March classes

Tonya is teaching two great classes in the next couple of weeks. Her Baby Shrug class starts March 29 (and that's this month!). The Baby Shrug is a perfect introduction to sweater construction. Top down and on relatively large needles, this is a quick knit perfect for our unpredictable Easter weather. (Seriously, one of our customers said she knit one up the Saturday before Easter so her daughter would have something to wear to keep her warm that wouldn't cover up her Easter dress.) For an adorable picture, look at Tonya's blog. For more information about this and all classes, look at the Knit Nook website.

The other class Tonya is teaching is the Argyle sweater vest. This class started Sunday, March 1. (Yes, I'm a little late advertising for it.) But there are still three weeks left if you want to jump in. This is a more advanced sweater, but is a great introduction to intarsia (that's how you make the colors go). It is made out of Mission Falls 136 superwash merino.

I did have a bunch of photos of the sweater vest, but then Tonya reminded me that she can't post photos of it BECAUSE THE PATTERN IS GOING TO BE PUBLISHED IN YARN FORWARD MAGAZINE! So boo about the photos (they were of Leo, being cute and holding a knitted cob of corn), but congratulations, Tonya!

The Shrug Contest (I won)

We've had this book for a while, but as soon as I looked through it, I knew exactly what I wanted to make.

Not that I'm a shrug person, but this shrug is adorable, the Brioche Lace pattern is just the right degree of challenging (a.ka. it looks challenging but is relatively easy), and shrugs are just a great way to showcase new yarns without making another scarf.

Also, I knew I had to make this shrug because Tonya wanted to make it, too. We're like Jennifer and Mylea: the powers that control the universe seem to require that we always want to knit the same projects. Except Tonya wanted to make her shrug out of Louisa Harding Kashmir Aran in a pretty powder blue.


I chose something completely different. I decided to use Louisa Harding Coquette for the ribbing and Online Alpha Egyptian cotton for the body. Margie says that it looks like chocolate cake with caramel icing.

And not that you have to race just because you're knitting the same thing, but there was definitely a contest element surrounding the shrugs. And I won. Hands down.

Tonya has since torn out her shrug. She says she wanted to use her yarn to make baby Leo a sweater instead. Beating a pregnant woman--drunk on hormones, distracted by opposing waves of hunger and nausea--isn't necessarily a remarkable victory, but I'll take my successes as they come. I totally won the contest. Yes!

(The shrug has since been finished and is up in the store. More pictures to come.)

Babies and Yarn

Ever since Kira gave up the glamorous life of a yarn store owner to be a stay-at-home mom, there's been something about the Knit Nook and babies. But this spring, there must be something in the water around here because everyone seems to be pregnant!



Ruth is expecting and her first knitting endeavor for the baby is this adorable cabled sweater, Trellis from Knitty and a matching hat of her own design. This is a great gender-neutral pattern that works well in cotton or wool.


Tonya is also expecting, but before she started knitting for the baby, she finished this present for her mom, another Knitty pattern the Broadripple Sock out of Cascade Fixation.

Like most knitters, Tonya has fallen in love with this book, Itty-Bitty Hats, but she won't make anything until she finds out if she's having a boy or a girl.



Check out some of these adorable patterns. The snowman would be particularly cute out of Rowan Romance, a sparkly wool blend that just happens to be in the sale bin at the moment. Tonya is afraid that the sparkly yarn is too girly for a gender-neutral snowman, but I think it just looks like snow.

I also love this sail boat hat out of Mission Falls Cotton, and I'm trying to convince Tonya that this would be adorable for a boy or a girl.

Just imagine a little matching nautical sundress out of Katia Jamaica Cotton!
If Tonya is having a girl, I just might have to try it out.
(At the very least, it will prevent me from trying to knit a patriotic tube top for the Fourth.)

And speaking of knitting for little girls, have you ever seen a more precious hat in all of your life? This color choice is pretty traditional, but I'm imagining something more tropical, like an orange hat with a bright purple flower.

And I haven't figured out what to do with this yarn yet, but the Katia Margarita just screams summer knits for baby girls.

There are tons of yarns and patterns that are gender-neutral or boy friendly, but you've got to admit that this yarn is awesome in a specifically girly kind of way. It looks like gingham yarn with embroidered daisies!