Groovy

Yesterday I talked about Donegal, the new yarn from Lang. I got on Ravelry and found a pattern that I think will be perfect.

The Groovy Shawl from JumperCablesKnitting.
The designer Annie Lee describes Groovy

The shape is a balanced triangle. It has deep ribbing and one jagged edge. Start at one end and continue knitting until you run out of yarn! Enjoy!

 You can find the pattern here...

Annie knit this Groovy in tosh dk. It took 3 skeins and she used 4.5mm needles. tosh dk. This has me thinking abut knitting another (before the first one is done).

Take a look at all of Annie's patterns. There are lots of interesting shawls and cowls.

I have finished just over 60 rows on mine. If you are looking for easy knitting this pattern is it. Perfect for on an airplane or taking the kids to dance class.

The packing has started for The Knitters' Fair. There will be boxes scattered throughout the store for the next week.

Did you know that Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (aka The Yarn Harlot) will be speaking at the Fair this year? 1pm and 3pm. There is no extra charge to hear Stephanie speak but it will be first come first served so don't wait to get your seats.

It's home time. Beth went shopping and we have steak, potatoes and corn for dinner. I will be busy barbecuing. Then some knitting-there are 3 projects in my bag to work on tonight.

Lots of Boxes

For most of yesterday my email didn't work. How did we live without email? I kept checking and nothing was coming. Almost like I was cut off from the world.

Last night emails (only a few but it was something) finally starting coming through including one from Lynda

Here is a picture of the scarf/wrap exactly half knitted. 

 

I have used one complete ball of yarn, so that all of the colours have been used.  The combination is quite subtle...a very soft combination of autumn colours.

Thank goodness others are getting some knitting done since I don't have anything to show. I can't wait for Lynda to finish-I am going to wear this!!

Beth picked up a box from the post office yesterday with new Offhand Designs Bags

Scottie in Monterey

Scottie in Chabot

 Scottie in Frisco

 Scottie in Mendocino

Marcella in Monterey

Mr. Canada Post was here yesterday morning with two boxes that were filled with pashmina-just in time for the Knitters' Fair

• dried rose
• steam age
• mourning dove
• cousteau
• composition book grey
• amber trinket
• tart 
• kale
• well water
• mica
• curiosity
• charcoal

I am very excited about the boxes from madelinetosh and Offhand Designs but I'm really excited about the box that Mr. Canpar brought in with a new yarn.

Lang Donegal

I love this tweed!!

100% merino wool

22 stitches = 4" on 4mm needles (a true double knitting)

190m on a 50gram ball

When I opened Rowan had a yarn called Rowanspun Tweed. This is the same yarn but a thinner version. You might also be familiar with Tahki Donegal Tweed. Again-same yarn but thinner. I know Jane will be thinking of a Kaffe Fassett sweater-maybe Tumbling Blocks.

Did I tell you how excited I was about this yarn? I have a ball in front of me. Might be casting on something new. :)

The Last Day

I really tried to do a blog post last night but just couldn't sit down and write. I am starting to feel a bit better-coughing less and my voice is starting to come back.

For some reason I was up very early this morning. CNN is on the TV and we are watching coverage of Hurricane Isaac. It looks pretty scary. I can tell you that there is no way I would be staying in my home.

I was on the Rowan website looking up something and found a new free pattern

Flame

Knit this womens lace wrap over cardigan the members exclusive free pattern for July. Designed by Lisa Richardson and using a mix of  the beautiful yarns Revive (cotton and silk), Fine Lace (baby suri alpaca and merino wool), Panama (linen and cotton) and Kidsilk Haze (kid mohair and silk). With square set in sleeves and a garter stitch belt, this knitting pattern is for the intermediate knitter.

Download the free pattern... 

Valour

Knit this unique, sleeveless cardigan with ribbed collar detail.  Designed by Sarah Hatton in Colourscape Chunky, this pattern was originally featured in The Colourscape Chunky Collection.

I have this vest and seeing the picture makes me think I want one in a different colour.

Download the pattern...

This afternoon we will be boxing up the remaining yarn and taking it back to storage.

Tomorrow I start packing for the Knitters' Fair.

My feet are sore

It was a wild and crazy day at the Tent Sale. We saw a lot of knitters/crocheters today.

We are in the Hepworth Room. It really isn't important but Harold Hepworth was a neighbour of my dad's when he was a kid.

 While Cathy and I were setting up. The room looked very empty.

 This is the crowds around 3:20.

When the doors opened there were a lot of people in the room. We had a steady stream until closing. A lot of yarn walked out which is a win/win situation for everyone. I wanted the yarn gone and the knitters/crocheters got yarn at great prices.

I'm home now, the dogs are fed and I'm just waiting for Beth to get dinner. My body is ready for a rest. I think the other ladies were ready to go home as well. Thanks to Cathy, Jane, Stephanie, Sally, Kim and Beth for their help.

We have more yarn for tomorrow.

Now the really good news. Cathy was away the last two weeks while we were getting everything ready for the sale. In her cleaning craziness while I was in Myrtle Beach she put some yarn away for the Tent Sale. I didn't know this until this afternoon. She made a comment - where was yarn XYZ, ABC and JKL that I had boxed in the basement? What was she talking about? I'm stopping at the store on my way to the Tent Sale in the morning to pick up these boxes. Then I talked to my dad. There are a few more boxes of yarn in the storage unit. We thought these were my mom's but they aren't-they are mine.

It's time to eat dinner and then a bit of TV to wind down. A new season of Top Chef Masters starts tonight.

The store is open 10-5:30 tomorrow and the Tent Sale from noon-8.

Modern Quilt Wrap

It's Sunday night and I'm doing a trial post from my phone. If this works then I will be able to post from the Tent Sale tomorrow.

Lynda is working on the Modern Quilt Wrap in a new colour of Rowan Kidsilk Haze Stripe.

Lynda commented
Up to now I am a little surprised that there doesn't seem to be much contrast in the colours. Hopefully as I continue you will be able to see this better.

I think that as the wrap grows the colours are really going to show. Can't wait to see her progress.

One Sleep

Tomorrow is a big day-the start of our Tent Sale. I think we are ready. My mental lists have everything checked off. I guess we will find out tomorrow.

I needed something really easy to knit so I decided to knit the Catherine Cowl-a Blue Sky Alpacas Royal Petite Knitting Pattern. As you can see I am knitting in the round-K5, P5. Doesn't get much easier than that.

It is really nice to knit with 100% alpaca. :)

Big Brother tonight (who is going to win Head of Household and who is going to be nominated?) and then bed. We are starting early in the morning. I have no clue how many trips it will take to get the yarn from the storage locker to the Fairgrounds. Then we need to sort the yarn-we try to have all the same yarn in boxes together. For the past two years we have been throwing yarn in boxes and bags. Tomorrow will be the big reveal. I don't remember what is all hidden away. I will be posting on Facebook and Twitter throughout the day with my finds.

They're Back

I tried to think of things to write about yesterday but I just wasn't feeling it. Then just before closing last night someone came in talking about knitting a poncho.  As I was lying in bed last night, not sleeping, I thought about some of the different patterns we are seeing for ponchos this fall.

A new yarn from Sirdar called Faroe. Two rectangles sewn together, knit on 10mm needles. The pattern comes in 4years to adult.

Megan

Knit this ladies loose fit poncho and the unique colour blends in Kidsilk Haze Stripe will shine through. Ideal as a evening wear layer piece. 

A free pattern on Rowan's website. 

Churchmouse Yarns and Teas Easy Fold Poncho.

Our favorite poncho transcends the trends.  It's easy to knit (just one long stockinette rectangle), easy to finish, and easy to throw on. Whether knit in a humble tweed or luscious alpaca, with a cowl or without, you'll see why this is a Churchmouse favorite!

We have this knit in the store and it looks great. Our sample is knit in Sportwool from Filatura di Crosa. The pattern calls for Felted Tweed from Rowan. Both are a great option. Tosh lovers-you could use dk or merino dk.

Etched Rio Wrap

With a swing and fluidity reminiscent of woven fabric, this breathtaking wrap will easily become your favorite accessory. Effortless to wear, a simple lace panel is all this piece requires to be a soothing, intriguing knit.

Knit in Metalico from Blue Sky Alpacas. You can also use their Alpaca Silk.

Your little one needs a poncho too. For newborn to 7 year old. The sample was knit in Baby Bamboo but you can use any double knitting weight yarn.

I have reached a semi standstill on Breezy. There are two part balls for both sleeves. I am alternating two rows of one ball and then two rows of the other. How far can I go on sleeve one to make sure that I have enough for sleeve two? I want the sleeves as long as possible-why have left over yarn? I think I am going to work a few more rows on sleeve one today and then put the stitches on a holder. I will start sleeve two and get it to the same point. It would have been smarter to wind the yarn I had left into equal balls but I haven't been very smart the last two weeks.

We are also at a standstill for the Tent Sale. We can't do anything until Monday morning when we get the hall. Then Beth and I will be bringing truck loads of yarn to the fair grounds where Cathy will start putting it out.

I just packed the last bag for the sale-it's all lace weight yarn
-Noro Sekku
-Noro Kirimeki
-Malabrigio Lace
-Dream in Color Baby

It's time to get back to my knitting. I have this need to get some projects finished. I have lots of things at that 'almost done' point. If I get moving I will have a whole new wardrobe of sweaters for fall.

Classic Elite Chalet

Beth and I had a great time visiting with Sarah last night. She had lots of funny stories for us. Their fridge (and how small it is), the dryer in their bathroom, getting in the wrong side of the car, going to the movie theatre and many more tales. She has enjoyed her time in Canada but is ready to get back to England-she has a teaching job for the fall.

I didn't get any knitting done last night but this afternoon I got the first sleeve of Breezy on the needles and I'm on my way.

We have a new yarn in stock from Classic Elite

Chainette yarns are well-deserving of their popularity...the construction simultaneously provides strength and lightness. Add a luxury fiber blend of baby alpaca and bamboo to that inherent lightness and you have Chalet, a decadently soft yarn with a lovely drape in a chunky weight from our MountainTop Collection of yarns spun from natural, undyed fibers. Chalet looks great knit at a wide variety of gauges and textures.

These are three of the designs you will find in the new Classic Elite magazine 9183 Chalet.

70% baby alpaca

30% bamboo

90m (98yards) on a 50gram hank

knits on a 6mm-8mm needle

The new Twist Collective has a great hat and cowl pattern worked in Chalet - Pebble Rings by Tonia Barry.

I made a great discovery on Netflix this week. The first 8 seasons of Law and Order. I love this show and watching it with no commercials is a bonus. 45 minutes of knitting. Can't go wrong with that! My doctor told me to rest so I think sitting on the couch and knitting is just following the doctor's orders.

Breezy

I want to say thank you and sorry to all have been in during the last week. I haven't been feeling myself and finally made it to the doctor. I have bronchitis, ear infection, throat infection and a sinus infection. When I talk I am very raspy and it seems to bother others more than it bothers me. The coughing is annoying but it will go away soon. Hopefully. The worst part of this is that I haven't been able to get a good nights sleep.

The good part is that I have had a major urge to knit. I finished the neckband of Breezy last night.

 I had it on last night and love the weight. It is as light as a feather.

Now the sleeves.

Blue Sky Alapcas sent out an email today with these great pictures of their Royal Petites.

 

With the same exquisite color palette, twist, and hand as the full size hanks of Blue Sky Alpacas Royal, the petites are 100-yard balls geared towards smaller projects. 

• Weight: 35 grams
• Approx: 100 yards / 92 meters
• Needle Size: 2-3 inches / 2.75-3.25 mm

We have 10 of the 14 colours in the store.

These seven patterns take one or two balls of the Royale Petites. I have a ball of yarn and the pattern for the Mitini Mitts sitting beside me. The fine people of Blue Sky Alpacas gave these at TNNA when you placed an order so that you could knit a sample for the store. I'm going to send it to Ann. She just finished a project and will get them done quicker than me.

Beth and I are having dinner with Sarah tonight. She has been in Canada for a few weeks for a family vacation and goes back on Sunday. She won't be back here again until Christmas so we have lots of visiting to do. Then Big Brother. Who will win the Power of Veto??

Debbie Bliss Winter Garden

Karen called me today and asked me to put yarn away for her that she was going to pick up before the Tent Sale next Monday. Then it hit me. The store is closed on Monday.

For Monday August 27 the store will be open from noon-5 so that people can visit before the sale.

Mr. Canada Post brought in some boxes this morning. One is full of Addi turbo needles. One is shawl pins from Jul and the other was from Ann.

Ann just finished this jacket.

Pattern: Stocking Stitch Jacket from Debbie Bliss Winter Garden

Yarn: Debbie Bliss Winter Garden

Colour: 2 Autumn Leaf

It is knit on large needles (8mm and 9mm) but it isn't heavy.

It is already on a mannequin so I had to stand on a step stool to get the picture. Me and heights don't get along so while I was up there I took one of the Royal Petites from Blue Sky Alpacas and the Soakboxes. 

I went through the box of shawl pins from Jul and put a few on a scarf jacket. I had them on a scarf and the pictures were not the best (okay, that is being polite-they looked horrible). I think this is a much better picture (that really shows the tweed in the Winter Garden yarn).

The pins with red and purple stones are Whorl Fermoir

The next two pins are the Pearl Tendril Fermoir

These are all made from White Bronze, Stainless Steel and Semi-Precious Stone

The bottom pin is a Stingray Fermoir made from White Bronze and Stainless Steel

How many of these are going to end up in my pin drawer at home?

I didn't feel like counting and changing colours last night so I pulled out an almost finished project.

My Breezy Cardigan. I'm using tosh merino light. It is knit from the top down and it was supposed to be finished by the end of June. OOPS!

The front bands are done and now I have 3 more rows to finish the neck band. Then pick up for the sleeves. I'm saving the sleeves until the end because I wasn't sure if I had enough yarn to make them long-they might end up 3/4 length.

This is an old picture I took from the blog-I will have a new picture in the next few days when the front band is done.

This is the original Breezy Cardigan
Designer: Hannah Fettig
Pattern is bought on Ravelry.

Now I'm on a mission to get Breezy done. There are lots of food shows tonight-Around the World in 80 Plates, Master Chef, Chopped and there should also be some episodes of Storage Wars.

I'm going to talk about TV shows now so if you aren't caught up then please stop reading.

Big Brother-It was great that Boogie and Frank were put on the block. Boogie is so arrogant that he went for the $10000 instead of safety. And Frank-messing with Ian's girl. It serves him right.

Y&R-I haven't watched in some time and then I watched on Monday afternoon. Victor and Sharon are married. What is the age difference? Victor is missing. They think that Sharon burned the pre-nup and has something to do with Victor's disappearance. I never liked that girl. I thought Tim Reid was already dead and then he was alive on Monday and died during the show. It's amazing how long you can go between watching and you never really lose the plot.

Clue #3

I almost finished Clue #3 of the Mystery Shawl last night.

I wish that I had started on a different point of Taiyo (self-striping yarn). The top and now the bottom are mixing the purple Solemate with the darkest part of the Taiyo. Maybe this is a good thing that the top and bottom are dark??

 I think I have about seven rows to go and then the I-cord bind off.

Then I will pick up along the sides and work out. In Stephen's pattern the ends are tapered down and I think I might have to play with this. Having broad shoulders most shawls don't sit properly on me so I'm think of making the 'wings' longer.

Over the past week I have come down with bronchitis. I don't feel really sick but there hasn't been a lot of sleep. Yesterday I had to make a choice-blog or sleep. Sorry but I opted for a nap. Today I'm feeling okay but I have lost my voice. It was very hard ordering a tea at Tim's on my way to the store. Parcels have been shipped and now I'm going for another nap. Then I can get back to my knitting tonight.

Kate's Here

Kate Atherley is in the store today teaching Entrelac and Finishing.

She is showing off her Entrelac scarf knit in Noro Silk Garden-colour 211 which is one of my favourite colours.

People have been coming upstairs during class to look at different yarns and everyone tells me what a great teacher Kate is. She explains things in a way that everyone can understand. If a student falls behind or doesn't get a technique right away Kate is very patient and gets them caught up.

Kate will be back Saturday September 15 and Saturday November 17. I will post next week with her workshops for September.

I know that the ladies have been concentrating on their work because there hasn't been too much noise coming from downstairs.

They had fun with the Entrelac and everyone got their sample piece finished.

Beth baked chocolate chip cookies last night for Kate. I'm glad there is still some on the plate. Beth wouldn't let me have any last night and I might be able to sneak one this afternoon.

The afternoon session was Finishing. Kate loves teaching Finishing. There is something very satisfying about seeing the students faces when they are doing the mattress stitch for the first time. It is like a whole new world is opened for them. Their garments will have perfect seams.

When I got home from work the dogs and I had a lay down. Beth just got home from golf with some dinner for me and now I'm ready to knit. Five more rows to go on Clue #2. My goal is to get into Clue #3 tonight so that I have something to show in tomorrow's post.

Do you remember?

Do you remember the first sweater you knit? I could knit at a young age but didn't knit a sweater until I was 15. I worked at Wild Waterworks in Confederation Park and some of the lifeguards were knitting on their lunch hour and breaks. They were making great sweaters on circular needles. I could do that too. I don't have my first sweater (I think it is in a trunk in my parents basement) but here is the second sweater I knit.

Cathy found it while cleaning up the store. Many of you will recognize the pattern. It is a Patons book, 440 I believe. Knit in Shetland Chunky. The sweaters knit on circular needles were very popular 30 years ago. And this pattern was the most popular. Everywhere you went someone was wearing it.

I never took a knitting lesson. I knew how to knit and purl from my mom. I didn't have a knitting 'how to' book either. I read the pattern and came up with ways to do things. It was a long time before the Internet and great websites with pictures and videos. Since then my techniques are much better-casting on, increases, stranding colours....

I was born with knitting in my blood. My dad talks about his family coming from Holland after the war. They weren't allowed to bring much with them but my Oma had a suitcase of Scheepjes yarn. He had an Aunt in Holland who had a yarn shop as well.

What was the first sweater you knit? Who taught you to knit? I hope this brings back fond memories of your mother, grandmother, aunt, neighbour.....

Soakboxes

A shipment of Soakboxes arrived yesterday-six of each colour

From the left

• Cuff au Lait
• Clark Cable
• Double Pointe Pink
• Lace Kelly

Each contains a bottle of SOAK, Handmaid Luxury handcream, specially designed fingerless mitts pattern from Fiona Ellis, a Handdyed skein of Lorna's Laces Shepard's Sport and matching nail polish! Yep, these are just awesome treats or as gifts!

Much of the day was spent on the computer writing newsletters and blog posts for Camp. I need to let everyone know what their homework is. What they are required to bring. The weekend agenda. It's a little over a month away which sounds like a long time but it will be here very soon. Now I need to start thinking about the fashion show, goodie bags and door prizes.

Mr. Canpar brought in a box of scarf yarn. But not the ruffles scarf yarn. Eyelash. Remember the scarves we were knitting 5 years ago? We have the yarn in stock again.

This is Moments from King Cole.

We have exciting news in the store. Kim is the newest member of The Needle Emporium staff. Right now she is working with me to learn the ropes. It takes a while to learn where everything is. Some might say we have a lot of yarn in the store. :) Then there are the pattern books. Needles. How to use a different yarn than the pattern calls for. We haven't even started on the cash register, visa machine and all those little things. This morning we loaded many boxes and bags into the truck to go to storage for The Tent Sale. (Kate is coming to teach on Saturday and I need the class room cleaned up so that she and her students have somewhere to sit.) There were some great surprises

• a huge bag of Classy from Dream in Color
• a huge bag of Debbie Bliss Amalfi
• Naturally Vero in sweater quantities
• many odd skeins of Cascade 220
• odd balls and discontinued colours of Rowan Handknit Cotton DK and Cotton Glace
• Rowan All Seasons Cotton
• Rowan Calmer
• Rowan Fine Milk Cotton

And that was just today's haul.

Tonight we are having dinner with mom and dad. Tomorrow morning they are off to Myrtle Beach for a month. The two of them are so excited. They haven't been there for months. 

Still no knitting. The coughing is getting worse. I might have to break down and call the doctor. Maybe tonight while watching Big Brother. The new colours of Rowan Kidsilk Haze Stripe are calling me in very loud voices.