18 December 2014

The holidays are rushing up on all of us. Just so you know, I will be

closing at 3 pm on Christmas Eve

and

reopening at 10 am on Friday. 

We welcome you to come to the shop on Saturday or Sunday for holiday decompression if you need to. We can all share stories about our holiday fun.

We just got another shipment of Lang Jawoll. These are the special November colors (yes I know that this is December but they're running a bit late). This is a limited 'edition' of Jawoll. The colors will not be repeated, so you snooze, you loose.

Happy Holidays

28 November 2014

Now that you're full of turkey come

Sit and Knit

Tomorrow Nov. 29

and

Sunday Nov. 30

 All day both days.

Sit and be merry with a group of fellow knitters.

UPS just brought a fresh supply of Berroco Sox yarn in new colors for the shop. These are 100 gm balls so it only takes one for a pair. Socks make a quick gift for the upcoming holiday season.

Want to knit a sock from the toe-up? I'll show you how to get started with toe-up on either day.

21 November 2014

Don't  forget the 

Sit and Knit

November 29 and 30

Relax after the holiday stress.

And, better late than never –

The September edition of Lang Jawoll Color sock yarn has finally arrived. This limited edition yarn comes with a dyed-to-match reinforcing thread for those sock areas that tend to wear first. The colorways in this version stripe less than what we’ve had from Jawoll in the past, resulting in a nice, overall distribution of color. I can’t find any pictures of this yarn online, so you’ll just have to come see for yourself.

19 November 2014

With the holidays barreling down on us no need to be panicked for hand knit gifts.

I just received Ornamental Knits ornament kits. I have a good selection and these are quick to knit gifts that amaze.

This is the simplest of the designs and there are many colors available. If you would like a bit more of a challenge we have those too!

Stop by the shop and peruse the selection.

23 October 2014

With Halloween almost here, Lyn decided that we needed to yarn bomb our sad tree in front of the shop and put our scarecrow there.

Her know what you think when you see her.

Happy Halloween!

26 September 2014

Don't forget!

FALL

PORCH PARTY

ALL DAY

TOMORROW

SEPTEMBER 27

Tea and cookies will be available. Good weather, food and knitting, what more could you ask for?

24 September 2014

The count down begins!

FALL

PORCH PARTY

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 27

ALL DAY

It looks like it will be a beautiful weekend day to sit and enjoy the start of fall weather. Please stop by for some cookies and tea.

The store just got in a great quick to knit yarn that makes a fun hat with one ball or a fun scarf with two balls.  As you knit you can slide the flowers along the yarn to place them where you wish. Or, you can follow the free patten inside the label. 

This is a wool and acrylic blend that can be machine washed but no dryer - you wouldn't want to ruin the flowers.

5 Sept 2014

Boy, has it been hot and humid. I guess I shouldn't be complaining because it has been a rather cool summer for Virginia.

But according to the Farmers Almanac, we're going to have another winter like we had, to quote:

The folks at the Farmers' Almanac can be forgiven for feeling smug: The 198-year-old publication correctly predicted the past nasty winter while federal forecasters blew it.
Memories of the polar vortex and relentless snowstorms won't soon be forgotten. And the editors of the publication are predicting more of the same for the coming season. . . . . .

The latest edition, which officially goes on sale this week, forecasts colder-than-normal and wetter-than-usual weather for three-quarters of the country east of the Rocky Mountains.

Brrrrrrrrr!

I'm thinking ahead and the winter yarns are starting to arrive. The latest addition is Berocco's Kodiak. This yarn is practically weightless. It's an airy blend of alpaca, nylon, and merino wool and works up quickly into a soft, cozy fabric.

We found a great pattern on Ravelry that knits up a quick cowl that is reversible and will look smart and keep you warm.  Because this can be knit so quickly, pattern will make thoughtful winter gifts.

See you soon.

17 July 2014

The

Anniversary Sale

is going strong!

There are new items on sale. Remember:

YOU SNOOZE, YOU LOOSE!

11 July 2014

It is the second week of the store's

ANNIVERSARY SALE

New items have been placed on sale including Hiya-Hiya needle sets and Bryson needle sets.

All quantities are limited so don't be disappointed if an item is no longer. Sale items wait for no knitter.

And, who knows what will be on sale next week

4 July 2014

HAPPY 4Th of JULY

For knitting emergencies I will be here from 10 am to 2 pm today.

Don't forget the

SIT AND KNIT

this weekend. The weather will be beautiful for sitting on the porch and knitting. Hope to see you!

2 July 2014

It's my

ANNIVERSARY SALE

for the whole month of July

BUT

sale items change each week!

And don't forget that this 4th of July weekend is a

SIT AND KNIT

at the shop.

Stop by and have a seat and have a great time knitting and not worry about the traffic. There's always great people and great fun.

18 June 2014

All I can say is WOW!

We just got in some wild sport/fingering weight yarn that really speaks summer colors. This yarn will  make you happy as you knit it.

Jawoll magic is a captivating self striping yarn. Colors flow off your needles providing hours of enjoyable knitting on your favorite sport weight, shawl, scarf, socks or other lighter gauge projects.

And, we got in some great color in Miniraggi fingering weight yarn too. You really need to see these colors in person. Stop by and we take you on a color tour.

6 June 2014

It's here, it's here!

Isager Alpaca Merino 2 has arrived to make this beautiful stole. Simple knitting. It is just an 8x8 rib in nine gorgeous colors. This yarn is soft and luxurious and will make this stole light and warm with colors to brighten up the day.

You have to stop by to feel this yarn and see the colors in real lift. It is better than the picture and has a beautiful hand.

30 May 2014

We had a great time at the PORCH PARTY so THANK YOU ALL for coming and making it a great success. I do hope that all of you had as much fun as I did.

Many projects were shared and there was much discussion and I'm sure a bit of gossip. But, that is what makes the Porch Party so fun.

We couldn't have asked for better weather. Speaking of the weather, as long as the weather is pleasant the porch is available for your enjoyment. When you're in town you can sit and enjoy a lunch and watch the world go by as you knit.

I would like to give a big Thank You to Ann Santerre for her wonderful dip that has almost become a tradition at the parties, to Pam Lamborne for her delicious Pumpkin Spread and to Courtney Bowes for the ever so popular Pimento Cheese Sandwiches - YUM. Goodies like those make me want to have more Porch Parties. Your contributions are always appreciated and welcomed.

The fall Porch Party has not been announced but will be in September. The announcement will be in the Fall Class mailer - stay tuned.

Again, thank you all for coming and making the party something to remember.

23 May 2014

Don't forget:

SATURDAY MAY, 24

PORCH PARTY

AT

HUNT COUNTRY YARNS

10 AM – 5 PM

 We will be serving goodies and iced tea. Come one and come all.

We're planning on having FUN!

16 May 2014

After shaking the rain off, it now feels like spring. I hope that this blog finds you without water problems.

Get ready for the Porch Party on May 24th – all day. I will have treats and iced tea for your pleasure. Come sit on the porch, enjoy a convivial day with fellow knitters, crocheters, needlepointers and quilters.

Two errors were found in the mailer. The date of the Cast-on class is June 28 (not June 8) and date of the Introduction to Knitting class is June 29 (not June 2). That's what I get for trying to get this done while on holiday.

I am hoping to still have the Prism yarn from Maryland Sheep and Wool here for your perusal so you can root away in the boxes and have fun.

5 May 2014

Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival was fun and I saw many of you there. If you didn't have time to stop and look at my booth I brought the show to the store.

So if you didn't have time to go to MS&WF, or couldn't go - it's here!

We have:

Kauni: Effekt
Prism: Stuff, Merino Mia, Euroflax Sport and Lace weight and Delicato
Mountain Colors:Weaver's Wool 16oz and 4oz, Bearfoot and Winter Lace
Fiesta Yarns: La Boheme, Starburst and Wrapture Kits (these are great for gifts)

It won't be here for long. I will try to keep the shipments as long as possible but this is a good way to see a large selection of colors.

See you soon.

1 May 2014

Hooray! The consignment of Kauni Effekt yarn has arrived for the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. If you don't know about Effekt yarn this is the time to get familiar with all of their wonderful color combinations.

Effekt can be knit at 6 sts/in for a garment or with larger needles for a nice open work stole. If you would like some ideas for what you can make with the Effekt yarn just hop over to Ravelry and view the 11,000+ projects that are made using the yarn.

This yarn is sold by the gram weight of the ball and the balls of yarn are of differing weights. It does help to know how many yards of yarn you will need for your project's completion. We have a chart with the amount of yardage in the differing gram weights to make it easy.

Do stop by my display and dive in. I'm located in the Main Exhibition Hall on the right-hand side against the wall, space D-16.

See you there!

25 April 2014

I would like to announce the arrival of Kauni's Effekt yarn. There are many long run color changing yarns but Effekt is unique. This is a rustic fingering wright yarn dyed in absolutely beautiful combinations. Effekt's long color variations make incredible sweaters, shawls, stoles, vests and more. This yarn is only limited by your imagination.

This yarn is sold by weight. Sound strange? Well, each ball can have a different gram weight. A 100 gm ball will cost less than a 120 gm ball and the amount of yardage varies with the weight. We have a chart at the shop listing the cost of a given weight ball and the amount of yardage contained in the ball. The beauty of this yarn makes up for this small oddity in its put-up.

We have knitted color samples so we can show you what the color will look like knitted up. Stop by and ask to see the samples.

17 April 2014

For your knitting pleasure:

WE WILL BE OPEN

EASTER SUNDAY

APRIL 20th

New summer yarn has arrived. We have received Schachenmayr Tahiti. Soft summer colors and smooth color transitions characterize this delicate summer yarn. Tahiti is 99% cotton and 1% polyester. The  polyester content gives Tahiti a slight stretch for beautiful knits. This light summer yarn, with its pastel colors, is ideal for delicate, airy designs.

There are 306 yards in a ball and this is a lace weight cotton that knits to 32 stitches/4 inches. Of course to knit that lacy stole for covering your shoulders this summer, a medium size needle is in order.

This is the ideal cotton lace  yarn for summer wear.

12 April 2014

We're waiting to have some fun knitting with you

All Day

Sit and Knit

is

Today

And, we have non-fattening Easter candy because as long as your knitting it you won't gain any calories.

Come join us on the porch. It's a beautiful day!

10 April 2014

I know that I shouldn't get too excited but it appears that spring has really arrived.

It also looks as though this weekend will be nice for the

Sit and Knit

on

Saturday April 12

an it just might be on the porch! This is an all day event so come when you have the time. Looking  forward to seeing you and what you are knitting.

4 March 2014

Fingers crossed, it looks like spring might be here, despite what the Farmers Almanac might say.

I have been waiting, and maybe you too have been waiting for Laura Bryant at Prism Art to dye the Saki yarn that I used in this shawlette

It has finally arrived! I now have Saki yarn in colors Garnet and Mushroom in stock.

I have to say that this was a fun shawlette to knit. I will do another (when I have spare time ; ). I think this would look great using a space-dyed yarn and a solid that would pick out one of the colors in the space dyed.  Just thinking about the possibilities.........

18 March 2014

Spring will happen on March 20, but no one told Old Man Winter!

I have send out invitations to the 13th annual  P J Party. If you attended last year and haven't received your invitation please call the shop. As of today, there are two opening available. If you or someone you know are interested in attending (October 24 - 26) please call the shop and let us know.

A Sit and Knit has been scheduled for Saturday, April 12. Knowing the way the weather has been it will most likely be a bit too chilly for an outside day. The shop will just have to do. I will have light refreshments available.

Hopefully this will help break the winter doldrums.

12 March 2014

It felt like Spring for a moment. The bouncing temperatures this time of year makes it hard to decide whether to knit with wool or cotton.

If your thoughts are turning to a light Spring/Summer sweater, Cascade SunSeeker has arrived.

This is a cotton blend with just a tiny bit of glitz - just right for Summer. SunSeeker can be knit as a DK or Sport weight so there is a nice choice of weights for those cool Spring days or cool Summer nights.

This yarn is machine washable and dryable to make your care easy. And, the yarn comes in great Summer colors. Just the ticket for that light sweater that you've wanted to knit.

We have a knitted sample on the table and we'll start knitting a garment this weekend.

See you soon!

7 March 2014

Another batch of yarn has arrived for Spring.

Mountain Colors "Bearfoot" is here. This is a wool/mohair fingering weight yarn that is wonderful for shawlettes, scarves, hats or socks. Of course they are in the scrumptious color combinations inspired by nature in Montana, where the yarn is dyed.

Here's a sample of one of their colors, Alpine:

We're suppose to have a"warm" weekend for a change. Can you believe it - no snow this weekend! Stop by and see the new yarns.

5 March 2014

Old man Winter just doesn't seem to want to relent but the first day of Spring is March 20 so mark your calendar.

We are all tired of snow and ice and the single digit temperatures. Soon they will be a thing of the past and we can look forward to daffodils and cherry blossoms. Something to look forward to.

If you have cabin fever, all of the roads here are clear and dry. Plenty of snow free parking and the lot in back will be a bit muddy but should be clear (mostly) by the end of the day.

I've finished the Rockefeller shawlette by Stephen West and have it on display in the shop. It was an easy knit and can be knit out of any fingering weight or lace weight yarn. I used Saki by Prism Arts but Serenity 20 by Zen Yarn Garden would work well. You could even work this in a sport weight yarn, wool or cotton, and have a great success. The sport weight would slightly increase the size.

This pattern is available on Ravelry, Stephen West,  Pattern: Rockefeller.

See you soon and of course you can try this on.

14 February 2014

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

I finally made it in to the shop. All of the back roads are clear. It was my driveway that was the problem. The almost 50 degree heatwave this afternoon has made all of the difference.

All of the back roads are dry and clear. Considering what I hear on the news, we're lucky out here.

I will be here tomorrow. If you have cabin fever or if you just need a break from the children, stop by. We'll be sitting here ready to help with your projects and to let you play with the new yarns.

See you this weekend.

13 February 2014

That was a taste of winter. There was 13" of snow out here and I decided that discretion is the better part of valor and I stayed at home knitting - oh yes, and shoveling out the drive. After about 2 hours I made it to the main drive.

Not sure that I will be in tomorrow morning, possibly tomorrow afternoon. I will keep you posted via blog and voice mail if you call the shop.

Stay warm and keep knitting.

See, everyone needs a neck gator.

12 February 2014

Winter appears to be still with us. I guess Punxsutawney Phil was correct this year.

As promised, more yarn has arrived. We now have a stock of Pluscious. This is a bulky yarn that can be quickly knitted up for babies or adults. You can check out the patterns here. The yarn is wonderfully soft and fun to knit or crochet. It's like chenille but without all of the problems. This is a machine washable and dryable yarn.

We're going to knit a model using a Yankee Knitters pattern #30. Stop by the shop to see a knitted sample.

See you soon.

7 February 2014

A customer just left after we helped fix a rat's nest of yarn.

I know that balls of yarn can be made to be center pull but that doesn't mean that you have to pull from the center.

If your ball of yarn will never be moved from where you place it, then go ahead a pull from the center. The ball won't pirouette around the room and get tangled around your legs or the chair legs.

If you are going to take the ball of yarn with you as you move from place to place then pulling from the center can make a mess. Toward the end of the ball, if you're pulling from the center, you end up with a 'hollow' ball. It will stay that way until either moving or removing more yarn causes it to collapse. If the ball hasn't been moved then there will be very little yarn left when it collapses. If you're moving around with the ball, it will collapse sooner and make a large mess - that needs to be untangled. Which is what happened today.

From the center or outside, you decide. I've just had to untangle yarn too many times.

7 February 2014

I know that it is still cold outside but you need to start thinking about Spring and Summer and the shop just got in the ideal yarn.

Trendsetter Yarns has revived an old favorite Cin-Cin. This yarn is a viscose and cotton blend that is multi-colored and slubbed. It would be great for a tank top or a tee. Heck, it would make a wonderful simple shoulder wrap for the refrigerated restaurants in the summer. The yarn will do all the work just knit every row for the wrap - a quick simple and stylish project.

 

These are just two of the colors that arrived. We're knitting a tee so when you stop by ask to see what the yarn looks like knitted. We're proud to show our work.

5 February 2014

Lumio reflective yarn has been great and the solid colors are fun. Now Lumio Color comes in ragg colors and they're really fun. Here are two color samples:

They will work for men or women.

The latest Rowan Magazine 55 is now here with more great patterns.

There are more great yarns to come. I will announce them on the blog and on my Facebook page. Stay tuned!

1 February 2014

Okay, the postman just showed up with a package from Canada. New yarn IS arriving every day!

The newest shipment from Zen Yarn Garden has arrived. I have new custom colors of Serenity 20 for you to peruse.

Because they're custom colors you'll have to stop by to see my colors.

1 February 2014

Tomorrow is Ground Hog Day! We'll find out how much more Winter we're going to have. Good news or bad we'll still be having:

NO PRESHOW SUPER BOWL

SIT AND KNIT

Sit and knit here at the shop. I will have chips and other bad things to eat as you knit, you can contribute dips if you wish.

We're here to sit and talk about things other than football, eat bad things and knit. Oh, for those of you who feel guilty, there may be some veggies.

So come join us and have a good time.

Oh, yes there will be new yarns coming in soon.

30 January 2014

Brrrrrrrrr, it's still cold outside.

I've decided to call Sunday

NONSUPER BOWL XLVIII

We can sit and knit and eat chips here at the shop.

So, bring your knitting and join us at the shop. I'll supply chips and you can supply dip.

See you on Sunday

24 January 2014

Tired of the dreary days with no sun and bone chilling cold? I have the solution for you!

Plymouth Yarns has just released a new fingering weight yarn called Neon Now. This will make your days seem warmer and brighter.

I have all five colors in stock so don't let it be said that winter can't be brightened up. Check out the link to see all of the colors.

17 January 2014

The new yarns just keep on arriving to keep you interested.

The newest addition is Tangier yarn from Cascade Yarns. This is a long repeat multi-color yarn that is a silk, cotton, acrylic, rayon blend. It is a single-ply yarn that has a very smooth hand - it feels wonderful. This yarn knits at 14-18 sts/inch and would be great for a summer tee or tank.

Or this would make a wonderful wrap or cowl for those of you who would prefer no wool. Because of the color changes this is just plain fun to knit. Can't wait to see what color is coming next. We'll knit up a sample as soon as we can but stop by and knit with it a bit to see if you like it.

See you soon!

3 January 2014

Happy New Year!

Whew! Yesterday's storm was a close call. Just a bit of snow to remind all of us that it still is Winter. The roads here a clear and dry.

Last weekend's Sit and Knit was great fun. We had a crowd and we made room for everyone. It was the last Sit and Knit for 2013.

But,

the first Sit and Knit for 2014 is this Saturday January 4. Come join us at the shop if you missed last weekend.

The first new yarn of 2014 has arrived.

The first yarn is TOPPER from Trendsetter Yarns. This is a ball of yarn that changes color and texture and knits a hat or scarf with a ball of yarn. It is just plain fun and the patterns are free on the Trendsetter website. The ball even includes a pompom for the finish of the hat.

This

Makes one of these

Got some yarn that is very nice but you want to jazz it up a bit? Well, Grace is the yarn for you. This is a 'run-along' yarn that you knit with your plain yarn and it adds the jazz. There is 275 yards to a ball so scarf, hat and spaced in a shawl will add that bit of 'bling'.

The small teardrop shaped paillettes are spaced about 7" apart so you get the sparkle your looking for but it isn't overwhelming. Every row too much? Well then how about every other row for a bit less. You decide how to upscale your yarn.

Hope to see you this Saturday.