Fresh summer yarns
Mini scarves for spring
Your favorite: Forté needle set
You can find all Maschenfein pattern here
{Saturday Coffee & Net Talk}
April and May are simply wonderful ... It always feels like one public holiday follows another. Which is why this week was another short week - and who knows: maybe one or two of you will have a long weekend. That would be something!
Have a wonderful morning with your Saturday coffee! There are new knitting ideas here again today - first and foremost a fresh Maschenfein design (which you've been waiting for!). In addition, there are webtalk and a hint of a great Maschenfein event, which will hopefully mark the start of many more. Make yourselves comfortable and have fun reading!
Let's go to the movies
Perhaps some of you have already come across it in the media. Or you've even been there: a movie screening exclusively for knitters. The highlight is the light, which is only dimmed but not turned off. Not to mention meeting up with like-minded people and watching a movie while knitting!
All the more reason for us to look forward to our first maschenfein cinema screening, which we have organized together with Nina-Celine from Knitmates. The tickets have arrived at the warehouse and the pre-sale can start!
Photo / graphic: ©️ Stine Wiemann / Maschenfein
You, us and Bridget Jones
Photo: ©️ Ines Grabner / Maschenfein
The screening is on May 24, 2025 at the Astor Film Lounge on Ku'damm in Berlin. It starts at 10.30 am with nice conversations and getting to know each other in the lounge of the movie theater. We will then watch Bridget Jones - Crazy for Him together from 11 am. The price includes a welcome drink. If you like, you can also order a special neck lamp when you buy your ticket, which you can put around your neck for knitting. I also have one of these and don't want to be without it, especially when knitting in the evening!
Which of you are we meeting in Berlin? And pssst - if the time doesn't suit you or Berlin is too far away: We are already looking for cooperation partners in other German cities!
This is what you wished for
Which of you is currently knitting our Mother's Day shawl Romy? I'm right in the middle of it - in the truest sense of the word. From our sampler knitters and Frodo himself, I have adopted the term Middle Earth for the middle section, which - let's be honest - requires a bit of patience. 304 rows have to be knitted first! But it took the companions a while to get to Mordor and instead of Gollum we have a beautiful shawl waiting for us - that's something!
Nevertheless, we knew that you wanted a small version of Romy. Which is why we've already been working on a mini version - and as of this week, pattern and matching knitting kits are available in the store! As with her big sister, you can choose between Como Cashmere and Como - both from Lamana!
Photo: ©️ Maschenfein
Works in no time
Photo: ©️ Maschenfein
You knit Romini from one end to the other. After the cast-on, increases are worked to the final width of the middle section before continuing in a straight shape (Middle Earth in small). Decreases ensure that the shawl becomes narrower again towards the end. The magic unfolds through the crochet braids, for which you drop marked stitches and then crochet them up again.
The final scarf has an approximate length of 130 cm. So you can wrap it around your neck once or just put it on loosely and tie a knot - just as you like it. It is also possible to shorten the middle section individually. We have written down how to do this so that the crochet braids sit correctly at the end in the pattern.
What goes perfectly with small scarves?
With the Romini mini shawl - and all the other cute mini shawls you can knit - you'll be perfectly equipped for the coming months. I have now carefully stowed away my cozy winter shawls in a drawer with lavender bags and cedar wood balls to protect them from moths. Instead, I now like to wear small scarves and shawls that can be wonderfully combined.
For me, they go perfectly with long-sleeved shirts. So it's more than practical that some (striped) designs have moved back into our home as knitting kits or as individual pattern. I always associate stripes with sun, beach and sea. So how about knitting a striped sweater and complementing it with a matching mini shawl?
Photo: ©️ Rosa P.
Photo: ©️ Rosa P.
The Aarven longsleeve by Rosa P., a classic Breton shirt with a nautical flair, definitely fits my style.
Knit from the top down with a saddle shoulder. In the knitting kit you will find Rike's original yarn: Semilla Melange from BC Garn. However, with a gauge of 22 stitches per 10 cm, you have a wide range of options. So if you can't wait for the next delivery, you can also choose Como from Lamana, for example. Or how about Kosho and Washi from Ito? Merino, cashmere, paper and viscose go perfectly with this model.
Even more stripes
I've brought you three more striped designs for this coffee - including one of my all-time favorites: the Jules Sweater by Paula_m.
The striped sweater with three-quarter sleeves is also knitted from the top down. The pure cotton yarn Ica from Lamana is used. And you know what? It's been on my knitting list since it came out (five years now!). I think I'll have to make it happen this summer.
The Ida Tee from PetiteKnit, on the other hand, is still fairly new. With its short sleeves, it has a summery flair, but with its choice of yarn (as in the original, you will find Cashmere Classic from Cardiff in our knitting set) it is also something for cooler summer days.
The Ceallaigh Vest from kolibri by johanna is a completely different take on stripes. With diamonds on a vest, Johanna picks up on two trends at once and brings a piece of retro to your needles - but in a chic way! She works from the top down with Tynn Silk Mohair from Sandnes.
A basic piece for the summer
Photo: ©️ Carolin Balmes
What always inspires me are simple designs that simply suit pretty much every occasion. Ricarda's summer tee by Carolin Balmes is definitely a new addition to this series.
You work the stockinette stitch shirt from the top down. The cables give the shirt an elegant and feminine look. You can combine it chic or casual - both work wonderfully. I was very pleased with Carolin's choice of yarn: She knits with Perla from Lamana. The yarn consists of 60% cotton, 25% alpaca and 15% silk. It's a dream - both on the needles and on the skin. I promise!
Webtalk: new photos of Lamana
À propos Lamana: We have received new photos for some of the great yarns from the Bielefeld-based manufacturer. You can now find updated color images for Cosma, Ica, Perla and Piura. Please note, however, that the colors may vary depending on your screen settings. But we'll do our best and if you have any questions about color combinations, please send us an email (support@maschenfein.de)!
To give you the right ideas for these yarns, I have brought you four knitting designs. Take a look:
Photo: ©️ Ines Grabner / Maschenfein
I've often raved about our maschenfein Perla Cardigan, but it simply has to be included in this series. As the name suggests, you're knitting with Perla here.
The Top Brit by Lamana is worked in Cosma. The great original shade is basalt blue, by the way. As there are no sleeves to knit, you will be finished in no time at all.
Anyone looking for a practical bag should take a look at the Everyday Bag from Paula_m. Ica makes it hard-wearing and also goes quickly over the needles.
And because Maschenfein is not maschenfein without shawls, I have also brought along the Lera shawl as an example for Piura. Here you combine the pure alpaca yarn with Premia (silk/mohair). Since both are from Lamana, the color palette is also well coordinated.
Maschenfein knitting round
You can see summer feelings and a first finished Mother's Day shawl in this week's Maschenfein knitting round:
Happyellla has finished the Ankers Summer Shirt from PetiteKnit. It is knitted with Line from Sandnes. For me it is one of the summer pieces par excellence. It knits up well and wears even better!
I discovered one of the first finished Mother's Day shawls at Michaela's. She knitted our Romy shawl with Como from Lamana and I can tell you: We are so happy about your finished knitted pieces, but also about every single project progress. Our Knit-Along officially runs until Mother's Day - but as always, we don't stress about knitting.
The picture definitely motivates me. As described at the beginning, I'm currently in Middle-earth with Romy and will stay there this weekend. Patience is required and that's what I'm practicing now. Have a lovely weekend with lots of knitting time!
About Sophia
I'm Sophia, live in Hannover and since October 2020 I've been taking care of the blog posts, the newsletter, planning the podcast and coming up with actions for social media. By the way, I also happen to be a knitting addict, which benefits me at work.
Show all posts by Sophia
6 comments
I have been subscribing to their newsletter for several years now and have been waiting in vain for designs that are knitted from the bottom up. I don't like this top-down reversal and in most cases it doesn't fit well either. I would be very happy if the tried and tested were given another chance.
Dear Marina, every now and then I present designs that are knitted from the bottom up. However, many of our customers now like to knit from the top down because you can check the length and fit while knitting and adjust it if necessary. I've had a look on Ravelry for you and set the filters accordingly. Maybe there's something there for you: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/search#pc=cardigan%7Cpullover%7Ctops&pa=bottom-up&language=de&sort=recently-popular&view=captioned_thumbs Best regards, Sophia
After reading the esteemed newsletter, the Romy shawl was also quickly completed here!
Concert-friendly anthracite requires anti-cyclical knitting in bright daylight... but the fact that the wool is so fine that I'm already finished... there's a lot to be said for adding the mini version now.
Thank you so much for this lovely design!
Dear Barbara, how great that you also like Romini so much! I can't wait to see which color you choose! Best regards, Sophia
Good morning! Cinema knitting has finally started for you too! This is my favorite place to knit, more precisely the lovingly run cinema Kronberger Lichtspiele. We've been there three times already, the last but one time Bridget Jones was on, the next time on May 20th is "The Penguin of My Life".
I wish you all a happy knitting season
Silke from Hofheim am Taunus
Dear Silke, how nice that you like knitting movies so much! Have fun knitting and watching! Best regards, Sophia