A Really Good Yarn

Home Again

2008-08-28T17:03:00.003-04:00

I am back in the store today after a great trip to Myrtle Beach. Sorry but I didn't take any pictures. Every time I thought about taking some I didn't have my phone on me.

I have just reread my post and am adding this. It sounds like a report I did in grade school when my parents took us out of school for a vacation. :)

The drive down was uneventful. My dad did let me drive for one hour but then he was bored and wanted to drive again.

Saturday we golfed at one of my favourite courses with one of the other home owners. The weather was hot but we had a good day. I beat my dad on the back nine-a first for me.

Sunday we golfed again after church. My game could have been better but the weather was nice so there is no complaining.

Monday my dad golfed with his friends and I spent the day with my mom. We tried to visit a yarn shop but they were closed on Mondays. Late in the afternoon we picked my dad up and went to an amazing quilt shop. Unfortunately we didn't arrive until they were closing but they did stay open a couple of minutes for us. I got some great batik fabrics which means I need to get my butt in gear and finish the quilt I am working on.

Tuesday morning I golfed with my dad and 3 of his golfing buddies. It rained and rained and rained. We got called off the golf course twice for lightening making the round almost seven hours long.

Wednesday my dad and I did running around. My mom likes it when we are there because it lets her rest and we get to keep dad busy. After getting on the plane in Myrtle Beach we sat on the tarmac for 1/2 hour but the pilot assured us we would get to Charlotte in time and make our connections. When we got to Charlotte we had to circle for 1/2 hour because of bad weather. I got off the plane, hustled from the B terminal to D terminal and found the gate closed to my flight. They did open the flight up to us and we finally took off. Unfortunately my luggage didn't make the flight. Beth picked me up in Buffalo and we had to wait almost 2 hours for the next flight from Charlotte and luckily my suitcase arrived. I wasn't looking forward to the drive back to the airport tonight. I am extremely tired-it was almost 2:30 when I got to bed this morning.

Can you see a pattern happening? I knit in the car on the way down but then I didn't pick up my needles for the rest of the trip. This means that I didn't get my last project done for the Ravelympics. I was working on Edie. The body is almost done and now I have to pick up for the sleeves. I had great expectations of doing lots of knitting so I had some Rowan Colourscapes Chunky with me. The full bag came back untouched.

I forgot to watch Big Brother on Tuesday night but luckily Beth taped it for me. I will watch it tonight before the new episode-double eviction-gotta love it.

Just one to go

2008-08-20T15:31:00.003-04:00

I finished Cheri this afternoon-all ends sewn in as well. It is too big for the mannequin but I needed to get the picture taken. I have to finish Edie and don't have much time left.

Speaking of Edie-major problems. There is a mistake in the pattern-only on the largest size. At the armhole you cast off 35 stitches. A couple of rows later you need to cast the stitches back on. I have the whole back done and counted my stitches and guess what-I am 5 short. I spent some time trying to figure this out when I read the pattern again-it says to cast on 30 stitches which leaves me 5 short. I must have cast off the stitches and let the knitting sit for a couple of days before casting on so the numbers didn't mean anything to me. When I do the other armhole I am going to cast off 30 and then cast on 35 bringing me back to the right number of stitches and both fronts will match.

Canadian Idol was great this week. Everyone did a really good job with their songs. Big Brother last night was quite boring. Dan thinking about using the POV-what kind of idiot is he? Just leave the nominations as they are and vote out April!!

I will try and post from Myrtle Beach with finished pictures of Edie.

Ravelympics

2008-08-18T08:53:00.005-04:00

The last few days have been much better at the Olympics for Team Canada. It looked like we might not get any medals and then bam!!

Yesterday I showed you Valour finished. This was for the WIP Wrestling category in the Ravelympics. Cheri is my main project for the Vest Vault. I have 4 rows to go on the collar and then sewing.

This is Edie. The cardigan is knit from side to side with holes for the armholes. The part on the left is the front and the right side is the back. The front comes over the shoulders and hangs down with the stripes going sideways and the stripes will be vertical on the back.
I am going to try really hard and get this done for another WIP Wrestling-trying to get as many medals for Team Canada as possible. When the Olympics are done, Ravelry is going to figure out the winner. They have a magic formula that will look at the number of people in the group and the number of finished projects.

On Friday my mom is flying to Myrtle Beach. She is feeling much better but the drive is too long. I will be driving with my dad and then flying home on Wednesday. I hope to get Edie finished in the car if necessary.

April and Jerry on the block-this is going to be interesting. Okay, I am talking about Big Brother-if you aren't watching you could be missing the best season yet. I need to make a mental note to tape Canadian Idol. Amberly being voted out is surprising.

Don't forget that the Knitter's Fair is coming up soon-less than a month away. All of a sudden I need to get my act together to get kits, etc. ready.

Olympic Knitting

2008-08-17T12:25:00.003-04:00

I finished Valour this morning-even the ends are sewn in. I loved knitting with the Colourscapes Chunky. When I am done my Olympic knitting I will have to use this yarn again.

I will be working on Cheri (the Cocoon Vest) this afternoon during the Nascar race. The front and back are done so I need to sew the shoulder seams and start on the collar.

I am going to try and get a quick nap in now before the race starts. I was up late last night watching the swimming and then up again during the night to watch the rowing.

More boxes of yarn

2008-08-14T14:58:00.009-04:00

More boxes of yarn arrived today.

This is Laura from Jenny Watson's upcoming book Catwalk. It is knit in Silk Garden Chunky from Noro. We received colours 1-10 today. It is very unfortunate that I have my Olympic knitting or I would start knitting with this yarn today.

From Sirdar we received a few new yarns. This is the new magazine for Escape DK-51% wool and 49% acrylic, machine washable, marbled yarn. The knits have been beautifully designed to show off the subtle colour striping through the use of simple textures, ribs, cables and a touch of lace. Creates wonderfully rich stripes as you knit. The colour changes randomly so no two knits will be the same.

Another new yarn is Tweedie-a chunky weight yarn-Tweedie Chunky-45 percent Acrylic, 40 percent Wool, 15 percent Alpaca-also machine washable.

Sirdar Baby Bamboo is available in 4 new colours-pale pink, pale yellow, pale blue and pale green. Sorry, we don't have them on the website yet.

There are many new patterns for babies, children, men and women.

I have to run and find somewhere to put these yarns. My knitting is calling to me as well-I wonder which task will win out?

Making progress

2008-08-13T15:01:00.005-04:00

I have been steadily working on Cheri. I am now done 5.5 balls of yarn-unfortunately I haven't done any today. We are receiving boxes of yarn, needles (out of stock Addis are in) and magazines (the fall Interweave just arrived). I have also been getting mail orders ready-Phyllis-yours is on the way.

I mentioned new sock yarn-the Silk Garden sock yarn from Noro has arrived. There are 8 colours-the two shown as well as 84, 87, 252, 258, 264, 269. These match the colours in Silk Garden.

245
8

Canadian Idol and Big Brother are both getting really, really good. On Idol we are getting down to the best-I think there are 4 very strong people and it will be interesting to see who Canada wants to win. The arguing and fighting on Big Brother has been great. In the past people didn't get along but this is the first season where there have been screaming matches (and lots of them). Memphis and Renny are still flying under the radar and should last for some time with everyone else at each others throats. Jerry is an idiot. He is complaining about Dan and the fact that he broke his word-didn't Jerry do that the first week?

Olympic Knitting

2008-08-11T10:47:00.004-04:00

Ravelry is hosting the Ravelympics. We couldn't start our knitting until the opening ceremonies and it must be done by the closing ceremonies. I am knitting Cheri (from the new magazine from Rowan The Cocoon Collection). The vest will take 9 balls and I have 4 knit. (I just threw it on the deck this morning to take the picture-it will lay nicely when blocked.) Hopefully I can finish by the end of the week. I then have 2 projects that are started that I want to get done by the end of the Olympics. The store is going to be a mess because I won't have time to do anything but knit for the next 2 weeks.

There is a new sock yarn in the shop. I sent out the newsletter this morning to those who have asked to receive sock yarn updates. I can let you in on the secret tomorrow morning.

Brooke's Lace Shawl

2008-08-07T09:25:00.000-04:00

I saw this shawl when I was at TNNA in June. It is absolutely beautiful. The yarn has been in the store for a bit and we were just waiting on the pattern. We have more colours than these in the store (including some reds).
The shawl is knit in Wool Crepe from Mountain Colors (who have updated their website-take a look). The shawl is knit on circular needles in the round. Two halves are made and grafted down the centre back. You start by making a circle (the armhole) and working out from there. When you are done the border is added.

Wild Horse
Chinook
Gray Wolf
Lodgegrass
Lupine
Meadow

Making progress

2008-08-06T13:53:00.002-04:00

Here is the first front of Valour. I could have finished it a few days ago but have been lazy this week with my knitting.

This afternoon I cast on the second front and have about 10 rows done.

Is anyone watching the current season of Big Brother? It is a very interesting season. Rennie and Dan might skate through for quite some time if they stay out of the turmoil.

Back is done

2008-08-02T23:18:00.004-04:00

I finished the back of Valour. The colours in the picture are very true to the real colours of the yarn. I am about 1/3 of the way through the first front.

The Olympics will be starting this week so I need to make up my mind on what I am going to knit. I think I will be using Cocoon from Rowan but I still have a few days.

New

2008-07-31T22:29:00.008-04:00

Roko (on the left) and Melo love their new yard. Thank goodness for the artificial grass. With all the rain we have had it would be a mud bowl if the real grass was still there.

These pictures were taken with my new iPhone. I don't know how to publish right from my phone so I have downloaded to my mac. I did learn how to change the size of pictures (easily) on my mac today-it's always a good day when you learn something new.

Two new colours of Kauni that arrived last week.

Still no iPhone

2008-07-30T12:28:00.003-04:00

Here is the back of Valour-my Colourscapes Vest. I am about to do the shoulder shaping. I could have finished it last night but ran out of the store at 5:30 and forgot it. I was running to the Rogers store to get my phone. I got there and I was still denied-credit problems. After one hour of calling everyone known to man I left without a phone. This morning I talked with the Credit Investigation Department and they say everything is good to go. They called the store and I can get my phone today BUT I have to be there before 5 because that is when the 'wireless' staff go home. I tried to explain that was impossible and was told to come tomorrow then. This didn't make me happy so I started phoning everyone under the sun at Rogers and got no help. I was about to tell them I didn't want the phone when the Credit department called me to confirm that everything was okay. When I explained my situation he called around and then talked with my store-they are now staying late for me so I can get the phone. Maybe tomorrow I will be happier than I am right now.

It is another rainy day in Southern Ontario-the kind of day to be sitting in front of a fireplace and knitting!!!

Colourscapes Chunky and iPhone

2008-07-29T14:07:00.008-04:00

I sent out a newsletter yesterday highlighting the new yarns and magazines from Rowan. Here is the Colourscapes Chunky. The colours are amazing (picked by Kaffe Fassett). I am almost done the back of my vest-hopefully pictures tomorrow. I am hoping that Korey can get these on the website soon.

430 Carnival
431 Cherry
432 Heath
433 Frosty
434 Candy Pink
435 Ghost
436 Northern Lights
437 Camouflage

Yesterday afternoon Beth, Cathy (the clean freak) and I had lunch. We happened to be beside the Rogers store so I went in to see if they had an iPhone. I have wanted one of these since the first iPhone was talked about. Well, they had one in stock. I was still debating (I have to pay a penalty to Bell to get out of my contract) but I decided to go for it. I went back in and they started the paper work. All of a sudden the girl working called someone else over and they didn't know what to do. I have a flag on my account so they couldn't finish up getting me my phone. Because someone stole my credit card a few years ago I am now flagged and the credit companies have to make sure it is really me and not someone trying to get something (phone, mortgage, car, etc) in my name. Rogers called me this morning that everything is okay and I can go after work to get my new phone. Since I can take pictures with the phone and the phone has Internet, I am hoping that I can take pictures and publish them right to my blog. We'll see tonight. Beth is excited because she will get my iPod Touch.

I am in the middle of updating the website. Since the quantities in stock for yarns are showing I had better make sure they are right.

I was bad today

2008-07-25T18:24:00.004-04:00

This is Valour from the new Colourscape Chunky Collection magazine.
Here is the start of my Valour. I said that I wouldn't start anything new but customers wanted to see how the yarn looked today so I rolled a ball and started. I am using colour 435 Ghost. I didn't realize until right now that this is the colour the sample is knit in. The yarn is great to knit with. The thickness has been uniform so far-no thick and thin.

More boxes of yarn arrived today including the latest shipment from Kauni. We received 4 colour-EQ (bright colours that the Yarn Harlot used), EZ (teals and greens), EG (pink and purple) and EL (navy and dark purple). Korey and I need to figure out a new way to put this on the website so it could be a while before they are up.

We also received some Dream in Color, Oceanwind Knits and Lorna's Laces. Newsletters went out this morning for those who are on the sock and shawl lists. If you are interested in receiving these emails, please let me know.

Golf was a bit disappointing yesterday. It rained until 2pm so we only got to play 9 holes. We were doing very well after 9 holes and would have finished very well.

It's almost closing time and blogger is having an outage tonight so it's time to publish this. I will be finishing the store newsletter tonight (fingers crossed).

2008-07-23T09:22:00.004-04:00

Sorry-this is going to be a quick post. I am taking the day off today and going golfing.
This is the new Cocoon magazine. The designs are amazing. I spent hours last night scanning pictures into the computer for a newsletter and I hope to finish that tonight. We received 6 new colours of Cocoon as well.
The new Colourscapes magazine. I will have pictures from this in the newsletter as well.
Seven colours of Colourscapes arrived yesterday. This is colour 430. Sorry-I need to hurry so I will put the rest up tonight or tomorrow.

I have picked out projects from both magazines that I need/want but I was a good girl and didn't bring any yarn home.

Hopefully we don't have rain this afternoon and I play well. Dad, Beth and I are golfing with a friend in a golf tournament. Have a good day!!

Rowan is here

2008-07-22T11:27:00.002-04:00

I am in the middle of unpacking 7 boxes of Rowan yarns and magazines. So far I have opened the boxes of magazines. Rowan 44, Colourscapes Chunky and Cocoon. They look great.
I will post about them later tonight.

needleemporium.com upgrades

2008-07-20T18:31:00.006-04:00

The last couple of days have been busy. The Open (golf tournament from England) was this weekend and TV coverage started at 7am. Of course I set my alarm to get up and watch. I did get some knitting done on Edie today.

Korey (my web guy) surprised me yesterday with some upgrades on the web site. Take a look at the Cascade 220 page. For most of the yarns the shade card now shows up on the front page of the yarn. You can put in the quantity you want to buy right on that page-no more jumping between pages. I will be going into work tomorrow to update some of the quantities-somehow these got messed up in the upgrade.

The new Rowan hasn't shown up yet. I have been told that it has left the US. I am hoping it will arrive tomorrow while I am at the store but I can't stay there all day because I have a dentist appointment. If not, we should have it on Tuesday. It will be on the website the minute it arrives in the store.

This is the new Fiona Tote from Offhand Designs. Cosmo Bloom, Ebony and Ivory and Punch Bloom.

A new episode of Big Brother tonight which means some more time to knit.

Busy with new arrivals

2008-07-17T13:10:00.006-04:00

I have been trying to sit down since the beginning of the week to write a post. The store has been busy (no complaints here) but it doesn't leave much computer time. I also golfed this week. My game was much better.

This is a new clutch from Offhand Designs called Stella Bella. Each side opens to hold your knitting and accessories.

The new Rowan hasn't arrived yet but we are hoping any day. Unfortunately Rowan's website hasn't been updated yet to show the new magazine and yarns.

I haven't picked up my knitting needles in a week. Maybe tonight. I have been tired at night so I have relaxed in front of the TV. I know that I can knit in front of the TV but laying down was very enjoyable. The first few episodes of Big Brother were great. Brian thought he had the game won and the others caught on quickly. Canadian Idol was a disappointment this week. I don't think they did David Bowie justice. I didn't watch the results show last week so I wasn't aware of those that didn't make it through. It was disappointing to see who was gone.

Now I am going back to rearranging the store. I need to find room for the new yarns that are arriving.

NEW, NEW, NEW

2008-07-11T18:10:00.001-04:00

The tent sale went well but we are all tired. I came to the store today to find many, many boxes of things to unpack.

The new patterns from KnitWhits just arrived. I showed Edie earlier in the week. I just started the armhole shaping. Edie takes 2-4 balls of Noro Kureyon and 2-3 balls of Kureyon Sock. There are five sizes available on the pattern.

This is Raffaela-knit out of Silk Garden. There are five sizes available on the pattern and the jacket takes 9-13 balls.

Fall Berroco has arrived. You can preview the magazines and yarns on the Berroco website.

I'm leaving for home soon and hopefully a good night sleep. Have a good weekend!!

Jane Thornley

2008-07-07T20:31:00.001-04:00

Here are some Jane Thornley patterns you can download. You will find lots at the tent sale to go with these patterns.

Noro cardigan and tent sale preview

2008-07-07T20:15:00.004-04:00

My mom's surgery went well. She did come home from the hospital on Friday night. She is ordering us all around so she must be feeling better!!

Edie is a new pattern from KnitWhits. The copies to sell in the store should be arriving any day. The jacket is knit using Noro Kureyon Sock and the matching colour of Noro Kureyon. The sock is knit on 6mm needles and the Worsted uses 10mm needles.

I am using colour 188 for mine. I am about to start the armhole shaping. (When I am done this post I will sit down and watch Canadian Idol and do a few more rows.)
Cathy, Beth, Dad and I got all the yarn moved into St. John's Parish Hall today. It took a few trips but we got it all done.

The hall is huge so there will be lots of room for people to move around and look at yarn.
When going through the boxes and bags we found lots of ribbons and fancy yarns. These will work great with Jane Thornley's patterns. You can buy them on Patternfish (the pattern website I talked about a couple of weeks ago).

Rearranging

2008-07-02T10:33:00.000-04:00

I had some time last week so I decided to rearrange the store again. This is the front room. Colinette Ab Fab afghans hung on the wall but the kits are no longer available in Canada so I took them down.
Merino Otto is now in the front room along with some great garments designed by Jane Slicer-Smith.

I hope you enjoyed Canada Day. Dad, Beth and I golfed. My game was much better but my body still hurts.

Mom goes in for surgery in the morning. Her surgeon (who has done major work on her for the past 20 years) hopes that it is a simple hernia operation and that she can come home on Friday. One day in the hospital will be a first for mom.

New sock and shawl yarns have arrived in the store. Don't forget to ask about them on your next visit.

I'm not sure how much I will get to write before the tent sale. I have a garage full of yarn to organize.

Canada Day

2008-07-01T11:35:00.002-04:00

I hope everyone is enjoying a day off. I thought that I would be able to write a nice long post with pictures but no luck-my dad called and wants to go golfing. He has finished his work in the basement and has nothing to do today.

The basement is looking great. The floors are in and the baseboard is done. We convinced him that we wanted white wood trim like the upstairs. In his words-it was a bitch to do but it looks great. Hopefully the painters will finish this week and then the bathroom will be done next week.
Have a good day and I will do a real post when I'm back in the store.

It's Here

2008-06-26T10:33:00.004-04:00

It's here and looks great!!!

Patternfish

2008-06-25T01:00:00.001-04:00

A friend of mine has started a new company that sells knitting patterns online, Patternfish. Currently there are almost 900 patterns in the data base. There are search criteria so that you can find a pattern easier, for instance, men's, v-neck with cables. You will find out of print patterns from Reynolds (old Norah Gaughan designs like this one), Naturally, Twilleys, Style Craft and Classic Elite as well as new patterns from Cabin Fever, Phoenix Bess (a 15 year old designer who has a book coming out next year), and a Sally Melville exclusive.

You can now browse for patterns in the comfort of your own home, download the patterns and then bring them yarn shopping.

If you are a pattern designer, please contact Patternfish about having your patterns on the site.