Outside the Box

Must be the chilly weather, because we are having all sorts of gorgeous knitted finery walking through the Cottage front door. Take a look at these two who came in the shop today. Charlene's Convertible coat is a must-have, and Jill, just "winging it" as a near beginner, has whipped up a fabulous design of her own on the poncho, using up odds and ends, adding a ruffle, YEAH! We are sure discovering some fabulous knitters around town! (Emily, we missed getting a picture of yours, so you will just have to come back!)

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