You may have heard we are turning eight. And we heard you when you asked for a sweater-themed makelong, so please get ready for: YU Autumn Sweater MAL! We will kick things off this coming Saturday, October 7th (our 8th anniversary!), and we’ll have three full months til the Makealong ends on January 7th.
The criteria is pretty broad. In order for your project to qualify, it must follow these basic rules: 🧶 The yarn must have been purchased from YU (at any time) 🧶 You may not cast on until October 7th (or after), but you may swatch in advance. In fact, we encourage it! 🧶 The pattern you choose needs to be a sweater. Any type of sweater will do but the sleeves need to at least reach your elbow, and the length of the body must reach at least the bottom of your ribs (it’s a guideline, we aren’t going to come to your house and measure it, just be honest buddies). 🧶 The sweater must fit at least a teenager. Baby and child sweaters won’t be included in the MAL this time. 🧶 The project must be shared with us either on your Instagram profile or in our Discord server and we require you to clearly state the pattern and yarn you are using. If you share on IG, make sure to use the hashtag #YUautumnMAL so we can find your posts.
Prizes! 🧡 Most sweaters: self-explanatory, you know what’s up with this one. 🧡 The longest yard: a new category! This prize goes to the knitter or crocheter who uses the longest amount of yarn, so keep careful notes on your projects and share that data in your IG and/or Discord posts 🧡 Best lesson learned: challenge yourselves! Try a new technique, take a new class, tackle a pattern that has always intimidated you. And forget, we are here to help you get your projects over the finish line, so you have all the support you could need. 🧡 Random draw from all finished projects!
Makealong: Summer Tops, 2022!
Summer is finally back, so we’re bringing back our popular makelong: Summer Tops!
If you’ve never done a makelong (knitalong, crochetalong, weavalong, what have you), then this is an excellent place to start. Our Summer Top MAL is a wide open topic. All you need to do to participate is start making a top for summer weather! That means it needs to meet our twofold criteria: that your top has a short sleeve (above the elbow) or no sleeve at all, and as always, your project needs to be using at least some yarn that was purchased from Yarns Untangled. That’s it! (For those scoring at home, this criteria is just slightly different from last year to make it a bit more broad and easy to understand.)
Here are some examples of summer tops that would be eligibile: a worsted weight wool tank top, a cotton/wool blend half-sleeve henley, a hemp sleeveless bathing suit coverup, etc. The possibilities are endless. And this year, we have a larger plant-based yarn lineup then we’ve ever had before, so this is a perfect opportunity to explore it!
(The pattern seen in the picture here is Baigneuses by Ateliere Emilie, and it can be purchased from their online store here! It would be a great choice for this MAL!)
We had a lot of fun during last year’s summer top MAL on the Yarns Untangled Discord server, so we will be active there again this year. You can participate by sharing your project journey with us there, or on Instagram. If you’re not set up with either, not to worry! We can help by sharing your project on our Instagram account!
The Knitty Gritty Details
KAL begins on Wednesday, June 1st and ends on August 31st, 2022. (This means you can’t cast on for your first top until 12:01 in the morning on June 1st, but you can absolutely swatch in advance)
Official KAL hashtag: #YUsummertopMAL2022
Some of the yarn used in your project must be or have been purchased at Yarns Untangled, at some point (not necessarily during the KAL).
In order to be entered, crafters must announce their chosen yarn and project on either the Discord server or on Instagram using the official hashtag #YUsummertopMAL2022 (if your account is private, please make sure we’re able to follow you so we can see your posts). Once finished, you must share at least one picture on either the Discord server or on Instagram. Don’t forget the hashtag or we can’t find you! If you’re not able to use either Discord or Instagram, just let us know and we’ll share your project on your behalf.
Discord: If you aren’t yet on our Discord server, join us now! It has been a quiet space for a few months, but it’ll soon be flooded with summer top talk. Here’s how to join:
First, set up your account with Discord. There is an app you can download to your computer or phone, or if you prefer, you can simply use it in a browser.
Once your account is up an running, click here to join the YU Discord Server. There you will see our different text channels dedicated to WIPs, FOs, questions, and pattern support as well as the general channel for broad chatter, and the FAQs!
The Prizes! Most tops made: an always fascinating category, it is really remarkable to see how many tops some of you can crank out in three months. The maker who knits, hooks, and/or weaves the most tops will receive a 15% off coupon for Yarns Untangled and a full year of membership with Digits and Threads, Canada’s premiere (and only!) fibre and textile arts and crafts online magazine!
Most different fibres used, total: as there are so many fibres that fit our criteria, this category is meant to inspire you to stretch your creativity and explore combinations of different fibres: cotton, linen, bamboo, hemp, silk, wool, nylon, and more are all eligible so show us what you got! The winner of this prize will receive a 2500 in Stash Cash ($25 value), a Soak Eco Wash Bag and a bottle of Soak Wash to help them care for all their FOs!
Most pictures shared: you can make just one top and still win this prize! Blow up our discord or your instagram feed (or both, it all counts!) with beautiful pics of your in-progress and finished tops. Every pic shared brings you closer to winning a 2000 in Stash Cash ($20 value) and a back issue of Pom Pom Quarterly*.
Random winner: chosen from all of the entered projects, this winner will receive 2000 in Stash Cash ($20 value) and a YU mug and tote bag.
That’s it! If you have any questions, post in the FAQ or help Discord channels, shoot us an email at info @ yarnsuntangled.com or give us a call at (416) 603-2338.
*For this prize, we’ll narrow it down to a large handful of issues and then you can choose between them.
Zooalong!
At long last, we have finally arrived at the first knitalong of 2019! After much discussion, the YU staff have chosen what we’re calling a Zooalong: a celebration of animals! Choose a pattern inspired by a beloved pet, favourite wild animal, or local urban varmint. The possibilities are unlimited! Stay tuned to this thread to see what everyone else has chosen, or dig through Ravelry to see what you can find (and then share your faves here!).
For more awesome pattern suggestions, and to see what everyone else will be working on, visit our Ravelry group discussion board.
The Knitty Gritty Details
KAL begins on May 8th and ends on July 10th
Official KAL hashtag: #YUZooalong
Yarn must be or have been purchased at Yarns Untangled, at some point (not necessarily during the KAL)
All of our classes are 10% off for anyone participating in the KAL, and Sunday Drop In Clinics are free of charge! Make sure to tell us when you register for a class that you’re a KAL participant.
Clothing for your animals (unless it’s got animals ON it too) and stuffed toys of animals will not be included for this KAL. This time we’re looking for representations OF the animal, and we did toys last year 😉
In order to be entered, crafters must announce your chosen yarn and project on either the Ravelry thread or on Instagram, using the official hashtag #YUZooalong. Once finished, you must share at least one picture on either the Ravelry thread or on Instagram (we can help with this if you haven’t got an account with either of these, just come see us). If you don’t use the hashtag, we can’t guarantee we’ll find your pattern and you may not be entered to win our awesome prizes.
Ravelry has a spot for you to use the hashtag, but if you’re having trouble finding it, we can help! Make sure your hard work is counted, as these prizes are the best ones we have yet offered!
The Prizes!
(these will NOT be available for sale at YU, so wining the prize is the only way to get your hands on this great gear)
Most metres used: given to the crafter who uses up the most yarn, regardless of number of projects, colourways, or animal. Keep careful track of your full and partial skeins and list them in your Ravelry project entry. If you need help, we and our fancy scale are here for you! The winner of this prize will receive this amazing bag from An Caitin Beag:
Most different animals represented: for those who can’t decide, or who love them all, use as many different animals in your project(s) for this KAL. Perhaps you feel up to tackling this amazing thing! This winner will get THIS fantastic bag from An Caitin Beag:
Random winner: chosen from all of the entered projects (use the hashtag!), this winner will receive this set of adorable stitch markers from An Caitin Beag, and a 10% off coupon to be used at Yarns Untangled!
That’s it! If you have any questions, reply to this thread, shoot us an email at info @ yarnsuntangled.com, give us a call at (416) 603-2338, or drop in and see us in person!
The Magic Sweater
If you haven’t yet read our last blog post, A Feisty Knitalong, read that first before this one.
Earlier this year, The Yarn Therapist and Feisty Fibres met at a yarn festival, and fell very much into creative love. Since then, they have been working on a collaboration that uses both of their yarns to the full extent of their beauty. The product is The Magic Sweater!
This fully customize-able sweater kit includes enough Yarn Therapist self-striping to make a perfect yoke for your chosen size, and enough Feisty Fibres worsted to complete the rest of the sweater. This kit can be used to make just about any top-down sweater pattern. See the bottom of this post for some of our suggestions. And best of all, we are offering this kit at 10% off if you pre-order by September 26th! Send an email to info@yarnsuntangled.com or give us a call at (416) 603-2338 to place your order.
The yoke section of the sweater is available in 5 scrumptious colourway sets; seen in the main picture above are four of them (L to R): Kelp Forest, Deciduous, Rainbow, and Royal. The final colour not included in the picture is a series of six shades of grey that would match with anything, photo coming soon!
The possibility of combinations here is just endless, but the dyers have a few suggestions of their favourites to help guide you:
Rainbow + PANK! in a Flax Sweater, size 6mos
Kelp Forest + Lemongrass Sass, also in a Flax sweater, size 12mos
Royal + Fierce AF
These five colourways from The Yarn Therapist can be coordinated with any of the colourways from the Feisty Fibres catalog. Although as she is still a newish dyer, she has yet to have a presentable photo of each and every colourway she produces. To get you started, here are some lovely photos of 17 colourways from her roster.
Call Me
Deep
Fierce AF
Foolish Games
Glamping
Gluten Free
Lemongrass Sass
PANK!
Parking Spot
Poolside Punch
Rapture
Raspberry Parade
Sexy Nerd
Slam Dunked
Smashed Candy
Spelling Bees
When Doves Cry
Not pictured here: Crush, Falling, Lucky Penny, Luscious, Mermaids Are Real, Party Like a Unicorn, Roses Aren’t Red, Rust Sleeps, Sweep, Totally Teal, YOLO, and YU @ Night.
So very many patterns will work with these sweater yokes, but we have quite a few recommendations of ones we like best.
Once you’ve chosen your pattern and you know your size, here’s how you choose the right yoke:
Chest
Size
Total Price
Pre-order Savings
18″
0-6m
$48.00
$4.80
19.5″
6-12m
$76.00
$7.60
20.5″
1-2y
$76.00
$7.60
22″
2-4y
$86.00
$8.60
24″
4-6y
$86.00
$8.60
26″
6-8y
$114.00
$11.40
28″
8-10y
$114.00
$11.40
31″
xs
$124.00
$12.40
33″
s
$152.00
$15.20
35″
s/m
$152.00
$15.20
37″
m
$180.00
$18.00
39″
m/l
$180.00
$18.00
43″
l
$223.00
$22.30
47″
xl
$223.00
$22.30
51″
xxl
$251.00
$25.10
55″
3xl
$251.00
$25.10
58″
4xl
$279.00
$27.90
These are of course only the tip of the iceberg of what you could make. Give us a call or come see us and we will help you choose the one that’s just right for you. If you’ve already chosen your pattern, post below and share your wisdom with the group. And remember, get your pre-order in by September 26th to get 10% off!
A Feisty Knitalong
Fall is coming (we promise), so it’s time for another knitalong! (For the official YU definition of a KAL, click here) Many of you have become intimately familiar with the incredible yarn-dyeing work coming from Feisty Fibres, and since she’s local and a truly excellent friend of ours, it was obvious to us that this fall’s KAL should be a Feisty one!
Just like yarn-themed KALs we’ve hosted in the past, the common thread between all our projects this time round will be Feisty Fibres’ yarn. The rules are otherwise wide open: knit or crochet, blanket or baby hat, simple stockinette or crazy colourwork, follow your heart’s desire. Many of her colourways can be seen on our shelves, or over on Ravelry. This is your chance to tackle your ever-growing Ravelry queue, try out a new technique that you’ve been daunted by, make that fall sweater, get some holiday knitting done, or to simply be inspired by each other’s creativity and by Feisty Fibres’ incredible colourways.
We also have two very special surprises to announce in association with this KAL. First: Feisty Fibres has developed a new base: DK! Each and every one of her perfect colourways will available on this new middle-weight yarn, well-suited to your long queue of projects-in-mind.
The second sweet piece of news is that Feisty will be collaborating with her very special yarn-girlfriend, The Yarn Therapist, to present to you The Magic Sweater! This kit includes a self-striping ball of yoke yarn from the Therapist that is designed to grow as your sweater yoke does. This means the stripes don’t get skinnier but instead stay the same width as you add stitches. It also comes with a perfectly coordinated skein of yarn from Feisty Fibres to finish off the body of your sweater. Up until now, this combo has only been available in children’s sizes, but just for our KAL, you can now order enough yarn to make your own Magic Sweater in your size! We will have more info on colourways, patterns and pricing soon; see details below for ordering KAL yarn in the Knitty Gritty section.
Tons of Feisty Fibres’ colourways can be seen on our shelves, but here are just a few colourways from a photo shoot we had together earlier this month. In order we have: Lemongrass Sass, Rapture, Sexy Nerd, Glamping, Raspberry Parade, Poolside Punch, Foolish Games, Gluten Free, Spelling Beez, and Smashed Candy.
The Knitty Gritty Details
KAL begins on October 17th and ends on December 19th (9 full weeks of crafting)
Official KAL hashtag: #YUFeistyKAL
Yarn must be Feisty Fibres, in any of her bases (Beyond Sox, DK, Worsted, or Fluff)
Yarn must have been bought (at any point) from Yarns Untangled
Yarn can be bought off the shelf at any time, but to ensure you get your chosen colourways, or if you have chosen a Magic Sweater Kit, make a pre-order!
All pre-orders are 10% off full price
Pre-orders are now open and will close on September 26th
Minimum of 3 skeins per colourway
Pre-orders must be secured with a 50% deposit
All our classes are 10% off for anyone participating in the KAL, and Sunday Drop In Clinics are free of charge!
In order to be entered, crafters must announce your chosen yarn and project on either the Ravelry thread or on Instagram, using the official hashtag #YUFeistyKAL. Once finished, you must share at least one picture on either the Ravelry thread or on Instagram (we can help with this if you haven’t got an account with either of these, just come see us).
The price for The Magic Sweater kit will shift depending on what size you order. Stay tuned for more details on this soon in a separate post.
A few pairs for inspiration
Prizes
Most metres worked: Be you knitting or crocheting, this prize is for the crafter who uses up the most metres in their project(s) during the Knitalong. Keep careful track of your skeins and partial skeins in your Ravelry entries (a food scale comes in handy for this one), and you could be the winner of a $15 gift card to Yarns Untangled!
Best original design: So many of you are remarkably creative with your work; this prize is for the crafter who finishes the most original project during the KAL. You don’t need to be a published designer to win this one though, simply make some clever alterations to a pre-existing design or use one as a jumping off point if you’re not comfortable building one from scratch, or let your mind go free and build something entirely your own. The winner of this prize receives some beautiful skeins of yarn donated by Feisty Fibres!
Random draw: the classic prize of chance. Each finished project earns the crafter one entry into this draw, and the winner receives a 10% off coupon for Yarns Untangled!
PANK! and Rainbow, together in a Flax baby sweater
Spring KAL: Toys!
Spring is in the air…
After the last few garment-themed KALs, we wanted to take this one in a different direction and celebrate the tiny, the cute and the silly this spring. Sometimes toy knitting/crocheting can seem a bit intimidating due to the tininess, but we are here to help (through classes, and the drop-in clinic), and to provide moral support. And who says it has to be tiny?
Pattern: Anything that falls (or should fall) under the Ravelry Toys and Hobbies category is eligible. This is a great time to try a toy technique, if you haven’t already. Knitting in the round, DPNs, seaming, amigurumi, needle felting (!!), pattern reading, embroidery, the list goes on! Come see us if you need help choosing an appropriate pattern.
We’d also like to draw your attention to a couple of great toy designers starting with Lucy Collin (for the geeks), Hansi Singh (for the under-the-sea lovers), Elizabeth Kellner (for that realistic look), and of course Anna Hrachovec of Mochi Mochi Land (we’ve got LOTS of kits already on our shelves for these, and they will be 10% off for the KAL participants!).
There are tons we haven’t included here, share your favourite toy designer in the comments below! Also, both Brenna and Amelia are working on toy designs as we speak which will be ready to knit in time for the start date.
Schedule: Start: Sunday, April 29th
Sunday Drop-In Clinic (FREE for KAL participants): April 29, May 6, 13, 20, 27, June 3, 10, 17 End: Wednesday, June 20th (8 weeks)
Prizes: Most original project: Make a stuffed cat that looks just like yours, or design a pattern for the perfect obscure animal, or make a stuffed boyfriend that looks just like yours should (you get the idea) Most finished objects: The participant with the most finished objects will win a $15 gift card for Yarns Untangled (in order to count towards your total, a project should take 50 yards of yarn or more). Best mess up and recovery: Share your learning experience with us! The person who has the best mess up and recovery will get a coupon for a private lesson with either Brenna or Amelia. The Random Draw: One winner will be randomly chosen from among the participants, see below for parameters. Prize will be a $10 gift card for Yarns Untangled.
Suggested classes (10% for official KAL participants):
Crochet for Beginners, with Brenna: Tuesday April 17th OR Friday May 18th, 6-8pm
Amigurumi, with Brenna: Friday April 27th, 6-8pm
Needle Felting, with Brenna: Friday May 4th, 6-8pm
Project class, with Nicole: Mondays April 16th through May 15th.
As always, the Sunday Drop-In Clinic is free for anyone needing help with a KAL project.
Participation: In order to be considered for entry for prizes, and to receive discounts on classes, crafters must either join our Ravelry thread or post on Instagram (#YUToyKAL) and announce which yarn you’ll be using. Once the project(s) is/are finished, you must post at least one picture of it. If you’d rather, come see us in person and we’ll get a snap of it for you and help you to post it on Ravelry.
Hashtag: #YUToyKAL
Yarn: Crafters must use yarn purchased from Yarns Untangled, but it doesn’t need to have been purchased during the time of the KAL. If you choose to use yarn purchased elsewhere, you are still welcome to stitch-along with us, but you will not be eligible for prizes or free drop-in clinic help.
That’s it! If you have any questions, reply to this post, shoot us an email at info @ yarnsuntangled.com, give us a call at (416) 603-2338, or drop in and see us in person!
Fall KAL
Autumn is coming and that means it’s time for another knit/crochet-along! Cooler temperatures are on their way, and we’re turning towards cozy and colourful projects to make before the snow flies. Which leads us to the theme for our next knit/crochet-along: COLOURWORK!
Pattern: This is a technique-based KAL, so any knit or crochet pattern that uses a colourwork technique as a valid option. For absolute beginners, we recommend stripes or colour blocks, while more experienced crafters are encouraged to try more advance techniques like fair isle, mosaic, or intarsia. Any technique that uses more than one colour is eligible, so let your imagination run wild! A two colour brioche scarf? An Icelandic cardigan? Argyle socks?!
Yarn: Any yarn purchased at Yarns Untangled!
Need some inspiration? These are some of our favourite colourwork projects lately:
Velvet Morning Cardigan,pattern by Julie Crawford
Yarn: Topsy Fibres in five colours
Technique: Fair Isle
We would also like to draw your attention to Canadian designer, and friend of the ours, Kathleen Sperling. She is extremely talented and has a particular gift for designing beautiful patterns that use more than one colour. Check out her available patterns on Ravelry.
Schedule: Start: Wednesday, September 6th, 2017 Sunday Drop-In Clinic (FREE for KAL participants): September 10, 17, October 1, 8, 15, November 5, 12, 19, 26. End: Wednesday, December 6th, 2017 (3 months)
Prizes: Most colours used on a single item: Why use one colour when you can use THEM ALL. Prize will be a $15 gift card for Yarns Untangled, and a Kathleen Sperling colourwork pattern of your choice! Most finished objects: Want to knock out holiday presents early? The participant most finished objects will win a $15 gift card for Yarns Untangled, and TWO of Kathleen Sperling’s colourwork patterns of your choice! In order to count towards your total a project should take 50 yards of yarn or more (so no passing that swatch off as it’s own project, even if it feels like one!) Best mess up and recovery: KALs can be wonderful learning experiences, so share yours with us! The person who learns the biggest lesson will get a coupon for a private lesson with either Brenna or Amelia. The Random Draw: one winner will be randomly chosen from among the participants, see below for parameters. Prize will be a $10 gift card for Yarns Untangled.
Suggested classes (10% for official KAL participants): Brioche Knitting with Kate, Thursday September 7th from 6-9pm
Introduction to Colourwork: Fair Isle and Intarsia, with Kate, coming soon
Double Knitting with Nicole, coming soon
Colourwork Christmas Ornaments, coming soon
Participation: In order to be considered for entry for prizes, and to receive discounts on classes, crafters must either join the Ravelry thread or post on Instagram (#YUColourworkKAL) and announce which yarn you’ll be using. Once the project(s) is/are finished, you must post at least one picture of it. If you’d rather, come see us in person and we’ll get a snap of it for you and help you to post it on Ravelry. Hashtag: #YUColourworkKAL (use this wherever good hashtags are accepted) Yarn: Crafters must use yarn purchased from Yarns Untangled, but it doesn’t need to have been purchased during the time of the KAL. If you choose to use yarn purchased elsewhere, you are still welcome to stitch-along with us, but you will not be eligible for prizes or free drop-in clinic help.
That’s it! If you have any questions, shoot us an email at info @ yarnsuntangled.com, give us a call at (416) 603-2338, or drop in and see us in person!
Our Next KAL: Options Sweater by Amy Herzog
It’s YU’s first ever sweater knit-along!
Many of our serious regulars have already got yarn and even started up a few swatches, but the rest of you have a couple of days to pick up your yarn before we officially begin.
If this is all news to you, here’s a brief summary of the plan:
“…it’s an Amy Herzog design, so you know it’s going to be a great-fitting sweater. Amy is the sweater-fit guru behind tons of beautiful designs and the brains behind CustomFit. Options allows you to knit a sweater customized to your own needs: crew or v-neck, cardigan or pullover, textured, smooth, striped, or not. It’s done in pieces and then sewn together, and the KAL would involve lots of help from our staff on how to complete this step, and any other step that might be baffling you along the way.”
Pattern: Options (Pullover or Cardigan) Yarn:DK/sport weight, or whatever you need to get a 23 sts/4” gauge. We suggest Georgian Bay Fibre Co Bayfield DK (the yarn that inspired the project that inspired the KAL), or Estelle’s Eco Andean DK Wool. Both are in stock in a beautiful range of colours, and we’ve got more of the Georgian Bay en route to us as we speak. Come see us to choose your size and style and to get your yarn all sorted if you haven’t yet.
Schedule: Start: Wednesday, April 19th Sunday Drop-In Clinic (FREE for KAL participants): April 23, 30, May 7, 14, 21, 28, June 4, 11, 18, 25, July 2, 9 Seaming classes with Kate Atherley, especially catering to the Options pattern, $35 (20% off the usual price, and an extra hour long):
Pullover finishing on Monday June 26th 6-8pm
Cardigan finishing on Tuesday June 27th 6-9pm End: Wednesday, July 12th (3 months)
Prizes: Most Amusing Finished Object Photo: Break out the camera and let’s see your modelling skills. Prize will be a $15 gift card for Yarns Untangled! Most ingenious alteration: Options is ideally designed for tweaking, changing, shortening, lengthening, adding fancy cables or colourwork, etc! Stretch your imagination as far as you can, and the winner will get a free digital copy of Pattern Writing for Knit Designers. Best mess up and recovery: KALs can be wonderful learning experiences, so share yours with us! The person who learns the biggest lesson will get a coupon for a private lesson with either Brenna or Amelia. The Random Draw: one winner will be randomly chosen from among the participants, see below for parameters. Prize will be a $15 gift card for Yarns Untangled.
Participation: In order to be considered for entry for prizes, and to receive discounts on classes, crafters must either join this Ravelry thread or post on Instagram (#YUOptionsKAL) and announce which yarn you’ll be using. Once the project(s) is/are finished, you must post at least one picture of it. If you’d rather, come see us in person and we’ll get a snap of it for you and help you to post it on Ravelry. Hashtag: #YUOptionsKAL (use this wherever good hashtags are accepted) Pattern: the project must be following the Amy Herzog Options pattern, or at least based on it. Alterations are encouraged. Yarn: Crafters must use yarn purchased from Yarns Untangled, but it doesn’t need to have been purchased during the time of the KAL. If you choose to use yarn purchased elsewhere, you are still welcome to knit-along with us, but you will not be eligible for prizes, discounts, or free drop-in clinic help.
That’s it! If you have any questions, reply to this thread, shoot us an email at info @ yarnsuntangled.com, give us a call at (416) 603-2338, or drop in and see us in person!
Socks and Shawls and Sweaters, Oh My!
by Nicole Tavares and Amelia Lyon
Ding! Ding! Ding! Our Kate Atherly Knit Along officially came to a close this week. Kate is one of our favourite teachers, and her patterns sparked a great deal of creativity over the past two months. With two hundred and fifty designs to choose from – anything was possible, and at least 30 of you glorious knitters and crocheters jumped in with both feet. We are so pleased and impressed with every WIP and FO we’ve seen throughout this process, so congrats to everyone who participated, regardless of whether you made it past the finish line in time, or not!
Our collected finished projects covered baby sweaters, shawls, mitts, and of course – SOCKS! Kate is very often referred to as “The Sock Guru,” and the name is very very well-earned. Out of all of her published patterns, virtually half of them are for socks, and the variation therein is so inspiring; from the plain ol’ top-down sock, to some of the fanciest colourwork and cablework out there, Kate’s socks are our go-tos whenever it’s time to keep our tootsies warm.
One of the best parts about knit-a-longs is watching crafters expand their skills and this one was no exception. We had a few people attempt their first ever pair of socks, while others went for a new method: two at a time socks. Congrats to Jen C, Karen, Rachel, Ni, Jen H, and Annabel for tackling this tricky challenge this summer, we loved watching your progress.
The Wavedeck Pi Shawl was a very popular choice. This half pi shawl by Kate paired perfectly with two skeins of our Mineville DK and it’s tiered lace pattern is simpler than it first appears. With Pi shawls the increases aren’t worked every row, instead the stitch count is doubled periodically in order to achieve the circular shape. Don’t worry if math isn’t your thing – the pattern has done it for you!
This pattern is a half pi shawl, meaning it’s a half circle instead of a full one. As Kate herself says in the pattern, “quicker to knit and easier to wear!”
Our sample in the shop offered lots of inspiration for those looking to make their own.
With dozens of gorgeous mineville DK colours to choose from, little Wavedecks started appearing all over the place in blues and greens.
Along with the wavedeck shawls came a parade of socks in all shapes and sizes, from the most basic cuff down patterns to intricate colourwork. Seen here are just a few of the sock FOs that crossed our path this month.
Still other knitters tackled chart reading, colourwork, brioche and more. In the end, we had more than 25 projects finished (or almost finished…).
No KAL is complete without a celebration at the end and some prizes. Without further ado, the winners are:
Most Individual Projects Completed
Goes to Rachel for finishing a Wavedeck shawl AND a pair of socks! If you haven’t met Rachel, she started out as a loom knitter and has only recently moved into working with needle-knitting as well. Obviously she’s rocking it! Her prize is a $15 gift card for Yarns Untangled.
Biggest Mess Up/Lesson Learned
Goes to Cheryl for her work on the Asking for Flowers shawl! This pattern was a step up for her since it offers the instructions for the lace in chart form, and there are quite a few short rows used to turn around the centre point of the left-to-right shawl. With a wee bit of help from Brenna, Cheryl was able to turn out this just gorgeous shawl using three skeins of Rhichard Devrieze Peppino she picked up at the summer trunk show, and she is very pleased with it. So are we! Her prize is a coupon for a private lesson with either Brenna or Amelia whenever she wants! Can’t wait to see what she learned next.
Most ingenious pattern alteration:
Goes to Francesca for her work on the circular Wavedeck. This pattern was by far the most popular one throughout this KAL, but Francesca took it up a level when she turned the half-pi into a full-pi! She used two skeins of Riverside Studios in “Midnight;” these pics don’t do it justice, it has to be seen in person to be full appreciated. Way to go Francesca! Her prize is a digital copy of Kate’s amazing book, Pattern Writing for Knitwear Designers.
Pre-blocking, but slightly more colour-accurate
Blocking!
Of course the Random Draw! The two winners of our draw were awarded a collection of beautiful yarn from Kate’s stash. Lucky lucky knitters! Congratulations to Claire and Vidya who made a Wavedeck and a One-Piece Baby Sweater respectively!
Thanks to everyone who participated, you guys all rock. As we head into the Fall season, we have lots coming up in terms of classes, trunk shows, events, brand new yarns, and a selection of old favourites. Check us out on the social media platform of your choice (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) or sign up for our mailing list to be kept in the loop. Happy Stitching!
Our Next KAL: “KAAL,” a Kate Atherley-A-Long!
After the success of our previous knitalong where each crafter worked with yarn dyed by Megan of Lichen & Lace for a project of their choice, we’ve decided to base this one around another favourite artist of ours, the infinitely wise and wonderfully talented designer Kate Atherley.
In addition to being an extremely accomplished knitwear designer, Kate is in high demand as a knitting teacher throughout the English-speaking knitting community. Just this spring and summer she has been invited to Interweave Yarn Fest in Colorado, Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival, and the Austin Texas Knit & Crochet Guild, to name a few.
As such, we count ourselves as very lucky to be one of few yarn stores that can claim as a regular teacher on our roster. She can be found teaching at Yarns Untangled virtually every Tuesday and Thursday, and we are especially excited to announce that she will be joining us this Wednesday night (July 13th) for stitch night! The puck-drop will be Friday July 15th, so this will be your chance to meet Kate, get some advice on which pattern would be best for you, or to pick her brain on any questions you might have for your chosen design(s), two days in advance of the beginning of the KAL.
Kate has generously set up a discount code on Ravelry. Check the Ravelry thread for the code that gets you 30% off of any of her patterns from today until August 15th. You can peruse through all of her designs on Ravelry here, but we’d like to take this moment to showcase some of our very favourites.
Always a crowd-pleaser, Asking for Flowers is a fingering weight, garter stitch shawl/scarf with a simple lace edging that is knit as-you-go. It’s simpler than it looks, an extremely rewarding knit, and great for anyone looking to try out lace chart reading for the first time.
Asking for Flowers
For those of you into cables, or looking to advance your skills, the Oswin the Impossible mitts are a joy to make. They use one skein of DK weight yarn, suit any gender, and are a great way to show off a truly special hand-dyed yarn.
Oswin the Impossible
If you’ve visited the store in the past few months, you might have seen either Amelia’s or Nicole’s Wavedeck projects. Wavedeck is a half-pi shawl that is quite a bit less complicated than it looks, we promise. Pi Shawls are a concept initially developed by knitting pioneer Elizabeth Zimmerman, and although it’s based on the mathematical concept of pi, no math is required to put this together (although if anyone wants to geek out, we are ready and waiting).
Wavedeck
And of course, many of you will know that Kate is truly a sock guru. Her sock knitting classes are some of our most popular workshops, and sock patterns make up almost 40% of her published work. These designs range from the most basic (Basic Ribbed Socks)…
Stay tuned to our Facebook and Twitter feeds for more spotlights on Kate’s patterns as a countdown to the start of the KAL.
Prizes:
Most individual projects completed (two socks count as one project) – bang out as many things as you can in two months! Single skein projects count, so this is a great way to plow through your queue. Prize will be a $15 gift card for Yarns Untangled! Biggest Mess Up/Lesson Learned – tell us your pain! Every new project is a learning experience, and it’s always nice to hear about personal growth. 😉 Prize is a coupon for a private lesson with either Brenna or Amelia at Yarns Untangled. Most ingenious pattern alteration – show us your knit hacks! A little bit of shaping, an extra big shawl, a special sock toe, bonus mitten fingers, or whatever your heart desires, other knitters can always learn from your changes and your experience. Prize is a digital copy of Kate’s book Pattern Writing for Knit Designers. Special Crochet Prize – Since Kate’s patterns are all written for knitters, we’ll be offering a special prize for anyone who tackles the challenge of transcribing one of her designs into crochet! Prize is a $10 gift card for Yarns Untangled. Of course the Random Draw, two winners this time! – each will be awarded a collection of beautiful yarn from Kate’s stash (she gets great stuff sent to her in the mail, this is some primo promo yarn!)
The Knitty Gritty, or “The Rules” (If this happens to be the first you’re hearing of the term “Knitalong” (or knit-a-long, or knit-along or KAL), we refer you to a short write up from our previous undertaking.)
Important Dates: starts July 15th, ends September 15th Wednesday July 13th – Kate joins us for Stitch Night
As always, our Drop-In Clinic on Sundays is free to anyone participating in the KAL, so if a pattern seems like a bit of a challenge, we are here to help. Participation: In order to be considered for entry, crafters must either join the Ravelry thread or post on Instagram (#kaal) and announce which pattern and yarn you’ll be using. Once the project(s) is/are finished, you must post at least one picture of it. If you’d rather, come see us in person and we’ll get a snap of it for you and help you to post it on Ravelry.
If you don’t have a Ravelry account, send us a quick email at info @ yarnsuntangled.com announcing your intention to participate. We’ll make sure you’re kept in the loop Hashtag: #kaal (use this wherever good hashtags are accepted) Pattern: the project must be following a pattern designed by Kate, alterations and adjustments are of course just fine. All patterns are 30 % off on Ravelry for KAL participants using the code from the Ravelry thread. Code is active as of today until August 15th. Yarn: Crafters must use yarn purchased from Yarns Untangled, but it doesn’t need to have been purchased during the time of the KAL. That’s it! If you have any questions, shoot us an email at info @ yarnsuntangled.com, give us a call at (416) 603-2338, or drop in and see us in person!
