You might not know it, but many of us at Loop have a fondness for a little sparkle. It’s most evident at the holidays when we inevitably reach for something with a little shine. But from time to time you’ll see a flash here or a glimmer there.

Recently, it appeared in the form of a hat designed by our own Kathy P. I loved it as soon as I saw it and asked Kathy if we could share it here. Fortunately, she agreed. After a little discussion, we named it Elaine.

Elaine is knit with Filatura di Crosa Zara and New Smoking yarns. Zara is one of the softest yarns in the shop and feels great to knit with and to wear. New Smoking provides the shine.

I put together a few combinations of Zara and New Smoking colors that I think work well together.

There are certainly lots of possibilities.

So, although it’s getting warmer, you’ll still need a hat this season. Especially one that shines. Here’s how you can make your own Elaine Hat.

ELAINE

SIZE
One size, women’s medium, approx. 20″ circumference

MATERIALS
Filatura di Crosa Zara (yarn A) – 1 ball
Filatura di Crosa New Smoking (yarn B) – 1 ball
16” size 4 circular needle, 16” size 7 circular needle, size 7 double pointed needles, or needles size necessary to obtain gauge
 
GAUGE
5 stitches to 1 inch using larger needles in stockinette stitch
 
NOTES  
All slipped stitches are slipped purlwise.  While knitting with New Smoking is easy, it does unwind from its ball quickly.  To keep tangles to a minimum, replace the ball band around the ball when not using the yarn.
 
PATTERN
With smaller needles and yarn A cast on 84 stitches. Join into a round taking care not to twist the stitches. Work in K2, P2 rib for 12 rounds. Change to larger needle and knit one round.

Rounds 1 and 2: with yarn B, knit 
Rounds 3: with yarn A, *sl 1, K5; repeat from * to end.
Rounds 4 through 7: repeat round 3
Rounds 8 and 9: Knit with yarn B
Round 10: with yarn A, K3, * sl1, K5*around, end K2
Rounds 11 through 14: repeat round 10
Repeat rounds 1 through 14 two more times.  
 
Crown Shaping
Round 1: with yarn B, Knit 4, K2tog around. (70 stitches remain)
Round 2: with yarn B, Knit 
Round 3: with yarn A, *Sl 1, K4; repeat from * to end.
Rounds 4 and 5: repeat round 3
 
Change to DPNs
Round 6: with yarn B, *K3, K2tog; repeat from * to end. (56 stitches remain)
Round 7: with yarn B, Knit.
Round 8: with yarn A, K2, *sl 1, K3; repeat from * to last stitch, K1.
Rounds 9 and 10: repeat round 8
Round 11: with yarn B, *K2, K2tog; repeat from * to end. (42 stitches remain)
Round 12: with yarn B, Knit.
Round 13: with yarn A, *sl1, K2; repeat from * to end.
Rounds 14 and 15: repeat round 13
Round 16: with yarn B, *K1, K2tog; repeat from * to end. (28 stitches remain)
Round 17: with yarn B, Knit.
 
Cut yarn B. Finish with yarn A only.
Rounds 19: *Knit 1, sl1; repeat from * to end.
Round 20: repeat round 19
Round 21: *K2tog; repeat from * to end. (14 stitches remain)
Round 22: *K2tog; repeat from * to end (7 stitches remain)

Cut yarn and pull through remaining stitches.  Weave in ends.

Enjoy!

Knitter, designer, and blogger Susan B. Anderson will be at Loop on Thursday, March 11 from 5 to 8 pm to celebrate her latest book, Itty Bitty Toys.

Susan’s bringing projects from the book for us to see. She’ll be available to discuss her designs and to sign your book. We’ll have copies of Itty Bitty Toys on hand, but feel free to bring yours if you already own it. We’d love to see any of the projects from her book that you’ve made or are making, so bring them along.

You’re also invited to join us for a knit-along of a mini reversible toy. We’ll have kits with the yarn and pattern for sale, just bring your size 6 double pointed needles and be ready to cast on!

Susan’s knitting designs have a joyful and whimsical spirit. Her first book, Itty Bitty Hats, is full of tiny toppers for babies. Bright stripes, pom-poms, embroidered embellishments – dozens of ideas for keep little heads warm. Next, Susan gave us Itty Bitty Nursery. Blankets, sweaters, a mobile, pacifiers, all brightly-colored, polka-dotted, and striped.

Late last year came Susan’s third and most recent book, Itty Bitty Toys. Now that the hats and blankets have been knit, it’s time to play!

As always, Susan starts us off with a few small projects to teach us some new skills and to get us started. The directions are clear and supported with wonderful diagrams and illustrations. Then she takes us on a wonderful journey so inspiring that you’ll be seeking out children to knit for.

Some of the most fun to knit and to play with are the five reversibles like this one. Held one way, it’s a frog.

Turn upside-down and flip down the body, and it’s a turtle!

Susan is bringing lots of itty bitty toys for us to see. I hope you’ll come take a look and meet this talented designer.

Jennifer knit this sweater for her friend’s dog, Sherman. The pattern is from Bernat and she used Berroco Comfort yarn. Comfort is a blend of super fine acrylic and super fine nylon, which can be machine washed and dried. Obviously, a good choice for Sherman. But Comfort is a good basic yarn for any project that will require regular cleaning. And because it contains no animal fibers, it’s great when knitting for your vegan friends.

Jennifer had to modify her pattern to fit Sherman, which she did beautifully. And she added the Union Jack on the back. Very cool.

It’s fun to knit your dog a sweater. You can express they’re personality and style, and keep them warm when the temperature drops. One of my favorite sources for dog sweaters is Dogs in Knits. There’s a great basic pattern that you can easily modify and good directions on sweater fit. I also like Doggy Knits, which has some cool styles.

We don’t often receive pictures of dog sweaters – or any knits for pets, for that matter – so thank you, Jennifer! Sherman looks fantastic in his sweater!

Clara Parkes’ visit to Loop this weekend has been postponed because of the weather. We’ll announce the new dates for the book signing and the class as soon as we have them.

I didn’t want to cancel because I’ve been looking forward to seeing Clara and to taking her class. But if the weather prevents people from coming, then it won’t be much fun.

So stay tuned!

Tracy sent us photos of two beautiful knitting projects she recently finished. First there’s the beanie she knit with Malabrigo Worsted Merino yarn with colors apple green and curacao. Worsted Merino is great for hats because it’s so soft and warm.

(see another photo of Tracy in her hat)

Tracy also knit herself a neckwarmer with Spud & Chloe Outer yarn in the color carbon. She used size 13 needles and seed stitch. Outer is made of merino wool and organic cotton, so it’s warm, light, and soft.

(see another photo of Tracy in her neckwarmer)

Thanks for sharing your projects with us, Tracy! They look great on you!

Our customer Julie designed this cool knitted headband called Portsmouth. Made with 1 hank of Spud & Chloe Outer yarn, it’s a fun weekend project that you can put to use right away!

Spud & Chloe blog curator, Susan B. Anderson, saw Portsmouth and posted it on the Spud & Chloe blog. Not bad for your first design!

Portsmouth is a free pattern, so go get your copy today!

Congratulations, Julie!

There’s a lot to like about granny squares. The ever-increasing rounds of double crochet groupings have a beautiful order and symmetry. They’re incredibly versatile – use them for pillows, blankets, bags, vests, skirts. Dozens of small granny squares of one or varying size can be joined; one gigantic granny square can make a bed-sized afghan. And granny squares are the perfect canvas for color play whether carefully planned or completely spontaneous.

A few weeks ago I had the urge to crochet. I went to the Blue Sky Dyed Cotton yarn and starting laying different colors on the table. I didn’t really have anything in mind but as I put colors in and took colors out, the palette and the project came together. The result is a blanket called Quadrant.

Quadrant is a great pattern for new crocheters. You’ll practice making double crochets, changing colors, and making and joining granny squares. And because it’s worsted weight yarn and a size H hook, you can see what you’re doing and the project moves along swiftly.

Blue Sky Dyed Cotton comes in so many beautiful colors, you can create countless combinations. Use brights or pastels for a baby gift; choose muted neutrals or naturals for a house warming gift. Or just pick your favorite colors and keep it on the sofa to throw on your lap when you’re reading, crocheting, or knitting. Quadrant can easily be made bigger, too, just by adding more squares.

Since I hope new crocheters will try this pattern, I wrote out every step. This makes a long pattern that may seem intimidating, but it’s all just one stitch at a time. I hope you’ll give it a go!

QUADRANT

SIZE
approx 31 by 31 inches

MATERIALS
Blue Sky Alpacas Dyed Cotton yarn; 1 hank each of: Shell – #606 (A), Raspberry – #637 (B), Honeydew – #602 (C), Pickle – #633 (D), Lemonade – #608 (E), Cumin – #605 (F), Sky – #616 (G), Jasper – #636 (H) and Thistle – #603 (J).

Size H (5.00 mm) hook

GAUGE
19 dc = 4 inches

PATTERN

Square 1
Base chain
With Color A, Ch 4, join with a sl st.

Round 1
Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc into ring, *ch 2, 3 dc into ring; repeat from * twice more, ch 2, sl st to top of ch 3.

Round 2
Sl st into next 2 dc and next 2 ch sp, ch 3, 2 dc into ch sp, ch 2, 3 dc into ch sp, * ch 1, 3 dc into next ch sp, ch 2, 3 dc into same ch sp; repeat from * twice more, ch 1, sl st to top of ch 3.

Round 3
Sl st into next 2 dc and next 2 ch sp, ch 3, 2 dc into ch sp, ch 2, 3 dc into ch sp, * ch 1, 3 dc into next ch sp, ch 1, 3 dc into next ch sp, ch 2, 3 dc into same ch sp; repeat from * twice more, ch 1, 3 dc into next ch sp, ch 1, sl st to top of ch 3.

Round 4
Sl st into next 2 dc and next 2 ch sp, ch 3, 2 dc into ch sp, ch 2, 3 dc into ch sp, * ch 1, (3 dc into next ch sp, ch 1) 2x, 3 dc into next ch sp, ch 2, 3 dc into same ch sp; repeat from * twice more, ch 1, (3 dc into next ch sp, ch 1) 2x, sl st to top of ch 3.

Round 5
Sl st into next 2 dc and next 2 ch sp, ch 3, 2 dc into ch sp, ch 2, 3 dc into ch sp, * ch 1, (3 dc into next ch sp, ch 1) 3x, 3 dc into next ch sp, ch 2, 3 dc into same ch sp; repeat from * twice more, ch 1, (3 dc into next ch sp, ch 1) 3x, sl st to top of ch 3.

Round 6
Sl st into next 2 dc and next 2 ch sp, ch 3, 2 dc into ch sp, ch 2, 3 dc into ch sp, * ch 1, (3 dc into next ch sp, ch 1) 4x, 3 dc into next ch sp, ch 2, 3 dc into same ch sp; repeat from * twice more, ch 1, (3 dc into next ch sp, ch 1) 4x, sl st to top of ch 3.

Round 7
Sl st into next 2 dc and next 2 ch sp, ch 3, 2 dc into ch sp, ch 2, 3 dc into ch sp, * ch 1, (3 dc into next ch sp, ch 1) 5x, 3 dc into next ch sp, ch 2, 3 dc into same ch sp; repeat from * twice more, ch 1, (3 dc into next ch sp, ch 1) 5x, sl st to top of ch 3. Fasten off.

Join Color B by bringing a loop through any corner ch sp.

Round 8
Ch 3, 2 dc into ch sp, ch 2, 3 dc into ch sp, * ch 1, (3 dc into next ch sp, ch 1) 6x, 3 dc into next ch sp, ch 2, 3 dc into same ch sp; repeat from * twice more, ch 1, (3 dc into next ch sp, ch 1) 6x, sl st to top of ch 3.

Round 9
Sl st into next 2 dc and next 2 ch sp, ch 3, 2 dc into ch sp, ch 2, 3 dc into ch sp, * ch 1, (3 dc into next ch sp, ch 1) 7x, 3 dc into next ch sp, ch 2, 3 dc into same ch sp; repeat from * twice more, ch 1, (3 dc into next ch sp, ch 1) 7x, sl st to top of ch 3.

Round 10
Sl st into next 2 dc and next 2 ch sp, ch 3, 2 dc into ch sp, ch 2, 3 dc into ch sp, * ch 1, (3 dc into next ch sp, ch 1) 8x, 3 dc into next ch sp, ch 2, 3 dc into same ch sp; repeat from * twice more, ch 1, (3 dc into next ch sp, ch 1) 8x, sl st to top of ch 3.

Round 11
Sl st into next 2 dc and next 2 ch sp, ch 3, 2 dc into ch sp, ch 2, 3 dc into ch sp, * ch 1, (3 dc into next ch sp, ch 1) 9x, 3 dc into next ch sp, ch 2, 3 dc into same ch sp; repeat from * twice more, ch 1, (3 dc into next ch sp, ch 1) 9x, sl st to top of ch 3.

Round 12
Sl st into next 2 dc and next 2 ch sp, ch 3, 2 dc into ch sp, ch 2, 3 dc into ch sp, * ch 1, (3 dc into next ch sp, ch 1) 10x, 3 dc into next ch sp, ch 2, 3 dc into same ch sp; repeat from * twice more, ch 1, (3 dc into next ch sp, ch 1) 10x, sl st to top of ch 3.

Round 13
Sl st into next 2 dc and next 2 ch sp, ch 3, 2 dc into ch sp, ch 2, 3 dc into ch sp, * ch 1, (3 dc into next ch sp, ch 1) 11x, 3 dc into next ch sp, ch 2, 3 dc into same ch sp; repeat from * twice more, ch 1, (3 dc into next ch sp, ch 1) 11x, sl st to top of ch 3. Fasten off.

Square 2
same as Square 1, beg with color C and end with color D

Square 3
same as Square 1, beg with color E and end with color F

Square 4
same as Square 1, beg with color G and end with color H

Join Squares
Hold Squares 1 and 2 together with right sides facing. Join Color J to corner and attach with slip stitches going through back loops only.

Attach Squares 3 and 4 together in the same manner. Attach Squares 1 and 2 to Squares 3 and 4.

Border
Join Color J to a corner.

Round 1
Ch 3, 2 dc in ch sp, ch 2, 3 dc in same ch sp, ( *ch 1, 3 dc in next chain space; repeat from * to next corner, 3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc in same ch sp) 3 times; *ch 1, 3 dc in next chain space; repeat from * to last corner, ch1 and join with sl st to top of ch 3.

Round 2
Repeat round 1. Fasten off.

Weave in ends.

I like to machine wash Blue Sky Dyed Cotton on gentle cycle in cold water. Then I machine dry it on low setting for about 5 minutes, followed by 5-10 minutes on the no-heat setting. I remove it from the dryer and lay it flat until completely dry.

If you make Quadrant, send a picture. I’d love to see it!

Sometimes a beautiful yarn and a good stitch pattern are all you need for a great scarf. We paired Filatura di Crosa’s Zara yarn with seeded rib for this unisex scarf. I wanted to wear it home as soon as Kathy P. finished knitting it!

Zara is made from the finest Italian merino wool. It has a smooth finish that feels soft against your skin and still keeps you warm. Our scarf is knit in crimson, a rich red (it’s not as pink as it appears in the photo). Zara comes in a wide array of colors, so there are plenty to choose from.

Here’s how to make yourself a Seeded Rib Scarf:

SEEDED RIB SCARF

SIZE
one size – approx. 5 by 60 inches

MATERIALS
Filatura di Crosa Zara yarn 3 balls
size 9 needles

GAUGE
5 stitches to 1 inch, although gauge is not critical for this project

PATTERN
Cast on 35 sts.

Row 1: K3, *p1, k3; repeat from * to end.

Row 2: K1, *p1, k3; repeat from * to last 2 sts, p1, k1.

Repeat rows 1 and 2 until one yard of yarn remains. Bind off in pattern.

Cut yarn and weave in ends.

Enjoy!

Clara Parkes knows more about yarn than anyone I know. As the founder and publisher of Knitter’s Review, a weekly online magazine for fiber fans, Clara brings us in-depth reviews of yarn, books, and all things yarn-related. (If you haven’t already, sign up for Clara’s free weekly newsletter right now! It’s the best thing you’ll find in your inbox each week.)

In 2007, Clara published her first book, The Knitter’s Book of Yarn: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing, Using, and Enjoying Yarn, which explains the origins and properties of various fibers, how yarn is made, and how to select the right yarn for your project.

Clara’s new book, The Knitter’s Book of Wool: The Ultimate Guide to Understanding, Using, and Loving this Most Fabulous Fiber, was released last fall. In it, Clara goes into more detail about her favorite fiber, wool.

We’re happy to welcome Clara back to Philadelphia this month. Please join us on Friday, February 26 from 5 to 7 pm for a book signing to celebrate The Knitter’s Book of Wool. Bring your copy or purchase one here for Clara to sign.

Then on Saturday, February 27 from 10 am to 1 pm, join Clara for a workshop based on her book.

The Wonders of Wool
workshop fee: $45

Join Clara Parkes for a hands-on journey into the world of wool. We’ll follow this magic material as its makes its way from sheep to skein, learning all about the qualities that make wool so wonderful and varied. We’ll talk about things like lanolin and luster, staple and crimp, what microns are and why they matter, why wool yarns can pill and what to do about it, and how machine-washable wool is made—and why you should always swatch your superwash yarn before embarking upon a full-sized garment. We’ll pass around garments and swatches, and you’ll even have a chance to swatch some of the most noteworthy breeds and blends for yourself.

Skill level: All
Skills required: If you wish to participate in the swatching exercises, a basic knowledge of casting on, knitting, and purling is required.
Materials: Please bring a few sets of your favorite needles for swatching, ideally in sizes US 6-8. They can be DPNs, circulars, straights, whatever you enjoy working the most.
Homework: None

There are a limited number of seats for the workshop, so call (215-893-9939) or stop in to reserve your space today!