The Knitting Experience Blog | The Knitting Experience Café

The Knitting Experience Blog Archive January 2006

You know you have a good friend when...

she knits you a boob. That’s right, a boob.

Last week, Mary Ellen made my day by presenting me with this adorable red boob.

She knit it out of cotton/tencel so it is incredible soft and light. The pattern comes from knitty.com (of course!). I don’t think that words can express how much this gift means to me. I wanted to cry and laugh at the same time.

We did a fitting right in the shop with the help of Andrea, another close friend and knitter. (I have to say, if you weren’t close friends before a fake knitted boob fitting, you certainly will be after!)

I have been wearing it ever since. As someone who has worn one of those silicone prosthesis for the past 4 years, this is worlds better!

First, you have the caring factor. I may have lost a breast, but I have gained so many wonderful friends.

Second, it is just plain happy. Who wouldn’t want a bright red boob rather than a sickly plasticy thing?

Third, you can be sassy and fun every morning as you decide what knitted boob you want to wear that day because you know I now have to make one for every day, every mood, every yarn.

Take a look at the pattern and article describing the author’s own personal struggle with post-cancer breast fittings and think about making one for someone you know who could use a little giggle every morning.

And remember... October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Stay tuned for projects and events we’ll be involved with, and in the meantime, do that breast self-exam. Schedule that mammogram. Check in with your friends - make sure they are caring for themselves. Knit a boob. Knit a chemo cap. Knit a pink ribbon.

Enough about bc for today. Time for knitting pictures....

First up is Mary Ellen with her finished Harlot Poncho. Talk about happy!

Next are the adorable alpca/silk gift bags Lauren created:

We have Christina, who is on a mission to complete all her holiday gifts early, with a Malabrigo scarf:

Susan with her alpaca sweater that is making us all drool:

Mandy’s bath mat:

Mary’s deep blue sweater:

That’s all for now!

Thursday, January 26, 2006

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Knitting Olympics!!

I am so excited! Surfing around the web last night on various knitting sites, I stumbled across the blog of the Yarn Harlot. This is a great site! http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/

She came up with the most fantastic idea - the Knitting Olympics. You can read the details on her blog, but basically knitter athletes from around the world are signing up to start and complete a project during the 16 days of the Olympics. You can't cast on until the flame is lit during the opening ceremonies, and you must complete it by the time the flame goes out. You choose the project - something that would be a challenge, but not impossible for you to complete in that time. I'm thinking of a sweater I've been dying to knit. So who's with me?? Come on - it will be so much fun.

More good news for today. We have a new coffee flavor from Wicked Joe's - Jamaican Run Kahlua. yummmm.

I had a huge burst of knitting energy yesterday and finished my "Ruffles" scarf from Scarf Style.

I made it out of Classic Elite's Miracle (50% alpaca/ 50% tencel).

It was so much fun to knit! Then last night I whipped out a few more inches on Alec's new sweater. It is a simple rollneck with a froggy on the front and has a frog hat to match!

How adorable. The pattern is free on Cascade's website, but we'll also have it at the shop. I'm making it in Cascade's Superwash as Alec is 3, and well, you know that washing will be a necessity.

Thursday, January 26, 2006

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Another sale!!

It's time for another edition of our monthly newsletter. For those who don't get the email version, here it is...

Hello everyone,

Isn’t it wonderful to look outside and finally see winter? I was beginning to wonder what state I lived in. Now that the snow has returned, it is definitely time to get those needles out. With the SuperBowl and the Winter Olympics coming up, think of how many projects you can tackle!

For those of you who have checked out the blog lately, you know that we just introduced Cascade’s Superwash 220. I am so excited about this yarn. I worked up a test swatch this weekend and threw it in the washing machine along with a regular load of laundry and then put it right into the dryer. Not only did it not shrink or pill – it softened beautifully. This yarn is 100% wool and perfect for any project you want to be able to wash without much thought.

To celebrate the new superwash, we’re putting all of our in stock Cascade yarns on sale this Saturday. From 10am to 4pm on Saturday January 28, all Cascade yarns will be 15% off. That includes:

Cascade Superwash 220

Cascade 220 (my absolute favorite pure wool)

Cascade Pima Tencel (a gorgeous cotton/ tencel blend)

Cascade Tuscany Grande (a 100% wool, thick and thin – only a few balls left!)

Cascade Fixation (this cotton/elastic blend is amazing to work with and perfect for socks, baby hats, sweaters, etc…)

Cascade Sierra (a cotton/wool blend that is perfect for sweaters)

Just a reminder – Classic Elite’s Princess yarn is 20% off until the end of January so don’t forget to stop by to add a bit of this luxury yarn to your stash.

Happy Knitting!

Chesley

Saturday, January 21, 2006

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Knit at Night sets a record!

We had the most amazing night last night! Over 15 knitters came for knit at night and we had a number of others drop in to check out the shop. It was tons of fun to hear all the conversation going on with the needles clicking away. Sweaters, vests, scarves, hats and more were under construction. Then Karen Marston arrived with her baked goodies. The chocolate biscotti was so fresh it was still cooling off. That was a huge hit. I had a blast. But, I definitely paid for it this morning. It was HARD to get out of bed. You know those days - you just want to unplug the clock and hide under the pillow. So I stumbled out to the kitchen to make coffee and promptly spilled the coffee beans all over the kitchen counter and floor. It was quite a morning. Two cups of coffee later and I am back on track. I have my peach tea brewing and a box of yarn from Cascade to play with today. I will post pictures soon, but you have to come in to check out the superwash 220. It is 100% wool - and washable. Becka and I couldn't believe how soft it is. I can't wait to play with one of the skeins and make up a few swatches to try in the washing machine and dryer. I'll let you know about my results.

Friday, January 20, 2006

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Fun winter projects!

We have a great new project to keep you busy knitting through the next storm (I think one is predicted for tonight) - the Booga Bag! This adorable felted bag is knitted out of Noro's Kureyon 100% wool. Anyone who is familiar with Noro yarns, knows how incredible they are to work with. The color in these variegated skeins just blend from one to another. The Booga Bag only takes 3 skeins and check out the results!

Mary Ellen, one of our amazing Knit at Nighters, whipped this one up for the shop. Thanks Mary Ellen!!

I know I am not the only knitter out there addicted to various knitting websites. One of the best, comes from right here in Maine - www.knittersreview.com

This week they have profiled one of my favorite yarns - Louisa Harding's Kimono Angora.

A number of our knitters have discovered this incredible yarn and are making scarfs, hats, and gloves. We carry all the current colors and will be bringing in more as they are developed.

Tuesday, January 17, 2006

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Phew!

Becka and I have spent the day reorganizing the shop and making new displays. We got some great new baskets and things and have been having fun playing around with different arrangements of colors and fibers.

Big news! We've had lots of requests for a sale bin so we decided to get one started. Classic Elite's Princess is now on sale - 20% off for the month of January. This is a gorgeous yarn - 150 yards and a merino wool, viscose, cashmere, nylon, and angora blend. Come check it out!

Oh - and many people have been asking for a superwash wool. I've been doing some research, trying to find the best yarn at the best price, and I think Cascade's 220 Superwash is it. I just put in an order today and it should be on the shelves soon.

Wednesday, January 11, 2006

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Mmmm.... Blueberry...

Based on the recommendation of some of our Knit at Nighters, we ordered Wicked Joe's Blueberry and Cream coffee. I have to admit to being very skeptical about it. I mean, really, blueberry flavored coffee?? I was totally wrong! I brewed it up this morning and it is heavenly. I think it may actually be giving the chocolate flavored coffee a run for my favorite.

Who knows what is up with the snow? Don't get me wrong, we definitely needed some snow. I haven't had a chance to break out my snowshoes yet this winter. But, the forecast was for just an inch or so. I was just on the roads and they are a mess! Definitely a good time to pull out your favorite knitting project. I'm thinking of starting a poncho out of the Friends Blend yarn. Might have to happen this afternoon.

Thursday, January 5, 2006

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Happy New Year!

Can you believe we are actually in 2006! Of course I wrote '05 on my first check of the year. I wonder how long it will be before I am used to '06.

So I have discovered something I actually don't like about owning a yarn shop - INVENTORY! Luckily I have the most wonderful parents in the world and they spent New Year's Day and Dad's birthday doing inventory with me. We got the whole shop done. Becka was brilliant and went on vacation over New Years so she missed the whole thing. But, it is done now and I have soooo much yarn to order. Now, that is something I love to do!

Becka and I ordered a bunch of new stuff. There are some gorgeous spring/summer yarns that will be arriving in late winter, but we also got some amazing new yarns in now. We now have Debbie Bliss's Baby Alpaca and Silk. As Becka says, this yarn is luscious. Check out the colors: