Have a good trip Mom and Dad

I finally looked at my pile of mail yesterday afternoon and there was a package from Wannietta. Inside were an amazing pair of socks that she knit for the store. Wannietta did a lot of sample knitting for the new book Knit 1 Below and these are a pair of socks from the book. She used Kaffe Fassett colours of Regia. Stop by the store because they look good in the picture (yes, I did borrow the picture from Wannietta) but great in real life. There are new colours of Regia by Kaffe Fassett arriving in the store next week.

Sunday was spent resting and I didn't venture out to the store to pick up the Rowan magazines. I was in the store on Monday and took them home with me. There are some fabulous designs in the books. I have started putting the books on the website as well as featured patterns from the books. This is Red Earth by Kaffe Fassett (knit in Summer Tweed) from the new Rowan magazine. I love this and might have to start it. I don't think the store will be busy today so it might get cast on this afternoon.

Today at noon my parents will be sitting on a plane to Vancouver and then onto Hawaii. They will be there for two weeks-I feel horrible for them. :) We went to Hawaii as a family for a month 33 years ago and they have always wanted to go back. We had dinner with them last night and were reminiscing about the trip.

Drive safe on your way to and from work today.

Home from Vegas

We had a great trip. Last Friday we flew to Vegas and spent the night. We didn't want to get up and go to the airport on Saturday but business called. Our plane landed in San Diego at 10am and we went right to the show. I bought yarn, books and shawl pins. Blue Sky Alpacas was the first booth inside the door and my order was done by noon. There are new patterns and colours coming in the dyed cotton along with a pattern for a cute hooded baby blanket. I ordered more shawl pins from Annie Adams-pewter and Moving Mud-glass. Lorna's Laces has four new colours for spring as well as a new yarn called Pearl-silk and bamboo blend. If you read the Lorna's Laces blog you can see the new colours and a preview of Pearl. Mountain colours also has five new colours. Sock yarns are coming from both companies. There is more to add but I am very tired and need to go to bed. I will add some more tomorrow including talking about the new Rowan. It arrived while I was away so I need to run to the store tomorrow and grab the books to go through them properly. I did see the garments in San Diego and really liked them.

It was great meeting up with friends from around the world but the run really started when we got back to Vegas. We didn't really do anything while there, not even a show, but we were always busy. The slots treated us well and craps was great. Black Jack was the nastiest game in the world so we avoided it like the plague.

Here are some pictures for you. Sorry-they should be in the opposite order but I am tired and not thinking straight.

This was taken this morning on the way to the airport. Sunny skies and warm weather. It was tempting to miss the flight.

In the shopping area of the Venetian you will see statues dressed all in white. These are actual people who stand perfectly still all day. On our last trip Beth wanted to make one move so she went up and took some of his money. Not even a flinch. She had to give the money back and then some for the great performance.

This peaceful garden area is inside the Mirage. Looking at it now makes me sad because I am home in the snow and cold and don't have palm trees to look at.

Have a good night. I know I will sleep well in my own bed.

Shape It!

Here is my Shape It! Scarf from Sally Melville's book The Knit Stitch. I used four balls of Atlante from Naturally double stranded on 6mm needles and followed the number of stitches in the pattern. Because I like the finished product so much I have started another one in rust.

Atlante is 100% bamboo, double knitting weight and the colours are spaced dyed. I hope to have the yarn on the website in the next couple of weeks.

Lynda finished Misty by Kim Hargreaves from the magazine Nectar last week but I couldn't take a picture because there were no buttons. Jane sewed them on yesterday. The yarn is Rowan's Purelife Organic Cotton-the colour is called Logwood. It looks grey in the picture but in real life it is more blue.

Another shipment of Lion and Lamb arrived from Lorna's Laces today. We received Tahoe, Pilsen, Watercolor, Mixed Berries and Edgewater. The Clapotis scarf made this yarn famous-there are currently 758 projects using it on Ravelry.

We are leaving very early on Friday morning and there are many chores to get done before I go. I hope to post again before I go but if I can't I will check in from San Diego or Vegas.

Rowan magazine 45

Rowan magazine 45 will be launched at the end of next week. We should have them in the store any day after January 23. Here is a preview of the magazine.

There are great designs in Kid Silk Haze, Cotton DK, Summer Tweed and the new 4ply cotton-Sienna.

I thought I was done rearranging the store until some new yarns arrived today. We now have the new Lang yarns for spring. There are three great yarns and the new magazine. Zara-a superwash dk yarn from Italy-also arrived today.

Beth and I leave for Las Vegas next Friday morning. We spend the day in Vegas and then fly to San Diego on Saturday morning. I will be seeing new yarns and colours at the spring trade show. You never know what other fun things will be ordered. :) The show ends on Monday afternoon and we fly back to Vegas on Tuesday morning. My vacation officially begins and I will be having fun until Saturday morning when we fly back to cold, snowy Canada.

The clean freak strikes again

Cathy and I have been working like crazy in the store the past 2 days. We have done some major, major reorganizing. This is the new home for sock yarns. Now they all live together-hopefully in harmony.

Four new colours of Sirdar Baby Bamboo arrived this afternoon.  

Sublime's Organic Wool also has a new home. We have been sold out of the magazine for some time but it is back in stock. The yarn is super soft and the patterns are great-men, women and children.

If you read Wannietta's blog, you know she was working on some secret projects for the past two years. They were for this fabulous new book called Knit One Below. Drop by and take a look.  If you go to the website for XRX (the publisher of the book) you can download a free pattern called the Inside Outside Scarf.  

I have accomplished absolutely no knitting in the past week.  Between rearranging/straightening the store during the day and updating the website at night I have been very busy.  I am going to sign off now, move to the couch and knit.  :) 

Happy New Year

I hope everyone had a safe and happy New Years. Sarah's wedding was great. It was held at an Italian restaurant in Milton and we ate all night long-can't beat that. On New Years Day Beth and I held another family gathering. We are officially done with hosting anything until 2010.

We just received our first yarn for spring. Atlante is 100% bamboo made in Italy for Naturally. I didn't get a chance to unpack the yarn because the store has been crazy-no complaints from me.

Rhonda has the yarn to knit this cardigan. Rhonda, are you done yet?

I am going to double strand the Atlante and knit Sally Melville's Shape It! Scarf. I have the yarn and my new Addi Clicks sitting beside the couch waiting for the football game to start. Go Dolphins!!!








Another cute summer top in Atlante.

We also received some Zara from Filatura di Crosa. This is 100% washable wool in double knitting weight. More colours will be arriving during the next couple of weeks. I need to find room for the yarn before I can add too much.

Don't forget to keep checking out the website. I have marked down yarns that we are going to be clearing out. I might also mark down some knitting bags-you never know what my mood might be this week.