Spring is here!

Spring is not only here in the form of daffodils and crocuses, but we've got spring yarns too! I love the arrangement of pastel Cottonwood (Fibra Natura from Universal Yarn). It's 100% organic cotton dyed with natural dyes, except for the colors which do not require dyes.

Knitters are using this yarn for babies as it's very soft. It knits up at about 5.5 sts to the inch on a size 3-5 needle. We've also had it knit up in Y2Knit's Flirty Tank. You won't find a lovelier yarn for a facecloth, for baby or mom.

Keeping the spring theme, Jill and I purchased a couple new yarns at the trade show in January. Cotton Blossom from Farm House Yarn is a worsted weight cotton with a rayon twist which gives a nice sheen. We'll have our pattern, Star Mesh, available soon. It's lovely in this yarn and perfect for summer wear.

Another new yarn is Evolution from Chameleon Colorworks. Evolution is a stretched Merino. The stretching is a mechanical process, which makes the wool shiny and soft. It doesn't have the stretchiness, but seems to have good memory.

We're combining these two yarns in an Italian Summer Shawl pattern--the combos are fabulous. We'll share soon!

Helmet liners head to Iraq

John, the army guy who inspired our local helmet liner project came by on Thursday with his wife Melissa. They took away 150 helmet liners that he will take to Iraq. More hats have been delivered (like probably another 100), so if anyone knows a direct contact we can ship to, that would be great. Thanks to everyone who contributed!

Friends of Y2Knit

I'm going to post occasionally here about friends of Y2Knit: people we know who are sharing knitting and crocheting with others in some way.

Frankie Yourgulez-Buhrer, who lives near Funkstown in Smithsburg, MD, is one of the most generous people I know. She often comes into the shop to help fold patterns and price yarn. When I was contacted by Kathy Fisher at the Washington County Commission on Aging who was looking for someone to teach knitting and/or crocheting to seniors, Frankie volunteered. I knew she'd be perfect as she has a deep respect for "elders", as she calls them.

Frankie has been going to the Potomac Towers Senior Site in Hagerstown for a few months now. She took pictures the other day and I was amazed at the projects. She has taught knitting, crochet and cro-hook. She's obviously a good teacher!

Fall Knitting

It's fall, but it's sunny and warm. I want to get away from this computer and sit out in the sun and knit! I am thinking about hands today. My daughter, Rose, wants fingerless mitts to wear in her cold office. She requested, "A color that will go with everything, either black or hot pink". Not too many people think that hot pink goes with everything. In her case, it does.

I've wound a skein of black cashmere--I think I'll do those in a rib. Then I'm going to work up some 220 Superwash, an odd ball I have in a fuschia, which I know Rose will accept as it's in the bright pink family. I'll do that pair in a lace pattern I'm eager to work on.

I'm also eager to work with Autunno (pictured here), a lovely merino wool from DiVe that stripes. I was thinking about mittens, but I'm going to try to make lobster claw gloves. I have a pair for cycling and I like them...and they are different. Stay tuned.

Bon Voyage

Last night we had a party to say farewell to two of our friends. Sonja and Kathy both left us today to move on to the next phase of their lives. Sonja (left) heads home and then back to college. Kathy (right) is moving to Seattle to be close to family.

Sonja was a summer intern at Y2Knit and Kathy has a been a friend and helper to Susan since the day she moved to Funkstown and opened Y2Knit. They will both be missed by all of us. Both were regular attendees of Friday Night Social Knitting and KnitFlix.
After everyone had stuffed themselves with wonderful salads, Vietnamese dishes, fresh veggies and hummus dips,
cobbler, cheese cake, etc., we played Knitting Jeopardy. Audrey really knocked our socks off with this board she created. The cards flip over to reveal an answer on the back. We divided into teams and Audrey draw team numbers to determine the order. We had a blast!

Here's what the board looked like after the game. That's Audrey on the left and Susan holding the board. Then we played a game that required us to match the fiber to it's source and another one that required us to "name that fiber".

Then we moved on the presents! One of the presents Kathy received was a membership in the Y2Knit e-Connection, which is a one-year subscription program that provides an opportunity to experience eco-friendly and sustainable products in the yarn industry.

Sonja received a t-shirt and mug from our favorite late-night hangout, Krumpe's Do-nuts. We usually made a Krumpie's run every Friday after Social Knitting. She also received some yarn, needles, some dvd's, a Funkstown cookbook, some local memorabilia, and a big basket of fresh Leitersburg peaches. Frankie gave her a beautiful lizard pin that we all took turns wearing before giving to her so that some our knitting wisdom will go with it.

We're all really going to miss these two. We hope that Sonja comes back again in the future. Some of us a hoping to get a chance to go out to Seattle and visit Kathy someday. I know it's numero uno on my list of places to visit. We wish them both safe journeys and happy times!

More Field Trip Pictures

More pictures and story.

Y2Knit Field Trip

Janis and Marge

The social knitting groups from Y2Knit got together and went on a field trip Monday. We piled into cars and vans and headed south to Virginia. Janis and Marge rode with Doug and I in the Outback and we knitted and talked the whole way to Staunton, Virginia.

Our driver: my husband Doug (the only male in the entire group)

First stop: Chester Farms, home of Cestari Yarns. Mr. Chester (below) took half the group on a wagon tour of the farm while the other half toured the mill. Only a part of the operation is at this location. Most of the sheep are on another nearby farm. He talked about his sheep, Merino and Columbia, and it was clear that he really loves raising the sheep and improving the bloodlines and the wool. He was very enthusiastic about the whole process.

We got to meet Reggie, a partially shorn cat (matted hair removed) and some of the rams.

The whole yarn making process was fascinating. The machines used are all from a mill in Maine and were made in the 1940's. I saw a date of 1947 on one of them.



They send the wool to Pennsylvania to be dyed and it comes back in 700lb. bales.

They spread them out and feed them into a machine that mixes and fluffs them. Then they go into a huge machine that cards and combs to wool. It comes out the other end a pencil roving on long rolls.


The rolls are then taken to another machine that spins the roving onto spindles. The spindles are taken to another machine that plies them onto other spindles. Those spindles are taken to another machine that winds them onto really big spindles. The big spindles go to the last machine that winds them into center-pull skeins. I think. I could be wrong about any of those steps.

I took lots of video of the machine running. I hope to upload it to YouTube soon. Stay tuned for more later...

Yarn Sex

It was quite a sight at Social Knitting last night. I don't have a picture, regrettably, to share.

The Malabrigo yarn had arrived late and Sonja and I did not get it put away, rather it was on the table in the room where the social knitters meet. I left the room to get more chairs at some point and came back to find a bag of the lace weight (that beautiful teal pictured at the far left) ripped open and yarn being fondled amid a chorus of "oohs" and "aahs". Kim had looped the hank around her neck and was cuddling it. I think they liked it!



A couple of hours earlier, Sonja looked through the colors. We wanted to pick favorites, but it's too hard.

Sonja's Pullover

Sonja and I have been busy! One of the things she is working on is designing a pullover. With Jill's guidance we have started a top-down sweater that will have NO seaming. The yarn she is working with, Autunno from Cascade Yarns, is a dreamy soft merino that has subtle patterning when you knit.

We're also busy getting ready for the sale next week. We're celebrating the yarn shop being open 4 years.

We have one space left for our two weeks in Tuscany. I can't believe we have to wait another year! We've put together the Experience Tuscany Armchair Traveler portion and that information is now online. We do have fun!

Sonja

Sonja and I had a great time yesterday. First, we dyed some yarn with kool-aid, then we needle felted (That's why Sonja looks so excited in the picture).

Sandy D'Onofrio brought by a entrelac basket she had knit and we felted that. At the end of the day, Sonja's last act was to wind her newly dyed yarn into a ball so she can knit on it on her day off!

She's also knitting her first sock. Her knitting experience is limited, but she took big strides this week!

For anyone reading this who doesn't know, Sonja Holmgren is an intern from the U of Akron, spending the summer learning lots with Y2Knit. She's mostly in Funkstown, but will spend 2 weeks with Jill in San Francisco (yeah, tough). Sonja is a quick learner, eager and easy going, so she fits right in! We're really happy to have her with us.

Jill flies from SF to DC tonight (Wed, arriving early Thurs). I will pick her up, we'll load up the rental car (I don't travel long distances in my '92 Civic) and drive to Columbus, OH (about 6 hours).

We're not crazy! That's where The National NeedleArts Association trade show is this weekend. We set up our booth on Friday, I teach a class, we network, go to the Fashion Show (we have two of Jill's garments in this), and go to a dinner for the Intern program that we are participating in. It's a busy day! Sat - Mon we have our booth in the Market. We're taking orders for patterns and books. As we can, we briskly walk around the large Market to see what we want to buy for the shop and designing (more than we can afford). More networking, dinners and business to attend to. We're very excited. (The pic is from last year, but you get the idea)

The shop will be open--knitting is perfect for the hot afternoon/evenings when we may want to be inside!

We have such a good time at Social Knitting! We've been watching these summer tops out of Fixation take shape as Pat Riggle brings them to knit on. She became captivated by the stretchy cotton yarn and the fun colors and made these tops for her granddaughters. Another one is underway. She's not following a pattern, though has used some in Interweave Knits for her inspiration.

Pat is a prolific and skilled knitter, so she inspires us all.

At the top of the picture is the sheep cheese Terry Thorson brought. She bought it at the MD Sheep and Wool. It was fun to taste, but the chocolate truffles were better!

Pretty in Pink

I saw lots of pink this weekend as we were knitting chemo hats at the baseball game, which was to boost awareness about breast cancer and knitting both. It's cool how the two work so well together. The local Breast Cancer Awareness of CV has a support group called Hooks and Needles. Many of my knitting customers are survivors, and we've all been touched by breast cancer in some way. Read about Y2Knit's connection.

Thanks to Berroco for donating Plush and Velvet Touch for these hats!

In the Pink

On Sunday I helped out at the Breast Cancer Awareness-Cumberland Valley third annual purse auction. The numbers aren't in yet, but there was some high bidding on some fabulous bags. Y2Knit's contribution included a handknit purse by Susan filled with goodies from a local yoga studio. Generous customers filled a couple of knitting bags...one brought $150 at auction, but it's the only one I know the amount on at this time.

We're busy on the next project - finishing up the throws for the Hagerstown Suns Stitch n Pitch games this weekend. These will be raffled to raise money for BCA-CV. Thanks to everyone who created squares and helped put them together. We have three to contribute--the one pictured, one in the Suns colors (black, orange and white) and with leftover pink squares, a baby blanket!

Y2Knit Gets Makeover

We had a fabulous time, as always, at Kirkridge. Teri Simonds cooked us fabulous meals, and Jill and I delivered great slip stitches workshops. We couldn't have asked for a more agreeable, fun and interesting group of knitters.

Jill was at Y2Knit World Headquarters in Funkstown both before and after our Knitting Getaway at Kirkridge. I've been wanting to do a makeover on the shop, so we looked at it before we went to Kirkridge, then came back and made changes on Monday. I love the way it feels - more open, which is always my preference.





Sandy worked on Friday and rearranged all the needles--so much better now! This is a tedious task and I am grateful to her as it's not the kind of thing I do well and I can put it off forever.

Jill and I did lots of business planning and have some exciting programs planned for the next year. We have to get through TNNA, our trade show, then we can move to new and exciting things.

Coming soon: Stitch n' Pitch with the Hagerstown Suns. There's a game Friday, May 11, Saturday, May 12 and another Sunday, May 13 where we'll be offering knitting demos before the game and knitting during the game, of course.

The garden looks lovely, though I have to plant my vegetables or I'll be eating flowers!

Yarn Candy

Better than candy, these "puffs" of roving from Kraemer Yarns in yummy colors are perfect for needle felting projects. Monda plans to make the fruits and vegetables on the front of Craft magazine so we'll post pictures when they are done. Until then, we'll enjoy the calorie-free puffs! Call or email if you want some. We don't have them on the web for sale yet.

Next week I'm going to a crafter's fair in Greencastle, PA and will have these for sale.

Watch for pics of the Artfelt from Skacel, which I learned today should be here in a week. Jill and I have been waiting since January for this fabulous product!

Social Knitting February 23

Social Knitting meets 10-12 in the morning and 7-9 in the evening. The morning group tends to be knitters who are retired, not working or have a day off. On this day, someone remarked that everyone came some distance--Frederick, Shepherdstown and Martinsburg.

Kathy McClung is a fairly prolific knitter. She has worn this lovely sweater a couple of times lately--it's soft and warm during these cold winter days. Kathy knit the sweater last year in a sweater class.

Sandy D'Onofrio is a sock knitting maniac! This week, she tried this sock with a spiral stitch. There's no heel or defined toe so the sock can be rotated to reduce repeated wear in one place. I like that idea as I am tired of darning socks!

A take away from today's Social Knitting: check under your seat cushions when you need to find stitch markers!

I recommend attending Social Knitting for great restaurant reviews.

This is the scene outside Y2Knit today. It's been snowy all day--good thing the fire hydrant (imprinted with "Darling" on the front) has a warm hat and scarf to wear!!

Vice and Corruption

When a group of knitters gets together on a regular basis to knit and chat, you begin to learn things about each other. Last night we learned that the ever pleasant, talented and easy going Marge has a serious vice. Kim confessed to sharing this vice, though she seems to be on the edge, while Marge has clearly lept.

So, anyway, during our lively knitting discussion, Marge shares enthusiastically about how she likes to go to Krumpe's and indulge in what she considers to be something just this side of heaven. Kim joins in, as do others, sharing descriptions of these tender morsels that one acquires by driving down a dark alley late at night and standing in line with others partaking in this seemingly sacred ritual.

The virgins in the group became curious and somewhere between talk of what we were going to put into the Ag Fair, the latest on charity knitting projects, and speculation about Anna Nicole Smith's demise, we formed a pact: we would follow Marge to Krumpe's after Social Knitting.

As often is the case, everyone was reluctant to leave, which may have had something to do with how cold it was outside but is probably more related to what a good time we have together. A few small purchases were made, Abigail got some more attention, yakking continued...finally, I clapped my hands loudly at 9:30 and announced that I had a mission to fulfill.

Lights out and doors locked, Marge and Sue got in a car and headed down the road. Kathy and I got into Kim's car and we drove the short distance to Krumpe's. At Krumpe's Donuts, donuts are for sale Sun - Fri from 7 pm to 2 am. This family business is housed in a building (converted garage?) behind a home in a residential neighborhood that appears quite safe and sane. I fully expected to be the only ones nutty enough to be out in the cold at 9:30 at night seeking a holy donut experience.

We managed to find a parking space and squeezed into Krumpe's, lining up behind the others at the counter. Those ahead of me did not appear to be novices. Orders were placed and filled, currency exchanged and customers quickly exited the small service area. (A few minutes later, after my first donut hole, I realized why everyone left so quickly--to get outside and have a few silent moments while savoring that still warm, amazingly fresh and delicious pastry.)

This is a serious digression from knitting, but I believe it says much about the connections that happen between knitters. I have certainly turned many onto the fiber arts and contributed to more than my share of fiber junkie habits. Last night it was my turn for corruption and introduction to another vice. Thanks, Marge and Kim!

Friday Night Social Knitting at Y2Knit

Social Knitting was in full swing when I arrived an hour late. They had saved me a place though so I settled in and got busy.

To my left were Marge and Janice (left), both accomplished knitters who were working on exciting projects. Beside Janice was Frankie (below, in red), a talented silversmith, knitter, crocheter and cro-hooker (sounds interesting doesn't it?).



Across from me was Margret (left), also an accomplished stitcher who has been visiting us while her mother recouperates from surgery. We'll be very sorry to see her go and hope she comes back often to visit.

Next is Susan (right), shop owner extrodinaire, who hosts these get-togethers and offers liberal amounts of help, advice and encouragement. She taught me to knit and is my mentor in all things knitty.


Last but certainly not least is Kathy (below), who was busy making hats. She's also a great knitter and friend and I really look forward to seeing her at these events. She seems to be as enthusiastic about yarn and knitting as I am and I'm looking forward to going to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival with her this year. I'm a festival virgin and she's offered to show me around.

If you're ever in the Hagerstown, Maryland area on the second or fourth Friday of the month at 7pm be sure to stop by and see us. We'd sure love to meet you.