Technology can be a fickle friend, as Shevawn and I have learned (yet again) today while attempting to post the featured products vlog. Due to a mysterious malfunction during filming earlier this week, my most excellent vlog of awesome will not be premiering today, but I should be back next week! :) I'll do my best to recount those epic 6 minutes and 4 seconds of featured product amazingness!

(Leanne dances into the foreground singing her new theme song... bow bow, lalala!)

You know you want one!

First and most importantly, the Summer 2011 issue of Interweave Knits has arrived! "Why is this so important?" you ask. Well, there are so many super duper fantastic projects, you could very well be set for the summer with just one copy of this fabulous magazine! Also, this blog (formally vlog) shines the spotlight on those delightful summertime fibers used for many of these amazing projects!

"Leanne! Knit meeeee!"

The sweater I can't seem to stop thinking about is the Dockside Cardigan. Knit in Cascade's Heritage sock yarn, this lightweight sweater takes between four to six skeins of this sumptuous superwash wool. My biggest concern when knitting with the finer weight yarns is that it will take me for-ev-er to finish a project. Thankfully, the bulk of Dockside knits up on US 6 circs, while the ribbed edging uses US 4s, meaning this sweater can be worked up in weeks or months (as opposed to years or decades). Perfect for evening walks at sunset or warding off the chill of A/C during summer months, I'm torn between Plum or Lilac... or maybe I'll mix up my wardrobe with some Flaming Pink!

Unstoppably Awesome!

One of the favorite patterns here at the store is Talitha Kuomi's Cobblestone Vest. *Cool fact: Talitha was one of the finalists in our Landscape Design Contest! She designed the stylishly sturdy Woven Bag (available on our Free Patterns Page).* The Cobblestone Vest is knit on US 9 circulars, using Louet Euroflax Sport, which unfortunately we don't carry. I ran madly around the shop trying to find comparable substitutes and came up with Elsebeth Lavold Hempathy, Rowan Lenpur Linen or Debbie Bliss Amalfi. Linen, cotton, linen/cotton blends and other planty fibers like hemp provide the ideal drape and lightweight breathability for this asymmetrical wrap-around vest. The best feature of this trendy vest (in my humble opinion) is the front panel pocket perfect for stashing a cell phone, candy, or your emergency crochet hook!

I almost missed Shelley Gerber's Nantucket Vest the first seven times I flipped through this magazine. Thankfully, I caught it round number 8! Using as little as 6 skeins of Ripple by Tahki Stacy Charles, this slouchy vest is an excellent way to stylishly protect your shoulders from sunburns and zig-zag tan lines while you are out gallivanting about in your sundresses and halter tops this summer (still, don't forget that sunscreen!). Ripple is an awesome (and wildly popular) mercerized cotton with a singular thick/thin quality that knits into an uneven and loosely textured fabric. A little stiff to the touch at first, Ripple is one of those fibers that is easily broken in and just gets softer the more you wear it!


I could go on and on (as you well know), but I'll stop before I end up writing Interweave Knits: The Novel. :)

Have a wonderful day and happy knitting and crocheting!
Leanne