One of my favorite yarns from last season was Rowan’s Alpaca Cotton.  Its such a beautiful yarn and unlike anything else on the market. The construction is really interesting.  The core is a like a tiny fishnet stocking made of cotton and the alpaca is blown into it, making this really soft fuzzy yarn.  Oh and did I mention it’s machine washable?!!

Last season it came in a beautiful array of naturals and this season it’s back with COLORS!

Rowan featured a beautiful book called Winter Solace, which has been admired by so many who walk in the shop as we have a gorgeous shop model of the poncho below.

We love Winter Solace and Rowan has come out with another new and amazing book this year, featuring all of their alpaca yarns called Homestead Classics. I have my eye on this one:

This book features not only Rowan Alpaca Cotton but also Lima, another favorite yarn.

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If there is one thing we love to do at Seed Stitch is inspire new folks to pick up needles or a hook and knit and crochet.  It’s so great to see students work through questions and technique and create a craft of their own.  We’ve had the privileged of teaching so many students at Seed Stitch and we thought that those you thinking about taking a class or pondering whether you can knit or crochet yourself might want to hear from some students just like you.

Nikki and Susan learn to knit at Seed Stitch from Seed Stitch Fine Yarn on Vimeo.

We have so many amazing teachers and Nikki and Susan learned to knit in Andrea’s beginning knit class.

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We were so fortunate to host Cameron Taylor-Brown, a noted artist and the West Coast rep for Westminster Fibers, for a workshop in Color Play.  Those who attended, learned so much and had fun with color in a totally new way.

First we started off by sorting seemingly unrelated yarns into an amazing color wheel.

From there, each of us choose an inspiration photo from nature and then created little “window” with which we could isolate a small portion of that photo to help focus out color selection.

Next up, pick out yarns from the color wheel that were found in the section of the inspiration photo.

Now onto the fun stuff. Cameron has a great technique she calls yarn wraps.  It’s a way of sketching with yarn.  You grab a strip of cardboard and wrap your various color selections around, each wrap representing a line of knitting.  This technique allows you to better understand how one color will relate to another or the proportion or one color to another.

Hear directly from Cameron about how to color wrap.

Cameron Taylor-Brown Color Play Workshop — Color Wrappings from Seed Stitch Fine Yarn on Vimeo.

Each of us applied this color technique to a project.  Some made a bag, some made cowls, and one made a hot water bottle.

You can see the start of one lovely here:

To see more photos and inspiration from this amazing workshop check out the gallery on our Facebook page. If you’re interested in learning this amazing technique, stay tuned.  We have some fun events in mind for the coming season where we leverage this, a sense of community, and your stash.

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The National Needle Arts Association is the group that helps shop owners, manufacturers, publishers, and designers, get together, share information and help foster needle arts broadly, including knitting and crochet, needlepoint, cross stitch, etc

They have engaged Hart Research to help us better understand the market in which we operate and help best tailor products to the customers we serve.  In the coming weeks you’ll have the opportunity to partake in a Seed Stitch survey to help us tailor our offering to our customers, but I ask all of you to also participate in this larger industry wide survey on your likes, dislikes, and needs.

We hope that this will help manufacturers and product makers create the best products for you and LYS’s like Seed Stitch to bring them to you with help, support, and community!

Take the Survey Now!

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We had an amazing time last Friday night, March 5th, with Jane and Ken from Jade Sapphire for our Cashmere and Cocktails event.  If you haven’t squished Jade Sapphire yarn yet, you simply must.  It’s amazingly beautiful.

Jane and Ken only embarked on this expedition with Jade Sapphire seven years ago because of a lack of access to cashmere yarns for knitting and now are the leading distributor of cashmere yarns for hand knitting in the U.S.

We asked Jane why the yarns are labeled by the ply of the yarn, e.g. 2ply, 4ply, 8 ply, etc., rather than by gauge.  she explained to us that she didn’t want to limit knitters and “knit them into a box” so speak by dictating the needle size.  Above she was showing off a long swatch where she knit with the 4 ply from a size 3 needle all the way up to a 10 and the fabric performed beautifully on all.

Ken and Jade recently visited the region where the cashmere yarn comes from and visited the facilities where it’s process to understand not only the process and quality, but to make sure the goats were happy and healthy as well as the workers in the plants.  What a great company huh?  Squishly yarns that are also socially conscious.

It was a full house that night.  Thanks to everyone who attended the event.  You walked away with some fabulous cashmere, some new info, and hopefully it a great time.

Two updates: We were so excited about squishing cashmere and talking to folks we forgot about door prizes!  So I’ll be drawing from the list of folks who attended and will call you if you win a prize!  Seriously isn’t that awesome!

Also, many customers have since asked where I purchased those AMAZING cupcakes. They were from Kiss Ass cupcakes in Somverville and were all gluten free because I’m a Celiac!

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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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Well tomorrow is October 1st in Salem MA and the official start to the Halloween season and our official start to Fall festivities.  Tomorrow night is one of my favorite nights of the year in Salem.  It’s the Haunted Happenings Grande Opening Parade and if you haven’t been it’s fantastic.  It’s Thursday too and our night for community knitting.  We’ll be open so please feel free to join us for the parade and some knitting.  Please do plan ahead if you’ll be joinnig us because parking is likely to be a bit less straight forward than normal and there will be some street closures as we get closer to the start of the parade.  It will be by 21 Front St. at about 7:00 and we’ll have some refreshemnts and treats for those of you excited to join us.  We’ll also have an adorable little girl that I know in a nurse costume and I’m sure a few of her adorable little friends.

There are a ton of awesome things planned around town this month.  Don’t let the crowds scare you away.  There are still places to park and great activities to enjoy.  For more info check out the Haunted Happenings website.

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Not sure you want to take a full class? Or just want to improve your knitting skill with a few new techniques? Then we have some great skill building workshops this Fall. We get a lot of folks who come in to the store that are fantastic knitters, but just need help with one area of a pattern or are having trouble with a technique like short rows so we decided to design some shorter sessions that will allow folks to focus on those skills rather than a big project.

First up, the Fixes and Mistakes Workshop that runs this coming Saturday the 12th from 10:00-1:00 with Laurie Bellin. We’ve all had it happen to us, we drop a stitch here or there, or we notice we should have knit when we purled and we’re now 3 or 5 rows along the pattern. This workshop will help you figure out how to deal with those mistakes and determine what the best method is to fix them. This is a workshop that will serve you well over the life of your knitting career and should be a fantastic session to start off your Fall knitting season.

Socks are all the rage these days and I know I personally can’t get enough.  We thought we’d design a workshop to enhance a knitters bag of tricks when knitting socks with our Toe and Heel Techniques class.  However, never fear if you’re not a sock knitters this may still be a great workshop for you.  This session will focus on things like short rows and picking up stitches which are skills every knitter needs to move through various patterns.  This session is scheduled for November 7th 10:30-1:30 also with Laurie Bellin.

A new addition to the line up is the Knitting Backwards Workshop.  This is a fantastic technique to add to your stash.    Knitting backwards is knitting from the  left edge to the right edge of your knitted work, in the reverse of the normal direction we are all used to knitting.  Many patterns are calling for knitting backwards.  If you don’t like to purl, this technique is for you. As well, knitting backwards can also be a useful technique when you’re knitting color work so that the right side of the garment remains facing you.  Join Trysh Lynch for this fun workshop on November 8th from 12:30 to 4:00.

Check the website for a host of other fantastic classes.  There’s still time too for Andrea Osbon’s begining sock class, which starts this Saturday September 12th 10:30-12:00 and continues on Saturday September 19th, October 3rd and 10th .  Every student who has walked out of this class so far has had such a blast and so many are on 2nd, 3rd, or 4th pair of socks.  Give us a ring or some in to sign up and pick your supplies!  Seriously this is a great class.

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We have such an amazing staff at Seed Stitch.  One of the faces that you might not see on a daily basis, but who is an integral part of our team is Helene Driesen.  Anyone who has taken one of her classes or had her finish one of their garments know how amazing she is.  But for those of you who have not met her yet, we should we’d give you a bit of insight into Helene.

Who taught you to knit and when?

My mother taught me how to knit when I was about 5 and still living in the U.S.  When I was 6 we moved to the Netherlands, where I entered first grade and where knitting is part of the curriculum.  I initially did not take to it as our first project was a cotton diaper cover (??).  Imagine, hot sweaty fingers trying to knit cotton stitches across plastic needles.  I hated it and did not knit, other than at school.  I did enjoy other crafts such as needlepoint which I did more of till I was about 12, when I became intrigued with cables I watched my mother knit.  So I jumped right back in and made my youngest cousin a beautiful cabled cardigan.  I was hooked.

What draws you to knitting or what is it that you love about it?

There is no one thing that draws me to knitting … it has been such a part of my life for so long.  For a period (from my late teens and early twenties) I made pretty much all my own clothes.  Partly because I wanted them to be different and partly to fit me better than store bought clothes.  Now, it gives me balance in life.  It is my time … I get up at 5:30AM, have coffee and knit … it’s how I organize my day .. solve little life problems … charge the battery.  During the day, my knitting pretty much consists of knitting for the business.

I think everyone who has taken a class with you has been amazed by the breadth of your skill and work. But many may not know that you also do finishing and custom work for Seed Stitch Fine Yarn. Can you talk a little bit about how this process works?

This business has grown a lot in the past few years. There are several different aspects of the business that customers can take advantage of.  First — repair and restoration of knitted and crocheted garments and items.  I have done some pretty extensive restorations, for instance family heirloom afghans.  I also finish and assemble sweaters and projects for people, who either don’t want to bother with it or do not have the necessary experience.

This is a busy business for you, but you do more than just knitting and crochet. You sew as well right?

Yes, this is one aspect that I can’t wait to get back to … design and sewing of children’s clothing.  I still have some fabulous fabric I bought in Europe and some great designs to put one of a kind outfits together.  The sewing has been put on hold as I have been so busy with the knitting in recent years.

I understand that you participate in two shows leading up to Christmas. Can you tell us a little bit about these and what it takes to get ready for these?

I participate in two shows to support two local schools.  One were my son goes and one is the Waldorf school as I like their philosophy.  Right now I am gearing up with working on inventory which pretty much consists of mittens, thrummed and felted and also fingerless mittens which have been such a hit these last few years.  I probably will also make some bags.

What designers do you think are really hot right now?

At the moment I really like the designs Jared Flood is putting out there.  I am more of traditionalist and he adds a little flair to some traditional garments.  Also, I am a total sock fanatic and love what Cookie A is doing in that department.  Martin Storey has also long been a favorite of mine and when it comes to color who else but Kaffe Fassett and Brandon Mably … I love what they do with color and I love how they can get you excited with a few little skeins of yarn.

QUICKFACTS:

Favorite book:
I don’t really have a go to book … own too many to have a favorite.

On your iPod right now:
I do not own an Ipod, do not text, twitter, blog or have a Face book page.  Favorite CD at the moment is Raising Sand by Allison Krause and Robert Plant.  Love them together.

Item from your yarn stash you’re dying to use:
Have some beautiful Noro Transition I am waiting to use.

If you were a yarn, which yarn would you be?
Favorite yarn … no question … cashmere or a cashmere/silk blend in a rich dark chocolate color.

Favorite place to knit:
In the winter in front of the wood burning stove with a good cup of coffee and a really good piece of chocolate overlooking the lake (frozen, probably).  In the summer … on our front porch overlooking the lake with a good scotch (if it’s after 5PM).

Favorite spot on the North Shore:
No question .. our lake.

Current knitting project:
Several Cookie A socks, Hanne Falkenberg top, Lizard Ridge Afghan, cashmere lace shawl, top-down sweater with Noro, Rona (from Rowan #46), and several other stray projects.

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As you know we have some amazing talent at Seed Stitch Fine Yarn.  Michele Fandel Bonner is the longest running Seed Stitcher and a wealth of information and talent.  We thought we could all learn a bit more about Michele.  Here’s my interview with her.

Who taught you to knit and when?
I was taught to knit by Madame Talon in first grade in a French school in Switzerland. I thought it was very unfair that I had to knit and make shoe bags and sew handkerchief hems while the boys got to paint! I was told to get a dark yarn for the socks we were going to make. I showed up with bright yellow yarn. Those socks still fit!  I dropped knitting until I lived with a friend after college and she taught me again. I haven’t stopped since (except when I need to cross-craft due to knitting injury)

What draws you to knitting or what is it that you love about it?
Knitting became my salvation during a difficult 3 years span. We lost 5 loved ones and my husband was diagnosed with cancer. I couldn’t sleep much, so I knitted.  I knit socks for everyone. I couldn’t keep them safe but I could keep them warm. I love the meditative aspects of knitting. The way the gears in my mind un-mesh and spin freely while I knit. The repetitive movement of the stitches is so soothing that I have fallen asleep while knitting.

Some of our readers may know that you worked at a yarn shop in Europe, but others might not, can you tell us a little about this experience?
My husband is English and we moved to London in 1990 to be near his family. For 2 of the 3 1/2 years we lived in London, I worked for a yarn shop called Creativity. The store sold knitting yarns, needlepoint and cross stitch supplies. Creativity and Liberty’s were the two main yarn shops for London’s knitters.  My knitting improved tremendously in England as opportunities to knit were everywhere.  Most adult women knew how to knit but took the skill for granted. When I knit on the Tube, to-ing and fro-ing from work, people often commented “Oh, my Granny knits too!” I learned to spin on a goat farm in Scotland and visited a crofter on the Isle of Skye who produced the most beautiful hand dyed cashmere.

Tell us a little bit about your background?
I have always worked with my hands. I am happiest when my hands are in motion making something. I work with fibers and found objects. My house and garden are filled with my creations, most of which are not garments.  I studied Art Therapy in college and worked with emotionally disturbed teens for 5 years before working as an office manager for an interior design firm.  I have worked at SSFY since March of 2007 where I get to help people learn a skill I love, and has brought me great joy and satisfaction.

You have a great eye and interest in eco-friendly yarns and fibers.  What excites you about these?  What do you look for when choosing an interesting new yarn?
Being a tree-hugger from way back I am always looking for ways to use less and recycle more. I recycle cashmere yarn from thrift shop sweaters and use recycled materials in my art work so it’s a natural for me to try to find yarns that have a smaller impact on the environment.  I really like the un-dyed organic cottons that grow in colors developed years ago by Sally Fox. I also love the soft colors of plant derived wool dyes.  I try to buy fair trade yarns when I can.

QUICK FACTS:
Favorite book:
This month it’s “One Man’s Meat” by E.B. White and “Derek Jarman’s Garden”
On your iPod right now:
Jose Gonzalez, Antje Duvekot, Hildegard von Bingen, the Weepies and Baba Maal
Item from your yarn stash you’re dying to use:
Jade Sapphire Blood Orange Cashmere
If you were a yarn, which yarn would you be?
Something very soft with a strong core
Favorite place to knit:
Summer: On my back porch in my grandmother’s wicker rocker. Winter: In my chaise lounge by the wood stove
Favorite spot on the North Shore:
Robinson Farm Conservation Area in Marblehead
Current knitting project:
Habu Stainless Steel and Silk Jacket. It’s going to take a long while…….

Thanks Michele!  That was great.  Stay tuned for more interviews from Seed Stitchers and designers alike.

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