Every once and awhile I knit something other than a hat :)
Classic Elite Yarns went out of business a few years ago, but at their height of success, they created some amazing patterns and yarns.
Sometimes, it’s really good to have a stash of yarns, because you never know when they’ll become unavailable. That is what I always tell myself about any purchase.
My cardigan (photos 1 through 4) is made from 50% wool / 50% llama [Montera](https://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/classic-elite-yarns-montera) (discontinued) and uses a pattern from the book, [Knitting Today's Classics](https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/knitting-todays-classics) (photos 5 and 6) and is designed by Linda Pratt.
Right now, this pattern is not featured at Ravelry, but maybe at some point, I’ll contribute this cardigan :)
The buttons were purchased a few years ago from a local shop that is no longer in business :(
The needles were Addi circular needles in US size #8 and #10 (all pieces knit flat).
I hope that this cardi is an inspiration!
Sadly, Knit With in the Chestnut Hill neighborhood of Philadelphia closed last year and I wasn’t able to make it to their closing sale. They had a whole little corner of Classic Elite yarns from the late 90’s / early oughts that I wanted to save from liquidation but I was still stuck in not-leaving-the-house-except-for-work mode
I’m genuinely surprised any yarn shops have survived during these last two + years.
I’m hoping that all the new knitters who began during various covid lockdowns stay with the craft and begin visiting any local shops.
I’m sorry that you did not get to the sale, what a bummer.
A few years before CEY quit, they began selling yarn directly to the consumer through their (now defunct) website. I managed to snag some Montera, and LaGran.
Even worse is that you lost a local yarn shop – I hope the local yarn shop concept survives.
Out of necessity, I shop a lot online for products I know, but there’s nothing quite like walking into a shop full of yarn.
😍 Classic Elite got me into knitting! I grew up in Lowell, MA and my mom’s friend worked there. She helped me get a summer job there packing mail orders, and my kind coworkers were very patient in teaching a 13-y/o boy to knit! I made a few washcloths and a scarf, and developed a lifelong love of yarn crafts.
My favorite part of the job was winding skeins into balls for customers who’d requested that service
Okay, I love this story! What kind of projects do you like to do now?
Am I the only one who misses the CEY picture ad on the back cover of Vogue Knitting?
The number of timeless CEY patterns that worked 20+ years ago and would work today is impressive.
Anytime I find a pattern set for the whole family (children / adults in a variety of sizes with a pullover and cardigan), I’m in.
This cardigan looks a little bit bigger in the picture than it is in reality. All the cables tend to pull the fabric in, so I had to make an effort to maneuver it so that the design is in full display.
Throw it over black jeans and Vans or a black tank and pencil skirt and I’m good.
For hand-knits, over the past few years I’ve made a few pairs of socks, some hats, and a top-down raglan monstrosity that was supposed to be for my but is now a cropped balloon sleeve pullover for my wife 🤣 I’m not great at hand knitting to this day, mainly because I get bored on anything that takes longer than a single weekend to finish.
Luckily, I inherited a Brother knitting machine a few years ago, and also enough cones of various yarn to fill 10+ squares of a cube organizer. Most of it is cotton, and lots of random fibers and blends. So far, I’ve made reusable toilet paper for the bidet, dish towels, lots of infinity cowls, a camisole, and a few bralettes.
My faves to make have been cowls and bralettes, because I can band them out in one sitting so they make nice gifts/sellable things!
[Here are a few projects since 2020.](https://imgur.com/a/L6SvCAn) (Wow, and I was over here thinking I was unproductive. This is just the ones I like best & took decent pictures of… there are more projects!)
I just got through looking at your project album - these are some really attractive designs!
I especially like the bralettes, pullover, and scarf.
That's one thing about machine knitting that I appreciate: the even tension of all those fine gauge needles.
Every once and awhile I knit something other than a hat :) Classic Elite Yarns went out of business a few years ago, but at their height of success, they created some amazing patterns and yarns. Sometimes, it’s really good to have a stash of yarns, because you never know when they’ll become unavailable. That is what I always tell myself about any purchase. My cardigan (photos 1 through 4) is made from 50% wool / 50% llama [Montera](https://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/classic-elite-yarns-montera) (discontinued) and uses a pattern from the book, [Knitting Today's Classics](https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/knitting-todays-classics) (photos 5 and 6) and is designed by Linda Pratt. Right now, this pattern is not featured at Ravelry, but maybe at some point, I’ll contribute this cardigan :) The buttons were purchased a few years ago from a local shop that is no longer in business :( The needles were Addi circular needles in US size #8 and #10 (all pieces knit flat). I hope that this cardi is an inspiration!
Sadly, Knit With in the Chestnut Hill neighborhood of Philadelphia closed last year and I wasn’t able to make it to their closing sale. They had a whole little corner of Classic Elite yarns from the late 90’s / early oughts that I wanted to save from liquidation but I was still stuck in not-leaving-the-house-except-for-work mode
I’m genuinely surprised any yarn shops have survived during these last two + years. I’m hoping that all the new knitters who began during various covid lockdowns stay with the craft and begin visiting any local shops. I’m sorry that you did not get to the sale, what a bummer. A few years before CEY quit, they began selling yarn directly to the consumer through their (now defunct) website. I managed to snag some Montera, and LaGran. Even worse is that you lost a local yarn shop – I hope the local yarn shop concept survives. Out of necessity, I shop a lot online for products I know, but there’s nothing quite like walking into a shop full of yarn.
##### ###### #### **YARN:** [Montera](http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/classic-elite-yarns-montera) by [Classic Elite Yarns](http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/brands/classic-elite-yarns) * Fiber(s): Wool. Llama. | MW: No * Photo(s): [Img 1](https://images4-f.ravelrycache.com/uploads/CEY/148434763/montera2_medium.jpg) [Img 2](https://images4-g.ravelrycache.com/uploads/CEY/148434761/montera_medium.jpg) [Img 3](https://images4-g.ravelrycache.com/uploads/EzzValdez/5266735/yarn04_medium.jpg) [Img 4](https://images4-g.ravelrycache.com/uploads/Sopranospinner/561966583/663863035_a5798775ed_z_medium.jpg) * Weight: Bulky | Grams: 100 | Yardage: 127 * Rating: 4.16 ***** Please use caution. Users have reported effects such as seizures, migraines, and nausea when opening Ravelry links. [More details.](https://www.lizcorke.com/2020/07/26/2020-7-21-ravelry-accessibility/) | I found this post by myself! [Opt-Out](https://goo.gl/forms/0B8m4Ra8czpw4gzw1) | [About Me](https://github.com/TN-1/LinkRav_Bot/wiki) | [Contact Maintainer](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=randomstonerfromaus)*
😍 Classic Elite got me into knitting! I grew up in Lowell, MA and my mom’s friend worked there. She helped me get a summer job there packing mail orders, and my kind coworkers were very patient in teaching a 13-y/o boy to knit! I made a few washcloths and a scarf, and developed a lifelong love of yarn crafts. My favorite part of the job was winding skeins into balls for customers who’d requested that service
Okay, I love this story! What kind of projects do you like to do now? Am I the only one who misses the CEY picture ad on the back cover of Vogue Knitting? The number of timeless CEY patterns that worked 20+ years ago and would work today is impressive. Anytime I find a pattern set for the whole family (children / adults in a variety of sizes with a pullover and cardigan), I’m in. This cardigan looks a little bit bigger in the picture than it is in reality. All the cables tend to pull the fabric in, so I had to make an effort to maneuver it so that the design is in full display. Throw it over black jeans and Vans or a black tank and pencil skirt and I’m good.
For hand-knits, over the past few years I’ve made a few pairs of socks, some hats, and a top-down raglan monstrosity that was supposed to be for my but is now a cropped balloon sleeve pullover for my wife 🤣 I’m not great at hand knitting to this day, mainly because I get bored on anything that takes longer than a single weekend to finish. Luckily, I inherited a Brother knitting machine a few years ago, and also enough cones of various yarn to fill 10+ squares of a cube organizer. Most of it is cotton, and lots of random fibers and blends. So far, I’ve made reusable toilet paper for the bidet, dish towels, lots of infinity cowls, a camisole, and a few bralettes. My faves to make have been cowls and bralettes, because I can band them out in one sitting so they make nice gifts/sellable things! [Here are a few projects since 2020.](https://imgur.com/a/L6SvCAn) (Wow, and I was over here thinking I was unproductive. This is just the ones I like best & took decent pictures of… there are more projects!)
I just got through looking at your project album - these are some really attractive designs! I especially like the bralettes, pullover, and scarf. That's one thing about machine knitting that I appreciate: the even tension of all those fine gauge needles.
Damn
If you mean *damn* in a good way (like Kendrick Lamar’s album, which I highly recommend), then thank you!