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Happy Birthday, Mom!

Administrator — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 02:49:28 +0000

My Mom turns 71 today,

and it was nice of the city to put on a nice fireworks show in honor of that milestone. It went on for quite awhile tonight

She would be pleased, so I tried to capture a few of the shots from my front lawn area.

I love you, Mommy. Thanks for having #71, and here’s to many more!

Cleaning House

Administrator — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 20:39:40 +0000

Sunday was a day with two distinct personalities–the morning was restful and slow paced, spending time on things I enjoy. The afternoon was distinctly different, as when I pulled into the parking lot at the shop, I counted 31 cars (including mine and three other staffers’ vehicles), and we’re the only business open on Sundays in our complex. Suffice to say that the joint was rockin’ ! We had three different groups meeting (Entrelac Scarf Along, Miss Marcia’s Finishing School, and Our Lady Of Perpetual Fiber Sunday services), along with several folks just there to take in the scenery and shop. What a great day!

That morning, I had decided to clean out my knitting bag. Not because I didn’t know what was inside (tho I did find a couple surprises, like a caramel that went AWOL last week–still wrapped, still tasty!), but because it had gotten tangled and out of control. Here’s what all came out

Yes, all of that gets lugged back and forth to work with me everyday, and to many other places that I roam as well. Let’s do a quick body count on the contents

Three socks in progress (Scott’s, Dad’s, shop model) and one ball to be turned into a shop model

One sweater in progress (Cassidy, by ChicKnits); been stalled out for at least three, maybe four, months

Boxes Drape–my newest project, basically just a cast on and one row; I made further progress on it last night

Several skeins of this and that to be swatched and then determine what they’ll become (tho the purple bamboo in the far left may well turn into a Cape Point Pullover in the near future)

Big skein of Cascade Magnum (lower right) that quickly became ’shroom from Knitty.com

Two skeins of M&K Linen that were becoming a cardigan, but my gauge swatch lied, so they got raveled and will be resurrected with a smaller needle, after more swatching

Various other doo-dahs and stuff (batteries for wireless mouse at work, hand cream, notions case, and waste yarn)

Big stack of patterns, color cards, and other essentials that I lug around constantly

Knitting/business notebook (far upper left corner, buried) where I make notes and capture ideas/thoughts

Trusty addi circular needle case (buried in the foreground, underneath the hat in progress) that

Copy of “A Bear’s Life” magazine (under the entire pile, right in the center) stays at home. I’ll actually finish it soon, as I picked it up a couple weeks ago and read a little bit of it at the time. Various candles (upper left of photo) all live on the coffee table, not in my bag. Just sayin’

And yes, I finished ’shroom later that afternoon, at the shop, while wandering around and taking in the laughter, projects, conversations, questions, and more of the various customers and friends who were there for the day. We also had a big crock pot of queso (cheese dip) and chips out for public consumption, along with a few other snacks, too. Overall, it was a BUSY day filled with great friends and great fun. I left about an hour after closing time, completely fulfilled and more than a little exhausted, but in a good way!

We had a good bit of snow on Monday, so the shop was slow again, but we had plenty to do and the day went quickly. I even stayed after hours to get even more accomplished, and left around 9 p.m. with Marcia (after her class was over). Helen brought me some AMAZING soup that she made (packed with leeks and carrots) along with some delish rosemary bread (I may have to make bread today…..I’m in the mood and it’s snowing again). I came home, relaxed, and tried to get a little knitting done between cat naps on the sofa. Four rows later, I put it aside and turned in for the evening.

It’s snowing (VERY LIGHTLY) and freezing drizzle is mixed in, so I’m putting off walking until this afternoon, as the radar looks like things clear up shortly. But today is totally and absolutely mine for relaxing and whatever. Again, looks like bread making is in my future, and I have no idea what I’ll do about dinner (I like to fix a slow-cooked or effort-intensive dinner on my day off). Hmmmmmmm. Time to go consult cookbooks!

See you back here soon…and there’s some awesome news to report, too! (GRIN). Yes, I’ve been holding out on you……….

Hello, I’m Alive!

Administrator — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 02:10:16 +0000

I’ve been around, for certain, as evidenced by things posted on my other, more personal blog. I’m sorry for ignoring this venue, and I’ve decided to make sure I attend to it on a regular basis, as I miss having a voice over here as well as sharing my knitting goodies and other tidbits wtih you.

As chronicled elsewhere, I’ve really rediscovered several parts of my personality that had been shuttered or stuck away for the past several years. I’ve rediscovered cooking

with a vengeance. I’ve really enjoyed the fruits of my efforts, including resurrecting some amazing recipies

like my mom’s veggie soup (first photo) and Posole Theresita (look in the December 27th entry for the recipe), one of my favorite cold-weather comfort foods.

There’s been quite a few finished projects in these parts, some of which were given as gifts (I saved photos to share with you), and just this week I wrapped up a Baby Surprise Jacket

out of Baby Marble DK, a great easy-care yarn that works up in that fun, subtle stripe pattern. Right now we have these shades in stock

Those are BM2, BM4, and BM3, left to right. At just $5.99 per skein for 293 yards, it’s a GREAT option for kid/baby items.

And of course, there are some personal life developments as well,

but not enough that I care to divulge to much right now. Deets later, as time and decorum permit!

46 Ain’t So Bad!

Administrator — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:56:25 +0000

Sunday was my birthday, and I have to say it was one of the best I’ve ever had (and definitely the best I can remember in a LONG time). Big thanks to everyone

who helped celebrate

my special day

with two kinds of cake

one of which was your standard, delicious birthday fare, complete wth Tigger and Pooh

(Dad called me Tiger and Tigger growing up, and then I went to the University of Missouri for my education…..mascot? TIGERS!), while the other was a delicious tiramisu

Gordy pulled out all the stops and made this AMAZING treat for me for my birthday, and he and Joe were fun additions to the celebrations around the shop. Thank you to EVERYONE who made it such a special day! Gifts, cards, friends, cakes, knitting, surprise visitors (you know who you are!), and so much more. If this is what growing old is all about…SIGN ME UP!

I’ve been bad and I am cheating on my pullover out of Naturwolle. Yes, it’s true….my eyes were captivated by something new

It’s called “Multnomah“, a fun pattern that I included in our freebies section of the newsletter last week (it went out on Friday, the 30th). That very day, Marcella came in to shop over her lunch hour and she was wearing THAT VERY PROJECT! Joking with her, I said “wow, you knit that up FAST”. Turns out she had made it previously (DUH) and coincidentally had it on that day. Inspired by hers, I pulled out the Alchemy Juniper (two hanks) in their amazing colourway “Hidden Place” (oddly, it’s very similar to the picture on the pattern….but a different yarn). It’s coming along well, but I’m also seduced by another project

a collection of fibers from Habu Textiles, which have always intrigued me but that I haven’t worked with much, despite them being available at ThreadBear for a couple years now. Well, if I have my way, these three fibers (Tsumugi Silk, Paper Moire, and Silk Mohair) will be combined into lovely fabric to make this

It’s called “Tie One On“, a fantastic pattern from Knitty.com, one of my favorite pattern sources. Several locals have made this, including at least two of my staffers and it’s a GREAT project, in a wide range of yarns. No one has used what I intend to use, so I look forward to seeing the fabric develop. The top skein (the poofty stuff) is Tobi Moire, and I may or may not use it (see the green version, which has texture blended into the fabric, for an idea of how I would incorporate it….maybe). We’ll see how the fabric looks with the three yarns, and I may swatch with the fourth used randomly. You KNOW you will see pics here, as progress develops.

Off to hit the shower and head into the shop…there’s PLENTY to be done there today as well as the second session of my “Intro To Socks” class to lead at 6:30. Plus our “Santa’s Workshop” knit night (come knit/crochet/spin on your holiday gift things, away from nosy family and prying eyes!) is tonight, and I made one of my tasty standard recipies (Festive Apple Bread) as a snack for those showing up. Every Friday, between now and Christmas, there will be treats and a safe haven for creating. Come join us!

Back Me Up!

Administrator — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:26:24 +0000

The back,

she is done. Details in my next post……….and more good stuff to share, too!

Tuesday, Tuesday, How I Love My Tuesdays

Administrator — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:33:16 +0000

This one brought a beautiful day, with clear skies and sunshine. A beautiful day along the river. And time to get out and about. And I did…….lovely morning for a walk on the Riverwalk.

I broke my string of four days off in a row without any contact with the shop, but I had at least two good reasons. First off, I had to drop off change and a bank instrument, and second our UPS delivery guy and I spoke this morning and he had a big delivery for us today, including some stuff I was waiting for.

(which comes with a long story that I’ll share over at my other blog, shortly). In the mean time, there were lots of goodies in the shipment (chronicled over at the NEW ARRIVALS blog for ThreadBear. Yes, our UPS guy Ben is a cutie-pie, but even better he’s a good guy and REALLY funny. Always good for a joke or two, and he takes teasing quite well, too. And he gets it from me, from Sabrina, and from staff. All in good fun.

This weekend was a holiday knitting kickoff party at the shop, as Sunday was the 25th of October–two months until Christmas (even less before Chanukkah!). So I fired up the trusty red mixer

and baked a ton of stuff, from cookies to bars and more, plus made some spiced cider (kinda like non-alcoholic wassail).

my famous peanut butter kiss cookies. YUM! They turned out great, so I was told, and I love that simple recipe!

I did get some sock knitting time recently, and finished my Meilenweit Merino Print 2110 sock

and it hangs by the yarn at the shop. So I now have a new “dum-dum knitting” sock on the needles

in “plain vanilla” pattern (stockinette) using Jarbo Raggi in one of the holiday-themed shades we received recently. It’s coming along QUICKLY as it’s aran-weight yarn (70% merino superwash, 30% nylon) and knits up on US 6 or 7 (4mm or 4.5mm) needles. FAST! And cute.

A big delivery of something JUST FOR ME came in today

that’s going to be turned into a sweater for me…..all me……

it’s a simple pullover from Melissa Leapman’s (older) book called “A Close-Knit Family”. I like it alot, and it’s just simple stockinette, but the yarn makes the difference, as it’s a handspun fiber from the Black Forest of Germany, called Naturwolle. LOVELY stuff, and amazng color. I’m looking at the options for the accent color, and my friend Kirsten (owner of the US distributorship) chose these for me

I like the black the best, and I like the idea of the green with the black for accent. Just now, however, I’m reviewing the colourway options and I think the black is now the body of the garment and the purple/fuchsia is now the accent color. I called the distributor in the Bay Area and they have ten hanks of the black tweed on hand, so I’ve asked for it to be sent Priority Mail so I can get busy busy on this sweater ASAP (I can work on the two skeins for starters, but they won’t last long, as it’s big needles…..). There’s a story on the garment (again, over to my personal blog, later today, for that tale).

That’s about it for now…..over to populate the other two blogs I referenced above……

Bad news……they just called and there’s not enough of the black in the warehouse…..so that will have to be for another sweater project, another day. Maybe something I can design for myself…… The black is a little somber, and (according to my Grandmother–a long story) this is not to be a somber project.

Tuesday As A Day Off

Administrator — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 04:08:14 +0000

Yup, that wonderful feeling of a day off–third Tuesday in a row where I didn’t call into the shop, drop by the shop, or do anything really heavily shop-centric. I’m trying–really trying–to have a more balanced life. A full day off is restorative, and that means I’ll be better at my job of helping run the shop with some time away. I’ve had to learn this, and it seems to be working! Plus, it shows my staff that I really DO have complete faith and confidence in their ability to keep things running smoothly with me staying away.

After sleeping in, running a few errands, and hitting Horrock’s for some provisions, it was time to head home and whip up some dinner. I watched Guy Fieri last night and one of the places they visited made baked ziti. That was a slam dunk for dinner tonight, so I looked at buying some sauce in a jar and couldn’t bring myself to do so. For the cost of a couple jars, I picked up canned tomatoes (crushed, sauce, and diced) and added a bit of my own seasonings and touches to create this

Not only was it 100% better than anything out of a jar, but I also got double the amount that I would have (so leftovers for the freezer, to use another day) for about the same money. I’m so frugal (NOT!). While it was simmering, some delicious Italian sausage was browned up and drained

to be added to the pasta and sauce and cheese before baking. It all came together to make one delicious big casserole dish of tasty goodness

It went well with a nice, big salad made with fresh lettuce, shredded carrots, red onions, almonds, dried cranberries, blue cheese crumbles, and diced fresh roma tomatoes

Double YUM! Finished with a light vinaigrette, this made for a delicious dinner. I really enjoy cooking and making people happy with food.

Oh, and there was knitting (but not enough….yet)

It doesn’t look like much, and it won’t until finished. I’ll show more later, as it grows. The finished project is gonna be cool. Soon…soon….soon. I didn’t get my sock started today (YET), and it is calling out to me. Plus, it’s nice, bright colors (my inner crow is calling to me…..cast on…..cast on).

Stay tuned for another post, ASAP. I’ve got LOTS to say and share!

I’m Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!

Administrator — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 02:10:15 +0000

So, it’s been forever since I posted on a regular basis. Indulge me here…………first, there was a personal AND professional split between Matt and myself early in September (that sort of topic is addressed over here). That meant that I have additional duties around the shop, and that–compounded with three MAJOR events in the past month–made for a busy Rob (plus I don’t have access to the laptop like I used to have, as it’s Matt’s machine and it was also out of service for three weeks). Enough of that mess………I’m here!!!!!

So I’ve been knitting, and I’ve finished a few things…..first off, Emily

the wonderful cardigan with waist shaping that I made out of Cascade Eco Alpaca, a 100% baby alpaca yarn that is undyed (its dyed cousin is called Pure Alpaca). It turned out PERFECT and has been quite popular in these parts. It is a flattering sweater, across a range of body types (that low stance and waist shaping really gives good curves!). Of course, there’s the obligatory sock

made from Meilenweit Soja Print, a blend of wool, soy, and nylon that works up into great stripes. It comes in eight great color combinations
BR>

I think they’re like $8.50 or $8.95 each. The best thing is that because of the soy, it’s ULTRA soft. Like crazy soft.

I also finished my version of Huron, a design by Jared Flood found in his “Made in Brooklyn” pattern collection.

Made in Classic Elite Portland Tweed, it’s uber soft (wool, alpaca, and viscose) and blocks out beautifully. This is my ultimate favorite yarn for this season (followed closely by Lana Grossa Royal Tweed….yes, I’m a tweed whore). More about Royal Tweed shortly, but for now, this Portland Tweed sweater is amazing.

I’ve started a couple new sweaters/projects in the past couple days. Photos of them shortly…..I promise! You are warned…..the fun will commence as of NOW!

Victorious Prayer-ful Women

Administrator — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:40:02 +0000

As I was reminded by Marcia this morning, if you check the title of my previous post

The Mores Have It

but ….

The Nones Win

my apologies to any nuns out there………….bring on the ruler–I’ve taken my share of cracks across the knuckles!

OK, OK, OK–I get it. I’ve been so busy with the other blog that I haven’t posted here. It’s also complicated by the fact I don’t have access to many of the computing resources that I used to (I used Matt’s laptop to do much of my blogging in the past), so I can’t always post on a whim. I have some backed up for you, so keep an eye out. And accept my apologies for letting you slide while I got my life back in good working order. I’M DOING VERY WELL!! (grin)

The Mores Have It!

Administrator — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 13:33:39 +0000

Thanks for the feedback, folks. I appreciate knowing that you’re still out there, and I’m looking to make some substantive changes in how things are run around these parts. I’ve only got a couple minutes to discuss, and I’ll hopefully be back this afternoon with more (not an empty promise!).

First off, most of you come here for the yarn, the inspiration, the patterns, and the knitting/crocheting. Some of you come here to keep up on me, as a person. Some are even here for both. This blog has always been a reflection of ThreadBear and some reflection of myself as a person. Some who come here for the yarn don’t want/need the personal stuff–and I fully appreciate that. I’ve also muddied the water with some intimate personal details that others haven’t appreciated being “out in public” on this medium, which does reflect on ThreadBear.

I’m going to start yet another blog (that will make three!) that will be a more personal online journal, of sorts. It may discuss some knitting, it will discuss more about me as a human being, and it will cover things that are not of interest to many of you out there. If you want to read that kind of stuff about me, there is a link in the sidebar over to that, so you can catch up personally, lust over yarn, or avoid any portion of it. Oh, and there will once again be more posts over at the “New Arrivals” blog linked from the shop. I’ve taken heat about that lately, and she’s right.

I’ve got a personal post ruminating in my head and I can’t wait to share it on the new space. Hopefully this afternoon will allow for creation of said new space. Stay tuned! AND THANK YOU FOR BEING OUT THERE FOR ME!!!!