Abby's Purse

Hope S. knitted this sweet Noni pattern "Year of the Pig Bag".

Abby is a special girl who attends the same church as Hope. She has been very ill and hospitalized and Hope decided Abby needed this purse to make her smile.

Update on Lelah for Jennifer's Birthday!

Just wanted to post some photo's of my daughter wearing her Lelah top that I knit for her birthday. It fit her perfectly and she really likes it. I used the ONline Linnie Clip in Teal. It took a little less than 3 skeins and I had enough left over to knit a dishcloth.



I also knit her the Little Silk Shrug from the book Lace Style to go with it. I used Grand Opera in Teal by Nashua Knits for that and it took 2 skeins.

My details for both can be found in my Ravelry notebook...here.

Donnell's Beaded Socks!

Look at Donnell's socks she knitted in Crystal Palace Maizy and embellished with beads!

Looking good!

Nectar is here!

Ladies we have the latest book of designs from Kim Hargreaves. This beautiful softbound book contains 21 of her beautiful designs.

Kim Hargreaves began designing for Rowan at age seventeen, straight from school. She created hundreds of designs for Rowan for over twenty years. With the encouragement of her mother Kathleen she decided it was time to branch out on her own.

There will be fresh ideas introduced four times a year and they will cover a very varied range of styles from classic to funky, from chunky to delicate, from accessories to major pieces. The looks are based firmly on what is happening in fashion with attitude not age being Kim's guide-line. Some are easy to knit - others, more challenging. There is something irresistible for everyone.


Her new company is based in her home town of Holmfirth, Yorkshire. And her partner is someone with a wealth of experience in the handknitting trade - her mother Kathleen Hargreaves. They make an unbeatable professional duo. Words by Kathryn Samuel

Here are a few of her wonderful designs in "Nectar".

Call the Cottage today to reserve your copy!

Ginny S. models a shawl she knitted using Cottage Creations hand dyed yarns.

Marla B. models her new socks knitted with the sock yarn she hand dyed at the retreat!

Check our her new socks worn with her clear clogs!

Lelah Top

I purchased some beautiful teal Online Linnie Clip from the Cottage to make this top for my daughter Jennifer's upcoming birthday the end of June. I even had just enough left over to make a dishcloth as well. I love the feel of this cotton yarn and the drape is gorgeous and it is not as heavy as I thought it might be. I think it will be perfect for the St. Petersburg climate where my daughter lives.

I've heard that cotton tends to grow when you wear it, so I am hoping that it won't stretch too much when she wears it.

This was a fun and fast project and I really enjoyed knitting it.

You can find the pattern here:
Lelah Top and here

You can find my Ravelry notes here...

When she comes home I will get a picture of her wearing it and post that here when I do.

Baby Sundress

I recently made a little baby sundress for display at the Cottage.


I used Berroco Cotton Twist for the bodice, and sewed a simple skirt to attach.

The pattern came from "Cozy Knits for Cuddly Babies" by Elanor Lynn.

Retreat

I want to say that I had a fabulous time on the weekend. I am slowly but surely coming along on the modern quilt wrap! It is gorgeous and my friends all want one. Unfortunately no on will get one. I will take a break before finishing the lizard ridge with some other crafty things, namely the snowman purse for my 2nd grade sunday school girls, I know they will love them. Last year they all got the potato chip scarves.

Yarn Retreat

Everything the Cottage Yarn touches turns to gold. The retreat was but another example. I didn't know that I would enjoy the yarn dyeing but figured I'd trust the staff and try it; turned out to be my favorite activity of the weekend. Lesson learned: always trust the Cottage Yarn staff!

Thanks to Sara and her wonderful team for a great weekend.

I posted on my personal blog some reflections on the ancient crafts we practice, the influence of textiles in our region of NC and textile slaves abroad. Feel free to click through and post your thoughts:
http://tamelarich.com/2008/04/02/fiber-tales/

Winter Retreat - March 28 - 30, 2008

We have returned from a wonderful week-end retreat to Burnesville, NC. The folks at the NuWray Inn could not have been more accomodating. We filled the Inn with retreat participants, so we pretty much had the run of the place.

Saturday was a day filled with workshops beginning with the sock dyeing in the morning.

Sheila, Karen, Roella and Marla begin the sock dyeing process. While some dyed, others view a spinning workshop.

Here Donna tries her hand at spinning.

Peggy spins as Tracey looks on.

Anita demonstrates using a drop spindle.

Denise gives it a try while Libba and Jennifer watch.

Toview all photos from the retreat, go to: http://www.flickr.com/photos/25249701@N07/

Oddball Blanket for Charity is Visiting the Cottage!

Several members of the Knitting Help Forum have been working on full-size blankets for charity. We each knit for 3 inches, then send the blanket to the next knitter on the list.

Our first blanket was started in February of 2007, by Sandy Davis ("Shandeh" in the Knitting Help Forum.) The blanket travelled all over the country, and was worked on by 24 other knitters. You can read all about it here: http://oddball-blanket.blogspot.com/

Right now, the blanket is almost complete, and ready to go to charity. We are considering a few different options, including a battered women's shelter and an orphanage.

But, we need a bit more knitting before it is complete. It's too expensive to mail now, so we have asked Sara if we could leave the blanket at the shop, so that visitors to the shop could knit a row or two while they are there.

You can read the journal, which has entries from all the knitters all over the country. You can even write a few words yourself! :D

I have chosen a few skeins of yarn at the Cottage to be used for the knitting. All you have to do is pick up the blanket and start knitting. The needles are already attached.

So, have fun adding your knitting to our special charity project!



If you'd like to see ALL the Oddball Blankets in progress, you can read about it here:
http://blanketfinder.blogspot.com/

Malabrigo Yarn

It's a delight to knit with Malabrigo Yarn. The word in Spanish means bad coat. Wonder why the creators of this beautiful fiber chose that name. There is nothing bad about this merino wool yarn. The price is not too bad either considering how much you get per skein. Everyone I talk to loves this yarn and no wonder, it comes in the most beautiful colors.






I also chose this beautiful yarn to knit a shrug for my daughter. I found the pattern in the 2007 Knitting Calendar.

The Malabrigo website offers links to patterns.

A Cottage Yarn Photoset

Last summer, I visited Cottage Yarn, and had my camera with me. So, I asked Sara if I could take a few photos of the shop.



Here they are!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/59646927@N00/sets/72157601379027321/


If you want to watch them as a slideshow on your computer, click here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/59646927@N00/sets/72157601379027321/show/

Hey everybody! LOVE reading about your favorite projects! We all can benefit from your comments regarding challenges and triumphs! I'm totally in love with the entrelac technique right now. Lots of babies are due in our family so I'm having fun making an entrelac blanket.

Shandeh's Projects with Cottage Yarn

OK, I'll just have to post every single thing I've ever made with yarn from the shop. (tee-hee!)

Here is the felted Bubble Bag I made with Cascade 220 (the blue section of the purse). I also added some other yarns from my stash to complete this little bag for one of my piano students.


I also made a pretty, lacy purse for another of my piano students, using Berroco Cotton Twist yarn. (Here's the free pattern: http://www.anniesattic.com/stitches/knitting/patterns/pdfs/kn_lacy_summer_purse.pdf)


Here is the Christmas stocking I completed in 2006 for Sara:


This is a 12 inch afghan square I designed, using Plymouth Encore. (Here's the free pattern: http://www.flickr.com/photos/59646927@N00/568077339)


One of my favorite knitting projects is socks. And Cottage Yarn carries one of my favorite sock yarns - Wildfoote Luxury. Yum!!! I made this pair of socks with a free online pattern called "River Rapids Socks" by Sockbug. (Here's the pattern: http://files.blog-city.com/files/aa/3830/b/river_rapids.pdf)


Here are some more socks I made, using Lang Jawoll yarn. That yarn is so cool, because there is a tiny bobbin of reinforcement thread (dyed to match) included inside each skein. Neat!


Right now, I'm working on a pair of dark red ankle socks for my son, using more Lang Jawoll yarn. That yarn is so easy to work with. :D


Next time you go to the shop, be sure to get a closer look at the Christening Gown I made! I'm very proud of that project. I used Berroco Cotton Twist (8 skeins).


And here is another baby dress I made with Berroco Cotton Twist. I just love that yarn! The pattern for this dress was in a book called "Cozy Knits for Cuddly Babies" by Elanor Lynn. So quick and easy!


Another yarn I really love is Malabrigo, and I'm SO glad that Cottage Yarn carries it! Malabrigo feels like butter when you're working with it, and it makes such a beautiful fabric.


Soon, I hope to finish working on a baby sweater I'm making with Universal Yarns Deluxe Chunky 100% Wool yarn. I'm using a free pattern from the Cascade Yarns website, called "Child's Alternative Cable Pullover". Here's the pattern: http://www.cascadeyarns.com/patternsFree/C170_109Childs.pdf

This beautiful cardigan was knit by Barbara R. using Cascade 220 and Encore worsted yarns.

Barbara used both the intarsia and fair isle techniques while knitting her garment.

Sue B. knitted this beautiful coat using Rowan, Ribbon Twist.

This was Sue's first "major" knitted project.

BEAUTIFUL!

Cottage Yarn customer Bettie S. knitted this hooded cape for herself using Baby Aplace Grande. The cape is perfect for this time of year. Feels like you are wrapped in a hug!

Bettie knitted for her Mother-in-law this beautiful lace shawl. She used Crystal Palace Kid Merino. The shawl is knit in garter stitch with yarn over shaping along the edge.

The shawl is finished using a beautiful ruffle with a picot bind off.

This is Bettie's first lace project. Don't you think it turned out beautifully!

Einstein Coat

As Sara told you, I have finished knitting my coat. It went much faster than I thought. About 3 weeks total!

I will be lining the bottom with a non-cling lining I found at Hancock. We concur that it will keep the coat from clinging to our "bottoms!" I am also considering hand sewing a tape behind where the buttons go to give some stability for them.

This coat feels wonderful in the Peruvian Tweed, very comfortable!

I will knit with this yarn again. I would recommend this project for advanced beginners to the experts. As always, we at the Cottage would love to help you with this project or any other you chose.

Grace