GYI will be closed today and will reopen tomorrow at 12. Sorry for any inconvenience.

I’ll start with some lovely finished projects from customers. Here are Lara’s Christmas stockings, which will certainly become treasured family heirlooms. Where does it say stockings must be red and green?

Next, Rebecca’s jolly crocheted Christmas wreath ornament — in traditional holiday colors — and 2 pairs of the most delicate earrings. I don’t know the size hook used, but it must have been quite, quite small to create such fine lacy stitches.

Rusty had her ZickZack Scarf with her when she visited the shop, knit in 3 different skeins of fingering weight. The pattern is free on Ravelry from designer Christy Kamm.

And Mary Beth brought in two pairs of comfy socks, one knit in Opal 4-Ply and one in Emma’s Yarn Practically Perfect Sock.

Tina’s also been sock knitting this summer. She chose Dream in Color Smooshy 100% Merino from her stash for her Elizabeth Carter socks from Kate Davies Designs, a “vanilla” pattern that lets the yarn steal the show.

More stash yarn (Retrosaria Mondim) went into these pretty Hermione’s Everyday Socks designed by Erica Leuder. “A perfect pattern for variegated or speckled sock yarn,” Tina says.

I finally finished my Creek, begun on the eve of the pandemic. I used Kelbourne Woolens Scout, and as I hope the second photo shows, Scout’s stitch definition is extraordinary. This sweater was worth the wait.

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So why is this post titled “Time to improvise”?

Summer, the season voted most likely not to be knit or crocheted in, is on the way out. Autumn is on the way in, and with it come all the alluring, irresistible new yarns for sweater (and scarf and hat and mitten and cowl) weather.

But let’s be honest — we all have yarn on our shelves we’d like to make “disappear” before too many of those new fall/winter yarns win our hearts and jump into our project bags. That’s right — I’m talking stash here.

I’d like to suggest that with a little improvisation, you can give your “extra” yarn the beginning of a beautiful friendship…

To lean on the Casablanca metaphor a bit harder, find 2–4 skeins that just plain look good together — a Rick and a Louis. Maybe add an Ilsa and a Victor. They don’t have to be the same weight, but they shouldn’t be too dissimilar. They shouldn’t be the same kinds of yarn, so don’t round up the usual suspects. The more variety, the better — try for mix of loopy, tweedy, thick, thin, smooth, chained, fuzzy, variegated, or solid. Now take a look back at your stash. Four skeins are gone! And you’re holding a future something that will be beautiful.

All you need now is a pattern — one that will look great with that mélange of different yarns. Even if the sample is shown in a solid color, if the stitch pattern changes, change your yarn. If stripes are called for, change yarns rather than colors. It’s that simple!

There’s a list of over 20 patterns (below) that I hope will inspire you to clear a few skeins from your stash, limber up those stitching muscles if they’ve been on summer vacation, and have fun improvising your knitting. (Apologies crocheters, my pattern suggestions are all for knits. Really — you do not want this crochet know-nothing to be picking out patterns for you!)

This idea of “improvisational knitting” is one I’ve been thinking about since April when I had the great good fortune to have visited the atelier of one of GYI’s most prolific knitters, commercial artist Yael Kahanov. She graciously gave me a tour of her home studio where she has assembled everything she requires to create her amazing sculptures, paintings, prints, and textiles.

In her fiber work, she will often make up her own patterns as she goes along, responding to the colors and textures of her yarns. She loves working with beads and “novelty” yarns. We featured several of her shawls at the end of this post last year.

From a shelves piled high with gorgeous completed shawls, wraps, and stoles, she tossed these casually across a couch for me to photograph saying, “this is just some of what I like to do!”

Sometimes Yael finds a pattern she loves and will work repeat after repeat, changing only her yarns.

Here the pattern is unexpectedly split apart by a section of plain stockinette in a wild, loopy art yarn.

I find Yael’s approach to knitting incredibly inspiring and freeing — as you can see, the sky is the limit for those “fortunate ones” who will be escaping your stash!

Take a look at the following suggestions for patterns that can be used for combinations of different yarns. Even if you don’t love a specific design, perhaps you’ll enjoy exploring the work of a designer new to you.

PATTERNS FREE ON RAVELRY

LaLa’s SImple Shawl by Laura Linneman – https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lalas-simple-shawl

The Age of Brass and Steam by Orange Flower Yarn – https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-age-of-brass-and-steam-kerchief

Stitch Sampler Shawl by On This Day Designs – https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/stitch-sampler-shawl

Reyna by Noora Backlund – https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/reyna

Stormy Sky by Ksenia Naidyon – https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/stormy-sky-shawl

Take It All by Lisa Hannes – https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/take-it-all

Cozy Eve by Sanne Kalmbacher – https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/cosy-eve

Upstate of Mind Shawl by The Lamb & Kid Designs – https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/upstate-of-mind-shawl

Bark by Sue Lazenby – https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bark-5

PATTERNS FOR SALE AT GYI / RAVELRY

Light and Up bu Caroline Wiens – https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/light-and-up

Trillian by Martina Behm – https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/trillian-2

Silta by Tif Neilan – https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/silta-2

Therapy by Laura Aylor https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/therapy

Goldana by Brian Smith – https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/goldana-2

Coming Together by Lisa K. Ross – https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/coming-together-2

Heart Warmer Shawl by Justyna Lorkowska – https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/heart-warmer-shawl

Perfect Blend by Casapinka – https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/perfect-blend

Olive Pink by Casapinka – https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/olive-pink

Casapinka has many patterns ideal for blending yarns. Check out her Ravelry Shawl Bundle: https://www.ravelry.com/bundles/shawls-458545

Smorgasbord by Stephen West – https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/shawl-smorgasbord Stephen West’s designs are also perfect for emptying your stash; view his entire Westknits design portfolio on Ravelry.

Another Cake by Barb Padwicki – https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/another-cake-shawl

Paris Toujours by Isabell Kraemer – https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/paris-toujours

Geology by verybusymonkey – https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/geology-shawl

Birds of a Feather by Andrea Mowry – https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/birds-of-a-feather-14

Antarktis by Janina Kallio – https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/antarktis

Finally, for anyone lucky enough to have almost no stash at all: the Lone Skein Shawl by Joji Locatelli – https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-lone-skein-shawl

Have fun introducing your stash yarns to each other and creating some beautiful friendships!

GYI will be closed on Saturday September 10. It is time for the 19th annual Endless Mountain Fiber Festival. We will reopen Wednesday September 14th @ noon.

We offer private lessons. Please call the shop (570) 287-9999 to make an appointment. Cost of a Private session is $20.00/hr.

After 2+ years, we’re able to offer in-person classes again. We are delighted to share our summer schedule that features talented instructors Kathy Hahn, Tina Woodward, Laurie Anson, and Stephanie Hogan. COVID-19 doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, so we want you to feel safe when you are with us — all classes will be limited to three vaccinated students, and we ask that masks covering the nose and mouth be worn at all times. Welcome back!

The Purl Stitch and Beyond with Kathy Hahn, $20

This is a one hour/one session class, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. It will be offered 4 times in August on the Fridays August 5, 12, 19, and 26.

Add purling to your knitting skill set, and you can do anything! This class will walk you through how to knit the purl stitch and how to work both knits and purls together to make different types of fabric. You will also learn to bind off your knitted piece in this class. Once you’ve learned how to purl, you will be ready to tackle your first project. You will need to bring US Size 7/4.5mm or US Size 8/5mm knitting needles and wool or wool blend yarn.

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Intro to Knitting with Kathy Hahn, $20

This is a one hour/one-session class, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. It will be offered 7 times in August on the Wednesdays August 10, 17, 24 and 31 and on the Saturdays August 13, 20 and 27.

If you’ve been wanting to learn to knit, you’ve come to the right place! This class is the very first step that will take you from “interested” to actual knitting. Learn how to cast on and create the knit stitch, what knitted fabric looks like, and what you can make with it. You will need the following materials: US Size 7/4.5mm or US Size 8/5mm knitting needles and a skein of wool or wool blend yarn.

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2 Morning Sessions: Intro to Socks Knit on Double Pointed Needles with Laurie Anson, $50

Thursday, August 11 & 18; 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

If you can knit and purl, Laurie can teach you the basics of sock knitting on a sample size sock. You’ll learn all the steps to get you started confidently knitting socks. You will be using double point needles to cast on for the cuff, join in the round, knit a heel flap, and close off the toe. Required skills: you must be able to work the knit and purl stitch. Knowing how to decrease is helpful, but not required. You will need to bring a set of US Size 7/4.5mm double point needles and worsted weight yarn.

Note: Laurie’s class will also be offered in the afternoon, August 11 & 18, 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.

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2 Afternoon Sessions: Intro to Socks Knit on Double Pointed Needles with Laurie Anson, $50

Thursday, August 11 & 18; 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.

If you can knit and purl, Laurie can teach you the basics of sock knitting on a sample size sock. You’ll learn all the steps to get you started confidently knitting socks. You will be using double point needles to cast on for the cuff, join in the round, knit a heel flap, and close off the toe. Required skills: you must be able to work the knit and purl stitch. Knowing how to decrease is helpful, but not required. You will need to bring a set of US Size 7/4.5mm double point needles and worsted weight yarn.

Note: Laurie’s class will also be offered in the morning, August 11 & 18, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

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Intro to Lace Knitting with Tina Woodward, $35

Saturday, August 13, 1:00-2:30 p.m.

Have you ever been knitting and suddenly found a perfectly round hole in the middle of your fabric? This happens often when we’re first starting out, but in this class Tina will show you how to create those holes on purpose! If we use this technique where it’s planned, it can be used to make beautiful lace designs. She will teach you how to read a chart and make a simple snowflake pattern. We recommend using Berroco’s Pima 100 Cotton so you can use your sample as a small cloth when finished.

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So, You Want to Knit a Sweater? with Stephanie Hogan, $30

Saturday, September 17, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

If sweaters have long been a goal of yours, this class is for you. Stephanie brings years of sweater knitting experience to this class and will guide you through the in’s and out’s of choosing a pattern that will suit both figure and personal style, how garment construction works, successful swatching to ensure a proper fit, how to choose your materials, and reading a pattern. No supplies are necessary unless you want to bring a notebook and pen for taking notes. At the end of class, you will be confident enough to try your hand at knitting a sweater yourself.

Join us on August 6th — one day only! — when we will welcome Tara of The Sheepyshire to GYI for a trunk show of her “hand dyed happiness,” direct from her dye studio in Mayfield, PA. She will be bringing a huge selection of her gorgeous Sheepyshire yarns, from elegant lace to huggable bulky  — including a surprise custom color created just for GYI!

Starting Wednesday, July 6, save 20% on EVERYTHING* in store, plus save another 10% on select yarns.

Our summer clearance is the best time to stock up for fall/winter projects — and don’t forget the gift knits that love to sneak up on you at the last minute!

*No further reductions on $2 printed patterns or magazines. Special orders not included in sale.

EMMA’S YARN THEME PACKS

There’s still time to order your Emma’s Yarn Theme Packs for summer delivery. Emma will be dyeing these 10 mini-skein sets for us later this month, so please give us your order this week.

Emma has created each set’s colors to coordinate perfectly for a color “melting” effect. They’re available in your choice of 3 different scrumptious yarn bases. Once you pick your colors, pick your yarn base:

• Practically Perfect Sock – a beautiful 2-ply 80% superwash merino/20% nylon fingering weight with the perfect balance of stretch and softness against the skin. Perfect for socks, shawls, sweaters and garments. 10 Smalls = 810 yards total, $65.

• Super Silky – 2-ply 80% Superwash Merino/20% Silk luxury fingering weight with gorgeous drape and an elegant sheen. Emma’s most popular choice for wraps and shawls. 10 Smalls = 810 yards total, $85.

• Simply Spectacular DK – a gorgeous 4-ply 75% Superwash Merino/25% Nylon DK yarn that is so soft to the touch and has just the right bit of give, making it perfect for garments, blankets, and accessories. 10 Smalls = 500 yards total, $65.

If you’d like us to ship your order to you as soon as we receive it, please add $7 for domestic postage.

HOT OFF YOUR NEEDLES

Let’s kick off summer’s first collection of finished projects with a bumper crop from Kathy. Above is her Farmstand Sack* from Laura Nelkin, knit in Berroco Pima 100. Below, her Beyond the Dunes. She knit this sleek Hinterm Stein design in Berroco Modern Cotton DK.

Moving from cool cotton to soft wool, here is Kathy’s Norderney*, from designer Isabell Kraemer, in Kelbourne Woolens Scout.

Next, Kathy’s The Twist of Fate Beanie* by Cathryn Johnson, topped with one of GYI’s fur pom poms. Her yarn is Malabrigo Rios.

Petiteknit’s Oslo Hat – Mohair Edition* was all the rage this past winter, and Kathy shows us why…

With both the blue version, above, and the pecan version, below, Kathy used Berroco Aerial as the mohair yarn held with a fingering weight.

One secret to this hat’s popularity could be its cleverly turned brim —

Kathy knits it all — from head to toe — and here are her DRK Everyday Socks* by Andrea Mowry in Emma’s Yarn Practically Perfect Sock.

For these next socks Kathy chose the lumberjack* pattern from Tin Can Knits and used Berroco Ultra Wool DK.

Kathy did a little stash-diving and found Oink Pigments Oink Sport for Antonia Shankland’s classic Honey Cowl.

Rounding out this gallery of Kathy’s projects is a wee little City Limits* pullover that again combines Berroco Aerial with a fingering weight. There’s a lot to love about this Tanis Lavallee pattern — first, it’s size inclusive, fitting chest sizes 18.25″ (infant) to 68.5″ (adult). Next, it’s completely reversible. Finally, Lavallee encourages knitters to create their own “worsted” weight yarn by holding multiple finer yarns together. You can knit a marl, a fade, or make your own custom fabric, as Kathy did here. Next time you’re in the shop, check out Kathy’s fascinating swatch of multiple lace and fingering weight yarns blended to achieve a worsted gauge — a real inspiration to knit the ultimate stash busting sweater.

Staying with baby knits, Jill finished a tiny little Puerperium Cardigan* in Berroco Isola, an ideal gift for a summer arrival. Pattern is from Kelly van Niekirk. In such a small newborn size, you get just a hint of the lovely gradient shading in cool cotton/linen/viscose Isola.

Remember Jill’s Gresham Wrap* in Blue Sky Fibers Woolstok from our June 3 post? It’s got a friend now! Gina made hers with color #1300/Cast Iron as her main color. Jill’s MC is #1303/Highland Fleece. Which colors would you choose for yours?

There’s a reason Gina is known at GYI as the “Woolstok Whisperer” — check out her amazing Strange Brew* from Tin Can Knits. Most folks have used this completely customizable, size-inclusive, top-down or bottom-up pattern to make sweaters with colorwork motifs only on the round yoke. Gina used her beloved Woolstok for fun stranded patterning all over.

But Gina’s not a monogamous knitter. Malabrigo Rios is another of her favorite yarns. This is her Sunday Drive* by Tanis Lavallee.

Bonnie sent pictures recently of what she worked on this spring. While not all the photos have pattern/yarn information to match, you will still enjoy her always-charming FOs.

The appeal of baby sweaters isn’t only their diminutive size; it’s often in the details — like novelty buttons, above, and the gathered hem, below, with a bow tie.

The next two were knit in Madelinetosh Vintage from Bonnie’s stash.

The solid grey pullover was customized with the recipient’s name — how cute is that?

This darling sweater/cap set was made in Malabrigo Rios in pale blue.

What do babies need besides sweaters and caps? Nice cozy blankets, of course! This looks like it could be the Westport Blanket* from Fifty Four Ten Studio.

Thank you for sharing your spring FOs, Bonnie!

Ari made Stephen West’s Purl Ridge Scarf in Malabrigo Rios. An easy cowl like this, knit in the round, makes an ideal gift knit.

Next, from Jourdaine, her adorable Whoops a Daisy socks* by Stone Knits. The yarn is Emma’s Yarn Practically Perfect Sock in Aloha, Buttonwood, and Himalayan Salt.

Rebecca may have used a “plain vanilla” sock pattern, but her jazzy stash yarn that pooled into tiger stripes makes these socks anything but “plain.”

Speaking of jazz, Rebecca’s sweater in Cascade Ultra Pima Quattro is pure improvisation. This is her own original pattern with front yoke detail in a chevron pattern, which I hope you can make out in the photo.

Sarah’s Soho Shoulder Crop by Jackie A Parker was knit in just 10 days. Now that’s my kind of summer knitting — actually finished in time to wear in the same summer!

Stephanie needed more than 10 days to make her stunning As You Wish* shawl, since it was a mystery KAL with clues released by designer Mary Annarella over several weeks. Stephanie calls it her “Wrap of Unusual Size (W.O.U.S.)” — if you know, you know — and used Malabrigo Sock and Manos del Uruguay Alegria.

We love seeing what you’re making with our yarn. Can’t make it into the shop with your FO? Photos saved as JPG or PNG files are always welcome. Please send as email attachments to the shop’s info@ address.

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

It’s time to play “Pick Your Emma’s Yarn Theme Pack“! As mentioned in the last post, we’ll be taking special orders for these gorgeous sets of 10 coordinated Emma’s Yarn mini skeins for midsummer delivery.

There are 6 different Theme Packs and all can be ordered in your choice of Emma’s top 3 yarn bases—Practically Perfect Sock ($65), Super Silky (also a fingering, $85), and Simply Spectacular DK ($65).

Call or visit the shop to order starting Wednesday, June 22. Deadline is Friday, July 8. If you’d like us to ship your order to you as soon as we receive it, please add $7 for domestic postage.

What can you make with 10 amazing colors, chosen by dyer Emma herself to practically melt into one another? The Tropical Dilemma shawl was designed by Laura Dobratz specifically for Theme Packs, but there’s enough yardage in each pack to make all sorts of things. The two fingering weights have 810 yards each; the DK is 610 yards total. Let your imagination soar!

Here’s another look at these glorious hand-dyed Emma’s Yarn colors (pictured in the Practically Perfect base). Good luck deciding on your pick!

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Are you on Instagram? So are we! And as of today, we have a new address: @followgoshyarnit. Please follow us there and continue to enjoy seeing great customer projects, our newest merchandise, and (of course!) lots and lots of beautiful yarn. You’ll be able to continue to view our original account, @followtheyarn, as an archive.

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Did you know you can look back through all our older posts any time? Click on the link at the bottom of any post that says “Filed Under: Uncategorized.” Enjoy!