Burien Knit Bits

LYS Tour

2010-05-13T19:58:00.000-07:00

Holy Smokes!! The LYS Tour starts one week from today!! Hope you have your trip planned and are excited for four fun filled fiberific days!! I know we are bursting at the seams!! Hope to see ya on the tour!!

Shilah

2010-05-06T07:58:00.000-07:00

Well today my sweet little Shilah turns 5!! How on earth did that happen? Kids grow up so fast. She is all registered for Kindergarten next September - she can hardly wait to go. Well sweet pea - I love you more than you will ever know. Thank you for being such a bright spot in my life, for making laugh EVERY day and for always petting my thumb at bedtime. You are a very special little gift from above and I charish every moment we have together.

Whhoopppsie!!!

2010-04-21T18:14:00.000-07:00

Oh my - has it really been that long since I last posted?? Sorry!! Well the LYS tour is fast approaching! Get your needles and your friends together and get ready to hit the road! May 20 - 23rd! It's going to be a BLAST!!
As usual - I have a bazillion things on the needles and several others that just need a little finishing. I am working hard at getting them done in a timely fashion. Do ya think I could clone myself? I could use a spare one or two of me just to get everything done.
Well off to work on a "secret" project.

Cookie A class

2009-06-28T20:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had the pleasure of taking a class from Cookie A. at Renaissance Yarns in Kent - what fun. Cookie A is a delightful person, if you have the chance to meet her do so. Having knit several of her sock designs, I was more than eager and jumped at the chance to meet her. I was very thrilled to see so many of her own creations in person. I know - they are just socks you say - I say they are works of art. I will definitely be making many, many more of her designs.

3/50 Project

2009-04-28T19:05:00.000-07:00

One of our vendors sent us this link to a very interesting website - The 3/50 Project. This is a very inspiring concept and I hope everyone takes a few minutes to read the information. This is a grass-roots effort to help boost the economy and save the small independent business - this is near and dear to my heart.

Fun TImes

2009-04-03T23:03:00.000-07:00

Oh My Gosh!!! We received a humongous shipment of yarn today!! I spent most of the day imputing it and labeling it - I'm plum tuckered out!! I'm actually too tired to knit if you can believe it.
Plans are well on their way for the LYS Tour coming up in May - it's going to be a blast!! Grab your friends and hit the road. While we are busy getting the final details ready, be sure to get your map planned. It's going to be a blast - great prizes, daily drawings and terrific one skein projects await you at every stop!
Not sure what to get your fiber fanatic friends??? We just received our second shipment of the cutest yarn themed coffee cups - be sure to check them out the next time you are in! Also be sure to take a moment to read the lovely thank you received from Highline Medical Center for the teddy bears everyone so generously donated!!

Laura's Teddy Bear Picnic

2009-03-16T15:04:00.000-07:00

In memory of our dear friend, Laura, who passed away last September we hosted a teddy bear drive the last two weeks of February at the yarn shop. We successfully collected 245 bears - they are being donated to Highline Medical Center's ER were each bear will find a new home.

Today the kids and I went to empty out the window - it took a while but it was lots of fun. We loaded up all the bears into large bags - it took 5!! We plan on hosting a bear drive each February - maybe next year we can get more!!

Thanks to all that helped and supported us during the drive!! Special thanks to the gals Fashion Bug for helping to collect them.

The Crud

2009-03-06T07:22:00.000-08:00

YUCK!! I have been down and out with the crud for the past week. My ear is so plugged I can't hear, my sinuses want to explod and I burst a blood vessel in my eye coughing. Neeldless to say I have been about worthless all week. I can't hear the kids, I can't stay awake long enough to knit and I am getting really tired of hearing myself breath. The TV is turned way up and I can hardly hear it. I have an all together new empathy for people who are hard of hearing - I'm going bonkers!!
Thankfully my eye is healing and this morning I seem to have just a smidge or hearing in my right ear - maybe there is a ligh at the end of the tunnel.

My Baby's A Black Belt!!

2009-02-21T19:13:00.000-08:00

Could I be any prouder??? My baby (OK - so he's 14) got his black belt in Tae Kwon Do today!! We all got up early to be sure to get their in plenty of time to get great seats. He did fabulous on his forms and sparring - then came the board breaks. I was sweating bullets - he went up there with all the confidence in the world. He powered through his first board like no body's business and then he clobbered the second board with just as much ease. I - in true mother form - started to cry. Every time I looked at him I had more tears of joy running down my check. He got his belt and then proceeded to wear it around the rest of the day. I kept joking that he is now my personal body guard - watch out!!
As for happenings at the shop - our teddy bear drive is coming along quite nicely!! We have collected over 70 bears so far for the Highline Medical Center in memory of Laura. We have lots of new yarns - be sure to stop by and check them out. Come in before Feb 28th and bring a bear - we will give you a coupon for 10% of a future shop.
Off to the Puck and Purl event at the Seattle Thunderbirds game tomorrow - I will let you know how it goes after I get done watching the NASCAR race - Go JR, Tony and Kasey!!

Snow Melt Sale-A-Bration

2008-12-27T23:25:00.000-08:00

Now that the snow it melting away come join us for our Snow Sale-A-Bration!! All wool and cotton yarns are 20% off and all sock yarn is 30% off now through December 31st. We will be open on Monday, December 29th from 10am-6pm for the sale. We will be closed on January 1st for inventory - UGH!!
OK - now that the work stuff is out of the way, how was the holidays? Mine was pretty sad at times 'cause I was missing my Dad a lot. (by the way - all the snow was from my Dad - thanks Daddy) My husband spoiled me quite a bit for Christmas - had to ask him what he did wrong. I got a new TV, a new laptop and a digital camera - maybe I can actually start getting some pictures up here - that should shock everyone. The kids had a great time on Christmas too! Mom usually comes over and brings her homemade sticky buns - this year with all the snow she was stuck at home. Austin asked me to make some sticky buns so I tried and failed - not as good as Mom's. I finally was able to get out in the afternoon and go pick her up - thankfully she brought the sticky buns - so we didn't have them for breakfast - we just snacked on them the rest of the day. Pete made a wonderful dinner and then I took Mom back home.
Hope everyone got what they wanted, enjoyed the snow and had lots of fun stuck at home knitting and crocheting through the storm!! :)

SNOW SNOW SNOW

2008-12-20T20:28:00.000-08:00

My apologies to all for taking so long to post again. My apologies also to anyone that tried to come to the shop the last few days or today after we closed up early. Snow has blanketed the lovely Pacific Northwest. Yes, I own a 4-Runner but, no, I don't care to drive in this stuff. It is not really my driving I am worried about - it would be all the other idiots that don't know the meaning of a little space and or how to slow down during in climate weather. My vehicle is to make sure my children, husband and myself arrive at our destinations safely (and looking good) not to assure that the morons on the road have something to bounce their uninsured piles of scrap metal off of. (oops - did I get a bit testy??)
I have tried to make the most of the snow days - I was able to finish several Christmas projects and not ship my children off to some strange foreign land with no return address - tempting as it as been, they still are pretty cute when they are sleeping. Tomorrow should bring a fun filled day of snowballs and snowmen right up until 1pm - then the whole world shall stop for Seattle Seahawks football in the SNOW!! Love the football - especially in the snow or mud.

It's August

2008-08-01T22:51:00.000-07:00

OK everybody - it's August and it is time to get crackin' on those gifty items for this winter!! I have a few on the needles right now - can't tell you what they are because some people that shouldn't see might. We are full of ideas at the shop so stop on by and let us give you a hand.

Our visit with Debbie Macomber was so much fun!! Thanks to all that stopped in and helped us make it such a huge success!! A special thanks to those that took picture - we were so busy we didn't have much chance to snap photos ourselves.

The much anticipated Stitch n' Pitch is fast arriving - we can hardly wait! Not only will it be a fun day at the ballpark but it is also my birthday. Seriously!! It will be so much fun to spend the evening with a bunch of fiber fanatics - almost as much fun as the birthday party a while back at the Rocksport or the Jose Cuervo camping trip. If you must know about the Rocksport or the camping trip please ask - they are both very long detailed stories that hold much amusement at my expense to everyone who was there but I am willing to share. :) If you can't laugh at yourself amongst friends ---

Hope to see you all at the game!!

The Curve Ball

2008-07-08T23:09:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry I haven't posted for a while - life has thrown me a huge curve. I had the wind knocked out of my sails on Monday, June 30th as the strongest, most influential man in my life -my father - passed away. As we spent the past week getting ready for the celebration of his life, we spent quite a bit of time reflecting on him, going through pictures and sharing memories. I realized more in the past 7 days what an amazing, caring, fun loving person my father was than I honestly had ever seen in my life. I guess the saying is true that you don't know what you got 'till it's gone. Don't get me wrong - it's just that things definitely take on a new, deeper meaning when they are no longer there.
Daddy was the fixer of all things wrong. He fixed skinned knees, broken hearts and speeding tickets - yes - speeding tickets. (I got a big one once that he laughed at and then paid for because the story behind me getting it was so funny) I think back on several times in my life when all I wanted was him. On 9-11 he was on his way back from Alaska - I didn't feel even remotely safe or at ease until I knew he was back across the boarder. Having him around made everything - I mean everything - seem like it would all be OK. Things have a way of working themselves out.
Several years ago he took 6 of his grandchildren to Disneyland. Last Januay he decided he needed to take my girls - they weren't around for the first trip. This past May Dad, Rose and Ann took the girls on their greatest adventure - the flew to Disneyland and spent three fun filled days playing with Grandpa. They were all beaming when they got off the plane but especailly my Dad. He had successfully taken each and everyone of his precious grandchildren to the greatest place on earth!
I will miss my Dad always but he will live on through his 5 children and 8 grandchildren.
Thank you Daddy for being my Dad - for being the best Dad you knew how to be. Thank you for instilling the values in me and my children that you did. Thank you for showing me through yourself how to be a better parent to my own children. Thank you for teaching me to be strong but not too strong, to brave but not too brave and most of all to always have fun no matter what you do. I love you dearly and always will - you will live in my heart and in my memories forever. Scope out the good fishing spots in heaven - someday many, many years from now I will see you again. I love you!!

AN "F"

2008-06-11T22:49:00.000-07:00

If blogging were a graded class I would get an "F"!!! I tell you I have ZERO self discipline! I think to myself "gee - I need to blog today" - does it happen - NO!!
If blogging were a sport - I would be cut from the team.
If blogging was like cooking - my children would starve!
If blogging were like driving - I wouldn't be getting the AllState good driver rebate - heck I won't get that anyway - wrong insurance company.
If blogging was like yard work - who am I kidding - Pete does most if not all of that.
THANK GOODNESS blogging isn't like knitting!!! That I do all the time, as often as I can, when and wherever I can. Yes , folks, knitting is my drug of choice. I can't have enough projects, I can't try enough things, I can't touchy feely enough fiber. My hands twitch when I need to knit, I get cranky if I don't get to knit enough. I have even thought about taking the bus to the shop so I can get some more knitting time in my day. Paperwork shmakerwork - I GOTTA KNIT.
I knit so much I can't keep up with the new yarns flowing into the shop - I'm like a kid in a candy store, like the girls in Disneyland - I look at the new yarns and see all the wonderful things they can become. I CAN"T GET ENOUGH - thank goodness I own a yarn shop. Who needs gas money? I need to win the lottery to keep up with my fiber habit! I need a maid, a cook and someone to do the laundry. I need someone to take the kids to and from school. All these things keep interfering with my precious knitting time.
I was thankful today to see the headlines that it is colder in Seattle than Siberia - means more guilt free knitting time!
I am actually starting my holiday knitting now. Go figure - maybe I can get several more hand knit gifts done this year. I even got a little sewing in for my sisters birthday present. Oh Wait - it's just a present this year - she says she doesn't have time for a birthday. HA! There is always time for a birthday! This year my birthday will be spent with a bunch of fiber fanatics at the Stitch n' Pitch game - I can't wait!!
Stop by the shop and check out all the great new yarn when you get the chance. Like I said - I have great ideas for all of it and I am willing to share them! Want something a bit smaller just in case we actually have one day of summer this year - try the Great American Aran Afghan knit along. We are tackling one block a month - manageable pieces. There is always socks too!! Join our sock swap.
'Till I get around to blogging again - HAPPY KNITTING & CROCHETING
Beth

LYS Tour

2008-05-24T22:19:00.000-07:00

Oh my gosh - where do I begin? We had so much fun meeting everyone that came out on the tour. It was toasty hot to say the least but everyone was in good spirits and seemed to be having a great time. Many long hours went in to planning the tour and making it such a huge success. Thanks to all involved in the planning and to everyone that participated. It was exhausting to say the least but more fun that a barrel of monkeys! We are still trying to recover. :)
In June we will be starting the Great American Aran Afghan knit along - we can hardly wait! We will be selecting a different block each month - some more challenging than others - it will be tons of fun. Hopefully everyone can can start with us next month but if not, join in anytime.
Saturday, June 14th is Worl Wide Knit in Public day. We are planning on taking over the sidewalk in front of the shop and camping out - should be fun.

2 Days to GO!!

2008-05-12T19:42:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that the LYS tour is in two more days!! We have been frantically working on getting things ready. We are so excited and looking forward to the tour. It was so much fun last year. I have been knitting, knitting, crocheting and knitting to get ready. I think me fingers want to fall off. I did take a break and read "Twenty Wishes" - FABULOUS book. I love a book when you feel like you know everyone in the story. Debbie Macomber's are like that - I read them all.

We had a wonderful Mother's Day - we had dinner at Granny's house and we were so happy that Sharon was able to join us. She is such a treat. Deffinately one of the great things to come out of owning the yarn shop - fabulous new friends. Spending the afternoon with such a delightful person as Sharon was a pure bonus.

The tour starts in 2 days and in 7 days the girls are heading to Disneyland. I'm excited for them as well. They are going to have a blast! Maybe I can rest when they get back - sounds weird I know - rest while they are gone - not possible - too much of the worrying type mom for that.

Maggie - I think I might still call in sick - what do ya think??

Life Goes On

2008-04-09T19:19:00.001-07:00

Sadly, on Sunday April 30th sweet little baby Maddison passed away. Today Mom & I chose to close the shop for little bit this afternoon to attend her memorial service. We felt honored to be asked to attend.
Since we learned of her passing, I have been doing a lot of thinking. Thinking about my own children. I now look at them just a little bit differently - they truly are precious gifts. When they start getting in a mood & fighting I find myself pausing just briefly to listen before I go play referee. When the girls are off giggling and playing I find myself lingering just a little longer to hear that sweet noise before I join them in a cup of pretend tea and that plastic play food sandwich. I hug them just a bit longer (maybe harder too) and at bedtime I kiss them one extra time on the check after they are asleep.
My children drive me crazy, push my buttons and plum wear me out by the end of the day but I wouldn't want them any other way. I have found myself thanking God each night for my three precious ones and sending a prayer Rachel's way to help her get through her loss.
Hearing the stories of how strong Rachel was in caring for baby Maddison made me question my own abilities. Could I do what she did? Would I have the strength? Thankfully my parenting journey hasn't taken me any further than a couple of ER visits at it's worst. I pray each day that I will never have to test my strength and courage in such a way, but if I ever do I will think back to Rachel & Maddison to search for guidance.
Thank you Rachel for showing me how to be a better mother. Maddison's time on earth may have been short but she touched the hearts of many and although I only saw her through pictures, she has left a lasting footprint on my heart.

I Survived!!

2008-03-29T13:45:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness!! I survived the trip to Chicago! I actually had a fantastic time, learned a ton and met some absolutely wonderful shop owners from around the country! I didn't think it was possible to cram so much information into such a short time but YMN (Yarn Market News) really pulled it off.

We found out as we were boarding the plane at SeaTac that Deb from Village Yarn & Teas and Karen from Acorn Street were on the same flight with us. I knit all the way (well just about) to Chicago. When we landed the four of us found a taxi and headed to the hotel. After checking in we went out in search of some Chicago deep dish pizza. We walked several blocks to Gino's East and had some absolutely wonderful pizza (and beer). We got back to the hotel in time to change and get ready of the cocktail party

This is the sweater that I knit for the cocktail party. You can't see it in the picture but there are 1957 beads on this baby. I got this crazy idea to add beads to my sweater that I started about a month before the conference - it never occurred to me that I would end up loosing sooooo much sleep trying to get it done before the trip. It weighs a ton but sparkles just enough to count.

After sitting in meetings for most of the day on Tuesday, Mom & I decided we needed a little break. We headed off in search of gifts for the kids and the Bean. We found the Lego store (kids covered) and stepped outside to catch a cab across the river. I think the taxi drivers must be mind readers - you barely walk up to the curb and think about hailing the cab and there they are. Quite the shock to the gals from Seattle where hailing a taxi is not aloud. We found out that there are over 7000 taxis in Chicago. Anyway the Bean was very, very cool!!!

After our little shopping/site seeing trip we headed back to get ready for dinner at Riva on Navy Pier. We took another taxi down to the pier and wandered down the way to see Lake Michigan. All I can say about that is WOW!!! What a beautiful site!! We wandered inside the building a ways and saw some absolutely breath taking stained glass pieces that were on display. Dinner was fantastic - we ate and drank until we were stuffed to the gills. We tried to get a taxi back to the hotel but ended up in a limo instead. We (11 of us) were waiting for the taxis when Karen walked out and found a limo - he said he would take us back to the hotel for $50 (limo ride for $5 - not a bad deal)

After the meetings wrapped up on Wednesday and we had checked out of the hotel, we all boarded the bus to Lorna's Laces and several Chicago area yarn shops. These pictures were taken at Lorna's Laces. What a fun tour that was - very enlightening for a yarn shop owner. To see just exactly what happens behind the scenes when you place an order and why it can't just magically appear at your front door as soon as you hang up the phone - very interesting. That is the owner of Lorna's Laces in the back of the picture

showing us how they dye their yarns. Below is a picture of various yarns recently dyed hanging up. Here is all the yarn waiting in all its wonderful color glory to be hanked and labeled and sent off to a wonderful LYS near you. After we left Lorna's Laces we headed over to Arcadia Knitting and Nina's. A special thanks to both shops & those at Lorna's Laces for allowing us to come in masses to tour their shops. Imagine you own a yarn shop and had a bus full of yarn shop owners show up to say "Hi". Unfortunately we weren't able to continue on the tour because we had to catch our flight back to Seattle.

Our goodie bags from the conference were so massive that we had to check our luggage on the way home. I did teach Mom a thing or two about packing though. She tried to convince me that I needed to pack a bunch of her stuff in my suitcase - HELLO - my suitcase was full. I had put all of my clothes in my carry on just so I could get all the yarn, books, needles, patterns, samples and the kids Legos in my luggage. I showed Mom how to stuff yarn in places that really didn't exist. I did find the lovely little note in my suitcase as I was unpacking it at home after the flight that said they had searched it in security. I chuckled - imagine what a bunch of knitting needles, Legos, books and charging cords (cell phone and PDA) look like on an x-ray.
OK - so the trip was totally worth all the costs. We learned so much - seriously like a crash course. We will most definitely go again - hopefully it will be closer to home. We did bring some snow home to Seattle for everyone - you are all very welcome & we hope you enjoyed it.
A very, very special thanks to Laura for filling in at the shop for us while we were away. She did a fantastic job - as if we had any doubt. Not sure what we would ever do with out her.

The Countdown Is On

2008-03-03T02:04:00.000-08:00

Oh Boy - We have stepped into March which means that in less than a month I will be getting on a plane for Chicago - HELP!! I am not a flyer - I don't have wings (angel ones maybe at times but that's another story). If anyone has any suggestions, tips and or aids to help ease my stress about this trip please let me know. The conference itself will be fun, its just the getting there and back. Do you think they could move Chicago just a little closer to the west coast before the end of the month? I don't have my sweater done for the conference, my socks aren't finished - in fact all of my knitting is behind - what's new.

I do have a reason for slacking off on my knitting. One of our very dear customers grand daughter was born a bit too soon. The precious little one weighed in at 1lb 9oz. I dropped all of my other projects to knit a few hats, booties and mitts for this little pumpkin. I keep them all in my thoughts and prayers. I have mailed off the baby stuff so now I can resume my knitting projects. God bless you little Maddison!! XOXOXO

I took a 2-handed fair isle class today. What fun!! 'Cause I needed yet another project, I am trying to knit up a shop model - so far so good. Fair isle has always scared me because I knit a bit an the tight side - so far I don't seem to have any problems.

I Dropped My Knitting

2008-02-17T23:13:00.000-08:00

Holy Crud!! I dropped my knitting! Today was the 50th running of the Daytona 500 - prior to the race NASCAR did a wonderful tribute to past drivers. While I was watching and knitting just waiting for the green flag to drop Brooks & Dunn were up on stage singing (love them) when out from under the stage rolls Dale Sr's #3 car. I gasped loudly and dropped my knitting. I was very moved by the moment and let's just say that the makers of Kleenex made some big money today. The tears were flowing as they reminded all that 10 years ago today that car was in victory lane. Any NASCAR fan can tell you that even now watching replays of that Daytona 500 when Sr won still, and always will, bring tears to even the toughest of men. Many kudos to the folks of NASCAR and all involved with the prerace festivities for putting on such a fantastic tribute and one heck of a great kick start to this racing season. Congrats to Ryan Newman for winning!

The Big Day

2008-02-16T23:05:00.000-08:00

As I sit here on the eve of the Daytona 500 (for me it's like as Christmas Eve is for the kids) I can't help but think back to years past - most notibly the race Dale Sr won and sadly the race that cost him his life. People (the non-followers of the sport) often ask me why I like racing so much - I wonder why they don't. I often hear how prople say how boreing it is to sit and watch the cars go around in circles over and over. Let me tell you it's not!!! If you have never taken the time to watch NASCAR I recomend that you watch it tomorrow. DW - my favorite announcer - will keep you in stitches from the green flag to the checkered. Like I told Betsy, there is something to be said for excitement of watching these guys fly around the track at close to 200mph riding on the bumper of the guy in front of him. It's precisssion, timing and raw power!! It's a sport and an art all in one. I will be the loud one on the couch cheering JR on - come join me!

Yesterday Shannon and I ventured down to Tacoma for the Madrona Fiber Arts. It was pretty cool. All those colors, textures and talents crammed into one room. Weavers, spinners and dyers all showing off their skills - made you want to run home and CREATE something spectactular. I had a great time with Shannon - we so rarely get out without the children - maybe we should have followed I5 south and kept going - just kidding - we had mother type things to do.

On the note of the children, my girls are slowly recovering from what has been a very nasty bug. Thankfully the fevers are gone and hopefully the coughing will subside shortly. It has been several days since I have slept for any length ot time - maybe tonight.

Back to the races - Mom & I are spending our NASCAR veiwing time knitting afghans for the Victory Junction Gang Camp. We joined the NASCAR group on Ravely and will be knitting along with many others for this wonderful cause. If you decided to take a gander at the race tomorrow and are not sure who to cheer on think #88. JR nation (his dedicated fans) will welcome you with open arms. If you just can't wrap yourself around JR (don't know why you wouldn't) there is always Kasey Kahne - his eyes would make anyones heart skip a beat. Grab your knitting, curl up on the couch and cheer the guys on - it will take your breath away.

Will Work For M&M's

2008-01-22T22:51:00.000-08:00

OK - so I have been informed that I'm CHEAP!! I spent a little while last night whipping out a Noodlehead headband for a friend of mine and she brought me two bags of dark chocolate M&M's when she came to pick it up. She informed me I was "CHEAP". My thinking is that I got the better end of the deal. I LOVE dark chocolate and I love knitting. Cheap - HA HA - I won - her ears were warm but I got chocolate! What could be better?
We hand a great time on Sunday. Lisa Ellis & Sandy Payne came up to the shop to give a demonstration on knitting with beads and twining (two ended knitting). Both ladies were very informative and are willing to come back and teach a class in these techniques - can't wait. Keep an eye out on our website for specific dates and times.
I am happy to report that after the fifth attempt, I have finally got my Aran Wiggles sweater going in the right direction - up!! I had it going and I decided to change my needle size so I started over (and over, and over, and over etc). Basically I got a bit cocky. I read through the pattern the first time but when I decided to start over I just cast on (again and again and again). Silly me, I kept forgetting the last 10 stitches on the back. I'm really enjoying knitting the sweater and can't wait until I get it done. Lesson learned here - if you decide to restart a project you need to reread the pattern - don't just assume you know what you are doing. I guess that is what you call "getting a little full of yourself".

My Dad's Sock

2008-01-15T00:07:00.000-08:00

I was asked what pattern I used to make a sock for my father who is diabetic. I combined two patterns basically. I used information and numbers from New Pathways for Sock Knitters by Cat Bordhi and the quidich sock from Charmed Knits by Alison Hansel. I used the quidich sock for the ribbed pattern but I added additional ribs in the back to fit his calf muscle. The next sock I make him I plan to use fixation by Cascade Yarns to offer just a little bit more stretch.

SNOW!!! (for you Maggie)

2008-01-14T01:36:00.001-08:00

Boy do I love a good football game. OK - so Satudays Seahawks wasn't good but the SNOW was great!! Football in the snow or a good old fashioned mud pit - there are few things more entertaining than that. My knitting tends to slow up during the game - baffles me too - I actually put down my knitting on Saturday because I was so drawn to the game. OH well - the Hawks will be back next year better than ever besides there are only 34 more days until the Daytona 500!!!

BTW we will be closed Sunday February 17th for the race (family holiday). Now I realize this may seem silly to some but when one has a passion for something on occasion you just need to get a fix. We DVR absolutely every other NASCAR race except the Daytona. While on the topic of the race I need to say how excited I am about a special hand dyed sock yarn I came across via another great Dale Jr fan on Ravelry. It's called "Do the Dew" - now if you are a NASCAR fan you know that Dale Jr's new sponsor is AMP energy drink by Mountain Dew. It is several shades of lovely green with hints of black and white. I have to tell you that we ordered some so we can make socks to wear during the races.

We just received our HUGE shipment of Shepherd Wool - very, very exciting. I had the well know knitters itch and had to start something with it right away. Yes - I have many, many, many projects in the works but this new yarn was screaming at me to knit something. Besides any and all real knitters know that limiting your number of projects going only cramps your style.

On a personal note - my son's best friends mother just recently passed away after a very long and courageous battle with breast cancer. This remarkable woman was an inspiration in many ways. God Bless you Penny! Thank you for being such a positive influence in my son's life. I was very touched when he said he thought of you as his second mother. Austin has learned so much spending time with you and your wonderful family. I couldn't have selected a better best friend for my son than yours. You will be truly missed but never, ever forgotten. :)

SHHH!!!

2007-12-22T20:51:00.000-08:00

SHHH!!! If you listen very carefully you can hear the clickity clack of frantic knitters everywhere desperately trying to finish their Christmas gifts. How do I know the sound I am hearing is blazing knitting needles flying at lightning speed? Because that sound rings loud and clear in my own living room as I try to finish up items myself. I have managed to finish my daughters dresses, my aunt's scarf and a scarf for my son. With any luck I will get the sweater finished in time for Tuesday - hoping to anyway - wish me luck as I do you.

We recently received some Malabrigo yarn at the shop. I can't wait to knit myself a hat and scarf with it. I already know what pattern I will be using - the Cable Crest Set from Figheadh Yarnworks. I just love this scarf and hat set - when Jen had it up at the shop all I could do was touch it. Yummy!!

Anyway - I just wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!! Don't forget to set yourself some knitting resolutions to expand your skills. Break out of your norm and try something different in 2008!

Jennifer's Visit

2007-11-19T19:54:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, designer Jennifer Hagan came and gave a wonderful presentation in our store. She also taught a cable class for us. What a kind, creative lady! She is the brains behind the designs for Figheadh Yarnworks. The beautiful cables and creative felting projects she offers are not to be missed. We had so much fun visiting and learning from Jennifer that we have asked her back to teach again. She will be teaching another cable class and a felting class in the shop on Sunday, December 2. Give us a call to get on the list. We have many of her patterns availabe at the shop. Thanks Jennifer for joining us.

Starting To Feel The Crunch

2007-11-03T21:25:00.000-07:00

OK - So I'm starting to feel the crunch of the holidays fast approaching - anyone else? You know how you make all these great grandiose plans for knitting everyone you know something wonderful for the holidays? Well reality is there are only 24 hours in a day (I'm still working on finding more - let you know when I do). Last year my son received a sweater for Christmas - this year it will be the girls. Mom is knitting one while I knit the other - tag team gift knitting - let you know how that works. I realize it is only the first part of November but plans need to be made to organize my knitting and crochet projects for the next two months. I am not - nor never will be - as organized as one of our customers. She carries a binder labeled "current work". All of her patterns are neatly placed in plastic sleeves and organized with dividers. WOW - now that is true dedication. She is a wonderful lady whom we adore - very generous with her time and knits mainly for charity. I, however, like to fly by the seat of my pants, haul ALL of my projects with me to the shop each day and try to find time to get to at least one. My husband shakes his head each day as I haul both knitting bags out to the car with the girls in tow. (maybe that would explain the sore back and the constant feeling like I need to visit my chiropractor more often)
Fear not I will finish these projects and then some before the required date - I have faith in myself.
Be sure to stop by the shop if you are in need of some inspiration for quick holiday gift items. We are bursting at the seams with ideas.

It Fits!

2007-10-24T10:15:00.000-07:00

I took the sock I'm working on for my dad over and tried it on his foot. IT FITS!! In fact it fit just like a glove. The ribbing will make it fit on his low water days and will stretch enough to be comfortable when he is swollen just before dialysis. I am so excited. Thanks to everyone in Burien and beyond whom I made fondle the sock to check for rough spots or bumps. I know it is just a sock but making sure it won't cause any rubbing on his foot is very important - any sores that could develop could take forever to heal. He has already lost one foot to his diabetes - keeping the other healthy is very important.

Don't forget Pizza Night is Friday - come by and have some fun

Checking In

2007-10-21T22:25:00.000-07:00

Knit, knit, knit, knit, crochet, knit. That's what I've been doing as of late. I'm working on combining several sock patterns to make a sock for my dad. Being diabetic, his sock needs to have no seams or bumps that might rub on his foot. I have started it several times but I think I am finally on the right track.

Can I just say how much I love Ravelry. It is so much fun to poke around on that site. You get to see what everyone is working on. The forums are great and I think there is a group for just about everything you could want - if not you can make one.

This coming Saturday is the Trick or Treat in Burien. Last year it was CRAZY! We look forward to all the kids coming through with their costumes. This year my son is going to stand outside and pass out the candy. We had so much fun looking at all the costumes. If you are in the area, bring the kids and have some fun. There is a haunted house set up across the street at the chiropractor's office, a dog parade, hayrides and of course CANDY. Dust off those crazy, creative costumes and come on down.

A Night W/O Depends

2007-10-08T14:04:00.001-07:00

What happens at The Yarn Stash stays at The Yarn Stash.

names have been changed to protect the innocent

Last Saturday Burien had Ladies Day Out. It was a fun all day event that was tied into a fundraiser for the Susan G Komen Foundation. We stayed open until midnight knitting and chatting. Several of our friends joined us until midnight. Around 10pm we started to get a bit rummy (not literally - just not thinking clear from exhaustion). I was trying to show Nina and Pinta how to do color work in their Christmas stocking (our October SOTM) and things went down hill from there. Pinta asked me a silly question that I started to answer and then with out thinking I looked at her and said "WHAT??? I can't believe you are asking me such a silly question." With all of her knitting skills being able to tell right side from wrong side on a stockinette piece - poor gal was so tired. She looked at her knitting and started to giggle. Soon we were all laughing so hard we couldn't breathe. Santa Maria managed to get out that poor Pinta was probably going to have an accident. At that point we just sat there laughing. It was one of those things were you can't even look at each other for fear you will burst out in giggles again. We all had tears rolling and side aches from the chuckles. We were all sworn to secrecy that we would never reveal what happened at The Yarn Stash late one night. So there you have it Nina, Pinta, Santa Maria & CC - I have kept my end of the bargain. I did not disclose any names - no harm done to anyone. I really appreciate you ladies (dear friends) for sticking it out to midnight with us. I know it was hard on each of us in our own way. We had a great time knitting and laughing and we helped support a wonderful organization at the same time.

Breast Cancer has touched all of us in one way or another. The walkers from the 3-day event walked right by my house. I didn't realize they were going to be down this way. When I saw them I got a bit emotional. My son asked my why I was crying and all I could do was cry even more. I was finally able to explain that the sight of all those people pulling together moved me. They were walking for all their own reasons but together they were walking as one for the same reason. Don't take things for granted - get checked out, tell your friends to get checked, tell your relatives to get checked out. Hug everyone a bit tighter next time for those that can't.

WOW & WOW again

2007-09-29T18:57:00.000-07:00

Today we had a customer drop by with a box - yes a box - full of hats (60 the be exact), some scarves and a pair of socks that she and her mom had made for the Christmas Outreach Program. We were blown away by their generosity. Through out the year we have been gathering items for the fire station. As most of you know, last year we were able to turn over 99 items to the firefighters for the outreach program. We haven't counted everything yet but I know we have gone beyond that this year. THANK YOU so much to all that have contributed. We will be taking donations until just before Christmas so there is still time if you want to help.
Last night was pizza night - we had a great time visiting and knitting with everyone who was able to attend.
Alrighty then - I am going to get the kiddies to bed and try to redo the hat I am making for shop model (yes Penny - I ripped the whole thing out - sorry I didn't call you and let you do it for me).

Bits & Pieces

2007-09-18T07:37:00.000-07:00

Can you believe I didn't get a chance to knit at all yesterday??!!?? How frustrating is that? I spent the entire day cleaning, cooking, running errands and shuttling the children around - the life of a mom. In amongst all the laundry, vacuuming and scrubbing my daughter decides we need to bake cookies. It was pretty early still in the morning so I told her we needed to wait until her sister went down for a nap. She turn to her sister and says, "Sissy it's nap time - lets go!". OK - rephrase that - no nap until after we go to the store - we need eggs. Finally we get to the cookies and she did a great job! She added everything to the mixer and turned it on and off by herself. We were making chocolate chip so I got out the industrial size bag of chocolate from Costco and started to measure them. She looked at me and said "Momma that's not enough chocolate". I was so proud - a girl after my own heart. I hugged her and said "I know baby but it will have to do". If I have taught her anything at least she knows you can never have enough chocolate and sometimes you just need a bit more.

I'm still struggling with the fact I didn't get any knitting done - maybe that's what caused that weird twitching in my fingers all night - withdrawals. Not to worry though - I plan on making up for lost time today. We got some new yarn in the other day and more coming in later this week. It's very difficult to see new things and not get to play with them. I think that's why yarn shops are the best. As a kid you're always told not to touch anything - in the yarn shop its all but mandatory to touch, squeeze, nuzzle and smell (yes - many people do this) the yarns. Its rather thrilling to "break" the rules that have been grilled into to all of us since birth. "Don't touch - hands off"!! Well step into the yarn shop my fellow fiber artists and touch and squeeze away all that childhood frustration - let it go and have fun - just be sure your hands are clean.

I'm Exercising

2007-09-11T22:44:00.000-07:00

So I was poking around on the internet checking out websites about exercise and burning calories. Check this out - knitting falls in there somewhere enough to show on the list. Basically depending on your height and weight you can burn anywhere from 85 to 135 calories per hour. That's pretty cool - the next time my hubby grumbles about me knitting I will simply reply "I'm exercising". If I knit faster maybe I can work up a sweat and burn a few extra calories. Now if I could figure out how to knit while cleaning and folding the laundry just think what could happen! I might actually have to eat the chocolate to keep from disappearing all together. Wish full thinking - I know - a girl has to dream you know.

I Finished the Bag

2007-09-09T21:22:00.000-07:00

OK - So I finished about a month and a half ago but I finally took some pictures. I have never been too good about taking pictures (my poor children). I hate having my own picture taken so why would I want to do that to someone else. Thank goodness my kids have grandparents that tend to have cameras glued to their foreheads - at least there will be some photos of them growing up. I love my kids dearly and I really think they are about as cute as they come - I just never think to haul the camera along with all the other essential items one needs when they are transporting kids.

This weekend was the Art Walk in Burien. I realized once again that the saying "one man's junk is another man's treasure" holds true for art as well. I am still trying to figure out the strange ladder dance but they did draw a crowd. We were pleased to have a local artist display her paintings, one of our friends (also an artist) displayed her fabulous knitted food sculpture, and another friend of ours spent most of Saturday spinning yarn in the shop and answering the many questions about what she was doing. It was interesting to listen to people and watch their reaction as they realized the food in the window was all knit.

I'm off to bed now - we are open on Sundays again now that summer is winding down. I need to get used to it.

Whatever!!!

2007-08-31T22:40:00.000-07:00

Phooey on those that criticize creative people! OK - don't be so harsh. Periodically the questions arises "Don't you ever finish what you start? You are always knitting something different when I see you?". Well DUH!!!! I finish stuff all the time. I am a firm believer in not holding creativity back. When the creative juices start you need to start casting on NOW. Attempting to hold the creativity back will only cause it to get messed up with other pent up projects, make them all get jumbled and then you end up with some freaky "craft" project you can't give away to save your soul. Periodically the creative juices slow up on a project so they must be redirected to a new project - that is why having a large collection of knitting needles is so important. I try to clue my husband in on this - he is always complaining about the yarn and needles around the house - I say "I'm not knitting, I'm working.". (owning a yarn shop lets you use that excuse often) He comes back with some reply about why the yarn is breeding in the bedroom and how come I need knitting at each end of the couch - again - DUH!! What if I sit down at the wrong end of the sofa - I don't have to interrupt his channel surfing by asking him to pass my knitting bag. (I put a lot of thought into that one) "I'm only thinking of you dear", I reply as he grumbles. Attempting to come up with new and inventive reasons for feeding my so called yarn/knitting addiction can get rather draining - some people just don't get it. I usually have to take a break, clear my head by knitting awhile and that spout out a new "reason". Someday my goal is to break my husband. I know it is possible. He caved and taught himself how to crochet several years ago by watching me. Eventually he will pick up the knitting needles and ask me to show him how. Probably not until they stop making batteries for the remote but it doesn't hurt to believe there is hope.

Yep - I'm Still Here

2007-08-27T00:39:00.000-07:00

OK - I need to get better about posting. I get so caught up in kids, housework and knitting that by the end of the day I crash and nothing gets posted. I'm still tinkering with my socks out of Cat Bordhi's new book. They are fascinating to knit - it's obvious that a lot of planning went into her designs.

Saturday was pretty crazy. After the shop closed I had to dash over to Kent to spend the evening at my dad's house. It was their 30th anniversay so they invited us over for dinner and to watch the Seahawks game. It's always fun to take an evening and visit with family and friends. The fact that we won the game and Rose made a fantabulous meal was all bonus. They had ordered this cake - it was supposed to say "Happy 30th Anniversay Grandma & Grandpa". When they went to pick it up it said "Happy 30th Birhtday Grandma & Grandpa". HELLO!! That makes no sense at all. I was a bit surprised they didn't question it while they were decorating it. You would think they would have called - no they just got the pleasure of fixing it while they waited. Silly, silly! I guess it pays to double check other things besides dye lots. (important lesson learned)

Done!

2007-08-13T20:38:00.000-07:00

OK - so here are my sisters socks - done at long last. Now they await her arrival so they can be placed on her little tootsies - much like Cinderella and the glass slippers except there is no prince involved - just me - her "favorite" sister. Don't be bothered with the trivial nonsense that there is no other sister - she just knows that I am her favorite so we will keep it at that. I like being the wiser sister - not older - just wiser.

Any who - now that I have finished her socks (Sockina Cotton #02) I have started on some socks for myself. I know that in the knitting world actually knitting for yourself falls in some weird realm that rarely exists but I thought I would give it a shot. Once in a while doing something for your self is kind of nice. You can rave to yourself endlessly about how wonderful your gift is and you won't even get embarrassed by all the praise. When I finish my socks I might even get out my tiara and give myself the royal treatment for all of two minutes before reality sets in and the family needs me yet once again. If not at least I will know that something I knit is truely treasured in the highest regard - that might be reason enough to finish my own socks.

Socks, Socks, Socks

2007-08-09T00:09:00.000-07:00

At the Yarn Stash we have a birthday club - customers can shop one time during their birthday month at a 20% discount. This month Mom and I are celebrating our birthdays so we decided to share our birthday discounts with everyone. All of our sock yarn is on sale 20% off until August 18th. One of our customers (friends) brought us engraved tape measures today. What a cool gift - never again will we question who owns the tape measure sitting on the table. How thoughtful of her - thanks a bunch KM - I love my tape measure.

Great News - I have finally finished my sisters socks! Yes, I know it took me a while after I got her to measure her foot. I didn't want to get too far ahead of myself until I could double check her foot. Now that they are done she can enjoy her birthday present too! Celebrations all around.

Mom finally got her invite to Ravelry - I am still waiting for mine. I'm pretty close on the list - hopefully in the next few weeks. I can be patient (pretend to be).

Stitch N' Pitch

2007-07-30T23:35:00.000-07:00

We went to the Mariner's game for the 3rd annual Stitch N' Pitch. What fun!!! It was great spending the evening with our friends and fellow yarn junkies. It is always fun to see what everyone is working on and to spend time with people who have some of the same interests as we do.

Saturday and Sunday mom and I spent most of the days checking out lots of new yarn for the shop. We found some beautiful lace weight, hand dyed sock yarns, extremely soft superwash sock yarn, some glitzy stuff, several new patterns and buttons - the list goes on. Needless to say we had way too much fun with the vendors.

We took some great classes - Artfelt and toe-up socks. Artfelt was fun - I love felting. Sounds kind of funny for someone that likes to have some influence over the outcome on things. With felting you have to let go and let the fibers have the final say in how things end up. Scary but fun.

The toe-up sock was wonderful. Cat Bordhi taught us from her new book. She is a great teacher - three hours flew by so quickly. You come away from her class bursting with information that you want to run back and teach everyone. Her new sock book is brilliantly fascinating and extremely detailed - I have just about finished reading every thing (yes, I read the patterns too). She puts some of the most interesting bits of information in amongst the meat of the book.

OK - I am off for the night so I can work some more on my toe-up sock.

I Survived!!!

2007-07-21T22:35:00.000-07:00

YES!! I made it through an evening of Harry Potter insanity! I managed to find my self a place to sit out of the way and spend 4 hours knitting while the kids ran amok in the book store. Some of the costumes were fantastic! We made it home by 1am so the kids could start reading.

I struggled to get out of bed this morning to get to the yarn shop at any decent time. Thank goodness Mom gets there early enough to open up. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow though - I have nothing planned! It is supposed to rain really hard all day and I hope to sit and knit the rain away. Wish me luck!

My sisters socks are coming along nicely. I still have my green sweater on the needles and of course there is always the Mystery Stole. That should keep me out of trouble for most of the day.

'Cause I'm a Slacker!!!

2007-07-17T21:43:00.000-07:00

OK - I'm a slacker! It has been pointed out to me that I haven't posted in a while - sorry for that. I have been so busy knitting and getting ready for my daughters birthday. Tonight I will be able to sit down and collect my thoughts while I wait for my son at the book store to get his Harry Potter book. (and get caught up a bit more on my knitting)

My sisters socks are coming right along and I am all caught up with the Mystery Stole project.

Road Trip

2007-07-08T23:46:00.000-07:00

The shop was closed today so we took a road trip. Mom wanted to head over to Shelton so she could pick up a spinning wheel. We loaded up the kids and headed on down the road. We made a few stops along the way at some yarn shops of all things. We stopped at Yorkshire Yarns in Lakewood - Sonya is so nice. We really enjoyed meeting her and seeing her beautiful new shop. We headed over the bridge and ventured into Allyn. We stopped at Allyn Knits - what a surprise that was - in a good way. Here is this cute little town that is so small if you blink you will miss it - tucked right on in there is this wonderful yarn shop. Because we own a yarn shop you would think that visiting others wouldn't be too high on our list of things to do when we are off - NOT TRUE!! It was really great to meet these ladies and share bits of knowledge. Of course we invited both ladies to stop by our shop if they are ever in Burien - I hope they do.

After a few missed turns we finally found our destination. Mom picked up the wheel and the kids got to feed the miniature horses and see the chickens.

When we left Shelton we decided to try to hit Shipwreck Beads on our way back. What a huge place that is! We didn't get to explore too much because the kids were basically "done". To bad - I noticed they had a coffee stand in there - you really could stay all day and never see everything.

P.S. - My sister finally measured her foot - thanks Squirt

I Finished!!

2007-07-07T15:31:00.000-07:00

I have finally finished my Ronald McDonald socks. With the nice big stripes it was pretty easy to match them up. I have a strange thing about wanting my socks to match as close as possible - it's almost like a game. Now that I have my sock knitting needles freed up, I can start my sisters socks. I gave her yet another call today to reminder I need to know how long to make these things. If she doesn't get back to me soon I might just knit to the end of the ball and she can roll them up. OK - I am off to work on clue 2 of the Mystery Stole.

Happy 4th!!

2007-07-04T23:23:00.001-07:00

Wow - What a fun day! We went up to the shop early to stake out our spots for the parade. We sat around knitting while we watched the bicycle races going on outside - man were they fast! Several people wandered in the shop and just before the parade started we locked the doors and went outside. My son was in the parade this year so he was totally stressed about not getting any candy. He had to trust his two much younger sisters to step up and gather all the candy for him. Boy did they ever come through for him - they filled up half a grocery bag. I think it helped that there weren't too many other kids close to us. Those two really have the candy radar. My youngest was running out and grabbing as much candy as her little hands could hold. She actually went down to get a piece that another little boy was trying to get. She stopped, stared at him, gave him the "evil" eye and snatched that piece of candy right out from in front of him. We had more fun watching the kids than the parade. I'm actually glad I opted to leave my knitting inside - I would have dropped all kinds of stitches every time I had to run after the kids.

I finished clue #1 from Mystery Stole 3. It's really pretty - I 'm glad I decided to attempt this project - so far it has been a lot of fun. I can't wait until Friday to see what happens next.

I quickly blocked this just to get a better idea of what it is looking like.

Needles

2007-07-02T23:57:00.000-07:00

Can I just say how much I love my Addi Lace needles??!! I have several pairs. Currently I am using them on the Mystery Stole project. They are a huge help with the sharper tip. Two of my other pairs are on my socks. I like to make my socks two at a time with two circular needles. Someone told me I had to do each heal separately - not true. I thought about it for a while and figured out a way that made perfect sense to me and it worked. I am currently on the foot of what I like to call my "Ronald McDonald" socks. It is Jigsaw #57 and they have bright pink, orange and yellow stripes. For some reason they remind me of Ronald McDonald so that is what I have named them.

I am pretty excited about the Fourth of July coming up. Burien has a big parade at it runs right down the street in front of the store. We plan on getting there early and setting out our chairs in front of the shop. It should be lots of fun.

We are also looking forward to the Mariners Stitch n' Pitch. We have a bunch of people going with us and we still have a few tickets available if anyone wants to join in the fun. We had so much fun last year just knitting and admiring everything everyone else was making that we didn't even realize that the manager for the Mariners had been ejected and that we lost the game. Silly us. Maybe I will try to follow the game a bit more - we will see. I like baseball but I really like knitting.

Friday Night Knitting

2007-06-30T19:22:00.000-07:00

We have a group of ladies that meets one Friday a month for pizza and knitting. It is a total blast! We order in some pizza from Bison Creek (great pizza) and sit around knitting after the store is closed. There are several restaurants around the store so the street is busy with people passing by. Many times we look up from our knitting to find someone peeking through the window to see what we are doing. Last night four of us started working on Mystery Stole 3. We were so involved with our lace knitting that there wasn't much conversation. We had fun though.

Mystery Stole 3 is a Yahoo group where you get a "clue" or piece of the pattern each week. We have no idea what this will look like when we get done but so far it is very pretty. Judging from the previous Mystery Stoles I have no doubt this will be gorgeous when we get done. I can hardly wait.

I finished the left front of my sweater. After I finish the first clue of the stole I will probably start on the right front. I hope to finish my socks soon too since I need to knit a pair for my sister for her birthday. She has yet to give me the measurements for her foot so I am not feeling too bad that they are late. I have the yarn - Ann - if you are reading this - I need the measurements to get going. (Love Ya Squirt)

One Proud Mama!!!!

2007-06-29T01:13:00.001-07:00

I am one proud Mama! I just need to brag for a second. My son just received the National Presidential Academic Award! He has worked so hard in school and then received this very high honor - I am still beaming with pride. As his name was called, I started welling up with tears. I am always very proud of my children but I must admit I puffed up a bit more over this one.

OK - on another note - there is a small group of us knitting a sweater out of the latest Creative Knitting magazine. I have finished the back and am almost done with the left front. The yarn I am using is Alpaca by Heirloom. I choose the heather green - oh my gosh is it ever soft. As if one KAL wasn't enough - there is another group at the shop that has decided to attempt Mystery Stole 3. The first clue should be posted soon. We are all waiting - impatiently I might add. We must look pretty silly - needles and yarn in the ready - crowding over the laptop waiting for the first clue. Never enough knitting projects - I only need 48 hours in a day or an extra set of arms to go with the eyes in the back of my head.

We are finally on the right track with the bag lining - we decided to take the new piece of fabric and quilt it. All I need to do now it hand sew it to the facing.

I Found It!!!

2007-06-25T19:11:00.000-07:00

OK - I have finally found it - the lining fabric for Mrs. Weasley's Bag. I started this bag a hair over two weeks ago. I have thought long and hard about what I wanted to line it with. Mom and I spent most of the day plowing through her tremendous fabric stash. After we failed to find anything that sparked us - we trekked down to the quilt shop to find something. As we wandered through the shop, holding the bag up to several fabrics we finally found it - the ONE! We had actually selected another one and were heading up to the counter when we found it. This picture is a bit darker than I would like - the fabric is actually a bright green (like a granny smith apple).

After locating the fabric we went back to Mom's house to line the bag. Several hours and many "design" flaws we created a "template" for the lining. That is basically the nice way of saying we butchered the project so bad that we are starting all over. Mom had to make another trip down to get more fabric. Rest assured we have done it wrong enough that this new piece of fabric will be assembled perfectly!! Sadly enough Mom and I are both long time sewers and quilters - just goes to show that we all have an "off"day now and then.

We laughed at our troubles today and decided to try again later.

On a much brighter note, I managed to go through all - yes all - of my knitting projects and get everything organized. I actually know where everything is and each project has everything together just waiting for me to get back to it. What a great feeling it is to actually have some - small as it is - control over my numerous knitting projects.

Meet Purl

2007-06-16T15:17:00.000-07:00

I would like you to meet Purl - my dog. She is a very low maintenance and doesn't eat a whole lot. She hangs out at the shop and guards all of the yarn. Sometimes we forget she is there because she is so quiet. Please don't think that Purl is neglected - she has several friends that hang out at the shop as well - a sheep, chicken, some fish and a flamingo. I go home some nights and envision a scene from "Toy Story" at the shop - all of the little felted critters roaming about, playing with the toys in the play area and then nestling in the bins to sleep for the night.
Purl is made out of Cascade 220 and Pavone. The pattern I used is from Fiber Trends #225x.

2007-06-15T11:17:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of the bag I am working on. I'm having a lot of fun working on it. What appears to be the center panel is actually one of the sides. I am currently knitting the other side. I couldn't wait to start assembling it so I crocheted the three panels together.

My plan is to have this bag finished in time for the Harry Potter book release. My son really wants to go to the book party at Barnes & Noble so I thought it would be fun to bring Mrs. Weasley's bag along for kicks.

A Great Big Thank You

2007-06-09T23:28:00.000-07:00

One of the things that Mom & I are so proud of is the generosity of our customers. Knitters are a caring, generous group of people in general. Many times we have been sitting around knitting with a group and all of a sudden someone needs a stitch marker or other item - almost in unison - everyone dives into their knitting bag to grab the needed item. It's almost like a scavenger hunt - whoever can find and share the item the quickest wins!

At The Yarn Stash we collect knitted items for the Christmas Outreach Program at the Burien fire station. We started collecting items August and by Christmas we were able to give the fire station almost 100 items. To our amazement, almost immediately after the first of the year items started arriving for next Christmas. We are very pleased and honored to be a drop off spot for these wonderful, handmade items. Every time someone drops by just to drop off something they have made it touches our hearts.

People taking time out of their busy lives to show compassion for others is what life is all about. I want to personally thank everyone who takes the time to knit for others. Be it for the Christmas Outreach Program or any other cause - filling a need, touching a life & warming a heart without so much as a "thank you" in return is what makes this world a better place.

Too Many Projects - Never

2007-06-07T23:56:00.000-07:00

I have come to the realization that I have a big problem (in some non-knitting persons eyes) - I have a lot of projects going. I am a firm believer in the fact that idle needles are a waste. I need to have projects everywhere.
Currently in my knitting bag alone I have a sweater, shawl, several booties waiting to be sewn and a pair of socks (two at once). My favorite current project is Mrs. Weasley's Bag of Stitch Witchery. It is out of "Charmed Knits" by Alison Hansel. This book has so many great projects. Aside from the bag I am knitting I really like Dobby's Socks - they don't match. What a relief for all of us that suffer from S.S.S. (Single Sock Syndrome). All of my single socks can now match up with each other however they want. I have suffered form SSS for quite a while now (that would be why I learned to do two socks at once).

2007-06-06T21:55:00.000-07:00

WOW!! What a great year it has been. For those of you that don't know my Mom and I own The Yarn Stash in Burien, WA. We have been open for one year now - one exhausting but extremely fun year. We have more fun picking out yarns, books and patterns to carry in our store than we ever thought we could.
I think my favorite part of all this past year is the wonderful friends we have made. It's really kind of fun to sit and knit whenever you want throughout the day. I really like the fact that I can stop whatever I am doing, sit and knit with a customer and not have a boss breathing down my neck to get back to work. I am "working" - I am knitting.