Handknitting.com Blog

New for Spring: Versa !

Laurel — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 01:34:59 +0000

And then there’s Versa another very different yarn. This yarn is two tapes, each variegated, then joined together for an incredible color statement. The colors are vivid and yet when they’re knit, there’s the overall visual effect of very subtle changes.

One technique that would be fantastic for this yarn is Hairpin Lace (many Stitch Diva Patterns). Of course most tape yarns are good for this, but the colors of Versa are spectacular. You can see our patterns for Hairpin Lace here. This yarn will also be great for crochet, because the color constantly changes.

Versa — You will love it and the style book too!

Filed under: General Chat, New Products, Of Interest to Customers, Yarn

New Spring Yarns from Berroco!

Laurel — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 01:04:50 +0000

From Berroco: Lago
a gorgeous, very drapey, textured yarn with a bit of shine. Beautiful vibrant colors and easy to knit, with a very nice booklet.

And then there’s Versa
another very different yarn. This one is two tapes, each variegated, then joined together for an incredible color statement. You will love it and the style book too!

Filed under: New Products, Of Interest to Customers, Patterns, Yarn

Quick Tip: Non-Stretchy Yarns

Laurel — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 01:19:16 +0000

Lots of knitters walk away from yarns that are constructed from natural vegetable fibers and other inelastic fibers, because it’s harder to get an even look to the knitting. This is such a shame, because these yarns are lovely to look at and wear. One problem that most of us have is that our knit stitches and purl stitches are not exactly the same size (gauge), and this is true whether you throw (English) or pick (Continental). For a quick fix you can 1) convert to knitting in the round, or if that isn’t practical, 2) try using a different size needle for the knit side and purl side. Also, don’t put down the work in the middle of the row, and if you are creating cables, use a cable or dp needle at least 2 sizes smaller to avoid stretching those stitches out of shape. Finally it is most important to knit, launder and block your gauge swatch using the same methods you intend to use on the garment.

Filed under: General Chat

New for Sock Knitters

Laurel — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 01:15:27 +0000

New for Sock Knitters:

Regia Design Line Garden Effects by Kristin Nicholas! Six great colorways guaranteed to remind you of the wonderful gardens to come this summer. What fun! These newly designed colorways were a great favorite at Stitches West, and since then also with our customers. So give it a whirl!

Filed under: General Chat

New Rowan Yarn: Summerspun

Laurel — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 00:54:28 +0000

New for the Season!
The yarn companies still call these Spring/Summer, but I call them Year Round yarns, because you can wear these indoors all year around.

At Stitches West most people hadn’t seen them yet, and they all attracted a lot of attention.

From Rowan: Summerspun!
This is a completely different kind of yarn–one ply of cotton and one of merino, with gorgeous variegated colors that won’t pool.

There’s a dedicated pattern book too.

Filed under: New Products, Patterns, Yarn

Laurel — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 00:51:33 +0000

Helen Hamann Designs and Kits!

Helen’s newest designs

There were lots of people looking for Helen when we were there–her designs are always popular because of the great design. Helen couldn’t make it in person, but we showed off her wonderful calendars, and garments, plus kits for many of her styles.

In the 2012 Calendar

This gorgeous ball gown was absolutely the biggest hit of the entire fashion show!

Now, here’s your chance to grab one of Helen’s kits at 20% off!

We have an extensive variety of kits in beautiful colors. More than a dozen styles to choose from!

So go pick your favorite, and make your next project a real stunner!

Filed under: New Products, Of Interest to Customers, Specials Tagged: alpaca, cotton, designers, Helen Hamann, kits, luxury, sale, special

Stitches West update

Laurel — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 06:01:37 +0000

We got here safely Tues and were able to start setting up first thing Wednesday. We usually complain about being stuck in the back of the market floor, but since we are very close to the loading dock it made things easier. For this show we bought a lot of new display hardware, and we’re really grateful that our son Evan and his friend Tina were there to help us figure it out for the first time.

We had been told that this was the biggest Stitches show, and everything we had heard was correct. It’s true, and if you are anywhere west of the Rockies you absolutely MUST go to this show.

Best sellers Thursday evening and today: Super 10 Cotton (that’s no big surprise), Trendsetter Bodega novelty yarn, Improv, and KA exchangeable needle sets. But we have sold some of just about everything. Tonight was the fashion show; we have 5 garments. We’ll see if they create some excitement for tomorrow!!

Another update plus pics coming

Filed under: General Chat, Of Interest to Customers Tagged: Stitches

On the road again….

Laurel — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 23:01:41 +0000

Stitches West Ho!!

We left Sunday about noon from Jackson, and wouldn’t you know it? We had a spectacular animal encounter almost immediately. This is what we saw about 25 miles south of home:

Mountain Goats

These mountain goats are always a welcome sight. They’re very impressive animals, very calm and very big.

They’re also cute– see the face on the juvenile in the photo on the right?

Anyway, we had off and on snow until we got to Salt Lake, but managed to make it across the salt flats to Wendover before stopping for the night. The entire trip has been filled with gorgeous scenery.

Yesterday, we drove to Sparks NV, where we picked up some new display for our booths. On a whim, I checked the customer list and found we have one customer in Sparks! So we decided to do our best imitation of Publisher’s Clearinghouse, and we showed up on the doorstep of Mary F., and presented her with a little gift! You should have seen the look on her face. It was fun.

So we have made it here to Santa Clara a little while ago, and checked into the hotel, and are anticipating getting a good start on the set-up tomorrow. It was an easy drive broken into 3 days. Stay tuned for more updates from Stitches West!

Filed under: General Chat, Of Interest to Customers Tagged: goats, scenery, Stitches, Stitches West, travel

Skallops, latest and greatest in building toys.

Laurel — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 20:34:30 +0000

SKALLOPS, another successful Kickstarter project from the creative geniuses at E & M Labs, LLC out of Menlo Park, California. You may remember the wildly successful Trebuchette project of last summer elevating desktop siege warfare to new heights. These ingenious laser cut clips (Skallops) turn an ordinary deck of playing cards into an architectural marvel. Build anything from ET to the Eiffel Tower, the Golden Gate Bridge to your own DNA (maybe). Take a look at a couple of ideas:

And…. if you have more time on your hands than you know what to do with.. Check out this –> Not to Scale

Be the first on your block to build next Taj Mahal, join the party here – Skallops at Kickstarter

Filed under: General Chat

Color, Color, Color!

Laurel — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 07:13:22 +0000

Make a gigantic impact with Color

Fassett’s Patchwork Designs

It’s easier than ever before with Regia’s Design Line by Kaffe Fassett

Rowan’s Master Colorist, Kaffe Fassett, has created beautiful combinations for Regia Yarns. Those of us familiar with his work can spot a Fassett design a mile away, and love them all. But of course the knitting patterns were so daunting–combinations of fair isle and intarsia, with complex color changes using often dozens of colors and yarns in one project!

Now Fassett revisits some of his favorite shapes and patterns using combinations of these variegated yarns with each other and solids. Get fabulous results with simplified technique!

The great color combinations
of Regia Design Line

Kaffe Fassett’s colorways

Filed under: New Products, Yarn Tagged: color, designers, fashion, Kaffe Fassett, projects, Regia, Yarn