Out with the old ....

Clearance stuff is starting to move, as more of it sells the deeper the discounts will become. There is a clearance bin of interesting yarns at $2.95 each or 10 for $25.00.



In the past week I have met with 2 sales reps and 2 are coming this week. There is just soooo much yarn out there, its really hard to not want everything. (You think you have stash issues!)



I like to try some of the new and different yarns on the market, we will find whether you like them or not!



Also this week is the beginning of the "Soper Creek Yarn Challenge". Those of you who participated last year will remember how much fun we had with this event. Many asked for it to be an annual event. Unfortunately or fortunately it will run at the same time as the 'Knitting Olympics' or Ravelry's version of it! But you could use your project for both, I won't tell.



Friday you will be able to pick up the Kits of 5 25 gram balls of Mission Falls 1824 wool. Those who purchase the $5.00 kit will also qualify to purchase more of this lovely yarn for 15% off. The only rule is that you have to use all 5 colours in your project and it must be into the shop for voting on March 6th.



More details later.!



Get your thinking caps on!



Oh yes...there are prizes!

Clearance...time to move some stock!

Yup you read right, I am having a sale. Just clearing some stock.


Big Mexico, Fizz, Gramercy, Mesa, Smash, Spree, Times Square, Zarone, have all be marked down. (Buy multiples and save even more.)

Then there is Bigga, Silk Garden Chunky, Ultra Alpaca Light, selected colours of Berocco Cuzco at least 25% off.

Then a few surprises...some at $2.00 a ball...

Because its clearance when its gone its gone!

Regular stock, needles and patterns are not on sale!

See you Soon!

Busy Busy Busy!

The shop has been fairly busy, not like December!



I have been planning a bunch of interesting things, first I wandered around the shop looking for things to put...wait for it....on SALE. I don't do that very often. After finding a few things, I decided that if I was going to have a SALE I should make it worth the trip. That was my reason for heading into the big city. I headed to the warehouse sale area and picked up a few gems.



Now if you have been into the shop you know I don't have much of that 'eyelash' stuff....but I do now..a few colours and two different kinds. Great for trims and edgings and a good price, at least 50% of suggested retail.

This time there won't be any discounts on regular items like needles and patterns, just clearance yarns.

The sale starts Tuesday! Blog readers and regular customers have first dibs and later next week the signs go into the window.



Next on the list



Yarn Challenge! A box of yarn came yesterday filled with 5 colours of a lovely Canadian Yarn.

Start thinking.



More details later.

See you Soon!

Monday is for...meeting nice people!

Yesterday I took a road trip into the big city. Yup left the cornfield to fight the chaos! First stop, more of my nice brown bags. Customer Service people fetched and carried everything I needed. Then on to the big warehouse filled with wonderful yarn! There was an order waiting for me to pick up. The Guys in the warehouse are so patient with me as I wonder around looking for just the right thing. If you look at the bags check out the handy dandy carry handles they make for me! They are so thoughtful.

Then on to another supplier for a new product line. Beads, mostly beads for working into your knitting. Just a small sampling.

My last stop of the day was to another yarn place where the Sales Rep and I chatted about yarns for spring. I have met so many hard working wonderful people.

When you shop at my store not only are you helping me support our family, but some of that goes to support all those fine people in warehouses and factories around the world.

We all thank you!

See you soon...still trying to unload the car.

(Husband phoned while I was in one of those places. "Are you driving?" he asks. "No I say, buying yarn! Which is worse?" )

How did you know that?

More than a couple of times this week I have rescued someones knitting. Most of the times I can look at something and say "I know what you've done!". Then of course I show them how I fix it, not necessarily the 'correct' way. (There are no knitting police!)

How do I know?

Practice, lots and lots of practice. It can be discouraging when you start to knit, when you have to go back and repair something you have done. Trust me, even the most experienced knitter rips back work all the time. (the average knitting project has been 'adjusted' 3 times.)

Currently I am working on a couple, okay more than a couple of projects. I have 'ripped' back socks once, because I can't multiply or divide. Instead of 64 stitches I cast on 48 stitches. Worked 2 inches of ribbing before I realized that! I hate ribbing.

The scarf I am 'designing' has been ripped back 3 times, not enough stitches, too many stitches not enough cable....

Then the cowl needs a Lacy pattern....lets not talk about the times I have pulled that one back! I am not sure that I like what I have done so far, so it may still be 'frogged'.

I have knit millions of stitches, over and over. Yet I persist because when I do finish something, it is perfect, well almost, and it is mine. No one else in the whole world has anything exactly the same.

Practice makes perfect.

Knitting..it is a good thing...eventually.


For those of you on Ravelry, there is now a 'Soper Creek Yarn' group that you can join. (Thank-you to S. for setting that up...a few brave souls have joined.)

Haiti!

What can I say! Do what you can to support some of the humanitarian aid that is out there. Yarn Harlot has a really great way. In a past I have raised funds for UNICEF and still have an account in that name. If you would like to send some money to them, but don't want to do the Internet thing, I would be happy to collect the funds and write a cheque to them next week, in time to have the government match the amount. Every little bit will help.

I finished some things!

Yesterday was an ordinary Monday, a bit of laundry, some accounting, a trip to the bank, a chiropractor appointment, to the health shop, took down the Christmas tree and some knitting.

The Girl bought her computer, she is happy! Promises me that she will watch her spending and will take good care of this new investment in her future! (The logic for the Mac is that she won't have to call me in the middle of the night to tell me that the computer quit again!)

The batteries are all charged I can now show you that I do knit and finish things. First a pair of fingerless mitts made with Alpaca Sox. Pattern is from Berocco called Midge done on 2.75mm needles.

Then Beaumont Beanie from the new 'Made in Brooklyn' collection by Jared Flood. I loved the pattern, but it was one of those that you had to do this when you weren't distracted.

The inside is almost as nice as the right side:

I thought I would attempt the extremely difficult thrummed mitts, only to find that they were a breeze. I am making up kits with the roving and pattern. Less than $20 to make them yourself!

I went to Terrens Wellness Centre in Orono to pick up some stuff and to get good advice from Karen. While I was there she set up a gift certificate for our friend S.B. . ..When she arrived this morning to collect her gift she proudly showed off her scarf, garter stitch in 3 colours worked length ways. Turned out great. I will get the stitch details later.

Now of course since I actually finished things its on to new projects, I wonder what to do next!

Kids!

This morning someone 'beeped' my phone. (We are on one of those 2 way networks.)

I 'shouted politely' to my still in bed son: "Is that you or me?"

'It's yours' he politely 'shouts' back. Check my phone, it's The Boy's BFF calling me so as not to wake up Boy.

Spent a good part of the night on-line looking at computer options for the Girl. We decide last night that despite that the Apple would be the best machine, the PC is really all 'she' can afford.

This morning there is an email waiting for me..."MAC?"

Needless to say we are no further ahead than last night and I didn't get a chance to knit!

It's a beautiful day today, the dog and I had a lovely 5 minute walk through the snow. Take advantage and get outside! (I know it's cold, but that's why we knit all that woolly stuff.!)

Mom?

I got a call from The Girl this morning. We both have been having issues with our computers. Mine at home is giving me problems and needs someone to look at it, but her 5 year old one has been giving her trouble for a while. The Laptop that is much newer needs $700 in repairs! (ya that's what I thought)

She is 4 hours from home, no car to get computer to computer place and so it was decided that she just get another laptop. I would move money into her account, isn't that what joint mother/child accounts are for? I wish I had a joint account with someone with more funds than me!

We have the weekend to decide what to get. She thinks an Apple would be the best long run computer...any thoughts?

Email me with any suggestions as to a good machine for not a lot of money? Or do you love your Apple so much that its worth the extra money?

The sooner we decide the sooner I can get back to knitting.

Thanks

A box of summer cotton was unpacked this week...it's -10 degrees Celsius today!
finished a bunch of stuff, pictures to come soon....

Water Water Everywhere!

I used to curse my front steps. They make my store a challenge for some of you to get inside. After Sunday night I love my two steps!





I came into town yesterday to do some errands and take out the garbage only to see a coating of ice on the sidewalk just outside my shop.


The water came gushing out of the sidewalk late Sunday night and the nice guys at the region repaired the main but left behind the ice. (Apparently it flowed for a couple of hours before they were able to get to it!) Fortunately the damage is only to the main and the sidewalk. No water damage in the stores or their basements.



The landlord sent some guys down to chip away at the ice, but it's a slow process. Today I will be out with my garden spade chipping away at what is left.



A few years ago the same thing happened to the main just outside my insurance agents and the water came gushing into the building, it was a mess!





This freezing weather takes its toll on anything that holds water. Barns were frozen and cattle didn't have water for a while, we have to run the dishwasher or do laundry late at night to be sure that our well doesn't freeze.

To get into the shop is only two little steps, we will work around this inconvenience. I would rather be chipping away at ice then sorting out wet yarn!

It's inventory time for Soper Creek Yarn, I will be back to counting stock. (My first summer Yarn arrived last week!)