Could It Be? Fall?!?

 

We got a bit of a respite from the twins names Heat & Humidity heat last week. While it was lovely to be without them, Summer has come back for one last round (hopefully, one last round because really I can't take any more of this sweltering punishment!). However, Fall is in full force in the knitting world and what better way to realize it than to receive the new Rowan Fall magazine!

It arrived in the shop on Friday with a few boxes accompanying it of some new Nashua yarns. The rest of the yarn was still being packed and should arrive this week, if not later today! The three stories in Rowan's 48th issue are Nomad, designs with over-sized cables in loose-fitting shapes for men & women. Cables are everywhere as the focus of the garment while the construction is simple.  

To the right, Rambler; bottom left, Wayfarer; bottom right, Drifter.

Russian Doll focuses on colorwork and lots of it. This storyline is inspired by the folkloric designs of historic matryoshka nesting dolls and showcases a collection of floral & fair isle garments. Most of them have a look that makes you think appropriately of the very thing the colletion is named for, with the garments having shapes that cocoon the body. Think wraps, shawls, & layering tunics & vests when browsing through these pieces from your favorite designers including Kaffe Fassett & Marie Wallin.

To the left: Nonna

Bottom, left to right: Tamara Scarf & Gloves, Polina, and Lidiya/Lidiya Scarf   

Last but not least is Timeless, a story that shows that classic silhouettes have no age. You'll notice the emphasis on shoudler & sleeve details & vintage colors. No matter the age or the shape, these simple pullovers & cardigans are projects that will last long after you've weaved in the last end. Most of these designs are knit using Cashsoft 4 Ply and Kid Silk Haze, employing the less is more approach to the weight of yarn, ensuring that whatever the body shape, the fabric will flatter!

     

Top: Wanda

Middle: Agatha x 2

Bottom: Tara 

Well, hopefully that was enough to whet your appetite. Stop in and check out a copy near the front display and take a peek at the yarns featured inside along with the new Vogue Knitting Fall magazine!

Mountain Meadow Wool

Rosie's has been carrying yarns from Mountain Meadow Wool for a little while now, so we were excited to see that Interweave Knits highlighted it in the Fall 2010 issue's Yarn Spotlight.

This yarn is a particular favorite of staff members, here. The texture and natural hues are lovely, not to mention the ability for you to trace the yarn back to the farm it started from. The squish. The softness. The grays. The natural white. Everything about it makes us scream with glee!



We are currently carrying the Bulky weight, in natural white, the Worsted weight, in natural white, the Sport weight in three shades of gray as well as natural white, a Single ply in natural white, and a natural light brown/beige alpaca-merino blend. Stop on in and check out this lovely yarn in person. Many of us are scheming as to what projects to make with the Mountain Meadow.

What would you knit with Mountain Meadow?

[ photo credit: Andrea Mules ]

Can We Also Have New England Weather?!?

New England Knits has arrived!

This book has been the talk of the knitting town for some time now, and now you can have your own copy! We tried to come up with a book review for it, but it's been reviewed so much since it was put on Amazon's pre-order list and buzz began on Ravelry that we'd rather link to one of those reviews. We'll just show you some pictures!

The book has patterns that feature a few yarns we carry here in the shop: 

Here we have the Greylock Tunic in Rowan Purelife Organic Wool....

...the Lewiston Striped Vest in Cascade 220 (and with all of the colors we have of this yarn, you'd be hard-pressed to not find a combo. Maybe Cascade isn't your thing? Rowan Calmer, Manos Rittenhouse, Swans Island Worsted, O-Wool Balance, Nashua Creative Focus Worsted, Noro Kureyon, Shirakaba, Retro, (do I really need to name all of the worsted weight yarns that we have in this shop that could work for this pattern?!?)  & Dream In Color Classy will also work for this cute vest. The button hunt for this project might be just as fun as picking out the yarn. 

The worsted weight patterns continue! This is the cover sweater, the Middlefield Pullover. 

The Mystic Pullover is worked in the Fibre Company's Organik. Check out that side pocket detail? You like? 

The Providence Pullover is worked in O-Wool Classic, which is soon to come to Rosie's! If you can't wait, we have a bit in stock in large amounts at a really nice discount. Just pop in and ask for the really huge skeins of yarn....we'll point you in the right direction. 

The Salem Hooded Jacket features the Manos del Uruguay Wool Clasica. Could you ask for anything warmer to wear this Fall/Winter season? That hood, the A-line shape, the texture.....I'd probably enjoy knitting the fabric more than wearing it!

Last but not least, we have the Whale Watch Hat by Kate Gagnon Osborn (go Kate!) It takes 1 skein each of Canopy Fingering in Orchid, Fern & Macaw. You don't get 241 hearts on Ravelry with just any ole design!

So there you have it. Speaking of books, we have a new book shop on Amazon.com! We have a few back issues of magazines & older books on sale, but have been adding other books over the past few days and will be adding even more books. We'll still keep our yarn company books (i.e. Rowan, Classic Elite Yarns, Noro, Berroco) on the website, but most of the other books that come through the store will be available here! Keep your eyes peeled for some other new designs we have up our sleeve....heh. 

Crochet Friday

Yarn is made. Patterns are made to support said yarn. Some like to let the yarn do the work and keep the stitch pattern to a simple stockinette or some knit/purl combination. Other patterns want to show off the stitch definition and work cables and/or lace to make each stitch pop. I can't speak for anyone, but I wonder if anyone thinks of whether a yarn will look better when crocheted rather than offering only knitting patterns.

Well someone at Rowan realized that crochet is no longer the bald-headed stepchild of the craft world. That's been said for some time, but support is being developed to back up that statement more often it seems. The staff of Rosie's has never been crochet-discriminatory, but more of us have been picking up hooks lately.You can imagine that we were excited to see that Rowan 47 had crocheted garments. Not just some toaster cozy/pillow cover amalgamation made solely of granny squares, but things that you could wear with a pair of jeans, a pair of cute knee boots (brown always works), and go out the door feeling stylish without having tried too hard. 

Enter Cheery, an over-sized crocheted pullover with knit ribbing at the hems & neckline. As soon as I laid eyes on it, I knew I was going to make it. At first, I sighed. Summer Tweed is 70% silk/30% cotton. I will be completely honest and say that cotton isn't exactly my favorite fiber for knits. I like a bit of stretch in my sweaters and you just don't get that with a cotton/silk blend. So what do you do? You crochet!!!!

The sweater has a knit ribbing that is bound off before working the crochet pattern. The jump from knitting Summer Tweed to crocheting it almost feels as if you were working two different projects. (The ribbing does seem to go for a bit longer than you want it to, but it wouldn't be ribbing if it didn't, now would it?) After that's done, you crochet the body, which doesn't even take that long compared to how long it'd take you to knit it. Crochet isn't always faster than knitting, but this is one of those times when it is. 

Summer Tweed won't mind if you knit it. Rosie's regular Karen has nothing but amazing things to say about her Hey Teach cardigan. It's just something about the texture of the yarn that makes it feel lovely when you crochet it. Hopefully, by next week there should be a finished product with pictures to boot! Check out all of the Summer Tweed colors we have here! 

Last but not least, in something unrelated to Summer Tweed, check out the new First Fall Knitty! Milly is worked in Felted Tweed, Winnow calls for Louet Gems, the Coquille Shawl features the amazing Swans Island Fingering, and Lamina shows off Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend. It's good to see Fall things coming down the pipeline when the low for the week is 89 degrees!

Stay Classy, Philadelphia

Dream In Color Classy is back!

1st row: Petal Shower, Ruby River, Lipstick Lava

2nd row: Butter Peeps, Spring Tickle, Happy Forest, GoGo Grassy

3rd row: Midnight Derby, Dusky Aurora, Black Parade

The last time we got it, it seemed to fly out of the door so we made sure to get a few extra skeins of the colors we picked at TNNA. (Can I just say that being in a booth full of the stuff is an entirely different blog post?....aaahhhh.) Classy is sometimes referred to as a worsted weight, but it works well, if not better, at 4.5 stitches per inch rather than 5 stitches per inch.

If you need some patterns to get you going:

    

 

The Garter Yoke Cardigan (left) by Melissa LaBarre is a great sweater whose biggest size (unfortunately only a 40" bust circumference) only requires 5 skeins. The February Fitted Pullover (which goes all the way up to 50"! yay!) is one of those garments that can be worn with jeans and a t-shirt or over a nice blouse paired with a cute skirt or slacks.

The Baby Surprise Jacket is a great one-skein project for this yarn. Parents will love the fact that it'll be something to throw in the wash when the little one throws up all over your precious handknit item. (Just kidding, but they will appreciate this attribute.) If you like Elizabeth Zimmermann, then the Baby Sweater on Two Needles AKA the February Baby Sweater is another design to which this yarn lends itself to quite well.

There are many other projects that you could make using Dream In Color Classy. Go check them out here on Ravelry. Each $18 skein holds 250 yards so you're looking at a sweater with fewer skeins than you might need in some other yarns. Honestly, I don't know what else to say about it? It's handpainted 100% superfine Australian merino superwash.

This blog post is over. I think I'm going to choose which color to use for my own Garter Yoke Cardigan.

P.S.: We will be closed on Sunday, July 4th. Enjoy the holiday and your weekend everyone!

Soft Sea Wool, We Hardly Knew Ye

Dearly Beloved,

We are gathered by the computer screens to mourn the loss of Reynolds Soft Sea Wool. It had a good run here at Rosie's but we must say goodbye. It served its purpose as a yarn that was slightly heavier than Koigu, lending itself to designs for fingering weight as well as for sport. However, it was overlooked while younger, more impressive yarns came in and stole the spotlight. It is survived by Baby Cashmerino, Shepherd Sport, and Alpaca Sox.

Soft Sea Wool shall be missed.

Services will be held at Rosie's Yarn Cellar this Friday-Sunday. There will be a $4 per skein charge for those who would like a keepsake. There is also currently a viewing online.

Sorrowfully Submitted,
Rosie's Staff

P.S.: If you're interested in more sale yarn, stop by our Sidewalk Sale this weekend starting Friday, June 25th-Sunday, June 27th. You won't be disappointed!

Why Yes, We ARE Open This Memorial Day!

Rosie's will be open on Monday, May 25th from 12am-5pm, very similar to our Sunday schedule. 

 

This is the picture from last year's Memorial Day posting, featuring the always-hilarious DC. 

Maybe you just need to stop in and get a pair of needles and a small project for a road trip, or you're sticking around town and aren't interested in the millions of TV marathons (I swear, they show the same ones every year!). Do what's DC's hinting at and come see us! Remember, we will be open from 12pm-5pm. See you soon!

Little Sprout Baby Blanket

While we usually save new Rosie Knits for the newsletter debut, we decided to sneak in an extra pattern anyways. We noticed that Rosie Knits didn't have a house baby blanket pattern and we designed a knit version and a crocheted version. The knit blanket was finished first, mainly due to needle size & gauge, and now we present to you the Little Sprout Baby Blanket!  

It's a (you guessed it!) baby blanket using 6 skeins of Classic Elite Sprout, shown in 4321 Limeade, and is available right now.

Sprout is a great yarn not just for blankets, but for other baby items as well as a light summer top for us not-so-baby folks, like Emmaline from Knitty.com. It's 100% organic cotton, knits up at 3.5 stitches per inch and it's washable. This means that not only will you be finished rather quickly, but, should you knit it for someone else, caring for it will be easy as well. Designed by a member of the Rosie's design team, it's knit from corner to corner and has cables all around the sides as accents to the reverse stockinette stitch background. It is classified as "easy" but if you run into any problems, we're here to help and are more than ready to do so. We have Sprout in the store if you're interested in stopping by to take a look at the color selection. If you don't live close by, we have made it available to purchase Sprout from the website here and you can click here to visit the pattern page to download the instructions.

Happy Knitting!

Crochet Friday

Lately we've been taking inventory of what we offer in the way of house patterns. We're trying to diversify things and not offer only scarves or only hats. With that said, more crochet items will be introduced. With more of the staff picking up the hook more often (with no lost love for the two sticks), we're more mindful of the number of available crochet designs that we can offer as a standalone pattern. Not to say that there aren't great books (Crochet Me, Crochet In Color, Crocheted Gifts, etc.), but sometimes you're more in the market for a single pattern, especially if you're trying something new.

With the surge in crochet's popularity, not only do we have your average length crochet hooks but we also made sure to introduce/reintroduce you to Tunisian crochet. What is Tunisian crochet? Tunisian (or afghan) crochet uses an afghan hook, which is simply an elongated crochet hook. You start by working the same type of chain you use as the base for any other crocheted work. Now here's where it gets interesting. You don't work one stitch at a time and move on as you do in normal crochet. Instead you are pulling one stitch up and leaving it on the hook. This is why you need an elongated hook, or a hook with a plastic cord similar to the ones seen on circular needles, to accommodate the extra stitches. The next step is to not turn the work but to wrap the yarn around the hook and pull through the first loop, then proceed to yarnover and pull through two loops until you reach the end of the row.  What you get after working a few sets of rows is.....

The fabric is best when worked on a hook size that is larger than normally called for depending upon your yarn choice. Here is the Manos del Uruguay Serena, usually knit on a US 4/3.5mm-US 5/3.75mm, and I got a nice, drapey fabric at about 4-4.5 stitches per inch on an H/5mm afghan hook. You might be a tight or loose crocheter; it all comes down to washing and blocking your swatch (which I did). As soon as the yarn touched the water, the alpaca content in the yarn made it drape but the pima cotton kept the stitch definition while still keeping it soft. Summer yarn option anyone?
 
Well, we've got a few patterns in the works even as I'm typing this, and maybe in the future we'll have a Introduction to Crochet class structured much in the way of the Beginner Knitting/Project classes. Stay tuned for more info and for new patterns!

Miss Flitt Recap

This past Sunday our Miss Flitt event took place and it was a lovely afternoon!

Beth and her husband came by and set up the samples the previous weekend so that people could see them and ogle them before the event. The knitters came in and by the time Beth had finished the selection, we all had made up in our minds that we were all going to buy the book and knit something. I (Jen) have been eyeing that Emma Cardigan ever since I tried on the sample. I've got some Organik in my stash that would look great in that pattern! Anyway, here are a few pictures from Sunday.

There was a very informative Q&A session (Bridget is officially the head interviewer of Rosie's!). Beth studied printmaking and painting at The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and writing at The University of Pennsylvania and Sarah Lawrence College. The result was that the knitting, writing, & watercolor aspect blended with ease, making the finished product come without being forced. It definitely shows in the way the book is presented and the way the knits correlate to the storyline. The setup of each book's release is very similar to the 19th-century style of publication,where you get a piece of the story with each release of a book. The next book, Volume 1, Chapter II, Dangerous Ladies & Opium Dens, will be launched soon and hopefully we'll be getting a few copies for you to pick up and read after you finish Chapter I, The Strange Case of the Magician's Cabinet, of which we do have copies available for sale.

You know what we also have?

Rosie's has grab bags. Grab bags of what you ask? Yarn. Alpaca, bamboo, wool, cotton, mohair, cashmere (yes, cashmere!). Dk-weight, lace, fingering, a bit of worsted. It'd also be helpful to mention if you want odd assortment of fibers or if you simply want different colors of the same thing. Do you like Noro? You might get some. If you're interested, click on the Buy Now button and please be sure to leave a comment telling us which fibers you like/adore and what fibers you might break out from/not enjoy so much. We want to send you yarn but not if it's something that'll cause you to have an allergic reaction to it! Each bag is $35 (although you'll get at least $60 worth of yarn!) and you will receive a bag of yarns we've put together and hope you'll enjoy!

Puttin' On The Knits

On Sunday, Beth Hahn will be here to do a few reading selections from her book, The Adventures of Miss Flitt!

At 1pm, there will be a reading of chosen selections from her book, The Adventures of Miss Flitt, a four-part, illustrated, 19th century mystery with character-based knitting patterns by Beth Hahn. The story follows Emma Flitt into a Victorian New York filled with magicians, clairvoyants, charlatans, and pick pockets to unravel the mysterious disappearance of her sister Lucy.

We're all pretty excited to meet her and to snag a few copies for ourselves. Not only does the book tell a story, but it also includes knitting patterns that you see some of the character wearing. Today Johanna and I decided to go outside and snag a few photos of the Emma Cardigan sample we have on display in the store.

(I have no idea why I look so worried and freaked out by some imaginary beast on the sidewalk in the left picture, but I'll blame it on the sun being over-enthusiastically bright today. Or on Johanna acting as creative director/Tim Gunn protégé by telling me to "make it work".)

The Emma Cardigan sample (shown here) was knit up in Ella Rae Heathers but Manos Rittenhouse 5 Ply Merino would be a great substitution. The stitch definition shows in the lace pattern and it's got a bit of give. I'm wearing the extra small size (30") and I am not an extra small, but the negative ease makes the lace pattern show quite nicely. Know thyself, my friends, know thyself. I could see myself making a small (34") in the future. O-Wool Balance would be the yarn to choose if you want something that's warm for chilly offices & trains in the summertime, but cool enough to wear in the evening and not feel overheated. 

Beth also includes swatches in the book made with other yarns such as The Fibre Company's Organik just to give you an idea of how different yarns of different compositions will show off the same stitch. I think this is great because you can pick the appearance and texture of your sweater based on which yarn you pick, and anything that allows the knitter to own the outcome of their project is a definite plus in my book.

If you want to meet Beth and purchase the book & some yarn and get started on this cardigan or any of the designs in her book, stop by on Sunday from 1pm-5pm. We'll see you then!

Closed Sunday!

Hello all! This blog post is to simply let everyone know that we will be closed on Sunday. We hope you enjoy the day & the awesome weather we're supposed to have this weekend! We'll be open for normal hours on Monday. If you do need to come down this weekend to pick anything up, Saturday's your day. Again, we will be closed on Sunday.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Cold Snap= Good Times!

We've enjoyed the great weather for the past two weeks. After all of that snow & rain, we deserved weather conditions that didn't denote end-of-the-world scenarios. Today, however, it's a bit chilly and the weekend is supposed to be in the cooler temps as well. How do you knit for such weather?

Some have already begun their summer knitting but for the rest of us (me) we still want to cast on with wool & alpaca. The weather shouldn't stop you from knitting what you like. Rosie's received a shipment of some deliciously soft yarn from Swans Island Yarns.

1st row: Natural, Grey, Robin's Egg Blue

2nd row: Purple, Red, Orange, Spring Green

3rd row: Teal, Navy, Charcoal

The yarn, which we have in both fingering weight & worsted weight, is a certified organic merino yarn that is naturally dyed. Spun in Maine, they are mordanted with non-metallic mordants, and then skein-dyed with natural substances such as indigo, cochineal, madder, weld, and other plant dyes. The yarn is color fast so no worries about the beautiful shades not staying.

Both the fingering & worsted are $30 per skein. The fingering weight has 580 yards per skein and the worsted has 250 yards per skein making both the perfect one-skein-project yarn. If you have a larger project in mind,  due to the small batches, it's best to buy as much as you need for a project at one time (but it's good to practice this with any project/yarn!).

P.S.: Don't forget to sign up for the Maryland Sheep & Wool bus! The Early Bird special still stands and will be in place until April 2nd. Basic seating is $40 right now and the High Flyer (which includes a boxed breakfast) is $55. After April 2nd the prices will go up to $45 and $60 respectively. Reserve your seats now by calling the store at 215-977-9276 or stopping by to add your name to the list. See you soon!

The Adventures of Miss Flitt

On Sunday April 11th, come by the shop and see Beth Hahn, the creator of a wonderful knitwear design/watercolor/mystery tale. At 1pm, there will be a reading of chosen selections from her book, The Adventures of Miss Flitt, a four-part, illustrated, 19th century mystery with character-based knitting patterns by Beth Hahn. The story follows Emma Flitt into a Victorian New York filled with magicians, clairvoyants, charlatans, and pick pockets to unravel the mysterious disappearance of her sister Lucy.

Beth will bring some of her beautiful watercolors along with her, as well as samples of the knitwear designs whose patterns can be found in the Miss Flitt book.  The book will be available for purchase on Sunday and if you'd like to see more about the book and Beth, visit her website here and we'll see you April 11th!

Little box, big plans

Something big is happening at Rosie's, something we've been excitedly preparing for over the last couple of months. Yesterday everything started coming together, and it all began with the delivery of one, innocuous box from our trusty UPS man.


What's in the box? Two Cricket Looms, several Hi-Lo spindles, and two sets of hand carders. And more, much more, is on its way, most notably, spinning wheels and fiber. If you've ever thought of expanding your fiber arts repertoire, Rosie's is here to help!


Check back soon to see what's come in, and if you're in the shop, take a look at our newly carved out niche for weaving and spinning. It's right next to the laceweight... you know, just to keep you inspired.

Early Spring Classes

Spring is (almost) here and we have our new class schedule up on the website. In case you haven't checked or have been wondering when our next round of classes, we'll spread the word about them.

Beginner Knitting
Tuesdays from March 2nd until April 6th from 6pm-8 pm
$125, materials included

What to expect: This is the introductory class for those who've never held needles, or for anyone who needs a refresher and wants a more thorough grounding. This isn't just a "learn to cast on and knit" class, it's an intensive 6-week class which teaches you not just how to knit and purl, but also how to read a pattern, measure for size, make buttonholes, knit in the round and on double pointed needles, and how to increase and decrease. By the end, you'll be able to jump into any of our more advanced classes like Fair Isle Colorwork, Cables, and even the Sweater class!

What you'll learn: How to cast on, knit, purl, and bind off; how to decrease; how to read a simple pattern; how to measure gauge; how to seam knitted pieces; how to make a buttonhole.

What you should bring: Nothing but your enthusiasm (and glasses if you wear them!).

What you'll take home: Three small projects, usually a cotton facecloth, a simple watch cap, and a small felted purse; plus various needles.


Intermediate Knitting
Thursdays from March 4th until April 8th from 6pm-8pm
$125, materials included

What to expect: Now that you have taken the beginner's class, it's time to step up to the technique plate. This project based class teaches you the foundations of more advanced techniques; cables, lace, and color work. We will learn all of these techniques in 6 weeks, divided into 2 week sections. 3 projects-- a bulky cabled hat, fair isle wristbands, and a simple lace stitch scarf-- will have you well on your way to conquering any knitting project in your queue.

What you'll learn: All the intermediate techniques we feel you need under your belt to move on to more specialized projects that suit your tastes and desires. Fair Isle, Cables and Lace are all focused on equally to give you a solid foundation to conquer any knitting that may cross your path.

What you should bring: Materials are covered in the class fee.

What you'll take home: New skills and new projects.

If you're interested, stop by or call the shop (215-977-9276) and sign up!

They're ba-ack!

Finally, after a long wait, we have more Knit Kits in stock, this time around in blue. It contains everything a knitter-on-the-go could use: TSA compliant folding scissors, stitch markers, point protectors, a tapestry needle, stitch counter, thread cutter, crochet hook and tape measure, all in a handy, compact package. If you're like me, constantly losing everything to the black hole bottom of your everything-and-the-kitchen-sink-containing-bag, this might be just what you need to keep all your essentials at your fingertips. The last batch we had sold out lickety-split, so if you want one of your very own, come in soon to get one!

Rosie's Presidents' Day Sale!

We hope everyone is just as excited as we are that we're finally having our sale tomorrow! If you're a subscriber of our newsletter, you received a email blast informing you that we'll be operating during normal business hours, from 12pm-5pm.

There will be Manos del Uruguay Clasica on sale, Koigu & Rowan yarns in addition to other Rosie's yarn favorites. If you have quite a bit of yarn (don't we all?) but need some pattern support or simply want to add to your knitting library, we'll have books (*cough* Kaffe Fassett *cough*) and patterns that you can use to fill up a Rosie's tote bag for an awesome price!

Come on down at noon and join us for the fun. Can't wait to see you!

Can You Put Out An APB On A Groundhog?

Due to the inclement weather (a-gain) we'll be closed on Wednesday, February 10th. We anticipate opening for normal business hours on Thursday, February 11th. We knitters/crocheters/spinners will cope just fine in this weather. Most of us have a pretty formidable stash & project queue to hold us over for one day easily; I can hear an alpaca jumper calling my name.

Hopefully the snow plows will do a decent job again and we'll see you Thursday. Happy knitting!

Rosie's President's Day Weekend Sale!

Most of you know that we were planning to have a huge sale for the Superbowl, but Mother Nature had other plans. Due to the inclement weather (read: gusty, cold blizzard-like conditions) we'll be closed tomorrow, Saturday February 6th and will reopen on Sunday, February 7th during normal business hours from 12pm-5pm. The sale will be held next Sunday and hopefully those of you who did have other plans for the Superbowl will be able to make it!

See you next Sunday!
(or this Sunday if you really need needles and yarn!)

Hey, Jen! Wanna play Twister?

The yarn floor (Like a dance floor, only squishier).

We've been keeping UPS busy and perfecting our magic stocking skills with all the boxes of yarn that have been coming through our door recently (Rosie's might be small, but we always seem to find room for new yarn!). The latest delivery brought in a shipment from Karabella that we're all excited to get our needles into.

Aurora 4 Ply is a fingering weight yarn with the same wears-like-iron multi-ply construction that made Rowan's 4 Ply soft one of our perennial favorites (RIP, 4 Ply Soft). The extra-fine merino is soft and springy and would be perfect for gloves, baby sweaters, or anything frequently used that you still want to look brand new for years to come.

Aurora Bulky is the super-sized version of 4 ply with the same great construction at 3-3.5 stitches per inch. Make a hat in an afternoon, or a thick and crisp scarf with excellent stitch definition. No pilling involved!

And Boise, oh Boise, is like butter in a ball (if, you know, butter was made from clouds and didn't require refrigeration... It's not a great simile, is it?). At 50% cashmere and 50% merino wool, it's heavenly. In 4 rich shades with more to come, it's the perfect little indulgence to brighten up those grey days (I'm looking at you, rainy Monday).

Come into Rosie's to see what other new yarns we've stocked on our shelves, and check back here for news of events and unveilings. We've got a lot up our knitted sweater sleeves for the upcoming weeks!

Knitscene Winter/Spring 2010!

The latest issue of Knitscene has hit the newsstands (and yarn store counters) and does not disappoint! In this issue, you'll find an article by Miriam Felton about four ways you can knit a triangular shawl. She's done her fair share of lace and triangular shawl patterns so if you've been apprehensive about shawls and wanted to know the ins and outs before you begin, this is the article for you. Miriam's advice also preps you for the following pages in the magazine, which feature three shawls using three of the methods she describes. The one that catches our eye the most would have to be the Conifer Shawl by Kate Gagnon Osborn.

It happens to be the shawl pictured above the article, so we know we're not alone in our assessment! It calls for five skeins of Fibre Company Canopy Worsted in Chiclet Tree and measures 48" wide and 23" deep, making this a nice-sized, warm wrap for the sometimes overenthusiastic winter here in Philadelphia.

Canopy Worsted isn't alone in yarns that are found in this issue as well as Rosie's shelves. Classic Elite Inca Marl is knit up into the Heather Raglan, a simple top-down raglan pullover by Cecily Glowik MacDonald.

 

Manos del Uruguay's Rittenhouse Merino 5 Ply can be seen in a cute pair of fingerless mitts/armwarmers, the Bungled Mitts. They only take one skein each of 512 Cinnamon & 531 Nickel and I dare say you would able to squeeze two pairs out of them.

And last but certainly not least is the Picot Cloche. It is knit using one of Rowan's newer yarns, Lima, an 84% alpaca, 8% merino, 8% nylon blend. Its chainette construction & heavy alpaca content make a yarn that will keep the warmth in while not being too heavy to wear.

 

Be sure to pick up a copy and ask us where all of these yarns are and we'll help you get started on whatever new project* you choose!

*Some other projects that we couldn't squeeze into this blog post that feature yarn found at Rosie's are the Equinox Raglan using Noro Silk Garden, the Panbe Dress using Classic Elite Sprout (be sure to ask for it by name!), and the Tourmaline Shawl using Schaefer Anne, a Rosie's favorite.