Yarn Gallery Blog

This is the Monday after Thanksgiving (hope you had a great one), the day when everyone goes online to hunt for Christmas bargains.  I think the myth is true, because my computer seems slow, and I can’t reach several out-of-town suppliers because “the circuits are busy.”  Are there still circuits in our phone lines? - it seems so old-fashioned.  Anyway, I’m getting an early start with this post because I have so many photos to show you. First, store news:

We had forgotten about our Frequent Buyer gift certificate drawings for a long time, so, this being the holiday season and all, we decided to have three drawings. The winners are Rebecca Botvin, Sylvia Kurpiewski and Carol Sullivan.  We’re delighted to have $50 gift certificates for each of these much-appreciated customers!

We received these handsome “Morgan” bags from Lantern Moon:  Navy blue fabric with silver studs and stitching, pockets inside and out, nicely finished and very roomy. We also received these new Zuma bags from Namaste in several colors, along with their new accessory pouches called Oh Snap!

We’re thinking hard about new classes and here is a taste of what’s to come.  Karen Walter will be teaching a class in a wonderful fair-isle sweater from Interweave’s new book Color Style. The sweater is a very stylish cardigan; here is Karen’s swatch showing the colors she has chosen. What colors will you choose?  (By the way, if you want to take the class, you will need the book.  You can buy direct from Interweave at the link above, or find it at a discount in numerous on-line places.  I am stocking fewer and fewer books as they become cheaper on-line than the price I have to pay for them, but will always order for you if you can’t find them elsewhere.)

Oh, lest I forget!  Carol Swisher’s elephant sweater came from a book called Creature Comforts by Amy Bahrt.  Thanks, Carol, for letting us know.  I don’t have the book, but it’s listed on Amazon.

Okay, on to customer projects.  First, I hope you didn’t miss David Ritz’s top-down snowflake sweater (see below) - it’s completely fabulous!  And here is a very cute project Britta Hyneman made from Blizzard, a superchunky alpaca blend:

Another great hat, knit by Carol Coleman from a Nancy’s Knit Knacks pattern.  She took Karen’s Fair Isle Hat class - did a wonderful job. Don’t you love those dangles?

Wenonah Riegel knit this pretty scarf in Cashsoft DK, from the book One Skein.  The color is very pretty on Wenonah, who is an avid spinner (and hunter - she’s probably out shooting at something today!)

Rochelle Mann made this cute baby set with her usual expertise.  I love the cable detail on the sweater’s back:

Karen Wenrich made this cozy sweater for one her son’s best friends - doesn’t she look pretty in it?

Jettie Hunt whipped up this stunning little number in Noro Taiyo.  It’s coming again this spring in beautiful new colors (and more of this one - a favorite of ours.) (As is Jettie.)

Melissa Korth came in in this beautiful sweater - She said “But it’s old!” when I asked to take her picture.  Doesn’t change the fact that it’s gorgeous and so is she.  Besides, it might be 2 years old - that is very young for a hand-knit classic like this.

And last, but by no means least, Melissa Kerper models her beautifully-made Einstein coat below.  This was a project of love - hate - love - hate - love again.  It took a while, but look at this coat and how pretty (and happy) she looks!  Congratulations, Melissa.

Whew!  Such great projects!  And don’t miss Jennifer Gensemer’s twin sweaters for her new niece and nephew - they are totally adorable.  People are accomplishing a lot, and me not so much.  It seems I’ve been working on a cabled shruggy thing for forever, but I guess it’s only been a couple weeks, with a sock and a couple hats in between.  (I’ve been listening to Outlander, a book by Diane Gabaldon while I’m knitting - wow, what a saga!!  I’m so deep into the whole Scottish highlander theme, I’ve taken to calling the boys “ma wee laddies.”)  Hope your knitting is clicking along!

See you soon…

Trish

top down fair isle, originally uploaded by yarngal628.

Hi Trish
i Finished my top down fair isle last night. now i th ink i have a new
favourite sweater.lol im going to work on a cabled tunic today. so ill
be cabling my hands off…
have a great Thanksgiving to you and your staff!!!

DAve Ritz

I know this has happened to you:  You think of a little project - something minor that needs to be fixed or a new recipe you want to try or a drawer that should be sorted out - something that will take 20 minutes at the most and then it can be taken off your mental list.  You have the time and you THINK you have everything you need,  but…

This morning I was going to rake leaves but some very wonderful neighbors surprised me and did it for me, so I thought I would instead fix the hose reel that had a cracked fitting and was out of order all summer.  I had ordered the part to fix it and just never got to it.  I happily went to the basement, found the envelope with the part in it just where I had left it and was ready with my trusty Phillips head screwdriver, only to find that there were only 2 screws in the envelope, instead of 4.  Drat.  I set about looking for the other two - had they fallen out of the envelope onto the garage floor and rolled behind the storage tubs of dog food and old knitting magazines?  No, but while the tubs were moved, I should really sweep out these corners and all the leaves that had blown into the garage, and while the car was out, I could put away the pots and other things that need not be out during the winter.  Okay, that was done, but no screws.

Well, maybe the screws rolled under the washer or dryer in the basement while I was disassembling the hose reel this summer?  While I was moving the washer and then the dryer, the sisal rug that collects the dirt from the dogs’ feet should really be dragged outside and shaken and all the dust swept out, and for heaven’s sake, look at all the lint/dog hair/cobwebs under the dryer.  I collected a few coins and a couple little fasteners and a tube of lip balm, but not the screws I was looking for.

Well, while I was at it, it couldn’t hurt to move the old couch the boys sleep on when I’m out and see if the screws were under there - oh I won’t go on, but you’ll know how the story ends.  Two and a half hours later, I have a clean(er) garage and basement but no screws and a still-broken hose reel.  Maybe next spring.

Meanwhile, I hope everyone got the e-mail I sent yesterday - if you didn’t and you want to, please re-enter your e-mail address on the website.  The important thing to know is that we’ll be closed on Thursday and Friday next week for Thanksgiving, and open all our other regular days.

Here’s a photo of the Montana Textured Pullover I was talking about last week.  It took barely 4 skeins of Montana, and really, 2 dedicated evenings to knit it and 1 to sew it up.  I like this picture because it shows what the neckline is really like and that the hemline is swingy.  I lengthened the sleeves by about 2 inches.  It’s very cozy - I wish I had it at home today!

And here is a new Baby Surprise Jacket that Janet K just finished for us - two balls of Encore and a ball of soft washable mohair for the accent stripes.  A cute and practical sweater for a little boy or girl, fun to make (have you seen all the BSJ’s on Ravelry? Over 5500 are posted!), easy with our step-by-step directions, and the yarn cost under $20!

The little shrug under it is also quick and fun to make - top down and no sewing up.

Donna Guthrie brought in two beautiful holiday-themed circular needle holders - aren’t they gorgeous?

Everyone loved Carol Swisher’s little elephant sweater from last week’s photos - I can’t tell you what book it’s from, I don’t remember, but maybe Carol will post it. Meanwhile, don’t miss the projects below, and I hope to see you all soon.  If I don’t get a chance to post next week, have a wonderful Thanksgiving.  (I will be giving thanks for you!)

Trish

David in Mitered Sweater, originally uploaded by yarngal628.

David Ritz is a fabulous knitter who seldom makes anything for himself,
but here he is, looking stunningly handsome in his mitered sweater (and
the new beard.) The pattern is free on straw.com
, Crystal Palace
Yarn’s website.

Both So Pretty!, originally uploaded by yarngal628.

Here is Bernadette wearing a sideways cabled cardigan that her
grandmother Rita Franco made for her.