Mostly Show and Tell

The Budding Apple Knit-a-long is starting to wind down. Check out Kathy L's shawl, made with Peace Love & Yarn's Silk Noile yarn:

So gorgeous!

So, time to introduce the new knit-a-long! We are doing a Christmas-in-July Knit-a-Long and making a Christmas stocking:

A free Cascade pattern (get it here) , this is made with 4 or up to 10 colors of Cascade 220. It has some stranding in it so if you are unfamiliar with that, I'll be at the knit a longs to help with it! First KAL meet up will be this Saturday, July 2 and will go throughout the month. I'll also start a thread on the Ravelry group. I was telling some customers about it this past Saturday and several have already decided to tackle this one!

Here are the colors I'm going to do:

Non-traditional, yes... but totally my colors, no?

Weaving 101 show and tell:

Linda's scarf:

Florence's scarf:

Both made with Encore worsted and colorspun. They loved the class! Another Weaving 101 class is scheduled for July.... join us! No experience needed!

Constant Companion in-progress show and tell:

Gail, Patti and Linda were working on the bind off at the last class --- can't wait to see their finished bags!

CUSTOMER SHOW AND TELL:

Kathy L's Yvette Hat using the Roositud technique, which she made in a class at the shop:

Mari's Brigid Jacket which she made during a knit-a-long at the shop:

Jana's Traveling Woman shawl made with Periwinkle Sheep watercolors yarn in the "Tree Frog" colorway:

Nancy E's B4 Bag, made with Cascade 220:

Karen's been on a finishing streak:

KGA's Blooming Felted Bag, made with Cascade 220:

This will be a class in August!

Multidirectional scarf, made with Chaiten:

Gathered Scarf made with Malabrigo Silky Merino:

Shawl Collared Cowl, made with Baby Alpaca Grande:

Lace Ribbon Scarf, made with Periwinkle Sheep Watercolors II sock yarn:

Beth's washcloths made with Fantasy Naturale:

Sue M's Brigid Jacket that she made for the knit-a-long at the shop:

Jaye's stranded tam that she made with in a class here at the shop:

Theresa's colorful striped socks:

Jan's Market Bag made with Cascade Sierra in a class here at the shop:

Stephanie's shawl made with Zino sock yarn:

(Stephanie I forgot the name of the pattern! Could you leave it in the comments?)

Sue A's socks made with three different sock yarn remnants!:

A Maine-ly great vacation

.... Actually a totally great vacation. Paul and I went to Bar Harbor, Maine on vacation last week and had a wonderful time! Much better than last year (when we had a scary cottage in the middle of nowhere...). On the way up, we took Route 1 in Maine, through all the beautiful, picturesque towns. One of them was Wiscasset where we went to Red's, famous for their lobster rolls:

I'll say it now... neither Paul not I really likes lobster, so we had none on this vacation. Don't be shocked. Just don't love it so much as a lot of people. If I did, I'd go broke. Lobster rolls ranged from $11.99 to $20 depending on where we went! I had THE. BEST. crab cakes here at Red's. O. M. G. The first of many seafood meals this week. Fish and chips, shrimp, clam chowder.... oof.

I think I told you last year about the many businesses that had "Maine-ly" in their name. This year, I wrote them all down:

Maine-ly Antiques (but some new stuff?)

Maine-ly Used Cards (but some new cars?)

Maine-ly Sewing (but some shuffleboarding?)

Maine-ly Pottery (ok, you get the idea...)

Maine-ly Vinyl

Maine-ly Music

Maine-ly Meat BBQ

This year, we stayed right in Bar Harbor and we were able to walk to almost everything we wanted to do. We spent a lot of time on the town green, looking at the harbor and people-watching. One day, this showed up:

With a crane to lower their "dinghy":

It is a 142 foot yacht owned by the owner of the New Orleans Saints football team. A crew of 7 were constantly cleaning and shining up the boat.

We also did the greatest thing ever.... went to "Reel Pizza", a movie house where you can eat dinner while you watch the movie! Here is a picture of the seats with counters in front of them to put your food...

These pictures aren't great since I forgot the camera and had to take them with my cell phone. And if you look closely, up front there are couches and recliners with TV tables! ( we chose the regular seats).

Once you order your food, you go sit down and wait for your random number to show up on the BINGO board:

Then you eat, knit and watch the movie!:

So great, we went twice! The first time we saw Super 8 (fun and a little scary). The second time we saw Bridesmaids (very funny). Don't you think there should be one of these around here???? I would go every week. (Tickets were only $6!)

We also spent lots of time in Acadia National Park seeing the beautiful sights:

Walked and road bikes on the carriage roads:

Saw some wildlife:

We also walked across the harbor at low tide to hike up a little mountain on Bar Island to see this:

Walked and shopped the downtown area:

Saw a pretty sunset over the harbor:

And overall had a wonderful vacation spending time together:

Did I knit, you ask???? Of course! In the car and during the week I worked on my car seat blanket:

And finished my Budding Apple Shawl! (not blocked yet):

Apparently I'm on a mint green streak.

The weather!

What is with all this extreme weather lately????? First it's 1000 degrees out. Then it's thundering like crazy, and then it's raining and 58 degrees.

At the knit-in the other night there was a terrible thunderstorm -- but many braved the torrential rain and the hail (okay, they were sort of caught in it and didn't necessarily choose to drive in it to get to the knit-in). But as we left, we saw this:

How pretty is that?

I'm making good progress on my Budding Apple Shawl:

I think I'm 1/2 way (or a little more) done. It's hard to tell. But I really like it!

Yvette and Christine have been bringing beautiful flowers to the shop from their gardens. Here is Christine's most recent bouquet:

Thank you for helping to brighten up the shop!

CUSTOMER SHOW AND TELL:

Christine's felted wine box cozy (!), embellished with felted grape vine (!!):

Laurie's Baby Blanket from the Plymouth Encore 8-Hour Choices Booklet, and matching sweater:

Alison G's Peacock Shawl made with Periwinkle Sheep's w i n k yarn in the colorway "Alison G"!

Nancy C's lace scarf:

Stevie's Daybreak Shawl, made with Periwinkle Sheep w i n k yarn and a specially dyed yarn for Camp KIP, a knitting retreat she attended:

Goat Sweaters!

So, a long time ago (in November-ish), Paul and I went to the Victorian Holidays celebration in Sharon Springs. I got to meet Josh and Brent of The Fabulous Beekman Boys (reality show on the Planet Green channel). While I was talking to Josh, I asked if Farmer John might like some goat sweaters for when the baby goats are born. Well, turns out Farmer John said he would try a couple. I quickly knit up two samples, one in a green tweed and the other black with "B1802" (for Beekman 1802,the name of their mansion and the year it was built, and also the name of their business) on the back. Lo and behold, the sweaters were on their season 2 finale!!!!!! :

Unfortunately, no mention of me or the shop, but that's ok. I know I'm famous, and now YOU know I'm famous (for like, 2 minutes anyway). You can find the Fabulous Beekman boys on iTunes if you don't have Planet Green. I think the episodes are 1.99 each. The season 2 finale is called "Paging Dr. Brent" if you just want to check that one out with the goat sweaters. And by the way, I've gotten no more requests for sweaters from them.

In the mean time, Jana and I worked up this cute water bottle holder to match the Market Bag Jana is teaching in a class!

This week the yarn I knit it with, Cascade Sierra, is 20% off and if you buy the yarn, you will get the water bottle pattern for free!

What's on my needles you ask?

Here is my Budding Apple shawl that I'm knitting in the KAL:

It's coming along nicely and for those of you in-the-know, I just started chart B.

I also started yet another car seat blanket for a not-to-be-named-because-they-might-read-this person, using Jeanee Worsted:

We don't know if it's a boy or a girl, so I'm leaving out the eyelet pattern.

Last week was the second session of the Bloomsbury Gauntlets class, a pattern in the Color By Kristin book.

Kathy finished one glove, with the embroidery and all:

Pam had almost finished the knitting of one by the end of class:

And Libby and Linda were coming along nicely as well:

Love all the different color combinations!

CUSTOMER SHOW AND TELL:

A beautiful crocheted shawl using Periwinkle Sheep sock yarn:

Robin's wet felted bird house:

Another wet felting session is coming up August 6 if you'd like to try this technique to make a bird house or other felted object such as a table runner or place mat.

Mary Kate in her pretty Cedar Leaf Shawlette, made with Malabrigo Silky Merino: