The Knaughty Knitter

In case you forgot what it is like

to live in a blast furnace - it seems mama nature is reminding us.  Wow.  We got back from Illinois yesterday and I stepped out of the car and was reminded. 

Where's the cotton yarn?  Oh Wait, now that we need it they tell us- cotton prices have really risen.  I got two more company's price increases today.  SO I just want to say again I will keep stuff at the old price until the 10th of June but after that anything that is not being discontinued will begin going up.  So you could sort of think of it as a 20% off sale on cotton yarn til then.....

The latest Knewsletter

is here and also on the page set aside for that

Happy Memorial Day Weekend Folks

 

We will be closed Saturday May 28^th and also on Memorial Day.  So go to the Middle Tn Fiber Festival in Dickson and enjoy.  Karen will be here Sunday though (Yeah, Karen).

 

There are some great classes coming up. Entrelac knitting class is next weekend (June 4^th) and still needs another person in it.  Sign up before Monday if you are interested.  It is a fun and very pretty technique.

 

I am on a crochet kick lately and just finished a granny square shawl in Mini Mochi.  I am about to order some more of that stuff, cause when you see it you’ll want it.  I’ve been playing in the dirt (we’ve got A Really Big Garden this year) a lot lately and too tired after to knit anything complicated so this was a great project – The Flower Garden Shawl pattern is from Crystal Palace’s website and has been in my queue for a long time. (Just so you know – too tired to knit complicated doesn’t mean too tired to knit or crochet – that only occurs when I fall asleep in my chair knitting needles in hand) Beginning crochet and a Freeform Crochet classes are coming up too.

 

Knit Noro (the book) came in yesterday (it has been on back order at two different companies for over 6 months!  It has some pretty good patterns in it, and of course Noro yarn rocks anyway.

 

The new price list from Plymouth last week and that cotton shortage we heard about earlier in the year is having an effect now.  The price of cotton is going WAY UP in June.  There will be some odd skeins here at the old prices but it tends to go fast so come in before the 10^th to get it at the old prices.  Plymouth’s Fantasy Naturale will be going up to over $7.50 a skein (it is 5.49 now).  Berroco’s Pure Pima (they sent an increase list too) will be going up as well.  So this is a good time to get that yarn for summer knitting while the prices are still reasonable.

 

Happy gardening and happy fibering

 

Meredith

Summer Socks

Finished these....They were going to be the first summer sock club pattern, but it is cancelled so I finished them without continuing to write the pattern and the yarn for them - Kraemer Saucon Sock -will go on the shelves this afternoon. The short row toe was fun and different, but the short row heel was just tedious. 
I think I am knitting a pair a month of socks without even thinking about it - guess I will be more deliberate about it the rest of the year and try a new technique or just use up stash for a pair a month.

I have added some classes to the calendar for July that will help you tap into your creative side.  Check 'em out.  (Hint - if you want to take the freeform knitting & crochet class - take the beginning crochet class in June so you can practice.)

Okay I added socks too.....but a different way of doing socks than my usual toe up, afterthought heel - a more the "old fashioned" way - cuff down etc.  and this will be a little lace sock.  SO if you have made socks before, but don't quite get it and want to try them again this is a good class for you, or if you have never made socks before this'll work too.  I have two socks on the needles and one is made with interesting techniques - it makes the tiny yarn knitting go faster, so does making it lace.....I know it seems that would be harder, but trust me on this - I usually find sock knitting tedious and I am really liking the little lace one.

Latest Projects

Since we came back I have finished 4 projects and so I think I deserve to start something new or 3 somethings.....

There's the June Secret Scarf...not showing that, but it is pretty cool...Clue:  Remember that the Farmer's Markets starts On The Square in June......

And I had this in my queue for quite a while and feel like crocheting so I started last night in group.  This is a free pattern from Crystal Palace in Mini Mochi  - The Flower Garden Shawl.  I am using their suggested colors but changing the pattern a bit....Theirs had the green squares on the outside of the shawl sort of like the grass at the edge of the flower bed.  I decided (with Lisa's help) that green outside on each of the squares worked better for when I am sewing them together and gives each "flower" some foliage. Here are some squares...

 

They are wonderfully fun and quick and I love seeing what color will come next in the ball.  Anyone want a class? 

Here's the other thing I started on Thursday in the morning group...A little shawl in Noro Sock yarn

 
It is reversible and easy but requires just enough attention to be interesting cause you change the stitches whenever there is a color change - It is the Gaia wrap and is free on Ravelry. 

Here are some flower pictures - obviously this is where my current attraction to purples and green is coming from. 

 
 
 I think these delphiniums are the best.  Oh I wish the cicadas would hurry away - I can't really do much dyeing with them all over my clothesline where I hang fiber to dry....

Samples from a couple of upcoming classes

 Here's a wrap I just finished in Entrelac.  It is not blocked - I'll get round to that soon. The class for Entrelac is coming up in June.  Usually for class we use self striping yarn so there are fewer ends to weave in, but I like this look too.  Even after all this I am still looking for way to incorporate entrelac into some things.  Maybe the edge of a crocheted bowl is next.

And these are a couple of shawls made using what I'll be teaching in Knitting Lace Triangles Class on May 21st.  There are some spots left in both of these classes.  The deadline for sign ups for the last class is Saturday, so don't delay.  The blue is made with lace weight yarn, the other is worsted weight (It went VERY FAST).

 

I completely forgot the things I was going to put pictures of - they are sitting in a waiting pile at home so maybe tomorrow there will be more pictures.

In Italy everyone was wearing fabulous silk scarves....I have started dyeing some and here are a couple of the results...They are for sale at the store or on Etsy. 

 
 If anyone is interested in a class in this let me know - I will start a list and if enough folks are interested we'll do one.

We also got the cutest little black sheep totes in today.

Speaking of classes - Sign up soon for Knitting Lace Triangles - a first lace project class - it is next Saturday (21st).  We'll be knitting a lace triangular shawl.  You'll be amazed at what you can do.

 

And.....I nice man just called me and said he had a couple of Jacob sheep fleeces he wanted to sell.  Let me know if you are interested....I also got a call from another nice man offering some alpaca fleeces......I have enough personally and don't want to keep raw fleeces in the store, but I'll be happy to help connect people up if you need a fleece.

For tonight's May Secret Scarf Class bring #4 needles - straight, circs, double points, any will do though my preference for this was double points.  You will also need 6's for the scarf but that can be done later. 

Here is the shawl I started on the plane to Italy....crochet is so much faster....I used three colors at a time of various vegetable dyed yarns from my stash and didn't worry too much about what ball of  yarn I grabbed next except that the general concept was to go from lighter and subtle to darker and more intense.  I have put a beginning crochet class on the schedule for June 11th and we will be using this pattern for the class.  It is just a one time 2 hour class but you'll learn the basics and some pattern reading too.