Continental Purling

I am a Continental knitter. I started out as a thrower, but as I watched the pickers, I decided that I preferred that way of knitting. But I admit that I was stumped on the purling. I tried, but failed miserably. I have since learned Norwegian Purling, but find that it is a lot of movement and I am always on the lookout for an easier way.

Ravelry's Ask a Knitter column showed a great video on a different way to purl, that actually looks easier. For those of you who can't or don't want to go over to Ravelry, here it is:



What do you think?

Classic Elite Trunk Show

We love samples. They are touchy, feely, and you can try them on. We also have folks who, while knitting the garments, come in and check out the seams, the buttons, the design features - it helps to keep them on track.

Classic Elite sent us a trunk show. We have a hat, cardigan sweater, vest, top, and lacy shell.



This is the Sprout Tee with Lace.


Dressy Cabled Cardigan in One Fifty





Portland Tweed Vest
Lacy Shell in One Fifty




All of these garments, and the yarn, are lovely.

You will have to come in and see the hat knitted out of Portland Tweed.

And thanks to my wonderful daughter, Kristina, for being a willing model.

Shoppe Puppy

Jill has a new puppy and Gracie comes and visits us about twice a week. It was originally thought that Gracie was Lab and Beagle, but her vet says that he thinks she is more like Lab and Rottweiler.

Whatever she is, she grows every time she sleeps. (first picture is 2 weeks ago) I think we should start a pencil line on the wall, chronicling her growth cycle.

My first day of my vacation

I am taking a vacation. I am not going anyplace special. Just taking time off of the fun job and the paying job. This is my first vacation in at least three years. I can't remember when I last took time off to just have time off.

Here I am at the Leland harbor.

I am wearing a new ruana that I purchased from Molly's. My husband calls it a tablecloth.



I am having milk and my daughter's freshly made chocolate chip cookies for lunch.

They are pretty good, but she refuses to put walnuts in them, which would make them close to perfect.

Later on, I have a choice of Coca Cola or wine. They are waiting for me in my winter refrigerator.

And at night, we watched Anne of Green Gables, the Sequel.

Pretty good start for a vacation.

Hatting on

I frogged it and started knitting. Here is where I am, several days later.


Since I cast on a different amount of stitches, I had to play with the moose part. I will admit that it took me at least one hour of knitting and frogging to get it right and now I am moving on.

By the way, the original pattern's antlers were more reindeer than moose, but I found another chart that did moose antlers, so I am using that chart instead.

Autumn and helping the community

Connie came in here a while ago to buy some yarn. She wanted to knit a shawl for her church's fund raiser. She had found the pattern and we could get the yarn for her.

Then she came back with this.


It is a pattern from Jojoland and uses their Rhythm yarn.

In exchange for Connie letting us have this at the shoppe, we are helping her sell it for $200. All of the proceeds will go to the 1st Presbyterian Church in Elk Rapids. It is for a fund raiser that will help families through agencies like the Women's Resource Center.

Connie has put a lot of time and effort into this beautiful shawl. And we know that it will help to make a difference in our community.

It's Demarie's fault

Demarie came in on Saturday with this pattern in her hands. (you have to be a member of Ravelry to go to the pattern.) I helped her pick out the yarn (Pastaza) and she left. But - she got me thinking. I pulled up Ravelry and started to look at the pattern and what others had knitted with it. And I was hooked.

This is a picture of the Ralph Lauren Olympic Hat for the opening ceremonies.


I picked out St. Denis, loved the colors and Jill had raved about the yarn, and started knitting when I got home Saturday night.

Now - what I did not need was another project. I was happily knitting MY Elizabeth Zimmermann Weekend Sweater

(although the dye keeps staining my hands, but that is another post), plus I am also knitting Carol's Clever Little Shawl out of the Brown Sheep Handpaint Original.

And then there are the other trillion UFO's I have tucked away here and there.

But, this hat kept picking at me, so I picked out the yarn and started it. (I am using the St Denis book hat pattern for cast on and other information.)



Monday morning I looked at what I had knitted and this is what I saw.


Look closer.

Twisted knitting. Not what I wanted. So, I will tear out 2.5" of knitting 140 sts per row and restart.

I swear that I checked and my stitches were not twisted. Honest.

More samples

I am fortunate to have a group of talented knitters. Because of them, you have an opportunity to fondle the yarns and find out how the patterns work.

This is Sally Melville's Faux Fur Hat knitted with Mountain Colors. We have kits made up for you with the yarn and pattern.


The man's vest is made with Jojoland Rhythm yarn.


And then one of my favorite patterns - the Wonderful Wallaby.

Betsy has knitted several of these. This one is made out of Portland Tweed.


I love the front pouch.

Phillip's sweater

Part of the fun of working in a yarn shoppe is the people you meet. Phillip's mother is knitting him a sweater using Elizabeth Zimmermann. She came into the shoppe to see what we thought about the hem. I told her that I liked the rolling effect, but we decided that it should be Phillip's call.

It is not finished yet, she has to weave in some loose ends and finish under the arms, but Phillip thought it was soft and warm enough that he wore it out of the shoppe.

Perfect for the day.

Want some ideas?

We have lots of new samples.


Hmmm, I am seeing a constant with the color theme. Okay - here is something different.

A Thank You

January 30, 2010

Dear Leelanau Community,

A deep, loud, resounding "THANK YOU!" goes out to all of the anonymous knitters who so generously donated boxes and bags full of handmade mittens, scarves, and hats to be donated to families with young children in our area. The "warmies" have been distributed to families via home visiting programs such as Parenting Communities and the Grand Traverse Band Early Headstart as well as through the Leelanau Baby Pantry and Laundry Project. Additional items were donated to local preschools to keep underdressed kids warm on the playground this winter.

Research tells us that outdoor play promotes the release of endorphins creating joyful sensations similar to those we experience when eating chocolate. Outdoor play helps children (and adults) relieve stress, better understand their relationship to the natural world, and has been proven to enhance environmental stewardship.

Thanks so much for creating these beautiful, functional works of art that will keep Leelanau families outside enjoying the sparkly snow and hills, promoting health for people of all ages.

Warm regards,

Angela Poneta Dedenbach

Parenting Communities Coordinator

On behalf of

Leelanau Families and Early Childhood Initiative

Molly and Dolly

We love to see what folks have made. Audrey sent these pictures to me.

She used the Marble yarn and Knitting Pure and Simple's Girl's One Button Cardigan. She found the pattern for the doll sweater on Ravelry.

Don't you love it?

.

123

123. That is as in one hundred and twenty-three. As in what you have knitted and crocheted for the families of our community.

As of Tuesday, 1-19-2010, you had turned in 50 hats, 42 scarfs, 27 mittens, one headband, one pair of socks, and one toy.


Marilyn crocheted 34 scarfs.

Inmates at the jail took wool sweaters, felted them, and sewed them into mittens and a toy.


Here is Tricia, of Parenting Communities, and her son, Thomas, checking out the goodies.


123 items were given to Parenting Communities, Headstart, and other agencies that work with families in Leelanau County.

Jane Addams - "The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life."

Hatting

Fun, fun. This is for my daughter's boyfriend. It is the Boyfriend Hat. Appropriately labeled, don't you think?

Tiffany, from my favorite bank (Northwestern in Leland) is my model. Yarn is Deep Pine Lamb's Pride Worsted. US 8 needle.

Flying time

Whew! The holiday season whooshed past and I am still wondering what happened.


I did finish two cowls (my new favorite knit. Quick and fun.)

The pattern is Dolores Park Cowl.


This one is knitted with Misti Alpaca Chunky Handpainted.


And this one is knitted with Mountain Colors Wool Quarters, double stranded.



I baked bread.
And enjoyed having my grown children and their friends.



Oh, yes, and their dogs.






I hope your holiday season was as wonderful as ours.