baa ram ewe Blog

Why we love Knoll Coast DK

Written by Verity | 25-May-2017 06:01:00

If you're looking for the perfect yarn to take you through spring and into summer, we've found a great solution: Knoll Coast DK. It's a cotton and lambswool blend, so it's lightweight enough to wear on a warm spring day, but equally will keep you warm on a chillier summer evening when you just can't bring yourself to go inside yet.

We have nine shades available, ranging from the subtle creamy-grey blend of Marlin to the stunning turquoise of Robin's Egg and the striking pink of Rosehip. Because the shades are all heathered, they give beautiful results with a soft sheen, and they work for all sorts of projects. Here are just a few suggestions to get you started:

Tin Can Knits' Lush cardigan is a great option, with a delicate lace yoke and a simple stockinette body that could be brought to life by one of the Coast shades. Try it in Lead for a go-with-anything option, or pick Tweed or Passion Flower if you want to stand out from the crowd.
Coast would also work well with the Ribblehead cardigan from the Landmark Collection. Use Coal again for the body then try Rosehip, Robin's Egg and Crab Apple for the contrast colours - or create your own colourway with another combination. You'll need between 12 and 21 balls of Coast, depending on the size you choose - and at just £3.50 each, it's great value.

Finally, we had to mention the Goldfish cardigan, also by Tin Can Knits. It's a perfect match for Coast, calling for bright colours and a sharp design, and it creates a gorgeous, eye-catching children's cardie that will be the envy of all a youngster's friends. Try Tweed for the main colour, and use Amber Tweed for the contrast colour. You'll need between three and six balls of Coast depending on size (options for 0 months to 10 years available), plus one ball for the contrast colour in any size.

Click here to browse the Knoll Coast DK shades. Alternatively, click here for Dovestone DK, which would also be a great match for any of the above patterns.

 

One of our favourite annual events is fast approaching. Worldwide Knit In Public Day is on Saturday 10th June, and encourages all knitters to get their needles out and share the love.
To mark the event, this year we're planning to make a blanket from knitted squares and pop it on a bench outside our Leeds shop, giving everyone a place to knit in public all day. Afterwards, the blanket will be donated to Knit for Peace, which distributes donated items to more than 200 places including women's refuges and hospitals.

We'd love it if you could help us by knitting or crocheting a square of around 4x4 inches in garter stitch (we will take larger squares, but preferably no smaller). You can use the ball band for tension guidance for your chosen yarn.

Bring your squares to Jane in our Leeds shop (click here for the address if you want to post them) before 10th June so she can put the blanket together.

Then it's time to Knit In Public! You're very welcome to come and knit your squares with us on the day - and on the bench! We'll have needles and yarn scraps available for everyone to use. We'll also be on hand to help you pick out a new project if you want, or bring your own to work on with us.

 

Workshops have always been an important part of what we do at baa ram ewe. From teaching hundreds of people how to knit or crochet, to inviting in guest tutors for special events, we have loved sharing skills with as many people as possible over the years.

We want to make sure we keep offering the kinds of workshops that you find useful, so we're looking for your input. If there's something you've always wanted to learn, or a skill that would help you take your knitting to the next level, we'd love to hear about it! Just email us with the details and we'll do all we can to include your suggestions in our upcoming workshop schedule.

Meanwhile, click here to see the next workshops taking place at our Leeds shop, including Knitting With Colour and Beyond the Basics.

We hold regular How to Knit and How to Crochet workshops, so if you have a friend who has always been jealous of your brilliant skills with hook or needles, and wants to make their own woolly goodies, they can learn how with us.

Our workshops are friendly and welcoming, and each has a full description so you can see whether it's suitable for your current skill level. Click here for the full programme and to book a place on an upcoming workshop.