Skacel's Blog

Step into the Studio…

skacelknitting — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:59:13 +0000

We’ve moved! Please visit our new site, Skacel Fiber Studio.

Thanks!

January Recollections

skacelknitting — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 21:46:39 +0000

Hello! It’s been about a month since our trade show filled January and while I already posted a wrap-up of the first half here, I have yet to fill you in on the second leg of the fiber filled journey. Yarn shops everywhere flock to The National NeedleArts Association winter trade show (known simply as TNNA) to get a glimpse of what’s new in the world of yarn (we introduced our spring yarns and the Building Blocks pattern book by Michelle Hunter). But I’m getting ahead of myself…

Karin and I flew back from NYC exhausted and inspired. It was an incredible busy show for us, introducing the new addi Click Lace Long Tip set and putting on two fashion shows. We formed the smallest knitting group known to man and kept an eye on the unusual Seattle forecast…

To distract myself from weather related turbulence, I dove headlong into a graphic novel series called Y: The Last Man. I squealed with delight when I saw one of the toughest characters knitting!

When Y (the last man) gave her grief about her feminine hobby she replied that knitting needles, as we all know, are plenty dangerous…

Upon landing, we were hit with a surreal scene. Oppressive Pacific NW gray had given way to cold white, and for the next 24 hours even simple errands became monumental events. Seattle isn’t quite equipped to handle snowfall, as I would learn the next day…

This is me at the start of my trek to Phoenix, a bit underdressed, but well-layered and excited to head to a state I’d never visited before.

And this is my coworkers and me, coming to terms with multiple cancelled flights…

When I learned that we were stuck for at least 6 hours, I did what any self-respecting polish addict would do. I headed straight for the Butter London salon in Concourse C! I’m normally a DIY kinda girl, so it was a treat to have someone else do my nails. This is olive green Wallis with a topcoat of West End Wonderland. I called this my Money Mani, since it had all the colors of American money: green cash and silvery, coppery coins. Knitting in public all day is so much more fun when you have blingtastic nails like these.

When we finally got a flight out, it was headed for Long Beach, California. Which would have been great last year (TNNA used to be held in Long Beach), but this year it meant that we had to rent a car near midnight and drive through the night to get to Phoenix on time to set up our booth. GOOD TIMES!

We had burgers and french fries at an unseemly hour and brainstormed names for a new product. The dark desert landscapes were totally lost on our delirious group and around 6 a.m., we rolled into Phoenix.

We set up the booth in a bit of a fog, but when we came back the next day were were all really pleased with our Seattle inspired Skacel Fiber Market (which came complete with produce, crabs and Artfelt flying fish).

The rest of TNNA was kind of a blur! A very fun, friend-filled blur, with plenty of breaks for wonderful and odd meals like this one, an upscale TV dinner:

There were new friends (the adorable Ravelry babies):

Amazing knits (Michelle Hunter’s spectacular tights):

And before I knew it, it was over. I have a time tested way of staving off the post-show blues, and it involves a decadent pre-flight beverage and a stack of magazines, some silly and some skill-building.

As you can see, it’s quite the whirlwind. We returned revived from seeing old friends and getting a dose of sun, minds full of ideas for JUNE…

Year of the Dragon

skacelknitting — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 00:52:41 +0000

According to the Chinese zodiac, this is the Year of the DRAGON. According to Pantone, this is also the year of Tangerine Tango, a vibrant shade that blends the most energetic qualities of pink, red and orange. The pairing somehow seems fortuitous…

The year is supposed to be one full of powerful energy and productivity. What an inspiring forecast! I’m helping the mystical Dragon along by attacking my personal resolutions with vigor. Yarn is my life, and here at Skacel, we ADORE a strong red. I didn’t have to search very hard to find a gorgeous selection of this elusive but incredibly dynamic shade. Pictured above, clockwise from left: HiKoo Simpliworsted in #16 Gypsy Red, Zitron Filisilk in #3004 Red, Schulana Cashmere Moda in #5, Schulana Kid Seta #7 Burnt Orange, HiKoo Timidity in Gypsy Red/Milk Chocolate, Zitron Nimbus in Tomato, Zitron Unisono Solid in #1159, HiKoo Simplicity in Ghost Chili, Schoppel-Wolle Zauberwolle in #1701 Ombre.

I hope this pile of glowy goodness is inspiring. I think I have just enough time to whip up a Twin Cities Headband before VK Live in NYC. It’s sure to be cold, and I’d love to broadcast my color obsession and keep warm at the same time. If you spot me wearing it, come and say hello and I might have a surprise for you…

In Lieu of Snow

skacelknitting — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 18:31:29 +0000

I am heading into my first winter here in Seattle, and I must say, I miss snow! It could be the visual thrill of a sparkling expanse of clean white, or the noise dampening effects of a fresh blanket of cold powder. It could be the fun of trudging through suddenly silent woods, or the cozy feeling of being trapped indoors while a storm rages outside.

I recently designed a simple cowl that could be knit in one snowbound evening. It calls for 4 balls of Schulana Cortina Nuvole, a yarn that reminds me of freshly fallen snow–soft, fluffy and light. Download the free Columbia Cowl pattern here.

I’ll be heading back East to celebrate the holidays with family, and I’m crossing my fingers for some snowfall. Until then I’ll content myself with holiday nail varnishes and my Yuletide board on Pinterest…

Hope your winter is looking magical wherever you are…

Cirilia

The Winners’ Circle

skacelknitting — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 23:38:28 +0000

The first Progressive Needles Knit-Along project is done! The Triplicity Shawl is an adorable skill-building shawlette knit with HiKoo Simplicity, a soft, washable DK-weight yarn that comes in a wide range of over 50 solid shades and nearly a dozen multicolor options.

Playing along with the KAL means that you get a free pattern with lots of in-depth tutorials by Michelle Hunter, but it also means PRIZES! We offer weekly prizes by hiding clues on our websites. Anyone can play, but to qualify for the monthly prizes, you have to knit-along and send us pictures of your finished projects. Learn more here, and check out our October winners:

1st Place goes to Rose Weckesser of Columbus, OH (upper left). She wins a set of Turbo Clicks and she purchased her KAL yarn from Knitting Temptations in Dublin, OH.

2nd Place goes to Loretta Magers of Prospect, OH (upper right). She wins a Skacel Goody Bag and she purchased her KAL yarn from Spin a Yarn Fiber Garden in Marion, OH.

3rd Place goes to Miriam Yarnall of Dayton, OH (middle left). She wins a Skacel Goody Bag and she purchased her KAL yarn from Fiberwild in Galena, IL.

4th Place goes to Dagmar Eriksson of Ortonville, MI (middle right). She wins a Skacel Goody Bag and she purchased her KAL from Beyond the Rainforest in Grand Blanc, MI.

5th Place goes to Abby Mroczenski of Des Plaines, IL (lower left). She wins a Skacel Goody Bag and she purchased her KAL yarn from Mosaic Yarn Studio in Des Plaines, IL.

I know that the second project is already underway. To catch up with the KAL, visit Michelle’s blog.

Bookworm

skacelknitting — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 17:36:21 +0000

I recently moved into a new house. Moving twice in one year, not very fun. Getting my very first dedicated crafting space? Extremely fun! The very first thing I did was unpack my most used, most loved craft books. I usually arrange by height, but this time I tried something new, something borrowed from one of my favorite yarn shops, Purl Soho. Even though I’m 3000 miles away, I consider it an LYS. They arrange their yarn chromatically and I really love the effect that sorting method has on my books:

I always love getting a peek at other people’s bookshelves, so I thought you might like to take a peek at mine. Some of my current and/or enduring favorites:

Built by Wendy Coats and Jackets by Wendy Mullins
Knitter’s Almanac by Elizabeth Zimmerman
The Knitted Odd-Bod Bunch by Donna Wilson
The Fashion File by Janie Bryant
Second-Time Cool by Anna-Stina Linden Ivarsson et al.
Anything by Kim Hargreaves
The Knitter’s Handbook by Monste Stanely
The Gentle Art of Domesticity by Jane Brocket
Fashion Forecasting by Evelyn L. Brannon
I Love Your Style by Amanda Brooks
Aran Knitting by Alice Starmore

What are some of your favorites?

Cold Weather Knits

skacelknitting — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 19:32:29 +0000

From autumnal sweaters to wintery woolens, take a closer look at recently published patterns that call for yarns distributed by Skacel. Click on each photo to get more details.

Autobahn by Kate Gilbert, knit in Zitron Nimbus. Pattern available in Twist Collective, Fall 2011

Ramona Cowl by Melissa Lemmons, knit in Austermann Step Classic & Schoppel Wolle Zauberball. Pattern available in Knitscene Winter 2011.

Kent by Katya Wilsher, knit in Zitron Gobi. Pattern available in Twist Collective Fall 2011.

Ribbon Cable Cardi by Helen Sharp, knit in Schulana Kid-Seta and Zitron Ecco. Pattern available in Vogue Knitting Fall 2011.

Brier Toque by Cecily Glowick MacDonald, knit in Schoppel Wolle Zauberball Crazy. Pattern available in Weekend Hats.

Gathered Collar Pullover by Katya Frankel, knit in Schulana Sumerino and Schulana Kid-Seta. Pattern available in knit.wear 2011.

Watercolor Beret by Carol J. Sulcowski, knit in Schoppel Wolle Zauberball. Pattern available in Interweave Knits Holiday Gifts 2011.

Friendly Grey by Jutta Buecker, knit in Zitron Mistral & Zitron Nimbus. Pattern available in Knitty #37 Deep Fall 2011.

Snowfall Sweater by Jill Draper, knit in Schulana Cortina Nuvole. Pattern available in Interweave Knits Fall 2011.

Nordic Mittens by Lone Smevik Soleng, knit in Schulana Cashmere Fino. Pattern available in Vogue Knitting Fall 2011.

What will be first on your needles?…

The New Girl

ciriliarose — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 16:47:55 +0000

Hi everyone! I’m Cirilia Rose, the newest member of the Skacel family. I am so excited to be starting as Jr. Creative Director. So much has happened since I started here, I am just now getting a moment to bring you up to speed.

Soon after I arrived, I was joined by a couple of very lucky fellow New Englanders. Having recently moved to Seattle from Providence, I was tickled to meet Vermonters and Progressive Needles KAL Grand Prize Winners Kitty and Linda. They were able to spend some time with the staff here and hand-select their very own prizes, $1000 worth of yarn! We were all very curious to see what they would select, and they stayed true to their sock knitting hearts, selecting a healthy sampling from the gargantuan Skacel sock yarn family. After their yarn spree was complete, they hit the town with Karin and Marcy. See more pictures from their Seattle adventures here.

A few weeks later, Skacel headed south to make an appearance at Vogue Knitting Live in Los Angeles. Rob and Chuck ran several fashion shows and I taught lots of classes, (in between yoga sessions and celebrity sightings). It was a highly glamorous way to kick off the prime knitting season.

Last but not least, I figure the best way to introduce myself would be to flash my stash! My very first Skacel stash, to be more specific. As you might imagine, working at a yarn company has its perks. One of the very best is plentiful yarn, and birthdays at Skacel are celebrated with sweet treats and free yarn. I was lucky enough to be on the receiving end of this perk in my very first month on the job. Here are my picks:

An Addi Lace Clicks set. I love my Turbo Clicks, but the Lace clicks are AMAZING. I have all the speed of the Turbo finish with shorter but more pointed tips (and a chic cocoa brown case). I’m zooming through my deadline knits and loving every minute of it.

3 skeins of Simplicity in #050 Forestry. I saw several co-workers working on a cute little project and I was hooked! I’ll be knitting along with the Progressive Needles KAL.

2 skeins of Zauberball Crazy, one in #2092 and one in #1660. I have big plans for this one! After getting all wrapped up (and subsequently disappointed) by the Missoni for Target collection, I found myself craving hectic, prismatic stripes, the more colors the better!

PHEW. So much excitement, and I’m just getting started. Keep an eye out for a lot more excitement to come.

Cirilia

Knitting in Haiti

skacelknitting — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 20:35:50 +0000

skacel is always happy to help out those in need, especially knitters in need. So when Denise Gideon informed us of the philanthropic knitting adventure she was to about to embark on, skacel was eager to help out.

Denise Gideon went down to Haiti in February to teach a small group of women how to knit. She taught them to knit a shopping bag with circular needles. It is her hopes that the women hold on to this skill in order to knit projects they can sell in the near future.

skacel was happy to donate circular needles so that the women would have a quality needle to learn with and keep for future projects. We would also like to thank Denise for making the world a better place one stitch at a time.

Way to go Denise!

The New Guy Goes to TNNA

skacelknitting — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 01:06:32 +0000

Hello everyone! My name is Chuck, and I am the new Skacel employee. For those of you who are wondering – no, I am not Karin’s husband – that position was already taken! I am, however, the Director of New Product Research and Development. It is my job to help Skacel determine what yarns and products fiber enthusiasts want to buy and which will sell best for local yarn shops. This new position combines my two passions – knitting and research. I have been an avid knitter for almost four years, and I have been working in the research industry for over twelve. I am very fortunate to be able to say this truly is my dream job!

To make a great first week on the job even better, at the end of last week I got to attend TNNA in Long Beach, California. TNNA is The National NeedleArts Association, and one of the many things this organization does is put on trade shows for yarn shop owners to see what’s new in the needlearts world. Everyone in the industry attends – so it was amazing to see and meet so many famous knitters!

I got to meet celebrated designers like Cat Bordhi, Lily Chin, Nicky Epstein, Sandi Prosser and Mary Beth Temple. I met editors of magazines I love to read – Kara Gott Warner (Creative Knitting), Eunny Jang (Interweave Knits), Renee Lorion (Vogue Knitting), Rick Mondragon (Knitter’s), Carla Scott (Vogue Knitting), Erin Slonaker (YMN) and Penelope Taylor (Knit ‘n Style). And what an honor to meet the Ravelry folks – thank you Jessica, Casey, Mary-Heather and Sarah for creating and running such an amazing knitting resource and source of inspiration!

Me (in the tan shirt) and some great knitting ladies – L to R: Lorajean (aka KnittedWit), Deb (aka Stitchy McYarnpants), Mary-Heather (aka RainyDayGoods), Anna, Erin (aka MintyFreshFlavor), Caro (aka SplitYarn), Laura, Kristi, Ysolda, Jessica (aka Frecklegirl), Amanda, me and Deb.

Cliff Haack (aka Vogue), a Skacel sales rep, models a HiKoo Simplicity sweater in the TNNA fashion show.

Ingrid and Hans Skacel ride the carousel with Rob.

I also loved seeing yarn shop owners that I had met previously when shopping in their stores. I can’t travel anywhere without checking out a LYS or two! I also had the pleasure of meeting many of the yarn shop owners from all over the country that supply knitters with great Skacel products.

It’s been a great first few days on the job, and I am really looking forward to shaping the yarns and products that come out in the near future!

The first person to read this and email me will get their choice of a free addi circular needle! Just email me at chuck@skacelknitting.com and put welcome in the subject line.

Knit on!

Chuck