South West Trading Company Trunk Show

SWTC Trunk Show Event

I love a fashion show! Tonight I went to my local yarn shop Babetta's Yarn Cafe for a South West Trading Company trunk and fashion show.

SWTC (South West Trading Company) is a family run American yarn company run by the mother/daughter duo of Jonette Beck and Jonelle Raffino. Both are lifetime knitters whom were taught by their Nona's (Grandmother's) to knit.

SWTC is known for their high quality and renewable resource fibers. I was familiar with the name SWTC and I seen their ads but I had never looked at their yarns until tonight. I am so glad I went to their trunk show to discover their yarns!

Mariposa Shawl

My favorite design at the trunk show was the Mariposa Shawl. One of the best parts of a trunk show is that you actually get to try the garments on! I was naturally drawn to the pretty and lacey Mariposa Shawl. The moment I tried it on...I knew I had to knit one!

The Mariposa shawl was designed by Merrily Parker for SWTC. It is knit in four skeins of their Bamboo yarn. The Bamboo yarn felt lovely and light. It had a beautiful drape and will be perfect for the California climate. I really like it's unique tie front which is more like a bolero wrap. I can't wait to knit it. You know me though...the flitter knitter, a project like this will take me awhile.

Jonette Beck & Lorna Misner

Another fun part about visiting yarn shop events is that you never know who you'll run into. I just so happened to run into my friend and local celebrity Lorna Miser at the trunk show. Turns out that she and Jonette are yarn industry friends and go way back. Lorna has even designed some fabulous patterns with SWTC yarns.

Thank you to Jonette of SWTC and Babetta of Babetta's Yarn Cafe for this fun event. You turned me into a SWTC customer tonight!

I met Stephanie Pearl-McPhee!

Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

Pinch me, pinch me. I met another knitting celebrity. Can you believe I met Stephanie Pearl-McPhee tonight!

I feel a bit of pressure blogging and writing about knitting's best loved blogger the Yarn Harlot. Well, here goes...

Wine & Cheese Party

Stephanie is in Sacramento thanks to my knitting guild The Camellia City Stockinettes. The Stockinettes flew Stephanie in from Toronto, Canada to teach two workshops this weekend, Grok the Sock and Knitting for Speed and Efficiency. The classes are naturally a sell-out!

Tonight there was a small wine and cheese party at Lizette Hopkin's lovely home to welcome Stephanie to Sacramento. This is Stephanie's first visit to Sacramento and we certainly hope not her last.

Stephanie with the Stockinettes

Stephanie was a delight to meet. She is just like the girl next door. Very easy to talk to and very down to earth. She is naturally charming and witty. She speaks candidly and from the heart. I liked her Canadian accent, too.

As for knitting, I can report that she can knit really fast. While talking with her I noticed how fast she was knitting and not even looking at her work. I am in awe of that!

If you want to know just how fast she can knit... check out her Irish Cottage Knitting technique on YouTube. It will knock your socks off!

Stephanie & Beth

So Stephanie if you read this...it was a thrill to meet you. To my knitting friend Beth (whom I know will read this) thank you for bringing Stephanie to Sacramento for us! What a weekend!

The Knitter Magazine Issue 8

The Knitter Magazine Issue 8

I snagged Issue 8 of The Knitter a few weeks ago. 

I must say that Issue 8 is just my cup of tea! 

It is filled with classic and romantic knits from some of my favorite British designers. 

Flipping through it's pages is like going to an English garden party!

So have a seat with your favorite "cuppa" and let me give you a look inside.

Sirdar Lacey Blouse

I adore this English garden tea party photo complete with it's Wedgwood Hathaway Rose china! (If you came to my house for tea...we would certainly have tea on pretty Wedgwood china!)

The pretty lacey blouse is a vintage Sirdar 1960's pattern which can be knit today in Sublime's new Extra Fine Merino Wool. It's perfect for any garden tea party!

Gertie

by Louisa Harding

Leave it to Louisa to give The Knitter another exclusive pattern! 

As most of you know, Louisa Harding is my favorite designer 

and a regular contributor to The Knitter magazine.

Her adorable Gertie pattern is adapted from her 1920's inspired Dorthea pattern in her Nouveau book. Gertie is done in an exclusive colorway for The Knitter. It is a lacey knit done in Louisa's Merletto yarn in Aqua #5 and Grey # 11.

I really love that Louisa also specifies two other Merletto color ways for knitters who would like to knit Gertie up either in rose or plum.

Strawberries & Creme

Jennie Atkinson gives us another garden party knit with her Strawberries and Creme top. According to Jennie her 1950's vintage inspired knit would look great worn with jeans, summer trousers or a pretty floral skirt. I agree!

Strawberries and Creme is knit in Rowan's Fine Milk Cotton color Tutti Frutti #487.

Garden Party Sweater by

Kim Hargreaves

Next we have another garden party or picnic knit with this chevron lace top by Kim Hargreaves. This 1930's era inspired sweater is an excerpt from Jennie Atkinson's book Beads, Buttons and Lace.

Originally knit in Rowan's 4-ply cotton which is now discontinued, The Knitter's version recommends knitting it in Rowan's Siena cotton yarn. Wouldn't it be lovely worn to a picnic with a fully stocked British hamper?!

Margeaux Shawl

Jeanette Sloan's Margeaux Shawl is a clever combination of bold intarsia flowers and airy lace for this summer shawl.

It is knit in Knitting Goddess 4ply Silk and Fyberspates Scrumptious DK yarns. 

I love it's pretty edging motif. 

Wouldn't this be wonderful to wear to a garden party?

As always...

I can't wait for the next issue of The Knitter!