Father's Day!

Pot o' Gold continues to be an amazing best seller here.  We love the bright color, and we see that you do too!  Pot o' Gold is a Done Roving color in their Frolicking Feet sock yarn.  But sock yarn is not just for socks!  This weight of yarn is wonderful for shawls.  Delicate, but washable!!  Perfect for knitting or crochet.   Here is a picture of customer, Laura's crochet shawl. 

And here is a picture of customer, Marsha's knit neck wrap.   The pattern Hitchhiker is available on Ravelry.

 I particularly like this weight of yarn on the standard gauge machine.  At tension 8 or 9, it makes a nice fabric for a t-top or sleeveless summer top.  And the lace carriage loves it!!

Today is Father's Day and thoughts toward the types of knit or crochet gifts for Fathers comes to mind.  For Dad's who like to snooze on Sunday afternoons, a cozy throw for Dad's chair is just perfect.  I did one for my Dad and he absolutely loved it.  For those more active Dads a scarf or hat in his team's colors is also a great choice.  But do consider if he is a "chunky" yarn kind of guy, or one who would use a scarf knit from Sport or Fingering weight yarns.  These fit nicely around the neck and tuck inside of dress coats or work jackets.  If he is a fisherman or outdoor's man, perhaps a vest is a good choice.  It is a great layer type of item.  Consider that wool is the most warm and breathable.  Particularly those wools that are hand wash only.  If you are around to do the washing, then that is the best choice.  But washable wool and acrylic blends are the perfect choice for the guy who does his own laundry.  Either way, the best gift for Dad is one where you think about his lifestyle and activities!  Even though today is Dad's Day, birthdays and the winter gift giving holidays are ahead, and this time frame allows you time to make the best choice!  Here are some links that might start those creative juices flowing.
http://www.yarn-store.com/knitted-mens-patterns.html
http://www.yarn-store.com/knitted-shawl-and-scarf-patterns.html
http://www.yarn-store.com/lornas-laces-patterns-shawls-scarves.html

Have a great Sunday, and we will talk next week!  Angelika

House Cleaning this week!!

House Cleaning this week!! About once every 2 years, I go through the store and line up yarns to move on out. And about at the same time, I've placed my winter orders, which are often all about new yarn! Extra work for us, but exciting work! And for you, it means great savings! If you haven't been mulling over stitched gifts, now is the time, because of these great prices, you can stitch up even a nicer gift than you could have at regular price!

Sale and Clearance Yarn

All purchases of sale and clearance yarn are final. Be assured, there is absolutely nothing wrong with this yarn aside from being old classics and underdogs--not that there's anything wrong with that, either!

• Lorna's Laces Shepherd Bulky Solids - Normally $19 per hank. Now only $11.49 per hank on many colors, on remaining stock.
• Lorna's Laces Shepherd Bulky Multis - Normally $19 per hank. Now only $11.49 per hank on many colors, on remaining stock.
• Cascade Pastaza Solids - Normally $8.50 but reduced to $4.50.
• Cascade Pastaza Paints - Normally $12.50 but reduced to $4.50.
• Lorna's Laces Pearl - Normally $44 per hank. Now only $25.49 per hank on remaining stock.
• Alchemy Silk Purse Yarn - Normally $27 & 29 per hank. Now only $15.00 per hank on remaining stock.
• Muench Fancy Eyelash Yarn - Normally $7.50 per hank. Now only $4.00 per hank on remaining stock.
• Lorna's Laces Lion & Lamb - Normally $38.00 per hank. Now only $29 per hank, limited time, on some colors. (7 days only:  add'l $10 off each hank. Put "I'm a Fan" in the comment line during checkout, and I will reduce before collecting on card authorization.)
• Lorna's Laces Heaven - Normally $71.00 per hank. Now only $49.49 per hank, limited time, on ALL colors currently in stock.
• Lorna's Laces Angel - Normally $16.50 per hank. Now only $9 per hank, limited time, on some colors.
• Feza Fanatic - CLEARANCE at $9.49 a ball (normally $16)
• Feza Cyprus - CLEARANCE at $7.49 a ball (normally $14)
• Kertzer Tweed Montage - CLEARANCE at $8.49 a ball (normally $15.99)
• Cascade Pima Tencel - CLEARANCE at $3.49 a ball (normally $5.00).

Our Customer's Beautiful Things!

Henry and I totally enjoy the beautiful things that our customers create with yarn.  We love sharing in picking out the colors, we love crocheting and knitting through the project with them, and we really love recording the end result with stunning photographs, and sharing with all of you.

Phyllis's second afghan, another timeless keepsake, is Cascade 220 Superwash.  With hundreds of colors, in a superwash pure wool makes this yarn ideal for keepsake afghans.  This is out of a Leisure Arts book called "A Year in Afghans, Bk 1".  But with this yarn, any afghan is a gift to treasure.
See all the wonderous colors at: http://www.yarn-store.com/cascade-220-SuperWash-yarn.html

Laura, our resident pro crocheter, has fallen in love with Done Roving's Frolicking Feet.  This fingering weight yarn is perfect for drapy shawls, whether you are crocheting or knitting.  This particular project uses the Pot o' Gold color, and the Oat Couture Lightweight Scarves #PH619.  Laura has plans for every single color of Frolicking Feet.  Done Roving is a small company from Maine.  Paula's wool comes from her farm, and her neighbors farm.  The wool is processed and spun, all here in the U.S.  Paula dyes the yarn in beautiful, deeply saturated shades.  We are very happy to support a business that supports the U.S. by keeping every single bit of it's product's processing here in the U.S.A.
Check out the yarn at: http://www.yarn-store.com/done-roving-hand-dyed-yarn.html
and the crochet pattern at: http://www.yarn-store.com/crochet-shawl-and-scarf-patterns.html

This is Patty.  Patty knits beautiful garments and classic styles.  This particular jacket is a free pattern from Cascade Yarns.  Their photo is done in yellow.  I do love yellow, but it seemed (now that I see it in Navy) that it distracted from the very usable style of this jacket.  Patty came in looking for something to go with her jeans.  It is just beautiful!!  It is a fast knit, not complicated.  Done in Cascade's Sierra, which is 80% cotton, 20% wool, it has great definition, the comfort of cotton, but with the added wool, it retains its shape and is easier to knit.
The pattern can be downloaded at http://cascadeyarns.com/patternsFree/W147_SierraBasketCardigan.pdf.
But be sure to come back and order the yarn at: http://www.yarn-store.com/cascade-sierra-yarn.html

I love this photograph. Henry is working on a project, but in the test stage, he took this photograph.  Don't you love the stitch markers?  They are hand made by Portland resident Nona.  A set of 10 markers, also includes 2 extra contrast color markers.  They come in 3 different sets (sizes).  We don't have them online yet, but feel free to call and ask about our color selection.

Memories on Memorial Day

A timeless keepsake. . . .

If you are one of our fans on our facebook page, you probably saw the excitement this beautiful crochet afghan created. Customer, Phyllis, has crocheted amazing after amazing beautiful afghans. When she came in with this one, it was the last we could handle. The walls of the store caved in as we gasped! Henry commented "Modern and edgy isn't what you usually think of when you consider a crochet project but this is exactly the feeling we get when we look at this afghan brought in by a customer of ours. Color can make all the difference when creating a gift for someone who might not be a big fan of your craft. This is a gift for a young man and there's no shame in a crocheted afghan thrown over your computer chair when its in such "awesome" colors."

The yarn is Cascade's 220 Superwash and with over 200 shades, it is sure thing that any multicolored project will be a success!

Universal heard our requests and gave us what we wanted. Solids to go with the Classic Shades. But even knit on their own, this beautiful yarn is loosely spun, soft to the touch, with a beautiful sheen and and unheard of low price of $6 for 197 yds (100grams).
Classic Shades (70% acrylic / 30% wool) is a soft-to-the touch acrylic/wool roving style yarn featuring a stunning selection of colors which shade easily, one to the next. With a sheen similar to silk, finished garments in Universal's Classic Shades take on a painterly quality perfect for sweaters and winter accessories --- plus, this worsted weight yarn is machine washable! Gauge: 4, 4.5 or 5 sts per inch on US#9, 8 or 7 needle. Or Crochet on a I, J or K hook.

The Portland Rose Festival opened this weekend.  Despite the ever changing weather, crowds came out to celebrate.  This photo is from the Columbian Newspaper.   This particular event is a leisure 10-15 minute walk of 1/2 mile along the Waterfront Boardwalk from the Yarn Store. A perfect ending to a Saturday work day.

Have a great holiday whether you are BBQing with family, or relaxing around the house with your stitching projects!

Events, events, sales and visits!

The Pacific NW Knitting Machine Seminar went off without a hitch in the beautiful downtown Vancouver Hilton Convention Center.  A great event with lots of education, entertainment and fun!!  Machine knitters had much to learn and share in a beautiful location.  Thank you all for joining us!  You made it successful!

Lily Chin's class on Sunday was a very intimate affair with hand knitters learning many secrets to successful knitting and then enjoyed the afternoon learning reversible cables.  I learned that Lily is responsible for the reversible cables as we know them today, where there is NO wrong side.  There were reversible cables many years ago, but they are not the truly reversible cables that Lily does.

BLOG SPECIAL
We are moving our Pastaza out to make room for some new exciting yarns!  Normally $8.50 and $12.50 for the hand dyed, we are offering a special blog purchase at $4.50 for either.  Get yours before we post the sale price on line!  You do want to yours while the selection is good.  Soon we will post it on our clearance page, and it go like wildfire in August!

Cascade Pastaza Yarn is a 50% Llama / 50% Wool, 100g - 132 yds per hank.

Gauge:4 sts per inch on US#9 (5.5mm)

Care: Hand wash and lay flat.

Order on page http://www.yarn-store.com/cascade-pastaza-yarn.html and page http://www.yarn-store.com/cascade-pastaza-paints-yarn.html, and be sure to post the code BS450 in the comment line during checkout.  I will reduce the price before I collect on your credit card authorization.
Don't FORGET!!  BS450 in the comment line, and I will change the price of the yarn (solid, heather or hand paint) to only $4.50, otherwise it is still full price! (special price limited to stock on hand.)

Thank you to the Tigard Knitting Guild . . . . . I think . . . .  seriously....yes, thank you.  But imagine my eyes when the guild pulled up in this monster bus!  55+ hand knitters stopped in for a 45-60 minute furious buying spree on Saturday morning.  The weather was beautiful for their annual Shop Hop event.  This was their first year stopping at Angelika's Yarn Store.  Thank you members!  Hope to see you all again!

Only a few days left until my Knitting Machine Seminar, at the Vancouver (WA) Hilton Convention Center.  Registration is still open for this "kick-in-the-pants" event!  Connect with other machine knitters and sharpen your  skills, and simply just laugh out loud!  

See the schedule, the classes and sign up on my Events page:  http://www.yarn-store.com/events.html 

Don't spend your Mother's Day like any other year!  Make this year special by spending it in my Lily Chin Workshop in my store,  in a way that makes it a one of a kind day!!  Registration is still open.  Check it out on my Events page:  http://www.yarn-store.com/events.html  Don't wait any longer!!

Lacy ruffly yarn is still burning up the knitting world.  Rozetti Spectra and Marina from Universal Yarns are now in stock!!  Price is great!  Shipping is even sweeter!

Cascade's Heritage Silk

Merino Wool (a good one!!) and Mulberry Silk....this is the stuff that heirlooms are make of!  Cascade's Heritage Silk is silky-soft "rub-my-cheek" yarn!  

Cascade Heritage Silk is 85% Merino Superwash Wool, 15% Mulberry Silk

Gauge: US 1-3 / 7.5-8= 1"100gr (3.5 oz) / 437yds (400 m)

Care: Machine Wash Warm Gentle /Tumble Dry Low Heat

Absolutely the richest blend. Makes beautiful texture and stunning lace. IDEAL for the standard gauge knitting machine.

(download the free lacy-cable scarf on my Heritage Silk page.)

Blocking is crucial to every knit project.  Setting the stitches, securing the final dimensions, it is what all professionals do. Blocking boards can be heavy, clumsy and expensive.

Born out of necessity, the Knitter's Block blocking board set is versatile, lightweight, and compact. Here are a few key points from the Coco Knits website about their interlocking blocking board:

• Very low, lightly barbed pile
  • fabric covering gently grips your knitting without pilling or leaving fibers
• Heat resistant
  • essential for steam blocking
• Thick backing of waterproof EVA
  • suitable for use on any surface since moisture won’t seep through
  • Because the tiles don't absorb water, blocked items will dry faster than with towels and cloths
  • holds pins firmly in place 
• Versatile
  • can be assembled in a variety of sizes from a square for sweater pieces, a long rectangle for scarves or a triangle for shawls
• Compact
• blocks are stored in a sturdy 14”x14” bag

What I like about this set is that it is small, takes very little space to store away in its own bag.  It isn't heavy, yet is thick enough for blocking pins.  Kit also includes T-pins and a lint-free pressing cloth, all stored in a reusable storage page.

RAINBOW!!

Done Roving Hand Dyed Yarns

Bread, born, raised, sheared, spun and dyed all in the good United States!!  This yarn has our Saturday group all a-buzz, with it's brilliant colors and sweet spin.  Here is a picture of the most recent shipment.  Henry will have all the new colors up on the web site, after our seminar is over, but in the mean time, feel free to do a phone order.  Or if you are an existing customer, just email us!!

(I've extracted the color list from our software . . . . here you go!  Enjoy!

Anemone Windflower

Christmas Cactus

Copper Pennies

Garnets & Rubies

Highland Haze

Irish Moss

Lady Slipper

Lavender & Sage

Magenta Mood

Mandarin Lime

Navajo Sky

Plum Pretty

Plum Tree

Pot O Gold

Robin Eggs

Southwest Gem

Starry Starry Night

Wild Blue Yonder

Wild Violets

Take care, knit to your heart's content!   Angelika & Henry

Simply Angelic

Attend my Pacific NW Knitting Machine Seminar and be the first to own the Angelic Scarf pattern. This is one of my designs, and will make its debut during our show.  It takes only about an hour to knit on a mid-gauge machine, and there's no finishing.  This pattern will be kitted up with a hank of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock .  Wrap around your shoulder and close with a stick pin, or wrap it from front to back and to the front again to wear on cooler days.  Knit it a bright cheery color for a splash of smiles, or knit it in conservative shades for the man in your life (if he likes conservative!)  Make up bunches and use them for gifts or fund raisers!!   It all comes together with amazing qualities of  Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock!

You Will Want One For Yourself!

Don't forget!!  Only 2 weeks left to enjoy a fun and lighthearted day with Lily Chin. 

It's YOUR day!  Do it your way! 

Learn ways to perfect your knitting with Lily in the morning, and knit reversible cables in the afternoon!  And she always throws in many extras!!  And we've got lots of extra special gifties!!  Reserve your spot now.  Only a few remain!  Learn more on my events page: http://www.yarn-store.com/events.html

Less than 2 weeks!!

This small and intimate seminar is the perfect setting for some nearly one-on-one time with successful designers and long term knitting teachers.  Stand up and proudly announce you are a machine knitter and a good one!!!  We can do simply amazing stuff!!  Don't miss this opportunity to join with other happy mk'ers and strut your stuff, polish your skills and laugh it up with long time friends!  Make a showing....I want to see you all there!  Join me at my Pacific NW Knitting Machine Seminar!