Thistledown Shoppe
Thistle
August 3,2008
Thistledown Shoppe Newsletter
The Wee Shoppe with the Big Heart
In This Issue
4-H Sale
Classes
What's New
Dyeing Yarns Workshop
Join Our Mailing List


Thank you for your support for the Sharp family.  Because of you, we have been able to purchase several gas cards.

A Thank You card is at the shoppe. 
4-H
4-H Sale


This Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, from 10 am until 6 pm, we will host the 4-H Sale, with 100% of the proceeds going to 4-H.  Last year we were fortunate to raise over $800. 

We are looking for donations of yarn and any other yarn related items, along with volunteers to work the sale.  Go through your stash and clean it out!

We will also be taking monetary donations.
 
Classes

Basic II  - August 18 and 25.  Mondays from 3:30 until 5:30.

You must be able to master the Basic I level.  If you are not sure, ask us and we will help guide you. 

Susan will teach increases, decrease, edges, and how to read patterns and charts.

Materials needed:   worsted light solid color yarn, size US 8 needles, and Knitter's Companion. 

Cost:  $40.


Fair Isle and 2 Color Knitting - August 10 and 17, 1 pm -3 pm

Have you always wanted to change colors in your knitting but didn't know how?  Susan will help you master the fun world of knitting more than one color.

You must be able to master knit, purl, cast on, and know how to read charts.

You will learn how to carry yarn for 2 stranded color knitting in the round and how to combine patterns.

Materials needed:  worsted weight yarn in 2 or 3 colors (strong contrast), and size US 8 needle.  If you want a felted project, bring a US 10 needle.

Cost:  $40.

Socks using the Magic Loop - August 21 and 28, 6 pm - 8:30 pm

Socks are one of the most easy and portable projects ever.  Betsy is a master at this craft and she will introduce you to the wonderful world of the Magic Loop.

You must be able to cast on, knit, and purl.

You will learn how to create a golf sock using a long circular needle.  You will decrease, turn the heel, and pick up stitches.  These techniques can be applied to any sock pattern.

Materials needed:  32" or 40" circular needle needed for gauge.  Opal 6 ply or Fixation yarn.

Cost:  $40. 

Bonnie Setting SunBonnie CeleryBonnie Fireworks What's New

  Bonnie by Louet

Bonnie is a multi color, Wool/Silk (90/10) blended smooth and soft yarn that knits beautifully and felts fabulously. It is available on 50 gr balls, in 10 multi color shades. The range of colors in each ball will allow you to create fabulous colorful projects and garments.   We are carrying the three colors above; Setting Sun, Celery Seed, and Fireworks. You use US 9-11 needles for 3-4 stitches to an inch.

Lucy Neatby's Sea Lettuce Scarf pattern is on order.


Sea Lettuce Scarf by Lucy Neatby


 Dyeing Yarn with Natural Dyes - Workshop #1

drying dyed yarn

Learn to dye yarn using the plant world.  A little chemistry, a little magic, and a lot of fun!  Our focus will be on local plants and ancient dye materials.  The weather and season determines the plants that we use.  We will select from the ancient dyes of weld, osage orange, logwood, cochineal, madder and others.

The ancient art of natural dyeing is being rediscovered. It is a joy to work with natural materials. Flowers, leaves, barks, roots, berries, lichens, minerals, and even insects are sources for dyes. Each dye pot is unique and individual.  You will discover that nature provides us with a rainbow of colors that show up in our everyday lives.

We will use a variety of dye stuffs to color yarns in this one-day session.  We will also talk about local plants that can be responsibly collected and used in season.

We will learn to prepare the yarn (or fibers) for dyeing, make the dye liquors, and dye mini skeins of yarn. * If you want to dye fleece or a larger amount of yarn for a project, please let us know whne you sign up for the workshop.  We will also experiment with various mordants and after bathes to enhance/vary colors.   In addition, we will discuss safe dyeing techniques and how to dispose of spent dye baths in a responsible and respectful manner.

Pre requisites:  None
Materials needed:
                   Rubber gloves (thick kitchen gloves to protect your hands from heat and dye)
                   Wear old clothes (we are working with permanent dyes)
                   Notebook and pen or pencil
                   Thin permanent marker (black or blue) for labeling
                   Masking tape (small roll) for labeling

Optional:       Apron (plastic or cloth) and a dust mask

 If you have any buckets or plastic dish washing pans we can use for the day, please bring them along.

Things you may collect and bring include:  carrot tops, onion skins and /or avocado peels (wash the avocado peels and let them dry), sumac tops and leaves.

Bring a propane camp stove or propane turkey fryer (if you have one). The more stoves we have, the more dyeing we can do!  Please let us know ahead of time if you can bring a working stove.  Enameled (no chips) or stainless dye pots. These cannot be used for foods after dyeing in them, so go to a thrift shop if you want to begin your dye studio.

Presented by: 

Kathryn Rowe Drescher.   Kathy is a dyer, weaver, knitter, and spinner from Traverse City/Rockford, with 30 years of dyeing and teaching experience.  She is looking forward to sharing her love of color and the magic of dye with us.

Kathy Kolenda is a dyer, knitter and spinner from the Rockford area.


September 14    10 am to 4 pm   

Workshop fee:  $80  Registration closes September 5, 2008.

Materials fee:   $14, payable to instructor on day of class, covers the cost of fuels, pre-wound sample yarn skeins, dyes, mordants, and handouts. 


Please bring a sack lunch.  Water and teas will be provided.     

The class is limited to 15 participants.



Don't forget to check out our blog at Thistledown Musings to see what we and other knitters are doing.




Thistledown Shoppe
Fine Yarns and Notions
Suttons Bay, MI  49682
231-271-YARN (9276)

The Wee Shoppe with a Big Heart

Monday through Saturday 10-6 
Sunday 12 -4

Yarn Lover's Night: every Monday 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Spinning Night: every Wednesday 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Kathy Dawkins, Melody Jakubiak, Betsy Eike, Jillian MacLellan, and Susan Curtis