The Knaughty Knitter

Class Deadlines Approaching

Just wanted to remind folks that the registration deadlines are approaching for several classes.  

Our annual Mitten Knit Along starts Monday Jan 3rd for those who want to meet and need help figuring out what to do.  We'll meet at 10:30 as many times as people want to.  I have my two pair picked out....Dragon Paws and some intarsia mittens (pattern at the store)......and I am sure at least one more will attract me before the end of the month.  This is free and no registration required.

Knitting 200 - Saturday Jan 8, 15, 22, 29 at 10:30 am.  Four one hour sessions.  We'll learn lots of techniques:  Some alternate cast ons, cables, tiny lace, modular knitting, how to adapt patterns to fit or write your own, fabulous finishing techniques and much more. $45 Registration Deadline is Dec 31st

Knitting 101 has one space left in it.  The deadline for this is tomorrow too but since I know it is going to make that can be extended until Monday.

Tunisian Crochet - the deadline is Tuesday the 4th - I do not have a sample knit up but I promise it'll be pretty.

And Socks has one slot open and it starts on the 8th with Magic Loop class (a prerequisite).  See the class section at the side for more information.

Okay back to the yarn for me - I have four HUGE boxes to go through....

Here's that Ambra Hat & Scarf Set

 

  The pattern's free with yarn purchase. 

Reminder on hours - we are open regular hours except there is no group on Friday and we will close at 5, and are of course closed Saturday.

Happy Christmas

and we'll be open again on Sunday.

I got this crazy yarn in Thursday - It is from Lana Gatto (Italian) and is called Ambra.  It has little bits of knitted pieces in it that give it lots of fun texture.  I'm doing a hat and scarflet and will hopefully finish writing the pattern for Monday.  It is Acrylic, Alpaca, Wool and Nylon and normally I would not buy that combination of fibers - it seems wrong to combine alpaca with acrylic - but this one is too much fun and I got it anyway.  I am knitting the Ambra part on 10.5s and that seems to work well - though I think the yarn rep's sample was on larger needles.

 
And here are my yarns for the Dr Who Scarf - the original one.  I am still missing the red but it is on the way from Cascade.  Since the scarf is sooo long and sooo wide (66 stitches on the original) I am using Sport Weight yarns.   It may take me years to complete but will make great mindless knitting.

 I ordered extra if there are any Who fans out there who want to join me......The colors will also be coming in Cascade 220.....

Last Minute Gift Ideas for Knitters

Besides the gift certificate---- 

Collect a little basket of various notions, we all need 'em. 

A fancy beaded stitch marker or a set of them even.

A set of interchangeable needles, or just a set of nice needles - rosewood or even glass. 

A case to put those needles in.  

The new Fiber Mania guide - if your knitter is planning any trips this year this guide will tell her where all the yarn stores are.

A knitting tote or basket or bag

A skein of hand spun yarn

Yarn and some dyes.

A drop spindle and fiber

A Help Card - for an hour worthof lessons and project help

A good basic knitting book - especially good for a new knitter

A nice shawl pin

Wonderfully scented wool wash

Fancy buttons

Hand dyed ribbons for fringing scarves

Audio CDs about knitting

 

 

 

It's a rainbow of colors

of one of the new yarns - Berroco's Weekend Chunky.  There are 15 colors.  Weekend Chunky is a cotton/acrylic blend that is machine washable and knits up on #10.5 needles at 13 st/4 inches.  It'd be great for baby stuff and dish towels, even a sweater. 

 Of course it is so new, the Berroco site doesn't have any free patterns up for it yet - but I am guessing they will pretty soon. 

Here's the newsletter that went out this weekend too:

Happy Holidays!

I hope everyone has a great holiday, which ever ones you celebrate.  Be safe traveling and take along lots of knitting or crochet. 

Here’s a present for you.  Until Dec 31^st there is a deal at the store.  If you spend $100 you get a $20 gift card for your next purchase.  These can be spent on yarn or accessories, books, even spinning wheels and looms  (sorry, not on classes). 

There is a TON of new yarn in the store – Yarn made from paper, a new chunky cotton blend from Berroco, new yarns from Cascade and Noro and half a dozen other small companies.  New yarns and accessories are arriving daily.  Yesterday brought more of the popular Janet Baskets – these great foldable baskets for holding bigger projects, and rice baskets that I haven’t had in a while and a great little Lotus “tool basket”  with pockets everywhere.

There are lots of classes coming in January.  New ones, so check the calendar at the website for updates.  I am particularly excited about Knitting 200 where we will try out a lot of techniques – cables, modular, lace knitting, and more.  We’ll also learn how to adjust the size and gauge on patterns.  There is also a sock class, that’ll fill up quickly so don’t miss out by waiting too long.

Our hours for the holidays will remain the same except – we will not have Friday groups until after the new year, and we will be closed Dec 25^th and Jan 1^st. 

Happy Knitting!

Meredith

 

So much yarn

not enough time...

I made this cute little hat last night out of the new yarn that came in - Paper Yarn!!! and washable and softish too.  The hat literally only took an hour and and maybe 15 minutes for the flower and there it is - you have a paper hat.  The pattern is free on Universal Yarn's website for the yarn Papier...

 

there are boxes waiting for me to get into on Thursday....ooohhh

 

Here is a picture of my advent scarf so far - The Lace Knitter's Advent Scarf - I like this one, the yarn is hand dyed cashmere from my stash and the patterns are short and fit well together.  Of course you can't tell that really yet - but when it is blocked you'll see.  The yarn is redder that it looks in this picture.

And last - things have gotten a little weird around here today...Karen has been in inventorying (May many blessings be heaped upon you for that, Karen) and stopped to sew eyes on Lisa's dead fish hat.

It is really a great hat; her brother ought to like it.

The Cowl Book is up on Etsy

It's Here  Yeah!  Whew, what a day - Doyle did it though.....tomorrow I will hopefully get individual patterns up there too.

Along with tagging the new PAPER YARN that came in...it is pretty interesting stuff, 75% paper, 25% nylon, soft and knits up quickly on #15s.  And it is hand washable...Wow, I wouldn't have thought that. 

Yes we are open

I will put any other announcements up here, but we are currently open.

I am working on putting the Knaughty Dozen Little Cowls Booklet up on Etsy this morning....I am working on a computer that doesn't have pdf ability and so have to work at how to do that and then how to put it on etsy - I am hoping that by noon I can have it all up - but at least a paper copy will be available by 11:00.

And another neat little thing...We are now carrying a locally made wool wash from Crafting Balance.  It is a no rinse, delightful smelling concoction but doesn't leave a residual smell or feel on the wool.  It is very gentle and comes in no scent too for those who are sensitive to that stuff.

 

I got in some more Alpaca Grande yesterday and there is more coming - it makes such a wonderful cowl or hat for this weather (okay maybe not for today but certainly earlier this week and probably tomorrow).....and knits up quickly too.  I met with the rep yesterday and there are new interchangeable needles coming soon from Plymouth.  Right now they are sitting in customs, but it shouldn't be too long.  Not sure it'll make it before Christmas though.  Here are some pictures.....

 

 

 
Tee Hee - they're Rosewood, nice sharp tips and you screw on needles to a pretty great cord, there is a key to lock them on but they did fine for me without that step.  I love 'em....rosewood is my favorite thing to knit with.  They have needles from size 4 to 11, four cords and retail for $120 - not bad when you consider that a set of Rosewood straight needles are $13 +.  

If you are looking for last minute gifts and don't have time to knit them - we've got some things here - woven and knitted scarves, hats, cowls, a few hand made books, handmade soap, one of a kind totes, as well as nice gifts for knitters.  And Hob Nob Murfreesboro is giving some things away too in their 12 days of Christmas promotion.  On day nine a couple of gift certificates from The Knaughty Knitter are in the prize package. 

I am adding a Knitting Therapy group on Thursday Dec 16th at 3-5pm.  This is Free Knitting Help, come in with your problem project and we'll work on healing it.  No appointment needed, just show up.

A reminder or two - Interweave Knits has a $5 rebate coupon if you purchase any of their products here at the store - this includes magazines as well as their books.  It is valid through the end of the month.  And one more -----if you are making cowls/scarves, hats, etc for the VA we'll be taking what we have in next week and another run if we can in January.  Bring it by on Monday to get it there soonest or after the holidays will work too.

And  I got an email this morning about a spinning wheel for sale - A spinolution wheel.  Just call me for contact information on the person selling it.  She wants $600 for it.

 

Here's what I am doing now

This weekend I went to the Sewanee Studio Tour thing and Lynne Vogel was doing all this amazing stuff with her tiny spun singles with active twist - weaving and knitting entrelac and it was really beautiful stuff....but I came back and decided that weaving even with commercial yarns in lace weight might be fun and pretty and I was right.  Here's what is on the loom right now

 It is Alpaca and Tencel hand dyed by Fiesta yarns.  It is shiney and soft and light as air.  I have enough in one skeing for at least two scarves - so I think the second one will be woven with some mohair and silk lace weight yarn in a solid color - Kid Seta I think will do well.  I might get the chance to spin up some singles tomorrow and use them in something interesting too.

And with the recent shipment of Farmhouse Yarns came more of Andy's Merino - a yarn that is totally irresistable for me.  It's a slightly felted single ply yarn, and butter soft.  Here's s cowl in the works.

 I am still trying to decide how big it'll be - if I stop now I can also get a pair of hand warmers out of the leftovers.  Cause after yesterday's icey cold temps I have decided it will be months before I ever leave the house without a hat, handwarmers or mittens and several layers of wool on my body.

And at the Studio Tour in one place was a maker of the most amazing hand made books I have ever seen.  Each was unique, covers carved from wood and embellished in truly creative and thoughtful ways and superbly bound with cotpic binding.  Her name was Nancy Wallace - I wish she had a website but she doesn't.  But I had to mention her because they were truly awesome examples of bookmaking.  There were some really great artists exhibiting everywhere but these two really stood out to me.