July KAL (Knit Along): Summer Mittens!

Who in their right mind would be thinking about mittens in the middle of the summer? Knitters! That's who!

We are delighted to offer "Unleashed," a convertible mitten pattern as the next Knit Along (KAL) from designer Michelle Hunter and the fine folks at Skacel. Michelle calls this project a gem with a handy flip top. This mitten will be perfect for texting, walking the dog, or even knitting outdoors.

Yarn for the mittens:  Simpiworsted by HiKoo, a 55% merino superwash, 28% acrylic, 17% nylon blend that comes in 140 yard hanks (100 grams). Gauge: approximately 4 stitches per inch on US #10 needles.

Needles for the mittens: US #6 and US #8 double pointed.

So-o-o, here's what we are offering for this project -- NEW needles and NEW yarn.

We have added FlipStix to our needle lineup. FlipStix are double pointed needles manufactured from high grade aluminum. They feature dual tips -- one end is an Addi Turbo tip and the other end is an Addi Lace tip. When you need to have that more pointy tip, you just flip the needle!

Addi FlipStix in 6" length

Simpliworsted comes in six colors of marl and four colors of multi colors. The yarn has generous yardage, crisp stitch definition, and unparalleled softness. Check out all these colors on our website, choose yours today, and place an order.

Simpliworsted Marl

Simpliworsted Marls, Simpliworsted Multis -- 140 yard hanks.

Knit Along website -- be sure to check it out before July 2nd!

Graywood Knits KAL FAQ blog post -- general information about our Knit Alongs

It's summer! We're knitting mittens! We're crazy! So what!

Happy knitting,

Wanda 

PS  Just so you know. Michelle is suggesting a solid color for this project, so I'm out on the limb offering the marls and multis here. If you'd like to follow her lead and use a solid color, consider using another of our excellent worsted weight yarns. I would suggest a superwash yarn like Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Superwash. Try a red, like Shane's Red. You canot go wrong with a washable, durable quality yarn. 

PPS As always, you don't HAVE to use double pointed needles for mittens! You can knit this project using the magic loop method and a long circular needle, 32" length recommended.

Hat Knit Along Starts July 3

Be ready for the next KAL from Michelle Hunter of KnitPurlHunter. The next project will be a two-color hat design. Michelle says this project (remember, it is always a surprise) is "brimming" with new techniques and that it is the perfect portable project for summer travels. 

Hmm, that sounds great! We are featuring 20 colors. You will find neutrals, some saturated colors, and HOT colors for summer on our website's choices of the yarn for this project, HiKoo Simplicity, a butter soft machine washable yarn. The photo shows 6 of the 20 colors that we carry. Just look at that purple! Red Hat Purple! Cool!

Here are the specifics:

Yarn: HiKoo Simplicity
Content: 55% Merino Superwash, 28% Acrylic, 17% Nylon
Skein size: 50 grams, 107 meters 
Label needle size: US #4-6, 5 stitches per inch

Hat size: The pattern is sized for baby (child, and adult). It uses two colors of HiKoo Simplicity.

Materials for KAL project:
+ HiKoo Simplicity - 1 (2, 2) hanks Main Color, 1 (1, 1) hank Contrasting Color
+ US #4 (3.5mm) needle – straight or circular
+ US #8 (5mm) 16" circular
+ US #8 (5mm) dpns or 32" circulars for Magic Loop method (for crown decreases)
+ Cable needle
+ One 3/4" button

If you want to guess at what Michelle's hat project might look at, HERE are some of her other designs.

And, if you just want to knit a hat this summer, try the Softie Hat, knit using one skein of sock yarn, that I designed. It is a free download on Ravelry and HERE is the link to my pattern. 

And, (whew, one more link!) HERE is the link to sock yarns on the Graywood Designs website.

Happy knitting,

Wanda

PS I couldn't wait to knit with this yarn so I started a scarf using Color 10 Deep Turquoise. The yarn is super soft, holds to the needles well, and flows through my fingers evenly. It is a delight to knit.

April KAL Shawl -- Week One

The April Knit Along (KAL), a shawl knit in HiKoo's Rylie yarn, started with a garter stitch tab that quickly expands through several yarn over increase rows into a semi circle shape.

I'm using the pale pink, Color #093 "Abalone," and am loving the way that the pattern work (star stitch) shows up. The first week's directions take you through Row 60 of the pattern. After I got that far, I slipped the stitches on to a holding thread and soaked the knitting. Then I folded it in a damp towel and stretched it out on a tile top table. The photo shows the results.

Week Two of this KAL will be posted on this Thursday morning at 9 am EDT. Michelle Hunter is the designer and moderator of the KAL.

Our studio knitting group has at least four of us knitting this project, plus we have shipped packages of this yarn to customers. What fun!

Abalone & Sea Grass, Rylie Colors

Anybody remember "The Thorn Birds" and Meggie's Ashes of Roses gown? Meggie, played by Rachel Ward, wears a lovely pink dress as she descends a staircase in their Australian bush farm house and falls in love with a handsome priest, played by Richard Chamberlain.

That's what Color #093 in Rylie reminds me of, a soft, slightly dusty pink, sort of like the Victorian Ashes of Roses in Meggie's costume in The Thorn Birds.

Color #093 in Rylie is called "Abalone" and you would need two skeins to knit the April KAL (Knit Along) shawl. Find out more on our BLOG or on our WEBSITE.

Here's another intriguing color, #089 "Sea Grass." It has a hint of teal, a blue green haze that is a subtle grayish green.

Rylie comes in ten colors. We have all of them in stock, ready to ship. This yarn is priced at $25.95, but with our 15% discount, you pay $22.06 per skein.

We charge $4.95 for Shipping & Handling, up to $75. After $75, S&H is free. I know, it's kind of nuts to price S&H that low, but we do, so order today!

Rylie, Featured April KAL Yarn

Michelle Hunter's April KAL will be a shawl knit with Rylie, a new yarn by HiKoo.

Rylie is a luxurious blend of baby alpaca, mulbery silk, and linen. Michelle tells us that the yarn is soft and strong and has lovely hand.

We have ordered all ten colors -- lovely pastels, beachy brights, and soft neutrals -- and all ten colors are in stock and ready to ship.

Michelle is using Color #085 "Sea" for her knitting. Other colors include: Kelp, Periwinkle, Freesia, Guava, Sea Grass, Driftwood, Sandbar, Pearl, and Abalone. There is a 15% discount on this yarn. For the KAL, you will need 2 skeins of Rylie.

HERE is the link to Rylie on our website.

You will also need a US #7 circular needle, 32" recommended.  Treat yourself to a new Addi Turbo circular needle for this project. The tips are smooth and the knitting is insanely delightful.

HERE is the link to Addi Turbo needles on our website.

Order your skeins and needle right away and be ready on Thursday, April 3rd at 9 am EDT for Michelle's very excellent April Shawl Knit Along!

HERE is the link to the Knit Along.

A few more clues from Michelle about this KAL project:

The shawl is a lace based pattern.
Michelle says it is suitable for the advanced beginner knitter.
The shawl is approximately 52" wide.
The gauge, after blocking, is approximately 20 stitches equals 4 inches in stockinette.

January KAL is Coming!

The January  KAL (Knit Along) begins on Thursday, January 2, 2014. The project will be socks knit on one needle, two at a time.

I warn you, once you learn this method, you might not go back to knitting socks on double pointed needles. The long circular needle method is so convenient and eliminates the dreaded "ladder" that forms with double point needles.

Michelle Hunter, designer and knitting educator, will be posting four weeks of lessons for this KAL. Her directions are clearly written, supported by video instruction, and easy to follow.

Michelle is calling this project a "unique two at a time sock design."  She used CoBaSi for the toe up sock design, Crimple, that we knit last January for a Knit Along.

The project takes two skeins of CoBaSi, a non-wool sock weight yarn. Michelle's sample is knit using Color #12 Iris Blue, but you will find quite a selection of CoBaSi colors on our website. Color #13, Violette, is a lovely lavender and would be a good choice. My favorite blue in CoBaSi is Color #51, a dark blue named "Raffi."

CoBaSi knits up into a soft fabric with a smooth feel. It has a slight sheen and blocks well. The yarn is 55% cotton, 15% bamboo, 8% silk, and 21% elastic nylon. It is ideal for people who want to stay away from wool and wool blends.


The Knit Along project uses a 40" circular needle, US #1 (2.5 mm), or choose a needle that gives a gauge of 8.5 stitches per inch. MIchelle suggests trying out the Addi Turbo Sock Rockets for this project. Sock Rockets have long tapered tips and a smooth, flexible cable that makes them speedy for sock knitting using the magic loop method.

Here's the LINK to CoBaSi. There are twenty colors of CoBaSi available on our website.

Here's the LINK to Addi Turbo Sock Rockets. There are five sizes and we carry all of them.

Here's the LINK to the KAL page on the KnitPurlHunter website.

I hope that you will join the Knit Along. Remember that there is no charge, lessons are posted every Thursday, and there is excellent support on Michelle's website for the project.

Order your yarn and needles in December and get ready for some January sock knitting fun.

Happy knitting!

Wanda

A Lace Edging: First Week of KAL

Ridgely Shawlette -- A Knit Along -- 3 repeats done

The first few repeats of the lace edging on the Ridgely shawlette proved to be an exercise in lace edging. I have done a lot of lace knitting before but have not attempted a garter stitch edging.

I'm tickled with the results of my knitting so far. I'm using the CoBaSi yarn on a US#6 needle. My colors are gold and camel, since I'm planning to wear the scarf in the fall. Michelle Hunter's pattern uses one ball of main color for the lace edging, while another ball of main color and the contrasting color are working into a garter stripe shawl.

You can see the three balls of yarn in the top photo, as well as the slight increasing that is already building in the shawl part of the knitting. This is fascinating knitting. You'll have to concentrate and mark off rows. The Knit Along makes for a great way to learn something new and add to your "bag 'o' knitting tricks."

Nine repeats finished

Here's the shawlette after seven repeats are complete. The knitted fabric has wonderful drape and I am looking forward to wrapping up in my lace knitting very soon.

Happy Knitting!

Wanda

The Heel Is Done -- KAL Week 3

The KAL (Knit Along) for Crimple, a toe-up sock design, is finished through Week 3. Michelle Hunter, designer from KnitPurlHunter will publish Week 4 today and I will be ready to finish my sock. I've been using a long circular needle (2.5 mm or US#1) and doing the magic loop method of sock knitting.

Here's the sock with Week 1 (cast on and knit the toe), Week 2 (knit the foot), and Week 3 (knit the heel) completed in the CoBaSi yarn that we are carrying at Graywood Designs.

Now is a great time to begin this project since you can see all four steps of sock knitting and will know just where your knitting is headed. The CoBaSi is a non-wool yarn that flows through your fingers softly and evenly. It is a joy to knit..

Buy the yarn HERE -- Graywood Designs. We carry 20 colors! If you live in the Pigeon area, you can stop by our shipping office at 40 South Main on Mondays to purchase this yarn. Anything we carry on the website (yarn, needles, patterns, books, GW publications) can be purchased in Pigeon. The office is open 10 am to 4 pm. It is a good idea to call ahead -- 453-2311 locally or 888-453-4554 Toll Free.

CoBaSi is a 2013 Featured Yarn and, as such, is 20% off.

Follow the KAL HERE -- KnitPurlHunter.

Read more about the Knit Along HERE -- Graywood Knits blog

Happy sock knitting!

Wanda

Toe-up Sock KAL (Knit Along)

Join the Knit Along (KAL) from our friends at KnitPurlHunter and learn how to knit a toe-up sock! We are carrying the yarn used in this project, CoBaSi, a non-wool sock weight yarn, on the Graywood Designs website. You will need three things: 1) Internet access and some time to knit; 2) 2 skeins of CoBaSi yarn; 3) 2.75mm needles. That's it!

A Knit Along is a delightful change of pace from the hurry scurry of the holiday months. You will learn new knitting techniques and be making a practical pair of socks. What fun!

Here are some of the specifics about participating in a Knit Along:

• There are four lessons, each posted on the four Thursdays in January.
• The pattern includes photos and online video instructions.
• There is no fee to participate. The KAL is FREE.
• Designer Michelle Hunter will reveal a photo of the project in the last step. Until then, you can watch your knitting progress and anticipate what it will look it when finished.
• You can enter a contest to win cool prizes from Skacel, the distributor of the yarn. Find out about the prizes by reading the Contest Overview on the Skacel website. 
• You  need two skeins of CoBaSi. We offer a 20% discount on this yarn!
• You need 2.75 mm size needle(s). You can use double pointed needles, two circulars, or the magic loop technique (long circular needle).
• We suggest Clover bamboo double point needles OR Addi Turbo circular needles.
• The KAL started Jan. 3. A second post appeared on Jan. 10. Order your yarn NOW and enjoy the KAL!.

CoBaSi Colors

We are carrying 20 colors of CoBaSi on our website. Here are some of them.

We know that we are a bit late at doing the Knit Along, but we are not letting that stop us from knitting. 

We are expecting our full shipment of CoBaSi on Monday, Jan. 14th and are taking orders right now for this new yarn Check out the rest of the colors at Graywood Designs and then join us as we knit along with KnitPurlHunter and make toe-up socks!