sicknesskneesocks & The Tradeshow

Well, Jan and I conquered another TNNA trade show or succombed to the beauty of new yarn. I'm not sure which. The whole thing was fabulous!

We began with a class taught by Marianne Isager. She is such a lovely person and is passionate about her work. She began serendipitously in the business nearly 30 years ago by taking over a yarn business from an ailing mentor/friend. She still loves the yarns (with good reason) and creates her exquisite garments by hand.

Samples of the children's garments from her upcoming book based on Hans Christian Andersen fables were available for us to see and touch. If you don't have a child to knit for in your life, I suggest finding one now. You will want to knit these. We also received handouts and practiced swatching some of the texture and color patterns from this book. Jan learned to double-knit!

We were able to flip through her daughter Helga's book which will be coming out in the coming year as well.

We've purchased a wide array of DK to worsted weight yarns for fall. Hand dyed, eco friendly, and Made in the U.S.A. will all make their mark on our inventory in the coming months. Pattern support is on its way as well. We combed through several independent pattern companies' stock to select just the right designs to go with the new yarns. Jan went crazy over hand dyed lace weight silk and we both drooled over Tonos - a new yarn from Misti International.

If I ever get over the sickness I picked up on the plane on the way back from the show I have some work cut out for me. I'll be rearranging the inventory to move the wool stock to be more by gauge. And I've begun building a new system for organizing the leaflet patterns.

And the sickness sock is nearly complete. I started it on the plane during my return flight. I didn't know it would be a knee sock. I adore Opal's Hundertwasser colors and started with a toe up sock from my head. As I spent more and more time in bed recovering from this horrid cough, the sock got longer and longer and I really like knee socks in the winter and wouldn't they look cute over the tops of the Pliner boots I acquired last season and the nylon in the sock yarn will keep them from wearing out too soon and I should really plan on a nice foldover at the top . . .

Toe up socks are cool because you can try them on and experiment as you go. I added shaping at the calf and about 4 inches of tighter ribbing at the top for a good supportive foldover. I don't think I'll use the same colorway for the second sock. Why should I when there are so many others out there from which to choose?

Not only knitting, but Crochet help as well.

I once crocheted a bikini for the shop window. I added a beach ball and my husband made a sign reading NAUGHTICA in the same font as a major fashion design company. The thing turned out to be ginormous and the aha moment ensued. British & American terms for crochet stitches are not all equal. And I was using a British pattern with my Midwest American knowledge.

All this experience comes in handy when a customer calls up with a slight panic in their voice. After a jog of my withering memory, I recall the customer and the project in question. It was to be a wild crocheted baby hat for a photo op. The pattern to be used looked like it had been around for a couple decades and the yarn used was elusive. So, we took a small chance on a substitute yarn. Small because I had an educated hunch it would work. The minute she said the piece turned out way too tall, I asked about the pattern's publication location. She scoured the copy to find out that indeed it had been published in Britain. Per my instruction, crocheted conversions from British to American were googled and obtained. Rework occurred, and I received this way too funny picture of the successful outcome. I love a challenge.


Here is a handy link to a conversion chart.

Connections

N. came in the shop a few months back speaking very little English and a lot of Japanese. She is on an extended stay in the states as her husband is in school. Knowing knitting basics, she decided to fill some of her time here with the craft. Jan helped her through her first cabled scarf and hooked her up with another of our regular customers which she knew spoke Japanese. R. gets to work on her Japanese while helping N. with her English and knitting.

She has become a regular at the shop and is quite proud of her first garment. She should be. It looks great on her. So great that I had trouble choosing which of the many photos I shot to include in flickr.

Connections like this are made all the time at the shop. When you get to know your customers not only can you make educated suggestions for their knitting but hook them up with other people as well. We've had people get recommendations for getting into grad school as well as find employment. Opera students have found teachers and patients have found doctors. Mothers have found babysitters and artists have found buyers. It gives me warm fuzzies when I think of all the wonderful people that have come in to my life through Linden Hills Yarn.

Fair Isle Challenge Finals

In case you are wondering about the winners of the Fair Isle Challenge gift certificate drawings, here they be:

having knitted has won the $25 gift certificate for the closest guess without going over of the weight of Jan's fair isle sweaters of which there were eight in the shop.

having finished knitting had probability in her favor when her name was drawn for the fifty dollar gift certificate. K is very gracious and actually had the closest guess for the guess the weight challenge but resigned her second prize to the gentleman that was next in line.

If you look closely at the photos of the work you will see that although they chose to use different yarns, they are both knitting from same pattern.

The whole challenge was a blast! Thank you to all who participated. Especially those of you who climbed out on a limb and learned a new skill. If you didn't get a chance to participate but want to learn to knit with color the door is always open at Linden Hills Yarn for you to learn for free.

People began asking about the next challenge before the previous challenge was even over. I'm in the planning stages and will announce it in early April. If you have any bright ideas or requests for me to consider, please leave me a comment here on the blog.

Fair Isle Challenge Update

Another prize has been added to the Fair Isle Challenge pot! Those entering the challenge at the weigh-ins will have another chance to win. Jan is bringing in all of the fair isle sweaters she has knitted and still has in her possession. You will need to guess the total weight of all these garments. The closest guess to the weight without going over will be the winner of a $25 gift certificate!

The Fair Isle Challenge is On!

I’ve been challenged to a Fair Isle Duel!

Jessica is the culprit. The conversation included something like, “I don’t see you doing any fair isle.”

My DH once told me I wouldn’t be able to run the rototiller. I tore up the yard. He probably knew he’d get out of it by telling me this.

And so it begins.

I’ve got a fair isle started. The front has been finished for a year. And how many has Jan made in that time? Too many to be mortal.

So here is the challenge:

Finish some Fair Isle by the end of February and you can enter the drawing to win a fabulous prize! Your entry can be a new project or one that has been stashed. An entire sweater, a hat, a pair of mittens or anything else as long as it contains some Fair Isle work.

Maybe you’ve not yet attempted this technique and need a push to get started. We can teach you! For Free!

Some Rules and Information:

• The majority of the yarn for the project needs to have been purchased at Linden Hills Yarn. We don’t say all here because we know damn well we don’t have everything!
• The masterminds got together and decided finishing is extreme. Therefore, we will have weigh-ins which will determine your chances of winning. You will be asked to bring the knitted portion of your Fair Isle project to the shop (finished or not) to be weighed. The more you have finished, the more chances you will have to win. No, your funky lead needles will not be included in the total weight. Weigh-ins will take place February 23, 2009 - March 7, 2009 during normal business hours.
• So far, the prizes include a fifty dollar gift certificate.

Special Fair Isle Challenge gathering dates and times to be announced shortly.

A long awaited update. And lead into The Fair Isle Challenge.

Fall and early winter is by far the busiest season in the yarn shop. Let me point out the obvious reasons why. First, there is that cold weather making layering, knit garments and throws essential to one's safe and comfortable existence. Second, we are in the retail business and they call it "black" Friday for a reason.

But, for those of us addicted to the craft, knitting is not seasonal but necessary. We knit whether the temperature outside is -14F or 104F. We knit outside in the Adirondack Chairs pausing only to slap at a mosquito or glance at the opening flower-bud's progress. We knit inside next to the space heater (or roaring fireplace) covered head to toe in last season's accomplishments. Some of the smarter knitters begin the winter garments in summer and the summer garments in winter so they are actually finished by the intended season. Others opt for the larger needle sizes and chunkier yarns aimed at beginning and finishing a project within the current season. Then, there are the projects begun in one year with full knowledge that it will be the next or even several years before completion. All knitting and all good as far as I'm concerned.