The Stitchery - Sherwood Park, Alberta
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Scheepjes presents its first Crimbo Limbo Kit, a mystery crochet project to fill the lee of the busy December days with creativity. Participants in the Mystery Shawl Project (as well as the selling retailers) have an important task: the contents of the Crimbo Limbo Kit must remain secret until Christmas Day! On this day, the seal may be broken and participants can immerse themselves in a new creative crochet adventure.

The Limited Edition kits contain the materials (excluding crochet hook) for the Evergreen Mystery Shawl project designed by Tatsiana Kupryianchyk of Lilla Björn Crochet and offer adventurous beginners to more experienced crocheters and crocheters an enjoyable crochet project.

A unique color Scheepjes Whirl and Scheepjes Whirlette has been produced especially for the Crimbo Limbo Kit. A unique YARN – The After Party pattern has also been printed especially for this kit. Important: Both the Special Christmas Edition yarns and the YARN – The After Party pattern are only available as part of the Scheepjes Crimbo Limbo Kit.

Kit content:

  • – Pattern: YARN – The After Party Special Christmas Edition in Dutch and English (UK terminology)
  • – 1 x Scheepjes Whirl Special Christmas Edition
  • – 1 x Scheepjes Whirlette Special Christmas Edition
  • – 1 x Scheepjes Whirlette
  • – A little surprise

Crochet hook not included. Recommended crochet hook size: 3.00mm and 4.00mm (or other hook size to get correct thread tension).

Order yours before they’re gone! Shop here ?

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Whirl lovers … this one’s for you! The Ever-Change Sweater!

We are pleased to announce that we will be collaborating with Susan Walsh of Peppergoose Design for her upcoming MAL. You may have seen some sneak peaks of the beautiful finished items made by her testers on social media and we are thrilled that we get to be a part of the excitement! Head on over to MAL announcement for all the details and some great photos of the testers’ finished sweaters. You will definitely be inspired.

So much good news is coming out of this announcement, I barely know where to start!

  • The pattern is already available on Ravelry so you can dive right in or join the MAL starting on December 10 (running through January 28, 2022).
  • The pattern is size-inclusive (woohoo!)
  • The pattern is designed so you can choose between Scheepjes Whirls, Whirlettes or Wooly Whirls
  • There is the Pepper-Gaggle Facebook group to support you during the process
  • There is even a Youtube video for help with colour options and and which outlines the method of construction

We hope some of you will join us on this journey and can’t wait to see the colours you choose. There are so many whirls available, you may event want to make a few sweaters!

We hope you will join us and can’t wait to see Ever-Change Sweaters all around us!

~ Monika ~

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October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month! There are so many ways to participate in fundraising and awareness and we don’t want to be left out!

Here are a few ideas of how you can use your craftiness for a good cause.

Knitted Knockers (or crocheted of course!)

We are pleased to provide free printed patterns from Knitted Knockers Canada in both knit and crochet versions. Knitted knockers are a wonderful alternative to traditional prosthetics. I knitted some “knockers” for a very dear friend after her mastectomy and she said they were very comfortable on her skin and were also very natural looking under her clothing. She was able to feel more like herself while making decisions on reconstructive surgery options and during the physical and emotional healing process. The great thing about Knitted Knockers Canada is that you can make any size or colour you want and donate them stuffed or unstuffed. They have a list of recipients to match with the knockers. One important note is that only certain yarns may be used (due to comfort) and we are pleased to stock Cascade Ultra Pima and Ultra Pima fine specifically for that purpose! We will always tuck the free patterns in with your Ultra Pima order but, anyone wanting the printed patterns with their order, can add a note for us to do so. The patterns are also free to download from the Knitted Knockers Canada website.

Urth Pink Sock Kit

We have been lucky to partner with Urth Yarns and are huge fans of this socially conscious yarn company. They plant a tree for every skein of yarn sold!

We are pleased to announce that we are stocking the special edition Pink Sock Kit to raise breast cancer awareness. Urth Yarns will donate 10% of the revenue from the pink sock kit sales directly to the National Breast Cancer Coalition! Thank you to Urth Yarns for being a great partner to us and for their dedication to the environment and to breast cancer awareness and research.

Thank you to our wonderful Stitchery community for your support of our small Canadian business and crafting pink, wearing pink, donating, running, learning about, etc.

We will join you by making a monetary donation to Knitted Knockers Canada, as they always require funds for postage to send the knockers to their recipients.

Happy crafting!

~ Monika ~

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June 8, 2019 is World Wide Knitting in Public Day! While many of us knit in public any old day, this is a great reason to grab your needles (or hook!) and show all those non-knitters what they’re missing.

If you go to https://www.wwkipday.com/ you will find out so much information about this wonderful event. There are also local events and meet-ups posted and as well as virtual meet-ups.

Since knitting in public is usually easiest if you’re working on a small project (so that you don’t need to bring your entire kit of supplies with you), some projects which are great are dishcloths, socks, chunky cowls, knitted knockers … but really, whatever your heart desires.

On June 8th, I will be watching my husband play in a slo pitch tournament so I will grab my lawn chair and some Cascade ultra pima fine cotton and work on some knitted knockers. I love working on these in public as it not only gets the knocker done to be sent to a breast cancer survivor but it also gives me the chance to promote this great organization! I find when I’m knitting or crocheting in public, people will stop and ask me what I’m working on. What a great chance to not only share your love of the craft but also create awareness for an organization. I know some of you knit preemie hats for NICUs and I’d love to hear about some of the other charitable organizations that you support with your talents!


http://knittedknockerscanada.com

If you are interested in creating a knitted (or crocheted knocker), all of the information (including free patterns and recommended yarn) can be found at Knitted Knockers of Canada. We stock the recommended
cascade ultra pima fine cotton and cascade ultra pima cotton as well as the appropriate needle and hook sizes if you’re looking to get started. We also have the printed patterns available so please just add a note on any order if you’d like the printed pattern sent along.

Because I would love for you to join in World Wide Knit in Public Day, here’s a coupon code for you to use on anything in stock – even sale items (not gift cards and shipping). The coupon code is WWKIPD2019 and will give you 15% off!

I hope some of you will share some of your World Wide Knitting in Public Day photos! I would love to see them. Feel free to share here in the comments or in the Facebook group.

Happy Making!

Monika

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We have made it to green grass and blooming flowers here in Alberta (finally!) and The Stitchery celebrated its first birthday! Since a year has gone by, I would like to say thank you to our customers, subscribers, social media “likers” and our suppliers! It’s been a year of learning for me – SEO, bounce rate, QST – so many things involved in having an online shop.

I’ve met so many new people either via email, social media or in person and absolutely love hearing from you. Please feel free to reach out at any time to share your thoughts. I have had some very helpful product suggestions and one rather unhelpful criticism that it was very complicated to find our shop’s physical address (just to clarify The Stitchery is 100% online!). Something I would love to hear from you is how you heard about us. If you are reading this and don’t mind, please drop a comment on this post and let me know. I will be adding this question for future subscribers but I would love to know how you all found us!

On to what’s coming to the shop! Many of you have seen the Scheepjes Skies advertised on social media. It is so lovely and 100% cotton (vegan!). Currently, you can pre-order as we are anxiously await the shipment to arrive from the Netherlands. There are two weights available (1) lights which is fingering and (2) heavy which is DK and two sizes (28 g and 100 g). If you can’t decide which of the 9 colours suit your fancy, there are assorted boxes of the complete colour line in either weight.

There are already some great patterns coming out for this new Scheepjes line. For example, Cloud Catcher is a free crochet pattern on Ravelry by Mark Roseboom but this lovely soft cotton can be used for garments, shawls, blankets – anything you want a lovely soft cotton for!

Cloud Catcher by Mark Roseboom

© Mark Roseboom

Speaking of Scheepjes, by popular demand, we are stocking more whirl colours! They are also en route from the Netherlands but should be posted in the shop very soon. I recently finished the Spotting Clouds Top by Christina Hadderingh and am now looking for another garment pattern for the Whirl and am thinking the Embrace of the Sun dress. If you look at Schweta’s project page on Ravelry, you can see she has used just one whirl in Blackcurrent Squeeze Me to knit up this lovely dress!

Spotting Cloud Top made with one Blueberry Bambam by me for me

I feel I can’t write a blog without mentioning knitting socks … I love knitting socks. I knit them anywhere and everywhere. There’s always a sock on the go in my bag in case I have to sit and wait with idle hands. We have some lovely new sock yarns in the shop and my current favourite is Opal Ice Cream. This lovely sock yarn is reasonably priced with the great quality that we know Opal provides.

If you feel like you just don’t get enough of me … you’re in luck! Did you know that The Stitchery has a YouTube channel? My disclaimer is – I am not a professional YouTuber and the videos are created to show products and kits (as I know it’s difficult to buy online) and to offer reviews and tips. The next video I will be publishing is how to do the kitchener stitch (very useful for seaming the toes on cuff down socks). I would love for you to check out the channel and would be even more pleased if you subscribe to the channel so that you will be alerted when new videos are published and also so that I can show my son that people do actually watch my super boring knitting and crochet videos (his words).

Thank you for all the love over the past year! It really is true that every time an order comes in, I smile and get excited to pack the order up for you with a little something extra tucked inside. I want you to know that you’re buying from a small, local business owned by a yarn-loving human where every sale is still as special as the first.

Happy yarning,

Monika

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Here in sunny Alberta, Canada, the polar vortex has brought what seems like a never-ending cold snap. So far, all of February has been very chilly and cabin fever is setting in!

It’s time to start thinking about spring knits and lacy crochet shawls to keep us motivated and inspired. Each of the projects below is made with just one Scheepjes Whirl. The Whirls are a huge love of mine. I get so excited for each gradual colour change.

Spring Cleaning

Spring also makes us think about spring cleaning and I’m doing some of that in the shop so you’ll see some great deals!

The Scheepjes Ubuntu kits are almost all gone and they’re all on sale. I just finished my medium Ubuntu and loved every stitch of it! The great thing is the pattern is free and will always be available. You can find more details and other amazing designs on Dedri Uys’ (designer) blog Look At What I Made.

The medium and large kits come with a bonus loom and beads to make a friendship bracelet and all three kit sizes come with an official label and button as well as some lovely vintage stitch markers.

If you’re a beginner, don’t be intimidated by how complex the finished blanket looks as you can follow along stitch-by-stitch to amazing video tutorials by Esther of It’s All in a Nutshell. Esther’s videos are amazing and she has great videos for beginners and seasoned crocheters.

If you’re starting to think about doing your own spring cleaning, you will need some supplies! Or (if you’re like me and would rather knit and crochet than clean) then a great way to put off the actual cleaning is making your own Swoofers (reusable Swiffer covers) and cotton cloths. I made some Swoofers for personal use and can attest that they do a great job picking up everything the disposable swiffer cloth does including pet hair! When I’m done swoofering, I shake off the pet hair and toss it into the wash. You’ve got to love cotton! Even better you save money and the planet by using your Swoofer over and over! I used this free pattern from Ravelry and Sudz Cotton which we have available in tons of colours ($2.50 CAD each for a 50g ball). Sudz Cotton is great for all of those projects that need to hold up with frequent use and hot washing. I use it for dish cloths, wash cloths, make-up scrubbies, Swoofers and anything else I need a soft, durable cotton for.

Socks and Sandals? Yay or Nay? We say YAY!!!!

One more thing that reminds me of spring is sandals. Now we all hear that socks and sandals are a faux pas BUT it is now trendy to wear socks and Birkenstocks and I for one couldn’t be happier. We’d love to see some pictures of you rocking your socks and Birkenstocks (or your socks and crocks or whatever you rock in!).

Hang in there folks, soon we will be able to knit outside and crochet on the porch while listening to birds sing and bees hum. In the meantime, stay warm and stay inspired and keep on making!

Happy Making!

~ Monika ~

 

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We are so excited to share some brand new yarns with you!

Estelle Sock Twins

Thank you for those of you who pre-ordered the Estelle Sock Twins and who have been so patient!! They are finally arriving on Friday and will ship out just as soon as they are unboxed. We appreciate your patience so very much and can’t wait to hear your reviews of this exciting new yarn.

To order your own sock twins or to get more information click here. Sock twins are two perfectly matched 50 g balls of superwash/nylon to create that perfect pair of socks every time without having to weigh or calculate. Just enjoy your time knitting!

Opal Schafpate X

Staying with the sock theme, welcome to Opal Schafpate X! This is the 10-year anniversary of Schafpate, which is a wonderful sock yarn with a great story (check it out here). We have all 8 birthday party colors in stock and they are super fun! My favourite colorway is Klara bringt Kuchen (Klara brings cake) and I look forward to making a pair of these for myself.

If you’re brand new to sock knitting but have been itching to try, a good place to learn for absolutely free is at Winwick Mum. Christine Perry is a sock genius who manages to create amazing tutorials that even the most basic knitter can follow to create a beautiful pair of socks!

Scheepjes Whirl … Special Edition Ombre is on it’s way!

And last, but certainly not least, welcome to Scheepjes Whirl Ombres! These colours are so rich and beautiful and are created in the same manner as the original whirl flavours. You know you are getting the same 1000 m of high quality yarn with subtle colour changes. Treat yourself or a friend with a beautiful, soft Ombre shawl, scarf, blanket, cardi or sweater. The possibilities are endless. The Ombres will be arriving from the Netherlands tomorrow and will be up on the website just as soon as they are in the door. Pricing will be the same as for regular whirls and here’s a sneak peek at the stunning Ombre shades!

Well these brand new yarns should help you drop some subtle (or not so subtle hints) for Christmas ideas. Unfortunately, due to the ongoing Canada Post labour dispute we can no longer guarantee delivery dates so don’t wait until the last minute to place your orders (or to forward this email to someone who’s looking for a gift idea for you!). We also sell online gift cards, which are always a popular choice.

Happy Making!

~ Monika ~

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Who’s making dish cloths, scrubbies, face cloths, baskets or other cotton items for Christmas craft sales or holiday gifts?

Finally, we have found some cotton for our Stitchery customers that is soft, holds up well and is reasonably priced! Welcome to the Stitchery family – Sudz Crafting Cotton!

We have Sudz cotton available in three lines:

  1. Multi – 10 shades of fun popping colour combos
  2. Spray – 12 soft shade blended with natural
  3. Tonal – 19 fun complementary tone combos

You can shop Sudz now in our cotton category. Which are your favourite colours combos?

Do you need some pattern inspiration? Here are a few free patterns from some of our favourite bloggers. (Click the photo to take you to the pattern)

Crochet Basket Tutorial

Crochet market tote pattern

Happy crafting and don’t forget to show off what you’re making with this lovely Sudz cotton!

~ Monika ~

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Back to school time! Love it or hate it, back to school also signals that fall is coming so fibre artists start to get very excited! We can start digging out the chunky yarns and wool and get going on blankets, scarves, hats, mitts – pretty much anything goes for this time of year (even crochet bikinis if you’re going on a beach holiday haha).

We have some wonderful yarns to give you some motivation for fall and winter and we also have the Ubuntu crochet along kits to give you something to work on weekly as of September 12th to create the beautiful blanket in small, medium or large as designed by Dedri Uys (crochet queen!). The special stitches and techniques file is already out and let’s you check your gauge and practice new stitches before start day. Shop for your own Ubuntu kit here and also check out the Clover Amour hooks which are comfortable for hours of crocheting – which I can attest to personally.

Now that your we’ve got you thinking about blankets, check out the Cascade 220 Solids. We have this lovely 100% Peruvian wool available in Hudson’s Bay colours for some very cozy winter projects. Daisy Farm Crafts has a free pat

tern on her blog for a baby-sized blanket but you could make it any size you like! If a blanket is too big a project, maybe try mittens, slippers or a scarf as those will also make great gifts. The only limit is your imagination – and when that runs out, go to Pinterest and Ravelry 🙂

If you’re looking for a one skein project that will look great for yourself or for a gift, check out the Mondial Bacio which is a soft merino blend chunky kit (it comes with 2 wooden buttons). The single skein kit makes a hat or scarf and is available in wine, royal blue or dark grey.

Last (but not least), if you’ve been a subscriber you know that I love knitting socks and I think they are great for any time of year. Socks make for a very portable project, work up fairly quickly and leave you with something usable, comfortable and warm when you’re done! We have a range of sock yarn available for various budgets in a wide range of colours. New to The Stitchery is Scheepjes Invicta Matterhorn (only $7 for a 100g ball!). Don’t let the price fool you, this isn’t a discount yarn and is a virgin wool blend from the Netherlands.

Thanks for sharing your time with me! I look forward to seeing some of your fall and winter projects!

Happy making!

~ Monika ~

 

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We have been anxiously awaiting the announcement of the official 2018 Scheepjes CAL and a little teaser was released late last week!

Here’s what we know so far:

  • Designed by the brilliant Dedri Uys who designed the famous Sophie’s Universe
  • Dedri has shared her inspiration behind the name of the CAL: “The word Ubuntu in a Nguni Bantu term meaning “humanity towards others” or “I am because we are”.  Through Crochet-alongs, [she has] found a community that constantly reminds [her] of the essence of Ubuntu:  connection, community, and mutual caring for all.  We wanted to honour and celebrate that in this CAL, both in the design and how we choose to engage with each other as we embark on this journey.” Isn’t that a beautiful statement?!?
  • Videos and tutorials will be available to make this dream a reality for all levels of crocheter
  • There will be a huge amount of support through the international Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/ScheepjesCAL.International
  • Kits will be available for pre-order right here as soon as the details are released
  • More details will be released THIS week!

Stay tuned to pre-order your CAL kit and follow our Facebook group for announcements as they become available!

Not only will we be stocking the CAL kits, but we have also ordered in some of the most popular Scheepjes whirls and whirlettes. Scheepjes Whirls are 1,000 metres of soft, drapey cotton/acrylic blend and have taken the crochet and knitting world by storm. The Whirlettes are 100g of co-ordinating solid colour to complement your Whirls. If you need a bit of inspiration, check out Katie’s blog with the top ten whirl projects. There are also many lovely projects to be found on Ravelry. I have completed three projects with whirls:

  1. Crochet – Lost in Time Shawl by Miho Crochet (Link)
  2. Knit – Read Between the Lines by Canadutch (link)
  3. Knit – Hitofude Cardigan by Hiroko Fukatsu (link)

I’m about to embark on my fourth project crocheting with Blueberry Bam Bam to make the Indigo Shrug by Tatsiana Kupryianchyk (link).

Now, I don’t know if you’re like me and like to have pretty needle and hook sets but I suspect some of you are. To get you crocheting comfortably, we have also started stocking the Tulip Etimo Royal Silver Crochet Hook Set. If you haven’t treated yourself to some ergonomic hooks yet, here’s your chance. They are not only beautiful but allow for hours of comfortable crocheting. The Tulip sets are currently available for pre-order along with the Whirls and Whirlettes.

Happy making!

~ Monika ~

 

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