On a Roll

With all the cool, wet weather we've had in these parts of late, it would be no surprise that when Anne -- my colleague at The Shop -- asked last week if you were doing any fall planning re: your knitting and crochet, we could imagine your heads bobbin' up-and-down in the "Yes!" mode.

Some of our favourite rolls
aren't made with yarn! 😉

Given the continued rain, we're inclined to believe that you're not only nodding "Yes!" to the planning, but you've actually begun to create...and you're building up to the point where you're on a roll.

That said, did you simply haul out your needles or hooks and some yarn and start creating or...

Did you have a plan?

Did you make a list?

OR

Are you simply 'going with the flow' and making things that you hope someone will enjoy, someone will fit, someone will thank you for?

And another "OR"...

Have you decided to venture into a new area of making -- whether it's with a new material or a new pattern -- something you've not tried before?

This week, The Crafty Lady might just have exactly what you're looking for:

Rainbow Roll

from

Noro Yarns

100% Wool

Pencil Roving

269 metres = 294 yards

Regular Price: $25.00

Sale Price: $6.25

Limited quantities and colour selection!

Now...before you say, "What the heck am I going to do with that?" or "What is 'pencil roving', anyway?!"...let us enlighten you!

Rainbow Roll is unspun pencil roving that can be used for spinning, knitting, weaving, needle felting, crochet, or many other things.  In particular, "pencil" roving is a type of roving that has been drawn out until it is the size of a fat pencil.

It's...a feathery-light fibre that can be easily torn off the roll for an assortment of crafts (spinning, needle-felting) but also easily overlapped so that it can be knit or crocheted or woven.

Once laid down on a surface or knit into an item, it can be wet felted, because it is 100% wool that's not treated for washing.

• Crafters have used it for thrumming; 
• They've used it for knitting colourful garments;
• For cozy striped felted slippers;
• For felted pet 'pods'; and 
• Even for brioche knitting!

As we edge closer to fall (and not just because of the way the weather's been lately!), we all recognize it's time to get rolling with those gift items for back-to-school, fall birthdays and (ahem!) the Gift-Giving Season.

See you in The Shop!

*Written by Margaret, who's merrily rolling along with her list in one hand and her yarn in the other!

A True Fairy Tale

Once upon a time, in a land far far away called Japan, there was a man named Eisaku Noro who decided that he didn't like color rules.

And so he chose to make yarns from certified organic farms around the world using colors that no one else would put together, like hot pink next to rust and hunter green beside lime. And lo and behold, it all worked and the magical folk who could take two sticks and some thread and create the most wondrous garments, flocked to buy his yarns with the wild colors and textures.

He became a world wide sensation and was greatly revered in the sticks and thread world. Books and magazines were devoted to his work. Designers clamored to be one of the Noro gang, and little shops were thrilled when the magic yarn came in like big Christmas presents, for they knew that these brightly colored balls and hanks would one day be reborn into special gifts for loved ones made by the magical folk.

And so we too have just recently had boxes brought to our door containing the magic yarn.

Silk Garden 

45% Silk, 45% Mohair, 10% Wool
100 meters, $13.00
Aran weight (4)

We have the five following colors. You can check out the colors at Knitting Fever.

87, 338, 351, 415, 424

Kureyon (it means crayon)

100% Wool
100 meters, $10.00
Worsted Weight (4)

We have the eight following colors. You can check them out at Knitting Fever.

359, 362, 366, 367, 368, 369, 371, 374

Now those are just the new Noros we got in this week. We have other Noro throughout the store. Kureyon Air, Taiyo Sock, Taiyo Sport, Silk Garden Lite, Takeuma, Koromo, Retro, and Shiraito.

And we even have some in 25% off sale yarns. But then you may only find one ball of something and once it's gone, it's gone. We have Hitsuji, Matsuri, Kirameki, Furin, and Maiko. Come in and grab it while you can!

And if you need some Noro inspiration we have the following copies of Noro publications.

Noro Magazine Spring/Summer 2013

 Noro Pattern Book Vol. 28

Noro Pattern Book Vol. 29

Noro Pattern Book Vol. 31

We know that the magical folk will be in to soon and we hope that you will be one of them. Soon they will be all gone and yet the magic will continue. The end is not the end. 

Posted by Anna Maria Junus happy employee of a sticks and threads shop that carries magical yarn.

Adventures with The Noro Scarf Part 1

We have some gorgeous Noro lace weight yarn that's been sitting on our shelves feeling neglected. It's been (drop my voice to a whisper so it doesn't hear) discontinued.

Noro Knittng Magazine Premier Issue

Kirameki is a rayon, nylon, wool and cashmere blend that comes in beautiful colors. Noro is famous for its long colorations and unusual pairings.

My scarf and the Kirameki that's giving
birth to it. Color # 164.

 I decided to make a scarf so everyone can see what this yarn looks like. By everyone, I mean the millions who come into the store and read this blog.

 You can't tell by looking at the skeins. The skeins in the same color all look different. If you look at this picture with the scarf and ball of yarn they don't look like they match at all. It's like fraternal twins who have different hair, eye and skin colors and different body builds. Think Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny Devito. That's right. Darny Schwarzenvito.

Scarf at turning point where we stop knitting drunk and
start knitting straight.

At one point after working this gorgeous purple the rust started taking over. Now I'm not a huge fan of rust and I'm thinking rust and purple? That just doesn't work! That's so wrong! As I knit this rust color I kept arguing with my scarf. "You can't turn rust, you're a gorgeous purple. It's wrong! Wrong! Wrong...oh wait." Hot Pink came along and suddenly Purple and Rusty were best buddies.

Diagonal Eyelet Scarf from
Noro Knitting Magazine Issue #

  It's like 1 and 1 equal 67. It doesn't make
  sense.



 This is the diagonal scarf. I picked a Noro  pattern from  the premier magazine of Noro.  Because I was using  Noro yarn. See,  we've got a theme going on  here.


 We have several copies of this particular magazine and several copies of the one that followed.

 The original pattern calls for Shiraito, a cashmere, angora and wool blend. The magazine says it's a fingering weight yarn, but it seems heavier than that. Like a generously sized woman who claims she weighs only 110 and wears a size 2. Shiraito, it's okay to be who you are. We like heavier yarns too. Embrace your ampleness. Artists love fuller bodies.

We do have Shiraito in stock. She's just hanging around waiting for someone to pick her up.

However I chose the lace weight. It's a scarf. You can use any yarn you want with a scarf pattern.

You can use any yarn you want with a
scarf pattern. Well almost. 

I also discovered that I wasn't crazy about the increase on the ends in this pattern, so I ripped it out - it takes me about three false starts to actually get going anyway - like a ten month pregnant woman getting off the couch.  Instead I used a slipped stitch and then an increase. Much nicer ends now!

I plan on keeping you all updated on this scarf. I know you will all be waiting breathlessly for the next installment.

Posted by Anna Maria Junus (happy employee who makes lace weight scarves for the store because somebody has to).