Y2Knit

On the road knitting

2011-06-23T15:25:00.000-07:00

I drove to TNNA in Columbus because Jill had taken the red eye, though I wasn't much better off with just a few hours sleep. Since Jill had some finishing work to do, she needed to be in the passenger seat. The car we rented, a Toyota Corolla, had an upper glove box door that Jill's Zen Class case fit over perfectly. She set up a little workshop right there, with all her supplies. She sewed on snaps, worked in ends and did some other finishing work.

Always a little something for a knitter to do. The right tools (and bags) make the job easy!

Botanicals

2011-06-07T09:47:00.001-07:00

Botanicals by jilly2knit

I was playing on polyvore.com today trying to get a sense of what one could do here and I noticed that I could post this. These are products that you can buy, but I just wanted to do a pretty collage. I'm a bit beyond frantic in trying to get ready for TNNA, but this was a fun moment. I want to figure out how to put my sweaters in here!

eBooks Survey

2011-05-18T03:42:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who responded to this survey (315). View the results.

The results are interesting and definitely show a trend toward pdf downloads and ebooks. In the comments, which are not visible in the link above, many knitters indicate they own LOTS OF BOOKS (no doubt to go with LOTS OF YARN) and many own digital readers. This bears out one of my observations of spending time with knitters: many knitters are also readers.

I'm getting ready to travel tomorrow. I'll take two books and lots of knitting. Lots of paper for other work I need to do. I won't carry an electronic device as I don't yet have a portable one. If only everything I need could all be in one device, but that doesn't seem to exist yet, though we're getting closer.

2011-05-17T04:16:00.000-07:00

Here's a pick of Coral Seas. Buy the Creative Knitting issue and you get this pattern and many more. We're selling the yarn with free shipping for a limited time.

Coral Seas

2011-05-11T08:31:00.000-07:00

Coral Seas here's a link to this new design from me in Creative Knitting. It is done in Kiwi from Zealana which is a yarn I just love--cotton, merino and possum.

This is a pretty simple piece to knit--bottom trim, body (no shaping) to armholes, armhole shaping, shoulder and front neckline shaping. Shoulder pieces are done separately and I think really make the piece. The neck trim is put on after doing everything else. You can't tell fro the picture, but the front neckline cowls (in fact, I think the photo is the back of the piece). There are little coral knots scattered over the body to create some interest in the fabric.

Think how great this piece would look under a jacket, or worn with slacks or jeans. I can attest to the fact that this piece can be knit fairly quickly--it was done on a very quick turnaround!

To Mothers . . .

2011-05-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday at our Y2Knit photo shoot at my home I had the pleasure of working with wonderful people and I wanted to use this Mother's Day post as an opportunity to thank the mothers of each of those lovely women and men who made it possible. Why thank the mothers? Because all of the participants had lovely manners which were exercised by people who clearly used them frequently. What could have been a long and trying day was actually a fun and wonderful one because everyone was gracious and polite.

I am often frustrated by how difficult it is to navigate our daily world where everyone is so focused on themselves that they seem to have forgotten how far good manners can go to making things easier. So the pleasure of experiencing a day with people who are going out of their way to be pleasant and exercise those good manners was truly a pleasure.

This photo is of our mother Jane Lewis helping Irma Bindi in Montisi. Jane is handicapped by neuropathy and arthritis and Irma perhaps the beginnings of senility. But Irma knew what she wanted (I think it was a snap sewn on her purse) and Jane complied. The snazzy pink walker is Jane's. Irma is held in the embrace of a small village and under the watchful eye of caregivers and they each know how to knit. Just as a note, Irma was a bit irascible. The boys (young and old) like to provoke her to get her to unleash a string of curses, but they spend time with her and Jane's favorite moment was when Dario (about 12) cast off Irma's knitting for her.

Pattern Display

2011-05-04T08:52:00.000-07:00

The new pattern format is awesome, and I've enjoyed reading about the process from Jill's point of view as I am not as involved as she is in this undertaking. I print the patterns and create the pdfs for the website.

Jill and I do an occasional retail show and TNNA, a trade show. We need to have a way to display the patterns that will reveal as much as possible to the person walking by. We've done the pattern racks and quite frankly, we're tired of shipping or lugging all those pieces with us. Our recent search found these lightweight mesh displays that arrived today. I set it up in 15 seconds. Had the patterns inserted in another 15. Light. Easy. Cool looking. Space saving.

See that black bag next to the display? It all collapses and fits in there! 4 lbs.

Look for this display in the Llamajama booth (E15) at the Maryland Sheep and Wool this weekend.

Copywriting

2011-05-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

My mother has always envied my ability to write at the keyboard. I learned to do this at my first job as a legal secretary in a busy office in a small-ish county prosecutor's office (criminal division). I could compose draft letters and legal documents for my bosses based on previous similar document and, over time, from scratch. I'm a good writer, but I think I am probably a better editor.

But for the last several years I've been trying to describe my patterns (in 75 words or less--and if you read this blog you are probably aware that I don't get to the point that quickly). Frankly, I am not good at it. I have other language to describe my actual facility, but I'm not going to use it here because at some future date I might be embarrassed by my bad language.

A couple of weeks ago we recruited a copywriter to write copy for us. It is amazing what a real wordsmith can do! At least I know that I was correct that I'm not good at doing it and that it can in fact be done in an interesting and compelling way if you know what you're doing. Sarah is a knitter too. She actually reads my patterns!

So we're all good at various things. When you are a small business person you often do things you aren't really meant to do because it is cheaper than paying someone who is qualified to do it. Long story short: not always the right choice!

Look forward to fabulous text on the reformatted patterns, on the web and wherever else we can put it.

We Aim to Please

2011-05-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

We don't always get it right. We try, but we don't. But we do try to be responsive whenever someone has a problem with one of our patterns. I got an email on Wednesday when I was out of the office about an error in a recently released pattern. I looked at the pattern on Thursday and sure enough, we'd missed something--both the tech editor and I had missed it. So I fixed the pattern and emailed new pages to the shop owner. I changed the version number on the pattern so we could let anyone who had purchased the pattern know about the problem and make sure no more of the original version go out. Because we self-publish and print on demand, we can pull any hard copies and update our pdf downloads very quickly.

The shop owner is making multiple samples to sell at a local event (she got our permission to use the pattern for this purpose) and didn't like the way a certain piece looked when not on the body. I arranged to call her Friday morning and we talked about her issue and I gave her a new way to do it over the phone and sent her written instructions (more new pages) for the change. Heard back later that the change was just what she wanted. Everyone is happy. I assume everyone else will like the new version, so that is now in the pattern.

My sample of the project was knitted in two colors because I was using up leftover yarn. I assumed that people would want to do it in solid colors, so didn't specify how I had used my two colors. You got it. I put that into the pattern too.

We're happy to try to make you happy, so if something isn't right, let us know. Please be nice; we didn't mean to be anything less than perfect.

Band is called Aim to Please.

Photographs for Reformatted Patterns

2011-04-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

The next step is new photos for the patterns we have been reformatting. Saturday we are having a photo shoot. I have recruited anyone I can find (my spouse has indicated he will be working at his office and is not available) to help out:

Ashley who took the cover photo for YNotKnit will use her photography degree once again by being the photographer.

Adam is going to help with detail photos and then help me with photo editing.

Maureen will be co-Stylist with me.

Kristen will be in charge of continuity and making sure we get all the photos we need.

I have two models coming.

I need to get out props, buy lunch, get cash to reimburse everyone for their out-of-pocket expenses, and pick up key people. I have high hopes and large trepidations. If all goes well we'll have about 40 projects photographed and be that much closer to actually issuing patterns in the new format. Otherwise I may be crying right along with our darling little toddler model for the Natural Baby Collection. ; (

The new pattern format is awesome and I still love the way it looks (after doing this I think that's amazing--and Kristen claims she has a newfound fondness for purple and orange--but this was a pretty big project and I look forward to the reissuing stage!

ReNaming Patterns

2011-04-29T14:34:00.000-07:00

We are reaching the end of part A of a pattern reformatting process here at Y2Knit. We started in February and are just finishing the actual process of moving the patterns into the new format. My assistant Kristen has done an incredible job, probably reformatting about 45 of the 51 patterns in this first round. I can tell by the way she clicks the mouse when she is reformatting. She enjoyed the process at the beginning. I think we are probably all a little tired of it right now. I've had other helpers who do checking and cataloging for me while I try to make everything pretty and hopefully consistent.

Some patterns have required new schematics or charts and again, Kristen has done much of the work. I am fortunate to have someone working for me who can do so many pieces of the process.

Another part of the process has been renaming many of the patterns. I don't often have a huge name connection to my designs (I didn't name dolls and toys either), so they often just get named after the stitch pattern or shape and our Marketing Consultant thought we should do better than that.

After a lot of fits and starts we decided to use travel/geographically related names. So I have had a lot of fun (and some frustration) finding names that met our MC's other criteria (not hard to pronounce or spell and NO Italian words). I've learned a lot of things in my quests. I do most of my research online because I can do it at my desk. I am sure I could do better if I had time to go to the library, but this is not something that you can do in bulk. I often have to do several separate searches to find what I think will work because I have to find what I originally thought of and then work off tangents from there. I have learned a lot of things I didn't have any reason to know and probably have no use for but I've enjoyed much of the search.

This process has made me much more conscious of naming my designs--at the beginning!

Organizing Knitting Needles

2011-04-24T08:20:00.000-07:00

I was visiting Sandy yesterday afternoon to take in the spectacular woodland garden of yellow Woodland Poppies, pink Bleeding Hearts and blue and purple Virginia Bluebells. The sun finally came out and cast lovely light on this colorful scene. I'm still not carrying a camera with me, so just imagine. Now add three black and white kittens to the picture and it's beyond perfect.

I got a great idea from Sandy when we sat down to knit. She has two kinds of needle storage units for circulars and I admired her wallet style one from Ashland Sky. I had yet to add one of these to my collection and mentioned that. She pointed out that she has put all her 16" needles in the wallet case. HOW BRILLIANT!

I have now done the same. I'm organizing my 24 and 32" circulars in my other case, with separate pockets for each length. I'm feeling pretty on top of the needle organization! I already have my interchangeable in a case and my long and short dpns each in their cases.

That's my spring organizing for today!

Peeps

2011-04-21T06:51:00.000-07:00

This has nothing to do with knitting, though maybe that's not entirely true. I've talked to a number of knitters in the last week or so that have a (sometimes secret) love of Peeps. Their true confession usually expands to telling me that they like them when they are stale and chewy. So, the ritual seems to be to acquire the Peeps, then open the package and let them sit for a couple of days to reach the right consistency.

My fascination with Peeps includes liking to eat them: stale, bunnies, and eat the ears first. I also look forward every year to the Washington Post's Peeps diorama contest. Such creativity! I'm not detail oriented enough to tackle a project like this, but I do come up with some concepts. Yesterday I was walking and listening to NPR's Fresh Air interview with Donovan Hohn about his book Moby-Duck. His writing started with wanting to explore what happens to shipping containers and their contents that fall into the sea while in transit. His focus was on a container of rubber duck bath toys. Can't you just see that diorama?! The yellow chicks could be the ducks. Blue tissue for the sea and mock up a ship and shipping container (this is where I stop as I can't imagine taking the time to do that). Alternatively, undersea creatures and ducks/chicks bobbing above them. Anyway, I found other things to do with my time.

I have placed a few Peep bunnies on toothpicks stuck in a piece of the Passover horseradish. They will remain in the open air until Social Knitting tomorrow where I plan to poll participants as to their preference. Take my poll at the right and let me know yours! This is anonymous. No one will ever know. . .

Pure Bliss

2011-04-17T11:04:00.000-07:00

I had a half an hour yesterday before I had to leave for a haircut. That turned into 45 minutes when I got a call that my haircutter was running late. I was staring at the copies of the Natural Baby Collection patterns and a list of topics on subjects I could expand upon when I found myself launching Illustrator. For some reason, doing illustrations just makes me happy. It is probably the only drawing I do these days, and it is just pure joy to try to figure out how to communicate something. I get to think about the shapes that I see, not what those shapes are, then try to find a method in two dimensions to make that real to someone else without getting too caught up in the total reality of the drawing.

I came back from my haircut and got to work for another 45 minutes, and now I've worked about 45 minutes today. I've got the bits for a series of drawings to illustrate the flat 3-needle BO. I can probably easily create the illustrations for the 3-needle BO from the same drawings, then these components can be used to create illustrations for other techniques.

I've got so much other work to do that I can't dwell on this any longer today, but it was indeed Pure Bliss.

Y2Knit Salad

2011-04-16T07:53:00.000-07:00

Jill and I often refer to the "Y2Knit Spiderweb" to describe the complexities of our business. Last night I made a salad for the potluck at the shop and was struck by how the colors were close to the Y2Knit colors.

The potluck was a pleasant interlude in a busy week. Yummy dishes (y'all can cook!) and sugar in it's best possible forms. We had fun sharing our knitting projects and deciding what to do with that lovely silk ribbon yarn that I had arranged artfully in a vase.

Some days Y2Knit does feel like tossed salad. All the parts are there, mixed up, and we hardly know what to address at any given time. Phone rings, shop customer comes in, deadlines loom, patterns need to be written, event details ironed out, phone meetings, bills to pay, more phone meetings, dentist appointments, patterns to print and mail, household needs, and so on. We all know what it's like. Seems to be the way of life for most of us.

Please note that our spider web has NO SPIDER. It does represent all the things Y2Knit has going on: patterns, events, shop, teaching, writing, collaborating, etc. We're beginning to find ways to connect things more meaningfully. The interconnectedness is fascinating. Sorting it out is. . . well, a job that needs to be done!

Hope

2011-04-14T12:28:00.000-07:00

I rarely carry a camera or take pictures because I have a good memory and can store images and color well in my brain. I don't have an urge to share what I see because I think you had to be there to really appreciate it.

I finish knitting projects and forget to take pictures before I send them away. I think I should take pictures of projects in process and then I forget.

Recently, I almost understood why people carry cameras with them.

On Sunday, I took a bike ride and saw 17 wild turkeys in a field, no doubt finding some tidbits from last falls harvest. A couple of the males had their feathers spread--quite a site! Then I passed fields full of wild grape hyacinth, creating waves of blue among the green. It took my breath away. Click, stored that image for my later enjoyment (but alas, not for yours).

Today, the sky is blue after several gray rainy days. The peach tree in my back yard that grew out of my compost and gives wonderful peaches in July is in bloom. I can't capture the smell here, but the pink is perfect. There's a saying, "Hope springs eternal in the human breast." Spring brings eternal hope.

Put a hat on it!

2011-04-11T16:32:00.001-07:00

Sometimes it seems like everyone has either a baby or a dog these days. I suppose each has their pros and cons, which I'm not going to go into. Too much poop involved with both for me!

But who doesn't love a baby hat? Fun to knit, quick and usually done in colors no adult would tolerate.

Susan got to do the hat trio for the Natural Baby Collection but I'm cooking up some fun new stuff for another baby collection. This one will be gender specific even though no one in my family seems to produce anything but boys, I want to do girly, fun stuff.

Cupcakes all around!

Busy Woman

2011-04-08T13:07:00.000-07:00

This is as close to my office as I could find. I've actually excavated my desk down to just a single sorted pile of stuff. This isn't too far off because I have two desks in my office, one with a desktop which Kristen works at on days she's here, and I work at when she's not and I want the pleasure of a 24" screen. The other desk is my desk, which is always piled with stuff. although I'm constantly telling myself I'll get it tidied up. I have a 17" laptop on that desk, so I related to this photo with the two monitors. When here by myself, I sometimes have both computers going.

I decided to write this post as I posted a document on the back of a file container where I can see if from my desk so it isn't always lost on my desk. Keeping in mind that I should use photos of people I went to google images to find something. If you put "woman at desk" in you get about 13,500,000 results. If you put "busy woman at desk" the number plummets to 6,310,000, almost all of whom have clear desks. The cluttered or worse desks have frantic (posed) looking women. I don't think I look panicked (most of the time) but my desk is definitely being used. Today I have about 12 patterns on my desk, some waiting for edits, some waiting for pattern writing. I also have several files of things which I need to talk to someone about or do something on. My inbox has a couple more patterns with edits. There are also lists of things to do.

I have additional piles of knitting, papers, files and miscellany on a worktable, and a few things on my credenza that feel slightly less critical. Notice the woman in the picture doesn't have knitting needles in her hands. Neither do I. That's what I do when I'm finished working at the end of the day, just like you!

Experience Tuscany in Creative Knitting

2011-04-07T15:16:00.000-07:00

Months ago Jill and I wrote an article for Creative Knitting, Experience Tuscany. It was right after we returned from our 2010 inspirational trip to Tuscany, where Mary Jane became the adored of all the children because she had a knitting class every morning. The story is told in the article, and it warms my heart to this day thinking about it. The child pictured here, Anna, was captured on everyone's camera. She eagerly learned to knit and became a big fan of Mary Jane. Read the article for yourself and tell us what you think!

We've set dates for 2012: September 29-Oct 6 and Oct 6 -13.

April Fools

2011-04-02T12:51:00.000-07:00

What a weird day yesterday was. My husband sent me flowers. I am pretty certain this has occurred only once before. He knows I'm overworked and over tired so it was really sweet.

As I ran down the stairs to answer the front door (I work on the european 2nd floor of our house) and came around the corner to where I can see the front door I was struck by the wild colors the person at the door was wearing. I was expecting a delivery person although I couldn't remember that I was expecting anything. So I was, quite literally, momentarily speechless when I opened the door to a young man holding a vase of tropical flowers. I knew it came from Mitch and I knew exactly what he'd said to the florist (after 27 years, of course I do!). The card said "just because".

I was also almost hit by a car while running yesterday. It was perhaps the closest to a full hit I've ever had. This isn't completely uncommon, although I think it happens more when I'm walking than when I'm running. I want to say that the driver was horrified that she hadn't been paying enough attention, and instead of cursing me out (usual response) she apologized and rolled down her window so I could yell at her (which I didn't, because since she apologized, I didn't need to). She said she understood that I was angry and I had every right to be. My response, and hopefully someone else will also hear this: Please. Start paying attention.

My top speed is probably a 10 minute mile which is 6 miles an hour. It takes me about 5 seconds to run across a 2 lane street (probably really 3 seconds). You are in a car. You are going to get where you are going fairly quickly--maybe not as quickly as you'd like, but quick enough. If you hit a pedestrian, you are going to be slowed down. A lot. Think about it. And pay a little attention to the world they are speeding through and just, really stop at a stop sign. I was in a marked crosswalk, next to a park so any driver should be looking for pedestrians. I follow the rules because I am afraid of cars not seeing me. But I can't make you look. You need to do that.

Jill

This is a Test!

2011-03-31T16:58:00.000-07:00

This may be pretty small, but if you click here you can get a pdf download of the Fake Pattern I created so you can get a sense of what the new pattern format looks like. Patterns for the Natural Baby Collection and the Rib Boot Toppers are in the new format.

Page 1: The green button will let you know the pattern level. We're going to put a key on the website that you can reference what each level covers, but think of this as the key to how much attention you have to pay to the details of the knitting, not whether it is "easy" or "difficult" because I don't know what it will be like for you.

Originally when we discussed having a pattern level we decided to think of it more in terms of how much attention you have to pay--and how often that attention is required. Actually, we wanted to put the number of alcoholic beverages that could be consumed while working the pattern, but we weren't sure that would work for everyone and there was the problem of is it wine, beer or hard liquor, so we didn't use that system. Sometimes it is just the finishing might be a little tricky but the actual knitting isn't at all, or you have to pay attention to the knitting until you get the hang of it, then it is mostly smooth sailing until armhole and neck shaping. Other times, yeah, you really have to pay attention. My experience is that most knitters can do whatever they want to do and the only real difficulty is whether the method of presenting the instructions make sense to them. A whole 'nother post!

I remember snapping at my mother as I struggled through sewing my first real garment, "I'm not sure why they are called Simplicity patterns when they aren't simple at all!" But I was about 11 and it was a shirt-style dress, with collar, cuffs, front band and buttonholes and it was red with white collar and cuffs and red topstitching, which I was making for my first day of probably the 6th grade. I had chosen the pattern, and we struggled on and I ended up wearing it quite proudly, but the making of it certainly vexed my patience. That has happened once or twice since then too. Ha ha!

Then we like to give you a heads up on style/type of knitting. ITR is in-the-round. Again, we'll have a key.

The front cover photo will be a "lifestyle" photo on a model, not a static photo (which will be inside). The patterns are also getting new names (mostly). You'll notice over time that they are mostly geographic to reflect our interest in travel! Again, another post.

Apps Survey

2011-03-30T04:35:00.000-07:00

Seems Y2Knit customers are a pretty connected group. We really appreciate all the responses, which helps us understand more about how knitters are using smart devices. We thank you all.

Now to get that app developed!

For years, I was an early adopter of technology, but in the last few years, I have fallen behind. I attribute this to sitting at my computer much of the day and having everything I need at my fingertips. I don't really spend lots of time outside my home and office and in situations where I need to be "connected". I'm not big on talking on the phone, especially after having it ring constantly all day long and needing to deal with whatever is on the other end, personal or business.

Then, when I do think I want to upgrade, I get boggled by the speed of change. I keep holding off for the next version, hoping that will be the one best suited to my needs. It's just not that easy, but I'm thinking that I want to add my vote to that first bar. The one without the phone.

A Better Mousetrap

2011-03-28T07:46:00.000-07:00

This weekend I had to purchase and set a mousetrap in my garage. The mouse and I had an encounter one morning last week when I was getting the newspapers. My cleaning person had told me there was a mouse in the garage, but I'd not acted. So I went to buy a mousetrap, having gotten advice from my primary knitter who has much more experience with things like that than I do.

What struck me is how terrible the instructions were. In fact, I didn't set the first trap correctly and it was only when my spouse became interested that we realized that the way I had done it was just providing easy food. So we got the trap set properly, but really, not because the instructions were any help. This dovetailed into my thinking about product development, a subject I teach. If one of the tenants of PD is that any product can be improved, why is that crazy old-fashioned mousetrap (maybe the bad instructions are the improvement?) still the most effective means of mouse demise? Then, I started thinking about knitting instructions. You can see where I'm going here.

Behind the Scenes

2011-03-25T09:24:00.001-07:00

This is a screenshot of what came up on our website today when I first went online. This is a nice representation of the work we've been doing with Mountain Meadow Wool, using (from upper left) Laramie Natural & Gray (worsted), Sundance (Chunky), Laramie Grays, and Cody (sport). You cannot know how much work has gone into creating these products! Knitters knit, Susan and I knit, friends are required to model, layouts are created, patterns written and tech edited. For anyone interested, I actually knit those boot toppers! They are made from bits and leftovers of other projects (that I didn't knit) that ended up in my possession. I'll pretty much knit anything from yarns in Mountain Meadow Wool. Their merino is so soft and yummy feeling that it makes any project wonderful.

So a pitch for each of these projects:

The Rib Blankie in Laramie is so handsome that I can think of nothing better to wrap a precious baby in. It is knit in 4 squares and joined with a variation of the 3-ndl BO so it is not only a portable project, it has little finishing. Personally, anything I can do with knitting needles is more likely to get done than something done with a tapestry needle.

Dome Mountain hat is a quick project because of the gauge, but it is smart looking and uses the shaping of the crown to create a dome-shaped top. It uses one skein and can be knit in hours.

The trio of baby/child hats are easy to knit. The options go from the square hat which has no shaping and uses I-cord to make a fun closure to a traditional rib cap or a traditional cap with a rolled brim. Don't miss the cute little rolled finish at the top. Something for everyone. We've used the lovely grays, but think of applying color here! Buy three skeins and see what you can create!

Finally the boot toppers. I don't know about other places, but I swear I am the only person in San Francisco not wearing some kind of boots most days. If you want to change how one pair of boots works in your wardrobe, boot toppers give you a great way to do that at a fraction of the cost, and they add a polished finish to even a casual look. Try them!

I don't wear boots because a very high arch makes it difficult to find a pair that I can comfortably get my foot into, let alone wear. Pooh.

Natural Baby Collection

2011-03-18T07:24:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I spent some time putting photos in the NEW Natural Baby Collection patterns and putting the patterns on the web. We'll have downloads available tomorrow. Meanwhile, enjoy, as I have, these wonderful pictures of Karen's grandkids modeling these cute garments.

Karen, from Mountain Meadow Wool, took the pics as the yarn is all made in their wonderful worsted weight Laramie, 100% Mountain Merino so soft a baby can wear it.

Don't you just love the attitude in the Soaker Skirt pic (pink top). She's got it!

Jill sorted through all the photos Karen took and did a fabulous job of selecting pics then putting them on the fleece background. They make me want to write captions!

Check out more pics.

Surveys

2011-03-17T08:10:00.000-07:00

Recently, we sent out invitations to participate in one question surveys to our email list.

The One-Skein Project survey asked:

Which type of one-skein project are you most likely to choose in a fingering weight yarn?

542 knitters responded, with the following results:

Gloves 20%

Scarf (flat) 51%

Cowl 29%

Beret 15%

(I just checked the math and these don't add up to 100% because people could select more than one.)

Next, the Choosing Yarn survey asked:

When choosing yarn, what most impacts your decision when price is similar and color is not an issue?

481 responded, with the following results:

Fiber Content   68.5%
Softness            27.5%
Twist or ply        3.2%
No response (wrote comments only) less than 1%

We set this survey up so knitters could add comments. We got lots of those and thank you! Knitters are a thoughtful bunch and many like to share, which is how we all learn.

The next survey, Luxury Fibers, went out a couple of days ago. So far 320 have responded to the question:

When considering a luxury yarn, what fiber do you most prefer with merino?

Alpaca        28%
Cashmere   27%
Silk             41%
Other             3% (this latter seems to mostly be combinations of the above)

We're having fun learning what knitters like. Look for more surveys from Y2Knit!

The little things

2011-03-10T03:12:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it's just the little things that make our day. Yesterday, the little thing for me was my Ear Light. I was sitting down to eat dinner about 6:30 and the power went out. I have one flashlight, a very heavy one, and some battery operated candles which give off just a low glow. I also have a bright, lightweight ear light!

I put it on my ear and was good to go. Enjoyed my dinner (lentil dahl, cauliflower curry and spicy green beans) and dug into my Jonathan Franzen book. I had planned to be at the computer and after a moment's wishing I had an iPad (charged), just enjoyed the reading time. I was so grateful to have an easy solution. I was just about to switch to knitting when the power came on ninety minutes later.

When my son visited recently, he put his ear light on to go out to the car to get something in the dark. Jill wore hers when she couldn't sleep at TNNA and didn't want to wake me. I used it the other night when I had alarm issues and couldn't get enough light on the panel to read it. Everyone should have one! Probably more useful than an iPad!

You Never Know

2011-02-26T13:36:00.000-08:00

It is cold in SF. It was 41 degrees when we got to the Farmer's Market Saturday morning and for us, that's cold. So the good thing is that I get to wear my bright green wool jacket and the fabulous Missoni-ish scarf my friend Nancy gave me whenever it gets cold, but really, we just aren't equipped for it.

I practically ran through the market to get my produce out in the back (avocados, lettuce--lots of things available, that was just all I needed) where it is really cold with the wind off the bay. I struggle into the Ferry Building to get Mitch who is in charge of bread and cheese (only needed bread this week) then to the front to get fruit. The folks at the orange stand come from the central valley and they looked sooooooooooo cold. They are always there and I truly appreciate all the vendors who come for hours (I complain about my 30 minutes!). Then off to get apples. Mitch and I had to do a little juggling to split the load, but then we're ready to head back to the car.

Standing waiting to cross the street, huddled into my jacket and giving Mitch one of my regular rants about why can't people stay to the right so it is easier to negotiate passage. I know that someone has come up to my left, but I'm on a roll and don't stop. So when the person leaned in to say something to me I was afraid she was going to tell me I was a lunatic (possible?). She said "I hope (that's when I got nervous) you are an artist or a designer. Those colors are so wonderful together!" I replied, "Thanks! I am!"

I forgot that I was miffed at Mitch for bailing out on the remainder of the errands when I remembered how great I looked. Thanks!

Photo Shoot Outtakes

2011-02-26T12:57:00.000-08:00

Since Susan and I don't have a lot of opportunity to be around babies (by choice on my part!) we have recruited Karen at Mountain Meadow Wool to supply good looking babies for photos of the Natural Baby Collection. Yesterday I was reviewing photos to choose what would go on the pattern fronts and every single one of them is precious in its own way--but I thought I would share a couple that didn't make the cut. As I said, each one is special and some of them didn't make the cut simply because there was a better one.

This guy doesn't take a bad photo. I think he will be a star someday. These didn't make the cut because the photo was incomplete, not because they

weren't adorable!

And not to leave out Susan's grandson, this photo was clearly taken on a day he wasn't feeling it!

It all started with wet diapers

2011-02-25T15:09:00.000-08:00

Jill and I never thought we'd design a collection of baby clothes. We've knit blankets, hats, and other things for babies, but just because we can. Surprisingly, our best selling pattern is the Sampler Afghan.

Then, a couple of years ago I was visiting my grandson Ian and his parents in Bellingham, WA. At that time, Ian was just 3 months old and he and his mom were going to a cloth diaper "party". I had to ask what this was and learned that she would be presented with various styles of diapers and have the opportunity to purchase what she wanted. She just wanted to meet other moms, but since she was using cloth diapers, she thought she could learn something.

I'd been exposed to wool soakers through shop customers, so I told Kelly to see if they recommended those and if so, I would make Ian some. I couldn't attend this event as we dropped them off on the way to the airport for my return trip.

A few days later, the request came through and I started knitting soakers. Kelly would provide feedback and I'd tweak my design. After a few pairs, Ian had his favorite and most useful pair, but in getting there, I had knit soakers of three lengths. Because we design knitwear at Y2Knit, I kept notes and wrote up the pattern for the Rib Soaker.

Jill saw them and her comment was that you almost wanted to have a baby to put in them they were so cute. (We also described them as a hat, with legs.) Her next step was to sketch some other baby fashion, now the Natural Baby Collection, which we're releasing in March.

New Logo

2011-02-18T10:38:00.000-08:00

We love the new logo! It's crisp and stylish. We like the emphasis on the 2 since there are two of us and the squiggly yarn ball reinfoces the knit (and it looks a bit like Jill's signature).

Jill and I spent three days in Las Vegas last weekend doing business planning. While there's a lot to do, we're both excited about the directions we are heading.

One of our most immediate projects is reformatting patterns into our NEW PATTERN LAYOUT. It's awesome and reinforces our new look. What's different:

full size pages
stylish new look with new colors
lifestyle photo on the front
layout for easy downloads
more photos inside

Jill's been busy (and I hope having some fun) working up photos with backgrounds that reflect the collection. We chose a map of Wyoming for the Occidental Collection, our newer designs using Mountain Meadow Wool.

Posting what I'm doing

2011-02-07T17:28:00.000-08:00

I'm working on top-secret stuff and it is hard to get out of that mode to post what I'm doing. I am quite intrigued that anyone cares what I do all day, or that what I do would be remotely interesting. That said, I must admit that I go to City Arts and Lectures, and haveas long as I have lived in cities that have them, because I am curious how creative people get from a creative urge to being successful. I became familiar with the man who has best described what reading fiction is at a panel of young-ish writers (boy were they all awkward), probably in the 90s. David Foster Wallace said he read fiction because it allowed him to crawl over a fence of intimacy that one couldn't ask even the people closest to them to open to another person. That's why I read--to know other perspectives. I am so grateful that people are willing to sit and write and explain to me how other people exist in the world. So maybe that's why people want to read blogs. I'm almost finished with this one.

I listen to books when I am knitting, ironing, drawing, and some

times cooking. It uses a piece of my brain that isn't used during those activities which otherwise gets bored and makes me look for other things to do. I've "read" some great books this way. Because I am always knitting, or trying to keep up with other reading, I don't get to read fiction the way I used to, so I really like this back-up method. While on vacation in December/January, I got to read a couple of books pretty much cover to cover which was a fabulous luxury, but also got to sit at the pool knitting and reading.

Okay, time to find shoes and pack my bag to go to Pilates.

New Y2Knit Logo

2011-02-04T09:09:00.000-08:00

When Jill and I formed Y2Knit in 2001, one of our early projects was a logo. Y2Knit was the project for a design class at FIDM in SF where Jill teaches. Students had to develop a logo based on company information provided by us. I was able to be present for the presentation of logos. There was everything from very techno to Hello Kitty style. One stood out and we worked with the student to refine the original Y2Knit logo, which has served us for 10 years. We always loved it because it looks like the knit stitch.

However, things change. Think how the Internet and smart devices alone have changed our lives in the last 10 years! Working with a marketing consultant recently, we were advised to update our logo. I came to think of this as our makeover and it felt good, just like a haircut, fresh makeup and a new wardrobe. The designer gave us some choices and we were both drawn to one. Some refinements were made and we're now proud to be able to reveal our new logo.

Not so fast though, we decided to do this gradually over a few weeks, so you'll have to be patient. So far, we've revealed a couple segments. This also buys us some time to get everything updated. I just remembered about business cards yesterday!

NBC: Patterns available soon

2011-01-28T16:18:00.000-08:00

Jill Says:

While not much has been visibly happening, a lot has been going on. Here's a sneak peak of patterns that we've created for babies. The picture was taken at TNNA in January.

NBC stands for Natural Baby Collection, which currently stands at eight patterns and will soon grow to 20 or more. This started with soakers (wool diaper covers) that Susan developed with maternal feedback from one of her daughters-in-law while Susan's grandson was a baby. These soakers are so cute they might make you want to have a baby! If you're not into the concept of soakers, these are great pants or shorts. They come in three lengths: thigh (short), knee and long. Of course I had to inject some other things into the mix, but we think these 8 patterns will nicely outfit babies wanting the comfort of Mountain Merino (yes, it is soft enough for babies--wait until you see other pictures). If you've counted the pieces shown here you'll notice more than 8 pieces: the soaker pattern has all three lengths, and the hat and sock patterns each have three versions too.

These are mostly easy knitting and Laramie from Mountain Meadow Wool is a delight to knit with. If you've never thought of using wool for baby gear, here are a few quick tidbits:

Wool doesn't soil easily and merino can be washed (gently--agitation is what causes felting)
Wool is a great insulator. It has excellent wicking properties, meaning it carries moisture away from the surface of the skin. Light moisture will run off the surface of wool.
Wool fibers are very durable.
Wool is considered naturally flame retardant. It will burn but it does so slowly, and if the flame is taken away, it will usually extinguish itself.

New Looks

2011-01-27T17:27:00.000-08:00

Lots of new things are always happening at Y2Knit, but we're really cranking it up right now. We are getting ready to unfurl a new logo. Yes, it's time for a change! Things have gotten so much more sophisticated since we decided to embark on this business in 2001--and we feel like we've gotten a little dusty--so we're freshening things up. We love our new logo, so you won't see us withdrawing it because of outcries that the old one was fine.

To support the new logo we're also re-creating our pattern format. This is going to be such a fabulous upgrade that we think everyone will love it. Patterns will be in letter-size format so they are easier as downloads and have a really new look. We're excited.

While we're excited, there is a lot of background work that needs to be done to make this possible. Patterns that we were in the process of completing have to be moved to the new format and patterns that are already in the old format have to be put into the new format. The new formatting has to be applied, new pictures added, and all of this has to be checked and rechecked. This also requires leaning new ways to use InDesign and Photoshop, then when everything is ready, will require replacing existing files. As I said, quite an undertaking. While we're at it we are putting some other new initiatives into play--so you'll want to keep an eye on what we're doing.

Snow: Great for hats, mitts and scarves

2011-01-27T07:47:00.000-08:00

Great to show off our lovely hand knits when we're out shoveling snow. I could hardly decide which hat to wear this morning, but went with this new fun one I made last weekend. About 3 hours of knitting. It's the Ozark Handspun yarn that makes it, and of course, the felt balls!

Boot Topper Emergency Photos

2011-01-25T11:45:00.000-08:00

Jill Says:

We're standing at TNNA and a distributor tells us they need the pattern for the boot toppers ASAP! Neither Susan or I has a camera to take the kind of picture we need, to say nothing of the fact that we are both pretty limited photographers. Susan runs to the Ashland Sky booth to see if Michael Golden (creator of the KnitGauge App) had his camera. Michael is an awesome photographer so was clearly up to this more than Susan and I were. He thought he could do it with his iPhone because he didn't have another camera with him, but we needed someone with boots. So we were casing people walking by. It was Monday, and pretty slow, and mostly people's feet hurt by then and besides, it isn't cold. I kind of forgot about it and suddenly Susan said, "Boots!" I honestly didn't even know what she was talking about for a few seconds. We asked this lovely Japanese woman walking by if she would be a model. Indicating that any distraction was welcome she agreed and Susan ran to get Michael and I helped our model get out of her jacket and into the boot toppers. Did I say she had beautiful boots?

Michael arrived and we took some photos (and I remembered to get out my iTouch to take pics of him taking pics) then realized that having her sit was probably the best way to show them off. I've really never seen a

nyone be so serene while being photographed. Maybe it was because she knew it was only her legs. These are only temporary photos until we can get professional shots taken, but I love them!

2010-12-03T09:01:00.000-08:00

It’s always intriguing for me to see what top sellers are and to see sales trends. For instance, I used to sell oodles of Hiya Hiya needles online, but now that more shops carry them, my online sales of them are down.

We’ll have a really popular pattern, which makes us think it got mention somewhere, but even a Ravelry search doesn’t give us a clue. Why has Summer Night Top been such a good seller in 2010? The pattern was released in 2005.

I just got yarn in from three different sources, all special orders for customers and all in the honey/sun gold color. And I sold another bag of gold yarn yesterday. It is a warm color on a cold day, so I’m enjoying looking at it.

EAR LIGHTS continue to go out the door with almost every customer and to be a favorite with online customers. Good for anyone on your gift list.

Another popular item is the Waterfall Kit. I’m sure the lovely colors of the Malabrigo Aquarella help sell this, and the fact that it’s a quick knit, perfect for getting a gift done fast. The summer interns chose that yarn as their favorite.

Pictured: gold hued yarns, Aquarella Moldonado, Ear Light

Gift Ideas

2010-11-06T08:15:00.000-07:00

Gift ideas on display in shop.

We want your knitting to be fun, productive and satisfying. Tried and true projects for gifts or yourself!

Just arrived: more Malabrigo worsted and Aquarella colors. I'm distracted by Deja Vu (worsted) and Maldonando (Aquarella), both of which look awesome with Vaa. Oh my.

Also new: lots of Mountain Meadow Wool colors.
Claudia Handpaint Boucle.

Gifts2Knit

2010-11-05T07:38:00.000-07:00

If you live near the Funkstown Y2Knit Yarn Shop, stop by tomorrow, Nov 6, 10-5 for our display, advice and inspiration on quick2knit gifts. We've put together kits, published new patterns and matched yarn to popular existing patterns to make your holiday and year round gift knitting easier. We're never short of ideas at Y2Knit.

If you don't live near the shop, be sure you are on our newsletter list as we'll be sending out emails with gift ideas and specials all month.

A freebie: I couldn't resist these after seeing a pic from a catalog of wine bottle toppers. Mine are nicer and can be knit up in less than 1/2 hour. Cast on 21 sts, and have fun. I decreased at the top, knit an i-cord and attached some yarn for a pom pom. Great gift for wine lovers or with a gift of a bottle of wine.

Best selling product this week: Ear Light!

2010-10-29T04:53:00.000-07:00

This is the coolest product. Gina, from Checker Distributors, turned us onto the fantastic Ear Light when we were in Tuscany. I came back and ordered some and keep having to order more because everyone wants one.

Lightweight, this just clips on the ear. I thought I wouldn't like it, but it's not uncomfortable. Adjust the light and the soft white light shines on your knitting, then when you turn your head to look at the pattern, the light goes with you. So cool!

Great for readers, knitters and I have customers that are using them for walking the dog. I used mine the other night when I couldn't find the key hole at the back door. Abigail loves to chase the light!

What a great gift! Hope my family members aren't reading this or they'll know what's coming their way!

Y2Knit Experience Tuscany Picture Book

2010-10-28T11:01:00.000-07:00

Click here to view this photo book larger

Travel is over...for now

2010-10-19T09:50:00.000-07:00

I think I have finally settled in after the fall travel, which included over 2 weeks in Tuscany and 9 days in Buffalo, WY. When I return from these trips, the thing I miss most is the wonderful conviviality of spending time with a group of knitters and getting to know a group fairly well. Getting up and having my cup of tea in the morning is decidedly less fun that sipping tea, knitting and visiting with others in the lobby of the Occidental Hotel or the breakfast room at Villa Maddalena.

Upon my return, there is always this sense of loss. Other than the obvious, I was unable to identify what this was. Finally it dawned on me: when I am on a Y2Knit Experience, no matter how hard I am working, I am not overloaded with all the things that enter my personal and work life when I'm back in Funkstown. What's missing is a less complicated day! What's missing is finding time to knit!

We had a great time during the Yarns on Stage Debut event at the shop last Saturday. Fun to see which yarns knitters are drawn to. Prism sold the most, Alpaca with a Twist and Great Adirondacks next. There's still leftovers, like after any good meal.

Sandy brought some delicious carrot cake so we could celebrate Nancy's birthday. She made Nancy her own little cupcake. I had three servings.

Do Jackalopes Exist?

2010-10-12T13:31:00.000-07:00

For the recent Y2Knit Experience Buffalo, we stayed at the historic Occidental Hotel. Well worth it! One of the features is the saloon, which has been lovingly restored, complete with animal heads of all kinds. I believe every animal found in the West can be found in the saloon. I polished my identification skills and after a week (and a few beers), i confidently know the difference between deer, elk and caribou, among others.

One critter than I knew instantly was the jackalope. He's mounted on the wall just to the left of the doorway into the gift shop and hotel lobby. Since I felt that all the animals would look better if they had scarves or cowls on, but didn't feel enough commitment to that ideal to actually provide them, I decided to knit a small scarf for the Jackalope.

I was able to do this with some lovely purple yarn donated by Mountain Meadow Wool. I knit the scarf in seed stitch, 2 inches wide by 14" long, not including fringe. It was perfect knitting during Knitting Night with local knitters.

I gave the Jackalope the scarf the next morning, attaching the yarn label. The next morning the owner of the hotel, Dawn, commented on how lovely the scarf looked on the Jackalope. I told her that Emily, the resident ghost, had apparently gotten into my needles and yarn and been up to some mischief. We'll see if that story sticks! Anyway, he looks quite fetching, whoever gets the knitting credit!

pics courtesy of Maureen Ladley of Ladley & Associates

Story 2:

I had a magazine deadline, which since I procrastinate, means I was working on it at the last minute. This involved finishing Bunny Love, a pattern that Creative Knitting accepted for a special interest Babies and Children edition coming out sometime in 2011.

So, right now I'm kind of over bunnies, cute as they are. I thought about sending the prototype knitted Bunny Love to my nephews, perhaps with a ransom note, but then decided to just turn him into an Jackalope. When Sandy and Phyllis stopped by to pick up their new One Skein Wonders Sock Yarn books, we sat and visited and I just whipped those antlers up. Bunny Love got to sniff the rosemary while I took his pic. He's so Wyoming!!

What have I been knitting?

2010-09-23T14:15:00.000-07:00

I always forget to log what I have been knitting. I always have a few projects. Here's my recent output:

A lovely beret that is part of the Experience Buffalo knitting. Sorry, the pattern is only available for those attending this spectacular event. If you aren't going this year, we'll soon post dates for next year. Meanwhile, we're shuffling off to Buffalo, WY.

Because I love the yarn from Mountain Meadow Wool of Buffalo, WY, I decided to work something out with an odd hank I had in their dyed yarn. With only 140 yds, I decided to make some fingerless mitts. I think the bobbles in the beret inspired me.

My default knitting has been the OK Easy Cardigan. I needed something that didn't require a lot of thought as I have a lot going on right now. I've finished the sleeves and am working on the back. I love the hem and how the turn creates a line of color. I chose Kiwi from Zealana in the laceweight because this color has been in my mind for a long time. It's my default color. I picked an odd hank of Lorna's Laces sock for the contrast, and if I say so myself, it's quite fabulous. I put the contrast in the sleeve hem, which will be worn turned back and in the surprise back stripe. Because I didn't have enough yarn to do the body of the sweater hem in the variegated contrast, I picked another color of Kiwi and am pleased with the effect.

This will be good saloon knitting because I don't really have to pay attention. It will be fun to show off at Knitter's Night in Buffalo. Apparently the local knitters are really excited as they don't connect with each other. Once again, Y2Knit facilitates a great connection. More on that later!

It's a Wrap Party and Trunk Show

2010-09-15T13:49:00.000-07:00

Not only did we have delicious wraps to eat (thanks, Bonnie!) and beautiful wraps to adorn (thanks, Jill!), but we had luscious yarn to fondle, adore and buy.

Darcy from Angel's Kiss Yarn brought a fine assortment of her 60% alpaca/40% merino worsted in an array of colors. This yarn makes you want to get your needles out and cast on for a sensory experience of touch and color. Darcy's graciousness compliments the yarn. She also brought some bulky and a sampling of her lace weight, which they are spinning at her small mill in Wisconsin. The worsted and bulky blends are being created at Kraemer Mills in PA. Darcy uses her own alpaca and alpaca from other sources, including MD farms.

We had a good time trying wraps on different body types and experimenting with different ways to wear them. Pictured here are Darcy and Bonnie wearing Seven-8ths, a pattern Y2Knit published in 2009. Not only is it fun to knit, but it's great for all body types. Turns out this is a good color too as it looks great on both women.

Below, Nancy models the Ogee Shawl, a lacy circle that can be draped and wrapped a number of ways. Another model shows it as a neck piece.

Back from Magical Trip to Tuscany

2010-09-10T11:30:00.000-07:00

I've been back a few days and figured I better write while it's all fresh. So much happens on a trip like the Y2Knit Experience Tuscany, and I find it hard to tell the story well enough to convince others of the magic.

Because we travel with our 87-year old mom, Jane, Jill and I forgo the train ride from Rome and instead are met by our friend and hired driver, Massimo, who drives like any good Roman, getting us out of the airport and to the A1 quickly. I mention this trip because I was so struck by Massimo asking us, "Do you still feel the magic when you return to Montisi?" (read that with an Italian accent)

Jill and I both replied that we do still feel the magic. When we returned for our third trip last year, I wondered if I would feel the same excitement and enchantment of this tiny medieval village. I had a lot going on and wasn't sure those emotions would rise in me again. On the drive from Rome, especially once we began to see the Tuscan countryside, I felt as Massimo said he does, "like Alice in Wonderland". This year the countryside was full of sunflower farms, golden heads bowing to the sun. Glorious wonderland.

Montisi, the magical village, is home to about 325 people. This year, being August, more were visiting, so the place was quite lively. The first week it was hot, so the streets were full of people late into the night while we waited for apartments and bedrooms to cool down. Even the small children were up with their parents, having napped throughout the day.

For us, connecting with the people we know is part of the magic. Massimo cooked lunch while we caught up with his partner, Liz Cochrane, a local artist. Liz taught a color class to the knitters each week and also some private painting lessons. Over the first couple days, we run into more familiar faces and are constantly reminded of how good is to be back.

One of the familiar faces was one of the Y2Knit participants, Mary Jane Escobar. MJ came to Montisi two years ago and stayed with us for two weeks. This time, she wanted the experience to be different, so she asked us if she could teach local children to knit. A natural extension of her life in Virginia, where she teaches kids in after school programs and craft shops to knit, this seemed like a wonderful opportunity. Being August, the kids were out of school and it was warm enough to hold classes outside in a convenient location.

Liz helped get the word out and 8-12 kids attended classes each day. Irma, 81, joined the group too, renewing her knitting skills. This was a wonderful experience and reminder of how knitting can bring us together.

Busy Week!

2010-08-12T09:49:00.000-07:00

The interns have left, racking up 12 miles of yarn winding. Reports from Chicago indicate they picked up their knitting when they got home and are busy churning out scarves for their bunny collection. I miss them every time I have to wind yarn. That was a luxury to have someone on standby to do it for me.

While the interns (nephews Elvis and Van) were here we visited Zane, just two days shy of his first birthday. We delivered his present, which included the pictured Party Time! Hat. Pretty darling on the world's cutest one year old! Thanks for a great pattern, Audrey. Fun to knit and fun to wear!

Barely rested from the 8-year olds 10-day visit, I had to ramp up for Speed Dating! Thanks to Bonnie and Nancy for lightening that load. Of course, it was blistering hot, but we sampled silk and other lovely yarns to distract us. 9 yarns, 10 minutes each. Turns out that's all the time you need to decide if 1) you never want to see that yarn again, 2) you'd definitely consider a second date, or 3) you just want to take it home with you now! Everyone seemed to find something in the 3) category.

More pics online.

Speed Dating!

2010-08-04T04:57:00.000-07:00

If you haven't signed up for this event at the Y2Knit Yarn Shop, we recommend this one. For just $15, you get a canvas bag with goodies and the opportunity to test some new yarns. As the event name implies, you only have to spend a few minutes with each yarn--no commitment! Some yarn has not been seen in the shop yet.

Because we always give more, we're also providing the opportunity to try some stitch patterns when you play with the yarn and we'll help you if you need it. With these quick tutorials you're bound to come away with some new knowledge.

Hope to see you there--a few spaces remain.

Flying Saucers!

2010-08-03T13:24:00.000-07:00

The new Flying Saucer yarn arrived. Each disc has two yarns wound together so that you can knit socks at the same time or create two balls that will be identical for getting matching socks. Perfect for those to whom that feature is important (matching socks). For the rest, a very cool ball of yarn that will sit nicely on the shelf or table!

The colors are yummy and the yarn is soft. This product is distributed by Skacel, made by Schoppel Woolle.

Summer Interns Arrive

2010-07-30T08:18:00.000-07:00

Our 8-year old nephews, Elvis and Van, arrived Wed afternoon, chauffeured by their father. A bit road weary, after a 5 minute refresher tour of the house, they were begging to wind yarn. The last time they were here, four years ago, they wound yarn and put price tags on yarn, so they had a memory, apparently pleasant of that activity.

Thursday, they helped with customer sales, wound more yarn, priced yarn, put together a large mailing for our Y2Knit Experience Buffalo participants. It was another hot day, so we didn't go out until the evening, when it cooled down. We rode bikes around Funkstown, which is much hillier than their neighborhood in Chicago. The best part was getting the bikes to the top of the big hill in the Funkstown Park (site of the historic Battle of Funkstown) and coasting to the bottom. Very fun. The boys then tried the tallest slide, which Elvis felt rated 4 out of 5.

Sally, their mom, had sent a long a jigsaw puzzle, knowing how much I love to do those. We've had our nose in that this morning.

2010-07-20T08:05:00.000-07:00

The Battle of Funkstown reenactment is of an actual battle that took place in 1860. It's an interesting event, which includes the street enactment in front of the Y2Knit yarn shop. This is a "for show" battle in that there never was a battle in the street, rather on a nearby hill. They have a few battles there over the weekend too. Now that hill is part of our nice Funkstown Park and the reenactors set up camp there for the weekend. Some of us returned to the park in the evening for more 97th Regiment String Band music and fireworks. All in all, a very nice day.

The pics are of the soldiers waiting by the side of the shop. The woman standing behind the artfully arranged bayonets is this yarn shop owner, pictured here with Bryce, Heather Henry's son. Heather took these pics.

2010-07-14T13:23:00.000-07:00

We have some really cool new yarns, including SilkIndian, 100% worsted weight spun silk. It's pretty dreamy. Sandy knit up the Gossamer Scarf. The pattern comes with a flat gossamer, as pictured, or with a bell/in-the-round gossamer. Both versions are classic and will jazz up any outfit. Try this on and you'll truly appreciate the luxury of silk.

This project is quick to knit and makes a great gift. Pictured here is a variegated color, but we have solids too. We'll get them on the web soon. I love the way the colors make it look like the neckband has beads on it. There's nothing like silk.

This yarn is one of the featured yarns at Y2Knit's Speed Dating! on August 10.

From lunch to launch: The evolution of the Azalea Shawl pattern

2010-07-07T06:38:00.001-07:00

The Azalea Shawl, knit with Bijou Basin's Yak Laceweight, keeps its mid-century origins a secret. (Photo: Y2Knit)

Knitters have often asked me what the process is behind each of my designs. It’s hard for me to describe, because quite frankly, I’m thinking about designs all the time — well, designs and food. I usually have about 10 projects going on at once, most of which are begun in response to something that’s happening in fashion.

I love to take vintage stitch patterns, tease them apart and reinvent them as something modern and accessible. I look at a piece and can sometimes deconstruct it into four or five projects in my head. I mentioned this to Susan, and was taken aback when she said she is too literal to do that. I thought that was what everyone did!

My Azalea Shawl pattern draws its inspiration from First Book of Modern Lace Knitting by Marianne Kinzel, a vintage book I bought around the holidays. I’m not a “doily” kind of gal — in fact, my personal style is modern, clean and crisp — but I love the stitch patterns. I have the republished 1972 version of the original 1953 edition.

I can easily see beyond the “vintage” aspects of a pattern, even when it’s described as a “Luncheon Set” and comprised of a “centre piece, place doily, plate and glass doily.” I really loved the unique hexagon shape created by the increasing azalea petals.

I focused on the placemat, analyzing its stitch pattern. I quickly realized that if I added more pattern repeats and repetitions, and increased the needle size while working outward, I’d end up with a beautiful shawl with the fluted edges of a real azalea flower.

By February, I was ready to start the knitting. I had been swatching using leftover laceweight yak from bijou basin (left over from a Great Wall of Yarn swatch in January), so I emailed Carl Koop at Bijou Basin Ranch, and he was kind enough to give me lots of yarn!

I imagined that I would knit this myself, but reality quickly intervened and I sent the yarn and pattern to a knitter in early April to make up the sample.

So there you go… from vintage placemat to modern shawl in a matter of months.

The shawl's inspiration was the 1953 Azalea Luncheon Set. (Photo: First Book of Modern Lace Knitting)

Balloon Bird

2010-07-01T14:44:00.000-07:00

Skacel sells this interesting pattern for making Balloon Animals. A shaped tube is created, then twisted into the desired shape. I made the easiest in the set of animals, the little bird. I think my two year old grandson could play with this, learning to twist it into the proper shape. Since I get to see him next week, I better make another. This one is the shop sample.

Pattern at Y2Knit
Yarn in your stash or at Y2Knit.

"tis the season

2010-06-25T13:28:00.000-07:00

It's abundant garden time again. I took some pics this morning in the garden and of the shop. See the whole album.

AKD Panel at TNNA

2010-06-16T13:16:00.000-07:00

From Heather Gooch's blog:

During The National NeedleArts Association’s Summer Market in Columbus, OH, this weekend, I had the pleasure of watching five successful industry professionals share their insights during a panel session hosted by the Association of Knitwear Designers (AKD). The session, “Achieving Mutual Goals In The Yarn Industry,” took place Friday evening right before AKD’s Fashion Show.

Moderated by AKD President Jill Wolcott, who is also the creative director of Y2Knit, the panelists included:

TNNA Recap

2010-06-15T09:27:00.000-07:00

On the drive home from Columbus last night, Jill and I made a running list of all the things we did at TNNA. Then, I forgot to make a copy, so I'll do the best I can to remember. It really is an overwhelming four days of meetings, networking, fun, connecting with friends and business acquaintances, eating, walking, selling, buying and more.

This year's adventure started on Wed in SF for Jill, taking the red eye to Dulles. I picked her up Thu morning at 7 am and we drove back to Hagerstown to pick up the rental car. Enterprise did us good by finding a hatch back for us. It's so much easier to load and unload. We got our personal items and our entire display in a Toyota Matrix!

We left Y2Knit World Headquarters in Funkstown at 10 am. The drive was uneventful and no rain. We talked about business that we hope to accomplish and some changes we want to make, but we're both tired, so it's not super organized, but some good stuff got talked about. We stopped, as usual, at the rest area in WV that is on top of a mountain and very beautiful. It was perfect to sit there and eat our homemade crackers and cheese, pea pods, asparagus and strawberries. Jill had a piece of chocolate for dessert. The rest of the drive was smooth and we pulled up at the hotel just a few minutes after 4.

After checking in, we buzzed over to the convention center to check in, get our badges, and check out the Great Wall of Yarn. Yarn companies hang hanks of yarn so we can preview new items. Designers knit swatches to go with them. Jill knit an amazing counterpane for Alpaca's Kiss. We then walked over the North Market, a block away to check out what was new there. Polish replaced Mexican food, but the rest seemed the same. We anticipated yummy lunches.

We had dinner at a restaurant new to us, sort of Mediterranean. Being tired, we decided to eat light and chose some small plates. While we waited for those to be served, we chatted with Nadine, Tanis and Christine from Be Sweet who had taken the table next to us. They were as tired as we were.

Friday was a busy day: we gave two presentations in the morning, set up our booth after lugging all our display to the booth, lunch at North Market, meeting for Jill, AKD panel discussion, Fashion Show, meeting for Jill. Capped it off with dinner at Haiku with Maureen and Kennita. Nadine from Be Sweet sat at a nearby table (are you seeing a theme here?)

Saturday Jill had a meeting in the morning, so Maureen and I picked up scones at North Market and put the finishing touches on the booth. We were pleased to be taking orders almost immediately. Maureen surveyed yarn shop owners for data we plan to use to improve Y2Knit products and services. The day sped by. Kristen joined us, so with Maureen and Kristen in the booth, JIll and I could get out and check out products and visit with vendors. It's good to catch up. After the 10-6 in the exhibit hall, we attended the Teacher/Designer Meeting (well, kinda. We arrived late and it finished almost as soon as we settled.) We had a delicious dinner at Lemongrass with Jill, Jenny and Melba from Zealana. Skacel staff was at the next table. We didn't see Nadine from Be Sweet. Jenny and I planned a Y2Knit /Zealana trip to New Zealand. Start saving those pennies!

Sunday, more of the same. We connected with Hal from Universal and were pleased to see Ilhan from Bursa, Turkey! So many wonderful people to talk to and lovely yarn to behold. We placed some orders. Dinner with Mountain Meadow Wool at Barcelona, this amazing restaurant we always go to. Little plates, good business connections and lots of laughter as we get to know Karen and Valerie better and plan some joint ventures, including our trip to Buffalo, WY this September.

Monday, more of the same, we saw Nadine at breakfast. It's a short day so we run around placing orders and making necessary connections. Good chats with Peggy Jo from Brown Sheep, Darcy from Angel's Kiss and Antonio from Malabrigo among others. Lunch at North Market, meeting with Zealana. Then it's 3pm and it's over. I get the car and we take it down, load it up and head home. I took Jill to the airport early this morning. I'm tired now. I hope she gets some sleep because she has to teach when she gets to SF.

More about impressions of yarn, etc. tomorrow or soon.

Heading for Columbus

2010-06-09T05:19:00.000-07:00

Tonight Jill flies to Dulles, where I pick her up in the early AM. We'll drive back to Funkstown, pick up the rental car and load up for our drive to Columbus, OH for the annual TNNA trade show. The National NeedleArts is the trade organization for the yarn industry and also includes counted thread, cross stitch and needlepoint. The trade show is huge, with all the yarn companies and other products represented. Y2Knit has a booth to display our latest creations for the LYS owners who are shopping for product to stock their shops for the fall/winter season.

So, after we have loaded the car with display, garments and our personal stuff, we head west. It's an easy drive, the first 108 miles in Maryland as this bitty state stretches it's skinny arm west. While we drive we have our annual June business meeting. Jill knits and takes notes, Susan drives since Jill just took a red eye flight.

About 6 hours later, we arrive in Columbus and continue our planning discussions as we have no commitments tonight, unlike every other night when we have scheduled dinners and reservations already made. As far as eating, we love the Farmer's Market, just a block away from the Convention Center. We get lunches picked up for us there every day, and stock fruit and fresh baked goodies for breakfast in our hotel room. Many good restaurants in the area and we've found our favorites. Jill has already made reservations because she is not going to chance a bad meal. Plus, we are tired and spacey by the time we get to eat about 8 each evening. It's good to have the plan in place.

One of things we have learned about traveling is that Jill brings her French press and coffee, makes it upon rising in the morning and is not cranky. This is good because I am a morning person, bright and perky right out of bed. I take the first shower, Jill caffeinates, and we good to go.

Friday, we're up early to unload the car at the Convention Center. We'll get everything to our booth, unpack what we need for our 10-11am classes, teach the classes, then back to set up the booth. Lunch at the Farmer's Market. Back to finish setting up the booth. We'll also cruise around the Exhibit Hall to greet friends, like Karen and Valerie from Mountain Meadow Wool, the gang at Skacel (cuz we know they'll be doing something fun at the booth), Catherine at Red Barn Yarn, Bijou Basin and Zealana. We'll miss Tina who always cracks us up and is so much fun to be around!

Friday evening Jill is hosting the AKD gathering and panel discussion. Susan makes a quick trip through Sample It! but it's really the worst kind of shopping atmosphere for me (crowded, noisy, too much stimulation) so I mostly shut down and take very little in. I try to take mental notes for Jill, but it's a good thing it's not a top priority for her. Then I'll join her at the AKD function, after which we'll go to the Fashion Show. Y2Knit has three garments in the show, the Azalea Shawl (pictured above), Bobblet and Pendant Pullovers (pictured here). Following the Fashion Show, we'll check out the Ravelry Ice Cream Social, then go to Haiku for dinner with a group. We'll have connected with Maureen, our roommate, helper, and marketing consultant.

Saturday we're up early to put the finishing touches on the booth, block anything that's wrinkled still and to cruise the Exhibit hall . We don't have any early meetings, which is nice. We're on our feet until 6pm, then we can sit down for the Designer/Teacher meeting. After that, it's dinner with the gang from The Yarn Sisters. We'll be back to the hotel room between 10 and 11, debrief, unwind.

Sunday is a replay of Saturday, except it's the Yarn Group meeting and dinner with Mountain Meadow Wool. I should mention that while we are in the booth all day, taking orders for patterns (we have to sell them first), we take breaks independently and go to booths we need to check out for buying product for the shop. Some of this we do early before the Exhibit Hall opens, leaving notes of what we want. Vendors we know understand we are busy and let us do this. We've handled Malabrigo this way for years. It's easier to pick out what we want when they aren't busy.

Our routine is sort of like this: Susan goes to the bathroom. On the way, she stops off at booths x, y and z to see new product, new colors or to check something out. On the way back, she visits a, b and c. Always carrying paper and pencil, she can then debrief Jill back at the booth. Later, Jill goes to the bathroom and follows up at same booths to see what Susan wanted her to see. Maybe she sees something else, back to the booth, debrief, and so on. This is our procedure for buying for the shop. Jill is also scouting yarn for designing. And we're making connections with yarn company people we need to connect with. We try to arrange scheduled appointments to reduce the happenstance encounters.

Monday we only have to go until 3pm, then it's a quick pack up, load the car, pick up eats at the Farmer's Market and head back to Funkstown. Jill usually drives, Susan takes notes as we debrief the last four days. After we unpack, we can hit the sack. By now it's almost midnight. We're up at dawn or earlier to get Jill to the airport for her 6:50 am flight. Then I return to Hagerstown, take the rental car back, unpack our bags and put display stuff in the attack, open the shop at 10. Early to bed Tuesday night!

Lovely Yarn

2010-06-02T07:12:00.000-07:00

I've really enjoyed knitting with Laramie, the worsted weight wool from Mountain Meadow Wool. I've been knitting some samples for them, using Y2Knit patterns. So far, the Ribbed Soaker (pattern releasing this week), Flip Top Mitt, and Double Star Tam.

As is evident, fabulous stitch definition and the yarn lends itself to even, easy stitches. Here, I'm just using the naturals: cream and two shades of gray. This is really out of the box for me as I always want to knit with color. I'm really enjoying the calm of the neutral colors. I'm actually considering a natural cream colored sweater.

Turns out we have one room left at the Occidental Hotel for our Y2Knit Experience Buffalo in September. It's one of the Bordello rooms (this could be a once in a lifetime opportunity!) that shares a bath with two other rooms. The suite mates are easy going. The Bordello is right next to the snack room, complete with antique dining set that I won't even describe here. You've got to see it to believe it. If one feels the need to swoon or faint, the red velvet fainting couch awaits you in the foyer of the suite. Of course, there's the back stairway, nicked and gouged by the spurs of the cowboy's boots as they climbed the stairs to visit the Bordello. If you are interested, give me a shout! Discover the old west in new ways!

Y2Knit Summer Book Group

2010-05-28T11:35:00.000-07:00

Y2KNIT SUMMER 2010 BOOK GROUP

Read! Knit! Discuss!

A mostly easy knitting project, an interesting book, a classic movie and best of all--beautiful yarn!

Join friends new and old to discuss this book-movie-project-yarn while creating your own classic!

Start knitting July 19
Start reading anytime!

THE BOOK! Gentlemen's Agreement by Laura Hobson, inspired by Schaefer Yarn's new line, Memorable Writers
THE MOVIE! Gentlemen's Agreement, the 1947 Academy Award winner starring Gregory Peck.
THE YARN! Audrey by Schaefer Yarns, 50/50 merino/silk, hand dyed in memorable color ways, Audrey comes in generous 4 oz/700 yard hanks.
THE PROJECT! OK Easy Cardigan by Jill Wolcott of Y2Knit. A basic cardigan ideal for a first sweater or a summer knit the design enhances the beautiful yarn and colors. A great venue for learning some great tricks that may enhance future projects. Pattern available in hard copy or as a PDF download after June 15.

Where the deer and the antelope play

2010-05-19T05:23:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Jill and I visited Buffalo, Wyoming, where we'll be hosting the Y2Knit Experience Buffalo 2010 September 25-Oct 2. We met up in Denver airport and took the small plane to Sheridan. As we flew over miles of open spaces, it felt like we were on our way to a destination one can only fly into. The quick trip to Sheridan (75 miles/hour on a very straight, empty highway) brought us into Buffalo before any of the wonder wore off. Spotting antelope the entire way made us feel like true wild west women!

We actually saw an antelope romping in a field full of deer and antelope. We looked for buffalo but didn't see any, though we did see some HUGE steers that we thought were buffalo, much to the amusement of the ranchers. OK, so we're a bit vague on identification of large animals, but I am a vegetarian, if that's a valid excuse. Jill's excuse is she lives in San Francisco where there are only large dogs.

We saw yarn being made in the amazing Mountain Meadow Wool mill where not a bit of fiber is wasted. They are working on ways to use the scraps for something, even house insulation. The yarn is fabulous and the one we want to knit with most right now. Karen and Valerie are bold, smart and creating a sustainable and viable mill. We met Peter John, one of the Basque ranchers who sells wool to the mill. His respect for MMW was evident when he came to them to ask how much they wanted to buy before he took it to a larger market. I bought skeins that tell me which ranch the wool come from. . . pretty awesome. We were even offered to visit one of the ranches by a total stranger (if that word exists in Buffalo), but Jill and I hesitated. What does one say to a sheep?

History melds with the present in Buffalo. The Occidental Hotel, where we will stay in September, has historic relics, beautiful antiques and stories that tell themselves as you walk about. Probably everyone's favorite is the back stairway, scarred by spurs on the cowboy's boots as they climbed the stairs to the bordello, three rooms where women entertained these lonesome men. Every room is uniquely decorated to tell an old west story and most have spacious bathrooms.

We stayed in Outlaw. Jill had the room with the antelope head. The antelope colors reminded us of Lilura, a new yarn being produced at MMW. I guess it all comes back to the yarn!

We spent one morning in the rockers in front of the hotel, sunning and knitting, counting the horse trailers that went by (6). We only had to walk a few feet to be at Clear Creek and the 13 mile walking trail takes hikers to the Big Horn Mountains, which were heavy with snow last weekend. A sight to behold.

Thursday night was Bluegrass Jam Night, and as promised, a wonderful event in the Saloon adjacent to the Occidental. Musicians of all ages, professions and style took to the floor with guitars, dobros, banjos, mandolin, dulcimer, harmonica and more to share songs from past and present. It doesn't get much better than this: glass of red wine, knitting, listening to great music, checking out the good looking men. Several women came over to us and talked about knitting. They requested we have a community knitting night when we come back in September. That will be Tuesday in the Saloon, September 28. See ya there!

We visited the wonderful museum book and gift shop and arranged a history tour. We'll learn more area history when we have high tea at the Mansion House Inn, where owners Pam and John offer their amazing hospitality. Their story is as interesting as that of the house. We've scheduled lunch at the TA Ranch, site of much of the Johnson County Cattle Wars, something we still have to learn about. The sheep will be "coming off the mountain" then and we hope to take in some of that migration. The wranglers will be gone so the horses are out to pasture, but one can certainly get a good feel for what the guest ranch is like when in full working glory. And then, there's the beautifully decorated guest houses, which transport you to a place of historical luxury.

Back in Buffalo, we tested food at local eateries: The Virginian, Sagewood, Sol de Vallarta, Main Street Diner (Ed's Sunday blueberry cakes...yum), and the newly opened Udder House. We look forward to the new Busy Bee being open when we return. Chef Norman said something about French toast stuffed with cream cheese topped with berries. . . either he's a tease or we're going to eat very well!

Touch me, feel me

2010-05-06T12:45:00.000-07:00

As I prepare for the Boonsboro Greenfest this Saturday, a largely informational event, I want to have different kinds of yarn for people to touch. However, experience makes me dread 1) lugging all the different yarns and 2) having grubby hands all over them. While laying on the acupuncture table this morning I conceived of these cards that I can have out on the table. I've got everything from nettle to wool, cotton to bamboo. Yahoo!

Nature

2010-04-30T09:06:00.001-07:00

Things are undergoing some change here at Y2Knit West. More on that in another post, today we're looking at nature!

We are hopeful we have reached the end of the rainy season because we are completely and totally sick of the rain. As a result, we have had lots of vegetative growth, but I also hadn't seen my hummingbirds for over a month. We have bees and butterflies

, but no hummingbirds. I often don't see them but know that they are there because the nectar supply in the feeder goes down down steadily. But more than a month and nothing--no sightings, no fluctuation in nectar. So I was delighted to see them on Wednesday. Also the quail, sparrows and jays have been around.

I run on Tuesdays and Fridays. I missed the last two Tuesdays because of rain. Last Friday as I was on my last mile, running by a park, I saw these tw

o green parrots streak by. There are wild parrots in SF, but I'd personally never seen them. Kind of fun, and definitely a nice distraction as I ran uphill. Today's nature was a squirrel. I know

, not very exciting, but he got in front of me on a path, and he couldn't figure out how to escape--I was continuing to come along, he was running as fast as he could--looking back occasionally, as I got within about 5 feet of him he dove under the fence between the path and the planting beds. Otherwise, my nature is mostly dogs. SF is overpopulated (I say that as a non-dog owner, I know others feel differently!) with dogs, which must be walked. But everywhere right now is green and lush and blooming and pollen-y!

I have this crazy passion flower vine that covers much of our back slope. It produces varying quantities of bright peachy flowers all year round, getting particularly lush in the spring. Because of the rain, my back garden didn't get cleaned up for a couple of months and the passion vine got a little closer to the lower garden than usual. I was surprised to see that it has this cool-looking center which I had not ever seen from the distance I usually view it from. I had always been slightly jealous of Susan's which has this type of center. I was rather precariously perched trying to get this picture, so it does no justice to the awesomeness of the flower.

Knitter, heal thyself

2010-04-30T07:25:00.000-07:00

Some physical symptoms over the last couple weeks resulted in a visit to Boonsboro Wellness Center yesterday for an evaluation and some acupuncture. I knew from following it myself that my blood pressure was up. There's no justice, clearly, as I take good care of myself. When I ran through the list of things to do to help lower blood pressure naturally, I was on mark for everything. Well, almost.

My self-reflection revealed I don't relax very much. I used to have some quiet time in the morning, meditative and/or knitting. Lately I haven't been doing that. It's the cobblers-children-have-no-shoes syndrome. I am very much aware of the benefits of quiet time knitting and tout them often. Apparently I need to pay more attention to myself. But not take myself to seriously. Relax. Enjoy! Knit!!

Boonsboro Greenfest

2010-04-24T13:04:00.000-07:00

I'm looking forward to participating in this fine event on May 8. I checked out the website today and was very impressed by the recycling opportunities. I can donate the sewing machine that doesn't work.

Y2Knit will have a booth to educate about the joys of knitting and the wonderful eco-friendly products we knit with. Peni Renner, who crochets bags out of "plarn" (grocery bags made into yarn) will be with me. She's now spinning the plastic--don't ask me, just come out to see for yourself. I might try knitting some of it.

From the list of vendors, I expect some good food treats, educational and networking opportunities, and a chance to meet some great people. I asked to be near a couple of plant people I know, so herbs and starter plants are on the list of things to bring home. Last hear I got this awesome purple cauliflower from Deb (Harmony) that I hope she has again this year. It was so beautiful and tasted great.

If you live in the area, this is a great place to learn about sustainability projects and products in Washington County and to support your local businesses.

2010-04-22T08:31:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was just a rush of activity that seemed not to stop until I went to bed. Susan and I had a call with our marketing consultant, followed by my AKD board meeting which was moved forward a day to accommodate Stitches South. I grabbed a quick lunch, packed up my things for teaching and Pilates, did some research on design companies (I have to understand each of the 15 companies--two students are doing the same one--so that I can guide them through creating their portfolio) for my afternoon class, then headed downtown. I got off the train and went to pick up a top I had ordered that had come in and picked up pants that had been relined from the tailor for Mitch. Spent 15 minutes giving tips to the tailor on how to make his website a brand statement and information source, then went to school. My class went by pretty much in a whir because I have to meet one-on-one with each of the 16 students. I brought a kitchen timer, gave it to a self-described ADD student who manned it for me (giving each student 5 minutes) while students worked in small teams. Some discussion on homework, showing previous portfolios, answering questions, following up with a few students and 2.5 hours is gone! Then a student asked me some questions while I packed up, my department coordinator passed on some information to me when I returned the portfolios, I put my things away and went to Pilates.

Hundreds with sinus pressure was agony. But after that I seemed to be fine, if a bit tired! My instructor Keegan always makes the hour go quickly, dishing out little bits of torture in amusing and realistic bites. I got a seat on the train (unusual), but I almost feel like it makes the trip up the hill more difficult as I start to relax. Mitch was out at a business dinner, so I made myself dinner and worked on some design knitting until he came home. We watched The Daily Show and I went upstairs to read.

Even though I did a lot, I didn't feel like I got any work done.

Earth Day

2010-04-22T04:59:00.000-07:00

I wanted to do something in the shop around Earth Day, but never got it together. Still, I want to share how Y2Knit makes choices about yarn that we hope are friendly to the planet.

We consider how yarn is made and where it comes from. We favor small companies because we can trace the yarn more easily. We feel fortunate to work in an industry where many companies are making eco-friendly choices.

Here's some of the stories we love:

Brown Sheep Company, a USA company that sources most of their yarn from the US, built a water reclamation system so they can recycle most of the water used in processing the wool. I asked Peggy Jo what motivated them to do this and she responded, "because it's the right thing to do." I love doing business with a company whose owner talks like that!

Frog Tree Yarns is a non-profit works with native communities to provide livelihood through fiber processing. They know that employing women means kids eat and get educated. Frog Tree is part of Community Links, an environmental and international educational program focusing on the environment, community based education, fair trade and social justice.

Be Sweet is a certified fair trade company providing jobs in areas of high unemployment in South Africa, where 65% of the mohair in the world is raised. Again, women are earning money through fiber processing and adding substance to their communities.

Everyone loves Malabrigo for their lovely fiber. We also love them because the work with cooperatives to have the yarn dyed, providing jobs in Uruguayan communities.
Frabjous Fibers imports recycled silk and mixed fiber yarns. All of their products are fair trade, meaning that the spinners of the waste fibers from the weaving mills are paid a fair wage. We thank those who make our beloved felt balls!

Zitron, distributed by Skacel is another favorite. Not only does Zitron make great Trekking sock yarn and other delightful yarns in fabulous colors, but they are certified 100% organic. We appreciate their commitment to the environment.

This list is not limited to these companies, they are just some that come to mind now.

2010-04-20T10:07:00.000-07:00

Tuesdays are always a little crazy for me. I start my day by running, which is nice, but it means I get a little bit of a late start. Today I didn't run. I've got what I thought might be flu, but now think is just sinus issues and it was pouring rain. I missed Pilates last night because I did think it was flu (my mother is under quarantine with noro virus) and I didn't want to infect the studio. So I should be feeling more on top of things because I have extra time, but I have more-than-usual to do, so instead I'm already feeling a bit frantic. The other thing that makes Tuesdays a little nuts is that I have to shift gears from Y2Knit to FIDM so I can go teach. Although I tend to teach the same classes from quarter to quarter, there is always stuff that needs updating, new ideas to be put into practice, and then the bane of any teacher's existence, grading homework! This quarter I'm teaching a class which was newly introduced last quarter, so although I've taught it once, we tweaked it a bit over the break and my class is twice as large as it was last quarter. I brought in a guest speaker, Josh Zerkel, last week for my Tuesday class, so now we've got to cram two classes into one! This is funny since Josh was talking to us about being organized and how to keep track of our busy lives!

So I post this to show my commitment to posting, but I've got too much to do to add photos!

Interchangeable Needles

2010-04-20T08:16:00.000-07:00

A bit confused about interchangeable needle sets? Y2Knit carries the addi and Hiya Hiya. Here's the summary of what each offers:

The addi Turbo® Click system provides 10 different sizes of addi Turbo® tips (3.5mm, 3.75mm, 4.0mm, 4.5mm, 5.0mm, 5.5mm, 6.0mm, 8.0mm, 9.0mm, and 10.0mm), three different lengths of the new, extremely pliable blue cord (24”, 32” and 40”), and one connector piece which helps to either store stitches or combine your cords.

The Click tips require no tools to change; simply insert the cord deep into the tip, twist and release. The tips will remain secure until you change them, thanks to the Click’s revolutionary locking mechanism!

Click tips and cords can be ordered separately. The replacement/additional cords come in packs of 3 of the same size or a combo pack of the three sizes.

Taking orders now for the addi Lace Click system, which provides 8 different sizes of addi Lace tips (3.5mm, 3.75mm, 4.0mm, 4.5mm, 5.0mm, 5.5mm, 6.0mm, 8.0mm), five different lengths of the new, extremely pliable blue cord (16", 20", 24”, 32” and 40”), and one connector piece which helps to either store stitches or combine cords. Separate cords and tips are not available yet, but will be in the future.

While the 24”, 32”, and 40” cords from both addi Click sets are fully compatible with any style of tip, the new 16” and 20” cords are not compatible with the Turbo® tips. The length of the Turbo® tips combined with these smaller cords, will not allow for proper knitting.

Very popular are the Hiya Hiya Interchangeable kits. These kits come in four options:
4" small (sizes 2-8)
5" small (sizes 2-8)
4" large (sizes 9-15) (available soon)
5" large (sizes 9-15) (available soon)

Each kits comes with the designated tips and four cord lengths. A long screw ensures these won't come undone easily.

Additional tips and cords can be ordered, ala carte: tips in the sizes available in the kit and cord sizes 16, 24, 32, 40 and 60". The 60" cord is not in the kits. The cords for the small and large kits are NOT interchangeable, but work on both 4" and 5" tips for the small or large needles.

Body Progress

2010-04-19T12:26:00.000-07:00

These pictures will make sense as you read this. I'm tired of trying to get them where I want them!

I have cast on, knitted the trim, decreased to the body, and worked my first decrease for the waist on my Sea Shell. The mistakes I made getting going on both my sleeves didn't plague me this time, so I have apparently internalized the pattern.

I have made my sleeves slightly shorter than the pattern, and will have to assess the body once I get a bit further. I am very short waisted, so I always want to avoid having too much that calls attention to that in a negative way. Because I have long legs I tend to emphasize that by keeping tops shorter and favoring sleeves that are shorter if they are above the elbow. By keeping the sleeve length more proportionate to my body I can keep myself from looking too body-length challenged.

We got up early again this morning so I got to knit for 15 minutes. It was kind of a cheat because I had already used some of that 15 minutes to tidy up my jewelry, but no one was here to know that. I got the idea to redo my jewelry shelf the other day using one of those stair-step shelves you buy for kitchen shelves. When I went to the Container Store (one of my favorite stops) they had a stainless steel one. I had measured my shelf and knew I would only need half of the pair so bought it with the thought that I could use the other half in the cabinet next to the stove where the spice overflow, salt and pepper, olive oil, etc. live. I arranged that Friday morning because I had to get it off the counter before the cleaning guy came. It is lovely and makes a rather limited space very attractive and useful.

So today to the jewelry. I have a beautiful box which Mitch bought for me at my request, but it was wasted in the closet because I never closed it so you couldn't see the lovely top. It didn't take long to take out my current arrangement and replace it with my nifty shelf. Hopefully this will forestall the panic I often feel when I can't immediately find the pin I'm looking for. I wear a pin almost every day and when I walk into my closet to get one I almost always know what I want (occasionally my first choice doesn't work, but I've been doing this a while!), but since I have no system, I often have to dig around looking for one. Sometimes I forget to take them off my clothes and I have to go look in the laundry.

But now they all sit proudly on their shelves! This suits the dimensionality of some of them, and the flatness of others. I feel badly when I forget about one of them and don't wear it for a while. That cool almost-circle one at the top was given to me by my sister Sally many, many years ago and is still a great pin; with necklines currently being fairly low it is a challenge to wear.

What do knitters want to knit?

2010-04-17T11:06:00.000-07:00

We were asked this question recently. It's a tough one to answer, mostly because there isn't a simple answer. Not only are we all different in terms of what we want to knit, but we also have different interests at different times.

Kim, who you could count on to be knitting lace, spelled by socks, is whipping out a sweater. As the weather warms, we might put aside heavier projects and pick up lighter ones. Audrey has decided that wool is okay in the heat, if it's lace weight Malabrigo. I love the intricacies of garments, but I'm having a great time with Trapezoid, Jill's latest pattern that is quite simple. I'm just watching the fabric grow. I'll be wearing this very soon!

So many things impact our desire to knit a particular item. Yarn, stitch patterns, needle size, time. What's going on in the rest of our lives is significant. Traveling, working hard, taking a vacation and family obligations will have an impact on how much we can pay attention to our knitting. Sometimes a washcloth or scarf is all we can manage.

While WHAT we want to knit may not always be clear, that we WANT to knit is.

And There Were Two

2010-04-16T10:07:00.000-07:00

I finished my second sleeve!

Yesterday was a crazy day. Just odd, not bad, just not really under my control which is unusual, but more unusual, I managed to not get freaked out about it. How this is in any way related to my second sleeve is that in the craziness I suddenly had almost an hour of time with nothing to do and the only thing I had with me was my knitting! I knitted for a while, then cleaned out my purse which had been driving me crazy because there was so much paper drifting around in it, then knitted a bit more.

I continued to knit while I got a pedicure, and in fact overshot by an entire pattern repeat (8 rows). So when I finally sat down last night to knit, I ripped back to Rnd 7, bound off my stitches and moved the sleeve to waste yarn! After dinner I cast on 192 sts for the body and got most of the way through the first row of the body. Reading that it sounds like I must be the slowest knitter in the world. But if you don't eat dinner until after 9 pm, there isn't really that much time to knit if you also read the newspaper and eat dessert and go to bed at 10:30.

We got up at 6 am today because Mitch had to be at the office early. I always try to do something I wouldn't normally have the time for when I have to get up early, so I put the gas grille grills in to soak and finished my first row, joined and worked my first two rounds. Body is officially underway.

Buffalo Gals

2010-04-15T08:50:00.000-07:00

Jill and I are visiting Buffalo, WY next month. When I booked the Bunkhouse Room at the Occidental Hotel, Angela reminded me that our arrival night (Thursday) is Bluegrass Music night. I'm so excited.

We'll be visiting Buffalo sites in anticipation of our upcoming event in September.

While listening to Fresh Air podcast this morning, I learned that the recently deceased Malcolm McLaren had a song "Buffalo Gals." Published in the 70s, it has a hip hop sound. Lyrics aren't notable, unlike the more traditional "Buffalo Gals." The Boss has a good rendition of the latter version. Every Time I Die also did a song "Buffalo Gals."

For May 13-16, we'll be Buffalo Gals.

Late Night means Progress

2010-04-15T08:08:00.000-07:00

I sat down to knit last night about 8:30. I taught a class at FIDM and then came home and puttered for a bit then buckled down and did some ironing which I had threatened to do earlier in the week. I still have 5 shirts left, but I got all my stuff caught up which was nice. I was pretty tired (always takes a lot of energy to do the first day of class), but it was Mitch's Board night so he would be late and I figured it would be good knitting time--which of course it was, if you don't count the 2" I knit that had to be ripped and redone. But I got all the green done before I got too tired to knit, so I'm about halfway done with the second sleeve. I'm going to challenge myself to get it done tonight so I can cast on the body! Then, I think I'll challenge myself to see if I can just do the knitting correctly the first time! Jeesh, you'd think I could follow a pattern!

Great Writer

2010-04-14T09:12:00.000-07:00

Last night we took Mom to see Ian McEwan at City Arts and Lectures. I love these talks because I am so interested in how creative people make lives and careers for themselves. And it is so fun to see people whose work you admire. I have read most of what Mr. McEwan has written (not his children's books or all of his non-fiction) and much of what has been written about him (thanks to Mitch's clipping service). This was a standout though. Funny, smart, humble, educated, writerly. Even the audience didn't ask silly questions.

I carried my knitting with me all day, but never had a minute to knit. I had maybe 7 minutes before the CAL where I could have knit, but I didn't. I talked to my mom instead, which is also important. By the time we'd dropped Mom off at the Heritage, drove home and fixed dinner, it was 10:25 pm.

All that I have to show for knitting yesterday is that I got my knitting into a project pack and got the pack into my bag.

Malabrigo Clearance

2010-04-14T07:34:00.000-07:00

Spring finds us with odds and ends of Malabrigo. I really want to freshen this, so I need to sell some first. All colors and quantities are posted on Ravelry.

Malabrigo Lace: $7 each

Malabrigo Silky Merino: $9 each

Malabrigo Worsted: $9 each

Malabrigo Chunky: $9 each

Progress

2010-04-12T14:05:00.000-07:00

It was nip and tuck but I got my first sleeve done on schedule. I even contemplated starting the second, but was just too tired. Not only am I challenged by lack of time, but lately by lack of sleep. Too many things in my brain to handle in the awake hours, so the brain turns on mid-sleep. But I did get started today while the repairman was fixing my stove. So I'm actually on track and ready to work on it tonight after Pilates and garbage and ironing.

This has been a crazy day, but I do have photos, so that's how I'll end.

Music

2010-04-09T07:26:00.000-07:00

Here are the photos you should have gotten yesterday. Just for fun.

Last night the show at Yoshi's with Bill Frisell and Marc Ribot was just mind-blowing at times. This often happens to me at concerts where they are playing new music. I just get completely overtaken by something I never expected. Last night was unexpected. I was expecting a show of more experimental jazz and what I got was American Songbook, but it was played in the most unexpected way. Apparently the unnamed (as yet) group has done an album of country songs featuring singers (not necessarily country), but in arrangements that are completely not country.

Let's just say that I will never think about Roger Williams and Dang Me! in the same way. When Bill and Marc got their guitars screaming it was really quite incredible. Marc also sang, in a really pleasant, non-professional voice, and the whole thing was really eye-opening. Great to see musicians enjoying themselves and each other. Whew.

Jazz reminds me of designing.

2010-04-08T08:22:00.000-07:00

Today's post will be photoless until the battery recharges on my camera. I guess I also need to get in the habit of regularly recharging that. I am often caught with a dead battery on my cell phone because I don't use it except to let Mitch know I'm on my way home, or occasionally to ask a questions of him when I'm out, or call my mother to let her know I'm running late, so it just doesn't get used much. It is, at this point, probably four or five years old--maybe even older than that. We got the same phone whenever we bought them, and at some point I dropped mine and it lost a button which made it difficult to use some of the features, but I didn't use them, so it didn't really matter. Last year Mitch got a new phone and took my phone number chip out of my phone and put it into his phone so I could have all my buttons. I have since learned to use that button to find missed call numbers, but that and accessing my recently called numbers are all I do. Mitch frequently calls in and deletes messages for me. So, long and short, I have no habit for recharging things--and this camera seems to go through a charge fairly quickly.

I was all jazzed about a new-to-me yarn from Schaefer Yarns called Audrey. What got me going on this yarn was her Memorable Writers colors. Not that the Memorable Women colorways aren't fabulous, but I just loved the idea of pairing a knitting project with a reading project!

I'd been rolling a cardigan concept in my head for months, maybe years, but it was actually quite simple and needed the right yarn. So when I saw Audrey, I knew it was a match made for knitting. Cheryl Schaefer graciously agreed to provide yarn, and while waiting for the undyed product to arrive at her studio, sent me a bit to swatch so I could finish my pattern while I wait. This yarn bit arrived in yesterday's mail and before I left for Pilates I cast on so when I got home I could knit as soon as I had a minute. So I have about 5" to show off, but no camera!

BTW, the yardage on this yarn is awesome--700 yards to 4 ounces. Fingering weight, silk and merino single-ply. Swatching on size 4(3.5mm) needles and getting about 6.25 sts/in. The ball band suggests 8 sts/in on size 1, but this is a cardigan, and I want it to be slightly open, so 6.25 is great.

I feel a bit disloyal as I have not touched my Sea Shell knitting since Monday. I got distracted by my swatch to test out my lace trim on Tuesday (which I haven't finished either) and then by Audrey yesterday. Tonight I go see my favorite musician, Bill Frisell so I won't get much knitting done.

Another Thread

2010-04-07T08:17:00.000-07:00

In the interests of efficiency I am trying to combine two projects. How can that be, you might ask. I am having a session with a videographer today to figure out what I need to know to create videos for online classes. Presumably I will need to show her something so she can test out possible processes, I need to write a class plan, and have some technique to demonstrate.

I'm working on a trim for a shawl. When I say that, I mean I'm trying to figure out the trim for a shawl that is currently being knit in Bijou Basin Laceweight yak. I'm looking for a way to adapt a crochet technique to knitting needles. Surprisingly, I thought about it for a while and I think I've got it! But then I needed a swatch to try it on, and it needed to be using larger-than-laceweight yarn, in a light color. Lucky for me I have many lovely yarn offerings from Yarnsisters and Zealana, so I picked up the pale lilac Cashmere/merino--I mean why not make a swatch from the best possible yarn?

That was what I knit on last night. Sadly, at some point about Row 11 of the swatch I missed a YO so I had to do some frogging to get back to that Row and so I'm not finished yet. I did take a couple of pictures to demonstrate starting from the center for a counterpane and how it looks a few rows in, and establishing a lifeline in lace.

2010-04-06T16:30:00.000-07:00

I am determined to get into the practice (and hopefully learn to use my camera) of documenting my progress on some of my knitting projects.

We have reconstituted the Sea Shell Knitalong on Ravelry and I am back to knitting it. I am working on my sleeves, which will have red trim, then lime for the rest. I had a bit of a rocky start, but seem to be moving along

nicely now. This is a mediocre picture of my trim. I kind of got going late last week, but realized I'd done the pattern wrong,

so ripped back to the trim on Sunday while waiting for dinner to cook. I got back into knitting it after dinner, and got past where I'd ripped Sunday. Mondays I don't get a lot of knitting done because I usually work in my office until I leave to run (often literally!) to my Pilates class, then I get home about 8 p.m. and put the garbage out.

I have a little knitting time while waiting for Mitch to get home from his Pilates session, then a little more after we have dinner about 9:30. So I'm lucky to get an hour of knitting in. But last night I did get about another 1.5 inches done. Today I put in Stitch Dots, and while cropping my photos, I realized that I have actually done one more increase than I have marked, so I only have about another 1.5 inches left to knit before I put this sleeve aside.

These plant fiber yarns are really a pain when the ball starts to fall apart. I had saved a mesh vegetable bag (I have another one, probably in a drawer in the kitchen--I need to find that), and tamed the yarn that had come undone on the outside of my ball and put it in the mesh bag. Nicely behaved yarn. I think I bought 5 lbs of potatos in that bag! I buy all of my produce at the local farmers market and actually avoid buying the ones that come in these bags because they seem wasteful, but I'll have to remember this for plant fiber yarns. I've had a bit of time lately unravelling messes of plant fibers.

If you're interested in the Knitalong, check this out. http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/sea-shell-knit-a-long-is-back-on-april-1st-2010/1063402/1-25#14

Colors of Tuscany

2010-03-26T03:39:00.000-07:00

When planning the project for our retreats, Jill and I get to pick yarn. She selected a nice summery blend from Zitron, one of our favorite yarn companies because he is very eco-conscious. Jill had the brilliant idea of selecting pics from our Tuscany collection and choosing yarn colorways from that. I made the collage of her pics. It's so summery and colorful. Now to pick a colorway. . .I like them all so much!

If you haven't signed up yet and Tuscany is calling, check out details. We still have a few spaces left.

Knitted Animals

2010-03-17T08:17:00.000-07:00

Some of us at Y2Knit are knitting Safari Friends to fill a tote for the Breast Cancer Awareness Purse Auction on May 2. We think this will be a winner. Pictured are a couple of zebra, an elephant and monkey. Missing for this pic are Gertie Giraffe and Brother Monkey. We hope to have more! If you are interested in the pattern, give me a jingle.

I took the basic structure and created a First Bunny for my youngest grandson who will be 8 months old when he gets it on April 4.

Trunk Show Report

2010-03-12T11:35:00.000-08:00

Great attendance, great food, unbelievably beautiful yarn from Schaefer Yarn and Red Barn Yarn (pictured). I had a great time and I think everyone else did as well based on feedback I've received.

We'll have to do this more often! Tina and I are already planning our next one for the fall.

For those who didn't make it, a trunk show is a special showing of yarns we don't usually carry in the shop. The yarn is for sale, but it's fine to just enjoy checking it out.

I bought some of what didn't sell to keep in the shop, so stop by to check it out!

Heirloom Knitting

2010-03-05T15:03:00.000-08:00

Every once in a while someone contacts me about unfinished projects left by a deceased person. My most recent encounter of this kind necessitated the completion of three baby blankets. This kind of project is rewarding in that the projects are useless unfinished and by finishing them, the intended can enjoy them. I enjoyed knitting the border (I had to do about 40% of it--way more than I initially estimated) and I think the finished product is one that will be treasured.

Find Spring and Inspiration! March 10 Event

2010-02-23T03:34:00.000-08:00

Join Y2Knit for a Colorful Yarn Trunk Show

A leader in hand dyed yarns for the last 18 years, Schaefer Yarns offers rich colors in several different yarns, each individually dyed. With yarns developed exclusively for Schaefer Yarns in the USA, the artists add the color magic begging the knitter’s creative touch.

Red Barn Yarns arrives more recently on the yarn scene, with a line of high quality, hand painted yarns in luxurious, richly saturated colorways. Dyed in California, Red Barn Yarns finds inspiration in nature and the world around us.

Find yarns that speak to you.
Hang out and knit.
Enjoy the color. Get inspired.

March 10, 3-8pm
Refreshments

Snowy knitting

2010-02-11T05:33:00.000-08:00

The storms have passed (21" + 18" of snow) and we're very slowly working towards normal, though that may not occur for a few more days. Y2Knit is open: thanks to Audrey, Nancy and Dennis I have two parking spaces cleared. The walks are shoveled (better than the picture, which was taken yesterday) and the porch is clear.

Feel free to buzz at the side door and I'll let you in that way if you want to avoid the walk.

If you want to send someone out to pick something up, like those needles you need to finish a project, call and I'll have it ready. I've been doing that all week! He doesn't even have to come inside.

Friday, Feb 12 is Social Knitting. Come anytime during the day, but expect more people here between 10-12 and 7-9. Consider this a great opportunity to get out of the house! I'll have chocolate and tea.

I also have some sale yarn from Cascade (discontinued colors) and I'm passing the savings on to Y2Knit customers. I have cotton, pima tencel and a lovely angora/wool blend. $3-$5/ball.

I know many people cannot get out of their homes or neighborhoods yet. Don't despair! Share your snow stories here--I've found feeling connected to others the single most important thing through all of these stormy days.

If anyone is stuck and needs help, let me know. I can see what your fellow knitters can do to help. Keep knitting and when you need knitting companionship, more yarn or supplies, visit Y2Knit!

More Snow

2010-02-10T07:40:00.000-08:00

I just shoveled about 10" of snow. Snowfall was heavy this morning, but has dropped off, though blizzard still predicted for soon. Shop is closed today--no one is out.

Compare these pics to those below taken after the last storm.

Snow/Weather conditions

2010-02-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

I'll post the snow/weather conditions daily on the website. Two parking spots are clear and there is on the street parking. Walkways are clear. Snow has started at 11am. No class tonight (Tues) or Wed. We'll try again next week.

Snow @ Y2Knit

2010-02-07T14:36:00.000-08:00

We received about 21" of snow in a big storm. I shoveled a small path so I could get out if needed.

Audrey came by today and we cleared wider walkways and did the front. After a cup of tea, we cleared two parking spaces. Great exercise!

More snow coming, so stop by for more yarn!

Gifts2Knit

2009-11-24T12:27:00.000-08:00

Jill and I compiled some patterns for unique gifts. These are all quickies and great stash busters!

Gifts2Knit $9.99
Five Gift Projects in Worsted Yarn
Yarn Cost Less than $10 Each
Knit Up in Under 4 hours

* Felted Pouch
* Eyecover
* Luxury Eyelet Rib Collar
* Soap Sack
* Holiday Ornament
* Bonus pattern:  Crocheted Holiday Wreath

All projects used worsted yarn–these are great stash busters!

This is an e-book download only. No shipping. Check out our yarn special too!

New Yarn, New Events

2009-11-08T06:30:00.000-08:00

In the shop, we received new Malabrigo yarns: Aquarella and Twist. What delight!

Both cost $14:
Aquarella is not a new yarn, but new to the Y2Knit yarn shop. 65 yards of thick/thin wool in "water color" dyes. Stunning and hard to see in this pick (to the left), so stop by!

Twist is new to Malabrigo and beats everything they have done in my opinion. It's a plyed baby
merino (lace, 8 strands). 150 yds and a worsted to bulky weight.

I've already knit up a scarf in Aquarella, which is a thick/thin soft wool (is soft redundant when talking about Malabrigo?). I took an "old" design of Jill's (which are often at their best a few years after she designs as she tends to be ahead of fashion times) and reworked it, with only minor revisions. I like the affect and the yarn is delicious. I knit this in just a couple of hours of knitting time.

Felt balls made the perfect embellishment, though beads would do nicely too. This makes an artful accessory with interesting textures, color and movement.

Scarves are a great way to make old outfits seem new and a lot less work than a sweater!

Arriving in Montisi

2009-10-30T14:14:00.000-07:00

It is about a 90 minute drive from Rome's Fiumicino airport and Montisi, excluding stops. Our driver Mossimo lived outside Rome and commuted for 15 years, so he is an expert driver. His significant other, Liz Cochrane, has importuned him to keep his hands on the wheel when others are in the car with him. Italian drivers have some interesting interactions, some of which, according to Mossimo require both speaking and use of hands! Sometimes just a deadly stink eye is given. It is a much more relaxing drive for all of us since we don't have to think about the driving or whether we're going to miss a turnoff.

With Mom (Jane) into the front seat, Susan and I get caught up on business and family things that had occurred while I had been on vacation; Mom is pretty tired (at 86 the time change is a little harder to roll with) so she isn't as active a conversationalist as she might usually be. After about an hour we stopp for lunch at an Italian fast food spot that Mossimo give his approval to and we have sandwiches which are tasty and Mossimo gets a couple of smokes in before we hit the road for the final stretch. In retrospect I think Mossimo may have been killing some time to give Liz time to finish tidying up the apartment Susan and I will be sharing. Liz had visitors come by that morning to buy paintings so had gotten a late start on that chore but had sold art which is good. They speak a couple of times, the last time as we leave Sinalunga, about 12 km from Montisi.

I was flooded with memories of our first arrival in Montisi (April 2008) and the several trips between Montisi and Sinalunga in September/October 2008 when we were there for three weeks. On that first trip, as we rode to Montisi in a van driven by Daniele, I remember not only how visually stunning it was, but a song I love (Redemption Song, performed by Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros on Streetcore) coming on the radio--both are inextricably entwined in my memories now. Tre Quanda is the first medieval village that appears, then the Montelifre estate, and finally, Montisi. After we turn onto Via Umberto I we pass the bakery (awning down meaning closed), La Romita and Il Rondo, then Il Barrino, Villa Maddelena, the gift shop, the (New!) farmica, the florist, and the alementare, all closed because it is after 13:30--time shifts to the 24-hour system in Europe--and on to the Laconda B&B where Mom will spend the night. A quick glance at the Tabac as Mossimo parks in the piazza to see if it is also closed (of course it is), and to the Bancomat, which is always open. Not much action in the piazza and it looks different (there was scaffolding up in 2008 so it looks much more open now that the scaffolding has been removed), but it is good to be back.

At the B&B there is a sign taped to the door for Mom telling her which key to take and which room is hers. Although her room is on the top floor, it is situated overlooking the piazza and up Via Umberto I and she is excited enough to not mind climbing the stairs. I carry her suitcase up (she's a light packer); we are all in La Locanda for the first time so we're taking in the details and enjoying the discovery. Susan and I know Mom will take a nap and then sit in the window taking in the activity as the village comes back to life later in the afternoon. We leave her so Mossimo can drop us off and go on with his day (which we soon learn includes his nap). Mossimo backs up the hill to the Church in the Castello and we grab out stuff and roll our bags the rest of the way to Liz and Mossimo's home and our digs for the next week.

There's a sign on the door to the courtyard that there is a new kitten in the courtyard, but we don't see her until later (seriously, everyone retreats behind closed doors between 13:30 and 16:30). Liz greets us and shows us into the apartment and there is lots of discussion about sleeping arrangements and she finally agrees that I can sleep in the single bed in the sitting room with Susan in the larger bed in the bedroom and that I'll be totally okay. I take in Liz's artwork on the walls and the darling tiled wood stove and make up my bed while she and Mossimo confer and I know it will be a lovely place to sleep. Susan and I usually don't leave the Villa until after 10 p.m., so we won't be spending much time in the apartment; Liz puts on the kettle and she and Susan have tea while we chat the afternoon away.

We've been in Montisi for all of two hours and we have already hatched a plan for a week of knitting plus color lessons from Liz. I'm totally jazzed as this is along the lines of what I have been thinking about on vacation. Yeah! I think Liz, Susan and I will be a fabulous collaboration team.

Returning to Italy

2009-10-21T08:59:00.000-07:00

On Oct. 9, at an insanely early hour I set out for Heathrow from our London hotel via cab. It was expensive, but I just wasn't sure I could manage the underground without help at that hour, when I'd never taken it to the airport. I am directionally challenged, and when presented with unanticipated options--like signs that say something other than what I was expecting--I get confused. Despite this, I'm a pretty intrepid traveler, and I always get to my location.

Fortunately the alarm had gone off (although no requested wake up call), and I managed to get the water so it wasn't ice cold (do they shut off hot water overnight?). I had some trepidation, but not about the trip to the airport, or even about meeting Susan at the airport in Rome (see below), but because the email from British Airways with my itinerary had the wrong dates and was to Mitch, not me. I had noticed this in Barcelona, but decided to take my chances. I knew Mercury was in Retrograde--as evidenced by all the glitches in our travel planning, so I just decided it would work out and I wasn't going to sweat it. But despite my certainty, it was possible that it would be an incredible problem if it didn't work out.

At the airport I checked in, but on the final screen at the kiosk it told me to see an agent. This made me a little nervous, but it was really too early to get in a twist--4:50 a.m. I waited on line and got checked in and dropped my bag without a problem. Starbucks was open--as was another similar business, but the Starbucks actually seemed less challenged by the prospect of making and delivering beverages to customers, so I chose it and got an espresso and muffin and settled in to wait until the shuttles to the gates opened at 6:10 a.m. I can't really remember most of the flight, or the details of getting on the plane; I was in 16F and I'm sure I slept most of the way. My only memory of the flight was looking out the window as we approached Rome and thinking Bella Italia! I read my book until it was possible to get off the plane and walked to the immigration lines, which weren't unreasonably long, but full of Americans who seemed to be the biggest whiners and complainers in the world; I guess they didn't realize that the Italians have their own way of doing things, which is why Italy is different from the US. My book was really good, and I read to shut them out. A little surprised that the immigration officer asked if I'd had trouble with the law when I was last in Italy, but that process, as usual, went without a hitch.

Now the tricky part. The day before in London I had been unable to charge my cell phone. Since I didn't recall Susan and I making arrangements to connect by phone this didn't seem like a big problem, but it

totally freaked Mitch out. He even offered to let me take his phone. He began quizzing me about what arrangements Susan and I had for meeting and was completely unsatisfied with my description of Mossimo picking Susan and Mom up then picking me up. He was making me a little crazy on the subject so I suggested that we call Susan. We caught her just as she was leaving the house and she repeated our arrangements (see above) and I wished her a good flight and said I'd see her in Rome. Mitch is right that it was completely unreasonable that we should expect to just "meet at the airport", but I planned to go to the marked exit for arrivals and look for Mossimo's black and yellow station wagon. I'm tall with bright red hair, how hard could it be? So I was coming out the doors from immigration and carefully reading the signs when my name was called by Susan. T

here she was, there was Mom, and most importantly, there was Mossimo (being picked up by a nice-looking Italian gives anyone a lift!). Indeed, as Mom had said when I'd last seen her in San Francisco before Mitch and I left for vacation, "See you in Rome!"

Photos are fresh basil and olive oil from Castlemuzio taken in my SF kitchen. I have no Italy pictures.

My grandma went to Tuscany and I got a sock monkey

2009-10-20T14:57:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful time in Montisi, as always. The weather was great, though cooling towards the end of the week. We drank wine, ate wonderful food, connected with new friends and old and enjoyed watching the activities of village life.

I knit some swatches and ripped alot on some baby socks, which I finally finished on the plane. I knit a sock monkey for Zane, which I stuffed and finished when I got home. He's pretty cute!

Great Teachers

2009-09-28T14:26:00.000-07:00

Jill and I are great teachers. We know that and some of you know that.

A couple of days ago I taught two classes at Knitter's Day Out in Central PA. I taught a three-hour class I call Whoops!, which focuses on fixing mistakes. We cover everything from dropped stitches to fixing stitch pattern errors, including dropping down several stitches several rows. It's fun because the knitters get to make mistakes and have support while they learn to fix them. Most of the class were fairly experienced knitters with varying degrees of confidence on this topic. After class, several students went out of their way to tell me how helpful the class was to them and to tell me what a great teacher I am.

After a quick lunch, I taught Short Row Shoulders and Sleeve Caps for three hours. Again, the class was full of competent, experienced knitters ready to tackle one of the more complex techniques in knitting. We knitted, wrapped and picked up wraps, creating beautiful sloped shoulders and sleeve caps. No visible wraps or holes. One woman said, "This morning I took a short row class. After taking your class I know how to work short rows and I understand what I am doing." Another said, "I love the way you teach and it was clear you knew your topic because you never read to us from the handout, you just taught us." (thanks to Jill for the great handout and charts)

Back at the Y2Knit booth after class, several students came to me to tell me how helpful they found the class. A couple want to bring their knitting group to the shop for a class, which I look forward to teaching.

I love these opportunities to teach--at small conferences like KDO, at other yarn shops, at the Y2Knit yarn shop--wherever I can. For me, I hope to help knitters get over whatever keeps them from progressing with a technique. I want to open doors for them. I also love the aspects of working with women to build confidence in this small part of their life. I hope to inspire creativity and ways of being with our knitting and life.

For those of you who couldn't take the classes at KDO, I offer lots of classes at the shop. I'll teach whatever knitting class you want. I know my stuff and more importantly, I am a great teacher!

Knitting for Comfort

2009-09-23T07:33:00.000-07:00

Knitting for others has the potential to impact the knitter as much as the intended recipient. Something of us is knit into every stitch and when we knit with special intentionality, the product carries this with it.

I just finished a shawl for my sister Sally who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. She is a breast cancer survivor of 13 years and this is a different kind of cancer. What are the odds she would draw this lot again? My thoughts when I learned of the diagnosis is that I wish I could take this one for her (really? probably not--I'm not very heroic), but I instantly realized that's not one of the options.

Turns out the options aren't great, but then, life is. So anything that gives more of that is just wonderful. Sally can see it that way--that's one of the gifts she's been given. She has new/different support this time with a husband, twin boys, and many friends, including other survivors.

Knitting the shawl, which is not particularly remarkable knitting but some great yarn and colors, gave me an outlet for my frustration and anxiety about the situation. I could turn that into peace and comfort for Sally. I shared with her last night on the phone that I kept getting asked by customers what I was knitting and that I must have shared her story with 30 people. Thirty more people to support her in this situation. That was my (unknown at the time) intentionality in knitting this shawl.

It goes in the mail today with this note:

This shawl brings you

comfort
healing
centering calm

Thanks to everyone who asks and cares about Sally. After another biopsy Tuesday, she's still waiting for a treatment plan, which leans towards bilateral radical mastectomy. The only way to ensure that she doesn't get breast cancer again. Because life is so worth it.

New Yarn!

2009-09-16T12:55:00.000-07:00

Brushed Suri Alpaca

Picoboo

We usually fax orders to the yarn company, which works great EXCEPT that the fax machine had been storing, not sending, faxes. We caught up with that problem, got the stored stuff sent and had a huge UPS and FedEx delivery yesterday.

* We've got new colors in **Poems**.
* New Frog Tree colors in **Picoboo** (lush cotton/bamboo), the **Suri Alpaca** (perfect for [Tiffany][1]) and **Meriboo** (merino/bamboo, but doesn't it sound like some animal you'd run into in on the tundra?)
* More **Felt Balls**
* More **Sari Ribbon**
* New colors of **Eco Wool** from Cascade

Stop by for inspiration. The new colors are wonderful. (pictured above: Meriboo)

Yak Yak Yak

2009-09-12T07:29:00.000-07:00

When I read on Ravelry about YakMan's contest to see what people could do with a Bijou Basin Ranch sticker, my immediate thought was that I would put it over Rachel's mouth. It was one of those momemts when she was talking too much (there are many of those).

Then I remembered she has this t-shirt that says Yak Yak Yak. So put it all together and here we go.

You can participate in the contest too! If you're local, I have a few extra stickers, which, while I could easily use them again on Rachel, there's probably some law against doing that!

I wouldn't do this with just any old sticker, however. We're very fond of BBR and love their yarn. Jill designed Diamond Laces out of the Bijou Spun yak/bamboo. It's too delicious for words.