Yarn Gallery Blog

This is it blocking, taking up all open floor space in my bedroom. I had to roll across the bed if I wanted to get to my blow dryer. Luckily, with the incredible temperatures we had, it dried in about 24 hours.  You can see the construction of the shawl in this photo, all the modules building from the outside edge to the center.

Here it is at its soft and drape-y best.  Even though it took several intense weeks of knitting, I really loved the project and couldn’t be happier with the results.  Norah Gaughan’s design for Berroco was excellent, the pattern had only one problem, and the only thing I changed was the top edging, by making it a few rows less wide.  It took 14 balls of Classic Elite’s Fresco and was worth every penny and minute spent on it!  And, thank goodness, it’s out of my system and I can get on with new things, which I’ll be talking about soon.  Meanwhile, if you feel as I did about this wrap – that it simply must be knit – the pattern and yarn (in wonderful colors) are available now at the shop.

The heat has been something else, yes? and I think my brain was cooked – couldn’t think of one thing to say here, plus the computer room was always so hot, I just didn’t want to be in it!  However, the best things about July are also here – ripe local peaches (got some beauties at the West Reading Farmers’ Market) and my homegrown tomatoes are ripening as we speak.  Two things I love and only eat in season.  The stuff they ship from elsewhere shouldn’t even be called the same name!  Thanks to David Ritz for posting his amazingly numerous and beautiful projects and providing inspiration (and provoking envy)!

Fall yarns are arriving weekly now and the gals and I will be talking about fall classes soon.  I don’t want to rush through life, but I have to say I’m ready for fall weather and fall clothes.  From what I’ve noticed so far, vests are making a comeback – check this out:

Yarn and pattern coming soon.  Armwarmers optional!

Longer sweaters, or short sweaters layered over longer tops.  Big wraps and capes. Cowls and neckwarmers of all types.  Hats that have something special about them – cables, an interesting shape, fair-isle patterns, several colors or textures.  And, so I’m told by yarn reps, who admittedly have their own agenda but also see lines from the European markets that haven’t reached us yet, there is new interest in “fashion yarns” – those fun yarns that make great trims and accessories without a lot of fancy knitting.

I’m on a quest to find a great outside jacket pattern in superbulky yarn that will be warm enough to walk the dogs and run errands when the weather gets quite cold.  Low hip length, a big collar that can be buttoned up to my chin, an overlapping front for warmth, and a yarn that will make a dense but not heavy fabric.  Pattern Quest.  We should design a video game!

Okay, enough!  The heat wave has broken and I’m going out to do errands and enjoy the freshness of this beautiful day.

See you soon!

Trish

Yippee! I can upload pictures again, but first, if you missed the post from last week, be sure to update your bookmarks/RSS feed and any other preset for the blog from http://blog.yarngal.com to http://www.yarngal.com/blog.

The MadelineTosh has arrived and the afghan gals snagged a bunch of it.  I’ll have to reorder right away because I was at the store this morning (ordering fall yarn – gosh, so fabulous!) and saw that the carton was half-empty.  Still some wonderful things in there and I’ve got my eye on a skein of Tosh Sock that absolutely rocks.

Reminder: The shop will be closed on Sunday, May 30.

Let’s catch up with some older photos:

This is the Springtime Bandit shawl that I mentioned several weeks ago, a free pattern on Kelbournewoolens.com.  It’s pretty, fun, quick, and frankly, mine looks better than theirs, probably because of the blocking.  It’s a good pattern.

This is my Let’s dance a fandango! version of the Horizontal Feather and Fan shawl, a pattern that Janet teaches in her beginner lace class.  I used Noro’s Furin and inserted a few rows of Trendsetter’s Cha-Cha, and it’s just plain fun.  Fran Krieger is doing a beautiful version in off-white, very, very pretty.

Here are some photos that might get you into a class this summer.  First is Yuko Lewandoski’s version of the Adult Surprise Jacket.  The colors are bright but overall the effect is tailored and elegant.

This is Janet’s version of the shrug she’s teaching in her Mother-Daughter Design a Shrug class.  It’s too cute in a combo of Jelli-beenz and Fizz:

And here is the toe-up sock in progress, from Karen Walter’s class this summer.  It may be finished this week – it’s sort of like a striptease, every time I see her she shows a little bit more!  (This week she was in to raid the MadTosh before anyone else got their paws on it.)

Carol Whitcraft is knitting like a madwoman for her first great-grandchild.  Look at the beautiful blanket and this perfect little sweater in Jeannee, a soft cotton/acrylic blend.

And Karen Shearer’s granddaughter came in in her Baby Surprise, and even though we’ve shown her before, I had to take her picture again.  You can see why, can’t you?  Do you love the little pants or what?

Anne Nordhoy is an A-one knitter who knits like the wind and does the most intricate colorwork as naturally as you and I breathe.  She and her husband host an auction and fundraiser for the Y every year, and she knits many beautiful treasures to auction off.  Here are a sampling of what she’s offering this year.  They’re just too remarkable to remark on:

A Trio of Christmas Stockings

Thumb Detail (a boy and girl) of a Pair of Mittens

A Multi-Stitch Baby Blanket

Christening Gown and Bonnet

Delicate Lace Shawl

A Child's Ski Sweater

Child's Sweater

See what I mean?  It takes your breath away!

Enough for one day… see you soon!

Trish

Okay, using my authority as Jackson’s “owner”, I am imposing the following rule immediately:  One treat per dog per person per visit.  No doubles!  No triples!

Why is this mean woman doing this to these sweet dogs and her even-sweeter customers?  Because Jackson and Geordie got haircuts today and there is nowhere to hide Jackson’s sausage-like shape anymore.  Really, we must fight the pudge, he’s just way too heavy, people!  Yes, he’ll try to look thin, sucking in his cheeks and looking at you with big sad hungry eyes, wagging his tail hopefully and rolling around on his back so that his tummy looks flat – but you must realize that these are evolutionary behaviors that dogs have learned over eons of living with and begging from people.  Don’t be fooled!  You are the person, you must be strong!

Okay, so for the next month, please observe the treat rules.  The guys have checkups later on in the spring and I don’t want to hear the vet’s lecture.  The rules apply to Geordie, too, even though he doesn’t gain much weight these days.  We all know that the older you get, the thinner you should be – easier on the joints and heart, you know.

You have been lectured. You know who you are.  (Believe me, I’ve lectured myself as well.  You don’t think they only get treats at the store, do you?  Ha!)

Here are some wonderful projects from this week:

First, Lynda Slovitsky finished her Cuzco wrap in a beautiful eggplant shade of Montera:

And guess what, she loved the project so much she bought Pima Fresca (a really great pima cotton) to make a summer version.  I think it’s a great idea and I may join her.

Here is one-half of Jennifer Gensemer’s first pair of socks, in Jitterbug.  Beautiful work and I can’t believe how quickly she finished this pair.  I think she only came to one or two of Janet’s Friday morning sock classes.  Great job!

Lisa Krocker knitted these very adorable ruffled pants in Galway for her daughter.  Very warm and cozy and oh-so-cute!  Lisa took Deb Cech’s beginner classes last fall and is moving right along!

Amy Wall picked up her knitting after many years and has been having a great time with felting bags.  The one below has a mitered flap, then she wove some accent colors through the body of the bag before she felted it, just to add some great style.

And this next little beauty also has a contrasting flap.  She’s inspiring, isn’t she?  Makes me want to make my own!

i’ve been busy and this is a little top I just finished, in Classic Elite’s Cotton Bamboo – very, very nice yarn – from a pattern in D. Bliss’s Summer Essentials.  The picture is not great because of the sheen of the yarn – hope you can see the neat ribbing transition from K1, P1 to K1, P3.

So much more to say and do, but I’ve had a lovely day of shopping (dog toys, and a cute little inexpensive purse that I’ll probably use twice but hey, it seems the only time I want to spend money frivolously is when I feel poor), cooking (a batch of my famous 0-Point Veggie Stew – Jackson isn’t the only one who has pudged up), and knitting, and I’m ready to call it a night.  Have a wonderful week, everyone.

See you soon!

Trish