July 2014 Newsletter

Projects of the Month... Warble Cowl

Warble is simply an elegant beauty.  The pattern, by Bonnie Sennott, combines seed stitch, cables and lace and is a nice knit for an advanced beginner or intermediate knitter.  For those of you who participated in our Building Blocks class, this is a perfect opportunity to use those skills again.  Jana knit our shop sample using Sweet Georgia Superwash DK but you can select any Sport or DK weight yarn or if you would like a larger cowl, you can also use any worsted weight yarn.  So the choice is all yours!  If you need a bit of help to get your Warble Cowl started, Jana will be teaching a class on Saturday, July 19th from 1:00pm to 3:00pm.  (See below for details.)

Projects of the Month... Hudson Cowl

Do you want to add lovely light weight cowl to your summer and early fall wardrobe? Or perhaps you cannot wear wool?  Hudson is just the cowl for you. This striking two-color cowl is knit with Kestrel, Quince and Co.'s heavy worsted linen.  The pattern combines stockinette stitch with a two-color rice stitch to create the classic tweed look.  Give the it a bath and a quick block when complete and you will have a soft cowl that will drape beautifully to wear through the season.

July Lesson... How Should I Start My Warble Cowl?

Do you want to knit the project of the month but are a bit unsure of how to get started?  Jana can help you with that!  Join her on Saturday, July19th from 1:00pm to 3:00pm to cast on.  You will begin with a provisional cast on, review how to read a pattern from a chart, and review cable and lace knitting.  You will have time in the class to knit a few repeats of the pattern, so you will be well on your way at the end of the class!  (Please note, you should know how to knit a basic cable to attend this class.)  

July Lesson... Lets Learn About Gauge

Do the patterns you knit fit as they should?  Does the fabric feel how you like?  Gauge is an incredibly important part of a successful project as it affects not only fit, but also how your knitwear looks and feels.  In this class we will talk about how to create, block and measure a good gauge swatch. Learn how different needle sizes can change your finished fabric.  We will also look at how stitch patterns can alter your gauge and how different fiber characteristics will affect your knitting.  Join us for 90 minutes on July 26th, from 1:00pm to 2:30pm and become a gauge expert!

Quick Tips for July

Don't miss any of our quick tips to improve your knitting knowledge.  Come in any time between 3:00pm and 4:00pm on Wednesdays or 11:00am to 12:00pm on Saturdays to get a free 10- to 15-minute demonstration on a knitting technique.  This month's tips are:

Week 1 - Provisional cast-on (both of our projects of the month use this cast on!)
Week 2 - Rice stitch (as used in the Hudson Cowl)
Week 3 - Linen stitch (some have asked for a demonstration after seeing Ann's blanket)
Week 4 - How to weave in ends
Week 5 - Russian Join

When you come in do not forget to pick up you Quick Tip Rewards Card!  For each Quick Tip Session you attend, you will receive one hole punch on your card.  Once you have reached ten, turn it in and receive a free Monarch Knitting class of your choice.  

Madelinetosh Discontinues Toshlace

Calling all of you lace weight lovers!  Madelinetosh has decided to discontinue Toshlace... such a bummer!  We have a few hanks of this lovely yarn left in stock so come on in to stash some away for a rainy day.  Don't miss out on these 950 yards of gorgeous color!

Mark your Calendars

Shibui Mix Party

We love our Shibui yarns!  Shibui is a beautiful collection of soft, rich, luxurious and inspiring fibers.  Marge Okuley (aka Ann Norling), our representative from Shibui, will be at Monarch Knitting on Saturday, September 27th from 10:00am to 12:00pm to take us on a tour through the endless possibilities created by mixing Shibui yarns.  Knit single stranded, they are a dream, but mix the fibers, and they sing.  Mix two or three strands and you have a yarn line that will be your go to each time you look to start a project.  They are also perfect yarns with which to create your CustomFit sweater!  We will also have a Shibui trunk show at the store, so you can see the latest patterns from the line.  If you have knit something from the Shibui line, bring it in... we love seeing what everyone has created!  We will have coffee and treats to munch on, door prizes from Shibui and other special surprises.  Please call the store or email us to sign up for the Mix Party as space is limited.  Cost is $10.00.

Custom Order Day at Monarch

In August (watch our calendar for the date) Monarch Knitting will be hosting a "Custom Order Day."  Come by the store to see what we see when we order from our vendors... sample yarn, color swatches, and garments from Sweet Georgia, Jade Sapphire and Zealana.  You can then order ANY base (weight) and ANY color your heart desires by the bag.  This is a perfect opportunity to get just what you want for Christmas knitting or that perfect sweater (CustomFit anyone?).  You can also come in with a friend and split an order!

Show Off Saturday
What did you knit or crochet over the Summer?  We see the yarn wound and ready to be worked with when you leave the store, but far too often do not get to see the finished projects.  Join us for coffee and treats on Saturday, September 6th from 10:30am to noon to show off what you knit or crocheted.  Just drop by and show us your favorite projects.

Facebook and Monarch Knitting's Blog

Don't forget to like us on Facebook to get the latest news and inspiration from Monarch Knitting!  We post a lot of reminders and last minute news each day.  Check out our blog to read a bit more about the store and what we are working on.  We are going to start a "What Do You Carry in Your Notions Bag?" series next week! (http://monarchknitting.blogspot.com)