This week, the staff at WEBS is buzzing about socks, baby knits, and beautiful new yarn!

During winter, a friend of mine carries around a small pair of slippers in her purse to slip on when hanging out during cozy evenings at the homes of friends, so she can leave her snow boots on the porch but still have warm feet. I love this idea and plan to start doing the same!  I think Ysolda’s “Grown Up Booties”  from Whimsical Little Knits are the pair I’m going to make. I think they’ll make a perfect car ride project. > Tina M

I hate when my socks fall down. I really do. When the new Clover Elastic Yarn Thread came in this week I immediately thought how perfect this would be for socks. On my next sock project, I’ll just knit it along with the yarn for the ribbing at the top. > Dena C.

This week the staff at WEBS is buzzing about two great yarns and a new knitting needle set.

It’s been a couple of years since I’ve last knit with Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino. But when the six new colors passed by my desk this week, I was reminded all over again how much I love knitting with this yarn.

I’ve used Baby Cashmerino twice: once to make the Knitting at Knoon Sweet Pea sacque and once for my final project sweater for the WEBS Expert Knitting Certification Program. Each time I was delighted by how enjoyable it was to knit with. The springyness of the yarn made my stitches look so even. I have another baby gift that I need to make soon. It may be time to have fun with this yarn again. > Dena C.

I have been working with Knit One Crochet Too Ty-Dy Socks and it is scrumptious! The stitch definition is absolutely beautiful. I was considering making these as a gift, but have come to realize that I cannot wait to get these on my feet! The fiber blend of 80% merino and 20% nylon creates a lovely springy sock that I know will hug my feet and keep my toes cozy and snug. > Karen M.

Knitter’s Pride Cubics Interchangeable Circular Deluxe Set – I’ve been anxiously awaiting this set ever since we got our first shipment of Knitter’s Pride needles. I was a huge Cubics skeptic at first, and thought the shape wouldn’t feel right and would throw off my knitting. The square needles are so much more comfortable in my hands than round needles. I think I get a better grip on them. I’ve heard some knitters see a change in their gauge with these but I haven’t had a problem. Knitting up a quick gauge swatch when you first knit with them is a good idea. The joins of this interchangeable set are just right. They hold the tips in firm without snagging the yarn. This set is high on my wish list! > Grace H.

Check out what the staff at WEBS is buzzing about this week.

Our Valley Yarns Longmeadow is one of my favorite yarns. It’s a wonderful cotton/acrylic blend that behaves nicely when knitting or crocheting with it. We’ve added two lovely new colors — Winter Lake & Persimmon. There are also lots of pattern choices for this yarn as well! > Kathy E.

The Manos del Uruguay Molly Vest is a wonderful project. My daughter knitted it while she was home visiting for a week. She used the Wool Clasica and the finished garment was great. She wore it home. I have recommended it to many customers and have received only positive reviews. It is high up on my list of knitted projects. If only I can get the time! > Marion H.

I’ve fallen in love with the new natural yarn closeouts we’ve received. Plymouth Yarn Earth Homestead is buttery soft with a lofty twist. I’m toying with the idea of making a cabled jacket out of this. Something that I can run my hands over frequently. Fibra Natura Shepherd’s Own is begging to be made into a blanket, something I can throw across my lap while I’m working with it. Both worsted yarns come in a beautiful range of natural hues, with lovely stitch definition and generous yardage. > Cara S.

Just before Christmas, I found my copy of Tot Toppers Plaid Hatter by Kate Oates and decided to make my kids and grandkids each one. Thankfully I had already stocked up on Madelinetosh Tosh Vintage Limited Edition Short Skeins and they worked out beautifully. Hopefully all the hats will be done by Sunday when we get together to exchange gifts. > Lise G.

I’m so excited that we have Gail Callahan’s new The Kangaroo Dyer’s Colorgrid in stock! The Colorgrid is a variation on the color wheel that really demystifies color for me. It’s a great tool for seeing what colors work together and how to add in other colors for pizzazz. I’m giving them to all my sisters, even the ones who don’t do fiber arts — the flower arranger and scrapbooker will use it as well! > Leslie Ann B.

I’m having fun playing with the Harrisville Designs Potholder Loom. Yes, making potholders with the included cotton loops is easy, nostalgic fun. But I’ve also been using the loom to make small soumac tapestry pictures. > Kirsten H.

Pin It

This week we have a video edition of The Holiday Buzz at WEBS. Watch our video to find out what’s on our wish lists this year and for some of our favorite gift ideas.

• Stephanie recommends Vogue Knitting Knitopedia and Knitter’s Handbook.
• Theresa is knitting a top-down v-neck sweater with Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Bulky.
• Theo is considering 55 Christmas Balls to Knit by Arne & Carlos.
• Wool Pets Needle Felting Kits are Malea’s favorite holiday gift item.
• Grace would love to get a yarn swift.
• Kirsten recommends Barbara Walker’s A Treasury of Knitting Patterns and A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns.
• Deb would really like the Knitter’s Pride Symfonie Rose Crochet Hook Set for Christmas.
• Greta says that 101 Designer One-Skein Wonders, Sock Yarn One-Skein Wonders, One-Skein Wonders, and Luxury Yarn One-Skein Wonders are great books to give a knitter and have lots of ideas for knitted gifts too.
• Karen suggests Valley Yarns Spotted Christmas Stocking Kits as a great project for the holidays.
• Ken is getting his grandmother a skein of Valley Yarns Franklin Hand Dyed because it’s dyed by one of our staff members.
• Ashley picks Anzula Squishy.
• Angela would be excited to work with Manos del Uruguay Maxima.
• Leslie Ann says the Schacht Cricket Loom is a great gift for kids or somebody interested in trying out weaving.
• Gail thinks a Leclerc Fringe Twister would be a great gift for a knitter or weaver.
• Kane says Knitter’s Pride Cubics Needles are all the rage in the knitting world right now.
• Jeff wants more hats knit out of Madeleintosh Tosh Vintage.
• Dena loves making monsters for her nieces and nephews from Rebecca Danger’s The Big Book of Knitted Monsters.

This week the staff at WEBS is buzzing about…

1. Craft Activism is a gorgeous book with fun projects representing the many different ways crafters are working to positively impact their environments, create community or support a cause!  The book is filled with interesting stories and colorful projects – I especially like the choose-your-own-chart colorwork mittens, and the tin can flowers are adorable. I can’t wait to see some of these projects in person at the Craft Activism event next week! > Tina M.

2. Cascade Yarns 220 Fingering – The notoriously reliable 220 line introduces another versatile basic in a fingering weight. Soft and lightly plied at 7.5 stitches per one inch on a US 2.  We are carrying a lovely range of 57 shades!! Visions of colorwork are dancing in my head! > Cara S.

3. Swans Island Fingering yarn is a magical combination of soft, sturdy, and sproing-y that you don’t see too often. I just knit up a sweater in it on size 6 needles, and the yarn not only held its own at the bigger gauge, but made an incredibly light, soft fabric – in fact, my boyfriend and roommate now make fun of me every time I pick it up because I’ve raved about it so much!

4. Knitter’s Pride Symfonie Rose Crochet Hook Set – I fell hard for this set of hooks when I first saw them. They are simply stunning and are embellished with Swarovski crystals! Sparkly crochet hooks that look and feel great – what more can a girl ask for? > Kathy

5. I am buzzing with excitement about the National Spinning and Weaving Week here at WEBS. We will be having a wide variety of activities including daily demonstrations, mini-workshops and more. Tuesday night will be a spinning open house and the store will be open until 9pm, with demonstrations of all our spinning wheels. Wednesday we will welcome weavers and spinners from near and far for a meetup day with raffles, goodies bags and more. > Leslie Ann B.

This week the staff at WEBS is buzzing about…

1. Anzula Mermaid – A handdyed sea cell and silk blend in generous skeins. Mermaid is a typical Anzula yarn featuring beautiful delicate multi-tonal hand dyed colors. The sheen of this yarn is beyond compare, reflecting the light to deepen the color variation. I’m dying to make a slinky lace something out of this. This would make a mind-melting-ly lovely sweater. > Cara S.

2. The new Interweave Crochet for Fall 2011 arrived this week and I just love the abundance of great projects it has! The whole look of the magazine is fresh and up-to-date. I instantly fell in love with the Lace Canopy Cardi Wrap shown on the cover and was even more delighted to discover it is made using The Fibre Company Canopy, which is a wonderfully cozy yarn. Other projects that caught my eye include Betty’s Tunisian Tee (what a beautiful use of tunisian stitch!), and a cabled baby blanket, the Turtle Tracks Blanket. > Leslie Ann B.

3. The Knitting Book – This new book is a very comprehensive guide. It includes techniques, stitch patterns, and some patterns to knit. It is very nicely illustrated and photographed. > Marion H.

4. More Knit Wits by Katie Boyette – When this book came to my desk, the cover had me hooked right away. The cute and funny monsters and creatures are just begging to be made and added to my collection. Each character has their own personality whether it’s goofy, scary or grouchy! The directions are so clear and even the instructions on how to apply the facial features are step by step and easy to follow. This is a great book to keep on my bookshelf for when I want a fast and fun project. > Grace H.

This week the staff at WEBS is buzzing about…

1. Wendy Knits Lace – I’m a fan of knitting lace and Wendy D. Johnson’s blog, so when this book arrived, I was super excited. There’s a great range of projects – lots of shawls and scarves, but also hats, mittens, socks, and more that use a variety of weights of yarn. I happen to have a rather large sock yarn stash, so I’m looking forward to knocking some of that down with projects from this book (Esplanade Mittens and Mairi Tam, I’m looking at you!) The Vortex Spiral Shawl or Afghan is stunning! Knit in fingering weight, it’s a lovely shawl, but knit in worsted, it’s a spectacular blanket! The first part of the book also features great information for knitting lace – decreases, increases, joining, picking up stitches, and so much more. > Mary K.-H.

2. Jade Sapphire Mongolian Cashmere 4ply – My dreams have finally come true, we have a heavier weight cashmere in a whopping 34 colors. I love everything this company makes, especially their high quality, lustrous cashmere. Customers have long clamored for heavier cashmere in a range of colors, so have at it! > Cara S.

3. I’m excited about Kirsten’s Valley Yarns Silverscape Cardigan. It is such a simple silhouette but with clean, dramatic lace details. I don’t often knit sweaters but I’m working this one up for my Mom for the holidays. > Sara D.

4. Classic Elite Panache pattern book – This is a great pattern book for scarves, shawls and wraps. Different yarns can be used. I made the Grace shawl in Pirouette. It made a lovely lace shawl. > Marion H.

5. When Leslie Ann brought her latest weaving project, I immediately fell in love with her woven set of towels. I love how soft they feel and the beautiful twill pattern repeated in each towel. She put a long warp of Valley Yarns 8/2 Cotton on her loom. And then switched colors of Valley Yarns 8/2 Cotton Linen for each towel. I just happen to have both of these yarns at home and a very lonely loom that would be happy to have a little attention again. > Dena C.

This week the staff at WEBS is buzzing about…

1. Malabrigo Twist – The drop in temperatures has got me thinking about the two perennially unfinished sweaters I have in my stash shelf, especially the one in Malabrigo Twist. The yarn is so luxurious: perfectly soft, bouncy, and beautifully dyed, and I love the halo it gets as it wears. There is no real reason that I haven’t finished this sweater, but I think this is its year – I can’t wait to be able to take advantage of this yarn’s unparalleled coziness on the upcoming crisp fall days! > Elisabeth P.

2. 55 Christmas Balls to Knit – I know it’s a little early to be thinking about Christmas, but I am so excited for this book! The first book of knitting patterns by Norwegian knitwear designers Arne & Carlos is a beautiful (and funny) collection of traditional Nordic style patterns. I also like the idea of doing ornaments because they will make quick, fun, simple projects! My goal is to make a different ornament for my whole family by the big day. > Greta S. (Also don’t miss these fun commercials of Arne & Carlos.)

3. Erin Lane Bags Needle Cases – I love color and print, especially together, so I had to snag an Erin Lane needle case for myself as soon as they arrived! The Double Duty needle case has two rows to hold interchangeable needle tips, with additional pockets for cords and notions. I managed to squeeze my fixed circulars into the extra pockets so my entire circular collection is now in one handy case. The ladies at Erin Lane rotate through fabrics–which means if you see one you like, get it before it’s gone! > Emma W. (Note: Due to the rotation of fabrics, we are only available to offer these in our store. Stop by and check them out.)

4. Mountain Street Arts Care Labels – These are a must have finishing touch for any project. When you give a hand made gift, you want it to last. These labels take the pressure off the recipient to remember how they’re supposed to clean it! That beautiful striped wool hat won’t have to be accidentally felted this winter if it has a “Hand Wash” label sewn on. They’re great to remind yourself how to care for your own finished projects too. > Grace H.

5. I am so excited about our first ever Valley Yarns Trunk Show!  Join us on Thursday, September 15th from 6-8pm for an evening with our Valley Yarns Designer Kirsten Hipsky. Kirsten will highlight our Fall 2011 Collection and share her design process & inspiration. Garments will be on hand to try and as always, light refreshments will be served! > Kathy  E.

We’ve all been there, you see a sweater you love, but the colors aren’t right. The yarn is right but the price is wrong, or unavailable, or just not what you had in mind. We are no stranger to yarn substitutions and no stranger to mismatching yarn to patterns!

We’ve covered gauge considerations, but one largely overlooked detail is fiber content. This can dramatically affect drape and style of a garment. A garment made from crunchy wool, will look much different in 100% alpaca, or 100% cotton!

I think the yarn sub rule deserves a motto: “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should”. Yes, you can make that cabled sweater out of cotton, yes you can make a throw rug out of cashmere, yes you can make a bathing suit out of mohair…but should you?

Dena, our Ecommerce marketing manager, had a few things to say about the subject, “I had been knitting less than a year when I started this Vogue sweater. I knew gauge was important, but had not yet learned how to substitute yarn in a pattern. I thought if I got the right gauge with my new yarn selection, then I made a good substitute. But it turns out that subbing 1 strand of Misti Alpaca Chunky and 2 strands of Cascade Indulgence is not a good sub for 1 strand of Rowan Big Wool and 1 strand of Rowan Kidsilk Haze…unless you work in an office that is 45° F.”

To avoid this familiar pitfall I’ve gathered up some helpful hints:

First, consult a pattern’s original yarn suggestion. What is the fiber content? Does the designer note what other yarns may be a good substitution and why?

Secondly, pay attention to the style of the garment. Is it drapey, cabled, structured, loose or fitted? A structured garment will need a more structured fiber and likewise for less structured garments. A jacket is usually one for a crisper fiber as well as a good vehicle for very warm winter fibers. Whereas, summer garments are generally made with cotton or cotton blends meant for breathability.

Wool is traditionally the fiber with the most elasticity, meaning it will retain its shape, bounce back and resist stretching compared to other fibers. Bamboo, cotton and other plant based fibers have little to no elasticity, meaning once they stretch there is no coming back. Some of this can be sidestepped by choosing a blend or accommodating with a slightly tighter gauge. If the pattern is designed with less elastic fiber choices the designer has likely taken this into consideration.

The plies of a fiber refer to how many strands of yarn are twisted on itself. More plies equal more durability in most cases. Also, you will want a plied yarn for cables as it boosts stitch definition. Not to say that single plies are not useful or desirable, but it helps to know that high friction areas (such as the heel of a sock) are better behaved with multiple plies.

The recipient is another strong factor to keep in mind. A turtleneck pullover in alpaca on a warm blooded person could be a disaster, as alpaca is a very warm fiber reserved for colder weather. Likewise, a delicate fabric on a rough and tumble child would be heartache. Many knits for families and children are wisely offered superwash fibers for their durability in wash and wear. Also, if someone is fussy about scratchy fibers, this is one to wrestle with before casting on!

Clara Parkes is the undeniable master in knitting fibers (don’t hesitate to check out her website and publication Knitters Review for yarn information). She’s created a great resource in The Book of Yarn which is a handy tool for choosing and utilizing the right fibers. Her follow up book The Book of Wool is a great supplement. (Keep your eyes peeled for her new publication, The Knitters book of Socks coming out in October).

Trust us when I say we at WEBS have learned the hard way and we can only hope you learn from us. Don’t hesitate to ask us for help along the way!

Cara

Check out some of these great projects knit in Valley Yarns that caught my eye recently on Ravelry.

1. anisa uses one of my favorite Valley Yarns, Northfield, to knit Gundrun Johnston’s Shalder sweater. Love the pockets.

2. Nikol Lohr’s Bunny Hop Thrummed Bunny Slippers look so cute and cozy knit in Valley Yarns Berkshire Bulky. Keep these in mind if you’re looking for a quick project as we approach the holiday season.

3. bookishmomma has made the incredible Fireside Sweater in Valley Yarns Berkshire, combining two of my favorites, cables and a cardigan.

4. TonkaDancikova’s Stanley Cup Championship Shawl is an excellent project for a Bruinsfan, knit out of Valley Yarns Northampton.

5. LaniO’s Asymmetrical Buttoned Raglan knit in snuggly Valley Yarns Sheffield would be the perfect sweater to pull on to get rid of a chill. Plus I love the button detail of Kirsten Hipsky’s design.