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August 17, 2006 Well, a lot of us got the craziness of getting kids off to school this week. It's hard to believe it's time to start the frenzy up again. Have I got my gift knitted? What do you think? Of course, not! I use to be the early bird on gift giving. Now my friends know to expect things late. I absolutely have got to get it in the mail next week! It takes a long time to get things to Australia. Carla was in the beginning class in July and knitted her first
scarf: CONTEST! CONTEST! Thanks for Brenda Hatfield for having the idea for the next contest! Yesterday, a group of us were pondering what to title our cookbook. (we were not talented in this area) Brenda heard some of the ideas from the other room and must have decided we needed help. lol So, she suggested a contest to name the book. What a great idea! (one less strain on the brain is always welcomed) So...submit your ideas for the name of the cookbook to mggourmet@coxinet.net. The front cover has a picture of a lamb and its mother. The winner will receive a free cookbook! Also, recipes are needed!! There are 8 categories: appetizers & beverages, soup & salad, vegetable/side dish, main, bread, desserts, cookies & candy, and this & that. Submit as many as you want! You may e-mail your recipes to me and I'll forward them to Marth. We need to get this finished by the middle of Sept to be able to have the book by December. Remember - Black Sheep meeting this afternoon! Everyone is welcomed! They come and go in the afternoon, but the majority are here by 2. Hope to see you!
August 14, 2006 I should have known better than to take a day off and try to rest. I try to take Mondays off from the shop but I'm usually at home working on the computer or knitting stuff for the store. Yesterday I had planned to run some errands and then spend some time doing knitting on a gift that I need to get in the mail. I ran to Sears in the morning and bought some jeans for my son. Well, Sears is doing some remodeling and the check-out counter had been moved. The girl told me the computers were down and she would have to do my charge manually. After Sears, I did my grocery shopping. Late that afternoon I thought I would sit down around 4 and watch a movie and do my knitting. I hadn't watched a movie in the afternoon since....since....well, it's been a long time. At 3:30, the phone rang. It was Discover's fraud department. Apparently a $500 keyed-in purchase had been made at Sears at 2:55. I told Discover it was bogus and headed to Sears. Well, you guessed it - she made an extra impression of my card and used it later to buy a gift card right before she left. Anyhow, by the time I got through with police reports, etc. - it was after 6. I could have had my gift finished!! *sigh* Oh well, on to better stuff! Sharon came in with a scarf she is
knitting out of Berroco's Suede. As always, things look prettier in
person: Want some good news? Everyone seemed to really like Cascade 220 for $6.50 a hank. So guess what? We will continue to have it at that price. Plus, Quattro will have a new lower price by the end of the day! August 11, 2006 The Black Sheep met yesterday to celebrate the July/August
birthdays. It was difficult keeping everyone's fingers out of the
icing! Okay, confession time - I'm down to attaching the braid to my
jacket: A close-up of the yarn: We got a shipment of Opal yarns in Zebra and Owl. These patterns have been out of stock for over a year. Opal has a limited supply and they're going fast. Stay cool!
August 10, 2006 Maddy came in with two more scarves that she had
made: Christy brought her an afghan that she had knitted. She spent some
time on this! I bet she had fun weaving all those ends! (notice her little
ham with her. lol) And talk about hams: Christy Wilson came by to show us the shawls that she has been
feverishly knitting this summer. Christy made a lovely gesture to her
stepdaughter and volunteered to knit a shawl for every girl in the wedding
party. Christy was figuring on one or two. Well, imagine her reaction when
she found out there were 7 bridesmaids!! (personally I thought it
was swell of her! lol) Christy has also been busy knitting felted purses: Don't forget - Black Sheep meeting this afternoon. We're celebrating August birthdays! Even though the name suggest a formal group - it's not! It's an open social knitting time. Everyone is encouraged to attend!
August 8, 2006 This entry would have been made earlier but I was trying to post to a different program where people could post entries. I gave up and went back to here. Last Friday, Debbie came in with her latest creation: Saturday started out nicely with the cuff-down sock class in the morning. The toe-up class was scheduled for one. Kathy and Anita showed early and eagerly awaited start of the class. Around 4 minutes till..I wondered where the rest of the class was, when the front door blew open and here came Terri, Karen, Kay, and Jan breezing in with their Happy Meals. (there is a correlation here...) They exclaimed that they would "croak" if they didn't get their meals eaten. However, as every mother who has witnessed their starving child with a Happy Meal knows - food is forgotten until the prize is opened. The Happy Meals contained replicas of Humvees. Since Jan was driving her brand new one; there were shouts of, "Hey, Jan, I have the color of yours!" Jan would run over, take a look and whine, "But, it's not a H2." About this time, I'm thinking that instead of Advil in the First-Aid box; I should have stocked hard liquor.... Soon the children quieted down to eat their meals:
Finally they all buckled down to work: I took a quick ride in Jan's Humvee (drat, no pic) and then it was
time for the Knit-In! This event has really been growing and we will soon
need to find more chairs for everyone! Boy, was there a ton of food and it was all very good. I'm always
stuffed like I've just eaten Thanksgiving dinner. I'm glad I don't have to
be the judge of the dishes - I could never decide. But the decision was
made (always by secret judges) and Lou (first time in attendance) won 3rd
prize: Rosemary modeled her new Harry Potter scarf out of Cascade
220: and Jen finished her latest hat: All in all - it was a great day! Days like these make me happy! August 4, 2006 We received some new yarns in from Plymouth: The Black Sheep had their meeting yesterday: Marjie came up from Pauls Valley and showed us several items that
she had finished. Unfortunately I only took two pictures. She finished her
baby blanket for a friend's baby. She calls this baby her "practice
grandchild". lol Christy showed us the most whimsical thing I've seen in a long time.
I always love a laugh and how could this not make a person smile and think
happy thoughts?? Susan kindly modeled it for us: Don't forget - Knit-In tomorrow night! We were going to go with a picnic theme but we've kind of have had that so it's potluck - anything goes! (I don't think any of us are picky eaters. lol) Have a great day!
August 3, 2006 Well, I think I've got the files transferred, now I'll see if I can get it published to the web site. This will be great if it works - maybe it will cut my hours here at the shop (after store hours). At least I can run the washing machine while I work.... Maddy was in my children's class and finished her first
washcloth: Corrie came by with her baby blanket. It was so cute how she made
the different colors look like a kite. Recipes! We need recipes! We are gathering recipes for a knitter's cookbook. We hope to have the cookbook ready for the holiday season. Proceeds from the cookbook will go toward the Knit Wits to buy labels, etc. for their hospice knitting. Martha Van Hook has kindly volunteered to organize this project. Please e-mail her your recipes at mfvh118@aol.com Deadline for submissions is Sept. 15. Well, I better stop for now so I can help unpack a shipment. New
yarns from Plymouth! Pics to follow tomorrow!
August 3, 2006 I'm getting ready to transfer the website files over to my notebook. So, if everything is totally messed up later - you'll know who to blame. Wish me luck..... August 2, 2006 I went to the country for a couple of days: For those of you at The Yarn Harlot's speech - remember when she
proudly showed off the ball of yarn and then her socks? I think all of us
has experienced that feeling - making something out of just string. Well,
I have a different version. Now it's this: If you're not getting pleasure out of your knitting; go on to something else. Life is short. So that project is abandoned. Know what gives me great pleasure? To see a customer having fun with
knitting. To take a beginner and watch them become obsessed with knitting.
Lainey was in the teen's beginning group in June. She immediately jumped
in with a stocking hat as her first project. She would come in the store
and sit and knit. Yep, we had a new addict.....welcome to the club,
Lainey. Getting ready to place some orders today for some new exciting yarns. Can't wait. We've been busy planning the last quarter calendar and we will have many classes to offer! Some new clubs also. Stay tune! July 28, 2006 I think everyone is starting to recoup from The Yarn Harlot's visit. Many people worked hard to get ready for Steph's visit. David and I are finally going to take a Sunday off this summer. I don't know what he has planned but I'm going to leave town so I won't be tempted to come into the office and try to catch up on some things. lol Stephanie seemed really impressed with the group singing,
"Oklahoma". Well, what is more fitting than to get in JCA's Showstopper
ribbon in color - "Oklahoma"! I knitted more on my alpaca jacket at the doctor's. I have only a
sleeve left to do. I will try to get pics later. It's my home project and
I usually don't have my camera out at home. Okay, I'm going to be like Kay and start another
project. I started an afghan for a gift (copycat from Pat): I'm knitting it out of Plymouth's Baby Alpaca Grande. I just love the feel of alpaca running through my fingers. If you've ever knitted with alpaca or other fine animal hair, you'll notice that it sheds for awhile. As I mentioned, I knitted the other day in the doctor's office and was wearing black pants. When they called my name and I stood up - well, I looked like I had been in a cat fight. Note to self: go back to knitting socks in doctors' offices. Kevin e-mailed me this morning concerning a question about a pattern and I liked how he ended it: Knit in Peace, July 27, 2006 The Yarn Harlot was
actually here! We had a great turn-out and I think everyone had a great
time! We had people from Kansas, Arkansas, and Texas. The guild did
a fantastic job and provided a lovely table full of goodies for the
reception: The line was long but everyone was a trooper: Stephanie and her publicist, Jamey, were a delight to be
around. Stephanie talked to each and every person that came and made
sure that every book was signed. Poor Stephanie couldn't get a regular beer on Tuesday because of the
elections. However, after 7, you can buy a drink so after the book signing
a few of us went for dinner and Stephanie received her beer: Stephanie said that we were going to be a hard act for other stores to follow. We think she will be a hard act to follow for other authors! Have a cool day! July 21, 2006 For most of you - it's Friday! I'm always amazed at how empty the parking lot is on Friday mornings. Must be a lot of people that get to take off on Fridays. For those of you who still have to get up and go to work and are stuck on a Friday morning reading my blog; here's some pics:
Kevin dropped by for the Black Sheep meeting and received his tote
bag prize: I only managed to have one pic of the Black Sheep turn out: I hate to admit how I function sometimes... I felt so proud of myself that I remembered to take pictures of the sweater club last night. I even remember picking up the camera off the table afterwards. I could have sworn that I took some...but there's wasn't a pic on the card this morning. Hmmm...could the group be playing with me???? Yeah - that's what I'll believe. That sounds far better, don't you think?? I know it sounds repetitive but try to stay somewhat
cool! July 20, 2006 The Yarn Harlot will be here on Tuesday!! I'm trying not to think about all I need to accomplish before then! Remember, the Yarn Harlot will meet everyone at the shop after her speech. Her publisher has assured me that she will stay until she has signed every book. I'm not good at composition and I'm sure this story will be one of those: "Oh, well, I guess you should have been there." But anyhow, David dropped by the shop on his way home from his day job (yep, better keep that one, David). He picked up the mobeius that Melissa had knitted. He looked at it and then he started really studying it. A group of us watched him as he studied the stitches and the yarn. I thought to myself, "I'm surprised he's that interested in it." Finally he held it up in front of him, looked at it some more, and finally said, "Is there a mistake here?" He look bewildered as to why we were all laughing so hard. Hope everyone has a great Thursday! Don't forget - Black Sheep meeting. Everyone is welcomed!
July 19, 2006 Well, there sure hasn't been any cool raining days lately. They say it was up to 107� yesterday. Once, you get past 100 - who's counting?? Of course, they say a cold front is coming in this weekend. It should be down to a bone-chilling 98. Don't you just love it?? This kind of weather can put one in a grumpy mood. On the brighter side - Anita Roesler won the latest contest and came
by to collect her prize: Sharon and Gordon came by and Gordon showed us the cashmere scarf
that Sharon had knitted: Judy came by modeling her basketweave shell that she made: I f-i-n-a-l-l-y got the houndstooth purse done: Some of you may have noticed that we have a shopping cart installed. It is in its infant stage and we are busy inputting items and working out some kinks. Hopefully by September, we will be in full force. I can't wait! Try to stay cool today! July 14, 2006 Hey, did you notice that the MG car is coming back? Isn't it ironic that it's going to be manufactured where my nickname originated? I had the beginning children/teen knitting class (with one parent) in the afternoon and all of them did really well! The second class of beginning knitting was in the evening. The students finished their felted potholder and now are excited about picking out their next project. The Black Sheep were in full force yesterday! The group is becoming as large as the monthly knit-ins! Hmm...maybe we need to get the food thing going.... Nancy, who comes in from Chandler, got to meet another Chandler resident who just happened to drop in the store. That's what is fun about knitting groups - it really is a great way to meet others. Corrie came in and showed us her felted scarf and hat: I had many great ideas for the lighted needles. It's hard to make a decision. Overwhelmingly, people mentioned knitting under the covers at night. Other replies were to light up door locks at night, airport runway attendants, road hazard lights, red-neck bug zappers, (hey, I'm from the country!), being able to knit if during a storm the lights went out, knitting while waiting for fireworks to start. But, the winner is Anita Roesler with her entry of using them in the backyard to simulate fireflies! I'm just visualizing Anita running around her backyard twirling knitting needles. lol Anita, please come in to collect your prize! And thanks to everyone who entered! For the next contest - I'm already out of ideas. Isn't that pathetic - two ideas and I'm blank. So, please e-mail your ideas..... maybe I'll have the winner of the best idea. mggourmet@coxinet.net Hope to see you soon!
July 12, 2006 Wasn't the rain nice for a change? Now we're back to hot and humid though. I finally got my houndstooth purse knitted and felted. Now I just need to complete a couple of roses and get them felted and sewn on the purse. There's a lot of hand work on this purse and everyone knows how much I love hand finishing.... I didn't mind the purse much until I started my alpaca sweater and it's all I'm wanting to knit. I did manage to do a side front on the way to Ft. Worth last Friday and started my sleeve while waiting in the doctor's office. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have the purse finished and can work on the sweater without guilt. Of course, there's still that baby sweater on display that's been waiting for the last two buttons to be sewn on for over a month......did I mention how I love finishing? On Saturday, Rosemary brought her little puppy in that she had
bought from Shelly. The puppy reminded me so much of Annie:
Be sure to still enter your creative ways to use knitting needles that light! You don't have to be local to enter - we'll ship your prize if you win! Just e-mail me at: mggourmet@coxinet.net Have a great day! July 8, 2006 I don't know what's wrong with my brain lately. Last week I kept looking at next week's calendar. I had completely forgotten about my son's doctor's appt on Friday. Melissa had her two afghan clubs meet this week. I forgot my camera
on Wednesday, so I didn't get that group. However, I managed to get
Thursday's group: Bev came by later that day and showed us the cute baby hat and socks
that she had knitted for a gift. She also showed us her beautiful mobeius
wrap: Thursday evening, Clanci taught the beginning knitting class. As you
can tell, we keep our classes limited to 4 people so there is more
one-on-one time. Now for the contest: Have a great weekend and hope to see you! July 7, 2006 Good morning all, Margaret went out of town this morning and her brain was five miles ahead of her. She forgot that she was going to have a contest today. So I got stuck writing her entry and informing you that it would be postponed until Tuesday. I hope your day and weekend is a good one............ Take Care, David
July 6, 2006 I hope everyone had a great 4th! I left the shop around 6:30 on Monday, went home, threw some clothes in a suitcase and we left for our place in the country near Perkins. My son and his friend had a great time shooting fireworks that evening. They went hiking the next day but it soon proved too hot to do much. They ran across a deer's hind leg and feathers from a goose where apparently coyotes or a mountain lion got it. The place is close to the Cimarron River and has a lot of wildlife. I worry about them being bait...... I got a chance to visit with my parents. I hadn't seen them for months. Surprisingly, I only live about an hour from my family; but rarely see them. Everyone is just too busy these days..... On Monday, Barbara brought her felted purse that she made for her
niece. Her niece, Maddy, was absolutely delighted. Maddy and her sister
were picking out projects left and right for Barbara to do. lol The store looks totally different. Everything has been re-arranged
so it's everyone's guess where something is. lol But things are
getting better organized. Here's a look at the wooden shelves we
moved: Stay cool today. I hear the temp is suppose to be a little cooler - only the high 80s. It's surprising how 10 degrees can make such a big difference. Stay tune tomorrow - I'm going to have a contest.
June 29, 2006 I spent the last two days in doctor's offices. I have the back of my alpaca sweater finished. How do people stand the office waits without knitting?? Lucy from Grand Junction, Colorado came by for some private
tutoring. Lucy was here last summer visiting her grandmother and took a
class. I've thought a lot about her this past year and was delighted when
she paid us another visit this year! Sharon came by and worked on her patriotic scarf. I forgot which
number this is.... I'm back to carrying Regia sock yarn! It used to be distributed by
Knitting Fever and they decided not to carry it anymore. Finally, another
vendor picked it up. I received one color of Regia Silk with many more on
the way. Also, we will have all the new colors in Regia 4-ply. Regia has a
new sock yarn coming out that is called Regia Bamboo. It's not at the
wholesaler's yet, but we have an order in to receive several different
shades. Stay cool today!
June 27, 2006 Kay says she
has trouble with "startitis". Well I have trouble with "finishitis".
I'm becoming close to finishing the Houndstooth purse - Liz brought me and the employees a gift back from her
travels: It's a Monday and it feels like it also. Try to make the best of it!
June 23, 2006 The retreat has been scheduled for the weekend of October 6, 7, and 8th! We hope to have registration available on-line shortly, but for now call the shop! June 22, 2006 I have a winner! Dr. Kevin was the first to guess that it is only a letter and doesn't stand for a name. (I guess it helped that he has patients with the same deal) I really thought someone would guess the car but they didn't. How did I get it?When I was in nursing school several years ago...(okay, decades ago), one of the students shortened my name to MG. Others picked it up and said I was like the MG sport car because my motor never stopped. lol It makes it easier when writing notes etc. to write MG instead of the whole name. On a funny note, we have a list at the store that we initial and date when we call a customer to let them know we have their order. The other day, Melissa said, "Who is MB?" lol Colleen came in with a cute purse she made for her niece: I finally remembered to bring the bib that I made from One
Skein: Better go for now. The contest was fun, maybe I'll start having one weekly.
I guess I better give another hint.....it is not a formal name. June 22, 2006 Contest is opened until noon. Keep those guesses coming...so far no one is even close.
okay...I didn't realize there were so many names beginning with G. lol I will give you another hint - it's not a female's name and it's not a maiden name, etc. Remember...think outside the box.
some of the guesses so far....Geraldine, Guinivere, Georgette, Grace, Georgia, and Gussie. Gussie??? Here's a hint...think outside the box. June 21, 2006 Poor David. He returns from vacation with his family and discovers that he needs to get his remodeling done before the Yarn Harlot comes instead of the original date of Labor Day. I think he's hyperventilating a little. I received a nice package yesterday: Okay, people like games and I have one for you. Terri Derrick has been trying to figure out the "MG" letters. So...to the first person who can guess correctly; they will receive one of our new tote bags. Just e-mail me your guess at mggourmet@coxinet.net I'll announce the winner tomorrow. I doubt seriously if anyone can figure it out, but give it a try! lol June 19, 2006 THE YARN HARLOT IS COMING TO TOWN! That's right, the Yarn Harlot is going to visit here on July 25, from 6-8pm. Susan Barrington and the Oklahoma City Knitting Guild has been instrumental in achieving this! She will give a speech at the Village Library and then proceed to Gourmet Yarns for a reception and book signing. Seating is limited, so to reserve your spot, please call the shop. Also, if you want to preorder and pay for your book, I will give a 10% discount. I would mention other news, but I imagine no one would pay any attention at this point. lol June 17, 2006 I'm sitting here working - it's quiet; I'm listening to James Blunt, it's cloudy, cup of coffee by the keyboard - yep, I'm happy at the moment. lol How did like that rain last night? I'm different than most people - I love rainy days. What I love even more is cold raining days. I know...I know...I haven't lived in an area where it is cold and raining all the time. Thursday night we had the sweater club. We (well, they) are
working on the top-down baby raglan sweater. This sweater starts with
short-rows. I think everyone had a headache by the end, but I'm confident
on the next session that it will "click" with them. This is my favorite
baby sweater pattern and I've made it countless times. It's not too
late to catch up if you want to join the next session. This sweater
provides a lot of learning opportunities. Notice the girls aren't smiling
a whole lot. lol Janelle brought her felted purse in that was knitted with Cascade
and Noro. She wouldn't allow me to take her pic. but gave her parental
consent for the purse: I've been having people ask me to show more of what I'm currently
knitting. I'll try to remember. Recently I played around with a
slip-stitch pattern: I've got some exciting news to announce on Monday. I can't hardly hold my tongue but I have promised the Oklahoma City Knitting Guild that I would wait until after their meeting on Sunday. If you want to hear it first from them; they meet this Sunday from 3-5pm at the Belle Isle Library. For now, I'm enjoying the clouds!
June 15, 2006 Took my son and his friend to Dallas to celebrate his 16th birthday. I use to be envious of people who could knit in the vehicle. I have terrible motion sickness and even Dramamine didn't help. But then I tried those motion sickness wrist bands and they worked! Unbelievable. I really didn't expect it. We finally got the Schaefer yarn in! Look at these beautiful
hand-dyed silks.. Schaefer yarns are hand dyed (well they call it "hand-painted") and
the dyes they have left-over at the end of the day is used to dye sock
yarn: Also, had some buttons arrive: Jo Ellyn Wheeler was hired last week to teach some classes here. She will be starting in August with "The Next Step". This is a class geared for the knitter who has just finished the Beginning Knitting course. She will have a class on Texture Stitches, Color, Decorative Elements, and Troubleshooting. All of these classes are brief introductions to various techniques. Jo Ellyn has had some of her patterns published in books and magazines and has some great ideas for future classes. Jo Ellyn enjoys lace knitting and will be having some classes for the lace knitters. She also does tatting! Try to stay cool today! June 9, 2006 We had a fun day yesterday. Melissa started a new group for the Afghan Club in the morning and then we had a large turn-out for Thursday afternoon knitting. In the evening, we had to schedule an additional class for beginning knitting. Of course, we had show'n tell which we love! Kevin brought in two purses to show but one picture didn't turn out
well. This is a picture of a purse using Plymouth's Outback wool.
We're always quoting Kevin around here. Whenever he sees a new pattern, he
remarks, "I could never do that." and of course we tell him that he can
and as you can see, he does quite well. Now he's even into combining
different patterns and changing them to suit him. But again, yesterday, we
heard, "I could never do that." It's hard to see the unique pattern of the yarn, but here's a
close-up that might help: Cheryl dropped by to show us her first creation. She picked up yarn
to do another one. Yep, I think the bug is biting her. lol We hadn't seen Joy for awhile and we were so glad when she dropped
in for knitting. She finished her entrelac purse (we won't mention what
she called it. lol). You can tell by the picture what a joy she is to be
around. She's so talented that she even lined her purse with zippered
pockets! Everyone was envious of that! I keep forgetting to mention new books and yarns that come in. So I'll just mention the latest. We are now starting to carry Jo Sharp and will be expanding her line. Also, we're carrying Super Taj Mahal by Plymouth Yarn. It's 70% Merino wool, 22% silk, and 8% cashmere. It's a worsted weight and 50 grams retails for $9.99. I can't wait to knit something out of it. Artful Yarns came out with a metallic ribbon called Showstopper. We are carrying two different colors at present to see if customers like it. Melissa grabbed some right away so I guess that's a positive sign. lol I hope to get the new schedule and newsletter out by next week. Most of the classes are already posted on the web but not all. I am currently interviewing teachers for the last quarter of the year. If you are interested, please contact me. Well, I'm dragging my heels but I guess I better get back to work on the calendar/newsletter. Turn the air conditioner down and knit away!
June 6, 2006 Judy Kelly brought in the lovely purple dress she knitted out of
Classic Elite's Provence. I didn't get a chance to admire it very close
because I was getting sick and didn't want to expose her plus I could tell
that soon I would be too sick to be able to drive home. Thank goodness
Susan was here to watch the shop. Christy finished her very first felted purse. I love the
addition of the flower. The felting bug has bit her - she's already
designing another purse! Sharon showed us how she decided to use the Stars & Stripes sock
yarn to do a scarf. We all liked how the fin and feather pattern made the
yarn look like a flag waving in the breeze. Saturday night, we had our monthly Knit-In and "Tea Party" was the
theme. Terri got into the spirit by wearing an antique hat. Her hat was a
hit. I asked her if she got looks while driving here and she admitted that
she put it on outside in the parking lot. Smart girl. lol Other pics of the Knit-In: Jan was the winner of the food contest for her Pecan
Tassies. Kay won second for her decadent chocolate cake. Unfortunately the picture didn't turn out. And last, a picture of Annie the last time she was in the shop. She
cozied up next to Marjie while she was knitting. She would get so excited
whenever I would mention going to "work". She is greatly
missed. June 5, 2006 Sorry I haven't posted for almost a week. I was sick and out of the shop for 3 days. I had all the intention of posting Saturday morning, but Annie passed away Friday night. I'll be back to posting tomorrow. Meanwhile...you can read about the Knit-In on Susan's blog. May 30, 2006 Escaping...... My friend, Susan and I use to escape from things twice a year by leaving town. Once I opened a store, my free time came to a screeching halt. So this past weekend for the first time in over 2 years - we left Dodge. As with other knitters, we checked out the local yarn shop where we use to spend the whole day. However, after 30 minutes I was ready to go. This was what I was escaping from....lol The break from things was great but now it's time to get back to reality. lol David was busy (and I mean busy) while I was gone. He put up some wooden shelves, framed in a closet and knocked a big hole in the wall. Yep, that's right, we now have a centered entry into the back room. It has really opened up the store and should give us more room to expand. He's really doing a great job! Just don't tell him I said so - I don't want him to become narcissistic. I called on Saturday to check up on things and Kay was here and said that David had totally rearranged the office and things were in a big mess. It would not have surprised me one bit. lol There's a lot more work to be done though and I get excited thinking about the changes. Claudette came in last week with her latest baby project. She
knitted a baby blanket using Plymouth's Encore. If you remember, Claudette
is the one that did the beautiful baby Christening gown on tiny needles.
She's always a pleasure to be around. A lot of people expressed regrets about not carrying Plymouth's Encore so I guess we will continue with it. I have more to tell but guess I should get back to work..have a lot of catching up to do. I've got July's calendar posted and I am almost finished with the links. May 23, 2006 We had a great turn-out for the Knit-Wits last Friday! There were at
least 15 people in attendance! People were a little shy and serious at
first: but it didn't take long for some to start enjoying
themselves! Well...I heard that Annie had some visitors and she wasn't here :-( Annie has been in the dog house for past behavior but I guess it's about time to let her out. (also Sherri J. says I should) So, I will give her another chance starting this Wednesday. We'll see how it goes...lol We received a shipment of books yesterday and have Knitted Flowers back in stock. Felted flowers are being used as adornments on everything - clothes, purses, scarves, etc. What a great way to use up scraps of yarn also. I took the day off yesterday - well, let's put it a different way - I wasn't in the store yesterday so I guess I better go see what I need to take care of...I hope the Schaefer yarn came in.... May 18, 2006 One of the benefits of owning the blog.... Glenna came by with the purse that she made her mother: Sorry it's short today but I've got to run...
May 12, 2006 It's Show'N Tell time! Cherri and her beautiful scarf: Agnes made her son a scarf: Mykah (on the right) is a new knitter and made two scarves! Her sister, Desiree, is helping her model them. Mykah is lucky to have a mother that can teach her. Brooke came in with a lovely shrug. Brooke designs and knits for
boutiques in town and also will do personal designing and knitting. She
has done some very lovely creations. Mary came in with the cutest little bags using a pattern from the
I got my shawl done using Feza Premier and it was a lot of fun. I
didn't have to extend any brain power into wondering when to change yarns.
That's always a plus! I had a picture of a beautiful woven scarf but unfortunately the picture was blurred. Hopefully I will be able to get a clear shot sometime. Hope everyone has a great weekend and you stop by to say, "Hi!" May 10, 2006 We're starting to receive our new yarns....what fun! From Plymouth Yarns we received Outback Wool. I've seen a felted purse using this yarn and the colors
There's nothing like a road trip! They were a delight to have in the store! Also, on Friday, we received a fun new yarn from Feza called Premiere. A fun yarn that has many different yarns connected all into one ball. I'm busy knitting a shawl in it and hopefully will get a picture of it posted by tomorrow. Of course, the biggest excitement this weekend was the
Knit-In. It was a packed house again and you wouldn't believe the
incredible spread of food. The food judges were really stuffed sampling
all the dishes. It was very hard to choose winners because every dish was
a winning dish. However, they managed to decide and Cherri won first for
her Black Bean Salsa recipe (made it last night and brought it to work.
I'm trying not to eat it all by 10am). Christy Wilson got second
with her enchilada dish and Martha made delicious Mexcian Wedding cake
cookies. I'm getting hungry all over again just thinking about it! Next
month's theme is Tea Party.
Until next time, have fun! I tried to post this yesterday but web host was having problems. Hopefully today it will work..... May 5, 2006 I had a delightful time last night teaching my knitting class. I had two girls (sisters) in my class. I absolutely love teaching children. They don't have a complex coming in and just dive into it. The girls came with their mother and you could tell the girls were in a race to "outdo" each other and especially Mom. lol The girls caught on quickly and were always asking "to be shown more". What a delight Hannah and Emma were! Morgan had her beginning crochet class and everyone had a great time. Crocheting is a very useful tool for the knitter - makes quick edgings and trim. Our store is beginning to look like we've gone felt purse crazy.....oh wait...I guess we have! New yarns for felting have been arriving this week. We are now carrying Di.Ve` Fiamma Stampato yarn. We received 4 new colors and this yarn just begs a person to hold it (just don't wipe your drool on it, please.) Fiamma looks a lot like Point 5 and felts nicely. It retails at $6.40 for 55 yards. We got a shipment of Noro Silk Gardens in. You know how Noro is....you're lucky to receive a bag. It's going fast and no telling when we'll receive more. For the Kool-Aid dyers out there - we received a new yarn called "Eco Wool" by Cascade. It's an undyed natural wool. It's a big ball - 478 yards. Retails for $15/hank. We are also carrying natural brown colors. Now for all of the wool...you need patterns! New to us - Noni. I think her patterns will be the new "buzz". Don't forget - Knit-In tomorrow evening from 4-8pm. Tell me why is it that the months go by so fast but the Knit-Ins seem so far apart??? I've heard some of the dishes that people are bringing and I'm going to save my appetite up...... Have a super day and weekend! May 2, 2006 I bit the bullet....Channel 9 was here last Friday to do a segment on the Knit Wits and I felt ashamed from chickening out before and leaving Cheryl to do the talking. Bill, the camera man, set up the equipment and as soon as the lights were turned on to record, I felt like I was going to pass out. The interviewer asked what we do here. Do here? A million and one thoughts ran through my head. Which one did they want? Peabrain asked. Oh yeah...duh...what the Knit Wits do. Okay.....mouth goes dry, right leg starts shaking.....hands are about to rip apart the blanket they are holding, feeling a little faint.......mind - blank. My mother asked what I said and I don't have a clue. I remember nothing except being scared to death. After the interview, Joyce said I looked white as a ghost. Not surprising, I felt like I was going to die. Then I had to worry about what a fool I was going to look like on camera. Thank goodness, Channel 9 was kind enough to cut me and keep me from the embarrassment. I thought the other Knit Wits looked great! I think Bill sensed how nervous most of us were because he treated us to a nice surprise: Bill had a beautiful hand-carved flute that he played beautifully. Bill says that he doesn't know a note of music and plays by how the spirit moves him. However he does it - it was soothing indeed and I believe some color came back to my cheeks. He was such a nice person. Later, when David dropped by after work and I mentioned how scared and white I got - he just laughed and wasn't very sympathetic. So I told him how much I spent with the sales rep that day and got to watch him turn white. lol I've got some great stuff on the way and I'm like a kid waiting for Christmas. Now David better get busy building shelves... Doc Kevin dropped by (the week just doesn't feel right if he doesn't make it in) and showed the latest purse he felted.
We are now carrying "Two Old Bags" felted patterns. Melissa and Kevin fought over the one copy of one pattern - Kevin won. We have many others and even more on the way! Guess I better get ready to open. Hope to see you soon! April 27, 2006 Hello...my name is Margaret....and I'm a chicken. That's right. Channel 25 was here to do a report on the Knit Wits and I bailed out of talking. Thank goodness Cheryl Melton and Janice Seagel had the courage and they did a great job! It was a very nice report that Fox 25 did and we've had several phone calls from people interested in donating yarn and/or their services. Thanks to everyone! We received a shipment of the book, One Skein. These were being held for me by my vendor (sometimes it pays to be nice to vendors even when they mess up - they remember. lol). The publisher of the book is out and these are hard to get. I received only 5 and have only 1 left on the shelf. Other new books that I haven't had the time to review - Knitting Rules by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, YNotKnit by Jill and Susan Wolcott, Simple Knits for Cherished Babies by Erika Knight, and Module Magic by Ginger Luters. More to tell but short of time, but this should be enough to keep the blog police at bay. lol
April 21, 2006 I've ordered new Opal colors! They are due to arrive shortly at ptyarn (the distributor and then they'll ship to us. Can't wait... We had a beginning knit class last night and sweater club. Juanita finished her Savvy sweater and then started the toddler's dress.
Kay and Terri joined us for the first time and Terri seemed reluctant to have her picture taken: Kay said that she would hold her still while I took the
picture. The rest of the group behaved themselves....lol
Caught Jeff in the act of teaching beg. knitting: This morning we had the volunteer group, Knit-Wits here making their lovely blankets for hospice. We were thrilled to see some new faces! I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful weekend! April 20, 2006 I'm so glad that the weather has cooled down! Cori made a couple of Easter baskets for her granddaughters and I think they were a hit! I'm about half-finished on my Touche` top. I was hoping to have it finished by tomorrow but again, that was a grandiose thought! Sweater club is tonight. We're wrapping up old projects and trying to decide on the next one. Cost of the class is only $5. Everyone is welcome to attend! Take care! April 18, 2006 I took a rare Saturday off and went to visit my daughter, son-in-law and grandsons: When I got back, I found this waiting for me: Trader Joe's chocolate from Terri Derrick! She's getting me addicted to this stuff. Thanks so much, Terri! Emily finished her clutch from the Happy Hooker book: This is the clutch that Morgan will be teaching in June. Emily did her clutch in Cascade 220. This is the second project that Emily has made out of the book. Great job, Em! (as you can see, Emily is an Episcopal priest) We have received the books "Mason Dixon Knitting" and "Knitted Flowers". They just came Friday and were already flying off the shelves. We also received the new murder-mysteries: "Needled to Death" and "Knit One Kill Two". I had a sock class yesterday, even put my camera on the table so I wouldn't forget to take a picture. Well, guess what? As you can tell, there isn't a pic........ Guess I better remember to do a few things around here and get busy doing them! Have a great day!
April 13, 2006 New Arrivals: OPAL SOCK YARN: A beautiful sock yarn in 100 gram balls that retail for $16. Colors in this yarn are not always available. Apparently the manufacturer in Germany makes so many colors and ships them out. He may make more, he may not. He has a new color coming out in May and we are on the list to receive it. Colors received yesterday are: Rain Forest: Fish, Chameleon, and Parrot Berroco Boho Colors A self-striping yarn of 48% nylon, 25% cotton, and 27% rayon. Soft to the touch. 98 yards for $10. I noticed that in Berroco's free pattern section is a purse made of Boho Colors named Layla. Looks pretty neat. We also received more colors in Berroco's Cotton Twist and Louisa Harding's Impression. Melissa was teaching a class and it was interrupted with everyone oohhing and aaahing over the arrivals. lol And talking about Louisa Harding - Molly finished knitting the cover-up: The pattern called for the cable to be off-centered. We thought it would look like a mistake so we took the liberty to center it. Sandy finished her Louisa Harding shawl: This shawl had "quiet" rows. You know....."Quiet. I'm counting." I only wish the pictures would do both garments justice. I guess you'll just need to come in to see them! Melissa had a full class in her new monthly afghan club. We have a waiting list for another day time class to start. If you are interested please call the shop. This is the afghan that Clancy designed. A great fun way to learn cables and different Aran stitches. And socialize - I think that is one of the greatest thing about classes. The whole group went out for lunch afterwards. Wish I could have gone though.... Hope everyone is able to relax some today by knitting or crocheting!
April 11, 2006 New Arrivals: Knit-Stick Packs in pink by Ashland Sky. These bags are clear vinyl needle cases in a variety of sizes including double points, circulars and straights. These bags are in pink because Ashland Sky donates a portion of its profits to breast cancer research and education. Everyday Style by Carol Rasmussen Noble. Fourteen knit-and-purl patterns that the author has designed for comfort and ease of knitting. And my favorite - new photos!
Don't those look great?! ********************* Katie modeled her sweater made out of Big Wool by Rowan. She did a great job and she'll be ready for winter next year! ************************** Genie made this beautiful purse using a Pursenality pattern. She made it as a gift for a friend as a thank-you present. Wow, I don't know what this friend did, but that's quite a thank-you! I finished my crocheted shell top last week. As soon as I finish writing the pattern, I'll post a picture. Now the hard part....so many patterns that are on that "to-knit" list. Which one does a person choose first? I narrowed it down to two, and finally decided to go with a pattern that I've eyed since last year. It's a sleeveless top with a simple cable running down the front from the book, "Hot Knits". (love that book) I'm going to make it out of Touche' in red. It looks like another windy day here - what else is new, right? Last week, we had a new transplant from California take a beginning knit class. She called early in the afternoon wondering if the class would be canceled because of the high winds. Our reply? Welcome to Oklahoma! Have a great day!
April 7, 2006 This has a been a fun week...I've been under the weather with allergies and a cold. Luckily, I was in the shop when Claudette came by with the lovely Christening set that she knitted. The set was done in teeny, tiny stitches. This was truly a labor of love.
Evon, despite shoulder pain, has been busy knitting and felting Easter baskets. Close-up of the pretty handle and decorations that she used: New books: The Essential Book of Crochet Techniques by Nancy Wiseman. I think this book is actually better than her knitting technique book. Much information, nice clear illustrations and nice pictures. Blankets, Hats, and Booties by Kristin Spurkland. Includes 10 knitted and 5 crochet baby sets. I think the Rose Leaf set is very pretty. Crocheted Aran Sweaters and More Crocheted Aran Sweaters by Jane Snedden Peever. These books sure make me wish I had more time to crochet. It's rare to find a nice man's crocheted sweater pattern, but you'll find one in More Crocheted Aran Sweaters. These books will be finding a home on my shelves. The Pleasures of Knitting by Ann McCauley. Great book. I like how many of the sweaters are 3/4 sleeves. The hard part would be deciding which one to knit first. Another book that I will add to my collection. Saturday Sweaters by Doreen L. Marquart. The caption is: Easy to Knit, Easy to Wear. If you are a beginner sweater knitter - you will like this book. These sweaters do not have armhole or sleeve shaping, therefore making knitting and assembly easier. I hope the weather is better today and everyone has a great weekend!
April 2, 2006 I had to take my son to Ft. Worth to see the doctor on Friday. Sandy and Molly held down the fort here. I think it was a little bit of a stressful day for them, but they made it through. Thanks to Melissa for dropping by and customers; Liz, Martha, and Katie that helped out. Most of all..thanks to everyone for their patience and well wishes during this trying time. There's nothing like a great Knit-In to put one back in a cheery mood: It was fun to see the many projects that everyone is busy knitting or crocheting. A few critiqued the new book, "One Skein" and said they really liked it. I started the cute flower bib last night. Polly Black brought by the cutest baby hat! She incorporated several different yarns to make a unique gift! Christy brought by 3 hats she knitted but unfortunately only two pictures turned out. I must not be holding the camera steady because I'm having trouble with blurry pictures.
Finally got a picture of the baby/toddler's dress that we have listed as a class. If you need a quick, easy gift for someone - this is it. However, it does require knowledge of crochet for the border. Of course, you could always add a different knitted trim. It made with Berroco's Cotton Twist yarn. Fritz, Christy Nash's dog, is very lucky. Not only does his owner knit him a sweater, but she adds a pocket! He can stash all sorts of treats in there! Well, daylight's savings time started today and I already feel like I've lost half a day instead of only one hour. Take care...
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