Kristin Nicholas/Clanjamfry/Caravan/Julia

When I went to market in Columbus this past June, I was honored to meet and speak to Kristin Nicholas.  Nashua “Julia” is her yarn, and I’ve knitted with it many times.  I must say, I’ve never felt anything like it.  It’s firm, yet soft, and the colors are incredible.  She is very down-to-Earth and lives a life that I am truly envious of.  She lives on a farm with over 150 sheep, her husband, and daughter.  Notice I mentioned the sheep first!  I have to say, if I lived on a farm every day, I’d be in a “farm-induced” coma.  What could possibly go wrong on a farm (besides the occasional tractor accident)???  Here’s her blog. 

It’s getting to be a little nippy outside these days, so the Nashua Julia orders are picking up.  I have MANY colors in stock already, so you should take advantage of it.  Kristin has a new book out, “Kristin Knits.”  It uses Nashua Julia.  Here’s the cover!

Kristin Knits

Julia information:
Spun and dyed in Peru in one of the world’s finest mills
Gauge: 20 sts = 4″ (10 cm) on US 7 (4.5 mm) needles, or 18 sts = 4″ (10 cm) on US 8 (5 mm) needles
50% wool, 25% kid mohair, 25% alpaca
Hand wash, dry flat; may be dry-cleaned
93 yards, 50 grams

Prices are going up on several of the Sublime yarns quite a bit(Extrafine Merino Wool DK, Cashmere Merino Silk Aran, and Kid Mohair), Noro Kureyon, and some of the Araucania yarns (Nature Cotton, Nature Wool, and Nature Wool Chunky).  I’m going to update the prices on those yarns sometime this weekend, starting this afternoon, sooooo, anyone who wants those yarns at the less expensive price, you’d better get on it!

CARAVAN NEWS:
1.  I have all the fabrics for the cushions.
2.  DB’s bringing the plywood home tonight for the base and subfloor of the trailer.  I will have to completely coat all the plywood on all sides with an oil base coating, per the very nice man at Plywood, Inc. here in Memphis.
3.  I have reworked one of the aluminum wheel wells with my hammer (poor neighbors!!!)  The other will most likely be reworked tonight or tomorrow morning (while my neighbors are at work?)
4.  I have painted the front of the heater with heat-resistant almond spray paint.  It is in dry storage now.
5.  I am going to paint the front of the refrigerator and oven to match the heater.  I may do that this weekend.

Clanjamfry is this weekend!  It’s the Memphis Scottish Festival’s 10 yr. anniversary.  I luuuuuuv me some bagpipes!  I may have a meat pie, or I may not.  I DO stay away from the haggis.  BUT, I will be lurking nearby, listening to the pipes.  They will be in full regalia.  I’ll try to get some pics.

‘Til next time….ADIOS!

Rowan 44 kits are getting cranked up!!!!

Good Afternoon my little pretties!
I just got a lovely box of yarn from Rowan yesterday.  It contained yarn necessary to kit both Da Vinci and Florentino from Rowan Magazine 44, the 30th Anniversary Edition.  The photos really don’t do the masterpieces justice.  The colors are rich and warm.  I’m pricing them at the usual 10% off for your purchasing pleasure!  Remember…you deserve something special, especially if it ends up being a garment that you will make for yourself, and enjoy doing it.  These designs are timeless.  This is the link for the kits:  Rowan Magazine 44 Renaissance Kits  Here are photos of the kits that are available so far:

Da Vinci knitted in Wool Cotton and Kidsilk AuraFlorentino knitted in Kid Classic

It’s now time for a caravan update.  I’ve put a lot of new wood framing on it, but don’t have a photo of it.  I have a raw spot on my right palm from using the chisel without my work gloves.  BAD GIRL!  Anyway, I’m paying the price.  I may be getting a little ahead of myself, but I have selected FABRIC, LINOLEUM, AND LAMINATES from which I will make a final choice for the interior finishes.  The walls will be the original 1/4″ birch plywood.  I want the look to be a little retro, so I selected an Amy Butler fabric that’s got knockout shades of aqua and chartreuse.  (Chartreuse seems to be a constant in my life these past 8 years….why deny it?)  I welcome all comments.  Which laminate do you like?  The green “bamboo look” or the aluminums?

Samples for Caravan interiors

I tried to blog about the Rowan Colourscape cardigans that I shipped to Westminster Fibers last week, but WordPress seemed to be acting up, big time.  Below are photos of two of the cardigans that I completed.  I’m now working on the back of a coat for them, because it’s time sensitive and I didn’t have time to do the whole garment.  SO, we are sharing coat pieces! 

WOAH!!!  BLURRY!!!!!  Have you been hitting the bottle already?

I’m leaving for Stitches Midwest with some great friends from AR on Thursday 4 a.m.  Yes, 4 a.m.  Desperate measures for some desperate knitters!  I’m taking 2 classes:  Design it yourself with Unpatterns, and Unpattern Top-Down Sweaters.  I’m always trying to get over my fear of pattern writing.  I’ve only got 4 patterns to my name, that are self-published, only one of which is on etsy now, and there really should be more!  Anyway, I ramble….if you haven’t attended a Stitches event, you should, but you should also take lots of money.  The market is scary incredible!  Thank goodness we are driving.  If I run out of space in my roller bag, it can go in the car!

Please keep in mind that I welcome ALL comments, positive or negative about ANYTHING I write!  Let’s have some fun!  Oh, and I think I may have fixed the column problems with the blog.  Sorry about that!

Knit on!

Fassett’s new yarn unveiled in Vogue Knitting Fall

I knitted (most) of this beauty!

Phew!  I knitted this beauty, with a tenuous deadline.  However, it got done, and here it is!  Bragging rights are mine!  My dear friend Dana H. helped me with it….she drove in from her hometown, 1 hr. away, picked up the yarns, knitted the sleeves, and drove back and brought them to me!  I think she even bought my lunch that day!  So, we both got to knit a Kaffe Fassett sweater!!!  It’s knitted with Kaffe’s Colourscape Chunky and Rowan Scottish Tweed Aran. 

I’ve added some new colours to the stock for Rowan Handknit Cotton.  It’s growing quite a bit!  Rowan Magazine 44 has arrived at my house (my own personal copy for being a club member!!!).  There are some LOVELY patterns!  Of course, there always are, and it’s a collector’s item.  Have you seen the Jo Sharp yarns on the website?  The Classic DK Wool repertoire is steadily growing!  Make sure you check out the kits on the Classic DK Wool page.  The patterns are timeless.

Took one more window out of the caravan yesterday.  THAT’S WHY it rained in Memphis last night!  We sure did need that rain!

Later taters!

Did you know about the Vogue Knitting Kits?

I’ve had these kits on the website for a while, but I guess I haven’t told anyone about them!  I think I’ll revisit them anyway.  Here is a link.  This beautiful La Gran Coat is available, with free shipping!  Remember though…you have to have the magazine.  I can’t stock those because frankly, they wouldn’t move too well on the internet.  Like me, people usually pick those up at their LYS or local bookstore.  Here is a photo of the coat:

Vogue Knitting La Gran Coat by Vladimir Teriokhin

I’ve added the SUBLIME Books page.  I will, of course, expound upon that by adding kits for the yarns that I carry.  I see their ads in the magazines all the time, so surely you’ve seen them, too.  The designs are fairly conservative, and not so faddish.  Is that a word?  I’ve already started the Book 601 kits, and I’m personally knitting the Big Knotty Jacket out of Book 608.  Here’s a picture of it:

I’m using Debbie Bliss Cashmerino to knit it with.  THAT YARN IS GORGEOUS, TOO!  I’m knitting it in color #202, Lt. Blue.  Those knots are fun, and something I’ve never done before.

Now about that caravan……I have some new photos!  I’ve never seen so many dirtdobber nests in one place IN MY LIFE!  They seemed to be vacated, though.  Phew!

Peeled off South side of Caravan

 

 

 

 

Well, that’s all for today.