NEW: Pea Pods

Here's a lovely new yarn that arrived just in time for your summer knitting. This is Pea Pods, a 100% cotton yarn from Knit One Crochet Too. It has a thick-and-thin texture that resembles peas in a pod.

Pea Pods can be worked up at a variety of gauges to achieve different effects. K1C2 describes it as having "open texture at looser gauge, cobblestone texture at tighter gauge." The label recommends a size US 5-7 needle for 18-20 sts/4".

This yarn has great yardage--262 yds./100g ball for $14.50.

Need pattern inspiration? Check out this clever jacket Carrie made with Pea Pods.

It's the Warren 2-Way Jacket, which can be worn as a short jacket with a wide shawl collar (as shown), or turned upside-down to be worn as a longer garment with a fishtail hemline and a rolled lapel. Very cool!

Let us download this pattern for you, and you'll receive credit toward your Sheepish reward points.

Trendspotting: laceweight neckwear

Lately we've noticed many more people getting interested in knitting with laceweight yarn. For years, we had a few customers who would knit shawls in elaborate lacy patterns. Everybody else seemed too intimated to try such complicated projects, or just hated the idea of knitting with anything so fine.

But things are shifting now, thanks to some great patterns that have been popping up calling for laceweight yarns. These designs look sleek and modern, and because many of them are knit at a (relatively) bigger gauge, they knit up faster than you might expect.

If you fall in love with a skein of luscious laceweight while you're shopping (or if you have one in your stash), but don't know what to do with it, take a look at some of these projects for inspiration.

Gradiente by Jocelyn Tunney is a stunning scarf that uses a US 8 needle and three strands of laceweight held together. It subtly blends three different colors, 440 yards each. We have a sample of this in the shop, and everyone who sees it goes crazy for it!

Citron Grand by Hilary Smith Callis features a simple ruching technique to create textural interest. Knitting the laceweight yarn on a size US 8 makes a wonderful drapey fabric. You can knit this wrap in a variety of sizes, using anywhere from 435 to 1445 yards.

Arnhem Loop by Silke K. is a bit more of a time commitment because it's knit on a US 2 needle, but the result is so chic, it's worth it! This cowl is knit flat on the bias and then joined at the ends to create a long, luxurious loop. It calls for about 880 yards of the main color and 440 yards of the contrast.

Melanie Berg has designed a trio of fabulous striped wraps using laceweight yarn and a size US 4 needle. Left to right: Assante (650 yds MC, 325 yds CC); Aviendha (450 yds MC, 300 yds CC); and Miara (650 yds MC, 325 yds CC). The patterns are available individually or you can get all three as an eBook called It's All About Stripes. Really.

You can buy all the patterns mentioned in this post through Ravelry. Better yet, let us download the PDF for you at the shop, so you can receive credit toward your next Sheepish Reward coupon!

On The Needles: Wriggle Wrap in Kauni

We're mixing it up a little bit with this edition of On The Needles. Instead of showing you a staff project, we want to highlight one of our customers' works in progress!

Wriggle Wrap, designed by Sally Brandl

This is Kris's fantastic Wriggle Wrap that she's been bringing to Knitting Night on Tuesdays. It uses two colorways of Kauni Effektgarn to spectacular, well...effect. The texture is a simple feather and fan pattern that adds wonderful movement to the color changes of the two alternating Kauni skeins.

For those of you who thought Kauni was only for colorwork projects, think again! This would also look gorgeous in Zauberball, which we plan to get back in stock later this fall.

The Wriggle Wrap pattern is available here at the shop via our Ravelry sales program. Buy it from us and your purchase will count toward your Sheepish Rewards!

Sheepish Rewards

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Anything you buy counts toward your Reward Points, whether it be yarn, needles, patterns, lesson, gadgets, etc.

If you're not already a Rewards program member, let us know and we'll get you set up! Everybody likes a discount, right?