Port Hadlock Yarns

Want to try something new and maybe a little scared?
Here’s the motivation and support you need..
This month we’re starting up a monthly knitalong (KAL). Our first project?  Felted Clogs from Fiber Trend.  Warm, beautiful and durable, these tootsie warmers are destined to become your tired “dogs’” new best friends.

And besides that they’re lots of fun to make!
Yarn harlot Stephanie McPhee  has high praise for this  Fiber Trend pattern (yes, we have it in the shop). “I’ve knit it maybe twenty times, and it never fails to charm me. …The pattern is fast, easy and interesting”.
Read her fun blog about this project Ruining a little Knitting  for more humorous and helpful tips – like how to spray nonskid rubber on the soles – and how not to ruin your washing machine!

We’re dedicating 2 Wednesdays to everyone who wants to join the Felted Clog Knit-A-Long.  Wednesday, September 12th and Wednesday, September 19th.  Come in any time  during those days and we’ll get you started and be available for help if you need it.

Need a little extra motivation? Any yarn purchased for the felted clog project will be 20% off.

For October,  the KAL is the Diamond Leaf Cowl. We’ve earmarked two Thursdays for this project.  Thursday, October 11th and Thursday, October 25th.  The pattern is free.  and again – any yarn purchased for this project will be 20% off.

For Halloween, we’re doing an extra KAL (actually- a Crochet-A-Long) for a cool, creepy, crawly, spider candy holder.  What fun!!!  Free pattern and again, any yarn purchased for this project will be 20% off.
Two Mondays – Monday, October 1st and Monday, October 15th.

For those of you aren’t following us on facebook, here’s a quick peek at some of the shawlettes people are working on for the Summer Shawlette Knitalong . Ravelry’s Wingspan pattern has been very popular. Here’s one that Cindy knit using Ty-Dy 100% cotton Color 290 ( 3 balls).

Shannon had been knitting scarves, but the knitalong inspired her to try a shawlette. She chose the Citron pattern by Hillary Smith Callis.

Rachel hadn’t gotten around to knitting all week, so she came into the shop to knit with us. She had two Wingspan shawlettes started. This one in gradients of gray/charcoal.

Shawlettes have been called “the new socks”. They can be as complicated or as simple as you’d like.

Cindy’s knitting a topdown “manshawl”  called Thendara by Stephen West

Two colors are worked with increases to form a triangle and then two additional locations of increases are added, which transform the shape into a unique piece of architectural knitting. The extra fabric formed by the increases causes the shawl to drape beautifully whether it is resting across the shoulders or tossed around the neck.

Toward the end of the day, a customer came in with a problem she’d been struggling with for hours.  She was trying to figure out where she’d dropped a yarnover in a lace pattern. Within 2 minutes, Cindy knit back to the area where the “mistake” was and voila! All fixed!

If you’re having difficulties with a project, don’t even think twice about it. Come in and bring your knitting to us – no matter what! That’s what we’re here for. That’s what we mean when we say “The Knit Doctor is IN” whenever we’re open.

Even if you’re just having trouble getting motivated, or you just want to sit and knit with us, bring your knitting in anytime. You don’t have to be making a shawlette to knitalong!

What’s a knitalong?
It’s kind of like a book club. We pick a project that each person can work on individually and then come together to compare notes. This season, we’re offering your choice of four shawlettes.

When does it start/end?
The official start date is June 2nd, but you can come into the shop anytime for your pattern, materials and raffle ticket. The official end date is August first.
Our goal is for everyone to complete your project in time to submit them to this year’s Jefferson County Fair, August 10th. The entry is free, but the fair makes money with every entry. And you can win pirzes!

Why are knitalongs so popular?
1-The act of doing something together, but alone – like a book club – makes any project more fun. You can sit’n'knit together at the shop, or knit and home and come in for help and to compare notes.
2-There’s motivation to complete the project
3- You can’t believe how many variations there can be on a single project. Just look at Ravelry’s Meathead Hat

Knit-a-long meetings
Saturday June 2 11am-noon
Saturday  June 16th 11-noon
Saturday June 30 11am-noon
Saturday July 21st 11-noon

Knit at the knitalong meetings at Port Hadlock Yarns or Wednesday’s Social Knitting Circle, or come sit and knit at the shop anytime – the Knit Doctor’s always on call to help….

Win a free project tote!: When you sign up, you’ll get a raffle ticket that will be entered (upon completion of your project) to win a free color mesh Walker tote bag for your knitting!

This Season’s project – Four shawlettes to choose from

Shawlettes are the most flattering thing to happen to necks and shoulders since Audrey Hepburn.
Like socks, a shawlette can be simple or challenging, and offer endless reinterpretations.  They make great portable projects, and since they’ve become such a huge trend, there’s no lack of imaginative patterns.

We chose these four for our knitalong.

Citron by Hilary Smith Callis

Fresh and light as a slice of summer lime, this shawlette is equally lovely scrunched around the neck or draped across the shoulders. It’s knit from the top center downwards.
Free pattern on Knitty

Wingspan by maylin Tri’Coterie Designs

As its name suggests,  this attractive shawl could just about take flight all by itself. For such a visually impressive pattern with bands of eye popping colors, it’s deceptively simple and easily adaptable.
Free pattern on Ravelry

Pogona by Steven West

Named after a “bearded dragon” lizard because of its flare around the neck. Pogona is a versatile top down shawl. It can be draped across the shoulders, gathered like a scarf or even tied casually at the waist for a skirtlike look.
Pattern can be purchased at Ravelry for $6

Kitefish by Leah Coccari-Swift

This ingenious pattern, inspired by kitefish, a type of skate, features an interlocking mechanism for a unique assymetrical design.  It is worked in four sections bottom up, starting with the blue “fin” shape. It requires a small bit of crocheting around the edge.
Available for $6 on Ravelry