Hot Chocolate & Knitting Festival!

Baby it's COLD outside!  Escape the icy chill that is February in NYC at City Bakery's Hot Chocolate Festival & Night of Knitting. Join Brooklyn General Store's own Catherine Clark & Mary McKenzie for a night of chocolate-themed knitting workshops and dinner, including beer, wine and hot chocolate, of course.

Brooklyn General Store’s contribution to the event is this little guy, a marshmallow man designed by Mary, our Felting and Toy Knits classes teacher:

City Bakery's Hot Chocolate Festival & Night of Knitting

Thursday, February 18 @ 7 PM 

The City Bakery

3 W. 18^th Street 

Tickets: $30

Purchased in advance at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/96164 or at the door on the night of the event. 

Admission price includes: all-you-can-eat dinner, all-you-can-drink hot chocolate, beer and wine, and access to five knitting workshops and one demonstration:

How to Knit a Marshmallow Man (Brooklyn General Store)

Yarn Spinning Demonstration (Downtown Yarns)

How to Knit a Hot Chocolate Cozy (Gotta Knit)

How to Knit a Marshmallow Hat (Knitty City)

How to Knit a Chocolate Bar Coaster (Purl Soho)

Beginner Knitting (Wool and the Gang)

Hope to see you there!

Finishing the Sweaters

What a great couple of weeks it has been at the shop! The in-store 25%-45% off sale is in full swing, and EVERYONE seems to have just completed a sweater--and they're all beautiful.

Catherine's Owl Sweater from Kate Davie's pattern (available for purchase on her web site) in Rowan Cocoon generated a lot of excitement. More than one regular customer threatened to walk out of the store in it:


It took seven skeins of Cocoon and 40 plus beautiful mother-of-pearl buttons. The pattern calls for Rowan Purelife British Sheep Breeds, which also looks lovely.



Next up on the finished sweaters list: Melissa & Lauren's Elizabeth Zimmermann Green Sweaters are divine! First Melissa's:



...and Lauren's in Elsabeth Lavold Silky Wool:



The 25%-45% off sale (in store only) continues until the end of January!

See you at the shop...and now online!

Cute Stuff!

With the launch of the new web site I just haven't had as much time as I would have liked this holiday season to devote to handmade gifts. While I did manage to complete several knitted gifts, I thought I might not be able to finish anything in time to give to my two young daughters. Then I remembered this book, Cute Stuff:

Translated from Japanese, this full-color book has all the charm of a Japanese sewing book. Detailed directions are provided for each step of a project, so even if you don't have very much sewing experience, you will be able to complete these simple projects in no time.

After you work your way through the 18 adorable things in Cute Stuff, try your hand at Cute Dolls:

...and don't forget Fun Dolls! Making these projects is sure to add some cheer to your day! Happy sewing!

The Perfect Little Gift: A Free Wrist Warmer Pattern

As the holiday knitting countdown continues, it seems that everyone at Brooklyn General Store has made at least one pair of wrist warmers. They are perfect little gifts.


Catherine made hers from Road to China, The Fibre Company's luxurious blend of Baby Alpaca, Cashmere, Camel, Soya Fiber, and Yak. It is softer than soft, and the colors have beautiful warmth and depth. Any gift made from this yarn will be something special.

If you order two skeins of Road to China or any worsted-weight yarn, we'll send you Catherine's wrist warmer pattern for free! Just write "wrist warmer pattern" in the notes at check out.

Wrist warmers seem to be a favorite gift from one knitter to another; such a nice thing to give to anyone who creates beautiful things with their hands. Mothers, mother-in-laws, sisters, aunts and daughters love them too.

Don't forget, you have one more week to use the discount code LAUNCH15 to take 15% off your first purchase at our new online store.

See you at the shop...and now online!

Happy holiday knitting.