Miss Babs Blog

Stitches Midwest 2015 - New Samples

Veronica Parsons

Our crack team of sample knitters have been knitting speedily away at a fantastic assortment of new samples for our summer and fall shows. We have so many new things to show you! The Joker and the Thief in Yummy 2-Ply - Slate, Enlightenment Gradient Set, and Squash Blossom Lilli Pilli in Yet - Dark Andromeda, Old Gold, and Petrified Forest Miswis in Yummy 2-Ply - Adobe and Plum Bella Shawl in Hot Shot - Drunken Watermelon Shetland Ruffles in Yet - Franklin and Into the Void Boshoku Cowl in K2 - Zombie Prom Fractal Danger in Hot Shot... Read More

Stitches Midwest 2015 Prep - We have yarn to the rafters!

Veronica Parsons

We're preparing for Stitches Midwest, August 6-9 in Schaumburg, IL. The studio crew is pitching in and working hard processing all the yarn Babs has dyed! In some places of the studio we have nearly run out of room - we literally have yarn to the ceiling. Read on to see exactly what's coming to Stitches with us next week! Read More

Beets!

Babs Ausherman

It's summer and the beets have come in! Read More

Emergency Car Knitting

Helen C

It's every knitter's nightmare: being stranded somewhere without knitting! Or at least it's my nightmare. Last week on my way to work (it's a winding 2-lane highway through the hills) I got stuck behind a car accident with no real way around it. Luckily, I had my current sock-in-progress with me, and there was enough knitting left to get me through the 45 minute wait. But it got me thinking... what if I'd only had the toe decreases left? How would I have managed the other 30 minutes of sitting in... Read More

Keira: Pairs of Colors for Match & Move

Babs Ausherman

I knit a Match & Move in Graphic and Ebony and absolutely adore the feel of the yarn and the finished garment! We wanted to show some additional possible pairings of colors of Keira here, although the possibilities are endless. Read More

Summertime! and Our Vacation is Over!

Babs Ausherman

Back to the studio after our week off!! Many of us went to the beach with family, some of us went to the mountains with friends, and some of us did the Staycation. It sounds like we all had a pretty good time, got rested and relaxed! And now! It's time to start getting ready for SSK over in Nashville, TN in mid-July and Stitches Midwest in Schaumburg, IL in early August!! Come see us! We'll be doing some new things and have some new colors and project ideas... Read More

What's In A Name? Hot Shot!

Babs Ausherman

MDSW2015 on Hot Shot In case you couldn't tell, we love words here at the Miss Babs studio. We love to name things, we love alliterations (using same letters at the beginning of words), we love finding the right name for a color, we love finding pictures in our picture book of animals and sea creatures and trees and more that help us to connect color with yarn names. I thought I would share the story of the naming of our 80/20 sock base. That's 80% superwash merino and 20% nylon.... Read More

Exciting New Colorway!!

Helen C

Babs has been working on developing the PERFECT color for a long, long time, and today, April 1, seems like an excellent day to reveal it! Discerning knitters will appreciate the subtle color shifts, which look almost magical in some lights! Because of the way dye is applied, this beautiful new Babette will never pool or flash, and with this super-special color there is no need to alternate skeins. We love how the colors blend and pop! Amazingly, Babs somehow managed to take all the things we love about her colors... Read More

Inspiration Knits Blog Tour: Palette Pattern Collection

Veronica Parsons

We are pleased to be a stop on the blog tour for Louise Zass-Bangham's new pattern collection, Palette, featuring the Painted shawlette and Fresco shawl. Painted is a long, narrow triangle. It uses 400-440 yards of fingering weight yarn and is easily adaptable to use up the full amount you have on hand. Fresco is a deeper triangle worked in DK or worsted weight yarn and requires 500-550 yards - which is perfect for one skein of Yowza! I know variegated yarns, while irresistible in the skein, can be a challenge... Read More

"State of the Studio" - 2015

Babs Ausherman

The POTUS (President of the United States) gets a State of the Union and GOTN (Governor of Tennessee) get a State of the State, I might as well get to have a State of the Studio. 2015 brings us to a bustling year and we are absolutely busting at the seams in the studio in terms of people and yarn as we prep for shows. And we want to thank everyone who participated in the Annual Gratitude Sale! It emptied our racks - which now means I am dyeing madly... Read More

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!

Babs Ausherman

Thank you all for a wonderful 2014! I find myself at this time of the year, like most years, taking stock of what has just passed and my hopes for the future. This year, like many in the recent past, has been a whirlwind. And, like most years there have been ups and downs, but it is important to keep putting one foot in front of the other. I also take time to count my blessings and to consider what I have to be thankful for in the year that has... Read More

Martina's Easy Scarf

Babs Ausherman

I have been having fun knitting Martina's relatively new pattern called Easy. It was designed in one skein of Zauberball which has a yardage of approximately 460 yards. However, I chose to knit this with 2 different skeins of Kilimanjaro 437. The first time I knit this, I used Ebony and Ansel. I love this combination because I wear so much black and it makes a bold and striking statement. Here's Jen modeling the scarves. But the problem is that you can't see the change in direction that... Read More