It's raining and chilly in Lancaster County today, and leaves are flying down from the trees. A perfect day to plan winter knitting and crochet projects.
I've got socks on my needles, and sweaters on my mind! I've posted two sweater knitting classes to take place in January and February at our teaching studio here in the shop. If you've never made a sweater and are ready to learn the basics, have a look at the 'Flax' class. This pattern from Tin Can Knits is a great fit for a first time sweater! If you have a little more experience and want to refine your skills, we're also teaching Isabell Kraemer's 'Dexter' cardigan.
Let's cast on!
JOIN THE SCOREBOARD KAL AT LYS!
LYS is ready for some football!
Join The Scoreboard Cowl KAL and make an AMAZING, wearable knitted record of your team's 2015-2016 season with your Scoreboard Cowl!
The Scoreboard Cowl is made with Simplicity DK from HIKOO and worked in the two colors of your favorite football team! Simplicity is a super soft, washable merino blend and it comes in SO MANY COLORS!
Choose a main color to represent your favorite team and their points, and a secondary color to represent your favorite team's opponents and their points. (There is also an option to add a third color, which provides a visual break line between games.)
The design of the cowl is simple; it is worked in the round in stockinette. When your team scores, knit a round in the main color for each point attained. Did they kick a field goal? Add 3 rounds. Did they score a touchdown? Knit 6 rounds. Was the point after good? Add another round!
Should the opposing team score on the subsequent drive; their points will be knit in the contrast color following the same rules noted above. Follow this structure for the whole game, switching back and forth between the main and contrast colors depending on which team scores. All rounds will be worked in knit stitch, except the optional, game-dividing, purl rounds.
LYS is having a KICK-OFF party on September 17th as we start the Scoreboard Cowl KAL with Skacel & Michelle Hunter! Join us for snacks--and to get your materials ready for the KAL! Free project bags for the first 10 people to purchase their yarn!
Free pattern available for download on September 3, 2015! GO TEAM!
Just Keep Knitting!
photo copyright The Alpaca Yarn Company
Summer is here and we are knitting like mad! We're very excited to have a beautiful new yarn in the shop this week! Say HELLO to Mariquita--a hand dyed fingering weight yarn made with alpaca and tencel--so it's shiny, soft and absolutely dreamy to knit!
YARN CAMP starts soon! Five days of Free Workshops start Monday, August 10th with our favorite 'Absolute Beginner's Knitting Workshop; ' in other Workshops we'll explore short rows, Fair Isle technique & Mosaic Knitting.
Please consider joining us for an Open House at our Thursday evening Knit Night during Yarn Camp -- we'll provide coffee and cookies and make you welcome! Bring your current WIP, or stop in for help with choosing a new project to keep your needles and hooks flashing!
We meet weekly to knit and natter, and YOU are invited.
Happy Knitting!
#LKR2015
LANCASTER KNITTER'S RETREAT RECAP!
We had a wonderful time knitting and nattering in the heart of Amish Country this past weekend with guest teachers Carol Sulcoski and Franklin Habit.
Friday evening, The Great Room at the Amish View Inn & Suites was a great big Knitting Circle! So many beautiful shawls and sweaters were being made and worn, it was dizzying! We got to know each other a little bit over cups of coffee and glasses of wine, and a good time was enjoyed by all!
On Saturday we broke into two groups for Classes with Franklin and Carol.
Saturday afternoon we had live music in the Great Room with a local, old-time band (featuring Bob from LYS!) The Knitpickers and time for a quick nip down to Kitchen Kettle Village and the Lancaster Yarn Shop!
After a little rest, we enjoyed a banquet dinner (and more wine!) and Franklin Habit's presentation of his talk "B is for Purl: A Brief History of Knitting Patterns." Late night knitting ensued in the Great Room.
Sunday morning featured a lazy start and then a Knitting Salon. We were serenaded by Cathleen Sauber, a knitting harpist while we knitted and visited.
We played games.
The Knitpickers (mini-version) came back and performed three special songs written just for the Lancaster Knitter's Retreat.
Things wrapped up with an interesting, informative and personal talk with Carol and Franklin. They shared their favorite knitting book titles, their favorite tools, and cited their inspirations.
We had a wonderful time!
Our ends are woven in this year, we hope to see you next year at the
Lancaster Knitter's Retreat 2016!
I Can't Wait! Lancaster Knitter's Retreat, 2015
Two weeks! TWO WEEKS! That's how much time there is until we head down the road to the AmishView Inn for the Lancaster Knitter's Retreat!
We have so many fun things planned! Franklin Habit & Carol Sulcoski have prepared great classes for us on Saturday and will be our special guests at the Knitting Salon on Sunday. We've ordered meals for the Banquet, and chosen wine and coffees and desserts. We have live music lined up, including old time music and a harpist; and we are packing up our knitting bags and looking forward to a great time.
Several of our vendors have sent us Door Prizes and we have SWAG!
Lancaster Yarn Shop will be OPEN regular hours while we're at the Retreat. Attendees may wish to drop by Friday when they arrive in Lancaster County, and will also have some free time Saturday afternoon to visit Intercourse, PA and shop.
P.S. Attendees, Bring your knitting!
#LKR2015
Spindleknitter's Stockings by Kirsten Hall
PATTERN SPOTLIGHT: Spindleknitter's Stocking
In July we are offering a special Class featuring Kirsten Hall's Spindleknitter's Stockings. The pattern is more of a recipe, really--and it's a marvelous opportunity to master Fair Isle or stranded knitting. This pattern lends itself to inventive color palettes, edgings, braids, and surface decoration.
We will learn how to knit from charts, how to interpret and add edgings and texture--and we'll make this extraordinary project over the course of three classes starting Tuesday, June 30th at 6:00 PM.
photo Kirsten Hall
Thank you to Kirsten Hall for permission to use her pattern and her gorgeous photographs.
This is going to be a fun, creative project. Won't you join us?
Sign up now! (717) 768-8007