The Fine Needle | Not just a shop, a community for knitters & crocheters

Getting Organized – Projects

By StacyM | Published January 29, 2013

Stuck inside because of the nasty cold weather? What better time to clean out those knitting bags and get your projects in order, whether in progress or waiting to be started. Here are some tips to help you out:

Gather all your knitting projects that have been started in one place.
Determine their fate (rip out, finish, give away, etc.) Download our flowchart of how to decide what to do with an unfinished project (UFO) [PDF].
Organize your needles and notions – make note of needle sizes you’re missing.
Organize the projects you are working on or will be starting soon. Place the yarn, pattern, and needles, along with any special notions, in its own bag or box.
Create a shopping list of needles and notions you need.
Have patterns that need yarn? Yarn that really wants to be knit, but no pattern? Make note of these too and organize list with pattern and/or yarn into a shopping bag to take to your LYS.
Simpler projects are great for taking to knitting group or to work on while waiting at doctor appointments or other such “waiting” times.
Keep a list of projects you’ve completed. We have a Completed Project List printout [PDF] you can use!

Next time we’ll talk about organizing your yarn. Now… get knitting!

Posted in General Information, Knitting | Comments Off

Class Calendars for 2013

By StacyM | Published December 31, 2012

Download March 2013 calendar. [PDF]
Download April 2013 calendar. [PDF]

All classes meet for one session (unless indicated otherwise) and come with a “life-time” guarantee.

Class Descriptions for current offerings:

Learn to Knit
Cookie will be here to help knitters learn (or re-learn if it’s been a while) the basics: knit, purl, cast on, and bind off.
Supplies: light colored worsted weight yarn, US 8 needles
Cost: $20 plus supplies
Time: 10 am – noon
Dates: Saturday, March 8; Saturday, April 20

Five Ways to Cast On
Do you always cast on the same way? Is it sometimes too loose – or too tight? Learn some new ways to cast on! Different cast ons provide different edges – some are stretchy, some hold firm. Broaden your knitting horizons. ** You can take this class more than once and learn new cast ons each time ** (Additional classes are $20 each)
Supplies: light colored worsted weight yarns (at least two different colors), US 8 needles, crochet hook (G, H, or I is great).
Cost: $20 plus supplies
Time: 10 am – noon
Dates: Friday, March 8; Friday, May 10

All About Gauge
Do you always skip making a swatch? Does the whole stitches per inch thing really make a difference? Find out how and why to make a swatch – and learn to easily make adjustments to that your projects turn out the way they are supposed to!
Supplies: Needles in the following sizes: US 6, US 7, US 8, US 9, US 10. Light colored, worsted weight yarn. If you don’t have all the sizes, bring what you have.
Cost: $20 plus supplies
Time: 10 am – noon
Dates: Friday, April 5; Saturday, April 27

Let’s Make Mittens
We’ll have a basic mitten pattern that will walk you through cuff, thumb shaping, and a Kitchner stitch finish.
Supplies: light colored worsted weight yarn, US 8 needles
Cost: $20 plus supplies
Time: 10 am – noon
Dates: Saturday, March 9

Toe Up Socks
Learn to create socks starting with the toe. We’ll make a mini sock in class to get you through the special cast on and the heel.
Supplies: light colored worsted weight yarn, US 8 needles (2 circs, or DPN’s)
Cost: $20 plus supplies
Time: 10 am – noon
Dates: Friday, March 22; Saturday, April 6; Friday, April 26.

Fair Isle Hat
One of Stacy’s all time favorite hats to knit! It’s a great way to learn fair isle (stranded knitting).
Supplies: light colored worsted weight yarn, US 8 needles
Cost: $45 includes kit; US 7 or US 8 16″ circular needle and same size DPNs
Time: 10 am – noon
Dates: Friday, March 15; Saturday, March 30; Friday, April 19

Lacy Shawl
Shawls – especially lace ones – are all the rage these days. Learn how to get started and some tricks for keeping everything going smoothly. We have a range of patterns to choose from at varying degrees of difficulty. Choice is yours and we’ll help you select the perfect yarn.
Supplies: yarn and needles for pattern chosen; stitch markers, unwaxed dental floss or perle cotton thread, darning needle
Cost: $20 plus supplies
Time: 10 am – noon
Dates: Saturday, March 23; Friday, March 29; Friday, May 3

Class descriptions for past classes. Call to schedule!

Honeycomb Cowl
Knit in super bulky yarn in the round, this quick project utilizes a few rounds of cables to create the deep honeycomb texture.
Supplies: 24″ circular US 15, cable needle, ~130 yds super bulky yarn
Cost: $20 plus supplies (pattern included in class fee)
Time: 10 am – noon
Dates: call to schedule

Aunt Philly Rug
Jeanne is back to teach this popular class that transforms strips of fabric into round or oval rugs (or chair pads, coasters, etc.).
Supplies: optional: 2″ strips of fabric
Cost: $15 plus needle ($5)
Time: 10 am – noon
Dates: Call to schedule

Tree of Life Hat by Stacy Mitchell

Tree of Life Hat
Need a quick knit? This hat features Kollage Yarns Lofty and a simple traveling stitch pattern. Designed by our own Stacy Mitchell for Kollage Yarns.
Supplies: 16″ Circular, US 11 needles
Cost: $35 includes kit of yarn and pattern
Time: 10 am – noon
Dates: call to schedule

Leaves Shawlette
Another quick knit! This shawlette is knit in chunky yarn with a garter stitch base and an edging made of leaves.
Supplies: US 15 needles, stitch markers
Cost: $15 plus supplies
Time: 10 am – noon
Dates: Call to schedule

Posted in General Information | Comments Off

Surviving

By StacyM | Published November 2, 2012

We’re hoping that everyone survived Hurricane Sandy without much damage. Word has been trickling in from friends and family in New Jersey, some of whom are still waiting to see what damage their coastal homes endured. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who suffered any loss; we’ve been there and know how devastating it is.

Thankfully, we came through this storm with no damage and no flooding. To celebrate our thankfulness, we are having a sale:

20% off yarn, books, patterns, and notions in the yarn department!

The only exclusions are already discounted yarns and the lovely Ocean Breeze Alpaca yarn (locally grown in Berlin, Maryland! – more on that soon).

Lots of new, fall yarns have been arriving each week, including chunky yarns that make up quickly for those last minute gifts!

Stop on in and we’ll help you select the right yarn for your project – or the right project for your yarn.

Posted in General Information | Comments Off

Join the Club(s)!

By StacyM | Published September 28, 2012

Several yarn companies offer clubs through local yarn shops each year/season, whereby you can receive a kit for a small project complete with pattern and yarn. We are proud to present two such club of which you may wish to take advantage: Dream Club and Feed Your Creativity.

October 2012

September 2012

Dream Club is presented by Dream in Color yarn and offers a one skein project each month for six months. There is only one colorway to choose from each month, but it is a specially hand-dyed for Club only – and it is always gorgeous! We’ve received two months so far (October’s arrived yesterday!):

Feed Your Creativity from Kollage Yarns offers a kit each month for 10 months and features small projects also. This is the third year we are offering this program, and have had great success with introducing our customers to the various natural fiber yarns that Kollage offers. My favorite projects are the hats, and I was thrilled this year to have one of my hat designs chosen to be part of the collection! Although that kit’s official month is June 2013 we have kits available now. Here are some of the kits from past and present:

Tree of Life Hat by Stacy Mitchell

Fair Isle Hat

McTwist Hat

And just so you know that there are kits other than for hats…

Bonnie Jean

Seamus Cowl

Market Bag

We’re working on getting all of these kits up in our web store. If you don’t see one listed, give us a call. All are available in the shop!

Posted in Knitting, Patterns | Tagged clubs, Dream in Color, Kollage | Comments Off

Mystery Hat Revealed – Meet the Tilted Halo Hat

By StacyM | Published September 21, 2012

The Tilted Halo hat.

I recently wrote about knitting a couple of mystery hats, and at long last I can reveal the hat. Meet the Tilted Halo hat!

First let me introduce you to Halos of Hope. They are a great not-for-profit organization that provides hand made hats to chemo patients (men, women, and children) around the USA. They send thousands of hats each year to cancer centers, doctors, children’s cancer camps, and where ever there are chemo patients in need of hand made piece of hope. But sending all those hats takes money – and the BUZZ campaign was born. Three men are willing to get their heads shaved at Stitches East in Hartford, CT this October. Only one will actually have to get shaved – and BUZZ is to determine who that will be by voting to SAVE or SHAVE. Each vote is $10, with all money going to Halos of Hope.

Mark Moraca of Kollage Yarns. We don’t want to see his head shaved!

One of those three men is my good friend Mark Moraca of Kollage Yarns. Here’s a picture of Mark. See that innocent look? Don’t let it fool you! He was the inspiration of the Tilted Halo hat. He’s a good and kind soul, but I can tell you his halo definitely isn’t on straight!

I’m on a campaign to save Mark’s hair. His wife, Susie, insists that Mark will look like Uncle Fester from The Addams’ Family if his head is shaved. We don’t want that to happen. SO… if you purchase the Tilted Hat pattern for $10 all that price will go towards SAVING MARK. Which really means that Halos of Hope will get $10 to help them continue to send hats to chemo patients.

The pattern uses two skeins of Kollage Yarns Toasty, a chunky 100% wool. One skein for the main color and the second for the halo. The great thing is that you can make two hats; the second one reversing the colors. Please consider making one to donate! I’ve added a coupon code at the end of the pattern so you can receive 10% off your purchase of Toasty from our online store. Local customers can bring in the coupon to the shop.

Ready to purchase a Tilted Hat pattern? Click here!

UPDATE: Susie and Mark said if you’re coming to Stitches East 2012 (October 11-14) and bring a completed Tilted Halo hat in Toasty yarn (or Kollage Lofty yarn) to our booth (#413) to donate to Halos you can be entered into a drawing for a lovely gift basket of Kollage yarns, patterns, and Square(tm) needles! Thanks Kollage!!

Not going to Stitches East? Bring or send in your hat to the Fine Needle BEFORE October 7 (it’s a quick knit!). Be sure to include your name, e-mail, and phone number with your hat(s). We’ll put you in the drawing for the prize! One entry per hat!!

Posted in General Information, Knitting, Patterns | Tagged Halos of Hope, hat, Kollage, pattern | Comments Off

Startitis Update

By StacyM | Published September 17, 2012

A couple weeks ago I blogged about my “startitis” (the not so rare case of wanting to start a lot of knitting projects). I thought you might enjoy an update:

Denim Blues shawl – almost done. I’m about half way through the 646 stitch lace ruffle. After that there is an I-cord trim along the top. This has been a blast to knit. I really concentrated on this one piece (except for that hat I’ll speak about below) until I got to the ruffle. Six hundred forty-six stitches is time consuming to knit, so once I do a row of that I move on to…
At the Lake (sweater) – where 646 stitches make about 1″ of sweater! Doesn’t hurt that this is worsted weight compared to sport. Have only really been working on it for a couple of days, but I’m more than half done the back!
Mystery Hat #2 – I made a second of the same hat I made a couple weeks ago. Later this week, Kollage Yarns, Halos of Hope, and I will be bringing you details about how to purchase (read “make a donation and receive”) the pattern. Halos is a great charity that supplies handmade hats to chemo patients of all ages all over the USA. On a side note, if you have any hand knit (or crocheted) hats you’d like to donate, drop them by the shop. We’ll take hats to Halos at Stitches East in October.
Curcaco – this was (and still is) waiting in the wings. I did wind the yarn and will probably cast on tonight after another row from the shawl!
Twilight Accessories – is still waiting in the wings as well. It may not get cast on until after Stitches East, as I’m hoping to have At the Lake and Curacao done by then. Cross your knitting needles for me!

I better get knitting!

Posted in General Information, Knitting | Comments Off

Fall Clearance SALE!

By StacyM | Published September 7, 2012

One day only! Saturday, September 8 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. For those not able to come to the store, you can check out our webstore for some of the sale yarns.

Here’s what’s on sale (listed by company):

Tahki Stacy Charles

Coast – $7.00 now $4.00
Cotton Classic – $6.00 now $4.00
Cotton Classic Lite – $6.00 now $4.00
Lovely Jeans – $8.00 now $4.00
Tara Tweed – $7.00 now 4.00
Good Earth Cotton – $8.00 now $5.00

Universal Yarns (includes Nazili Gelin, Wisdom, Fibra Natura, Rosetti)

Garden – $3.00 now $2.00
Aspen – $6.00 now $3.00
Cottonwood – $6.00 now $3.00
Links – $6.00 now $3.00
Sea Song – $6.00 now $3.00
Soleil – $5.50 now $3.00
Deluxe Worsted Tweed – $8.00 now $4.00
Deluxe Chunky Tweed – $8.00 now $4.00
Dolce Merino – $6.00 now $4.00
Flax – $8.00 now $4.00
Oak – $8.00 now $4.00
Spark – $7.00 now $4.00
Star Light – $6.00 now $4.00
Marina – $12.00 now $8.00
Marina Glitz – $15.00 now $10.00
Mermaid – $11.00 now $8.00
Spectra – $12.00 now $8.00
Marathon Sock – $14.00 now $10.00

Kollage Yarns

Corntastic – $9.00 now $5.00
Temptation – $9.00 now $5.00
Milky Whey – $12.00 now $8.00
Luscious – $20.00 now $10.00
Scrumptious – $20.00 now $15.00

Also – Select patterns are buy 1 get 2 free (higher price prevails)

Books are buy 1 get one 50% off (Knitted Monster Book and Millamia books NOT included in sale)

Posted in General Information | Comments Off

Suffering(?!) from Startitis

By StacyM | Published September 1, 2012

After one day I had made quite a bit of progress!

I have a full blown case. I started three projects this week and am really itching to start another two. And these aren’t exactly small projects either. Well, one is. Was. A hat that is now finished (hey – that’s something!). I can’t show you a picture of the hat quite yet, but VERY soon, I promise. We’re hoping there will be a lot of BUZZ about it (and it’s not a bee hat).

Anyway, early in the week I cast on Denim Blues, a triangular shawl by Deby Lake, using Riveting Marl (colorway: Nautical) and Riveting (colorway: Charcoal). I also cast on At the Lake, a super comfy sweater by Kathy Zimmerman, using Riveting Worsted (colorway: Dusk). Yes, it was a very denim day since Riveting is made from recycled blue jeans. The yarns and pattern are from Kollage.

The secret hat is also knit in Kollage’s newest yarn, Toasty. This chunky weight is 100% wool in lovely heathered colors. The pattern is my own. But, like I mentioned above, no photos or details for a few more days. Sorry.

How cute is this?!

Looming on the horizon: Twilight Accessories from Dream in Color’s September 2012 Dream Club offering knit using their 100% superwash merino wool in fingering weight, Baby. It’s a set of three: hat, cowl, and cuffs. That would help offset the sweater I just started, right? Even though it’s knit on teeny needles?

Curacao Sweater knit in Glisten

Well, the other project looming is also a sweater, and also a Kollage yarn: Sandi Rosner’s Curacao in Glisten. This is one of my all-time favorite yarns. Alpaca and silk with a little sparkle. I’m thinking a pinky red color. The sweater is beautiful – a V-neck pullover with seeded rib details. We are offering this as a class this month and I’m hosting a knit-a-long on the Kollage Group on Ravelry in late September. I’ll be posting details about that as it gets closer.

Posted in General Information, Knitting | Tagged cowl, hat, sweater | Comments Off

Fall Classes: Monsters, Cowls, and More!

By StacyM | Published August 24, 2012

Fall is almost here and it’s time to get into the knitting groove again! We have a great line up of classes for September, from Monsters to fair isle cowls to a great sweater for confident beginners. Download the September class calendar.

Hugo, the Couch Potato Monster. Kits available!

Knitted Monster

It’s cute. It’s cuddly. It’s sure to bring a smile to the face. Knit a monster from Rebecca Danger’s The Big Book of Knitted Monsters. Choose any monster from the book and we’ll help you create an adorable stuffed friend. Any weight yarn can be used – although we suggest starting with worsted or chunky weight yarn. Book is required for the class. Needle requirements vary depending on the monster, but in general you’ll need 16″ circular and DPN in needles about 2 sizes smaller than ball band on yarn recommends. In other words, you’ll need a US 6 for worsted weight or a US 8 for chunky yarn. We’ll be tackling the “hardest” part of the monsters first – arms and legs! Please register as soon as possible to ensure we have a copy of the book available for you!

Cost: $10 plus book ($19) and supplies

Dates: Friday, September 7, 10-noon; Saturday, September 22, 10-noon; Friday, October 5, 10-noon. Note that you can attend any one or all of these classes for the same price.

Hugo, shown in photo, is available as a kit (several colorways available) in our web store.

Game Day Cowl

Two colors, in the round, simple fair isle (really!!). That’s the Game Day Cowl. Whether you choose team colors or the perfect accent colors for your new winter coat, you are sure to look stylish in the soft cowl. Shown using Kollage Yarn’s Glisten – a luscious blend of alpaca and silk with a hint of sparkle. If you’re not the sparkle type, you can substitute Solace or another worsted yarn. Kits are available in the web store as well as the shop.

Cost: $35, includes kit (pattern and yarn. Needle NOT included)

Dates: Saturday, September 15, 10am-1pm; Friday, September 21, 10am-1pm; Wednesday, September 26, 10am-1pm. Note that you can attend any one or all of these classes for the same price.

Curacao Sweater

Always wanted to knit a sweater? Here’s a great first sweater by designer Sandi Rosner, Curacao. Using seed stitch and a seeded rib, you’ll create a masterpiece that will have your friends and family asking, “YOU knit that? It’s beautiful!” Simple construction with details that flatter any figure. Shown in Kollage Yarn’s Glisten (alpaca, silk, and a hint of sparkle). We’ll be happy to assist you in finding the perfect color (or a substitute if you wish not to have any sparkle – but why not?!). More advanced knitters will find this a joy to knit as well. AND Stacy is hosting a knit-a-long in September for this sweater on Ravelry in the Kollage Yarns group [details coming soon!].

Cost: $25 plus supplies

Dates: Wednesday, September 5, 10am-1pm; Friday, September 14, 10am-1pm; Saturday, September 29, 10am-1pm. Note that you can attend any one or all of these classes for the same price.

Register early to ensure we have books, patterns, and yarn for your project! Call (410-632-0772) or e-mail (yarn [at] fineneedle [dot] com). We look forward to helping you create a lovely knitted project!

Posted in General Information, Knitting Classes | 1 Comment

We’re Back!

By StacyM | Published August 14, 2012

… From Stitches Midwest with lots of news and excitement. We love going to Stitches Events! Thousands of knitters roaming about – many in garments they created – are just the start of the inspiration. Then there are the “knitting celebrities.” These include the teachers, authors, and designers who can be spotted on the market floor and also at the fashion shows and dinners.

Clockwise from upper left: Xylophone sweater (always a popular kit); Stacy, Franklin Habit, Susan Moraca (Kollage Yarns); Is that Prince Harry learning to weave in the Louet booth? (sadly, no); Lilly Chin as Friar Knit; Anna Zilboorg trying new Square Needles; odometer as we went thru Indiana on way to Stitches.

Next post will talk about our dear friends at Halos of Hope and the buzzing fundraiser they have going on!

Posted in Events | Tagged celebrity, Stitches_Midwest | Comments Off

Getting Organized – Projects

Class Calendars for 2013

Surviving

20% off yarn, books, patterns, and notions in the yarn department!

Join the Club(s)!

Mystery Hat Revealed – Meet the Tilted Halo Hat

Startitis Update

Fall Clearance SALE!

Suffering(?!) from Startitis

Fall Classes: Monsters, Cowls, and More!

We’re Back!

~Winter/Spring Hours~

Read more about…

Recent Posts