A Long Time Comin'
So, I hope this post makes up for the wait, but it's been a little busy around here and I've been a might distracted. Besides, I had to have all sorts of fun with the growing lake in our basement over the past week or so (basement at home...there's no subterraneal level at the shop). Nothing damaged, but it's damp down there anyway, so it's nice and musty...ick.
NEWS FLASH!!!!
The Brand-New Rebecca Special is here!
This is a "best of" book for their fantastic yarn Soft Kid. Here's a preview/overview page for the entire book
So if the books arrived today, that means the yarns will be arriving any day now, too! We ordered every shade, so if you're needing some GGH Soft Kid, we're your source, any day now. If you need a Rebecca Special in the mean time, they're in stock and available--just
slip me an e-mail and I'll get things headed your way in a flash!
So on to the fun parts....meet Marco
and that's Sabrina, inside of Marco (don't go there, please).
Marco is a shop model using Colinette Prism, from the book "
Wayfarer" (an incredible collection of striking, but simple-to-make, sweaters)--and Sabrina is way more cute than the guy in the above picture (in the link). Coincidentally, this shop model will fit me. I started it on a Sunday and the knitting was completed in under two weeks. Major thanks to
Matt for the expert finishing and seaming on this project (it's amazingly perfect). I look forward to wearing it sometime this fall, when the weather cools off. I mean LOOK AT THIS INCREDIBLE KNITTED FABRIC
Sabrina fell in love with the sweater and is going to make one of her own, in the same colourway (imagine that...she wants to make THAT, in THAT size, and in THAT color). It's a good thing she works here and we love her dearly, or I'd force her to use another colourway (but we could be twins in our Marcos!). The best part about the pattern--simple stockinette and BEAUTIFUL yarn and a quick knit. And it's sized for teens through XL adults.
More new shop model goodies...meet "Soft As A Cloud Poncho"
This little gem is a quick and reasonable knit, as I started it on Sunday and finished it on Monday (only because I had to wait to come back to the shop for the last skein of yarn). It is the brainchild of
Sheila, our best-buddy/shopowner-friend of Threaded Bliss Yarns in greater Nashville, TN. Made with either three balls of Berroco Softee or two of Feza Fiesta, this beauty can be yours for under $25 (the pattern is free with purchase of the yarn). People will pet you when you have this on, trust me!
Next, we have Vivian, a lovely poncho/cover up made with 3 or 4 hanks of Tagliatelli, from
Colinette Yarns
If you've never knit with
Tagliatelli, you're in for a MAJOR treat, as it's a lush 100% merino wool woven tape yarn. Yup, woven tape....and just exquisite in the hands. Even better, the wool takes the dye in amazing ways and colors are stunning! And look how happy Helen is, wearing this little funster (Helen's one of our resident color experts---call
the shop on the phone and tell her what you like to wear and your skin/eye colors and she can pick
THE MOST PERFECT shade of a yarn for your next project. SERIOUSLY!
Vivian is from the new pattern book for fall from Colinette called "
Rock Gods and Movie Stars" (of course we have them..need one?
you know the drill...).
Greta is next for me from this book, in my favorite colourway--
DUSK (my chosen hanks are more vivid and more ... BLUE (big surprise there).
A little diversion....when we went to Yarn Market in June,
Matt fell in love with a variety of garments and projects in various booths. But he was blown away by the beauty and simplicity of the
Flapjack Throw in the Colinette booth (good boy...I'm turning him into the Colinette whore that I am). Well, here's my version, started on Thursday and nearly completed today (Monday)
Again, with Helen curled up underneath. It's from the book "
Toast & Marmalade", the same book I made the
Madeira throw from last fall. All I need to do is run in the ends and add the giant tassels on the four corners and it's completed. Not only was it FUN TO MAKE, but the colors were amazingly motivational. I'm picturing another, as our good buddy Kristy at
Unique Kolours has some ideas for more color options. Given the lack of resources for crocheters out there, I think this is a fine project suggestion! Check it out up close
Such amazing color--perfect for that crow that lives inside of me (that's always drawn to bright color and shiny things).
You want more knitting, you say? OK OK...I've been busy....Here's another new yarn for us
Rio de la Plata makes some great yarns, and this is a new one for them. The fiber is 50% corriedale and 50% merino wools and it's hand spun and hand dyed, but this time around it's dyed in the fiber and THEN spun (their other yarns are dyed in the yarn). This stuff just arrived last week and it makes a LOVELY knitted fabric
as you can see in my mini sweater that I made with #96. I really like the tweedy nature of the knitted fabric and I can see an entire garment for ME out of one or two of these colourways.
And of course, you felters out there cannot be left out
It makes a stunning felted fabric and I'm sure you can whip up some amazing bags and other felted items with this stuff. It's $16 a hank (beauty don't come cheap!) and there's 140 yards in each hank and knits between 4.5 and 3.5 sts/inch (I think it's happiest around 4 sts/inch, but that's just my opinion).
Speaking of rare and beautiful...
we may be the only shop in the country with this particular yarn in stock. It's Lorna's Laces Grace, in the blackberry shade. Those of you on the hunt will recognize it--it's the yarn used to trim that
amazing design by
Annie Modesitt. It just magically appeared in our Lorna's delivery last week, and I still have a few left, if you're in need.
E-mail me for skeins of your very own!
And last, I leave you with a little teaser--this adorable princess is Olivia
Look for more details on
Matt's blog in the next couple days. PROMISE!
I'm off to go knit..........there's plenty more to accomplish!
