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725 Gardiners Rd, Kingston ON 613-384-3951 |
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January 2012 | The newsletter that knits us together. | |
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The Scots love January!
The Scottish New Year is known as Hogmanay and the first Monday in January, or today - as I write this - is considered a holiday and is referred to as Handsel Monday. I'm sure that many of you would wish that you were in Scotland to partake of this holiday too. And don't forget Robbie Burns day coming up at the end of the month: another opportunity to check out the great grub, poetry and music of the Scots!
What brought these thoughts to mind, aside from the array of shortbreads that I've enjoyed over the Holidays, are 2 seperate incidents that reminded me of how important the Scottish traditions are here in Canada.
A couple of weeks ago I had a gentleman looking for yarn to make a fringe on a scarf. James, the customer, explained that the scarf was quite small, in fact it was for an action figure or what some might mistakenly consider a doll. This particular action figure is of Sir John A. Macdonald, the father of our country, and in his many seasonal costumes, he is taking part in the run up to the Sir John A. Macdonald's Bicentennial, helping to get the word out around Kingston and beyond, to ramp up the festivities. He has a good head start as the bicentennial isn't until 2015 but it's never too early to plan for a good party.
Then the week before Christmas, a grandmother  came in to the store with her 16 year old grandson who wanted her to knit him an Argyle sweater. Although Argyle designs - long associated with the Scots, especially on the golf links, are everywhere in the fashion world these day, we didn't have a single pattern among our stock that he could look at. Then I remembered our trusty laptop computer that staff and customers can use to access the internet for all kinds of knitting support. I logged them on to my Ravelry page, typed in "Argyle patterns" and VOILA, they had a great selection of styles to choose from. They found a pattern, identified the yarn needed, chose the colours and went off to download the pattern from home. How can any yarn store be without this great technology?
Argyle, Fairisle, Sir John A., shortbread and scones, scotch whiskey and Mackintosh's toffee from my childhood. Ah, lassies and laddies, what fine traditions. |
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 The Best Knitting Class
deal in town.
We want to help you become
the best knitter you can be.
Daily we welcome you in our store and are more than happy to help you with knitting questions that you might have. We are here to make your knitting life as stress free as possible. BUT we recognize that there is only so much help that we can offer in the context of running the store. To meet your further needs, we have opened up and revamped our
2 on-going knitting help classes:
The Never Ending Knitting Class on Tues. afternoons and Thurs. evenings, where you can receive all the help that you will need to work your way through any pattern. We welcome everyone from beginners to advanced who are wanting to challenge themselves with new skills or a new technique.
The Ultimate Finishing Class takes place ever second Wed. and it is the place to be to discover the best way to give your knitting the professional finish that it deserves. Bring your projects when you are finished the knitting and are ready for picking up neckline stitches, sewing up seams, putting in zippers and buttons, blocking, we cover it all to meet your individual needs.
Both of these classes are designed to meet the specific needs of the class participants, where you will receive professional advice and support. Please link on either of the class titles to get further information, or call 613-384-3951 |
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NEW KITS FOR
THRUM MITTS
We are thrilled to be able to add wonderful kits containing everything that you need to make these gorgeous THRUM MITTENS, featuring 100% wool yarns and hand dyed fleece from Turtlepurl Yarns. The kits include patterns for mittens on 2 needles and 4 needles, as well as directions for making and inserting the thrums of this finest unspun wool fleece.
Kits are a wonderful way to introduce yourself to a new and interesting technique.
Check out the full line of WOOL-TYME Kingston exclusive pattern kits.
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Cataraqui Socks
Socks are, without question, among the most popular projects for knitters.
If you check out sock patterns on Ravelry, you will find 278 pages with about 30 patterns per page. That's a lot of foot coziness.
A beautiful new pattern from one of our very own teachers is the lovely Cataraqui Socks pattern from Elizabeth McCarten.
"The rippling waves of the rib pattern on this sock remind me of the surface of the Cataraqui River as it flows into Lake Ontario. If you're careful about weaving in yarn ends, you can wear this sock inside out and enjoy the basketweave pattern on the reverse side. "
It's wonderful to have our geographical region and our knitting community so well represented on Ravelry |
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LOOKING BACK
I love The Knitters Review website. From these newsletters, I've referred readers, to their reviews of new books as they are often more knitterly honest than some of the promos that come from the publishing houses.
Here is an article that sums up the best of the year, written by Clara Parkes, author of the Knitters Book of Socks, (which was itself named one of the best Fiber Arts books of 2011.)
11 Books for 2011
Clara lists the notables that she feels have made a particular contribution to the world of knitting in the past year.
At WOOL-TYME Kingston, we are spoiled, being so close to our suppliers in the Toronto area that we don't tend to keep many copies of books on hand, to prevent them from getting shelf worn, but we have had most of these 11 books in our store at one time or another, and I agree with Clara's assesment. Look through her list and remember that they can all be ordered in if you decide on one that you just can't live without. |
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Classes and coming events for JANUARY
DROP SPINDLE FOR BEGINNERS
with Kim Parkinson
Sat. Jan 28th
Learn the simplest spinning techniques, employed for centuries to turn beautiful natural fibres into knitting yarns.
Check out our website for other classes coming up this winter and spring: Sock in a Day, Buttons and More with Carolyn Barnett , blocking your knitting, cutting steeks in Fairisle knitting, Introduction to Needlefelting, Other sock techniques, and intarsia knitting.
AND DON'T FOR THE BLOCK AFGHAN PROJECT
January's monthly workshop and get together is scheduled for Tuesday, January 17th, 6:30-8:30pm
Link here to learn more about this wonderful project to help you perfect your skills, no matter what level your knitting is at. |
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mtfyed: Make time for yarn everyday
I recently received a post from a customer which I wanted to include in the newsletter. When I went back to find the original post, I got totally sucked in by this picture. Jennifer seems to be really getting into the knitting, even with her pets.
Check out her blog and profile. Jennifer and Al really are living the dream. |
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I know that many of our customers have a woodworker in their life who might like to consider this project as a great way of combining passions for each of you.
This little lamb is happy to hold and organize your yarn and needles. Eliminates having to wind yarn into a ball and prevents the problem of the yarn ball rolling away on the floor. Simply slide the dowel through the center of a skein of yarn. Lamb caddie allows you to pull off yarn as needed.
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 KNITTING ON THE NET How I enjoy looking up things for this segment of the newsletter. This month, I discovered a whole site of fun facts and information on every topic you could imagine, including knitting. And once you've digested these facts you can take a quiz, to make sure that you've absorbed all there is to know. This link: Knitting for your Feet Quiz
is a bit specific, but the site and the accompanying quizzes could make for the basis of a whole new world of trivia games for all subjects. I love trivia, although, as I get older I'm beginning to wonder if there is perhaps only a specific amount of room in my poor little brain that would be better used remembering where my keys are than what the properties of specific yarns might be.
 Knitting On The Piano
I recognize that this picture is a bit hard to define, especially when it's seen so small, but I urge you to check out the young lady with her knitting on the steps. I found it on a wonderful site:DEVIANT ART where you can find the most amazing photos. Some of you already know that I'm a photo "phan", -I love when people can see beyond the reality of a given scene and bring us a new dimension through their lenses.
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FREE PATTERN:
You've probably noticed that Monkey Sock themes are everywhere and we're proud to offer you The Sock Monkey Hat. Isn't it too crazy? The basic hat comes as a free download from Estelle Yarns, then instructions for each of the decorative accents can be added to create a polar bear, a racoon, a devil, and many others.
 have not been hanging around missing the banana boat on this trend either, MONKEY AROUND, Book 889, and
Patons Yarns
MONKEY BUSINESS, Book 875 are both wonderful books, full of fun and whimsical ideas for the little monkey fans in your life, including this great sock monkey toy. |
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Janette is working on a vest from one of our most popular books: Patons NEXT STEP THREE, a series of cardigan and open vest patterns in Chunky weight yarns that are designed for those who are new to world of 
