“Woolbonics” The Word For The Day

For anyone who has walked through our doors on a Saturday morning you can and will be, easily drawn into the rather “over enthused” crowd that gathers here for “Happy Hours” knitting each week. For most this becomes the highlight of their overly stressed work week, thanks in part, to the much loved ladies from the Taunton SNB Group. Their combined years of knitting, schooling and wisdom makes for laughter and camaraderie most groups can only wish to achieve.

Today they introduced us to their web page and their version of the “knitting dictionary”.  With their gracious consent we bring you the  “KNITISMS” of the Taunton SNB Group.

Comfort and Joy

CAPE ESCAPE

The chic new cover up for any season is the cape, capelet or shawlette. What ever name you choose to assign it, it will be your perfect “go to” piece.

This past week we were part of the Sweet Shawlettes Blog Tour and right off the top we can easily choose three from the book.  Enigma, a two part poncho upon poncho,  knit in Rowan Kidsilk Haze. Ceilidh, a beautiful intarsia side shouldered shawlette, in Rowan Lima and the Kitty, for those who can’t resist the newly re-surged interest in animal prints.

Enigma - Ceilidh - Kitty

You can’t go wrong with Churchmouse Yarns and Teas EasyFolded Poncho. We have one started in Joseph Galler’s Heather Prime Alpaca or how about Blue Sky Alpaca’s Melange or Aslan Trend’s new Melange Alpaca which should be here some time in the next two weeks.

Easy Folded Poncho

WRAP IT UP

Don’t want that totally confined look? A shawl/wrap is just the thing. Great for the office that is always frigid or over a sweater or blazer when the temps are just not cold enough for a heavy coat.

One of our top picks is Winter Berries. You can knit this in a worsted weight wool, alpaca or wool alpaca blend that can be dressed up or down anytime of the day. The shop sample is flying off Ellen’s needles as we type. Looking forward to spring? How about a worsted cotton or linen blend. The Parasol Stole is destined to be one of those classic wraps you long for. A lighter spring look is easily accomplished with Rowan Kid Silk Haze. For a heavier weight, may we suggest Fibre Company’s Acadia or Canopy Worsted, which knits closer to the DK side than the worsted it is noted as. Lastly, is Lida. I hold no shame in telling you how we feel about Quince and Company. Both their yarns and pattern support can not go without our praises. Knit with Quince’s Sparrow, a fingering linen, it will need to be cast on soon if I am to wear it to a September wedding.

Winter Berries, Parasol Stole, Lida

As the snow flies and the roads ice up, today was a the perfect day to think about warmth and comfort. I am sure by next week we will be looking ahead to spring projects and we look forward to March, as the first of the spring yarns start to arrive. Until then, we have a little surprise coming this week. Milla Mia, a Swedish yarn and design company, now available in the United States through Classic Elite, will be arriving. Their fine quality merino wool and their contemporary children’s designs will have us all looking for a “wee one” to knit for.

Stay warm everyone and happy knitting.

Welcome to the Sweet Shawlettes Blog Tour

Jean Moss, author of Sweet Shawlettes, is well into her third week of her promotional “Blog Tour” featuring her latest book. We totally underestimated the popularity that this exciting new book would create and quickly had to scramble to reorder more copies. Our thanks to Taunton Press for the rush delivery.

Jean Moss

Jean has been a part of the knitting community/business for some 30 years, beginning her career with Ralph Lauren, then onto Benneton and Laura Ashley. Many of her designs have been featured in well known knitting publications such as Rowan, Vogue and The Knitter. What does she do with her spare time? Honestly, as a business woman myself, I do not know where she finds the time, but she’s cooking, leading knitting tours through Europe, gardening and singing a tune or two.

Whether you are a knitter or admirer of beautiful handwork, all you have to do is visit your LYS or just do some people watching at the mall and you know that cowls, wraps, and shawls are the “it items” right now.  They not only transcend all age groups, but fibers as well. Chunky, bulky, mohair lace, worsted blends, Jean’s book reflects them all. Not to mention that these are a great way to showcase your favorite brooch, pins or buttons.

25 irresistible patterns await and each chapter is broken down into four categories: Country, Couture, Folk and Vintage. We conducted our own little Q&A in house as people were browsing through the pages and we have a list of the “I need to make winners”.

First is Twine (seen below on Leslie) knit with Rowan Big Wool. This was a quick bulky knit completed on large needles and joined with a three needle bind off.  A great project says Leslie, for those beginners who would like to learn some new stitch patterns or a new technique.

Others that would soon be finding their way to the needles were Enigma, Harlequin, Ceilidh and Mantilla. You can see all the patterns from Jean’s photo gallery here.

We have opened this post up for comments and please feel free to ask Jean any questions. Taunton Press has graciously agreed to give away one copy of Sweet Shawlettes so we will be picking one lucky winner from the comments section. You have to comment to enter and please make sure you leave your first name and the initial of your last name. We will contact you for your full name and address so that Taunton can forward you a copy of the book. Good Luck and there are plenty of copies of Sweet Shawlettes here at the shop.

Special thanks to Jean, Phillip and Taunton Press for offering us this opportunity to participate in our first  Blog Tour and we wish them much success with the new book. For more insight into the world of Jean and her many talents check our her blog More Yarn Will Do The Trick.

ALL HANDS ON DECK

We all know that a knitters most valuable tool is their hands. Winter seems to be our enemy. Our hands are cold, dry, cracked and achey.

In keeping with this month’s theme of self-indulgence, we would like to invite you to a night all about hands.  Come treat yourself for two hours of hand maintenance and therapy. We will also have a supply of Bradeen Farms Knitters Handcream waiting for you to sample and purchase.

Please join us on Friday, January 27, 2012 from 6:30 – 8:30 for a Hand Care Workshop. Martine Miner L.M.T. from The Massage Therapy Clinic in Wrentham for 17 years, will guide us through the the healthy habits we need to keep our hands in shape for continuous years of happy knitting. She will discuss “warm-up” routines and care and everyone will be treated to a Perfect Sense Paraffin Infusion treatment. Space is limited to 15  for this event. Cost is $20.00 and must be paid at time of registration, (fee will be refunded for weather cancellation) and we ask that everyone arrive promptly at 6:30.

Resolutions

Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.  ~Hal Borland

or

Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.  ~Oprah Winfrey

tiny white daisies via a lady's findings

Time passes. For some, more quickly than others. Do we use it wisely to reflect upon the good and/or, the bad? Do we resolute to make a change, learn from our mistakes and hope for the chance to get it right?

2012 what will you do with her? As the closing year worked it’s way through the holidays, there has been much discussion here about where do we journey with you, our knitting companions, into the ever evolving world of fiber and a needle or two.

Our goal has always been to inspire you and many of you have “thrown us for a loop”, with some of your own inspirations. It’s amazing what you have created with a simple post and some suggestions.

We hear so many comments about how great it would be to own/work in a yarn shop. Life behind the scenes is not always a roll in a basket of cashmere. A lot of planning goes into what will be knit for the coming months, workshops to be held, KAL projects, patterns and designers to bring to the forefront, and what yarns, be it the ever faithful name brands, or the hot new “indy” buzzing around the industry, will grace our shelves in the coming months. This is just the fun stuff.

As we count down the hours to the New Year, we are recharged with creative energy and excitement. We may not be chasing away the cold right now but this is New England and if you just wait, the chill may not be to far ahead.  Which means there is plenty of time to fit in the knitted comfort of a poncho, wrap, bulky sweater, not to mention a quick scarf, cowl, hat or some fingerless.

Not all yarn shops are created equal, that’s a good thing…. and Miss Oprah, we welcome a “new year” to get it right!

Happy New Year and Happy Knitting

Sweet Shawlettes Blog Tour

Join us on Monday, January 16th, as we participate in our first virtual blog tour.  Jean Moss a well known couture knits designer, writer, gardener and musician living in York England has created her own collection of hip shawlettes in a new release, Sweet Shawlettes.

Photos Courtesy of Jean Moss and Taunton Press

25 stylish, budget friendly, portable projects for shawlettes, capelets, cowls, collars and more.  The book goes on sale January 3, 2012 and will be available in the shop.  We have just received our copy for anyone who would like a sneak peek. Stop by the shop to purchase a copy (they will be in next week) and we are welcoming comments or email questions to intheloop@comcast.net which Jean will be happy to answer for our blog post on January 16th.  One lucky customer will be drawn from the blog comments to win a copy of Sweet Shawlettes.

We are honored and excited to have been chosen by Jean to participate in the release of her new book. So please visit us right here, on the blog page, January 16th and join in on the fun.