| Standing Events |
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These are ongoing shop happenings. An "*" by the event indicates that there is a fee.
Sit & Knit
These are social knitting times - no charge, but no help is provided.
Tues. evening 7 to 9
Wed. morning 10 to 12
Sunday, afternoons 2 to 4
*Open Weaving
Every Monday from 6 to 9.
*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
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Greetings!
After 9 years of having first Friday being Girls Night, we are changing the format. We are adding a Sit & Knit session EVERY Friday night from 7 to 9. Bring your friends and come relax surrounded by the comfort of color and fiber as you kick off your weekend. This change starts immediately. As a reminder: there is no charge for Sit & Knit sessions.
Additionally, our first Saturday morning spinning group has not been well attended of late, so we are discontinuing it. Watch the newsletter for a reincarnation of a way for spinners to get together.
Celebrating the Holidays
For the last several years our holiday party has been a breakfast that I cook for the entire staff (more than 20 of us!) followed by a gift exchange. The gift exchange was fun - the concept was to shop from your stash. This year everyone voted to spend a little money and buy all or a portion of a Heifer International " Knitting Basket" for a family in need. The basket represents two llamas and two sheep that a family will then breed to increase their herd and use to spin, knit, weave and finally sell products at market to help support their family. So, this year I still get to cook (yeah!), but the gifts will help perpetuate our crafts with a family in need.
Closer to home, we are inviting you to bring your non-perishable food items to the shop to benefit a local non-profit program run by Becca's mom called Remnants Ministry. Patti has established a food pantry in Lake Orion. If you know someone in need, the pantry is open Tuesday mornings between 9:30 and 12:30 at Christ Community Church in downtown Lake Orion at Florence and Flint streets. |
| What's New? |
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 Last issue I told you about Itty Bitty greeting cards, this time you get to learn about itty bitty knitting needles. Yes! The new circular Addi's for knitting socks are here! All sizes (0 through 5) are in stock. They are a lot easier to knit with than I'd expected they'd be! And, if you want a good chuckle, check out this video advertisement for Addi needles on the Skacel webpage.
This new Anna Zilboorg book arrived just yesterday: Magnificent Mittens and Socks. A quick thumb through of the book makes my fingers itch. Of course, I adore stranded knitting and this book is 100% stranded knitting with lovely patterns using scrumptious yarns. If you haven't tried knitting like there before . . . this book may just push you over the edge! |
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Darn those Pills |
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 The nature of wool is to return to it's original state: crimped like it is on the sheep. When wool is spun, the individual strands are stretched and then twisted so that they are "decrimped" a bit when it becomes yarn. Liken this to a person with naturally curly hair putting it in curlers (remember when you had to do that overnight?!). Now think about what happens to that straightened hair when exposed to a hot and humid summer day. The curls return! Wool behaves similarly.
This tendency to return to its original state is what causes pills. The wool actually "escapes" the twist of the yarn and as it "boings" out of the yarn it bounces back on itself and forms a little knot that we call a pill. When this happens in roving - unspun wool - it is known as a noil. Usually this is not a desireable trait. Pills are instigated by movement - think about where they occur on your garments - on the underside of your arms is where most of them gather, though they happen to a lesser degree all over.
Pilling is not limited to wool, but it is more pronounced in wool and in fibers that have been made to simulate wool, like acrylics.
So, what can you do to avoid pilling? You have to make a decision when selecting yarn. Yarn that is spun less tightly will pill more. Yarn that is comprised of many plies will pill less (though it may not be as soft). You will pay more for a yarn that has more plies because there is more labor and mill time involved in creating the yarn. If you are knitting a sweater that you know will have a short fashion life, softly spun yarn is fine. If, however, you are knitting an heirloom cable sweater in fine yarn, you most certainly want to pay the extra money and work with a well spun yarn that will last long enough for you to hand on to the next generation.
We have plenty of yarn that falls into both categories. Next time you are in, compare yarns like Lambs Pride or Azapa with Samson or Heirloom Easy Care 8. Look at the yarn and at garments made with them and see the difference yourself. |
| Our Patterns |
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Our original patterns are now in stock in the store. Over the next weeks, I'll be introducing you to a few at a time. Click on the image to learn more about each pattern. Enjoy!
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| Classes |
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Click on the class calendar on the class page on our website and see what is starting and what is already underway or ongoing.
Spinners have asked . . . and we're delivering: a class on hand carding. Hand carding is a handy skill to have as a spinner. Hand cards can be used to prepare fiber for an entire project or as an aid to your sampling. We will card locks from different breeds, blend colors, blend fibers, and spin them to see the resulting yarn. The instructor is Cherie Cornick - a retired teacher, reenactor and incredible spinner who regularly attends SOAR and enjoys exploring fibers. You are in for a real treat if you spend Saturday afternoon 12/12 with Cherie!
NEW CLASS: Weaving Log Cabin on the Rigid Heddle Loom. Wednesday, December 30 from 10 to 4. Bring a friend and make a day of it. Previous weaving experience on the rigid heddle required.
Our Next Learn to . . . classes:
Learn to Crochet: TBD, sometime early in 2010
Learn to Knit: not yet scheduled. In the meantime, please come to Drop In Knitting to learn (schedule at left above)
Learn to Tat: starts 3/11/2010
Learn to Spin: starts 2/13
Learn to Weave on the Rigid Heddle (one day class): 12/28
Learn to Weave: Open Weaving on Monday evenings OR Learn to Weave in a week: January
Learn to Tapestry Weave: 2/14
Details on all of these classes on our website. |
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Heritage Gallery |
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Lisa came in yesterday sporting this beautiful vest - bedecked with glass buttons that she made herself. The pattern is from Best of Arans and Celtics from XRX and it is made using Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool. It looks like a fun knit - nothing boring there!
These Heritage shoppers took part in the Felted Carry Bag Class at the Orion Township Library taught by Jill Bastian. The knitters (left to right): Fay Nebel, Mary Painter, Cora Christoph, and Stephanie Potier. Thanks to Jill for providing the photo.
As always, click on the photos to get a closer view. |
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Correction |
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In my article last issue about the Knitting Matters trunk show, I incorrectly identified Jan Van Arsdol (L). Jan is a member of two knitting guilds - Rochester Guild and Blossom B Knitting Guild. Sorry, Jan! | |
Spring Yarns
While we are all waiting patiently for true winter to come and the days to begin getting longer, I have already met with yarn reps to order summer yarns (and late entry fall yarns). Oh my. Let me tell you, this is one of the hardest parts of owning a shop: trying to figure out what yarns you will want next year!
Two of the yarns that stick out in my mind are both winter yarns that will come sometime before February, I would think. The first is a new Noro - laceweight and absolutely blooming with possibilities. It is pretty in the skein and at a fair price point. Expect the typical Noro colors but in a very fine single. Cotton/wool/nylon/silk, 420 yards. Price for the Sekku will be $16.20. The second yarn is from South America: kettle dyed cashmere in five different colors (oh, was it hard to choose which to pick!). Araucania's Trauco is lace-to-fingering weight, quite tightly spun, very touchable and simply lovely. It is one of those skeins that you'd be equally happy to sit on the table and look at as to knit with. It is that lovely. Our rep left behind a skein of Trauce so we'll be getting a sample knit up to tease you! 100% cashmere, 321 yards. Price will be $32.25.
A sneak preview of some of the spring yarns: new colors of Baby Bamboo and Tiny Tots, a new yarn from Debbie Bliss - Eco Baby - an organic yarn that knits up at traditional baby weight, and a new yarn called Kids Rock that is a bulky kids yarn perfect for quick gifts and it is machine washable and dryable.
As a reminder, we are now stocking the new Debbie Bliss knitting magazine which will have patterns for the Aran and Baby weights of Eco Cotton.
Lake Orion's Lighted Christmas Parade is tomorrow evening at 6. Hope to see you downtown for the festivities!
Happy Fibering!
Joan Sheridan
Heritage Spinning & Weaving
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(Please note, I am also on FaceBook personally for my family and close friends. To follow Heritage happenings, enter: "Heritage Spinning & Weaving" in the search box and follow the instructions to become a fan.) |
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