When the cottons yarns are all here...

When the cotton and cotton blend yarns have all arrived, you know that spring is here! We received on Friday the Takhi Classic Cotton and Cotton Lite yarn in an array of beautiful colors old and new. It is a great yarn to work with for summer light apparel for babies and adults.



Another favorite yarn is Classic Elite's "Firefly" made out of linen and viscose. Great for a quick scarf or drapey light wrap.

Tomorrow is the last day to view the Winter Challenge projects that people made. We have woven, felted and knitted items on display. We can't thank all for taking the challenge! We hope you will stop by and look at them in our glass cubes.

Luxurious yarn

We see a lot of yarn come and go in the store but after Classic Elite released a new pattern in their weekly email newsletter called the Alpaca Sox Shawlette we knew we needed this yarn in the store. It is 60% Alpaca, 20% Merino wool and 20% Nylon. It works up on a size 2 needle or if making shawls or wraps with it a larger needle.

I will be taking a break from the store and the blog for a vacation to some place warm. Considering for the first day of Spring yesterday we were having snow showers and more predicted for tomorrow night and early Thursday, our time away is seeming better and better!

We would love for you to visit the store this next week and show the ladies who are working extra hard, what is on your hooks, looms or needles. We always love to see projects completed or in the works.

Put a Little Spring in your Step

Today was another nice day in Natick. The temperature was nice, the sun was out though the clouds did keep it from getting hot. The common was alive with families walking and playing with each other and man's best friend, dogs. We even had a visit from Morty! For those who do not know Morty, his Mom first met us when he was born premature and need to keep busy with her hands while he was still in the hospital.

Remember if you have forgotten your pattern or you have saved your ideas on Ravelry, we have a computer for you, the customer, to use. We invite you to use this! We follow the law, which means we are not to print or copy any patterns so we do not have a printer or scanner in the store. Our computer station was the second one in a New England yarn store almost two years ago! It is not just for knitters! If you crochet, weave, hand spin or just want to learn about Ravelry, just ask us. We will be glad to show you.


Our morning class met as an extra time as their 6 week class ended last week. Laura was wearing her beautiful finished KAL sweater. She has been getting compliments every where she visited prior to arriving at the store. Everyone was admiring it in the store. You can see her sweater in the previous post. Some participants will heading up to Marie's new Wednesday evening class that starts April 6 from 6:30 to 8:30. They know good weather is coming and soon gardening and trips to the Cape will fill their weekends. Marie's class will coincide with us staying open that night until 8 PM. We are hoping that those who can't make it in during our day hours will stop in on their way home from work or pop in after dinner to pick up an accessory, pattern, gift or more.

Vintage books, fun gatherings and the winner is...

My husband and I made a commitment to each other before the holidays that we would start to destash/declutter our house. I said if we just take 5 minutes a day, we should be done in about ... Well on to the point, I was going through some very old knitting, crocheting and needle point books and magazines. We all know that the fiber arts have been around since Man had to clothed himself. I was amazed by these books below. One was printed before I was born. Look at the price! I am sure that was a lot of money in 1950. I can't possibly get rid of these, now can I?

This morning was busy with our Wednesday morning class. This class size and skills have really grown in the last six weeks. I am thrilled that people find great satisfaction in their work and trust me as an enabler, instructor and friend to continue to sign up for our classes. The new session begins with the Saturday classes, April 2. There are no classes next week due to a once a year vacation for me. The wonderful women in the co-op and our employees will hold down the fort while I am away. We hope you will come by and say hi.

I am thrilled to report that Laura, one of KAL knitters has completed her sweater! She came in today to pick out her buttons. The sweater is beautiful! After all our issues with the pattern, she loves the way it fits and she wears it proudly. Her face and head have been omitted on purpose, but look at the sweater! Charlotte is next and Patty might even been right there also. We are now looking for another project.

The feel of warmer mornings in the air

This morning is a beautiful, sunny morning in New England! There is the hint of spring in the air, the grass is turning green, my gardens are green - with weeds! Weeds already? Come on! But enough of that.

Saturdays are great. We have a wonderful group of women that meet for our Saturday morning 10-12 class. They are buzzing with happenings during the week, show and tell and working on their projects at hand. The group waxes and wanes, depending on if people sign up for a 6 week class session or drop in for one session for help and community spirit to keep them inspired. This is the last week in the 6 week session. It is always a day of mixed emotions. Some will return for another session, some will move to another time and day because they want their weekends free with warmer weather approaching.

Our children's class meets once a month for an hour on Saturdays also. It is amazing to see these young people pick up new ideas so fast. They have little fear. We all learn from them so much.

Our KAL group met yesterday. Yes, C. found more issues with the pattern. We did a brief "meeting of the minds" chat of how we will deal with the issue. The KAL is usually a Knit a long. We are called this our "Kurse a long". But we have still had a great time working together on this. Our next challenge will be picking buttons. We have a lot of buttons, but will they be right? WE will be opening the catalog to possibly place an order.

Spring, a time of rejuvenation

The snow has melted fast in the last week and we can actually see the ground and on the common in the center of Natick, which we are most fortunate to be able to look out on every day from the store has green grass.

Spring is a wonderful time with rebirth of creative juices as well. Some of the women in the coop have been very creative. Above are just a sampling of Charlotte's new spring quilted place mats. The photo does not do this place mat justice! She also has new wall hangings and doll quits hanging.

Barbara and Roberta have been at their sewing machines as well and hand sewing some adorable items. The little fish bags are great for a small one skein project and gadget bag or for children. The penny rug style pin cushions that Barbara created with sheep on them are just adorable!

What's on the needles? We are still working on the KAL side to side Cardigan. Some are working on the finishing, I am on my second side, and a couple are still working on the first side. The Woodland turtle neck cowl will be blocked this evening , the second sock is in the processed work getting to the foot and too many other ideas! Of course Berroco and Classic Elite are always filling our email in boxes with great ideas.

Socks!

Last night was the completion of our 4 week sock class. We offer this class about every 3 months. I am really proud of these women! One had made a complete pair plus working on her second pair! Every one else was well on their way to finishing also. One had made socks before but never with yarn so fine and needles so small. J was new to knitting and she had only started knitting about 3 weeks before the class, being taught by her fellow participant and future mother-in-law!

We had lots of learning and many laughs. Look at what great colors they chose also.

This morning is our weekly Stitch group from 10 AM to 12 Noon. This is such a fun, lively group. It is wonderful to see what all are working on each week. People come and go all morning. We just sit around our large table and stitch, telling stories and enjoying each others projects and company. We also tend to enable each other also. LOL Anyone is welcome to join us.

Glamour bracelets

Last night Joan S. held the Knitted Bead Bracelet class. This was a true coop effort. Patty and her daughter, Leslie put the kits together of beads, special thread, toggles or clasps and bead threaders. Joan taught the 3 hour class and the store hosted the event.

It was fun to watch everyone comment and chose their kits. Then they were off to string all those beads. Joan was also making a bracelet, demonstrating how this was done.

Joan took wonderful photos of their completed bracelets. They are still more beautiful in person. Look at the end results! GORGEOUS! We hope everyone wears them in good health. These make wonderful holiday or special occasion gifts. Interested in a class? Let us know and we will be glad to schedule anotehr class. Need more supplies? Kits will be available next week in the store for sale.

Time is ticking

Friday is always a nice day in the store. People looking for weekend projects, strollers come into see what we are all about and it is the KAL meet up day.



Everyone is progressing so nicely on their Side to Side cardigans. Time is ticking away and the projects are getting closer to the end. We have already started to talk about our next project. WE will keep you informed. I promised to take a picture with no humans in it and thought this photo came out great! Okay- someone's feet are in the picture but I promise not tell who they belong to.

After taking the photo, I noticed that the jewel tone ladies sat on one side of the table and the autumn tones were on the other side.

We are getting ready for the knitted bead bracelet class on Monday evening. Patty brought in some gorgeous kits she has put together for Joan to sell Monday evening. I did take a few out so people can see them before hand. There is still space in the class for any who are interested! Kits will be available for sale after the class runs.

Take a measurement

As the saying goes, "Ye who dies with the most toys wins!" We are always suckers for cute gadgets and these are not just for knitters! People who sew, need a tape measure also. Collect them all! There are sheep, chicken, bears and more. These are the newest collectibles from Lantern Moon.

Lantern Moon is a cooperative entity where the profits are returned to the Vietname people for substainable living. We are proud to support them.

Project bags are also in stock. Look for new project bags from Unique Boutique, members of our co-op.

For those watching the woodland turtle neck cowl progress, here it is after two - two sessions. More than half way through! You can not see the beauty of the lace until it is off the needles and blocked.

Will keep the progress posted!

March is here!

Yes, we know, we have not been writing much in two months. Hard to believe! The New England weather has been, well New England! Snowy one day, warm the next, thunderstorms in the middle of winter. In other words unpredictable.

Some of you may know that we have a knit-a-long in process in the store. It has been fun to work through the sweater pattern as well as see what otehr knitters have chosen for colors. Stay tune for Friday. We will try and take photos this Friday.

The one shining ray is that we are predictable! We are open six days a week, Monday through Saturday 10 AM to 5 PM. If we have an evening class, we are open until 8:30 PM. We suggest you call before traveling over in the evening to make sure we are here.

We are itching for spring to arrive. Today was a beautiful, blustery, sunny day. We are actually seeing a little green on the ground in Natick common. That got us motivated to start the new free Woodland turtle neck cowl from Classic Elite. We are knitting it in the green colorway. It is a beautiful yet easy lace pattern.

Stay tune for more nature inspired projects.

Happy New Year!

The dawn of a new year brings hopes, expectations and resolutions to make this year the best year. We have to comment about last year first. Last year was the first year in our new home in downtown Natick. The hard work, long days and nights and bringing in inventory, new co-op members instructors has had a wonderful response from all. We thank you for every day, not just once a year.

Thank you to our co-op members who help out in the store as well as bring us your beautiful hand crafted items for all to enjoy. When they are given as a gift or purchase for oneself, they are receiving something truly special. Their items are available throughout the year and they also welcome custom orders.

What is the new year bringing for you? The list of classes is on our website that are ones you have asked when they will be offered again or you have stated you are so glad they are still be offered. We learn as much from you as you learn from us! It helps to improve our teaching style.

New yarns for the new year have started to arrive. You have asked for more cotton and more luxury yarns and they are coming! We will still have the favorites also. Berroco Flicker is in the store now. A luxury yarn with alpaca and a tiny bit of glitz. Glitz and novelty yarns are coming back this spring, but they are not the novelty yarns of years past.

We have brought back out project of the month theme for those who have wanted to be inspired year round and not just in the summer to keep you motivated in the warm months. We have posted it in our newsletter but briefly it is a sweater called Amherst by Dolce Handknits. A fun, easy, fast, raglan top up cardigan with fun bottons. That will start Jan 3! The yarn we are using is Berroco Peruvia. I am making it out of Abusar If we don't have enough in stock we will custom order what you need. Berroco is so good at sending orders right out also.

We just introduced a new KAL (knit along) This was first suggested to us by Kate F. . She and I have the same taste in knitting and we both laughed when we showed each other the same pattern! It is knit side to side but using color work through out. We have a sample pattern in the store and will be ordering them and the Lamb's Pride yarn as a special order just for those who will be participating. We do request payment at the time of placing the order. This will be ongoing until one of us finishes it! Please join us Thursday mornings to stitch, bring it to stitch night the second Monday of the month or work on it at home.

There is so much more to talk about today but it is a day off for me and that means farm work. I am "skirting" fleeces today to get them ready to send off to the processors to have more natural color roving made.

FYI, thank you Kate, the date for the monthly spinning group is incorrect in the newsletter, it is Friday but the 28th not the 29th. That is what I get for not proofreading at a reasonable hour.