You are kidding--right???

Here is my knit starting Jan 1st. It took me most of the day to figure out what needle size I needed to knit this on. I did not think I would be dragging out my #1 addie's for this project. Really a sweater on sock needles!!! My upbringing says never quit if you said you were going to do something. So tonight I casted on 466 stitches on my size ones and knit 3 rows. Robin is also knitting a Hanne Falkenberg and we are knitting these projects together. She had a bit more time than I have and finished her Christmas knitting early so she it well under way on hers. I will keep you posted. Photos to follow
Oh, and thanks to Tami for encouraging her staff and letting us choose a sweater to knit. I just hope it will fit after all those stitches. :)

want to knit a hat with us??

Come on--join Laura as she leads this knit along Saturday mornings!! We are having a sale January 1st and I will guarantee there is some yarn that will work for this project. All you will need to do is down load your pattern, grab your sticks and some worsted weight yarn. It will be fun for sure.

To get your pattern go to Knitty.com and look up the Brambles hat. We will be starting soon, I will be looking for my yarn today while adjusting yarns in the store. Oh, and making grab bags for the big sale. Hope to see you on Saturday.

Wrap Me Up

We were kicking around the ideas for our next knit a long at the shop. Toni has made this "Wrap me Up" wrap and it is such a beautiful project. She recommends you have some knitting skills to join the group. I spent the morning sorting the Noro and we have plenty of colors to pick from. You will need your yarn and to down load your pattern before Feb 1 so you can join us on the first Saturday of Feb to meet with Toni and cast on. Toni learned so many techniques while knitting this project and always enjoyed knitting this because it is changing all the time.

As I set my knitting goals for 2011 I am sure I will be casting on right along with you all. I plan to only knit items that will challenge me in a new knitting skill. Come by and see her wrap and pick out your yarn.

It's Saturday

Saturdays are one of my favorite days at Serendipity. One of the reasons is because people like these two ladies come in. Alison finished up her Stephen West wrap for her mother in-law. What a gift she will receive this Christmas. This is the second of these wraps she has made for gifts this year, they are fun to knit and don't take loads of time.

Her Addi Lace needles came in!!! Waiting for months for the arrival made the minute even sweeter. There are a few pair of these left if you are thinking you want a set come on in. Men are coming in asking specifically for these when their better half says--please go to Serendipity and get those Addie lace needles for my gift!!

A few more photos

Here is just one more photo of our Christmas party. I felt very special when I arrived, this was our table and we were spoiled by being the only group there for our evening of food, fun and friends.

That was some Christmas Party!!

We slapped on our snow shoes and hiked in a little over a mile to the Tennessee Pass Cookhouse. There we were greeted by Rachel who took such good care of us. We had wine, a delicious meal and homemade rhubarb strawberry pie with real whip cream for dessert. Thanks to Tami for this gift of friendship and caring for her staff in such a precious way.

This kept us all warm and toastie while we dined.

The 1930's stove peculated our coffee to go with our pie.

Joan and Toni's first time snow shoeing--they were troopers. Robin is assisting Joan for the trip back down the mountain. If you are ever up Leadville you should give the folks at the Cookhouse a call and have a experience you will want to do again. You won't regret it for sure.

We are going snow shoeing!!

Just to let you all know the Serendipity Staff will be headed out early tomorrow to go snow shoeing and end up at the Tennessee Pass Cookhouse for some delicious food. I am very excited to go on this trip with my co-workers and boss. Thanks Tami for treating all of us.

We are leaving at 4:30 so the shop will be closed 30 minutes early. Oh, of course there will be lots of photos to follow.

Last Sturday

Last Saturday the store was a buzzing!! Joanna Johnson signing books and promoting the new book which is a story about a baby platypus. It was a wonderful day and to all of you who were in to get your books signed--thanks for coming. Martie drove all the way up from Colorado Springs. We all ate lots of chocolate and enjoyed spending a day with Joanna with her family. Be watching for the new book, we are expecting a return visit in the spring!! Have a wonderful Saturday and I am excited to see what is in store for me at Serendipity today. I just want to let you know I am in the 5% of the nation who love their job, that just makes me smile. Until next time, keep on knitting
Joanna and our first customer and her little on getting their book signed

My Christmas Gift

Robin has been knitting since Jan 2010 for her family. She would be finished up and ready to mail all the gifts off when she finished her brothers sweater. The pattern is knit in all one piece then seamed together. After much disappointment and felting she determined the sweater would not do for a male. I just happened to be working with her the very next day and what a gift I have received. Being tall and a big boned German girl has it"s benefits!!! I love my new gift from Robin so much I wore it 3 days in a row.

What to do about her brother and his gift. She casted on that day and had to rip out once. Let me tell you her needles can fly, the sweater below for her brother was knit in 10 days. I hope he will send us a photo for our blog page. Robin, thanks again. I am sure I received the better part of this trade.

What ever shall I wear tomorrow?

I finished my KAL!!! After deciding to knit lace I discoved a girl can not be without a set of blocking wires. We had three sets of them at the store so one of them went home with me and I am very pleased to beable to use them on my project. Blocking wires just make for nice crisp edges on lace projects. I think this might be the first ever project I have knit without a very apparent err :) Now I am ready for lace knit #2 but first to finish Mike's Christmas present. He is getting a pair of wool socks from me.

If this is dry I will be wearing my master piece to work as it has been cold and windy. I really can knit lace and enjoy the process.

Linda is our artist of the week

What inspired you to knit this project?
I was watching Mikki knit a beautiful green cabled sweater, and she kept telling me I could knit cables. She told me it would be fun and easy once I got started. So- I bought the yarn, a pattern book and started. The Knotty Knitters were very helpful and encouraging every Saturday while knitting on my sweater.

Tell us how you became so crafty?
My mother was and I learned many crafts from her.

What other art forms do you do?
Paint with watercolors, draw, and I am also learning to spin with a hand spindle

Tell us your favorite pastime here in these mountains

Linda is very active so her list is long. We love hearing her adventures. She loves: cycling, riding her horses & pack trips, hiking, and training sled dogs with her husband. Linda is outdoors anytime of year. Oh I also know she is quite the fly fisherman.

Fun knit for this Nana

I just want to let you all know this was one of the funnest knits I have done in quite some time. I couldn't put it down and it only took around 1 week of knitting for me to finish up. While family was viewing football and taking naps after eatting turkey I finished Speedbumps Phoebe Sweater to go along with her book. When the author comes to Serendipity next Saturday I will have her book signed just for her. This Ella Rae chunky really does wash and dry nicely. If you are around town come in tomorrow for our candy cane sale--our customers received some great savings today plus it was great fun.

Knit Along Completed

Janet finished her knit along project and was proudly wearing it when she arrived at Saturday morning knitting. Laura, the designer also finished hers. I am on my second ball of yarn and am working along toward the finishing of my scarf. Lots of others are close to the finish line with their KAL also. Laura is already thinking of ideas for our January Blues KAL. I shopped for some blue and purple colors to knit mine.

Can I just say I love KAL's--they make me finish projects and I love getting to knit them along with others.

We have a new trunk show in the store, it is the Christel-Seyfarth kits. Tami has one casted on the needles. They are amazing to say the least. Come in and sneak a peek. Maybe a good item to put on your wish list for Christmas.

Knit # 5

Here is knit # 5 out of Whimsical Little Knits--it is the Icing Swirl Hat. I used the new Chunky Mochi yarn. I also have some of the mini Mochi in my stash now. There are some great colors to choose from and I loved the feel of knitting with this yarn.
Ok, this was just to cute to resist taking photos of. Mary Grace came in and modeled the Phoebe"s sweater we had in the store. I say had because MG will be getting this sweater and the little Phoebe doll for a gift soon. It caused me to cast on mine for Speedbump. My Screech Owl mitts are almost done, had to rip back a long way because I forgot 2 rows of purl stitches right in the beginning. Lots of fun new goodies in the store, come by to see us soon.

Phoebe's in the house

Merriment is how this little "Cutie Pie" makes me feel. Knitting her was so much fun and I want to knit another soon. The illustrations in the book are remarkable plus it is a cute story about knitting a sweater. Sue knitted her Phoebe and she is visiting the yarn store for a time.

Come by and see them or drop by on the 4th of December

and have your book signed by the author Joanna Johnson.

Artist of the Week

Ann is our artist of the week---She has been working on this wonderful vest and it has been fun to see it take shape and be ready to wear on the first cold day.

What inspired you to knit your project??

I love to buy yarn when I travel, and I especially look for yarn that is local to the area. I found this yarn in Fredericksburg TX. The vest just seemed to be what the yarn wanted to do.

What kinds of crafts do you do?

Mostly just knit, although one of current projects is a crocheted afghan.

How did you learn to be so crafty?

My sister decided to teach herself to crochet during one summer visit at our grandparents house in Iowa. I followed suit and knitting was the next logical step. I'm totally enamored with the variety of color, weight and texture that knitting offers.

Thanks Ann for being our artist of the week---knit on.

A new Twist

I recently had the pleasure of learning to make my own fiber--Janet Yinger is a wonderful instructor. Tami gifted me this top whirl spindle, Laura gave me the remainder of the tools need to make my yarn. I now have enough fiber made to start a pair of fingerless gloves. Photos of those to follow soon.

The weather has been nice enough here in BV to take our 3:00 o'clock spinning break out in the yard. I aspire to make my fiber look like Tami's some day. We have some new roving in our spinning room to drool over. What color should I choose, I am becoming very fond of purple. Two years ago I told my knitting friends I will never wear purple. Be careful what you say!! Until next time.

Artist of the Week

Jan is our featured artist for this week at Serendipity. The other Saturday morning knitters were wanting to knit this sweater also now that she has completed this beauty.

What inspired you to knit this sweater ?

A very cute and talented relative has this sweater on at a family reunion. I didn't think I could knit such a complicated looking pattern but she sent the pattern and encouragement. Three years later here I am in it!!

What kind of crafts do you do?

I paint in oil, water media and pastel. I love drawing and just did 13 drawings for "A PERFECT SEASON", my sons book on coaching youth baseball.

How did you learn to be so crafty?

Practice

Jan is such a delight to hang out with on Saturday mornings--come knit with us and I am sure you will be inspired by her.

Put me in coach---I am ready to play

Here it is--the 3rd knit out of my new favorite book. Whimsical Little Knits has something for everyone I think. I just finished this last night, the color is called harvest and it is Prism sock yarn. I have some Madeline Tosh yarn saved back for my next lace project, I am just waiting for my instructor of lace projects to send me her ideas for what I should cast on the needles next. Her husband had to have surgery on his wrist so I will give her plenty of time to love on him. That way I can finish up a few projects I have going, my dads slippers are progressing right along. I forgot what it is like to knit with bulky yarn and size 8 needles.

Here is the knit along and I am ready to get in the game coach, you can pick something a bit harder I do believe. I am not ready to throw the project in the wood stove and am having fun knitting it. I wonder what she will come up with?? Until then I will need to purchase some blocking wires from Serendipity, I think I will be a lace knitter after all. Please bring in your knit a longs so I can take a photo to post on the blog.

Number 1 left the store!!

Here is my next project for the store--after bending Joan's ear for a painful few minutes (it may of seemed like hours to her) I have decided how I am going to get all my knitting done. I don't do well with to many projects going at once--3 is my limit. So I am doing one knit for Serendipity, one for furthering my knitting skills, and the last one will be a gifted knit. On my needles now--my educational knit, (the twig lace pattern) I finished the knit for the store and I will con someone tomorrow into letting me take a photo of them with it on. I will cast on knit #4 from the Whimsical Little Knits which will be my dads slippers. Joan helped me get all this wound today, I will need to chain 404 stitches and then away I will go. Photo's to follow.

This wonderful lady picked the first skein of Madeline Tosh yarn today to give to her mother in law. We have great colors and lace, sock, or worsted to pick from. Lesson I am learning working at Serendipity, if you want it don't wait to long--it will walk right out the door with another yarn lover.

This color is called caravan, her mother in law makes these really cute fingerless mitts with buttons on them. Joan and I now have some new ideas to add to our mitts.

Yarn on Stage

Sandy wore this sweater in just for me!!

It was a very hot day for wearing a sweater for sure. One of the highlights of my Saturday's is Sandy coming in to visit.

Here is Marti-- We took a cable knitting class with over 3 years ago when the shop was at the old location. I love making knitting friends and now we have one more thing in common. (our son's are in the Navy) She better buy some good black yarn and gets the specifics and she can knit him a hat!! I made a black hat for our son--didn't meet the regulations to wear on a submarine so he wears I hope. Marti was celebrating her upcoming birthday, and digging in the free sock yarn with a purchase. It was wonderful to see her smile and catch up a bit.

Some of the Yarns on Stage--Saturday was a fun, fun day in the store. Thanks to all who shared the day with us. We still have some of the colors left so come take a look

Lucy wins blue

Lucy designed, knit, and chose the fiber of alpaca to make this wonderful sweater. She entered it in a contest and is proudly wearing her sweater and that prized blue ribbon. It was my pleasure to assist Lucy in the project by finding some Lonesome Stone alpaca in a range of fall colors to do the trim. Robin spent time talking (in Spanish) with Lucy to aid in the finishing of her design. Way to go Lucy.

To Lace Knit or NOT to Lace Knit

Laura is helping ladies at Serendipity with this lace knit along. As I talked her into designing a pattern and getting people excited about lace knitting on Saturday mornings I knew I better get going on my knit along.

So first I picked out my favorite color of yarn, its lace weight by Spud and Chloe. That part was easy, then I cast on the recommended 53 stitches on some size five wooden needles. There might of been my first mistake, I ripped that out twice, the first time because my stitches were not adding up, second time was because the fabric I was creating was way to loopy. I must of been loopy when I picked up size 5's. That gave me a new excuse to buy a pair of the square needles all the sock knitters in the store have been raving about. So with a shining new pair of size 3's (which I LOVE) I once again cast on the recommended 53 stitches. It is foggy how many times I have ripped back and unknitted-I think I might of even said some inappropriate words a few times. I so want to be a lace knitter like Laura, Cathy, Mary Beth, and all the Saturday morning knitters. I have set a goal to become better at lace and I will preserver. Wish me luck and you can always ask to see it when you drop by the store. That way I will keep at it so it won't be the same size every time you come in :). Keep knitting
Your knitting (maybe lace) Buddy
Mikki

They are so Ugly they are Cute

They are really cute and each Ugly doll comes with a story of their own. Joan's granddaughter Grace is taking hers to show and tell. I think a couple will have to go to California for Keenan.

This young gentleman learned to knit at Boys and Girls club here in BV. Once he spied the needles he came right behind the counter and started knitting right along. He and his family were in the store that day getting yarn for his next project. It is my passion that my love for knitting to be passed on. I love it when young people are learning to create with their hands. Keep up the good work buddy!!