Socktober!

Everyone says the Fall Retreat was a HUGE success. Thank you to Annette for her planning!! Mark the weekend of April 2-3, 2011 on your calendar. That's the date for the Spring Retreat.

Surely you have noticed that the days are colder, especially the mornings. Now is the perfect time to stop in at the shop and stock up on supplies for keeping your feet warm this fall and winter! Hand knit socks are wonderful and last a looooooong time. They make great gifts, too, especially in superwash wool if you aren't sure if the recipient will hand wash them.

Yarn Cravin' has so many new sock yarns, you have to see them to believe them, but my trusty Nikon and I have photographed some to give you a small taste of what's in store...



Sparkly sock yarn by Kertzer. Much prettier than my camera can capture!


Ty-Dye socks in all sorts of pretty colors!


Panda silk! This is a silk/bamboo combination and very, very soft. Think about this for someone who doesn't like wool, or can't wear wool.


Panda superwash!


Mini Mochi! Many of you have been wanting this in the shop for a long time. It's finally here!

And I have to tell you about the new tote bags that have arrived. They are made from recycled 2-Litre soda bottles. The designs on them are famous quilt patterns. The bags are big, and zip at the top. They hold a huge amount of knitting! Really, they will hold an afghan or sweater project easily. I think they would make great re-usable shopping bags for when you come to shop to knit and pick up more knitting supplies. They are priced just under $7 and are a great deal! Shown below are two of the designs.





Aren't they gorgeous? Stop in and get yours today. Use it for shopping when you come to Yarn Cravin' and help the environment at the same time!

Mitred Square Mania

Do you find yourself swapping little bundles of sock yarn with other people? Do you see squares where others see socks? Are you taking your knitting to bed with you at night? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be suffering from "Mitred Square Mania" which starts with this,



and ends up with a project looking like this:


Dale's Mitred Square Shawl

A very large group of dedicated (obsessed??) knitters are doing this KAL at the shop which is meeting the third Wednesday of each month. Shawls, scarves, and blankets are all being knit.

Co-Owner Bobbie has sewn up some fantastic project bags which are currently for sale in the shop. They are all different, and come in different shapes in sizes. These are a great way to keep your sock projects all separated, and a fabulous way to keep your knitting bag organized. Just grab the correct project bag, or two, and you're ready! I always keep one little project in the car, as my "waiting around" knitting. Oh, and sorry. The pink and and orange tie dye bag is gone.
;-)


Bags by Bobbie

The big football Border Battle will soon be upon us. If you have to ask what that means, stop reading now! Otherwise, I must ask, where do your loyalties lie? Make no bones about it with this yarn!



Flock Sock is soft, and yummy. It will create spirals of color. Think candy cane stripes. The blue/gold and red/grey colorways are going fast, but there's red/cream and green/cream for the holidays, or for local sports teams. This is a true fingering weight yarn.

Last but not least, the Fall Retreat is coming! Choose your projects, pack your bag, get your pillow and sleeping bag ready! If you didn't make the list, don't despair. A couple of spots have opened up and Dale and Bobbie have been calling people on the waiting list. Remember to take some cash and/or your checkbook. There will be some great yarn deals available. And thank Annette, our fearless Retreat organizer who does such a great job!

The temps this week don't indicate that it's fall, but the cool weather will show up soon, really. Stop in and stock up on some wool for your winter projects. There are new yarns arriving every day. Literally!