Just to let everyone know that our warehouse will be closed from Saturday Aug 15 thru Sunday, Aug 23.  We will not be shipping during this week.  We will try to keep your emails answered as we attend to some important business.  Your patience is appreciated.  Thanks, Pat

Our newest member of the knitting board family is only 6″ long and 1.5″ wide.  It’s fine gauge which means the intarsia designs really come out looking great!  The spacing between the pins is 5/16″ like the small gauge boards, but the 2 rows of pins are only 1″ apart.  It’s so much fun to work with because you don’t even need to put it down-just turn your hand around to hook over the 2 sides.  Portable??  Oh, yes, it can fit into your smaller handbags, and go with you everywhere.  Fun projects?  It comes with 7 easy projects just to get you going and more are coming to the free library every week.  So, if you’re looking for a great gift for yourself, or maybe thinking ahead for the holidays, check out this cute little package. 

It comes with a new! knit hook and pattern booklet with illustrated instructions and the 7 starter projects.  Lots of Fun!

We are having a Loom A Long hosted by Kelly Jones with her fun Butterfly intarsia design.  Join Kelly on Wednesday, June 17 as she works with all knitters to create this intarsia Butterfly design. This Wednesday Kelly will be available with lots of helpful hints at knittingboards yahoo group. Just post your questions for Kelly. The pattern is also in the “files” folder at the yahoo group. Here’s the link:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Knittingboards/ 

Butterfly Intarsia Block

This butterfly intarsia pattern can be used for a number of different things.  You can use it as a wall hanging, afghan block or make a back and sew it together for a pillow.  You could even adjust the main color rows to make placemats, or use cotton yarn for a dishcloth or pot holder, or use wool and felt it for a bag front.

I really hope you enjoy knitting this up!  Intarsia designs are a great use of “extra” yarn.

Supplies: 18”or 28” small gauge Authentic Knitting Board using 36 pegs, spacers set at ½”.

Yarn: One skein (approximately 400 yards) #3 or #4 weight yarn, single stranded for background color.  Small balls of yarn are all you need for the contrasting colors, use double strands for all contrast colors to make it a little fuller. 

Stitch: Stockinette cast-on and stitch used throughout. 

Finished Size: approximately 10” x 10”

Cast on using main color in stockinette stitch 36 pegs, count cast on row as first row of pattern.  Lay anchor yarn. 

Row 2-5: stockinette stitch in main color.

Row 6: start with contrast color (double stranded) and place slip knot on peg 17 (top or bottom of board doesn’t matter) work to peg 19 in stockinette stitch.  Skip over to peg 25 and continue to 27 in stockinette, turn and work back over remaining contrast color pegs.   You’ll place the working yarn across the top of the main color.  If you ended with the working yarn on the top of peg 19 you start peg 25 at the bottom of the board (it’ll form an “x” over the main color - see photo).  Make sure you leave the yarn a little loose in the “x”, or it will pull the design to the middle on the finished project.  Knit off.  Lay contrast color 1 down after knitting off and pick up main color.  Knit in stockinette stitch skipping over the contrast color one pegs.

 Repeat pattern from chart.  Make sure you start each row with contrast colors and knit those off before going to the main color.

When you finish with a contrasting color cut the yarn leaving a 2”-3” tail and lay it across the center, you can tuck some of it under the “x” from the main color to hold it in place. When you finish with contrast color 1 in row 16, cut and “lay-in” tail.  Restart color with a slip knot on row 19, peg 9.  Make sure slip knot is snug. Continue with pattern from chart.

Bind off and tuck in all tails!

Hi Knitters,
The small project contest was very fun for us, as we had some awesome entries. And, once again, it was very difficult judging them. I think, our next contest, we will let everyone cast a vote for their favorite. We want to thank everyone for entering and showing us your designs.
Drum roll, Please!

The winners are……..

1st place goes to Faith Schmidt with the Cable and Lace Scarf. 
Faith did a very thorough job of writting her pattern and her detailed photos were just super. Congratulations, Faith.

And, we have a 3-way tie for second place.   Kelly Jones submits a great Bunny design, Ella Roby knits a beautiful Patrtiotic Bag , and  Sue  Kreitzer shows a unique Scarf with a pocket.  Check them all out!

Congratulations to all our winners on a job well done!!!

Hi to all loom knitters,  

The new year has begun and  you are probably all  eager to  discover some new patterns and learn some new techniques.   We are also  eager for a fun new year and are making  plans for a big year with lots of fun projects.   To do this, we will be attending the 2009 CHA trade show in Anaheim, CA.   We will be at booth #2025.   The show starts on January 25 and runs thru January 28.  

We will be out of the offices January  22 through February 2 to attend show.   We will be shipping your knitting  boards on February 3 for any orders placed after this Thursday, Jan 22.   We really appreciate your patience on this.

We have a new exciting product to introduce soon.  

Kim and Pat  

We would like to say “Hi” and Happy Holidays to everyone from all of us  at the Virginia warehouse.   Today we were wrapping some knitted hats, scarves, and afghans to send to one of our favorite children’s homes in North Dakota.   We love preparing all  of your  packages, and we sincerely hope you all have a great Holiday Season.

We will be closing at 3:00, Friday, Dec 19 and will be closed until Monday, December 29.   We will, however,  mail  all pending orders on Tuesday, Dec 23.  

Pat(not in Pic), Michele, Sallie, Sue (not in pic), Shirley, and Regina.