Are we going to let the jocks have all the fun this summer?!
Of course, not!
Is it too hot to knit?
Never!
Come inside where it’s cool and join the knitting jocks at What’s Needlin’ Ewe this summer for Stitchalympics!
Summer is the perfect time to work on small projects to learn a new skill or practice a skill that needs, well, a little practice. So, just like the athletes training for the Olympics, we’re training the entire month of July for Stitchalympics!
Check out the training schedule below and join us for one or all! All projects require only one or two skeins and can be completed in a jiffy!

Trainings will be held every
Saturday from 1:00 – 3:00 and
Sunday from 2:00 – 4:00

Then, in August it’s the Stitchalympics!
Rules and details available at training!

July 7 and 8

Lace Longjump

We’ve got several lace projects to choose from. Choose from a shawl, scarf, or even a bag to work on your lace skills. Some use lace yarn, others use worsted weight, so whatever suits you best, we’ve got it! Or, if you’ve got a project of your own in mind, you can work on it as well.

July 14 and 15

Sock and Slipper Put

Knitting socks make you sweat? Then you need to come to training. Still think not, then how about some soft hand knit slippers?! Either way, we’ll find a project just for you sure to turn you into a fearless sock knitter!

July 21 and 22

Hat Dash

Hats for summer, hats for winter! There’s a hat for every season, and oh, what fun they are to knit! Easy patterns to those that make you think a little, there’s a project for all skill levels!

July 28

Holiday Hurdles

July 29

Felted Freestyle

As always, there are never enough days in the month to knit everything we want, so on the last weekend, we’ll be finishing up with two trainings. Holiday training on Saturday and felting on Sunday.

I did my gauge swatch like I should and the 10 1/2 that the Rocky Coast Cardigan suggests is just right.   Knitting with a 10 1/2 goes so fast.  The cable pattern on this sweater is only 6 stitches and  8 rows.  So easy to memorize!  I love the Cascade Venezia as well.  It is so soft, and easy to work with.  I’m hoping to finish up the raglan increases this weekend and then I’ll really be moving along.

I said in my last post, that I’d post a schedule for the KAL, but have decided with so many different patterns going on, that wouldn’t be fair.  I’ve just divided my pattern into weekly segments so that I can be finished by the last day of the KAL, April 29.  I have to be finished because there are so many other projects calling me!  And, I can’t wait for that first cool spring morning when I’ll be sporting my new Rocky Coast Cardigan.

Hope to see some of you in the shop on Sunday.  If you can’t make it to the shop, please drop a line and let us know how your project is coming!

The “in shop” group got  together for the first time yesterday to get knitting on their Coastal Knit selection.   Several of the Coastal Knits patterns have been chosen and there are a variety of great yarns represented.

The patterns chosen so far are:

Rocky Coast Cardigan Cardigan
Panoramic Stole
Gnarled Oak Cardigan
Wild Flower Cardigan
Rustling Leaves Beret

The patterns are being knit in a wonderful array of yarns:

Cascade Venezia Worsted
Cascade Venezia Sport
Cascade Heritage
Classic Elite Magnolia
Classic Elite Fresco

Yesterday was a quiet day as everyone worked on reading through their patterns,  perfecting the stitch patterns, and  gauge swatches.   I’m knitting the Rocky Coast Cardigan in Cascade Venezia Worsted.  I read through the pattern and the pattern adjustment and once I got that done I was ready to start.  I decided I didn’t really want to do a gauge swatch because I was so anxious to get started on those cables.  Well, I’m pretty sure you know where this is going.  Later last night, after working a couple of rows of the cable pattern (very easy, by the way), the rule follower in me took over.   The cable pattern is beautiful, the yarn is so soft and the cables show up so nicely, but what if it doesn’t fit!  So,  I’ve come to my senses and I’ll be doing a gauge swatch later today.  Then, I’ll get back to those beautiful cables with the certainty that I’m using the right size needle.

So, there you have it, we’re off and knitting!   It’s not too late to join us.  If you are in our area, the Coastal Knits trunk show will be in the shop only one more day, this Wednesday if  you’d like to see it.   Or, you can see the patterns at www.coastalknits.com.

Please join in the conversation and let us know how your project is coming along.  If you hit a snag, we hope to be able to help.  Or if you just need a little encouragement, you’re sure to get it here.

I’ll be back in a couple of days with a progress report and our KAL schedule.  Don’t let “schedule” scare you, I promise it’ll be very generous.

Happy knitting, can’t wait to hear from you!

Some designs available in the booklet Urban Renewal available at What’s Needlin’ Ewe

This cute tank is knit from Berroco Naturlin, an inexpensive linen blend yarn that will be beautiful to work with, I think. I’m having trouble deciding on a color though. Pattern is from Spring ’10 Interweave, or from their pattern store at www.interweaveknits.com

This tank, also from www.interweaveknits.com, is knit out of Classic Elite’s Allegoro, making it another exciting summer knit!

This one may be my favorite! Rusted Root (from www.zephyrstyle.com) is knit from Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece, and I LOVE it.
I just don’t know where to start with these beauties! What are you dreaming of this summer?

A beautiful pattern, for a beautiful summer tee. (Hexagon Petal Tee in the Spring ’11 Interweave Knits available at WNE) Not only a  shiny, silky, and deliciously soft cotton yarn, in a beautifully vibrant color, but this great pattern as well.  A match made in heaven.  This was to be my fairy tale project, and all fairy tales end “happily ever after” right?

This is how mine ended:

Yeah, that’s right where I started. So here is how the wicked witch of knitting spoiled my happily ever after. It all began with a cast on, just as any other cast on, this led into knitting. My knitting, rather than galivanting off into the sunset trotted into the woods where there were snakes and trolls and other ugly, ugly things. I was short stitches, I was over stitches, I dropped stitches. It was an absolute tragedy, and one that Walt Disney would not approve. I was convinced that with all that I had going on that my mind was not handling the pattern, and it needed to rest. See, often we assume (and we know what happens there right?) that there is something wrong with the pattern, something wrong with the knitter, or the pattern is just too smart for us. OK, I won’t say that it’s never one of the above, however, how often do we stop to think that maybe our tools are not right? I mean honestly, if we were building something and it wasn’t working out right, wouldn’t we get another tool?

OK, step back and check the photo. My needles are not shiny, rosey in color, nor do they say Lantern Moon on their sides. Could it be crappy, posessed, needles from h-e-double hockey sticks, that were raining on my yellow brick road?

AHHH. I will not let the Wicked Witch of knitting steal my ruby slippers. Just a few clicks with these rosey bad girls and this baby will be done!

Of course, all fairy tales have a moral to their story. This moral is: knitting is supposed to be enjoyable. I do not enjoy crappy needles, I’ve been knitting way too long to not know better, but hey, it’s what I had handy; which takes me back to point one, no crappy needles. Needles are the foundation of your knitting, it’s absolutely laughable at how quickly and EASILY this is working up with the proper equipment. No, there wasn’t anything wrong with the pattern (won’t promise there was nothing wrong with me) but the knitting needles made ALLL The difference in the world!
Can’t wait to wear my new top!

P.S Mom will be back with Part II. You’d think being in a yarn shop, and knitting for so long we’d be smarter. Oh well.

This is Clue #1

And Clue #2!
Thank so much for sharing your photos! Please post your photos here, on Facebook, or e-mail them to us at info@stitches411.com. We can’t wait to see!