Well, here’s what we woke up to in Western Pa this morning. Just a little discouraging, I’ll admit.

So Joanna and I spring-ified the shop today.

Along with the new spring windows that Anne did on Friday, it’s like a wonderful breath of fresh air!

This past Saturday, we hosted Cheryl Potter, of Cherry Tree Hill yarns. Cheryl’s latest venture is as an author-  Potluck Yarn is where is all begins. It is a trilogy, the first installment The Broken Circle, Yarns of the Knitting Witches is available now (and here at Yarns Unlimited), along with a separate pattern book-there is a pattern for each chapter of the book and kits for these patterns. Anyway, we had a swell time here with Cheryl and her husband Tim. Cheryl read from the book, introduced us to each of the patterns, signed books and just chatted away with our customers and the Yarn Gals.

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Cheryl’s samples and kits will be here for a little bit, and the books as long as they last, so stop on over and visit. Go to Cheryl’s web site and find out more about the book and patterns.

Today we’d like to introduce you to a lovely lady who was one of our terrific customers.

Meet Connie Bartels.

Connie lost her battle with cancer in November, but her beautiful knits live on. Her devoted husband Bill brought in a huge bin containing some of the sweaters that she knit. They are gracing one of our display windows at the moment.

Connie won several competitions with some of her knits..including this fabulous creation..

..a detail….

Another great knit of Connie’s..

..entrelac socks.

If you have a chance, please stop by in the next few weeks and look at Connie’s work.

I know that most of you might think that it is pretty last minute to still think of making Christmas gifts, but bear with me…

..Rowan Kidsilk Creation…is THE perfect thing for last minute gift giving. A good long chick flick and viola- you have a great gift for anyone on your list..  

..even the difficult ones…Kidsilk Creation is as soft and airy as it’s cousin..the original Kidsilk Haze. Lots of lovely colorways..

..both solid and multi.

So stop in and pick up a few-no one will know that you whipped up their gift at the last minute. Just us. And we won’t tell.

Well, here we are at the 1/3 (close to anyway) point of December and I have some good news for all of you procrastinators out there (like me). There is still  plenty of time for gift shopping!!

Occasionally I feel that procrastinator’s inadequacy but yesterday, it really hit home. My BFF and I limit ourselves to one trip per year to an certain upscale cooking equipment store (who shall go nameless). There among the souffle dishes and tea infusers, I found out that she was finishing up her Christmas shopping on the spot.

I was embarrassed to admit that I haven’t even started……

So for those of you in a similar spot, we offer…the Yarns Unlimited Gift Guide!!

Today’s entry can be either a gift for a knitter or a non – knitter. It’s a Noni Kit called Lipstick & Change

This cute little kit makes an adorable pint sized bag, that can be used for whatever!

It comes in several colors -here’s what’s in the box..

..the yarn, purse frame,chain handle, beads and thread for the beads, the instructions, stiffener for the bottom and the bag and a cute little taffeta bag to wrap a gifted bag in (and/or to  use as a sleeper for the completed bag!)

If you wish, you can also purchase the lock/key set as a cute add on.

so all that’s missing is the washing machine .

Make it up quick as a gift for a non knitter, or give as is to a knitter!

Yes, cowls are haunting me…I see them in my sleep…Cowl Crazy has finally driven me over the edge.

But before I go….just one more…

The Arctic Cowl, from the Fibre Company..knit in their new and scrumptious yarn…Tundra.

Stitch detail…

ok…I’m done now…going to someplace where I can mumble to myself…and you all can make a few dozen cowls each, ok?

I’m seeing cowls everywhere I look….must get some rest.

Today it’s the Botanical Cowl

knit with Noro Shiraito…

more later…

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Um…more cowls.

Today, it’s everyone’s favorite…The Willow Cowl

We each must have made a dozen around here.

The Willow doesn’t really do it’s stuff until you put it on and….voila!

It just flops down on your neck in a very fetching manner!

This Willow is Joanna’s , knit out of Frolicking Feet…but wouldn’t it look so lovely out of our new- today…Misti Alpaca sock?….

We have two varieties…Tonas Carnaval and HandPaint!

Yep, it’s day 2 of Cowl Crazy and we’re still really super perked up on cowls!

Today’s entry is the Winterberry Cowl knit with Halo Watercolors,both from The Alpaca Yarn Company.

Halo Watercolors is 78% Suri Alpaca and 22% nylon…a handpaint version of the popular solid color Halo….beautiful colors…

Wednesday, October 17th 2012

I know..bad blogger. I’ll just deal with your disappoint in me, ok?

Now that fall is here ( some of the time-some of the time, it’s still summer), you should be looking for all sorts of warm and cozy things to knit, right? Well, we folks here at Yarns Unlimited are kind of obsessed with cowls..plain ones, solid color ones, multi colored ones..(you get the picture), so anyway, we’re going COWL CRAZY here for the next few weeks. We have cowls all over the place at the shop- some are our own personal cowls, some are shop samples. I’m going to highlight different ones here on this little space every other day or so. (don’t roll your eyes-I can see you!!)

Today’s entry…

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the Spiral Cowl. (no button for us). We used the wonderful, lovely KFI Luxury Silk…..

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Here’s a Swallowtail Shawl that one of our customers knit with the Luxury Silk

Off of the cowl topic for a bit-here’s a little quickie project for you…just some plain mitts..

Knit with the Fibre company Khroma..

it’a a free pattern with purchase of Khroma..just ask for Crumpets!

..that everyone in my family checks up on me constantly. How amusing that instead of focusing on their own obligations, they are concerned about mine. “did you pick up the dry cleaning?” “did you leave water for the dogs?” “did you get milk?” “did you turn the lights off/on”?” “where are you?” “what are you doing?” (drinking hemlock, ok?)

In my husband’s case, the “what are you doing?” is almost always followed by a job for me. Last weekend it was to fix his computer. I was doing laundry at the time, so I told him that “I.T, Mom” quit, and “Laundress Mom” was otherwise engaged. He was not amused.

So I did actually consent to go on vacation with these people recently. ( I’ll go to the beach with just about anyone), and finished up a great travel project…

..the “Assemblage Mitts” by Miriam Felton.  Here they are on my airline tray (not in the “upright position”). I used Artyarns Cashmere Sock-

and it made a very cozy, soft pair of mitts. I almost can’t wait for winter to wear them (almost.)

New in the shop is a trio of yarns from a new source…a small family owned mill in Austria Wollgarnspinnerei Ferner. We have three of their yarns: a yummy 100% Alpaca, Seide- a silk/merino blend and ColorFlow- a soft soft soft striping fingering weight.

You should get yourself a couple dozen skeins just for the drawing of the cute hugging sheep on the label