TGIF

I am so glad it's Friday. My husband and I are going to go Christmas shopping tomorrow and go out for lunch while my mom looks after the kids. Even though it will be really busy with xmas shoppers, I am so looking forward to having some time away from the house and going for lunch.

Christmas knitting is slowly, no quickly, falling behind.

In other knitting news, Lorna's Laces has shipped my order. I'm really excited to get that. It should arrive shortly after Christmas (I think it will be slow due to lots of shipping this time of year).

I also ordered the new Noro Kureyon Sock Yarn. It will be arriving in January.

The 2008 Annual International Fibrefest is booked. We will have a booth and the date is March 7 - 11 am to 8 pm & March 8 - 9 am to 5 pm. It will be at the Abbotsford Exhibition Park this year.

So that's all for now. Have a good weekend!

Snow in the forecast

I love the snow. I feel like a kid when it snows and it is so beautiful (until it gets too warm....then it's just messy!). Were supposed to start getting snow tomorrow through to Sunday morning but then it is going to get really warm and turn to rain, blah, I don't like the rain.

Christmas knitting is still moving along. I don't really know if I can't fit any more time in on knitting and I feel a like I should have more done by now. As soon as I am completely over this cold and I am rested, I am going to have a few late nights knitting, you know, just to get to a point where I feel I'm OK;)

In other knitty news, I sent off my registration for the Fibrefest 2008. It is a fibre festival in Abbotsford, BC on March 7 & 8. It will be the stores first time with a booth and I am really looking forward to it.

Well, back to the books. I am wearing my bookkeeper hat today. December is full of deadlines for me, christmas knitting and baking and finishing company books.

3 cheers for snow!! hiphip horray hiphip horray hiphip horray

new yarn in the store

We got tons of new yarn in the last couple of days. I ordered 20 or so colors of Malabrigo Worsted and I also ordered some new Noro Kureyon and Silk Garden yarns. I have also added Araucania's Patagonia cotton to the line up. I'm really liking everything I got in....so much that I can't help but keep 1, or 2 or 3:)

Araucania has used Jane Ellison to design alot of new stuff. I quite like what she has done. Since Araucania yarns come in these beautiful varigated colors it can sometimes be hard to find a nice pattern that doesn't take away from the yarn and yet, isn't too boring to knit or wear. She has managed to bring out the best in the yarn and the colors.

Also new, is the Malabrigo line. The colors are absolutely brilliant. It has been impossible for me to take a picture and capture the true color. I am going to encourage everyone to check Malabrigo's web site as well to confirm if the color they are seeking is actually what they will get!

Finally a note about 'christmas knitting'. I am moving at a snails pace on my knitting (no offence to any snails). I am already thinking about baking, shopping and everything else that goes with the holiday season, and, I kinda think there's not enough time.

christmas knitting

I only have one Christmas present on the go right now. It's an Aran Waistcoat (I think that might be an overseas term), it's a vest. Anyways, progress is really slow. Slow for two reasons 1. I can't get much knitting done during the day and 2. there is about 80% cables throughout the whole sweater, but then that is what makes aran sweaters what they are.

The pattern keeps me interested, I only hope that it will be done well before Christmas because I am wanting to give it to my mom. My family really likes home made gifts because we all like to make things and we each can appreciate how much time and effort can go into something.

Spinning, spinning and more spinning

The spinning wheel is together and it's so beautiful. It is so fun and interesting creating things. I have so many plans in my head I am going to start a spinning journal. I think I am going to invest in a drum carder and buy some wool from some of the local farms.

We Remember

My family and I would like our soldiers, past and present to know that we remember and we appreciate there sacrifice.

I have had several people in my family that have fought in different wars as well as served in the army and the navy. I am proud of that and I wish I could have known them. They had all passed away by the time I was born.

Thank you.

Spinning Wheel Arrived

Our spinning wheel arrived. Over the weekend my daughter and I stained it and now it just needs a coat of laquer and to be assemble. It is the Ashford Traveller double treadle. My mom and I are really excited to learn how to spin. Were heading the 36th Annual Langley Weavers and Spinners Guild artisan sale: Beyond Fibre on Saturday Nov 3 at the Fort Langley Community Hall. There will be spinning and weaving demonstrations as well as lots of fibres/supplies to buy.

Spending spree - Lorna's Laces & a Spinning Wheel!!

We are now carrying Lorna's Laces (I placed the order today...takes something like 6 weeks to get it), just the Shepherd sock yarn for now and if the response is good I will think about ordering from the other lines.

And....my mom and I bought a spinning wheel. Neither of us have ever spun before so it should be fun to learn something new this winter. It should be arriving this week and then we'll need to laquer it so it will probably be a couple weeks before were using it. Can't wait:)

Also on the home front, I am starting my Christmas gifts this week. I can't find much time to knit and I am a slow knitter so I'm already worried that I have left my projects too late. My family is easy to please so I'm lucky.

Happy Thanksgiving

I hope everyone had a wonderful dinner. We did. It's nice to get together with everyone and have great food. We had our celebration on Sunday and after dinner I started on the front of my daughters jacket. Here's a picture of the back:

It's going to be really warm for her. I think I'm going to make my son a jacket as well.

I am using Custom Woolen Mills 6 strand on a 7.5 and 8 mm needle. We sell this yarn in the store.

I'll post more pics as I get the pieces completed.

Looking forward

Well, I posted my new yarns today. Still have to put up the pattern books though. I am going to make some other changes to my website as well but I need some more time and I have an ad coming out on www.knitty.com so I at least wanted my yarns posted. I am worrying lately that people are going to confuse my yarn store with one named valley yarns in the US. Since I am in Canada there was no conflict here regarding names but I can see people confusing my store and the US store. Hopefully, people will be aware but you never know...I am trying to convince myself that I am worrying for nothing.

I think I am going to try the Koolaid dying. I think it's a good method for a first timer. I'll keep you posted. Also, the shetland chunky vest for my son has turned out to be one blunder after another. I think I need to stop knitting after 10pm, that's when all my mistakes are happening. I'll post pics later, I am just finishing up the shoulder, then I can block it and stitch it up.

I'm a bit stressed today so I'm going to take a break now.

New Shipment of Yarn

I love getting new yarn. It's very exciting. I spread it out and look at it wondering what I could make with type of yarn and each color. I'm really liking Mirasol for two reasons - I think they have some really great yarn and secondly - it's a really great price.

I am really starting to take an interest in dying and spinning now. I have started reading about the 'process' and I think when things slow down for me I am going to give it a try. I find learning how to do something and holding a finished product that is actually useful very satisfying.

Baby powder anyone???

I was sitting here at my kitchen table (which is beside a window....and said window is open), thinking about my blog and what updates I have. So, I was thinking that I'll tell everyone about all the yarn I am going to be getting over the next couple of weeks and how you should visit www.valleyyarn.com to check out the great deals and suddenly my attention is diverted to the beautiful smell in the air. Actually there is a breeze outside and I can feel the wind blowing, because afterall, I am sitting by the open window. I thought the smell is rather strong, but I do have lots of lillies in my garden (not far from the window). But wait......the kids, why are the kids so quiet......no, that's right, the smell did not come from outside. Yes, the children have the baby powder. Or should I say the children had the baby powder because now it is unevenly spread throughout the living room, on clothes and in the air. Obviously I go to get the vacuum cleaner and clean this up....easy? No. There are these small scratches on the hose of my vacuum and for whatever reason, you can NEVER touch them...repeat....NEVER touch them or you can get a HUGE shock. Ask me why I have never put electrical tape on it....go ahead....ask. I don't know. Go ahead and ask me if I touched THE SPOT....yes I did. It hurt. I'm ok. I only did that twice. I learn quick. I believe there is enough wine in the house to fix it though, and no, I'm not talking about the vacuum, I won't pretend to think that I could find electrical tape around here. So, that's all for now, over and out.
PS I'll post pics of the yarn when it gets in....new colors from Noro's Kureyon, some Jitterbug and some Regia Cotton sock yarn......can't wait.

Slowly but surely

I have known to be slow with some things. You know when something just doesn't sink in! Well, I started this blog more because I also started an online yarn store and it just feels right to include a blog for people to get to know me. At that's were it stops, I mean the blog. I haven't wrote anything, the only reason there is ONE post previous to this is because I started the blog that day!! I have figured out that I haven't been writing in this blog because I don't know who I'm writing too! Yes, maybe family read this, maybe the odd knitter will stumble upon my blog which is great. But when I sit down to write, I feel like I am talking to myself and I already know everything that I am saying...in other words....I lose my train of thought because there isn't someone on the other end listening. I am already rambling on...Also, I can not convey my thoughts to whoever you are with the class and humor, that say, oh the yarnharlot can. Knowing the problem means I'm half way to solving it. Right?

Oh ya, as for the knitting, the vest for my son is almost ready to be blocked. The pattern is from Knit Today, it is a double moss stitch with two cables up the front and two up the back. I used Patons Shetland Chunky on Susan Bates 6US/4mm although I think the yarn is a bit heavy, also the dark brown color doesn't really show off the stitches, but the dark color should be good for a small boy, should he want to hide his messiness.

My First Blog

I have been on the internet a lot lately looking at knitting blogs. I can't believe how many there are and how much people knit. I created my blog to share my knitting with people and I hope I can inspire people as much as I have been inspired.

Recently I started an online store http://www.valleyyarn.com/ selling luxury yarns and I will be expanding to needles and patterns. I wanted to 'work' but I wanted to be able to stay home with my kids so I decided to create a job.

I will be posting my projects as they progress as well as when they are finished and I will offer my opinions on yarns, patterns, ideas and whatever else.