Holla Knits Blog Tour: Heraldry + Giveaway!

We're thrilled to be today's stop on the Holla Knits! Spring/Summer 2014 blog tour!

Our Shasta worsted yarn is the perfect choice for Allyson Dykhuizen's Heraldry sweater, shown here in London Blue and Blue Topaz. Shasta is a 100% superwash merino yarn, making it an easy-care choice for any garment.

Heraldry features one of our favorite motifs: chevrons! It's perfect for layering - just throw it on to transition from work to play, or belt it for a more polished look.

Enter our Giveaway!
We're giving one lucky blog reader a chance to win 1 skein of Baah Shasta worsted (our choice), a Holla Knits! Spring/Summer 2014 pattern of their choosing AND a Lavishea lotion bar in the winner's choice of scents!

Click here to sign up for our newsletter and enter this giveaway!

Be sure to check out the rest of the Holla Knits! Spring/Summer 2014 blog tour:

April 7: Collection Launch

April 8: The Sweatshop of Love Blog

April 9: ModKnits Yarn Blog

April 10: Skeinny Dipping Yarn

April 11: Kirsten Singer

April 15: Canary Knits

April 16: Baah Yarns

April 17: Knitter’s Pride Blog

April 18: DovieJay Knits

April 22: Mari Knits

April 23: Magical Grammar

April 24: Knit York City

April 25: Under the Red Umbrella

Springtime Shawls + Yarn Crawl LA

Spring is finally here! We know that some parts of the US have experienced a more hash winter than others, but it's probably safe to say that we're all equally excited to spot signs of spring - and sock yarn shawls are certainly in that category!

There is currently a KAL happening for Grace Akhrem's excellent new Striped Tooth Shawl design, which uses two colors of our La Jolla yarn (shown here in Byzantine Gold and Orange Amber).

The Sisley Shawl by Mindy Wilkes is worked from the bottom up using a beautiful modified Estonian lace pattern - plus, it can be worn as either a scarf or wrap! It's shown here knit up in our vibrant Candy Pink colorway.

Leila Raabe's Florin Triangle Shawl (shown here in Masala) will be available exclusively at Unwind during the upcoming Los Angeles Yarn Crawl from April 3-6, 2014 - you can also visit the Baah Pop-Up Shop while you're there! If you can't make it to the crawl, don't worry! This pattern will be available for purchase on Ravelry beginning April 7th.

Speaking of the LA Yarn Crawl, we are looking forward to sponsoring this year's fun-filled event! There will be pattern exclusives, raffles and prize drawings, plus workshops and other exciting events, too. Click here to get your free passport - we hope to see you soon!

Work in progress Wednesday:
I've started a new shawl.....Ashburn....by Melanie Berg.  Am so in love with knitting it!.....just can't put it down. I'm using 2 skeins of Baah La Jolla in Black Pearl and Grey Onyx.  I started with the first third of the shawl with Black Pearl and I am now using the Grey Onyx for the 2nd third.  Stay tuned for more of my works in progress.....

Stitches West, Ka-POM-along + LYS spotlight

We're looking forward to Stitches West next week! There will be not one but TWO exciting trunk shows in the Yarnover Truck booth (#1146) - be sure to stop by to check out the Baah Yarn and Fickle Knitter trunk shows! Stitches promised to be a yarny good time, so we hope to see you there!

Have you joined in the Ka-POM-along? There is plenty of time to choose your favorite colors of Shasta Worsted to knit this adorable hat during the Holla Knits KAL (or #HKKAL)! Click here to see which colors designer Mari Luke has chosen to use for the KAL over on the Mari Knits blog; you can get more details on this KAL event (which runs through May 3) here in the Baah Yarn Ravelry group!

LYS Spotlight: Abuelita's Kniting & Needlepoint
Earlier this month, the Baah Yarn trunk show made a stop at Abuelita's Knitting and Needlepoint in Pasadena. As you can see, the shelves are well-stocked with Baah in La Jolla, Sonoma and Shasta!

The folks at Abuelita's set up this colorful tasting station featuring our yarns:

And there were plenty of pattern samples to try on:

Many thanks to our gracious hosts for a fun event! 

New Year’s Knitting Resolutions + KALs

Annie O'Day by Amanda Rios
Sample is knit with 2 skeins La Jolla
in My Sweet Valentine

Happy New Year! We hope everyone had a great holiday and that 2014 is off to a wonderful start. This is a great time of year to assess your crafting and decide what your goals are for 2014: Are you just starting your knitting or crocheting journey? Would you like to learn how to read charts or knit cables? Is there a type of project you've been wanting to make, but you just haven't had the confidence to cast on? We'd love to hear what your knitting and crocheting aspirations are for the new year - and we'd like to help you make them happen! We're always adding to our Tips, Techniques and Tutorials board on Pinterest; you can also read this guest post about swatching for your sweater project or check out this elastic cast-on tutorial video featuring our yarn for a little inspiration and encouragement!

Whatever you resolve to try in the new year, we hope that so-called 'selfish' knitting also makes the list! As wonderful as it is to make projects for those in need or loved ones, it's important to also treat yourself to a special project using a yarn you love. We'd like to invite you to knit along with us in the Baah Yarn Ravelry group, where we are hosting a come-as-you-are KAL for the Annie O'Day shawl pattern; the largest size uses two skeins of our La Jolla yarn, or you can opt to knit the smaller size using just one skein of La Jolla! And, of course, there is a chance to win a yarny prize for participating!

KaPOM hat by Mari Chiba

Be sure to mark your calendars for the Holla Knits KAL, which starts on Monday, February 3! You can choose any Holla Knits pattern to knit along (click here for more information); we recommend the KaPOM Hat by Mari Chiba, which uses 3 colors of Shasta Worsted to make a cute bonnet-style hat that's perfect for warding off the next polar vortex! Everyone who finishes their KAL project by May 2 will win a free Holla Knits pattern of their choosing, plus they will be entered to win grand prizes (including some Baah yarn)!

Thanks for joining us this month; we look forward to making 2014 our yarniest year yet!

Winner + Winter Knits with Baah Yarn

The holiday countdown is reaching critical mass, but we've got plenty of new project ideas for you this month for  last-minute gifting emergencies and 'selfish' knitting in the new year! First, we'd like to congratulate Elsha, aka sixcraftsunder on Ravelry, our winner for the KaPOM hat giveaway from last month's Holla Knits Blog Tour post. We've contacted Elsha to arrange for the delivery of her prize, 3 skeins of Shasta Worsted and a PDF copy of the KaPOM hat pattern!

Winter Knits with Baah Yarn Corrina Ferguson's Debouillet, the seventh (and final!) shawl of the Seven Sheep eBook, uses just one skein of Baah! La Jolla yarn.   Form + Function Socks by Stefanie Goodwin-Ritter are quick-knitting colorwork socks using just 2 skeins of our superwash La Jolla yarn.    Two Hands Make a Star by Mari Chiba Luke is the final installment in the Two Hands series. It's a quick project to knit in Sonoma DK!    The Berlin Cowl by Stefanie Goodwin-Ritter is a one-skein project you can whip up in one weekend! The statement cable is easy to work amidst a garter stitch background; choose your favorite color of Shasta Worsted to start knitting! Last but not least, we've got a free cowl pattern to knit with 2 skeins of Shasta held together to work at a larger gauge. The Winter Alps Cowl is a quick-knitting chunky cowl that will keep you warm all winter long! Click here to download a free PDF on Ravelry. More Exciting News! We're pleased to be a part of December's KnitCrate subscription box for sock yarn lovers!  Keep your eyes on our Facebook, Ravelry, Twitter and Pinterest accounts for the project and yarn reveal. While everything is still top-secret, we can tell you that there will be a KAL starting on December 27 for anyone wishing to indulge in a little post-holiday 'selfish' knitting!  Even if you aren't a KnitCrate subscriber, you will still be able to participate as the pattern will be available on Ravelry beginning December 15 (again, we'll keep you posted on Facebook, Ravelry, Twitter and Pinterest). There will also be a giveaway, so stay tuned!

KaPOM! Hat + Giveaway

We're thrilled to be today's stop on the Holla Knits Accessories blog tour - thanks for joining us! Our new Shasta Worsted was used to make the KaPOM hat by Mari Chiba, and we'd like to give you a closer look at this holla-worthy design PLUS a chance to win three skeins of our Shasta Worsted to knit a KaPOM hat for yourself!

While swatching with our yarns and using various stitch pattern and color combinations, Mari was inspired to create a bonnet-style hat which would be an updated version of the earflap hat. It's simple to knit, beginning first with a brim which is knit flat, then joining to be knit in the round for the colorwork crown.

This adorable bonnet is a fresh update to the earflap hat, and it's also a great way to give colorwork knitting a try. On windy days, you'll be thankful for the braided i-cord ties which will keep your ears warm - and we can't think of a better way to stay stylishly toasty than a colorful hat topped with a cheerful pom pom!

It's also a great last-minute project to make for someone special on your gift-knitting list. Our easy-care superwash merino yarn is a great choice for gift projects since you won't have to worry about the gift recipient accidentally felting your wearable work of art!

Click here to visit the Holla Knits blog for more inspiration & giveaways this month.

For your chance to win three skeins of our Shasta Worsted, leave a comment on this post telling us which three colors you'd use to make your own KaPOM hat! Be sure to also mention your email address or Ravelry ID so that we can contact you if you are the winner of our giveaway. We'll randomly select one lucky person to announce on our next blog post on December 12. Thanks for stopping by!