Picking up old projects

Sorry for not writing-life has been busy.

I decided we needed a Christmas tree in the house. After looking and seeing that new trees aren't cheap, I dug out my old tree that has been in storage for 15 years. Of course I wanted new decorations-talk about not being cheap. After 2 trips to Pier 1 (and another one coming tonight) I should have the tree looking good. I will post pictures tomorrow.

A year ago I started Holly by Jane Ellison-knit in Noro Transitions. I picked it up again this week and am just finishing the last sleeve.


I have started to sew together my Hip to be Square jacket. I hate sewing but am forcing myself to do it. With two projects almost done I need to start thinking about the next one to start!!

Monkey

Yes, this is a sock-and I knit it. I used Prism's Saki (Thunderclap) and knit the Monkey pattern from Knitty. The pattern is easy to follow-I left out the purls and made them all knits. I knit the socks on 2.5mm needles and should have used 2.75mm-these are a little on the tight side.

Wannietta, before you ask, I used 5 double pointed needles.

Happy American Thanksgiving. I get to watch football all afternoon-all I need is for someone to cook me a turkey dinner!!

Dining Room Table

Mike (M & M Tables in Stoney Creek) brought our table tonight after work. It is freaking fabulous!! The table sits on pedestals that we had to attach in the house-it wasn't coming through the door with them on. We had a hard time deciding on the colour of the seats and we got it perfect. They are almost the same colour as our couch (a light duck egg blue colour). Eight chairs are made and there is fabric for four more. We are going to have two more chairs made and then have some fabric in case of an accident.
The center piece is from Mom-she brought it home from South Carolina. Tomorrow afternoon we are going to look at the glass bowl that is being made for the center of the table. Paull is behind and has two in the works-he wants us to choose which colour will work best for us.
Thursday night Beth and I are off to the One of a Kind Craft Show. That could be deadly!! If the show is good I will take Mom back on Monday.
My dad called us from Honduras earlier this evening. All is well. They are staying in a hotel this time-normally they stay with families. When Beth went with my dad, they also stayed in a hotel. She said it was about 1/2 a star-more like a jail than a hotel. I am no longer allowed to complain when we stay in a hotel.

I didn't get much knitting done today-maybe tomorrow.

A bit of everything

Knitting
I am almost finished my Hip to be Square jacket-I hope to get the second sleeve done today. There is a mystery project in the works and I might have some pictures by the end of the week.

Ravelry
I am trying to limit my time looking around. There is a lot to see but it cuts into knitting time!! The other issue is that I keep finding projects that I like-I don't have time for these!!!

Store
I just unpacked a large shipment of Smooshy sock yarn from Dream in Color. It is spread out in a large basket and the colours look amazing.
Perl Grey shawl pins are made in Nova Scotia and we just received another shipment.
I just talked with Berroco and there are at least 6 new colours of Peruvia leaving their warehouse this afternoon for us. The spring Berroco was ordered last week-amazing. You will love the new Norah Gaughan magazine.

Home life
My dad left for Honduras yesterday. The group travel to the airport together so we only had to take him to Dundas to meet everyone. They met at 2am and the weather was very cold-unfortunately all my winter clothes are still in the apartment. Dad called from Houston that they made it there okay and we received an email last night that they made it safely to Honduras.
I went shopping yesterday and bought myself a present-the new iPod Touch. It is like the iPhone without the phone. It has Wi-Fi so I can get my emails while travelling. It means finding a hot spot but I should be able to do that. My songs are all downloaded-that took about 5 minutes last night-it is very, very fast. It also holds my date book and contacts.
We are having artificial grass put in our back yard at the townhouse this week. One of the dogs (Roko) loves to dig holes in the yard and it is currently a muddy mess. It looks like grass without the fuss.

Felt Christmas Stocking

I knit these up last year. Here is the pattern. The blue stocking has been felted and the brown one hasn't been felted yet.


Materials
3 balls Noro Kureyon
7mm double pointed needles
If you wish, you can knit the stocking on a 7mm circular 40cm long but you will still need the double points.
3 stitch markers-2 in one colour and 1 a different colour (use this one to mark the start of the row)

Abbreviations:
K-knit
P-purl
Tog-together
Ssk-slip one stitch as if to knit, slip one stitch as if to purl, slip the tip of the left needle through the front of these 2 stitches and knit them
Sl-slip the stitch from the left needle to the right needle as if to knit

Cast on 64 stitches loosely. Join into a round (be careful not to twist the stitches. This will have to be checked before and after the first round.) Place the marker to mark the start of your row on the needle. Work in stocking stitch (knit every row) until it measures 15" long.

Divide for heel
Knit 16 stitches past your marker. Turn your work. You will be working on 32 stitches back and forth for the heel. You can do this on the circular needle or on 2 of the double pointed needles if you are more comfortable with it this way.

Row 1: slip 1 and purl to the end.
Row 2: slip 1 and knit to end.

Work a total of 24 rows for the heel.

Row 1: sl 1, p20, p2tog, p1, turn
Row 2: sl 1, k11, ssk, k1, turn
Row 3: sl 1, p12, p2tog, p1, turn
Row 4: sl 1, k13, ssk, k1, turn
Row 5: sl 1, p14, p2tog, p1, turn
Row 6: sl 1, k15, ssk, k1, turn
Row 7: sl 1, p16, p2tog, p1, turn
Row 8: sl 1, k17, ssk, k1, turn
Row 9: sl 1, p18, p2tog, p1, turn
Row 10: sl 1, k19, ssk , k1

The heel is now turned and there are 22 stitches on the heel needle. You will now be working in rounds again.

Pick up and knit 12 stitches along heel edge and place a different coloured marker. Knit across the 32 stitches that weren't used for the heel and place a marker. Pick up knit 12 stitches along the heel edge. Knit across 11 stitches and place your beginning of the row marker. You should have 78 stitches on your needle.
Knit one row.

Row 1: Knit to the 3 stitches before the first marker that is not the start of your row, K2tog, K1. Knit to the next marker, k1, ssk, knit to the end.
Row 2: Knit
Repeat these 2 rows 5 times (a total of 10 rows worked).
Then repeat row 1 until you have 64 stitches left on your needle.

Knit every row for 20 rows.

Shape toe
Row 1: Slip marker that marks beginning of your row, *Knit to three stitches before first marker, k2tog, k1, slip marker, k1, ssk.* Repeat from * to *. You will now be at the beginning of row.
Row 2: knit

During these decreases you will have to change to double pointed needles. Repeat these 2 rows 5 times. Total of 10 rows marked. Now Repeat Row 1 until 12 stitches left on needle.

Cut the yarn leaving a long tail. With a sewing needle thread the tail through the remaining stitches and pull tight. Sew the tail in on the inside of the stocking. Sew in the rest of your ends.

For the loop to hang the stocking from you will make an I-Cord.
How to make an I-Cord
With double pointed needles, cast on 4 stitches with double strand of yarn. Knit all the stitches. Switch needles in your hands, so the needle with the stitches is in your left hand again. Slide the stitches to the other end of the needle and pulling the yarn across the back of the stitches knit the row again. Continue this way, sliding and knitting, until the cord is the length you wish. Give the cord a tug to make the little carry across the back disappear. Work in I-cord for 22 rows. Cast off the stitches and sew in the ends.

To Felt
Set your washer to a small load on hot wash and cold rinse (you're not going to use the rinse cycle though). Add a teaspoon or two of clear dish detergent or laundry soap. Many reference books recommend a detergent made for washing wool that does not require rinsing. Place the knitted tote into a clean zippered pillow protector (to protect your washer's pump from excess fibers) and add it to the washer. Throw in a pair of old jeans or two or three tennis balls (to increase agitation, close the lid. Wait about 5 minutes.
Pull the pillow protector from the washer, open the zipper and check on the size of your item. If it's too large, zip up and toss it back in the washer for a few more minutes. Keep checking often until the yarn looks matted like felt. If you need more time, turn the timer back to the start. Remove it from the washer (don't let it go through the spin or rinse cycles). Rinse it in cold water (that will set the felt even more firmly) until no suds is left (the rinse-free detergent eliminates the need for this step). Lay out to dry (lay in between towels to go faster). Sew on I-Cord at top for hook.


Julie Schilthuis
The Needle Emporium

Cherry Garcia

Cherry Garcia-what a great name. This neck warmer took 1 skein of Noro Iro, 8mm 40cm circular needles and one day to make.

25% off all Rowan Yarns

Happy 44th anniversary Mom and Dad!! I don' t know who deserves to be congratulated more.

With the jump of the Canadian dollar, we are reducing the prices of some yarns to stay competitive. We don't know how long these reduced prices will last-it will depend on the market. Long conversations took place before we decided to do this. For some yarns there is a percentage off, for others there is a set dollar amount decrease. For other products like Addi Turbo needles, we are charging you based on the price that we paid when the shipment came in. The shipment that came in yesterday is cheaper than the one from a month ago. There is no easy way to do this. Please remember that a lot of our inventory was bought at least 6 months ago, if not longer when the dollar wasn't nearly as strong.

All in stock Rowan yarns are now 25% off. To find out about other yarns that are being reduced, please sign up to receive our newsletter (sign up box in top left corner of this page-just enter your email address.)

I have made some knitting progress. One and a half sleeves are completed on my Hip to be Square. Maybe this weekend it will finally be done!

If you are looking for shawl pins, we received a large shipment of the wooden ones that are made in BC. There are some amazing colours!!

Scarves are still cool

Around the knitting industry I hear people saying that scarves are out. I just received catalogues in the mail from Eddie Bauer and L.L. Bean. Both catalogues have knit scarves for sale and customers are still coming in and asking to see the latest in scarves as well.

I started this scarf on Thursday and Sarah finished it on Saturday. It is using a new yarn from Trendsetter called Minestrone (colour 8). We used the Multi-Directional scarf pattern to show off the three different yarns that are combined in each ball.

We just received a shipment of yarn from Blue Sky Alpacas. I added more colours of Bulky Hand Dyes and Duotones. I wanted to see what the Suri Merino was like so I ordered two colours-it is amazing and more will be ordered.

Have you signed up for Ravelry yet? I would highly suggest it. After showing Sarah around the site on Saturday she went home and joined. The only problem is that you have to limit your time looking around or you will never get any knitting done!!

Knitting Progress

I finished Fetching on Saturday morning. Sarah is modelling them for me. These fingerless gloves are very easy to make-great if you want to learn a cable. I used Alpaca with a Twist Highlander-one skein is more than enough.

I also worked on my Hip to be Square jacket. One sleeve is almost done but I ran out of yarn. In the old days I could run downstairs and get what I need.

Gone Stitchin' 2008

I should really make notes before I start doing an entry. I totally forgot about this when I was writing earlier

Our instructors are set for 2008. Fiona Ellis will be joining us along with Barry Klein. The dates have changed from previous years-we are now meeting from October 2-5, 2008.

If you want more information, send me an email and I will add you to our newsletter list.

I am back

Apparently someone was writing posts for me this week. I read talk about knitting socks. That person has left and I am back. Wannietta, if I was going to hypothetically knit a pair of socks it would be on 5 needles.

We have a great yarn in the store called Highlander (an alpaca and wool blend) from Alpaca with a Twist. I wanted to try a ball without knitting a whole sweater so I am knitting Fetching-fingerless gloves. You can download the pattern for free on Knitty. These are very easy to knit. I started Wednesday-one is finished and I am halfway through the second.

Gotta run-need to get knitting. I just wanted to let you all know that I am back and talk of socks will stop for a couple of days (I have picked out the pattern that I would use)

Socks

The Prism sock yarn, Saki, is absolutely beautiful. I am very close to winding a skein and knitting a pair of socks!!! Wannietta and Rhonda have now fallen off their chairs.

I am working on both sleeves of my Hip to be Square jacket-maybe this weekend.

It is finally sweater weather in Southern Ontario. There were snowflakes flying around this morning.

I didn't make it to the guild meeting last night-can't wait to hear how Maureen Mason-Jamieson was. Fiona Ellis is going to be at the next meeting.

This is very short and to the point. I have some surprise knitting happening right now and want to get it done.

Cleaning, Mom and Ravelry

I am in the middle of cleaning my house-YUCK. We are going to dinner with friends tonight and then they are coming back to see the house. I haven't vacuumed in 15 years and now I know why.

My mom and dad are in Myrtle Beach and will be coming home tomorrow. My mom has had dial up for her internet and today finally got wireless. She would have to phone us and say she was going onto the internet because then the phone would be busy for hours. My dad is totally computer illiterate-he refers to the computer as 'the machine'. This will make him happy that the phone won't be tied up for 'the machine'.

I played around on Ravelry over the weekend. I connected with lots of people that I know and now they are in my 'Friends' box. You can join Ravelry even if you don't have a blog and I highly suggest it. There are places to keep track of your projects (finished, started and stashed), your books, needles and there are lots of discussion groups. If you are having problems you can post it and get many answers immediately.

Jane called me from the store that we received some boxes in the mail. One is from Prism which contains some of their new sock yarn called Saki. These are the colours that came-I can't wait to see them in person.







The other box is from Berroco-no new yarns but refills for the shelves.

How about the Amazing Race last night? The team that Beth picked to win were eliminated on the first show!!


It's time to finish cleaning!!

Cathy strikes again

Cathy worked in the store yesterday and today. WOW!! It is very tidy. We straightened up the double knitting and worsted weight yarns.

In the store there is a book shelf and the top rack on one side is binders full of leaflets. These binders have a mind of their own-they have been known to fall off the shelf near customer's heads. I took the leaflets out of at least half the binders and put them in baskets around the store. We now have a basket of just men's patterns!!

Last night I went to the Potters Guild of Hamilton and Region Fall Sale. Bad move!!! I came home with four pieces. The first piece doesn't count. Hundreds of bowls were for sale at $20.00 each. All proceeds go to Hamilton Food Share. Last Fall Sale thanks to our customers , $15,000 was raised for Hamilton Food Share. $1 raised generates $10 worth of food.
I can see the pieces on the counter and there is technically 5 pieces. I bought (all from one potter) a cream and sugar as well as two serving plates. They are a deep red/brown with accents of turquoise and lime. One of my students, Maggi, was there and she called them eclectic.

I'm off to watch the hockey game and knit. GO HABS!!!

I'm In!!!

My Ravelry invite came today. I tried to think of a clever name but decided for something that people can remember.

AncasterJulie

Gotta run-I'm having fun playing.

Friday morning

I am sitting in the kitchen eating my breakfast (toast and jam-Smuckers Raspberry with real fruit-I am extremely picky) doing some work. I love having a network set up in the house so I can take my laptop anywhere. It came home with me last night because I am having problems sleeping. I might as well get something accomplished! Of course my head hit the pillow and I woke up to a dog on me at 7am. Our house is very cold-no one turned the heat on. Luckily we have a fireplace. Beth did not want a fireplace-said we wouldn't use it. We have probably had it on 10 times since we moved it.

The store doesn't open until noon on Friday which gives me a bit of time to do some work. I am in the middle of writing three different email newsletters as well as a print newsletter.

Survivor was priceless last night when Jamie pulled out the 'immunity idol' which really wasn't.

At least I can wear a sweater to work today!!

Nadine

All I was thinking about this morning was the pumpkins and forgot a few things.

Nadine-can you give me a call? I left a message on your blog. Nadine has been a customer of mine for many years but we have only met once. I get these frantic phone calls from Montreal that she needs yarn!! I sometimes mail them and sometimes her mom picks them up. Last week I got a nice surprise in the mail-a get well card from Nadine. Thank you very much.
She is moving in less than two weeks to San Francisco. I love the city-maybe I can deliver yarn to her!!

Today's Ravelry
385 people are ahead of you in line
I guess I need to find a name for myself. It appears the invite might be coming soon.

Halloween

It was an unhappy Halloween at our house. We only saw 8 kids!! There was enough candy for about 100 so each kid got quite a lot. We did have good looking pumpkins!! Beth carved another one on Tuesday night.