Starting with the Semi-Annual Clearance Sale, we've created a lot of chaos in the shop. It's been topsy-turvy for weeks, and that has been unsettling--knowing where things are moving, and what's going into the empty spaces is one thing, but tolerating the transition is quite another. It has meant coordinating the schedules of multiple vendors, trying to be graceful about delays, and finding fixture solutions.
As of today, we still have multiple shipments of yarn on the way, but most of the shuffling is done. Here are a few differences you might notice:
Current open hours are Monday - Thursday, 7am-3:30pm, Friday 8:30am - 5pm and Saturdays, 9am-4pm.
In-store shopping: masks are optional (but welcome and appreciated).
September 10 & 24
(2nd & 4th Saturdays of the month), 2-4 pm
September 21
(3rd Wednesdays, May-October), 5-8 pm
October 8 & 29
(2nd & 5th Saturdays of the month), 2-4 pm (Shifted from the 4th Saturday this month only, due to Trilogy Yarns Trunk Show!)
October 19
(3rd Wednesdays, May-October), 5-8 pm Final Wednesday evening of the season!
Saturday, September 3
9am-2pm (closing 2 hours early)
Monday, September 5
Closed
The virtual crawl is back for its third year
Friday, Saturday, Sunday, September 23, 24, 25
Saturday & Sunday, October 1 & 2
Saturday, October 22
Save the date! (The Social Stitching that would normally fall on this date will be moved to the 29th.)
In addition to bringing the crochet hooks up front, one of the big reasons for resetting the needles and notions area was to add in ChiaoGoo Red Lace Circular needles. Loved by many knitters for their memory-free nylon-coated steel cables, they are a great option for anyone who loves a metal needle, but is allergic to nickel. Our needle and hook range now looks like this:
Addi Rockets Circular, 2mm-9mm
Addi Rocket Squared Circular, 2mm-8mm
Addi Turbo Circular, 3mm-6mm (note: some sizes smaller and larger than this range are available, but will not be reordered)
Addi Flexi Flips (double point alternative), 2mm-5mm
ChiaoGoo Bamboo Patina Circular, 2mm-10mm
ChiaoGoo Bamboo Patina 6" Double Pointed, 2mm-10mm
ChiaoGoo Red Lace Circular, 2mm-10mm
Knitter's Pride Dreamz 5", 6", and 8" Double Pointed, 2mm-8mm
Knitter's Pride Dreamz 4" and 5" individual Interchangeable, 3.5mm-15mm
Knitter's Pride Dreamz Straight, 3mm-12mm
Knitter's Pride Karbonz Circular, 2mm-8mm
Knitter's Pride Karbonz Double Pointed, 2mm-3.5mm
Addi Color Comfort Grip Hooks, 2mm-6mm
Knitter's Pride Basix Hooks, 3mm-35mm
Knitter's Pride Dreamz Tunisian Interchangeable Hooks, 3.5mm-12mm
Knitter's Pride Waves Hooks, 2mm-12mm
Interchangeable kits from Addi, ChiaoGoo, Knitter's Pride, and Lantern Moon.
We have always been fanatical about offering a comprehensive selection of high quality tools, and while each of us has our own favorites, it's worth trying an option that's new to you once in awhile to see if your preferences have shifted or if there's one that works well for a particular type of knitting. I started out as a hard-core bamboo needle user before switching to primarily using Addi Rockets, but I like the Rocket Squared needles for lace, and my Lantern Moon interchangeable kit for plant fibers!
We also added Fashion Modern Tweed Aran from Universal Yarns this week. This soft and tweedy yarn comes in 18 colors, and the fiber content is 60% wool / 20% viscose / 20% polyamide, with a recommended machine wash / lay flat to dry. It comes in 104 yd / 50 gram balls. I've got the Ramona Pullover pattern printed out and ready to go, and there are other suggestions on the product page for the yarn.
Last week I received a box from my shop owner friend Becca in Michigan. She's one of the organizers of the Have a Ball Fall Crawl, so my first thought was that it was something related to that. Imagine my surprise to find that it was the 2022 Summer Sesame trunk show from Berroco! It's been such a whirlwind, I'd forgotten I was on the schedule. It's a really nice collection--and includes some inspiration for how to successfully use Sesame with other yarns.
Benedetta is a crochet top with a lace panel, and Azzurra is the cardigan version of the Etta tee. Vittoria and Gioia are both short sleeve sweaters that demonstrate how nicely Summer Sesame pairs with Modern Cotton. While I don't carry Modern Cotton in the shop, I can order it for you through Berroco's Drop Ship 1-2-3 program (with no obligation to purchase full bags--you just order what you need for your project; how cool is that?).
As soon as I saw The Anne Sweater last month, I knew I wanted it for a new child's shop sample. It has a nice size range--from newborn to kids' size 12. This is the size 4 in Apple Green Rios, and it used a little over a skein of Malabrigo Rios in Apple Green. And because it really needed a little dress for maximum cuteness, I ran over to Windy Stitches & Stash and bought a yard and a half of this cute print and used it to whip up this little free dress pattern. I hear you can buy dresses--thrift them, even--but what fun is that??