Our newest crush is Billow, the newest yarn from Shibui Knits. It’s everything Shibui says it is – lofty wisps of lush merino and alpaca embracing a contrasting cotton core, creating a light-as-air fabric with rich visual depth.
Fluffy yarns are hot right now, but they’re not always easy to work with. DK weight Billow, however, is a joy. I’m knitting the Churchmouse Two-Point Cowl* with this wound cake – the color is Pollen – and the fabric it’s making is heavenly.
Incidentally, the Two-Point Cowl* pattern, shown below, is written in two versions for different weight yarns. With Billow, I’m following the directions for the lighter weight, but there’s also a chunky version for Rowan Brushed Fleece – another of our new yarns!
Shibui introduced Billow with a collection of 5 new designs from Tayler Harris, including the Glance* scarf and Cecret* cowl, which is available free from us with purchase of Billow.
Each 50g hank has a generous 250 yards for under $20. The suggested needle sizes are US 6-8/4-5mm, and the color range is as satisfying as a new box of crayons.
We’ve re-stocked one of our all-time favorite sport/DK weight wools, Kelbourne Woolens Scout. Not only do we have the original palette, below, but we also have the new shades for FW 2021: Stone Heather, Chestnut Heather, Autumn Heather, Ocean Heather, and Wisteria Heather. 100% wool Scout is a great choice for stranded knitting – classically soft and springy yet strong.
One of the few good things to come out of the pandemic, the Berroco 123 DropShip Program is still going strong. You can order any Berroco yarn from us in any amount, in any color, and it will be shipped directly to you. (Urth Yarns has a similar program now, too.)
Berroco launches new dropship kits regularly, like the oversized Waitsfield scarf that takes 6 balls of plushy alpaca/merino Mochi – all you have to do is pick your colors. Patterns are included free in the kits.
Waitsfield uses the same mosaic slip stitch pattern as the Fern Lake blanket, another DropShip Program kit. It’s kitted in Lanas, their handwash-only worsted 100% wool, but you could also buy the pattern separately and use a machine-washable worsted weight like Vintage Worsted or Ultra Wool Worsted, both of which we carry.
One more kit idea – the Keeler cardigan in Ultra Wool Chunky, loaded with attractive design details that make this a sweater you could live in all winter. All patterns designed by Amy Christoffers.
Time for finished projects from our endlessly creative customers!
Molly’s Easy* shawl, designed by Martina Behm, shows off her lovely stitching and all the glorious colors in a single shade of Schoppel-Wolle Edition 3.
When you combine multiple self-striping yarns in the same project, prepare for a color riot! Francie says using three different shades of Edition 3 in her The Shift* cowl was the most fun she’s ever had knitting – “You never know what colors are coming next!” Andrea Mowry’s pattern of mosaic slip stitches will look great with any combination of solid and multicolor yarns.
Stephanie was equally pleased with her completed Wave of Change Jacket* from designer Denise Bayron. Using Cascade Eco+, Stephanie says it was one of the fastest sweaters she’s ever knit and recommends the pattern as one of the best-written she’s ever seen.
But for truly fast knit, Stephanie’s Rasta Fasta Cowl wins hands down! I watched Stephanie knit it in just 2+ hours on a Saturday afternoon at Gosh Yarn It! Monika Anna’s pattern is free on Ravelry.
It was knit with – what else? – Malabrigo Rasta. You can see more hanks of the colorway Jacinto behind Steph’s right shoulder.
Here is Rebecca’s Top-Down Raglan Cardigan, knit in Malabrigo Rios in the colorway Diana. She followed Ann Budd’s charts and directions in The Knitter’s Handy Book of Top-Down Sweaters: Basic Designs in Multiple Sizes and Gauges to make it uniquely her own, with seed stitch at the neck, hem, button bands, and pockets. The wooden buttons are the perfect finishing touch!
Joanne calls these her “Low Boy Socks.” They’re knit toe-up and finished with an I-cord bind-off using the Churchmouse Simple Toe-Up Sock* pattern. Yarn is the Kopenhagen colorway of the Lang Super Soxx City Runner collection and Sweet Georgia Tough Love sock for heels and toes.
I love closing the FO gallery with adorable baby knits, and Aileen’s Cloverleaf Eyelet Baby Blanket* is as charming as they come. She used Berroco Modern Cotton DK for Lynn Spencer’s design.
Aileen also shared these cute Mary Jane booties with us, made with stash yarn. I will post the pattern name when I have it!
Note: Patterns marked with an asterisk (*) are available at Gosh Yarn It!