We’ve received lots of new and returning yarns in the past few weeks. There’s a lot to catch up on!

Take a look at new Rowan Felted Tweed Colour – wow! Rowan took some of our favorite solids of original Felted Tweed, magically stirred them together, and created eight amazing gradient colors.

Colour is the same smooth, tweedy DK base of merino wool/alpaca/viscose as original Felted Tweed, but now the colors blend beautifully into one another, ever so gradually.

You can see this slow color change in the Mist* cardigan by Kim Hargreaves, part of the debut Felted Tweed Colour pattern collection from Rowan…

…and also here in Savoy*, a poncho from Martin Storey, another design from the same collection.

New to Felted Tweed? You’re in for a treat! For a small project to sample either the solid or gradient shades, my Tree Hollow* fingerless gloves take just one ball. Pattern is available free at the shop with yarn purchase.

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We’re also introducing another Rowan yarn this fall – Brushed Fleece, a bulky weight with absolutely no bulk. It’s a light, fluffy, super soft blend of extra fine merino wool and baby alpaca. Brushed Fleece has been a Rowan staple for several years, and it’s easy to see why – it provides cozy, snuggly warmth without weight.

While a natural for hats and scarves, keep it in mind for fashion sweaters such as the Sucre Cardigan, a free Rowan pattern.

Le Mont Royal, a free pattern from Espace Tricot, is a shrug when it’s buttoned and a scarf when it’s not. Designed to be knit with Brushed Fleece, it’s easy to make and easy to wear.

This plummy version of the Churchmouse Two-Point Cowl* was also designed for Brushed Fleece.

The Victoria muffler, a free pattern Quail Studio/Rowan, would be great for Brushed Fleece, although going down one or more needle sizes is an option to consider. (But those pompoms are a must!)

I’ll be using Brushed Fleece with two of my favorite free patterns from Churchmouse, the Minimalist Hat and the Very Gifted Cowl, both of which are written for multiple yarn weights. Quick gift knits, anyone?

We have 14 of the newest colors of Malabrigo Sock, inspired by folk and fairy tales. Expect your yarn to have names like “Sneezy,” “Gepetto,” “Three Little Pigs,” “Land of Oz,” and “Alice.” This well-priced, machine washable 100% merino wool is great for socks, of course, but also makes superb shawls, accessories, and baby garments, so let your imagination go where the wild things are!

Below, Malabrigo Sock crocheted in Suncatcher* by Elena Fedotova and knitted in Gold Dust* by Lisa Hannes:

Speaking of fingering weight yarn, more new colors of Emma’s Yarn Practically Perfect Sock are in!

The last shipment included Practically Perfect Smalls, 81 yard mini skeins. Oh, the possibilities!

Jill used Practically Perfect Sock for her Checks All the Boxes* shawl from designer Cally Monster.

This 80/20 merino wool/nylon yarn has great stitch definition, particularly with mosaic knitting.

Opal returns with the arrival of the Rainforest 17 Collection of Sockenwolle 4 Fach, a.k.a. 4-ply fingering weight. This is the absolute favorite sock yarn of quite a few sock knitters we know.

If you’re not a sock knitter yourself, you can still enjoy the fun of letting self-patterning Opal Sockenwolle do all the work by making a Longstocking Muffler from Churchmouse. Our sample used just one ball, pompoms included.

Blue Sky Fibers Woolstok Worsted has been fully restocked. This yummy 100% fine highland wool from Peru, a light worsted weight, has been one of our go-to yarns since it was first introduced. We carry both the 50g and 150g hanks. Here is Jill’s Mountain Mist* in Woolstok Worsted, a Tin Can Knits design that’s knit seamlessly from the yoke down.

All the Woolstok colors you’ll need for Michael Vloedman’s sumptuous Gresham Wrap* are now available.

Our customer Tina used our Berroco Aerial held together with a DK weight yarn from a local sheep farm for her beautiful Ystävä* cardigan from Jonna Hietala. I think you’d easily get gauge – and as beautiful a sweater as Tina’s – using either Woolstok or Felted Tweed carried with a silk mohair.

If the Rasta is here, can Fall be far behind? Everyone’s favorite for super quick, super squishy projects, Malabrigo Rasta never disappoints. Always on the lookout for new Rasta-friendly patterns, we’ve recently spotted Kristel Nieves’ Frida Hat*…

… and the Reef Beanie* from Lizzy Knits.

Until “sweata weatha” arrives, there’s nothing “betta” than a poncho or slipover. Jill knit Casapinka’s Noncho* using self-striping Urth Uneek Cotton DK with a solid color of Berroco Modern Cotton DK.

But when the mercury falls, Gina’s ready – she rocked the Rooibos top-down pullover from Amy Christoffers by holding Manos del Uruguay Alegria double – first with other fingering weights from her stash and then with itself toward the hem for a faded effect. She added a clever folded neck, not in the original pattern.

Steven used Malabrigo Silkpaca for his ethereal Titania’s Shawl by Susanna IC. The pattern appeared originally in Interweave Knits, Summer 2017 issue. This lace would be well met by moonlight…

I pulled out some organic cotton yarn from my deep stash to make this baby set. Berroco Modern Cotton DK would be my choice to make it again. The sweater is Wee Liesl* by Ysolda Teague. The bonnet and booties are Florence* by Kate Gagnon Osborn.

Molly knit her heathery Malt blanket from the Tin Can Knits Simple Collection with Berroco Vintage Worsted. Time after time, the 12 patterns in The Simple Collection prove to be a knitter’s favorite “first” – first hat, first scarf, first mittens – and we recommend them over and over.

Joanne took a break from her knockout sock knitting to whip up a washcloth of smooth Berroco Pima 100.

I’ll end with an inspiring gallery of original shawls from our customer Yael. These six come from a much larger collection of over 200! She literally makes the patterns up as she knits and crochets, adding beads and embellishments, choosing yarns for their colors and textures. We’re proud that so many come from GYI. (More shots on Instagram.) Enjoy her creative, imaginative designs!

Note: Patterns marked with an asterisk (*) are available at Gosh Yarn It!

The Rasta has arrived! Pick your favorites from the largest selection of big, beautiful Malabrigo Rasta we’ve ever had. Both “watercolor multi” colors and a rainbow of semi-solid basics are now in stock. Spun from premium Uruguayan merino and unbelievably squishy and soft, this is your yarn for the ultimate in warmth and the ultimate in speed.

Above, Indiecita and Jacinto and, below, Natural – for when you want your wool to look like the fluffy sheep it came from…

Looking for pattern ideas? Visit the pattern page on Malabrigo’s website – select “Rasta” as the yarn from the sort filters.

Designer Kristel Nieves also has some great ideas for Rasta, including her Lara Beanie* and Lara Cowl*, available at GYI or on Ravelry, and Love Line Cowl and Love Line Beanie, which are free on Ravelry. And, yes – we have a great selection of pom poms, too!

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Jill held a strand of Malabrigo Rios along with a strand of silk/mohair to make a new shop sample of our favorite Churchmouse Classic Shoulder Cozy*. Knit on US #13/9mm needles, it’s a superfast knit that’s elegant and scrumptiously cozy, whether worn as a shoulder wrap…

or as a cowl…

One skein of kettle-dyed Rios is all you need for this smaller size Shoulder Cozy. Choose your coordinating silk/mohair from our selection of Berroco Aerial and Sugar Bush Yarns Drizzle.

Knits for baby and children are the stars of this gallery of customers’ finished projects. First up, Bonnie’s wee waffle stitch cardigan in Berroco Ultra Wool DK. This Sirdar design, #1749, is available in-store as a printed pattern (remember those?).

For this little striped pullover in Berroco Vintage Chunky, Bonnie took advantage of its pieced and seamed construction to easily match up her thick and thin stripes. The original is knit in a solid color, so the stripes and colorblocked sleeves are 100% Bonnie.

The pattern is the Easy Toddler Raglan Sweater by Gina Michele.

Here is Bonnie’s cheery Flicker and Flame* from Andrea Mowry in Schoppel-Wolle Edition 3 and Berroco Ultra Wool DK. The gradient colors of Edition 3 make the stranded colorwork only look complicated.

And Bonnie’s fourth FO is entirely her own creation, another mix of Schoppel-Wolle Edition 3 with Berroco Ultra Wool DK. Following a basic beanie formula, she clearly had fun switching her yarns and stitch patterns to knit up this easy colorwork beanie.

Want to design your own hat? Here are some free hat patterns for different yarn weights, each with a broad range of sizes from newborn to adult: Basic Beanie by Emily Bolduan for DK, Be Loving for worsted weight, the Backcountry Hat by Jackie Vlcek for bulky/chunky weight, and Kim Firth’s Frankie, ideal for a single strand of super bulky Rasta or multiple strands of thinner yarns held together.

Rachel snagged the last of our Chevron Baby Blanket kits in Berroco Modern Cotton, but don’t worry – we still have a wide color range of pure 100% cotton, baby-friendly, washable Berroco Pima 100 available to make plenty more. Choose your own sequence of 2-5 colors or let us help you with color options. Rachel’s enjoying the pattern from Espace Tricot so much, she’s making a second one!

Karen easily tweaked the Purl Soho Super Easy Baby Blanket to work with a very different yarn. The pattern is written for a DK weight yarn, but Karen wanted to use chunky Cascade 128 Superwash. Once she knew her stitch gauge, she only had to cast on the number of stitches needed on her larger needles for the size blanket she wanted to make. (I neglected to ask which pattern she used for the cute garter stitch hat in the matching yarn, but I will find out!)

Mary Ann chose Madelinetosh Tosh DK Twist for her adorable Beyond Puerperium*, designed by Kelly van Niekerk. There is also a free companion version sized for newborns, Puerperium Cardigan.

Mary Ann also recently finished Kelly Herdrich’s in threes: a baby cardigan* in self-striping Urth Uneek Cotton DK. As cute as this tiny sweater may be…

…it only gets cuter when modeled by the little one Mary Ann knit it for!

Note: Patterns marked with and asterisk (*) are available at Gosh Yarn It!

Lately, I’ve noticed an increase in the number of knitters coming to the shop with pattern-related woes. This is an open letter to them… and maybe you, too?

Dear Knitter,

Don’t let a confusing or challenging pattern stop you from knitting.

Get another knitter’s advice, check on Ravelry in project notes to see if others have had issues with the pattern, or check the designer’s or publisher’s websites for corrections. If you’re still frustrated or don’t like what’s coming off your needles, find another pattern – or change it to make it the way you want it to be.

Yes, some written directions can be confusing, regardless of whether you’re a newbie or seasoned knitter. But never let a pattern undermine your confidence in your own skills or waste your time once you realize you won’t be happy with the piece when it’s done.

When you don’t love what you’re knitting, that’s when you stop. Look for another project or switch out the technique or feature you don’t like for one you do. Your time and your materials – that wonderful yarn you got at Gosh Yarn It! – deserve better. There are always multiple paths in knitting to arrive at the same result. Knitting is only making fabric with yarn and needles, and we knitters have total control over the process – not the designer. Take charge of your knitting and know that your success has been in your hands all along!

– A friend at your local yarn shop

On a very small scale, I faced this issue recently with Wallagrass, a perfectly lovely pattern from Amy Christoffers that begins every row with a yarnover. You can see how my Wallagrass was turning out in the picture below.

The designer must have liked the look of those loops along each edge, but I didn’t. Since that “yo” added a stitch each row, I started over and replaced the yarnovers at the beginning of every row with “knit 1, kfb.” I added 4 stitches to the stitch count before beginning the pattern repeat, which established a 2-stitch garter border on each edge that incorporated the “knit 1, kfb” and kept the increases outside of the pattern repeat. My Wallagrass now looks like this:

I solved my problem my way and am very happy with the results.

Jill just made another Clincher* cowl, one of her favorite patterns. Loops are the main attraction here!

For this clever design from Ash Kearns she chose Malabrigo Arroyo and Freia Flux Sport.

It’s knit flat, and here’s how it looks before you thread the narrow end through the loops to make it a cowl:

Our The Big Y* shop sample in Kelbourne Woolens Scout, a pullover from Hinterm Stein, continues to inspire others to cast on for one of their own. Here is Debbie’s completed The Big Y, also in KW Scout in the beautiful color Meadow Heather. What fine knitting!

More fine knitting, both technically, creatively, and size-wise, comes from Rebecca, who added two more tiny original sweaters to her collection for her holiday wreath. You’ll find the first six included in the last post.

Speaking of the last post, this Saturday, July 31, is the deadline to order the Emma’s Yarn custom kits for Casapinka’s Snark-o-meter Mystery Knit Along, and you can see all the available choices there. Also, Our Manos del Uruguay Alegria colorways are starting to sell out, so don’t delay picking up your favorite from the shop. You’ll want to be all wound up and ready for the first clue on August 14! The designer has posted a full project page for the MKAL here with the latest details.

Note: Patterns marked with an asterisk (*) are available at Gosh Yarn It!

Finally, the shop’s Big Table is open again – next time you visit, bring a WIP and sit and stitch awhile!

Last month we practiced our interpersonal stitching skills on World Wide Knit in Public Day, in the shade under a tent in the parking lot. As fun as it was to show off our love of yarn crafts, stitching together for the first time in over a year was definitely the main event.

Are you a fan of designer Casapinka? Do you love mystery knit alongs? You can get ready for her upcoming Snark-o-meter MKAL at GYI! The pattern and first clue drop August 14, with 5 more weekly clues to follow. The design is a rectangular shawl, approx. 20” wide, that will take 4 skeins fingering weight yarn (approx. 375 yards each) and US6 (4mm) and 4 (3.5mm) needles, 24” or longer. She says it will be appropriate for an “intermediate beginner,” with “easy” sections as options for first-timers. We’re counting on it being classic Casapinka – a fun and entertaining knit from start to finish.

We’ve put together several color “quartets” of our favorite Manos del Uruguay Alegria; grab your favorite soon – it may not be here for long! If you already have a stash skein or two and need to complete your palette, bring the yarn with you to the shop – we’re always happy to suggest color options.

We’re also taking special orders for custom Snark-o-meter MKAL kits of Emma’s Yarn Super Silky (80/20 SW Merino wool/silk). Order deadline is July 31. Cost is $118 + $9 dropship charge to have kit sent directly to you from the dyer in Florida.

Call 570-287-9999 or email info[at]goshyarnitshop[.com] to order by kit name:

• 1 – Poppin
• 2 – Barbie Girl
• 3 – Take A Hike
• 4 – Remote
• 5 – Yellow Submarine
• 6 – Forget Me Not
• 7 – Wink
• 8 – Aloha
• 9 – Remote
• 10 – Vacay

Please note that the Snark-o-meter pattern will be sold separately and can be purchased from us or as a Ravelry download from the designer.

And now a summer surprise – we just received a big restock of Blue Sky Fibers Woolstok! This buttery soft Peruvian Highland wool is one of our must-haves. It’s incredibly versatile, producing consistently beautiful fabric along a wide gauge range, from DK to aran. Along with 50g and 150g hanks were these mini-hank Woolstok Bundles, aptly named “Cool,” “Warm,” and “Neutral”:

Each Woolstok Bundle contains 252 total yards, (3) 12-yard skeins each of 7 coordinated colors. Oh, the possibilities! But there are some great BSF patterns created just for the Bundles. (Each also requires 1 or more 50g hank of Woolstok.) Here is Bobbi Intveld’s Chilton Cowl*…

Bobbi Intveld’s Breckenridge Hat*…

and Mary Pranica’s Ephraim Wrap*…

LYS happiness is a full-to-bursting display of Woolstok. Samples shown knit in Woolstok are Carolyn Kern’s Multi-Pane Mittens* and Sylvia Hager’s Trimont Snood*.

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If you receive our direct emails (and we hope you do – if not, sign up on our homepage to join the mailing list) you already know we’re big fans of Schoppel-Wolle Edition 3 – we have 4 shop models! They are Martina Behm’s Easy* shawlette, Andrea Mowry’s Shiftalong* and Flicker & Flame* hats, and my new fingerless glove design Tree Hollow*, which you’ll get free with a yarn purchase.

Our featured customer FOs are truly inspirational. Steven knit Boye* from Arne & Carlos in Rowan Felted Tweed and Sugar Bush Yarns Drizzle. This is stranded colorwork with an ingenious twist – the pattern is created simply by holding the silk/mohair with the wool. Brilliant! I can’t wait to try this technique.

Gina used Universal Yarn Colorburst for her own unique take on Diane L. Augustin’s Springtime Wrap* bias scarf, a stitch sampler design that makes the most of gradient yarns.

Stephanie created this cute little fella using the pattern Alpaca by Susan B. Anderson. His name is Humberto Huacaya.

Krista chose Berroco Ultra Wool DK for this charming Méabh’s Cardigan, a free pattern from designer Ciara Ní Reachtnín. (Thank you, Krista, for allowing me to “slurp” your pretty pics from Ravelry!)

Molly’s bright, graphic Grain from Tin Can Knits is knit with Berroco Ultra Wool. Grain is an easy, relaxing pattern, part of the Tin Can Knits Simple Collection.

For a pair of cool summer socks, Joanne used her favorite Churchmouse Simple Toe-Up Sock* with Schachenmayr Regia 4-Ply from the Arne & Carlos Mountains and Fjords Collection and Sweet Georgia Tough Love Sock for the heels and toes.

For anyone with “Christmas in July” on their minds, I’ll close with Rebecca’s insanely cute collection of mini “ugly” Christmas sweaters, which are going to be decorations on a wreath. (Remember her amazing Autumn Wreath?) She knits and crochets them without patterns…

…and her creativity shines in the details:

Let’s all have a festive time until my next post!

Note: Patterns marked with an asterisk (*) are available at Gosh Yarn It!

We’re taking special orders for Ice Cream Social kits from Emma’s Yarn through June 30…

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There are 10 sweet color options for these kits from Emma’s Yarn for Ice Cream Social, a new shawl pattern coming June 14 from Lisa K. Ross. Shown above, the “Paper Daisy” and “Floridian Zest” colorways.

You’ll get 6 mini-skeins and 2 full skeins of Emma’s Yarn Practically Perfect Sock to create this breezy, lightweight asymmetrical triangle shawl, shaped by lace and garter stitch. You can request your kit be sent to GYI for pick-up or a drop ship option for it to be sent directly to you.

Each kit is $127, which includes shipping. Kits include 2 skeins of Practically Perfect Sock in the main color, 6 Practically Perfect Smalls in cute pops of color, 3 custom Birdie Parker stitch markers, and suggestions for color order. Pattern sold separately, here at GYI and on Ravelry, starting June 14.

Just call us to order by name of your kit colorway choice. Row 1: Paper Daisy, Floridian Zest; Row 2: Thai Tea, Call Me a Cabana; Row 3: Stiletto, Fame & Fortune; Row 4: Grayscale, Plant Lady; Row 5: Zuni, Aloha.

Did you know we make at least one shop model for all our yarns so you can see how they work up? Our new Urth Uneek Cotton DK has just become this über-cute in threes: a baby cardigan* by designer Kelly Herdrich. Buy the pattern in-store at GYI, and you’ll receive one of my “tip sheets” for the tweaks and techniques I used to make it (I think) easier, neater, and more fun to knit.

Jill is working on the sample of Emma’s Yarn Practically Perfect Sock, making Checks All the Boxes*, a shawl done in mosaic knitting, from Cally Monster of MonsterKnits. Here’s a first look…

Mosaic knitting is no more than slipping stitches in between knitting or purling them. The patterns you can make with it are really pretty magical. I just finished a Shiftalong* hat from Andrea Mowry that has mosaic “Big Blips” and “Little Blips” of Schoppel-Wolle Edition 3 peeking through a background of Berroco Ultra Wool DK – such a fun knit! We’re loving Edition 3 and are planning a summer knit-along for it, similar to the winter KAL we held for Rowan Felted Tweed, with a choice of several patterns. Details soon.

And who doesn’t love nifty, new notions? These folding scissors from the Knitter’s Pride Mindful Collection just arrived, along with a row counter and the Mindful Marker Mega Pack of 100 assorted stitch markers in the same chic turquoise. All the packaging is so attractive! First, there’s a pretty little drawstring bag…

…inside there’s a neat little clamshell zippered case…

…that opens to reveal…

…these bright, rainbow snips! And all this for $6.35. Couldn’t be cuter.

We have our customer Joanne to thank for our two FOs this post. Here is her New Treeline Cardigan, a free pattern from Purl Soho. She beautifully matched two stashed GYI yarns – Manos del Uruguay Maxima and Trendsetter Yarns Icon – for this classic cardigan.

I don’t think my photos show them very well, but Icon has tiny metallic spangles that catch the light and wink at you. They know they’re part of a stunning sweater!

Joanne made Casapinka’s Noncho Lite* with 3 shades of Dream in Color Smooshy, placing the handdyed skeins carefully to create a fade within the striped pattern. Looking for a light summer layer? Take a cue from Joanne – Noncho for the win!

Note: Patterns marked with an asterisk (*) are available at Gosh Yarn It!

Emma’s Yarn Practically Perfect Sock, and Schoppel-Wolle Edition 3, our two newest yarns, are as colorful as the flowers that are bursting into bloom in our suddenly warm spring! The first 18 shades to arrive from Emma’s are in her sock-friendly 80/20 superwash merino/nylon base:

These three in particular, Calypso, Iguana, and Everglades, would be perfect for a “fade” project, don’t you think?

And our dozen vibrant colors of Edition 3 hold endless possibilities. A sport weight 100% fine merino washable virgin wool, it’s completely interchangeable with Spincycle’s Dyed in the Wool at half the price!

If you’ve wanted to make one of designer Andrea Mowry’s “Shift” patterns, Edition 3 will be perfect for (clockwise from upper left) the Nightshift* shawl, The Shift* cowl, Shifty* pullover, and Shiftalong* hat.

But Edition 3 can be used whenever you want subtle stripes of color, either on their own or set off by solids. For some inspiration, take a look at (clockwise from upper left) the free pattern Channeled Colors Brioche Loop & Scarf from Marcy New; Martina Behm’s Easy*, Andrea Mowry’s Flicker & Flame*, and Lori Versaci’s gamut*. Maybe something as simple as the Grain shawl from the Tin Can Knits Simple Collection? And how adorable would a baby hat, blanket or sweater be in Edition 3, alone or paired with Berroco Ultra Wool DK?

Time for finished project photos! Gina’s completed Toughnut* visited the store this week, my inspiration to queue up the pattern for myself. The yarn left from her 7 Color Scarf*, made during our Rowan Felted Tweed Play With Color KAL earlier this year, was combined with some soft natural shades of stash yarn for this beautiful scarf:

Our customer Lara may have moved to Utah, but we’re so happy she is staying in touch and sharing her inspiring FO’s. Here’s her Summit Pullover from designer Kristen Jancuk, which appeared in the Fall 2020 issue of Interweave Knits – yes, we still have copies available!

And this is Lara’s bright and cheery Dovetail Sweater* by Quinn Reverendo.

She’s already working on a second Dovetail – can’t wait to see it all finished!

Note: Patterns marked with an asterisk (*) are available at Gosh Yarn It!

We are thrilled to announce that in-person knitting instruction is back! Whether you want to learn to knit, master a new technique, or get advice on pattern instructions, we’ve “had our shots” and can now safely offer 45-minute 1:1 help sessions on Wednesday and Thursday mornings at 11:00. Advance reservations are necessary; call 570-287-9999 to reserve a spot or for more information. Cost is $15/session.

The GYI staff is fully vaccinated, and we ask that you be, too, to attend our help sessions. 6′ social distancing will be observed as much as possible with what is often “hands-on” instruction.

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The colors of Malabrigo Mechita from the new Speckled Collection proved so irresistible that both Jill and I immediately made shop samples – Jill used the color “Storm” for a Bobble Cowl* from designer Joji Locatelli with its fun picot edging…

… and for my skein of “Island,” I picked Carina Spencer’s Scalene* shawl, which uses its own knit-in “keyhole” to keep it tucked in place and so easy to wear. Mechita is a buttery soft fingering weight single strand of 100% Merino superwash wool, sourced from Peru and dyed in Uruguay. These Speckled Collection shades may be subtle in the skein, but they pack lots of color punch.

My usual perch behind the front register gives me a great view of our 20+ colors of Rowan Felted Tweed, and I confess I think – a lot – about new projects I’d like to start with it, maybe a Snedronningen* stranded pullover from Isabell Kraemer or a Waffle Sweater* from Chiaki Hiyashi. Then this happens: our customer Gina comes in and mentions she’s almost done with a Toughnut* scarf in Felted Tweed, and I have a new queue topper!

Martha Wissing’s design combines simple stitch pattern switching and the easiest possible style of intarsia color blocking, plus it offers the chance to play with at least four colors of Felted Tweed – win/win/win.

Do I hear you say, “intarsi-no way”? Yes, you can. Let Jen Arnall-Culliford show you all you need to remember is “old goes over new,” and you’ll be on your intarsi-way!

I’ll cast on for Toughnut just as soon as I finish the shop model I’m making now with Urth Uneek Cotton DK and Berroco Modern Cotton DK. Coincidentally, it’s another shawl called Scalene* but designed by Theresa Gaffey. It’s such easy, mindless knitting I got a bit too cocky and started reading on my Kindle while knitting and whoops…

…see that? Nine rows down, I slipped my needle into the stitch in the row below the one it was meant to go into, creating a K1B, a “knit one below.” Luckily for me, this problem is easily fixed. I dropped the stitches in that column down as far as the one below the unintentional K1B…

…then re-knit the column by working back up the ladder of released stitches (the different colors help!), one row at a time, using my trusty Fixer (the teeny crochet hook) to pull each strand into the stitch in the row below, from back to front, re-creating the stitches in the column, all the way up to the row on the needles.

Good as new! Now I’ll be setting the Kindle aside and will finish this Scalene so it will be ready to show you by the next post. (I do love the gorgeous peony pinks and greens of this Uneek Cotton!)

Note: Patterns marked with an asterisk (*) are available at Gosh Yarn It!

Our newest yarns have something in common. Ultra Wool DK, Uneek Cotton DK, and Modern Cotton DK all happen to be — you guessed it! — DK weight, which is just what you’ll want for Casapinka’s Noncho pattern giveaway celebrating National Bubble Tea Day on April 30 (yup, apparently that’s a real thing). But a bit of backstory first.

The 4th Annual LYS Day was April 17th. The fact that it was even held surprised a lot of folks — the 3rd Annual event last spring had to be canceled, then it was re-scheduled for fall, then the original sponsoring group TNNA technically disbanded, so there was far less hoopla. The designer Casapinka, who’s a big supporter of local yarn stores and independent dyers, learned too late about the scheduling of LYS Day 2021 to organize one of her exclusive freebies by the 17th but rallied to create Noncho to show her LYS love.

When you purchase your DK weight yarn from GYI for Noncho on Friday, April 30, or Saturday, May 1, we’ll give you a download code for the pattern, but PLEASE NOTE — the code expires at 11:59 p.m., EDT, May 2. Noncho, a 2- or 3-color “not-a-poncho,” will eventually be released in a fingering weight version, too.

Another LYS Day pattern/yarn promotion that we’re glad has been extended comes from the designer Shaina Bilow and Manos del Uruguay yarns. Bilow is making her Garden State shawl pattern, below, available free (regularly $6.50) with an LYS purchase of Manos del Uruguay Alegria through the end of April. You’ll get the download code with your purchase of Alegria at GYI this week. Aren’t the eyelet “flowers” knit right into the stripes pretty? The crocheted flowers sewn on the edge are a sweet touch. Of course, you could eliminate them completely or make more and trim the entire hem.

And we have both soft pastel and bright floral shades of Alegria for your Garden State:

Now about those new yarns… two of our favorite yarns got a spring trim. We now carry Ultra Wool DK (machine washable 100% wool) and Modern Cotton DK (60% Pima cotton/40% Modal rayon) from Berroco. These thinner yarns make fabrics that are lighter and more comfortable to wear than their heftier worsted weight cousins — think needle sizes US 5-6 rather than US 7-8. They are perfect “baby yarns.” And, boy, have we had requests lately for soft yarns for baby blankets, sweaters, and bonnets — the pandemic baby boom is real!

Above is my favorite bare naked color, Cream 8301. Below, our 20 colors of Ultra Wool DK on the top shelf of our Great Wall of Berroco, above restocked Vintage Worsted shades.

A random octet, showing both solids and heathers:

And here is the always cool Modern Cotton DK:

My baby blanket adaptation of Jared Flood’s Guernsey Wrap*, shown below in the color Piper, was knit in the worsted version of Modern Cotton, but a DK version of the blanket would be fantastic! (I’d just widen the garter stitch borders slightly to keep it the same size.) For a chart-free, more “mindless” pattern for a baby blanket, I’d go with Summer Sidewalk, a free pattern from Fifty Four Ten Studio.

For a new shop model of Modern Cotton DK, I vow I am going to make Jujuba, a free Norah Gaughan pattern that I’ve wanted to make for 10 years. (You read that right — ten years.)

Gaughan’s pattern uses a highly unconventional construction method to make the sweater nearly seamless. The directions seem to defy logic, but, encouraged by project notes on Ravelry, I am determined to unlock its secrets! I already know I want to give the pattern a few tiny tweaks, including a neat trick from Roxanne Richardson to reduce the bulk of the center seam: “Finessing the Three-Needle Bind-Off.” I will be posting about my Jujuba adventure here. (KAL, anyone?)

Our new self-striping Urth Uneek Cotton DK would be a great choice for a sweater knit side-to-side like Jujuba if you — like me — prefer to wear your stripes vertically. The colors in this yarn are amazing! A shop sample is already in the works — an asymmetric shawl that combines the Uneek Cotton with the solid color Modern Cotton DK. More about it also in a future post.

Bobbles are very, very “in” right now, and Berroco kicks off their latest Cardi Party Make-Along with a free cardigan pattern this week that’s a bobble lover’s dream come true: Amy Christoffers’ Sebec cardigan, knit from the bottom up with a v-neck and set in sleeves. Yarn is their worsted Pima 100, always in good supply at GYI. The Cardi Party begins May 14 and runs through June 25; details are on the Berroco Makers Group on Facebook. If you’d like to join the Party but make a different Berroco cardigan pattern, there are lots to choose from. You’ll get your pattern free with the code BerrocoCardiParty2 on Berroco’s website or Berroco’s Ravelry Store. (Code is good only for one Berroco pattern, not patterns from their partner brands Lopi, Lang Yarns, Amano, or Wool Addicts.)

Keep in mind that Berroco’s 123 DropShip Program is still going strong; available kits are shown here, and we can always order any amount/color of any Berroco or partner brand yarn for you for direct shipment to your home. (Is it time to start on a Lopi sweater for next winter?)

Look, a few new colors of Rowan Felted Tweed have just popped in! Check out that intense Sulfur yellow.

Several customers, admiring our Malabrigo Mechita fingering weight yarn dyed in Malabrigo’s new Speckled Collection style, have asked, “how will this look knit up?” Well, a lot like this:

On my needles, above, is an in-progress Scalene* shawl from Carina Spencer in the Speckled Collection’s Island colorway. It will be an FO by the next post.

I have but one lone customer FO to feature this post, but it’s a stunner: Joanne made her gorgeous Through the Trees reversible cowl in Knittinbro Sock colorways Secret Code and All of the Lights. The pattern comes from George Cullen; it appeared in Pom Pom Quarterly, Issue 35: Winter 2020.

Note: Patterns marked with an asterisk (*) are available at GYI.

Are you beyond ready for some bright spring-y colors? If so, we have good news — our spring yarns have color to spare! The first on our shelves is Uneek Cotton from Urth Yarns…

Talk about a party in a skein — it’s a hand-dyed, self-striping DK weight mercerized cotton that’s cottony light and smooth. There’s a generous 275 yards in each 100g hank, $14.95. For a scarf that will be a nice pop-of-color for summer, I’ve started knitting a Scalene Scarf* by Theresa Gaffey in this shade of Uneek Cotton, pairing it with a neutral color of Berroco Modern Cotton DK (more about that in a minute).

Looking for an easy knit pattern that uses only one hank of Uneek Cotton? Try Diane L. Augustin’s Easy Scarf, and crocheters, take a look at Jen Baker’s The Grapes of Wrap. Both patterns are free downloads on Ravelry.

And look what was tucked into the same Urth Yarns box…

Yes, they’re back! Each clever kit makes a perfectly matched pair of socks from pre-wound balls of Uneek Sock. The last time we had them in stock, it wasn’t for long.

Now about Berroco Modern Cotton — it’s one of two old favorites we’re giving a spring trim. You loved silky Modern Cotton and classic Ultra Wool in their worsted weights, now you can love their lighter DK versions, too! They’re even more perfect for baby blankets and clothing, as well as lighter tops, shawls, and accessories for everyone. We’re expecting a very large box from Berroco this week.

Our Play With Color KAL has ended, and our prizes, copies of Modern Daily Field Guide No. 16: Painterly, have been awarded. As promised, my Play With Color Cowl is now available as a free download, below. Use any DK/light worsted yarn you like; make it longer, shorter, wider, skinnier — just have fun playing with color!

The best part of every KAL is seeing your completed projects. With extra stripes for good measure, here is Gina’s bold and beautiful 7 Color Scarf* in Rowan Felted Tweed, the star of the knit-along. So happy to see she took ‘playing with color’ seriously!

Gina also recently completed this stunning Faeno* pullover designed by Orlane Sucche. The relief-patterned yoke is created with diamonds of twisted knit stitches against a background of purls. Her yarn is the wonderful Blue Sky Fibers Woolstok.

Joanne used her favorite Churchmouse Simple Toe-up Sock* pattern for socks she calls her “Round Trip Socks.” The yarn is from the Lang Super Soxx “City Runner” series; the foot color is called ‘Zurich’ and the heels and toes are ‘Paris.’ Knitting these was her way of taking an imaginary trip — as all trips were in 2020! — from Paris to Zurich and back again.

Another of her toe-up socks she named “My Summer Socks.” The contrast heels and toes are Wonderland Cheshire Cat and the striping yarn is Dizzywig Fibers Sock.

Krista made these two cozy pairs of Laura Nelkin’s Flip-Top Mittens* in Berroco Vintage. (More colors of Vintage will also be in that big Berroco box.) For years, Nelkin’s pattern has been our favorite for this clever type of mitt; it’s written for both fingering and worsted weight yarn. Love the buttons Krista chose.

Laurie dipped her hand into the technique of intentional- or planned-pooling with hand-painted yarns. She used Stephanie Pearl-McPhee’s Colour Stacking Cowl pattern from the Yarn Harlot’s Patreon Channel. Laurie knit with Manos del Uruguay Alegria, adding an i-cord edging of Kelbourne Woolens Scout. If you would like to try planned-pooling, check out the Ravelry Group Pooled Knits for tips and pattern suggestions. A popular one is the DaVinci Cowl* by Mary-Ann Lammers.

And finally, our customer MaryKate kindly sent us some great pictures of her finished projects from the last few months. She’s been a busy, busy knitter! She knit Cassie Clarke’s Double Plaited Cable Turban/Headband, with Malabrigo Rios in Purpuras…

…and again with Berroco Vintage.

These Drunk Girl Designs Hey Bee-Otch* mittens were knit in Knittinbro Sock…

…and these “Bernie Mittens” in Berroco Ultra Wool.

And this purr-fectly adorable Cattitude Scarf* by Lisa Hannan Fox is Madelinetosh Tosh DK in the colorways Madonna and Smoke Stack. Kudos, MaryKate!

Note: Patterns marked with an asterisk (*) are available at Gosh Yarn It!

“I read every project note and was terrified to start… After knitting one repeat of the flowers, I didn’t need the printed directions. This pattern became a joy to knit… watching the design unfold. It looks so complicated but isn’t.”

That’s how one knitter on Ravelry described making her Pressed Flowers* shawl. Jill said much the same thing about hers—this Amy Christoffers pattern quickly makes intuitive sense and is a totally addictive!

Jill’s black and grey version is currently on display as our store model. We’ve already had another Pressed Flowers* sighting at GYI. Tina brought in her elegant cat’s-eye yellow and black shawl yesterday. She also used Rowan Felted Tweed but chose to knit to a slightly lower gauge, making it a bit larger overall than Jill’s.

I’m loving the clever patterning details of this design.

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Have you tried mosaic knitting yet? It’s no more than slipped stitches. If you’d prefer a smaller first project than a shawl like Pressed Flowers*, I’d recommend Meg Gadsbey’s Arrochar* cowl, which calls for a DK/light worsted (below, in grey and white). I knit mine with a silk/mohair held double (Berroco Aerial and Sugar Bush Yarns Drizzle), but it would be gorgeous done in Woolstok from Blue Sky Fibers or Malabrigo Rios.

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I finished my Astrid* hat, my first solo stranded knitting project. Why did I wait so long? From now on, I will always have a colorwork project going. What I learned is what I always tried to teach in my pre-pandemic knitting classes at the shop: everything is hard until it’s easy. Practice, practice, practice.

Think you’d never be able to knit a Fair Isle pattern? Think again! Yes, your hands will have to learn a new skill, not easy at any age. New muscle memories must be created. You’ll feel like you’re learning to knit all over again. But once you work out the most efficient, most comfortable way to hold your hands and yarns, away you’ll go!

That said, there are 2 videos I can recommend that address stranded knitting yarn management, trapping floats, and color dominance—did I mention there will also be some new terms to learn? In her tutorial on color dominance, Jen Arnall-Culliford demonstrates different ways to hold your yarns. As I watched my own fingers fumbling, I found it encouraging that even she doesn’t perform all three methods perfectly.

Suzanne Bryan shows how to trap the floats of both main and contrast colors, a technique that comes up quickly in the Astrid* pattern. This is a skill easily mastered once done. The catching and carrying of yarn across the back of the work makes sense once the knitting is in your hands; you may not “get it” just by watching the video.

There may be starts and stops… you may try one way of holding yarn and then switch to a completely different way… you may question your color choices once they’re knit into stitches, as I did when I got this far with a blue as my second color and said, ummh, no.

But keep going! And when your colorwork piece is finished, give it a nice bath. Soak rinse-free wool wash made me look like a much better stranded knitter than I am—yet. The Felted Tweed plumped and softened, as if the stitches were reaching out to greet one another, and the fabric visibly relaxed. There actually are scientific reasons why washing wool is such a game changer; they’re entertainingly explained by Jillian Moreno here. Naturally, you’ll find Soak at GYI.

I was asked the other day about the difference between directions to “pick up” stitches vs. “pick up and knit.” This was in connection with another of our KAL options, the 7 Color Scarf* with its long edge borders, above. One of the best explanations I’ve found is Stephanie Pearl-McPhee’s in her Yarn Harlot blog.

For the scarf, you’ll find it easiest to pick up stitches first, as per The Yarn Harlot, place them on your left needle, then knit into them with the working (contrast) yarn. The key is to be consistent. First, take a few practice pick-ups to audition each of your garter edge stitch options and choose the one you like best. Is it the stitch that looks like a “(” ? Is it the one that looks like a “)”? Maybe it’s the one that looks like “—”. Whichever you choose, pick that one up every time, down the entire edge of your piece.

REMINDER: our Play With Color Knit Along ends March 20. You don’t have to finish your project to be eligible to win one of the KAL prizes. To be entered in the drawing, all you have to do is purchase 4 or more balls of Rowan Felted Tweed, plus you’ll save 10%!

More finished customer projects? Yes, please. Tina also shared these exquisite Late Bloomer Mittens by Kristin Ledgett with us. Her yarns are Berroco Aerial and Kelbourne Woolens Scout, held together. The pattern can be found in the 10th issue of Making magazine, Intricate.

Catherine S. was kind enough to send us this shot of several of her recently completed crocheted afghans. All were worked in easy-care Berroco Vintage. The textures and patterns are all different and all beautiful. They look so cozy!

Bonnie knit another adorable Cache Pullover* in Cascade 220 Superwash for her younger granddaughter. The design comes from Laura Spargo Anderson. She added to the sweater’s length to make a toddler-friendly tunic.

Big sister will be enjoying this Children’s V Neck Down Pullover #293* from Diane Soucy. Bonnie used soft, washable Berroco Ultra Wool and clearly had fun with the striping.

Way back in 2018, I started a PetiteKnit Anker’s Jacket* in Fibre Company Arranmore Light. I finally got around to working the buttonhole bands a few days ago. Languishing so long in the WIP basket means that although it was intended for my older granddaughter, it may now need to go to the younger. Maybe I’ll anticipate possible future delays by making the next one a couple of sizes too big!

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Note: Patterns marked with an asterisk (*) are available at Gosh Yarn It!