VKL Chicago 2013!

Vogue Knitting Live Marketplace opens today and we're doing it up in true StevenBe style! To those of you lucky folks who are enjoying the weekend in Chicago, we've got a crazy assortment from Be Sweet, Skacel, Alchemy, Feza, and Malabrigo along with some fabulous exclusives from Madelinetosh, Three Irish Girls, Batts in the Belfry (thrummed mitten kits!), Handmaiden, Zen Yarn Garden, Wild Hare Fiber Studio, and MORE.

The StevenBe mini-shop is hardly "mini"!

 Make sure you check out Steven's Knit It In a Minute presentation and pick up a free copy of his Deep Rib Collar Cowl pattern--then head to the booth to check out the Icelandic Edition! You'd never believe Lopi could feel so soft or that you could have such a huge cowl in so little time.

Steven and his Divas: Brenda in her Cabled Ponchini, Mama Christa in her
Color Block Ponchello, and Sue in her sparkly Laurel!

We've got a group of Glitter Divas roving Chicago, recruiting for our new Glam Club on the brand new StevenBe website.

Mama Christa and Steven making travel friends!

 And, of course, Steven and his mother are collecting new friends, as they do wherever they go.

Vanessa Putt shops our booth and shows off her fantastic designs
in Malabrigo Book 5!

Say hi to Missy and Jeremy in the booth, too. They did an amazing job yesterday turning our booth into an experience you won't soon forget. Tag your StevenBe stash on Ravelry and comment here to let us know what classes you're taking and how much fun you're having!

If you're still in the Twin Cities, don't worry--there's still fun to be had! Yarn Garage is having a huge sale this weekend so head to Rosemount and check it out!

Winner!

Congratulations, Jennifer T.! You're the winner of two fabulous skeins of Malabrigo Worsted in Steven! It's squishy soft and I know you're looking for another project. Come on in and we'll check out Ravelry and see what you can make!

Handpainted Yarn Mania!

My name is Bridget and I am a handpainted yarn addict. When I see the colors that these dyers create, I get chills down my spine and I must have them now. I have probably used this same logic to enable you: if you see a color you love, you need to get it now because the next dye lot will probably be wildly different. Here are just a few of my favorite color magicians:

Malabrigo:

Take a squishy soft merino wool base, then apply vibrant colors that knit up into a wild mish-mash of delightful color and just try to keep it off my needles. Just try. Rios is their superwash and it's perfectly lovely and my pick for baby knits but my heart belongs to Worsted--it's a single-ply, lofty and squishable.

Wild Hare Fiber Studio:

My love for Wild Hare is not just because Melissa, the owner/dyer, is so much fun to work with and understands us so well. It's because she creates these fantastic color combinations (animal prints, even!) on yarn that feels nice on the hands and works up into a wonderfully soft and drapey fabric. But also, she gets us--Melissa created yarn for me inspired by Firefly, one of my favorite sci-fi shows, based on some images and my obsessive colored pencil shadings.

Gotta love someone who gets you!

 Dragonfly Fibers:

Dragonfly does these marvelously deep colors and then dusts over many of them with this smokey  haze of black. I find that the haze doesn't hide their intensity but draws it out in those little portions where it peeks through. We have two of their fingering weight bases, Djinni Sock and Pixie Skein--Djinni is fabulous for socks and single ply Pixie is awesome for shawls.

Freia:

Smooth, beautiful handpainted gradients on lovely wool base yarns. Freia is my absolute go-to yarn for Stephen West's Spectra--I made mine using the lovely single ply Sport with Lorna's Laces Sportmate and I adore it.

Three Irish Girls:

 I'm an Irish girl so it only makes sense that I'd be partial to other Irish girls, especially the yarny ones. I love their color combinations and the distribution of those colors. Ordering from them and staying within budget is one of the hardest parts of my job (and yet still one of the most pleasurable). Plus, they do a lot of really fantastic exclusive colors for us.

There are so many really amazing hand-dyers out there and I love discovering them (or having them brought to my attention). To ring in my first guest blog here in true StevenBe-meets-DrawFour fashion, I'm doing a giveaway! Hurrah!

Enter to win the two squishy skeins of Malabrigo Worsted in exclusive Steven by commenting here and answering this question: if you were a handpainted yarn, what colors would you be? (Imaginary bonus points if you tell me your fiber content, too.) The winner will be chosen by random number generator on Sunday the 15th!

Bridget (DrawFour Designs) signing out!

For Your Review: Bobbin Winder

Winding bobbins by hand is kind of like winding yarn into balls for knitting - it’s possible to do it without one, but it’s a lot faster when you have the right tools. There’s a great video from The Woolery about how to wind a bobbin.

You SHOULD practice this, though. The person in the video makes this look really easy, but it’s harder than it looks, at least for me! So far, no weaving mishaps have happened because my bobbin wasn’t perfect, but I still wish I were better at it.

I wind as many bobbins worth of yarn as I think I will need before I start weaving, but it’s no big deal to jump up and wind some more if I run out. It creates a small break in the weaving - I probably should stop and stretch my legs every once in awhile, anyway!

If you're a spinner who doesn't weave, you might still want to consider buying a bobbin winder. They're great for winding storage or plying bobbins!

Show and Tell: Crown Jewel Hat

63Stella on Ravelry made a Crown Jewel hat out of 2 skeins of Plymouth Yarn's Gina.

This is what she had to say about it:

I did this project as a tester and it’s a quick easy knit. I checked my notes and next time I am going do the bobbles thicker so they stand out more. Also I would buy an extra skein of yarn so I can “pick out” colors if I use the Plymouth Gina again.

Thanks for sharing, Stella! Photo is used with her permission.

Want to buy supplies for something you read about here? Call us! 612-259-7525.

Want to share your story? Email me at jessie at stevenbe dot com.

For Your Review: Mini Boat Shuttle

The 9-inch mini boat shuttle was my first shuttle purchase. The wood is so smooth! It really just feels so nice in my hand, I can’t believe it. I bought 10 bobbins for it. The little plastic bobbins for shuttles are really inexpensive, so there’s no excuse for not having a bunch of them.

Bobbins come in different lengths - make sure the ones you buy fit your shuttle!

With stick shuttles, I sometimes snag the warp yarn as I weave. This basically never happens with a boat shuttle. Plus, if I work carefully, I can use more of the warp with a boat shuttle than with a stick shuttle. I can tuck the nose of the shuttle into small and strange sheds. For thinner yarns, like sock yarns, it works great! It takes a little practice to get the hang of it, and I always end up winding more bobbins than I think I needed, but I really like it.

I should back up - boat shuttles hold bobbins, which are just little plastic spools that hold yarn. You can wind bobbins by hand or you can use a bobbin winder. Winding by hand takes no more time than winding a stick shuttle, so until you’re ready to get a winder, you can just work with your fingers.

Show and Tell: Sprout Blanket

Jill (sheepish1too on Ravelry) made a Sprout Blanket out of 5 skeins of Spud & Chloë Sweater.

This is what she had to say about it:

Gauge is important to make the leaves pop out properly. I am actually making another Sprout now for friend and I am going down a needle size due to my loose gauge to help make the leaves pop more. So you may want to consider doing a gauge swatch.

Decide how much yarn you will need. It is easy to modify this pattern and make it bigger; this will require more yarn. The chart at the top is larger than the beginning and center charts so take that in to account for yarn quantity also.

A friend of mine also made this (RavID: Lightning) and noted some errata so adjust your pattern accordingly. The notes on her project were very helpful!

Look through others’ project pages to see what yarn was used to help you decide what to use. I really like the look of the Spud & Chloe yarn. It has the structure to make the leaves stand out. I also recommend a solid color over instead of variegation for the same reason.

I wrote out the charts as I was having trouble reading it while knitting.

Use stitch markers between each chart and to remind you to do 9 stitches of garter on each end of the blanket.

This is a really nice pattern that isn’t boring to knit but also isn’t terribly complicated, and the result is absolutely beautiful!

Thanks for sharing, Jill! Photo is used with her permission.

Want to buy supplies for something you read about here? Call us! 612-259-7525.

Want to share your story? Email me at jessie at stevenbe dot com.

For Your Review: Stick Shuttles

When you buy a loom, it usually comes with a stick shuttle or two. These are basically what they sound like - stick-like things you use to shuttle weft yarn from one side of the loom to the other. Serious weavers will sometimes discount these cool little tools and prefer to use “boat” shuttles. I love boat shuttles, but sometimes only a stick shuttle will do.

Thicker yarns (as in, worsted weight and thicker) and art yarns, for example, sometimes work better for me on a stick shuttle. I started liking stick shuttles a lot more after I learned how to wind yarn onto them in a figure 8 pattern. It makes the shuttle much more flat and easy to use. You can also get a lot more yarn on your shuttle, so you don’t have to stop and wind yarn as often. As always, just have fun! The tools are just there to help you.

Show and Tell: Ballband Dishcloth

Amanda (blackcat95 on Ravelry) made a classic ballband dishcloth (it's a free pattern!) out of 2 skeins of Cascade Yarns Ultra Pima.

This is what she had to say about it:

Don’t be afraid of clashing colors! I think this pattern really shows up any colors really well, and it’s super fun to knit, so if you love two colors but aren’t sure they go together, I’m pretty sure the pattern will make up for anything.

Thanks for sharing, Amanda! Photo is used with her permission.

Want to buy supplies for something you read about here? Call us! 612-259-7525.

Want to share your story? Email me at jessie at stevenbe dot com.

For Your Review: Why Use A Stand for Your Loom?

Not every weaver works on a stand. Many prefer tables. If a loom is small enough, it can even rest in your lap. I talked with one weaving teacher who said she uses a TV tray to hold hers.

I decided to go ahead and get a stand. The tiny loom I borrowed from my friend did fit in my lap, and that was nice, but the cats sometimes knocked it off. It was uncomfortable to have to hold my legs still while weaving. Also, sometimes it’s hard to pack in the yarn onto a loom that’s in your lap. (You don’t always have to do this, but when you need to, it’s nice to have a little leverage.)

I am so happy that I got the stand. Schacht stands are really stable and I’ve never heard of one breaking down. It was really easy to put together, too. But, be careful - they include hardware for a bunch of different looms with the stand. It might be helpful to measure each of the bolts before you begin, so you don’t do what I did and use the short bolts where you should have had long ones!

Show and Tell: Dangly Orange

Gail (roadrunnerknitter on Ravelry) made a Dangly Orange out of 2 skeins of Shibui Knits Linen.

This is what she had to say about it:

I think it is a versatile pattern, lending itself to many types of yarn: wool, linen, silk, cotton. I do think it looks better with a larger needle and a yarn weight that can create an open look. That’s what makes it look so lacy and floaty. The pattern does cause the yarn to curl a bit at one end, but I think that adds to the appearance. I and others added beads, and I think it would just fine without any. It’s a very wide shawl relative to its depth, and someone could change the look by doing increases also on the WS, something I might try if I knit it again. They could also just add more stockinette and eyelet rows for more depth.

Thanks for sharing, Gail! Photo is used with her permission.

Want to buy supplies for something you read about here? Call us! 612-259-7525.

Want to share your story? Email me at jessie at stevenbe dot com.

For Your Review: Weaving for Fun and Stashbusting!

I got bit by the weaving bug, hard, just a few weeks ago. A friend of mine loaned me a little rigid heddle loom to try and I was hooked when I finished my first project - two hours later.

Let that sink in. My FIRST project, which was a not-tiny scarf, only took me two hours to weave. Start to finish.

Weaving is a great way to explore color combinations, use up bits of stash yarns, and finally have something to do with that handspun yarn you loved to spin but never “told” you what you should knit with it. It’s fun to weave it, instead!

So, I started researching looms.

I picked a 25-inch Schacht Flip. It’s big enough that I can weave an afghan in just two panels (or a really big one in three), I can add a second heddle later to do double-weave, and it still folds up so that it’s not super-huge and totally taking over the living room all of the time. All from a company I already really love because of my Ladybug wheel. Perfection!

If you’re choosing a loom and can’t decide what you need, this video from Paradise Fibers might help you. It really covers a lot of the factors you should think about.

So, there are a bunch of new words to learn and almost as much new stuff to get! But, it uses up stash yarn!

Show and Tell: Presto Chango

Pat (pattybknitting on Ravelry) made a Presto Chango! out of 2 skeins of Spud & Chloë Sweater.

This is what she had to say about it:

This is quick and easy…Knitting the placket is engaging and choosing the buttons was fun. The yarn is soft and practical for a baby garment…and it’s darling isn’t it?!

Thanks for sharing, Pat! Photo is used with her permission.

Want to buy supplies for something you read about here? Call us! 612-259-7525.

Want to share your story? Email me at jessie at stevenbe dot com.

Show and Tell: A Summer Scarf

Dagmar (Daggi13 on Ravelry) made a scarf she called "Nori" out of 1 skein of Rowan Fine Art.

This is what she had to say about it:
The pattern is from knitty, but I just knitted a little scarf. Increased stitches up to a width of about 18 cm , went on without increasing, and then I decreased the stitches.

And the yarn, Rowan Fine Art is fantastic!

Thanks for sharing, Dagmar! Photo is used with her permission.

Want to buy something you read about here? Call us! 612-259-7525.

Want to share your story? Email me at jessie at stevenbe dot com.

Show and Tell: Queen for A Day!

Amy Shelton, the Co-owner and Online Manager of Crochetville, wrote to share a story about her Queen for a Day pattern and our very own Steven.

I first met Steven when he had a booth at the Knit & Crochet Show in Minneapolis in 2011. Although I had a very busy conference schedule, I managed to carve out time to visit the uber-fabulous StevenBe store in Minneapolis, not to mention spending a lot of time in his booth on the show floor. I love sparkle and glitter just about as much as Steven does, so I thought I'd died and gone to heaven! I was thrilled to learn Steven had a booth at the Knit & Crochet Show in Indianapolis last week.

Because you can never have too much sparkle, I designed some crowns to wear in the booth to grab the attention of show attendees. The crowns make people smile, and many stop to talk with me about them. Since I'm selling Red Heart yarn in my booth, we were wearing the crowns made from their brand of cotton thread (the silver one is also heavily beaded). My good friend, crochet designer Tammy Hildebrand, and I wore the crowns in the booth and when walking around the show floor.

Every time Steven saw us, he mentioned the crowns and how much he needed to have one of his own. Well, I just happened to have a couple extra crowns up in my room: the first one I designed using Filatura di Crosa's New Smoking yarn. What was a sparkle-loving girl to do? Obviously, I had to run up to the room, grab a Queen for the Day crown, and present it to Steven as a gift!

He gave me the biggest hug, put it right on his head, and told me he was going to wear it when he emceed The Knitting Guild Association's Fun Night that evening. Saturday morning, he told me he actually had worn the crown that night.

Steven mentioned starting a Crown Club for all his wonderful Diva customers who deserve a crown of their very own. What a fabulous idea!

The Queen for a Day pattern is available in these locations:

Crochetville:
http://www.crochetville.com/community/files/file/7-queen-for-a-day-crown/

Ravelry:
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/queen-for-a-day-crown

Thanks, Amy! It looks fabulous.

Show and Tell: Cap Sleeve Lattice Top

Jodi (JodiTheGrandma) knit a Cap Sleeve Lattice Top out of 1 skein each of Schoppel-Wolle Leinen Los and madelinetosh tosh merino light.

This is what she had to say about it.

I decided to do mine in the round at a gauge of about 5.5 sts/in. Since I wear a small, I altered it down to 176sts (I knit it in the round), which left me with 88sts for the front and 88sts for the back (which happened to be multiples of 3+1 for the ‘lattice’ portion). I knit to 14” for the body of the piece because it was more flattering for my body at that length. A simple Kitchener stitch hid the seaming on the back pretty well… in fact, I can wear it either way because they look about the same!

It was nice to work on something totally basic since I’ve been doing a lot of car/movie/social-time knitting and need to not always be looking :)

Thanks, Jodi! It looks so nice for summer heat. Photo is used with her permission.

Want to buy supplies for something you read about here? Call us! 612-259-7525.

Want to share your story? Email me at jessie at stevenbe dot com

Show and Tell: Crochet with Two Kinds of Rowan Yarns

Tina (TinaSanders on Ravelry) crocheted a Spring Petals Scarf using 1 skein of Rowan Fine Art and 1 skein of Rowan Kidsilk Haze.

This is what she had to say about it:
This pattern was perfect to show off the beauty of both yarns and sometimes the most simple designs yields fantastic results. For those who are new to crochet, this is a great beginner project that only requires one skein of yarn. I’ve also come to realize that sock yarn is not only for socks and can be perfect for many projects, both for knit and crochet.

Thanks for sharing, Tina! Photo is used with her permission.

Want to buy something you read about here? Call us! 612-259-7525.

Want to share your story? Email me at jessie at stevenbe dot com.

Show and Tell: A Tee from Sock Yarn

Dayana (who is also dayana on Ravelry) made a lovely Rowan Fine Art Tee using less than one skein each of Cascade Yarns Heritage Solids & Quatro Colors and Rowan Fine Art. She blogged about it (and a trip to New Orleans) here.

This is what she had to say about it:
This can be a great stash-buster project for partial skeins or even skein scraps. Choose the first stripe to be the yarn you have less of. You can follow the stripe pattern, as is, until it is gone and then finish with all contrast color. Or, feel free to play with the stripes to really maximize the use of your skein over the whole body length. If you are nerdy like me, I’m sure you could weigh the tee at the midpoint (7/7), and figure out how many stripes you can do!

Thanks for sharing, Dayana! Photo is used with her permission.

Want to buy something you read about here? Call us! 612-259-7525.

Want to share your story? Email me at jessie at stevenbe dot com.

For Your Review: Merino/Tussah Silk to Spin

From Ashland Bay's website:

"The 70/30 Merino/Tussah Silk dyed fiber blend is a perfect ratio of wool to silk for a spinner’s first introduction to spinning with silk. The blend is also great for felting. We offer over a dozen bright and vibrant colors of our Merino Silk dyed fiber blend, including seasonally inspired color ways."

All I can say is, AMEN! I decided to treat myself for the Tour de Fleece, and, man, is this a treat.

This top is so beautiful, and spins so well, I almost can't believe it. I tried over-the-fold, at first, because I heard that was a good way to control silk, but it didn't really work. So, just a simple, relaxed, worsted-spun yarn was born. Plied into a two-ply, it is drapey, smooth, and beautiful. 

If you want to spin silk, or even a silk blend, go for it! Just, maybe, get a manicure first. Every snag or rough spot on your hands will catch at the silk, and it's rather annoying.

Are you doing anything special for the Tour de Fleece? I know I'm going to be spinning the rest of this. Come grab some spinning fiber at the shop before I use it all up!

Show and Tell: Another Easy Shrug

Jenn Weidner of J. Rae Fashion made another shrug piece to show off!

This is the same principal as at last shrug I sent you. It's a big rectangle folded in half and seamed.

This one is 107 stitches as a circumference and the brown one was only 50. This piece has more drape!

I love the rider thread of bead and stone pieces. It's an unexpected texture that starts conversations!

Want to buy something you read about here? Call us! 612-259-7525.

Thanks for sharing, Jenn!

Want to share your story? Email me at jessie at stevenbe dot com.

Show and Tell: Cashmere Cozy

Warmer weather is finally here, but if you want something cuddly (but not too big) to knit and prepare for next winter, this week's show and tell might be just the ticket.

EnchantingJuno on Ravelry made a Rachael's ISBN Cabled Hot Water Bottle Cozy out of two skeins of Jade Sapphire Mongolian Cashmere 8-ply.

This is what she had to say about it:

Choose something you really really love. - make sure its a heavier worsted-to-chunky rather than a lighter one - I find with hot water bottle covers that you want to knit them tight and dense, otherwise it might not insulate the bottle against your skin very well.


I love this thing because it’s such a ridiculous luxury - but because it’s only 200 yards you really can use something special.

Thanks for sharing, Juno!

Want to buy something you read about here? Call us! 612-259-7525.

Want to share your story? Email me at jessie at stevenbe dot com.

Show and Tell: Easy Shrug

Jenn Weidner of J. Rae Fashion made this cute shrug piece out of handspun yarn. www.JRaeFashion.com

This shrug is an easy project that beginners can make in a weekend!

The piece is a knit rectangle with simple seaming that creates big sleeves perfect for layering over a cute tank, cotton shirts, or thin sweaters!

I used the following yarns:
Moda•Dea - Curious (Ivory-9116) and Aerie (9116)
Berroco - Bonsai (4103)
Knit One Crochet Too - Ruby (892)
Size 13 Circular Needles to accommodate the number of stitches (this piece is knit back and forth, not in the round)

Approx Width 44", Length 24"

Cast on 84 stitches (88 for a large/XL).

Work St Stitch for 10 inches and place marker. It is a good idea to place a marker on both sides.

Continue to work until piece is 30 inches (36 for L/XL). Again place marker on both sides.

Work another 10 inches and bind off.

To finish, fold piece in half (lengthwise), match up markers. Sew the side seams from the edge to the markers. This will leave an opening in the center creating a shrug.

Have fun using unique yarns! Also, the sleeves are easily lengthened by knitting 12, 14, or even 18 inch sleeves.

Thanks for sharing, Jenn!

Want to buy yarn for your own unique creation? Call us! 612-259-7525.

Want to share your story? Email me at jessie at stevenbe dot com.

KnitCrate Waitlist

Curated KnitCrates only come once a month…or do they?  Meet our new limited edition boxes that we’ll offer from time-to-time – KnitCrate Limited Edition – filled with designer curated products!  We’re kicking things off with the special KnitCrate Limited Edition: StevenBe Box with a NEW pattern that is exclusive to KnitCrate.  This box goes beyond knitting because it’s filled with not only a new exclusive pattern and luxurious yarn for your needles, but also little luxuries for yourself and your home.  Go on, treat yourself or a knitter you love...

StevenBe Box

The Steven Be Box is pure inspiration from South Africa: Nadine, Owner of Be Sweet yarns, and Steven Berg, designer and owner of StevenBe, have returned from their magical fiber safari and brought back their inspirations for you.  Inspired by the color and texture of South Africa and its unique fiber art, Steven has designed a KnitCrate exclusive whimsical bamboo and mohair Ponchellini pattern.

Also included in the Steven Be Box are Steven’s signature Lavishea scent along with his personally blended glitter diva tea for a truly calming knitting escape.  To sweeten the box, Nadine and Steven also are including a bit of their South African journey with a hand carved camphorwood heart from direct trade with artisans near Cape Town, South Africa.  Experience the true love of fiber, knitting and lifestyle created by Nadine and Steven and delivered directly to you by KnitCrate.  This box is packed with amazing items sure to help you live Steven’s motto to the fullest: “Knit happy, glitter it up!!”.

Choose Your Colorway Theme

The five balls of included Be Sweet yarn, which are made in South Africa, will be in colorway combinations hand selected by Steven himself in two unique collections to compliment the new exclusive Ponchellini pattern.  Each collection will have a further colorway theme choice for you to select:

1. The Eastern Cape Coastal Collection will have a “Deep Sea” and “Shades of Lagoon” colorway theme options

2. The Fiery Karoo Collection will have an “Intense Solar” and “Soft Sunset” colorway theme options

This allows you to choose one of the four unique looks to express yourself with this lovely new design!

Finally, everyone LOVES our red mailers but for this special occasion Steven selected a new glamour mailer color to distinguish the exclusive nature of this very special offering – you won’t be able to miss these packages!  We’ll be posting additional Steven Be Box sneak peek pics soon so stay tuned…

Waitlist

This designer curated KnitCrate exclusive limited edition box will be offered on a first-come-first-served basis for a VERY limited time.  Joining our waitlist before we reach our limit GUARANTEES a spot to order the limited edition Steven Be Box. . . the waitlist closes soon so sign up below today.  We’ll email you when we start taking orders near the end of June with the boxes shipping end of July 2013.  These limited edition boxes will NOT be sold after we close orders.

Hop over to KnitCrate.com/stevenbe, to sign up!

Show and Tell: Lotus Mimi Cowl

Brigitte Elliott (BZKnitter on Ravelry) knit a cowl for a friend using one skein of Lotus Mimi.

This is what she had to say about it:

The yarn is like knitting a cloud--soft and oh, so light. It’s so hard not to say, “Feel this!” without sounding like a broken record (or a pervert). LOL!

The cowl is a fast knit in which one is able to knit “mindlessly.”

With a size 8 needle, cast on 210 stitches and work the cowl in the round. The first few rows and last few rows were done in stockinette stitch to allow both ends to roll on themselves.

Between sections of stockinette stitch, a modified seed stitch was used, K1, P2. Knitting K1, P2 in juxtaposition by moving the three-stitch cluster over by one stitch on a following round creates a “step” movement in the patterning. In this design as in others which are seen from both sides of the fabric, it is always nice to show both purl and knit stitches.

The cowl can be worn full length which will extend to the waist (depending on the person’s torso). Doubled, the cowl gently encircles the neckline to add a little warmth and softness. It’s just way too “yummy!”

Want to buy something you read about here? Call us! 612-259-7525.

Thanks for sharing, Brigitte! Photos are used with her permission.

Want to share your story? Email me at jessie at stevenbe dot com.

Fixing Overfelting? Yes, It's Possible!

Our very own Joanna recently posted a new discovery to her blog - how to possibly recover an overfelted item! It won't "unfelt" an item, but it will relax it some so it may still be salvageable, as it was in her case.

Read all about it here:

www.favoritethingsyarnandmore.com

Thanks for sharing, Joanna!

(P.S. - You can bask in Joanna's awesomeness, in person, when she teaches in the shop. Stop by and ask about her next class.)

Show and Tell: Newborn Photo Prop

Jenn Weidner of J. Rae Fashion made this cute newborn piece out of handspun yarn for a friend.

This piece is a wonderful gift for new moms and makes a beautiful prop for pictures!

It is important to use yarns of the same weight in this Snuggie!

Each piece is knit individually and then sewn together.

It is important to swatch to make sure your piece will be the correct size.

A general pattern for this piece would look like this:

Using a medium weight yarn and size 10 1/2 circular needles to accommodate the large number of stitches.

Front Piece:
Cast on 52 stitches. Work St Stitch until piece measures 16 inches.
Work double rib for 4 inches.

(I created button holes and a 2x2 rib pattern that measured 11" x 2 1/2" along the right side of the piece)

Bind off.

Back Piece:
Cast on 64 stitches and work St stitch until piece measures 25" bind off.

Hood:
Cast on 64 stitches. Work 2x2 rib pattern for 3"
Work St stitch for 8" and bind off.

Sew pieces together.
I sewed curved edges and trimmed excess yarn from inside corners.

Please note that I used many different yarns and that your swatch will yield individual results. Count your stitches and make a decision on the dimensions you would like your piece to measure. The above directions are only a guideline.

Thanks for sharing, Jenn!

Want to buy yarn for your own unique creation? Call us! 612-259-7525.

Want to share your story? Email me at jessie at stevenbe dot com.

Show and Tell: Like Buttah!

Julie (passioknits on Rav) knit a Cinnamon Toast shawl out of 3 skeins of Lotus Mimi (held double). She called it "Like Buttah!" on Ravelry, if you're looking for it.

This is what she had to say about it:

I LOVED this pattern, but I love doesn’t even begin to measure how much I adore this yarn! It is exquisite! I knew when I felt it that I wanted it to be something I would wear as close to my skin as possible, and that I would probably double it to get more cush out of it. I’m glad I did, because it is the softest thing I’ve ever felt! And ultra warm and cozy!

The pattern was a nice change from all the lace I usually do. I definitely recommend putting a marker on the public side so that you always know what you’re doing, because it quickly gets hard to tell which side is which. I love the simple beauty of the pattern and enjoyed making the triangles and diamonds appear with just some knit and purl stitches. It has a nice thickness and beautiful drape, and the ruffly bottom is so lovely and feminine! I will probably make another one (or more) of these, and I highly recommend both the pattern and the yarn.

Photo is from Julie's Ravelry page, and is used with her permission.

Want to share your story? Email me at jessie at stevenbe dot com.

Want to buy something you read about here? Call us! 612-259-7525.

Show and Tell: Just Enough Ruffles

Mindyo1 on Ravelry made a lovely Just Enough Ruffles with 4 skeins of Jade Sapphire Mongolian Cashmere 8-ply.

She sent us this note about it:

I knit it up for my shop, and also wear it as one of my favorite winter pieces to keep me warm and cozy. Nothing’s better than cashmere!

Thanks, Mindy! It looks wonderful.

Photo is from Mindy's Ravelry page, and is used with her permission.

Want to share your story? Email me at jessie at stevenbe dot com.

Want to buy something you read about here? Call us! 612-259-7525.

Show and Tell: Cashmere Bandana Cowl

Karen (kbnature on Ravelry) knit a Cashmere Bandana Cowl (designed by The Purl Bee) from two skeins of Jade Sapphire Mongolian Cashmere 8-ply. 

This is what she had to say about it.

I think the short row tutorial that they’ve got on their website is particularly well done and helpful when making this pattern, unless a knitter is completely conversant working short rows….

You can find out a lot more about Karen on her blog. 

Want to buy something you read about here? Call us! 612-259-7525.

Thanks for sharing, Karen!

Want to share your story? Email me at jessie at stevenbe dot com.

Show and Tell: Lacy Mink Cardi

Shaye (ShayeDKnits on Ravelry) made a Lacy Mink Cardi using 3 skeins of Lotus Mimi.

This is what she had to say about it.

I really loved working with the mink yarn. It has a soft hand and a beautiful sheen. The lacy pattern shows up beautifully in the mink. I enjoyed the pattern a lot too and will be adapting portions of it to offer a workshop at my LYS. In this feather and fan pattern, you add beads to your knitting as you work and complete a gorgeous lacy border which adds a special elegance to the garment.

My shop is called Fun with Fiber, and is located in Farmington Hills, Michigan.

Want to buy something you read about here? Call us! 612-259-7525.

Thanks for sharing, Shaye!

Want to share your story? Email me at jessie at stevenbe dot com.

Show and Tell: Rescued Mink Tres Laces Cowl

Anne (mamaduke2 on Ravelry) made a Rescued Mink Tres LacesCowl using Lotus Mimi. 

This is what she had to say about it.

When I first finished the cowl, my cast on was not loose enough, so it was unbalanced, unfortunately. It would not hang properly then. I started unraveling, intending to start over, when I learned of a way to potentially fix the cast on by inserting needles into an early row, then cut yarn above it (yes, I said CUT), and then knit a couple of rows and do lose cast off.

So I did pick up stitches from unravelled edge, but one or two picked up a row below, so there were a few vulnerable stitches on safety pins. Then I needed to figure out where in the pattern that edge is and complete before tackling the other end.

I picked up all my stitches, and fixed it! 

The pattern is lovely and the designer is very responsive to questions.

Though the directions say to use one pillow, I used two to fill up space.

I LOVE MY MINK!

The one thing I’d do differently, knowing that the yarn was actually lace weight rather than fingering, would be to use a smaller needle, just one size, as I do need to “fluff” the cowl periodically during the day. Also, the larger needle yielded a cowl that is too long to wear untwisted. Though it does look nice twisted, I love the drape of the finger weight version that isn’t as long, and it could also be twisted.

Want to buy something you read about here? Call us! 612-259-7525.

Thanks for sharing, Anne!

Want to share your story? Email me at jessie at stevenbe dot com.

Fiber Fest Love Reaches Boston

Our wonderful manager Missy is in Boston today, attending her daughter's graduation (congratulations, Kathryn!). She was enjoying coffee and breakfast in a cafe this morning and casting on a sweater when a woman at the table next to her leaned over and told Missy that her family would be interested in what she was working on.

They got to talking about knitting and the StevenBe Creative Community Foundation came up. She and her brother were very interested in the therapeutic knitting that the foundation is sponsoring. Missy told her about the foundation's plans to work with a major Minneapolis hospital this summer, specifically with adolescent in-patient girls with eating disorders. At that point, the woman and her brother were overcome with emotion and told Missy about why they were there.

Her two nieces, the daughters of the brother there with her, are at Tufts Medical Center, just across the street from Missy's hotel. They were waiting to celebrate with their mom at the finish line of the Boston Marathon when the bombs went off. One niece lost a leg and her younger sister is battling to keep both of hers. They have had regular 12 hour surgeries for the last two weeks.

Their father called the family knitters who were taking turns sitting bedside with the girls, keeping them company. Missy told them about Fiber Fest and all of our celebrity teachers who were spending time with us this weekend. As it turns out, they are big fans of Stephen West and when she mentioned the Yarn Harlot, they were positively gleeful.

Today, Stephen West picked out one of his patterns and a skein of Madelinetosh for our Boston knitting aunts and Stephanie Pearl-McPhee signed one of her books for them. While they're standing vigil for their nieces, we want them to have something special to work on. Our hearts go out to everyone in Boston and the knitters who love them.

Fiber Fest 2013: Select Classes Still Available!

There's still time to grab a seat and take in some knowledge from your favorite knitting celebrities! There are still a few spots left in select classes! Register through the links here or come in to StevenBe or Yarn Garage and we'll help you get signed up and pick out your class materials at the same time.

The best way to start your Fiber Fest experience is with Steven at the Pillsbury House Theater tomorrow night for our Kick-Off Party! Steven will be interviewing our fabulous teachers in the style of Joan Rivers-meets-Oprah-meets-Wendy Williams (or as we usually just call it, "StevenBe-style").

Ragga & Stephen West--a package deal!

4/25 @ StevenBe: Icelandic Chevron Mittens from 10am-1pm
The Icelandic Textile Museum has a few very interesting pieces of mittens and socks knit in beautiful chevron patterns. Most of these pieces are older than the lace shawls that also show many variations of chevron and feather and fan patterns. Learn how to create your own Icelandic Chevron Mittens with the expert!

4/25 @ StevenBe: Ragga & Stephen West Exclusive Preview Trunk Show from 2pm-5pm

In this two hour program Ragga and Stephen share their experience of working as a design team on their collection, to be released in fall 2013. Samples will be shown and photographs and videos from photo shoots shared. The book is due to be released in October 2013 as a part of the Iceland Airwaves music festival.

4/26 @ Yarn Garage: Mixology with Ragga & Stephen West from 10am-1pm

In this class it's all about mixing, matching and juxtaposing different yarns, shapes, techniques, colors and textures. We'll break down the walls between knit and crochet and disregard all boundaries between bulky and fine. Participants will find new confidence in planning projects and taking control over their stash.

4/29 @ StevenBe: Ragga & Stephen West Present Party Tricks for Knitters from 10am-1pm

In this class we cover various tricks that will come in handy in a wide variety of projects. We will cover 4 different types of casting on, 4 different types of casting off, various uses for i-cords and different techniques of making buttonholes. We’ll discuss how you can take control of your knitting and make smart decisions that will refine your knitted pieces and make you the master of your knitting!

Mary Scott Huff!

 4/26 @ StevenBe: Two Strings = Not Scary from 10am-1pm

In this introduction to stranded colorwork, we will learn the basic moves for handling two strands at the same time, and what is special about the construction of stranded colorwork.  We will practice stranding by swatching in class, then begin this stranded colorwork hat pattern.  No stranded knitting experience is necessary and we promise--it's not as scary as it seems!

Julie Weisenberger of Coco Knits!

 4/26 @ StevenBe: Pick Your Girl from 10am-1pm

This is your chance to have your own "Cocoknit-along" where everyone chooses a Cocoknits pattern to fit her own personal style and shape and choosing the right yarn for the project is a guided experience. What a perfect opportunity to make something to suit you and work with the designer!

4/26 @ StevenBe: Coco Knits, Habu, & Claudia Handpaints Trunk Show from 2pm-5pm
FILLED!
Learn how to read Japanese patterns from expert Takako Uekei, owner of Habu Textiles. This class will give you the keys to decipher a Japanese pattern and the confidence to knit one of Habu's beautiful garment kits! Experience fabulous fibers coming together in Julie's amazing designs!

4/28 @ Yarn Garage: Seamless Sweater Construction and Japanese Pattern Reading from 10am-2pm
Do you hate seaming sweaters? This class will teach you how to transform a seamed sweater pattern into a seamless pattern. We will use the Gisela pattern from cocoknits and go through the pattern in class to transform it into seamless construction featuring set-in sleeves and English Tailored shoulders. Also includes Takako's Japanese pattern reading workshop!  

Melissa Leapman!
 
4/26 @ StevenBe: Two Color Double Knitting from 2pm-5pm FILLED!
With this fascinating knitting technique, both sides of the knitting appear to be stockinette stitch. In just a few fun hours, learn how to knit—and even design!—these beautiful reversible fabrics. 

4/28 @ StevenBe: Flatter Yourself from 10am-1pm
In this fun hands-on workshop, learn how designers use fully fashioned shaping to create flattering sweaters. No matter your shape, use your knitting prowess to create knockout pieces that fit and flatter.

Franklin Habit!

4/28 @ StevenBe: History and Methods of Lace Knitting from 10am-1pm FILLED!
In this three-hour session, we’ll examine the fundamental principles and techniques of knitting's grandest tradition. Students will learn about the history of lace knitting, and the development of the art in three parts of the world (Russia, Estonia, and the Shetland Islands) in which the craft was developed to the highest level of artistry. We will not only discuss, but practice and play with some of the methods and motifs that distinguish each of these traditions. 

Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, the Yarn Harlot!

  4/28 @ Pillsbury House Theater: Exclusive New Lecture by the Yarn Harlot from 6pm-8pm
Even if you were lucky enough to see Stephanie in October when she was last here with us, you'll be in for a treat on Sunday night. She has created a brand new lecture just for StevenBe and you get to be the first to hear it! Also, the last hour will be our fabulous wrap-up party, another not-to-be missed opportunity to see Steven interact with Stephanie and our other teachers.