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It's Been One Year - Let's Have Cake!
Babs
Yesterday we were talking about how it has been one full year since the smoke damage (I accidentally left a covered dye pot on the stove) in my studio.  The smoke caused a loss of over 90% of our inventory.  The yarn was exposed to the smoke for over 20 hours and the color was changed on many of the skeins, and the odor was absolutely horrific.  Here is one of the pictures of the yarn going into the dump! [caption id="attachment_869" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Yarn in the Dump!"][/caption]   So... Read More
Three New Patterns!
Babs
Three new patterns were released in the last week using my yarns!  These have come from Twist Collective, Anne Hanson, and Knitty! The first, called Avivah, from Twist Collective was designed by Mary-Heather Cogar, rainydaygoods, of Ravelry fame.  This sock was designed in the color Sugar in Windsor Sock Yarn. [caption id="attachment_794" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Avivah Sock in Sugar"][/caption] The second was a Just Babs club design from Anne Hanson.  The sock is called the "Cherry Pie Sock" and the colorway is Sugar and Spice, which was developed to celebrate the... Read More
Spring Retreat in the Mountains!
Babs
A couple of months ago Nancy Shroyer of Nancy's Knit-Knacks contacted me about a retreat she was planning for spring this year!  She wanted to know if I was interested in teaching.  And, of course, I said yes, I would be interested.  So the weekend of April 29-May 2 is when the Unwind Getaway will be held in Blowing Rock, NC.  What a beautiful time of the year!  Things are blooming, lots of green, and the air is fresh! There will be 6 regional instructors, a small marketplace, good food,... Read More
The Monogamy Project
Babs
[caption id="attachment_638" align="alignleft" width="420" caption="the monogamy project"][/caption] jen here... Have no doubt that I'll use any excuse to cast on something new!  This is Just Enough Ruffles by Laura Chau in Yowza.  The New part of this project in not the fact that it's newly cast-on or that it's newly purchased.  Nope!  The new part is that I'm going to FINISH it before I start anything else!  What?  Is that doubtful laughter I hear from the back row?  Or was that in my own head... Come back in a day... Read More
Another Project Done!
Babs
I absolutely cannot believe it!  I have knit another project and it is done blocking.  Now admittedly it is a small project.  Simple Things by Mary-Heather Cogar, which I did in Yowza instead of fingering weight which is what the pattern calls for. I used size 9 needles and it gave a wonderful fabric - just right for a small shoulder shawl.  The beauty of this pattern is that it is a great way to show off variegated yarns AND it is a quick knit!  which is great right now... Read More
Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Gratitude!
Babs
Merry Christmas to everyone! Holiday Greetings to all! Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone. ~G.B. Stern I found this phrase a few years ago when I was thinking about having a year-end sale as a way of thanking my customers for their support over the past year.  There is something about being a small business owner and at the end of the year, if things are still going, you tend to be grateful. This year is no different.  We are still going and I am grateful for that. Many... Read More
Thursday! A Winner and More...
Babs
It's a Thursday, 9 days before Christmas and I have been busy...but first I want to congratulate Anita on putting in the winning comment on the blog in the Tierno giveaway.  She chose Chocolate Roses.  This will go out today! So what have I been up to lately?  Knitting! Among other things.  I have actually finished two projects.  The first in my Annis in Tuscan Clay, which uses just one skein of Yet.  I started this back in the late spring when the pattern initially came out in Knitty.com and... Read More
Tierno - Alpaca and Silk Luxury Yarn
Babs
Tierno is a new yarn for us!  Actually we added this yarn earlier this fall and have only had it available at shows.  Tierno is 70% Baby Alpaca and 30% Cultivated Silk.  Each skein has 310 yards and knits at a DK gauge. It is sweetly soft and ideal for those who have wool allergies. We now have it listed on the website and will be adding more colors and colorways over the next few months.  I knitted a scarf with Tierno using Anne Hanson's Rivolo. It was a pleasant... Read More
Did You Feel the Shift...?
Babs
Jen here! [caption id="attachment_552" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Pre-blocking w/ crochet edge"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_553" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Yowza light worsted"][/caption] In the space/time continuum, that is! Actually it should be a double-whammy shift as I have not only finished a present before the date it is supposed to be given, but also that I have FINISHED something AT ALL!!! I am an unabashed, admitted serial starter. Since I work here with the prolific colorist workaholic Miss Babs, there is a never ending stream of new colors that I MUST put on needles...and then... Read More
The Wait Has Been Too Long!
Babs
This has graced the front page of my website for too long! It is time to decide the winners! Here was what the front page said: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ COLOR HUNT CONTEST!! What Color is Missing!??! Here are the Details on this Year's Contest! 1. Grand prize will be two skeins of Yowza in winner's choice. 2. Four other prizes will be 2 skeins of sock yarn in winner's choice. 2a. Two of the winners will be randomly selected from everyone who entered the contest! (These two individuals have been selected and... Read More
Fall Has Come!
Babs
While I have been busy dyeing in my studio, fall appeared.  Actually, I would like to say that I see the seasons change, but this year the seasons have seemed to just all of a sudden to just be there.  We had our first fire in the woodstove on Sunday, and you couldn't pry me out of the house into the studio.  It was cold and just a little bit of rain to make it raw...didn't like it and was amazed that fall had set in so quickly, at least... Read More
It's June Already!
Babs
So what are we working on? Jen has been working on a Lacy Baktus shawl that she started using the Windlass Shipwreck in Windsor. Really like this!! [caption id="attachment_355" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Lacey Baktus Shawl in Windlass Shipwreck"][/caption] And I have started the Annis shawlette that was published in Knitty last week. Susannah IC from Germany is the designer.  I am using the Tuscan Clay color.  There are already 160 projects on Ravelry! [caption id="attachment_356" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Annis Shawlette in Tuscan Clay "Yet""][/caption] Plus we have been busy with trying to... Read More