A two day post

The weather was horrid here today. Cold and rainy. Why would anyone go out??

Part of my day was spent on the website.

Mountain Colours Bearfoot is totally up-to-date from my end. Just waiting for Korey to upload some pictures. While pulling the yarn from the shelf and counting it I fell in love with the colour Heather. Maybe another Clapotis??

I also worked on getting the Della Q bags and needle cases on the website.

Part of my day was spent knitting. Another 2 balls are done on my Vogue Scarf. 6 balls to go. I should get some done while clearing the DVR tonight.

I am looking forward to Survivor. Please let Russell stay.

That part of the post was written yesterday before I left work. Got home to find out that we had no Internet. I tried everything-even unplugging things. Just didn't want to work. I moved upstairs and watching some TV. A couple episodes of Law & Order SVU, Y&R, the football game (way to go Miami) and Survivor. My giant scarf is done. I just need to cast off but want to make sure on the length before I do. That will be tonight's job-it was after midnight before I went to bed last night and was too tired to think.

How about Survivor? I think this is the best season we have ever had. Russell finding the immunity idol again is priceless. But even more priceless was the look on Laura's face when she was voted off. Or maybe it was Dave's face when he realized that someone on his side had jumped.

My Clapotis is finally done

Last night I finished work, ran and had my nails done and then crashed on the couch. The DVR is almost full so I had to get through some shows. I got a lot of knitting accomplished!!

Rowan Studio 17 just came in. This picture doesn't do the cover justice-the letters and numbers are silver glitter.

From the inside cover of the magazine
"Sparkle...eight garments using Kid Silk Aura, Kid Silk Haze, Shimmer, Pure Silk DK and Wool Cotton. A collection of garments with extra sparkle that will allow you to party in style."

This is called Frill. Kid Silk Haze is used double strand on 5.5mm needles. It is knit sideways-a rectangle with slits for armholes.

When the rectangle is done you pick up all around and make the ruffle.

Another picture of Frill so that you can see it better. Martin Storey designed this great garment.

Sarah Hatton brings us the Lace Dress-it is also knit in Kid Silk Haze.

Wouldn't this look great as a tunic over leggings and a turtleneck?

Another order is on its way to us from Namaste including the new red Buddy case.

I have been knitting like crazy the last few days to get my Clapotis done. The pattern is free on Knitty.com. I used Silk Garden Sock on 4mm needles.

In this picture I still have some stitches to drop.

The stitches are now dropped. I still have the ends to sew in but wanted to get the picture taken before darkness hit.

I am already planning to knit another but would make it a bit narrower. I used 2 full balls of yarn-there was a lot of knitting.

My fingers have been flying

I need to clear up something from last week. I said that I don't like Noro. I should have put a smiley after that statement because I LOVE Noro. We have lots in the store and I have lots in my house.

A lot of knitting was accomplished yesterday. I finished 6 more skeins of yarn on my scarf-it is just over half way done. It looks great on the mannequin.

It was necessary to pay attention during The Amazing Race so I picked up other knitting. I was sad to see Gary and Matt leave the show last night. They didn't argue once and were polite to everyone.

A huge box of yarn arrived from Estonia today. The Kauni is here and is already on the website. I am not sure where it is going to fit in the store-that will be my chore tomorrow.

Dad came to the store on Saturday and put my new flags up. It is time to get ready for the holiday season.

Lazy Sunday afternoon

Sunday afternoon at my house-football and knitting. I am on my way downstairs to wind more wool for my scarf. 6 balls are done and boy is it getting heavy. I will definitely be ready for the cold weather once it is done!!

The pattern is very easy to follow-there are only 24 stitches on the needle. All you need to know is knit, purl, yarn over, knit 2 together, ssk and purl 2 together.

Today is the perfect weather for dogs with coats to be playing outside.

Beth had the yard cleaned up last week (no socks) but Melo keeps bringing them outside.

I looked at these needle gauges at TNNA in June. Of course I didn't think about them again until this week when I decided that I needed them for the store. What a great Christmas gift!! An assortment of colours are coming. The gauges are size in metric-2mm-12mm.

A few of the gauges are coming as key chains. I wasn't sure if you would like these but if there is interest I will order more.

Two weeks today at this time Beth and I will be on an airplane flying to Vegas. The countdown has begun.

Classes and a new project

The Fake Isle hat is a great project to learn knitting Fair Isle (two colours in one row).

We will be running a class on Friday nights
November 20 7-8pm
November 27 7-9pm
December 11 7-9pm

We will be covering:
-Knitting with circular and double pointed needles
-Using 2 colours in a row
-Reading a chart

Cost of the class is $85 (includes yarn for the hat).

I have absolutely no will power. I found my Winter 2008/09 Vogue Knitting on Wednesday night. I have lusted after this scarf since the magazine came out.

I started winding the yarn yesterday afternoon in the store. It is Bulky from Blue Sky Alpacas-I am using colour 1213 Jasmine. This is how far I was when I left work.

After work we went out for dinner with the parents-it is their anniversary on Sunday. 46 years. My dad says that mom has had 43 good years and he has had 3.

The yarn is used double strand on 15mm needles. The scarf is going to be very, very warm!!! This is where I stopped (4 skeins of 20 are knit)-I ran out of yarn while watching the Y&R and didn't want to go downstairs to get more-I was very comfortable on the couch.

There is always knitting sitting beside the couch so I picked up my Noro striped scarf and worked on it. I am almost through the first two balls.

How about Survivor last night? It could have been the best episode yet. All week they let us think that Russell was going home but I thought otherwise. If they show one person in the previews it usually isn't that person going home. Laura looked like she was going to spit bullets when Russell used the immunity idol. I hope he finds one again next week.

It is now 4:25 and I started this post at 10:15 this morning. The day has been crazy to say the least.

A van load of ladies came in from Barrie, King City, Woodbridge and Richmond Hill. They are referred to as 'the Joans'-there are 2 Joans along with an Elizabeth, Ann, Pat and Monica. They started their day in Ancaster with lunch followed by a couple of hours in the store. Thanks for visiting ladies.

Then the boxes started arriving. First was a box of sock yarn and Dale baby yarn and books. Then a box came from Lantern Moon-needles and more buttons. I just finished opening the box from Berroco-more Blackstone Tweed.

I need to go now-there is a finishing class here tonight and I'm not ready.

I finished something

Two posts in one day seems a bit much but I just finished a project and wanted you to see it.

In the last store newsletter I showed some hat patterns. This is Fiber Trends AC-62 knit in Debbie Bliss Como.

2 balls of yarn on 9mm needles (circular and double point).

The pattern is super easy to follow and is written for 3 thicknesses of yarn-worsted, bulky and super bulky.

Shawl that Jazz

I haven't mentioned my knitting lately in my posts. There is a bit of knitting going on but not much. I am working on a shawl called 'Shawl that Jazz' by Samantha Roshak. Take a look at some of the finished pictures on Ravelry-very nice. It is an easy pattern to knit but I'm not moving quickly. I chose Aspire DK from Naturally-a wool/alpaca blend.

Every row of the shawl you knit one stitch less-the edge stitches are left for the ruffle. I am finally down to the part where the rows are starting to go quicker. You can't really see the stitch markers (sorry I chose pink) but the stitches lying flat on the chair are the live stitches I am still working with-these will continue to decrease down to no live stitches and just the stitches left for the ruffle. When done the body of the shawl you work all stitches on the needle and end up with a great ruffle.

We received in two shipments of Shawl Pins yesterday. Original Artworx are Fimo (clay) pins made in Florida. Moving Mud are glass pins made in Vermont.

When you visit the store you will notice shawl pins in many vests, cardigans and jackets. Shawl pins are much easier than making buttonholes and much neater. They are like jewelry-they add something to your garment. You can change the shawl pin depending on the occasion as well-dressy or casual depending where you are going.

More spring preview

My day started early yesterday. I was off to Toronto to one of my suppliers to see the new yarns for spring.

The three yarns I wanted to see were Noro, Debbie Bliss and Sirdar. There were many more that I will see when my sales rep comes to visit.

We carry a lot of Sirdar Baby Bamboo in the store because it is a great yarn and it sells well. There will be four new colours for spring-Yellow Submarine, Limey, Sailboat and Rinky Dinky Pink. There will also be a new pattern book.

Debbie Bliss has two new yarns for spring. Eco Baby (Eco Cotton came out in Aran weight last spring) - I think it is the same thickness as Cashmerino Baby. Of course there will be a great baby book to go with the Eco Baby yarn. Amalfi is 70% cotton, 15% viscose, 10% linen and 5% silk. The colours are muted and very pretty. A pattern magazine will come with the yarn but I didn't see it. There will also be a new Debbie Bliss magazine for spring. Unfortunately there weren't any pictures.

You know that I don't like Noro but I did take notes for what is coming. There are 4 new yarns-one will be a lace weight. Taiyo and Cherimen (both from last summer) have 6 new colours each.

Jenny Watson is one of my favourite designers and she has a new book for Noro-Catwalk 2. I have a copy of the magazine and scanned a few pictures in to show you. I am hoping to have the actual magazine in the store soon.

Silk Garden Lite, Taiyo, Kureyon, Silk Garden, Silk Garden Sock and Kureyon Sock are featured in the magazine. The cover jacket is knit in Taiyo.

I love this jacket (knit in Silk Garden) -might make it for myself but will definitely be adding some length.

Kureyon Sock. This will definitely be going to one of my knitters to make. The hardest part is going to be deciding on the colour. This looks great but I always try to use a different colour than the book.

I love this cardigan as well. It is knit in Kureyon.