Silver Bling! Metal Clay class

Posted by Alex in Classes, Crafts

Precious metal clay- probably one of the coolest shortcuts known to craft-kind. And our pal Karie’s going to show you how to use it to make some awesome jewelry!

Pretty cool, right?

Silver Bling!
$20 With Karie Galvin
Looking for that special finishing touch on your hand knit project? Come design and create some hand crafted bling for your string. Use the simple process of molds and stamps to create your one of a kind gem with pure silver clay. Pieces are dried and then fired in a kiln at the end of class.
Date/Time: Saturday, Feb 11, 1:30-3:30pm
Materials: $20 material fee payable to teacher includes use of over 135 design stamps, pure silver clay and allows you to create one of the following: 1 large piece, 2 medium pieces, 4 small pieces or 1 medium and 2 small pieces.
Skills learned: Working with precious metal clay.

If you want to get your bling on, just drop by the shop, call us at 503-922-1150, or email at class@twistedpdx.com!

Mazama Shawl

Posted by Emily in Knitting, New Product, Patterns

This shawl was originally published as part of Twisted’s Shawlette Club in November 2011. Now it’s available to everyone either in our shop or on our webstore!

Designed by Chrissy Gardiner of Gardiner Yarn Works.

This nature-inspired shawlette features three different lace leaf motifs and is named after Mt. Mazama, the ancient mountain that exploded to form southwestern Oregon’s spectacular Crater Lake. Your finished object will be just as stunning!

This design has several fun details: a knit-on border, a subtle swallowtail shape with two points at the bottom edge instead of one, and a small peak at the back of the neck. Worked as written, this petite shawlette uses a single skein of sock yarn. However, it can easily be expanded into a full-size shawl with extra yarn simply by adding additional pattern repeats.

Yarn: 400 yards fingering weight yarn. Sample shown in one skein of Black Trillium Fibre Studio BFL Sock Yarn (100% superwash merino wool; 400 yards/366 meters per 115 gram skein), colorway Portland Rose.
Gauge: 24 st = 4” in stockinette. 24 sts/38 rows = 4″ in body pattern un-blocked.
Needles: US #5/3.75mm circular needle, 24” or longer.
Notions: Stitch markers, tapestry needle.
Skill level: Intermediate.
Size/Finished measurements: 20″ tall x 44″ wide, measured after blocking.

Buy your copy today either in our shop or from our web store for $6.

Rose City Yarn Crawl 2012

Posted by Shannon in Events, Local Products

How very lucky are we to live in Portland and have access to the rich variety of crafty shops and folks that the Rose City has to offer? To add even more to Portland’s awesomeness, preparations are in full swing for the 2012 Rose City Yarn Crawl! If you’re not in Portland, isn’t now a great time to plan a vacation?

19 shops. 4 days. 20 amazing prize baskets. 19 Rose City Yarn Crawl patterns. Over 30 sponsors. What a great way to spend the first weekend in March. Every shop will be open from 10am-6pm Thursday through Sunday (at least. Twisted will be open regular hours for the entirety of the RCYC).

We’ve got an active Facebook page (hop over and “like” the RCYC!) There will be tweets galore in coming days, so follow the Rose City Yarn Crawl on Twitter – @rosecitycrawl (and use the hashtag #rcyc like crazy). Head over to Ravelry and join in the discussion. And most of all, Save the Date, Mark Your Calendars, and make sure your coast is clear for March 1-4, 2012, because, seriously, you do not want to miss this crawl!

Entrelac!

Posted by Alex in Classes

Entrelac is a neato, faux-basket-woven effect you can achieve in your knitting with a little fancy short row action. The word “Entrelac”, I believe, comes from the French word for “cool looking and much easier than you think.” Something like that, anyway.

Come learn this fascinating technique with the entrelacingest gal we know, Ms. Michele Bernstein!

Entrelac
$20 With Michele Bernstein
It looks so complicated, but it’s simpler than you think. You’ll learn all about base and finishing triangles, side triangles, left and right leaning rectangles, and best of all, how to purl back backwards without turning your work. Amaze and astound your friends, look clever, and knit up a pretty piece of interlaced knitting! We’ll knit a sample piece that you can continue as a scarf or sew up to use as a small bag.
Date/Time: Monday, Feb 6, 6-8pm
Materials – either bring your own or before/during class get 20% off on: 240 yards worsted or DK weight yarn with a long slow color change, like Crystal Palace Mochi Plus, or two coordinating colors of worsted weight yarn. 16” circular needles in the appropriate size for your yarn (It will be easier to learn with a thicker yarn.)
Includes: Athena Cowl pattern by Michele Bernstein. (We will NOT be working on this cowl in class, but it will be a great next step for your new entrelac skills!)

Like to sign up or get more information? Give us a call at 503-911-1150 or email class@twistedpdx.com!

Blackberry Brambles

Posted by Emily in New Product, Patterns, Socks

Maybe it’s the grey days and some mild scurvy setting in… but I’m totally craving berries right now. The other night for dinner, no joke, I ate a huge bowl of mixed berries (ok, and custard)!

So how incredibly perfect that Carrie from Irish Girlie Knits just sent us this new pattern of hers called Blackberry Brambles! The berries travel down the sock on their brambles. Add this to colorways with names such as Mochaberry and Ripe for Pickin’, well, enough said.

Gauge: 30 sts and 48 rows = 4” over st st

Finished measurements: 8” (9 ½”) foot circumference; 6” approximate leg length

Materials: 380-400 yards of fingering weight yarn such as The Plucky Knitter Merino Cashmere Nylon fingering, Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock lightweight, Hazel Knits Artisan Sock, Kollage Yarns Sock-a-licious, A Verb for Keeping Warm Creating.

Needles: Size US 1.5 (2.5mm) or size to obtain gauge, either DPNs or circular needles.

Notions: Stitch markers, tapestry needle.

Skill level: Adventurous beginner.

Pattern includes: Instructions are written for a cuff-down sock. Charts are provided on the last page.

Pick up a copy of Blackberry Brambles for $6 either in our bricks and mortar shop or from our web store.

Closing early tonight

Posted by Shannon in Twisted Hours/News

Twisted is closing early tonight for a staff training event, so make sure you get here before 5pm! We’ll be open regular hours again starting tomorrow. Hope your Sunday is full of fiber and fun!

Brioche Class

Posted by Alex in Classes

Mmmmm brioche. No, not the pastry kind. The yarny kind! It’s like ribbing on steroids- the squooshiest lil’ stitch you’ll ever meet! And much easier than it looks, especially with Parna leading the way.

Brioche Stitch
$40 with Parna Mehrbani
Want to learn the secret behind the lovely looking brioche stitch? This class will cover the basic technique involved in brioche, and also provide you with an easy beginner brioche pattern to help you practice this new stitch.
Date/Time: Saturdays, Jan 28 and Feb 4, 12:30-2:30pm
Materials: Worsted weight yarn and needles to match. You will need yarn for practicing the brioche stitch, and also yarn for your hat.
Includes: “Heartbreaker” pattern by Alexandra Tinsley.
Homework: Please do a stockinette stitch swatch in your hat yarn before class.

Want more info or to sign up? Give us a ringy ding at 503-922-1150 or email class@twistedpdx.com.

Hmm, is anyone else hungry now?

Intro to Circular Needles/Make a Hat!

Posted by Alex in Classes

The most wonderful thing about hats, is that hats are wonderful things! Their tops are made out of decreases, their bottoms are made out of…rib-bings! And don’t get me started on circular needles! Was there ever a more fantastic invention? I don’t think so, but you be the judge:

Intro to Circular Knitting/Basic Hat
$40 With Michele Bernstein
Learn to knit a basic stocking cap in the round on circular and double-pointed needles.
Date/Time: Thursdays, Jan 26 and Feb 2, 6-8pm
Materials: DK, worsted, aran, or chunky weight yarn, 16” circular needle and set of DPNs of size to match.
Includes: Ann Norling Head Huggers hat pattern
Skills learned: knitting in the round on circular needles and double-pointed needles, decreasing, reading a pattern.

Baby, it’s cold outside. Protect that pretty noggin! To sign up or get more info, call us at 503-922-1150 or email class@twistedpdx.com.

Weather delay possible

Posted by Emily in Twisted Hours/News

Yes, it’s true. Once again it is snowing. (Truth be told, I’m stunned every time it happens here.)

In the event that weather conditions make travel unsafe for our staff, Twisted may open late tomorrow morning. Any delays will be posted on our blog, facebook, and twitter.

Thank you for understanding!

update 1/18 at 8am: it’s not snowing and we’ll be open!

Learn to Crochet

Posted by Alex in Classes, Crochet

So maybe knitting’s not for you (blasphemy, I know! But sometimes it’s true!) Or maybe you just want to add a snazzy new fiber skill to your repertoire (and some cute crocheted flowers onto your knits!) Either way- Elaine’s back with another Learn to Crochet class!

Learn to Crochet / Crocheted Flowers
$30 with Elaine Marcus
No prior crochet knowledge needed! Class project is small crocheted flowers.
Date/Time: Thursday, Jan 19, 5-8pm
Materials: Size H Susan Bates Quicksilver crochet hook
Includes: Yarn for project, TNNA Learn to Crochet booklet
Skills learned: Chain, single crochet, double crochet

Pretty!!

To sign up, give us a call- 503-922-1150, or email us at class@twistedpdx.com!

2310 NE Broadway, Portland, OR 97232     *     503-922-1150     *     info@twistedpdx.com