New Noro Inspiration

contributed by Shawn

The new Noro Knitting Magazine Premiere Issue Fall 2012 (http://www.kyarns.com/product/noro-magazine-fall-2012/noro-knitting-patterns) is full of new Noro inspiration!

I loved the Crochet Slippers:

Crochet Slippers

So I immediately grabbed my new favorite color of Noro Kureyon and worked up a pair of these. They're a perfect summer adaptation of warm wooly slippers!

My slippers!

I love the Crochet Throw made of hexagon shapes.

Crochet Throw

This is a perfect crochet pattern alternative to the Modular Afghan that I love so much from the Knit Noro book.

I already have some favorite colors of Noro Silk Garden picked out for the Checkerboard Cap.

Checkerboard Cap

All you need is 1 skein each of 2 different colors of Noro Silk Garden yarn for this simple color work hat.

And, it you're inclined to begin your Holiday Knitting in July, then you might want to take a look at these classic hats: the Man's Slouchy Hat and the Man's Ribbed Hat.

Slouchy Hat

Ribbed Hat

Each hat can be done with just 2 skeins of Kureyon (1 skein each of 2 different colors). I think they are perfect designs that anyone would love to receive as a gift this winter.

The Cropped Jacket features a wonderful construction that shows off the Noro colors so well!

Cropped Jacket

Cropped Jacket - back view

The pattern calls for 984 yards color A and 656 yards color B Silk Garden Sock.  We no longer stock the Silk Garden Sock, so have already helped some people choose from the colors of Taiyo Sock yarn so they could get started on this one right away in time to wear for late summer!

I hope this magazine inspires you to pick up some new colorful knitting or crochet projects too!

Seeing Stripes

So you know we now have Noro. And I've been knitting with the Silk Garden and the Kureyon and the Kochoran. Barb made something with the Cashmere Island - which I am going to swatch tomorrow (it's so soft!) Shawn is cooking something up with the Silk Garden Sock (not a sock!) and I'm trying to pick a project out for the Iro. And a project went out to Karen in NJ... a sweater in the Kureyon. So lots of Noro knitting going on here.

My intital thoughts on Noro? I really like it. I love the color transitions. You just can't get that in any other yarn. I knit an easy bag out of 2 colors of the Kureyon: and just felted it this weekend. I wouldn't say it's the softest wool out there, but it really didn't bother me as much as I thought it might. And for all those people who swear Noro is loaded with knots... in four balls I had none. (I don't freak out at knots the way some people do. It's a knot... I untie it, and knit on. Just my feeling, folks.)

The Kochoran was lovely to knit with. Very soft and quick to knit and that angora is so gorgeous! I would love this in a sweater because the angora is there, but not so in your face. After the Kochoran is felted, the angora is WAY more in your face, but in a good way. Look how gorgeous and fuzzy these mittens are!

The Silk Garden is my favorite of the bunch. I thought I'd finish the little sweater I'm making this weekend. After all, it was so cold outside that I did manage to stay inside for the whole day (except for a super quick trip to the grocery store!) I finished knitting the sleeves, and then got ready for seaming. Did I mention I love seaming? When you know how to do it right, it's almost as enjoyable as the knitting. I swear!

The bummer about this sweater is that it called for 200gm of Silk Garden. That's 4 balls. When I finished the back, I had an inkling that I would need a 5th ball. And I was horrified today, to find that not only did I go into the 5th ball, but I need a 6th, just for the last 4 rows and bind off of the neck ribbing.

I'm too tired tonight to check my row gauge (my stitch gauge is right on) and really, what can I do? If I need another ball, I need another ball. It is what it is. I'm also going to research online - are there erratas out for this pattern in terms of yardage required? Possibly. And another thought. These little felines could be the culprits of the yarn shortage... at least for a part of that 5th ball. I really think I had another small bit of it in my bag, and left unattended around yarn, both of these cats, well, they have a really bad track record.