Day Two

The Tent Sale went very well yesterday but it was a long day. I was in the store before 6:30am and didn't get home until 9pm. I ate dinner and then bed.

It was some one's birthday yesterday so Cathy planned a tiny surprise party.

Happy Birthday Beth!!

Thanks to Jane, Cathy, Sarah, Lynn and Kim for their help yesterday. We hustled to get ready in time.

We're ready for day two.

And we are reducing prices. We want all the yarn to go.

Two More Sleeps

I think we're ready for the Tent Sale. I guess we'll find out Monday morning. :)

Yesterday afternoon I cast on Itineris. My new method for the increasing is working well for me.

The first picture was taken earlier today. This is just before going home.

It's growing quickly. And if you can count to six then you are all good to do this pattern.

Big Wool Colour is a new yarn from Rowan for fall.

Big Wool Colour is a natural extension to the Big Wool family. This bright and fun yarn is easy to knit, knitting to the same tension as Big Wool makes this yarn ideal for adding colour to any Big Wool garment.

The Big Wool Colour Collection designed by Lisa Richardson is a collection of 13 colourful and fun patterns. Garments feature Big Wool Colour for a more fun vibrant look but it is also blended with Big Wool for a more subtle effect. The fun aspect of these garments is encompassed by the design ‘Foxtrot’ which can be worn in a 4 different ways. Ranging from cowls, scarfs, hats and caplets all the way through to warm and cosy garments, this collection shows Lisa’s signature style for unusual fastenings and interesting stitch techniques.

Just a few more weeks and the Rowan should be in the store.

How much yarn do I need?

We only have 11 days left to finish Auburn Wave. What are the prizes? We will be drawing for two. Everyone who finishes will have their name put in a draw.

Two skeins - your choice of colour - Rowan Fine Art.

Two skeins of Mrs. Crosby Train Case in Red King Radish.

Train Case is 55% superwash merino, 15% nylon and 30% Outlast.

Both yarns are fingering weight. You can make another Auburn Wave or try a different shawl.

The Tent Sale is coming up and there is a common question at the sale.

'How much yarn do I need?'

There is a great app that you can download on your phone to help you with this.

Ann Budd's Knit Handy

Knit Handy helps you quickly determine exactly how much yarn you need for your next knitting project. Ann Budd, expert knitter, has transformed her successful Knitter’s Handy Guide to Yarn Requirements (Interweave) into the perfect app for knitters of all skill levels. This visual tool explores the yardage requirements for eight of the most popular knitted items: sweaters, vests, mittens, gloves, socks, scarves, tams, and hats. Knit Handy shows all sizes ranging from baby or toddler to large adult, and for multiple gauges from fine to bulk yarns. You’ll want this app any time you’re buying yarn—always! It’s the best go-everywhere accessory for knitters.

Purchase on iTunes

If you've been to the sale you know that it can be really busy. I wish we could but we can't go through your patterns with you and figure out how much of a certain yarn you need to go with that pattern. Now you can use the app for a guide. I suggest that you always buy an extra ball. Just in case. You would be shocked at how many people come to us 2 or 3 or 6 years after the sale and are short of yarn. The yarn at the sale is sometimes discontinued. We can't get any more.

So you came to the sale and bought 15 balls of Noro Kogarashi but now don't know what to do with it.
Check out Ravelry.

Go to yarn and type in Kogarashi

This will come up

Click on 834 projects. You will see what others have used the yarn for.

Maybe you want to make a cardigan so you don't want to look at hats and scarves. You can filter out projects too. Click on Filter these projects and this screen comes up. Choose Pattern Category and keep clicking to narrow your search.

Remember, Ravelry is your friend!

Diagonal Summer Scarf

Did you receive Classic Elite's Web-Letter yesterday? If not you missed a great scarf.

This simple, reversible scarf shows the incredible colors of Bella Lino. Instructions are written to easily customize the width and length. Work your scarf in one color or many – since all Bella Lino shades have a flax-colored base, contrasting colors will blend beautifully (the scarf shown uses four different colors). You can block lightly and leave visible the texture created when changing from stockinette stitch to reverse stockinette stitch or use blocking wires to block aggressively for a flatter, more open, finished fabric.

This is what the unblocked (or barely blocked) scarf will look like. It's a personal preference.

Download the pattern...

Kim finished her latest Mohair Color Play Wrap. For something different she added fringes. Looks great!

Cathy has joined the fun and is knitting Auburn Wave. She chose tosh merino light in Corbet's Green. What an awesome colour! Four repeats are done and she hasn't finished the first skein.

We've been straightening and moving around yarn today. Rowan Silkystones has a new home.

More Tent Sale yarn. Rowan Kidsilk Haze Trio.

Malabrigo Chunky

Sirdar Kiko

Dinner is done. The kitchen is clean. It's time to get ready for hockey. GO LA!! I'm tired and thought about going to sleep but I can't. The best part of the Stanley Cup playoffs is seeing the winning team skate around the ice carrying the cup. Did I mention that I want LA to win?

Heritage Days

Mr. Canada Post brought in a box from Zen Yarn Garden this morning. The last colour from my order. Meet Botanical.

I thought I had a favourite but now I might be changing my mind. I love this.

I totally forgot that this weekend is Heritage Days in Ancaster. That means a parade. That means that Wilson Street will be closed in the morning. I took this from The Heritage Days website.

Road Closure Times

On Saturday June 14th, Wilson Street will be closed from Halson Street to Orchard Drive from 9:00am - 11:00am and from Rousseaux Street to Halson Street from 9:00am - 1:00pm for Ancaster Heritage Days.

I'm not sure if Wilson Street will really be closed until 1pm. The store is before the start of the parade route. There will be a police officer at the corner of Wilson and Rousseaux. If you ask nicely and explain that you are only going 8 houses down, he/she might let you through (I can't promise anything).

I'm pulling more yarn for the Tent Sale.

Sock it to Me from Estelle Designs. This yarn has long stripes and would work great for shawls and scarves too.

More Sock it to Me in marled colours.

Noro Hitsuji

Rowan Drift

Rowan Colourscape Chunky

King Cole Romano

Noro Kogarashi

Debbie Bliss Eco Baby

The storage locker is starting to fill up!

Bigger

The aquarium saga continues. The tank that was in my house over the weekend has been taken back. Yes. Something bigger.

The pot lights are on. Sorry for the glare. Now she needs to make even more coral.

A couple of suggestions for Auburn Wave
-a customer was in this week and wanted to make sure that she used all the yarn that she had. She was worried about knowing when to start the lace pattern. In my opinion, no one will know if you lace pattern is longer or shorter than it should be. When you run out of yarn, you are done.
-make sure that you read the pattern - the shawl is garter stitch until the lace pattern but the lace pattern is knit the right side row and purl the wrong side row.

Carole called me last week to ask a few questions about the shawl. Her main concern - would she be able to get it done in time?

Julie, here is my progress so far….started Wednesday the 4th of June after I picked up the yarn at your store. Using Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light “whiskers” ..love the yarn and pattern..having fun 

5 days and she's already this far. Chances are good she's going to make it :)

Candice sent another picture of hers so far.

Bunny is being a very good model.

I spent a couple of minutes in the store this morning pulling yarn for the Tent Sale. There will be lots of Berroco Sox - sock yarn that either self stripes or self patterns.

I haven't touched my needles today. My knitting is under my elbow as I'm typing. The hockey game is on so I'm going to sign off and get a couple of rows done before bed.

Happy Birthday Dad

Today is my dad's birthday. I can't tell you how old because that would wreck things for my mom :) He's still going strong. People continually tell Beth and I that we need to get him to relax. He loves his work! There is no way to slow him down.

We've been out for dinner and had cake. Beth did a very good job except that the icing was very sweet. Now I need to sit back with a tea.

Kim brought her Color Play Mohair Wrap into work today. She has made it through the first two balls.

We just finished taking pictures of Kim's shawl when Mr. Canada Post drove up the driveway with a box from Ann - the wrap that she knit as a store sample.

Pattern: Color Play Mohair Wrap from Churchmouse Yarns
Yarn: 4 balls of Rowan Kidsilk Haze Stripe
The sample is knit with 2 balls each of 357 and 359

The shawls are the same colours. It just shows that when double stranding yarns that are self-striping you can end up with different results.

We've decided on the times for the Tent Sale

Monday, July 7 from 1pm-8pm

Tuesday, July 8 from 10am-4pm

Ancaster Fairgrounds

630 Trinity Road S

Jerseyville, Ontario

You might need to put Ancaster into your GPS.

Here is a link to the Google Map...

Hepworth Room (same room as last time)

Pricing of yarn

up to a 50gram ball $3.50

51-100gram ball $7.00

over 100gram $10.00

Special pricing on certain full bags of yarn.

Tent Sale

Monday July 7 and Tuesday July 8, 2014

Ancaster Fairgrounds

We have a storage locker full of yarn. There will be something there for everyone. :)

We've decided on the times for the Tent Sale

Monday, July 7 from 1pm-8pm

Tuesday, July 8 from 10am-4pm

Ancaster Fairgrounds

630 Trinity Road S

Jerseyville, Ontario

You might need to put Ancaster into your GPS.

Here is a link to the Google Map...

Hepworth Room (same room as last time)

Pricing of yarn

up to a 50gram ball $3.50

51-100gram ball $7.00

over 100gram $10.00

Special pricing on certain full bags of yarn.