FREE WORKSHOP: Macaroon Baby Sweater

Wondering what to knit this summer? Looking for inspiration and community? Is there a new baby or toddler in your family or friend group? We are looking for a few more knitters to register for our FREE Workshop* featuring the ‘French Macaroon Baby Sweater’ on Saturday, July 25th.

Inspired by colorful macaroons and knit in simple garter stitch, this confection of a sweater features a boatneck with a one button closure in the back. Each side is knit in one piece, and a three needle bind off is used to secure the shoulders. Two little seams on each side finish up the sweaters. They knit up in no time, and this little sweater is great for the beach or for the transition from summer to fall. Need more information? Call us!

*Yarn purchase required.

*Macaroons photo by Howard Lake from Colchester, UK

Mosaic Knitting

Is it cold where you live?

Look at this bright, cheery slip stitch blanket!

The pattern is ‘Good Vibrations’ by Triona Murphy & we used Simplicity from Hikoo Yarns for ours.

January 2025: LYS Newsletter

The Lancaster Knitter's Retreat 2025 takes place in an inspiring rural setting with excellent teachers and in the good company of knitters from near and far.  We will gather at the beautiful Amish View Inn in Bird-In-Hand, Pennsylvania April 4 - 6, 2025.  We are so pleased to announce Beth Brown-Reinsel, Kate Atherly and Carson Demers as this year’s featured teachers! Click HERE for more information.

THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT

Plain Yarn

On a frosty morning early in December, we drove out to the farm to pick up the latest run of PLAIN YARN, a Lancaster County Original.  This beautiful yarn is locally produced and processed from a small flock of Romney sheep, organically raised on a nearby Amish farm.

Plain Yarn is available in limited quantities, and this year, the flock really delivered with subtle natural, undyed colors in generous 120-gram skeins.  Romney wool is a favorite of hand knitters, due to its long staple and luster which make it excellent for timeless hats, mittens and garments.

Our Classes & Events schedule is being updated all the time.  We have Absolute Beginner Workshops for knitting and crochet, as well as ‘Next Step’ knitting and crochet workshops all coming up in the next few months. 

Ready to dive into colorwork? Join us for the ‘Anthology Cowl Workshop’ on Saturday morning, February 22nd.  Also on the schedule is our Berroco Spring Yarn Tasting Party Tuesday evening, March 11th!   Information about these Events and more HERE. 

January and February Shop Hours
Monday - Saturday 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM  

Thursday Knit Night is held weekly in the shop. During January and February we will gather between 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM. Grab your WIP or stop in for help choosing yarn for your next project!

We also offer KNIT NIGHT on ZOOM every Thursday evening between 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM and everyone is invited. Knitters, crocheters, spinners and weavers from all over North America *and beyond* meet up on Zoom for an evening of community crafting. This is a friendly get together of folks who know each other, folks who may be joining us for the first time, and folks who drop in occasionally. Details HERE. 

"Properly practiced, knitting soothes the troubled spirit,
and it doesn't hurt the untroubled spirit either." 
--Elizabeth Zimmermann

WE SHALL BE KNIT TOGETHER

Sweater Knitting: Vintersol KAL

Sweater knitting is a perfect way to take favorite knitting techniques and use them at a grand scale.  If you love fair isle knitting like we do, you may wish to join our KAL in September as we knit Jennifer Steingass’ “Vintersol” sweater. 

The Vintersol sweater is described this way by the designer: ‘This sweater is a top down hybrid. It starts with a provisional cast on with waste yarn using a simple long tail cast on. Several rounds are worked with the waste yarn and then the main color is joined. The stranded yoke is worked and the neckline is finished… then the body and sleeves are worked from the provisional cast on edge. You can try it on as you go: the yoke, body, and sleeve lengths are all adjustable, as well as the neckline circumference, if desired. This sweater is worked seamlessly and in the round.’

Check out the pattern and the 400+ projects posted HERE on Ravelry and get inspired!  Maybe this will be the sweater you wear all winter!

photo D White/@knotsowooly

We’ll kick off our Knit Along with an evening Cast-On Party on September 4th.  Meet the knitter who made the sample in the shop and workshop the pattern as we cast on and/or swatch for our sweaters! We will offer help determining what size sweater to make, help with gauge and needle choices, and swatching and color selection advice.

More information about the KAL here. 
RSVP for the KAL Cast On Party  (717) 768-8007

Join the Fun! BEEKEEPER Cardigan 4 Day KAL: July 2018

CAST ON PARTY! 
MONDAY, JULY 2, 2018 6:00 -8:00 PM

Olive Knits (designer Marie Greene) has created a summer KAL featuring a 4 day sweater!  She's also made it so that anyone can play along, and the rules are somewhat arbitrary, so you are encouraged to make it work for YOU!

Lancaster Yarn Shop has great ideas for yarn for this KAL!  We’ve swatched with Simplicity DK from HIKOO yarns, Pima 100 from Berroco, and Prairie Spun DK from Brown Sheep Company.  Stop in now to choose your colors and get your swatching under way!

The official KAL begins July 1st and runs through July 15th with a sliding timeline for different sizes (up to 8 days). Pick and choose your days (they don’t have to be consecutive). You can participate on your own time frame, with the LYS KAL group, or try the challenge on your own.  If you love the friendship and energy of doing it with a group, you are invited to join us!  There is also a cheerful, highly engaged FB group where the designer will offer fun, help and prizes along the way!

The Beekeeper Cardigan has simple, all-over texture. No lace, no cables. Top-down, seamless construction. 3/4 sleeves with an option for long sleeves. Suitable for advanced beginners and beyond, and if it's your first sweater, we'll share knitting tips to help you succeed!
You will need to know:

• How to read a pattern
• How to use stitch markers
• How to work M1R and M1L increases
• How to work a kfb increase
• How to knit/purl
• Basic top-down, seamless sweater construction
• How to cast on with basic methods

Sizes: 32” (34, 36, 38, 40, 44, 48, 52”) bust
Note: 2-3 inches positive ease included for a comfortable fit

Approximate Yardage: 1150 (1250, 1375, 1485, 1605, 1735, 1875, 1980) yards - yardage may be updated prior to pattern release. If in doubt, round up to be safe. And, for goodness sake:  SWATCH!

Swatching is critical!

The best thing about the 4 Day Sweater is that it doesn’t LOOK like a sweater you could knit in 4 days.

Pattern is available for pre-order NOW.  The pre-order will include:

• An overview of the KAL
• Timeline of events
• Links to all of last year’s helpful tips on prepping for a super-fast sweater KAL
• Gauge and swatching information, including the stitch pattern for the sweater that will allow you to measure gauge accurately.

If you are participating, please be sure to set up your Ravelry project page using the tags: #4daykal2018 and #oliveknits so we can find you, and if you share on social media, please use these hashtags as well. We’ve added a hashtag of our own, too!  #beekeeperlys