News

The star of the second week of our LYS Month celebration is beautiful Shibui Billow.

Save 10% on this DK-weight yarn that offers comfortable, lightweight warmth with the softest touch of fluff, thanks to gentle wisps of merino and alpaca spun around a fine cotton core.

Our newest shop sample of Billow is Shellie Anderson’s graphic MEHAMA* wrap. The $8 pattern will be free this week with your purchase of project yarn (4 hanks).

And this is our model in Billow of the cozy Churchmouse Two-Point Cowl*, a same-but-different mini version of their Easy Folded Poncho*.

Antonia Shankland just published a new scarf/wrap design for Billow called Chroma*. The $10 pattern will be free this week with your purchase of project yarn (5-7 hanks).

We shared Betsy’s fabulous Cumulus Blouse* from PetiteKnit in the 02/25/22 post, but it deserves another shout-out for showing how great Billow is for sweaters — if you’re considering a pattern that calls for holding a fingering with a silk/mohair to get a DK weight yarn, just use Billow!

Billow would be ideal for many of the same designer’s patterns, including her No Frills Sweater* and Sequence Sweater*.

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YOU COULD WIN a Hiya Hiya Steel Sharp 5″ Interchangeable Needle Set (US 2-8) — a $99.50 value! You’ll get a chance for every $20 you spend this month. The drawing will be held on Local Yarn Store Day, Saturday, April 30, at 4:00 p.m., but you need not be present to win.

Many wonderful designers and yarn companies are supporting local yarn stores with exclusive products and patterns for LYS Day. While we aren’t supposed to say too much about these LYS Day surprises, we can say we will have a treat from Madelinetosh, plus free pattern download coupons from Berroco and Kelbourne Woolens. (We may let a few more hints slip in future posts.)

Be sure to keep an eye out for our LYS Month Week #3 savings announcement next week — it’s one of our top-selling yarns!

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NEW PRODUCT ALERT: Stitchy Notes from HiKoo join the fabulous Knitting Barber Cords as the best, most useful notion we never knew we needed because they hadn’t been invented — but now they’re here! We love these knitter-friendly sticky notes and hope you will, too.

Once again, congratulations to all our Spring Sprint-ers. Here are three more lovely finished projects that were knit in those 31 days, starting with Tina’s impeccably elegant Cragside shawl from designer Stella Ackroyd.

Cragside was one of three projects Tina was able to start and finish in March. She also completed this charming wee Liesl* cardigan and matching wee Liesl Beret* from Ysolda Teague. All are currently on display in the shop. (Thank you to Tina for allowing me to “slurp” her gorgeous photos.)

Linda knit her cuddly Summer Soundtrack Cowl* in two colors of Berroco Ultra Wool DK. The pattern comes from designer Elizabeth Smith. It’s almost like getting two cowls in one, depending on how you you flip it. April weather in NEPA being what it is, I bet Linda has already enjoyed wearing it!

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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: The Fine Arts Fiesta is looking for fiber and textile artists to demonstrate crafts to the public on Friday, May 20, for at least one hour, any time between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. The Fiesta is held on Wilkes-Barre’s Public Square, rain or shine. Volunteers will be given space inside one of the tents. For more information, please call Volunteer Coordinator Helen Grebski, 570-288-1111, and leave a message by April 15.

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

Why wait until LYS Day, Saturday, April 30, to celebrate having a local yarn store? At GYI, we will be partying all month long, starting next week, with lots of specials and surprises.

It may be April Fool’s Day, but this is no joke — a major restock of Rowan Felted Tweed arrived today!

Congratulations to all our Spring Sprinters who set and met their goals. I’ve seen several of your projects, heard about others, and look forward to sharing as many as possible here in the coming weeks.

March really did go out like a lion where I live. We had a furious rainstorm that knocked out our power for over an hour. My last hour of official Spring Sprint knitting was done by candlelight.

Did I finish my Summer Soundtrack* pullover? Nope — I’ve gotten only as far as separating the body from the sleeves, and I’m okay with that. I never expected to finish in 31 days. For me, the Spring Sprint was the reminder I needed to work on one project EVERY day — no matter how many others I had going at the same time. I plan on keeping that same pace, and, believe it or not, the blob pictured below will be a sweater in another month.

My actual completed Spring Sprint projects are these two pairs of booties and the pattern they were knit from — my seamless adaptation of Stay-on baby booties, as mentioned in the last post. I would still welcome more test knitters.

Here are two more completed Spring Sprint projects. Liz used two hanks of Malabrigo Sock for this elegant single-warped scarf, woven with a 10-dent heddle. It looks so comfortable, doesn’t it?

Kathy knit her sweet little mermaid with Berroco Pima 100 and Amy Gaines’ Mermaid pattern. I may have to make a few of these for my 🧜‍♀️-loving granddaughters this summer.

And now for some FOs that weren’t knit as Sprint projects. Let’s start with Gina’s vibrant Embers* from Tin Can Knits. She used Emma’s Yarn Practically Perfect Sock for the body of the sweater. The textured colorwork was knit with Edition 3 from Schoppel Wolle. This sweater is on fire🔥!

For a “bespoke” pair of socks for her husband, Laurie customized a favorite pattern with asymmetric cables, placing them to the outside of each sock. This was accomplished with no small amount of research into cable pattern options! Here’s the amazing left foot:

Bonnie did some customization of her own, changing the stand-up garter collar of Melissa LaBarre’s Habanero* cardigan to traditional 2×2 ribbing — with this adorable result.

While baby may not be quite big enough yet for the cardigan, the matching hat is already getting regular use. I love the one-row stripes she got using helical knitting technique.

Francie used the pinkest pink Lana Grossa 365 Cashmere for this light, summer weight Guernsey Wrap* from designer Jared Flood. The pattern clearly works as well with non-wool as wool yarns — it’s all about beautiful stitch definition and drape.

I finished my Broken Garter Blanket in Malabrigo Rios. While I didn’t use a pattern, Meadow Lane, a free pattern from Fifty Four Ten Studio, is quite similar.

Please allow a proud Nana to include this blanket “action shot.”

I’ll close with Tina’s showstopper Jade Scarf* from Lisa Richardson.

The scarf was designed specifically for Rowan Felted Tweed Colour, and Tina used the two suggested colors (#024 Chestnut and #027 Succulent), making only one slight change — she worked 23 of 25 pattern repeats to allow her to use 4 balls of each.

Isn’t this just stupendous? When Tina brought it in, there was much exclaiming over not only her lovely colorwork but also the incredible softness of the fabric. That’s Felted Tweed for you — I think I remember someone saying, “It feels just like a pile of bunnies!”

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

Spring Sprint Update: Halfway through the month, I am working faithfully on my “official” Sprint project, Elizabeth Smith’s Summer Soundtrack*, every day now. Will I finish it in two weeks? Probably not, but I’m trying! I have the dreaded condition “Knitter’s Startitis,” and I’ve put my Soundtrack* aside once already, just long enough to start and finish an irresistible project, these Seamless Garter Baby Booties*:

The pattern is my adaptation of the 0-3 mos. size of Stay-on baby booties from Ravelry member “KnitgirlinNorway.” The original is knit flat and seamed. My version is worked (mostly) in the round and closed with a 3-needle bind off across the heel. I used a sport weight yarn, Alpaca Yarn Co. Symmetry, on US 2/2.75mm DPNs. If you’d like to be a beta tester for my rebooted bootie, I’ll happily send you my instructions.

Could we be in the middle of a new baby boom? Perhaps because we have a new bébé in our family, I’m hearing about new arrivals everywhere. (Congratulations, Ann! Congratulations, Bonnie!) There definitely has been an uptick in the number of customer requests for baby sweater and blanket patterns — so a shout out to my favorite blanket source, Fifty Four Ten Studio.

My current favorite quick and easy baby sweater is this Norwegian Fir Top Down Cardigan* from OGE Designs. I knit it in Berroco Ultra Alpaca Light in a week in February, so it doesn’t qualify for the Sprint, but yours could — even with just two weeks to go! It is that simple, with the raglan increases built right into the lacey panels and no underarm stitches to cast on or pick up. As a bonus for all the chart-phobic knitters out there, the directions are clearly written out, row by row.

One last baby knit, my Ellen’s Coming Home Set* from PetiteKnit. The bonnet has Berroco Aerial silk/mohair added to give it extra coziness. This was knit in ancient stashed yarn, but Berroco Ultra Wool DK would be my choice for a washable soft wool, Modern Cotton DK for a summer weight.

Despite last Saturday’s snow storm, warmer weather is on the way, of course. You can be ready with our lighter, seasonal yarns that have just arrived, Isola and Remix Light. And don’t forget our favorite 100% cotton worsted weight Pima 100.

ISOLA — Made in Italy; 284 yds/100g; Suggested Knitting Gauge: 5.25-5.5 sts = 1″, 21-22 sts & 29-30 rows = 4″ (10cm); Needle Size: 5-6 (US) / 3.75-4 mm; Crochet Gauge: 4.75 sc = 1″, 19 sc & 24 rows = 4″ (10cm); Hook Size: F (US) / 3.75 mm; Fiber Content: 38% Cotton, 36% Linen, 26% Viscose; Care: Machine wash in cold water on delicate cycle. Lay flat to dry.

Elizabeth Smith (there’s that name again) wrote a blog post recently about swatching the newest Berroco yarns, including Isola, to find a replacement yarn for her Castaway* sweater, designed originally for Quinoa, a yarn that’s been discontinued. Isola tied for first place! Read the full article here — a fascinating look behind the scenes at how designers pick their yarns. Here’s Castaway*, her boxy tee.

Another simple summer top that would be perfect for Isola is A Slice of Linen* from Susan Barstein. Knit sideways, you could use two or just one color of Isola. The yarn’s long ombré gradient shading would create subtle vertical stripes.

You, too, can be a yarn detective, whether, like Smith, you have a pattern and are looking for a yarn for it or you have a yarn and are pattern hunting. Here’s how:

With a brand new yarn such as Isola, a search on Ravelry for “Pattern Ideas” can yield no results, since the yarn is just too new for folks to have posted projects using it. Likewise, a new pattern might have very few “Yarn Ideas.” Stephen West’s latest Corrugation Shawl*, for example, released only 5 days ago, has only 3 projects listed on Ravelry and just one yarn option other than the suggested yarn, which is a hand-dyed yarn, priced at over $38/skein, with 5 skeins required — yikes!

My simple solution for yarn substitution? Go to YarnSub.com. In the Search Box, enter the yarn you want to match or replace in a pattern. Like magic, this amazing resource site will give you a list of comparable yarns. For Isola, I picked Zooey, the 5th suggested yarn and an 89% match, because I knew it’s been available long enough to have been widely used. Sure enough, there are 35 pages of Pattern Ideas for Zooey on Ravelry — plenty to choose from for Isola! Working in reverse to find a substitute for the suggested yarn for Corrugation Shawl*, I discovered the 3rd suggested yarn, a 91% match, was our very own Kelbourne Woolens Scout!

(Please note that not all of YarnSub’s suggestions will be available in the U.S.)

Come to think of it, Remix Light would make a fantastic summer weight version of Corrugation Shawl*. There are plenty of other Pattern Ideas on Ravelry for Remix Light, though, in addition to Berroco’s own designs. We’re welcoming it back for spring with the newest colors, including Irish Moss and Blue Moon, below. Recycled non-wool fibers make it a comfortable year-round yarn. I love having it in my hands every day now — thank you, Spring Sprint!

REMIX LIGHT — Made in France; 432 yds/100g; Suggested Knitting Gauge 5.5 sts = 1″, 22 sts x 32 rows = 4″ (10cm); Needle Size: 5 (US) / 3.75 mm; Crochet Gauge: 5 sc = 1″, 20 sc x 22 rows = 4″ (10cm); Hook Size: F (US) / 3.75 mm; Fiber Content: 30% Nylon, 27% Cotton, 24% Acrylic, 10% Silk, 9% Linen; Care: Machine Wash in cold water, delicate cycle. Lay flat to dry.

WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS ARE MAKING…

Sharon chose Malabrigo Rios in the kettle-dyed color Candombe for her Low-key Cowl* from Elizabeth Smith (3rd mention!). It’s a one skein project that uses a technique possibly new to many knitters, the split hem. Fear not! Smith has a video that explains exactly how to work it. If you’d like to jump into the Spring Sprint, this pretty cowl could easily be started and finished by the end of the month.

Stephanie brought in two completed sweaters recently, both designed by Thea Colman, a.k.a. Baby Cocktails. (Like finding a clothing brand that fits you really well, when you knit your own clothing and find a designer whose patterns seem tailored just for you, you become a fan!) This is Stephanie’s magnificent Dolin* cardigan. She used Kelbourne Woolens Scout in Blue Heather. Just look at that stitch definition.

And don’t you love those cables?, how they match at the shoulder seam? She did some beautiful seaming here. Her second sweater is Lillet* in Lana Grossa 365 Cashmere, a cotton blend. Short rows worked right into the lacey neckline invisibly extend the back for better shaping and fit. Stephanie even added lace detail to the original ribbing at the hem. This one will be getting a lot of wear very soon!

And finally, here is Francie in her Weekender* from Andrea Mowry — that is one happy knitter! Her yarn may not have come from GYI, but we celebrate every finished sweater here!

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

Our Spring Sprint begins today, and to recap: Spring Sprint is a challenge to GYI customers to knit/crochet/weave at least one entire project, start to finish, in 30 days. You can do it!

Have fun, amaze yourself, and inspire the rest of us! No purchase necessary. No yardage minimums. Work down your stash and/or have fun picking out new yarn from GYI.

Choose your own patterns or use one of our suggested designs — Elizabeth Smith’s Soundtrack sweaters and cowls. Not only are they well-written, beginner-friendly patterns, offering lots of yarn and wear options (either worsted or DK weight, wool or non-wool), but Smith also has helpful videos explaining each technique and term. If you choose to make one of the Soundtrack pieces and purchase your yarn from us, we’ll give you your pattern FREE!

Here’s my swatch for a Summer Soundtrack* sweater using Berroco Remix Light, a DK weight non-wool yarn:

Soundtrack is designed to be worn with 6-10″ of positive ease. My swatch tells me my gauge — the target number of stitches per inch to yield the desired dimensions. Summer Soundtrack has the same gauge for both flat and in-the-round knitting, 24 sts = 4″ or 6 sts/inch. After washing/drying my (flat) swatch, then measuring in several different spots (think of the 5 pips on a playing card) and averaging those measurements, I got a gauge of 6.5 sts/inch on a US 5 needle.

If I wanted 6 sts/inch, I would need to go up a needle size to a US 6 to get larger stitches. However, I’m staying with US 5 because I actually want my finished sweater to fit somewhere between two of the pattern’s sizes — a little bigger than Size 2’s 43.25″ body circumference and smaller than Size 3’s 48.5″. I will still cast on Size 3’s 292 stitches, though. With my higher gauge (6.5, rather than 6 sts/inch), I hope to end up with a 45″ body circumference (44.92″ or 292 ÷ 6.5) instead of Size 3’s 48.5″ (actually, 48.66″ or 292 ÷ 6).

If all this sounds too technical and like too much trouble, let me say that the swatching, washing, and measuring took only about an hour + overnight dry time — an investment of my time I’m happy to make before embarking on a month of knitting that could otherwise produce a sweater I’d NEVER want to wear! I also now know that I love the fabric made with this yarn on a US 5, and I’m already thinking how nice Modern Cotton DK or Pima 100 could be, too.

(You may notice I kept my swatch stitches “live” on a Knitting Barber Cord; I’ll use up my other balls of yarn first, but eventually I may have to unravel my swatch to finish the sweater. By not cutting my swatch yarn, I’ll be able to re-use it after a light steam to unkink it once it’s unknit.)

If you’ll be Spring Sprinting, please email us at info<at>goshyarnitshop<dot>com and share with us what project(s) you’ll be making. In April we hope to feature as many customer FOs here online and in-store as possible to celebrate everyone’s accomplishments!

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FYI at GYI: The wonderful Berroco 123 DropShip Program is still going strong — allowing us to order any of their yarns for you, in any amount and color, to be shipped directly to you. It’s as if GYI stocks every Berroco, Lang, Amano, Lopi, and WOOLADDICTS yarn available!

Howling wind and snow, sleet, ice… enough already, winter. Fortunately, our Spring Sprint starts next week, and that should make the last month of winter fly by! Spring Sprint is a fun way to challenge ourselves to start and finish (at least) one entire project in 30 days—a chance to stitch our personal best.

You can knit, crochet, or weave anything you like. The only rule for Spring Sprint is to start no earlier than March 1 and finish by March 30.

If you’re looking for some ideas, take a look at designer Elizabeth Smith’s Soundtrack sweaters and cowls. They have simple slip stitch patterning, keeping the knitting both interesting and easy. Choose from either worsted weight (cool weather) or lighter DK weight (warm weather) versions. When you buy your Spring Sprint yarn from GYI, we’ll give you your choice of one Soundtrack pattern FREE, as our gift!

Jill knit our store model of the Summer Soundtrack Cowl* using Berroco Ultra Wool DK in a matter of days:

If you’d like to join the Spring Sprint, just email us at info<at>goshyarnitshop.com and tell us what you’ll be making. In April, we will host an in-store show of Spring Sprint projects to celebrate the creativity of the GYI community. We hope we may feature your work! If you won’t be able to loan your work for display, please be sure to email us a photo so we can share it here online.

The email we sent out earlier this week mentioned yarns recently restocked — all of which can be used for the Soundtrack patterns, by the way — Rios and Sock from Malabrigo, Ultra Wool DK, Vintage Worsted, and Ultra Alpaca Natural from Berroco, Blue Sky Fibers Woolstok, and Kelbourne Woolens Scout. But we left one out: Cascade 128 Superwash!

As you see, our favorite chunky yarn is back on the shelves in two dozen shades. The plump 2-ply twist of Cascade 128 Superwash is 100% buttery-soft merino that works up into a snuggly machine washable and dryable fabric.

The winner of this month’s “Didn’t-Know-I-Needed-It-Now-Can’t-Live-Without-It” Prize goes to the new Knitting Barber Cords. What are they? Smooth silicone cords that securely stick to your needle tips, allowing you to quickly slide your stitches off to try a garment on for size and then safely slip the stitches right back on your needle again. Each tin includes one 60″ cord and two 30″ cords. No more threading a needle with waste yarn or dental floss. (And after selling out in record time, the EZ PZ Gauge Ruler, last month’s winner, is now back in stock.)

What have our customers been working on? Laurie completed her lovely Avantaea’s Blanket last month. She said she decided to cast on 300 stitches to “see where that takes me.” It took her to 36 x 90″! She knit stockinette with a garter border, sideways on a 32″ cable needle using a little bit of a lot of yarns—Rowan Felted Tweed, Berroco Vintage Worsted, Titus Baa Ram Ewe, Lana Grossa Gomitolo 200 Dégradé, plus other fingering, DK, and worsted weight yarns, held alone or together — a real stash buster.

Molly chose Cascade 128 Superwash in pure white for her baby-sized blanket in an elegantly simple ribbed pattern.

Gina used (mostly) Cascade 128 Superwash for her bold OOAK version of Denise Bayron’s Wave of Change Jacket*. The original design is a solid color stockinette cardigan with evenly spaced purl ridges. Here Gina used all stockinette but has added diamond motifs and randomly-placed bolts of bright colors that are absolutely inspired!

Here is Betsy’s stunning Cumulus Blouse* from designer PetiteKnit in Shibui Billow in Deep Water. Holding two strands of silk/mohair lace weight together or a strand of silk/mohair with another lace or light fingering weight yarn is in vogue right now. What Betsy’s sweater so beautifully shows is that you can get the same on-trend look and DK weight by using Billow alone.

Now, what will you make in March?

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

Usually I try to show pictures of our latest arrivals, but so much inventory has been delivered in the last 2 weeks that my camera and I just can’t keep up – here’s a list of what’s new right now:

• Berroco Ultra Alpaca Natural – we’ve brought back all 7 undyed shades of this 50% super fine alpaca/50% Peruvian wool worsted, created by blending the natural colors of alpaca with undyed wool.
• Re-stock of Cascade 128 Superwash – this is our go-to “light chunky” superwash merino wool that’s happy on a US 10/6mm needle. Vibrant colors, buttery soft, and machine washable.
• Re-Stock of Kelbourne Woolens Scout – a true modern classic. 100% heathered wool at a sport/DK weight in a gorgeous on-trend palette, ideal for colorwork.
• Re-stock of Blue Sky Fibers Woolstok – are we allowed to have a favorite favorite? That would be this 2-ply yarn of the highest quality Peruvian Highland wool, available in 50g and 150g hanks. Extremely soft with excellent stitch definition. And incredibly versatile – the suggested needle range is US 6-11/4-8mm.
• Re-stock of Ultra Wool DK – not just for babies, but this is our pick for “baby yarn.” 100% machine washable wool, smooth and gentle enough for little ones but also a great all-around DK weight. Berroco’s own patterns for Ultra Wool DK show what a wonderful staple yarn it is.
• Jūl Shawl Pins – simple, elegant shapes in rosewood or metal, all handmade and Fair Trade.

I do have photos to show of…

• EZ PZ Gauge Rulers – our first shipment of these amazing magnifiers flew out the door. They make accurate measurement of stitch and row gauge a snap. Get your name on the wait list for the next batch coming in (even our supplier is temporarily sold out right now, that’s how hot these gadgets are!)

And will there be spring yarns coming? You betcha! Berroco’s brand new ombré gradient Isola (below) is headed our way, along with a full re-stock of Berroco Remix Light, our bestselling non-wool yarn. Also coming soon, lots more Malabrigo Sock and Rios. As soon as the boat docks, the truck unloads at the warehouse, and the boxes are shipped to us, we’ll let you know!

Here’s a teaser for Isola…

…and here are two pattern suggestions for light, breezy tops made with Remix Light, Maëlle (in #3982 Blue Moon) and Capucine (in #6961 Peony held with Berroco Aerial in #3444 Fuchsia), both from the Berroco Design Team and both available at GYI…

Remember my Churchmouse Yarns and Teas Three/One Colorwork Cowl from the last post? I did indeed have enough Rowan Brushed Fleece left to complete another one, but it ended up not being a cowl.

I made it into a hat!

I am pretty pleased with the results, both with and without the pompom. Want to make one for yourself? You can pick up my modifications for this free pattern when you purchase your yarn.

(My cowl/hat trick worked because I have a 22″ head; if you don’t have a melon head like mine, you may need to go down a needle size or two to trick the gauge into making you a smaller hat)

Let’s get our Gallery of Finished Projects off to a great start with four absolutely beautiful woven scarves from our customer Liz. Yarns used include Malabrigo Rios, Emma’s Yarns Practically Perfect Sock, and Berroco Ultra Wool DK.

Nan wanted an ear-warming cloche hat and chose the pattern Mrs. Peel, We’re Needed* by Nina Machlin Dayton. Remember watching The Avengers? This is a bit like John Steed’s signature bowler, but much more stylish. Her yarn is Berroco Ultra Wool Worsted.

Joanne’s ready for spring with this comfortable, classic pullover in Luma from The Fibre Co. The pattern is #993 Neck down V-Neck T-shirt for Women* by Diane Soucy/Knitting Pure & Simple. Joanne says this was her easiest, quickest sweater ever, completed in less than a month. Here’s hoping she gets to wear it very soon!

Until that day comes, Joanne will have toasty toes with these snappy socks made with the Churchmouse Simple Toe-Up Sock* pattern. Her first pair was worked with Opal 4-Ply Sock for the main color and Manos del Uruguay Alegria in Crimson for the heels. The second pair was knit in sport weight Cascade Heritage 150 with a brilliant purple Wonderland Yarns Mad Hatter as the contrast color.

Linda made herself a clever little Pandemic Wrister, a free pattern from Claudia Krisniski. Knit in Berroco Pima 100, it will be a handy spot for her to park her needles, stitch markers, pins, etc. while she crafts.

And it’s not too early to start crocheting a family heirloom for next winter like this amazing afghan Cindy made. You don’t want to leave a project like this to the last minute!

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

Shop with us through December 31 – don’t forget to redeem valuable Frequent Buyer Points!

QUICK GIFT-KNIT IDEA: If I can knit this plush Three/One Colorwork Cowl with two balls of Rowan Brushed Fleece in three nights, you can, too! I’m a new-ish stranded knitter, still trying out different ways to hold my yarns, and this pattern from Churchmouse Yarns and Teas is a very easy first colorwork project. You’ll even have enough yarn remaining to make a second cowl with the colors reversed.

Want to tuck your handmade gift into a pretty pouch or pick up a new notions or project bag for yourself? New Baggu Go Pouch Sets are here, $38 for a set of 3 zip bags (4 x 6.75″, 7 x 10.5″, and 9.4 x 14″).

For when stitching time finally runs out, Baggu’s snazzy metallic ripstop nylon Wine Bottle Totes will dress up the classic last-minute gift. Each bag folds into its own flat pouch, with a keychain loop so it’ll never slip away. Handles double as tie closures. Set of 3, $34.

New Shibui Billow has quite a fan club, thanks to our shop model of the Two-Point Cowl*, a Churchmouse Yarns and Teas design. This unique DK weight yarn makes the most deliciously airy fabric.

Billow, made of merino wool and fluffy alpaca spun around a contrasting cotton core, is lovely from start to finish.

RESTOCKED: Berroco Aerial, 65% mohair/35% silk. Like the dollop of whipped cream on your slice of pumpkin pie, mohair/silk just makes great yarn better.

We love using one, two, or even three strands of mohair/silk by itself for the ultimate in coziness.

Above, the Arrochar* cowl, designed using simple slip-stitch mosaic knitting by Meg Gadsbey, in Aerial held double and knit as a DK weight on US 7/4.5mm needles.

RESTOCKED: Berroco Vintage Worsted. Soft and machine washable – it’s our bestseller, still only $9/skein. And, yes, that is a rainbow of Malabrigo Rios on the top shelf.

As always, I have wonderful and inspiring customers’ projects to share in our FO Gallery.

Joanne’s crimson socks were knit with Alegria from Manos del Uruguay and Wonderland Yarns Mad Hatter. Her pattern is Churchmouse Yarns and Teas Simple Toe-Up Socks*, to which she added baby cable patterned legs and cuffs.

Rebecca’s delightful Christmas mini-sweaters, featured individually in earlier posts, are worked in both knit and crochet and decorated with sewn, sequined, beaded, and baubled details. Each is a tiny original work of art. Here is her completed (Ugly) Sweater Wreath, finished with lights and tinsel, with nothing ugly about it!

One more beautiful holiday decoration from Rebecca, a Christmas ball covered in sparkly, lacey crochet.

Bonnie had a request for a “polar bear hat.” This is the charming result, the pattern improvised with chunky yarn from stash.

Bonnie knit one Sunday Balaclava* from PetiteKnit… and then another… and another…

…and now she’s trying to keep up with the requests for them, too!

These three kiddos loved their Sunday Balaclavas so much, they wore them all night. Bonnie uses Malabrigo Rios and prefers it to other worsteds for this pattern for its next-to-skin softness and washability.

Francie wore her Junegrass Pullover* in the other day, and I insisted on taking her picture – what a happy knitter! This is why we make our own clothing! The pattern from Carrie Bostick Hoge is a favorite of Francie’s. She used Malabrigo Rios in Cian.

Yes, a sweater that fits perfectly is one of life’s great pleasures. I’ll close with this knit-worthy story for you from the New York Times about a T. Rex and its custom “Christmas jumper” at the Natural History Museum in London. Enjoy – and have yourself ferociously happy holidays!

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

We have special HOLIDAY SHOPPING HOURS this Wednesday, Friday & Saturday (this week only): 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. We will be closed on Thanksgiving.

You probably know the Saturday after Thanksgiving is Small Business Saturday, a national event that helps locally-owned businesses stay in business. Supporting neighborhood stores like Gosh Yarn It!, instead of buying from national chain stores or ordering online, really helps the entire community thrive.

We opened our doors in 2010, the same year Small Business Saturday was created. The reason we’re still your local yarn store is because YOU shop at GYI not just that one day a year but all year long, and we’re very, very thankful for your continued support.

We’re celebrating YOU this Saturday, November 27, with 15% savings storewide.

Now, let’s talk about yarn and what you can do with it!

For me, the next best thing to knitting with yarn is taking pictures of yarn. Sometimes I fuss over getting just the “right shot.”

Sometimes I just have to open a box.

Presenting Emma’s Yarn Practically Perfect Halves – 50g skeins of Practically Perfect Sock (80% superwash merino wool/20% nylon fingering weight), 200 yds each. This is exactly how they arrived from Florida last week, two dozen gorgeous colors packed in four layers.

Half-skeins make so much sense – perfect for small projects, of course, but also for stripes, stranded colorwork, mosaic knitting, or anytime you need just the right color… but not a lot of it. Halves join our stock of Practically Perfect Sock 100g/400 yd skeins and 20g/81 yd Smalls.

Did you know we create original patterns for the yarns we carry? While there are plenty of patterns available online (Ravelry alone has a catalog of nearly half a million), and we’re always happy to suggest our favorites from these widely-available designs, we also have our own “line” of exclusive designs, yours free with your yarn purchase.

Our new Turnover Scarf stars Rowan Brushed Fleece. It’s knit on US 10/6.00 mm needles. The stitch pattern is called Shadow Check, which has a completely different look on each side. Our sample takes 3 balls of Brushed Fleece. It really isn’t fair calling such a featherweight blend of extra fine merino and baby alpaca a “bulky weight” yarn!

Brushed Fleece comes in soft puffs of fluffiness.

Another of our patterns, the Queen Bee Cowl, would be beautiful in Brushed Fleece – a snuggly hug for your neck all winter. Here it’s shown in two of our older samples using discontinued bulky yarns. You’d need only one ball of each of two colors of Brushed Fleece.

We created the Two x Two Cowl to pair Rowan Felted Tweed Colour, a brand new gradient yarn, with the classic solid shades of Felted Tweed – but two colors of any DK/worsted weight yarn could be substituted.

You can make it shorter, narrower, use more colors or fewer. We used one solid color and two different shades of Colour. It’s knit flat, so you can either leave it unseamed as a scarf or join the ends to make a loop. Either way, you’ll enjoy watching your colors change with every row!

Two of our most popular yarns have been re-stocked, worsted weight Malabrigo Rios and Malabrigo Rasta super bulky.

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Just how beloved is Rios? Let us count the ways…

Rios in hot pink Fucsia appears in Liz’s woven scarf, along with Blue Sky Fibers Woolstok in Cast Iron and a shot of juicy orange from one of our Emma’s Yarn Practically Perfect Smalls. Such beautiful work – it’s hard to believe Liz has only recently started weaving on her rigid heddle loom!

Rios Fucsia also stars in Molly’s cheery garter stitch scarf. She liked the look of Rios held together with Berroco Aerial silk/mohair in our Churchmouse Shoulder Cozy* (below) but didn’t want a cowl. After checking the stitch gauge of the Cozy, we figured how many to cast on for the width scarf she wanted, and voilà! Another (impromptu) original pattern was born.

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Bonnie used Rios in Teal Feather for her pretty Tonka Bay Toque* from designer Virginia Sattler-Reimer. The matching fur pompom is the perfect crowning touch.

Cathe used Rios in Ivy for her Wheat from the Tin Can Knits Simple Collection. Would you believe this is only her first scarf?

Stephanie chose Rios in Cereza for Mary Annarella’s topdown pullover Throwback Thursday*, which really is a throwback since it’s been featured here before – it was her 2019 Rhinebeck Sweater. But when she wore it into the shop recently the place went wild, and I knew I needed to take another shot! She says she enjoyed knitting its unique construction. The designer states in her notes: “A photo tutorial guides you through the top-down construction for what is possibly the easiest set-in sleeve you’ll ever work – no sewing, no picking up stitches around the entire armhole, no short rows on the sleeve cap. Just carefully placed increases within the easy stockinette.” Stephanie says, give it a try!

Gina (who, incidentally, made her own Throwback Thursday* after seeing Stephanie’s back in 2019) knit her bright Antonia/Antonio* cardigan from Julie Weisenberger in Rios Camaleon.

Not made with Rios, but oh-so adorable, this colorwork/striped child’s sweater was made with Gina’s favorite pullover “house pattern” in stash yarn and Schoppel-Wolle Edition 3.

Hats seem to be on everyone’s needles these days, and pompoms are on top of many of them.

Crystal opted for a fun oversized pompom for her cabled The Rachel Hat*, from cold comfort knits. The yarn is Blue Sky Fibers Woolstok, one of Crystal’s favorite “wooly wools.”

Francie is racing through her stash of fingering weight yarns with the Snap* hat from Tin Can Knits. Four strands are held together, creating the equivalent of a bulky yarn, knit on US 10.5/6.50mm needles. Here is her current WIP showing the four sock yarns she’s using.

And here are two of Francie’s finished Snap hats, both with pompom and waiting for pompom.

Sharon knit the Kitimat hat by Kayla Sparkes, a free pattern on Ravelry, with Berroco Vintage Worsted in Mochi, Indigo, and Sour Cherry.

She used the same colors in her Button-tab Hat* from Joji Locatelli.

For Laura Aylor’s Rimrock* cowl, Sharon chose madelinetosh Tosh DK in Tart and Daffodil.

Then, using the same yarns and another Laura Aylor pattern, the Love Note* hat, she took the mosaic pattern from the Rimrock cowl and substituted it for Love Note’s original simple colorwork design. Pretty darn clever!

Sharon used Malabrigo Rasta in Campfire for the last two projects she shared with us. The buttoned cowl is the free pattern Laser by Ashley N. Aguilar, and the hat is Sidewinder Beanie* from Aspen Leaf Knits. I love that cushy Rasta pompom.

Poshi used Malabrigo Rasta in Solis for her The Ade beanie, a free pattern on Ravelry, courtesy of designer Ola Ogunlolu. What do you think – will she pompom or won’t she?

As I began this FO gallery with a woven piece, so I’ll close it with Mary Lou’s lovely framed assemblage, which serenely combines woven yarn, beads, and shells.

What will you do with yarn next?

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

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.

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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.

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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!

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

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!