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HERITAGE CLUB
Are you a member? Ask about joining the next time you are in the shop. Or click the logo for more information. |
| Standing Events |
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These are ongoing shop happenings. An "*" by the event indicates that there is a fee.
These are social knitting times - no charge, but no help is provided.
Tues. evening 7 to 9
Wed. morning 10 to 12
Sun. afternoons 2 to 4
Master Knitter Support Group
2nd and 4th Sunday from 2 to 4.
COE in Handweaving Support Group
1st Wednesday at 1:00
*Rigid Heddle Weaving
Reservations required. 2nd Tuesday from 6 to 9
*Open Weaving
Every Monday from 6 to 9. Call to confirm class will be held as we have some dates blocked out.
*Drop In Knitting
Tuesday from 11 to 1
Wednesday from 7:00 to 8:30 pm
Thursday from 1 to 3
Friday from 10 to Noon
*Knit with Suzanne
Thursday evening, 7 to 9
Girl's Night
First Friday from 7 to 10 (except July and February)
Spinning Group
First Saturday from 10 to 12 (except July and February)
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| March 20, 2009 -- Welcome SPRING! |
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| Greetings!
It is that time of year - we need help spinning our hand-dyed merino roving so that two shawls can be woven. One shawl is auctioned at Knit Michigan, the second becomes the grand prize in our fund-raising art show held in the fall of each year. Here's how it works. Each spinner spins a single that, when plied will create a sport-weight yarn (you'll get a sample to spin to). The spinner then winds the yarn onto a spool (provided). Then, we have a plying party and match up the singles by size. We will have 12 4-ounce packages of roving that need spun. Deadline for spinning is Saturday, May 30. The plying party will be held Sunday afternoon, May 31 from 1:00 until we are done. The resulting yarn will then be sent to Mary Rios who has volunteered to weave the shawls for the second year. Interested? Please let me know. Roving will be ready for pick up next week.
On a similar note, we still have squares to be designed for the Knit Michigan afghan at the Easy and Intermediate levels. More info here. |
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New in the Shop |
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 The latest yarn to arrive in the shop is Sirdar's Crofter DK. The yarn self-patterns in a Fair Isle-type design and is the perfect antidote to the "it's itchy" complaint. The yarn is incredibly comfortable to the touch. When I ordered this I thought it would make a great sweater for my granson, Luke - sharp looking, boy colors (we have girl colors, too), cuddly and machine washable. We have a nice pattern for a sweater sized for father and son. Fiber content is 60% acrylic, 25% cotton and 15% wool. The 50 gram skeins measure 184 yards and knit up at 22 sts in 4 inches on US size 6 needles. A great value at just $7.50 a skein.
 This sample just came in from the yarn company. It is a lovely shawl designed by Elsebeth Lavold and knit in Silky Wool (50/50 wool and silk). A great yarn that is as comfortable on a cool summer evening as it is in the winter. |
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Schacht Celebrates |
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Schacht Spindle Company has been in business in Boulder, Colorado for 40 years. In the last couple years they've really expanded and upgraded their product line. The Flip folding rigid heddle replaced a non-folding loom. The new Flip carry bag makes the loom truly portable while making it possible to keep all your weaving gear in one place. The tiny Cricket rigid heddle looks like a toy loom, but isn't. It is the perfect loom for working tapestry or cut pile. It doubles as a great way to introduce someone (child or adult) to weaving. The Schacht Ladybug is priced as an entry-level wheel, but provides the same spinning range as the original Matchless Wheel. They've also revisited the design of their table looms.
Occasionally, Schacht makes special versions of their wheels and looms. Earlier this year they offered a cherry Baby Wolf loom. Now, they're offering a cherry Matchless spinning wheel - I've ordered two that should be here in June. If you'd like to put your name on one of them, please let me know.
Coming soon . . . a portable wheel and bulky and lace flyers for all their wheels. After 40 years, Schacht continues to deliver innovative, American products that are built to last.
Congratulations to Barry and Jane and crew for reaching their 40 year milestone - and thank you for providing such wonderful tools to enhance our fiber lives! |
| Friends of Heritage Gallery |
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Sybil is the lady that makes the lovely hammered silver and copper shawl pins that reside by our counter. She is also our most recent Fiber Art Show grand prize winner for her spinning work. And, now she's taking a weaving class at CCS. This shawl was done as a result of her class with our yarns that she hand dyed. It feels as good as it looks!
These two baby sweaters are both from Elizabeth Zimmerman patterns. Classic designs knit in Shepherd's Wool
R) and Mt. Colors Rivertwist (L) by Nancie. Lovely, aren't they?
As always, click on the image to see a larger image.
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| Classes |
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Class spotlight:
Deb Harowitz writes: Why would someone want to take the "Toe-Up, Two-at-a-Time on One Needle Socks" class? First and foremost, it looks really impressive while you are knitting on them ;o) But the real reason is because when you knit your socks two-at-a-time, when you finish one sock, you have finished both socks - it's freedom from the single sock syndrome. Freedom is good. Toe-Up socks are the best way to knit socks with hand dyed yarns or exotic yarns; anything you have paid a premium price for. You will not spend the whole knitting process wondering "will I have enough yarn to knit the toes"? You start with the toes and knit until you run out of yarn. No more odd colored toes or odds bits of left over yarns.
FREE Spinning Class
Schacht Spindle Company is celebrating its 40th year in business this year and is hosting an "I made it on my Schacht Contest." In conjunction with that, I promised you that we'd have some FREE classes to help you get ready for the contest. Our first will be on Saturday, April 4 from 1 to 3 in the afternoon. Annie will lead a "Spinning Tune Up" class. This will be totally hands-on. She'll be watching your hands and your wheel and giving you pointers for improving your skills. While having a Schacht wheel isn't mandatory, you might like to try one of ours while you are here!
Upcoming classes
Here's a list of all the classes starting in the next few weeks (the date is the first date of the class):
3/25 Versatile Scarves
3/28 "Travel" to the Shetlands
4/7 Advanced Diamond Cable Sweater
4/10 Toe up, Two at a Time Socks
4/17 Understanding Yarn & Fibers
4/19 Learn to Spin
4/19 Flax to Linen - A Spinning Experience
Our Next Learn to . . . classes:
Learn to Knit: starts 3/30
Learn to Tat: starts 9/24
Learn to Spin: starts 4/19
Learn to Weave on the Rigid Heddle: 4/25
Learn to Weave: Open Weaving on Monday evenings OR Learn to Weave in a week: July 13 through 17
Details on all of these classes on our website. | |
I remember from my years in marketing that I would look in areas different than what my customer was in for inspiration. For example, for a carpenter, I might pick up a manufacturing engineering magazine. I would find inspiration that was just enough different to showcase the carpenter's skills in a way that was more likely to be noticed. I learned a lot along the way because of this habit of mine.
Now, I see Heritage folks doing the same thing. Deb just took a fused glass class, Marge embellishes with embroidery, and I've been dabbling in pottery. None of these things are knitting (or weaving or spinning). Yet, all tickle the creative part of our brains. Perhaps Deb will find a pattern in the glass that will translate to knitting, Marge might see the grass under the sheep growing on the bottom of a sweater and, me, well, I get dirty hands!
What are you doing to stimulate your fiber brain? Making the opportunity to "play" is so important to our mental health - be kind to yourself and make your knitting and your life better.
Happy Fibering!
Joan Sheridan
Heritage Spinning & Weaving
PS. The sheep on our aprons are the Schacht sheep. We just add our names to their aprons. |
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