You may have seen him hanging around last time you were in Knit Culture Studio; Mr. Crochet Mouse is one of Sara’s clever fiber creations.

Of course, maybe you saw him while perusing new episodes on Geek and Sundry?

Mr. Crochet Mouse recently made a guest appearance on everyone’s favorite cultural harbinger: The Flog. He got to chill with Felicia Day, and Colin Ferguson, as Sara taught them some crochet techniques and led them through the Mr. Crochet Mouse pattern. Worked up in Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Bulky on a good ol’ J hook, the Mr. Crochet Mouse pattern is just the thing for beginning crocheters.

We had so much fun when Felicia Day and Colin Ferguson came in to Knit Culture Studio to add amigurumi to their “skill set.” It’s always nice to share knitting and crochet techniques with newbies, and their energy was infectious.  See for yourself:

Mr. Crochet Mouse is the perfect project to start if you’re bored of your other WIPs or simply needing a speedy gift. By adding other small details  with either embroidery or crochet you can give your mouse an alter-ego. (I bet Felicia and Colin would love to receive their own mousey doppleganger! Maybe one inspired by their latest film roles?!)

Little projects like this are great to have on hand for stashbusting. If you’re looking for something to use up  just a couple yards of luxury yarn, why not whip up a mouse with silk or hand-spun ears ? Mr. Crochet Mouse makes a great first project for new crocheters, or those new to the amigurumi style.

With just a few notions, and a couple of crochet techniques under your belt,  you can turn a few yards of wool into a charming, cuddly (and apparently web savvy) little mouse.


For this pattern you will need:
Mr. Crochet Mouse pattern PDF
Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Bulky in two colors
US size J crochet hook
yarn needle
buttons
stuffing

Happy knitting!
-Emma

If your mom deserves a little spoiling this Mother’s Day, the Topsy Turvy Moebius makes the perfect gift. Sally and Susan of The Rainey Sisters designed this lacey, luxurious moebius pattern which uses two skeins of Art Yarns Rhapsody. This is one of those pieces she’ll reach for whether she needs to dress for a special occasion, or add a soft layer for a crisp evening out.

A moebius scarf (sometimes called an “infinity scarf”) is a circular scarf with a twist. This half twist adds interest and texture to an otherwise uncomplicated accessory and, because the twist is part of the overall scarf construction, you never have to worry about knotting, arranging  or otherwise adjusting the placement of your scarf.

In mathematics the moebius strip has dozens of intriguing properties. For example, the moebius strip has chirality: left-handedness or right-handedness depending on the direction of the twist. If you cut a moebius strip along the center line, you wind up with one long strip with two full twists. (Wouldn’t that be an interesting steeking exercise?)

Many moebius patterns are simply a scarf worked flat, twisted and then  the cast-on and cast-off edge together at the end. Easy enough, but, you can avoid seaming altogether if you use Cat Bordhi’s clever moebius cast-on method. You’ll want to make sure you have a long set (at least 47″) of US size 7 circulars and matching double-pointed needles to complete the I-cord bind-off.

Knit it for mom, or give mom the whole kit; the directions are clear and concise and she’ll love working with this beautiful blend of silk and mohair. The mohair gives the yarn a soft halo while the silk content lends the unmistakable sheen of a true luxury yarn.

Stop in the store and we’ll help you pick out the right color for your mom, or shop knitculture.com. Right now, when you “like” us on Facebook, you can save 10% off your online order!

Happy Mother’s Day!
-Emma

Knit in two colors of Cascade 220 Wool Heather and Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Worsted, our easy Windowpane French Press Cozy adds a cheery dash of color to your breakfast table. Pockets formed from strands on the wrong side trap hot air keeping your press hotter longer. You could knit one up in less than a day, and have it blocked just in time for Mother’s Day brunch!

It may look complicated, but the colorwork is actually bands of color with a lattice of slipped stitches over the top. Even though you have three balls to manage, you’re only knitting in one of the contrast colors while slipping the main color.

At the beginning of each right side row, wrap the working yarn (in this case the yellow strand) around the strands not in use. By catching the non-working yarn, you avoid long vertical floats between stripes and wind up with fewer strands to weave in.

Here’s a view of the wrong side. As you can see, the non working yarn travels up the edge, trapped under the first stitch of each right side row.

Back on the right side; the windowpane effect is created by alternating between knitting in the contrast color (yellow) and slipping the main color (white).

After slipping two stitches in the main color, strand the contrast color and continue knitting.

For full colorwork instructions, check out our Windowpane French Press Cozy pattern.

To make the cozy shown you will need:
Cascade 220 Wool Heather (‘Birch’ and ‘Turquoise Heather’)
Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Worsted (‘Cream’)
one 24″ US size 6 circular needle
one set US size 6 double-pointed needles
stitch holder (or scrap yarn)
tapestry needle

From now until June 15th, 2012, we want you to Show Us Your Knits!

Now’s your chance to share your take on six of the most popular patterns on Ravelry! Enter our Facebook photo contest for a chance to win a $150 shopping spree at knitculture.com! Grab your friends and style your knits. Be creative with your props and setting, but make sure to show off your knitting. We love photos that capture the rich colors and textures of awesome handknits.

Pattern Categories:
Honey Cowl by Madelinetosh
Turn a Square by Jared Flood*
Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmerman*
Ishbel by Ysolda Teague
Featherweight Cardigan by Hannah Fettig
Kai-Mei by Cookie A
(*photos by Jared Flood)

How to Enter:
- “Like” us on Facebook then submit your photo of the featured pattern (see above) through our Show Us Your Knits contest page. Be sure to include the name of the pattern along with any modifications made in the photo description.

How to Win:
- Photos with the most votes in their category will be selected to win a $25 gift certificate to knitculture.com. The entry with the most votes overall will receive the grand prize: a $150 shopping spree at knitculture.com!

Winning the votes:
- Blog about your project progress, or photo shoot; join our Ravelry discussion thread; or simply recruit your Facebook friends, and Twitter followers! (You can find and share contest-related tweets using #ShowUsYourKnits)

The deadline for entries is June 15th, 2012. That gives your plenty of time to complete one or more of these popular patterns, and Show Us Your Knits!

Happy knitting!
-Emma

Melynda Bernardi of French Press Knits is a Michigan-based knitwear designer. She learned took up knitting in college, but has always had a knack for mending and creating garments.  Melynda’s patterns are practical and efficient. She strives for concise designs that will appeal to a multitude of knitting abilities. Melynda loves to share her passion for knitting through teaching and pattern-making. After the arrival of her daughter, Melynda’s design focus shifted to knits for little ones. Melynda and her family are also looking forward to welcoming another knitting muse into the world in just a few months.

Last September we had the pleasure of releasing one of Melynda’s patterns,  the “Legacy” wrap done in Madelinetosh Pashmina,  at our booth during Vogue Knitting Live.

Knitters who purchase a subscription to the Knit Culture Studio Club are in for a real treat, since, Melynda’s  “Like a Lamb” shawl was designed specifically for the April & May installment! Alternating eyelets zigzag along the border of “Like a Lamb” creating a striking geometric motif. This shawl uses two skeins of the Jade Sapphire Mongolian  Cashmere 2ply to create a lofty, delicate shawl perfect for slipping over your shoulders on chilly summer nights. Wrap yourself, or someone you love, in featherweight cashmere this spring!

When you sign up for the Knit Culture Studio Club you will receive three shipments of stunning, hand-dyed yarn paired with three exclusive patterns from our some of our favorite knitwear designers.  Plus, fun little goodies and surprises including a Knit Culture Baggu Bag. However, space is limited so be sure to order your subscription before it’s too late!

Happy knitting!
-Emma

If you’re a Knit Culture regular, you’ve probably seen patterns and samples from Heather’s various collections in the store, or at least read about Heather’s haute couture knitting designs. Last September at Vogue Knitting Live, Army of Knitters designed two stunning patterns – Magellanic in Knit Collage Gypsy Garden and Andromeda in Knit Collage Stargazer. This year yarn crawlers can check out more of Heather Dixon’s samples during the Army of Knitter’s trunk show this Friday, April 13th.

The Army of Knitters trunk show will be one of the biggest trunk shows on display during Yarn Crawl L.A. County. We’ve picked out lots of lovely samples from several of Heather’s collections, so you can check see examples of breezy, delicate spring and summer knits, as well as cozy, cold-weather garments from her fall and winter lines. If you want to get a jump on your winter wardrobe why not try one of Heather’s sweater designs? Cromarty, Carnac and Pumpkin Pie (pictured right) offer the perfect sexy sweater silhouette and knit up quickly in 100% organic Blue Sky Alpacas Worsted Cotton.

I can’t wait to see Heather’s Omega: beautiful vest knit in Knit Collage Pixie Dust on size 19 needles. Heather and Amy of Knit Collage are actually old friends, so it’s no surprise to find Heather designing gorgeous pieces that showcase the textures and color depths in Knit Collage. (Be sure to check out our newest yarn from Knit Collage – Pixie Dust Mini!)

This weekend is going to be a blast! Yarn Crawl L.A. County starts TOMORROW! Can you believe it?! You can find a detailed itinerary of store events and trunk shows at our Ravelry group or on our Facebook page.

See you at Knit Culture Studio!  Happy crawling!
-Emma

We will be observing extended hours all weekend.

Thursday, April 12th ~ 11:00 – 8:00
We’ll be kicking things off on with trunk shows of Baah! Yarns and Dream in Color, and special guest Heather Walpole of Ewe Ewe Yarns, who will have a free pattern to share!

~ Raffle at 12, 3 & 6!

Join us from 6-8pm for champagne!

Friday, April 13th ~ 11:00 – 8:00
Our own Ruby Submarine and Noir Knits will have trunk shows.

The designers will be on hand from 6-8pm to sell patterns and cephalapods (Leah’s crocheted octopus and squids). We will also be celebrating Leah’s four years at the store as she moves on to designing full time with delicious cake from Magnolia Bakery.

~ Raffle at 12, 3 & 6!

Saturday, April 14 ~ 11:00 – 8:00
We will be hosting Anne Kuo Lukito, popular designer and knitting teacher, who will offer a free demonstration on knitting brioche at 4pm.

We will also have an Army of Knitters trunk show, and Laura of Slipped Stitch Studios will have all-new stock on hand.

~ Raffle at 12, 3 & 6!

Sunday, April 15th ~ 11:00 – 5:00
We will have a Tanglewood Fibers trunk show.

From 1-4pm we will have a closing cupcake party with cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery, the famous New York bakery (now on West Third Street). We love Magnolia, and are so happy to have them down the street from us at 8389 W. Third Street. If you haven’t visited them, they are a classic American bakery, cherished for their broad array of old-fashioned, freshly baked desserts and vintage decor. You should check them out!

~ 3 Raffle drawings!

~ Grand prize raffle drawing for a $150 gift card!

We hope to see you at the Yarn Crawl!

~ Happy Crafting from all of us at Knitculture.com

Slipped Stitch Studios began in 2009 when Laura Lundy wanted to find a way to earn money while staying home and raising her new daughter. As she experimented with design and materials she discovered a latent talent for creating handy craft supplies with personality. Today, Laura is a mother of two busy children and Slipped Stitch Studio project bags, swift covers, pattern place keepers, pattern wallets  and other nifty notions can be found in over 70 yarn shops worldwide!

Project bags and accessories from Slipped Stitch Studios are not only wicked cute, they’re completely practical! The bottom of the bag is square and made out of a heavier weight cotton to keep the bag upright. The large project bag features three notion pockets and two yarn pockets, keeping your essentials organized. Plus, you’ll find it much easier to keep your knitting or crocheting tangle-free by using the “no commitment” snap yarn guides.

Slipped Stitch Studios is committed to creating amazingly well-made designs for fiber-lovers of all kinds! Given her love of yarn and knitting, Laura’s designs mostly cater to knitters, crocheters and spinners. However, there’s a little something for every crafty person at the Slipped Stitch Studios Etsy Store.

We absolutely love Laura’s taste in fabric! Stop on Saturday, April 14th during Yarn Crawl L.A. County to check out the newest fabric options, like “Pink Sugar Skulls”, “Eiffel Tower”, or “Tipsy Pink Elephant”, and pick your own assortment of WIP bags.

Happy knitting!
-Emma

Trish learned to spin in 1992, and knew almost immediately that it was her true calling. After Becky graduated from Oregon State University in 2004, the ladies began revamping Trish’s production spinning into a more viable fiber business. Recently, Tanglewood yarn was featured in Cowlgirls, and plans are already underway for another collaboration with designer Cathy Carron. In June, you can find Trish emceeing the fashion show at the Black Sheep Gathering in Eugene, Oregon.

Tanglewood yarns are a great example of how the slow textile movement can revive traditional crafts. Each hank of Tanglewood is dyed at one of Trish’s studios and hand spun by local fiber artists. The beads are stung by Trish herself, and then either Becky, or Trish, ply the strands into a gorgeous work of art. The colors are inspired by features found in the Pacific Northwest landscape, like “Discovery Forest”, “Sunstone” or “Columbia Gorge-ous.” When Trish and Becky get back into the dye studio this summer, they plan to pay homage to one of their favorite doughnut shops with an all-new Tanglewood colorway.

The best way to experience the texture and color of these yarns is in person. On Sunday, April 15th, the Tanglewood Fiber Creations trunk show will return to Knit Culture Studio for Yarn Crawl L.A. County.

Happy knitting!
-Emma