Tag Archives: Rowan Yarns

Celebrating with Rowan

Crochet, Knitting, Rowan Yarns, Wool, Yarns, , ,

This year sees Rowan Yarns celebrate their 40th birthday and Knit one… is joining in.

There’s a mini exhibition all week, starting on Saturday 3rd, featuring previous Rowan magazines and garments knitted from them:

And on Monday, 5 November –  the shop is normally closed on Mondays – Knit one… is open, with a taster session (plus tea and cake) taking place between 1 – 3pm.

There will be some lovely, lovely yarns to try out and, in addition, there are some great Rowan patterns free with yarn purchases, like the one for this hat in Valley Tweed:

Plus, there are some of Rowan’s discontinued yarns available throughout the week at a discount. Just saying.

On Tuesday, there’s a free talk on the textile history of Dolgellau (if you’re visiting, just look up – there are signs of the towns wool heritage everywhere, from hoists for bags of wool to long upper windows, which gave better light for looms).

It should be fascinating…

Wednesday sees another drop in and have a go session in the afternoon, with a chance to chat to our rep, Katie:

which may (or may not, because cat) also be graced with the presence of Bramble, here supervising the display of previous Rowan magazines. Don’t worry, she’s sitting on the shop copies. Of course.

Did you know Kate Moss started as a knitwear model? She’s in Issue 10.

Oh, and needless to say, the shop is open as usual between 10am and 5pm each day.

On Thursday evening, there’s a special Rowan fashion show. This doesn’t only feature the gorgeous knits which have been lent by Rowan, but also many which have been made by some of our very talented local knitters. It should be a great evening, but you do need to book, and it’s £5 (which includes a glass of wine; the show is in the brilliant Dolgellau wine bar, Dylanwad Da):

There are some special things to purchase as well, quite apart from yarn. Project bags, a mug (handy for all that tea), the special book which Rowan have created to mark their birthday – it’s pictured on each of the information sheets above, and contains 40 of their most popular and interesting patterns  – and some notebooks which contain knitters’ graph paper as well as lined pages for notes:

We look forward to seeing you all (oh yes… nearly forgot: during this week, until and including Friday, 9 November, Rowan’s shade cards are available for consultation and inspiration. We can order whatever yarns you want – and you’ll get 10% discount on any orders placed…

Here’s a quick summary:

There’ll be lots of posting on our Facebook page, no doubt!

On the needles…

Knitting, Rowan Yarns, Yarns, , , ,

It’s been so long, and for ages Angharad has been unable to knit, but she’s back on the needles now, so let’s have a look at the WiPs (works in progress).

Here’s a child’s sweater from Rowan in Softyak double knitting (the pattern is called ‘mussell’ and is from Rowan Magazine 61),

Once this is blocked it will look even better, and the yarn is lovely to knit with. Oh yes, and there are some socks. Always socks!

Here’s another children’s garment, but for younger ones this time. It’s a pattern from the First Sublime Evie baby hand knit book, design 18. It only takes two to three balls,

and look at the cute button…

In the window at the moment is another Rowan knit, from the book ‘Rowan Loves Softknit and Handknit Cotton’. The pattern is called Victoria, and this is the long-sleeved version; there is a shorter one.

And, just to complete a trio of Rowan projects, Kate is knitting Rover from the old (and fabulous) Magazine 48:

It’s the man’s pattern on the right, designed by Erica Knight (we love Erica Knight’s patterns), and is in Cocoon, a chunky yarn, so it’s knitting up quickly. Like the pattern book, the yarn is also from Kate’s stash: this colour has been discontinued. But there are some lovely replacements!

What’s on the needles now?

Knitting, Our patterns, Rowan Yarns, Wool, , ,

Sometimes it’s difficult to decide what to knit – so much choice, so much choice!

Here’s the first of an occasional series, showing what we – Angharad and Kate, Bramble doesn’t really care for knitting – are actually working on at the moment. Perhaps that should be which of our many WiPs (works in progress) is getting attention, cough, cough.

It’s often good practice to have at least two things in progress, preferably on differently sized needles as the variation is better for your hands. Angharad’s current big-needle (10mm) project is going to be a giant cowl:

cowl

It’s being knitted in Rowan’s Drift, a super-chunky, 100% merino yarn which is delicious (and discontinued – though there’s still some available):

Drift detail

This pattern – a staggered rib – would also look fabulous in Rowan’s Big Wool. It’s one of Angharad’s own patterns, so do come in and ask. It will soon be finished, hopefully just in time for the cold snap they keep saying is just round the corner.

Kate is working at the other extreme, knitting a top in Rowan Felted Tweed on 3.5mm needles. Rowan generally recommend 3.75mm for this yarn, but Kate knits fairly loosely so she’s gone down a size to get the right gauge.

Salina

The pattern, a classic by Kim Hargreaves called ‘Salina’, is now available through Rowan’s Ravelry Store – and if you don’t know about Ravelry, there’ll soon be some information on here which will tell you more and convince you that it’s worth signing up (it’s an amazing website/pattern and yarn database for anyone who knits, crochets, spins, or who just loves all things woolly – and it’s got nearly 6 million members worldwide). The colour, by the way, is called Ruby. For once, a yarn name that makes sense!

Rowan linen yarns

Linen and cotton and silk

Crochet, Rowan Yarns, Summer Yarns, Yarns, , ,

Rowan 57 is at last in the shop. I have been tempted by one of the designs and seduced into learning how to crochet properly. There, you now know my secret. I cannot follow a grown-up crochet pattern yet. But am I going to let this stop me? NO! And why is this? Because I have been taken over by the luscious colours of the Pure Linen range Rowan offers.

Rowan linen yarns

This is the pattern that has tempted me away from my usual knitting activity, as you see I am working on my crochet using scrap yarn ‘cos I don’t want to muck up the delicious linen while I learn.

rowan 57 crochet

Now, where is my friend Eileen – mistress of the hooked needle? I am hoping she will correct my tendency to misread instructions. Surely she will, she adores lovely yarn. I will keep you posted on my progress.