Wrapping up a wonderful year

How time has flown! We see it especially in the changes in our Knitch baby, Sully, from newborn to robust, happy, full-of-personality almost 10-month-old. We see it in our new digs on a charming little stretch of Virginia Avenue (North East!), very close to the bustling center of Virginia-Highland and just far enough away. We see it in bare trees and patches of snow on the ground (highly unusual in these parts!)

We're celebrating it all with a perfect project to welcome the new year: our Artyarns Silk Rhapsody Hug. Some are making it with Silk Rhapsody, some with Silk Rhapsody Glitter and some with Silk Rhapsody with Beads and Sequins. It's truly gorgeous, such fun to make and a great treat to wear as the chilly weather sets in for awhile. Do let us see your creation!

Sully and the Quince

yarn is great, but very hungry caterpillars
are more interesting for some people . . .

Sully was in the house for our Quince & Co. trunk show on Wednesday, so happy under his new Kelpie Cap, knit from Quince & Co. Osprey by his mama the night before.

yes? you wanted something? . . .

okay. back to work . . .

Come by and see the yummy samples and revel in the yarn from Quince & Co. If you're lucky, you might even get to meet Mr. Sully.

A Lovely Homeless Hat Project Story

Yesterday, a lady wandered into the shop, attracted by our window display for 100 Hats in 100 Days for the Homeless (see column to the left). She insisted that it would be impossible for anyone to teach her to knit. She was quite certain about that. But she wanted to participate in our project. She asked if she might purchase some yarn to give to a knitter to make a hat . . . or two. As luck would have it, a busy, happy group of knitters was gathered around the table. Jane was the first to speak up and say she'd be happy to do it. The lady thanked her and disappeared, only to return moments later with a gift -- a lovely porcelain platter full of crackers and artichoke spread from our neighbors, Bella Cucina. Now we had a table of busy and even happier knitters! The lady left, having never revealed her name, with a contented smile on her face, knowing she had contributed to a worthy cause -- on a couple of levels!

Our goal of 100 Hats in 100 Days needs a burst of activity from everyone to make the November 1 deadline. So keep those hats coming -- whether you knit them yourself or not! And thank you, mysterious lady, and Jane. You are both inspirations.

And speaking of hats, our Knitch bird sported an Atlanta Braves cap for a couple of weeks as excitement grew about our home team going into the MLB post-season. Alas, it's all over now, but not due to any lack of spirit on behalf of our bird!

Off the Needles at Knitch

Today Regan brought in her blocked-and-ready-to-ship 6-feet-long Myrtle Leaf Shawl -- a gift for her mother's big birthday. The pattern comes from Victorian Lace Today and she made it from Rowan Kidsilk Haze. Lots of it! It's impressive indeed, and everyone wants to know how long it took her. She figures it was about 16 months, with a long break in the middle. We love how, finished and blocked, the pattern reminds us of so many lipstick kisses. An abundance of kisses for a very much loved (and lucky) mom.

Keith also has a much loved and lucky mom! He made this February Lady's Sweater in Nell's class and it is a beauty. He used Shepherd’s Wool on US size 8 needles. Word has it that he was the cause of many a dropped stitch in that class with his hilarious comments and stories. He also "forced" everyone in the class to try the sweater on for him as he went along. That's what they tell us. And they didn't mind at all! Group knitting certainly has its pluses! Keith went straight from this masterpiece to working on a doggie sweater for his sister's pooch. Who's going to model that?

Jane's Ulmus Shawl (a Ravelry pattern) looks lovely draped around her shoulders. She wasn't so sure as she was working it, whether it would really work for her. But it does! And how!!

Blue Moon Has Arrived!

We're always happy to see Terrance, our UPS man, come in the door with his electric smile and sunny disposition. But when he's wheeling in big boxes from Blue Moon and we know there's Socks That Rock as well as Icelandic Chunky inside, well, we're just dancin' a jig. It won't be here long, folks, so come in or give us a call and we'll help you step into Blue Moon heaven!

Happy Birthday Elizabeth Zimmerman!

As Hubble is to the deep-space telescope, so is Elizabeth Zimmerman to our favorite craft. Born August 9, 1910, today would have been the 100th birthday of the innovator, mathematician, engineer, sage, philosopher and teacher. So let's light a candle, have some yummy cake, cast on something fabulous and share our love for all things E.Z.

Send us photos of your zimmerinspired projects. We'll start with one of our own faves:

Nell's Baby Surprise of the Cute Collar

Follow this thread!

We find these adorable little buns of colorful, silky thread from Valdani completely irresistible. And from the reactions of folks strolling into the shop, we are not alone!

The pearl cotton, hand-dyed and colorfast jewels, as well as the beautiful assortment of Sullivan (naturally!) embroidery floss skeins, are meant for embroidering your what-have-yous: pillows, maybe (we have some pillow cases just for that), or dish towels and napkins (yep, we've got those too!), aprons, children's hats and clothing. Endless possibilities.

We have embroidery hoops (very modern, really cool plastic and metal ones), embroidery kits and patterns from Sublime Stitching. The proverbial icing on our proverbial embroidery-offerings-cake is DMC metallic thread in shimmering gold and silver.

Can't wait to see what all you creative souls do with these treasures!

Gisela's in the House

We just received this beautifully rendered sample of the Gisela jacket by CocoKnits and now, having seen it and tried it on, we're even more excited about it. Because we can't all have Michelle Obama's fabulous arms, we love having found something to knit that will, shall we say, camouflage our upper arms while not making us swelter. Knit out of Habu Cotton Gima, the breezes (anybody felt any breezes lately??) flow through, unimpeded by too much fabric, making us cool -- well, that could be a stretch in these dog days! let's say, not as hot! -- calm and just a tad elegant. Come in and see for yourself. It's a quick knit too, so there'll be plenty of time yet this season to enjoy it. We also have the CocoKnits pattern for the Gretel tank with the flattering cowl neckline, which by itself is lovely, and when paired with the Gisela jacket makes a splendid "sweater set".

Joy Written All Over Her Face!

Amanda Thwaits is feeling pretty darned pleased with herself, as well she should! This Daphne and Delilah Momma and Baby Monster from a pattern by Danger Crafts is her first-ever project from a pattern. And we're all so proud of her -- Megan, Kim, Christian, Olivia, Brad, to name a few, all helped her out with navigating the mysterious world of pattern-speak. Amanda's five-year-old son picked out the colors. It really does take a village and we're awfully happy that we have our own lovely, fun, little hamlet right here on N. Highland Ave. Bringing joy to the world -- one happy knitter at a time!

Summer's here! Can Fall be far behind?

We think summer's a great time to get going on those fall projects. Brad, here, is ready for the first sound of crunchy leaves -- and has time to make a few more for his friends! He combined Kureyon Sock Yarn with Shepherd's Wool in the One-Row Scarf, made famous by Stephanie Pearl McPhee.

Stephanie suggests donning this scarf and wandering around your favorite neighborhood veggie market, pretending to buy veggies, while waiting for someone(s) to ask you, "Where did you get that gorgeous scarf?"

The hat Brad just made up, mathematical whiz that he is.

Stash Busters and Cashmere Socks

Pam made her Kaffe Fassett diamond cardigan
a few years ago and calls it the ultimate" stash buster!"

Knitch customer, Pam Cornutt, arrived the other day, decked out in her Kaffe Fassett Diamond Sweater, and with warm feet, compliments of the Jade Sapphire Cashmere socks she had just finished. This was her first wearing of said socks and she was basking in the luxurious comfort and the very fine work she had done.

Fabulously luxurious Jade Sapphire Cashmere 2-ply socks
from the pattern Cascadia from the Socks that Rock Club.
It's a pattern that won't be available to us mortals until next year.

She wanted to show us her finished afghan, made with Kaffe Fassett Colourscape wool. Spectacular!

Join our Knitch Winter Games 2010

We're all excited about the coming of the winter games (what dyed-in-the-wool knitter wouldn't be?) and we love the idea of Stephanie Pearl McPhee's Knitting Olympics as well as Ravelry's Ravelympics 2010. (See Stephanie's blog for hilarious explanation.) We are too late to enter our Knitch selves as a team, so let's do our own version right here on N. Highland Avenue, aka "Whistler Mountain of the South".

Choose a project that's a challenge to you to begin at the time of the Opening Ceremonies (Friday, February 12, 9 pm Atlanta time) and complete by Closing Ceremonies (Sunday, February 28, 8:30 pm Atlanta time). Sign up at the shop and, with your commitment, we'll give you an hour of help (no charge) on any Thursday night during the Olympics, on your Olympic project, if you need it. We'll take pictures of our Knitch Olympians with their Personal Best projects to post on our blog. (You'll be famous.) Everyone who finishes is golden!

Feeding the addi addiction

We got in a bunch of new addi Click sets -- the interchangeable needle sets that are a dream come true. Now they come in a great leather case which fits easily into our knitting bags. They are now listed on our website along with individual needle tips (2 to a pack) and cord packs (3 to a pack). While we were getting them put up on the web we ran across an ad for addi that we find hilarious and thought you would enjoy too!

Click here to see the addi ad that has us in . . . well . . . stitches!

The Fabric of Our Knitch Lives

Sara shoulders a stash of Amy Butler's fun fabrics

We've moved our beautiful fabric offerings to their own bright spot right in front of our new shop. No more climbing of the dreaded circular stair to find these treasures from Amy Butler, Kaffe Fassett, Tina Givens, Jay McCarroll, Jennifer Paganelli and Anna Maria Horner. They are great for lining your knitting projects or creating projects in their own right. We have some wonderful pattern books too for jiggling your imagination.

The fabric niche at Knitch!

Fabulous First Days at 1044 N. Highland

Kim with Jared Flood, aka Brooklyn Tweed, who inaugurated
our 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 a
just-finished sock she made from Handmaiden Casbah.

Baby Tucker Belle (with Dad) models our Happy First Birthday
hat -- so appropriate on our first day!

Charles Gandy was with us all day, knitting
away while waiting for Jared Flood's workshop.

Suddenly we have this bright and welcoming corner
in 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 in
the 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!

Haley's Work in Progress -- Fair Isle Bird Mittens

Nell's adorable daughter Haley is working on these almost-as-adorable Fair Isle mittens, using a free pattern from Ravelry called Bird in the Hand. She's using Louet Gems (machine washable and dryable merino wool). To keep things interesting, she's planning to do the second mitten in one of the other available patterns -- probably a cat, just to keep a little tension going! We have to tell you -- she started this project just yesterday!

Camp Rocks . . . Felted Rocks!

You take a rock, see, any rock, and then you felt around it and, voila!, a fabulous objet d'art or paper weight! Cate continues to concoct fun and merriment for our Knitch campers. From left: Margaret, Emma, Henry, Cate, Maddie, Hope, Mary and Lauren.

The Perfect Transitional Piece

She's done it again, that Nell. Here's her latest inspiration, brought on, no doubt, by our crazy Atlanta weather. We had snow -- LOTS of snow (for us!) on a Sunday. By Wednesday, it was 70 degrees. This vest is just the thing for transitional weather. Made with Rowan Felted Tweed, it's not too hot and not too cool. Yeah. It's just right! The pattern will soon be available for sale, but for now, come in and we'll give it to you free with your purchase of the yarn you'll need to make it.

A New Spin on Roving

We found this "wish-I'd thought-of-that!" application for our gorgeous roving collection in the March 2009 issue of Vogue. With apologies to photographer Annie Leibovitz, we just had to show you. Never have a bad hair day again!

A Mountain of Manos

We've just received a huge shipment from Manos del Uruguay that includes their gorgeous Wool Clasica Naturals (yep, that's how they spell it). They are simply spilling out, eager to dance with your needles.

Jumping for joy would be entirely appropriate at this juncture!



One of our most favorite patterns for Manos is Opening Night -- a swirl of a spiral with a generous shawl collar. This is the perfect season straddling piece. You can find this pattern in Manos's book Collection 8: Metropolitan Diary.



Kim is wearing hers today, fashioned in a cheery red, held closed with one of our lovely shawl pins.


Love the swirl in the back!


We have a beautiful collection of shawl pins, if we do say so!