Knit Along: Schmetterling Shawl from Mia BellaDay 3

Yikes!  It’s just getting bigger!

Did I not ponder the lack of wisdom in a project which just got larger the closer we got to the holiday?  I need finishing motivation, people.  I can barely remember to close kitchen cabinet doors or empty the dishwasher.  That’s sorely lacking here.  What I need are projects that start out with long (and thereby slow) rows and work toward short (and fast) rows.  

Yes, well, we can’t always get what we want, can we?

So I’m building character here (right? right??).  I’m glad there’s only one more repeat of this pattern because I think more than that would just about kill me.  I don’t think there’s a full size lace shawl in my future.  Well, not unless I break a leg while simultaneously loosing all my book contracts (No!).  This shawlette seems to be the limits of my stick-to-it-iveness.

Have you done this?  Looked at a week that’s supposed to be a holiday and envisioned all the knitting time you thought you’d have?  Only to turn around six days later and see yourself only a row or two farther than before?  

Part of the difficulty here is that this isn’t the kind of project you can do casually--it takes a fair amount of attention.  I can’t knit it in meetings or anything more mentally taxing than television or driving.  

What I need is a good long train trip.  Is it lovely in Nebraska this time of year?

Knit Along: Schmetterling Shawl from Mia Bella--Day 2

Embracing my marked limitations...

I’ve reached the first repeat of my pattern, and I have to say this takes a fair amount of concentration.  I have to read the chart frontwards AND backwards--that’s asking a lot of my approaching-holiday brain cells.  It took my a dozen rows to get used to how the pattern is a row essentially folded in half--I’ve never seen that before.  And every repeat of the chart adds two repeats of an internal section.  There’s only one way to handle such a cerebral task:

Stitch markers.

Call me middle-aged, but I can only handle about fifteen stitches worth of organization at a time.  Okay, twenty if I’ve recently been to Starbucks.  Which is smarter? Pretending I’m so skilled I don’t need stitch markers? Or botching rows on a regular basis out of pride?

Call me humble, but I’m reaching for the markers.

Lucky for me, I’ve got a nice collection.  For big projects on mid-size needles, I like my pretty beaded ones.  For lace work, I like the small plastic circles because they they’re right size for fine work and won’t snag the fiber.  I have enough of different colors that I can use them to signify something, but in this case they don’t need to do anything but mark off the pattern repeats.

I embrace my limitations--and I like shiny accessories.

Knit Along: Schmetterling Shawl from Mia Bella - Day 1

Shawl love...

It’s hard to go wrong when you start with a beautiful yarn. The camera is simply not doing the Ella rae Lace Merino’s colorway any justice--it’s a lovely turquoise  with yellow, green and teals dancing through it.   Add Adrienne Ku’s lovely lace pattern that shows it off, and things just go from good to great.  Especially with lace, you know you are on to a good pattern when it looks good even before you block it.  

This design has what I consider to be an optimum density balance--not so lacy that it’s only good for adornment (i.e. it won’t keep your bare shoulders warm in the air conditioning), but not so sturdy that you feel you ought to be walking beside a Conestoga wagon.  The yarn is light enough to be delicate, but no so frail as to become a tangle-fest when you wind it into a ball or--heaven forbid--have to frog a couple of rows because you were too busy watching Castle to pay attention to what you were doing.  Not that I’d know that or anything...

And it’s a shawl.  And oh, you know I love shawls.  I always have.  It’s a good thing they’re “in” now, because I’m sure I’m stubborn enough to still wear them if ever they go out of style.  Keep that eccentricity up long enough, and I’ll become that weird tall lady down the block.  You know the kind--the one your Mom tells you to stay away from.  

“Sure, I’ll buy her books but let’s not go so far as to invite that looney to dinner.  She’s one of those creative types. An art-eest.  Wears shawls.”

Why yes, I wear shawls.  All the time.  So watch what you say....

...or you’ll end up in one of my books.

CHICAGO'S NORTH SHORE: Evanston, IL

Sure, I’m a sucker for adventure.  I’m entertained by the shiny new thing (translation: iPad) and an exotic flavor of cupcake (bacon?), but my visit to Evanston reminded me I’ve been remiss in my praise of the basic.

Basic is good.  Basic is dependable.  Basic is very much a necessity in our topsy-turvy too-complicated world.

Evanston feels basic to me, mostly because I spent my college years there.  No coed can afford to be much of a foodie--the fact that has built Ramen noodles’ success for most of my adult life.  No, my Evanston gastric memories are of the good ol’ comfort kind:  pasta from Dave’s Italian Kitchen and Buffalo Joe’s burgers--exquisite not in their novelty, but their flawless execution of life’s beloved staples.

This is true of today’s local yarn shop:

CloseKnit

531 Davis St. 

Evanston, IL 60201

847-328-6760

www.closeknitevanston.com

You’d drive past it if it weren’t for the clever little piece of yarn-bombing on the tree out front. A sturdy little storefront moved over last May from its former location.  While it has a depth of stock that would do any establishment proud--two walls of floor-to-ceiling yarn--it’s not a show-off of a store.  “I want customers to see the yarn, and I want them to find a yarn to suit whatever project they have in mind” owner Lucie Sinkler says, declaring that she’s arranged everything with the practical needs of her customer in mind.

I was particularly impressed with her class philosophy.  CloseKnit’s classes are essentially “group therapy”--arranged by schedule rather than skill or project.  You sign up and get whatever help you need on whatever you want to be working on, period.  No competition with the gal next to you working on the same mittens, no “who got to row 20 first or who did a better job on their cables”--just helpful camaraderie between a group of knitters who are each pursuing their own goals.  I love that thoughtful, practical distinction.

You might find the newest trend here, but you’ll more likely find a good quality fiber at a good price.  There’s a lot to be said for that kind of no-nonsense focus.  Here are some projects to peek at:

Our Knit Along from CloseKnit is the Davis Street Shawl.  It fits the store:  a quality basic designed to get lots of use.  Done up in two balls of any fuzzy worsted weight yarn, this smaller-sized shawl can go over the shoulders or double around as a cowl.  Not a big fan of picot bind-offs, I was delighted to know this pattern works the border into each row rather than throw the full weight of a complicated finish at you once you’re done.

Another of Lucie’s patterns, the Doggie Button Baby Sweater, again takes a basic garter stitch and pairs two Regia wool blends (1 ball of the longer variegation color change and 2 balls of the short variegation color change) for a bit of snazzy style.  Of course, nothing’s stopping you from adapting it to a Kitty Button Baby Sweater, or Chicky, or even Panda for that matter.  I'll never tell.

My personal favorite of the basic-yet-versatile projects was the En Pointe Pullover from the Spring 2011 edition of Interweave Knits.  Four balls of Cascade Kid Seta Noir lace-weight mohair knit up to a drapey, billowy dream of comfort.

Need something a bit smaller?  Head straight for the Pippa Hat accented with Fluribunda Flower Accent from Sublime #656.  It takes two balls of Sublime Lustrous Extra Fine Merino DK and sports a lot of style.  Pair it with another two balls to make the Furla Scarf, and you’ll weather Chicago’s killer winter in warm and spiffy style.

Personally, I always like to follow a good yarn shopping experience with a good cupcake.  And lucky for you, I know just the place:

Tiny Dog Cupcake

616 Davis Street

Evanston, IL 60201

847-563-8680

www.tinydogcupcake.com


I seriously regret that I was not here on a Saturday or Sunday morning to try out the “Famous Cupcake Brunch” with must-sample flavors like maple bacon and “cupttatas” (which is what happens when a cupcake and a frittata get together) in flavors like spinach and cheese.  Throw in free coffee and wifi and I can’t imagine a better way to start a weekend day.

Cupcakes know no such bounds, however, and I sampled several on my weekday afternoon visit.  I loved that the cupcakes came in regular, “big dog,” and “tiny” sizes perfect for tasting multiple flavors.  The chocolate silk is as good as it sounds, but the lemon was outstanding (yes, really, I loved a non-chocolate flavor!).  The salty caramel was good, too, but the first two were my favorites.  Add some really fine coffee to round out the experience...and like most cupcake joints, this is a very fun place to people-watch.


In addition to my two fave eating establishments mentioned earlier, there are two other Evanston institutions not to be missed:

Blind Faith Cafe

525 Dempster St

Evanston, IL 60201

847-328-6875

blindfaithcafe.com

Even before healthy food was in style, Blind Faith Cafe was showing us how we ought to be eating.  This is no place to choke down nutrition...everything I’ve ever had here was delicious.  Vegetarians and those who favor gluten-free (no meat on this menu, kiddos) have been flocking to this place since I was...well, a lot younger than I am now, and there’s a reason for Blind Faith’s long, strong reputation.  I saw many online raves for the French Toast Flambe (my remembered fave), and I don’t know why I’m always shocked at the outstanding deserts--maybe because I associate delicious with “bad for you.”  Nope, everything about this place is good for you. Michael Pollan would eat here---and probably has. Hey, if even the carnivores are raving when they consent to eat here, you know it’s worth a visit.

When’s the last time you found yourself in a really good fabric store?  If for you it’s been years (like it has been for me), you owe yourself a trip to:

Vogue Fabrics

718-732 Main Street
Evanston, Illinois 60202
847-864-9600

http://www.voguefabricsstore.com

Long the go-to haunt for costume construction from my theater-major days, Vogue is probably one of the last great brick-and-mortar fabric stores around.  Evanston is their flagship store, and you could easily kill and entire day wandering their stock to touch and feel all the fabric-y goodness.  I can’t shop for yarn and fabric on the internet--I’ve got to TOUCH the stuff, and this place is perfect for tactile shoppers like me.  I love their slogan:  “Enabling Fabraholics since 1945.”  They even offer group tours!  The remnant room was always my favorite hangout...some true bargains to be had in there.


There you have it...a fiber-filled frolic on Chicago’s North Shore.  Old home week for me, new adventures for you!

Up next, we tackle the lovely, lacy shawl from Highland Park's Mia Bella.

CHICAGO'S NORTH SHORE: Winnetka Illinois

Winnetka

I’ll admit it...I was operating on the stereotype.  Here I was thinking I’d landed in the realm of the popped polo shirt collar (hey, I grew up in Connecticut, I can say that) and the luxury SUV.  And I did--no doubt Winnetka is among the north shore’s prettiest communities especially on a sunny fall day.  But I hadn’t counted on it being so wonderfully artistic.

Start your day with an outstanding breakfast at the universal local favorite:

Caffe Buon Giorno

566 Chestnut St

Winnetka, IL 60093

847-784-8899

Sure, it’s cash only.  Yes, it can be crowded.  It’s totally worth it.  Breakfast all day places are my absolute favorite, and this one is wonderful.  My genuinely friendly waiter made an outstanding recommendation for the crab cake eggs benedict--the place makes their own hollandaise sauce.  Wow.  Hands down the best meal of this trip.  Chestnut street and the surrounding area are a wonderful little suburban downtown so feel free to wander off all those calories when you’re done.  

Make sure you turn the corner and catch one of the great independent bookstores of our day:

The Book Stall at Chestnut Court 

811 Elm Street 

Winnetka Illinois 60093 

847-446-888

http://www.thebookstall.com/

Jam packed with great stock and a loaded events schedule, this is one of the national A-list stops for book tours so your bound to catch someone truly interesting.  Check out their selection of autographed books (cookbooks, too!) for yourself or someone on your gift list.  

When you’re ready, travel up Green Bay Road to the little neighborhood known as Hubbard Woods and our fiber fix for the day:

Stitch(es) 

1054 Gage Street 

Winnetka,IL. 60093

847-441-0677

www.stitcheswinnetka.com

The neat thing about Stitch(es) is that it’s as much a boutique as it is a yarn shop.  You feel stylish just for walking in the door.  The little storefront establishment opened just last year, and it couldn’t be more charming tucked on a short side street alongside a park.  

Run by knitwear designer Sue Peterson of Sue P. Knits, the store boasts wonderful samples of what we all wish our knitwear looked like.  I had fun watching Sue engage her constant flow of customers from the calm, focused expert looking for a specific fiber to the near-hysterical novice who yelped “Help!” and thrust her ribbing into Sue’s helpful hands.  Sue wants you to succeed, wants to introduce you to new techniques and projects, and you feel sure her artistic twist will somehow rub off on your boring old scarf.  

Her very inventive stock is organized by weight with the likely needle size posted alongside (a nice helpful touch).  The store offers loads of interesting kits and a selection of riotously colored Hadaki bags which I’d never seen before.

While a load of projects caught my eye, here’s a few to look for:

Churchmouse Baby Wrap Sweater

Done up in two skeins (1 striped, one solid) of Shibui Staccato or Classic Elite Silky Alpaca Lace, this pattern makes the perfect first time Grandma sweater--basic but with oodles of style.  

Vintage Mohair Sweater

A quick Ravelry search will bring up several Sue P Knits patterns, but this fluffy, cozy cardigan was a favorite.  Six skeins of Classic Elite La Gran will most definitely knit up to keep you warm this winter.  People will probably come up and ask to pet your sleeve.

Mohair Bias Looop

If you need something a little more basic, these loop scarves are this year’s rage.  Two skeins of Kidsilk Haze--one of my most favorite snuggle-worthy yarn choices--whip up into a versatile accessory that won’t tax your brain cells.  Go with a angelic white, or pop for color in Kidsilk’s new striped version.

Shibui Baby Albaca Cowl

Chicago is cowl country, and this winter is supposed to be a killer, so I’m glad the Knit Along from Stitch(es) is a cozy cowl.  No photo yet--I'm among the first to try out one of Sue's brand new patterns.  Done up in super soft, super warm Shibui Baby Alpaca, it’ll be a blast of color to brighten up my dreary winter.

Now that we’ve gotten our daily dose of fiber, it’s time for a little shopping.  

Turn the corner and you’ll see a sunny stretch of Green Bay Road dotted with lots of interesting shopping.  There’s a fine selection, but my favorites were:

Creme de la Creme

901-903 Green Bay Road

Winnetka, IL  60093

847-446-2228

www.cremegifts.com

It was the exquisite linens in the window that caught my eye, but there’s so much more to this unique store.  Owner Sandy Freeman says the store has “Nothing you need but everything you’d like,” including my favorite Sarah Oliver Handbags.  Knit by “The Purlette’s”--an adorable gang of seniors hired from Mill Valley California by designer Sarah Oliver--each bag sports grand personality and the signature “O” brooch that marks it as a one-of-a-kind treasure.  Who can resist?

Farther down I wandered into furniture heaven.  Really, I would move in tomorrow and live in the sublime showroom of:

Sawbridge Studios

Handcrafted Furniture and Accessories

1051 Tower Court

Winnetka, IL  60093

847-441-2441

www.sawbridge.com

If, like me, you are a raging fan of prairie style furniture, this place will drop your jaw.  Exquisite just about covers it.   Clocks, beds, bureaus, tables, chairs, each of exceptional quality and full of artistic character.  Were I confined to live out my last days in a rocking chair, it’d most definitely come from here.

Switch gears and indulge your inner child by wandering through:

Beat Street

930 Green Bay Road

Winnetka IL  60093

847-442-8580

It may look like a toy store from the outside--and it’s loaded with cool toys--but there’s a little of everything inside this delightfully stuffed-to-the-gills store.  I love that her business card lists the store hours as “10:58am - 5:28pm.”  This is one of those places where almost everything you see gets you thinking of a friend who would “just love one of those.”  If you want to rock someone’s Christmas stocking this year, head here.

I had a marvelous afternoon indulging some of my very favorite whims--and I suspect you will, too.  See? I told you there was more here than shiny Volvos...

CHICAGO'S NORTH SHORE: Northbrook, IL

Northbrook

We’re going to start off a little southeast of this town, launching our adventure from a small retail nook known as The Shops of Northfield Village Square.  Tucked onto Happ Road just south of Willow Road you’ll find a little collection of shops and eateries that are the kind of places DestiKNITters love best...really good but just off the main path.  Start your day at

Three Tarts Bakery and Cafe

301 South Happ Road

Northfield 60093

847.446.5444 phone

http://www.threetartsbakery.com

Their advertisements claim “everything’s good here,”--and I found it to be true--but their real claim to fame are their decorated sugar cookies.  You can order these moist and tasty works of art in dozens of styles and shapes for a special occasion, or just munch on what’s out for the day (ghosts, in my case).  Half the fun is watching the tutu-clad little girls from the nearby dance studio come in and get a post-class cookie.  Partial to cake as I am, I was impressed by the display and the coconut cake I ordered lived up to its hype.  Good coffee, some actual food should you want nutrition (but why?), and nice seating.

A stroll down the collection of stores will land you some very charming shopping in a nice variety of stores, but don’t forget to look to the north where you can explore a whole different kind of stitch-work:

The Canvasback

1747 Orchard Lane 

Northfield, IL 60093

847-446-4244

http://www.canvasback-needlepoint.com/

I’ve come across many knitters who dabble in needlepoint, or want to. I found this friendly store a welcome place to consider the craft.  A nice selection of classes and a truly helpful staff mean you get excellent service--this store hasn’t been in business for 37 years for nothing.  

When asked for a good first-timer’s project, the staff pointed me toward this lovely small handbag with a removable/changable stitched flap.

When you’re done, keep with our “three” theme and make the 15 minute-or-so drive to today’s fiber stop:

Three Bags Full Knitting Studio

1927 Cherry

Northbrook, Il 60062

847-291-9933

www.threebagsfullknittingstudio.com

Don’t go looking for a big sign--there isn’t one.  I had to call the store even though I discovered I was sitting in the parking lot right in front of it.  Despite its huge size and deceiving retail-ish location, this store manages a homey feel, right down to the couch in front of the fireplace hearth.  

Three Bags Full has grown in each of its three moves, achieving a wide selection for an adventurous clientele.  “I’m out to create more knitters,” owner Lynette Swanson says, and her enormous schedule of classes and the loads of enticing project samples in her store are there to back up that claim.  If you’re looking for what’s new, chances are she’s got it.  Her long pre-store career as a knitting teacher is evident everywhere you look--there are incentives to enhance your skills in every nook and cranny of this store.  

Oh, and did I mention there’s a Starbuck’s only yards away?  Ah, the salted caramel hot chocolate is heavenly this time of year.  Also heavenly are these projects that caught my eye:

Thrum Mitten

It’s hard to come up with a mitten I’d call original, but this one does it.  The kit, which features a knit mitten stuffed with toasty roving that molds to your hand, is available in a riot of colors at the store.  

It looks like it’d never be comfortable, but after poking my hands into one of these, I was hooked.  Or is that needled...

Cool Hemp Ponchette

This asymmetrical garment pairs simple and complex stitch patterns to make a statement beyond the standard scarf.  A versatile pattern, it can be done up in 4 skeins of any DK weight cotton-type yarn.  Not every pattern like this translates as nicely with variegated yarn as with a solid, but this one will, so you can go luxe or casual.  I loved the drape.

Cotton Classic Jumper

How much cuter can you get than this little girl’s dress of Lynette’s own design?  Think of the fun you could have with colors--all it takes is 3 balls of any cotton dk-weight yarn.  Make the little girl in your life one of these, and you could win Grandma of the Year.

Our Knit Along from Three Bags Full:

Lovikka Swedish Thick Wool Mittens

Any dog-owner will tell you a good pair of mittens means the world when you’re out strolling Fido (or Fidette in my case) on a frigid morning.  This pattern by Linda Lutz pairs a sturdy mitten--from Cascade’s “Ecological Wool” 100% Undyed Peruvian Highland Wool--with an artsy cuff by overstitching with Zitron’s Trekking.  If color combining isn’t your strength, get help like I did from a member of the staff so you’re assured a spiffy result.  Lynette advises checking out U-Tube for a video on gusset instructions if you’re new to that technique.  I can’t wait to get started on these.

Lynette’s vote for favorite gadget?  Clover’s Kacha-Kacha stitch counter.  It’s so much fun to say, how you not want to own one?

Now that you’ve fed your fiber appetite, it’s time to meet your gastronomic cravings.  You’ve got three meal choices just outside your door:

Marcello’s

1911 Cherry Lane, Northbrook, IL, 60062

847-498-1500

www.marcellos.com

You can see Marcello’s from Three Bags Full’s window, and the store staff claim their broasted chicken--which you can get six different ways--is “absolutely to die for.”  I love family establishments, and this one’s been pleasing customers since 1947 so I suspect they know their stuff.  If you’ve needing a gluten free pizza, head here.

A quick jump across the street (look for Sunset Foods) will land you at two other options:

Georgie V’s

1139 Church St

(between Cherry Ln & Keystone Ave) 

Northbrook, IL 60062

847-753-9638

Good breakfast and lunch places are always worth finding.  If you managed to miss the apple pancake in Highland Park, this spot boasts a pretty good one, too.  The California Wrap was the Three Bags Full staff recommendation, although several on-line reviews cited outstanding omelettes as well.  No frills and friendly, this is just a good honest neighborhood eatery.

just steps away you’ll find:

Francesca’s North

1145 Church St

(between Cherry Ln & Keystone Ave) 

Northbrook, IL 60062

847-559-0260

More of a dinner spot to Georgie V’s breakfast vibe, we were told the fish of the day is the way to go here.  The menu--mostly classic Italian--changes daily and keeps it’s regular customers coming back.  I met people who said they’d been coming here every week for five and six years--you can’t create that kind of loyalty without hitting the right notes.   

If you’re up here during the summer, I’d top of either your Highland Park or Northbrook adventures with an evening at Ravinia.  In my humble opinion, it is quite simply one of the nation’s most outstanding outdoor concert venues.  Hosting every kind of music, Ravinia takes the cultural picnic dinner to an art form you can barely imagine if you’ve never seen it. Click here to see photos from their most recent “ultimate picnic contest” to see what I mean http://backstage.ravinia.org/ravinia-gallery/rutherford-hill-ultimate-picnic-contest/ One of this area’s prime knitting in public spots...that is until the sun goes down.

Two down, two to go.  Stay tuned, the North Shore treasures just keep on coming.