The Knaughty Knitter

I am out this week

but we are still open.  Robin and Lisa will be taking care of the store while I am gone, along with Doyle. I'll be back Saturday.  I am going away to the Appalachian Center for Craft for a week of fun creating. There is not even good cell phone coverage - I will be unreachable!  There will NOT be Friday group this week.

The Basket of Savings for this week is Cascade Pastaza and Plymouth Alpaca Boucle at 45% off.  

Fab Friday this week is

Louet yarns 45% off.  What's left will be going onto the clearance shelf but that's only 40% off so come get 'em now.

Afghan Project

Here's a new Afghan Project.  

We will meet first and third Mondays at 5 from August through December and you could have an afghan by Christmas!  We'll work on the skills needed for 2 squares at a time and you complete them at home. The classes are free if you buy your yarn here.  ($10/class otherwise)

The square I tried out I did on #8 needles, I think I knit loose and should go down to #6 maybe.  The yarn is some of the new one - Brown Sheep Nature Spun Worsted.  There is a ball here you can use to sample knit or crochet and see how you like it.  

Until the Cascade 220 stock is a bit less I am taking orders for the new stuff and will over time replace the colors.  I will be doing my Sampler Afghan in the new stuff though.  The pattern says it needs 3825 yds, for 20 squares plus edging.  This is 16 skeins of the new stuff, but you can also do it in other worsted weight yarns.  It'd be 20 sk of Encore, 19 of Berroco Ultra Alpaca.  You can look up the pattern on Ravelry to see how other folks have done it but I think it is best in a light solid color.

Let me know if you are coming to class so I be sure to have enough books in stock and that there will be room in class.  You can order yarn for your afghan by coming in and checking out the color cards and we'll order it.  If you do this by Friday at 11 AM it will be here in time for class I think.

But you can also join the class anytime if you miss a class it'll be fine. 

Look at this pretty thing

Here is a shawl of some new yarn we got in.  The yarn is Florafil cotton from Made in America Yarns. The rep brought her shawl like this in and I could not resist.  It came in last week but I delayed putting it out until I could make this cuddly bright shawl.  The pattern is only available free with purchase.  The colors of the yarn are intense and saturated it is very soft.  I have some in stock but will take orders for other colors or when I run out of current stock.  

 

The weekly basket of savings

is still on the shelf....Plymouth Tweed and Vittadini Natasha are 45% off.  Nice yarns, come get 'em so I don't have to take them home with me.

Correction to Knewsletter

I got this today and here is a correction to the knewsletter on the website.

Meredith,

On your website you make a factual assertion about Cascade Yarns and its products which is not true: ”Cascade moved all production to China.” You make this assertion in the context of why you are replacing Cascade 220. A review of your own inventory would show that your factual assertion is not true. While you have the right to your opinion, and to post your opinion publicly, you do not have the right to make factual assertions, about Cascade Yarns, which are not true. I request that you remove your false factual assertions and post a correction. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Rob Dunbabin Cascade Yarns (206) 293-2820

Here is my reply: Thank you for informing me of the incorrect information. I have changed it on the website and will publish a correction on the blog and Ravelry as well. Now I will be more thorough in talking about why we are no longer going to stock most of your Cascade yarns. Really the reason is that you don’t stand behind the quality of your yarns. I recently had a customer return some of your products because they were pilling badly as they were being knitted. It was a 6 week negotiation to get part of it returned at my cost. I am stuck with any that had been price tagged and on the shelf. If those customers complain I will have to refund their money at least in part and eat the cost. Another customer has complained since then. There are plenty of other companies who stand behind their products, I will deal with them. I will be posting this on Ravelry as well. Meredith

Fab Friday Deal for July 19th

A basket of some random Alpaca...Nice stuff in there at 30% off.  Plus check your mail for the knewsletter for another deal.

The knewsletter will go out later today...

but here it is too.  

Hi

 

I have news, actually. We are no longer ordering Cascade yarns.  Lately their customer service has deteriorated and they moved a good bit of their production to China.  While I like yarn from everywhere, the combination of these two things and a few other factors mean yarn with possibly less quality and more difficulty in getting them, not to mention it being a poor choice ecologically.  Since we are switching, I have chosen to go with American made yarns wherever possible to replace them.  Brown Sheep Nature Spun with its 80 colors seems like the best choice for replacing Cascade 220 & 128.  I just ordered some samples and they should be in next week.  To celebrate I will have them out to feel and see and test knit as soon as they arrive.  And starting in August we will be doing an Afghan Knitting Group.  I found a fun pattern of 60 knitted squares (honestly you could pick 30 and have perfectly lovely blanket).  The booklets will be here next week as well.  This group will meet the first and third Monday of the month and we will work through the more challenging squares 2 at a time for 5 months.  This is a great way to learn new stitches and techniques and have an afghan by Christmas.  Class is free if you buy your yarn here.  It can be a solid color or a couple of colors.  I would like to be able to order your books and yarn in time for the first class so if you are interested in coming to class please let me know as soon as possible.  Another great thing about the Brown Sheep yarns is that there is more yardage for less $ in each skein.  And they will allow orders for just how much you need, not in their prepackaged amounts.

 

It seems folks are thinking of fall already and planning for sweaters and warm things.  A new yarn came in and we put it out today because I finished a fun side to side shawl that shows it off well.  It is a self striping alpaca yarn and very soft and pretty….I am going to enjoy wearing the shawl later this year.

 

Fall yarns will be coming in soon and I still need room for them so the Summer Basket of Savings will continue through August at least.  I will have a basket of odds and ends I add to periodically as well as weekly specials and Fabulous Fridays.  Patterns will remain at 99 cents through August as well. Check your weekly emails, facebook or the blog for current sales.  This Fabulous Friday sale is a basket of some random alpaca yarns – things I only have a few left of or am not ordering again.  There will be some pretty great yarns in there and they will be 30% off on Friday only.

 

I am still in a Weaving Frenzy and so have added a Weaving for Fun class in August.  This is the one that I warp the loom and you just come in and make yourself a beautiful scarf/table runner/whatever.  You can see some of my latest weavings on Ravelry on my projects page too.  I’ve inspired Robin and Lisa to weave ….They would tell you I have gone a little nuts….

 

In that vein, and since you read to the end… Mention the knewsletter and get 3 skeins of  Cascade Casablanca or Sitka for the price of 2.  This weekend only – Friday and Saturday since I am no longer open on Sundays. 

And here’s a little extra notice of next week’s summer savings special…Plymouth Tweed and Vittadini Natasha are 45% off.

 

Happy knitting and weaving and spinning and crocheting…Get out of the heat and come in so you can.

 

Meredith

 

Woven fabric project #1

Bag front, still have to sew on the button and make a loop for it, but otherwise done.

lined too and a matching zippered pouch.....Yahooooo!!!

 

Hey, I've Updated the Classes

I added an afghan class that meets every 2 weeks to learn 2 patterns/skills and you could have an afghan by Christmas.  And there is Weaving School - for those with rigid heddle looms who want to learn some new techniques or patterns, some other things too.  Check 'em out.  

 I will be sending a knewsletter out this week - it'd be worth your while to read it.