KOIGU MAGAZINE
速
issue 5
Happy 20 years of Koigu ! Koigu has been very busy this past year. Twenty years has passed, since introducing our KPPPM (Koigu Painter’s Palette Premium Merino) and KPM( Koigu Premium Merino) and the popularity of these yarns continue to grow. Many of you maybe new to Koigu and many have a stash of P105 or have a vintage skein of dyelot #1, we all share the enjoyment of knitting that one exciting colour or the discovery of mixing up and combing colours togther. If you have a happy Koigu story or enjoyment please post your story on the Koigu facebook page we would love to share it with others. We celebrated the occasion by having 20 knitters knit a 10” square from KPM or KPPPM. It has been a joy to combine them into a one - of -kind tapestry collage. (pictured on back page) Koigu Bulky Merino has been a great fall winter quick knit treat. The yarn has been knit into many designs in this issue of the Koigu Magazine.
there are moments
layers of soft cloud
Koigu Magazine 5 features dresses, sweaters and other interesting items, such as Rhapsody in Colour, knit from 120 mini skeinettes. We have designs for the novice to the more experienced knitter, hope you find something that interests you in 5.
bursts of intense colour
It is like Christmas when we receive the garments from the designers, they were a great group to work with on this magazine. Thank you for your contributions.
around our hearts
Happy Knitting The Koigu Team
Koigu
®
magazine Issue 5
Contributors: Anniki Leppik, Unjung Yun, Linda Morse, Kathy Merrick, Melissa Leapman, Janice Sumpton, Barbara Brown, Rhonda Fargonoli, Laura Zukaite, Angela Muhlpfordt, Carol Sulcoski, Ellen Smout, Charles Voth, Mary Beth Temple, Brooke Nico, Elke Schroder, Emilie Trimbee, Morgan Williamson, Kersti Landra, Maie Landra, Taiu Landra How to reach us for editorial, or pattern questions Email: koigumagazine@gmail.com For advertising and marketing - Taiu Landra 1-888-765-WOOL Email koiguwool@gmail.com Manufactured and printed in Canada Koigu® Magazine, Issue No.5 Offices are Box 158, Chatsworth, Ontario, N0H1G0 Canada www.koigu.com ©All rights reserved. 2013 No part of this magazine may be copied or reproduced by any means without written permission from Koigu®. Recommended price - Single copies $12.95 US and Canada
that wrap twist
infusing
raison d’etre Judy Lowry
Design and colour for 20 years!
K
oigu, 20 Years of Colour!
It has been such an amazing year for me to work so closely with the talented and gracious women of Koigu. Maie, Taiu and Kersti are productive, diligent and dedicated to their brand. They continue to apply the same vision and high standards on which the company was founded 20 years ago, and they are committed to making customers happy by bringing colour into their world everyday. The beautiful hand painted yarns always take my breath away, as if it was the first time I ever saw them. At many of the TNNA shows that I attend
with Taiu, I can be overheard expressing my love in the KPPPM language! In this issue we have included comments from shop owner, Linda Morse of String, NYC and noted knitwear designer, Kathryn Merrick, who also express their passion for everything Koigu. I am delighted to bring the garments of Koigu to
trunk shows throughout the country. I have recently ventured to several shops where the universal reaction was enthusiasm and excitement on the part of customers and shop owners alike. I love to hear stories of when knitters bought their first skein and see proud customers wearing their own Koigu creations to one of our events. I enjoy educating knitters about this beautiful yarn and the endless possibilities of “painting” with their own palette and creating a unique colourstory. Taiu continues her commitment to education by supporting creative programs at Rhode Island School of Design in the new Hand Knitting Design Certificate Program where I serve as faculty advisor and primary instructor. Taiu has supported our class projects which were featured at VK Live last year and again has donated factory ends of yarn for student designers to use in class assignments. She intends to further assist and encourage our novice designers by publishing some of their work in future Koigu Magazines. I hope to see you on the road at one of our Koigu Birthday events. Stop in, celebrate with your LYS and add a little Koigu colour to your life! Rhonda Fargnoli
W
hat I Love About Koigu Yarns
The first time I saw Koigu PPPM was when a yarn store colleague brought back single skeins from the Koigu Ladies’ first Stitches East outside Washington DC. I had never seen yarn like it! It was totally original in its exciting, artistic handpainted colorways. At the time, no other yarn company made any-
thing like KPPPM-- I was flabbergasted by the short shots of gorgeous color and the odd bits of unexpected hues. My colleague couldn’t figure out what to do and so gave me those six or eight skeins. Knitting with them was pure joy and I’ve since experienced the happy color of more than 500 skeins and been lucky enough to see thousands of skeins in their woolshed in Northern Ontario. What stays with me, besides the genius of the color choices, is the way Maie and Taiu see their work as art. Everything they do is geared toward making Koigu yarns as rich, colorful, unusual and specific as one of Maie’s extraordinary paintings. After all these years I am still excited by the possibility of what genius color combination might be contained in an unopened box of Koigu wool, or a retailer I’ve never visited or Maie’s next amazing painterly design. And I still recall my first sight of the Oriental Jacket at Stitches East that was so inspiring I ran down the aisle to the Koigu booth to see and touch it. How did she get so much color into a garment in such a pleasing, interesting, brilliant way? I feel fortunate to have been able to see that
jacket, many of Maie’s other beautiful pieces and shelves and shelves of solids, stipples and multis up close. Even though a lot of other handpainters and dyers have come along since that first show, no one has ever outdone what Taiu and Maie set out to do-- make their yarns and designs real works of art.
Linda’s shop String is the exclusive source for Koigu Cashmere offered in a unique palette dyed in the company’s signature style. Linda has collaborated with Taiu to create this luxurious fingering weight yarn. In addition, String carries an extensive line of Koigu including Kersti, KPPPM and KPM, Mori and Bulky.
Kathy Merrick
W
e’ve yet to meet a knitter who doesn’t love it! Not surprisingly, Linda Morse’s favorite thing about Koigu yarn is the incredible color. She first encountered Koigu at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival where the company was exhibiting. Linda remembers thinking the yarn was like nothing she had ever seen, and today she still holds to that opinion. An LYS owner in New York City, Linda has stocked Koigu’s collection for as long as she can remember but constantly refreshes her inventory. Koigu’s combination of color and fiber is unsurpassed in the industry, in Linda’s estimation. The extensive palette allows her to create a color story as fresh and contemporary as the next season’s Pantone colors. Linda’s customers love Koigu and know how to create a beautiful, painterly effect with the yarn. Each finished piece is truly a work of art.
Linda sings the praises of Koigu on her shop website: “KPPPM is the most beautiful handpainted yarn we’ve ever seen. We’ve yet to meet a knitter who doesn’t love it! KPPPM makes wonderful shawls, lace, socks and is perfect for lighter sweaters. We especially like it with a strand of lace cashmere held together.” Linda is passing along her passion for Koigu to her granddaughters. The girls love the yarn and the beautiful sweaters their fashionable, fibersavvy grandmother has knitted for them. Linda Morse
1. MERMAID in Mori - Design by Maie Landra
2. LEAVES DRESS in KPPPM & KPM - Design By Unjung Yun
3. CONTRASTS 2 in KPPPM Design By Maie Landra
4. THERESA in KPPPM - Design by Melissa Leapman
5. EMPRESS in KPPPM & KPM - Design by Janice Sumpton
6. FLOWER BUD in KPPPM & KPM - Design by Unjung Yun
7. BRIDGETTE DRESS in KPPPM - Design by Maie Landra
8.SEXY DRESS in Sexy Buffalo Wool Co/ Koigu Design By Brooke Nico
9. FANTASIA DRESS in KPPPM Design By Maie Landra
10.RHAPSODY IN COLOUR in KPPPM - Design By Maie Landra
11. KNICKERBOCKERS in KPPPM & KPM - Design By Elke Schroeder
12. CIRCLES in KPM - Design By Angela Muhlpfordt
13. LITTLE FANTASIA in KPPPM - Design By Maie Landra
14. REAL CHARM in KPPPM - Design By Maie Landra
15. KERSTI’S FIRST DRESS in KPPPM - Design By Maie Landra
16. LOLA in Kersti - Design By Melissa Leapman
17. LACE SLEEVED SWEATER in KPPPM - Design By Laura Zukaite
18. EVERYDAY VEST in Kersti - Design By Maie Landra
19.STRIPED CAP SLEEVE TOP in KPM - Design By Laura Zukaite
20. VICTORIA JACKET in Kersti - Design By Janice Sumpton
21. CROCHET LACE TOP in Kersti - Design By Charles Voth
22. LACE VEST in KPPPM Design By Mary Beth Temple
23. GREY BULKY MERINO SWEATER in Koigu Bulky - Design By Maie Landra
24. TAMARA in Mori - Design By Melissa Leapman
25. STARRY FLOWERS in KPM - Design By Unjung Yun
26. KOIGU BULKY IN REDS HAT & COWL in Koigu Bulky Merino - Design By Kersti Landra
27. MORI COWL in Mori - Design By Laura Zukaite
28. TABITHA SHAWL in Kersti - Design By Melissa Leapman
30. KOIGU BULKY MERNIO MITTENS in KoiguBulky - Design By Maie Landra
29. OPERA GLOVES in Sexy Buffalo Wool Co/ Koigu Design By Barbara Brown
31. ROMANTIC LACE in KPPPM - Design By Anniki Leppik
32. KOLN HAT & COWL in Koigu Bulky Merino- Design By Kersti Landra
KPPPM & KPM Koigu Painter’s Palette Premium Merino (KPPPM) and Koigu Premium Yarn (KPM)are spun from the finest merino sheep in the world. Plied for durability, this lightweight wool is soft, silky, and retains the natural elasticity of merino. An extremely versatile yarn, the Premium Merino is celebrated by fiber artists around the globe. Ideal for both hand knitting and crochet, as well as machine knitting, weaving and needlework; this yarn is perfect for creating dresses, slippers, sweaters, shawls, blankets, hats, and gloves... the list could go on forever! KERSTI Koigu Kersti Merino Crêpe is a luxurious DK weight yarn. Tightly spun into a crêpe, which increases the natural elasticity and loft of the merino, Kersti is a perfect yarn for garments and accessories such as sweater, skirts, hats, and scarves. The high twist of this yarn gives it a crisp, lively feel and highlights the soft, plush texture of the merino. Kersti is available in a beautiful array of magnificent hand painted variegated colorways, as well as an incredible palette of semi-solid hues that are hand dyed to perfection.. BULKY Koigu Bulky Merino Spun from the highest quality merino wool, Koigu Bulky is a sumptuously soft 2ply yarn and perfect for cozying up with when the weather turns cold. Ideal for quick projects such as hats, cowls mittens and slippers, Koigu Bulky works up into a thick, plush fabric that will hold in the heat when Jack Frost starts nipping at your nose. MORI Koigu has now a wool and silk combination to compliment KPM and KPPPM. “ Mori” is spun of the finest merino sheep and best of mulberry silk, plied for remarkable endurance. It is lightweight, soft and silky to wear. The 50% merino and 50% mulberry silk yarn. Mori is elegant with a beautiful drape and silky lustre. The yarn is prefect to knit dresses, sweaters and shawls. It can be used with all Koigu KPM and KPPPM patterns. SEXY “Sexy” by The Buffalo Wool Co. is a captivating combination of bison down and silk - a lusciously soft combination. Dyed by the color masters at Koigu, the colors are gorgeous and highly saturated, and the silk adds a bit of sheen to this exotic lace weight yarn.
KOIGU DYING:
Art such as Koigu’s hand painted colorways doesn’t happen overnight. From start to finish, it takes three days to create a finished dye lot, and each one is a unique work of art -no two are ever exactly the same. There are many forces that can influence the final outcome of a dye lot: the personality and mood of the artist painting the yarn, feeling and thoughts, the weather, temperature and seasons. Dye lots are small, consisting of just one kilogram of wool (roughly 20 skeins ). The yarn is carefully painted, subjected to heat to fix the dyes, then rinsed and hung on rods to dry. Once the wool has dried, it is reeled into 50g skeins, twisted and labeled with a colour number and dye lot number
Knitting & Crochet Abbreviations
Approx = approximately Beg = beginning Blo = in back loop only (crochet) BO = bind off brk = brioche knit; knit st that was slipped in previous row together with its YO C4F = slip next 2 st onto cable needle, hold in front, k2, C6F = slip 3 sts onto a cable needle and hold at front of work, knit next 3 sts from LH needle, then knit 3 sts from cable needle then k2 st from cable needle. C4B = slip next 2 st onto cable needle, hold in back, k2 C6B = slip 3 sts onto a cable needle and hold at back of work, knit next 3 sts from LH needle, then knit 3 sts from cable needle then k2 st from cable needle. CC = contrasting colour Central Double Dec = Slip first and second stitches together as if to knit. Knit 1 stitch. Pass two slipped stitches over the knit stitch. Ch = chain CL (cluster) = Worked over 3 sts. Pass the 3rd st on left-hand needle over the 1st & 2nd sts and off needle, k 1st st through back loop, yo, k 2nd st through back loop Cm = centimetre Cn = cable needle CO = cast on Cont = Continue Dec = decreasing dc = double crochet Dpn = double pointed needles Extended single crochet (esc) = insert hook in indicated sp/st, yo, pull up loop, yo, pull yarn through 1 loop, yo, pull yarn through 2 loops. Foll = follow g = grams Inc = increasing Inc 1st = increase one stitch as follows; knit into front and back of same stitch on RS, purl into back and front on WS. K = knit Kfb = knit into front and back of same st, one st increase Ktbl = knit through back loop Klf&b = knit into the st. But leave on left needles, then knit through the back loop of the same st & slip the original st. off the needle ksp = k1, sl 1, pass slipped st over knit st (Continued at the back of Magazine)
Knitting & Crochet Abbreviations Continued
K2tog = Knit 2 stitches together. K3tog = Knit 3 stitches together as one. LH = left-hand LT-Left Twist = with Right-Hand needle behind the Left-Hand needle, skip one stitch and knit the second stitch in back loop; then insert right-hand needle into the backs of both sts (the skipped stitch & the second stitch) and k2tog-b. Lp = loops M = marker M1 = make one ( increase 1st by lifting strand between last st. Worked and next st on left hand needle, place lifted strand on left hand needle, knit into back loop of lifted strand.) M5 (Make 5) = (K1, YO, K1, YO, K1) in same st: 5 sts made in one stitch MB = make bobble: knit into stitch, leaving it on the left-hand needle, *yarn over, knit into original stitch again, repeat from * two more times – seven stitches from one stitch. Knit the stitches together through the back loops on next row. MC = main colour mm = millimeter M1 p-st = make 1 purl stitch Oz = ounces Pat = patterns Pm = place marker Psso = pass slip stitches over Pu = pick up P2tog = Purl 2 stitches together P5tog = Purl 5 stitches together rd = round(s) Rem = remaining Rep = repeat Rh = right-hand Rs = right side RT-Right Twist = K2tog, leaving sts on left-hand needle; then insert right-hand needle from front between the two sts just knitted together, and knit the first stitch again; then slip both sts from needle together. Rnd = round sc = single crochet Selv st = Selvage stitch SKP = slip 1 , knit 1 , pass over SK2P = slip 1 , knit 2 , together, pass sl st over the K2 together S2KP = slip 2 , knitwise knit next st pass 2 slipped sts over knit st 2 st decrease. Sk = skein
Sl = slip sl1k = slip 1 st as if to knit. Sl st = slip stitch
Knitting & Crochet Abbreviations Continued Sl 1 wyib = slip 1 knitwise (with yarn at back) Sl 1 wyif = slip 1 purlwise (with yarn in front) Sm = slip marker SS-= selvedge stitch Ssk- (ssp) = slip,slip,knit (purl). Slip 2 sts lengthwise (purl wise) , one at a time to right- hand needle. Into front of these sts from left to right and knit (purl) them together to decrease on st. St = stitch , sts = stitches St st = stockinette stitch T = pick up the wrap, knit the wrap and the stitch together T4B = (twist 4 back) sl next 2 sts onto cable needle & hold in back, knit next 2 sts from left needle, then purl sts from cable needle T4F = (twist 4 front) slip next 2 sts onto cable needle & hold at front, purl next 2 sts from left needle, then knit sts from cable needle Tbl = through back loup Tog = together tr = treble crochet Twist k = Take RH needle behind first st and knit into back of second st; knit first st; slip both sts off LH needle. Twist p = (RS) Skip the first st, knit into 2nd st, then knit skipped st. Slip both sts from needle together. (WS) Skip first st, and purl the 2nd st, then purl the skipped st. Slip both sts from needle together. W = wrap stitch and turn w & t = wrap and turn Ws = wrong side Wyib = with yarn in back Wyif = with yarn in front Yd = yards yf-sl-yo = sl 1 st purlwise, yarn over; bring working yarn under needle to front, sl next st purlwise, then bring yarn over needle (and over slipped st) to back. This slipped st/yarn over is treated as 1 st. yo = yarn over Yo2, yoy = Wrap yarn over needle twice, knit 1 and purl 1 into double yarn over on next row. sl1-yo-f = slip 1, yarn over, yarn to front; with working yarn in front, slip next st purlwise, then bring yarn over needle (and over slipped st), then back to front and under needle, into position to purl next st. This slipped st/yarn over is treated as 1 st. () = repeat directions in brackets as many times as indictaed 2x2 rib = (K2, P2) repeat till end. 1x1 rib = (K1, P1) repeat till end.
Mitered square Practice for Rhapsody in Colour
20 years of Koigu KPPPM & KPM