You'd Better Sit Down For This!

I've finally taken the time and effort to post a few pictures of the stuff on which I am working. Let me be your tour director.

To your left, the mohair throw. This is yarn that I resurrected from a sweater my mum made me when I was fifteen and I'm on the upside of forty now. The green is something or other by Lily Chin that was a freebie from a supplier. I'm debating on where to put another stripe. What do you think? Should they be random or a pattern. Suggestions most welcome!

This is the sweater I am knitting for my husband of Kathmandu Aran from the Queensland Collection. This knits up very easily - as I'm sure you can tell by the amount I've been able to finish in such a short time! Does anyone else think this looks like granite? Maybe the picture's not the greatest - but I love all the flecks!









Finally, I believe I mentioned that I decided to re-knit the sweater for my daughter. This is a Kristin Nicholas pattern from 1995. My previous effort had me attempting steeks. However, I wasn't pleased with the way the sweater was knitting up. This is supposed to be knit in the fair-isle manner, but I found there was too much puckering between the cats. So, on the second try I decided to do the cats in intarsia and the other bits in fair-isle. It looks better, I believe.

So folks, I really am getting some knitting done!

What A Site!

If anyone has been keeping track of me and the trials and tribulations of running a wool shop, you will know that most things seem to happen very s-l-o-w-l-y. Nothing occurs when I had hoped. With one exception. I have been working with Terry of PlantExe.com for the last couple of weeks (including one in which he was on vacation) and together we have managed to make some major progress on my website! Hurray! Terry was very quickly able to pick up on my "vision" and I feel like we have gone from 0 to 60, so to speak, in about 2 days. There is still a lot of work to be done (my job, not his) but take a look at www.kniterary.com.

As you know, I'm pretty technologically inept - hence the major lack of photos on this page. Now I've really got some homework to do. Terry has put a link on the website to my blog. Verrry scarrry! The pressure - photos, current news, a better look. When will I find the time!?!

Progress in my knitting, you ask. I'm up to the armpits on my husband's Kathmandu Aran sweater. I love this wool - it looks like knit granite. The pattern I'm using has just enough interest to keep me from falling asleep while at the needles. It is my current "at-home" project. The mohair throw is on the sidelines. When I'm not serving customers, stocking shelves, researching product, classes, etc. at the shop, I'm working away on a couple of things. I changed my mind about the Elsebeth Lavold cardigan. I have not stuffed it in a bag and thrown it into the nether regions of my closet. Instead, I've been dutifully working away at the sleeves. I experienced some problems finishing the first front half and was growing frustrated. Another look - and yes, I can count - and I'm back on track. I'll be more than ready for the cables of the other front piece after 16 inches of stockinette!

Remember that Fair-Isle for my daughter? Hint - it was one of the few pictures that I've posted. I had mentioned that I didn't like the way it was knitting up. Too puckered. Well, I solved the problem. I tore the whole thing apart and started over. There is a little pattern - cats, birds and people - that is supposed to be done in Fair-Isle. Even with careful twisting of the yarn every three stitches and what I felt was good tension, it wasn't my best effort. So each of the little figures is now being worked in intarsia. This makes for a much smoother fabric and I think I'll actually finish it before Julia's grown to big for it.

In store news, a couple of new additions. More OPAL sock yarn arrived today! I've brought in some Paton's patterns - the yarn might not be at the top of my wish list, but there are a few good books that support other similar weight yarns that I carry. I have decided to carry Paton's Classic Wool, only in shade 202 (aran). It's a good choice for anyone with an aran style sweater in mind. I am anxiously awaiting the Sublime yarns that are scheduled to arrive for fall. And my latest great idea is to investigate Baby Ull by Dale of Norway. This is a beautiful washable 100% wool fingering weight yarn. It comes in fabulous colours and is very versatile - baby items, socks, Fair-Isle, etc. So I'm going to take a look and see what's up. No need to remind me that I've haven't made any more progress with the Addi-Turbos. (Note to self - complete form and return by fax.)

This Is A Test

Do you ever wonder if there is someone up there throwing you into situations at times just to see how you'll react? You know, those moments where you think to yourself, "This really can't be happening."

I met a new customer today - though whether she will ever spend a cent here is doubtful. So is she really a customer. It's hard to say. But I know she's going to return.

Today was horrible for me in the scheduling department - again. I wasn't able to be here from about 12 until 4:30. So I put a sign in the window to announce that the shop would re-open at 4:30.

At about 5:00 p.m. in she walked. Age - I'm not sure, maybe 70 or so. But the poor woman absolutely reeked of urine. And looking at the front of her pants I could see that personal hygiene wasn't at the top of her list. Out of a crumpled plastic grocery bag she pulled a pair of bent 3 1/4 straight needles. Full from top to bottom with small pale yellow stitches. In acrylic, naturally. Could I help her, she asked. Could I count her stitches. She wasn't sure if she had the right amount - 279. So, yes, I counted the stitches. There were 281. What would you do?

I told her there were two too many. The poor dear looked destroyed. What to do? I told her it wasn't a problem, all she had to do was knit two stitches together at either end - nobody would know the difference.

Could I do that for her? Fix it?

Sure, I said, I'll look after it.

Count the stitches again so you know there's 279.

Don't worry, I'll count as I go.

By this time my eyes were watering and my head pounding from the smell.

My new friend walked around the store, looking at patterns, and naturally, asking me lots of questions as I knit away. The stitches were so tight on the needle I could barely get my needle in them.

Did I sew? Did I quilt? Did I crochet? Did I do Bunka? You better count the stitches again.

Don't worry, I said. I'm keeping track.

Can I come in some time and knit with you?

The smell, I thought, the smell. What will I do?

I finally finished and she pulled out the pattern for a baby Matinee jacket.

Could I read the pattern for her so she knows she's on the right track. Are there eighteen stitches in the pattern?

I don't know, I thought. I can't think. The smell.....

I got her all sorted out and she thanked me. She borrowed the phone to tell "them" that she was on her way back. She thanked me. I was patient. I was terrific. Thanks Kim! I'll be back! Thanks Kim! I'll be back!

I looked up at the sky. Did I pass?

What would you do?

Walk Right In, Sit Right Down

Last Thursday marked the first drop-in night at Kniterary. I was thrilled that Julie, Michelle and Lou stopped in. Although Julie and Michelle have both picked up the craft more recently (within the last 5 years), I am amazed and impressed by their adventures in knitting. I'm feeling a little white bread after the experience. Michelle was knitting a sock out of wool she hand-dyed herself - it was totally funky, bright green, pink and blue stripes! Julie was working on fingerless gloves in a very fine alpaca on bamboo needles - I'm embarassed to say, that after more than 25 years of knitting, I don't think I've ever finished more than a couple of pairs of very basic mitts. I knew I would be inspired!!

What was I working on, you ask? Well - as it so happens - I finally finished the second sleeve of my Mission Falls Cardigan (you know, the one I've been knitting since November, 1996.) Now all I have to do is weave in the 14,762 ends.* (I'm sure these multiply every time I put the darn thing back in the basket.) Thanks to Lou for her leftover yarn - I couldn't have done it without her!

I was so thrilled with making real progress on something, the euphoria carried over to yesterday and I sewed the edging on to my daughter's jean jacket. It is so cute. I do realize I'm only indulging myself - I'm sure the four year old could care less. Still need to find the perfect material for the heart on the back.* Must find time....

Friday I made a mad run to the Diamond/Nova warehouse. Nothing like trying to "rush" across the top of the city on a Friday before a long weekend. I didn't end up making it to the shop until just before noon. I apologize to anyone who might have dropped by before then. It's tough sometimes being a one-woman operation!!

However, I did manage to pick up some Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Chunky and the Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool.

It's really tough finding a chunky yarn that fits the demands of my customers. I felt the Cashmerino Chunky was the best bet. While it is a blend of merino and cashmere, it does contain some nylon - a little less worry in the washing department. It also seemed to have the greatest number of colours available - unfortunately, I couldn't get a true blue or brown.

The Silky Wool - now that's another story. This stuff is gorgeous - absolutely lovely colours, great yardage and fabulous patterns to accompany! I purchased 15 colours and there were more to be had.

I've got my eye on the Silky Wool myself, but having just started* a sweater for my husband of Kathmandu Aran, I think I'll wait a bit.

*I bow down to those (and apparently there are quite a few of you out there) who complete one project entirely before starting another. I, apparently, have K.A.D.D. (knitting attention deficit disorder).

Kniterary (K)Nights at 229 Brock Street North

Well - almost three months after taking possession of the shop, I finally have a working light in the back room. It ain't pretty - but it works. This is an old house and many of the lights worked on a pull chain only - no light switches. So when the electrician arrived this morning, he started talking about cutting a line through the ceiling to run the wire. I just about threw my body on top of the wool. Plaster dust in a wool shop - not on your life! Fortunately, it wasn't to hard to convince him to run the wire across the ceiling and down the wall to a switch. The wire itself is encased in a fairly unattractive silver "pipe" - but the bottom line is, it does the trick. There is now a four foot long, double fluorescent light in the room. It's hard to tell at the moment, with the sun beating through the windows, just how much light it will provide. I think it will be OK.

So...that means the Thursday night drop-in can finally begin. My next project will be to work on a schedule for classes. For now, I'll be happy to have a group of knitters all under one roof - sharing their stories and showing off their projects. The shop will be open Thursday until 9:00 p.m. and the drop-in will run from about 8:00 until 10:00 p.m. I'm asking for a contribution of a toonie, to fund the coffee/tea and treats.

If I haven't mentioned it, the light in the main part of the store is fairly inadequate too, but so far, during the day , it hasn't mattered too much. Until last Saturday. As those of you living in Whitby know, we had torrential downpours here that day. Surprisingly, there was quite a bit of traffic in the store. And in my sometimes "Murphy's Law" life, one of the three light bulbs in the aforementioned inadequate light fixture had burned out. Bless my dear customers for making no fuss and doing their best to decipher patterns and ball bands in the near-dark. I've been walking around with a light bulb in my purse ever since, in search of a replacement.

Unfortunately, the electrician that was in today was sent by the property management company and could not take responsibility for the light in the main room (it is a light and it does work). So I'm back to the drawing board trying to find an electrician to solve that problem. I haven't had much luck with the man I originally contacted. I think this calls for the request of a favour from my brother (an electrician) who, at present, is up to his armpits with septic tank problems at his house. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

In the good news department, I'm thrilled with the yarns from Fleece Artist and Hand Maiden. If it weren't for the eight (I'm not kidding, either) projects I now have on the go, I'd be so tempted. (Actually - I am tempted.) I did place an order today for more patterns from Cabin Fever - some of which I think will suit these yarns perfectly. Thank goodness their service is so quick!

Just about time to start packing up - I hope to see some of you here on Thursday.