The Knit Nook

SALES SALES SALES!

2011-04-20T17:15:00.003-04:00

Well, going out of business sucks. But if there's one good thing, it's that we are contributing to the stashes of area knitters.

Let the stashing continue! Starting April 21, everything in the store will be 30% off. Books and Patterns will be 75% off! And we have freshly stocked sale bins up front that are 50%-75%.

Our last official day is April 30, but even after that, the sales don't quit!

Our LIQUIDATION SALE (I only seem to be able to type that in all caps) is Friday, May 6 and Saturday, May 7 (Otherwise known as Oaks and Derby). Everything in the shop will be 50%- 80% off! We'll also have a $1 bin and $5 grab bags. Cash and check only, please.

Thank you so much for your support and friendship! We really appreciate it!

Eloise Sweater (again)

2011-02-09T12:59:00.006-05:00

To review: Eloise Cardigan (free on Ravelry), one skein of Cascade Sierra, smallest size.

Here she is at two months.

One month.

And two weeks.

So MH has gotten bigger, but this sweater is still too big. I have a sneaking suspicion that all of her sweaters--no matter what size they are--will fit her perfectly in July.

Sad News

2011-02-08T16:36:00.002-05:00

You have probably already heard the sad news that after five years, we have decided to close the Knit Nook. Many factors led to this decision, but the main reason is that we have been hit very hard by the economic downturn. Closing so soon was definitely not part of the plan. I always thought that my children would go to Bloom and come hang out at the yarn store after school. That they would grow up sitting at that big old table coloring, doing homework (and hopefully) knitting. But it just wasn't meant to be. It makes me sadder than I can even say...I just don't have the words. (And don't forget, I have my MFA in Creative Writing--a masters degree in figuring out how to say something!)

But even now, I have no regrets. The last five years have been a blessing. I got to do what I loved for five years. I might not have made much money, but being able to take all the yarn I ever wanted right off the shelves made me the envy of every knitter. And most importantly, I have formed more friendships in that tiny little store than in my whole entire life. My life is better because I owned the Knit Nook. And even though the store will close this spring, I know that I have made friendships that will last a lifetime.

Thank you so much for five wonderful years.

Love,
Kristin

Old sweaters

2011-01-26T21:06:00.004-05:00

MH and I went to the Knit Nook today. Mimi (aka Cindy) was wearing one of the first sweaters she ever knitted. It was so long ago, in fact, that I don't remember the pattern or the yarn. (I think she made the pattern up and the yarn company went out of business, so a lot of good that information would have been anyway.)

But MH was sweaterless (again. I never seem to remember that people get mad when babies are hand knit-less in a yarn store. She doesn't even have a hand knit hat. I'm an embarrassment.)

But luckily, Mimi/Cindy was there and she had just the thing: another sweater that was knit a long time ago, except this time I sort of remember the stats. It was the lamb sweater from Slip Stitch Knitting out Swedish Yarns Baby Ull. It was the smallest size and I remember at the time we were convinced that it was impossible that a human could ever be so small, that only one of the smaller stuffed animals would wear it.

But here MH is at almost seven weeks and it fits her perfectly.

So MH has a new sweater. It was five years in the making, but definitely worth the wait.

More baby pictures (by popular demand)

2011-01-09T19:06:00.009-05:00

Mitzi requested more pictures of Mary Hadley. How am I to refuse such a request (especially when it's made by a brand new grandma?) I was also criticized at Stitch and Bitch for not dressing MH in any hand knits. So here's killing two birds with one blog entry.

Here she is in her Eloise Eyelet Cardigan. A few weeks later, and it's fitting a bit better. (MH is a month old now!)

And here she is in the One Skein Hooded Baby Sweater (rav link) that Mimi (aka Cindy) knit for her.

Posing for pictures is difficult work!

First Sweater

2010-12-21T16:22:00.002-05:00

I remember when I first knit this sweater and it didn't seem possible that a human being could ever be so small. Well, turns out Mary is even smaller than that! The sweater is a bit big, but she doesn't seem to mind! Here's hoping we'll get at least another month out of it.

Pattern: Eloise Eyelet Cardi (Lion Brand) [rav link]--the smallest size
Yarn: Exactly one skein of Cascade Sierra, gifted by Steven
Needles: US 8

This is a great pattern for a quick and easy baby sweater. It literally took me a day to knit.

In other news, we'll be closing early on Christmas Eve and will remain closed through the weekend. Have a Merry Christmas!

Baby!

2010-12-12T21:40:00.005-05:00

After 9 months of pregnancy and 12 hours of labor, Mary Hadley Dennis was born on Thursday, December 9 at 7:18 pm. She weighed in at 8 lbs 2 ounces and 20 inches. (I know how you all like the baby stats!)
We're both doing fine. Sleep deprived, but recovering nicely.
And did I mention that she's the most beautiful person that I've ever seen in my life? Definitely knitworthy!

Mary Hadley has arrived!

2010-12-09T20:05:00.001-05:00

Happy birthday to Mary Hadley, who just arrived! She weighs 8 pounds, 2 ounces and we're awaiting more information (and cute pictures!)

Knitting Time

2010-11-09T11:26:00.003-05:00

Fall is knitting time for a lot of people, but I'm talking about knitting TIME...literally. Check out this clock that knits time into a scarf:

http://www.fastcodesign.com/1662601/infographic-of-the-day-clock-knits-time-into-a-scarf

Also, don't forget about our SALE this weekend. There's still six weeks until Christmas so it's the perfect opportunity to get started on some presents!

FALL SALE
Saturday, November 13 and Sunday, November 14
Everything in the store (except gift certificates) is 10% off
Sales bins 30%-75% off

Baby Shower and Fall Sale

2010-11-04T17:18:00.003-04:00

Last Thursday, I was given a surprise baby shower. Among many wonderful and adorable presents, I got this baby blanket.

Isn't it fantastic? Mission Falls 136 and the Mason Dixon mitered square pattern. (And just a few weeks ago, I looked up at the Mission Falls bin and thought to myself, "Hmmmm...why do we only have that much? I thought we ordered a lot more for fall!" I guess the mystery is solved!)

Thank you everybody for being such great knitters and great people!

In other news, we're going to have an impromptu FALL SALE the weekend of November 13 and 14. Everything in the store will be 10% off (notions, patterns, books, bags, YARN, classes--everything but gift certificates) and we'll have sales bins 30% - 75% off. This is our one and only 2 day sale, so take advantage!

Cthlulu

2010-10-19T10:05:00.003-04:00

Sorry I've been MIA. It's this whole gestating/graduating thing. It's a real time suck.

But in between the naps and the papers, there has been knitting. A few more baby sweaters. A pair of toe- up socks. And a Cthlulu Balaclava. The Cthuluclava, as it's called.

T is pretty awesome. Not only did she only learn how to knit last year (in our Saturday Beginning Knitting class--I was going to say that this was some shameless self-promotion, but isn't that what a blog is?) and become a regular, not only is she the nicest person in the whole universe, she has the most kick-ass DVD collection, which she shares (see the second compliment) with all the knitters (see the first).

So if you come to Stitch and Bitch and wonder why we're always talking about Buffy and Angel, it's because of T.

As I was watching Buffy, I thought about knitting something to say, "Thanks for being awesome, T!" And knowing that she's a huge sci/fi nerd and HP Lovecraft fan, I knew what I had to knit.

It was a difficult project (lots of little pieces and picking up stitches), but it ended up looking pretty awesome. I told T that I was sorry that I didn't block it.

"That's okay," she said. "Cthlulu is from a dimension that doesn't recognize Euclidean geometry, so it makes sense that he's a bit wonky."

Wow, did I make the right hat for her or what?

Kentucky State Fair, 2010

2010-08-31T15:01:00.011-04:00

The Kentucky State Fair is over, so hopefully you all got your fill of donut burgers, fried butter, farm animals, and Joan Jett. I didn't bother going. I'm six months pregnant. Which means no beer tent and food poisoning would be even more unpleasant than normal. Not to mention the heat.

The only thing I felt like I missed out on were the textiles, but luckily, some of our customers sent me pictures of some winning entries. The Knit Nook really represented this year!

Suzanne entered Paloma's owl sweater [rav link], but it didn't win anything. Suzanne said that the fair was just lousy with owls this year. (Just do a Ravelry search for "owls" and you'll see that it's true.) But her beautiful alpaca shawl won second place. We think that the colors were just a tad subtle and dark which is why she didn't win first. But she's got a strategy for next year.

Sharri entered three things and won three ribbons. The Bob Dobbs vest she made for her hubby won a ribbon (no, that's not intarsia; crazy lady did the color work in DUPLICATE STITCH!)

Her Piper hat and scarf set (and Sharri made up the scarf pattern herself to match the hat) won a ribbon.

And her Bex socks (no picture--Sharri, if you have a pic, send it!) also won a ribbon. Good job, Sharri!

Mary Beth's Dale of Norway ski sweater won third place. It's an exquisite piece of craftsmanship (she steeked the armholes for crying out loud!), but unfortunately for Mary Beth, craftsmanship doesn't seem to be a requirement for ribbon-winning at the KY state fair. Cute always beats difficult.

Mary Beth's gloves won second place, which I would have said was a travesty, if they hadn't been overlooked all together last year. So at least they were recognized. Finally!

Martha's crochet wedding purse won a blue ribbon. It's absolutely gorgeous. There are beads and everything. This purse is so lovely, that it has actually converted some people to crochet. Seriously. Martha worked on it in the shop and we had two people sign up for Beginning Crochet.

So remember Mary Beth's exquisite Dale of Norway ski sweater with the steeks and the colorwork? This is what won the blue ribbon. Jane's Sheep Yoke Baby Sweater (free pattern on Ravelry). But honestly, it's adorable.

And remember Suzanne's owl sweater that didn't win? This won a ribbon instead. Jane's Top Down Raglan. (Man, it's a wonder Jane can even show her face around this shop! If she wasn't the Mayor, I'd be worried for her safety!)

But Jane wasn't finished winning ribbons. Her Noni purse with the fairy garden needle felting won Honorable Mention.

Of course, there were plenty more Knit Nookers who submitted items to the fair and won ribbons. If you know of anybody else or have any other pictures to share, please email them to me! Congratulations, everybody! I hope you treated yourselves to some deep fried butter because you deserve it!

Cravings

2010-08-19T13:08:00.005-04:00

I would say that since I've been pregnant, one of the most frequently asked questions (besides "Is it a boy or a girl?" or "You're not shutting down the Knit Nook, are you?!") have been about cravings.

I have had two very strong cravings, but neither has been food related. No pickles and ice cream cravings striking in the middle of the night. Which is odd. If you know me at all, you know that I already have disgusting food habits. I drink pickle juice straight from the jar. And that's when I'm not pregnant.

My first craving has been for cigarettes. Almost every single night, I have had dreams where I am smoking. And in these dreams, I am pregnant, but I somehow convince myself that "one or two cigarettes won't kill the baby." Obviously, I have not indulged this craving in my waking hours.

The second craving is less hazardous, so I've been indulging with abandon.

(Ripple stitch blanket out of Mission Falls 1824 cotton.)

Crocheting.

I seriously can't get enough.

Candy Babies by Candi Jensen is one of the best books for baby crochet projects. When I saw Victorian Charm, I got a SERIOUS craving.

Made out of 3 skeins of Debbie Bliss Eco Baby [rav link] in color 14009 and US G/6 hook. I just love it and she's going to look so cute in it!

Unfortunately, sewing on pieces of lace trim has not been one of my pregnancy cravings.

It's a Mini Pini!

2010-07-27T17:22:00.001-04:00

It's a Mini Pini!

It's a February Baby Sweater!

It's a Confection Shrug!

It's a GIRL!

Summer Sale!!!

2010-07-06T10:57:00.002-04:00

(gratuitous picture of me knitting on the beach a few years ago. cause what's a blog post without a picture?)

I hope everybody had a wonderful Fourth of July. I swam, ate a few burgers, drove over 1000 miles. God Bless America!

But if you thought that the festivities were over, think again! What better way to celebrate this great country of ours than to buy some beautiful yarn on sale? (Yes, I know that the connection between liberty and yarn is a stretch. But I'm talking about yarn. On sale. So you'll forgive my clunky segue.)

Our Summer Sale is this Saturday, July 10! I know, I can't believe it's here already! Everything in the store will be 15%- 75% off. That includes books, patterns, needles, bags, yarn, everything (except gift certificates--but feel free to spend your horded stamp cards and gift certificates at the sale.) We're opening at 10 am so be here early!

Also, our Fall 2010 Class Schedule is posted on the website. I'm going to try my very hardest to get some hard copies in the shop by Saturday.

See you all then!

Audrey in Unst

2010-06-20T15:52:00.004-04:00

Just because I wasn't blogging doesn't meant that I wasn't knitting. Here's one of my FO: Audrey in Unst from the Fall 2009 Twist Collective, knit out of Misti Alpaca Tonos Pima Silk DK in neon yellow. I made the fourth size and it took 3 skeins. The real color name is "Roasted Corn" but I don't think that conveys just how loud and obnoxious this color really is. Hey, I'm a child of the eighties--I love me some bright ass yellow!

This was one of those situations where I fell in love with the pattern and the yarn separately. I would dream about this cardigan, wondering what yarn I could possibly use. Simultaneously, a skein of this yarn would end up sitting next to me at the table. And a few skeins were even squirreled away in the back. But it really took me a while to make the connection.

Despite the tiny needles (the pattern calls for US 4 but I used US 3 because those were the only needles I had at the time--it was late at night and I wanted to get started so I told myself that 3 and 4 were practically the same needle--and then later I wondered why the sweater was a smidge too small...hmmmm) this was a really fast knit. The body of the sweater is done from the bottom up and the sleeve stitches are picked up from around the arm hole. The pattern incorporates ingenious short rows to shape the cap. And the lace was fun and easy.

Tonya was good enough to model the sweater for me. She even wore a green shirt and everything. (In this picture I told her to "do a Kevin pose." Not enough muscle-flexing, but good attitude.) Can you believe that it was only four months ago when Tonya has a baby? That's right, Johnny is four months old and Tonya is looking and feeling great. I'd like to say that it is all the sweater's doing because it's just that fantastic, but I'm sure that it has more to do with breastfeeding and Johnny finally sleeping mostly through the night.

Here's a close up of the unst. It's a great stitch with an awful name. Reminds me of smocking and it's very easy.

You can also see that I still haven't put the buttons on it. After I finished it and realized that US 3 needles are in fact smaller than US 4, I also realized that no amount of cajoling could get my pregnant boobs into that cardigan anyway. So for now, it's button-less, but no less wearable. It's the perfect summer sweater--great over a tank.

Tangled up in Yarn

2010-06-15T10:28:00.004-04:00

I've been trying to get some knitting done, but it seems like every time I get going on a project, I turn away for a second only to find this:

Tangled yarn all over the living room. Chewed up needles. I find myself spending more time untangling than I do knitting. Needless to say I've learned to put my knitting up high when I'm not around.

Because who knows when the beagle will strike!

Gorilla Knitting

2010-06-10T11:19:00.002-04:00

And now for some Gorilla Knitting....

Okay. It's a bad pun, I know. But I've been meaning to blog about this sweater for a while. And then the gorilla was wearing it. And the last post was about Guerilla Knitting....yeah, it was lame.

But not the sweater. This Presto Chango [rav link]. The smallest size took one skein of Cascade Sierra.

The thing that I love about this sweater is that panel. The idea is, that babies are messy. But this sweater is part bib. (Does that make it a swib? OMG, what the heck is my problem today! I'm seriously being so dorky!) Anyway, the baby pukes all over the front and PRESTO CHANGO, you replace the panel!

And the panels can all be different. Just think of all the various combinations. Instead of making a sweater for every holiday, you make one sweater and three or four panels. Or it you aren't sure if the baby is a boy or a girl, make the sweater in a neutral color and gender-fy the panels.

I also think you could remove the panel entirely and it would make a cute shrug.

Well, there were a few Presto Chango's made in the Baby Sweater class and those knitters seemed to enjoy it.

And the gorilla seems to enjoy wearing it. He hasn't taken it off yet, has he?

Guerilla Knitting

2010-06-08T09:07:00.002-04:00

Paul sent us this picture from Austin, TX. That is a knitted argyle street lamp cozy. And I thought knitting my Christmas stockings was bad enough...

For more, check out this Flickr group for Guerilla Knitting. I know our own Irene has attempted to start the trend in the Highlands, but unfortunately, no pictures were ever taken. I guess Irene and her Guerilla Knitting are now only the stuff of legends.

Cozy

2010-06-07T19:17:00.004-04:00

Ellen accidentally left her priest collar on the table. It just goes to show that you can't leave your stuff at a yarn store. You put something down on a table for one second and before you know it, somebody's crocheted a cozy for it.

Howdy!

2010-06-04T17:31:00.007-04:00

Nope, I didn't die.

Actually, the exact opposite has happened. Yep, I'm 13 weeks pregnant, due December 10. (I figured I'd throw you that little tidbit. That way you wouldn't be so judgmental about my blog neglect.)

But I'm feeling more like myself these days and thought that since April and May got completely away from me, that I'd give June a try.

So, I was just looking through some saved pictures on my computer, figuring that I could through up a gratuitous beagle shot (because what's a blog post without a picture?) when I came across this beautiful item.

Did I ever blog about this? I actually went back to the blog and scrolled back a year (don't worry, it didn't take long) and I didn't see it. So I figure that if I blogged about it more than a year ago, then you all forgot about it anyway, so I'd just go ahead and blog about it anyway.

This is Margie's Hemlock, made out of some Debbie Bliss Stella she procured on sale last summer.

It never would have occurred to me to use this yarn for this project (I made mine out of Cascade Heritage because I follow directions--particularly when Jared Flood is the person doing the telling) but I think it turned out beautifully. The stitch definition is out of control. Now, because Margie used a smaller yarn, the blanket isn't very big. But I think you know where I'm headed with this. Smaller yarn. Cotton. Smaller blanket. Hmmm....there might be another Hemlock in my future.

Oh, and speaking of the Summer Sale, it's on the schedule for July 10.

Oh, and one more thing: did you check out Tonya's blog post about her Spud & Chloe pattern? It's absolutely adorable! Congratulations, Tonya!

Okay, before I completely pull a Kevin (you know, not blog for months only to blog a novella once I do finally get to it), I'll let you go. And hopefully, I'll be back before August.

Advanced Lace Class

2010-04-01T10:50:00.005-04:00

This is not an April Fool's joke. You can learn how to make this beautiful lace shawl.

Seriously.

The Advanced Lace class starts Wednesday, April 14. Check out the website for details.

You know what else isn't a joke? All of the fabulous new lace weight we just got in.

Six Week Sweater Class

2010-03-30T10:49:00.004-04:00

Flattering ribbing, interesting construction--Ysolda Teague does it again.

The Snow White class starts Tuesday, April 13 6-8 pm. Ask us for details.

Other classes that are starting soon. Check out the website.

Extreme Knitting

2010-03-25T19:41:00.002-04:00

Check this out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVRfVEONxJQ

I will never ever complain about untangling the two or three skeins of yarn in my bag ever again.

Empire Waist Cardigan

2010-03-17T08:59:00.006-04:00

Yep, it's another FO!

This is the Empire Waist Cardigan by Pam Allen from the Classic Elite book New Harbor. I had looked through this book many times. I love Pam Allen (she's so sensible!) and also all of the models are standing next to the ocean while wearing their hand knit sweaters, and sometimes they are even walking in the ocean with rubber galoshes. For some reason, whenever I am looking for a knitting pattern, this is a prerequisite for me. Also, if there are any dogs or puppies involved. That usually convinces me to make the sweater, too. (As you can see, I am not nearly as sensible as Pam!)

But as I was saying, I looked through this book a lot, but I never ever noticed this sweater. Maybe it was the yarn choice (brindled light blue cotton). More likely it was that this model was just standing against a building and not next to the ocean at all. But for whatever reason, this sweater didn't even register. Until I saw it on A Friend to Knit With and I saw what a wearable, wonderful sweater this really is (and yes, in her pictures, she was standing next to the ocean--it never hurts. Me, I have no ocean. So I model with dogs. It's a close second.)

Stats:

Pattern: Provence Marl Empire Waist Cardigan by Pam Allen

Source: Classic Elite booklet #9098, New Harbor

Yarn: RYC Silk Wool DK, approximately 13 skeins

Needles: US 5, 6, and 7

And by the way, the little beagle in the pictures is our new dog, Desmond! We adopted him last week. The St. Tropez sweater worked!

The Polar Bear

2010-03-15T09:23:00.005-04:00

Okay, Bekah emailed me these pictures weeks ago. In fact, she finished the Polar Bear months ago. She even brought it in, along with her adorable baby Seth. There she was, in the shop, bear and baby in hand. It was a perfect opportunity to take a picture for a blog post.

Bekah, never shy about bossing people around (she's a teacher as well as a girl after my own heart) told me to get the camera and take a picture so I would have something to blog about.

"But my camera is way over THERE!" I whined, pointing to the office that was precisely five feet away. (And we wonder why this blog isn't updated more frequently. Hmmmm....)

Luckily, Bekah took the initiative and sent me pics of the Polar Bear herself. Here he is.

I believe she knit him out of Blue Sky Organic Cotton. And she used safety eyes, I remember, because I marveled at such technological advances (I don't get out much). No clue where she got the pattern (Was it a book? Something about knitted toys? Is it at the Louisville Public Library?) but I know for a fact that the pattern was British because this bear is constructed from no less than five hundred little pieces that must be sewn together.

Of course, it took Bekah forever to knit it. Never mind that she was pregnant and working full time, and then caring for an infant. It took her almost a year to complete this project and I'm blaming it on the pattern. So now I don't feel so bad about taking a few weeks to blog about it. This bear has been a long time coming!

Our Stuffed Animal class just started last night, so hopefully this will be the first of many stuffed animals to make its way onto the blog. If you're interested in knitting a bear, I really recommend Otto by Ysolda Teague. He is made all in one piece, in the round, so there is absolutely no finishing (except for putting his face and ears on). Ysolda is Scottish and so she is much more practical than the British designers. Except she loves crazy cast ons. It must be a UK thing.

St. Tropez

2010-03-11T15:28:00.003-05:00

Remember this sweater?
Yeah, I barely remembered it either. I entered it in the fair last year and then I brought it over to Cindy's to block and I never saw it again. That is, until I went over to her house to watch the Oscars and I wore it home.

I wore the sweater yesterday (yep, still unblocked). It's comfortable and as flattering as any hand knit I've ever made (which means, it's still wonky, but pretty much wearable--hey, maybe BLOCKING might solve some of those issues!) But it's a cotton sweater! With short sleeves! And it's called St. Tropez which sounds so tropical! So wearing my wonky, unblocked St. Tropez, I felt intoxicated. I ate some questionable sushi, drank too much wine, and almost adopted a dog over the phone.

I had so much fun making bad decisions, that I decided to wear it again today!

Stats:
Pattern: St Tropez by Sarah Hatton (Rowan Mag #45)
Yarn: Cotton Glace (the gray was frogged from another sweater, the red was from the shop--I don't remember how much. Aren't I so helpful?)

He is Knit-worthy!

2010-02-27T11:52:00.004-05:00

It's a serious topic of discussion at the Knit Nook: as we're pouring hours and days and weeks (months!) of our lives into making all the little stitches that convert a ball of string into beautiful handmade objects, we wonder out loud who in the world could possibly be deserving of such a gift. The question is, is the person knit-worthy? Mothers usually are, even mother-in-laws on occasion. Grandmothers almost always are knit-worthy. But what about husbands?

I made Jonathan a sweater for his 30th birthday.

"When did you have time to make this?" he wondered.

And I thought back to all the times when I was sitting right next to him, knitting away on this gray furry monstrosity, wondering if it would be any good, wondering if he could ever appreciate such a gift, promising myself that I wouldn't resent him no matter how he acted because who wants to get a box of guilt for their birthday, even if it is made out of wool and alpaca?

"It's perfect!" he said. "Just what I always wanted!" And he put it on immediately. He even wore it to work the next day despite the fact that it still needed buttons on the collar.

So I gave my husband a sweater for his birthday, but the greatest gift was mine. My husband is KNIT-WORTHY!

Naana Naana Boo Boo!

2010-02-24T13:40:00.006-05:00

Guess who I got to meet last night?

Heeeeereeeee's Johnny!

And he had some new sweaters to show me, both by Elizabeth Zimmerman.

Here is the Surplice Jacket made out of Corntastic. (This would be a great sweater to make in our upcoming Baby Sweater class that starts Sunday, April 11.)

And here is the Baby Surprise Jacket made out of Dale of Norway Baby Ull. (The BSJ is going to be a class in June!)

I thought the sweaters were wonderful, but Johnny wasn't too impressed. He could barely keep his eyes open.

Alright, Shizknit, I give you permission to steal these pictures!

Knitting Olympics

2010-02-15T21:26:00.005-05:00

Dum. Dum. Dumdumdumdumdum Dum dum-dum dum dum dum dum dum!

(That was supposed to be the Olympics music, just in case you don't recognize it.)

So you had all weekend and two snow days: how's your knitting Olympics project coming?

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-12T14:47:00.004-05:00

Yesterday, we received some flowers at the Knit Nook. Aren't they pretty? With all this snow, this was a lovely reminder that spring is on its way.

But nothing can compare with the card:

Thank you, Steven, for giving us one of the best Valentine's Days ever!

And don't forget to cast on for your Knitting Olympics project tonight!

SALE!!!

2010-01-28T19:01:00.004-05:00

Super Bowl Sunday isn't until next Sunday (February 7), but Becca had a great idea for this Sunday: impromptu yarn swap! So if you want to clean out your stash before you fill it up again, now's your chance. Unwanted yarn will find a new home and you will be able to buy guilt-free come Sale Day. It's a win-win! This thing is super casual, so I didn't even ask Becca about a time. Let's say noon or one.

And because I'm tired of blogging without pictures, here's something cool that I stole from my friend Louisa's amazing blog The Portland Pickle.

Yay! Crocheted oysters (so much preferable in my opinion than the real thing). And that granny square blanket is awesome, too.

Read more about Clare Crespo's crocheted food here.

February

2010-01-21T10:48:00.002-05:00

It's all coming sooner than we realize. For instance: the Super Bowl Sunday Sale is just a little more than two weeks away. Sunday, February 7, 10 am - 6 pm. Everything in the shop (and I'm talking books, hooks, needles, yarn, bags) will be 15- 75% off. And when I say everything, I do mean everything. That means if you've got yarn stashed in back, you better buy it or kiss it good bye, because it's all going out!

So there's the sale, and then we're right into the Spring classes. Starting Monday, February 8, a new set of classes will begin. Here's what's starting in February (with the starting dates in parentheses):

Basic Socks (Monday, February 8)
Cables (Tuesday, February 9)
Six Week Sweater Class: Choose Your Own Adventure (Wednesday, February 10)
Entrelac (Friday, February 12)
Baby Hat (Sunday, February 14)
Felted Bag (Tuesday, February 23)
Baby Booties (Sunday, February 28)

And don't forget about the Beginning Classes every Saturday. Knitting starts at noon, Crochet at four. Check out the website for more information.

Spring Class Schedule

2010-01-14T08:23:00.000-05:00

Look at this! Blogging twice in one week! I'm so glad I set that New Year's Resolution bar so incredibly low that I could practically walk across it without tripping.

Anyway, I'm about to get on a plane to go back to Massachusetts. Jonathan's grandmother passed away a few days ago and so we're going to her funeral. So even though I won't be around this weekend, I've left you all a little gift. The Spring and Summer 2010 class schedule is up on the website!

As the weather breaks and tricks us all into thinking that spring might be coming, we can day dream about all the spring knitting projects on the horizon and all the classes you can take!

Have a great weekend and see you all next week!

Tonya's Baby Shower

2010-01-11T08:01:00.005-05:00

(This picture was 100% stolen from Tonya's blog, but since it's in the service of her receiving a ton of presents, I figured she wouldn't mind.)

In case you didn't notice, Tonya is pregnant. Like really pregnant. (More pregnant than she was in this picture, that's for sure!) I know we're all still feeling a bit hung over from the holidays, but it's now time to pick up those needles and start a new project for a new person! (Eat a cookie for strength. Go ahead. You gave that New Year diet enough effort. It's been well over a week. Come on, one cookie won't matter.)

Once you finish said knitting project (let's say it's a hat) you weave in those ends and wrap it in tissue paper and bring it to the Knit Nook this Saturday around 3 pm for Tonya's shower. Maybe you bring a plate of cookies. I mean, the cookies you ate before don't count if everybody around you eats the same amount.

In conclusion: this Saturday, 3 pm is Tonya's shower. Bring something.

(And don't worry if you just can't stomach the idea of knitting something in the next six days. She's registered at Target.)

And speaking of New Year's resolutions, somebody asked me if I had resolved to write on the blog consistently only to give up on it halfway through the year. Ha. Ha. Ha. So very funny (she says totally dead pan and serious). Okay, maybe I did make a resolution to write once a week. I think that's totally manageable. It's like the years where I resolved to start drinking my coffee black or to start flossing more regularly. I set the bar low so that the goal is easily achievable. I set the bar low so that when I fail, I can say, "Meh, that was a stupid resolution that hardly even matters."

I hereby resolve to write on the blog once a week.

Snow Day

2010-01-07T14:10:00.002-05:00

So here I am at the Knit Nook, eating soup and knitting, watching the snow outside. It's mighty cozy, but I'm all by my lonesome. Not a single customer today. The only people were the mailman, the Fed Ex guy, and Wayne, our UPS man. Through all kinds of weather and all sorts of slow moving traffic, you have to hand it to these guys.

I hear it's just going to get worse, so I've decided to close shop early and cancel Stitch N Bitch. I'll be here until five, and then I'm going to go home and put on my pajamas and knit. I advise that you all do the same!

Happy Snow, everybody!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-04T20:43:00.005-05:00

Another holiday season has come and gone, and another year is here! I don't know about you, but after all that Christmas knitting, I seem to have more knitting to do for others, what with birthdays and babies (Oh, Tonya's baby shower has been postponed for Saturday, January 16 at 3 pm, so you've got more time to get knitting. But I can't push it back any more. The girl's about to pop!)

One of the best projects I saw all December was this amazing hat by Heather. Yep, that's R2D2 and light sabers and the May the Force Be With You stamped across the brim in crystal clear fair isle. Oh, and did I mention that it was reversible?

With Storm Troopers and the Star Wars logo on the other side! It was made out of Dale of Norway Baby Ull and the pattern was of her own design. (But here's hoping she decides to put it all down on paper!) I have shown pictures of this hat to everyone and knitters and muggles alike were thoroughly impressed. Great job, Heather! This is knitting that is sure to crack that boyfriend curse wide open!

The last class of the Fall 2009 season is starting this Friday: Fair Isle knitting. So if you want to learn to be a great knitter like Heather, call and sign up!

The Spring and Summer 2010 schedule will be posted by the end of the month. You know...by THE SUPERBOWL SUNDAY SALE!

Fox in the Morning and Holiday Hours

2009-12-16T18:05:00.003-05:00

This morning Keith Kaiser from Fox in the Morning came down to the Knit Nook to knit, spin, talk, and torture--I mean play with Suzanne's angora rabbit, Cardigan. It was a fun time. Thanks to everybody who watched and a special thanks to T and Suzanne who braved a cold, very early morning to come down. If you missed us, click here to watch a clip.

I also want to remind everybody about our Holiday Hours.

We will be closed December 24, 25, and 26. Merry Christmas!

December 27- 30, we will be open 12- 5 pm. Happy Birthday to me!

We will be closed December 31 and January 1. Happy New Year!

Regular hours will resume Saturday, January 2. That includes Beginning Knitting and Crochet.

If you have any questions, please call us: 502-452-1919

And here's another little reminder: the Superbowl Sunday Sale is six weeks away!

Fox in the Morning

2009-12-13T18:39:00.003-05:00

This Wednesday, December 16, we'll be on Fox in the Morning, 5 am - 9 am. So be sure to tune in, or stop by if you're up early enough.

This is a picture of Keith Kaiser and me two years ago during the Knit Nook's first Fox in the Morning appearance. That's right, this will be our third year!

Hat and Mitten Class

2009-11-30T11:20:00.003-05:00

We've got our first Hat and Mitten Class of the season starting tomorrow night (that's Tuesday, December 1 for those of you still confused from Thanksgiving about what day it is). What surprises me is that only one person has signed up. Now, people, I know it hasn't been very cold outside and that you haven't needed a hat or mittens when venturing out of doors, but you will! In a few short weeks (or even days, according to some) the weather around here will get very chilly and you will wonder if your basic knitting skills could somehow convert a few skeins of yarn into precious items of winter warm clothing. And then you'll be sorry that you didn't take advantage of this special opportunity!

So, to review: Tuesday, December 1, 6 pm. The Knit Nook. Hat and Mittens Class. Sign up.

Yarn Amnesty Day

2009-11-13T09:12:00.002-05:00

If you've been to the Knit Nook lately, you'll notice that there's a lot of yarn. I know that's kind of like saying, "Hey, look at this water. It's really wet!" (I mean, we are a yarn store: who else would have a lot of yarn?) But seriously. Even by our standards, there's a lot of yarn around.

Particularly in the office. Now whenever you, our loyal and lovely customer, comes into the shop and wonders if you need five skeins or six for the vest you are knitting, I will usually offer to put a skein in the back for you (because I am JUST that helpful!) So, in the back that skein goes. Now multiply that scenario by five hundred and you can see just how crowded the office is getting. Even I've thought about cleaning it (and if you ask Cindy, that means the situation is dire!)

To combat this problem, we've declared November 23 Yarn Amnesty Day. That's when all of the yarn imprisoned without charge or representation will be freed. So, if you have yarn in the back that you would like us to hold for you beyond November 23, please call and claim your skeins. Otherwise, back into the wide world it goes! (Or, back on the shelves in the tiny yarn store.)

Finished Object

2009-11-11T18:33:00.003-05:00

Oh, this old thing? It was just something I whipped up when I didn't know what else to knit!

This is the Benbecula Sweater (which I always pronounce as "Bunnicula" in my head) from the newest Rowan Magazine (46), knit out of Rowan Felted Tweed Aran in color 729 (soot). I made a size medium, but I think I only needed 12 balls.

It's not blocked yet, so it's kind of wonky in the front (an aside: why do knitters always have to point out the flaws of their knitting?!), but I'm sure it will be beautiful when I finally get around to it! I know, it's been finished for a while, but in my defense, I knitted this sweater in less than a month, so I'm kind of owed some knitting time on the back end, and the 80 degree weather does not encourage sweater making!

I really recommend the Felted Tweed Aran. Although it's very different from the Scottish Tweed (and not really an appropriate substitute if you ask me), it's a softer tweed than most, but still sturdy enough to make a good solid sweater. And it has wonderful stitch definition as demonstrated by the thirty million cables on this sweater.

Holly by Hand

2009-11-07T16:19:00.002-05:00

Collen (the blogless) mentioned today that she was having trouble getting to Holly's blog. I told her that Holly had changed her blog.

"But I click on Knit on my Cat from the Knit Nook blog," Colleen said.

I told her Knit on my Cat was no more, that Holly had a new blog.

"Yes, but I click on it from the Knit Nook blog and there's nothing there," Colleen insisted.

Oh. Yeah. I forgot to update the link. Thanks for the reminder, Colleen!

So now if you want to see what Holly is up to, she is now Holly by Hand. Enjoy!

(Are there enough hyperlinks?)

Just checking in...

2009-11-05T21:44:00.003-05:00

Sorry! I've been so busy and then I blinked and it was November! Where did October go? Well, I promise pictures of some knitting and yarn next week. In the mean time, my laundry room--that began as a dream, then a promise, and most recently, a nag--might become an actuality this weekend! All these years of doing laundry in other places, and I've got more mismatched socks than pairs. But for some reason, I hate to just throw them away! Maybe I can make one of these:

I know those are gloves, but I don't have 1000 extra pairs of beautiful vintage gloves on hand. But torn up, mismatched socks with the elastic shot? I have a whole laundry basket! (And that's a rug I wouldn't mind walking on!)

Another use for yarn

2009-10-06T15:34:00.002-04:00

You like to buy more yarn than you can knit? Here's a great solution from the blog Nienie Dialogues.

Knitting and World War II

2009-09-26T11:46:00.005-04:00

Knitting was a way for the homefront to support the front lines. To help kick off the new exhibit World War II: 48 Local Stories that Changed the World at the Frazier International History Museum, we will be knitting authentic World War II socks (pattern courtesy from the American Red Cross) Saturday, October 10, 12-4 pm.

If you would like to come knit with us, please let us know. Or come down and visit. The exhibit looks very interesting!

Upcoming Classes

2009-09-23T14:22:00.006-04:00

Now that your garden is dead (or if it isn't, don't you think it's time to give it up already?), and the weather is awful, it's time to pick up your knitting. Never mind that it's still eighty degrees with a thousand percent humidity. Things will get cold soon enough!

We've got some great classes starting soon!

Knitted Beret

$45 + materials

Sunday, September 27, October 4, and 11, 6-8 pm.

This isn't just a floppy hat. Cables, lace, buttons, or color work: choose from one of the gorgeous Ysolda Teague designs. You will also learn shaping techniques. And won't you look adorable just in time for the cold weather!

Here's Whitney modeling her Estella. And we've got an Ishbel in the shop.

Fair Isle

$45 + materials

Tuesday, September 29, October 6, and 13, 6-8 pm.

Put a little color in your knitting. Learn how to knit using two colors, hold the yarn with two hands, and read a color chart. Make the Blue Steel (a Whitney Boswell original) or the Endpaper Mitts, designed by Interweave Editor Eunny Jang [rav link].

Here's a close up of Blue Steel.

Six Week Sweater Class: Design Your Own Pattern

Wednesday, October 14, 21, 28, November 4, 11, and 18, 6-8 pm.

$75 + materials

If your perfect sweater doesn't exist, learn how to make it! You will learn all about gauge, shaping, pattern writing, and finishing techniques. Or, if you have a sweater pattern in mind and just want to learn how to alter it, this class is for you!

There's no picture. Just close your eyes and imagine your perfect sweater. Okay. That's the picture I'd put here.

Entrelac

$45 + materials

Entrelac is a knitting technique used to create a textured diamond pattern. Make a hat, a scarf, or a felted bag.

Here is Heather's Lady Eleanor. Thanks for letting me swipe the picture!

New, New, New!

2009-09-03T17:17:00.002-04:00

Our new website is up! Check it out!

Our Fall class schedule is finally up, too. We've got a lot of classes starting up in the next couple of weeks, including Cables, Felted Bag, Basic Socks, and Amigurumi. Call or email us if you're interested.

Also, this Saturday only, we're having THE MAYOR'S 10% OFF NEW YARN! That includes all of the ROWAN, MOUNTAIN COLORS, NASHUA, and CLAUDIA HANDPAINTS we just got in. Ask us for more details. And remember, it's this Saturday, September 5 only! This is your last chance for a sale until Super Bowl!

And we're open on Labor Day regular hours. I'm on the diet from hell right now and need to stay away from all barbeques!

The Fair, Part 2: Not so fair after all...

2009-08-31T09:03:00.014-04:00

(I totally stole the title from Kevin's Facebook post about our trip. And if you belong to Facebook and haven't become a fan of the Knit Nook...well, then you are mean. Or lazy. Go over and do it right now.)

So the main reason for our trip (besides eating junk food and petting animals) was to see how our entries did. Now, before I begin my rant about the messed up judging, I will admit that I won a ribbon--and since my decision to enter was totally last minute--I was pretty happy. I got Third Place for my Odessa Hat and Clapotis.

And Heather's Socktopus won an Honorable Mention. When we turned it in, the ladies at the check in table seriously couldn't contain their excitement. (Okay, I do have a little beef: why isn't there a knitted toy section? Does it make any sense that Heather's Socktopus and Mary Beth's Latvian Gloves compete against one another? That's like comparing apples and socktopuses.)

And speaking of which... Mary Beth's gloves got third. Seriously. All that Fair Isle. Those tiny needles. She knit fingers for crying out loud! On US 1 needles!

Cindy wasn't going to enter anything, so when she decided to enter a pair of lace socks, we were proud. And she won fourth. She was happy because her expectations were so low. But seriously, first place was a pair of stockinette socks knit out of self-striping yarn. I will admit that they were perfectly knit, but how hard is it to get nice and tight stitches when you are only knitting? And furthermore, I had the sneaking suspicion that the judge wasn't aware that the yarn was self-striping. Meanwhile, Cindy has those SAME EXACT SOCKS at home. We're talking same colorway and everything. And furthermore, there was a pair of fair isle socks--and I'm talking REAL fair isle, not the fake isle you so often see--and they didn't even place.

And the Mayor. That beautiful hand knitted, felted, and needle felted purse...got third place. Again, I don't think the judge had a clue about the technique. The Mayor explained the process when she turned in her item, and I think they didn't realize that she designed it all free hand. There weren't any kits or stencils. She used the felted bag as her canvas and painted with roving.

But at least the Mayor got a ribbon. Mary Beth's adorable bag didn't even place. And that's the way it was treated, shoved down in the bottom of the case.

Which is where my wrap sweater ended up too. Maybe if I'd bothered to block it, I would have had a shot. The sweater that won first place was a beautifully blocked lace cardigan.

Another disappointment--and I didn't know anybody who entered in this category--was the crocheted baby sweater. A beautifully executed baby sweater won third. First place? A shell stitch baby cardigan out of Wal-Mart acrylic yarn. A perfectly fine sweater, but it looked like the baby sweater every Mamaw has crocheted for their grandbaby since the dawn of time. I could have done it, and I don't even know how to crochet all that well.

I know we weren't the only ones upset by the judging, but because I'm not actually willing to become involved in the Kentucky State Fair textile judging, I hesitate to file a complaint. I also heard, in the judge's defense, that difficulty of pattern or quality of fiber is not a factor, but rather perfection of execution. I guess I always thought it was like the Olympics, how dives were rated by difficulty and perfection. So again, goes to show how much I know.

Oh well. We got our discounted tickets. We mooed at the cows, petted some rabbits, and ate some ice cream. Overall, we had a great time.

The Fair, Part 1: Ugly Lamp

2009-08-29T11:57:00.003-04:00

Last Sunday, we went to the Kentucky State Fair. We took lots of pictures (and I will post them on our Facebook page--oh, yeah, did you all know we have a Facebook Page? Be our fan!).

So to milk this sucker for all it's worth, I'm going to break this up into a week's worth of posts. Plus, after seeing Irene's Ugly Lamp, I'm not sure you can handle anything else!

Irene always gets the leftovers. The scraps. The stash. Do you have a garbage bag of Fun Fur that you bought on sale when you first started knitting? Well, Irene's the girl to take it off your hands.

So when she was gifted a bunch of sparkly Fun Fur, Irene decided to make an ugly lamp. Or more specifically, an ugly lamp cozy.

Here it is, at Lynn's Paradise Cafe's Ugly Lamp display at the fair. She didn't win. Maybe this is because time and again, while Irene was knitting at the shop, ladies would come up and exclaim, "Oh, that's so pretty! What are you making?" And Irene would respond, without batting an eye, "An ugly lamp."

Password Protector

2009-08-06T18:10:00.004-04:00

Mitzi emailed us these pictures. I never realized knitters were so concerned with privacy!

New Baby at Farmhouse Yarns

2009-08-04T11:01:00.003-04:00

Farmhouse Yarns is a favorite around here (Andy's Merino, Lumpy Bumpy, Fannie's Fingering just to name a few). Beautifully hand dyed yarns, natural fibers from local American farmers--it's wonderful to imagine all those happy sheep while we're knitting or crocheting.

Carol, the owner of Farmhouse Yarns, sent an email announcing the surprise birth of one of her sheep. Since this blog has been dedicated to birth announcements of late, it seemed appropriate to share it with you.

The baby was 9-1/2 pounds and up and about. Both mother and baby are doing fine.

Makes you want to buy a sheep farm, doesn't it? Well, at the very least, think about this cutie the next time you're knitting Farmhouse Yarns.

The Knit Nook Beer Summit

2009-08-03T10:28:00.003-04:00

To celebrate our soon to be post-racial society (or at the very least, good old fashioned conflict resolution over a couple of brewskies), we held our own Beer Summit at the Knit Nook last Thursday in honor of the brew-haha at the White House.

Ethel drank the Professor's beer of choice (though I heard later that he switched to Sam Adams), Ruth had a Blue Moon ala the Cop, and Colleen--the ever dedicated Democrat--drank a King of Beers for Obama. We might not have solved the world's problems, but we had a nice evening, and didn't get so sloshed that we couldn't pick up our dropped stitches.

Thanks, Ruth, for the picture. She has demanded that the Knit Nook blog could use more pictures, and I couldn't agree more. So if you've brought your camera to the shop and taken pictures, please email them to me!

Wind Powered Knitting Machine

2009-07-30T09:08:00.002-04:00

Check out this Wind Powered Knitting Machine. (From what I can tell, it's a wind mill powering a vintage sock knitting machine.) Don't you wish we had one of those all hooked up last fall? We could have gotten a hundred socks, easy!

Thanks, Steven, for sending the link.

Baby Surprise Jacket

2009-07-28T10:51:00.006-04:00

Last spring, Sally took our Baby Surprise Jacket class. And even though she sent me these pictures ages ago, I'm only now putting them up on the blog. But it was well worth the wait!

Sally says, "My granddaughter, Luci, is modeling the sweater. It was fun to make and I can't believe that blob turned into a sweater! What an interesting pattern!"

Thanks for sharing, Sally! Your granddaughter is adorable and that sweater ain't too shabby, either!

If you would like to make this sweater, we have a class coming up this November. And this time, it's not just for children! We've got the pattern sized for adults, too!

Our new schedule is not up on our website because we are in the process of redesigning it. If you would like a copy of our new class schedule, please email us (knitnook@knitnook.com) or stop by and pick up a hard copy.

Baby Ava is here!

2009-07-27T15:50:00.002-04:00

It seems like I can only blog these days if there's a baby born...

On Thursday, July 23 Jessica gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Ava Jane is 8 pounds, 9 ounces (wowza!) and 20 inches. You can see pictures on Jessica's blog or on the Norton website.

Congratulations, Jessica and Chris! Your daughter is beautiful and we can't wait to meet her!

Summer Sale!

2009-06-30T13:25:00.002-04:00

Our annual Summer Sale will be Saturday, July 11. Everything in the store will be 15% - 75% off.

Also, the Fall class schedule has been made, emailed, and printed. I will post it to the website as soon as I iron out some website issues (or rather, get somebody else to do it for me because I am clueless). If you would like me to email you a copy, just let me know. Otherwise, you can stop by and get a handout.

Oh, and we had a wonderful time at Jessica's baby shower.

Jessica's Baby Shower

2009-06-18T19:56:00.003-04:00

Jessica's Baby Shower will be at the Knit Nook Saturday, June 27 at 2 pm.

(That is NEXT week--originally it was scheduled for this Saturday, but neither me, Tonya, or Jane could be there. And there is no way we can have a baby shower without the Mayor!)

So come and show Jessica and lil baby Ava Jane your love!

(I totally stole this pic of Jessica from her blog, but I figured that since this was to advertise her baby shower--where she and her baby will receive lots of gifts--that she wouldn't mind!)

Steven officates

2009-06-11T18:51:00.001-04:00

He knits. He drinks coffee. He has a fancy phone. And now...Steven pronounces them man and wife.

Knit Nook shirts!

2009-06-06T10:46:00.004-04:00

I have been totally lame recently. Okay, maybe not lame. Busy. All last week, I was at Spalding for my MFA program. This week, we've been busy planning my brother's wedding. (It happened last night and it was lovely.)

But lucky for us, Suzanne has been on the ball. She's been busy designing a new Knit Nook t-shirt. And now, we have our own Cafe Press shop. Isn't Suzanne amazing? Now you can order t-shirts from the comfort of your own home.

Clancy is here!

2009-05-19T11:11:00.001-04:00

Bekah just called. After 25 hours of labor, last night she gave birth to a healthy baby boy (7 lbs 5 ounces). Everybody is tired, but doing well. We're promised pictures. I'll post them as soon as I get them.

So, she won't be making to Stitch N Bitch on Thursday. I guess her absence is excused.

Bekah's Baby shower

2009-05-07T09:14:00.004-04:00

Okay, my blogging bragging rights have been revoked. I am now going to continue my installment of Bekah's Baby Shower. You remember. The one that happened TWO WEEKS AGO!

And looking back at my photo archives, there really aren't many pictures. (I can blame that on the fact that I was watching Leo and not taking pictures, but that isn't really a very good excuse.)

Anyway, there were a lot of handknits given and received. The dinosaur. And also some booties and some bibs. But I don't remember who or what and I definitely don't have pictures. So.

Here's an overview.
We were going to have Chicken McNuggets for food. Maybe we would have even arranged them in a cake formation just like that one commercial where a bride insists on having a Chicken McNugget cake at her wedding for some inexplicable reason. But Bekah wasn't feeling well and couldn't eat solid food, so we figured that the smell of Chicken McNuggets when one couldn't eat any was kind of cruel. So we ate non-smelly food.

We all got together and made Bekah this Griffyndor baby blanket. (Because Seth is most definitely going to be Griffyndor. Wouldn't that be terrible to make somebody's baby a Slytherin blanket? For those of you not in the know: Griffyndor is good, Slytherin is bad, and you are a Muggle.) It is made out of Cascade Sierra and Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece. Let me tell ya, 1 x 1 rib for three feet is NOT FUN. But we had a lot of help and the outcome was most definitely worth it.

You want a better picture of the blanket? Oh, that's right. We forgot to take a real picture of this blanket. So that's all you get until Bekah has Seth and we get the picture of him sleeping under his blanket.

Monkey Business

2009-05-01T09:49:00.003-04:00

Vi's granddaughter Carol had her first communion. So of course, to celebrate this momentous occasion, Vi had to knit a striped stuffed monkey wearing a crocheted bikini!

It is the Monkey pattern from this Reynolds Kids Book knit out of various scraps Vi had on hand.

Carol loved her monkey! She asked Vi if she had made it or bought it. When she found out that her grandmother had knitted it by hand, Carol said, "Oh good!"

She's named the monkey Suzanne. Huh. I don't know if Suzanne should be honored or not.

Bekah's Baby Shower: the dinosaur

2009-04-28T09:18:00.008-04:00

Last week, we had a baby shower for Bekah at the Knit Nook. I've got a lot of pictures from the happy occasion, so I decided that rather than overwhelming you with one humongous blog post, I would spread it out over the next week or so. (In other words, I'm going to milk this for all it's worth!)

A lot of things were knit for the baby. Jessica knitted this adorable dinosaur.

The pattern is from Knitted Toys. The yarn, Cascade Cotton Club (60% cotton, 40% acrylic). The needles, I forgot to ask. Knitter beware: the pattern is British which means that you knit no less than a thousand little pieces and then stitch them all together.

As you can see, he isn't a very big dinosaur as far as dinosaurs go. Look, the mole is almost as big as he is. Evolution takes no prisoners.

But I'm sure Baby Posnansky will happily drool on him regardless.

February Girlie Part 2

2009-04-20T13:28:00.002-04:00

What to do with your extra yarn? Make a matching headband!

Ellana used the Saving Grace pattern [rav link] and the same Sierra Quattro from the February Girlie sweater.

February Girlie

2009-04-16T15:01:00.003-04:00

The February Lady is nothing short of a phenomenon. Everybody has made one it seems. (Heck, I've made three of them!) Based on the February Baby sweater by Elizabeth Zimmerman, it seems like everybody gets to enjoy the February fabulousness.

And now that's absolutely true. Ellana has knit a February Lady for her daughter, Lily. And this February Girlie looks fabulous!

Ellana made the smallest size, used a smaller needle, and made the sweater shorter. It's knit out of Cascade Sierra Quattro, a wonderful cotton/wool blend.

Happy Spring!

2009-04-15T08:43:00.004-04:00

I know the weather is chilly and rainy right now, but it is Spring! We've had a few days when it's been undeniable. We'll have a few more days this weekend.

If you've been around the Knit Nook lately, you are aware of the current season.

Take these birdies for instance. Becca made the blue bird (free pattern here) and the Mayor made the yellow duckie (which I can't find the pattern for on Ravelry--but have you ever done a search for "bird"? It's AMAZING!) Both projects were knit (yep! not all adorable animals are crocheted) out of washcloth cotton.

Our Mayor threw herself into Easter knitting. She also made a mama sheep (with removable coat) and baby sheep out of Plush. The pattern is called Sheep in Sheep's Clothing--how cute is that? [rav link] The Easter bunny was good to some grandchildren this year!

You just had to check out their little butts, too. Look at blue bird's tail feathers!

Wellspring Auction

2009-04-14T09:50:00.002-04:00

For the last few years, we've donated a basket of yarn and a gift certificate for the Wellspring Silent Auction.

This year, we thought we would do a bit more.

We collected squares and then Jane (our Mayor) put them together. It's a beautiful blanket, with hundreds of dollars worth of yarn and hundreds of hours of time and care invested in it. We know it will get a lot of bids!

Thanks to everybody who helped with the blanket. If you would like to support Wellspring, the auction is April 21. Contact Wellspring for more information.

Jane, Me, and Keith were only some of the people who helped knit this blanket. But we were the only ones in the shop to pose with it! Lucky us!

The Bear turns into a Dog

2009-04-07T08:20:00.004-04:00

First, Tonya made Otto. (Read her blog post about it here.) Then, we decided to schedule a class (Sunday, June 7, 14, and 21--read the description here.)

A friend of mine who moved away last year just had a baby. I decided to make an Otto.

But the more I knitted, the more I kept declaring that its cute little face "looked just like my dog, Harper."

So the bear became a dog.

For those of you unfamiliar with my dog, he only has three legs.

There he is, lifting his stump to pee on a fire hydrant--just like the real Harper. I always tell him that he's such a cliche when he does that.

Can I just say that when I was taking these pictures, there was a man picking his daughter up from the school across the street, and he started talking to me about the stuffed animal and I couldn't understand a single word he said. And that's when I realized he was speaking in German. What the...?

Lenpur Linen

2009-04-06T08:32:00.006-04:00

Like I mentioned in an earlier post, I love spring. Well, not the allergies and fluctuating weather (really? sunshine and 70 degrees and tomorrow it's going to snow?! that hardly seems fair.) but I love the yarn!

The favorite spring yarn around here seems to be Rowan Lenpur Linen.

First of all, the colors:

All those greens!

I know what you're thinking. Linen is stiff and hard to work with. And what the heck is "lenpur" anyway? But I'm here to calm your fears. Lenpur is cultivated wood fiber (yes, it's a link for lenpur.net) and this yarn is soft and wonderful, even before washing. And at a DK gauge, it's perfect for spring sweaters.

Like this one. (And that's Summer Tweed underneath--another perennial favorite!)

The book has a few beautiful sweaters in it. Including the one on the cover. Did I mention that the stitch definition is fantastic? We've even got a few people making the Yosemite sweater out of it!

Personally, I like this sweater. Although I realize that it probably has more to do with the big chunky necklace and the pool. (If she was holding a puppy, or standing on the beach, I would be done for!)

Check this out

2009-04-03T08:31:00.001-04:00

This is so cool:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2FX9rviEhw

Have a great weekend!

Daylily

2009-03-31T08:08:00.004-04:00

I've never been fond of novelty yarns. Maybe it's because I learned to knit at the peak of scarf mania at a wonderful yarn store, so I learned my derisive attitude along with my knit and purl stitches. I tend to like natural fibers and hand dyed colors.

So why the heck am I so in love with Daylily? [rav link]

It's a cotton/nylon/acrylic blend. It looks like a ribbon, but it's not. The colors are interesting, subtle but shimmering. Usually I'm lusting after the 100% cottons this time of year (I love spring and summer knitting--cotton is my jam!) But I find that everyday I'm at the shop, I end up bringing a ball of Daylily to sit next to me at the table so I can just look at it.

I'm not alone. Most other people have fallen for this sweater.

Carla was good enough to model it for us (since I always hate when sweaters are just shown on hangers--it always makes me think, "What's wrong with it that a human being doesn't want to try it on?" But worse is when baby sweaters are modeled by dolls. Gives me the hebejeebees!) and she was also kind enough to wear a dress that coordinated so nicely with the garment.

It's the Scoop Necked Cardigan from the Daylily book. A very versatile cardigan that takes 7 - 12 skeins.

But I'm not going to make it. I was thinking (dreaming, scheming) about a short-sleeved February Lady. [rav link] The perfect spring sweater.

Do Dye Lots Matter?

2009-03-30T08:23:00.004-04:00

Cindy and Margie have just finished these sweaters. Cindy's is Rowan Summer Tweed and Margie's is Rowan Calmer.

If I hadn't titled this blog post so obviously, would you have noticed that each of these sweaters is composed out of two dye lots?

It's not a mistake, it's a design feature. That's what we like to say. Margie and Cindy love their sweaters regardless (except Cindy keeps tugging on the sleeves, wishing they were a bit longer. Good thing the summer/silk blend is very stretchy!)

And a note to all the knitters out there with similar problems: if you don't go around pointing out the different dye lots as soon as you walk into a room, most likely nobody will notice your sweater's condition.

Some Colour on a Cloudy Day

2009-03-29T12:21:00.003-04:00

It's another cold and rainy day, but Heather's not complaining. She just finished her Tender sweater from The Colourscape Chunky Collection out of Kaffe Fasset's Colourscape [rav link].

Check out those wings--er, I mean sleeves!

Look how elegant she looks, reaching for a ball of just out of reach yarn!

(And maintaining elegance in those electric candy shades is quite a feat! But, Heather, you pull it off without a hitch!)

So, it's a cold, gray, rainy Sunday. So what? Pick up that wool sweater you haven't quite finished, turn on the basketball game, and knit!

Yosemite Class

2009-03-27T07:56:00.002-04:00

The Yosemite Sweater Class has already started, so posting about it now seems a little bit of too little, too late.

But it's a beautiful sweater! It comes in a lot of sizes! It's flattering on many body types! It's a great year round addition to your wardrobe! And now, this class is on sale!

That's right. Sign up for the Yosemite Sweater Class by next Wednesday, April 1 and you only have to pay $55.

What the heck? Sign up for the Yosemite Sweater Class by Wednesday, April 8, and you only have to pay $44.

So if you want to take a sweater class, but feel like a whole 6 weeks is a serious commitment, we are ready to offer you a more casual relationship. 4 weeks of a 6 week sweater class offered at a discount? Let's just call that friends with benefits.

For more information about the Yosemite Sweater Class (or all of the other classes we offer), check out our website.

Little People, Big World

2009-03-26T08:32:00.003-04:00

Sorry I fell into a blogless hole again. But thankfully, Keith has come to the rescue!

Keith knows a family of five who are adopting three orphaned brothers from Ethiopia. A family friend requested dolls of each family member and Keith was only too happy to oblige.

You can't see the amazing details as well in this picture, but he's gotten it down to corn rows and facial hair. And because everybody was so impressed, Keith wrote down the basic pattern and asked us to share it with everyone. Thank you!

Keith's Dolls

Yarn requirements: Any yarn will work, but DK or worsted weight will work best. Go down two or three sizes from recommended hook size so your stitches are tight enough to keep the stuffing inside. (Example: with worsted weight yarn, use a G hook.)

Leg – Make 2
Chain 5.
At the end of all the rounds (except the last one), do this: join with sl in first sc, ch 1.
Round 1: (work in 1 loop) 2 sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next 2 chains, 4 sc in next chain, sc in next 4 stitches
Round 2: (work in back loop) sc round. (12 stitches)
Round 3: sc in next 4 stitches, s2tog, sc, s2tog, sc in next 3 stitches,
Round 4: sc in next 3 stitches, s2tog, s2tog, sc in next 3 stitches.
Round 5: sc in next 2 stitches, sc2tog, sc2tog, sc in next 2 stitches.
Round 6 -7: sc round (6 stitches)
Round 8: * sc in next 2 stitches, 2 sc in next stitch * repeat from *.
Round 9: sc round (8 stitches)
Repeat Round 9 until the leg is the desired length.
Stuff leg.
On the first leg, finish off. On the second leg, do not finish off, ending with the ch 1 and start the torso.

Torso, Shoulders &Head – Make 1.
At the end of all the rounds (except the last one), do this: join with sl in first sc, ch 1.
Torso Round 1: sc in next 3 stitches, sc in other leg (2nd to last stitch of the last round), sc in next 7 stitches, s2tog (stitch together (1) same stitch where the first stitch in the left leg and (2) the same stitch where the last stitch from this round was made of the right leg), sc in next 5 stitches.
Torso Round 2: sc round. (17 stitches)
Torso Repeat round 2 until torso is the desired length.

Shoulder round 1: sc, * sc, s2tog * repeat from *, end with sc.
Stuff torso.
Shoulder round 2: s2tog around.

Head round 1 – 2: sc around (6 stitches)
Head round 3: 2 sc in each stitch.
Head round 4: * sc in next stitch, 2 sc in next stitch, repeat from * to end.
Head round 5: * sc, sc, 2 sc, repeat from * to end.
Head round 6 -7 : sc around (24 stitches)
Head round 8: *sc, sc, s2tog, repeat from * to end.
Head round 9: *sc, s2tog, repeat from * to end.
Stuff head.
Head round 10: s2tog around, finish off, leaving a 4” – 6” tail.
On needle, stitch through all 6 stitches and pull tight. Finish off.

Arm – Make 2
Reduce your hook size down 1 or 2 sizes. (ie. If you’ve been using an H for the rest of the pattern, then use an F or G for the arms)
At the end of all the rounds (except the last one), do this: join with sl in first sc, ch 1.
Chain 2.
Round 1: 6 sc in 2nd chain from hook.
Round 2: *sc, sc, 2 sc, repeat from * to end
Round 3: sc around (8 stitches)
Stuff arm.
Repeat round 3 for desired length, then finish off, leaving a 4” – 6” tail. Sew arm onto body.

Crochet Socks

2009-03-19T08:27:00.003-04:00

There's a lot of knitting on this blog, and crochet often gets the shaft. But Suzanne is doing her best to remedy the situation.

She has taught a lot of classes at the Knit Nook, mostly our Beginning Crochet on Saturdays, but also spinning and even some knitting classes too. This month, she taught her first Crochet Socks class. And I have a feeling, it's just the beginning.

Keith took the class and well within the three weeks, he finished his first pair of socks. They are made out of All Season's Cotton (I want to say three skeins, but I am really just making up that number) and a D hook. Keith defies convention by proving that just because you crochet, and just because you're a man, doesn't mean you can't make a pair of kick ass socks! Excellent job, Keith! And thanks for sending the pictures.

If you would like to learn how to crochet your own socks, don't wait until fall for the next class. Call or email us and Suzanne can get you hooked up. (Ha! Ha! My wit astounds me!)

When a sweater is a home

2009-03-15T19:46:00.005-04:00

I was so good for a while, wasn't I? Blogging three, sometimes four, times a week. Pictures almost every time. And then all of a sudden a week went by. And it wasn't until the weekend that I realized that I hadn't blogged.

Well, if it is any consolation, I've completely given up on exercising and making my own lunch. And let's just say Jimmy John's every day and no jogging has made it so I can only wear one pair of pants anymore.

Since it was Sunday night when I decided to write a blog post, I had to use what I have. So I'm going to tell you all about my at home project.

I always have one. It's become a habit of mine. When you work at a yarn store, people are always jealous about all of your knitting time. But sometimes your knitting time isn't your own. There are examples that need knitting (new yarns, classes) and customers often pay me to finish their projects (I am not naming names--you purchase loyalty along with my mattress stitch!), not to mention that sometimes, with all the working that's going on, there really isn't a whole lot of knitting time.

My at home project is my monogamous personal project. It's what I knit when I'm watching TV. It's what I bring over to friend's houses and sometimes to the bar. It's what my dog sleeps on when I leave it on the couch. So that's why, when I all of a sudden show up to the shop with a sweater nobody has seen, it's not because I'm fast, it's because I'm loyal.

Anyway, I've had this Cotton Glace forever. I actually bought it from Handknitter's in Middletown to make Stella's Blouse from Spring 2004 Interweave Knits (rav link). Even then, I was terrible about following directions, so this was my effort to make a sweater the Right Way. I would use the same needles, make a gauge swatch, block--I was doing it all!

You think you know what happened, but you don't. I made the sweater. I finished it. I wore it around a few times. But then I thought, "You know, this isn't really my style." And I frogged it. (You gotta remember, this was before the days that I owned a yarn store. I was a teacher with a meager yarn stash!)

I thought about making the Lucky: Clover Lace Wrap from Stitch N Bitch Nation (rav link), but I only got a few inches into it (below). And then the yarn sat in a basket for the next few years. Homeless.

But then I saw this pattern in the new Rowan magazine.

I only needed two skeins of the red for the trim (isn't it funny how stash busting always requires new yarn?) But I think this one is a keeper.

Whew! How's that for posting? I think I'm good until at least Wednesday!

Erika's Blanket

2009-03-05T08:52:00.006-05:00

It was sad when Erika moved away. But it was also a reminder about how great technology is. She still calls us up at the shop to see what we're up to. We write notes on Facebook and Ravelry. And of course, email.

There isn't much of a knitting community where she lives. So when she finished a blanket for her nephew, she knew how much we'd appreciate it and emailed us some pictures.

The color scheme is sophisticated, but still colorful enough for a little boy. It will be something that can see him through his whole life.

It's made out of Blue Sky Cotton, which is without a doubt my favorite yarn, particularly for baby blankets. The vibrant green color is called Pickle.

Squares are a great way to experiment with new stitches. Also, blankets like this can be great stash busters. If you only have a little bit of yarn left, it might not be enough to make a hat, but it might be enough to make a square.

My favorite is the square with the F embossed on it.

Thank you, Erika for sharing your knitting with us! It's great to still feel connected even though you live on the other side of the country!

March classes

2009-03-04T08:00:00.005-05:00

Tonya is teaching two great classes in the next couple of weeks. Her Baby Shrug class starts March 29 (and that's this month!). The Baby Shrug is a perfect introduction to sweater construction. Top down and on relatively large needles, this is a quick knit perfect for our unpredictable Easter weather. (Seriously, one of our customers said she knit one up the Saturday before Easter so her daughter would have something to wear to keep her warm that wouldn't cover up her Easter dress.) For an adorable picture, look at Tonya's blog. For more information about this and all classes, look at the Knit Nook website.

The other class Tonya is teaching is the Argyle sweater vest. This class started Sunday, March 1. (Yes, I'm a little late advertising for it.) But there are still three weeks left if you want to jump in. This is a more advanced sweater, but is a great introduction to intarsia (that's how you make the colors go). It is made out of Mission Falls 136 superwash merino.

I did have a bunch of photos of the sweater vest, but then Tonya reminded me that she can't post photos of it BECAUSE THE PATTERN IS GOING TO BE PUBLISHED IN YARN FORWARD MAGAZINE! So boo about the photos (they were of Leo, being cute and holding a knitted cob of corn), but congratulations, Tonya!

World's Fastest Knitter

2009-03-03T11:10:00.002-05:00

Sometimes, don't you wish you could knit like this?

Makes my sorry attempts at continental knitting seem inconsequential.

It's not a race, right? I always tell the beginning knitters that. The fastest way to get a scarf is not hand knitting it, it's going to Target and buying it.

But it sure would make frogging not such a big deal.

Socktopus!

2009-03-02T10:10:00.003-05:00

There is also the debate about what to do with extra sock yarn. It's too pretty to just throw away. Sock knitters--always gluttons for punishment--will just use the extra yarn in a new pair of socks, heels or toes, or whatever. I've held it together with plain wool to add color to a hat. Sharri has started knitting condom cozies out of her left over sock yarn (way to update the whole cozy phenomenon, Sharri!).

Or you could follow Heather's lead and knit a Socktopus. She has eight legs that need eight little socks (or leg warmers as the case might be) which is just perfect for sock yarn left overs.

And even though those of us who have seen Coraline recently shuddered at the button eyes, she really is an adorable lady!

Shalom!

2009-02-28T09:12:00.003-05:00

A finished object by Colleen! It's the Shalom sweater (free pattern from Involving the Senses, easily found on Ravelry), made out of approximately 5 skeins of Lamb's Pride Bulky in Old Sage.

Unfortunately, Colleen refused to be photographed actually wearing the sweater. Which is beautiful by the way. It's all the good things about a cardigan combined with all the good things about a vest. AND it's knitted top down on US 11 needles. The only negative is that the pattern is written for one size. But I'm sure I could help anybody figure out different sizing.

If you want to see an actual person modeling this sweater, check out the links above, or Jessica's blog (and her Shalom has long sleeves!)

Malabrigo!

2009-02-27T08:05:00.003-05:00

The Malabrigo is here! And it is so delicious, you don't even need to knit with it to enjoy it. Mary Beth demonstrates how wrapping it around one's head makes a very fashionable turban.

Coraline

2009-02-24T08:23:00.002-05:00

As a knitter, I am often distracted by the sweaters when I see a movie. I remember seeing the Sylvia Plath movie a few years ago and seriously rewinding it so I could look at the sweaters (never mind the depressing plot--check out that cardigan!) The owner of my first yarn store, Linda Daniels, was the sweater knitter for The Ciderhouse Rules, so I was aware early on that a lot of the sweaters on screen are handknit, one of a kind creations.

Althea Crome is the fiber artist behind the knits in Coraline. I should clarify: the handknits in Coraline. She is a miniaturist which means she knits things that you and I struggle with like gloves and intarsia twelve times smaller. She has to create her own needles with wire because they don't make needles small enough for her!

See how she does it in this video. And check out her website for more inspiration.

Fishy

2009-02-23T09:11:00.003-05:00

Whitney just knit the cutest hat ever for her niece. From the current issue of Knitty, the Fishy (Dead or Alive?) Hat was knit completely out of left overs. The colors are fantastic and Whitney did an excellent job.

This pattern raises so many questions. Is the fish dangerous? It seems to be eating the child. But then again, the fish is most certainly dead (X's for eyes: the most important clue) and the kid is smiling. Why wouldn't she? Just the idea of wearing a dead fish for a hat makes me smile. And knitting it, even more so.

Me and Knitty don't always get along. First of all, there are always way too many sock patterns, and some items are of questionable taste. (Also, they rejected Tonya's Eptiome Hat, which made no sense whatsoever.) But you can't argue that Amy Singer has a great sense of humor. Knitty has a whole "whimsies" section in its archive. Also in the current issue is Socktopus, another fantastic stash buster, and the Oomingmacks Slippers. And can anybody forget the knitted uterus?

I'm back!

2009-02-19T11:33:00.003-05:00

Thanks for all the kind words and nice notes about my trip to England. Haven't been back to the Knit Nook yet, but I know that you all did a fantastic job holding the fort down while I was gone. Thank you!

Here are some pictures of my trip. At the Bronte House, in Haworth, West Yorkshire. You knew you were in Yorkshire because as soon as we crossed the county line, sheep ran into the road. No joke!

Some pictures at the Museum of Science and Industry. They had a whole textiles section, including a few demonstrations about knitting. Here I am, trying to use the giant knitty notty, but the person who duct taped the rope "cast on" way too tightly!

Overall, our trip was nice, but 50+ hours of traveling in less than a week is exhausting! I didn't knit a stitch while I was gone. I'm glad to be home!

I'm in England!

2009-02-14T10:51:00.002-05:00

Sorry I haven't been blogging, but I'm in England!

Jonathan and I have been here since Thursday, and we'll be home on Wednesday. I haven't done much knitting (although I brought my February Lady on the plane), but I did see a knitting exhibit at the Manchester Museum of Science and Technology . There was also a coat made entirely of nettles!

I also bought this book and I've drank pints at the pubs Peveril on the Peak and the Britain's Protection.

I hope everybody at the Knit Nook is doing well and not giving Cindy, Suzanne, and Tonya a hard time while I'm gone. I miss you all!

When I get back and figure out the whole camera/pictures/computer thing, I'll post pictures of my trip!

Knit Misti for me...

2009-02-06T08:37:00.003-05:00

Even after the sale, we still have a lot of Misti Alpaca yarns left, especially the Chunky
and the Hand paint Chunky.
One skein will make this scarf. It's a free pattern from the Misti Alpaca website.

Hand painted yarns can be pricey. But one skein? That's so easily justified!

Felted Bag Class

2009-02-05T08:20:00.002-05:00

Felted bags are magical. They are very impressive looking. People will exclaim when you tell them that you made your bag: "You made that! How?"

If they don't knit, just shrug. Really build up the suspense of your own talents.

If they do, then they shouldn't be asking you how because they should already know how to make one since felted bags are seriously that easy. Tell them about the Felted Bag class at the Knit Nook, starting Tuesday, February 10, 6-8 pm.

A felted bag is so easy, you don't even have to purl. And the washing machine does all the felting for you.

Do you want to make the flower, too? Well, that's another class that isn't starting until April. So you will have plenty of time to knit all sorts of felted bags and then you make flowers out of the scraps.

Thanks for a great sale!

2009-02-03T13:32:00.002-05:00

Whew! That was some sale we had!

I don't know why, but the night before a big sale, I'm always nervous that nobody will come. It's like throwing a party. You tell everybody about, spend all that time getting ready for it, and it would just be devastating if nobody showed up.

But you all did! (Check out Holly's blog for a pictures of the big event.)

Anyway, stay tuned for the spring yarns. They'll be rolling in shortly!

And thanks again!

SUPER BOWL SUNDAY SALE!

2009-01-30T14:14:00.004-05:00

[annoying male announcer voice--think car lot commercials or monster truck rallies]:

SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY!

THIS SUNDAY!

THE KNIT NOOK SUPER BOWL SUNDAY SALE!

EVERYTHING AT THE KNIT NOOK WILL BE ON SALE!

YARN, BOOKS, BAGS, NOTIONS!

EVERYTHING WILL BE 15% - 75% OFF RETAIL PRICE!

THIS SUNDAY ONLY!

BE THERE!

[sped up voice like at the end of prescription medication commercials]:

Sale is only this Sunday, February 1st, 2009.
Offer does not extend to gift certificates or class registrations.
All purchases will be final. That means no refunds or exchanges.
Please ask your doctor before you attend (kidding, just seeing if you were paying attention.)

We are Open!

2009-01-29T11:08:00.003-05:00

I tried my hardest to be open on Tuesday. I was here at 10:30 and I shoveled the sidewalk in front of the store. I waited patiently behind the computer, phone beside me. But nobody came in. Nobody even called to check if we were open. When the mailman came to deliver the mail, he said, "Wow, I didn't think you'd be here! Everybody else is closed."

I stared out at the snow covered ground, and the sleet that was starting to fall (ah, the much talked about "wintry mix") and at a little after one in the afternoon, I went home.

If I was unsure if Tuesday was a snow day or not, Wednesday could not be denied. So we remained closed.

But now it's Thursday. The side roads are still pretty bad, everything is covered in ice, and between this and the hurricane last fall, I don't think we'll have any trees left come spring. But two days closed was enough. The novelty has worn off. We officially have cabin fever. So, here we are. Business as usual. Stitch and Bitch until 9 pm.

In other news, our Intro to Intarsia class begins Sunday, February 8, 6-8 pm. Tonya will show you how to read a colorwork chart (or design your own), use bobbins, and embellish your colorwork with duplicate stitch. Here is a picture of her tote bag still in process (it's a bird). The finished object should be displayed in the store by the SUPER BOWL SUNDAY SALE!!!

Did I mention that THE SUPER BOWL SUNDAY SALE IS THIS SUNDAY AND EVERYTHING IN THE STORE WILL BE 15% TO 75% OFF?!!

Sorry for yelling, I don't seem capable of talking about the sale in a normal voice.

Hat & Mittens: Crochet Edition

2009-01-27T11:32:00.003-05:00

Nothing quite puts you in the mood for knitting like a snow day.

(Even though, here I am, at the shop. Nobody's here. I'm wondering if I shouldn't just close up and go sledding like the rest of you all. If you show up today and I'm not here, then check the big hill at Cherokee park.)

So knitting and snow days. But what about crochet? Crocheters aren't only about doilies and granny squares. They need to keep warm on snow days too.

Suzanne will be teaching Hat and Mittens: Crochet Edition Wednesday, February 11, 18, and 25, 6-8 pm. Here are some examples of her handy work (and they are also free patterns on her website) even though your hat and mittens are allowed to be grown up sized and all one color. Check out the class schedule for more information.

And those are her adorable children modeling the handmades. (What's the crochet version of handknits? Handcrots? Doesn't have the same ring to it, does it?)

What is it?

2009-01-26T08:52:00.002-05:00

Is it the beginnings of a baby blanket?

A scarf knit at a gauge so tiny that only Liz would attempt it?

It's Flat Feet, our newest sock yarn from Conjoined Creations.

See? It's even living with the other sock yarn, so it must be true.

February Lady Class

2009-01-23T10:56:00.006-05:00

Based on the Elizabeth Zimmerman pattern, the February Baby Sweater, from The Knitter's Almanac, Flint Knits has adapted this sweater for "a grown ass woman." (Wow, could I get any more links in that sentence? I was tempted to link "grown ass woman" to something hilarious, but I couldn't think of anything.)

The February Sweater Class is a six week class that will meet Friday, 6-8 pm, starting on February 13. Check The Knit Nook class schedule for more information.

While you can see almost 4,000 February Ladies on Ravelry and read over six hundred blog posts about it (this sweater is a phenomenon, people!), Becca was good enough to model the example we've got in the store.

Top down and a swing jacket construction makes this a very versatile sweater. Look, you can even be pregnant and wear it!

Becca enjoyed wearing this sweater so much, she kept it on well after I put the camera away. She even finished sewing up her first baby sweater, from The Knitter's Book of Yarn and knit out of Blue Sky Cotton while wearing the February Lady.

She did a superb job in her seaming, and it took almost no time. I suspect that while wearing a February Lady sweater, knitters of all skill levels suddenly become excellent finishers. I have heard that while wearing a February Lady Sweater, knitters are known to knit so perfectly that they never need to knit gauge swatches and they never drop stitches or make any mistakes. True, the magical properties of the February Lady are still unproven.

But if I were, I'd make one just in case.

It's time for a Change...

2009-01-22T09:54:00.002-05:00

It's a new year, we've got a new president...isn't it time for a new knitting bag?

We just got a shipment of Namaste bags. They will also be 15% off during our Super Bowl Sunday Sale. If they last that long.

Speaking of Hermione...

2009-01-21T15:08:00.003-05:00

Schaefer names their colorways after important women. Look who we found in the company of Eleanor Roosevelt and Rosa Parks.

The yarn is beautiful, but we decided that it is a little too colorful for Hermione. We imagine her in something a bit more subtle and conservative. This color looks more like Luna, or even Ron. (See, Becca? I poke fun, but I'm no muggle!)

Let it Snow!

2009-01-19T10:11:00.003-05:00

We will be open today, in spite of the snow and Martin Luther King Day. Also, the spring class schedule is posted on the website, and it will be emailed out today or tomorrow.

In unrelated news, here is a hat and scarf I made for a friend who moved to upstate New York a while back. The natural colors are Perdues in Paraidse Alpaca (so some Kentucky fibers could keep her warm in her new home) and the red is Misti Alpaca Worsted (because red is an awesome color). The hat is knit and the scarf is crocheted, but the zig zag patterns match each other perfectly.

Be Careful!

2009-01-16T09:51:00.002-05:00

Last night, Cafe Mimosa caught fire. As of right now, Bardstown Rd. is closed and the power is off for blocks. That includes The Knit Nook. Hopefully, we'll get power by 11 am, so it will be business as usual. If not, we'll open a little later today.

In the meantime, we give our love to Cafe Mimosa and wish for a speedy recovery! Check out the article in the Courier Journal if you want to learn more.