Wednesday, December 20, 2023, Issue 326: Happy Wednesday....What is on your needles?

• Posted on 19 December 2023
• By Susan Wong-Tsang
• Posted in Christmas 2023, December, December 2023, gift ideas, Gift Knitting, last minute gifts
• 0

There are only a few days left until Christmas and then there are only another few days until the new year! Can you believe it?

Have you finished your Christmas shopping? Check out our Holiday Gift Ideas on what to get your knitter, crocheter, weaver, spinner and maker. Support your local yarn shop!

For those who still have last minute Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers to buy, I am OPEN the rest of this week and on Saturday as well as Christmas Eve until 4 pm. I will be closed for the holidays from the 25th to the 27th and then I will be open from the 28th to the 30th but only until 4pm. We will be back to regular hours starting January 2nd!

The Tuesday Knit Afternoon and Thursday Knit Night will be cancelled next week but will resume January 2nd.

Thread & Maple products will be arriving in the shop soon (maybe Friday??)! Their Needle Binder is the knitting organizer of your dreams and can be customized to organize ALL your knitting needles and notions beautifully - and enjoy doing it! Explore our collection of needle and tool cases a.k.a. 'pages' to give everything a home. Use them as standalone organizers or bundle them into the Needle Binder, it's totally up to you!

The binder shell is the home base for your personal selection of 'pages', each thoughtfully designed to fit different needle types, from fixed circular, to DPNs or interchangeable needle sets. Pages can be added or removed by unclasping the snaps of the leather rings at the back of the binder. Keep all your needles together without sacrificing portability, as each page transforms into a neat standalone case to take on the go.

The binder comes in 2 sizes: regular to fit up to 4 pages and jumbo up to 7. The binder shell itself also offers ample storage with plenty of pockets for fixed circulars, DPNs, crochet hooks or specialty needles, all of which can be labelled using our coordinating leather needle size markers, available as optional add-ons. At the back, you will find a large zip compartment for notions, cords and other tools. Inside, there are two large inner panel pockets to keep your patterns or even additional needle storage by slipping in our Needle Holder Slip. The flap is magnetic for an easy, secure and satisfying snap closure.

Meticulously handcrafted from soft genuine leather, beauty and function are effortlessly intertwined in this heirloom piece. Each 'page' is its own standalone case, compact and perfect to pop into your project bag.

I have set up Thread & Maple products to allow backorders. My initial order is includes the listed items in Whiskey in limited quantities. The binders, pages and accessories in Chocolate and anything not listed will be pre-orders that may take up to 8 weeks to arrive although they aim to ship orders within a 2 week window.

Thread & Maple’s On the Go is cute, tiny and super practical. This little wallet is lovingly handmade from the same genuine leather coming fully stocked with 3 essential notions: a pair of tapestry needles, mini scissors and steel ring stitch markers.

Each Needle Binder and page is lovingly handcrafted by a team of leather artisans in Ukraine.

WIPs and FOs

I have been working mainly on my Secret Garden Sweater so there hasn’t been a lot of progress on my Growing by Lone Kjeldsen. I have about 20 rows to go before I start the ribbing.

On Saturday, I finished the twisted rib hem on my Secret Garden Sweater.

The pattern is not written to have complete pattern repeats under the arms of the body or the sleeves. I used knitting graph paper to work out how many stitches to pick up so that the pattern is knit properly. For the size 4 that I am making, instead of picking up 15 stitches, I picked up 19. I have 3.5 repeats with the half a repeat of 13 stitches. When I picked up for the body, I picked up 20 instead of 15. On both I eliminated the purl stitch.

My first sleeve worked out perfectly using 2.75 mm short circular needles and 2.5 mm needles for the twisted rib cuff.

My nephew sent me this photo of my sweet great niece wearing the Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmermann that I knit using a ball of Schoppel Wolle Starke 6.

KNIT GROUP AND GALLERY

Jocelyne (jocblais) finished this stunning Agate Falls by Christina Danaee for her daughter. Yarn is Garnstudio Drops Air held double with Drops Kid Silk.

Debbie (@love.knit.spin.weave) finished the Tusseladd Polar by Linka Neumann from Wilderness Knits:Scandi Style Jumpers using Istex Alafosslopi.

Debbie (@love.knit.spin.weave) knit this pair of socks for her dad using Briggs & Little Heavy Socks pattern.

Beverley loves her hand knit socks! This is what she was wearing last Saturday!

Debbie (swifty849) finished her pair of Solid Stitch Lines by La Maison de Saba using Koigu KPPPM and reversing the colours in her second sock. She modified the pattern to knit them from the cuff down instead of toe up.

Carol (knittoatea) wore her recently finished Boyland by Caitlin Hunter to our Afterthought Heel Class. She used Lichen and Lace 80/29 Sock. Love the boots she bought to wear with her new socks!

They aren’t blocked but here are the Eleventh Socks by La Pequena Tejedoro knit by Sandi (sandima). Yarn is Urth Yarns Uneek Sock in Harmony.

Arlette (arlumizu) started late started a bit late but is working on the Advent Calendar 2023 by Arne & Carlos.

Rosemary (@coolknitsbyrose) finished this gorgeous pair of Shell Cottage Socks by Helen Stewart @curioushandmade.

Rosemary (@coolknitsbyrose) knit this layette from an Erika Knight baby book.

Anna (@kollar.annie) finished this beautiful Nenya by Marzena Kołaczek for her daughter!

Julie (@juliekiwis) finished her Stay Up Till Dawn Sweater by Veronika Lindberg using Drops Wish.

Jane adapted Cable-Yoked Little Girls” dress By Pat Rosenzweig to make this on her knitting machine. She hand knit the yoke and garter trim.

REMINDER TO SIGN UP FOR CLASSES

January is just around the corner, so sign up today so you don't forget!

The Growing-Pre-Pay Knit Along for the 5 weeks in January. Join in and knit this cozy cardigan with us. 

Wednesdays, Jan 3 until Jan 31st - 7:00 to 9:00 pm

Knit yourself a pair of Cozy Handwarmers by Churchmouse Yarns and Teas to embellish with embroidery in our Knit and Embroidered Hand Warmers Class.

Saturdays, Jan 6, 13, 20 and 27 - 1:00 to 3:00 pm

Sign up to learn how to knit socks using magic loop! 

Saturdays, Jan 6, 20, 27 & Feb 3 – 11:00 am to 1:00 pm (Time has changed!)

Our next Bunny Class 2024 has been rescheduled until March.

Saturdays, Mar 2, 9, 30 & Apr 6 - 10 am to 12 noon

A new Knitting Class with Jen has been added to Saturday mornings! Bring whatever knitting you’re working on and get help with your knitting project and your knitting-related questions.

Saturday Mornings, January 6, 13, 20 & 27 - 9 am to 11 am 

Sign up for the whole month ($10 per week) or just drop in every now and then when you run into trouble ($12 per week). 

Happy Wednesday, Happy Knitting, Crocheting and Crafting!