The Interweave Knits preview is up! Here are a few staff favorites:

Bavarian Tulip Mittens by Judy Alexander – worked in on skein of Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Worsted (available at the shop). These would also be lovely in Fibre Company Terra or Madelinetosh DK.

Photo courtesy of Interweave Knits

Leitmotif Cardigan by Carol Feller – worked in the Fibre Company Terra. Sizes and yardage: 32 (36, 41, 44, 48, 52)” bust circumference, 10 (11, 13, 14, 15, 16) skeins

This project is knitted from side to side, which allows for the horizontal cables. Simply gorgeous in the tweediness of Terra. Another tweed that would work well: Berroco Blackstone tweed.

Photo courtesy of Interweave Knits

Cloisonné Jacket by Deborah Helmke – worked in worsted weight alpaca blend. Sizes available and yardage required: 38 (42, 46, 50, 54)” bust circumference, 860 (1075, 1290, 1505, 1720) yards

Nothing makes me happier than a worsted weight fair isle project…there are so few out there! This design is just stunning. I am thinking Cascade Eco Alpaca (coming in soon in lots of colors!), Louisa Harding Aran Kashmir, Stonehedge Fiber Mill Shepherd’s Wool, or Fibre Co Canopy Worsted.

Photo courtesy of Interweave Knits

Leyfi Pullover by Rosemary (Romi) Hill - worked at a chunky gauge by combining an aran and a lace weight yarn together on US#10 needles. Sizing: 36 (40, 44, 48, 52)” bust circumference.

I love all things lace and leaf. This just got bumbed to the top of my must knit list. Now to figure out what to use…I’ll be honest, yardage on this one is going to be tricky. I might just go crazy and combine a strand of Neighborhood Fiber Co worsted with a strand of her Loft or Pagoda Lace…

Photo courtesy of Interweave Knits

Just in case you didn’t catch the lace leaf detail:

Elementary Vest by Melissa Wehrle – worked in sportweight wool. Finished sizes: 32½ (36, 39¾, 43¼, 46¾, 50½)” bust circumference. Yarn requirements: 600 (600, 600, 800, 800, 800) yards color A,  400 yards color B, 200 yards color C.

Photo courtesy of Interweave Knits

Chiral Cardigan by Coralie Meslin – worked in a chain plied yarn from Rowan (Lima). We recommend the new Louisa Harding Kashmir Aran as a great substitute. Sizing and yardage: 32 (36, 40, 44, 47, 50)” bust circumference, 700 (800, 900, 1000, 1100, 1200) yards.

This sweet sweater can be dolled up with our small flower buttons from One World Button Supply.

Photo courtesy of Interweave Knits

Arching Cables Jacket by Mercedes Tarasovich-Clark – worked in aran weight merino / camel blend. Sizing and yardage: 32½ (36, 41½, 43, 48½, 52)” bust circumference, buttoned. 768 (768, 896, 1024, 1152, 1152) yards

I am thinking a cute patterned button up shirt under this little jacket and working it in a good tweed or woolly yarn like Imperial Stock Ranch.

Photo courtesy of Interweave Knits

Photo courtesy of Annie's Woolens

I know, the last thing you want to think about when it’s 100 degrees outside is holiday knitting, but it’s getting to be that time, my little chickadees! (Especially if you knit as slowly as I do…)

To help you get started on your holiday projects, we’re featuring ALL of the holiday stocking patterns from Annie’s Woolens free with purchase of yarn.

We recommend Stonehedge Fiber Mills’ Shepherds Worsted, Berroco Vintage, or any other worsted weight wool or wool blend yarn. (How about some gorgeous hand-dyed colors? Hmm.. I think I see a stocking in Miss Babs Yowza in my future… or maybe some Neighborhood Fiber Company… no wait, what about Madeline Tosh… )

Let it snow!

We are now carrying Interweave Knits, Interweave Crochet, Spin Off and Knitscene, so we were delighted to see the preview of the next magazine to hit the store – Fall 2010 Knitscene. Here is the full preview from Interweave Press.

The issues is jam packed with gorgeous sweaters! Hannah Fettig’s patterns are a big staff favorite. She has this gorgeous sweater worked in Malabrigo Lace (we have a ton of new Malabrigo Lace coming into the shop next week). It has very vertical raglan lines and a gorgeous low cowl neck.

Photo courtesy of Interweave Knits

The Lapis Yoke pullover is worked in the Fibre Company Organik (on sale now at the shop!) but could also be worked up in Terra (at the shop now) or Canopy Worsted (on its way to us).  I love the texture on the top of this sweater, which is created with a simple ribbed stitch pattern.

Photo courtesy of Interweave Knits

The Xylem Pullover is one of those big floppy heavy sweaters that we all love to wrap up in on cold winter days. It is worked in Malabrigo Twist, which is a made from multiple plies of the Malabrigo lace fibre. It is amazing!

Photo courtesy of Interweave Knits

The issue also features many accessories that would be great holiday gifts. Veronica can’t wait to knit this adorable hat. It is the Gwynedd Hat by Cecily Glowik MacDonald. It is worked in a DK weight yarn, this one an angora blend. We have an amazing possum yarn coming in that would be stunning for this project: Zealana Rimu.

Photo courtesy of Interweave Knits

This gorgeous cowl is knitting in Madelinetosh Pashmina (arriving on Monday!). It is a merino, cashmere and silk blend that would make a wonderful luxury gift for a loved one (or yourself!). The pattern is the Northumbria Cowl by Elinor Brown.

Photo courtesy of Interweave Knits

We will be sure to let everyone know when our copies of the magazine arrive!

Featured Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Skinny Cotton

Callie Bib Knitalong

Join our next knitalong – the Callie bib tee! This is a supercute tee with an adorable bib & button detail – make it in Skinny Cotton for warmer weather or try it in wool over a blouse for the winter.

Our knitters were our this Thursday to show off their Lilas Cardigans. Most have reached the bottom of the arms and are working on the body of the sweater.

Kel's Lilas Cardi

Nikki's Lilas Cardi

Some notes on the project – there appears to be a typo in the body section of the cardigan. the pattern states:

Maintaining the pattern as set over the border sts and working the body in St st, work for 9 rows, starting with a RS row.
Next row (RS), work to 3 sts before 2nd marker, k2tog, k1, sm, ssk, work to 2 sts before next marker, k2tog, sm, k1, ssk, work to end. 4 sts decreased.
Repeat the last 10 rows one more time.

The problem is that if you start the first of nine rows with the RS, row nine will also be a RS row, which means that row ten (the decrease row) can not also be a RS row. What I did was simply work ten rows, instead of nine, work the decrease row and then work nine more rows and then the decrease row again. As long as your decrease rows have 9 rows in between them, it will work. Also be sure to work the decrease row on a RS row.

Other possibly adjustments: I worked my sleeves flat instead of picking up stitches and working in the round. This will add more structure and reinforcement to the armpit area, which tends to be a stress point for the fabric. If you do this, plan to cast on two extra stitches, work flat and then seam up the sleeve and the armpit (a “t” shaped area to seam). If you want to do your sleeves flat, just ask us how!

Stop in this Thursday to finish up your cardigan or check in our yours and other folks progress. We can talk about seaming and blocking and weaving in tails.