Cornwall Yarn Shop

Schaefer Audrey

Since I was in the Finger Lakes last weekend I asked Heather at Schaefer Yarn if I could stop and pick up my order.  Because yarns are “dyed to order”  only some of  my order of Audrey was ready.   (Audrey is a fingering wt 50% silk, 50% merino – a heavenly blend; I’ve been teasing everyone with my Audrey shawlette).  Cheryl Schaefer was at her desk and graciously gave me a tour.  Even the “mistake” yarns were beautiful.

Packing for a trip, overnight or for a week, is never fun.  The hardest part of packing for me is my knitting.  What do I take ?  Because I frequently pack at the last minute I can easily collect the yarn and pattern, but grab the wrong size needles.  My husband and I can be walking out of the house and before “did you lock the door?”, he will ask me do you have the correct needles – are you SURE ???  Now I can say yes !  This past weekend I added the Hiya Hiya large interchangeable set to my collection.  I was working on the Noni Nomad bag that I purchased at TNNA in June.  I love the Hiya Hiya Interchangeable sets.  Although dental wax solved any issues I had with them loosening, they now include “grippers” in the sets to tighten the joins and these work great.  However, my knitting problem this weekend (there is ALWAYS a problem when traveling) was that there was a problem with the pattern and I had no internet access.  When I arrived home I checked  Noni’s website pattern errata – and found the correction (which really was no big deal and left to my own devices would have done precisely what was there) – this just reinforces my difficulty when packing my knitting projects.  So I take at least 5 – even for an overnight trip.  At least my Hiya Hiya Interchangeable sets have made packing my needles much easier (did I mention that the 16 inch cables actually work circularly ?)

Sometimes it’s hard to finish certain tasks …  washing the pots and pans,  folding the laundry, blocking the latest FOs.  Finally blocked 2 of my latest – and it was so worth it.  Both yarns are wool and silk blends; enough wool for great feel and bounce; silk to add sheen and “silkiness” – why else would they call it silk ???

I love the Audrey Royale shawlette from Schaefer Yarn.  It blocked out so beautifully.  Of course,  I have ordered the yarn – just waiting for it to be dyed and shipped !

      I have always loved Louisa Harding’s Grace.  While at TNNA, I saw the greatest hat knit with purpley color , so of course I made mine out of the same.  I blocked it over a dinner plate and have to say I love it.  I’m thinking about using this as a traveling stitch class – which is a great foundation for making cables without a cable needle.  Anyone interested ???

Just on Ravelry and saw Summersong’s latest sweater.  Jana has become the most amazing knitter.  For this project she used Berroco’s Vintage – one of my favorites.  Check out more pictures of this sweater on Ravelry http://ravel.me/summersong/2nfzu

And if you are a Ravelry member you should take a look at Jana’s Alice Starmore sweater, too.

Jana rocks !!

I love slippers and started collecting patterns when I was at TNNA .   Jean and I think they are great projects for the porch sale yarn.

Jean knit these adorable slippers from Bekah Knits with Elsebeth Lavold Cotton Patine.

I’ve been practicing my crocheting with these cute slippers from Hook Candy (soon to have the patterns in the shop).  I used the Elsebeth Lavold cable cotton from the porch sale.

Wait until you see the slippers Meghan is knitting with a jute sole !

I’m back from TNNA (The National Needle Arts trade show) and back from a wonderful trip with my daughter.  The trade show in Columbus, OH was a lot of fun.  We took classes, saw many great people and were tempted by a great many beautiful new yarns.   Oh the trouble you are going to be in this fall!  I know, because as I always say, when I get into trouble (the yarn type) you will too !

I went to Vancouver & Seattle with my daughter – our traveling together has become a wonderful annual event – and started this shawl from Audrey – a relatively new yarn from Schaefer – and oh my – is it a pleasure to knit with;  50% merino and 50% silk.  I’ve ripped back a little (don’t ask my daughter how many times – I am just easily distracted) and the yarn does not look or feel any worse for the wear.

Audrey Royale from Schaefer Yarn

I’m still working on the border, but this is just going to be beautiful.  I will show you after it is blocked

So…  I will be ordering Audrey, too !

   Here we are midway up Blackcomb Mtn on our way to take the gondola to Whistler.  The day was perfect and the views were fabulous. 

I always liked Show & Tell going back to elementary school.  There is something about sharing something that you’ve made and that you like  that is very fulfilling.  Well, that said, I have to share some of my latest finished (FINALLY) projects.  The first project is my so called Olympic sweater.  Made from Mirasol Nuna using one of their patterns – I just love the sweater.  However, I had trouble finding buttons that fit.  Thanks to Claire’s good eye and Adam at The Stitchery, I think they were found.

The next finished project is my Canela sweater from Queensland.   My sister asked if I would bring her some Canela in colors that reminded her of watermelon.  She couldn’t remember the number, but she wanted to make the U-neck sweater.  Guess there’s no accounting for DNA ……………

The last sweater is really a jacket.  I had fun making it as well as wearing it this past weekend at TNNA.  I’ve never worn a sweater that is so recognizable.  I used Plymouth  Select worsted merino superwash for the cover sweater from the book, Swing, Swagger, Drape.  There WILL be a class on mitered squares !!!

If you have some finished projects you would like to share, please send them in or bring them in to the shop so we can admire them.

It’s so comforting to know that I can be knitting next to Jean and hear “OH H—,  I can’t believe I knit the wrong way”(ie the wrong direction).  She is amazing, you know.  She takes home some yarn and, Voila !; the next day there’s a beautiful child’s sweater.  So, yes, it is comforting to know that Jean is human !!

Those of you that know me have seen me grumble about crocheting.  I do know the value of crochet & even like many crocheted items, but just have never enjoyed it.  I’m now in full training.  First, I’ve signed up for a class at TNNA and now I want to be part of history!!  The Mets’ Stitch and Pitch event on June 5th at Citifield (it’s so hard not to say Shea) will try to set the Guinness Book of Records for the most people crocheting simultaneously !!  Just take a look at my projects.

Crocheted washcloth using Plymouth Oceanside Organic Cotton

Crocheted scarf from 1 skein of Kudos

I now have a couple of crocheted projects “in queue”  including some Tunisian crochet projects.

Take a look at the baby blanket from Claire

Claire's baby blanket with Berroco Comfort

 SO ….  brush up on your crochet and let’s go to Stitch and Pitch on June 5th and be part of history !!!

Olympic Knitting - DNF

Well the flame was extinguished and I did not finish! (OK Claire – you win).  I was hoping to at least finish all the knitting, but I only finished one band ! As we used to say when I was a little girl, close only counts in horseshoes and that is not an Olympic Event!   I’m not the fastest knitter (as my students know, I love to admire my work as I knit), I’m easily distracted (at least I figured out the hat pattern),  a few of life’s daily activities got in the way (just 30 inches of snow) and maybe sometimes I “bite off more than I can chew”.  But it was fun to see if I could finish and I think I could have if only ………….  For now I’ll have to go into training .

Notes:  The project was Verde from The Mirasol Collection – The Little Book of Nuna Cardigans – book 10 by Jane Ellison.   Nuna is a blend of 40% wool, 40% silk & 20% bamboo