Koigu is always on the move with Kersti flying back and forth between Alberta and Ontario, Taiu travelling the country (and beyond) for tradeshows, and of course our yarn travels daily to get to yarn shops across the globe!
Koigu Classic Feature: Charlotte's Web Shawl
Three amazing things arrived in the world in 1998: Kersti and I (her cousin) were born 2 days apart and then the Charlotte’s Web Shawl arrived shortly after! Maie, the founder of Koigu Wool Designs, was asked to design a simple shawl and, not knowing the rules of knitting with lace, she used some variegated lace merino ends she had lying around and got to work. This had pretty much not been done before as it was an unspoken rule that classic lacework should always only be in solid colours.
Little Kersti modelling the Charlotte’s Web.
Maie began to knit a shawl in a simple lace pattern but got creative by interchanging the variegated colorways. Once the shawl was done she sent it off to be published and thought no more of it. But the response to the pattern Charlotte’ Web was wild! People all over just HAD to make it. It was later published in Wrapped in Color as well as in Knits from a Painters palette.
The pattern is now legendary among knitters. The shawl uses five different variegated colorways, each one eased into the next in whichever amounts you wish to add your own style to it. The Charlotte’s Web has been reinnovated in counteless different ways in different yarns and colourways to give it new life. It is often now knit in KPPPM fingering weight instead of lace weight. It’s simplicity and timelessness has lead to the pattern being made over 900 times on Ravelry and countless times before.
Since the original pattern was designed with ends, the Charlotte’s Web is a perfect project for Koigu pencil boxes! Ten 25g skeins are a perfect replacement for five 50g skeins and you can get even more creative with the colour.
Charlotte’s Web knit from the River Run pencil box.
Have you made a Charlotte’s Web? We would love to see it.
Tag us on Instagram @koiguwool or Facebook and we’ll share it on our story!
Marji's Yarn Crafts - LYS Koigu Story Series
The Marsh - Koigu Collector Colour
The Koigu Wall - Koigu Collector Colour.
Koigu Collector: February
Koigu Christmas Cookies
Custom Colourway for Sewickley Yarns: Ms Tillie!
Where Does the Name Koigu Come From?
Koigu Destination Yarn Shops!
Our Koigu Travel guide for your next exotic knit-cation!
Having a Local Yarn Store nearby that you frequent almost exclusively is the best! You know exactly where all of your favourite yarns are (like Koigu, of course), the shop owner knows your name and asks how your most recent project is coming along, etc. So lovely!
But what if you're going on a trip, you want to explore, and you still need your dose of Koigu yarn shops and fiber cuddling?!
We have Koigu all over the world and so many of our shops are in beautiful locations! Here a handful of them, along with a stunning spot to include in your trip to each city with a Koigu yarn shop!
Gaspereau Valley, Nova Scotia Canada
~ Shop: Gaspereau Valley Fibres ~
Gaspereau River (Photo via Narcity) Amazing place to go lazy river tubing, exploring in the hills and more!
Ketchikan, Alaska
~ SHop: The Hive on the Creek ~
View of Ketchikan by the water (Photo via Fine Art America).
Tongass National Forest is right nearby...
Jersey, United Kingdom
~ Shop: Fig Tree Yarns ~
Elizabeth Castle (photo via Jersey.com) just a ferry ride off of Jersey Island to get to this stunning tudor castle.
Jersey is known for its beaches, cliffside walking trails, inland valleys and historic castles.
Barcelona, Spain
~ SHOP: Club de la Aguja ~
Inside of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona! (photo via Condé Nast Traveler) Beautiful, massively intricate church that has been constantly added to since 1882.
Tokyo, Japan
~ SHOP: AMirisu: Walnut ~
Jungle cruise at Tokyo Disneyland (Photo via D23.com).
Taringa & Brisbane, Australia
~ Shop: Yarn Glorious Yarn ~
Water view of Brisbane, a few miles from Taringa, home of Yarn Glorious Yarn.
Nanaimo, British Columbia Canada
~ SHOP: Mad about Ewe ~
Twinklling sky in oceanside Nanaimo BC. (Photo via tourismnanaimo and @coryschadt )
Get adventuring, get inspired, get knitting!
Love,
Koigu
Koigu Collector's Club: July: RAKU Process
The Koigu Collector’s Club is a monthly limited edition, one-of-a-kind themed colourway of KPPPM hand dyed by Taiu Landra, Co-owner of Koigu Wool Designs. Created exclusively for LYS’s that carry Koigu and have become part of the inaugural group of Koigu Collectors! Each dyelot only has 21 skeins ever available, with a specialty label so you can spot it quickly in your LYS!
Canada Day Long Weekend!
Colourways Inspirations
Behind the Scenes: Canada 150 Yarns
Landscape Inspirations
The Koigu farm is nestled down a side road in Southern Grey County Ontario, Canada. The farm's landscape of rolling hills, pond, bush and fields create a beautiful canvas for creation. One of the many reasons why Maie Landra originally purchased the farm 45 years ago was the inspiration she drew from it, whether that be for her pen and ink drawings, tapestries or even the begining of the dying process. Colour and inspiration can be felt throughout the Koigu Farm and area.
Canada's celebration of 150 years has put a spotlight on the beautiful and varied landscape which Canada is built on.
Translating a landscape to canvas or even the painting of yarn is up to the creator's interpretation. We have gathered photos together which we believe show the most iconic and stunning aspects of our farm, many of which are sunsets! It’s easy to see Koigu’s surroundings reflected in our yarns, colours and garments.
Throughout this year we have seen an amazing display of Aurora Borealis in unusally accessible parts of the northern hemisphere, giving many of us a new appreciation for the Northern lights. This month’s collector colourway, POLARIS, is inspired by the bright colours of the northern lights surrounded by the night sky full of stars.