Amber's Weathered Pullover

Every time Jaime and I shop the yarn trade show for beautiful yarns to carry, we can't help but be inspired by the amazing designers we meet. This past TNNA we met designer Ann Weaver, who is so very cool--and ingenious! She was sporting her Weathered Pullover design, a colorblocked summer top with a sheer panel insert worked in Habu silk/stainless steel.

Pattern: Weathered Pullover by Ann Weaver
Yarn: Fibre Co. Meadow in Black Adder (main color) and Habu A-20 silk/stainless in Brick (sheer panel)
Size made: 34
Alterations: I shortened the pattern by a few inches and knit the wool section in a single color instead of colorblocking it.

I've long been intrigued by Habu silk/stainless yarn and I instantly fell in love with this pattern's use of such an interesting yarn. The stainless steel gives the thread-thin silk enough structure to hold its dimensions under the weight of the wool yarn beneath it, creating a transparent panel with a hint of sheer color. Hot!

An awesome thing about this top--you can wear the sheer panel to the front or back for a different look! I love wearing the panel to the back for a slightly more modest, but still very hot look. To accentuate your pretty shoulder blades, ya know.

The main yarn called for in the Weathered Pullover is a light fingering merino/silk blend. I immediately knew the perfect substitution would be Meadow from The Fibre Co. This dreamy yarn is a blend of merino, llama, silk and linen. It's the perfect weight and has a beautiful rustic heathered look while still being ultra soft against the skin for easy wearability.

I chose to knit the wool part of my pullover entirely in the color Black Adder, instead colorblocking with multiple colors as the pattern is written. I kept some of the colorblock idea, going with a pop of brick red for my Habu yarn. The top is finished off with a very cute moss stitch shoulder detail. I love it so much, the way this thing turned out!

And to bring this happy knitting story to a close, this is the first handknit woolen item I've made that makes me feel like a real hot lady. Well done, Ann...well done.

Vasalong Success: Summer is for Sweaters!

Summer knitting. It's the best. It goes so fast without those pesky sleeves and there are so many amazing summer yarns out there with linen, cotton, or hemp in them. If you're not knitting right now, you are missing out on some amazing summertime yarn action. My newest summer knit is the Vasa tee and I love it. 

Pattern: Vasa Tee by Paper Tiger
Yarn: Madelinetosh Dandelion in Dust Bowl (main color) and Nectar (stripes)
Size made: 38
Alterations: I altered the pattern to knit it in the round. Also, with my gauge the size 38 is really a size 36

We recently started carrying Paper Tiger knitting patterns by Dianna Walla. She has classic style and smart, interesting designs. When she announced a Vasalong (a knit-a-long for the Vasa tee) I was in. We also had just gotten in the new Dandelion yarn by Madelinetosh - it was a match made in heaven! Dandelion is a single ply fingering weight yarn, exactly like Tosh Merino Light but with 10% linen added. The linen gives a more rustic look and a bit more drape - perfect for this pattern.

I'll let you in on a secret: this tee is just two rectangles sewn together. That's it. This is the perfect first sweater project for a new knitter or anyone who says, "I just knit rectangles." The pattern is meant to be a loose fitting tee and Dianna suggests at least 4" of positive ease. This is what size I made, but after measuring my finished gauge, my sweater was a bit smaller than intended at 36". It still looks great, but I think the extra 2" of positive ease would be great for next time.

My cute little 3 needle bind-off shoulder seam.

I altered the pattern to knit the tee in the round (I couldn't have all those purl rows slowing me down). The sweater is knit bottom up. I knit it in the round until the bottom of the sleeves. I put half of the stitches on hold for the back of the tee and knit up to the top of the front. I cast-off the center stitches for the neck and then put the remaining shoulder stitches for each side on hold. I then repeated this process for the tee back and used a simple 3-needle bind-off to join the shoulders. This bind off creates a raised seam, which I thought would be a cute added touch, but you could also use the kitchener stitch for a seamless join. 

Another reason I love this pattern is that it uses 2 colors - this makes it so fun to pick out your yarn! You could also easily play with your stripes to have skinnier stripes or thicker stripes. Check out #vasalong on twitter and instagram to see more adorable knit tees. Summertime knitting, people. #thebest

Summer is for Linen: Jaime's new Kestrel Tank

I was pretty excited when Quince and Co. announced Kestrel, their newest yarn line. Kestrel is a 100% fine Italian linen made up in a ribbon construction. The best part? It is an aran weight linen with a gauge of 14 - 16 stitches to 4 inches. In plain speak, that means it knits up real fast. This little tank took me a mere 4 days to whip up! Welcome to summer knitting, friends.

Pattern: Togue Pond by Pam Allen
Yarn: Kestrel, 6 skeins in Urchin
Size Made: 33"
Alterations: I picked up a fewer number of stitches on both the neck and arms due to my large 1x1 ribbing gauge.

I love this tank. It was a simple knit, worked bottom up in the round. Short row shaping on the bottom adds a subtle hi-lo hem. The arm shaping adds a bit of interest to the otherwise plain body. The arms and neck are picked up and ribbing added to finish them. In short, this pattern had just enough going on to keep my interest, but it was still simple enough to be the perfect beach knitting project.

The ribbon construction of the Kestrel yarn makes for a cushy fabric on size 10 needles. The weight of the linen drapes beautifully for a simple tank like this. The nice people over at Quince have several other patterns for this unique summer yarn. We can't wait to see what you make.

Parallel Perkins Cove Sweaters

It feels like summer already with 80 degree days in Denver. Amber and I are ready for it, though, with our brand new Perkins Cove sweaters. This pattern was recently released in the Sparrow Sans collection from Quince to promote their 100% linen yarn, Sparrow. Every pattern in this collection is so dreamy and we want to knit them all and frolic on the beach in our sophisticated linen wardrobe. Each pattern is shown in the undyed color of Sparrow - Sans. Amber and I both fell in love with everything about these patterns and had to make our sweaters in the same natural linen color. In order to change it up so we didn't have the exact same sweater, we knit the garment in two different yarns.

Jaime's Sparrow Perkins Cove 

Pattern: Perkins Cove by Pam Allen
Yarn: Sparrow in Sans, 5 skeins
Size made: 31 1/4"
Alterations: I had gauge issues with this so I made the smallest size and also cut out 12 stitches from the lower body by only casting on 4 armhole stitches on each side

 

I chose to use Sparrow for my Perkins Cove. This Italian-made, super-fine linen yarn is softer than you might expect for 100% linen. I don't often knit with linen and I had a hard time getting the proper gauge for this pattern. The sweater is knit top-down and I almost finished the body of the sweater before I realized my size 34" was going to be way too big. I ripped the whole thing out and started over. Even on much smaller needles, I could only get 19 stitches to 4" instead of the recommended 22. I did the math and decided to knit the smallest size. This worked great and when I came to the armholes I wanted to shave another couple inches off so I only cast on 4 stitches instead of 12 on each side for the armhole. The linen yarn does grow as you work with it so aggressively blocking your gauge swatch is a good way to test what your gauge will be in a finished garment.

I love knitting and wearing summer sweaters. The linen is naturally wicking and anti-bacterial and the open stitch pattern means I'll never get too hot wearing this even on the hottest summer day. The yarn drapes beautifully for this loose top. I can't wait to start the Saco Stripes next - a cute, striped tank from the Sparrow Sans collection!

Amber's Breeze Perkin's Cove 

 -amber

Pattern: Perkin's Cove by Pam Allen
Yarn: Anzula Breeze in color Clay- just 1 skein!
Size made: 34"
Alterations: short sleeves instead of long

I was smitten with this summery tee as soon as I saw the pattern. I love the natural color of the linen yarn and the elongated stitch stripe pattern. I didn't want to make the same exact tee as Jaime. When she cast on in Sans, I decided to see what other of our pretty yarns would work up similarly. I thought, what a great way to see the different fabric you would get from different yarns. I settled on Anzula Breeze, a beautiful silk linen lace weight in the hand-dyed color Clay, a bone color with subtle lavender undertones.

Anzula Breeze has a crazy amount of yardage - 755 yards in a single, adorable yarn cake. It took less than one ball for me to finish my short sleeved Perkin's Tee! What?! Check out how much I had left over in the photo below. There was certainly enough left for me to make the sleeves longer, but I liked the look of more of a T-shirt, so I cast off with about 20 grams left from my single skein of Breeze. Awesome sauce!

The silk/linen blend gives my Breeze tee a more drapey hand than the 100% linen of the Sparrow, which has a crisp look and feel. Either would be perfect to create a dreamy summer garment!

Summer is for Sweaters!

Yay for summertime knitting! I know you might think knitting is a fall/winter craft, but if so you are really missing out on some sweet summertime knitting. I am addicted to knitting summer sweaters and I just finished another one.

Summer sweaters are great for many reasons:

• Quick to knit (because no sleeves)
• Cool and comfortable to wear
• Summer yarns are fun - linen, silk, hemp and cotton!
• Did I mention no sleeves?

My new sweater is the Silken Straw Summer Sweater pattern which is free from Purlbee. I knit this out of our crisp Shibui Linen. Shibui Linen is a fingering weight 100% linen yarn that is chain-plied. The chain ply means absolutely no pilling or shedding. It is going to hold up like a dream. We also have the Silken Straw yarn from Alchemy yarn in if you want a more luxurious and drapey sweater.

This sweater used 3 1/2 skeins of the color Poppy for the size small. I knit this up in just three weeks. The sweater comes together super quick and easy as it is knit seamlessly in the round from the bottom up. This pattern would make a great first sweater pattern. It is also perfect for pool or beach knitting as it requires little concentration. The sleeves, bottom and neck are all finished with a sophisticated I-cord that is added after the garment is done.

The Shibui Linen yarn feels very different from knitting with elastic and stretchy wool. I love this bright summery color, the drape, and the feel of this sweater. Linen was really easy to block and I simply ironed this sweater with my steam iron and it looks perfect.

You might not see this one up in the shop because I am going to wear it all the time. Summer Knitting for the win!

New Shibui Linen is here!

We've had a crush on Shibui yarns for quite a while and are happy to welcome Shubui Linen to our shop! I am really into linen--having used linen fabrics for many a sewing project. It is so drapey and crisp--a classic just perfect for summer. Knitters and crocheters, now we, too, can rejoice in the wonder that is linen!

Linen is made from the flax plant and is one of the first fibers ever used for garments. It is a strong plant fiber. Shibui Linen is the most beautiful 100% linen yarn we have seen and we knew we had to stock it here at Fancy Tiger Crafts. Shibui Linen is a fingering weight yarn that boasts 246 yards per 50 grams. It is light and airy because it is actually a woven chain of linen threads, making it a breezy yet strong yarn. Shibui Linen is here in 12 vibrant colors that give this classic yarn a modern feel.

We are super excited for summertime knitting projects. Some ideas for Shibui Linen are the Silken Straw Summer Sweater from Purl Bee, the L.2 tank by Lidia Tsymbal, and the Silver Lining tunic by Grace Akhrem. We hope you love this summery yarn as much as we do. Happy crafting!

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+!

Yummy New Summer Yarns from Be Sweet!

Hooray for summer knitting! Two yarns have just arrived from Be Sweet in a plethora of pretty hues that will inspire you to knit all summer long!

Bambino is an adorable combo of organic cotton and silky bamboo. The two fibers are spun into separate plies that are unevenly plied together and the yarn is then hand-dyed for the most lovely hand-made look.

Be Sweet Bamboo is oh-so shiny and silky, a 100% bamboo yarn that is hand-dyed. The colors range from almost solids and semisolids to tone-on-tone variegated colors. It knits up into a lovely drapey fabric--perfect for summer cardigans and luxurious shawls. We love the idea of knitting a summertime Dandy Scarf from it!

New Pillow & Maxfield Gypsy Bandana Fabrics

Summery Gypsy Bandana fabrics are here from Pillow & Maxfield! Bright and colorful, these prints make me dream of sunshine and summertime picnicking under the shade of a cottonwood tree. The 20" panel fabrics are perfect for making a sweet and simple pillow--perhaps to go with that summertime quilt I'm dreaming of?

Our sewing instructor, Sadie has already whipped up a sleeveless schoolhouse tunic in this hot yellow kaleidoscope print Check out the class here!

Summer 2010 Class Schedule!

It's official--the summer class schedule is out! Hooray!

Our instructors have been working hard on some fantastic new projects to bring to our classrooms. We have more classes than ever and can hardly wait for summertime crafting to begin!

Fancy Pack | Art Quilt Pillow | Sock Knitting

Spinning Wheel | A-Line | Needlefelt Flower
Mendocino Dress

Market Tote | Lost Crafts: Needle Tatting | Circle Skirt
Embroidered Sampler | Charm Pack Quilt

Elizabeth Zimmerman Ribwarmer | Granny Square Pillow
Cabo Halter

Check out the full class schedule here.