Cathy's latest

Today is an easy blog post. Cathy just stopped in with her latest finished projects. I wish we could have taken more pictures because each scarf/shawl can be worn a number of different ways. A lady was in buying sock yarn and her husband was sitting in the parking lot. We didn't want to keep her waiting. He might not bring her back another day :)

Pattern: Blue Bird (available on Ravelry)
Yarn: 2 skeins of Everlasting Sock from Dream in Color (or any sock yarn you choose-Kim used tosh merino light for this pattern)

Pattern: Diagonal Summer Scarf (free from Classic Elite)
Yarn: 4 balls (each a different colour) of Classic Elite Bella Lino

Pattern: Elder Tree Shawl (free on Ravelry)
Yarn: madelinetosh vintage in hosta blue

The shawl is seriously beautiful. And the colour is perfect for Cathy. There is some variation in the colour that doesn't show well here. She gives away a lot of her knitting but she promises that she is keeping this one.

Pattern: Auburn Wave (purchased on Ravelry)
Yarn: tosh merino light in courbet's green. When you look at a skein of this colour you don't think that there is this much colour variation. I like it.

If you have signed up for our email newsletter, check your inbox. I sent one out this morning.

Now I'm off to water the plants. I thought it was going to rain today but it's warm and sunny. It might rain tonight but it might not. Same for the next few days. It might be a little early to start killing the plants.

Now a bit of housework and then Big Brother. Who's going home tonight??

More Samples

Look what Mr. Canada Post brought in. Samples from Lynda. I have tried to get pictures 4 times today. It was raining the first two. I got rained on the third time and then I tried one last time in the sun.

Pattern: Itineris (purchased on Ravelry)
Yarn: 2 skeins of Mrs. Crosby Satchel in Hollywood Cerise and 1 skein of Satchel in Submarine

And another Brickless. This is a lighter, airier (is that a word?) scarf. We used the same needles and a thinner yarn.
Yarn: 3 skeins of Mrs. Crosby Carpet Bag in the colour Bahama Woodstar

It's been a busy evening. After work a trip to the chiropractor. Then dinner out with a friend. I stopped to get a tea on the way home and took my mom an Iced Cap. You have to earn brownie points whenever you can. This is the awesome garden at my parents. I love all the different flowers.

We've watched Big Brother and once I'm done my post it's bed time. I could keep working (a newsletter is almost finished) but then I won't get out of bed in the morning to open the store.

New Store Samples

The first was delivered this morning. Ann knit this amazing shawl/stole/throw.

Pattern: Skomer from Rowan's new brochure Brushed Fleece (not in the store yet but it's coming)
Yarn: 19 balls of Rowan Brushed Fleece (the yarn is in the store)
Needles: 6mm

Knit this womens cabled wrap from the Brushed Fleece brochure designed by Martin Storey using the beautifully soft Brushed Fleece. (extra fine merino and baby alpaca ). With a stunning cable stitch pattern, this knitting pattern is for the experienced knitter. 

After I opened the box, at least 5 people tried to take it home with them. I'm going to have to keep my eye on this :)

Diana dropped in this afternoon with a new sample for the Knitters' Fair. This one might be coming home with me. I love it. The pattern is easy to do and looks awesome.

Pattern: Brickless (purchased on Ravelry)
Yarn: 4 skeins of Mrs. Crosby Steamer Trunk in the colour Flame-Colored Tanger
Needles: 4mm

I've talked about the mini skeins of Classy coming from Dream in Color - they'll be delivered late Thursday afternoon. Here are the colours that will be available. These are a limited offer. When our stock is sold we can't get anymore.


I'm already thinking about the 8 colours that I want to put together.
-Scorched Lime, Kettle Dyed Lost in Plum, Magic Orchid, Kettle Dyed K Chameleon, Navy Zeal, Rosalita - I need 2 more colours but it will be much easier when I have the skeins in front of me to play with.
-Vague Unease, Scorched Lime, November Muse, Torchwood, Cinnamon Girl, Humdrum, Medieval, Strange Harvest
-putting all the kettle dyed colours together will look great
I can't wait to dive into the box.

Don't forget to watch The Amazing Race Canada tonight.

Big Accessories

Are you coming to Knitting Camp? Check your inbox because class confirmation emails went out earlier this evening.

Along with Big Brother, we watched Flipping the Block last night.

Four teams, four run-down condos, one winner. Host Josh Temple will lead you through the action as the teams compete to completely remodel a condo before selling it at auction. The team with the highest sale price wins the $50,000 prize.

They have completed the first two weeks but you can catch up on HGTV.com. I told you I was addicted to that channel. The teams have a budget to complete the condo and need to decide how much to spend each week. Last night was so frustrating. Some teams didn't get their work finished. Unforgivable. And every team spent a huge amount on their bathrooms which doesn't leave a lot for the kitchen. I don't know about you but the kitchen is the first thing that I look at. If I don't like the look of it then I can't look at the rest of the house. The funny thing - I don't cook :)

The shipment of brochures coming from Rowan very soon (hopefully this week) will include Big Accessories.

This collection showcases a selection of our chunkier yarns including, Thick ‘n’ thin, Tumble, Alpaca Chunky and our new ‘Fur’ yarn, making these accessories super quick to knit.  The 15 designs include, hats, scarves, cowls, capes and interesting neck pieces from our in house design team. 

Master Chef is taping. Remember that I don't cook but I like to watch cooking competitions. Top Chef. Chopped... I'm going to sign off soon and knit for a while. I've been in front of the computer for too many hours and my eyes are getting tired.

Happy Sunday

Auburn Wave (number 3) is growing. I'm almost finished the first ball and just completed the third eyelet pattern.

There are 10 new colours from Mrs. Crosby. I've shown most of them but a few have been left out. We have them in stock in all five yarns.

Big Brother tonight and then lots from HGTV. My new obsession. Property Virgins. House Hunters. Leave it to Bryan. Income Property. I can't get enough of it.

Back to work

Cathy unpacked the boxes from Rowan yesterday afternoon. Now I need to figure out where to put it all.

I've added more to the website and will finish it on Monday afternoon.

The dogs are very happy to be home. They won't stop fighting playing in the back yard.

We have many episodes of Criminal Minds taped from this past season. I'm working my way through them tonight and knitting on Auburn Wave. I just started the third eyelet pattern. Pictures tomorrow when there is some growth to show.

We're Home

It was a very easy travel day. It takes about 10 minutes to get from our house to the airport. We were loaded and in the air 15 minutes early. How many times do you hear that? We landed 30 minutes early in Niagara Falls. Thankfully the line at the border wasn't long and we were in Ancaster in no time. I visited Cathy in the store for a few minutes and took some pictures.

 The new plants are growing.

New yarns for fall arrived while I was away.

Mr. UPS brought in 9 boxes from Rowan. I've started adding to the website but I've hit my limit for tonight. I'll finish up over the weekend.

We did not receive the following brochures but they will be in next week.

Rowan Finest

Big Wool Colour Collection

Brushed Fleece

Fazed Tweed

Big Accessories

An email came through from madelinetosh that they are ready to dye me more yarn. We should have a huge amount coming in 3-4 weeks. Did I mention a huge amount?

It's good to be home. I've had tea from Tim's twice already. If you are driving around in Myrtle Beach there are very few places to stop and get a tea. We are spoiled in Canada. And what do you have for your first dinner home when there are no groceries in the house? Swiss Chalet of course. 

Happy Thursday

There was no golf today because it was so hot. And I'm not exaggerating.

With the humidity it was 113 degrees if you know temperatures in Fahrenheit. Walking from the house to the car was exhausting. And they have had so much rain here that the courses are cart path only. That means lots of walking. I love to golf but not in weather like this. Luckily it's only July and we can golf when we get home.

We're at my parents so that I could print out our boarding passes. I'm ready to go but Beth had a bit of a hissy fit when I told her that it was time to go. She needs a few more minutes. 

Andy Griffith is on TV and she is worried that the fake FBI guy is going to steal the money. Steal the money from where I asked. Beth didn't know at that time but we now know from the bank. I tease her but half an hour of Andy Griffith will put a smile on your face.

While I am typing an email came through from UPS. Rowan will be arriving late tomorrow afternoon. I should be back in the store in time to unpack the boxes.

Here is Susan's Itineris so far. The colours look great.

Hi Julie - here's a photo of my shawl in progress - 3 plus repeats done.Yarns are Zen Serenity 20 in "Irish Hills" (CC) and Kim helped me to pick Tosh Light in "Kelp" for the MC.Fun knit!

If you are working on the shawl, please send pictures.

A few pictures that we took before leaving my parents house.

 This sums up my mom's cooking - her spice rack :)

I need to sign off and do some laundry and start tidying the house before bed.

Coming Soon

I was up early this morning - 6:30 - shouldn't you be up that early on vacation? I'm sitting in the sunroom with my tea and catching up on emails and on Ravelry.

We have something new coming from Dream in Color. These should be arriving next week.

Mini Skeins of Classy. These are 50 yards each.  

With its 100% superwash merino base and just the right amount of twist, Classy is the quintessential worsted-weight yarn. The fiber content, combined with our unique dyeing process, gives Classy its deep and lushly-shaded tones, while the plied texture lends crisp stitch definition to everything from lace to cables.100% superwash merino wool 

4 – 4.5 sts per inch 

U.S. 7 to 8 needles

8 mini skeins will make this great cowl.

We're also getting more kits for the Tulips cardigan in this colourway.

I received an email that Rowan Magazine #56 has left the US. I don't think it will be in Ancaster until next week but I will track the boxes online.

It's much later in the day and boy am I tired.

 This afternoon was spent on one of my favourite golf courses. The Dye.

 Very large houses.

 No, this isn't a house. It's the clubhouse.

Then the skies got dark. This came across the screen in the cart so Beth and I packed it in. You wouldn't believe how many people stayed out on the course. Thunder and lightening. Crazy. Today we made it through 16 holes. Maybe we'll get a full round in tomorrow.

 The puzzle is done and a new one has been started.

Tonight is going to be spent sitting on the couch. Big Brother is taping. We have many chores to get done tomorrow before heading to the course so it should be early to bed.