Where Summit Yarn Lives

Here is a video tour of my little thotful happy spot, Summit Yarn. Looking forward to seeing you here real soon!
xx M.E. and Summit Yarn Studio

 

FRIDAY: Open House and Yarn Tasting, May 17th 5pm to close

The samples are all prepped and I loved every one of them from the yarn line we will be sharing with you tomorrow…and the sock yarn is spectacular. The fibers were all soft and some are blends I have not encountered before. My fingers are crossed and I am so excited to hear your feedback about these yarns!

The next Open House will be late in June with a different line of yarn, probably on a Sunday afternoon. If you have day or time preferences, please let me know and I will do my best to schedule accordingly.

The studio is vacuumed, the displays are spiffed and I even…wait for it…cleared off the table. Of course that will be covered with the samples.

The studio will be closed from 3-5 pm to prep for the Open House and to grab a bite before we all get together for our evening of fun.

Looking forward very much to seeing Ewe all here!
xx M.E. and Summit Yarn

 

Open House and Free Yarn Tasting This Friday 5pm To Closing

Please be invited to an open house and FREE yarn tasting event at Summit Yarn this Friday from 5pm to closing. There will be a wide assortment of samples to try as well as the wonderful Euro Yarn rep to answer all our questions

In addition there are yarns marked down for clearance, the dollar bins are refilled and this week’s special is Colinette Jitterbug, regularly $25 marked to $18 for this week only.

The new Noro is in with sample garments and the range of weights includes worsted, sock and lace…all containing cotton for nice warm weather knitting and crochet.

Now am off to go trim six sets of cat nails. I startled one of my babies this morning and my room still looks like a crime scene. Three band aids to one hand. No knitting today. :-/

 

On Special This Week At Summit Yarn

What I learned this week: when you play kissy face with a hungry kitten you run the risk of said kitten vapo-locking onto your lip requiring aid to free ones lip.

On special this week at Summit Yarn:
Colinette Jitterbug– regularly $25 marked down to $18 for this week

FRIDAY NIGHT from 5pm until closing: Open House and Yarn Tasting with samples of assorted yarns for you all to try. We will be visiting with the new Euro yarn rep who will show us all the new yarns in the lines she carries! The newest Noro Yarns (cotton and silk blends) will also be introduced Friday night. There are garments in each of the yarns to share how well the yarns make up. We look forward to the pleasure of your company!

xx M.E. and Summit Yarn

 

SALE: 50% off all Debbie Bliss Yarns and Juniper Moon Yarn

To make room for new inventory, this week’s specials will be 50% off SRP of all Debbie Bliss Yarns in the studio and all Juniper Moon Yarns!

I meet with Jay, our Noro and so much more yarn rep this Friday and I’m hoping to make room for the newest items he is going to give me a preview of for this coming Fall Season. Make sure to check back as we will be having a different special each week this spring and summer.

DOLLAR BINS/CLEARANCE — all refilled for your pleasure!
See you soon!
xx M.E. and Summit Yarn

 

THIS JUST IN: New Shipment of Opal Sock Yarn — Diamanté

In photos below you will see the newest collection of Opal Sock Yarn. This is one of the most popular brands we carry and I love this brand because it allows me to carry a wide range of colors at a great price. Tola and her friend, Devon, came in today for a visit and a yarn fix. Tola’s lovely cat came straight to my arms for lovies. (photos below). Ghealach, the kitty, had a rough car ride, and settled on a chair next to me for a nap. She chose to stay with me while her mom went out to lunch and we had great fun playing catch the piece of yarn. When mom got back and kitty saw she was going back in a car, she was not real excited. I am sure she was glad to get back to Philadelphia and back out of the car!

Kelly came in and picked up her blocked scarf. We had a serene afternoon. Charlotte gave us a call to let me know she was very happy with her sweater — which is always a good feeling. It is amazing and never gets old to see someone has knit one of my patterns. This particular pattern, even with the struggles I had making corrections, is particularly dear to me, it is a piece of my Art — not just a sweater. It is a creation that came from struggle and a deeply personal place within; it came from my Heart. I think most designers probably feel this way. I would be surprised if they did not.

The dollar bins are getting low and I plan to have a look around the studio to see what else can go live in them this week. Two of he Juniper Moon Yarns (bulky Chadwick, and worsted Willa) are buy one get one free. There are still four balls of the $13 Christmas color Raggi sock yarn remaining. There is also some Elsbeth Lavold Angora and also Silky Wool on sale at cost, $4 a skein.

UPCOMING YARN TASTING: May 17th…put the date on your calendar!
xx M.E. and Summit Yarn Studio

 

What To Say

So part of the country, half, is pleased with the outcome of this Presidential election. Personally, I think our Founding Fathers would be doubled up barfing if they could see what has become of their Dream. I do not like our electoral vote system, it makes me feel my vote does not count if the other party takes the state. Nobody asked me ever if I was okay with this process–I am not. I never had a say in how these things get done and it doesn’t look like there is anyway to make meaningful changes because professional politicians have things so locked down in their Old Boys Club Network favor. I think we should “nuke” the system (and I use quotes there so I am not arrested in the middle of the night and disappear) and start all over from the ground up. Our government has corrupted Itself. It is Time to begin anew. I wish that were even remotely possible. Rant complete. Thank you for your time.

With about four inches of snow, though six is always better, predicted–it was a crazy busy morning here at the Studio. The latest yarn put in the dollar sale bins has been very popular and going fast. Good. Then I can find something else for you to play with! XOX

If you watch Big Bang Theory then you know the answer to this question. What is the world’s most perfect number and WHY?

 

Sunday At Summit Yarn — New KAL Group

What follows is Jamie’s version of events yesterday. It is very pc and you can let your imagination run pretty wild with this and still fall short of the reality that was yesterday. We shall title this piece:
Mortal Kombat — Sticks Versus Stilettos!

Jamie:

I arrive slightly after opening and the parking lot is filling up fast. Mary Ellen and Kathy are already starting the “Building Blocks” project and I’m excited to get my yarn wound & get started too. I grab my skein of Simpliworsted and head towards the electric winder with a fierce determination to not let a machine get the better of me again. I get my yarn loaded and I’m just about to flip the switch as a handsome young man with a very fetching handbag walks past me to Mary Ellen requesting a bag for yarn. I blame this distraction for my mishap with the winder that resulted in Mary Ellen having to take apart the machine in order to get my yarn untangled and wound properly.

Now seated at the table with pattern, yarn, and needles in hand I can begin to enjoy the goings on around me. The handsome man comes back again with a FULL bag of yarn and requesting another empty bag. He explains that his wife would like all this yarn and just now found the yarn she REALLY loves. He goes dutifully back to his wife looking like it could be a long afternoon but ready to hang in there. Kathy and I feel that he deserves bonus points and suggest to his wife they take extra time at the sports store on the next shopping adventure.

Meanwhile, a Mother/Daughter team comes in searching for yarn for a project for Mom. They ended up with a beautiful blue/green worsted weight yarn and after some socializing they were on there way again.

Another pair of customers were hot through the door after them. They bring news of the modeling agency on the other side of the building is having an open house and some of the customers are spilling over into the yarn store parking lot. As if on cue a mom and her daughter walk through the clearly labeled “Summit Yarn” store door, past copious amounts of yarn, into a room with THREE people knitting and two shopping and ask “Is this the way to the modeling picture place?” Mary Ellen politely tells them that they want to be on the other side of the building while I try very hard not to laugh. Then mom says, “So we can’t get there through here?” Seriously. “Here’s your sign!”(thank you Bill Engvall) I have nothing more to say.

Modeling Mom and daughter leave and the store begins to quiet down again. Kathy starts putting her things away to go home and we say our goodbyes. The store is still open for a few more hours and I tell Mary Ellen I’ll stay with her until closing. Kathy has barely gotten through the door and she is calling us to come see what’s happening in the parking lot. Well, it’s full alright and one of the modeling people decide it’s ok to park on a diagonal with the tail end of their car directly behind Kathy’s, blocking her in. Lets just say Kathy got that look about her that means she means business and was on her way to get the poorly parked car moved. Mary Ellen and I hide in the yarn shop. We know Kathy and I don’t think Hurricane Sandy could have stopped her.

Another mother/daughter team comes in to pick up yarn. Mom says, “We’re here to pick up that yarn you put in the back for us before you left on your trip (now two months ago). You know the one.” I take this opportunity to enjoy the look of bewilderment on Mary Ellen’s face, especially since it’s not me using the words “you know” or “remember”. As if I’m the only one who shops in the store and I know how this drives her crazy because I get the same thing at work too. I’m just glad I’m not the only one who gets the “look” after using those phrases. LOL. In the middle of getting the yarn squared away (it was right in the back where she put it) we hear yelling from outside. Its Kathy again only this time someone in a truck (I would call a rusted broke-down truck) is screaming at her as she tries to leave. Things begin to escalate at which point Mary Ellen has to call the police to make sure everyone calms down.

What a Sunday at Summit Yarn! It sure was interesting and I hope you come to join us next week. I know I’m going to be back and early to get good parking spot.

Me now: And you guys think all I do is sit and knit all day everyday. I think, personally, Jamie and Kathy were keeping me distracted so they could catch their squares up to mine. The first square is slow going, not one you can chat and knit away at–but well worth the effort. So, it may take more than a week per square…there’s no hurry! There certainly is no lack of entertainment around here!

 

Nurturing Fibers — the group, the people, the yarn, the love

Confession: I am a lurker on Ravelry; meaning I look at the patterns, check a few groups, take care of my Ravelry online shop. Recently, a designer was looking for a test knitter for her pattern, Winter Is Coming–a shawlette on display here at Summit Yarn. It was a delight to knit and very well written. Her name is Pinkhairgirl on Ravelry, or Sally-Jane Cameron and is a great up and coming designer. While there are many people from the US in this group, most seem to be from South Africa, and while doing the first test knit I fell in love with this charming group of women.

Just yesterday, Sally-Jane published her second shawl called: Guarian Angel. Really, take time to go check both these patterns out…favorite them if you like them them. I wish Sally-Jane all the success in the world. She has a great sense of how to put lace stitch patterns together and of what makes an enjoyable knit.

Nurturing Fibers is the yarn name for Carle Denning, an independent dyer with an amazing sense of color, especially as it relates to nature. You can find her on Ravelry as Carle. You can find her yarn for sale at: http://www.betwixt.co.za. (Betwixt & Betwine–Pinky’s Yarn Shop). I have some of the sock weight yarn coming soon from a charity auction where I whimpered and whined enough that everyone else stopped bidding and let me have a ball of glorious variegated pinks to support Breast Cancer Awareness.

Go to Ravelry now and check this out. Yes, now!

 

FT-290 The Angel Half-Circle Sweater and A New Shawl Pattern

My deepest apologies to those of you who received uncorrected patterns. There–up in the top right hand corner– is where you click for the final errata page. I wanted to rename this pattern “The Demon” but the company wouldn’t go for it. I wrote thirteen sock patterns last year, all of them different and complex, without a single mistake. This sweater, an entirely new and unique concept, just keeps coming back and biting me in the butt. And for the issues I send you a sincere and heartfelt Mea Culpa.

On a lighter note, there is a new shawl pattern available in my online Ravelry Store called: the Pure Comfort Shawl. This is a half circle knit from the top down in alternating sections of Garter Ridges and small sections of Stockinette. It is a 16 row pattern repeat and of that only two rows have purl stitches. It is knit out of DK weight yarn and takes 800-850 yards. There is a smaller size option available in the pattern. The shawl blocked, measures 65 inches across the top and is 24 inches deep. Here are some photos (the color was very difficult to photograph):