Now We Are 7!

We know you can't really knit a sweater for a whole big store, but since we sell materials for knitting sweaters of all kinds and types, we could not resist thinking how fitting t would be now that Knitty City is 7 years old!

After all, we once saw a hat knitted for a bus stop!

But, that's another story!  We are here today to  say that we are so thankful for all the good folks and friends who turned out last weekend for our little birthday celebration.  It was great to see you all and share a little cake and time with you.  We couldn't have done the past 7 years without you. 

This is our first new blog post of the year and since we have a few January  things to tell you, we'd like to get right to it:

PLEASE REMEMBER THESE  DATE(S)

Once again, Knitty City will be the Book Signing Hub of Vogue Knitting's Third NYC Show
Change of Venue this year:  This year, the show will be held at The Marriott Marquis in Times Square
Here's a line up of the authors you can expect to see at our booths: # 612, 614

Friday, Jan. 18
Evening Signing
6-6:30 – Nicky Epstein – “Essential Edgings”
7:00-7:45 Martin Storey – "Aran Knits"
 
Saturday, Jan. 19 
10-:00-11:00 - Betsy Perry -   "Shawls, Wraps & Scarves"
11:00-12:00 –  Leslie Ann Bestor  -  “Cast On-Cast off”
12:00-1:00 - Mary Beth Temple -  “Curvy Girl Crochet”
1:00-2:00 – Katherine Cobey -  “Diagonal Knitting”
2:00-3:00 - Norah Gaughan – “Comfort Knitting & Crochet: Baby & Toddlers"         
3:00-4:00 – Bruce Weinstein –“Boyfriend Sweaters”
4:00-5:00 –Vedis Jonsdottir – “Knitting with Icelandic Wool”
 
Sunday, Jan 20
11:00 – 12:00 – Cornelia Hamilton –“ Noro”
12:00 – Anna Hrachovec  Super Scary MochiMochi
2:00 - 3:00    Nicky Epstein – “Knitting in Circles” 
3:00 - 4:00 –  Rosemary Drysdale – Entrelac

OUR YARN OF THE MONTH (YOM)

Rowan Yarns  on sale for 10% off all month long.
It's our Anniversary Yarn of the Month
 and the sale will carry on for all of January,

EVENTS & CLASSES AT THE STORE THIS MONTH

Nancy Ricci, our resident teacher/designer/associate, has been busy designing classes as well as patterns.  Here are some of her upcoming events:

Nancy's Amazingly Easy Garter Coat Knit-a-long


 

Dates: Tuesdays, January 8, 15, 22 and 29

Time: 2pm-4pm

Fee: The Knit-a-Long Class and pattern is free but you must buy the yarn from Knitty City to participate

Supplies: 10 balls of Rowan Big Wool, #15 circular 40" and a set of #15 dpns
 

We have been waiting for this pattern ever since Nancy showed up in her beautiful coat!
Join Nancy each week and knit her Amazingly Easy Garter Coat using Rowan Big Wool.
The coat is knitted in one piece, mostly garter stitch (knit every row), with a few rows of K2 P2 ribbing at the bottom and cuffs.
Minimal finishing and just a bit of seaming at the shoulder are required.   Easy does it!

Rowan Big Wool comes in many beautiful colors;  don't forget that Rowan is our Yarn of the Month, so it's 10% off.
Come in before January 8 to choose the Rowan Big Wool color you would like to use for your coat and Pearl will put in the order.

Nancy has great style ideas for wearing your new coat and is always happy to share them. 
You can read more about Nancy,  her designs (and life) right here:  www.gettingpurlywithit.com

The Vanessa Headband

 

Date: Friday, January 11

Time: 4pm - 6pm

Class Fee: $40 (does not include yarn and needles)

Supplies: 80 yards of chunky weight yarn, size #11 needles, cable needle, darning needle.

Learn how to do left and right slanting cables as you complete this attractive, warm headband. This class will be taught in one 2-hour session

 ______________

Dana's Amazing Bead crochet Chain Stitch Necklace Class
Come & meet Dana Freed (another resident author/teacher/designer/associate) and let her show you how to design your own bead crochet necklace.

Sample Picture from Website: www.welldoneexperience.com

Class Date, Friday, January 25, 2013, 4-6 PM
Fee:  $65 which includes cost of kit ($40 value)
Kit contains all materials plus enough to make more projects
Please Note:  Students must know how to chain stitch and  hold the hook & yarn.
Dana & Bert Freed are the Author/Desginers of this beautiful book, available at  Knitty City:



To see some of Dana's Knitting Designs, find her on Ravelry at
http://www.ravelry.com/designers/dana-freed. 
All Dana Freed Knits Designs are also available at Knitty City

Exciting Yarns in Store this Month

There's a lot of buzz going on right now about some of the new variegated Madeline Tosh Sock Yarn.  We'd like o show you pictures but the stuff is flying out so fast that we don't want to mislead you.  You had best come in and take a look for yourself.  The stuff is gorgeous!

More at the Store

Due to  demand, we are now holding the Knitty City Kid's Club 3 times a week!
Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday afternoons
Call store for details and to sign up.

Book Club Information
"Little Bee"
Thursday, January 10, 6-8 PM

Leslie Simon's Light Filled Yarn Wreath  - A Gift to Knitty City

Even in the darkest days of winter, we seek to remember that this is the season that brings new light.  Whether its the hopeful  beauty of 8 little candles, the circling of a tree or wreath, or the decorating of  a home, light  serves as a guidepost to goodness and life.  As people who make things by hand, we realize that in  linking light-filled things together- whatever the material -  we link ourselves to one another in a wish for warmth, safety  and community.   

Knitty City, once again, extends its sincere wishes to all for a

healthy and peace-filled season.

In the days to come, you may wish to consider some additional things tthat  will bring you a smile or light up the faces of people you know who like to make things, so in that spirit, we continue our  list begun a few weeks back

The Gift of Pretty New Yarn

Just in from one of  our favorite yarn providers (Berroco) are two yarns that we think you might find of interest: Fuji and Maya.  These yarns are so new that we have not been able to find info (or pictures) on line yet.  Trust us, when we tell you that they are wonderful, and require you come in to take a look.  We'll be posting on line (Facebook) as soon as we can grab a few shots at the store. 

The Gift of Inspiration

One of our resident sales colleagues, who also happens to be a designer and author, Dana Freed, (Bead Crochet Jewelry), is a great pattern developer and  has recently been very active in designing some new knitting patterns.  Be sure to check out her collection of quick and stylish patterns  Presented with the right yarn, a pattern from Dana Freed's collection  is a great  gift.

Also inspiring us all this month is the new Trunk Show from Scrumptious Yarns.  Come on in and take a look at what this yarn turns into - and don't forget, Scrumptious yarns are  on sale all month at l0% off - along with Jade Sapphire's yummy cashmere yarns

The Gift of Learning

This week we have some upcoming events that will serve to broaden your awareness of new books and helpful techniques .  Please  mark your calendar's for this week's following events

Wednesay, December l9th, 6-8 PM

Book Signing with Bruce Weinstein

Boyfriend Sweaters: 19 Designs for Him That You'll Want to Wear

Whether you’re knitting for yourself or for any person in your life, these  projects are sure to be classics you’ll wear—or borrow—for years to come.  Join us as we welcome Bruce this evening. He'll be sharing his knowledge, some cookies and signing his books

Finish Your Audrey Gloves

Friday, Dec 21, 4-5pm*

In this second of her two-part class, Nancy will be demonstrating several seaming techniques and wet blocking.

Note:   You need to have attended the first class to participate in this class. 

FYI:Nancy's Audrey Glove pattern is available to all and is a fast knit for the intermediate knitter;  check with Zach in case you wish to take a private class with Nancy on this or any one of her other projects.  This and many of her additional  patterns are available at the store.

The Gift of "Gleen"

We have it on high authority, that The Gleener  is the ultimate in fuzz removal, and  works like magic to quickly and easily remove fuzz, pills and lint from most woven or knitted fabrics. Everything from sweaters, t-shirts, pants, jackets, and scarves to drapes, cushions and upholstery will be completely revitalized!  This is a great gift idea - One of those that will be remembered for not only its thooughtulness but also for its usefulness - for years to come!

The Gift of Music

Great gift for music lovers and history buffs, as well as knitters.  Knitting All The Day is sung by the wonderfully talented Melanie Gall, and provides a glimpse into daily life on the home front during war time.  Some songs are melancholy: Women were knitting for men who they might never see alive again. Others are energetic and very funny. If you are a knitter or crocheter, or if you are interested In historically rich music, you might wish to check this one out.  

Kid's Club Announcement

Due to the popularity of this after school activity, we will be adding an extra day for Kid's Club, bringing our total to 3 a week.  Desgined for kids in grades 2-5,  and held from 3:30-4:30 PM, a child will have the opportunity to make a scarf, a hat, an  iPad case, leg and arm warmers, a pocketbook or a book bag, and learn the art of felting.  Please call the store for more information on available and specific days.

Cost: $25/session. $10 for materials.

We'll be back again before long - so keep an eye out for our newsletter with updates!  In the meantime, keep warm and safe

Pearl & the folks @ Knitty City

The Time Draws Near!

When a little gift (or two) might be appropriate! 

No matter what you celebrate, it's most often the case that some gift giving is in order at this time of year.  So, now that Thanksgiving 2012 is a thing of sweet memory (hopefully), we are setting our eye toward the next holiday on the horizon - and we have been planning accordingly.   This Season we've created a little list of our own - All with an eye toward being useful, of course.    Every week until December 25,  we'll  be sending  YOU  a list - for some of the  most intriguiing things we can think of that are currently available at the store.

#1

The Gift of Experience

Nothing keeps on giving like the gift of learning, and this month we have a lot of learning going on!  Treat yourself (or a friend) to a class with one of the most spirited and creative knitting designers and teachers in the biz.  We'll be serving a little bit of bubbly, dishing up some snacks and Annie will be imparting a whole lot of knowledge!

Make the  Holidays bright(er)  by taking a Color Class with Annie Modesitt, well known designer, author and teacher, and let her take you in:
"A New Direction in Color"
Join us at the store,  after hours, and learn while  Annie Modesitt explain some of the tricks of the trade when it comes to deciding on color combinations & techniques
Special Holiday Class Offer::  $40.00

We stock some of the finest brands in the yarn world and that includes, of course, Malabrigo.  This week we welcomed a new line of their gorgeous yarn.  Named "Rastita", it's  a sportweight version of Rasta.  It’s a lightly fulled, DK weight single that comes in a rainbow of delicious watercolor hues- some existing favorites, and some brand new! Yardage is generous: 310 yds ~ which means that one skein  will render a small muffler and two can generate a nice shoulder wrap for you  or the shoulders of one you love.  Here's a peek at just 3 of the many colors currently on the shelf:

Also in stock this week is the newest Malabrigo book: No. 4  - filled with lovely ideas,  beautifully executed.  A few skeins of this yarn, plus the new Malabrigo book, would light up anyone's world.  Even a non-knitter would learn to knit just to make this yarn come to life! 

Another book from beyond beautiful is this  newest Amimono Book

" The Bird Collection"

The latest from designer Helga Isager, Amimono 4 is a double faced pattern book that features "The Bird Collection" on one side and the "Little Bird Collection" on the other. With 7 classic designs for women and 6 darling designs for children, Amimono 4 makes a wonderful addition to any library.

#4

The Gift of Help

Knitty City's  colleagues love to share our knowledge about the crafts that give us such enjoyment.  We feel fortunate to have attracted a great clientele and to work with some of the most knowledable people. We recently added a new person to our staff:  Sarah Solomon.  Here's a picture ) and a  bit about her, in her own words:

Sarah Solomon studied music, literature and foreign languages at Sarah Lawrence College.  After years of sewing, she finally decided to try knitting about 5 years ago and hasn't put her needles down since.  She loves natural fibers, marrying traditional and innovative techniques, and achieving the perfect fit.  A fan of Knitty City since she first started knitting, she is delighted to finally be part of their team.

#5

The Gift of Anticipation

Followng are a few more things to look forward to this month

12.7.12 - Fyberspates Trunk Show Begins  In Store

Check out the Saturday Treat Book we have on hand, as well

An exciting new collaboration between Ysolda Teague  and Fyberspates, the six accessory patterns in Saturday Treat feature a color palette selected by Ysolda in Fyberspates Scrumptious, a luxurious wool / silk blend with a beautiful sheen ~ the colours practically glow. Containing designs for pretty little additions to your wardrobe, or gifts that you know will be treasured, all of the patterns feature interesting details against a relaxing background.

Make the most of your special knitting time with Ysolda and Scrumptious.

12/19 - Book Signing for Boyfriend's Sweater

6-8 PM

Knitwear designer Bruce Weinstein has fashioned the classic boyfriend sweater with 19 ultra-comfortable projects designed to work on both men and women. Come in and meet him in person and pick up your signed copy at this in-store reception.
Whether you’re knitting for yourself or for the person in your life, these gorgeous projects are sure to be classics you’ll wear—or borrow—for years to come.

As always, don't forget to check us out, daily, on Facebook and Twitter. 

We'll be back next week with another "list" of things that you'll want to keep in mind as the holidays approach.  In the meantime, happy knitting (and/or crocheting).  Keep warm!

Cu

The Calm After the Storm 

Knitty City reopened yesterday and while we won't attempt to summarize the experience that was Hurricane Sandy, we do wish to state, once again, how proud we are to be a business in New York.  We saw many friends and familiar faces  and it warmed our collective heart to have them stop by and tell us how they have fared over the past few days.  For those who are feeling the effects downtown and in the outlying boroughs and areas, we are thinking of you and we hope to see you soon.  Drop us a line via Facebook, if you can, and let us know how you are doing.  We are here and we care.

A Few Changes in Schedule

There will be no Curvy Girl Crochet Presentation tthis evening, so please make sure your calendar is cleared if you were planning to attend. We will be rescheduling with Mary Beth Temple as soon as we have more information on her availability.

Maxine's Beginner's Knitting Class on Saturday (1-3P)  will be taught by another Knitty City teacher as of this writing.  Maxine had a non-storm related mishap which will keep her out of commission for a short while.  We'll keep you posted as to when she'll be back.  

Yarn of the Month

We are offering a 10% discount all month on any/all Cascade Yarns.    Anyone who knits is probably familiar with this line of quality knititng yarns.  We are fortunate to stock  a wide range of weights, and we heartily  recommend you take advantage of this sale to stock up for your Holiday and Winter Projects.

New Yarn

"Gina"

This worsted weight 100% yarn will knit up quickly on a size 7 needle.  This is  one of 10 luscious colorways  just in. 

Pop on by to check it out.  What a hat, or scarf this would make!

Upcoming Events

Lucinda Gudy Book Signing @ Knitty City.

Saturday, November 10, 2-4 PM

Please join us and meet British Designer, Lucinda Guy. 

Many a knitter knows her charming collection of  children's pattern books (4 in total) and her  successful "Northern Knits" book,which features a range of beautiful scandinavian inspired sweater and accessory patterns.  She has followed that up with Northern Knits Gifts, a collection of smaller items and accessories which have the same Scandinavian theme. She's seldom in NY so  this may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet her!!!!

New Books to Note

SHORTSTORY

In "Shortstory", the follow-up to her bestselling Hattitude and Cowl Girls, knitwear designer Cathy Carron offers fashion-forward knitters 35 designs for boleros, shrugs, cropped cardis, and short wraps, along with instructions on how to adapt patterns to your own measurements.

Big Apple Knitting Guild Presents

Special Appearance, Book Signing & Presentation from Cathy Carron

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 6-8:30 PM

PEARL STUDIOS, 12th Floor Studio

500 Eighth Ave. (between 35 & 36 St.)

Knitty City will be sellling copies of Cathy's Book so we'll see you there.

Note:  You do not have to be a member of the Big Apple Knitting Guild to attend this meeting.  It is open to all.

Knitty City currently has these books in stock, as well. 

Knits for Babies 0-18 Months 

Susie Haumann

An essential for anyone who knits for babies. 

16 designs for baby including pullovers, vests, a hoodie, socks, mittens, a dress, caps, leggings and a bib. Softcover; 9" x 9"; 40 pages.  We keep on ordering this one.  Get it while in store.  

Upcoming Special  Class

 Nancy Ricci Teaches

"Audrey"

The perfect Holiday Gift

Thursday, November 9, 5-6 PM &

Thursday November 16, 5-6 PM

Designer/instructor, Nancy Ricci, will conduct a class on knitting her charming "Audrey" fingerless gloves.

Just two 1 hour classes and you'll know how to make these!

Fee:  $40.00 for the two class series

Once made, we can almost guarantee that you won't want to part with them - especially if you use a skein of

Jade Sapphire Cashmere Yarn,

We have that and other alternatives in stock for you to purchase before the class. 

For a full listing of all our classes and workshops, please be sure to go to http://www.knittycity.com and click on the class tab.