May - 2007

May 30, 2007

First things first:  The shop will be closed Sunday, June 3!

There, now the business is out of the way and we can chat.  I hope everyone had a nice, or if not nice, a meaningful Memorial Day weekend.  It's hard to think about it as just a day off when we're losing young people every day.  I hope we can figure out a way to get them safe at home before next Memorial Day.

Anyway, I'm off to the National NeedleArts Association show this week - I'll be looking for new yarn (just a little bit more!), previewing design collections, and looking for the newest knitting accessories (bags, needle cases, notions, shawl pins, all that stuff we love). I'll get there Friday afternoon, and after checking in and getting oriented, will go to the New Products Display. This is a small area that highlights just a few of the vendors' newest ideas in kits, yarns, needles, accessories. and so on. It's a teasing preview of what's to come on Saturday.  There are cocktails around, and lots and lots of people.  I'll make a couple notes, then on to the fashion show.  This is set up with a runway, and (thankfully) a couple of screens so short people in the back (ME!) can still see.  Models show off the best of the yarn companies' new design collections.  Some are weird, some are the usual, and some are absolutely amazing.  Those amazing designs bring tons of people to that booth the following day, all looking at the garment closely to see how it's made, finding out if it looks good in the daylight and without a glass of wine, and buying the pattern books and yarn in droves.

The real show starts Saturday morning.  We retailers gather outside the show room, listen with half an ear to some TNNA official tell us what a great organization we belong to, then finally the doors are opened and in we flock.  The night before, I try to map out who I want to see first - these are companies that I know I want to buy from and want to get the orders in before the poor reps are too tired to write anything down correctly, which happens around 3 p.m.  I go out for lunch to get a little fresh air and clear my head, then the fun stuff happens.  I get to look at all the new small vendors that have cropped up in the last year and see what's new and cool.  I may even have a little tiny bit of budget to use and can buy a little here and there.

Saturday evening it's out for dinner (Columbus is full of really good restaurants) then back to the hotel to take stock and plan another foray for Sunday morning.   Anyone I missed, any booth that was too crowded, all must be visited Sunday morning, then I start for home.  It's whirlwind and I could stay another night, but at that point I'm overwhelmed and need to get away. 

So that's what I'm doing this week. Sorry to put you through all that - can you tell I'm excited?  Meanwhile, I'm grateful to Karen, Becky, and Janet who are covering the store, except for Sunday, when (again) we're closed.

Here are some neat things I saw this week:

First, Janet finished the new version of the Crocheted Market Bag for her class.  It's really neat, roomy and sturdy, and practical these days when we hate to use disposable bags all the time.

Karen finished a beautiful one-piece tee in Wool in the Woods' "Dunluce" - lots of texture, which is hard to pick up with a digital camera, and a rich feel to the fabric, and no seams!

Gerry Kozloff made a great shrug for her daughter in Crystal Palace's "Taos" and agreed to model it for us.  She obviously should make one for herself, because she looks terrific in it:

Amy Mammarella is a new knitter who is practicing knitting and purling.  This is a practice swatch in stockinette stitch and reverse stockinette stitch.  She's not sure she can keep this going to scarf length, but maybe a washcloth??

Donna Guthrie designed this adorable hat for the Beaded Hat class.  It's so pretty with a rolled brim, beads, and a little band of texture to set things off.

And I finished Elizabeth Zimmerman's ribwarmer in the brightest shade of Plymouth's self-striping "Boku."  It's very interesting to knit and if I were doing it for myself, I would pick a more subdued shade. 

But isn't it fun in this wild colorway?

All right, ladies and gents, I'm officially on vacation!! See you next week..

Trish

May 23, 2007

Well, I've gotten through the first stage of yarn-buying season, which is denial ("No, it can't be time to think about fall yet.")  The second stage is anger ("Holy cats, you're charging WHAT for this yarn???).  The third stage is bargaining ("Maybe if I don't spend any money at the show, I can buy this yarn.")  I'm now in the acceptance phase, which goes "I have to have this yarn and if I have to take out a second mortgage to do it, then so be it."

There is some seriously fabulous yarn out there and I've bought some of every one I've seen.  If I love it, says my brain, won't my customers?  And if they don't, says my heart, does that mean I get to take it all home? Yes, knitting is practical, and let's face it, we'll all be turning down our thermostats one of these days and needing needing more warm sweaters and socks - but knitting is also about love and great fibers that make your fingers sing and colors that give you goosebumps. I've been hankering after Handmaiden Yarn's offerings for over a year now and finally placed an order yesterday.  If you haven't seen these beautiful things, check them out on their website.  I've ordered several of their silk blends, including Sea Silk, Maiden, and Camelspin and a new yarn from their parent company (Fleece Artist) called Seawool. 

They sent me a full skein as a sample.

It's lovely and machine washable and I think I'll try it as socks. I hope these yarns will be here sometime around mid-summer - I'm in love!

Speaking of socks, there's more to come.  I showed you new colors in Sockotta last week.  I've also ordered K1C2's new SOXXAppeal and Classic Elite's Alpaca Sox (shown here - isn't it pretty?)

 for late summer delivery.  A new color of ToFutsies should be arriving the first week in June, so we'll have fun things all season long to keep summer sock knitters intrigued. 

Just received a small shipment of "Posh" from Classic Elite.  It's a 70%silk and 30% cashmere blend that is - well, you can imagine.  I had to knit with it of course, and I had seen a very nice-looking cowl on Ilga Leja's website (what an exciting designer - I must order some patterns from her.)  Her free pattern used a different weight yarn and so on, but I adapted her pattern for Posh and the cowl is very pretty, is fun to work and uses just one skein.

Meanwhile I seem to be channeling Elizabeth Zimmerman.  We're in the midst of our Baby Surprise class, which is just plain fun, and I'm now starting her ribwarmer, a cropped (or not) vest knit in garter stitch in one piece.  I'm using Plymouth's "Boku" a self-striping yarn to see how it works out in this design.  This is as far as I've gotten:

Her designs are puzzles until the very end.  Love 'em and I'm going to do her Adult Surprise Jacket very soon but haven't picked a yarn yet.

Two more things I really must show you then I'll let you go.  (What do I think, you have all day to read this stuff??) First,Wendy Grimes took Janet's Diamond Shawl class and finished her shawl recently.  Wendy's moving to Ohio soon, and we'll be sorry to see her go.  For someone who has only recently learned to knit, she's come a long way, hasn't she?

And last but not at all least:

Donna Guthrie knit a lovely lilac-and white cardigan with a lace collar to match this little girl's dress.  It was perfect, and can't you just see how pretty she felt in her outfit?

Summer is a great time to improve your skills or learn a new one.  Don't miss Donna's and Janet's classes (and others!).

See you soon...

Trish

May 16, 2007

Gah! Somebody stop me before I order one more yarn!!  The evil yarn companies are coming out with such beautiful things for fall, and I'm feeling overwhelmed.  Remember your first time looking around in Yarn Gallery - too many choices?? - well, that's the way I feel.  I need to get a grip - I haven't even been to the show yet!

This won't be a long entry since, between a splitting sinus headache and just finishing the newsletter, I'm not up for too much more computer screen time.  (By the way, if you haven't received our e-newsletter, you need to update your e-mail address on the left side of this screen or check your junkmail filter to see if we're being screened out.)  I will show you, however, a fair picture of new Sockotta colors which should be here shortly. Sockotta is a nice sturdy cotton, wool, and nylon sock yarn (it's great for baby things, too).  These are Plymouth's first new colors in two years, and they're very pretty.  The black lines separate the colorways and aren't part of the design.

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And here is a picture of Carol Whitcraft hiding behind a beautiful sweater she made for her daughter.  It's Chris Bylsma's  "Midsummer Aran" full of cables but summerized by dropping stitches in between the cables.  Complicated and fun to make and Carol did a great job, even though I'm pretty sure she was ready to can it a couple of times!

And here's another of Chris's designs that I just finished called "High Tide" - a terrific summer sweater that is knit with two strands of fingering weight yarn held together for endless color combinations, and using size 10 needles, so it's quick and cool to wear. (Thanks to Sandy Albert for the tulips - she said they were from Geordie for Mother's Day, but really now, where would he get the money?)

  You can see other Chris Bylsma designs here.

Lots of other cool things from Plymouth will be coming this fall. I'll show you a few things next week.  Meanwhile, don't forget to check out the new class schedule!

See you soon..

Trish

May 9, 2007

What a great week, weatherwise!  Just couldn't ask for anything better - makes me want to get out there and dig in the dirt, which I've done to the detriment of my knitting projects.  But I managed to finish a nice little cardigan in O-Wool's "Balance," an organic cotton and wool blend.  It's just off the needles and looks a little frowsy before blocking so I can't show you yet.

Our Baby Surprise class started and I'm working on an army green version in Cashsoft DK, just to show what it looks like without stripes or variegation. I may put contrasting collar and cuffs on, though, to show that it can be done.  It's such a fun project and fast, fast, fast if you knit continental-style.

Look at this adorable jacket that Paula crocheted: (Photo deleted - Trish)

It was a challenging project and she did a great job with it.  It fits her perfectly, thanks to her willingness to swatch, rip, and swatch again till she was sure she was getting the right gauge.  We just got the news that Paula is moving to New Jersey soon, and though we wish her well, I'm going to miss her!  We found the names of a couple yarn shops to check out in her new territory.  Now, nobody else can move for a while - it makes me too sad!

However, I do get cheered up when it's yarn-shoppin' time again, and folks, the sales reps are out with their new fall lines already.  Saw Classic Elite and Rowan yesterday - I ordered lots of my favorites and a few new things. Very nice but nothing that made me drool.  That one yarn that just gives me chill bumps is still out there, waiting to be discovered.  I shall find it.  It is my mission and my destiny. (said in a resonant move-announcer voice)

We received three new books last week, all really good in their different ways.  More Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch is just as good as the first one, with great cuff designs and versatile instructions and this one includes some Fair Isle and mosaic color patterns which will be fun to try.  The Art of Shetland Lace by Sarah Don is a plain book with black and white photos that is packed with examples of shetland lace, instructions for lace stitches, and a few patterns for lace shawls and one for a christening dress that is fabulous. Jean Moss's Couture Knits has lots of patterns for classic sweaters with a twist. She has designs for all levels of knitters, and my favorite, an adorable ruffled bolero jacket, is considered beginner. Oops, I almost forgot Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's latest - another of her very funny books about the land of knitting.

Look at these wonderful projects!  First is Lori Yatron's Vine Lace scarf in Jade Sapphire Cashmere (mmm, just ordered some more - can't wait to get it).  It was Lori's first lace project and she was in frequently for help at the beginning - then we didn't see her for a while. She came in just a week ago for a little help with the grafting and then ta da! a really beautiful example. 

Then Debby Andrews came in with this lovely little spring cardigan completed.  We had a few fraught moments when we thought there would not be enough yarn, but she worked it out, found the absolute perfect accent pin and here it is:

And finally here's Karen Wenrich glamming it up in her new cabled sweater done in Debbie Bliss's Cathay, and showing off its gorgeosity shamelessly:

Doesn't everyone look SO happy to be done with their projects??

Well, must get ready for work.  This Friday our teachers will be meeting to make a schedule of classes for summer, so I should have that posted early next week.  We'd love to have your suggestions!  E-mail to trish@yarngal.com.

Have a great week.  I'll see you soon!

Trish

May 2, 2007

Y'all will be glad to know that I'm back and that I survived the wilds of North Carolina and 5 days straight with my family, with hardly any scars.  Seriously, it was a great vacation - good to see Raleigh again, my next-to-favorite place on earth, great to see my nephew and his family - the kids are bright and beautiful and rambunctious - and had a really great time with my sister.  Since our excessively emotional battles over clothes in high school, we've never spent more than a day or two together at a stretch, so I wasn't sure how it would go, but we both enjoyed it immensely.  Of course, I didn't "borrow" any of her clothes, either - she still may be prone to over-reaction on those occasions. I didn't want to test that out.

It was a quick visit with a lot of driving, but was a total vacation for me.  Geordie stayed with my other sister (he had a good time, I think, because he's been mad at me ever since I picked him up.  He's finally starting to adjust to not having 2 golden retrievers to play with.)  I visited no yarn stores and did very little knitting (hard to knit when a four-year-old is on your lap and narrating a super-heroes sticker book "This is Spider-Man - he's good!  This is Electro - he's bad!") and I didn't check in with the shop at all, so I have nothing to say today!  I don't even know what we're going to do tonight at One-Skein Wednesdays, but I'm sure we'll figure something out.

Whatever it is, I don't care!  It was a nice get-away but I just can't wait to get back to the store and see y'all.  (Okay, I promise to lose the drawl by the time I get there.)

See you soon...

Trish