I'm seeing spots....

Like most knitter's I am not particularly faithful to any one project, unless it completely captures my attention like Falling Leaves.  If another knitter in my immediate circle of influence were to show me a pattern that they thought was amazing - well, I would just have to put everything aside and get to work.  Such is the story with the Pop Blanket - Julia found it and started it and now it's taken on a life of it's own.  There's about 10 people working on these little amazing squares all at the same time.

They are addictive - and the whole reason must be Noro.  These squares were all knit out of 1 ball of Noro Kureyon - with the border out of Cascade Ecological Wool 8010.  I've been knitting for years and knit with Noro many, many times and I continue to be surprised what happens with one little ball.  It's more fun than a barrel of monkeys!  Truth be told, I didn't even really like this color of Noro for my blanket but I thought I would just go ahead any way.  Guess what?  When the colors were broken up - I liked them much better - can't judge Noro by the ball.  Speaking of Noro - look what arrived!  The Premiere Issue!  Features 35 patterns all using Noro Yarns. How fun is that!  Better come and get yours before they are all gone1

Noro Knitting Magazine, Premiere Issue.  Over 35 knits - all using different varieties of Noro!  Here's some examples of what you'll find inside:

Lapel Shrug in Noro Silk Garden Lite

Checkerboard Hat in Noro Silk Garden

Cropped Jacket using 2 alternating balls of Silk Garden Sock



No progress!

As you can see I've made little progress on my efforts to blog more regularly - let's see what would be some good excuses?  Fantastic weather - true but not really a good enough reason.  Too busy - well, if I'm honest not really!  Forgetful?  That's the one - 51 years old and forgetful beyond belief. 

I'm still quite taken with crochet these days and working on a Ripple Blanket for my daughter's bed.

It took me quite awhile to get this going - but now I'm well on the way!  Six colorways of Koigu Kersti all matched to her comforter - isn't it pretty?

Interweave Knits Summer 2012

The newest Interweave Knits has arrived and has some great patterns....just look at this....

Seaglass Shell

A beautiful summer shell with a simple front and a surprisingly beautiful back.  The yarn called for is Manos del Uruguay Serena - which we have in stock!

Jane Austen Knits arrived as well - it's actually the first one I've seen of this series.  So gorgeous, so romantic!  I love them all!

Where exactly does....

does the time go?  If I had had to guess the last time I blogged, I would never have thought is was as long ago as April 22.  Sounds like forever doesn't it.  However, if I really consider what we have been up to at the Yarn Store it's not really all that surprising that I am so unaware of the passage of time.  We've been caught up in the whirlwind that is the Creativ Festival - taking a shop our size, setting up a shop our size, tearing down a shop our size and putting back together a shop our size is not for the faint of heart.  It's a huge, exciting, exhausting, exhilarating experience. 

Dye Hard Fiber Arts Mini Skeins

Deb from Dye Hard delivered all of her new, exclusively dyed for us yarns just in the knick of time.  Here we are with a table full of mini skeins - originally conceived for the Beekeeper's Quilt but equally as useful for socks in your own choice of striped colors - or even for repairing hand knit socks.  Priced at $2.49 or $2.99 depending on the fiber content - you really can't go wrong. 

There's still two more Beekeeper's Quilt classes left this month - Tuesday, May 15 or Thursday, May 24 - both from noon to 2 pm.
Our first class on May 5 was a resounding success!

Here's a quick shot of our boxes being loaded back on pallets after the show.  Special thanks to Joe - for all the hard work and heavy lifting.  I, for one, would not have wanted to do it without your help! 

Now if you've dropped in to the Yarn Store since we've been back, you must be wondering what the heck is going on?  Well, we've decided to re-organize the whole store - it's taking probably more time than any of us planned on so we really appreciate your patience throughout - we are entering the final few days of putting things back together.  Then we'll have out cute, comfy shop all back to normal!

One last thing - you should stop in to have a look at the Prism Yarns - they arrived in the days just before the Creative and never made it out to our shelves.  We are planning a Trunk show soon so stay tuned!

It's Going To Be A Party!

Bjorn Coordt together with his partner, Rex Tannahill are the artistic forces behind HPKY.  They are visiting Canada for the first time and their yarns will be a feature in our booth. Bjorn is teaching several workshops on Friday at the Creative Festival which you can read about here.

The Yarn Store is the Signature store in Canada for HPKY. You know, those great Scarf in a Scarf Kits, Donegal Tweed Sock Yarn, just to mention a few. Many, many boxes of yarn arrived on Friday from HPKY (14 to be exact)all destined for the Creative Festival. The owners and founders of HPKY will be joining us at our Knit Night on Wednesday, April 25th at 6:30pm. 

We will be having draws for HPKY yarns!  There will be cake, coffee, treats! 


Sounds like fun, right?  Join us!


Speaking writing about the Creative Festival - you really have to come and see us at Booth 112.  We will be there Friday from 10am-8pm and Saturday from 10am-6pm.  We have some really great show specials - 4 Balls of Sock Yarn for 40% off, Manos del Uruguay Wool Classica Buy Three Get One Free.  There will be Churchmouse Classic kits, loads and loads of Frilly Scarf Yarn - you name it, we've packed it.  How fun!

Overcome by Yarn Fumes

Yesterday, Julia and I were busy pricing new yarn and making kits - all in preparation for the Creative Festival.  Suddenly, look what happened.....

We were overcome by yarn fumes and decided to try on some yarn.  We are modelling Manos del Uruguay Wool Classica which by the way we will be featuring as a show special. 

Buy 3 Skeins, Get 1 Free!

We are also bring along a pre packaged Sock Yarn special - buy 4 balls, save 40%! 

We've had some horrific weather recently - really strong winds!  We lost a tree and some fencing.

Here's a little peak at what has arrived from Prism Arts.

Wild Stuff, Light Stuff and Neat Stuff

There are some very cool, one skein projects on Ravelry. 

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/cjwray/wild-stuff-lacy-wrap

and

Last but not least, a very pretty Louisa Harding sweater, Clam completed by the very talented Jacqueline.  A beautiful peachy, pink color of Ondine.

Finally - a post!

Contrary to popular belief I was not a blogger on strike, I actually thought about blogging almost every day but then....one thing after another.  Things are ramping up at the Yarn Store for lots of reasons so I've been trying to keep up with all of that.  What's going on?

Well, first is the Creative Festival on April 27 & 28 at the International Centre by the airport.  We have 20 out of our total 50 feet of booth space to fill and so we've been busy little bees packaging all manner of knitting kits.  Hats, scarves, socks, baby sweaters - you name it, we probably have a kit for it.  And it's just beginning - you will see the new yarns for Dye Hard Fibre Arts dyed exclusively for us, you will meet the founders of HPKY, all of our Koigu KPPPM and Kersti will be on display.....not to mention all of the gorgeous fabrics they've been preparing on the Quilt side of the store!

Another BIG project on my list of things to do is the website - to allow all of our customers to be able to see and purchase all the amazing yarns at the Yarn Store online.  Big job, big, big job!  I've gotten started - there's a few kinds of Noro so far with lots more coming this week.  You can find what's been done already and start watching what is being added at www.thequiltstore.ca   On the left sidebar under Categories you will find a link for the Yarn Store - follow that to see all of our yarns.  Or click here.

And I've been knitting!  Our very first KAL is scheduled to begin on May 9th.  I began work on the sample to take to Creative but quickly realized that the yarn was so amazing and the pattern so impeccably written that it had to be shared among more people than just me.

Pattern:  Dangling Leaves by Iris Schreier
Yarn:  Ensemble Light by Artyarns

This is has been consuming lots of my knitting time because I'm so taken with the yarn - one strand of silk and one strand of cashmere - what could possibly be better than that. 

Farthing by Jared Flood
Yarn:  HPKY Donegal Tweed Sock

It's actually been keeping me from my boyfriend's pattern, Farthing.  Lots of fun with lots of trim.  I remember doing Girasole and it had an intricate, time consuming knitted on border well - guess what?  He's done it again - I guess it's a design feature that he must be particularly fond of.  It's beautiful but with close to 500 stitches - that makes 250 four row frilly things I have to do.  Ah well, gotta love that boy!

The Perfect Knitting Day

Isn't today the most perfect knitting day? Cool, overcast, a bit rainy/snowy - just perfect to haul out the knitting and get comfy with the tv and your needles.

I'm still hard at work on Farthing by well, you know my boyfriend, Jared. It's coming very nicely out of HPKY Donegal Sock. It's going to be super long just the way a scarf should be.

We are gearing up for the Creative Festival on April 27 and 28 - between the Quilt Store and the Yarn Store we will be taking 50 feet of space. So exciting. We will be having all kinds of knitting kits, lots of new samples. I can't wait bc although, I've done shows before, I've never done one as large as this with sooooo much yarn.

Twisted Sisters hand painted yarn arrived last week - every week brings more and more new yarns....hey, did I tell you that Dye Hard Fibre Arts is dyeing a line of sock, dk and worsted just for us! Yay! Soon we will have all the hand dyed yarn that you could possibly want.

Ok so now it's time for my needles - there is so much to knit, I wish I had more arms - at least just until after the Creative Festival.