Decidedly Hilltop

Washable, kid-friendly yarns

2008-04-26T14:34:00.000-07:00

In our "after the fire" re-examination of our yarn brands and products, we went for the big Berroco add, and picked up many of their kid- and machine-washer-friendly yarns. I'm tempted (as always) to buy projects to try out all the new yarns. My nephews' first birthday is coming up in June, so this funky doggie sweater in the "Just for Tots" Comfort DK book might be a good excuse to try that line.

"Comfort" also comes in worsted weight, for even quicker sweaters. It's super soft, 50/50 acrylic/nylon, and I'm very curious as to how it knits up.

We also have a wider range of one of my most-tempting baby yarns, Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, plus Plymouth's Dreambaby DK (more traditional baby colors, 50/50 nylon/acrylic--super soft and very sweet) and Jelli Beenz (bright colors twisted with a strand of shiny, rainbowy acrylic--75/25 acrylic/wool)

And then there's good old Cotton-Ease and Mission Falls 1824 Cotton, in lots of colors.

We have a bunch more new yarns and colors (Blue Sky Skinny anyone?), but I'm going to stop typing to save my hands for knitting later. Feel free to e-mail or call us if you want to know more, check colors before you swing by, etc.

PS All the above links go to (Ravelry.com. If you're not a member, I strongly suggest you enter your e-mail address and sign up when you get your invite. This invaluable web site has grown in leaps and bounds and is a fantastic resource for knitters and crocheters.

Jane Crossover Sweater

2007-12-31T12:41:00.000-08:00

We have kits in to knit this beautiful sweater from Perl Grey in lovely Ottawa yarn from Fleece Artist.

I knit this sample for the store in a very short time, as the pattern is primarily stockinette with very little seaming.

I think it looks very good on, if I do say so myself! Easy to dress up or down. Comfortable and a quick knit.

Brand new cabled fingerless gloves!

2007-12-08T12:09:00.000-08:00

Hi this is Robin (not Shannon)
I am pretty new here at Hilltop and I've been keeping myself busy with new yarns and new patterns for holiday gifts this winter. My favorite gift so far is these fingerless gloves with a pretty cable and a nice, fitted thumb. I've been perfecting the pattern (with Jenny's help) to get it ready for distribution. I know that I have been running across a lot of requests for fingerless gloves this year, and people love what easy fun gifts they are. So check these pictures out and get ready to knit and sell the heck out of them!

These lovelies are made using a single skein of Blue Sky Suri Merino and size 4 needles. nice, huh?

Q: What are you doing this Saturday?

2007-12-07T13:46:00.000-08:00

A: Attending Prairie Girl's Guide to the Holidays at Hilltop Yarn!
The Prairie Girl's Guide to Life author (and avid knitter) Jennifer Worick will demonstrate quick & customized gifts for the holidays, rustic ways to decorate your home, and most importantly, frustrating activities to let go and new meaningful traditions to create in their place (yes, you CAN knit instead of doing those Christmas cards!).

Saturday, December 8, 1:oo-3:00 PM. Give us a call to sign up. This workshop is FREE!

All copies of Jennifer's book, purchased during our event, will be 10% off. Channel your inner-Laura Ingalls Wilder!

See you there!

Ornaments

2007-12-06T18:02:00.001-08:00

ornaments
Originally uploaded by dinahsaurus

I don't know how many other people out there wait until the last minute to knit gifts, but I always do. I start making holiday knitting plans months ahead of time, and then start knitting somewhere around the time I notice it's past Thanksgiving.
This year, I've made up a bunch of these quick little ornaments from Handknit Holidays, designed by Leigh Radford. I can use up my scraps from the year's projects and, in only an hour, still have something handcrafted for my friends and relatives.

Calling all charitable souls

2007-11-29T15:45:00.000-08:00

As some of you may know, when I am not shaking a tail feather at Hilltop Yarn, I am a service learning tutor for the University of Washington's Psychobiology of Women class. I am fortunate to be working with three students who are currently voluneering at the Pike Place Senior Center. One of them posed a question to a client of the center. She asked him if he could have one thing, what would it be?
He responed that he wanted to be warm and was tired of being cold. This touched her immensly and she decided that the three of them should organize a drive of sorts. They are collecting new and gently used winter accessories for the seniors at the center. If you have anything that you have intended to wear for the last few winter seasons, but never have this would be a good time to donate. Or if you are out and about and feeling especially generous, knock yourself out. To give you an idea, this center services over 1,000 people. The students know they probably won't get enough for everyone, but that doesn't mean they are not going to hope they do.
I will be using Hilltop as a vehicle for collecting these things. If you are in the neighborhood, or if you're not, drop by and give the gift of warmth this year.
I will be picking up the donation box at the close of Wed, Dec. 5th.
If you have any questions email me at: Garcis@u.Washington.edu

Thank you,
Shannon Garcia

Queen Anne Artists Trunk Show

2007-10-31T13:53:00.000-07:00

Our own Jenny Chase-Rappaport is participating in the Queen Anne Artists Trunk Show this Saturday November 10th from 11-4pm with her unique hand crafted toys and accessories for all ages. Her booth will be "Rocket Boy and Danger Dog Knits."

Come by and check out her wares!

Perfect Punctuation Scarf

2007-10-22T15:25:00.000-07:00

Hilltop's One Skein pattern for October is the Perfect Punctuation Scarf (named for its double-sided Comma Stitch pattern). Knit with one skein of Malabrigo, this scarf is temptingly soft and perfect for men or women. Kat models a sample knit in the beautiful fall colorway "Stonechat." This pattern is free with a yarn purchase to Purl One members!

Composed Mitts

2007-10-14T21:51:00.000-07:00

I just finished the Composed Mitts from Fall 2007 Interweave Knits Magazine. They are made out of Blue Sky Sport Weight Alpaca except for two of the colors that I needed which I found in my stash. They were fun and challenging. If you are up to a little fairisle, then they make a relatively quick project. I recommend using two circular needles rather than double points. Saves on time and creates a smoother fabric. If you haven't tried the 2 needle technique then give it a go. I started them on Oct 6th and finished them watching Thursday night TV on the 11th. I had some intense knitting hours to work on them otherwise they would have taken me a little longer.

The pattern is well written and the graph is great. I ended up duplicate stitching the red berries on the green vine. I didn't like the idea of carrying 3 colors at once. I like how the red and orange stand out and the bobbles on the cuff give the mitts a feminine look.

You may catch me walking around town with my cute new mitts. Alpaca is so warm and cozy. I wear them to work on the computer before the heat has kicked in. Seattle is the perfect place for fingerless mitts.

Come on into the shop and check out the Fall 2007 Interweave Knits Magazine. If the fairisle intimidates you, look into taking a class or ask the knitting experts ways to adapt the pattern. I think that these mitts would look great in stripes too.

Vouchers!

2007-10-03T12:23:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder: we're not mailing Purl One Club vouchers anymore. We sent e-mails when they were printed, but it seems a lot of accounts' junk boxes ate them!

Any of the vouchers that expired on September 30 have been extended to October 31. We've been calling people, so check your voice mails and answering machines. We'd love to see you, whether you have a voucher or not, so come on in!
-Jen-

Lucy's Cat

2007-09-30T11:12:00.000-07:00

Lucy, one of our Hilltop regulars, made the Jingle Cat pattern from the newsletter with one skein of Blue Sky Cotton, held doubled. It made such an adorably fat cat! And isn't that pink felt nose a nice touch?

Get Your Hooks Out!

2007-09-19T14:02:00.000-07:00

If you're a crocheter, a lapsed crocheter, or a knitter who wants to learn crochet, be prepared for our Crochet Me event on October 14th! At this book signing, trunk show and crochet talk, you can see projects from the book and meet local pattern designer Julie Holetz. Crochet Me is an excellent online resource for crochet patterns and techniques, and the new book includes the best fashion-forward work of its designers. Keep checking the blog for sneak previews!

Hobo Bag in Action!

2007-09-13T21:07:00.000-07:00

Hilltop customer Julie just completed her version of Monica's Hobo Tote, and both she and her daughter were happy to model it for the blog. Didn't she do an amazing job on those grommets? It looks like just the thing for carrying around the city this Fall!
We always enjoy seeing customers' versions of our Decidedly Hilltop patterns. If you've knitted or crocheted one, please bring it in or send us a photo, and let us know if you'd like to be on the blog, too!

Pretty new yarn for fall!

2007-09-11T18:22:00.000-07:00

Hello there, yarn lovers! I'm Jen and I'm the newest addition to the Hilltop staff. I just enjoyed my second day of training and one of the best parts of the day was getting to walk past the display of Malabrigo worsted over & over again. We just got it into the shop, and while we don't have every color that you see there on the website, we have many beautiful ones, including variegated and kettle-dyed solids. Malabrigo is a butter-soft merino wool, perfect for sweaters, felted bags, even baby hats. If you have a Ravelry account, hop on there and see what others have made with their Malabrigo. We also have the Malabrigo laceweight in some stunning colorways, including a stunning blue and jaw-droppingly gorgeous purple. At almost 500 yards per skein, the laceweight would make any number of shawls with just one or two skeins.

I have one skein of Malabrigo in a coppery brown sitting in my stash. What should I make with it? What have you made with your Malabrigo lately?

Manos on Sale!

2007-09-05T13:36:00.000-07:00

Our stock of Manos del Uruguay wool yarn is on sale right now, for 20% off, with an extra 5% off for Purl One members! This hand-dyed, thick-and-thin yarn has beautiful, subtle color variations, and it felts well, too. Snap some up soon for the best selection of colors!

Last Chance for Jaeger!

2007-08-22T16:11:00.000-07:00

In case you hadn't heard... The Jaeger yarn brand is being discontinued, so if you are a fan of the outrageously soft Extra Fine Merino, now is a good time to hoard! There are still quite a few balls of it left at 20% off (and an extra 5% for Purl One members), as well as some of Jaeger's variegated Baby Merino DK.

Coming Soon...

2007-08-15T14:49:00.001-07:00

Three of a Kind
Originally uploaded by dinahsaurus

...a Decidedly Hilltop pattern inspired by Seattle's Baby Boutique! This soon-to-be-available baby toy pattern will be free with the donation of a handmade item.
If you haven't heard, Hilltop is helping the Baby Boutique collect hats, sweaters, booties, mittens, scarves and blankets for our city's homeless children. A child's hat or booties can be knit up so quickly with leftovers, but can really make a big difference in someone's warmth this winter. Your handknit or hand-crocheted items can be brought to the shop and we will deliver them to the Baby Boutique. More information on the pattern soon!

Hilltop 5 year Blanket

2007-08-13T12:47:00.000-07:00

Hilltop recently celebrated it's 5 year anniversary! Accordingly us employees wanted to make something to give our illustrious shopowner Jennifer and we decided on a group blanket.

Can you tell we like group blankets around here? They give us all a chance to participate, with enough variety to play to multiple strengths and keep our interest. Admit that you too would knit more blankets if you could somehow get away with just knitting part of it. :)

Betsy instigated the blanket plan, while Jule carried it to fruition. Martine helped with the perfect Jennifer color choices. Susan traced a shield from the stained glass windows in the store to knit them into the blanket. Jule charted the drawing of the house into a pattern and Betsy knit it in. Kat, Karen, Daphne, Anne and Shannon knit some of the garter squares. Kathryn and Jenny also knit squares. Teresa knit and made it to the seaming party.

Jule based the pattern on Mason Dixons' Moderne Log Cabin blanket. We used Colinette sock yarn (doubled), Kid Silk Haze, and Lambs Pride worsted. We're pretty proud of it and we hear Jennifer loves it. :) 5 more years!

Penelope Vest

2007-08-06T18:17:00.001-07:00

Flowers
Originally uploaded by dinahsaurus

After many, many months of procrastination, I finally finished my version of the RYC Penelope Vest that I wore in last November's fashion show. It was just in time to see the original one head back to the sale shelf, because the yarn has been discontinued! (and if you liked that vest, it's still back there, ready-to-wear!) Not to fear, though, if you, too, loved the designs in Classic Woman; Nashua Ivy is a perfect substitute for RYC Soft Lux. It's the same yardage, just as soft, and it even has the sparkle. This vest is in Blue Teal, but it also comes in a pretty green, and a purple, and a cream, too. The wacky flowers are not part of the original pattern, but after all that teal ribbing, I felt that the vest just needed *something.* I'm not sure that it needed something quite so bright, but so far, they can stay!

Gift Knitting

2007-08-06T15:59:00.000-07:00

See that look on our faces? That's why gift knitting is some of the best knitting around!

Photo by: Seth Howard

That's Karen, Martine, Jenny, Jesse, Betsy, Kat (me), Teresa and Daphne holding up a group project knit by Hilltop for Jesse and me on the occasion of our wedding! Here we are receiving this lovely blanket at our reception. (Not all knitters involved are pictured.)

It was knit using Lornas Laces Worsted, Cotton Fleece and a whole lot of love! The pattern is from Nashuas' Bloom book which may be meant for babies, but I'm not taking that as any kind of hint. :)

It's been cool enough that we've been able to snuggle under it already! Thank you to the above and to all the other knitters. (Please speak up so I know who all was involved.) We love it.

got Rowan?

2007-06-20T15:48:00.000-07:00

One more thing: this weekend (Thursday through Sunday), there is a SALE on all of Rowan's discontinued colors here at Hilltop! Most yarns are 20% off, and there are some beautiful colors of Big Wool, Ribbon Twist, Soft Lux and Soft Baby just waiting to become your next project! If you need inspiration, RYC books are 20% off, too.

Upper Queen Anne Art Walk

2007-06-20T12:26:00.000-07:00

Come join the local artists showcasing their work at various businesses around upper Queen Anne for the first ever Upper Queen Anne Art Walk! Look for balloons in front of the participating business locations and come meet the artists.

Hilltop Yarn is showcasing the photography of Amy Smith.

"A world traveller and mother of two girls, Amy Smith brings a unique creative vision to her photography of people and the beauty of ordinary things. She strives for her work to represent simple creativity and the loveliness of the everyday."

Come experience Amys' work for yourself at Hilltop Yarn this Thursday at 6pm.

Reminder

2007-06-13T13:14:00.000-07:00

Knit Night at Half Price Books on Capitol Hill.

Knit from 7pm on with Kat and others, tonight!

Thats:

115 Belmont Ave., E.
Seattle, WA 98102-6324
206.267.7777

We knit upstairs by the art books. Bring your current project. All skill levels are welcome.

New Patterns!

2007-06-12T16:15:00.000-07:00

We have two new patterns for Spring/Summer 2007.

This is the Gossamer Skirt, Decidedly Hilltop Pattern #60. A blend of Manos Del Uruguay and Karabella Gossamer yarns.

A delightful, flirty skirt perfect for a picnic.

For kids ages 6 months to 6 years old Monica has designed the Sweet Roses tank top, pattern #105.
This smocked top looks adorable as a blouse or a short dress. Ready for an outing to a playdate or the playground!

Summer's here!

2007-05-30T22:00:00.000-07:00

As if Memorial Day going by wasn't enough of a sign that summer's here, today's 80+ degree temperatures totally convinced me. That's why I'm so happy I just finished up my new short-sleeved cotton sweater:

It's from the new Nashua pattern collection, North American Designer Collection #4. I substituted the Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece for the specified yarn, and I couldn't be happier. Having just 20% of merino wool in there with the cotton makes it easier to work with, plus it makes the lace pattern more blockable.

What makes me really proud of this sweater are the darts I added! The pattern has pretty minimal shaping in it, and I would've had to make a larger size for it to fit. Not wanting to look like I was wearing sack, I made a smaller size and just added shaping where it was needed. A minimal amount of math and two side darts later = a sweater that fits! There's really something about clothes tailored to fit you, you just can't help but smile when wearing them. And really, why go through all the time and energy of making something by hand if it's going to fit you like something pulled off a rack? I have a feeling I'll be wearing this one a lot this summer.

Interested in learning more about darts and shaping? Hilltop resident expert Jule (she taught me everything I know on the subject) is teaching a "Summer Shape-Up" class, Saturday, June 9th and 16th. Check out the Hilltop website for more info.

2007-05-25T12:23:00.000-07:00

One of our beloved Hilltop customers, Kim, just finished the most adorable baby set! I love the leg poofs on the onesie! She also cleverly incorporated BonBon yarn for the cute pom poms. A lucky baby will be showing these off this summer!

Mouse!

2007-05-22T11:59:00.001-07:00

Mouse
Originally uploaded by dinahsaurus.

My Kitty Kick Pillow pattern is out at the shop, and I have a little addendum to make. One skein of All Hemp 6 will make the pillow (for hours of kitty violence) and there is enough yarn left to crochet a matching mouse. Boo, the cat who owns the chin pictured here, LOVES his Mouse, and it comes from room to room with him everyday. I can't tell if it's supposed to be dead or his friend! So that your own cat can have a victim/friend, here is...

Boo's Crochet Mouse

Leftovers of All Hemp 6 yarn or other tough DK weight yarn (I highly recommend the hemp for pet stuff. It holds up very well to claws and teeth!)
Size D Crochet Hook
Locking stitch marker
Stuffing and optional catnip

Ch 2. In the BACK of 2nd ch from hook, make 6 sc. Mark the last stitch, and continue to move marker up with each round.
Sc in each st around (6sc)
2 sc in each st around (12 sc)
Sc in each st around (12 sc)
Sc in each of next 4 st, (sc, hdc, dc, hdc. sc) in front loop only of next st (to make first ear), 2 sc in next 2 st, (sc, hdc, dc, hdc, sc) in front loop only of next st, sc in next 4 st to marker.
Sc in each st around, going into back loop only on "ear" sts (12 sc)
*Sc in next st, 2 sc in following st. Repeat from * around (18 sc)
Sc in each st around (18 sc) for 8 rounds.
*Sc, sc2tog, repeat from * around (12 sc). Add some stuffing at this point, and then a little catnip. Use a pencil or the end of your hook to push it down into the mouse's nose.
*Sc2 tog, repeat from * around (6 sc). Push in the rest of your stuffing, really packing it in tightly.
*Sc2tog, repeat from * around (3 sc)
Ch 12 for tail, fasten off last stitch by pulling thread through, or tying a knot, and cut.

Pattern note: Sc2tog is made by putting your hook through next stitch, yo and pulling up a loop, leaving 2 st on your hook, then putting your hook through the following st, yo and pulling up another loop (3 st on hook), yo and pull through all three loops on hook.

Dressy Dog

2007-05-16T15:10:00.000-07:00

For your midweek viewing pleasure, here's Tina (one of our Project Knit and Crochet students) and Jule with a new, extra-fancy springtime doggy sweater in Rowan's Soft Lux yarn. Doesn't her dog just look ready for an outdoor tea party?

Rusted Root

2007-05-16T01:12:00.001-07:00

Rusted Root
Originally uploaded by dinahsaurus.

Rusted Root, the vacation project on which I failed to work until the plane ride home, is finished! With some minor modifications, this pattern led to a very charming sweater. It took just less than 3 balls of Cotton Ease in Terracotta to make the XS/Small size. The sleeves are a size small and the body is extra small. I added increases at the hips (14 sitiches overall) and 3 extra stitches and 7 extra rows to each sleeve. The lace pattern was very easy to follow and, as with the other Zephyr patterns, there was no seaming at the end. If Seattle can keep up the summer weather, I'll be wearing it soon!

Knit Night Reminder

2007-05-15T12:59:00.000-07:00

It's time to knit again at Half Price Books on Capitol Hill this Wednesday at 7pm.

Bring your current knitting projects and they'll provide drinks and snacks.

Hope to see you there!

k a t

Happy Hooker Trunk Show

2007-05-09T17:25:00.000-07:00

In case you missed our crochet event with Debbie Stoller last summer, there's a new chance to see some of the projects from The Happy Hooker (the Stitch and Bitch crochet book)! We have "Cupcake," the adorable sweater shown here, as well as the "Fat Bottom Bag," by local celebrity Julie Holetz. Drop by the shop to see "Violet Beauregard," the perfect summer skirt, one of the "Bedfellows," and "Orange You Glad," too. Crochet and summer cottons go together like ice cream and hot fudge, so this trunk show is perfectly timed. We have the show until Monday, May 14th. Come by soon!

Published!

2007-05-07T16:46:00.000-07:00

Congrats to our own Monica Welle Brown for being published in Crochet Me magazine!

Here's a link to her free pattern:

More than an apron by Monica Welle Brown.

If you like that you should look at her blog, M1 designs, for other patterns.

Free Knitting Events

2007-04-23T14:40:00.000-07:00

Kat will be holding an informal Knit Night at Half Price Books on Capitol Hill this Wednesday at 7 pm. Come enjoy free refreshments in the company of other knitters!

That's at:
Half Price Books
115 Belmont Ave. E.
206.267.7777

Also Jule will be leading a demo on playing with stripes here at Hilltop West this Saturday from 1:30-3:30 pm. Bring your needles and questions. It's free, but we'd appreciate it if you'd register in advance. Just tell us if you plan on dropping by, (206) 282-1332. Thanks!

Newsletter Alert!

2007-04-17T16:00:00.000-07:00

Our newsletter will be hitting the streets April 30th with class times, a book review, new Q & A column, a free pattern and more.

Tatyana designed this beautiful little beaded sachet included in our Spring Newsletter. Keep your eyes on your mailbox!

Silk Handmaiden Neck Warmer

2007-04-17T13:09:00.000-07:00

Jenny designed and modeled this gorgeous neck warmer made of Handmaiden silk and wool.

Perfect for these not-yet-warm Spring Days, to brighten your face and warm your neck.

It is free with yarn purchase at our Queen Anne store. Stop by to see it in person, feel its texture and try it on.

Shop Hop

2007-04-16T13:45:00.000-07:00

The weekend of May 18-20th, you mark your map. You pick up your LYS (local yarn store) Tour Passport. Now you've got three days to visit twenty Local Yarn Shops (LYS) up and down Puget Sound.

This whirlwind tour has rewards at each destination. There will be discounts on yarn and special events at many locations. You may enter to win a $400 gift certificate when you visit all twenty shops, get a stamp from each one in your passport and turn it in to your final store. To read more about the tour visit: the Local Yarn Store Tour website.

This flower will be a prize at the Hilltop West location. There will be many other suprises so come and visit us during the Shop Hop!

I may never seam a square again

2007-04-10T15:21:00.000-07:00

Why not? Well, this took me less than a full Sunday:

That's 24 squares--just 1/5 shy of a full blanket--all joined and pretty. Still not sure what the heck I'm talking about? There's a hint in the photo. And I promise to come back later with a tutorial so you can give up seaming squares, too.

(Don't worry, I'll tell you all about the yarn and the squares later, too!)

We're Having a Sale!

2007-04-06T11:14:00.000-07:00

Hilltop is having a sale on yarn, magazines and books from Thursday April 4th through Saturday April 7th.

Come in and save 20-50% off on yarn, including Rowan Kid Silk Haze, Polar, and Noro Silk Garden. Many Magazines are only $2! Hardback books are 30% off.

In addition we will be closed April 8th for the holiday.

Yarn Rainbow

2007-04-02T21:51:00.001-07:00

Yarn Rainbow
Originally uploaded by dinahsaurus.

This is going to seem completely incredible--it would to me if I wasn't in the class-- but these are NATURALLY dyed yarns! On Saturday, I took a class, through Hilltop, at Earthues, called "Dyeing Yarn the Natural Way." If this class ever shows up on the schedule again, and you're at all interested in dyeing, take it! Sandra and Kathie, who taught the class, were incredibly nice and knowledgeable about plants and fibers. We learned about how to create colors using natural materials, as opposed to chemical dyes, and learned about preparing, dyeing and preserving these colors. Each pair or trio of students took on a dyepot to dye yarn for the group, though we had plenty of opportunites to walk around, observe, ask questions, and share in the amazement. My fellow students could not have been nicer people, too. Everyone pitched in and helped with creation and cleanup. From the top of my yarny color wheel, you see: Madder (Dark Red) and Madder with Tums added (Orange), Marigold (Yellow), Weld with Indigo overdye (Green), Indigo (Blue), Logwood (Purple), and Cochineal (tiny bugs) (Fuschia). Another incredible thing was that these all started out as good old Cascade 220 (Color 8010, if you're wondering). It was not even the superwash kind, and it really held up to the boiling and dunking and handling, and took the color perfectly. Now I have 110 yards of each color, and I'm wondering what to make. Something fair isle? Something striped? Does anyone else out there from the class know what they'll make yet? Any suggestions?

Hilltop's Super Socktacular Monday

2007-03-27T15:10:00.000-07:00

We are so lucky to live in the Pacific Northwest, where artists are everywhere and knitters and crocheters share their work, even across state lines! On Monday night, Hilltop hosted a visit from Kalani Craig, of Portland's Shibui Knits, to celebrate their yarns' new presence at the shop. We will be carrying their superwash, gorgeously hand-dyed sock yarns, as well as the light and shiny Silk Puff, and a silk/mohair yarn called Silk Cloud.

Here Kalani models the brilliantly-constructed Origami Wrap, knit in Silk Puff. The sweater is created as you wrap it on your body, and it was quite a performance in itself to watch it being put on!

The Origami Wrap completed!
Kalani demonstrated a unique toe-up method for casting on socks. If you start from the toes and work up, you don't have to worry about having enough yarn to finish your sock; just make the cuffs shorter.
One of our resident sock experts, Kat, demonstrated knitting socks with the Magic Loop method, which uses one long circular needle. Kat, Kalani and Kathryn were all on hand to show off different approaches to sock knitting and answer questions. You can knit them toe up, or top down, one or two at a time, on double points, on one circular or on two circulars-- there are so many ways to make a sock! Kat is also modeling Transparency, another of the Shibui Knits patterns, in Kidsilk Haze. (We have these patterns at the shop, too.)
These are just a few of the colorways in the Shibui Sock yarn, which is sooooo soft. That blue and brown one would be perfect for man socks. Even the "solid" colors have subtle variations in shade, which would give the yarn a beautiful amount of depth without potentially distracting from an equally nice and complex stitch pattern (like fancy lace or cables).

That Girl Hat!

2007-03-22T22:30:00.001-07:00

That Girl Hat 2
Originally uploaded by dinahsaurus.

I did it! I made my own personal copy of my favorite shop pattern, Kathryn's That Girl Hat. I love the yarn (Cashmerino Superchunky in olive green), and the cables, and the slouchiness, and the fact that it only took a couple of hours to knit. In fact, I love it so much, I need a new haircut to do it justice. So my chair gets to pose this one. Unfortunately, it doesn't show off the lovely, just-slouchy-enough european style of this hat, but I promise you, this hat has it!

ShibuiKnits Sock Event

2007-03-20T11:56:00.000-07:00

Shibui means "elegance with a touch of irony" and that's exactly how we like our knits here at Hilltop.

Kalani Craig, the designer of Shibui patterns and yarn will join us Monday March 26th from 6:00-8:00pm to introduce her yarn to us. During the event ShibuiKnit yarn and patterns will be 10% off.

In addition, Kat, Kathryn and Kalini will demonstrate the Magic Loop, Two Circulars and Double Pointed methods of sock making. If you'd like to sign up for a whole sock making class there will be a 2 session class April 21st and May 5th from 11-1pm, and if you sign up for it the night of our sock event we'll give you $10 off!

What could be better than that?

Hope to see you there!

RSVP to (206) 282-1332

Soft Kid Sweater emerges

2007-03-13T22:09:00.000-07:00

It was a bit of a long haul--I found out my sister is pregnant with twins in the middle of this project, and had to align, realign, then actually focus on some priorities to get things done. I may be learning a lesson from all this, but let's give it a few months to see if I put that lesson into action, eh? My point to you is if you're a one-project person, this is a quick and worthwhile project. If you're a bit pokey, like me, it's a good project because it's easy to pick up again after breaks, and it seamed quickly. You knit front, back and sleeves separately to the armholes, keeping all stitches live, then join for knitting (and decreasing!) in the round to the top. You could knit the body in the round, but definitely swatch in the round if you do.

The sweater above is a size small and took less than 5 skeins (by a healthy bit -- I had about 15 grams left of a 25 gm skein) of the dark blue, and only 10 grams of the aqua. I used the smaller size needles (Rebecca gives you a range) to get gauge, but would've probably used the larger needles for the flowers had I realized how small they'd end up. Also, Rebecca patterns are translated from the original German. This pattern was clear, but one note--in the last row of ribbing, the pattern tells you to increase evenly around by a certain number of stitches, depending on size. I used "m1" or "make one" increases, lifting the bar between stitches and knitting into the back. They're invisible in this pattern, which was great... until I realized I was supposed to thread the crocheted "belt" through that row! Obviously, it worked out fine, but if you're doing the belt/tie, you might want to do those increases as yarn overs (yo's). (If you don't want to crochet the belt, you can use i-cord or your own alternative.)

Also note that the pattern calls for 2 skeins of the contrast color (aqua here). That's because they have you double the yarn for the belt--you really don't need 2 skeins--unless someone else is buying! The only time I've regretted having Soft Kid in my stash is when the cat found it, and even that story ended well (the scarf was auctioned for charity... and won by my sweetie).

ASC Sweater

2007-03-09T12:39:00.000-08:00

By request, this is my husband's most recent finished sweater, in Rowan All Seasons Cotton. It's his most favorite yarn, for having no wool and still some stretch and even manly colors... If you knit for a wool-allergic person, I would wholeheartedly recommend it. Anyway, he MADE UP (!) this pattern himself based on Elizabeth Zimmerman's Percentage System, with all the cables and chevron side ribs and everything, and then knit it. I think it's a great example of how a really basic sweater pattern can be made entirely your own (especially if you're willing to weave in a lot of ends!).

Fabulous Fair Isle

2007-03-07T00:38:00.000-08:00

This is Sebastion from Rowan's Arabesque. It is knit in Rowan's Little Big Wool on size US 11's and 13's.
Coming soon to your local Hilltop Yarn Shop.

A head hugger of my own

2007-02-27T14:57:00.000-08:00

Here at Hilltop there was a hat model that I loved. It was a cute little ski cap made out of GGH Soft-Kid and Noro's Kureyon held together, and I would wear it every time I worked (except maybe those few weeks in summer when the temp actually broke 80). Sadly, the Soft-Kid went away, and like most floor models of discontinued yarns, the hat was sold.

But! Soft-Kid is now back in stock! I jumped at my chance to make a Soft-Kid/Noro hat of my very own. The pattern is Ann Norling's Head Hugger, and I'm not surprised it's one of the most popular patterns at Hilltop. It's quite possibly the perfect basic hat pattern: pick your size, plug in your gauge, pick your stitch pattern and go. With sizes from infant to large adult, and gauges from light DK to heavy worsted, it's actually like 125 hat patterns in one. All that and it's written clearly. This is my new go-to hat pattern for those times when I just don't feel like doing the math.

Rather than using Kureyon as in the original, I went for a little extra softness with Noro Silk Garden.

This is a yarn I've always shied away from; the variegations were just too much for my tastes. However, when held together with a strand of GGH Soft-Kid:

the color changes mellow. The resulting fabric looks almost like fair isle, done in soft tweedy yarn.

I love this hat. It's soft, it's colorful, it's cozy. I hate to say this, but I wish winter would hang on for just a little longer! I'm not ready to put my new hat away until fall!

Another sighting!

2007-02-27T00:28:00.000-08:00

Spotted by Kat and her eagle eyes on Pine Street in Seattle!

Back again!

2007-02-23T17:37:00.000-08:00

I popped in last night for a visit with my family, and the shop had these delicious-looking new skeins of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted. The colors are even more stunning and bright in person, and such a contrast to the gray skies outside! There were batts for spinning, too, in some of the same colors, so you could even make your own skeins... Look how well they match Kelly's bright Easter bonnets!

McMitten

2007-02-20T14:49:00.000-08:00

Before our mittens were famous... here are the mittens Karen and Kat (me) made for a McDonalds ad campaign! Now they are appearing on billboards all over the country.

We're so proud!

Mc Knit Mitt

2007-02-20T12:16:00.000-08:00

I was driving back from Rialto Beach, (on the North Olympic Coast), and passed this eye popping billboard near Port Angeles.

Amazing Mitten- Yes Yes- I'm Lovin' It!

Zephyr Patterns

2007-02-16T11:00:00.000-08:00

I've already waxed melodic about Zephyr patterns on my blog but when Shannon showed off her Rusted Root sweater to y'all I couldn't help wanting to jump up and down and yell me too!

I knit these two Zephyr patterns in little to no time, as top down raglan = one quick knit.

Here's Glee, knit from Cashcotton Dk, a blend of cotton, angora and cashmere. So soft!

And Green Gable, knit from String of Pearls. A sweet little something that gave me no trouble at all.

After these sweaters I've decided to challenge myself with some Rowan lace.

Say a little prayer for me.

Straw into Gold?

2007-02-16T00:44:00.000-08:00

Well maybe not, but cotton candy and batts into luxury yarn isn't bad!

As some of you may know, Spinning has arrived a Hilltop.

Here are some photos from the assembly process.

Karen put the Kiwi together

Megan managed the Traditional

and the Joy, what a Joy to open the box and find it came assembled!
I was too happy to get a photo (sorry, you'll have to come in an see it, it's beautiful.)

Aren't we handy!

We are very lucky to have Grafton Fiber batts, both the Cooridale and the Wensleydale- here are a few shots of how pretty they are in batt form, as well as what they can become.

We also have hand dyed roving from local fiber artist Ruby's Daughter. Her bumps look just like cotton candy, and they are just a delight to spin.

We will be having a spining event and demo on Sat. Feb. 24th. from 2-4. You can come and try out the wheels (and the spindles, did I forget to mention we have heavenly spindles?) ask questions, and if you want, find out about classes.

Hope to see you there!

What do Knitters do to Blow off Some Steam?

2007-02-14T16:58:00.000-08:00

They knit tiny sweaters for dead presidents!!! just kidding. ...
I'm not sure if you've ever noticed how well the staff gets along and wondered what our secret was.
Well, lean in a little closer and I'll tell you.
It's not just because Jennifer Hill is the greatest boss anyone could ever dream of. (Though that helps.) The reason that we all smile and love each other is because we try to get together once a month for X-treme pub knitting. It is a really great way to keep in good spirits because work, no matter how rewarding and amazing your job is, can be stressful. I would recommend doing something like this with any group of people you have to spend a lot of non-recreational time with.
So, this itty bitty sweater was knit by Betsy and was included with the tip for our stellar waitor of the evening. If you ever go to The Pub at 3rd Place, his name is Caleb and he is great--just tell him his regular knitters sent you. As a side note, I really think you should go there. The lighting is perfect for knitting and everyone is so nice.
Anyway, I just thought I'd let you know what your local, professional knitter gals do unwind.

Spring is Absolutely in the Air

2007-02-14T15:54:00.000-08:00

I know this is jumping the gun by about a month, however I feel a change in the weather and I think it is worth noting. ...
The leaves are beginning to change here in the shop--well, the color palate is anyway. Brights and pastels are slowly creeping in to the spotlight. Which, in my humble opinion, are the BEST colors to be surrounded by. Don't you think?
So while we're on the topic...
Spring (as all of you know) is not just the time when I was born, but also a time of rejuvenation and rejuvenating is what we've been up to. It seems like all of our knitters have taken a call to arms and are producing like they're lives depend on it...
Here is a fabulous one skein project for those of you who are handy with a hook. Our lovely Karen is the designer and model for this one.

And holy tunic! This is a design by Monica and was knit by Kat. You all need to take a good look at it. I am in awe of the beauty of Kat's stitches. If someone had told me it was done by a machine, I'd believe it without a hint of skepticism.

Also worth mentioning are all the new Zephyr patterns we have in the store. We have a model of the Green Gables pattern displayed prominently in the shop. This picture here is my rendition of the Rusted Root pattern. This sweater turned out to be an accidental employee knit along. I think four of us have knit it so far.
(Incidentally my sweater is knit in one of the colors I designated for the silly holiday, "single awareness day," that I quasi-created.)

This is my favorite time of the year. It's full of happy hustle and bustle--fresh energy. As you can see we have a lot going on right now. More than lil ole me could put in one blog post. So, I'll leave it at that!
Happy Almost Spring!!!

What became of the green yarn?

2007-02-12T00:57:00.000-08:00

I really enjoyed the opportunity to Spin in Public at our event on February 3rd, and to answer questions about spinning and wheels and fiber. Thank you, Megan, for organizing such a fun event! There's another one on February 24th, if you missed it. If you did get to see me there, I can answer one of the oft-posed questions about my fiber: no, that green does not wash off afterwards-- off of the yarn or my hands! (It was not one of our rovings from the shop, but an unidentified fiber festival purchase.) The color managed to stay in the yarn, but bled like crazy when I set the twist. A final rinse in white vinegar completely took care of the problem, and often works on commercial yarns that bleed as well. The smell does fade.
Another question I was asked a few times was, "What do you do with the yarn you spin?" For this yarn, here's this post... I had about 90 worsted-weight yards of the green yarn after plying, and I aimed for mittens. To avoid running short, I striped my handspun with a pink commercial-spun yarn of a similar weight, which is a good trick for stretching one or two hundred yards of handspun into a whole project. The mitten pattern is from a Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton Noro book, called "Forsa Mittens." After the mittens, I had way too much green yarn left over to abandon, so I wove it up into a tiny camera pouch and a (currently handle-less) purse.
When I only have a minimal amount of precious handspun, I frequently turn to two great resources: One Skein Wonders (by many people, including some from Hilltop!) and One Skein by Leigh Radford. Both books have lots of options for different gauges. Another one I don't have yet, but love to flip through at the shop, is Spin to Knit by Shannon Okey, which is made for exactly these concerns. Sure, sometimes I will spin enough for a sweater, but I find it more fun to try out new fibers and different color combinations. Spinning is like "inventing" yarn-- It has practical purposes, but it's hard to beat the thrill of discovery!

The sweater in the chrysalis

2007-02-10T16:33:00.000-08:00

... or in the freezer bag, as the case may be. I loved knitting up the GGH Soft Kid into this great sweater from Rebecca #32--it's the cute orange sweater on the far right of this page.

Ever since I found out my sister's having twins in June, I've been working like crazy on all my stacked-up knitting and sewing projects and I'm getting close to seaming this number. Then a final steaming and she'll be ready to emerge!

Patient Rowan Lovers, your wait is over

2007-02-05T13:23:00.000-08:00

Just want to let all of you lovely people out there know that Rowan Knitting & Crochet Magazine Number 41 has finally arrived. I don't know if it is just me, but it seemed like it was never going to come. I'm sure that feeling was sparked mostly by anticipation.
Anyway, if you've been dying of anticipation like myself, just know they're here and looking for a good home.
Have a great "Post-Super Bowl" Day!!!

Plymouth Square Round Up

2007-01-30T21:43:00.000-08:00

Hi there square knitters (and I am in no way implying that you are uncool)! Susan has let us know that it is time to sew those Cashsoft squares up for the "Comforts of Home" blanket, ASAP! The blanket is due to be auctioned off on February 10th. If you have one out, please bring it by or send it to the shop as soon as you possibly can. We can't wait to see how they all come together!
And yes, I'm finishing up tonight!

Valentine Pink Sweater

2007-01-29T18:40:00.000-08:00

I just finished this sweater last week, and I know some customers are trying it out, too, so I thought it would make a good pre-Valentine
post. It's the "Cropped Cardigan" pattern from Blue Sky Alpacas, and
knits up very, VERY fast. In fact, I think it would make an excellent
first or second sweater for newish knitters, because it has my favorite
combination of big gauge and no finishing. In the recommended Alpaca Sportweight
(which this isn't--just stash yarn), it would also be cuddly soft. And
Alpaca Silk doubled would be divine as well. The only change I had to
make was in the sleeves. The cute little model in the pattern must have
massive, vampire-slayer-esque biceps, because the sleeves started out
way too big for me, even though the rest of the sweater fit fine. I
added two additional decrease rows to each sleeve (4 stitches fewer per
arm) and knitted the ribbing on size 8 needles instead of 10.5s. And, yay, instant sweater!

Comforts of Home Update

2007-01-16T13:41:00.000-08:00

We knew we could count on Hilltop Knitters to take up the reins of the Plymouth Housing blanket! As of today, all the balls of yarn set aside for the project have gone home with good families, and are being knit up into squares. Thanks to those knitters, and thank you, too, to all of you who came in, even if we didn't have any more yarn left to be knit up! Hilltop loves to connect knitting and the community and we will have more projects soon! For those of you who are starting a square, here are some motifs you can try.

Comforts of Home

2007-01-05T16:54:00.000-08:00

From the success of last month’s Winter Warm-Up, we know that Hilltop knitters (even those who read the blog from far away) are a kind and helpful group. In fact, this could even be said of all knitters and crocheters, particularly if you follow the amazing events on The Yarn Harlot’s blog.
Given this, we’d like to appeal to your generosity and community support again-- this time, for an organization called Plymouth Housing Group. Seattle, like all big cities, has quite a few people who are homeless, and not nearly enough shelter beds or permanent housing placements for them. Plymouth Housing Group creates affordable housing and a support network for those in need, and at the same time, revitalizes formerly neglected buildings in our city, so the improvements benefit all of us.
Hilltop Yarn would like to help out with our own creation: a blanket whose auction proceeds would support Plymouth Housing Group’s fundraising efforts. Susan held a knitting session in the fall, called “Comforts of Home,” in which knitters made the first squares for the project, but we still need more to make the blanket a big and snuggly one. Hilltop has the yarn and the pattern; now we need the knitters!
If you are interested in adding a square to the blanket, come by to Hilltop and pick up some yarn! Let us know that you would like to knit for the “Comforts of Home” blanket, and we will set you up with a pattern and some Cashsoft DK. The pattern for the basic square is also available here, at 5.5 st/inch in Cashsoft. You can knit your square with or without a motif (something that fits the theme of “home”) in the center; we will try to have some patterns for potential designs available at the shop, too.
Again, we have always appreciated our customers' willingness to give their time and expertise to good causes, and we thank you not only for helping out with this project, but for the many things you do, as fiber artists, for the world!
(House courtesy of Clipart Heaven)

test post

2007-01-05T13:16:00.001-08:00

test

knittacular fingerless gloves

2007-01-04T14:38:00.000-08:00

So I started these shortly after my arrival in AZ. And in two short, non-commital days of knitting these bad boys were done. This is the fingerless gloves pattern by Blue Sky Alpacas. They were knit in the alpaca royal. They are super soft and uber warm. I am the world's slowest knitter and these went up in a flash. Also, the pattern itself is very forgiving. I made a couple errors. While I know about where they are it even takes me a minute or two to find them when i am trying.Come into Hilltop Yarn to see them for yourself. I'm sure I'll be wearing them every chance I get since I love them so.see you soon!!xxoo

Are there anything better than alpaca mitts?

2007-01-02T21:27:00.000-08:00

I'd been searching for the perfect project for the Blue Sky Alpaca Royal for awhile, and I knew I'd found it when I saw the Endpaper Mitts over on Eunny Jang's blog. The Royal is a 100% alpaca sportweight and feels like cashmere. It's from the alpaca's very first shearing, so it's extra soft, extra wonderful. And at 288 yards per skein, I've got plenty leftover, so I'm dreaming up my next project with it.

All I can say is that they're absolutely wonderful. A fun, quickish knit, and the softest, coziest armwarmers you can imagine. The fair isle is manageable since there aren't any long floats: no more than 3 stitches of one color at a time. I knit the first one on the train to Portland and back, and the other provided a welcome distraction from holidays. I did take out 1 1/2 repeats to account for my little arms and stumpy little fingers, but otherwise didn't change a thing. It may be my imagination, but I think they make my fingers look longer!

A quick block using a couple of glasses and they're ready for wearing. (They'd make good tumbler cozies too!)

They certainly come in handy at my job away from Hilltop where I have to sit at a computer all day, and the heating is less generous.

They're a great way to wrap your hands in a bit of luxury on cold, windy nights like tonight, while still being able to turn the pages of a book, use a computer, or dare I say it, knit another pair?

Warm Up Wrap Up

2007-01-01T23:10:00.000-08:00

Aren't these hats adorable? These two (by Megan), among many others, went to children who can really use them this winter, via the Baby Boutique. Hilltop Knitters and Crocheters really stepped up to the challenge! Jenny reported that they were so happy to see all the knitted and crocheted hats, scarves and gloves when she brought over the first bunch. Our grand total for items donated was 38 hats, 7 scarves and a pair of gloves to the Baby Boutique, and 26 hats to Caps to the Capital. Our customer, Constance, who first brought us the idea for Caps to the Capital, added your hats to those of her knitting classmates and friends, and wound up sending in 156 newborn caps!
The staff at Hilltop has been impressed by the generosity and thoughtfulness of our customers, as well as the cuteness of those hats, and we all thank you so much!
For those of you that donated items, we held an appreciation drawing, and I'm happy to finally post the results. I will contact winners directly this week, but if you read your name before then,you are welcome to come pick up your prize at the shop.

Prize One

2007-01-01T23:08:00.000-08:00

The two sets of stitch markers (seen earlier here) will live on the needles of... Mimi K.!

Prize Two

2007-01-01T23:02:00.000-08:00

These three scarves were featured in the book "One Skein Wonders." (I wrote down the names and page numbers earlier, but have lost my notes!) Anyway, they are very photogenic and have modelled for a book, and so they come with their own built-in celebrity status. They will go to... Morgan D.!

Prize Three

2007-01-01T23:00:00.000-08:00

Prize three, about 140 yards of handspun wool yarn, goes to... Julie P.!

Prize Four

2007-01-01T22:54:00.000-08:00

These two glitzy scarves were shop models at Hilltop, and became ready to grace the neck of someone new. The red one, which is both warm and dressy, is knit in Bee Sweet mohair Boucle and 18 Karat lurex yarn. The colorful one is woven in Splash. The lucky winner is... Cookie P. !

Blogline, a tutorial

2006-12-13T16:38:00.000-08:00

When I first entered the world of blogging, I wondered how anyone ever managed to read more than a couple of blogs, it took so much time to go to each blog just to see if they had a new post.
I don't know about all of you, but I didn't have time to go clicking around blog land for an hour or two every day.

Then the amazing KAT introduced me to Bloglines.

Bloglines is a website that keeps track of all those blogs for you, it automatically tells you when they have been updated, and you can even view the blog right from bloglines, no need to go click, click, clicking anywhere.
Well, now I am able to easily follow about 30 blogs. It only takes me a few minutes each day to check and read them. I know that Kat follows many more, and there are some knitters out there who follow well over 100 blogs, all with the help of bloglines.

Several of you have come into the shop and told us you had the same problem, you would love to read the Hilltop Blog, the Hilltop Blogger's Blogs, and even a few others, but you just don't have the TIME!

So here is a Blogline Tutorial to get you up to speed.

First, go to www.bloglines.com

Click in the center there to get started.

Easy Peasy so far. . .

Do as the good people at bloglines instruct, head on over to your email, they send it out very fast.

Clickity Click and it will take you back to bloglines.

OOPS, make that subscribe- I'm not goin' back to fix the graphic, we are on a roll!

You can also create new folders if you are the organized type, for instance, I have a folder for HT bloggers, a folder for other knitters, a folder spinning blogs, ect.

Congratulations, you did it!
Bloglines will now "watch" that blog for you, it will show up as having new posts in the left hand pane when the author posts. Some blogs will only show a summary of the post, you can change this, if you want, by clicking the blog name in the left frame, then clicking edit subscription in the upper right hand corner of the right frame. Change the "display preference" to "complete entries."

Go ahead and click "add" again and start adding blogs. Now you only have to visit ONE website to keep up on all the current knitting happenings.

Most websites have feeds, Bloglines, is also a great way to keep updated on the news, the weather, and other favorite topics.

Here is a list of some of our favorite knitting blogs

Hilltop Blog
http://hilltopyarn.blogspot.com

Yarn Harlot
http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/

Mason Dixon Knitting
http://www.masondixonknitting.com/

Knit the Classics
http://knittheclassics.blogspot.com/

January One
http://www.januaryone.com/

See Eunny Knit
http://www.eunnyjang.com/knit/

And a great place to find new knitting blogs to read is:
Knitting Blogs- a blog that lists other knitting blogs.

http://www.boogaj.com/knitting_blogs/

If you are a Hilltop Customer with a blog, and want to be added to our "blog roll" (a list of blogs we read,) email me your address at hilltopblog@gmail.com and I will add you to the list (coming soon to a sidebar near you.)

Happy Blogging!

Baby Boutique Bounty...So Far!

2006-12-06T11:44:00.000-08:00

hats1
Originally uploaded by dinahsaurus.

As of today, we've collected 5 scarves, 27 hats, and 1 pair of gloves for The Baby Boutique in Hilltop's Winter Warm-Up! And there are still 12 days left for knitting and crocheting! Your projects will be going to children of local families in need, to help keep them cozy during these cold months. Because kids' items are so small, knitting a hat or mittens can be a great way to use up stash leftovers or single balls of yarn.

Baby Boutique Part 2

2006-12-06T11:29:00.000-08:00

hats2
Originally uploaded by dinahsaurus.

More stuff for the Baby Boutique. There's a nice pair of gloves in there by Mimi, who helps out with our Kids' Summer Camp. She sweetly donated a whole bunch of hats in knit and crochet!

Caps to the Capital

2006-12-06T11:18:00.000-08:00

hats3
Originally uploaded by dinahsaurus.

These are the teeny newborn caps, 18 in all, though we received five more right after this picture was taken. They are so wee! The book Knitting for Peace reminds knitters and crocheters that many babies from other countries have heads the size of oranges, so you can imagine how little these are!

Two weeks left!

2006-12-05T23:46:00.000-08:00

Scarf
Originally uploaded by dinahsaurus.

If you've been knitting in the last couple of years, you're probably familiar with The Fuzzy Scarf. You probably got really good at knitting these, right? If you happen to miss that warm and fuzzy thrill of knitting something quickly, consider making another for our Winter Warm-Up, to pass on to The Baby Boutique. Last week reminded us just how cold Seattle can get in the winter, and your scarf can really help a child to stay warm.
Hilltop is still collecting hats, scarves, sweaters, mittens, gloves and blankets for The Baby Boutique and Caps to the Capital, until Monday, December 18. We have already received many adorable donations, and will be posting some pictures soon. Thank you so much to everyone that has given their time and efforts to this drive!

Elisabeth's Afghan

2006-11-22T11:17:00.000-08:00

Elisabeth's Afghan
Originally uploaded by dinahsaurus.

One of our customers, Elisabeth, brought in this incredible afghan yesterday, crocheted in Homespun. Each of those chained strips was made with interlocking crocheted rounds that she said weren't as complicated as they look! It was in absolutely beautiful fall shades. Yay for Elisabeth and yay for crochet!

Fashion Show

2006-11-21T19:54:00.000-08:00

In case you missed the fashion show on Nov. 2 here are some of the vests and v necks featured:

Here's Karen in the "Penelope Vest" from Classic Woman in Soft Lux:

Shannon working her vest from "Study" in various shades of Julia:

Daphne and me (kat) in Cyd from Jaeger:

Kathryn in a Silky Wool Vest she designed herself:

Jenny and her adorable twin vests, knit affordably in Sugar N'Cream:

Thanks to all of you for coming!

Felting for Christmas?

2006-11-19T22:07:00.000-08:00

These are my second and third felting projects. The fourth one has yet to hit the washer. But, I'm learning.

The yarn is WOOL from Lion Brand, and the pattern is one of their free ones. These are hot pads. I did not put the little hanger on the end (I-cord), as I felt they'd end up being used as heat pads, not pot holders.

They are all single crochet on K hook. I think each one took about 3-4 hours to do.

The Wool really felts nicely! I tossed them into my small, european front loader on color fast darks, with a load of wash, at 140 degrees, and they came out perfectly felted. They needed little stretching. And what I really like is they are soft.

What a fun and easy gift making concept!
Roseann

Winner and Pictures!

2006-11-16T11:53:00.000-08:00

Deb (sadly blogless as far as I know) is the peppiest ball band dishcloth pep rallier. She knit a total of 11 dishcloths- ELEVEN! That is more than even any of the HT girls managed.
Here they are all lovely in her very clean kitchen. Deb, did you clean your kitchen with a ball band dishcloth? I hope so! A useful dishcloth is a happy dishcloth.

Fay is the winner of our "guess how ball band crazy
the HT gals are" contest. She guessed the lowest number, 70. I don't even know for sure how many we knit, but it was no where near 70. I guess we aren't as crazy as you all thought we were. (Plus, you didn't have the advantage of knowing that we were all knitting for the fashion show at the same time- ah ha I am sooooo sneaky!)
Here is the count so far
Jen - 7 Karen- 4 Megan - 9 Daphne - 3 Shannon - 2
I know Wendee and Roseanne also knit a few, but I haven't heard a final number yet. Seeing as we are only at 25, and I'm sure the two ladies didn't knit 45 dishclothes together (I would have heard about THAT,) I am declaring Fay the winner.

I also just love Fay's "natural habitat" picture. Here is what she said about it.

Here are the dishcloths in their natural habitat. One by one they come out of hiding, ready to pounce on their unsuspecting prey, the dirty pot.

And here are a few of her dishclothes (she gave a few away) all sitting pretty for their picture. Isn't the little baby one so cute!

And last but not least
Moirae's finished dishcloth. Very pool party cool!
I am making the executive decision to give the third prize to Moirae. Seeing as these three knitters were the only ones to submit pictures to me, and the other two all ready won prizes, I thought that Moirae deserved the last prize.

You see, hand knit dish clothes bring you good luck!

And now for the drawing out of names, drumroll please. . . .
Moirae wins prize #1
Deb wins prize #2
Fay wins prize #3

Fay and Deb, if I am correct you both live in the Seattle area? You can pick up your prizes at the Queen Anne shop after tomorrow about noonish. Moirae, please send me an email (hilltopblog@gmail.com) and give me your address. I will ship yours to you.

and

CONGRATULATIONS!

To thank you...

2006-11-15T23:36:00.000-08:00

yarn
Originally uploaded by dinahsaurus.

for your generous participation in our Warm Up, some of the staff at Hilltop are donating prizes, to be given away in a drawing at the end of the month. We will post photos as they are taken.

These are two skeins of chunky handspun wool yarn, approximately 140 yards total-- enough for a grown-up hat!

markers

2006-11-15T23:27:00.000-08:00

markers
Originally uploaded by dinahsaurus.

Another prize will be two sets of stitch markers, with glass beads and pearls.

Think Globally, Knit Locally

2006-11-14T22:29:00.000-08:00

As Megan is busy tallying up the results of our Ballband Rally, we would like to announce a new Hilltop knitalong:

Hilltop's Winter Warm Up!

From now until Monday, December 18, we are calling upon the amazing knitters and crocheters among our staff and customers to share some of their holiday knitting time, to create warm winter necessities for children in our community and around the world.
At our Queen Anne shop, we will be collecting knitted and crocheted items for two charities: The Baby Boutique and Caps to the Capital.

The Baby Boutique is a part of King County Family Services, serving families in transitional housing and working with the agency's social workers. It provides clothing and toys free of charge to these families as they need them. Children's hats, scarves, blankets, mittens and even handmade toys would all be helpful items to donate. This is a great way to use up project leftovers, or those gifts that weren't quite ready in time for the baby shower, or to try out some of those adorable baby patterns you've seen around!

We will be also be sending newborn hats (sorry, newborn hats only!) to Caps to the Capital, a project of Save the Children introduced to us by one of our customers. The hats are first being sent to Washington DC, to show support for health care programs for mothers, babies and children in developing countries, and then will be sent on to families in countries where Save the Children works. The organization has specific patterns available for making these hats, as well as more information about the project, at their website.

To show participants our gratitude, for each item you bring or send into the shop, we will have you fill out a raffle ticket, and, at the end of our drive, we will draw names for some soon-to-be announced prizes. We will also try to post pictures over the course of the month of things we're making and items received, to pass on the inspiration!

We know so many thoughtful and active knitters and crocheters that come in to Hilltop! All your efforts will be truly appreciated by their recipients, and you will be helping to make the world a warmer place this winter!

A Gee-orgeous Washcloth

2006-11-08T10:29:00.000-08:00

washcloth1
Originally uploaded by dinahsaurus.

For those of you that love lace... This beautiful washcloth was knit by Mark, one of our Hilltop customers, for Coe School teachers. He kindly gave us permission to show off his talents! I'm sure the recipient will be thrilled!

My final count

2006-10-31T23:37:00.000-08:00

My final count
Originally uploaded by dinahsaurus.

Umm... ta da? In the interest of full disclosure, I suppose I have to admit now that I got four done. That's practically it. I wanted to say four and a *half*, however, now that I look at it, that's neither visually, nor mathematically, nor in any way half a washcloth. It's not even a handkerchief. It's the intention of a wascloth. Does that count? If not, I'm going for a straight FOUR washcloths towards the Hilltop Grand Total. Who's next?
(PS-- My vest for the fashion show is done, so I have been knitting something, if not washcloths!)

Decidedly Hilltop Pattern #53

2006-10-31T14:16:00.000-08:00

Hellot to all. I just finished Daphne's Springtime Trellis Scarf in winter colors. It's taken me about 6 months to complete. It wasn't particularly difficult, just very attention getting, and I tend to knit when other things are going on. This will also be a gift for friends at Christmas. Thank you Daphne for the design, and thank you HTY for making the pattern free with the yarn.

RoseAnn

The Time Has Come The Walrus Said

2006-10-31T13:47:00.000-08:00

Happy Halloween!!!

And you know what that means. . . .

October is over and so is the Hilltop Ball Band Pep Rally.

***

SOOOOOOO

We are counting up how many we have knit. We will present photographs in the next week or so (after the fashion show!)

***

Let us know how many you were able to crank out this month along with photographs- WE WANT PROOF! (plus we need photos for the blog :)

***

Also send beautiful photography of your dishcloth, we will take a vote among us to decide who's is prettiest.

***

And last but not least, we will announce how many the HT staff was able to produce and who's guess came the closest. . . .

***

AHHH the anticipation-

***

See you at the fashion show!

Christmas Projects

2006-10-30T13:44:00.000-08:00

Hey there! This is my 2nd Fair Isle project. It's a KnitWhits kit, using Cascade 220, with a Classic Cotton 2" band on the inside to keep the itching down. It's for one of the grandkids! The directions are excllent, the yardate was sufficient, with a little left over. The instructions indicate this is an Intermediate pattern. It is, but not at the high end -- it's really a beginning intermediate pattern. Excellent choice for using color, and most important it does not take long to complete! I think this is about a 2 week project for me.
RoseAnn

Project Hilltop Runway

2006-10-25T23:20:00.000-07:00

What's that you say? The Hilltop Gals have been a little quiet as of late, oh well, do let me explain.

Thursday, Nov. 2 at 6:30 pm

will be our annual Hilltop fashion show, this year's theme:

Vests, V-necks, and Vino

Sooooo, we are busily knitting for a deadline, and are limited in our blogging time. Don't worry, you'll hear more from us after the show.
Oh and, Please do join us, it really is Seattle's knitting event of the year (if we do say so ourselves!) You can read more about it here.

Agent Orange

2006-10-24T17:14:00.000-07:00

So, it took me awhile to warm up to blogging and knitting conformity. but like i said, i am finally on the ballband wagon! here are my 1st, and maybe last, 2 ball band wash cloths. and with the left overs i started a pot holder. I think the 3 will make a nice x-mas present for my crafty cousin. what do you think?
cheers!

Another Ball Band Washcloth

2006-10-17T16:33:00.000-07:00

This is my first ballband washcloth. There will be more where that came from. I like the concept, and working with the color potential is really fun. I think the next will be a baby blanket, so I can use all the stuff I have!

Washcloths So Far

2006-10-13T16:41:00.000-07:00

Washcloths So Far
Originally uploaded by dinahsaurus.

I'm at three! I made only one this week, which is one less than last week. At this rate, I'll be at -2 cloths by the end of the month! Two piles of yarn? Sadly for the washcloth endeavor, I've been bumping up my work on something for the fashion show lately.
The pastel washcloth on the right is machine washed and dried, which shows how they shrink a little in the process. They all have 13 repeats so that the first row and last row of "bricks" are the same.

2006-10-11T20:45:00.000-07:00

I've started number five with a drastic departure from my previous color choices. I love it.
A few answers to some questions.
Yes, Moirae, you can change your guess (it was before the 5th, it's fair game) so Moirae's guess is 176
Also, someone wanted to know what the pink ombre color was, it is color Rosewood.

KNIT KNIT KNIT HAPPY

Up all night

2006-10-06T12:03:00.000-07:00

Two doses of Theraful, 6 episodes of Prison Break on DVD (Project Runway was checked out), 1/2 box of kleenex later and I have a lovely collection (is 2 an official "collection"?) of pastel face cloths.

Three down* (OK, OK, I started on 09-29). I'm camping with 17 Girl Scouts this weekend, and my production may suffer for it. Still, I'm committed! I'll knit in between the arguments.

Ballband Takeover

2006-10-05T07:20:00.000-07:00

One down, one in progress, more in the queue! My Ariann sweater is just going to have to wait until Ballband mania has subsided a bit!

PS - do weaving in the ends count in the contest? 'Cause ugh!

Pink Pink my dogs stink!

2006-10-04T23:25:00.000-07:00

OK, I know, too much information. At least you can't smell through the computer.

I'm working on #3

Be sure to get your guesses in and sign up if you're in the knitting. Tomorrow is the last day. Leave a comment on any post on this blog (they all come to my email.) Scroll down to previous post for details.

Ball Band Wagon Update

2006-10-04T15:36:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is the last day to guess. . . we've all ready started knintting, have you?

Leave your comment on any post on this blog with your guess as to how many dishcloths the staff will knit in Oct.

Scroll down for more details

UPDATE: Here are the guesses up to this point.

Katie S. - 87 - Katie is knitting for her Mom. What a sweet daughter! (What a SWEEEET gift.)

Fay S. - 72 - Fay is the poster girl for "Don't be intimidated, YOU CAN DO IT!" Way to go Fay.

Barrie - 113 - Who has a mischievous idea as to what we should do with all these wash cloths. . . Seattle look out, you might be getting the cleaning of your life.

Lynnm - 106 - With the cutest avatar I have ever seen. Good luck with that shopping spree, I think gifts of yarn would be great!

ikkinlala- 93 - our first internation guess, We LOVE Canada.

Mrs Fifi - 81- Our second international guess- Betsy's comin' to see you soon in INDIA, baby!

Amy - 142 - be sure to stop by her blog, it's supper cute- love those stitch markers, Amy!

Moraie- a staggering 270 (sets the bar high, that one!) - guessing all the way from the great state of Minnesota- good luck on the sock wars!

Sonya - and even 100- Sonya has the unfair advantage of knowing how poorly I focus on the task at hand.

Stariel- 80- All the way from Boston, ladies! Also a sock wars combatant, who evidently is engaging in hand-to-hand (or foot-to-foot) combat!

I am going to extend the deadline. You now have until the 5th of October to get your guesses in and start your washcloths! You still have until the 31st to finish your last stitch.

Categories are:
1. The person (not a HT employee) who knits the greatest number of washcloths in the month of October. Oh and I noticed before I said 12 repeats- that should be 10, or actually 5 because every other repeat the slip stitch placement changes, so 5 to be exactly correct.

2. The person (not a HT employee) who takes the most creative, aesthetically pleasing, etc. photograph of their washcloth (which may or may not have been knit in Oct.)

3. The person (not a HT employee) who guesses the correct number of washcloths that will be knit by HT employees in the month of October.

4. Special Jennifer Category: The person (who is Jen, the owner of Hilltop) who knits the washcloth that best matches Jen's kitchen. (It's good to be the boss!)

Knit-off challenges are to be set up between any two knitters. You may challenge a HT Employee or another knitter, you agree on the terms, (pattern, length of knitting time, reward for winner, etc.) and we will document it on the blog.

OK, so sign yourself up, leave a comment with
--First Name
--Last Initial
--OR Blogging Identity
--your URL if you have one
--Your Guess as to how many washcloths the HT staff will knit in Oct.
You may participate in all or just one way.

Now for the all important PRIZES!
To be randomly assigned to the winners in each of the first three categories (Jen gets what ever she wants as a prize, again, good to be the boss!)

- Four balls of Rowan's Cotton Rope, three pink, one lavender
-Rowan's Cotton Rope Collection Book

-Eleven (yes 11) darling patterns from one of our favorite companies, Blue Sky Alpacas. Most of them are sweaters, but there are some other REALLY cute ones in there
- 3 oz of hand spun merino

-6 Rebecca Patterns, all supper cute sweaters
- Four balls of Rowan's Cotton Braid in this heavenly colorway!

Happy Knitting

You want me to do what with it?

2006-10-03T21:59:00.000-07:00

Here it is. The first of many, I hope.

I think it's practically perfect in just about every way and looked stunning sitting next to my sink. I know I will not win the volume contest-- too slow-- but am coveting the prize for "kitchen coordination" and have abandoned all efforts at impartiality. I must win!

In spite of its inherent usefulness (soft and yet strong cotton, gentle yet exfoliating texture) for some reason, it continued to sit on my counter for about 4 days. Looking lovely I might add, but still unused...

This evening, in honor of a large, very dirty sheet pan of Lasagne, I decided to go ahead and just use the darn thing.

I'm happy to report that all is well. The cloth survived, and so did I.

Repeat after the Mason Dixon gals...it's not a DISHCLOTH until it's been used on a dish...darn it!

MUST. USE. HANDKNITS.

I just cast off cloth #2. It's a neopolitan ice cream blend for Katie. Perfect pink, milk chocolate and cream. I think it will look amazing in the loo.

Ballband One

2006-10-02T19:43:00.000-07:00

Ballband One
Originally uploaded by dinahsaurus.

Honestly, I had fantasies about wheeling out one of these a day, but I don't think that will happen. Here's my Ballband Number One, in Sugar-N-Creme and Mission Falls Cotton, started at 1:00 am this morning. There is no artistic vision behind this, except maybe the knowledge that yesterday was October 1st and I had better get cracking. I tried out three different cast-ons-- the knitted, the cable and the long-tail-- and only the long tail didn't look weird, but that could have been due to the hour in the morning. As you can see, I have at least a couple more cloths in the queue, but I do plan on getting some sleep this month.

Northwest Knitters Cruise!

2006-09-28T16:20:00.000-07:00

What could be better than a four-day Pacific Northwest knitting cruise with all your friends? Nothing, we say!!

Celebrity Cruise Line's "Mercury" will be sailing North through the Georgia Strait from Octber 1st through October 5, 2007 stopping for tea and yarn at the following ports of call:

Nanaimo- a quaint town with the oldest and largest evergreens in Canada, as well as Mad About Ewe Fine Yarns

and

Victoria- steeped in British traditions, home of the Beehive knit shop and Butchart Gardens and high tea at the Empress Hotel.

While at sea, enjoy 6 hours of knitting classes taught by three incredible instructors:

Susan Dirk, President of the Seattle Knitters Guild, Instruction Manager and knitting designer at Hilltop Yarn. Susan was previously a photographer at the Seattle Art Museum. She brings her knowledge of art and photography to her knitting career with an outstanding sense of color and design. She teaches knitting and felting, and loves to inspire her students to knit out of the box.

Jule Castner, color consultant, knitting designer and head instructor for Hilltop Yarn has previously taught at Sleeping Lady, Madrona Fiber Arts Festival and Hilltop's In City Retreat. She is a master of knitting technique and an exceptionally knowledgable and patient instructor.

Alexandra Immel, Architect, knitting instructor and designer from London, England, has been knitting for thirty years. Her most recent knitting design is being published in Storey Publishers' One Skein book. She loves to make it up as she goes along and enjoys helping her students at Hilltop Yarn find their own creativity.

What's included?

Your cabin, three or more meals daily, port charges and tax, 6 hours of knitting classes at sea, welcome reception, and farewell reception.

Call Sonja at Foothills Travel for more information 1-800-562-5135

Knitting Pattern Error? No problem.

2006-09-21T13:58:00.000-07:00

In my blog surfing I came upon a few neat sites that compile info on knitting errata- those correction for knitting in patterns and books.

There's www.knitblog.com/errata.htm

and: Interweave's Errata

I found it to be really helpful, because sometimes when patterns go wrong it's not our fault!

Check it out.

A little inspiration...

2006-09-20T20:11:00.000-07:00

One of the things I like so much about the Ballband Discloth is that it makes it so simple and fun to mix colors. It doesn't matter if your colors clash, or don't look good on you, or don't go with a thing you own... it's only a dishcloth. It takes less than a day to make. It costs under five dollars to knit. It will be wet and covered in soap. I also love seeing the many variations of others, including hats, rugs and mop covers. Here's a flickr group of amazing examples: You can't NOT be inspired by this.