Making progress

I have been steadily working on Cheri. I am now done 5.5 balls of yarn-unfortunately I haven't done any today. We are receiving boxes of yarn, needles (out of stock Addis are in) and magazines (the fall Interweave just arrived). I have also been getting mail orders ready-Phyllis-yours is on the way.

I mentioned new sock yarn-the Silk Garden sock yarn from Noro has arrived. There are 8 colours-the two shown as well as 84, 87, 252, 258, 264, 269. These match the colours in Silk Garden.

245
8

Canadian Idol and Big Brother are both getting really, really good. On Idol we are getting down to the best-I think there are 4 very strong people and it will be interesting to see who Canada wants to win. The arguing and fighting on Big Brother has been great. In the past people didn't get along but this is the first season where there have been screaming matches (and lots of them). Memphis and Renny are still flying under the radar and should last for some time with everyone else at each others throats. Jerry is an idiot. He is complaining about Dan and the fact that he broke his word-didn't Jerry do that the first week?

Olympic Knitting

Ravelry is hosting the Ravelympics. We couldn't start our knitting until the opening ceremonies and it must be done by the closing ceremonies. I am knitting Cheri (from the new magazine from Rowan The Cocoon Collection). The vest will take 9 balls and I have 4 knit. (I just threw it on the deck this morning to take the picture-it will lay nicely when blocked.) Hopefully I can finish by the end of the week. I then have 2 projects that are started that I want to get done by the end of the Olympics. The store is going to be a mess because I won't have time to do anything but knit for the next 2 weeks.

There is a new sock yarn in the shop. I sent out the newsletter this morning to those who have asked to receive sock yarn updates. I can let you in on the secret tomorrow morning.

Brooke's Lace Shawl

I saw this shawl when I was at TNNA in June. It is absolutely beautiful. The yarn has been in the store for a bit and we were just waiting on the pattern. We have more colours than these in the store (including some reds).
The shawl is knit in Wool Crepe from Mountain Colors (who have updated their website-take a look). The shawl is knit on circular needles in the round. Two halves are made and grafted down the centre back. You start by making a circle (the armhole) and working out from there. When you are done the border is added.

Wild Horse
Chinook
Gray Wolf
Lodgegrass
Lupine
Meadow

Making progress

Here is the first front of Valour. I could have finished it a few days ago but have been lazy this week with my knitting.

This afternoon I cast on the second front and have about 10 rows done.

Is anyone watching the current season of Big Brother? It is a very interesting season. Rennie and Dan might skate through for quite some time if they stay out of the turmoil.

Back is done

I finished the back of Valour.  The colours in the picture are very true to the real colours of the yarn.  I am about 1/3 of the way through the first front.

The Olympics will be starting this week so I need to make up my mind on what I am going to knit.  I think I will be using Cocoon from Rowan but I still have a few days.

New

Roko (on the left) and Melo love their new yard.  Thank goodness for the artificial grass.  With all the rain we have had it would be a mud bowl if the real grass was still there.

These pictures were  taken with my new iPhone.  I don't know how to publish right from my phone so I have downloaded to my mac.  I did learn how to change the size of pictures (easily) on my mac today-it's always a good day when you learn something new.

Two new colours of Kauni that arrived last week.

Still no iPhone

Here is the back of Valour-my Colourscapes Vest. I am about to do the shoulder shaping. I could have finished it last night but ran out of the store at 5:30 and forgot it. I was running to the Rogers store to get my phone. I got there and I was still denied-credit problems. After one hour of calling everyone known to man I left without a phone. This morning I talked with the Credit Investigation Department and they say everything is good to go. They called the store and I can get my phone today BUT I have to be there before 5 because that is when the 'wireless' staff go home. I tried to explain that was impossible and was told to come tomorrow then. This didn't make me happy so I started phoning everyone under the sun at Rogers and got no help. I was about to tell them I didn't want the phone when the Credit department called me to confirm that everything was okay. When I explained my situation he called around and then talked with my store-they are now staying late for me so I can get the phone. Maybe tomorrow I will be happier than I am right now.

It is another rainy day in Southern Ontario-the kind of day to be sitting in front of a fireplace and knitting!!!

Colourscapes Chunky and iPhone

I sent out a newsletter yesterday highlighting the new yarns and magazines from Rowan. Here is the Colourscapes Chunky. The colours are amazing (picked by Kaffe Fassett). I am almost done the back of my vest-hopefully pictures tomorrow. I am hoping that Korey can get these on the website soon.

430 Carnival
431 Cherry
432 Heath
433 Frosty
434 Candy Pink
435 Ghost
436 Northern Lights
437 Camouflage

Yesterday afternoon Beth, Cathy (the clean freak) and I had lunch. We happened to be beside the Rogers store so I went in to see if they had an iPhone. I have wanted one of these since the first iPhone was talked about. Well, they had one in stock. I was still debating (I have to pay a penalty to Bell to get out of my contract) but I decided to go for it. I went back in and they started the paper work. All of a sudden the girl working called someone else over and they didn't know what to do. I have a flag on my account so they couldn't finish up getting me my phone. Because someone stole my credit card a few years ago I am now flagged and the credit companies have to make sure it is really me and not someone trying to get something (phone, mortgage, car, etc) in my name. Rogers called me this morning that everything is okay and I can go after work to get my new phone. Since I can take pictures with the phone and the phone has Internet, I am hoping that I can take pictures and publish them right to my blog. We'll see tonight. Beth is excited because she will get my iPod Touch.

I am in the middle of updating the website. Since the quantities in stock for yarns are showing I had better make sure they are right.

I was bad today

This is Valour from the new Colourscape Chunky Collection magazine.
Here is the start of my Valour. I said that I wouldn't start anything new but customers wanted to see how the yarn looked today so I rolled a ball and started. I am using colour 435 Ghost. I didn't realize until right now that this is the colour the sample is knit in. The yarn is great to knit with. The thickness has been uniform so far-no thick and thin.

More boxes of yarn arrived today including the latest shipment from Kauni. We received 4 colour-EQ (bright colours that the Yarn Harlot used), EZ (teals and greens), EG (pink and purple) and EL (navy and dark purple). Korey and I need to figure out a new way to put this on the website so it could be a while before they are up.

We also received some Dream in Color, Oceanwind Knits and Lorna's Laces. Newsletters went out this morning for those who are on the sock and shawl lists. If you are interested in receiving these emails, please let me know.

Golf was a bit disappointing yesterday. It rained until 2pm so we only got to play 9 holes. We were doing very well after 9 holes and would have finished very well.

It's almost closing time and blogger is having an outage tonight so it's time to publish this. I will be finishing the store newsletter tonight (fingers crossed).

Sorry-this is going to be a quick post. I am taking the day off today and going golfing.
This is the new Cocoon magazine. The designs are amazing. I spent hours last night scanning pictures into the computer for a newsletter and I hope to finish that tonight. We received 6 new colours of Cocoon as well.
The new Colourscapes magazine. I will have pictures from this in the newsletter as well.
Seven colours of Colourscapes arrived yesterday. This is colour 430. Sorry-I need to hurry so I will put the rest up tonight or tomorrow.

I have picked out projects from both magazines that I need/want but I was a good girl and didn't bring any yarn home.

Hopefully we don't have rain this afternoon and I play well. Dad, Beth and I are golfing with a friend in a golf tournament. Have a good day!!

Rowan is here

I am in the middle of unpacking 7 boxes of Rowan yarns and magazines. So far I have opened the boxes of magazines. Rowan 44, Colourscapes Chunky and Cocoon. They look great.
I will post about them later tonight.

needleemporium.com upgrades

The last couple of days have been busy. The Open (golf tournament from England) was this weekend and TV coverage started at 7am. Of course I set my alarm to get up and watch. I did get some knitting done on Edie today.

Korey (my web guy) surprised me yesterday with some upgrades on the web site. Take a look at the Cascade 220 page. For most of the yarns the shade card now shows up on the front page of the yarn. You can put in the quantity you want to buy right on that page-no more jumping between pages. I will be going into work tomorrow to update some of the quantities-somehow these got messed up in the upgrade.

The new Rowan hasn't shown up yet. I have been told that it has left the US. I am hoping it will arrive tomorrow while I am at the store but I can't stay there all day because I have a dentist appointment. If not, we should have it on Tuesday. It will be on the website the minute it arrives in the store.

This is the new Fiona Tote from Offhand Designs. Cosmo Bloom, Ebony and Ivory and Punch Bloom.


A new episode of Big Brother tonight which means some more time to knit.

Busy with new arrivals

I have been trying to sit down since the beginning of the week to write a post. The store has been busy (no complaints here) but it doesn't leave much computer time. I also golfed this week. My game was much better.

This is a new clutch from Offhand Designs called Stella Bella. Each side opens to hold your knitting and accessories.


The new Rowan hasn't arrived yet but we are hoping any day. Unfortunately Rowan's website hasn't been updated yet to show the new magazine and yarns.

I haven't picked up my knitting needles in a week. Maybe tonight. I have been tired at night so I have relaxed in front of the TV. I know that I can knit in front of the TV but laying down was very enjoyable. The first few episodes of Big Brother were great. Brian thought he had the game won and the others caught on quickly. Canadian Idol was a disappointment this week. I don't think they did David Bowie justice. I didn't watch the results show last week so I wasn't aware of those that didn't make it through. It was disappointing to see who was gone.

Now I am going back to rearranging the store. I need to find room for the new yarns that are arriving.

NEW, NEW, NEW

The tent sale went well but we are all tired. I came to the store today to find many, many boxes of things to unpack.

The new patterns from KnitWhits just arrived. I showed Edie earlier in the week. I just started the armhole shaping. Edie takes 2-4 balls of Noro Kureyon and 2-3 balls of Kureyon Sock. There are five sizes available on the pattern.

This is Raffaela-knit out of Silk Garden. There are five sizes available on the pattern and the jacket takes 9-13 balls.

Fall Berroco has arrived. You can preview the magazines and yarns on the Berroco website.

I'm leaving for home soon and hopefully a good night sleep. Have a good weekend!!

Jane Thornley

Here are some Jane Thornley patterns you can download. You will find lots at the tent sale to go with these patterns.

Noro cardigan and tent sale preview

My mom's surgery went well. She did come home from the hospital on Friday night. She is ordering us all around so she must be feeling better!!

Edie is a new pattern from KnitWhits. The copies to sell in the store should be arriving any day. The jacket is knit using Noro Kureyon Sock and the matching colour of Noro Kureyon. The sock is knit on 6mm needles and the Worsted uses 10mm needles.


I am using colour 188 for mine. I am about to start the armhole shaping. (When I am done this post I will sit down and watch Canadian Idol and do a few more rows.)
Cathy, Beth, Dad and I got all the yarn moved into St. John's Parish Hall today. It took a few trips but we got it all done.

The hall is huge so there will be lots of room for people to move around and look at yarn.
When going through the boxes and bags we found lots of ribbons and fancy yarns. These will work great with Jane Thornley's patterns. You can buy them on Patternfish (the pattern website I talked about a couple of weeks ago).

Rearranging

I had some time last week so I decided to rearrange the store again. This is the front room. Colinette Ab Fab afghans hung on the wall but the kits are no longer available in Canada so I took them down.
Merino Otto is now in the front room along with some great garments designed by Jane Slicer-Smith.

I hope you enjoyed Canada Day. Dad, Beth and I golfed. My game was much better but my body still hurts.

Mom goes in for surgery in the morning. Her surgeon (who has done major work on her for the past 20 years) hopes that it is a simple hernia operation and that she can come home on Friday. One day in the hospital will be a first for mom.

New sock and shawl yarns have arrived in the store. Don't forget to ask about them on your next visit.

I'm not sure how much I will get to write before the tent sale. I have a garage full of yarn to organize.

Canada Day

I hope everyone is enjoying a day off. I thought that I would be able to write a nice long post with pictures but no luck-my dad called and wants to go golfing. He has finished his work in the basement and has nothing to do today.

The basement is looking great. The floors are in and the baseboard is done. We convinced him that we wanted white wood trim like the upstairs. In his words-it was a bitch to do but it looks great. Hopefully the painters will finish this week and then the bathroom will be done next week.
Have a good day and I will do a real post when I'm back in the store.