| 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
Friday evening,
7 to 9 (if no one comes by 7:30, we will close)
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
*Drop In Crochet
Wednesday from 6:30 to 8:00 pm
*Knit with Suzanne
Thursday evening, 7 to 9
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| Be a Smart Sheep: Our Customer Appreciation Program |
Here's how it works: For every $350 in fiber purchases (yarn, coned yarn, spinning fiber) you will receive a coupon good for 60 days for $25 off your next purchase. The coupon may be redeemed against ANY purchase - equipment, classes, needles, whatever. Further, each time you redeem a coupon you will be entered in an annual drawing to receive a really nice prize including a $100 gift certificate and a handwoven "something" for the home. 2010's prize is a set of four dishtowels woven by Clara. The drawing will be held each year at our Annual New Year's Day Party. Each time you make a purchase your rewards status will print on your receipt. Complete details at HSW. | |
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| Greetings!
Furthering our crafts
 Last week we were pleased to host well-known linen weaver Kati Reeder-Meek. Kati wrote the books Reflections From A Flaxen Past: For Love of Lithuanian Weaving and Warp With a Trapeze and Dance with Your Loom. The class (held in the partially restored Union Church) is called Lustrous Linens -- Weaving Linens with Success. At right, Kati demonstrates how to painlessly warp a loom. |
| New in the shop |
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In a recent newsletter I told you about the pattern for the balloon animals made from sock yarn. This time I am pleased to tell you that we received yarn packs to support the patterns. You can also stop and see one of the critters made up: my mom just finished the elephant for us. It is too cute!
We received two new Araucania yarns from Knitting Fever. The first is Itala. It is made of 70% Wool, 15% Silk, and 15% Bamboo Viscose and has 430 yards per 100 gram skein. Itala knits up at 6.5 stitches per inch on US 2 to 3 needles (or size 1 needles for socks). Substitute in any pattern calling for fingering or sock weight yarn, it is lightly enough shaded that it will hold up nicely to lace or textured knitting, but it is not strictly monochromatic. The second yarn from Araucania is Trauco. It is mono-chromatic, fingering weight cashmere. It feels lovely and comes in at a great price point. The colors tend to the traditional. One skein would make a nice neck warmer (check the One Skein books for a pattern). Also consider making: gloves, mittens, scarves. Think next Christmas. Small projects are perfect for summer and who doesn't like to cozy up with cashmere? 321 yards per skein, recommended needle size is 0 to 2 to achieve 7 to 8 stitches per inch. KFI sent along another newbie: Noro Sekku. This yarn really captured my imagination. It is lace weight Noro with unusual fiber content: 50% Cotton, 16% Silk, 17% Wool, and 17% Nylon. Sekku has 460 yards per 50 gm ball and knits up on US 0 to 2 at 8 to 9 stitches per inch. Like most Noro, it has fairly long repeats, so it is suitable for simple lace. Check out the knit samples and the color card here. Two new yarns came in from Opal. The first is their hand dyes and the second is their newest collection, Masked Ball. To quote from the website, the Masked Ball collection is "Inspired by the whimsical and colorful masks worn by revelers at Carnival in Venice, these stripings will make you want to knit up a pair of party socks and wear them under your boogie boots!" Full-sized samples of the collection are on display in the shop.
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| Inspiration surrounds us |
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Jae is our resident fiber-explorer. She provides periodic reports on our yarns -- here's another one. Enjoy!
At first glance, Twice Tweed appears to be a yarn focused only on environmental preservation. According to the ball band, Elsbeth Lavold's Twice Tweed is "made from 100% recycled fibers in a patented manufacturing process; water saving, energy saving, and with no discharge into the environment. No polluting dyeing is used in the process. No new synthetic fibers are needed to make this yarn." However, this is also a yarn that refuses to compromise quality, charge a premium, or sacrifice enjoyment of your fiber pursuit.
Twice Tweed is loosely plied heavy worsted to bulky weight yarn made from 42% Wool, 32% Polyamide, and 26% Cotton. It is available in a beautiful range of muted blues, greens, reds, and natural colors. The tweed texture creates a stockinette fabric with subtle depth and character. The stitch definition also lends a suitability to cables and textured stitches as well.
I thought that the yarn would look better using a US 7 (4.5mm) needle instead of the recommended US8 (5mm) or US9 (5.5mm) needles. However, I followed the label and chose to use a US8. My expectation was a slightly loose fabric that lacked good stitch definition. I was wrong - very wrong. The swatch turned out beautifully. The stitch definition is crisp but forgiving. The fabric moves without losing its shape. This yarn will knit up nicely with needles from US 7(4.5mm) - US 10(6mm).
I discovered another pleasant surprise with the durability of this yarn. I threw the swatch in my purse, intending to give it to Joan in a few days. Six weeks later I did without a single pill or snagged stitch in sight. It is more far more durable than one might expect when examining the skein.
Pattern recommendations:
- Elsbeth Lavold Book 19: The Wellington Collection
- Neck Down Pullover for Women (#9724) by Diane Soucy - Knitting Pure & Simple Leaflet
- Everyway Wrap by Okmin Park - Interweave Knits, Fall 2009
- Spiral Hat by Marci Blank - 101 Designer One Skein Wonders by Judith Durant
- Bella's Mittens by Marielle Henault - free from subliminalrabbit.blogspot.com
- Pentagon Aran Cardigan or Pullover by Norah Gaughan - Knitting Nature
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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.
JUST ADDED (too new even for the website yet!): Introduction to Fair Isle on April 17 and Warping Made Easy on April 24, both taught by Joan.
Spinners, we've got the best line up of spinning classes we've had in a long time. You don't even need to be a spinner to take the first one: Carding. Cherie and Debbie will lead you through a short repertoire of exercises and give you basic instructions for running a drum carder. We will have two drum carders available for student use, but it helps if you are able to have your own. This class is a must for anyone who want to create yarn they have truly designed themselves. The class cost includes all the fiber you will use in class. Yum! The next class - Spinning Colored Roving with Varied Results - will cover how to create beautiful yarn from handpainted and colored roving. Seems simple - but there's a knack to getting it to look exactly the way you'd like. Learn how in this hands on class for all levels of spinners. Plus, everyone needs a tune-up now and again. Whether you've been spinning for years or just learned, you'll want to attend our Spinning Clinic. With two instructors, you will get lots of one-on-one attention in just the areas you need. But wait . . . there's more! The end of April brings the Spinning BIG and Lofty Yarns class and in May you can learn to spin for socks. Phew! LOTS of spinning!
Don't forget: Christa is coming! Her innovative mitten is just the thing for knitters looking for a challenge. Spend the weekend learning about double knitting, brioche and Baltic braids in the Triumvirate Mitten. Enjoy knitting in a relaxed atmosphere with a truly innovative teacher. Treat yourself! Last weekend in March.
Focus on Fair Isle starts Sunday. There are still spaces available in this always popular class. Perhaps its popularity comes from the fact that we have ALL the colors of the Jamieson yarns available to "play" with. Come join the fun and revel in the experience of knitting in the Fair Isle tradition - no prior FI knitting experience is required. Need only be a confident knitter to take this class (it's really not that hard - honest!). NOTE: This is a pricey class because of the number of sessions and the supplies included in the price. If you'd like to register and it would help to break the class into two payments, please ask.
Upcoming Classes:
Carding: 3/27
Triumvirate Mitten: Brioche, Baltic Braid & Double Knitting: 3/27
Toe Options All Day: 3/27
Spinning Colored Roving with Varied Results: 4/10
Projects for the Rigid Heddle: 4/10
Learn to Knit Toe-Up Socks, in a day: 4/10
Spinning Clinic: 4/11
Beginning Sock Knitting, in a day: 4/24
Spinning BIG and Lofty Yarns: 4/25
Spinning for Socks: 5/1
Our Next Learn to . . . classes start on:
Learn to Crochet: Every Wednesday Evening.
Learn to Knit: Next class starts 5/2
Learn to Tat: in the fall
Learn to Spin: Next two sessions start 4/22 and 6/23
Learn to Weave on the Rigid Heddle (one day class): 3/21
Learn to Weave: Open Weaving on Monday evenings
Details on all of these classes and more on our website. |
| Heritage Gallery |
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It really is fun to see you come in and share your finished projects with us. Here's what we've been treated to in the last few weeks:
Keith models his sweater made from Jamieson's Chunky Marl. The sweater is from an out of print Jamieson pattern book.
Ivy shows off her very first knitting. I love how proud she was of her work (and rightly so). Just think where her knitting can take her when she starts this young!
Donna was prolific. The sweater is Marmalade / Blueberry Jam Jacket by Maureen Mason-Jamieson. And the shawl is actually a swatch for a larger shawl for herself. It is knit from 3/2 cotton (on a cone). This swatch (think she got carried away?) was gifted to Donna's grandaughter.
Liah models one of our store samples made from two strands of sock yarn. The pattern is from Fiber Trends.
Anneliese submitted this handwoven scarf from Noro sock yarn and Harrisville Shetland to Handwoven's recent weaving contest.
Zena models a sweater from Interweave Knits made from Ritratto.
Paula shows off a baby blanket that was knit from an Ann Norling pattern as a gift.
Great job, everyone!
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For SaleI'll be moving in a few months and don't have room for all my toys in the new house. This great wheel needs a new home. I estimate that it was built in the 1830s. It comes complete with a miner's head and it works just fine. We've used it for many demos over the years, but it is time for it to move on. I'm asking $450. Please email me if you are interested: joan@heritagespinning.com .
In Home Help
Yes, Virginia, there is still such a thing as a house call. If you need private knitting, spinning or weaving help, call the shop (afternoons) and ask for me. The fee is $50/hour with a two hour minimum. If you live beyond a 20 minute drive from the shop, there is an additional fee of $.50 a mile. Weavers find this service especially helpful for loom consultations.
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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