Kind of finished

Okay, just the knitting but I'm very happy to be that far. Still ahead of schedule.

One shoulder seam is sewn and I'm ready to pick up for the neck. I could do it tonight but have decided to work on Windward and sit down to finish Eos tomorrow evening. 

Speaking of Windward. I am just finishing the first ball. 202 rows are done and there are 390 rows in the scarf. Thankfully the number of stitches per row will start decreasing as the scarf tapers down to a point.

This picture is very true to the colour of the yarn.

The colour is so far off in this picture that it looks like a different project but I added it so you could see how the scarf is shaping up.

Someone conveniently went for a nap close to dinner time so it looks like it's up to me to make food or we won't be eating tonight.

Then The Amazing Race and Celebrity Apprentice. More knitting time. Will Windward be done for Saturday as well???

Tomorrow morning I'm heading to Toronto to visit some of my suppliers. They are holding Open Houses to see the new yarns for fall. I will post pictures tomorrow evening for you. Can't wait to see what is new! Debbie Bliss, Noro, Sirdar......

We've created a monster

Shadow is done. Blocked. Ends sewn in.

Pattern: Varjo (Shadow) purchased on Ravelry
Yarn: tosh merino light - 1 skein onyx, 1 skein red robin breast

Windward is growing. While I was working last night I took a picture of my pattern. It was hard to understand the construction but the diagram helps. You are working many sections at once. Some are garter stitch, some stocking stitch and some reverse stocking stitch. Right now I have 5 sections going at once. D, E, F, G and H.

There is a really cool thing on the pattern that I didn't even notice until I was done the first section.

The rows are written out and I was following those directions. Then it said to repeat the last 4 rows 3 times. To make it easier I was writing on a stickie note. When done I noticed this cute chart that the designer made up. All your decreases and stitch counts are written out for you. The moral of the story is to pay attention!

Beth learned how to Magic Loop this week and started on her first monster. She had to learn how to cast on, knit on double pointed needles, decrease and cast off.

She's quite proud of herself. We've created a monster. She doesn't want to do anything but knit now.

Snow on April 20. Come on! Let the sun come out!

20 stitches short

Windward is growing. In size and addiction. I can't stop. I had to leave it at home or I would have knit all day. Find your own pattern, yarn, needles..... I'm busy :)

I've been glued to CNN this morning. Last night Beth and I flipped to CNN just before bed and saw that the police officer was killed at MIT. We were very sad for his family but just thought it was random. Then this morning I was up early (7am which is way too early) and ran to get a tea and bagel. I put CNN on the radio and things weren't good in Boston and the surrounding areas. It's almost noon and the news isn't getting any better.

The only good part of being glued to the TV is that lots of knitting was accomplished this morning.

Last night I worked on Shadow.

Small problem. I was casting off while watching Elementary. Beth was upstairs and with about 80 stitches to cast off I yelled up at her. "I'm going to run out of yarn with 20 stitches to be cast off". She gasped and asked what I was going to do. I continued and with 19 stitches left I ran out of yarn. My goal was to block it last night so I put it on a thread. I figured I would block it and then finish the cast off with leftover black from my All the Shades of Truth. Then I remembered a tail I had left when I joined in the black. Just enough.

The stitches went back on the needle and I got it cast off. Then into it's bath.

Yuzu from Soak. My kitchen spells so good. :)

And my bathroom because it spent the evening in their laid out on a piece of styrofoam. Now it is rolled up in a towel because today the crew comes in to clean the house. I will pin it out tonight and it should be dry in time to wear on Monday.

And a few pretty pictures from my front garden. I'm looking outside now and the wind is blowing and the rain is coming down sideways. Can the sun please come out??

I saw this post on Ravelry and talked with the KW Knitters' Guild. They still have room and were happy to have me post here.

Driving to Toronto sound like a hassle? Then there is the parking? The Kitchener Waterloo Knitters’ Guild have the solution – we are arranging a bus on Saturday April 27. For just $10, check out the Frolic, save yourself the hassle and maybe make a few new friends enroute.

Pick-up 1: 8:30am north-west corner of the parking lot, Waterloo Town Square 
Pick-up 2: 9:30am carpool parking lot, Morriston, Hwy 6 and 401 (south side of 401)

Return trip leaving the Frolic at 2:30pm for return to Morriston at 3:30pm, Waterloo Town Square at 4:30pm

If you would like to go please email workshop@kwknittersguild.ca 
with your name, email, telephone number and choice of pick-up spot. Our lovely volunteers will collect your $10 and check you off the list when you board the bus. Bring your knitting friends along. Not a guild member? Not a problem!

Admission to the Frolic is your responsibility – the organizers request exact change if at all possible.

Rowan Fine Art

It hasn't arrived yet but here are some pictures to get you excited. We're hoping the first week of May.

Rowan Fine Art is a blend of fibre and colour.  Designed for socks, shawls and other accessories, it is made with merino wool, kid mohair, mulberry silk and polyamide to make it suitable and durable for all projects. 

Wool: 45%, Mohair: 20%, Silk: 10%, Polyamide: 25% 

400m (437 yards) on a 100 gram skein 

Read the Fine Art story and see more pictures...

I tried really hard last night but didn't get Shadow done. Then I tried really, really hard today in the store but I had a sales rep in. Fall Rowan has been ordered. I can't tell you much but there are new yarns (more than 3 and less than 7) and many new magazines. It looks like it is going to be a great fall. I believe that the launch date is August 15 but please don't hold me to that. :) I will confirm when I know more.

Grey's is a repeat tonight. Please give us new episodes. I'm going to knit and get Shadow finished and blocking. I'm hoping to wear it on Monday. Then the sleeve of Eos (or maybe Windward because I am totally in love with Serenity 20 from Zen Yarn Garden).

Sunglasses

I think we finally have the Frolic booth organized. Kind of. I finished my list of garments today and we have 21. 23. 25. I don't have enough mannequins! We didn't have enough grid either so I made a trip to Brantford today to pick some up. It was awesome being out on a sunny day. The grid are in storage along with the first 6 boxes that are packed.

I'm putting this in my post because I know that Jennifer reads the blog and I don't have her email. I just found your sunglasses in a basket of yarn.

Mr. Canada Post brought in a box from Prism this morning.

Saki in Titanium-a very light denim/grey colour. It is awesome and the colour is screaming SHAWL. From Laura Bryant (one of the top yarn dyers in North America)

• Content: 75% Merino Wool, 25% Nylon
• Put-up: 3.5oz / 440yds
• Gauge: 6 1/2sts = 1" (#3)

We searched high and low for this excellent sock yarn. Fine super wash merino is intimately blended with nylon for strength, resilience, color retention and wearability--not to mention washability! One skein makes a generous pair of socks. Saki is also excellent for any light-weight projects, especially skirts! Need we say more?

There was also lots of Stuff and Plume.

I didn't get any pictures of my knitting at the store so I took a friend home. After another issue on Windward last night (I switched to knit part way through a purl row so I had to take out some stitches) I'm back on track. There are stitches over her shoulder and a stitch marker at her shoulder. On the right side rows I am decreasing before and after the marker that will fill in the stitches. The construction of the scarf is very interesting and fun to do. Not too hard but you do have to pay attention.

It doesn't look like anymore has been done on Shadow but on the picture the other day the black was at 2". Now it's at 6".

The dogs love rolling around in the grass. This led to them running laps and then a bit of fighting-which is more like playing to them but if you saw them you would think they didn't like each other.

The Jays are on TV until Survivor starts. Who is going home tonight??

Magic Loop

A box has left Blue Sky Alpacas (fingers crossed it will be here next week) that has some very cute new patterns. The garments are available in 6 month - 5T.

Cameron Hoodie

Ready for a picnic after a morning of discoveries, Cameron tiptoes across the sandy beach in search of the perfect location. The cool breezes of early spring are no match for this comfy handknit hooded vest made from
organic cotton.

3-4 skeins of Worsted Cotton

Beatrice Top

Beatrice steps gingerly into the chilly water as she guides her bright red sailboat away from the shore. Her sweet handknit top made from organic cotton encourages long, carefree days at the beach.

3-4 skeins of Skinny Cotton

Harriet Dress

As she enjoys a visit to the lakeshore, Harriet pauses in her exploration of the shoreline to listen to the lap of the waves and the cry of the gulls. Her simple handknit dress made from organic cotton is soft and swingy—perfect for playing along the water’s edge!

2-4 skeins of Skinny Cotton

 Georgie Blanket

Gazing at the expanse of the lake, Georgie takes in the blue depths of the water while wriggling toes in the warmth of the golden sand. This organic cotton blanket wraps your little one in handknit love—it’s just right for drying off or falling off to dreamland!

6-7 skeins of Worsted Cotton

Someone's sister has been busy looking around on Ravelry. She decided that she wants to knit some monsters. Did I have Rebecca Danger's book The Big Book of Knitted Monsters? Can I bring it home with needles? I pulled out the book and looked at the patterns. She can handle it but will need to learn magic loop.

I found this video online and sent her the link.

I talked to her and she has watched not one, not two but three different videos. I think she has it. We will see tonight.

Mr. Canada Post brought in a box of Opal Sock yarn today. Kind of fitting with my discussion of Magic Loop.

I didn't get much knitting done last night. There was a small problem with Windward (sometimes knitting after 10pm isn't a smart idea) and I had to rip out a few rows. It's fixed now and I should be on my way tonight.

Hell's Kitchen. Something big is supposed to happen tonight. Never before in Hell's Kitchen history. I can't wait!!

I'm off to pack up needles, yarn and a book for my sister. I hope she lets me eat before we get down to knitting.

Unbelievable

I was up early today. Very anxious to get started on my taxes. :) I had to make a quick trip to the store, post office and gas station and now I'm home.

Here are a few pictures I took while I had a friend who would model.

And then a little something I started yesterday.

Windward (a pattern I purchased on Ravelry) knit in Zen Yarn Garden Serenity 20.

We have stock in the store and are expecting a large shipment just before the Frolic. Yes, whatever we have left will be going with us to the show.

I'm not sure the scarf will be done for the Frolic but there will definitely be enough for everyone to see and feel how the yarn knits.

The colours are beautiful and the yarn is really, really nice to knit with.

We are out of this colour but will be getting something close in the shipment.

I said that I was going to work on Eos last night. Then I checked the weather report. It's going to be cold again next weekend so I don't think I will be wearing Eos. That gives me a bit more time so I went onto something else.

I also wanted to pay attention to The Amazing Race which meant back to Shadow. Did you see the St. Bernards? It brought back memories of Barkley. Some of you might remember her. She would be in the yard greeting you when you came to the store. I miss my friend. The brothers are going to be hard to beat. I think the only way they lose is if they make a dumb mistake. Physically they are above the other teams.

Last week we rearranged some yarns but I didn't get pictures.

Freia yarns now live in the worsted weight room. Putting them in the boxes really shows off the colours.

The undyed yarn is knit up on a knitting machine, dyed, then the knitting is ripped out and the yarn is balled.

From Tina who does all the work

• Each multicolor ball starts & ends with the same color, making adding a new ball a breeze with less waste!
• No sudden color breaks, no “wildlife” Our yarn is a soft, feltable, single-ply, 100% wool and is made in the USA
• These yarns knit up at the popular 4-5 sts/inch gauges, they are interchangeable with other self-striping yarns and can easily be used in any Knitwhits (or other) patterns suggesting self-striping yarns.
• Our yarn is carefully handpainted in small batches. 

Worsted Cotton and Skinny Cotton from Blue Sky Alpacas now live at the front door.

So it's many hours later. I've been back to the store to meet Beth. She picked up boxes that I packed for the Frolic and took them to the storage unit. I need them out of the way or customers won't be able to shop. :) Then onto Staples for some supplies and home to get back to my accounting. At 4pm I put the TV on to watch Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown. I'm a bit of a sports junkie and love hearing Bob's view on things. Bob wasn't on. Instead there are news updates about the Boston Marathon. Unbelievable!! My thoughts are with everyone who has been affected by this.

Knitting deadline is approaching

I wanted to post earlier but have been glued to the TV watching the Masters. What an exciting finish. Cabrera was my guy (since yesterday afternoon) but I wasn't upset that Scott won. 

There was a lot of knitting last night and today. There are deadlines looming and I will get my projects done!

Shadow is growing. Since the picture was taken I have finished the last red wedge and am onto the solid black section. Now I knit every row (no more short rows) until I run out of yarn.

I also picked up Eos. The sleeve is cast on, the ribbing done and now into the pattern. I have 54 rows and then the sleeve is done. It's a busy TV evening (The Amazing Race and Celebrity Apprentice) so I hope to get lots done.

Tomorrow isn't going to be a fun day. Taxes. YUCK! But it has to be done so I need to suck it up and do it. Yes, I studied accounting and tax was my favourite thing but doing it for someone else is different than doing your own. And it's supposed to be beautiful tomorrow. Maybe I can drag the laptop outside. Think about me while you are out enjoying the sun.

Thanks Melo

It was 7 this morning when Melo jumped off the bed which woke me up. He isn't the lightest on his feet. I could have gone back to sleep but decided to get the day going. After a quick trip out for a tea and bagel I sat down and finished the front of Eos before heading to work.

One sleeve to go. Next weekend a few of my suppliers are having Open Houses where I can see the new yarns coming for fall. My goal is to have the sweater done to wear-a week ahead of the original due date.

It was a crazy day in the store (I'm not complaining because we like crazy) but I don't feel like casting on the sleeve. There is also the small problem of this ball of yarn that is sitting beside me.

Beth is going to make Cherry Garcia (a free pattern on Ravelry) in Misti Handpaint Chunky. Her first attempt at cables. Yes, I'm going to cast on for her. The Frolic is coming and I need her.

She nicely asked me to cast off her Linen Stitch scarf as well. I politely declined but said that I would tomorrow.

Back to the Masters and then a Nascar race. Maybe a hockey game or two as well.

Skinny Cotton

This morning Mr. Canada Post brought in an envelope from Blue Sky Alpacas. There are 4 new patterns coming (in about a week so I'm saving pictures) that use Skinny Cotton and Worsted Cotton to make garments for little girls. They are sooooo cute.

Both yarns are on the website (just waiting for the pictures of the shades to be added) and then I started looking at Ravelry for garments. Today I'm going to talk about Skinny Cotton.

Forget what you knew about knitting with cotton, and get the skinny on Skinny. This is a 100% organic cotton yarn that’s bliss to knit. (Really! No lie.) Unexpectedly soft and supple with a sleek twist makes for a smooth and even yarn that showcases your fanciest stitch work.

• Weight: 65 grams
• Approx: 150 yards/137 meters
• Needle Size: Size 3-5/3.25-3.75 mm
• Gauge: 5-6 stitches per inch

Botanica Medallion Cardigan from the Spring/Summer 2009 issue of Vogue Knitting. I have seen the finished garment and it is amazing.

From Vogue Knitting: “Mor’s Botanica Medallion cardigan is knit in two pieces with Blue Sky Alpacas’ “Skinny dyed” organic cotton. Begin with the medallion, stitched in the round from the center out. The wide border around the medallion is worked in a band composed of stitches that vary in row gauge. Complete the piece by sewing the band to the edge of the medallion and leaving open slits for the armholes, which are finished with a crochet edging.”

Buy the pattern from Vogue Knitting if you don't have the magazine.

Ruched Yoked Tee from Interweave Knits Spring 2011

Create this simple tee with a detailed yoke - increases and decreases at the beginning and end of each ruching section create more fabric than the space can hold, resulting in ruffles; garter stitch welts between ruffles add structure.

If you don't have the magazine at home you can buy it from the Interweave Store

Here are a few more patterns to look up
Planters Punch
Garter Yoke Baby Cardi

I made it to the front neck shaping on Eos last night. Late last night so I didn't get very far. Hopefully I can get one side finished tonight.

It's 5:30 and the Masters is on the TV in the store. I'm going to hit Publish and work some rows on Shadow before heading home.

I hit publish and then saw that I forgot to show you the shades.

On the website..

Now I'm going to knit.

It could be working

I'm posting again because some people are actually seeing the new website. Totally confusing but it has something to do with a propagation issue with my ISP. Yes, that is gibberish. I did some research after my tech guru texted me that sentence and I kind of understand. It can take up to 48 hours for a website to work at your location. It can work fine for you but not for me. It's very technical and someone with a lot more knowledge than me should be talking about it.

The moral of the story is

Keep checking back at www.needleemporium.com. If the background is purple you have the old website.

Better late than never

I'm home from work and getting ready to post. I have to cross out the next bit because the new website isn't up now. For some reason the old site is showing up. I have sent messages to Korey but haven't heard back. Hopefully it will be back up tomorrow.

It's up. The new website has finally gone live. We still have products to add and there could be a glitch or two to fix. I'm sure there are going to be things that I see over the next few weeks that I don't like (mostly cosmetic) but I'm pretty happy with it right now. Korey did a really good job.

One small (or big depending on how you look at it) glitch was that my email didn't work for most of the day. I didn't realize how much I relied on email. Kind of scary.

I also learned how to quickly clean out my inbox. I'm not going to be happy about this in a week or so. My emails wouldn't come through to my computer inbox. I could get them on my iPhone and iPad. I deleted one email account from my computer (the main account) and then reinstalled. All my old emails are gone. Even my draft emails are gone. I hope there wasn't anything important.

I thought that most of today would be spent knitting (we were supposed to have bad weather which means no customers) but I haven't picked up my needles yet. The bad weather didn't really hit here and we had lots of customers in. Thanks for making the journey out. I would have been really bored with no one to talk to.

Here is Shadow so far. It looks much better on one of my friends. I'm getting very excited about this-can't wait to see it finished.

Seeing the picture makes me want to take it home tonight but I'm going gang busters on Eos. The front is almost half way done. It should be done by the end of the weekend (or maybe tonight if I go crazy) and then just one sleeve.

Crystal Palace Yarns just called. They have new colours of Mini Mochi.

We should have them in about a week and a half.

Crystal Palace has lots of free patterns on their website. Here are a few to check out in Mini Mochi
Easy Lace Scarf
Eyelet Ease Scarf
Fair Isle Hat and Mittens
Topsy Turvy Cowl
Springy Ring Mittens

Then I went to Ravelry. Here are a few more suggestions
Wingspan
Inspira Cowl

And guess what. These patterns are all free!!!

Beth's Inspira Cowl is done and it needs to be blocked I need to block it. Who am I kidding? She's going to tell me that she hasn't blocked before and I will do a much better job. I will do it because she is going to get dragged to Toronto to set up and take down our booth at the Frolic. Much worse than a little blocking. She also has one of her two Linen Stitch Scarves to 7" and she's bored with it so she has declared it done. So, she called me today and asked what she is going to make next. Can she do a cable? My answer was yes-she'll never know if she doesn't try. I believe the yarn of choice is Misti Alpaca Chunky Handpaint and the pattern will be Cherry Garcia. It's almost home time. I think the computer will stay in my bag and I'm going to knit.