Club Signups

I've updated the website, and Yarn Knot club signups are now open.

Our quarterly club features an exclusive colorway and a choice of several yarn bases.

Check the website for details.  Space is limited.

Club Signups

We're ready to kick off another round of Yarn Knot next month.

Our quarterly yarn subscription features exclusive colorways, a choice of six yarn bases, pattern suggestions and more.  We've added our Shimmer base to the mix this time.  Pair it with one of the other bases and add a cozy, soft halo to your project.

Head over to the website for all the details.  Don't delay. Space is limited.

Get In on the Club

I'm muddling along this week.  My biggest challenge seems to be figuring out what day of the week it is.  It's the price we pay for a long weekend, I guess.

I did work a little bit over the holiday weekend and launched the new season of Yarn Knot, our quarterly club.

You select the yarn bases, and we provide surprise colorways.  We'll also throw in a little something extra.  The club is a fun way to try a new yarn or stock up on a favorite.  You'll find all the details here.   Don't delay.  Space is limited.

Admin Update

I had plans for a different post today, but it turns out administrative items are at the top of the list instead.

First of all, there is a pop-up shop happening on Saturday at Another Yarn.  I know there was a bit of confusion last week, but now it's a go.  If the weather cooperates, we'll have set-ups outside in the parking lot and inside the shop.  The hours are 11:00-3:00.  

We'll have plenty of yarn plus kits and bundles.  There will also be a full array of samples for ideas and inspiration.  As of right now, this is the last pop-up on the fall schedule.  I encourage you to take advantage if you're in the area.

We've been busy getting things ready for the fall shipment of Yarn Knot, and we have room for a few more people.

More yarn choices with different pricing options.  Sign up for all four quarters or just one.  Take a look and be sure to contact me if you have questions.

That wasn't too bad.  I'll have more knitting content later in the week.

Admin Wednesday

I've been working on various loose ends, and today has turned into an admin day.

First, a little travel news.  If you're on the Cape later this week and are looking for a fiber related activity, I'll be at Salt Yarn Studio on Friday.

I'll be set up on the lawn from 2:00 - 4:00.  It's a very relaxed environment.  Feel free to hang out.  Wear a mask and bring a chair.

Second, the website has been updated with a new Yarn Knot listing.

The format has been expanded to include more choices, several pricing options plus a bonus.  There are fun plans in the works.  I'm excited for the new season. 

And now I'm off to tie up a few more loose ends.

Yarn Knot and More

I spent part of last weekend tethered to my desk.  It was too hot to dye, so I tackled paperwork and admin tasks instead.  This work is never as much fun as dyeing or knitting, but it has to be done.  Here's the latest.

Signups are open for Yarn Knot.

Our quarterly yarn club is a fun way to sample exclusive colorways and different bases.  There are a couple payment options.  Space is limited. You'll find more information on the Yarn Knot page.

The calendar has been updated, and August is going to be a busy month.

First up is a trunk show at Attic Heirlooms on August 3.  I'll be there all day.  If you're in the area but can't make it to the trunk show, I'll be leaving a pop-up shop at Attic Heirlooms for a couple weeks.  Stop by to see yarn, bundles and samples.

Then on August 10, I'll be at Yarns in the Farms.  In the morning I'll be teaching a Cold Brew Cowl Workshop.  In the afternoon I'll have a trunk show with yarn and samples.  Check the shop website for details.

I have a couple more events lined up for August.  See the right sidebar for updates.  I hope to see some of you on the road.

A Short Week

Since we have an abbreviated work week, my expectations for productivity aren't very high.  That made it easy to start my day with a new project.

This is the Yarn Knot installment that shipped last month, and I have it earmarked for a hat.  I use the German twisted cast on for hats because it creates a nice elastic edge.  Check it out if you need to add a new cast on to your tool box. 

Club Signups

It was a family weekend, and I was bouncing between projects.  I got a fair amount of knitting done but don't feel like I made significant progress on any one thing.  That's the way it goes sometimes.

I did make progress on a website update.

Yarn Knot is open for signups.  

Hand dyed yarn delivered to your door.  We're trying out a new format and that meant we could lower the price.  Follow the link for details.  Be sure to contact me if you have any questions.

An Open Window

I do a lot of knitting, but the reality is not much of it is for me personally. If I didn't insist on so many new samples, I would have more time for personal knitting.  But new samples are refreshing, and I can't resist the temptation - patterns, colors, yarn.

When I do have an open window to whip up a little something all my own, I try to make the most of it.  I've had a small open window, but it's about to close, so I'm trying to make the most of it.

Saltfleet Cowl.  This is the most recent Yarn Knot installment.  With this round we're testing a DK weight blend of Alpaca, Merino and Silk.  It's a tough job, but someone has to do it.  This cowl is knitting up 
quickly.  I might try to squeeze in one more project before the window closes completely.

This week's color inspiration is like new-fallen snow.

Fresh, clean, white.

It's That Time Again . . .

Sign-ups are now open for Yarn Knot 2016 - 2017.  This yarn subscription service includes both yarn and a suggested pattern.

There are a couple changes this time around.  I've gone back to 4 quarterly installments.  To mix things up, one of the installments will not be a fingering weight yarn.  You can pay for all 4 installments at once or make quarterly payments.  You'll save a little bit if you pay for all 4 up front.

I use this opportunity to sample new yarn bases as well as incorporate some of my current bases.  All colorways are exclusive to the club for 12 months.

Looking for a sock club?  Yarn Knot Socks is also open now with shipments starting in December.

Follow the links for more details.  Don't hesitate to contact me if you have questions.

Let's Make a Deal

It's the middle of July, and all I can think about are sweaters.  All kinds of sweaters . . . colorwork and cables, cardigans and pullovers, short sleeves and long sleeves, buttons and zippers.  You would think that in the middle of summer I would be looking at something cool, airy and light.  No.  Instead I'm thinking ahead to the weather that awaits us.

I've been contemplating a new sweater . .  . maybe Rhinebeck, maybe not.  I've been resisting full-blown startitis, and a new sweater would definitely take the edge off.  Before I got too deep in plotting and planning a new sweater project, I stumbled across this.

Washington Square.  I set it aside for one reason or another when life intervened and didn't pick it up again.  The sweater is already assembled.  All I need to do is finish the yoke and add button bands. I love picking out buttons, so that doesn't even count as work.  This sweater won't satisfy my startitis, but I made a deal with myself.  I can start a new sweater if I finish this one first.  Fair enough.

Speaking of sweaters, signups are still open for Yarn Knot.  

The first installment is a sweater's worth of yarn . . . maybe Rhinebeck, maybe not.  No pressure.  It ships next month. Follow the link for details.

Off and Running

This morning the radio was on as I was making my first cup of coffee  . . . background noise to my despair over a sink full of dirty dishes and nowhere to put them because the dishwasher was full of more of the same.  The kids made my belated birthday dinner last night and it was really quite lovely, but there's always a payback when I surrender the kitchen.

The phrase I heard over my grumbling and the sound of running water was, ". . . and this is a vacation week for some."  Of course - summer holiday, vacation week.  Once again I've lost track of time.  

For me it's the Monday of a normal work week, and I mean business. My to-do list is long, but I'm not intimidated.  I don't have any knitting pictures to share this morning but take a peek at my website update.  

I've launched the next round of Yarn Knot and have tweaked the format a bit.  There's a component for sweater quantities in 3 different yarn blends and weights.  These bases are new and aren't part of my regular lineup.  

Maybe you're thinking of knitting a Rhinebeck sweater.  Maybe you're not going to Rhinebeck, but you still need a new sweater for the cold months that are certainly headed our way.  I can't knit your sweater so you have it when the blustery winds are blowing, but I can help.  The sweater yarn will be shipping in August.  Imagine that.  You can get your new sweater on the needles before the leaves start turning.

See the website for more details.  Don't forget.  You can drop me a note if you have any questions.  In the short time it took me to type this, I've added a couple more items to my list for today.  I'd better get going . . . 

News Notes

Shop News.  I've just opened sign-ups for another year of Yarn Knot. Four packages of yarn delivered right to your door over the course of a year.  

There's an element of surprise because you don't know what you're getting until the package arrives.  That's the fun part for you.  I get to experiment with different fiber blends that I don't normally offer.  That's the fun part for me.  All colorways are exclusive.  I'm really looking forward to it.

Knitting News.  The cool, damp weather from Monday has lingered into today.  In fact the temps today might be even lower than they were earlier in the week.  All this means that I'm mighty tempted to haul out a couple of those freshly washed, just-packed-away woollens. I'm holding out . . . for the moment.

Instead I'm turning my attention to sock production.  Since I mentioned it in my last blog post, I now feel committed to Summer of Socks, Round 2.  To get this train rolling, I started to think of new pattern and color options.  Then I remembered my sock already under construction.

This one needs just a few more rounds and then a toe.  Yes, this is the first sock, but I rarely suffer from second sock syndrome.  In fact for me the second one seems to knit up quicker than the first.  This project is going to get me through this gray, wet day in May.

Playing with Numbers

I have a theory that my knitting goals are easier to achieve if measured in terms of rows or rounds rather than inches.  I understand why patterns specify inches, but if I can somehow translate those inches to rows or rounds, it's easier for me.

If I need 4 inches, that's not exact enough.  I work a bit, measure, work a bit more, measure yet again.  But if I need 24 rows, that's easy.  Ready, set, go . . . and I'm off working my way through 24 rows.  Same result - just a different way of looking at it.

Case in point.

New Canaan.  This is the Yarn Knot installment from the fall.  I diligently worked on it at first, but somewhere along the way I got bogged down.  I'd seen someone else's finished cowl and really wanted one of my own, but I was stuck - work a few rounds, measure, work a few more rounds. The desired measurement kept eluding me.

Then I decided to do a little math.  I estimated the number of rounds I needed for the required inches.  Suddenly this project was more manageable.  I checked off the rounds one by one.  It was finished in no time, and now I have a new cowl to see me through the last stretch of winter.  Inches or rows.  Do you have a preference?

Yarn Knot

I'm sorry to say I don't have much in the way of knitting to share. What started out as a minor sore throat on Tuesday had me parked on the couch most of Thursday.  Now sometimes being under the weather is manageable.  It can be a good excuse to take it easy, put your feet up and knit a few more rows.  And sometimes it isn't an excuse for extra knitting time.

I've come to gauge my degree of sickness by my ability - or inability - to knit through it.  Since I haven't been able to pick up my knitting for the last couple days, this bout of summer crud is the sickest I've been in a long, long time.  Whatever this bug is, it's spreading quickly through the household.  My son complained of a sore throat last night and was in bed by 10:00.  That's a record for this house full of teenagers.

Today I feel I might have turned the corner.  I'll see how the day progresses.  Since I don't have much knitting progress to report, I thought I'd share my latest brainstorm.

Yarn Knot is a quarterly subscription I'm offering.  Over the year we'll sample a variety of yarn blends and a mix of patterns all with an array of different colorways.  There will also be a KAL happening over on Ravelry.  Follow the link for more details.  It promises to be a fun adventure.

Our dry spring has flipped into a rainy season.  In fact today there are flood warnings.  In between the showers I've managed to take a few pictures, including my color inspiration for the week.

Purple with yellow flecks.