Darn. Knit. {Anyway}

It’s My Birthday – I’ll Not Knit if I Want To

admin — Tue, 01 May 2012 17:31:21 +0000

I am turning 40 this month. May 23rd to be exact.
.
I am tired of knitting a sweater a month.
.
I hate to admit it, but this 12 and 12 program has taken all the fun out of knitting for me.
.
It has taken away my choice. I have only been able to knit the sweater of the month each month for 18 months now. I don’t have time to knit anything else each month. I haven’t been able, for example, to knit this…
.

Color Affection from Veera Valimaki

.
By the way, if you haven’t knit this yet..what are you waiting for? The whole knitting world is knitting Color Affection:) 3 skeins of sock yarn! Any color combos are beautiful. Only knit stitch, short rows. We’ll have our sample knit up soon, you can come see it for yourself.
.
I haven’t been able to knit this either.
.

Aestlight Shawl by Gudrun Johnston

.
I’ve wanted to knit the Aestlight Shawl ever since Katy taught this class in 2010!
.

Pearl Chain Mittens by handepande on Ravelry

.
I love, love, love these…I haven’t been able to knit these mittens either.
.

Blooming Flower Cushion by Lucy of Attic24

.
Or how about these cushions? I just painted the main floor of our house a bunch of these colors…these would be a great addition to the living room.
.

See what I mean, I have been missing this part of knitting. The fun part. The hours surfing Ravelry looking for just the perfect project. The excitement when I figure out exactly what yarn I am using with the project and the fun of sharing it with my friends.
.

My friend and sample knitter Kate wanted to knit me something for my birthday. She was annoyed that there was nothing but sweaters in my queue. Of course there isn’t. I only knit the sweaters of the month. I can’t knit anything else.
.
Now don’t get me wrong. I do love to knit sweaters. I love our 12 in 12 program. I love the challenge of knitting them in a month. I am just tiring of HAVING to do it each month. I have no choice anymore. It’s kind of like eating the same thing every day for a month AND choosing what you are going to eat each day of each month… in January.
.
I am probably being melodramatic about this. Maybe I’m having a mid-life crisis. Wow. I think I am actually considered middle aged now? That just hit me. Yes, I am going to say I am having a mid life crisis. That will explain everything:)
.

I know…poor me right? I don’t mean to be a baby about it, but I just don’t think I can bring myself to knit May’s Sweater. It’s a beauty though and I know a bunch of people are going to be working on it this month. I can’t wait to see them all, I just can’t bring myself to knit another sweater this month.
.
It’s my birthday month after all and I’ll not knit if I want to.
.

40...Here I am!

April 2012

admin — Tue, 01 May 2012 16:50:26 +0000

.Ap

April
.
We did it!
.
Lot’s of us did!
.

Kathy's April

Kathy's in Findley Dappled

Val's April

Val's Findley Dappled

Michelle's Daughter's April - Cascade Alpaca Lace

Marnie's Findley Dappled

Jeani's Findley Dappled

Aimee's April

Aimee's April Stripes

Stripes Again

The lovely Elizabeth in April

I love the smell of a mall in the morning

admin — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 18:28:48 +0000

We had our last MN Yarn Shop Hop meeting this morning. Winners were chosen! More on that later.

Anyway, I was out and about. I don’t get out and about much anymore. I decided to stop by Rosedale Mall to look for a dress. We have a lot of weddings coming up this summer and I wanted something new. I was early and so I had to sit and wait for 20 minutes before Macy’s opened.
.
I don’t wait well. I am not super patient.
.
I didn’t have knitting with me which is a bummer, cause I could have knit a good inch of my April Sweater which is looking cute if I do say so myself.
.

April 20th 2012

I also had just enough time to take the photo below before my phone died. (By the way, if anyone has a tip about why my Iphone battery is draining from full in just under 30 minutes I would love to hear).
.

the mall in the morning

.
So, with nothing to do but sit. I sat.
.
I don’t think I have sat down, without knitting or a cell phone, or a computer, or a book, or a kid next to me in years. I venture a guess that you are the same.
.
I noticed a few things…
.
1. There are a lot of mall walkers. People are still walking in malls. Men, women, young, old, fast, slow. Yep, they are walking.
2. The mall plays pretty good music. Not muzak, but music. Carol King and the like.
3. My feet hurt even when I am sitting down. I have retailers feet now.
4. I slouch. I can’t sit up straight even when I try. I always end up sliding down into the slouch. Might be why this happened?
5. Fingernail polish is easy to pick off.
.
That is all. It is a good thing I have a day job.
.
Because I am sure you were wondering…I bought a coral colored pencil skirt, a white tank and blue sweater on sale at J Crew. It’s cute. It was worth the wait. I am sure I will be just as cute in mine as this girl is in hers…

Pencil Skirt

Gobsmacked Oops!

admin — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 02:22:11 +0000

.
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

Minnesota Yarn Shop Hop 2012 Yarn

admin — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 20:49:58 +0000

Our yarn was a hit! Thanks Lorna’s Laces for interpreting our foggy London Bridge image perfectly! Our Nan would be proud.
.

Inspiration

.
.
Here is our yarn! Lorna’s Laces Honor. An amazingly soft baby alpaca and silk blend that is sport weight.
.

Gobsmacked!

Gobsmacked again

.
Our pattern was designed by Carly as a tribute to our London born and raised Grandmother, Nanny Jean! We think it’s a close to perfect as it could get! If you can get to our shop during the hop the pattern is free. Otherwise, click here for a $5 Ravelry download.
.

London Cloche

.
Bob’s your uncle!
.

March 2012 Finished

admin — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 16:30:53 +0000

Pre Steeked

Sewing the steek

I'm not a sewista

I see the track

Cuttin

Still Cuttin

Eeeek I Steeked

Whew!

Finished!

.
It’s done. I’ll have a better photo taken when the sweater is done blocking.
.
I knit the small size. The only modification is that I knit the collar 8″ wide.
.
I have a few days left in March. Wonder if I can get any more done on February before April 1st?

Carly’s Turning Thirty Something

admin — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 15:00:58 +0000

There she is...little in the middle

Carly is turning 39 this week. There is some debate about which day of the week her birthday is and she likes it that way. She gets to have a whole week of celebrating!
.
I know for sure though, that her actual birthday is the 30th of March. Friday. She is turning 39. I remember this because she is 10 months younger than me. For 2 months we are the same age. Yes, that means that in 2 months I’ll be turning 40. Gulp. But back to Carly.
.
In celebration of another year in the amazing Carly’s life, we are having an IT’S CARLY’S 30 SOMETHING BIRTHDAY SALE! And yes, we say it as though we are speaking in all CAPS.
.
Sorry for the late notice, but get ready, cause this is a good one:)
.
Just for walking in the door…
.

Cascade 220 worsted yarns at 30% off. Yep, 30%. If you ever wanted to knit a felted bag or slippers…here’s your chance. Want to get ready for next winter…pick up a few skeins for mittens! We have full bags of tons of colors.
.
Cascade 220 Superwash Worsted yarns are 30% off. Yep, 30%. I am sure I don’t need to give you a reason for picking up 10 or 12 skeins of this lovely yarn.
.
So, you’ve got that going for you just for walking in the door.
.
The added fun of IT’S CARLY’S 30 SOMETHING BIRTHDAY SALE, is the grab bag of discounts we are providing you! You have the chance to pull a discount for anything else you purchase that day. We’ll have discounts from 15 – 39% written on paper in a grab bag. You only have to pull a discount ticket and the discount is yours for whatever else you choose to purchase that day! WHA??
.
We’ll be open from 9am – 8pm on Friday the 30th of March and the discounts apply all day. If you want to see Carly, you’ll have to be there by 3pm…she gets to go home and celebrate! So, stop in and say HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARLY and get some great yarnie deals!
.
See you Friday!
.
.
—————————————————-
.
Of course, a few rules apply…can’t use any other coupons or discounts and you can’t use this yarn to play the 12 in 12 game. Can’t get to us (maybe you live in South Carolina) and still need some Cascade yarns at a discount…call us, we’ll let you know what we have and we can work out a shipping deal with you.
.

March 18 2012

admin — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 21:29:40 +0000

March Colors

.
I was happy to see March 1st come along. I was excited to start this project. I didn’t finish February, but I had high hopes for March!
.

Got the body and arms done in a week!

.
I cast on and had the body done with sleeves attached in a week!
.

Inside Out

Look how pretty the inside of the sweater looks. I was sooooo proud of my masterful color work skills.
.
Wow! I would finish this thing in 2 weeks and have 2 weeks to finish the darn February sweater.
.
It was not to be…
.

I hate these charts

.
First of all, the floats are way too long. Really. I hate to complain, but I will. The yoke would have been so much more fun to knit if some of the floats didn’t have to carry 30 stitches!! ARGH.

inside out UGLY

.
If the inside of your color work garments look anything like this (and I am sure you are doing a much better job than me) know that you aren’t alone! It pains me to actually show this part. Look how awful the inside of the yoke of the sweater looks. Take a good look cause this is the last time I’m showing it. In fact…it will be tacked down to the mannequin on which it will reside, firmly.
.
It looks pretty from the outside though!
.

Pretty Yoke

I was planning on finishing last night, but the 3rd book in the Hunger Games series, my deck, and a cold beer were more than I could resist.
.

I break for beer and a good book

.
I have 10 more rows to finish tonight. Tomorrow we cut!
.

Boycott – Oh Boy

admin — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 21:24:05 +0000

.
I got a call from a concerned resident.
.
She wondered if I had a list of all the business owners on Main Street that were in support of the new St. Croix River Crossing. I told her I didn’t have a list and asked her why she was looking for that list. She told me that she and some friends were looking for a tangible way to protest the bridge approval and they decided that they would boycott downtown businesses.
.
I wasn’t surprised. I have been downtown for 3 years now and understand how these things work. There are some people who think if you own a business you must have lots of money and power; that is most certainly not the case. I know that I am making my fortune one ball of yarn at a time:)
.
I told her that I would hate to see her punish 30 independent small downtown businesses with a boycott. I asked if she was also planning to boycott Lakeview Hospital, Cub Foods, Target, Perkins, Lowes, Walmart, Menards, and the hotels on Highway 36. Those businesses and the Stillwater Chamber of Commerce also support the new St. Croix River Crossing. She seemed shocked that they were in support of the bridge as well.
.
I told her that downtown Stillwater businesses already feel like local residents have boycotted Main Street. Not because of our support of the bridge, but because of the congestion that is choking Main Street. She said she doesn’t come downtown because of traffic and parking. (I kindly reminded her that we have over 1500 parking spots downtown and that November – April she can come down and pretty much park anywhere she wants! For FREE! Somehow it always comes back to parking. Don’t get me started…)
.
She was a very nice woman, we actually had a very nice conversation. She lives near Hwy 36 and doesn’t want increased traffic or congestion in her neighborhood, safety was a top concern. I told her that they were going to rework the intersections on Hwy 36 to make better turn lanes and better frontage roads. She said she really didn’t know what the plan was. HUH? I wanted to ask her how she could protest something she didn’t have the facts about, but I held my tongue. I did mention that the people who live on Greeley or 3rd street or on other “short cut” roads on the hill are looking forward to getting rid of the traffic on their roads from Wisconsin commuters.
.
Unfortunately, not everyone can benefit.
.
I know that this is a hot button issue and that some people live close to the new bridge and are worried about noise and traffic and I understand their frustration. I really do.
.
I am a firm believer that the new St. Croix River Crossing will reinvent Main Street. That it will allow Stillwater residents to take back their town. It will mean that people who come to Main Street will be people who actually want to be there; to sightsee, shop, or dine. I haven’t even mentioned the walking and biking paths!
.
I asked that she reconsider her boycott. I hope she does.
.
Interested in more information about the bridge? Here is a cool video. I hope the concerned citizen takes the time to watch it too.

Knitty meets DKA

admin — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 14:09:57 +0000

Amy Singer is coming to DKA!
.
You may not know the name Amy Singer. But, I’ll bet you know her work. Amy Singer is the brainchild and publisher of Knitty.com.
.
Don’t think you know Knitty.com yet? WHAT have you been knitting since the Fall of 2002?
.
Perhaps, like me, you have a few of these in your Ravelry queue?
.

Citron by Hillary Smith Callis

Fish Hat by Thelma Egberts

Skew by Lana Holden (yep a 12 in 12)

.
I know you have seen or knit the Clapotis, right?
.

Clapotis by Kate Gilbert

.
Well, Amy is coming to town to teach at Yarnover and she is stopping by our shop on Sunday the 29th of April to teach a few classes.
.
She’ll be teaching 2 pretty cool, unique classes.
.

Plug-and-Play shawl design Starter Class • Level 1
.
Amy will give you a simple plug-and-play manual that will let you turn fingering- or sport-weight yarn into something gorgeous and uniquely yours to wrap around your shoulders. The comprehensive handout includes a selection of lace patterns chosen for ease of knitting as well as a pretty finished result. You’ll do a good portion of the design work after class is over.
.
Once you’ve completed your first project, you can use the plug-and-play concept and manual to create more designs that are uniquely your own.
.
This introductory design class is for knitters who can knit, purl, make increases and decreases with confidence. Previous design experience is not required.
.

Click here for more information and to register
.

Spindling silk, a friendly introduction: learn to spin silk yarn on a drop spindle
.
It may sound intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. After this class, you will be able to spin silk yarn!
.
Amy’s allergy to wool means she jumped into spinning silk headfirst. Spinning Tussah on a spindle now ties with knitting as her favorite fiber-related pastime. Handspun silk is unlike anything you can buy, and an absolute dream to knit with!
.
In this class, Amy will take you from cocoon to hanky to roving and get you spinning silk, guaranteed. Even if you’ve never touched a spindle, you will be successful in this class, turning silk hankies into beautiful, rustic yarn that you can knit with right away! We’ll also learn the skills that will help you, with practice, become a confident spinner of Tussah and even slippery Bombyx silk! She’ll talk about the different tools available for spinning, and explain the terms that spinners use so you’ll know the difference between hankies, bells, caps, bricks, batts, top and roving…and which you might want to choose for your future spinning projects.
.

Click here for more information and to register. The spindle class is limited to 10 students, so register early!
.
Fun stuff right? I knew you would love it.
.
Maybe you should register right now:)