Sale ends Monday, November 28, 2022 at 11:59pm Pacific Time
Some items are not discountable, including but not limited to subscriptions, yarn winders, and swifts
Winding service not available during this event
We are unable to combine orders
Limited to stock on hand
Makers’ Mercantile Showroom & Lounge is open to the public! Inside, you’ll find a good selection of yarns, notions, and products on display. We have room to seat 15 people comfortably in this bright, clean space. Bring your fiber projects and your friends!
The lounge is currently open the following hours:
Tuesday / Thursday 9am – 3:30pm
Check the calendar for updated or special hours
Customer Pickups
Looking to pick up your order? Park in one of our curbside pickup spots and gGive us a call at 206-747-7121. During Lounge hours, come on in if you wish - and ring the bell located in the lounge. We will bring your order to you!
Where is the Makers’ Mercantile Showroom & Lounge?
We are located at 8041 S. 180th St., Kent, WA 98032. Enter the building and walk down the hall to the right. You'll immediately see the Lounge to your right.
Visiting for the First Time?
If it's your first time visiting, Welcome! Ring the bell in the Lounge or call us and we will be happy to show you around the space.
Food & Drink
You are welcome to bring snacks/drinks into the room. We do ask that drinks have lids.
Yarn Winding
You are invited to use the yarn winder & swift in the Lounge. If you have yet to use these tools, let us know and we will be glad to show you how.
Placing Orders
In the lounge, you can see the colors and feel all the wonderful yarns, check out our notions, kits, and project bags, and even test out the needles and hooks.
When you are ready, you are welcome to use our computer to place an order. At checkout request curbside pickup, and then let us know you placed an order by calling or ringing the bell located in the lounge. We will process the order and bring it to you.
Questions? Need Help?
We are here! Give us a call at (206) 747-7121 or ring the bell. Someone from the Makers’ team will be happy to come help.
Join Ellen Thomas of The Chilly Dog for the September Makers’ Mercantile Knit-Along! Featuring Schoppel-Wolle's Lace Flower, the Chasing Butterflies shawl is a lightweight, simple lace pattern that takes full advantage of the 150 gram cake of yarn.
Want the pattern for free? Purchase our exclusive kit and receive a download code for the pattern for free!
Or purchase the pattern and use the yarn of your choice!
Project
Chasing Butterflies by Ellen Thomas shown in color #2403
Designed by Ellen Thomas of the Chilly Dog, Chasing Butterflies is a gorgeous one-cake shawl that celebrates the joy of lace. With its easy-to-remember repeats, enjoy the adventure as this lightweight project flutters across your needles.
We are so excited to invite you to join us for this KAL adventure! Choose your favorite colorway and get the exclusive kit, and be ready to cast on September 1, 2022. Ellen will join us in our Ravelry group to answer any questions you and the others might have all month long!
The Kit
The kits have sold out, but you can still get the yarn HERE
Schedule
July 29, 2022 Kits available for purchase
September 1, 2022 Pattern released
September 6, 2022 Makers' Night | Meet the designer
September 30, 2022 KAL officially ends
Remember to connect with other knitters on Makers' Mercantile Ravelry Group Page. The forums let knitters of all skill levels participate ... it's like having a knitting tutor 24/7!
Do I start from the inside or the outside of the cake?
The cast on point for the
Chasing Butterflies pattern is located at the center top of the shawl. If you work from the outside of the cake in, you'll have no problems at all with the yarn tangling as you work.
If you would like to begin with the color of yarn at the center of the cake, we encourage you to hand wind the yarn into a ball, beginning with the tail at the outside. Once wound (it's a project in itself but
easily done while watching tv, listening to music, or chatting with friends) you will have a sturdy ball of yarn ready to join you on the fluttery adventure.
Videos
Materials
Materials | Lace Flower by Schoppel-Wolle; 100% Superwash wool, 1312 yards / 150 gram cake |
Finished Sizes | 15-Section Shawl: 105" wingspan, 22" depth 12-Section Shawlette: 81" wingspan, 17" depth |
Needles | 3.50 mm (approx. US4) Skacel by addi© Rocket 40" circular needle, or size needed to obtain gauge |
Gauge | 24 sts x 44 rows = 4 inches in pattern |
Notions |
|
Yarn
Fiber Content | 100% Superwash Wool |
Yardage / Weight | 150 grams |
Care Instructions | Hand wash, lay flat to dry |
The 6th Annual 4 Day Knitalong hosted by Marie Greene of Olive Knits begins on July 1, 2022, and we couldn't be more excited! This year's pattern is named "Sailaway" and features a series of slipped stitches paired with fun 1-over-1 cables.
Super easy to knit, this seamless cardigan is worked top-down with suggested yarns in either DK or worsted weights and is offered in 9 different sizes.
To focus our efforts a bit, we selected Simpliworsted by HiKoo® as our featured yarn for this KAL.
At this point the colorwork is complete and we are "just swimming along" working our way through the body of the cardigan.
We hope you will join us! Read on to discover our limited-time special offer!
Enjoy 20% off Simpliworsted by HiKoo®, PLUS be among the first 150 customers to purchase 9 or more hanks and we will include the Sailaway cardigan pattern by Marie Greene, PLUS our exclusive Sailaway drawstring project bag as FREE gifts!
Offer good through June 19, 2022
You will receive a printed copy of the pre-order packet with your shipment. The pattern will automatically update in your Ravelry library, so just check your account first thing in the morning on July 1 to see the pattern update.
Also, join Marie Greene and folks from all over for the Cast-On Party live stream (details will be provided in the pre-order packet).
Use this chart to determine which size you'll make, and also to discover how many hanks of each color yarn you'll need.
Not sure which to put together? Simpliworsted has many options, including solids, multis, tonals and marled colors. Our team put together a few combos that might be inspiring to you.
We can't wait to see your color choices! Be sure to share photos of your progress on social media with the tags: #Oliveknits #Sailaway #Makersmercantile #4dayKAL
The possibilities are endless with this cowl by Kacey Herlihy. Mix it up with bold solids, softer tonals, funky tweeds, or even a hand-dyed with our Sueño Minis by HiKoo®. This is a great colorwork cowl for every level of knitter.
If you have never done colorwork this project is an easy one to learn. The Leftover City Cowl by Kacey Herlihy has simple colorwork stripes that allow you to get the feel for holding multiple strands but will also give you a break on the solid Stockinette Stitch sections. Other techniques that are suggested in the pattern are the German Twisted Cast on (this one is like magic once you figure it out) and a stretchy bind off which works really well for those who knit tightly.
We used the following DK weight minis (in this order, beginning at the bottom of the cowl):
1447 Reflecting Pool Tonal
1100 Natural
1602 Flying Fuchsia (the tweed!)
1199 Lemon
1150 Plum
Want to make a Leftover City cowl of your very own? Purchase 5 or more mini hanks now through May 1, 2022, and we will include the Leftover City Cowl pattern as a gift!
Our sample was knitted up in a DK weight using Sueño Minis by HiKoo® on size 6 and 7 needles. We only used 5 colors (but you can do more!) and made the cowl a bit shorter than the suggested 13". However, there was no alteration to the number of cast on stitches.
The possibilities are endless with this cowl. Mix it up with bold solids, softer tonals, funky tweeds, or even a hand-dyed with our Sueño Minis by HiKoo®. This is a great colorwork cowl for every level of knitter and can be worked up in a weekend!
While choosing your colors for this cowl, take a look at some of these other color combinations:
We hope you have fun making your very own Leftover City cowl! Remember to share photos of what you make - we love seeing your color combinations!
Curious about why a hand knitter might want to own an addiExpress Kingsize knitting machine? Here are 10 reasons this useful tool belongs in every hand knitter's collection:
The other day, we sat down with Hannah Mann, author of The Essential Guide to Machine Knitting to learn a bit more about the addiExpress Kingsize Knitting Machine and her incredible book.
MM: Thank you for taking time to chat with us today, Hannah! We are so excited about your book and want to know, what was the inspiration behind writing it?
HM: I became interested in making patterns with the addiExpress Kingsize once I discovered how easy it is to use, and how quickly it knits. I wasn’t finding exactly the kinds of patterns I was looking for out in the world and thought it could be beneficial to new and experienced addiExpress knitters alike to have a guidebook that included detailed instructions for finishing, embellishment, and modern patterns that were easily customizable.
HM: Both! But especially for newbies. This essential guide brings you completely up to speed on all things addiExpress—the history, the parts, how to cast on, bind off, embellish, do special techniques, all from the very beginning. And all 30 patterns are arranged with the most beginner-friendly at the start, all the way up to more advanced projects by the end. So, by the time you make it through to the end of the book, you’ll be an addiExpress Expert!
HM: Absolutely! Anyone can learn how to use the addiExpress knitting machines! Cast on is simple, and turning the handle is all it takes to knit round after round. No matter age or ability, the learning curve for the addiExpress is accomplishable by anyone willing to learn.
HM: Anything you can imagine! They can make tubes, flat panels, and you can increase and decrease just like with regular hand knitting. The online community of addiExpress knitters has also gotten ingenious with hand-manipulated alternative stitch patterns, as well.
HM: Generally, worsted weight is just the right size, but fiber content can make a big difference in your stitches per inch. Natural yarns usually work the best, because of their stretchy animal fibers, while acrylics and cottons tend to have less flexibility. The needles on an addiExpress Knitting Machine are about the equivalent of a US 10.5 [6.5mm] knitting needle. Weights from Lace to Aran will work in the machine, but each yarn is unique, and it is recommended to make a swatch before committing to a project with a new yarn.
Some of my favorite yarns available through Makers’ Mercantile® include:
HiKoo® Simpliworsted, Simpliworsted Spray, Simplinatural, Sueño Worsted, as well as Schoppel Reggae, Zauberwolle, and Nimbus, & Luv & Lee by Zitron (Click on any of the names to learn more about that particular yarn).
MM: One last question. With all the fluff and fuzz that might build up in a machine, how do you keep it clean?
HM: Keep some canned air on hand! After a few projects, take your addiExpress outside, hold it upside-down and spray as much as you can inside the top with the canned air. This will help get out any residual fibers that get caught inside while knitting. You can also disassemble your machine to spray out the inside, just be sure to keep track of all your screws so they don’t roll away!
I have done a number of videos demonstrating how to remove/replace parts on the addiExpress as well. Even if you don't need to replace any parts, they are a good resource to learn how the machine is assembled.
MM: Wow! What an accomplishment it is to have created such a comprehensive book. Thank you for taking time to chat with us today!
HM: My pleasure!
Interested in getting The Essential Guide to Machine Knitting with the addiExpress Kingsize by Hannah Mann? Click the link below to get your copy today!
We have arrived at our final destination - the sixth wrap made using the Hippie Galazie Weaving Works Kit.
Read about the previous projects:
It all started with a box of yarn……
which after 6 projects now looks like this:
This final project began with a black warp of doubled 8/2 cotton. Width on the loom was 15” with a length of 90”. Then came the sitting and looking at this completely blank canvas. Inspiration struck, I remembered seeing mini scratchboards that my Grandchildren were working with. Wow, this warp looks like a giant 15x90” scratchboard. How cool is that? Thinking of all those colors that could be lurking beneath the surface, sparked the idea of squares and rectangles, some connected and some becoming fringe on the sides of the warp. Why should the ends of the wrap have all the fringe fun?
For the planning on this project, after sketching and re-sketching, I used a string pattern marked at every 10” (see blog post number 3 for an explanation of a pattern string). Because I was down to small amounts of each color it was important to know each color would have its own space on the warp. The first supplementary color is color #1 and the design was planned to use each color in its own approximate 10” space. This was continued until color #10 was used. As you can see in the pictures some of the colors had fewer shapes in the design.
This wrap is woven with 8/2 cotton doubled with the Hippie Galaxie (HG) yarn as supplementary weft. Every weft pick is done with the 8/2 cotton, with an additional partial pick of the HG color. The partial pick will come up out of the warp and lay on top of the warp as you beat the pick. Change sheds and after a pick of 8/2 you will send the shuttle back into the warp and come out again on the other side of the supplementary design.
When you decide you want to add a fringe at the edge of the warp, you will need to leave a tail of about 6” each time you come to the edge. I used a narrow rectangle for each fringe with approximately 4 weft picks to give me 4 ends to twist into fringe.
Wrap Specifications
Off the loom: 14 ¼” x 75 ½” plus fringe
After Wet Finish: 13 ¼” x 70” plus fringe
Finishing
The ends are hemstitched and then trimmed to 2” for straight fringe after wet finishing.
I hope that this idea inspires you to try working with a supplementary weft. Enjoy and weave on, and on, and on…….
We are excited about the upcoming knitalong with skacel and Hannah Mann of Dear Ingénue! Running the entire month of November, join your fiber friends in knitting the Winter Roses pullover!
For a laid-back sweatshirt feel with a fun tri-color motif, this ultra-cozy sweater is knit in the round—from the top-down—so you can try it on as you go! The circular yoke and body are embellished with bands of bold colorwork and textural garter stitch ridges.
Knit in HiKoo® Simplinatural—a smooth, fluffy, aran-weight yarn, featuring a sumptuous blend of baby alpaca, fine merino wool, and mulberry silk.
The free pattern offers two neck variations, as well as a full-length or cropped-length body. Charted and written instructions are available for the colorwork.
Winter Roses is available in 5 different sizes with two neck and two length options (cowl neck or crew neck & full length or crop length).
Want help choosing colors? Keep scrolling to see some great options selected by the designer!
Purchase 5 or more hanks of Simplinatural, and we will send the Winter Roses Notions Bag as
our gift to you!
Offer good through 10/31/21
Sizes
1 (XS-S) - 2 (M-L) - 3 (XL-2XL) - 4 (3XL-4XL) - 5 (5XL)
IN INCHES
Bust Circumference: 32 (40, 48, 56, 60)“
Cropped Underarm to Hem: 8”
Full-Length Underarm to Hem: 12.75 (13, 13, 13.5, 14)”
IN CENTIMETERS
Bust Circumference: 81.5 (101.5, 112, 142, 152.5)cm
Cropped Underarm to Hem: 20.5cm
Full-Length Underarm to Hem: 32.5 (33, 33, 34.5, 35.5)“
Model shown is a 40” (101.5cm) bust wearing size 2 (M-L)
| SIZES | 1 (XS-S) | 2 (M-L) | 3 (XL-2XL) | 4 (3-4XL) | 5 (5XL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MC | 4 hanks | 4 hanks | 5 hanks | 6 hanks | 7 hanks |
| CC1 | 2 hanks | 2 hanks | 3 hanks | 3 hanks | 4 hanks |
| CC2 | 1 hank | 1 hank | 2 hanks | 2 hanks | 2 hanks |
| Total | 7 hanks | 7 hanks | 9 hanks | 10 hanks | 12 hanks |
COWL-neck / CROPPED-length
| SIZES | 1 (XS-S) | 2 (M-L) | 3 (XL-2XL) | 4 (3-4XL) | 5 (5XL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MC | 3 hanks | 4 hanks | 5 hanks | 6 hanks | 7 hanks |
| CC1 | 1 hank | 2 hanks | 2 hanks | 2 hanks | 2 hanks |
| CC2 | 1 hank | 1 hank | 1 hank | 1 hank | 2 hanks |
| Total | 5 hanks | 7 hanks | 8 hanks | 9 hanks | 11 hanks |
CREW-neck / FULL-length
| SIZES | 1 (XS-S) | 2 (M-L) | 3 (XL-2XL) | 4 (3-4XL) | 5 (5XL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MC | 4 hanks | 4 hanks | 5 hanks | 6 hanks | 7 hanks |
| CC1 | 1 hank | 2 hanks | 2 hanks | 2 hanks | 3 hanks |
| CC2 | 1 hank | 1 hank | 1 hank | 1 hank | 2 hanks |
| Total | 6 hanks | 7 hanks | 8 hanks | 9 hanks | 12 hanks |
CREW-neck / CROPPED-length
| SIZES | 1 (XS-S) | 2 (M-L) | 3 (XL-2XL) | 4 (3-4XL) | 5 (5XL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MC | 3 hanks | 4 hanks | 5 hanks | 6 hanks | 6 hanks |
| CC1 | 1 hank | 2 hanks | 2 hanks | 2 hanks | 2 hanks |
| CC2 | 1 hank | 1 hank | 1 hank | 1 hank | 2 hanks |
| Total | 5 hanks | 6 hanks | 7 hanks | 9 hanks | 10 hanks |
Gauge: 20 sts & 24 rows = 4” 10cm in pattern
Smaller Needles: 16” (40cm) and 32” (80cm) US 8 (5mm) skacel by addi® circular needles, and DPNs for sleeves if not using the Magic Loop Method
Larger Needles: 32” (80cm) US 9 (5.5mm) skacel by addi® circular needles, and DPNs for sleeves if not using the Magic Loop Method
Notions: Stitch marker, Tapestry needle, Scissors
Still exploring how many wraps can be made out of one Hippie Galazie Weaving Works Kit, the adventure continues with the FIFTH wrap!
Read about the previous projects:
Hello and here we are again. Another wrap? Although it really does make a beautiful wrap, this time I thought we needed another option. How about some stripes for your table?
Once again, this fabric was made using the Hippie Galaxie magic box of yarn. This is the fifth piece from the box. When I started warping my loom there was a loose plan on the size of the stripes. This will vary depending on how much yarn you have left in each color. Planning out the stripes on graph paper will help, you know how many ends your heddle will hold and how many colors you can use. This piece was woven on my Ashford RH 16” loom. The total number of ends are 159 using a 10 dent heddle on this loom. I highly recommend that you note how many ends each of your heddles will hold. This will help you in your design process.
Remember to add the color Black (8/2 cotton doubled) to the number of ends you are calculating.
Warping the Loom:
Warp Length 90”
Width on Loom: approximately 15 1/4” in a 10 dent heddle with a total of 156 ends
This photo shows the final stripe sequence.
The width of the color stripes is controlled by the amount of yarn I had left. There was a lot of scribbling and warping and unwarping before I was happy with the stripe sequence. At times when I am trying to design a pattern, the loom is my design board. Maybe that sounds like more work than designing on paper, but it helps my process to use the materials that will create the final fabric.
There are several ways to go about putting the stripes on the loom. You can start at the center and design out from there or begin on the right or left edge. Remember this is your project and my ideas are just that, ideas and there is no right or wrong. Your thoughts and ideas may lead you in a completely different direction. Just remember to keep your notes, as these will help inspire you on future adventures.
Tying on your Warp:
For this piece I wanted fringe at each end. When I had the heddle threaded and ready to tie on, I used the simple tying on to the apron bar method. That gave me the option of using the fringe or not. I did hemstitch after spreading the warp. This would give me the option of twisted fringe or just trimming the ends, leaving 1 ½” length of straight fringe on each end.
You may not want long fringe on a table runner, since that can lead to messy accidents if the fringe catches on something or someone or possibly a curious and fun-loving cat or dog.
Another optional finishing technique would be turning under the end twice and hemming either by hand or machine. You could also use a contrast fabric to finish the end and turn under one time and stitch.
Hemstitching:
Hemstitching the ends can be done while the piece is on the loom or after you have removed the piece from the loom.
The picture above shows hemstitching done with a single thread of 8/2 cotton. The next picture shows the hemstitching done with 8/2 cotton doubled.
Weaving the Stripes:
The entire piece is woven with black 8/2 cotton doubled.
Measuring and Finishing:
On the loom this piece is 90” x 15 1/4”
Off the loom and after wet finish the piece measures 70 ½” x 14 ½” with an additional fringe length of 5”
The table in the photo, when opened completely measures 60”.
Enjoy using your beautiful stripes! And……weave on and on…….
Coming soon…….Galaxie Scratch Board Wrap, project number six.
