This is asked of me time and time again. I think a better question would be, Why does sock knitting bring you joy? Let me tell you my personal reasons.

To begin with, socks are very portable so I can have knitting with me at all times. Not only does this keep projects moving along, but when I am knitting it calms me. (Crochet can be substituted for knitting if that suits you!) I am not good at meditation. If I am thinking k2, p2 I feel I can get to the same spot.

Socks are small so I feel accomplished every time I finish a pair or even just a sock. Of course you must do the second sock!!

As a sock knitter, I can custom fit each sock to the person I am making it for. Which heel works best, or do I need to make a special toe? And- the length of the sock is perfect. Love that negative ease! Also, the length of the leg can be made to the preference of the recipient.

I learn so many techniques while knitting socks. Everything you learn while knitting a sock can be used in the making of a sweater, shawl, cowl, etc. If you make a mistake, you only have to rip out a bit. So less tears! This also keeps your interest up. Do you like lace work? There is a sock for that! Do you like stranded knitting? There is a sock for that! You name it and a pattern can be found or created.

But, the very best part is the joy it brings to the people you give the socks to. I know they are not just being kind because I always get requests for more socks!

So are sock knitters the happiest people you know? Well maybe not all, but probably most! Just drop by a sock social sometime and see if that’s not true!

-Randi
​
Favorite yarn in the shop right now: 
Spun Right Sock Yarn- Trunk show this Saturday December 7
Favorite “Unyarn”: Sock Ruler
Outside of the shop: I love to play pinball. Interested? I can tell you the best places to go!

Most Recent Blog Post from Christine Weiss

I am one of those people that always wants just a few more hours in the day to just sit with
my yarn and needles and hooks and dwell in the world of knitting and crocheting. Well, I got it- 6
solid weeks of time after a knee injury proved unexpectedly complicated and needed to heal
without being much disturbed. So now I am sick of all things yarn. OK, that is not true. But
having all this time to knit and crochet comes at the price of everything else I typically attend to
and very much enjoy and that pretty much stinks. But enough whining. I am close to being able
to walk again, and I am very grateful that this ailment is a temporary one. I get it, I do!

So with all the time I am spending knitting and crocheting, I am also watching a lot of
YouTube and House MD. I have had particular fun watching the Antiques Roadshow Celebrity
Edition. This is a solidly British show that has made me excited about going antiquing when I
can drive again (look out Jennifer, I will recruit you to come along). One episode drew my
attention to a region in Scotland called Carbeth. Watching, I recalled a pattern that I love and
many of you will know, called the Carbeth Cardigan. I had assumed the pattern was named
after a person. However, I went down the rabbit hole that is the internet and found that the
designer Kate Davies is Scottish and likely took the name from this region just north of Glasgow.
First, check her out. She is fascinating and has a website and many publications. Second, in
that rabbit hole I learned about Carbeth Hutters. They were a group of war veterans who made
an indelible mark on this part of rural Scotland after they returned home, post WWI. This history
or herstory (whichever you prefer) goes into designs coming from that region. The backstory is
yet another layer of the Maker world I am embracing. Connecting myself to the specific history
and parts of the world where my knitting and crocheting developed, makes me appreciate what I
am working on and producing. Be it the Norwegians, Arnie and Carlos; The Danes, Knitting for
Olive; American turned Dutchman, Stephen West or one of the many pattern makers you follow,
there is a story there. Check it out! I think learning about the history of the craft is part of
embracing being a Maker.

At this time of year when we are full steam ahead on “making” for gift giving, it is no
secret to any of us that our making skills are more and more irrelevant to supply our
everyday needs. Time once spent producing food, clothing and shelter for survival can now be
spent on the skills that excite us. We can pursue with gusto and share the fruits of our labor. If
you are reading this you likely treasure knitting and crocheting. Whatever your typical approach
to knitting and crocheting, I hope you will join me, even briefly, in an intentional mindset. Instead
of making our craft an extension of our oft need to achieve and perfect, may we approach our
craft with insight, patience and an understanding that the pursuit informs us of our history and
connects us to humanity. Sure, we may get lucky once or twice and create a truly exceptional
piece (that is a very sweet feeling). But today let us practice the craft without judges, score
sheets, clocks, finish lines or medals, and instead dwell in the space that is the world of Making,
space that fulfills our basic need to create.

We can help with that!

Join us at The Artful Yarn as you learn, connect and honor tradition and allow us to be a part
of your craft. Just as our ancestors learned from each other and passed on skills, we teach and
learn from each other. Our people have ample years of knowledge and know-how. We
understand the backstory of knitting and crocheting to help inform your modern pursuits. Our
circles, classes, yarns and tools are all thoughtfully designed and chosen to help you build your
craft on your terms.

We are looking forward to welcoming you to the shop.
Favorite Yarn in the shop right now: I am liking the Andora, although I have not yet used it, it
is on tap for when I make my next Carbeth Cardigan.
Favorite “UnYarn”: Oh Gosh, that’s easy! The felted bags
Outside of the shop: Just concentrating on getting that knee back into working order. I have to
say I have been really touched by my friends who have visited, brought food and made my
husband’s job of doing everything that I need two hands and two legs for a little easier.

Hi there! My name is Erin. Here's what's going on for me right now!
​
​Have you ever found yourself in a crafting rut?
Last year my knitting/crocheting/crafting motivation was at an all time low. In part from job stress, but a lot of it was being stuck in a cycle of the same types of projects on repeat. I've made lots of stuffed creatures, hats, cowls, shawls/wraps, and several blankets and as much as I was happy with the finished projects, it was getting tough to want to cast on unless I had something really special to work on. At that point in my knitting story I had also completed one vest and two baby sweaters and had a UFO cardigan that has been sleeveless for probably 2 or 3 years.

The thought of starting  and finishing an adult sized sweater on my own seemed not just scary, but impossible. My thoughts were kind of jumbled.
What if I hate it?
What if I never finish? 
What if I invested all this money and time into a sweater that I complete, but I HATE, or it doesn't fit, or I wash it wrong and ruin it?
It seemed like such a risk and investment for something with a murky outcome at best. 

Fortunately for me, I don't just work at The Artful Yarn. Here, I have creative and supportive coworkers and a boss that challenged and encouraged me to push myself to try something new and cast on a major sweater project. 

Last summer, Tiffany, owner of The Artful Yarn, brought in a trunk show with Wonderland Yarns and I just fell in love with their Rainbows in the Gorge cardigan. But for me, this was an especially intimidating project. Not only was it a longer length cardigan, but it was in fingering weight yarn and on size 3 needles. Talk about a challenge! I have a mainly worsted weight and up, size 7 or bigger needle project history. Fortunately, Tiffany not only talked me into going for it, she helped me make sure my gauge and sizing and everything was right on track when I got started. 

I actually cast on in August 2023 and had the first arm almost completed before realizing I was not increasing correctly. I had to frog and restart. Despite that discouraging start, I kept at it. The rainbow cardigan regularly came to the shop with me where I could work on it and where I got encouragement (and accountability to finish) from both my coworkers and our fantastic shop community. 

Slowly but surely I got through it. In April, just in time for the change in our weather to 70+ degree days, I finished the collar and seamed the sides. It was definitely a challenge and a long and ambitious project, but having everyone at the shop at my back, helped me to keep at it and not get discouraged. Having help readily accessible when I got confused and fiber friends cheering me on as I went, definitely made the difference for me on this project. 

And now I'm on a sweater kick. I finished the Boneyard Sweethearts (Tellybean Knits) and the Luminos Tee (yamagara) this summer and just cast on another for the November Sweater. I'm so glad I stretched out of my comfort zone to try a new type of project and I'm so thankful for our community here at The Artful Yarn for the support to get it done! And you can too!

Favorite yarn in the shop right now: Emma's Super Silky
Favorite "unyarn" in the shop right now: Katrinkles stitch markers--the pasta shapes make me laugh every time I see them
Hobby (other than fiber arts): Reading

Hi everyone! Jenn here. This week's topic, making a garment that fits, involves that dreaded subject, gauge. All patterns have one, but more often than not, we choose to completely ignore it. We just want to dive right into our new project. We found a great yarn. We found a great pattern. Why can't we just start knitting or crocheting?!

There are lots of good reasons to make a gauge swatch. Here are just a few:
>First, it let's you take a test drive with your yarn and pattern. Maybe you want to use a different yarn than what's recommended in the pattern. The swatch will help you see if you like the resulting fabric.

>Second, your tension as you knit or crochet is unique to how you are as a crafter. If your tension is the same as the designer who wrote the pattern, fantastic. If it's different, your guage swatch will help you figure out if you will need to make any adjustments to the pattern. 

>Third, if you know your gauge you can adjust your stitch and row count to get the correct size for a garment that fits you. I usually end up adjusting the number of stitches for my sleeves, and when and how often I do the decreases. 

>Fourth, patterns are like recipes. You can follow them to the letter and end up with a great meal, but will it be something you enjoy? I always sub parsley for cilantro because, to me, cilantro tastes like soap. Knowing, with a little 'funny math' I can adjust a pattern for my specific needs (like wider and longer sleeves), gives me the confidence to choose from a broader range of projects. 

Now, all that being said, if you want to just get some yarn and a pattern and jump right into a new project, no gauge swatch required, we have lots of pre made kits in the shop ready to go.  From simple cowls to colorwork cowls to holiday stockings (i.e. projects where exact sizing is not so crucial) we've got great options for some last minute gifts.

Favorite yarn that's in the shop right now:
For my Sweater in November I'm using Wonderland Yarns, Mary Ann (fingering weight), The Road Less Traveled.  

Favorite "unyarn" that's in the shop right now:
A great book to help take your knitting to the next level - Patty Lyons' Knitting Bag of Tricks

Hobby (other than fiber arts):
Is there anything better than knitting? Ok, maybe jigsaw puzzles are a close second.

​(Hum “I’m a Believer “) as sung by the Monkees. 

Many, many years ago, I told anyone who would listen that I would never knit socks. What converted me to a sock addict you ask? Cathy Hougan asked me to teach an intro to sock class. First I called my friends, so they could laugh and then I set off to make my first finished pair of socks. Guess what- a change in me took place. I no longer needed to always just make shawls and sweaters I could get the same challenge and comfort from creating socks. Learn small and be confident in tackling bigger projects. Much less frogging involved!

A bit about me- I'm Randi. I have been knitting since my grandmother taught me at age eleven. I will not comment on how many years ago that was. The reference to the singing group the Monkees gives you a clue. Knitting has been more than just a creative process for me. It also and most importantly calms and brings me joy. I was a Montessori teacher for 30 years. I have found teaching is in my bones, so I recently started substitute teaching. I always look forward to my time in the shop and sharing stories and our knit or crochet creations. Come join me October 26th to learn to knit socks on two needles. Details are on the website calendar page.

Favorite yarn that's in the shop right now:
Kelbourne Woolens Perennial Sock Yarn
I currently love for color blocking and lace work. Such vibrant colors.

Favorite "unyarn" that's in the shop right now:
Lantern moon needles and needle sets

Follow me for sock knitting tips
The Sock Believer
Randi 

​I'm Christine Weiss, the resident indie dyer at the shop at the moment. You have access to a kit of my yarn in the 2024 ADVENTure Collection which is available right now in the store or online. There are also a few skeins from The Darling Yarn Company (that's me) still available from my summer dye sessions. They are on the shelves next to other Indie Dyed yarns. In fact, there is a lot of Indie Dyed yarn at the shop, like Spun Right Round and Emma's (some of my faves). That is one of the special reasons our customers love the small yarn shops over the big box stores, we get some amazing yarn that comes from the imaginations of some talented people. 

Back to me! My yarn is unique in that I use exclusively plant based dyes and exclusively non-superwash yarns. I do this because I wanted to return to a process like the one when making our clothing was not toxic to the planet.  Prior to the invention of acid dyes, fiber artists, servants (and homemaking women) used various ways to get color from plants. Yes, some of those methods were pretty toxic because back then they sometimes used copper and lead, but for the most part getting color from plants is a time consuming, but clean process. Getting the color onto fiber is done using a mordant and heat to get the lasting results. Back in the day, they may have chosen urine to mordant yarns, nowaddays we use a variety of alum products. Alum is a non toxic chemical which you find in many foods (such as pickles), cosmetics, medicines and in water treatment to purify tap water.  Not all plant dyes need mordants, many of the grays, beiges and browns from tree nuts stay on yarn just fine. But mordants in general are used to help plant dyes stay on the yarn for years of wear. You know those tapestries you see at the art museum, or in the natural history museum? Those are plant dyed. I use some of these same dyes, like madder and indigo, and I have access to other very local dyes like golden rod and oak.

Learning how to dye with plants was by trial and error, and happily there are a lot of helpful people on the internet. You do have to weed out some of those who suggest you dye with turmeric or wine, nice color until the sun comes out, then poof, bye bye.  I have figured out what stays (non-fugitive) and what does not (fugitive). If you ever have questions about dyeing yarn with plants feel free to reach out to me, I am happy to teach you what I have learned.

Here's the recipe
Here is a quick recipe that does not use mordant:- clean four or five avocado skins and the seeds and simmer these on the stove in enough water to cover them plus an inch. Keep the simmer very low for about 2 hours. It is better to not get to simmer than to get to boiling. You will see the liquid turn to dark pink.  Allow the  mixture to cool over night. Strain the liquid into a pot and add a few inches of water and a teaspoon of baking soda. Find an undyed 100g skein of yarn, as light as you can. Untwist the skein, but keep the ties in! Soak that skein in water for an hour until it is wetted through. Place that skein in the avocado water and heat this on the stove. Keep the fan on or ensure good ventilation. Be sure the water completely covers the skein. Add tap water if it does not. This time, do not allow the mixture to simmer, a thermometer should read between 140-160 degrees Fahrenheit. Hold the heat here for up to an hour moving the yarn every 15 minutes or so to even out color, then allow the entire mixture to cool over night. Remove the yarn and squeeze out any liquid then rinse under cool water. Re-soak in a basin of water with a drop of clear dish soap or wool wash for 15 minutes. Rinse thoroughly. Allow the skein to dry and wind, it is ready for use. I often cure my skeins. To do this, when I remove them from the color pot, I squeeze out excess water and let them hang dry for a few days before I rinse or wash them. Some of us think this deepens the color. If you do not have avocados, you can use brown onions skins, the completely dryed bits. Place a few cups of these in a pan and follow the same directions as for avocados, but do not add baking soda. The avocados produce pink, the onions skins make a wonderful rusty orange. The two colors actually look fabulous together if you have two blanks skeins.  

I do hope you enjoy finding your perfect skein as you do using it! Making knitting and crocheting a thought filled, intentional endeavor maximizes the fun!

Go Easy,
Christine Weiss
Favorite yarn that's in the shop right now:
There is some pretty amazing Amano Mayu alpaca yarn that I have my eye on (available in the shop)
Favorite "unyarn" that's in the shop right now:
That's easy, the Mini Minder, for holding a skein on the go! (available online and in the shop)
Hobby (other than fiber arts):
Hiking.

​​​Welcome to In The Loop, The Artful Yarn shop blog.  In this new space, you can look forward to some great tips and insights drawn from our staff's collective years of experience. 

But first things first! I wanted to remind you that we have a neat opportunity for our fiber friends to GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. We all have a few skeins in our stash that are "extras". This weekend is I Love Yarn Day during which you can donate those unused, full skeins.  The shop has partnered with local crafting charities that will take the donated yarn and make hats, scarves, blankets, mittens, and other hand made items to distribute to people in our communities who could use a helping hand. Check the shop website for details.

A little background on me. I have a degree in Fine Arts with an emphasis in photography.  Art has been such a big part of my life for so long.  Recently I have less time to sit down and paint, or photoshop, or draw. Instead I take the opportunity to paint with my yarn.  Bold color choices mixed with a fun colorwork pattern always gives me a painting vibe.  It is something that I really encourage our customers to try. Basically, you follow a chart (color by numbers style) and watch what you imagined taking shape.

When designing our Yarn Discovery Tour pattern I kept that in mind. I wanted to create something truly unique to Chagrin Falls. I started by brainstorming:  What are some of my favorite parts of this town I call home?  What icons represent these things? How can I paint these into something I want to wear? With graph paper and a good sense of color (helped along by a great supplier, Wonderland Yarns) I created a big cozy cowl/snood (the pattern is available at the shop). My pattern captures a time and place that is meaningful to me. Color work gives you such a great opportunity to make a project that is truly one of a kind. Give it a try and feel free to stop in- there is a lot of helpful advice at the shop and even some charting cards available if you aren't quite ready to go completely custom.