Knitting as a community?

Knitting is a solitary craft.  A person can choose to knit when and where ever they are, with in reason. It can also be a way to 'bond' with others without competing?  Runners, swimmers, bikers join forces but then it becomes a race or a competition.  Knitter's could compete but we join Knit a longs (KAL) . Sometimes we up the game and join a Mystery Knit a Long!

Hundreds and even thousands join in the fun, it's not a race, it's not a who can do the best job. We compare notes celebrate successes and commiserate with those who struggle. 

Last November I join the very popular Westknits Doodler Knit a long. It was a challenge and I enjoyed watching the results. 

Then Alana Dakos posted her Mystery Shawl Knit a long. I like her patterns and find her designs well written.  She had invited yarn shops to participate in her Knit a long by placing her pattern available for sale through the Ravelry in store pattern purchases. (Yarn shops can sell copies of the patterns available and pay for the patterns for their customers with Ravelry's help.  Customers get digital copies that can be stored in their libraries.)

A couple of weeks ago I posted the invitation to join me in this 4 week project.  There are several of us all working away at this Crescent Shawl with leaves and lace, that's all we know!

We have just one more clue to follow, it arrives on Friday.

Considering the amount of yarn I have used so far, we have only finished the first half of the project?

If you want to follow along there is a Ravelry group and forum with comments and questions and photos as we complete each section!

The Yarn industry has changed since I began working 30 something years ago.

I found this picture of a younger me winning a 'window display' competition.

Things have come along way in this industry, I really like where this is heading.  The creativity, the yarn and the way we communicate with each other is making this craft more accessible than ever!

 

See You Soon!

$1.42

A dollar and forty two cents, that's what the exchange rate on my last shipment from Berroco cost!  That means that anything that was $10 a year ago is now $14.00!  Yikes!

We love our suppliers from the US but at some point we have to consider all the costs involved.  The orders from some will just have to wait until the Canadian Dollar bounces back (it will).

Berroco makes beautiful yarn and we will continue to order the Vintage and Vintage Chunky, the Weekend Dk and Weekend and of course Folio.  Unfortunately the prices of these will head up! 

Beginning this week you will find some slight increases, (as against my accountants warnings)  we use an average cost basis. 

We did get a new yarn from Berroco today!

Mykonos is a lovely summer yarn.  Very different for the shop.  (66% linen, 26% Nylon and 8%cotton) 

This very lovely wrap takes 5 skeins! It's huge on our skinny mannequin.

I love the texture of this Linen, nylon and cotton blend, made in Italy.

A great warm weather wrap! It makes me want to go find somewhere warm to wear it?

Still counting inventory and putting some things aside for a quick clearance sale. (Coming soon!)

Tomorrow or very soon an update on the Mystery Shawl Knit a long!  It's not too late to join us!

 

See you Soon!

 

 

How I spent my winter vacation!

So we took a few days off! Actually it worked out to 3  1/2 days that the store was closed during regular hours that weren't stat holidays? It actually gave us 10 days off in a row. The most we have taken in a row since the shop opened. 

During those 10 days:

There were 3 Christmas dinners, 

made a bed for 'The Boy's' Labrador puppy,(a Christmas gift, the bed not the Puppy!) started a quilt for 'The Girl' ,(another Christmas Gift),  finished a shop sample (more about that later), and warped the Knitter's Loom! (More about that too!)

I did finally finish a little vintage sweater for Olive.

Then 'The Farmer' and I went on a little 3 day holiday.  

I was happy when this was the card key for the first hotel, they impressed me even more when they rescued my phone charger and arranged to get it back to me!

The second hotel let me borrow a charger from the lost and found.  We caught this lovely scene as a wedding party celebrated in the snow! We ate and toured the lovely Ontario village. 

I finally started some thing I had tucked away just for me!

It will be nice to get back to normal!

The shop returns to regular hours on January 5th.

 The next time we are closed for holidays is July!

Happy 2016, may all your projects be beautiful!

See you soon!