Some of you may be familiar with the Knit Kit, but if you’re not, you simply must get one and get one fast.  These little gems are the “Swiss Army knife” of knitting and are due to be featured on the Martha Stewart show as the craft item of the week!  Congrats to the KnitKit for the fab achievement and for being a staple in our lives.

We now stock two colors, black and the new and improved teal.  The teal retails for a bit more because it has a few upgrades (a two sided crochet hook and a darning needle).

These were one of our most popular gifts leading up to the holiday season and then we had a HUGE run on them early in the new year with folks deciding they needed one themselves. We just received another shipment of both teal and black. Don’t miss out. I think after the Martha show, there will be another big rush!

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I was so excited to discover a little feature in the latest issue of Vogue Knitting about the release of Sciaparelli’s Bowknot sweater pattern for free by Schoolhouse press.  Although this recent pattern has been slightly updated by Lisa Stockebrand, Meg Swansen, and Joyce Williams, this is such a great example of how classic style is always classic.

If you’re not familiar with Elsa Schiaparelli she was an Italian fashion designer who was regarded by many as one of the most prominent figures in fashion between the two World Wars. Her chief rival was Coco Chanel. She launched a her collection of knitwear in 1927 using a special double layered stitch created by Armenian refugees. It’s a neat stranded technique where the accent color is carried through the body fabric, woven in periodically, creating a tweed-like effect in the main color body section of the sweater.

Don’t you just want to knit this?  How about charcoal gray with a pale pink bow? How about a cream sweater with a blue bow? What about a grass green sweater with a khaki bow?  All of the beautiful updates on classic style.

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If you’ve been around our shop at all this season or taken a look at the class list, you’ll notice that our Latvian Mitten class, taught by Laurie Bellin, has been all the rage. We’ve run this class numerous times. Student’s have felt like they’ve climbed a mountain but ended up triumphant and like they can tackle anything. One key discussion we’ve noticed during each of the classes is about color dominance and I thought I’d share a little bit more info about it here and a great example.

In stranded knitting,often referred to as fair isles knitting, you carry the multiple colors of yarn in the back of your work.  As the yarns travel along behind the work, one strand will be carried below the other. This bottom strand of yarn will become slightly more prominent in the finished object. This is because its stitches will be just a fraction larger than the stitches of the other strand.

It might not seem like this could all make a big difference, but it really can. One student in the latest class gave us a terrific example of what can happen when one yarn becomes dominant over the other and how it can affect a finished object.

Here you can see just how one color can be more dominant over the other and what happens if you don’t keep the dominant yarn consistent.

Many experienced knitters suggest the contrasting color should ride below the main color when being stranded behind the work. Therefore the main color would be the top yarn and the contrast would be the bottom yarn.

To help you remember which yarn goes in which hand or rides above or below you may want to write it on your pattern just as you do when you jot down which symbol on you chart matches each color use. For example:
Black = background color / right hand or top yarn
White = contrast color / left hand or bottom yarn

Thanks to Jenny for lending us her pics of the gorgeous mitts and showing us a fabulous example of color dominance.

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You may remember the free pattern I posted a few months back using Classic Elite Kumara.  Well they’re back with another fabulous free pattern.  I think it would look so scrumptious in white.

Kumara is 85% Extra Fine Merino/15% Baby Camel, 128yd per ball, Knits at 4.5 sts over 4 inches on a U.S. size 9 and sells for $10.95.  Because of its short staple length the camel adds a lovely halo when blocked. The merino component is dyed before the yarn is spun with undyed camel hair. The blend of dyed and undyed fibers makes soft, muted colors. Kumara’s six twisted plies yield great stitch definition.

Designed by Pam Allan, Classic Elite’s creative director, this pattern leverages simple and very structural garter stitch and is a fabulous use of short rows.  Pam forgoes the wrap and turn technique, thus simplifying the short rows, and allowing the eyelets to become a design element in this piece. The simplicity makes this a great first project for someone new to short rows.

Download it here.

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As we know, Rowan hardly ever disappoints and they’ve succeeded again with Rowan Magazine 47 (Buy it now).  It’s out on shelves now, in our store, and up online.  It’s a lovely taste of spring during this particularly cold and snowy stretch of our winter season here in New England.

This issue has several lovely “stories”, which is how Rowan Magazine organizes the collections, and some great features.  The first story is Serenity, which is a deeply feminine story inspired by the serene beauty of far off places.  Next up is Jamboree, which is a fun cheery collection for both men and women and is a bit retro and reminiscent of some of my favorite 80’s classics.  There is also Halcyon days which is beautifully inspired by the scenery of Malta.

There is also a great online feature showcased in the magazine by none other than Kaffe Fassete.  It’s a nice treat and a must see.

As we know at Seed Stitch, crochet is really coming into it’s own this year.  We have so much interest in it and have run tons of crochet classes this winter.  Well the industry is really starting to hear the crochet drum beat and Rowan is sure to answer with some amazing crochet designs in this issue and a soon to be released crochet collection that we’ll stock as well.

Simply lovely right?  Don’t miss out on this great issue.  It’s a keeper!

Pick up your copy now. Rowan Magazine 47 here.

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We’ve had such a great class line up this winter. Not just because of the large number of classes we’ve been able to offer but because of our amazing line up of teacher and the energy and excitement of the students who’ve signed up.

This Sunday was no different. I caught the tale end of our Dorset button class, taught by a new addition to our teaching staff, Jules Means. I walked in to a bunch of smiling faces and lots of jubilation!

Jules really got the ladies’ creative juices flowing.  The table was heaped with yarn in all colors and weights as well as some finished buttons to showcase what can be done.

The students ended up with some fantastic finished projects.  Also make sure to check out a blog post from fellow SSFY teacher and (on Sunday) student, Rhonda Culbert, about her experience in the class.

We hope to run this class again in the coming weeks.  If you’re interested in joining the next session.  Give the shop a call and ask to be put on the list.  Once we have the date secured we’ll give you a call and try to get you registered.  As a reminder, check out our class policy and pre-payment is required to secure your spot in any class as the demand for them is so high.

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I found this cute animation from fashion company Pringle of Scotland. Pringle commissioned artist David Shrigley to create a humorous short animated film about life behind-the-scenes at Pringle to celebrate the brands return to Milan Fashion Week and it is a funny little parody on the yarn industry.

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I’m always interested in new up and coming designers, simple style, interesting stories, and those folks to watch for their future impact on fiber arts.  Some of you may already know Stephen West, but if you don’t he’s one to watch.  He’s a young designer who has a great blog, showcasing his designs and is quickly rising in popularity on Ravelry.  We caught up with Stephen to talk a little about his background, his work, and what’s next for him.  Check it out and check out his work!

Can you tell us a little bit about how you got started knitting and designing?

I started knitting in high school after a couple friends taught me, but my knitting looked as awkward as I felt doing it. Despite this rough first attempt, I was still interested, so I got a knitting book and learned all the basics. My first projects were acrylic scarves and hats until I went to college and found my LYS, Klose Knit in Urbana, IL. I discovered wool, alpaca, and other wonderful fibers and then there was no looking back. I brought projects with me everywhere and worked almost strictly from patterns for about a year. During that time I would often modify patterns to fit my taste and my 6′2 height. After modifying more and more patterns, it wasn’t too long before I started designing my own. By designing my own patterns, I can get exactly what I want or I end up with something completely different and weird, which may spark another design idea.

Shawls, shawls, and more shawls. They seem to be on everyone’s mind and you have some amazing shawl patterns in your line up. What is it about shawls that inspires your creative juices?

I love making them as much as I love wearing them. I particularly love smaller shawls that can be worn as scarves around the neck because they are easy to wear and they also look fun and stylish. Shawls as scarves or neck pieces are also quicker to make, often taking just one skein of sock yarn. Fingering weight yarn is one of my favorites because it drapes beautifully and the colors can be breath-taking. I don’t knit socks much, so shawls are another wonderful use for sock yarn. Shawls also have multiple functions. They can be wrapped around your neck, positioned several different ways, or draped over your shoulders. There are many different ways of constructing shawls. Most of mine start at the neck edge with just a few stitches and then gradually increase outwards. I love this method of construction because you quickly see progress and by the time rows become painfully long, you’re almost done. I am humbled by responses I receive from knitters who love my shawl designs. So, it is easy for me to develop shawl patterns when there is so much interest in them.

Where does your inspiration come from? Are their any designers out there today that are really inspiring you or you feel are on the cutting edge?

Sometimes my inspiration comes from images I come across or structures and objects in my environment, but mostly I am inspired by yarn, color, and the act of knitting. So, my designs often utilize simple stockinette and garter stitch, showcasing beautiful yarns. Simple, clear lines mixed with some interesting detail or shape appeal to me. I am always inspired by what other designers like Jared Flood, Ysolda Teague, Gudrun Johnston, and Kirsten Kapur come up with. I can tell that they are all passionate about knitting and I think their work has the ability to evoke a strong mood or emotion. All of them also take gorgeous photos, which is something I’d like to learn more about.

What’s up next for you?
A lot, actually. I am going to start working on a website soon and hopefully get my blog updated and going again. I’ve taught a few classes in my local area, but I am interested in expanding my class repertoire and traveling to different shops this year. I have been designing a lot of new patterns recently, which I am very excited about. Some of these new patterns will be part of a Westknits pattern collection that I’m planning to release later this year. I just started working with Deep South Fibers, who now distributes my patterns wholesale to yarn stores, which frees up more time for me to play with new design ideas. I’m also working on some knit art installations with Chicago-based fashion designer, Katrin Schnabl, These installations will be presented in Chicago and New York this spring.

Quick Facts:

On your iPod right now: Spring Awakening soundtrack. I can’t stop listening to it.

If you were a yarn what yarn would you be? Right now, I would be Malabrigo Twist because I can’t stop knitting with it.

Favorite place to knit: Outside in the shade

Current project on the needles: Farmer’s Market Cardigan by Connie Chang Chinchio, Chevalier Mittens by Mari Muinonen, Expedition by Todd Gocken, a new sweater design and scarf design.

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I’m so excited to announce that we are organizing a yarn crawl this spring to some of Boston’s North Shore’s amazing yarn shops.

As many of you already know, Boston’s North Shore is an amazing place and we have a wealth of awesome fiber shops, each with their own personality and something special to offer. As the new kid on the block, I decided it would be fun to get us all together and organize a crawl just when we are fighting the last doldrums of winter and need something to really look forward to.

Enter A Yarn Crawl 2010!

We have nine amazing stores participating. Stay tuned for more info in the coming days.

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Ok I’m so excited about this post today.  We recently received our new Seed Stitch Fine Yarn shirts and I love them!  As some of you may know I spend part of  my weeks in the city working in public relations and marketing for healthcare and life science companies and have for more than 10 years.  So I think that this shirt marries that life with my life as a yarn store owner.

Welcome Yarnamoritis — every fiber lovers disease “an insatiable love of yarn”.  With the route of the word obvious to us all “yarn”, combined with the Latin word “amor” meaning love and the suffix “-itis” denoting a disease.

Be the first one on your block to own one!

They come in a wide range of sizes from small to 2XL, but they are unisex and run a little big.

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