Where Hands Create.

Since we opened the shop in 2008, we have come to know such an amazing and eclectic group of knitters, spinners, hookers, stitchers, and non-crafters.  Each person brings such a story to our shop.  It truly is like living in one of the novels about yarn shops that you can find at your local Barnes & Nobel (or Amazon if you are more of an on-line shopper).  (BTW - we are starting a Knitting Book Club - check out Events in August.)

For those of you who join us to stitch at the shop, you have come to know the others who frequent or those who pass through.  Each person/family is a jewel.  These are our "fiber friendships".  It doesn't matter what we have done in the past, how old/young we are, or what nationally or religion - the bond is amazing.  A few stories may bring the thought home.... 


On Saturday mid-morning - Lonnie Pat ran in with a bouquet of her Mexican Zinnias.  She and her husband are amazing gardeners, and you can often see them at the Comfort Farmer's Market on Saturdays.  They were wrapping up their morning - and she thought we could use a splash of color with her flowers.  Beautiful!!!  And despite not having a picture of Lonnie Pat - she is just as beautiful inside and out - she is also a great knitter. 


Another frequent visitor is Janet - and we love her.  She learned to knit with us late in 2009 - and boy, she has been knitting up a storm - in addition to the beautiful jewelry she makes.  She isn't just fast either - she is good.  I enjoy our Sunday talks tremendously.   What I learned about Janet this weekend is that she is a Hill Country Master Naturalist.  Amazing.  She even met her husband (Bill) on an archeological dig in Houston years ago.  Here is Janet in her recently finished Laguna Tee made in Rowan's Summer Tweed.  Don't you just love those sleeves?


This weekend, we had a beautiful family re-visit.  We first met Heather at Girls Night Out in 2008.  She was so glad to know that we had hot cider versus the "adult" beverages that abound as she was pregnant - and she started knitting something for her new baby.  In April, Heather had her beautiful daughter, Aaliyah.  We had a snap of Aaliyah in her winter hat before a trip to Germany to meet her grandparents - and she was such a baby.   This weekend she came in walking/running with cute piggies and chasing Noro crying "uh-oh".  (Didn't get great pictures as she was truly moving so fast.)   Also, with typical fashion, Laurel hid during this time with Aaliyah - but Noro had a swell time.  How exciting that Heather is having another baby due in December. 


There are so many stories - I could keep going.  I also wish I were better and faster with the camera.  This is truly why we opened the shop.  It is connections like these that draw us in, warm our hearts, and generally fill our souls...

It also helps that we are totally fiber addicted - and are turning others on to fiber addiction.  There are no Fiberaholics Anonymous (FA) meetings here.  We are proud to fondle yarn, ahhh over great new pattern books, read about knitting, and generally just relish in being fiber connoisseurs and master stashers.   I wouldn't be a good addict - if I didn't share one new yarn that we got in....  This is Kathee Nelson's Art Yarn - and it is artful...  Here is a snap of the silk blend...


Back to people!  Our Wrap Me Up! and Sock groups met last weekend - and what fun!  Again, the combination of different personalities and yarn!

Another great personality and pleasure to see walk through the door is Bobbi.  She always has a smile and a great laugh.  Most times she is here with Pam - but on this occasion she was solo until lunchtime.  Here she is with her finished Wrap Me Up!  She used Noro's Aya to give a lighter summer shawl.  Don't you love the colors?


For our Knitting 24/7 Knitalong that began this Saturday, I knitted the Leafy Knot Bag - and I love it.  The pattern is great - and paired with Classic Elite Provence it is a perfect summer project.  I should be able to finish up this weekend.  What?!  Finish a project?!  Ahem - here is a picture of where I am thus far...working on the handles.


As I was outside taking a picture of my bag - I was just taken with our next door neighbor's yard - the vine is blooming, the flags are out and waving.  Sun is warm.... 


Comfort - it is wonderful.  Don't forget the big July 4th parade is on July 3rd.  If you haven't been - it is a blast and so patriotic.  Only six more days!

There are also a number of awesome festivals that you can enjoy outside...    On June 20th, there will be the first ever Comfort Country Day Fair.   One of our customers, Melissa, shared the information with me - and it just sounds too cool! You can find the festival on 87 going towards Fredericksburg - watch for the signs.   Here is a snippet of Melissa's email to me about the event.

"A large centennial ranch in the Comfort area has been set aside to preserve it from development into a subdivision. To introduce it to the public a small festival is scheduled on the ranch on June 20th. We will be trying to preserve some of the old skills and talents along with preserving farming and ranching. On June 20th the public is being invited to enjoy some of this and see some of what we will be trying to do. There will be storeytellers, a chuckwagon cook, milkers, cheese makers, Native American dancers,wagon rides, vaqueros, mule farming exhibition, Jack Russel races, birds of prey, a blacksmith, master naturalists and historians. We would very much like to be able to include weavers, spinners, knitters and anyone else who would like to participate in the event.  We will be doing some children's activities also. The event will run between 10am and 5pm. We have space available for campers and camping if desired."

As you will note - they are looking for weavers, spinners, and/or knitters to participate.  If you are interested - please contact the shop, and we will get you in touch with Melissa.   If you don't participate - at least you can go see the animals, watch folks with the "old skills", etc. 


As always, I am always digging the chance to take pictures of the great finished projects, and this time around I have quite a gallery of beautiful projects as well as those "finished" smiles!

We have had the best time with our Wrap Me Up! knitalong over the past several months!  Now we are getting to see some of the finished wraps - and you will note that everyone's looks great and so different.  We were lucky this week to see three - and hopefully we will see a few more "wrapping" up over the next month or so.




This past week, I took several days of vacation time, and it has been a treat to be at the shop a bit more than usual.  Unfortunately, I haven't gotten as much knitted - but have had a great time touching all the yarn.  (True Yarnoholic, huh?).  On Thursday it just felt that we needed to shift around the shop and "freshen" it up a bit.  Mom had been saying she would like to have the fingering yarn together as we have gotten such a great variety - and I was hoping to cluster the Berroco better....  The dominoes rolled from there - and we are so pleased with the result.  It is a little challenging to find something now - but we will learn.  Just hope that this doesn't drive Dad totally crazy - he had just learned where things were...

I do love my "day" job, but there is a cool feeling driving west to Comfort on a Monday morning.  Plus, I got to see the two shop cats in the window when I walked up the steps this morning.  I am believing that they were happy to see me and not just hungry!


Well, off to rest a bit (aka knit) before I return to my "day" job tomorrow.  However, before I close - I do want to share how appreciative we are of the amazing community of fiber enthusiasts who have embraced The Tinsmith's Wife.  There is something special when you have an amazing group of women sitting around the table - who are all ages, walks of life, and there is just a general warmth.  Fiber is an amazing bonding agent, isn't it?   

Happy June!

As part of our festivities for Memorial Day Weekend 2010, we should consider the true reason for this day, which we too often forget as we enjoy the early summer, arts fairs, etc.  Despite being the daughter of a career Army soldier, I have at times failed to consider what the day truly stands for in my excitement for a day of rest and fun. 


As a result, I did a little recon on the subject of Memorial Day.   Memorial Day was official "proclaimed" by General John Logan, National Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in 1868.  In the proclamation, he noted the following as a way to observe the day...

This morning (a Tuesday) I am driving up to Comfort, and the color of yellow is just amazing!  The wildflowers along my drive have shifted from the earlier blue/purple of the bluebonnets to an outstanding yellow with patches of melon (Indian Paintbrush).   I just couldn't help but stop and take a picture - knowing that the picture never touches real life and the moment truly appreciating nature provides.

Springtime in the Hill Country can bring tremendous color to our landscape - and this year we have better than ever due to the rains we have had recently.   Simply put - we are awash in color!   The bluebonnets, Indian paintbrush, and other wildflowers are just spectacular!  This is a picture from about two weeks ago of some roadside bluebonnets - the early morning light does not do justice to the vibrant colors...

My gosh - it is already getting close to the end of March...  This week went zooming by - and actually, Mom will tell me it has been several weeks since I last penned a blog.  So much is happened - and I feel that I totally missed St. Patrick's Day (horrors).  I couldn't possibly share all that has happened in this gap of time - so I am going to start with the important stuff...then go to some cute stuff...and then end with some more neat stuff. 

This week (on the ides of March) Mom & Dad have their 43rd anniversary!  Pretty cool, huh?  I think so - and today when one of our great customers, Joyce, came for a visit she shared that today she and her husband are celebrating their 55th!  Holy smokes - Scott and I have some time to catch up with these great couples...  Congratulations, again, Joyce!

In addition to getting to visit with Joyce, Judy and her granddaughter, Leah, were at the shop this morning.  Leah has been to the shop a couple of times - and definitely loves Noro.  So, today Noro had a playdate!  And he sure did play - most of the time.  There is nothing like the giggle and running of a child and a pet running through a knit shop on a cool March morning.   Prior to our having Noro join our family - he most certainly had children in his life; he sincerely loves them...  Here are a few pictures of Leah and Noro during their play date this morning.

The yucky sock mouse is Noro's favorite toy...  For infection control purposes, please know Leah did wash her hands after touching (smile)!


The thought was good - but Noro is generally lazy.  He looked and looked - eventually Leah came around the other side - and then he ran.....


Before Leah left, Noro got a big hug good-bye...  Check out those teeth (on the cat)....


After his play date, Noro slept the full day in his basket (lined with his Spud & Chloe blanket)...  Hopefully for Grandma Judy, Leah also was worn out!

Other fun happenings...  We have a great trunk show now through the end of the month from Never Not Knitting.  She has a series of THE cutiest little girl patterns and several adult patterns (e.g., Cedar Leaf Shawlette).  Here are a few pictures of the trunk show - but you really have to see the samples; they are impeccably knitted and just adorable!




  

In closing, we are also doing a little bit of Spring rearranging...  Yes, some rearranging!  We haven't moved yarn yet, but we will need to soon as we are getting in more wonderful yarn each day.  Today - the Madeline Tosh Vintage (worsted) arrived and OMG!!!  So to begin to get the good vibes flowing we switched around the furniture in the shop a bit.   Mostly we flip flopped the sofa and the table - and the comments have been positive.  There is now much more room at the table - and we can still flop on the couch over by the faux fireplace.  Here are a couple of teaser photos....essentially to lure you to come see us in Comfort!

Whew - what a great day!  It is now time to curl up and read my Kindle...I have heard that Casting On (new novel about knitting and such) is wonderful!  Maybe I should download it via the Whisper Net...

Today is another beautiful day - the kind where you simply cannot help but smile!  I have been traveling a good bit - and the best thing to do when you travel is actually look at another person and smile.  The fun is that more often than not they are shocked, then eventually smile.  However, the best is when you smile just for yourself and it brightens your own day. 


Today the weather is awesome - sunshine all around and small early harbingers of Spring are visible here and there. How can you not smile when you see daffodils along a fence line?


Cats always make me smile - and mine really do ham it up a good bit.   Here is Laurel looking so royal as she perfectly sits on my Calorimetry headband....  Just prior she had been "meatloafed" on top of it - and you know she had a cat smile.


Then there is Noro!  Yesterday we were sewing together our Scarves to Throws from last year - and Peggy let us borrow her finished masterpiece to provide inspiration!  Doesn't Noro look great on Peggy's throw?!  Peggy, I know you are smiling!


Then how about some of our great customers/friends who have finished projects?!   This is truly one of the best things of being a knit shop owner - seeing happy customers who have great looking finished projects!  The projects are first for both ladies - a first felted bag and a first garment!


For me - I love to finish projects - especially when they are great looking.  During Ravelympics able to finish three projects - only two of which are suitable for sharing.  The other project (Jolly Green Giant Mobius) was so so unattractive that we opted to not share via photos, but Mom and I had a tremendous amount of laughter as it was cast off the needles.   Just think green, fuzzy, and ugly - and you will have the vision. 

The first project I finished was a Kumara scarf in gorgeous Thai purple; makes me feel a bit Austin Powers! 


My second project was also in purple - but this time light purple (Purple Poem) for a very summery scarf in Creamy (80% milk protein) yarn.  This is a great free pattern - Whipped - that can be downloaded from Ravelry.  Just needs 400 yards of fingering weight yarn.

Wow, it is already Thursday, and we are getting more wonderful rain!   After seeing the weather news in the Northeast - aren't we glad to have rain and 40 degree weather for our winters?!   This type of weather does make me want to just stay at home all warm and snug, with my cats and a basket of knitting - and perhaps an audio book playing...  Ahhhhhh....  Yes, I did slip home a bit early from work today to meet someone at the house, but maybe there will be a bit of time to add a few stitches to my Sundae coat (pictures this weekend).

Well, the rain is a harbinger of Spring and so is Michael, the UPS guy!  Spring is arriving daily at the shop with great new yarns and patterns perfect for our South Texas Spring and Summer.  Boy, we have been getting boxes of new stuff in - and as always, Mom has outdone herself finding some neat and inspiring items. 

Last week I lucky enough to be there on Monday to get a few boxes; it sure is fun to open a plain brown box and see gorgeous yarns inside.  This week, Mom and Dad have shared that more great yarns have arrived....  We just aren't sure where to put it yet - so it isn't out, but it will be soon!   We will definitely need to have a Spring Fling party when we sort it out....   To give you a few hints on what arrived this week- we have gotten in the new Berroco goodies (e.g., Weekend, Origami), Sprout and Firefly from Classic Elite, several neat new hand dyers (one of which is Sweet Georgia).  Mom has noted that they are awesome - I just cannot wait to see them Saturday.

As mentioned above - last week we did have several great shipments, which included the new Rowan springtime stuff - and here are a few pictures.  The yarns include five new colors of Rowan Summer Tweed, five new colors of Lenpur Linen, and their newest Purelife yarn!  The cover of the new Rowan magazine has the best looking vest in Lenpur LInen with beads....  I love beads!  In this vest they make the prettiest pattern along the edes.  You can see a bit of the picture it in the foreground of the picture below - it is purple... 

We also got some wonderful sock yarns from Fiberphile...  The colors are so rich and amazing - and the yarns are soft!  Mom jumped right into these and is making a new Wendy Johnson lace shawl....  Ohhhh....

I am ready to cast on a wonderful scarf, Whipped, out of Kollage's Creamy.  This scarf is a freebie from Ravelry - and is also great in sock yarns....  I haven't yet had a chance to try Creamy - it is 80% milk protein.  Let's talk soft...  Below is our "Creamy" Cake display...  Unfortunately the soft pastel colors don't pop - you just have to see them!

A lot of other great stuff happening too - not just great yarns coming in.  We are ready to send the "ta da" out about our first national teacher, Gwen Bortner.  I am excited - and hope everyone else is.  AND we are already looking to see if we can get Wendy Johnson to teach a sock class in summer.  Yea!    Plus - I have finalized the class schedules for the shop through April.  Didn't want to go further in case some of the new goodies will need to be classes....  Feedback is always appreciated related to classes/knitalongs.  Please send your thoughts and ideas on what you would like to gather to knit.... 

I don't know a better way to close than with my cats or my parents or my husband - all of which I love dearly.  So this week, I will again pick the cats.  They are super and so photogenic.   Yes, the love I have for my cats continues....and I think this must come through in the pictures that I get of them.  This past week, I got several great shots of Laurel.  This one is my favorite - and I love it as she even has Noro's cat  hair on her nose!

 

And not to be outdone with great headshots, Mr. Noro again got his photo taken.  He had to try on the new scarf/cowl that Mom made out of Mountain Colors Moguls - and here he is!  Look at those blue/blue eyes!

Enjoy this rainy Thursday - it is so beautiful!  I am off to clean up my yarn stash room a smidge - Mom said I had some yarn she was looking for.  I hope I return..... 

To Noro or not to Noro - that is the question...  Yes, it is a silly way to start the blog, but hey, I am trying to be creative. 

The first Noro is related to the knitalong project we started this month from the pattern Wrap Me Up! by Knitting at Knoon.  Warning - I am completely addicted and just have to share my progress to date.  The pattern is a blast to knit, and it drives you to complete just a bit more before you put your needles down.  The finished project will be a wrap, but one of our adventure driven friends, Peggy, is planning to adapt the project into a vest.  Too cool.  Another plus for me - yes - is that I get to knit with Noro (Silk Garden) - and Noro is one of my favorite yarn lines...  Others in our knitalong group are knitting their project in other great self-striping yarns such as Mochi Plus, Wooly Stripes, Ty-Dy Cotton - but my favorite is the Silk Garden.  Without further ado - here is my progress thus far!

And here is a close up of the first three blocks...  You start with the strip of three mitered squares and then go to the double moss stitch.  The patterns are not hard; the patterns are great - and once you are comfortable with picking up stitches - there is just fun knitting with great yarns.

Several folks have already heard my analogy that this project is like reading a really fun book with short chapters - you just gotta read one more before you go to bed...  If you are interested in joining in the fun - it isn't too late, and you will not be sorry!

Now to the "cat of the hour" - yes, Noro continues to be a photo hog and is the second Noro!  Here he is with a classic profile and a front on photo of this handsome specimen of a cat.  If you have been in lately, you will notice that he rarely leaves his nest of the Spud & Chloe Outer blanket in the basket - except those few times when he stretches and rolls off the table....

    
 Have a happy week and enjoy some yarn.  That is an order from Noro! 

Wow, we are already two weeks into the new year!  Guess that means that 2010 will go faster than 2009, huh?  I know folks say that time traveling faster is a sign of age; however, I really believe that our world is going faster than it did 40 years ago.  Maybe not spinning faster - but we have such a need for speed in communications, cars, success, etc.  I think this year, 2010, one of my resolutions is to enjoy more along the journey and ensure that I look around versus just keeping my head down; simply enjoy life and some of the small beauties that are each day.  Anyone else in with me?  An example or two is coming....  Can you feel it?

At the end of the year and first week of 2010 we had the "blue" moon.  I was delighted to just sit on the front porch with a cup of coffee that morning and relish in the beauty of it.  Here is a snap on that cold winter morning in Comfort...   Isn't that moon incredible.  The picture doesn't really capture the amazing color (a dusky purple and almost turquoise) of the sky and the incredible stillness of the early dawn and the sounds of our little town waking up.

Another fun example was on a recent trip to Kerrville to visit Creations - we went past the "Watering Hole" a local bar, and there was a horse waiting amongst cars for their owner inside to have a beer.  Good old Texas.

As you can imagine, the last couple of weeks of the year is a busy time for any retail shop.  We had inventory and also a new computer system to bring up.  As Mom and I are often thinking of things outside of our projects at hand - we popped out one day and bought the shop a Christmas present - and it was a fireplace!  We really felt that the warmth needed to be brought up a notch!  We hope you enjoy.  Please know the heat of the faux fireplace is toasty - so if it gets too much, no worries we can just adjust it's fan.  Neato!

Did I say inventory in that last paragraph.  Boy, I really didn't realize how much we have grown in the past year.  We do have quite a stock of yarns, patterns, and stuff.  You really learn it when you touch each piece and affix a barcode.  However, during inventory, we rediscovered some gorgeous yarns that had less than desirable spots - and we took time to really review what we had - and we have some great stuff.  As you can imagine - Mom still is finding great new items to purchase, so there is even "mo better" yarn arriving every day!  In a nutshell - if you haven't been by recently - stop by, bring your knitting, warm yourself by the fireplace - and enjoy the shop we have built!

Now to close, I am going to come back to what I believe I do well - enjoy the wonder of my family.  First out is Mom.  She is simply amazing.  During our inventory efforts - she had taken a break and was on the computer ordering online.  Yes, this is a common site - so not much was thought of it.   I arrived on Saturday early morning to Mom with a huge smile and a very, very clean car.  To her car she has affixed two magnets that speak to the fun she had that day online.  As you can imagine - we have had multiple requests for bumper stickers...and a lot of laughter. 

Now to the part that I think everyone really reads the blog for...Noro and Laurel.   The shop cats are so fun - and I obviously am a proud cat parent in that I take a lot of pictures of these guys.  My poor human family is rarely  captured - but the cats are frequently the stars of the show.  These pictures were taken during the busy time of inventory - the kids are just so tired from all the efforts of counting on small paws....

  Here is Noro on Noro....

...and Laurel on Ms. Bab's Yowza!       

 
Happy Knit Year!  Don't forget to enjoy the small joys each day...and of course knit.