Classic Elite Yarns

New Liberty Print Patterns and Colors!

2012-02-10T12:11:00.000-05:00

Every month this spring, we are releasing two completely new colors of Liberty Wool Print and patterns to support them. It's all part of our Liberty Wool Subscription Program for retailers! Here's how it works: a shop signs up for a subscription, and is guaranteed to receive a bag of each new color as it's released, delivered automatically to their shop. They also have access to exclusive patterns to give to their customers when they purchase Liberty Wool Print. Is your LYS a subscriber?

Our new colors released in January are:


7860-Berry Brambles		7861-Golden Pagoda

I love the bright pinks and reds of Berry Brambles, and the wild color variations of Golden Pagoda really caught my eye, so much that I cast on a cowl right away (this free pattern is awesome!)

We released five new patterns in the new Liberty Print colors, all available for download now on Patternfish for $3.00 each.

Fingerless Mitts


Easy Granny Hat	Granny Patchwork Hat


Striped Short Row Scarf	Short Row Triangle Scarf

Things to do with Liberty Wool Print!

2012-01-31T09:54:00.000-05:00

I've always loved Liberty Wool...what's not to love? Squishy, soft, machine-washable, and the perfect gauge, it suits me completely. As soon as the first Liberty collection came out in fall of 2010, I cast on for the Elizabeth sweater ("the Magic Sweater" as we called it around the office), but made it in a solid color. As a knitter that tends to shy away from bright colors, Liberty Wool Print took a little longer to embrace, but the compulsion hit me hard.

As soon as this week's free pattern was completed, Meg and I both cast on the Splash of Color cowl, one in each new colorway (12 new colors are being released this spring as part of our retailer subscription program). Meg's is in Berry Brambles, mine is in Golden Pagoda. The colors are bright, but what a great way to add an accent color to your outfit.

If you love cowls, this pattern from Kelly J. Knits, the Key to Warmth Cowl, knit here in Liberty Wool Solids and Prints, is brilliant.

We also dressed up our office with Liberty Wool Print. Machine-knit, the installation is 60' total length in 20 colors of Liberty Wool Print...overall 8900 yards and 8 pounds of wool with 73 color changes!

Putting the Liberty "knitdown" on foam core for our office decoration.

Finished! All 60 feet of it!

Downtown Knits in North Carolina has another beautiful display idea using the Molly scarf, one of our best selling patterns. Owner Michele Riggs knit one ball of each color into a scarf, and as new colors are released, she just adds a little more to it.

Betsy, the owner of Classic Elite Yarns, knit up a Log Cabin blanket (with the help of the Mason Dixon ladies) in multiple solid and print colorways of Liberty Wool.

Hub Mills Store here in N. Billerica knit up a chair cushion in each color to soften up the chairs for Knit Night. You also catch a glimpse of the Aldred scarf over the chair, an independent design that uses Liberty Print's color variegation very cleverly.

How do you use your Liberty Print?

TNNA Recap and Spring Sneak Peek

2012-01-26T09:00:00.000-05:00

The National Needlearts Association hosted its semi-annual spring trade show this weekend in Phoenix. TNNA trade shows are the perfect place to see old industry friends and meet new ones, show off your newest collection of garments and yarns, meet retailers and designers, and, most importantly, to sell some yarn!

Meg Myers

Meg Myers, our resident web administrator and graphic designer, headed out to Phoenix with Betsy, Heather and Susan for her first trade show experience. Here is her TNNA recap in pictures.

Hello Phoenix!

The famous "Yarn Wall", one skein of every CEY brand yarn.

New Spring Accessories!

Liberty Wool Print colors, awesome display idea!

Two new kits to support Stitch Red, a campaign to fight heart disease

MinnowKnits designs in CottonTail

MillaMia, a new line of patterns and washable Merino for kids.

MillaMia offers contemporary takes on traditional techniques

Their photography is guaranteed to make you smile.

Excited for spring knitting?

New yarns for spring 2012


A garment from our first dedicated Silky Alpaca Lace booklet, Summer Breeze, #9178

VKLive New York!

2012-01-19T09:00:00.000-05:00

I suppose I'm a little biased, with New York being my hometown and all, but how fabulous is Vogue Knitting Live NYC? We were lucky to be included, and snapped some quick iPhone pictures while we were there.

With two events already under their belts, VK had plenty of practice for this one...and it showed! There were art installations, unique vendors, an amazing class line-up and expert panels. Our very own Betsy Perry was on the "When Knitting Becomes a Career" panel, and was heard saying something we're used to hearing around the office here in Billerica--"On a bad day, I can say 'Well, at least I got to play with yarn today'"

Unique display/storage containers for crafty stuff

White wedding indeed...an art piece made of yarn!

Some cool yarn-focused prints and postcards from Carol E.S. MacDonald

Knitting pottery by Alyssa Ettinger at the gallery

And with a magazine that's world-renowned for its fashion expertise, who could forget the fashion shows! Betsy snapped some photos of garments knit in Classic Elite Yarns from the Vogue Knitting Spring/Summer Issue. For a clearer look, you'll have to wait till springtime!

Seedling at the VK Fashion Show

Twinkle Cruise at the VK Fashion Show

Cotton Bam Boo Crocheted at the VK Fashion Show

For all who missed this one, or for any knitter who hasn't yet experience VKLive, get ready for Vogue Knitting Live Chicago this October! Were you at VKLive this month? If so, head over to our Facebook wall and post some pictures for us...we would love to hear about your experience!

Knitting and Yoga Adventures!

2012-01-10T09:23:00.000-05:00

I asked CEY Creative Director Susan Mills to share some words about Knitting and Yoga Adventures here on the blog. Read on to hear about her experience!

The Monhegan gang in 2010

I've gone on the week long trip to Monhegan for 6 years. In 2011, Lisa added a long weekend in Vermont and I went and taught the Ariosa Reversible Cabled Cowls, this week's free Web Letter pattern. Knitting classes are usually project-based and I try to come up with something new each time (for returning attendees) and structure the classes for all skill levels.

Lisa Evans, founder of Knitting and Yoga Adventures

The yoga is suitable for all levels – The yoga teacher, Melora, is fantastic and caters to everyone’s level with special emphasis on shoulders and neck – possible problem areas for knitters. And you can’t forget the massages. Mary Alice gives a wonderful massage – some people go for 2 or 3 massages. The camaraderie on these trips is incredible – women of all ages who all share a passion for knitting. And hiking and yoga. Schedules are very relaxed but there is a ton of stuff to do.

Monhegan Island, from our Shoreline booklet shoot, 2010

Every trip has a slightly different flavor depending on the combination of participants but there is always a lot of laughing. Monhegan is extra special because it is an incredibly quaint little island, artist colony and fishing village 10 miles out to sea.

The Vermont countryside

The Vermont trip is great, and may be more accessible, being only 4 days instead of the full week. And you still get to hike, knit, laugh and relax!

Visit the Knitting and Yoga Adventures website to learn more about their upcoming trips, and visit their blog to read more from Lisa and her incredible team.

Designer Spotlight: Sweaterbabe!

2012-01-03T09:00:00.000-05:00

"As knitters, we can and should knit things that don’t just mimic the styles we could easily find at stores. . . it’s all the fine details, careful knitting, yarn choice, and interesting project elements that make each knitting project worthwhile."

Sweaterbabe is a pretty hard name to forget, and once you see her work, you'll have even more reason to remember it. Katherine Lee has been designing for about 10 years and knitting for over 30. Her designs are flattering and contemporary, and feature special little details that add a touch of femininity. Her fans couldn't agree more; Ravelry shows almost 4,000 projects knit in her designs! Katherine was kind enough to answer some questions, hope her answers leave you feeling inspired!

How long have you been designing?

I’ve officially been a knitwear designer for about 10 years. Throughout my 30+ years of knitting, I’ve always improvised and altered patterns to suit my needs though, and the designing process has since proven to be my strength in this business. Now, I really consider it my job to design interesting knitting projects that feature unexpected and interesting details that can define a project as hand-crafted and make the time my customers’ spend knitting them really fun and rewarding!

How did you get started?

I started by designing knitwear to be produced and sold in stores. I designed entire lines of knits in baby alpaca, from sexy knit lace dresses to monogrammed baby cardigans. In order to be able to produce the same designs more than once, I had to take meticulous notes and create charts to serve as really detailed production specifications.

This was only a few steps away from formally writing up complicated hand-knitting patterns...

As it became clear to me that I preferred the designing process vs. dealing with all of the production, marketing, and distribution issues that come with selling finished goods, I shifted towards developing designs where the knitting patterns themselves were the products. I quickly discovered that all the feminine, interesting, and textural details that I can include in my hand-knitting patterns (that were the costly design elements I had avoid when designing for production knitting) are the things that keep me and my customers happy and make my SweaterBabe.com line unique and special!

Ruffled-Strap Tank from Sweaterbabe.com's Fabulous & Flirty Crochet

I created SweaterBabe.com as my online shop to sell patterns directly to knitters, but to also offer a lot of advice and information on knitting that I did not find on the web at that time, e.g. like a Yarn Shop Directory that was comprehensive, free, and easily searchable. That Yarn Shop Directory is still a very important service on my site and my pattern line has grown since to over 120 patterns! Now, I have a mailing list of over 45,000 knitters and crocheters, hundreds of knitters who belong to my SweaterBabeClub.com to enjoy all of my new patterns as free downloads each month, and a strong presence on Ravelry.com.

And, I’m able to do this on a flexible work schedule so I can still be a stay-at-home/part-time working mom! My 3 girls are still young, aged 3 to 8, and it’s so nice be a working mom with lots of flexibility and control over my time.

Shawl Collared Wrap Cardigan from Sweaterbabe.com's Fabulous & Flirty Crochet

What's the first piece you ever designed (not necessarily for CEY)? How have your ideas/aesthetics changed since then?

One of the first knitting patterns I offered through SweaterBabe.com is a simple wavy lace scarf.

It is like many SweaterBabe.com patterns in that it features a stitch pattern that creates a lovely, complicated-looking texture, but is actually quite easy and repetitive to learn. It is a scarf that I still wear very often because it’s classic, but has an up-to-date feel (wider and longer than “old” scarves). I still very much like to design things that can be wearable for many, many years, but never look dated because the details are modern.

Also, that scarf design required using a classic yarn that would show excellent stitch definition. Back then, and ever since, I’ve always preferred classic yarns (like Classic Elite!) vs. the novelty ones, because of their long wearability, sophisticated colors, and how they allow the true skill of the knitter’s work to be showcased.

What pieces have you designed in CEY yarn?

I've designed many of my most popular knitting patterns in Classic Elite yarns! My #69 Cables and Lace Kimono Wrap Cardigan in Princess (on Ravelry here) and #70 Lush and Lacy Cardigan in Lush (on Ravelry here) have been incredible best sellers.

I’ve also used Classic Elite yarns in at least 10 more designs, including several of the projects featured on the front and back covers of my book, SweaterBabe.com’s Fabulous and Flirty Crochet (Rockport, 2006). Most recently, I’ve used Classic Elite Montera yarn to create two fun one-ball hats, which I know will be great-selling patterns!

Three New Hat Designs

What is the timeline for one of your designs, from swatch to pattern to sample?

Lately, my design process can vary very much in length based on how many designs I’m simultaneously creating. Generally though, I’d say 1 to 2 months from the first swatch through a finished pattern that’s been tech edited and is ready for sale. Wow – that sounds faster than it feels!

Approximately how many patterns do you publish a year?

Because I give at least one new pattern to my subscription-based SweaterBabeClub.com members every single month, I currently publish at least 15 patterns each year. I’d do more if I could find more time for it...and I plan to when my youngest begins Elementary school in a few years ;-)

Two sweater designs from Sweaterbabe.com

Do you use test knitters?

No, never have. I always knit the sample myself because much of my design process involves determining fit and detailing as I see the project progress. Proportion and fit are very important to me, so I am constantly trying the sample on myself and sometimes ripping out entire sections to perfect the shaping and placement of details, like pockets or fancy waist shaping.

Also, I’ve never felt a strong need for test knitters because I do have an excellent tech editor AND a loyal audience (especially my Knitting Club members!) that often knit up my new patterns incredibly fast. They are also not shy about telling me if they spot any errors. My best customers and Club members end up being great test knitters!

What is your "design process"?
I usually start with a yarn and a very vague idea of what I’d like to design. It’s very often based on what I want to add to my closet to wear that same season!

I then get inspiration from people watching, shopping online, flipping through magazines, or just thinking about how best to use the yarn. I’ll do a very simple sketch with notes on possible design details. I’ll hunt for stitch patterns that will be incorporated into the design, and then I’ll swatch to get the different gauges needed. The swatching always takes longer than I’d like, but I know that I need to do it since I can be extremely picky about how a yarn feels after it’s knit up in a certain stitch pattern and at a certain gauge. Sometimes, even bumping the needle size up by one size can make the resulting fabric feel that much softer or let the stitch pattern show up that much better. . .

#69 Cables and Lace Kimono Wrap Cardigan in Princess

Once I’ve got the gauges, I begin a lot of math to determine stitch count and stitch pattern placement, shaping, etc. I knit and adjust, knit and sometimes rip back, knit, knit, knit – all the while taking lots of notes down on what I’m doing!

Once the finished sample is to my liking, I have to sit down and write out the pattern in additional sizes and do a lot more math, as well as making stitch charts, etc. This pattern writing part can take a while, but I’ve got a process and pattern writing standards that my customers really appreciate!

Where do you do your design work? What does your "creative space" look like?

I do all of my design work at home, mostly in front of the TV at night, sitting next to my dear husband. I prefer to do the knitting sitting comfortably on my couch vs. at a desk or work table. Once the sample is finished however, I do take all my handwritten notes and the sample and park myself at my computer to do the sizing and writing up part.

Besides working on the couch in the living room and at the computer, I also have a room where I store all of my yarn and hundreds of samples in a big shelf. I call this my “yarn wall.” This room is also where my big blocking table and other knitting supplies are located.

What is your favorite piece you've designed in CEY yarn and what endears it to you? What was your inspiration?

My current favorite Classic Elite project is the #70 Lush and Lacy Cardigan! When I designed it, I remember having a great a-ha moment deciding to create the nipped in back waist detail and then echoing this as part of the sleeve design.

#70 Lush and Lacy Cardigan in Lush

That little change really transformed a nice little cardigan into a very feminine, flattering, and “designed” sort of signature piece. This pattern has also had many lives because of sites like Ravelry.com, where I’ve seen this pattern knit up by so many people, some of whom have done it multiple times in totally different yarns!

I believe the inspiration for the Lush and Lacy Cardigan really was that I wanted something that was unique, but in its subtle, lovely details, which is something I strive for in all of my designs. As knitters, we can and should knit things that don’t just mimic the styles we could easily find at stores. . . it’s all the fine details, careful knitting, yarn choice, and interesting project elements that make each knitting project worthwhile.

Happy New Year!

2011-12-29T11:28:00.000-05:00

Did you accomplish all you set out to accomplish this year? I outlined three resolutions in my New Year's Post for 2011:

Learn to knit Continental-style.
I did! I've knit two sweaters and a hat this way, and it gets easier every day. And guess what? It IS faster!

Attend a big knitting event.
I went to two knitting events in 2011, Vogue Knitting Live and TNNA in June. Go me!

Put all my projects on Ravelry.
On this goal, I sadly fell short. I did improve my Ravelry notebook though!

I had another goal of completing a sweater every month in 2011...I did get through 11 of them (11.5 if you count an Aran knit baby sweater I made for a friend in the fabulous Liberty Wool), but Christmas gifts dominated my month of December and I just couldn't pull through. I do have a fellow knitter who went above and beyond...

Cheryl, aka Snuzy. May I present to you her 20 Sweaters of 2011!!!!

She wants you all to know that she will be finished with more sweaters by 12/31. Stay tuned for an addendum.

What are your knitting resolutions this year?

Image credit Sally M

Hello Billerica! Moving, Pt. 2

2011-12-22T13:49:00.001-05:00

We're finally settling into our new spot, and everything is falling into place quite nicely. It's strange to move from an historic mill building, which has its pluses (character!) and its minuses (lots and lots of dust!), and into a completely new spot.

No more boxes on the floor!

Yup, all this yarn had to be shelved. There were TONS of it. Literally.

We spent a whole week just unpacking yarn...

TNNA bound in just a few weeks, can you believe Spring yarns are coming soon?

The crane we used to get mill equipment out of the giant doors.

This crazy thing survived the move. A little bit of an anachronism in our new modern digs.

My favorite part is my outlet, that sits at waist height in my office. Is that weird? I'd show you a picture, but it's really boring.

A much more exciting addition, a forklift!

Anyway, goodbye, Lowell!! It's been grand!

See ya later!

CEY, Hot Off the Press

2011-12-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

Even if I knit a sweater a month (ambitious!) I wouldn't make it through my queue of cold-weather sweaters until SEPTEMBER 2012! Sigh, I still couldn't resist casting on for a project from one of the new Winter knitting magazines. Given my current lust for angora, can you guess which one it is?

See projects in Classic Elite yarns from new editions of all your favorite magazines here!

Vogue Knitting, Holiday

Arm Warmers by Twinkle1 hank of Twinkle Handknits/Baby Chunky in #81 Amethyst#28. Photo by Paul Amato.

Textured Jacket by Pat Olski, sized for X-Small/Small, Medium, Large15 (19,23) hanks of Vista from Mountain Top/Classic Elite Yarns in #6003 Ash. Photo by Paul Amato.

Interweave Knits, Winter

Pan Am Jacket by Ashley Rao, Classic Elite Yarns Mountaintop Collection Crestone, #5103 smoke, 14 (16, 17, 19, 22) skeins. Photo by Carmel Zucker.

Interweave Knits Accessories

Pointilist Hat by Nikki Wagner, Classic Elite Yarns Princess: #3409 proud peacock, 2 skeins. Photo by Harper Point Photography.

Two Ribs Infinity Scarf by Susan Pierce Lawrence, Classic Elite Yarns Kumara: #5736 thistle down, 4 skeins. Photo by Harper Point Photography.

Knitscene, Winter

Francisca Hat by Amanda Scheuzger, Classic Elite Yarns Lush, #4466 peach fuzz, 2 skeins. Photo by Brad Bartholomew.

Knit Simple, Winter

Drop-Shoulder Cardigan (#6) by Mari Lynn Patrick, photo by Paul Amato, Classic Elite Yarns Montera for Sizes: Small, Medium, Large, X-large, 1X, 2X; 9 (9, 9, 10, 10, 11) hanks in #3853 black cherry

Twist Collective, Winter

Oscillate by Amy Herzog, Classic Elite Yarns Lush: #4412 Banana, 7 (8, 8, 9, 10, 11, 11, 12, 13, 14) skeins. Photo by Jane Heller.

Knitcircus, Winter

Duplicity by Talitha Kuomi, Classic Elite Yarns Woodland, from the Verde Collection, 2 balls. Photo by Tracy Harris.

Jile Vest by Jean Clement of Desert Rose Designs, Classic Elite Yarns Liberty Wool Solid and Print. Photo by Tracy Harris.

You Can STILL Knit This Stocking!

2011-12-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

We have a winner!!

And don't worry if it's not you. These stocking kits are available for purchase! Just click any of the images in this post to buy one from an LYS near you. Or scroll down to see where you can buy them in person!

Candy Cane (4 balls of yarn plus the pattern)

Cables (3 balls of yarn plus the pattern)

Nordic Star (3 balls of yarn plus the pattern)

You can buy stocking kits from the retailers listed below.

WEBS, Northampton, MA, http://yarn.com
Yarn Garden, Portland, OR, http://www.yarngarden.net
Stitch House Dorchester, Dorchester, MA, http://www.stitchhousedorchester.com
Sweet Pea's Yarns and Gifts, St. Clair, MI, http://sweetpeasyarn.com/
Hub Mills Store, N. Billerica, MA, http://www.hubmillsstore.com

Lastly, here is the winner, as chosen by random out of the 154 commenters:

cynthiapoppe said...

I prayed for a man to love. What showed up was a cat with a heart shaped patch of white wool on his nose! We are fast friends. I'd love to knit him a stocking filled with kittie goodies to decorate his food dish. This would splash up a sweet corner of the covered porch where he nestles into a box of felted alpaca scraps from me wee herd. ahhh family...

We hope you and your beloved pet enjoy it! Email me at chelsea AT classiceliteyarns DOT com to claim your prize!

We've moved!

2011-12-08T12:30:00.000-05:00

Many of you already know, but Classic Elite Yarns is now in North Billerica! After decades in Lowell, we picked up and went south.

There was a certain mystique to our former spot, in an old mill building on the banks of a canal, hearing the drone of freight trains navigating their way north (though we might not miss the exhaust from said freight trains)...

And having our workspace in an artists' building was pretty cool, and gave us lots of backdrops for good photography.

A shot from the aptly named Artwork booklet, shot at the Western Ave. Studios.

From the booklet Panache, a trio of scarves in front of an old mill door.

But moving gave us an opportunity to regroup, to sift through decades of old stuff, and to evaluate what to keep and what we could let go of. And boy, was it a mess.

All our office stuff had to go in these giant boxes on wheels.

However, life must go on, in spite of ever-increasing disorganization.

That's A LOT of yarn to move

Still more yarn to move...

Oh wait, that was just what doesn't fit on the shelves.

Where all our pattern books once lived.

Heather cleared out this entire thing, and many others just like it.

They always look so big when they're empty.

Goodbye Lowell warehouse!

And now we're finally settled in to a completely new office and warehouse space with shiny new floors, super-organized (for now) shelves packed with yarn and books, and, this is the best part, a FORKLIFT. More pictures of our new space to come!

MillaMia Stocking Kits, just in time!

2011-12-01T11:10:00.000-05:00

Have you knit a Christmas stocking yet? Christmas stockings have long been on my to-do list, and we may have found the perfect pattern from MillaMia, a line of yarns and patterns based in England.

Scroll down for a holiday giveaway!

MillaMia is an established European brand that is now being distributed by Classic Elite Yarns here in the States. Founded and operated by two sisters who spent their childhood summers in Sweden, MillaMia's style is distinctive and contemporary.

Their products include Naturally Soft Merino, a 100% extrafine Merino machine-washable sportweight yarn in 17 colors, a collection of beautifully styled patterns for children, and cushion and stocking kits for the holidays. You can find their entire range of products here in the States beginning in January 2012, but stocking kits are available now!

Kits include the Candy Cane (4 balls of yarn plus the pattern), Cables (3 balls of yarn plus the pattern) and lastly the Nordic Star (3 balls of yarn plus the pattern). Though pictured above in Scarlet, these kits also come in Moss and Snow (red, green and white for the holidays!) You can buy stocking kits from the retailers listed below. If your shop isn't listed here, don't worry! Keep checking our website here for new retailers and ask for it at your LYS.

WEBS, Northampton, MA, http://yarn.com
Yarn Garden, Portland, OR, http://www.yarngarden.net
Stitch House Dorchester, Dorchester, MA, http://www.stitchhousedorchester.com
Sweet Pea's Yarns and Gifts, St. Clair, MI, http://sweetpeasyarn.com/
Hub Mills Store, N. Billerica, MA, http://www.hubmillsstore.com

We want to give one lucky reader in the United States a chance to experience MillaMia and Naturally Soft Merino this holiday season. We're giving away one stocking kit of your choice! You'll be hooked. Just comment here and let us know how you prepare your home for the holidays. Be sure to include a way to reach you, either through Ravelry or email so we can notify you if you win! We will choose a winner on December 8th at noon. Comment away!

The Old Norwegian Cast On

2011-11-22T13:11:00.000-05:00

This week's Web Letter comes from Rachel Henry, arguably one of our most popular Web Letter designers of the last year. She contributed the Katydid Drop Everything Scarf AND the Ravelry hit, the Cotton Bam Boo Kudzu Shawlette, which made it to #16 of the Ravelry "New and Popular" Top 20 list at its peak and currently has 2750 faves and 179 projects!

Our latest Web Letter, the Bifurcate Cowl, is also destined for greatness. Any inquisitive knitter will be intrigued by the prospect of knitting cables flat in the round. Say what? And Kumara is so luscious, it begs to be worn next to the skin...

There is one teeny detail in the pattern that caught my attention, as I'd never heard of the "Old Norwegian Cast-On" before. Rachel posted a video on her blog explaining what it is and why it's awesome. Watch out for a cool trick to avoid tying a slip-knot in your knitting when beginning your CO. The Old Norwegian cast-on begins at around 2:10.

Another technique that would make the Bifurcate Cowl a little easier is cabling without a cable needle. This is my preferred method of working cables, and I learned from the fabulous and ever-wise Grumperina on her blog. Her tutorial does not include a video, but there are lots of clear pictures to guide you along your way.

Can't wait to see all your Bifurcate Cowls!

Elizabeth Revisited

2011-11-17T11:42:00.001-05:00

Vote for the Elizabeth Cardigan in
Patternfish's 10,000^th design competition!

I know we've been over this, but remember the Elizabeth cardigan? We dubbed it the "Magic Sweater" because it looked good on so many people. By the way, this sample size is small, and is the same sweater featured on the model above.

This is one of my favorite sweaters in my collection of handknits. The deep 1x1 ribbed collar folds over just so, and the machine-washable Liberty Wool is soft, squishy and springy. The slipped rib waistband hugs my waist and keeps the silhouette feminine and tailored, while still cozy. Mine is knit in a solid, #7850 Gold.

Though, to truly let this garment live up to its potential, one should take advantage of the color shifts in the wildly popular Liberty Wool Print, available in 15 distinct colorways.

If this post inspired you, you can buy the pattern on Patternfish as part of their 10,000^th Design Competition. While you're there, will you vote for us?

Interweave Knitting Lab!

2011-11-09T15:08:00.000-05:00

Did you go? Did you have fun? We had an amazing time!

If you have any pictures of your own, head over to our Facebook page and post them on our wall, we would love to see them. (Most of these pictures were taken with an iPhone, please excuse the quality!)

Setup at shows is ALOT of work!

The tasting area

We brought along Liberty Wool Print, Avenue, and Soft Linen.

People were excited to try Signature needles! We also had free patterns and ruler bookmarks.

We made 108" long (!!) scarves in Liberty Wool to be auctioned off.

Another auction prize: a bag of Avenue, booklet 9145, and a set of US6 Signature needles

A happy knitter and her haul of Alpaca Sox

The winner of our giveaway yarn grab bag, and her gorgeous Silky Alpaca Lace shawlette

Slow down, knitters! A speed bump a la Interweave

Nine Rubies in San Mateo brought along some Liberty Print. If you're looking for it, they've got it!

Tasting some yarn with Signature needles at the Classic Elite Yarns table

We can't wait for next October. See you in Manchester, Interweave!

Knitcircus Winners!

2011-11-09T09:00:00.000-05:00

Last week we selected the winners of our Knitcircus Giveaway! Jaala Spiro, editor, offered to give three winners the entire collection of patterns from the Holiday Gifts Issue. That's 13 patterns, including the lovely Shapely Shawl by Jane Prater, knit in Magnolia.

I loved reading people's thoughts on holiday knitting, head over and check them out. It seems the consensus is that only the most deserving receive handknits...giving us more time to knit selfishly! Without further ado, here are the three winning commenters, as chosen by the random number generator at random.org:

Shannatheshedevil said: This year, only I am getting holiday knitting! I did knitted gifts last year and have decided I am just not organized enough to do it.

Graceannecarter said: There will be a white Christmas in southern California because I am knitting up a storm!!!

Mamsy said: I have so many projects going, I love knitting presents. I am sure I will need some last minute pattern for someone I may have forgotten, perhaps even me.

Congratulations, winners!

CEY and Signature Needles, Together!

2011-11-01T11:24:00.000-04:00

This has been a great year for knitting events. One particularly exciting one that's approaching is Interweave's Knitting Lab! As knitting creeps deeper into the public consciousness, knitters are becoming more and more advanced and their hunger for intermediate to experienced-level knowledge grows. Interweave responded with Knitting Lab, an event with shopping, classes, lectures, and special events, all catering to the inquisitive, post-beginner fiber enthusiast...and Classic Elite will be there!

Heather, our sales manager, will be walking the floor and checking out all the CEY knits out there (if you didn't catch the blog post on Friday, we are giving away a $75 gift basket to a lucky knitter wearing CEY). You can probably catch her by the yarn tasting area, where you'll have a chance to knit some luscious fibers with some fabulous needles!

This year, we are thrilled to be bringing along Soft Linen, Avenue and Liberty Print to the show floor.

Soft Linen is a blend of fibers that can only be described as perfect: 35% Linen, 35% Wool, and 30% Baby Alpaca. I love the crispness of bast fibers (linen, hemp, nettles, etc.) but find them to be hard on my hands. Soft Linen combines that crispness with the softness and drape of baby alpaca, and the insulating qualities of wool.

Avenue is a new yarn for Fall 2011, and, as the name suggests, it imparts a city feel. Not particularly "woolly", Avenue is a marled fiber in eight sophisticated colors made up of 42% extrafine merino, 29% silk, and 29% viscose. It is soft and knits up into a unique fabric that is perfect for simple silhouettes that benefit from a fabric with plenty of drape. Try it out, you might like it!

What can we say about Liberty Print besides that it's fabulous! The color shifts, the springy ply, the machine-washability without the weird squeakiness of "superwash"! Contributing to Liberty's buttery feel is a secret process that renders it machine-washable but helps it retain its soft woolliness. It can be difficult to see the spectacular colors without knitting a swatch, so we thought this would be a great yarn to bring along.

At this event, Classic Elite Yarns has a partner! Signature Needle Arts, cult producers of precision-crafted, lightweight aluminum needles, have generously provided us with needles for the tasting area! The opportunities to use these stunning needles are so rare, and their following so devoted that this is a must-visit if in San Mateo area.

For updates from Knitting Lab, whether you're there or following along from home, follow us on Twitter at @ceyarns. See you there!

Going to Knitting Lab? Want to Win?

2011-10-28T12:31:00.000-04:00

Interweave Knitting Lab is next week! Who's going? What classes are you taking? Interweave promises:

Hands-on learning experiences in how-to classes filled with "aha!" moments

Deep, immersive instruction presented by icons of the knitting world including: Barbara Walker, Nilda Callañaupa Alvarez, June Hemmons Hiatt, Clara Parkes, Ann Budd, and Shirley Paden

Rarely-offered classes on unique regional, ethnic, and historical techniques, taught by authoritative experts in an intimate setting

Presentations by some of knitting's cleverest luminaries makes it worth a visit alone! Tea with Alice Starmore? Need I say more?

We know that these events are often the best places to show off your most impressive FO's. Rhinebeck is a veritable fashion show of handknits, and with a four-day immersive event teeming with intermediate to advanced knitters, this one will be a doozie too. Our sales manager Heather will be there, walking the floor and mingling in the tasting area. If you are wearing a FO in Classic Elite Yarns, say hi! (If you can't find her, follow @ceyarns on Twitter for updates). She'll give you one of these awesome pins to write what CEY yarn you're wearing.

Then, you're entered in a drawing! We will randomly choose one name to win a gift basket valued at over $75, containing a grab bag of CEY yarns including Kumara, Alpaca Sox, Silky Alpaca Lace Handpaints, and Liberty Wool Print, and the recently published Quick Knits, a book of 100 patterns compiled from our pattern archives.

So what are you packing?

Knitcircus Gifts Giveaway!

2011-10-20T11:15:00.000-04:00

Yup, I'll say it. Christmas is 69 days away. After Halloween, it's a slippery slope to the holiday season. Can you stand it? Knitcircus recently released its Holiday Gifts edition, and what an issue it is! Packed with small, simple knits, you're sure to find a pattern that's perfect for that special someone (or let's face it, for yourself. Am I right?) I was thrilled to see this piece by Jane Prater.

Scroll to the bottom for a special giveaway!

The Shapely Shawl, a shawl that won't fall off! Here are some words from Jane Prater...

Triangle shawls are so wonderfully easy to knit, but they fall off my shoulders. I wanted a shawl shaped like my body to stay on through the day, and a design easy enough to knit in public. The shaping is the star of this piece, yet the increases are super simple. Wear it pinned, tied, or just hanging loose. Any way you wear it, it will stay on your shoulders and keep you looking good!

The yarn is Magnolia, a yarn I could go on and on about (and I have...) It's soft, luminescent, the perfect gauge, and comes in a stunning range of soft, sophisticated colors.

Jaala Spiro, the editor of Knitcircus, is offering a very special giveaway!

Three people will receive the ENTIRE COLLECTION of patterns from Knitcircus Gifts 2011!

That's 13 patterns! Not only can you make the Shapely Shawl, but you can make any number of the other 12 patterns. Because they're all yours! All you have to do is comment here, and tell us what you think about holiday knitting. Do you knit to show your love to all your friends and family? Or is it just for the extra-appreciative? Or, my personal opinion, who has time for gift knitting when there's so much to knit for myself? The contest will close at noon on November 1st, when the winner will be chosen at random. Please be sure to include some way of contacting you, whether it's by email (spell out the "dot" and "at" for extra security) or Ravelry. Comment away!

Happy I Love Yarn Day!

2011-10-14T13:02:00.000-04:00

While we love yarn everyday here at CEY HQ, this is a day when we should all celebrate our craft. The Craft Yarn Council has designated October 14 as I Love Yarn Day! How are you celebrating today? By casting on a new project? By finishing up that basket of WIP's next to the sofa? Maybe by buying that special skein you've had your eye on? Here on the CEY blog, we thought we'd share what's on our needles in celebration of this day. Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page what you're working on today!

We have two projects in Liberty around the office. I just finished up this Aran Baby Pullover in #7850, a rich gold color. This is leftover yarn from my Elizabeth cardigan from last year...

Speaking of the "Magic Sweater", Meg is working on her Elizabeth sweater in Liberty Print, color #7897, Sunrise. The twisted stitches on the cuff are an inspired choice, twisted rib is so much neater than 1x1 rib. Aren't the colors perfect for Fall?

Cheryl, aka Snuzy, is on her 19th and 20th sweaters of the year and just completed Arabesque in Pirouette. She is also polishing up her Nikko cardigan in Portland Tweed and Twinings from Twist Collective in Magnolia.

Tonia just completed her Abstract shawl. It is SO soft and elegant in Magnolia in the Granite colorway.

I have many things in the pipeline for Fall! This box of yarn under my desk is destined for great things:

Black Princess: another Elizabeth of my own.
Silver Princess: Tonia Barry's Element cardigan.
Moorland: a slouchy, comfy, oversized Grandpa cardigan--pattern improvised, but loosely based on Jared Flood's Redhook Vest.

There are also quite a few Highland Flings around the office. What do you think of this little be-bobbled garter stitch shawl? I've heard it's quite fun to knit...

Designer Spotlight: Laura Zukaite

2011-10-11T09:00:00.000-04:00

Laura Zukaite is an independent knitwear designer with an impossible-to-miss style and yen for luxury fibers and sophisticated looks. Her patterns are often thoughtful and well designed, with feminine details and a touch of the unexpected. Take a look at the Magnolia Swirl Cowl, a free pattern published in our weekly Web Letter. It is a tapered cabled strip that is joined in a coil of sorts, not with regular seams, but with a spiralling silk ribbon, integrating the finishing into the design.

Laura is already familiar with Magnolia, having used it in her Golden Girl Cardigan, another clever, feminine piece from her independently published collection at LauraZukaite.com.

She is the author of two books, Luxe Knits and Luxe Accessories, both featuring sophisticated designs in luxury yarns, and is also a frequent contributor to various online and print magazines, like Knitting, Vogue Knitting, and Knitty. She was kind enough to do an interview with us here at the blog.

How long have you been designing?
I have been knitting since I was five. All of my knits and later sweaters came out of just my imagination. Back then I never thought of what I was doing as "designing". But now when I think about it- I was designing all along.

How did you get started?
Actually, I do not remember. As far as my memory goes, I have always been knitting. My mother is an excellent knitter, so I assume that she taught me somewhere along the way. But I do not have a recollection of my first project or yarn that I used.

What's the first piece you ever designed (not necessarily for CEY)?
I think that the first piece that I have intentionally designed was when I was about 14 or 15. My mom bought me a cone of a beautiful Gray Heather Alpaca yarn and I knit myself an Aran Turtleneck. I still have it and wear it to this day: it became my favorite skiing sweater.

What pieces did you design in the Fall Collection?
For CEY Fall Collection I have designed two pieces in Kumara: Afternoon Light (off-shoulder top) and Landscape (ribbed hat), a piece in Ariosa: Glacier (ribbed cardigan), and an accessories set in Giselle: Merry and Bright (Hat and Cowl).

What is the timeline for one of your designs, from swatch to pattern to sample?
Depending on a complexity of a design- it could take anywhere from one to three weeks to turn around a sweater piece.

Approximately how many patterns do you publish a year?
20-30.

Do you use test knitters?
No.

What is your "design process"?
I usually start with the yarn and swatch. After I have the fabric created- then I move into sketching. I usually sketch-up a few ideas for one swatch and then pick my favorites.After that, I select colors and start the knitting process. I like to take notes as I knit and write the pattern afterwards.

Where do you do your design work? What does your "creative space" look like?
I usually design at home and execute “on-the-go”. But sometimes I would come up with ideas while just walking around and then only put it on paper when I get back to my studio. I knit pretty much anywhere (subway, train, waiting for doctor’s appointment…etc) but rarely at home.

What is your favorite piece you designed for the Fall Collection? What was your inspiration? My favorite piece is Afternoon Light (off-shoulder top) in Kumara. I remember at that time I was obsessed with subtle little ways of exposing the skin- and the piece just came to life naturally.

Fire! Somebody Grab the Yarn!

2011-10-05T16:33:00.000-04:00

This is what a fire alarm at a yarn company looks like:

In case you were wondering.

Silky Alpaca Lace Design Contest II

2011-09-27T10:33:00.000-04:00

Last week, we looked at the winner and the runner-up in the accessories category of Unwind's design contest. This week, we are delighted to present our winner in the Garment category!

Here are the rules according to Stephanie:
We're seeking items that are easy to wear and reflect our lifestyle. Cowls you could wear with tanks and flip flops. Easy wraps that take you from the office A/C to the Hollywood Bowl. Or color combinations that highlight L.A.'s urban yet casual atmosphere.

Our winning designer, Suzanne Shaw, took Stephanie's guidelines to heart and came up with a fabulous cover-up. In Southern California, it makes the perfect tank cover-up, but in a cooler climate, you could easily use it as a layering piece.

The shaping on this piece is what tipped the scales in Suzanne's favor. The cap sleeves are formed with short rows, and the gentle curve hugs the shoulder. The sides are shaped with a slight dip and flare at the bottom hem. The front hangs open, a look that tends to be flattering on a wide variety of body types.

The use of one of our hand-painted shades, #2460 Wheat Field, is brilliant. Hand-painted yarns sometimes pool and stripe in unexpected ways, which can be to the benefit or detriment of the finished object. When the yarn is held double, the knitter avoids those issues and the resulting fabric displays the colors much more evenly. This piece has very subtle color gradations, and shows off this colorway beautifully!

The runner-up in this category is the Belmont Hoodie. Karen Larsen, the designer, is a new knitter! This design is single stranded Silky Alpaca Lace, which creates a drapey, almost sheer material. The shoulders are raglan shaped, and the sleeves are wide at the hem. I love the eyelet detail down the front.

This is another great layering piece or cover up. I would even love it with longer sleeves for us northern gals, or as it is over a swimsuit at the beach. The hood is perfect for hiding under when the wind kicks up! The designer of this piece, Karen Larsen, does not plan to have this piece tech edited, but if you are interested in knitting it "as is", you can contact her through Ravelry. Her user name is ksl90804.

There was an additional runner-up, but it will be unveiled at a later date. Curious? You'll have to stay tuned.

I would like to congratulate the winners and the finalists in this competition. We were all inspired by your creativity. Every entry was impressively imagined and executed, you should all be quite proud. I know Stephanie is!

Vogue Knitting Live LA!

2011-09-22T15:14:00.000-04:00

It's finally here, Vogue Knitting's sophomore VKLive! The first VKLive in New York was an incredible event, I'm sure this one will be even better. Some things to look out for:

Classes from some incredible teachers! The list of instructors reads like a Who's Who of Knitting.
A massive marketplace, jam-packed with things to do including knit-couture fashion shows, sales by yarn and accessory boutiques, a Beginner Lounge run by Vickie Howell, a Pro Lab with knitting experts, the LIVE lounge, celebrity book signings, free technique-driven demos, and raffles and giveaways.
The shopping at VKLive NY was unbelievable, so bring an extra big bag and as much as your yarny budget can handle! Tickets are still available for the Marketplace at the door if you haven't purchased yours already. You don't need to take a class to visit, so if you're in the area don't miss it.
The finalists from Unwind's recent Silky Alpaca Lace Design Contest.

Don't miss the yarn tasting area, where you will have an opportunity to sample some of Classic Elite's new and best-selling yarns! We picked yarns with interesting blends that would work in a number of climates outside of New England and would pique people's interests. If your LYS doesn't carry these yarns, this is your chance to try them out.


l to r, Vail, Pirouette, Avenue, Woodland, Liberty Print

Yarns available will be:

Vail: 70% baby alpaca, 30% bamboo. That fiber content is enough to get me to rush right over and try it out. The sheen! The drape! The softness!

Pirouette: 67% kid mohair, 25% bamboo, 8% nylon. Another bamboo blend from Classic Elite Yarns, this one combined with soft, fluffy kid mohair. If you love mohair but find the price can be prohibitive when blended with silk, this is the yarn for you. If you don't like mohair, this might make a believer out of you yet...

Avenue: 42% extrafine Merino, 29% silk, 29% viscose. A new yarn with a lovely drape and beautiful marled colorways, Avenue was recently featured in our Web Letter with the popular Avenue Cabled Sweater, a very hip silhouette knit in a very hip yarn.

Woodland: 65% wool, 35% nettles. Part of our Verde Collection of eco-friendly yarns, Woodland has an incredibly unique hand and look. If you haven't knit with nettles before (and not many have), you have to try it.

Liberty Wool Print: 100% washable wool. Soft, wearable, and hard working, Liberty Print continues to be a runaway success. Knit some up to experience the color shifts for yourself.

We have some goodies at our tasting table too, so be sure to stop by to pick some up. Let us know what you think! Comment here, via Twitter with the hashtag #CEYatVKL, or on our Facebook page. And if you see Betsy there, say hi! Thank you Vogue Knitting for organizing such a great event!

Silky Alpaca Lace Design Contest I

2011-09-20T10:30:00.001-04:00

Trade shows are great places to meet up with other people in "the business". For a yarn distributor, that means sales reps, designers, mill representatives and, arguably our most important partners, yarn shop owners! We sat down for dinner with Stephanie Steinhaus of Unwind in Burbank, CA and put our heads together to come up with a fun, engaging way to sell some yarn. Stephanie mentioned that Silky Alpaca Lace is a bestseller in her shop, perfect for the Southern California climate and stylish enough for her young, hip customer base. After some back-and-forth, Unwind's "Absolutely No Design Skills Required" Silky Alpaca Lace Contest was born!

Stephanie was looking for designs that were climate-friendly, hip, and casual. She wanted stylish pieces that were unfussy and appropriate from the beach to the street to the office. For us, we knew that the winning design would be featured in a Web-Letter, so we had some criteria of our own. We wanted something that would not only meet our CEY design aesthetic, but also something the average knitter would have the desire and capability to execute on their own. Both our finalists were stunning pieces of work. You saw our accessory winner in the Web-Letter this week, the Dandelion Shawl from Kavita Sleight.

Here is the designer's own description:
This triangular shawl with a rounded lace edge is worked from the center of the upper edge outwards, so the size can be adjusted. The size indicated is for a small shoulderette. The lace pattern was inspired by dandelion seeds blowing in the California breeze.

The original piece is quite dainty, Kavita refers to it as a "shoulderette". We appreciate that some may want a larger shawl; the Web Letter pattern includes a size range of 34 (44, 54)" wide at top x 13 (17.25, 22.5)" deep at center point.

There are two honorable mention entries in the accessories category. The first runner-up is the Poppycock Shawl. Designed by Karen Eckhoff, this garment is truly a piece of art. Taking it out of the box elicited gasps from everyone in the room, and we all had to try it on (obviously). The colorway she chose, Midnight Forest, perfectly echoes the iridescent colors of a peacock's tail.

While awe-inspiring, Poppycock is not for everyone...the pattern numbered 11 pages long! We would be remiss if we didn't give you a couple of peeks at this stunning piece. Hopefully Karen will decide to self-publish this shawl someday!

**UPDATE** Here is a note from the Karen Eckhoff, designer of Poppycock:

Thanks everyone for your flattering comments! I am quite stunned by the response! I will be making Poppycock available, however I would like to have it tech edited and charted first, as it is quite cumbersome in its raw form. I am rapunzelrides on Ravelry if you would like to drop me a line. Thanks again for the outpouring of support! Meanwhile, let's make Dandelion, it is lovely and Silky Alpaca Lace is fabulous to work with!

We have a second runner-up that will have to remain a secret for now...there's a special project on the books and you'll just have to stay tuned.

Next week we are featuring finalists in our garment category! If you do not receive our Weekly Web-Letter, what are you waiting for?

Pirouette, New for Fall 2011

2011-09-13T09:00:00.000-04:00

Pirouette is one of six new yarns for Fall 2011. Mohair has long been a staple here at Classic Elite, starting with our first yarn made right here in Lowell, La Gran. Last fall, we introduced Giselle, a blend of kid mohair, wool and nylon. This fall, we're debuting something a little different...Pirouette is a surprising blend of kid mohair, bamboo and nylon. Two of the things that attract me to bamboo are its drape and that little hint of shine (see Vail, Wool Bam Boo and Cotton Bam Boo for more bamboo blends from CEY) and this yarn has both.

Cellulose fibers, synthetic or natural, are often used in conjunction with mohair to give it strength, and using bamboo is an inspired choice, making the perfect substitute for mohair-silk blends at a much more attractive price. The resulting yarn is strong, decadently soft, lustrous, and versatile, and the color spectrum ranges from soft neutrals to vibrant jewel tones.

You will find Pirouette in two pattern booklets this season; the first is the dedicated booklet by the same name. These six designs are knit in single, double and triple strands, sometimes combining effects in the same garment. There are two cardigans, a cowl neck pullover, a top that can be worn with the opening in the front or in the back, a striped scarf, and a cowl with a multicolored look achieved by knitting three strands of different colors together. Clockwise from top left, the garments are Arabesque, Glissade, Attitude, Waltz, Plie, and Fondu.

The second booklet featuring Pirouette is Panache, a collection of scarves, shawls and wraps in five yarns. The idea behind Panache is to illustrate how the same design can look completely different when worked at a different gauge or in a different fiber. Pirouette is used in three of the four designs, from left to right, Glamour, Grace, and Flair.

Hopefully one of these projects will inspire you to pick up a ball of Pirouette and cast on!

Indie Knits in CEY, Magazine Edition

2011-09-08T11:15:00.002-04:00

There is nothing I enjoy more than opening my mailbox (virtual or actual!) and seeing a new knitting magazine. Between the articles, the product spotlights and the patterns, each one provides me with hours of entertainment. I love seeing what independent designers can do with our yarns. Now that the Fall magazines are out (and even a Holiday magazine) what will you be crafting?

Vogue Knitting Fall, photos by Rose Callahan

Lace Cardi and Cowl(#18) by EJ Slayton, knit in Alpaca Sox Kettledyes

Striped Cardi (#16) and Striped Back Top (#17) by Twinkle, knit in Soft Chunky

Lace Shawl (#21) by Candace Eisner Strick. knit in Fresco

Lace Pattern Cardigan by Tonia Barry, knit in MountainTop Vista (Advertorial)

Interweave Knits Fall, photos by Carmel Zucker

Strobilus Pullover by Rachel Erin in Ariosa

Shadow Tuque by Lee Juvan, knit in new Fall yarn, Toboggan

KnitScene Fall, photo by Brad Bartholomew

Cornsilk Pullover by Amy Herzog, in Fresco

Twist Collective, photo by Jane Heller

Academia by Adriana Hernandez, knit in Fresco

Knitcircus, photo by Tracy Harris

Turning Point Shawl by Jessica Bolof, in Wool Bam Boo

Interweave Knits Holiday Gifts, photos by Joe Coca

Forever Scarf by Simona Merchant-Dest, knit in Princess

Rope and Nettle Vest by Angela Hahn, knit in Woodland from the Verde Collection

Technique Post: Finishing Sleeves

2011-09-02T11:58:00.000-04:00

I have to admit, finishing is one of my favorite things. There is nothing more pleasing to me than a seam that melts away into the fabric of my knitting, never to be detected by an admirer, or a perfectly set-in sleeve that hugs my shoulder just so. However, not all shoulders are created equal. The method of knitting them and joining them can be quite different.

Raglan Shoulder (Flurry in Fresco): A raglan shoulder is decreased (or increased when worked top-down) at set intervals from the underarm to the neck, resulting in a diagonal line extending from the underarm. The sleeves have corresponding shaping. When knit in the round, the front, back and sleeves are all knit at once on a circular needle, with markers separating all four pieces. Paired decreases (or increases) are worked at the markers.

Set-in Sleeve (Pinnacle in Vista/Crestone): The armholes are shaped in a straight line extending from the underarm to the top of the shoulder, with a small decrease at the underarm to make room for the arm. The sleeve is shaped with a sleeve cap that must be eased into the armhole. This is a universally flattering shoulder shape, and one that is quite common. Setting in the sleeve requires a bit more diligence than a raglan, as a curved edge must be aligned with a straight one.

Drop Shoulder (Icicle in Ariosa): Drop shoulder sweaters are basically comprised of rectangles, one each for the front, back, and two sleeves. This style is often better suited to loose-fitting garments with lots of positive ease. Tight rectangles do not suit many (any?) body types, and there may be some unattractive bunching in the underarm when the wearer's arms are lowered. When worked in a fabric with ample room (like garter stitch) and with adequate positive ease, drop shoulders have a pleasant roomy, casual look.

Which sleeve style do you prefer?

Lodi Office Knit-a-Long!

2011-08-26T11:57:00.000-04:00

It's not often that one pattern lands on more than a few queues in the office. With our own gorgeous patterns to choose from, and so many fabulous indie designs in the knitosphere, it just seems that we never meet in the same spot. Then there was the Lodi cardigan.

You might remember this little cardigan designed by Tanis Gray and knit in Solstice, from the Summer issue of Knitscene. As soon as I saw it, I knew it had to be mine. I do so love a tiny cardigan, often to my detriment, but that's a whole other story. Anyway, one thing led to another and before we knew it, it was on the needles of eight women in our office! Experiences were mixed, from love for the stylish simplicity of the design, to difficulty with the grading, to a newfound appreciation for the wool-organic cotton blend we were all suddenly knitting in.

Solstice is from our Verde Collection, and comes in twenty vibrant colors. The cotton component keeps the stitches crisp and clear, provides structure, and allows the finished garment to breathe. Super soft merino wool adds warmth, drape, and helps pieces hold their shape. I truly dislike weaving in ends, so I was especially pleased to learn that it can be spit-spliced (or "magic-spliced" if the thought of spitting in your yarn is especially unpleasant for you).

What, people don't dress alike at your office?

For those with a larger bust, take heed of your shaping! The eyelet raglan shoulders MUST be increased with each right side row, so while increasing bust size you also increase the arm size! Many who were knitting above a 38" bust had trouble with arms being too large, and remedied it in a variety of ways.

Heather (in the Azalea colorway) merely picked up stitches instead of casting on in the armpit, and knit the sleeves flat, taking in stitches in the armpit. Meg, in the Brass Button colorway, swatched carefully and recalculated the distribution of the fronts and arms. I made mine as is, but wondered in retrospect if you could pair each eyelet increase with a decrease in the armpit area--an unproven theory, but I wonder if it would work? What are your tried-and-true fitting techniques?

Meet Snuzy! (aka Cheryl)

2011-08-19T07:23:00.003-04:00

Cheryl is a member of our Classic Elite team and works at the Hub Mills Store, our little outlet store here in Lowell. A big joke around the office is that Cheryl completes a sweater weekly in time for Thursday Knit Night. It seems like there's always something new to block, photograph or ogle! Since I'm fascinated by how prolific she is, I thought you would be too, and asked her to write about it.

Chelsea has asked me to do a guest blog about my sweaters. She and several other people seem to think I have an excessive amount. So I checked my Ravelry page—(I’m Snuzy on Ravelry). Out of my 140 projects, 62 are adult size sweaters, coats, and tanks. (Please don’t tell my mom—she thinks I have 40 and says I don’t need anymore. Obviously she is not a knitter)

33 out of the 62 use Classic Elite Yarns. 13 use CEY patterns too. Disclaimer—I work in yarn retail and am surrounded by beautiful yarns every day. And yes, I am very lucky to have this job, but there are bad things about it too. I get to see and often try on the sweaters that will be in the next season’s pattern books. And I barely have those patterns in the store when the following season’s models are floating around the office. So right now I’m working on Western in CEY Avenue in carnation from the new fall line (update: Cheryl was wearing her Western yesterday at work. Man, she can knit fast!). I have picked a color of Pirouette to make Arabesque. Others on my Must Make list from the fall line include Afternoon Light in Kumara, Oblique in a pretty rose colored Princess, Nikko in Portland Tweed, Pinnacle in Vista, and Peinture in Inca Alpaca (which I haven’t used yet and I’m really looking forward to). So will I have time to finish all of these before the spring line is out?—and from what I’ve seen so far, spring is going to be a beauty too!

So, how do I pick a favorite sweater to talk about? That’s kind of like picking a favorite child—except picking a favorite child is easier. This past spring I’d have to say Honeysuckle in Firefly was my favorite. It was my first time using Firefly and won’t be my last. (There is a dress pattern on Ravelry that will be out soon using Firefly, and I think I’m going to have to make it.) Honeysuckle is the perfect sweater for knitters who hate seaming. The only sewing was the buttons. I actually like seaming, but this sweater was love at first sight when it appeared at the Classic Elite office. Honeysuckle is top down, raglan, and the shaping is built right into the charts so you don’t have to worry about eliminating yarnovers as you decrease. My biggest problem with this pattern was picking a color. They are all beautiful!

Of the remaining sweaters in my projects, about 20 more use Classic Elite Yarns for independent designs—quite a few from Twist Collective. I’m supposed to start Twinings from the new Twist Collective in Magnolia next week. But I’m trying to finish at least one of the three on my needles right now before then. And I think Vista would be perfect for Crane Creek. I’m definitely going to have to increase my usual 2 sweaters/month output to get to all of the sweaters I have to make.

So you can see that although I have an enviable job, it isn’t easy keeping up with the prolific designers and yarn selectors at CEY. If I could only grow a few extra pairs of hands or at least knit in my sleep, life would be easier. And of course, I have to thank my loving, patient, best husband ever who never complains about my knitting even though dishes are in the sink and we had leftovers again for dinner.

Happy Knitting
Cheryl

Ysolda Review and Giveaway!

2011-08-08T09:00:00.003-04:00

Scroll to the bottom of this post for something completely amazing*.

Look what I saw just sitting on one of our tables at TNNA in June.

Dropped off by a mystery person who disappeared as quickly as she appeared. Luckily, there was an inscription.

What a most lovely surprise from the even lovelier Ysolda Teague! I would go so far as to say this book is indispensable for knitters.You will find the patterns you're accustomed to seeing from Ysolda--fashion forward, technically sound, and well written with a touch of whimsy. However, the meat and potatoes of this book is the educational first chapter entitled "Tools for Successful Sweaters".

Every word and picture in this chapter lends credence to the title. The chapter is broken into sections: selecting a yarn, swatching, taking measurements, choosing a size, creating a perfect fit, and blocking. Each section offers a wealth of information, accessible for beginners and relevant even for intermediate to advanced knitters. Tips are peppered throughout, from choosing the best yarn for intarsia work to measuring your body accurately to using dressmaking techniques to accommodate fuller bust sizes.

You'll find Classic Elite yarn modeled by the gorgeous Amanda Jarvis in the Angostura Vest. The introduction to the pattern has comprehensive construction and fitting notes, and the pattern is sized from a 30 inch bust up to a 60 inch one. The vest is knit in Chesapeake from the Verde Collection in the colorway Mephisto, a beautiful blue that almost reminds me of one of my favorite crayons, Cornflower Blue, only darker.

*Ysolda Teague and her fabulous team are collaborating with us on a giveaway! One lucky knitter will receive an autographed copy of Little Red in the City, a limited edition Little Red project bag, and enough Chesapeake to complete their very own Angostura vest! Simply head over to her blog, leave a comment on Ysolda's blog post saying how you would wear/style your own Angostura before August 15th, and then cross your fingers.

Scratch to reveal the eBook link. So clever!

Thank you, Ysolda!

Ravelry Roundup

2011-08-04T13:00:00.018-04:00

Another installment of projects we love from Ravelry! What catches your eye?

Vitamin D by Heidi Kirrmaier, knit by FoggyKnits in Soft Linen

Afternoon Light by Laura Zukaite from our Fall Collection (whoo hoo!), knit by Lippyone in Kumara

These Pinked Socks, designed by Judy Alexander and knit in two colors of Alpaca Sox blew me away
.

The brilliant Presto Chango by Valerie Wallis knit in Chesapeake by Ludistitcher

Hey Teach by Helene Rush, knit in Classic Silk by KnittingPark

The Radian Yoke pullover from the Summer KnitScene, knit in the suggested yarn, Firefly by Austierra.

Bonne Marie Burns's Vonica knit in Allegoro by Sticksnscones.

This Green Point shawl by Nichole Reese was knit in Sprout by Lousquared for her LYS's Spring KAL.

Friendship Bracelets from Purl Soho

2011-07-28T15:31:00.001-04:00

Purl Soho recently posted a tutorial on how to make friendship bracelets on their blog at PurlBee. I used to love making friendship bracelets! Their post triggered an onslaught of summery memories for me: lazy afternoons in the crafts cabin at summer camp, DIY bubblegum-colored pedicures to show off in my flip-flops, and gooey s'mores and late night ghost stories under the stars.

Though these once epitomized the fierceness of my adolescent relationships, I love how they look on my adult self too--kind of bohemian and casual, perfect for wearing to the lake. How come I never thought of these fun stash-busters before?

What kinds of yarn work best for these fun macrame projects? Cotton is the perfect choice, though other cellulose fibers would work fine too. Cellulose fibers are those that are derived from plants (as opposed to protein fibers which come from animals). Do you have any scraps of these yarns laying around? All you need is 72 inches!

Premiere 50% pima cotton, 50% tencel
Cotton Bam Boo 52% cotton, 48% bamboo viscose
Provence 100% mercerized Egyptian cotton
Solstice 70% organic cotton, 30% merino wool

Head over to our Facebook page and show us what you came up with!

Designer Interview: Cathy Payson

2011-07-20T11:00:00.000-04:00


Sparrow in Seedling		Blue Heron in Seedling

Cathy Payson is a prolific knit designer who has been designing for Classic Elite for years. Search her name on Ravelry and you'll find almost 60 patterns, ranging from online publications to books and even to TV with her contribution to Knitting Daily TV. She is the designer behind Sparrow and Blue Heron, two patterns from our Seedling booklet, and was kind enough to chat with us about her career and design process.

How long have you been designing?
I designed my first sweater over 20 years ago.

How did you get started?
I learned to knit while in college and after one lesson was completely addicted. I took every knitting book I could find out of the library and tried to teach myself whatever I could. Luckily the student who taught me to knit was kind enough to never say no when I asked for help, so I could easily move along in my projects. A few years after college I went to work for Aarlan Yarns and started to learn about the handknitting industry. Since then I’ve been fortunate enough to work at a couple of yarn companies (Classic Elite and Reynolds Yarns) and in knitwear design for a women’s apparel company.

Bateau Mittens in Inca Alpaca from Booklet 9121, Wharf

What's the first piece you ever designed?
Actually I designed my first sweater while working for CEY! I dug the leaflet out of my archives and it’s pattern #282 – called “The Perfect First Knitting Project”. It is a pretty easy v-neck pullover vest with a chunky cable up the center front. I think it was during my first season at CEY and was in a great yarn called Applause.

The Perfect First Knitting Project, available on Patternfish!

What pieces did you design in the Spring Collection?
I did two pieces in Seedling – I love that yarn and all the yarns in the Verde Collection. One is the hooded capelet Blue Heron and the other is a cabled necklace called Sparrow.

What is the timeline for one of your designs, from swatch to pattern to sample?
It varies and every project is different. I think ideally it’s great to have 3-4 weeks to work from beginning to end but that doesn’t always happen. Sometimes a yarn is late coming in from a mill and/or photo shoot dates are imminent so you’re given just a very short time to complete a project. You just have to be flexible and work with what you get but basically it’s sketch, swatch, write and size the pattern, knit.

Princess Mixed Rib Turtleneck from #9084 Uptown Knitting

Do you use test knitters?
Not usually. I’m sort of the chief cook and bottle washer, doing much of my knitting myself. I like to write and size a pattern first before knitting the sample. That way I sort of test the pattern myself and can edit as I go along.

Unisex Seed Stitch Pullover from #9074 Essentials

What is your "design process"?
I’m not sure if I really have a process but I think in a nutshell I always keep my ears and eyes wide open. You never know when an idea will come to you or where it will come from. I am equally inspired by home magazines as I am fashion magazines and always am looking online for trends and what’s going on in the world. I don’t think that we need to necessarily be on the cutting edge of fashion in the handknitting industry but it’s always good to see what’s out there and what may be applicable. I try to design more timeless pieces that will be challenging enough for a veteran knitter but also accessible for a novice knitter too – the main goal being to end up with very wearable pieces.

Two, Two Cabled Pullover from #9061 Beginnings

Where do you do your design work? What does your "creative space" look like?
This photo is of my workspace. But nothing beats my favorite place to knit, which is in a cozy corner of our couch. It’s a sectional with one corner which is the exact right spot to sit and knit.

What is your favorite piece you designed for the Spring Collection? What was your inspiration?
I’d have to say Blue Heron, the hooded capelet. It’s sometimes hard to think of accessories to do for the spring season but I had seen a photo of a suede hooded capelet. It looked like it was something you’d want to throw on over everything but it was a woven piece. I thought it would be a good idea to make it into a spring accessory in a cozy yarn – for a chilly night or even over a bathing suit at the beach.

Indie Knits in Classic Elite Yarns

2011-07-14T14:33:00.000-04:00

It's strange to see all the major knitting magazines releasing their Fall issues! Last I checked, it was in the 90's outside and the last thing I wanted in my lap was a pile of wool. Before our thoughts and Ravelry queues turn to Fall, I wanted to take a look at some of the beautiful designs published this Spring and Summer. Let me know if I'm forgetting anything in the comments!

KnitScene Summer, photos by Joe Coca
Lodi cardigan, designed by Tanis Gray and knit in Solstice from the Verde Collection.

French Creek Skirt by Laura Birek, in Katydid, also from the Verde Collection.

Montour Falls Cardigan by Melissa J. Goodale, knit in Cotton Bam Boo.

Radian Yoke Top by Wendy Bernard, knit in Firefly.

Interweave Knits Weekend: Diana's Cardigan designed by Amy Miller in Allegoro and Silky Alpaca Lace. Photo by Carmel Zucker.

Interweave Knits Summer 2011: Coral Cardigan by Nancy Eiseman in Classic Silk. Photo by Kathryn Martin.

Twist Collective, Spring/Summer: Quintet by Melissa Wehrle in Inca Alpaca

Okay, so I know the Vogue Early Fall issue is already out. But what about these gorgeous designs from the Vogue Spring/Summer Issue?

Long Cardigan Vest (#8) by Twinkle, knit in Cruise by Twinkle. Photo by Paul Amato.

Lace Tunic (#14) by Brooke Nico, knit in Katydid. Photo by Rose Callahan.

A set of pillows by Nicky Epstein, embellished with Allegoro. Photo by Paul Amato.

VKLive L.A. Giveaway Winners!

2011-07-12T09:42:00.000-04:00

We have two winners (chosen using the wonderful Random.org number generator)! The first is Steve aka MrHugzzz who says...

Hmmm ... sounds great! I'll try and win a ticket but will try and go regardless. As a knitter and lover of cables, one of two celebrities are on my list of must meets - not just see - Alice Starmore or Elsebeth Lavold. Of course Barbara Walker is right there too, but she doesn't get out that much from what I hear. All three at one place would make my life i think!

Next is GK...

I could not narrow it down to just one person ... Among many others, these three knit-celebrity sightings would leave me starstruck -- Barbara Walker, Shirley Paden, and/or Lily Chin. Thanks for a great giveaway!

Congratulations! Thank you to everyone who entered. Winners, look for an email from me. I can't wait to hear all about VKLive in September!

Free Pattern! Knitterly Cowl

2011-07-05T08:00:00.010-04:00

This week's Web Letter features a free pattern for a long ribbed cowl knit in Firefly and Soft Linen. However, the version you see photographed is not the original, this pattern had many other incarnations! This cowl knits up beautifully in almost any combination of yarns--the key is to mix different textures and colors to come up with something unique and eye catching. If you, like me, have trouble pairing colors or feel overwhelmed by all the choices, we've put together some sample color combinations for you to choose from. Which one is your favorite?

Ariosa and Montera


Montera 3820 Ariosa 4857 Montera 3829 Ariosa 4803	Montera 3830 Ariosa 4855 Montera 3849 Ariosa 4827	Montera 3843 Ariosa 4847 Montera 3849 Ariosa 4809	Montera 3817 Ariosa 4848 Montera 3859 Ariosa 4836

Firefly and Soft Linen


Soft Linen 2254 Firefly 7754 Soft Linen 2203 Firefly 7777	Soft Linen 2281 Firefly 7757 Soft Linen 2248 Firefly 7746	Soft Linen 2885 Firefly 7789 Soft Linen 2275 Firefly 7766	Soft Linen 2205 Firefly 7755 Soft Linen 2238 Firefly 7795

Lush, Kumara, Princess and Magnolia


Lush 4457 Kumara 5795 Princess 3432 Magnolia 5457	Lush 4467 Kumara 5792 Princess 3428 Magnolia 5475	Lush 4432 Kumara 5719 Princess 3432 Magnolia 5420	Lush 4490 Kumara 5721 Princess 3409 Magnolia 5435

VKLive L.A. Giveaway

2011-06-30T10:58:00.012-04:00

Update: to give readers more time to win, we are enabling commenting on this post until Saturday, July 9th, at noon! Good luck!

Vogue Knitting Live in New York was a smash! With attendance clocking in at 6,000 enthusiastic knitters, and classes at over 95% sold out, it was the knitting event of the year. Well, until September!

Vogue Knitting is doing it again in L.A. from September 23rd to 25th. With all the to-do about knitting celebrities, this one promises to pack even more excitement. In the words of Trisha Malcolm, Editorial Director of VK, "Expect just as much style, marketplace buzz, and the top names in knitting, but with the added luxury and star power that L.A. brings." For a peek at what VKLive in NY was all about, take a look at this short video with celebrity interviews, marketplace footage, and views from the classes and lectures.

Vogue Knitting LIVE! Promotional Video from SoHo Publishing on Vimeo.

And guess what? You could be there! Vogue Knitting was generous enough to offer two of our lucky readers one marketplace ticket each!

All you have to do is leave a comment on this blog post telling us what knit-celebrity sighting would leave you starstruck. Don't forget to include your email address or Ravelry name to be considered (though Blogger asks you for it, we don't have access to it. You must put it in the body of your comment). Then Vogue Knitting will enter those two winners into a larger giveaway to win a basketful of VKLive branded goodies! Commenting will be closed at noon on Thursday, July 7th.

Your Marketplace Ticket Includes:
Knit-Couture Fashion Shows
Yarn & Accessory Boutiques
Beginner Bar—Novice Knitters Welcome!
Pro Lab with Knitting Experts
The LIVE Lounge
Celebrity Book Signings
Technique-Driven Demos (FREE)
New & Knitworthy Products
Raffles & Giveaways

(BTW, you have one more day to get early-bird pricing on classes and lectures, so head over to their site today!)

Thank you for the tickets, Vogue Knitting!

What's on our Needles?

2011-06-22T12:00:00.002-04:00

As you can imagine, we're always knitting around the office here at Classic Elite. After our usual lunch around the conference table, you can always find someone knitting away on a new project, whether its a top secret sample from next season, or a new independent design (we're lucky to have some fabulous in-house designers...) But most of the time, we're making the things lined up in our Ravelry queues. I thought you might want to see how we're using Classic Elite yarns.

Susan, our creative director, completed an adapted Annis in Firefly to wear to TNNA.

Meg, our graphic designer, just finished up a Starry Night Stripes blanket in Liberty Print to brighten up her living room. This pattern is her own design, and is one of our Liberty Print Subscription patterns, free to subscribing LYS's.

Tonia, you remember her from her designer interview a few weeks ago, is knitting up Parkhurst, also one of her own designs. I love Silky Alpaca Lace!

Cheryl churns out sweaters at a rate that puts us all to shame. No, seriously, look her up on Ravelry. She is on her ninth this year! This is her eighth, the Soay cardigan by Gudrun Johnston in Cotton Bam Boo.

Andi just finished one of Tonia's patterns, the Cascading Leaves cardi, in Soft Linen. The drape is perfect and its the ideal thing to keep in the office for overzealous air conditioning. She also has a good start with her Honeysuckle cardigan from our Spring booklet #9136, Meadow, in Firefly.

Heather knitted her fingers to the bone to complete her modified Double V cardigan designed by Melissa Wehrle from Interweave Knits Spring 2010 for TNNA. She's also using Soft Linen to beautiful effect. In a neutral color, its perfect for manning the booth at TNNA. Doesn't it look store-bought?

Lastly, as for me? I was entranced by this color of Woodland. It almost glows, the soft yellow is so luminescent and pretty. But what to make, what to make...Watershed! Designer Amy Swenson wrote this pattern for Aran weight yarn, so some thinking was required to make it in a DK weight. Sadly, this little sweater's journey was one of ripping and frogging, due to TNNA ADD and other knitter-mistakes...not to mention it was the tragic result of overblocking and is now flat as a pancake! Any tips to perk it up?

TNNA Hooray!

2011-06-16T15:56:00.001-04:00

What a weekend. I love reading all the recaps about TNNA, and can sympathize with those who wish they took more pictures!

How it all begins...

As you might have heard, pictures are not exactly allowed on the show floor, so I have few to spare. I can show you our yarn wall though...cue angelic voices...

Expert packing

Classic Elite is know for the Yarn Wall, and I can see why. Its high drama all the way. Betsy and I thought, way too late, that we should have filmed us putting it up. Next time, right? Thank goodness I had the help of some seasoned sales reps to make me feel necessary, otherwise I would have just floundered in the wake of so much to do. Before you know it, the booth was set up and the new yarns were out. I can't wait to share Fall. Soon, soon...

Friday was a long, dusty, hot day of setup with the craziest thunderstorm EVER that night. The manager of the restaurant we ate at said he had to stuff towels under the door because the rain was blowing in completely horizontally.

Liberty Wool Print Accessories

I was happy to have my Lodi cardigan in Solstice from the Summer issue of KnitScene with me, and everyone loved it. I wish I had finished my Watershed in Woodland though...

Lodi cardigan in front of the yarn wall

Eunny Jang complimented my outfit two days in a row, the Ravelry team is as cute as they come, and retailers and designers from across the world were in our booth. I am constantly wowed by how innovative and energetic LYS owners are, they are truly the front lines of our industry. Nichole Reese of BlueGirlKnits dropped off a Green Point shawl in the color Vivid Fuchsia, which might have just pushed this to the top of my queue. It looks great on Heather, doesn't it?

The LYS promo (remember that?) was a finalist for TNNA's First Annual Business Innovation Award! Though we didn't win, we were completely honored to place and are looking forward to stepping it up next year.

Otherwise, the rumors about the food in Columbus are true. I ate well every night and had ice cream from Jeni's every single day. It was so good, we had to ship some home for the office. Have you had the macaroon ice cream sandwiches? Amazing!

Anyway, it sure is nice to sleep in my own bed and get back to some quiet knitting. Believe it or not, I barely knit a stitch in Columbus, thus ensuring that I did NOT complete my TNNA Watershed. Lessons learned--next year, start early.

June Liberty Print Colors and Patterns!

2011-06-07T09:13:00.007-04:00

Yes, it is upon us...the final monthly release of Liberty Print for Spring 2011. Our experience with the subscription program has been great! We got some awesome feedback from local yarn shops and crafters all over the country; stores that participated in this program loved it! Wish you had signed up? Stay tuned! We will be offering it again starting in January 2012.

Without further ado, our June colors, Starry Night and Red Rock Canyon!

We also have two new free patterns to share. Though these are currently available free only to our subscribers, you can still find them on Patternfish once the month is over.

Starry Stripes Baby Blanket
A colorful blanket every baby and mother will love in machine washable Liberty Wool. The subtle slip stitch chevron showcases the stripes in Liberty Wool Print to their best advantage.

Liberty Wool by Classic Elite
8 balls 7811 Starry Night

Button Center Pillow
A simple to knit Stockinette stitch pillow that highlights the stripes of Liberty Wool Print. This pattern is easily adaptable to different size square pillows. Another option? Knit each panel in a different Liberty Wool colorway!

Liberty Wool by Classic Elite
4 balls 7812 Red Rock Canyon

Indie Crochet Patterns

2011-05-31T09:34:00.008-04:00

We love to see what independent designers can do with our yarns. I was recently trolling Ravelry looking for some gems, and came across some beautiful independent crochet designs. Enjoy!

Kristen TenDyke is a huge proponent of crochet, with quite a few patterns under her belt. Her Flame Scallop Cardi is soft and vibrant in Fresco.

Wendy Lewis designed the Jane Austen shawl (Rav link) in Silky Alpaca Lace. I can certainly relate to her story about finding your favorite craft and letting it take over your life.

Monica Brown's Cropped Cardigan is adorable and a free download in Premiere!

I adore Laura Nelkin's designs. I love that this fun, flirty summer top has a sewing component. It should be easy to find a companion fabric for one of the 26 colors of Wool Bam Boo.

Look at the beautiful edging on Lisa Gonzalez's Cut Away Cardi. Premiere is the star in this free pattern!

I love a dolman sleeve, especially when there's openwork involved. Robyn Chachula's Zany pullover (Rav link) has both those things in Wool Bam Boo!

Happy hooking!

Host a Yarn Tasting!

2011-05-27T11:47:00.003-04:00

Here at Classic Elite, we are always trying to think of ways to support our local yarn shops. You may have seen our post on Classic Elite Knit-a-Longs, a fabulous way to get your customers excited about spring knitting. Yarn tastings are another way to bring crafters together in your shop and to have fun exploring new fibers!

You might be wondering just what the heck a "yarn tasting" is. Its a crafting party where knitters and crocheters get together to try out new yarns together. You can feature either the Classic Elite yarns you already carry, or maybe a few you're considering carrying in your shop. When you order your kit from us, everything you need is included. All you have to do is schedule your party and let the world know about it!

You'll receive:

Mini skeins for any CEY brand name yarn (excluding luxury). You will receive 50 mini skeins (5 yarns each for 10 people).
A customized CD of materials to hand out to your guests! It includes

a table of contents
printable information sheets for chosen yarns
printable sheet with links to supporting free Web Letter patterns
promotion/advertising template for your to customize with your store logo for an ad/flyer, plus pictures for blast emails, your store blog, etc.

1 lb box of Tuck's Salt Water Taffy, a local New England business
Door prize for you to raffle off

You might also be interested in hosting a Knit-a-Long. Click here for details! Share this post with your local shop using the buttons below.

Designer Spotlight: Tonia Barry

2011-05-19T09:00:00.021-04:00

Peony knit in Provence

Tonia Barry is a prolific designer who has not only been published in many of the magazines and websites we read religiously, but has designed some of our most popular Spring 2011 pieces. We are also lucky enough to see her every day as a member of our in-house design team.

You can see her self-published work at Tonia Barry Designs, or in the pages of Twist Collective, Knitscene, Creative Knitting, and Cast On, among others. A quick Ravelry search revealed over 600 Tonia-Barry-designed projects! We recently chatted about her design process, how she got into this crazy business, and her work for the Classic Elite Spring Collection.

Sandpiper knit in Seedling

How long have you been designing?
I’d have to say Barbie was the first model to wear my designs. Barbie had some really stylish outfits fashioned by me. I grew up in a family of talented women who always got together (and still do) to knit and work on various crafty endeavors. I fell in love with knitting in the early 90’s and as soon as I started knitting, I started changing things on patterns and then designing my own pieces. But professionally, I’ve been designing since 2004.

Calliope Vest

How did you get started? What's the first piece you ever designed?
I started putting design proposals together and sending them out. My first published design was actually for CEY. It was a bolero in a yarn called Calliope.

At this point, I started my own line, Tonia Barry Designs; my patterns are currently available online and in shops throughout New England. I also continued to do pieces for CEY and some of the knitting magazines. One day, I met an industry icon at a book signing and asked her if she would mentor me in trade for some knitting. She did not take me up on the knitting, but did spend her time teaching me how to put my portfolio together and how to fix some design issues I was having. Her help was invaluable to me. It was very much a “Pay it Forward” situation. She even bought some of my designs for her company.

What pieces did you design in the Spring Collection?
In High Seas- Parkhurst and Bailey; Garden Gate- Peony; Cricket- Shanda; Seedling-Sandpiper; Seaside- Nigh Duck; Rocky Coast-Landlubber; Shoreline-Vista; Wee Ones- Chloe; Home Sweet Home- Envelope, Center Cable, Patchwork and Stripe, Round pillows, Wine Bottle Bag.

What is the timeline for one of your designs, from swatch to pattern to sample?
I have some design ideas that have been lingering in one of my notebooks for years until some spark brings them to the forefront. Yet with others I will sketch it up, swatch it, and the pattern is off to a test knitter in a week or so. We started designing and swatching Spring 2011 back in February of 2010.

Do you use test knitters?
Yes, test knitters are as much a major component of a successful design and pattern as are technical editors. Test knitters work closely with me to work out any kinks in my initial pattern. I am fortunate to work with some very talented and conscientious test knitters.

What is your "design process"?
I normally start with a sketch, then play around with stitches in a swatch. The first thing I normally do when I’m ready to start writing the pattern is the schematic and then I go from there.

Where do you do your design work? What does your "creative space" look like?
Here at CEY, I design in my office. I have a mannequin to drape pieces on. I also have several baskets of yarn. I switch out the yarns based on the season that I am working on. Yarn is a great design inspiration for me. At home, in the winter I work in “my office”. Again, another dress form and bowls of yarn. But my favorite place to work is on my deck on a sunny summer day when the birds are chirping and the flowers blooming.

A recent Web Letter pattern, the Seedling Wrap

What is your favorite piece you designed for the Spring Collection? What was your inspiration?

My favorite piece for the Spring Collection is Parkhurst. It’s no secret that I love Silky Alpaca Lace. This yarn itself inspires me. I love playing with charts and lace stitches. In Parkhurst I wanted to create a shawl that was interesting but simple. I find that sometimes I need a little therapeutic mindless knitting, so therefore the stockinette stitch panel between the lace panel. I’m making one for myself as we speak, along with several members of my knit-night.

Knit-a-Long With Us and Win!

2011-05-12T11:40:00.002-04:00

Honeysuckle KAL at Smith's Furnishings in Oberlin, OH

Spring Knit-a-Longs have been HUGE this year. Should your LYS be hosting one?

Community is the lifeblood of the LYS. Yarn shops are where we meet new friends united by a common passion, learn, inspire, and share our lives with each other. There's nothing like walking into a yarn shop filled with happy knitters, chatting away and working on their projects together. Hosting events is an easy way to bring people together, and Classic Elite KAL's are a no-brainer.

Knitting along at Personal Threads in Omaha, NE

This is how it works:

1. To register your KAL, you must be a CEY retailer whose account is in good standing.
2. Assemble five or more participants and set a beginning and end date.
3. Have each participant choose any project from the 2011 Spring Collection requiring 2 or more balls of any CEY brand yarn.
4. Pre-register your group with Heather, our sales manager.
5. Sit back and knit, making sure everyone is done by your established end date.
6. Choose a winner to get the grand prize, a $100 retail value gift basket filled with sweet swag from our gracious friends at companies like ChiaoGoo, Soak, Della Q, Namaste, Eucalan, Lantern Moon, Designs by Romi, Paradise Buttons, and Buttons Etc. All our baskets are a little different, the picture below is an example of the great stuff you could receive.

7. Send us your pictures so we can share them with other Classic Elite knitters on Facebook, Twitter or Ravelry.

The possibilities are endless, and there's no limit to the benefits. Hold a regularly scheduled knit group, or host your KAL online through Facebook or Ravelry. Choose a winner by raffle, whoever finishes first, or have your other customers vote on your own mini-trunk show. Hold a fashion show or other event where your knitters can showcase their latest garment.

How will you participate in a Knit-a-Long this spring?

Knitters at A Likely Yarn in Abingdon, VA

May Liberty Print Colors and Patterns!

2011-05-02T10:42:00.003-04:00

Happy May! They say April showers bring May flowers; I can't wait to see my garden bloom over the next few weeks. With the new month comes new Liberty Print colors and new free patterns for our Liberty Print Subscribers. Embers & Ash is a combination of grays, blacks and reds with a brown and tan splash, while Majestic Mountains couldn't be a more appropriate name for a colorway that says it all in blues, purples and browns. If you've made any of our free patterns, we encourage you to post your FO's on our Facebook wall!

Crochet Granny Square Baby Blanket

Using printed colors gives a wide range of colors without having to change colors and the solid stripes keep the overall appearance of the blanket from getting too muddy or chaotic.

Liberty Wool by Classic Elite
A: 2 balls – 7854 Lavender
B: 2 balls – 7893 Rainforest
C: 1 ball – 7885 Tangerine
D: 2 balls – 7809 Majestic Mountains
E: 1 ball – 7894 Jade
F: 1 ball 7804 Painted Desert

Easy Striped Hat

An easy-to-knit striped cap in super-soft, washable Liberty Wool. For distinct stripes, choose two printed colorways with no colors in common. Each hat will be unique depending on where in each color sequence the stripes meet.

Liberty Wool by Classic Elite
A – 1 ball 7808 Embers and Ash
B – 1 ball 7806 Reflecting Pool
Note: For sizes S and M, 1 ball each will make 2 hats.

Happy Knitting!

Jones Farm and Greenhouse: Hot House, Summer Flowers, Perennials

2011-05-01T12:59:00.000-04:00

Jones Farm and Greenhouse was the site for our booklets Hot House, Summer Flowers, and Perennials (get it?). I love how the covers echo the titles.

Hot House features five designs in Classic Silk, a silk/cotton blend with a nubby texture and subtle sheen. Summer Flowers has five designs in Katydid, our 100% organic cotton and GOTS certified ribbon yarn. Lastly, Perennials is a booklet of designs in Soft Linen, a "perennial" favorite here at Classic Elite. As Susan, our Creative Director, once said, "If I were stuck on a desert island and had to choose only one yarn to have with me, Soft Linen would be the one.".

Take a look through these booklets below, and Happy Spring! If the Jones Farm flipbook does not appear below, click here to view it in a new window.

This is the last in a series of blog posts featuring our Spring 2011 booklets. For the rest, click below!

Plum Island, Seedling and High Seas
Monhegan Island, Cricket, Shoreline, and Rocky Coast
Central Mass Gardens, Home Sweet Home
Maple Hill Gardens, Meadow and Garden Gate

Jones Farm Flipbook

Plum Island: Seedling, High Seas

2011-04-28T14:00:00.002-04:00

Plum Island is a small barrier island off the coast of Northern Massachusetts, part of Newbury, Newburyport, Rowley and Ipswich. The island is named for the hundreds of beach-plum bushes growing everywhere, and is home mostly to Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. This is where we shot our booklets Seedling and High Seas.

Seedling features six designs in our new yarn, Seedling, the little sister to Sprout, our wildly popular Verde yarn from 2010. Seedling is knit at a much smaller gauge, yielding a pleasantly textured fabric that is much lighter than Sprout. High Seas is a booklet featuring nine accessory designs in seven beautiful yarns: Cotton Bam Boo, Firefly, Pebbles, Premiere, Provence, Silky Alpaca Lace and Summer Set. Parkhurst and Treasure, two shawls in Silky Alpaca Lace, were shot in Monhegan Island, which you can learn a bit about in our blog post earlier this week. If you have trouble loading the flipbook below, click here to open it in a new window

Plum Island Flipbook

Monhegan Island: Cricket, Shoreline, Rocky Coast, and Seaside

2011-04-26T08:00:00.008-04:00

Monhegan Island is the backdrop for quite a few of our spring booklets, and who could blame us? Monhegan is a tiny island off the coast of Maine whose yearly population rarely exceeds 65 people. It embodies everything I love about the New England coastline, rugged and sparse, with a beauty made all the rarer by a touch of danger. Monhegan is only accessible by boat, and the waters are choppy and unpredictable. Swimming is not advised, as the undertow is strong and the shores are impossible to land on or swim to. Cars and even bikes are not permitted here, and the roads are largely unpaved.

In a sense, our booklets Cricket, Shoreline, Rocky Coast and Seaside are your passports to this remote coastal village. Browse through the photos in our preview below to get a closer look. To view our preview directly and use the "table of contents" on page 2, click here to open the book in a new window.

Monhegan Island

Central Mass Gardens, Home Sweet Home

2011-04-25T08:00:00.001-04:00

Home Sweet Home is our dedicated booklet of home accessories for Spring 2011. Fifteen designs in eight yarns, all photographed in the stunning Central Mass Gardens in Lunenberg, MA. You'll find designs in Allegoro, Classic Silk, Cricket, Firefly, Pebbles, Provence, Sprout and Summer Sox. All skills levels are represented, and you'll find knit AND crochet patterns!

The Central Mass Gardens greenhouses are lush and expansive, just the place to photograph the bigger pieces featured in this booklet. I love the bed set up between rows of plants and flowers, or the cozy velvety upholstered chair sitting amongst racks of daisies. I kind of want to live there, don't you?

Home Sweet Home, Spring 2011

Happy Earth Day!

2011-04-19T08:00:00.003-04:00

In January of 1969, an oil well below the ocean floor off the coast of Santa Barbara ruptured, releasing millions of gallons of crude oil into the Pacific Ocean. The slick spread over hundreds of miles and devastated the California coastline. This event is largely credited as the inspiration behind the first Earth Day on April 22nd, 1970.

Historically, textiles have always been a major source of pollution, especially in developing countries. In an effort to be more conscious of our carbon footprint, Classic Elite Yarns introduced the Verde Collection in Spring 2009 with Allegoro, Chesapeake, Solstice, and Sprout followed with Woodland and Katydid in 2010. This spring, Seedling became the newest member of the Verde family.

All the above yarns include organic cotton or have an environmentally friendly component. Allegoro and Katydid are made at a facility that meets the standards for GOTS certification. This means the processes used to produce them, from harvesting to milling to labelling, are fully certified under Global Organic Textile Standards. No harmful substances are used and all manufacturing processes are environmentally responsible, including the use of natural predators instead of harmful pesticides. Furthermore, all materials used to present these yarns, right down to the labels made from recycled paper, are environmentally friendly.

In celebration of this year’s Earth Day and our day-to-day collective efforts to protect our planet, we are pleased to offer a collection of patterns using yarns from our Verde Collection.

Print the Verde eBook

Spring Looks, Meadow and Garden Gate

2011-04-14T10:31:00.003-04:00

This Spring, we shot our pattern books in a variety of locations across New England. One thing was clear--we wanted our shoots to capture the essence of the season. Our booklets are a breath of fresh air, just what the doctor ordered to fight the winter doldrums.

Because location is key to communicating just the right tone, we are presenting our Spring 2011 Collection by shoot location. First, Maple Hill Gardens in Hollis, NH, the beautiful garden where we shot Meadow, four designs in Firefly, and Garden Gate, four designs in Provence. If the image below doesn't load, click here to view Maple Hill Gardens. Enjoy and stay tuned to the blog for more peeks at our new patterns!

Maple Hill Gardens, Spring 2011

April Liberty Print Colors and Patterns!

2011-04-08T09:00:00.000-04:00

April is finally here! With this first official month of Spring comes our new colors of Liberty Print and two new free patterns. These patterns are available with the purchase of Liberty Wool from any of our subscribers, but don't fret if your local shop doesn't have them yet. They'll be available for download at month's end on Patternfish.

First our April colors...Much like the month of their release, our April colors represent cool and warm. First, there is Reflecting Pool, a blend of greens, blues and white, with a splash of lavender thrown in. Next is Campfire, a hot mix of reds, oranges, browns, and blues with an inspired electric purple stripe.

The two projects for the month are quick, gratifying knits.

Easy Baby Sweater
A raglan cardigan for girls and boys with wide ¾ length sleeves that is worked from the top down. The pattern includes sizes for 6–12 months (18–24 months, 36 months) with a finished chest measurement of 18¾ (21½, 23½)".

Liberty Wool by Classic Elite
3 (3, 4) balls 7806 Reflecting Pool

Double Thick Socks
A pair of cozy house socks that show off the Liberty Wool Print color variation with an allover double thick stitch. The result is a washable and cozy pair of socks! Written for 7 (8, 9)" foot and ankle circumference with a 4" cuff (slightly stretched).

Liberty Wool by Classic Elite
3 (3, 4) balls 7807 Campfire

Is your LYS a subscriber? Two new colors of Liberty Print will be released each month until June, and any LYS that subscribes will receive one (or more) bag of each. All our subscriptions get first priority, and will ship before any other orders. That means if your shop is a subscriber, they are guaranteed to be the first to have these colors in stock, and you'll be the first to have them!

Spring Inspiration

2011-04-05T09:02:00.002-04:00

Home Sweet Home

Spring is upon us! The days are getting longer and our minds are turning to flip-flops, shorts, and light breezy knits. Our Spring collection is full of looks suited for the beach or the office. But where do these designs come from? Who decides what makes the cut? This week on the blog, our Creative Director Susan Mills talks about the inspiration behind the Spring Collection. Find out what goes into planning a full season of yarns and garments, and see all our Spring looks throughout the month here on the blog. Subscribe and you won't miss a thing!

Nailing together a window frame to show off our valance

I began working on the CEY Spring 2011 collection in February 2010. First, new yarns need to be chosen and new colors ordered to add to existing yarns. Choosing colors is a tricky business. We want to be up to date with current fashion trends but need to keep in mind the look of the overall palette. For Spring 2011, I looked for colors that were dusty and watered down but not quite pastel, and deeper colors with a gray or earthy tone.

Firefly!

Next, I put out a call to designers and get our team of in-house designers swatching. I keep track of current fashion through magazines, trend services, blogs and websites, and online and in-store shopping. Since we work on designs a year ahead of the season, I need to judge which hot trends of the moment are likely to having staying power and still look fresh a year from now. I don’t like to give too much designer direction to our designers – I like them to do what they do best and give us what they see as up-and-coming styles.

When design submissions are received, the real work begins. Choosing which designs to include to balance the collection, picking the right designs for each yarn, striking a balance between garments and accessories, AND choosing colors to fit our color themes and photography locations...all these factors create a huge interlocking puzzle. Chosen designs are usually knit in a different color and often in a different yarn from what the designer swatched. I have a big bulletin board where I hang sketches and snippets of yarn to judge the overall look of a particular pattern booklet. For spring 2011, I looked for designs that could span seasons and work for a wide range of sizes while keeping the overall look bright and sunny for summer.

As the garments are being knit, I begin planning photography. First I plan the locations and models, then schedule models, photographer and hair and make up. Planning wardrobe for the models to wear with their knitted items is time consuming. Wardrobe needs to showcase the knit item without overpowering it. Much time is spent shopping and closet-raiding and trying different outfits on mannequins or willing fit models to judge the overall look.



Beautiful wind-swept Plum Island

Then finally, we are ready for photography. Photo shoots are stressful. So much work has already gone into each sweater and a fabulous garment can go unnoticed if we don’t get a good picture. How the garment and clothing fits the model and the location and light are key. And if we are outdoors, the weather is always a concern.

It was freezing!

When photography is complete we look through the images to find the best for our booklets, ads and website and the very labor intensive process of tech editing the patterns begins. And by the time the booklets are printed and the new yarns begin to ship, we are deep into work on the NEXT season.

Knitscene Summer 2011

2011-03-31T10:14:00.006-04:00

Knitscene has always been high on my list of favorite magazines. The aesthetic is fresh, the styling is beautiful, and I can count on seeing some of my favorite independent designers represented. Their first Summer issue is no exception, and with four designs in Classic Elite yarns, I couldn't be happier. All photos are by Joe Coca.

The French Creek Skirt in Katydid was designed by Laura Birek who you may know if you've ever seen the pullover she designed back in 2008, an intarsia version of Shepard Fairey's Obama poster with the work "Hope" written across it. I'm not a knitted skirt person generally, but the openness of this one appeals to me. It's not as much a garment as it is an accessory, and I love the look of it over wide leg pants or a long skirt.

The Mountour Falls cardigan from Melissa Goodale is an open cardigan with beautiful, delicate, twisted cabling around the hem, cuffs, and band. Cotton Bam Boo is the perfect choice, with its combination of drape and weight.

The Lodi Cardigan by Tanis Gray is a fitted cardigan with eyelet raglan shaping knit in Solstice. I love the slim fit of this cardigan, and the the embellishments at the waist and elbow add visual interest and flatter the figure.

The Radian Yoke by Wendy Bernard is done in one of my absolute favorite Spring yarns, Firefly. The lace patterned yoke lets you show a little summer skin without going too bare (mental note, wear sunblock when wearing this sweater in bright sunlight.)

Pick this up at your LYS or online on April 19th!

Provisional Cast On

2011-03-22T10:00:00.009-04:00

A provisional cast on is a method of casting on that keeps the cast on stitches live, meaning that you can put them back on the needle and knit in the other direction. You'll see it used in our Web Letter pattern of the week, the Posh Neck Scarf. You can also see it used in a few pieces in our Spring 2011 collection: Verona, Nigh Duck, Chicory and Clover. Scroll to the end for a video showing the provisional cast on in action.

1. First you need a length of waste yarn, preferable contrasting. Nothing too wooly or sticky (so don't follow my lead and use Ariosa.) You also need a crochet hook in a comparable size to your needle. Don't overthink the size of the crochet hook, I'm sure you have one that will work somewhere in your notions bag.

2. Make a slipknot and place it on your crochet hook. Hold the hook in front of the knitting needle and the working waste yarn behind the needle.

3. Use your crochet hook to hook the yarn and pull it through the loop on the crochet hook.

4. Move the yarn (which is now in front of the knitting needle) back to the original position behind the needle.

Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you have the desired number of stitches on the knitting needle. When you have one less than you need on the needle, remove the crochet hook and put that last remaining loop on your needle. Tie a knot in the end so you know where to start picking out the waste yarn. Then, using your project yarn, start working in your pattern.

To see it in action, watch our video below!

Swatching Kumara

2011-03-17T10:00:00.002-04:00

I know Spring is upon us, but I simply cannot resist talking about Kumara. I knit the Canape hat (Rav link), designed by Jared Flood for our Bistro booklet from Fall 2010, and have been wearing it every day since I finished it. Its slouchy shape is so flattering, and its the perfect topper in this winter/spring limbo we're experiencing in the Northeast.

Kumara is a yarn of 85% extrafine merino and 15% camel hair. The merino is dyed before it is plied with the undyed camel hair; the blend makes all the colors look soft and muted with a beautiful halo. If you look really closely at the strands, you'll see that the camel hair stands out as microscopic fuzzy little hairs. It's unbelievably soft and has six plies, making the stitches really pop. Clara Parkes reviewed it in depth in the indispensable Knitter's Review.

So far this year, I've used it twice--once for Idlewood and again for Canape.

Here are some patterns from our Web Letter knit in Kumara. Cast one on now, before its too late! From left to right, Daniel's Scarf, Kumara Diamond Cap, Cowl Hood, and Arm Warmers. Click the picture for the pattern.

To block or not to block?

2011-03-10T14:00:00.003-05:00

Blocking is an integral part of the knitting process. It evens out your stitches, manipulates the size of your finished piece, and produces a smooth, polished looking garment. My third knitting project ever, as an obviously uneducated knitter, was a cabled baby blanket knit on US3 needles. Sigh. That thing was my albatross. When I was finished, I was dismayed to see that my reverse stockinette was lumpy and uneven, that my cables were bunchy and drew the fabric in too tightly in columns down the length of the blanket. My friend and teacher, Amy, shrugged and said, "Just block it!".

I was mystified and had her send me step by step instructions. There's something really scary and seemingly counter-intuitive about plunging your FO into a sudsy bath. What if it's ruined?! When I pulled it out, it was so fine and even that it felt like a bed sheet (but not so fine that the cables disappeared). It was perfect, and I was hooked. I block every single thing I make. At the top of this post is Appledore, a shawl from our Spring 2011 booklet of accessories and small garments, High Seas, knit in Firefly. Below are some pictures of it on the blocking board.

Do not be deceived, fellow crafters, not all blocking methods are created equal. They range from a subtle spritzing to aggressive plunging. For wool and wool-like fibers like alpaca and camel or llama, wet blocking or steaming is recommended. I often wet-block, and find it suits me quite well. The supplies I make sure I have at the ready are a tape measure, my pattern's schematic, tons of pins, a flat slightly puffy surface to pin to, and either a cup of coffee or a beer depending on the time of day. No, seriously. This might take a while, so I make sure I have provisions, coffee and/or beer being staple liquids in my household.

Here are the steps I take:
1. Soak your piece in tepid water for 15 minutes. You can use a no-rinse gentle wool cleanser if you wish. I use Eucalan or Soak, and the delicate smells make me feel oh-so-professional.
2. Your piece will be fragile! Carefully squeeze, do not wring, the water out of it.
3. Roll it in a towel to remove most of the water. For large pieces, I forgo the towel and put it in a pillowcase in the washer on spin cycle only. The centrifugal force will squeeze the water out for you.
4. Lay it out flat on a surface you can pin. I use my bed--I have a great quilt with lots of linear blocks that help me keep it straight. Some people use foam core that you can get from Staples, or even a blocking board made specifically for this very purpose.
5. Pin to your desired size using T pins or straight pins with colored heads, which I find are easier to track down.
6. Let dry thoroughly.

I take these steps after weaving in ends, but before snipping them too close, and before I seam my pieces. I make sure to measure each piece carefully according to my schematic, every last measurement including shoulder slope. Do not block your ribbing! That is designed to stretch, right? So don't stretch it out before it's on your body!

Otherwise, check out these guidelines for blocking methods:
Mohair/Angora/Wool Blends: wet block by spritzing with water and pinning out.
Synthetics: just a note, these often don't possess the elasticity of a natural fiber and blocking doesn't have the same magical effect. This is why I avoid using synthetics for lace or even some cabling, I know I can't have the luxury of stretching and evening out my finished object. Ask me how I know.
Cotton/Linen/Hemp: Wet block or steam with a warm/hot steam press. You can also dampen a cloth and place it on top of your pieces. Then hold your hot steamy iron right over, not on top of, the cloth.

March Liberty Print colors and patterns!

2011-03-02T10:18:00.013-05:00

We gave you a little teaser on Monday, but here's the real deal--March Liberty Wool colors are here, along with two new patterns, free for our subscribers.

Garter Stitch Wrap
An easy-to-knit wrap worked entirely in garter stitch from the bottom point up with a scalloped bottom edge.
Liberty Wool by Classic Elite
5 balls 7802 Art Deco Wavelength
Cable Flower Hat
A beret-style hat worked from the bottom up with a ribbed based and a cabled top. The crown decreases are incorporated into the cable pattern, which uses a variety of cable stitches to create a flower with six petals.
Liberty Wool by Classic Elite
All sizes: 2 balls
Shown in:
7804 Painted Desert (print version)
7819 Orchid Pink (solid version)

Is your LYS a subscriber? Liberty Print was a runaway hit in 2010, and we wanted to make sure we get our gorgeous new colors on your needles and hooks in 2011. Thus, our Liberty Print Subscription service was born. Two colors will be released each month until June, and any LYS that subscribes will receive one (or more) bag of each. All our subscriptions get first priority, and will ship before any other orders! That means if your shop is a subscriber, they are guaranteed to be the first to have these colors in stock, and you'll be the first to have them in hand.

Liberty Print Subscription, March Colors!

2011-02-28T11:58:00.001-05:00

I wonder what the two new colorways shipping out to Liberty Print Subscribers for March look like...

Twinkle for all you Anthropologie Lovers

2011-02-25T11:41:00.014-05:00

When in New York for VKLive, I popped into Anthropologie for a little shopping and inspiration. I absolutely love their knitwear and sweaters, and it appears I'm not alone. The Anthropologie Ravelry group "for knitters who love Anthropologie's designs (but maybe not their prices)..." is 13,700 members strong! Anyway, on this particular trip, as I perused the sale rack, my oh-so fashionable mother approached me and said, "Wow, did you see me trying on that sweater? I kind of love it". We walked over and glanced at the tag, "Twinkle by Wenlan". So it was with considerable pride that I said, casually, "Oh, Classic Elite distributes her yarn and patterns" and it was right at that very moment that I made a silent plan to try to replicate this sweater. But the shaping! The construction! I tell you, friends, that my technical skills are seriously lacking in the sweater duplication department. But, the yarn...

Cruise is a silk and cotton blend with incredible drape and flow. The garments designed for it exploit these unique properties, yielding luxurious garments that hug and hang. Not only is it the yarn that Wenlan uses in her ready-to-wear fashion (and on the runway), but it's available to the home knitter and crocheter! You might recognize it as the yarn used in some of Twinkle's most popular knitting patterns, like the Hamptons Halter and the Chelsea Sweater, both from the fabulous book Big City Knits.

Imagine my glee when I saw the Vogue Knitting Summer Issue, what some of their Facebook fans are calling the "best issue ever". I think this is just about right. Look familiar?

Beans for Brains

2011-02-15T12:53:00.002-05:00

Calling all students! Jimmy Beans Wool, one of the coolest retailers around, is once again providing their fabulous Beans for Brains scholarship program and Classic Elite couldn't be more delighted to sponsor it.

Any student who can knit or crochet and will be attending an accredited institution in Fall 2011 is eligible for the Beans For Brains Scholarship! Submissions are due no later than April 1st, after which finalists will be chosen for six $3,000 scholarships based on merit. To learn more and apply visit the Beans For Brains Scholarship page. If you know any hardworking knitters and crocheters with dreams of going to college, be sure to share the Beans For Brains Scholarship with them via Ravelry or by posting a flyer at your LYS (flyers are available at the Beans For Brains Scholarship page)!

Spread the word!