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 This fellow may be taking a break during the summer, but it's never too early to plan on sharing Christmas gifts with a Canadian soldier overseas. We recently received a request to be passed on to all of our customers from Operation Santa Claus encouraging knitters and crocheters to create a small handmade gift to send to our Canadian troops overseas.
Most prized are cozy slippers, but gloves, mittens, socks, scarves, neck warmers etc. are also appreciated. Donations can be received at the WOOL-TYME Kingston store until Aug. 15th, 2009 for  shipping in time for Christmas overseas.
Often our generous soldiers will share these prized gifts from home with local children and families. If you have some time in the next few weeks, please think of our soldiers.
Contact me at wooltymekingston@gmail.com for more information about specific patterns, appropriate colours and yarns that are acceptable. |
 Celebrate Christmas knitting in July
 Needless to say, November is often the time of year that we get around to thinking about knitting Christmas themed decorations and ornaments, and by then who has the time? Sensible people however would recognize that the summer is a great time to plan and make up these lovely little projects. (And don't we all like to believe that we are sensible people?)
Here are some great ideas and patterns in stock now at WOOL-TYME Kingston:
-KNIT THE CHRISTMAS STORY by Jan Messent.
-Sirdar's wonderful Advent Calendar (Book 298), with 24 lovely ornaments.
- Alan Dart's NATIVITY COLLECTION (Sirdar book 285)
-Cabin Fever's collection of CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS for everyone.
-Kalamazoo Knits fabulous collection of Christmas ornaments, including a knitted Christmas light garland, a kit for creating sock ornaments complete with mini "sock stretcher" suitable for hanging, and Christmas balls in lace stitches, textures and sock yarns. (See below for other exciting patterns from Kalamazoo Knits which have just arrived at WOOL-TYME Kingston) |
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The Finest Socks!  Last year, XRX Publishing collaborated with several North American yarn companies to launch the "Think outside the Sox" competition.
The result was 292 entries from 7 countries. (It would be interesting to imagine the breadth of the response in the pre-internet era. Humm.)
These leopard skin beauties were the grand prize winners for Betty Salepekar of Georgia.
If you want to view all the winners, link to the KniTalk.com website but I felt that this following tribute to nature was also worth showing here as it was the winner in the "Under 18" category...  These exquisite socks were designed and made by Elizabeth Brook Shelor of Virginia. She is 10 years old!!! You have to wonder how old she was when she first picked up the needles!
Do check out the other winners (I was particularly impressed by the "Knitters' Choice Award" recipient.) And when you are completely inspired to try a bit of this whimsy yourself, look at the following book, arriving just in time to put some real design tools in our hands. Read On! |
2  New Books -a designer's dream!!!
What does it mean to be a designer? Anyone who has a yen to change the look, the texture, the stitch pattern, the sizing, the shaping, the embellishments of every pattern they get their hands upon can consider themselves a designer of a sort. Not all designers are technical pattern writers, nor do they want to share their ideas with others in a formal way, but they do want to have some guidelines to help them create the details that they see in each different pattern that they take on.
We who have a designing (read: compulsive tweeking) bent are so blessed with these 2 great books which have come out in this past month.
Sock Innovation by Cookie A. Click on the title and link to the Knitters' Review site to see what wonderful things they have to say about this book. But here is a taste of their excellent description: "Gasp-worthy patterns...Cookie A's sock patterns have been so popular that I know expectations were very high for this book ... I can say that the book meets and exceeds every expectation I had. This is a brilliant and valuable book that every avid sock knitter will want to own."
The 2nd book to arrive this month is DESIGN IT, KNIT IT the long awaited book by everyone's favourite, Debbie Bliss who opens her design studio and creative brain to share with us so many tricks to help every garment you create suit the wearer a little bit better. 15 classic yet original patterns with design workbook sheets, templates and knitters' graph paper. Debbie is truly inspiring and generous in her wish to share the secrets that she has developed, fitting gorgeous knitted fabrics to almost any human form. |
 Consider these 5 good reasons for continuing to knit through the summer months. 
Unlike many other businesses, we really don't have much of a "slow season" at the WOOL-TYME Kingston store. The obvious busy months are from September until the end of February. But March brings friends visiting for spring break, April's Easter visitors can keep us busy too along with a steady stream of classes that are popular at this time of the year. May would be a slower month in many cities but with parents coming back to move their students, and the constant stream of graduations during this season, followed by our month-long Inventory Sale in June, then the influx of tourists, cottagers and boaters that find their way to our store during the height of the summer, it's a wonderful non stop stream of new and familiar faces that keeps us busy all year long.
That being said, many locals do hang up their knitting needles for a few months over the summer. If you are one of these people, I found this great article from a few years back by Theresa Mowery praising the positives of knitting in the summer. Follow this link to to read the full article. You might just be convinced!
AND SPEAKING OF SUMMER KNITTING...
As I write this, we are looking ahead (with no enthusiasm, I might add) to a Canada Week/weekend whose forecast is peppered liberally with coldish, wet weather.
I am adding this picture to the newsletter at the beginning of the summer to remind Mother Nature that we all need a bit of a break to enjoy some warmth and time outside without wondering if we will be hit by lightening while using our Addi Turbo needles on the beach, or if our knitting will shrink should we be caught in a sudden downpour.
Ladies knitting on the beach wearing bathing suits, with hair that is not blown halfway to the parking lot is a good image to collectively focus on as knitters in serious need of some R&R. |
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KALAMAZOO KNITS
ARE HERE!
 How much fun is this? You've probably seen this latest trend in felted projects advertized in popular knitting magazines, now get them here at WOOL-TYME Kingston. Felted Flip Flops for the whole family.
Other patterns from Kalamazoo Knits are a great baby blanket pattern to make in a weekend,fabulous instructions on using Wilton Food dyes for dyeing wool, a gorgeous capelet that's just the style for this fall, and as mentioned above: a great selection of knitted Christmas ornaments.
Don't forget to pick up your "sock stretcher" key chain to proudly announce to the world:
I am a sock knitter!
KALAMAZOO KNITS | |
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This month's featured pattern is all about versatility. The design instructions are from a child's size 4 to ladies' size 42, sleeveless vest or long sleeved cardi, in a DK weight of yarn which can be light and cool enough for the summer or cozy in light wool blends for the winter. Come and see our knitted sample done in one of this season's great citrus shades of Sirdar's Baby Bamboo wool/bamboo blend. You'll love it.
AND THIS MONTH YOU CAN BUY THE MATERIALS TO CREATE this lovely piece in any DK yarn AT
15% OFF! |
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GET IT WHILE YOU CAN. 
It's always a pleasure to let you know about a particularly good edition of one of our regular knitting magazines. The Summer 2009 edition of KNITTER'S Magazine is great. There are a series of "Lite Lessons", a series of entry level projects for some very interesting knitting techniques. |
 Keep in touch throughout July-Tuesday, July 21st, the Kingston Knitting Circle will be meeting at Chapters Community Room from 7-9pm for some chat and stitching fun. Please join us.
-Rug hookers, new and experienced are encouraged to join us at WOOL-TYME Kingston on Wednesday July 8th and 22nd from 6:30-8:30. Come and see what this time honoured to craft has to offer you fibre fans.
-Every Wednesday evening, a group of avid knitters has been meeting at the Loyal Oarsman pub at 7pm in the mall behind McDonalds on Bath Rd, west of Days Rd. They would love to welcome new friends.
-LESSONS and Knit and Chat continue through the summer at the WOOL-TYME Kingston store. Times are Tuesdays from 1-3pm and Thursday from 6:30-8:30pm. Please contact the store for further information at 613-384-3951 |
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HERE'S A SECRET...
KINGSTON
customers are the best!
And we want to make sure that you take advantage of special programs that we offer all our regular customers:
- Do you have a CUSTOMER SAVINGS CARD? Collect stamps for every $20 you spend in the store and redeem full cards for 15% off all regularly priced merchandise.
- PASS IT ON coupons give you a chance to help us spread the word about WOOL-TYME Kingston to your friends who want to learn to knit - they get a 15% discount on their first purchase, you get a chance to win in our monthly gift certificate draw. (Ask at the store for details.)
-Friendly, free assistance to help you through the complexities of patterns you've bought at the store. We stand behind the patterns that confuse you!
-Not ready to purchase all the yarn that your project takes? We will Lay Away up to 1/2 of your project yarn for 3 months. No other deposit is necessary.
-Need a yarn that we don't carry? Ask us and we would be glad to research the yarn and order a bag in for you if possible.
-We offer excellent reusable bags (2 styles) for just $2. They make great project bags and help save our resources.
-For our on-going work with many charities around the area, particularly with Project Linus for which we are regional coordinators, we accept all donations of yarn and needles. When you are "de-stashing" please keep us in mind.
If you have any questions, PLEASE ASK US ABOUT THESE PROGRAMS by emailing wooltymekingston@gm
il.com or by calling the store at 613-384-3951 | |
Kingston Newsletter
Knitting Tip of the Month :
plastic sleeve, thank heavens) that we've had for at least a decade, which holds the secret to this information each time a customer asks if we have "size 11". 
