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Wrap yourself  in the  buttery softness of Rowan Lima.

Eternity Scarf pattern available here.  We knit our sample with 3 balls Rowan Lima on a 5.5mm 32″ circular needle.

Our version of the Striped Study Shawl, Veera’s simple garter stitch triangle with a whimsical bit of asymmetrical shaping.

We used Rowan Fine Tweed, a lovely Yorkshire 4-ply that comes in 24 beautiful colours.  Christa chose 7 neutral shades and knit the shawl at a loose gauge for softness and drape.  View her project notes here.

© Kate Davies

Begin the new year 2012 with this fun Beyond Beginners Sweater Class and learn seamless sweater construction and cables. (You’ll be amazed how easy cables are to knit!) Choose Kate Davies’ Owlet (6 mo to 12 yrs) or Adult Owls version (30 to 50″). The child and adult sweaters use a chunky-weight yarn and can be knit up quite quickly. The baby Owlet uses a worsted-weight yarn and is equally fast (because of its small size).  More information here.  Call or stop by the shop to register.

Wow!  We’re having a tough time keeping up with the demand for beginner knitting classes.  Way to go knitters!  We have openings in our January and February 2012 classes, but for those of you who are eager to get started right away, we will be offering a 3 week class on Tuesday evenings starting December 6.  More information available here.  Call or stop by the shop to register.

Hardwearing, waterproof, stylish and locally made–the Astrosatchel Knitting Bag.

Sturdy closures unsnap, allowing the satchel to open wide for easy access.  Lots of interior and exterior pockets keep knitting accessories organized.  Flip the padded bottom insert into place for a flat-bottomed bag that stands upright; flip it up for a narrower sillhouette.  Stop by and give her a try–the knitting bag that goes everywhere with practicality and style!

Remember these wonderful African Baskets . . .

For two years we had a seemingly unending supply from Gregory of Baba Tree Baskets but about a year and a half ago we were sad to hear that he was closing down his importing business for personal reasons.

In July 2010 we loaded our final order of baskets into the Prius for transport to the shop and we’ve been hoping ever since to find a new supplier.  We’re happy to report that we have found a Fair Trade supplier and these beautiful baskets from Ghana will be back in the shop soon, just in time for the Holidays!  We’ll be announcing their arrival (with pictures) on the blog and twitter, so keep in touch.  And in case you haven’t had the privilege of using an African basket, here’s a list of why they are so special . . .

Because they are handmade, beautiful, utilitarian, and eventually recyclable.

Because using a basket reduces the need for plastic shopping bags and other unnecessary packaging.

Because the weavers of northern Ghana produce the best quality african baskets.

Because these baskets are ethically traded and money paid for the baskets goes directly into the hands of the weavers, enriching their lives and ours.

Things you can do with your basket:
Take it shopping
Fill it with groceries
Fill it with flowers
Fill it with yarn
Bake bread, wrap it in a tea towel and carry it to a friend
Transport a home-baked pie—the flat bottom of the round basket works beautifully for pies
Give it to the cat for a bed
Let your toddler sit in it
Submerge it in a tub full of water to reshape
When it eventually wears out (which may take a long long time), throw it in the compost to recycle back to the earth.

Wow!  We’re having a tough time keeping up with the demand for beginner knitting classes.  Way to go knitters!  We have openings in our January and February 2012 classes, but for those of you who are eager to get started right away, we will be offering a 3 week class on Friday evenings starting December 2.  More information available here.  Call or stop by the shop to register.

It’s that time of year–everyone’s either knitting or wanting to learn.  Our Beginner classes are filled through December so we’ve added another session:

Sunday evenings, 6 to 8 pm

November 20, 27, December 4 and 11

Cost:  $80 plus materials

Call or stop by the shop to register.

We love the Gomitolo Knit Clock designed by Carlo and Benedetta Tamborini for Diamantini & Domeniconi–a reminder to set our clocks back tonight.  Hey, that’s an extra hour of knitting time on Sunday!

Just arrived– a beautiful new book by Alana Dakos and Hannah Fettig.  Click here to peek inside.