Too Hot to Knit with Wool? How about Cotton Bamboo? Lacy Alpaca? or Fresh Linen?

Something I hear now and then is that folks don't like to knit in summer because of the heat.  This seems to be a state of consciousness because, if we are the lucky ones, we have the ac blasting indoors during these steamy days.  I think what we mean is that we don't like to WEAR knitting in summer.  Because traditionally, knitting is thought of as only for cool weather garments.

Now that there re so many beautiful lightweight and cool yarns available, we can be knitting cooly while creating these just refreshingly lovely tops and accessories.  Choose to knit in Pima Cotton, Cotton Bamboo or Linen for a fresh feeling while knitting and wearing.

Just in time, a new shipment of CEY Heron Island:

This high quality pattern collection booklet features nine warm weather designs, all with intriguing stitch details.  Here are just a few to tempt you back to summer knitting:

The Heron Island Collection is normally $15.95.  This month, on sale for $12.00....and remember the additional savings detailed in the Classic Elite Trunk Show and Sale apply to this pattern collection when purchased at the shop with any sweater quantity yarn purchase of Classic Elite Yarns including CottonBamboo, Firefly, Premiere or CottonTail. 

(All photos in this post are courtesy of ClassicEliteYarns)

Classic Elite Trunk Show and Sale

Classic Elite Pattern Samples are around the shop now till the end of the month to inspire your knitting projects.  These beautifully crafted pieces are in CEY unique quality yarns such as the Firefly Linen/viscose blend in the pale peach Smocked Pull Over above from the Picnic pattern collection. The tomato red Leaf Yoke Pullover visible below is knit up in Premiere a just luscious Pima Cotton/Tencel blend.  The pattern is in Summer Book 2.

This adorable Center Cable Tee from the Heron Island Booklet, just glows in Cotton Bamboo.  The combination of the mini cable and sweet lacey yarnover stitches create an extremely flattering shape.  I know, I tried it on. Actually I tried them all on and they are all designed to glide over those little spots that none of us want to acknowledge!

Here's another view of the FireFly Pullover with the FireFly Scarf,

Another great CEY Summer Yarn is Sprout, a 100% Organic Cotton Chunky yarn that is not only great in the Basketweave Blanket (free pattern on the CEY website)

 but also is great for little sweaters like the Sprout Baby Tunic (also free on the CEY website) and big girl sweaters too.

 So I mentioned a SALE up there didn't I?  Yes indeedy.  You will get 15% off on both the pattern book and sweater quantities on these or any other CEY yarn and pattern sweater quantities combination from now till the end of the month.  Lots and Lots of colors to choose from.  Hurry in cause after this month, they may be gone to make room for all the new things coming in.

Well, it certainly is high time I put something new on this old blog.  It's been two months since TNNA and there has been a lot going on at the shop since then.  I've got loads of new yarns in and more coming.  I'll try to give a little taste of it here in some pictues. 

Here is a view of the Shawl Wall featuring the lovely Lace Shawls of Claudia Miller. At the top left are two versions of the Ishbell pattern, the first in a wool/silk blend and the second in a woo/bamboo blend.  The lovely blue shades of Zauberboll lace yarn look gorgeous on the Traveling Woman pattern and at the far right is  Clothilde knit from Hand Dyed Silk/Merino from Lunabudknits is another beautiful interpretation.  Claudi is an extraordinary knitter and is especially fond of Lace Knitting technique.  She has a way of interpreting Lace Patterns with lovely yarns to create something truly unique.  These shawls are all for sale at the shop and all affordable between $40 and $50.

If you would like to learn Lace Knitting Techniques from Claudia, she will be teaching a class at the shop on Saturday, August 21 from 10:30 to 1:30 pm.  The class is designed to introduce students to lace knitting starting with the most basic and building to more complex designs. Students will also learn how to read and use charts.  You can find more information and register on line here : http://blueballmountainspindleandneedleworks.com/?page_id=237