KNIT BUZZ

All Together Now! Come to Our Pizza Knit Tonight!

2012-01-27T10:48:00.003-06:00

Hey Y'all,

So knitting solo can be totally calming, meditative, and rewarding. And as Deb likes to tell her Sock 101 students, NEVER attempt a kitchener stitch in the company of others.

That said, knitting in a group has its own wonderful rewards. More so when there is pizza involved. Toward that end, our first Pizza & Knitting Party of 2012 happens tonight. I'll post all the details below, but first, let me ask you...

Do you host regular knitting gatherings? I do. I call mine Knit Knights and we always have a crowd of people and mountains of food. Sometimes we even get some knitting done. My friend Rachel Kieserman hosts Arts & Drafts every Thursday at Rio Rita from 7 pm til ?? And for that event, you don't even need to knit-- you can work on any craft.

If you know of any other open knit groups, let us know.

Meanwhile, if you can join us tonight-- call us by 3 pm and tell us what kind of pizza you want. 512-707-7396. We'll order the pizza so it's here for the party start at 6:30. You can pay for your pizza when you get here. So, short version:

Pizza Party

TONIGHT!

January 27, 2012

Hill Country Weavers

6:30 pm til ??

Bring You Appetite!

Bring Your Friends!

Bring Your Knitting!

Bring Your Cricket!

Bring Your Crochet!

Come on Down to Mercury Hall! New Pattern Book Now Available!

2012-01-24T09:46:00.005-06:00

Hey Y'all,

After the happy success of our first two pattern books-- Hill Country Weavers SHELTER Collection and the Prairie Bliss Collection-- we are delighted to introduce you to our latest book. Tada! Welcome to Musings from Mercury Hall!

The book is available in print form or as an ebook, your choice. Suzanne and Kennedy just got back from debuting the collection at VOGUE Knitting Live! in New York where it made a big splash. That's right-- not only does everyone want to live in Austin, apparently everyone wants to knit here, too.

The gorgeous photos for the book were shot by Meg Rice at Mercury Hall in South Austin-- that's an old, pretty little church that was moved to the property and converted to a dance hall and wedding venue. If you've never been there, check it out-- it's elegant simplicity at its finest, just like the patterns in Musings from Mercury Hall.

Designers of the crochet, knit, and weaving patterns include: Ana Clerc, Jennette Cross, Carol Spurlock, Elizabeth Green Mussleman, Patricia Kalthoff, Elizabeth Cobbe, Kennedy Berry, Suzanne Middlebrooks, Emily Kausalik, and Susan Frick. Check out some sneak peeks below:

Sisterdale by Suzanne Middlebrooks

Threadgills by Susan Fricks

Blue Gene's by Patricia Kalthoff

Night at the Gruene by Kennedy Berry

Mercury Hall Pullover by Jennette Cross

Caberet Swing by Carol Spurlock

A Girl at the Spoke by Ana Clerc

Tweet Me at the Criders by Emily Kausalik

Luckenbach Two-Step by Elizabeth Green Musselman

Dance With Me by Elizabeth Cobbe

Live From New York! It's Hill Country Weavers!

2012-01-13T07:47:00.002-06:00

Of the many perks those of us who work at the shop get, a really big one is Knitting Trips with Suzanne. Twice a year she goes to TNNA Market-- California in January and Ohio in June-- to see all the great new stuff the yarn companies are offering to the merchants. And she always takes one of us with her.

Well right now, Suzanne is in New York City with Kennedy and the event they are attending is Vogue Knitting Live! Those of us back here in Austin are understandably jealous-- VKL is an amazing experience with tons of knitting superstars, vendors, and passionate knitters all gathered together in one spot to swap ideas, buy and sell products, and teach and take classes.

Suzanne and Kennedy are set up inside of the Buffalo Gold booth, showing off a sneak preview of the newest, not-yet-released HCW pattern collection, Musings from Mercury Hall, which includes knitting, crocheting and weaving patterns. And which is, like the other two pattern collections, stunning (of course)! They've got pictures AND sample garments. Fear not-- if you can't hop a flight up to NYC this morning, they'll be back soon enough to show off the goods right here on the home front.

Stay tuned for some exciting pictures from the Big Apple!

Come Sale With Us! Our Biggest Annual Event!

2012-01-05T08:33:00.001-06:00

annual inventory reduction sale

It's The BIG ONE!!

Don't get caught sleeping through it!

January 5th through 8th

20% off on purchases up to $149.99

25% off on purchases from $150.00 - $299.99

30% off on purchases over $300.00

*sale includes yarn, bags, needles, and notions

sunday hours extended for sale 11:00 - 5:00

*sale does not include books, patterns or previously discounted items

Knitting Horoscopes for 2012!

2011-12-30T11:29:00.002-06:00

Greetings Fellow Knitters,
Herewith is your Knitting Horoscope for the New Year! One thing we can promise for ALL of you-- you'll be getting 2012 off to a MAGNIFICENT start with our Blowout First First Thursday of the Year Sale on January 5th. Stay tune for details!

Capricorn (Dec 22 – Jan 19)
Cappy the goat is known for patience, resourcefulness, setting big goals, and reaching them. But reaching these goals can, goat-style, require climbing the mountain slowly. Toward that end, you'll be taking on at least one or two projects this year that will require paying close attention and dedicating untold hours to getting things done. From start to finishing, hang in there-- that cable sweater or lace shawl is worth it!

Aquarius (Jan 20 – Feb 18)
The symbol for Aquarians is the water carrier, and those born under this sign are known to be a little kooky (in a good way of course), super-creative, and dreamy/floaty. 2012 is going to be a very colorful year for you Aquarians! Think hand-painted sock yarn, lots of Noro, and maybe even some Knit Collage yarn, too. Plan for a summer of water-carrying now: make a cool felted cozy for your favorite water bottle.

Pisces (Feb 19 – March 20)
Greetings my fishy Pisces friends. You fish are known to adapt well to whatever water you swim in. Sky's the limit for you in 2012. If you can dream it, you can knit it. Don't be surprised if you're drawn toward ocean blues and soothing greens as you explore your own possible sea of possibilities.

Aries (March 21 – April 19)
Once again it's time to put that hardheaded tenacity and incredible enthusiasm of yours to work in 2012. This is going to be a Super Classy year for you rams, by which we mean plan on signing up for lots of classes. Time to get out of your comfort zone and charge full speed ahead into cables, sweaters, spinning and maybe even some weaving!

Taurus (April 20 – May 20)

Feeling bullish about a new year of knitting, Taurus? You should be. Time to stampede into the shop and stock up on patterns. This could be the year you get so inspired you start creating your own designs. You'll need to study up a bit first, though. Figure on spending as much time in the book section of the shop as you do over on the yarn side.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20)
Geminis, symbolized by The Twins, will once again find themselves hard-pressed to knit just one of a project. This could find you, once again, knitting socks and gloves and other paired items. More likely though, you'll come across some patterns you love so much you'll just have to make two. Consider this an opportunity to test your color sense-- be playful with color combos. Try the first item in classic color schemes, then go wild with the second one. (We dare you to make a sweater in Manos Highlighter!)

Cancer (June 21 – July 22)
Cancer you kind and patient teacher, you. You spend so much time guiding others but this year it's time to teach yourself some new tricks. You've been hanging out in your knitting comfort zone for the past year or two. Now it's time to bust out of those boundaries and figure out how to move to the next level. If you're a beginning, why not try learning to turn a heel? If you're advanced, why not plan a trip to Scotland where you can take a workshop with some ancient master knitter?

Leo (July 23 – August 22)
Leo you are just going to ROAR into the new year. You'll want to start off with five projects at once and devour them-- such is your nature. This year, though, we challenge you to slow down, loll about, and just focus on one or two things at a time. We're seeing a lot of black and white for you, too-- could this be your love of zebras coming out in the new year? Possibly. Stalk down only what you need for a couple of projects, knock those out, then come on back in for stash building. We'll be waiting.

Virgo (August 23 – Sept 22)

Dear Controlling Virgo,

No big surprise here-- 2012 is going to find you downloading still more apps for your smartphone, apps to help you organize and reorganize your needles and your stash. But you can't knit on an iPhone, at least not yet. You'll need some actual tools to go along with your virtual tools. We see at least one set of interchangeable needles in your immediate future. They are self-organized so they're totally suited to your need for order. Last year you might've found yourself organizing your stash by color. This year, go crazy and come up with a new system-- by weight, by amount, by country. Sky's the limit!

Libra (Sept 23 – Oct 22)
Libra, don't ask us why but we are getting the feeling that this year might be the year you take up spinning. Probably has to do with the fact that it'll give you an opportunity to use the scale to weigh out your roving. And also, you can play with more weights as you learn to spin out that roving into different plies. Even if spinning isn't on your immediate horizon, there's a good chance you'll find yourself knitting with roving, using massive jumbo needles. Now that's a weighty experience. Fun, too!

Scorpio (Oct 23 – Nov 21)
Scorpions, you are going to really feel the sting of inspiration this year, and it's a sting that's going to last. You'll have a hard time keeping up with your own desire. You'll see projects you want to knit and you'll come up with plenty of ideas for your own knitted designs. Be sure to keep an ideas notebook close at hand to capture all these amazing ideas. You'll get through lots of them in 2012, but chances are good you'll have plenty leftover to ring in 2013, too!

Sagittarius (Nov 22 – December 21)
Mellow Sags,

Listen up-- we know you're easygoing and like to amble along. But this year, when you hear a little voice urging you to try out something big and bold, heed the call! Try knitting something super chunky, super bright, or both. You'll feel a big pull to knit in groups this year-- listen up to that, voice, too. Sure, you can still fit in plenty of alone knitting time, but think about signing up for classes and groups. Maybe you'll even start your own monthly Knit Night at your place. Who needs book club when you can be knitting with friends, right?

And The Winners Are...

2011-12-25T08:29:00.002-06:00

Check out the free pattern for these little stockings at Little Cotton Rabbits

Hey Y'all,

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Peaceful Sunday! Whatever you're into we hope it's a most lovely day for you. Thanks to everyone who posted comments on our Gift Certificate Giveaway Blog. Down at the store yesterday, we randomly picked one winner for each worker. So instead of giving away just one $25 gift certificate, we are happy to inform you that lots of you won. Below is the list. Come on down to the shop when we open back up and claim your prize. Thanks for participating and congratulations to:

Sylvia

Cyn Danielson

Karla

Eve

Sarah

Anne Marie 66*

Sara

Tracie Vickers*

Le Ann

nurse1111

Happy New Year from All of Us at Hill Country Weavers,

Suzanne, Kathy, Lindsay, Kennedy, Emily, Connie, Warren, Renate, Spike & Debbie (Stella also says Fleas Navidad!)

Just a Few More Days 'Til You Know What-- Last Minute Gift Ideas!

2011-12-20T10:25:00.004-06:00

Uh-oh, did you procrastinate? Not to worry! We have gift possibilities for everyone on your list-- knitters and non-knitters alike. For example, you could get a pattern and yarn for some lovely something, wrap it up for your beloved non-knitter and include a card promising to make the wonderful knitted whatever really soon. That is definitely a win-win since you get to knit and they can look forward to an after Christmas gift, too.

As for the knitters on your list, including you? Oh there is no end to the possibilities. Have you checked out the book room lately? There are plenty of practical options-- books that break down techniques, include simple or complex patterns, etc. But there are lots of whimsical book options, too. We recommend keeping a stack of both kinds on your coffee table so even when you aren't knitting, you can be scheming about your next project.

Along those lines, we've got Clara Park's new Book of Socks for sock knitters and the Haapsaluu Scarf for lace fans. Stitch dictionaries are always a good idea, and we have best of collections from Interweave, Austentatious Crochet and more .

We've also got lots of great things for stocking stuffers: Lantern Moon tape measures (they come in adorable forms like sheep, peppermints and turkeys), project bags, decorative stitch markers, notions cases, keychain needle gauges & shawl pins.

What if you STILL can't decide? No worries! We have beautiful gift cards you can give so the knitter/crocheter/weaver/spinner in your life can decide come on in and decide what to get.

Stay tuned for our big Christmas Day Drawing. It's not too late to enter. Just leave a comment at this blog post!

How Now, Paintbrush Cowl! A Gift You'll Want to Give to You!

2011-12-16T13:35:00.004-06:00

Hey Y'all,

Well, as you know there's no shortage of ideas down at the shop. Ideas for gifts you can make for others. And, of course, ideas for gifts you can wish and dream and hope and (gently) beg for for yourself.

Today we're just going to point you in the direction of one of the many, many wonderful possibilities. The Paintbrush Cowl Kit works great as a gift you can make for others AND a gift you can ask for for yourself. Or, heck, just buy two kits and give yourself one-- why wait until Christmas, right?

As you can see, it's gorgeous and it knits up fast and it's got a lovely texture to it. Come to think of it, maybe you'll want more than two.

Oh, and don't forget-- you can still leave a comment in the comments section of our last post-- that makes you eligible to win a gift certificate.

Happy Holidays, Y'all!

OUR TREATS FOR YOU!!

2011-12-09T14:34:00.005-06:00

Hey Y'all,

We do love the holidays, and we love you, too! So here's our special holiday treat-- if you'll post your favorite holiday recipe and/or fiber-related gift idea right here in the comments section of the blog, you'll be entered to win a Hill Country Weavers Gift Certificate. Just click on "comment" and tell us about your great-grandmother's egg nog, your favorite sock pattern, or the gift basket packed with needles & yarn & a swift you're hoping to receive. All holiday-themed comments are eligible. We'll do our random drawing on December 24th and post the winner's name right here on Christmas Day!

Once you've posted your holiday recipes and gift ideas, while you're waiting to find out if you've won, here's a way you can joyfully kill some time with us down at the shop:

DECEMBER 17 & 18 HOLIDAY CHEER!

Be our Guest as we Serve our Best
The HCW gang will be showcasing their favorite holiday
treats and recipes so stop by for a nip and a nosh!
(feel free to show off your favorite sweets as well)

SHARE THE SUGAR

Post your favorite recipe for a sweet holiday treat at
the KnitBuzz blog! You can start submitting your
recipes and patterns by commenting on this post!

HOLIDAY CAROLS

A special thank you to all of you who sang holiday carols
during our First Thursday Sale!
See some of our favorite on YouTube!

SECOND SUNDAY HOLIDAY PARTY!

December 11

11:00 - 1:00

HOLIDAY HOURS

Regular hours through December 17
December 18 11:00 - 5:00
December 19, 20, 21 10:00 - 7:00
December 22 10:00 - 8:00
December 23 10:00 - 7:00
December 24 10:00 - 3:00
Will resume regular hours December 26
(including New Year's Eve, 10:00 - 6:00)

CLOSED CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR'S DAY

P.S. We're having some difficulty with the comment feature.
If you do not see your comment below please enter it again! Thank you.

Boy Did We Get Off to a Great Holiday Start!

2011-12-05T15:12:00.005-06:00

Hey Y'all,

Last week, in honor of First Thursday and the Holiday Season, we offered a discount for anyone who sang a holiday tune. We had tons of fun with it-- who knew so many of you could carry a tune? Here's just one sample of the silliness, plus some fun still photos, too. We hope your gift-knitting and holiday shopping are KnitBuzzing right along. Don't forget to come on down and sing for us sometime!

Love,

HCW

'Tis The Season... Actually Every Season is Giving Season for Knitters

2011-11-29T13:35:00.006-06:00

Hey Y'all,

How the heck the holidays showed up so soon this year we have no idea. Whether you get excited at the prospect or are feeling overwhelmed, we hope you have a splendid time this coming month and that you get to spend lots of time knitting great gifts.

As we at HCW think about giving this season, we're also looking back at a year that was really hard for some folks. We helped out with a Stash Sale/ Red Cross Fundraiser to show our support for folks devastated by the Joplin, Missouri tornado. Closer to home, y'all kicked in with tons of donations for knitters in Paige/Bastrop where fires destroyed so much land and property. Thanks so much for being part of that!

I recently heard from Jane King, an Austin knitter who founded Friends of Colombian Orphans, a machine knitting cooperative in Bogota. Jane says: "Our machine knitting cooperative in Bogota has been taken over by the administrators of the orphanage. We have been able to therefore let the program manager go (which saves us $300 a month). We pay for the knitting instructor, yarn and machines. Hogares Club Michin (orphanage) has plans to expand the space, so we will be able to buy them more machines. They have also partnered with a recent design school graduate in Bogota who is advising them on what to knit for the Colombian market. AND (this is a big AND) one of our knitters has recently interviewed at a knitting company for a job! We don't know yet if she got it, but the fact that she could interview for a knitting position is huge. So.....my knitting buddies in Austin supply me with cool knitted items to sell on ebay and at fundraisers (we just had one in Oxford, England, where we raffled off some cool scarves and hats made by my knitting friends.That's how we raise money."

Chemo cap knitted up in super soft, super fab, super washable Debbie Bliss Cashmerino

Jane also called our attention to another great project you might want to partake in. She says, "On Ravelry there is a group called Hats for Sailors. I've knitted hats for two years now: they are distributed to one or two navy vessels every year. Shanti Sethi is a knitter and a USN gal who commanded her very own ship last year! She asked her mom to organize Rav folks to knit hats, and the hats were given out on Christmas day. It was very cool and so successful, that two more ships were chosen this year."

I've been doing my own little knitting kindness over here-- I just cranked out a couple of chemo caps. One is for a friend who just wrapped up cancer treatment (yay!) but who still has a ways to go before her hair grows out. The other is for a friend who is about to undergo stem cell transplant. He needed a hat that could be washed regularly due to a compromised immune system. I used that as a chance to work with some Debbie Bliss Cashmerino which is ALWAYS a pleasure!

A chemo cap I made to celebrate my friend finishing treatment.

If you have some Knitting Good Deeds going on, please tell us about it. We'd be happy to share your good work with others.

Happy Holidays!

Forget Black Friday Lines-- Make Your Own Gifts!

2011-11-24T08:25:00.002-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving Y'all!

News reports are showing that lots of people are already lined up, waiting to burst through the doors of big retailers for Black Friday bargains. But as you know, a hand knitted/woven/crocheted gift is far lovelier than some old store-bought item. Toward that end, we've tracked down a couple of one and two skein scarf patterns for you. They knit up quick so you can make one for everyone on your holiday list.

There's the Hitchhiker Pattern-- we made one using a single skein of Crazy Zauberball and another using two skeins of Freia Multi.

And there's the Francis Pattern. Emily knitted up one of these in just thirty minutes using some fun yarn from Berroco called Lacey. More great news? The scarf can be made with a single skein.

Enjoy your holiday knitting!

The Kind of Needles You Want to Show Up Under Your Christmas Tree

2011-11-18T11:58:00.003-06:00

We've got a bunch of cool new needles in stock. No, they don't smell all piney, but they are a lot easier to pick up than evergreen needles stuck in the rug. A lot more useful, too. And they're beautiful.

From KNITTER'S PRIDE we have the Symphonie Dreamz Interchangeable sets, crochet hooks, and a Sock Set of DPNs.

We also have interchangeables from Hiya-Hiya. The Hiya-Hiyas come in two size sets: 2 - 8 and 9 - 15. And you can get them in bamboo or metal tips.

Interchangeables are great-- you can really keep track of what you've got and it's easy to carry with you enough needles to do all sorts of projects when you're traveling so you don't have to pre-decide. (I don't know about y'all but I love to hit up yarn shops when I'm on the road and decide on a project on the spot that suits my travel mood and needs.)

There's been a lot in the news lately about how Black Friday is starting on Thanksgiving Thursday this year. We have a better idea-- don't be part of the madness. Come on in this weekend for a nice relaxing holiday buying session. And remember, it's okay to buy yourself a gift!

Check Us Out in the New Twist Collective!

2011-11-15T09:25:00.003-06:00

Hey Y'all,

Twist Collective is an online mag that comes out three times per year. It's a cool concept, a way for designers to have their patterns beautifully produced and make fair money in the deal. We LOVE Twist Collective and we're happy that: a) the new issue is out! and b) we have an Ad on Page Two for our great Prairie Bliss Collection!

Speaking of the Prairie Bliss Collection, we also have a new gallery up on the website that will make browsing all the beautiful patterns even easier.

Follow your Prairie Bliss!

Better Than an Elephant Performance: Our Trunk Show Features Brooklyn Tweed!

2011-11-11T09:36:00.000-06:00

Hey Y'all,

Time to hustle on down to the shop -- we have (for a little while) the Brooklyn Tweed Trunk Show, featuring Jared's 2011 Brooklyn Tweed Fall Collection. The patterns we have samples for are: Ashby, Bedford Mitt, Flint, Irving, Lockhart, Ninian, Peabody, Rosebud, Tinder and Topiary.

And if you haven't had a chance to check out BT's new yarn, LOFT, well now would be an excellent time. Come on down and feast your eyes and hands on these gorgeous samples.

Knitting: What a Trip!

2011-11-08T16:39:00.006-06:00

I've mentioned here in the past how I love to center my vacations around knitting, or at the very least track down knitting shops when I am on the road. I've been to yarn stores in Japan, Argentina, Israel, and all around the United States.

Last month, I took my annual trip to Maine, where I go to knit for a week every year. While I was up there, I took the world's fastest, most abbreviated tour of Swans Island. While there really is an island by that name, I'm referring here to the company that makes amazing blankets. I got to see their looms and their dyeing vats. And I had a good, if too-short, chat with Bill Laurita, one of the partners in the company.

If you'd like to know more about Swans Island, here's a post I did awhile ago, and it features some great pictures. For a history of Swans Island Blankets go here. Or, do what I did... head on up to Maine.

How about y'all? Do you plan knit related vacations? Where are some of the more interesting places you've knitted?

Hooray! Brooklyn Tweed Unveils LOFT!! And We've Got Some!

2011-11-01T08:06:00.004-05:00

Hey Y'all,

Last September we were so excited to announce the big news that Brooklyn Tweed (aka Jared Flood) had released his first line of yarn, SHELTER. And, also exciting, we were one of just seven stores nationwide carrying SHELTER.

Well here's more BIG NEWS!! As of today, Brooklyn Tweed is offering a SECOND line of INCREDIBLE fingering weight yarn. It's called LOFT and, as the name suggests, it's all floaty dreamy.

Don't get us wrong-- we still LOVE LOVE LOVE Shelter. But LOFT, we have no doubt, is going to lend itself especially well to lighter garments you can wear more often in Austin's CRAZY HEAT.

LOFT rhymes with SOFT for a reason. It's a lovely two-ply and its made from the fleece of Wyoming raised Targhee-Columbia Sheep. LOFT is also SPUN in the USA in woolen mills in Harrisville, New Hampshire that have been around since 1794.

There are THIRTY-TWO COLORS to choose from, a palette created from an ELEVEN COLOR base, so you get this terrific easy-to-mix-and-match opportunity, a promise of cross-range coherence as Jared puts it. Plus, like it's lovely cousin SHELTER, LOFT knits up great at a variety of gauges without losing fabric integrity. So whether you're working on a dense, colorowork piece at 10 stitches per inch, or something lighter and sportier at 6 stitches per inch, LOFT is going to make you very, very happy.

One more bit of great news for those of you who can't make it to the store today and/or those of you who live far away. You can order LOFT from our online store RIGHT NOW. Just click here to go straight to the online LOFT collection.

AND STAY TUNED-- We're going to have a new batch of Brooklyn Tweed patterns really soon!

This Week's Friday Alert! Great New Bags! Also-- A Little Hint About a BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!

2011-10-28T09:06:00.003-05:00

We just got in some new bags, handmade in Thailand by the Hmong & Lisu Hill Tribe communities. The drawstring shoulder bags make for great large project bags and the duffel and long style bags can hold long straights and lost of smaller projects or you could have room to roll up a good sized throw or baby blanket. We also have two large cricket loom bags for anyone looking for a fun way to carry their loom.

Also... be sure to check back in here on Tuesday morning. We have some REALLY BIG NEWS we'll be sharing then. Mark your calendars!

Follow Up: THANK YOU from Yarnorama!

2011-10-24T14:41:00.002-05:00

Hey Y'all,

We knitters hardly need proof of the power of our knitting community-- it's there at the store, in classes, when you knit in public and someone approaches you to swap yarns (pardon the pun). It's there when hundreds of you gather to hear the Yarn Harlot give a talk at BookPeople. It's Just There. And yet, even though we just know it's just there, isn't it nice to get a reminder sometimes? Toward that end, below is a note from Susan at Yarnorama in Paige-- y'all came together to help her community of knitters when they were devastated by the recent fires.

Thanks for all that help! Here's her note:

I just wanted to take a moment and thank you all for your tremendous support and assistance in making the Phoenix Rising event an incredible success… beyond our wildest expectations! The love, generosity and sympathies towards all of our customers who have lost so much has been overwhelming, mind-boggling really. Donations came from all of your shops in mass, as well as from many Houston area groups, and from as far away as Alaska, California, Washington D.C., Florida. I would say that we easily received over 5000 skeins of yarn, 500+ pairs of needles, 200+ crochet hooks, 2 spinning wheels, 1 RH loom, 2 inkle looms, 1 floor loom, drop spindles, fiber, books, 500+ patterns, cross stitch supplies, embroidery supplies, notions, 50 washcloth kits with yarns, needles and pattern, weaving yarns and wefts, toiletry kits, 200+ washcloths, 50+ project bags, I’m sure there is more… There were even more weaving looms offered that I asked them to hold onto until we find a recipient and until some have places to actually put a loom and it’s tools.

I learned a lot from this experience about how to manage the logistics of such a large outpouring and also a lot about my own limits in such an emotionally charged, unrelenting situation. The idea of having people write notes was captivating and helped people feel like they were contributing something positive in an hellacious situation… and they did contribute immensely. The notes bring tears of joy and comfort to those who receive them still. It’s going to take a long time for people to heal and just the thought that a fiber friend who they did not know sent them their thoughts is profoundly meaningful to them.

Again, I cannot thank you enough for all you and your customers did to make this happen.

Best,
Susan

Help the Little Penguins and Get 15% off Cascade!

2011-10-21T13:49:00.002-05:00

Hey Y'all,
In case you haven't heard there are some little penguins in New Zealand that are in trouble due to an oil spill. They need sweaters. You can read all about it here.

Want to help? Great! Come on down today (Friday 10/21) through Monday (10/24) and ask for the Penguin Sweater discount-- we'll give you 15% off of Cascade 220 and Cascade 220 Sport-- the sweaters need to be 100% wool and the link above will tell you all about that as well as provide patterns so you can make the sweaters just right.

Thanks for helping!

The Harlot is Coming! The Harlot is Coming!

2011-10-18T13:07:00.002-05:00

Hey Y'all,

As if in anticipation of the arrival of everyone's favorite Canadian Knit-Blogger, our weather has dipped down into the sixties! Whoa! Brrr... Stephanie Pearl-McPhee is going to freeze her buns off down here. Oh wait, no she's not. She's going to LAUGH her butt off when she sees us all show up at her reading at BookPeople on Sunday, October 23rd, decked out in our heavy, hand knit sweaters.

Wait a second. Scrreeech. Hit the brakes. Back up. Did I just say STEPHANIE PEARL-MCPHEE is COMING TO BOOKPEOPLE?!! I did indeed. But I have one correction to make. I said she's everyone's favorite Canadian Knit-Blogger. I meant to say she's just everybody's favorite Knit-Blogger, period. I'm still quoting her from the last time she came to town, back in May 2009. That was such a great talk. And it was also very funny that BookPeople, not understanding the power of SPM, under-ordered her books. (Don't cry BookPeople, we love you-- just ribbing you a little bit because that's what we knitters do-- we RIB people.) I think close to 300 rabid knitters showed up that night.

This time around, Stephanie is giving a reading in the afternoon, at 3:00 p.m. She's here to peddle her new book: All Wound Up-- The Yarn Harlot Writes for a Spin. You can RSVP the event at Facebook. Also, know that if you want to get a book signed-- even if it's one of her older books-- you HAVE to buy a copy of the new book at BookPeople. If you want to buy that copy in advance, you can, just be sure to bring your receipt with you.

And if BookPeople sells out-- highly likely-- don't forget you can always get Stephanie's books at your favorite knit shop: Hill Country Weavers.

Fox in Socks!

2011-10-14T12:41:00.003-05:00

Attention all you foxy sock lovers! We just got in some Lorna's Laces new yarn, Solemate, which contains 30% outlast, a fiber that is engineered to regulate body temperature, wick moisture and resist tearing & abrasion. If you get cranking now you can have some wicked wicking socks ready to go for when it REALLY gets cold-- you know, like in the 70s. Also, remembering that you can simply never have enough project bags, here's more good news: We've also got some very cool new Della Q project bags. We're recommending one bag for each sock you're working on. See ya soon!

Learning to Crawl!

2011-10-10T16:28:00.004-05:00

This is Lindsay AFTER the Bus Full of Crawlers!

What a splendid weekend! I popped by the shop on Saturday and man, to say it was hopping would be the understatement of the century. I got there when the charter bus was there-- the driver was hanging out waiting for all the crawlers to shop 'til they dropped. Inside every room was full of eager knitters. And-- as if Mother Nature herself was giving a thumbs up to the whole concept of Yarn Crawl-- we got that glorious wet and chilly (well, chilly for Austin) weather. Hooray! Perfect knitting weather.

I hope y'all had a super blast. I can't wait to hear who won the Grand Prize. Tell us how your crawl went!

The fearless bus driver!

The 2011 Yarn Crawl has Begun!!

2011-10-07T15:09:00.004-05:00

Y’all, today through Monday (10/7 – 10/10) join us for The Best Little Yarn Crawl in Texas!  Nine yarn shops in Austin and the Hill Country are participating! Don't have your passport yet? Its not too late!  Come pick up yours at HCW or buy one online at hillcountryyarncrawl.com. Passports are just $20 and you get a commemorative bag when you buy one.

Visit the participating stores and pick up a passport stamp AND A FREE GIFT at each store (retail value per gift approx. $8). Each store will also have drawings for additional prizes. And, if you visit ALL of the stores, you can drop off the last page of your passport at the last store you visit and you’ll be entered to win the GRAND PRIZE—valued at $1300! Prizes are on display on the website.

When you visit HCW, you can choose two items for your prize. Chose from one Knitter's Hand Balm, one pair of HCW Bamboo Knitting Needles, and/or one pattern from a Hill Country Weavers pattern collection (Check out Shelter Collection & Prarie Bliss Collection look books!) 

For more info: see yarn crawl website.

HCW will be open 10am - 6pm Friday, Saturday & Monday & 10am - 5pm on Sunday and we will be doing Second Sunday. We also have trunk shows from Jojoland & Fiber Co. on display this weekend.

Rowan Rowan Rowan Your Knitting... Gently Down the Stream

2011-09-30T16:47:00.005-05:00

We have a bunch of new Rowan Fine Tweed & Rowan Lace!

Fine Tweed is a fingering weight single ply yarn that would be great for colorwork. Its sold in small 25g balls at 98yds apeice. Peerie Flooers is an adorable hat pattern using a bunch of different colors that would be great to try out using this yarn.

Rowan Fine lace is 80% Baby Suri Alpaca & 20% Fine Merino. Its 437yds/ 50grams and we have a wonderfully elegant palette. We also have the Rowan Lace book in this has been getting a lot of buzz and it contains both knitting and crochet lace patterns.

Hill Country Weavers-- Then and Now

2011-09-26T18:01:00.009-05:00

<--- Old School

New School ---->

Suzanne and I were talking the other day about how much knitting has changed. Funny thing is, we weren't even talking about the whole Knitting Renaissance, or Yarn Bombing, or how Stitch 'n Bitch helped launch an absolute explosion of new knitters. Nope. What we were talking about was how much the knitting business has changed.

Back in the day, when Hill Country Weavers started-- what was it? thirty years ago? --- the place was a shop for weavers and knitters. You could check into textile heaven and check out of your daily drudgery. Now, with the advent of computers and smart phones and social media and online shopping, and all the rest of it, everyone seems to take everything with them everywhere they go. I know I certainly do-- I have in my pocket, courtesy of my iPhone, the ability to talk to my friends and family in an instant, the opportunity to read headline news, and the ability to take a picture or movie of anything anytime. Being a knitter, I also happen to have a couple of counter apps, an app to keep track of my needles, and an app to help me measure a gauge in case I forgot my good old-fashioned tape measure.

Really, it's pretty nuts how high-tech-centric you can get with this very old school craft. And I haven't even yet mentioned Ravelry, finding hundreds (thousands!) of patterns online, and the fact that if I want yarn in the middle of the night, I can actually track some down, order it, and expect it to arrive within days.

There is so much good in all of this to be sure. We can connect with knitters from around the world, calculate sock patterns, show off pictures, and enjoy the wisdom of knitting superstars like the Yarn Harlot and Brooklyn Tweed.

But sometimes-- sometimes running the business side of it is really so wildly different than back in the old days that it really gives us pause. Folks are learning to knit on YouTube sometimes instead of taking classes at the shop, sometimes in addition to taking classes. Customers hold up their tiny smartphone screens and want to know, "How do I knit this pattern?"

And as we march forward, Suzanne and the shop march forward, too. Now there's an online shop, there's this here blog, our Facebook Page, our Ravelry Page, our Twitter account. So what do you make of all this? How has knitting changed for you since technology got so big and crazy? Or maybe you didn't knit until you saw some knitting something or other online. Do you like how you have ready, instant access to knitting info any hour of the day or night? Do you wish you could log off? Do you think HCW should have video classes? Do you like Suzanne's idea-- she wants to set up portals so that late at night you can shop at the HCW online store, press a button, and have yarn magically shoot out of your computer. Would you sign up for this service? (I would.)

So much to think about. Tell use your thoughts, please.

Check Out the New Funky Chunky + More Atenti Bags!

2011-09-23T08:25:00.003-05:00

Have you ever tried knitting with super uber bulky yarn? Even if you're a tiny-needle project lover, don't turn your nose up at the prospect of size 20 or bigger needles and yarn to match. I once knitted up a sweater in about three hours using the Big Stuff and the process and the product were both most rewarding. Because while good things come to those who wait, and the end result of a months-long lace project can fill you with pride... well, still, the instant gratification of Big, Fast and Finished is not to be underrated.

Toward that end, Suzanne took a single skein of the super bulky Berroco Link and Size 35 (!!) needles created a really groovy scarf. The pattern is simple-- a mere four stitches across, with a repeating YO. The result is gorgeous and you can knock one out over the course of a weekend. And hey, today is the first day of Fall and brr... it's going to be dropping down into the 80's soon, so you better get cracking.

In addition to Berroco Link, there are some other great super bulky yarns in stock including: Pagewood Farms Lanas Grande & Rustic Spin, Bouton d'Or's Mistral, and Riviera from KFI.

Once you've made yourself a lovely super bulky scarf, you'll want a bag to go with it. Great news-- we just restocked our Atenti collection. Atenti bags are made in the USA using groovy materials from around the world. You'll find fun combinations of textiles and embellishments for an overall effect that is eye-pleasing as well as a tactile delight. Here are some pics to give you an idea:

An Update from Yarnorama and the Donation Drive!

2011-09-19T17:07:00.005-05:00

Hi Y’all,

A little over a week ago, we posted a note asking you to help out with donations for our knitting friends in Paige who shop at Yarnorama. Paige is real close to Bastrop and many of the 1500+ homes that were lost were in Paige. I asked Susan Fricks, who owns Yarnorama, if she’d be up for an interview. She agreed. Below is what she had to say. Please remember that if you’d like to make a donation, you can still drop stuff off at HCW until September 25.

HCW: What was it like for you, personally?

SF: It has run the whole gamut of emotions. When the fires started that Sunday, we had our Paige Purls knitting group. As people got calls about the fire along 21 in Paige and in Tahitian Village, we all mobilized to get people home safely. Over the next couple hours, we had half our group displaced, so it was about worry and fear. As I located people and learned they were safe with other knitting group friends, I was relieved. Then the fires grew and the shock and horror grew as we watched the fires, the smoke, and the mile-high smoke clouds from our home near Hwy 21. So many emotions… John, my husband, and I were evacuated when a new fire broke out about 5 miles up our road and we stayed at the shop for a couple days. During that time, people who had lost everything began showing up looking for some supplies to keep their hands busy. Powerful stories of escape, loss, thankfulness and emotions unfolded and still continue.

HCW: Did a lot of folks come to the store after the fires just to sort of find good company and comfort each other?

SF: Yes, many have come to be together. Those that have lost so much have come in to get things so that they could get back to knitting/crocheting/spinning and try to get some sort of comfort/solace. Then they found company and emotional support.

HCW: You came up with a really great idea for the donation drive-- did it just pop in your head?

SF: No… I am a big believer in finding ways to support people’s emotional needs through fiber. Can you imagine how it would be if you lost all of the very thing that gives you comfort? There was so much outpouring of support from people asking how they could help that it seemed a logical extension that they might be able to help build the very things that were lost, that mean so much to all of us - our stashes, our tools, our means of creating. I didn’t want people just going in and cleaning out the things they didn’t want and donating them. My desire was that those who gave would take a moment and think about what they were giving, something dear to them, so it might hit home and would be a true empathetic gesture, sending positive wishes to their fiber sisters and brothers who had lost so much. That’s how the idea evolved.

HCW: Have you had a lot of donations and good letters?

SF: It is beyond my wildest dreams. We have gotten boxes and boxes of beautiful yarns, needles, hooks, books, patterns, bags. We have had people send items from other states who heard about this! The outpouring of support, caring and concern for our fiber community has been over the top!

HCW: Can you tell me about some of the donations and maybe some of the letters?

SF: A group that meets up from Austin and Houston has contributed sock yarns, luxury yarns, needles, bags, toiletries, washcloths… boxes and bins of items. Someone from Cypress got her knitting group together and they put packages together with yarns and needles, one sewed maybe 20 project bags for people. Another gave a backstrap loom she had gotten on a trip to Peru. She hopes that someone else who wanted to do this will pick it up and continue on the tradition. I have customers, 3 adult sisters, and parents, all of whose homes were lost. One of the gals lost her loom, her spinning wheel, projects, another lost knitting and felting projects, another cross-stitch/embroidery projects. One of our friends gave a loom, one a spinning wheel, one a whole bolt of cross-stitch canvas and frames… all that in addition to yarns, sets of interchangeable needles, bags, notions.

I have only read a few of the notes, as most are private. They all talk about the meaning to them of the items they are giving and what they hope in the healing of their new fiber friend. More things continue pouring in with more personal stories and touching notes.

HCW: How are people now, a couple of weeks after the fact-- in shock? recovering? rebuilding?

SF: Shell shocked. Those displaced are just now getting back into their homes and having to deal with all the stress of working with insurance companies, reparation companies and such. Many have lost pets that they are trying to locate. Those are the good outcomes. Those who have lost everything are in random states of emotional turmoil, while dealing with their loss. Recovery will be long and challenging. Imagine that you have a beautiful 3000 sq ft home in the woods near Lake Bastrop, some of the most beautiful landscape in Texas. You get evacuated with only 15 minutes max to get out, some less than that, with only your purse, your clothes and maybe a computer or whatever you have your wits about you to grab. As you escape out of your neighborhood with only one way out, flames are all around you. You live with friends or in a motel for 5-6 days before you even know what has become of your home. When you do learn of its fate, you see that there is nothing left… only grey soot, your house is only 1-2 feet high with its tin roof on top. Not even a shard of glass to be found. No living trees, no plants, toxic soil. That’s how it is, and that’s why recovery will take some time.

HCW: For those of us who want to offer additional help, what are some smart things we can do to be most useful?

SF: Continuing to give lovely supplies, especially notions, scissors, project bags, stitch markers, needle tips, tape measures… lots of smaller items that we all need but never seem to have enough of in the best of times.

Phoenix Rising Fiber Event!

2011-09-08T22:49:00.003-05:00

We have created a special relief project to support all our fiber friends in and around the Bastrop area who have lost their belongings, including their stashes, due the fires and smoke there. So many of you have empathized with their heartbreak and have asked how you might help. Let’s help them get a start on rebuilding their stash in the best way possible!

Here’s what we are asking… look around at your stash and find an item, be it a skein of yarn, a pair of lovely needles or a hook that you truly love… one that makes your heart sing when you see it and feel it, one that has been waiting for that most special of projects. That is the one we hope you have in your heart to contribute.

Then, write a note about what this item means to you and what you wish for the recipient and attach it. You can put your contact info on it if you like and maybe make a new fiber friend, or remain anonymous. It’s totally up to you.

Drop your gifted treasures off between now and Sunday, September 25^th at one of the following local yarn shops:

Yarnorama - Paige

Hill Country Weavers - Austin

The Knitting Nest - Austin

Gauge Knits - Austin

Yarnivore – San Antonio

Susan, at Yarnorama, will then distribute all the gifts to the fire victims.We can’t thank you enough for all your outpouring of support and concern during this terrible tragedy, and look forward to Phoenix Rising!

Interview with Our Own Designer: Elizabeth Green Musselman!

2011-09-06T13:34:00.004-05:00

Elizabeth Green Musselman designed the gorgeous Modern Tartan sweater that appeared in last winter’s pattern book Hill Country Weavers SHELTER. Now she’s got another beautiful sweater pattern, Blue Sage Shrug, in the new Hill Country Weavers Prairie Bliss collection, which you can buy by-the-pattern at our online store, or down at the shop. You can find her as elizabethgm on Ravelry and on her blog, Dark Matter Knits. Here, Elizabeth, who has worked at HCW off-and-on for years as a teacher, talks about her knitting life.

HCW: How long have you been knitting?

EGM: Almost 30 years. I asked my mom to teach me when I was a tween.

HCW: Why do you love knitting?

EGM: So many reasons! First and foremost, I love that it makes me feel like a creative person, something that I never thought I was (because I can't draw very well, don't write short stories or poetry, etc.). Like so many people who spend all day working in their head producing nothing tangible, I also appreciate the opportunity to create something with my hands. I also like being able to produce clothing that I and my loved ones actually like to wear, instead of having to wear whatever Old Navy decides would look good on us this year. I love having this strong point of connection to my mom. I could go on and on....

HCW: How did you come to be part of the SHELTER project?

EGM: Knowing that I had started to design knitted garments, especially for boys and men, Suzanne asked me to design a men's sweater for this collection.

HCW: What inspired your design for Modern Tartan?

EGM: Above all, the yarn. I could not pick just one color since the dye work is so lovely in this yarn, so I started thinking about how to create a simple colorwork project that would combine multiple colors. The striping pattern in the neutral colors I borrowed from a baby blanket that my mom knit for my son, and I added the columns of orange purl stitches to slim down the horizontal stripes a bit. I wanted the shape of the garment to mimic those fleece pullovers that so many men like.

HCW: What obstacles did you encounter?

EGM: I had a hard time figuring out how to explain clearly how to do the raglan shaping while doing the colorwork at the same time. This was also one of the first times that I knit a sample garment that didn't fit anyone in my household, so I had to put a lot of trust in my numbers.

HCW: How do you like SHELTER?

EGM: I like this yarn a lot, especially because it's like nothing else on the market (that I know of). I love its wooly feel and smell. But above all, I adore the depth of the color. Many yarns have a single-dimension color, but this yarn's coloring gets more complex the closer you look at it. For this sweater design, I also really liked how light the yarn is. In most worsted-weight yarns, a stranded-knit sweater would be quite heavy, but my finished garment was quite light -- warm, but not cumbersome.

HCW: If you could design any project, and actually have time to knit it, what would it be?

EGM: I have an idea in my head for a dogwood-tree-inspired stole that I can never seem to get to. It would have appliqued dogwood flowers, branches, leaves, the whole gamut.

HCW: How long did it take you to knit the prototype for your design?

EGM: It took me several weeks of very focused knitting -- lots of late nights. But some of that time was ripping back to make the shoulder lie better, etc.

Madeline Tosh & Freia -- Come and Get It, Lace Yarn for Everyone!

2011-09-01T23:10:00.003-05:00

Madeline Tosh Prairie

New in the shop we've got a new shipment from Madeline Tosh -- some of the DK stock you know and love and also a brand new yarn for us MT yarn called - Prairie. Prairie is a single ply laceweight with really great yardage - 840 to a skein. Its going quick so y'all should come out and get some before Connie takes it all home!

hurry-- Connie is going to get it all!

Freia Lace Yarn

We also have a new lace yarn from Freia, both Flux & Ombre, as well some new patterns from her. Kennedy really likes this yarn and says it would make beautiful gradient shawls or scarves and has long slow repeats in the ombre that will not obsucre stitch patterns.

Bonnie Bishoff Shawl Pins-- Handmade. Gorgeous.

2011-08-26T10:57:00.002-05:00

New shop sample is a circle vest made from Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande and featuring one of the new Bonnie Bishoff handmade shawl pins.

As we all know, the list of Reasons We Love Knitting is rather long, perhaps endless even. Besides the actual meditative wonderfulness of the process, there's the tactile awesomeness, the amazing finished garments, the mathematical and architectural wonders and on and on. Beyond all that, there's the excuse to collect RELATED ITEMS. And though perhaps we need no excuse to acquire more bags, being a knitter demands that we collect bags of all sizes and shapes. And then there are EMBELLISHMENTS. Beyond buttons, zippers and hooks, SHAWL PINS are a terrific way to make a beautiful garment even more beautiful. You don't even have to bother with buttonholes! We just got in a bunch of gorgeous shawl pins from Bonnie Bishoff. Each is handmade and all are super cool. Come on down and check them out.

Meet SHELTER & PRAIRIE BLISS Designer Elizabeth Cobbe

2011-08-23T16:54:00.004-05:00

Hey Y'all,

The HCW Prairie Bliss pattern collection-- a follow up to the super awesome SHELTER collection-- is currently being released, pattern by pattern. Designer Elizabeth Cobbe has beautiful designs in both collections. For the SHELTER collection, she created Sarah Rose, pictured here. Her two new patterns for the Prairie Bliss collection are:

Vineyard Rows

A gorgeous short sleeve pullover worked in Alchemy Kozmos and Alchemy Silken Straw

Rockabilly Soft

A sweet cardigan worked in four different shades from The Fibre Company Road to China Light.

The new patterns haven't been released yet, but they will be soon. For now you can get sneak peeks at them over in our Online Look Book.

Elizabeth Cobbe

Meanwhile, while you wait to get your needles on a copy of the patterns, here's an interview with Elizabeth Cobbe:

HCW: How long have you been knitting?

EC: Since 2001

HCW: Why do you love knitting?
EC: Aside from being a counterbalance to various mental instabilities... I'm also a writer, and I appreciate very much that knitting is so much more reliable than writing in terms of predicting the output. Now, before anybody protests, yes, I too have encountered the devastation of the Swatch That Lies. But dude: at least in knitting you CAN swatch. If someone can tell me how to swatch a play or novel, I'm all ears. Of course, there are many parallels between the writing process and the design process. You learn though experience how to use your tools and your material, and then it's a series of problem solving. How do I make my cable go sideways? How do I create a villain who is sympathetic? Then, at that point, it's just getting your butt in the chair to carry through - miles of stockinette, or the chapter you just have to get down on paper somehow if you're ever going to get to the next one.

HCW: How did you come to be part of this project?
EC: Dumb luck? In fact, Suzanne saw pictures of my very first sweater design (Meryton) on Ravelry, and she kept me in mind when the idea arose for the Shelter design project. To say that I'm flattered and honored to be in such talented and more experienced company is an understatement.

HCW: How'd you name your pattern Sarah Rose?
EC: Originally, I called it South Congress, but when I realized they'd be sold outside of Austin, where the phrase "South Congress" means pretty much nothing, I switched it to something that I hope is evocative of simple yet feminine, contemporary yet rooted.

HCW: What inspired your design?
EC: The yarn. Shelter is a very "grounded" sort of yarn, with moderate colors and a tweedy texture. In some ways, it's quite masculine. Also, it's wool, which to a Texan means that layers are wise. From there, the design is a balancing act. Tweedy jackets aren't usually shapely and feminine, so I created a jacket with curved lines and a lace edging. I'm also a fan of bloused sleeves, which are far easier to make then you'd think. The herringbone band at the waist is there to give it a hint of the kind of boxy structure one typically associates with a tailored jacket. I was aiming for something that encapsulates what I love best about Austin fashion: the ability to take something that in other contexts can be pretty dull, and add just enough frill to give that no-nonsense version of femininity that Austin women exude: "Sure, I'm a pretty girl, but these boots can kick your ass."

HCW: What obstacles did you encounter?
EC: Nearly blew a fuse trying to figure out those curved front corners - my studio is littered with silly-looking swatches of bizarre shapes from when I was testing out techniques. Also, figuring out the numbers for different sizes is enough to challenge a rocket scientist, which I most definitely am not. I'm so grateful to our excellent tech editor Elizabeth Sullivan for her invaluable assistance with sizing.

HCW: How do you like SHELTER?
EC: ADORE. First of all, you'd think it might be scratchy, but it is not. I am guilty of wearing my sample for one evening before I had to turn it over to HCW, and it bothered me precisely not one bit - and my neck and face are quite sensitive to even high-quality wools. Secondly, the yarn held up to multiple frog-and-restarts. (Not that I'd know about that, because I am a perfect designer who always gets the results she plans for.) I ripped out one section in particular about three times, and it was like the yarn turned around and said, "Oh please. Honey, I'm just gettin' started." Oddly enough, however, the yarn didn't spit-splice well at all.

HCW: If you could design any project, and actually have time to knit it, what would it be?
EC: I have this blanket idea. It's all mathematical and stuff. You'd love it, you really would.

HCW: How long did it take you to knit the prototype for your design?
EC: I crammed that thing into a single month, plus a few extra days to frog and restart the collar. I'm not a fast knitter at all; it nearly broke me.

HCW: What else would you like to tell us?
EC: I have more designs in my head than I have time to construct. Just think what the world is missing out on by forcing me to have a day job. (Stupid mortgage.)

Hotter Than the Weather: Yarn Bowls!

2011-08-19T06:39:00.003-05:00

Y'all,

We just got in another order of yarn bowls. They're so pretty and practical: No more chasing after balls of yarn-- the bowl holds your yarn in place. Last time we got in a batch, they flew out the door. They're hot, hot, hot. So do not wait to come 'n git yours.

Also, since you're coming down to get a yarn bowl, might as well pick up one of the new Namaste Mini Messenger bags while you're here. Namaste makes super groovy project bags that are really well thought out-- by knitters, for knitters. They're non-leather so you vegan knitters are in luck, too.

UNITED in TEXTILES: Fiber Arts Show at Dougherty Arts Center

2011-08-15T12:18:00.004-05:00

The Austin Fiber Artists group has a show up at the Dougherty Arts Center that runs through August 27, 2011. It features 48 pieces done by 22 artists. Included in this wonderful show is work by Mary Macaulay. Mary teaches the felting classes at HCW-- and she's also going to be teaching a Viking Chain Knitting class on August 28th. Here's a link Q & A with Mary from awhile back, which includes a most excellent picture of her dog modeling her work.

The gallery is open Monday - Thursday, 10:00 am - 9:30 pm, Friday 10:00 am - 5:30 pm, and Saturday 10: am - 4 pm.

Knitting Vacations-- Where Do You Go?

2011-08-10T10:48:00.003-05:00

Shannon (L) and Margaret (R) at the Astoria Fiber Arts Academy in Oregon

Taking a little survey today-- how many of you plan your vacations to specifically include knitting adventures/destinations? Besides just always being on the lookout for knit shops when I am traveling, I also have some very specific knit-related places I enjoy visiting as often as possible. One of these is Astoria, Oregon, where I spent the past couple of days.

I have a friend, Shannon, I met in 2006 when I spotted her knitting at the Astoria Farmers Market. We struck up a knit conversation, and we've been friends ever since. I have another friend in Astoria, Margaret Thierry, who hand dyes yarn and also runs the Astoria Fiber Arts Academy. The academy opened in 2010 and includes a room full of looms, some of them historic. Someday I'd love to just spend a month in Astoria hanging out with Shannon and Margaret.

On the drive back to Portland from Astoria, my host and driver spotted Knit Divas, a little knit shop in St. Helens, Oregon. Of course we stopped. I love talking knitting with people-- it's like an instant pass to a friendly conversation even with total strangers.

What about y'all-- do you have places you visit because you know you'll find fellow fiber fanatics? Have you ever been traveling and come across a great knit shop by accident? Tell us about it.

Juniper Moon Yarns: We've Got the New Line In!

2011-08-04T14:56:00.006-05:00

I think a lot of us fiber fanatics fantasize about having our own flock. Susan Gibbs decided to follow through on that dream. She left her job as a network news producer in New York and moved to a farm outside of Charlottesville, VA. Juniper Moon Farm practices eco-conscious animal care and they recently released a new line of three yarns. Great news, we've got all three at the shop and not only that, we have all the available colors in all three weights.

Some other fun facts about Juniper Moon-- they started the world's first Yarn CSA. If you're not familiar, CSAs are Community Supported Agriculture programs where local farms are supported by folks who subscribe to receive what they produce. Usually when you hear about CSAs it involves getting boxes of produce delivered. But with Juniper Moon, shareholders buy into annual fleece yields, which they can receive as spun fiber or roving.

Juniper Moon also has a vacation program-- you can stay at the farm for a long weekend or even a full week. A good way to go if you're thinking that you might want to translate your flock fantasy into a reality. If you don't have time to travel, you can visit the farm anyway-- JF has a LambCam you can tune into to watch the sheep.

Here's some more info about the yarn we have at the shop. It's getting great reviews-- why not give it a spin and see for yourself:

WILLA

Named for author Willa Cather, Willa is a 40/60 blend of Merino & Super Fine Kid Mohair. It's bulky weight and super soft with a nice sheen.

FINDLEY

Findley is a lace yarn, 50/50 Merino/Silk. It comes in a ball-- nearly 800 yards per. Knits smooth and doesn't split.

CHADWICK

Susan named this yarn after organic farming pioneer Alan Chadwick. Chadwick (the yarn, not the farmer) is a 60/40 Merino/Baby Alpaca blend-- super soft and lofty. It's a single ply with 202 yards per ball.

What's New at HCW? Solstice and Zen!

2011-07-29T14:22:00.005-05:00

Solstice

One way to keep cool is to sit very, very still in an air conditioned room, preferably with a fan pointed right at you, and possibly with your feet in a bucket of ice water. Something else you can add to that mix? How about sitting still while working a nice pair of socks while you bask in the oscillating breeze? After all, socks are super portable and won't heat up your lap-- perfect summer knitting. Toward that end, we have great news:

This week, we got in a couple of great shipments of sock weight yarn from Zen Yarn Garden and Solstice.

ZEN

ABOUT THE ZEN

Zen Yarn Garden is a small dyer out of Canada. You can choose from Serenity 20 (an 80/10/10 blend of merino, cashmere & nylon) or Serenity Silk 3 (an 80/10/10 Merino, cashmere & silk.) Both are sock weight yarns with a similar feel-- but the Serenity Silk 3 has a little bit more of a sheen and feels a bit crisper.

Solstice

ABOUT THE SOLSTICE

Solstice is a new company HCW just started working with. In addition to the SW listed below, we're carrying their DK weight E'toile Silken Camel blend. It has great yardage - 375 yards per 115g skein.

Now, about the Solstice Sock Yarn:

Starlight Cashmere Silk is a 50/50 silk & cashmere blend that is supper soft!

Lumiere Lace is a Merino/Cashmere/Nylon blend, a little bit on the heavier side of lace but each skein is about enough for a small shawl or shoulderette.

Luna Sock is a SUPER soft 80/10/10 Merino Cashmere & Nylon blend.

Solstice

Besides socks, there's lots you can do with this yarn. Kennedy is using the e'toile in two colors for her Morrison Cardigan and Pam is knitting a long lace scarf out of one skein. Kennedy's also contemplating a Ptarmigan Cowl by Brooklyn Tweed the Starlight and a Swallowtail shawl in the Lumiere lace.Or consider a lace shoulderette or maybe Stephen West's new Creekbed scarf.

Ptarmigan Cowl by Brooklyn Tweed. Buy the pattern at the HCW online shop!

On the other hand, if you want to stick with socks, most of these yarns are dyed in really rich semi-solids so they would be great in a complicated sock like one of Cookie A's patterns.

An Interview with Kennedy!

2011-07-26T16:01:00.005-05:00

Hey Y'all,

Kennedy has been helping folks out down at HCW for nearly a year now. Recently, she attended her first TNNA -- aka Market-- with Suzanne. I caught up with her to ask about her life as a knitter and spinner, her work at the store, her trip to market, and her design work.

How long have you been knitting/what brought you to knitting?

I learned when I was younger but I didn't really take it anywhere back then. I think my parents might even have this awful afghan I did one summer when I was about ten in a basement somewhere, but it wasn't until maybe six or seven years ago that I really got into it. My mom had started knitting and dragged me to a yarn store with her and suddenly I realized I could actually make stuff more complicated than a square and that there was a huge variety of yarn out there to play with.

You've got a lovely design, Bouteloua, in the soon-to-be-released HCW Prairie Bliss pattern book-- what's your experience with designing? Are you self-taught? Does it come easy to you?

Thanks, I'm really proud of Bouteloua. I guess designing is something that just comes naturally. I've always tweaked patterns to make them work for me and after knitting for awhile I would just kind of make something up when I couldn't find a pattern that fit what I wanted. I haven't had a lot of experience with pattern writing until recently though. I've been really lucky here in Austin to have a great group of people around me that are willing to proof and test my designs and I've learned so much about the work goes into translating an idea into something that someone else can also make.

You went to Market with Suzanne in June—what was that like?

Market was INSANE. There is so much to see and its pretty overwhelming. A lot of me wanted to go slow and really take in all the new yarn and accessories and really think of what kind of things I'd use them for but its a huge number of booths you have to get through in such a small window of time so you just sort of have to take away a really fast impression of everything. Besides all of that you turn around and randomly there's like... Cat Bordhi or Amy Singer or someone talking to you. It was especially fun to have the Hill Country Weavers badge on and it seemed like everyone knew the shop and Suzanne.

What classes do you teach at HCW and what kind of teacher are you (e.g. hand-holder or push-'em-from-the-nest or super cheerleader, etc?)

I teach spinning and I've done some lace & dyeing classes. I try to be flexible and figure out what people need from me to learn something. I like to present things broadly to a group and then figure out individually what parts each person needs help with.

Do you have a particular project and/or yarn that you find yourself returning to repeatedly?

Not really, I would always rather try something new than do something again so there aren't that many things I make more than once unless I plan to heavily modify it in some way. I have a lot of yarns that I have loved and would love to work with again but like with patterns given the choice between new and old I'll usually try something new. This year I have been really into Dream in Color's new Everlasting yarns. I've got a sweater out of the DK weight on the needles plus socks and a shawl out of the fingering weight in progress.

Favorite thing you've ever knitted?

Probably my Haruni Shawl. I spun the yarn for it as well and it was one of those projects where everything about it just felt good. I was actually kind of sad to finish it but I love wearing the finished shawl so...

What's coming up on your To Knit list?

Mostly I just want to finish things again! I've been in a bad startitis kick lately - I think after market I just came home with so many ideas and I've been trying to do them all at once. I'm about to cast on for the Morrison Cardigan from the new Knitscene though so maybe I have a few more to start before I can settle down again.

Blocking Just Got Easier AND Check Out the Groovy Hadaki Bag Collection!

2011-07-22T15:25:00.004-05:00

I just blocked the pieces for a sweater and I admit I suffered through the process a bit. I don't have a designated blocking area, so I used the bed in my spare bedroom and did my best to get things pinned through to the mattress. After I got it all pinned THEN I found out-- HCW now has the solution to my blocking problems. Just in at the shop: Block & Roll mats by Bagsmith. These mats are specifically designed for blocking. At 38" x 50" they can easily hold a whole sweater's worth of pieces or a small shawl. Not only that but, unlike my bed, this block-specific mat has a grid on it to help you pin things straight and to make sure size stays consistent so that your sleeves, front pieces and backs are the same size, not all wonky. As if all that's not enough, the Block & Roll rolls up to the size of a yoga mat so you can take it with you and store it in a small place. I'll be getting one of these immediately.

Meanwhile, bearing in mind that you can never have enough project bags, you should run-don't-walk into the nice air-conditioned store and check out our super cool new Hadaki Bag Collection. These were a big hit at TNNA Market that Suzanne and Kennedy attended in June.

In stock at HCW: the French Market tote, Hannah's tote, multitasker pouches, toiletry pouches, and three sizes of carry-all pods. We've even got a few iPad covers. The Hadaki bags are coated in vinyl so they're really durable and super easy to clean. Plus they are priced to fly off the shelves -- starting at $16 and topping out at $80.

Prairie Bliss! We're Spreading Like Wildflowers!

2011-07-19T15:27:00.005-05:00

Hey Y'all,

The picture above is the HCW ad-- touting PRAIRIE BLISS-- the all-new, totally fabulous HCW pattern collection-- featured in the current edition (p. 25) of Interweave KNITS Weekend which just came out. It's a great issue, and yep, you can get a copy down at the shop. We've also got an ad in KnitScene (p. 59). And that's just the start of it. Watch for upcoming issues of Interweave Knits regular issue and their GIFTS issue, too.

For those of you who'd like to preview the whole collection, you can download the look book here. And if you're ready to start knitting, the first two patterns are available at the HCW online store and at our Ravelry page. Here's a link to Kathy's pattern Lantana Haze. And here's a link to Kennedy's pattern Bouteloua, which is already getting great press.

Stay tuned-- more patterns coming soon! We'll keep you posted.

I Knit, You Knit, We All Knit! Join Us for a Knit-Along!

2011-07-17T09:50:00.004-05:00

This coming Thursday, July 21st, we'll be starting a summer Knit-Along project beginning at 6:30 pm at the shop. For those of you unfamiliar with the concept of Knit-Along, it's pretty easy and really fun. A group of knitters commits to individually knitting up the same project at the same time. It's a great way to garner moral support when you're trying out a pattern that might feel a little tricky. It's also a great way to see how others knit it up-- variations in gauge and color for example. And while Knit-Alongs aren't competitions, it can also be fun to see how fast or slow others knit.

For this Knit-Along, participants will be tackling the Rock Island Shawl designed by Jared Flood (aka Brooklyn Tweed). HCW LOVES Jared! And we are one of a small number of stores that carries his signature yarn, SHELTER, which we love so much we put together the HCW SHELTER COLLECTION of patterns.

You can pick up the pattern and supplies for this Knit-Along project at the shop. If you plan on shopping the day of the event, come a little early to get set up.

For those of you already working on the shawl, come on by, too. While this will not be a structured class-- think of it more like a party-- Kennedy has knitted up this shawl and is happy to help folks get started from cast on or keep going if you've already made some headway. The group will then meet up again in three or four weeks to check in on progress and, if folks want to, set up another meeting beyond that.

So come on down and get your group knit on!

Errata-- Corrections to the Last Post

2011-07-15T13:22:00.002-05:00

Y'all,

My apologies-- I put up a post yesterday that had some errors in it. I have taken that post down now, but just in case let me point out to you my biggest error: I said that this coming Sunday is Second Sunday. WRONG. That was last Sunday. So there is not a Second Sunday event coming up until next month. Also, some of the classes I listed didn't make or have passed. So, below you'll find accurate listings for a couple of upcoming crochet classes. And if you go to the store website, you can find a list of all upcoming classes.

Speaking of the Hill Country Weaver website (which is different from this blog)-- the site undergone some lovely changes. Please click the link above to check it out.

Thanks,

Spike

Crochet Edging for Knitters
July 17, 2-4pm

Fee: $35

Absolute Beginner (NO experience)

Instructor: Emily Kausalik

Spice up your knitting with adorable, fashionable, and classic crochet edgings.

In this class knitters will learn how to crochet an edging around a small knit sample,

and introduce simple crochet stitches, chain stitches, and basic crochet techniques.

This is a great gateway class into crocheting! Students need no previous experience, though

knowledge of how to hold a crochet hook and yarn, and how to chain and/or make

a single crochet stitch will be beneficial.

BRING: A small, 4"x4" knit swatch in stockinette using worsted weight yarn (any material)

size H or I crochet hook, worsted weight yarn (in contrasting color of swatch)

and locking stitch markers

CROCHET 101

Crochet 101

July 20/27

6:30 - 9:00 pm

FEE: $50

MATERIALS FEE $5

NO PREREQUISITES
INSTRUCTOR: Ana Clerc

DESCRIPTION:Learn how to crochet in this class designed for absolute beginners.
Students will learn how to make basic stitches and work flat and in the round.
Projects for this class are a crocheted washcloth and a Granny Square project. There are no pre-requisites for the class.

MATERIALS: Students will need a size H hook, and approximately 100 yards of worsted weight cotton yarn, and at least
3 colors of worsted weight wool or wool-blend yarn (approximately 100 yards each.) Small balls or pygmy balls are ideal
for this project. Students will also need a yarn needle to weave in ends. Locking stitch markers are
recommended for the second session of class, but are not absolutely required.

Knit 101-- Future Expert Knitters, Start Your Needles!

2011-07-08T09:27:00.000-05:00

Get Started Now!

Knit 101

July 13, 20, 27, August 3 (a 4 class series)
11:00 - 1:00 pm
Fee: $67 plus materials

Knit 101 is a comprehensive beginner level class designed to teach you the basics you need to get started!

Skills Taught:

Cast on
Knit stitch
Purl stitch
Knit 2 together
Bind off
Weave in ends
Working flat
Working in the round
Garter Stitch
Stockinette Stitch
Basic pattern reading
Fixing common problems
“Right Side” & “Wrong Side”

Learn how to use:

straight needles
circular needles
double pointed needles
stitch markers

Class Projects:

1. Either a headband or a washcloth
2. Your choice of 3 hat patterns
3. A scarf (to be finished after class)
Plus you’ll receive 7 knitting patterns to knit again & again!

PREREQUISITE: No previous experience required.

IMPORTANT: Come early to select yarn for the first class. Class size is limited! Call 512-707-7396 today to reserve your spot.

ALSO COMING UP IN JULY!

(through July 17)

Knit Purl Express

Spin Express
Weaving for Knitters
Sockette to Me
Crochet Edging for Knitters

First Thursday: 20% Off of EVERYTHING! That's Right: EVERYTHING!

2011-07-07T09:33:00.000-05:00

STOREWIDE SALE!

20% off everything *
YES, EVERYTHING! *

The hotter the temp the higher your discount!

We're paying homage to our NEW air conditioner by adding
and ADDITIONAL 1% discount for every degree OVER 100
at Camp Mabry or ABIA (whichever is higher!) on Wednesday July 6th

* does not apply to already discounted items
** July Birthday Discount (extra 5%) applies to yarn only

Sale Date: Thursday July 7th, 2011

A Class for Our Happy Hookers! And One for Advanced Knitters!

2011-07-06T08:18:00.000-05:00

QUEEN ANNE'S LACE

Queen Anne's Lace Crochet Scarf

Beginner (a little experience)

July 10, 2-4 pm

FEE:$35

MATERIAL FEE:$5

DESCRIPTION: Learn to crochet this quick, easy, elegant and beautiful beginning lace scarf in this class.

PREREQUISITES: Students must be able to chain stitch, single crochet and double crochet to be able to make this scarf.

MATERIALS: "Approximately 200-250 yards of worsted weight yarn with some sort of color change - for example: Noro Silk Garden or Noro Kureyon. Variegated or hand painted yarns will also work.

Size I hook"

KNIT 201

KNIT 201

July 12/19

6:30 -8:30

Prerequisite - Knit 101 or experience with flat knitting

Fee: 50.00
Instructor: Connie Devlin

Gotten your first taste of knitting and want more? Or perhaps you need a refresher class to get back into knitting? We will help you take that next step into pattern reading in Knit 201. Get ready to put that knit and purl stitch to work! You may choose to make either a scarf or a needle case. In both projects you will learn various stitch patterns, basic pattern reading and swatching for gauge.

MATERIALS: Your choice of project. For scarf: 1ball of Araucania Azapa or equivalent. For needle case: 3 balls of GGH Aspen or 2 balls of Lamb's Pride Bulky (or equivalent) in main color plus (optional) 1 ball in contrast ing color. For both projects you will need: size 9 needles (straight or any length circulars), stitch markers, and a tapestry needle.

For the needle case you will also need size 9 double pointed needles.

Love It Or (And) Weave It: More Classes!

2011-07-01T19:56:00.001-05:00

DON'T MISS THESE HCW CLASSES!

ROJO BASKET

Date: July 5/19 (this is a 2 session class)

Time: 6:00 - 9:00

Fee: 58.00

DESCRIPTION: We will learn or be refreshed with lots of weaving techniques in this basket. You will get lots of compliments on this basket adorning your living room or given as a gift. Basket will have a filled base and techniques will include a few varieties of waling, quadruple weave with doubles, and a beautiful braided handle woven with fine cane. Size 10"w x 18"l x 14"h (handle height). Suitable for upper beginner/intermediate weavers. Color choices will be available.

PREREQUISITES: Student must be able to weave and finish basic baskets on their own and be be comfortable shaping larger baskets.

MATERIALS: are provided in class

INSTRUCTOR: Jill Robinson

WET FELT FRIDAYS

Date: July 8 and every second friday of the month

Time: 11:00 - 2:00

Fee: 40.00

DESCRIPTION: We will explore the methods of wet and nuno felting and create lovely one of a kind masterpieces,

from bags to hats, scarves to booties and much more.

This class meets the second Friday of each month from 10 am to 2 pm (that includes a short lunch

break)

MATERIALS: You will need wool fleece, which you can purchase at HCW.

Bring a few old towels and dress in comfortable clothes. Wet felting can be quite a workout.

INSTRUCTOR: Mary Macaulay

CARD WEAVING

Date: July 9

Time: 2:00 - 5:00

Fee: 45.00

NO EXPERIENCE REQUIRED!

DESCRIPTION: Imagine learning an off loom weaving technique for narrow strong bands that dates back to the Iron age around 1000 BC. If you want to experience first hand what these ancient people made you will love this class. It is amazingly simple or incredibly complicated. We will explore the drafting and weaving processes and get a sample started.

MATERIALS: Yarn that does not stretch in several high (at least 2) contrast colors. A monochromatic color scheme (like light and dark shades of one color) will not have high contrast. A more bulky yarn like Worstd weight will be easier to start with.

INSTRUCTOR: Mary Macaulay

ALSO COMING UP IN JULY!
(through July 14)
Socks Express
Navigating the Wonderful World of Ravelry
Queen Anne's Lace Crochet Scarf
Knit 201
Knit 101
Knit Purl Express
Spin Express

It's Not Too Late to Sign Up for Camp-- But You Better Hurry!

2011-06-28T07:06:00.000-05:00

GET YOUR FEET WET THIS SUMMER!

CAMP WEEKS WITH OPENINGS

July 11 - 15
July 18 - 22

July 25 - 29

Just a few spots left!
Call today to reserve your child's spot at CAMP HCW!!!
512-707-7396

WEAVING CAMP

Time: 9 - 1 Monday through Friday

Fee: $200

KNITTING CAMP

Time: 1:30 - 4:30 Monday through Friday

Fee: $65 plus $25 materials for beginners

PRICE FOR COMBINED CAMP IS $250.
Combined camp price does not include knitting camp materials.
Age: camper must be NINE years old or older.

Socks, Socks, Socks!

2011-06-27T14:39:00.002-05:00

Hey Y'all,

Deb is teaching a sock class this coming Friday. One of the best classes I EVER took at HCW-- and I've taken countless fantastic classes there-- was this sock class. Deb was so patient with me-- I was so freaked out at the prospect of learning this Terrifying Heel Turning Thing I had heard so much about. Well guess what? It wasn't hard at all. To this day I knit lots of socks every year. I LOVE SOCKS! And, not that you need anymore incentive, but think about it-- knitting socks in summer rocks. They're nice and small so your lap doesn't get all sweaty, you know? So don't wait, call the store and reserve you sock slot now...

July 1
Friday

10:00 - 2:00

45.00

Deb Marvin

PREQUISITES: students should be independent in basic knitting skills, knitting in the round helpful but not mandatory

VERY IMPORTANT: PLEASE purchase your materials PRIOR to the day of the class!

With the option of learning either Magic Loop or Traditional Double Point, students in Sock Express will spend the afternoon learning to make a sock from start to finish! Starting with the cuff, students will learn all the elements of sock knitting: cuff heel flap, heel turn, gusset construction and shaping and Kitchener stitch.

MATERIALS:
Yarn: 1-2 skeins of Noro Kureyon or Silk Garden (we are using a worsted weight yarn to make an average sized short cuffed sock in order to complete the sock in one class setting). Please bring some worsted weight practice yarn.
NEEDLES:

MAGIC LOOP OPTION: 42" or longer US #6 or #7 needles

TRADITIONAL OPTION: US #6 or #7 double points. Students may want to wait till class to work with Deb on needle selection.

Tapestry Needle

Students should also bring their knitting gear

FEEL FREE TO BRING A SNACK OR YOUR FAVORITE BROWN BAG LUNCH!

Spaces are limited. Call today to register! 512-707-7396

BUZZ PARTY TONIGHT!

2011-06-24T07:45:00.001-05:00

GET OUT OF THE HEAT!

GET INTO THE BUZZ!

JUNE 24, 2011

6:30 - ??

Dutch Treat Pizza!

Bring your Appetite
Bring your Friends
Bring you Knitting
Bring your Cricket

...at KnitBuzz (behind hill country weavers)
Call 512-707-7396 to RSVP by 3:00pm Friday
to be included in the pizza order!

Hey All You Dream Weavers: A Class for You!

2011-06-21T21:23:00.001-05:00

ARTISAN BREAD BASKET

June 28
6-9
Fee: 39.00

Impress friends at your next summer gathering with this
great bread basket you will make in an evening!
Approximately 15" long x 5" wide.
You will learn basic techniques and finish with an attractive waled rim.
This would also be a great basket to show off your loom weaving shuttles!
Color choices will be available to individualize your basket.

Spaces are limited. Call today to register! 512-707-7396

Wet Felted Nuno Scarves-- Cool Like Sherbet!

2011-06-19T17:50:00.000-05:00

Wet Felted Nuno Scarves

June 25
1:00 - 4:00
Fee: 30.00

Looking forward to fall? Well get a head start in this wet felt scarf class. You will love the outcome of the time you spend having a creative workout through rolling your scarf.

Your scarf can be made with wool fleece attached to a silk lightweight scarf. This is called "nuno" and you can apply whatever lightweight natural open weave fabric you have to wool fleece. You will need some open weave silk fabric. (If you don't have something like an old scarf in your closet already you can find one at a thrift store.) If you can't find any of this type of silk I will bring some extra fabric.

Another type of scarf will be made with just wool and silk fleece, which is embellished in the felting process. This could be a whole collage of wooly things.

The idea of making wool scarves this time of year may not appeal to you, but the magic of the process more than makes up for the wooliness factor.

You may bring your own fleece or purchase what you need at HCW.

Instructor: Mary Macaulay

It's Never Too Hot to Knit

2011-06-18T18:25:00.002-05:00

A couple of summers ago, we posted links to knitted swimsuits. Now that it's triple-digit time once again, how about another summer-themed project? Here are some places you can find patterns for knitted ice cream and popsicles. Fast, fun and small projects-- you can still get your knit on without sweating your behind off.

Knitted Ice Cream Cone Pattern

Knitted Bomb Pop

Knitted Ice Cream Sandwich (note: No kidding, this doubles as a tampon carrier)

Crocheted Ice Cream Sundae

Great Upcoming Classes!

2011-06-13T11:25:00.001-05:00

Hey Y'all,

There are some great classes coming right up for knitters and crocheters. I've taken Deb's Cable Express class (see below) and I can tell you it's GREAT! Call the shop to hold a space in either (or both!) classes.

CABLE EXPRESS

June 18

Fee:30.00

Time: 2-4
Fee: 30.00

All aboard the CABLE EXPRESS! Deb introduces you to the basics of reading a cable chart and
knitting this fast and fun project. Pattern included!

PREREQUISITES: Basic knitting skills.

MATERIALS : 1 skein Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande

US 10.5 needles (straight or circular), medium to large cable needle.
Two one inch buttons (not needed for class)

INSTRUCTOR: DEB MARVIN

TUNISIAN CROCHET

June 18

1-4

45.00

DESCRIPTION: Learn the basics of Tunisian Crochet and working with a Cro-Cable hook.
This hook allows a longer length of fabric to be made. Option one for the class -
The Tunisian Shrug (pattern free with class).
The Shrug can be made with one yarn (Marble Chunky suggested) or 3 or 5 colors/textures of yarn for class.
A second option for the class is the 60-inch Scarf/Wrap.
This project is worked lengthwise with self-fringe. Very little finishing required!

PREREQUISITES: students must know how to crochet!

MATERIALS:*P* - 11.5mm Tunisian cro-cable hook

scissors,tapestry needle at least 5 colors of yarn - the more the merrier!

- lots of color, lots of texture (but no chenilles)

INSTRUCTOR: BREN WHITEHEAD

Second Sunday Coming Right Up!

2011-06-10T06:15:00.000-05:00

CHILL OUT AT SECOND SUNDAY!

Come test drive our new air conditioner!
Sunday
June 12, 2011
11:00 - 1:00

Bring your knitting, crochet, spinning and a friend!!

Upcoming Classes and Fundraiser Thanks!

2011-06-07T17:41:00.001-05:00

Hey Y'all,

Thanks for participating in our fundraiser for Joplin, MO. We raised nearly $800 in just a few hours! And now, here's the latest on upcoming classes:

Next Week at Hill Country Weavers

FIX IT CLINIC
June 8 6:30 - 8:30
Fee 20.00

Ms. Fix-It Reveals ALL!

Everybody makes mistakes when they knit—from small ones to big ones. Hands-on practice is the best way to learn how to fix them on your own.

In this class we'll practice fixing some basic mistakes & tackle your specific questions too. Techniques covered:

- how to rip out many rows without loosing any sts

- how to back out knits, purls, k2tog, yo, ssk, slipped sts, p2tog

- how to pick up dropped sts: knits, purls, yo, k2tog, & even cast on sts

- what to do when you run out of tail part way through casting on and how to avoid running out of tail in the first place

- what to do when you're out of yarn in the middle of a bind off

Be sure to bring any projects you have with mistakes in them!

PREREQUISITES:

If you can do the pre-class prep you can take this class!

Important Pre Class Prep:

(This is the swatch we're going to practice on in class.)

Using the size 8 needles and worsted weight yarn knit a square as follows: Cast on 40 sts. Knit 8 rows. *Row 1: K; Row 2: k 10 sts, p 20 sts, k 10 sts* repeat these two rows for 2-3". Leave knitting on needle.

MATERIALS: Size 8 needles & worsted weight yarn for pre-class prep

A spare size 4 or 5 needle

1 Crochet hook of any size between E & H

Tapestry needle

WET FELT FRIDAY
June 10 10-2
Fee: 50.00

We will explore the methods of wet and nuno felting and create lovely one of a kind masterpieces,

from bags to hats, scarves to booties and much more.

This class meets the second Friday of each month from 10 am to 2 pm (that includes a short lunch

break)

You will need wool fleece, which you can purchase at HCW. Bring a few old towels and dress in

comfortable clothes. Wet felting can be quite a workout.

HEELS & TOES
June 25, 1-3:30 pm, July 9, 1-4 pm (a 2 day class)

Fee: 55.00

INSTRUCTOR: KENNEDY BERRY

LEVEL: Students should be able to knit and purl and do decreases. Some experience working in the round is helpful but not required.

Intimidated by socks? Don't like the fit of heel flaps? Need to starts some gift socks but have no idea of the recipient's shoe size? Want to use every last yard of a special yarn?

Try knitting your socks with afterthought heels and toes! The fit is just like a short row heel but so much easier and since the heels are placed after the sock is finished you don't need to worry about where to stop and turn the heel when you're knitting.

MATERIALS: 100g of a worsted weight wool + 50 grams in a complimentary/contrasting color.

US 4-6 double pointed needles (students are also welcome to do magic loop or two circulars if they are comfortable with those techniques but these will not be covered in class - beginners to knitting in the round should use DPNS).

INTERMEDIATE LACE
June 12/26 9:45 - 12:45
this is a 2 day class
Fee: 55.00

Instructor: Connie Devlin

Prerequisites: Students must have basic knitting skills including increasing, decreasing, and some pattern reading skills.

IMPORTANT: Contact teacher to discuss easy mandatory pre-class instructions.

gardensbycdev@yahoo.com

DESCRIPTION: Students will build their knowledge of lace knitting with a beautiful triangle shawl. In this 2 part, 5 hour class, skill learned will include chart reading, inc reasing for triangle shawl shaping and directional decreasing as well as binding off for a flexible edge, and blocking and caring for the shawl.

MATERIALS: Approx 400 yards of any fingering weight yarn (for small size). Handmaiden Sea Silk recomended.

Size US 6-7 needle

Reminder: Stash Sale and Joplin Fundraiser Sunday!

2011-06-03T17:12:00.001-05:00

Let's Help Out the Folks in Joplin!!

Hey Y’all,

Our hearts go out to the folks in Joplin, Missouri who lost so much so fast in the tornado that swept through their city last week. Suzanne has come up with a great way that we can help them out and I am psyched to be part of the plan. On Sunday, June 5, 2011 we are going to have a Stash-for-Cash Fundraiser. Here’s how it works:

1. You go through your stash and find some yarn you’re willing to part with. (Remember—it’s for a great cause.)

2. Put a price on it—price it to sell and, if you want us to return anything that doesn't sell, also include your contact info. (If you'd like, we can donate any leftovers to a local knit-for-charity group.)

3. Bring your stash donations to the store on Sunday, June 5^th. If you can’t make it down that day, you can drop off your stash in advance.

4. Come on down on June 5th and buy some new stash! Or, if you want, just come by and make a donation.

I’ll be at the store running the sale starting at 11 a.m. and I’ll stick around til 5 p.m. Feel free to hang out if you want—let’s make it a Knit and Knosh while we’re at it. I’ll bring some bagels and get the coffee brewing. You’re welcome to bring snacks, too.

If you think of it, email me directly at spikegillespie@gmail.com to let me know if you plan on participating so I can have an idea of how many to expect. Let's help these folks out as much as we can-- they're really hurting right now.

Thanks!

Spike

First Thursday Sale!

2011-06-02T08:49:00.002-05:00

Hey Y'all,

Today is FIRST THURSDAY! Sale details below. When you head down to take advantage of this great sale, please remember to bring some of your stash to donate to Sunday's big sale to raise money to help the folks in Joplin, Missouri. Details about that event are here.

DEATH VALLEY DAYS FIRST THURSDAY

FEELING PARCHED?

WELL THAT'S NO MIRAGE!
HCW WILL QUENCH YOUR THIRST!

SAVE 20% ON ALL PLANT FIBERS
(yarn can have any percentage of plant fiber)

Hey can't grow it? Come buy it!!

Use Coupon Code FIRSTTHURS6-11 to get your discount on our website!
http://hillcountryweavers.mybigcommerce.com

Lots of Classes Coming Up for Summer!

2011-05-31T13:13:00.002-05:00

Get A Jump On Summer!

Amigurumi 101
Saturday June 4, 1-4 pm
Fee: $35 plus $5 materials
Instructor: Emily

Amigurumi is a Japanese term for knitting or crocheting three-dimensional shapes. Over the last few years, amigurumi has become the catch-all term for adorable, Japanese-style crocheted animals and shapes. In this class students will make their own adorable crocheted creatures and learn the "magic ring" start, tips for increasing, decreasing, adding safety eyes, stuffing, and embroidering facial features onto the crocheted creatures. Students will also learn how to read basic Japanese crochet patterns, which are always printed as charts.

PREREQUISITES: Students must be able to chain, single crochet, and work in the round.

MATERIALS: At least 100 yards of worsted weight yarn, preferably wool or a wool blend. (Small Balls or Pigmy Wool balls are great for small amigirumi projects.)
Crochet hook one to two sizes smaller than called for by yarn (E, F, or G hooks recommended for worsted weight yarn)
Tapestry needles for sewing in ends. Fiber fill and safety eyes will be covered by materials fee.

Painted Diamonds Bag
Sunday June 5, 10:30 am -12:30 pm
Fee: $35
Instructor: Kathy

Looking for a fun summer project? This is one you can squeeze in between lounging by the pool and reading those gripping mystery novels. The Painted Diamonds Bag can be made in bite size pieces to fit in your summer adventures! This project provides a great skill-building opportunity for the still-pretty-new knitter while still being interesting and fun for the seasoned knitter. Learn how to make mitered squares (aka modular or domino knitting) with Kathy!

PREREQUISITES: Students must know how to knit, purl, cast on, and bind off.

MATERIALS and SUPPLIES:
For 13.5" x 13.5" size bag: 4 balls of Jojoland Rhythm or 400 yards of another worsted weight yarn, 1 pair size 7 needles, size 7 dpns, and a locking stitch marker.
For smaller size bag: 3 balls of Rowan Purelife Revive or 300 yards of another dk weight yarn, 1 pair size 5 needles, size 5 dpns, and a locking stitch marker.
Please note, the cost of the pattern is not included in the class fee. HCW has kits available from K1C2 if you prefer the original yarn Paint Box.

Granny Squares, Circles
and Stripes
Sunday June 5, 1-4 pm
Fee: $45
INSTRUCTOR: Ana Clerc

Do you hear the call of the granny square? Did you know that this technique can make many shapes? Come learn how to make a basic granny square, then use the technique to make circles and stripes.

LEVEL: Students need to be able to chain stitch, and double crochet.

MATERIALS: Size J hook, 3 sk (3 colors) of Blue Sky Cotton (worsted) or Blue Sky Organic Cotton, scissors, tapestry needle.

Knit 101

June 7,14,21,28 (a 4 class series)
6:30 - 8:30 pm
Fee: $67 plus materials

Knit 101 is a comprehensive beginner level class designed to teach you the basics you need to get started!

Skills Taught:
Cast on
Knit stitch
Purl stitch
Knit 2 together
Bind off
Weave in ends
Working flat
Working in the round
Garter Stitch
Stockinette Stitch
Basic pattern reading
Fixing common problems
“Right Side” & “Wrong Side”

Learn how to use:
straight needles
circular needles
double pointed needles
stitch markers

Class Projects:

1. Either a headband or a washcloth
2. Your choice of 3 hat patterns
3. A scarf (to be finished after class)
Plus you’ll receive 7 knitting patterns to knit again & again!

PREREQUISITE: No previous experience required.

IMPORTANT: Come early to select yarn for the first class. Class size is limited! Call 512-707-7396 today to reserve your spot.

Stash Bust for Tornado Relief
Sunday June 5, 11 am - 5 pm

JOIN YOUR FELLOW YARNAHOLICS FOR THIS STASH FOR CASH FUNDRAISER!!

HERE'S HOW IT WORKS
1. Raid your Stash
2. Price it for Cash
3. Drop your Stash at HCW anytime next week or Sunday morning
4. Sunday June 5th, 11-5 Bring all your Cash, Donate and get new Stash!

100% OF ALL PROCEEDS WILL BE DONATED TO THE AMERICAN RED CROSS

Direct cash/check donations to the Red Cross will also be collected!! Credit card payments for stash sales accepted.

IMPORTANT: Please write your name & phone # on the stash if you'd like us to return anything that doesn't sell. HCW will donate any unclaimed stash.
FOR MORE INFO CHECK OUT THE LATEST POST ON KNITBUZZ!

Let's Help Out the Folks in Joplin!!

2011-05-25T15:44:00.003-05:00

Hey Y’all,

1. You go through your stash and find some yarn you’re willing to part with. (Remember—it’s for a great cause.)

3. Bring your stash donations to the store on Sunday, June 5^th. If you can’t make it down that day, you can drop off your stash in advance.

4. Come on down on June 5th and buy some new stash! Or, if you want, just come by and make a donation.

Thanks!

Spike

Hello All You Weavers Out There: This One's for You!

2011-05-16T13:13:00.002-05:00

Y'all,

I finally took the weaving for knitters class and learned how to use a Cricket Loom and I LOVE it! I know some of you are beyond the super basics of the Cricket but maybe you haven't worked on your weaving in awhile. Ready to get back into it? Great. Because Suzanne is ready to refresh your memory. Here are the details:

JUMP START YOUR WEAVING!

JUMP START YOUR WEAVING

May21/22

10-4, 9-1

this is a 2 class series

In a weaving rut or chomping at the bit to learn more, well Suzanne has the class for you!
Even if you think you have forgotten the WEAVING 101 stuff, no problem!
Suzanne will lead you beyond the basics to develop your skills in pattern reading and
development, sharpening your warp focus, draft reading, and general troubleshooting for weavers.

Fee $65.00 plus materials

Spaces are limited. Call today to register! 512-707-7396

Interview: Guest Teacher Bruce Weinstein

2011-05-09T11:43:00.004-05:00

Bruce Weinstein photo (c) Joh Fisher photography.

Knit designer and chef Bruce Weinstein will be at HCW teaching on May 14th and 15th. For info on those classes you can click here. Bruce took time out of his unbelievably busy schedule recently to tell me a bit about his knitting life. Here's what he had to say.

HCW: What brought you to knitting?
BW: My grandmother tried to teach me as a kid, at my request - she thought it was weird. But I could never get an even tension and gave up fast. So I took it up again as an adult, asking a friend who is a master knitter to teach me. She did and 2 days later I started my first sweater.

HCW: What's your teaching style? I see you're teaching a couple of classes that involve scarves that look pretty tricky to knit-- are they?
BW: In the classroom, I make students do everything. Sure, I'll show you how and might even do so on your needles, but I prefer to take out what I've done and have you do it yourself. I'm an orbiter... roaming around watching and helping as every grasps new techniques. All the patterns and scarves I'm teaching at HCW are a bit tricky but they all look much more complicated than they are. The reversible cable scarf has a secret. And that's spending time with the chart and thinking about the structure before we all start. Once the concept of multiple cables all twisting on different rows gets in your head, it's a snap.

HCW: How do you find time to knit? Do you squeeze it in whenever you can, or do you designate time?
BW: My time is all packed. I have 3 cookbooks coming out this year and am writing 2 more along with another knitting book. I tend to knit whenver I'm not doing anything else with my hands - at dinner parties, during movies, in front of the TV, anytime I can - it drives my partner nuts.

HCW: Do you have a particular garment you most prefer to knit, or do you like to knit everything?

BW: I love everything, but sweaters are near and dear to my heart. I go through phases though.... socks all last summer. Hats all winter.

HCW: Got any broad advice for knitters?

BW: Don't be afriad of your knitting.... it's just yarn. You are in control of it. Stop overthinking and over examining your work. Keep on knitting. Rip when you have to but don't do it for every tiny little thing you think is wrong. It's supposed to look hand made.

HCW: You're also a chef, too. Tell me a bit about that?
BW: Having been to chef school, my primary career for the past decade has been as a food writer, cookbook author, and cooking teacher. It's my passion. I took up knitting as a way to have a creative hobby since cooking went from hobby to career. Looks like I need a new creative hobby since knitting's become my second career.

HCW: You have some books out-- want to tell me a bit about them?
BW: KNITS MEN WANT was my first knitting book - 10 basic patterns for men writen for multiple gauges to so you can knit any of my designs with almost any yarn you like. I'm currently writing THE BOYFRIEND SWEATER 18 designs for women (and men, too) based on men's colors, cuts, and styles. There will be 18 patterns in sizes from a women's small to man's XL. I also have 18 cookbooks published - the latest is GOAT Meat Millk Cheese. My book HAM AN OBSESSION WITH THE HIND QUARTER is nominated for a James Beard award. And last year I publisehd REAL FOOD HAS CURVES a 7-step plan to get off processed food and enjoy what you eat all the more while losing weight and feeling great.

Mother's Day at HCW: Meet Renate!

2011-05-06T14:30:00.002-05:00

Awhile back I did an interview with Renate that you can read here. If you haven't met her yet, Renate is the FINISHING QUEEN! Don't miss your chance to chat with her this Sunday. Come on down.

MEET RENATE

HCW FAVORITE KNITTING MOM!!

Join us for a special Mother's Day Second Sunday
and meet one of HCW favorite's, Renate Conn.

Sunday

May 8, 2011

11:00 - 1:00

you bring your knitting and we'll bring the knoshes!

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!

Show your Mom how much you care:
give her a class with Bruce Weinstein!

REVERSIBLE CABLE SCARF
May 14, 10 am - 1 pm, $30

WOVEN KNITTING
May 15, 10 am - 1 pm, $30

SPECIAL CLASS DEAL:
Take both classes with Bruce
for just $55!

Spots are filling fast. Call today! 512-707-7396

First Thursday Sale: Celebrate Cinco de Mayo!

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

CINCO DE MAYO FIRST THURSDAY

5 is the MAGIC NUMBER for our CINCO DE MAYO sale!!

20% off store-wide if there is a 5 in the price

To celebrate Mexican Independence day these Independent Dyers will be 20% off
Madeline Tosh
Alisha Goes Around
Prism
Blue Heron
Great Adirondack
Handmaiden
Koigu
Alchemy
Art Yarns
Lorna's Laces

20% off books with a 5 in the title, size us 5 needles
or any dpns (because they're 5 to a set)

20% off if you purchase 5 different kinds of yarn or needles
(not applicable to different colors of same yarn)

Take an extra 5% off if you get all of these discounts in one purchase!

20% discounts do NOT stack! Already marked down items are not eligible.

Sale Date: Thursday May 5, 2011

Want to shop online? The Cinco de Mayo sale webcode is CINCODEMAYO !
Just is input the code when you go to check out to get 20% off of anything on ourwebsite! Sorry - no free shipping on First Thursday Sales.
Discount code is good on May 5th only.

Bruce Weinstein is coming to HCW!

2011-05-03T10:11:00.001-05:00

Bruce is an award-winning cookbook author and avid knitter who recently added "knitting book author" to his title with his book KNITS MEN WANT.

While Bruce is in Austin to teach cooking at Lake Austin Spa he's agreed to teach some knitting classes at HCW. Since he's already in town he's giving us a great deal on class price and we're passing that on to you: you'll pay only $30 for a 3 hour class!

Call today to reserve your spot: 512-707-7396

And watch for an interview with Bruce-- I'll be posting one soon. Meanwhile, here are class details:

REVERSIBLE CABLE SCARF
May 14, 10 am - 1 pm
$30

Rule #10: Men are Oblivious.

We don't pay attention to our clothes. In fact, you might find me on any given day wearing my shirt inside out. So how do you knit for a guy and get over this problem? Knit a reversible cable scarf. The pattern in KNITS MEN WANT takes 5 cables and ribs and combines them to create a scarf that not only is the same front and back, but it's also challenging and fun to knit.

You'll find it so gorgeous, you might just want to knit it for yourself. Come start this amazing pattern with me and I'll show you how to vary the pattern to fit any yarn, thicker yarn makes it more feminine and he'll show you how to adapt the pattern to make it work.

Want to turn this gorgeous pattern into a blanket or throw? I will show you how to do that as well. We'll spend the first part of class choosing yarn and doing our swatches. Not necessarily for gauge, it's not crucial, but instead we'll swatch for fabric - to see how changing needle size changes the fabric we make and changes the finished document.

Knitting requirements: You must knit and purl - have experience with ribbing, and if you've never done cables, well if you're a quick study we can make that work but this is not a intro to cables class.

WOVEN KNITTING
May 15, 10 am - 1 pm
$30

There's nothing quite like creating a knitted garment that looks like it came right off a loom. It's easier than you think but goes against common sense. Very thin yarn... but much larger needles. Really? Sometimes.

I will show you how to knit his reversible herringbone scarf which looks loomed. But this one is made with a fairly thick yarn.

Then we'll move onto the linen stitch as well as a tweed stitch, and three and one (which I like to call a woven dense garter). Each of these is made with thinner yarn. Slipped stitches create dense fabric that's just perfect for throws, shawls, scarves, and even table runners.

Knitting requirements: You must knit and purl and be comfortable with a wide range of yarn gauges and needle sizes.

Spinning, Weaving-- Classes Beyond Knitting

2011-05-02T18:21:00.001-05:00

WEAVING & SPINNING at HCW!

SPINNING 101

May 7/8 a 2 day class

10-2

Fee: 65.00 (10.00 materials)

Learn to spin your own yarn in this 2 day class.

In this class you will learn how to prepare wool for spinning through carding, combing or lock spinning, use of prepared wool roving and top,
the difference between woolen and worsted, how to use a drop spindle, and how to use a spinning wheel

Prerequisites: none

Instructor: Deb Sayre

NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE REQUIRED!

WEAVING FOR KNITTERS

May 11

40.00

10-1

This is a perfect class for my fellow fiber fanatics! The loom we use is really portable and extremely easy to set up. You can use all kinds of knitting yarn from leftovers to all that sock yarn you haven't used yet. You will burn through your stash in not time. Weaving cloth is a magical thing and incredibly FAST!!!!

MATERIALS: Bring your Stash... or better yet, buy New Stash!

IMPORTANT: Student can bring their yarn in ahead of time to determine if it is suitable for this class
INSTRUCTOR: Suzanne Middlebrooks

Yoo-Hoo! It's Time for the Annual WAREHOUSE SALE!

2011-04-28T10:16:00.001-05:00

OFF SITE ANNUAL

WAREHOUSE REDUCTION SALE

(aka GIANT GARAGE SALE)

Friday April 29, 10 am - 6 pm
Saturday April 30, 9 am - 5 pm
Rain or shine!

35% - 80% off of retail prices!!!

Featuring these classics & much more:

Mission Falls

Noro

Berroco

Nashua

Rowan

Elsebeth Lavold

Queensland Collection

Claudia Handpaint

Fibre Company

St. Denis

Tahki

O-Wool

Lots of good basic yarns!

Tons of books and patterns!

Remember to go green with HCW and BYOB (Bring Your Own Bags)!

IMPORTANT INFO REGARDING SALE LOCATION

Address: 11313 Yucca Drive, Austin, TX 78759 (corner of Yucca and DK Ranch Road)

Click here for directions from HCW and see below for map.

Lots of Great Classes Coming Right Up!

2011-04-26T14:25:00.002-05:00

Coming up at Hill Country Weavers!

CONTINENTAL KNITTING

April 30

1-4

all levels welcome: Absolute Beginner to Perfectly Seasoned!

Fee: 40.00

Continental knitting AKA German style or pic knitting is a popular, fast, fun and very efficient way to knit!

Deb will teach you the continental way to knit, purl, and yarn over while creating a colorful market bag or these fun and fast washcloth/dishcloths.

Learn how to knit and purl by carrying the yarn in your left hand. Continental knitting is often used in color (fair isle knitting) and can help alleviate strain by using both hands to knit.

Patterns ranging in difficulty have been selected and revised to allow the new continental knitter to practice and hone their new skill. Students will receive copies of all patterns.

WASHCLOTH MATERIALS: Student will need 90-125 yards (per cloth) of any cotton or cotton blend yarn with a gauge from 4.5 - 5.5 stitches per inch. Needle size per yarn label.

MARKET BAG MATERIALS:

200 yards of a solid or variegated cotton

2 skeins in 2 different colors of Cotton Classic that compliment/contrast variegated yarn

US # 9 needles, 16" length (some like to switch to 24" as the bag gets larger)

4 Split ring stitch markers

Bring some wool or acrylic scrap yarn for practice and your knitting gear.

INSTRUCTOR: Deb Marvin

SOX ON 2 CIRCULARS

May 1/8

60.00

9:45-12:45

2 class series

Are you ready to learn this exciting way to knit a sock? Knitting socks with two circular needles is fast and fun! However, beware: it can become addictive! Join Fran and learn how to knit customize socks to fit all your family and friends.

Prerequisites: Basic knitting skills including long tail cast on method.

Materials: 2 24" circular needles and sport weight sock yarn

Fee: $60

Please purchase your materials before class.

IMPORTANT REMINDER: please have your yarn "knit-ready" (already wound into a ball) so that you do not miss class instruction time.

INSTRUCTOR: Janet Daum

Knit 101

May 2, 9, 16, 23(a 4 class series)
6:30 - 8:30 pm
Fee: $67 plus materials

Knit 101 is a comprehensive beginner level class designed to teach you the basics you need to get started!

Skills Taught:

Cast on
Knit stitch
Purl stitch
Knit 2 together
Bind off
Weave in ends
Working flat
Working in the round
Garter Stitch
Stockinette Stitch
Basic pattern reading
Fixing common problems
“Right Side” & “Wrong Side”

Learn how to use:

straight needles
circular needles
double pointed needles
stitch markers

DYE WORKSHOP

May 1

10-5

FEE: 60.00

INSTRUCTOR: Kennedy Berry

LEVEL: Absolute Beginner

DESCRIPTION: Have you ever wanted to dye your own yarn or fiber?

This class will teach you everything you need to know about dyeing wool and other animal fibers!
We will use professional washfast acid dyes to turn undyed yarn or wool into colorful handpainted skeins and fiber.

This class will cover everything from safe handling of dyes to color mixing and planning for your dye job to produce different color effects when knit or spun.

MATERIALS: 2-4 100 -150 gram hanks of undyed yarn or 4oz bundles of undyed fiber.

All yarn and fiber should be 100% protein fibers - wool, alpaca, silk, or other animal fibers.
We will NOT be able to dye cotton, bamboo or other plant fibers during this class.
All yarn and fiber should be white or "undyed" - shades of cream/ecru are fine. All yarn should be in skeins, not balls.

Optional:

Rubber gloves

Apron

Water-tight "tupperware"-style container to take wet/damp fiber home.