WOOL-TYME KingstonWOOL-TYME Kingston Newsletter
725 Gardiners Rd, Kingston ON
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July 2008
THE E-NEWSLETTER THAT KNITS US TOGETHER.
                                                      
HAPPY CANADA DAY AND 4TH OF JULY TO ALL OUR FRIENDS AND CUSTOMERS
FLAGS 
AND A SAFE AND WONDERFUL  SUMMER OF FUN, RELAXATION AND KNITTING!
Manos del Uruguay book 
Eco Wool JacketGLORIOUS KNITTING PROJECTS
No matter what season it is.
 
 The sweaters on the left are from Manos del Uruguay's colourful book #7. The jacket on the right can be seen at the store as one of our popular samples. It is made of Sirdar's new ECO WOOL and the pattern is available in Sirdar's fabulous ECO book that they designed for this new, earth friendly yarn. These books and yarns are amazing and deserve a visit to the store to be seen.
eco cotton sweaterJuly's featured pattern
We have just put up a sample of this beautiful (and flattering) summer pullover and I love it so much that it had to be a featured pattern for the month. Although the scanned picture doesn't do it justice, the detail of a light collar, and gentle pleating and shaping make this a very classy yet casual sweater for anyone to wear.
The book in which the pattern is found is also a real winner, with  designs for the whole family and to suit all tastes.
Buy the material and the book during the month of July and save 15%. 
SUMMER KNITTING
Cadenza sock
This Sirdar summer knitting pattern is from a few summers back but it's actually not too odd looking. (The model's hair, on the other hand, is strictly from another era. How did they/we get it to stay so high?)
stitch 'n pitch
Alright Blue Jays Fans...your time has come to mesh your passions. Tues. Aug. 5th at 7pm is this year's Stitch 'N Pitch game in Toronto against the Oakland A's.
If you're On Ravelry you will find a great write up of the special activities planned for this year's event. Just link to the Kingston group and you will see the discussion thread titled "Stitch 'N Pitch".
For tickets, contact the WOOL-TYME Kingston store and we will get back to you with the details re payment and ticket pick up when they're available. ("Muggles" aka non-knitters are welcome to sit with us and take advantage of the great $20. special price.)
ravelryYou will have noticed in the news above about the Stitch 'N Pitch Game, there was a mention of a  post on Ravelry and I was recently surprised, when speaking with a group of computer savvy knitters, how many had not yet discovered this great on-line community. Ravelry can be many things to each individual knitter but mainly it's a way of connecting with other crafters in your community and around the world. (I for instance have joined the Lovers of Coronation Street group.)
What I think will eventually become a great knitter's tool available on Ravelry is the ability that each participant has to list their projects, stash components, needles, and books on-line so that this information can be accessed and verified from the LYS (Local Yarn Shop =  WOOL-TYME Kingston) which is one of the biggest reasons that we brought a laptop computer into the store, as a research tool for our customers.
Take a few minutes to check it out by linking through the logo above. When you apply to become a member, it only takes a few days for them to get back to you and you're all set to enjoy the excitement, enthusiasm and knowledge of other crafters from all over.
E.Z.'s Summer shawlE.Z.'s Almanac.
A few weeks ago, my friend and I went on a Knitting Safari through several shops in Toronto and I found a copy of Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitter's Almanac.
The purpose of this book (originally published in 1974) was to share a pattern/design per month with the reader. This intricate circular shawls is what E.Z. thought would be a good project for the month of July. In her own words: E.Z.'s Knitter's Almanac
"Do not scoff; it is perfect travel-knitting, as I have proved to myself many times. A round shawl, in fine wool, on a circular needle, is my invariable companion when space is limited, waiting-around probable, and events uncertain."
Throughout the next few months, I'm planning on sharing some of the "Purls" of wisdom from the Queen-Mother of all knitters. The Knitter's Almanac is available at WOOL-TYME Kingston for you to knit along with us. 
P.S. Despite the fact that this book has been around for 34 years, it is still in the top 10 Knitting Books at Barnes and Noble on line. Now that is a valuable book! 
THERE'S A NEW GANG DOWNTOWN
Monday night knitting This is a picture of the inaugural "meeting" of the gang of knitters who meet at the Toucan Pub on Princess St on Monday nights from 8pm until whenever. What a great time we had. Go to my blog  or to Carolyn Barnett's blog (from which I borrowed this picture) to hear more about it. Obviously, anyone with 2 sticks and a string, or one hook and some yarn, can come out and join the fun. Just ask at the bar, they'll point you to us, upstairs.
ALSO MEETING THIS MONTH:
The Kingston Knitting Circle will be in the Community Room at the back end of Chapters on Tuesday, July 22nd from 7-9pm. Love to see you there too! 
Cadenza sockDO YOU LIKE MY SOCKS?
 Last month I introduced you to CADENZA from Estelle Designs and said what a lovely fabric it makes at a DK gauge. Well here is the sock that proves that it also makes a gorgeous pair of foot covers. People can't get enough of the feel of this lovely yarn. One of our best sellers for socks or shawls or sweaters. 
 
Other sock news...
MYSTERY SOCKS:   COMING EARLY JULY...It's one of the realities of being in your '50's and of being a yarn store owner... you just see too many types of yarn to remember them all. But I do know that we have a lovely new sock yarn of wool, silk and nylon coming in shortly after July 1st. It will be a surprise for all of us. Good thing that I like surprises. 
 
Noro's SILK GARDEN "sock" yarn.
I've been getting calls asking about a new "sock" yarn from Noro, based on their gorgeous SILK GARDEN blend. The reality is that this great Japanese yarn manufacturer has brought out a SILK GARDEN "LITE" which is actually a DK weight, a bit thicker than their Kureyon sock yarn, and it is made of 45% silk, 45% mohair and 10% wool. The lack of nylon in the composition and the fact that it would be definitely hand wash, and might be a bit thick for socks kept me from ordering it originally. But the interest that we've been getting, and of course, who can resist a beautiful colour batch of yarn in a very practical weight for all types of projects has made me reconsider, so we will be ordering a few colours in for arrival the 1st week of July. I'm looking forward to it. 
And if you like the picture of my socks but need some help with knitting your own... read on 
knitting socks 
There are still a few places left in our very popular "Knit a Sock in a Day" class on Saturday, July 26th from 10am until you're done (probably around
2pm.)
Cost: $45. which includes all materials for your sample sock.
Please join us. Or if you can't make it to this class, please give us your name so that you can be contacted for the fall class. 
 
nutkin socks 
 And for those of you who are looking for a gorgeous pair of socks to knit this summer, the   Nutkin Socks  pattern is Free and available from Knitzi. 
 Link to their site and the free pattern by clicking on the  picture above or the pattern name.
These would be incredibly gorgeous socks made of either AREQUIPA wool/alpaca or CADENZA wool/silk sock yarn. 
Jane's knitted catnip miceJane's knitted Catnip Mice make it out in the big world.
Last year, we featured these cuties as a free pattern in this newsletter and they've also been available on our 
But these little guys have taken on a life of their own in the fundraising world. Jane (who works at the WOOL-TYME Kingston store) has had several requests for permision to use the pattern to make them as fundraisers for animal shelters etc. The most recent came from West Virginia where the  Mountaineer Spay Neuter Assistance Program will be using it to help raise funds.
We're all so glad to be able to help wherever we can.