So Much Good Stuff!

Sarah

We've got so much good stuff to share, I don't know where to begin! For one, we're sending out the first Bella email newsletter -- if you haven't signed up already, send us an email and we'll sign you up. If you're visiting the blog for the first time because you received the newsletter -- hi! OK, here's the goods:

Non-Garter Log Cabin Blankets

You've seen and heard these mentioned on the blog in a previous post and on Stash and Burn podcast episode 6: genius Laura developed some gorgeous stitch patterns which make Log-Cabin-ing as easy as it is with garter stitch, but don't require you to repeat the knit stitch until your arms fall off!

We've had lots of inquiries about this project (which was pretty darn popular at Stitches) and so we are stoked to announce that the blankets are now here in the Bella store. You can build your own by choosing a stitch pattern, a three- or four-color scheme, and, of course, what colors you'd like to work in. The yarn, Karabella Aurora 8, is incredibly soft and easy to care for -- precisely the qualities you want in a baby item!

Knitting Tip: The Lifeline
If you've ever tried to rip back in a stitch pattern with yarn overs, you know what a pain in the derriere it can be to pick a row back up again -- or worse, to rip all the way back to the beginning. It hurts! Save yourself some pain, and use a lifeline. Your lifeline can be any smooth yarn -- even dental floss, if you're knitting at a fine gauge. You'll only need a piece a couple of feet longer than your work. When you've worked a few inches or a few repeats in your pattern and are confident that everything has gone ok so far, make a note of what row you're on, thread your lifeline onto a tapestry needle and then thread it through every single stitch on the needle. It's pretty easy to do -- just follow your needle from one end to the other. Leave the ends hanging off the sides, and continue knitting. If you make a mistake, you can frog mercilessly right back to the lifeline, and (because you are a smart cookie and noted what row you were on) you can just pick up and restart from there. Insert a lifeline every few inches, every few pattern repeats -- however often you feel you need to. If you know that everything is going swimmingly, you can even pull out and reuse the same lifeline over and over again -- and congratulate yourself for telling those yarn overs who's boss.

Read Your Stash
If you've been reading the blog for a while, you probably know about the Read Your Stash project, which began when I started thinking about the possible connections between the contents of my (overstuffed) bookshelves and the contents of my (overstuffed) yarn and project stash. I lured others into joining me with the temptation of prizes. If you've emailed me to join and want to be eligible for the drawing, be sure to do a Read Your Stash post on your blog before Monday, April 9 if you haven't already. That Monday, I'll be putting all the participant's names in a hat, and I'll pull two. The person whose name I pull first will get first pick of the two prizes: 100 grams of handspun (pictured here), or a $25 Amazon gift certificate. Good luck!

Comments

[Felicia]

Wow truly so much good stuff. I love that lifeline tip!

[Adrienne]

Good stuff! Love that blanket!