The Knaughty Knitter

Just Knitting...

We've got quite a few hats so far for Room in the Inn.  Thank you for making & donating those.  And Saturday is the Knitathon - from 10-3.  Yarn for charity knitting will be 10% off during that time.  Bring your pattern and grab some yarn and come knit with us!

Later in the afternoon is the second Murfreesboro Knitter's Meetup.  If you don't know about meetup.com it's an internet site where you can sign up to meet with other folks interested in the same things.  There are groups for knitting, people who have Papillons, folks who speak Portuguese (or want to)...you name it, there's probably a group.

There are a few new books in.  The Opinionated Knitter is back, the Knitter's Book of Yarn, The Yarn Lover's Guide to Hand Dyeing, the new 101 One Skein Projects and more.  One, Wooly Thoughts, is an older modular knitting book, that I was looking at this morning.  I think I have a plan now for some yarn that has been sitting in my stash. 

And...I have a question. Anyone out there do repairs - knitting or crochet?  I have lots of requests for repairs to afghans and sweaters that have a hole, or some other problem.  Let me know. I just don't have time or the inclination to do them myself.

Reduce your Holiday Stress

People seem to stress a lot over the holidays.  Find ways to make this easier by keeping it simple.  Bake cookies or make something for folks instead of giving presents they won't remember a week from now.  Volunteer to take Grandma shopping once a month or offer to babysit for your sister instead of buying that expensive thing you have yet to come up with an idea about.  Most people treasure the time you spend with them more than the stuff you buy them.  Take time out for yourself during the hectic schedule that lots of us have during this time.  Doesn't hurt to do some charity work too.  I know this one helps me remember it isn't all about the commercialism - Fulfill this one this weekend - Come knit at the Charity Knitathon on Saturday from 10-3.  There will be folks making hats, scarves, mittens, etc.  for people at Room in the Inn.  And its an excuse to sit and knit with others.

I was reading this morning that in San Francisco and in several countries around the world they have  banned plastic bags in retail outlets.  Other places are taxing them heavily and even Uganda has banned importing them.  I have been carrying my own shopping bags to the grocery for a while and Kroger gives a $.04 off for every time you use a cloth or canvas bag you bring in for your stuff.  Plastic bags clog drainage systems, kill wildlife and generally pollute. 
When I chose the bags here at the store I was wanting one that would be used over and over and I know you all do that a lot.  When they do wear out, please cut the handles before throwing them away so no critters get caught in them.  But, here's the thing....in an effort to encourage recycling them, I will give a $.25 discount when you bring in your own bag.  Remind me when you get to the counter (because we all know I have NO Memory) so that I put the discount on your receipt.

OHH, AHH Handpainted Alpaca

I forgot this was coming.

Baby Alpaca Grande Handpainted, from Plymouth...one'll make a hat....oohh, pretty pretty

and....Darlene took her lessons from felting class and made this very cool thing - for her sister who is working on the PhD in geophysics

It'll be a purse soon.

Yeah for Rosewood

Just in from the needle folks are Bryson Rosewood Double Points.  The dull points on both Clover and Brittany have driven me nuts for years and these needles solve that (not that I am not still nuts,  just not over this).  They will slowly be replacing the Clover DPs and there is also a bamboo DP from Bryson coming that comes in a little leather case and I am hoping are equally wonderful.

Weaving class yesterday...

was great so there are some more pictures in the weaving section.  There's another on Dec 8th and couple of spaces left in it.  Still in time to weave gifts for folks......

I will be working on an advanced weaving with the Knitter's loom class - maybe by January - most likely February....There is so much more you can do with it besides a plain weave.

The other thing....some of my stuff will be going up on  Etsy in the next few weeks - there's a bit there now, so take a look.

Really, I was working yesterday....

Okay,  it is playing with dye and yarn...does that count as work.  There's some roving in greens and browns too.  I really like this felted hat - made with Berroco Ultra Alpaca so its soft.   

We are working on classes for January and so far there is a hat class with Rachel on the schedule and I am thinking of doing another afghan class...exept this would be scarves - a different one each month (x6) and then sew them together for a throw...but you can use them as scarves in the meantime.  Its a great thing (as partidipants in the last one of these will tell you) to learn new techniques.  It is perfect for a beginning knitter who wants to try some new things but without the committment of a whole sweater or afghan. I will need at least 5 people to sign up to do the class  ....I t would start the first weekend in January...Let me know.   There will be more information on the calendar after Sunday.

I love fall.  The trees, this morning when I was coming to work, were amazing colors.  Made me want to dye yarn in those colors...so tomorrow I probably will. 

The winner of the drawing Saturday was Wendy - she got an audio book of Stitch & Bitch and was thrilled. 

I've managed to finish so many things lately that I have rewarded myself by casting on two new projects.  The Icelandic Shawl has finally begun...on row ten - at 339 stitches each row is a commitment.  But using hand spun yarn is so nice.   And I am doing a sideways vest with intarsia squares.  Very fall - the vest is handpainted worsted weight wool from Auracania in greens and browns and greys and orange and blue.....and the pale orange squares are from some handspun wool I got in Texas a couple of years ago.  Pictures laer...

Wet Felting Class Pics

They say there is another one in the works for spring....

It was a bit cold...there are more pictures in the class gallery.

And look at these.  Janet's vase will be at the store for a few days on display.  She does really amazing free form crochet and knitted objects and is willing to teach a class.  Let me know if you are up for one.

sorry the colors can't really come through true,  but they are wonderful

BIG SALE TOMORROW

Tomorrow is our 2 year anniversary and there's a sale, BIG SALE.  Today is also the last chance to get registered for the drawing - a week or so ago I asked what folks had on their needles and what UFO's were hiding in the closet....you can still answer that if you haven't...and your name goes in the pot for the drawing......

Hey here's what I finished last night You can't see it but there are tassles hanging off the ear flaps and top of it.  Wild hat and fun.