Friday, April 29, 2005

Not many Blogging Moments this week

I have been so busy. I blame the fabulous weather on my lack of time to blog. We have had a 2 week stretch of summer weather and I have been really busy in the garden. So between the Yarn store, eBay store, the garden and not to mention my real job I haven't had 2 minutes to sit down and write until just now.
On Wed. the store was fun as usual. Brenda came over for a while. It was fun. She shopped and then we looked through my boxes and boxes of new yarn. It's more fun sharing it with someone who loves yarn as much as I do. I had great restraint and didn't start a new project. Came close for a few minutes. We didn't get much time to just sit outside and knit but it was fun anyways. Heres the new yarn I got in.

I will start with the Opal
The new Opal Rodeo Cotton is wonderful. It is so soft and the colours are quite mute. They would make great summer socks. I plan to knit a pair for myself if it ever rains again. I love to knit on the machine on rainy days.
The new Opal Silk (to see these look at the same link for the cotton)is amazingly soft. I will definately knit a pair of these. I might hand knit these as it feels so nice I would hate to waste in on machine knitting.
Both of these yarns are on eBay this week. So far no bids on the new yarn but lots of people are looking at it so its just a matter of time.
Speaking of hand knitting I have knit some sets for a Newborn baby using sock yarn. They are so cute and I am going to post the pattern on my web site later this weekend. They are great for using left over sock yarn and would make a great baby gift.
Here is the picture of the sets I have made so far.
Baby hat and socks

See I can knit socks by hand.
Here are my boxes of Noro yarn.
Boxes of Noro yarn

I still haven't list these on eBay yet but I will tomorrow or Sunday. The colours are amazing. If I had nothing but time and money I would keep it all and knit it all for myself. Good thing I don't have either.
I am a few days off finishing my Noro projects for the pattern book. When I am finished I will post pictures of everything I made. This weekend I am going to finish it all. Wish me luck. It better be a long weekend.
Tomorrow I will post pictures of the new patio furniture I bought for the store. It is lovely but we haven't got much level ground to put it on so I think we are going to build a deck. Project # 201 on the list of things to do.

Sunday, April 24, 2005

Very Relaxing day at the store.

Yesterday was a great day at the store. Hmmm - How many post do I start that way.--
Anyways it was fun. The sun was shining and I spent most of the day out in front of the store knitting with other knitters. I didn't have any books, inventory, rearranging etc to do so when there were no customers we sat and knit. When we did have customers they joined us to sit and knit after shopping. I am going to buy a patio furniture for out in front of the store as it is a perfect place to sit and knit or look at pattern books on nice days. We have great shade from the many trees, a nice view and the breeze off the ocean. I can't think of a better place to relax and enjoy knitting. Here is a picture of Mom and Carrie sitting knitting.
Mom is working on a heirloom Lace shawl for our new grandbaby coming and Carrie is working on a dishcloth. I was working on a Noro Shawl but I am not in the picture.( I took it)
Knitting outside the store
Here is a picture of the storefront with the flowers blooming.
Flowers in front of the store

Here is Carrie's finished dishcloth. She is quite pleased with it. Whipped it up in about an hour.
Carrie's dishcloth
Carrie is the owner of the store I rent for Fun Knits Yarn Shop. She also has a Bed and Breakfast and Cottage rental for Vacations. I have added a link to the home page at funknits.com You can contact Carrie to get inforamtion about her rental's. This is a great vacation spot for knitter as you couldn't get any closer to our great little yarn store.

New on eBay this week is Spring time yarn from Opal


Coming next week at my eBay Store new Noro Kureyon and Silk Garden colours for 2005. This yarn will be available as a" Buy it Now" item. I will sell it by single balls. Kureyon will be $7.35 US and Silk Garden will be $8.35 US
and
Opal Rodeo Cotton and Opal Silk These will be on the auction. I can't wait to get this yarn. The silk is what I am dying to see and feel. It should be here by Wednesday and available at the store then. I will put it on the auction Thursday.
I will be getting the new Opal Prisma in a few weeks.

Saturday, April 23, 2005

I Taught Ming to Knit

On Wed. I was so bored at the store I taught Ming to knit. How sad is that.
Ming learning to knit
She is wearing a hooded sweater and socks I made with Opal 6ply 1126
She then she progressed to knitting socks. She has just turned the heel on a Noro sock. Smart doll and she looks so proud of herself.

Ming knitting socks
It was quiet in the store on Wed. as it was the nicest day we have had all year so far. It was warm and sunny and a great day to be outside. I spend a lot of the day on the bench outside the store. See why here is the view.
View from bench
We will lose a bit of the view once the leaves are out in full.
I have a new listing on eBay today -
"All About Knitting Afghan"
It is a real bargain as it retails for $150. US or $195. Canadian. The starting bid is $95. US. I am going to keep one of these and knit it for the couch in the store.

Tuesday, April 19, 2005

Regia Jubilee India #5472 is back

A lot of people have been inquiring about when I could get more of these colours in Jubilee. I hope you follow my blog so you can hear the great news. It's here.

I just got in a shipment of yarn from Diamond yarns and they so nicely let me order extra of the popular Regia jubilee colours. The most popular colours are
India 5472

Trivoli #5473

and Oslo #5471

so get them while you can.
I also got a great shipment of Noro Kureyon and Silk Garden. I just love that yarn.
I am busy right now trying to find plces to put it in the store.
I love getting in new yarn.

Saturday, April 16, 2005

New Socks

I have needed new socks for a while, so today I made a pair for myself with the Lorna's laces Watercolour. They turned out nice.
Lorna's Laces Watercolour socks 1
I love the colour. I like the way the colours blend. I think watercolour is a great name for this colour yarn.
Lorna's Laces Watercolour socks 2

Here is my rack of Lorna's Laces yarn. It got a place of honour in the store today.
I put 2 skeins of each colour on the top rack. these are the colours left to right.
Sand Ridge, Flame, Lucky Stripe, Liberty, Fresh Stripe, Pin Stripe, River, Water colour, Vera, Purple Iris, Rainbow, Motherlode, Desert Flower.


Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock yarn.

Venting

Warning - Don't read this if you are not in the mood for the rantings of an angry eBay seller.
I have been publically humiliated. I often wondered how I would react if I got a neutral or Heaven forbid Negative rating on my eBay. Well today I checked and I have received a Neutral rating from a customer. I am so insulted I cried(and if any of you know me that takes a lot)I am tough. The comment stated "slow shipping". I mailed this item the day the person paid for it. What more can I do. They paid for it April 6th and it was mailed April 6th. (Item purchased March 31)and I assume they got it yesterday, April 15th. Maybe the customer didn't realize I ship from Canada and it has to go through customs.
Anyways I am insulted. I work really hard to mail items as soon as they are paid for. I have stayed up very late sometimes to get this accomplished. I have got up at 5Am to make sure my mailing is ready as I leave on the 9 am ferry everyday.
Maybe people don't realize how important the rating is to a seller on eBay. I feel like I have a huge black mark against me now, I have some wonderful customers and many are repeat customers. I hope this doesn't affect my business.
On a happier note:
I have decided to knit the Lorna's laces Watercolour socks for myself and I am going to do that right now so I can wear them to the store today. Maybe that will cheer me up. I will post a picture of them when they are done.

Friday, April 15, 2005

Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock Yarn Arrived

I finally got it. I got my box of Lorna's Lace Shepherd Sock Yarn. WOW!!!! is it ever nice. I already have one skein wound and on the knitting machine. when i am done writing this I am going to knit all night. I want to knit a pair of socks in each colour. I got 13 colours. Here is my order
Lorna's Laces Sock Yarn
The first thing I am going to make is a baby hat and some baby socks with the Rainbow colour.
The colours I got are
Watercolour
Vera
River
Sand Ridge
Rainbow
Purple Iris
Motherlode
Flames
Desert Flower
Liberty
Fresh Stripe
Lucky Stripe
Pin stripe.
Sorry Brenda they forgot to send the Sherbet that I phoned and asked for.
The store should be fun tomorrow a lot of people have been waiting for this yarn to come in.
Here are the hat and socks I made with the Rainbow Lorna's Laces. I have enough yarn left from the one skein to make a pair of newborn socks too. Guess who this set is for.
Rainbow Baby socks and hat
The Lorna's lace yarn will cost $10.95 Canadian a skein. It retails in the US for $9.00 so I am glad I can sell it for a bit less. The Canadian equivalent is $11.25 today.
I have shown great restraint tonight by only knitting 1 skein of yarn. I really want a pair of socks from this yarn but can't decide which colour I like best. Maybe tomorrow I will decide. I think I like the watercolur or purple iris.

Tuesday, April 12, 2005

Well I'm back

I have had a very busy week and now I finally have some time to blog. Thanks for your post Uli and Brenda you made me feel missed. Sometimes I wonder if anyone bothers to read this blog.
I had such a nice week with my daughter. Here is a picture of Megan at her baby shower. Doesn't she look great she is certainly glowing.
Megan at her Baby Shower
I have been really knitting a lot. Don't have many pictures but so far last week I knit this baby sweater
several pair of baby socks and matching hat out of Brazil 5001.
I knit this sweater out of Opal 6py 1126
Here it is minus the buttons.
Opal Baby Sweater

I am making a matching pair of socks next. I got the sweater and socks out of 1 ball of yarn. Great yardage.
Another item to show. My mom finished her knit along sweater 2 weeks ago and I just got around to posting about it. It is beautiful.
Knit Along Sweater
I haven't got much done on my sweater. I am far too busy knitting baby items and items for the Noro pattern book. I think this baby will have enough sweaters for now. The baby is expected in June. Not exactly sweater weather but it is so fun knitting all these little sweaters. Once the baby is born and we know whether its a boy or girl then I will go really crazy with the knitting.
Latter same day

Here is the sweater and socks finished on Ming
Opal Baby Sweater on Ming
It turned out quite small but it sure is cute. can't wait to start posting pictures of our Grandbaby.

Saturday, April 09, 2005

The absent Blogger is back

I have had such a busy week I haven't had any time to blog or think. Last Friday we picked up my daughter in Naniamo and she came home for a visit. She is my great little daughter who is going to make us Grandparents in June. So we have been really busy shopping and having fun with her. I will post some pictures tomorrow.
This week we have had 2 dinner parties, a birthday party for my 17 year old son and a Baby Shower for my daughter. Busy, busy, busy.
Tomorrow I should hve time to post some pictures of my knitting this week and about the store.
Had a great day today at the store. Quite busy and as always fun.