You Never Can Tell

Today marks five weeks since "kniterary" opened and I'm learning a lot of things about knitters. There are a number of different "breeds." There are those like me - who fall in love with a particular yarn or pattern, then try to figure out what they are going to do with it. There are the knitters who bring in a pattern and want the exact yarn it calls for. There's the group that haul out the same old patterns they've been knitting for thirty years and try to find a yarn that "fits." (I, myself, am becoming more and more partial to the old patterns.) There are knitters who will buy a pattern and the exact yarn that goes with it. Finally, there are the knitters from the wrong side of the tracks - "I ran out of this Bernat baby yarn - do you have a ball that matches?" "I bought the yarn at Michael's but they didn't have the patterns for it - do you?" "Do you have chartreuse chenille? I'm making fishing lures." And, my personal favourite, "The problem with knitting these days is there is nothing new." Yes, I've heard it all!!

I think to myself, "When you walked in the shop today, did you have a look at the sign?" I worked for weeks coming up with the proper "tag" line - as they say in the advertising biz, and decided on "Taking yarn forward." I loved the double meaning. You can lead a knitter to yarn....

In other news, the yarn is in! On Wednesday, the doors opened and in walked the Berroco, Fleece Artist and Hand Maiden - with a little help from Canada Post. I was busy last night getting a lot of it out on the shelves. And I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm running out of space. Somehow, some way, I've got to find an appropriate home for those beautiful Nova Scotian fibres.

I met with the web design guy this morning, so a site is in the works. I've got my domain name already and now have a web host. The site should be here soon! I'm looking forward to having a place that people can turn to for updates, shop information, class schedules, etc. Now if I can just get some lighting in the house!

My boys have been away for a week at the cottage with their grandparents. I'm so looking forward to seeing them this Sunday. They always seem taller and blonder after they've been away in the summer.

As for my knitting:

1. I finished the edging for my daughter's jean jacket - super easy and super cute! We both love it. This might be my new favourite thing to do - if you see a woman walking the streets of Whitby with knit, scalloped edges on every piece of clothing - that's me. We just got a new van - can you picture it across the top, inside the windshield - remember those dangling pom poms a la "low rider." Just a thought....
2. I think I'm throwing in the towel on my Elsebeth Lavold cotton cardigan for now and will start on something more appropriate for winter display.
3. Only ten more rows to go on the Bloomfield Cardigan.
4. The mohair throw got pushed aside because of the jean jacket project, but I'm on it!
5. One OPAL sock is almost complete - I find it hard to think of socks in the summer. I like to be in barefeet as soon as possible and as long as possible.

Home Again

Ahhh - to be back amongst the wool! Another list of "to dos" crossed off. Unfortunately, not a whole lot of knitting to speak of. The days in Parry Sound were lovely - I felt I was in the middle of a Group of Seven painting. Driving up 69/169 or down the 400 is neat in that area - so many inukshuks built at the sides of the road on the rock. (That is one project on my family "to do" list - maybe next summer!)

It was so good to see Mark's brother and sister-in-law that are visiting from France. It's funny how you don't see someone for two years and within 5 minutes it feels as if he/she was never away! I mentioned the shawl that I had been trying to knit for my sister-in-law (without much success) and she indicated she would love it in orange. Perfect - I have gorgeous orange silk that will work beautifully!

Saw my Uncle Reg this past Saturday. He still has the best sense of humour! I felt a little out of place, just being a niece. The rest of the crowd was his "family" - 11 children, 25 grandchildren and 26 great grandchildren (the youngest just a week old!). My husband had a hard time believing my cousins weren't my aunts and uncles! My Uncle Reg married my Dad's eldest sister and he was second youngest of nine. Dad was an uncle when he was seven years old.

I'm sure my mum was happy to return home after hanging out here for a few days. She did a great job and is very conscientious, but I think it took a lot out of her. Her health is not what it used to be. I've sent her a gift basket loaded with goodies as thanks - she won't let me pay her, but she does enjoy a treat!

On a knitting note, the jean jacket I ordered for my daughter arrived last week. She approves of the pink edging - so guess what I'm doing today! The pattern calls for an applique heart on the back panel - I think I'll head to a local fabric store to see what they've got.

My camera has been loaded with more batteries and is finally back in my possession. Keep an eye out for more pictures!

On a "kniterary" note, unfortunately, due to prior commitments and lack of help, the shop will not open on Thursday until about 5:30 p.m. And, still waiting on lights in the backroom, so no knitting night until we can see back there. I'm working on it!

Milestones

Today is my parents' 54th wedding anniversary; eighteen and twenty they were in 1952. And the romance is not gone. My mum is helping me out this week in the shop and today a beautful bouquet of roses arrived from my father. I spent more than a few years, unknowingly, looking for a guy just like my dad!! Since my dad is at home in Picton and my mum is here, we are going out tonight to celebrate!

Things at the old wool shop seem to be picking up. I think the A-frame sign is making a difference. There were a number of people in today. I decided to put some of the yarn on sale. There is a lovely Gedifra yarn called English Tweed that I bought a fair bit of - I couldn't resist the colours and the flecks. It's an aran weight, and I'm partial to aran sweaters knit in colours other than ivory (is it still an aran if you change the colour!?!) (think of the young, good looking guy with old Rose in Titanic - he's wearing a gorgeous brown cable knit - I wish some movies included sweater patterns in the credits). Anyhow, it hasn't been selling like I thought it would and the fact that elann.com has it on sale probably hasn't helped matters. So, let's hope it moves - I need to make room for other things. There's a package waiting for me at the post office - could it be the Hand Maiden - perhaps the Ultra Alpaca - can't wait to find out!

Did I mention I had 18 rows to go on my Bloomfield Cardigan? Hopefully I'll knock off a couple more today. I've started my mohair throw at home - I found a sample ball of Lily Chin's Greenwich Village (a mohair, nylon, acrylic blend) in the green that I like (sort of granny smith/lime/celadon) so I'm throwing a couple of rows of that in every five inches or so. I haven't gone far enough to tell whether or not I like it.

I had a great conversation today with a woman who has her own alpacas and who does a little sheep shearing on the side. Her farm is close by and she tells me her barn is full of fleece(s) (I'm not sure what's correct, I don't have a dictionary here). I've made arrangements to meet her the week after next. She's going to bring me some samples of her spun yarn. Not only does she spin it herself, she also dyes some with natural dyes from plants that she grows - how cool is that!! I mentioned that I would be interested in undyed wool as well, knowing that there are those out there (DeeDee) that have have been experimenting with kool-aid lately. I think this idea pleased her even more - the less she has to do with the fleece, the better, she said. This means, of course, that I now have a source for roving too! We did talk a little bit about Newfoundland fur - she gathers and spins this as well. I've heard about this before (even spun possum fur from Australia) but I'm just not sure. There's something about that wet dog smell..... All in all, a great connection to make. I can't wait 'til she comes in.

I'm heading back up to the lake tomorrow night and returning on Saturday, by way of my uncle's 90th birthday party. Please note, for any kniterary enthusiasts, the shop will be closed Saturday afternoon. Nothing could keep me from giving my Uncle Reg a hug on this day. Always one of my favourite uncles, and a great dad to eleven children, his party will be like a mini family reunion. My dad is one of nine, so there is no such thing as a small family get together on his side.

Hopefully, Mark and the kids have been enjoying a week of great weather. I can't wait to seen them all again. And, I am scheduled to have my annual water-ski - can't seem to manage one ski anymore (must be the arthritic knees) - but the boys think it's a hoot to watch!

To borrow from Clark Griswold in Christmas Vacation, "Later, dudes!"

Elvis Has Left The Building

So, I'm heading up to Parry Sound for a few days with my family. Actually, not just my family - Mark's sister and two brothers (one, whose plane touched down from France about an hour ago) will be there as well with husband, wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, etc. in tow. Tomorrow, when we reach Crane Lake, we will number 22. Watch out for us - at some point we will appear in matching blue golf shirts to have our picture taken! The last couple of days has meant a flurry of e-mails back and forth, discussing menus, sleeping arrangements and the cons of having only one fridge in a 5 bedroom cottage! If you see someone driving north on 169 with a bar fridge hanging out the back end of his/her vehicle, you'll understand why!

In shop world, my mum has arrived to take on the duties. If you happen to drop by, be kind to her, electronics aren't really her thing and I've saddled her with alarm codes, cash registers and debit/credit card processors. Thank goodness she'll have pencil and paper close by if the going gets tough!

Thanks Kelly for your comments about the A-frame sign. I saw the article too, and was a little bit worried. As it turns out, there is enough space on the lawn at the shop to place the sign without interfering with the sidewalk or boulevard. I don't think I can be fined if the sign is actually on shop property - or at least, here's hoping! I'm pleased with how the sign looks - it can be seen from some distance. There did seem to be an increase in store traffic today - a coincidence, perhaps?

Other progress notes - the web site designer has given me some prices to think about and some possibilities. We should be meeting week after next. Also, Ron the electrician is stopping by tomorrow to have a look at my lighting woes - another step closer to evening classes and Thursdsay night drop-ins. As far as classes go, there will be one for beginner's and hopefully a Learn To Crochet course, too. There are so many possibilities, but what I hear is that people are beginning to feel they have mastered the basic principles of knitting and want to increase their skill level. So I'm thinking an intermediate class (over a couple of sessions), that would introduce cables, intarsia, fair isle, etc. Any thoughts anybody? Perhaps thrummed mittens in fall?

This weekend, for fun and amusement, I think I'll take the digital camera with me for the trip. Number one son will be stuck in the same vehicle with me for about two and half hours - probably enough time for him to read the instruction manual for the camera and explain everything to me (while I knit, of course)! Who knows, we might have pictures again.

It's 12:30 and I'm on laundry load seven - with one more to go. A bit of a pain given that I must be up and out early to the grocery store to beat the rush!

Enjoy a safe and sunny weekend!

Wool Shop - Open

There's just a hint of irony in the fact that today, the A-frame sign arrived for "kniterary." OK - so it's 35 degrees out - are you telling me people don't knit in hot weather. Well - maybe they knit, they just don't shop for knitting in 35 degree weather. I know this much is true because I have had only one person in today but sold nothing. Not a major problem really (if you don't count how much I spend monthly in rent, yarn, etc.). Maybe every knitter in Durham is wise to the fact that a 20% off coupon will be in tomorrow's Whitby This Week and so the onslaught... OK - wishful thinking! So I'm leaving early tonight - 7 instead of 8. I hope no one will be disappointed.

It looks like tomorrow I will finally have my business cards/bookmarks. I asked my designer to make bookmarks instead of the traditional business card - a bit of a play on kniterary/literary. After more than a month, I'll be happy to see them.

The slow day has been great in many other ways. I managed to spend quite some time on an Operations Manual for the shop. Help for my helpers! And, I've been knitting away on the Bloomfield Cardigan - only 18 more rows of one sleeve to go. Did I mention my friend Lou and her 10 year old Mission Falls vest. If it weren't for her and that vest, I wouldn't have the yarn to finish my cardi. Turns out she had leftovers of the colours I ran out of. This is really cool, or sweet, given I only met her two years ago. What are the odds! Once the knitting is finished, only 48,923 ends to weave in - oh joy! Labour pales in comparison. (I'll have to post more pictures - but I've run up against a power problem - turns out that leaving your camera hooked up to the computer sucks the life out of it- must continue reading instructions.)

Yesterday, while rooting through some of my UFOs, I found a great pattern for a Mohair Throw. The yarn I resurrected from the sweater my mum knit me when I was 15 should do nicely. I took the sweater apart a few years ago, carefully washed and packed it away, waiting for inspiration. It is a beautiful coral red. Only last night did it occur to me that a throw this colour would look fabulous in our living room. I grabbed the needles from my bin on the way home last night and can see progress today! Can't wait to get home and knit. I think I will forego the fringe around the entire perimeter as suggested and keep to the ends only.

Of course, the slow days in the shop costs me in other ways too. Last week I decided that I would treat myself to a birthday gift - and purchased Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's Knitting Rules and Mason-Dixon Knitting. MDK has an adorable picot-edged jean jacket for little ones that I thought would be perfect on Julia. So then I was off to the Lands' End site looking for deals - and sure enough, found a boy's antique indigo jacket on sale. The Rowan Handknit Cotton in Fruit Salad will be perfect for the project. Then it will be off to the quilt fabric store for just the right print from which to make the blanket-stitched heart for the back panel. Lots of time for me to finish this before the fall and/or cooler weather arrives.

As for my bigger projects, I'm aiming to start the drop-in knitting night on July 27 - two weeks tonight. I've still got to get proper lighting installed in the back room, but I'm making some progress. Also, some slow progress is being made with the kniterary web site. The husband of one of my customers is a talented web guy - I've given him some sites to look at and some ideas to ponder. In other words, it's getting there! I really need a spot to advertise classes, provide updates on new stock, announce the shop's existence, etc.

I'll keep you posted!

Finish Something For Crying Out Loud!

I couldn't stand the pictures that were on here originally, so I've deleted them. The pictures looked focused to me when I took them....who knows! Show pity on me - still trying to understand how to work the camera, upload photos, etc.

Now, taking readers back in time....the above is a Mission Falls' Bloomfield Cardigan. I still have the bill - purchased in November, 1996. Stephanie Pearl-McPhee - aka the Yarn Harlot - has a bit on her blog today about a woman who finally finished a sweater she started in 1996. This makes me feel better - I'm not alone. I have about one third of the last sleeve to go. All in good time, I say, all in good time. My friend Lou has promised to help me sew in the ends. That ought to be motivation enough!

Okay - I'll admit, this is really bad. I'm not even sure how long this has been around, but I'm guessing about 13 years. It's a Philosopher's Wool Colour-Your-Own Fair Isle. As with the Mission Falls cardigan, there really is no valid excuse for not having completed this (years) earlier. But, I would suspect boredom might have crept in. I love the colours - even though they are so....last decade.

So I didn't include the Cabin Fever shawl. Mostly because, while I have knit quite a bit of it - I have torn most of it out, so there really isn't much to show. It was going to be a 40th birthday present for my sister-in-law who is arriving next Friday from France. What are the chances....

I met with another sales rep this morning. She covers Berroco, Kertzer and the new Cabin Fever Yarn. I told her I'm getting pretty close to having spent most of my money at the moment. So of course, I ordered some more stuff. I think it will be nice - Ultra Alpaca, Twilley's Freedom Wool, Step sock yarn - with aloe mixed in the yarn and some other stuff! Also heard from Nova Scotia and the Hand Maiden is on its way. The Fleece Artist will follow in a couple of weeks.

Ah - that reminds me. The Addi Turbo people called - must...call...back...

Twice in One Day!

Okay - So the top two pictures give you an idea of what it looks like when you walk into the shop. I don't think it looks as lime green in person - I thought there was a flash on this camera. These two shelving units are the home to Mission Falls - 1824 Cotton and 1824 Wool.

Above, you can see the shop as it looks from the kitchen/classroom area. The top of the slot wall is waiting for Addi Turbos. Do you see the spinning wheel to the left, just before the open door (yes, I know it is mostly hidden by the table)? This is the future home of the Fleece Artist and Hand Maiden yarns - arriving in August. I finally managed to contact someone at Fleece Artist and an order has been placed. I was so excited last Sunday night, I could barely sleep. My husband did not share my enthusiasm!!

Now - this picture - I don't know what to do about his - any suggestions on how to rotate an image would be greatly appreciated. But you can probably tell it's the bathroom. I didn't take any before shots - but imagine brown on brown strie-d walls, vanity and ceiling fan blades. Add one filthy floor. Got the picture. So even sideways, this has got to be better.

This should give readers a fairly good idea of Wales Green and Twilight Magenta. A warning to anyone who likes this colour green and might decide to use it somewhere - on the colour strip, the lighter shade is Celadon. This is the colour I originally purchased. I thought it looked a little more acidy and was lighter. But on the walls it was a pretty gross pale yellow. My mother, unbeknownst to me, tried out Celadon as well and had the same result.

Read on for more pictures.

Here Goes......

Well - after months of anticipation, I am finally posting some pictures. And my dear son David isn't even here to help me. But, having recently figured out how to do more than just turn my camera on and off, I thought I was up for the challenge.

To begin, let's have a "before" and "after" look at "kniterary".

Here are a few shots of the kitchen/classroom/drop-in area. The black paint wasn't really working for me - not to mention the filthy floor! These pictures don't accurately show the size of the room - it is about 12' x 15'. Take a look at the tiles on the floor - they are one foot square. This will be home of the Thursday night drop in once the property manager arranges the wiring for a ceiling fixture. I'll keep you posted.

Well - I managed to post the pictures but I can't figure out how to move them around - and it seems that I'm only able to post four at a time. What's up with that?

I guess I'll have to do some more tomorrow.

Pictures Please

I know - I can't believe it either. Another day, another entry. Mark and Julia have gone off to the park - I'm supposed to be having a shower. But instead...... Every time I enter this blog I'm sadly reminded that it contains no pictures. This is no good!! My son Dave, the computer whiz, is off to his grandparents cottage for a week. So he is out of the question. Looks like I will actually have to read the Instruction Manual. This pains me. I obtained a new cell phone in May - it takes pictures too - still haven't read the manual. Digital camera - have owned it since before Nick's birthday in mid-April. Do you see any pictures yet? But I'm getting desperate. Things must change.

I've spent the last hour or so making contact with yarn suppliers. I'm OK with the regular stuff in the shop, but still haven't been able to make in-roads for anything unique (hand-dyed and spun). So another e-mail off to Fleece Artist in Nova Scotia practically begging them to contact me. Then another to Fiddlesticks and one to Lorna's Laces. I still have to make contact with the Addi Turbo supplier in B.C. This is a day off for me from the shop but not really a day off. Lots to do. I'm anxious to get one more small shelving unit in the store to fill with some fabulous yarns.

It has occurred to me that owning/operating a wool store takes some time and, ironically, I haven't been able to do much knitting. On the go I have Opal Petticoat Cotton Socks, Cabin Fever Evening in Eden Shawl, Elsebeth Lavold Cropped Cardigan, Philosopher's Wool Fair Isle (which I was knitting while still married to husband number 1 - more than eleven years ago - I WILL finish this!!!!), the Mission Falls Bloomfield Cardigan (also a long-time work in progress) and a Kristin Nicholas pattern for my daughter. I also am anxiously holding on to the Sunrise Circle Jacket pattern by Kate Gilbert from Interweave Knits. This sweater is too gorgeous and must be started and completed this year!! I'm going to have to scout around for some beautiful yarn - maybe even the Karabella that she recommends.

Anyhow - I digress. Better have that shower before they get back from the park.