Archive for July, 2010

Got Milk?

Wednesday, July 28th, 2010

What could be more refreshing than a tall cool glass of milk?  Imagine four easily recognizable words- homogenizedpartly skimmed, and low-fat translating into a knitting yarn.  It has been done with some pretty ingenious thinking, a swish of modern engineering and of course, plenty of green pastures filled with herds of grazing cows to start the whole milk ball rolling. 

Cool Refreshing Milk

Somewhere along the way, Bamboo, Soy, Corn and other plant-based fibres emerged into the yarn industry as part of a new breed of bio-synthetics.  Not far behind, another incredibly lustrous fibre materialized- this one is actually made from milk!   First dehydrated and then skimmed, milk proteins are extracted and processed into something called a slurry, which is pumped through tiny holes of a spinnerette (think of a sieve).  This produces fibre filaments which are spun into glossy fibre-
    
Diamond Yarn features eight delicious milky blends in the current collection, all smoothly stirred and ready for pouring onto the needles and knitting away.
CREAM FOR MILK by Rosarios- milk, cashmere and silk merge together in a worsted weight yarn available in six shades
LATTE by Ella Rae- microfibre, baby alpaca and milk sourced viscose come together in a chunky weight available in twenty colours
LECHE by Queensland Collection- extrafine merino, microfibre, milk and silk fused together in a worsted weight yarn available in twenty colours
MILK & HONEY by Viking Garn- cotton and milk combined in a double knitting weight in sixteen shades of variegated and solids
MILKY SOFT by Ella Rae- a fifty/fifty blend of milk and cotton in a double knitting weight available in twelve shades
MILKY WAY by Diamond Luxury Collection- viscose and milk together in a worsted weight tape yarn available in eleven shades
SILK 4 MILK by Rosarios- milk, silk and cashmere in a worsted weight yarn available in four variegated colours
SOLE LATTE by Rosarios- pure milk fibre in a worsted weight in seven variegated colours

Petula in Latte

Dip your needles into Latte from Ella Rae, a smooth chunky yarn made up of  microfibre, baby alpaca and milk sourced viscose in a range of twenty tempting shades.  

Viking Garn Book #903

Cosy and stylish in Milk & Honey from Viking Garn- here is a lightweight cardigan in a blend of milk sourced viscose and cotton, comfortable and incredibly tactile.

Cardigan in Leche

 From Queensland Collection, an attractive contrast between texture and lace in a round neck cardigan knit in Leche- a worsted weight blend of microfibre, milk sourced viscose and silk available in twenty striking colours. 

Contemporary Crochet

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010

Beyond the retro granny squares and intricate tablecloths and doilies of the seventies, crochet is shedding its homespun image and evolving into a contemporary art form.  Turning up in trendy art galleries as wall sculpture and wearable jewelry, its no surprise that well-known designers also feature crochet in their most recent collections.  Dresses and cardigans embellished with crocheted flower motifs, decorative hair accessories and uniquely textured handbags, and suddenly this old world craft is pushing the envelope by attracting a brand new generation of crafty devotees.

Handbag by Dolce & Gabbana

Slingback by Charles David

Crochet has been popping up on the fashion runways this year-
Dolce & Gabbana and Charles David  are two influentual  design houses that have elevated this bohemian craft to new heights by twisting and twirling sturdy cotton yarn across a hook into sophisticated fashion accessories that will remain classics for years to come.
Also part of this growing trend- yarn graffiti or yarn bombing is becoming a frequent event.  Artists target public spaces, covering trees, streetlamps, even a statue or two in colourful cocoons made of crocheted sections.  While there might not be a real message in these wildly creative displays it does bring the art of crochet into the media spotlight.

Tree Cosy by Carol Hummel

Crochet is simple to learn, similar to knitting in that it consists of pulling yarn through loops, but with only one stitch at a time to deal with.  Rows can be worked back and forth, in a circular shape or multi-directional.  Crochet creates an open airy look, making it lightweight and a popular choice for summer projects.
If you are brand new to crochet, a visit to your LYS is a good place to start to inquire about classes, or browse through the library for a ‘learn to crochet’ book with colourful diagrams.  The internet is another great resource for self starters:  www.youtube.com is like having your own personal instructor at home to guide you through the basic stitches.  You might just get hooked in no time at all, as you watch how quickly one row grows.    
Here are a few very simple patterns to get you started in Crochet 101-

Connect The Dots Scarf

Debbie Macomber connects the dots in a colourful scarf worked lengthways  in an uncomplicated shell stitch pattern.  Cashmere Fleur De Lys is an exciting new blend of extra fine merino and cashmere from the author of the popular Blossom Street series of books.

Katia Book #61

Katia makes summertime come alive in Tobago, a self-striping chunky weight cotton.  This quick to crochet handbag is really just two circles joined together with a long band as a shoulder strap.

Noro Book #27

Practise your chain stitch and keep cool with a lacy headband crocheted in Noro Sekku, a rainbow effect yarn in a laceweight blend of cotton, wool, silk and nylon.  Switch it up and wear it as a neck scarf too.

Ella Rae Book #05 Amity

Granny squares from Amity Book No. 05 take on a modern edge with a touch of sweet nostalgia for days gone by in Ella Rae Classic worsted weight wool.  Each square is worked from the centre out and joined edge to edge.  Only five shades are used for this project, from a selection of more than seventy!

Summer Shawls and Shrugs

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

Picture an outdoor gathering on a summer weekend- rows of folding chairs set up on a freshly manicured lawn, an elegant white tent poised and ready for guests to dine and dance the night away under twinkling lights, flower gardens trimmed to perfection, an ideal backdrop for taking pictures.  Thats right, its wedding season!

Take a look at some of our favorite shawls and shrugs for this summer’s celebration of nuptials.  Whether you are the bride-to-be, maid of honor, flower girl or invited guest, the right style is just stitches away!

Summer Shawls-

Rhiana by Ella Rae

Ella Rae highlights a lacy leaf stitch shawl in Shades of Paradise Book #19 stylishly knit in Bamboo Silk, two parts drape mixed with one part sheen, ultra sophisticated and always in fashion. 

Sublime Little Lacy Wrap Book #644

This brand new design from Sublime Book #644, is out on the shelves just in time to knit as a cover-up for a favorite summer dress.  A light and breezy scalloped edged beauty knit in Extra Fine Merino 4 Ply

Diamond Luxury Collection #1426

A whisper of a shawl is all you need when the temperature is soaring and even the flowers are wilting from the heat.  Diamond Luxury Collection introduces Pure Silk Lace, a superfine handpainted yarn for all your favorite shawl patterns.  Just one skein is all it takes to knit up this sweet little number and in a choice of ten vibrant colourways.  Wear it loosely draped or tied across a shoulder, dressy enough for evening wear or casual and relaxed for daytime.  

Bolero from Katia Book #62

Change the pace from knitting to crochet and watch how quickly this openwork shawl works up from Katia Book #62Katia makes heads swirl with a pinch of Bohemian charm and a dash of Spanish flair in Bolero, a cotton blend that shimmers in the sunlight with more than fourteen shades to choose from.

Daisy in Garden by Universal Yarn

Delicate and refined in Garden by Universal Yarn, a mercerized cotton thread perfectly suited for those of us who love the summery look of crochet.  Check out some of the other captivating designs in The Garden Collection.

Petunia by Sublime Book #644

Another new addition to the Sublime Collection in Book #644, softly feminine with just the right splash of cheerful colour to stand out amongst the guests.

Lulo by Jane Ellison Book #3 For Araucania

Cosy and plush, Trauco is pure decadence in 100% cashmere from Araucania, a Chilean company with an outstanding array of handpainted colourways in natural fibres.  This laceweight shawl is gentle on the shoulders and even gentler on the pocketbook with a whopping three hundred and twenty yards per skein.

Summer Shrugs-

Swallow by Louisa Harding

Knit in pure Mulberry Silk with beads to adorn the lace panel across the back.  This perfectly proportioned shrug from the Louisa Harding Collection is an essential accessory to the little black dress.   

Savannah by Sublime in Book #632

Soft and feminine lines with an eye-catching lace border make Savannah a summertime favorite in Soya Cotton, a sumptuous blend of 50% soya and 50% cotton from Sublime

Mimi by Sublime in Book #633

Mimi by Sublime is knit in Bamboo and Pearls, an incredible blend of  bamboo sourced viscose and real pearls in nine fabulous shades!  This simple eyelet design is knit from sleeve to sleeve in just one piece, available in little girl’s sizes right up to adults.  

Lantern by Louisa Harding in Book #24

Lace and cables go together like strawberries and ice cream in Louisa Harding’s Lantern shrug knit in Fleuris, a chunky weight mix of bamboo sourced viscose and wool, cool and comfortable with just enough warmth for breezy summer evenings.  

Martine by Ella Rae in Book #19

A relaxed fit makes Martine a favorite choice to wear with jeans or a casual outfit.  Knit in Milky Soft by Ella Rae, a mix of milk protein fibre and cotton available in twelve tasty colours.

Sirdar Book #376

Here comes the bride!  All dressed in white wearing a crocheted shrug to showcase the beautiful dress.  An innovative design from Sirdar Book #376 in Luxury Soft Cotton DK from Sirdar.  Brush up on your crochet skills and have this stunning shrug  finished in lots of time for the big day.

Sirdar Book #376

All eyes will be on the adorable little flower girl as she makes her debut down the aisle sprinkling flower petals and dreaming of her prince charming.  This smaller version of the bride’s size is also available in Sirdar #376.

Fifa Fever *Giveaway*

Wednesday, July 7th, 2010

Thanks to everyone who entered the Fifa Fever *Giveaway*.  Sandy H. is the winner of the gift pack of four pattern books courtesy of Diamond Yarn.  Congratulations!!

Sixty-two matches later, and the adrenalin is fully charged as South Africa gets ready for the finals to kick off this weekend.  The incessant buzzing of thousands of vuvuzelas might just be missed after Spain and the Netherlands play out their rivalry on Sunday for the Fifa World Cup title.  Sporting events like this one, seem to have an unexplainable magnetic pull, captivating us into picking up our knitting needles and clicking away until the final whistle blows.  

This week, let’s have a little Fifa fun and pick our yarn players, one from each of the four semi-finalist’s countries.  One lucky reader will win the Fifa Fever *Giveaway*, a special gift pack of four pattern books from Diamond Yarn

Tobago from Katia

 

Katia Book No. 61

TOBAGO playing for TEAM KATIA- this exciting cotton yarn hails from hot and spicy Spain, a country known for its bold style and youthful energy.  Tobago goes the extra distance and kicks out amazing self-striping colour vertically or horizontally.    

Silky Merino by Malabrigo

Book One By Melissa Leapman

SILKY MERINO playing for TEAM MALABRIGO- winds its way from the hillsides of Uruguay, showing the softer side of merino and the strength of silk in every skein.  This one is a seasonal favorite, ready to play or dress the part.

Samp'a by Mirasol

  

Book No. 5 By Jane Ellison

SAMP’A playing for TEAM MIRASOL- an import from the Netherlands, is a hands-down winner in naturally dyed organic cotton.  Samp’a takes the heat on the playing field and stays remarkably cool under pressure.

Balera from OnLine

 
 
 

Stricktrends Summer 2010

BALERA playing for TEAM ON LINE- hailing from Germany, this European fashion dominator knows how to radiate charisma and confidence on or off the field and adds a little extra zip in a cotton blend novelty yarn.     

To enter the Fifa Fever *Giveaway*- leave a comment with your name, email address and choice of favorite yarn from the above selection.  All entries must be received by Saturday, July 10th at noon.  A winner will be selected by random and announced on Monday July 13th. 

Best of luck!