Monday, how I have missed you!

The past six weeks have been crazy!  Yesterday the first Monday 'off' in about 2 months. I know I take both Sunday and Monday off, but Monday is my day.  I took it a bit easy by just hanging out at home and only running into town to put the garbage out and drop into Canadian Tire to get a new step ladder for the new half of the shop.  I stopped at Price's Market on the way home to pick up some plants for the pots out front and the garden at home! (There really wasn't time for any thing extra at home)

How else did I spend my time?

I knit!  

A very small order arrived into the shop last week, it contained one colour way of Koigu sock yarn, 200 mini skeinettes and the pattern for a shawl I've been wanting to make for a long time,  

My goal is to get this one done quickly and then go back to the other projects waiting to be finished.

Renovating the 78 side of the shop has taken all the extra time we had and the Sidewalk sale and Summerfest made last week completely crazy.  The new space is going to work really well, the added display room means that more yarn is visible and that it's more self serve. The added class space at the back means that lessons can be taught during shop hours and that we may be able to have a daytime knitt'n session.  (Some took it upon themselves to meet up on Friday night during the Sidewalk sale, it was nice to have them come!)

There are a few repairs to make and some re arranging yet to do and we hope to get those complete sometime in the next month.

The clearance yarn will remain out until new fall inventory arrives in August, there are some pretty amazing deals out there.  The $1 a ball bucket keeps getting filled up!

See You Soon.

Re- merchandising

Painting is just about done,  it's nice to get down to the fun stuff.  We have spent the past three days moving furniture and yarn!  Yesterday my hands were very sore from constantly grabbing yarn to move from one bin to another, but carrying a whole armloads of alpaca was really a lovely treat.

Wednesday I spent time re-organizing the needles and notions, they now take up the whole wall! 

Looking at all the space and the new fixtures the whole shop looks nothing like I imagined!  It's better than I imagined!

There is still quite a bit to do, 'The Farmer' is working on some stands for the cabinets to get them up off the floor, but he's been trying to finish planting soybeans and now the hay is ready to go!  

Next week is Bowmanville's Sidewalk sale and summerfest!  

More about that next time, when I have had a chance to figure that out! 

It was important that we keep the shop open and do most of the work during shop hours.  Please do not hesitate to come and 'bother' us, the yarn will wait!

See you Soon.

Elliot's blanket

Elliot is a special baby.  I may never meet the little guy, but I owe his Mom a big thank- you.

The Girl was heading back to school for 3 months and needed a place to stay.  Heather and Erick lived just a few minutes from the school, they invited her to stay with them with the understanding that she was not to pay them anything! 

We were so grateful to them for their kindness, I wanted to do something.  Heather was expecting their first child, which is always a great excuse to knit!.  I started as soon as I knew, which was in December and had great plans to have it done for March.  Elliot arrived in April and I finished it this past weekend.

This is Elliot's new blanket, made using Liberty wool and Viking's Sportsragg.  It's a modified version of the mitered cross blanket, by reducing each square and making the borders narrower.

The blanket was completely made with knit stitches, no purls at all!  The squares themselves work up fairly quickly and in all it is a good project.  I chose to join the squares with a 3 needle bind off which is a pain to do but worth the effort. (That's what held up the finishing.) I cord around the whole blanket is a simple but sturdy border.

Heather is a florist, she will love the colours.  Babies love colour and the wool blanket will keep Elliot warm and safe in his rural Ontario home.

'The Girl',who was home for a quick visit this weekend, dropped it off on her way back to her job.  While she was home she inspected the work on the shop and gave her approval.  

Work continues, we hope to use the space for Knitt'n Night, which is tomorrow!  Wednesday 6 - 8 pm.

See you Soon!