Knitting – Page 32 – New England's Narrow Road

My Favorite Places To Order Yarn Online

Because there are no good yarn stores near where I live here in Florida, I shop online for my yarn. I’ve had to discover good yarn by reading reviews and discovering what expert knitters are using. And by simply taking a chance and buying unique yarn. (Yarn shown is Miss Babs, Yummy 2-Ply fingering,” Sorcerer”)

As time has passed and I am knitting more, I have found some additions to my list of favorite online shops.

Click on the titles below, which are links the shops.

Four Purls (LYS)

Four purls is a local yarn store here in Florida, but they sell online. They are located in Winter Haven which is in Central Florida. It’s quite a drive for me, so I have never been to the store. However, I do visit their Yarn Truck when it comes to the East coast. How fabulous is that?

Four Purls yarn truck travels the state of Florida to share yarn with those who don't have yarn stores close by. — The Four Purls yarn truck visits New Smyrna Beach in April 2019

They don’t travel around in summer because of the heat (they set up outdoors), so I must order online, and that experience has been quite good. Shipping is Free for U.S. orders over $49 (as of this writing). Emma’s Yarn is some of my favorite yarn ever and I have made the Dewdrops shawl and Sun-Kissed shawl with Emma’s Yarn. She offers bright tropical colors, which are perfect for us Florida knitters. Shipping is super fast – I’m just a couple hours away!

I like the fact that I am supporting a local store. One day I would love to visit the Four Purls shop.

Wool & Company

I can’t remember how I came across Wool & Company Fine Yarn but they are a favorite place to shop for two BIG reasons: They offer FREE U.S. shipping on any size order, and they will wind the yarn for FREE!

Their shipping is fast and the yarn is packaged in pretty dotted paper, like a gift to open! It’s the little things… and you can see below I got a free little stitch marker as well! (Miss Babs gives gifts like this too.)

Wool & Co. offers a wide selection of great yarn. It’s my favorite place to order Mohair because they will wind it for me! I once asked them to wind 2 of the 7 skeins of Shelter I purchased and discovered they wound all 7 for me! So customer service is above and beyond, IMO.

yarn store wool and company — Polka dot packaging

Yarn.com

The link takes you to “Webs” which is a site full of various types of yarn. This site also lists reviews by purchasers which I’ve found to be very helpful, and they have free patterns to try. They offer yarn discounts for certain types of yarn, according to how much you buy. When you see the blue icon and “webs discount” on the yarn page, the discount applies. Depending on how much yarn you buy, get either 20% or 25% off. That is a nice discount!

Shipping can take a while and often color selections are limited.

Thumbs Up: Good discounts, big selections, and sell yarn of all prices, so you can find cheap yarn here.

Purl Soho

This site has some very pretty yarn for sale, some of which is their own brand. I’ve bought and used the Worsted Twist to make a scarf and hat. It is beautiful yarn. They offer many wonderful free patterns (this is great for any beginner knitter) and wonderful knitting tutorials. However, often the types of yarn which can also be found on other sites is a dollar or so more expensive at this site. They don’t give regular discounts, that I’ve seen, but do offer free shipping if you spend a certain amount of money – $110 at the time of this writing. They will wind the yarn for you, but I don’t know if there is a cost.

Thumbs Up: Unique Yarn and Color Choices, Free Patterns & Excellent video and picture tutorials. Allow comments from readers / buyers.

Miss Babs

This site offers gorgeous hand-dyed (in Tennessee) yarn. They will wind a skein for you at a cost of $3.00 per skein. I used this service for a 1750 yard skein! This site has named yarns such as “Wild Iris” and “Babette” and I only recently figured out what that means. The “Wild Iris” label means the color is not repeatable and when it’s sold out, it’s gone. “Babette” means more will / can be made.

I love the yarn I’ve purchased, and they have sent little gifts with a couple of my orders – a few stitch markers, and a tiny sample of some yarn. Also they sent a nice thank you card with info on how to reach them if I have questions or need help. I love to feel appreciated, and tiny touches like that do the trick.

I have knit a Mystery Knit-along Shawl and the Bays Edge Shawl and Fine Sand sweater with Miss Babs yarn.

Thumbs Up: Beautiful & unique yarn and nice product images. Sell partial skeins for small projects / color needs.

Jimmy Beans Wool

This is a fun place to shop for yarn. Their product views are nice on this site, showing 2 or 3 images, with close-up views. In fact, that is how I found this yarn site. The Webs site, mentioned above, often has only one (not very good) image of yarn colors. When I first signed up, I got a discount coupon for a following order – I always appreciate discounts!

Thumbs Up: Great Images of Yarn & Good Sales & Fast Shipping!

Beach bunny variegated yarn purchased at Wool and Company where the skein was wound for free. — Hedgehog Fibres “Beach Bunny” sock yarn from Wool & Company

The Woolly Thistle

I’m adding The Woolly Thistle as a favorite shop for online ordering of specialty wool yarn imported from the UK, Scotland, Scandinavia, and other far off places. The shop is located in New Hampshire (which definitely caught my attention) and I recently purchased some wool and a book from them (because it’s about NH crafters). Check out this store (and her podcast) if you like to do stranded colorwork with nice wool. Shipping is free if you spend over $99 and it is F A S T!

My Experience With Using a Lifeline While Knitting

I knew nothing about lifelines in knitting until not long ago. I thought, “what a great idea”. Often I will not attempt a difficult pattern simply because I know I will mess it up eventually, and then what?

Now I know that I will not have to undo all my hard work and start over completely – if I do the lifeline correctly.

The Craftsy site has a page about using lifelines, but I have some other information to add.

First of all, choose a place where going back to pick up the stitches will actually work.

I’m not a very experienced knitter, but I am trying to get better by trying new and bigger projects. I ordered some beautiful “Spring Clover Green” fingering yarn from Miss Babs with the intention of making a rectangular shawl.

big skein of spring green yarn — “Spring Green” Katahdin fingering yarn from Miss Babs – Bluefaced Leicester Wool – 1750 yards

For this shawl project (which is a pattern mostly made up by me, and I will share at some point) I am following a diamond stitch pattern which goes on for 12 rows. I decided to add a lifeline after the 12th row.

Sure enough, I messed up about 4 rows later, so I decided to go back – rip out stitches to the lifeline – and go from there.

NOT SO EASILY DONE…. The stitches at my lifeline row were so intertwined that I couldn’t follow the lifeline and pick up the stitches….! I got a tiny crochet hook to try to pull the stitches into place and painstakingly edged my knitting needle along the row. It took forever! I nearly threw the entire project into the front yard. The cost of all that nice yarn stopped me…..

The row was such a mess I couldn’t continue the pattern from where I left off, so I did a couple rows of garter stitch and then added a new lifeline. Because this lifeline is on a continuous knit stitch, it should be easier to pick up the stitches if I have to go back. I’ll move the lifeline up as I get further along in the project.

It messed up my pattern, but the diamond design will now be separated by a few rows of garter stitch.

Screen Shot 2018-06-02 at 12.24.36 PM — Darning needle with floss gets pulled through the stitches

Dental floss is one of the suggestions to use when creating a lifeline. Whatever you use it needs to be easy to see and easy to remove. And make a note as to where you placed the lifeline so you can continue the pattern accordingly. On the first row above the lifeline simply ignore it and knit the row as the pattern says. Leave it there until you get further along. Pull out the floss or yarn and create a new lifeline.

Be sure the yarn or floss is long enough to hang out both ends of the needle so you don’t lose it while knitting.

adding a floss lifeline to my knitting — Pulling floss through my knit stitches to use as a lifeline

lifeline knitting — Be sure to pick up every stitch with that lifeline

Have some of these needle tip covers for to prevent stitches from slipping off. You’ll get a lot of use out of them, believe me.

Screen Shot 2018-06-02 at 12.24.29 PM — Use an end cap so the stitches don’t fall off

I have continued on with this pattern but I am still making mistakes. Since I plan to give this shawl to my daughter, or keep it for myself, I may keep going and see how it goes. I’ve put so much work into it already and I love the yarn color. Once it is blocked, I think it will look pretty. I have to learn about blocking.

Missing Yarn Shops and Farm Stands and Unique Crafters

Alice Blue shop — Little shop on School St. in Peterborough NH

New Englander’s are known for their ingenuity. So many independent crafters live in the area, they have formed the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen. This is a group of individuals who have been identified as superior craftsmen and chosen to be part of this prestigious group. They have a collective show every summer at Mount Sunapee. I never had a chance to attend, but have seen their wares in fine shops in the area.

When I lived in New Hampshire, it was easy to find handmade items, farm stands, unique gifts, home decor, and beautiful yarn shops. People in the area seem to live and breath the arts. Just down the road from me was the famous MacDowell Colony.

Artists and Crafters Galore

My next door neighbor was a member of the League and made pewter items in a little shop next to his house, which had once been an Inn. I became friends with his wife and visited his shop once. It was a very small shed located at the side of the yard, filled with all the tools he needed to bring his ideas to life. I have a little pewter turtle made by him.

At the end of my road was a man who did glass-blowing. Another woman raised rabbits and used the fur to spin yarn. My son’s third grade class took a field trip to a fellow student’s farm to see how sheep were raised to supply wool for knitting. I bought all the plants for my yard from a local farm, in that same town. And if you wanted a handcrafted basket, head over to the Peterborough Basket Company.

I mention only a few of the many crafty places located close by. It was a wonderful place to live, and shop if you had the money to enjoy these things. The atmosphere of the area was quaint and peaceful.

Now That I Am in Florida Once Again

In 1979 I looked forward to moving to Florida. In 2016 I did not. I knew what I was in for, times 10. In my opinion Florida goes downhill year after year. Grrrrr…… For now, I’m talking about crafts, and specifically yarn arts.

I’ve taken up knitting again, but I must purchase all my yarn online. In order to discover which types of yarn I like best, I have to buy lots of different types whereas, in a shop, I could see the colors and feel the yarn before purchase. I may even get some much needed advice!

Although I live in a highly populated area, I can’t find a single place close to me to buy a hand-dyed, home spun skein of yarn. We have Walmarts and Michaels Craft Store, which do not carry that type of yarn. I keep hoping I am missing something and will stumble upon a cute little yarn shop somewhere that simply doesn’t advertise online.

Yarn Stores Closest to me: The Knitting Patch and Knit, both in Longwood. There are others in the same general built up area of the state that I try to avoid visiting.

I miss being able to drive to a store and shop for something unique, or pick out beautiful yarn myself. Florida is not conducive to crafters. That is not to say there are none, but this is a big state and I’m not about to drive an hour (through horrendous traffic) to get to a yarn store.

I miss my home and all the talented people who readily share their artistic abilities in the form of their creations. In New Hampshire many artists can make a living doing what they love best. They’ve carved out a little niche for themselves and made it work.

As I sit here in an air-conditioned house, I pick up my needles and latest knitting project, and dream of home.

What I Have Knit So Far in 2018

Once the knitting bug bit me a few months ago, I have been nutty with greed for new yarn and new patterns to try. Here is what I have knit so far this year. (Most of these items have links to the Free Patterns.)

Pom Pom Hat

First photo: The chunky knit child’s hat with a pom pom on top was the first “little” hat I ever made. I gave it as a gift for a new baby girl who lives in a cold climate. She will probably wear it next winter. The nice thing about hats is that they are stretchy.

View my blog post, and get the link to Purl Soho’s Snow Day hat, which is a free pattern. I did change it up a bit by using another type of yarn and smaller needles.

Screen Shot 2018-05-23 at 1.40.34 PM — “Snow Day” hat pattern

Big Flower Pink Hat

The little pink girl’s hat below was begun using a free pattern I found online. (Get the link on my page here.) I also found a crocheted flower to add to the edge. You can find that tutorial at Classy Crochet. *Note: The center of the flower is made first, then you work outward. This was also a gift. I don’t have any little ones to knit for.

Screen Shot 2018-05-23 at 1.40.25 PM — Child’s Big Flower Hat

Worsted Twist and Fisherman’s Rib

The Fisherman’s Rib scarf was fun to make and I loved the Worsted Twist yarn I purchased from Purl Soho. I did find a good pattern, which tidies up the edges better. You can see all that info in my post. I wanted a hat to match, and still had yarn leftover. The Fisherman’s Rib is not as easy when worked on a circular needle, so I decided to make up my own hat pattern. I named it the Long Rib Hat. It needs either a pom pom or flower, which I have yet to add.

Love Chunky Rasta Yarn!

Okay, the Rasta yarn I used for this chunky knit hat and scarf set was so much fun to use! Malabrigo makes it, and that company is quickly becoming one of my favorites. I haven’t written about this set yet. The hat is a simple k1,p1 around until decreases at top. I think I took notes, but I have to find them. The scarf is short, but I used the same Fisherman’s Rib stitch as the scarf above. I used 2 skeins of Rasta “Arco Iris” color, for both (less than one skein for the hat, and remaining for the short scarf – about 40 inches). I wasn’t too sure about the color, but ended up liking it. And I love working with the super soft, and colorful yarn! *One drawback – often this yarn is out of stock in many colors.

Screen Shot 2018-05-23 at 1.39.31 PM — Malabrigo Rasta Chunky Yarn Set

Autumn Colors Double-Wrap Cowl

The cowl below was also a free pattern I found at Ravelry. See my notes and the link to the pattern and creator on my Ravelry Project page. This one wraps double around the neck.

cowl in shades of brown and gold — Infinity scarf / cowl in Madeline Tosh

Gray Cables Knit Hat

The hat below was knit from a book called Cozy Stash-Busting Knits. It has shawls, hats and mittens to knit using heavier weight yarns. The “Astrid” hat gave me some good experience using a cable needle (yikes). I used Mad Tosh Vintage yarn which is a little too stiff for a hat, IMO. I would also measure the height better, as this one came out too tall.

cable knit gray hat — Jen Lucas “Astrid” Hat Pattern

I Made a Shawl!

Recently I finished my first shawl! This was also a Free pattern. You can see my photos and notes about the “Shade Loving Shawl” on my Ravelry page.

Free triangle shawl pattern – my first shawl

Connect With Knitters on Pinterest

As with all things, knitters gain knowledge and experience by knitting! I make many mistakes, but the important thing is that I try new things. Most days I spend at least a little bit of time searching for more patterns, yarn, and online shops to “favorite”. Usually I save them to my Pinterest knitting board which you can follow below so I can come find you!