You're Not the Only One Subjected to Temptations

Every day at the shop is a new and tempting experience, as we get new merchandise in, including yarns and patterns and books and other related things. I'm constantly tempted by what comes in the front door from UPS, FedEx, DHL, the USPS, and more. Trust me...constantly tempted.

Case in point...I showed you the stack of bags of this stuff on Thursday, which made its way to the shelves by the end of the business day and looked like this


That, my fellow sock yarn addicts, is over 200 new skeins of Trekking and Step, much of which is BRAND NEW stuff, including Trekking Pro Natura, Trekking 2007 Color, and Trekking Natura. I like the Natura and Pro Natura because they are essentially the same color combos, but the Pro Natura is a bamboo/wool/nylon blend, and the addition of a little bit of bamboo changes the intensity of the color saturation (a little lighter for the bamboo version). We have some of each, in each of the new colorways, along with tons of other flavors (tweeds, color ombres, tweeds, and more) and it's still $13.95 a skein--quite the bargain!

Progress continues on the Torino Bulky sweater....


the front is completed and I've started a sleeve, so the hunt is on for a new project. Yum...so many temptations!

What seems to be calling me is out of the ordinary for me--it's a lace shawl out of sock/fingering weight yarn. But the design is very compelling


It's lovely and lacey and a beautiful stitch pattern, and the design is from a newer designer from Illinois whom I've known about for several years (he's published several free things on his website, as well as maintaining a website for a nearby yarn shop). Click here for a close-up shot. We have all of his designs for sale--check out the list of all of them here.

Of course, it wouldn't be an entry from me without a little temptation of my own from Colinette yarns.


It's a new design from an upcoming book (due out later this month) and I'm test knitting for them. The yarn is Giotto, their lovely cotton/viscose ribbon yarn that I thoroughly enjoy knitting with. Long-time readers will remember Yelena, my Knitting Olympics project from last year.


This should be a quick knit, as it's only 4-5 skeins for the size I intend to make.

With that, I'm outta here for today. Thanks for reading, and as always, if you need more information about anything you see here, just slip me an e-mail!

Caution--Yarn Porn Ahead

Once again, I have to warn you....this post is not for the weak of heart. But remember, even if you're participating in "Knit From Your Stash 2007", sock yarn doesn't count. So what do I have to bring you again today?

SOCK YARN

temptations in abundance.....

We met in earnest with a local woman who's dyeing yarns of various weights, but we're going to make her focus on sock yarns first, or at least for us. Here's a little taster-teaser of what she's cookin' up in her kitchen across the county from the shop


That's five different styles of dyeing from her, in her range of colourways (I think there's like 11 or 12 total color combos she does across each of the five styles). I mean...just look at this stuff


amazingly beautiful stuff, and of the five styles she has, we ordered them all, across all colourways, but we're going to have the above style first (in about two weeks) at the shop. The yarn will come in 100g hanks with 480 yards per hank (LOTSA yardage, folks) and will be $26 a hank, which I think is well worth the price! She's not only doing a ton of yardage but executing difficult striping sequences involving mathematics and stuff. She has a rather limited output right now, so it will be a little bit of a wait for it, but trust me...it's BEAUTIFUL in person. Keep your eyes focused here for more information, but in the mean time, just look at it knitted up in a feather and fan sock


If you think it's stunning in the picture on your monitor, you oughta see it in person. WOW!

And if that weren't enough, we were completely inundated with new product today at the shop. Over 650 skeins of Cascade Yarns, predominantly Cascade 220; tons of Addi Turbo needles; an overwhelmingly large box from Colinette; lots of Louet things (powdered Gaywool dyes, blank Gems for dyeing, spinning fiber, hand cards, and more); books and notions galore; undyed hanks from Kraemer Yarns (new to us); and a big, stinking pile of sock yarn


That's over 200 skeins of Trekking and Step, including several shades of the brand-new Trekking 2007 XXL, Trekking Pro Natura, Trekking Tweeds, two bags of the elusive color #100, and more. Ah, tons of fun sock yarn! HOORAY!

So, you've been warned to look away, but you're still here. If you have a deep, insatiable need for some of the above, just let me know. The Great Enabler (me) awaits you!

Catching Up--On The Fly

Whew! It's been a week (and a half), over the past few days. The shop has been busy with regular foot traffic, we had a weekend of Yarn Tasting events, and now the new week has begun, with restocking the shelves, new product arriving, and lots of other fun things to do. We did announce three workshops in mid-March with the ever-wonderful Beth Brown-Reinsel (details may be found on our main website later today, according to Matt), and of course it was announced in our weekly e-mail newsletter last night (wanna sign up? just slip me an e-mail and we'll get you on the list). Whew! But I've managed to sneak in a little bit of knitting...see


That was the status of the back of the Torino Bulky cabled sweater (shown in my last post as a possible project). Trust me that the entire back is finished, but I figured you know what 2 x 2 ribbing looks like, so I didn't reshoot the completed piece. But I have made progress on the front


The cables have been BIG FUN to knit, and the pattern is easily memorized (for me--I recognize sequences easily). I'm up to the armholes already, so all that remains is about nine inches of front, and then it's off to sleeve island (2 x 2 rib again).

I have made a little progress on various socks in progress. Here's my Dad's sock(s), being knitted out of Schaefer Anne


I turned the heel and picked up the gusset stitches on Monday night, along with my "Socks on Two Circs" class. I've done a little bit more, waiting in line at one of our banks in the past couple days. I've also made some progress on another sock


Over the gusset, done with the decreases, and onto the foot with the Tiny Toes sock. Hooray!

Yet another temptation arrived on Tuesday. I'm pleased to introduce you to Misty Mountain Farms Jubilee, a lovely 100% merino sock yarn


in the Apple Rose colourway. Of course, I had to swatch with it immediately, while riding around in the car with Matt on Tuesday night. I'm really liking how it feels in fabric, and I'm thrilled how the colors are dispersing in the knitted swatch. See


So what did we do? ORDER MORE....fifteen different colourways will be here in about two weeks (maybe three...they are dyeing as fast as they can right now). HOORAY! More lovelies!

Today's deliveries brought over 200 skeins of Trekking and Step (photos soon, maybe even before the end of the day), blank (undyed) fibers from Kraemer, tons of Addi Turbos, lots of notions and other goodies, oodles of Cascade yarns, and just now FedEx brought three more boxes of unknown stuff. WOW...big day of new product!

See you soon, and if you want more information about anything, just e-mail me and we'll get the conversation rolling.