Making your list? Check it twice!

What would your favourite knitter like to receive as a gift or in his/her stocking (even if you happen to be your own favourite knitter)???

These handmade yarnbowls from local potter, Linda Abbott, are just the thing for controlling runaway yarnballs. Not to mention that they're beautiful too!

Another local crafter has supplied us with these clever needle holders: Roll Ups by Eden are a bonus for every knitter, with lots of pockets for all your needles and whatnots.

Hiya Hiya Silk Project Bags are as practical as they are stylish.

For sock knitters who want to keep their knitting where it belongs, these handmade Leather Needle Holders are just the thing.

 

 

 

 

Interchangeable needle sets, sets of straight needles, crochet hook sets, all are available but be sure to get your order in early to make sure we have them in stock. Swifts and Yarn Winders are also great gift ideas.

Sirdar's collection of Vintage Knitting Journals are just the thing for journal writing knitters, or for those who sensibly want to keep track of the details of their knitting projects.

We have a good supply of hand saving Therapeutic Gloves.

These are just some of the great gift ideas available at KnitTraders.

Come on in for a browse!

Ridged Lace Shawl

How often do people ask if I knit all of the samples in the store? Often enough that it's embarrassing to have to admit (over and over again) that it was one of the staff, or one of my knitters who has accomplished this or that work of knitting beauty. But this latest shawl on display is mine! And I love it, mainly because for my first attempt at knitting with lace weight yarn, it was incredibly easy and satisfying.

 

It is called the Ridged Lace Shawl, which can be found on the KnitTraders Pattern site.

 

The Ridged Lace Shawl is a great first time project in fine yarn -- made up of a series of bands of basic stitch patterns that are repeated with consistent increases until the yarn (in this case, Whisper Lace but you can use any of our many and wonderful fine yarns) is nearly all gone. It could easily be done as a precious Christmas project, or would make a wonderful winter project for yourself, after the Holidays.

 

And once again, I'm thrilled and amazed at the miracle of blocking:  how a piece of knitted lace blossoms so beautifully when wet, stretched and blocked to size where it can show it's true nature. 

Chroma and Stonewash - 2 great new chunky yarns

 

Diamond Yarns is one of our favourite Canadian suppliers, and in addition to the yarns that they import for other companies, they have added a new line, DIAMOND SELECT, of special yarns that they have chosen themselves from mills around the world.

We are thrilled to announce these 2 wonderful yarns from this line. Above is CHROMA, a luxurious pure wool chunky in beautiful colours of wide striping. Check out the sample scarf now on display at the store - it's lovely. Beautiful colours and a wonderful feel to work with.

 

For former fans of Sirdar's line of Denim Tweed yarns, comes Diamond Select's STONEWASH

This yarn is a practical and rich blend of cotton, acrylic and wool in a classic chunky weight. It's proving to be one of the most popular yarns of the season and is flying off our shelves for its rich texture and it denim look.

It's That Time of Year

Who doesn't love the autumn? The leaves are turning, the air is clear and the cooler nights remind us that the time for wool is near.

At KnitTraders we've begun to receive new yarns for the season. Here are some we're excited about:

Alpakka is a beautiful 100% alpaca yarn which knits up at a DK weight. It is amazingly soft with a slight halo and rich colours.

New from Hayfield is Aran with Wool. This is a practical blend of wool and acrylic, making for very easy care. The colours are quite subtle and would be perfect for a sweater with a lot of texture.

We are always interested in new sock yarn and this is one really caught out attention. Sock It To Me is a superwash wool with added nylon for for strength. The colours will really catch your eye, they have a subtle tweedy texture that won't detract from your favourite sock pattern and could be equally beautiful in a shawl or light scarf.

Enjoy your autumn and don't forget to check back often - we're adding new stock all the time.

SOCK CLASSES COMING UP

has 2 great sock classes coming up this fall...

 

The ever popular SOCK-IN-A-DAY

Sat. Oct. 26th 10am-2:30PM

 

To be perfectly honest, this sock pictured above is the sock that we are aiming to knit in just a day. It ain't exactly pretty and is not meant to be of much except as an excellent teaching tool.
If you can knit and purl with relative ease, you'll be able to complete this sock, which will give you all the skills required to knit a classic sock on 4 needles, in any size.
A template pattern is also included as part of the course materials to help you choose yarns, needles and the number of stitches required to make your own socks in any size.
Teacher: Anne Woodall
Cost: $45. (includes all materials)
Please call the store (613-384-3951) or email us shop@knittraders.com to save your spot.

OTHER SOCK TECHNIQUES

including basic toe-up socks and the magic loop method.
Sat. Nov. 23rd, 1-4pm

 

For some feet, regular sock construction just isn't as comfortable as other sock knitting techniques can be. Some folks find that knitting socks from the toe up creates a much more comfortable and form fitting sock.
We at KnitTraders have also discovered through our classes that learning the "Magic Loop" method of knitting with a long circular needle also works beautifully when  learning the toe up technique.
So we have married the introduction of these two very practical techniques into a single class that is designed for those who have knit traditional socks and are familiar with their construction and working in the round.
Teacher: Anne Woodall
Cost: $45 which includes a $10 coupon to put towards your favourite circular needle.
Materials: worsted weight yarn and a long 3.75mm circular needle (80cm-100cm long)
Please call the store (613-384-3951) or email us shop@knittraders.com to save your spot.



Exciting New "Add Ons" for knitters.

'Tis the season of gift-searching and inspiration-seeking to get your fall knitting under way. We've just received a good selection of quality non-fibre products that are designed to help you with your project choices, and to give you ideas for future gifts to ask Santa for, or to give to your knitting friends and family members.

 

The 2014 Knitting Page-a-Day Calendar.

More than 100 patterns in this year of knitting calendar (some take up more than one page.) This is always a hot seller and is long gone by November, so grab it while you can.

 

Handmade here in Ontario of beautiful hardwoods from around the world, these shawl sticks provide a stylish way to hold your knitted scarf or shawl in place, orwork as a simple accent piece on a knitted sweater. A good selection of other styles are also available.

In the new year, we're planning on offering  a Crochet Class for the Hook Phobic. What better way to invite people to tackle a new challenge than by introducing these rich, soft handled hooks that make the craft transition all the more pleasant. They're wonderful for anyone with hand issues that want to make their crochet experience more comfortable.

Hiya Hiya's small Silk Project Bags are so incredibly beautiful that they would entice you to deliberately choose a project that is tidy enough to fit inside. Stylish, and sensual - and only available until our supply sells out. So get your Santa to do his shopping early.

These exquisitely designed Roll Ups by Eden will hold your many needles and notions together in a tidy pack that you can have at hand whenever you take your knitting with you.

We have a lovely assortment in now, but you might want to take a look soon, for best selection of colours.

Interweave KNITS Holiday Gifts Magazine, and Knitter's Pride accessories.

Lots of new products from:

 

 

Waves Crochet Hooks, individually or in sets. Aluminum hooks and soft touch handles.

Other new products from Knitters Pride:

Blocking wires, T-pins,

Sew in leather purse handles.

Clicky Row Counters.

 

 

And after a weekend visit to an Indie Trade Show, I am thrilled to let you in on some of the beautiful yarns that I found including this:

100% Himalayan Silk in fingering weight, perfect for all lace work, that gets more beautiful through the warmth of your hands as you knit with it.

Also, a new lace weight mohair blend and 3 new colours in our ever popular

Cotton Tweed from Cabin Fever,

 

and the much sought after 2013 edition of Interweave KNITS Holiday Gifts Magazine.