The Knaughty Knitter

Great American Afghan KnitAlong

I've been wanting to do this one for a while and it is time. 

It's in blocks so it won't be too hot now and we should be done in time for the really cold months of the year.  The Knit Along will start in September and meet twice a month on Thursdays. It's a great skill builder and there's no getting bored with a pattern.   See the class calendar for more information.

Weaving pillows

Here are a few pillows I have woven.  The brown is a Texas mohair handspun I got on a trip with bits of alpaca bulky woven in.  I have been stuck in browns lately (not a bad thing, but I wanted out) so I made myself weave a pink sparkly one with a lot of different stash yarns.  The orange and green is from some handspun I did a while ago and is actually leftover from the shrug that is in the store.  We will be weaving pillow covers for the next class on August 23rd.  There's only room for four so sign up soon.  So now the brown one goes home with me....we have finally moved and I can use it, along with the rugs I have been doing on the Knitter's loom...but that is another class.  I think I need place mats next.....

Valuable Knitting Information

is the name of this great little book only yarn shop people can get.  It contains information on just about every yarn out there and they generally come out with a new one twice a year just to keep up.  I use the store one a lot to look up that yarn I never heard of so I can know what to substitute in my pattern.  It also has lots of other useful fiber information and garment construction tips and conversion charts.  It tells you what all those mysterious symbols on the labels mean.  I just got notice they are putting out a special edition of it this fall.  It will contain ALL the yarns and yarn companies from the time of the original publication 25 years ago.  It will include some yarns from the 60's and 70's as well.  They say more than 17,000 yarns!  If you have OLD stash yarn that you need to know the fiber content of or what gauge it is, this is the thing for you.  I am ordering mine for the store on Saturday.  If anyone is interested in getting one I will be happy to order extra copies.  However it will have to be prepaid by Saturday at 11am.  The cost would be $45.00. 

This is a good idea

This Knitted Bag would replace at least one of those plastic bags they give you everywhere.  Usually I find that at least two bags worth of stuff go in my cloth bags though.  Think how many of those plastic bags could go unused and unwasted in a year if we all did this a couple of times a week.  Cotton or linen works best and we have lots of that in the store.  There are also some patterns for them.  Let's all do one. 

I will start mine after I get moved next week. (Our house, not the store) The home stash is currently in several LARGE boxes waiting for moving guys but I carefully marked those boxes so I would know what was where - cotton and silk yarns got their own box.  No, I have not marked all the other boxes of stuff quite as carefully.  And I am quite sure the yarn will be among the first things unpacked. When everything else becomes too overwhelming it is very comforting to arrange a shelf of yarn.  And there is certainly enough stuff to be overwhelming a lot.

And....someone asked so - the retreat would be late September/early October but I would need confirmed reservations for 8-10 people to make it happen.  Call or send me dates you want to go and I will consolidate them into a plan.  The place:  North Georgia Mountains - beautiful views, great crafty shops and good food, spinning and knitting. How much better could it get?

Ultimate Knitting Retreat

Hey, Look at this Radical Knitting and see what the ultimate knitting retreat might be.  This pretty amazing.  Okay, it is a bit much.  But how about a weekend in the mountains knitting and spinning?  Anyone up for a mini retreat?  Let me know.  I'd like to arrange one for this fall.  Go on Friday and come home Sunday night...

SALE!

Hi Y'all

Just a reminder that this week is the Christmas/Hanukkah/Winter Solstice/Kwanzaa in July Sale. Nearly Everything in the store is 20% off. Yarn - lots of yarn, books, needles....just not my hand dyed/hand spun yarn and roving or looms and wheels.  Really everything else. 

The New Knitter's

is here along with Knit Simple.  Knit Simple is of course pretty good, it always is.  But, you know how Knitter's has been pretty, well, ho hum, boring lately.  Not this one.  It has some good stuff in it.  I love this blanket.

Happy 4th everyone.  The monthly email is going out starting today and I should have everyone by Sunday.