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Peter wants mittens

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 18:30:01 -0500

All progress on my CPH has stopped while I knit these:

(The pattern is Fiddlehead Mittens by Adrian Bizilia of Hello Yarn.)

Peter had been complaining that he's never had a pair of mittens or gloves that have kept his hands warm. Well, to a knitter, that is a challenge. (And I have a sneaking suspicion that he knew it.)

I pulled out a skein of 3 ply handspun (on the left) that I spun this summer from natural BFL that I got from Spunky Eclectic, and a skein of Cascade's Eco Alpaca.

We looked around for a pattern and he liked the Fiddleheads the best. While they were designed in color, and I'm tempted to make a colorful pair for myself, I really like the natural combo for a men's pair.

The thumb on the first mitten will be finished tonight.

I knit this one on double points - which I really like for knitting single mittens or socks - but in this case, it was a bit frustrating to manage the stranding work on the dpns. I've been getting a lot more pulling and puckering than I would like, despite tremendous attention to my floats, tension, etc... . Because of all that, it just wasn't a relaxing experience. And I love the pattern. And the yarn. Ok, so the yarn is part of the problem. You see, my handspun is heavier than the Eco Alpaca - resulting in some of the uneven stitches I've been battling. I knew that going in, but damn it, those were the yarns I wanted to use. And I technically got gauge.

For my sanity, I'm shaking things up on the second mitten.

Magic loop, here I come. I figure it will allow me to focus on the yarn and pattern and not switching between all those needles.

The first mitten took about 2 days. Then, the pattern calls for separate linings to be knit. Essentially, you knit another pair of mittens.

Am I going to do this? They would certainly be warm - especially since I would use the pure alpaca for the lining.

One part of me is thinking, the unlined mittens are completely awesome and warm on their own (and I have other things to knit).

Then there is the knitter voice that says I can't let the project out in the world technically unfinished.

Of course, there's the voice that argues that if he loses these mittens, I will be doubly &*%$ed off if I make the linings.

What to do...

At least Connor has his scarf.

Thanksgiving Sale on Friday and Saturday!

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 20:01:59 -0500

Thanksgiving week is upon us! You know what that means - time for the holiday fiber frenzy to begin. Knitting needles and crochet hooks will be flying as we get those gifts and decorations finished. Or, in my case, some of those gifts still need to be cast on. Festive shopping for our fiber friends is underway. Just imagine their smile when the sock knitter in your life unwraps a skein of Malabrigo Sock yarn!

Whether you are knitting up a few surprises, getting ahead on your shopping, or looking for a project to keep you entertained during the parades and football games, we're here to help.

Don't miss our SALE this Friday and Saturday!

All in-stock yarn, patterns, books, and needles will be 10% OFF both in the store and online Friday Nov. 28 and Saturday, Nov. 29. Remember, you can shop from home online and have us ship everything to you, or select our in store pick-up option and we'll have everything ready for you the next time you stop by.

**Please note that we will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, but will be open for regular hours the rest of the week.**

Help your friends and family by filling out at Holiday Wish List!

Here's how it works: You fill out a card with all your knitting, crocheting, and fibery desires. Then, tell all your family and friends that you have a WIsh List at The Knitting Experience Café. We keep the card and help your loved ones pick out the perfect gift.

Looking for a little inspiration?

Quick knit gift ideas:

Felted mittens using Noro Kochoran

Chunky scarves

Holiday ornaments

Fun hats

Cozy socks

Gifts for the knitter ideas:

Gift Certificates

Ball winder and swift

Custom Knits by Wendy Bernard

It Itches by Franklin Habit

Darn Pretty Needles

Pretty Cheep Project Bags

GoKnit Pouch

Knitters Little Helper Hand Balm

Kits for cool knits

Lantern Moon Silk Needle Case

Sock yarn and pattern

and so much more... just ask us!

I couldn't resist

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 09:05:31 -0500

There are other projects on the needles that are begging for attention. Gifts that need to be completed soon, samples for the shop that are late in making an appearance, but I still couldn't help myself. I had to try the Malabrigo sock yarn.

It is like silk running through your fingers. The color is deep and rich, and shimmers as you look at it.

To test out the Malabrigo Sock, I decided to use the new Figheadh cabled sock pattern

for two reasons: 1. I wanted to knit these socks, 2. with cables, I can get a sense of the stitch definition of the yarn.

Check out the results:

It is beautiful and I love it. I adore it. I pet it when feeling stressed. Ahhhh....

To justify the new sock project, I finally finished Connor's Harry Potter scarf. Well, almost. All the ends are woven, it just needs fringe.

My Central Park Hoodie is also progressing. A back, two fronts, and the sleeves are underway!

The decision has been made to go with the large collar instead of a hood. I've been debating this for awhile and the sweater finally spoke to me last night. Once I figure out how I'm going to actually make the collar, I'll let you know. In the meantime, I need progress reports! I've seen many CPHs in knitting bags, and even a couple finished sweaters. Time for a KAL update! Let me know where you are. For those still knitting away like me, I'm toying with the idea of a seaming party after the holidays. We'll pick a Saturday, and seam our CPHs together.

I'm not the only one getting things off the needles (and then more on).

Marcia has 10 pairs of felted mittens ready to be gifted.

And a beautiful sweater for her grandson out of Cascade 220:

Joanie finished her very first sweater!!!!! YIPPEE!! This is a huge knitting milestone. As a bonus, the sweater fits like a dream and looks awesome on her.

Another knitter has been felting up a storm:

All gifts! Wow!

Luanne made this adorable berry hat to go with the Swing Coat she was finishing last night:

Now I just need to get a picture of the sweater.

Malabrigo SOCK YARN!

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:10:34 -0500

Yes, it is as good as you imagine.

Knitting fever

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 08:35:59 -0500

Wow! What a busy week. Seems that someone let out the secret of how wonderful knitting can be and those new and returning knitters are ready for some fiber therapy. Sorry for the lack of blog updates, but with all these wonderful knitters around, it is hard to make myself break away and sit at the computer.

Check out the impromptu gathering on Saturday -

I neglected to get a good shot of the other side of the room, so I apologize for those who were left out of the picture. Thanks to everyone who came to knit and enjoy a rainy afternoon - it was lovely.

Pam had me in awe with her finished - and blocked! - Seascape shawl. She used Hempathy, which has an incredible drape - something you never would guess from a hemp based yarn.

She has also been whipping out those Christmas gifts. Look at the gorgeous cowls-

Sandy is making a beautiful wrap for her mother out of Cascade's Baby Alpaca Chunky-

And I've been a bit obsessed with the Cabled Ornaments from Knitting Daily. So far, I've made 6.

They are super easy to make (as long as you know how to cable) and make great gifts! The pattern can be found at knittingdaily.com . I used Jo Sharp's DK wool and can get about 3 ornaments from one ball.

Saturday also saw the arrival of patterns from Figheadh Yarnworks. I love the cablework!

Time to head to the shop. I'm hoping that today brings a very special delivery...

Big Box of Cascade

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 06:28:24 -0500

Anyone who has stopped by the shop over the past few days knows that we got a ginormous shipment of Cascade. The Cascade wall is replenished with many vibrant colors including those for your holiday knitting in both 220 and 220 Superwash:

The 220 Tweed that sold out so quickly is back-

Along with the wildly popular Eco Wool-

When I met with the sales rep, I had my order all planned out, knew just what I wanted, and was sure that I wouldn't be distracted. Ha! By now, I should know better.

He tempted me with this:

That would be Eco Alpaca. 220 yds per skein of luscious, undyed, worsted weight baby alpaca. Oh. My. God. It is insanely soft. I almost fell over. I get weak in the knees every time I touch it. Now I am in search of the perfect pattern, because I MUST knit with this.

Speaking of knitting... David finished his piratey hat -

How cool is that? Awesome work David! He used Jo Sharp's DK Wool, and skipped the lining as the stranding work makes it plenty warm all on its own.

Huge cheers for Jerri who finished her Mystery Shawl. It is stunning.

After blocking, it is to be gifted to a very lucky person. Wow! She used Cascade's Heritage sock yarn for the shawl, so not only is it so super soft you want to wrap it around you and camp out on the couch all day, it is also washable!

Check out what Amy is making for her son's birthday. I am in trouble if my boys see this:

Pirates, are of course, exceedingly cool. Combine them with black, and bright oranges, and you have a sweater that you KNOW they will wear.

(Seriously, Amy, what were you thinking? Connor is going to want one of these. And as soon as he wants one, Alec will want one!)

A fabulous knitter brought in this Noro vest - the pattern name escapes me right now - but aren't the colors beautiful?

Oh, and I finished my Punky Fuchsia baby sweater.

I love the way the color plays out in this yarn when knit. It is Classy from Dream in Color. I have a couple possible sweaters in mind for myself out of this yarn when the next shipment arrives.

Time to get ready for work. We are open today for your knitting and relaxing needs. Happy Veterans Day everyone!

Spunky delivery

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 07:11:28 -0500

The wonderful Amy of Spunky Eclectic made a surprise delivery yesterday of all kinds of goodies.

First we have a fresh supply of desperately needed Spunky sock yarn. I think we were down to 3 lonely skeins. Check out the colors!

And the Color of the Month - Sumac in Skinny Socks. Each skein will be 15% off for the month of November, or until it's all gone to happy homes.

Perhaps best of all, she brought us a present:

See that cool cabley hat? Amy designed it as a free pattern to go along with her Biggie Yarn. The pattern is sized from infant through adult large, and every size - except for the large - takes just one skein of Spunky Biggie Yarn. The pattern is free with a purchase of Biggie Yarn.

Another local artist stopped by recently. Amy Boneville, a brilliant photographer, has just introduced a line of beautiful cards.

Perfect for sending notes to your fiber friends!

We've also received a number of new books - and a restocking of the incredibly popular Custom Knits by Wendy Bernard.

Oh, and there's been some knitting too.

Jenna stopped by looking fabulous in her Malabrigo Cropped Cardigan and Noro scarf.

Becka whipped up this chunky fun scarf in an afternoon:

2 skeins of Blue Sky Alpacas Bulky Hand Dyes and size 17 needles - instant scarf!

And I finished one project, made great progress on another, before being distracted by something new. Details later.

Happy Halloween!

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 06:51:54 -0400

It is that wonderful time of year again when all the ghost, goblins, superheroes, and princesses come out to play. At 4:30pm this afternoon, the downtown will be swarming with costumed creatures as the annual Halloween parade takes off. Whether or not you have kids, this is a sight not to be missed and one of my favorite events of the year. Get your costumes ready and meet us on the mall! We'll be closing the shop at 4pm today so we be there for all the fun.

Last night, the Knit at Night crowd celebrated the holiday in spirited style. We had costumes, treats, and excellent knits.

See that gorgeous bag? Peggy announced that she was going to give it away to the first person who said they wanted it. She had made it in a quilting class a couple years ago, but just never used it. Luckily, Peggy was one of the first to arrive so I didn't have to push anyone out of the way and cause bodily harm to get it -

Thanks Peggy!

And now, pictures from the party...

(Notice David's sweater? It's Durrow - one of my favorite men's sweaters- and he used Cascade 220. Awesome cables. Now, focus on his current knit, a We Call Them Pirates hat. He's making it as a store sample. Yay!)

Happy Halloween all!

Knit things and babies

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 19:24:06 -0400

The sweater fits! The little sweater I made for Maddie actually fits!

Could she be any more precious? A huge thanks to Dan and Becky for sending the photos. I want to just reach through the screen and hug her.

The sweater is my design, and my first sweater knit entirely from my own hand spun yarn. (Definitely easier to accomplish when knitting for the wee ones.)

I also sent Maddie a few other knitted things to keep her cozy.

Maddie isn't the only one modeling knits lately. Here's Becka in her finished Selbu Modern tam:

The piece is simply gorgeous. She used Blue Sky Alpacas Alpaca and Silk and the stranding work is incredible. Fabulous sister that she is, I am able to borrow it as a store sample for awhile. Everyone who sees it is rendered speechless. Truly, you need to see it in person to get the full effect. It reminds me of tapestries or intricate gowns from ancient royal courts.

Then, on Saturday, these Fiddlehead mitts came in...

Kate knit them in alpaca, and used a quiviut blend for the lining. I suggested that she somehow attach them to her person to reduce any chance of losing them.

Donna had her completed lace scarf ready to share. She used 100% alpaca from Blue Sky Alpacas.

It is heavenly soft.

And Jayne came in to claim her booby prize. Through our summer Boob-a-Thon, she won a skein of Spunky Eclectic hand spun. Lucky, lucky!

Today, Christy, Taylor, and Ava shared a little spooky spirit with us. The costumes were awesome. Please note that Taylor is the wicked witch who won. What you can't see in the picture is that she has on the ruby red slippers.

UPS gave us a thrill today:

That would be Dream in Color Smooshy sock yarn. I am totally in love with the Gothic Rose and November Muse.

We also got a new color in Cascade's Chunky Baby Alpaca:

And 2 new books:

On the left we have our very own Maine designer, Jill Eaton's latest children's collection. The patterns are adorable. I have my eye on a couple to knit. And, Pam, one of our Knit at Nighters is a sample knitter for the book! Yay, Pam!!

On the right is the much anticipated cartoon collection from Franklin. We were laughing hysterically over these cartoons. Honestly, you need this if you knit. Or you need this for any knitter you might know. Because they will know. They will recognize themselves, or life as a knitter in this crazy world, in each one.

Before I post this and go find dinner, I leave you with very poor photos of my latest hand spun. Due to the weather, the lighting stinks, so better pictures will come soon.

This is a 3 - ply merino/silk/alpaca creation that I loves. I still have another skein to ply and should end up with between 400-400 yds. No idea what I'm going to make, and I don't care. I just like looking at it.

Early Bird Fun

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 07:21:43 -0400

Thank you everyone for another fabulous Early Bird! Saturday was festive and fun - and so completely, utterly exhausting, that I'm only now getting to the blog to show you all the pictures.

We were in our jammies

Peter was at the computer

and the shoppers were lined up outside...

A beautiful sunrise greeted us all:

Many knitters wore their jammies, but I loved Bridget's the best: (where do I get these??)

It was a whirlwind and I can't wait till next year!

Early Bird Sale on Saturday!

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 07:15:31 -0400

October is here and you know what that means. The much anticipated Brunswick Downtown Early Bird Sale is this Saturday, October 25th from 6am-9am!

For those who may not be familiar with this fun and exciting tradition, let me explain.

In the wee early hours of the morning on the last Saturday in October, many of the shops in downtown Brunswick (check the papers this week for a complete listing of who is participating) open their doors and offer incredible discounts to those shoppers who awake early (or who perhaps never went to sleep the night before) to enjoy tremendous deals and a festive morning. The earlier your arrive, the better the deal. To make it that much easier for you to get there by 6am, come in your pjs and slippers. We'll be wearing ours!

Now for the important information - the discounts! This is our fourth year participating, and to celebrate, the savings are fantastic!

From 6am to 7am save 30% off ALL in-stock yarn, needles, books, patterns, and accessories

From 7am to 8am save 20% off ALL in-stock yarn, needles, books, patterns, and accessories

From 8am to 9am save 15% off ALL in-stock yarn, needles, books, patterns, and accessories

You must be present to receive the discount -the Early Bird Sale is only available in the shop, not online- and no other specials or promotions apply during the Early Bird Sale.

Starting catching up on your sleep now, get your coolest pjs ready, and we'll see you at 6am on Saturday!

How I spent my Rhinebeck vacation

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 16:14:31 -0400

3 beautiful days in the hills of NY. A world famous fiber festival. Knitters, spinners, designers, and fiber dealers from all over. Talk about a recipe for an incredible weekend.

Only problem? I neglected to factor in the potential impact of having young children at home. Little children + school = nasty germies and stomach flu for mommy.

I went all the way to Rhinebeck to spend most of my time here:

Yup, the hotel room. While I missed all of Saturday at the festival, and the Ravelry party, the weekend wasn't a total loss. We arrived early enough to meet up with Ravelry folks for dinner. Alas, Bob was unable to make it, but I met Jess, Casey, Mary Heather, and many other incredibly wonderful people. Kate Gilbert and the Twist Collective crew were there, and the Yarn Harlot joined the crowed at the end of the night. Then there were all the fabulous Rav and Blog-land friends I finally got to meet in person.

By Sunday morning I had perked up a bit and managed to walk around the fairgrounds long enough to spend that yarn and fiber money I had carefully saved for the weekend.

4 ounces of beautiful purple/blue cormo roving from Foxhill Farm of MA:

A wool/silk/viscose blend from Brooks Farm of Lancaster, TX. 420 yds in fingering.

A skein of Socks That Rock sock yarn from Blue Moon FiberArts. The colorway is Typhoon Tina and this was the last skein left. I couldn't walk away without it.

And Amy got me a Mystery Bump. Not only did she brave the germies to hang out with me for the weekend, get me ginger ale and pepto, she got me a present to cheer me up. A truly wonderful friend.

So how cool is this? You just start spinning, with no idea of what color will come next. You can see some hints on the outside, but they are only hints.

I need to finish up the current project on the wheel so I can dive into this!

2 days till Rhinebeck!

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 18:38:35 -0400

By this time on Friday, I'll be at Rhinebeck, NY for the Sheep and Wool Festival. (Don't worry, the shop will still be open and Becka is in charge - drop in and say hello to her.)

I can't wait! I've been planning my knitting all day. First, you've got the long car trip. Then you got the knitting with fellow fiber enthusiasts. There's lots of potential knitting time.

Of course, the Central Park Hoodie is going. But, I need to count rows, do cables, and shape things a bit. That's ok for the car trip. Not so good for walking around and chatting. Hmmm...

Then Becka came up with the perfect idea - a Knitting Pure and SImple Baby Rollneck in DIC Classy! What color? Punky Fuschia! That will be one cool little baby sweater.

I had a few things to finished before packing up. Weather reports say that the nights and early mornings will be a bit chilly so I am trying to get my Dashing mitts done to keep my hands warm.

Almost there.

And I couldn't go away without making sure Madelyn's sweater was really and truly done and in the mail.

The buttons went on yesterday and the package was sent this morning.

I am so thrilled with the way it turned out. And I adore the ruffles.

Every little girl needs a few ruffles in her life, right? Hee hee. I just wish I could see her in it. My brother is going to have to exercise his photography talents and get me some pictures.

And yes, I will be writing up the pattern - I just don't know when.

I'm not the only one knitting baby things. Check out the lovely blanket Susie made out of Dream in Color Peach.

Penny - who is a relatively new knitter - made a gorgeous pair of felted mitts out of Noro Kochoran.

She is going to gift them and make more! Two skeins of Kochoran will make 3 pairs of mittens. And these babies whip up in an afternoon - so for those of you thinking of holiday knitting - this is a quick, fun option.

Classic Elite Books!

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 07:04:21 -0400

Three new Classic Elite pattern books are here: (hint: click on the highlighted name of the book to find it in the store.)

Curvy Knits

Here are a couple of the great designs:

And Alpaca Stories:

I am in love with this purple sweater - knit top-down.

Autumn Book 2 also arrived.

And we can't forget the new color in Alpaca Sox - one of my favorites - Red Riot!

Spunky Color of the Month

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 07:46:48 -0400

It took me a few days to get the pictures loaded, but the Spunky Color of the Month is now available online! As always, the color of the momth is 15% OFF.

Amy worked her magic and came up with Rhubarb in Super Nova. One skein makes a lovely pair of socks - and we only have 4 skeins left for this month!

Show and Tell

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 09:24:48 -0400

More lovely knits stopped by the shop on Saturday.

Luanne finished her first sock using two circular needles after taking Terri's class. (Terri is teaching the magic loop method next, on October 25 and Nov. 1.)

Then Susan came in with this amazing array of finished work.

The Something Red cardigan out of Dream in Color Classy.

A beautiful scarf out of Spunky Eclectic Lace.

And this magnificent Lizard Ridge Afghan! Each square is made using one ball of Noro Kureyon and we'll be having a workshop on how to do the short row shaping on November 1.

Knitting everywhere!

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 07:34:59 -0400

The shop has been full of all kinds of beautiful knits this week.

Diana came to show us the progress on her gift knitting. I'm falling a bit behind on my personal goals, so it was inspiring to see all that she has been accomplishing.

A lovely baby sweater out of Ella Rae Amity, with a matching hat in Panda Cotton. The hat will have a cool entrelac pattern on the top. I can't wait to see the finished product.

A market bag out of Reynolds Garden Tweed:

And a sweater for her father out of Cascade 220 is almost done - just needs the collar.

Knit at Night brought out more of those Central Park Hoodies.

And many other knits around the room:

Oh, and Karen (pictured above the the gorgeous lace) happened to catch a review of Heidi's book and brought it in to share. Congrats Heidi!!

Being sick stinks

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 16:39:23 -0400

Especially when you don't even feel like knitting. Some sort of fall flu has taken hold of me these past few days. I'm just now coming back to the land of the living.

You know how, when you're really stressed with work and life and stuff, you wish you could just have a few days to yourself? Perhaps a little cold that forces you to stay in bed all day? Somehow I never remember that in real life, anything that sends you to bed for a day or two is just no fun at all. It stinks.

And you know it is bad when you don't feel like eating or knitting! I think I slept for 40 of the 48 hours of Sunday and Monday, and a good portion of today. I don't know what I would do without the amazing Amanda to cover the shop for me. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!

I am slowly getting back to normal. Checked in with Ravelry. Did a little paperwork. Now for blog catch-up! I don't have lots to report due to the situation outlined above, but there were a few good pics of Saturday's KAL kickoff on my camera.

Mary Ellen's knit-alongside Susie Hoodie - check out that cable!

Donna's knit-alongside Cropped Cardi in Chunky Baby Alpaca. ( I had to take a picture of all the red yarn in her basket. It was just too beautiful!

Michelle swatched! Really! She did it! And it was perfect! Not to bad for the first swatch for your very first sweater. (On Thursday, she is going to learn to cable!)

Barbara's cables are looking beautiful.

Look what Pam (purple yarn) and Adrienne (red yarn) accomplished in just a couple hours:

Dianne was on to her cables and doing great. She has already decided to have a zipper put in her CPH.

Lesley was zipping through the rib as well. You'd think that 4 " of rib would take forever, but this pattern really works up quickly.

I think Terri is furthest along. We're trying to convince her that SHE needs to keep this sweater. That blue will look amazing on her!

That's all the updates for now. I'm off to find dinner for the boys so I can get them to bed early and collapse myself. Watch out world - tomorrow, I'm BACK!

Central Park Hoodie KAL Update

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 19:37:14 -0400

The official kick-off for our fall 2008 KAL isn't until tomorrow at 4pm, but that hasn't stopped many of our knitters from getting a head start. I think the colder temps have people itching to knit those cables!

Knit at Night saw a number of CPHs in progress around the room.

Terri selected a brilliant blue in Amity:

Mindy is working on a gorgeous Cascade Heather:

Diane was well into the rib using a maroon Cascade Tweed:

Cheryl's CPH is in a yummy brown Donegal Tweed from Debbie Bliss:

Barbara cast on as KAN progressed:

Peggy almost had the back finished when she came to that awful realization that hits every knitter at one point or another - the size wasn't right. She's going to frog it. We're here for ya Peggy!

Lesley decided to go with a deep green in the Donegal Tweed, but was knitting on Lily's cardigan:

The yarn is Spunky Eclectic - don't you love the color combo?

There were many other fabulous knits around the room. Kim finished her very first large project - and it was LACE!

I am always awed by those knitters who tackle lace in the beginning of their knitting careers. Wow!

She and Jerri had just finished this stole for a friend - so I believe that makes 2 lace projects for her.

Scott had some beautiful crochet to share. Check out this baby sweater. The combination of color and texture is beautiful.

Donna was in the midst of creating a stunning fingerless mitten/scarf set:

AND Sara finished her Seascape Shawl from our summer KAL. It is light and fluffy like a cloud.

I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings. We'll be gathering at the shop from 4-5pm for the CPH kickoff, and then heading out to dinner.

The Roll Call has been updated below: Let me know if I missed anyone!

Adrienne - Cascade 200 Tweed - maroon

Barbara - ??

Bridget - yarn undecided

Chesley - Debbie Bliss Donegal Tweed Aran - dark purple

Cheryl B. - Debbie Bliss Donegal Tweed Aran - dark brown

Christy - Cascade 220 Heather

Diana - ???

Diane - Cascade 200 Tweed - maroon

Jayne - yarn undecided

Jennifer - yarn undecided

Katie - undecided

Lesley - Debbie Bliss Donegal Tweed Aran - green

Lizzie - yarn undecided

Mary Ellen - knitting alongside us with the Suzie hoodie - Cascade 220

Meg - Dream in Color Classy

Michelle - Debbie Bliss Donegal Tweed Aran

Mindy - Cascade 220 Heather

Nancy - knitting alongside us with the Suzie hoodie - Cascade 220

Pam - undecided

Peggy - Cascade 220 Heather

Sandy - Cascade 220 Heather in wine red

Terri - Ella Rae Amity

New stuff

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:54:20 -0400

All kinds of fun stuff has come through the door in the past few days.

The much anticipated second Mason Dixon Knitting:

For the sock knitters, we have The Eclectic Sole:

Fun and chunky knits in Twinkle's Town and Country:

Shawls Too from Vogue Knitting may be pocket sized to fit into your bag, but is full of great shawl/scarf patterns:

And my personal favorite of the new arrivals - the latest Noro design collection:

Check out some of the patterns - this is only a sample, but will give you an idea of why I love this book:

Gorgeous, hun?

Cascade sent me a big box with more 220 Tweed:

(Not pictured here is a beautiful dark purple tweed that Pam selected for her Central Park Hoodie.)

Eco Wool:

And new colors in Fixation:

As I was turning things over to Becka today, new Noro Silk Garden and Kochoran arrived.

Yet another reason why I adore fall - all the fabulous yarns and books!!

How was your weekend?

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 19:08:59 -0400

How did you spend these rainy days? I've been knitting and cooking - a great fall combo. My craving for fall food drove me to bake a pumpkin pie and roast a turkey breast. Had cranberry sauce and everything. Yum.

Add to that the tweedy yarn I've been knitting with all day and it was perfect.

But, before I tell you about my latest projects, let's catch up with the Knit at Night crowd.

Sandy arrived looking fabulous as ever in her recently blocked Seascape Shawl.

She was a tad bit earlier than the rest of the group for a very good reason... starting last week, Sandy is working with us at The Knitting Experience! I am so thrilled to have Sandy as part of our team. As you can see, she is an amazing knitter and it just wouldn't be KAN without her. Welcome Sandy!

KAN was tons of fun. We got to welcome a number of newbies. Hi Penny and Dori!

Donna was also new to the group, but my pic of her was totally out of focus. Sorry Donna!

Did you notice Cheryl's shrug in that last picture? She made it in two, yes TWO nights! Gotta love chunky yarn.

It's the Anthropologie-Inspired Capelet and you can find the pattern here.

Anna was stunning in her Riding to Avalon hoodie out of Blue Sky Alpacas Alpaca and Silk. It is gorgeous - and the drape is incredible.

The pattern is from the Fall 2008 Knitscene.

I finished up a few things and had a blocking party on Friday.

My Dream in Color Tulip baby cardigan came off the needles Friday morning.

Adorable, hun? And have I mentioned how much I love this yarn? It is Dream in Color's Classy - a superwash worsted weight. It is so squishy it is almost silly. At least, I get a silly stupid grin on my face while knitting with it.

We've made up kits for the Tulip Cardigan so that you don't need to buy 8 full skeins. Each kit contains enough yarn in every color to make the 6-9, or 9-12 mos sweater. I'll have some in the 2-4 yr size soon. Because these are selling quickly, we are taking reservations, so let me know if you'd like one. Currently, we have one kit left in-stock - here.

Speaking of kits, we've added a few features to the online store, including kits! You'll also see gift ideas, latest additions, and a ball winding service. I am particularly fond of the the little elf working on the ball winding.

I blocked my entrelac scarf out of Noro Silk Garden.

A little sweater for Maddie. This is my Fuzzy Bolero Sweater pattern from Soft and Simple Knits for Little Ones, knit in Debbie Bliss cashmerino aran.

And I finished the handspun sweater for Madelyn!!!!!!!!!!!!

More pictures soon to show you detail. This is my first finished garment out of my own handspun. It's pure alpaca and was hand painted by Amy of Spunky Eclectic. I just love how the sweater came out. I designed it as I knit, so there were moments when it gave me great concern and I had to just put it away for awhile. But, little Maddie is growing fast and I wanted to get it to her before it no longer fits. I'm in search for the perfect buttons this week.

Of course, when I finish things, I get to start more. With the CPH KAL starting next Saturday, it would have been irresponsible not to cast on for my Central Park Hoodie and try out the cables, right?

This took me one afternoon and evening. It was awesome. I was having far too much fun knitting it and realized I would be done before we had time for some decent KAL parties, so I reluctantly put it away.

But, I had caught the cable and tweed bug. It drove me crazy on Saturday. Anyone who was at the shop knows I was desperate to knit something in cables and tweed. But what?

For about a year now I've been searching for the perfect men's vest pattern to make for Peter. (After the 2 year sweater, I figure I have hope of finishing it without sleeves to knit.)

On Saturday, I looked through all the books again. Through the Ravelry archives. No luck. Nothing was quite right. The problem was that I had a idea of what I wanted in my head and couldn't find it worked out by someone else. That left it to me to either pick a different project or design the damn thing.

Then I saw this cable pattern:

Just what I wanted! And, it looks great in the yarn that was driving me crazy sitting on the shelf, teasing me. We got in some Cascade 220 Tweeds and one of the colors is this olive tweed that would look perfect on Peter.

So, in my effort to not knit my CPH too quickly, Peter is going to get a tweedy cable vest.

I'm making a pullover. Seems he would prefer a cardigan and wanted to know if I could steek it. Hmmm... .

Ah. No.

Close Out Sale on Louisa Harding Yarns!

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 06:44:13 -0400

We've been busy bringing in new yarns and yarn lines. Have you seen the new Dream in Color Classy? It's flying out the door! Or, how about Spunky Eclectic Biggie Yarn - a chunky pure wool, that has been hand dyed by Amy King here in Maine.

All that new yarn means we have to make some room. As a result, we have decided to close out all Louisa Harding yarns:

Announcing a Close Out Sale!

All in-stock Louisa Harding yarns will be 60% OFF starting this Saturday, September 27 through Tuesday September 30. The sale will be available through the online store at as well as in the shop - while supplies last.

Close out yarns include:

Kashmir Aran

Kashmir DK

Kimono Ribbon

Kimono Angora

Sari Ribbon

Shingle Ribbon

Glisten

Fauve

Impression

Happy shopping!

KAL Roll Call

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 07:19:23 -0400

I swatched!

Yesterday, while Alec practiced his jumps and flips in gymnastics class, I whipped up a swatch for my Central Park Hoodie. I'm going to love knitting this sweater. Cables and tweed = FALL. Gauge was achieved on a US 7 needle. Technically, we don't start until October 4, but I'm going to cast on and get into the cables so that I can help anyone with questions.

Mindy posted a great thought on our Ravelry.com forum - whether to knit the CPH in pieces as designed, or adjust it for knitting in the round. Normally, I opt for knitting sweaters in one piece. For example, I changed the Phyllo Yoke to be knit in one piece. BUT, in this case, I think I'm going with the piece work, for a couple reasons. First, this is a KAL and I want to be able to help people learn to seam the pieces together. Second, seams do tend to give a sweater more structure and support. While I don't think anyone would have problems with their sweaters if knitting them in the round, I think I want the seamed/structure look. Third, I haven't done a seamed sweater in awhile and I'm feeling like knitting the pieces. If anyone wants to knit this in the round, there is some great advice on the ravelry boards, and I can show you how to adjust your stitch counts - and of course, I'm sure your fellow KALers would be happy to help.

And who might our knitters be? (Remember, you can join us at anytime.) As of this morning the roll call looks like this: (If I've missed you, let me know. If you want to join - yay!)

Adrienne - Cascade 200 Tweed

Bridget - yarn undecided

Chesley - Debbie Bliss Donegal Tweed Aran

Cheryl B. - Debbie Bliss Donegal Tweed Aran

Christy - Cascade 220 Heather

Diane - yarn undecided

Jayne - yarn undecided

Jennifer - yarn undecided

Katie - undecided

Lesley - Cascade 220 Heather

Lizzie - yarn undecided

Mary Ellen - knitting alongside us with the Suzie hoodie - Cascade 220

Meg - Dream in Color Classy

Michelle - Debbie Bliss Donegal Tweed Aran

Mindy - Cascade 220 Heather

Pam - Cascade 220 Tweed

Peggy - Cascade 220 Heather

Terri - Ella Rae Amity

Central Park Hoodie Knit Along!

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 08:29:14 -0400

The leaves are turning, a frost is expected tonight, and I actually get to wear my Twilley's wool vest today. Must be fall. That means time for our Fall 2008 Knit Along - the Central Park Hoodie!

Becka made this wildly popular sweater last year and I've been dying for one of my own ever since. It's the perfect lightweight jacket, or cozy saturday sweater. It's the type of sweater you want to wear all the time. Plus, it's a fun knit! Just enough cables to keep things interesting, but not so many that your hands hurt.

The pattern for the Central Park Hoodie (CPH) first appeared in the Fall 2006 issue of Knitscene. The CPH was such a fantastic hit, in many ways because it looks great on all body types, the editors of Interweave expanded the size ranges and now offer it through their Knitting Daily online store as a pdf download.

Details on our KAL:

First step - get the pattern. If you don't have the Fall 2006 Knitscene, download the pattern from Knitting Daily.

Second - let me know you're in for the fun! We'll be having a kick-off party in October, and get-togethers as we knit along. I'm thinking a cable clinic, and seaming workshop/ parties will be in order.

Third - what yarn?? I'm using Debbie Bliss's Donegal Tweed Aran in this color. Since the pattern calls for a worsted weight yarn, the choices are practically limitless! We have some great Cascade Tweeds coming next week, but the pattern would look amazing in a semi-solid - think Dream in Color, Malabrigo, etc... . Oooooo... or the Cascade Heathers. Ahhh....

Or see what may be lurking in your stash, just begging to become a gorgeous CPH!

Fourth - Get started! The kick-off gathering will be after regular shop hours on Saturday, October 4th from 4-5pm. Perhaps we should take the KAL out for dinner after we've all cast-on?

You can, of course, start anytime, and join anytime. Have fun with it!

Darn Pretty Stuff

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 14:34:48 -0400

So many lovely things have been coming to the shop lately. Among my favorites are the Darn Pretty Needles from Grafton Fibers of Vermont. Each beautiful needle is crafted from Vermont wood products that are dyed and laminated, creating a stronger needle.

They feel amazing in your hands and have an impressive taper even on the smaller sizes.

On the same day, we received the much anticipated Classic Elite Knits.

Some clever individual got the idea to take 100 of the best Classic Elite designs and put them together in one place. In this collection, you have patterns for women, men, and kids - this is a must have for your knitting library.

Speaking of Classic Elite, Cheryl came by to knit today and she was wearing a gorgeous sweater done from a Classic Elite pattern.

On Saturday, Diane had her completed Sprout ready to share.

Doesn't it look incredible? You know how much I love this pattern. I was wearing my own Sprout today. Diane's is the first I've seen with a zipper - a fantastic idea!

Robin came in with her Debbie Bliss Alpaca and Silk jacket. You could just live in it, it is so soft and cozy.

And we had two relatively new knitters finish their first projects while knitting with us today!

Wesley learned to bind-off and then agreed to model his Malabrigo scarf:

Mary took no time in mastering double pointed needles to finish her Malabrigo hat. Little Lily was the perfect model.

And our very own Amanda has just learned to lace! Check out her gorgeous cowl:

I REALLY want to knit this one. Cowls are everywhere this fall, and I need a few before the temps start to dip.

Programming note: the Short Rows on Lizard Ridge class has been rescheduled to Saturday, Nov. 1 from 9:30-10:30am to help accommodate busy September schedules.

Finished

Sat, 13 Sep 2008 07:44:06 -0400

Actually, it was done on Wed night, but I'm only now getting to blog about it. I wore it around the house all Wed night. . Sure, it's pure baby alpaca and a bit warm for early September, but hey - it's BABY ALPACA. Ahhhhh..... . So so soft.

Isabella gets to model it as a store sample for awhile - then it is all MINE.

New Stuff

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:47:07 -0400

It's that time of year - slightly cooler evenings, crisper air in the morning, thoughts of sweaters and other yummy knitted things. With Fall comes the arrival of all kinds of cool yarn related stuff. Here are the latest.

Jo Sharp's newest collection, Knit 6:

New colors from Araucania in their wildly popular Ranco Multi sock yarn:

We also got a clever new sock yarn designed just for kids. The colors were all picked with kids in mind, and each skein has just enough yardage for their little feet.

And we can't forget the Spunky Eclectic Color of the Month - Gin and Tonic in Skinny Sock. It will be 15% off for the month of September.

This doesn't count as new stuff, but I gotta share anyway. I finished the ruffle on my cardigan and almost one sleeve. Yay!

Booby Prizes!

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 17:22:16 -0400

Last Thursday night at Knit at Night, we held the grand drawing for the booby prizes. Everyone who made a knitted knocker was entered to win. Without further ado, here are our wonderful winners:

Bridget - a gift certificate to The Knitting Experience Café

Scott - a copy of the Yarn Harlot's 2009 page-a-day calendar

Diana - sock yarn from Lorna's Laces in breast cancer pink

Cheryl - a knit tote generously donated by One City Market

Sara (sweatpeasknits) - a gorgeous knit tote made by Bridget AND a gift certificate donated by MidCoast Hospital.

Karen - a skein of Spunky Eclectic yarn donated by the fabulous Amy Boogie.

Jayne - a skein of Spunky Eclectic handspun (oooooo.......) spun and donated by the even more fabulous Amy Boogie.

Thanks all! And thank you everyone who has knit and continues to knit knockers! We are still getting requests and have people stopping by the shop for them. They are making an incredible difference. Thank you!!

Indulgence

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 08:48:12 -0400

You know how every once in awhile there is a yarn and a pattern that you just HAVE to knit, regardless of how many other projects are on the needles? That's what happened to me on Friday. I've been eyeing (petting, loving, drooling over...) the Cascade Baby Alpaca Chunky since it arrived in the shop. I managed to resist temptation only for lack of a pattern that spoke to me.

Then we got:

which you already know how much I love.

Check out the Lion Neck Cardigan. It is stylish and cozy all at the same time - AND - the gauge is perfect for the Baby Alpaca Chunky.

I cast on Saturday afternoon. By Sunday morning I had this:

The body was almost done. That's when I discovered that I am a complete idiot and read the pattern wrong. As a result, the fronts were twice as wide as the should be. Ugh! And the problem began on row 4. There really isn't much you can do in a situation like this but

Yup. Ripppped it all out.

But I was determined. Luckily the yarn is so heavenly that I really didn't mind knitting the body twice.

By last night, I had this:

Past where it all went so wrong before. Then, in a burst of energy, I cast on for the ruffled collar.

Perhaps the boys will give me time to make sleeves this afternoon. It is going to be so hard not to knit a bit before then. Must not look at the knitting. Must go to work.

Stand Up 2 Cancer

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 21:34:22 -0400

My plan for the evening was to post some pics of the great new sock yarn in shop. Then I watched the TV special, Stand Up 2 Cancer. Now, I'm a puddly mess. The dog was watching with me and I think I worried her with all the tears.

It was just so freakin powerful seeing all those people asking that we work together to end this horrible disease. Then they showed the story of a 5 year old boy who died of cancer. My little 5 year old slept in the next room. I cried like a baby.

For the past 6 years, I've been blessed to call myself a survivor. Tonight someone said that age was a gift. That is how I feel. Every year on the calendar is not something to bemoan as bringing wrinkles, but celebrated as Yes! I am here!

I think of all the women we have heard from who have been touched by breast cancer and are intrigued by the knitted knockers. Or their husbands who have emailed on their behalf. Their stories break my heart and lift my soul at the same time. Something so simple as a knitted breast can bring a smile and make the journey that much easier.

We all can help. So many of you have helped when I asked you to knit or spread the word. Thank you. I truly believe we CAN end cancer. Imagine the party we will have when that day arrives.

Dream in Color Classy

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 20:15:50 -0400

Oh, my!

Looky what UPS brought today:

Kinda speaks for itself, doesn't it? Of course, with a picture, you can't squish it - and you can't bury your nose in it to inhale the wooley yumminess.

(Yes, I may have been seen doing that earlier today.)

Becka ran out of the shop with 4 skeins. I'm debating between 2 colors to do a sweater from this book that also arrived today:

It's been awhile since a truly spectacular collection of knits just for women has caught my eye. Leave it to Wendy Bernard of Knit and Tonic to produce the must-have-in-my-knitting-library book of the season.

Speaking of seasons, the holiday gift items are appearing. The Yarn Harlot has an entertaining 2009 page-a-day calendar. Perfect for any knitter.

For the knitters and/or spinners, check out this one:

I've heard good things and I'm very eager to spend some time with my copy. A quick look through tonight revealed many lovely patterns - including an impressive selection of aran knits.

And for all those younger knitters-to-be, I just couldn't resist this:

Happy Labor Day

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 17:24:18 -0400

How did you spend this beautiful day in Maine? I got a tiny bit of spinning done - pictures later - but most of our time has been spent preparing for the start of school.

Although it seems impossible, Alec begins kindergarten this week. He and big brother Connor got new backpacks, clothes, and school supplies for the occasion.

(Can I just tell you how easy it is to do back-to-school shopping for boys? I asked Connor what he wanted and whether he wanted to go pick out a few new things. "No, you do it. I'll wear whatever you get." I don't personally understand this mindset, but I am thrilled while it lasts.

Alec humored me with his back-to-school haircut.

Too adorable.

The Knit at Night crowd took complete control of the end of summer/ TKE birthday week and surprised me with a lovely party.

Emily brought me the most gorgeous flowers. They have been making me smile all weekend. Thank you a million times over - they are beautiful and were such a wonderful, happy surprise!

Michelle supported my sweet tooth with the most awesome cookies.

They were insanely good - thank you!

And, as always, Karen made sure we all had a good time:

Thank you everyone! I don't know what I would do without such amazing friends. I can't wait to spend year #4 with you!

Newsletter highlights and SALE!

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 07:43:16 -0400

The new fall classes schedule is now available. Try something new -

Learn Entrelac, Short Rows on Lizard Ridge, Learn to Spindle with Amy King, Design with Amy King, Magic Loop, Socks on 2 Circulars!

After the incredible response from knitters and breast cancer survivors to our Knitted Knockers Program, we have made the knitted knockers a permanent feature at the shop and on the website. Check out the Knitted Knockers page for information, pattern links, and helpful tips.

Of course, the arrival of fall means lots of incredible yarn. New colors of Noro Kureyon and Silk Garden, as well as Noro's Silk Garden Sock yarn are here. Cascade's Baby Alpaca Chunky just came through the door, and Dream in Color's Classy yarn is expected next week. And that is only a small sample of the yummy fibers filling the shelves.

New patterns and books are ready to inspire. The premier issue of the new Debbie Bliss Magazine arrived today, along with her Luxury pattern book, Interweave Felt for fall, and Ella Rae's new Junior Collection.

You know I'm not about to end our anniversary newsletter without a little present for you. Without all our wonderful customers, these three years wouldn't have been possible. The best way we can say thank you is to have a sale. This Saturday, all in-stock yarns will be 10% OFF. The sale will be available online as well as in the shop - but only on Saturday. So start your fall knitting off right and join us on Saturday!

Happy Birthday TKE!

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 20:07:43 -0400

Three years ago today, The Knitting Experience Café opened it's doors. What an amazing time it has been. Wow!

This anniversary has got me thinking, how in the world do we top a year that brought Heidi's book, our Battle of the Soxes, Sprout, Knitted Knockers, CNN Headline News, and oh, so much more!

Something tells me we will top it - each year has been more amazing than the last. For that, I have all the wonderful people who are part of our TKE community. Thank you!!

Before I get all weepy, let's talk yarn!

Like any good birthday, this one was celebrated with the arrival of lots of packages.

Noro Taiyo is back! After selling out in record time, we've been anxiously awaiting the next shipment from Japan.

Cascade's Baby Alpaca Chunky spilled out of another box and made me so happy. I've been petting the red ever since.

The other colors are just as brilliant:

Each skein is 108 yds of pure baby alpaca from Peru. With a gauge of 3.5 sts per inch on a US 10 needle, it is perfect for all those chunky fall patterns!

Ella Rae has some amazing colors for fall in her classic Amity line:

Trekking sock yarn now comes in handpaints!

Many of you heard the rumors - Debbie Bliss does, in fact, have a new magazine and it arrived today!

Her fall collection is also here:

And Interweave FELT:

As if that wasn't enough, Ella Rae's Junior Collection also arrived:

As a mom of a 9 year old, I've got to tell you how refreshing it is to see a book dedicated to the 5 - 12 year olds. They are often forgotten between the baby knits and adult designs. I love Ella Rae's sense of style:

(shhhhh.... I don't want to start a yarn riot or anything, but I am told that Dream in Color Classy will be here next week.)