Up for a challenge!

It's that time of year again!

Yarn Challenge time!  Inside this bag are the two colours of a Canadian made yarn that are this year's challenge..

More details to follow!  We thank the folks at Briggs & Little with their help with this event!

Kits will be available beginning February 1st.  

See you soon!

The more things change the more they stay the same!

It's been almost 30 years since I went to a Gift Show and when I arrived yesterday it was like travelling back in time! It was exactly like I left it!

The entrance into the building  was basically the same.  The big vendors from 1985 were still there, and much of the inventory really hasn't changed!  It has grown in size to two huge locations.

After clearing the registration area it was time to look.  Why would a Yarn shop need to shop at the Gift Show? I am not sure either.  I was really looking for items that would spark some creative juices and make great gifts!  

There were some great new canvas bags for projects, Canadian made pottery yarn bowls, and items made with recycled fabrics!  

It was a good day, I came home exhausted!

I can hardly wait to show you the new things when they arrive, some will come soon but most will arrive later in the summer!

See you soon!

I Do It Myself!

'The Girl's' first complete sentence: 'I do it myself!', she was not quite 2.  Our family: The Farmer, The Boy, The Girl and I, like to do things ourselves!

The Farmer is known for his ability to repair just about anything, The Boy is developing more of the same skills at school.  The Girl from an early age loved to draw and colour and create.  

Lately it seems that everyone is stretching there abilities just a little.  The Girl is creating some new jewelry with yarn.  The Boy has started some new metal working ideas.  

This was her Christmas Gift to me:

You can see some of their creations in the shop!

See you soon!

New Sweater Love!

I am in 'New Sweater' love!  Just after Christmas I looked at a bag containing various bits of a sweater I started at least 2 years ago.  Stuffed into the bag was a front, a back, a sleeve and part of another front.  (Over 2/3's done!)  I think what stopped me was the pieces and that it is all stocking stitch!

I considered a couple of options, frog it all back and give the yarn away, frog it back and make a top down sweater or finish.   Looking at the sweater and the amount of knitting that was already done ripping back just seemed like a waste of all that knitting.  So I was very monogamous in my knitting and stayed true to this project for just over the next week.

I finished the remaining pieces and blocked them flat with a bit of steam, its pure wool and I was careful. I didn't want to wet the whole thing and wait for it to dry, I was on a roll.  After sewing them together I tried the sweater on and it fit, perfectly!  Why did I wait so long? Maybe it was waiting for me to loose the 15 pounds I lost in the past 2 years!

It took a few days to do the front bands and the collar.

I finished it Wednesday night and wore it to the shop the next three days!

The yarn is Schafwolle a worsted weight superwash 100% wool no longer available.  It is squishy and sort of soft, it feels like it will wear beautifully.  The colour is perfect for trips to the grocery store, camping and everyday activities. 

The pattern is from a booklet also from the same company, well written and the sleeve fitting was perfect the first time.  It would be nice to make again, but because it is pieced the chances of the happening are slim!

Happy 2014!

Today is New Year's Day!  Tradionally a day that I get to spend the day in my PJ's and do very little. That's exactly what I did most of the day.  I did take some time to sort through some of the 'nests' I have created around the house and decided that it was time to finish up some of those lingering projects.

First up was a little boy's vest in the new Uptown worsted yarn. All that it needed was one of the armhole edgings and sew on the buttons!  The next is a sweater I started for myself almost 2 years ago, with yarn that is now no longer in the shop.  It just needs a sleeve and part of a front.  I debated ripping the whole thing and start something top down instead, but it really was the best pattern for the yarn.

There are a couple of projects that are a bit more current and I have been working away at them, another Linen Stitch scarf and a pair of socks.  I am liking this new way of producing socks, my way.  Work first sock until you completed the heel and place on circular needles. Then work second sock until you finish to the exact same place and then magic loop the two socks together until you are done.  that way the toes match. I always forget how many decreases I make and how often.  

My goal this year is to finish more projects!  How about you?

Happy 2014!

Christmas clean-up!

Christmas 2013 will be remembered as one of the craziest seasons in recent memory.  We certainly will all remember the weather here in Southern Ontario.  The shop lost power for about 24 hours, which was not too much of a problem as those were on the Sunday before Christmas.  We had planned to open the shop on Sunday afternoon and then again on Monday for those last minute Christmas gifts and holiday knitting,

Sunday morning we woke to ice, everywhere! Church services were cancelled, downtowns closed their streets and malls were empty.

Here at home the main farm had electricity, but the ice had taken down trees and large branches needed to be cleared from the driveway before the Milk Truck arrived by noon.  The barn and house on the other property had lost power which meant no water or way to feed animals, The hydro crew restored power to that property on Christmas Day.  Fortunately we have a tractor driven generator and they were able to feed and water animals, but it could not run all day leaving the animals without water for many hours.

As I drove into town on Monday it was hard not to be affected by the devastation that the ice had caused. Trees sliced in half, roads covered in branches, beloved shrubs flattened. It took hours to chip away at the ice on the walk at the front of the shop.  Conversations always included 'do you have hydro?', Families slept together in rooms with gas fireplaces and found creative places to find warm running water.  Power outages were indiscriminate, it did not matter whether you lived in an old house, new house, big house, small apartment or on the 6 th floor. Once out you waited your turn and hoped it would be soon!  

The utility companies worked tirelessly and it must have been frustrating to have to wait, I know it was for us and the other barn. I admire those workers who have work on those days and nights when we are told that the best place to be is in your own home, many missed Christmas with their own families.

Our family was able to celebrate Christmas Day together once 'The Girl' arrived on the train early in the afternoon.  We enjoyed a Christmas pot-luck with 'The Farmer's' family the next day. Friday we drove 'The Girl' back and we spent a couple of nights in her city relaxing in a warm hotel with clean running water.

'Clean running water?' 

Although we did not loose power during the ice storm we encountered a problem with our well. The water had been contaminated with surface water and it made the water completely unsafe.  So no baths, dish washing or laundry.  They pumped out the well on the 24th and the 26th we added 2 jugs of bleach, I washed some of 'The Farmer's' work clothes and when they came out of the dryer it was like a whole new wardrobe, every item was a new colour! 

Today is Monday, the water is somewhat normal, but we are still using bottled water for anything that is  consumed.  There is a pot of turkey on the stove and I am finishing up some knitting.  

It's hard to believe that all those things happened in just a week,

Hope you found ways to celebrate with your family and friends and wishing you good things in 2014,

See you January 2nd!

Really Quick!

Sorry about blog silence, it only means that life has been very good but hectic!

The shop is a busy place.  Customers are enjoying the new expanded space and the opportunity to see more of the inventory we actually had but all stuffed into the one small shop.

There is a downside of all this new found space, more floors to clean, more snow to shovel more sinks...you get the picture.  Keeping up with everything is taking up more of my spare time.

So it's Sunday, my day off from the shop!  I have shoveled the walk and purchased some new things that will hopefully stop the windows from fogging up and checked the space for a those things that have been known to happen when we are away.

I am at home waiting for 'The Farmer' and 'The Boy' to return from repairing the water pipes at the barn  (frozen again) and we can put up the tree.  Decorating can wait until sometime this week.

If you have been following on Facebook I hope you have participated in at least one of the Knit-a-longs we have created.  They don't take too long to do and we hope to have at least 5 items knit before the 25th.  (It was going to be a lot more, but that was just being way too organised for even me!)

Talk to you soon.

Please note the shop hours posted on the sidebar!