Summer is for Super 10

Super 10 Butterfly Cotton Our favorite!If you think cotton is just for dishcloths, you haven’t met Super 10, the superior choice for DK weight cotton for both crochet and knit Crochet this beautiful overblouse Westminster Fibers have come up with 2 new booklets, and each has very wearable patterns that will become staples in your wardrobe. Hands Down Favorite We had a sample of this vest in #3995 Persian Red at Stitches West and literally could not meet the demand!  This is a real winner in a simple lace pattern,  you will love it no matter which one of the more than 80 colors you choose. Super 10 has so many great qualities:  it’s machine wash and dry, won’t split, won’t pill, won’t shrink, it’s  soft, colorfast, and has a permanent shine. Of course it’s fabulous for adult garments, including shawls and sweaters, but you can use Super 10 for household items  (placemats, pillows, handtowels), baby items (blankets, hats)  and of course kids love it!

Summer Cuties

Summer is for Kids! Made with Super 10! Sassy Skein Patterns are sooooooo cute and so easy to knit in wonderful Super 10! These patterns are now on sale — 25% off through June 30.  Choose a few now; in stock only. If you find one of these patterns and want the kit with Super 10 Cotton, just email us and we will put it together for you!

Super Big Luxury from Rowan

This design in "Winter Warmers"

 Alpaca Chunky
This super-soft and snuggly yarn is a natural extension of Rowan’s Lima.  Since super-bulky yarns are so in fashion, it makes perfect sense to create a bigger, chunkier alpaca yarn.  This yarn is put up in 100g skeins, with about 76 yards, so as to minimize the number of ends you have to deal with.  And there’s a Rowan book Winter Warmers, with patterns for Alpaca Chunky, too.

Here’s a gift from me to you to get you started:

Knit in alpaca chunky

Simply Snuggly Luxury Scarf

This reversible scarf will make you want to go out in the cold just so you can wear it.  Or make it for someone else — Sometimes the recipe for a fabulous gift is deceptively easy!

2 100g balls Rowan Alpaca Chunky
US size 15 needles

Cast on 18 st, and work in this pattern

Row 1:  K3, P3 repeat across
Row 2:  K1,P1 repeat across

Continue in pattern until just enough of 2^nd ball remains to bind off.  Weave in loose ends.  Block lightly to stabilize the stitches.  Finished size about 6” by 66”.

Tip:  When working with circular chain constructed yarns like Alpaca Chunky or Lima try joining balls this way.  Using a tapestry needle, thread the new end up through the center of the yarn tube of the old end for about 4-5 inches, then out the side.  Remove the needle and gently pull back on the yarn to bury the ends.  Then just continue knitting.

 

2012 Calendars are here

It’s that time of year again! The calendars for 2012 are here.    Without equal, here’s the

Helen Hamann  2012 Calendar

      The 2012 Calendar contains a new pattern from Helen for every month, plus two bonus patterns for Nov/Dec of this year.

Lots of accessories in this one–great for smaller projects.

You get the beautifully photographed 14 month calendar, plus a code to download any or all of the 14 patterns.  What could be better?

New from Lopi:

Einband

A beautiful new design

the lace weight Icelandic yarn that’s next-to-the-skin soft

This yarn is so beautiful, and it’s made for fabulous lace garments!  We saw and felt this yarn at TNNA, and just had to have it so we could offer it to you.  And in the tradition of other Lopi products, this yarn is a wonderful value for the lace knitter.

Click on the picture above for the Einband pattern book, and click here for the 46 fabulous colors!

Stitch Diva strikes again!

Special Sale!

New Crochet and Knit patterns and favorites from Stitch Diva!

Our good friend the Stitch Diva, aka Jennifer Hansen, has new drop-dead gorgeous patterns, and every one deserves to be on the red carpet!

Andalusia can be worn at least ten different ways–you are going to want at least one of these in your closet.

Stitch Diva patterns are innovative, interesting, packed with instructional photos, and they all come with Jennifer’s great tutorials posted on the web so you will “get it.”

All Stitch Diva patterns 15% off through November 14!

This was harder than I ever imagined… the move, that is

We have had so many problems with this move, very disappointing.  There were personal things lost, but also boxes of Handknitting.com items.

The movers lost a box with all the Stitch Diva patterns & books in it–those of you who have pending orders already know about this.  Right now I can’t link the website page, but if you haven’t seen these designs you are missing a lot.  If you usually knit, these patterns will make you want to learn crochet, and also the reverse–if you crochet you will want to learn to knit.  And everyone will want to try hairpin lace and Tunisian too!!

Out of frustration, I ended up calling Jennifer Hansen (the Stitch Diva) and just ordering some of everything she has currently available, so I suspect we will have some new Stitch Diva designs that we haven’t carried before.

Not such a bad thing after all, considering.

Louet’s new patterns

There’s been a lot of, well, let’s just say “controversy” about the new Louet pattern subscription service.   As an online retailer, we never quite understood the system.

BUT there are a lot of great things about it, not the least of which is that Louet has expanded to include new designers.  The best known is surely Melissa Leapman–her designs stand out as being so polished, so complete.  And of course we all know Ann Budd for her timeless, universally appealing and practical designs.

So the news is that we will be offering most of Louet’s new patterns, formerly only available through the subscription service, as downloadable patterns on Handknitting.com .  Please do give us a few days to get them all uploaded to the website.

Kirsten, new pattern from Louet