Name that Yarn!

 Mid March we will be introducing a new sock yarn base.  

The gauge and feel of the yarn is very similar to our popular Celeste yarn.  

But, this new yarn is a blend 75% Superwash Merino/25% Nylon.  

The nylon adds to the durability of the yarn making it perfect for hard wearing socks!

 I need your help naming this new yarn base. 

Make your suggestions as a comment to this post or on our Facebook page. 

If I choose your suggestion, you will win a skein of this new yarn! 

Most of my base yarn names are one word and 

relate in some way to space (star names, comets, etc.). 

This is not a hard fast rule, but would be nice in keeping with the theme. 

The contest will end Friday, March 7th at midnight (MST). 

And, a winner will be selected the following day. 

Best of luck everyone!!!

Brier Island Sweater

Photo by Laura Aylor

I am super excited to share this latest project with you guys!  It's Laura Aylor's Brier Island sweater.  And, I absolutely love it!  It's construction is really different.  Different in a good way!  And, my interaction with Laura thus far has been nothing short of stellar.  She responds really quickly to questions via her Raverly Sweater Support Thread and even includes photo tutorials for clarification.  I will need to adjust many parts of the sweater to accommodate my very tall frame.  She is walking me through every step of that process, making sure this sweater fits like a glove!    

Photo by Laura Aylor

 Laura's pattern description on Ravelry totally sold me - because, you know, it's totally plausible that I will wear this sweater while strolling along the beach, collecting sea glass...

Brier Island is a small island in Nova Scotia at the mouth of the Bay of Fundy.  Every year for 13 years our little family made the long journey by car and 3 ferries to reach this lovely, remote, unspoiled spot.  It's hard to explain why we love it so much - there's not much there but sea and shore, whales and seals, lighthouses and fog.  Summers are always cool (which was the initial attraction for us when we were trying to escape hot, humid Virginia in July and August!).  While I was working on this sweater, I was thinking that it would be perfect for evening walks down to the water to collect seaglass, watching the sun set at Western Light, or sitting at Northern Light looking for whales.  

Knit from the top down using a variation of Barbara Walker's simultaneous set-in sleeve method of seamless construction, this casual pullover features a front pocket, reverse stockinette panels on the sleeves and body, a double-layered reverse stockinette collar, and a split garter stitch hem.  

My Brier Island
knit with super soft Luna Grey Calypso yarn in Pewter

 This is my first time knitting one of Laura's patterns.  But, it surely won't be the last.  She's a very talented designer who provides fantastic customer support.  Couldn't ask for more! 

Friends through Knitting

 Calm Frenzy (available as a kit)

knit with Orion yarn in Moss
Photographed and modeled by Jami Davis

Like many knitters, I spend entirely too much time putzing around on Ravelry dreaming about all of the overly ambitious projects I will likely never have the time to complete.  Adding the projects to my Favorites list is oddly satisfying and allows me to catalog beautiful patterns - saving them for a point in my life when there will surely be more time for knitting.  

Flambeau Cowl (available as a kit)

knit with Orion yarn in Charcoal and Cranberry

Photographed and Modeled by Sara Gresbach

Last year, during various pattern searches, I kept finding my way to the work of Sara Gresbach of Front Porch Knitting.  Sara's adorable children model many of her designs.  It's hard to know for sure if it was her cutie patootie kids that captured my attention initially, or her fun, cleverly designed patterns.  Either way, I realized that we had a similar style and I wanted to connect with her.  Not surprisingly, Sara and I clicked right away and a friendship developed.  Despite never having met in person (Sara lives in Wisconsin and I'm in Colorado), I feel as though we could meet for coffee and talk for hours!  She and I eventually decided to work together, combining her patterns and my hand dyed yarn.  We now offer three of Sara's designs as fun-to-knit kits.  

Sara's newest design, the Clary Cowl and Clary Mitts, knit with Luna Grey Calypso yarn, are in the testing phase and should be released soon.  And, she is working on a brand new pattern using our newly introduced Aspen Sport yarn.  This design will be a loose-fitting, open weave, casual, yoga-type sweater.  I am super excited to see what is sure to be another stunning design!  

Clary Mitts (pattern in testing) 

knit with Calypso yarn in Cinnamon

 Clary Cowl (pattern in testing) 

knit with Calypso yarn in Cinnamon

To celebrate our collaboration, I am offering a coupon code to all of you.  Purchase any one of the kits designed by Sara, and receive 10% off your entire order!  Use coupon code: Frenzy10 at checkout.  Offer will be good through 2/28/14.

Paper Lanterns Cowl (available as a kit)

knit with Orion yarn in Mushroom