Earlier this week, a customer came in and told me I needed to update my blog, that I hadn't entered anything since April. She said that she read my blog to see what's new so that she knew what to shop for when she came here. So I get it, the message is: you read my blog.

The reason that I haven't kept up with the blog this summer is that I've been interrupted. In May, my son and daughter-in-law were vacationing in Texas when they were involved in a serious accident. Bethany was killed. I had talked to her that morning, and then she was gone. I've spent the summer helping my son, attending the multiple memorials, and just generally being in a fog. But earlier this month, we kept our 14-month old grandson for a week, while his parents went to NYC for a vacation (my other son). This little guy is athletic, smart, and strong-willed with a great sense of humor. During the week of watching him, I felt my fog lift. I still grieve for Bethany, and tears are still quite close to the surface, but I can shake them off more easily and get back with the business at hand.

So, with that explanation aside, here's what's new in the shop!

NEW YARNS

Elsebeth Lavold's Silky Wool XL. The same fiber content as the original Silky Wool, but in a worsted weight. Gauge is 3.75-4.5 st/inch on a size 7-10 needle. 104 yds. $9. Nice pattern book.

Euro Yarns Quick & Thick Merino. 100% merino. Bulky. One skein knits a hat and a scarf. 176 yds. 2.5-3 sts/in. Size 13-15 needle. $30. Patterns available for a sweater, and coat, as well.

Viking of Norway's Balder. 100% superwash wool. 137 yds. 3 st/in on a 10-11 needle. $11. Check out other knitters' projects on Ravelry. The top picture is a sample of how the fabric looks.

Yesterday, our first supply of local alpaca yarn arrived. Our local vet, Dr. Dave Nelson, and his wife, Chris, own an alpaca ranch. They've won lots of awards for their fiber, and it is really beautiful. They've had it spun in Michigan at the Stonehenge Mill in East Jordan. We're not really sure of yardage or gauge, but I'd estimate it at 150-170 yds of dk or sport weight. It is undyed. The white, fawn and brown colors sell for $19, the black for $20.

NEW PATTERNS

Several new patterns from ChicKnits. Connie is knitting a sweater from one of these patterns, and tells me that they are really well-written. They are classic designs with figure flattering shaping. Check out her website: www.chicknits.com.

Unpatterns are "recipes" for knitters. With these patterns you can use any yarn, any gauge and make any size. You can easily modify the patterns for fit and for stitch pattern. We have them for pullovers and for socks. We have the unpattern for adult pullovers and socks. Check out their website at www.unpatterns.com

We also have some new children's sweater patterns from LisaKnits.

NEW NEEDLES

We are now carrying Hiya-Hiya needles, in addition to the Addi turbos. Hiya-Hiya needles come in stainless steel and bamboo tips. Their cables are just as flexible and the joins are just as smooth. They are about 1/2 the cost, but they are not guaranteed.

From Hiya-Hiya, we also have puppy snips (little teeny tiny scissors with a puppy face cover) and the interchangeable sets in the smaller sizes. Dumpling kits are back-ordered.

OTHER STUFF

My work on the Master Knitter Level 2 has been put on hold. I hope to get back to it soon. Since I've stopped work on the project, the directions have been revised, so I may have to do some revisions in my swatches.

Our Book Club continues every Thursday evening. Our current selection, the Swan Thieves, by Elisabeth Kostova, is an unusually long book. We listened to Chapter 67 last night. It is a wonderful story, craftfully written, lots of twists and turns. I would encourage you to read or listen to this book. Our next selection hasn't been made yet, but I'll let you know.

I've made a decision to add a shopping cart to our website this fall. It's a complicated process, and I'll be doing most of it myself. I will start with just a few items in the catalog. As in the past, you may still do telephone orders for items from the brick-and-mortar store!

I made another decision to close-out the Debbie Bliss line. It hasn't been a good seller for us, and I'll need to make room for other selections. All Debbie Bliss yarns and patterns are 25% off.

So, I think that's about all of the news for now. I'll try not to wait so long for the next post!