Mittens Accomplished

I have discovered I like blogging about knitting just about as much as I love knitting!! My first ever book on knitting was The Knitter's handy book of Patterns by Ann Budd. I just have to say that I have used this book over and over. My friend Marilyn King pointed me to it when I started designing socks. It is a must have for me--Tami just received a new supply so check them out. My mom, you may know her as Gram, just finished her first mitten using this book. I have the honor of knitting the men's mittens for my good friend Dave. (we hope he likes the Bronco's) So as you can see there are an assortment of sizes all packaged into one great book. Have a great holiday. Mikki Martin

Baby It's Cold Outside

I am learning a new toe up sock and love the way the heel stitches have formed a perfect heel. With previous patterns using short rows our knitters have note been pleased with the rather large holes where the heel turns. I am hoping to get these knitted up before going to work at the yarn store today, we will see!! Johnnie (one of my students) and I are knitting these socks in a private class. If you are interested give the store a call and we can work on a pair together. If I don't get them off the needles today I will be wearing them drinking hot chocolate with my family this next week. Our children and our grandson will be joining us in Denver with my brothers and sister(there are 6 of us)and all their children. Maybe I can get some of them knitting socks before they leave. Keep on knitting
Mikki

Snow Storm Knitting

Hello, my name is Mikki and I work at the yarn store part time. I love teaching everyone about the art of knitting. One of the classes I teach happens to be sock or beginning knitting on Sundays and I also teach the private lessons. Be watching as we are going to knit some great fingerless gloves out of Louise Harding's Grace yarn in one of my Sunday classes. If you are in the store stop by and view them. Last time I looked they were still on the counter. I am designing patterns for the Sock of the Every other Month Club. We are having a great time knitting our socks off and would love to have new members, you can join at any time. Mike and Max were so good to dig me out so I could make it down to my favorite hang out to teach a couple great ladies this weekend. More snow is on the way--WOW

Here is our latest Sock of the Every Other Month Club. I am loving knitting them up and to all of you who are members prepare to feel like dancing when you wear these beauties.


My mom and I knitted all these hats for her Grandchildren and great grandson. There is always a wide variety of yarn and patterns to pick from at the shop. Come down some Sunday and I would love to assist you in picking out some yarn for a new project or teaching you to knit. These wonderful ladies were my latest group to become addicted to the needles.

Sorry about the placement of the photos, after 3 hours on the computer I just gave up and will ask Robin next time we are together at Serendipity.

Hi, I’m Robin. I work a few hours a week at the store; it’s my pre-retirement peek into my next life. I’ve been a public school teacher and administrator for the last 22 years. I’m a skier (skate, cross country and telemark) and I’m loving this big dump of snow! In the fairer weather, I love to hike and ride my bike. And I’ve been a knitter since my cousin Diane taught me to knit when she was 12 and I was 7.

At any time I’m probably actively knitting three things. Something challenging- whether it be a new technique or an old one that requires concentration, it’s always something that I’m excited to knit and finish. Something that is a no-brainer. And, something that’s a request.

Right now I’m knitting the cabled vest from Louisa Harding – Bette from Winter’s Muse Classics. It’s a ten-row repeat that hasn’t yet settled completely into my brain, but I’m only halfway up the back, so there’s still hope. The yarn is Louisa Harding “Grace”, a sumptuous silk/wool blend. I chose a dark chocolate brown, but the store has a great selection of colors. I love this yarn; it’s soft and cuddly. Sometimes I just rub it against my cheek and daydream about how much I’m going to love this vest. It’s exquisite. Actually, I’m quite enamored of Louisa Harding’s style…she designs very soft, very flattering, beautifully shaped sweaters.

Then there’s the polar opposite…something that requires no thought at all. Since it’s approaching the holidays, I’m into dishrags. That’s right, delightful little squares for wiping the counters or cleaning up what’s in the sink. There is an Egyptian cotton, “Provence,” at the store that knits up beautifully and gets me 5 six-inch dishrags from each skein. My pattern of choice is to cast on 4 stitches, then K2, yo, K to end and repeat until I reach 41 stitches and a 6 inch diameter, then I begin the decreasing and K1, K2tog, yo, K2tog, K to end and I repeat that until 4 stitches remain, K a row, cast off. Sometimes I add a stripe, sometimes I just keep it plain. Besides the “Provence” there is a nice selection of other cottons perfect for sink duty.

And my final in-progress item falls in between and it’s always for someone else. I just finished making a gecko scarf for my 6-year-old friend Andy. He’s been asking me for a year to knit him a lizard and anytime he saw me knitting he’d ask if I had started his lizard. So, it’s done and it’s a hoot. The kit was from Morehouse knits; they have some adorable animal scarf kits. I bought it on-line. To go with it, I got one of the wooden Animalz lizards at Serendipity. A total lizard Christmas. So, I’ve got to start the next item, and the next requested item is from my brother-in-law Jay whose felted slippers have finally succumbed to a hole or two- he’s requested a new pair. I learned to spin this summer, thanks to Janet, Tami’s sister-in-law, and my spun mohair blend yarn will be perfect for this felting project.

Ciao!