Back to work...

Well, I knew I hadn't blogged in a while, but man this HAS been a long time.  What can I say, summer took over, and I'm really glad it did because we all needed a little sun and a break from life.  We were beach bound every weekend, and didn't do much of anything craft wise.  Well, that's not entirely true, I've been throwing a ton of pottery, and I did in fact crochet a blanket which I love, thanks to Carrie, but that's about it...

In the beginning of the summer, our dear friend, Carrie came by with an idea for a crocheted granny square blanket using Tosh merino light. By the end of the week, ohhhh I don't know, perhaps there were about 20 of us crocheting this blanket!  Madelinetosh merino light flying out the door, one shipment after another, OUT THE DOOR!  We're actually waiting on another shipment right now... So anyway, my project details are up on ravelry- big thanks to Carrie, we all enjoyed this mindless, but nonetheless beautiful project!

With fall here and knitting back in full swing, I've been pondering upon what I want to knit first.  I just balled some Acadia, and am thinking about Kate Gagnon Osborn's Avery cowl.  It's a free ravelry download so check it out.  I think I need to make mine a little longer, I'll make sure I post my adjustments as soon as I get started.  It's nice to be back in knitting mode, and with all of the new yarns coming in for fall, such as Misti Alpaca Chunky and lots of Tosh, my head is spinning with ideas for new patterns.  The Rowan magazine 50 finally made it's way into the shop too and we just stocked up Rowan Lima.  Enjoy your knitting!  I need to put some new yarn away...

It's a button thing...

I know it's been a while since I've blogged, and so much has happened around the shop, where do I begin?  Shipments of new yarn, new patterns, and I know we go a little crazy about the buttons around here, but they are pretty fabulous if you have a button thing.  Most of our knitters have a "button thing", especially when they look like this....

Hand cut and carved buttons made of horn and bone from Nepal and beautiful hand dyed Tagua nut buttons from the Equador rain forest.  If you're curious as to what Tagua nut is and how it's used, here's a link.  You can read up on the Tagua Initiative and how it's employed so many local artisans in this region.  I love that we can support that here...

Moving Mud sent us a sweet care package this week as well, a box of hand blown glass shawl closures in a variety of sizes and amazing colors.  I had just pulled a few skeins of Fibre Company for a new pattern I'm thinking of, I think this closure might be on hold for me.  The closures make the shawl, just as the buttons make the sweater (and the shoes make the dress)...

If you've been waiting to squeeze a skein of Blue Sky Alpaca's Techo, then come on over!  I love it!!! It's a blend of baby alpaca, extra fine merino and silk... I can't wait to cast on, but which pattern, hmmm...  The new patterns from Blue Sky and Spud & Chloe are here too.  I love the Shawl Collared Vest and the Secret Garden Cardigan.  Once I finish my Madelinetosh merino light throw, which I'll be posting pictures of soon, I'll be free to start a new project, until then, happy knitting!!!

I'll be adding Techno and the new patterns to the website shortly, if you have any questions in the meantime, please feel free to email me or send me a ravelry message, UN: justineanne...

Blue Sky Trunk Show.....

A trunk show packed with goodies arrived last Friday, and we're all loving these pillows!  They're on the couch here in the shop, and I don't think I'll be able to send them back!  Knit out of Spud n' Chloe's Outer, they're a super wash cotton merino, and so so soft! There are a bunch of sweaters to ogle over as well, I really love the BeTween Cardigan knit from Sweater...

and the Everyday Hoodie knit from Blue Sky's dyed cotton...

In honor of the trunk show and all of their loyal fans, all of the Blue Sky Alpaca and Spud n' Chloe yarn is 10% through May!  OH ps... we're hosting our 2 Stitch n' Pitch this year on Sunday, June 12th at the TD ballpark in Bridgewater!  The game starts at 1:35pm.  Tickets are 10$ each, 2 for 18$, or 3 for 25$.  Call or come by to reserve your seat at the game, the number is 908-604-4294.   

Thank you!

Congratulations Ellen from Westfield!!!
 
The raffle has been a wonderful success.  Our original helplessness became an idea, a action plan and implementation.  It has been a wonderful experience for us.  We learned much about one another’s strengths, kindnesses and benefits of acting as a cohesive group.  Extending that into the knitting community has been a gratifying and heartfelt experience as well.  With your helping hands and hearts we were able to raise a generous gift for Justine and her family.  Giving is a wonderful gift.  We want to extend special thank yous to our supporters …

The Designer
Prudence Mapstone, Australia - who generously allowed us to use her design to create our version of the Falling Leaves Shawl

The Shop Owners who so willingly participated and their customers who purchased..
Susan Kahn, Harriet Shafran owners of Knit A Bit in Westfield who hosted the shawl from February 27 - March 5
Jean Smalley owner of Down Cellar in downtown Basking Ridge who hosted the shawl from March 6 - March12
Helen Brennan, owner of Purl Jam hosted the shawl from March 13 - March 19
Sheila Handelmann, owner of Stix and Stitches in Montclair, hosted the shawl from March 20 - March 26
Hope and Barry Blazer owners of Accent on Knits in Morristown our shawl hosts from March 27 - April 2
Doris Jenne, proprietor of A Yarn for all Seasons in Martinsville who hosted the shawl from April 3 - April 9
And of course all the customers that came to Angelfire and first saw the shawl during the NJ Jersey Yarn Crawl and again this past week. 

Our Model
Arlynn Katz

Our Photographer
Karen Katz

Groups that bought block tickets
The Bound Brook Library Loopers
S1P1 Knitters of Basking Ridge, NJ
The Women’s Club of Farmingdale, NY
The Gates Avenue Knitters
The Long Hill Township Library Knit Group
The Bernards Township Library Knitters and Crocheters

Press Angels
Pam MacKenzie, writer for the Courier News, who wrote about our story in her blog and did a feature piece in the Courier News and even purchased tickets for out of state knitters.
Robin Fand, Editor of the Warren-Watchung Connection for publishing our story in the April Community News
Mary Beth Temple and her Getting Loopy podcast

Everyone who Purchased a Ticket

thank you lisa...

This week, our friend Lisa, came over with a few of her favorite sweaters for us to borrow and display around the shop for a little bit of inspiration.  Lisa knits so beautifully and we're always in complete awe over her work.  I had to display her Que Sera Cardigan, one of Kirsten Kapur's designs for Knitty.  She knit her sweater out of Fibre Company's Terra in Nettle, which is my very favorite color of Terra.  It's a gorgeous silk blend, so soft and perfect for a spring cardi, and the pattern is free, so you may want to stick in your que!  Look at Nettle, it's heaven!

I LOVE Lisa's Tie Sweater from Blue Sky Alpacas, it's knit out of Blue Sky Suri Merino, so obviously, it's to die for.  It's fairly simple and quick to knit.  She hasn't worn it yet, I may have to try this on for an hour or a day, just kidding- it's sooo soft... If only there were just a few more hours in the day!!!  Oh that pink cowl, btw, is a crocheted cowl I just finished, which I haven't taken pictures of, or blogged about yet.  I'll have to do that after I finish and take pictures of my New York Cardigan.  Nevertheless, for the cowl, I used 3 skeins of Malabrigo Silky Merino, and here's a link to the pattern.  Really simple and quick, if you're looking for a mindless crochet pattern, this is great and I wear it a lot.

Ok, off to knit my cardigan, happy knitting on this snowy April day!!!

madelinetosh merino dk...

With every shipment of Madelinetosh, comes a wave of inspiration and new ideas for projects!  Thanks to our ingenious friend, Kpoz (ravelry name), we're continuously being introduced to the patterns we must have missed while on our quest to fill up our ques.  One cardigan she pointed out to me, which I really like, is the New York Cardigan.  It's a top down sweater (I think) which means it'll be a quick knit, and it's perfect for spring either out of the suggested Blue Sky Alpacas Silk or Madelinetosh merino dk,  you can find the pattern here on ravelry.  Another cardigan idea is the Abalone, which is a free pattern btw...  It's a toss up, maybe I need both, and these amazing colors make it really hard to choose.  I love the two colors I posted above: Clover and below: Thoreau...

We're also restocked on One World's gorgeous hand carved horn and bone buttons, as well as new shawl closures and notions from Lantern Moon.  I love their new Knit Out Boxes, we have them in every color.  I haven't had a chance to get them on the website, so if you have any questions about ordering, feel free to give the shop a call and we'll have one out to you right away.  Happy knitting everybody!!!
 

7 YEARS!!!!!

Join us this weekend as we celebrate 7 amazing years together!
Saturday 11-5 & Sunday 12-4
All yarns including the sale bins are 20% off.