Demonic Progress

It's a Wrap

I got the Therapi Wrap done (wellllll I do have to weave in some ends, but it is pretty  much done). Pictures before grafting and after:

I kind of messed up the grafting, due partly to forgetfulness and partly to stupidity. I forgot to pick up the extra half stitch from the side of the provisional cast on, so I would have been one stitch off in my count anyway, but I was three stitches off because I had cast on the wrong number in the first place. So I either increased or decreased 2 sts to get the right number, making  a mental note to do the opposite on the other end before grafting, but then I lost the mental note. Go figure. Since I did not count the number of stitches on both needles before grafting, (DUH), I ended up with three extra stitches on one needle and had to fudge it at the end. Throw in the fact  that I forgot to switch back to garter stitch grafting at the beginning of the garter stitches at the other end of the wrap, having done the first garter stitch/switch to stockinette stitch perfectly at the beginning, and you have pretty much a disaster of grafting. Which, by the way, I am leaving right where it is, so that everyone will see it and I can learn humility. 

Other than my own operator error problems, I am quite happy with the wrap itself. It's lovely to look at and lovely to feel :) 

I have never shown pictures of the Corduroy pullover I am making from A Fine Fleece. Here are some pictures:

I am using sport weight Peace Fleece that I got about 10 years ago, seriously. I finally decided to use it up. I love the color, a nice medium to dark purple. 

I have the body nearly done; I probably do a 3-needle bind off to join the shoulder stitches tonight, and pick up the sleeve stitches. It shouldn't take too long to do the sleeves and the collar, and then it will be done! I figure 2 weeks to finish it, so I should shoot for my deadline to be the March Knitting Weekend at the end of the month. 

It is a sweater, so of course it flips up on the bottom. 

 If anyone can tell me how to stop my sweaters from flipping up on the bottom, I would be very very very grateful! 
  

Now that my Therapi Wrap is done, I am pushing forward on the Modular Scarf I am making for my modular knitting class (April 10 & 17). The pattern will also be handed out on the knitting cruises on the Isaac Evans, and it will also be offered for sale at Unique One after April 17. I will show pictures as soon as I am able. 

I have also started work on designing another scarf, a pair of fingerless gloves, a hat, and an Aran sweater, all of which will be patterns handed out on the knitting cruises this year, and offered for sale in Unique One starting in July. So stay tuned for new stuff to knit :)

Up To No Good

Sigh. I haven't really been doing much lately, sorry, but that's one reason why I haven't posted about my knitting on my blog for a while.

 I finished the red cashmere scarf, but I haven't blocked it or taken a picture of it finished yet. Here is a picture of it the last time I snapped a shot:

I knit the Narragansett Cap from A Fine Fleece in black Hempwol, but it was such a quick knit that I didn't even have time to get a picture. I am going to donate the hat to the Ships Project when I go to the SPA coming up February 26-28. 

I also finished a light blue garter stitch boucle scarf that I started either on a knitting weekend or on a knitting cruise a long time ago. I could barely even remember it when I discovered it half done in my stash around Christmas. I knit most of the rest of it on Christmas Day and finished it pretty quickly. 

I started spinning the last of my 2009 SPA purchases, the BFL fiber in the color "Galaxy". I am going to spin it on a spindle as a lace weight, a 2 play lace weight, which will be a challenge for me. Here it is on either my moosie or my mammoth tusk spindle (I forget right now which one it is):

I haven't gotten very far, but it's a start. I have fallen off the 10-minutes-a-day spinning wagon, pretty badly, but I will try to get back on soon. 

I have a Learn to Knit Lace Class (it's a 2-part class) on March 6 and 20. I finished knitting the model scarf that we will be knitting in the class. Pictures of it while it was blocking:

         
This is a very fun, very easy lace project, perfect for the lace beginner! The pattern also includes a somewhat larger, more time consuming lace scarf that one could knit after mastering the easy lace scarf that we will be doing in the class. The lace class is $65 for 2 days of classes, and each day includes lunch. The pattern is also included! I think it is going to be a lot of fun, so I people sign up. I am looking forward to this class quite a bit. 

In sock news, I have finished the last of my Fiber Frolic purchases... I got some fabulous cashmere blend blue/turquoise/purple fingering weight yarn at Fiber Frolic that I originally planned to knit as a lace scarf, and I started one, but the yarn was a little thicker than I liked for a lace scarf. Plus I had just finished a lace scarf in red cashmere, and besides, I don't wear scarves that much anymore anyway. So I just made the yarn into plain socks, and I will wear them all the time, because cashmere socks feel so yummy! This yarn from String Theory also has nylon in it, so I think they will wear well:

And here are the socks I am knitting now:

This is Frolicking Feet sock yarn from Done Roving Farm, and I think the color is called Cherry Pits. I am using 72 sts on size 1 needles, and it is good, relaxing knitting, and the color just absolutely rocks. 

I have a few other projects kind of going on too, but this post is already too long. 

Here is what Nick and Nora are doing this winter: 

    

I wish I were a cat. :) 

Happy knitting! 
  

   

 

 

Knitting Classes at Unique One

I finally finished putting my class schedule together for 2010. All of the classes are scheduled in January through April. All but one of the classes will be held at Cappy's Chowder House (next door to Unique One), and one class will be held at the Lord Camden Inn conference room (just up the street from Unique One). In all cases, lunch is included in the class fee! 

Click here to see the class schedule!

It's Coming!

My Unique One Knitting Weekend is almost here! Actually it is tomorrow. I started the final preparations a few days ago, and I think we are going to have a lot of fun!

I've gathered my goodies for the goodie bag, including discount coupons for Cappy's Chowder House and the Camden Deli, and some fun knitting goodies from around the store. I think the knitting weekend participants will have a lot of fun discovering the treasures in their bags! And I have picked out three fabulous door prizes!

I've planned the wine and the food for the reception, and I am finishing up little ideas to keep the fun going all weekend. We're going to hang out together and knit, share stories, tell naughty knitting jokes, watch knitting videos, oooh and ahhhh over each other's knitting, and generally be silly and enjoy time to knit or spin. I'm looking forward to it! This is like the night before Christmas, so I had to write a blog post about it..... I will post pictures from the weekend later :)

Knitting appetizers

I want to go to the Knitting Weekend RIGHT NOW! I mean, I am really looking forward to it. I neeeeeeeed it. I am going to hang out and knit with some fabulous people at the end of the month, and it is gonna be fun fun fun :) I am looking forward to laughing and sharing and eating and knitting and spinning and just generally getting silly. It is gonna be fun! (You can join in the fun, click here for the Knitting Weekend information.)

The Friday night reception is going to be at Unique One, and I am catering it myself. Yes, I know, it could be scary, but luckily there are people around me who actually know how to mess around with food. Hi Tracy! 

So my dear friend Susan and I were on the phone last week, discussing food for the reception. She is so creative, talking about little edible pots filled with yummy savory foods, and the best shortbread cookies in the world. I came up with making knitting needles with toothpicks and seed beads and sticking them in melon balls. And then there is always chocolate. Anybody out there have any clever knitting-related appetizer ideas? Send 'em my way, if you do. Hmm maybe I could do foods that come from things you get yarn from, lets see.... lamb or mutton, bamboo shoots, corn, lobster, .... they make yarn from chocolate too, right? Right? I am sure it's true. 

Unique One Knitting Weekend, March 27, 28 & 29, 2009

You can link directly to the official Unique One Knitting Weekend page HERE. 

Or you can just read it here:

• Come to the Lord Camden Inn, Camden's finest luxury, boutique Inn, boasting unsurpassed service, comfort and elegance, with a premier village location and magnificent views of Camden Harbor and the surrounding coastal mountains!
• Join Beth and the staff of Unique One Sweater & Yarn shop for a relaxing weekend of knitting, spinning, or whatever fiber work you enjoy most. Take part in classes, win doorprizes, and enjoy spending time with other fiber fanatics, sharing knowledge and indulging your fiber needs.
• Friday night:
• Private Shopping at Unique One! Knitting Weekend participants can enjoy private shopping at Unique One from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday of your knitting weekend. With a 20% discount, of course! Unique One will also offer 20% off any purchase at the store throughout the entire weekend, for Knitting Weekend participants.
• Knitters Reception at Unique One, 7 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. : Wine, appetizers, coffee or tea -- pick up your Knitting Weekend goodie bag, meet other knitting weekenders, browse Unique One, and then go on back to the Lord Camden Inn conference room to hang out, eat, drink, chat, knit, spin, relax. Greet old friends and make new ones! Find a comfy spot and knit or spin or whatever suits you.

• Saturday:
• This year's Knitting Weekend is a very laid back affair, providing knitters with lots of time to simply be with other knitters, enjoy talking about knitting, sharing projects, relaxing, and asking questions you may have about knitting. Spend all day in your pajamas, knitting or spinning and eating chocolate, if you want to! When do you ever get to do that? Beth will be on hand (possibly in her pajamas too) to answer your knitting questions, teach mini "how-to" lessons, and generally laugh and knit along with you and act silly. Come act silly with me while you knit or spin :)
• Do you have a laptop? Bring it with you and watch knitting DVD's ... Beth has a collection of knitting DVDs for you to peruse, to entertain, to teach, or to preview. Been thinking about buying a knitting DVD but wanted a chance to look it over first? Come look at these. Also, the Lord Camden Inn has wifi access, so we can share knitting websites, blogs, free patterns and maybe even create our own Unique One Knitting Weekend 2009 web page! Don't worry, what goes on at the Unique One Knitting Weekend, stays at the Unique One Knitting Weekend. We will keep your secrets safe.
• For lunch and dinner on Saturday, folks are on their own, but your Knitting Weekend goodie bag will contain discount coupons for several eateries in town. Take the opportunity to check out one of the several fabulous restaurants in Camden!
• Saturday evening, bring your knitting and spinning and hang out with us in the conference room! It is always fun to see what everyone is knitting, share tips and techniques, or new fiber and yarn finds. If Beth gets her act together she may even set up a knitting machine and do a demonstration of how Unique One sweaters are made!

Sunday:

Come knit your last goodbyes in the morning, get a group picture taken, and fill out our Knitting Weekend guestbook! You don't need to check out of the Inn till noon, so you might as well squeeze in that last little bit of knitting and spinning relaxation time.

On-going Throughout the Weekend

Door prizes: THREE door prizes will be given out during the knitting weekend! You could be a winner! Beth has carefully chosen some wonderful items from Unique One to give away!

Plenty of "UKT". My friend Joan Davis, knitter extraordinaire, used to offer some wonderful knitting events over the years, including some great knitting cruises on the Pauline, both here in Penobscot Bay and down in the Chesapeake. She also offered what she called "Knit Inns" at local bed and breakfasts here in the Camden area. One of the best parts of Joan's knitting events were what she called "UKT" -- "Uninterrupted Knitting Time". I'm hoping to recapture some of the joy and magic of Joan's knitting events, and that includes plenty of UKT. So please feel free to relax, enjoy the wonderful ambience of the beautiful Lord Camden Inn, and just hang out and knit or spin all weekend with others who share your passion!

How Much Does It Cost? How Do I Sign Up?

To reserve your space at this event, you must do two things:

Each Unique One Knitting Weekend costs $50, payable to Unique One. Call toll free 1-888-691-8358 to register and pay. A $25 deposit is required when you register.

You must also call the Lord Camden Inn 1-800-336-4325 and reserve your room. This costs $100 per person, per night. Breakfast (very yummy! there are Waffles!) and taxes are included.

Please call Unique One toll free if you have any questions: 1-888-691-8358

Winter Classes at Unique One

Class: Learn to knit socks on 2 circular needles 
When: January 17 & 31, 10 am to 2 pm
Where: Cappy's, in the Crow's Nest upstairs
Instructor: Wendy Ford
Materials you need to bring: Two size 2 circular needles, 24 inches long; 100 grams fingering weight sock yarn
Cost: $50.00 includes lunch both days, instruction, and a sock pattern 

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Class: Learn to knit cables and textures 
When: February 14 & 28, 10 am to 2 pm
Where: Cappy's, in the Crow's Nest upstairs
Instructor: Wendy Ford
Materials you need to bring: Size 6 needles; 150 grams sport weight or DK weight yarn (recommended: 3 skeins of Heilo or Classic 150 or Cashsoft DK); a cable needle
Cost: $50.00 includes lunch both days, instruction and a scarf pattern 

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Class: Learn 2-color knitting
When: March 14, 10 am to 2 pm
Where: Cappy's, in the Crow's Nest upstairs
Instructor: Wendy Ford
Materials you need to bring: Size 7 16-inch circular needles and a set of size 7 double pointed needles; 2 skeins of Maine wool or other worsted weight yarn
Cost: $30.00 includes lunch, instruction, and a hat pattern 

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Class: Reading and altering patterns
When: April 4, 10 am to 2 pm
Where: Cappy's, in the Crow's Nest upstairs
Instructor: Wendy Ford
Materials you need to bring: worsted weight scrap yarn and suitable needles for knitting test swatches, a pattern or book of patterns, an idea for a project you want to alter or understand, graph paper and regular paper, pencil, calculator
Cost: $30.00 includes lunch and instruction

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Check in again soon to see a schedule of classes taught by Beth, including Knitting Portuguese Style, Finishing Techniques, How to Knit and Use a Gauge Swatch, and All About Yarn. These classes will be one day only, and will cost $30; the schedule will soon be determined.

Please call Unique One (1-888-691-8358 toll free; local 236-8717) to register. Prepayment is required and is nonrefundable. Classes must have at least 3 people enrolled to occur; class size is limited to 10. If classes must be cancelled due to bad weather, they will be rescheduled. If you miss a class, you cannot make it up and neither will your fee be refunded for that class.

Request a class! If enough people request a particular class, it is more likely to be offered. Beth is willing to offer a class if 6 or more people are interested in signing up to learn a particular skill together.

Yarn Sale!!!!!

October 9 through 19!! SALE ENDS OCTOBER 19! If you come in on October 20 and want to get the discount, no, I am sorry if  you missed the sale, I am sorry if you did not see my ad in the papers, I am sorry if you did not see the foot-tall-letters YARN SALE sign filling the front window. The YARN SALE IS OCTOBER 9 THROUGH OCTOBER 19!

 

Mother's Day Sale (Secret Heads-Up for Blog Readers)

I am doing something pretty unique this year, mostly because I rather urgently need cash, and I am going to tell you, my faithful blog readers, about it FIRST -- before the papers even come out!

I am having a massive Mother's Day Sale: 20% OFF STOREWIDE, May 8, 9, 10, & 11. Unique One has never had this kind of a sale before except at Christmas by the Sea weekend, and even that is only 3 days. This Mother's Day Sale is a whole four days of 20% off anything in stock. I need to get rid of some stuff and get some money in the bank!

So, the sale covers yarn, needles, books, kits, patterns, clothing, sweaters, socks, gifts, notecards, you name it. About the only thing not 20% off is stuff I already have marked down more than 20%, like Dale of Norway sweaters (50% off) and last year's summer clothing (70% off). So if you were thinking of coming to Camden sometime soon, this would be the time. Get something nice for your Mom for Mother's Day, and grab a few items for yourself too! Bring your friends! Pass the word!

Happy knitting and sale shopping :)

Important Notice

The Unique One website will be moved to a new server with a new hosting service on April 30. Hopefully, the Unique One website itself will not be down for very long, if at all; however, the online shopping part of the website will be down for an undetermined amount of time; perhaps several weeks. The shopping cart software I am currently using (Cold Fusion Webstore) is now obsolete, so I need to rebuild my entire online store, and this could take me a while.

I hope to get all the photos and descriptions of our sweaters and some of the knitting supplies available to view online, however. You will not be able to click them and buy online, but you may call my toll free number (1-888-691-8358) and order them over the phone; if you call when I am closed, please leave a message and I will call you back!!

I am very sorry for the inconvenience of all this, and I am very sorry too for the short notice. If you have placed an order with Unique One and have not received it yet, or want to know the status of your order, please call so I can make sure I have the hard copy of your order printed out.

Please call me with any questions, concerns, or comments, toll free, at 1-888-691-8358. Unique One is still very much in business and doing mail orders! We just have to take care of this little web site bump in the road. Thank you very much!!

Beth Collins, Owner
Unique One Sweaters and Yarn, Inc.
Camden, Maine
1-888-691-8358

Knitting Weekend March 28, 29, and 30!

I just completed a fabulous knitting weekend at the Lord Camden Inn March 14 - 16, and the next one is coming up soon!!

If you are registered for my knitting weekend March 28, 29, and 30, you can expect to get a letter in the mail in the next day or so... I am popping letters in the mail, including supplies you need for the classes, directions to the Lord Camden Inn, and a schedule of events. Get excited 'cuz we are gonna have a pile o' fun! Woohoo! I can't wait to see you all!

Happy Knitting :) :)

Update: My Knitting, Spa, Spinning, and My Knitting Weekends

I need to get caught up on my blog postings! I *think* about writing on my blog a lot.... I don't get to it as much as I should, though. But here goes:

My knitting: I am starting down the backside of the Hanne Falkenberg Ballerina's first sleeve. I love working on this project, but I got distracted by other things. I have not worked on my white shawl at all because I have mentally "put it away" until I finish something else. Neither have I worked on my Hedgerow Socks because they are kind of boring and I am beginning to realize if I am going to put the effort into putting even the simplest texture stitch into socks, I would like it to show at least a little, and it really doesn't. So I have it circling in a hold pattern because I am pretty sure I am going to rip them out and do a different sock; I just don't know what yet. I love this Classic Elite Alpaca Socks yarn, though! It is wonderful to feel and to work with. Lastly, I *ahem* started a new project. It is the Portuguese Fisherwoman's shawl, designed by Shelagh Smith. I am almost half done it and I will soon post more information and pictures... but I am kinda waiting until I get my next shipment of patterns from Shelagh because as soon as you see this shawl you are going to want to make one. I had 29 copies of it for sale at the spa, and Shelagh lent me a model to wear, which I wore Friday night and Saturday. I kept one copy of the pattern for myself, and sold all the other 28 copies at the Spa. I am using a strand of laceweight Douceur et Soie held together with a strand of French Hill Farm's fabulous "French Twist" hand dyed fingering weight merino (the two together make a worsted weight). I am using utterly wonderful glass circular needles... this is my ultimate happy project! I love working on it so much!

The SPAAAAAAAAAAAA (New England Textile Arts group's annual get together in Freeport, Maine) was fabulous and I love Freeport as a venue for this event. It was relaxed, comfortable, and I hope they keep it there. True, I didn't make as much money at it as I usually do, but only a part of that was due to the fact that people are spread out over 3 hotels. For one thing, because it was new, people spent this year exploring and enjoying their hotel; next year or the year after, their hotel will be more familiar and they will venture out more readily. Also, there was bad weather on Friday, and the economy in general held people back. There is also more shopping competition within walking distance in Freeport than there was in Portland. There is more to see and do, so people didn't tend to hang out in the vending area. So as a vendor, I guess I should be unhappy that I made about half of what I usually make at this show, but since I went into it expecting that, and was correct in my assessment, I am pretty happy. And as a participant, I would be crazy not to love having it in Freeport. It is more open, more comfortable, the service was great, there is a ton of stuff to see and do, and it is closer for me to get to.

Spinning. Ahh yes. I haven't spun much since the Fiber Frolic in the summer, and then only for about a week. At the Spa I bought a lovely new Bosworth Spindle, some soft and fluffy blue fiber (can't remember what is in it -- silk? merino? angora? it is yummy, anyway), some great sock yarns from Dye Dreams, a fabulous NEW enterprise who had their debut at the Spa, at the booth next to us. I also got from them some fiber for making striped socks, and some gorgeous cashmere/silk fiber. So once again, I came home with fiber and a new spindle. Pretty good for someone who doesn't spin. I have decided to do "meditation" spinning every morning for 20 minutes..... for twenty minutes, I spin (currently the cashmere/silk blend on my new Bosworth spindle) and do nothing but focus on the spinning itself. I don't think about my worries or make plans and mental lists for the day ahead or think about anything at all. The point is, to think of nothing... and just spin. Focus on the fiber, on the moment, how the fiber feels in my hand, how the spindle looks. I have always heard that meditation is good for you, and I never was much of a person for simple "just-sitting" meditation. I need something to focus on. Spinning is my answer. With only a couple exceptions, I have successfully kept up my meditation spinning every morning. I have a nice kop of fiber on my spindle and something to look forward to every morning. It is a good thing.

In another spinning note, I am finally spinning on my marvelous Merlin Tree creation, the reproduction antique Quebec production wheel that David Paul made for me. It is fabulous and it makes me want to spin forever! I love it! I am spinning the blue fiber I got from the Spinning Bunny at the Spa. My life is now filled with wonderful spinning. :)

Lastly, I have two fabulous knitting weekends coming up: March 14, 15, & 16 and March 28, 29, & 30. This will be my third year! Hard to believe. There is still plenty of room available at both weekends and I hope you can come! We are going to relax, laugh, knit, spin, eat good food, learn a little, and HAVE FUN! If you have signed up for one of the weekends, please note that I am sending a letter to participants this week, as I did the last two years, explaining any items you might need to bring with you for classes and giving directions to the Lord Camden Inn and Unique One. I am really looking forward to these knitting weekends! It will be great to see you there! Many of the participants have now become my friends and I am always happy to see my circle of knitting friends growing :) (Oh by the way, they got a new waffle machine in the breakfast room at the LCI and it is even more fabulous than before! Yummy!)

I guess that is enough for now.... have a great day, and happy knitting! :)

Yarn Sale!!!!!

Yes, it's our Unique One Winter Yarn Sale! 20% off all yarn! If I have it in stock, it's up for grabs at 20% off!!!

Sale ends February 10 at 4 p.m...... Unique One is open Monday through Saturday, 10 to 5, and Sunday 12 to 4!

Are You Ready?

Hi!

So many of you have been asking about the upcoming March Knitting Weekends at Unique One (thank you for being so interested!) that it finally got me to actually update that section of my store website. You can click HERE to read all about it!

Everything is pretty much the same as it has been the last two years: wonderful opening reception (wine, cheese, chocolate, goodie bag); classes (Knitting Weekend #1 is Rudy Amann, How to Spin on a Hand Spindle; and me, Shaping with Short Rows; Knitting Weekend #2 is Mary Jane Mucklestone, Design a Fair Isle Tam; and me again, short rows.); a wonderful luncheon; gathering to knit and talk together on Saturday night .... I am toying with the idea of setting up a knitting machine at the Inn and doing a demonstration of how such a contraption works. When people see me knitting sweaters on the machine at the store, they are always fascinated. The biggest comment I get is "I have never actally seen one of those in operation before!" I think people *know* of a lot of people who own knitting machines, but they haven't ever seen anyone actually successfully use one before.

Anyway... back to the Knitting Weekend schedule. On Sunday morning Linda Cortright of Wild Fibers Magazine will fill us in on her fantastic fiber adventures around the world.... believe me, Linda is one of the most interesting people I have ever met! I could listen to her talk for days and days..... love ya, Linda :)

So...... I am taking reservations anytime, of course. The best thing to do is to call the store and sign up, and then call the Lord Camden Inn to make reservations. Although I personally feel the Inn is the most wonderful place to stay, there are many other lodging opportunities in and around Camden, if you feel you would like to stay elsewhere :) The Lord Camden Inn is offering a special rate of $200 for one person for two nights, which includes a fabulous breakfast; or, you can pay $300 for two people for two nights (same fab breakfast), which would be a good deal since you would each pay $150 if you split it, saving you $50. :)

The fee for the knitting part of the weekend is $125 payable to Unique One. You can pay a $50 deposit when you sign up, and pay the rest when you arrive. This fee covers my cost for the food and materials for the weekend, plus a little profit (well I *am* in business, after all). If you want to stay somewhere other than the Lord Camden Inn, you would arrange that and then just pay Unique One the fee for the knitting weekend. Perhaps you have friends or family in Camden? Hmmmm?

I urge you to get your reservations in soon, because I have decided to limit the weekend participants to 30 people per weekend instead of 40, and also because.... I am famous! And the cause of it might just create a rush to get in on the knitting weekends in March:

Do you read Cooking Light magazine? Well if you do, or if you pick it up in line at the grocery store, look on page 76 of the January/February 2008 issue, you will find a short article about the knitting cruises on the Isaac H. Evans that I participate in twice a year. There is a picture of me and I am quoted, talking about how fun the knitting cruises are! It's pretty cool... and that little blurb is responsible for the fact that the 2008 Knitting Cruises on the Isaac Evans are already FULL! Woohoo! And... people are on a waiting list for 2009! And....... Capt. Brenda Walker and I have even talked about a *third* knitting cruise each year! That last part is really tentative, so don't get all excited, but the fact that we're both even thinking about it is pretty amazing. I mean geez, neither of us would have ever thought that knitting and sailing would be so tremendously popular, but the word is out! Knitting and sailing totally rocks! Sailing knitters are adventurous and fun and they let the melted butter at the lobster bake fall where it may, baby!

Therefore, if you're thinking about signing up for the March Knitting Weekends, you might want to do it soon, because it won't take long for those Cooking Light readers to Google Unique One, and find the updated info about the knitting weekends... and filling them up. I can only hope :)

More posts soon... I have so many new things to tell you.... take care & happy knitting!

Onward & Upward!

Ha, I finally am getting around to my blog again! It’s been pretty busy here the last two weeks.

We had our two Unique One knitting weekends over March 23-25 and March 28-April 1. Wow, we had so much fun! I loved every minute of it! I think I soak up a whole year’s worth of laughter and inspiration and smiling and friendship over those two knitting weekends. It was so much fun! In both weekends we had terrific people who really loved knitting and the fiber crafts, and they were so inspirational to me. Really, it is my customers who keep me going!

We have already started work on next year’s two knitting weekends, because I wanted to get a head start on them for next year. Plus I was so excited and happy from this year’s knitting weekends, I can’t wait to get to next year’s! We are starting right out this year with two weekends that people can sign up for, March 14,15, & 16, and then March 28, 29 , & 30. These are the two weekends each side of Easter weekend next year. For us, it was easier to do the knitting weekends close together like that, instead of doing the second one a month or more later.... we seem to be able to keep the momentum better this way. Next year, the cost for the Knitting Weekend is the same -- $125.00. You can pay a $50 deposit, and then pay the rest later, which is what most people did. This fee is paid directly to us at Unique One; this is the money that keeps us going, heh heh.The cost for the Lord Camden Inn rooms for the whole weekend (2 nights’ stay) is $200 for an individual or $300 for two people. So, if you get another knitter to come participate and stay at the Inn and you split the cost with them, it’s a little cheaper than swinging the whole thing by yourself.You can call the shop (1-888-691-8358) if you want to sign up for one of the weekends, or if you want more information, or if you have a good recipe for chocolate anything. :)

Next year I am hoping to get guest teachers for each of the knitting weekends, too; so far I know we will have Nancy McGlynn, editor of Knitting Now, to teach a class on tips and tricks for knitting, and Rudy Amann, long-time spinning and nalbinding instructor, to teach how to spin on a hand spindle. I am still looking into options for the second weekend, but I will let you all know as soon as I find the right people! I also am hoping to have a wonderful lady (Hi Conny!) who is from Nebraska, who *might* be able to come to the second knitting weekend and so a slide show from her tour of the Brown Sheep Company operation in Mitchell, Nebraska. I hope we can do it.... I have dealt with Brown Sheep so much over the years, and met several of their employees at the TNNA shows, but have never seen their mill, so I would love love love to be able to make this happen. I really loved my tour of Bartlettyarn’s mill a year or so ago. I love woollen mills!

So.... now the excitement is over.... it is like Christmas, but the day after. Summer madness and activity is approaching, but right now we’re in the lull between winter activities and summer’s carnival atmosphere. I have three fabulous classes that Unique One is offering in April: Learn to Knit Socks, April 14; Rainbow Dyeing on April 21 (I plan to take this class myself, as Tracy Murphy is the instructor... I can’t wait! It is going to be a super fun class!); and Finishing Techniques on April 28 to finish up my classes for the year, until next winter. We don’t do classes during the late spring, summer, and through Christmas because it’s just crazy around here then. Fun crazy, yes, but crazy nonetheless. I do have a knitting cruise (note to self: YAYYYYYY!) in June, and the TNNA show to go to in Ohio in June, and the Fiber Frolic to frolic at in June, so I guess I will still be busy.

Speaking of the cruise, I started designing a sweater (At the knitting cruises, I hand out patterns for things I have designed ... and I haven’t designed a sweater for a while. It is time.) It’s kind of a whole story in itself, so I will leave it for a further blog post, maybe *gasp* tomorrow! Wooot! Two blog posts in a row! Be still my heart... :D The story of my next sweater design adventure will show you how much of a by-the-seat-of-my-pants designer I am... other designers will cluck their tongues loudly to see the simpleton-like methods I use. But, when it goes right, it works pretty well! And at least *I* am having fun! Keep your eyes peeled for the Fabulous Fantastic Yet Simple Nautical Sweater story. :D

Crochet for Knitters Class

I am teaching a class at Cappy's Chowder House this coming Saturday, Jan. 27, and it still has five openings ..... in the off chance anyone wants to sign up because you're local or would like an excuse for a weekend trip to Camden, Maine.... here is the information:

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Ever been frustrated by a wonderful pattern for a sweater or other project because it calls for a crochet trim, and you don't know how to crochet? Have you ever been prevented from completing something because of unexpected crochet finishing? Is there a project languishing in your closet, complete but for a crochet edging that blocked your progress??? Fear no longer! This class will give you the crochet knowledge you need to complete any knitting project you wish!

Who -- your instructor is Beth Collins
Where -- Cappy's Crow's Nest (right next door to Unique One!)
When -- Jan. 27, 10 am to 4 pm
How Much -- $36 plus materials
What You Need to Bring -- crochet hook, size F or G; sport or DK weight yarn to play with. Knitted swatches will be provided for you to crochet onto. Also, feel free to bring along any project you would like help on, if you have specific needs or questions about how to apply a crochet trim on a project of your own.

In this class you will learn:
1. the basic tools required for crochet
2. basic crochet stitches often used in edgings: chain, single crochet, double crochet, half-double crochet, picot. You will also learn to do crab stitch and shell stitches, other popular crochet trims used in knitting patterns.

The $36 fee for the class covers not only the instruction and entertainment by Beth Collins of Unique One, but it also includes an utterly fabulous luncheon iin Cappy's Crow's Nest! And Cappys is right next door to Unique One, so should you need anything before, during or after the class, it will be convenient to run over and get what you want!

This class is for knitters who have never crocheted before at all. If you already know how to crochet a little, you will find some of the class remedial, but you'll still get good information from it. If you can crochet as well as you can knit, or nearly as well, don't bother taking this class; you could probably teach it. :)

After taking this class, you will be able to :
1. Work basic crochet stitches
2. read and understand directions for trims and edgings that use basic crocheted stitches
3 face crochet directions in knitting patterns without fear, knowing that you can do this and knowing where to turn to if you need help.

Please Note: This in NOT a "learn to crochet" class. You will not learn to crochet any form of a garment; this is a class that will teach you how to apply crochet to knitted garments, and how to read the directions for this.

Sign Up Now!

Come to the store, call (236-8717 local or 1-888-691-8358) or email (info@uniqueone.com) to sign up for the class. Pre-payment in full is required. You may cancel up to three days before the class for a full refund; after that, no refund will be given. In case of inclement weather, the class will be rescheduled and you will be notified.