MY Blog

Here’s the April class schedule for technique classes. This month will be all about handbags. Join us for just one or all four classes (there’s a discount for all 4). In each class you’ll not only learn how to create one freakin’ great bag, you’ll learn an invaluable technique for your knitting repetoire!

• 4/4 @ 7:00pm: iPod/cell phone cozy. Let’s start basic and learn how to translate gauge swatches into actual useful objects. Take this project one step further and experiment with colorwork (fair isle or intarsia). No matter what you do, you’ll be finished in no time and your hardware will have some softwear.
• 4/11 @ 7:00pm: the Cable Clutch. Truly a springtime must-have!
• 4/18 @ 7:00pm: the Felted Clutch. Using only one skein, create something uniquely yours
• 4/25 @ 7:00pm: the Ferragamo bag. You’ve seen it; you covet it. Now it can be yours for a lot less than the four figure pricetag!

The cost per class is $15 plus supplies. The cost for all four is $40 (plus supplies).

And as always we have our Learn to Knit/Crochet on Mondays at 12:30pm, Tuesdays at 7:30pm and Thursdays at 10:30am. These classes are $10. Come once or as often as you like!

The petal bib has been found. Not by me, but by the cleaning crew (just as I suspected). And the bunny had not chewed on it. I’ve just got to finish the i-cord bit and it’s done.

(the color on my RAZR phone cam sorta sucks–my table’s not lavender and the bib is a pretty petal green).

Tried to finish the jeans last night, but ran out of yarn with 10 rows to go. urgh. That will get done tonight. I’m hesitating to knit today in my khakis because the denim yarn tends to run (my needles have a new blue hue to them now).

Paige

Well, I’m done with the first leg, and now I’m cruising on leg two.  Maybe tonight while I’m watching Grey’s Anatomy I’ll get it done.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The photo was taken from my BRAND SPANKIN’ NEW motorola laser phone cam, and I emailed it to myself.  The quality is only so-so, but hey, it’s a camera phone.

Meanwhile, I had finished the petal bib from One Skein and it’s since disappeared.  I can’t find in anywhere.  I suspect that evil red eye bunny may have chomped on it and my daughter then threw it away.  Tomorrow the cleaning ladies come and maybe they’ll find it. (well, there’s always hoping.)

After the pants are done, I’m going to start on a cute little dress for my neice Annabel for her birthday.  Yes, perhaps you are thinking to yourself, “hey, weren’t you doing the striped t-shirt for both neices?”  Well I was, but I wanted to try something new, and we just got in these adorable “Miss Bea’s” series of Rowan books, so I changed direction.  The dress is striped, but will be mostly pink with green, blue and brown stripes.  Here’s the yarn:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Making this may be a stretch–her birthday’s 4/12.  Wish me luck!

Paige

For sucking it up for a few hours this morning and working on our dsl problem. It has been solved!!!! To honor Kristen, here’s an ode:

K: karismatic
R: RISD girl
I: imagination; she’s full of it!
S: superduper
T: tells it like it is
E: earthlink didn’t have a chance!
N: not about to take no for an answer
Yeah Kristen!

upper mountain ave. in Montclair today, and happened to pass a  large enough home with a nice enough driveway that had a deer crossing roadsign on it.

What’s up with that?  Is that person’s driveway so well traveled that it would need to warn visitors of the random deer?

Some things just make you stop and go “hmmm.”

Paige

Well last night when I should have been knitting, I was actually a witness to a showdown between the family bunny, Cinnamon,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and the cat, Flipper (named for the dolphin):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was the scene for at least 30 minutes:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Realizing that this was just going to stay in freeze frame for a while, I got out my knitting and almost finished the first leg of the rowan denim jeans and started the i-cord for the petal bib from One Skein.  Photos later.

 

Seriously, just a quick love note to the devoted modern yarn snb!  I look forward to each and every thursday night.  The new people are great, the old people (well, ok, we don’t have tons of actual old people) are great.  I am aware now that some of the mysnb purl gurls are “lurkers” and so even if they don’t post, i know they’ll see this.  You are a funny, smart, creative, inspiring, wonderful group of women who all bring something different to the knitting table.  Special thanks this week go to a very well behaved 9 year old and her wonderfully trusting mother.  Anelia (yikes, i knew i’d eventually have to spell that) was a perfect crafter, bringing her materials and her best manners.  Anne, i love that you gave her a shot!  Hope you come back again soon Anelia!  Okay, i’m off to bed with nothing interesting knit-wise to show.  i was in bed all weekend with a tummy thing.

your friend,

Kristen

I figured I’m due for something pleasant.  And yesterday, while perusing Leigh Radford’s new One Skein book, an adorable felted clutch caught my eye.

“This would be a perfect project for the new Lobster Pot Bulky” I thought to myself.  So I cast on, and voila, 2 1/2 hours later:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And this morning, I threw it in the wash, and voila (again):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m going to sew some of Kristen’s vintage buttons on the front (like Leigh does in the book). 

This was so fun! fun! fun! to make, and so great that it’s basically a one night project! 

Here’s what I’m working on when I’m not going crazy trying to upload photos to the network drive.

1.  the rowan denim blue jeans from knitty (www.knitty.com).  I’ve somehow misplaced the bag that this project is in, though, so I’ve got to start searching high and low.

2.  sugan n spice from minnowknits in Manos cotton stria in raspberry and orange (one for each of my neices, Sally & Annabel). I’m still on the first one.  But that’s ok–their birthdays aren’t for a month or so yet.  (update: this is now finished, but I’m only doing Sally’s; Annabel’s going to get something else).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next up?  Perhaps Amy Singer’s KnitWit’s bathing suit in cascade fixation?  Also, Vogue’s Simple Knits had a great child’s tunic in white.  I think it’ll look great in Rowan’s handknit cotton.  So many projects, so little time!

Paige

 

 

 

 

of owning a shop is actually stocking the shelves.  Yesterday Kristen & I spent an inspiring 1/2 day in NYC, primarily at Habu Textiles, but then we also visited M&J Trimmings and Mokubo. 

Habu was great; we were able to design our own yarn for a spring cardigan kit (that retails for only $50!), and we picked up some great yarn for bags and belts.  If you’re interested in Habu, you can see some of their stuff online at www.habutextiles.com.

At M&J Trimmings we scoped out handbag handles, buttons, closures, and, and, and…This store was like a candy shop, floor to ceiling ribbons, lace, handles, buckles and more more more! Mokubo, a ribbon wholesaler, was quite the same, but with a bit more of the Japanese aesthetic. 

We were totally inspired by all three places, so keep posted to see what we actually come up with!

Paige

Yes, this is my Olympic project.  Which, given my competitive nature, I did finish on time.  But something was funky with the armholes, and when I put it on last Sunday night, much to my dismay, it didn’t fit! I sat there as the flame extinguished, weighing my options:

1. give the sweater to my 8 year old daughter.  But she really doesn’t deserve it.
2. let the sweater sit at Modern Yarn as a sample.  But I worked too hard on it to just let it sit
3. Frog it and start again. You see, it matches my orange flat bag so nicely, and I really really really wanted to wear them together!

So I went with option 3.  I undid the arms from the body, and knowing how tangly fair isle is, I got out my handy-dandy scissors and hacked away. In sort of a sick way, it felt strangely satisfying to cut up the bodice.  I cut through the middle of the brown/light pink pattern, ripped out to the bright pink row, picked up the stitches and carried on.

So now I’m almost there. Just need to reattach the 2nd arm, crochet the edges, weave in the kajillions of loose threads, and I’m done. (probably just in time for the 2008 summer games!).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, I know it’s already March, but really we’re not late–the calendar’s been out for a couple of weeks now. For anyone who hasn’t seen it, here it is:

Learn to Knit/Crochet (come once or as often as you like, $10 per session):

• Monday 3/6, 3/13, 3/20 3/27@ 12:30pm
• Tuesday 3/7, 3/14, 3/21, 3/28 @ 7:30pm
• Thursday 3/9, 3/16, 3/23, 3/30@ 10:30am

Techniques (all you need to know is how to knit & purl; bring a great attitude)

• Tuesday 3/7: mittens/wrist warmers @ 7:30 ($25)
• Tuesday 3/14: needlefelted birds/animals @ 7:00 ($45-price includes materials)
• Tuesday 3/21: socks @ 7:30 ($25)
• Tuesday 3/28: springtime shawl @ 7:30 ($45–price includes materials)

Parent/Child (for one parent and one or two kids–$25 per family)

• Sun. 3/5, 3/12, 3/19 & 3/26 @ 12:30

If you’re interested in any of the classes, please call, visit or email to register (payment required when registering). 

Hope to see you soon!

Hello all–Paige here

Instead of finishing my olympic project (for the 2nd time. . .more later), I’m trying to get the hang of this blog thing.  A big huge THANK YOU goes out to Alyssa, Kristen’s sister, for patiently putting up with close to 30 emails from me, before noon, on a variety of subjects, but most having to do with html, upgrading our webhosting account, and actually cutting this blog learning curve to the chase so we could actually start blogging sooner rather than (much) later.

We’ll be using this blog to do many things:

• introducing new products
• showing off WIPs
• updating our class schedule
• making last minute announcements, and more, more, more

So, check back with us often, and let’s hear from you too!

So, Kristen and I are doing our best to keep up with the 21st century and therefore have joined blogland.  keep visiting to see what’s up.