is happy with it! That's what I like to hear! It's written with several features:

  • 5 sizes: S = 32-34”, M = 36-38”, L = 40-42”, 1X = 44-46”, 2X = 48-50”.
  • 4 different stitch gauges available (13, 14, 15, and 16 stitches to 4” /10cm)
  • 2 stitch patterns available (seed stitch or easier garter stitch)

The designer, Sally Melville, is extremely experienced, and her directions are always great (she's a wonderful instructor, I love her books). The pattern isn't free, but I think it is very worthwhile, and once people see your Enveloppe you'll be receiving requests for more (a good holiday gift?). I think I will make one for my mom with Noro Tokonatsu  or  Noro Silk Garden Solo, but there are lots of options.

Yarn Ideas


Photo: ZeeKnitting


Monday, April 27, 2015

Rikke: Baby Style


I made some quick Rikke Hats for my niece & nephew last fall, but getting pictures of those squirrely kids took substantially longer. Pictured above, Ben has adopted his as an inspiration cap, and wears it during his creative endeavours. 

The hat is very stretchy and elastic, a great garment that has grown with the kids! Also an added benefit, garter stitch is an excellent way to deal with yarns with colourways that pool.




Tuesday, April 21, 2015

New Store Project: Rikochan

Photo: Knit-O-Matic

Rikochan is a very versatile spring & summer wrap, made for fun knitting and wearing. We made ours with Berroco Maya, an extremely soft, light and airy cotton yarn, perfect for all year wear. We made our Rikochan exactly to directions, used 7 skeins, but had the better part of a whole skein of each colour left over (you could cheat and get away with 5 skeins, it's a generously sized garment).


Materials


Photo: Knit-O-Matic
Photo: Knit-O-Matic
Photos: Quince & Co.

Our Hearts and Yours


We're doing it again! 2015 will be our second Ride for Heart, and I'm super excited. 

We're participating in a BIG fundraising event for the Heart and Stroke Foundation, we will be cycling 50km (31 miles) *up* the Don Valley Parkway (a big highway). Yup, it's uphill, they make us work hard! It takes about 3 and a half to four hours to complete the ride, and about a month and a half to prepare for it (if you don't train for the ride you end up being passed by little girls on pink bikes with streamers and training wheels - true story, and it's more than humiliating). 

Why do we do this, are we masochists? Maybe. While we live to knit and crochet, it is a sedentary activity, and it's really important to take care of our health (so we can continue to knit and crochet). We sweat and hope that we inspire you to sweat. 

Moreover, The Heart and Stroke Foundation funds important research and programs which benefit everyone. The type of work they do is the kind of thing that goes unnoticed until you need it - but when you need it, boy will you appreciate it! Heart disease runs in my family and I've seen the benefits first hand. Last year during the Ride for Heart my father (yeah, we're a father-daughter team) experienced some chest pain, and a few days later he was in the hospital, the recipient of an angioplasty and two shiny new stents in his heart (I don't know if stents are shiny, I just made that up). It can happen to anyone, at any time. 

So, I'm asking you to make a charitable donation on our behalf. The Heart and Stroke Foundation is a large, well established charitable organization. It was founded in 1952, and has since then raised 1.39 billion dollars for heart and stroke research (read more here). Your donation is tax deductible in Canada, and you make it directly to the foundation, none of the money goes to us. If you make your donation online you'll receive your tax receipt e-mailed to you immediately - easy peasy. 

On behalf of Team Knit-O-Matic, thank you! 

~ Haley

Monday, April 20, 2015

New FREE Pattern: Spring Shoulder Shrug



Photo: Knit-o-Matic
We whipped this little spring accessory up over the weekend. It provides that little extra layer that can be worn over your shoulders or around your neck - perfect for fickle weather! The yarn knits up soft and comfortable, and the colours are stunning Missoni-eque palettes. 

The Spring Shoulder Shrug makes a great gift too (people have already been trying to appropriate our store sample), and it makes a really quick & easy mothers day gift. The pattern is sized from Small to 4XL, and really fits just about any body.


Download the Free Pattern



Photo: Knit-o-Matic

Photo: Knit-o-Matic

Friday, April 10, 2015

Spring + Summer Magazines from Interweave


Interweave Knits Spring 2015




Knit.Purl Spring/Summer 2015




Knitscene Summer 2015




Knitting Traditions Spring 2015

Freebie Friday!



Photos: O-Wool

The Free Pattern is written holding 2 strands of fingering weight yarn together, but it can also be made with 1 strand of machine washable worsted weight yarn (1 skein in each of 5 colours), such as:

You'll also need:




Don't forget our FLASH SALE also ends on April 11th! Take an Extra 20% off all Cashmere, Angora, and other select yarns, in store and online.


Wednesday, April 08, 2015

New Yarn: Cascade Avalon


Cascade Avalon is everything we look for in a staple yarn, and we think you will love it! It's soft, comfortable, affordable, machine wash AND dryable, and of course easy to knit with. It's baby/kid/man/pet friendly, vegan, and allergy free. The colours are clear, bright and saturated. 
  • 50% cotton, 50% acrylic
  • 100g/160m
  • worsted to aran weight
  • 4.5mm to 5mm needles (US7 to 8)
  • 18 to 16 sts = 4"
  • Machine wash, tumble try low






Photo: Jelly Wares








Photo: Linden Down










Photo: April Klich






Photo: Kate Jackson




Don't forget our FLASH SALE also ends on April 11th! Take an Extra 20% off all Cashmere, Angora, and other select yarns, in store and online.


Sunday, April 05, 2015

Easter Freebie!



Photo: Olya Bagi


Pattern is FREE until April 11th, so get it soon!





Don't forget our FLASH SALE also ends on April 11th! Take an Extra 20% off all Cashmere, Angora, and other select yarns, in store and online.



Wednesday, April 01, 2015

Favourite Things: Stashbot App



Photo: Knitbot

My favourite new thing is an awesome little app for iGadgets, the Stashbot app. I came across the Stashbot booklet while ordering from Quince and Co., but they weren't wholesaling them. I was sad, but I moved on. And then this morning, while doing important (boring) yarn store work I stumbled across and even better thing, the Stashbot app! Low and behold, a very easy, comprehensive and efficient app that helps you estimate how much yarn you'll need for several common projects. 

Variety of Projects
  • vest/shrug
  • cropped sweater, 3/4 sleeves
  • average length sweater
  • long sweater tunic
  • hat
  • mitts
  • scarf/shawl/infinity scarf
  • socks

Full Range of Sizes 
  • sweaters: 3 months to 62" bust circumference
  • hats: baby to XL adult
  • mitts: baby to XL adult
  • scarf/shawl/infinity scarf: 11x44", 11x60", 11x90"
  • socks: baby to XL adult

Comprehensive Tension/Stitches per Inch 
  • range from 3 to 8 stitches per inch
  • in increments of 0.25 (3, 3.25, 3.5, 3.75, 4 ... etc)

I used to use the Knit Handy App, but always had issues with the tension information - it only offers data for whole numbers (3, 4, 5, 6 .... etc), and as you may know, stitch tensions are often fractions. My new favourite thing!!!

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