EASTER SHAWL CONTEST WINNERS!

This week we wrapped up the voting for the Easter Shawl Contest and are excited to announce the winners.  Once again, the turnout was great and we loved having the beautiful shawls around the shop.  Without further ado,  the winner of the Easter Shawl contest is..............................

#6, knit by Renee Petrie

Keffiyeh Wrap

by Kristina McGowan

But, don't forget that we also have a prize for a voter, drawn at random.  For every vote, your name was put into the "hat" and because of her In-Store Vote, the winner of the "Voter's Drawing" is Deb Hendricks.

Renee won 3 skeins of Noro Kochoran yarn that we've selected for her, perfect to knit "The Simple Yet Effective Shawl" or "The Basic Entrelac Scarf" and Deb won an Instructional Class of her choice.  You may come into the store to receive your prize.

Thanks so much to everyone who participated!  We look forward to seeing more of your projects as we continue our Holiday Path to Knits & Purls.  Check out our website to read more about our current Summer Sweater contest.

A Fair Isle Knitting Tip to Try

This is an interesting tip that I just got in a newsletter from the people at The Knit Kit. If you are having problems tackling Fair Isle (2-color knitting) technique, this tip might be helpful! Try it on a small sampler so you can master it first. It seems like trying this in the round on a hat or something even smaller might be easier than doing it in rows.

Worked flat: You will need circular or double-pointed needles to work a flat piece in this technique. Work across the row, knitting every stitch in color A and slipping as if to purl every stitch that is in color B. At the end of the row and without turning, slide the stitches back to the right side needle, pick up color B, work every slipped stitch in color B, slipping the already worked stitches in A.

Work in the round: Simply work all of the color A stitches (slipping as if to purl the stitches that will be color B), then work a second round of color B (slipping as if to purl the stitches that are color A).

Remember to vote for you favorite shawl! Voting ends on Wednesday, June 1st.

If you are among the many people out there that want to learn to crochet, check out our beginning crochet class. It will be a 2 session class, on Tuesday evenings, June 28 & July 5 from 6-8pm. We will include a skein of yarn and a crochet hook as part of the class fee. Tasha W (a.k.a. neon628 on Ravelry) will be the teacher. She loves to knit, but loves to crochet even MORE!

Keep on knitting & crocheting, too!

VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE SHAWL!

The second leg of our contest journey is almost complete.  The shawls have been knit, now they just need your vote!  We have posted a picture of each shawl here on the blog (although we highly recommend coming into the store to see the shawls up close and personal, they are so beautiful and the pictures don't always due them justice).  To cast your vote, just leave a comment on this post with your full name and the number of the shawl you want to win!  Voting ends Wednesday June 1st, 2010.

 #1

-------------

  #2

-------------

 

  #3

-------------

 

 

#4

-------------

 

 #5

-------------

 

 #6

-------------

 

 #7

-------------

 

 #8

-------------

 

 #9

-------------

 

 #10

-------------

 

 #11

-------------

 

 #12

-------------

 

 #13

-------------

 

 #14

-------------

 

 #15

-------------

 

VOTE NOW BY COMMENTING ON THIS POST WITH YOUR FULL NAME AND NUMBER OF THE SHAWL YOU WANT TO WIN!  Don't forget there is a "Voter's Drawing" as well! Check out all of the detail and rules on our website.

Also, remember that there are other ways to vote! You can vote once on the Knitted Together facebook page and once in the store.  Although you can earn an additional vote for every purchase you make during the voting period! 

Memorial Day Summer Sweater Contest!

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Check out the website for all of the rules and details!

Debbie Macomber's Visit!

At the shop yesterday morning the phone rang and when I answered I heard the woman on the other end of the line say, "Hi Nancy, this is Debbie Macomber." (I've been a fan of hers since I read The Shop On Blossom Street, her first book in the Blossom Street Series. I reviewed it for Knit It! magazine when the publisher sent me a review copy. I loved the story so much ... it helped paint my dreams of owning a yarn store!) Debbie told me she was planning to come visit us at the shop sometime after the lunch hour. She was in town for AVID (Authors Visiting in Des Moines), a program through the Des Moines Public Library. I thought she might come see us, because we had called her publicist and invited Debbie to visit if she had time. Obviously no promises were made, but Debbie does LOVE yarn and visiting yarn stores ... About 2:30 she walked into the shop with Jan from the DM Public Library and Nancy who has worked for Debbie for almost 17 years!

Several of our customers were on hand to greet Debbie. Irene E and her daughter were checking out at the front desk when Debbie walked in, so she was able to have Debbie autograph her copy of The Knitting Diaries (by Debbie Macomber, Susan Mallery and Christina Skye).

As you can probably imagine, Debbie is so down to earth. She sat right down on the couch between Dana H and Renee P and took out her knitting (she was working on a vest for her daughter-in-law out of red Cascade 220 Superwash (one of my favorite yarns!). Rose L, Marsha D and Denise B were sitting there knitting, so we had a nice gathering of ladies to chat with Debbie, Jan and Nancy. Being knitters (where every occasion calls for food) we had chocolate chip cookies and also served coconut cream pie (after discovering that Debbie loves anything coconut). After treats we took some pictures with Debbie!

From left to right: Tim, Renee, Dana, Denise, me, Debbie, Rose, and Marsha

Debbie left shortly after we took pictures. Later Rose, Marsha and I went to Hoyt Sherman for the reception and Debbie's talk. What a humble, funny lady! We laughed, knitted, and laughed some more.

Thanks to Debbie we had a memorable day!

Monster Birthday Bash Contest Winners!

The first contest in our Holiday Path of Knits & Purls has officially ended and the votes are in!  We had a wonderful time seeing what you came up with and are continually impressed with our customers' creativity.  After 137 votes, the winner is.............................................

#6 Mama Monster made by Lisa Houchins

But, don't forget that we also have a prize for a voter, drawn at random.  For every vote, your name was put into the "hat" and because of her Facebook Vote, the winner of the "Voter's Drawing" is Rose Limke.

Lisa won $60 of Cascade 220 Superwash and Rose won $30 of Cascade 220 Superwash.  You may come into the store to receive your prize.

Thanks so much to everyone who participated!  We look forward to seeing more of your projects as we continue our Holiday Path to Knits & Purls.  Check out our website to read more about our current Easter Shawl contest.

I Finished My Shawl for Spring

If you are a customer at Knitted Together, you've gotten an invitation to knit a shawl for our shawl contest. I have been busily knitting a shawl, so I could join in on the fun (minus the chance to win a prize of course). 

Yesterday I finished and blocked my Appalachian Shawl. I added 36 stitches (equivalent of two repeats of the Feather and Fan pattern) to my cast on, so that I could get more length to my shawl. I also ended up working the Framed Star Stitch pattern nine times, rather than the eight times called for, since I had to buy a second skein of Alpaca Sox in Nor' Easter which is my main color. The shawl is so soft and airy; it's just plain lovely! It will be fun to throw on over a blouse or T-shirt this summer. I have lots of leftover yarn of both colors, so I can now make two pairs of socks for next winter... no, I don't wear socks much in the summer.

Keep on knitting!