The Knitting Gods Are Not Amused

Have you ever fallen in love with a pattern by one company and a yarn by another?  Think they'll work great together?  Well, here is my story......

I've been looking for a project to use Berroco Maya, a lovely yarn that is a blend of Pima Cotton and Alpaca.  I'm also in love with the "Sunny Tee" pattern from Knit One Crochet Too, which calls for Nautika yarn, which is Microfiber and Nylon.  I've seen both yarns knitted and love them both.  Both recommend a size 8 needle. Great, this should work.

So, I started the back of Sunny Tee with the Maya.  I finished it fairly quickly with no problems.  It's a two piece, basic summer top with simple yarn overs and increases and decreases.

 I should be done in no time, right!  Well apparently the Knitting Gods were not amused. Keep in mind, this pattern is knit identically back and front until the scoop neck for the front.  I did the increases and decreases, had stitches on the holder for the front neck, get up to where I should be ready to stitch the first shoulder, and behold!  Three stitches short on the right shoulder.  (I missed the last increase at the beginning of a row.)  Okay, frog it back, add the stitches, re-knit.  Three needle bind-off on left shoulder.  Oh wait it should have been the actual left shoulder, not the one on my left......Take out, bind-off the correct shoulder.  Pick up stitches for neck edge, wait there's an extra live stitch on the front.  Adjust and pick up one less.  Knit neck edge.  Knit armhole edges.  Mattress stitch first side.  Now, other shoulder seam.  Wait, why am I missing two inches of neck edging and why does the front have a weird section of yarn hanging?  Somehow, my ends undid themselves and unraveled.  So, frog back to original neck decreases, re-knit to shoulder again.

Time to knit neck edge again.  Exact number of live stitches on front(?????) Knit, start to bind-off, run out of yarn six stitches from end.  Deep breath, do not throw project out of car window on DC Beltway.  Try again, this time success.

Four days later, bind-off second shoulder.  Pack project and yarn to take to work to finish.  Arrive at work, no project.  Must be on the table at home.  Come home to find, that no, it fell out of the bag on the way to the car.  Fortunately, dogs did not eat it.  Ignore project again for two days, put in bag to take on Friday.  Arrive at shop, pull out sweater, no ball of yarn to finish it in bag.

Finished project. It knit up beautifully in the Maya.



I like the top so much, I'm making another.  But to appease the Knitting Gods, I'm using Nautika on this one.....

Startitis

It's been awhile since I've blogged.  I promised myself that for the new year, I would not start a new project until I finished a previous one (no matter how many new shop models we need!).  I was doing okay, as I'm still finishing Christmas presents that have now become birthday presents.  But then, we got a new to us yarn in the mail.

Raggi Sock Yarn from Jarbo!

I had heard about this wonderous sock yarn from customers and when I found the rep who sold it, ordered some.  I am absolutely in love with the yarn!

Having males in the family with large feet, I learned early on in my sock knitting adventures that boot socks made with worsted weight yarn is the way to go.  (Otherwise, with regular sock yarn on a size 3 needle, I will be in the black hole of knitting* for weeks at a time.)  Raggi is made to be knit on size 7-8 needles!

I cast on the first sock Friday evening, and finished it on Sunday.  Keep in mind this son has size 12 feet and likes his boot socks to be extra tall.  At this rate, the second sock should be done before his birthday on Sunday.

Pattern:  Sock Recipe  by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee
Yarn:  Jarbo Raggi #15104

My family has an abundance of birthdays the first few months of the year, so the delayed Xmas gifts work for birthdays.  For my niece, who turned 20 at the beginning of January, a pair of Cafe Au Lait fingerless gloves.

Pattern:  Cafe au Lait by Paula McKeever  Yarn:  Sublime Cashmere Merino Silk dk Plum Noir
 (Luckily for me, she's been out of town with the college swim team, so these will be waiting in her mailbox when she returns.)

Stay warm and Happy Knitting New Year!


*Black Hole of Knitting - when you knit for three hours and have only lengthened the knit piece by an inch (if you're lucky....)

Black Friday Sale!

Needles in the Haymarket will be hosting our first ever Black Friday Sale!

Sale starts at 8:00a.m. and ends at 6:00p.m on Friday, November 29, 2013.  Please use the parking lot door to enter.

The Specials are:

   8:00a.m. – 9:59a.m. 

          Yarns, Notions, & Accessories*  30 %off      Cross Stitch Fabrics 25% off

    10:00a.m. – 11:59a.m.

          Yarns, Notions & Accessories*  25% off       Cross Stitch Fabrics 20% off

   12:00p.m. – 6:00p.m.

          Yarns, Notions & Accessories *  20% off      Cross Stitch Fabrics 15% off

All patterns and Books (Knit, Crochet and Cross Stitch)  20% off All Day

All DMC, Anchor and Prescencia Threads 4 for $1.00 All Day

All other Threads 20% off All Day

Needlepoint canvases 75% off all day!

We will also be raffling a Namaste Bag, a Namaste Notions Box, two sets of Clover Straight Needles, one starter set of Knitter’s Pride Dreamz Interchangeables,  one set of Knitter’s Pride Sock Double Points, Plymouth DeAire Glow Infinity Scarf Kit, Frabjous Fibers Needle Case

The only cost to enter the raffle drawing is a donation of a canned good for the Haymarket Food Pantry.  Additional tickets may be purchased for $1.00 ea.

Sale prices are on in stock merchandise only.  No special orders.  All Sales are Final.

May not be combined with any other discounts.

*No discounts on Needles, Debra’s Bags or purchase of a gift card.

Happy Thanksgiving and hope to see you on the 29th!

Shhh! It's A Secret!

As you can see, I've been cross stitching with a vengeance!  This is a secret though, and I have to make three for graduation gifts (2 college, 1 high school)!  I'll post a picture of the finished versions before graduation, as all 3 dear sons have to open this gift at the same time for maximum effect!

(And with 2 graduations down and one to go, I better get a move on....)

Catching Up

I've been quiet on the blog for awhile, spending my time trying to finish projects and trying very hard not to start any new ones. Much harder than I thought it would be.

I finished the alpaca capelet I started back in October.  It was an easy knit, and it should have been done in about 4 evenings of watching tv.   I used one skein of Plymouth's Baby Alpaca Grande Hand Dye in Variegated Neutrals and one skein of Plymouth's Baby Alpaca Ultimo in Brown.  Very nice yarns to work with.

I've also finished one slipper that was supposed to be a Christmas gift and have cast on the second one. This is a great pattern called Nola's Slippers (pictures when completed).  It uses two strands of worsted weight, is knit flat and then seamed.  Of course, I had to start making them using a chunky weight.  It's a lot harder on my hands this way, but the men in the family love the end result.  (Guess oldest DS will get these for graduation.)

I attended the Nashville Needlework Market in early March.  This is where shop owners go to meet designers and vendors and see what's new in the Needlepoint and Cross Stitch world.  While I am capable of performing both these crafts, it's been a while since I did any serious stitching, I was totally enthralled with the beauty of the creations at Market.

I was inspired to make a model for the shop though.  Unfortunately, it will be better for next Easter, but here it is:  Alleluia! from Handblessings.  Stitched on 14ct Navy Aida, using DMC Floss #462..

Now, for the newly started projects....since I have to attend three graduations this spring/summer, I decided I wanted to make some lightweight tops.  I've been really anxious to try two patterns from Cabin Fever, "Lace Checks" and "Checkmate Cardigan".  The great thing about both of these patterns is that they are knit in one piece with no sewing when finished! (Okay, I still had to weave in the ends and sew a little tiny join under each arm.)  The Lace Checks shell is knit in the round and you finish the armholes as you go!  I've been know to get very bored knitting a top in the round, but the choice of yarn has made this project a delight to knit.  I used Lang "Moina" a viscose/polyamide/silk blend and it has a wonderful drape and feel. This pattern would work well in any number of yarns, and I'm really considering making it again in a linen blend or pima cotton.  Now, if can I finish the cardigan by next week, I'll be ready for the first ceremony.

Fun With Felting, Part I

Felting is an interesting form of crafting.  One way is to buy an already felted item, and using bits of colored fiber and a  really fun needle, one can create a pattern or design.  The other way is to knit or crochet an item  using 100% wool in a size much larger than what the finished product will be, and then shrink it.  Actually, it's the agitation of the fiber that causes it to shrink and become a firm fabric.

Shrinking the project is the fun part.  If you are still the owner of a top-loading washing machine, you have the best method.  Front loaders will work, but the problem is I felted my last bag this way about 3 years ago and have no idea how I did it.

I started a new bag awhile ago.  Instead of knitting though, this one is crocheted.  The pattern is "The Nomad Bag" from Noni Designs.  I really wanted to try felted crochet.  Making the bag itself wasn't too difficult.  Before the felting process started, this is how it looked:

Hopefully, the detail of the zipper flap is visible.

Since I wasn't sure about the front loader I tried the "dryer method".  This involves soaking the project in boiling water for 10 minutes, then putting it in the dryer with something to help agitate the wool.  I prefer my middle son's old, full of holes jeans, but I hear tennis balls work well.  It took one large stock pot and two tea kettles of water in the kitchen sink to cover the bag. (Use tongs to manipulate, the bag got very hot.)
I then put the bag in a towel and threw it in the dryer with the jeans for 10 minutes at time.

After about 40 minutes of felting, I concluded it wasn't reducing in size enough, so back to the sink for another ten minute soak.

Back to dryer and more ten minute increments (at least three).  It's very important to check the project because it is possible to felt it too small.  Since I was seeing progress, I let it go for a straight 20 minutes in the dryer and voila! it was finally the correct size.

The saga will continue as soon as it dries.........

Bright Colors for a Winter's Day

One thing I've noticed about owning a yarn shop is that I am surrounded by lots of beautiful yarns everyday. I see yarns and sometimes think this would make a great_______!  And other times I think this is great but what would I do with it or what would this pattern really look like? I also sell lots of yarn but don't always know what becomes of it, so I'm always thrilled when customers bring a finished project for me to see.

Yesterday, a very lovely lady brought in her finished Lucy Neatby Ikat Garter Scarf.  The best part is that she tried a new yarn in the shop called Gina, from Plymouth Yarns.  To say the least, it is a beautiful and amazing scarf.  The colors striped a very pleasing pattern and she enjoyed it so much, she's making another one and has several friends who decided to try it in other colorways.

Another customer recently finished these mittens and allowed me to show them to you....

Bunny Mittens from the book 60 Quick Knits.  ( I may have to make these for my niece, even if she is turning 17 this year....)

I have several projects going right now (of course) and I promise to update with a finished one soon (or at least a sneak peek at one in progress!)