New: Friday Drop-In Summer Sock Circle KAL

Weekly Friday KAL Summer Sock Circle

Now is the time if you've wanted to tackle socks. Starts June 7th with our weekly sock drop-in circles: Fridays 12-2pm. Maureen will guide you along as you tackle your first, or umpteenth sock. Her favorite go-to sock pattern: Crazy Sock Lady's 9" circular Vanilla Sock. Come to pick out yarn, needles and get your complementary pattern for joining our group. 

Maureen l-o-v-e-s making socks! You'll benefit from her years of sock knitting experience. Lots of tips & tricks as she coaches you toward the finish line. Check out the Crazy Sock Lady youtube channel for lots of video tutorials. Here's the  9"Circulars video for a preview of our Summer Sock Circle. Come by June 7th with your sock WIPs, problem-socks, or come cast on a new sock project. 

Last summer we held a Sock KAL using the Knit 2 Socks in 1 book (Kim is still working on her socks...) If you're intrigued by this awesome sock method join us on Fridays. It involves a tube, life lines and (eek!) steeks...or cutting your yarn on purpose! (Yes, we "cut" stitches on purpose!)

Note these Friday Circle are a free KAL/drop-in sessions for those wanting an excuse gather weekly and knit on socks with others!. It's for those who know basics of knitting and want to up their game with a new challenge.* Or be challenged to actually finish socks already on the needles

 (........Kim hides behind desk......drags her multiple sock wips with her.....) 

Socks are the perfect summer-travel-project to shove in your bag and hit the road! Let's go! It's summertime and the knittin' is good! 

"Honey I can't do that now...I've got to go to my Sock Circle!"

*Want to Learn How To Knit? Sign up for individual classes with Kim. Sessions this summer on select Thurs Jun-Aug. Watch for future blog posts or call/email to inquire*

New: Berroco Vintage Socks

Let's Talk Socks.....

Knitted socks are the best. Hands-down. Knitting socks (once mastered) is easy-peasy work. It takes practice, but once you find your favorite methods, needles and yarns...they can fly off the needles. They are great travel knitting projects, especially in the dog days of summer. Many knitters always have a pair going as a back up for just in case (your luggage is lost....or....you're in between bigger projects.....or....sitting at long lights in the city......or......a nervous flyer that knits to forget you are flying......so many reasons!)

Berroco Vintage Sock  

Just launched is a great affordable sock yarn Berroco Vintage Sock. Perfect to not bust the bank, cut your teeth on your first sock knitting adventure, or to make adorable small footie socks! Lots of great patterns in this booklet. 

The blend of wool/acrylic/nylon key to making these super long wearing, durable and sturdy. Holding up in the washer and dryer. Don't fear the acrylic....it's a high-quality, super-fine acrylic. Perfect to make this sock yarn pocketbook friendly. Because once you branch out to indie dyed, handpaited sock yarns....the price can get up there!  

Today there's many method options for sock knitting: magic loop; two circulars; addi Flexi-flips; special 9" sock circulars, or just old-fashioned dpn's. Experiment to find which method suits you best. Everyone has a preference.

Berroco's #441 Vintage Socks booklet filled with lots of patterns to choose from (Berroco booklets: on our website here). Just grab a ball or two of Vintage Sock yarn and you're ready to cast on! With summer around the corner the shortie-socks are calling my name! 

Berrco has a bunch of great sock knitting tips to help ease the process. Berroco's Tips for Socks 

SUMMER KAL: Knit 2 Socks in 1 

July - Aug 2023: Thurs 12-2pm

Join in on our latest shop KAL. Starts Jul 13th through Aug 2023. We meet Thur from 12-2pm. No fee to attend but please sign up on our website and purchase supplies with us. You'll need the book, sock yarn and appropriate sized needles, and other various notions (stitch markers, tapestry needle, tape measure, etc,...). Informal KALs with no specific instructions. We all just help each other along! 

Summer Sock KAL July - Aug 2023

Join us for our next KAL: Knit 2 Socks in 1. We'll meet each Thurs 12-2pm from Jul 13th to end of Aug. No fee to attend but please sign up on our website. Helps us gauge how chairs to have out and books to order up! The sock yarn we've got covered! Plenty of that always in stock.  

It's an informal KAL (knit along) not a class. We'll help each other as we work our way through the book. It's an amazing new sock technique that is life-altering! 

You literally knit a tube then do strategic steaks for heels/cuffs/toes and Bob's Your Uncle! You got two socks! Beauty of this technique is you focus on the easy parts first (big long tube with a few lifelines added). Then you do the hard parts (heels, toes) one after the other. Author uses same basic heel and toe construction too. Many life-long sock knitters are hooked on making socks this way now. 

The book is detailed with tons of patterns for different types of socks. Also uses different weights, so there's chunky beds socks, skinny no-show socks and baby booties! A total of 7 styles and 21 patterns. Contains a wealth of sock knitting info. We give 15% supplies discount when you sign up for the KAL. 

We ask you purchase supplies with us in lieu of charging a workshop fee. Help us keep it free and fun! Come with your supplies and ready to cast on. Various methods will be in use (dons, magic loop, flexi-flips, two-circulars) and we'll all share tips/tricks as we stumble along. So pick you took of choice and grab some sock yarn. See you starting Jul 13th! 

september newsletter: hello autumn!

Fall is trying to appear. Seeing the first few leaves going red despite the warm weather. I can't wait for cooler temps to prevail (sorry Sis...know how much you love, love those cooler temps!).

The Halloween display went up this week and Megan's pumpkin patch reached historic output this year. That means lots of jack-o-lanterns decorating our front porch and the shop. Without further adieu...here's a September update.

Serious Socks October Class

Cathy's at it again with our Serious Socks classes. This time it's the Double Trouble Toes-Up. Never again shall we fall prey to the dreaded "Second Sock Syndrome"! We will prevail. Join us for the class and become a multi-tasking jedi master too.

We'll use Kate Atherley's Apres Ski Toe-Up Socks pattern, coupled with Cathy's tips-n-tricks for two@once.  Now if you're wanting to just tackle a single sock you can still participate. No need to be a crazed knitter all pumped up on multi-tasking madness. Pattern written for single sock knitting.

Starts Sat. Oct 12th 1-3:30pm
(Other class dates to be determined at first meeting)

3 sessions:
1) Cast On: crucial class to get things set up on your circs & do a toe-up cast on
2) Heel Turns: pattern uses a short row heel
3) Bind Off: easiest of the classes and also time to play catch up if any parts trip you up

Supplies:
worsted weight yarn (Viking Raggen sock yarn landing soon-some pics below)
circular needles: 2 pairs or 1 long for magic loop (or dpn's if doing single sock)
various other notion sundries: stitch markers, scissors etc...

Cost: $70 for series (pattern included)
Call or email to save a spot: 209-728-8261 or maisieblue@gmail.com

Books on the Shelf

Book Group Picks 

September Pick:  Shoemaker's Wife

Date: Sep 23 3pm

Future Picks Queue:
Nov: City of Dreams (a past favorite about settling Nieu Amsterdam or Early Manhattan)
Jan: Wolf Hall (reading late in game this critical & award winning book)

Potential Picks Queue:
Not yet released but on my radar:
Funeral Dress (getting nice buzz; could be handsell success and a real tear-jerker)
Teatime for the Firefly (story sounds really intriguing and what a great cover)
Tuscan Rose (okay...cover really grabbed me first off...but storyline promises big Aussie family drama-saga a la Thorn Birds)

Previous Pick: 

We all loved, loved The Chaperone! Compelling narrative of Cora, an older chaperone hired by the parents of a then unknown, teenaged Louise Brooks. Set in the early 1920s it moves back and forth from the Midwest to New York City to tell Cora's tale, with Louise's serving as a counterpoint. Richly drawn characters that touch upon an interesting juncture of American history not often highlighted. Heartfelt, engaging with twists as we watch Cora evolve. Terrific all-round read.

Books, books and still more books...

"It was Colonel Plum in the library with a candlestick..."

This time of year thoughts turn to longing for rainy days, snug and warm in a cozy chair with tea and a good mystery (even when a/c still cranked and swimming to stay cool is de rigueur). Keep an eye out for these new series in the shop this fall:

Soho Crime
Soho publishes great mysteries-all types, locations, genres-and they have numerous series, often new to American readers. The Passport to Crime series, the first books from their most popular series, are at introductory price  and start arriving this week. It's billed as  "Travel the World for $9.99!" Now that's my kind of travel.

Familiar to some will be Cara Black's Aimee LeDuc series set in Paris, or the historicals by Barbara Cleverly with Detective Joe Sandilands. Right now I'm enjoying Detective Inspector Huss, a police procedural set in Sweden. Well developed characters, not too violent or gory (a la Steig Larrsson), and a slowly unfolding investigation. I love the subtle cultural tidbits that shed light on life in modern Scandinavia too.

Soho Crime’s most popular series in a low price

first books from Soho Crime’s most popular series in a low price - See more at: http://www.sohopress.com/travel-the-world-for-9-99/2697/#sthash.bXiVwH8x.dpuf

first books from Soho Crime’s most popular series in a low price - See more at: http://www.sohopress.com/travel-the-world-for-9-99/2697/#sthash.bXiVwH8x.dpuf

first books from Soho Crime’s most popular series in a low price - See more at: http://www.sohopress.com/travel-the-world-for-9-99/2697/#sthash.bXiVwH8x.dpu

Louise Penny Gaining Traction
It's only taken 9 books, 5 coveted Agatha's (only author to do so), translated into 25 languages and plus numerous other literary mystery prizes. You'd think Inspector Armand Gamache woulud be a household name. Well...he is in Canada and now finally here in the US.

Her newest installment debuted #1 on NYTimes list. Not too shabby. As a result of her growing momentum, the publisher reprinted all her books with nice new covers finally. I'm looking forward to delving into the world of Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec, (aka the Quebec Provincal Police or QPP for those in the know). Sounds like a Canadian Midsomer Murders!

the novels feature many hallmarks of the British whodunit genre, including murders by unconventional means, bucolic villages, large casts of suspects, red herrings, and a dramatic disclosure of the murderer in the last few pages of the book

Right up my alley. And guess what? There's going to be a future tv series too with Nathaniel Parker. Excellent. I'm currently caught up with all the 88 episodes of Midsomer, the 22 Foyle's War and powered through all 15 seasons of Touch of Frost. Maybe this time I'll read the books before seeing the series. That's a novel idea. Even better...wonder if there's audio I can listen to while knitting! Hey now that's the ticket. Holiday are just around the corner and productivity really needs a jump start.

Current Craftsy KAL & a Sale

Crafty's reached 2 million users this week. To celebrate it's a big sale from Sep 14-21st. Now's a good time to grab a class you've been thinking about with these prices.Here's a few we're making plans for shop KALs in next year. If you think you'll want to join us, get the class now:

 Current KAL (Mondays 1-3pm ish)

Craftsy KAL: Crazy Lace Seamless Cardigan (aka Design your Own Custom Sweater from Scratch): Make your own top-down raglan from scratch. Choose the yarn, use your measurements, then swatch. End result = your perfect sweater. We've an informal KAL on Maisie Mondays in the shop (1-3ish). Interested? Purchase the class, print out your materials and join us for hand-holding and encouragement.

Future KALs in the percolator:
Seaming Handknits
Knitting with Beads
Fair Isle Vest
Hats Four Ways
Joining Crochet Motifs
Knit to Flatter

No particular order to above list. Let us know which you like the best here or vote below in the poll:

Which future KALs sound good?
	Seaming Handknits
	Knitting with Beads
	Fair Isle Vest
	Hats Four Ways
	Joining Crochet Motifs
	Knit to Flatter
pollcode.com free polls

Want to see what the classes are like? Check out all the free classes they have. Good way to test out the format first before diving into a full-on class. 

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Enjoy the return of Autumn in upcoming weeks. Next newsletter covers the new fall yarns starting to arrive, whole crop of new patterns and a Holiday gift-giving primer!

Kim

really….spring is here?

 

Yep, calendar now flipped to April (gasp!)  and I’m once again woefully behind. But you know…I’m use to it actually. Quite nice back here, way behind, languishing under a pile of unfinished projects, jobs, duties. Would you believe it: my new year’s resolution was to get shorter newsletters out more frequently. . . not doing so well, huh?

But time to focus, focus, focus, …must attend to shop newsletter because we’ve got lots of fun stuff to talk about.

Socks, Socks, Socks Class

Cathy is ready to tackle teaching our Serious Sock Series. We’re talking official, honest-to-goodness socks you’ll wear on your two feet. On dpn’s or circs; one by one, or 2@a time. She can make socks in her sleep and is here to help you too join the Socks Insomniac Knitting Guild . . . .



(just kidding, you won’t get insomnia from taking this class. but you will end up with a lovely pair if basic, cuff down, no frills, warm and toasty stockinette socks).

• When: Apr 20, May 11, May 25th   1-3:30pm  $50


• Supplies: worsted weight yarn; needles to get 5st = 1” gauge, Knitting Pure & Simple Sock Pattern #9728. (all available at the shop and 15% discount when you sign up for the class)

Call or email to sign up for the Serious Socks Series. Seriously….your toes will thank you!

yarn tasting time

Yep . . . you heard me. “Yarn Tasting” as in sipping swatching with a bunch of yarns, or test-driving working up a sample, playing with them. Casting on, ripping out, trying out various stitches gathering up some free patterns to try out. Monthly we’ll have a Thurs night  devoted to playing with yarn with reckless abandon. We’ll clear the table, pile up mounds of prettily wound up yarn cakes and get cracking! 6:30-9pm

Some yarns just don’t say much until you actually knit or crochet them up. In the hank some yarns just feel rough or stiff. But liberate them from their twisted yogic knots . . . and they ripple, shimmer and drape magnificently.

We’ve a bunch of yarns from various lines we stock: Aruacania, Noro, Ella Rae, Berroco. So why not get tasting them!

 



April 11 - Araucania: This line has some lovely summer weight yarns, hence first up on the Tasting Block. It’s from Chile and is the combined effort of a Mother and Daughter duo who focus on hand painted natural fibers, dyed in traditional hand-crafted ways.  Shades are unique, brewed up in the kettle to create wonderful and one-of-a kind color blends.  I just love the names of the yarns: Andalien (ahhhh-dah-leein), Lontue (lawnnnnn-tu-eh) and Panguipulli (pan-goo-pwee-lee) to name a few. We’ve had the Ruca (sugar cane based rayon yarn) this past year and it is a-m-a-z-i-n-g! A sinuous, cool yarn that is heaven on your skin. I’m dying to make a whole skirt of of this stuff for summer. (I know, probably not the most realistic project for a perpetual cast on monster like myself but a girl’s gotta have dreams!)

 



May 23 – Noro: Oh yes . . . one of my favorites. It’s also my secret weapon: all those changing colors help keep my attention span from wandering too far so I can actually finish noro projects! We’ve a bucket load of different Noro yarns to test out. This is a great chance to experience lines we don’t always stock but can special order up for customers looking for a particular yarn. Also we have several (okay…a few more than that) shop samples (because I adore knitting with Noro and can’t seem to stop casting on!). Hopefully the long awaited new issue of magazine will be here by then too.

Jun 20 – Ella Rae: We adore Ella Rae. She’s an Aussie designer and her yarns are great staples. Affordable, great quality and are excellent foundation yarns. Plus she has some yummy luxurious hand-painted merinos. We’ve stocked her Lace Merino for a while (shop samples: Seashore Shawlette and Color Affection shawl both in this yarn). Now this great base is expanded into DK (landing in shop next week), Worsted and Chunky (these will come in later this year-because seriously…come hot weather no one wants to touch chunky yarns).

So mark your calendars: Thurs Yarn Tasting Nights, 6:30-9pm. We can’t serve wine but will have nibbles, coffee, tea and needles. Feel free to bring your favorite needles too to use. And come prepared to cast on!

If well received we’ll branch out and host some Sat afternoons later this summer for those unable to come out on a weeknight

on the bookshelf

This time of year is big for new books. And there’s been so many! I can’t keep up. Here’s my current favs:

Yvette does it again with this companion book to Home Made Winter and the siblings to the big mama book, Home Made. All three are fantastic.



So this pic doesn’t do the book justice. It has the most gorgeous sunflower yellow spine and back! Picture that intense yellow of the lemons…that’s it. I’m gazing at it right now and it makes me so happy.



Rifling through the book makes me feel like I’m there with her, in the summer heat of Provence or the cobblestone streets of Bruges. Biggest surprise: some of the drink recipes totally caught my attention. And jam making! She makes jam making sound totally feasible for someone of my short attention span. No special equipment, quick easy, no problem!

Second favorite cookbook:

This is the 3rd in my favorite slow cooker series by Michele Scicolone. Tried out the Portuguese Pulled Pork last night. (Well, to be honest I used her recipe as inspiration since I never totally follow the recipe exactly. . . .)  It turned out yummy! Her books are great for inspiring different flavor pairings that you might not normally think about. Last night called for a dash of red pepper flakes, paprika and cinnamon. Now the cinnamon must be a Portuguese thing since my Papa always used it in his Linguicia Beans. I could taste my childhood on the plate last night and it was really delicious. Even better today for lunch as leftovers.



If you’re in the market for some new slow cooker books…look no further. These are the bomb!

[Head over to our website to order up copy of any books]

book group

Next up is Band of Angels but Julia Gregson. Historical fiction set amid the Crimea War and the first days of Florence Nightingale's home for sick governesses and her angels of mercy, some of the first nurses. I’ve read her previous novel, Into the Sun and enjoyed. So this one piqued the group’s interest too.

Next meet up: April 22 3-5ish

[Find and purchase our book group picks on our website]

Until next time!

Kim and Megan