Category Archives: projects

Mix-n-Match

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One of my favorite hobbies is mixing and matching. I collage in my free time. I cut magazines for pictures, colors, patterns, designs, etc. and paste everything together. With knitting, I play with colors all the time! Just mixing and matching, finding a project that would look great in this yarn. Or wait! How about this?  You should see me on those days! (Come in and ask me what patterns I like and what I would do and you’ll find a project for anything!)

Back to the subject, I love the Noni Bags and Jul handles. They are fun to match with Shepherd’s Wool and please my creative genes when I work! But I’m looking at all of our yarn and seeing, what would be a great purse color? Well, I love purple (and luckily my winter coat is purple), but most coats are neutral colors.

Short to say, I’m making my talent work for me! I’m making kits of the Noni, Shepherd’s wool, and Jul hardware to make a specific bag. Now, they’ll be selling on ebay, but we’ll also have them in the store in bags so you can see total price. We can also switch any colors out of the handles or wool. We want what you want! Use our coupon code: jul15 ! If you like any of the ones I put in pictures and would like it, give us a shout out, and we’ll save it for you! Start this Fall with style with your own Noni purse. – Tara

Purse Hardware – sale on in-stock

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This is big. I mean HUGE. We’re putting our Jūl Silver Hardware on sale! Oh yes, I heard you have been drooling all over it but hesitant because of the price.

What makes Jūl Silver special?  It is constructed by hand in the United States rather than overseas.  Jūl designs involving precious metals and semi-precious stones can not be compared to mass-produced hardware but are true art and jewelry. Many of the hardware pieces are featured with explicit Noni bag patterns such as the Urban Explorer and Silk Road Explorer handles paired with theNomad bag in Three sizes pattern.

So, what’s the sale?  Take 15% off in-stock hardware only by using coupon code: jul15 on the checkout screen at http://www.knittingtoday.com.    If you buy at least four skeins of in-stock Shepherd’s Wool yarn and a Noni pattern, we’ll take another 10% off for a total of 25% off your new purse project!! (note, we’ll have to apply that extra discount on our end before charging your card).

Hurry because this offer is good on in-stock only and expires on Tuesday, August 9!  And, if you want to know when the next sale is, go sign up for our enews: http://knittingtoday.com/enews.html

Forget It All

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Really. I mean it. I want to knit! There, my little tantrum is out of the way. It started back on my birthday when someone (Cynthia) said to me on facebook to knit something I want to knit or would bring me pleasure or something like that. Ever since then, I’ve been looking at all my WIPs, my UFOs, my dream list, and nothing has fit the bill. NOTHING! I was really starting to feel that I’m in a knitting slump. I mean, I know I’m overwhelmed with updating the website, juggling special orders, finding boxes when they arrive and get shoved in the backroom, keeping up with accounting, and nameless other things a store owner has to do (vacuum? What’s that?). But, really, a slump?? The whole problem just got solved. And it was Cat Bordhi to the rescue — again! She has a new technique i can’t wait to get on the needles and try. The Sweet Tomato Sock Heel. Yep, I’m ready. If only I hadn’t walked out of the store without the needles and yarn and, to top it off, I’m not stepping back foot in there until Tuesday. I promised myself a day off to spend with Tara and Haley before the crush of August hits and Monday is the day. So, here am I, ready to knit and no tools. How about you?  Do you want to try the Sweet Tomato Sock Heel along with me?  Which pattern are you going to knit?  Keep my enthusiasm going.  In the meantime, I’ll get back to working on the new website design . . .

I just can’t leave knitting!

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Welcome to my life.  Knitting has been a good thing.  Knitting has done wonders for me in the past. Today was the grand opening of the LaGrange County Fair. I entered my Rainbow Tam.

The Rainbow Tam is a free pattern from www.knitty.com called Three Tams.  We have a add on if you would like to make it a slouchy tam instead of a more fitting one.

For these tams, we use Shepherd’s Wool and Noro Kureyon. It makes a great variation. As I entered it in the fair, the judge had nothing to comment about. She liked it and gave me a blue ribbon.

Knitting has also traveled with me to an art portfolio review. I decided since it’s a needle “art” I can show my professor. I told him that this is considered art and showed him my knitting. He laughed! He said he had a dream about knitting the other night. How crazy is that? Anyways, I ended up with a six hundred dollar scholarship for my art classes.

Recently, a friend of mine had a baby girl. I wanted to knit something nice for her and decided a baby hat. Well, it did not turn out right. While at work, I flipped through a Creative Knitting magazine and found a pattern called Ollie the Octopus.

I decided to knit it out of leftovers of  Dream in Color Classy. It’s the colors that make up the Tulip Baby Sweater. It was weird because it wasn’t knit in the round, so I changed the legs to be in the round and seamed up the part knit flat, but I finished it! I’ll be giving it to her soon. A cool simile was stated by the grandpa. He said when they change her diaper, she squirms like a little octopus! Too perfect, right?

As I am starting college, I have some friends who want to learn and make their own projects.  My favorite thing we have now is cowls. They are so cute and fun! I’m into scarves and want to make some for my friends that are going away to college. I have a challenge from the head of the sales department of SMC, the yarn company that produces Schachenmeyer, Nashua and Regia. He wants me to knit the longest scarf and show him at TNNA-Phoenix this January. (I’ll be going, right mom????) So, I’ll be knitting that with slouchy hats and finishing up my monster Hugo from the Rebecca Danger book.  Speaking of Hugo, is anyone else knitting monsters?  We might participate in a travelling monster show!!

So many projects! A lot of less time with me at art camp all of July! Stop in and say hi to Mom. She’ll get lonely without me! ;)

Tara’s Fashion Findings (with Knitting!)

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I am so ecstatic about some new outfits I put together in the past few days.  My outfit is missing something though.  My mom and some customers started looking around and came up with an idea from the yarn store!

This scarf  is called the Four Seasons and there is many samples made in many different types of yarns in the store, hence the name Four Seasons. This sample is featured in Vizions, a 68% Rayon; 29% Linen; 3% Nylon blend.  We were thinking if we made this out of the Purple/Steel/Mint color combo, it could match my t-shirt as an accessory. It could be a scarf or a belt with a matching button.

Vizions is an interesting knit, as it has a double yarn over and purls on the next row.  Nancy is going to be leading a class on this scarf  on July 23rd at 10 am. You better stop in if you would like to make this scarf! It’s a timeless classic for any season and style. I know I’ll be there to knit it!

New from Noni

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Bettie Boop Bag

I always look forward to the new patterns from Nora Bellows aka Noni.  I think she is immensly talented.  She doesn’t dissapoint with her new bag patterns.  To the right is the The Bettie Boop Bag.  It is so flirty, girly, sexy, what with the bling in the middle of the flowers, not to mention the flowers themselves.  Doesn’t it just reek of femininity?  Very aptly named, I think.  We have the pattern, and all the hardware to complete the bag.  And of course, we have the Shepherd’s Wool that her samples are done in.  As she has done in the past, Nora has made the Bling Flower pattern available separately, so if you love the flowers, but the bag not so much, you can still get the flower pattern.  And if you love the Sparkle Rivets (the bling in the middle of the flowers) but have a totally different idea in mind, you can get those individually, as well.  They are available in four colors (pink, green, clear, and black) and two sizes (10mm and 7mm). 

Bedouin Bag

Also new from Noni Bags is the Bedouin Bag.  The ridges are simple to create, but sure do add to the visual appeal.   They give it kind of a scrunchy look without compromising the space in the bag.   Click on the link above to see the specs on the sizing, but trust me when I say that the biggest size is BIG!  As in, you could carry a small child in it big.  Now that’s my kind of bag.  I carry absolutely everything I might possible need if standed somewhere, whether that somewhere be the peaks of the Alps or the most remote part of the Saraha.  I am carrying a somewhat smaller bag right now and am busting at the seams- really, I cannot close the bag.  Maybe I should add this to my Rav queue?  

Happy Knitting, all! 

Kitchener + Puppy = AAAACCK!

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Titus - The newest addition to the Young family

This is our new puppy, whom we have christened Titus.  Isn’t he adorable?  He is very sweet.  Except when I am trying to knit.  Then he is not so cute.  I am constantly trying to re-direct the chewing and putting him outside to do his thing, or pushing him off of me.  I finally got the gumption to Kitchener the Bamboo Ewe shawl that has been finished for nearly a month and was seriously wishing I had done it as soon as the shawl was finished.  (Pre-puppy in other words.)  He was sleeping when I began to graft but of course did not stay that way.  I thought I was doing very well, given the circumstances, but when I was maybe 8 stitches from being done, I discovered a stitch that had dropped clear back in the beginning.  I got it fastened with a locking stitch marker so it wouldn’t run and when I was done I went back and stitched back up and picked it up when I wove in the end.

Bamboo Ewe Shawl

I defy anyone to find said stitch. I did a very good job of it, if I do say so myself.  Now, the join itself is another story. Because of the dropped stitch I can see where I am clearly off in the lace where it joins, but I refuse to take it all out and re-do it.  I also thought I was plenty loose, but it sure looks pretty tight now that it’s done.  I’m hoping it will even out in the blocking.   I did enjoy knitting the shawl.  It was a very easy pattern to memorize with only a four row repeat, and the yarn is really very nice.  I had a problem with splitting while grafting, but I cannot blame the yarn for that- that’s all me.  I’ll get it blocked over the weekend and see if I can’t get it on Ravelry sometime soon.

Very stormy here so I think I’ll shut down the computer before I fry my beloved Mac!

 

 

Books that have captivated me

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I couldn't put it down... must learn more!

It is no secret to anyone who knows me that I am a book fiend.  At one time I counted over 1000 books in my home.  I quite counting because knowing how many books I really have would be like knowing what’s in my stash.  If I truly knew how many books/much yarn I have tucked here and there I run the danger of facing the fact that I just may have *GASP* too much.  Pah!  Not likely to happen but still, it is a very real danger.  Two recent additions to the Knitting Today bookshelves have me fascinated.  I can’t even guess how much time I spent poring over them as I was getting them in the system.  Purely research for the job, you understand.

The first you see to the left: The Complete Guide to Natural Dyeing by Eva Lambert & Tracey Kendall.   Ever since I bought a skein of camel yarn that had been dyed with Pokeberry (that berry weed that turns bird poop purple every summer) I have been intrigued by the natural dyeing process.  You have to understand that I was on a field trip with my daughter’s class and actually abandoned my post and shoved (albeit, politely) my group of children onto another parent in order to run back to the little fiber shop and get this yarn.  I had seen it earlier and almost had myself talked out of getting it, silly girl that I am.  We were waiting to board the bus to come home when rational thought got hold of me and I literally ran to buy the yarn.  Not because it was camel, not because it was so well spun, but because it was such a vibrant purple and it had come from POKEBERRY!  I have never been able to get the thought of dyeing out of my head and along comes this book and it is such a comprehensive guide that it has me thinking that even a relative twit such as myself might be able to do this.  I could go on and on about how it starts with the bare bones basics before delving into different fiber content and dyeing techniques and recipes and all that but you would tire of reading long before I ran out of words so suffice it to say that I am hooked.

13 projects inside!

The other book that has me hooked (yes, poor pun intended) is Get Hooked on Tunisian Crochet by Sheryl Thies.  I am not very familiar with Tunisian Crochet (or afghan stitch, or whatever term you prefer) so I was pleased to discover the variety of stitches used and the textures created.  The only Tunisian Crochet garment I had seen (I think) is the store sample we have using the Cotton Classic Lite.  The projects in this book are equally contemporary and attractive.  There is an Entrelac shawl that is particularly cool.  It has a detailed tutorial in the beginning, with illustrations for each step.  Long story short, I want to try it! 

Quick side note:  for those that are still waiting, we finally have cowlgirls in stock! This has been so hard to get our hands on…

Catching up

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Kudo – YUM!

I’m still playing catch-up from the two weeks I was gone in March, but I’m slowly getting there.  I thought maybe you would all like to know what’s new since I’ve been back.  Well, truth be told it’s been here for quite a while, but I’ve finally gotten it up and running for your knitting pleasure!  :-)

The pic you see to the left is Plymouth Kudo.  It is so scrumptious!  It’s a cotton/rayon/silk blend in oh, so pretty colors.  There is just enough silk to give it a bit of luxury, and I really like the look that the silk slubs provide.  It makes me want to knit a fun scarf (free with purchase!) to brighten up next winter.  I know… who wants to think about next winter when we are not so patiently waiting for this spring?  What can I say- I was a Girl Scout.  Think ahead and be prepared.  Which is, incidentally why I also have dental floss, a flashlight, and a tape measurer in my purse at all times.  One never knows…

Anyway, back to the point.  We also now have Vizions, and Grass, both from Plymouth as well.  It’s been a while since we’ve had a nice novelty yarn and Vizions fits the bill nicely.  It’s a rayon/linen blend in self striping colorways that I think would make a very pretty shawl.  Or why not try it with Jackie?  So cute!  Grass is (as the name implies) very natural looking; has a definite earthy feel about it.  It is a cotton/linen blend, very soft to the touch.  I’m thinking that I must make the Miley Tee.  In the Chambray colorway… or maybe the green.  If you click on the link for the yarn above, you will see all the colorways, as well as two patterns, one knit and one crochet for the Grass.

Let’s see.. what else have I checked in?  So many things… I’m just going to throw them out there: Zauberball and Zauberball Crazy, the new Creative Knitting, and the cutest little things going right now- Balloon Tying Creations Collections One, and Two.  We are temporarily out of them because Lea-Ann sold them all at the Spring Fling for machine knitters, but we will have them in stock again soon. I know there are some other yarns, but it’s the end of the day and my brain is refusing all prodding to remember what they are, so I’ll have to do a walk about and let you know what else is looking for a place in your stash.

Until then- happy knitting and think spring!

Woolly Trunkshow

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Marie Mayhew's Woolly Sheep

While I was on what I choose to refer to as a “snow vacation” last week, we got in a trunk show from Marie Mayhew.  I have long adored her creations- they are so stinkin’ cute!  I have christened the Woolly Sheep you see to the left Doris.  In my head she speaks with a British accent and spends her days frolicking in flower fields dispensing widsom to all her little creature friends.   She is very motherly, calls everyone “dear” and frequently hosts tea parties complete with cucumber sandwiches.  Now that I think about it, she is the Mary Poppins of the sheep world- minus the magic carpet bag.

Woolly Birds

I wish that I could post pics of everything, but there is just too much, so I’m only sharing a few.  If you are near the area, I encourage you to pop in and take a look.  In addition to Doris, and the Woolly Birds you see to the right we have the Woolly Nests, Eggs, Candy Corn (done in styles for many holidays), additional Woolly Sheep, Bunnies and Chicks.  There is a class for the Woolly Bunnies and Chicks on Saturday so give us a ring if you are interested.  Pictured below you can see the Woolly Gnome, whom I have named Herb, (we also have a few other gnomes and mushrooms not pictured), and the Woolly Penguin chick.    To see all the Marie Mayhew patterns click on the link. http://www.knittingtoday.com/go.mvc?ID=mayhew

Herb the Woolly Gnome

Woolly Chick