Photos for August 2nd class

 Here we have the lovely Kay graciously modeling the sample cowl for Tuesday night's class..

Step Away From the Pattern!

Use any yarn , any needles and make it your own....this class will focus on construction without a pattern.  Yes, you CAN do it, it's easy and fun...
August 2
6-8 PM
$5
bring (or buy) yarn and two (same size) sets of needles appropriate for the yarn

Just who IS in charge?

Just who is in charge of your knitting? You are, of course.  In much of our lives we have no control.  Knitting is not one of those situations.

A big portion of what a yarn shop owner does every day is give advice...advice on what needles to choose, pattern, fiber content, etc...   Let's face facts, knitting is NOT an inexpensive hobby.. we invest a lot of cash in our projects, and we expect a successful outcome...that is the plan.  Advice and suggestions from fellow knitters are a help to achieve that success.  So we seek advice and sometimes follow it...and then we are disappointed with less than successful results.. But who determines what a successful project is?

 Oh,,,,am I being too vague?

 What I mean is, do you desire your knitting to look EXACTLY like the pattern photo?  That is okay, you can work towards that end.

Do you want your item to look like the photo, but in a different color?  You can do that.

Do you like the style but not the stitch pattern?

Is it too long/short/loose/tight?

Are you using the pattern just for guidelines and inspiration?

Maybe you are working from a sketch of an idea.

All these methods can provide satisfying outcomes, the knitter has to know what he/she wants.  The bottom line is YOU are in charge of your own knitting... Do you like it? Then you've done it right.  You need to be satisfied.
Your own expectations are what matters.

For example, a number of years ago, I started knitting a circular blanket using Noro Silk Garden.  For a long forgotten reason I stopped working on it after a good portion was knit...shoved it in a bag...
Last week I unearthed it and reviewed my progress, and rethought the whole project..do I need another blanket??? Do I really want to pick up where I left off?? Just where DID I leave off?  I did not want to shove it back in the bag,,,so I decided the blanket would become a shawl and a few finishing rows of knitting and crochet later, It was a shawl. Ta Da!

My point is, please yourself.. if you like it, be satisfied. The heck with Aunt Martha's opinion....of what it's Supposed To Loook Like.

  You are in charge! Take control.

August 2nd is coming up soon

Why should you care that August 2nd is coming up soon?

 Because the first Tuesday of every month we have technique class at Loose Ends..  This class is an incredible bargain at just $5, and there is no need to pre-register, just drop in. 6pm to 8pm.

On August 2nd we will be focusing on making a ruffled cowl...In July we learned entrelac, which was quite intense. In August we will taking it a little easier.. this cowl pattern is simple, yet has enough to hold the knitter's interest..Makes a nice Christmas gift, too.
Come join us!

Where's Betty knitting?

where's betty knitting? be specific, please... if you can't be specific,  being silly is also accepted. :)

comments on the blog

I have changed a few settings to make commenting directly to the blog (not on facebook) easier, someone please give it a try... if it works better this way, I will leave the settings this way unless we get a lot of spam....

Ten Stitch Blanket

I have discovered the very best thing about the Ten Stitch Blanket!!! 

What? You don't know what the Ten Stitch Blanket is?? http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ten-stitch-blanket <--here is a link... go look, but come right back, Ravelry can suck you right into the swirling vortex of patterns, yarn and ideas, you may never return....:)  just kidding..

So we all learned the basics for this blanket at this year's winter retreat...

Here is our friend Linda P.'s ten million stitch blanket. Simple gorgeous.

I started a blanket using bits and bobs from my stash in whites and and light tan.  Way different than many, but it has it's own appeal.

I am happy to report that I did not use ANY 'new" yarn, all leftovers from a long knitting history. I worked on this so blanket sporadically,, and this week I decided I was sick of it lingering in the ufo basket,,,,so guess what? It's done!

So,,, the Best Thing About The Ten Stitch Blanket..................

The TEN STITCH BIND OFF !!!!

Dam(n)

There is a river behind our shop....did you remember that? Did you even know that? Just look out the back door during your next visit to the shop..

 Mayville Main street runs parallel with the Rock River for a good distance.  Visitors entering our town from the south are treated to a nice view of the mighty Rock as the river also runs parallel to Hwy 67.  Some of our customers who enter town from a different direction are surprised to find the river in Loose Ends "backyard".  We have the river, a nice sized muncipal parking lot, a foot bridge, a boat launch, and a dam. 

The dam is being renovated this summer.  In order to work on the dam, it was opened and almost all of the water drained away.  The river bed is exposed, leaving a shallow muddy canyon decorating our "backyard"... The recent dry and hot weather has encouraged a green carpet to grow on the riverbed.  It looks strange, but kinda pretty in post-apocalyptic way...

Another effect of the dam(n) construction is the diminished size of the parking lot. Large construction equipment occupies more than half of the parking stalls...  Luckily it is a large parking lot.  And we have lots of easy angle parking in the front on Main street. 

With lots of easy parking you have no excuse not to stop by this week, we have air conditioning...:)

Aloha!

Aloha!  I just love Hawaii, don't you?  I love the state of Hawaii and I love the "Hawaii" yarn we just received at Loose Ends.

Don't ask me why the yarn is named "Hawaii"......nothing about it reminds me of the islands...but the yarn is really nice.

It's kinda a ribbon/ tape yarn with generous yardage for a reasonable price. Nice for summer into fall...
Worsted weight. Lots of colors, see here...  actually we don't have ALL the colors, but a nice assortment.

Peria is a new line of yarns distributed by Feza...come and see it!

Favorite knitting mags

My favorite knitting magazine is Interweave Knits.

Many customers like Knitscene and Knit Simple.

Betty's favorite is Vogue Knitting.

Knit n Style has had lots of nice patterns lately.

These are some traditional -paper- magazines......Knitty  is an online mag that never disappoints. 

Today I purchase the new Interweave Knits special....Weekend.   I have about twenty minutes set aside tomorrow morning to spend on the deck with a cup of coffee and this issue....

What about you? What is your favorite knitting publication? 

Holiday knitting?

Do you knit for the holidays?  Lots of us enjoy making gifts for friends and family.... In my experience, I see the knitters fall into two camps...

In the first camp we find the year- round gift knitters, those folks that start knitting for the next holiday in January.. Well prepared for occasions, they have a closet, drawer or box that hold finished items...All blocked, ends woven in, care labels attached. Ready and waiting for the happy recipient.  The knitters in this camp are likely the same folks that have their stash a neatly organized by color, fiber content and yardage.. the same folks that never late for a dental appointment and cross the street only at the light..

The second camp contains the knitter that wakes up on December 1st and decides to make two pair of socks, an afghan and an entrelac neck gaiter for Christmas gifts...oh, and finish that baby blanket for the shower on New Years Day... Often these knitters have their stash in the trunk of the car, still in the bag from the shop.  Procrastinators, they are the ones buying a frozen turkey on Thanksgiving morning.

I really identify myself with the second camp, although I am trying to plan ahead more as I get older... That "catch up at the last second" way of life is exhausting..

Wherever you fall, now is the time to at least think about knitting for holiday gifts, unless you are still working on last years presents.
Come see us, we got ideas (and yarn) to help!

New bags have arrived!

We have just received a shipment of new knitting bags...Bags from Hadaki are printed with lively patterns and have pockets and pouches to hold all your gadgets.

Hadaki Bags are very well made, with nice linings and feet on the bottom. We have large bags and small project bags, all at prices less than elsewhere.

 Also in this week are Bags from Amy Butler...big and little bags, for every need....they have lots of pockets and an efficient magnetic closure so your yarn doesn't get caught..  These bags are also priced at much less than suggested retail price....

Come and get your new bag,,,

~Live at Loose Ends~