Newsletter
Fall 2009

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It's Fall! That will mean different things to different people. If you live in an area where the weather cools, it means a chance to wear and show off your knits. Fall is the precursor to the gift giving season, and will signify that it is time to plan out your knit or crochet gifts. To me, it means curling up with my favorite yarn, hot coffee and a good ol' movie.

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Since we last visited, I have been hard at work knitting, petting and loving my favorite fiber. Alpaca has been a long time favorite of mine. We plan on spending a considerable amount of time in Portland, Oregon and that means a lot of walking and using the public transportation. I decided I need a nice warm scarf! In this newsletter you will find my pattern for a large Reversible Cable Scarf, using Cascade's Baby Alpaca Chunky. I must tell you what is new and what is on clearance as well. Read on!

Lorna's Laces Color Commentary

The most recent release in Lorna's Laces Color Commentary is Cookie A's Deep Dark Secret. This color is super dark blue. Since it is hand dyed, there are slight variations in the saturation of the blue. Just Lovely!!

Click on the photo to see a larger version.

I currently have this stock in Shepherd Sock, Sport, Worsted, Lion & Lamb and Helen's Lace. You let me know if you would like it in any other of Lorna's Laces Lines.

You can order Cookie A's Deep Dark Secret in any of these yarns from the Color Commentary Page.

New Yarn!!

I’ve begun receiving shipments of a few of the colors of 2 of Cascade new lines: Cascade 128 Superwash, a 100% merino wool that is a bulky superwash, and Cascade Pure Alpaca, 100% baby alpaca is a light weight worsted, or even a DK weight. There are so many shades that I'm getting in only a few colors at a time. Which colors I get in depend on you! Tell me what you want, and that'll be the next color I order in!

The Bulky Superwash was a real surprise. Most wool yarns that are bulky are also kind of itchy. Not this one. This is 100% Merino, so you know it is soft. It is 100 grams and 128 yds and knits to 3.5 sts per inch on about a #10 needle and comes in so many bright colors! This will knit up fast and be a very appreciated scarf or hat. What about a scarf that is very wide and not so long? Perfect for layering over a coat, over the shoulders to keep just a bit more of the winter wind out. Knit it up in a bright color! $11.50 per hank.

Pure Alpaca is 100% Baby Alpaca in a light worsted weight. This yarn was brought to my attention by a customer who feels it is the best yarn for baby booties. It is also a nice weight for a somewhat lightweight pullover. At 5 sts to the inch, it is not big and bulky. Pure Alpaca would make great indoor cardigans or even short sleeve (or long sleeve) pullovers for casual wear. Comes in tons of colors!! 220 yards on each hank. $16.00 per hank.

Addi Click New Cord Sets

Addi continues to listen to your requests and shipped out this week cord sets. The Addi Cord Sets consist of 3 cords in either 24, 32 or 40 inch length. Each set of 3 also contains 1 connector. You can also get a set of 2 connectors separately. Don't forget! In the last newsletter I told you about the Tip Sets available in tips sizes US#4 through US#15. Also a cord set was made available at that time that has 1 cord in each 24, 32 and 40 inch length and 1 connector. Believe it or not, the good news continues! The new click sets that are arriving these days are also in new packaging. addi listened to you and the packaging of the Clicks has been redesigned to better serve the knitter. I am certain that you will be pleased with the smaller, wallet-like packaging that allows knitters to conveniently travel with their sets.

14" Single Point Rosewood Needles

I like sharp needles, and I like wood needles. Bryson has 10" and 14" single point needles and I now stock all the sizes. I've carried the 10" for some time, but now I stock the 14" too. Not too many wood needles out there with points as sharp as these! Get one pair and try them out yourself!

Free Reversible Scarf Pattern

Just in time for the cold weather too. It is super thick, super warm and I'm super happy with it. Cascade's Baby Alpaca Chunky normally gets 3.5 sts per inch in stockinet, so any yarn will work that gets that guage, though I suggest keeping to something soft because it is wrapped around your neck. Lorna's Laces Shepherd Bulky and Swirl Chunky would work well, though the silk wrap in Swirl Chunky might prevent the cables and garter ridges from showing as clearly. Using the bulky yarn the scarf is a wide 10+ inches.

This is a fun and fast project. I will lay the scarf over my coat, under my hood, across my shoulders rather like a wrap. When the wind makes my ears cold, I use it to wrap around my head. I'm also test knitting it using 2 strands of Eco Alpaca on US#9 needles. The scarf is coming out about 9" wide. More appropriate size for a man. Not sure how much yarn, as I'm still working on the first section.

Download the free pdf pattern for the reversible scarf here.

Converting the Reversible Scarf Pattern to the Knitting Machine

It is possible to do this scarf on the knitting machine. Except that some alterations need to be done.

Instead of increasing stitches on the last row of ribbing as the hand knit pattern does, cast on the total # of stitches for the scarf and the ribbed edging is knit about 2 tensions tighter.

While garter rows are super easy for hand knitting, it is not so for machines. The easiest method I found, after numerous failed methods, was to transfer the 4-stitch wide garter column back and forth between the beds. Works perfectly.

The final challenge was a 12-stitch wide ribbed section worked into a 6x6 cable. The machine will not do this. Instead I opted for a pair of 3x3 cables. They worked fine as you as see from the test piece. But I believe that changing to another cable design might be worth testing. I did notice that for a really fast reversible scarf, why cable at all? Just allow the 1x1 columns of 12 to stay simple. The fabric pulls together and it looks like full needle rib.

Read more about knitting machines, and check out the Silver Reed Models I carry on my knitting machine page.

This cable is a 6 st cable (3x3 cable). 3 sets of k1p1 rib. All rib stitches had to be moved to the main bed and cabled. Once the cable was twisted, you need to make sure that the knit stitches are transferred back to the ribber. With each cabling, the rib stitches shift one needle alternately.

In hand knitting this is called a traveling cable. It is a 3x3 cable. Instead of in 1x1 rib, it is 3 needles on one bed, and next 3 on alternate bed. You are cabling 3 rib needles with 3 main bed needles. To do this, transfer all needles to main bed, do 3x3 cable, and transfer the rib needles back to ribber. With each cabling, the 3 rib needles shift back and forth between the left group of 3 and the right group of 3.

The final sample I did I found quite unusual. It is a 3x3 cable. Instead of in 1x1 rib, it is 3 needles on one bed, and next 3 on alternate bed. You are cabling 3 rib needles with 3 main bed needles. To do this, transfer all needles to main bed, do 3x3 cable, and transfer the same needles back to ribber. What was once purl stitches will now be knit as knit stitches. Therefore every 6 rows (which is how often this was cabled), a column of stitches changes from being knits to being purls. Whereas the sample above had the 3 rib stitches shifting to the left, then to the right group every 6 rows, this sample always kept the right group of 3 on the ribber.

Hope you enjoyed this issue of Yarn Store News!!    Angelika