Christmas in July

Tonya and I have a healthy competitive knitting relationship. This is because whenever I want to knit something, and I've chosen the pattern and the yarn, I discover that Tonya has already started the same project. For instance, I fell in love with this sweater from Blue Sky
And I had enough Organic Cotton in this pretty brown color. Guess what Tonya made? (To be fair, a lot of people have made that sweater. Whitney is teaching a class on it this August.)

So when our competitive knitting got on the subject of Christmas stockings, a race was suggested. In the beginning, it was insanity. Knit three heirloom quality, intarsia-riddled Christmas stockings in the month of July. June 30th, get your patterns and materials together, on your mark, get set, and midnight morning of July 1st, go!

But it seemed selfish to keep the fun all to ourselves, so I posed the challenge to knitters at the store. Choose that elaborate handmade Christmas gift that will plague your holiday season (we all say we won't do it, but what knitter hasn't spent the already stress filled weeks of December knitting away on Grandma's Aran sweater only to wrap the damn thing up on the needles so that you can at the very least work on it in front of her and maybe just maybe get it done before she returns home to Ohio? Not me to be sure...) and anticipate your procrastination! Knit it during the month of July. Those who complete the task are rewarded with the chance to win a $100 gift certificate. Those who fail at least have half of the present already knitted.

So while I'm only a third of the way through my argyle Christmas stocking (but at least Tonya is too distracted by Leo's arrival to even try to compete with me), we already have some folks who have finished their Christmas in July projects! (Note: If you are related to Colleen, Mylea, or Ruth, please stop reading this post!)

Colleen was actually the first to finish her project, but I unfortunately didn't snap a picture of it. She made a beautiful eyelet shrug with a double strand of Mission Falls 1824 wool. I know the pattern is on the internet somewheres, but I forget what it's called and googling "free shrug pattern" is not helping narrow down the search.


After a few false starts on another sweater vest, Mylea finished this cabled vest (with yarn procured from our May yarn swap) in about a week. Way to go!

Ruth has made not one, not two, but a few felted bags. Check out the strawberry patch! This pattern is from the Spring 2007 issue of Knitscene. Holly served as the inspiration, having made this bag a while ago, but Ruth really took it to the next level by making FOUR bags so as nobody in her family feels left out. Furthermore, she put the left over Lamb's Pride to good use and made two Buttonhole Bags for good measure. I'm sure she'll be glad she did considering Baby Bennett is due in October and knitting felted purses will probably be down on the list of things to do.

Cindy's birthday is coming up and she declared that if she wasn't standing on the beach then life wasn't worth living. So off to the beach we go! The sale this past weekend was a wonderful success, so we can guiltlessly leave the store in Whitney's capable hands. Thanks to everyone who stopped by for the incredible deals.



'Nuff said!

Playing with Clip Art

As most of you know, our big summer sale is Saturday, July 14. This also happens to be Bastille Day, the French version of the Fourth of July. There are some really terrible French-related clip art images out there in the world. Check it out.

Anyway, the camera is no longer broken, just always misplaced when something blog worthy happens. And I don't know about you, but a picture-less blog is like a French fry without a beret or a glass of wine (if you followed the above link, you totally understand).

Summer Knitting (had me a blast)

Just because I haven't been blogging, doesn't mean we haven't been busy. There has been a lot of knitting and crocheting going on, and here's just a taste.


Everybody has been making the Mason Dixon Buttonhole Bags. They are very quick, easy, and are excellent stash busters. Every one of these bags has utilized previously purchased yarn.


My fair isle baby sweater has been steeked (although I did get my mommy to sew it up with the machine since it always takes me an hour to sew up anything, damned bobbin thread!) It's still a work in process, however. Now that the hard part is over and boring ol' button bands are left, I've moved on to more interesting things.


Tonya continues to knit for baby Leo. This is Bobbi Bear. You can see more details about Tonya's baby knitting on her blog.


But nobody has been more industrious than Irene. Now that summer is here, Irene isn't slowed down by such troublesome things as school, and her knitting is really benefiting. She's started on the Central Park Hoodie, probably finished twenty hats and mittens in the last two weeks (no joke!), but here she is making some fingerless gloves.


And what does she carry all of her notions in? Why, her new Commonwealth of Kentucky carrying case, complete with Johnny Depp collage.


But what about her stitch markers? Why, they are in a smaller case marked Jefferson County!

Don't you wish you had been as cool as Irene when you were twelve?

Awesome Possum

While the camera was out of commission, we had a new member attend our Stitch and Bitch. This is Junebug. Despite her apprehensions, Nicole is holding her. It must be that maternal instinct kicking in.

Suzanne, our crochet teacher, rescued her (notice the crocheted leash the possum is sporting?). Junebug was near death, having been licked to near oblivion by a very enthusiastic dog. There has been discussion about using her soft baby fur in future spinning endeavors, but for now, Junebug is content being nestled in a baby hat made out of Blue Sky Dyed Cotton. (PS- the hat is marked $20, not the animal.)

Thanks to Whitney for documenting this event!

May has flown by...

I apologize that it's been so long since I last posted. The digital camera has been on the fritz, but besides that May has just flown by and boy have we been busy! Since I don't have any pictures to post, I will borrow some from Liz, of Knit and Coffee blog fame. She bought some Katia Jamaica to continue her miter square blanket and it is absolutely gorgeous. I'm also adding her blog to our list (I can't believe we overlooked you, Liz!).

Yarn Swaps, Maryhurst, and Derby Hats

Last Thursday, we hosted our first yarn swap at the Knit Nook, proving that one person's stash is another's treasure. We had a great turn out. Paulette even made some delicious homemade Derby pie!



And at the end of the night, we collected all of this yarn for the girls at Maryhurst. If you would like to donate yarn or other knitting and crochet supplies, please bring them to the Knit Nook. We go every Wednesday, so if you're interested in volunteering, let us know!

In other news, Miriam finished her hat! Just in time to lend it out for Derby!

It's crocheted out of wire and thread. Miriam actually learned how to crochet so she could make this hat, and she did! It was hard going, but third time's the charm!

The Persistence of Knitters

I will never complain about having to knit a second mitten ever again. Check this out.