Tennessee Yarn store~ The Knaughty Knitter

its cold and well, its an excuse

to wear sweaters again!  Glad I didn't put them all up for the season.  Happy Mother's Day, too.  I can't think of a thing else to write so maybe tomorrow something will present itself.

Hey, Good Morning!

It is Saturday and Stacie is here teaching the last of the Knitting 101 classes this month.  The next series starts June 28th.  She does such a great job at this.  She is also working on samples for a class she wants to do - illusion or shadow knitting.  It is just too cool.  Look at the knitting one way and it looks like simple stripes, change the angle and there's a design.  Vivian Hoxbro (amazing designer who now works for Harrisville) does whole sweaters using this technique but it'd be great on a scarf or hat or purse too.  So look for that one coming up on the calendar soon. 

Baby Surprise Sweater

Here are a couple of versions of the Baby Surprise Sweater - The brown is worsted weight Encore and fit the baby at about 6 months - he's large so really it is about a size 9 months.  The one with the cute tractor buttons will probably fit him at 18-24 months, though a 5 year old was trying it on the other day and it worked for her.  It is made from Blue Sky Cotton which is a heavy worsted.  The point being you can adjust the size of the sweater by adjusting the yarn gauge....and that there is a class to make this sweater starting NEXT WEEK!  (Thursdays at 5) Seems like lately I know lots of people having babies - we probably all do and they make great gifts as well as being fun to make.  And hey there's an adult version in the book too. And a bunch of other classic wonderful patterns...   

Here's some more...

I think there must be a limit on how many pictures I can publish at one time....

Fashion Show

Here are few pictures from the fashion show...you all have done some amazing work.

Before I forget

The Annual Customer Fashion Show and Garden Party is this Saturday from 1-4pm.  Bring your own lawn chair.  There'll be snacks and drinks and hanging out and knitting, possibly spinning.  The show will start around 2:00 and lasts until we run out of stuff to show off.  You can still sign up - just send me an email and let me know.  Anything you've made in the last year or so - afghans, sweaters, hand warmers, a headband...really anything.

New Stuff

Aslan Trends is a new yarn company that produces the most wonderful stuff.  Invernal is one I have been working with lately - the shawl I talked about a couple of weeks ago.  There are some new colors of it in.  It just feels heavenly - 50% Angora and 25% Merino, 25% Polymide.  The shawl is close to done and I will write a clearer pattern for it.  They also make another yarn we have - Del Cerro - 100% Merino Wool, worsted weight - but spun thin and with 12 plies so that it is less likely to pill and looks almost like cotton but feels SOOO much better.

There's more - the tree couldn't hold it all.  Tomorrow a shipment from Plymouth is due.  There will be Wildflower DK, Encore Worsted and Fantasy Naturale.   

I have been making stitch markers lately.  There's a new selection of them near the cash register - get some jewelry for your knitting.  And next I am working on more double loop stitch markers - no one seems to make them so I will.  They are really great for helping you keep track of increases.  Lots of sweaters and socks and other things tell you to increase every other row and now you can keep track of this using a double loop marker.  Both loops are up if you increased that row, only one is on the needle if you didn't.  Brilliant, huh?  Namaste Bags are due in this week also.  They have some truly great designs for knitting bags and the ones I ordered could also be a large purse - they look very elegant and are still durable. 

I have added the June calendar to the website so look for some new classes. there.  And just a reminder - Starting in May we will be closed Tuesdays, Wednesdays and open a bit later on Fridays.  There will sometimes be Friday morning events or classes on going on.  After hours classes will continue to happen on Thursdays too. 

Hey Spinners

There's new Crosspatch in.  It's "Shadow Grove" but it reminds me of a field of spring grass growing out of rich black earth and wildflowers running all through it.  Yes I spun some already - worsted weight - though lace weight is just as easy with this stuff.  It is a blend of Romney, Corriedale, Silk and a bit of viscose.  It is amazing felted too.

Here's my Afghan

It is made of diagonal modular scarves sewn together.  Each scarf is 2 skeins of Kureyon.

Mother's Day Projects

Berroco has some great Mother's Day projects to knit!   There are free patterns at the site and lots of projects.  Here are a couple of them.  There's still time - although Knaughty Knitter gift certificates are nice to give too.  We also have kits to make wet felted flower pins that are pretty neat too.