Yarn Gallery Blog

Things that frustrate a yarn shop owner:

1. Making a great model in a new yarn, which people really like, then finding out when you try to order more that the distributor hasn’t it got it in stock and can’t ship any to you until it gets here from Italy.  So those of you who loved the Danielle coat, and actually got the book and the yarn to make it, are lucky!  My re-order will get here, but Berroco doesn’t know exactly when.

2. Carefully planning your fall orders to come in over time so that your cash flow is not overwhelmed by too many bills at one time, then learning that several companies’ yarns will be late and trying to find a later order to pull in to fill the gap. Or “How I Spent My Monday Off.”

3. Trying to plan a season’s classes when one or more of the teachers is out of town for a long time.  So you try not to schedule anything in the spirit of fairness but watch the time slipping away.  The schedule will come, but it’s like herding cats, people, really!

Okay, I’m done whining.  It’s still the most fun I’ve ever had, it’s the most beautiful summer day I’ve ever seen, my tomatoes are getting ripe at an ever-increasing rate, Geordie managed to walk all the way to the Museum this morning…life is lovely.

I’m getting pretty excited about classes.  Two things I’m sure of are a gansey class for intermediate knitters that Donna Guthrie will teach – I love the patterning on these sweaters and kind of envy Donna the chance to do the model.  It’s a beautiful traditional design that can be done for a man or woman.  And I know that Janet is going to teach a top-down sweater class for advanced beginners that will allow you to choose any Knitting Pure & Simple pattern to knit for the class.  I love the idea of the student deciding which design and yarn to work with, and KP&S has dozens of great designs to choose from.  Deb Cech is revamping the beginner classes and adding a few sessions to take you beyond beginner level.  Lynne Nagle is doing beginner crochet again, and a series on dishcloth patterns that will help you learn to follow directions and charts, plus have a bunch of fun.  And I’ve got about a dozen more things I want to be able to do, if only space and time were infinite!

The sock yarn sale is going along nicely. This is how it looked Wednesday morning at opening – it’s a bit less now, but there is still some very, very nice yarn at prices you’ll probably never see again.

I’ll definitely have room for new sock yarn this fall, with new Trekking and Zauberball, Regia, Socka, Alpaca Sox, Happy Feet, Mini Mochi, and a beautiful new sock yarn from Punta del Este – I just can’t wait for it all to get here.  I’m itching to start new socks but will wait till something new arrives.  It’s not like I have nothing to do.

Anyway, the sale continues through Friday this week.

The hated, despised, and loathed seed stitch jacket is still not done.  I’m at the cap of the second sleeve – yes, darn it, I do work on it a little bit every day, muttering and grousing to myself, but I do it.  The Leaf Lace Shawl I started with Mountain Colors’ Winter Lace is still at a point that I can get through a whole pattern repeat in less than an hour, so that seems to be moving along. (It will eventually get to the point where one or two pattern rows will take around 20 – 30 minutes as the shawl gets bigger – then progress will slow down considerably.)  I did a couple little things this week, easy models for beginner classes, but it was a busy week without too much concentrated knitting time.  So!  Let me quit yakking and show you some projects and then I can finish my little bit of housecleaning and still have time to sit and knit.

Here is a sweet little seed stitch (!!) bag that Lynda Slovitsky made for her granddaughter from 2 great colors of Merino Spray.. it’s from a Debbie Bliss book, but don’t know exactly which one.  Didn’t it turn out so cute?  Emma loves it and carries her necessities such as pretty little barrettes around in it.

Janet Kakareka has been knitting like crazy this summer and finished a pair of pretty lacy socks in Panda Cotton this week.

Now, this is not a knitting project but it’s a masterpiece nonetheless.  Sue Gelb made this beautiful chocolate chip pound cake for me.  It is so delicious, and was still warm from the oven when she walked in the door.  It’s huge – enough to share with anyone in the shop Sunday, plus sending a couple big chunks home with friends, plus a very big chunk now in my freezer so that it won’t all go into my mouth at once.

And here is Brianna, Sue Hess’s granddaughter, who is cetainly the Belle of the Blog this week in an adorable hat that Sue knit for her.  Guess what her favorite color is?

What a charmer, huh?  Some little girls just seem to have style, don’t they?

Don’t forget the store will be closed this Saturday and Sunday.  See you soon!

Trish