More swatching (not what you think)
On occasion, I will order new yarns sight unseen, yarn unswatched. This is more often the case with small-batch indie dyers, since there is pretty good consistency among the main suppliers of base yarns. The more common scenario is that I will have a full or partial ball sample from the vendor, and will swatch with it. If I have a full skein and the sense that I will probably order the yarn, I might choose a small, one-skein project. If I have a mini-ball or smaller winding, I will start with a knitted swatch, and make a crocheted one as well, if there is enough left over. This week, it's been Bio Balance, a wool/cotton blend with GOTS Certification, Berroco Summer Sesame, and Berroco Chai, a linen/silk blend. I also have a fingering weight recycled cashmere to test!
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…to learn (and do)
CURRENT CLASSES & EVENTS
Social Stitching via Zoom
Thursday, March 25, 4:00-6:00pm
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/981942707?pwd=TExyQlRPWnB3OW40QkFZRCs5aVRtQT09 OR open Zoom and enter 981-942-707 for the meeting ID
PASSWORD IS 330044.
Reminder: we've consolidated to just one Zoom event for now, but if you'd like to share project photos, chat, or share KAL progress, we'd love for you to create an account at yarnfolk.com and participate in the community we're building there. No intent to be yet another social network, but it's an option for sharing that doesn't depend on any outside platform. You can find it here.
...to anticipate
Berroco held an informational Zoom meeting for stockists last week, and one of the things we were all thrilled to learn is that the 1-2-3 Drop Ship program will be continuing for the forseeable future. Probably not indefinitely, but they definitely haven't set an end date. It's been a terrific help to stores during the past year, and can be a great option if there's a yarn you want to use that I don't normally carry.
If you're not familiar or don't recall the details of the program, you order the yarn and pay for it through me, and Berroco sends the yarn directly to your home. There is a $7 fee which includes the shipping cost.
There are some supply chain issues*, so I do need to confirm availability, but there are some really excellent projects available, and I can also order most yarns in whatever quantity you need. The program is available for Berroco's partner brands, as well--Wool Addicts, Amano, Lang, and Lopi.
*Neutrals and some of the best selling colors in basic yarns are sometimes in back-ordered status, as are many colors of Lettlopi. One of the other great pieces of news is that stockists will soon have access to a stock checker tool, to be updated once a day, which will be a boon for both regular and drop ship ordering!
…to inspire
With so many people working and learning from home over the past year, there are reports that spending related to home improvement and furnishings has increased. While something like an afghan or throw is a big commitment, pillows (Ravelry search link) are a much more modest commitment in terms of yarn and time required. Even better, pillows can be a fantastic way to experiment with nearly any technique you want to explore: intarsia, stranded knitting, mosaic knitting, granny squares, tapestry crochet, cables, illusion knitting, log cabin knitting and more.
(Pictured above is Michelle Hunter's Cable Channel pillow which uses four skeins of HiKoo Kenzie.)
...to stitch
Deliciosa
Finished, worn over a dress last week, and I LOVE it! If shorter sweaters aren't your thing, the Deliciosa pattern also includes instructions for a standard length. The only hiccup at the end was that I'd bound off the cuffs too tightly, and discovered this after I'd finished seaming. I picked them out, and bound off with a larger needle, and all is well. I used Berroco Lanas in Grapefruit.
