The Knitting Experience Café

Hi all,

Time for our monthly newsletter.  I always post a copy on the blog once it's been sent out to our email list.  If you'd like to receive a copy via email, let me know!

Spring is finally here! That snow piled up outside your window will melt and it will soon be time for cute lightweight sweaters and stylish bags.

With the new season in mind, we have stocked up on:

Your favorite felting yarn: Cascade 220. Come check out our rainbow of colors! 

I just finished a beautiful market bag from Noni Designs and will have it on display at the shop.  

New sock yarns: 

Panda Cotton, an incredibly soft blend of cotton/bamboo/elastic

Panda Silk, a luscious blend of combed silk, superwash merino wool, and bamboo. Not only is it a beautiful sock yarn, it also works well for lace!

Maizy - corn fiber and elastic.  Yes, that is corn fiber.  And is is surprisingly soft and springy.

Blue Sky Alapcas' Organic and Dyed Cotton in a cheery array of colors for Spring.

A heavenly mohair/silk blend in Madil's Kid Seta. We sold out of our first order, and have already restocked and brought in additional colors. 

Both Becka and I are in LOVE with this yarn. I've made a lace scarf and she just completed a cropped cardigan.

And my personal favorite, Cascade Venezia Worsted.  A luxurious blend of merino wool and silk with 219 yds per skein. 

I'll be using Cascade Venezia for our Spring 2008 Knit Along. Over 30 knitters thus far have signed up to knit Sprout by Amy King, a lovely cardigan with cable detailing on the raglan sleeves.  The pattern is written as both a bottom-up, or a top-down piece, allowing you to chose the method that suits your style. The official start is this Thursday at Knit at Night, but you can join anytime. Check the blog for details.

March marks the third full month that our online store has been up and running. Thanks to your wonderful support, it has been a great success.  We are working on new features, such as the free patterns  now available from the store's front page. 

To celebrate and thank you for making our online store possible, we'll be having an ONLINE SALE on a number of Debbie Bliss yarns.  Between now and Sat. April 5th, Debbie Bliss Asktrakhan, Pure Cashmere, Alpaca/Silk, Donegal Tweed Aran and Chunky, and Cashmerino Chunky will be between 10% and 40% OFF through the online store only. Orders over $50 are eligible for free shipping. 

And now for those things that didn't make it into the newsletter...

Just as I was arriving at the shop this morning, DHL was pulling in with this:

That's right - the Malabrigo is here!!!!!! Some has already gone home with happy knitters. 

More Blue Sky Alpacas Alpaca/Silk. Check out the new color in the middle.

Then there's the new Blue Sky patterns for Spring:

It's hard to decide what to knit first!

We interrupt your scheduled update on The Battle of the Soxes and the Sprout KAL to show a few beautiful creations.

First up is Bridget, who not only had a gorgeous felted bag to show, but also a crocheted baby blanket that I believe was whipped up in about a week!

Sandy impressed us all once again with her lacework. This scarf was done out of a washable cotton/angora blend.

And the hat is adorable.

Jen brought in her very first scarf.  You would never believe it was her first project based on the stitches.  There were incredibly even.  She's working on a hat now - after that, perhaps Sprout?

Katie is treating her mom to this lush hat knit from Blue Sky Alpacas' 100% alpaca:

Alva just finished a cropped cardigan using an angora blend that she scored at SPA.  I got 2 skeins of the same yarn and can't wait to knit with it - I just haven't decided what I'm going to knit.

Patti was sporting Jeanie knit in Spunky Eclectic Super Nova at the last Knit at Night.

And I've been playing with the wheel as well as the needles.

My angora/wool/silk blend is plied, washed, and drying. The picture didn't come out, so I'll share later.

2 bobbins are full of Spunky dyed BFL.

They wait patiently for plying, washing, etc... and will be added to the ever growing afghan.

In the knitting realm, I reworked my Fun Drop Stitch Scarf pattern to produce a wider scarf on a lighter weight yarn. Here I used Knit One Crochet Too's handpainted Ambrosia. 

The pattern is available for free, along with my basic sock pattern, on the the front page of our online store.

Needing a quick project, I made the Noni Cascading Fuchsias Market Bag out of Cascade 220.  It finished drying, but you can see that I didn't do a great job supporting it while it dried - that's why the creases are there. They will come right out with a little steam blocking. I'll show you the finished product when it's all done.  I have to say - I LOVE this bag.  The sideways handle is incredibly cool and comfortable.

Spunky socks have made their way back into rotation. 

 I'm turning the heel on the second one and should be down the foot soon.  BUT... gotta take another break from these while I finish Caitlin's winning socks from the battle.

And I started a Lizard Ridge Afghan!! The pattern has been on my must-knit list for quite sometime.  Since we took the boys to Boston this weekend, I figured these squares would be perfect projects for the train. Once you get the hang of the pattern, it is completely addictive!

Are you looking for a way to get ready for Spring? Or perhaps to encourage it to arrive?  How about sprouting a Sprout with us?

For our early Spring entertainment, we'll be hosting a Knit-Along (KAL) for the Sprout cardigan a free pattern designed by Amy King of Spunky Eclectic.

If you have never KALed before, it is great fun, a wonderful way to learn some new techniques, and a chance to see how the same pattern can evolve into entirely different sweaters as each knitter selects a different yarn, color, or puts their own personal spin on it. 

There is absolutely NO COST to join the KAL and the only rule is to have fun. Anyone, anywhere (thanks to the internet, you don't have live in Brunswick to enjoy the fun) can join. 

Together, we will all be knitting the Sprout cardigan. The design is worked all in one piece, from the bottom-up.  For many who have already signed up, this will be a new experience. For others, the cables on the raglan lines will be their very first cables.  We'll take that step together and help you out. And did I mention that Amy (the designer) will be knitting it with us?

Ok, you say, I'm in. How do I join?  

Just leave a comment here, email me, or stop by the shop to sign up.  The official kick-off will be during Knit at Night on March 27th.  BUT, remember, there are no rules, so if you want to start earlier, later, go ahead! Just keep us posted on your progress, send pictures, and stop by to knit when you can. 

We already have quite a few Sprouters.  Some are making slight modifications to fit their personal style, such as longer sleeves, longer torso, etc... Here they are along with yarn choice.  If I missed you, let me know.  I'm pulling this all from memory so you know there is a VERY good chance something will get mixed up.

NAME - YARN

Chesley - Cascade Venezia (new yarn arriving in the shop today!!!)

Becka - Cascade Venezia

Spunky Amy - just finishing one in Ella Rae Amity, not sure what is next...

Alva - Cascade 220 Superwash

Amy - undecided?

Beth -something pinkish =-)

Bridget - Cascade Sierra

Cheryl - undecided

Danielle - undecided

Diana - Cascade Sierra

Emily - undecided

Lesley - Cascade Venezia

Marcia - undecided

Mary Ellen - Cascade Venezia (possibly)

Melissa - undecided

Mindy - possibly a stash yarn

Pam - undecided

Patti - undecided

Terri - undecided

Sandy - Cascade Sierra

Sara - undecided

That's all I can remember on the amount of coffee I've had so far this morning.  Let me know if I missed you, or if you have an update.

Happy Sprouting!!

The past 48 hours have seen the brutal deaths of 3 more knitters. 

Nancy was the first to fall on Thursday evening.  Just as Knit at Night was getting rolling, I received a phone call from Mindy. Seems she was at Nancy's house, ready to plant her instrument of death. Yet, before she laid her trap, she needed to confirm that Nancy wasn't actually at Knit at Night. Since Nancy wasn't expected that night, Mindy left her killer socks and drove straight to KAN. 

An hour or so later, the phone rang.  It was Nancy.  She asked that I hold the phone out, and as I did so, we could hear her scream of death as the socks did their bloody work.

Pleased with her latest kill, Mindy went home to enjoy the sweet taste of victory. 

Only to find -

That's right.  She killed, and was killed, all in the same night.  The swift needles of Caitlin took out another player.

To show just how amazing (crazy?) the game had become, Caitlin mapped out the travels of the blood red socks:

You'll note that they traveled 3,049 miles!!!! Wow!

Last evening Sara reported the following:

"It’s with sadness that I announce that as of 5:30PM today, I am dead by Carrie Lee (who didn’t sign the note… I had to guess it was her by the postmark on the envelope… LOL). The socks are fabulous and she included some stitch markers to dull the pain."

Congratulations Carrie Lee and Caitlin! Along with Pam and Danielle, you are among the 4 players still battling for the title of ultimate assassin!

There is red all over my Battle of the Soxes database.  Each time a player dies, a little box next to their name turns red.  Green means you are still alive, and yellow... well, yellow isn't good, you just don't know it yet. 

This past weekend, Alva died at the hands of Danielle with Purple People Eaters.

Helen fell at the swift hands of Nancy.

Sheryl was quite relieved to see her death arrive.  Sara freed her from the anxiety of the game, just as tax season heated up. 

7 remain alive:  

Pam of Maine

Carrie Lee of Maryland

Sara of Maine

Caitlin of Missouri 

Mindy of Maine (yes, we claim her as a Mainer, but we're willing to share. )

Nancy of Maine

Danielle of Maine

Death is already on the way to some of these brave knitters (if you know who, shhhhh!!!).  Others have a bit more precious time.  

And we have a winner in the photo contest!! While many sent in fun pics, Deb went above and beyond. For the sake of the game she has reported from beyond the grave.  For those still living, here is a taste of sock heaven.  Notice the beautiful socks, healthy stash, and angelic helpers:

Thanks Deb! The Sox Stix are yours!

Now that the game is nearing the end, the judges and I will be conferring about the various prize categories. Once we have a champion, the lucky prize winners will be announced.