happy halloween everyone!!

You may be wondering why I haven't posted what I have been working on this week, such as my daughter's diva vest (aka mac & me's fur trimmed vest), the progress I've made on my bee stripe sock, or the scarf set I started out of malabrigo chunky. Reason being, my camera has died, and our back up canon has been conveniently misplaced by our professional photographer child. UGH! Where is it?!?!?! Nonetheless, I have been knitting like crazy, and searching for my camera. I will be purchasing a new canon ASAP!!, and then back to blogging (with pictures) I go. In the meantime, Happy Halloween!!!

It's out!!

My very first pattern- yippie!! "La Dolce Vita" is in the house- there are a few copies left, but more are to come. These fingerless gloves are so soft and cozy, quick and easy to knit up, make the perfect holiday gift. They require one skein each of Tilli Tomas' aspen and flurries for the pair, you can't beat that. Aspen is truly delightful to knit with, and my thinking cap is on right now for my next pattern.. I have to say, I am pretty excited about having my own pattern out there, and who better to share that with, than Tilli Tomas!!!

Dream in Color came in yesterday- YUM!! These skeins, one is more beautiful than the next. I love this company, they are going to explode!! I first saw their sock yarn online, and then felt the "Classy" , with my rep, which is the worsted weight, and I loved it, had to have it right away. They shipped me 7 colors so far, and they are really pretty.... Their superwash fine merino is dyed in a "Veil" dying process, which embraces the relationship between lights and darks. Each skein is enriched with subtly and the fine merino make up leaves it super soft and full of sheen... The question I have, what am going to knit first, I have my eyes on "Cocoa Kiss"..

Ina came by this morning with some patterns to refresh my stock. Just as she left, I realized that she finished the "Julia Shrug" pattern. Yippie!! I LOVE this pattern. Who wouldn't want to knit this? It takes 2 skeins of the Blue Sky Suri, and is absolutely luscious to the max. As she was walking out, I said, oh now I have to knit that tonight, she threw me her sample and helped herself to 2 new skeins. What a trade- we love that!!!!! Who loves you Ina?

More fun stuff to arrive this morning, some Ozark Handspun... So now we can start using it with our chunky knits or felting projects for a little added fabulosity. Check out this skein, I think he used a bit of lurex, it has a touch of sparkle. I am thinking about the Concentric Vest in Interweave Knits. I would use big wool and glamify it with a trim in ozark. I may change my mind another 20 times today. That's one of my best qualities. As you can only imagine, it is very difficult to decide what to knit when you're sitting in a knitting store, surrounded by beautiful yarn all day. I could think of worse things though, so who's complaining.

Thank god that's over. Despite the absolute gorgeousness of the contrasting colors in this scarf, I felt like this took forever. I love the feel, the color, the whole thing. Will I start another right away? I want to say no way, but the truth is probably. It is the perfect scarf. I have had it on all day, it turned heads yesterday at the Rhineback sheep & wool festival. The most exciting thing to watch at the festival was for sure the ..............horses. This man standing (riding) on the most magnificent creatures I have ever seen in my entire life. To see these horses up close, was , there are no words. We walked to the car completely amazed by these beautiful Belgium Brabant horses. Their legs were like tree trunks. I have never seen anything like it, just phenomenal- and I grew up with 2 horses- regular size horses, these were massive.

The real reason I went to the show was to finally met Sarina, John, and baby Scout from Moving Mud. We have developed a special relationship over the course of the past 2 years, but had never met. Her booth was so busy, but when I walked up to her, we knew it. Big warm hugs all around, and it's a bummer we don't live closer. Her baby is a sweet little peanut, and John- exactly as I imagined, and it was as if we had all been friends for so long. Then I made my mission to find Carol Cypher, to score one more hug, which I did. Low and behold, she had an ENORMOUS shawl closure form Moving Mud in the side of her hair, she is a rip. I love her. We ate in town at Gigi's, which was great, and then sat in traffic for 4, I repeat 4 hours getting home. I am not a good passenger, if the ride takes more than 45 minutes tops. "Where are we" "Are we almost there"? Poor Ted.

Now that my Chevron Scarf is finished, I have to start knitting. Really knitting...

Lucy Cubed....

Ina Braun, the designer behind Tante Sophie Avait Un Chien, has done it again. Earlier this year, she brought to us, the fabulous Mimi and Buddy Shawl and the Mocha Scarf (just to name a few - all were major hits by the way). This fall, she has introduced the "Lucy Cubed" shrug or shawl, knit with Blue Sky Alpacas' Brushed Suri (a favorite in the shop). The single skein version produces a sweet little scarf, displayed in the shop right now in colorway "Sweet Potato Pie". The second version she offers in her pattern calls for 2 skeins of suri, which works out to be an absolutely gorgeous shawl. The best part? When you seam the sleeves, you are left with the yummiest, most amazing shrug. Having each of her pieces displayed in the shop is really terrific, Ina is so wonderful about bringing her samples in for us to see and feel- thank you Ina. When people first see the suri, they figure it is nothing more than a brushed mohair "that must be itchy!" however, much to their surprise, the brushed suri is as soft as a cloud, a slice of heaven that you can, when you're done wearing it as a shrug, wrap it around your neck as a double knit scarf (the brilliance)!! Ina's creative stitch work keeps this project fun to work on and looking beautiful!!! This is a must have fall accessory....

We're back...

We're back, and boy did she have a magical birthday celebration. As you can only imagine, we did not want to come home!! We laughed non stop for a week, and just couldn't get over how Scarlett was completely overwhelmed with all of her dreams coming true. To see her walking up to Cinderella, totally taken back, brought tears to my eyes. No literally, I was crying. It was the most magical moment of her life, no doubt. We didn't want it to end. Ted and I couldn't get over how much this kid loved the tea cup ride... I took her on every ride that she was tall enough to go on, and she loved every minute of it. On her birthday, she wore her Sleeping Beauty gown to breakfast to meet the princesses. She took our breathe away...So, I wish I could say it's good to be back, but truth be told, I rather be in "Fantasyland" than in cloudy damp New Jersey. I have to order some yarn, straighten up, knit and get back into the groove. No more Mickey and Minnie, no more roller coasters (for now).... the girls did an awesome job while I was away. Now I need to replenish what sold out, (Tilli Tomas) aspen and flurries were a hit this week). I didn't knit a single stitch while I was away. I guess that meant I was having too much fun!!

Perhaps when you are about to take a vacation after not going away for so long, you feel like there are so many things you have to "take care of". But really there's not!! I figured, while Scarlett is at school today, I would wrap things up, but I find myself sipping coffee, stretching my legs, and straightening up a skein or two- here and there (what a joke). I am making headway on the koigu chevron scarf, but then today, I got some Tilli Tomas- Flurries and Aspen, in beautiful fall colors. My "La Dolce Vita" glove photo shoot took place last week at Tilli Tomas, and I am more than pleased with the finished product. I wish I could post the photo, but no can do. Apparently, I will be receiving a copy of the chosen photo any day now. In the meantime, if you want to get a head start on the gloves, come by, and I will print the pattern for you. The pattern calls for one ball of aspen, and one skein of flurries... So soft and cozy. I already set aside for a pair in "Atmosphere", the gun metal grey- a must have!!

Last night, I baked cup cakes for Scarlett's birthday party in school, my poor dog sat and moaned as if he was literally starving to death. The moaning and groaning was seriously over the top. He put so much effort into this, trying so hard to manipulate me into giving him a lick of batter, or even a cup cake - sorry buddy!!So, we leave in 2 days, and as it turns out, the shop will not be closed at all!! We are more than excited to play in Disney for a week and forget about work for the first time in 4 years...

just in...

What does it say on the cover of that latest issue of Interweave Gifts? Embellish with Needle Felting!! Intro to Needle Felting will be on October 30th. For more information on the class, visit www.angelfirestudios.com.

Can you even stand these cards?There are a bunch of different cards, the pics didn't some out so great, but they are adorable. They are actually knitted onto the card. I got a big shipment of them today right after the girls left. This morning, we sat around the table and wet felted bracelets. It was fun. I think we'll continue doing it on Wednesday mornings...

Last night was a productive knitting night (shocker- I know), I finished Scarlett's bolero and it fits her great- she was so excited to try it on. I was able to knit the whole thing out of only 2 skeins of Malabrigo. It is adorable, and the first thing Scarlett said when she put it on was "Oh mom, it's soft".I was also able to get started on for my koigu scarf. I was a bit apprehensive about these two colors together, the one is sooo dark, but once I started, oh boy. I love it. Every row is like surprise, and that's what I love so much about Koigu, the color bursts are fabulous. I took this picture outside, so that the colors would really show. I can't even wait to wear it ...I wore this tee shirt that my mother in law sent to me last week, it just came yesterday from Nancy Dee. Btw, my MIL has been here for 2 days, ands is knitting a gorgeous scarf with kidsilk haze and Tilli Tomas, I don;t even think she has taken a pee break. I will take a picture of it tonight. I took a picture of myself to show you the shirt, but it kind of looks like I stuffed my bra. Dang...

Have no fear, my Koigu is HERE!

The UPS man dollied an enormous box into my store this morning. As he unloaded the box, I felt my stomach turn into a pretzel- what the *&$% is in that box? It's KOIGU- all 240 skeins of it!! Unbelievable, the colors are gorgeous. There are a million sock yarns out there, but the bottom line is that no one dyes like Maie Landra of Koigu. When you pull the yarn out of the bag, you can't help but ooh and ahh over the color combos that she puts together. One skein is more beautious than the next, and it's a great yarn to inspire you to knit. I think I will cast on for the another head wrap from the Last Minute Knitted Gifts book. In what colors though? The reds and purples are to die for, this picture hardly does them justice...
I'm making progress on Scarlett's bolero, I just have the ribbing to do tonight, then I'm done. Malabrigo is another luscious yarn, I am so happy that it's in my shop now. It gives the other yarn in the shop a definite run for the money. A lot of customers are stocking up on it for the holidays, it's great for scarves and felts beautifully. On that note, Carolyn and I decided that the Intro to Needle Felting class will be on October 30th 7-9 pm.