One down and another started

Beth is watching Glee in the other room while I am typing. It is very distracting. I have only watched one episode but have listened to a few more. I keep asking for updates on who the characters are.  She is getting mad at me and told me to stop typing and come out and watch if I am that interested in the show.

Before starting my post I did a quick look on Ravelry to see if I was missing anything.  Here is a link to the complete preview of Spring/Summer 2011.

This afternoon I finished my Noble Cowl.  I am very happy with the finished product. Blocking is needed but I am going to display it in the store for a few days first.

The pattern said to cast off loosely so I used a 6mm instead of the 4mm the cowl was knit on. The cowl is on the mannequin upside down with the looser edge on the shoulders.

I love the idea of a shawl pin on the cowl and picked a nickel pin from Romi.

Now that the cowl is done I can get to work on a new project.  Aldred from Katherine Matthews.  The shawl/scarf is shown in Liberty from Classic Elite.

The pattern will be in the store next week.

I am also using Liberty. First the edging is knit and then you pick up for the body of the shawl. The body is worked in short rows that Katherine explains in an easy to follow manner.

I can not believe the song that they are currently singing on Glee.  Dirty Dancing. Seriously??

Dentist=bad day

I did not use my day off wisely today.  For some reason I thought it was a good idea to book a dentist appointment.  Two fillings had to be removed and replaced.  Children-don't eat candies or drink pop!!  My dentist is a 45 minute drive.  That is a long story but I like him so I won't change.  I was in the chair at noon and the freezing started coming out about 6pm.  YUCK!!!

My after dinner job has made my head spin.  Beth needed some computer work done and I got through most of it but now I need to relax and knit. Pictures tomorrow-I promise.  The pattern is from Katherine Matthews and we will have it in the store next week.

This is an exciting week in the store.  20 years ago we moved into the old stone house.  We bought the house 22 years ago and then had to do major renovations, put on an addition and have it zoned commercial.  December 1, 1990 was the big day.  I don't have pictures of the construction.  Back then I wasn't blogging.  :)  There is definitely a lot more yarn in the store now!!

In case you haven't read our latest newsletter

To celebrate we are giving away some prizes.

1st prize - $150 gift certificate for the store
2nd prize - Namaste knitting bag of your choice to be selected from current stock (don't worry-we have lots of styles and colours)
3rd prize - $25 gift certificate for the store

How do you enter?
During the week of November 29-December 4 you can earn ballots.  If you make a purchase in the store, over the phone or online of $50 (not including taxes and shipping) you will get a ballot.  If your purchase is $100 then two ballots.  $150=3 ballots....

On December 4 at 3:30 we will draw the winner's names and I will put them on my blog December 5.  

One of a Kind

Beth and I took off for the One of a Kind Show after the store closed yesterday.  Mom decided to stay home (more about that later).

The first purchase of the day was a new purse.  I know, I have many purses but there is nothing like a hand made leather bag.  This is a bag for traveling. Everything (including my iPad) will fit in it. The strap is long enough so that I can wear it across by body and it sits on my hip.  This is great for traveling when I am dragging a suitcase (or two).

Matteo Mio

The next purchase was a necklace.  Beth bought it for me for Christmas. Very cool.

klb

Then the big purchase.  Pictures for our dining room wall.  I have been looking at these for many years and we finally pulled the trigger.

This is the smallest piece.  The other two pieces are three times the width - 24" x 24". They are still in bubble wrap until dad can get here to hang them for us.

It is hard to tell from the picture but these are ceramic tiles.  I couldn't take my camera out because it freaks Roko out so I had to use my phone.

Marie-Joel

Mom decided to pass on One of a Kind because there was a craft show in Ancaster this weekend.  I woke up early this morning to take her.  She was so excited.  The last Christmas craft show we went to at Merritt Hall was great. Not so good today.  What a disappointment.  The show was supposed to be juried with 70 vendors.  I don't think there was anywhere near that many vendors.  We came away with some good cookies and that was all.  It took less than an hour to walk through twice-and my mom doesn't walk fast.  :)

No buttons for me

As you know I love shawl pins.  Buttons are a thing of the past and all my cardigans/jackets have a special pin.  The very first shawl pins we carried in the store were hand made in BC from wood.  We still carry them and another shipment just arrived.  I sent Dale a list of colours and he made me some beautiful pins.  I love them all.

This is just a sample-there are more!

Ms. Canada Post came in with many boxes today including a HUGE box of tosh Pashmina.  100 skeins!!

• Well Water
• Kale 
• Kelp
• Mourning Dove
• Norway Spruce
• Dahlia
• Moss
• Logwood
• Sugar Plum
• Boxwood

What colour to take home and what to use it for is my current dilemma.

Tonight I am teaching my finishing workshop.  The ladies will come away with lots of tips for easier finishing.  They will also learn to do the mattress stitch. And then they will do it some more.  I want them to be able to do it in their sleep.  Anyone who has taken my class is laughing right now thinking about how many times I ripped out their work and made them do it again.

After class it is home time-to the couch to knit.  My Noble Cowl is almost done.  8 more rows to go and then casting off.  The new couches are very comfortable.  It was hard to get up and go to bed last night.  I could have slept in front of the TV.

Sarah is working with me tomorrow and then Beth and I are taking mom to One of a Kind in Toronto.  It is great having mom (and her credit card) along.

Happy Thanksgiving

To all our American friends I hope you are having a Happy Thanksgiving.  I am very jealous that you are eating turkey today.

Jealousy aside I am celebrating with you.  Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade this morning and football has been on my TV all afternoon.

I haven't finished my Noble Cowl yet but I am almost there.  Somedays knitting on 40cm circular needles hurts my hands.

The yarn (Mulberry from Louisa Harding) is very nice to knit with and the sheen of the silk is beautiful.

The other day I wrote that I couldn't find my hooks for the grid.  Cathy emailed me to tell me where they were hidden and I tried hanging my Lantern Moon needles.  The display didn't excite me so the needles came down and the Tosh sock went up.  Much better.

Tonight I am teaching the second week of Cables and then racing home. The new couches came this morning.  Last night we sat down to watch TV in the loft-I pulled the chair out of my office and Beth sat on the floor with the dogs.  Not comfortable!!

Saki

I have talked many times about my love for Prism yarns and their colours. Another box of Saki just arrived.  There are at least five skeins that I want to take home!!

I think that I am going to go with Portofino-pale shades of pink, mauve, coral and olive.  Now to find a pattern.  I think it will be one from Anne Hanson.

WAIT!  I must finish my cowl first before I can start another scarf.  That means I had better turn off the computer and pick up my needles.

I am home now, had dinner and doing some work.  We are looking after our friend's daughter for the evening.  Beth and Jess are playing Dance Central on the Xbox.  It sounds like there are elephants upstairs!!

Winter Wonder Mittens

Two posts in one day-it's a great time of year for knitters with new yarns and patterns arriving all the time.

A newsletter just came from Classic Elite with a free pattern for mittens. Absolutely beautiful mittens designed by Amy Loberg!!

The photos are from Meg Myers.

Knit in Classic Elite Fresco.

Fresco – 60% wool, 30% baby alpaca, 10% angora Fresco is a smooth and even 3-ply sport weight yarn. The plies are twisted together tightly enough to make a firm, springy yarn, but not so tightly that the yarn loses its lofty, soft hand. The fiber blend—wool (for warmth and strength), alpaca (for loft and sheen), and a bit of angora (to provide a soft halo)— makes a yarn that’s warm, soft, and slightly fuzzy

Pattern: Winter Wonder Mittens (free download from Classic Elite)

Yarn: Classic Elite Fresco-1 skein each of 2 colours

I love how the yarn fluffs.  Not enough fluff to come off on what you are wearing (think angora sweaters from twenty years ago) but enough to make pretty mittens.

Classic Elite newsletters come out once a week with great projects.  If you aren't receiving the newsletter you can sign up on their website.

New Displays

This morning I was on a mission to do some new displays.

Here are my cowls.  I even made a sign for each cowl telling the yarn and where to find the pattern.  This makes life easier for Jane, Cathy and Sarah.

I had this grid in the store last year and then we started taking it to shows.  It ended up in storage and my dad returned it to the store on Saturday.  It is going to be used to hang the Lantern Moon needles but I can't find my hooks so for now it looks like this.

Over the past two weeks I have been crazy making price signs. There should be a sign on everything now. Of course, now that I wrote this someone is going to come in this afternoon and find something without a sign.

This is one of my favourite scarves. 

Pattern:  Cora (downloadable for free on Rowan's website)

Yarn: 2 skeins of Rowan Colourscape Chunky
Needles: 7mm

The two new shades of Colourscape Chunky are missing from our shade cards.  Here they are (and they would both look amazing in the scarf)

 444 Moody Blues

447 Jungle

Ms Canada Post brought a parcel yesterday from Lynda.

Pattern: Ribbed Tank from the Debbie Bliss Glen magazine
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Glen in colour 7 (aqua/blue marl)
Needles: 5.5mm and 6.5mm

The yarn feels great in the finished sweater!!

Now I need to figure out what I am going to send to Lynda tomorrow.

Best Buy

It was another busy Monday.  I have new hair and pretty nails.  The banking is done and I ran to the post office with mail orders along with parcels for Beth.  Many things on my list didn't get finished so they will be on my list for Friday morning.

I called Beth and asked her what she wanted from the grocery store.  I was going to get some chicken for dinner.  She sent a list and then another text came through suggesting we go to Lonestar for fajitas and then do the grocery shopping.  Why not?  She was buying.  After dinner she hinted that she would like to stop at Best Buy.  Okay.  I can always find something I need.

She had ulterior motives for the stop.  She wanted an Xbox with the new Kinect.  Even better than a Wii.  From Xbox.com

Controller-free gaming means full body play. Kinect responds to how you move. So if you have to kick, then kick. If you have to jump, then jump. You already know how to play. All you have to do now is to get off the couch.

We now own an Xbox.  It is her Christmas present from me.  No, it won't be wrapped for Christmas-she is upstairs right now hooking it up.

I bought something for myself as well-iPad Camera Connection kit.  Now I can download pictures directly from my camera to my iPad.  Before I had to download to my computer and then email them to my iPad.  This will be great while traveling!!

We received a very small shipment of Triana today.  There is a bit of cream (40), black (49) and the sea green and blue mix (50). Hopefully more will be coming next week.

I need to go and help Beth hook up her toy.  Have a great night!

Title? Can't come up with one!

I was supposed to knit last night but wasn't feeling great so I laid in bed and watched the hockey game.  Why in my bed and not on a couch?  We don't have any couches upstairs right now.  When Beth and I moved into the house we waited until we found the perfect couches (or sofas) for upstairs. We thought they were perfect when we bought them.  They were brown corduroy type fabric.  Bad choice.  The dog hair was very attracted to the fabric.  Beth would vacuum them often but it didn't help.  The fabric was also pilling and I am not a fan of pills.  The cushions were not very good either and they became deformed very fast.  For Christmas mom and dad are buying us a new couch and Beth and I are buying each other the other couch.  We upgraded to leather.  Yes, the dogs will mark it but have been told that they won't rip it.  The best part is that they recline.  Dad and Beth took our couches out yesterday afternoon and the new ones are coming this week.

Today I did a bit of knitting.  The yarn is a light rose colour but I was rushing to get the picture taken.  I have a midnight deadline for getting this post done.  :)

It is very hard to knit while watching five football games and the Nascar race.  Here is the start of my Noble Cowl.  I am on row 26.  There are 28 rows to the pattern and they are worked 2.5 times.

There is a long list of chores for tomorrow. Jane is home from Florida and will be in the store.
-nail salon (I broke a nail on Friday)
-bank
-travel agent to renew my travel health insurance
-grocery store
-Staples for paper and printer ink
-get my health card renewed - how come I am having it renewed for the third time and some people still have their original health card with no picture?
-renew my drivers license
-get a new sticker for my car
If I write them all down then I can look at this tomorrow and make sure everything has been done.

The other important stop on my travels tomorrow is Maddison Avenue to have my hair coloured and cut.    This makes me very happy.  I tell Trish every time I see her that if I was to come into a lot of money I would have her do my hair every morning.  I love having my hair washed by someone else and then styled.

I made the deadline and heading to bed.

More Cowls

Elly came into the store today with some interesting patterns from Ravelry. I love A Noble Cowl and will be casting on this afternoon.  A cowl with a shawl pin-what a great idea.  Why didn't I think of it? Choosing a yarn was very hard.  A double knitting weight-there are a lot of options.  I decided on Mulberry from Louisa Harding.  100% Silk.  It is going to be beautiful.  Then add a Romi shawl pin.  Now I have myself excited.

You find out the most interesting things on Ravelry.  Rowan has put the cover of the spring magazine on their website.

Due for release on 15^th January 2011, our latest magazine is packed with the usual features, along with the three design stories. The trend behind the magazine for Spring 2011 season sees knitwear at the heart of the major clothing trends, somewhat unusual for a summer season. The layered silhouette and the general overall look will be the major factor for garment styling this season.

Read more about the stories on Rowan's website. 

The Apprentice last night had a very happy ending.  Stephanie is gone.  Not a very nice person.  I'm glad that Donald didn't make a big deal about her being Canadian.  We don't want her!!

It's time to cast on my cowl.

Cowls

People regularly ask me if I get sick of knitting. This got me thinking. Of course this was last night lying in bed which kept me up way too long.  There are days when I really don't feel like picking up needles.  I am surrounded by yarn all day and sometimes when I get home at night I want to do something else like read a book or play on the computer.  Beth and I both have Bejewelled Twist on our computers.  She is much better at it than I am and it makes me mad.  I really, really want to beat her!!!  Now that I have put this in writing I have the urge to knit.  :)

Toe-Up Socks in a Box by Wendy D. Johnson arrived today. Wendy's toe up patterns are highly recommended by many knitters.

From Random House

Sock knitting has never been easier or more fun with these portable patterns from the beloved sock expert, Wendy Knits. Whether you are new to knitting or a veteran looking for inspiring projects, this deck includes 20 beautiful patterns and helpful tips to get you started knitting socks the best way—toe up! Perfect for knitters on the go, these cards travel with you so you’ll never loose a stitch!

Tonight I am teaching the first night of beginner cables.  The ladies will be working on Cherry Garcia.

Pattern: Cherry Garcia from Hello Yarn
Needles: 8mm, 40cm circular
Yarn: 1 skein Noro Iro

Have you noticed a theme lately?  We have many people asking for cowls (or neck tubes) and I have had fun knitting some samples up.  Take a minute and go to Ravelry.  Type Cowl in under Patterns and there are 123 pages of patterns for you.

Survivor last night was great.  I love it when the person who thinks they are running the game gets voted out.  Brenda thought that she was going to be one of the final 2.  All through the show I thought that Sash was going to give her the Immunity Idol.  Right up until the last minute I was sure she was safe. The look on her face was priceless!

Lost in Transit

I have been asking my supplier where Touching Elegance from Kim Hargreaves is.  I keep getting the answer that it is coming.  Today I was told that the shipment was lost in transit.  Seriously??  Another shipment has left the UK and should be in the US next week which means we should have the magazines the first week of December.  That is the bad news.

The good news is that Kim Hargreaves Cherished is going to be here before Christmas.

And even better news.  I finished another project.  This is the Chickadee Cowl (free pattern on Ravelry)

1 skein of Prism Merino 12
8mm circular needles

I used the same model as the other day.  She was difficult again to work with.

Spring??

My morning has been crazy.  I saw my first sales rep to order spring yarns. Yes, spring.  We haven't even had snow yet.

Rowan was the first I looked at.  I can't show any pictures.  Rowan doesn't like anything to get out before the release date of January 15.  I will tell you that there are some great designs in Magazine 49.  In addition to the main magazine there are five more pattern books including two for the two new yarns being introduced.

Then I looked at Berroco.  Do you like knitting with Ultra Alpaca?  We have Tonal Ultra Alpaca (different shades of the same colour) coming at the beginning of December.  This pattern is a free pattern that will be available in the store when you purchase the yarn.  The picture really shows how the yarn changes colour.

For spring Norah Gaughan did her usual amazing work for Norah Gaughan Volume 8.  Origami will be featured again this spring with six new colours and a pattern book.  There are four new colours in Berroco Sox with a pattern book for children.

Here are the last few pictures from the aquarium.

There was a tank with Sea Lions but I don't remember the type-these are different than the California Sea Lions.

Swimming around all day and sun bathing when you want. Looks like a great life!!

Impossible Model

Here it is-finished with the ends sewn in.  I haven't blocked it yet but it is definitely wearable the way it is.

My model was not the best to deal with but some days there are things beyond your control.

I love the finished scarf!! Leaves make me very happy and there are more leaves on my scarf than the pattern asked for.  I just knit until out of yarn. A scarf really can't be too long.

The yarn is very soft and feels great around my neck.

Pattern: Leaf Scarf from Spud & Chloe
Yarn: 2 skeins of Twinkle Soft Chunky in colour 23 Haze
Needles: 12mm

Notice the fence?  While Beth and I were away my dad came and repaired it.

Today is my parent's anniversary.  47 years.  WOW.  I'm not sure who has put up with more in that time.  We are taking them out for dinner after work. There is no present yet.  We had no clue what to buy them.  If they want something they go out and buy it.  And after 47 years they have collected a lot of stuff.

Sorry Wannietta

A while ago Wannietta knit the Ginormous Cabled Cowl for the store. Somehow I totally missed out on getting a picture of it.  Sorry.

The cowl is knit in one ball of Mille Colori Big with 8mm needles.

You can purchase the pattern on Ravelry.

Another great idea for a Christmas gift.

Mille Colori Big comes in a 200gram ball with 190m.

50% new wool
50% acrylic

There is a new yarn in the store that I have neglected to talk about.

This is Drake from Estelle.

100m on a 100gram ball
12 stitches = 4" on 8mm needles
70% virgin wool
30% acrylic

The yarn is very inviting.  Multi-coloured that goes thick and thin.  Every time I walk by the basket I look down and think that I need to knit with it.

My day has been spent watching football and knitting.  The Leaf Scarf in Twinkle Soft Chunky is done.  Well almost-I need to sew in the ends tomorrow.

A bit of work was done today.  10 boxes are packed and ready to go to the post office in the morning.  Jane is away for another week (I hope she is enjoying Florida) so I will be in the store tomorrow.

Ringing Noises

The last two days have been rough in the store-the sound of slot machines were ringing in my head but I didn't get to play them.

An email came from Annie Adams and there are new shawl pins available.  They have been ordered and should be here by the beginning of December.

The Daisy Shawl pin is my favourite.  You will definitely see me wearing one of these. There is also a Daisy Button coming that measures 1.5". What a great button for a bulky neck cowl.

Speaking of bulky neck cowls there is a shipment of Twinkle Soft Chunky on its way from Classic Elite.  This made me go to Ravelry and type in Soft Chunky to see what people are making.

Take a look at these
Woodland Hoodlet
Envy
Kiwi and Company's Chunky Neck Cowl
Neck Truffle
Mega Cabled Scarf
Snow Cowl

A couple of skeins of Soft Chunky made their way into my bag before I left the store.  Darn.  I am going to start knitting the Leaf Scarf from the Spud & Chloe blog.

Here are some more pictures from the aquarium.

There were two, two year olds California Sea Lions.

They could swim around their tank and then jump onto this dock. Then they could go through the door into another tank.  It was almost feeding time.

The trainers would make them do tricks before feeding them.

I wish we could make Roko lie like this before feeding him.

This whale was supposed to drop the ball into a plastic container.  He never got the ball in while we were watching despite trying many times.

The trainers were measuring this whale. They put the measuring tape under his tail and moved it up to his head.

He just laid in the water not moving until they told him to.  It seems that training whales is much easier than training dogs!!

It's time to catch up on TV and get some knitting done.

Home Again

We pulled into the driveway at 5:30 last night.  My plan was to have a nap and then wake up to catch up on TV.  I was in bed by 6:30 (needed to do some laundry, etc) and woke up again at 10:30.  Decided to roll over and was up again at 7 this morning.  Obviously I was tired.

The drive home was uneventful.  We made very good time.  My dad accused me of speeding but I was just keeping with the flow of traffic.  :)

I plugged my phone in this morning to download pictures and there were 160 from the aquarium.  It is going to take some time to figure out which to use.

There are three Belugas at the aquarium.

It was almost feeding time.  One whale kept coming to the surface and making noises.  It was a lot like Roko when he wants his dinner.

Beth touching a shark.  Not in this lifetime was I doing that.

The penguins were just standing around when we arrived.

Then we could go below and see them in the water.

There are many more pictures from the aquarium but I am going to save them for tomorrows post.

There are two hotels attached to Foxwoods.  This is a view from the 25th floor.

In the middle of this picture you can see a really green patch. There are two golf courses that I have heard are amazing. I can see a visit happening next summer.

I have been out to get my Tim's.  Beth swears that they put something in the coffee and tea to make you addicted. We laugh at home many Tim Hortons there are in Southern Ontario.  In New England there are just as many Dunkin' Donuts.

Before going to work I am going to try and get a newsletter finished.