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The Fabric of Our Knitch Lives
Sara shoulders a stash of Amy Butler's fun fabrics 
The fabric niche at Knitch!Thursday, November 19, 2009
Sara shoulders a stash of Amy Butler's fun fabrics The fabric niche at Knitch!
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Blue Moon Is In the House!
We had to show you our wonderful assortment of Blue Moon Fiber Arts yarns on display. We don't sell it online, so you'll want to come into the shop and have at it!
Here's some of our Icelandic 100% Australian wool, hand-dyed and gorgeous. The Think Big Cowl on the mannequin is a quick knit from Vogue Knitting International, the Holiday 2009 issue.
Above is pictured just one spectrum of colors we have in shimmery Silk Loops, a blend of 54% Kidmo (mohair/nylon), 26% silk, 15% wool and 5% nylon. If texture is what you're looking for, you'll be thrilled with this. We love it combined with ThickieThin (see below) for the ultimate in textural contrast.
Above: ThickieThin, 100% wool ultra-slubby yarnand one of a trio of Family Hats that Nell whipped up
to show off this fun fiber.
Below: Luscious Single Silk, a 50/50 blend of Merino and Silk
is a single strand of soft worsted weight, spun just enough to make it yarn.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Friends and Family Pot-Luck Thanksgiving
The incredible colors outside remind us that our favorite holiday is just around the corner. We have so much to be thankful for and look forward to celebrating with Knitch friends and family on the Sunday prior to Thanksgiving, November 22, in our new home on N. Highland from noon on. Starting tonight, Thursday evening, we'll have a sign-up sheet available at the shop so you can let us know that you are coming and what yummies you plan to bring to share with our knitting community. Or if you prefer, you can give us a call and we'll make sure you and your culinary contribution are on the list.
Kim has ordered the turkey, stuffing and squash casserole. Everything else is up for grabs!
Since our new shop does not have a kitchen, we'll be using paper goods this year. Please remember to bring serving utensils and understand that we will not have the capacity to reheat/keep warm or to wash any dishes prior to your leaving. So bring a container to transport the dirty dishes home (nothing can be left for others to enjoy this year - when you go, your dish goes!). We are looking forward to seeing you at our third Thanksgiving at the shop!
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Fabulous First Days at 1044 N. Highland
Kim with Jared Flood, aka Brooklyn Tweed, who inauguratedour new store in a big way with three fantastic, fascinating workshops.
We are amazed, exhausted and exhilarated! To think we were open for business on St. Charles on Tuesday and by Thursday we were welcoming folks to our new store on N. Highland . . . well . . . it leaves our heads spinning. Our staff and loyal friends worked way beyond the call of duty to make it happen. Good spirits were overwhelmingly evident the whole time; any weariness was trumped by the thrill of creating this vibrant space.
Not only did we open on Thursday, we also welcomed Jared Flood that evening for the first of three workshops in our new space, which we found very versatile and accommodating to the twenty eager participants. Here are some more photos from our first couple of days.
Marina was the very first to pull up a chair at the farm table. She loves all the light which makes it that much easier to see
what she is doing and to appreciate the colors she's working with.
Becky Douville proudly showed us ajust-finished sock she made from Handmaiden Casbah.
Baby Tucker Belle (with Dad) models our Happy First Birthdayhat -- so appropriate on our first day!
Charles Gandy was with us all day, knittingaway while waiting for Jared Flood's workshop.
Suddenly we have this bright and welcoming cornerin the front of the store for knitting and visiting with friends.
Haley is enjoying a gelato from the shop next door.
Joy and satisfaction are clearly evident inthe smiles of Donny, Stephanie, Nell and Kim.
Kim introduces Jared Flood for the first of three fascinating workshops. 
Jared greeted every participant personally,winning hearts as well as minds.
Jared shows a swatch to illustrate a point.
Jared, Jane and Nell exult in a day well-spent!Wednesday, October 28, 2009
We've moved!!
Our move has been under wraps,and now the wraps are off!
We are thrilled with our new shop at 1044 N. Highland Avenue, a few blocks north of our original store. Just across the street from George's Restaurant and Highland Woodworking, our new space is light, bright and all on one floor. (We don't think anyone will miss the spiral stair too awfully much!) Easy access, plenty of parking and right in the middle of what we think is the coolest neighborhood in the city, we're very excited and eager to open on Thursday morning.
Nell and Kim (yes, she is . . . and due in February!)are getting ready for opening day.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Nell is a Grammy!
We were getting set to tell you about Nell's having saved the day for young Miles, whose sweet, well-loved knitted cat "Bubbles" was in need of repair, whose loving grandmother, Grammy Lynda from New Jersey, looked to Nell to work her magic on dear, irreplaceable Bubbles.
While we were preparing the photos, Nell got a call from her daughter Melissa in Virginia who has just now -- 30 minutes ago -- given birth to Corbin Michael Jenkins, weighing in at 8 pounds 15 ounces, thus making Nell, officially, a Grammy!
It's a very happy day!
Miles and Bubbles have been joyfully reunited now that he has been pulled back together and decorated with colorful knitted circles -- Bubbles, that is!
And baby Corbin has Nell for a grandmother. . . and Haley for an aunt. What a lucky baby!
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Insouciance Makes an Appearance at Knitch and Hopefully Never Leaves
"Insouciance" is defined by Cat Bordhi as "that cheerful feeling you have when nothing is bothering you." That was the feeling that came over us last weekend when Ms. Bordhi came to call and offered two enlightening workshops at Knitch. With her newest book, Personal Footprints for Insouciant Sock Knitters as our guide, we were able to cast off the resistance to sock knitting, knowing that, armed with Cat's clues, we could knit socks that would fit us, be comfortable and not cause us to go loony. With Cat's guidance, it's all about ease. What a concept!
Cat also offered a workshop called Finding the Fountain of Fresh Knitting Ideas that truly stimulated our creative spirits. The concepts can apply in many areas of life and, once again, we confirmed that knitting is a metaphor for so much more than the obvious!
We used a pair of toddler pants and divided it up into 15 sections. An array of technique names were in a bin that we drew from to randomly determine how each of those sections would be approached: intarsia? entrelac? lace? moss stitch? The result was to work out of the mold of patterns and precision, to design backwards, if you will. Generating so many ideas in this way meant we could back off of ideas that didn't particularly ring our bells -- a much more satisfying direction to work than starting with a blank slate and going forward. This approach to problem solving felt fresh, exciting and new, not to mention liberating!
If you were there, we'd love for you to share any of your thoughts, lightbulb moments and memories with the rest of us. And if you weren't there, we missed you! We have a stack of Cat's new book, freshly autographed, which will give you a taste of what a great workshop experience this was. We can't wait for the next one.
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