Happy New Year to you. I was sitting and knitting,naturally, and was thinking about midnight tonight when I will be asleep, but what about any resolutions for 2010? I have been thinking about this for a while. I don't generally make any but somehow this year I wanted to. Maybe the 2010 thing...... I will make one or two personal ones that you don't care to know, but I am making one that I want to share with you and perhaps challenge you with. I am going to enhance and expand my knitting skills this year. I haven't had alot of time to do this in 2009 with opening the shop and all, but this year I want to grow personally in my repetoire. I want to learn intarsia, I want to challenge myself with harder patterns. Iwant to be proud of my skills and the way to do this is to learn more. I have always done and created things with my hands. I do believe that this is a gift that God has blessed me with. I didn't say He gave me the ability to be really good at these things but He has blessed me with the ability to use a needle and thread and needles and yarn to bring joy to myself and I believe to others in my life. It keeps me quiet while my husband is reading or watching football, it has made my mom remember me when she wraps up in one of the shawls I have made for her (I hope she feels the hug), it has made my children groan with another " please don't make me try that on again", but they were usually pleased with the end result and it has given me alot of peace and serenity to feel the yarn flow through my fingers.

I endeavor to take more classes myself this year. I am already signing up tonight for some in April. I will take some more in June. If I pay for these now, I WILL take them so I am signing the check and filling out the forms. My learning things will help you too if you will let it. Give some thought to taking some classes with us at the Cottage. You will make more friends, learn new skills and just take some time for yourself. The group that now knits on Saturday morning started out taking a class and they seem to have become fast friends. I want to be one of those groups.

So, happy and healthy 2010 to you and yours. What are you going to do for yourself this year????

Rhonda

Ho, ho, ho,,,,,,,,Christmas has come and gone. I hope yours was wonderful. I had decided early on to "keep it simple" this year, and thanks to my back going out the Monday before Christmas I really did keep it simple. My first of two days off to do the baking, cleaning, polishing the silver, etc I bent over my laundry hamper and BAM!!! that was it. I was toast. But, on the positive side of things, I realized what really good help I have here at The Cottage and I learned that you can knit flat on your back. And I did. Thanks to everyone who missed me and wished me well.

Now, let's get ready for 2010, who's ready for a sale? Read the events page on our website and get ready to shop Thursday. Heidi, Nancy and I will all be here ready to help you with your choices and to ring you up with New Year's bargains. You will choose from the fish bowl your discount when you are ready to pay for your choices. You will get atleast 15% off your purchase and you have a one in six chance of getting your purchase 50% off!!!! There will be lots of 20, 30 and 40% chances as well. I don't do many sales, but when I do, I try to make it worth your while.

The January calendar is on the web and sign ups for the new socks class, knit along for the Waves Shawl is getting started. Let's knit for ourselves for alittle while now that Christmas is over. We aren't having the first Thursday knit night this January, because I might be in California at market. I can't wait to get my fingers on some really great things for spring and summer. Think cotton, think bamboo, think skinny tanks layered over tees and camisoles. Think "it's all about me" atleast for alittle while before our conscience gets to us and we start knitting for others and being happy about it.

Enough, already SEE YOU THURSDAY FOR A GREAT SALE!!!!! We will close around 2:00 since the city of Fairhope is closing our street at 1:30 for the New Year's Eve celebration. We will return on Saturday.

Go Gators!!

Rhonda

HAPPY HOLIDAY

Today is December 3 and I am thinking about Christmas, as I am sure you are too. My projects are going well and I only have added 2 more to my list. My grandaughters sweaters are finally finished and the photos will get done this weekend for my Christmas cards. Our family is so blessed.

Thank you for all the good times and blessing that you have heaped onto The Yarn Cottage these last eight months that I have been opened. I would love to give everyone a gift but let's face it, that isn't going to happen. The Cottage is just not ready for that financially, so what we can do for our friends and customers is give you the gift of knitting knowledge. Our Friday class, the Stitch and Skill Builder, is at 2:00 PM till 4:00 PM and our gift to you is that this class will be FREE from now until Christmas. We will also offer this on Wednesday mornings. Please call and sign up so I will be able to judge how much and what kind of help I will need here in the shop. So many of you have learned so much with us this year and I am so proud of the knitters and crocheters that have challenged themselves with each new project. That is truly the way to learn. We are still doing the first and third Thurday nights, so come join us. We have also added another new face here, come in and meet Melissa. She is so cool and knitting savvy.

There is going to be something GREAT for you happening on New Year's EVE morning so watch for the next blog the week of Christmas. You will not want to miss this. We are really pumped about this event.

Enjoy this time, come have a cup of tea or coffee with us and sit and knit.

Rhonda

Christmas is coming and SOON!!!!

I got a wake up call the other day when I went to Lowe's for some fall vegetables and saw all the Christmas decorations going in. My family has decided to do "made" gifts for Christmas this year and I am BEHIND...In fact, I haven't started. Panic is setting in. After all, I own a yarn shop (or the shop owns me) and I have no gifts on the needles. I really don't want to know if you have already finished almost all of yours. That will just make it worse. There are lots of reasons that I haven't gotten better prepared but the fact of the matter is this... it just slipped up on me.

This morning I am looking around the shop for inspiration and find plenty. I hope this happens to you too. There are many choices. Lots of new stuff. Artyarns, mohair, beaded, pearled etc.,, Vintage wool Blackstone tweed Schaefer yarns and too many more to mention. The new stuff for fall is here and it is really outstanding. The companies seem to realize just what is fabulous these days, and they are getting it to us.

I do have some ideas, cabled hats for the guys, little shrugs for the 3 granddaughters and cropped tops or wraps for the girls. There is a class coming up here at the shop on November 3 and November 7 for a beautiful neck warmer and matching fingerless gloves. These are quick and something you won't find in the stores. The class is only $20.00 and the cost for materials is really low also. It doesn't take alot of yarn. You will learn cables and cables without a needle, new edge stitches, how to go back and pick up stitches from a waste thread and make a thumb hole like no other you've ever seen. There are already three folks signed up and we just posted the flyer this week. You should come by and see them and sign up yourself.

If you have any suggestions, my ears are open. Come see the new stuff or just join us with your knitting.

Rhonda

I know I said I didn't like to do socks but they sure were a hit while I was sitting under the bleachers on the concourse of the Florida and Tennessee game this past Saturday. My husband is an alumni of the UFlorida and we went to the WRONG game of the season. The stadium was unbearable with the heat and the sun. Even the football players looked like they didn't want to get up after a tackle. Anyway,,,I had alot of company in the shade and I knitted my School Color yarn from Kaleidoscope, orange and blue, of course.

The Cottage is growing again, we watered the yarn (just kidding) and it is hanging from the ceiling. The notions are expanded with new brands and gadgets, and how about those new bags from Namaste. RED Hermosa style knitting bags. They rock. You gotta come see.

Learning to knit without an actual class seems to be a hit. We are understanding that not everyone can make it to a class time so we are letting you tell us when you can come and learn. Had quite a few takers so far. Fall is officially here, atleast on the calender, so be thinking about those projects for sitting around the fireplace. It will be here before you know it. That means Christmas is next. We've got slippers, knitted boots, (think UGG), seen those prices? Knit your own. We have slipper soles as well. Felting is great too, got lots of Cascade 220 which seems to be the Ravelry choice for felting, definitely ours!

Come see, come knit, come learn. See you soon
Rhonda

Oh man, where did the summer go???? I can't believe it is almost over and we are ready to get knitting for fall and, heaven help us, the HOLIDAYS. We are hearing around the shop that alot of people are getting knitted items for Christmas. Personally, I think someone would rather have something made especially for them. I would love someone to knit something for me (just in case my daughter is reading this). She is busy knitting three sweaters for my granddaughters for me and she is also going to help me in the shop this fall. Her name is Leah so when you see her in here, please make her feel useful.

The shop is growing, thanks to all of my customers and yarn reps. I just can't say no to yarn. The fall is going to be fun for felting. We have a customer already knitting pumpkins for Thanksgiving. A fun, free pattern from Cascade to use with their Cascade 220. ( which we have a ton of). I have verigated yarns for felting boots and slippers for adults and children. My motto is one for you and one for me, what's yours?

Our Knit Along project sweater is going quite well. There are alot of us doing the Hey Teach! and seem to be learning about lace, gauge and shaping within a lace pattern. Does anyone have thoughts about the next project? Ya'll know I am always open for suggestion.

If you have been away from your needles this summer I think you will be pleasantly surprised how comfortable they feel in your hands again. I also hope that you will be pleasantly surprised when you get a moment to come in to see us here at the Cottage and see how ready we are for all your knitting needs. Thursday's knit night starts again this Thursday night, it's is from 4:30 till 7:30. We are going to be eating and knitting and catching up with one another. Hope to see you there.

Rhonda

WOW!

Thank you everyone for making our first official "Sale" a big Firecracker of a success. I hope we didn't load you all up with too many goodies, because we spent today loading up the shelves with a bunch more...things you've been asking for, like Blue Sky Alpaca, and Kollage, for example, and more cool ribbons and scarf yarns. The kid's classes are going great, and we had another beginning crochet team, 4 great young ladies and 3 moms, here this morning, everyone making a great neckscarf, which I am sure they will need right away in Fairhope these days, LOL. I think purses may be on the agenda for the next class.


I would like to extend a grateful thank-you to all those who responded to my request for wuzzies-blankies for the Baldwin County Care House. Looks like we will have a bunch ready to deliver soon. For the time being, I am going to wait for this crop before giving out some more kits. They are mostly about half-done it looks like, except for Nancy, who blasted through hers and is already done! Thank you all!

We are getting ready to host our first-ever Sock-A-Thon, which should be a blast, with lots of techniques, all in one day. What better way to get a handle on all those strange and curious sock procedures. Heidi is writing up a list of "homework" (mostly knitting little swatches) to post on our classes page that you need to bring with you, so you can learn the most cool stuff possible on the 25th (noon - 6 pm). Class size is limited, so reserve your spot early. It is just 3 weeks away.

I would like to hear from some of you about more ideas for classes and events. We are always open to suggestions, and aim to tailor our classes to your needs.

Hope you have a wonderful holiday everyone, knit or crochet many many hundreds of yards in peaceful and patriotic bliss, and remember, Mary Claire says you must be at least "this tall" to unwind at the Yarn Cottage!

Umbrella (swift) BUT NO RAIN...

The month of June has been one full of new knitters and these girls with me did a crochet class. They all left sporting new yarn jewelry! They were a delightful addition to our Friday morning and want to come back and do it again, so we are accommodating them. Alot of our children are learning what fun it is to create something from their own hands. A couple of them want to help, as you can see from the photo. One of them said she wanted to buy my shop from me!!!! That is a goal, huh?

I have just finished ordering more stuff for the shop. Market in Ohio was a hit for new products. Blue Sky Alpacas will be here soon. The Malabrigo yarns are flying off the shelves.

I have been hearing that summer is too hot to knit, but lately it seems that summer is too hot to do anything so the knitters are looking for something to do inside. That means knitting... Lace is a wonderful thing to do. Something so light and airy, just like a confection. Alot of our " cottage customers" are learning how to love lace.

I am still knitting on my February Lady, hard to think about a sweater in 102°, so I guess I know how the other comments got started. I have switched to a drop stitch scarf pattern from a great ribbon yarn from Great Adirondacks. I am also working on the Mable sweater from Heirloom Knits out of Bomull Sport from Gjestal. One of my granddaughters, I have three, will get it when it gets cool. My youngest daughter knows how to knit, but with work, school, and her daughter, she would rather let me do it. The other daughter just laughs when I mention knitting to her. Stephanie Pearl-McPhee says to leave the knitting laying around and one day they will be interested. Well, Teresa is well versed in knitting stuff laying around, but no takers yet from her. Maybe Stephanie could give me some pointers on this.

Our cottage suffered a blow yesterday. The big beautiful live oak tree next to our little group of shops fell victim to age. Part of it broke off and fell into the neighbors roof, or I should say, through his roof. No one was here at the time but his shop is closed for awhile. The rest of the tree now has to come down. It is rotted in the center. We will have to leave the building when they do this, so if you come by and see the tree being taken down and we aren't here, you will know why. No date for that yet. I love and respect trees, so I grieve for what time and mother nature has done to this fine tree.

Watch our website for the July calendar, it is full of great classes and some of them already full. There will be an e-mail coming your way soon with something you won't want to miss. We will also be open on Monday starting this next week. We were just hearing too many people wanted to come see us on Monday. The Yarn Cottage is all about fun and friends, so when you have a need, we will be here.

Rhonda

The Yarn Cottage has been humming with new knitters, knitters finding us and people signing up for the summer classes. Our coffee group on Tuesday mornings is a hit and keeps on growing. Thursday night is even better now with the Fairhope Farmers Market just out in front of us. We have the benefit of a great caterer with his own portable smoker (I think that's what it is) right in front of our little building and man are his sandwiches great! You can come for knitting, eat supper, buy local goodies, including flowers and go home a happy woman. Where else can you do such great one stop business.

The Yarn Cottage has selected a new charity for our knitters and crocheters to participate in. It is one near and dear to my heart and I am very pleased that the organization has agreed, quite enthusiastically, to my hope that we could help some of the children in Baldwin County. Please come by the shop to pick up your bag of supplies with the pattern included to help this organization. I feel that you will be happy to know that you are making something that will help a little one during the most horrible time in their little lives. To get us started, since we haven't been open long enough to have a clearance room to draw yarn from The Yarn Cottage will be donating the yarn for these little "blankies" for these children. I just need you to knit it.

In order to get you ready for summer vacation and to include your knitting in that vacation, I am reducing the cost of our Namaste bags 20%. What knitting project wouldn't look great being transported in that bag?

The KIDS KNITTING CAMP is looking like a big hit for the summer. Mom's and Grandmother's are anxious to let their young daughters and hopefully, some sons learn to knit. Sometimes it is alot more fun to learn in a "group of your own age" that it is at home. Not a bad way for mom to have alittle free time either. Call us for details. The June class is filling up quickly so call now. We will have one in July also. If you have a group of your child's friends that want to come to camp, I will schedule one that is convenient just for you.

The class room is coming along. As soon as my husband and son-in-law finish with the painting and the new shelves (for the continually coming in new stuff) we will move in. Don't worry about seating for the front room for our sitting and knitting, I have that all figured out.

Now, just like at work, I can finally get to my knitting. I am working on a baby sweater out of Borrocco Comfort in the most brilliant fuschia with the pattern being from Heirloom Stitches. It is knitted with crochet edges. I can imagine the mom's of Mary Claire and Bailey, my grandaughters, will have to toss a coin for who gets to wear it first. It feels so good in my hand while knitting and the mom's like the idea of wash and dry. For myself I am knitting a lace cardigan out of Cascade Rustic which is a blend of wool and linen. This stuff feels great on your needles and the stitch definition is phenomenal. I am also working on a lace shrug from a silk blend for my mom who is in a nursing home. She instilled in me the love of handwork and the satisfaction of making it yourself, so I try to keep something on the needles for her every season. We got a shipment last week of Petit Mandarin from Norway that is 100% cotton and also some organic cottons from them. This stuff is a summer knitters dream. The pattern support is fantastic as well.

Enough!!!! I want to knit. So come in for great yarns at affordable prices, lots of good ideas swirling around from the staff and our customers alike. We love having people involved in it all at The Yarn Cottage.

Happy Knitting,

Rhonda

Young Knitters

Would you just look at the age of starting knitters here at The Yarn Cottage! Our Nona is helping a nine year old who was shopping with her mom, who crochets, and she decided Ms. Nonna looks like she is having fun with those sticks and string and wanted to try it. And folks, she did. The student is very able and Nona is a fabulously good knitter and teacher. Now, Mary Claire on the other hand is trying to decide which color she wants. (She decided on the pink) We are having a great time here at The Yarn Cottage. The yarn and goodies are still coming. The Namaste bags have been a great hit. Every style and every color. Nobody can have just one. The classses are filling and Thursday night Knit and Eat is a huge hit. We laugh and eat and knit (mostly eat and laugh), but hey, we knit everywhere else. The lace classes are going well. Our students are quite capable and excited about learning new things. The lace scarf/shawl class is starting next week and is being taught by Nona, and if you haven't seen her lace repertoire you are missing out on "lace heaven".

The Yarn Harlot booksigning is next Tuesday at Page and Pallette here in Fairhope. Thanks to Keifer and Karen for bringing her to our neighborhood. We are going to have refreshments here at The Yarn Cottage beginning at 4:30 for those of you who are traveling here to see her. Come join us for fun and refreshments and then maybe we can all march over there together.

If you haven't been in yet to see us, please use this event to stop in and say hello. We love meeting new knitters, crocheters and tatters.

Rhonda

Thank you, one and all

Wow!!!
The first month here at The Yarn Cottage has been unbelievable. It is so hard to believe that my first month has come to an end. Thankfully, it has been very busy and I've met so many new friends, knitters and crocheters. You have all been so kind to me and PATIENT as I have been working the kinks out of getting our LYS up and running. You have allowed me to buy new stuff already and it is on the way, so come see. The new class schedule is coming soon. Lace seems to be the THING for summer and I am excited since that is what I really like to challenge myself with. Easy lace is so gratifying and perfect for the summer around here, to knit and to wear. Watch the website for the classes and come be a part of our growing and happy group of knitters that are having a ball with our LYS. I am very glad to be a part of the neighborhood and again, thank you for supporting me.




Rhonda