Showing posts with label garnstudio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label garnstudio. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
We've MOVED! Check out our new blog space and our Wool Sale
Hello!
Pardon us for being absent on this blog!
We have moved it, please visit our new blog space here: http://nordicmart.com/blog/
We're also having a HUGE wool sale right now! Seriously crazy low prices! So head to our webstore to take advantage of that :)
Friday, March 21, 2014
Spring Inspiration
Happy Friday all! Spring is officially in the air and it is a great time to be inspired. We found some beautiful inspiration from a knit blog sharing photos of some knit and crochet floral creations. These photos are from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden for their "Knit, Purl, Sow" exhibition. We were mesmerized by the intricate and complex work that has gone into creating this large flora and fauna!
We searched out our own floral inspiration on the web and we found some great patterns to share with you! We found patterns from Ravelry which is a great free pattern resource for knitters and crocheters alike!
Ravelry: Flower Power Shawl by Ekin Deniz
Ravelry: Flower Pie Shawl by Megan Ellinger
Both of these beautiful patterns can be knit in DROPS Lace, a lovely 70% Alpaca, 30% Mulberry Silk blend.
If it is still a little cold where you are at, but you want to bring some spring flowers into your life you could knit this blanket or jacket from Garnstudio.
Try this super soft knit blanket with big floral motifs made from DROPS Alpaca and DROPS Vivaldi
This sweater is one of our most popular patterns! It is originally knit in DROPS Nepal, but you can use any worsted weight yarn. Why not try your own unique spring version in Good Earth Solids, it is a great cotton/linen blend perfect for warmer weather!
If you have some spare time this weekend be sure and check out the podcast from The Knitmore Girls and listen for a Nordic Mart shout out! <3

Labels:
botanic,
Brooklyn Botanic Garden,
crochet,
crocheting,
drops yarn,
floral,
flowers,
free patterns,
Garden,
garnstudio,
knit,
knitting,
nordic mart,
nordicmart,
ravelry,
spring
Location:
San Luis Obispo, CA, USA
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Our Favorite Woolly Winter Hat
As the weather cools down you definitely want something to keep your ears and your head warm.
Make a few for yourself, make a few as gifts. This is a great project for beginners because it utilizes some of the basic knitting skills like ribbing, decreasing, and using circular and double pointed needles.

We love this hat pattern: It's simple, it's fast, it looks great.
We made a few adjustments to this pattern:
- We used a size US 10.5 needle for the ribbing, and a size US 11 for the rest of the hat. Keeping the ribbing a little smaller helps this hat stay on your head, and we like the look of a tighter ribbing.
- We used Eskimo instead of Andes. We particularly love the Eskimo colors for this project. You can stick with Andes or use Eskimo as a substitute.
Eskimo Color 27 is a beautiful brick color that lends itself well to the Autumn Season.
We have a lot of great Eskimo colors to make this hat in. We love the color mixes because they give a fun variegation of color. But we also carry solids in every hue of the rainbow. You could also choose a few colors and make a striped version! This pattern is very versatile.
You only need two skeins of Eskimo for this hat! Find all the available colors in our Webstore.
Or you can use 1 ball of Andes. Browse all the Andes colors in our Webstore.
Post your hats to our Facebook page when you're finished!
Happy Crafting,

Labels:
beanie,
beginner,
drops yarn,
easy,
fall patterns,
free patterns,
garnstudio,
hat,
knit,
knitting,
nordicmart,
pattern,
yarn
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
**Alpaca Party!**
It's that super special time of year again....
It's time for a SALE!
All 8 of our Alpaca or Alpaca blend yarns are now 25% off until the end of 2013!
We have some ideas of our own for great Alpaca Party Projects, and we can't wait to see what you all come up with using these great Drops yarns!
There is a whole page of awesome knit and crochet hat patterns perfect for the cooling weather, and all made with Alpaca yarns! Find all the hats here >>
You can also join the Facebook group for the Alpaca Party Knit Along to get tons of ideas and share your projects with other Alpaca yarn lovers.
Let's look at the yarns:

Drops Alpaca
Content: 100% Alpaca
Yarn Group: A (23 - 26 stitches)
Weight/yardage: 1.8 oz (50 g) = approx 183 yds (167 m)
Recommended needle size: US 1,5 - US 4 / 2,5 - 3,5 mm
Gauge: 4" x 4" / 10 x 10 cm = 23 sts x 30 rows
Hand Wash, cold max 30°C / 86F. Dry Flat / Feltable
Browse all free patterns using Alpaca

Drops Alpaca Boucle
Content: 80% Alpaca, 15% Wool, 5% Polyamide
Yarn Group: C (16 - 19 stitches)
Weight/yardage: 1.8 oz (50 g) = approx 153 yds (140 m)
Recommended needle size: US 8 / 5 mm
Gauge: 4" x 4" / 10 x 10 cm = 17 sts x 22 rows
Hand Wash, cold max 30°C / 86F. Dry Flat / Feltable
Browse all free patterns using Alpaca Boucle

Drops Alpaca Silk
Content: 77% Alpaca, 23% Silk
Yarn Group: C (16 - 19 stitches)
Weight/yardage: 0.9 oz (25 g) = approx 153 yds (140 m)
Recommended needle size: US 8 / 5 mm
Gauge: 4" x 4" / 10 x 10 cm = 17 sts x 24 rows
Hand Wash, cold max 30°C / 86F. Dry Flat
Browse free patterns where Alpaca Silk can be used
Yarn Group: E (9 - 11 stitches)
Weight/yardage: 3.5 oz (100 g) = approx 105 yds (96 m)
Recommended needle size: US 13 / 9 mm
Gauge: 4" x 4" / 10 x 10 cm = 10 sts x 14 rows
Hand Wash, cold max 30°C / 86F. Dry Flat / Feltable
Browse all free patterns using Andes

Drops BabyAlpaca Silk
Content: 70% Alpaca, 30% Silk
Yarn Group: A (23 - 26 stitches)
Weight/yardage: 1.8 oz (50 g) = approx 183 yds (167 m)
Recommended needle size: US 4 / 3,5 mm
Gauge: 4" x 4" / 10 x 10 cm = 23 sts x 30 rows
Hand Wash, cold max 30°C / 86F. Dry Flat / Feltable
Browse all free patterns using BabyAlpaca Silk
Drops Lace
Content: 70% Alpaca, 30% Silk
Yarn Group: A (23 - 26 stitches)
Weight/yardage: 3.5 oz (100 g) = approx 875 yds (800 m)
Recommended needle size: US 2,5 / 3 mm
Gauge: 4" x 4" / 10 x 10 cm = 28 sts x 34 rows
Hand Wash, cold max 30°C / 86F. Stretch to right measurements and Dry Flat / Feltable
Browse all free patterns using Lace

Drops Lima
Content: 65% Wool, 35% Alpaca
Yarn Group: B (20 - 22 stitches)
Weight/yardage: 1.8 oz (50 g) = approx 101 yds (92 m)
Recommended needle size: US 6 / 4 mm
Gauge: 4" x 4" / 10 x 10 cm = 21 sts x 28 rows
Hand Wash, cold max 30°C / 86F. Dry Flat / Feltable
Browse all free patterns using Lima
Drops Nepal
Content: 65% Wool, 35% Alpaca
Yarn Group: C (16 - 19 stitches)
Weight/yardage: 1.8 oz (50 g) = approx 82 yds (75 m)
Recommended needle size: US 8 / 5 mm
Gauge: 4" x 4" / 10 x 10 cm = 17 sts x 22 rows
Hand Wash, cold max 30°C / 86F. Dry Flat / Feltable
Browse all free patterns using Nepal
So many great choices! It's so hard to pick just one color or type of yarn, good thing this sale can allow you to try lots of yarns with super low prices.
Happy Yarn Hunting and Happy Crafting!
XO,
Labels:
andes,
crochet,
drops design,
drops yarn,
free patterns,
fun,
garnstudio,
knit,
knitting,
nordic mart,
pattern,
sale
Location:
San Luis Obispo, CA, USA
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Awesome Andes!
When Garnstudio released the new colors in our favorite bulky weight yarn, Andes, we couldn't wait to get our hands on them.
It took us a little while, but we finally have new Andes colors in stock, and they are GORGEOUS!
We couldn't resist making some awesome quick items with our favorite colors, and we're sharing them with you.
It took us a little while, but we finally have new Andes colors in stock, and they are GORGEOUS!
We couldn't resist making some awesome quick items with our favorite colors, and we're sharing them with you.
Nordic Mart staffer Theresa loved Autumn Orange and crafted a gorgeous headband from a free Ravelry Pattern!
The pattern is called Blue Leaf Headband designed by Adrienne Krey.
Its a quick knit, so its a perfect gift.
Check out Theresa's version in Drops Andes, it only takes about half a skein!
There are so many great Andes patterns, and with its Bulky weight, its great for beginners and for warm winter wear.
![]() |
| Pick your favorite new color and create this wonderful throw with this free pattern. |
![]() |
You can keep your feet toasty warm with these adorable slippers in Andes
|
![]() |
| And this super cozy jacket with lace pattern detail will look great for the holidays in our newest green shades of Andes. Here's the free pattern. |
Check out all the patterns for Bulky weight yarns where Andes can be used. They're all FREE!
Leave us a comment and let us know what you think of these new colors! There are a few more colors we haven't received yet, so be on the lookout for those coming soon, as well as new yarns like our Cotton Merino. We'll keep you updated on those arrivals via our Facebook page, so make sure you "Like" us! :)
Happy Crafting,
Labels:
andes,
bulky,
chunky,
colors,
crochet,
drops design,
drops yarn,
fall patterns,
free patterns,
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knitting,
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patterns,
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Monday, September 23, 2013
A Yarn Crawl Recap
This past weekend we had our first ever San Luis Obispo Yarn Crawl with four other stores in our area, and it was a great success!
We first want to give a huge THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the crawl and to all of our amazing sponsors who provided prizes for the participants. We learned so much and can't wait to have future Yarn Crawls. If you missed it this year, be on the lookout for next year's event! It was a blast!
Joanna from Chic-a bags stopped by and we had all of her adorable print needle cases and project bags out on display for a Trunk show!
We carry a lot of Chic-a bags and will be expanding our selection after seeing a lot of new patterns we hadn't seen before!
Shop all our Chic-a bags in our Webstore.
Lena from Garnstudio also stopped in to give some expert pattern help for the DROPS patterns.
Find all our pattern books in our Webstore. And we now have the NEW Fall pattern books in stock! That is books 149, 150 and 151, plus a new Childrens book, number 24.
One of our favorite happy customers is also one of our speediest knitters. Eldra stopped by during the crawl to show off a BEAUTIFUL poncho she made in DROPS Nepal in Fall colors.
This is perfect for the season, and you can make your own with this free pattern.
The original pattern is made with supersoft and fluffy Alpaca Boucle, but we love the look that Nepal produced for this garment!
Shop all our Nepal in our Webstore, or choose another worsted weight yarn to make your own poncho.
We first want to give a huge THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the crawl and to all of our amazing sponsors who provided prizes for the participants. We learned so much and can't wait to have future Yarn Crawls. If you missed it this year, be on the lookout for next year's event! It was a blast!
We also wanted to recap some of the fun that happened in our store during the crawl!
Joanna from Chic-a bags stopped by and we had all of her adorable print needle cases and project bags out on display for a Trunk show!
We carry a lot of Chic-a bags and will be expanding our selection after seeing a lot of new patterns we hadn't seen before!
Shop all our Chic-a bags in our Webstore.
Lena from Garnstudio also stopped in to give some expert pattern help for the DROPS patterns.
Find all our pattern books in our Webstore. And we now have the NEW Fall pattern books in stock! That is books 149, 150 and 151, plus a new Childrens book, number 24.
One of our favorite happy customers is also one of our speediest knitters. Eldra stopped by during the crawl to show off a BEAUTIFUL poncho she made in DROPS Nepal in Fall colors.
This is perfect for the season, and you can make your own with this free pattern.
The original pattern is made with supersoft and fluffy Alpaca Boucle, but we love the look that Nepal produced for this garment!
Shop all our Nepal in our Webstore, or choose another worsted weight yarn to make your own poncho.
Our first group of knitters that completed the Crawl!! They had a great time and we had a great time hearing about their fun day at each shop! Congrats ladies, and best of luck in the raffle!
Another great visitor to the shop this weekend was Tammy! We donated some yarn to Tammy a few weeks ago for The Red Scarf Project and she stopped by to show us the creations she made. These scarves are
donated to children in or leaving foster care, which is a great cause. Thanks Tammy! If you're interested in finding out more info about donating to this cause check out the Foster Care webpage here.
After the Crawl we are just swimming with ideas about new projects and variations on projects, so you'll see a new post about the fun stuff we have in the works SOON!
Until then....
Happy Crafting!
XO
Labels:
crafting,
drops design,
drops yarn,
event,
fall patterns,
free patterns,
fun,
garnstudio,
handmade,
inspiration,
knit,
nordic mart,
nordicmart,
patterns,
yarn crawl
Location:
San Luis Obispo, CA, USA
Thursday, September 19, 2013
We Love Lace
Knitting lace patterns can seem intimidating if you've never worked with them before. They often involve yarn overs and dropped stitches, which can seem a bit mysterious until you've mastered them.
We have the perfect pattern for those of you who have never tried a lace pattern and want to learn, or even those of you who just want a simple, interesting scarf pattern.
Instead of using very fine lace yarn for this, its easier to learn on thicker yarn or by holding yarn double.
DROPS Design 127-26 is made in its original version with Fabel, so it has some fun color variegation, but there are many different ways to make up this scarf. If you love the color changes and wash-ability of Fabel, shop all our colors in our Webstore.
If this pattern seems a little scary, watch these tutorial video to get some practice with these techniques:
Dropped Stitches Tutorial Video
Yarn Over Tutorial Video
In the store, we have a version made with two strands of Alpaca held together, which gives this scarf a cozier and bulkier feel. Holding two colors together also gives more of a tweed color effect to the scarf. Browse all our Alpaca colors if you like this looks of this scarf best.
And stuck on our needles currently is this same scarf made with Cotton Light and Glitter. Glitter is a great addition to hold along with thicker yarns to add to patterns you want some to have some pizzazz! It's a metallic and shiny thread in a variety of colors which adds sparkle without adding bulk. And usually just one bobbin of Glitter is enough for a whole sweater.
The Cotton applied to this pattern makes for a super soft and washable scarf. Doubled up on a cool fall day, this scarf is warm without being itchy or too hot. This is also the cheapest version of the scarf, since Cotton Light only runs $2.90 per skein. Take a look at our Cotton Light!

We have the perfect pattern for those of you who have never tried a lace pattern and want to learn, or even those of you who just want a simple, interesting scarf pattern.
Instead of using very fine lace yarn for this, its easier to learn on thicker yarn or by holding yarn double.
DROPS Design 127-26 is made in its original version with Fabel, so it has some fun color variegation, but there are many different ways to make up this scarf. If you love the color changes and wash-ability of Fabel, shop all our colors in our Webstore.
If this pattern seems a little scary, watch these tutorial video to get some practice with these techniques:
Dropped Stitches Tutorial Video
Yarn Over Tutorial Video
In the store, we have a version made with two strands of Alpaca held together, which gives this scarf a cozier and bulkier feel. Holding two colors together also gives more of a tweed color effect to the scarf. Browse all our Alpaca colors if you like this looks of this scarf best.
And stuck on our needles currently is this same scarf made with Cotton Light and Glitter. Glitter is a great addition to hold along with thicker yarns to add to patterns you want some to have some pizzazz! It's a metallic and shiny thread in a variety of colors which adds sparkle without adding bulk. And usually just one bobbin of Glitter is enough for a whole sweater.
The Cotton applied to this pattern makes for a super soft and washable scarf. Doubled up on a cool fall day, this scarf is warm without being itchy or too hot. This is also the cheapest version of the scarf, since Cotton Light only runs $2.90 per skein. Take a look at our Cotton Light!
Once you've mastered this lace pattern, you can make this adorable sweater with it!
Happy Crafting!
XO

Labels:
beginner,
colorful,
cotton,
crafting,
drop stitches,
drops design,
drops yarn,
easy,
fall patterns,
free patterns,
fun,
garnstudio,
handmade,
knit,
knitting,
nordic mart,
nordicmart,
pattern,
scarf,
yarn
Location:
San Luis Obispo, CA, USA
Monday, July 22, 2013
Hook Happy
It's nice to have good tools to use for your craft.
We carry a variety of crochet hooks, and I'm going to give you a quick tour of what we have in our Store!
Everyone has their own preference of size and material, and there are a few choices. We carry both wood and metal crochet hooks. Let me break it down for you.
1. Drops Small Steel Hook: These steel hooks are the smallest we carry and run for only $1.90 each. We have 0.75 mm to 1.75 mm in the steel hooks made by Drops, and they are 5" long. These hooks are great for doilies or very small crochet details. They can also be used to thread yarn through buttons or for picking up dropped stitches.
2. Prym Comfort Grip Hook: These metal hooks from brand Prym are great because they have a soft grip! Especially with the smaller hooks, it is great to have something more substantial to hold onto and a nice comfy surface for your fingers. These hooks start at $2.45 and come in sizes from 2.5mm (B) to 6.0mm (J)
3. Prym Metal Hook: We only carry this hook in one size, 6.5mm (K), and it does not come with a comfort grip style. It's still a great sturdy metal hook, and is only $2.45. Just a basic hook if you prefer simplicity.
4. Drops Metal Hook: Drops Metal Crochet Hooks are our most affordable option at only $1.90 each! They range in size from 2 mm (B) to 5 mm (H) and are made with lightweight Aluminum. This is a great go to hook, and you can get yourself the whole range of sizes for under $15 !!
5. Drops Wood Hook: Drops Hooks are made in Bamboo for their smaller hook sizes. Their bamboo hooks range from 4.5 mm to 12 mm and start at $4.50.
6. Knitter's Pride Wood Hook: These wooden hooks are great because they come in fun colors! Including yellow, pink, blue, green and purple, these hooks definitely are the most stylish from our group. They're a little pricier, ranging from $5.25 to $7.75 with increasing sizes from 3.5 mm (E) to 8 mm (L). The hooks are a little deeper on Knitters Pride Hooks than the Drops or Prym hooks, so the extra dollars can be worth it. The Knitters Pride Hooks also come in a set of 8 hooks, either with single ended hooks or Tunisian Crochet interchangeable hooks if you want more than one size.
7. Drops Bigger Wooden Hooks: The larger Drops hooks are made in Birch and run from 6 mm to 10 mm. They're just a simple hook, priced from $3.65.
8. Drops Plastic Glitter Hook: This hook is just fun. It only comes in 9mm and 10mm, so its for your chunkier yarns. The gold glitter is suspended in the plastic, and its just a cool hook to have. At only $4.40, why not add one to your hook collection?
If you're looking for some new crochet patterns to go with your favorite crochet hook, check out www.garnstudio.com for thousands of free patterns!
We carry a variety of crochet hooks, and I'm going to give you a quick tour of what we have in our Store!
Everyone has their own preference of size and material, and there are a few choices. We carry both wood and metal crochet hooks. Let me break it down for you.
![]() |
| Our hooks, ranging from smallest to largest, metal to wood/plastic |
1. Drops Small Steel Hook: These steel hooks are the smallest we carry and run for only $1.90 each. We have 0.75 mm to 1.75 mm in the steel hooks made by Drops, and they are 5" long. These hooks are great for doilies or very small crochet details. They can also be used to thread yarn through buttons or for picking up dropped stitches.
2. Prym Comfort Grip Hook: These metal hooks from brand Prym are great because they have a soft grip! Especially with the smaller hooks, it is great to have something more substantial to hold onto and a nice comfy surface for your fingers. These hooks start at $2.45 and come in sizes from 2.5mm (B) to 6.0mm (J)
3. Prym Metal Hook: We only carry this hook in one size, 6.5mm (K), and it does not come with a comfort grip style. It's still a great sturdy metal hook, and is only $2.45. Just a basic hook if you prefer simplicity.
4. Drops Metal Hook: Drops Metal Crochet Hooks are our most affordable option at only $1.90 each! They range in size from 2 mm (B) to 5 mm (H) and are made with lightweight Aluminum. This is a great go to hook, and you can get yourself the whole range of sizes for under $15 !!
5. Drops Wood Hook: Drops Hooks are made in Bamboo for their smaller hook sizes. Their bamboo hooks range from 4.5 mm to 12 mm and start at $4.50.
6. Knitter's Pride Wood Hook: These wooden hooks are great because they come in fun colors! Including yellow, pink, blue, green and purple, these hooks definitely are the most stylish from our group. They're a little pricier, ranging from $5.25 to $7.75 with increasing sizes from 3.5 mm (E) to 8 mm (L). The hooks are a little deeper on Knitters Pride Hooks than the Drops or Prym hooks, so the extra dollars can be worth it. The Knitters Pride Hooks also come in a set of 8 hooks, either with single ended hooks or Tunisian Crochet interchangeable hooks if you want more than one size.
7. Drops Bigger Wooden Hooks: The larger Drops hooks are made in Birch and run from 6 mm to 10 mm. They're just a simple hook, priced from $3.65.
8. Drops Plastic Glitter Hook: This hook is just fun. It only comes in 9mm and 10mm, so its for your chunkier yarns. The gold glitter is suspended in the plastic, and its just a cool hook to have. At only $4.40, why not add one to your hook collection?If you're looking for some new crochet patterns to go with your favorite crochet hook, check out www.garnstudio.com for thousands of free patterns!
You can find all our hooks to purchase in our Webstore!
Happy Hooking,
XO
Labels:
crafting,
crochet,
crochet hook,
crocheting,
garnstudio,
handmade,
hook,
hooks,
nordicmart,
products,
yarn
Location:
San Luis Obispo, CA, USA
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