The Collective Power of Knitters

I have a few blogs that I read.  I found Yarn Harlot's blog before I opened the shop.  I look forward to her insights on her life and her knitting and spinning.  If you have been following her musings for the past few months you will know that she has been training to be part of this amazing bike rally that will take her from Toronto to Montreal in 6 days.  She needed to raise funds to be part of the rally, $1100 gets you in.   Her goal was to get more, a little more. She asked her readers, she tempted them with prizes from her stash, others responded by donating some of their stash and products to be used as prizes for donations. The whole thing became this big ball of yarn that exploded into..check out the total so far

Today was the first leg of the rally, they went through Newcastle and down into the Bond Head area before heading off to Port Hope (following the waterfront trail).

Today 'The Farmer' had a repair to make on our machine I like to call: "the house with a pool" ( you don't really want to know how much the repair will cost;  look at the vehicle in your driveway $$$)  As we drove to get to the field this is what we encountered: (picture quality is fuzzy as I took them out of a moving truck, it was crazy down there!)

Yarn Harlot tells the story about the whole thing a whole lot better.  If you have some extra cash that needs a good cause send some her way.  Prove to the world that knitter's are a force for goodness in all that we do!

'

Before:

Before ‘The Girl’ went to University. Before back surgery, barn fire, store opening and ‘The Boy’s’ Big Adventure; our summer holidays were spent camping. By ‘camping’ I mean in a travel trailer up off the ground with hydro, most times. We began when ‘The Boy’ was just a toddler.  The first trailer we owned was a tiny 16 foot trailer with just enough room to carry our little family.  As the kids grew we searched for something bigger and in 2000 we purchased our current trailer. Vacations consisted of travelling to various Provincial parks within a 3 hour drive from our home. (We averaged about 6 days away each summer.) In 2002 we did the big vacation and travelled to the east coast, we were gone 13 days.

The last time we used the trailer was the summer of 2005.  I remember it was very hot.  That fall we packed the trailer away with full intentions of using it the following summer.  Then life happened.

After 6 summers of busy lives we finally had a chance to use trailer this vacation.  It was like being in a time warp.  Everything was still where we left it.  Dishes clean and ready to use. Toilet paper in the cupboard; rolls of foil and plastic wrap, coffee filters and paper plates all waiting.  Hanging on the walls in the back ‘room’ were the ‘pockets’ I made for the kids to store their small items, flashlight, book, sunglasses…

This was the first time we travelled without our children or the dog.  The trailer seemed empty and we were a little lost, where did the time go?

We found things to do but mostly we sat! The Farmer read and I knit.  We walked a few trails,rode our bikes around the park and managed to get our feet wet in the lake.  It was quiet and lovely, we did miss the kids and the dog.

What did I knit while we were away?   Well just like every vacation, it happened again. Just like before getting ready to go took so much work and time to get organized that I left my knitting selection to just before we were leaving.  In my head I had planned to work on the squares for an afghan I have been working on since last year, it needs just 4 more squares.  I checked the bag: the yarn and needles were there but the pattern was missing.  Quickly I check a couple of places, by this time the Farmer was waiting.  Okay plan B, there was no plan B.   I grab my current project and another bag filled with possibilities and my case of circular needles. 

What did I work on?  The Linen Stitch scarf I have been plugging away at since the July 1^st weekend, a Liberty wool scarf I started last year. (The pattern is a challenge, one of those I like to call brain calisthenics!)  The Farmer and I wound up some linen/cotton blend to make some kitchen towels only to discover those patterns are next to my chair at home.  Finally I started another Travelling woman Shawl from some lace weight yarn I found buried at the bottom of my bag. 

I found the Travelling woman shawl in the pattern folder of the laptop I brought with us.  Do you know what else was in that file?  The Afghan pattern!

Vacations are lovely.  Thank-you for letting us take this one!

The next time the shop is closed for holidays, Labour Day Weekend!  Then Christmas ( only 5 months to go!)

It is back to work.

See You Soon.

Alright, I give up!

Sometimes things just beat you.  No matter what you try you eventually have to do the right thing. 


It began with a lovely selection of patterns from Churchmouse Yarns & Teas.  I immediately began on a pattern called Annabella's Cowl.  The pattern calls for a Dk wieght yarn and a lace wieght 'fuzzy' yarn worked together.  The pattern also recommeds using a 5.5 mm 16" circular.  I dislike using those short circulars, they are hard on my hands and I actually knit slower with those than a set of 4 needles.   I thought magic loop would work (it is my new favourite thing), but the yarn is so soft and loose that the stitches would not slide over the transition point even on my addi turbo needles.  Then I tried the new Knitter's Pride Nova double pointed needles, slippery and light.  The fabric the knitting created just would not support the needles and it was like working with wet pasta. 

Finally I gave up and am working with the 16" circular, slowly.  (Knitting is not a race...)

Besides it's Cashmere, Alpaca and Cotton who cares how long I have to work on this!

Also in this order the Linen Stitch Pattern is back. ( I am working on one of those too!) A great 'travelling'  project.

A reminder that Soper Creek Yarn is closed next week!  That means 5 days of not coming to the shop, what will I do?

See you soon.

July Sale!

Wow! July has been hot, but it hasn't stopped the knitter's. Some are starting their gift giving knitting/crochet others are looking for vacation projects.  July is a month of waiting; waiting for the new yarns for Fall; then realizing that they all need a place inside this tiny shop.  In order to make room the clearance sale contines with further reductions on remaining stock.

What's on Sale?

in no particular order: (these are all yarns being cleared out, which means stock is limited)
Cottons:

Butterfly super 10 cotton   $5.00 each
Takhi Classic cotton          $4.00 each
Mirasol Sampa   $3.00
Sublime Soya Cotton Dk  $2.50 each
diamond luxury cotton      $2.50 each
Canata Cotton Crepe      $2.50 each

Wool and Wool Blends:

Tweedie Chunky $4.00 each
Nashua Julia  $5.00 each
Nature wool  $6.00 each
Tempo chunky $2.00 each

Selected sock yarns from $3.50 for 50 grams  to $10.00 for 100 grams.

That's a start.

Weekly specials for yarns that will continue into fall.

This week selected colours of Marble Chunky and Marble DK are 30% off.

I have been knitting, but its a slow project. 

Keep cool, I am enjoying the sound of the rain.
Farmers around here are a happy bunch today.

Holidays:

'The Boy' came home so we left for a couple of days to see 'The Girl'.  Being the Canada Day weekend getting a hotel room for the Saturday night was nearly impossible.  We opted to stay half way to her place on Saturday night and then move closer for the Sunday night stay.

 

 We visited a Rail Museum and the Lock system.

 We drove past grain handling systems.

 Walked along nature trails.

 A holiday with the Farmer is not complete without visiting some sort of farming museum (I like them too!)

The hotels had nice places to knit.

It was a lovely break and we did get sometime to visit 'The Girl' when she was available.  We came home with enough time to visit with 'The Boy' before he was off to his home and work.

I took an extra day to catch up with farm paperwork and the usual Monday stuff.  I dropped into Price's Market on the way home and they had new potatoes and beans!  Nothing like a supper of fresh Ontario Produce!

Tomorrow is Wednesday and means I am back into the shop.  Summer hours have changed, I close a little earlier on Wednesdays and Thursdays. ( I will stay later if you book an appointment.)

See you soon!