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!!

This book belongs to: MM

Finished knit # 2 out of my Whimsical Little Knits book. Now I am planning # 3 which will be the Ishbel. Ishbel is a simple ( I love that it says simple) shawl pattern that can be worked in two sizes. I only have 430 yards of Prism Saki in the Harvest color way. Mine will have to be the smaller size.

We started the knit a long with Laura Deer today-most of our Saturday morning knitters were at the wool festival or out of town. Come next Saturday ready to begin her fun knit. Laura has patterns at Serendipity if you would like to join, it is never to late.

Here is knit number two and the only type of mouse that doesn't send me running for the first available chair to jump on. Tami was so kind to let me have some yarn out of her stash in the office. This mousie is out of cashmere!! He will be heading to Seaside, CA to spend the remainder of his days with Keenan (our grandson) This was a fun little knit, what I learned---that I can knit on small needles and pick up stitches for his I-cord limbs and alert ears. Come see him and lets give him a name before he takes his airplane ride to CA.