Super Bowl Sunday Scrappy Scarf Stash Swap and Share

Scrappy Lenghtwise Scarf by Zona Sherman

A woman came in the shop last weekend wearing this scarf.  It was just beautiful, and we thought, what better to way to make use of all of our leftovers and stash?  Even better, what if we could access each others' stash!  Cory has some little treasures in there I've been lusting after, and actually, I have a bit of hot stash myself.  Love when a plan comes together:
On Sunday, February 6th (Super Bowl Sunday) starting at noon we will knit the Scrappy Scarf from Zona Sherman http://zona.livejournal.com/2008/09/11/
This is the link which will take you to the Ravelry page where you can buy the pattern for $2.  I will provide some refreshment and some super hot stash for you all to use.  You will bring a few skeins of your hot stash (none of great aunt Sadie's Orlon sale yarn from the bargain basement at Wieboldt's); and the appropriate needles (read the pattern).  Your contribution to the collective stash entitles you to a 20% discount on a skein of yarn (if you just can't resist, and you know if something goes out, something can go in!)  I had been thinking that to keep things simple it would be best if we all contributed worsted weight yarn, but I have some nice sock yarns, and if you peruse the projects from other knitters you will see some gorgeous Scrappy Scarves knit in fingering and sock.  So I leave the choice to you.  I will have ample amounts of both.

Another couple things:  We don't have enough participants for Beginning Crochet.  I will push it back one week and see if more people sign up.

I don't know what the groundhog's going to see next week, but I've lived in Chicago a long time and as I recall this cold, gloomy weather sticks around for a while which means we need to keep knitting to stay sane.  To cheer us up a bit I ordered some new yarn, just sayin'-- stay tuned.  I'll post when it arrives which should be early next week.

Lynn

Knit On

Yann Arthus-Bertrand from The Earth from Above

As I was thinking about this post, news of the shootings in Tucson was playing on the radio and TV.  I wanted to write about our new Knit Along: Adaline.  I wanted to write about our friend in Melbourne, Australia who's going to join us, virtually, for this KAL.  I wanted to share how glad I was to see her last week when she stopped in to pick up her pattern and say "hi" before leaving to fly back.  How cool it was to hear about her life and her job and living in a faraway place.  I also wanted to tell you about my adventures with Watershed, the Amy Swenson pattern I was considering for the KAL.  How much fun I'm having with it; how challenging it is to follow a lace pattern late at night after a long day at the shop, but how much I love the yarn, Schoppel Wolle's Baby Alpaka Naturebelassen.  And then, just as I was getting past the initial shock of the Arizona tragedy I hear that there's terrible flooding in Brisbane, Australia and Sri Lanka and an awful mudslide in Brazil where people live in terrible poverty.  The front page of the New York Times reports that it's a year since the earthquake in Haiti, and there's been little progress in rebuilding the country and providing for the needs of the many Haitians that still have no homes-- and they're still grieving.  I'm reminded of all the ways that we are all bonded by knitting and stitching, the way we create community and friendships and bond with one another across many miles, oceans and generations.  And how grateful I am that I have knitting to comfort me and keep me connected.  So, with that I invite everyone, whether you live near or far to join us for our next KAL: Adaline.

Adaline, our KAL

The details:
Adaline was designed as a baby pattern to be knit in fingering weight.  The designer, Donna Higgins, tried it in worsted weight and had success in adapting it to an adult size. Here's what she says about it:"Inspired by a vintage baby sweater, this lace yoke cardigan is worked top down in the round. Plenty of tiny picots frame the cuffs and hemline of this loose fitting garment. There are no seams to worry with or buttonholes to remember." It can be knit exactly as written in a worsted or Aran weight yarn, but it's easy to modify the sleeves, and add shaping to the body if one so desires.  I will be happy to help you all make those modifications.  So, we'll kick off neck Wednesday evening, January 19th.  Yarn you choose for the sweater will be 20% off. We'll meet at 6:30 and get started!

Watershed by Amy Swenson

A note on Watershed:
I know that some of you voted for this pattern.  I'm loving it.  If you would prefer to do this one understand that it's a bit spicier than Adaline.  I will be glad to help you navigate your way through it. The same 20% off applies to the yarn for this project.

As for classes, they are filling quickly!  We are adding a Knitting from the Top Down Class to the schedule for February and a Beginning Crochet class (I don't have the exact times for Crochet yet).  All the info will be posted on the sidebar.

I love this quote from EZ. 
Knit on, with confidence and hope, through all crises.

Lynn