Brrr..it's cold outside...

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!!

Happy New Year...2011

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...

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...

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!

Challenges...

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.

Show and Tell Friday...

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!

Show and Tell Friday

Isn't this crazy weather we've been having...it's cold, then it's hot, then it's cold again. Don't you just love East Tennessee this time of year! But while I complain a bit about it, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. This is home to me and I feel so blessed to have been born in just a beautiful part of the country.

For show and tell today, I wanted to show you some of the things that the gals in the Weekly classes have been making.

Melissa made up the Amanda Hat out of our soft, soft Malabrigo yarn. I really like the Amanda stitch pattern. In fact, I need to get back to work on finishing up the fingerless gloves I designed in that stitch. Note to self...move the gloves up a bit on the priority list. Nice job, Melissa!

Marilyn made the Mock Entrelac Scarf out of Plymouth Encore yarn. I'm sorry this picture doesn't show the pattern very well. But Marilyn did a nice job on the scarf. By the way, this is a free pattern when you purchase Feza Cyprus Mohair yarn. Come to the shop and check out the model on display.

Mary took some of the Tahki Bunny yarn and turned it into this gorgeous vest. There's still a little bit of this wonderful yarn left in the sale bin. They have discontinued the variegated colors and this is an excellent time to get it at a good price. Mary, your vest looks great!

I think all the gals taking the Weekly Class have been learning a lot of new things and having a ball. Thursdays here in the shop are busy, busy, busy with everyone coming to class all day long. We now have a Wednesday morning Weekly Class as well. And I hope to have classes on Tuesdays after the first of the year. So if you want to learn how to further your knitting skills, then come sign up for one of our Weekly Classes. The next one starts on Thursdays on December 4.

Can you believe it's only 48 days until Christmas!!!!! It's time to start knitting those Christmas gifts! Stop by the shop to see some examples of things you can give for Christmas. We have both knitting and crocheting ideas.

Have a great day and keep knitting and crocheting!