Happy August 1st

Happy august 1st.  I just came back from a short escape to Denver for a full day of shopping, and sleeping with a one year old.  It was all fun.  I went to see trends and what's new for fall in a real city.  Here's what I saw:  I saw a lot of orange--a nice bright warm, fall color; I saw a fair amount of polka dots--I happen to love polka dots.  I have some knitting patterns for polka dots--want to do a polka dot knit along?  I also saw very wide, drapey sweaters in off white cotton knitted with lots of yarn overs.  Another trend was sweaters knitted with a couple rows of knitting in one weight yarn followed by a couple rows of very light yarn.  Nice overall look, I think.  Saw lots of little sparkles knitted into casual sweaters-and guess what?  Oodles has lots of carry along colors of yarn with little sequins. 

Don't know what my next project will be.  I'm redoing a Dyelot Yarn Recovery package sample sweater 'cause I left out a small, important detail in the pattern, like decreasing both sides 10 times so I have to reknit it.  Next I might knit a color block sweater--another trend I saw while shopping my feet off.  Color block is knitting square or rectangle, or even triangle shapes in different colors on the same garment.  A lot of the color block sweaters I saw were made of colors you might not ordinarily think of putting together--like red with yellow orange, or cobalt blue with orange (again), I saw lots of cobalt blue, and lots of black and white. 

I'm starting to get my new fall/winter yarns in day by day!!!  It's so exciting!!!!  I already got some Lucci rayon multicolored yarn--some with sparkles, some without sparkles, some to knit alone, some to mix with others.  I also got some Berroco Vintage Chunky--washable wool and something not wool.  It's 3 1/2 sts/in and a really good buy at $8.00 a ball.  Next week new Misti alpaca is scheduled to arrive in worsted and bulky, plus...I can't remember.  Will fill you in next blog.

Happy knitting and stay cool.  It's air conditioned Oodles ya know.  Bev

Aha!  I just found the SAVE button.  I've been writing, distracted by something or other, and whenever I come back to the computer, what I wrote is GONE.  NO MORE!  I will use the save button and attempt to complete at least one thought.  And that thought for today is knitting with linen.  I recently went shopping and looked at the Eileen Fisher sweaters.  Good Grief, they're expensive!  Beautiful in their simplicity, so I made my own version of an Eileen Fisher cardigan for a lot less than a purchased one would cost.  Once I overheard a knitter tell her friend who was shopping for a sweater, 'I could knit that for...twice as much!'  Well, in the case of Eileen Fisher knits, you can knit a linen sweater for half as much!  Personally, I love linen.  I'm making another linen sweater--this time, a blend of cotton and linen in dark aqua and purple, that is unbelievably soft.  100% linen is not soft.  It's sturdy.  It's machine washable.  It takes color beautifully.  It's perfect for summer evenings, inside movie theaters and grocery stores, and for spring and fall.  So come in and have a look at Oodles' linens and get started on a late summer/early fall simple, classic, all purpose cardigan.

There is one class left for this month.  It's Short Rows which is scheduled for July 28th.  I'll probably change the date, so if you're interested in learning all that you can do with short rows and how to do them, call a knitting friend and I can schedule a class for the two of you at your convenience.  Actually, I can do that with any class--get at least two people together and I can teach at your convenience, except Mondays.  I'm keeping Mondays to myself and my grandkids. 

Well, I hope your summer is going swimmingly.  Stay cool.  (Oodles is air conditioned, ya know)  Bev

Another day, another blog.  I was thinking about which comes first--the yarn or the pattern.  Which way do you think is best?  I'd say, it depends.  (Don't you hate that answer, but it's true.)  Sometimes I get a new shipment of yarn and I HAVE to knit something out of it.  Maybe I'll knit up a swatch just to see what it looks and feels like, but usually I've already seen it knitted up at the yarn show.  Sometimes I see a pattern of a sweater I want to knit so badly I'll roam the store and pick out every yarn that might work, and lay it next to the picture of the pattern.  (I never have made quick decisions.  The word 'impulsive' doesn't even come easily to my brain.  I literally have to stop and try to retrieve the word from my brain whenever I want to use it, which, obviously is rare.)

Anyway, I'm about to finish a project using MaggiKnits' white cotton boucle short sleeved summer top with a 9" black square centered in the front.  I really love this sweater.  I still want to do a neck edge and of course I have to sew in the sleeves--oh, @#$&&)(*!!  I think I lost a sleeve.  Anyway, this sweater will be the first of my kits to go on sale. 

Next project will be...well, I'm not sure.  I just got some yarn from Universal called Whistle, which is 4.25 sts/in on a 5 needle.  I was going to knit the ice blue, but that color didn't come in with the order I placed.  Rats.  I have it in a cool grey and a luscious champagne color.  Hmm.  I have two projects to work on now (not counting the black and white one which is 99% done)--one is a baby sweater for my granddaughter, Bea, and one is a light aqua in *k1, yo, k3, slip the first of the 3 over the other 2*, repeat from * to*.  It's really pretty and it's a fun and easy lace.  I'm knitting it on Dyelot Yarn's 50/50 silk and bamboo.  But three projects isn't too much. 

So that's all for today, my knitting friends.  More later (maybe even tomorrow)
Bev

Oodles blog is back!

Geez, Louise!  I've been working on finding out how to get back to my blog for nearly an hour and I don't have that kind of patience!!!!!  Now that I'm here I will try to regularly write informative knitting information and to keep you amused, but I can't promise. 

In June I went to The National Needle Arts yarn show in beautiful downtown Columbus, Ohio, to see what's new in the yarn world.  My overall impression is that (I can hardly believe this myself) fluffy, feathery yarn is back!  I'm not sure I'm going to have any at the store though, except one, whose manufacturer I can't remember at the moment, that is so exceptionally soft you have to make something out of it--something that you wear next to your skin.  I might make a night shirt out of it and wear it to  hibernate in next winter. 

I'm in the early stage of creating something new for Oodles. While I was at the show, I looked at lots and lots of pattern books, pattern leaflets, and finished projects but couldn't find much I thought my knitters would like to buy.  I found that my sweater designs are on the mark for knitters who want something more than a classic cardigan or a bikini or a headband or another scarf.  I am about to launch Oodles' Kits and club (the word 'club' will likely change as soon as inspiration hits me), available on line (as soon as my web site is up which will be SOON!!!) and at Oodles store.  These kits will be my original designs (I always get compliments on my sweater designs when I wear them at the yarn show--even from designers:  Cat Bordhi and Whatsername who owns Prism Yarn both complimented me on two of my sweaters at this past June show) and will include wonderful yarn from companies that aren't the run of the mill (haha) yarns.  They will include Dyelot Yarn, Yarns from Italy, Colinette, and who knows who else at this time.  Joining the club will give you discounts on the kits.

I may also do a mystery knitalong.  What's a mystery knitalong?  As soon as I found out, I thought it would be fun to do.  A mystery KAL is when you get pattern instructions a bit at a time, and you don't know what the finished piece will be until you're nearly finished.  Trust me, the KAL will never be a knitted bikini. 

If you have any suggestions or requests for anything in the world that has to do with knitting, please write me.  Talk to you again soon.  Bev

DIY-Creative Tourism in Santa Fe.

What a great idea!
http://santafecreativetourism.org/

Nicky Epstein Weekend in March at Oodles!

Just in case you don't know who Nicky is, she's a rock star knitting designer, author, and teacher.  She's written numerous books including the top selling Knitting on the Edge, Knitting Over the Edge, and Knitting Beyond the Edge, plus Nicky Epstein's Knitted Embellishments, Nicky Epstein's Knitted Flowers, Knitting On Top of the World, Knitting in Tuscany, Knitting a Kiss in Every Stitch, and her latest blockbuster best-selling book, Knitting Block By Block.


FRIDAY, MARCH 30th
Come meet other knitters and classmates at Oodles Yarn & Bead Gallery on Friday while shopping for yarn you don't find just anywhere, needles you may have forgotten, knitting patterns and kits for Nicky's designs, and a selection of Nicky's books for her to sign on Saturday.  Friday evening explore Santa Fe's endless selection of restaurants and get ready for a full, exciting day of classes on Saturday.

EDGINGS AND EMBELLISHMENTS
SATURDAY, MARCH 31st  9:00-Noon
This is one of Nicky's many fortes.  Polish your knitting projects with edging designs and embellishment ideas from Nicky.  With this fabulous class you'l learn a multiple of ideas and skills you will use repeatedly in your knitting...Don't miss this opportunity to learn Nicky's methods.
Experience:  Any level
Materials:  A variety of yarn and corresponding needles
Cost:  $80.00

INTARSIA AND FAIR ISLE WITH NICKY
SATURDAY, MARCH 31st 1:00-4:00
Nicky's way with color is fantastic.  Sign up for this class and you'll learn to read a knitting color chart, change colors in the same row using two hands, and how to mix, match, and combine colors for the most appealing results.
Experience:  Any level
Materials: A variety of yarn and corresponding needles
Cost: $80.00

RECEPTION, BOOK SIGNING, AND DESIGN PRESENTATION
SATURDAY, MARCH 31st 6:00-8:00
Meet Nicky and hear her informative presentation of her ten top design elements used to create her amazing designs which are often featured in Vogue Knitting magazines and other knitting publications, as well as on television and in museums.  Watch a style show of her finished designs, and enjoy schmoozing with other knitters.
Cost: $25

KNITTING BLOCK PARTY
SUNDAY, APRIL 1st, 1:30-4:30
Nicky will show a variety of textural stitches and designs to make attractive blocks from her latest book, Knitting Block by Block.  She also will share design ideas on assembling those knitted blocks into various and amazing projects.  She will have a fashion show with inspiring designs you can make with blocks and teach you how to design your own pieces. If you bring 4 knitted blocks 11" x 11" in any stitch pattern or patterns in colors you like to wear, you'll walk out of the class wearing a lovely capelette.  Bring extra yarn for sewing and embellishments.  Student with the most blocks gets a prize!

Sign up for all of Nicky Epstein's events and receive a $50 gift certificate from Oodles!

To register, call 505-992-2678

All events will be held at Vanessie's, 427 W. Water Street, Santa Fe (1/2 block west of Oodles).
http://www.vanessiesantafe.com/

 Aw, Geez.  I finally figured out how to get here to blog then I lost what I'd written so I had to step away from the computer for a few minutes.

 My apologies for being negligent in keeping my blog up to date, but man, I've had trouble remembering how to get here.  Now, I think I've got it. 
And, on top of that, I started writing, even uploaded a photo of new yarn, then somehow it disapeared.  And on top of THAT, I just took a break to rip out every stitch I knitted yesterday on an entrelac baby blanket I'm knitting.  That called for a cookie break and another cup of coffee.  I'm much calmer now.

Welcome to springtime in the Rockies!  A time for warming up, sunny days, blue skies, pollen, fire danger, wind, digging up documents for the IRS, and, of course, knitting cool, summer tops.  It certainly beats spring in the midwest--cold rain, more rain, flooding, tornado sirens, allergies, and herbicide commercials on TV.  I do love Santa Fe.

Well, I have LOTS and LOTS of new spring and summer yarn and patterns to tell you about (and if all goes well, to show you on line.)  OHMYGOSH--where to start!  The UPS man has delivered oodles of colors, textures, and blends of great fibers waiting for you to create something gorgeous. 


Alp premier

 I'll start with Feza Yarn's Alp Premier.  It's over 200 yards of ribbon, glitz, shiny and matt combinations in fabulous color combinations.  They make great, fast scarves or shawles or trim on anything.  I also have Alp Natural, also from Feza.  

Alp natural

They are 230 yards of handspun linen, silk, cotton, and viscose in saturated solid colors with about 7 different textures.  Another yar from Feza is Nirvana.  It's 100% washible bamboo in multicolors.  It's what I'm making the baby blaket out of.  I'd like a blaket out of it for myself.  It's great to knit with, although it does split if you're not careful. 

Here's some really exciting news!  I just got Maggieknits yarn for the first time.  I have linen, cotton, and some accent slubby viscose to match.  I got a few of her pattern books, too.  You'll either love 'em or wonder why I bought them. 

But, wait...there's more.  For you Noro lovers, I have four summer weights of Noro yarn each in various colorways and pattern books to go with them.  Some yarns are smooth and knit up striped, some are bumpy and have all over multicolors. 

I also have sequined yarn in white, gold, silver, black, and red.  Need a wrap for this opera season or for a wedding reception?  These will knit up beautifully.  Knitted on big needles carried along with a little sparkle or silk, they'll make a heavenly, gossamer summer wrap in no time flat. 

Have you seen the newest ruffle-by-itself yarn?  I have some from Trendsetter that has been going fast.  I have a sample in the store you can see.  I wish I could include the photo of it, but nooooo, I can't seem to get any more photos from my photos to this page.  I give up.  I'm going to knit.

Hope to see you at Oodles soon.  Bev