Tag Archives: yarn

What to stash this week: because it’s not Rhinebeck yet

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July’s Spirit Trail Fiberworks subscriber inspiration colorways are based on a photo sent to Jennifer by Amy (the podcaster behind Hudson Valley Knits) of bits of colored glass — I guess it’s river glass? — she’s found on her walks along the Hudson River. River Walk is a subtle speckle of the glass colors on a soft gray background, Bottle Glass is a light blue reminiscent of the little bit of blue in the photo, and Beach Treasure is a soft amethyst-pink. The three colorways are available on the Dyed-to-Order page of the Spirit Trail Fiberworks website until July 25.

Crafty Flutterby Creations’ Go Anywhere Club is inspired by Reading Rainbow (and there’s no yarn involved, so it’s totally Stash Guilt Free!). Each month’s shipment includes an exclusive shawl pin, a new knitting pattern with yarn suggestions and bonus goodies. Sign-ups close July 27.

It’s raining cats and dogs — again! — at Slipped Stitch Studios. This limited collection goes live today at 9 a.m. Pacific time.

Check out the Sheep Squeezer bags from One Sock Wonder and get free U.S. shipping.

What to stash this week: Triple threat of color

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Three indies have put together a great collaboration. The Semiramis Shawl Kit includes a project bag made by Alisa (Knitspinquilt) with fabric designed by Naomi of Gannet Designs, one or two skeins of fingering-weight yarn dyed by Jessie of Yarn Over New York in one of three colors, a lace shawl pattern and a stitch marker, designed and made by Alisa. A limited number of kits are available on the Yarn Over New York website.

Deb’s latest design, Gradients A Deux, is an innovative use of two of your favorite six-skein gradient sets. This rectangular shawl consists of simple lace paired with garter and stockinette stitch, worked from the center out in the round before each side is worked separately.

The FiberCrafty marketplace has over 100 indie dyers and makers and counting. One of the newest is Pen & Hook, whose hand-dyed sari silk, available in 12 colors and varying lengths, is pictured above.

Stay cool in the next summer heat wave with Murky Depths Dyeworks’ “refreshing river of cool blues.” Colorways include Mystic, Sea Glass and Ocean’s 11 available on fingering and laceweight bases.

Bunnymuff is holding a MKAL of a lacy triangular shawl inspired by flowers.

What to do with yarn scraps

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After knitting for 12 years, my stash of scrap yarn has started to rival my actual stash, though it’s admittedly a lot more compact. While I do save significant amounts of leftover yarn in Ziplock bags for use in other projects, to bring to classes or in case someone PMs me on Ravelry in desperation after losing a game of Yarn Chicken, I have plenty of tiny balls that are no longer useful except for holding sleeve stitches.

Last year, I saw a fantastic idea at the Maryland Sheep and Wool indie pop-up at The Knot House:

The owner, Cathy, told me the clear glass head was from Pier 1 and I ordered one on my phone right then and there. While sadly Pier 1 no longer sells it, you can find it online by Googling “recycled glass head.”

I also have a pretty large and growing tote bag collection, so my scrap yarn also works as decor by propping up the totes from previous Rhinebeck Trunk Shows that I decided to display on my Ikea shelves (I put the yarn in plastic bags first since I’m extremely afraid of the m-word). If you also have a bag full of bags, it’s a great way to put your scraps and totes to use!

Here are some more admittedly more crafty ideas for scrap yarn on Pinterest. Comment and let me know what creative ways you use to store or display your yarn scraps!

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What to stash this week: ‘flash’ your stash

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If you spend a lot of time scrolling through the photos of pretty yarn on Instagram, you may have seen some of that yarn accompanied by a somewhat, ahem, titillating hashtag. On Sunday, more than 200 indie dyers, designers and makers — including several who post on IU — will be offering up their versions of If I Want Exposure, I’ll Get My Tits Out. Pictured above is Stephanie of Asylum Fibers‘ version, called If I Want Exposure, I’ll Get My Tits Out: Call Me Crazy. Learn more here.

You are participating in Casapinka’s Crown Wools MKAL… right? Debbie of The Fibre Studio At Yarns To Dye For has dyed up a bunch of beautiful miniskein kits for it, so you can get started on July 19.

Michelle of Crafty Flutterby Creations just released her latest shawl pattern, Savvy Slips. The striped triangle shawl is perfect for pairing together your favorite odd skeins of indie dyed yarn (because I’m sure you have a few floating around…) — and for displaying one of Michelle’s lovely shawl pins. The pattern is 50% off through July 5th.

Helen and Mary Beth, sisters from New Jersey, are fresh off TNNA, the annual yarn industry trade show where I discovered this IU newcomer, Toad Hollow. They’ve just updated their shop with a good selection of their colorways and their popular Dream Catcher Kits.

In honor of her upcoming hay bailing weekend, Katrina of Fluffy U Fiber Farm is having a yarn sale through July 15th with free shipping.

Winnie the Pooh — or the Slipped Stitch Studios June bag of the month — is waiting for you at Pooh Corner. Hundred Acre Wood bags and kits with limited-edition fabrics go on sale today at 9 a.m. Pacific time.

The Cat Sandwich Fibers July Mystery Sock Club listing is up. Pictured above is one of the colorways from earlier this year, and you can now add a mystery complementary mini skein for heels and toes.

It’s a Knit-spiracy! Julia of Pandia’s Jewels just released the first of several Knit-spiracy collections. Members of this secret society get a variety of products, kits, an enamel pin and two exclusive colorways. But they’re only available to preorder through Sunday.

Karen of Round Table Yarns has opened up sign-ups for her latest yarn club. The five-month Knight of the Lion Yarn Club is based on the story of Yvain, who decides to avenge his cousin who has had a shameful experience with another knight. Sign-ups run through July 9.

Once Upon a Corgi is on trend with her new Fig Lace base, a 70/30 blend of kid mohair and silk.

What to stash this week: Officially summer knitting

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Shanna of Lambstrings Yarn is having a shop update tonight at 7 p.m. Eastern with plenty sock kits. The kits come with one full skein and one mini skein of Tralala Sock (75/25 Superwash Merino/nylon) in contrasting colors for heel/toe/cuff contrast. There are plenty of bright summer shades for your light summer projects.

Christine of Treasure Goddess Yarn just released the Wine Yarn Collection, a limited number of hand-dyed yarn in colorways such as You had me at Merlot…, Feelin’ Fine with Blackberry Wine and Yes Way, Cabernet! The collection has two patterns to show off tonal colorways, including the Chateau Chapeau Wine Cork Hat, which uses slices of wine corks as beads! So, no need to complain that the bottle’s not a twist-off. There are also pirate sheep stemless wine glasses to enjoy with your knitting.

You have until midnight Eastern time tonight to preorder the Leaf Peepers shawl set and full skein of The Road Less Travelled from Canon Hand Dyes. The colorways were inspired by the Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge in Maine and is perfect for your Indie Untangled shawl.

This yarn is part of the Indie Untangled Knitting Our National Parks project. Canon Hand Dyes is one of several dyers creating exclusive-to-IU colorways inspired by photos from the U.S Department of the Interior’s Instagram feed. 10% of sales this round will be donated to the National Wildlife Refuge Association.

Jennifer of Spirit Trail Fiberworks does a great collaboration with her newsletter subscribers in which she dyes colorways inspired by a photo sent by one of them. The June Subscriber Color Inspiration colorways are based on a photograph of a flower at the Ogden Botanical Garden in Utah. There’s one main colorway, called Botanical, a speckled blend of grays, browns, greens, yellow and oranges on a soft gray background, along with orange and green complementary skeins. 

Sheila of Big Foot Fibers sold out of her special Beekeeper Sets, but you can custom order yarn from her to make the buzzy BeeKeeper Cardigan by Olive Knits or Wool & Honey by Andrea Mowry.

Mona’s latest release, the Catch This Thief scarf…, is inspired by the cravat Cary Grant’s character wore in To Catch a Thief. This easy summer knit features a texture and dropped stitch motif and Mona’s sample has a sterling silver shawl ring from IU artisan Porteness Studio.

IU on the road: Hot in Cleveland at TNNA

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TNNA, or The National Needlearts Assocation’s summer trade show, hadn’t originally been on my calendar. Though I did have some FOMO with last year’s show (at its usual location in Columbus, Ohio, home of the knitter-approved Jeni’s ice cream) I heard that a lot of people were skipping the 2018 summer show in Cleveland because of an increase in membership dues. But Bronwyn, AKA the designer Casapinka, convinced me to attend and be her roommate, and my husband had really enjoyed Cleveland when he visited a couple years ago, so I booked my flight and packed some business cards.

Casapinka’s soon-to-be-released Acoma sweater in the Dream In Color booth.

Whereas at the show in Washington, DC, I only went on the show floor, this time I got the full TNNA experience, attending the opening night fashion show, where companies showed off the newest designs in their yarns — Acoma, Casapinka’s soon-to-be-released sweater, knit with Dream In Color Smooshy With Cashmere, was a highlight and is getting on my needles as soon as it’s published — and Sample IT!, an Indie-Untangled-at-Rhinebeck-like shopping frenzy where shop owners buy kits to make samples of the products they plan to carry.

Shelli Martinez, who’s behind the brilliant enamel pins and T-shirts of ShelliCan.

The major buzz around the show was the sharp decrease in attendance, as many shop owners, designers and others in the industry had decided not to pay the higher dues. On the flip side, over the last few years there has been an increase in the number of indie dyers attending the show to build the wholesale side of their businesses, and there were even a few dyers who only sell wholesale. It created an interesting dynamic and a lot of the shop owners I spoke with were excited to find unique products that they could introduce to their customers.

One of my favorite discoveries was Emma’s Yarn, which has a great background story: it’s run by 16-year-old dyer Emma Galati and her older sister, Aspen, who just graduated college (their parents own the Four Purls Yarn Shop in Winter Haven, Florida) and the business is part of Emma’s home schooling curriculum. Emma and Aspen currently only sell wholesale to yarn shops, or do trunk shows and events, so if you like what you see you might want to ask your LYS to look into hosting them.

I was also excited to see Cashmere People, a company I’d first discovered at a Brooklyn General trunk show during the Brooklyn yarn crawl. The company, which has a U.S. rep in Portland, Maine, works with a collective of women in Tajikistan and Afghanistan who hand spin and hand dye Cashgora and Cashmere yarns. Mainer Bristol Ivy recently designed her Shape of a Bay shawl with their Cashgora Fingering and there were also kits at Sample IT! for Carrie Bostick Hoge’s Flora Cowl.

mYak, which also has a similar fair trade ethos, sourcing yak fiber and Cashmere from a Tibetan cooperative of nomadic herders, was also at the show and a lot of yarn shops were excited about their designs from Justyna Lorkowska and Michele Wang.

Among the other indies, Twisted Owl Fiber Studio was showing off new Batman colorways. I also was excited to discover Round Mountain Fibers. The Vermont-based company’s nature-inspired colors are pretty much available only at yarn shops, but they do have an online store that offers seconds at 50% off the retail price (you may also see a Knitting Our National Parks colorway from them in the near future…).

Of course, what would a knitting event be without some sort of offshoot indie event? Jeanne of Destination Yarn came through with an open house at her gorgeous Cleveland studio.

There were TNNA attendees and non-industry knitters browsing the shelves of colorways inspired by travel, with clever base names like Postcard, Letter and Souvenir.

Overall, it was a productive trip, and you should see the ideas that were generated from it in the coming months…

What to stash this week: knitting shop updates galore

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Jen of Porterness Studio just had a shop update full of new shiny goodies, including a Radiating Eye shawl pin, shawl fork or button and sterling silver shawl rings that can be sewn or crocheted onto your summer shawls for a fancy embellishment. There are also awesome Yarn Life necklaces. Check all of it out AND get a 20% discount with the code IndieSummer20.

Trysten of Dragon Hoard Yarn is having a shop update today at 10 a.m. Mountain Time. Expect to see a bunch of new colorways.

Alicia of Knitspinquilt is celebrating summer with woodland creatures! Adorable hedgehog and owl print fabric have been sewn into medium and large drawstring project bags. As always, Alicia will donate 30% of the sale price to the Hispanic Federation for Puerto Rico disaster relief efforts.

If you’re a unicorn or cat fan, show off your obsession on your handknits with the latest shawl pin designs from Crafty Flutterby Creations.

It’s the final week to order your Knitting Our National Parks Leaf Peepers miniskein kits and The Road Less Traveled from Canon Hand Dyes, based on a photo of the Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge in Maine. There’s a cap on orders because Amy is prepping for shows, so if you have your eye on this, the sooner the better. Orders close for good on June 22.

Canon Hand Dyes is one of several indie yarn companies creating exclusive-to-IU colorways inspired by photos on the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Instagram feed. 10% of all sales this round will be donated to the National Wildlife Refuge Association.

There’s a batch of Automne à Rhinebeck in La Bien Aimée Merino DK in stock. These are the last skeins of this exclusive that Aimée will be dyeing for Indie Untangled, so order now! Just an FYI, I’ll be in Cleveland for TNNA this weekend, so all orders will ship out Tuesday. 

If you’re a really experienced knitter, you’ll appreciate Murky Depths Dyeowrks’ Jimi Hendrix-inspired yarns, Electric Ladyland and Purple Haze.

This one is for you cat or dog lovers. Laura of Slipped Stitch Studios has bags with cuddly kitties and cute puggles for sale starting at 9 a.m. Pacific time today.

Lola’s Alchemist’s Tote collaboration includes yarn and a special project bag from The Tudor Rose Crafts Studio and an extra from Front Pocket Studio.

Casapinka is launches her Crown Wools miniskein MKAL July 19.

Eden Cottage Yarns just had a shop update.

Pandia’s Jewels has Zombie Outbreak colors available to preorder through June 24.

What to stash this week: Knitting Our National Wildlife Refuges

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For the latest installment of Knitting Our National Parks, Amy of Portland, Oregon-based Canon Hand Dyes takes us not to a national park, but to the Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge in Maine. Tucked away in the northeastern part of the state, right near the Canadian border and just over 100 miles from Acadia, it is an important feeding and nesting habitat for a number of bird species. After corresponding with refuge manager Keith Ramos, who took the above photo, I’ve decided to donate 10% of sales this round to the National Wildlife Refuge Association and also make a contribution to the Friends of the Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge.

Amy is dyeing up a fall-inspired shawl set made up of six 133-yard skeins of her Charles Sock base (80% Superwash Merino/20% nylon). The set, called Leaf Peepers, can be paired with a full 400-yard skein of The Road Less Travelled and would make an amazing On the Spice Market shawl. It is available to preorder on Indie Untangled through Friday, June 22.

If you’re a kindred spirit, then you may walk a ridge pole for McMullin Fiber Co.’s Anne of Green Gables collection. The six colors — Island Welcome, Amethyst Confessions ,Puffed Sleeves, October Mist, Carrots! and Gilbert Blythe — are available on the Squishy (SW Merino/nylon) sock base and Sublime Worsted (100% SW Merino single-ply) base.

Brooke of Fully Spun has two new colorways in her Sock Sport base, which is 400 yards of hand-dyed millspun with the look of handspun. This one is called I-95, which you may see a lot of on your next East Coast road trip.

Socks are the go-to project of summer. Terri of Whole Knit ‘n Caboodle has self-striping sock yarn in single stripes, three-row stripes and five-row stripes, including this Rainbow Stripe colorway. These are only available online!

Karen of Round Table Yarns is doing a little pre-yarn club adventure, separate from her Knight of the Lion club, with a no surprise colorway inspired by the tale of Sir Calogrenant.

Gabby of Once Upon a Corgi has teamed up with Becky of Soprano Knits and Hannah of Corner of Craft on a summer sock kit. It includes a fully skein and a mini on her Superwash Corriedale/nylon, a hand-beaded umbrella progress keeper from Hannah and Becky’s After the Rain sock pattern.

QCC Yarn has a new base. Sad Cat is a 75/25 blend of Superwash Bluefaced Leicester and nylon, perfect for your next shawl or cardigan (or socks, since there’s the nylon). Orchidelirium, pictured above, is one of 10 new repeatable colorways available on the base.

Lavender Lune Yarn Co. has moved to a new website.

What to stash this week: Fingering-weight sweater weather

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If you’re looking for some summer knitting, Kate of McMullin Fiber Co. has her shop stocked with plenty of singles and sock yarns. She recommends Posh Skinny for light transition sweaters like Caitlin Hunter’s Tegna. Since you’re an Indie Untangled reader, you get an exclusive discount! Use code UNTANGLED20 for 20% off any purchase through the end of this month.

If you’re more of a shawl person in summer, then check out Michelle’s latest shawl pin designs. If you’re a blue or purple person, her Shimmering Violet Noteworthy Pin will complement yarn in many shades of blue, indigo, violet, lavender and lilac.

Since I just debuted a new Rhinebeck Trunk Show event/tote bag design, you may want to get your hands on one of the last remaining totes from last year. There are only eight left as of “press time.”

The QCC Yarn line continues to expand and just got its own website, separate from Ewe Sew An Sew. There’s also a rewards program called Happy Cats. Just by creating an account you’ll get 200 Happy Cats, which can be redeemed for $5 off your next order.

IU newcomer Train Track Fiber Designs was inspired by her location near one of the major rail lines in the Southeastern U.S. Jen, who’s also a podcaster, just debuted some micro mini sets. The sets of 10 10-gram skeins are designed for colorwork or wherever you need a pop of brightness.

What to stash this week: Color depth

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Debbie recently launched Murky Depths Dyeworks, a great name to describe her passion for color and dive into the dye pots. Her bases include Harbor Singles — shown above in Girl Gone Mad, Jubilee and Neopolitan — as well as a Deep Sock (80% Superwash Merino/20% nylon), Triton MCN DK (80% Superwash Merino/10% Cashmere/10% nylon) and Sanctuary Worsted, a non-Superwash Merino.

If you’re local and want to see this new talent in person, Debbie will be vending along with yours truly tomorrow at Knitty City’s Moms and Makers Market, a great shopping event that will also raise money for Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.

Jen of Porterness Studio has done it again! She’s expanded her line of gorgeous sterling silver and bronze jewelry to include a stitch marker bracelet, stitch marker necklace and a shawl/scarf ring. Indie Untangled readers get 20% off with the code Indie20.

The Sunrise Over Bryce shawl was a huge hit at Maryland Sheep & Wool this weekend — I didn’t want to take it off! Deb of Spruce Lane Designs used two skeins of Into the Whirled’s speckled Hoodoos colorway for Knitting Our National Parks, which is available to preorder only through next Friday.

Kara and Katie of Nice & Knit have updated their shop with their popular 2,175-yard kits for Ambah O’Brien’s Adventurous Wrap. To celebrate Mother’s Day weekend, they’re also giving one away.

Michelle’s new cabled shawl pattern, Warwick Reflections, is inspired by the crenellations, towers and medieval arched windows of Warwick Castle. Kits with the pattern, two skeins from Fairy Tale Knits and a shawl pin are available to preorder, while the pattern is 50% off until May 28, when a KAL begins.

Mama need a brand new bag? Laura and the Slipped Stitch Studios crew has released a limited line of Mother’s Day bags, with hilarious sayings, including, “The joys of motherhood are experienced when kids go to bed.” Today, at 9 a.m. Pacific time, Slipped Stitch is also releasing their adorable Mama Llama & the Cactus collection.

Marian of Marianated Yarns will be vending along with yours truly tomorrow at Knitty City’s Moms & Makers Market in NYC. She’ll have yarn and color ideas for projects like the Pero Shawl by Katy Carroll, Your Slip is Showing by Casapinka and Chevron Cloud by Espace Tricot.