The Yarn Gourmet Important Information

Location: 2915 Mishawaka Ave, South Bend IN 46615 (across from River Park Furniture)
Phone: 574-232-9276
Email: yarngourmet@comcast.net

Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 10 - 5
Friday: 10 - 8
Saturday: 9 - 3
Closed Sunday & Monday

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

OMG!

The Frabjous Fibers shipment is in!  The colors are amazing! I have hand-painted AND solid color silk hankies, cashmerino fiber, Merino Sparkle (nylon gives the sparkle), BFL-Silk, BFL, and Opulence!  If I didn't need to get the newsletter out I'd be sitting at a spinning wheel all day.

Purls of wisdom: happiness is not having what you want, it's wanting what you have.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Off their rockers

A new magazine by Interweave Press just arrived today - Knit Wear. I didn't even know this one was coming, but I'm glad it did.  The sub-title of the magazine is "simple handknits for the thoughtful knitter", and that is a very accurate description.  I will be writing it up in the newsletter Yarn Exchange, but believe me - it is worth looking at.

Last night I watched a couple episodes of Betty White's new show "Off Their Rockers".  The premise is simple - senior citizens playing pranks on younger people, a la the old "Candid Camera" show.  This show is hilarious!  Each episode begins with a brief scene of old ladies hanging a banner on a highway overpass.  One reads "got prune juice?"  My favorite (for obvious reasons) reads "will knit for sex".  Ya gotta love Betty White.

Friday, June 15, 2012

New Patterns Just In

Greetings  and defibrillations!  I have just gotten 7 new Fiber Trends patterns!  There is something for almost everyone in this batch:

The Tulips & Rosebuds Baby Blanket is definitely a potential heirloom  Knit in fingering weight yarn, this would be a perfect project for Cascade Heritage - which is machine washable.


The Country Weekend Sweater takes excellent advantage of self-striping yarn.  This project would be great in Crystal Palace Mochi Plus, Wisdom Yarns Poems, or Classic Shades.


The Walking the Dog pattern is designed to use odds and ends of left-over sock yarns - very efficient. 


The Swirls Hat is beautiful, but a small enough project it can be made up rather quickly, and carried to appointments so you have something to do in the waiting room.  It takes three colors of worsted weight yarn, creating endless possibilities.


Lupine Lace Socks are elegant and beautiful.  These socks would be best made in either a solid color, or a very light variegated colorway, such as Pagewood "Pretty Pastels" or Tosh "Blue Gingham".





If there is a grandmother out there that can resist the Patrick's Pumpkin hat, I've yet to meet her.   Knit in worsted weight yarn, it could even be part of a Halloween costume.



The Animal Friends Felt Booties remind me of the pink bunny suit in the movie "A Christmas Story" - but I digress.  They would make excellent Christmas gifts.

Purls of wisdom: when walking through the house in the dark, if you step on something cold and wet, just tell yourself it's only a bad dream.  Repeatedly.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Cool New Tools

Bryson Distributing recently added some new tools, and I had the (amazingly) good sense to order some.  The Gauge-O-Knit is a ruler that automatically indicates your gauge - no figuring it out, no multiplying, nada,  For those of us who have experienced mathphobia, this is a godsend.


But wait!  That's not all!  There is also the Calc-O-Knit, for when you want to use yarn of a different gauge than the pattern calls for, or use a different needle size.  This gadget tells you exactly what you need to cast on, based on your gauge (determined with the above gadget).  You can change a pattern you like to fit you, easily and without errors.


Purls of wisdom: The value of an idea lies in putting it to use.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

FINALLY!

The Principles of Knitting, 2nd edition, has arrived!  The first edition of this book has sold on eBay for years at a range of $150 to $400 - the new edition is a steal at only $45.  I have 3 copies on hand, but can get more, if needed.

Also new - One + One, by Iris Schreier of Artyarns fame.  This book is filled with small projects that take only two skeins of Artyarns.  Iris's designs, as usual, are stunning.

For the crocheters - The Happy Hooker is also in!  I am told by some of my crocheters that this is an excellent reference book (I don't crochet, so I cannot offer an opinion).

I am pleased to say I have also received more copies of One Skein Wonders and Sock Yarn One Skein Wonders.  These two books are very useful, especially when you have one skein left from a project and cannot face making another scarf.

Happy Thursday!

Purls of wisdom: you can't lead anyone else further than you have gone yourself.