New Spring Shades in Lorna's Laces

The new colors of Lorna's Laces arrived this week at Angelika's Yarn Store. I'm still working on getting them all into the database, and then onto the web site. If you are an existing customer, I can take email orders for them. Otherwise email me at store@yarn-store.net with your order and shipping information, and I'll call you back for a credit card number.

I have ordered the new colors in Shepherd Sock, Shepherd Sport, Shepherd Worsted, Shepherd Bulky and Helen's Lace. 90% of them are sitting here, waiting to be processed into the data base, photographed and put away.

By the way, the Shepherd Sock in these new colors arrived in their new put-up. Instead of 50 gram hanks, all new Shepherd Sock hanks received are being put-up in 100 gram hanks. That means only 1 hank is needed for a pair of socks.

Fjord is a light blue, slightly toward grey. Looks really beautiful paired with the color commentary Deep Dark Secret. Fjoyd is a nearly solid, which means you will see some color variation that occurs with hand dyed solids from Lorna's Laces.
Unicorn Parade is an updated version of Child's Play. Very brightly colored, a perfect name for this youthful and playful color combination.
Patina is a nearly solid color. A beautiful bronzy gold.
Robot Overlord is sure to be the best seller. Rich shades of browns and teasing inserts of poppy. My favorite for sure!!
Turtle Rodeo is bright and flirty. The graphic doesn't show the colors quite as well as they are. There is dark teal, medium teal, terracotta and dusty green. This will eventually be rephotographed. But I love the teals in this color!! I would call it a fall collection of colors.

On the home front . . . . looking out the windows behind the Yarn Store you see Lovejoy Fountain.

The other day they installed these signs. It may not be readable, but it is a warning not to drink the water, but you can wade and play in the water. And they do! The other day when I left, it looked like the beach! Kids were romping on the steps that were cascading with water. And young people were sunbathing in swim suits on beach towels. Oh my gosh! So cool!! I can work on my tan after work!!

Keep knitting through the summer! Small projects such as socks and scarves are perfect summer projects. I love to knit in the early hours, outside on the deck with coffee. Unfortunately that is also the time I'm shipping, so weather permitting, that might happen only once a week....But that's my favorite time.....when is yours?

There's Overload, and then there's Robot Overload!

I've caught up with most of the chores that were put on hold while I was away at TNNA (a trade show for yarn store and needlework stores). And mother nature of the PNW has decided to bless us with a non-winter day. It has gotten hazy this afternoon, but the temperature has finally slipped out of the 60s and is in the low 70s here in downtown Portland. Lovejoy Fountain, located outside the back door of my store has seen many happy sun lovers today. While the haze has drifted in, there is still hope that the temperatures stay warm, and that the haze might slip back out soon.

Visitors in the store remain at a steady relaxed pace as Portlanders stop in to meet me and check out my stock. Most ask about classes. I've decided against group classes, but I am doing private one-on-one lessons. Students learn at their own pace, on a project that they will wear and at a level their knitting (or non-knitting) experience is at. Tomorrow afternoon a knitter is coming in to learn how to knit 2 socks on one circular needle. Sure, I said, why not. (Let me explain that I rarely have time to knit socks. Love wearing them, but seems admin work screams louder than my knitting!) When I do knit socks, I use the 2 circular needles for one sock method. Fast forward to today. Time to get crackin' and practice up this technique. Long story short, I thought my eyes were going to cross and my head would drop to the keyboard in a "thunk!" but I did it. The hardest part was understanding the cast on. After realizing I had no books on hand to explain this particular process, I headed to the internet. 12 websites later, 2 of which were very helpful, I got it done.

Tostetoes.com has a pattern which was pretty helpful on the cast on, but I just could not visualize how to cast on that last 1/2 of a sock. The Boy Who Knits blog (look at his "previous" column. He wrote this tutorial in 2006.) helped to piece together that missing link, and I was able to progress forward with the cast on and a few rows.

Over the next few months I'll be announcing new product that I ordered at the show, as they arrive in the store. I have the graphics for 3 new colors of Poem Sock, so I'm going to show you that now, even tho I don't have them in stock yet.

In a few days, UPS will be delivering the 5 new colors in Lorna's Laces line. I will get pics up as soon as I can. If Lorna's Laces has some before I do, I'll borrow those pics just so you can see the color. Lorna's Laces also has a new yarn "Honor". (Shown above in new colorway called Robot Overload.) It's a 70% baby alpaca/30% silk blend DK weight yarn. I'll be bringing in that yarn in a few popular shades. It is put up in large 100 gram, 275 yard hanks. Shepherd Sock will change from 50gram hanks to 100 gram hanks. These means that one hank = 1 pair of socks!

There's more to say, but I'll save it for another day! Keep on Knitting!!

Angelika ( email store@yarn-store.net )

Cleaning House Treasures

Silver Reed KR11 Knit Radar Cleaning house can be fun when you find treasures!! 3 KR11 Knit Radars were recently found when spring cleaning the warehouse. Brand new, still in original packaging. SUPPLY LIMITED, so order immediately!! Normally $290 + $15, now only $245 with free shipping. The KR11 has been replaced with the new KR21, an electronic knit radar which sells for $390 + shipping, so this is a great deal!! Order immediately as supply will not last! An accessory for knitting machines so you no longer need to match the gauge of a pattern. With the Knit Radar, you tell the device what YOUR guage is. This charting device allows you to draw your garment shape. Select the ruler gauged to your stitches per inch, set the row setting to your rows per inch, and let the Knit Radar guide you through the complex curves of your garment piece. No more math! By simply changing the gauge settings, you can knit this same garment over and over with a variety of yarns and stitch styles. Order Here PS: Just returned from the Trade Show....stay tuned for announcements of new products soon to arrive!

Jul Purse handles for Noni Bags

Classy, classy!!

Beautiful upscale quality handles for your Noni bags, or any purse. Nora uses these handles in her Nomad Bag pattern.

A picture is worth a thousand words, so I'll just be quiet and let you look at these beautiful pictures!

Yarn Store in Lights !

Yesterday I went to excercise, and on the way home I had to swing by the store. It was dusk, and the neon lights were on. During the day they are off, and I don't even see them anyway because I walk to the store and approach the store from the back. But yesterday evening it was different.

Wouldn't you say its sometimes a good thing to see your name in lights?? hahaha!

Stay tuned....will be posting some pics of the new Jul purse handles in stock for the Noni Nomad Bag pattern.