Kay's Korner - A Knitters Notes

All it takes is a few snowflakes and I am enamored.  These icy, cold days are just the thing needed to get me motivated for knitting pieces of yarnie warmth.  Snuggly scarves, cuddly cowls, and warm, wooly socks have been the favorite projects at Rare Purls so far this month.  Whether you choose a pattern from the many books and leaflets available, peruse the designs on Ravelry.com (join now, to be ready for winter knit alongs!), or surf the many yarn company websites for their latest offerings, you are sure to find plenty of inspiration for your next cold weather project.  Who can resist the warm hug of a bulky wrap or cowl?  Or maybe a fashion forward, super bulky, hand knit hat is your ticket to hours of happy knitting.  This chilly weather is calling us and we all know how to answer that call - cast on some wooly warmth.  So grab your needles and pick a pattern, and start knitting up a winter storm!

One of my favorites this season is the super bulky capelet.  Most of the luxury yarn companies have come out with uber super bulky yarns and accompanying patterns for super fast results.  If you would like to design your own, t's easy!  Just grab a #11 - 15 US circular needle and cast on with a super chunky yarn to knit a tube.  With the measurement from around both shoulders (mine are 48 inches) and the gauge from a super quick swatch, do the math and pick your stitch pattern.  Ribbed patterns and cables work best with this design, as they have natural elasticity.  Remember, when working with large gauge yarns, elaborate stitch patterns with long repeats are more difficult to plug into your size, so keep it simple.  Also, although I am always into generously sized accessories, preferring wider scarves and longer wraps, a capelet knit too long can impede arm movement.  A capelet that fits from the top of the shoulder to the elbow is the largest you will need.  If more warmth or a longer look is desired, choose a full sized cape pattern that incorporates either arm slits or low armholes to accommodate partial movement of the upper limbs.  For some examples of beautiful full sized capes, go to the free pattern section of VogueKnitting.com.  

Happy Knitting!

On Kay's Needles
The quick and easy success offered by bulky yarns had my needles flying last week.  My Snowboard Hat took one hank and one night.  Earflap hats look great on guys and dolls, so make an extra for those last minute gifts.  

The combination of a bulky alpaca/silk blend and an easy one row repeat pattern had me obsessively knitting this great scarf until it reached over 80 inches long.  But, oh, is it snuggly!

The project with the best reviews is Circular Shrug, a free pattern on Ravelry.  This has to be the easiest sweater ever!  

Most of us have favorite yarns and can fondly remember the projects where, in all the hours of working with these yarns, we experienced the merits and attributes of well spun fibers. I have to admit that I am a bit embarrassed that a yarn won my heart before I even cast it on. Queensland's Kathmandu Aran had me at "Tweed".

It all began when I saw Kathmandu at a meeting with a mutual friend, the Euro Yarns sales rep. Coming from a prominent family, I knew that I was meeting a quality yarn. Its card, which I slipped into my file, gave impressive references, my two, old, highly respected friends, silk and cashmere. Although I didn't see my new yarnie interest for months, one day a huge package arrived with the return address of EuroYarns. Every day since, Kathmandu has joined me at Rare Purls, though I have delayed any permanent commitment. After all, I am a busy gal and spend my days (and nights) with many yarns. There are not so many that I decide to take home and even fewer that I find worthy of an enduring relationship. Just because a yarn is a real looker and makes my heart skip a beat every time I lay my hands on its luscious plys, doesn't mean that I am going to wrap my body up in it. I do have a reputation to uphold and cannot be seen with every yarn that promises a fine hand and nice drape.

But then last night, I curled up on the sofa and really got to know Kathmandu. We were making an aviator hat for a friend of mine and in just a few hours, I felt that I had learned all there was to know about this handsome yarn. O-kay, so the two plys were a bit uneven. It only added to the rustic charm. The colorful flecks held my interest and the silk fiber content made me a little heady. Together, we made beautiful fabric and (dare I say it) - I think that I have fallen in love with this yarn.

At this point, I began to make future plans. I could imagine myself cuddled in a comfy cardigan with simple stitch patterns, made beautiful with Kathmandu's rich colors and complimentary tweed flecks. Yes, I had designs on this yarn! I even felt safe venturing my thoughts to include my family. My son Luke would look so handsome in a traditional, button front vest, made possible by my new love Kathmandu, and I know that my son Will would enjoy some new socks, knit with the soft comfort of cashmere and the durability made possible by a bit of nylon. You see, although this yarn is equally comfortable with knits for both men and women, I know my guys will relate to its traditional elements, the blend of strong wool and exotic silk. Yes, this is a family yarn!

But just as I was ready to commit to a great room throw, I got the news that Kathmandu has a new brother, Kathmandu Chunky. With all of the wonderful traits of the first born, Kathmandu Chunky requires less of my time, a quality that truly appeals to both my busy schedule and my need for speed in order to satisfy a long, holiday gift list. Upon hearing of the more magnanimous sibling, my fickle heart began to conjure up thoughts of warm hats and snuggly mittens, just meant to hold hands. Please do not make me choose between these yarns! After all, no yarn can be all things to all knitters, right?

For the present, I am enjoying projects a plenty. Two wonderful, reliable yarns are filling my days as partners in a rewarding collaboration, ending in beautiful and stylish garments and accessories. How long will this infatuation last? God only knows. Maybe there is an alpaca blend in my future that will steal my heart. I take it day by day. But my affection for Kathmandu will be remembered in rows of sweaters and rounds of boot socks. Yes, good, honest, and reliable yarns are hard to come by and this one is a keeper.

Copyright October 2009

Kay Mather

Four years ago, our family moved back to Metro Atlanta to be closer to family and the Southeast's cultural crossroads. At that time, my son Luke and I forecast that within 5 years we would open our own local yarn shop in the historic district of Duluth, Georgia. We began studying the yarn industry in earnest and morphed my love of yarn and his business prowess into a plan for a brick and mortar store. To be honest, there were times when our dream seemed a bit ambitious, especially when the economy took such a steep turn for the worse. An internet shop seemed far more practical and attainable, so Luke began Rare Purls as a "dot com" venture. But fate seemed to have a different plan for the Mather family. When a charming retail suite became available at the Knox House in Duluth's historic district in 2008, I peered through the French doors every time I met friends for lunch at the Park Cafe, my favorite local bistro. It seemed such a perfect space! We also became regulars at the Atlanta Knitting Guild and Gwinnett's own local group, the Noble Knitters. We saw that needle arts were alive and well in the Southeast and made plans to participate in the first Stitches South. By winter 2008, our inventory of luxury yarns was beginning to overflow our storage facility and it became apparent that we had enough yarn to fill that shop space on West Lawrenceville Street. We figuratively held hands and made the leap. In May 2009, Luke signed the lease for my beloved shop space and we began the creation affectionately named Rare Purls Yarn Boutique and Knitterie.

On opening day in June 2009, many friends and well wishers came to see the newest yarn shop in Greater Atlanta. In the weeks that followed, knitters from all over the Northeast Atlanta area visited our shop and some have already become repeat customers. I have to chuckle when the nonknitting naysayers peek in and just don't understand such things as fiber lust and yarn addiction. "A yarn shop? You're so brave!" or "Is yarn ALL you sell?" Then the second glance, often followed with "Do you give classes?" Ah, yes, the power of gorgeous fiber! I grab some needles and show them how easy this creative craft using simple tools is to begin.

Absolutely, this is my dream job. Surrounded by elegant fibers from around the globe, inspiration is nestled in every nook. Old friends and new friends come by to chat and cast on. We always welcome visitors to come in and just relax. Whether we are working through the latest lace knit along or finishing up the last few rows of a prayer shawl, the 110-year-old wood floors, walls, and ceilings are the perfect backdrop for an hour (or two) of creative bliss. There is a lovely view through the original old glass in the huge front window overlooking the enclosed porch. Our knitterie is the perfect place to experience the zen of knitting.

Of course, there is somewhat of a formula when opening a yarn shop. A large selection of good wool worsteds, DK yarns in a number of fibers and blends, their bulky cousins for quick and cuddly knits, and sock yarns in exciting patterning and colorways are the basics. Add to that a selection of uber lux yarns and unusual fiber blends, plus an exciting array of designer patterns and you have a good start up inventory. To keep up with trends, new yarns, and the latest in hand knit design, I personally read every issue of seven knitting magazines from cover to cover. I enjoy the meetings with our suppliers when they come by with new yarns and new colors of old favorites. Most importantly, I listen to the feed back from local knitters. It is the best guide as to what yarns we should order.

As Luke handles the paperwork and all the finances, I find the only drawback to working at Rare Purls is that I have less time for my own personal knitting, but I must admit I love teaching and our customer's creative pursuits, a kind of vicarious knitting. On Monday, our one day off, I find myself missing the shop and its inspiring atmosphere. This is when I catch on on paperwork, correspondence, and work my new designs. I give my own house a lick and a promise, then sit in front of the TV, the TIVO filled with simple plot programming, and work on projects that require little concentration, using the pause feature if something begs a bit more attention. This multitasking allows me to enjoy what I otherwise consider a guilty pleasure. It is a good life.

Yes, this is truly my dream job. The fact that our Yarn Boutique is a family business is a joy. I am able to work with both Luke and my husband, Bill. Bill took an early retirement from anesthesiology, and he has not only helped Luke build all our fixtures, but also works in our separate office space. As we rework the retail section of the website, Bill is assuming the responsibility of new listings and filling orders. Each of us are a key figure in the operation of Rare Purls.

We do want to thank all of our fellow yarn lovers for the encouragement and support that helped us to make that leap. The Mathers have begun a new phase in life, new job titles, new challenges, but best of all, a bevy of knitters as new friends.

Happy Knitting!!

OK, maybe it is not quite that bad. Yet. But I hear an increasing number of knitters, crocheters, and spinsters referring to their love for fiber as an addiction. Actually, I do start feeling a mild withdrawal when I go a couple of days without knitting. In the past, I have slipped bags of yarn from my car trunk into the house when no one was looking and hid them in the back of a closet. And yes, I have fudged when telling my husband the amount that I spent at the yarn shop. It is sounding more like an addiction all the time.

By the way, I suppose I am a yarn dealer, as well. If someone comes to me looking for some yarnie happiness, I am going to do my best to satisfy their fiber lusts. I understand their need for softness and their attraction to color. Many of us justify our fiber cravings by saying there are gifts to be made, feet that our cold, but more often the truth is that we see a particular yarn as a must have, then find a need to rationalize the purchase. This usually involves some line about love or someone else's need or both.

But truly, if I must have a vice, this is not a bad one to have. Hey, it is legal! And after all, isn't fiber supposed to be good for us? No one goes without food to get a yarn fix, although Cat Bordhi has suggested eating peanut butter sandwiches for lunch in order to save money to buy good circular needles. Yes, I am afflicted with yarn lust. I even go to support groups at least once a week to share my experiences with other knitters. But the way I see it, if I am going to have a monkey on my back, I want it to be one of those cute knitted ones with floppy arms, red mouthes and feet. Hmm, I could knit the body in kettle dyed alpaca and the feet in...

Happy Knitting!

On Kay's Needles
In a word, socks! For our 29th anniversary, I am knitting my husband a pair of socks using OnLine Supersocke, a wonderful German sock yarn spun from 75%Superwash wool and 25% nylon. The self patterning yarn keeps the knitting fun, as I watch the stripes and patterns spring alive from simple stockinette and ribbing. Next week, look for my thoughts on sockitecture and some advice for those wanting to jump on the sock knitting bandwagon for the first time.

If this were a perfect world, any knitter who heard "this is an E.Z. Pattern" would immediately think Elizabeth Zimmerman, rather than a skill level. My admiration for Elizabeth Zimmerman is long standing and recently when I was reading The Best of Vogue Knitting - 25 Years of Articles, Techniques, and Expert Advice, I was delighted to see many of her articles. Her wit and wisdom are seamlessly blended into her own expert advice. E.Z.'s articles and patterns are as fresh and pertinent today as they were years ago. Her original patterns are increasingly popular, as can be seen in the number of people on Ravelry knitting her Baby Surprise Jacket alone. She taught a generation to "knit without tears", a lesson her daughter, Meg Swansen, is keeping alive through continued publication of E.Z.'s works through Schoolhouse Press. She is the original "opinionated knitter", letting us into her thoughts and projects long before blogs ever existed. Elizabeth Zimmerman's imprint on our craft will certainly endure for many generations to come.

On Kay's Needles
My one completed project this month was a hat and scarf set knit in Queensland Collection's Big Wave, a birthday gift for my brother-in-law. The super bulky, thick-thin, lofty single ply yarn is a wool/cashmere blend, very soft and textural. I used a double seed stitch pattern for the scarf and single seed for the hat, both exaggerating the texture of the yarn. The result was a rustic, masculine pair of accessories, perfect for casual wear.
These days, much of my time is spent knitting the samples for our Rare Purls Original Kit line. Here is a sneak peek of these competitively priced kits, using only high quality yarns and easy to follow instructions.

Copyright Kay Mather 2009