The Tangled Web

Wool Leaves Blanket Class January 15!

2012-01-11T10:40:00.002-05:00

My son's beloved 3rd grade teacher, Felix, and his wife welcomed a baby last fall. As a knitter, of course, this presented me with a golden opportunity to choose from that most beloved of categories, the knitted baby present!

I happily pored over tiny cardigans and teeny baby bootees patterns, but ultimately decided on a baby blanket. Fortunately, my favorite designer, Jared Flood of Brooklyn Tweed, had a terrific baby blanket pattern on his website, the Wool Leaves, that was neither saccharine nor too babyish.

And (bonus!) it was knit in chunky weight on big needles. The chunky lace pattern was easy and fun. This turned out to be one of my favorite baby gifts ever.

Here's my version (Encore Chunky with a single crocheted border):

Join me on Sunday, January 15 from 10am - 12pm (2nd session Sunday, January 29 from 10am - 12pm) as I teach this project class. The two sessions spaced apart will give you plenty of time to get this quick, elegant project done. Cost is $45 - space is limited - call the store at 215-242-1271 to sign up today!!

Traditional Icelandic Knitting

2011-12-13T17:36:00.007-05:00

Ragga Eiriksdotti Teaches

THE LITTLE LOPAPEYSA

Class level: advanced beginner

January 17, 2012

11:00 - 5:00

$100.00

We are so excited to have Ragga back at The Tangled Web. Ragga last visited us in June while she was visiting from Iceland and we were fortunate enough to have her teach a steeking class for us.

In this class Ragga shares her knowledge about Icelandic wool and the classic and popular patterned yoke sweater that symbolizes Icelandic knitting in many knitters’ mind, the Lopapeysa.

The class consists of practical information about lopi knitting and the knitting of a tiny classic Lopapeysa containing all the elements of a full sized one. Through knitting the miniature version participants will learn techniques necessary to knit a Lopapeysa of any size. Participants receive written instructions containing a pattern for a tiny Lopapeysa and various tips and tricks about Lopi knitting.

During the class Ragga tells the participants about the Icelandic knitting heritage and how Icelanders have truly been a nation of knitters for centuries.

Techniques covered: German twisted cast on, invisible rib increases, working in the round with the magic loop method or DPN’s, combining sleeves and body for the yoke, stranded knitting of the yoke pattern, yarn management for stranded knitting, decreases in yoke pattern, loose cast off for neckline and steeking.

Refreshments will be provided.

A Taste of Britain

2011-10-05T11:53:00.003-04:00

A little taste of Britain is coming to The Tangled Web.

Come Have Tea with Jenny Watson
Designer, Author and Instructor

Tuesday
October, 25, 2011
10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Please call to RSVP 215-242-1271

Spend the morning at The Tangled Web with one of the industries top designers.

Jenny Watson has worked in the hand knitting industry for over twenty years and has worked as Chief Designer for Sirdar, Emu, Robin and Studley. In more recent years she has worked as a freelance designer for Noro, Queensland and Arucania. Living in a small Yorkshire (England) spa town of Ilkley, she is surrounded by the natural beauty of the Yorkshire Dales, heart of the hand knitting industry, which is a constant inspiration to her.

During her visit she will discuss her background and how she came to be in the industry of knitting. Find out what inspires her and the thought process involved in the compilation of knitting patterns, as well as the ins and outs of publishing, from design to photography and book completion.

Later in the session there will be some hands on work while Jenny demonstrates her favorite knitting tips and techniques. Lots of knitted garments from her latest Noro book "City Girls" will be on hand to inspire you. This event is free but registration is required. Please contact the shop to reserve your seat.

Join Us for A Year of Fun!

2011-09-18T16:48:00.000-04:00

Ysolda Teague’s “Whimsical Little Knits 2” is one of the most charming collections of patterns that we’ve seen in a long time. We love these smaller, pretty, fun projects! Join Diana as she works through all 12 projects in the book over the next 12 months.

We’ll gather one Wednesday a month to see our newest project, talk about recent projects, get guidance and generally have a lot of fun. At the end of the year, you’ll have 12 beautiful projects finished to give as great gifts or keep for yourself, though knitting all 12 is optional - we're all about lowkey and fun here! Knit as many as you like!

Price includes the fabulous book, refreshments, guidance, test knitter notes, and good company. Please note that Tangled Web Knit-Alongs are not classes; they're a group of folks working on the same project with the help, guidance and encouragement of all the other participants. We'll be here to guide you along the way.

12 sessions: $125.00

Wednesday, 6:00 - 8:00 pm

Our first project, starting this Wednesday, September 21, is the marvelous Damson Shawl pictured here:

Call the store at 215-242-1271 to sign up. Pictures of all 12 finished projects can be seen here. We also have samples at the store. Hope you can join us for the fun!

Juniper Moon Comes to the Web

2011-08-27T11:42:00.010-04:00

Book Signing

Wine and Cheese Event

This fall we are thrilled to announce that we will be stocking the "Juniper Moon" line of commercial yarns and that the founder of Juniper Moon, Susan Gibbs, will be at the shop on September 23, 2011. She will be talking to us about how she got started as a shepherd and the inspiration behind her her new line of luxury yarns. We will have lots of yarn and pattern books available and Susan is bringing lots of samples garments for us to try.

Come join us for this great event. Space is limited so get your ticket today.

Here is a little excerpt from her website on how she got started.

"Not so long ago, I left my job as a network news producer in New York City in search of a “more authentic life.” I was pretentious enough to actually use those words. Out loud. To strangers.

A few months later, a chance encounter with Storey’s Guide to Raising Sheep in a California bookstore changed my life in one amazing moment- I was born to be a shepherd. One year and many, many books later, I purchased a farm, five sheep and my first livestock guardian dog. Every day since has been an adventure.

When I’m not working sheep, I can be found dyeing yarn, directing my three new commercial yarn lines (to be released Fall 2011!), and photographing my flock. Spare time is kind of at a premium right now, but when I have some, I like to spend it reading, cooking for the people I love and playing with my dogs."

Come meet Susan Gibbs

Friday, September 23, 2011

5:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Tickets $10.00

Our trip to Juniper Moon Farm

2011-08-19T10:23:00.014-04:00

My family and I set off on Wednesday to visit Juniper Moon Farm in Palmyra, Virginia. The Tangled Web is stocking their commercial line of exquisite yarns and I wanted to see, first hand, the inspiration behind the product. After 5 hours in the car we finally arrived at our destination and we were not disappointed.

The red barn is currently home to some very large pot belly pigs who were definitely ready for their closeup. Oops, let's not forget about the chickens. A few times a year there are baby lambs in the barn that anyone can view online via the farm's "Lambcam".

Lauren had lots of fun getting to know the livestock guardian dogs, Fettucini, Sabine and Lucy who are there to protect the flock from predators. During the day they play and sleep in the sun but by night they stand guard over the flock, protecting them from wild predators and roaming domestic dogs. Thanks to their hard work, they have never lost a sheep or goat to predators, something very few fiber farms can say.

Here are all the momma sheep.

Lauren and Olivia hold the newest addition to the flock. What a cutie.

Caroline, our gracious host, took time out of her busy schedule to give us a tour of the farm. She certainly has her hands full tending to all of the critters on the farm. Thanks Caroline. We saw sheep, goats, llama, and this very friendly donkey. Check out our photos.

All of the fiber grown on the farm is available for purchase through the Juniper Moon Farm CSA. You can purchase a knitter's share or if you prefer to make your own yarn you can purchase a spinner's share. Find out all the details on their website: www.fiberfarm.com/yarn-csa
Here's a bit of CSA yarn drying after spending some time in an indigo dyebath. So cool!!

Needless to say, it was a long trip and a lot of time spent in the car. Everyone was a little tired and a bit cranky by the time we got home last night but what an adventure. Special thanks again to Caroline for taking the time to show us around. Now we are more excited than ever to have Susan Gibbs, owner of Juniper Moon Farms at The Tangled Web on Friday, September 23. We'll have more on that in just a few days so stay tuned.

Turn Your Sock Knitting Upside Down!

2011-06-10T17:10:00.003-04:00

Socks knit from the toe up are fun and easy. Take the class and see! Diana will be teaching Toe Up Socks on Saturday, June 18 and 25 from 9-11am.

No Kitchener Stitch! Easy hourglass short-row heel! Diana's favorite sock! Socks are a great summer project - small and portable - and doing them from the toe-up saves you time and effort!

Call the store for details and to sign up - 215-242-1271

Take Out Your Scissors and Learn to Steek

2011-05-25T13:43:00.003-04:00

Steeking and Knitting in the Round.
with Ragga Eiriksdottir
from Knitting Iceland

Thursday, June 23 from 1-4 p.m.

Ragga (raggaknits on Ravelry) is an Icelandic knitter, knitting instructor, knitwear designer, knitting entrepreneur and the general manager of KNITTING ICELAND.

 The rumors are true - Icelanders knit everything in the round and they fearlessly steek their cardigans but cringe at the mere thought of knitting a whole garment back and forth. The class covers the principles behind knitting in the round both using dpn’s and the magic loop method. Two methods of steeking are covered, the conventional one using a sewing machine (demonstration with a ready sewn sample) and the increasingly popular crochet method. Examples and tips on finishing are included.

Techniques covered: German twisted cast on, continental knit and Norwegian purl (optional to practice), connecting in the round, managing dpn’s, magic loop for small diameters, steek with a sewing machine, crochet steek, finishing techniques.

Price:$50.00
Call the shop for more details and to sign up.
215-242-1271

Spend the day with Elsebeth Lavold

2011-02-14T12:30:00.005-05:00

Elsebeth Lavold will be in Philadelphia next month to set up and open her exhibition "Knitting Along the Viking Trail" (see http://www.ingenkonst.se/exhibit.htm).

It will be shown at the American Swedish Historical Museum (http://www.americanswedish.org) from March 20th through July 3rd.

Elsebeth has graciously agreed to come and teach a class for us on Wednesday, March 23. It is an all day event (11:00 - 4:00) and there are limited spots available. Anyone who is interested should contact the shop as soon as possible to register for the class.

Here's what you can expect. Hope to see you there.

Lecture - Viking Knits and the History of Knitting
Elsebeth Lavold can talk for hours about practically any knitting related subject, and gladly does her best to answer any questions her audience might have. Her, to date, most elaborate speech is Viking Knits and the History of Knitting, a 90 minute presentation of the Viking Knits Project along with highlights from the origin of various knitting techniques and materials as well as some glimpses of Viking history that she has encountered in her research. An extensive collection of photos and drawings accompanies the speech.

Class - Basic Viking Knits 
Discover the wonderful world of Viking cables, a 1000-year-old treasure of patterns re-discovered in a new technique. Join Elsebeth as she focuses on the technical aspects of knitting Viking Patterns. Learn how to cable without a cable needle. Analyze a simple Viking Interlace ornament. This class aims to give you confidence in reading charts, knitting Viking (and other) cable patterns, and get you started on the road to creating your own variations. Students should know how to do basic cabling.

“The main difference between regular cables and Viking Cables is that in regular cables you have ribbons that start at the bottom, intertwine on the way up towards the top and end there. The Viking Cables are made possible by a special technique of increases and decreases (very easy once you have learned it) that allows the ribbons to turn back and tie knots on themselves on the way towards the top, or even create isolated motifs on a reverse stockinette background.” This extends the range of possible cable patterns immensely. And it’s easy!

Price:$110.00
Price Includes: Yarn and “CityScapes” book. Lunch will be provided.
The student should bring size 8 needles. A couple of double pointed needles, a darning or tapestry needle and a cable needle. Graph paper, pencil and eraser may be needed. There's no homework for this class.

We've Got A Winner

2011-02-10T08:23:00.002-05:00

Yay Lori. You are the winner of our "Tailgate at The Tangled Web" gift basket. Enjoy
and Happy Knitting!!

Tailgate at The Tangled Web

2011-02-07T12:05:00.005-05:00

We had sooo much fun yesterday at our 'Tailgate Party'. Thanks go out to all those who came and especially those special folks who brought us goodies for the snack table.

Here are a few pics for those of you who couldn't make the festivities.

Pre-party set up.

First Sale of the Day!

Lauren finished her hat! Yay Lauren.

Here's our Super'bowl' of Savings

Our gift basket. We still have to pick the winner.

Lori finished her Stash Buster. Yay Lori.

Smiley, Happy Knitters!

Lots of Superbowl Fans turned out.

Lauren in her new hat helps Cheryl at the register.

Busy, Busy.

Here's the crew in charge of yummies. Thanks guys!

Plus, we collected lots of soup for donation.

GO TEAM WEB!!

Stash Buster Update

2011-02-04T08:15:00.000-05:00

Ok, I'm jealous. Susan came in yesterday wearing her Stash Busting Sweater that we started at the January Knit Along a couple of weeks ago. She loves it!!! Her choice of colors and textures is fabulous and a little added length makes it perfect for this wintry weather. She even stuck in a little 'fair isle' technique every now and again to make it interesting. Way to go Susan.

Danielle is not far behind with this jewel toned version that she'll, no doubt, be wearing before the next meeting of the Knit Along on February 16. She already has plans for a second sweater to use up more of her stash.

I'm not much further than I was a week and a half ago but I have to admit that I was a wee bit distracted by other projects. I stopped to knit a cozy pair of mohair mittens for Anne's birthday and then I was inspired to knit her a matching hat. What I need to do is focus. You would think with all these snow days that I would be further along. Too busy shoveling and baking cupcakes with my Lauren. Well, I am going to put on my blinders, hunker down and attempt to finish the body of this sweater before our next meeting. You heard it here. See you on the 16th.

Easy Baby or Kid's Vest Class This Sunday

2011-02-03T07:11:00.001-05:00

Do you know a special baby or kid? Why not join us for the Easy Baby or Child's Vest Class this Sunday, February 6 and February 20 from 10-12? We're using a classic Momogus Knits pattern that runs from newborn to age 10 in size. These vests are quick to knock out and make great gifts. The vests come in sizes from newborn to age 10.

You can do the classic rib edging:

Or a pretty seed stitch edging:

They even look great in patterning yarn:

Call the store at 215-242-1271 to save your space!

Manly Hat Class This Sunday!

2011-01-12T12:41:00.000-05:00

Do you know a handsome man who needs a handsome hat? Then take our Manly Hat class this Sunday from 9am-12pm! We're making the Pressed Rib Hat from Churchmouse Yarns. Call the store at 215-242-1271 to reserve your space.

I Am Loving This Sweater

2011-01-11T20:17:00.000-05:00

I am loving this sweater.

I have been collecting cream colored yarns for the last two years and I am having so much fun working with each and every one of them. There is probably enough yarn here for two sweaters, a couple of hats, maybe a scarf and a pair of fingerless gloves so I wouldn't really call it a stash buster.... but I digress. Anyway, I have finished all my increases and I am ready to just knit, knit, knit. This is the really fun part. No shaping to keep track of so the knitting is easy. The only thing I have to decide is which yarn to use next and do I need to add something different. Oh yes, there's still time to shop for more variety. Maybe something with a little bling. Bling is always good. Anyway, enough about me. Let's talk about you.

How's your sweater coming along?

In my last blog I talked about how to select the right yarns from your stash and I left you all rummaging through your your Rubbermaid containers. Now that you have all of your materials at hand it is time to start knitting. I would suggest starting with your base yarn. This yarn is the one that will be used throughout your sweater and is usually a sturdy, relatively plain worsted weight yarn that will hold up to finishing around the neck. The other reason that I suggest starting with the base yarn is that it is perfect for checking gauge. So after you have worked a few inches of the pattern you should stop and check your gauge and make any necessary adjustments. If you need to adjust your needle size I would suggest checking your gauge again after a few more inches.

The next big step is trying it on for size. After I completed all the increases and put my sleeve stitches on a holder I was ready for a fitting. This requires knitting half the stitches onto a second needle so that you can easily fit the garment over your head without loosing stitches.
If you are satisfied with the fit then you are ready to knit, knit, knit. If not, better to make changes now than to give away the sweater later.

Now you're ready for the fun part. I know that this part will be hard for some of you. You will want to know how many rows of this and how many rows of that. What is the formula? Try not to be too obsessive. Try not to over plan. Try not to plan at all. Just know that in the end it is going to be beautiful and just enjoy the process.

I'll see you when the body of my sweater is complete. Until then, Happy Knitting!

P.S. Please don't leave all those tails til the end. Work them in as you go or better yet 'spit splice' when ever possible.

A Classic ReDo - The Top Down Stash Buster

2011-01-04T20:06:00.000-05:00

I can't believe that I knit this sweater 13 years ago. I remember it like it was yesterday. I was 9 months pregnant with Olivia and on vacation at the Jersey shore. I really wasn't allowed to do much so I sat in my comfy chair and knit this great sweater. I was very excited to use up so many little bits of this and that.... the last stages of nesting I guess. I really didn't have a plan and since I couldn't move very far I would just reach down and put my hand in my giant bag of bits to choose the next yarn that would go into my sweater. This might be a challenge for some of you but I think you should resist the urge to plan. Just have fun with it and have faith in your overall choices.

This version was knit from the bottom up and I can remember running out of some of my bits and wondering how I would finish the sleeves and make them look semi symmetric. The key is not to worry. As long as you have similar colors and textures you will have nothing to worry about. If you were to look closely at my sweater you would notice that my sleeves are similar but not identical.

I new when I finished this sweater that it wouldn't be long before I'd want to knit another. Well....13 years later I'm ready to get started.

Are you ready to get started?

For the 2011 version we are using one of my favorite "Knitting Pure and Simple" patterns which means that we will be knitting our new sweater from the top down. I love the raglan shaping and the idea of no-seams is very appealing. We are making this sweater as a knit along so you are welcome to come in and join us on Wednesday, January 19, 2011 from 5-8 p.m. Can't make it in? Here are a few helpful hints to get you started.

First, gather your stash. I like to dump it all into the middle of my dining room table so I can see everything.

Second, edit. Get rid of the yarns that just don't look right with the majority of your yarns. Don't worry. This should be really obvious.

Third, make sure you have a base yarn. I can best describe this as a plain yarn with lots of yardage that pulls the whole thing together. Lastly, make sure that you have lots of variety to add to that base. Mohair, chenille, variegated, boucle, thick and thin, the more the merrier.

The pattern we are using calls for a worsted weight but don't be afraid to add in other weights. Most of my lumpy bumpy yarns are bulky but they add such great texture to the project that I wouldn't dream of excluding them and over a few rows these heavier yarns will not distort my gauge. I also have some left over sock yarn that I will either double up or run with one of my other yarns. In short, don't be afraid to experiment.

I know you are dying to go check out your stash so I'll let you go for now. Maybe I'll see you on the 19th. Either way I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Good luck and Happy Knitting

January Project of the Month

2011-01-03T12:58:00.000-05:00

It's time to announce our monthly special Project! This month, our project is fun, great-looking and quick. We are featuring the Easy Colorwork Headbands pattern from Momogus Knits.

The pattern features your choice of a pretty snowflake or handsome checkerboard pattern. Worked in worsted weight yarn, these headbands are a great introduction to colorwork and are perfect for hitting the slopes or the mall!

Here are both patterns worked in Ella Rae Classic and Noro Kureyon:

Good news! Ella Rae Classic is 20% off this month. Come on in, pick up a pattern and two gorgeous colors of yarn, and you'll be on your way!

2010-11-29T18:25:00.000-05:00

Sensational Shirttail Update: The Five Most Fearful Words in Knitting

Here is the latest on our progress. Cheryl has finished both sleeves and is working on the back. She changed the design a bit by adding 2 slipped stitches, one on ether of the cables to frame them. I’ll let her explain in the next installment.

I have finished the back and the fronts and have done one cuff. The pattern combination is easy to follow without referring to the instructions, once you get going and quite fun! A bit of stockinette, a bit of Moss stitch and a cable every eight rows.

So I was moving along and really enjoying myself and then when I referred to the pattern for the next direction as I was working on the armhole, there they were, the five words that strike fear into the hearts of a knitter: AND AT THE SAME TIME!! Now, I have to change to Moss stitch on some of the stitches, decrease on the armhole side and for the fronts also decrease for the V-neck of the cardigan. Oh and by the way don’t forget to do the cable on the first row of the eight-row pattern repeat. YIKES!!

Over the years as I built my knitting skills I have learned that there are certain situations that just call for the simplicity of a piece of paper and a pencil. AND AT THE SAME TIME is one of them. Here is my method - I write out the number of rows in each pattern repeat-in this case the eight row repeat for the cable, and then write a letter to correspond with the direction, like a D for decrease. I also make a column on either side of the row number in this case one side of the number was for instructions on the armhole side and the other for the v-neck. As I complete each row I cross it out on the chart. It works well for me and both fronts were the same. So try it next time you see those five fearful words and you too can knit with joy and no fear!!

Happy Knitting,

Carole

Eliminate Holiday Horror

2010-11-19T10:02:00.000-05:00

Frightened by what awaits you under the Christmas Tree?

We've taken the fear out of opening your gifts this holiday season. All you have to do is come in and fill out a "Holiday Wish List" and then let your friends and family know where you want them to shop.

Turn your holiday frown up side down. No more stinky lotions, holiday bric-a-brac and year old fruit cake.

Don't delay! Come in and start shopping today. Your holiday happiness depends on it.

Gift Project #3 - Chunky Bias Cowl

2010-11-15T11:04:00.000-05:00

Thanks go to Stacey for this great pattern. This fantastic cowl is knit on the bias on a size 15 needle and takes only two skeins of Ushya by Mirasol. You can also feel great about supporting a company that gives back. Here's a little info on the Mirasol Project.

"The philosophy behind the Mirasol Project is very simple, the Mirasol Project supports local communities in Peru through the sales of the Mirasol Yarn Collection.

Peru’s heritage and culture of textile artistry is rich and ancient. The Mirasol Yarn Collection includes yarn made from the animals tended by these communities for generations in the Peruvian highlands. Without them we would not have this beautiful yarn.

By purchasing the Mirasol Yarn Collection you are supporting the shepherds and their families ensuring the continuation of this tradition."

Happy Knitting!

My First Needlepoint Project is at the Finisher!

2010-11-09T00:30:00.001-05:00

At the end of September I was lamenting about finishing some of my needlepoint canvasses before the dede Designs truck show arrived. Well, I finished the smallest project, a Christmas stocking ornament, and sent it off to the finisher this past week. I must say that it is awfully cute and can’t wait to see the finished project. The top photo is the completed project.

Now, the million dollar question is can I start on one of the two canvasses that I purchased from the dede Designs trunk show or do I act like a responsible adult and complete what I have already started? In one ear, I can hear Carole encouraging me to finish the coaster, and in the other ear I can hear Debbie saying go ahead, start that new canvass. And, then to add to my dilemma, the Cooper Oaks trunk show opens this coming Saturday. I’ve seen not one, not two but three canvases that I want. Oh, decisions, decisions! Right now, I better get stitching on the Andes orchid or the coaster before I have way too many needlepoint projects like my many, many knitting projects.

So I look forward to seeing you at the Cooper Oaks trunk show that runs from Saturday November 13, 2010 through December 4, 2010. Happy Stitching!

Gift Project #2 - Garden Scarf

2010-11-04T17:14:00.000-04:00

During the month of November we are highlighting some of our favorite projects. We have chosen projects that are quick and easy. Best of all, they won't break the bank.

Garden Scarf

This little number is knit on either a size 13 or 15 and takes only 2 skeins of Garden.

Anne chose 2 different colors for her version and fashioned a shawl pin out of a couple of buttons and a stitch holder. Not so crafty? Don't worry, we have some lovely shawl pins in stock that will do the trick.

There are six fantastic colors to choose from.

November Project of the Month

2010-10-30T12:37:00.000-04:00

The "November Project of the Month" is a winner! Knit these fabulous "Welted Fingerless Gloves" for everyone on your holiday gift list. This project takes only one skein of Debbie Bliss "Andes", (an alpaca and mulberry silk blend) and costs less than $20.00 to make. I know I'll be making a bunch of these as teacher gifts this year. How about you?

Just to get you started we are offering you a sweet deal. Mention seeing this on our blog and take 20% off Debbie Bliss Andes. While supplies last.

The Sensational Shirttail Adventure Contines

2010-10-19T23:50:00.000-04:00

Hip Hip Hooray! I have completed the back and Cheryl has completed her first sleeve. The finished pieces look beautiful if we say so ourselves. The Kathmandu is showing the stitch definition wonderfully and Cheryl’s sleeve looks very sheik with a solid cuff. She decided to have the wrong side of the cuff be the right side because she liked the way the horizontal slipped stitches looked on the outside of the cuff when it was turned up. So the cast on has begun for the next sweater parts: I have started with the right front and Cheryl with the second sleeve.

Happy Knitting,

Carole and Cheryl

TO RIP OR NOT TO RIP –That is the question.

2010-10-06T19:30:00.000-04:00

Your initial response may be, “…you made a mistake, of course rip it out and correct it.” Not so fast my fellow knitter. I believe there are three phases to the decision to rip or not to rip: recognition, debate and decision.

I was happily knitting along on the project Cheryl and I have coveted for so long and happy to finally be making my own version of Mary’s Sensational Shirttail Cardigan. I started with the back of the sweater and was on the fifth 8 -row repeat. The cables looked beautiful, I was delighted with the Moss stitch framed by a slipped stitch on each side and then, “Oh #$%#!. I noticed that about two repeats back I had evidently held the yarn in front of my work when I slipped the stitch on one side of the Moss stitch section. Recognition! Phase two began immediately and I began to debate with myself. For those of you who have never been in this position, it goes something like this, “…how bad is it? Will anyone notice? Can I live with it this way? OMG how many rows do I have to rip? Will I be able to get the stitches back on the needle and figure out where I am in the pattern?” These thoughts for me come in a rush all at once and are then followed by, “What would you tell a fellow knitter or customer at the Web if they came in with the same dilemma?” So I made a decision: have a glass of wine and sleep on it.

This morning I my thoughts were very clear and the decision was made: I would rip! Yes it involved undoing a fair amount of work. Yes I would have to be careful to count the number of rows I ripped and be ever so careful putting the stitches back on the needle to stay in pattern. I began to rip as I had my first cup of coffee-which could have had fatal results, but in the end I ripped 12 rows back and successfully returned the stitches to the needle and put the markers in their correct places. I am now happily continuing on quest to finish the back, hopefully with more care when I slip those stitches on either side of the Moss stitch section.

Here are a few tips for ripping:
1. Gather some tools that you may need to make the task easier – a crochet hook and a smaller size needle.
2. Place the piece to be ripped on a firm flat surface.
3. Rip slowly and carefully and count the number of rows you rip.

4. Put the stitches on the smaller needle and then transfer them to the needle you are using for the project (it is easier to pick them up with a smaller needle)
5. Reorient the stitches as you transfer them back to the larger needle.

So I am back on track and hope to finish the back by next week. Cheryl started with the sleeves first-you remember she is using two different yarns, needs about three inches to finish the first sleeve. Have you started yours yet?

Happy Knitting,

Carole

My First Needlepoint

2010-09-30T00:40:00.001-04:00

A little over a year ago needlepoint arrived at The Tangled Web and began to pique my interest. Then in the fall, the Barbara Russell trunk show arrived and made my head spin. There were a few canvasses that interested me but I just could not commit. Then one Saturday I arrived and the canvasses had been rearranged and the most spectacular “spider” had made its way to the top of the pile and grabbed my attention – I was hooked. It turns out that my “spider” is an Andes Orchid. The flower is done in Pearl Cotton and the background is in Paternayan wool. A year later, the flower is done but I am still working on the background and it is going slowly.

I have to give thanks to Cameron, our needlepoint guru, for her help and encouragement. I am not sure that I would be as far along as I am without her. She taught me the basics, explained the differences between continental and basket weave and helped me pick out a stitch for the background. Cameron is such an inspiration that I try to show up at the store when she is there to work on my canvasses. Typically you can find her there Tuesday and Thursday.

Cameron’s mother taught her when she was in the sixth grade and she completed her first project in the eighth grade. Though she did not stitch much during high school and college she never forgot it. She finds that needlepoint is a good medium for her while visiting with her and her husband’s extended families. She is able to stitch and visit at the same time. For her, she can pick up and put down her needlepoint without losing her place.

So, now I have three canvasses that I need to finish before I start something new. The Andes orchid is going to take some time. The other two are quite small. The first one is a small Christmas stocking ornament and should take maybe a couple of evenings – it is only about 2” high. The second one is a small flower that will eventually be a coaster that measures about 4” square and should not take very long to do. In the mean time a new trunk show is arriving and will start this Saturday. What am I to do?

The trunk show that is opening this Saturday is from “dede Designs” and I am looking forward to seeing all the new canvasses. I hope to see you at the trunk show or one of the many others that are scheduled for this year. Happy Stitching!

We Got Gauge - Sensational Shirttail

2010-09-26T13:20:00.000-04:00

WE GOT GAUGE!!! Carole and I met at the Web this past Friday evening to start our Sensational Shirttail sweater. Carole is using her Lantern Moon ebony needles and I am using bamboo needles. The instructions call for gauge to be done in stockinette which we did but we also tried the different stitches in our chosen yarns. It is amazing how the stitches pop in Carole’s chosen yarn, Kathmandu. The stitches are showing quite nicely in the Gatsby.

Carole got gauge, ripped it out and casted on the back. She was so excited to start that she ripped her gauge swatch out before I could take a picture. Once she got through the foundation rows she started to knit easily through the pattern. She is using stitch markers to mark the beginning and end of the moss stitch, the cable, a slip stitch and the stockinette.

I started the cuffs of the sleeves in the Lamb’s Pride Bulky and they are stunning. I’ve already started changing the pattern. Once the cuffs are knitted you are supposed to pick up stitches on the right side and knit the sleeve. I am picking up the stitches on the wrong side because I want the cuffs to be seen. If you look at Mary’s sweater and the picture the cuffs are rolled up and you are seeing the wrong side. The right side is just too beautiful not to seen.

I must say that this is the first time that I’ve knitted with wool in a few months – it was just too hot this summer. My hands were singing.

Again, you are welcome to join us in our Sensational Shirttail adventure, but you're welcome to bring whatever you're knitting and join us for an evening of knitting and conversation. Hope to see you on Friday, October 15 at 5pm!! Please call the store at 215-242-1271 if you have any questions!

Start Time for Sensational Shirttail

2010-09-23T03:04:00.000-04:00

So are you ready to join us on our adventure or just be our cheerleaders?

We will be at the Web on Friday evening September 24th to knit our gauge swatches. There will be copies of the pattern available for those of you joining our adventure. We will meet at the shop the third Friday of each month until we have completed our sweaters. If I were a betting woman my money would be on Carole because she is much more focused that I am. I hope her incentive keeps me on track, but if she gets too far ahead I’ll just distract her with something shiny-you know she loves jewelry. We will keep you posted on our progress and we hope you find this interesting and fun. We look forward to seeing you at the shop on the evening of the 24th if for no other reason than to cheer us on and hang out and knit with us.

Happy Knitting,
Cheryl and Carole

Suggested Yarn for Sensational Shirttail Sweater

2010-09-22T03:04:00.000-04:00

In our last entry, Carole and I talked about our idea to knit the Sensational Shirttail cardigan sweater together to provide that ever loving incentive to complete this project. We hope some of you will join us in our knitting adventure. We will have the pattern for you at the shop and here are some suggestions of yarn that is suitable:

· For those of you who want a more luxurious sweater the Kathmandu Chunky with its merino, silk and cashmere blend would be fabulous. It is a dream to knit with and the fabric it produces is quite hearty. The stitches will really pop in this yarn and it is the one Carole has chosen for her sweater.

· Debbie Bliss Donegal Luxury Tweed Chunky is merino wool with a bit of angora and has a tweedy texture. It has a lovely hand and will show off the cables and moss stitch nicely.

· The Sublime Chunky Merino Tweed is primarily a merino with just a touch of acrylic and rayon and will give a smooth silky look. The swatch is very soft and has a lofty feel to it. It comes in solid colors with multi-colored flecks throughout.

· Debbie Bliss Glen will also fit the bill nicely and is a blend of acrylic, merino and alpaca. It has a heathered or marled look, depending on the color you choose. When knitted up it is smooth and very soft.

You will need between 880 and 1,100 yards of a chunky weight yarn. The gauge is 13 stitches to 4 inches in stockinette stitch

Drop by the shop and take a look at Mary’s sweater that is on display, we are sure many of you will recognize it. Think about which yarn you want to use and stay tuned more information about our adventure.

Cheryl and Carole

Sensational Shirttail Sweater

2010-09-20T16:26:00.000-04:00

There is a sweater that has been around for quite awhile now and is still turning our heads. For Carole it began when her Fall 1999 copy of Knitter’s arrived. For me it started when Mary, our beloved leader at The Tangled Web, walked in wearing it. You may ask what sweater are we talking about? Well, it’s the Sensational Shirttail, a cardigan knitted in cables, moss stitch and some calming stockinette stitch – what more for could a girl ask for. It is one of those classic “keeper” sweaters to wear again and again.

The pattern calls for a chunky yarn and 10 ½ needles so it will knit up quickly. Mary used Donegal Tweed in brown. She looks fabulous in it and we covet it. So after much discussion over a couple of years Carole and I have decided to give each other some incentive by knitting it together and blogging about it. Nothing like a little pressure. I know both of us would like to wear it this winter and we can use all the help we can get.

Carole considered using Cascade 128 Tweed from her stash but fell in love with the Kathmandu in a cilantro green. It is one of her all time favorite colors and makes her green eyes pop. I will be using a dark blue in Gatsby (that reminds me of Vincent van Gogh’s Starry, Starry Night and Beethoven’s Fur Elise) and Lamb’s Pride Bulky.

Because I don’t have enough of the Gatsby, which has been discontinued, I will be doing the cuffs, the crocheted edging and the button band in the Lamb’s Pride Bulky in Flannel. Much to my delight the two yarns match perfectly and will work nicely together. I will do my sleeves first because I can live with a shorter version of the body but cannot live with sleeves that are to short.

So here we go!! Stop back soon for more info.

The Most Fun You Can Have (Knitting A Sock)

2010-09-07T07:46:00.000-04:00

Our Twisty Toe-Up Tube Sock class is coming up on Sunday, September 19 from 10am-12pm, which gives me an opportunity to write a little ode to these awesomely fun socks. Okay, I'm biased. I designed these socks earlier this spring, and I am in love. It's not like I thought making heels in socks was that onerous, but not making heels in socks is surprisingly great!

Look how fun:

And these:

Here's beautiful Cortez who took my class this summer with her nearly-finished pair:

Another great thing about these socks is that, because they're toe-up, once you're past the toe it's just round and round and round. The twisty rib pattern keeps your interest and makes for a nice snug fit as well.

Here are Ann's, who also took my summer class (I love how she didn't fuss with trying to make them exactly identical):

Here are Lisa's, in a little more masculine colorway:

Though we'll be making socks in fingering weight in the class, the pattern is written for sport and worsted weight yarns as well, in sizes ranging from baby to adult.

Interested? I hope so! Call the store at 215-242-1271 to sign up.

Yarn Tasting and Ice Cream Social

2010-08-14T12:00:00.000-04:00

Last night was The Tangled Web's first "Yarn Tasting". An event where folks were invited to come in and see all the new yarns for Fall and were also given a chance to try them out. Tables were donned with fine china and tiny balls of yarn ready and waiting to be tasted.

Downstairs, we had a tasting of a different kind. Zsa's Gourmet Ice Cream was on hand to tempt us with flavors like "Earl Grey", "Raspberry Sorbet", "Lavender Honey" and "Chocolate Truffle".

Yarn, Ice Cream and Wine. What a night!

Thanks to all of you that came out for the event.
Your enthusiasm and kind words were most appreciated and are the reason that we keep striving to do better.

Here are just a few photos from the event.

Many yarns waiting to be tasted.

A few tidbits from the "Buffet Table"

Who could resist trying a little bit of this yummy yarn.

Danielle was armed and ready with some tasty ice cream treats.
All natural with flavors like "Earl Grey" and "Lavender Honey".

Anne was kept very busy.

Here are a few happy faces. Save some for me.

Yay! Margo finished her kimono and she looks fabulous!

Decisions, decisions.

After the tasting came the shopping.

So many flavors, so little time.

Do you think Danielle will miss a pint or two?

And then there was none.

One of our own makes good

2010-07-27T23:30:00.000-04:00

I can remember the first time Ariana Parenti came to my shop with her mom. She was seven years old and her mom, Dale, had just learned how to knit. Well, Ariana is now a soon to be senior art major at Yale University. She is currently participating in a summer internship program with an organization called StudioWorks in Louisville, Kentucky.

Studio works is a charitable organization that helps adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities experience a sense of belonging to community through the arts.

While Ariana's main focus has been helping the artists prepare for the Kentucky State Fair, she has also been teaching them how to knit. It is great to see someone passing on the art of knitting to others and I can only hope that The Tangled Web played some small part in Ariana's interest and enthusiasm for the fiber arts.

To learn more about StudioWorks check out their blog at:http://studio633.wordpress.com/

New Fall Class Schedule is Up!

2010-07-21T17:02:00.000-04:00

Attention! Attention! Our new fall class schedule is up here. Photos, dates, costs - all there. Lots of fun new classes and lots of old favorites! Sign up now to reserve your space - class space is limited! Call the store at 215-242-1271!

Here is just a sampling of the fun in store for you!

Felted Project Bag! Gorgeous colors, generous capacity, easy knit:

Not A Drop Scarf - soooooo beautiful! Intriguing construction and quick!

Beaded Bookmark! New technique for placing beads, great gift for the holidays!

Tiny Sweater Ornaments! Tiny! Fussy! Fun!

Many many more classes scheduled. Check out the schedule and then call the store at 215-242-1271 to reserve your spot!

Make Room For Fall Sale July 14-July 17!!

2010-07-12T19:43:00.001-04:00

WOO HOO! Make Room For Fall Sale at The Tangled Web July 14 through July 17! Save up to 50%, depending on how much you buy!! Yarn Yarn Yarn!! Call the store at 215-242-1271 for more details or just come on in with your checkbook and stock up!

We Got Yarn-Bombed!

2010-07-07T19:01:00.000-04:00

Have you heard of yarn-bombing? Knitters and crocheters leave knitted or crocheted pieces anonymously in public places, usually to beautify a manmade object. I like it!!

Well, Annie and I were looking out the window at the store today and saw that we had been yarn-bombed! Look!

This beautiful and colorful crocheted piece has "Knit, Play, Love" embroidered on it. It is so awesomely awesome I can't believe it.

Thank you, anonymous yarn-bomber!!

Book Signing At The Tangled Web

2010-05-28T10:46:00.000-04:00

The Tangled Web was thrilled to host a book signing event for Adrienne Martini, author of "Sweater Quest-My Year of Knitting Dangerously". Adrienne chronicled a year long endeavor to knit "the Holy Grail of sweaters-her own Mary Tudor". The group was enthralled by Martini's discussion and reading, which guided us through her adventure from initial color choices to the final steps of steeking. For those who might be unfamiliar with the term, steeking is a technique in which you cut, yes cut, your finished knitting. It is also an idea that makes some of us reach for our smelling salts.

By the end of the event we all felt like very close friends. Adrienne was warm and welcoming and was happy to jot special notes in each persons book and answer questions about her adventure.

A great big thanks to Adrienne for making the event possible and to all those who came out to support her and The Tangled Web.

If you were unable to attend the event it's not too late as we still have several signed copies available for purchase. Here are a few photos of the event and Adrienne's finished masterpiece.

Lunch and Learn Success Story

2010-05-26T12:46:00.000-04:00

Check out these adorable "Big Fish - Little Fish" vests knit by Susan Spangler for some lucky little boys in her life. She was very excited to tell me that she used a three needle bind off to join the shoulders, duplicate stitch to embroider the fishies and invisible seaming to join the side seams. All of these techniques were new to Susan but she has been a faithful participant in our Wednesday, "Lunch and Learn" series and was able to use all her new found skills in creating these wonderful vests.

Way to go, Susan!

Lunch and Learn sessions are held every Wednesday from 12:00 to 1:30. Call the shop for details and upcoming topics.

Sundress for Lauren

2010-05-26T12:08:00.001-04:00

Hot off the press. Whew! And just in time for 90 degree weather.

I have been promising Lauren something knitted for much too long. Second child syndrome, you know. Anyway, I thought it would be fun to knit her a tank top (short and sweet, job done) Well then the tank top turned into a dress. Not so short but very, very sweet.

Lauren just loves it. She's actually a little annoyed with me because I stole her dress from the closet to photograph and put on display for a time.

Any tank top pattern will do. This one took 2 skeins of Cotton Classic and only a yard of cotton fabric. Catherine from Fabrics on the Hill was so helpful in choosing the fabric. Thanks Catherine. The biggest investment was time which I forgot all about the minute that Lauren tried it on.

Book Signing at The Tangled Web

2010-05-20T12:52:00.000-04:00

"Sweater Quest - My Year of Knitting Dangerously"
By Adrienne Martini

For Adrienne Martini, and countless others, knitting is the linchpin of sanity. As a working mother of two, Martini wanted a challenge that would make her feel in charge. So she decided to make the Holy Grail of sweaters-her own Mary Tudor, whose mind-numbingly gorgeous pattern is so complicated to knit that its mere mention can hush a roomful of experienced knitters.

The sweater, Martini explains, "is a knitter's Mount Everest, our curse, and our compulsion. I want one more than I can begin to tell you."

And so she took on the challenge: one year, two needles, and countless knits and purls to conquer Mary Tudor while also taking care of her two kids, two cats, two jobs, and (thankfully) one husband-without unraveling in the process. Along the way, Adrienne investigates the tangled origins of the coveted pattern, inquires into the nature of artistic creation, and details her quest to buy supplies on the knitting black market. As she tries not to pull out her hair along with rows gone wrong, Martini gets guidance from some knitterati, who offer invaluable inspiration as she conquers her fear of Fair Isle. A wooly Julie and Julia, this epic yarn celebrates the profound joys of creating-and aspiring to-remarkable achievements.

Join us in welcoming Adrienne Martini to The Tangled Web on Wednesday, May 26th from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Spring is in the Air

2010-04-22T12:07:00.000-04:00

Well, Spring has finally sprung here at The Tangled Web. Our shelves are filled with cottony goodness and we are all a buzz with ideas for summer knitting. This is the time of year when everyone asks for sleeveless shells, summer shrugs and all things baby.

Cheryl was so inspired by our beautiful Athena yarn that she took an old winter favorite and turned it into a stunning summer classic. Her finished shrug is so beautiful that we decided that it should be a free pattern. So come in and pick out your favorite color of Athena and you'll get this great pattern for free.

Great job Cheryl.

Sale Days!

2010-04-09T13:07:00.000-04:00

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
For choosing The Tangled Web.

To show our appreciation The Tangled Web is having a blowout sale today through Sunday! Come in and fill your basket with goodies and we will take 15% off your entire purchase. Stock up on needles, notions, patterns or yarn. You name it and it's on sale!

Sound good? Well how about 20%? Why not. Come in, fill your basket and pay with cash or check and we will take 20% off your entire purchase.

Three Days Only
Friday, April 9, 10:00 - 6:00
Saturday, April 10, 11:00 - 6:00
and Sunday, April 11, 12:00 - 5:00

Thanks for Coming Out!

2010-03-29T19:00:00.000-04:00

It was great to see so many of you at the Momogus Trunk Show and Party. I know it meant a great deal to Diana. Here are a few pictures from the event.

You're Invited!!

2010-03-19T11:31:00.000-04:00

Momogus Knits Patterns Trunk Show and Party
Friday, March 26 from 6-9pm

Join designer Diana Jordan for wine and nibbles and see samples of all of the classic Momogus Knits patterns! She'll also be debuting the Chestnut Hill Gansey line of patterns and giving away a grand prize.We hope you can make it to this very special event - call the store at 215-242-1271 to let us know you're coming!

Adorable Felted Sheep Class Coming Up!

2010-03-03T07:09:00.001-05:00

Wouldn't you like to make one of these adorable sheep? Take our Felted Sheep class this Sunday, March 7 and March 14 and you can have one of your very own! Call the store at 215-242-1271 to sign up!

Special Snow Day Savings

2010-02-25T09:05:00.000-05:00

Put on those snow boots and come on over to The Tangled Web.

We are open today,

Thursday, February 25th from 10:00 to ?.

Come in and mention this blog post and you

will receive 20% off your entire purchase.

Kids aren't the only ones who should love a snow day!!

Your friends at The Tangled Web

One Day Only-All Sales are Final

We have "Happy Feet".

2010-02-19T10:56:00.000-05:00

The Tangled Web has warm and happy feet thanks to our latest shipment of Plymouth's "Happy Feet" sock yarn. This Peruvian spun sock yarn is 90% Superwash Merino, 10% Nylon and has 192 yards in a 50 gram skein. Come in and feast your eyes on the wide array of solid and variegated colors that we have in stock. This is a sure fire cure for the mid winter blues.

FREE PATTERN OFFER

For a limited time we are offering a free "Happy Feet" sock or beanie pattern when you purchase 2 skeins of Happy Feet Superwash Merino.

Great Knitting Tip!

2010-02-06T13:56:00.000-05:00

I want to thank Leticia for this great tip. Check out the ingenious way that she is keeping track of her rows in this color chart. Yes. That's right. She's using little 'Post-It' arrows. They're sticky and easily move up the chart as needed. Love that!

Do you have a "Great Knitting Tip"? Stop by and let us know or email us at contact@tangledwebb.com.

Thanks again, Leticia. I'm off to Staples to load up on 'Post-It's'.

Check Out Great Article About the Web!

2010-01-26T08:08:00.000-05:00

Oops! The holiday blitz knocked us right off the map there for a month. But we're back!

We just got gigantic shipments of many many beauteous yarns. Cascade (Cascade 220 and 128), Rowan (Felted Tweed and luscious Kidsilk Haze and the new Rowan Magazine), Brown Sheep (Lamb's Pride Bulky), Jojoland (Rhythm and Melody) - we're up to our ears in gorgeous yarn! Come on in and get started on a new felting project, a delicate scarf, a great sweater - we'll get you all set up!

Check out this article that recently appeared about The Tangled Web and features a picture of our wonderful Cheryl!

New Class Schedule is Up!

2009-12-04T10:29:00.000-05:00

We hope your holiday knitting (and otherwise!) season is going beautifully. Enjoy the eggnog and pine scented garlands and twinkly lights and the chance to spend time with friends and family!

And then, in January, why not treat yourself to some fun classes? Our new class schedule is up on the website here. Oh boy, do we have some great classes lined up! There's cables and lace and felting and entrelac and classic sweaters and little gifts and no-brainer knitting and brain-stretching knitting! Here are some peeks to tantalize you!

Felted Knitting Basket (my favorite knitting bag/container of all time!)

Lacy Criss-Cross Scarf (so fun and quick!)

Cabled Hot Water Bottle Cozy (great intro to cables and perfect for a cold winter's night!)

Fair Isle Hat (the colorwork is only on the band. I loved making this!)

Bella's Mittens - inspired by the movie "Twilight"

And many many more!!

Call the store at 215-242-1271 if you'd like to sign up for any or all of these great classes!

Quick Holiday Gift Ideas

2009-10-29T11:08:00.000-04:00

Reversible Cable Scarf

Mohair Mittens

Firenze Scarf/Shawl

Really warm hats for him or her

Our little accessory case holds all your gadgets!

Matching Tangled Web Tote

Felted Party Purse

Furry Friends Christmas Stocking

"Handknit Holidays" is filled with wonderful gift ideas for all year round.

"Knit Noel" is another great holiday idea book.

Christmas Stockings

The ever popular "Quicky Gift Hat" knits up in two hours.

Kookaburra wool wash makes a great stocking stuffer.

How about a few handknit ornaments to top off your packages.

Daisy Muir Knitting Bag and matching needle case.

Eco friendly market bags to knit or crochet.

Eros/Kid Silk Haze Shawl.
Quick knit on a size 17 needle.

Anne's famous bird's nest scarf
with just a touch of bling.

Cozy Tweedy Shrug

Tangled Web Tee

Gossamer shawl also a quick
knit on a size 17 needle.

Cowl's are all the rage.

Sample Sale!

2009-10-14T16:19:00.000-04:00

Get a jump on your holiday knitting....by buying something that's already knit! We know it's fun to knit for loved ones around the holidays, but there are always those other people - teachers, hostesses, petsitters, yourself - who deserve a nice knitted gift, but you just don't have the time to knock one out for them.

Well, we have the answer! Look!

We've gone through our samples and pulled out dozens of scarves, hats, and sweaters (for babies, kids and adults) that we're selling. These are gorgeous samples, but we don't carry the yarn anymore or the pattern's out of print, so we can't display them anymore. Our loss is your gain!

There's something here for everyone - sparkly scarves, adorable baby sweaters, warm adult sweaters, dashing hats. Stop by the store and take a look at what's on sale. While supplies last!!

Block of the Month Madness!

2009-10-09T17:04:00.000-04:00

Our first Block of the Month First Friday was a smashing success! We had over thirty intrepid knitters show up and start their afghans with the thrilling Block #1, the Popcorn Stitch! I meant to take a picture of everyone concentrating on their knitting, but I couldn't squeeze in upstairs. So I yelled up from downstairs that I was popping champagne, and suddenly there was a flock of knitters swarming about.

There was imbibing:

There was chatting:

There was chatting and choosing yarn for the next block:

And there was some serious shopping:

I swear to you that these folks all knit for a long time that night. But they embraced the break too!

So there you have it: knitting plus drinking plus chatting plus shopping = a great time.

You can start the Block of the Month Afghan at any time by stopping by the store and picking up your first block's yarn and pattern. Our next First Friday, the exciting Block #2, is November 6 from 5-8pm.

Feel The Rhythm!

2009-09-25T16:26:00.000-04:00

When some yarns come in, like the Cascade 220 or Lamb's Pride, we get all warm and fuzzy. Let's face it - it's always nice to open a big box of yarn. But sometimes a shipment of yarn comes in that absolutely knocks our jaded socks off. That happened today. Our shipment of Jojoland Rhythm came in, and we were floored by its beauty, the colors, and the price! Look at the wall of awesomeness!

We got 18 colorways in, and they are all spectacular.

AND, we got a sample that we all sighed over when it came out of the box. Here's Annie modeling the Entrelac Shawl:

Beauteous. Jojoland Rhythm is $6.00 a ball, it's 100% wool, 110 yards a ball, worsted weight. We want to make hats, kids' sweaters, scarves out of it - in fact we spent a very pleasant afternoon speculating which colors we were going to get and what we were going to do with them. Come on in and do some speculating yourself!

Most Beautiful Needlepoint Canvasses are Here!

2009-09-18T11:22:00.000-04:00

We're thrilled to have a terrific trunk show from local needlepoint legend Barbara Russell which runs through October 7. We have everything you need for pillows, belts, eyeglass cases, tallis bags, dog collars, key fobs - you name it!

(Our nice window!)

(One of our walls of thread - ever color imaginable!)

Here's a sampling of the gorgeous canvasses:

We have pillows of every dog breed you can name. Here's a sweet little pug:

We have many Christmas stockings available. Here's classic Pooh:

We have smaller projects as well. Here are some little flower canvasses. The projects at the bottom right are Tooth Fairy Pillows!

We have a ton of belt canvasses. This is a detail from one of my favorites. It's Boathouse Row!

All Barbara Russell canvasses are 20% off during the trunk show. I'm telling you, this knitter is dying to pick up a needlepoint project just looking at what's here. Make sure you stop by - and tell all your needlepointing friends.

Come and Dye Your Own Yarn!

2009-09-11T10:43:00.000-04:00

We have 2 spots left in our Dye Your Own Yarn class this Sunday, September 13 from 9am-12pm, and if you have any interest in taking the class, please sign up! We had so much fun in June.

Here are some of my intrepid students (Marina, Maggie, and MaryAnn), concentrating hard:

Budding artists at work!

Peggy and her "stained glass" colorway:

The mighty finished products:

Cost is $60 and all materials are included. Call the store at 215-242-1271 to sign up!

September Project of the Month - Dumpling Bag!

2009-09-02T11:47:00.001-04:00

We just received a HUGE shipment of Cascade 220, and you know what that means! It's felting time! We have a ton of great patterns for felting - animals, hats, slippers - you name it. BUT we also have this great pattern for a flirty fun felted bag. They're addictive and quick - we can't stop making them! Look how cute! (Annie's gone ker-AZY!)

Boku!

Cascade 220!

More Cascade 220!

The bag takes just a smidgeon of time - perfect for a head-start on holiday gifts (teacher, best friend, mom, daughter, babysitter, dogwalker, co-worker, hostess gift) or make one for yourself to wear to a holiday party. The adorable little bag uses Cascade 220 and our old favorites Dazzlelash or Colorlash. The yarn is 20% off until September 30.

Scratching the Needlepoint Itch

2009-07-27T17:34:00.001-04:00

It turns out that yarn is not the only thing I have stashed.
With the introduction of needlepoint at the Tangled Web, I took a trip in the way-back machine to the time when I used to wield a needlepoint needle instead of a knitting needle.
It was years ago and I think I was attracted by the colors of yarn and embroidery floss that needlepointers worked with (yes, I am easily distracted by bright colors). I had become an avid knitter and was not looking for yet another artistic craft. But the pull of the canvases was strong and before I knew it, I had put knitting aside for this new pleasure.
My joy didn’t last long; I never mastered the basketweave stitch. I could only do the tent stitch which tended to warp the canvas. But I tent stitched away and made several pillows including an adorable tooth fairy pillow for my niece.
And I developed the really bad habit of buying canvases that caught my eye. Therein lies my stash. I have several canvases that are totally untouched. They were stored away and truthfully I forgot about them almost as soon as I bought them.
But the Web has needlepoint and I am experiencing the old stirrings. Lovely canvases, brilliant fibers in a variety of textures. My fingers are itching to try it again.
I went to my stash and found one of my old, untouched pieces. It is the seat cushion and back for a child-sized director’s chair. It has letters and numbers and is hard enough to be challenging and challenging enough to be fun.
I bought it almost 12 years ago. This too was to be made for my niece who was then a year old. Of course, now she is nearly 13 and won’t fit in a child’s size chair.
But my new granddaughter ought to fit it just fine.
So here I am, a knitter with the needlepoint itch. What to do?
I have decided to scratch the itch. I am putting down my knitting needles and settling in to learn how to needlepoint -- seriously. This means I probably won’t knit my husband’s annual birthday sweater; I hope he doesn’t mind.
It means that my Christmas knitting list will be put off to 2010. It means that instead of teaching lessons at the Web, I will be the student as I once again tackle the basketweave stitch.
My plan is to make this a first birthday present for Jordan Marie, which means I have until May 26, 2010 to get this accomplished.
I promise this will not go back into the dusty stash.
But do me a favor: when you stop in the store, ask me how it’s going. That will keep me on point.
And stop in and see our luscious yarns and canvases; you’ll see the needlepoint bug can be contagious.
-- Lucia Herndon

Our Fall Class and Knit-Along Schedule is Up!

2009-07-24T10:18:00.000-04:00

Believe it or not, it's almost that time of year again! Relax and enjoy your time by the pool and keep digging that sandcastle at the beach, but (pssst!) we've got our Fall Class Schedule done and posted on our website here. Registration is open!

Here are some tantalizing images to whet your appetite:

(Lady Eleanor Stole Knit-Along)

(Felted Moebius Basket)

(Easy Lace Shawl)

(Amigurumi Acorn)

(American Girl Doll Chestnut Hill Gansey)

(First Friday Manos Block-of-the-Month Club)

Call the store at 215-242-1271 to sign up!

I've Been "Dyeing" To Show You This!

2009-07-01T11:39:00.001-04:00

On Saturday I taught one of the most fun classes I've ever taught in 7 years of instruction. It was Dyeing Your Own Yarn. Armed with a skein of sock yarn and Wilton Cake Icing Dye, my four wonderful and intrepid students got to work.

Here we have Marina, Maggie, MaryAnn and Peggy hand-painting their yarn:

MaryAnn:

Peggy:

Maggie:

Marina:

Marina and Maggie working hard:

Their beautiful skeins, in skeins-y form::

And here is the finished yarn, ready to be knit into some snazzy socks.
Left to right we have: Peggy's gorgeous Stained Glass Fantasy, MaryAnn's delicate Rose In Bloom, Maggie's patriotic Fourth of July Special, and Marina's summery Festive Fruit Salad. [I made up the names, don't blame the ladies!]

Ladies, you need to bring your socks in for show-and-tell!

We'll be offering Dye Your Own Yarn again early in the fall - I highly recommend taking it. We had a blast!

Food for Thought

2009-06-26T10:35:00.000-04:00

Next Knit-Along Starts Friday June 19

2009-06-17T17:28:00.000-04:00

Our next Knit-Along, the Perfect Summer Shell, starts this Friday, June 19 from 5-8 pm. We're having this Knit-Along in conjunction with our regular Friday Knit Night/Happy Hour, so it's a perfect opportunity to start a fun, easy quick project and hang out with some fabulous fun folks.

The Shell comes in three necklines, V-Neck, Boatneck, and Scoopneck, is completely seamless, and looks great.

More information here. Call the store at 215-242-1271 if you have any questions or would like to sign up.

Love (and lace) Conquers All

2009-06-07T19:49:00.000-04:00

Finally, the baby has arrived! My first grandchild, Jordan Marie was born on May 26 weighing in at 7 pounds and 11 ounces. She is beautiful -- of course, I'm her grandmother so what did you expect.
She has an incredible wardrobe including the knitted items I made. What I'm really looking forward to is giving my daughter a lacy christening blanket.
I wrote about the blanket last month. I spent months working on the intricate pattern. And at the end it was kind of a mess -- crimped up and lifeless. But thanks to colleague Diana Jordan, the blanket is breathtakingly beautiful. With the precision of a drill sargeant, she blocked the blanket into lacy goodness. I was fearful that the thin alpaca/silk wool would snap and the blanket would unravel. But she was fearless and showed the fabric no mercy. It was pinned to the floor, stretched taut and left overnight.
When I returned the next day, the blanket had been transformed and it was a dream come true.
Now it is ready to give to my daughter and I am trying to figure out what to tell her about it without sounding certifiably crazy. Here goes:
Dear Melissa and Jordan Marie:
I have been thinking about making a christening blanket for a grandchild for at least 20 years and have been searching for the perfect pattern since then. I finally settled on this one which took some time and skill but also is very pretty. It wasn't exactly the knitting process I thought it would be -- I thought I would think about how much I love you both while I was knitting it; but truthfully I was trying to make sure I got all the yarn overs and knit 2 togethers in the right places to think about love. The reason to do it was love, but love was not in every stitch.
Sort of like life itself. If we can be motivated by love, we can accomplish a lot, even if we're beset and besieged by doubts and troubles. In the end, love won out -- won out over the difficulties, the mistakes (there are a couple), and the frustrations.
Here's hoping that when you are swaddled in this blanket that love will be the crowning glory. I have waited, fretted and worried all these years for this. And as the Apostle Paul said: The greatest of all is love.
Lucia Herndon Horning

Fashion Show Photos!!

2009-06-03T16:09:00.000-04:00

Hold on to your hats, folks! In case you missed it, here come a billion images from our fabulous Fashion Show, held last Sunday. We had a blast!

Getting ready:

Backstage:

Our handsome Master of Ceremonies (aka Curtis!):

The cavalcade of beautiful models (my apologies to those not pictured - I was clicking like crazy and some pictures just did not turn out):

Cortez in head-to-toe knitwear she made.

Joanna in her devastatingly beautiful ruffled shrug.

Brenda, in one of her one-of-a-kind shawl creations.

Our Lucia, in a truly fabulous cabled Manos sweater.

Maria, in her beautiful Alpaca Grande Einstein Coat.

Miss Stephanie, with her fierce runway walk, wearing a gorgeous lace cardigan knit by her mom, Sharon.

Here's Joan, wearing one of her trademark beautifully-crafted sweaters!

Here's Jan, looking fabulous in her gorgeous striped wrap.

Post-show everyone relaxed, drank, ate and chatted. What could be more fun?

Frenzy at the cash register!

Our Cheryl, who modeled about 1200 items, gets a well-deserved libation.

Kim won the raffle! She said she was feeling lucky!

Thanks to all our lovely customers, who made the day possible - we had a blast and hope you did too!!

Newest Addition to the Tangled Web Family!

2009-05-27T11:00:00.000-04:00

She's finally here! Here is Miss Jordan Marie, Lucia's long-awaited granddaughter, born May 26:

Mom and Dad and Granddad and Grandma and Uncle Tim are all doing well and beamingly happy. So are we!

Finished February Lady!

2009-05-21T18:07:00.000-04:00

I finished my February Lady Sweater, our most recent Knit-Along project. It was an extremely enjoyable knitting experience. I wore it to work and sort of began to feel eh about the color. When my dear friend and co-worker Carole came in to the store, she asked to try the sweater on so she could decide what size to make. Well, one look at her in the sweater and I said, "Take it, lady!!" She looked fabulous, it fit her perfectly, and it made me feel great to see this sweater go where it apparently was supposed to go. Here's lovely Carole in her new sweater:

2009-05-15T11:22:00.000-04:00

Another great customer project - this from our most recent (and most popular) Knit-Along, the Einstein Coat. This is customer Marilyn, looking gorgeous in her Einstein:

I love how she made hers a little shorter than usual. Great job, Marilyn!

Tofutsies Tee!

2009-05-06T16:31:00.000-04:00

Our Tofutsies Tee samples have arrived! Look how cute:

Come on in and look at all the great colors we have! The possibilities are endless!

When Life Doesn't Follow the Knitting Script

2009-04-28T19:53:00.000-04:00

Sorry it’s been awhile since my last blog entry. I have been knitting away on a project that demanded a lot of time and concentrated attention. I just finished last night -- the knitting portion of it anyway -- but I can’t say that I am thrilled.

Maybe this project was too loaded emotionally for it to have any other outcome. It is a very lacy blanket made out of whisper-soft/thin alpaca. My plan was to give it to my daughter to use as a christening blanket for her daughter who is scheduled to be born in a few weeks. I have been working on it since the first of the year, but it has been a project on my mind for decades.

I have spent a lot of time dreaming of scenarios for my life and for those I love (chiefly my children). Before they were born I just knew what they would be like, what they would look like, how they would conduct their lives. But since my children never read those life-scripts they created their own and oft times it was obvious we were not sharing the same plans.

This christening gown is turning out to be one of those out-of-synch scenes. The pattern which I have been planning to use for at least 20 years, turns out not to be the pattern I ultimately decided on. Turns out that the baby’s father is not Christian so the whole christening thing might be moot. But I have invested too much thought in its creation to back away from it. And so I picked up needles, fussing and fretting over the pattern after casting aside my first choice.

I am not a confident lace knitter and so I would work on this project only when I was sure there would be no distractions. It is on very fine alpaca and a size 4 needle and I toiled over just about every stitch. It is finished but instead of a sense of accomplishment at a dream come true, I am just tired. It would seem that my theoretical blanket is much better than my reality blanket. Just as those theoretical children (you know the ones: they sleep through the night at a week old, never whine while teething, never suffer terrible twos and a quiet respectful children even as teenagers) usually bear little resemblance to their real counterparts, so this blanket lacks the splendor I had been anticipating.

I’ve been assured that when I block it, the lace in this blanket will truly bloom. Right now it’s just a wad of fabric in my bag. In truth, I enjoyed knitting booties and sweaters that called for no real effort better than making this carefully crafted blanket.
I fear that like many of my imaginary scenes, the one involving a christening blanket will be better in my head than in real life. I thought that making it would be pleasure in every stitch. Ha! I thought my first grandchild would rival any royal baby in her white finery in church, swaddled in the webby-fineness of her hand-knit blanket.
Now I’m not sure there will be a christening.
Not sure that the blanket is as beautiful in real life as the one I created in my head. Not sure of anything.
My priest told me to bring the blanket to church and have it blessed, so even if there is no christening, the baby will be wrapped in a blanket that has special spiritual intentions surrounding it. But still I’m not happy.
Maybe I need to let it sit for a few days then revisit it. Maybe absence makes the heart grow fonder and I will find the beauty in it. Maybe it needs the baby to make it really come to life.
-- Lucia Herndon

2009-04-24T17:37:00.000-04:00

I told you I had some amazing customer projects to share! Look at this, a store-warming gift from wonderful customer, Diana:

This is Celestine from Berroco. Now, wow and impress your friends - it's a dodecahedron - a shape with 12 sides.

Thank you so much, Diana! We love our dodecahedron!!

Mini Shrug!

2009-04-16T17:39:00.000-04:00

If you are anything like me, you read your Tangled Web email in March and ran right out to get the materials for the Plymouth shrug/vest. Mine knitted up quickly over the course of a weekend and I immediately started wearing it everywhere.

As soon as my 8 year old daughter saw it, she decided that she absolutely had to have one. Of course I wanted to make her one--it would be so much easier to make than some of the other things she has requested in the past (intarsia sweaters with 6 million flowers anyone?). But, of course, there was no pattern for a smaller version. So, I improvised. Turns out, my first attempt was a little small, but it fit my 4 year old daughter perfectly!!

Here's how I did it!

Yarn Requirements:
1 skein Blue Sky Alpaca Dyed Cotton
1 skein Tofutsi

Needle:
Size 9 (I used a 24" circular)

Cast on 72 stitches.
Work in K2, P2 rib for 4".
Follow the instructions for decreasing on the original Plymouth pattern (36 sts).
Work in K1, P1 rib for 8".
Follow the instructions for increasing on the original Plymouth pattern (72 sts).
Work in K2, P2 rib for 4".
Bind off.
Follow assembly instructions on the original Plymouth pattern.

If you don't have the pattern, you can still come pick it up at the shop.

I have adjusted the pattern again for an 8 year old and am almost finished with it. I increased the number of stitches I cast on to 76, and I am working the first and third sections for 5" and the middle section for 10". I'll let you know how it comes out!

- Stacey

Annual Sale This Weekend

2009-04-03T11:47:00.000-04:00

Our Annual April Sale starts today! 20% off everything in the store and up to 50% off selected items. Now's the time to stock up on needles, patterns, books, yarn! Treat yourself to some Lantern Moon needles or buy yarn for our February Lady Sweater Knit-Along, which starts on May 13!

Friday 10am-8pm, Saturday 11am-6pm, Sunday 12-5pm

Call the store at 215-242-1271 if you have any questions.

2009-03-27T09:26:00.000-04:00

I've got a bunch of amazing customer projects to knock your socks off, but I'm going to parcel them out so you don't get too blown away.

Today's amazing customer project is, believe it or not, Abraham Lincoln, courtesy of customer Beth:This is from Knitted Icons by Carol Meldrum. We loved this little guy. Great job, Beth!

Get Your Needles In Order

2009-03-13T09:40:00.000-04:00

Next up in our series of posts about Getting Organized (or "Super-Fine in '09!!!") is Needle Organization. About 5 years ago, I wanted to start a sweater that called for a 24" size 7 circular needles. I looked high and low and could not find any (why? this is the most common size, you'd think!), so I came in to the store and bought a pair. I went home and, bothered by the fact that I knew I had 24" size 7 circular needles somewhere in the house, I decided to Get Organized.

Two days and eight pairs of 24" size 7 needles unearthed from everywhere around the house later, I was organized. For me, as it so often does, organizing took me to the office supply store. I bought a zip-up binder: page protectors, and "Hi, My Name Is" stickers.
I have a needle sizer in the front pocket of the binder for when I need to put needles back. I don't own any straight needles or double-points, so this binder holds every needle I own. And this system has worked well for me.

Here are some other ideas from Tangled Web folks. Mary keeps her circular needles in pockets specifically designed for circular needle storage (on sale at Tangled Web, folks!):Stacey loves her Circular Solution:She also keeps her straight needles in a vase, which doubles as storage AND home decoration!

Annie has also gone the office supply route, keeping her circulars in a pretty pocket file:

Hope this gives you some ideas if you are hopelessly entangled in your needles! And please share your ideas with us in the Comments section if you have some ideas we didn't cover. Let's all Get Organized so we can enjoy our knitting time to the fullest!!

The Beautiful Bird's Nest Scarf

2009-03-08T05:52:00.000-04:00

Annie, the genius of color and texture, has struck again! Inspired by our recent shipment of Malabrigo and a scarf she whipped up during the holidays, she has put together beautiful combinations of yarn to make the Bird's Nest Scarf. Here's her finished scarf (which is way more spectacular in person:
Here's a row of gorgeous "bird's nests" that Annie has assembled:
Check out the individual "nests" !!
Not only do these nests make spectacular scarves, but they're 10% off too!! Stop by the store and check out the beauty.

March Free Pattern of the Month

2009-02-25T15:41:00.000-05:00

You saw this version in our March e-letter:

Now here's our store sample, knit out of Cascade 128 Tweed:

"Fabulous!!"

This shrug looks great and knits up quickly in tons of yarns - like the Cascade 128 or 128 Tweed, Lamb's Pride Bulky, Baby Alpaca Grande, Encore Chunky. And when you buy the yarn at 10% off, you get the pattern for free. The shrug is a great transitional clothing item - perfect for warmer winter days and chilly spring evenings.

We also have several other shrug patterns that have been almost as popular as our free pattern. This gorgeous cabled shrug is from one of the Aslan Trends' Seasons Change Vol 2 booklet, and is knit in super-bulky weight yarn. The booklet also includes a lighter-weight yarn version.

This shrug below is from Jo Sharp's Knit Issue 2 and is knit out of a strand of yummy Jo Sharp mohair. This is the perfect garment to cover the shoulders at a summer movie or air-conditioned restaurant.

If you haven't already done so, call the store at 215-242-1271 or stop by and add your email address to our monthly newsletter list. We will never share your information with anyone else, and you'll get our fabulous monthly newsletter, filled with news about store specials, classes, Knit-Alongs and general goings-on at the store.

Critical Mass- The First Step in Getting Organized

2009-02-05T18:25:00.000-05:00

There has been a lot of talk around the shop lately about getting organized. I really assumed we were talking about how we could help everyone else get organized. I never considered the possibility that maybe I was in need of some organizational therapy myself. Well, I was sorely mistaken.

It all became very clear last weekend as I sat snuggled deep in the arms of my big green chair knitting a tiny little baby sweater for the shop. I was at the point in my project where I needed to take a measurement and reached into my tool case for a tape measure. That's when it hit me. My tool case had reached the point of critical mass. I could no longer find anything that I needed and everything seemed to be connected somehow as if all my knitting notions had morphed into one. I could see the tape measure but getting to it was not going to be easy.

Then I remembered all that talk around the shop about getting organized and I did it! I dumped out the case holding all my knitting notions and started sorting. There were 19 crochet hooks, 25 stitch holders and a half dozen cable needles just to name a few things taking up an awful lot of space in my tiny knitting case. I even had a small gadget bag inside my knitting case. Why was I carrying every knitting gadget that I owned for a project that only needed a stitch holder and a measuring tape? And how horrible would I feel having to replace all of my gadgets if I were to misplace this one project bag? It was time to consolidate.

Well a good ten minutes later I was completely organized. Now I have a central location for all my knitting notions and carry only what I need in my project bag. I'm not sure how long this will last but it was well worth the small amount of time that it took to organize my notions.

Here's an old eyeglass case that now hold all my crochet hooks.....

And another with all my many markers....

My little black case holds all my notions and now I just have a zipper case that travels with my project bag.

2009-02-05T09:17:00.000-05:00

It's cold. About 16 degrees today. And my boiler broke last night in a torrent of water that came through my diningroom ceiling. The temperature in my house is 55 degrees and dropping. Hopefully, the plumber will be coming soon.

I'm wearing my hat. I had a few to choose from. I have one that is super warm--a fairisle design in Baby Alpaca Grande from Plymouth. It is yummy, but doesn't seem like an indoor hat--no matter how cold it is in my livingroom! I chose a ribbed hat in three colors made from Merino 2000. The pattern is in Hip to Knit and I think I made six of them one year. Here it is

And this has me thinking about hats. How essential they are. How a good hat can make all the difference. When I put a handknit hat on my daughter's head, I feel I am protecting her. Keeping her safe.

On Superbowl Sunday, my children and I snuggled together on the same chair where I await my plumber in shining armor. We watched the football, but more importantly, we worked on our knitting. Here we are knitting during the superbowl:

Julie, the little one, is working on a blanket for her imaginary chipmunk who lives on her shoulder. She cast off at bedtime and slept with her little swatch on her shoulder. It was her first completed piece. Lydia is starting a hat for herself which I will work on later today. When she wears it, she will have the satisfaction of knowing that we knit it together. I am working on a hat for Julie. I finished it during the post game show. Here it is:

It is made from Bingo. A simple roll hat with stripes in reverse stockinette.

And as I wait, shivering, for the plumber who said he would be here a half hour ago, I am secure in the knowledge that Julie's head is warm. Now, I have to go finish Lydia's hat.

February Free Pattern of the Month. It's a two-fer!

2009-01-28T22:22:00.000-05:00

Christmas '09 Project #2
The Firenze Cowl

What goes perfectly with a pair of Mohair Mittens? A warm and toasty Firenze Cowl, of course! This month, when you purchase 3 skeins of LaGran Mohair, at 10% off, you will get a free mohair mitten pattern. Purchase 2 skeins of Firenze, at 20% off, and get a free Firenze Cowl pattern.

The cowl is knit on a #15, 16 inch circular needle and was super quick. I finished it in two evenings.

Here are some combinations that we have put together.

Mohair Mitten/Firenze Cowl Color Selection

2009-01-28T10:20:00.000-05:00

Here are all the colors of LaGran Mohair that we have in stock along with a coordinating color in the Firenze.

Indigo

Lavendar

Eggplant

Oatmeal

Truffle

French Lilac

Cherry Blossom

Moss

Christmas '09 Starts January 1

2009-01-27T19:32:00.000-05:00

You know how some Christmas' leave you feeling like you could have done more. Every couple of years I seem to have an off year. Too little time, too little money and too many obligations leave too little time for knitting. Well, 2008 was a really off year. There were no hand knitted items under the tree, in the stockings or mailed to distant relatives. I didn't knit for my family, my staff, my hair stylist or my mailman. I lacked motivation, time and enthusiasm.

That all changed the minute Christmas '08 was over. I'm talking December 25th around 6:00 p.m., as I finished drying the last dish, the words "if I only had more time..." were replaced with "I've got twelve months...". I was suddenly filled with the desire to start knitting and I knew just where I would start. My old standby the Mohair Mitten. I had a class coming up and thought it would be great fun to pound out a pair, as a review, before the class. As it turns out, I was well into my second pair before the date of my class and have yarn set aside for at least one more pair.

I have decided to knit only things that I want to knit and with no one in mind to receive them. No pressure...My Goal is to have fun and possibly have a less stressful holiday season next year.

I have a few ideas up my sleeve for some other projects that I would like to do and I will be sharing them and my progress with you through out the coming year.

Happy Knitting
What I really need now is a snow day.

Knitting Hope and Dreams

2009-01-22T10:36:00.000-05:00

It looked like my regular evening routine on Tuesday, Jan. 20. I was in flannel pajamas in my knitting chair working away.
But my ears were busier than my hands as I listened to the television (hard to watch TV and knit at the same time). On this night if it is possible to have your ears glued to the tube, mine were.

I was soaking up every word of any commentator talking about the inauguration of Barack Obama. Like so many in our country, indeed around the world, Tuesday was a banner day. And just as knitting calms me in times of trouble it also lifts me even higher in good times.

And this is an especially good time. Our new president offers hope in these times of chaos and trouble but not without hard work. He called this an new era of responsibility and we must all do our share to remake America in the image of our better selves.

At 57 years old, I guess I could say that I’m getting a little old to be on the front lines of change no matter how much I might hope for it. But as I watched him take his oath I knew that I would have to find a way of being useful; to deliver to our children and our children’s children a better country.

And so I continued to knit on a tiny sweater -- a first sweater for a grandchild who is scheduled to arrive in May. My first grandchild. A child born in an America that has an African-American president. Just think, this event, which took centuries to accomplish, will just be a matter of fact for her. It won’t seem like a dream come true; it will just be how things were when she was a baby.

And I knit away, stitch after stitch, putting in all my own hopes and dreams for her and her life. Will she have more open doors? Will she look like her mother, the beautiful Melissa? Will she call me grandma? Will she find a good place in the world to live her life? Will she work hard to make her own dreams come true?

Yarning over, knitting two together; knitting love and life itself into every stitch. Do you know your grandma loves you even now? Do you know your great-grandma loves you even now? Do you know that you will have the best grandfather in the world? Do you know that I have been saving knitting patterns for you since your mother was a little girl? When you wear this sweater will you feel my hands caressing your wee body?

All my love and knitting has nothing to do with the recent inaugural, I guess. But somehow I have woven the two together: hope, dreams, pride, excitement, a touch of fear of the unknown, love.

All I knew on Jan. 20 was that the country was changing in a good way and that in a few months my life will change in the best way.

I was close to tears all day and finally at day’s end, too tired to knit and listened-out, I put down my work, turned off the television and cried.

-- Lucia Herndon

2009-01-18T12:23:00.000-05:00

Two of the funniest and most creative hats appeared in the store in the past week.

The first one, from customer Deb, is the Squidward Hat, for her nephew, was created out of her own mind and knit from Cascade 220. Here it is in all its tentacle-y glory:

She's a good aunt.

The second one, from customer Diana, is the Mohawk Hat from Domiknitrix, knit out of Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Bulky. I believe this is also for a nephew, who attends the University of Southern California.

Thank you, ladies, for sharing!

2009-01-09T10:06:00.000-05:00

Our January Free Pattern of the Month is our old favorite The Quicky Gift Hat. Look how classic:

Classic....and fast! It knits up on a #15 needle, so when we say Quicky we mean Quicky!! The sample on the right is knit with a double strand of Rowan Plaid, which happens to be on sale this month for 10% off.

Stop by the store and pick up your Quicky Gift Hat pattern, free with the purchase of yarn!

2008-12-31T12:12:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year's, everyone!! Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2009 to you all!

Now, just a heads-up. Our Winter 2009 class schedule is starting up this Sunday, with the Mosaic Knitting Pillow class from 10am-12pm. This is a really easy and fun way to do complicated-looking colorwork. And this pillow is knit in bulky-weight yarn, so it can be finished in a couple of days. Look how cool it is:
Cost is $20, and we still have a few spaces left in the class. Call the store at 215-242-1271 to sign up.

A Great 2008

2008-12-22T21:16:00.000-05:00

It's only a few days before Christmas and I have to admit to not making many gifts this year. I got so behind in my knitting that my husband's November birthday sweater has turned into a Christmas present by default.
But it has been a great time in the store to see all the projects people have been working on. Hats, mittens, scarves. Coats and sweaters. It's been a treat.
Being in our new space has been a treat as well. Although getting used to the computer took a little time, it has made things a lot easier for the staff and we hope has made for quicker transactions for all of you.
It's been wonderful watching people accomplish their goals. Watching Sharon churn out mittens, sweaters (fair isle no less), even felted sheep (they are adorable) has been fun. You can hardly wait to see what she's done.
I give Tawana mad props for trying anything. A knitter of her own creation, she doesn't read patterns but looks at a piece and figures it out on her own; she even has her own knitting vocabulary.
We love Martha, who left us the most heartfelt thank you phone message on Thanksgiving day. We didn't erase it, but play it over again and again.
Hilda's beautiful message mittens take the cake -- done on size 1 needles yet. And don't get me started on her beaded scarf.
A shout out to all the people who came in for private lessons in order to improve their skills. Thanks for working so hard to take your game up a notch.
As we get to the end of the year I think of projects I'd like to do in 2009. But being one who doesn't care for New Year resolutions I hate to make a list. It never fails - no matter what I think I want to make, I get distracted by new designs and patterns or feel the need to revisit an old favorite.
Still this year I will be making baby things as I will be a first-time grandmother come the spring. I have saved up patterns for decades. Now comes the task of sorting through them and finding the ones that really matter. Don't know yet the sex of this baby so I've delayed starting projects. But I feel the time will start flying by and I will have to get a short list started if the baby is to have a coming-home-from-the-hospital sweater.
It's been a great year and with every hope for an even better 2009. Here's hoping that you all continue to use the Tangled Web to find the materials and tools you need to tackle all your projects.
Continue to amaze and inspire us with your creativity.
We're ready for 2009. Here's hoping you are too.

2008-12-17T15:44:00.000-05:00

Oh dear, I've been so remiss in posting these wonderful pictures of classes and customer projects!! Following is a veritable parade of good stuff. Here goes:

This is customer Cassandra's adorable daughter, modeling her Kid's Hoody Vest, from the class of the same name earlier this year:
We've begun to accumulate a veritable menagerie of felted animals here at the store. Customer/Enabler Sharon made one of these adorable Fiber Trends felted sheep, then of course I had to make one. Fun Fun FUN! (We still have some of patterns in stock. I'm just sayin'....)

This insanely gorgeous nugget was knit by customer Betsy. It's a Log Cabin blanket, worked in Cotton Classic, and it knocked our eyes out of the sockets when she brought it in!

Look at the intensity of these knitters! These concentrating women are part of the Bead Lace Scarf Knit-Along. Lots of concentration and the scarves these knitters produced were out of this world beautiful.

Here's customer Marina, showing off her super-warm mitten from the Mohair Mittens class:

Here's a preview of an upcoming Knit-Along. This is customer Ann, in her beautifully-made Frog Tree Kimono Cardigan (TW Knit-Along for March/April), worked in Rowan Felted Tweed. Beautiful job, Ann.

2008-12-05T13:49:00.000-05:00

Happy December, everyone!

We've been crazy-busy here since the holiday shopping/knitting season kicked off, but here's a little nugget that we're offering as a holiday present from us to you.
This gorgeous elegant sumptuous fabulous neckwarmer is knit from 2 balls of Sinsation, Plymouth's smoochy-soft, shiny, gorgeous chenille. The pattern is easy-peasy - Cast on 20 stitches on a #9 needle and knit until the yarn is gone or the neckwarmer is 20". Sew up the ends, add a beautiful shawl pin, and off you go!

Sinsation is 10% off until Christmas Eve, just in case you want to whip up a few of these. They're perfect for teacher gifts, hostess gifts, and gifts for you because they dress up a suit or make you look snazzy on your way to a festive holiday party.

We have dozens of great ideas for quick knit (or quick-to-buy) presents at the store - come on in, and we'll get you all set up!!

Winter 2009 Class Schedule is Up!

2008-11-21T11:12:00.000-05:00

Greetings all on this lovely snowy November day!

Just a quick note to let you know that our Winter 2009 class schedule is available online here. We have a lot of great classes and Knit-Alongs coming up. They fill up fast, so call the store at 215-242-1271 if you see something you like.

And, as always, please let us know if you'd like to receive on our monthly email newsletter which always has the latest news on classes, sales, new merchandise, new pets, you name it!

Home Again

2008-11-16T21:01:00.000-05:00

Lucia Herndon Horning

I can breathe again. My sweater is back.
As you might recall from last month's post, I lost the argyle vest that was supposed to be a present for my husband on his Nov. 18 birthday. But I lost the bag that contained my work. I thought I left it at a treatment facility where I volunteer, but no one there had reported seeing it.
I spent an awful weekend trying to decide what to do. i started knitting the back which was just plain, figuring I wouldn't lose time if I truly had lost the front piece. But my heart wasn't into the easy knitting. I felt an ache in my heart over my lost knitting. Like losing your dog. I kept looking in my knitting bag, hoping it would magically appear. Of course, it didn't.
At 7:20 on Monday morning the phone rang. I was still asleep. It was the director of the treatment center. She had found my vest.
Turned out the vest was discovered shortly after I left that Friday; but it was turned over to a weekend staffer and not a knitter. She simply stashed it away without telling anyone about it. But the director was determined to track it down and she found it and called right away.
The vest is back and I am nearly finished; probably won't be in time for my husband's birthday. But I am reassured that I hadn't lost my mind.
And I am grateful to all those who heard this story and shared my panic. I'm back to just misplacing my keys, grocery list, money and hundreds of other things. Normality feels so good

2008-11-14T10:02:00.000-05:00

This is a little late, but is too fabulous to pass up. Here is our Annie, in full Halloween dress. She was the Bad Knitting Witch:

Check out the evil apples she was sporting:

("Carpal Tunnel", "Felted Disaster - I'm Shrinking!" ,"Bad Pattern Instructions")

("Dropped Stitches", "Twisted Cast-On")

("Snapped Needles", Tangled Yarn")

Hands down the funniest Halloween costume I've seen in years.

2008-10-31T11:38:00.001-04:00

Our next Knit-Along is the beauteous (and easy!) Heartstrings Beaded Lace Scarf. Here's a picture of the finished scarf:

Here's my in-progress project:

I've loved working on this! We're having a Pre-Requisite Class on Sunday, November 9 from 10-12 where we'll show you how to string the beads and do some repeats of the lace pattern.

The Knit-Along itself will be held on Wednesday, November, 19 and Wednesday, December 17 from 7-9pm. Call the store at 215-242-1271 to sign up for both or just the Knit-Along.

2008-10-26T17:54:00.001-04:00

Mwaaaaaaaaahhhh!! Look how cute these turned out!! These are the hedgehogs the students made in the Huggable Hedgehog class. I love how they're all different sizes. Great job, all!!

2008-10-22T11:12:00.000-04:00

Okay, PHEW! Lucia found her sweater.

GO PHILLIES!!