The Knitting Experience Café

Yippee!!!  UPS brought some REALLY good stuff yesterday.  =)

The new summer book from Debbie Bliss, Coastlines:

Looky what's inside.  There are so many great patterns, I can't decide which one I want to make the most.

Then there was the HUGE box filled with sock yarn!!

See that last colorway? The blue/brown? Becka grabbed two skeins to make Clapotis. After checking out how people were using the new sock yarn, she found that in addition to many, many socks, lots of knitters were using it for Clapotis.  

Wait.  I haven't told you what the yarn is yet!  Introducing Araucania's Ranco sock yarn (75% wool, 25% nylon)  in semi-solids and multis, hand-dyed in Chile by a mother-daughter founded company. Each skein has 376 yds, with a recommended needle size of US 3. 

Although we haven't had time to knit a sample pair of socks yet (I'm a fast knitter, but not that fast!), from all the examples we've seen on Ravelry, it appears that the multis produce a lovely blended color effect, rather than a striping or pooling. As Becka said, the socks look like Monet paintings.  Now to find the right pattern. I might just use my basic sock pattern and let the color speak for itself. 

At midnight tonight, the last week of our May Days Sale begins.  And what better way to wrap up a spectacular month, than with one of our favorite yarns?

Starting May 25th, all in-stock Debbie Bliss yarns will be 20% OFF until May 31st. The sale applies to our online store, as well as in the shop.  

Programming note: our Brunswick, Maine shop will be closed on Monday, May 26 in honor of Memorial Day. Have a wonderful holiday everyone!

The past week has been a whirlwind of fun. With the May Days Sale going on ( all Noro yarns 20% off this week!), the shop has been hopping. 

As yarns go out the door, we must reorder and also plan ahead, so it is also time to meet with sales reps.  Becka and I are so excited about a new line that we are brining in.  Details soon.

Then there was Knit at Night.  Jen and Peggy - friends of ours from Ravelry- were able to make it, and a great time was had by all. Here's a shot of Jen in her gorgeous Sprout.

I think I need to knit something in purple.  There is nothing purely purple on my needles, and that just isn't right.

Peggy decided to join us in the Sprout KAL.  We can't wait to see her progress. 

Sandy turned the tables on the knitting enabling.  She showed me this sock-

The pattern is Azure by Deb Barnhill.  I HAD to knit it.  The cables aren't actually cables at all, but clever increases and decreases.  The whole pattern is worked toe up.  On Sat. I grabbed a skein of Cascade Heritage and cast on. Then I cast on again. And again.  I was having a bit of trouble with the Magical Cast On.  Thankfully, Sandy arrived and saved me from completely giving up and now, look:

The only problem is that the pattern is addictive and I'm having a hard time putting it down. 

I missed most of KAN this week as it was Connor's year end choral concert. 

There he is in the middle of the first row. The kids did a wonderful job.  

 My parents came down for the event and even allowed me to snap a shot of them with the boys. As I clicked away, Mom commented that they were going to be blogged.  She knows me too well! Hi Mom and Dad!

Saturday was a blast.  So many people came to knit, talk, and laugh. Emily, Lesley and I all showed up in our new ravelry t-shirts.

Then today, Debbie Macomber, author of the Blossom Street books, was at Bookland for a signing. I was able to get a picture of her with Terri, Mary Ellen, and Mindy. 

Now I'm off to knit on the sock and perhaps sneak in some spinning. There is some very special BFL that Amy custom dyed for me that I need to work on. 

I love it when UPS comes with multiple boxes.  It's like Christmas, or your birthday, or something really great.  Even though I did order whatever is in those boxes, I still feel like a big kid when I get to open them. 

Then there are those times when I am not at the shop when the boxes arrive.  Becka and Amanda get the thrill of discovering what knitting goodies have arrived. When it is really good stuff, they call me - wherever I may be, and tell me just how incredibly fabulous it is, and I really need to see it, oh, but it is even better if you hold it.  

Of course in these situations, I am usually picking up a child or doing some sort of responsible parent thing, that society really would frown upon if I decided to skip it and run to see the yarn.  So, instead, I ask for all the details. How do the colors look? Will it work for the pattern I was considering?  How about the books?

That is what happened yesterday when the Cascade Eco Wool, Heritage Sock Yarn, and Superwash 220 Paints came in.

The Eco Wool is an incredibly soft natural Peruvian wool.  The hanks are super-sized at 478 yds.  Becka has already cast on for a cabled cardi.  She reports that the wool is a dream to work with.

The colors of the new 220 Superwash Paints attracted a lot of interest around the shop and some went home immediately.

But, the most excitement was reserved for this:

Cascade's new Heritage sock yarn.  With 75% Superwash Merino and 25% Nylon, you just want to hold it. There are 437 yds per skein for only $12.00!!! 

Two new books are here:

David finished an adorable sweater out of Debbie Bliss cashmerino aran for a store sample.

Jerri started her shawl out of Spunky Eclectic Summer:

And Jules let me snap a picture of her adult Tulip Cardi knit in Cascade Superwash 22o:

Whoa! 

Yesterday, our new yarn, Summer from Spunky Eclectic got checked in and beautifully displayed.  Then, almost before Becka finished putting the last skein up, they started flying out of the shop.  In a couple hours well over half our original stock was gone!

I guess I really shouldn't be surprised.  I've been drooling over this yarn for weeks. A silky soft, cotton/ rayon blend, it is heavenly to work with. 

For the past three years I've been searching for a yarn to match one I had knit with ages ago, but is now discontinued.  Every sales rep that came in the door got quizzed about what they had in a cotton/rayon blend.  Nothing was right.  

Until Amy showed me this.

That was it!!!!  And, even better, as a hand dyed, the subtle color variations play off the contrast between the two fibers, adding even more interest. 

I sent Amy an emergency message last night pleading for more yarn - especially since I didn't get a chance to snag some for myself! - and she is working on more right now, including 2 additional colors that weren't quite ready when she delivered the last batch. 

This being the beginning of the month, Amy also dropped off the Spunky Color of the Month in Skinny Sock.  Meet Black Cherry.  

The Color of the Month is 15% off for the month of May.

Since we were desperately low on Spunky sock yarn, she brought me an emergency delivery:

I think all those yarn fumes had a little something to do with the fantastic time we had at Knit at Night. That, and the presence of Wendy, who is visiting from Tennessee. 

See that skein of yarn in my hand? Just a little present from Wendy.  Turns out, she is friends with Dana of Unwind Yarn Company.

If you follow the Yarn Harlot's blog, you may recognize the name.  Dana was recently featured for her incredible sock yarn. And, I gotta say, it was like Wendy handed me a little piece of fiber heaven.  I carried that skein around all night, just petting and squishing it.  She also had a few other skeins to show and one to gift to Terri for teaching Wendy to knit socks.  The colors are fabulous!! Thank you Wendy! Now to find just the right pattern.

For your KAN fix, we have a couple shots of the fun.

Here's Cheryl with her new mug, handpainted with her ravatar.

Anna on a desperate search through our random needle collection for a pair of size 4 with which to swatch the Summer yarn.

Luckily, I had my personal collection behind the counter - including the US 4s - and the swatching was successful.

Patti completed her socks and treated us to a puppet show.

And Liz inspired me to pick up my Lizard Ridge squares after showing these beauties of her own.

Thanks all - it was a great night!

Last post I mentioned that I have finished a couple things.  Becka and David helped me with a little photo shoot, and they even brought along their own FOs.

First up, my Sprout.

The picture stinks, but it was the best of the bunch. I have an annoying habit of closing my eyes every time the camera goes off. I'll work on better pics, which shouldn't be hard since I think I'll be living in this sweater all summer. I LOVE IT.  You can feel the silk in the yarn against your skin.  It is so light and drapey.  Yum. 

Next is the Angel Lace Shawl out of Hempathy. 

The movement of the lace pattern is just so beautiful.  

Becka finished her Taiyo sweater.  The colors are perfect. Notice how she got the stripes on the arms to match.  Not an easy feat with Noro.

And David has been knitting up a storm as well. Check out the Hemlock Ring blanket he made for Becka out of Cascade 220.

He's letting us borrow it as a store sample for awhile. Thank you!! I hear he is well on his way to finishing another sweater - the Cambridge Jacket out of Cascade Sierra.

And then Alva stopped in with her finished Flower Basket Shawl:

Lovely!

Despite the fact that I still have many other things on the needles, including my Taiyo sweater, I'm itching to cast on for something new.  We're getting a new yarn in today that would be perfect for the Apres Hoodie from the Summer Interweave Knits.  Hmmmm....