The Yarn Haven

Christmas and the New Year...

2012-01-06T11:41:00.000-08:00

Christmas this year brought lots of new adventures. First of all, my son had a new wife to introduce to the extended family. She is really nice and we have enjoyed getting to know her better.

Isn't my sweet girl growing up? It's hard to believe she was only 4 when she came to live with us. But now she and her dad have moved out to start a new family.

And then they added two new little ones to the family. Meet Nola and Jack. They are a Pomerian-Jack Russell mix. Very lively, but cute as buttons.

We went out to Memphis again this year to spent some time with the Gray side of the family. We all missed my sister-in-law, Nancy, who passed away this summer. But we found new things to do at Christmas such as have a chili-cookoff. We had my niece's white chicken chili, Nancy's chili (made by her oldest daughter, Krista), and my own 3 bean chili. They were all delicious, but everyone had their favorite. It was very fun and I anticipate having more cookoffs with other members of the family in the future.

At our Cedar Bluff shop we added a new yarn line from Unique Sheep. Their yarn comes 4 skeins together with gradiant color changes.

Isn't Melissa's shawl out of Unique Sheep beautiful? You need to come in and see all of their beautiful colors. There are several that have caught my eye.

We've added lots of classes to our Farragut shop...as well as our Block of the Month on the 1st Saturday morning of each month. The Knitters and Crocheters at our Cedar Bluff shop have enjoyed the BOM for 4 years. Now it's the Farragut's shop turn to have some fun as well. Learning new stitches will help you progress in your knitting and crocheting skills...and give you a beautiful heirloom afghan to enjoy as well.

Check out all the details on our website.

May 2012 bring you much joy and happiness as we knit, crochet, spin, & weave together!

New Knitter's Pride Needles are in the house...

2011-12-05T15:07:00.000-08:00

Have you heard about the new Knitter's Pride needles? Well, we now have their Dreamz wood needles at our Farragut shop. These needles are very similar to the Knit Picks needles. They are made of laminated birch wood that is sourced out of Vermont. The needles come in straight, double-pointed, fixed circular and interchangeable. But there are a few differences in these needles from the Knit Picks needles.

Instead of all sizes having the harmony wood color, each size of the Dreamz needles has an unique color.

The size is printed on the wood AND on the metal shaft of each needle. No more guessing which size you have.

The Knitter's Pride needles come with 16" cables.

Needle tips come in 2 sizes...5" and 3 3/4". The shorter tips were especially designed for creating 16" needles, but they could be used on any of the cable lengths.

They have cubic needle tips which are square and useful for hands that need a little tender loving care.

They also make crochet hooks that are interchangeable and able to do tunisian crochet. And they have regular crochet hooks made out of the same wonderful laminated birch wood.

And finally, they are priced at the same price as Knit Picks...although some items are priced a little lower.

Come try out some of our new Knitter's Pride needles. If you already have some Knit Picks needles, you'll be glad to know that the cable cords fit them as well.

I also have some finished items to share with you. Marilyn has been a busy bee for the past few months. She made the Miley Tee (which is a C2Knits pattern) out of Araucania Ulmo yarn. By the way, we've gotten in some more of this yarn and I'm working on a mitered square bag pattern to share with you in the near future. Look for it at our Cedar Bluff shop.

And then she made Ysolda Teague's Ishbel shawl out of Noro Silk Garden Lite.

Next came her gauntlets and headband out of Berroco Blackstone Tweed. She used 1 skein of 3 different colors to make both of them using Berroco's Huxley pattern.

And then she made the Green Goddess Cardigan out of Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool XL and Malabrigo Sock yarn. She stranded the 2 yarns together.

Ginny brought in a different version of Kate's Shawl using Malabrigo Rios yarn.

She also shared with us a diagonal scarf she made out of Berroco Jasper yarn.

Ann did a great job on the Kate Jackson Log Cabin Bag. She used 11 different colors of Cascade 220. Lining the bag was a nice finishing touch.

Roz finished her Coquille shawl out of Araucania Ranco yarn. We're having a class on learning how to make this shawl at our Farragut shop on Tuesday, January, 10. Come sign up if you'd like to join us.

And last, but not least, Susan brought in her finished Ladder Shawl that she made from Lisa's Ladder Shawl Workshop. Great job, ladies!

On a more personal note, have you ever prayed for a miracle? Well, I have been this week. You see, I have a great-niece, Hayley, who is only 14 years old. She has recently been diagnosed with an inoperable brain stem cancer. She is at St. Jude's Children's Hospital right now receiving 6 weeks of radiation. While we are praying that this medicine will shrink the tumor, we are also praying for a miracle. We want that tumor to go completely away. We want Hayley well and able to live a long life. If the Lord brings Hayley to mind, would you join her friends and family in praying that Hayley would get her miracle. Here's a prayer that Hayley's mom, Kari, posted.

I wait in faith... acknowledging you are in control.
I wait in confidence... knowing you are almighty.
I wait with expectancy.... knowing your plan is perfect.
I wait in thankfulness... for what you are going to do.
I wait in dependence... knowing you are all I need.
And I wait in stillness...knowing you are my God.

Blessings!

Life has returned to normal....

2011-09-16T12:32:00.000-07:00

In reading my last blog I realized that there is so much more to my health story than I posted about. To make a really long story short...the doctors finally diagnosed me with cancer of the spleen. So I had surgery to remove my spleen. Once it was out, they discovered that there was no cancer! Now 2 months after surgery I am feeling better than before I got sick back in April. My energy level is back up and I'm working regular hours again. Thank you to everyone who prayed for me during this long time of illness. I know God answered your prayers in a miraculous way and I'm thankful to be in good health once again. To God be the glory!

I didn't knit much while I was sick. But after my surgery I got to feeling better and finished my version of the Princess Kate's Shawl. I used 5 skeins of Mirasol Nuna yarn. I'll give you the pattern if you purchase the yarn.

Just because I haven't been in the shop doesn't mean that folks have stopped knitting. I have lots of photos to show you of their finished projects.

Leslie finally finished her Crayon Box Jacket. These jackets are a lot of work, but are one-of-a-kind masterpieces when they are finished.

And she also finished her Coquille Shawl using Wolle's Creation color changing cotton. This is a fun to shawl to make if you're looking for a new project. Lots of folks have made them out of Crystal Palace's Mini Mochi as well.

Debbie made a pair of Hat Heel Socks out of Galway Paint yarn. The striped yarn did a good job of showing off the hat heel...even though the photo is not very clear.

She also made a Raglan Top-Down sweater using yarns from her stash and ones she got from the sale bin. Some of the yarns that were too thin were doubled to make the weights more even.

Marilyn made the famous Weekend Shawl by Anne Kuo Lukito out of Malabrigo Sock yarn.

She also used Lisa's "Lucky 7 Socks" pattern to make herself a new pair of socks. Fame Trend was her yarn of choice.

And she finished the Diamond Patch sweater using Berroco Linsey. She used 2 colorways to provide a contrast.

Mavis made socks for her 2 sisters. She said these were "loud", but they will be warm as winter arrives in Western Australia.

Sarah made some Opera Gloves using Kollage Sockalicious. The pattern was in the Fall 2010 issue of Vogue.

Ellen's summer sweater was made out of Berroco Linsey. She used Knitting Pure & Simple pattern #9727.

Freda's Sarorayon Shawl was enlarged just a bit to make it a wider shawl. This is a quick, easy pattern.

And Mary made some legwarmers for one of her great-grandchildren out of Berroco Comfort Sock yarn. The pattern was a freebie on Ravelry called "Heather Legwarmers".

I hope you're enjoying the fall crispness that been in the air today and yesterday. The changing of the seasons is one of the things I love about living in East Tennessee.

Blessings!

I'm Back....

2011-05-18T09:27:00.001-07:00

I can't believe it's been a month since I posted anything. I had lots of things we were going to do the past month, but I couldn't do them because I got sick. At first I just thought it was the flu...although it seemed a little late in the season for that. So the doctor did a chest x-ray, and an ultrasound on my stomach area, and lots of blood work. They ruled out a lot things that it wasn't, but never were able to determine what knocked me flat on my back for 3 weeks. There were many scary times...like when my fever kept spiking up to 104-105 degrees every night. Thankfully, Tylenol brought it down quickly, but the night sweats made it very hard to sleep. They finally changed my antibiotic and gave me some sleeping pills to help me rest. That's when I started making the turn for the better. Now I finally over the fever and finished with my antibiotics. I've very weak and have no appetite whatsoever. But I'm trying to get into the shop at least several hours each day...and making myself eat at mealtimes. So, hopefully, each day will find me stronger and with more stamina than the day before. I've missed being in the shop. And I don't know what I would have done without Melissa, Kelora, Paula & Leigh to keep things going. You gals are the best!!

Although it's a little late in the month, we do have a Winner for our Knitter of the Month for May. It's Linda Overly!! Linda, be sure to come in and pick up your $20 gift certificate. She brought in a couple of projects to share. A lightweight summer shawl she made out of Noro Yuzen. She used a simple pattern of K1, yo, K2tog. It's really beautiful and I'm sure she will get a lot of wear out of it.

She also brought in a baby blanket she made out of Plymouth Encore. The pattern was the Pine Forest Baby Blanket. It looks very soft and warm for a special little one.

Pat made this gorgeous shell using Mango Moon Mantra and Chakra. This was Plymouth Pattern #1601 that she redesigned using the beaded yarn on the top and non-beaded yarn on the bottom. Very nice job, Pat.

Pam made these fingerless gloves for her cousin who was graduating from college. She used Jawoll Magic yarn and used a pattern from the Not Just Socks book. She said he absolutely loved the gloves. Good yarn choice, Pam.

Mary made a cute toddler jumper using Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece. Pattern was Plymouth #C163. Great job, Mary. It's adorable.

Marilyn used Classic Elite Provence to make Just One More Row's Heartbeat Sweater. She suggested that picking up with a size smaller needle and knitting the ridges with a size larger needle will help for a better fit. Good advice!

And she also made the famous Berroco felted coasters out of Berroco Jasper. She used a size 8 needle in order to get 4 coasters out of a skein. Using 2 different colorways gave just enough leftovers for a 9th coaster. These are great coasters to make for gift-giving. They are quick to make and do a super job of absorbing the moisture off glasses.

Well, I hope you have a wonderful day. Thank you for all the well wishes I have received during my illness. I feel so blessed to have come through that dark time. It's good to be back at the shop.

Spinning Classes Just Around the Corner...

2011-04-14T09:13:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we had the wonderful experience of having Carol Larsen from River's Edge Fiber Arts come to the shop and teach all of our staff some spinning skills. We had all skill levels from gals that had never spun at all to newbies to experienced spinners. But we all learn some new things in preparation for bringing Ashford Spinning Wheels into the shop and having Spinning Classes.

We also had the joy of another big box of Miss Babs sock yarn arrive at the shop. You would have thought it was Christmas as all the staff and some customers were ooing and awing over the beautiful colorways that Miss Babs creates.

Well, the Ashford order has been sent and soon we'll have wheels and classes to tell you about. Just when I thought that knitting and crocheting were the best it could get...I discovered spinning. We're just having way too much fun over here at The Yarn Haven these days. Enjoy the beautiful sunshine today! Blessings!

New Yarn Line Has Arrived...

2011-04-08T15:50:00.000-07:00

Well, the secret is finally out. Miss Babs yarns and roving have arrived at The Yarn Haven! We are so excited to have Miss Babs wonderful fibers in our shop. We got in the "Yet" lace weight, "Yummy" sock weight in both the 2 ply and 3 ply (sport) weights, and some BFL roving. We have designated an entire yarn tree to Miss Babs yarns.

And I have already snatched a colorway that I just couldn't live without. It's called "Cool Triad". But when I look at it I think of spring... of green leaves & purple crocus nestled by the water. Now I have to find just the right pattern to go with it. It will probably be one of the yarns I use for the Sock Club.

And the extra surprise is that Madelinetosh yarns will be arriving here in the near future. So many people guessed that Mad Tosh was our new yarn line that I just had to bring that one in as well. I love her "Tea Leaves Cardigan". We'll be getting some of those patterns as well as her "Tiny Tea Leaves Cardigan". I think that's one I just might have to make for my granddaughter.

I also wanted to share with you a sweater that Ellen finished in her Weekly Class. It's Knitting Pure & Simple Pattern #9727 with some modifications. It looks great on her!

Well, that's all the big news of the day. Don't forget that tomorrow is our Spin 'N Stitch from 2-4 pm. Hope you enjoy the weekend and come in to see Miss Babs yarns & rovings soon.

Our Knitter of the Month for April is...

2011-04-01T08:31:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Peggy Burkman...our knitter of the month. Peggy brought in her 10 Stitch blanket that she made out of Noro Silk Garden. It's absolutely gorgeous!

She also brought in a child's dress that she made out of Cascade Pima Tencel. The pattern was in Creative Knitting magazine (January 2011). Nice job, Peggy!

Donnette made Mimi's Rolled Brim hat out of Noro Silk Garden. Doesn't it look cute on her daughter!

Roz took the All About Fibers and Ladder Shawl classes and made this yummy shawl using different yarns and textures. She said she was so glad she took the class because she learned so much. Look for these classes coming again soon.

Marilyn use the same technique for the 10 stitch blanket and made a 10 stitch table runner. She used the Noro Silk Garden Sock yarn. Very pretty.

She also brought in a lacy scarf that she made out of Tahki Stacy Charles Ritratto. This is an easy pattern and looks quite lovely in this yarn.

Linda finished her Boneyard Shawl using Malabrigo Rios. This was one of our most popular Projects of the Month. I love this color.

Annhara finished another Potpourri Scarf. This yarn came from the Magic Ball she won at the Super Ball party. It looks very nice on her, don't you think.

Margaret brought in this adorable toddler vest made out of Berroco Pure Merino (one of her favorite yarns) and Muench Family. She added some cute car buttons that made it very cute. This was a Knitting Pure and Simple pattern.

And Ginny finished another beautiful summer sweater. This one is made with Ella Rae Rimini...a new cotton/viscose/silk blend yarn that we just got in.

Thanks to everyone for sharing their projects. Be sure to bring in your projects when you finished them and you could be next month's knitter or crocheter of the month.

Thanksgiving...

2011-03-23T08:04:00.000-07:00

I know it's not November...the month we focus on thanksgiving. But today I'm really thankful for so many things.

First of all, I'm thankful for my health. Yes, I've had low back problems for almost 2 years now. And yes, I struggle on a daily basis with pain and fatigue. But, at least, it's not a life-threatening illness. My sister-in-law has pancreatic cancer. This is her second bout with cancer. She's been receiving chemo treatments for about a year now. And this week her sweet husband did something that not many men would do. He shaved HIS head in support of her. You've got to love a man that would do that. If you think about them, please pray for Nancy. She just became a grandmother and needs to live many more years to see her 5 children and 1 grandchild grow up.

Secondly, I'm thankful for my customers. You know, there are several yarn shops in this area. But those who claim The Yarn Haven as their LYS are the best. Your loyalty to our shop has made you become more than just customers...you're friends. Recently, when the Second Harvest Food Bank had all of their food & supplies destroyed by flooding, I put out a container on the counter asking for donations and we were able to send a check to Second Harvest this week for $120.00. My customers have always come through for me. Whenever I've asked them to give either money or food or knitted/crocheted items, they have been there ready to join together as a fiber community and help out those who have needs. I think back to the gal who lost her home to a fire and everyone brought in their extra knitting supplies & yarn to completely fill her car with wonderful goodies for her to use. Or when we put out the challenge of making preemie caps and everyone blewn the Alabama shop out of the water by making so many caps. Or the times I've asked for yarn donations to send overseas to help African ladies provide for their families. Or the time we sold the Capulana bags so that families in Mozambique could purchase a truck to carry their produce to market. Over and over again, my customers have given of themselves to help those in our community and others far away.

What are you thankful for today? Your family, having a job, being able to take a vacation last week during spring break? We are so blessed in this country to have the resources to care for ourselves. And when we come upon hard times, there are folks there to help us get through that rough patch.

This past weekend was the Smoky Mountain Fiber Arts Festival in Townsend. We had a booth there and enjoyed meeting other fiber folks. Don't you just love these cute little sheep that they had leading the way to the festival. Be sure to watch for it next year in March 2012.

Before I finished, I wanted to share with you two projects that have come in recently. First of all, Leigh finished her beautiful sweater coat. This is the Natalie Coat from Big Girl Knits. She used Cascade 220 Tweed yarn. She modified the cuffs to match the shawl collar stitch pattern and added ribbing at the back waist. Her tip: be sure you measure.

And then Kimberly brought in an Aran Sweater she made using an Alice Starmore pattern. It's made of merino wool. Nice job, Kimberly.

Go out and enjoy this beautiful day and spend some time thinking of the things for which you are thankful. Blessings to you all!

Our First Retreat...

2011-03-03T06:31:00.001-08:00

Our first retreat has come and gone. But the memories will last for a long time. We had a wonderful time...and had beautiful weather. I knew we were in the right place when I saw the spinning wheel that they had displayed above the stairs.

Upon arriving each person found a goody bag on their bed. I searched high and low for just the perfect fabric and then gave it to Mimi. She and a friend of hers turned the fabric into this adorable pyramid bag. I then embellished each bag with their name or initials and a red yarn ball stitch marker.

They also got a skein of Lamb's Pride Bulky and a pattern to make these cute "Duffers"...a quick and easy 19 row felted slippers pattern. We'll be getting some Lamb's Pride Bulky in stock in the near future.

After eating our supper of homemade chili and my Granny's corn muffins, Kristina gave a workshop on beading. We made this cute little beaded pin cushion. I'm going to put mine in the spare bedroom and put my T-pins in it for blocking.

Saturday morning we feasted on scrambled eggs, bacon & sausage, homemade biscuits & gravy and cinnamon apples from Miss Lily's. Then Mimi taught a workshop on her Bella Cell Phone Pouch. Here's a photo of some of the finished cases. Aren't they cute!

I made mine a little shorter since I have an older phone. Embellishing them was the really fun part! I might have to make some of these for Christmas gifts this coming year.

Ater a short break we had a lunch of chicken salad croissants, glazed fruit salad, & chips. Then for Saturday afternoon we had free time to do whatever we wanted. Some folks stayed at the tables and continued working on their projects while others went hiking or went out on the porches and enjoyed the warm sunshine Some folks even went and took a quick nap. Can you guess which one I chose to do?? If you guessed a nap, then you would be right. But I did get out in the sunshine a while before my nap.

After our break Lisa did a workshop on Knitting Tips. She did a great job of showing how you could change patterns to work best with your body shape. I think a lot of folks learned some new ways to improve their projects.

For supper we enjoyed some homemade Lasagna with a tossed salad and french bread. And then we had birthday cake in celebration of Mimi's birthday (which was on Monday). After cleaning up from supper we had a Fashion Show where everyone got to show off their knitted and crocheted items. And then they got to pick one of the door prizes. We have some amazing vendors that sent us door prizes for our retreat. Thank you Mango Moon, Classic Elite, Shaune Bazner, Cascade, Brown Sheep & Hiya-Hiya for the wonderful prizes you sent. We were able to have just enough so that everyone got a door prize. Following the fashion show, we did our gift exchange. You either got to pick a wrapped gift...or "steal" someone else's already opened gift. Folks had no second thoughts on stealing my gifts as I got them stolen from me THREE times. But I think in the end everyone had a lot of fun and there was much laughter.

Here are some photos of the folks enjoying sitting on the porch and knitting...Mavis & Kelora.

Roz & Melinda...

Beverly, Lisa & Marilyn...

Paula & Peggy...

Merriam, Tara & Melissa...

Kristina & Wendy...

Betty & Patti...

Linda, Leigh & Mimi...

Unfortunately, Donna had to leave early, so I didn't get her photo. :-(

Sunday morning came early with light showers of sporadic rain. We all packed up and left our retreat with smiles on our faces...and less knots in our back thanks to our massage therapist, Tara. Tara worked hard all weekend giving chair massages to each person. We hope to see more of her as she has begun taking a Weekly Class.

It was a fun weekend and we hope to make this an annual event. If you missed our retreat this year, then I hope you'll plan on coming to our next one.

Kristina took some more photos that you can see here.

We have a new Knitter of the Month...

2011-03-01T09:23:00.000-08:00

For March, our Knitter of the Month is Ginny Moyers. Ginny made this gorgeous sweater out of Cascade 220 Superwash yarn. The pattern is called "Dark & Stormy" and can be bought on Ravelry. Ginny wins a $10 gift certificate. Be sure to bring in your finished projects and you could be our next Knitter or Crocheter of the Month!!

Other projects brought in this month:

Linda shared with us her Sam's Shawl. It looks so pretty in the Cascade 220 Tweed.

She also brought in some socks she made for her hubby. She used the Plymouth Zino...which comes in some great colors for men.

Marilyn finished her "I don't give a darn" socks using Swedish Yarns Raggi.

Roz brought in her Sam's Shawl. She made this for her sister using Plymouth Royal Bamboo.

Roz also finished her "knit every row" scarf using Gioco ladder yarn.

Ann made Kate Jackson's Log Cabin Felted Bag. She used lots of different wool yarns such as Cascade 220, Cascade 220 tweed, Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride & Berroco Jasper.

Susan received this yarn as a gift from her son and used it to knit Judy Pascale's Simply Garter Shawl. I love the added ruffle.

Mary used Feza Cyprus Mohair to make this vest.

Amanda crocheted these fingerless gloves for a man in her life. She used one of Plymouth Encore's Colorspun colors.

Pat used Mountain Colors River Twist yarn to make this cabled vest. She lengthened it about 1 1/2 inches.

Sandy found a pattern in the One Skein Wonders book (page 11) to make this scarf using Mountain Colors Bearfoot yarn.

Bernie used Plymouth Galway to make this football sweater. She used a pattern from "By Melissa".

And AnnHara finished her Potpourri Scarf using various yarns & textures from the Magic Ball of Yarn she made at our Super Ball Party.

Thanks to everyone for sharing all of these wonderful projects!

Did you enjoy Valentine's Day yesterday???

2011-02-15T16:17:00.000-08:00

February 14 is a special day in the Gray family. Not only is it the day to express your love for the special ones in your life...but it's also my brother-in-law and sister-in-law's anniversary. It was #24 this year and we hope they have many more wonderful years together.

Jasmine and I came into the shop yesterday for 2 reasons. One, I had a class to teach. And secondly, Jasmine wanted to show off her new Valentine's dress. She looked so adorable. It got me to thinking of why I would spend my time making her an outfit that was not intended for warmth, but just to see how cute she would look. I think part of the reason is because I love that little girl. She means the world to me and that's one way I can show her how much I care. Some people might argue that dogs don't really know that you are expressing love to them by making them garments. But I somehow feel like she knows why I do it. She really is a smart dog, you know. Anyway, she'll probably be wearing her Valentine dress for at least the rest of this week. So if you'd like to come in and see for yourself just how cute she looks, she'll be glad to prance around in it.

And my sweet husband sent me a potted plant of miniature red roses. I put them in the display window so they could get some sun. I love to stop and "smell the roses". And if I don't kill them, then maybe Paula's husband will show me how to take care of them in the yard. He grows LOTS of rose bushes and would be just the person who could give me some help.

Last week's Super Ball Party was so much fun. I think everyone enjoyed searching through the many skeins of yarn for just the right colors for their Magic Balls of Yarn. Then we sat down and learned about different joining techniques to make our Potpourri Scarfs. And AnnHara won the Magic Ball with all of the prizes inside. Here's a photo of my Potpourri Scarf.

Melissa made this wonderful taco dip that I just had to share with you. She slimmed down the calories, but I sure couldn't tell. It was yummy!

Skinny Taco Dip

8 oz. reduced fat cream cheese

8 oz. reduced fat sour cream

1 packet taco seasoning

16 oz. jar of mild salsa

2 cups shredded lettuce

2 large tomatoes, chopped

1 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese

Black olives, sliced

Mix together with an electric mixer the cream cheese, sour cream, and salsa with the taco seasoning until well blended. Spread this mixture in bottom of glass cassarole dish. Top with lettuce, tomatoes, cheddar cheese & black olives. Serve with chips. Enjoy!

Well, I hope you have a wonderful week enjoying all of this nice weather. And feel free to stop by The Yarn Haven any time to "feel the fiber".

We're 4 Years Old Today...

2011-02-02T14:17:00.000-08:00

Today on our 4th Anniversary, I'm announcing our "Knitter of the Month" for February...Marilyn Dunn!!

Marilyn made a couple of projects this past month. But the one that earned her the title of "Knitter of the Month" was a cardigan she made for her husband. She used Elsebeth Lavold's Silky Wool to do a pattern out of Knit 'N Style magazine.

She also finished this fan and feather shawl using Berroco Sox Metallic. She found that placing markers between each pattern really helped her.

So congratulations to Marilyn! She wins a $20 gift certificate as our first "Knitter of the Month". Be sure to bring in your projects as you finish them each month. You, too, could be our Knitter of the Month!

We also had others share their projects. Ellen made this scarf using Louisa Harding Merletto yarn. She used our "Open Twisted Rib Scarf" pattern. Ellen found this to be a quick lace project.

She also brought in this afghan using 3 colors of Plymouth Encore held together. She found the pattern in the Quick Knitted Afghan book.

Sarah brought in her Dancing Leg Warmers. She also used Plymouth Encore. She suggests that you be sure to check your gauge. You can adjust your cast-on number to fit your upper leg...and then decrease to make the ankle more snug. Sounds like a good suggestion.

Pam's "Silk Fountain Hood" was gorgeous out of Malabrigo Silky Merino. She got the pattern from the Luxury Yarn One Skein Wonders book.

And Mavis made herself a car coat out of some yarn someone gave her. But I wanted to take her picture to show you what the buttons looked like. I hope you've seen these buttons we have with all the holes in them. You take your yarn and make designs in the buttons. They really pop on her coat.

It's hard to believe that just 4 years ago we were opening the shop for the first time. The shop looks so different today than it did back then. I found some photos that I took on that first day.

That was then...

This is now...

That was then...

This is now...

That was then...

This is now...

That was then...

This is now...

Here's something else that's different...we now have Jasmine, our shop dog.

I hope you'll come visit us and sit by our fireplace for a spell to take in all of this wonderful yarn.

Thank you to everyone who considers The Yarn Haven their local yarn shop. I appreciate your support!! Here's hoping that the next year will be an even better year for learning new skills, sharing with each other, and being creative!!

Brrr..it's cold outside...

2011-01-22T10:28:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but I am definitely over the cold and snow this year. I'm ready for spring already. It's sad when you've over something and you still have 2 months to go.

I been trying to finish up some projects lately. My oldest UFO was started about 2 years ago. I had all the pieces finished. All I had to do was the border. But for some reason I never could get motivated to finish it. Now that I have finished it, I'm glad I did. So here is my Crayon Box Jacket...all ready to wear!! Lisa is doing a Crayon Box Jacket class starting next Saturday if you want to jump in.

I also finished the Orange and White scarf out of Fiesta Boomerang yarn. This was a quick knit using Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's "One Row Handspun Scarf" pattern. Now I'm all ready to go cheer on our TN vols and Lady Vols!!

Knit One, Crochet Too has a yarn called Ty Dy Wool that made a great multi-directional scarf. It looks complicated, but isn't.

And I finally finished a scarf for my hubby out of Cascade 220. He got the hat last year...and now the scarf. Bless his heart...he always seems to get things late. I really need to make him a vest. I promised him one several years ago before I opened the shop and, needless to say, he's still waiting on that vest. Sigh.

I have a couple of projects to share that others have brought in as well. Marilyn finished her Lizard Ridge from Knitty using Noro Silk Garden yarn. Isn't it pretty!

And Mary made this darling sweater, hat and mittens set for her great-grandson. Very cute!

Mary Beth recently brought in the "Ice Queen Cowl" from Knitty. She used Jojoland's Cashmere to make it. So very soft!

And Sarah made a "Better Bucket Hat" out of Plymouth Encore yarn. Very stylish!

Kelora's grandson had to come by and show off his cute little "Gavyn" sweater that Kelora had made for him out of Plymouth Oh My yarn. I'm not sure who's cuter...Johnny or the sweater.

Next week I'll share with you all of the projects that have come in for January and announce our "Knitter or Crocheter of the Month". If you've still got projects that you have finished, bring them in this next week so you can get in the drawing!

Stay warm...and keep knitting and crocheting!!

Snow Days...

2011-01-12T16:38:00.000-08:00

What fun our family has had the past couple of days with the recent snow storm. On Monday, my hubby, my son & my granddaughter went out and starting building an igloo. They worked on it for a good part of the day. Finally, by evening it was finished. It's just big enough for 2 people to get inside.

Here are the 3 generations of igloo building folks!

My son even built a little seat inside for Ariel to sit on. We sent the photos in to the TV stations and were excited to hear from other people that WATE had put one of the photos on their broadcast. Ariel's been going around saying that now our whole family is famous.

Building igloos is not something new with the Gray family. I went back and looked up igloos that we had made from previous years. Here's one we made in 1986 when we were visiting my folks here in Knoxville. My son and oldest daughter was in this photo...along with Dad being inside the igloo. My son was 7 years old...the same age that my granddaughter is now. It's quite fun to see how similar they look...and act. I remember my hubby wanting the kids to sleep overnight in this igloo. There's no way that I was going to allow that to happen. I had great fears of them being buried alive in the middle of the night when the igloo collapsed around them.

Another igloo was made the following year when we lived in Lawrenceville, Georgia. All 3 of our children helped that year...along with the neighborhood kids.

That igloo had a window that we could peek in. Our youngest daughter's smiling face is captured in this photo.

Every time we see an igloo it brings back memories of excited children, cold hands & feet, pink cheeks, hot chocolate and a tired mom and dad. I wasn't able to help with this year's igloo because of my back problems. But I was there in spirit...and ready to snap some photos to look back on in the years to come.

Jasmine seemed to enjoy the snow...even though she hates to be cold. I caught her last week sleeping on top of a pillow that we have at the shop as a shop model. I didn't have the heart to wake her up and make her move. She looked so comfy there.

I hope your family enjoyed the snow this week. But I have to admit I'm ready for it to all go away now. I need to get back on a regular schedule and stay at the shop long enough to get some more yarn ordered. But for a while the winter winderland that we had was an enjoyable event...one that made some more family memories.

Happy New Year...2011

2011-01-03T13:48:00.001-08:00

It's hard to believe that another year has come and gone. Have you made your New Year's Resolutions yet? Here are ours:

To give you a sale each week of 2011! Each week a different yarn will be on sale. So if you come frequentlyto the shop, you'll get the best savings.
To give away a gift certificate each month to the "Knitter or Crocheter of the Month"! Just bring in your finished projects, fill out a card with the details on your project and let us take your picture either wearing or holding your finished project. At the end of each month we'll draw the name of the person who will win a gift certificate and be featured on our website. Yarn must be purchased at The Yarn Haven to be eligible for the drawing. The first drawing will be at the end of January.
To give you rewards for being a loyal Yarn Haven customer! We are always looking for ways to make your shopping experience more enjoyable & rewarding, so we're proud to announce the launch of our own Loyal Customer Reward program. It's free, so sign up today! Details are on our website.

Christmas this year was much more relaxing for me as my kids fixed the meal for us. My son decided to grill out steaks, my daughter made a tossed salad, my son-in-law baked the potatoes, and my hubby fixed french bread, so all I had to do was make a couple of my chocolate meringue pies...a Christmas tradition at our house. This was the first white Christmas that any of my kids had seen. So they didn't quite count on it snowing when they decided that grilling out was the way to go this year. But my son was not to let a little snow stop him. Guess he figured that if he could be born with 3 feet of the snow on the ground (we were living up north of Chicago at the time), then a little bit of snow wasn't going to get in his way.

This was our first Christmas with Jasmine as well. I made her a turtleneck sweater to wear on these cold days. I think this one keeps her a little warmer than the red cabled sweater I made her earlier this fall. Jasmine is doing well on her new anti-seizure medication. We have to regulate her food a little closer or she would eat us out of house and home, but she hasn't had a seizure since we started the medication in early December. So we're thankful for that.

Want to see some finished projects that folks have made?

Susan made this Woodhouse Ribbed Ruffled Scarf using Plymouth Baby Alpaca DK yarn. This has been one of our most popular scarf patterns. Jennifer, a local designer, did a good job on this pattern. But then, who wouldn't love working with alpaca yarn.

Karla made a child's bolero (Knitting Pure and Simple pattern #275) out of Knit One Crochet Too Ty-Dy yarn and Ty-Dy Dots. Very cute, don't you think.

Linda used Plymouth Baby Alpaca DK Paint yarn to make her pair of Fetching Mitts...and a hat to match during our Project of the Month KAL. The Fetching Mitts was an online pattern and I made up the pattern for a hat to match.

And Kimberly made this afghan using yarn that was given to her. She worked on it while she was on a trip to Israel...putting Malabrigo sock yarn on the edge. This turned out beautiful!!

Don't forget to bring in your finished projects and get your photo made so that you might become the "Knitter or Crochet of the Month"!! Here's to a wonderful year of knitting, crocheting, spinning, weaving, needlepointing, tatting, etc!!

What a strange weather week...

2010-12-18T09:45:00.000-08:00

This week has definitely been a challenge for us as we dealt with snow and ice. My grandkids, of course, loved being out of school a couple of days. Ariel could hardly stand it until she got outside to make snow angels and play in the snow. And then the ice on the trees was so beautiful...but dangerous on the roads. It made driving much more challenging for me this week. I felt I was creeping along as everyone else flew by me. Sorry, but having another accident was not what I wanted this week. I was on high alert when driving.

I wanted to share with you a finished project I completed this week. This is Stephen West's Slipped Rib scarf. I used Filatura di Crosa Aliseo yarn and it made a lovely shawlette when paired with a pretty shawl pin.

Cindy brought in several items to share. First of all, she made this sweater out of Louisa Harding Albero. The pattern is in Andra Knight-Bowman's book, "Easy Cable Knits for All Seasons.

Then she brought in a boatload of socks she had made over the summer. She used Swedish Yarns Raggi, Opal 6 ply and Berroco Comfort.

Patty's Coquille Shawl out of Crystal Palace Mini Mochi was so pretty. I need to make me one of these.

She also made a garter stitch entrelac scarf out of Skacel Opus 1. Very nice.

And Barbara's Pi Shawl from this past Summer's Lace KAL was simply breathtaking. I did the same shawl, but used a DK weight cotton. Barbara was brave and used a lace weight merino yarn.

Also I wanted to share this recipe with you. Lin brought in these yummy tasting turtles to one of the class Christmas parties. They are wonderful and quick to make. I might have to make some of these for the Gray clan this Christmas.

Sweet & Salty Turtles

Place an unwrapped Rolo candy piece on a small round pretzel. Bake for 5-6 minutes in a 175 degree oven until the rolo is melted. Place a pecan half on top of the Rolo and let it set.

And before I close, I had to share this photo of Ariel...and her Daddy...and Jasmine. Ariel had made her own set of reindeer antlers out of paper towels and a headband. I love the way she is so creative.

Hope your Christmas plans are coming together nicely and that your knitting and crocheting projects get finished in time!

Show and Tell Friday...

2010-12-03T08:56:00.000-08:00

Lots of Show and Tell items today...

But first we'll start with my sweet great-nephew. I got to see him again on Thanksgiving and I couldn't get over how much he looks like my nephew...and my brother. He was taking great delight in pulling off his socks. Hmmm...maybe that's what I should knit for him this Christmas...socks he can't get off. :~)

Jennifer made this cute hat...and a pair of mitts... out of Malabrigo yarn. It's a Ysolda Teague pattern called Snap Dragon Tam Very cute!

This was Chris' first knitting project...a fan & feather scarf made of SweaterKits Wild Silk. Not bad for a beginner!

The balloon tying creations from Skacel brought out the kid in Lisa as she made this cute tiara. There are still some kits available in the shop to make these adorable animals.

Debbie brought in several items to share with us. Her fingerless mitts were made from Noro Silk Garden.

Her scarf was made with Plymouth Baby Alpaca DK yarn using a simple 3 stitch pattern.

And her Primetime Shawl (one of Lisa's patterns) was made using Louisa Harding's Sari Ribbon.

Need a quick gift to make for someone this Christmas? Then make this shawl using one skein of Aslan Trends Litoral. It's quick, easy, and will be sure to please that special someone on your list.

If you need some time to work on your Christmas projects, come join us this evening from 6-9 pm for our Friday Night Knitting Club. Just bring a snack to share and your current project. We'll be talking about some new ideas for our FNKC in 2011. Hope to see you there!

Show and Tell...

2010-11-13T13:58:00.000-08:00

Hasn't today been a simply gorgeous day! I love days like today. It makes me want to sit outside and knit all day.

But I have lots of finished projects to show you instead.

Linda made this pretty shawl out of Fiesta Rayon Boucle. The color was called "Carribean".

She also made a pair of socks out of Knit One, Crochet Too Crock-o-Dye yarn.

Marilyn made a cabled scarf out of Swedish Yarn Raggi.

Karen's sweater was made out Berroco Lustra yarn.

Peggy's hood & jacket were made out of Cascade 220 superwash.

Becky's child sweater was a free Berroco pattern. She used Berroco Cotton Twist to make it.

This was Debbie's first pair of socks. She learned how to make socks in one of our Weekly Classes. She chose Swedish Yarn Raggi to make a heavier sock first.

And lastly, we have Kristina's Echo Flowers Shawl out of Cascade Alpaca Lace.

Nice job, everyone. Enjoy your weekend!

Holiday at Sunset Beach...

2010-10-17T15:41:00.001-07:00

Our holiday at Sunset Beach was a very relaxing, restful time. Melissa and I enjoyed very much being right on the ocean. We watched fishing boats go up and down the coast all day, heard lots of birds chirping as we sat on the porch, and enjoyed watching the butterflies that were all around the sand dunes. One day we even saw some dolphins swimming in the ocean. But just sitting and watching the ocean waves go back and forth all day was a treat in itself. While at the beach I accomplished a lot. I read 4 books and finished 6 projects during the week we were there. It felt wonderful to finish up some unfinished projects that really just needed a couple of more hours to complete. You'll see several of them already hanging up at the shop.

Sunset Beach is a small island off the coast of North Carolina...just north of Myrtle Beach. It's a quiet little beach with no high rising buildings and not much on the island except duplexes. You get to the island by going over a little pontoon bridge that opens up on the hour to let the boats pass by. They have just built a new permanent bridge to get you to the island. But we hope they will leave the little pontoon bridge because it has just the right feel for the island. Sunset Beach was the perfect place for us to be for our holiday. Melissa grew up going to Sunset Beach, but this was my first time. I guarantee you it won't be my last. I fell in love with the island just as she has. I love this photo at sunset.

On the way there and back we visited 10 different yarn shops. Most were on the smaller size, but there were a couple that were larger. We saw a lot of the same yarns that we carry here at the shop, but also saw some new yarns that we'd like to introduce to our customers. We were amazed most by the customer service at many of the shops...or should I say lack of it. Many times we went in and no one even spoke to us. Sometimes they said hello, and that was all we got. But I guess the friendliest shop we went to was at Myrtle Beach. It was called "Knit 'N Purl". The owner was very kind and immediately greeted us the moment we walked in the door. Once I told her that I also owned a yarn shop, we were able to swap some ideas that had worked at our shops. I plan to visit her the next time I'm in Myrtle Beach. I hope you'll visit them as well if you're ever in that area.

On the way home as we went back over the mountains, we noticed that some of the leaves had begun to change. What a difference in only a week!

I'm glad to be back home...but there are times I long for the slower pace of the beach. It was so nice to not really have a plan for the day. We just did whatever we wanted to do at the moment. Sometimes we just sat and knitted without saying a word. At other times we talked about the shop and tried to think of ideas that would make this place the "haven" that we desire it to be. Overall, we both had a wonderful time and can't wait to go again next year.

Challenges...

2010-09-23T08:42:00.000-07:00

I haven't been posting lately. We've been so busy with new yarns coming in that I haven't had the time to share with you some wonderful finished projects that our customers have made.

So let's get started...

Marilyn wore in her sweater she knitted with Berroco Pure Pima. I love this yarn. It's very nice to work with.

She also brought in her first pair of socks done using the Magic Loop method. She used Berroco Metallic Sox.

Julia finished her Woodhouse Knits Ribbed Ruffle Scarf out of Plymouth Baby Alpaca DK. She's done several of these scarves and each one has turned out so nice.

Kristina's German Shawl turned out just beautiful.

As did her Haruni Shawl. I really like this one.

Jayne made a UT sweater out of Tahki Cotton Classic.

Leigh made a sweater out of Berroco Weekend.

And Kemper shared with us her market bag she did in just one week.

Great job, everyone!!

Back in June I forgot to share with you that Betsy McCarthy, author of "Knit Socks", came into the shop. It was nice having one of our authors visit us.

I had another visit from a very special someone this week. My grandson came by in his Cub Scout uniform trying to raise some money for his troop by selling popcorn. Someone gave me some of the Boy Scouts popcorn last year and I've got to say, it was wonderful. So I bought a box from him and he was so excited. If anyone else wishes to buy some popcorn from his troop, just let me know. It really is great popcorn!

Jasmine has been doing well at the shop. It's hard to believe that I have only had her 5 months. She really does take her job as greeter seriously and will greet everyone who enters. I recently found her in the back office on TOP of Melissa's knitting bag. We had to laugh that she has now taken on the job of security as she was doing a great job of guarding Melissa's bag.

And now for a more thoughtful moment. Every day of our life we face challenges...some great, some small. But each day we live we will be faced with decisions to make. Sometimes we make the wrong decision...and have to face the consequences of that decision. Other times we make the right decision...but can't take credit for it because a higher power guided us along the way. Not sure why I'm being so pensive today, but I am. The past year has been hard on me...both physically and mentally. I've come a long way physically since my car accidents a year ago in June. But I still have lower back pain and I don't think it will ever be going away. It's very frustrating for me to not be able to do the things that I used to do before the accidents. Mentally I've made great strides as well. I no longer panic when getting into a car. But daily I am faced with dealing with the stress of the possibility of getting hit again. I've seen a wonderful psychologist for almost a year. She has helped me tremendously in dealing with my post-traumatic stress disorder. But she tragically died about a month ago from a horrible disease. I didn't know her medical issues were life-threatening until it was too late to have the chance to say thank you for all she did for me. So I feel like I am floundering a bit. I keep pushing forward because that's who I am. And yet something feels missing...out of place. So I'm going to take a break and go to the beach for a week with a dear friend. We're going to stop along the way at some other yarn shops to get some new and fresh ideas. And we're going to talk about 2011 and make some plans for events for our wonderful customers. And we're going to rest, and knit, and read books, and watch movies, and just sit and watch the ocean waves come in and go out. Call it a mental health vacation if you will. Sometimes we just need to get away and take time to rest. The shop will be left in the excellent hands of our staff. I know they will be able to help you find whatever it is you need. And hopefully, when we return, we'll come back refreshed and ready to take on the challenges that face us in the upcoming year.

We Have a Celebrity Among Us...

2010-08-13T08:31:00.000-07:00

Many of you know that Sam was working as an intern in North Carolina all summer with Coats & Clark through TNNA's Internship Program. She came into the shop this week to share with us all of the wonderful projects she has made this summer.

Here is a scarf she made using the cocoon stitch.

And here is Ysolda Teague's Ishbel Shawl out of Plymouth Happy Feet. We have this pattern if you'd like to make one for yourself. There's also a model in the shop using Noro Silk Garden Lite yarn.

This Lyttelton Shrug from Ravelry was very cute.

And Evelyn Clark's Swallowtail Shawl is beautiful...and it's a free online pattern.

I love this Citron Shawl she made. Also a free online pattern from Knitty.

And lastly, a Through the Loops design.

She's been busy this summer working on these projects...as well as designing a shawl for Coats & Clark. In fact, she's being published!! Her shawl pattern will be in the February issue of Knit 'N Style. As soon as that magazine becomes available, we're going to have a magazine signing for her! We'll let you know all the details by email as soon as this event is set up. We're proud of you, Sam. I know you're going to be a great designer in the future.

Some other folks have been working hard this summer as well. Laura brought in her Ysolda Teague Liesl she made out of Noro Taiyo yarn. We also have this pattern in the shop...and lots of folks have made them.

Sue brought in a hat she made out of sock yarn. The pattern is in the "Not Just for Socks" book. We have a couple of copies of this book in stock and it has some really cute projects using sock yarn.

Peggy made her Oat Couture swing vest out of Berroco Geode yarn. I think this yarn has been overlooked by a lot of people, because this is wonderful yarn. You should check it out the next time you're in the shop.

Well, try and stay cool because this summer is rapidly becoming a bit unbearable. I can't wait until Fall when the mornings have a crisp in the air and the temperature outside is nice and cool.

My Week at Camping...

2010-08-04T13:12:00.000-07:00

I missed seeing many of you last week because I was camping with the Gray family. We went out to Melton Hill campground and had a wonderful week. It was very hot, but a lot of fun spending time with family.

I loved seeing the deer by the road...

and the butterflies that were flying from flower to flower.

My grandkids came up and spend the night with us almost every night. It was fun seeing them play with their cousins.

Jasmine enjoyed swinging on the hammock with my oldest daughter, but not much else. It was just too hot for her. In fact we had to bring her home mid-week because she had a seizure from it being so hot. Scared me to death! Thankfully, she is all right now.

My granddaughter enjoyed fishing...

but the thrill for me was catching my first fish! It was just a small blue gill, but I caught several other small ones as well. Might have to get my own rod and reel next year!

All in all, a fun time and I'm looking forward to going again next year. Hopefully, it will be a little cooler then.

Now, for a show and time time...

Patty's vest was made out of her handspun yarn. Isn't it pretty!

Melissa finished her Tropical Punch shawl out of Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool. Nice colors that will go with a lot of things!

Kristina brought in her Aurantium Shawl out of Cascade Alpaca Lace. I might have to make this shawl. Very pretty.

Marilyn finished her socks out of Swedish Yarn Raggi.

And she also made some dishcloths out of Plymouth Fantasy Naturale.

So folks have been busy this summer working on their projects! Hope your knitting and crocheting projects are coming along as well. Stop in soon and see what's new at The Yarn Haven!

Finally I'm back to blog...

2010-07-17T13:48:00.000-07:00

I'm so sorry it's been so long since I shared anything with you all. I have no excuse. Life has just been busy. But the good news is that you'll get to see lots of photos today. :~)

First of all, I made both a crocheted scarf and a knitted scarf out of Noro Taiyo yarn. These patterns are both free patterns and take one skein to make.

The crocheted scarf was the Queen Anne's Lace Scarf. Very fun pattern to follow.

The knitted scarf was the E dgar Scarf. I loved the way the colors changed using this fun yarn.

Leigh made this adorable baby blanket called Tree of Life. She used the Berroco Comfort yarn. Isn't it cute!

Phyllis made Ysolda Teague's Liesl sweater out of Malabrigo. We have the Lisel sweater pattern if you'd like to make one for yourself. I love the color she chose.

Harriet made an afghan out of the Made by Monday book using Plymouth Encore yarn. Doesn't it look cozy!

Linda made a pair of socks out of Dreambaby yarn. I love this lacy pattern.

Debbie made the famous shrug that a lot of folks have made out of Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande yarn. I know she'll enjoy wearing this when fall comes.

And Kori made the Grrlfriend's Market Bag out of Berroco Cotton Twist yarn. It's a free Ravelry pattern.

So there are some examples of the neat items that folks are making. I was sure glad to see some rain this week. And I wanted to share this beautiful rainbow that appeared in the sky after it was over. I never get tired of seeing the beauty that God has created. Hope you have a good weekend!

And the winner is...

2010-06-23T07:30:00.001-07:00

Our winner in the Summer Solstice Day drawing is...

Janet Getz!! Janet, stop by the shop and pick up your yarn kit from Lorna's Laces.

Janet's 5 things that remind her of summer were...

fireflies
popsicles
July 4 parade
swimming
summer reading at the library

I used to love the summer reading program at the library. And speaking of the July 4 parade, I hope you all are going to join me in marching in the Farragut parade. The flag pieces are almost done and I've already started sewing them together. But it's going to be hard to carry the flag by myself. So let me know if you can join us!

Other people listed these things are summertime reminders:pool

pool
beach
heat
mosquitos
surfing
shorts
hot dogs
sandals
sun hats
sunscreen
summer squall
watermelon
flowers blooming
barefoot babies
ice cream
longer days
Saturday drives
fresh mown grass
kid's home saying "I'm bored"
Beach Boys music
sand
hot weather
ocean
limp hair
barefoot in the grass
going to the lake
blue skies
porches
beautiful sunsets

All of these really do bring back lots of memories in the summertime. Looks like this summer is going to be a hot one. So be sure you have lots of knitting and crocheting projects to work on. Remember, there are only 185 days until Christmas. Summer is a great time to get started on those projects!

Summer Solstice Day...

2010-06-21T16:52:00.000-07:00

I love the summertime. Today is Summer Solstice...the longest day of the year. It marks the end of spring and the beginning of summer. Since the shop is closed on Mondays, we're going to be celebrating it on Tuesday, June 22! Come join us tomorrow for a glass of lemonade and receive a bag of seashells with your purchase. We’ll be having an evening Knit-a-long and if it's not too hot outside, we'll take our chairs out and enjoy the evening together. We’ll also be having a drawing that day for a prize…a yarn kit from Lorna’s Laces. All you have to do is come by the shop and list 5 things that remind you of summer. That will enter you into the drawing and we’ll announce the winner on our website on Wednesday, June 23.

For me, the 5 things that remind me of summer are:

sitting at the beach watching the waves

catching fireflies at dusk with my kids

having a big glass of ice cold lemonade on a hot day

hearing the sound of the ice cream truck going down the street

stopping at produce stands along the road and getting some great fruits & vegetables

So be thinking about the 5 things that remind you of summer, and come join us tomorrow as we celebrate SUMMERTIME!!!

What fun we had at the Yarn Market...

2010-06-17T14:32:00.000-07:00

Many of you know that last weekend Mimi, Paula & I went to Columbus, Ohio to attend the TNNA Yarn Market. It was a crazy week before we left as we played musical chairs on who would be attending with me. Melissa was originally scheduled to go, but had to stay behind because her mom unexpectantly had to have surgery. Paula was suppose to watch the shop, but she was now going with us. So I got on the phone and invited Kelora to come learn how to run the shop. She had one day of training and then I left her for 3 days to run things by herself! Now under normal circumstances, I would never had done that. But this was an emergency and I knew that Kelora could handle it. She did a great job and, as a result, has become our newest staff member. She has been knitting and crocheting since she was a little girl. She's also a spinner and has done some weaving. I think she'll be a perfect fit to our team. I hope you'll stop by and meet her soon.

Driving to Market was a challenge for me as I've been dealing for the past year with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). But I'm thankful to say that we made it up there and back without any accidents. Not that I didn't have a few scary moments here and there. On the way up we stopped at the Traveler's Art Center in Berea, KY. It was quite interesting to see the different crafts that artisans had made. And we also stopped at a yarn shop in Cincinnati called "Fiberge". Turns out that the owner is my Skacel rep! It was quite a surprise to see Vicki there. She has a lovely shop and next door was an ice cream shop. I don't know how Vicki stands it being so close to such wonderful ice cream. That was a good break to get to stop and pet the yarn...AND get a cone of ice cream!

We saw lots of wonderful things at the Yarn Market and will let you know as they arrive. One night when we were eating at Cracker Barrel, Mimi and Paula put on these cowboy hats and I just knew it was a kodak moment. We had a lot of fun being together and talking about all of the wonderful things we have planned for you this next year.

We got back from Market and had our Felted Soap class for kids. Here is Shelby with the soaps that she made for her dad and grandads. She looks quite pleased with herself. But she has a right to be pleased as she did an awesome job!

I have a couple of finished objects to show you today.

Kori made Lisa's Berrilicious sweater out of Louisa Harding Hulda yarn. I love this color!

She also made the Tropical Punch Shawl using Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool.

Mary brought in this darling baby sweater she made out of Plymouth Cotton Kisses.

Ann made the famous shrug that everyone's been making out of Ironstone Sky yarn.

And Pat's Icarus shawl was made from Fiesta Ballerina yarn.

Great job, everyone! Don't forget our World Wide Knitting in Public Scavenger Hunt this coming Saturday. Details are on our website.

Recent Events & Random Information...

2010-05-25T10:45:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, we had our very first Pajama Party at The Yarn Haven. It was a lot of fun and I thought you might enjoy seeing some of the photos. Barbara even came from Nova Scotia to join us. We made felted soap, ate pizza, and watched "The Tooth Fairy". It was a lot of fun and is the reason we've scheduled some Chick Flick Movie nights during the summer.

Jasmine joined us during the Pajama Party. We tried to teach her to knit, but she spent most of the time just sleeping. Isn't she cute in her little nightgown!

Another fun thing that happened was when Girl Scout Troop 723 came to visit the shop. They are working on a badge and came to learn all the ins and outs of running a yarn shop. They were a great group of middle school girls from Cedar Bluff, Karns & West Valley Middle Schools.

This past week was a week devoted more to family. We went to Memphis to see my niece, Bekah, get married to a wonderful guy, Joe. It was good to catch up with family and see some faces that we only get to see a couple of times a year.

Then some more challenging news came to our family when my husband, David, got laid off from work last week. He has worked as a computer hardware specialist with this company for 10 years, but the poor economy finally caught up with him. So we are entering another chapter of our life as we seek to find him another job and keep everything afloat financially in the process. We would appreciate your prayers during this stressful time in our life.

And before I close, I have to share with you some of the finished projects that folks have brought in.

Leigh brought in these fingerless gloves that she made from a free pattern on Ravelry. The yarn she chose was Mountain Colors River Twist...one of my favorite yarns.

Monica made this Moose hat for her hubby. It was her first project in double stranding and she did a great job!

Paula finished an Evelyn Clark shawl out of J. Knits sock yarn. The colorway was called Reno. Wonder if she has plans to go there?

And finally, Ginny's vest out of Noro Silk Garden was so pretty on her. She did a nice job as well.

Don't forget our Summer Club is starting up next week. If you want to keep improving on your knitting skills during the summer, this would be a great class to join.

And on Thursday evening, June 3, from 6-8 pm we start our Rockin' Knockers Night as we make breast prostheses for women in our area dealing with cancer. It's a way to support the Knoxville Knockers Club that Sue Klipsch has started. It's a group of Knoxvillians that make Knockers for women dealing with Cancer. I hope you'll join us that evening as the yarns we are using for this charity project will be 20% off that night. We'll be meeting the 1st and 3rd Thursday evenings from June - October.

We have a mascot...

2010-04-28T08:17:00.000-07:00

Some of you know that I've been wanting to get a dog for a while. The psychologist that I've been seeing for my PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) thought that having a dog would help lower my anxiety level. Well, this past weekend we adopted a boston terrier/chihauhau mix from a rescue group. Jasmine just turned 7 years old and is the sweetest dog. Some of you who came to the shop yesterday got to meet her and love on her a bit. She will be coming with me most days to work, so I guess she'll get to be our mascot. I realize that not everyone is a dog person. So if you are not comfortable around dogs...or have dog allergies, please tell one of our staff and we'll make sure she stays in the back office during your visit. That's where she is most of the time anyway while I am working. I hope you'll come by and meet Jasmine. Her name means "God's gift" and that has been so true. She is God's gift to me and is helping me get back on the road to recovery.

We've had a couple of garments lately that a lot of people have been knitting. The first one is one of Lisa Hackman's designs. It's called the Primetime Shawl and can be made out of different bulky/chunky weights of yarn. Here is Aggie wearing Lisa's Primetime.

And here is Jan's Primetime shawl out of Ironstone Sky yarn. The Sky yarn is a good choice for this shawl as is the Plymouth Jungle yarn. We have a sample of the Primetime knitted up in the Jungle yarn in the shop.

Another popular design has been the Liesl sweater by Ysolda Teague. We have the pattern for this quick-knitting sweater. Here is Karen wearing her Liesl made out of Malabrigo yarn. A lot of the students in Mimi's Weekly Classes are making the Liesl.

I hope you used the pattern in our April/May newsletter to make a butterfly dishcloth. Dianna brought her dishcloth in to show us. It turned out very nice. These dishcloths make great housewarming gifts. Just tie a wooden spoon together with a couple of dishcloths and you have a very useful gift to give.

Hope you are enjoying our beautiful spring this year.

Show and Tell Saturday...

2010-04-24T12:30:00.000-07:00

All day yesterday I kept thinking I was forgetting something. It wasn't until today that I realized that I had forgotten to do Show and Tell yesterday. Well, Saturday's as good of a day to share with you some finished projects as Friday. So, today I'm going to share with you some finished socks.

Kori made a pair of socks from Swedish Yarn Raggi. This is a great yarn to use when making thicker socks because it has nylon added.

Aggie made TWO pairs of socks. One from Berroco Comfort....

and one from Lang Jawoll yarn.

Kim made some socks with a lacey design out of Cascade Sock yarn.

And Jennifer made her very first pair of socks out of Opal yarn. She learned how to make socks in Mimi's Weekly Class.

Didn't everyone do a good job! We don't believe in second sock syndrome here at The Yarn Haven!

Celebrate Earth Day today...

2010-04-22T07:42:00.000-07:00

Today is the 40th anniversary of the very first Earth Day. It was started by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson as a way to educate students about the Earth's environment. Earth Day is a day to celebrate this incredible planet on which we live.

I think the slogan "Reduce - Reuse - Recycle" sums it up for me.

Reduce...

I try to turn off lights when I leave a room.
Fill a large glass jar with water and put in the tank of your toilet. It will save water every time you flush.
Our Go Green program is designed to reduce the number of paper bags that we use. It has been a huge success and folks have enjoyed winning gift certificates just for not taking a bag when they make purchases.

Reuse...

When my printer misprints...or prints a page I didn't intend to print, I use the back side of the paper as scrap paper...and then put it in my paper trash can to recycle.
I also reuse bags...plastic, paper or cloth...until they go into the recycling bin.

Recycle...

Did you know that every box that arrives at The Yarn Haven goes to the Goodwill Recycling Center at the intersection of Cross Park Drive and Park Village Rd.? We break them down and once a week take them to the Recycling Center. If you ever need boxes for storage or moving, then Saturday is the best day to come by and get boxes from us. Then once you are finished with the boxes, please recycle them. Besides cardboard boxes, they also accept plastics, aluminum and steel cans, glass, mixed paper, household batteries and reuseable household goods. Why not make a habit of stopping there to drop off items each time to come to The Yarn Haven?

We have trash cans set up at the shop for you to divide out your mixed paper, plastic, soda cans, and garbage. Please make sure the items get in the appropriate can. This really helps us on recycling days. You can do this at home as well.

These are just a few ideas to get you started. There are lots of other ideas! So what are YOU doing to help save our planet?? We'd love to hear your ideas.

My Weekend...

2010-04-19T11:22:00.000-07:00

My hubby and I went this past weekend to Johnson City to see our daughter and son-in-law. It was a gorgeous weekend with a nice spring crisp to the air. When we arrived on Saturday, we got right back into the car and went to Jonesborough...the oldest city in Tennessee. I loved walking down the streets of this historic town as my ancestors were the first white settlers to Tennessee. It was a very surreal experience for me.

While there, we visited a new yarn shop that had opened up this past summer, A Novel Yarn. Tara, the owner, was very nice to talk with us and show me and my family some of her wonderful yarns and fibers. They loved the sheep pictures on the wall and thought that having some pictures of sheep would be a good addition to The Yarn Haven. But then Tara explained that those were pictures of her sheep. Way cool. But I don't see any live sheep in my future. Not sure the neighbors in my subdivision would care for that very much. If you're ever up in the Jonesborough area, you should stop in and say hello to Tara. Her shop was a little hard to find, but just look for the log cabin and it's right across the street.

Speaking of the Log Cabin, it was Christopher Taylor's house and was built in 1777. He was a veteran of the French and Indian War and a major in the American Revolutionary War. Andrew Jackson actually lived in the house for a year in 1788 while he was practicing law in Jonesborough.

We loved seeing the courthouse and visiting some shops on Main Street.

I even tried out the stocks in front of the courthouse, but didn't really care for them.

On Sunday after church Sarah and Ryan took us to one of their favorite sandwich shops...and then for some italian ice.

And then after having a full tummy, we went up to Buffalo Mountain and hiked up a short trail to a spot that overlooks Johnson City.

We sat on the bench there and just soaked up the sunshine and felt the breeze. Isn't this a gorgeous view!

We had a wonderful weekend together and I got to get lots of puppy kisses from my sweet grandpuppy, Daisy.

We also got to meet our grandkitten, Luna, for the first time. She doesn't like to be picked up, nor have her picture taken, but she does like to be petted. I think it will take me a while to warm up to her as cats are just not my favorite pet.

Overall it was a very enjoyable weekend...and a good break for me. I hope you had a good weekend as well.

Show and Tell Friday...

2010-04-16T07:29:00.000-07:00

Last month we had quite a few folks join us for our Mystery Crochet-a-long to celebrate National Crochet Month. Here are the doilles that folks made out of the Presencia Perle Cotton.

Pat did a beautiful job using a rust color thread.

Karissa chose a pale blue thread for her doillie. Very dainty looking.

Kristina's made a diferent edging on her doillie, but it still looks great! Love the color.

Annhara's brown doillie will look great anywhere in her home.

Laura chose a real pretty blue for her doillie.

And Sandra's fuchsia doillie really stands out. Very pretty.

It was amazing to see how the doillies came out different sizes according to everyone's gauge. Thank you to all these gals for joining our CAL. We'll do another mystery CAL next March. And who knows, we might even do one sometime else during the year. I've had several requests to do another one, and I think that's a great idea!

On a different note, I was driving back to the shop one day last week and saw the Oscar Meyer Weiner Mobile ahead of me. I was surprised to find them pulling into our shopping center. I just had to take a picture...because it's not every day that you see a giant hot dog going down the road. Some of the Lace KAL gals suggested that we go out and have our picture taken with it, but that idea got voted out rather quickly.

Well, have a wonderful weekend and enjoy this beautiful summer weather we're having so early. Hope this doesn't mean that this summer is going to be unbearably hot. Pray for some rain or we might be in for another drought soon.

Blessings!

Smoky Mountain Fiber Arts Festival...and Easter with the Family

2010-04-05T11:00:00.001-07:00

A couple of weeks ago Melissa and I went to the Smoky Mountain Fiber Arts Festival in Townsend. It was fun seeing a lot of our wonderful customers there! I think this is going to be an annual event, so be sure to watch for it next year. It's really nice having a fiber arts festival in our neck of the woods. We got two new vendors from the festival...River's Edge Fiber Arts...and Handpainted Knitting Yarns. We already have the roving from River's Edge in stock. Come check out the wonderful merino yarn with nylon added. Would spin up some great socks! Smoky Mountain Memories Portraits came around taking pictures of all the vendors. Check out our photo here.

Yesterday we celebrated Easter...as well as our youngest daughter's birthday. Here's a photo of me, Sarah, and Ariel together. Can you see the family resemblance??

And here's a photo of Ariel wearing the twirly skirt that I had made for her birthday back in March. It was a beautiful day and just perfect to have an egg hunt. I had told my hubby to not mow the back yard so there would be lots of places to hid eggs. I'm sure the neighbors were not pleased, but the kids loved the challenge of finding the eggs. I hope you and your family had a great Easter together celebrating our risen Lord.

One last note...check out this article that was in the Wall Street Journal on how truckers have turned to knitting, quilting, etc. Thanks, Bernie, for sending this to me!

Show and Tell Friday...

2010-03-12T13:33:00.001-08:00

This rainy day today makes me want to just curl up on the couch and knit. But unfortunately, the paperwork in the back office is keeping me here at the shop and working hard. You know, the first couple of years as a yarn shop owner I was able to be out on the sales floor and really get to interact with customers. That's how I made so many really good friends. But the last year or so, as we have grown, the business side of the shop has kept me going at a pretty fast clip. I constantly feel like I am behind in ordering supplies. I think the purchasing and processing part is becoming a full-time job. And I'm always on the outlook for new products and new ideas of fun events we can have at the shop. While I love my job, I do miss the leisurely hours I had at the beginning. Now they didn't seem so leisurely back then. But seeing how busy I've become in the past year...those years were a piece of cake. Hopefully, you all will enjoy the fun things I'm planning and not be too disappointed when I have to hid back in the office and do paperwork. That time is what keeps the shop up and running.

OK...I have to share another photo of my great-nephew, Jackson. He's really a cute little guy and is doing quite well for being a preemie. I'm hoping I'll get to see him up close and personal before too long. My brother is obviously smitten with being a grandpa for the first time. I hear through the grapevine that he's headed back up to Kentucky this weekend for a visit. That's so good to see him excited about his new grandson.

And I forgot to share last week about the fun time that we had at our Girls' Night Out Workshop on making clay buttons. They were really fun to make and not hard at all. We just might have to get Mimi to teach this class again. It was so neat to see the gals create such neat buttons to go on their garments.

Now for a few show and tell items...

Kori made her scarf out of Berroco Seduce yarn. A simple pattern created a great scarf!

Mary finished her 10 stitch blanket and did a wonderful job. She used the Noro Silk Garden and created this beautiful heirloom for her family to enjoy.

And Kelora made this shawl out of the Frabjous Fibers Blue Faced Leicester roving that she handspun. That's quite an accomplishment to first spin your yarn and then knit it up into a beautiful garment to wear. And speaking of spinning, don't forget to come to our 2nd Saturday Spin 'N Stitch tomorrow from 2-4 pm. You'll find folks spinning, knitting and crocheting to their heart's content.

If you're looking for something to do next weekend, don't forget the Smoky Mountain Fiber Arts Festival up in Townsend. We'll be having a booth there and you'll get to see lots of fun fiber items. Hope to see you there!

The Yarn Haven Olympics 2010...

2010-03-09T08:05:00.000-08:00

The 2010 Vancouver Olympics are over...and so we can now announce the winners of The Yarn Haven Olympics. Chosen by popular vote from our customers...here are the winners in each category.

Kelora won the Lace category with her beautiful shawl made out of Mountain Colors yarn. Her pattern was out of the Victorian Lace Today book.

Ginny won the Sweater category using Louisa Harding Hulda yarn. Her pattern was Lisa's Berrielicious sweater.

Jan won the Socks category using Swedish Yarn Raggi yarn. She also used one of Lisa's patterns called "I don't give a darn socks".

And the UFO category was won by Beth and her buttonhole scarf. She used Ironstone Sky yarn.

Congratulations to all of our winners! Please stop by the shop and pick up your Olympic prize. Our winners get the yarn to make one of the Olympic Reindeer hats like the USA team wore in the Opening Ceremonies. Everyone loved the hats when we saw them, and when I saw that someone on Ravelry had charted it out, I just knew this would be the perfect prize. Hope you enjoy making them!

The other people who turned in their projects for our Olympics should be congratulated as well since they were able to finish their projects.

Sweater category - Mimi did the Lisel pattern by Ysolda Teague out of Malabrigo yarn.

Socks category - Sue made her socks out of Luna Park yarn.

Lace category - Kristina made her shawl out of Cascade Lace yarn.

Lace category - Laura made her shawl out of Takhi Gioiello yarn.

Lace category - Kori made a lace doillie out of Presencia Perle Cotton yarn.

Lace category - Aggie made a lace scarf out of Filatura di Crosa Carioca yarn.

UFO category - Marilyn made a felted bag out of Cascade 200 yarn.

I hope you all enjoyed doing Olympic projects...and watching the 2010 Vancouver games.

I'm a Great-Aunt again!!

2010-03-06T07:30:00.000-08:00

Yesterday at 2:41 pm I became a great-aunt once again. My nephew, Chris, and his wife, Kellie, brought little Jackson William Godwin into this world weighing 4# 10 oz. and 18" long. He was 5 weeks early, but considering Kellie has some health issues, it was a miracle he even made it. Welcoming a new baby into the family is always a wonderful thing, but this little guy is special for several reasons. One, he is named after my daddy, William Godwin. And also, he is the one to carry on the Godwin name as all of the Godwin boys have had girls. So we are very excited and I can't wait to actually hold him. Here is the only photo I have of him so far. Hopefully, Chris and Kellie will find time to post some other photos on Facebook. My brother, David, says he looks a little like Chris did when he was born. And I could tell my brother was just beaming when he called me with the news. This is his first grandchild by blood. Although he has several other grandchildren with his wife, Janice, that I know he loves as well. But there's just something about holding your first grandchild for the first time. I still remember holding Ariel when she was born. In fact, someone took a picture of that moment and it's one that I will cherish forever.

Want to see some finished projects that my customers have made? Well, here they are...

Kristina finally finished this enormous pi shawl. Isn't it just gorgeous! You can tell by her smile that she's proud of it. And she should be!

Jan made a scarf out of Malabrigo yarn. It was a free pattern on Ravelry by Two Left Needles called "Homespun Scarf".

Mary Beth's used Malabrigo's new Twist yarn to make this Shell Lace Stole. It's also a free pattern on Ravelry.

Three beautiful finished projects...and a gorgeous weekend to boot. Blessings to you all!

Show and Tell Friday...

2010-02-19T08:39:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was a busy time. We started our Olympic projects at Melissa's home on Friday evening while watching the Opening Ceremonies and eating Melissa's wonderful food. Kelora brought a couple of desserts...one of which was called "Death by Chocolate". Since she shared the recipe with us, I thought you might like to have a copy.

Death by Chocolate

Serves up to 24 people (or 1 serious chocoholic!)

1 box (19.8 oz) fudge brownie mix

3 packages (4 servings each) instant chocolate mousse

8 chocolate-covered toffee candy bars (1.4 oz. each)...like SKOR or Heath bars)

1 large container (12 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed

Bake the brownies according the the package directions; let cool. Prepare the chocolate mousse according to the package directions. Break the candy bars into small pieces in a food processor or by gently tapping the wrapped bars with a hammer. Break up half of the brownies into small pieces and place in the bottom of a large glass bowl. Cover with half of the mouse, then half of the candy, and then half of the whipped topping. Repeat layers with the remaining ingredients.

***

Last weekend was also Valentine's weekend. I helped Ariel decorate a shoebox last week for her Valentines. It brought back many memories of making my own Valentine boxes with my mom. My sweet hubby sent me some beautiful miniature daylilies that I have been enjoying all week. I asked him not to get me chocolate this year as I'm trying to drop a few pounds. But that didn't stop me from getting him some yummy Ghirardelli dark chocolate. Since I'm not as much of a fan of dark chocolate as I am of milk chocolate, they won't be tempting for me. Hope you enjoyed getting and receiving some Valentine gifts as well.

For Show and Tell today I have the beautiful Colonnade Shawl that Debbie made from 2 skeins of Feza Cyprus Mohair and 1 skein of Tahki Bunny. I've already picked out my yarn to make this one. Great job, Debbie.

Kori finished her 10 Stitch Blanket. It's a free pattern on Ravelry, but if you take Mimi's class she will give you lots of great tips for making it...including how to knit backwards! Isn't it just simply gorgeous! I've been pondering which colors of Noro Silk Garden yarn I want to use to make one for the shop.

Melissa brought in her doll wearing the dress she knitted for her. She also made the coat and purse. Very creative!

And finally, Aggie finished her first sock using Berroco Comfort yarn and Lisa's I Don't Give a Darn pattern. Way to go, Aggie!

I think we're going to have a heat wave this weekend. Saturday looks to be a great day to wash the car and get rid of all the salt. Enjoy the sunshine!

Show and Tell Friday...

2010-02-05T11:05:00.000-08:00

Did you try out any of the snow recipes? I really wanted to make snow cream with my granddaughter, but she went to spend the weekend with her mom, so she wasn't at home. Maybe the next time it snows, we'll get that made.

But I did try out the two winning recipes...and I have photos to share.

Beth's recipe for "Eggs in a Nest" called for a shape to be cut out of the bread. I didn't have a flower shape, but figured a shamrock would do. It was very yummy and something that I think my grandkids would love to help me make sometime.

Debbie's recipe for "Eggs Goldenrod" took me a little longer to make because I forgot that I had to have a hard boiled egg. So I boiled several eggs and also had an egg salad sandwich for lunch.

And then finally, I made the "Bread Pudding" recipe. I was surprised to find that I preferred it cold, rather than hot.

After the snow stopped, I saw these paw prints in the snow. The set on the right is from Mr. Cottontail, our friendly neighborhood rabbit. But I couldn't identify the other set of prints. Any idea what animal would have made these prints?

What project did you work on during last weekend's snowstorm? I made the Grrlfriend Market Bag out of Berroco Cotton Twist. It turned out really cute and what a great project for this yarn! I used 2 skeins of the variegated and 1 of the solid.

Now on to your finished projects...

Mary Beth got this cute vintage trunk at a garage sale and made a doll and some clothes for it. She even made her some shoes and socks. Very nice!

Pam made a sock using Misti Alpaca Sock yarn. She used a pattern from the Sock Innovation book by Cookie A. This yarn is so yummy for socks! I must add a colorway to my stash. :~)

And Kim made this darling little baby layette for a friend. She used Queensland Sugar Rush...a yarn made of 100% sugar cane! Very cute!

Don't forget to come to our Super Bowl of Knitting party on Sunday afternoon from 2-6 pm. Bring your knitting or crocheting project to work on. And come bid on some of our shop models in our Silent Auction and Raffle to raise money for the American Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders for their work in Haiti.

Have a great weekend! Blessings!

Let it Snow...let it snow...let it snow...

2010-01-29T10:01:00.000-08:00

Can you tell that I'm excited about the big snowstorm that's coming? I really love snow. I've been very disappointed over the past few years to not even get ONE snow. That's all I really want for a winter to be perfect...just ONE snow. And to be getting our 2nd snow this year...well, let's just say I'm excited. Now I don't want the snow to last forever, mind you. Just for a day or two so I can sleep in late one morning, build a fire, enjoy playing with Ariel in the snow, and, of course, knit. I don't really think that's too much to ask, do you?

Those of you on our email list know that I’ve always wondered what one would make with the milk, eggs & bread that we all go to the grocery store to buy when we hear the "S" word. So I’ve come up with some ideas for you to try during this coming snowstorm:

French toast - http://southernfood.about.com/od/frenchtoastrecipes/r/bl30118b.htm (I like to sprinkle a little cinnamon on my French toast.)
Bread pudding http://www.momswhothink.com/easy-recipes/bread-pudding-recipe.html
Scrambled eggs, toast, & milk
Egg Salad sandwich & milk

So the challenge went out in my last email as to what you would make with these 3 ingredients: milk, eggs & bread. The one who would "WOW" me with their recipe would win a prize. I've really enjoyed reading all of your emails about your family recipes. You all sent me a lot of ideas. Here are a few...

Fried egg sandwich with milk
French toast strata with cider syrup (although you'd have plan ahead for this one in order to have a few extra ingredients)
Breakfast cassarole
Breakfast strata - adding veggies, cheese & meat (also additional ingredients)

Several people mentioned snow cream...although it doesn't have our 3 ingredients, it's a great idea. Amanda shared with me how she makes it:

You take a very large bowl out to gather snow, because a lot of snow makes a little snow cream. I use a large plastic spoon (like what can be used for sauces and soups), but metal would work fine. Find some clean, undisturbed snow on top of a car or something. Before filling the bowl, gently scrape off a little of the top layer of snow to remove any coal dust or other particles. Once you have a heaping bowl full of snow, go inside and put a decent amount of the snow into a fairly good sized bowl (allows room for mixing). Then add some sugar, evaporated milk, and a little bit of vanilla extract. Mix together and taste. If it's good, then there's nothing left to do but enjoy a bowl full. Otherwise, add a little of whatever is needed to make it right (will most likely be some more snow from bowl #1). Put any leftovers in the freezer (if there are any leftovers). Caution: eating too much snow cream at a time can cause a sore throat, so enjoy in moderation! :)

My momma never would let us make snow cream as kids. She was always too concerned about radiation in the air to let us eat snow. I did some research online to see about the safety of eating snow. I found a website that said you should let it snow 2 hours before using the snow for snow cream to wash out all the pollutants in the air. But they also said not to be too concerned because we breathe that same air every day. That actually makes sense. Plus I doubt any of us will be putting away snow cream in such large amounts that it will hurt us. So go make some and enjoy it!

I did receive two recipes that were new to me...and really sounded yummy. Our first winner is Beth Jinkerson. She said to make "Eggs in a Nest". Here's a website that shows how to make it.

And then our second winner is Debbie Slack for her recipe called "Eggs Goldenrod" (i.e. Creamed eggs on toast). Here's her recipe for 1-2 people. You can multiply it as needed.

1 hard boiled egg
1-2 slices toast
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
salt & pepper to taste

Make a basic white sauce: melt the butter, stir in the flour until bubbly and smooth, add the milk and cook until thickened. (I stir my sauce with a pancake turner instead of a spoon - it sweeps the bottom of the pot better.) Remove the yolk from the hard boiled egg and set aside. Chop the egg white and add to the white sauce. Add salt & pepper if desired. Tear the toast into bite-size pieces on a plate, ladle the sauce over it, and crumbled the saved egg yolk on top. Serve piping hot.

So Beth and Debbie come by the shop and pick up your skein of Kollage Creamy yarn...it's made of 80% milk! Very appropriate, don't you think. Really, this 80%milk/20% cotton yarn would make a lovely spring scarf. So even if you didn't win, you should check out this yarn.

If you're not on our email newsletter list, just send me an email and let me know you want to be added. We occasionally send out extra emails with additional information...and sometimes a contest.

Enjoy the snow!!

Show and Tell Friday...

2010-01-22T07:57:00.001-08:00

Today's a rainy day here in East Tennessee. But that doesn't stop us from being excited over the wonderful projects that folks have been bringing into the shop to share with us.

Kelora made this beautiful shawl out of Cascade Alpaca Lace. The addition of the beads really made it pop.

Kristina brought in two shawls that she has recently completed. The first one is the Icelandic Poppies Shawl by Evelyn Clark.

The second one is the Sand Dollar Shawl out of Knitting Lace Triangles. Both were made with lace weight alpaca.

Jan shared with us her shrug made out of Feza Cyprus Mohair. Lots of people have made this very popular shrug pattern.

And finally, Aggie made skull and crossbone hats for her grandkids.

Good job, everyone. Don't forget to bring in your finished projects so that we can share them with everyone.

Stay safe today if you're driving around town. Blessings!

Show & Tell Friday...

2010-01-15T11:45:00.000-08:00

Can you believe that it's a Friday and I remembered to post on the blog!! We've been so busy this past month that I haven't caught up yet from the Christmas rush. But today I have lots to share with you.

Leslie has made a lot of fingerless mitts recently. She used Brown Sheep Wildfoote to make this first pair.

And then she used Crystal Palace Panda Wool. The pattern for these mitts is in the One Skein book.

And finally she made a pair for a Christmas gift...and this pattern was in the December 09 issue of Knit 'N Style. She's been a busy woman!

Jan made a hat for her granddaughter out of Cabin Fever Cotton Tweed.

Daniel made a lacy scarf for Amanda's birthday out of Malabrigo Silky Merino. It was his 1st attempt at adding beads. He's come a long way from a year ago when he learned to knit.

We've gotten in lots of new yarns this past week. I've kept both Melissa and Paula busy labeling and putting this wonderful yarn on the shelves. I can't wait to start working on models for you to see. We got in:

Noro Kureyon – 100% wool that is self-striping. A great felting yarn.

Noro Cash Iroha – a wonderful solid yarn that complements Noro Silk Garden (a silk/wool/cashmere blend)

Knit One, Crochet Too Crock-o-Dye – a sock weight blend of superwash wool/silk/nylon that would make gorgeous scarves as well

Knit One, Crochet Too Camelino – a worsted weight merino/camel blend in solid colors

Knit One, Crochet Too Ty Dy Dots – 100% cotton that knits up like a summer tweed…coordinates with the Ty Dy yarn

Berroco Origami – a summer yarn of acrylic/linen that knits up into a very light fabric

Berroco Weekend – an aran weight yarn of acrylic/cotton that is washable and great for lots of different projects

Lang Jawoll Magic – new sock yarn that gives a tye-dye effect…great for shawls as well

Plus lots of restocks of your favorite yarns

Did you all see the gorgeous sunset we had last evening? It caused me to stop for a minute and pause to thank God for the beautiful world He has given us to live in. Thought I'd share the photo with you...although it doesn't really portray how beautiful it really was. It was another reminder to stop occasionally and take time to be thankful. Blessings to you all!

Show and Tell Friday...

2009-12-18T10:45:00.001-08:00

I guess you've been wondering where I've been since it's been a month since I have written on the blog. We've been very busy as the Christmas season has approached.

I have lots to share with you today. First of all, I wanted to show you a picture I took from our first snowfall of the season. The red berries from my holly tree looked so beautiful with the freshly fallen snow on them. I love waking up to see snow on the branches of all the trees. My granddaughter immediately got outside and starting playing in it. Unfortunately, it left about as quickly as it came. Perhaps we'll get more snow this winter that will stay a little longer.

We had a special Christmas treat for all the gals taking one of the Weekly Classes. They each got to make a Scrap Yarn Scarf. They seem to enjoy this week of cookies, presents, and yarn. Here are a couple of photos from our week.

Now for some show and tell...

Barbara made this cute baby sweater. I'm sure it will look darling on some little baby soon.

Kori did her very first pair of socks. She used Swedish Yarns Raggi yarn and Lisa's "I don't give a darn" sock pattern. Nice job. I see many more pairs of socks in your future, Kori!

Sam brought in a pair of socks she made for a Christmas gift. She used the Aslan Trends sock yarn. It was very soft and yummy. You might want to check out this yarn for your next pair of socks.

And I had to show you this cute reindeer that Mary Beth made. It's an Alan Dart pattern. Very cute!

And her beaded neckwarmer will be making someone a wonderful Christmas present this year. Very nice!

I hope each and every one of you have a wonderful Christmas together with your family.

Giving Thanks...

2009-11-20T10:23:00.000-08:00

As Thanksgiving time nears, I am mindful of all the things for which I am thankful. First and foremost, I'm thankful for a loving family. And I'm thankful to have 3 of the greatest grandchildren around. They bring me much joy.

I'm also thankful for my health. For years I've taken good health for granted. And then when two car accidents injured my back in June, my health took a turn for the worse. I've had to really struggle to regain my health. I'm thankful to have two of the greatest physical therapists in the world. Both Mark and Joy have been there every step of the way helping...and sometimes pushing...me to work hard and get my strength back. It's amazing how a simple hug or a big smile can motivate me to keep trying. And even though I've still got some healing to do...both physically and emotionally...I'm making progress. For that, I am truly thankful.

Thankfulness doesn't even begin to express my gratitude to the wonderful gals that both work for me as staff and teach my classes. They encourage me...they watch out for me...they inspire me to keep learning new knitting and crocheting skills. I consider each of them a dear friend. I'm thankful to have them to work alongside me.

And speaking of friends, I've had so many new friends come into my life simply by walking in the door of my yarn shop. I get so excited to see them learn new skills...and I love to see them truly excited about the crafts I love. I'm thankful for each person that has helped me to build my business.

This next week as you celebrate Thanksgiving, why not spend some time thinking about the things for which you are thankful. You'll be amazed at how your spirit will be lifted up as you focus on the many blessings God has given you. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends!

Show and Tell Friday...

2009-11-13T08:29:00.000-08:00

If you missed our Holiday Cookie Exchange and Book Signing last weekend, then you really missed out. The gals brought some delicious cookies and we enjoy seeing all of Andra Knight-Bowman's beautiful garments. We still have a few of her books left that are signed if you'd like a copy.

For Show and Tell today we have Daniel's felted hat and socks.

He also made one of Kristina's bookmarks out of the Presencia perle cotton.

Mary Beth brought by her Colonnade Shawl...which is a free pattern on Ravelry. She used Malabrigo yarn.

And she also brought the witch she made using one of Alan Dart's patterns. Too cute.

And finally, Sarah brought by her UT scarf she made out of Cascade 220 superwash yarn.

Great job on your finished projects, everyone!

Sometimes you just need a break...

2009-11-09T10:45:00.000-08:00

Have you ever felt that you were pushing and pushing to get everything done...and yet still were so far behind? I've felt like that a lot the past few months. Last week Melissa gave me the day off. She said I was not to come to work...I was to go have some fun. I must admit it was hard for me. I wasn't quite sure what to do with myself. I did have 2 doctor appts. that day, but between them I picked up some lunch and went to Cove Park. After eating a leisurely lunch, I sat there on the park bench and just enjoyed the beautiful day. I could feel the warmth of the sun on my back...I could hear the birds singing...I could see the beautiful leaves and the water move as the wind blew across it. For just a short time, I felt relaxed and at peace. My life has been such a whirlwind the past few months since my car accidents. I'm better, but still in therapy. Many days I just feel too tired to continue going on. But then I get to have a day of rest and I'm rejuvenated...at least for a little while. I think we all need breaks every once in a while. Have you had a break lately? Try and find some time to just go and sit and enjoy the beautiful world that God has given us. I know I'm going to try to take breaks more often.

The Yarn Bowl Challenge is over. We had an independent judge come in to pick our winners. She said to tell you that many of you did wonderful jobs on your caps. It was very hard for her to choose, but here are the winners...

Most productive knitters and crocheters: Sandy Privets, Linda Cepeda, Kori Tisdale & Aggie Wallace (each of these ladies made over 250 caps each!!)

Most UT Spirit: Mary Beth Cox for her UT helmet hat

Most Unique: Kristina Plaas for her many cute original designs

We had a good time making all of these little caps. I'm glad we had the opportunity to help out our community hospitals.

Now go enjoy this beautiful day!!

Yarn Bowl Challenge ends...and we won!!!

2009-10-23T13:44:00.000-07:00

Well, the results from the Yarn Bowl Challenge are in and the UT team won the challenge by knitting & crocheting 3,171 preemie caps! The Alabama team made 1,738 preemie caps for their area hospitals. Needless to say, we are excited and pleased to have so many folks join us in this challenge.

I wasn't able to put up on the internet a picture of our "Wall of Caps" before because I didn't want to give away how many caps we had made to the Bama Team. But now that the challenge is over, here's our famous "Wall of Caps". As you can see the caps overflowed even the portacrib we set up.

And we were very excited this week to have been both in the newspaper and on television! We were in the Shoppers News on Monday with an article. Then today, the Live at Five cameraman showed up to take some pictures of our "Wall of Caps". If you missed the newscast this afternoon, here's the video.

Thank you to everyone who made one of our preemie caps. I tell everyone all the time that I have the best customers in the world. You all are a giving group of people. Blessings to you all!

Show and Tell Saturday

2009-10-17T08:13:00.001-07:00

Last night was so much fun as we gathered on our last Preemie Cap Day to have a final push on making preemie caps for our Yarn Bowl Challenge. Kori's son's girlfriend made us this darling cake to celebrate. The caps are still coming in today, so we should know by the end of the day whether UT fans or Alabama fans have won this challenge. Either way, it's been great to see so many people get involved in helping those little guys and gals that are coming into this world just a little bit smaller than most. They usually have a long road ahead of them. Hopefully our prayers and thoughts of them while we made the caps will sustain them as they start their journey.

I remembered to download my photos this week, so I have finished projects to show you. First of all, Leedra made a "Wonderful Wallaby" for herself and also two smaller ones. She used Plymouth Encore yarn. Great job, Leedra!

Melissa loves to make clothes for her Harry Potter dolls. Here is Professor Snake in a cape she made for him out of Brown Sheep Wildfoote sock yarn. It's amazing that she can make such small garments!

Phyllis made her Shapely Tank Top out of the wonderfully soft Malabrigo yarn. Very nice!

And Amanda finished her crocheted shrug in record time. She used Berroco Pure Merino to make this fabulous garment that I'm sure she has been wearing on these chilly days we've had lately.

Great work on your projects, everyone! Well, as soon as the results are in I'll let you know who won the Yarn Bowl Challenge and how many caps each team made for the NICUs at their local hospitals. GO VOLS!

Show and Tell Friday...

2009-10-09T06:48:00.001-07:00

I'm enjoying this beautiful Fall weather we're having! I love a little crispness in the early morning. Many of you have asked recently about my back. I thought I would give you a little update today. I'm still in physical therapy 3 times a week. My upper and middle back are better, so we're mainly just dealing with my lower back at this point. It's taking a long time to get better and I do get discouraged a lot. But I appreciate all the well wishes I receive from you. You'll never know how much that little bit of kindness encourages me. Thank you!

I only have a couple of projects to share with you today because I have forgotten to download the other photos to my computer. I'll get those downloaded for next Friday's Show and Tell.

Judy brought in her Every Way Wrap from Interweave Knits magazine. She made it out of Malabrigo yarn.

She's also working on a scarf using Malabrigo yarn.

Thanks for sharing with us, Judy! Hope everyone enjoys their weekend!

Show and Tell Friday...

2009-10-02T10:04:00.001-07:00

Today's Show and Tell items are...

Pam brought in her lacy kerchief scarf/shawl. This was an Interweave pattern she made out of Classic Elite Provence.

Esther brought in this adorable butterfly dress she made for her daughter. She used Berroco Comfort and Classic Elite Bella yarns.

Patti's wrap me up shawl by Knitting at KNoon was made out of the Malabrigo yarn.

And Jan brought in her vest made of Sirdar Baby Bamboo yarn. She used a pattern out of Creative Knitting magazine.

Thanks, everyone, for sharing your projects with us. Hope you enjoy this beautiful weekend we have ahead of us. My daughter and son-in-law will be coming to town for the weekend to celebrate 3 family birthdays. Melissa gave me Saturday off to spend time with them. And Kori will be helping her teach the Block of the Month class. Thanks, gals, for filling in for me. I appreciate you!

Show and Tell Friday...

2009-09-25T08:12:00.000-07:00

Well, it's Friday again and I have some more wonderful finished projects to show you.

Kori made this hat for her son out of Cascade Heritage sock yarn. The pattern came from the "Not Just Socks" book. Very nice!

Amanda crocheted this clapochet (the crocheted version of the clapotis) out of Berroco Vintage Wool. This will keep her nice and warm this fall.

Daniel made this hat out of Cascade 220 yarn. Amanda so nicely modeled it for us.

And Leslie made Two Old Bags' Lucy bag. I love the cute pin she added.

Enjoy your weekend!

Show and Tell Friday

2009-09-18T07:59:00.000-07:00

Have you ever met someone famous? Well, our Melissa went to Savannah last week to celebrate her 15th anniversary with her hubby. And guess who she met? Paula Deen!! Paula recently donated some hams to Second Harvest Food Bank, here in Knoxville. Melissa got to personally thank her for that donation. And speaking of thank yous, I want to thank everyone who donated can goods last week for the National Day of Service and Remembrance. We appreciate you!

Now on to our finished projects...

Kori made this cute bib out of Tahki Cotton Classic yarn. She even brought in one of her bears to display it...and made a preemie cap as well. The pattern is in the One Skein Knitting book which we have in the shop.

Then Wanda brought in this cute child's sweater she made with Plymouth Encore yarn. Very nice!

Melissa brought in a couple of items to share: a sock, a cowl and her clapotis. She's been one busy lady.

Thanks gals for sharing with us.

We have less than a month to go in our Yarn Bowl Challenge with the Alabama shop. If you'd like a quick project that will help out these little guys and gals, then make a preemie cap or two for us. Have a great weekend!

Show & Tell Friday...

2009-09-11T07:29:00.000-07:00

Today's show and tell projects are:

Mary Beth's American Safari Hoodie she made with Cabin Fever Cotton Tweed

Jan's market bag

Leedra's Baby Surprise Jacket...out of our favorite colors...made with Dale of Norway Baby Ull

Another Leedra BSJ, also made with Dale of Norway Baby Ull

Moon's vest made with Fiesta La Boheme

And Kristina's Aeolian shawl made with Fiesta Ballerina

Great job, everyone!

Don't forget that today, September 11, is the National Day of Service & Remembrance. We will be collecting can goods for Second Harvest Food Bank today and tomorrow. President Obama has asked everyone to do some service for their community. This is just our way of helping out folks who are having trouble putting food on their tables. Thanks to everyone who has helped out in this community charity project. Blessings on your day!

Show and Tell Friday...

2009-09-04T08:46:00.001-07:00

Did you know we had a Blue Ribbon winner amongst us? Janie entered some of her knitted items in the Anderson County fair this summer and she won 2 first place ribbons and 1 third place ribbon!

She showed off her shrug made out of Feza Cyprus Mohair and won 1st place. Pattern is Plymouth #1504. Very nice!

And then her child's hat made out of Plymouth Dreambaby also won a 1st place ribbon.

And finally, the helmet liner she made out of Cascade Superwash yarn received a 3rd place ribbon. Congratulations, Janie, on all 3 of your ribbons!

Laura came in wearing her Diamond Patch sweater from Just One More Row. She made it out of the Filatura di Crosa Carioca yarn. Beautiful!

Thanks gals for sharing with us! Be sure to bring in your finished objects for our Show & Tell!

Show and Tell Friday

2009-08-28T09:27:00.001-07:00

Have you made a preemie cap yet for our Yarn Bowl Challenge? We have about 7 weeks left to make them. I wanted to share this pattern with you for a cap that Nonie brought by. Isn't it cute?

Double Moss Stitch Preemie Cap (knit in the round)

Using DK weight yarn and size 6 needles, cast on 48 sts. (or use fingering weight yarn and size 2 needles, casting on 72 stitches)

K1, P1 for 1 inch.
Knit 1 round.

Change to different color yarn if desired.

Double Moss Stitch pattern:
Round 1: *K1, P1*, repeat around
Round 2: *K1, P1*, repeat around
Round 3: *P1, K1*, repeat around
Round 4: *P1, K1*, repeat around

Repeat these 4 rounds until you have about 3 ½” total.

Knit 2 rows.
Change back to original colored yarn if desired.

Shape Crown:
Round 1: *K4, k2t*, repeat around
Round 2: *K3, k2t*, repeat around
Round 3: *K2, k2t*, repeat around
Round 4: *K1, k2t*, repeat around
Round 5: k2t around (if using 9” circular needles, skip this round)
Cut yarn, leaving a long tail. Using a tapestry needle, thread tail through remaining stitches and fasten off securely. (If skipping round 5, move 2 stitches to tapestry needle and bind off a stitch. Continue moving over 2 stitches and binding off a stitch until all stitches are on tapestry needle.) Weave in the ends.

You can, of course, made the preemie caps in any pattern you wish. Thanks, Nonie, for sharing this one with us.

I also have to share with you Lynn's Adult Surprise Jacket. She did a wonderful job of picking out yarns that go together. And the buttons she chose were the finishing touch. Great job, Lynn!

And Pam brought in a cardigan that she made out of Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece. Here's another example where choosing the right button will just make the garment perfect. Love it, Pam!

And Pat brought in her shawl that she made out of Schaefer Anne yarn. She appliqued leaves on the edge. It is sooo pretty. And what a great idea to give this shawl just the right finishing touch as well. Very creative, Pat!

Don't we have creative knitters here at The Yarn Haven?!? Be sure to bring in your finished items and I'll put them on the blog.

Show and Tell Friday

2009-08-21T06:39:00.001-07:00

Last night was Parent Night at Ariel's school. Since my son is away at school, I was the "designated parent" for the evening. It was fun to go see her little desk, meet her teacher, and learn some things about 1st Grade. As I was leaving the school, there was this beautiful double rainbow in the sky. It took my breath away. The past couple of months have been very difficult ones for me. First it was the two car accidents...then the many, many therapy sessions...then the emotional problems of driving. Having to deal with all of that plus run a yarn shop has been a challenge. To be honest, I just haven't been there for you all. I've been so focused on me that I haven't had the creativity needed to keep you all inspired with your knitting and crochet projects. But seeing this awesome rainbow that God had put in the sky gave me hope. It helped to remind me that the very first rainbow was put there with a promise. And that God continues to give me hope and a promise that He cares for me. All of these bad circumstances will pass. And I will eventually get better and become my old self again. Until then, I appreciate you patience...and your encouragement. I feel very loved by my customers...who indeed are my friends. I have been blessed.

Now before I get all teary-eyed, let's move on to some finished projects that folks have brought in.

Lisa left this gorgeous shawl with me this summer when she left to go out west for a while. It's Knitting at KNoon's "Wrap Me Up" shawl. We have gotten in Knit One, Crochet Too's Paintbox yarn as one of the options for knitting this shawl. You could also use Noro's Silk Garden. This shawl is all about learning different techniques. If you'd like to learn to make it, you might want to sign up for one of Lisa's Weekly Classes. You should be able to complete this shawl in 6 weeks.

And Melissa finished her Angel Island Shell from Just One More Row. She used the Filatura di Crosa Carioca yarn. Very nice job, Melissa!

Elisa brought by this darling "Just like a Peasant" cap. She got the pattern on Ravelry and used the Malabrigo yarn. This was a chemo cap she made for her boyfriend's mother. Very cute!

And finally, Nonie brought in the wrap she made out of Cascade Cash Vero. The buttons she chose to put on them were just perfect. I love this, Nonie.

Hope to see you at our Friday Night Knitting Club this evening!

A New School Year begins...

2009-08-19T13:59:00.000-07:00

Well, another school year has started. With Knox County school starting a bit later, I hadn't realized that my son would be back at pharmacy school when Ariel began 1st Grade this year. So Monday was my day to be "parent" and pick her up from her school, get her some lunch, take her to day care, and then pick her up later in the afternoon in time to go to soccer evalutions. Whew! I had forgotten how long it takes to pick up kids when there is early dismissal. I sat in the car line so long that I was able to knit quite a few rows on my sweater. And when it finally came my turn to pull up, there was my sweet granddaughter...with a hole in her mouth. She was so excited to tell me that she had pulled out her loose tooth. I knew her daddy was going to be disappointed to hear that she had lost her tooth while he was gone. So I told her to keep it in a safe place...because the tooth fairy only visits on weekends. :-) My oldest grandson, Joshua, also started 1st Grade. When I asked his mom what he had thought about school, she said that he absolutely loved it. I hope it will be a good year for both of them.

Show & Tell Friday

2009-08-14T16:00:00.001-07:00

Donna recently made this cute sweater out of the Sirdar Calico book. She used the Sublime organic cotton yarn. Love the color!

And Sam brought in her Baby Surprise Jacket made of Dale of Norway Baby Ull.

And her shawl made out of Cascade Heritage yarn. Great jobs on both, Sam!

Mary Beth loves to make different animals. Here's her elephant.

And Donna's boho bag she made for her granddaughter turned out great. She used the Noro Silk Garden yarn and Mimi's pattern.

We had a lot of people come to our Preemie Cap Day today. It was a fun day and we now have more preemie caps to add to our Wall of Caps. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Show & Tell Saturday...

2009-08-08T07:57:00.000-07:00

I have lots of beautiful shawls to share with you today.

Pat made two shawls from the Knitted Lace of Estonia book. The first one is the "Maikell" shawl from the book...out of a yummy mohair yarn.

The second shawl was made out of the Misti Alpaca lace yarn. Both are beautifully done...and with many, many nupps. Great job, Pat!

Then Kristina made the "Lilac Leaf" shawl from the Estonian book out of Classic Elite Silky Alpaca Lace yarn.

And also...she made a Swallowtail Shawl out of Zephyr lace yarn. (We're hoping to get some of this wonderful Zephyr yarn in the shop in the near future.)

Kristina also brought in her Phoenix Shawl to share. She used Schaefer Andrea yarn and added beads to make this exquisite shawl. Paula was gracious enough to model it for us. Wonderful job as usual, Kristina, on all of your shawls!

And finally, Paula brought in the Evelyn Clark Flower Basket shawl she made at the first Lace KAL we had. This linen shawl was the project that got her motivated to start doing lace projects. Very nice, Paula. We'll look forward to seeing your other lace projects as you finished them.

Hope everyone has a nice weekend. Haven't we had a nice summer...much cooler than normal. Enjoy!

Show and Tell Saturday...

2009-08-01T06:28:00.001-07:00

Sorry I didn't get around to posting yesterday. This 3 times a week therapy is zapping me of all energy and I'm just not getting everything done. But the good news is that my back is slowly, but surely, getting better. I've still got a way to go to get back to normal, but I'm making progress.

Becky brought in her clapotis to share with us. She used Noro Silk Garden Lite yarn. Don't you just love the buttons she added to make this a beautiful wrap!

And Pam brought in this darling little dress. She used the Sirdar Baby Bamboo yarn. The pattern is on Ravelry..."The Ellis dress". Very, very cute.

And she also brought in some socks to share. The yarn she used was Crystal Palace Panda Cotton. The pattern is also on Ravelry..."Socks of Kindness". She did make a change to do the eye of partridge heel. Great job on both of your finished projects, Pam!

And finally, Melissa brought in her first beaded socks. She was in the Socks That Rock club and this was one of the designs. Very nice!

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Don't forget we have lots of different classes coming up this month. Now is the time to sign up to learn some new techniques!

Last week...

2009-07-29T14:30:00.000-07:00

Last week the Gray family had their annual Family Camp at Melton Hill Lake. I didn't get to stay for the week because, let's face it, sleeping in a tent is just not something that my back would allow. But I did get to go over after work a couple of nights for supper. My sister-in-law, Cheryl, made some awesome meals. Who knew you could eat some good cookin' at a campground! I had to lay down several times in my son's tent to rest my back. Here's a photo of the beautiful scenery I had to look at while I was resting. My son really knows how to make camping fun. I had to laugh at the "luxury suite" he had sent up in his tent. He had a king size air mattress on the bottom with a queen size air mattress on top of it and a memory foam mattress on top of that. And then he had a fan hanging from the ceiling that had a thermostat on it! Now that's my kind of camping!

A couple of fun things happened at Family Camp. My grandson, Joshua, caught a fish.

And I taught Ariel how to knit. Although basically I think she taught herself how to knit because I just showed her how to do one stitch and she started knitting! She has obviously been watching me knit for a while. Now she still needs to learn how to cast on, and how to purl, etc. But she's doing a great job for a 6 year old.

I also taught a couple of my great-nieces, Lindsey & Whitney, how to do the knit stitch...as well as my niece, Kari. Kari wanted to learn how to knit so she could make some preemie caps for us. Yeah! It was a very fun time and was a nice break from dealing with back problems.

Next time I need a break, I just might go out to Melton Hill Lake, pull me up a chair, and sit there and knit.

Show and Tell Friday

2009-07-24T08:57:00.000-07:00

Today Kori shares with us her summer shrug. She made it out of Araucania Chacabuco yarn using a Farmhouse pattern. A slider pin from Plymouth is a great way to hold the ties in front if you don't want to tie them. (This yarn is 100% bulky weight cotton and there is some currently in the sale bin.) Good job, Kori!

And Sam brought in her Evelyn Clark's Flower Basket shawl to share. Isn't it beautiful!

Then we have Lenore's little sweater she made out of Snuggly Baby Bamboo yarn. I'm sure it will look even cuter on a child.

And Tara brought in these little baby booties she made as a gift. She also used the Snuggly Baby Bamboo yarn. Too cute!

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Show and Tell Friday

2009-07-17T07:45:00.000-07:00

Today I have a couple of the finished items from our Estonian Lace KAL from spring. Bev finished her shawl using Cascade Heritage sock yarn. The pattern she chose from the Knitted Lace of Estonia book was the "Triinu" shawl. Isn't it gorgeous!

And Kelora also made this same shawl...but out of Cascade Alpaca Lace.

And then she made the "Queen Silvia" shawl out of Plymouth Baby Alpaca DK yarn. Both of them are just esquisite. Great job ladies!

By the way, we will be having another lace KAL starting at the end of September. We decided to choose another book and have folks pick one of the patterns to knit. This book we will be using this fall is called "Knits from the North Sea" by Carol Rasmussen Noble and Margaret Leask Peterson. These shawls and scarves are from the Shetland lace tradition. If you're interested in joining this KAL, please call and reserve a book so we'll have them in time for the KAL. And we have some yummy new lace yarns for you to choose from.

Laurie brought by her cowl to share with us. She made it out of a yak and bamboo yarn. Very pretty!

And Sam finished her shawl that she made out of Brown Sheep Cotton fine yarn. Nice job, Sam!

So many people have been asking how I'm doing that I'll give you an update. I started the aquatic therapy this week. It's been hard, but I'm doing OK. I'm completely worn out after the exercises, so I have been going home for a nap afterwards. (Thanks, Melissa for watching the shop for me.) I've had a few good days, but it seems the very next day I am very stiff and in more pain. I think it's going to take some time to get me back to where I was before the accidents. I appreciate all of your thoughts and prayers during this tough time for me. It's nice to know that I have friends that care. Blessings to you all!

Show and Tell...Saturday

2009-07-11T06:36:00.000-07:00

Sorry I didn't post yesterday. But to tell the truth, I totally forgot about it until last night. I just haven't been myself lately and I've become very forgetful. I guess I can blame it on the pain meds I've been taking for my back. I'm now in physical therapy 3 times a week trying to get my back healed. I've been raving about my physical therapist...but I'm a little put out with him at the moment. He had me do some exercises on this machine yesterday. My treatments previously had been ultrasound, electrical stim, massage, etc. You know, the kind where you just lay there and someone else does all the work. Well, I only used the machine 6 minutes, but today my back is so stiff and hurts likes the dickens. I feel like I've taken a step or two backwards. Next week he's signed me up for some aquatic therapy. I hope that movement in the pool will feel better than his exercise machine. But I can't blame him totally. He set the timer for 6 minutes, but midway through when he saw it was beginning to hurt my back, he said he'd be happy if I just did 5 minutes. Well, you know me...that felt like a challenge...and so I pushed forward and did 6 minutes because I wanted to show him I could do it...plus I'm really wanting to get better as quick as possible. Bad decision. I should have stopped at 5 minutes...or even before. Pain does not always mean you are gaining. So as an update on my health, I have good days and bad days...some very emotional for me...as I try to regain both my physical and emotional health that two car accidents have taken away from me. Everyone keeps telling me it will get better. I'm still waiting on that and trusting that what they say is true. But after 3 weeks of having my life turned upside down, I'm struggling a bit to believe it. I do appreciate all the kind thoughts...and hugs...from everyone. They help make life a little more bearable these days.

Well...on to what you've really come here to read about...finished projects!!

Marilyn made this gorgeous Adult Surprise Jacket...and had it lined. Very cool idea! She made this jacket in one of our Weekly Classes.

Mary Beth's elephant was a hit when she brought it in the shop. It even got to wear the Bama cap from our Yarn Bowl Challenge. We thought that was very appropriate.

Carmen made this Swing Vest out of Malabrigo. Great choice of yarn for this Oak Couture pattern! This vest can be made out of worsted weight or chunky weight yarn and the pattern comes in some plus sizes as well.

And Leigh made a bunny and bear for a baby gift out of Plymouth Fantasy Naturale. Too cute!

Hope everyone has a good weekend. Now's the time to start thinking about gifts to make for Christmas. Come on into The Yarn Haven and we'll help you pick out some projects for your family and friends.

Preemie Cap Day review

2009-07-06T08:02:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone had a good holiday weekend. I didn't do anything special...just sit around and watch movies, read, knit and try to rest my back. I was very disappointed that I didn't get to work on the house as I had planned. But my back simply would not let me do much. Plus the meds that the doctor gave me made me very sleepy. My back is feeling a little bit better, but I have a way to go to get back to normal. I appreciate all of your concerns. It means a lot to me.

I didn't get a chance to do Show and Tell on Friday because I took the day off. I went to physical therapy and then went home and took a nap. But I did want to share with you a little about our Preemie Cap Day last week. We had a wonderful time making caps. We had a contest to see who could guess the number of caps up on our "Wall of Caps". Anna was our winner and will receive several skeins of Baby Ull in our UT orange color. (More of the orange and white in Baby Ull has been ordered for those of you wanting to make UT preemie caps.) We had folks drop in and out all day long. We emptied the baskets and put all the caps on the wall before the day started. But by the end of the day we had one basket already full with caps either made that day or caps that were brought in! Hope you can join us for our next Preemie Cap Day.

Don't forget the All Day Knit Class that starts tomorrow. The morning class is from 10 am - Noon and the afternoon class is from 1-3 pm. Or you can come all day long for both classes. If you haven't signed up yet and want to come, I think there are still a few spots open, so just come on down or call me first thing in the morning.

Hope you all have a good week and that you're starting to think about what gifts you'd like to make to give for Christmas. Now's the time to start working on those projects during our lazy days of summer. See you soon!

I'm Not Sure What to Think...

2009-06-29T14:14:00.000-07:00

Today's been a rough day. Many of you know about our car being totaled in an accident on Father's Day. My back was injured, but I felt we were making some progress in getting it better. So this morning I was driving in my rental car to the dentist when someone rear-ended me yet again. All I could do was sit there and cry. Why do people not watch where they are going??? I was sitting at a red light and the next thing I know is that my car has been hit. Here's a photo of the imprint of the other car's license plate on my bumper. And the screw sticking out is from their license plate. Needless to say, this injury to my back is just as bad, if not worse. My emotions are very raw right now. Just riding in a car makes my blood pressure shoot through the roof and I'm quite paranoid about every car on the road. I'm not sure I'll be able to drive for a few days. We'll have to see about that.

So this afternoon I went to lay down again to rest. I laid there for quite some time just thinking...why???...why me??? And then I began to think about others around me that are suffering so much more than me. My son-in-law lost his grandpa this week. He traveled all the way to Oklahoma this weekend to say goodbye. He and my daughter were so glad that they went out to see Grandpa Bud last Christmas...because it was his last Christmas with them. I know they will miss him. It's hard losing a grandparent. And then there's the family that hit me this morning. The youngest daughter's car was the one that hit me. But her mom and dad were driving behind her. The mom told me that her oldest daughter had passed away yesterday and they were on their way out of town to attend to her funeral. Not too hard now to understand why this young gal's mind hadn't been on her driving. My heart goes out to them because this is such a hard time for them...and then they have to deal with an accident as well. Thankfully, none of them were hurt.

So I determined to get up out of bed and go look for things in my world that make me happy. I went out on the porch and saw Mr. Cottontail in our yard. This little bunny comes to visit occasionally. I walked over to him and he just sat there. He must have been someone's pet at one time because he didn't run away until I got about a yard from him. Then he happily hopped across the street and went under the bushes. It always amazes me how carefree he seems as he hops away.

And then I saw the hydrangea bush in my yard with these big beautiful blue blossoms on it. They are so gorgeous and keep coming back year after year.

And then came my darling granddaughter who just got home from daycare. Her sweet smile always makes me smile. She brings so much joy to my life...as do my two sweet, but very active, grandsons. So I have many things to be thankful for today. Even though my back hurts every time I move, and even though I still have to go find another car to buy, and even though it's going to take a while to get over being hit twice in about a week...I have much in my life for which to give God thanks. So I guess this is not such a bad day afterall.