Posted on 2 Comments

So close to being done

"Tee for Two" in Blueberry Fields

I have not had near enough time to knit recently.  I planned on getting more done last week, but when the sweet corn is ready, it’s ready.  I like to put up lots of sweet corn, so I took two days off of everything else and did nothing but corn.  The second round should be ready late this week so I have to knit like crazy the next few nights.  Doesn’t it drive you mad when you are so close to finishing a project only to be too busy to knit.  It’s almost enough to make me cuss.  Anyway, I have maybe three inches to go before beginning the second sleeve and then it’s a pretty quick round and round and ready for the trim.

I have tweaked just a bit and did a three needle bind-off on the first side and knit the sleeve in the round.  So much easier than seaming when finished.  I am not a big fan of seaming and I like the idea of being done when I’m done.  I am going to take out the last few rows of the sleeve and do it over on a smaller needle.  I think my gauge loosened when I went to purl and I don’t like how loose/big the sleeve ends. 

Anybody notice the coffee mug in the background?  That’s the newest from Knit Happy, the Bright Sips Mug, in yellow.  Click the link to see all five bright colors.

I had to come back and edit this to add that the Diva Bundles are in stock!  These are so pretty.  I’d like to buy a bunch just to hang up and look at.

Posted on 1 Comment

Haley, the fingerless gloves and Shipshe, ebay

image

image

image

image

image

Getting down to the wire and Haley has three little fingers to finish, ends to weave in and washing/blocking to do. Saturday is judging. She has several days this week that she’ll be working with her horse, Luke, getting him ready to show so she needs to have it finished today. Thankfully she should have plenty of time. Instead of spending my day off at home, look what I’m trying out–a booth at the Shipshewana Flea Market. I brought some yarns we’re kind of tired of, some books and some Quilt Happy, Stitch happy, Scrap happy, and Knit Happy. It’s hot, 92f, but the building, the fans and the breeze make out cool. I’m meeting lots of knitters and getting time to work on my Cassidy sleeves, so all is well. Susan reports she has been busy back at the store, but with customers not website work so you’ll have to be patient and wait for the new stuff. (hint, one of the new Knit Happy products is in a picture below…can you find it?). We also have Caitlyn doing some ebay work for us. Check out her ebay auctions at http://myworld.ebay.com/girlbhindthemusic/

Posted on 13 Comments

Packing it up

It is my last morning to sit on the porch outside in 70 degree weather with my first cup of coffee in the morning. I hear the weather back in Indiana isn’t so nice.

A little progress was made on Cassidy. I had to figure out where I was, tear down and fix some cable crosses and then make sure the sleeve shaping was going to fit my body. Mission accomplished. I even figured out how to cross a cable during bind off! Now I am wondering if I should fix the back cable bind off rows?

Progress was also made on redoing the cap sleeve shaping of the Galway sweater. That will be a separate post on what wasn’t liked, what I did to fix It and hopefully a good picture of Sue with it fitting.

I will knit in the Mountain Colors shawl at the airport. Wonder how many stitches I have on the needles now?

Giveaway results will come in tomorrow’s post, so stay tuned… in the meantime, susan tells me we now have water bottles with the knit happy sheep on them. Would you like one? Comment on something you have had to fix or repair and how you did it, including the tools used if any… if we go over 25 commenters, I will make it two prizes so share a link to this blog with your friends.

The other major accomplishment while I have been away was to learn css for the website redesign. I hope the new site plans can progress now!

Wow! Look how much the beans have grown.

image
image
image
image
image

Posted on 5 Comments

I love a fun gadget!

Wondering if we’d gone off the grid? I apologize for the lag in postings on the blog- it is not for lack of something to blog about, but lack of time. I have to choose between getting the new stuff on the website or taking the time to blog. What a quandry!
First and foremost on my mind is to let you know that the Woolly Owls from Marie Mayhew are now in the system. I know that Lea-Ann revealed them a while ago- now you can check them out.

Dumpling Case

Now for what I am really itching to share. We have the cutest, most fun little doo-dads in stock! You have got to check out the Dumpling Case from HiyaHiya. They are so stinkin’ adorable. The case itself is brocaded fabric in assorted patterns/colors (all beautiful, I promise), and you just give it a little squeeze to open it- let go and it snaps shut, kind of like those change purses our grandmothers used to have in their handbags. (As a child I was always fascinated with my grandma’s- it was leather and closed in a swirl type pattern on top.  Very cool.   I was forever playing with it.  But, I digress…)

Stitch Markers

The real treasure is the markers that look like little balls of yarn.  They are sized to fit up to a US8 needle, but included are bigger rings to expand the markers to fit up to a US15. How cool is that?  At $9.95 they are affordable to give as a “just because” gift, and not so expensive that you would feel guilty getting them for yourself! 

Fold 'n Go Notions Box

Really fun thing number two is the newest product from Knit Happy- it is the Fold ‘n Go Notions Box. It is a very handy roll-up case for notions, double point needles and all the other necessities that go along with knitting. I immediately thought “oh, wouldn’t this be a cute travel case for toiletries and such?”. Who says that it must be used for knitting? Just because it has a sheep on it doesn’t mean that it must be used for knitting, does it?  What else would you use this for?  Any creative ideas out there?  Click on the link above to see all three colors.  Of course, it does not come with the goodies already inside, but I’m sure you’ve all got more than enough to fill it yourself.

For anyone who may be wondering, I finished the stocking in time for Christmas.  Okay, so I was sewing the stars on at 11:30 p.m. and it didn’t actually get assembled but the hard work was done.  I have pictures to post but forgot my card so I can’t put them on today, but I will share them.  Not that you all want to see it, but I worked my fanny off and I will post them if I want.  Because I can. 🙂  My daughter was thrilled and I now have some time for knitting.  Wahoo!  More on my knitting later, and I have a few books I am excited about.  I’ll show you those,  as well.  Until then- it’s cold outside so stay inside and knit.

Posted on 6 Comments

BTS at Stitches Midwest

BTS = Behind The Scenes, an acronym we use at Emmaus Walks for the go-fers

And, here are some shots from BTS at Stitches Midwest and, yes, Tom was definitely the “go-fer” and we couldn’t have done it without him.  My thanks to the whole team that helped man the Knitting Today booth, Claudia from Yarn Sisters for Zealana, Karen and Patti from Knit Happy, Chuck and Deb from Stonehedge Fiber Mills.  My hope is they had a great time meeting all the knitters that came through and have had a chance to rest their feet and legs by now. 

Tom setting up

Setup

And where is Lea-Ann?

Behind the Boxes

 From the back aisle you see the Noni Designs as well as the Heritage Spinning and Weaving and other Shepherd’s Wool samples:

From the Back Aisle

the view coming around the corner was Shepherd’s Wool:

Shepherd’s Front View

Walking around to the inside is another view of Shepherd’s Wool and on the back wall is the spinner rack full of Shepherd’s Wool Fingering.  Next to the fingering is a better view of Y2Knit’s Seven-Eighths and Winter Ball Scoop Cami (check Ravelry for their knitalong)

Shepherd’s from the InsideShepherd’s Fingering

Back to a view from the aisle, on the left is Y2Knit’s Seven-Eighths and Winter Ball Scoop Cami followed by the Zealana Kia Ora Kiwi and Kauri and in the middle is the Knit Happy bags and tumblers with the Gathered Totes on top of the yarn

From the Aisle

On the back right of the booth is the Zealana Eco 2020 on the top and Zealana Kia Ora rimu on the bottom with the Windy Hills Alpaca from a farm in Ohio to the right.  The models shown are on the left: Eyelet Cardi by Chic Knits knit in Kauri fingering; Laguna knit in Rimu DK,  on top is the Grommet bag and the Watermelon Tote, and on the far right with the long row of buttons is Noni’s new cardigan pattern.

Eco and Rimu

On the right of the booth, we featured Willow by Zealana, a cashmere/merino blend yarn that feels luscious and we have Knit Happy mugs lined up next to the checkout

Zealana Willow 

After all this set-up, here’s Tom:

 Tom worn out

And a big thank you to the three more helpers:  Deb and Chuck from Stonehedge Fiber Mills and Claudia from YarnSisters representating Zealana yarns:

Deb and Chuck from StonehedgeClaudia and Callie

Here’s the gang, Karen, Patti, Tom, Lea-Ann and Claudia:

The workers

 And, we did catch Tom smiling once or twice — he’s holding the Kiwi bird covered in Possum Fur:

Tom and the Kiwi Bird

Hope you enjoyed the virtual tour of our booth at Stitches Midwest 2009!  Thank you for stopping by, please leave a comment, you never know when I’ll do a drawing for some goodies!!

Posted on 2 Comments

Busy, busy, busy!

Wow, have we been busy!  What with getting ready for Stitches (which was just a tad hectic) and trying to get all the new products checked in, it has been the next best thing to crazy.  Now that Lea-Ann (and crew) is safely in her booth in Chicago I finally have time to update you on the latest.

First, I’ll say upfront that I forgot my camera and Lea-Ann took the store camera with her so I have no pics for you, which is too bad because the new primary colors of Dreambaby DK came in and they look great!  We have a total of 22 colors – soon to be 23 when the green arrives.  Want to see it all?  Click here.  I’ll try to remember my camera so I can add an image for you…

Now for what I am really excited about.  The Knit Happy is all here!  We have some of everything in stock.  I know I told you earlier that it wouldn’t be here until after Stitches but surprise!  It’s hard for me to decide on a favorite.  One day I like the travel tumbler the best but then I’ll fold a denim shirt and decide that maybe I like that the best.  I have had so much fun spreading everything around the store.  I love the way the bright colors of the mugs, notebooks, and travel tumblers just pop off the shelves.  They look so… well, happy. 

I am still diligently working my way through the boxes.  Though they are not towering quite as high as before, they are still lurking over my shoulder.  Slow and steady wins the race, right?  Keep checking back because I am making progress.

Susan

Posted on 2 Comments

Knit Happy!

dip_mugss.jpg  Have you noticed the new category in the left hand navigation menu?  It’s called “Knit Happy”; you’ll see it at the bottom of the menu (for now, anyway).  Tell you what- I LOVE this stuff.  It makes me smile.  The logo is so darn cute what with the chubbed up sheep and all.  I just received the dipped mugs and am going to have to get one… or more.  I cannot decide which color I must have.

  Here’s the catch- we only have  the dipped mugs and the gathered tote on the website.  In the store we have more styles of bags and some button up shirts.  These will not be put online because they were a special one-time purchase to be sold in store only.  So, to see the other products you’ll have to pop in to the shop.  But lo, do not be discouraged!   We have all kinds of products expected for Stitches Midwest and those will be added to the website as they come in.  Look for sweatshirts, shirts, bags and more to be added sometime in the future.  In the meantime it is worth a trip in to check out the other bag styles and the shirts.  They really are too cool.

So, do you want to Knit Happy?  Click here to see the Knit Happy products online.

Susan