Last Fall we noticed a trend on fashion runways that we thought was super exciting, gilded knitwear! Sweaters and accessories where sections had been covered in silver or gold leaf. And while we’ve seen a few pieces in some high end department stores and online shops we thought this is something we can do for ourselves and so can you!

We started with some bulky yarns – there are only days left to Hanukkah and Christmas after all! We knit up the Lodge Pole Cowl in Valley Yarns Northampton Bulky, the project was blocked before we began the next step.

Then we stopped by our local craft store and picked up sizing(the glue), pouncing sponges, and gold foil all from Martha Stewart. Be sure that you are using the right glue for your project! Just any old glue won’t do the job!

Working at a nice flat and stable work surface, dab the sizing onto the areas you’d like to highlight with the foil. We used a liberal amount of the sizing since the fiber will absorb some of it and you need enough on the surface to dry and become tacky before applying the foil. Once that was done we left it to dry according to the package instructions. The time may vary depending on how humid it is where you are so check on your glue every 10 minutes or so until it is tacky without being sticky.

Once the sizing had dried enough to be tacky we started to gently apply the gold foil. It will only stick to the glue but you may find that tiny pieces will tear off and float around your work area. You may want to keep a vacuum handy! Once the foil is applied and has covered all the glue use another one of your sponges to press it firmly into the fabric removing any excess foil and fly-away bits. This not only helps to set the foil in place, but burnishes the surface giving it some extra shine and helps to break up the foil so the shapes of the individual stitches show.

This technique should work on most smooth yarns so avoid mohair, alpaca, angora or anything with a halo. The sizing is also water soluble so this is not a washable surface, you’ll need to spot clean any projects made with this technique. This could easily work on crochet and woven fabrics as well. So go forth and gild your knits and crochet! Make something just to try out the technique or use it to spiff up an older, but well loved accessory, and show us what you’ve made!

With Thanksgiving being celebrated this week in the States the bell has been rung for the final round of gift making. While there may be a few of you out there who still have time for larger projects like a sweater, most of us need patterns for small or quick gifts, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be special! Our Great Gifts eBook has patterns perfect for the special people in your life and you still have time to make all of them.

The Basic Scarf from Measurements, knit in Northampton Bulky, is a bit of a choose-your-own-adventure scarf that even a beginning knitter can play along. With 5 stitch patterns to choose from and easy calculations to change the width and length of your scarf this may become your go-to pattern. The Welcome Home Blanket may be the perfect  gift for the new baby in the family. The classic feather and fan pattern gets a modern update with bold blocks of color and the incredible squishiness of the Valley Superwash Bulky make this one a joy to knit. One of our newest yarns, Leyden, is show off to great effect in the Cobblestone Socks. The subtle pebbled surface of these socks works wonderfully with the variegated hues in the yarn and with some of the richer jeweltone colorways of Leyden these could be just the right pair of socks for the special guy in your life. The Rail Trail Mitts knit with two colors of Valley Yarns BFL Fingering would certainly be appreciated by the outdoorsy types in your life, the die-hard cyclist that’s still out on their bike in the snow or the early morning dog-walker. And the Forget-Me-Not Cowl is a beautiful, airy cowl perfect for a little extra layering. Knit in our 2/10 Merino Tencel which is available on cones with over 1,000 yards you could easily knit cowls for several friends or co-workers from the same cone.

Each pattern is available as an individual PDF for $3.99 or you can download the whole collection in the Great Gifts eBook for just $11.99. Who will you make these great gifts for?

Steve’s Deal of the Day for this weekend is Ella Rae Classic Superwash Chunky – $4.79/ball (reg $10.50), a great stash yarn available in over 45 colors! This yarn can work up into some really fast and satisfying projects.

The cinder scarf by Jared Flood, part of Classic Elite Quick Knits, is a soft and cozy scarf with flowing oversized cables. Here Ravelry user schknitzle has knit the scarf in color #23-Aqua Heather a color quite similar to a very familiar jewelers’ gift boxes!

For a more substantial but still fairly speedy project try Kate Davies’ ever popular owls sweater, shown here knit by Ravelry user millicurie in color #16-Grey Rose Heather.

This yarn knits at a similar gauge to our Valley Yarns Northampton Bulky and Valley Yarns Berkshire Bulky so be sure to check out the patterns for those yarns as well by simply clicking on the “Related Patterns” tab at the top of the yarn page.

And don’t forget! Ella Rae Classic Superwash Chunky is Steve’s Deal of the Day through 11:59pm EDT Sunday, June 1, 2014. Use Promo Code FBCLSUPCH2 at checkout to get the special price, $4.79/ball (reg $10.50). 

The Winter Games begin Feb 7th  – just 2 weeks away!

If you’re looking for a few quick projects to knit or crochet before the games begin, to show your support, we’ve got some great ideas and each pattern is FREE.

Our Last Minute Hat pattern is a great quick knit! Written to double strand our Berkshire Bulky, you could easily substitute with 3 strands of our Valley Yarns Berkshire or Northampton.

The Last Minute Mittens are also a great choice. Shown knit in Northampton Bulky, you could substitute Berkshire Bulky, and easily add stripes.

The Bits and Pieces Cowl is a great way to show your team spirit, and being worked in singled crochet on a larger hook with Berkshire Bulky you’ll zip right along!

Finally, a cute and slouchy crochet hat from the My Mountain collection from Schachenmayer worked in their Boston yarn.

If you already have projects planned but need yarns in the right patriotic color scheme to support Team USA we have a few more great options:

Berroco Comfort, Berroco Comfort Chunky, Plymouth Encore

What will you be working on during the games? And what events are you most looking forward to?