Santa Came to our House

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year!!

3 New Batts!

Just in...

Miss Margie's New Adventure

I have some news...and I'm really trying to be positive but it's hard. Margie is leaving us the end of December. Waaaaaa!!!! She and her husband have a new opportunity so they are moving to Texas. I'm grateful to her and already missing her but I'm trying to be okay and wish her the very best. :)

Visit Knit Picky and tell Margie how much you're going to miss her, too!
Think we could start a petition to get her to change her mind!?!

Love & hugs Margie girl!! Wishing you success and happiness among the Texas cowboys.

Zana's Gift

A few months ago, Zana and I just happened to cross paths in the shop. She found a small, hand spun ball of yarn and said it was beautiful. I asked if she wanted it, said there wasn't enough to make anything, then confessed it was my practice yarn that I spun during the Raleigh show back in May. She took it, smiled and said thanks.

Yesterday, I received these mitts as a Christmas gift. What a special gift! And Zana's amazing talent (and goodness) shines through again. These are fabulous and I can't wait to wear them...in fact, shopping today is a perfect time!

Thank you, Zana!!

Grandmother's Christmas Wreath Cookies, Aussie Style!

My grandmother, from Taylorsville, Mississippi,  made an amazing variety of cookies every year at Christmas that included Date Nut Roll, Pecan Sandies, the best Fudge I've ever had, Peanut Brittle, and the all time standard....Fresh Apple Tarts.  But for some reason, these simple, cute Christmas Wreath Cookies were my favorite. And they even made your teeth green if you smiled really big just after the first bite!  Always fun to do when we had visitors over to see the grandchildren.

Here's a photo of my sweet nieces, now living in Australia, showing off their version.  It seems they don't have "Red Hots" in Australia so they used Red M&M's. Sometimes, in the past we've substituted the red squirt icing and that works well, too.

Grandmother's Christmas Wreath Cookies

1 Stick of Butter

35 Large Marshmallows 

4 C Corn Flakes

2 tsp Green Food coloring

1/2 tsp Vanilla Flavoring

Melt butter, then marshmallows.  Constantly stir, add food coloring and vanilla, then Corn Flakes.  Once mixed well, spoon onto wax paper.  Top each "wreath" with Red Hots (or M&Ms, or Squirt Icing).  Enjoy.  And SMILE. 

Hey Ya'll, Happy December!!

What could be better than an easy, adorable pair of holiday mitts?  Today, while playing on my Pinterest site, these holiday fingerless mitts caught my eye right away.... and they're a free pattern on the Not So Knotty Knits blog.  Fun blog, visit and get the pattern for yourself.  Don't we all have 3 random yarns in our stash we can use?  I know I do!   Visit her blog here....

Have you been to the picture wonderland known as Pinterest?? Check out my Knit Picky Boards....

Happy December Knitting!

Happy Thanksgiving! Holiday Hours this Week...

Everyone at Knit Picky Yarns wishes you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving!  If you are traveling, be safe!  And if you are staying home, then plan to visit the shop for a great shopping weekend.  Here's our Thanksgiving Schedule...

• Closed Wednesday before Thanksgiving (cooking day!)
• Closed Thanksgiving Day....(nap day)  Remember Turkey makes you sleepy!!!

Something beautiful...

Is waiting to be made with this!! It's new @ Knit Picky, what do you think?

Aidan & Will Show Off Wake Forest Penguin!

Isn't this cute? A Demon Deacon Penguin!! Nice job, Rebecca C!!

The Knit Kits....one of our favorite gadgets!

These babies fly off the shelves! We shop girls love using ours and hear the same thing from customers who have bought them. Turquoise is the color of the moment!! "One for a gift, one for me".

Adorable Knitting Bag

Sewn in the US, terrific pockets for goodies, and a fabulous fun lining!! Does this bag have your name on it?

Sculpted Sheep Says Welcome Baaaaaaack, Margie!

Great class & we are planing more needle felting classes just after the holidays. Stay tuned!

Roxy's Chunky Sweater

We spent Saturday night with Zach & Melissa. Had a great time knitting with my new daughter and created a new, fall sweater for Mel's dog, Roxy.

Open today 2-4pm...sneak on over!

I'm covering the shop today while Jan teaches the second part of Needle Felted Sheep class. Stop in for almost private shopping!! Jo

Cashmere for Christmas!

Beautiful cashmere just arrived in time for holiday gifts and the classic colors work well for anyone on your list. Pick your favorite today!

The Deanna Cowl

Take a look at our newest design. Created for our fun, gaggle of beginner knitters but pretty darn cute, I think. Think we should write up pattern for the shop?

"Single Sisters" Yarn Sale Tomorrow!

Shanna & I will be reorganizing the yarn room tomorrow and you know what that means? We will find lots of goodies for the Clearance Bin! See you tomorrow, 12-4, for some Halloween yarn treats! Jo

Article: Extra Baggage

Now this makes me wanna felt again!  Check it out....

Extra Baggage!
http://champagnemaker.blogspot.com/2011/10/extra-baggage.html

(Sent from Flipboard)

Sent from my iPad

Spud & Chloe Sweater Wrap

My talented and sweet friend, June, is making a lovely fall wrap. She adores the feel of this yarn, she tells me! Pretty isn't it?? Good color combo.

The Aaron Cowl ~ A Free Pattern from Knit Picky Designs

We've had a few requests lately for this pattern.  It is always fun to hear from knitters around the country and it reminded me to post it on the blog (and on Ravelry).  We're sharing this easy cowl pattern with you!

The Aaron Cowl

KPY Design

By Sammie Jo Thomas



The Aaron Cowl came to be as I craved to curl up on the couch and mindlessly knit as hubby and I watched the NFL playoffs together.  My Crazy Zauberball was decorating the coffee table.  When the idea hit,  I jumped at the chance to knit with it!  This cowl was a fun, easy knit that lasted through both playoff games and was ready to wear just before the 2011 Super Bowl!  

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Finished Size:  13” wide x 17” wide or about a 34” circumference.

Yarn: Schoppel Wolle Crazy Zauberball (1 ball)

Needles:  US 4 circular (24” or 32”)

Notions:  1 marker

Gauge:  5 to 6 stitches per inch (note…I’m a loose Continental knitter;  you may need to use a US 5 or US6 to get gauge)

*Garter stitch in the round is accomplished by knitting one round and then purling the next round.

**Stockinette Stitch in the round is accomplished by knitting every round.

Cowl: Cast on 167 sts, PM and join to work in the round.  

1-Knit 3 rows in Stockinette Stitch.

2-Begin Garter stitch by purling the next row.  Continue Garter stitch for just over an inch. 

(Remember to switch from knitting to purling at the marker)

3-Return to St St, knitting every row, for 2 ½  inches (you’ll have 3 ½ “ total)

4-Repeat Garter st for ¾ inch, switch to St St for 2 inches.

5-Again, Garter st for ½ inch, switch to St St for 2 ½ inches.

6-Garter st for ¾ inch, and St st for 1 ½ inches.

7-Last Garter st section for 1 inch, change to St St for 5-6 rounds.  

Remember to save enough yarn to bind off the 167 sts.  A rule of thumb is this…if you can stretch the remaining yarn 4 x the amount needed to bind off then you’ll have enough. Bind off loosely, weave in your ends and block if needed.  Enjoy wearing it like the Packers enjoyed winning the big game!!

 © Knit Picky Yarn Shop, February 2011, Please respect copyright laws. To share this pattern, just send friends to this site.  Thank you!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

A trunk full of great fall projects!

These lovelies are back from the show and we have beautiful new yarns just waiting for you! Come in this weekend! The Big Chip Bag kits are going fast. Our new arrival from The Fibre Company is getting a lot of attention, too!! Fall knitting is in the air!!

Margie, Ready for a Great Show!

Way to go, Ms Margie!! You got our booth in mint-cute condition and led the Knit Picky Team to one of our best shows ever!

And Sidney....thanks to you we had the most adorable kit on the block! The Big Chip Bag kits flew out of there with lots of happy yarnies! Can't wait to start mine!

We have the beautiful kits and new yarns available at Knit Picky...come in this week! ps...thank u too, Linda, Kimberly, Ann, Champagne & Steve!

Champagne Maker's Stitch Poet Designs

Shows with friends are so dang fun! C was very gracious to autograph patterns and offer input on knitting. Many customers enjoyed meeting her. Told ya....she's adorable!!

The Big Chip Bag Kits

These are the hit of our show! Can't wait to see all the finished bags. Happy 'Champagne Maker' knitting!!

The Vlinder Wrap Girls!!

Chris Bylsma's Vlinder Wrap is an ongoing favorite at Knit Picky. These girls recently completed Kim's Vlinder Class and were thrilled to have a photo op with the designer! We are enrolling now for an encore Vlinder Class at the shop. Like to join us??

Design & Autograph by Chris Bylsma

Chris was here today! She will be in our booth again tomorrow at noon. Please stop by to meet her. She's very approachable and eager to offer professional help and we can all use a bit of that!

Look at these colors!

The Fibre Company...this yarn is yummy and getting a lot of attention at The Knit & Crochet show! Can't wait for you to see and touch it. Hope to see you this weekend!

You're Fabulous Fall Bag Awaits You at The Show

Here's a hint.  Don't you love this picture?  We have a great assortment of quite unique kits that will be THE must-have item at the show.  We're sure of it!  Booth #502 at The Knit & Crochet Show this weekend.

Unique Sheep Yarn @ Knit Picky

In case you missed Unique Sheep Day, we kept a beautiful batch!

Jo's Very Own Looking Glass Kit!

What do you think about my color choice? It's called Ivy. I like it better in person than online. And didn't Sidney do a wonderful job putting our kits together?? She even treated us with a tiny personal looking glass...do you see it? Fun event!! Now I have homework to do!

Thru the Looking Glass cake

Adorable and delicious! Great night with The Unique Sheep girls and our Knit Picky friends!

Proudly Serving our Smallest Customers

An afghan pallet makes a great temporary baby bed. Sleep tight, Chandler. Thanks for visiting us tonight!

We're Expanding our Hours for Unique Sheep Day!

Okay....we got the message. Many of you wanted the chance to stop in after work and we understand. You don't want to go home empty handed on Unique Sheep Day, right?

Tomorrow, we'll be open from 12 Noon until 6pm to give everyone a chance to see Laura & Kelly and their fabulous yarn. Don't miss this one day event! Did I mention we'll have food and prizes??!!

A "Unique" Opportunity this Thursday!

Thursday, August 18, is a special day for us!  We welcome two of our favorite local yarn celebrities to Knit Picky.  Of course, I'm talking about Laura & Kelly of The Unique Sheep.

Join us for a fabulous selection of their yarns this Thursday, noon til 4pm.  And if you're one of the lucky Thru the Looking Glass KAL girls, we'll see you Thursday night!

Just a sampling to get your yarn wheels spinning....

Guessing Game

Any ideas??

Design in Progress

Watch for this later....I'm creating one of my specialties....a "meditative" knitting pattern perfect for fall.

Wow! I love this wrap.

Another great find at the shop this weekend. On display now, several yarn shades to choose from, and the pattern is free! Fabulously knit by Zana!! Isn't it lovely?

In this heat, no covers required!

Sweet! Spud & Chloe

Stopped in the shop this morning and was just amazed. The new yarns from Blue Sky Alpacas and Spud & Chloe are lush with color and softness. Take a look at "Sweater" which most of you know is the worsted weight for S&C.

Come by this week while our color selection is big!!

Oh my Stars!

Starry is in the house!!

Kollage Yarns @ Hot New Price!

We've marked down most of our Kollage Yarns (even the Glisten) from $11/skein to $7.00...these won't last long at that price. Great for holiday projects. Can you believe we're even saying that H word??!! See you soon!

Know what this is?

My dear friend, Christian, took me out on a girl's Friday afternoon adventure and we traveled in FUN style in her adorable Mini Cooper!! This is her dash. Why didn't I get the whole car? I have no idea. (but cool dash, huh?)

Had a good time...lunch and shopping. I'll post one of my new treasures soon. Thanks Christian!! I had a fun time and got to meet Tori, her cute pup! Zoey did some heavy duty sniffing when I got home.

Jo's Fresh Tomato Pie

This is one of our favorite recipes since finding it a couple of years ago.  Tomato & Pie are two words you don't usually put together but when you taste TOMATO PIE, you'll know that they play well together.

One of my new co-workers, Judy, knew I grew up in Georgia.  She, too, is from Georgia and brought me a dozen fresh tomatoes from her home town of Claxton, GA (home of the world famous Claxton Fruit Cake that we may/or may not enjoy during the holidays)!

So when you have more tomatoes than you can use for a sandwich, but not enough to can, as if I knew how....here's the perfect recipe:

1-9" deep dish pie shell (bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes)
4-6 ripe tomatoes (fresh....don't even try this in the winter)
   -rinse and cut up tomatoes into bite size pieces, try to drain them very well while shell is baking, dab with paper towels if needed.  Now my friends, Susan and Belva, would take this tomato juice and create another great dish but we won't talk about their overachieving kitchen skills!
1-2 cups of grated cheddar cheese (you may mix in various cheeses if you like)
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon of Tabasco (or if I'm out, I'll use a sprinkle of crushed red pepper) or you can skip this part
Salt, pepper, onion powder (or fresh for more onion taste), and basil

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sprinkle bottom of pre-baked pie shell with drained tomato chunks. Shake a dash of onion powder on top.  In medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, a little salt & pepper, a dash or two of basil, the hot sauce/pepper and the cheese-fold together.  This mixture will be thick so you'll need to use a spatula to spread small amounts on top without messing up the tomatoes.  Once topping is on, bake in 350 degree oven until brown and bubbly, anywhere from 25-45 minutes (mine is usually done in 30 minutes).  Let set up for 10-15 minutes, cut and serve.
Yum, Yum!!  Let me know if you try it...post some pictures!  We can have a tomato pie gallery!!

Now my cooking is done for the day, so Steve....you're up.

New Sideboard & Big ole Yard Sale!

Whew...what a busy day, as Sidney, Steve, Michael and I worked yesterday and today giving Knit Picky Yarns it's annual sprucing-up for the season.   I'm thrilled to have this new piece in the yarn room and wanted to share a sneak peek w/you.  Also....we invite you to take advantage of our YARD SALE on yarn, bags and miscellaneous we've found. You never know what you'll find cleaning out closets in a yarn shop!

Making room for fall yarns is a great way for you to score on good deals while they last.  So....YARD SALE,  Saturday, July 9, 12 noon til 4pm.  Come by and see the shop...it's not quite finished but with your help, we'll be done by end of day tomorrow plus we'd just like to see you!

Recipe for Homemade Key Lime Ice Cream

Susan always wows us with this recipe! If you enjoyed a bowl at Knit Picky's Birthday celebration, you know what I mean.  Now....after many requests....Susan is sharing her secret!

Susan's Key Lime Ice Cream

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups sugar

6 cups Half & Half (or 4 cups H&H, 2 cups Milk)

1 T. Lime Zest

1 - 2 cups of freshly squeezed Lime juice

1/8 tsp salt

Mix well, freeze in ice cream freezer and enjoy!

Thanks Susan!!

Sound yummy??  Ready to make some??  We're about ready for more!

Love our Long Distance Visitors

Today, we met Chris & Ann, visiting Knit Picky all the way from Auckland, New Zealand!  Chris gave me a quick geography lesson after telling him my sis and her family recently moved to Sydney.  He also told me about Rugby, how his country loves their coffee, and that most Kiwi's are water lovers.  Meanwhile, Ann was having fun strolling around and finding yummy yarns to pet and squeeze throughout the shop.  She ended up with some nice souvenirs from Knit Picky in Winston Salem, NC.  Plus we learned that Ann not only loves knitting, she loves red yarn!

Ann, Chris, it was very nice meeting you!  Maybe one day, we will visit your part of the world.

What goes with Malabrigo Lace?

Why, homemade chocolate cake of course!   Tonight's Knit Night was a reunion of friends....finally I was lucky enough to attend Knit Night on the same night as Belva and Susan.  Fun!!!

New today in Berroco email to shop owners...inspired a new Remix order! Bags are being shipped. Like?