January 28th 2012

January 28th, 2012

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28th, 29th, 30th, 31st…
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So, 4 days left huh?
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Where's the yoke

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Not getting off to a stellar start this year.  I am going to get the yoke started tonight, so you never know.  I might just do it.
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Others have finished though.  Both the sock and sweater.  Here are a few.
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January in Rowan Lima

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January in Vintage Worsted

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January in Ultra Alpaca

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January 3IG Riordan

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January sock in something pretty

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I know there are a few more socks done, but I can’t put my fingers on the pictures!
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We’ll see what the next 4 days brings…
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January in Fiesta Baby Boom

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January Malabrigo

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January Cascade Heritage...maybe?

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January Something Blue

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Hat on a Ball? Huh?

January 28th, 2012

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The very clever Robbin Firth of Heartfelt Silks has come up with yet another very fun class.
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When she brought this hat in and said she felted it, I have to admit I didn’t get it.  I thought it was really cute, but I wasn’t sure people would be interested.
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Hat on a Ball

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So she asked if she could come in and teach me how to make one myself.
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OMG!!!  This was the most fun thing I have EVER made in this shop.  EVER.
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It all starts with a ball

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Layering silk and wool

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All wrapped up

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Control top nylons are next! Yep!

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Soak it in hot water and bag it up

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Bounce it!

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Bounce it some more!

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Let the air out of the ball and take it out

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Flip it right side out, onto a bowl or hat stand and shape it

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Get it exactly as you like it and let it dry

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How cute is this hat???

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So, again, Robbin was right.  This was so much fun!  She is totally right, I’ll admit it.  This class is going to fill up fast!
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Thanks Robbin!
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Boy meets Purl meets DKA

January 27th, 2012

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I know I’ve been asking you to save the date for a bunch of upcoming events.  I am filling up your social calendar!
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This one you are going to want to make sure to do though.
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We are excited to have Josh Bennett at the shop to teach this special workshop.  Josh is a knitwear designer who has designs in publications like Vogue Knitting magazine and Rowan Magazine.

Josh Bennett

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So…save the date!  Sunday, February 26th.
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We are going to do two workshops, take your pick of either one…better yet come and stay all day.  We’ll bring in box lunches for you!
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The first workshop is from 10 -1pm.  Custom Knitting is the official title but I think anyone who is interested in sweater knitting should take this workshop.  In this class you will learn all the math to be able to start creating your own original designs and also be able to modify existing patterns for different fits.  You’ll talk about picking the right fiber, knitting the correct gauge swatch, and measuring the body correctly.  Tips and techniques on how to make your garment look more professional.
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The second workshop is from Tips and Tricks: Making your Garment Look More Professional.  In this class you will learn all Josh’s tips and tricks to making your garment look more professional.  He will demonstrate different cast on methods, increases, decreases, body shaping, and other special techniques that he uses when designing for himself and other fashion designers.   If you have knit a sweater and found the fit not quite right, this is probably the class for you!
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The third option is the Stay all Day Package.  You’ll get both of the above classes AND a box lunch from one of our favorite restaurants downtown Stillwater.

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We’ll learn all the tricks just in time for March sweater knitting!

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My Cousin Carly

January 20th, 2012

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By now you must know that Carly and I are cousins.  We are 10 months apart in age.
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This picture was of us on some family trip somewhere.  I’m the blond.
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Aimee and Carly Hippies

We have so many pictures of Carly and me together that we started putting them all on our bulletin board at the shop.  It has become a family joke really.
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Bulletin Board Beauties

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Prom 1990 - I bought my dress...of course Carly made hers:)

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Halloween UW Madison 1993 maybe?

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Already gorgeous, gorgeous!

When I decided to open a yarn shop, I told Carly about it.  I remember the moment exactly.  We were in our Nanny Jean’s  apartment visiting and I just blurted it out.  “Hey, I am going to open a yarn shop, what do you think?  Wanna run it with me?” I think her exact words were. “ok, um, sure Aim” .  I was reassured.  She was in!
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Our Nan said  “well, you’re definitely going to need a comfortable chair.  People like comfortable chairs”.   Words of wisdom certainly.
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Nanny and the kids in front of the shop before it was a shop:)

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Technically, I am the only one who owns the yarn shop.  My husband and I are the ones on the financial hook for sure.  But Darn Knit Anyway is as much Carly’s as it is mine.  I couldn’t or wouldn’t even want to run the shop without her.   I know that she loves the shop just as much as I do.  I feel that deep down in my belly.
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Now, Carly isn’t just a great mom, cousin and knitting problem helper.  Nope she is an artist too.  A graduate of the College of Visual Arts.  She is a fashion designer and fiber artist.  Here are a few cool things she has done.  She has made garments out of everything, dollar bills, snow cone cups, rubber bands, vending machine clear container thingies, baby bottle liners…
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Mr. Smith

Snow Cone Cups

Rubber Bands

vending machine plastic thingies with rubber balls inside?!

Baby Bottle Liners

Now we are lucky enough to have a Carly Stipe original in our shop.  Right in our very own front window.  I am so happy I can hardly stand it.
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DKA Front Window

A lovely red dress out of duct tape. WHAT?
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It's red alright!

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WHAT? A bow in the back???!!

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I love my cousin to pieces.  Seriously.  Don’t know what I would do without her.
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I know that our little shop is better because she is a part of it.  I tell her that a lot.  I just thought maybe you guys should know it too.
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Love you cuz.

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January 12 in 12 2012

January 16th, 2012

Body done...sleeve started!

 

1/2 done with the month…1/2 done with the sweater!
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The sweater, Bedford, is knit in the round from the bottom up.  The sleeves are in reverse stockinette, seperately and then attached before the yoke is knit.  For those who don’t know, reverse stockinette basically means the “bumps” are supposed to be on the outside of the garment.  That means purling every round!  WHAT?  Who likes to do that?
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I started it right side out and then decided that was crazy and flipped ‘er inside out so that I am knitting each round.  I”ll doctor up the whole when I finish it!  Way faster for me this way.  Then I’ll just flip it inside out again so the purl bumps are on the outside.  Ta da!  Now, I am not the only one to think of this.  Lots of our January knitters are doing it this way too!
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Inside Out

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Speaking of our January knitters.  We have 38 people knitting January with us!  WOW!  Can’t wait to see them all.
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There are 31 January sock knitters too, can’t leave them out!
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We hope you’ll find at least one sweater or sock to knit along with us.
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An open letter to Jared Flood

January 6th, 2012

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Dear Jared Flood and the staff of Brooklyn Tweed,
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We think it is high time that there is a Flagship Retail Shop in the Upper Midwest and we think Darn Knit Anyway should be that shop!
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As we are sure you know, there are more yarn shops per capita in Minnesota than in just about any other state.  Knitters in Minnesota and Wisconsin should be able to find a local yarn shop to give Shelter and Loft a squeeze in person.
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We have a sweater knitting program called 12 in 12 at our shop and 3 beautiful sweaters from your collections are represented; Bedford, Sullivan and Levenwick. We are sure that our knitters would love the opportunity to purchase Shelter for these beautiful garments.   As it stands today, 30 knitters have purchased yarn for our January Sweater, Bedford.  Awesome!
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So, all we ask is that you consider Darn Knit Anyway for an Upper Midwest Flagship Retail Shop.  We are sure you won’t be disappointed.
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Our best,

The Darn Knit Anyway Family

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12 in 12 – Socks Selection Revealed

December 31st, 2011

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Sweaters aren’t your thing?  How about socks?
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Yep, we added 12 socks to the 12 in 12 fun this year.
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January - Hermione's Everyday Socks

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January is Hermione’s Everyday Socks.  Designed by Erica Lueder.
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February - Brainless

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February is Brainless.  Designed by Yarnissima.
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March - Lingerie

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March is Lingerie.  Designed by Maria Naslund for Knitty.com.
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April - Aragorn

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April is Aragorn.  Designed by Janneke Maat.
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May - Leyburn

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May is Leyburn.  Designed by Mintyfresh published in the blog Pepperknit.com.
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June - Cadence

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June is Cadence.  Designed by  verybusymonkey.
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July - Effervesce

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July is Effervesce.  Designed by purrlescent.
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August - Butterflies are Free

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August is Butterflies are Free.  Designed by Rose Hiver.
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September - Skew

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September is Skew.  Designed by Lana Holden for Knitty.com.
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October - Double Heelix

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October is Double Heelix. Designed for Knitty.com by Jeny Staiman.
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November - Kalajoki

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November is Kalajoki.  Designed by Tiina Seppala.
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December - Tern

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December is Tern.  Designed by Pam Allen for Twist Collective.
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A full list of all 12 socks is available here.
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If you prefer to knit sweaters…like me…you can check all of them out here.
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A list of rules and regulations is here.

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12 in 12 – 2012 Sweaters Selected

December 31st, 2011

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Well, we are at it again!
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Another year, another 12 in 12.
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New Project Bags

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This year I was a little more thoughtful about which sweaters I chose.  I read reviews on Ravelry, I talked with designers, I made sure the pattern was easy to access.  I hope you’ll find at least one sweater you love too.  If sweaters aren’t your thing…we added socks to the mix this year.
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Without further ado…
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January - Bedford

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January is Bedford.  A comfy pullover sweater designed by Michele Wang for BT Fall 11.
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February - Sullivan

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February is Sullivan. A comfortable worsted weight cardigan with awesome details.  Designed by Whitney Gregg- Harrison for Brooklyn Tweed Wool People
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March - True North

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March is True North.  A bulky weight, fair isle cardigan made out of Cascade Eco Wool.  Come on, let’s steek together!  This great one is designed by Amy Swenson.
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April - Featherweight Cardigan

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April is Featherweight Cardigan.  Hannah Fettig of Knitbot designed this  lace weight (yep, lace weight) cardigan.  I think it will be the perfect cardi to get you through the summer months.  I am going to knit it out of sock though:) I saw it knit up in person out of Fibre Company Canopy Fingering.  AWESOME!
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May - Sabbatical

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May is Sabbatical.  Connie Chang Chinchino designed this sweater for Twist Collective.  Don’t let the lace in sport yarn freak you out.  You can do it!
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June - White Russian

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June is White Russian.  Thea Coleman is the brainchild behind the Baby Cocktails blog and this great pullover sweater!   Knit out of a DK weight, it’ll be the perfect transition sweater to fall!
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July - Rusted Root

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July is Rusted Root.  This worsted weight cotton sweater designed by Sarah Moore will be a great summer knit.
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August is a fun month.   I”m changing things up a bit.  Susie Gibbs of Juniper Moon Farms has a new yarn line that we are going to be selling this spring.  One of the yarns is called Sabine, a skein of 30% royal llama, 30% merino wool and 40% cotton tweedy awesomeness.  She has pulled together a bunch of great designers to help put together her pattern collection.   I  knew we were going to choose Sabine for the yarn, but I couldn’t decide on the pattern.  So, you get to pick.  We’re going to use this new yarn and you can pick from the 9 new patterns.
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The only problem…we aren’t going to get the yarn until March and we won’t really see the patterns until then too.  I’m going to try to get us a sneak peak at them though:)  Stay tuned!
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September - Zephyr

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September is Zephyr.  Designed by Tori Gurbisz, this worsted weight cardigan is top down with a contiguous yoke (which is pretty cool).
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October - Levenwick

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October is Levenwick.  Another great design brought to us by Brooklyn Tweed designed by Gudrun Johnston.  Pretty cool button band huh?
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November - Chickadee

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November is Chickadee.  Another fun color work sweater that is from the book Little Red in the City from Ysolda.  If you don’t have this book yet and want to know more about sweater construction.  You should pick it up.  Trust me.
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December - Astor

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December is Astor.  A bulky weight sweater from Norah Gaughan for Berroco.  The bulky weight yarn is perfect for December knitting.
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There is a cheat sheet here for all 12 sweaters if you want to download one to have in hand.  There is also a rules and regulations sheet that tells all.
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We are adding 12 socks to the mix this year too.  Check them out here.

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10 out of 12 Ain’t Bad

December 18th, 2011

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10 out of 12 ain’t bad.
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At least that is what I am telling myself.
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You remember September right?
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December’s sweater isn’t going to happen either.  At least not this December.
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I herniated a disc in my neck 3 weeks ago today.  C6/7.  It was incredibly painful and I like to think I have a pretty high threshold for pain.  I mean a few months after my son was born, I drove myself to the ER with a kidney stone.  Not pretty.
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I wish I had a great story about how it happened.  I don’t.  I just stood up on a Sunday morning.  Just stood up out of bed ready to take on the day and felt the sharp stabbing pains in my back and down my left arm.  It literally knocked me down.  The only thing I could do on that day was lay flat on the bed.  That was the only way I felt some relief from the pain.
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By about 7:30 that night, I couldn’t take it anymore.  My sister came over to watch our kids and my husband drove me to the ER at Lakeview Hospital in Stillwater.  Let me just say…that place is great.  And I am not just saying that because as I was getting a shot for the pain, my amazingly kind nurse said “Don’t you own that yarn shop on Main Street?”  I said I did and she said “I thought you looked familiar”.  What was it I wondered, the tear strewn face or the fact that my pants were pulled down for the shot that made me look familiar?  Funny.  She said “I LOVE that shop, every time I come home with a Darn Knit bag my husband gives me a look”.   It was a great moment of levity in an otherwise horrific time.
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Anyway, the pain medicine worked (oh except for the nausea from the narcotic…yep, throwing up is not fun normally imagine doing it with a herniated disc in your upper neck).  For the next 3 days, the only way I was comfortable was with my left hand on top of my head.  The telltale sign of someone with a C6/7 herniation I have come to find out.
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12:30 am on Thursday morning was our 2nd trip to the ER.  This time the doctor said he was recommending to the general practice doc that I get an MRI asap.  I got 2 more shots of pain drugs and left with some Vicodin.  For the record Vicodin is trouble.
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That night at 8:00 we headed back to Lakeview Hospital to get an MRI.  Now, I had no idea what an MRI would be like.  It was not pleasant.  They were trying to take images of my neck, so they kept asking me not to swallow.  “This next one is going to be 6 minutes Aimee.  Try not to swallow”.  Yeah right.  And does it have to be that loud?
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The next day we had an appointment with the Neck guy who recommended a steroid shot in my neck, he said it was likely to offer me immediate relief.  I was all for it.  The whole shot in the neck thing was super easy actually and didn’t hurt at all.  The only part that hurt was the nurse telling me “well, with age comes degeneration of your discs”.  WHA???  I’m not even 39 yet.  Ouch.
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The shot helped immensely and I could take my arm down from my head!  Wahoo!
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Now I am in physical therapy, and religiously using ice and advil.
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I do have a whole new appreciation for those living with chronic pain.  Pain makes you crabby.  Pain makes you depressed.  Pain makes you not care much about things you should care about. Pain makes you snap at people you love.  I feel lucky that I started with a pretty high happiness level.  I have great family and friends that are incredibly supportive.  This too shall pass.
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But, in the mean time.  The December sweater is a casualty of the herniation.  It won’t happen.  My pointer finger on my left hand is numb and the top of my left hand hurts.  I am a picker, I knit continental most of the time.  This isn’t working for me.  I plan to get my hand back in working order and get ready for January 1st.  I AM casting on for January!
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So, thanks to all of you for your well wishes, advice and impromptu massages.  Thanks to Carly for handling the shop with grace (even through her own injury) and thanks to the DKA staff for your hard work picking up my slack these last 3 weeks.  I appreciate you.
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Bring on 2012.
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January 2012 – 12 in 12

December 16th, 2011

Well, the results are in…
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You all have spoken loud and clear and the January 2012 sweater is Bedford!  Designed by Michele Wang for Brooklyn Tweed’s BT Fall 11 Collection, this sweater is the perfect winter partner.  Just like your favorite sweatshirt!
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I am going to knit this sweater out of a new yarn from Cascade called Cloud.  I think I am even going to do the sweatshirt grey color.
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The sweater would be awesome out of any great worsted yarn…Dream in Color Classy, Cascade 220 SW, Berocco Vintage or Wooly Worsted.  I suggest coming in soon for the best yarn choices.  This one is going to be popular.
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This would be a great first sweater for those of you unsure.  Knit from the bottom up in the round…perfect!  You can totally do this!  We’ll be here every step of the way to help.
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You remember the deal right?  If you choose to knit Bedford, you’ll get 20% off the materials to make it.  And as if that isn’t enough.  If you start the sweater on or after January 1st, finish the sweater AND bring it in to us before January 31st, you’ll get $20 in shop credit.
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A few changes to the Sweater 12 in 12 deal this year.  The shop credit is $20 and you can only use the credit on regular priced items.  Oh and we are participating in Ravelry’s in store pattern program, so you can buy the pattern from us (at the 20% off) and it’ll be downloaded right to your Ravelry library!  We LOVE that!
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We’ll be revealing the rest of the 12 sweaters AND the 12 socks too, at our 12 in 12 party on December 29th.  If you can’t make it to the party look for a newsletter revealing all 12 sweaters and socks in your inbox on New Years Eve.
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We look forward to another fun year of sweater (and sock) knitting!
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By the way, if you were hoping for True North or Zephyr this year, you won’t be disappointed.  You’ll just have to wait a few months:)  But don’t tell anyone, it’s a surprise!
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