T-25!!!

Good Morning Everyone!

Happy APRIL 1ST, we've made it through the dark days of winter. Now we must wait for Mother Nature to stop being so manic, MY GAWD!! My heart went out to the little cluster of crocuses that dared show their blooms before becoming enveloped by Saturday's generous gift of snow. Farmer's fertilizer? Perhaps, but they definitely look a tad defeated. That said, it reminds me of a quote I ceremoniously repeat every year, "The first day of Spring is quite different than the first Spring day, they often occur a month apart." Ever the optimist, I know warmer days are headed our way, I've already pulled two ticks off of Bernie, a sure sign of Spring. Not to mention my allergies have kicked into high gear, I thought it was a cold, nope. Sunday was spent feeling miserable in my chair knitting away while a sinus headache throbbed relentlessly and my plugged nose ran like a faucet, how is that possible? Thankful for Claritin, Afrin, Puffs with Lotion and Bag Balm, my poor nose....

Did I mention I spent the entire day knitting on Sunday? THE ENTIRE DAY!!!  I'm already halfway through my Niche sweater, it is literally rows of moss stitch, which slows me down a bit, but boy is it worth the effort. It wouldn't be nearly as stunning knit in stockinette and the yarn is cooperating ever so beautifully. I'm using Berroco's Iris, a luxurious blend of cotton, bamboo, merino and yak, it is a dream to work with. I didn't order it, I wanted to test knit it myself, it is a chainette construction which hasn't been well accepted in the past. Needless to say, it was the most popular new yarn this season and completely sold out. I am excited to show you how lovely this yarn is, it naturally lends itself to a textured sweater, the stitch definition is amazing and the drape, incredible. Have no fear, it will be back in the warehouse this month, I am very willing to order or have it drop shipped if you'd like to experience the joys of knitting with this yarn. In the meantime, I do have Modern Linen stocked and ready to be your next project. I've been knitting with linen for years and have some very stylish tops. Linen gets a bad rap for how it looks and feels on the hank, DO NOT BE FOOLED!! I love how linen relaxes like my favorite pair of jeans, it becomes familiar and comfortable. Once again, I haven't had a ton of success convincing you of all the wonderful attributes linen offers. For me, I'd much rather wear a cute linen top than a boring T-shirt, summers are short here, why not wear something as comfortable as a T-shirt but stylish? I have several samples in the shop and Berroco has designed stunning garments to create, so CAST ONE ON!!!

So if you haven't figured out what the T-25 is, the countdown is on for LOCAL YARN SHOP DAY! This is, by far, my favorite day, which is Saturday, April 26th. I have been preparing for this already, Carrie is so very proud of me. I have ordered limited edition LYS day notions and kits, they are awesome!! I have enameled pins, DellaQ has designed Oh Snap project bags with the logo "Love Your LYS" which are on their way, Koigu has packaged up the most adorable Sock Kits, many of my vendors are offering FREE patterns with yarn purchase (there are some stunning patterns). So mark your calendars, this is going to be an amazing day, and SO MUCH FUN! I will be posting on Instagram and Facebook every single day, so please feel free to like and share my posts to help me get the word out.

Last week, Julie Asselin and Lucinda Inglesias joined us for Stitch and Bitch, it was pretty close to standing room only. Actually, there were several of us sitting on the floor in an effort to make room for everyone (I believe the count was 26). I didn't know exactly what direction the evening was going to take. Imagine my surprise when Julie wanted to come down and hang out. What I thought was going to be a trunk show of her yarns, turned out to be an evening of laughter and friendship. We went around the room, everyone shared what they were working on and one thing that had made them happy during the week. For me, it was an amazing evening, a reminder that despite the strain the US government has produced towards Canada, the true bonds created by this wonderful fiber community are unaffected and likely stronger. Love is always stronger than hate, and I am so glad that Julie didn't cancel. Thank-you Julie for acknowledging that the hate coming from our nation's Capitol does not represent us all or our beliefs, you are always welcomed here.

We will be meeting tomorrow evening, Wednesday 6-7:30 for Stitch and Bitch, I hope you can join in the fun. Make it a great day and I'll see you soon!

Katy