23 December 2011

I've heard it many times, "If I buy another needle my husband will ......"

As a husband I would like to say that I have many tools that look the same but are very different. Screwdrivers, socket wrenches, box wrenches, etc. I also have the same tool in different places, trunk of car, tool chest, kitchen drawer, etc. I won't even go into power tools.

I see no difference in having needles made out of different materials and whether they are straight, double point, circular or interchangeable. Needles are the tools you use to make your knitted project and not all needles are suited for all projects. Just like a slotted driver won't work for a phillips driver.

So, the next time you hear the question, ask about his tools for his "hobby".

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

22 December 2011

My Christmas hours will be: Saturday Dec 24, 10-2 pm. Closed Dec 25 - 27. I'll be open Wed Dec 28, at 10 am.

Just a quick thought. If you are trying to figure out the instructions of a "complicated" stitch pattern, DON'T use the yarn that you will be using for the project. This is especially the case if the project is to be knitted in a dark color or on very small needles.

Grab any light colored yarn that is at least DK weight, but not bulky. Knit the stitch pattern using needles appropriate for the yarn you've grabbed for the test of the pattern.

There is no reason to try the stitch pattern using your project yarn and having to ravel it out several times because of confusion of the pattern wording or your misunderstanding of the stitich pattern's instructions.

Once you've figured out how the stitch pattern works you are ready to go with your project. This does not, however, relieve you of doing a knitted sample for stitch gauge. Be good, knit a gauge. It really does save time!

Happy Holidays! Happy Knitting!

15 December 2011

Christmas is almost upon us!

If you're looking for a special gift, we've just gotten in some beautiful stitch markers. Some are made from stone (unakite, jasper, etc.) and some are glass and wood. Problem is, they're all beautiful.

We also have sheep cell phone holders. It's hard to explain but they work and their fun. You have to stop by and see.

10 December 2001

We've gotten in some great gifts for knitters. My favorite is Sidney. We have all three sizes of Sidney in stock. Prices start at $47.95. These sheep are a fair-trade item with fair wages paid for their work.
We have several coffee mugs with great Thomas Joseph tongue-in-cheek sheep images. These coffee (or tea) mugs will make you smile every time you take a sip. Always needed if your day is not going well.

4 December 2011

As posted on Ravelry:

On March 26th, we posted on Ravelry about the revised and updated edition of “Principles Of Knitting” being released, well….last month. Obviously that didn’t happen. The current release date for this treasured resource is February 14, 2012. The list price of $45 is unchanged. If you would like to be added to our reservation list, please call the store at 540-253-9990 so we can be sure to order enough copies to meet the initial demand.

This is definitely a book you’ll want to have in your knitting library.

2 December 2011

Don't forget, it's Christmas In Middleburg on December 3, Saturday. Route 50 will be blocked off several times during the day. Best bet is route 66 exit 31.

And to repeat the ravelry information for today:

The “Let It Snow” stickies are in the window for the 3rd year in a row. We all know how that turned out for the past 2 years. This year we added a “just a little” underneath to (hopefully) ensure we will not get buried by feet of snow again. We’re curious to know everyone’s predictions for this season’s accumulations though. Reply to this post with your guess!