I am back! Prague was delightful – a mix of hail, sleet, rain, and snow in addition to one day of sunshine. It was actually nice to see some “normal” winter weather…this 60 degree oddness is not exactly helpful for those of us who want to wear our handknits. But I did manage to bring the flu back with me, something I suspect came from the gentleman next to me that was coughing the entire flight… also not helpful was United’s decision to play the movie Contagion. Really United? That seemed appropriate?

For this trip, I was “asked” or softly “encouraged” to knit a particular cowl for the trip by my fellow travelers. Because neither of them has been subjected to the horror that is dressing alike in a sorority, they thought this was a great idea. I decided to use a mix of Imperial Stock Ranch Columbia 2-ply and Shelter, so that my hat and mittens (made from Shelter and Loft) would coordinate with the cowl. Let’s just say that the cowl came out a little head swallowing. I even cast on fewer than it called for…

So as retaliation, I made my fellow travelers kit the Rosebud hat from Brooklyn Tweed (which I am also wearing in the photo above). This resulted in us all walking around Prague, at varying times, with matching cowls or hats. (Although all three of us never seemed to wear both the cowl and the hat).

To further my angst over this head swallowing cowl, we noticed that head swallowing cowls and scarves seemed to be “in style” in Prague. It appeared that we weren’t the only ones with this particular accessory.

While in Prague, we managed to meet up with a group of knitters that we found randomly on Ravelry. It is so cool to know that you always have someone to meet up with where ever you go, if you just find the knitters. We stitchers, in general, are a very welcoming bunch. The group was a mix of English, French and American knitters, all now living in Prague. We had coffee together and one of them (Eve!) was super helpful in taking us out to a fab restaurant that delivers your beer on a train. It is like conveyor belt sushi (as seen at Tyson’s) but better. She showed us lots of great sights around the city, including this:

We also stumbled upon the most amazing bead shop! The shop Material is mostly a Czech glass shop but due to the demand, they started carrying glass beads as well.

Check out the amazing glass art that hung from the ceiling!

We skipped out of Prague for the day to Kutná Hora to see this sleepy town. The weather produced stunning snowfall that day, which made the sight of this church so much more amazing.

We were really in Kutná Hora to see this crazy church full of bones. The photo below is of the ceiling and chandelier in the church..all made of dead people remains…ie BONES. I mean, who are we to judge? We make cowls out of sheep…

And now I leave you with tote photos from on and around the Charles Bridge.

This morning I felt rather lazy and decided that Nemo and I would drive to work instead of walking. I went to jump into my car and almost sat on three pieces of lettuce. I kid you not. LETTUCE. Upon further inspection, I determined that the lettuce had been through some processing before hitting my seat. It was chopped into itty bitty pieces… a classic sign that it was presented on a taco shell of some sort. Of course, my husband had the car last. And he loves his Taco Bell.

Photo from Tasting Table

Phil and I don’t eat the same way. I prefer a locally sourced and simple handcrafted lunch…something not out of a meat tube. My local favorite La Fromagerie has just expanded and now sells simple exquisite salads and sandwiches in addition to the expansive offerings of cheese and meats that they have always had.  (Here is what Tasting Table had to say about them). They opened a little before we did, and it is wonderful to see them grow and expand. If you have been to an event at the shop, they are usually represented with a marvelous cheese or meat board. And la Fromagerie is dangerously close to the shop…only a block. So be sure to grab a ginger beer and a Braised Pork Belly Sandwich (Crispy Apples, Sweet Potato Aioli) or a Forgotten Vegetables Salad (Heirloom Beet and Carrots, Watermelon Radishes, Black Salsify, Kohlrabi, Celeriac, Sherry Vinaigrette) the next time you come to visit us. Such a better option than shredded head lettuce on a taco shell. ick.

Awhile back,  we asked you all to knit or crochet rockets for our holiday window display. And you sure did! We have the most amazing collection of hand made rockets ever. We are handing out 10 prizes instead of 8. Here are the lucky winners:

Monica L.

CJ

Gerry

Krysta C.

Niya

Rebecca H.

Margaret D.

Trish G.

Maureen R.

Omni M.

Stop by the shop to pick up your prize! So now that we have all of these rockets, you are probably wondering what in the world we are doing with them. Our holiday window display this year has become a bit more intense, as there is a city-wide decorating contest…and we want to win! Our window theme is “Happy Holidays from Space” and features Molly, our little girl, visiting a few aliens in space to teach them about celebrating the holidays. Please help us win the Old Town Window Wonderland contest by going to the Old Town Boutique District facebook page. You must vote by December 5th!! The winning shop will get a giant red bow from the Mayor himself. AND, when you vote, you get entered to win 4 tickets to breakfast with Santa on Dec 23rd at Union Street Pub House.

VOTE NOW!

Molly opens her gift from Alien - a Bobbi Bear!

This little alien is riding a rocket

This alien got a fluffy scarf from Molly.

This alien is really behind on his holiday knitting.

This alien is using a jetpack to string garland on the tree.

Here is what I know for sure about this morning:

1. The news crew that was supposed to be here had to go home because their satellite wasn’t working, but the Washington Post did a great article on our sale and interviewed some folks in line. This was the article that they ran yesterday.

2.The first person in line arrived just before 4 am. Folks who arrived at 6:30 am did not get in the door by 8 am.

3. We had 69 people in line when we opened our doors at 6 am.

4. Everyone ate donuts.

5. The Starbucks on Route One came down and took coffee orders from folks in line. Was it free? Anyone know?

6. Our new “Merry Knitmas” bags are completely gone. More will arrive on Monday!

7. You all rock! Thank you so much for making another amazing Black Friday for fibre space!

Here are the things that I heard:

1. Shops up the street came down and handed out coupons to the folks in our line.

2. Did we have the largest line in town? Anyone know?

3. Knitters get cold when standing for long periods of time.

4. It is worth waiting 1. 5 hours to get yarn on sale.

5. The Patch was here and took some photos. They said we had 80 people in line when they are here…Not sure when that was. This morning is a blur.

I was at a meeting last week for retailers and restaurants in Old Town to hear about all of the exciting things that are happening this season in our little town (more on that later), and someone tugged on my arm and said, “You did make THAT, did you?”  Well yeah, I made it! I can’t just go around wearing sweaters that the Gap made. That wouldn’t be right, now would it? I was wearing my recently finished Berkshire Dolman Sweater by Melissa Wehrle (available through Knitting Daily or in the Best of Knitscene book at the shop).  It calls for a aran/bulky weight yarn so I thought I could sneak in a quick pullover and my UFO pile wouldn’t notice. This one is done from the Swan’s Island Organic Bulky, in a colorway made from bugs. Yes, actual bugs. All of the colors are dyed naturally, from organic materials…the old fashioned way. I just loved the color and the idea that it was made from bugs. I figured that would probably freak out a few people, after they got over the fact that I had made the sweater myself.  Since we were eating breakfast at the meeting that morning, I didn’t mention the bugs. Just that I had made the sweater. This person was quite impressed, which is pretty cool.

Now about the holiday season in Old Town. There are a few new and exciting things going on this year. The biggest being SANTA! So instead of hauling your kids to the mall or the National Harbor, come to Old Town. We have brought Santa to Old Town every weekend between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Location: 210 S. Union Street. Read more about it here. Each photo is $15 and will be printed on site. The decor will be amazing!

In addition, the Old Town Boutique District is hosting a city-wide window decorating contest. This will inspire our retailers and restaurants to really decorate this year and help you have the amazing holiday scenes that you would expect from Old Town Alexandria. Our window is in the works right now, featuring the knitted and crocheted rockets that you all contributed the past few weeks. Once it is installed, we will be sure to let you know so that you can vote for the window that you helped to create!

Lastly, you may have heard about the Day After Thanksgiving Sale at fibre space. It is amazing. It is the single biggest sale that we have for the year. Tons of fun (and work)! We open at 6 am and will be offering 30% off this year (higher than last year’s discount). At 8 am, the discount goes to 20% and then to 10% at 10 am. Get in line early because we can only allow 42 people in the store at one time, and you must get through the door to get your coupon for the discount. Folks in line early will also get some free prizes. (we like to use this as an opportunity to clean out the closets here at fibre space…you never know what you will find around here).

The most exciting thing about Black Friday this year is how many other shops have decided to open with us! The first year, it was just us (well and all of you…at 6 am). Last year about 8 other shops joined in. This year, the list is quite impressive. Check it all out here. You can get running shoes, makeup, bras, designer shoes and handbags and jewelry at 30% off!! AND, the City has decided to open their garages early for you as well as waive parking on all meters around town. Now there is just no reason to go to the mall…so can someone do some shopping for me? Because I am kinda trapped at the store….

Some of you may have noticed we have an abundance of class offerings this fall – even more than usual.  Yes, it’s true that this time of year brings out all our fibery passions, but there is also another reason for all these classes – new classrooms!  Yup.  Plural.  Classrooms.  Three of them.  The renovations upstairs are complete, and we are thrilled with the results.

Our front classroom seats 10 comfortably and provides plenty of table space to layout projects, take notes, count stitches, and seam garments.  The two windows provide coveted natural light by which to knit.  If you’re taking a nighttime class, we’ve got you covered with plenty of lighting and even more arriving soon. I have some extra funky retro light fixtures on their way from San Fran in the next week or two.

The back classroom is a bit smaller, but still provides all the amenities found up front.  A French door, allowing us to combine the two spaces for our larger workshops, separates the two rooms.

Our third space is more intimate and perfect for smaller classes.  The formica kitchen fits perfectly with our mid century decor and provides enough space for 6 students to gather.

Our upstairs teaching space allows us to offer more classes overall and provide more daytime classes.  And, our instructors love having space dedicated just to their students.  It also gives me a quiet and secluded office where I can plot new fibre goodness to bring you all in space.

What have we done with all the freed up space downstairs, you ask?  Well, we’ve expanded our yarn offerings, bolstered our book selection (it’s almost like a library in here!), and added to our collection of needles, notions, and fibre accessories.  We’ve also increased the size of our lounge…we now have two plush couches, a comfy chair, ottoman, the window (which if you’re lucky, Nemo will let you share with him) and a table, all for your knitting comfort.

So, check out our class schedule and events.  You’re sure to find a perfect fit for your next classroom adventure!  Or, stop on by and see all the wonderful changes we’ve made.  And don’t forget to bring your stitching…we’re pretty sure you’ll want to stay a while.

We have had two amazing Stitch in Space nights here in space. Last week, the DC Rollergirls were at the shop. Micah stayed late to help a few learn to knit and visit with those that are already amazing knitters and crocheters. (He seemed quite delighted to do so).

For the second year in a row, we are sponsoring the Rollergirls season. Check out their schedule here and get to a bout!

Last night, Wendy Johnson and Laura & Leslie of TheKnitGirllls video podcast joined us for our Stitch n Space and drew quite a crowd (as Wendy tends to do). They attacked the new Brooklyn Tweed LOFT, of course. Wendy seemed to enjoy herself as well. (this is Micah and his goofy hat with Wendy J.)

Teva answers questions after explaining the basics of the lace improvisation technique.

The divine Teva Durham visited fibre space on Sunday to sign her new book, Loop-d-Loop Lace, and teach a unique workshop: lace improvisation.

Ten lucky participants learned how to take elements from vintage lace patterns and use them as the basis for a lace bag pattern. The group worked together to develop a pattern for one such bag, and students left with the tools to create their own pattern based on vintage designs for doilies, shawls, or other garments worked in a circle.

Teva brought several of her own lace bags for the class to use as inspiration.

Those who have followed Teva’s designs know that her mind works in wondrous ways, and those in the workshop got to see that mind close-up, as Teva drew the chart for the bag on a white board and explained how different options for each row would change the shape and look of the bag. Participants knit from the chart as it was being developed, learning how lace designers create a new pattern from concept through to execution.

Of course, there was lots of chatter during the class, as knitters commiserated about losing one’s place in lace knitting, shared tips for keeping that from happening, debated the pros and cons of bobbles (for the record, Teva is in the “pro” camp), and – most importantly – compared the results coming off of their needles. The different yarns, from Malabrigo Rasta to Blue Sky Alpacas Bulky, showed off the lace in different (but gorgeous) ways.

Teva chats with a class member about the way the bag is knitting up.

It was particularly exciting to watch how the improvised pattern knit up in several different yarns, as Teva compared the results from different class members’ yarn selections. Teva also talked about other kinds of knitting improvisation, including Ilisha Helfman’s new book, Jazz Knitting.

Best of all, the workshop is already yielding results. We know that at least one class participant has started a bag of her own, based on an element she found in a pattern from Victorian Lace Today. We can’t wait to see all the bags that this amazing workshop produces!

If you have been in the shop recently, you may have noticed the soft or even loud hum of construction coming from upstairs. Our brand new second level classroom space is almost complete. Artwork, light fixtures and other “cute-ification” items are still missing, but the vast majority of the work is complete. Today the doorway is being installed from our worsted weight wall to the upstairs so that students can go up to classes without exiting our main space and getting wet in the rain (helpful right now, given the gobs of rain that we are getting). Here is a sneak peak of the construction:

We can thank Neighborhood Fiber Co for her bio hazard bags as they came in handy for blocking out the doorway construction dust. Karida ships all of our yarn in bio hazard bags...makes us giggle.

This is a good shot of our large front classroom space, which is connected to the second space via french doors. They can be opened for larger workshops.

This is my new office space...also currently where we are throwing everything that doesn't really have a home. Someday I will sit there and quiety write newsletters and blog posts. How amazing would that be?!

If you haven’t read it yet, you should read this article by author Peg Aloi who says that we have lost sight of what it means to be a tough woman because we are embracing femine and domestic type activities…you know, like knitting. Cuz making your own sweater makes you soft. Obviously, we disagree. I find it incredibly liberating to be able to make my own clothing. And really, nothing scares off a man at a bar more than holding five US#00 double points in your hands. So here was Pat’s brilliant email to us this morning about this article:

I can’t respond to this article because you have to be a “member” If I were a “member” I’d cancel my membership.

I think the author is completely out of touch with the real world. As you all know, I am over 70, still working full-time and still called on to be aggressive, patient, innovative, etc. This writer is obviously living in the dark ages. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt knitted and delivered “socks for soldiers” in the 1940s to the troops in Japan. Mrs. Hoover’s baby blanket pattern is available on Ravelry – 90 years later.

I can’t wait to hear how many women respond to that article.

 

Last Sunday, we hosted a special event at our shop in honor of one of our own. We had asked you all to donate blanket strips to make a healing blanket for a knitter in our community who is battling cancer. You wouldn’t believe the turn out. We have enough blanket strips for 2, almost 3 blankets! On Sunday, a good crowd showed up to piece the strips together. We seamed them in a staggered way so that the differing lengths worked well together. There is such a lovely variety of stitch patterns and colors. The blankets will most certainly bring a smile to her face and help her to know that we are all thinking of her and hope she gets better very soon.

volunteers seam strips together

more strips being seamed together

Thank you all for your huge support on this project and for making such absolutely lovely pieces!

It’s still hot outside but thoughts of fall are starting to sneak in… I’m ready for some real sweater weather to get here so that I can settle in with a pot of hot tea and knit a big project with some nice woolly yarn.

In case you haven’t heard, I am crazy about a good “sheepy” yarn. I love yarn that still looks and feels close to the farm even after it’s spun. If I was going to start my own yarn company (and I’ve actually put a bit of research into doing just that,) I would want to produce yarn from American sheep, dyed in the wool and woolen spun in a historic American mill.

It turned out that I wasn’t the only person with this idea…

Last fall we had the pleasure of being one of the stores chosen to help launch SHELTER, the American-produced yarn from Brooklyn Tweed. This is really my idea of the perfect sheepy yarn and I’ve been looking forward to knitting an amazing sweater in it – I just haven’t been able to decide on a pattern yet. The perfect yarn deserves the perfect pattern, after all!

Brooklyn Tweed has handily provided plenty of inspiration with this week’s release of WOOL PEOPLE, a pattern collection for SHELTER from a talented group of guest designers. Curated by Jared Flood, the design series will include new patterns semi-annually – how exciting!

photo - Brooklyn Tweed

This first installment of WOOL PEOPLE includes 15 designs ranging from a snuggly knitted throw by Anne Hanson, a chic dress by Thea Colman, and a whole assortment of sweaters to smaller projects like hats and mittens. All of the patterns are available for download from Brooklyn Tweed or Ravelry.

photo - Brooklyn Tweed

Now I just have to decide what to knit first… (I definitely need those mittens!)

(View the WOOL PEOPLE look book PDF here.)

~Kel

Knitters have their Olympics. Spinners have the Tour de “Fleece.”  The “Tour de Fleece” is a spin-a-long that follows the Tour de France, which this year runs from July 2nd to July 24th. The Tour is not just for experienced spinners. It’s a great opportunity to dust off your wheel, dig out your spindle and find that fiber that’s been languishing in the back of your stash. If you’ve been looking for an opportunity to learn to spin, now would be a great time. Spinning is like having your cake and eating it too. Not only do you get to play with fluffy fibers, you then get to knit or crochet with it after you spin it. It’s like getting to enjoy your yarn for twice as long! The basic guidelines (not rules, remember there are no spinning police!) for the Tour are as follows:

1. Spin every day the Tour rides, if possible: Saturday July 2nd through Sunday July 24th. Days of rest: Monday July 11th, Monday July 18st. (Just like the actual tour). You don’t need to spin a lot every day. You can commit to as little as 10-15 minutes a day. You’d be surprised how much you can accomplish in that amount of time and how quickly you hone you spinning skills. In fact, you might start to become addicted to it and not want to stop!

2. Spin something challenging Friday July 22nd. (The Tour’s toughest mountain stage over the Col du Galibier for the second time, and finishing up on Alpe d’Huez.) The Tour is hosted on Ravelry where you can find out more information about teams, prizes, and how it all got started. fibre space™ has its own team in the Tour, “Team Spin in Space.” Join the forum and encourage your fellow spinners along the tour!  Come out to fibre space™ on Saturday, July 2nd from 10-noon to kick off the tour. There will be a “spin doctor” to help you get your wheel up and running again or help you take the “drop” out of your drop spindle. Looking for something to spin? The classroom is filled with loads of fibery goodness as well as books and DVDs on spinning. There’s something for all levels of spinner:

The “classics” great for newer spinners or spinners that haven’t spun in a while – Merino top from Pear Tree and Squoosh, and BFL top (Blue-Faced Leicester) from Miss Babs Looking to spice up your merino or BFL – Miss Babs has 3 yummy combinations of either BFL or merino combined with tussah silk or silk and bamboo.

Imagine spinning your own lace-weight singles or 2-ply fingering weight yarn for that special lacey something. Want to try something different – Try Polworth by either Pigeon Roof Studios or Squoosh. Polworth is medium staple fleece similar to merino and oh so soft. Or try Wensleydale (not just a cheese!), a lustrous longwool by Sweet Georgia. Lastly, there is roving by Imperial Stock Ranch in 3 natural shades. It’s a great fiber to practice a long draw or more woolen spinning and would be great knitted up into cozy items for Winter.

Kel and I are headed off to the big trade show this weekend, where we will see the new fall yarns and work on a wonderful new lineup of yarns and patterns and trinkets for fall (see you again on Tuesday!)  We have already started our ordering for fall and are finding one overall theme this season: increasing prices. Yarn prices have risen in the past year, because of a variety of issues with international supply and demand. I though it would help for you all to know what is happening out there so that you understand why our beloved yarn is becoming more expensive. In same cases, we are absorbing those increases and cutting our  margin. In others, we have had to increase the price that you are paying. Here is some history:

Last year, while recovering from a slump that threatened the cotton industry, Chinese textile firms stockpiled cotton in an effort to drive the price of cotton up further. Meanwhile, other countries like India imposed quotas on both raw cotton and yarn
exports, which further inflated prices. Those international finance moves are affecting yarn suppliers and, ultimately, consumers in the form of more expensive yarn.

Meanwhile, problems in Australia mean that the price of wool is much higher than usual. The price of wool in Australia is now twice what it was a year ago, according to the Wall Street Journal. Although the supply of wool is much lower than in years past (there are a tenth the number of sheep in the United States than there were after World War II), demand for wool continues to rise. While this may be good news for sheep farmers (and we do want their industry to survive), it is a challenge for yarn distributors and shops like ours, whose wholesale prices rise accordingly.

We have seen the price of the majority of our yarns go up in the past 12 months, and hopefully this background will help you to understand some of the reasons for these increases. One of the commitments we made when we launched this store was to continue to bring knitters reasonably-priced yarn as well as higher-end luxuries. Know that despite the price increases in the industry, we will continue to find affordable and amazing yarns that won’t bust your budget. After all, we’re knitters & crocheters, too!

Veronica is here! She arrived very early yesterday morning on an overnight flight from CA. After a day to recover, she is now sitting happily in the window seat knitting away and enjoying the puppies. (She hadn’t met Nemo yet). Veronica will be here for a couple of weeks and will also be at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival booth for Miss Babs, just like last year. Stop by and say hello!

Just like last year, we will be giving out free shopping bags to anyone passing through the area on their way to the festival. Just stop by and let us know that you are headed there.  We can provide you with a little something to help your festival shopping!