Are We Feeling The Love?

I have my radio set to wake me up every morning @ 8:00. I know, I'm a bum to sleep so late, but I don't open shop until 10:00 a.m. Anyway, so I am awakened to the sweet melodious tune of NPR. Most mornings, I hear the weather and traffic right off the bat, but this morning I got to hear the financial news. Wow, that was a bummer. Retail had a "less than desirable numbers for the month of January. Walmart and larger retailers were down from last year considerably, while Cosco wholesales were up." I laid there, staring at the dumb clock thinking..."it wasn't just bad for them either bucko."



Ah well...such is life...I choose to remain optimistic, I see good things happening in our future. For starters, The Gift Shop/Gallery that Tony and I are going to make in the front of the store, should bring in a different market and be a neat way to spotlight our Mississippi Artists.


Then there is the HOT SPOT SOX program I am fixin' to start with South West Trading Company is going to totally ROCK! I will keep you posted, but we should have some Tofutsies in by the next week or 2!

How about a SOCK BOOT CAMP!? You read that right! I'll just wet your whistle that and fill you in with more details later, but it will be AWESOME!

Well, I need to get ready for Knit In here in a few minutes. I hope everyone is having a wonderful day and don't forget to support your local Yarn Shop!

kat

Lots of Catching Up

Wow, where to start? It seems like a lot has been happening but at the same time the shop has been excruciatingly slow lately. You would think that with the weather being the way it is that we would be doing a bit better here, but nope...I think the ugly word "recession" is firmly inbedded in the backs of the publics mind and people just are afraid to spend...maybe...that is my theory anyway.

We have had some great classes happening lately. The drop spindle class was an absolutely smashing success! We had 8 people show up for class and I received emails from others who had missed and want in on the next class! I think, if LaLa doesn't mind, we may schedule another class for February 16...that is tentative at this point.

LaLa's sock class was also a huge success! We have more sock addicts on our hands now...I teasingly said that I would have to change the format of my shop to carrying sock yarns only at this rate! She has also made another order and will be hand dyeing some more of that scrumptious sock yarn asap. Stay tuned!

Patty (who teaches the spindling class) has been networking and now we have some beautiful lace weight Llama from Roxywoodfarms, Alpaca from Coldwater Alpaca Ranch, as well as gorgeous rovings from Little Bit Acres Farms! You really need to check these fibers out for yourselves! The whimple I made for myself out of the alpaca is everything I dreamed it would be. I am working with the llama now and it is really deamy soft! Of course, I don't think I could ever say enough about Patty's rovings and hand dyeing, "like butter" to spin with!

This month will be very exciting too! Yes, another Basic Sock Class! This Saturday is a Heart Sachet class, awesome for beginners! Then another spindling class learning to use the drop spindles. Finally, LaLa is going to teach the "Magic Loop" technique! I'll post more info as they come along or go to http://www.thatyarnshop.com/

I am currently making an order for the new Cascade "Great American Afghan" and "Great American Aran Afghan" books. They are $12.95 each + tax extra. Several of us here at That Yarn Shop are going to begin working with this book and the Cascade 220 line to make our own afghans. If you are interested, let me know and I will order either or books for you...I need to have a prepay on the books. If you want to check it out, go to www.cascadeyarns.com and see what you think!

Our knit ins have been going great...we have had some very laid back nights, but last night...it was so much fun! You would not believe it, but we actually had Courtney of Paggios in Memphis, 1684 Poplar Avenue, come and wax our eyebrows! I have never had mine done before but she is most excellant! It did not hurt, she followed the natural line of my brow and it was just perfect! I look fabulous today and can not wait to get my hair done there...I hit tony up with the maybe getting some pamper time for my b-day in March. LOL!

Well, I need to get to work, I hope everyone has a knitty day!

kat

Credit Card Machines

Well, my credit card machine is back up and running...it needed to reboot I guess. The tech told me that happens now and again, "just unplug it for 5 min and then plug it back up....if it doesn't run then there other issues".Anyway, I'm operational and relieved. LOL

I am steadily working on my Clapotis. (you can find the pattern at knitty.com!)It is slow going and I am literally at the 1/2 way point. Unfortunately, I have tons to do today, website update, emails about the drop spindle class this Saturday. So, I am the Queen of Procrastination and am putting it off as best I can. guilt...guilt...guilt...

I need to jazz up on some more coffee and that will get me going!

I have a couple of pics of the sock class from last Tuesday.

Here is LaLa and her class all working on their mini socks.

and here is another shot, you can see my hubby working on his mini sock right there. He kept laughing at himself, working with everything small and having big hands.

Then I have a pic of Amy and a pic of Amanda wearing their tiaras!First Amy! Notice Carol's daughter Courtney in the back there...LOL

and then Amanda!

OK, I have dilly dallied long enough...Time to get to work.

later ya'll!kat & amanda

Thursday Night Knit In!

It's Thursday!
Come and Join Us for our
1st Annual PJ & Tiara Knit In!
6:00pm - 9:00pm

Come wearing your PJ's and your tiara's with your WIP *(work in progress) .

Don't have a tiara? (I have them here at the shop for $1.25 in pink, purple or white!)

Snacks and refreshments will be served. (If you could contribute food or drinks that would be great! I have cups, plates and a fridge!)

If you need more info, give me a call!

See Y'all Tonight!
kathy & amanda

That Yarn Shop LLC
133 West Center Street
Hernando, MS 38632
662-429-5803

www.thatyarnshop.com

My Camera Works!

OK, be warned, if you have an electronic device that needs work, KEEP THE THING AWAY FROM ME!!! I asked Tony to look at the camera and guess what? The battteries were in wrong...I had the batteries on the right connectors, just flipped...I dunno...they were in wrong and he fixed them. The happy thing is though, I have pictures!!! I have been downloading, cropping and getting my pics up on flickr...

Ok, so I know I got the Frankensocks and the drop stitch scarf pics posted, now for the Wavy Feathers Wimple!

My lovely model (who thinks she looks hideous) makes it look even more beautimus!

I am so happy to have my camera back!

I somehow managed to let LaLa talk me into making a Clapotis...*sigh* how does she do it?! So, I am making a Clapotis out of the Eden Print Bamboo...it's a good thing though. Now people can see what it looks like made up...people have a hard time visualizing the bamboo, it does kind of have an odd look to it...for lack of a better description.

I have got to finish the January Calendar so I best get at it. Don't forget about the Sock class tonight if you are signed up.

kat

Happy New Year!

Ok, so I'm a week late. I have been busy, yeah, really buuuuusssssyyyy....



I ended my 2007 with my last project completed at exactly 11:57 p.m. New Year's Eve. Everyone at church shook their heads and said it couldn't be done, but I kitchnered the toe and yelled "CALF ROPE!" Everyone just kind of stared at me like I had lost my mind and my husband gave me a solo standing ovation...so without further ado...here are the infamous FRANKENSOCKS...









Yes, they are the same size, one thing I took notice of is how the colors can play games with your mind, makeing one sock appear to be longer than the other, but when I held them up to each other, lo and behold! they were "even steven".





My first project for 2008 was the drop stitch scarf I found on ravelry. I finished it New Year's Day!

I really wish you could see the details on this thing. It is really wicked cool.

Then, last Wednesday, Cathy Stauffer of the Coldwater Aplaca ranch came by with some of her GLORIOUS alpaca yarns. Natural smoke grey and black colors that are just luciously soft. I had to try it out and work up a model. I decided to do a lace wimple. I went to ravelry (this is my number 1 spot to look first and found a beautiful pattern. I will try and get the links here I am pretty sure I qued them! It only took 1 skein, 220 yds of the smoke grey alpaca. When I originally cast on, I did the larger size and CO 143...then to make matters worse, I twisted the join to work in the round and VOILA! A mobius...grrrrrrrrrr....after much debate, I decided, well, maybe that will work out after all. Nope, nada, nyet...I frogged it all out. I cast on the 99 for the smaller size, worked on shorter circulars (I think is where I blew it the first time.) and got to work. That was Saturday night after dinner around 6:00.I finished my whimple at 5:30 yesterday evening! I worked so fast, I couldn't believe the progress I was making. It is now washed and dryed and on a head model here at the shop. I will ask LaLa or Eloise to take a pic (my camera is FRIED and I am shopping for a new one as we speak) next time they are in. I loved the pattern and loved the yarn.

Tomorrow is the Sock Class...if you have not signed up and are wanting to, you need to do that before 5:00 this afternoon. I think Tony is going to be in attendance, since he missed out the last class and really wants to learn to knit his own socks.

Ok, I have tons to do today so I need to get off of here and get at it. I will try and post some more tomorrow...today has been busy.

later my little taters!

kat

Merry Christmas Y'all!

I am fixin' to head on home for the day...the shop has been pretty quiet, except for a few people coming in. I figured it would be like this.

The rest of the family is at home, getting ready for the Christmas Play at church. I need to go home, dress a bit nicer and attend (even though I have seen the play 2 years now + most of the rehearsels. LOL BUT, Taylor is a narrator this year, Tori has the solo at the end (plus she and another girl will be singing as the people arrive to the play), Sam has a singing part and Amanda is an angel. I can't miss that!

LaLa thanks for the awesome book! I LOVE it!

Eloise, I hope your birthday is an awesome one!

Everybuggy, I thank you for your friendship, care and prayers, I can honestly say, y'all are the best friends I could ever ask for.

Have a safe and Merry Christmas and I will see you next Wednesday (knit In and business as usual) & Thursday night for Knit In!

We'll have to do a "What I Got for Christmas" Show and Tell!

later and lots of love!

kat