The Golden Compass is a movie that is going to open this weekend........the producer must have a relative in the yarn business who is trying to get rid of novelty yarns. The character of Lyra wears several knitted outfits which include three different hats, leg warmers, sweaters, mittens and this coat. It actually looks like a quick knit, of something bulky, lots of garter stitch. I would leave out the fun fur.

I wonder if the movie will have the same cachet that Harry Potter did. Will we see Golden Compass knitting patterns? Will there be more requests for fun fur? I might try to knit up a quick sample of something similar, just to get ahead of the crowd....if it is a hit. If it's a flop, just delete this post.

A Little Closer to Heaven You know how some projects take over your life? The pattern is challenging and makes you feel like you can do anything knittable, working with the yarn is better than sex, (if you're over 50), almost as good as chocolate, and who's qualities monopolize your conversations. Day to day work drags until you can become one with your knitting bag again. You pull over to the side of the road to read through the directions one more time. Dinner comes from the colonel. A light pressing with the iron and no one will know that shirt was worn before. Who has time for cooking and laundry???? You want to knit!!!

Working with Kidsilk Haze has that effect on most women (and possibly, men). And now, this beautiful scarf pattern by Mags Kandis.

All the colors for the Modern Quilt Wrap have arrived from Rowan. The display is so lovely in the store! Myra started to knit it and it is all modular and easy. It must be the year of the wrap.

So come in, see the yarn, dream, drool and start a new project!!!

There is nothing more satisfying for a knitter than finishing a project. Or almost being done!!! Here are more customer projects.

Kristen is almost done with yet another beautiful project. This is the best use for novelty yarns I have seen; a simple camisole. She wants to crochet an edging and then block it.

Pam from MA is just about done with her beautiful, fair isle tam. Pam is Wendy Byar's sis.

The lovely scarf of bulky Sheep Shop is crocheted and just wonderful. And the Noni bag is almost done, just needs the handles. For every project finished, another just awaits you!!!!

Ravelry By now I'm sure that most of you have heard about Ravelry and either joined or are on the waiting list. I wasn't sure what to expect when I joined, but now I'm addicted. It's fun to find all the other folks working on the same projects as you are or looking at other projects that you are just dying to get your needles casted on for. Our ravelry ID is Woolbearer and we are also starting to list our yarn. So if you haven't been able to link your Woolbearers yarn before, check again and there's probably a link for your Woolbearers yarn now.

The other thing that Ravelry is doing for me, is getting me more focused on finishing projects.

Here is my second "Wrap Me Up" shawl. Now, I hardly ever knit anything twice. That's why I don't do socks. Too many onesies. But I saw the Karaoke yarn sitting on the shelf for so long, I had to do something with it. Then I thought -- maybe I could make this into an "evening wrap"; one that I could wear when I go out at night, say to Wegman's. Anyway, I dressed it up a little bit by putting fake pearl and silver beads on it. The edging is done in Anny Blatt Angora and there's a bit of Lily Chin's Greenwich Village black mohair/glitz in several blocks. That's what I love about this project -- so many choices. Everyone who has done the wrap has come up with a completely different look for it.

Another FO

Jo Sharp Felted Bag from Jo Sharp Knits 3. This was fun to make because it's not a lot of knitting. There's a tiny bit of intarsia and some short row shaping -- a very satisfying project and of course, the felting part hides all the flaws.

But, I had lots of yarn leftover. What to do. Another project of course. So, I finally started the Adult Surprise Jacket. I read EZ's pattern and opened up my excel spreadsheet and went to town. I've finished the first section of decreases, now I'm back to the increases. After the holidays this will be a Woolbearers KAL. Stay tuned. I would be working on this more, but after perusing Ravelry's pattern pages I just had to stop and knit up

these adorable baby booties and Norwegian cap. I'm using our new Karabella Aurora 4. It's so soft and yummy to knit with. The pattern for the booties can be found here and this is link for the hat.

These will be finished in no time.

Other UFO's -- The Modern Quilt Wrap from Folk Styles which I will begin again as soon as the rest of the yarn comes from Rowan (this week I've been told).

Another project from Folk Styles -- the Grand Waistcoat made out of The Fibre Company's Terra

The good or bad thing about Ravelry is it reminds you just how many projects you actually have on the needles. There are lots more UFO's. Come visit me on Ravelry to see more. I'd love to see what you are working on!

Can't Wait for the New Year !!!!

At the start of every season, Myra and I start the arduous task of compiling our class list for the next semester. She spends a good deal of time researching what the latest trends are, including color forecasts, techniques, and patterns. Then comes the almost impossible job of finding the right teachers to teach the class. We get their commitment, spend the money to print the list, send it to 2000 customers, and then wait and see.

For the winter class list, we came up with the idea of having once a month demonstrations of all of the latest techniques. Some of the demos are for the Skacel artfelt felting technique, using the knitter's loom, triangle loom, dyeing self stripping yarn, inkle loom weaving, variety of cast ons, cables, crochet, the list goes on. Watch for the new class list next month.

Ongoing classes include the Wrap Me Up shawl, a beautiful, twenty block project that continues to delight our customers, weekly weaving classes, and knit alongs. The knit alongs will be announced with the new class list.

The Great American Afghan is going to be an ongoing class, as well. The Cascade sales representative came by the store last week, (one of three reps we saw!), and we bought all the shades of yarn we need for the afghan. Remembering that we already had 78 colors, a huge selection by all counts, we ordered another 15!!!!

Over the next several days, I'll be posting more about what we bought last week. The giddy feeling from spending all of that money persists!!!!

We bought a TON of sock yarn. Oh, I can't even remember everything, except that there is a lot of silk blends coming in, a new line from Plymouth that is sure to send everyone into a tizzy, and some really beautiful stuff from both Cascade and Skacel. Not to mention the Addi Lace needles in bigger sizes.

If I don't get back here before Thursday, Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Woolbearers!!!!

Joanna visited her aunt in Belgium this week. She knitted the pi shawl of Woolbearers Herbal Tea fingering weight, dyed by Myra. She says her aunt loves the shawl. "Woolbearers travels the world!"

Knit Away!

Here's a sampling of customer projects both finished and in progress. Because I forgot, once again, how to get pictures and text aligned, I will have to write several posts to load all the pictures.

Jill's Wrap Me Up shawl is finished! She did a beautiful job. Seeing Jill and her daughter, Kristen every week is a pleasure for us. Now that the wraps are done, we hope they will continue to come back to knit.

The three spinners, on the top picture, Debbie, Marie and Lisa, were quick learners who brought great joy to my day! They inspired and encouraged. Thank you, ladies!

The rest of the pictures cover several months of getting to visit with fun, bright and talented gals. Gwen, Jane, Kelly, Elda, Sabra and Jo's knitting, and Anne's weaving follows.

These lovely hats of Kelly's are the results of a few days of wild knitting.

Jo's Lanamira sweater,Anne's fabric off the loom,


Elda's Kimono

Jane's Sweater

The pictures across the top are Jill's Smoker's Gloves, Kristen's beautiful wrap, with detail below. The fair isle sweater is Kelly's lovely creation of Manos.

Gwen's lace top. Kristen's Karabella.


Judy's Wrap. Sabra's Vest.

Upcoming Events at Woolbearers

It finally feels like autumn outside. Like it or not, Christmas is only 50 days away! To help you get there safely and enjoy the ride, Woolbearers has planned several things that will help you along the way. Check out our website at www.woolbearers.com for all the latest store events.

Make it easy on yourself for holiday shopping; give and get Woolbearers gift certificates! No too large, acrylic sweaters to return! No smelly candles from the fifth grade fund raiser! No last minute rush to Walgreens for the stale Whitman’s Sampler! Printed on pretty paper, they look nice, too!

We have gifts for the knitter, and quick ideas for the knitter to make for non-knitting friends. Exciting new shawl pins, luxurious cashmere lace weight yarn, silk that drapes like water, fun kits, we have it all!

We will even help you with your baking! Join our cookie exchange! Just bake 4 dozen of your favorite cookie recipe and you will leave with four dozen different cookies. We will do the exchange on December 15^th, also the date of our annual Finishing Frenzy! Come in Saturday night and get all of those gifts completed. We will provide the technical assistance, moral support, and pizza! We had a blast last year! Check our website for more info at www.woolbearers.com .

There are also several classes coming up this month; A Little Bit of Lace, Beginning Knitting, Beginning Sock Knitting, Needle Felted Snow Family, Tapestry Weaving, and Finishing Techniques with Anne. Advance registration is necessary. Check out our class list on the website. You can also sign up for a class on our online store at www.woolbearers.net .

In December, we are hosting a book signing with Mary Beth Temple, author of The Secret Language of Knitters. Come and meet Mary Beth and purchase this wonderful book for gift giving on Dec. 7^th. Go to http://www.secretlanguageofknitters.com/ for more information.

The following day is the Battle of Iron Works Hill. Come to Woolbearers on Dec. 8^th for a front row seat to see this great reenactment of an important event in American History! Go to http://www.ironworkshill.org/ for more information.

Our Mt. Holly Knitting Meetup Group is the first Friday of the month. In December it is on Dec. 7^th, the same night as the book signing. Go to http://knitting.meetup.com/493/ if you would like to join our knitting group. We have a great time every month!

Dec. 1^st is the Spinners Christmas Pot Luck Brunch. Bring an easy to eat dish and your spinning wheel! Starts at 1pm. Go to www.sjgsh.org for more information.