The Gotlands are here!

If we already told you this, my apologies...Woolbearers is the US distributor for Gotland fleeces from Whitehall Farm in the UK. The top picture is of the farm. They currently have about 60 sheep; you can read more about their farm and flock by clicking on the link. We imported almost 150 pounds of wool from David and Lyn Barlow, and it is gorgeous! Myra and her son, Zack, picked up the wool from Philadelphia International Airport and went through customs on Tuesday; she said it went without a hitch. Hearing horror stories about such things, we were happy it was an easy process.

Evidently, the Barlow's also have two barn conversion cottages on their farm which they rent out to travelers. I've had some fantasies about that, let me tell you! We keep talking about having a knitting retreat at the beach in Delaware.....maybe someday we can go to England for one.

Serendipity, sometimes good, sometimes bad...

Another rib warmer, this time our of Lanamira. I like the way it plaids. The scarf below is knit of yarn dyed in the same way with about a 12 " repeat. The pieces are about 12 inches, too.

Beth's Clapotis in Matt's Tatts....can't wait to see it with stitches dropped! Tomorrow starts our KAL. I know Gwen has a lot done on her's and will take more pictures and post later.

Felted Matt's Tatts Monster from the One Skein Wonders book. Beth is on a roll!

Beth's doll, sans clothing, which will be done soon. She is also hairless, for now. I love her smile!

So much yarn has come into the store this week that we are trying to decide where to put it all, again! Sabra started moving cottons forward and wools back; didn't we just reverse that process? Time is moving so fast. We are getting the spring yarns now; I'll post pictures soon of everything.

Today I started a second rib warmer so I can get the sizing issue down before the class starts on March 1st. Gwen is on her third one, and she helped me figure out how many stitches to add. You have to be so careful, because just one inch worth of stitches, in this case, five, will add four inches on to the circumference of the garment and ten rows onto the length. The temptation is to add more on. So I'm forcing myself to think differently than I had in the past; could this mean that I am understanding EZ??? Let's not get carried away.....

One interesting idea occurred to me yesterday; Cat Bordi was on Knitty Gritty, explaining the mobieus cast on. Epiphany! All she was doing was the same maneuver I had done and had tried to teach my blanket students for the provisional cast on, only rather than using waste yarn, she was casting around the doubled loop of a long, circular needle. I can't wait to finish all these projects we need for classes so I can begin a mobieus.

Jill and Kris finishing their washcloths, but what is around your shoulders, Ms. Jill??? It's the Phiaro Scarf from Knitscene Winter 07 issue, done out of SWTC Phoenix in the Chocolate colorway. It's similar to the Clapotis. (By the way, I'm working on a colorway called Truman Clapotis.)

We should have the trunk show for Folk Style by the end of the week!!!! It has so many beautiful things to knit in it. The most popular seems to be the Quilt Wrap.

We are getting Douceur et Soie to replace Rowan's Kidsilk Haze, due to key colors being discontinued. Douceur et Soie is as high quality as Kidsilk Haze, at a better price. We will have it available in kit form soon. It will be offered in the darker colorway and the lighter.

Well here is the @#$%^&* hat. What is so hard about it? Nothing. It's my fault because I can't see. I haven't gotten my eyes checked in 12 years and my glasses are old. So I think I am counting correctly, which is key for this pattern, and actually, I have no idea what I'm doing. So finally, Beth and Gwen gave me some tips and I was able to figure it out without too much trouble. The swirl at the top isn't as crisp as I would have liked, but I am not tearing it out again. You probably won't see this sample in the store!

Kelly's afghan is coming together. Her color choices are slightly different than the book calls for, and they work! She has two more squares on needles.

Elda and Kelly are among the customers who make me glad we opened the store. They are our friends.

The Real use for a garden tub no one tells you about.

Can't wait to reskein this to see how different it may look.

Mustard yellow Sterling on top and rust brown on the bottom. Looks washed out; colors are much richer in person.

Spiral Hat be gone....I'm going to tackle the hat again, today, if I get a chance. Late night knitting is not working for me anymore, which is a real sadness. I so love to get into bed with my knitting and lap top and the tv on Law and Order and my dogs (the four legged kind) around me. However, I found that most of what I knit in the wee hours will be ripped out in day light, so I am not allowing the knitting bags in the bedroom anymore. My husband is happy about that; more room for him.

Yesterday was one of the warmest days we have had in a while, so I took advantage of it and went to the barn to dye and card. Some of the yarn I had put to soak on Friday was frozen into a solid block of ice, so I moved on to other things. I dyed the Kraemer Sterling, which we are doing in solids, some superwash worsted, some Lanamira, and some Alfresco. The superwash I dyed in pinks and wanting some white to show, Ivory dye. It's slightly yellow, cream colored, but doesn't jar like plain white would. I ended up by staying out there until almost five. Made sure everything was unplugged; don't want a repeat of last week.... Myra is going to the airport to pick up our Gotland fleeces today. I CAN'T WAIT!!!! Just what we need; more wool.

When people ask us why we wanted to go into this business, I'll have to show them this picture. This is the sweetest and most driven young woman I have met yet. She came into the store two years ago and did a little spinning, and has regularly come in with her mom since then. You can just see that gleam in her eye when she looks at the yarns and tools; she is hooked! And so young! I hope I live long enough to see her stash when she is my age. Today she was able to buy her spinning wheel after saving her money. I should mention that she won a ribbon at the Garden State Sheep Show for her hand spun yarn last September.

My weaving student, Vera, and her fabulous, reversible cotton chenille and silk scarf; her first woven piece! Close up below.

These wonderful socks were knit for Lime 'n Violet by Vera. The pattern is their's and called Little Match Girl. The yarn is our hand dyed, Kraemer's Sterling. The picture does not do it justice. I'll take another without the flash and post during the week. On the heal and around the cuff are match motifs, then the sterling silver flash symbolizes the match burning. Vera is an amazing knitter, and now, she weaves, too.

We had a nice turn out for our spin in this afternoon. Alision, far left, is one of my spinning students from yesterday, who came back today to spin some more! She is hooked, and is already a good spinner. Next to her is Jennifer, doing a grand job, then Judith, also doing a great job; both gals are former spinning students of mine. Sitting at the right is Mary, who is an accomplished knitter and spinner, and sews as well! She is amazing because not only does she do all of the fiber crafts, but she also works as a nurse full time and is a busy grandmother.Is this the fullest spindle you have seen??? Alison bought roving today and went home and filled up her spindle! Her yarn looks great.

Here's three generations of knitters! Grandmother, aunt, and Megan! She is going to Ireland for St. Patrick's Day; we'll have to get the scoop when she gets back.

Carol and her niece from Brooklyn, Amy, after an afternoon of yarn shopping! They loved our hand dyed!

Cate and her friend having a Sunday together!

Aren't Marcie's socks wild???? They are knit of Woolbearers Mixed Fruit sock yarn. Love 'em!

Not sure how this great plaid design was done, but love it! Jill knit this.

Here's mom and daughter Jill and Kristen, Kitchnering their garter stitch washcloths.

A good use for Karabella; a scarf and hat for a Giants fan! Knit by Kristen.

Need some inspiration? Read about the Sock Wars. We certainly have enough sock yarn! Truth, can you ever really have too much? (I forgot to get a picture of Tola's sock collection, but will do so the next time she comes in.)

Today was a great day at the store. I had two classes which took most of the day; a morning spinning class with five students who all caught on quickly, and were making usable yarn by one pm, and then the Elizabeth Zimmerman baby blanket class that will probably be known by one and all after this as the Baby Blanket From Hell. Actually, out of the 11 students, almost all are ready to start or have already started their blanket, after completing the wash cloth. One gal, Priscilla, is on her second blanket!

Ellen is working away at her Great American Afghan. Here are six of her lovely squares. I love her choice of color, too. The aqua really makes the other, earthier colors pop. I don't have them in the sequence she wants, I am sure.

This little angel is Dori's daughter. Mom is an airline pilot, and when she is in her hotel in Europe, guess what she does? Knits, of course! The vests are beautiful, as is everything Dori knits. She also does some designing and we have her pattern for felted mittens in the store.

Pittsburgh revisited... I forgot to blog about meeting Annie Modesitt at the Knit and Crochet show. I am totally awestruck by 'famous' people and felt that way about her. Her work inspires me, as does her books and even her blog. She just puts it all 'out' there. That is being so real! Since my middle name is paronoid, I don't know that I could do that. So more power to her!

If you have some free time Sunday, grab your spinning wheel and stop in during the afternoon for a leisurely spin in!

Hinda's beautiful Spiral Hat of Cascade Ecological Wool. She ripped mine and reknit; maybe I'll get it right tonight.

This PILE O' YARN is all from Skacel and includes their Trekking, Step, Fortissima and Bamboo. Check out Hot Sox for more information about an exciting contest coming soon! Come in to see the yarn, too!

This picture doesn't do Manos Silk Blend yarn justice. It is so lustrous and drapey; our customers are buying the yarn to knit the clapoti. Starting next Friday, February 22 at 12 noon, we are having a Clapoti KAL, so join us, whether you can come to the group or not. We also knit on Thursdays and Sundays! Check out Knitty for the pattern.

Washcloths based on EZ's Square Baby Blanket. My students are so smart!

Jane's at it again! Finishing things left and right, this vest is beautiful, knit of Woolbearers hand dyed worsted weight superwash.

This cardigan is featured on the cover of the Rowan Tapestry book and is knit of; Tapestry!

Elizabeth Zimmerman updates...
Gwen's Conch Hat of Plymouth Yukon.

This is Gwen's Rib warmer. Now I can't wait to finish mine!
My Conch Hat still on the needles. It's easy to do; I had to rip because I didn't keep track of the rounds I was doing. Leave it to me to make something harder than it is.

This beautiful hat was knitted by our Beth out of
Woolbearers hand dyed Merino from Uruguay in English Garden.
Love the spiral!!!

On the Pennsylvania Turnpike...
Approaching the first of four tunnels.

Sabra straightening up our booth.

New friends! Mother and daughter shoppers; I hope I met them again someday.

Home From Pittsburgh..... I hope I didn't bring this weather with me, down the turnpike. It was so cold there; minus temps with the wind chill factor, snow every night.

The drive there felt like going on vacation. I love the mountains of PA. The first stop, I bought swedish fish. A perfectly inappropriate food to eat while driving alone. There is a method to eating swedish fish; you must bite the head off and then nibble down the body of the fish. By the time I had done that ten or twelve times, the sugar level in my body was so high, I had to pull over and nap for half an hour. It took longer to get there because I kept stopping....the drive home was quicker. I couldn't wait to get home!

The show was great; very well attended, wonderful booths. I saw a lot of great yarns. I think it will develop into a nationally known show in time. Also got to see old friends; Cynthia Spencer, who owns a shop in State College and also is author of Really Clear Instructions for Knitting Toe Up Socks, a well written booklet we sell in the store; and Dave and Deb Arbuckle from Shadyside Farms. They spin our fleece into the beautiful, ringspun yarn we dye for the shop. I brought home 25 lbs of 25% alpaca and Romney yarn. It has a luminous, pearlescent quality about it. We can't wait to knit up a swatch.

Sabra and her husband, Ron, drove all the way to help me. I couldn't have done it without them.

So now I am home, recovering from the drive and the cold. There is room now in the shop for more of the things we have been ordering. So far, silk and wool from Manos arrived, along with a lovely linen blend from Plymouth, and tons of new books.