I love yarn!

I love yarn, I love great yarn. I love yarn that I can have on sale. This week a couple things have arrived at a great price. One of which is from Kertzer, one of my favorite companies, Perth is merino wool and acrylic that if you are careful will wash in the machine.

21 colours arrived, its an Aran weight (18 sts and 26 rows to 4") any aran pattern will work. Sales rep extraordinaire delivered it yesterday.

Although I am really proud of the selection of yarn I have here at the store. I do have my favourites, this will be one of them.

My list of favourites:

Mission Falls 1824 wool

Noro Silk Garden anything

Perth

Ultra Alpca light

Mirasol Project anything, great cause amazing yarn.

Regia sock...love the colourways

Briggs and Little..because its Canadian and dependable

and despite being 100% acrylic, I have to admit I do like Marble, washable and fun.

That's my list this week.

What do 3 yarn store owners do when they meet for Lunch...talk shop!

I met with 'On the Lamb and Log Cabin Yarns and Music' for lunch last week, we shared ideas and had a great time!

It's not too late to enter

I have a couple of packages of my yarn competition available. Some entries have arrived back to the shop already. Its very interesting to see the talent that lies beneath all these 'ordinary' knitters.

Remember entries are due back on March 14th.

Rememebering Jean

It's been a more normal week here at Soper Creek Yarn. No big shipments, no new fun things, just nice visits with all my new friends. Oh yes, and my first knitting class! I can't believe how hard it is to teach something that to me is like walking, breathing or eating. But we had fun, and I hope everyone is spending lots of time knitting on their first dish cloth.

A few posts back I promised I would tell you a little about the 'Women of Rickaby's'. This week my friend Jean would have celebrated her Birthday. I am not sure how old she would have been, it doesn't really matter anyway. Jean was extraordinary and every time I see the colour yellow I think of her. Jean was a sunny, bright woman filled with love and light. Life threw Jean many Lemons, with those lemons Jean made lemonade and squares! She took things in stride and always knew that things would turn around with a little or a lot of Faith.

Lunch time at Rickaby's would be spent knitting, mostly socks. I thought back then how could they spend all this time making socks on those little needles, they knew the secret about socks, and smiled probably thinking: 'She will learn in her own time!'. Jean always managed to get the chair that was opposite to the stove in the tiny kitchen. On cold days in that old building she would open the oven door, turn the electric oven to a low temperature and sit with her feet resting on the oven door. It makes me smile every time I think of her sitting there becoming toasty warm.

I was privileged to receive a quilt that belonged to Jean, its yellow and hangs in our spare room. I look at this lovely yellow quilt and think of Jean and somehow everything becomes a little sunnier.

Happy Birthday, Jean.

You like me, you really like me!

Opening this yarn shop has been just about the scariest thing I have ever done...except for getting married and having kids..but you knew that.

The hours I agonized over this decision were many, but not nearly as many as the number of welcoming words I have received over the past 2 1/2 months. This community have be so supportive in this endeavour that I have been truly overwhelmed by your support.

Its late on Saturday, I have just had 3 wonderful days, making new friends and catching up with some old, (Yes Petra we are old..high school friend haven't seen for ** years.)

I wanted to take a moment to thank-you all so very much. Its been a great adventure this new venture of mine. I hope that we can continue this for many years.

Thanks

Tina.

Happy Valentines Day!
(Sorry no pictures, Son decided he needed his camera more than I did!)

Yarn Competition!

You've been asking about the Yarn Competition I have advertised. I wanted to keep it a secret but I have decided to let those in blog land to get a sneek peak at what I have planned.

Someone thought it was to work and complete something at the shop, during the open house. Or maybe its a speed thing. (Really good idea thinking summertime, outside..see how fast you can knit!)

The assignment, should you choose to accept it, and pay the $3.00 to enter, is to create something from the colours in the picture. A ziplock bag will contain 9 colours of Shepherd 100% wool, sample size balls of about 20 yards each. You can do almost anything you want with the yarn: knit, crochet, felt, sculpt, embroider or a little of everything. You must use every colour, at least once in your project. You can purchase or use from your stash another colour or more of the same yarn to make a larger project. (There is technically enough in the ziplock baggy to make a pair of mitts or a hat.)

Projects will be judged by popular vote. Projects must be returned to the store by March 14, judging will take place the week after that and the winner will be anounced on March 21st. Projects will be returned to their creator the following week. (I will consider photo entries for those coming from a distance...)

Prizes to be awarded to a variety of categories yet to be decided.

I hope you will consider participating, I am working on a design myself.

I am madly winding tiny balls as we speak!

Canadian Eh!

This arrived on Friday!

One gigantic burlap sack filled with yarn. I couldn't
wait to open it but I wanted to get a picture first. I have been waiting all week for this shipment to arrive. Its one of my favorite Canadian Yarn companies one of the oldest in the country. Yes of course its Briggs and Little a great sensible Canadian Yarn. Sturdy hardworking and affordable.


I ordered just a few colours in Altlantic, Regal and Durasport. I will add a few more with each following order

More new stuff:

From Mission Falls, another Canadian favourite. 100% merino superwash. I ordered 37 of the 41 colours. Also in the boxes were 26 colours of the 1824 Cotton.

Early next week I hope to receive the 'trunk show' that will be in the store just in time for my 'Grand Opening'.

There is lots to do, and more updates to make.