Hanks Yarn and Fiber

So long; and thanks for all the fish.

2011-06-21T20:55:00.000-04:00

Dear friends and loved ones;

It's been a long year since we made the decision to close the bricks and mortar shop and go online. That year has seen many new opportunities open up for the three of us. What I'm about to say will not affect the current fiber and sock clubs - those will still arrive as scheduled in your mailboxes and hot little hands - but starting tomorrow, June 22nd, we will begin the process of closing the online portion of Hanks Yarn and Fiber.

As I said, this will *not* affect your status in the current fiber and sock clubs; Sharon will continue to dye and mail the fiber clubs, and Lorena already has great plans for not only the final August installment of the sock club (you should all have hopefully received the June shipment by now) but also for more sock clubs in the future, as she will be folding her yarn dyeing activities into her current job at HaldeCraft.

Starting tomorrow, look for discounts to begin showing up on the Hanks Yarn and Fiber online shop until we close that out (after approximately July 15th, any remaining stock will be moved to Etsy). You may also contact us at the Hanks email address until then as well. We will no longer be using our Twitter feed (although, man, were there some great in-shop customer quotes on that or what?!) or updating our Facebook page.

Sharon will soon be taking on more duties at Peaceful Paths Domestic Abuse Shelter, where she has been working for the last year (you can also find them on Facebook). She looks forward to continuing to see people sometimes at the Sunday Stitch 'n' Bitch, or whenever there is an in-town Roller Derby meet. She will continue to dye and mail out the fiber club.

Ginger continues to work full-time at the University of Florida, and her fibery adventures can be followed over at Ewephoric Fibers, where she and Jane process some of the most beautiful fiber you will ever see and touch. You can also find them on Facebook. Ginger and Jane also look forward to the occasional Sunday SnB, and also fiber events like the upcoming Florida Fiber-in, in Orlando this coming September.

Lorena can be found where she has been for the last year, making soaps and ceramics - and now dyeing yarn - for HaldeCraft (which you can also find on Facebook). She will continue to dye and mail out the sock club, and should anyone wish to join the next sock club she will be posting information about that soon on the HaldeCraft Facebook page and her blog. She will also continue, after Hanks closes completely, to dye some of the most popular colorways in a variety of bases. She can't promise all the colorways, but previous customers looking to get another skein or two of an old Hanks colorway should definitely drop her a line -- she'll be happy to custom dye anything you need.

Ginger and Lorena encourage you to stick with them still on Ravelry, where they will shortly be changing the name of the Hanks group to reflect the two business they have started (Ewephoric Fibers and HaldeCraft). They will be sharing the group so that people interested in both of them do not have to go searching for information.

Please contact us should you have any questions, and don't forget us. We love all y'all, and Hanks couldn't have been what it was without you.

XOXOXOXO
-- Ginger, Lorena, and Sharon

Third Thursday Night Spinners

2011-02-14T09:59:00.003-05:00

Third Thursday Night Spinners will NOT be meeting this month - Wild Iris had an event scheduled that evening, so we are going to take a month off. See you solitary spinners in March!

Meet-ups and Gatherings

2011-02-10T12:43:00.000-05:00

Even though our shop is online, we love to hang in person - please join us any time!

Stitch ‘n’ Bitch is Sundays at Books-a-Million on NW 13th Street

Join this eclectic group of folks for a little crochet, knitting, and chatting about everything under the sun. Everyone is welcome!
Sundays | 2-4:30
Books-a-Million
2601 Northwest 13th Street
Gainesville, FL 32609
(352) 376-6623

Third Thursday Evening Spinners is at Wild Iris Books on University Avenue

On the third Thursday of the month bring your wheel or drop spindle and some fiber and sit with us to do some spinning!
Third Thursday of the month | 5-7
Wild Iris Books
802 West University Avenue
Gainesville, FL 32601
(352) 375-7477

In addition, there is periodically a Knit-a-long that meets on Thursday nights (unless it's the third Thursday of the month) and various social gatherings seem to have sprung up other places during the week. You can keep an eye out on the Gainesville Fiber Enthusiasts group on Ravelry, people are pretty good about posting open social gatherings there!

Coming soon... Sequoia!

2011-02-07T05:40:00.001-05:00

WiPs - St. Brigid

2011-02-04T15:19:00.000-05:00

Back in... October through December, we were doing a KAL with anything you wanted to knit (or crochet) out of any colorway of our yarn that you wanted to use. I opted for our Worsted Weight yarn in "Irish Coffee," and I started in on the sweater that inspired me to learn cables all those years ago - St. Brigid by Alice Starmore.

When I had seen this pattern years ago, I thought it was out of my league - both technique-wise and literally, as the book it was in was out of print and only occasionally able to be found on eBay for something in the $200-$300 range. I don't know about y'all, but that's a little out of my price range.

However, in September, the publisher re-released the book and I was able to get it for about $20, which is MUCH more within what I'm willing to spend.

I find the pattern slow going; not because it is hard (it's actually deceptively easy)... but because every time I finish two rows I want to hold it up and look at it for about five minutes before I go to the next row. Heh. Who knows what I'm talking about?!

Have you ever done this pattern?

Have you ever used our Worsted Weight yarn? Or what about our colorway, Irish Coffee, in any weight?

On Christmas Knitting

2011-01-26T21:38:00.000-05:00

Late, I know - I thought I had posted this a month ago but apparently I did not! Still, funny-sad, and true.

Cables and Twists

2011-01-18T07:44:00.001-05:00

Long-time Silk Hankies may remember a class we offered in 2009, to teach the difference between cables and twisted stitches. We gave copies of the pattern in the class, and also as a free pattern if you bought the yarn with which we designed the pattern; but we never offered it just as a free pattern. After numerous requests I've finally gotten the pattern up and available as a free Ravelry download - please help yourselves to Cables and Twists!

Third Thursday Night Spinners

2011-01-17T09:52:00.002-05:00

Please join us at Wild Iris Books for Third Thursday Spinners on January 20th, 2011 from 6-8 PM; bring your wheel or drop spindle and some fiber and sit with others to do some spinning! Please note the time change - previously we have met from 5-7 (since when we used to meet at Hanks, we closed at 7) but since Wild Iris is open until 9 we have pushed our meeting back an hour!

Wild Iris Books
802 West University Avenue
Gainesville, FL 32601
(352) 375-7477

Yarn cups

2011-01-11T11:55:00.016-05:00

We are now happy to accept special orders on yarn cups! Please keep in mind that there's only one of me, and I only have one mold - so there is a 3-week minimum turnaround on each cup ordered to allow for pouring, drying, cleaning, kiln firing, glazing, and another kiln firing. So if you order a dozen cups, it will take a couple of months - it took me three months to get the dozen that we had at Fiber-In in September. I just want to be up front and honest about the timeline, so that nobody sends an email thinking they'll be able to get a set of three by Friday. Each one is made, cleaned, and painted by hand, and as we all know as crafters, that takes time. I appreciate your patience and trust that you'll be happy with a quality product.

Current colors that we can do match our solid-color yarn line: Pretty in Pink, Vodka and OJ, Irish Coffee, Raspberry Beret, Green Grass, and Red Appletini. As of yet I have not been able to find a glaze that matches Grey Gardens, but I'm still searching and hoping to have something by the end of January. Cups are $15 each, regardless of color.

If you are interested in ordering a yarn mug, drop us a line. Please make sure to tell us what color or colors you are interested in and how many of each you would like; for example, "I'd like one cup in Irish Coffee!" or "I'd like three cups, one in Pretty in Pink and two in Raspberry Beret!". If you do have a definite date by which you need it, please let us know. Like I said above, there is a minimum 3-week turnaround for us to make and ship the mug to you but sometimes miracles do happen and I have one or two unglazed on the shelf that I can turnaround quickly.

Thanks, y'all, and I hope your week is off to a great start!

Juniper Windows

2011-01-07T13:58:00.000-05:00

After a year off to recover from that afghan, we're back into the free pattern business! Wait, is it "business" if it's free? WHATEVER! We're just happy to show you the first of six patterns we'll be releasing this year, Juniper Windows.

Juniper Windows is a fun hat with a cabled pattern I’ve wanted to try for a while; it reminds me of the 120-year-old windows of the house my husband’s family used to own in South Bend, on Juniper Street.

There are two versions of this pattern in one; for a long hat with i-cord, follow as written… and for a shorter (“normal sized”) hat simply take out the section with rows 26-61, throw a few more decreases at the top and cinch it shut rather than do the i-cord.

This pattern is charted only, and probably wouldn’t be great for a first-time hat or cable knitter, but the adventurous intermediate knitter should be able to handle it, and of course the advanced knitter should be able to whip one out.

Third Thursday Night Spinners

2010-12-09T12:45:00.001-05:00

Please join us at Wild Iris Books for Third Thursday Spinners on December 16th, 2010 from 5-7 PM; bring your wheel or drop spindle and some fiber and sit with others to do some spinning!

Wild Iris Books
802 West University Avenue
Gainesville, FL 32601
(352) 375-7477

Just in time for Thanksgiving!

2010-11-22T17:45:00.000-05:00

Our Indian Corn colorway is now available! Get yours now at our online shop.

Self-Striping Yarn now available!

2010-11-15T21:05:00.000-05:00

We are just pleased as punch to be carrying the self-striping yarns of String Theory Colorworks. We have several colors of three bases available. The silk blend is especially yummy! Clicky below to check it out!
http://www.hanksyarn.com/stringtheorycolorworks.aspx

Third Thursday Night Spinners

2010-11-11T12:43:00.000-05:00

Please join us at Wild Iris Books for Third Thursday Spinners on November 18th, 2010 from 5-7 PM; bring your wheel or drop spindle and some fiber and sit with others to do some spinning!

Wild Iris Books
802 West University Avenue
Gainesville, FL 32601
(352) 375-7477

Coming in December.... Grey Gardens!

2010-11-10T10:53:00.002-05:00

December will see the release of the June 2010 Sock Club colorway, Grey Gardens.

Normally we don't ask in advance "who wants what", but this colorway was very popular and I've heard a handful of people - myself included - state that they want a sweater's quantity in either sport or worsted. So this is an official call out - if you want us to dye up a garment's worth of either sport or worsted for you, please email hanksyarn@gmail.com by November 20th with the yarn base you want (Sock, Sport, Worsted, or Lace - and if you want sock, which base yarn you want) and how many skeins you want (for example, "I would like 10 skeins of Grey Gardens in Superwash Merino Worsted"). And we will make that happen for you in December!

Thanks, y'all!

Coming soon... Indian Corn!

2010-11-06T09:37:00.000-04:00

Right now we just have it in Sock and Sport weights, but if you want it in anything else just drop us a line!

If you're in October sock club, check your mailbox this week!

2010-10-18T16:56:00.002-04:00

Because something soft and shiny this way comes!

Third Thursday Night Spinners

2010-10-14T12:41:00.002-04:00

Please join us at Wild Iris Books for Third Thursday Spinners on October 21st, 2010 from 5-7 PM; bring your wheel or drop spindle and some fiber and sit with others to do some spinning!

Wild Iris Books
802 West University Avenue
Gainesville, FL 32601
(352) 375-7477

FO: Green Gable

2010-10-10T11:07:00.000-04:00

Yarn: Elsabeth Lavold Silky Wool
Needles: US 4
Pattern: Green Gable by Rachel Bishop (with slight modifications)

See you tonight?

2010-10-07T08:03:00.000-04:00

Will we see you tonight? Even if, like me, all you're doing is swatching?

---

What: a KAL/CAL, wherein you can knit or crochet any project you like, using the Hanks Yarn and Fiber line of yarns, Perhaps Today is a Good Day to Dye (available at our online store although you are certainly more than welcome to use anything in your stash). You can use any weight, any colorway, any project. Easy!

Where: Starbucks on the corner of NW 13th St/16th Ave generally from about 6-8 although we reserve the right to stay later if we’re having a great time or online via this thread and any blog posts (if you have a blog). Easy!

When: OK, this is the complicated part. Break out your calendars. Every Thursday barring holidays (I hear Thanksgiving is coming up in a few months? already? time flies!) and Third Thursday Spinners, as we are already committed to that. So we will be meeting on the following dates:
October 7, 14, 28
November 4, 11
December 2, 9, and the 30th if anyone is in town

Why: Besides the obvious of loving to crochet and knit, and loving our yarns, this time around we have prizes! People who finish before the end of December should send us a picture of the finished work. When everyone who has finished sends us a picture, we will have a drawing for prizes, of which there will be three. First prize is a skein of yarn in any colorway of ours that you want and a yarn mug in your choice of solid colors. Other prizes will be announced as time gets closer.

We hope that some of you will join us in person, and those of our friends who live far away will join us online!

FO: Faraway, So Close

2010-10-03T11:04:00.000-04:00

Yarn: too many to mention
Needles: US 6
Pattern: Faraway, So Close by Carina Spencer (slightly modified)

Perhaps Today is a Good Day to Dye October–December 2010 KAL/CAL

2010-09-29T08:07:00.001-04:00

Please join us in another fun KAL/CAL!

What: a KAL/CAL, wherein you can knit or crochet any project you like, using the Hanks Yarn and Fiber line of yarns, Perhaps Today is a Good Day to Dye (available at our online store although you are certainly more than welcome to use anything in your stash). You can use any weight, any colorway, any project. Easy!

Where: Starbucks on the corner of NW 13th St/16th Ave generally from about 6-8 although we reserve the right to stay later if we’re having a great time or online via this thread and any blog posts (if you have a blog). Easy!

When: OK, this is the complicated part. Break out your calendars. Every Thursday barring holidays (I hear Thanksgiving is coming up in a few months? already? time flies!) and Third Thursday Spinners, as we are already committed to that. So we will be meeting on the following dates:
October 7, 14, 28
November 4, 11
December 2, 9, and the 30th if anyone is in town

Why: Besides the obvious of loving to crochet and knit, and loving our yarns, this time around we have prizes! People who finish before the end of December should send us a picture of the finished work. When everyone who has finished sends us a picture, we will have a drawing for prizes, of which there will be three. First prize is a skein of yarn in any colorway of ours that you want and a yarn mug in your choice of solid colors. Other prizes will be announced as time gets closer.

We hope that some of you will join us in person, and those of our friends who live far away will join us online.

Thanks, y’all!

FO: Welt Fantastic

2010-09-26T11:02:00.001-04:00

Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in "Woodlawn", and Perhaps Today is a Good Day to Dye in "One Hit Wonder"
Needles: US 3
Pattern: Welt Fantastic by Charlene Schurch

Yarn club reminder

2010-09-22T17:27:00.000-04:00

For the next four days, you can still head on over to our online shop and sign up for one of three sock clubs and our new lace yarn club! Returning subscribers won't want to miss any of Lorena's fabulous hand-dyed sock yarn, and newbies will finally be able to get that yarn that you've been lusting after as soon as it's available. And lace! Maybe sock yarn isn't really your thing - so by popular request we've got a lace club this time around as well!

2010/2011 Sock Club:

There are three options for the 2010/2011 club. Please read the options carefully and choose the one that best suits your wants and desires. If you are leaning towards the three-month option, please note that Option 2 is for semi-solid yarns (such as our colors Irish Coffee, Green Grass, and Grey Gardens), and that Option 3 is for multi-colored yarns (such as our colors The 80's Have Called, Sock Monkey, and Sweet Baby James). The prices for all options include shipping.

Option 1 –
$155
You will get six 400-yard skeins of hand-dyed sock yarn, one each during the months of October, December, February, April, June, and August. This must be paid for by September 26th, 2010.

Option 2 -
$80
You will get three semi-solid 400-yard skeins of hand-dyed sock yarn, one each during the months of October, February, and June. This must be paid for by September 26th, 2010.

Option 3 -
$80
You will get three multi-color 400-yard skeins of hand-dyed sock yarn, one each during the months of December, April, and August. This must be paid for by November 15th, 2010.

And now, the pinky swear: we promise to send you hand-dyed sock yarn and we promise to do our best to produce a quality product. We promise that the color for each month will not be for sale in our shop until six months after the month that we send it to you. We understand that the colors we choose to dye may not wind up being your particular favorite; we ask that just as we are not selling that color in a retail setting for six months, that you also do the same and promise not to sell anything you don’t like until after the six month mark.

2010/2011 Lace Club:

We are doing a very limited lace club! There is one option for this club:

Option Only:
$90
You will get three semi-solid 1300-yard skeins of hand-dyed lace yarn, one each during the months of October, February, and June. These will be the same colors of the corresponding sock club. This must be paid for by September 26th, 2010.

This club comes with the same pinky swear: We promise to send you hand-dyed lace yarn and we promise to do our best to produce a quality product. We promise that the color for each month will not be for sale in our shop until six months after the month that we send it to you. We understand that the colors we choose to dye may not wind up being your particular favorite; we ask that just as we are not selling that color in a retail setting for six months, that you also do the same and promise not to sell anything you don’t like until after the six month mark.

FO: Central Park Hoodie

2010-09-19T11:00:00.001-04:00

Yarn: Malabrigo Worsted Weight in Verde Adriana
Needles: US 7
Pattern: #13 Central Park Hoodie by Heather Lodinsky