Hello,

I have two skeins of Lorna's Laces Swirl DK in Black Purl and I'm not sure what to do with it. I felt an overwhelming need to buy it after I wound a skein of Black Purl in swirl chunky for a customer who was going to make a hat for a tween with it. I realized that tweens (not little kids, not yet teenagers) love purple and black and since I have a ten year old sister I thought it was only right that I make her something with it. I started to make a hat while waiting for my turn at the DMV, but I wasn't feeling it, so I frogged it. Christmas is upon us and I need to think of something fast . . . .

-Amerique

One of our Ravelry group members posted this great article about the benefits of knitting and our health. While I am sure that most of us understand the relaxing properties of knitting (most of the time ha ha) it is certainly nice to have the public nod! The article relates the relaxing properties of knitting to Yoga and states that us older knitters have less memory loss due to knitting.

Here's Huck with his first knitting project, ok, ok, Laura is really knitting it, but as soon as he can hold the needles I foresee a knitting lesson for our littlest bean.

Very cool! Hmmmm I hear my knitting calling, happy knitting!

Jeanne

Here we are ready to have one more Thanksgiving and while I am grateful everyday for the abundance in my life, I am particularly reflective at this time of year. I am continually reminded of how lucky I am personally to have my family, my health, my job, my co workers, friends and of course my customers. I have said before how much I enjoy my job, but you all remind me of that daily in how you brighten my day by sharing your projects with me and your generous knitters spirit!

A couple of days ago Georgia stopped by to get some knitting therapy and reminded me that without knitting I would probably go a little crazy, but certainly in difficult times it is my life line. Georgia just lost her daughter 3 weeks ago and has been knitting to stay sane, please keep those needles clicking Georgia, we are here for you and while we can't take away the pain you must be feeling, we can stand by you one stitch at a time.

On Sunday I experienced more knitters spirit from a great gal named Fran who has shared a small floor loom with me, so I can learn to weave and all she wants in return are reports as to my progress on learning to weave. Dang, I am a lucky duck! I have been talking about this for about a year and mentioned it to my daughter and she said well gee I know a gal who is looking for a loving home for her loom. As soon as I walked into her house it was as though we had known each other forever and we were laughing about the dog bombs (you know the stinky kind) that we had to dodge on the way to her garage to look at the loom. She has these two amazing dogs that are clearly her babies, but about 80 pounds each, so hence big bombs :) Thanks Fran I can't tell you how excited I am to learn weaving and my friend Sharon is going to take me under her wing and get me going; more knitter's spirit!

I am just so lucky to be a part of an artistic community that is so willing to give of themselves and I just wanted to share that with you all and wish you a day filled with joy in your heart, beauty for your eyes and a bit of yarn for your needles.

Here are some Sno Buddies to bring a little winter cheer to your day. It seems to be the only snow we are going to have around here since it will be 60 degrees tomorrow.

Happy Thanksgiving and as always happy knitting!

Jeanne

Hello,
The store is super busy, and we are getting new merchandise daily, but I'm most impressed with Merino Mia by Prism. This yarn has a super gorgeous texture and the colors are pretty amazing. I particularly love Blue Lagoon, Harvest, and Garden. I'm not a sock knitter, but I'm sure I could make something pretty cool out of this awesome yarn, maybe some cute gloves or a hat.















I also think Merino Mia would be great knit up into a shawl or wrap. This yarn really speaks for itself - I don't know what else I can write about it. If you are in town, come by and squeeze a hank and you will know why I love it so much . . .

- Amerique

Southwest Trading Company, Brown Sheep, Cascade yarns are on sale and will be moving fast! I am having a hard time deciding what to buy, imagine? One of my favorite yarns it the Cascade's Baby Alpaca Chunky and select colors are discounted up to 30%, phew I am dizzy.

Now when you look at them on the site you may see quantity 0 and that is because they haven't quite gotten here yet, but don't despair they are coming soon I promise. I think my daughter would look so cute in this Short Sleeved Cardigan in color 552, Mimosa. Her birthday is in January and I bet if I got going I could get it done in time, what do you think?

Vermont O-Wool's Legacy DK yarn is also on sale and I LOVE this yarn for everything! Mittens, socks, sweaters, hats, scarves, oh yea how about socks :) hee, hee, hee!


The funniest part is I had just cast on a simple shawl with this beautiful yarn the night before I found out it was on sale. My son would look so cool in Mac and Me's Urban Cable Hat and the Legacy DK is perfect! Of course I won't have it done in time for his birthday which is today! HAPPY BIRTHDAY Chris Love Mom, but maybe Christmas or a just because hat.

Well I better get to work to make room for all these sale yarns and just straighten up a bit.

I hope all your needles are just clicking away and you are enjoying every stitch!

Jeanne :)

Hello,

It's funny that although I've been crocheting for fifteen years, and knitting for at least three, I have never blocked a finished piece! Because I almost exclusively made afghans, pillows and scarves in the past, blocking wasn't really important. But now that I'm making gloves and hats and things, I'm realizing the importance of getting the right size.



For Kristin's Basic Neckie pattern, I did a stretchy cast on with a crochet hook, which I soon found out was not really necessary, as it made the cast on edge really wide. So I decided to block it!. I ran it under warm water until it was soaked, gently squeezed out the excess, than pinned it to a beach towel on the ground, in as perfect a rectangle as I could make. A day or two later it was dry and perfectly rectangular! Amazing I have never tried this before . . .

-Amerique

We have so much inspiration around the shop I am having a hard time focusing, of course that is what it is like around here most of the time. We just got Interweave Accessories magazine in and dang there are some really cool things to knit! This is just in time for that holiday knitting crunch we all seem to get into and I would love to knit all the projects in this magazine, but alas, I MUST focus, so I am thinking of doing the hat on the cover for starters.


Of course we have also gotten in Prism Yarns Saki and boy is it super luscious. At 430 yards it is perfect for a pair of socks (yep I am back in sock mode again :) but would make a fabulous scarf, or small shawl for that special someone, hmmmm that's me right? The colors are so rich and yummy and I have fallen in love with Alpine, no Harvest, no Tumbleweed, accckkkk I can't decide, help me I am falling!!!

Of course I am twitching to knit up my own super soft Lana Grossa Gnocchi scarf. We have added some mew colors to that line and I would like to work mine up in one of the variegated colors. Yuuummmmmyyyy! It only takes four balls to do this fabulous scarf and it will workup really quickly. Victoria knit a scarf for Alice and she did it with only 2 balls.

Well I have to go lay down with a cold cloth on my head to stop this dizziness, ha ha!!

As always happy knitting!

Jeanne :)

With so much new stuff in the shop and the gift giving season coming in for a landing, all of us have been knitting like lunatics! I am working as quickly as I can to get our projects up on the project log for you to see all the details, but phew, there are flames coming from the needles around here and it's all a little hot to handle, ha ha!

Victoria fell in love with the Lana Grossa Gnocchi yarn right away and her darling daughter Alice, had to have a scarf! Isn't she cute and this scarf took just 2 balls of this super soft fun yarn. Oh yea and I happen to know that we just got some really cool multi colors in this yarn, yum!


Then of course Sandy and I got into a race with our Icing Swirl hats and it looks like we will be carrying this pattern book by Ysolda soon! I have already gifted my first hat out of the Lorna's Laces Swirl Chunky in Daffodil to my daughter Shelly (thanks for the picture Shelly). She rides her bicycle everywhere, rain or shine and had recently lost a hat that I had knit her, so Moms needles to the rescue :) When she told me she lost the hat she was on the verge of crying and this little hat just knit up so quickly it was easy to help her out.

Of course Laura has finished her first sock (for Huck not Wiley :) out of the Lorna's Laces Limited Edition for November, My Favorite Fellas. This great color is a tribute to those furry friends that we all love to see around the site modeling for us. As I write this my two favorite girls are snuggled up right here with me and I just love the loyalty that my dogs give me with so little prompting.

Terry is working on these amazing tams/berets and she is using the Lorna's Laces Swirl DK in Gold Hill (the one on the needles) and at 50% off how can you go wrong?? The darker tam/beret is done out of bits from her stash, so this pattern is going to be great for stash busting for sure! She tells me she is writing it up and will have it finished soon.

I have also finished my first scarf with the Trendsetter Cha Cha yarn and the Malabrigo Worsted. I am going to work on getting a demonstration of how to work with this really amazing, soft, ribbon type yarn! There is a little bit of practice involved, but once you get rolling it is as easy as pie!

As always happy knitting and keep those needles clicking Jeanne :)

Hi everyone,

A week or so ago we got in the cutest Pony needles and notions for kids (and adults who love cute things). Who can resist colorful needles with cat heads on them?!? I am in love with Pony children's knitting needles. SO ADORABLE!!!!!!! I hope these are a big hit!! I'm also partial to the fish bobbins and pom-pom makers. I suppose I have simple tastes and/or am easily amused by bright colors and shiny plastic, but I don't care - I LOVE THIS STUFF!!















The next time I need a pair of straight needles, you better believe I'm gonna buy Pony children's cat head needles!!!!

-Amerique