It’s true and there are now more ways to tap into this knitting niche. Like with the new cashmere scarf kits from Jade Sapphire. With color choices in appropriately masculine names such as Brawny Brown, Five O’clock Shadow and GQ Green, each kit includes a pattern booklet featuring seven scarf patterns. Jonah modeled the cabled scarf and promptly fell in love with the luxurious softness of the cashmere. This makes for the perfect present for that man in your life, knitter or not.
If you are a man and you knit, you might want to get together with others at the Men’s Fall Knitting Retreat hosted by the amazing podcasters Michael Wade and Stephen Houghton of Y Knit .The retreat runs from November 7th through the 9th at the Point Bonita Retreat Center in the Marin Headlands. The cost is $180 payable by October 5, so hurry! The price includes meals and lodging in the Center’s dormitory. There will be informal classes and demonstrations, such as Drop Spindling, Twined Knitting, Sock Design, Short Rows, Entrelac, Knitting Back Backward, Mosaic Knitting and Freeform Knitting led by retreat attendees. Not to mention much manly knitting, spinning and sharing!
If you would like more information, or if you miss the deadline but still want to join in the fiber fun, contact Michael, mikealanwade [at] gmail [dot] com. You can also read the threads on Ravelry or at MenWhoKnit.com.
It used to be the only place you could find organic wool was in small batches at farm stands or farmer’s markets, but over time more companies have increased their ecological offerings. With their Purelife line, Rowan now does for wool what they did for cotton, in a gorgeous DK weight yarn that is doubly beneficial for you and the earth. The color names, like Black Tea and Onion, echo the natural dyes used. There is something truly wonderful about the palette, from the soft green of Parsley and the rich brown from oak tannins. As with all organic yarns, I instantly think of knittingĀ for babies, something wonderful to put against their sensitive skin.
But what does organic mean? It is more a matter of describing what it’s not, that no chemical fertilizers or pesticides are used from the pastures where the sheep graze, to the wool on their backs. Also, care is taken in the processing of the wool, to reduce pollution. While Rowan is not the first company to foster this sense of environmental stewardship, it’s the size and scale to what they are doing. Will Rowan take these practices and apply them to the production of their other lines? We’ll have to wait and see.
Karalee made this gorgeous shawl using Dream in Color’s lace weight yarn, Baby in a color that is just knock-your-socks off stunning. The pattern is Kiri (Ravelry link) by Polly Outhwaite of All Tangled Up.
Bob brought in this ethereal magenta cloud, a lovely large shawl he made using Rowan Kidsilk Haze. The pattern is Birch from Rowan Magazine #34.
And lastly to end this Customer Creation post, Jane wed yarn to process beautifully with this mitered square jacket of her own design. It truly showcases the color variations of Koigu KPPPM. The contrasting garter ridge stripes along the sleeves makes for such a nice detail.
ImagiKnit turns six
and the blog reaches 100 posts
Anniversaries all around!
Wearing a hat made out of Koigu.
