Tuesday, April 26, 2011

on the double!

just recently, this chickadee was stuck securely in an unfortunate knitting slump. something as simple as a sweet little baby blanket had me baffled. the cast-on/rip-out cycle was repeated enough to be totally discouraging. the yarn didn't fit the pattern, the pattern didn't seem to fit the yarn, the deadline was looming! desperate times called for desperate but delightful measures.

the original yarn was ditched in favor of a favorite, miss babs yowza! whatta skein. just one huge hank packs a 560+ yard wallop. it is a super soft superwash merino to certainly holds up in the machine...and dries quite quickly on its own. the new patterns picked were also personal favorites. and with a few modifications, they made the most of the entire skein!

for detailed details, click the picture to see the ravelry page. otherwise, look out below!


plum pram pal



berry buggy blanket

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

intergallactic planetary


new chickadee bags are out of this world! and there are now two sizes to choose from. the large is perfect for sweater-sized projects, and the new medium is great for shawls and socks and anything smaller.

both bags are fully lined and have internal slip pockets to hold needles and notions.


the best part is that you don't have to go to a galaxy far, far away to get them. you can find them right now at fibre space and soon they'll be on the shelves of the little shop of chickadee! stay tuned for more details of their online launch as well as photos of other fabrics.

Monday, April 18, 2011

to infinity!


the dipped infinity cowl by laura chao of cosmicpluto knits! is a hit in knitting circles worldwide. she describes it as the perfect way to use up leftover bits of sock yarn and that is completely true. but what if you aren't a sock knitter? what if your stash isn't stocked with scraps of the right spectrum?

fear not! neighborhood fiber co. is coming to your rescue with cute little kits all containing just the right amount of yarn to whip up this nifty knit. check out the photo above to see a sample knit with nfc's studio sock yarn.

there are three kits: warms, cools and purples. the kits contain the yarn and the cowl pattern and they are available for purchase through the neighborhood online shop. check out the color combos below and get your kit-knit on:




Thursday, April 14, 2011

baby blanket factory

this spring it is raining babies! this chickadee's needles have been on a tear trying to keep up with the booming bundles of joy population. any time not spent knitting has been dedicated to finding that go-to pattern...something that would be pleasing to the maker and the receiver...and not take ages...but not look like it was thrown together at the last minute.

one contender is brickstreet by steven west. it is in his second collection of patterns, westknits book two (which doesn't seem to be featured on his site at this time). his version is a chunky classic. a large, over-the-back-of-the-couch sort of throw that would be completely overwhelming to a wee one. but one of his test knitters made a smaller version that is stunning.

inspired by her stitches, this chickadee cast-on. here the the results:


yarn choice is an important factor too. softness is of supreme importance, but sometimes that is sacrificed to the machine...the washing machine that is. many of the most luxurious fibers are labor intensive, that means hand washing. and after their own labor, moms are often overwhelmed and pressed for time. so a machine washable wool or wool blend is a thoughtful choice.

the blanket above was made with spud and chlöe sweater, an organic wool and cotton blend. it is machine washable! and still soft and cozy. you get the best of both worlds thanks to the combination of fibers and the baby gets an all-seasons weight blanket to snuggle in.



you can find more details on the project on the chickadee ravelry page.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

full spectrum





get a load of these gorgeous yarns! this is neighborhood fiber co luxury worsted, an incredible merino/cashmere/nylon blend. super soft and ultra vibrant and available for sale online. there's no limit to the lovely things that you can make with this yarn...just one skein could make an awesome accessory, a choose a couple for a scarf or shawl or indulge in a sweater quantity. this chickadee is dreaming of snuggling under a dc neighborhood hued luxury worsted blanket.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

bring the noise

a few posts back you saw this chickadee's first forays into the world of two-handed knitting, something that seemed so strange at the beginning of the year but is slowly making sense. the stranded colorwork bug is easy to catch if not a wee bit challenging to master. practice makes (closer to) perfect! so it is best to keep casting on with a couple of colors.

here's a hat project that incorporated that technique, along with a new one for turning a crisp brim.


pattern: noise by tracy rolling
yarn: the sanguine gryphon's QED


sorry for the stagnant shot. models are hard to come by!


Friday, April 1, 2011

up, up and away


the new neighborhood fiber co website is live. no fooling!

karida's amazing colorways are now just one click away. leading off is the lovely maisonette dk, a 50% tussah silk 50% merino combination. this is the yarn that was used to knit ysolda's scroll lace scarf in the previous post. it is a total treat to work with!

stay tuned for more, as we stock the shelves with soft yarn that is super saturated and sublime!