There's a new cowl pattern in the house! The shed some light cowl offers mosaic colorwork knitting in the round What's behind the design I designed the Shed some light cowl as an ode to weaving and to the weavers' cottages in Yorkshire, England, the region where our yarn is milled and dyed. Many significant historic events have centered around textiles, including the first Industrial Revolution (mid 18th C - 1830) that shaped the landscape of northern England. Manchester became the world's first industrial city and the region spawned many villages in the Yorkshire region and beyond for textile production. The weavers' cottage Weavers' Cottage at the Delph station crossroads When my sister and I visited our mill and dye...
While 2023 offered a tentative return to in-person festivals - fiber or otherwise, 2024 has unapologetically gone full in - festivals, concerts, retreats, family reunions, travel abroad, you name it. We included four fiber festivals in our summer/fall plan this year: Great Lakes Fiber Show in Wooster, OH; Handweavers Guild of America: Convergence in Wichita, KS; Flock Fiber Festival in Seattle, WA; and SAFF outside of Asheville, NC (happening in October). The schedule has led us to various parts of the country to tell the story of why we exist, show the incredible garments and accessories to be made from our cashmere, and offer our exquisite yarn for sale. All summer long, we have been met with genuine interest and generous support and we are THANKFUL! For...
Measuring for sweater fit A survey for knitting Clothing size charts for women are based on 1939-1941 data collection of women's body measurements that only included white women aged 18-30. Size charts today still strongly reflect this data, including for knitting. Over the last decade, some sweater designers have worked to change that. Read on to participate in a survey toward creating a size chart for knitting that represents women's bodies today. History of women's size charts Did you know that modern size charts for women's clothing are based on data collection in the US from 1939-41? The survey was conducted by R. O'Brien and W. C. Shelton through the Bureau of Home Economics and their research became the model for sizing throughout...
Getting to know knitters Laine Magazine, a knitting magazine distributed worldwide, recently published the findings of a survey conducted primarily with European and US knitters. The survey found that most in their community of knitters are over 45 years of age, want to be challenged and learn new techniques in their knitting, and want their craft to be respected, rid of stereotypes, and taught to younger generations. Read on to see how the Laine community responses compare to those from a similar survey we conducted with our June Cashmere community about a year ago. The parallels are interesting! Even though the two surveys didn't word questions in quite the same way, I believe we can draw similar conclusions as to who makes up our...
Knitting a raglan sweater so it fits To knit a raglan sweater so it fits, there are several body measurements we need, including the upper torso circumference, raglan depth, bicep circumference, and various length measurements: sweater length, sleeve length, and armpit to hem length. Read on to see how to use this information to knit a raglan sweater so it will fit you. Knitting sweaters from Laine 21 This summer, we’re getting together and knitting some of the designs in Laine 21 in June Cashmere. Two of the sweaters in the issue especially appealed to our knitters: Lucienne by Audrey Borrego and Facette by Faïza Mebazaa. Facette by Faïza Mebazaa, image from Laine 21 Lucienne by Audrey Borrego; photo...
