knitwitzinc.com Blog

Don’t know what got into my last post, very squirrelly.  Clearly I haven’t had a lot of knitting in my life of late, so here’s to more yarniness!  I’ve been *this close* to finishing several things – all exciting, all loveliness.  But can’t stop starting new projects.  And I’ve been hearing around the shop that everyone’s pretty much doing the same thing.  Is this a bad thing?  Well, if you’re a “Process Knitter” like I am, no.  In fact, I think someone’s writing up a lesson plan for a new class:  “How to Not Finish and Not Let it Get to You.”  I’d take it!  But I am in a yarn shop as I type this, a place of beginnings despite the finished stuff atop the cabinets and on the walls.  The yarn sits to be made into something, and that has little to do with me.  “What will you be?” is what I wonder.  I wanted to share with you some new things that have been coming in, so maybe you’ll be able to answer that question for me.

I get asked a lot about certain yarn lines, and why I don’t carry them – or carry them more.  Some of them aren’t for the small shop environment.  Some are larger companies, and although their yarn is fine and quite lovely, I like dealing local and small-family as much as possible. Three of these are Creatively Dyed, and Oldfield Creek.

Creatively Dyed is out of South Carolina, and we’ve had their Seawool Sock yarn for a little bit – also their hand-dyed roving.

Oldfield Creek is a lot closer – from right here in Jacksonville.  These are sock yarns, wool and a bamboo blend, and also a simply gorgeous wool and silk worsted blend – all hand-dyed.  If you’re part of Ravelry, you can see the worsted worked up in Rincaro’s project notebook.

Last night I got to see something here that was really cool – three Majacraft Rose spinning wheels in the same place.  The most I’ve ever seen is two.  Three!  And, what’s up with all the Ohio people leaving Ohio?  There must not be anyone left in that state, or at least anyone who knits or spins!   But I got to see the Roses and it was a fine sight – and we got a new friend outta the deal.  Thank you, Ohio.

By the way, I’d just like to say thank you for all the feel-better-soon wishes for the hayfever and tree pollen allergies due to this year’s bizarre early bloom.  And hugs go out to the brilliant mind that put Vicks together with Puffs tissues.

This is the fleece I got at the alpaca love fest a couple weeks ago, pretty huh?

We’ve gotten in loads of needles and books and yarns from Berroco and Rowan.  I’ll post about these guys a bit later.  If you’ve made it this far, cheers.  Don’t forget to submit a photo of your KnitWitz stash hiding places before the end of February!

It’s not as bad as you think. This lovely fellow is an alpaca. To be precise, he’s an alpaca from a farm that was selling a bit of yarn. No, I don’t know what kind of alpaca he is! It’s the YARN that matters… and his eyelashes, maybe. I know, I know… however, in my own defense you should know by now that I have a Yarn Problem. I’m okay with it – so should you be. The 4th Annual Sunshine State Alpaca Expo and Alpaca Auction was last weekend. I’ve never seen an alpaca up close before – not close enough to hear the bizarrely cute cooing sounds they make, anyway. They are really strange looking – but so sweet – animals. And I brought home some alpaca fur, as well. Actually, it’s called a “blanket” – and it’s meant to be spun up. I started the spinning, but it’s going to need a bit of carding first. I think as carded bats it’ll be more controllable. It’s a dark, dark brown – black, really. And it looks like the alpaca it came from, “Zhivago,” liked to sun himself, b/c it’s got highlights!

It was fantastic to meet several alpaca breeders – what a friendly bunch they are. Very open and informative. We were invited to visit several farms. If you’d like to go on an alpaca crawl round about April, please let me know! Evidently they’ll be shearing then, and it’s something to see if you’re a fiber enthusiast. Here is another guy, who was quite flirtatious for an alpaca.  Check out his eyelashes!

This is the only knitting project I finished in January.  A lonely afghan square.  I’d love to say it’s because I was sick, but the cold I caught (so far I’ve tracked it to the Man in Brown…) can only account for the last weekend. And I finished this after that, in a single day. So really I have no great excuse for not finishing more. Where did January GO anyway?!? I’ve got a few projects on the needles right now, some more pressing than others – but all big projects.  Not a single hat in the bunch. Now that Great American Afghan Square #25 is done, I can get to those big projects again. This square was designed by Nancy Bush, and features an Estonian wrapped stitch technique. It was a lot of fun to do, and the wrapped stitches come out almost looking like bobbles, but not quite. The yarn is Cascade 220 Superwash in a dark oatmeal color. I am truly liking the yarn so I can’t wait to get back to the next square. The class for this one is February 9, at 11 am. See you there!