the Yarn Market

Wednesday afternoons

2011-08-15T10:02:00.000-07:00

A new group has grown out of the group that participated in Skacel's knit-along. I've come to call this group "Wednesday Afternoons" because we've been meeting on Wednesday from 1-3 pm. The group wants to knit a top down sweater, and has selected Chic Knits Mondo Cable Cardi for its next project, beginning September 7. We would love to have you join this group. You don't all need to knit the same project. There is no charge for this group.

Finished objects!

2011-07-20T08:51:00.000-07:00

Summer is here--finally. Some days it is too hot to think about knitting--not!!!!

I finished Bradley's blanket from my left over sock yarns. It took me about 2 years to complete, and at one point I calculated 1/2 hour per square. The construction is mitered squares, and I chose to make them stockinette faced to show off the self-patterning of the sock yarns. I added edge triangles to the sides and top to square off the blanket, but left the bottom as a zig-zag. I finished the whole thing off with a 4-stitch attached i-cord. I took this picture with the blanket on the floor and that is why it looks narrower at the top than the bottom. And I've started another blanket!!!

This is a project that I designed to promote a beautiful yarn that has been ignored here in the shop! The garment is a cover-up/poncho/wrap accessory. I'm thinkin' it will be perfect on a cool summer evening at the beach! The yarn is Araucania's Chacabuco. It's bulky, 100% pima cotton. I knit it on an extra large needle to create a really soft drape. The colors pool differently from skein to skein: my first skein made an argyle pattern, the second skein made a checkerboard, and the third skein is quite random, but beautiful nonetheless. The pattern is available in the shop, free with purchase of the yarn.

This is a triangle scarf that I made with a new yarn, Katia's Temis. It's a thick-and-thin yarn that I think looks best when knit stockinette. Using a size 11 needle, I started with three stitches, increased in the first and last stitch on every right side row. When I came to the end of the first ball, and opened the second, cut and attached the fringe to the fabric I had knit. And the I kept knitting and attaching fringe until the second ball was almost used up, leaving enough to bind off the top. A third ball would make a shawl.

There is still lots of room for you in our Knitting Retreat, where we will be knitting Knitting at Knoon's Wrap Me Up Shawl under the direction of its designer, Chris DeLongpre. Be sure to give us a call or e-mail to register or for more info. You can also check out our website, www.theyarnmarket.com, for details.

New Spring Yarns

2011-05-18T09:13:00.000-07:00

New spring yarns arrived last week. Here they are:

Ella Rae's Superwash Chunky, a 100% superwash wool in 23 spectacular colors. 121 yds/100gm, 14sts/19rows to 4 inches on a size 10 needle, $8.99 a ball.

Sirdar's Snuggle Kisses, a dk-weight yarn with subtle tonal striping, very pretty. 179 yds/50 gm, 55% nylon, 45 % acrylic. Knits at 22 sts/ 28 rows to 4 inches on a size 6 needle. $7.99 a ball.

Sirdar's Summer Stripes; 60 % cotton, 40% acrylic. It has really funky stripes with splotches of random color. Machine washable. A dk-weight yarn, it knits at 22 sts/28 rows per 4 inches on a size 6 needle.

Back by popular demand--Ruca from Araucania. A 100% sugar cane yarn that is so soft, it's sensual. 263 yds/100 gms. Knits at 22 sts to 4 inches on a size 4-5 needle. $14.49. Free pattern for a lacy summer scarf with purchase.

Temis from Katia. Some of you will remember Colibri from last summer. This is the same yarn in a heavier weight. 137 yds/50 gms. 55% cotton, 40% acrylic, 5% nylon. Knits at 15 sts, 20 rows to 4 inches on a size 8-9 needle. $7.50 per ball. A free pattern for a triangle scarf will be available with purchase.

Noro's Taiyo Sock yarn. A self-striping yarn in the beautiful colorways of Noro. 462 yds/100gm. 50% cotton, 17% wool, 16% silk. Seems softer and stronger than other Noro sock yarns. $19.50 per ball.

Elqui from Araucania. Beautiful color, dimension and texture. Ten colorways. 230 yds/100 gms. 100% cotton. Knits 22-24 sts to 4 inches on a size 5 needle. Some really nice summer fashions in the pattern booklet. $14.49/ball.

Ondine from Louisa Harding. In 12 colors, this yarn has an interesting heathered effect. Pretty feminine designs in the pattern booklet. 119 yds/50 gm. 100% cotton. Knits at 22 st/30 rows to 4 inches on a size 5-6 needle. $8.49 per ball.

A Fall Knitting Retreat

Put September 23-25 on your calendars for our first knitting retreat. The project will be Knitting at Knoon's Wrap Me Up Shawl. You may knit the shawl with worsted weight yarn, or you may knit a scarf with sock weight yarn. The workshop will be led by Chris DeLongpre, designer and owner of Knitting at Knoon. The brochure is being tweaked and will be available soon. Please reserve your spot soon as spaces are limited. We will hold this event at a local B&B, the Benzie Grand (www.BenzieGrand.com).

Happy Knitting!

2011-01-28T10:50:00.000-08:00

Trekking KnitAlong Update

Week 3 provided instructions for a short-row heel. I ripped out the first one I knit, and reknit it; I wasn't happy with the tension and all of the little holes.

Week 4 finishes the leg. The designer recommends a stockinette stitch back to the leg, but I'm knitting a K2P2 rib. I think a stockinette leg yields a somewhat slouchy sock, and ribbing helps the sock to stay up better. There is a video clip to demonstrate the sewn cast-off as developed by Elizabeth Zimmerman. I'll have pictures of my completed socks next week.

Next week, we begin the 2d project: a fingerless glove. I can't wait! These knit alongs have been a lot of fun, and I'm learning lots!

Online Store Update

I've purchased the software and have begun to build the online store. I've been taking photos all week and trying to edit them to achieve the most honest color I can. I'm learning that my little camera can do lots of magic! With luck, we should be up and running next week. And then I'll gradually add to it! I'll be interested in your feedback

Knitters Book Club

We started a new audiobook last night, Sea Glass, by Anita Shreve. We had several new knitters in our group. We'd love to have you join us as well! Please be sure to let us know that you are coming so that we can plan for you in our menu. As a reminder, we may cancel this event due to weather; make sure that we have your contact info.

Happy New Year

2011-01-13T10:26:00.000-08:00

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday season. Have you set your New Year's resolutions yet? I'll be they include something to do with knitting!

A Trekking Knit Along Progress Report

Week 1-- we knitted the toe, using "Judy's Magic Cast-on". It was the first time I've used that particular cast-on, and I found it to be an improvement over the one I previously used. The toe knitted so quickly that I started (and finished!) the second one on a separate needle.

Week 2 -- the foot features an axis cable that is simple and interesting to knit, and makes your progress seem to go more quickly. It is pretty, as well. There's an eyelet rib at either side of the cable pattern.

I can't wait to see what the heel looks like!

I knit these mittens for Bradley, my grandson, who is 18 months old now! He and his parents are coming for the weekend to ski. All reports are that the skiing at Crystal Mountain is fabulous! The mittens are knit with a double strand of Encore Worsted on size 9 needles, so that they are thick and warm. I used a pattern I found on ravelry.com. The "string" isn't permanently fastened yet so that I can adjust the i-cord to the right length once I have the little guy here to measure.

Winter Activities in Beulah

Put the second weekend of February on your calendars for Beulah's annual Winterfest. Activities include a frozen fish toss, frozen turkey bowling, horseshoes with a toilet seat, horse drawn wagon rides, fishing, a parade and fireworks. If you haven't seen fireworks in the snow, they are spectacular! New events this year are a dog pulling contest and an outhouse race! Also the Darcy Library is hosting their annual fundraiser, Chocolate Champagne and Treasure, on Friday, February 11 at 7 pm. This event is sweet, delicious, bubbly and warm!

I'm working on additions and improvements to the website and adding a facebook page. Still trying to knit some every day.

As always, let us know how we can best serve you. We thank you for your business in 2010, and look forward to working with you in 2011. You are the reason we are here!

Happy Holidays, Everyone!

2010-12-22T09:43:00.000-08:00

Have you finished all of your gift knitting--not much time left!! I've got all of mine done for the first time in a long time!

We've got something new going on at the Yarn Market. For the first time, we are hosting groups to participate in a knit along. Skacel is sponsoring a knit along to celebrate 20 years of Trekking and we're gonna play, too. There will be a new project each month from January to June, will clues released on the 1st, 8th, 15th and 22d of each month. You may participate in any or all of the projects. Our January group dates will be on Mondays, the 3rd, 10th, 17th and 24th from 1-3 p.m. So don't be bored this winter--come join us for some fun and technical support.

Winter classes have been scheduled and include gloves, entrelac, thrummed mittens, and the Great American afghan. My website has a software glitch that I'm trying to resolve, and as a result, the schedule is not up on the website yet. If you want the dates and times before it's fixed, give me a call or e-mail, and I'll get them to you. As always, let me know if you have a specific request for a class!

At this time of the year, I set new goals for myself to try to keep myself on track! After inventory is done, I will add a shopping cart to the website and a page on Facebook. Once those projects have been completed, I will return to the Master Knitter Program, Level 2 and finish it. In between times, I will complete some of my UFO's and I will try to resist the temptation to start something new! How far do you think I'll get with that?

I'm wishing you all a wonderful holiday season, and a healthy, peaceful New Year.

2010-09-24T08:01:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week, a customer came in and told me I needed to update my blog, that I hadn't entered anything since April. She said that she read my blog to see what's new so that she knew what to shop for when she came here. So I get it, the message is: you read my blog.

The reason that I haven't kept up with the blog this summer is that I've been interrupted. In May, my son and daughter-in-law were vacationing in Texas when they were involved in a serious accident. Bethany was killed. I had talked to her that morning, and then she was gone. I've spent the summer helping my son, attending the multiple memorials, and just generally being in a fog. But earlier this month, we kept our 14-month old grandson for a week, while his parents went to NYC for a vacation (my other son). This little guy is athletic, smart, and strong-willed with a great sense of humor. During the week of watching him, I felt my fog lift. I still grieve for Bethany, and tears are still quite close to the surface, but I can shake them off more easily and get back with the business at hand.

So, with that explanation aside, here's what's new in the shop!

NEW YARNS

Elsebeth Lavold's Silky Wool XL. The same fiber content as the original Silky Wool, but in a worsted weight. Gauge is 3.75-4.5 st/inch on a size 7-10 needle. 104 yds. $9. Nice pattern book.

Euro Yarns Quick & Thick Merino. 100% merino. Bulky. One skein knits a hat and a scarf. 176 yds. 2.5-3 sts/in. Size 13-15 needle. $30. Patterns available for a sweater, and coat, as well.

Viking of Norway's Balder. 100% superwash wool. 137 yds. 3 st/in on a 10-11 needle. $11. Check out other knitters' projects on Ravelry. The top picture is a sample of how the fabric looks.

Yesterday, our first supply of local alpaca yarn arrived. Our local vet, Dr. Dave Nelson, and his wife, Chris, own an alpaca ranch. They've won lots of awards for their fiber, and it is really beautiful. They've had it spun in Michigan at the Stonehenge Mill in East Jordan. We're not really sure of yardage or gauge, but I'd estimate it at 150-170 yds of dk or sport weight. It is undyed. The white, fawn and brown colors sell for $19, the black for $20.

NEW PATTERNS

Several new patterns from ChicKnits. Connie is knitting a sweater from one of these patterns, and tells me that they are really well-written. They are classic designs with figure flattering shaping. Check out her website: www.chicknits.com.

Unpatterns are "recipes" for knitters. With these patterns you can use any yarn, any gauge and make any size. You can easily modify the patterns for fit and for stitch pattern. We have them for pullovers and for socks. We have the unpattern for adult pullovers and socks. Check out their website at www.unpatterns.com

We also have some new children's sweater patterns from LisaKnits.

NEW NEEDLES

We are now carrying Hiya-Hiya needles, in addition to the Addi turbos. Hiya-Hiya needles come in stainless steel and bamboo tips. Their cables are just as flexible and the joins are just as smooth. They are about 1/2 the cost, but they are not guaranteed.

From Hiya-Hiya, we also have puppy snips (little teeny tiny scissors with a puppy face cover) and the interchangeable sets in the smaller sizes. Dumpling kits are back-ordered.

OTHER STUFF

My work on the Master Knitter Level 2 has been put on hold. I hope to get back to it soon. Since I've stopped work on the project, the directions have been revised, so I may have to do some revisions in my swatches.

Our Book Club continues every Thursday evening. Our current selection, the Swan Thieves, by Elisabeth Kostova, is an unusually long book. We listened to Chapter 67 last night. It is a wonderful story, craftfully written, lots of twists and turns. I would encourage you to read or listen to this book. Our next selection hasn't been made yet, but I'll let you know.

I've made a decision to add a shopping cart to our website this fall. It's a complicated process, and I'll be doing most of it myself. I will start with just a few items in the catalog. As in the past, you may still do telephone orders for items from the brick-and-mortar store!

I made another decision to close-out the Debbie Bliss line. It hasn't been a good seller for us, and I'll need to make room for other selections. All Debbie Bliss yarns and patterns are 25% off.

So, I think that's about all of the news for now. I'll try not to wait so long for the next post!

2010-04-22T07:56:00.000-07:00

Well, I haven't stopped knitting, just blogging. The slow winter days in the shop helped me to make progress with my New Year's Resolution: finish all my started projects.

I've also been working on Master Knitter Level 2. All of the swatches are done and are available at the shop for your perusal. The projects for Level 2 are a fair isle mitten, an argyle sock and a vest. I've made several fair isle mittens and I've not been happy with any of them, so I've set them aside for know until my frustration level dies down! I've knit one argyle sock, using a duplicate stitch for the lines. I'm now working on a second sock, this time knitting in the diagonal lines. The knitting-in method is definitely much more time efficient, but I'm thinkin' the duplicate stitch looks better. Stay tuned!

Here's some pictures of my finally-finished projects:

The one on the left is the "Fair and Square Wrap" by Inknitiative. Fairly simple, lots of fun, and a contemporary design. It could probably be made using stash yarns that were compatible in weight and texture.

The middle photo is a pair of gloves. I designed the pattern myself after working several other patterns and taking the best qualities from each. I used a fingering weight self-patterning yarn, so the gloves don't exactly match, and each finger looks different.

The project on the right is my double knit scarf. I designed the motif, a heart-in-a-heart. I used two different colorways of Noro's Silk Garden Lite. The background color changes gradually and the pattern color changes gradually, but the colors are different. Double knitting is one of my favorite techniques. Self-striping yarns invite color play. So when you put the two of them together, voila!

Do you remember more than a year ago when we started the Tech Afghan class? The goal was to knit one sqare per month. Well, the class is over and we have two beautifully knit afghans. A year is a long time, and life gets in the way. There are several other afghans in different stages of completion, and we hope to share them with you when we can. These two were completed by Carol Papineau and Shirley Henning.

Check out the website for our new class schedule, http://www.theyarnmarket.com/. Book club continues, we start a new book next week. We'd love to have you join us.

I'm going to market in June in Columbus. Let me know if you have any suggestions for additions to our product lines.

And last, but not least, baby Bradley is growing. Crawling, almost walking, he has 5 teeth, and loves to eat. And sometimes, he has ATTITUDE!

My e-mail account has been stolen

2010-01-30T07:28:00.000-08:00

My e-mail account was stolen this week, by some aweful person in Wales, UK. He/she stole my password and changed it and locked me out of my account. Then this criminal sent an e-mail to all of my contacts, as if it were from me. The e-mail stated that I was in Wales, had been mugged, and lost all of my money and credit cards. When people replied to this e-mail, they received a second one asking for money to be wired to a certain place.

I am setting up a new account and believe me, it is a process. So for now, if you need to contact me, do it by telephone. The shop@theyarnmarket.com mail is forwarded to my old personal e-mail and therefore, goes directly to the criminal. When everything is reestablished, I will let you know what my new e-mail info is.

In the meantime, please don't send any money or credit card info. It is also possible that the criminal can send you another forged message from a different person in my contact list. Please be very careful, and very suspicious for at least a while.

While I'm tempted to throw my laptop away, and go back to the Stone Age, I realize that this is not an option. I am re-educating myself about internet security and trying to find out if I am responsible for this breach in any way. I'm also trying to determine if I can prevent this from happening again in the future. So far, I haven't learned anything I didn't already know and practice. So other than changing my e-mail account and all of my passwords, there's not much else I can do.

Stay happy, and keep on knittin'!

2010-01-22T11:45:00.000-08:00

Good News! I've passed Level 1 of the TGKA's Master Hand Knitter Program, and I'm on to level 2. You can peruse my submissions and the committee's comments in the shop.

The economy has hit Michigan particularly hard--so I've been looking for patterns and ideas that can help you use up your stashes. And what I've discovered is that these patterns are really very interesting to knit, stimulate your creativity, and produce an item that is "art".

One of the patterns was introduced to me by a customer, called the "Multidirectional Diagonal Scarf". It is a free pattern on line at http://douma.net/Karen/knitting/Accessory-Scarves/Multidirectional_Diagonal_Scarf.htm. I knit this scarf with the left overs of three different colorways of Noro's Silk Garden Lite. I knit a little swatch with a solid colored yarn, and it is also quite attractive, although the stitch pattern isn't as striking. The scarf can be knit with any weight or texture of yarn, so a little bit of novelty yarn might add some whimsy!

"Carol's Clever Little Shawl" is a pattern that was e-mailed to me by a rep. It was made available to her at a knitting group, and we have permission to distribute it. I knit the model on Noro's Yuzen, because I needed a model, and because I wanted to play with it! The yarn has its good points and bad. As always, the Noro colorways are fabulous, but the striping may detract from the lace pattern a little bit. Also, as I wore the shawl, the yarn tended to stretch some, leading me to believe that it needs to be knit into a firmer fabric than this pattern creates. The shawl is quite simple to knit, a series of short-row wedges. The ends of the shawl become the ties, which are drawn through a tube that is knitted in. It can be knit with sport weight or worsted weight yarn. I believe it would be great to knit this with your own patterning of stripes, using remnants or small amounts of yarns in your stashes. Again, a little bit of novelty would add some whimsy. The shawl is very comfortable to wear, because of its closures. We may offer this as a class in spring/summer.

Cottage Creations has a (fairly) new pattern: "Kyler's Kardigan". It is a top-down, in-the-round cardigan version of the wallaby. It provides a different treatment to the edge of the optional hood. You can choose a button or a zipper closure. Fun and fast to knit on worsted weight yarn.

As I complete inventory, I decided to place several yarns on sale--so watch for the notices in the near future.

I'm hoping that you all have a wonderful winter, be safe and healthy and have fun! Keep on knittin"!!!! Watch for our new class schedule, which will be published in February.

2009-10-07T11:17:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been awhile--this is a busy time of year for me, workshops, holiday shows, special orders for the holidays, fall yarns coming, etc., etc., etc.

Baby Bradley is growing, now 15#, and rolling over on his own. Here's a picture of him with his mom at his first football game. We spent the week with him (and of course, his parents) during the week following Labor Day and it was great. Our next visit will be in November, unless I can take a quick trip down to them!

New fall yarns:

ZAUEBERBALL CRAZY--a sock yarn from Schoppel-wolle, 75% wool, 25% nylon, 462 yds. Kind of a mouline with a gradual drifting rainbow stripe-thing going on. Really hot right now, I've sold most of the first order, the second is on its way. Price is $19.99 (4 cents/yd).

SUPER AUSSIE--100% superwash merino in a worsted weight, from Queensland. Eighteen gorgeous colors. 109 yds, $6.00 (5 cents/yd).

FILZ-WOLLE (LINIE 231)-100% feltable bulky wool, 55 yds, from ONLine, $6/ball (10 cents/yd). Should have been shipped with a pattern for felted slippers, but the pattern is on its way and should still be here in time for holiday knitted gifts.

EUCOOL--75%wool, 25%eucalyptus from Elsebeth Lavold. A dk weight yarn, 186 yds, for $8 (4 cents/yd). Twelve beautiful colors, and wonderful patterns! The eucalyptus makes this wool naturally moth-repellant.

and last, but not least. . . .

FIAMATO (LINIE245)--a 53%wool, 47% acrylic blend in a bulky weight, multi-colored, perfects for winter hats, scarves, and mittens. 99yds, $7 per ball (7 cents/yd), from ONLine.

Fall Classes have been put on hold. The spring and summer classes were poorly attended. I've been trying to figure out if it's the economy, if people were too busy, or if it's because I've recycled the same old classes for 4 years. So instead, I'm going to put my efforts into developing some new classes. I've started working on one for gloves done via the magic loop method. As always, if you have a need or an interest, let me know and we'll work it out for you. Just this past week, I did a class for mittens on the magic loop.

I got my packet back from the Master Knitter Program. Looks like I have a few redo's but I really haven't read through the comments yet. I will get back to it when things slow down a bit.

Our book club is now listening to "To the Nines" by Janet Evanovich. Very sassy, extremely funny and a little bit naughty. We were laughing soooo hard that we had to pass the Kleenex box around!!!! Join us if you can.

For those of you who might be interested in a knitting cruise: Go to www.craftcruises.com and view the info for the British Isles cruise in August 2010. Featured knitting instructors are Sally Melville and Beth Brown-Reinsel. I'm pretty sure I'm going, but thought it would be fun to have a group.

Well, my UPS delivery man just brought in 4 more small boxes. So I'll get to work unpacking them! See ya soon!

Master Knitter Level 1 is in the mail

2009-08-25T08:12:00.000-07:00

Yup, I finished all of the requirements for Master Knitter Level 1 and mailed off my package this morning. Now I wait---for the evaluation and the do-overs! I really learned alot during this exercise, and I recommend it for anyone who wants to try it. It is somewhat intimidating to send your work for evaluation and criticism, but I think that it is an important part of the learning process. Here's a picture of my notebook.

the swatches

the questions

the report

and the project, a hat!

I'll keep you posted on the results!

Gonna take a few days off during the Labor Day Week--my son, his wife, and our new grandson are coming to visit. Connie will have the shop!

As always, if we can do anything to help you with your knitting needs, all you have to do is ask!

Shawls

2009-08-05T10:33:00.000-07:00

Last week, I finished two circular shawls that I have wanted to do for a while!

The Shipwreck Shawl is my absolute favorite. I knit it on Tahki's Dream, which is now a discontinued yarn. Why do they always discontinue the stuff that I really like? It took six balls. It looked really weird while I was knitting on it, but, as you can see, it blocked beautifully. It has a bounce and a flounce that compliments the stitch pattern and drape. The outermost section is a simple "yo, k2tog", but beware----if you drop a stitch, you'll have a dickens of a time trying to pick it up. I strongly recommend the use of a lifeline every 3-4 rounds! This shawl is bringing more oo's and ah's than anything else I have in the shop! You can find the pattern for this shawl in the spring '09 edition at http://www.knitty.com/.

The second shawl is the Vortex Shawl. I have a bunch of Noro's Kureyon Sock yarn in stock, and as many of you have expressed, it's really not an ideal yarn for socks. So I've been looking for other projects that could benefit from this yarn. I tried this shawl because I thought the long color repeats could be quite interesting with this swirly stitch pattern. And I chose the gaudiest colorway that I could find, a throwback to my hippie days! This yarn also blocked wonderfully. I used a product sample of "Soak", which may be why the yarn became so soft after blocking. You can find this pattern online at http://www.knitterontherun.vox.com/.

Master Knitter Program Level 1 Progress Report:

I have been knitting, reknitting, and reknitting swatches! I had a particularly difficult time with the horseshoe cable: my knit stitches before the purl stitches were terribly enlarged! I thought I was going crazy when I looked at other cable work I had done, and there were no problems with the stitch tension. I must have done this swatch 6 times, trying different techniques to relieve the problem. Finally, I decided it wasn't my knitting tension,. . . it was my mental tension! So after a particularly potent vodka tonic, I did swatch #7, and voila--it was perfect!

Yesterday I blocked the first 8 swatches to be submitted and wrote out the answers to the questions relating to those swatches. They are still drying, but I'll have pictures of them in the next post! I'm learning a lot, simply by looking up information for the required references.

Baby Bradley is doing well, growing, and getting to know his mom and dad. He and his parents will be spending the week of Labor Day with us, so I'll have a chance to get to know him better. Here he is, at 4 weeks of age.

Talk to you soon!

2009-07-22T07:56:00.000-07:00

Last week, I gave a workshop to members of the Congregational Summer Assembly in cut felted flowers. There were some non-knitters in the group, so I knitted and felted all of the fabric used, and the ladies went to town. Each of their flowers took on a different feel, and creativity was all over the place. I had fun, and I think they did, too! Thank you to Judy Norris for this wonderful opportunity!

In my last post, I told you that I had registered for the Level 1 Masters Knitters Program, from the Knitting Guild of America (TKGA). Well, I have received the packet of instructions: sixteen swatches, answers to a bunch of questions that will be referenced, a paper about blocking and a project ( a knitted striped hat). So, I've been busy organizing and collecting my reference sources. I also began to knit my first swatch. Because this is a learning experience, I decided to challenge myself even more and knit the swatch two different ways. I have been an English/American/thrower knitter forever, but since purchasing the shop, have taught my self to knit Continental/German/picking. Here's a picture of the swatches, one done English (the left swatch) and the other done Continental (the right swatch). They were both done on the same size 7 bamboo double-pointed needles, and both were done on yarn from the same skein, the same number of stitches. I was amazed! The continental sample knitted a full inch narrower, and had much more even selvedges. I have always believed in swatching before starting a project, and now I have the proof. I am going to try the same thing with size 7 Addi turbos, because theoretically, wood knits differently than metal, and straight differently than circular.

All of the learning activities for the Master Knitters program are submitted in a binder. As my journey progresses, the binder will be available in the shop to view until it is mailed to the committee.

It's a Boy!!!!

2009-07-13T11:22:00.000-07:00

Bradley Robert Heckman was born 07-08-09 at 3:15 am. He weighed in a 8 lbs, 12 oz, and is 23 inches tall. He is our first grandchild, and we think he is absolutely perfect.

On another crazy note----I've decided to enroll in the Knitting Guild of America's Master Knitter Program. Call me crazy, it's okay. But I thought it would be a good learning experience. As I go, I'll let you know how I'm doing and share pictures of my swatches and projects, both good and bad!

I frequently peruse the blogs and websites of other shops across the country. Recently I came across one that determines and posts the cost-per-yard of a yarn. It seems a great idea to me, and I will gradually do the same for all of the yarns in our shop. If you are in the shop and want to know, especially for comparison shopping, I'll figure it out for you, right then and there!

I hope you are all enjoying a wonderful summer!

The Sweet Ladder Scarf

2009-04-22T11:47:00.000-07:00

Here's a free pattern that I developed specifically for Araucania's 'Ruca', their new yarn made from 100% sugar cane.

Materials: one hank (263 yds) Araucania 'Ruca' (colorway shown in picture is Color #1)

Size 6 needles

Finished Dimensions: approx. 4" by 72"

Gauge is not critical, about 7.75 st/inch in pattern.

Directions: Cast on 31 stitches loosely.

Row 1: slip 1, knit 1, knit 2 tog, knit 3, *yo twice, knit 3, knit 3 tog, knit 3, repeat from * once, knit 3, yo twice, knit 3, ssk, knit 2.

Row 2: slip 1, purl 6, knit 1, (purl 8, knit 1) twice, purl 6.

Repeat these two rows until desired length, bind off knitwise, loosely.

Please use this pattern for your own personal use, but do not copy it without permission.

New Spring Stuff!

2009-04-22T10:57:00.000-07:00

New spring yarns are beginning to arrive--Here are some of them:

Katia's 'Linen' (53% cotton, 47% linen), 122 yds., $8.50/ball. Knits at 5.5 st/in on a size 5-6 needle. Beautiful sheen, would make a beautiful summer scarf or shawl. Available in white, silver, and ivory.

Ella Rae's 'Amity' (70% acrylic, 30% wool), 200 yds., $5.50 solids, $6.00 heathers. Those of you who love Encore will love this yarn as well, in a completely different palette. Knits at 5 st/in on a size 8 needle. But don't worry, Encore's not going anywhere!

Sirdar's 'Big Softie' (51% wool, 49% acrylic), 49 yds, $5. Machine washable. Great pattern book for this yard, geared toward the beginner. Makes wonderful hats, sweaters, vests, and bags. Knits at 2.5 st/in on a size 15 needle.

Araucania's 'Ruca' (100% sugarcane) 263 yds, $14. Yes, you read that right, sugarcane!!! Silky, shimmery, sensual, soft drape. I've knitted a scarf in this yarn, but I can imagine a cap-sleeved top for the summer. Knits at 5.5 st/in on a size 4-5 needle.

Noro's 'Taiyo' (40% cotton, 30% silk, 15% wool, 15% nylon), 220 yds, $18. Noro's yarns just keep getting better and better. Self-striping in the Noro tradition. New patterns available, too! Knits at 4.5 st/in on a size 7-8 needle.

There's new colors in Elsebeth Lavold's 'Silky Wool', Sublime's 'Cashmere Merino Silk Aran', Sirdar's 'Baby Bamboo', Debbie Bliss' 'Cashmerino Baby', and Araucania's 'Ranco'. Lots of new patterns, as well.

And we finally have our supply of the new Addi Cliks, the interchangeable knitting needle set.

Mary Helen, who was featured in our last blog entry, has fallen and fractured her hip. Please send your cards and notes to the shop, and I'll be sure that she gets them: c/o the Yarn Market, P. O. Box 406, Beulah, MI 49617-0406.

Thanks to all of you who voted for us as the best of the A-list. The contest continues until May 1. Right now, we're in 2nd place (following Nawbin Beads), so if you haven't voted yet, and if you think we deserve it, please cast your vote at www.wpbn.cityvoter.com.

Looking forward to seeing you again after our long, long, long, long winter!

Elsebeth Lavold's 'Bambool' ( 80% bamboo, 20% merino), 92 yds, $7. This is a perfect yarn for all kinds of garments worn year 'round in Michigan. Beautiful colors for mix and match. Knits at 4.5-5 st/in on a size 4-8 needle.

Meet Mary Helen

2009-03-11T09:52:00.000-07:00

If you don't already know her, let me introduce you to Mary Helen. Mary Helen owned "the Little Shop" in Addison, Michigan for 21 years, and then moved it to Frankfort for the next 9 years. She began the store with a partner because they "thought it would be fun". "Little did we know," she said, "how much work it would be." She and her partner scoured the ads in McCall's needlepoint magazine and wrote to several companies to begin to stock the shop. Bernat was the only one to send a rep, so they carried Bernat yarns for many years. She closed the shop in Frankfort 12 years ago, at the young age of 80.

Now, at 92, she has four projects in the works. She likes to knit sweaters for Guidepost, saying that it's a double blessing: "it's good for the children and it's good for the knitters." She attributes that project to keeping her going. Mary Helen, and her daughter, Susie, are regulars to our Thursday night book club.

The wooden bins currently used by the Yarn Market were made by her nephew, and were used in both of her shops.

Today, Mary Helen says "Life is good!" We share in that sentiment, Mary Helen, and we are blessed to have you in our lives. Thank you!

We've made the A-list

2009-03-04T16:35:00.000-08:00

The Yarn Market has been nominated to the A-list as one of the best businesses in the Traverse City Area. You can vote for us at www.wpbn.cityvoter.com beginning March 9. Our good friends at the Thistledowne Shoppe in Suttons Bay have been nominated as well!

New spring yarns and patterns will start arriving this month. In order to make room, we have selected yarns on sale. Come and check them out! We're also waiting on the new Addi Cliks interchangeable needle set.

We've had to cancel the last two book club nights, due to Michigan winter storms! Now that March is here, we hope the ice and snow will melt away, and spring days are not far behind. See the revised dates on the website. We're still listening to "the Secret Life of Bees", the reader has a young girl's voice with a gentle southern accent. I've read the book and seen the movie, but I'm getting much, much more from this audiobook!

Also check out our new class/event schedule at the website. We've added an introduction to tatting class, a lined mitten class, and we're offering some old favorites!

Happy Knitting!

GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS

2009-01-18T12:24:00.000-08:00

When my husband wants to be cute, he tells me that he has good news and bad news. Then he asks me to choose which news I want to hear first. I alway choose the bad news, because that way in can be followed up with good news.

Well, I have bad news and I have good news.

The bad news is that I have been diagnosed with a rare form of cutaneous lupus. This appears as a really ugly rash on my trunk, with fatigue and generalized aches and pains. The good news is that it appears to be contained to my skin, with no evidence of generalized systemic lupus. The lesions have responded amazingly to injections: they are almost completely gone! They may recur, but I keep telling them to "go away"!

The other really good news is that we are going to be grandparents for the first time. The baby is due July 26th, to our younger son, Bryan, and his wife, Lori. Bryan and Lori do not want to know the gender of the baby, which makes it really hard on the knitting grandma! But I understand, and would probably make the same decision (if it were me!) The baby already has a hat and socks, and a Christmas stocking. There are a couple of other projects in the works, that I'll keep secret for now!

Inventory is done, and I've added some yarns to the sale bins. In addition, I'm planning some additional special sales for Winterfest, February 13th and 14th. Winterfest is Beulah's celebration of winter, an event-packed weekend of family activities like a frozen-face race, frozen fish toss, softball on the ice, a parade, a chili contest, and to finish it all off: fireworks!!!! Most of the merchants will have special sales! So be sure to come and check it all out!! This is our third snowiest winter on record, so there's lots of snow and lake ice for all!

Now that inventory and year-end bookkeeping tasks have been completed, I can get back to knitting. Our "Tech-Square Afghan" class is going well, the students are having a great time, and learning lots. I'm working on a similar class for lace, a skill-builder and sampler scarf. Look for it in the spring. We're also working on a lined mitten class. I'm always looking for new class ideas, so if you have any suggestions, don't hesitate to let me know.

New Merchandise

2008-12-21T16:14:00.000-08:00

Some new items have arrived in time for knitting through the long winter months.

Plymouth's "Happy Choices" is a piece of knit fabric that may be unraveled at one end, worn like a scarf, and reknitted into socks, mittens, hats, whatever. These fabrics have been handpainted in a variety of designs, but who knows what they will look like when reknitted! We also have plain fabrics in a natural color, if you would like to handpaint your own. In total, there is close to 400 yds of superwash wool and nylon in a fingering weight.

"Cotton Kisses" from Plymouth is a cotton blend yarn, dk weight, that comes with three buttons. There's enough yarn to make one of two infant/toddler sweaters from the patterns that are included. One is a cardigan, as shown in the picture, and the other is a pullover.

There's still room in our "Two socks on circular needles" class. Call the shop or e-mail me to register. To celebrate the new year, Noro's Kureyon sock yarn will be on sale at 15% off until January 15th.

We're beginning a new book after the first of the year: "Back on Blossom Street" by Debbie Macomber. Scheduled dates are Thursdays, January 8, 15, 22, and 29. Remember that we've canceled some sessions due to the weather, so let me know if you plan on coming.

As I'm writing this entry, we are having yet another winter storm. My guess is that we've had another 12 inches of snow, and the wind is howling! A good night to sit indoors and knit!

I'd like to wish you all a wonderful Holiday season, and the best in 2009! Thank you for a wonderful 2008!

Fur Trimmed Pillbox Hat

2008-12-10T12:58:00.000-08:00

Here's a new pattern--I have this wonderful alpaca/merino/silk blend in a single ply and loads of fur fabric and wanted to come up with a simple project to use them both. When I modeled this hat, I heard comments like "a bad hair day" and "looks like it came from Dr. Zhivago"!

FUR-TRIMMED PILLBOX HAT
Materials: 1 100gm (197.8 yd) skein Araucania’s Azapa (30% alpaca, 45% merino, 15% silk, 10% donegal) color #802, tan
Size 15, 24-inch circular needles
Size 15 double-pointed needles; alternatively you may use a second circular or the magic loop method for finishing the top of the hat
stitch marker
fur fabric, strip approximately 6" wide by 24" long
Gauge: 2.5 st/inch in circular stockinette
Dimensions: Before felting: 10.5" tall, approximately 25 1/4" circumference
After felting: 4" tall; approximately 5 ½" in diameter, measured on the inside of the hat
Directions:Using the circular needle, cast on 72 stitches. Place a stitch marker and join in the round. Knit for 10 ½ inches, approximately 28 rounds. Purl 3 rounds to give the top a more defined edge.
Begin decreasing the top:
Round 1: *Knit 7, knit 2 together; repeat from * to end of round.
Round 2: *Knit 6, knit 2 together; repeat from * to end of round.
Round 3: *Knit 5, knit 2 together; repeat from * to end of round.
Round 4: *Knit 4, knit 2 together; repeat from * to end of round.
Round 5: *Knit 3, knit 2 together; repeat from * to end of round.
Round 6: *Knit 2, knit 2 together; repeat from * to end of round.
Round 7: *Knit 1, knit 2 together; repeat from * to end of round.
Round 8: *Knit 2 together; repeat from * to end of round.
Draw tail through remaining 7 loops and weave in loose ends.
Felt the hat and dry over a container shaped like a pill-box hat, such as a cookie tin.
When dry, attach the fur fabric:
Fold approximately 1/2-inch of the long edges of the fabric to the inside and hem, using a blanket stitch at 1/4" intervals and a doubled thread. Pin the fabric to the felted hat, using lots of pins. Hand-stitch this fabric to hem of hat, fitting to match the circumference. Trim the short-edges, if necessary. When satisfied with the fit, seam the short edges together, on the wrong side. If desired, take the upper long edge of the fur to the felted fabric to secure.

There's lots of luscious colors in the Azapa, and three colors of fur to match!

Please do not copy this pattern or hat for sale. You may knit the pattern for yourself or family/friends.

2008-12-06T08:28:00.000-08:00

It's been doin' nuttin but snowin' here in northern Michigan. We woke up to a foot (at least) of fresh snow this morning. It is beautiful!!!

We've had to cancel the last two book club evenings due to the weather--we'll continue to plan on Thursday evenings, because eventually the weather should settle down. If you plan on coming, please let me know. Give me your phone number so that we can call you if we cancel. We have a couple of regular members that drive from Traverse City.

I've been searching for new patterns that knit up quickly (in time for the holidays) and cheaply (in case you haven't heard, we are in a recession!) I've found two great hats and have been able to knit up one.

It's called the Republic Hat, and you can download the pattern for free at Ravelry or at http://niksknits.blogspot.com/. It's a very easy pattern, and the hat is easily knit up in a couple of hours. I knit it in Esther Bitran's Socos (88 yds/100 gms). It required just a little bit of a second skein, so you might want to consider purchasing 3 skeins to be able to knit a matching scarf or mittens. It sells in the shop here for $12 per skein. Alternatively you could use Encore Chunky, Plymouth's Baby Alpaca Grande or a number of other yarns that knit at 3 st/inch. You'll also need a giant button for this hat.

The other hat is also bulky, the pattern calls for Plymouth's Baby Alpaca Grande, one skein. I'll try to get this one knit as soon as possible and post the picture, but you can find the pattern at http://wallisknits.blogspot.com. The name of the pattern is "Marlo".

Hope you are all doing well. I'm wishing wonderful Holidays for each and everyone of you!

2008-11-23T14:45:00.000-08:00

It looks like winter has arrived here in northern Michigan. Over the last several days, we've accumulated 6-8 inches of snow, and there's more in the forecast. Time to knit some warm mittens, scarves, sweaters, and socks!

No new yarns or patterns have arrived in the last couple of weeks. I've been working on the new class schedule and the models for the class projects. I've also been rebuilding the website, which should go "live" sometime this week. Look for the new class schedule on the new site. You will be able to link to this blog from the website.

One of our new class offerings will be the "Tech Square Afghan", using the booklet published by FiberTrends. The afghan is composed of twelve squares, each using a different knitting skill. Each month, we will offer a class to produce one of the squares. You may choose any or all of the classes, as you desire. This project is a great way to build or improve your knitting skills. In the spring, look for a similar lace knitting skill builder.

Thanksgiving is this Thursday. I wish you and yours a very happy holiday, with lots of laughter and good eats.

2008-11-05T07:48:00.000-08:00

Well, we did it--Rory won his election for sheriff last night by a narrow margin. So now we can get back to work and play and life as normal! Thanks to everyone for your support.

We finished the chemo cap project last week. We were able to donate 30 caps to Munson's Cancer Services through the work of 13 knitters. Many knitters made caps from their own stash to contribute to the project. The value of the yarn donated by the shop was $362. We will continue this annual event.

Jan Isherwood, the former owner of the Yarn Market, is recovering nicely. She is in Cardiac Rehab, and can't wait to get done! She stops in regularly, so if you have any wishes for her, please forward them to me.

New Yarns since my last entry:

Noro's Iro--a bulky blend of wool and silk in Noro's fabulous colorways
Southwest Trading Company's Infinity--a laceweight 100% soy
Southwest Trading Company's Therapi--wool, silk, and jadeite, in a light worsted weight
Plymouth's Knitcol--a self-patterning superwash wool, light worsted weight
Plymouth's Ashton--an alpaca, wool and silk blend in a sport weight
Queensland's Bebe Cotsoy--a worsted weight cotton and soy blend

We've also received some new patterns from Cottage Creations, Nancy Lindberg, Lisa Knits, and a new designer, Jane Bigelow. We have copies of Mason Dixon's new book, Outside the Lines; Simply Shetland's book 5, Roxanna's Garden, and Melissa Morgan Oakes' book, 2-at-a-time Socks, to knit 2 socks at one time on one circular needle.

The Knitters Book Club finished The Shop on Blossom Street and is now hearing A Good Yarn, both by Debbie Macomber. For those of you who haven't heard, The Knitters Book Club meets weekly to listen to an audiobook while knitting and enjoying a light meal. The group has decided to keep this going, barring really bad weather, and avoiding holidays. We'd love to have new members, so keep this activity in mind for the long winter months. Currently we meet every Thursday evening from 5-9 p.m. The cost is $7 per session to cover the cost of the meal provided. We plan to continue with the Blossom Street series. This group is evolving as it is picking up steam, it will become what you make of it--so please join us. Be sure to let me know that you plan on coming so that I can include you in the meal count.

One class remains on this year's schedule, the double-knitted headband, November 15, from 10 am to 4 pm. It is not by accident that this date coincides with opening day deer hunting. So if you're a hunting widow, join us for this fun class! Headbands make wonderful, quick gifts! Let me know if you have any requests for the next class schedule!

I plan on updating the website in the near future, and will link this blog--making everything easier to access from one location.

As always, let me know how we're doing--Connie and I want to be your full service resource for your knitting needs!

Welcome Fall

2008-08-31T10:01:00.001-07:00

This is Labor Day weekend, the official end to the fall season. Summer is our busy time, with seasonal residents and tourists relaxing near our beautiful Crystal Lake. Last night, we had our official good-bye to summer beach fire. The stars were absolutely stunning, the Milky Way was so bright. Got to see a couple of satellites fly by!

The new fall yarns are starting to arrive. New to our shop so far is:

Debbie Bliss Luxury Donegal Tweed, Aran and Bulky weights

Araucania Azapa, a worsted weight alpaca-wool-silk-donegal blend

Ella Rae's Jaspe Wool, a self-striping worsted weight

new colors of Noro Silk Garden and Kureyon

new colors of Opal sock yarn

new colors of Claudia's laceweight silk

Interlacements Spiderweb

Noro's pattern books: Family and World of Nature vol. 24

Debbie Bliss magazine

Debbie Bliss Winter Essentials and Cashmerino Collection

Sirdar's Little Speckled Chicks and Tiny Tots DK

And lots, lots, lots more expected throughout October!

The new class schedule is posted at the website, http://www.theyarnmarket.com/

A big thank-you to everyone for supporting my husband in his campaign for Benzie County Sheriff. On August 5, he won the Republican nomination by a landslide. Now on to the general election on November 4!

For those of you who remember the previous owner of the shop, Jan Isherwood:

Two weeks ago, Jan suffered a major heart attack and lost 60% of her heart. A stent was placed and she feels much better. We're hopeful that she will be able to regain most of the loss through Cardiac Rehab over the next few months. If you would like to drop her a note, e-mail it to me at shop@theyarnmarket.com and I'll deliver it to her personally.

I've been working on some projects for shop models. Completed are the Inside-Outside Scarf, using Noro's Silk Garden, 2 skeins. The pattern is available for free at http://www.knittinguniverse.com/downloads guniverse.com/downloads. The pattern stitch utilizes a "knit one below" technique and really shows of the beautiful colors of Noro. However, there is a 2 stitch edge border that is quite irregular and wants to curl under. So I would recommend amending the pattern for a 3-5 stitch border and to slip the first stitch of every row.

I've also completed a baby sweater that is really adorable. From Sirdar's leaflet no. 1764, this v-neck cardigan has a decorative border and lace stems for flowers.

Don't forget our book nights. In October, we will be beginning the Blossom Street series by Debbie Macomber. While we listen to the books on tape, we will be knitting! A light supper is provided.

Looking forward to seeing each and everyone of you this fall!

Mittens, Lace and a lost friend

2008-07-11T10:57:00.000-07:00

Our dear friend, Blair, lost his battle with melanoma this past weekend. While he was sick, I began knitting a prayer shawl for his wife, Joanne. I didn't get it finished in time, but I did give it to her during his visitation. He was only 44, a Michigan State Police trooper.

The prayer shawl pattern came from Debbie Macomber's book, Back on Blossom Street. The pattern was designed by Myrna Stahman and can be found at http://www.debbiemacomber.com/. I used Claudia's Handpainted Silk Lace 20/2 in the colorway, Jungle. When I gave it to Joanne, I asked her to think about it like a knitted hug; I hope it helps in her grief.

Starting to think about fall classes. We will offer a class in thrummed mittens. Thrums are made from small pieces of roving and knitted into the mitten, leaving the ends to the inside. For one of my class models, I used Lamb's Pride and Kraemer's Mauch Chunky Roving in several colors. For the other, I used Noro's Silk Garden and the Mauch Chunky Roving in black. Look for the dates for the class at my website, http://www.theyarnmarket.com/.

If you have requests for any other classes, please let me know.

Yarn reps have been showing off their new fall lines of both yarns and patterns. I have some beautiful new stuff coming, some really exciting yarns that are blends of fibers, spectacular colors, and wonderful textures. Patterns by new designers seem to be leaning back to basics, for people with "real" shapes and sizes. There will be lots of patterns for men's sweaters. Full length coats are everywhere. The new yarns and patterns will begin arriving in August. In order to make room, I've got lots of yarn on sale, some discounted to 75%.

Welcome to the Yarn Market

2008-06-15T08:29:00.000-07:00

This first posting to this website is a continuation of my first blog at live.spaces.com. That site will be discontinued.

Yesterday was World-Wide Knit in Public Day. We had the most beautiful weather, warm, sunny, with a wonderful breeze coming in off the lake. Knitters had such a wonderful time that they wanted to do it again sometime before next year! Other folks learned the art of kumihimo. We are looking forward to next summer's event already!

We still have room in our finishing workshop, scheduled for June 21st. This workshop is designed to help you finished a project that you have already knitted. The summer schedule of all classes is posted on our website, http://www.theyarnmarket.com/.