Fall Classes for EVERYBODY!

To those of you not near the shop, not interested in the shop, not aware of the shop etc, you are welcome to ignore this post. I post it because I am about to send out a newsletter with all of the latest classes happening at Mary's Yarns and I am unable to post pictures of all of these (my computer skills are lacking incredibly). One thing I CAN do though, is put pictures up here.

SO, I have posted a link on the newsletter to the blog so that people can see pictures of what classes they are signing up for.

Do I make my life complicated, or what? For more information on all of these classes, feel free to check out the class descriptions on the website.

You might even experience a wee bit of deja-vu while scrolling through some of these photos.
In the meantime, here we go!

Baktus Scarf
Saturday, October 31st.
2:00-4:00

Irish Hiking Scarf
Saturday, September 19th.
2:00-4:00


Oh-So-Cozy Neckwarmer
Saturday, November 14th.
2:00-4:00


Felted Wine Cozy
Wednesday, October 14th and 21st.
11:00 am- 1:00 pm


Granny Square
Friday, October 9th.
10:00 am- 12:00 pm


Clasica Coat Knit-A-Long
Beginning Tuesday, September 15th.
7:00-9:00 pm.



Vogue Knitting Tam
Tuesday, November 3rd and 10th.
10:00 am-12:00 pm


So, there you have it!

As I mentioned above, there are plenty more classes, just not any more with photos. Sorry. I'll get it together someday. (I hope).

Give us a ring at the shop if you're interested in participating. We'd love to have you there!

Bitsy Beaded Baby Booties

More Sock Summit news! Sheesh... where does time go??? I've been home for over a week now! Time flies... but I tell you, time flew faster in Portland.

Let me share with you something that I made, that I'm not embarrassed of. In fact... I'm rather charmed by it (or should I say them?).

I took a class with Vancouver based designer, knitting-with-beads extraordinaire... Sivia Harding. I enjoyed it far too much. Not only did I walk out with the most precious little embellished pair of elf boots, I learned lots and lots about knitting with beads. It's not an area of knitting I've really cared to venture too far into, BUT when all of the classes were disappearing faster than I could imagine during the SS registration, I just snagged what I could get.

What a happy thing that I snagged a spot in this class.

I mean... LOOK AT THEM! Did you stop breathing for a second!?!?!? I did when I first laid eyes on the finished product. I had no clue what I was getting into when I signed up for the class. There was no picture on the website, I just knew I was in for a pair of 'beautiful beaded baby booties'. Beautiful they are! But who says that they have to be for a baby???

Mine will surely assume a spot on my shelves for a while.

I mean... look at it! Doesn't it just look like it grew up in that tree?


I am forecasting more knitting with beads in my near knitting future.

In other Sock Summit news. You may have heard that the world record was broken during that week for 'most number of knitters knitting in one spot, at one time'.

The record was made in Australia last winter- 236 knitters.

Sock Summit? 935 knitters.

Lynn and Tara accounted for two of that 935.

I only wish I could have gotten a photo of the camera men who were documenting this event for the evening news. They looked like they had just witnessed an elephant casually operating an ATM.

Lastly, I feel the need to share with you flower photos at every post while the weather is nice.

We will look back on these photos with a tear in our eye in about... ooooh.... five months.

Photos Anyone?

I have an idea. If I were to attempt to write out everything I saw and did at the Sock Summit, 'blogger' would likely kick me off their site for rambling incessantly.

So, how about... a photo montage? With captions and wee notes about what you're looking at?
Would that work? Pictures are worth a thousand words so allow me to condense your reading material for the day. I think this might be the best way to give you a sense of what was going on over in Portland last week.

SO- here we go!

First off, I present to you, the lovely Meg Swansen (my new hero) and her assistant Amy Detjen. (This photo was taken shortly after those Barbara Walker tears were shed).

Is there anything this duo can't do? They've been together for 18 years.
That's an anniversary worth celebrating!

Impressive.

Do you not love Meg's adoring look?
They're in this for the long haul.

Now, that's... me. With my moccasin sock.
There will be no close-up shots of this sock because frankly, it's terrible workmanship. But man-oh-man, was I ever happy regardless!

Can't you tell?

And man! I even picked colours to match the wild carpet!


Do you know what I'm holding? A Wearable Art stocking that (I do believe) Meg made with her own two hands. Again, I shall refrain from showing you in close detail my version of this sock because it's such atrocious knitting. I was distracted by stories from Meg and Amy, the fact that Barbara Walker was sitting behind me and all the lovely new knitters surrounding me... BUT- again I stress, I had a hoot making it.


OK- it's only getting better. This is Elizabeth Zimmerman's Arch Shaped Stocking that Meg made and Lynn (yes, ME) is wearing.
I wore such an appropriate outfit for the occasion.
Wouldn't you say?
If only there was a mate... I just might have marched right outta that room.
I guess they suspected that some awful person just might do that... hence the fact they only brought one.
Heh.
I looked like a suspect the second I walked into that room wearing a pencil skirt. I just know it.


And here is the cherry on the top of the really delicious cake... Lynn, Barbara Walker and Tara (my trusty travel companion and photographer). Does she just not look like the toughest cookie on the block???
Yeah, I'm referring to both Tara AND Barbara of course.
Whoa.


See the pink socks in Barbara's lap? She was getting into the spirit of things.
What a good sport.
In fact, the Yarn Harlot has a picture of her wearing these pink beauties all finished up.

And lastly, I leave you with this.


I'll let you take what you want from that one.

Next post, I promise you show you something that I actually knit, and am not ashamed to share with you.

Let Me Sock it to You

We're back.

Safe and Sound.

And... overflowing with sock yarn and sock patterns. (You should see my kitchen table. I must keep the blinds closed so the neighbors don't think I've totally gone off the deep end.)

I shall update you throughout the week as I decompress and sort through all of my class knitting and yarn purchasing.

I will tell you though- it was an absolute blast.
A ridiculously wonderful blast.

My highlight?
Let me share.

Picture this if you will- sitting in a room, listening to Meg Swanson (my new hero) teach her mother's Wearable Art Stocking only to have Barbara Walker in the back of the room.
But that's not all! The best part?
When Meg kindly asked Barbara if she was the one who invented SSK.
The answer? Yes.
Meg's assistant teared up.
I kid you not.
I think I might have too.
Or, maybe it was just dry eyes from convention centre air.

And Portland?
Good city.

Better doughnuts.

I sure do love myself a Vanilla Dip doughnut during my mid-afternoon low blood sugar moment.

Voodoo doughnuts.

I dig.