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On The Needles: Three Lace Cardigan

August 8, 2012 in Juniper Moon Farm Yarns, Sweaters, Tips

The “Three Lace Cardigan” is from the Juniper Moon Farm Findley book.

Three Lace Cardigan

This is my final goal

The smallest size (for a 30 1/2″ bust, which I’m making) takes one ball of Findley yarn. The other five sizes take two balls. From what I’ve seen, there is a lot of stretch in the finished cardigan and even the smallest size will fit a variety of people.

Findley yarn is a delicious 50% Merino Wool, 50% Silk blend. It launched with 12 colors and two more have been added for the fall. This yarn is soft, shiny, and alluring. If your impulse is to just let it sit on your desk so you can pet and admire it (rather than knitting or crocheting with it right away) take comfort in the fact that you are not alone.

I fell in love with the Three Lace Cardigan as soon as I saw it, but haven’t gotten around to knitting it until now. You know how that goes, too many current projects on the go, gifts to be made, etc. I also admit to being a little intimidated by the idea of knitting an entire cardigan out of lace weight yarn even if it is on size US 5 needles!

To break the cycle I declared the TLC my Ravellenic Games project. That would give me an excuse to toss all other projects aside and just focus on the cardigan.

Garter Hem

I was impatient to get through the garter stitch hem.

This tactic has worked well, as you know if you are a fan of ours on Facebook where I have been regularly posting progress pictures.

On one of the pictures someone asked if I had tips for beginners and I was puzzled since the pattern is pretty straight forward so far, but I think I’ve thought of some.

Be Bold! Go Forth and Knit!

 

However, most of my tips are not specific to the Three Lace Cardigan but are general knitting hints that will apply to most projects.

First, don’t be intimidated by all the lace in this pattern. The stitches are written out AND charted so you can look at both. In fact, if you aren’t sure about reading charts this could be a good pattern to start with since it has both.

I’m not an accomplished lace knitter who produces tons of fabulous lace shawls, but I’d say the lace patterns in this cardigan are simple enough for someone new to lace to manage.

  • Highlight, Circle and Make Notes.

This is one of those patterns where you’ll want to make a copy and then scribble all over it.

Circle the numbers related to the size you are making.  Highlight the “at the same time” directions for the neck and arm shaping. By reading the pattern through once in advance of starting to knit you’ll avoid surprises later on.

  • Keep in mind that stitch markers are your friend. I’ve been applying them liberally as I go along.

 

First lace pattern

Stitch markers can help keep you on track.

First I used them when I was casting on. Since it was over 100 sts, I placed a marker after every group of 10 to make them easier to count.

I took them out on the first row since I was just knitting garter stitch for a while.

Then I replaced them at the end of each pattern repeat for the first lace pattern. I like to knit while I watch TV and the markers helped keep me on track. I could glance down to work the yarn overs then zip along to the next marker.

I removed them for the second lace pattern, which has a lot of stockinette stitch, and then replaced them for the third pattern.

2 of 3 lace patterns

Starting the third lace pattern.

So far I haven’t made any mistakes!

  • Take time to admire your work

I recently read an interview on the Vogue Knitting website with Brooke Nico and she pointed out that people forget to look at their knitting. You have to know how your project looks when it’s correct to understand when it’s wrong.

That’s good advice and I’ve been keeping it in mind as I work my Three Lace Cardigan. Even if I hadn’t read that article the yarn and pattern are so pretty that I would still be stopping to pet it on a regular basis!

Taking Shape

This cardigan is worked in one piece to the armhole shaping.

That’s nice because it reduces the amount of finishing needed at the end.

The next challenge will be dividing for the front and backs after I work a few more rows of the third lace repeat.

I’m sure that if I take it step by step it won’t give me any trouble.

The Ravellenic Games end on August 12. I know I won’t have the cardigan finished by the deadline, but I’ll have made enough progress to keep going.

When the end of a project is in sight, especially a fun one worked in yummy yarn, it’s hard to put it down!

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Chemo Caps

April 24, 2012 in Hats, Juniper Moon Farm Yarns, Louisa Harding, Mirasol

Because hand knit or crocheted projects are a long distance hug making garments for our friends and family is a fun way to show we care.

Sometimes the emphasis is less on the fun and more on the caring.

One of the women in my stitching group (we knit and crochet) has started chemo therapy. For a while we were all signing a card every week to give her spirits a boost. Then, at the beginning of the month, the call went out for chemo caps.

Hacho Hat 322

Mirasol Hacho Hat in color 322.

Since this is the first time I’ve had to make a chemo cap I quickly realized I knew nothing about them beyond they should be soft. To get myself up to speed, I emailed Robin at Delaware Head Huggers for advice. Over the past three years she’s helped coordinate the donation of well over 6,000 caps, which makes her an authority in my eyes!

Where to Donate

Delaware Head Huggers, which Robin founded in 2009, is an affiliate of the Head Huggers group started by Sue Thompson in 2001. Their goal is to get caps onto the heads of people who need them. In addition to making caps themselves, they collect them from around the world and distribute them to individuals and organizations where they can be put to good use. Since there are Head Hugger affiliates around the world, a list of active groups is maintained online so they are easy for people to find and contact.

Kiri Hat

Kiri hat in Juniper Moon Farm Sabine

“From Hawaii to Florida to Colorado to Vermont, our hats travel far,” Robin says. Sometimes she is told about hospitals or centers that need caps and sometimes she researches places to send them.

If you don’t have an active Head Hugger group in your state, and don’t want to send your caps away, Robin advices contacting your local hospital to see whether they can use caps. “Call first to be sure, but most hospitals and chemotherapy and radiation centers are thrilled to receive hats that they can give to the patients,” she says. ” You can also contact local chapters of the American Cancer Association or any local cancer coalitions, for example, Delaware has a Breast Cancer Coalition.  If the coalition can’t use caps, they can usually tell you who can.”

All though all those organizations will probably be happy to receive any size hat, if you are interested in making caps for children specifically, check out Kozy Kaps 4 Kids.

Cap Considerations

Now that you’ve determined where to send your cap, what features should it have?

Fortunately, most of the elements of a successful chemo cap are things you probably look for in a project already.

“A successful chemo cap is first of all made with love,” says Robin. “Soft yarns are wonderful to use since patients scalps can be sore.”

If you use yarn with wool or other animal fibers you should include the ball band, or a list of the yarn content, so that people with allergies can steer clear. This will be more important if you are donating your cap to an organization. If you are making a cap for a friend you can probably run the selected yarn by them in advance to make sure they like it.

As for styles, the field is wide open. My friends and I are able to select patterns based on our friend’s fashion tastes, but don’t feel you have to do plain hats if you are donating them. “I usually tell people to make what they like to make – there really is a patient for every cap,” says Robin. “One thing to be careful with is to not make a hat that is too open or has too much lace.  You don’t want someone getting sunburned in your cap pattern.”

It had never occurred to me to worry about getting a sunburn through the cap so I’m really glad Robin mentioned it! With summer coming my stitching group has been looking at cotton yarns and hats with lace patterns. This was a good reminder to include a variety of styles so our friend has a good selection.

Cressida

One skein of Nerissa yarn makes the beanie version.

Making caps with holiday themes and seasonal colors is also a good idea, Robin says. And wild hats for children are usually well received.

Pattern Resources

If you are anything like me, you probably have plenty of hat patterns on hand already, but there are a number of resources online where you can find more. Your local yarn store will also have a wide selection of patterns you can purchase. Since you’ll be there anyway picking up yarn, you might as well flip through the books!

There are patterns on the Delaware Head Huggers website.

There are patterns on Robin’s blog.

There are patterns on the main Head Huggers website.

There are patterns on the Knit Michigan website, which is a good resources for information and suggestions as well.

A “chemo cap” search on Ravelry will produce a number of knit and crochet patterns both for purchase and for free.

There are also several free hat patterns on the KFI website.

The blue hat at the top of the post is the free Mirasol Hacho Hat. The pattern is worked flat with a diagonal rib pattern. This is a good pattern for an advanced beginner since you don’t have to worry about working in the round. I just made this hat for my friend.

The lavender hat in the middle of the post is the free Juniper Moon Farm Kiri hat. This fun, slouchy hat is knit using two colors of Sabine, a soft 40% Cotton, 30% Merino Wool, 30% Royal Llama blend.

The burgundy hat at the end of the post is the Cressida hat from Louisa Harding’s Nerissa book. You can buy this book at your local yarn store. Nerissa is a 100% Cotton chenille yarn. There are two versions of this cap. The beanie version takes one ball of yarn and the ribbed hat version takes two balls. This is the next hat I’m going to make for my friend.

Have you made chemo caps? Share your advice and suggestions in the comments or on our Facebook page.

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Off the Neeldes: Chadwick hat

January 31, 2012 in Juniper Moon Farm Yarns

I finished the hat I was knitting using Juniper Moon Farm Chadwick yarn.

Cable hat backThe pattern is the “Cable Brim Cap #25″ from the Winter 2011/12 issue of Vogue Knitting.

Even though I only have one hat now, I actually knit it twice. Which proves that even experienced knitters make mistakes, but also highlights a great thing about knitting: It’s one place in life where you are guaranteed a do-over if you need it!

The problem the first time around is that the hat came out way too small. I could cram it on my head, but it slowly worked its way off. It was so tight I was sure that if I tried to wear it I would get a headache.

This was very disappointing because I liked the look of the hat and I loved the yarn.

Swatches Lie?

I’m sure you’ve heard that before. I know I have, but this is the first time I’m positive it happened to me. I’m really sure I got gauge when I swatched on US 5 needles, but during the course of knitting something went horribly wrong and instead of ending up with 5 sts per inch my finished hat was around 6 sts per inch.

cable hat 1One stitch per inch might not sound like much, but it can make a big difference across an entire hat. It’s even worse across an entire sweater. At least a hat is a small enough project that reknitting it wasn’t a big time investment. If an entire sweater had gone wrong I would be crying right now.

That is why it is important to swatch carefully and stop every so often to remeasure your gauge as you are working on the project. That might sound silly, but your gauge could change. Your mood affects your tension. If you were stressed out when you swatched (or as you’re knitting) your fabric will be tighter than when you are relaxed. Also, as you become familiar with a stitch pattern you’ll be more relaxed and have a different rhythm than when you first start knitting it, which could also affect your gauge.

The rule of thumb I’ve heard is that every step in needle size is equal to half a stitch. So if you are getting 4.5 sts per inch on a US 7 needle you would get 4 sts per inch on a US 8 needle. Since every knitter is different you should test this theory out for yourself.

With that guideline in mind I jumped straight to a US 7 needle (two sizes up to get a whole stitch difference in gauge). The new finished hat fits just right.

Pattern Tips

As I mentioned in my previous post about this hat, Vogue Knitting has this pattern designated for an experienced knitter. There were a few things I noticed as I worked through it.

Cable hat finishedFirst, follow that rule about reading the entire pattern before starting. I noticed a few spots where it said to work X repeats and at the end of the sentence mentioned to place a marker or other instruction on one of the early repeats.

Second, don’t sweat the short row ear flaps. Aside from the cables they were easy short rows to knit. No wraps to worry about picking up! I think the cables made them “self-healing” so there were no holes visible from the turns. Just pay attention to the chart and you’ll be fine.

Third, pay attention to where you place your decreases on the body of the hat after you pick up from the cable band. On my first attempt I thought I had everything placed properly where the pattern directed, but one set of decreases flowed nicely from the center of the ear flap in line with the cables and the other set was in front of the ear flap.

I was willing to let it go, but since I had to reknit the hat anyway I took the opportunity to fix it. Instead of going with the placement the pattern recommends I made sure my markers were between the cables on the ear flaps.

A picture would be helpful here, but this yarn is just confounding my attempts to photograph it. I think it’s vampire yarn. Or maybe it’s just shy.

Finally, I think the wording on the crown shaping isn’t clear. The set up row has you place 7 B markers, but only 6 A markers. Your end of round marker is the 7th A marker.
So Round 3 should read 6 times, knit to 2 sts before end of round, k2tog. (That will make sense when you’re working the pattern.)

The directions tell you to knit to two stitches before marker A and k2tog 7 times, but since there isn’t a 7th marker A I forgot to do that last decrease and ended up with too many stitches at the end of the shaping. At the time I just fudged it by working an extra few decreases. Obviously, it was another error I was able to correct the second time around.

Although my first attempt took me about a week of knitting in the evenings, I blasted through the second hat in one marathon three hour knitting session last night. I think it helped that I didn’t have to rework the cabled band. My focus meant I had a cozy new hat to wear on my morning walk in the snow today.

Chadwick and Willa Design Contest

Chadwick comes in 202 yard balls. This hat took about 3/4 of the ball.

If you are planning to enter the Juniper Moon Farm Design Contest that gives you an idea of the size of the project you can make with one ball of Chadwick.

Just think of the possibilities with two balls!

Remember, the entry deadline has been extended to March 1 so there is still plenty of time to enter.

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On the Needles: Cable Brim Cap in Chadwick

January 26, 2012 in Hats, Juniper Moon Farm Yarns

Cables count as knitting magic in my mind.

The stitches twist and turn over themselves to create a visually stunning design. But as complicated as the the finished cables appear creating them is just a matter of knitting (or purling) the stitches out of order.

If you haven’t knit cables yet that statement might sound flippant, but trust me, once you try them I’m sure you’ll agree.

Since I’m predisposed to prefer cables anyway, you won’t be surprised that I fell in love with the Cable Brim Cap #25 (link for the Ravelry project page) in the Winter 2011/12 issue of Vogue Knitting.

The single cable band around the edge of the hat ensured there would be enough challenge to be interesting, but meant the crown would be quick knitting. I also found the short row shaping to create the little ear flap intriguing.

Over the weekend I cleared my needles and cast on using Juniper Moon Farm Chadwick in color #1-Indian Paintbrush. Chadwick is a worsted weight, 60% Merino Wool, 40% Baby Alpaca blend that comes in 202 yard balls. In addition to being both soft and warm I knew one ball would be plenty to make the hat.

Cabled cap start

Does it look like a hat yet?

Red yarn is notoriously hard to photograph, as you know if you have a blog or keep your projects and stash up to date on Ravelry. The Chadwick red is a nice, clear red with blue undertones. But don’t take my word for it, find a local yarn store near you that carries it and see it in person.

This pattern is marked for an experienced knitter and I would agree with that. It has a provisional cast on, cables, short row, and grafting. Just to name a few techniques. I was knitting while watching TV last night and crossed a cable in the ear flap incorrectly! At least I discovered it right away so it was easy to frog and fix.

I’m almost done with the cabled section. Hopefully in my next picture the project will actually resemble a hat!

Skjalf Hood

This Cable Brim Cap is not my first Chadwick hat.

In the fall, before the cold weather arrived, I made the Skjalf Hood from Elsebeth Lavold’s Second Viking Knits Collection. I had seen it in person when the “Knitting Along the Viking Trail” museum exhibit was in Philadelphia over the summer and fell in love.

Skjalf hood & sweater

Skjalf from the "Knitting Along the Viking Trail" exhbit.

Since this book is from a few years ago the original yarn is now discontinued. However, it was an alpaca blend similar to Chadwick, which gave me confidence when substituting.

Skjalf was a quick knit. There are two cabled bands up the side of the hood, but most of it is worked in stockinette stitch, as you can see from the pictures. It’s worked flat, aside from the initial ribbing around the neck and the ribbing around the opening for your face. The top is closed using a three needle bind off.

One ball of Chadwick was enough yarn to complete the project. I had just 8 grams of yarn left over.

skjalif hood

My Skjalif Hood. Pattern by Elsebeth Lavold

I think it’s rather cute and it’s very comfortable to wear, especially when I’m walking the dogs early on a cold winter’s morning since my ears and cheeks are protected.

Sluggy Bonnet

But don’t limit yourself to single colored hats with cables. Chadwick works great for color work projects, too. When Susan Gibbs was selecting the colors she ensured they would all (or most) work well together for stripes and Fair Isle projects.

Sluggy bonnet

Sluggy Bonnet photo by Joel Eagle

An example of this is the Sluggy Bonnet pattern from the Chadwick book. It uses three colors of Chadwick, which is actually enough to make two Sluggy Bonnets if you change the colors around.

The hard part is selecting just three of the 12 beautiful colors to make one!

Chadwick color for my Sluggy Bonnet

Chadwick color for my Sluggy Bonnet

When I finished the Skjalf hood I selected this lovely mint chocolate chip colorway to knit a Sluggy Bonnet of my own.

But Fair Isle isn’t my strong suit so I’m still working up the nerve to cast on. ha!

Which do you prefer cables or Fair Isle?

Share your Chadwick projects with us on the Juniper Moon Farm Yarns or Knitting Fever Inc. Facebook walls.

Chadwick and Willa Design Contest

Don’t forget about the design contest using Chadwick or Willa. Submit your unique design using one or two balls of either yarn (two colors max) for a chance to win up to $300 worth of Juniper Moon Farm Yarn.

You can read the details in this blog post.

Entries have to be postmarked on or before March 1, 2012, so hop to it!

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Juniper Moon Farm Design Contest

January 4, 2012 in Juniper Moon Farm Yarns

Update (Jan 25) The submission deadline has been extended to March 1! So your package can be postmarked on or before March 1.

Does beautiful yarn speak to you?

Does it shout “Knit me!” or “Crochet me!”

Does the yarn tell you what it wants to be and inspire you to design something unique and all your own?

ChadwickWell, this is your chance to gain recognition (and maybe win some yarn!) for your original design using either Chadwick or Willa from Juniper Moon Farm!

We want to see what Chadwick and Willa inspire you to create and the top 8 designs (4 for Chadwick and 4 for Willa) will win the following fabulous prizes:

First place wins $300 worth of Juniper Moon Farm yarns
Second place wins $200 worth of Juniper Moon Farm yarns
Third place wins $100 worth of Juniper Moon Farm yarns
Fourth place wins $50 worth of Juniper Moon Farm yarns

Guidelines

Design a new, original pattern using either one or two balls of either Chadwick or Willa.

The design can be for anything, accessories, garments, children’s garments, home accessories, whatever you dream up, but you can only use one or two balls of Willa or Chadwick.

Enter your project in the Ravelry database so people can find it (this will come into play later).

Securely attach a tag to your project with your name, contact information (address, email, etc.), and the name of the pattern as it appears in the Ravelry database.

Mail the completed project and written pattern postmarked on or before March 1, 2012 (new deadline!) to:

Juniper Moon Farm
Design Contest
1036 Venable Rd
Palmyra, VA 22963

(Don’t worry, we’ll mail it back after the contest ends.)

Anyone can enter (void where prohibited by law). You can enter designs for one or both yarns. It should be a new design created specifically for Chadwick or Willa. We reserve the right to disqualify submissions that don’t meet the guidelines.

Voting

Entries must be postmarked on or before March 1, 2012 (new deadline!).

We will select our four favorite designs for each yarn.

During the week of February 19 we’ll post our top 8 (4 Willa and 4 Chadwick) on the Juniper Moon Farm blog and open up voting.

The public will vote to decide which designs are first, second, third, or fourth place. (We’ll be reminding people to vote, but you’ll probably want to encourage your friends and family as well.)

The designs (either Chadwick or Willa) with the most votes will be 1st place and win $300 worth of Juniper Moon Farm yarn, 2nd place in voting will win $200 worth of Juniper Moon Farm yarn, 3rd place in voting wins $100 worth of Juniper Moon Farm yarns, 4th place in voting wins $50 worth of Juniper Moon Farm yarns.

Remember, each yarn will have 4 winners, so that’s 8 winners total!

Winners will be announced on the Juniper Moon Farm blog and our Facebook Page at the end of March.

Pattern Glory

The winning four patterns for each yarn will become the property of Knitting Fever Inc.

This means you get recognized as the designer, but you can’t sell the pattern.

We might send the pattern to local yarn stores to use as a free pattern.

We might even include the winning patterns in a future book!

The Yarns

Chadwick

Chadwick

Chadwick is a 60% Merino Wool, 40% Baby Alpaca blend. It comes in 202 yard (100 g) balls. Lots of yardage for you to create with and 12 colors from which to choose. The suggested gauge is 4.5 stitches/inch on a US 8, but you can use whatever size works best for your design.

Willa

Willa

Willa is a 60% Merino Wool, 40% SuperKid Mohair blend that comes in 153 yard (100 g) balls. Let your imagination run wild with the 12 colors available. The suggested gauge is 3 stitches/inch on a US 11, but you should use the size that moves you.

You can read more about both yarns on the Juniper Moon Farm blog.

Cast On or Get Hooking

What are you waiting for?! There is a lot of prize yarn up for grabs.

Your project and pattern, with your name securely attached, has to be postmarked on or before March 1.

Find a local yarn store near you that stocks Chadwick and Willa and get your designer hat on.

We can’t wait to see what Chadwick and Willa tell you they want to be.

List of Stockists by State:

Alaska

Fairbanks

Inua Wool Shop
3677 College Rd, Suite 3
Fairbanks AK 99709
(907) 479-5830

Juneau

Skeins Fine Yarns
175 S Franklin St
Juneau, AK 99801
(907) 463-5678

Kodiak

The Rookery
336 Shelikof St
Kodiak, AK 99615
(907) 486-0052

Arizona

Scottsdale

Knit Happens
8100 E.Indian School Rd
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
480-941-3898

California

Half Moon Bay

Elisabeth’s Yarn Shop
80 Cabrillo Highway N.
Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
(650) 288-9096

Lafayette

The Yarn Boutique
963-C Moraga Rd
Lafayette, CA 94549
(925) 283-7377

Colorado

Denver

Lamb Shoppe
3512 E 12th Ave
Denver, CO 80206
(303) 322-2223

Connecticut

Westport

Westport Yarns
582 Post Rd E
Westport, CT 06880
(203) 454-4300

Florida

Sarasota

A Good Yarn
7418 S Tamiami Trail
Sarasota, FL 34231
(941) 487-7914

Georgia

Atlanta

Strings and Strands
5299 Roswell Rd
Suite 114
Atlanta, GA 30342
(404) 252-9662

Cumming

Fleece
549 Lake Center Pkwy
Cumming, GA 30040
(770) 886-5648

Roswell

Cast On Cottage
860 Marietta Hwy
Roswell, GA 30075
(770) 998-3483

St Simons Island

The Stitchery of St Simons
3303 Frederica Rd
St Simons Island, GA 31522
(912) 638-3401

Idaho

Boise

Twisted Ewe
1738 W State St
Boise, ID 83702
(208) 287-3693

Illinois

Highland Park

Mia Bella
1815 St Johns Ave
Highland Park, IL 60035
847-748-8419

Indiana

Newburgh

Village Knitter
8-A W Jennings St
Newburgh, IN 47630
(812) 842-2360

Maine

Camden

Cashmere Goat
20 Bayview St.
Camden, ME 04843
(207) 236-7236

Maryland

Glen Burnie

Knitting Boutique
950 Cromwell Park Dr.
Glen Burnie, MD, 21061
(410) 553-0433

Hyattsville

A Tangled Skein
5200 Baltimore Ave
Suite 101
Hyattsville, MD 20781
(301) 779-3399

Leonardtown

Crazy for Ewe
22715 Washington St
Leonardtown, MD 20650
(301) 475-2744

La Plata

Crazy for Ewe
6 St Mary’s Avenue
La Plata, MD 20646
(240) 349-2853

Massachusetts

Cambridge

Gather Here
370 Broadway
Cambridge, MA 02139
(781) 775-9504

Mind’s Eye Yarns
22 White St
Cambridge, MA 02140
(617) 354-7253

Winchester

Another Yarn
600 Main St.
Winchester, MA 01890
(781) 570-2134

Northampton

WEBS
75 Service Center Rd
Northampton, MA 01060
(413) 584-2225

Michigan

Ada

Clever Ewe
590 Ada Dr SE
Ada, MI 49301
(616) 682-1545

Farmington Hills

Fun With Fiber
33338 W 12 Mile Road
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
(248) 553-4237

Minnesota

Excelsior

Coldwater Collaborative
347 Water St
Excelsior, MN
952-401-7501

Maple Grove

Amazing Threads
11262 86th Avenue North
Maple Grove, MN  55369
763-391-7700

New Jersey

Basking Ridge

Down Cellar
135 South Finley Ave
Basking Ridge, NJ 07920
908-766-2300

Manalapan

Knit1 Purl2
345 Route 9 South
Manalapan, NJ 07726
(732) 577-9276

Montclair

Modern Yarn
182 Glenridge Ave
Montclair, NJ 07042
973-509-YARN (9276)

Newton

Yarn Boutique by Sarah
245 Spring St.
Newton, NJ 07860
973-300-0255

Pennington

Woolly Lamb
7 Tree Farm Road
Pennington, NJ 08534
609-730-9800

New Mexico

Albuquerque

The Yarnstore at Nob Hill
120 Amherst Dr NE
Albuquerque, NM 87106
(505) 717-1535

New York

Farmingdale

Infinite Yarns
275 Main St
Farmingdale, NY 11735
(516) 293-0010

Marcellus

Patchwork Plus
2532 Cherry Valley Tpke
Marcellus, NY 13108
(315) 673-2208

New Paltz

White Barn Farm
815 Albany Post Rd
New Paltz, NY 12561
(914) 456-6040

New York City

Annie & Company
1325 Madison Ave
New York, NY 10128
888-806-7200

Loopy Mango
78 Grand St.
New York, NY 10013
212-343-7425

The Yarn Company
2274 Broadway, 1C
New York, NY
212-787-7878

Oneonta

April’s Yarn Basket
5252 Rte 23
Oneonta, NY 13820
(607) 432-9726

Rochester

Yarn Boutique
1855 Monroe Ave
Rochester, NY 14618
(585) 413-1123

Roslyn

Knit
1353 Old Northern Blvd
Roslyn, NY 11576
(516) 625-5648

Saratoga Springs

Common Thread
55 Beekman St
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
(518) 583-2583

Smithtown

Keep Me In Stitches
Location until August 31st:
77 Smithtown Rd
Smithtown, NY 11787
631-724-8111

Location after September 10th:
127-14 Smithtown Blvd
Nesconset, NY 11767
631-724-8111

Staten Island

Naked Sheep
4038 Victory Blvd
Staten Island, NY 10314
718-477-9276

Syracuse

Sheep Thrills Yarn Co.
5647 Bear Rd
N Syracuse, NY 13212
(315) 458-0048

Tonawanda

Raveloe Fibers
7296 Schultz Rd
N Tonawanda, NY 14120
(716) 695-7464

North Carolina

Asheville

Friends & Fiberworks
800 Brevard Rd
Asheville, NC 28806
(828) 633-2500

Purls Yarn Emporium
10 Wall St
Asheville, NC 28801
(828) 253-2750

Charlotte

The Fibre Studio
4370 Colwick Rd
Charlotte, NC 28211
(704) 366-7577

Yarnhouse Knits
3205 N Davidson St
Suite 103
Charlotte, NC 28205
(704) 335-8531

Cottage Yarn
7717 Mathews-Mint Hill Rd
Mint Hill, NC 28227
(704) 545-8440

Fayettville

Sunflower Fibers
123 Anderson St
Fayettville, NC 28301
(910) 223-1314

Ohio

Columbus

Knitters Mercantile
214 Graceland Blvd
Columbus, OH 43214
(614) 888-8551

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City

The Gourmet Yarn Company
2915 W Britton Rd
Oklahoma City, OK 73120
(405) 286-3737

Oregon

Brownsville

Brownsville Stitching Parlor
104 Spaulding Ave
Brownsville, OR 97327
(541) 466-3660

Cannon Beach

Coastal Yarns
255 N Hemlock St
Cannon Beach, OR 97110
(503) 436-1128

Pennsylvania

Berwyn

FrouFrou
601 Lancaster Avenue
Berwyn, PA 19312
610-296-8597

Carlisle

The Yarn Garden
52 W Pomfret St
Carlisle, PA 17013
(717) 249-9276

Chambersburg

The Yarn Basket
150 Falling Spring Rd
Chambersburg, PA 17202
(717) 263-3236

Clarks Green

Summit Yarn Studio
276 E Grove St
Clarks Green, PA 18414
(570) 586-6985

Danville

Swishers Yarn
327 Ferry St
Danville, PA 17821
(570) 275-9276

Doylestown

Forever Yarn
15  W Oakland Ave
Doylestown, PA 18901
(215) 348-5648

Douglassville

Remnantz
39 Old Swede Rd
Douglassville, PA 19518
(610) 385-8800

Erie

Cultured Purl
3141 W 26th St
Erie, PA 16506
(814) 836-7875

Shiremanstown

Colonial Yarn
7 Front St
Shiremanstown, PA  17011
717-763-8016

Lancaster

Oh Susanna
2204 Marietta Ave.
Lancaster, PA 17603
717-393-5146

Philadelphia

Tangled Web
7709 Germantown Ave
Philadelphia, PA  19118
215-242-1271

Sewickley

Yarns Unlimited
435 Beaver St
Sewickley, PA 15143
(412) 741-8894

Tennessee

Germantown
Rainbow Yarn & Fibers
1980 Exeter Rd
Germantown, TN 38138
(901) 753-9835

Texas

Abilene

Yarnies
2506 South 7 St.
Abilene, TX 79605
(325) 829-2331

Austin

Hill Country Weavers
1701 S Congress Ave
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 707-7396

El Paso

Mayaluna Yarns
5024 Doniphan Dr
El Paso, TX 79932
(915) 585-7779

Houston

Nancy’s Knits
5300 N Braeswood Blvd
Houston, TX 77096
(713) 661-9411

Plano

The Woolie Ewe
1301 Custer Rd
Suite 328
Plano, TX 75075
(972) 424-3163

San Antonio

The Yarn Barn
1615 McCullough
San Antonio, TX 78212
(210) 826-3679

Tyler

Knotty Girls Stitchery
322 E Southeast Loop 323
Tyler, TX 75701
(903) 509-9276

Wichita Falls

Wild Hare
2406 Brook Ave
Wichita Falls, TX 76301
(940) 228-0110

Utah

Salt Lake City

Blazing Needles
1365 S 1100 East
Salt Lake City, UT, 84105
(801) 487-5648

Vermont

Montpelier

The Knitting Studio
97 State St
Montpelier, VT 05602
(802) 229-2444

Virginia

Harrisonburg

Yarn Mountain
25 E. Water St.
Harrisonburg, VA 22801
(540) 432-3029

Richmond

Got Yarn
2547 Hawkesbury Ct
Richmond, VA 23233
(888) 242-4474

Roanoke

Yarn Explosion
5227 Airport Road, NW
Roanoke, VA 24012
540-206-2638

Washington

Spokane

Sew EZ Too
603 W Garland
Spokane, WA 99205
(509) 325-6644

Mt Vernon

WildFibers
706 S First St
Mt Vernon, WA 98273
(360) 336-5202

Washougal

Wooly Wooly Wagtails Yarn
982 E Street
Washougal, WA 98671
(360) 835-9649

Wisconsin

Horicon

Knitty Gritty
W 5346 State Rd 33
Horicon, WI 53032
(920) 485-0549

Online Stores Carrying JMF Yars

Bonnie’s Kozy Knits, online shop based out of Cuddebackville, NY
YarnBarn.com, online store based out of Dillwyn, VA

 

20 Comments »

Knit Year Resolutions

January 1, 2012 in Ella Rae, Juniper Moon Farm Yarns, Knitting Fever Inc, miscellaneous, Socks, Sweaters

Happy 2012!

A new year, like a new ball of yarn, is always so full of promise and potential. What shall we make of it? Something for ourselves? Something for others? Can we find a way to do both?

Blue sock

Indulgence 6 ply Distrato yarn

I suppose all that potential is partially responsible for the urge to make New Year’s Resolutions. We want to make sure we don’t waste this opportunity. Unlike knitting, it’s hard to swatch a year. Ha! You really do have to jump in and hope for the best.

Alas, as we all know, most New Year’s Resolutions end up broken or forgotten by the end of January. Instead of helping us improve, they make us feel worse when we beat ourselves up over breaking them.

For this reason I keep my New Year’s Resolutions vague with things like “I’ll be a better person.” Besides, I think every day is a new opportunity to improve!

While I don’t go for the big, common resolutions like “loose weight and exercise more” I can get behind knitting and yarn related resolutions. After all, knitting is what I do for fun and relaxation and I already believe that every project is a chance to learn something new.

Getting Ideas

Since general resolutions tend to be similar I wondered if Knitting Resolutions were as well. To find out I started reading through the New Year Knitting Resolutions thread on Ravelry.

Sure enough, the same resolutions kept popping up.

“I will only knit projects that touch my heart with yarns that bless my hands!”–Dogs5 on Ravelry

One was already on my own list: To finish projects.

Goodness knows we all have enough UFOs (UnFinished Objects) too keep us busy.

But if they have been unfinished for a while it might be time to let them go. Sort through them and really look at them with an honest eye. Why did you stop? Did you make a mistake you need help correcting? Is the sweater knit and just needs to be sewn together? Did you realize it is something you’ll never use? Are you no longer in love with the yarn? Was the break all you needed to return to this project and finish it?

Life is too short to knit projects you don’t love. Clear those UFOs out of your knitting basket and free yourself from the stress they are causing. If you aren’t going to finish it, give it to someone who will. If you need help head to your local yarn store to get it. While you’re there, see if they offer finishing services and pay someone to seam up that sweater.

You’ll recognize blue sock at the top of this post as a pair I started before Christmas using Indulgence 6 ply in a Distrato colorway. I’m pleased to announce the first sock is finished. On to the second sock!

A second one was to either learn to knit socks or knit more socks.

I applaud this goal. I love knitting socks. They are useful and, being small, easy to finish. I want to knit more socks this year.

If you have also made this resolution, we have a free Online Supersocke Pattern on our website you can download. It is in a chart form and covers 14 sizes(!). You find your foot size across the top, then plug the numbers in the column into the written directions.

By using inspiring yarn for your socks you’ll be motivated to finish them. The Supersocke Silk yarn from OnLine is a good choice. This yarn is a blend of 55% Merino Wool, 20% Silk, and 25% Nylon. The wool is soft, the silk gives it shine, and the nylon gives it strength. In addition to 24 solid colors there are seven self-patterning colors. There is nothing quite as fun as watching the stripes develop as you knit.

Lounge Socks

Lounge Socks from Ella Rae Luxury Knits

Another idea is to start with bulky slipper socks like these Lounge Socks from the Ella Rae Luxury Knits book. The bulky weight allows you to work through the elements involved in knitting a sock faster than you would with fingering weight yarn. Once you are familiar with all the steps you can cast on for light weight socks with confidence.

 A third one was to learn Fair Isle or color work.

This is another good one. I love knitting intarsia projects, but my Fair Isle skills aren’t so hot. Like most people I have trouble keeping the tension even.

For a skill like this, where lots of practice is key, I think a small project like the Fair Isle Boot Toppers from the Juniper Moon Farm Chadwick book would be a good place to start.

Boot Toppers

Boot Toppers from Juniper Moon Farm

The small size is not a big commitment in time and if things start going wrong you can move on to the next one quickly.

Since Chadwick comes in 202 yard balls you can get more than one pair of Boot Toppers out of the required amount. But another idea is to pair it with the ever popular Sluggy Bonnet. (Psst! You can download the Sluggy Bonnet pattern free from the Juniper Moon Farm blog!) Another great pattern for trying your hand at Fair Isle. This pattern is on my list and I just need to clear the needles and cast on already!

A final resolution was to knit a sweater.

I’ve knit several sweaters. But if there is a project I’m going to drop the ball on it’s a sweater. I won’t lie, they are a big time commitment. You really have to love both the yarn and the pattern to see a sweater through to completion.

My problems are in perseverance and finishing. Like many knitters I know sewing those seams just slays me. Of course, once I sit down and do it I have a great sense of accomplishment.

The people on Ravelry were running the gamut from making their first sweater ever to making their first sweater for themselves.

Baby Sweater from Baby Milk

Baby Sweater from Baby Milk

If you are debating your first sweater ever, I would suggest starting with a baby sweater, like the free patterns for these cute cardigans using Baby Milk yarn. This yummy yarn is a blend of 63% Extrafine Merino, 30% Milk Fiber, and 7% Cashmere. Don’t let the thin suggested gauge put you off, in the pattern the yarn is held doubled so the patterns move along quickly.

The advantage of starting with a baby sweater, even if you don’t have a baby in your life, is you quickly move through all the shaping elements you will encounter in an adult sweater. This is a good way to build your confidence and get yourself familiar with what to expect.

With a baby sweater under your belt you can confidently head to your local yarn store and select a sweater for yourself.

Take Care of Your Tools

A resolution I didn’t see on Ravelry, which I feel is very important, is to take care of your hands. They are, after all, your most important knitting tool!

Spend a few minutes a day making sure your fingernails are smooth and snag free. It’s hard to get a smooth knitting rhythm going if hangnails keep grabbing your yarn.

By the same principle, use a nice moisturizer to keep your skin soft. Have you ever noticed that the same yarn can feel wonderful one day and slightly rough the next? The yarn hasn’t changed, but your hands might have.

And, most importantly, remember to stop and stretch your fingers, hands, and wrists regularly. Flex your fingers a few times to warm them up before you start. Then put your knitting down periodically to flex them again. Since I like to knit while watching TV I find that commercial breaks are a good reminder to take a knitting break as well.

Remember, it will be hard to meet your knitting goals if you are sidelined with a hand injury!

What knitting resolutions have you set for yourself this year? Tell us in the comments here on the blog, or share on our Facebook wall.

Happy Knit Year!

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17 Comments »

Hats with Flaps

October 26, 2011 in Hats, Juniper Moon Farm Yarns, Mirasol, Sirdar

The weather report says there is a chance of snow showers in Vermont and New Hampshire this week. It’s early in the season, so if it does snow it probably won’t stick, but this serves as a portent of things to come.

It’s time to get out the winter woolies and determine whether we need to rearrange our project list to prioritize garments that can be used this winter.

Those of you who live a little further south have more lead time to bundle up, while those people who live in the deep south will have more time to laugh at the rest of us.

Whether you prefer to admire snow from behind a window, or are a winter sports enthusiast who can’t wait to hit the slopes, a hat is a quick way to refresh your winter wardrobe.

You can purchase these pattern books and yarns at fine local yarn stores across the country. You can locate stores in your area by using the “find a store” feature on our website.

Juniper Moon Farm

Tanis Gray designed two fetching hats for the new Juniper Moon Farm line.

Sluggy BonnetThe Sluggy Bonnet, which it’s simple Fair Isle pattern, has been very popular. It is knit using one ball each of three different colors of Chadwick, a 60% Merino Wool, 40% Baby Alpaca blend yarn.

You can stick with the colors from the book, or have the yarn store staff help you select a different combination. When Susan Gibbs was selecting the 12 colors for Chadwick she made sure they would mix-and-match nicely for stripes and other color work.

Since Chadwick comes in 202 yard balls I’ve heard from people who have made two Sluggy Bonnets by mixing the colors around.

Beaded HatThe Beaded Hat from the Willa book gives you a chance to visit your local yarns store’s bead section (or visit your favorite local bead store!).

This slouchy beret takes one ball of Willa, a 60% Merino Wool, 40% SuperKid Mohair blend yarn. With 12 vibrant colors from which to select you can make a hat for every day of the week.

Mirasol

Hats with ear flaps are both cute and practical. They are also much easier to knit than you might think. Usually it’s a matter of knitting the ear flaps flat, then knitting across them to attach them to the hat on your first round. Sometimes they are sewn on after the hat is finished, which gives you more options for placing them where you want them.

Jane Ellison has designed three ear flap hats for the Mirasol line.

Isla HatThe Isla Hat is in Book #17-Sulka. This hat requires one ball each of four different colors of Sulka, a 60% Merino Wool, 20% Alpaca, 20% Silk blend yarn.

The cute heart pattern will tell the recipient loud-and-clear that you love them (as if a hand knit hat wasn’t enough!), making it a good gift for the holidays or even Valentine’s Day.

Hattie HatIf knitting color work isn’t your favorite, the Hattie pattern from Book #14-Akapana might be more your style. This cabled beauty will be fun to knit and warm to wear in the 65% Baby Llama, 25% Merino Wool, 7% Acrylic, 3% Viscose blend yarn.

Kinglet hatThe Kinglet Hat from Book #6-The Mirasol Accessories Collection has a more rugged look that will appeal to the men out there.

The book includes three version of the hat adjusted for the different weights of Akapana, Tupa, or Sulka.

Sirdar

If you’ve just started knitting, or haven’t made many hats, you should check out the Pom-Pom Helmet from Sirdar Book #361-Big Softie-More Knits for Beginners.

Pom-pom hatThis pattern takes just two balls of Big Softie, a 51% Wool, 49% Acrylic blend that works up at a suggested gauge of 2 stitches per inch. With a yarn that chunky you’ll definitely be finished this hat before the snow hits.

This book also includes an adult hat with a little bit of color work if you want to give that technique a try.

For a more experienced knitter the Girl’s Cabled Hat in Book #356-Farmyard Girls & Tractor Boys will present a nice challenge. The pattern calls for one ball of Supersoft Aran, a worsted weight 100% acrylic yarn that is machine washable.

That is just a sample of some of the hats you can make to keep yourself and your loved ones warm this season. You can see more patterns on our website and select the style you want before heading to your local yarn store to get your supplies.

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On The Needles

October 7, 2011 in Ella Rae, Euro Baby, Juniper Moon Farm Yarns

Braided Mega Scarf

Braided scarf in 3 colors of Ella Rae Mega.

Three projects have been occupying my time.

If you think that is conservative, believe me it could rapidly escalate to five or six Works in Progress (WIPs) if I don’t maintain my focus. I’m sure you know just what I mean.

I find that I make the most progress on a project if I stick to one at a time, but I seem to be happiest with at least three on the go.

After all, different moods and situations demand different types of projects.

I like to have one relatively simple project–either plain stockinette stitch or maybe ribbing–for when I’m watching something on TV that I actually want to “watch” or when I’m tired and don’t want to have to think.

Then I like to have a challenging project–either cables or lace–for when I want to exercise my brain and give my knitting my full attention. It is so magical to watch the pattern develop as the rows stack up.

My third project is usually something portable, like a sock, that I can bring along on car trips or when I know I’ll be waiting somewhere for an extended amount of time. Usually I don’t even count my sock in progress in my list of WIPs. Sometimes, however, my third project is something large and long term like a blanket.

Another advantage to having multiple WIPs is that each usually requires a different size needle and a different type of yarn. Some times you don’t feel like holding little US1 needles to make socks, in which case nice big US15 needles for a scarf are the way to go. Some days call for soft alpaca, while others demand silk.

There is just too much variety in the knitting and crocheting world to limit ourselves to one project!

How many WIPs do you prefer to have on the go at one time?

Mega Scarf

My first project is a braided scarf using three colors of Ella Rae Mega, which is the picture at the top of this post. I had fun making the two cowls with this soft, fluffy yarn. Then I thought the chunky weight and large (137 yard!) hanks would lend themselves nicely to a fun scarf.

Worked on US15 needles in a simple K1, P1 rib, this is my mindless project.

I’m about half way through each ball and the unbraided strips are just over 5 feet long. Braided the scarf is about 4 feet long and 5 inches wide. It will be fun and cozy to wear this winter!

Findley Lace top

Just the right front and sleeves to go.

Once I have it done, and can share finished dimensions with you, I’ll post the pattern.

Findley Lace Top

My second project is the Lace V-Neck Top pattern from the Holiday 2009 issue of Vogue Knitting.

Worked on US4 needles, in an all over lace pattern, this is my challenging project.

I’m using Findley yarn from the new Juniper Moon Farm line. This wonderful yarn is a 50% Merino, 50% Silk lace weight that comes in 800 yard balls and 12 colors.

I was given a few sample balls of Findley to play with before the official pattern book was finished. After making a few swatches and casting around for ideas, I settled on the pretty Vogue sweater.

The body is worked in the round to the armholes, then divided for the front and back. I just have to knit the right front and the sleeves to finish.

I’m holding the yarn doubled to get the correct gauge. If the idea of working with lace weight yarn intimidates you holding it doubled is a good option; you just have to stay alert and make sure you always catch both strands as you’re knitting.

Of course the patterns in the book all expect the yarn to be held singly. Happily, as is common when working with lace weight yarn, reasonable needle sizes (US4 and up!) are used. Some of the smaller sizes of the patterns, like the Three Lace Cardigan, require just one ball of yarn.

Three Lace Cardigan

Three Lace Cardigan from Findley book.

Babe Color Block Blanket

My last WIP is both long term and a little challenging.

I’m working on a crib blanket using Euro Baby Babe yarn. This very affordable yarn is a 55% Nylon, 45% Acrylic blend, which means it is machine washable. Easy care is a great feature for garments for babies, children, and even adults. This is a very soft yarn with a nice amount of squish. It comes in 180 yard balls and 36 colors (8 of them variegated).

There are so many fun new colors that I couldn’t resist mixing and matching for a little sampler blanket.

Babe Blanket start

Every blanket starts small.

I’m pulling stitch patterns from the “365 Knitting Stitches a Year Perpetual Calendar” from Martingale & Company. This is a fun, compact stitch dictionary that you can use as a desk calendar or just keep on the shelf for reference. It should be easy to find at your local yarn store.

I’ve sent in a permission request to reprint the stitches I’m using. If that isn’t possible, then I’ll tell you the dates so you can knit along with me from your own copy.

My first tier is Watermelon, Purple, and Salmon. (The Salmon block is just plain stockinette stitch.)

Stitch sampler blankets are a great way to experiment with new stitch patterns. You can test them out for a larger garment, learn a little bit about what type of fabrics you prefer, and enjoy a lot of variety as you knit.

We’re coming into the weekend, which always means extra knitting time. I wonder how much progress I’ll make on my projects? And will I resist adding a new one to the pile?

Do you focus on finishing projects over the weekend or find yourself casting on new ones?

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