Knitting « Blonde Chicken Boutique

Handspun Organic Cotton Yarn – Free Patterns & Tips

By Tara, on August 25th, 2009%

Not sure what to do with that delicious handspun Organic Cotton? Here are some ideas! . . . → Read More: Handspun Organic Cotton Yarn – Free Patterns & Tips

Path to Yarn – Learning to Knit

By Tara, on July 21st, 2009%

Learning to knit . . . → Read More: Path to Yarn – Learning to Knit

Awesomesauce Club

By Tara, on June 18th, 2009%

Ready for awesomely helpful emails about knitting or spinning? Then sign up for the Awesomesauce Club! . . . → Read More: Awesomesauce Club

Quick Free Patterns, just in time for Mother’s Day!

By Tara, on April 30th, 2009%

Quick, free patterns! . . . → Read More: Quick Free Patterns, just in time for Mother’s Day!

Why organic cotton?

By Tara, on April 8th, 2009%

A bit about why organic cotton is so great! . . . → Read More: Why organic cotton?

Ask Tara – Are bamboo and soy eco-friendly fibers?

By Tara, on February 19th, 2009%

Today, I was going to write about my new line of Vegan yarn and roving. But I started Twittering with fellow yarnies about vegan fiber and why I don’t love bamboo and soy. The conversation turned to why I don’t stock those two fibers and I wanted to share my musings about it with you.

As I explored and researched bamboo and soy, I realized something deeper about my business ethics. The Boutique and my own personal life is fuled by two concurrent passions:

Support the community (both local and far-flung community of independent yarnies) Do my best to choose the most eco-friendly option

Those two passions converge nicely in nearly everything I dye and spin – local fleeces, mill-end fiber, recycled banana yarn (handspun by a fair-trade women’s co-op) but sometimes they get a bit tricky, like bamboo and soy.

Why not Bamboo and Soy?

Both are touted . . . → Read More: Ask Tara – Are bamboo and soy eco-friendly fibers?

Winter Manifesto #2

By Tara, on February 13th, 2009%

This winter, I promise to snuggle in with fiber.

Through knitting: Leyburn socks (am now about to turn the heel in the first)

Twist & Shout (nearly done – working on 1st sleeve)

spinning:

And admiring fleeces: (Jacob fleece – dyed)

(see the first part of my Winter Manifesto here)

Woolen inspiration

By Tara, on October 23rd, 2007%

Fall must surely be here, because I’m aching to knit some warm woolens. When I first flipped through the Fall 2007 IK, I was immediately smitten with yoke on Eunny’s Tangled Yoke Cardigan. I love this so thoroughly. I am just smitten. It seems so different from everything else I’ve ever seen. I planned to knit it (when I can afford to buy the yarn) and have something so unique and original. And then I went in Old Navy: Certainly not the same (I like Eunny’s better), but the same idea: a cable wrapped around the yoke. Seeing it in person actually gave me a clearer idea of how I could execute this myself. And of course now I’m seeing it everywhere:

Emily unkowingly pointed me to Tulle and this fantastic number. And that cable pattern keeps popping up everywhere too. I loved it when Alicia attempted it and . . . → Read More: Woolen inspiration

2006 Recap

By Tara, on December 31st, 2006%

I like to have all my FOs in one place, so here it is, most recent first:

Mom’s Slippers Mom’s Christmas gift socks Toe-up Socks in MDSW Koigu Backyard Leaves from Scarf Style Leafy Lacey Cables Fingerless gloves (original) Malabrigo diamond sweater (my own design) Funky Scarf Pinky Sweater Sock Wars Socks Comfort Shawl Bathmat Wendy’sKitty Pi EZ Pi Shawl Log Cabin Pillow (free pattern!) Silk Sari Bag Jaywalkers Entrelac Wrap AssymetricalMalabrigoCardigan of my own design Winter Gray Noro Cardigan Jamie’s Armwarmers

Fuzzy Feetfor Mom Armwarmers for Mom

And of course, the Norwegian Monstrosity, which I only the sleeves and collar for, but which caused great panic and pain throught the year.