G is for Green

Naturally Green

G can stand for a lot of things when it comes to knitting. When I recently took an honest (really!) accounting of the contents of my stash, that G stood for green (and I am not talking about the money invested in my stash either!)

As a Manhattanite, black is my favorite color. Like most New York women, I have at least one black version of every item of clothing. I think that my wedding dress was an exception. 

But when it comes to my stash, there is very little black fiber present. In large part this is due to the fact that it can be challenging knitting with black as I discovered with the Shetland Scarf. When I buy yarn,  I am drawn to the combination of the color and the fiber. Most frequently, I find myself drawn to the wine and purplish reds. 

Therefore I was very surprised to find lots of green in my stash. Maybe it’s the influence of the blue -greens that line the windows of the boutiques on Fifth Avenue but lately, I find myself drawn to the color green. Most of these acquisitions come from yarn swaps.

 

Light green baby yarn with great yardage!

Green cotton with slubs - Destined to become summer top

Green cotton and wool combination

Mint Julep Blend of Wool, Cotton and Silk- Small Producer

In addition, I’ve knit 3 green sweaters: a Classic Ribbed Pullover in Forest Green for my nephew, the Origami Cardi in Antique Green and the Lace Top in Olive Green.

Submitted by Knitted Yarns Editor-in-Chief

Farewell to The Point NYC

 

 

The Point NYC's Last Day

It’s amazing how fast The Point NYC went from bustling knitting cafe bursting with color to a shell of a store with white painted bricks. Less than a week earlier, The Point NYC was filled with new fibers such as corn and sugar cane and knitting supplies that arrived daily.  Knitters and other fiber enthusiasts occupied every  chair in the cafe and worked fueled by caffeine and fiber fumes.

On Wednesday evening, April 29th, the store was the location of celebration among those who considered it a quiet haven from the daily routine of their lives. It was a place where people came together and developed friendships bound together by their love of fiber.

Despite the bittersweet feelings associated with The Point’s closing, Helane, the owner, made it a celebration with wine and fresh baked cookies. The feeling of love for this unusual institution that had been nestled in New York City’s West Village filled the white space that once held wire baskets of yarn bursting with color.

The Going Out of Business Sale announced on Sunday evening was incredibly effective (based on my knitter’s perspective). Much of the inventory was picked over on Monday.

Eat, Knit and Be Happy: The Point NYC

The Carols & friend celebrating at The Point NYC

Megan K serves wine, not wool at The Point NYC

Knitted Yarns Editor Heidi in Swallowtail Shawl and Alyssa, The Point NYC manager

Knitters celebrating at The Point NYC

 

Doug showing off his latest WIP at The Point

 

Knitwear Designer & regular at The Point - Connie Chang Chinchio

 

Knitted Yarns Editor and The Point Staff

 

Yarnless Walls at The Point NYC

 

Lone Knitted Sweater hangs on The Point NYC's empty racks

 

Former Point Manager Rebecca

Wherever we wind up knitting, The Point NYC will always hold a special place in our hearts for my knitting friends and me. Thank you so much for providing this fiber haven for us.

Farewell to The Point NYC for the last time

While The Point NYC may be gone, our memories, friendships and knitting items are still tangible reminders of the good times we had.

Another Spin on Free Knitting Projects…

In her April 7th  post entitled “Free Knitting Now, …” on the Mason Dixon Knitting blog, Ann makes a strong case for looking through your pile of UFOs to work up new enthusiasm for these forgotten projects. Going through your closets and other hiding places to collect your partially finished projects enables you find a treasure trove of potential knitting projects. Since the materials for these projects were purchased in the past, they are essentially FREE!

Another way to extend your knitting stash that doesn’t require any monetary investment is to have a yarn swap with your knitting buddies. The great part of a yarn swap is that it allows you to go through your stash and rediscover the yarns that you really love and forgot about as well as to give yarns that you no longer want a new home. Perhaps you got a great deal on some end of season balls of wool or can no longer stand the three bags of lime green eyelash that you made all of your holiday gifts from a few years back, just pack them off.

In return, you get to enhance your collection with yarns that your friends no longer want. It’s a great win-win. Recently, a few of my knitting friends have hosted these types of events and it’s been a great boon to my stash. Further, it’s allowed me to get rid of yarns that I no longer wanted.

Submitted by Knitted Yarns Editor-in-Chief

B is for Balls of Yarn, Baskets of Yarn & Bags of Yarn

When it comes to Bs and knitting, there are lots of choices. Living in a New York City apartment where space is at a premium (even with a stash-friendly husband), balls of yarn, baskets of yarn and bags of yarn rule. They are more of an organizing principle which is critical space is limited and stash enhancement just happens.

B is for Balls of Yarn. I have learned over time that it’s important to keep the last remanent ball of yarn for any completed garment in case repairs or changes are needed. It can be a snag or total restructuring when the garment grows in unanticipated ways.  I keep these colorful balls in an old glass jar/vase which doubles as a decorative piece next to our non-functional fireplace. Old swatches are also kept here since they can be unraveled in case of emergency.

Balls of Yarn stored in large glass jar as decoration

 

B is for Baskets of Yarn. Baskets are another great way to store yarn in a decorative manner. Since they are out in the open, I keep some of my non-wool cones in baskets. I find that the serving baskets from catered events can be reused to create useful ways to store excess stash. (Please note that there wasn’t room to show the indoor tree.)

Baskets of Yarn-Another way to decorate with yarn!

 

B is for Bags of Yarn. One lesson that I learned from the Carols with whom I knit that it is important to have nice places to store your knitting projects. They were upset with me for carrying my projects in plastic bags from the grocery store. (Mind you, I did use the green twistees to allow the yarn to be pulled from the balls.) Enter the project bags and supply bags. Here is an assortment of bags that I use.

One of my favorites is the metric tape covered bag where I keep my knitting tools such as tape measure, scissors, crochet hooks, stitch markers and needles. It’s hard to believe that I got it at Filene’s Basement!

Metric Ruled Tape Measure Knitting Tool Bag

 

I am  attached to the bags given to me by stores that I have visited when I have been out of town. Among my favorites are the off white bag from Loopy Yarns in Chicago’s Loop where I store one of my current projects and Loop’s the light blue bag from Philadelphia  where I store my WIPs near the couch.

Loopy Yarns bag - A Chicago Yarn Store Souvenir!

 

Loop's Blue Shopping Bag - A Philadelphia Yarn Store Souvenir!

 

Then there are the cloth bags that my friend Vere Halstead made for me. I was lucky to get the yellow and orange island print. Vere works in the design department of CUNY and hopefully will set up an Etsy store to sell more of these great bags. I keep my special projects here!

Vere Halstead's Knitting Bags - Where I keep my special lace projects!

 

Lastly are the big, extra thick plastic storage bags where I keep my unwound stash which aren’t worthy of a photograph since they’re stored at the bottom of my closet.

How do you store your stash? Is it beautifully displayed or hidden from view?

Written by Editor-in-Chief – Knitted Yarns