Third Thursday Night Spinners

Please join us at Wild Iris Books for Third Thursday Spinners on December 16th, 2010 from 5-7 PM; bring your wheel or drop spindle and some fiber and sit with others to do some spinning!



Wild Iris Books
802 West University Avenue
Gainesville, FL 32601
(352) 375-7477

Just in time for Thanksgiving!

Our Indian Corn colorway is now available! Get yours now at our online shop.

Self-Striping Yarn now available!

We are just pleased as punch to be carrying the self-striping yarns of String Theory Colorworks. We have several colors of three bases available. The silk blend is especially yummy! Clicky below to check it out!
http://www.hanksyarn.com/stringtheorycolorworks.aspx

Third Thursday Night Spinners

Please join us at Wild Iris Books for Third Thursday Spinners on November 18th, 2010 from 5-7 PM; bring your wheel or drop spindle and some fiber and sit with others to do some spinning!



Wild Iris Books
802 West University Avenue
Gainesville, FL 32601
(352) 375-7477

Coming in December.... Grey Gardens!

December will see the release of the June 2010 Sock Club colorway, Grey Gardens.

Normally we don't ask in advance "who wants what", but this colorway was very popular and I've heard a handful of people - myself included - state that they want a sweater's quantity in either sport or worsted. So this is an official call out - if you want us to dye up a garment's worth of either sport or worsted for you, please email hanksyarn@gmail.com by November 20th with the yarn base you want (Sock, Sport, Worsted, or Lace - and if you want sock, which base yarn you want) and how many skeins you want (for example, "I would like 10 skeins of Grey Gardens in Superwash Merino Worsted"). And we will make that happen for you in December!

Thanks, y'all!

Coming soon... Indian Corn!

Right now we just have it in Sock and Sport weights, but if you want it in anything else just drop us a line!

If you're in October sock club, check your mailbox this week!

Because something soft and shiny this way comes!

Third Thursday Night Spinners

Please join us at Wild Iris Books for Third Thursday Spinners on October 21st, 2010 from 5-7 PM; bring your wheel or drop spindle and some fiber and sit with others to do some spinning!



Wild Iris Books
802 West University Avenue
Gainesville, FL 32601
(352) 375-7477

FO: Green Gable

Yarn: Elsabeth Lavold Silky Wool
Needles: US 4
Pattern:  Green Gable by Rachel Bishop (with slight modifications)

See you tonight?

Will we see you tonight? Even if, like me, all you're doing is swatching?

---

What: a KAL/CAL, wherein you can knit or crochet any project you like, using the Hanks Yarn and Fiber line of yarns, Perhaps Today is a Good Day to Dye (available at our online store although you are certainly more than welcome to use anything in your stash). You can use any weight, any colorway, any project. Easy!

Where: Starbucks on the corner of NW 13th St/16th Ave generally from about 6-8 although we reserve the right to stay later if we’re having a great time or online via this thread and any blog posts (if you have a blog). Easy!

When: OK, this is the complicated part. Break out your calendars. Every Thursday barring holidays (I hear Thanksgiving is coming up in a few months? already? time flies!) and Third Thursday Spinners, as we are already committed to that. So we will be meeting on the following dates:
October 7, 14, 28
November 4, 11
December 2, 9, and the 30th if anyone is in town

Why: Besides the obvious of loving to crochet and knit, and loving our yarns, this time around we have prizes! People who finish before the end of December should send us a picture of the finished work. When everyone who has finished sends us a picture, we will have a drawing for prizes, of which there will be three. First prize is a skein of yarn in any colorway of ours that you want and a yarn mug in your choice of solid colors. Other prizes will be announced as time gets closer.

We hope that some of you will join us in person, and those of our friends who live far away will join us online!

FO: Faraway, So Close

Yarn: too many to mention
Needles: US 6
Pattern:  Faraway, So Close by Carina Spencer (slightly modified)

Perhaps Today is a Good Day to Dye October–December 2010 KAL/CAL

Please join us in another fun KAL/CAL!

What: a KAL/CAL, wherein you can knit or crochet any project you like, using the Hanks Yarn and Fiber line of yarns, Perhaps Today is a Good Day to Dye (available at our online store although you are certainly more than welcome to use anything in your stash). You can use any weight, any colorway, any project. Easy!

Where: Starbucks on the corner of NW 13th St/16th Ave generally from about 6-8 although we reserve the right to stay later if we’re having a great time or online via this thread and any blog posts (if you have a blog). Easy!

When: OK, this is the complicated part. Break out your calendars. Every Thursday barring holidays (I hear Thanksgiving is coming up in a few months? already? time flies!) and Third Thursday Spinners, as we are already committed to that. So we will be meeting on the following dates:
October 7, 14, 28
November 4, 11
December 2, 9, and the 30th if anyone is in town

Why: Besides the obvious of loving to crochet and knit, and loving our yarns, this time around we have prizes! People who finish before the end of December should send us a picture of the finished work. When everyone who has finished sends us a picture, we will have a drawing for prizes, of which there will be three. First prize is a skein of yarn in any colorway of ours that you want and a yarn mug in your choice of solid colors. Other prizes will be announced as time gets closer.

We hope that some of you will join us in person, and those of our friends who live far away will join us online.

Thanks, y’all!

FO: Welt Fantastic

Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in "Woodlawn", and Perhaps Today is a Good Day to Dye in "One Hit Wonder"
Needles: US 3
Pattern: Welt Fantastic by Charlene Schurch

Yarn club reminder

For the next four days, you can still head on over to our online shop and sign up for one of three sock clubs and our new lace yarn club! Returning subscribers won't want to miss any of Lorena's fabulous hand-dyed sock yarn, and newbies will finally be able to get that yarn that you've been lusting after as soon as it's available. And lace! Maybe sock yarn isn't really your thing - so by popular request we've got a lace club this time around as well!


2010/2011 Sock Club:

There are three options for the 2010/2011 club. Please read the options carefully and choose the one that best suits your wants and desires. If you are leaning towards the three-month option, please note that Option 2 is for semi-solid yarns (such as our colors Irish Coffee, Green Grass, and Grey Gardens), and that Option 3 is for multi-colored yarns (such as our colors The 80's Have Called, Sock Monkey, and Sweet Baby James). The prices for all options include shipping.


Option 1 –
$155
You will get six 400-yard skeins of hand-dyed sock yarn, one each during the months of October, December, February, April, June, and August. This must be paid for by September 26th, 2010.

Option 2 -
$80
You will get three semi-solid 400-yard skeins of hand-dyed sock yarn, one each during the months of October, February, and June. This must be paid for by September 26th, 2010.

Option 3 -
$80
You will get three multi-color 400-yard skeins of hand-dyed sock yarn, one each during the months of December, April, and August. This must be paid for by November 15th, 2010.

And now, the pinky swear: we promise to send you hand-dyed sock yarn and we promise to do our best to produce a quality product. We promise that the color for each month will not be for sale in our shop until six months after the month that we send it to you. We understand that the colors we choose to dye may not wind up being your particular favorite; we ask that just as we are not selling that color in a retail setting for six months, that you also do the same and promise not to sell anything you don’t like until after the six month mark.

2010/2011 Lace Club:

We are doing a very limited lace club! There is one option for this club:

Option Only:
$90
You will get three semi-solid 1300-yard skeins of hand-dyed lace yarn, one each during the months of October, February, and June. These will be the same colors of the corresponding sock club. This must be paid for by September 26th, 2010.

This club comes with the same pinky swear: We promise to send you hand-dyed lace yarn and we promise to do our best to produce a quality product. We promise that the color for each month will not be for sale in our shop until six months after the month that we send it to you. We understand that the colors we choose to dye may not wind up being your particular favorite; we ask that just as we are not selling that color in a retail setting for six months, that you also do the same and promise not to sell anything you don’t like until after the six month mark.

FO: Central Park Hoodie

Yarn: Malabrigo Worsted Weight in Verde Adriana
Needles: US 7
Pattern: #13 Central Park Hoodie by Heather Lodinsky

What's the oddest thing you've crafted with?

Because here's someone demonstrating how to knit with Ramen Noodles.

Eight reasons why you should come to Fiber-In this weekend

Look for our booth!

FO: Celtic Spirit

Yarn: Perhaps Today is a Good Day to Dye in Superwash Merino; the June 2010 club colorway, "Grey Gardens"
Needles: US #1, DPNs
Pattern: Celtic Spirit Socks by Judy Alexander

Third Thursday Night Spinners

Please join us at Wild Iris Books for Third Thursday Spinners on September 16th, 2010 from 5-7 PM; bring your wheel or drop spindle and some fiber and sit with others to do some spinning!



Wild Iris Books
802 West University Avenue
Gainesville, FL 32601
(352) 375-7477

I was hoping this would be funny, but...

Clearly, the person who drew this Venn Diagram on Cardigans is not a knitter.

Still time for yarn clubs!

There's still time for you to head on over to our online shop and sign up for one of three sock clubs and our new lace yarn club! Returning subscribers won't want to miss any of Lorena's fabulous hand-dyed sock yarn, and newbies will finally be able to get that yarn that you've been lusting after as soon as it's available. And lace! Maybe sock yarn isn't really your thing - so by popular request we've got a lace club this time around as well!


2010/2011 Sock Club:

There are three options for the 2010/2011 club. Please read the options carefully and choose the one that best suits your wants and desires. If you are leaning towards the three-month option, please note that Option 2 is for semi-solid yarns (such as our colors Irish Coffee, Green Grass, and Grey Gardens), and that Option 3 is for multi-colored yarns (such as our colors The 80's Have Called, Sock Monkey, and Sweet Baby James). The prices for all options include shipping.


Option 1 –
$155
You will get six 400-yard skeins of hand-dyed sock yarn, one each during the months of October, December, February, April, June, and August. This must be paid for by September 26th, 2010.

Option 2 -
$80
You will get three semi-solid 400-yard skeins of hand-dyed sock yarn, one each during the months of October, February, and June. This must be paid for by September 26th, 2010.

Option 3 -
$80
You will get three multi-color 400-yard skeins of hand-dyed sock yarn, one each during the months of December, April, and August. This must be paid for by November 15th, 2010.

And now, the pinky swear: we promise to send you hand-dyed sock yarn and we promise to do our best to produce a quality product. We promise that the color for each month will not be for sale in our shop until six months after the month that we send it to you. We understand that the colors we choose to dye may not wind up being your particular favorite; we ask that just as we are not selling that color in a retail setting for six months, that you also do the same and promise not to sell anything you don’t like until after the six month mark.

2010/2011 Lace Club:

We are doing a very limited lace club! There is one option for this club:

Option Only:
$90
You will get three semi-solid 1300-yard skeins of hand-dyed lace yarn, one each during the months of October, February, and June. These will be the same colors of the corresponding sock club. This must be paid for by September 26th, 2010.

This club comes with the same pinky swear: We promise to send you hand-dyed lace yarn and we promise to do our best to produce a quality product. We promise that the color for each month will not be for sale in our shop until six months after the month that we send it to you. We understand that the colors we choose to dye may not wind up being your particular favorite; we ask that just as we are not selling that color in a retail setting for six months, that you also do the same and promise not to sell anything you don’t like until after the six month mark.

Florida Fiber-In

Y'all do know about Florida Fiber-In, coming up soon now? If you're in the Orlando area on or around September 17-19th, come see us! We'll have a booth there! And we'll be bringing not just fiber, but our yarns, and a couple of other surprise goodies!

FO: Indian Penny

Yarn: Perhaps Today is a Good Day to Dye; Cash Sock in "Indian Corn"
Needles: US 1
Pattern: Copper Penny Socks by Nancy Bush

FO: 2009 Afghan

Seriously? I didn't post about this yet?



Yarn: too many to mention
Needles: US 8
Pattern: 2009 Afghan by Lorena Haldeman and Sharon Emery

Friday Photo: Third Thursday Spinners

FO: Iris the Gourmet Monster

Yarn: Lorna's Laces Green Line DK in "Zombie BBQ"
Needles: US 4
Pattern: Iris the Gourmet Monster by Rebecca Danger; a kit from Lorna's Laces

Friday Photo: Sample Cards

G-ma's Candy

Also coming soon to our shop, the February 2010 sock club colorway, G-ma's Candy. Right now we only have it in Cash Sock, but later it will be available in our other sock bases as well. Due to the nature of this colorway - 300 yards of semi-striping and a smaller 100-yard skein of a solid color - it most likely will not be released in Sport and Worsted weights.

Superwash Merino Worsted restocks

Coming this week - Superwash Merino Worsted restocks!

Sock and Lace Clubs have arrived!

Head on over to the website and check out the front page for the sock clubs and our new lace yarn club! Returning subscribers won't want to miss any of Lorena's fabulous hand-dyed sock yarn, and newbies will finally be able to get that yarn that you've been lusting after as soon as it's available. We still have spaces left in the Fiber Club too!


2010/2011 Sock Club:

There are three options for the 2010/2011 club. Please read the options carefully and choose the one that best suits your wants and desires. If you are leaning towards the three-month option, please note that Option 2 is for semi-solid yarns (such as our colors Irish Coffee, Green Grass, and Grey Gardens), and that Option 3 is for multi-colored yarns (such as our colors The 80's Have Called, Sock Monkey, and Sweet Baby James). The prices for all options include shipping.


Option 1 –
$155
You will get six 400-yard skeins of hand-dyed sock yarn, one each during the months of October, December, February, April, June, and August. This must be paid for by September 26th, 2010.

Option 2 -
$80
You will get three semi-solid 400-yard skeins of hand-dyed sock yarn, one each during the months of October, February, and June. This must be paid for by September 26th, 2010.

Option 3 -
$80
You will get three multi-color 400-yard skeins of hand-dyed sock yarn, one each during the months of December, April, and August. This must be paid for by November 15th, 2010.

And now, the pinky swear: we promise to send you hand-dyed sock yarn and we promise to do our best to produce a quality product. We promise that the color for each month will not be for sale in our shop until six months after the month that we send it to you. We understand that the colors we choose to dye may not wind up being your particular favorite; we ask that just as we are not selling that color in a retail setting for six months, that you also do the same and promise not to sell anything you don’t like until after the six month mark.

2010/2011 Lace Club:

We are doing a very limited lace club! There is one option for this club:

Option Only:
$90
You will get three semi-solid 1300-yard skeins of hand-dyed lace yarn, one each during the months of October, February, and June. These will be the same colors of the corresponding sock club. This must be paid for by September 26th, 2010.

This club comes with the same pinky swear: We promise to send you hand-dyed lace yarn and we promise to do our best to produce a quality product. We promise that the color for each month will not be for sale in our shop until six months after the month that we send it to you. We understand that the colors we choose to dye may not wind up being your particular favorite; we ask that just as we are not selling that color in a retail setting for six months, that you also do the same and promise not to sell anything you don’t like until after the six month mark.

FO: Zanzibar in Red

Yarn: Malabrigo Sock in "Ravelry Red"
Needles: US 1
Pattern: Zanzibar by Cookie A.

This pattern was crazy easier than it looked; however, if I were to do it again I would make the top a bit longer and throw in some extra ribbing that would decrease into nothing before turning the heel.

Friday Photo: August Sock Club is ready!

Third Thursday Night Spinners

Please join us at Wild Iris Books for Third Thursday Spinners on August 19th, 2010 from 5-7 PM; bring your wheel or drop spindle and some fiber and sit with others to do some spinning!



Wild Iris Books
802 West University Avenue
Gainesville, FL 32601
(352) 375-7477

August Sock Club is ready!

Please enjoy this black-and-white teaser photo -



If you’re in the sock club and if it’s being mailed to you, start looking in your box by early next week.

If you’re in the sock club and usually pick up, I have a couple of options for pick-up.

- I will be at the Stitch ‘n’ Bitch at Books-a-Million on NW 13th Street this Sunday, August 15th, from 2-4:30.
- I will be at Wild Iris Books on University Avenue for Third Thursday Night Spinners a week from tomorrow, August 19th, from 5-7 PM.
- If neither one of those times/locations are good for you, please drop me a line with your address and I will happily put it in the mail for you.

And stay tuned for information next week on the next upcoming sock - AND LACE - clubs!

FO: Feather by the Roadside

Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in "Roadside Gerry"
Needles: US 1
Pattern: Generic toe-up with a feather&fan stitch pattern

Friday Photo

Here's a teaser for those of you in the sock club...



I was hoping to have Sock Club finished and ready to distribute this weekend, but it's taking me a little longer than I thought; so if this is usually mailed to you I will get it out by the middle of next week, and if you usually pick it up I will be bringing yours to Stitch 'n' Bitch (at Books-a-Million on NW 13th Street from 2-4:30) on Sunday, August 15th. Of course if you usually pick it up but would like it mailed, drop us a line - we'll be happy to do that!

FO: Cable that Bag!

Yarn: Trendsetter Merinos VIII in "Martini"
Needles: US #7, double-pointed
Pattern: Cable That Bag! by Chrissy Gardiner

More sock restocks!

I know last week I said there would be worsted weight, but I'm still working on re-winding it; so this week there is both Bamboo Sock and Superwash Merino sock. It'll show up on the website shortly -- enjoy!

FO: Lonely Vera

Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport in "Vera"
Needles: US #3, two circulars
Pattern: was just a lonely pair of toes for the longest time; eventually settled on Kaiso by Judy Sumner

Hanks 2010 Fiber Club!

I'm kind of excited! And I hope you are too. Check out the details for our new fiber club!

Coming soon - sock restock

Coming this week - a few restock colors in both Cash Sock and BFL Sock. Expect Bamboo Sock and some Worsted Weight next week!

Friday Photo: Spinning at Wild Iris

How many feet do you recognize?!

Ye'kwana Basket Weaving

I got this in an email from our former neighbors (whom we still love dearly!), Alternatives, and thought I'd share it in case anyone was looking for something fun to do this weekend. Many of you have baskets from Alternatives for your yarn - you might really appreciate this event!

Join us in a celebration of Ye'kwana Basket Weaving

Kanapaha Botanical Gardens and Earth Bound invite you to a special event
Meet the artisans: Aurora Rodriguez and Simon Caura from the Orinoco of Venezuela
Reception: Friday, July 16, 7-9 PM
Weaving Demonstration and Exhibit of traditional and contemporary baskets
Where: Kanapaha Botanical Gardens; 4700 SW 58th Drive (admission is free). For further information contact Alternatives at 335-0806 or visit Kanapaha.org.

Event is co-sponsored by Earth Bound, Kanapaha, and Alternatives.

The new dye bar

If you're local, you know we used to dye the yarn at the shop, in the dye bar/bar bar/kitchen. What with no longer having the bricks-and-mortar portion of our shop, obviously that had to change -- so let me show y'all what my fabulous husband did in our house, in a small room at the back of our house that really had no other use other than storage.



1. Not your ordinary 2x4 - I love what Tim did here with rounding off the corners. It's a small detail, unlikely to be noticed unless you're looking up; but it makes it classy and impresses those who notice.
2. Shelves, stocked with dye - And room to grow! The shelves are deep enough to hold two (one in use, one backstock) and ultimately should be able to house all of the available colors. Which means lots of new colorways! Whoot!
3. Crock pots a-ready - I have base yarn on the way, and these should start seeing use by the end of next week!
4. Standing in doorway, looking to left - We debated putting doors on the shelves under the sink, and decided not to; eventually, though, the shelves under the crock pots will have doors in order to keep backstock protected. Notice also the small bar above the sink; this'll be great for moving yarn from the crock pots to the sink without having to take them off the hangers.
5. The drying rack - Looks remarkably like the drying rack from the store... probably because it is. Tim cut the middle shelf out (the one that all the African Violets were on) to make it shorter so that it could fit in the smaller room.
6. View outside over the crock pots - maybe this view every day will inspire me to rip down some of that crazy ivy. That bar, by the way, is on an adjustable chain; so if I need to make it higher or lower it's going to be incredibly easy to do so.
7. View outside over the sink - I can not wait to have time to do a garden this fall; my poor vegetable gardens have been unused the last three years because I knew I didn't have the time to devote to caring for a vegetable garden. I can already taste next spring's tomatoes...! Which has nothing to do with dyeing yarn for y'all... unless I put in some flowers that one can make natural dye from. Hmmmmm!
8. Lovely gift from Beth - No reason really to include this, other than our friend Beth did the macrame herself, and I feel like it's a good luck piece.
9. Standing at back door - I don't know that the winder is going to live there permanently, blocking the coffee mugs and taking up valuable table space.

So now when you get our yarn, you kind of have a vision of where it was dyed!

FO: Slipped Angel

Yarn: Malabrigo Sock in "Archangel"
Needles: US #1, double-pointed
Pattern: Slip-Stitch Cable Socks by Charlene Schurch and Beth Parrott

Friday Photo

After this photo, Ginger put his seat-belt on so that he'd be safe.

Sunday Stitch 'n' Bitch

Don't forget that starting this coming Sunday (July 11th), Stitch ‘n’ Bitch will be moving to Books-a-Million on NW 13th Street!

Join this eclectic group of folks for a little crochet, knitting, and chatting about everything under the sun. Everyone is welcome!

Sundays | 2-4:30
Books-a-Million
2601 Northwest 13th Street
Gainesville, FL 32609
(352) 376-6623

Third Thursday Night Spinners

Please join us at Wild Iris Books for Third Thursday Spinners on July 15th, 2010 from 5-7 PM; bring your wheel or drop spindle and some fiber and sit with others to do some spinning!



Wild Iris Books
802 West University Avenue
Gainesville, FL 32601
(352) 375-7477

Prize winner!

Lucy Day won Sunday's webstore door prize! She'll receive two skeins of organic worsted weight yarn in the Hanks colorway of her choice. Who will be tomorrow's winner? It could be you! Be the first person to spend $100 or more (After the 25% discount) and you'll win a $50 gift certificate to Hanks Yarn and Fiber. What could be more fun than winning yarn (Or sock blockers or soap!)!

FO: March 2011

Consider this a teaser...



We'll be doing another afghan in 2011, and here's a sneak peek at March's square.