We ♥ Lopi! Iðunn Knit-Along is a Wooltastic Success!

Lopis are taking over the streets of Denver! Next time you go out you might be confused about whether you are in Reykjavik or the Rocky Mountains, thanks to the smashing success of our Lopi-alongers. 

Just a few of the new Lopis in town

We knit the Iðunn Cardigan by Ragga Eiríksdóttir, a two color yoked, steeked cardigan and a free pattern download from from Knitty. It was the perfect intro to colorwork, and a great intro to steeking as well!

We've found that Lopi wool is as perfect for Denver weather as it is for Iceland. The lofty yarn insulates as well as breathes, keeping you warm without stifling. The dual coated wool sheds water--snowmelt just beads up on the surface. Lopi, you are pretty cool. We thought some of our KAL'ers would eschew Lopi in favor of a softer yarn, but everyone was super hardcore and made true Icedlandic sweaters!

Now, meet some of the knitters who fell head over heels for this wooly Icelandic sweater!

Allison

Colors: Black Sheep Heather + Ash Heather
My favorite thing about the KAL was...picking colors and seeing what everyone else picked.
My favorite thing about my new sweater is...how warm it is and the fun ribbon on the inside.

Alsn

Colors: Stone Blue Heather + Ash Heather
My favorite thing about the KAL was...the help from the community of awesome knitters
My favorite thing about my new sweater is...it's finished!

Amber

Colors: Golden Heather + Bottle Green Heather
My favorite thing about the KAL was...seeing everyone's progress together. Also, it was fun to see how the color combinations each person chose knit up.
My favorite thing about my new sweater is...wearing it almost every day! I love it so much! Oh, also steeking for the first time was exciting!

Anna

Colors: Hazel Heather + Glacier Blue Heather
My favorite thing about the KAL was...starting it late, so I could be inspired by all the lovely sweaters that were being finished.
My favorite thing about my new sweater is...the color combination is ridiculous!

Betsy

Colors: Barley + Hazel Heather + Lapis Blue
My favorite thing about the KAL was...Loved watching the different color combos develop, and how that alone can change the "flavor"
My favorite thing about my new sweater is...I'm just so damned proud I made a sweater and it fits great!

Caitlin + Mathew

Caitlin Colors: Ash Heather + Pink Heather
Mathew Colors: Hazel Heather +  Stone Blue Heather + Celery Green Heather
My favorite thing about the KAL was...Brainstorming with fellow KAL-ers and seeing how AWESOME everyone's turned out
Caitlin: My favorite thing about my new sweater is...It is made for ME by ME!! Just the right length everywhere!! I want more!!
Mathew: My favorite thing about my new sweater is...That my fantastic, super-sexy, radical wife made it for me!

Candice

Colors: Sun Yellow + Straw
My favorite thing about the KAL was...working on the pattern.
My favorite thing about my new sweater is...It's done!...and warm!

Caroline

Colors: Celery Green Heather + Straw
My favorite thing about the KAL was...this was my first KAL - it was fun feeling like I was connected with Craft Night even when I wasn't able to make it to town due to the weather.
My favorite thing about my new sweater is...I love how fast and easily it has knit up!

Chase

Colors: Garnet Heather + Light Red Heather
My favorite thing about the KAL was...Being part of a super fun group of people - making cool stuff.
My favorite thing about my new sweater is...there is an established club I can now join.

Jaime

Colors: Bottle Green Heather + Light Grey Heather
My favorite thing about the KAL was...hanging out with everyone at Craft Night and knitting the same thing. I love comparing notes and asking/answering questions!
My favorite thing about my new sweater is...lopi + cardigan = ♥

Jess

Colors: Acorn Heather + Bottle Green Heather
My favorite thing about the KAL was...even though I was living in California, I could still be part of the Fancy Tiger funtimes - transcontinental KALs are the best!
My favorite thing about my new sweater is...I love the colorwork - it knit up so fast. This was my first sweater with colorwork, I LOVE how it turned out. I guess spending a million years to pick out your colors really pays off!

Mary

Colors: Ash Heather + Lapis Blue Heather
My favorite thing about the KAL was...new technique, original design, working on the same project with others and meeting other knitters
My favorite thing about my new sweater is...comfortable, warm but lightweight, new techniques for me actually worked! and the colors.

Megan

Colors: Rust Heather + Pink Heather
My favorite thing about the KAL was...having support and help from all the other Lopi knitters.
My favorite thing about my new sweater is...that the wool is from Iceland and it is super warm

Pam M.

Colors: Rust Heather + White
My favorite thing about the KAL was...meeting other knitters and comparing progress each week
My favorite thing about my new sweater is...it's the perfect cool weather cover-up and it turned out exactly how I wanted it to

Pam

Colors: Grey Heather + Rust Heather in Unspun Plötulopi
My favorite thing about the KAL was...it was so inspiring to see such a variety of color choices and sizes - they all look amazing!
My favorite thing about my new sweater is...not done yet, but I can't wait to steek it

Pink

Colors: Dark Wine + Berry Heather + Rose Heather + Ash Heather
My favorite thing about the KAL was...simple pattern, fancy looking results
My favorite thing about my new sweater is...matches my hair!

Sunne

Colors: Black Sheep Heather + Glacial Blue Heather
My favorite thing about the KAL was...cutting the front of my sweater.
My favorite thing about my new sweater is...it inspired me to knit more things that I cut.
Sunne is the Lopi-est! She also knit (from left to right) Craftsy Top-Down Icelandic Sweater in Golden Heather + Bottle Green Heather + Black Sheep Heather, Freyja in Steel + Donahue, and Aftur in Black Sheep Heather + Garnet Heather + Ash Heather + Grey Heather.


One of the most fun things about making this sweater was choosing the ribbon to finish off the steeked front. Here is a peak inside some of our Iðunns...

Thanks so much everyone! This KAL was a blast! Stay tuned for our next KAL--we will be announcing it next week! :)

Jaime + Jess's Transcontinental Skipping Sweater Knit-a-long!

Jess moved to LA back in April. When she called us to order some Road to China Light yarn for a new sweater that I too had my eye on making, I told her we could have a transcontinental knit-a-long! The sweater pattern is the Cap Sleeve Lattice Top from Purlbee. The pattern is available online for free and suggests Madelinetosh dk, but Jess and I were excited to try out our new yarn from Fibre Co. so we both used Road to China Light for ours. You probably know that I am a fan of "rustic" wool yarns so knitting with Road to China Light was like making magic out of air. This sport-weight yarn is a luscious blend of alpaca, silk, cashmere and camel. Holy Smokes! That's a lot of really soft animals to lend their fiber to my sweater!

Practicing my "eye-popping"

I had some gauge issues with this one. Road to China Light has much more drape than the yarn Purlbee called for, so I had to adjust my size a bit to make the top work. The pattern has you knit the sweater in one long rectangle that you then seam on the sides. Jess and I both choose to knit ours in the round, which only required a tiny bit of re-working. This allowed me to try my sweater on as I went to make sure it would fit with my gauge and the stretch of the yarn. I choose colors almost identical to the ones the pattern is done in - Riverstone and Grey Pearl in Road to China Light.

It turned out great. I love the look of this sweater - it is a flattering fit and interesting with the lattice top. Oh, also, it was soo easy! Advanced beginners could easily make this top and it hardly took me any time at all! Love it. It is the softest thing I have ever worn, so you might consider making one if you like to wrap your body in clouds.

Jess's sweater is also a smashing success! She choose the colors Jade and Malachite. It looks amazing and fits her great! It was so awesome that she was able to visit this weekend so our sweaters could meet in person.

Like a perfect picture...

and now we skip!

Transcontinental KAL's are the best!!

aw...friends in sweaters.

Wiksten Tank-a-thon 2012

Amber and I recently had a sewing Tank-a-thon! The tank pattern from Wiksten is a totally hot and easy pattern to sew! This tank is just two pieces plus some bias binding strips and a pocket. After you make a couple you'll be whipping these up in less than 2 hours a piece! Perfect for all these amazing fabrics and cute summer outfits. 90 degree days, here we come!

Here are the results of our Tank-a-thon 2012:

Tank 1 - Jaime: I made the first tank out of Liberty. That's right. First time making this and I just jumped right in. I've been in love with this dark floral print from the moment it arrived and knew I wanted a top out of it. Results: A+

Tank 2 - Amber: I've been dreaming of making a simple top out of this Japanese linen sheeting. I love this tank and want to wear it every day! As soon as this easy-peasy sewing project was finished I knew I needed to make tanks-a-plenty for summer...and so I cut three more of my favorite fabrics and got to stitching! Results: A+

Tank 3 - Amber: The very next day as soon as I got home I whipped up this light breezy tank from our organic voile in Smoke with a contrasting pocket in a teeny-tiny pinstripe organic voile. Perfect for steamy days and summer bike rides. Fantastic! Results: A

Tank 4 - Jaime: I made my second tank out of a soft vintage-y floral from Cabbages and Roses newest collection for Moda. I just got these striped jeans from Fancy Tiger Clothing and needed a colorful top to go with them. I'm always obsessed with these Cabbages and Roses print so this was my chance to finally use one. Results: A

Tank 5 - Amber: For my third tank, I figured I deserved a little treat--a treat in the form of a yard and a half of Liberty fabric! This Liberty print has been calling my name and I couldn't resist it anymore! Oh Liberty, you make me feel like a princess. Results: A+

Tank 6: Amber: Ok, I admit I'm going a little overboard with these tanks, but they are just so quick and gratifying to make! I mean, I've made 4 in a week now! So...you'll most likely see me wearing a Wiksten Tank every day this summer, but that's not too awkward right? 'Cause I love my new summer wardrobe! Tank #4 is made with an amazing Japanese rose print in the deepest teal. A little prairie/goth and a little oh-so-ladylike. Results: A

Tank 7: Surprise! Jess was already sucked into our tank-a-thon before she left for L.A. so it was easy to bring her in on our tank sewing frenzy when she visited us for a day. She made the tank dress out of a beautiful organic cotton yarn-dyed plaid. Total win! Results: A+

Overall Tank-a-thon 2012 score: A+!

Jess is a Crafting Maniac

Our dear Jess has moved to LA. An inspiring crafter and super-fun gal, Jess has been a big part of Fancy Tiger and we will miss her so! We asked Jess to share some of the many things she has made in the last year and, man, has she been busy! Enjoy!

Boy oh boy! Where do I start? I am surrounded by inspiring people on a daily basis and working at Fancy Tiger has given me such a creative outlet. From customers projects, to being able to take the amazing classes offered here, my brain is always spinning with what I can make next.

While on the move last year (traveling through Asia) I knew I needed something to keep me busy. Something small and that would take me a while to make - what better than the Whisper Cardigan in lace weight yarn!? This was my first time working with lace weight yarn and only my second sweater. I used Malabrigo lace and I must say, I'm quite impressed with my sweater. This little dream traveled with me to 9 different countries and for sure kept me busy.

When I arrived back in the states, I decided that with 2 sweaters under my belt it was time for me to make my very first hat! I found the Star Crossed Slouchy Beanie pattern on Ravelry and instantly fell in love. This was also my first cabled project. Everything went smoothly and I love my little red hat =)

I couldn't resist making myself a new phone cozy. I used some self striping yarn and whipped this bad boy up in no time!

Who could't use another school house tunic?! I adore this pattern! I decided to add a little tie along the waist. I am so happy I did. It gives a little more shape to the shirt and is quite flattering. 

This blog post is for sure a lot of firsts for me. I was able to build my knitting and sewing skills through all the incredible people working and involved with Fancy Tiger. 

I have only been knitting for 2 years! Next up, the Hendreary hat by the lovely Ysolda Teague. This my friends, was my very first color work project!  I had a deadline to make this hat by TNNA so I could show it off to Ysolda. I think I nailed it.

Check it out! This beaut was made in the Seger 201 Cowl class this winter at Fancy Tiger. Sarah, our amazing sewing instructor, morphed this pattern from being made entirely on a sewing machine, to only using a serger. This was my first garment made with a serger. I have to say, I loved it! Most of the employees have one of these, so it is quite common for a co-worker to be wearing theirs when I wear mine. Did I mention how cozy it is?!

Do you see my hands getting busy in that picture above?! I was so inspired from Angelique and Amber's Aidez sweaters that I just had to make one myself. This was a huge under taking for me, but I was determined to do it, and in just 6 weeks! Imperial Stock Ranch, Colombia yarn had been calling my name and I finally found the right project for it.  I started this in the beginning of February and wanted to have it finished by March, giving myself time to wear it before summer. I was a little worker bee buzzin this sweater out. I am so proud of this and the way it came out.  I had never done cables on such a large scale, nor had I done a sweater in parts. I LOVED making this! It was so much fun to follow the cable patterns and by making it in parts you get instant gratification of each part. I decided instead of knitting the sleeves flat and seaming them together, I would knit them in the round. I didn't run into any problems and I'm so happy I did that. Although, I do have to say my seams are close to perfect. Thank you mattress stitch.

Say whaaaaaaaaaaaat?!?! All my dreams came true!! On the Holiday blog Staff Picks, I wished for the Iphone4 cross stitch case. Someone was paying attention (thanks boyfriend!) It took me a while to figure out what I wanted to make. I am finding a lot of inspiration from the 70's. So I looked up 70's wallpaper designs and fell in love with this one. I will tell you that this is a commitment. Those little holes don't cross-stitch themselves people! This took me quite sometime, but boy am I glad I finished!

Twins! 

It was my last week at Fancy Tiger, and I was so inspired to make a new tank top for my big move to LA. I made my Wiksten Tank out of voile and convinced Jaime I needed a pocket out of Liberty. She happily obliged. Jaime and I wanted to bust this shirt out in just an hour. I was quite impressed with our determination. This shirt is made with french seams, which we were kind of afraid of. They were so simple and now we have beautiful shirts with enclosed seams. 

Happy crafting to all of you!

New! Snowy Day Cowl Pattern by Fancy Tiger's Own Emily Platzer!

We are proud to have published a new pattern by our very talented knitting instructor, Emily Platzer! The much anticipated Snowy Day Cowl is here!

Many of you have probably seen us wearing or working on this cowl--several Fancy Tiger folks have already whipped up their own. It's a super quick knit and great to wear with jackets on blustery days, or even with a t-shirt on cool spring evenings. In the worst of weather the cowl can be pulled up like a hood to protect your noggin.

Ysolda was kind enough to model for us when she was in town!

The cowl is uses an interesting slip stitch pattern that is simple to work and makes two lovely sides, each with stripes running in different directions.

Emily reverse-engineered the stitch pattern from an amazing item that a customer picked up in Spain. We all fell in love with the simple looking--but totally intriguing--stripes. The texture of the fabric uses a contrast in yarn weight and color, combining super bulky Cascade Magnum yarn with a contrasting thinner sport weight yarn.

Jess, Angelique and Emily model their cowls

Find more details here! You can purchase the pattern on Etsy or by stopping by to see us at Fancy Tiger Crafts. Happy knitting!

Staff Holiday Gift Picks: Part 1

Welcome to the 2011 gift picks from our fanciest of Fancy Tiger staff!

Being surrounded every day by the most amazing craft supplies of all time is pretty great, and it gives us a lot of time to think about our favorite items. Here is what we are dreaming of, and what might just be the perfect thing for someone crafty on your gift list...

 Hey ya'll Jess here! After being out of the country for 8 months, it was such a delight coming back to my crafty land here at Fancy Tiger. I missed so many incredible new items! Throughout my travels I fell in love with the Korean craft scene. When the Neo Stitch cross stitch case for the Iphone 4 arrived from Korea, I got weak in the knees. My head was full of magical ideas--all of course inspired by adorable Asia--ranging from Hello Kitty to a heart filled love portrait of me and my boyfriend. This kit comes with a chart book, a needle, and thread! What more could you ask for?! I'll tell you what else you could ask for.... more thread! My Neo Stitch companion would be Anna Maria Horner's inspired palette of embroidery floss, which adds 12 more colors to work with. Way happy fun times ahead for me and making my phone a case full of love and joy. Annyeong hi gaseyo! (goodbye!)

 

Hi, it's Amber here! This winter I'm all about staying cozy. Sarah, one of the amazing Fancy Tiger instructors, keeps making the most cozy and fashionable tops from our eco-friendly jerseys. Two of the classes I'm itchin' to take are Sarah's Serger 101 and 201 classes! Covered are skills on the serger, plus, in the 201 class you get to make the most flattering and comfy sweatshirt of all time. A gift certificate for these sewing classes paired with a couple yards of our hemp/organic cotton jersey would be a pretty awesome treat for a sewer who wants to expand their sewing repertoire!

This Yule my heart belongs to me...and Tracie! Tracie is the name of a two ply, sport weight yarn by Imperial Stock Ranch. It is rustic enough to hold strong through years of tough winters, and soft enough to wear casually. Tracie is extremely beautiful, and has a lofty attitude. After much frustration trying to find the perfect sweater pattern for myself, I have been inspired by the great Ysolda Teague to design my own sweater. Tracie and I have learned that designing a sweater incorporates a lot of math, and planning. While we were squishing each other at Fancy Tiger, a good friend recommended the book Sweater Design In Plain English by Maggie Righetti. At a glance, Tracie and I were excited to see that somebody had spent time developing a step-by-step book about how to design an array of sweaters based on individual gauge and yarn choice. When I looked deeper into the book, I learned that it had much more information about techniques, taking proper measurements, yarn choice, color theory. Perfect! When I wake up on the day of this winter festival, I hope to find Tracie, in the colorways Canyon Shadow and Pearl Grey, resting next to the book Sweater Design In Plain English. We'll keep each other warm and cozy for years to come!

 

Hi everybody! I'm Amy and you know I love me some modern quilting! So when I saw this hot new quilt book, Modern Blocks, arrive this month, it was love at first sight. 99 killer blocks by some of my favorite modern quilt designers- it's seriously a slice of heaven. I'm drooling over the newspaper boat block on page 166, with Heather Ross mermaids swimming in the sea below- how rad is that?! I love how there's a fantastic range of skill level and style in this book- from a simple appliqued circle, to intricate paper pieced designs, there's something for everyone. I would love for Santa to leave this book under my tree, along with a delicious Tula Pink Prince Charming fat quarter bundle. 30 yummy fat quarters to quilt to my little heart's desire. The stack is so cute though, it might take me awhile to get the nerve to take off the ribbon! 

Hello! I'm Tymla, I'm new to Fancy Tiger Crafts and I am super excited to be working in such a creative and fun environment! My first love is crochet, I can crochet with my eyes closed, but working here has given me a chance to expand my knowledge and skills in many other crafts. I am very focused on improving my knitting skills, there are so many beautiful knit patterns out there that I can't wait to make. This is why I really want Stephen West's third book, Westknits Book Three. My first knit project was the Daybreak pattern in his first book, which turned out great! Now I'm ready to make the Thendara pattern out of Book Three, it's a light weight, angular, striped scarf that I will wear with everything! I'm a big fan of clothing that I can throw in the washing machine with everything else, so I think Madeline Tosh DK in Olivia and Antler will be perfect. It will be super soft and warm. And don't forget your needles!!! Happy knitting!

 

  

We hope you are having a great holiday! Check back tomorrow for the rest of our gift picks--even shop dog Branwyn has something she thinks you will like!