KNews at Knitting Today » Sneak

Back from the fair

susan — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 15:19:28 +0000

After a week of camping at the fair, livestock shows, working various stands, and a very long, hot auction day, I am still feeling a bit hungover. We had a fun week but it is exhausting. The kids all did well on their projects and their shows, and had a great time hanging out with their 4-H friends. I’m still catching up on laundry and cleaning the camper out for relatives that are coming in on Saturday (I’m sure they would appreciate clean linens and such), but it’s nice to be home and getting back into the regular routine.

I have checked in so many new things since my last post…. let’s see… there is Classy (new colors), Mauch Chunky (new colors), Kaleidoscope, and Cotton 2010, both from Opal (that took a little longer than planned, but it’s finally available for purchase), and we now have some striping Soxx Appeal. I think the Freedom Hat Kit from Heritage Fiber Publications is very cool. Available in three color combinations, the pattern offers three sizes and the kit comes with enough Shepherd’s Wool to make one hat of any size. Click here to see all the new items for July.

Diva Bundles

Just in case you were afraid that I would leave you with no pretty pictures check out the box of loveliness that was waiting for me when I got back to work. These are the Diva Bundles that Lea-Ann unveiled when Lorna was here. A few lucky gals even won a bundle as a door prize. I keep taking little breaks to paw through the box. No two bundles are exactly alike; there are similar color combinations but the there is something different in each bundle. Some have sparklies, some have frillies, some have sparkly frillies. Others have a touch of ribbon yarn. If I had to use one word to describe these little beauties it would be “FUN”. Okay, I just thought of another one. “UNIQUE”. Oh! How about “YUMMY”? I’m going to sign off now because I could go on like this for hours. Those of you who know me know that I am not joking about this.

Have a great day of knitting!

Well, what do you know!

susan — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:47:34 +0000

Opal Kaleidoskop and Cotton 2010

I DO have a few things under my desk, thanks for asking. They have been pillaged and plundered but there is still plenty left. Waiting patiently to be checked in are Opal Kaleidoscope and Cotton 2010. I am really digging the Cotton 2010. The colors are somewhat muted and have a very soft look. Soft to the touch, too. See those two skeins with the yellow labels? Whatever could that be? Some special dye lot, perhaps? Maybe a one of a kind colorway? Hmmm. I wonder?

Susan's Opal

oh, wait! I know what it is! It’s me being greedy. :0 Take a closer look- do you see what it says? It says “Susan”. That would be me. Isn’t that positively shameful? It’s just that sometimes we have yarn mysteriously disappear from the boxes, so if I really want something I have to put my name on it. I have this (completely unreasonable) fear that if I don’t grab a yarn the minute it comes in then it will be gone and there will never again be a yarn that I like as much and I will have missed my chance. I do realize how ridiculous this is, but I also know that I am not the only one who thinks this way so I admit it freely. It’s why we all have a stash.

Just in case you think that is the only thing sitting around waiting on me, check out the Mauch Chunky.

: Mauch Chunky – New Colors!

Some of these colors are new and will be on the website soon, a few are re-orders and will available again right away (as soon as I receive them). We will have even more colors as winter approaches. I know, who even wants to think of cold weather when it’s the peak of summer, but it is inevitable so you may as well have something to look forward to, right. I really do have a love affair going on with this yarn. The colors are so cool- never only one color, but subtle shades provide this wonderful depth. Sometimes you don’t notice it right away, but as you get to really looking at it you notice the less prominent colors in each colorway. Worth taking a look at.

AND. The UPS man was just here with a box from Knit One Crochet Too full of re-stocks of Ty-Dy Dots, as well as Ty-Dy Socks (I think some new colors), and some new colors of Soxx Appeal.

Given all that is waiting on me- I am going to get to work. I’ll update soon on my Tee for Two. Planning on picking up to knit the sides tonight. Maybe I’ll even takes some pics and get this project on Ravelry. One can always hope.

UPDATE: The Mauch Chunky and Ty-Dy Socks (including the new colors!) and Dots are checked in! I’m so fast I can’t even see myself…

Ty-dy restock + new

lea-ann — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 07:00:33 +0000

Its here! The Ty-Dy cotton restock. And, the new Ty-Dy Dots (shhhhh). Also restocked a couple of Ty-Dy Socks colors and am waiting on the backorders and new colors (and, shhhh, the new Sock Dots) to arrive . . . lots of fun stuff to work on. Did I ever show you a picture of my Slant on Nature? I put the pattern on top of the box so you could see it the original. The mods I made were to make it a v-neck instead of a lapel and set-in sleeve instead of drop shoulder. If you want to make those same mods, I can help you through them. . .

This Spring 2010 issue of Knitter’s has a new colorway (in the shhh box) on the front, entrelac neckline — really a neat knit!

Oh, and for the sneak peak: Ty-Dy Dots!

And, now for the new patterns that use those new yarns. Notice the socks in the bottom picture done in Fair Isle? It uses a solid strand of Sox Appeal (which is in another shhh box under Susan’s desk).

Okay, so that’s the end of the Ty-Dy sneak peak . . . . for those of you patiently waiting for the prize drawings, that’s up next . . . . just trying to figure out a snazzy way to count without doing it manually, but may break down and do it manually anyways. Sometimes the back-end of software is not soo pretty to work with. Lea-Ann

I SAW IT FIRST!!

susan — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 16:47:50 +0000

Mountain Colors - Crazyfoot

Fresh off the UPS truck and in my hot little hands- and Lea-Ann isn’t even here to see it. This is the newest sock yarn from Mountain Colors- a superwash/nylon blend sans mohair. It’s been on order for quite some time. I have fondled it and smelled it (I must admit I was a bit disappointed as Mountain Colors usually has a wonderful vinegar-ish smell and it is absent) and oggled every colorway. They called last week to approve the shipment and I have been not so patiently waiting for it to come in. I am a huge Mountain Colors fan – the colors seem so intense and vibrant to me. Even the darker, more somber tones seem alive. Yeah, I know all the Thursday knit night ladies are practically foaming at the mouth to get their hands on this but since I won’t be here I may have to hide the box- at least until I get scans for the internet. Wouldn’t that be slightly wicked of me?

Edited 4/8/10 Lea-Ann is concerned that we’re going to get spam because I used the words “oggled” and “fondled”. Ooops, I said it again! Boy, add that to the talk in a previous post of drug deals and inhaling and an unnamed previous president will be all over this.

While I was away

susan — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 16:02:50 +0000

This is what happens when I’m gone for a week ….

New Opal

This is the new Opal sock yarn that came in while I was on vacation. Notice anything odd about it? Like that it has already been opened and very obviously ooohed and aaahed over? Seems that when I miss UFO night everyone goes crazy! Honestly, I can’t really blame them. Who doesn’t like to check out the freshly arrived new stuff just begging to be cast on? For those of you who weren’t lucky enough to be here when Lea-Ann opened the box, I will have it online and ready for purchase as quickly as I can.

Here’s a bonus sneak peek for you…

Serendipity Tweed and Wildfoote

Also arriving at my desk while I was sunning my toes was Serendipity Tweed and Wildfoote from Brown Sheep. I really like the looks of the Serendipity Tweed- sort of a heathery look more than a tweedy look. Love the colors, too. Check back frequently over the next few weeks, as this will also be available online as quickly as humanly possible.

A few days before I started packing I decided that I needed a way to protect my Kindle in my suitcase and this is what I came up with:

Felted Kindle Sleeve

Kinle Sleeve open

I used double stranded Noro and eyeballed the size it would need to be before felting (measured my kindle and added 30% for the felting process). I knit it one night at my daughter’s Math Bowl competition and felted it a few days later. My favorite thing about it is the funky chunky button I found in my Grandma’s button jar. I love the texture it adds and the way it pops off the front. I am happy to say that it worked like a charm and my Kindle sustained no damage at all.

Recycled Silk Shawl

I needed an ultra simple project to knit while traveling that needed no counting or really even looking at as I cannot do anything requiring the slightest concentration or I get car sick (no reading in the car for me). I dug through my stash and found several skeins of recycled silk that I have had for nearly forever so I threw some of them in a bag and made this shawl. It was quick, very simple and almost finished when we arrived- which turned out to be a good thing because it was a bit chilly the first day so I threw it across my lap and finished it. I actually wore it when we went out to eat one evening even though it hasn’t been blocked. The bad thing is that I took nothing to knit on the way home! Yeah, I know…. what a doofus.

Stay tuned for a few vacation pics and another sneak peek (maybe the best one yet?) tomorrow. I am so excited!

New March category- finally

susan — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:42:23 +0000

Wow, it’s been a very long time since my last post. Not because I’ve been slacking, though. And, since we DID get the big snow and I DID get to snuggle in for a few days I haven’t been pouting, either. Just been incredibly busy. No Penny means that I am stocking and working the floor and doing a few other little things that she used to do and I tell you what- that takes away a whole lot of desk time!

I have finally gotten a New March category on the website. In it you’ll find the 1/2 Crepe that Lea-Ann introduced a few posts ago, as well as new patterns from Jojoland. By the end of next week you’ll also find Classic Elite Lite- barring a desk full of odds and ends and whatnots.

Keep your eyes open on the blog for new sock yarn, cashmere, and roving from Hippie Penguin Fibers. This is a very limited stock of hand dyed yarns from our very own Hilary Lash. I have every intention of having all the Hippie Penguin Fibers products available for purchase by Monday at the absolute latest.

Hippie Penguin Fibers roving

Here is a sneak peek at the roving. Isn’t it beautiful? The colors are so vibrant- I wish I could transmit that through the computer, but the image cannot capture the color to the fullest. I have never spun before but have always wanted to learn. It is killing me to have this in the shop and not know how to spin. I’ve been telling myself that I do not need another hobby, but I am having more and more of a difficult time convincing myself. I mean really, what’s one more hobby, right?

spring fever? summer tops?

lea-ann — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 14:17:43 +0000

its coming, spring that is, and i am itching to clean and organize and start more new projects. not a good thing for someone who has 26 projects on their list! can we say overwhelmed? i know, its time for another to ten list….I’ll get to that as I organize later. Right now, though, a sneak peak at what susan will be doing during the week ….

Starry is here!

susan — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:32:40 +0000

I just (and I mean JUST) finished checking in Starry, the newest from Dream in Color. The base of this sock weight yarn is Smooshy; so you know it is… well, smooshy and because it is Dream in Color you know the colors are fabulous. I can see shawls and scarves in this, maybe a smoke ring. What do you think? Do you itch to knit socks when you see this or does something else pop into your mind? Do share, please!

Woolly goodies back in stock!

lea-ann — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 14:47:09 +0000

It’s still snowing so we are allowed to knit, felt and decorate with snowmen, right? We just restocked all of Marie Mayhew’s patterns and the snowman really works well with Galway white.

But if you prefer to ignore the snow, you could start on the cute bunnie or chicks for Easter or her newest pattern, Woolly Owls (susan is on vacation so be patient and wait for it to appear on the New January pages).

Sneak peak – quilt happy

lea-ann — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 22:19:43 +0000

Do you have a friend who quilts? Treat her (or him) with a reminder to “quilt happy”. They should be ready for ordering next week.

Yes, that is a pink insulated tumbler and we will be gettting them in the “knit happy” soon.