Wednesday, April 25, 2012

The winner of the NCAA Scarf Contest is ...

I know this is a bit late, but as the saying goes, better late than never! We want to thank our winner, Barbara Anderson for making the incredible scarf for our NCAA Scarf Contest. She used Mirasol Nuna and designed a very classy tiger stripe pattern for her Missouri Tigers! Barbara did a beautiful job ... actually a bit better than her Tigers did. They lost in the first round. Oh well ... we eased Barbara's pain with a $100 Knitted Together Gift Card!

Check out the pin Barbara put on her Missouri Tiger scarf!
We hope you can stop in today through Saturday to shop during the Mid Iowa Shop Hop! You will enjoy 10% off select yarns here at Knitted Together today through Saturday. You will also get your passport stamped and if you go to all 6 stores your name will go in the running for the $300 grand prize. You can pick up a passport here, Heartland Fiber Company, Knitting Next Door, Ames Knittery, Rose Tree Fiber Shop, and The Yarn Basket.

Keep on knitting!

Nancy

Saturday, April 21, 2012

We are busy knitting little scarves

This week has been scarf knitting week for me and Renee. I know what you're thinking. Scarves! How boring! But what a perfect way to try out a new yarn or try out a new stitch pattern! Skinny, lacy, textured, or wispy scarves are fun to knit as well as wear as a wardrobe accent at any time of the year. 


I have enjoyed trying out some new stitches ... well not actually new, just new to me. I've been thumbing through all my Barbara Walker "Treasury of Knitting Patterns" (I have them all and have treasured them for years - now you know why they are called treasuries) and trying out some simple lacy or textured stitches that work well for scarves.


The start of a skinny scarf using Barbara Walker's Open Star Stitch.


You will have to stop in next week for the Mid Iowa Yarn Shop Hop April 25th through April 28th and see the scarves Renee and I have made. The yarns we've chosen are quite nice as well!


Keep on knitting!


Nancy

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

My Whirlwind Weekend

My oldest daughter Elizabeth moved to Gunnison,Colorado a month ago and we made a quick trip out this past weekend to deliver more of her things.  Gunnison is near Crested Butte which is near . . . nothing.  Look on the map at southwest Colorado.  Look for a large area labeled 'middle of nowhere'.  That should give you a pretty good idea of where Gunnison is.  A mere 13 hours away.  We left Saturday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. and drove straight through, arriving around 8:00 a.m. Sunday.  I know what you're thinking:  Renee is really bad at math because that is a little more than 13 hours.  Yessiree, I have a story for you.  

My husband, the steering wheel control freak' drove, I was shotgun and my second-born favorite daughter, Traci, was trapped in the back with the ever-whining wiener dog.  Jim:  I can drive the whole way.  I took a nap this morning and I am fresh as a daisy and ready to go.  Traci:  Good because I stayed out waaay too late last night and had one too many beverages and I am far from fresh as a daisy.  Me:  Perfect.  I have two headlamps in the car and I can knit on the June Knitted Together KAL 'til my fingers fall off.  Wiener Dog:  Did anyone bring the Beggin' Strips??? 

We drove through Iowa sprinkles as I watched gently rolling hills starting to turn green.  Once we hit Nebraska (could it be any flatter?) we drove through a spectacular lightening show and listened to the radio blare out tornado warning alerts through the middle of all the good songs.  I looked at Jim.  He looked at me.  Jim:  I've got this.  Me:  That last shot of lightening was so close that I don't think I'll have to highlight my hair again for the next three years.  We hit eastern Colorado and I got the answer to my 'could Nebraska be any flatter' question - yes it could be flatter and here it is.  Once we got to Denver the freezing rain kicked in and we drove for an hour at 20 mph.  The only other vehicles on the highway were snowplows and the cars in the ditches.  Three hours later we are zipping along when Jim looks at me.  I look at Jim.  Jim:  I can't make it any further.  You're going to have to spell me.  Me:  Sure!  Me thinking:  ARE YOU KIDDING ME?  THE MOUNTAIN PASS IS COMING UP!! YOU WANT ME TO DRIVE THROUGH THE MOUNTAIN PASS??!!  Jim:  You will be fine.  The weather is great.  Fifteen minutes later we hit the flashing sign indicating we are now driving through Monarch Mountain Pass - Travel Not Recommended.  I look at Jim sleeping.  I look at Traci pretending to sleep.  I look at wiener dog and see this thought cross her little mind:  Did you seriously forget to pack the Beggin' Strips?  I was on my own, flying solo.  So I put the death grip on the steering wheel, squared my shoulders and crawled through the pass.  On-coming drivers waved.  I waved back but was internally screaming, "STOP LOOKING AT ME!!"  Once we got to our destination, Elizabeth asked how the pass was.  Before I could even open my mouth Jim and Traci gave a weather report that sounded like we had just traveled through paradise.  What really happened is that I drove through a blizzard!  It was THE worst blizzard on record!!  Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.  

We spent Sunday with Elizabeth and the boyfriend, henceforth referred to as Christopher.  Monday morning we got up, said our goodbyes and headed to the Gunnison Coffee Company for the best cup of coffee on the face of the earth.  When we explained why we were in Gunni, our server asked how long we would be staying while delivering 'stuff' to our daughter.  Server:  Wow!  That must be some pretty important stuff!  Me:  Not really.  As a matter of fact it was mostly hand-me-down furniture.  Me thinking:  But it was sure great to see my first-born working somewhere that makes her happy, in a place that makes her happy and living with her love, Christopher, who makes her happy.  I'm not going to look over my shoulder at the mirror to check, but I'm pretty sure my behind is in the shape of a car seat.  And I would do it all over again for my first-born favorite daughter.  Just not this next weekend . . . 

Renee

Friday, April 13, 2012

Tiny Rosetta Monkey is Done

I was able to finish Rosetta in time for everyone to see her last evening at the Jacobus monkey KAL here at the shop. Rosetta ended up being about 9.5 inches tall including the tuft of yarn hair that I added last minute (you know how baby orangutans always have that fluffy hair on the top of their heads). I also only used a little less than 30 grams of a 50 gram ball of Regia 4-ply sock yarn. I used a tiny bit of pink Opal sock yarn for the face, hands, and feet. So if you are inclined to make a Jacobus monkey with sock yarn you will probably have at least 30 grams left of something laying around.

Tiny Rosetta perches on a crystal compote.
I may just have to make another monkey. Just think about it; a monkey would make a great gift for anyone (of any age) on your gift list! You can continue to join us at our Thursday night KAL through the month of April! I think we'll take a group photo of all the monkeys at the end of the month and post it here. It's sure to be good for a giggle!

Keep on knitting,
Nancy

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Monkey Business All Around!

Last week we started Renee's KAL for Jacobus. We had quite the crowd last Thursday - the chairs were filled with people starting their monkeys. What with Judi's Magic Cast-On and magic loop learners, we were kept busy. Renee brought Banana cup cakes that were really moist and delicious. They were perfect for all the monkey business as we knitted together!

I got my Jacobus monkey started, and promptly named her Rosetta because of my friend Rose and my yarn. I'm using Regia Flusi sock yarn in a rose, blue, red and orange colored stripe with Size 0/2 mm Addi Turbo needles since I needed to go down a couple of sizes from what I normally use for sock knitting. The fabric seems to be just about right for stuffing. I'm nearly done with her, but I'm afraid I may have issues stuffing her since she's so tiny. My plan is to finish her by tomorrow, so I can parade her around tomorrow evening at the KAL. I still have to knit her second ear, tail and finally her last leg. Right now she's a one legged monkey!

If anyone else wants to start knitting Jacobus with us, purchase and print your pattern from Ravelry and stop in Thursday for our KAL a little before 6 pm. We can help you pick out yarn and needles if you don't have the right size.

One legged Rosetta with her lips still flapping!
Keep on knitting,
Nancy

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Cat Fights at Our House

From left to right: Louie and Hughie on my lap 2 weeks ago!
When our female cat Allie died in January the vet said that we might notice a battle between our two male cats for ruler of the house. We didn't notice anything at all until last week. Hughie and Louie are litter mates, so have been together forever. They turned 9 at the end of March. The boys (as we often refer to them), have playfully wrestled and fought for years, but in a nice way if that's possible?! Early last week after I fed them breakfast, Louie started attacking Hughie. 

Louie caught in the act of cleaning, put on his evil eyes :)
You know how cats have a special person that they respond to, well I'm Hughie's person, so now anytime Hughie gets up on my lap or comes near me Louie just comes close and shows Hughie his "evil" eyes and makes a funny sound and away they go. Poor Hughie is looking a bit haggard with all the cat drama. We are hearing a whole lot of hissing from Hughie, plus thundering cat paws chasing through the house. Good news for Hughie is he is much smaller than Louie and he can hide behind our low profile king-size bed and the wall. Louie won't fit. 

Hughie is hiding his eyes from Louie!
Last evening it occurred to me that a week ago we started giving Louie a new medicine for his constant upper respiratory problem (sneezing and coughing) and I noticed it's labeled "for canine use only"! I told Tim maybe Louie is having a really strange side effect that makes him think he's a dog ... and what do dogs like to do? Chase cats! 

Hopefully things will calm down really soon!

Keep on knitting!
Nancy

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Customer Profile - Sara Fritzsche


Say hello to Sara Fritzche, lovingly referred to as 'Sara One' here at KT. By day Sara is a Financial Analyst/Accountant. Aside from knitting and crocheting, in her spare time she enjoys photography, traveling and reading. Sara is not a pet owner at the moment but may find herself with a cuddly something or another one day if she continues to look at pictures on the ARL website.

Sara learned to knit and crochet in college. Her old friend, Maddie Boyer who lived down the hall taught her to knit. Her friend and then roommate, Colleen Hinka, taught her to crochet.

Sara's favorite yarn is Rowan Lima. Or Purelife Cotton by Rowan. Well, most yarns by Rowan are her favorite. She just loves the colors and textures. It wasn't love at first sight for Sara and Lima, but after feeling and knitting with it she fell 'head over heels' in love. Her favorite knitting project is the Lima sweater she has been knitting on for the past three years. She promises to finish it. Someday. Sara's class wish at KT would be for remedial seaming - for people who avoid piecing sweaters together because they were bad at sewing class in junior high.

Sara's favorite thing about Knitted Together is . . . everything! She loves the friendly, helpful staff and the colors and textures that fill such an inviting space by drawing you in and making you feel at home. She also loves the caring friends who are always sitting on the couch and are good for a story or a pick-me-up on a bad day. Knitted Together is truly her home away from home.

So next time you are at KT and you see Sara, be sure to say hello!

 
 Happy Knitting!
Renee