The Woolly Lamb, East Aurora, New York

The Woolly Lamb, 712 Main Street, East Aurora, NY

I visited this store on September 21, 2012.  The hours listed say the store was to open at 11 AM.   Believe me, I was there on time.  However, the owner (or whoever she was) was NOT!  So I decided to sit on a bench nearby for about ten minutes, and was going to leave if the store was not open by then.

It was!

I was greeted upon entering - as I would expect, so that was nice.  Some places do not do this, by the way.

My first impression of the store was that it was a bit on the sloppy side.  There were some areas where the yarns were piled on top of each other and in boxes and bags.  Nothing wrong with having extra in the bags, but it is nice to see them stacked nicely in my opinion.  I like to see a knitting shop that is neat and organized because it makes finding what I want much easier; also if a yarn is new to me, I am much more likely to check it out if I don't have to dig underneath another bag of yarn to get to it.

The shop has an excellent selection of yarn and a pretty nice selection of notions.  The woman who was there was very friendly and helpful.  I witnessed great treatment to another customer who had come in after me.  She was looking for a certain yarn that she had purchased before, but didn't have the ball band or something like that, and the shop lady was helpful in trying to find it for her.  I also heard the customer ask what time the store opened, and the shop lady said 11 but that she was often late.

This late bit I find kind of a bad business practice, but hey.  It isn't my store.  I am sure there usually isn't a line waiting for the place to open, however if your hours are 11 to whenever, then you should be there at that time.  I was ready to leave, and she would have missed out on my purchase.

At any rate, despite the few negatives I mentioned above, I would definitely go back to this store.  Good customer service far outweighs opening a few minutes late and being a little bit messy.  If you are in the area of East Aurora NY, I recommend stopping by The Woolly Lamb.  I even got an ink pen :0)


My purchase?  I got some Sublime angora merino - it was on sale!  So absolutely soft and wonderful, I can't wait to start knitting with it.

Below are a few pictures of the store, and the yarn I got.

Knit a Triangle Shawl (Bottom Up)

One of my first knitting projects was a triangle shawl.  I've always loved shawls, and couldn't believe how easy it was to knit one.

There are many ways to knit a triangle shawl.  This time, we are going to cover going from the bottom up using yarn overs to make the increases.  I also show doing a KFB (knit front and back) increase if you want a less obvious increase.

This is just the bare bones of triangle shawls.  I am sure you have seen many beautiful shawls that are lacy, some that are cabled, and many others.

The shawls pictured here were knit years ago.  I am not certain what yarn was used.  I think the one on the right is Caron Simply Soft, but it could very well be something else.

Below are a few examples of how to do a simple triangle shawl.  Nothing fancy here.  A shawl is a great beginner project if you want something larger than a scarf, but still want to keep it simple.  You don't have to worry about gauge either.

These shawls are also a great project for seasoned knitters, because you can sit and watch TV and just mindlessly knit.

You can use any yarn and needles you like - the needles should be circulars though, to accomodate all of the stitches as the shawl grows.  I'd say you want a 32 inch minimum.  Of course if you are using a thin, lace weight yarn you could probably get away with a 24 inch circular; if you are using a thicker, bulkier yarn you may need to use a longer needle.  

A good place to start is go to the craft store or your LYS, find a yarn you like, and just swatch using the needle size recommended on the ball band.  If you find that you want a looser fabric, try a larger needle; if you want a denser fabric, go down a needle size.  There is no wrong way to do this, so don't be worried that you may be using the wrong needle for your yarn.  If you are pleased with your swatch, then you are using the right yarn and needles.

My shawls pictured above are just garter stitch, as are the samples in the video.  You can do garter stitch if you like, or stockinette - maybe even alternate a few rows of garter with a few rows of stockinette.

Below are only a few ways you can do a bottom up triangle shawl.  If you don't like any of these looks, play around and see what you can come up with.  I used a US size 10.5 Knitter's Pride Cubics needle in my samples, and the first three were done in Mulberry Merino yarn, and the last in Paton's Classic Wool.

The first sample is a mini shawl from cast on to bind off.  Yours of course will be much bigger.
Cast on 3 stitches
Knit across, turn
K1, YO, knit to end

Repeat the K1, YO, knit to end until the shawl is as big as you want it to be.  Bind off, weave in loose ends and block if you like.

The second sample is done by making the yarn over at the beginning of each row.  This makes a very decorative edge along your shawl.
Cast on 3
Knit across, turn
YO, knit to end
Repeat from YO, knit to end until shawl is desired size

Our third sample also uses a yarn over increase, and will create a wider border than either of the two above.  This also gives a less pointy tip to the shawl.
Cast on 5
Knit across, turn
Knit 3, YO, knit to end
Repeat from Knit 3, YO, knit to end until shawl is desired size

Maybe you don't like the look of yarn overs.  You can do any increase you like and are comfortable with.  In my sample below, I used the KFB increase - knit front and back of the stitch.

Cast on 3
Knit across, turn
K1, KFB, knit to end
Repeat from K1, KFB, knit to end until shawl is desired size

Here is a video showing how I did all of the samples.  I hope this helps those of you thinking about making a triangle shawl, but aren't quite sure where to start.

Wind a Center Pull Ball of Yarn by Hand

You don't need any fancy equipment to wind your yarn into a center pull ball.  All you need is a toilet paper or paper towel tube cut to a comfortable size, and your own two hands.

Take the tail of your yarn and drop it down the tube until it pokes out the other end.  Hold it in place until you have wrapped the yarn a few times.  Just start winding the yarn around the tube.  Wrap at an angle after the first few wraps, turning the tube every so often.  Keep going until you have wound all of the yarn around the tube.  Then, pull the tail out of the center of the tube, and slide the tube out of the ball of yarn.  And there you have your very own center pull ball of yarn!  

Here is a short video showing how it is done.  Happy Winding!

Knitting With Plastic Bags

Pattern for the Chilly Coaster is below

Hey everyone!  I have been wanting to do this tutorial for ages, and finally got around to it!  Below is the tutorial and video, and a free pattern for my Chilly Coaster, made from plastic grocery bags.  I call it Chilly Coaster, because it is meant for cold cups.  Also, this coaster is just for fun, not really to keep condensation from getting on your table.  So be warned, don't use this thinking it will protect an important surface.  And while you could use it for a steamy, hot mug of coffee, also know that the plastic may melt, leaving a nasty mess on your cup.  So, cold drinks only on water safe surfaces.

First, here is the video.  Below that you can print the tutorial if you wish, and the pattern.  Happy Knitting, and Enjoy!

Knitting With Plastic Bags Tutorial




Chilly Coaster Pattern

JJ's Knitting Knook

I recently visited JJ's Knitting Knook, located on Stuarts Draft Highway in Waynesboro, VA.  Great little shop, full of beautiful yarn!  This place looks like it used to be a house - there are several rooms of yarn, books, needles and fibery goodness.  I was waited on by Teresa, who was very nice.... and very patient when, after I had already made my yarn purchase, I decided I also wanted to get The Knitter's Block.... and then remembered I had wanted to check out some rosewood needles too.  She very kindly got the needles for me, opened them up and allowed me to inspect the cables.  Very nice little store that I hope I have the chance to visit again!  I actually missed one of the rooms and wish I had gone back to look.  So if you go, make sure you look in all of the rooms!

Below are some pictures, and check out Episode 17 of the podcast to see what I purchased.  Teresa is in one of the pictures, by the way :0)

Knitting Needles

People often ask about the needles I use in my videos, so I though I would just do a video about needles in general.   Below are links to several different brands and types of needles you can get.  Needles really are a personal thing, and the only way to know what works best for you is to try them.  I think I have tried just about every type there is, with only a few exceptions. I almost always use, and prefer, addi needles.  

If you are a serious knitter, I do recommend that you purchase a set of interchangeable needles.  Yes, it seems awfully expensive.  However, if you were to add up the cost of buying each needle size, in each length of circular needles, that would be far more than the cost of an interchangeable set.  With the set, you usually get all of the most commonly used needle sizes and cord lengths.  Also, most manufacturers  offer add ons - you can purchase additional cords and/or needle tips to supplement your set.  It really is a wise investment. You can find some fairly affordable sets, so don't think owning an interchangeable set is out of reach. 

If you by needles in Wal-Mart, Joanns, Michaels, etc. you will typically see the same stuff - Boye and Clover, and usually Susan Bates.  There may be a couple of other brands carried as well.  Your local yarn store may or may not also have these brands, and in addition you can find addi needles, rosewood needles, Knitter's Pride, Kollage, Chiao Goo.... it goes on and on.  And of course, you can find pretty much anything online.  (My favorite online stores are in the 'shop' tab at the top, and I also have some listed in my amazon store, which you can find in the right side bar.)

Needles come in many different lengths, some very short and some very long. You can get them in all different materials, such as wood, bamboo, plastic, acrylic and even glass.  You can get the standard round needles, and even square needles.  The square needles are touted as causing less strain on your hands, and create more uniform stitches.  I own a set of square DPNs from Kollage and have to say, they do feel pretty good in my hands.  

Some needles are very polished and smooth, allowing the yarn to slide with ease.  Others have a little bit of grab to them, making the yarn a little more difficult to move.  For new knitters, it can be a bit of a help to have needles with grab, as there is a lesser chance of stitches dropping off the needles.  The good old fashioned aluminum needles have grab, as well as bamboo and wood.  There are some needles out there that are made of those materials that are more polished than others, and so the yarn will slide easier.  If you see a needle that is really shiny, chances of it being nice and smooth are pretty good.  Nickel plated needles, like addi turbos and the Knit Picks Options, are very slick and smooth.  Yarn slides like a dream on these needles.  Depending on the type of yarn you use, and how you hold it, you may find that needles that have that little grab to them still allow the yarn to slide easily.  For instance, I once knit with Lion Brand Homespun on acrylic needles.  It was awful, I had the hardest time moving the yarn on the needles.  

I am not a needle expert, by far, but I have used a lot of different types that are available.  I'll give you some links to peruse.  I will also post a video below, if anyone is interested.  This list is by no means everything out there.  There are many, many more.  I suggest asking at your local yarn store, or if you know someone who knits, to give you a few suggestions.  Knitting boards (such as Knitting Paradise) are also a good place to ask around, and you should be able to get a good idea of pros and cons of different needles.  Again, it is personal choice.  I adore addi needles, but I have seen people posting about their dislike for them.  There is no wrong choice - whatever feels the most comfortable to you is the right needle.  Don't let someone sway you from a cheaper needle, simply because it is cheap.  If you like the cheap needles, then use the cheap needles.  There is no need to spend $32 for a pair of needles if you enjoy knitting with a pair of $5 needles.  The whole point of knitting is for you to enjoy yourself and relax and have fun with fiber.  

A word on needle gauges: Most brands have a needle gauge.  If possible, use the gauge for whatever brand needle you are knitting with.  It is possible that different manufacturers may have needles that vary slightly in sizes; if you use a Lion Brand gauge to check the size of a Boye needle, it may not be exactly accurate.  This is another reason doing a gauge swatch is very important if you are knitting a fitted garment!

Straights:

Boye 

Aluminum (available in the standard round needles, or the Artisan needles, which are square)

Rosewood 

Plastic

Susan Bates

Silvalume (Aluminum)

Luxite (Plastic)

Crystalites (Acrylic)

Quicksilver (made from a special heat-treated aluminum alloy)

Clover

Takumi Bamboo (also comes in 13-14 inch sizes)

Double Points:

Boye

Aluminum (available in both round and the Artisan square)

Susan Bates

Silvalume

Quicksilver

Steelite

Brittany

Birch Wood

Clover

Takumi Velvet (highly polished bamboo)

Takumi Bamboo

All of the above also have circular needles, made from the same materials.

Interchangeable sets:

addi - you can see all of the interchangeable sets here.  

Boye - Artisan Wood and Nickel Plated system

            Artisan Nickel Plated system

Knit Picks Options

Denise

Knitter's Pride Cubics

Signature Needles - I am just providing the link to their main page.  They have single, double and circular needles, and you can "build your own" needles.  Choose the length, end cap, and point sharpness of your choice.  Pretty nifty needles, that carry a pretty hefty price tag!  

How to Knit Bobbles

I have recently started redoing all of my old videos.  Bobbles is one of those videos.  It was long and extremely boring, on top of being pretty hard to see.  This new video is still a tad on the long side, but at least now it is very clear!  And instead of written instructions scrolling through the video, I am putting them up here.  Hope everyone likes the new bobble video!

There are no set rules for bobbles, really.  You can make as many as you want, big or small, different colors (as in the photo above), and they can be placed anywhere you like.  If you are following a pattern, it will undoubtedly tell you where to place the bobbles, and how to make them.  

Below are a few ways I know to make bobbles, and I am sure there are more methods floating around out there. They all have a slightly different look, but the method of making them is really the same : increase into the next stitch, turn and purl, turn and knit, decrease.  And there is your bobble.  The typical bobble is 5 stitches, but you are free to experiment.  The video demonstrates stockinette fabric and bobbles, but you can really do anything with them.  Maybe garter fabric with a stockinette bobble, or the other way around.  Why not a seed stitch bobble?  Use bobbles as buttons.  Your only limitation is your imagination.

Decide where you want a bobble.  Into the next stitch, increase using any of the following methods:

1) K1, P1, K1, P1, K1

2) K1, YO, K1, YO, K1

3) KFL, KBL, KFL, KBL, KFL (Knit front/back loop)

Then, turn your work and purl those same five stitches.  Turn again and knit.  You can stop here, or purl/knit again.  The more times you do this, the puffier your bobble will be.

Now, you need to decrease back to one stitch, using any of the following methods:

1) Pass second stitch over first, pass third stitch over first, etc. until all extra stitches have been passed over the first

2) After you have purled and are ready to knit the stitches : K2tog, K1, K2tog, then pass the two remaining stitches over the first

3) Pass the second and third over the first together, then pass the fourth and fifth together over the first

4) Once you have purled/knit as many times as you like, continue knitting to the end of your row.  You will make your decreases on the wrong side of the fabric.  When you come to the bobble, simply purl all of the extra stitches together.  Obviously, this could become difficult if you have chosen to use more than five stitches for your bobble.  I wouldn't recommend this decrease for more than five stitches.  

And of course, here is the video!  Happy Knitting and Enjoy!

New Knitting Videos and Tutorial

Happy Friday everyone!  For those who don't follow me on Facebook, or maybe just didn't see the post, I have decided to redo all of my old knitting videos.  I have been making how-to videos since early 2008.  It is going to take a while to get them all done!  At the beginning, I only had a digital camera to record with.  The camera would record for 3 minutes and then stop.  So in addition to poor quality video, there were many stops and starts in the videos.  Not long ago, I got a real video camera! I am now able to record clear, HD videos from start to finish.  If you are familiar with my videos, I'm sure you noticed the difference!  I have also been playing around with different editing music, etc. on the videos trying to decide what I like best.  I think I finally have a format that works well and most people seem to like.  I will be adding these videos on the weekends, along with the regular stitch videos that I do.

So.  I have added a new tab to the top of the blog which will have links to all of my videos.  Not all of them are available right now.  It is going to take time for me to redo everything; I will be adding the links as I go.  The videos are not being done in any particular order.   Also, all of the stitch pattern videos I have done in the past will be going into a new tab on The Weekly Stitch.

I have also finished my entrelac project that I will be giving away as a free pattern to go with the tutorial.  I hope to have that up this weekend.

Hope everyone likes the new videos and tutorial.  Thanks for visiting my blogs.  Happy Knitting!

4th of July - Stars 'n Stripes Dish Cloth - Free Pattern

Hi everyone!  Here is a free pattern for you to knit for the Fourth of July, which is right around the corner.  This uses Lily Sugar n Cream self striping yarn, so all you have to do is knit.

The stitches you need to know for this pattern are:  knit, purl, yarn over, purl three together.  If you don't know how to do the star stitch, here is a video:

June 20, 2012 - I used my cloth for the first time tonight, and the red has bled a little bit into the white.  There is also a little bit of bleeding from the blue, but not much.  This doesn't bother me, but I wanted to let everyone else know in case it may be an issue.  


Stars 'n Stripes Dish Cloth

Beaded Tassels

If you want to add a little glitz to your tassels, why not use beads?  It is really simple to do - the process is basically the same as making regular tassels, but you don't cut the bottom of the tassel.  Just pick some beads appropriate for your yarn.  If you aren't able to find beads that will fit your yarn, try using a complimentary, light weight yarn that the beads will fit on and wrap it along with the yarn used for the project.  Or you can just use the different yarn by itself.

Like regular tassels, you will need something to wrap your yarn around that is the length you want the tassel to be.  You also need beads of course, and scissors.  You will also need a needle that will fit through the hole in your bead with the yarn, or you can use a crochet hook to put the beads onto your yarn like I do in the video.

You can use as many beads as you like.  For the tassel above, I just kept one bead per strand as I wrapped.  Once you are done wrapping, cut the yarn.  You will need to cut another length of yarn to tie the tassel at the top so it doesn't fall apart.  Then, just slid the tassel off the cardboard or whatever you wrapped it around.  Do not cut the bottom of the tassel or your beads will come off.  You can then tie another piece of yarn around the top of the tassel if you like.  Attach the tassel to your project and trim any ends that may be sticking out.

Here is a video showing how I made the tassel above.

How to Make a Tassel

Tassel on the left was made with some wool yarn I dyed myself.  Tassel on the right was made with Sugar n Cream cotton yarn.

Tassels are easy to make.  You don't need any fancy equipment, either.

You will need:

1. A piece of cardboard or something else you can wrap your yarn around.  It should be a little longer than you want your finished tassel to be.  That way you can trim up the end without having a shorter than desired tassel.  (I used a piece of folded cardboard to make mine, as you will see in the video, but you needn't fold yours. )
2. Scissors
3. Crochet hook
4. Yarn, of course

To keep things brief here, I am not going to go into great written detail.  Not that it is complicated to make a tassel, but it is much easier to see it being done than read how to do it.   Basically, all you do is wrap your yarn around the cardboard, until the tassel is as thick as you want it.  The more wraps you do, the thicker your tassel will be.  Then, cut a length of yarn, slip your crochet hook under the wraps, pull the length of yarn under them, and tie it a couple of times tightly so that the tassel doesn't come apart. These are the strands you will use to attach the tassel to your project.  Next, cut the wraps on the opposite end from where you tied them together.  The tassel can be used as is, or you can cut another length of yarn, and tie it around the tassel a short distance from the top.  You can see in the picture above where I have tied my tassels.  I like to wrap my yarn a few times around the tassel, but you can just tie and be done.  With your crochet hook, pull the tails from the yarn you used to tie around the tassel underneath itself and voila. Trim if necessary.  To attach your tassel to a hat or scarf, or whatever you like, just use the strands from the top of the tassel to tie them on.  That's it.

So, here is the video.  Happy Tasseling!

Yarn Over 101

I decided to do a tutorial on yarn overs, since there can (and is) often times a lot of confusion on the topic. When I first began knitting, I was good with the YO - yarn over.  But then I started seeing things like yon, yrn, yfwd... I didn't quite understand what I was supposed to do.  I thought it was a yarn over, but then again, it seemed different. It must be different, otherwise the pattern would just say YO, right?   As a result, I avoided anything that contained these goofy instructions.  Somewhere along the way, I figured out that these were all yarn overs, and the only difference was yon, yrn, etc. were there to indicate how the yarn was treated, depending on whether the next stitch was a knit or purl.  These days, whenever I see any of these directions, I just make a yarn over and don't even worry if I am going over the needle, around the needle or whatever.  I know my working yarn has to be in the front when I purl, and in the back when I knit, and that my yarn will be going over the needle.  So I just throw the yarn over my needle, place it in the correct position, and make my next stitch.  It really is that simple.

I know a lot of knitters are very passionate about this topic.  For me, as I said above, they are all yarn overs, and I don't get too particular what "kind" of yarn over it is.  I just do it.  I knit to relax, and really don't need to stress over a hole in my knitting.

Here is a printable reference guide on yarn overs, including what to do when you forget to make one and what to do when you make one you don't need.  There is also a video which demonstrates everything on the sheet.  I hope this helps anyone who may be as confused as I was.  Happy Knitting!


Yarn Over 101 Reference Guide

Yarn Over 101 by on Scribd

Natural Stitches

Last weekend I visited a yarn shop called Natural Stitches in Pittsburgh Pa.
I wouldn't consider it a very big store, however it is absolutely full of beautiful yarn!  They also have a cozy little area to sit, relax and knit.  They have a reward program too - spend $250 and receive 10% your next purchase.  Almost one entire wall is devoted to Cascade 220 - they have every single color.  So if you are a fan of that yarn, this is the place to get it!  If you are ever in the area, I highly recommend stopping in. Everyone was very nice, and they were able to help me with yarn for a project I am working on now, and will be sharing with everyone soon.  Below are just a few pictures.  As you can see, it is a very neat, clean and well organized shop.  I can't wait to go back!