Knit yourself a cat???

Does your cat or dog need a playmate?  Are you allergic to animals?  We have the solution.  Come in and see if you can find your favorite cat or dog in one of these books. You'll be able to  knit up your own animal!  

 

If you come  this week-end (9/29 or 9/30) and make a purchase, you will receive one of our Main Street Yarn Sticky Pads.  You will have to tell whoever is helping you with your purchase that you saw this special on the Blog.  This special will only be for those who see this on the Blog.

Hope to see you this week-end.

Charity Knit Night

Tomorrow night is our monthly Charity Knit Night.  I hope you can join us.  It starts at 6:00 and ends at 8:00.  We will provide the yarn and the pattern, unless of course you have stash you want to use up or  have a hat pattern you would prefer.
We are making hats for Children's Hospital, so any size is appropriate and there is no restrictions on fiber content. 
If you can't join us tomorrow, consider next month on Oct 26th or you may drop hats off that you would like to donate and we'll make sure they get to Children's.  When Paul dropped the hats off last time, the woman who took them told Paul how much the kids appreciated the hats.  They even wanted us to put our names on each hat so they knew who to thank.
All to say - Ewenice and I hope to see you tomorrow night.

 

 

 

Be sure to read the Blog tomorrow - there will be a special deal only for Bloggers!

Shibui Merino/Alpaca

We just got our Shibui order!  More colors in the sock yarn and a new yarn, Merino/Alpaca, which is  50% Merino Wool, 50% Baby Alpaca, 18 sts. per 4", using size 8 needle, 131 yards in each skein.  Right now we have 6 colors, but we will be getting more.  Come on in and check them out!

The Provisional Cast on

I find the best method for a provisional cast on is to use a crochet hook and waste yarn.  The waste yarn should be a smooth, non-textured yarn of the same weight but contrasting color as your main yarn. 

Using a crochet needle (one size larger than your knitting needle), chain as many stitches as you need cast on adding about 5 more chain stitches.  After you have the chain, knit into the "bumps" of the chain stitch.
When using this provisional cast on it is important to work the first row with the same stitch, either a knit row or a purl row.  If you work a row where the yarn has to be thrown from front to back, it will make the "unzipping" of the provisional cast on almost impossible.

Happy Knitting!

Moss-Stitch Diamonds

 

Directions for  Moss-Stitch Diamonds

 

 

Row 1 (right side) K4, *P1,K9; rep from* to last 5 sts, P1, K4

Row 2 P3, *K1,P1,K1,P7; rep from* to last 6 sts K1,P1,K1,P3

Row 3 K2, *(P1,K1) twice, P1, K5; rep from* to last 7 sts (P1,K1) twice, P1,K2

Row 4 (P1,K1) 4 times, *P3, (K1,P1) 3 times, K1; rep from* to last st, P1

Row 5 P1, *K1,P1; rep from* to end

Row 6 (P1,K1) 4 times, *P3, (K1,P1) 3 times, K1; rep from* to last st, P1

Row 7 K2, *(P1,K1) twice, P1, K5; rep from* to last 7 sts (P1,K1) twice, P1,K2

Row 8 P3, *K1,P1,K1,P7; rep from* to last 6 sts K1,P1,K1,P3

Row 9 K4, *P1,K9; rep from*to last 5 sts, P1, K4

Row 10 Purl

 

Repeat these 10 rows.  When figuring out stitch count, this pattern is a multiple of 10 + 9

 

As you can see, this makes a great washcloth, but also would be a very nice afghan stitch or sock stitch. 



Two of our favorite books just arrived

We just received a shipment of books and among them we received two great books.  Alice Starmore's "Aran Knitting Book" and "The Big Book of Knitting".

"The Big Book of Knitting" by Katharina Buss is an illustrated knitting reference.  It covers basic techniques, such as casting on, selvedges, increasing and binding off in Kitchener Rib.  The book also covers more advanced techniques such as decorative detailing and converting patterns.  There is also some useful stitch patterns. 

"Aran Knitting" by Alice Starmore is a new and expanded edition.  This book has 60 charted patterns including the original editions 14 designs plus a new garment.  It is a complete workshop in technique, pattern and design.

Hope to see you soon!

Not too late

It's not too late to sign up for the Felted Bag class on Sunday the 16th.  The class was postponed a week so even though it says on our schedule it starts on the 9th, it will start on the 16th.  Call and sign up today!  425-337-9606.

Helpful Hint Thursday

If you work a sweater in seed stitch, it will nearly be impossible to sew a neat seam.  Try one of these options.

Add an additional knit stitch to each edge, noting that these stitches will be worked as knit stitches on the right side of the garment, and purl stitches on the wrong side (try placing markers around these stitches to help remember).  When the pieces are seamed together, the two knit stitches will disappear into the seam.   
or
Add two additional knit stitches to each side instead of one, and there will be a decorative column of two knit stitches running up the seam when it it sewn.

This Helpful Hint came from "The 'I Hate to Finish Sweaters' Guide to Finishing Sweaters by Janet Szabo. 

Any ideas?

I would like to hear your ideas.  For a little incentive, if you email me an idea of something you would like to see at Main Street Yarn, whether it be classes, a certain yarn, or anything in which you would like to express your opinion, you will receive one of these little sticky note pads. 
All you have to do is email me at eweknit@mainstreetyarn.com by 9/26 and you will receive a free Main Street Yarn sticky note pad.
The most important part of our business is our customers, so I'd like to hear your ideas.
Thank you, I can't wait to hear from you.

And the winner is.......

Ewenice says,  "Thank you Helen"

Aren't they sweet?

Hey, wait for me.....

 

Voting Starts Now

We have two sweater options for Ewenice. 

Option #1

Option #2

What sweater do you want Ewenice to wear this winter?  Vote  by sending me an email at eweknit@mainstreetyarn.com and let me know if you are voting for coat #1 or coat #2.

The voting closes Friday, the 7th at 3:00.



 

Ewenice has another coat

We got this coat right under the dead line.  Here are two views of her possible new coat.  The voting will begin on Wednesday.