Monday, September 29, 2008

So many projects, so little time ….
Lots of new projects for you to work on. We finally got our sample “Swirl Shawl” from Jojoland (you know, if I had to knit it up for a sample, we’d be seeing this next year!) and the pattern is


going like hot cakes. Pattern and yarn have to be reordered already!


Another great pattern comes from Claudia Handpaints – it’s called the Plaza Knitting Rectangle Sweater and can be done in several different gauges. Knit like the original, it takes 10 skeins of Claudia’s fingering weight yarn and can be worn several different ways.






Judy knit the mitten that was on the cover of Fall 2008 Vogue – we actually had the yarn it called for (Jamieson's Spindrift) in the color Vogue used. She said this mitten is not for the faint of heart. But then again, Judy is quite a master knitter herself. Here are some photos of a Kaffe Fasset Shawl she is working on. The details of this shawl have to be seen in person.






While we were at TNNA, we came upon this new yarn called Polar Knit. It is a fleece yarn made of Polartec that knits up on a 10.5-13 needle at 3 stitches to the inch. Great for kid's mittens, hats, scarves, Polar Knit is wind resistant and so so very soft. There are free patterns on the Polarknit website. We'll have a sample in the shop real soon!





You must come in to squeeze the buffalo. Buffalo yarn that is. We have Buffalo Gold's laceweight, bamboo/bison mix and mohair/bison mix. A few free patterns and you are all set for the winter.



Mountain Colors has come out with a new laceweight yarn -- it is 1200 yards of a silk/wool blend and retails for $36.00. You can't beat that price or those colors. Of course, my favorite colorway is "Crazy Woman" -- I wonder why!




We 've been dyeing like mad trying to get ready for the New Jersey Sheep and Wool show, the first weekend in October. Here is a limited supply of our new Woolie Bears Superwash Sport, sh0wn here in the "Raspberry Sorbet" colorway. It is 250 yards, 6-6.5 stitches the inch on a 4-5 needle. I'm sure you can whip up a pair of socks in no time!



And now for some of our wonderful customer projects.

Here is Judy's Stonington Shawl - in-progress, made out of Heritage sock yarn.



Gwen has been going crazy over cables. Here's another one of her many vests out of an old pattern she dug up. You can't see much of the pattern here, but just wait!




Jennifer lives in Pennsylvania and whenever she comes to visit her Mom, near Mt. Holly, she always stops in for some yarn and a new baby project. This one is made out of Rowan Cashsoft. I think it's her fave.


Jill's Stonington made out of Lorna's Laces sock yarn in colorway Black Purl with edging in Plymouth Buckingham.. A scarf out of the One Skein Wonders book, knit in Woolbearers Superwash worsted weight and -- ta da -- Jill's myster shawl 4. Look at all those beads. Jill says that she was born to knit lace -- absolutely!


Donna did her Tomato sweater out of SWTC's Soy Silk in natural (Woolbearers dyed the blue/green part). It looks fab. Donna completed her Breast Cancer Walk hat made out of Rowan Handknit cotton while we were chatting on Saturday. Hope it's not too hot to wear. Good luck on your walk this weekend!



Bonnie, along with 6 other gals, made a Rambling Rows Afghan out of Cascade 220. Her color choice worked so well together -- other customers have asked for the same colors for their afghan.
Anita is a very particular knitter and loved working on this cute sweater for her grandson. It's made out of Dale of Norway Baby Ull.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

This month we tried something new with the spinning class by skipping a week in between the classes. I think it worked well! The students were more excited to come back and give it another try and they didn't seem to forget what they had learned two weeks before.


There is truly nothing like your first handspun yarn!
Cate C. has been fast at work finishing projects before her tennis elbow surgery Friday. This is the Market Bag from XRX Knitter's Dozen Market Bags. The handles are handmade from Muench.
Her pumpkin Dumpling bag! Love it!
This little bag is from Interweave Felts 2008.
Her Cobweb shawl of Jojoland Melody. She is knitting fast!
Robin finished her Hemlock Ring Blanket, knit in Wool Around the World.
Detail of Robin's Hemlock Ring.
Our buddies from Haddonfield, in for more Brown Sheep yarn for Rib Warmers. Love to see you!
Cate K. finished her Sheep Shop sweater and it is a real gem. The yarn makes this simple pattern really special. She says she has knit this pattern several times in different yarns including Lopi, Cascade 220 and others.
Rosemary's crocheted shawl of Plymouth Buckingham is so soft and lovely. She is knitting in record time, now that she is finished with the 12 chemo caps she knit for us to give to Virtua Hospital in Mount Holly.
Beth's fair isle sweater for her toddler. It's a Lopi pattern knit in stash and leftovers.
Detail of yoke.
Beth's Christmas stocking from Handknit Holiday. Mostly Manos and Woolbearers Thick and Thin

Jill finished her shrug!
Thursday night at Bungs....

Jill's Baby Alpaca Shrug just needs to be grafted together and it's done! Beautiful, and you should feel it!

Anne's felted bags are really nice!

Friday, September 12, 2008

FINALLY! The Stonington Shawl is finished, well, finished being knitted. Still has to be violently blocked, which is the best thing to do with Shetland wool. The lace edging is Kauni and I really like the gradation. Some of it is contrived; I felt the gradation between the gray and black was too abrupt, so I did a little fudging. The dark mark left center is due to the anchovy mishap. I think I can get it out with a little soak in Dawn dishwashing detergent with grease remover.
My friends know that one of my frivolous regrets in life is that I didn't get any tattoos in my youth. I'd have to have six strong people pull my skin taut enough to get one now. So I am a follower of anyone with ink and this lovely and patient young woman allowed me to oogle her and take her picture while I followed her around the store. Her right arm is beautiful and I loved the left.
The Knit to Fit class is becoming one of the most popular classes we have offered. Here Karen is measuring Lisa to determine the number of stitches she will cast on to start knitting back of the sweater she is designing for herself. The gals (no guys signed up) take a pattern or idea they admire and alter it to suit their body type and design preference. We feel really lucky to be able to offer this opportunity to our customers.
This scary guy can be yours!



FELTED PUMPKIN CHARACTER
with Susan Maruska
Learn basic needlefelting techniques while creating your own felted pumpkin, just in time for Halloween. We'll provide the wool, please bring your own felting needles.
Dates: Sunday Oct 12 & 19 11 am - 1 pm
Cost: $45

Teri knit this lace scarf, detail above, as a sample for the class she is teaching this fall. If you would like some extra help with lace knitting, including edgings, this is the class for you.

AN INTRODUCTION TO LACE KNITTING
This two class course will cover some of the baiscs for knitting lace: different ways to cast on for lace knitting, how to read graphed instructions, some ways to keep track of where you are in the pattern, and how to block a finished piece of knitted lace. In the first class we will concentrate on making a lace scarf as we get used to reading graphed instructions and making a lace pattern. In the second class we will learn about making a lace edging. Class members will have the option of adding a lace edging to the end of the scarf they made in the first class or just making a simple edging that cold be sewn on to a towel or pillowcase.Please bring 300 yards of fingering weight yarn and a pair of size 4,5, or 6 needles, plus a small amount of waste yarn. Prerequisite: Casting on, knitting and purling.
Dates: Nov 16 & 30 1 pm - 3 pm Cost: $45

Pam knit her top of Woolbearers Rayon Ratine. It's really lovely with the lace edging on the sleeves and hem, detail below. She knit it while recovering from majoy shoulder surgery and time off from her job as an OR nurse.
One of the highlights of my short trip back to Michigan last week was the chance to see the Moving Vietnam Veteran Memorial. It was pretty dramatic. I think we'll have to go to Washington, DC to see the original. My husband is a veteran and hopes the memorial will help the people of the United States to prevent our goverment from ever making a mistake like that again. Be sure to register to vote! We only have 50 days until the next election.