Wednesday afternoons

A new group  has grown out of the group that participated in Skacel's knit-along.  I've come to call this group "Wednesday Afternoons" because we've been meeting on Wednesday from 1-3 pm.  The group wants to knit a top down sweater, and has selected Chic Knits Mondo Cable Cardi for its next project, beginning September 7.  We would love to have you join this group.  You don't all need to knit the same project.  There is no charge for this group.

Finished objects!

Summer is here--finally.  Some days it is too hot to think about knitting--not!!!!

I finished Bradley's blanket from my left over sock yarns.  It took me about 2 years to complete, and at one point I calculated 1/2 hour per square.  The construction is mitered squares, and I chose to make them stockinette faced to show off the self-patterning of the sock yarns.  I added edge triangles to the sides and top to square off the blanket, but left the bottom as a zig-zag.  I finished the whole thing off with a 4-stitch attached i-cord.  I took this picture with the blanket on the floor and that is why it looks narrower at the top than the bottom.  And I've started another blanket!!!


This is a project that I designed to promote a beautiful yarn that has been ignored here in the shop!  The garment is a cover-up/poncho/wrap accessory.  I'm thinkin' it will be perfect on a cool summer evening at the beach!  The yarn is Araucania's Chacabuco.  It's bulky, 100% pima cotton.  I knit it on an extra large needle to create a really soft drape.  The colors pool differently from skein to skein:  my first skein made an argyle pattern, the second skein made a checkerboard, and the third skein is quite random, but beautiful nonetheless.  The pattern is available in the shop, free with purchase of the yarn.

This is a triangle scarf that I made with a new yarn, Katia's Temis.  It's a thick-and-thin yarn that I think looks best when knit stockinette.  Using a size 11 needle, I started with three stitches, increased in the first and last stitch on every right side row.  When I came to the end of the first ball, and opened the second, cut and attached the fringe to the fabric I had knit.  And the I kept knitting and attaching fringe until the second ball was almost used up, leaving enough to bind off the top.  A third ball would make a shawl.




There is still lots of room for you in our Knitting Retreat, where we will be knitting Knitting at Knoon's Wrap Me Up Shawl under the direction of its designer, Chris DeLongpre.  Be sure to give us a call or e-mail to register or for more info.  You can also check out our website, www.theyarnmarket.com, for details.

New Spring Yarns

New spring yarns arrived last week.  Here they are:

Ella Rae's Superwash Chunky, a 100% superwash wool in 23 spectacular colors.  121 yds/100gm, 14sts/19rows to 4 inches on a size 10 needle, $8.99 a ball.






Sirdar's Snuggle Kisses, a dk-weight yarn with subtle tonal striping, very pretty.  179 yds/50 gm, 55% nylon, 45 % acrylic.  Knits at 22 sts/ 28 rows to 4 inches on a size 6 needle.  $7.99 a ball.





Sirdar's Summer Stripes; 60 % cotton, 40% acrylic.  It has really funky stripes with splotches of random color.  Machine washable.  A dk-weight yarn, it knits at 22 sts/28 rows per 4 inches on a size 6 needle.








Back by popular demand--Ruca from Araucania.  A 100% sugar cane yarn that is so soft, it's sensual.  263 yds/100 gms.  Knits at 22 sts to 4 inches on a size 4-5 needle.  $14.49.  Free pattern for a lacy summer scarf with purchase.




Temis from Katia.  Some of you will remember Colibri from last summer.  This is the same yarn in a heavier weight.  137 yds/50 gms.  55% cotton, 40% acrylic, 5% nylon.  Knits at 15 sts, 20 rows to 4 inches on a size 8-9 needle.  $7.50 per ball.  A free pattern for a triangle scarf will be available with purchase.




Noro's Taiyo Sock yarn.  A self-striping yarn in the beautiful colorways of Noro.  462 yds/100gm.  50% cotton, 17% wool, 16% silk.  Seems softer and stronger than other Noro sock yarns.  $19.50 per ball.









Elqui from Araucania.  Beautiful color, dimension and texture.  Ten colorways.  230 yds/100 gms.  100% cotton.  Knits 22-24 sts to 4 inches on a size 5 needle.  Some really nice summer fashions in the pattern booklet.  $14.49/ball.




Ondine from Louisa Harding.  In 12 colors, this yarn has an interesting heathered effect. Pretty feminine designs in the pattern booklet.  119 yds/50 gm. 100% cotton.  Knits at 22 st/30 rows to 4 inches on a size 5-6 needle.  $8.49 per ball.






A Fall Knitting Retreat


Put September 23-25 on your calendars for our first knitting retreat.  The project will be Knitting at Knoon's Wrap Me Up Shawl.  You may knit the shawl with worsted weight yarn, or you may knit a scarf with sock weight yarn.  The workshop will be led by Chris DeLongpre, designer and owner of Knitting at Knoon.  The brochure is being tweaked and will be available soon.  Please reserve your spot soon as spaces are limited.  We will hold this event at a local B&B, the Benzie Grand (www.BenzieGrand.com).

Happy Knitting!

Trekking KnitAlong Update


Week 3 provided instructions for a short-row heel.  I ripped out the first one I knit, and reknit it; I wasn't happy with the tension and all of the little holes.

Week 4 finishes the leg.  The designer recommends a stockinette stitch back to the leg, but I'm knitting a K2P2 rib.  I think a stockinette leg yields a somewhat slouchy sock, and ribbing helps the sock to stay up better.  There is a video clip to demonstrate the sewn cast-off as developed by Elizabeth Zimmerman.  I'll have pictures of my completed socks next week.

Next week, we begin the 2d project:  a fingerless glove.  I can't wait!  These knit alongs have been a lot of fun, and I'm learning lots!

Online Store Update


I've purchased the software and have begun to build the online store.  I've been taking photos all week and trying to edit them to achieve the most honest color I can.  I'm learning that my little camera can do lots of magic!  With luck, we should be up and running next week.  And then I'll gradually add to it!  I'll be interested in your feedback


Knitters Book Club


We started a new audiobook last night, Sea Glass, by Anita Shreve.  We had several new knitters in our group.  We'd love to have you join us as well!  Please be sure to let us know that you are coming so that we can plan for you in our menu.  As a reminder, we may cancel this event due to weather; make sure that we have your contact info.

Happy New Year

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday season.  Have you set your New Year's resolutions yet?  I'll be they include something to do with knitting!

A Trekking Knit Along Progress Report

Week 1-- we knitted the toe, using "Judy's Magic Cast-on".  It was the first time I've used that particular cast-on, and I found it to be an improvement over the one I previously used.  The toe knitted so quickly that I started (and finished!) the second one on a separate needle.

Week 2 -- the foot features an axis cable that is simple and interesting to knit, and makes your progress seem to go more quickly.  It is pretty, as well.  There's an eyelet rib at either side of the cable pattern.

I can't wait to see what the heel looks like!



I knit these mittens for Bradley, my grandson, who is 18 months old now!  He and his parents are coming for the weekend to ski.  All reports are that the skiing at Crystal Mountain is fabulous!  The mittens are knit with a double strand of Encore Worsted on size 9 needles, so that they are thick and warm.  I used a pattern I found on ravelry.com.  The "string" isn't permanently fastened yet so that I can adjust the i-cord to the right length once I have the little guy here to measure.

Winter Activities in Beulah

Put the second weekend of February on your calendars for Beulah's annual Winterfest.  Activities include a frozen fish toss, frozen turkey bowling, horseshoes with a toilet seat, horse drawn wagon rides, fishing, a parade and fireworks.  If you haven't seen fireworks in the snow, they are spectacular!  New events this year are a dog pulling contest and an outhouse race!  Also the Darcy Library is hosting their annual fundraiser, Chocolate Champagne and Treasure, on Friday, February 11 at 7 pm.  This event is sweet, delicious, bubbly and warm!

I'm working on additions and improvements to the website and adding a facebook page.  Still trying to knit some every day.

As always, let us know how we can best serve you.  We thank you for your business in 2010, and look forward to working with you in 2011.  You are the reason we are here!

Happy Holidays, Everyone!

Have you finished all of your gift knitting--not much time left!! I've got all of mine done for the first time in a long time!

We've got something new going on at the Yarn Market. For the first time, we are hosting groups to participate in a knit along. Skacel is sponsoring a knit along to celebrate 20 years of Trekking and we're gonna play, too. There will be a new project each month from January to June, will clues released on the 1st, 8th, 15th and 22d of each month. You may participate in any or all of the projects. Our January group dates will be on Mondays, the 3rd, 10th, 17th and 24th from 1-3 p.m. So don't be bored this winter--come join us for some fun and technical support.

Winter classes have been scheduled and include gloves, entrelac, thrummed mittens, and the Great American afghan. My website has a software glitch that I'm trying to resolve, and as a result, the schedule is not up on the website yet. If you want the dates and times before it's fixed, give me a call or e-mail, and I'll get them to you. As always, let me know if you have a specific request for a class!

At this time of the year, I set new goals for myself to try to keep myself on track! After inventory is done, I will add a shopping cart to the website and a page on Facebook. Once those projects have been completed, I will return to the Master Knitter Program, Level 2 and finish it. In between times, I will complete some of my UFO's and I will try to resist the temptation to start something new! How far do you think I'll get with that?

I'm wishing you all a wonderful holiday season, and a healthy, peaceful New Year.

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!