Archive for the ‘About Us’ Category

« Older Entries

Carly’s 40 this time!

Tuesday, March 26th, 2013

Our Amazing Carly

.
If we’re lucky, we get to turn 40.
.
This time it’s Carly’s turn.
.
So, in typical DKA fashion, we are having a party!
.
Coffee and donuts for our lovely birthday girl.  Oh and a sale too.
.
We’re doing a grab bag of discounts from 10am – 1pm.  Pick your discount from a grab bag…they’ll range from 15% to 40%.  Again, this discount deal is only from 10 – 1!
.
We’ll also have 40% off great sale stuff in the classroom and 40% off ALL fabric ALL day.   Yep!  Spring cleaning has begun.
.
So, we’ll see you on Saturday, March 30th.  If you wish to wish Carly a happy birthday in person, and why the heck wouldn’t you, you’ll have to make it to us between 10 and 1.  Cause we’re making her work on her Big Day!
.
Plus…that’s when the donuts will be freshest.
.
New to DKA and don’t really know much about Carly yet…she’s been here since the beginning…read here!
.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in About Us, Misc Musings | 6 Comments »

My 4 Leaf Clover

Wednesday, February 20th, 2013

.
My Nanny Jean was superstitious.  Not crazy superstitious but she taught us things like;
.
If you stirred with a knife you stirred up trouble and strife.
If two bad things happen you need to break a matchstick or another bad thing will come.  Bad things happen in 3s.
Don’t sing before 7 or you’ll cry before 11
Songs out of season bring tears without reason
.
She was also lucky.
.
She raised a lucky daughter too…my Auntie Jaci (carly’s mom if you are keeping track of our family tree).
.
Anyway, Jaci can find 4 leaf clovers wherever she goes.  She just looks down and finds one.  It is crazy.  I can look in a patch of clover forever and not find anything and she’ll come over, look down and within minutes pick out a 4 leaf clover.
.
I asked her once how she does it and she said  “they just look different Aimee, they have 4 leaves”.  Funny girl.
.
So, I have always wanted to find my 4 leaf clover.  My Nanny knew this and would say “you’ll find yours Aimee”.
.
Cut to freshman year of college in Madison.  I was writing a speech for my speech 101 class about my Nanny and how she immigrated to America.  I was deep in the stacks in a library looking for a book on the American Red Cross; they helped my Nanny when she got to America.  So anyway, I picked out a book and opened it up and there, in the middle of the book, was a 4 leaf clover…tucked inside.  This book hadn’t been checked out FOREVER.
.
I checked it out and ran back to my dorm to call Nan.  (I couldn’t call her immediately because I had to find a phone…remember that…not being able to find a phone.  I also had to call long distance with a calling card…remember that…entering 16 digits before you could talk long distance…anyway) I told her I had found my 4 leaf clover but that it was in the middle of a book that obviously hadn’t been checked out in my lifetime.  Was it good luck or bad luck to take it out of the book.  I knew she’d have the answer.
.
Nanny said without pausing.  “Oh Aimee…finders keepers, you take that thing out and laminate it!”
.
So I did.
.

My 4 leaf clover

.
This laminated 4 leaf clover has been in my wallet ever since.  Gulp…over 20 years.
.
She was right.  I found mine.
.

Tags: ,
Posted in About Us, Misc Musings | 6 Comments »

A Hat Fit for A Bronze Statue

Saturday, January 26th, 2013

Oliva needs a hat

.
We participated in a super fun project for Twinsfest.
.
Local Twin Cities yarn shops, knit sweaters, hats and scarves for the bronze statues of Oliva, Hrbek and Carew.  It was not a small undertaking.
.
It was a very fun experience that we were thrilled to be a part of.  There were some crazy people online who posted comments on news sites like “what a waste of resources, why aren’t they knitting sweaters for the homeless instead”.  I know better than to engage these people online.  I learned my lesson the hard way a few years ago, trying to educate someone who posted a nasty. (I wrote a little blog about mean people once)  One nice comment will beget another nasty one.  I choose to not engage in a comment war under an article on a website.  I prefer instead to say my piece on my own blog:)
.
I say to those people, chipper up peeps.  The crafting community in the Twin Cities (and around the country) donates knit, crocheted and sewn items all the time.  We are a very caring bunch.
.
This crafting community has given generously under the radar for decades.  We have kept warm the heads of newborn babies and cancer patients. We have made prayer shawls to cover the shoulders of people in mourning.  We make hats and scarves for foster children who need something to warm them and hang on to in times of change.  We make teddy bears and blankets for victims of domestic abuse and other tragedies.  We have food drives and raise money for our own local food shelves.  We are connected to our communities.
.
In addition to all of those things we do every day at local yarn stores, we also knit big gigantic sweaters, hats and scarves for bronze statues to raise awareness for Twinsfest.  An event that raises money for the Twins Community Fund.  No big whoop:)
.

Oliva Hat

.
Our task was a relatively easy one.  We only had to knit hats.  Other shops knit SWEATERS!  Yes SWEATERS for these giants.
.
Here are a few fun pictures of the event.  Maggie felt pretty cool because she ended up on tv!
.

Ready for Adventure

.

Maggie in Hrbeks Sweater

.

Twinsfest Knitters

.

Maggie and Carew

.

Maggie and Hrbek

.

Darn Knit Twinsfest Knitting

.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in About Us, Darn Knit WHERE??, Misc Musings, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Free Gift Wrapping…Ummm No

Friday, December 14th, 2012

.
I am going to admit something.
.
I am a horrible gift wrapper.
.
I mean horrible.
.

I never have the right tools.  I always seem to cut the paper with a knife or tear it.  I never have the right tape.  I never have boxes laying around to put odd shaped things in.
.

Packing Tape...Really?

.

I have never really concerned myself with wrapping.  I’ve always known that it wasn’t a strong suit of mine, but never really paid much attention.
.
Until yesterday when I was finishing a package to send to family in Seattle.
.
We purchased a few gifts at a fun independent toy store in Rice Lake, WI –  Sandcastle Toys.  Anyway, they very expertly wrapped the presents we found.  The picture is blurry but trust me…those are perfect creases…bows and everything.  That top present is even curved!  WHA?  How did they do that?
.

Sandcastle Toys

I didn’t think anything of it until those presents were sitting next to the presents I wrapped.  It wasn’t pretty.
.

I told you...horrible

.
The other thing about it…I really don’t care.  I am totally fine with the fact that I am a horrible present wrapper.  It just isn’t my thing.  I am not a details person.  It’s not my nature.  No custom made yarn bows or hand stamped labels for me.  No sir.
.
I am a good gift giver though.  It’s whats on the inside that counts right?
.
So no gift wrap with purchase at Darn Knit Anyway.  Nope.
.

You want a nicely wrapped gift?  Head to Alfresco…Meg will take good care of you:)
.

Tags: , ,
Posted in About Us, Misc Musings | 4 Comments »

Video Tour of Darn Knit Anyway

Sunday, November 11th, 2012

Check us out!   Can’t wait to see you soon.

 

 

 

 

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in About Us, Uncategorized | No Comments »

A sweater for a pig

Saturday, September 29th, 2012

.
Our lovely Kim rides horses.  I am sure there is a better way to say that; a fancier horse word…but for lack of fancy horseperson vocabulary…she rides horses.
.
She boards a horse at a place (again…I am sure there is a term) in Wisconsin.  This place, like many of these type of places, has random animals roaming around.   Peacocks, dogs, and barn cats tend to be the typical menagerie.
.
The newest addition to this group is a squat little piglet named Gertie.  I mean for real!  How cute?  sorry for the quality of the image, but I insisted Kim immediately email me the photos she had on her phone so I could blog about it.  I’ll have her take some real pics next time.
.

Maggie, Angel and Gertie

.
Here Gertie is with Maggie and Angel…her barn friends.  Maggie is a 12 year old black lab, I have been told she is the grand lady of the barn. Angel is the cat; a friendly girl most times.  However, Angel hasn’t quite warmed up to to little Gertie yet.  Gertie sure seems to have warmed up to Maggie though.
.

Maggie and Gertie

.
Anyway, Kim has decided that Gertie needs a new sweater.  The navy blue one just isn’t cutting it.  So, she’s knitting a sweater for a pig!
.
After giggling a while about it, we started to research.
.
As we expected, there are plenty of Ravelers that have knit animals things, but did you know there is a whole tumblr page devoted to animals in sweaters?  I didn’t even attempt to search Pinterest for fear I might never set up from the computer.  That darn time sucking website:)
.
We found tons of things to giggle about.
.

ahartacres on Flckr took this pic of a goat in a sweater

.

Joy Shepler on Flickr crocheted this one for a turtle

.

tifotter on Flickr with an iquana?

.

Sweater for a rat? ashleyjuliette22 on Flickr hummmm???

.
Kim is leaning toward the little black dress for the piggie…the pattern is here on the designers blog…halfway down the page.
.

Little Black Dress Dog

.
We’ll keep you updated on the progress of Gertie’s wardrobe.  Have you knit an animal a sweater?  We MUST know!
.
.

Posted in About Us, Misc Musings, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Yarn Shop Tour Denver

Thursday, August 30th, 2012

Shafer Yarn

My family and I went to visit my mom in Colorado this month.  We had a blast…waterparks, bike rides, movies, Pearl Street Mall and our favorite toy store.
.
While Grampa Tom had the kids occupied with painting and playstation, my mom and I managed to sneak away for a few hours and cruise for yarn shops.  We found some gems.
.
First stop was Shuttles, Spindles and Skeins  in Boulder, just a mile from my Mom’s house.  8000 square feet.  Whoa.  The only picture I took was the one above, of the fun yarn I bought.  Oh and I took this one too…of the fun wine I found at the store nearby.
.

Wine and yarn

.

Next stop was The Lamb Shoppe in a fun little neighborhood of Denver. A rolling ladder…awesome.

The Lamb Shoppe

.

The Lamb Shoppe Fixtures

.
They had amazing fixtures in this shop.  No Ikea here:)
.

Buttons

.
Amazing selection of buttons.  We need more buttons!

.
Stop number 2 was Fancy Tiger Crafts.  Wowza what a shop.
.

Fancy Tiger Crafts

.

Front Table

.

Fabric wall

.

Yarn Wall

.

Embroidery Cabinet

.

Huge scissors...

My awesome, amazing momma found these scissors.  Whoa.  I would’ve bought them but I’m sure they wouldn’t have made it through TSA.  I’m not sure she’ll be happy with me posting this pic, the shocked look on her face is funny:)
.

How awesome is this class space?

.
REALLY?  A pink crochet deer head?  YEA!
.

Sewing Space

.
It was a neat shop.  Fun yarn, fun fabric, interesting to look at.
.
Next stop was a sweet shop in the Art District of Denver, Fabric Bliss.  The owner was charming and creative.  Her space was tidy, warm and inviting.  The most comfortable shop so far…one that I felt right at home in.  Not much inventory, but what she had was carefully selected and had a purpose.  I liked that.
.

Sitting Space

.

Fabric and yarn

.

Cuuuuute

.
We had a great time in Denver.  I have to say, after touring other shops, that I was happy to come home to ours!
.

Tags: ,
Posted in About Us | No Comments »

Hello, My Name is Aimee…

Monday, July 9th, 2012

.
They say the first step in changing is admitting that you have a problem.
.
Hello, my name is Aimee and I am addicted to Hay Day on my ipad.
.

Hay Day

.
I can’t stop playing it.
.
I wasn’t ever going to be one of “those” people.  You know who they are.  They play farmville, castleville and other “ville” games on Facebook.  They are always posting that they made it to this level or that level or that they need a upgraded gem or rock or something.  Those people who seemingly have nothing better to do than play games on devices.  I’ll admit it.  I judged.
.
Well, let he who is without sin cast the first stone.
.
I am bracing to be judged.
.
I can not stop playing Hay Day.
.
If you don’t know the basics, let me fill you in.  There is no skill involved in this game.  You simply plant crops, harvest crops, sell crops and buy crops to keep your animals alive and to fill orders for your farm.  You get coins and gems and get to build on to your farm as you increase levels.  .
.
I know, I know…you think it sounds stupid.  Remember, I was you only 5 short days ago.
.
I want more fields, more crops, more animals.  At level 16 (only 420 more stars) I get to buy sheep.  SHEEP!  Then I can sheer them.   SHEER THEM!
.
My husband told me this morning that Max (my 7 year old son) used my last pumpkins.  “WHAT? No one EVER sells pumpkins and even IF I could find them to buy IT TAKES 3 HOURS TO GROW PUMPKINS”.   I’ll admit it.  It wasn’t my finest hour.  I did question my reaction as being a bit too extreme.  But man I want these things…
.
I want these things so badly that I almost linked my account to Facebook.  Gasp.  I was one finger touch away from letting everyone in on my little secret.  It would have been so easy.  If my friends on Facebook are also playing Hay Day maybe I could get more stuff faster?  We could team up?   But I stopped myself.  I just couldn’t do it.
.
I have been knitting too.
.
I did finish June…
.

June Sweater Done

.
I did start July…

July Sweater Started

.
Finished a little kid sweater (that is awesome by the way and on display at the shop)…
.

Juniper Moon Farms Yearling

.
I am not totally absorbed by Hay Day, right…right?
.
Ummm, I have to go now, my eggs are ready.
.

Eggs are ready

 .
psst…if you are playing Hay Day too, feel free to let me know.  Maybe we could be farm friends and keep it on the down low:)  Don’t tell anyone:)
.

 

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in About Us, Misc Musings, Uncategorized | 18 Comments »

Aimee’s Turning 40!

Tuesday, May 22nd, 2012

.

40 and fabulous!

It’s here!  My Birthday! I’m turning 40!
.
And because it is better to give than receive, I am giving away a gift with every $25 purchase on my birthday.  Wednesday, May 23rd 2012.
.
You’re gonna love it.
.
It’ll be perfect for a summer day on the patio…knitting
.
See you on Wednesday, May 23rd.  We’ll be here from 10am – 7pm!  Come in, spend $25 and we’ll give you a birthday gift for free.
.
Can’t think of a better way to spend my birthday:)

.
Available now for purchase $10 each!  Cheers to a summer of fun sipping “sucking”:)
.

Summer Sucking Fun!

 

Tags: , ,
Posted in About Us, Misc Musings | 1 Comment »

Gobsmacked Oops!

Saturday, April 14th, 2012

.
Looks like we’ve made a little bit of a ricket.
.
If you purchased our amazing, incredible, super soft Lorna’s Laces Honor yarn this weekend at the shop hop we are chuffed to bits for you.  However, some of the skeins are mislabeled.  The labels SHOULD look like this.
.

Honor Label

.
Unfortunately things got a little mucked up at the big Lorna’s Laces factory :) and a few labels might look like this…
.

Sportmate Label

.
Fear not, if your label happens to look like the one above, please understand it was unintentional.  The yarn is still our super special Lorna’s Laces Honor base, it just happens to have an incorrect label.  The lovely people at Lorna’s are sending us the right labels straight away and if you must have the correct label, send us a note and we’ll get said label out to you right quick.
.
Isn’t it nice to know that the fine people at Lorna’s are human like the rest of us?  What with all the amazing yarn they send us, we were starting to wonder.
.

ricket = mistake
chuffed to bits = excited
straight away/right quick = straight away/right quick

 

Posted in About Us, Uncategorized | No Comments »

« Older Entries