I am so excited to be a guest blogger on the Lancaster Yarn Shop blog, in honor of the premier of my new book, Lace Yarn Studio. Lace Yarn Studio was a long time coming: I first proposed the concept to my editor at Lark Crafts three years ago and circumstances beyond our control made the publication take longer than we planned – so it’s extra-exciting to finally hold the book in my hands. I really wanted to show knitters how lace yarn isn’t, contrary to what many think, scary, and I also loved the challenge of coming up with some less conventional ways to use lace weight yarn.
I will freely confess to you that when I first came back to knitting, a while back, I was intimidated by very skinny yarns. I wasn’t sure what to do with them and I doubted my ability to make complex lace shawls, since my skills were rusty (and in some cases, non-existent!). Over time, I came to know and love superfine yarns. Here’s why:
· They are so lightweight! I live outside Philadelphia and I don’t get a chance to wear superbulky sweaters many days of the year. But garments and accessories made of lace weight yarn are comfortable on all but the dog days of summer because they aren’t heavy or hot.
· They don’t add bulk. I love that superfine yarns are thin rather than chunky so they don’t add bulk to my silhouette.
· They look amazing when you take advantage of their sheerness and drape. Look at the delightful way Barb Brown’s Wind On The Water scarf practically shimmers, with an airiness that captures the feel of a breeze gently ripple the surface of the ocean.
· They come in so many amazing colors, blends and fibers. Whether you like smooth, firmly twisted merino or a luxe blend like mink, silk or bison, there’s a lace weight yarn for you. Handpainted, metallic, self-striping, with a halo or without, plied or singles, you can have a blast playing with all sorts of fun lace weight yarns.
In Lace Yarn Studio, I’ve included a technical section with information and tips for using lace weight yarn, so if you’re a newbie to lace weight, you’ll have what you need to get started. I’ve also included many easy-to-work patterns using lace weight, such as the Eden Scarf (stockinette and moss stitch, with simple increases and decreases); the Malbec Infinity Cowl (garter and stockinette knit in the round); and the Square in the Round Poncho (designed by Robyn Schrager; stockinette in the round with increases).
As you get more comfortable knitting with lace weight, you can play around with cables, eyelets, mesh lace and more.
I hope you’ll pop over to Lancaster Yarn Shop (which, handily, also has the initials “LYS”) and pick up a copy!