As you all know by now, we’ve got a huge fashion show event coming up May 31.  For the past 3 months we’ve been working so hard on creating items for the show and it’s going to be amazing!  We’re getting down to the wire and all of us show makers are trying to meet our goals and get those last minute items pumped out.  Well, what shows up in Ravelry’s most popular patterns; but Carina Spencer’s latest pattern, Sugar Maple….

Immediately I knew we NEED it for our fashion show!  And I knew I just had to have it!  But, what yarn?  This pattern is calling for sock weight yarn on size US 4 needles.  We have plenty of color changing sock yarn; but for some reason I just needed to create my own colors.  I probably shouldn’t be letting this cat out of it’s bag, but, Brianna and I have been preparing to offer yarn dying classes, and this was completely stuck in my head, preventing me from considering any other option on the yarn wall.  So, yesterday we decided to dye dye dye!

We started with the fabulous Bamboo Pop by Universal Yarns.  This is a wonderful cotton bamboo blend-perfect for summer and though it’s a bit thicker than a sock weight, it’ll work for me just fine!  I’ll be needing about 800yds, so I’m using 3 balls of this super soft yarn.  Now, I’m no dye expert because I’m just learning too:) But, apparently on plant fibers such as cotton and bamboo you can’t dye with Kool-aid or food coloring because these dye methods require acid such as vinegar to set the dye, and acid will not work with plant fibers.  So, we had to use Soda Ash.  Which, to me, means its Tie Dye time!

So, I think that Jacquard Tie Dye is the best.  But, honestly, I’m new at this so correct me if you think otherwise…….Anyway, this is a little kit which is totally self contained and convenient.  It has 3 squeeze bottles inside, all pre-filled with dye powder in primary colors, protective gloves, and the soda ash.  After some light preliminary research, I decided to treat the yarn exactly as instructed for prepping tshirts for tie dye. Here’s what I did in steps:

Step 1: First I tied the tails of each ball together-the center of one tied to the outside of the next and so on.

Step 2: Then I used the ball winder and wound all 3 balls into 4 evenly distributed cakes (cakes are what you get after your yarn is wound. Basically a call with a flat bottom and flat top).

Setp 3: Soak yarn in soda ash and water solution for at least 30 minutes.

Step 4: Then I pulled a center section from each of the 4 cakes.

Now I have 8 different sections of yarn, all connected.

Step 4: Put each section of yarn neatly in it’s own bowl/container.

Step 5:  In a separate container, mix each dye color individually.  until it is the color you want.  You can test the color by dipping in some paper towel.

Step 6: Pour Dye over yarn.

Step 7: Let it set.  I let it set over night. Maybe this is an excessive length of time.  But, I don’t care.  I need to do it this way for piece of mind:)

And there it is!  This is what the yarn sections looked like when I took them out of their individual dye baths.  I rinsed them with cold water until it ran clear.

After rinsing the yarn and squeezing out excess water, I tediously laid it all out to dry.  I have no idea if this was smart or not.  I have a feeling I will have a yarn mess when it comes time to cake it tomorrow; but that is tomorrow’s problem!

Didn’t it turn out beautiful?!  You can get any color you could imagine with just 3 primary colors.  The pinks are just red that is more diluted with water.  The aquas are the blue with some yellow.  You know, mix your typical color combos and dilute them with more water for different shades!  Want to know more? Stay tuned for our new Dye Classes!

Purl is excited to host our first fashion show benefiting our very own Children In Need Scholarship Fund.  All profit from ticket sales, retails sales and silent auction will go directly to the Scholarship Fund and then directly into the community.  Our Scholarship Fund supports Billings youth by providing funds for after school programs, art & music programs, and helping Billings homeless youth by supplying clothes, school supplies and food.   This is your chance to make a difference and make change right here in our own community.  Enjoy an evening of fashion and inspiration.  Tickets include hors d’oeuvres and wine and are available at Purl Yarn Boutique & Marcasa.

Fall is in the air!  I’m so excited because autumn is my very favorite season.  As we approach cooler days, we’re also offering more classes to keep us knitters knee deep in winter projects and help us get those Christmas gifts done.  Lucky for us, the projects from Kim Haesemeyer’s new book, “Expanding Your Knitting Skills”, are perfect for our winter class curriculum.

Kim’s Multi-Cabled Bag is sure to impress all who see you with it.  Need a Christmas gift for someone super special?  This is it.  With it’s simple construction, easy 4 stitch cable, and optional removable insert, this bag is both shapely and sturdy.  Beautiful!

Before this class please have your first handle flap knit and be ready to start cable section.  Thank you!

Class Times: -Saturday September 8 from 10-12

-Saturday September 22 from 10-12

Class Materials: -620 yds Berroco Vintage, Berroco Ultra Alpacas or other worsted yarn

- US 7 straight or circular needles or size to obtain gauge

-Cable Needle

-8″ diameter circular purse handles – bamboo handles available at Purl

-Stitch markers (18 of them, 4 of them split ring)

-Darning Needle

-Sewing Needle and thread

Optional Materials: -13″ x 13″ sheet of plastic canvas – available at Purl

-  3/4 yd (.69 meters) quilted fabric

 

Fingerless mitts are all the rage, and so convenient for texting or any activity requiring your fingers!  These Three-Cable Hand Warmers will surely become your favorite accessory this winter.  Don’t find yourself stuck in a blizzard with your ipad but without your fingerless gloves!  While you’re at it, make some for those you love-saving them from a blizzard/ipad dilemma:)

This project is offered as a “Hands” class featuring both the Three-Cable Hand Warmers AND the mittens from the Three Piece Gift Set.

Class Times: -Saturday September 29 from 1-3pm

-Saturday October 6 from 10-12

-Saturday October 27 from 1-3pm

-Saturday November 17 from 10-12

Class Materials: 132 yds Berroco Peruvia, Blue Sky Alpacas Techno, Spud & Chloe Sweater or other aran weight yarn

-US 8 straight or circular needles or size to obtain gauge

-Cable Needle

-Darning Needle

If you haven’t knit cables before, this is the set for you.  Expand your knitting skills while creating a classic hat and scarf set for yourself or as a gift.  The use of bulky yarn and a quick 10 row cable make for a super fun project.  But you know what they say about having fun….it never does last long enough:)

Class Times: -Saturday September 8 from 1-3pm

-Saturday October 13 from 10-12

-Saturday November 10 from 10-12

-Saturday November 3 from 1-3pm

Class Materials: -460 yds Vintage Chunky, Amy Butler Sweet Harmony or other bulky yarn

-US 11 strait or circular needle (scarf)

-16″ circular US 11 (hat)

-DPN’s US 11 (hat)

-Cable Needle

-Stitch Marker

How cute and functional is this scarf and mitten twinset?  This keyhole scarf is the perfect mix between a cowl and scarf.  Make it in just stockinette stitch, or with a garter stitch border.  The “Keyhole” is formed by binding off stitches and casting on on the following row.  The accompanying mittens are a classic design.  In bulky weight yarn, this cozy twosome is quick and simple and sure to be a winter staple for you or a friend.

Class Times: -Saturday September 15 from 1-3pm

-Saturday October 13 from 1-3pm

-Saturday October 20 from 10-12

-Saturday November 10 from 1-3pm

-Saturday December 1 from 10-12

-Saturday December 15 from 1-3pm

Class Materials: – 240(360) yds Amy Butler Sweet Harmony, Spud & Chloe Outer or other bulky yarn

- US 13 straight or circular needles (scarf)

-DPN’s US 13 (mittens)

- Stitch Markers

-Waste (scrap) yarn

-Darning needle

My how this “Impressive Scarf and Hat”  fit their namesake perfectly!  This seemingly complex stitch pattern is deceivingly quick and easy.  If you can make knit and purl stitches, you can create this fun textured set.

Class Times: – Saturday September 22 from 1-3

-Saturday October 20 from 1-3pm

-Saturday October 27 from 10-12

-Saturday December 1 from 1-3pm

-Saturday December 15 from 10-12

Class Materials: -318 yds Spud & Chloe Outer or other Bulky weight yarn

-24″ circular US 13

-Darning Needle

From the stylish slouchy to the warm mitts, this “Three Piece Gift Set” is our “go to” set for this season.  Make the set for yourself or as a gift.  Pair the three together, or split them up.  Give the whole set to that someone special, or give mitts to your mother, scarf to your sister and hat to your husband.  Anyway you want it, everyone will love it!

Class Times: -Saturday September 15 from 10-12 

-Saturday October 6 from 1-3pm

-Saturday November 3 from 10-12

Class Materials: 440 (550) yds Berroco Vintage, Berroco Ultra Alpacas or other worsted yarn

-2 US 10 24″ circular needles (scarf)

-US 8 DPN’s (baby/toddler hat)

-US 8 16″ circular needle (adult hat)

-US 10 16″ circular needle (adult hat)

-US 10 DPN’s (adult hat & mittens)

-Stitch Markers

-Waster (scrap) yarn

-Daring Needle

 

Don’t delay, let’s get started on those Christmas gifts today!  Call 406.652.4876 or come into Purl to enroll.

 

 

 

So, Bri went and saw the new Spider Man movie when it came out.  Not only did she say it was an excellent show; but she also fell in love with the hat that the female character, “Gwen Stacy”, was wearing in the movie (shown below).  Isn’t it adorable?!  Lucky us, and thanks to HailyKnits on Ravelry for not wasting even a second and working up this wonderful  free pattern .  Bri showed me the pattern and I knew we had to knit it together!

Bri made her Gwen Stacy hat out of our Aslan Trends Royal Alpacas in navy blue.  I think this is a lovely color and shows the cable and zig zag lace pattern surprisingly well.

Bri chose to make her hat longer than shown in the pattern.  There is a notation regarding hat length at the bottom of the pattern.  This was an easy modification and can really help customize your hat for your head.

One thing that I really liked about this hat pattern is that it’s a wonderful lesson in Right and Left leaning increases. in creating the zig zag eyelette pattern, ssk’s (slip slip knit) and k2tog’s (knit 2 together) are etched into your memory.

This is my Gwen Stacy hat.  I also used our Alsan Trends Royal Alpacas in cream.  This yarn really does evoke the look of the hat from the movie.

This is the second of two Gwen Stacy hats that I made.  The pattern calls for US 7 needle throughout the hat. I found with my first attempt that my gauge looked too loose.  But no worry because I enjoyed the first one so much that I decided to go ahead and make another one which I did a bit differently…

On this new and improved hat I used US 4 needles for the ribbing and US 6 for the hat body.  This worked SO much better! I also made my hat slightly longer by about 1.5 repeats.

Also, I decided to not make super-sized bobble and to just make medium sized bobbles.  They look good, I think.

At the same time that Bri and I went crazy over the Gwen Stacy hats, I was knitting the Aristida Shawl by Alexandra Beck.  You may remember this one from KnitScene Accessories 2012.

 

I was right at the bobble portion, toward the end of the shawl when I started the Gwen Stacy hat.  It was bobble heaven!  At first I was like, “ugh, I’m sick of bobbles”!  But once I got my groove and my bobbles really started looking good, I had fun with them. Again, you can see here with the diamond lace pattern, that this was also a great lesson in our leaning decreases.  Between these two projects, one will master the art of leaning decreases for sure!

This is my Aristida Shawl.  I used our Manos Del Uruguay Serena.  This cotton alpaca blend yarn is a beautiful blend of both fibers.  Super soft and perfectly cozy the grey/white tweedy look isn’t a perfect match to the magazine; but it’s perfect for me!  I think the Serena yarn is a skinny sport weight; but it still worked perfect on the suggested US 7 needles.

I was a little intimidated by the fringe and daunted by the prospect of making so many tassels.  When it came down to doing it though, I found it soothing and actually very enjoyable.  It was quick too!  I think I was dreading it because I imagined it to be hours of cutting 9″ yarn piece.  But, nope!  It was a quick and painless process that really makes this piece.

Now that both of these projects are on my list of FO’s (finished objects), I’m ready to move on to new adventures.  But, I will always look back at my time with bobbles and decreases with fondness:)

One of my favorite people, Joy stopped by yesterday.  She brought a new batch of her amazing Fabulosity yarn! Joy makes the most unique and beautifully fun yarn ever.  She hand dies or paints, and spins all of her yarn.

I especially love her two play yarns.

Love the neon!

Fun with twists of glittery rope.

Neons with black?  Yes!  And the colors are so vibrant and saturated!

This picture does not do the yarn justice in the least!  There are beautiful glitters and sparkles throughout this one.  Joy carts all of her details into the wool by hand!

Here’s some beautiful slubby yarn:)

This slubby one makes me think of Lilacs.  The Slubby yarns are super super soft!

We’re gonna try out some roving from Joy too.  She had painted/dyed these rovings which can be needle felted onto a wool project or can be spun into your own one of a kind yarn!

beautiful!

I just love Joy and all of her hand made, one of a kind yarns and rovings.  Thank you Joy!