Abundanza & Antonia

Wow! What a night it was at the Grove! Lisa Limber brought a boatload of gorgeous Schaefer yarns with all her magnificent samples. The warm night did not deter any of our many customers from fondling and purchasing the ever-so-soft hand-dyed silk, wools, and cottons. We had over 50 names in our drawing for the Butin Necklace and Beaded Cuff Kits.


As luck would have it, Antonia was one of the few customers left at the end of the evening so she was actually there when we pulled her name! Serendipity! She was so pleased because she said she never wins anything. Ah, the magic of the Grove continues!







And many thanks to my dearest friends, Marcia and Judy, who despite their busy schedules were there to help throughout the hectic evening. Just seeing those smiling faces makes any night manageable (never mind their incredible willingness to pitch in and their extraordinary competence).

Muslin Project Bags & Knitter's Sayings

I hear so many reasons for people to knit. Some knit so as not to eat. Others knit so as not to think. Some knit not to worry and some knit so as not to lose their minds. I have always loved ivory muslin and linens and I've always loved words (hence the banner on my blog!). All these things came together as I was whipping up some project bags for myself. And the sayings just kept coming! I got such positive feedback on these that I decided to make some available for purchase. They are modestly priced and make great bags because they allow fibers to breathe, they're washable, and easy to just grab and go. Next time you're in the shop, check them out. You might find you're favorite reason for knitting spelled out!

Purple Kitty Design Feature Saves the Day!

The Purple Kitty idea came about when Dee feared running out of yarn before finishing the sleeves on her sister's sweater. She came across the kitty chart in one of her books and since her sister's a Cat Lover, she decided to stretch the yarn she had left by inserting him on an ecru backdrop. We brought him to life using a combination of fair isle knitting and duplicate stitch. You will find that the absolute coolest pieces you will ever create come from addressing yarn shortage, a pattern flaw, or some other knitter's dilemma. When this happens to you, just remember the "Purple Kitty"!

Butin Necklace: Fun and Gorgeous!

This Butin Necklace by Laura Nelkin has got to be the best gift a knitter can make for herself or others especially for around $15! The yarn is Audrey by Schaefer made of 50% merino and 50%. Truly, exquisitely silky ... hand-dyed, of course, because that's all Schaefer does. The small glass beads are lined and the large ones are multi-colored copper. [Apologies to Marcia because I know there is a name for them that escapes me!]. All the beads are strung prior to knitting and pulled forward as needed. The set-up must be precise because if you miscount the beads, there's no turning back except to rip out at least for the middle tier section. Beyond that, this is an easy pattern to follow. I know about the precision part because I wasn't careful and misstrung. Ended up tearing it out and re-knitting it. Okay, I did that 2x because I was watching t.v. and not giving this project the attention it deserved. Don't do as I did!!! One of the outstanding characteristics of silk is its strength and as you can see, the yarn was no worse for the wear. We have the kits in 6 different colorways and plenty of long #2 needles. [Oh c'mon ... don't be a baby...#2 needles are nothing to be afraid of!!!]

Stylin' Bamboo Knitting Totes!

I'm always on the look out for good knitting totes. To me, a good knitting tote has a flat bottom so it can sit by your chair wide open without any closure or fold to prevent your working yarn from pulling easily. A good knitting tote has got to be fabric lined. A zippered inside pocket is nice. It has to be light-weight! It cannot have any velcro enclosures to snag yarn. And finally, it cannot cost an arm and a leg.

Well, these knitting totes fit the bill exactly! They are fabric-lined bamboo totes with handles long enough to put over your shoulder. The flat bottom can be manipulated so that the entire tote can be folded and stored flat. It is well-made, roomy and has a zippered enclosure. Best or all, they only cost $35!!! What a deal!!! Aside from the black and brown ones shown here, they also come in a natural bamboo color (due at the end of August). But if you want the ones that don't show dirt, we just got our shipment in yesterday. These are definitely worth checking out!

Sparkling Sequins Stun!!!

Darn it all, you can't see those stunning, sparkling sequins in this picture. You'll just have to take my word for it that this is the most eye-catching piece in the store. People gasp when they see it. Really. The pattern is called Wisp and it's free on Ravelry. There are 3 different ways to wear this, but the one shown is my favorite. The tassle-topped wooden shawl pin is a perfect compliment both color-wise and design-wise. I bought a bunch of these from an Australian woman who was visiting a friend of hers in San Diego. Irresistible. Oh, and reasonable too.

I just placed Big Fall Orders this morning, including bags of this gorgeous Kid-Paillettes from Skacel. We are awaiting their new fall colors ... merlot and navy which compliment their naturals beautifully. We'll keep you posted on their arrival!

L.A. Gift Show Treasures

The summer gift show in L.A. is the show where we select our holiday decorations and gifts so it's sort of Christmas in July for us. By the end of a long day, what we've purchased becomes just one big blur. When we receive our orders starting in October, we are always surprised and delighted to remember what we did buy!

In addition to placing orders for future deliveries, we are also able to buy some "cash and carry" items. This time, we discovered an organization called Woman for Woman, a fair trade Cambodian business where disabled women are taught to sew and create beautiful silk accessories to support themselves. . What impresses us about their products is the quality. They are all 100% silk, the colors are vibrant, the styles run from fun to sophisticated and the stitching and soundness of construction is excellent. Silk is one of the strongest fibers available and known for its soil resistance. Okay, so all this is leading up to us telling you ... we brought back a very nice supply with us! Tomorrow we price and display them and Tuesday, you will be able to buy them at the Grove.

The other treasures we picked up at the "cash and carry" are paper products by Little Heart Designs, a California family run operation.
We adore their ultra feminine, glittery gift cards (see "Girlfriends Matter" card above!), journals and notepads. They have over 1000 images and the most difficult part is trying to pare down and select what we can afford. How can you possibly resist these lovebirds?!#