Random musings on Crazy for Ewe

Nicole's Saroyan

2012-01-28T02:41:00.000-05:00

Nicole brought in her finished Saroyan Friday morning. She loved the one Denise had made into a large shawl and wanted to make a similar wrap. Using one strand of Rowan Wool Cotton and one strand of Rowan Kidsilk Haze on a size 9 needles. She increased to 12 increase leaves, worked 10 leaf sections straight and then did 12 leaf decrease sections. This will all make sense if you read the original Saroyan pattern.

Here's a closeup of the gorgeous fabric.

Oops - a success!

2012-01-27T14:12:00.002-05:00

We debuted Oops! Part I -- Reading Your Knitting last week in Leonardtown. What a fun class! Both novice and experienced knitters learned lots.

Gorgeous Graham

2012-01-27T11:48:00.002-05:00

Amy B. stopped by this morning with her beautiful new baby, Graham, born the day after Christmas. Doesn't she look fabulous!

And here's the star of the show - so sweet - just a month old. Thank you, Amy for letting Ginni and me get our baby fix.

Another fab Knit Noro Accessory by Mary

2012-01-26T22:10:00.002-05:00

I swear, she's a machine. Mary has finished another gorgeous project from the Knit Noro Accessories book. This is the diamond shawl. Modular construction, double decreases, and a cute little crocheted fringe. Silk Garden. Love it. You will too.

Chunky lacy Noro-y

2012-01-24T21:55:00.000-05:00

Mary knit up this chunky lace scarf from the Knit Noro Accessories book as soon as it arrived. She chose my favorite colorway of Kogorashi, which is a super soft blend of silk and wool. With three skeins, it's a nice long piece that you can wear lots of ways. I like it in this sort of Celtic knot style

but it's equally cute wrapped as a cowl.

The designer, Tanis Gray, (or whoever did the styling for the photo shoot) did a generous loop around the neck and gave it a loose tie in the front - also very nice. Isn't it amazing what professional lighting can do for a photograph!

I love every design in this book - did I mention that? This is one of the cool projects we'll be doing Thursday afternoons - both shops. Starts February 9th.

Gap-tastic Cowl

2012-01-18T22:29:00.003-05:00

We've had lots of fun with this giant cowl. It's is a free pattern on Ravelry - basically you're casting 131 or so stitches onto a size 11 circular needle and working it in the round in seed stitch until it's about 18" deep. Ginni taught her granddaughter and daughter-in-law to knit over the holiday, and here they are wearing them.

Ginni knit this one for the shop, but I've worn every day this week. It really does keep you nice an warm - you don't notice how warm until you take it off! Two skeins of Ushya and a size 11 needle.

Mary whipped this one up using Drift - she made it the full width as directed in the pattern. It' super luxurious, and I managed to wear it several times last week.

Nicole knit one in Noro Kogarashi. She made it a bit narrower than the pattern calls for so that it wouldn't be so bunchy around her neck. It looks great doubled

or worn long and scarf-like.

If you're interested in knitting one of these for yourself, join us Thursday afternoons at either shop. We'll be working on this project for the next couple of weeks. It's fun and fast and chic!

Friday's finished projects

2012-01-18T07:49:00.000-05:00

Carol was in wearing her gorgeous Boston Jacket worked in Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool XL. She was all styled up with the jacket and a wrap, looking ever so fabulous and nonchalant.

Ginni finished her version of Nimbus, the free pattern for Peruvia Quick from Berroco. Ginni's version is longer and she's added a cable up each front panel. Come try it on - we'll be doing a knit-along on this jacket starting Tuesday the 24th in the afternoon - come join us.

Barbara Bershon was in with the sweet little Miss Bea sweater she's doing in Rowan Wool Cotton.

I'm so impressed with Barbara's intarsia work. You can see that there's no pulling or puckering, and best of all...no holes!

The lovely Violet was in (this might have been Thursday) with her beautiful jacket worked in Berroco Remix. Love the button detail on the front...

...and on the cuff. Great job, Violet

Ann looks great in her Lois jacket. She likes it so much that she's doing another one in gray. Looks just perfect on her, don't you think!

Great job, ladies. You all look stunning!

Cassi's wrap

2012-01-17T11:21:00.002-05:00

Adorable Cassie finished this wrap and came in last Wednesday night to pick out a shawl pin for it.
Isn't it cute! The pattern is Grey Owl Cowl, and it's free. You can get it through Ravelry here or go directly to the designer's site here. It's worked on a size 15 needles, so it would be perfect in Drift, or Ushya. A fabulous quick knit!

January First Friday project nearly complete!

2012-01-17T08:42:00.003-05:00

The back has been finished and ready to block for some time.

I have 8 more rows to do on the fronts then it'll be ready to bind off for the neckline

Sleeves are ready for blocking.

Really looking forward to wearing this one.

Intarsia lace scarf

2012-01-13T19:11:00.002-05:00

Finally received my second shipment of the fab new book Knit Noro Accessories. There are so many cool patterns in this book - I love them all. One of our fav's is the Intarsia Lace Scarf, which Sandy has been working up in Silk Garden.

The pattern calls for just one skein of Silk Garden divided into three sections, but this approach makes a really small scarf. We think it would look much better three times longer, so Sandy's pulled three skeins of Silk Garden. You can choose three different colors, or three skeins of the same color and just start them in different places. Either way, it's a gorgeous project. See...

We'll be offering a class on this for those of you who have never worked intarsia or lace - join us.

How 'bout those sheep!

2012-01-13T18:31:00.000-05:00

Sandy just emailed me this fun video. I think the real credit should go to those incredible border collies. If you listen carefully you can hear the whistle commands from the shepherds to the dogs. Too much fun!

The retreat is taking shape

2012-01-07T17:28:00.002-05:00

The knitting retreat is taking shape. We'll be staying at the brand new Courtyard Marriott in Fredricksburg, VA. It's a beautiful facility in the heart of the downtown shopping, dining, and art area. check it out on this cool video. There are tons of things to do, and in developing our first retreat, I’ve tried to strike a balance between planned activities and free time. We'll have a deluxe breakfast for you Saturday morning, followed by a finishing workshop. Saturday afternoon, I've arranged a special wine tasting with our group's particular tastes in mind. There's a hot Latin jazz dance band playing Friday night at Bistro Bethem that should be really great. We'll have a lovely Sunday brunch in the morning, and we can finish up our finishing. The rest of the day is free for you to do whatever you like. You can spend it knitting, shopping, or touring the town.   We'll have our own dedicated meeting space in the hotel all day Saturday and Sunday, so you will be welcome to hang out there any time as well.

There are several very nice restaurants in town, as well as in the hotel. I've prepared a list of top rated restaurants (including a terrific vegetarian place) and links to their sites, so you can check them out. I'll be posting that to the blog tomorrow. Most of the better restaurants recommend reservations, so if you want to be sure to get in to a particular restaurant, you'll want to call and make reservations. I've included my restaurant plans for Friday and Saturday night, and if you would like to join me, just let me know, and I'll be happy to make a group reservation.

Remember, that this is your retreat. You can participate in as many or as few of the planned activities, events and meet-ups as you like. Just know that they are there for you if you want to . However you choose to spend your time, it’s going to be a wonderful weekend full of fun and friendship.

Here’s the agenda

Friday, February 3rd

3:30 Check in

6:00 Meet in the atrium – enjoy a glass of wine or soda in the lounge area before dinner.

7:30    Dinner - I have made reservations at Bistro Bethem. Let me know if you want to join me.

10:00 Live band Sabor Afrocubano at Bistro Bethem

This band hot offers a hot and spicy mix of cha-cha, rumba, salsa and jazz original and 'Latinized' standard jazz tunes to satisfy your appetite whether you are a jazz lover or Salsa/Latin dancer. There's music and dancing until 1 a.m.

Saturday, February 4th

8:00-10:00 Sunrise Breakfast Buffet in the Kenmore Room

Menu
Assorted Chilled Fruit Juices
Fresh Sliced Seasonal Fruit with Berries
Oatmeal Served with Brown Sugar and Raisins
Croissants, Muffins and Bagels
Sweet Butter, Fruit Preserves, Cream Cheese
Farm Fresh Scrambled Eggs
Smoked Bacon and Country Sausage
Breakfast Potatoes
French Toast with Warm Maple Syrup
Coffee and Tea

10:00-12:00 Finishing Workshop in the Kenmore Room

Bring a project that needs to be finished - we'll have the tools and the expertise to help you with blocking, seaming, picking up, whatever. I'll have several blocking boards on hand for you to use, as well as a small hand steamer to ready your garment pieces for perfect finishing.

3:30-5:30 Wine Tasting at Total Wine

Join us for a fun and relaxing introduction to some interesting new wines specially chosen to complement knit night foods. I've asked our host to offer a selection of delicious, affordable wine's that will suit a variety of palates - whether you like a dry red, or a nice Riesling. We'll get a discount on any wine tasted that day!

6:30 Meet in the atrium – enjoy a glass of wine or soda in the lounge area before dinner.

7:30 Dinner - I have made reservations at Ristorante Renato. Let me know if you would like to join me.

Sunday, February 5th

9:00 a.m. Sunday Brunch

Assorted Chilled Fruit Juices
Fresh Sliced Seasonal Fruit with Berries
Croissants, Danishes, Muffins and Bagels
Sweet Butter, Fruit Preserves, Cream Cheese
Farm Fresh Scrambled Eggs
Smoked Bacon and Country Sausage
Breakfast Potatoes
Pancakes, Plain and Blueberry
with Warm Maple Syrup
Fruit, Cheese and Cracker Platter
Fresh Shrimp Cocktail
Smoked Salmon
Assorted quiches

12 p.m. Check out

Bring your bags to your car or to the Kenmore Room and hang out and knit as long as you like.

The cost for the weekend is $190 per person, assuming two people per room. If you have a roommate preference, please let me know. To register, please submit a non-refundable deposit of $75 by January 18th. We'll need the balance by January 31st. Call either La Plata (240-349-2853) or Leonardtown (301-475-2744) to register.

Zest

2012-01-02T20:15:00.003-05:00

Photo courtesy of Fern Knits

Here's a brand new pattern on Ravelry that I think you'll love - Zest! It's everything we like in a sweater - worked in the round, great size range, flattering waist shaping. Plus it has an interesting all-over lace pattern that's fully charted, so there's no guess work.

Photo courtesy of Fern Knits

The pattern calls for a light weight yarn - like beautiful Madeline Tosh Pashmina or Prism Saki worked at a gauge of 20 stitches/4 inches in pattern for a lovely drapey fabric. Yum.

Save the Date

2011-12-30T22:55:00.000-05:00

It's official! Crazy for Ewe is holding its first annual knitting retreat February 3rd through February 5th. We’ll be at the new Marriot Courtyard in downtown Fredricksburg for a weekend of knitting, friendship, and fun.

We selected Fredricksburg because it’s a beautiful historic town with lots of great little shops and restaurants, and it’s just far enough away for our first retreat. It will be about $190 for the two nights, assuming two to a room. The more people who sign up, the better rate we can get.

Some retreats are highly organized affairs with celebrity teachers, classes, and lots of scheduled activities. For our first retreat, I decided to keep it much more relaxed. We'll be together for breakfast, but we'll be on our own to explore the town, visit with friends, and of course, knit.

More fab finished projects

2011-12-30T17:34:00.000-05:00

Thursday in La Plata Duffy was in with her Tessa Vest - been finished, but now blocked and ready to wear. Fits perfectly.

Glenda was in with her one row repeat scarf in gorgeous Chadwick . She found the perfect Moving Mud closure to complement it.

Robinette also came in with her One Row Repeat scarf. Isn't it amazing how different the exact same stitch pattern can look with just a change in fiber. Robinette chose Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend and a strand of Kid Silk Haze. So yummy!

In case you're interested, the stitch pattern for both scarves is *knit 2, k1 through the back loop, p1* k2. You'll cast on a multiple of 4 stitches plus stitches. So, choose 14 (4x3+2) or 34 (4x8+2) or 42 (4x10+2). Every row is the same, so no matter where you stop, you're always on row 1. I LOVE this pattern.

New Year's Eve hours

2011-12-29T09:15:00.000-05:00

We will be open until 2 p.m. Saturday, New Year's Eve so that you can come get something fun to knit while you watch the ball drop in Times Square. On the other hand, if you'll be partying through the wee hours of the new year, perhaps you'll want something cozy to work on while you recuperate Sunday.

Sharktooth pattern is up

2011-12-14T14:29:00.003-05:00

If you purchased the Stephen West patterns, then you should be getting an email today with a link to the first pattern pdf, Sharktooth. This is a very cute pattern, but I'm thinking more swallowtail butterflies than shark! Wouldn't it be gorgeous in a bright cheerful shade for these gray days!

Lovely, useful, and fun

2011-12-14T09:24:00.002-05:00

Some fun new items arrived yesterday - Della-Q circular and combination needle cases

I love my needle case because it keeps all my circulars nicely organized and in control. Each little silk pouch has the needle size on it and a flap to keep my needles in place. Then it ties up into a tidy little package that fits right in my knitting bag. love love love...

Also in are more of the lovely Maya bags from Lantern Moon.

Maya bags are handmade in Vietnam of beautiful floral silk and reverse completely to display another gorgeous shade of the same silk. It's like having two bags in one!

Twelve Days of Christmas Promotion

2011-12-11T10:22:00.001-05:00

As you may know, the Twelve Days of Christmas traditionally celebrations begins Christmas Day and ends on January 6th, but why wait? Crazy for Ewe is introducing a fun promotion starting today and going through Christmas Eve. Each morning I'll send an email announcing a super special on one particular yarn or item for that day only! Be sure to check your email for our message each morning so you don't miss out.

The special for today, December 11th, is
30% off Sublime Extrafine Merino DK

See today's email here.

Friday morning fun

2011-12-10T10:32:00.001-05:00

Lots of finished objects this Friday.

Duffy finished her Noelle Capelet

and her Citron in Dream in Color Smooshy with Cashmere!

Holly was wearing her beautiful Katarina and finished a Noro scarf while she was here

Linda surprised us all with her gorgeous Swirl Coat she knit in turquoise Silky Wool. So lovely!

She was choosing one of the new Moving Mud shawl pins. Which one do you think she chose? .

She chose the top one!

Scratch that

2011-12-07T17:03:00.001-05:00

Um. In my last post I suggested you use Madeline Tosh Pashmina for Groove, and then I checked out The Fibre Company's website and just swooned over the Acadia. Gorgeous, soft, textural, decadent....mmmmmm. Do you see where this is going. Uh, yeah. They're shipping it tomorrow...

New Knitty is up

2011-12-07T11:20:00.001-05:00

Stephen West's shawl club patterns won't be released for another week, but to tide you over till then, Knitty's presenting his latest creation, Groove

Photo courtesy of Knitty.com. Model and photographer - Stephen West

Takes less than 300 yards of two colors of a dk weight yarn. You could also use something a bit finer for more drape. Two skeins Madeline Tosh Pashmina--one in each color would be perfect.

Also in this issue is Escargot, an adorable little cloche with a sweet spiral decoration.

Photo courtesy of Knitty.com; model Veronica Parsons, photographer Jennifer Albrecht-Buehler

You could do it in just one skein of Dream in Color Classy - you could knit this up in time for Christmas. It would make a great gift or a fab accessory for yourself. Très chic, n'est-ce pas?

Sharktooth

2011-12-05T14:19:00.001-05:00

This is the first in a series of new shawl patterns from Stephen West, the guy set of new patterns twho brought us Spectra, Daybreak, Herbivore, Clockwork, and more. West is offering a total of five patterns to be introduced individually over the next several months. The total for all five patterns is $20. I signed up for the patterns because I have yet to see a Stephen West design that I didn’t love. Plus, I hate the thought that he has a pattern out there that everyone is doing, and I can’t have it! Sounds silly, I know, but admit it – there’s a part of you that feels that way too, isn’t there. Anyway, if you’re interested, you can sign up here. I just did Just to clarify, it’s $20 for all five patterns, not per pattern, as I originally thought. Deadline to sign up is this Saturday, December 10th.

The first pattern will be released on the 14th of December into your Ravelry library. Can't wait!

This is Mud?

2011-12-04T18:33:00.001-05:00

I picked up our order from Moving Mud Saturday--talk about gorgeous! These shawl pins are hand made of glass fired at fiercely high temperatures to give each piece a gorgeous, fluid effect. Every one is unique and beautiful. Take a look.

Nadesheko shrug

2011-12-02T14:30:00.001-05:00

Finished my Ribbed Shrug last night in the yummy new Noro, Nadesheko that's 40% angora. I stayed up late to seam it and then give it a little bath because I was so anxious to see the angora bloom. When you first put it in the water, it looks like a drowned rat, but when you squeeze it in a towel and pop it in a cool dryer for a while-oh my! It is soooo nice. It was still a little wet this morning, but I wore it anyway. Gotta love the bunny.

I made the medium which is 140 stitches, but I cast on an extra two stitches so that each row begins and ends with knit 2 on the right side and purl 2 on the wrong side. I also made it about 2" shorter in the 1x1 ribbing of the body section.