Knit, Blog & Be Happy!

Ten years!  We thought it would be fun to look back at Monarch Knitting through the years.   The 'new' Monarch opened on April 20th, 2013, after a remodel to the original shop on Central Avenue. Oh, my goodness, the shelves were so empty! We were not in that location for very long as we were asked to relocate across the hall in late October of that same year.  We have a bit more yarn on the shelves! We also attended 4 Stitches West in Santa Clara.  It was a ton of work but an absolute blast once the show started. Then...

We are all so excited to welcome Julie and Jean-Francois Asselin to the shop next week.  As you know, we feature many independent dyers at the shop, and I can say, hands down, that their yarns are in my top two we carry. I do not know what it is about the way they create color but in my eye; I see an incredible amount of skill and depth in their work. These are colors that I want to be part of my wardrobe and are! We received three huge boxes in the shop yesterday afternoon brimming with yarn. A new...

Do you love Julie Hoover patterns and mYak yarn? If so, pick up your needles and knit with me! Monarch Knitting has joined Julie Hoover, mYak, and the Knitting Posse for a spring Knitalong filled community and fun.  This KAL is the perfect time to start knitting a timeless, elegant modern garment, Julie’s signature. Her designs are the epitome of casual elegance and always include the most thoughtful details along with shaping and construction—the pieces you will want to keep in your closet forever. The typical difficulty of a Julie Hoover pattern is a 3 out of 5, and there are over...

We chatted about how simple it is to hand wash small items in a previous blog post, so I thought I would continue and show you how I wash and care for my sweaters, hand knit and store-bought, at home. It is an extremely rare occasion for me to dry clean my sweaters. My closet is filled with mostly wool and cashmere sweaters, so careful laundering at home is preferable. If you have a sweater that says dry clean only, please assess whether you should wash it at home. Most natural fibers can be hand washed, but if there is extensive beading and embellishments or if it is made of...

While I keep a notions bag in each project bag and in my grab-and-go handy dandy tin, the bulk of my notions lives next to my knitting chair. I keep them all in a Waxed Canvas Work Bag that is always filled to the brim with just what I need.  Three little knickknack bags live in the work bag and are organized with all sorts of goodies.  My yellow notion bag is filled with all sorts of markers and tapestry needles.  I purchased a Cocoknits flight of stitch markers and noted the type of marker on the top of the tube. I also have a small...