Lana, Lana, Lana Bambu

Luxurious fabric. A spa day on a hank. Lana Bambu.

Wool of Gold

So this is what Rumplestiltskin was spinning? I'm pretty sure it is, based on the name: Wool of Gold, as it's named. Cascade calls it by its Italian name: "Lana D'oro". This worsted weight yarn is a half and half blend of Alpaca and wool, not as heavy as wool, and not as hairy and sheddy as alpaca. Christmas knitting is going on right now! Choose Lana D'oro for that fabulous vest or sweater for that special person in your life! Lana D is terrific for the standard scarfnhat, but it's even better for a sweater.

Ariosa and Moorland

What do you get when you combine the softest fibers on earth into two yarns? First off, you take cashmere and blend it with merino wool to make Ariosa: a chunky, quick knit yarn that works up into terrific garments for yourself and those on your Christmas list. And how about taking merino, alpaca, and mohair? That combo gets you Moorland. Soft soft softness with a very slight halo. These yarns certainly fall into that category of "why make a scarfnhat with this?" That's like sending a cart load of New York strips through the meat grinder and making taco salad. Go for the gusto! Sweater, Vest, Wrap. Get the most of this fantastic yarn! In the bins now!

Lana Grossa Update: No New LG anywhere in the States, yet!

Many of you Lana Grossa fans -- especially the sock yarn fans -- will be happy to hear a fall yarn update. I just got off the phone with Dana at Muench (the company which distributes LG in the United States), who has informed me that all the new yarns from LG have been delayed once again on their trip from Europe to America. In short, no one here in the States has the new Lana Grossa yarns and/or colors for fall 2010, yet. Now this: bad news for sock knitters: Azalia stretch and Azalia cotton have been discontinued (requiem aeternam and all that...clack clack, clack). However, a glimmer of hope has just beamed from the West Coast right before the Azalia train runs out: I was able to score a few more balls of it before it's completely gone. So, when it gets here, stock up for your sock drawer, 'cause after this, there ain't gonna be no more! It ships today. Watch the blog and facebook for the announcement of Azalia's final coming. On the flip side, the new transitional colorways of LG are among those still stuck on the dock on the Continent. So as soon as your mourning period ends for the Azalia, your new LG sock fix will be pulling in at Muench to be shipped to VBYC. But what about the new fall LG's? The new colors of Chiara? The new bulky scarf yarns? The pattern books? All still stuck on the dock on the other side of the pond. Now for more bad LG news: Ciao, the mega super fall/winter last minute scarf hit is, yes, discontinued. Sic transit gloria mundi, as they say. All things must pass...no different for our old friend Ciao. So, while we're waiting for the new Lana Grossa, VBYC is extending its sale of selected LG yarns to all LG yarns in stock. That's right. All Lana Grossa yarns currently in stock at VBYC are 50% off -- including the remaining inventory of Ciao. I thank you all for your patience regarding the Lana Grossa fall line. We're not the only one waiting. All our sister and brother yarn communities throughout the States are in the same situation.

You saw them in Vogue. Pretty Nifty.

From our friends at Boye comes this interesting, simple device that can help demystify the magic of gauge. It's like having the knowledge of the entire Hogwarts School of Wizardry all condensed onto a simple rotary card. Well, maybe not, but close. What's the difference between Sport and DK? What the heck is DK? What crochet hook goes with what yarn? The 3 in 1 Tool will help you establish a general relationship between yarn size and needle/hook size. Now that I've lauded the virtues of this nifty item, I must say this: despite the tool's glorious and magnificent information, the ease to use it, and its magical ability to reveal about 95% of the hidden secrets of gauging knitted and crocheted fabric, the tool is just that: a tool. It has no brain and does not understand that it is possible to knit on lace weight yarn with a size 6 needle. So, in order to get that final 5% of the whole picture, it's necessary to be willing and open to experiment. The tool is a great item and will help make things easier for you, but it's not the Holy Grail of gauge. It's more like Merlin's hat. If you have trouble understanding how gauge works, this thing can help you figure out the basics.

Sometimes it just makes you scratch your head

They call it a Chinese Fire Drill. Many of us have been in on such nutty capers at some point, usually back in the college days. The CFD falls into the same category as swallowing gold fish or cramming 50 bodies into a VW Beetle. Just to refresh, here's how it's done: the car pulls up to a stop sign or stops at a red light. The occupants (including the driver) pile out of the car, run around the vehicle as fast as possible and return to the seats they had filled before. It's nonsense, really. There's no purpose to it, other than to do it. The other day, we came across an interesting pattern at the shop. Someone had downloaded the thing from the net: a sock pattern. The pattern's owner had read through the instructions and wanted me to see whether it seemed kosher. Here lately, I'm starting to wonder whether pattern writers sit around a huge conference table somewhere, attempting to out-pattern each other. The one with most incomprehensible, vague, and ambiguous knitting instructions at the end of the day wins the challenge. Meanwhile we're left sitting in our knitting chairs reading something a bit less comprehensible than ancient Sumarian, yarn neatly in a ball, needles empty, our cat yawning at our feet waiting for the fiber action to commense. Come on folks, it's a pair of socks. Navel gazing. Seriously? The socks were made on 3 needles, 64 stitches total. Personally, I'd have opted for 4 needles, 16 stitches on each needle. This nifty pattern requested three: 1 with 16, the 2nd with 32 and the third with 16. You can just about imagine what sort of whackomatic angles that stitch distribution might produce. At any rate, the pattern master had the knitter boogying along down the leg to the heel flap enjoying the cramped comfort of an obtuse isosceles triangle. 16, 32, 16 for however many inches. The designer had envisioned the heel flap coming up from 32 stitches. That's fine, right? After all, the knitting was going on in the round (i.e. circle: no ending, no beginning), and there was already a needle with 32 stitches. So, just knit on over to the 32 stitch needle and make a spiffy heel flap, yes? No. Now, here comes the Chinese Fire Drill: the pattern instructed to work the 16 stitches of needle one, then turn, work the 16 stitches back, then work the stitches from the 3rd needle onto the first. Finally, with the free needle, we were commanded carefully to transfer 16 stitches from the original needle with 32 (the second needle) stitches in order to produce -- yes -- two needles with 16 stitches each. You've just experienced what it's like to be in the car behind the one in line at the intersection as its doors swing open, 4 goofs pile out, run a complete circle, then re-board, just in time to pop the clutch and be on their way. It's funny when we come across patterns like this, unless we're a relatively new knitter and are turned off by something that seems so terrifically complicated, but really isn't. Pattern reading often takes a bit of puzzling out if things seem vague. This is my suggestion: envision what it is that the pattern wants you to do. Figure out the knitting landscape. And don't second guess your gut feeling. If you think something might be easier to do another way, try doing it another way. The pattern is not a legal document. We can break those rules if they need to be broken. Just because someone in the car suggests a CFD at Kaliste Saloom and Ambassador, doesn't mean that you really need to do that. Experiment if things gets fuzzy. What's the worst that can happen? After seeing the Fire Drill sock pattern, I offer this great scarf pattern that you'll never finish. It's the ultimate navel gazer scarf. It's harder than anything you'll ever do, and you'll be guaranteed never to reach the end:

CO 25 Row 1: Sl 25 turn. Row 2: Rep Row 1. These two rows complete pattern. Continue in pattern until work measures 60" from cast-on edge. BO in pattern, fringe ends if desired.

It's only appropriate...

...that these fabulous Japanese inventions we all love receive a few laurels, and in a truly Japanese way too. Officially, they're called "Mini Kacha Kachas", but around here, we just call them "Frogs" because 1) they're green like many frogs 2) the face of the counter looks like a frog face, and most of all 3) "Frog" is easier to say than "Mini Kacha Kacha". I for one can hardly ever remember what they're really called. I always want to say"Mini Titicacas" when ordering them from Eric up in Portland (our friendly and knowledgable ordering guy). We love us some Frog counters. They're practical, they're not gigantic, they don't get in our way dangling from our needle or stuck onto the end of it, the numbers don't change while they're sitting in our knitting bags, and they're green. Little groovy things that keep us on the straight and narrow, as long as we can find them in our stuff. VBYC just received another shipment of Frogs the other day, and I came on the idea that it would be interesting to sit down and compose some Haikus about our favorite fiber work notion: Frog Haikus. Crazy fun. Here are three of them:

Cute, petite green Frog Hanging from his I-chord perch Counts all my mistakes. Frenzied knitter, lost. Knitting bag a mess with yarn. Frog is out to lunch. Amphibian face, Busiest of all my tools, Counts a different sock.

So now that I've confessed my ueber-nerdy affection for weird poetry genres, you may be digging around in your fiber bag looking for something to count rows, stitches, decreases and such, and all you come up with is a post-it pad and a pen. You need a Frog, my dear!

KNITTING CRUISERS, PLEASE READ! IMPORTANT INFO!

Jane has emailed supplies information for all classes to be offered aboard Carnival Triumph during the knitting cruise. This is information regarding the classes I am teaching. I will be teaching a lace project as well as a technique class to fix common knitting mistakes. The lace class information included three (3) different yarns. These yarns are three possibilities that I suggest to make the lace project. You may select any of these three yarns for your project. You may select more than one or all three, if you would like to make several scarves using the same pattern. That option is up to you. It is not required that you purchase all three yarns, but of course you will need to select at least one. The Tilli Tomas is 100% silk with prestrung beads. The Rowan felted tweed is a DK weight tweed yarn. The Classic Elite Silky Alpaca Lace is lace weight yarn in a silk and alpaca blend. Both Tilli and Felted Tweed are DK weight, smaller than worsted, bigger than sock yarn. The Classic Elite is lace weight -- smaller than sock yarn. To help you decide: The silk will make a high-end, dressy and elegant piece. The beads catch the light and cause the silk to shine. The Tweed can be dressy or casual depending on how you wear it. It's tweed and goes anywhere, looks great with just about anything. It's a good everyday yarn, it's a good dressy yarn. Alpaca Lace will give you a true lace look. It's a fine strand, and you'll use smaller needles. The lace weight produces a piece that is light and open. It does just as well for formal ensembles as for a day-to-day look. So, when making your decision, think of this: what are you planning to do with this lace scarf? What would it accent? Where would you wear it? What sorts of accents do you usually wear? Do you dress up frequently? If you attend Mardi Gras balls, formal mixers, society events, formal supper clubs, or just like to make a bold statement, use the Tilli. If you need a good, all around, reliable scarf for cooler weather or just a little burst of color for a casual outfit to meet your friends for lunch at Chili's, use Felted Tweed. If you need a rather understated, elegant accent piece for day to day use, going to church, or even for some formal occasions, something light-weight that doesn't get in the way and has really no other purpose that to make you look fabulous, choose the lace weight. If you plan to give the scarf as a gift, consider these same things regarding the person on your gift list. Decide what sort of yarn and the look you'd like. Then, decide what COLOR or COLOR DIRECTION you would like. What colors do you usually wear? What colors are your other accent pieces? What colors look good on you? Are there particular colors that make you look good, go well with your skin tone, eyes, hair color? These are the colors you should consider. Colors that wash you out, or clash with your skin tone are colors you should avoid. Some people can wear orange well, but others wearing orange will actually look orange. The same goes for pale colors. Folks with blonde hair and fair skin may look like ghosts in some colors like pale yellow. Open your closet and pick the outfit that you feel looks best on you. Consider the colors in that outfit and make your color choice. This color choice and the type of yarn is the information I need to know. Before classes begin, you will be have plenty of time to purchase the supplies you need for your classes. Based on your color preferences, which you will have given me, I will have with me selections in all three yarns in those colors on board the ship . I will also have the needles you will need to use with each yarn. If you haven't done so, it is VITALLY IMPORTANT that you let Jane know NOW which classes you would like to take, so that I can finalize my on-board inventory. The closer we get to the cruise date, the fewer options you will have regarding colors of yarns. Regarding the Fixing Mistakes technique class: you will receive a supplies kit which consists of a portion of yarn and needles. This is what we will use for the class. The yarn weight and color don't matter for this, since it's not a project we're after, but fixing techniques. Bottom line here: don't stress out over all this. Pick your classes, select your color favorites and preferences and let us know.

Kate The Great!

Named for the famed Russian Tsarina, Catherine the Great is a Schaefer colorway with bold pinks, fuchias and forrest greens. What to do with this fabulous yarn? I suggest creating the fabulous criss cross wrap. First there was the Clapotis, now there this amazingly stunning and beautiful creation.

Like she said...

All Debbie Bliss Yarns in stock are 50% off while supplies last! Como, Rialto, Pure Silk, Prima.