as Veronica would say…Couldn’t you just eat this color up?!

As you might have guessed, I had another sweater on needles before I even had the buttons sewn onto the last one. It took a lot of searching to find something suitable for this new Rock Creek Park colorway from Neighborhood Fiber Company. It is the most amazing jewel green color (you really have to see it in person). After much debating, I decided to knit the Lauren pattern from Ann Weaver. The pattern is a $6 download on Ravelry. Because it is a raglan, I am modifying it to a top down yoke construction. Raglans and my shoulders just don’t work.  I am also knitting off gauge.

Photo courtesy of weaverknits

So..there was a lot of math here. Luckily it appears to have worked. If anyone wants to modify this as well, come in and chat with me. I can help you change it up. I did use the Wendy Bernard Custom Knits book for guidance on the percentages to increase in the yoke and at what point. If customizing this project scares you, just use an aran weight yarn and knit it as its written! This is a wonderfully written pattern.  You will need to get 16st to four inches for gauge. Malabrigo worsted, twist, Cascade Eco Wool, Louisa Harding Aran and a few others will work nicely. I am hoping to knock this out quickly before the yarn for my next project arrives in the mail…which is going to be any day now.

I think this little guy is my favorite!

Tonight is our regular Thursday night Stitch in Space. Stop by and hang out with us! Our crochet coral reef is continuing through out the month of August. We have several amazing pieces in the shop already and the window display should be done any day now (ahem, Kel!) If you haven’t started a piece of coral yet, do come in on Thursday nights and we will get you started. It is amazing simple and has been a wonderful way to get the knitters started on crochet.

The birthday came and went and we had a great celebration on Friday! It was wonderful to see so many finished objects made from yarn purchased at the shop. That means that most of you actually knit with the yarn you buy..good for you! Uploading this photo reminded me that we actually still have some cake in the fridge, which I didn’t eat on Friday…must go find cake and eat! (It is from Buzz and I hear tale that there is some sort of chocolate goo in the middle)

Now that our anniversary is over, I am finalizing the class schedule for the fall as well as all of our workshops and retreats…we have an amazing line up and I hope to have it all ready in the next few days. A few names you will see: Miss Babs, Kirsten Kapur, Shirley Paden, Stefanie Japel….

Over the weekend, I had an entire day off, which was kinda exciting. I spent most of that day weaving in tails on the Henley Perfected by Connie Chang Chinchio. But it is finally finished!  I can’t seem to knit enough of Connie’s patterns. They are amazing. This one is done in Madelinetosh Pashmina, the Composition Book Grey colorway. Because I finished this before the next shipment of Pashmina arrives, I think that means that I can acquire more when the new colors get here…right?

Birthday cake pattern available from Crazydazyknits

This week we celebrate our one year birthday, something that seems to have come up way too fast. My head is still spinning from it all. This has been an unbelievable year for us, so much more than I had ever planned for.  It has taken until just recently for this all to set in! Thank you so much for your feedback, encouragement and business this past year. And as always, let us know what you want to see at the shop, what you wish were different (or what you like!)

To thank you, we are hosting a birthday sale all week, ending with a big birthday party on Friday. Read more here.

Trudy sent me this note this week and I just had to share:

The first day that fibre space was open I bought Mini Mochi and, a couple of weeks later, took it on a tour of China. Here I am knitting a sock with it at the site of the terra cotta army! Later I sent these socks, marked “made in China,” to a friend for her 50th birthday.

You and your staff and store are a fabulous community resource. I wish you continued success in your business endeavors.

trudy

The Callie Bib Tee is complete. You can see that there are several modifications. First, I added waist shaping and extended the overall length of the project. I also knitted the lace sections in a complimentary second color and increased the length of the sleeve and body lace sections. I am super happy with how it turned out, despite it being yet another brown sweater. (aren’t you all supposed to keep me from knitting in brown?)

There was quite a bit of finishing to this project. It is worked in pieces (two front lace panels, one front, one back, and two sleeves.) As I was sewing away, Phillip asked me what I was doing. I explained that I had to seam everything together but that I hated finishing. He said that maybe he would learn to do finishing so that I wouldn’t have to do it but that he didn’t want to be called a “finisher.” He wants to be called “the closer” instead. My husband is hilarious. I have no delusions that he will learn to seam sweaters together. None whatsoever.

Photo courtesy of Connie Chang Chinchio

read more >>

On Sunday we hosted the first of two dye workshops this summer. The group played with lots of color. Here is a great shot of all the variations of color that could be achieved from our dye selection.

read more >>

Last week seems to have been the longest of my life. I got back from our trade show, excited about all the new amazing yarns that we ordered for the fall, only to find out that little Heinz had been limping all weekend and was running a huge fever. Our first vet felt that it was bone cancer. The oncologist felt that it could be a cyst but that we should amputate his leg, as it would resolve both a cyst and bone cancer (yikes!). The surgeon that we met with on Saturday also felt that it was just a cyst and that treating it with the doggie version of ibuprofen for now seemed perfectly reasonable. We went through the emotional ride of thinking that we would be putting the dog to sleep, to wondering if we could possibly amputate his leg, to finding out that a little drug for a few weeks might just do the trick. We will know more in a month, when we take x-rays again, but for now, Heinz is happy and out of pain and running around like usual.

read more >>

I have lost count on my commitment to knit 12 sweaters in 12 months. I think this one is 7, but that is only if the “post it note” counts…

read more >>

And here is what we brought home:

read more >>