Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Self Striping

Classic Elite just sent out a newsletter (they come weekly-you can sign up on their website www.classiceliteyarns.com) using Liberty. I don't really like the yarn. JUST JOKING-I LOVE IT!!

Download the pattern...

Super simple in a beautiful yarn.

There will be two brand new colours of Liberty arriving in the store some time next week.

I received a notice from UPS today that a box is on the way from Berroco.
There is a new book for Linsey-a blend of cotton and linen, worsted weight yarn.
Available in solid colors as well as gently shifting multicolor shades, Linsey™ is an ultra soft yarn for summer. Cool, comfortable and colored in the sun-weathered shades of summertime, this yarn is eminently wearable

This is Riemann
A colorful stockinette circle edged in ribbing is transformed into a cardigan by adding neatly short-rowed sleeve caps.

Zariski
Mitered squares are joined together as theyʼre worked, forming a dazzling counterpoint to the plain stockinette sleeves of an open cardigan.
Steiner
Short-rowed wedges worked in a self-striping colorway frame simple stockinette sleeves knit in a coordinating solid
I just got home from knitting class. The first night of Knitting 101. The ladies did great. They all learned a new cast on. We played with knits and purls, they learned to read the stitches and then they cast on their scarves. It will be interesting to see how many of them have the scarf finished for class next week.

Beth has Storage Wars and Shipping Wars taped. I think it's time to put my feet up and have a bit of a rest before bed.

Monday, January 30, 2012

Name Dropping

I talked to Megan at St. Clair designs today. The bags that I showed you yesterday will be leaving the US at the end of the week. It will be another week after that until they are in the store. I don't know if I can wait!

A few weeks ago I did a post about free patterns on Rowan's website from Josh Bennett. I was asked to join some of the people from Rowan, including Josh Bennett, for lunch while at TNNA. We had a blast. Since I'm name dropping I should add that Kate Buller and Jenny Watson (yes, the Jenny Watson that designs for Noro) were at my table as well.

I wasn't at the show on Monday when Josh was signing copies of Rowan Magazine #51 for shop owners. Josh signed a book for me and sent it home with my sales rep Cal. Very thoughtful of both Josh and Cal to make sure I got a copy.

This is Hell's Kitchen knit in Revive. 36% Recycled Cotton, 36% Recycled Silk and 28% Recycled Viscose.
This fitted intarsia sweater with long sleeves in the wonderful yarn revive, is the ideal pull on for those chilly spring afternoons. This pattern is for the experienced knitters.
 Download the pattern...

While I was looking up Josh's patterns I found a new free pattern using Rowan Big Wool designed by Amanda Crawford.
Knit this loose fit, capped sleeve, textured stitch cardigan - ideal for wearing with a belt 
for a fitted look or just wear as an outer layer piece.
The pattern for Portland can be found here... 

Little Red in the City is back in stock. Actually it arrived while I was at TNNA but all my name dropping tonight got me thinking about it. I met Ysolda for the first time at the show.

No more name dropping but here are some more pretty pictures from the book.

From innovative designer Ysolda Teague comes Little Red in the City. Part pattern collection, part resource book Ysolda shares all of her tips for successful sweaters that perfectly fit your body. Each of the seven inspiring designs is modelled by Ysolda herself and by her friend Amanda Allen, showing the garment in two different sizes and helping you envision how each design will look on your own shape. 15-17 sizes are included in each pattern, ranging from a 28-60 finished bust. With so many sizes to pick from, and guidance within each pattern on how to customise the fit, it should be easy to get a great result. The extensive reference section will equip you with all of the tools you need to achieve a perfect one.
Sorry-I'm going to drop one more name. Amanda (the red head in the pictures) is a friend of mine. :)

It's time for Alcatraz and knitting.

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Patchwork Carpet Bag

When I got home from work tonight I started working on the brochure for Knitting Camp. It should have been done at the beginning of the month but things got in the way. It is done as far as I can go. We are working on another teacher. We have Beth Casey, the owner of Lorna's Laces, coming to teach dying yarn. I am definitely taking that course! Fiona Ellis will be back with three new workshops that she recently taught at Vogue Knitting Live. These classes are very interesting. I'm going to have to sit in on these as well. There won't be time for me to teach this year. :)

It is now Sunday evening. After I started my post last night we had dinner and then moved upstairs to watch TV and knit. Alcatraz is a new show that we taped. Not what I expected but will watch a few more episodes to see what is going on.

There was a bit of TV watching this afternoon. I am making progress on the purple poncho I am knitting. It is plain stocking stitch so there won't be any pictures until it is done. Very boring to look at. Then a nap.

After the nap I logged into my online banking and paid my HST. It isn't due for a few days but missing a tax payment isn't an option. I also logged into my credit card and found the name of the woman who makes the knitting bags that I ordered. After a bit of a search I found her website. I do have her business card but it is in the bag with all the other business cards and papers. I wasn't in the mood to start digging through the pile.

The company is called St. Clair Designs.

Here are much better pictures than the ones I took at the show.

The designer's name is Megan.
From her website
I make these bags out of fine tapestry and upholstery materials, along with oak handles crafted in my father's workshop.  The linings of the bags are as luxurious as the exteriors, and are matched together with creativity and a bit of flair.  In keeping with an old fashioned, carpet-bag-style tradition, I do not use zippers, or the typical inexpensive plastic-type linings that most tapestry bags on the market are lined with.
 I can't wait for these to arrive!!

Friday, January 27, 2012

Little Rowan

It has been an interesting morning in the store. When I was at TNNA I met with Amy, the owner of madelinetosh. We had a great talk. On Tuesday afternoon I received an email from madelinetosh that they had an order ready for me. Great. Usually it is 4 boxes. Not this time. They have 35 (yes, you are reading that correctly) boxes of yarn ready to ship to me. This includes brand new colours for spring. The challenge this morning was figuring out how to get 35 boxes from Texas to Ancaster. UPS is not an option. DHL was going to charge $6,000. Beth and I have been working on this and contacted a friend with a trucking company. The boxes are being picked up in Texas on Tuesday. Sometime in the next two weeks we will be very well stocked with tosh yarns.

In between phone calls, Ms. Canada Post brought in a box from Lorna's Laces with 11 colours of Shepherd Sock.
  • Happy Valley
  • Tahoe
  • Andersonville
  • Tuscany
  • Pullman
  • Zombie BBQ
  • Hermosa
  • Beverly
  • Bucks Bar
  • Vera
  • Camouflage
It's time to make up more Linen Stitch Scarf kits


Now to show you some seriously cute garments.
17 babies and toddlers designs with accessories by Martin Storey. The cover sweater is called Miss Muffet.
Tweedledum. I want this!!
Daffodil
Georgie Porgie
Lullaby

These garments are awesome.

Last night was TV night. The DVR is almost full and we need to get through shows we taped while away. We are caught up on American Idol, Revenge and Grey's Anatomy. I like it that American Idol has started showing more of the good singers. There was lots of revenge on Revenge. Beth bought a magazine at the airport and it had a story on Revenge. It didn't tell us what was going to happen but February 8th and 15th are going to be big nights. Owen was not happy with Christina at the end of Grey's. It's about time he stood up to her. Tonight will be more catching up. I have lots of paperwork to do but I'm saying that I worked all day and need to relax. :)

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Lots of new patterns

We made it home safely last night but I was way too tired to sit down and write a blog post. It was good to get back into my own bed.

While I was away Cathy received a box of new patterns. The pictures have been taken from the suppliers website. I asked for permission to use them and they said no problem. Why am I telling you this? There is a lot of talk online about using pictures without permission. I always ask before putting someones pictures on my blog.

Koyo designed by Indigirl. From Amy's website
Autumn is, without question, my favorite season here in Ontario. The landscape is painted brilliantly in shades of pine, flame orange, and maple red. And even a simple drive in the country has me gasping a little from all the beauty.
Koyo, the Japanese word for “autumn leaves” is inspired in part by my new home here in Ontario, and in part by my first trip to Japan in late November 2000. So late in the year, I was shocked and surprised that the maples around Kyoto were in full, peak, color. I spent a day climbing to the top of one of the temple complexes that overlook the modern city, marveling at the reds and oranges, and golds.
Shown in Helen's Lace from Lorna's Laces

Seamless Katarina from Cocoknits
The fronts and back are knitted together from the bottom up to the armholes then set aside. The sleeves are also knitted up to the armholes, then everything is joined, and the set-in sleeves are worked seamless up to the English Tailored shoulders. There are small seams to join the top of the fronts and sleeves to the shoulders.
5-8 skeins of tosh dk

Mishke-another design from Cocoknits

From Julie Weisenberger, the designer
I love working cables but I don’t love wearing them, so then it became a challenge to design a cabled sweater that I would wear. Mishke is the result: cables done cocoknits’ style, completely askew and seamless
Knit in 5-10 skeins of tosh dk

Darling Emma from Joji
A delicate cardigan, with lace front panels, cozy collar and ties.  This pattern is very simple, but looks complicated.  You'll receive lots of compliments on your work!  The cardigan is worked from the bottom up.  It is absolutely seamless.  The sleeves are worked from the top down in the round.
Since the poor ladies head was cut off on the above picture.

There are many sizes available in this pattern. 30/32-58/60". Knit in 4-7 skeins of tosh merino light

Another Joji design called Ecuador.
This is a very light and drapey cardigan, worked with fingering yarn at a fairly loose gauge. It features an A-line shape, with draped fronts and a very simple lace pattern in the body. This pattern is absolutely seamless and it includes directions for a short-sleeved and a long-sleeved version.

Again, a huge size range, 30/32-58/60"

Knit in Malabrigo Sock
Short sleeves 3-7 skeins
Long sleeves 4-7 skeins


I've been looking at this pattern on Ravelry for quite some time. I love the way it hangs.

There were more patterns lying on the front table when I arrived at work this morning.

Rowan magazine #51 is here!!

Seascapes from Martin Storey.
A windswept and beautifully fragile collection, Seascapes is inspired by the rugged coast and it's ever changing light. Simple to work styles feature together with crunchy cables, lace and fashionable geometric patterning in the collection for men and women.

Her sweater is called Athena and his is called Olympian. Both are knit in Savannah.

Odyssey knit in Savannah. Why is this picture so big? I want you to be able to see the cable work. Fabulous!!!

Hermes in Summer Tweed.

Orion in Summer Tweed.

Summer Tweed is a great yarn. 30% Cotton. 70% Silk. The label says to hand wash the yarn but I throw it in the washing machine and dryer with no problems.

Naxos in Savannah.

Martin Storey sure knows cables.

There will be more pretty pictures of new books tomorrow. It's time for dinner.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Golfing Day Two

It was another early start to the day. When I originally booked our hotel for the show we were flying home on Tuesday. Then we changed our flight to Wednesday but the hotel was full for tonight. Beth and I packed up our room this morning and loaded the car. We were out of the hotel by 7:30 and at the course, ready to tee off at 8:15.

The weather today was amazing. Bright, shining sun.


The course today was beautiful.











The houses were impressive.











I don't know if I should be bragging about this but I beat Beth today. She did play from the senior mens tees and I played ladies but still, my number was smaller than her number. That doesn't happen very often.

If you know a golfer who is going to Phoenix or Scottsdale, please suggest that they try Troon North. The staff was amazing. The courses are beautiful and challenging. We can't say enough about the great time we had.

Luckily our flight for tomorrow has been changed. Originally we were flying at 7:25am but now we are flying at 1pm. Thank you Air Canada.

Now it's time to put up my feet and relax. Vacations are tiring. :)

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Monday, January 23, 2012

Golfing

We had a great day golfing-except for the fact that Beth killed me on the score card. I'm a bit tired though. We were up at 5:30 and in the car by 6:30. We didn't know how long the drive would take so we thought it was better to be safe. 45 minutes later we were at the course. A bit early for our 8:30 tee time. Then there was a frost delay. Didn't think that happened in Arizona. We sat for another hour before we hit the first ball.

The golf course was amazing.


We had a caddie with us, Mike. He is going to caddie for us again tomorrow. His job was to give us yardages, watch our balls, tend the flag and rake traps for us. What a great way to golf.


You see cactus on TV and it looks fake when it is really tall. There was lots of it on the course.


The houses on the course were impressive.




















Tomorrow we are playing the sister course. I can't wait!

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