Saturday, August 30, 2008

Class: Knit Your First Hat

Have you been knitting on straight needles, and been wanting an introduction to circulars and double-pointed needles? If you can already cast on, knit, and purl, this class is for you!

September 11 and 18 (Thursdays) | 6-8 PM

$65 | All materials (yarn, circular needles, and a set of double-pointed needles) included

Do you already know how to cast on, knit and purl... but have just not yet branched out into circulars or double-pointed needles? This will be a great introduction for both of those techniques as you will start a hat from the brim using circulars, and slowly decrease while learning how to use double-pointed needles.

Classes do fill up early; so please reserve your space in the class by paying in advance as it is unlikely we will be able to accommodate walk-ins. All classes limited to five people unless otherwise stated. A minimum of 2 students is required for most classes to take place – some classes may require a higher minimum, please call or email us for more information. If the minimum for a class is not reached, we will cancel or reschedule the class and a full refund will be given.

Class: Knitting 101 - Learn the basics in three hours

Saturday September 6, 2008
10:30 AM – 1:30 PM | $25 | Materials Included

All knitting is made up of two stitches: the knit stitch and the purl stitch. This class will teach you both (plus casting on and binding off), and we will be making a small sachet or headband while learning your brand new skills! This class is for all types of beginners: from those who have never touched yarn and knitting needles before to those who have knitted in the past but need a quick refresher to get back into the swing of things. Students will walk away with a finished project or a soon-to-be completed plus the skills to embark on a fun and relaxing new hobby!



Classes do fill up early; so please reserve your space in the class by paying in advance as it is unlikely we will be able to accommodate walk-ins. All classes limited to five people unless otherwise stated. A minimum of 2 students is required for most classes to take place – some classes may require a higher minimum, please call or email us for more information. If the minimum for a class is not reached, we will cancel or reschedule the class and a full refund will be given.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

The Hanks Question of the Week

When you're planning your vacation crochet/knitting (I'm not the only one that does that, right...?) do you plan on bringing a bunch of small projects? Or one big project? And do you bring an emergency back-up project should the stars align and you wind up finishing what you bring with you? Or do you shop for vacation yarn, and start a new project while traveling?

Monday, August 25, 2008

The Fifth Annual Florida Fiber-In

The Fifth Annual Florida Fiber-In is coming up soon!

September 19-21, 2008
at the
Hampton Inn Cocoa Beach
3425 N. Atlantic Ave.
Cocoa Beach, Florida 32931

The Florida Fiber In was established as a way for Fiber Nuts to come together in an informal setting to learn from each other and share our passion. If your passion involves string please join us the third weekend in September at the Hampton Inn, Cocoa Beach, Florida.

Here are a few photos from 2006 (we missed 2007 due to trying to get the shop open)--

After the vendors closed

Taking over the lobby

Oh, the happy, happy knitters

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Sugarbeestudios! Politically Incorrect Yarns and Fibers!

I've been holding out on you, spinners. I'd like to introduce you to... One Night Stand Fiber Batts... this is Danny.

Danny (mosaic)

This is some yarn that I spun up using Sugarbeestudio's Politically Incorrect Yarns and Fibers, which is a new line that we're carrying here in the shop. We will not have these online, as she also sells on Etsy (look up Sugarbeestudios)-- so you'll have to come in and see the goodness in person. I would take a photo of what we have in stock right now, except that in the last six days since we got it, we've already sold about half of it!

Friday, August 22, 2008

The weather outside is frightful, but new yarn is so delightful

Pretty much everyone who's official in Gainesville may be closed today (City employees, UF, the restaurant I tried to go to last night...) but we're open again today, in spite of Fay dropping inches of rain on us!

Also, we have new yarn!

Aslan Trends

Aslan Trends, a new line for us. We have one new 100% cotton and two more new cotton blends-- we'll be putting these out this morning and getting them up on the website over the weekend as time allows.

So... come visit! We'll be here, with coffee and tea, and new yarn!

Thursday, August 21, 2008

We're open... are you?

It's like social hour at the yarn store this morning, as many businesses in Gainesville are shutting down due to Fay and many regulars are showing up just to hang out. We love that!


Unless things get much worse than we're expecting (and who knows; she doesn't seem terribly bad, but she is moving very slowly and headed right for us) we are open! So come join us as we hang out, knit, crochet, have impromptu seaming lessons, and watch the rain blow across the parking lot!

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

The Hanks Question of the Week

Do you find, like someone with whom I was recently speaking, that your fiber crafting tends to wind down in the heat of summer? Or are you like the three of us in that it doesn't matter, you simply *must* have fiber running through your fingers no matter what the outside temperature?

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Mmmmm, Malabrigo restock!

This week we received a wonderful restock order on some Malabrigo; many colors in lace, silky merino, and the worsted weight are now back in stock!

Friday, August 15, 2008

Friday Five: Five things that you're working on

Let's shake up the Friday Five (hello, is anyone reading this?) and get some answers from y'all. For this Friday Five, I'd like to hear five things that you're working on doing or getting done in your life, and they don't even have to be fiber related!

For instance, five things I'm working on are...
... scanning in about 60 years of old family slides and photos. It's taking fifty forevers, and I love it. Lately I've been on a roll, scanning for about an hour a day as I do other things around the house at the same time.
... learning new things to cook. I hate to cook, yet do most of the cooking in my household-- mostly for the reason that up until recently, in addition to being the Worlds Pickiest Eater, I was also a quasi-vegetarian. My husband is a steakatarian and didn't want to cook anything that would gross me out. Now I'm getting some adult-onset food allergies that are causing me to do almost a 100% change of my diet. So I'm studying cookbooks and trying new things.
... I'm working to reclaim my house from 13 years of living there and never quite unpacking everything. Yeah, I'm admitting that. Stuff in boxes for more than a decade. Yes; as I'm opening them, I am in fact throwing a majority of stuff away.
... being better about walking my dog. I need the exercise; she needs the exercise. She is, however, getting on in years and doesn't like to walk quite as long (she's also huge and hairy, and gets overheated easily). But I'm working on getting more of a routine of taking a walk every day that it's not raining in the morning.
... knitting! Yes, I know I just said that your five things didn't have to be fiber related. But fiber is why you're reading this blog, right?! So, I'm knitting. I'm working on September's scarf, a pair of socks, a cowl, a Dr. Who scarf, and for some reason, a long-sleeved pullover in 100% wool (those last two aren't seeing too much work, to be honest...).

So. Are there five things in your lives that you're filling your days with? Let us know what they are!

Are you my mommy?

I think this may be a bunny. Or a bear. Uhm... or a dog? ... Kangaroo...? Either way, it is sad and lonely and just sort of hanging out. It is great proof, though, that we have crocheters in the house!


But someone is probably missing it, so we hope that you and your bunny/bear/dog/kangaroo can be reunited soon!

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Bamboo!

Somehow I feel like there should be a knock-knock joke in there.
Knock knock!
Who's there?
Bam!
Bam who?
Bamboo!


People have been asking for bamboo lately (I'm pretty sure they're not feeding it to secluded pandas...) and so we are testing the waters with some South West Trading Company Bamboo. It is (of course) 100% Bamboo, comes in a put-up of 250 yards/100 g, has a recommended gauge of 20 sts/inch on a US #6, and retails for $13.50.

We can get many other colors easily and quickly, so please let us know if there's a particular colorway for which you are on the lookout!

Saturday, August 2, 2008

New Rocket Yarn!

This one is for the locals-- we have some new Rocket Yarn in! Rocket Yarn is dyed locally in Lake City by the very talented Celena; this time around she did some in her standard Merino/Nylon base, but she's also trying out a new Merino/Silk base. Come and get it!

New Rocket Yarn

Friday, August 1, 2008

More Lorna's Laces!

We do love the Lorna's around these parts! Which is good, because look what we got in--

New Lorna's

Three worsted weights (Franklin’s Panopticon, Blackwatch, and Cool) ; three sport weights (Franklin’s Panopticon, Butterscotch, and Sunshine); and four sock weights (Franklin’s Panopticon, Amethyst Stripe, Bee Stripe, and Lilac). We're working on getting them up on the website now!