Trips, Sunrises and Fog!!

It's official and the last of the paper work to deal with. TNNA (The National Needlework Association) puts on a trade show twice a year for store owners. In June it is in Columbus June 13-15. Plane tickets are purchased, room is reserved and my show passes have arrived. If you will be there, look me up. Most of the time I'll be at the Silver Reed(Knitcraft)booth.

As promised, another color commentary in Lorna's Laces arrived this week. This color is called Sunrise and is a creation from Wendy at Wendy Knits Blog. Dramatic!! I have Shepherd Sock, Shepherd Sport, Shepherd Worsted, Helen's Lace and Lion and Lamb currently in stock, in this color.

Last but certainly not least are two more web site updates. These jobs take up so much time and are simply mind numbing. When new colors are introduced, I need to cross reference numbers and names to my data base. Proof color card labeling to my database. Cascade does a really nice job of scanning the color cards and they are super quick to send me them. I proof their numbers to my database, then process the graphics. Processing consists of removing their numbers, then retyping them along with the color name. Save one copy for my catalog, process again and save a pdf copy for the web site and/or a jpg version for the web page. Last but not least, cross reference colors on cards to what is currently on the web and add all colors not listed. The mind ends up in a haze after a while. This past week Cascade Sierra and Cascade 220 Superwash both had massive updates. Sierra wasn't so bad. It has great colors, just not zillions of them as the Superwash has. The 220 superwash has so many colors, I cannot put the 220 Superwash color cards on the same web page as the shopping cart scripts. Another window opens up for that. Or you can click on the pdf color card and print it out. Next on the to do list is Cascade 220. Sigh . . . . more new colors there too!! On the home front, a somewhat quiet week. Son Cody was down last weekend from Portland, and he's here again this weekend. Lakeside is super for fishing, and he sleeps, eats and dreams fishing. He was born with a pole in his hands. Don't know where he got that. His father nor I fish. But he's a good son. He always saves time for his Mom, whether it is having lunch or taking a few hours out from his day to play pool on our table. I will toot my horn, tho, our games are 50/50. It's fun to beat your son at pool! Tomorrow we will be heading up to Albany for a family picnic. The coast is socked in fog. The valley is in the 80s. I hate fog!! Can't wait to hit the heat. I must be part lizard!! I don't come alive until it hits at least 75 degrees. 'til next weekend !!!

Lacey-Cables

Memorial Day weekend on the coast is often times cool or wet, or both. This year it is cool and windy, but the sun is out, and if you can find a sheltered spot, it is quite nice. But the wind is cold!!

Finished my Lacy-Cable shell. Originally it was to have either 3/4rd or at least a cap sleeve, but after getting the bands and hem done, it just screamed "sleeveless". So be it. This is Alchemy's Silk Purse, a 100% pure silk yarn, in the Poppy color. Used every single last yard of 4 hanks. It was machine knit on the LK150, but the cables and lace is all hand manipulated. Every stitch and every row was architectually planned out. With a machine, you don't knit to inches. You MUST know exactly how many rows you will need.

The LK150 machine was put away today. I was rather sad. I love working with that machine. I believe I will dig the SK280 back out and set up the lace carriage. I don't often do lace on the Silver Reed. With so much to do, just seems like I don't get around to it much. But I have an event coming up in a few weeks and I need to be able to operate this machine, and all its features without much thought. I could do this mindlessly on the Brother machines, but never had to with the Silver Reed. Now my time as come!
If you would like a brochure on knitting machines, I have a 20-page booklet. Email me at store@yarn-store.net and I will email you back the pdf.


The store was all business this week too. Weekly shipment from Lorna's Laces brought in the basic colors, and Cascade as well. This coming week the Lorna's Laces shipment is bringing in the next color commentary blogger color Wendy Johnson of WendyKnits .
WendyKnit's Sunrise should be here Wednesday or Thursday, in Shepherd Sock, Sport, Worsted, Helen's Lace and Lion and Lamb.

Have a great holiday!

Summer Daze

This weekend on the coast, it is beautiful. Saturday it was in the mid 70s in Lakeside, which sits about a mile east of Highway 101. Like a lizard, I love the heat! I don't come alive until it gets warm! And we don't get much of that there. A friend parked his car at our home for the day and, with a grin, handed me the keys. My grin was much bigger!! Needless to say, all work was tossed to the wind! We cruised up to Reedsport to show our temporary toy for the day to my sister, Claudia, who took a picture. What a day. LOVED IT!!

Early Sunday morning, when I usually sit around in my PJs, I was hard at work on the web site. Cascade Heritage Sock Yarn has 12 new colors. Yarn is in stock. Catalog is updated. Web page is updated. PDF is added. CHECK that job OFF.

You know sometimes you get an idea in your head and you just know you have to do it. And you have to do it NOW!! This project is so pretty it is hard to look away from it. This is the back. The yellow at the top and bottom is waste yarn when the shoulder is seamed and I've attached a hem, it will be removed. The yarn is 100% silk from Alchemy Yarns called Silk Purse. What a sin! I'm working it on my LK150 knitting machine. Much much hand manipulating going on. But even so, it is much faster than hand knitting. Sun it still out. It is only noon this Sunday. Am going to find a rock to lay on and soak up the sun!!

Done!

It is probably a good thing to have many WIPs. After setting aside the Crochet Yoke Pearl Shell, I was able to come back to it with a renewed energy. And its done! Not quite as I expected, but working with silk yarn (this yarn is Lorna's Laces Pearl) is different than with wools. Silk has no body at all. Add to it that my design was a lace crochet yoke which gave me no foundation to hold up the shell, presented me with a new challenge of stabilizing a lifeless, limp fabric. click on the pictures to get a bigger, more detailed view. The yoke is crocheted, and I'm a beginner there. The bodice was machine knit on the LK150 from Silver Reed. I knit on that machine more than anything else. It's just a fun machine to work with, and it does its' darnest to be agreeable!!

On the business front, my Cascade Rep, George, came by yesterday. Darn he gets expensive!!! There are new colors in 220 Superwash, Baby Alpaca Chunky, Alpaca Lace, Pastaza, 220 Pure Wool and Heritage Sock. I went ahead and ordered all the new colors in the Heritage Sock, and I do have the scripts all posted onto the web page, but no color cards yet. Cascade promises I should receive digital graphics next week. Remember I said web work was like house cleaning?? Never done! If you missed last week's newsletter mailing, you can access it here . There was a free earflap hat pattern in it. If you want to receive my quarterly mailing, sign up here. Until next time, knit on!

A Good Day!

One would think that when your children move out on their own, things would slow down. Nope. Life keeps getting busier and busier.

Spent the weekend in Portland and celebrated my youngest's 23rd birthday. We had dinner at the Ringside Steakhouse. Her brother, Steve and wife Cory, Aunt Marion, her Dad and I, and her best friend Aurora joined us. Dinner at the Ringside is always a super treat. Love it!!


Also, spent all of Saturday with Pati Palmer of Palmer-Pletsch sewing patterns. Learned how to pattern fit and then pin fit a pair of traditional jeans. OMG. How will I ever remember all that. I now have pattern pieces cut out and ready to sew. Pati is an awesome woman. It was a very good day and one I will remember forever! I do hope that our paths cross again.


Yesterday the "so-far-overdue-we-won't-talk-about-it" newsletter of mine was completed. Took a month to really work it out, including a free earflap pattern. This newsletter is slated to be released in 6 hours. If you aren't on the mailing list, be sure to add yourself.

Yesterday was a good day. Beside crossing off the newsletter, I also got the announcement out to my female siblings about my Mom's "girls day" birthday weekend in Portland. Mom is a city girl and any chance she gets she's heading for the city. Spending a weekend in downtown Portland with her girls is an event she's pretty excited about. So I got the reservations at the Embassy Suites, and put the announcement out to my sisters. You'd think that this would be a simple thing to do. Yep . . . . right . . . .
but it's done now.
Yesterday went so well, I got about a 48hour jump on a fairly large photoshop job I'm working on for a knitting machine catalog. I'm pretty excited about this project. It is long overdue. It is still in the beginning stages, but should have the prototype/version 1 done by the 15th.

I pray that I get more good days like yesterday!