february 15 blog (late again)

i have been crazy busy with classes here at the shop, getting prepared for the upcoming pittsburgh knit and crochet show in march, and taking online felting classes.    also trying to keep up with the shoveling and today trying to knock huge icicles off the roof tops!

well, i got my maple trees tapped.  that's a relief because
 i missed it one year due to warm temps in january.  the temps have to be above freezing in the day and below freezing at night for the sap to be running. i will be collecting sap at least this upcoming week and if the weather turns cold again, i will have to get the sap cooked up before it starts to run again, as you can only store it so long.

most people don't know it takes 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup.  REAL syrup i mean - NOT pretend syrup.  now you know why its so darn expensive.  to me, it is worth every second of trudging through the snow twice a day to empty buckets and carrying full five gallon buckets that weigh at least 40 pounds back up to the house.  the best part is cooking it down, which needs to be done outside over an open fire, as it takes about an entire day for the water to evaporate and for it to cook down to syrup.  well that's probably more than you wanted to know.

back to shop business:  i'm really excited about the upcoming knit and crochet show.  please mark you calendars for march 14-16 and try to make your way to the 4 points sheraton north.  check out their website at pghknitandcrochet.com for more info as well as class information.  it is well worth the trip!

70 never looked so good!

lets start with second half february birthdays:
holly h (feb 16); cathy r (feb 17 a BIG BIG one);
trish f (feb 17 NOT a big big one).  cathy r was at
the shop for a knit along on the 17th, so we sang
happy birthday to her and had a little boston creme pie.











                                                                         
                                                                         
my first KAL (knit along)!

cathy, maia, ardis, and beth are working on a baby sweater pattern which is virtually seamless.
pictures in march when everyone's is complete!












WHAT'S NEW?
i just received a shipment of nicky epstein's "knitting in circles" hardcover book.  this book retails for $29.99 and sells on amazon for $23.78.  however, i am selling this book for $20.  this book contains 100 circular patterns for sweaters, bags, hats, afghans, and includes twenty of nicky's original designs.   you gain an understanding of the fun and possibilities a knitted circle can offer.

ALSO NEW is some luscious roving i received just today from the lavender fleece in michigan.  my friend, laurie ball-gisch, raises icelandic and leicester long wool sheep, which i am happy to say, i will be getting lambs from her this summer (one of each).  her well cared for flock produce a most luxurious wool.  pictured below:  the white in the back is a blend of icelandic lambswool, alpaca, and silk; the royal purple ball in the middle comes in leicester long wool as well as icelandic (laurie dies them herself); and the white with yellow in the forefront is icelandic lambs wool mixed with mohair.  they are so soft to the touch - they feel like a cloud.  all of these wonderful rovings felt like a dream!

cathy rosensteel's 'confident color' class was so
educational. we learned how colors work
together - what does and what doesn't go together and WHY!  this is a great class for all your knitters out there who have that problem.  cathy is going to offer this class again soon once the weather breaks and will be offering a sequel to the class as well having to do with design.  stay tuned for more info!

NEW CLASS COMING SOON:

FINISHING WORKSHOP*
at LONG LAST!  this class is designed to help those who have a completed garment but are afraid to finish it!!  OR you are afraid to start a project you will have to finish!  you will learn to give garments a professional seam, how to pick up stitches, gauge, blocking, and more.
instructor:  nancy premoshis
cost:  $25
materials:  complete list will be given at registration
when:  wednesday march 26 OR wednesday april 2 from 1 to 4 (choose ONE date)
where:  raggz

UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER:
wednesday feb 19 class:  on again/off again*
wednesday feb 19 close knit girls meet at panera
thursday feb 20 purlin girls meet at the bean
tuesday feb 25 1-6 knitters anonymous at the shop
wednesday feb 26 1-4 class:  from wool to wonderful felted lights*

*as always pre-registration and prepayment is required to hold a space in the class.

this is a picture of a beautiful vest monte made for her beautiful daughter, wendy, in colorado.  monte knitted it with Brae Tweed yarn by Knit One Crochet Too.  it is so lovely and is the same seamless vest pattern most of the purlin girls were using with the plymouth bonsai.  but of course monte had to add her own flair to it.  i'm sure wendy just loves it!

just to give you a heads up, due to the frenzy i figure i'll be in getting ready for the show - what to take, how to display what i take, packing, pricing, etc etc etc, the SHOP WILL BE CLOSED MARCH 1 and will reopen friday march 21st.  i hate to miss out on two fridays and a tuesday afternoon, but i will be using my dining room area of the shop as a prototype for my 10x10 set up at the show.  you are welcome to give me a call and pop in if you need something but we just won't be sitting around the table as we usually do on fridays.  sorry for any inconvenience but we'll get back on track on the 21st hopefully.  i hope i have sold soooo much that the shelves will be bare and i will be busy re-ordering!  (wishful thinking).

below are a few photos i wanted to share with you all of various happenings:

maia modeling diane's recently finished scarf with about a foot of yarn left over!!!!!!

marlene and another of her beautiful creations!  she said she is SICK OF WINTER and is hoping by dressing in springy clothes, it will coax winter to go away!

thea was nice enough to make a sample of Noni's Lipstick and Change kit.  isn't it adorable?

a tunic i made for myself.  i'm thinking of offering this as a knit along in the near future - this is a great spring project.  mine is knit out of JoJoLand Fantasia super wash and is very soft and comfortable and very washable!  

this is called 'upwolfing' and is a dutch method of felting.  i stumbled upon it and had to try it out.  check it out in person at the shop.  i am currently working on a few other samples as well.  very unusual!  i was so excited when i finished it and showed it to tom and he said 'what do you do with it?'  i had to laugh because i don't know!  i suppose it will be a wall hanging!  i'll figure something out…

ok that's all for now ladies.  please check out the class schedule on the website:  raggzfiberart.com

for more info.  looking forward to seeing you all very soon!  i hope the next newsletter will include photos of lambs and kids!

t

2.1.14

frost on the glass

so long january! i think most of you are breathing a sigh of relief now that the 'polar vortex' has subsided.  i enjoyed that cold weather because i didn't have to go out in it other than up to the farm.  i hate to admit that i may have been in my sweatpants seven days in a row!  we were up at the farm today and the critters were all out enjoying the sunshine.  no one looks ready to pop as of yet so i assume we won't see any babies for another month but you will see photos as soon as they are born.  but they all enjoyed the treats mary ann sent over friday.  the photo above was the back door at the shop which had been decorated by jack frost on one of those below zero nights.

the shop was on overload last friday.  thanks to all of you who came out.  donna is back and on the mend and a good time was had by all.

early february birthday wishes go out to:  linda l. on the 4th; donna w on the 11th, and carolyn f. on the 12th.  have a super day ladies and don't forget to come to the shop in february to redeem your $5 birthday gift certificate!

WHAT'S NEW YOU ASK?

hiya hiya double pointed needles in many more sizes and bamboo interchangeable kits.  they finally put out a new color case - beautiful purple!  but they are already gone from the shelves.  i plan on ordering more and will request the purple cases.

brown sheep lana boucle in solids and hand painted.  100% wool with a crimp; 180 yard skeins; worsted weight; 4 to 4 1/2 sts per inch on a size 8; new hand painted colors in burly spun; and yes -as with all brown sheep yarns, made 100% in USA in mitchell, nebraska.  and yes more seconds have arrived as well!

burly spun handpaints

lana boucle

darn good yarn new colors in the reclaimed chiffon ribbon. this yarn removes thousands of pounds of waste each year from landfills while helping women of india and nepal. it is beautiful to knit with and is also great for nuno felting and needle felting. the colors are fabulous and an 80+ yard skein is discounted to $8 here.

also NEW - wooden yarn swifts made by a local craftsman.  

every girl should have her own swift, seeing as not every yarn shop is nice enough to wind your yarn.  also when you order from the internet, they are not wound for you.  this way you don't have to have your husband sit with his hands out holding your yarn, or use a chair back, or ask your local yarn shop lady to wind yarn for you!

a BARGAIN at $25.00!  now you buy a plastic yarn winder and you're good to go!  i will be taking these to the pittsburgh knit and crochet in march and i'm certain they will be gone before the weekend is over so get one while you can.  supplies are limited.

january's prize winner is marlene barbe of the knit chicks!  congrats marlene!  come to the shop to see what you have won.

class updates:

laura mcguire's boot sock class started today and the girls are off and running making socks but this time on two small circulars size 6 and using a worsted weight yarn.  these socks will go much quicker than the size 1 needles with sock yarn the rest of us learned on.  will post pictures of the finished products once class is over.

still a couple of seats available for the broomstick lace class being held at the shop tuesday, feb 4 at 1 ($10); coming up at towards the end of the month will be the on again/off again class on feb 19 where you will learn several useful cast on and bind off methods ($20); and from wool to wonderful felted lights will be held feb 26 ($40).  just a couple of seats left in each of these classes so hurry.  they won't be repeated in the near future due to my busy schedule.  check website for more details and photos.

another new fantastic class:  

i am please to announce that nancy premoshis will be teaching the Inspired Embellishment Sweater technique here on two thursdays, april 10 and may 15th from 1 - 4.  cost of the class is $50.  

 nancy has been knitting for over 40 years and has taught at kathy's kreations, purl in the 

pines (flagstaff AZ), and at

the Pgh Knit & Crochet Fest! she

has won many ribbons at the county fair.

this sweater is absolutely stunning and can be knitted in cotton (shown), wool, or other fabrics.  if you purchase the materials from me, you will receive a 10% discount on the yarn for this project.

the first class nancy will get us started on knitting the sweater, then a month later at the second class, she will teach us how to put it together and do the embellishments.  class size is limited.  additional classes can be added if need be.  we already have three students so room for only two more at this time.  see website for details.

nancy has also agreed to teach a finishing class, which we ALL need.  date to be announced.

MY FIRST KAL!

three of our new grandma's are meeting here at the shop on wednesday feb 5th at 1 to make a baby sweater.  my sample is knitted out of dream yarn 'classy' in the red rush color way.  (70% super wash wool, 20% cashmere, 10% nylon).  i have not yet put the buttons on but the yarn is so soft to the touch.  all three new babies are girls.  cathy and beth are using a pink with purple hues and maia is using green.  

this pattern is described as 'an almost seamless baby hoodie' and i learned several new techniques myself in the making of this little gem.

anyone wishing to join along, let me know soon.  

dates to remember

tuesday feb 4 broomstick lace class 1-3 cost $10

thursday feb 6 purlin girls meet at the bean at noon

tuesday feb 11 knitters anonymous at the shop 1-6

wednesday feb 12 confident color class at the shop (FULL)*

saturdays feb 1, 8, and 15 craftique fiber art group 10-12

friday february 14 valentine's day (celebrate with us at the shop)*

fridays shop open 10-6

*cathy's class has reached its max but a second class can be added if anyone is interested

*all red and pink yarn discounted 10% 

i have exciting news!  i bought a skutt kiln!  i have been wanting my own kiln for many years and seeing as i have been making a lot of my own hand built pottery, i decided to bite the bullet and get one and get it setup in the basement at the shop.  the lady who taught me to do hand building (brigita) will be teaching here and we will be making wall pockets, buttons, dishes, platters, bowls, mugs - you name it!  i am so thrilled and can't wait to get it all set up.  will have to put lighting in downstairs but as soon as it is ready (some time late spring), i will be scheduling classes.  i already have five or six ladies signed up!  brigita is a wonderful, patient teacher and i have learned so much from her.

my first hand built mug

i have been ever so busy making samples for the yarn show.  right now i've been working on some of pagewood farm's gorgeous yarns.  my theme for the show, suggested by cathy rosensteel, is going to be:

"let the yarn do the work!"

half helix pattern featuring glitterati yarn

garden party yarn cowl

 beautiful yarns make beautiful products without any effort!

flora fina hat

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

i have been on a roll doing some wet felting lately and finally embellished my brown vest.  i really like it and can't wait to try more wet felted clothing.

this box was sitting at the shop friday and not one person asked me what it was for!  can you guess??? (ps its not for our wood burning stove)...

have a great month everyone.  hope to see you all soon.  thanks for your patronage - my shop has had two wonderful months -probably the best two months in the 2 plus years i've been open!!  i sooo appreciate your business.  special thanks to those of you who have been spreading the word about my shop and bring new customers to me!

january 28, 2014

the shop is CLOSED today due to the frigid temps.  plan on re-opening friday, jan 31 10-6.  stay warm everyone!

january 15, 2014

hey everyone.  sorry this is a little late in getting published.  i've been busy trying to nail down dates for new classes coming up.  after many requests for me to teach some wet felting classes, i've finally gotten it figured out. the new classes are listed below and will be posted on the website as soon as possible.

if you haven't been to the shop lately, here's some of what you're missing.  yet another poor man in the shop dragged in by his wife.

things have been nice and busy at the shop and the ladies are working on so many various projects.  the knit chicks are off the charts with the variety of projects from felt purses, hats, drop stitch scarves, wine cozies, and marlene's plethora of scarves, most of her own design!  very impressive!  they may be doing a knit-along making fingerless gloves.  also, pat kintigh, an avid crocheter is now trying her hand at knitting and is working on some duffer slippers.  unfortunately my busy schedule has kept me from visiting some of the groups lately but i know you're all busy and productive.  

what are YOU working on?  are you venturing outside your comfort zone?  remember that old commercial:  'TRY IT - YOU'LL LIKE IT!'

dates to remember:

thursday, january 23 purlin girls 
saturdays, january 18 and 25 craftique fiber art group
tuesday, january 28 knitters anonymous 1-6 at the shop (open to everyone!)
wednesday, january 29 6-8 close knit girls
fridays shop open 10-6

birthday greetings go out to:

january 21 marge j; january 23 jen l; march 29 tina b; january 30 rosemary a.

UPCOMING CLASSES finally!  these descriptions may not have complete info, so please see the website for full information and materials required.  as always, class size is limited (some more than others) and advance registration is required.  

BROOMSTICK LACE:  wednesday, january 29 from 1 to 3 at the shop  $10
learn how to make broomstick lace the newer, easier way than decades ago.

                      

BOOT SOCKS:  tuesdays (jan 28, feb 4 and 11) 6:30 to 8:30 at the shop  $55
                     OR saturdays (feb 1, 8, and 15) 1 to 3 at laura's home
instructor:  laura mcguire (aka crazy sock lady)
learn to make socks on a size 5 or 6 needle with a worsted weight yarn!  goes so much faster and is a great way to learn.

CONFIDENT COLOR:  wednesday, february 12 1 to 3 at the shop  $40
instructor:  cathy rosensteel
it's always such a challenge to figure out which colors go best together.  this is cathy's specialty!  all materials included.  class size limited to 5

ON AGAIN / OFF AGAIN:  wednesday, february 19 1 to 3 at the shop  $20
i will teach several different ways to cast on and bind off - each one having its own usefulness. (stretchability, appearance, etc.)

FROM WOOL TO WONDERFUL - FELT LIGHTS:  wednesday, february 26 1 to 4 at the shop      $40 includes all materials
make a set of beautiful felt flowers over a string of hand dipped lights, choosing
from many different colors of roving.  class size is limited to 4

JUMP RING BRACELETS:  monday, march 24 1-3 at the shop
instructor:  alisa barnhart
make not one, but TWO beautiful jump ring bracelets.  all materials included $40

FELT CUFFS:  mondays, march 31 and april 7 1-3 at the shop
learn how to wet felt two cuffs in the first class.  in the second class we will be embellishing our cuffs.  all materials included $40

EZ PEEZIE PIN FELT PIN CUSHIONS:  tuesdays, april 15 and 29 1 to 3 at the shop
learn how to wet felt TWO pin cushions the first week and the second week we will do some basic needle felting designs!  $25

obviously, the weather may interfere with the class schedule but classes can always be re-scheduled.  also, anyone out there who prefers evenings or weekends, that option is always available by just asking.  

PITTSBURGH KNIT AND CROCHET FESTIVAL

friday/sat/sun march 14/15/16
RaggZ yarn shop's FIRST show as a vendor!  getting excited and nervous about which yarns to take, getting samples made, how to set up in a 10x10 space, etc etc etc!  for those of you who have gone in the past, i am up for any suggestions. 

i have been wanting, for quite some time, to learn to make seamless wet felted clothing.  after scouring the internet and not finding any useful information, or at least any info i wasn't already aware of, i just decided to bite the bullet and get down and dirty and give it a try!  i have taken classes in felting, both in person and online but nothing was quite fitting the bill for what i wanted to do.  the only classes i could find were in australia, new zealand, or california.  not wanting to go quite that far, i decided to just do it with the knowledge that i had and learn from there.  sooooo, two weeks ago i made my first vest out of icelandic lambs wool from the lavender fleece in michigan.  i guessed at the pattern, cut the resist and was on my way.  i methodically weighed the roving for each layer so i would know how much i used then could gauge whether i needed to use more or less.  the result is shown below  but i have not yet embellished it with buttons or anything.  the bottom edge natural and organic, which suits me just fine.

the vest is lying flat in the process of drying

after that i decided i had to try again this time using merino, which is a little easier to wear and i used a 100% merino roving from pagewood farm.  the color way was called 'mississipi mud'.  i tweaked a few things here and there, enlarging the front pattern piece so that it would be more of a double breasted style and feel that this one is more to my liking.  again, i have not done any finishing touches but i was so excited about it, i wanted to share it with you.  what do you think?

dry and ready for the finishing touches

check out this link - i thought it was cute and i think you will appreciate it also:

http://www.treehugger.com/sustainable-fashion/why-bother-knitting-scarf.html?fb_action_ids=10202279242775901&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%5B268883196592740%5D&action_type_map=%5B%22og.likes%22%5D&action_ref_map=%5B%5D

i appreciate your supporting my little local yarn shop!

2014 has arrived

well the holidays are officially over and 2014 is here.  "twenty fourteen" sounds weird.  so futuristic - like some B movie i would have watched as a kid, thinking it was so far away….

my favorite holiday memory was the party at the shop the friday before christmas.  elf donna entertained us all and we had homemade cookies, mulled cider, and unadvertised specials.

i decided last minute to whip up a hat and fingerless mitts for tom's 7 year old granddaughter, elizabeth out of her favorite color - LIME green.  she LOVED them and now wants them in all different colors!  i had no pattern and just guessed so i breathed a sigh of relief when everything fit her perfectly!  isn't she adorable?

i want to say thanks to all of you who helped me through my 2nd year in business.   i certainly had loads of fun.  i am going to give the shop five years before i decide whether to move forward with it or not.  i am working on inputting my info in quickbooks now and i'm always amazed at how much money i've spent.  haven't done receipts yet but they are nowhere near what i've spent……   but i am hoping that being a vendor in the upcoming pittsburgh knit and crochet festival (march 14-15-16) will make fiber people aware that i am indeed here!

speaking of the pk&c fest, i am looking for suggestions as to which yarns i should take, patterns, kits, etc.  i only have a 10x10 space and i have to figure out how on earth to get all that yarn displayed as efficiently as possible.  i plan on not taking average yarns, as they can be found just about anywhere, although not at my great prices.  i will definitely take pagewood farms, all my handspun yarns, lopi (hard to find), kauni, imperial, mountain meadow, and all my handspun…  not sure what else yet.  so if you have any suggestions, by all means, please let me know.

the past three new year's eves have felt a little sad, reminded of my losses, which i try not to dwell on - life is fleeting and temporary and goes oh so quickly.  this year also brought some new grand babies to my friends - i see their faces beam with joy and i am reminded that things are constantly being renewed.  twenty thirteen was a memorable year for me, as i got to take a 6600 mile trek with the kids, having them all together, seeing some of the most beautiful sights i've ever seen (colorado river, bruneau dunes, crater lake, columbia river gorge) but none of those sights tops seeing the three beautiful faces of my three children all in one place!  for that i am eternally grateful.  add to that the horrific scene of watching my daughter's car overturn in front of my eyes yet walk away unscathed - this still gives me a chill - but i thank God every day for the good fortune i've had all of my life.  none of us are without bumps in the road and losses but we all endure and each experience teaches us and makes us a better person.

five years ago i was perusing the lion brand website and found what was called 'stainless steel' yarn.  so i purchased two cones and never did anything with them (surprised??).  i'm wondering if any of you out there have tried it as of yet?  recently i was scouting ideas out on the internet and found some patterns and info on stainless steel yarn so i purchased more and a corresponding pattern and am very excited to see how it knits up.  i will keep you all posted.

i finished the holden shawlette (free ravelry pattern i spoke of last newsletter) using kauni yarn with its subtle color way changes. it wasn't what i expected to be honest with you but i can now move onto that stainless yarn i've been wanting to play with.

UPCOMING CLASSES

*Knitting Socks on Circular Needles (3 day class)  cost for the class is $60
instructor:  laura mcguire (aka the crazy sock lady)
Dates: Tuesday, January 28, February 4, & February 11

Time:  6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Place:  Toni’s Shop
                                 OR
Dates: Saturday, February 1, February 8, & February 15
Time:  1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Place:  Laura’s House: 212 Roxbury Drive, Greensburg

What to bring:  Size 6 (16”) Circular Needles and
Yarn of your choice to match needle size.  Toni has some wonderful selections!
Join me for this advanced knitting class for socks!  Socks can be fun!  We’ll be doing a boot sock over three classes.  Stitches we’ll use: k, p, k2tog, p2tog, ssk, and kitchener.
Week 1:  Cuff and heel
Week 2:  Heel turn, gusset, and decreases
Week 3:  Body and toe
Class size is limited.   Pre-registration and payment for the class is required.


CONFIDENT COLOR
instructor:  catherine rosensteel               cost for the class:  $40
date:  wednesday, january 29th
time:  1:00 to 4:00
A new project—Yay!  What colors—Oh no!   Discover ways to make your color choices easier and your next projects glow.  Explore color harmony and ways to add WOW! to your next projects.

Open to crafters, fiber artists, and painters who want to strengthen their confidence in color selection.
Catherine has been a painter, art teacher  and a fiber artist throughout her life and wants to share her love and understanding of colors with you.
Helpful materials will be provided. Class size limited.  Pre-registration and payment required.

working on a new class schedule which will be posted in the next newsletter january 15th.  included will be more amazing stitches classes, knitted, felted sheep, small wet felt projects, just to name a few!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY WISHES TO:  january 1 cathy p,  january 7th ardis m,  january 8th eugenia s,  and january 10th linda j!  happy day ladies!

upcoming dates to remember

saturdays, jan 4 and 11:  craftique fiber art group 10 to noon
thursday, january 9:  purlin girls meet at the bean at noon
fridays, january 3 and 10:  shop open 10-6
tuesday, january 14:  knitters anonymous at the shop 10-6
friday, sat, sunday MARCH 14, 15, and 16 PITTSBURGH KNIT AND CROCHET FESTIVAL IN CRANBERRY - SAVE THE DATE!  check out their website for class info and other fun events and make sure to pre-register or get your advance tickets!

clementine's jump ring bracelet class was loads of fun with us all learning a wonderful new technique.  diane mogul stopped by and saw what we were working on and mentioned that she may want to take the class, so we'll see if Alisa is available to do an encore performance soon.  check the website for more details:  raggzfiberart.com

bobbi, another customer, who is an excellent knitter and weaver, purchased some brown sheep cones of lanaloft in a variegated teal color.  the variegation wove into a beautiful plaid which she was very happy with!  she wove the fabric then sewed the jacket together and stopped in to get a JUL shawl pin.  gorgeous, isn't it?

for those crocheters out there, i found this cute cute video crochet strawberries:  http://crochetmore.blogspot.com/2013/08/strawberry-stitch-tutorial.html  (uh oh i am afraid monte has run out of animals so fruit and veggies may be her next obsession…)

good news - two of the baby squirrels i found in the summer were raised up and released into the wild! and speaking of animals, last month i promised to put in a few picture of my critters, so here they are wishing everyone a happy 2014 and thanking paula and mary ann for all the yummy goodies!  MORE MORE MORE!

gidget

some of the gang

dougie

lovey, chubbs, and mr. kit hat (yes the two orange ones are the kittens from my summer rescue!)

tom and his favorite rooster

12.15.13

the holidays have pretty much arrived and some of you (not ME this time) are still scrambling to finish up some works in progress for the big day.  i, myself, have gotten my projects in the mail to anthony in oregon and deni in colorado.  i'm really not much in the christmas mood this year, so i don't plan on doing much decorating.  i have a string of lovely twinkle lights in the window and that may be all the decorating i do!  tom was hinting around about not putting up a tree, so if he wants one, we may run out and pick up a live tree this week.

laura mcguire (aka crazy sock lady) had me itching to make a pair of socks BUT i found a boot sock pattern which uses size 5 needles and worsted weight yarn!  (woohoo)  i used dream yarn in a red/green color way and made a pair for anthony (size 13 shoe) - the colors seemed appropriate given that his birthday is christmas.  i decided to time myself to see how long they would take.  given his size, it took 6 hrs and 40 minutes to make one.  13 hrs for a pair is nothing to the year and a half it took me to make anthony's other sock in sock yarn!  

ha ha  turned out i had pretty much yarn left, so i made myself a pair out of the leftover.  i was pretty sure i wouldn't have enough to complete them, so i knitted the heel and toe out of a different color.  they are very comfortable and being 100% wool are nice and warm.  i figure if you were making a 'normal' size sock, you could definitely get two socks out of one skein of dream yarn.  now crazy sock lady herself has been converted to the boot sock.  she is working on several pair!  we aren't surprised at all.

welcome knit chicks!  we have a new wonderful group of ladies in our midst!  linda, susan, beth, judy, marlene, and ruth learned how to knit only last month and have been going crazy ever since!  beth made a beautiful baby sweater and hat set; linda felted a couple of purses, scarves, wine cozy; marlene made too many scarves and neck warmers to mention; judy knitted a hat and scarf set, a drop stitch scarf, felted purse, and is now finishing up a scarf for her hubby, and susan felted a purse, some fingerless mitts, and a scarf.  believe me, i haven't listed all of their accomplishments, but it warms my heart to see people so enthused about knitting!  below is a picture of beth's beautiful granddaughter wearing the sweater grandma made:

betsy ohr's naughty knotty knitters had a 'high tea' at the greensburg art center for their christmas meeting.  everyone brought their own tea cup and we had some traditional english treats, including the bakewell tart, eclairs, shortbread, lemon squares, nut rolls…. need i say more?  14 ladies enjoyed this day and we're all appreciative of betsy's efforts!  for some reason, unbeknownst to me, betsy asked ME to make the traditional bakewell tart.  (oh no - why ME???)  it was actually fun to make - a pie crust with a filling made of almond meal, eggs, sugar, and butter!  there was an added layer of jam between the crust and the filling, then sliced almonds were scattered over the top.  definitely different  and not too sweet.

i don't know what everyone else is working on at this point (other than crazy sock lady now making boot socks), but i am working on a pattern called the holden shawlette.  alicia lund had made one and was wearing it at the tea party.  it was SO beautiful and she assured me it was easy.  (see the photo above with the 3 ladies?  gudrun, betsy, alicia - alicia is wearing her holden shawlette) .  here is the link:  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/holden-shawlette 

SO of course as soon as i got home, i found it on ravelry (it is a FREE pattern by the way) and began to knit it.  alicia's shawlette was a beautiful heather green; unfortunately what i wanted was a shawl with an ombre look.  i looked and looked at the shop til i drove myself crazy and settled on an alpaca sock yarn in beautiful oranges and greens; however, you know how sometimes the yarn looks so different on the skein than when its wound?  this is what happened to me.  didn't like it at all - it came out a bit stripey - NOT what i envisioned.  back to the drawing board.  i started searching on the internet for ombre yarns and almost ordered some.  then i had a V-8 moment!  i have that beautiful kauni yarn which blends from one color to another exactly how i wanted it to.  sock yarn OFF the needles and kauni on.  i chose color EU which goes from red to orange to yellow.  at this point i have about 120 stitches on the needle but i have to work up to over 300!  

yesterday with the snow gently falling outside, a fire burning in the wood burner, homemade tomato sauce on the stove and a peach cobbler in the oven, i happily sat with my wool boot socks on and my yarn in my lap watching a corny christmas movie…. ahhhhhhhhhhhhh how can you not love winter?

forgot to get pictures of the critters but i promise to for the january newsletter.  we have a couple of new roosters and they are so friendly and lovable - one of them follows tom around like a puppy.  maybe grizzy is reincarnated already?

upcoming dates:

monday december 16 at 1:00 alyssa buchanan's jump ring bracelet class (which had been postponed due to weather - hopefully it will finally happen!)
december 19 dollies xmas party at pasqualino's murrysville
saturdays dec 21 and 28 craftique fiber art group at craftique in gbg
shop open fridays dec 20 and 27
no KA til january

holiday reminder:

friday, december 20th, we will be celebrating a low-key christmas here at RaggZ.  stop by for a cup of mulled cider and a homemade christmas cookie or two!  nothing extravagant, just a good reason to wish each other a merry christmas in person!

happy december 26th birthday to nancy m!

let me remind you that a gift certificate from RaggZ is a great gift for your knitting friends or a set of hiya hiya short tip interchangeables, or a skein of beautiful yarn!  

coming soon to the shop:  beautiful handcrafted wooden skein winders made by a local craftsman.  then when you buy yarn from the internet or a shop who doesn't wind the yarn for you (WHA???) you can take it home and wind it yourself!  stay posted - hoping they will arrive in january!

spread the love!
t

12/1/13

happy december to all!  i hope everyone has recovered from the thanksgiving feeding frenzy.  our thanksgiving was small but a little sad, as we lost griz, our 13 year old shepherd, the tuesday before thanksgiving.  he had a great week prior to his death, as he was able to go up on the farm every day with tom.  monday evening, he was acting listless and his back legs were really beginning not to work.  he passed quietly mid-day tuesday with tom by his side.  tom took it really hard, as griz had been his constant companion.  when griz was a puppy, he went to work with tom every day at the machine shop.  after tom retired and we bought the farm, griz accompanied tom to the farm for chores so we are confident he had an exceptionally good life and knew he was much loved.  he is sorely missed - our house seems so empty but i know he and raggz are reunited and running and playing again patiently waiting for us to join them. 

now on a happier note, i want to thank everyone who made the ligonier country christmas market a great success.  now i can breathe easier, as the only place i will have a few of my things is the log cabin christmas show which continues this friday through sunday (dec 6, 7, and 8) located on hay lane in murrysville.

raspberry hill alpacas is holding an open house this saturday and sunday at the farm on harrison city road, near shramm's market.

on saturday december 7, the greensburg art center is holding another open house from 1-4pm with free gift wrapping, cookies and hot spiced cider!  their snowflake showcase offers many different handmade items and is worth checking out.  

if you need more info on any of these above shows, please contact me.

several of our knitting friends are in the process of becoming new grandmothers.  cathy rosensteel's first grandchild was born tuesday in virginia and diane mogul is eagerly awaiting the good news from her daughter in new jersey as well.  congratulations ladies - we want to see pictures.  (a FEW pictures - NOT an entire album please).  wink wink

dont forget, a gift certificate to RaggZ is a great present for that knitter/felter in your life, available in any denomination with no expiration date!  the hiya hiya short tip needle sets are flying off the shelf at the best prices in town.  i sell these sets for $55, while most other places sell them for over $70.  shop around and you will see!

i hope everyone's christmas projects are complete or well underway.  i am working on another pair of the felted clogs for my son's girlfriend.  all i have left to do are the double bottoms, get them felted, then ship them out.  i am thinking of sewing tom another heavy lined overshirt.  i've made him about five of them and they are getting worn, so i think its time to make another. 

i got a wonderful surprise at the ligonier market saturday.  when i first started at the market, i met two wonderful ladies - a mother and daughter - from south hills of pittsburgh.  what impressed me at first was that the mother (probably around 70 at the time) purchased several purses from me but they were always funky, out-there purses.  i asked her if they were for her grandchildren and she indignantly said "they're for ME!"  (i have since learned to keep my mouth shut).  anyhow we all became friends and they visited me once or twice a summer.  the last time i saw them, mom was wearing oxygen and moving pretty slowly.  i dont know what her illness was exactly but there they were stopping by to say hello.  she also wanted to give me some of her old yarns and knitting paraphernalia because she was not longer able to knit.  several months ago she passed away under the care of her loving daughter.  well the daughter contacted me last week to see if i was going to be at the christmas show and i said i was.  she said she wanted to drop something off.  she showed up with a wreath her mom had made for me decorated with knitting objects (yarn, tape measure, one of my business cards, needles, buttons, felt flower).  they had wanted to come to my shop to deliver it but got too ill to make the trip. it brings a tear to my eye and a smile in my heart every time i look at it.   

rhonda pegg was kind enough to drop some books by monica ferris off at the shop to be shared with you.  these stories all revolve around fiber and rhonda said they are an enjoyable read.  you are welcome to stop by and pick one up to read and pass it along to someone else who will enjoy it. 

happy birthday this month to jean r (december 5), marlene s (december 7), and dari m (december 15). happy birthday ladies and remember during your birthday month to come and use your $5 off birthday certificate!  forgive me if i already mentioned this, but i will not be giving out those little cards any longer, thus saving paper and ink.  just stop into the shop during your month and cash in!  its much easier for me to keep track this way.

november's door prize winner is linda maher! 

now that my big shows are over, i am in the process of re-arranging the shop and doing some much needed cleaning.  i may even decorate a little for christmas.  jennifer penrose, of antiqued country, dipped some twinkle lights for me and i'm anxious to see how they will work.  i personally do not like to decorate this early but i may give in this year since my shop is in total disarray anyhow!  i will be adding a big selection of roving to the front porch  for all you wet and needle felters out there.  i purchased a lot of hand dyed roving at the indie knit and spin, as well as curls.  i have roving from the shetland sheep farm i visited in oregon and icelandic and leicester longwool roving from the lavender fleece in michigan.

the only class i have scheduled right now is the jump ring bracelet class which will be this monday, december 9 at 10:00 at the shop.  still a seat or two available.  (see website for details)  plans for upcoming classes include the re-scheduled snowman purse, felted sheep, and some wet felting projects.  so stay tuned for more info!

upcoming dates to remember:

thurs, 12/5  knit wits meet at noon at the bean (the newbie group)

fri/sat/sun 12/6-8 log cabin christmas show

sat/sun, 12/7-9 raspberry hill alpaca open house

mon, 12/9 10:00 jump ring bracelet class at raggz*

tues, 12/10 knitters anonymous 1-6 at the shop**

thurs, 12/12 purlin girls meet at noon at the bean (oldie group)

fridays, 12/6 and 12/13 shop open 10-6

*see details for this class on the website raggzifberart.com

** note new hours - i will close at 6 NOT 7 from now on.  for any

    working girls who need later hours, just let me know.  no one

    ever shows up this late anyhow but i am happy to accommodate

winter on the farm is always a challenge.  that cold snap we had forced the goats to grow a very soft, thick layer of fur.  they look so adorable and feel so toasty, even in the coldest weather.  i'll take some pictures of them and our new roosters for your enjoyment next time.

hope to see you all soon!

t