Taking poll

Hello everyone, I just wanted to find out if anyone has found that the web cam shopping is something they would do again, or something they would want to try. I have not had allot of success with it and I'm just trying to figure out if its worth while continuing. I look forward to reading your comments
Thank you
Megan
Also if anyone would like to order Toe Kozies you can e mail me toekozies@gmail.com

Congratulations Mary

Congratulations Mary Tanti...... She didn't win 1st (she should have) but she won 3rd which is still a really big deal. She will have her pattern published by Cherry Tree Hill ( you can see the winners there) and her jacket is going to London to be shown at Alexander Palace. Not bad for a first published design. Way to go Mary. She has lots of patterns coming. The next one is reversible sock. Watch for that one.

We will have the kits available to buy for the Mitred jacket in the near future.

Kauni yarn Update. I had an email from Kauni this morning and the shipment was sent out last week so should arrive this week.

If you are interested in pre ordering email me shelmack@telus.net

Here are the colours we will have available. The yarn kits are $60 for small -medium and large and $65.00 for extra large which you will have to resize yourself. Can't wait for it to come in

Kauni arriving soon

We are getting in some Kauni yarn. I have ordered 2 batches. A small one that will arrive first of EQ ( rainbow)and then a larger batch with More EQ and more colours EF(Greys, blues, purples), EJ (beige, rose, brown), EG(purple - browns), EK( greens, golds, grey), EP( rust, browns). Since this is such a neat cardigan and I have never done steeks we decided to have a Kauni Knit along. I know I will need help with this process. Brenda is going to host the Knit along and it should be a lot of fun. Thanks Brenda.
There is a wonderful blog about knitting the Kauni Cardigan at Purlwise and Melinda gave me permission to link to her blog. I know I will refer to it often. She has detailed everything about knitting the cardigan including how to knit the first row in corrugated rib so you don't get the line of wrong colour.
I am very anxious for the Kauni yarn to come. Now we wait. I will have enough for about 7 cardigans in the first order and enough for 35 in the 2nd order. I will see how this does and place order 3 soon if it looks like we will need it. The price will be 0 .125 a gram for the yarn making a sweater about $60 - $65. Canadian or US. This could go up if I am charged horrendous duty but probably not. I have never ordered from Denmark before so who knows.
Keep watching the blogs for more details.

Party week at our house

This week Meika turned 2 and my special needs son Cameron graduated from High School.

Meika's 2nd birthday was very fun( I just realized Meika shares her birthday with Stephanie The Yarn Harlot, well that cinches it Meika will definitely be a knitter). Lots of kids, food and cake. She had a good time. She is having a second party today for more of the family and her little friends. She was so cute at her party. The picture is of her finger painting with her icing. Lots of fun. I don't have pictures of her opening presents as I had to share the Camera batteries to make her present work, Grandma forgot to buy batteries.

About Cameron he became an adult this year and is transitioning from school to work I decided the best way to document things is with a blog. So we started Cameron a blog. Check it out. It is called Intervention at it's best and this is because Cameron is Deafblind and requires an Intervenor to help him communicate. You can read all about his Grad party here. The picture is of Cameron and Willie. She is his Intervenor and has been for the last 8 years of school. We are really going to miss her.

Web Cam Shopping Today

It is a beautiful Friday here on Quadra. Come see our store via web cam, you can view yarn and purchase if you wish. Our web cam allows you to see anything you like in real time. Your first purchase will be 10% off and if you spend over $50 will will take care of the shipping.
Just click the link below to experience Fun Knits in real time, there is a place for you to type to me as well. Its similar to the msn chat windows.
Hope to see some of you today.
~Megan
Meeting: June15007

A Very Fun Weekend

This was a great weekend. Victoria's 1st Fiberfest was a real hit thanks to Marilyn. Marilyn and her family did a wonderful job of putting on a very fun weekend for all the knitter's who came. It all started Friday night with a wonderful fashion show and dinner. The Dinner was great Meika even mastered chopsticks. She learned that you pick food up with chopsticks, drop it then eat it with her fingers.( thats just how I use chopsticks) The garments modeled were great. I especially loved the multi directional Noro sweater. I want one.

The next day I taught sock knitting in the morning. It was fun but I didn't get any pictures to show you. I was too busy teaching. I had 7 students and they all will be sock knitters.

In the afternoon I took a weaving class. It was great and I learned so much, now I reallllllly want a nice loom.

After the classes I met up with Megan, Uli and Brenda and we headed out to see the Yarn Harlot speak. She was very funny and I enjoyed her talk.

I think she took a picture of me taking a picture of her - what do you think.

We hung around and knit for a long time watching everyone get books signed then we took Stephanie out to the Canoe Club to have a party with a bunch of other knitter's. It was very fun. I was sitting beside this guy who just didn't get what all the knitter's were doing and what was the big deal about knitting anyways. He and his friends were a bit loaded so I thought it would be very fun to teach him to knit so he could get an idea of how neat knitting was. Stephanie helped in this and taught him the cowboy method of knitting. Now I had never heard of this method but it was very entertaining. It is certainly a method that appealed to these drunk guys. I think when they sober up they will have the desire to knit and not know why.

Look at the picture of Stephanie's knitting abandoned on my table at the bar, but I'll bet if I had gone for the yarn she would have caught me. I love that sweater and I am going to try and get that yarn into the store. It is wonderful and the finished sweater is amazing

The Knit Out the next day was - - well -- wet, wild, windy and fun. It took me twice as long to set up as I wasn't going to let 1 ball of yarn get wet. I had a lot of plastic and tarps. At one point in the day it was so windy that I couldn't even leave my chair as I was holding the entire tent from blowing away. I am not kidding. I sold lots of yarn and met lots of old and new friends. I gave out a lot of flyers for the Fun Knits Retreat and the Retreat that I am going to at Hollyhock.

Judy Frabotta who is presenting the Hollyhock retreat came with her spinning wheel and spun yarn all day. It was wonderful to visit her again and watch her spin, she looked so relaxed and made spinning look so easy. I am definately going to play with spinning and weaving when I go to Hollyhock.

So that was my very fun weekend. I realized something this weekend - I am getting too old to party all weekend and then function on Monday morning.

It arrived in time for the Knit Out

Both my orders from the States. Cherry Tree Hill Supersock and Lorna's Laces Sherherd Sock yarn arrived yesterday. Yeah!!!. Quadra Island colour is now back in stock. It is wonderful. From this batch of Quadra Island. I am going to knit myself a pair of socks. Can you believe I still don't own a pair of Quadra Island, Fun Knits or Olympic socks. This is going to be my summer knitting goal.

Anyone who has emailed me and want Quadra Island it will now be available on the internet at the Web Store

I also got in quite a few solid colours as requested by my customers. I will be bringing all of the yarn I bought to Victoria to the Knit Out.

If anyone has any special requests for me to bring to the Knit Out please email me at shelmack@telus.net. I am packing today. Mary if you read this I have remembered you Blue/ Purple Kid silk yarn. This is going to be a really fun weekend

We are ready!!

You can start to register for the Fall Knitting retreat at Tsa-kwa-luten Lodge.
We are ready to accept registration earlier than I thought we would be. I have a list of names and you are all on list as pre registered so feel free to register now. You can register in several different ways
1 - Online at Fun Knits and just follow the links - you can pay with Paypal
2 - Print out this form and mail it to us with the information. If you are paying by check please make it payable to Fun Knits
3 - You can phone the store Tuesday - Saturday 10am - 5 pm Pacific time 285-2751. If we are busy and you get the answering machine - we will call back soon.
4 - If you are coming to the Knit Out in Victoria this weekend you can pick up a registration form at the Fun Knits tent on Sunday.
You can read all about the retreat and the lodging at the web site, I think this will fill up quite quickly so if you aren't ready to register yet but want to go on the waiting list email me at shelmack@telus.net
I wanted to get all of this ready before we go to Victoria this weekend. I am taking the flyers down with me.

1 job done and about 20 to go before we leave for Victoria - See you all there

Count down to the Knit Out

Next weekend is the Victoria Fibrefest and Knit Out. I can't wait. It starts off on Friday night with a dinner and a fashion show. Megan and Meika are going to be in it and I will get lots of pictures. Reminder - Pack the camera - anyone who really knows me please email shelmack@telus.net on Friday morning early and remind me to take the camera. We will see if that help. I will remember everything else like yarn, clothes,knitting etc but I always forget the camera.
I am teaching a sock knitting class on Sat morning and I will be missing the Victoria yarn crawl. The afternoon I will be taking a weaving class. I will have to figure out how to get to the yarn shops in my lunch I guess.
The evening will be great Stephanie Pearl McPhee aka The Yarn Harlot will be speaking. That shold be a lot of fun
Sunday is the knit Out also going to be great fun. Hope to see lots of knitters there, stop by the Fun Knits tent and say hi.

Web cam shopping today

Getting a late start today, I think I'm still in holiday mode. I hope to see some of you today on our web cam shopping. I have all kinds of fun things to show off today. Don't forget, if you are a first time web cam shopper you get 10% off and free shipping over $50. Just click on the link below to begin your on line web cam shopping experience
Meeting: June12007

Exciting News

We have booked not just 1 but 2 knitting retreats for this year. Oct 26-28 2007 and March 28 -30 2008.
The retreat in Oct will be great fun. We are working on the details but so far it will be the theme Getting Ready for Christmas. We all know as knitters, hand knit gifts are the best and this is retreat is early enough to have time to knit something fabulous for your favorite person on your list. We will have demo's on many gift items. Watch for details soon. Lots to come since we are in the planning stages. This retreat will fill up quick so let me know at shelmack@telus.net if you want to be on the list. Registration will begin in July.
No need to bring sleeping bags this year ----
The best news is where we are having the retreats. We have booked Tsa- Kwa- Luten Lodge entirely for both retreats.(We get the whole lodge). Go and have a look at this place. I was out there yesterday for a tour and WOW is it ever nice. The rooms are very comfortable looking. The food is fabulous and the setting is truly breathtaking. Go and look at the power point presentation on there web site. The cost will be higher than last years retreat but it will be worth the extra luxury we will have.
The retreat all inclusive (2 nights, all your food, entertainment, supplies etc) will be $260 based on triple occupancy in a loft room. You can book a semi- private room for $40 each extra or a private room for $80 extra for the weekend. I am working on all of the details but I just wanted everyone to know what is upcoming. I am really excited to be able to offer this retreat at such
great location. Let me know what you think

We had FUNNNNNNNN!!

We are back from our shopping spree at West Edmonton Mall. Wow that was fun. I bought a bunch of new clothes and some great new bamboo and cotton sheets plus a new quilt and sheet set and new towels for my bathroom. I spent too much and ate too much but it was sure fun. I forgot my camera at home so I have no pictures. Megan remebered her camera so she will send me some pictures and I will post some then. I even got some knitting done.
A great mini vacation. Mom and Megan had a lot of fun too. Meika was great as always.

A 4 generation shopping trip

My Mom, my daughter and grand daughter and I are going on a serious shopping weekend. We are flying to Edmonton tomorrow and will be back on Sunday. I have always wanted to check out West Edmonton Mall so that is what we are doing. I think it will be a lot of fun. So I will be away from my computer for a few days so if I don't answer emails quickly that is why. I'm gone - shopping. The store will be open as usual but we won't have Web Cam shopping this Friday. Megan is the only one who runs the web cam shopping and she will be very busy shopping too.
Deb is going to be at the store while we are away.
This is going to be great. I think shop until you drop will take on new meaning after this weekend.
See you on Sunday and I will let you know how the weekend went. I looked at a list of stores in the mall and I noticed there are no yarn stores there at all. Imagine that!!

Wonderful New yarn

I have some wonderful new yarn available on the web site . The Online sock yarn in 3 wonderful collections. City, Tropic and Summer Beach Cotton. All of the colours are great. Look on the web site to see the pictures.

I also have a great new yarn called Indulgent Socks. Can you guess from the name that these have cashmere in them. This yarn is 80% Merino wool and 20% Cashmere. What a pleasure this yarn is to knit with. I whipped up this little sock yestreday and have already cast on the second one. Now that really says something when I can knit a pair, one after the other. This is available in 5 colours. Check my Web Store for details.

Web cam shopping... today only, Online sock yarn Sale

Today only get new on line sock yarn for $10 a ball reg price $11.95 in store or Web Cam shopping only

Click the link below to begin your web cam shopping
Meeting: May182007 10 am - 5pm Pacific time

Top picture is Online Cotton Summer. The colours are more mute than the picture shows but they are beautiful.


The next 2 yarns are Online Tropic and City. Click on the pictures to make them larger.

hope to see you soon
~Megan

Visitor at Knitter's night

It was princess. Meika has named the kitten I want Princess. She is only 4 weeks old so she only came for a brief visit. We didn't want her to miss her Mom. Judy is holding her in the picture. Isn't she sweet.

We did lots of knitting and talking. It is very soothing to sit together and knit. A fun night

An amazing sweater and socks

This year Cherry Tree hill came out with a contest to design a grament using Sock yarn and win $1000. I wanted to design something. I had a head full of ideas and tried lots of designs but I never really managed anything amazing.
When I met Mary Tanti at the Knitting retreat in March she whipped up a little multi directional Teddy bear sweater and then recited the pattern to me from memory. I knew then that she could do this yarn justice and probably win this contest. I got her all the yarn and away she went. We sent the finished sweater to Cherry Tree Hill last week and today I got a call from Cheryl Potter. She loves the sweater and feels it is a winner. The contest is still open for a few more weeks but I am hopeful that Mary will win.
If the sweater wins she will take it to the TNNA and it will be in the fashion show. WOW. I asked Cheryl if I could blog about this. She said sure so I want as many people who read this to leave a comment on what you think about Mary's sweater. Maybe it will help her win. maybe Cheryl will read the comments.
We are rooting for you Mary !!!!!





The socks are something she whipped up with the left overs.
Good Luck Mary

Indigo Moon

This was the nicest looking booth at the Fiberfest. Trish Moon the owner of Indigo Moon and fellow Islander ( she lives and works on Gabriola Island) dyes all this yarn and weaves beautiful items. I was so impressed with her yarn and her great booth. Check out her Web site to look at her great weaving and yarns. She dyes lots of the yarns with natural dyes. The colour of her booth was amazing. I just thought I would share it with you. If you are interested in her yarns you can email her as she doesn't sell on line yet.

Back from Fibrefest

Well that was a lot of fun. I will definitely go back next year. Here are details of our weekend at Fiberfest International in Abbotsford, BC. We loaded the van with yarn and left room for Megan and Meika and off we went. Meika got bored and wanted to knit because Megan and I were knitting. I gave her a sock I was working on to play with off course she ripped it off the needles very quickly. She then worked very hard to get the stitches back on the needles. She got bored with that pretty quick and then she said " Look Grandma - I can knit with my toes" It was quite cute. This knitting amused her for about 1 hour of the trip. She will learn to knit someday, it is in her genes.





We got Meika to work once we got there setting up the booth. She put out all the knit dolls, she hugged and kissed everyone as she put them out. We finished setting up the next morning just in time for the show to open.










There were lots of wonderful animals at the Fibrefest. Meika enjoyed the animals a lot.



This is Reimer - He is also known as the Viking Santa - He makes Drop Spindles, Nostepinde and Lace bobbins. This is a picture of Reimer spinning lace cashmere. This is the most unlikely thing you could imagine this guy doing. He was great fun to meet and it was wonderful to watch this big biker looking guy spin such delicate lace.













Look at this cute alpaca. He had a permanent grin on his face.
And there were shoppers and spinners and wonderful people.
I had a great time. I got to see 2 old friends from a very long time ago. It was wonderful to catch up on everything. I got to see lots of people who were at the knitting retreat and lots of internet customers that I only know by email or ebay names. To all of you a special Hi from Quadra. I met a lot of people who read the blog so I will make a better effort to get something interesting on here more often for you to read.
Then on the way home today we had a a nice Family reunion for Mother's Day. This is my wonderful family. We all met at a park and had a picnic. What a nice Mother's Day present that was for me.

I was a great time but now we have to unload the van - Uck!!. The next show is the Knit out in Victoria.

Want to see something cute

Here is a picture of my new kitten (maybe). We have always had stray cats adopt us and have never chosen a kitten. Megan's cat had 4 kittens 2 weeks ago and I would love one of the kittens. I really like the little black one with white face and black chin spot. This cat is also the runt. It is sooooooo sweet.

On the knitting front. I am really busy packing yarn to go to Fibrefest International in Abbotsford. I will be selling yarn May 11-12 so if you are in the area please drop by my booth and say Hi.

The next month is going to be very busy too. I am going to Edmonton on a shopping spree with my Mom, Megan and Meika the last week in May. I'm looking forward to that.

In June we are going to the Victoria Fiberfest and Knitout. This is going to be great fun. Fun Knits is sponsoring the knitout this year. Since we are the sponsor Fun Knits staff get VIP seating at the Yarn Harlots presentation on the Saturday night. I am looking forward to meeting her. Sunday is the Knitout which was very fun last year. I had a booth (tent) and sold lots of sock yarn. This year should be even better. So watch for updates as these events come and go.

Let me know what you think. Should I get the kitten. I already have 3 cats and 1 stray that we feed.