Hooray for models!

Having models in the shoppe is fun.  We get to see how a pattern and yarn come together.

Ruth knitted the Pure Elegance Shawl using Mountain Colors Twizzle.

I knew that I liked the Lucy Wrap and when we acquired it, it reinforced my first impression.

We're so excited

We now have yarn exclusively hand-dyed in Michigan by Fiona McPherson Grant for Thistledown Shoppe.

 Third Coast, 100% Superwash Merino Wool, fingering weight.  1120 yds

Up North, 51% silk / 49% merino wool, fingering weight

and Lake Effect, 100% Tussah Silk, 1 ply.

The colorways are named after local flora and fauna and places located in our area.

Several of us are busily knitting models for the shoppe.

 I am using Lake Effect to make this scarf.   Susan is  knitting the Shetland Shorty and Betsy knitted a sock out of Third Coast.  Jill is knitting a lace scarf out of Up North.

Think one of a kind and exclusive.  Fiona has a wonderful reputation as an excellent hand dyer and she will be thrilling us with the results.
.

Gaillardia

Gaillardia.   This is a flower and here are some pictures.

It is also the color name of one of our yarns.  I tried a picture, I really did, but my camera wants to change the coral and oranges to pinks.  So,  look at the colors above and think 100% Merino Superwash.  All 1120 yds of it.  One of a kind.

If you have to have warm weather, then this is what makes it worthwhile.

 The planter outside of the shoppe.

 Fuchsia at my house.  I never saw them until we lived in Alaska.  Snowball bush in the background.

More flowers that we purchased from Countryside Gardens.  I call it Sheila's. 

She is located on Good Harbor Trail.  Friendly folks and wonderful plants.

Wisteria in my back yard. 

Baby

I was able to get a picture of one baby robin. 

We had three hatchlings, and then this morning one of them was on the sidewalk, so we are now down to two.

Freddie's Blanket

We have a new book that is wonderful for knitting projects and reading to your child. 

There are patterns for a blanket,

Freddy Platypus and his coveralls,

 




 coveralls for a child,












an envelope wrap,









 







and May Platypus.  They all use the Serendipity Tweed and we have lots of that.






It is written and illustrated by the same folks that did Phoebe's Sweater.

They also have a group on Ravelry.

Thank you, Slate Falls Press, for the wonderful pictures.

Kauni Trunk Show

RYN Yarns, our distributor for Kauni yarns, sent us a trunk show. 






The Oakland Shawl



















Beverly Cardigan

Brady Scarf


















It looks much nicer in person.  We will have it until the end of May, so make sure you stop by to fondle.

Carry on

Okay, so I collect things.  And one of those things I collect and use are bags, totes, baskets.  Items to hold my knitting.  And Lantern Moon has a lot of what I like.

Rice baskets - the salt water reed is sustainably harvested, flattened by hand press, then dyed and woven by village artisans in the community center and in their homes

 Clam Shell Cases - three fit into one and zip up.  Great for notions.

Boca - twisted seagrass baskets with silk lining. Small and medium with drawstring closure.

 



Silk Taffeta bags - three different sizes.  I have a lady that uses them to gift wines.

Ibiza - diamond pattern palm leaf combined with natural palm inside to make a fresh summer tote. Rattan ring handles.

  Swing bucket - Roomy drawstring pouch with four outside pockets in limited edition prints.

Tilly - Folded and sewn palm leaf in perfect brights for Spring and Summer. Natural palm is woven in to create a rick rack effect. Wooden handles on this farmer's market tote.

Jewel - Taffeta silk tops the soft quilted charcoal box.

Sapa Messenger bag  

Palm Leaf Tote - braided palm leaf with wooden handle. Black cotton lining with magnetic snap. Inside zipper pocket.

                           

Silk and velvet, I am a Victorian lady.

Maya Floral - small project bag in beautiful Vietnamese floral print silk.  Loop and shell button closure.

Another sign of spring

This is what happens when a puppy meets up with a porcupine. 

Guess who won? 

She had quills in her abdomen, left front paw and face.  One is still in her nose.

New tenants

Last weekend we hosted new tenants.

Robins and their nest.

I had stopped by the shoppe last Sunday, saw this, 

and thought that the neighbors had cleaned up their yard, found the nest on the ground and gifted it to us.

 Betsy said she saw a robin sitting on the nest.  The last time I checked there were not any eggs.  Isn't it amazing what nature can do?

Sample It

Thanks to Betsy, Jill, and Susan - we have some more new samples at the shoppe.

Betsy knitted the Twirly Skirt  (look under free patterns) out of Cotton Fleece.  She made the size 4, but found that she had to shorten the last section to keep from having to use 2 skeins of that color.













These two hats were knitted by Susan.  She used the Kauni yarn and the pattern is by Ruth Sorensen,  One skein made both hats.

















Jill knitted the Wiggle Wrap out of the Kauni.  It is nice and long.



















Another scarf knitted out of Kauni.    The Paintbox Scarf by Lucy Neatby.

Need to mark it?

One line of markers that we carry is Suann Stitches.  Suann is a knitter and teacher who lives in the Lansing, MI area and makes these wonderful snagless markers.

 We received more of her markers this past week.  They come in two sizes - up to US 4 and up to US 10.5.   She uses sterling plated jumprings that are sealed with Japanese seed beads.

Absolutely lovely.