What the Mail Person Brought (in the snow...)

See Those Boxes?  That's Like 1/10th of What They Brought in Here This Week

It's still winter.  I'm looking at fresh snow and a thermometer that reads 17 degrees.  Fer real???!?  If you want to knit baby things and you're worried that it's still gonna be cold in May, we have just the thing for you!  We have beautiful, new bright (read: spring) colors of our stand-by, chunky baby yarn, Cascade 128.  Big, bold stripes of color would be gorgeous either knit or crochet.  Check it out!

Frabjous Fibers' Wonderland Yarns Mad Hatter:  The colors are so fantastic and the feel of this sport weight is fantastic.  I just knit a swatch and I was sad to bind off.  It's that nice.  It would make a gorgeous Color Affection or Hitchiker or how about these cool Fallberry Mitts by Anne Hanson?  Perfect for spring (should it ever arrive).

New Noro!  Kureopatora.  A soft, lofty wool in delectable Noro colors, and the best part?  270 meters for $18! 

Did you see this on Facebook?

It's named after our very chic customer, Gay.  We can point you to the pattern when you stop in.  It's made with one of the loveliest new yarns we've seen in a good long time - Cadena I.  It's a chain construction of 50% wool and 50% alpaca.  We have it in 10 gorgeous colors.  This version of the cowl takes 4 skiens, but there's a smaller version that takes 2.

That's a little preview, but more's on the way.  Come visit, the heat's on!
Lynn

Lori Versaci's Visit and KAL

As you may (I hope) have noticed over on the right there, we are hosting Lori Versaci at the end of the month.  Cory has knit several of her designs and we are pretty smitten with the well-written patterns and fantastic designs and shapes.  She has perfected her craft and will be sharing her knowledge and wisdom with us.  On Thursday, January 29th we will host a Meet and Greet with Lori starting at 2PM.  Bring your projects, your questions and yourselves.  We'll have a little refreshment a prize or two and it will be a casual social event.  From 6 - 9 she'll be teaching Knitting Successful Sweaters.  Here is her description of the class:

For sweater knitters new and old, this class offers guidance on everything from how to choose a pattern that is right for you, to picking yarn for the right look, to deciding which size to knit, to why swatching is so important and how to really use the information your swatch teaches you as well as tricks to successful blocking. No matter how experienced a knitter, everyone learns something new! Experienced participants are asked to bring a copy of a sweater pattern from a success and failure knit and everyone is asked to knit a swatch and bring it to class.

If you've never knit a sweater that's just fine, here's a great place to start! 

On Friday, January 30 from 10AM - 1PM is Knitting Textures

So many of my designs include pattern stitches and so many knitters are fearful of them. This class deconstructs texture patterns and provides key principles to maintaining pattern when increasing, decreasing and working short rows. Participants are asked to bring yarn and needles so that we can work on pattern stitches and shaping in class.

Each class is $60 and class size is limited to 8 people.  We are filling fast so please call the shop to sign up 773-244-1646

I'm Knitting the Worsted Pour Moi, I started it last week and I'm loving every stitch.  I'm knitting it in Anzula.  She has written this pattern in both DK and worsted and we have Anzula yarns in both.  I'm also thinking of fantastic combinations of Shibui....  Lori is starting a KAL for this pattern (the worsted) on January 8th.  If anyone wants to join please see the link here and we will give you 10% off your purchase of yarn.  

We have a binder of all of Versaciknits patterns at the shop so you can peruse in advance of classes.

I'm actually looking forward to this month!
Lynn

New Year's Day Sale!

George Benjamin Luks* - Knitting for the Soldiers

It's never to early to start that Holiday knitting, people!  Yes, we are holding our annual NYD sale!  It starts at 10AM and everything in the store will be discounted.  Please note that we aren't able to wind your purchases that day and we won't be able to honor sale prices on special orders.  There's plenty of great yarn though, and we will wind at a later date.  

*George Benjamin Luks, (August 13, 1867–October 29, 1933) was an American Realist artist and illustrator. His vigorously painted genre paintings of urban subjects are examples of the Ashcan School of American art.

Luks was born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania to Central European immigrants.  His father was a physician/apothecary and his mother was an amateur painter and musician. The Luks family eventually moved to Pottsville, in southern Pennsylvania near the coal fields. In this setting, he learned at a young age about poverty and compassion as he observed his parents helping the coal miners' families.