Cabled Santa Hat Class Rescheduled

The Cabled Santa Hat Class will now be held on Thursday December 10th and 17th from 7:00-9:00.  There’s still time to sign up!

More Secret Santa Details

It’s still not too late to join the secret santa handknit gift exchange!  For those of you already signed up, you can come in any time beginning Saturday to draw a name and begin your present!  You can also post comments to this thread to give your secret santa clues about projects you might like to receive.  For example:

My name is Brittany Tyler and I am a yarnaholic.
I both knit and crochet.  I like bright colors particularly reds, purples, and greens.  I’m not allergic to wool, but I do find mohair and angora to be a little itchy.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns and look for the details about the Christmas party coming up in December!

Secret Santa!!!!

Right now you may be sitting on your sofa, watching the snow fall while you are working on knitted Christmas gifts.  I love knitting gifts for people, especially those who truly appreciate the time and love that goes in to each item.   I really feel that there is no equivalent to a handmade gift in terms of letting the recipient know how fabulous you think they are, so each year I try my best to get something finished (or at least started) for everyone on my list.  I think most knitters probably feel the same way.  That being said, wouldn’t it be awesome to receive a hand-knitted or crocheted gift?   As a yarnie, I would be so thrilled to unwrap a hat that someone had actually made for me!  I understand the time, effort, expense, and joy that went in to making that hat, probably in a way that a non-knitter never could.   This Christmas season, thanks to an excellent idea one of our lovely customers had, we are hosting a “Secret Santa” gift exchange here at Stix.  Come in and fill out a card, drop it in our box, and Thanksgiving weekend we will begin drawing names for the exchange.  We will have a party to exchange gifts sometime in December (date TBA).  If you can’t finish the gift in time for the party, no worries.  You can just wrap up what you have done and finish it after the holidays.  Who among us hasn’t wrapped up an unfinished sock, and then had to explain to the recipient that no, the needles are not an integral part of the design?   We are knitters, we will understand.  Call us for more information, or stop in to fill out a gift registry card.  Yay!! Someone might make me a hat, or a scarf, or an egg cozy, or a finger puppet!!!!!! What a lucky knitter I will be!

HapPy BIrtHDay, STix!

Stix turns another year older and that means it’s time for another anniversary sale!  This weekend only, November 13th-15th, select yarns will be on sale for up to 50% off.  Now’s the time to get the materials you need for all those handmade Christmas presents or start that sweater project you’ve had on your knit list for so long. Don’t miss out!

New jacket?

Maybe John Bozeman needs a new plaid tux jacket…

I’ve never been a guerrilla or been involved in a guerrilla group before. Anyone interested in this?

New Classes!!!

The November/December class schedule is hot out of the oven.  This one’s full of great last-minute Christmas presents for everyone on your list.  Including:

“Quincy” by Jared Flood
2 sessions – Thursday, November 12th and 19th from 7:00-9:00
Pick up some advanced skills while knitting this cool moebius hat. Techniques include: provisional cast-on, picking up stitches, and Kitchener stitch. Pattern is found in Made in Brooklyn – 13 original designs by Jared Flood or on Ravelry.  Please purchase pattern in advance.  If you purchase Made in Brooklyn at Stix for the class, you will receive a 25% discount!
Instructor: Brittany

Knit Cowl
1 session – Wednesday, November 18th from 7:00-9:00
An ideal class for the knitting beginner – a great way to learn the purl stitch, how to pick up stitches, and create button-holes. This Winter cowl is worked in a cozy ribbed stitch and knits up quickly making it a great Christmas present.
Instructor: Brittany

Knit Mittens
2 sessions – Tuesday, November 17th and December 1st from 7:00-9:00
Explore double-pointed needles with a little help from our instructor. Made with bulky yarn these mittens knit up very quickly. Try them with a variegated or self-striping yarn for even more fun.  Please purchase pattern in advance ($5.00)
Instructor: Tracy

Super-Bulky Crochet Hat
1 session – Saturday, December 5th from 12:30-2:00
Worked in super-bulky yarn and cozy single crochet stitches this hat not only is as warm as it gets but can be made from start to finish in an afternoon. Add earflaps if you like or top with a pom-pom (or both, of course). An ideal class for crochet beginners.  Please purchase pattern in advance ($5.00)
Instructor: Tracy

Crochet Felted Coasters
1 session – Saturday, December 12th from 12:30-2:00
An ideal class for crochet beginners. Learn to crochet in a circle and dabble in the felting process. You can make a stack of these adorable home accessories in a day! Tie them all together with a crocheted chain for a super-cute homemade gift.
Instructor: Tracy

And more…

Christmas Stocking Knit-Along

Saturday mornings (November 14th – December 12th) from 10:30-12:0

Join the Chix Saturday mornings to knit this striped stocking just in time for Christmas. Mix yarn colors and textures to make yours as eccentric or traditional as you like. Bring scraps of worsted-aran weight yarns from your stash to share with your fellow Knit-Alongers.

Mystery Crochet-Along Chapter 3

Between the Country and the City

Head West but not too far

Stand in line at the bar

To get your latest clue-ity.

Good luck!  See you Saturday!

I Feel the Need – The Need for Tweed

Did you know the tiny flecks of contrasting color felted into tweed yarns are called “nepps?” These nepps used to occur on accident as spinners began to mix different shades of carded wool together in the spinning process to produce hues that weren’t available previously. Sometimes some of the contrasting color wool wouldn’t be integrated completely into the yarn during the spinning process and would stand out as a large fleck. Tweed yarns became more colorful as early spinners began to experiment with natural dyes from flowers, berries, vegetables, etc. The same accidental flecking occured with the newly colored yarns and tweed as we know and love it today was born when spinners began to incorporate the nepps on purpose.

The more you know…

Tweed is an incredibly versatile kind of yarn. The colored flecks add interest without detracting from stitch definition. That’s why tweed looks stunning in stockinette, fabulous in fair-isle, and charming in cables.

A pair of tweed mittens is about as classic as it gets. The nepps (I love that word) add so much pizazz to this basic mitten design. The aran weight tweed makes for a quick and warm accessory – perfect for Christmas presents!

Ultimate in Awesome-ness Mittens by Brittany Tyler
Sample shown in Donegal Luxury Tweed Aran by Debbie Bliss
Download Pattern – $4.00

More adventurous tweed enthusiasts should try the Inverness Cape by Carol Lapin. Inspired by the traditional outerwear originally made famous by Sherlock Holmes (who donned it in tweed), the Inverness Cape is still worn on rainy days in Scotland particularly by pipe bands who need their arms to be unrestricted while they play.

Inverness Cape by Carol Lapin
Published in Simply Shetland 4
Sample shown in Donegal Luxury Tweed Aran by Debbie Bliss

Lapin’s sensational wrap is a warm piece knit in wool tweed over a very cozy seed stitch pattern and edged in a ruffle. The result is something fit for the drizzly streets of Edinbourgh or even a day of light snow in downtown Bozeman.

The newest addition to the tweed family at Stix is Blackstone Tweed by Berroco. This yarn has all the classic appeal of a tweed but also has a subtle mohair halo. Top it off with a touch of angora for increased softness and you have a comfortable yarn that is perfect for all your tweed projects.

Check out Berroco #228 – all patterns devoted to Blackstone Tweed. The designs range from scarves and hats to pullovers and cardigans… there’s even a knitted dress (on Brittany’s list).

Come down to see our full selection of tweed yarns, ask Brittany for more tweed fun facts, or just to try on Cameron’s B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L Inverness Cape.

MALABRIGO is here!

The Stix Chix are unpacking two big boxes of Malabrigo worsted, chunky and lace right now! Fifteen new colors of worsted. So NOW is the time to knit that sweater that you’ve been drooling over.