Stop by (even if you're not doing Sock Wars we still want you to come and hang out!) and join the fun. Friday, May 9 from 5-8 pm.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Friday, April 25, 2008
Our weekend warrior Stacey has been busy! She recently finished two projects with two of our favorite yarns. Here is her Squash Hat from "101 Designer One-Skein Wonders". She knit it out of Rowan Cashsoft DK in what she called a particularly "squashy" shade:
Squashy!
Now brace yourself for these two fabulous ladies!! These are Stacey's daughters, decked out in their Wonderful Wallabies, knit out of Lana Grossa Bingo.
Nice job, Stacey! And the sweaters are adorable too!
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Tangled Path to Tangled Yoke
Like many of you, I signed up for the January Knit-along -- the Tangled Yoke Cardigan from the Fall 2007 issue of Interweave Knits. It's always fun to see what yarns in what colors people choose. I felt the need for some companionship in my knitting right about then. I was suffering from post-holiday malaise and knitting someone didn't seem high on my agenda. That happens sometimes; knitting just doesn't seem to hold my interest and I put the needles aside for awhile.
But this cardigan looked interesting, especially the cabled yoke. So I signed up, picked a Rowan Felted Tweed in a forest green and went to the first meeting.
It was a tangled path to the completed sweater. I had go down a needle size. I had to blow up the cable chart to poster girth and then color code the cable key. Actually that was kind of fun and certainly was pretty.
The interesting thing is that while the sweater required a lot of plain knitting, a smidgen of difficult knitting (the 18 rows of cable required absolute quiet, solitude and no interruptions by man nor beast) and a willingness to commit to hours of knittings on row count that numbered in the hundreds of stitches, this project was one of the most involved yet best I've ever tackled. I enjoyed having to read the pattern closely. I enjoyed the small needle. I enjoyed the challenge of the cable. I enjoyed everything about it, even the hours of endless stockinette.
Indeed this project brought me as close to the joy of knitting I felt when I first began some 13 years ago. The sense of challenge and accomplishment. The joy of figuring out that five-into-one decrease. The pride in changing the pattern when I thought I had a better method. This was a knitting pleasure on all counts. I put the sweater on and rarely take it off. My husband asked if I plan to sleep in it. (Hmmm, not a bad idea.)
The best thing is that it ended my knitting drought. I was back, full of pep and ready for new challenges. And for the first time in quite a while, I was actually knitting for myself.
And now the warm weather is upon us and lots of people are putting down their needles. I encourage you all to find a project that will keep you interested even as the temperature rises.
My summer project is a cotton top made in an overall lace pattern (it's only a four-row repeat and two of the rows are purl). It's simple compared to the Tangled Yoke. But it is so much fun and should be done in a week. I am using yellow cotton -- my declared new favorite color for the season.
And with the prospect of a new location (see the website for more information) -- more space, more options, more cozy knitting chairs -- now is the best time to get those needles and crochet hooks flying.
On another knitting note: there still are seats available on the Maryland Sheep and Wood Festival bus on Saturday, May 3. The bus pickup is at 6:45 a.m. at the ACME parking lot at Sedgwick and Germantown Avenue in Mount Airy, and at 7:45 a.m. at the Welsh Road Library, Welsh Road and Roosevelt Boulevard. It should be a great day with lots of yarn, yarn and yarn. You'll also receive a coupon good for 20 percent off at the Tangled Web on Friday, May 2. Stop in the shop today and purchase a ticket. It'll be the best $40 you can spend!
Lucia Herndon
But this cardigan looked interesting, especially the cabled yoke. So I signed up, picked a Rowan Felted Tweed in a forest green and went to the first meeting.
It was a tangled path to the completed sweater. I had go down a needle size. I had to blow up the cable chart to poster girth and then color code the cable key. Actually that was kind of fun and certainly was pretty.
The interesting thing is that while the sweater required a lot of plain knitting, a smidgen of difficult knitting (the 18 rows of cable required absolute quiet, solitude and no interruptions by man nor beast) and a willingness to commit to hours of knittings on row count that numbered in the hundreds of stitches, this project was one of the most involved yet best I've ever tackled. I enjoyed having to read the pattern closely. I enjoyed the small needle. I enjoyed the challenge of the cable. I enjoyed everything about it, even the hours of endless stockinette.
Indeed this project brought me as close to the joy of knitting I felt when I first began some 13 years ago. The sense of challenge and accomplishment. The joy of figuring out that five-into-one decrease. The pride in changing the pattern when I thought I had a better method. This was a knitting pleasure on all counts. I put the sweater on and rarely take it off. My husband asked if I plan to sleep in it. (Hmmm, not a bad idea.)
The best thing is that it ended my knitting drought. I was back, full of pep and ready for new challenges. And for the first time in quite a while, I was actually knitting for myself.
And now the warm weather is upon us and lots of people are putting down their needles. I encourage you all to find a project that will keep you interested even as the temperature rises.
My summer project is a cotton top made in an overall lace pattern (it's only a four-row repeat and two of the rows are purl). It's simple compared to the Tangled Yoke. But it is so much fun and should be done in a week. I am using yellow cotton -- my declared new favorite color for the season.
And with the prospect of a new location (see the website for more information) -- more space, more options, more cozy knitting chairs -- now is the best time to get those needles and crochet hooks flying.
On another knitting note: there still are seats available on the Maryland Sheep and Wood Festival bus on Saturday, May 3. The bus pickup is at 6:45 a.m. at the ACME parking lot at Sedgwick and Germantown Avenue in Mount Airy, and at 7:45 a.m. at the Welsh Road Library, Welsh Road and Roosevelt Boulevard. It should be a great day with lots of yarn, yarn and yarn. You'll also receive a coupon good for 20 percent off at the Tangled Web on Friday, May 2. Stop in the shop today and purchase a ticket. It'll be the best $40 you can spend!
Lucia Herndon
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
We like to think of ourselves as hardened knitting veterans, immune to extremes of adorableness. But sometimes we see some finished projects and just melt. Witness this fellow:
This bunny, knit by customer Jill and assembled by Lucia, knocked our socks off. At each stage as he came together we got more and more invested in him, until he was finally put together and we all squealed like little girls in delight!
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
Check Out Our New Digs!!
As you may or may not have heard, later this spring we're moving down the street to a bigger and better space! More room, more parking, two dedicated spaces for indoor and outdoor lounges where you can relax forEVER and hang out and knit as long as you like. We thought you'd like to follow our progress as construction moves forward. Here are some "before" photos:
Look at all that glorious space! Now imagine it stuffed with glorious yarn!
The Kitchen (where delicious treats to keep up your knitting energy will be whipped up?? Or maybe just a place to store all that Knit-Along and Knit-In wine!)
The Al Fresco Knitting Lounge!
The Upstairs Lounge!
We'll keep you posted as construction progresses. We're thrilled about our new space and can't wait to move in. By the way, rest assured that all of our classes, Knit-Alongs, and Knit-Ins will continue without interruption.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Bus Trip and Wool and Fun! Oh My!
Get on the bus! That’s my charge to you. What bus, you ask? The bus that will take you to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival on Saturday, May 3.
Now I have never been to this festival (it’s held the first weekend in May every year -- this year May 3-4); but I certainly have met knitters who have. It’s located west of Baltimore on a fairgrounds and features a variety of events and vendors all related to sheep and wool.
Not that I’ve ever been one for dealing with yarn while still on the hoof. I mean I like sheep because I know that’s where a lot of my yarn comes from. But I don’t have to be up close and personal with them.
However, this event also features vendors who have taken the next few steps and have processed the fleece into gorgeous yarns, many of them hand-dyed.
So when members of my knitting guild, many of them veterans of the festival, asked if the guild was sponsoring a bus, I figured why not. And being president of the Liberty Bell Knitters Guild, it was up to me to make the bus rental arrangements.
And so, I have a bus. I am looking forward to visiting the vendors, but if past experiences are any indication, I’m also looking forward to the bus trip.
I’ve taken a couple of bus trips with my fellow knitters. In the past a few of us have taken regular bus tours and turned them into knitting trips. We find an interesting-sounding tour -- like three days in the Hudson River Valley -- and bring enough yarn and patterns to occupy our bus time and hotel time. We have been known to take over a hotel lobby, rearrange furniture into cozy knitting groups and spend hours knitting and yakking.
But the ride to and from the event or venue is fun in itself. Lots of talking, laughing, knitting with people doing the same thing. On the way back more comparing purchases and laughing in that boy-am-I-tired-but-did-I-have-fun sort of way.
This year the Tangled Web is co-sponsoring the bus so we’ve added a couple of raffles to liven up the bus trip. And owner Mary is offering discount coupons good in the store on Friday May 2 for festival goers who buy bus tickets.
They’re on sale now at the shop $40 each. We’ll be making two pickups before heading for Maryland -- one at 6:45 a.m. at the Acme parking lot at Germantown and Sedgwick in Mount Airy; and another at 7:45 a.m. at the Welsh Road Library, Welsh Road and Roosevelt Blvd. in the Northeast. We’ll have several hours of shopping time before returning to Philadelphia around 7 p.m.
Seating is limited -- there are only 54 seats on the bus. Come in soon for your ticket. Make checks payable to the Liberty Bell Knitters Guild.
And get on the bus.
Lucia Herndon
Now I have never been to this festival (it’s held the first weekend in May every year -- this year May 3-4); but I certainly have met knitters who have. It’s located west of Baltimore on a fairgrounds and features a variety of events and vendors all related to sheep and wool.
Not that I’ve ever been one for dealing with yarn while still on the hoof. I mean I like sheep because I know that’s where a lot of my yarn comes from. But I don’t have to be up close and personal with them.
However, this event also features vendors who have taken the next few steps and have processed the fleece into gorgeous yarns, many of them hand-dyed.
So when members of my knitting guild, many of them veterans of the festival, asked if the guild was sponsoring a bus, I figured why not. And being president of the Liberty Bell Knitters Guild, it was up to me to make the bus rental arrangements.
And so, I have a bus. I am looking forward to visiting the vendors, but if past experiences are any indication, I’m also looking forward to the bus trip.
I’ve taken a couple of bus trips with my fellow knitters. In the past a few of us have taken regular bus tours and turned them into knitting trips. We find an interesting-sounding tour -- like three days in the Hudson River Valley -- and bring enough yarn and patterns to occupy our bus time and hotel time. We have been known to take over a hotel lobby, rearrange furniture into cozy knitting groups and spend hours knitting and yakking.
But the ride to and from the event or venue is fun in itself. Lots of talking, laughing, knitting with people doing the same thing. On the way back more comparing purchases and laughing in that boy-am-I-tired-but-did-I-have-fun sort of way.
This year the Tangled Web is co-sponsoring the bus so we’ve added a couple of raffles to liven up the bus trip. And owner Mary is offering discount coupons good in the store on Friday May 2 for festival goers who buy bus tickets.
They’re on sale now at the shop $40 each. We’ll be making two pickups before heading for Maryland -- one at 6:45 a.m. at the Acme parking lot at Germantown and Sedgwick in Mount Airy; and another at 7:45 a.m. at the Welsh Road Library, Welsh Road and Roosevelt Blvd. in the Northeast. We’ll have several hours of shopping time before returning to Philadelphia around 7 p.m.
Seating is limited -- there are only 54 seats on the bus. Come in soon for your ticket. Make checks payable to the Liberty Bell Knitters Guild.
And get on the bus.
Lucia Herndon
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