Wow, I can't believe it is August 22, 2012 (!!Happy Birthday to my Brother today, and to my sister tomorrow!!) I don't know what I have been thinking, I guess I am just enjoying this summer a little bit too much. We are starting to receive our fall yarns and I realize we need to clear some shelves. After giving it much thought, I decided, yes, do it! 

 

 

The first new arrival of the season is:.....drum roll please....Touch Me Lux.....OMGoodness, I didn't think Touch Me could get any better, but, it has! Check out this lovely twist on a wonderful yarn, sparkle! Two skeins makes a great hat, three make a great slouch hat, a scarve on the skinny side, how about a cowl? This is thethis yarn ha yarn you want around your neck, face,arms, stomach anywhere, it feels so good it just screams TOUCH ME! The afghan on the sofa at the shop is made out of Touch Me, a gift for my husband, he didn't take care of so back to the shop it came. The afghan is used everyday, it is at least 15 years old so you can see how well this fabulous yarn holds up, and people pet it, touch it and drool over it every single day. It is Sparkles blanket when she is at work and she doesn't allow Stitches to perch on it. If a Thursday nite lady is sitting on it, Sparkle will gently nudge her with her nose so the offender can make room for Sparkle, as many of you can testify to! It says alot when a yarn has been on the market for 20 years like Touch Me   

So, Yarn Heaven is having a pre-Christmas Sale!! That's right, you read correctly! Do you realize that it is only 124 more days till Christmas, in other words, 6 pairs of socks, 2 dozen or so hats, at least two throws, countless numbers of mittens and gloves and scarves galore can still be made in time to give as Christmas gifts! Make this a Christmas from your Hands and Heart! So, before much more starts arriving like 250 and more skeins of Sea Silk, 50 Skeins and more of Silk Maiden, 30 and more skeins of Maiden Hair, forgot how many I ordered in the Sea Sock; countless more skeins of Yarn Heaven Handpaints! I need shelve space, so our need is your gain! From today until and including next Tuesday, we are slashing prices





All Linen and Linen Blends 40% off! (we need those shelves!)

                                             We are closing out all Lorna's Laces Yarns Shepard Sock- 25% off

                                             Lorna's Laces Pearl - 20% off

                                             Various, lovely novelty yarns are priced to go!!!

                                              Artyarns Beaded Silk - 15% off

                                             

It's a price slash party, each day of the sale there will be a surprise item put on sale! Stop in and see what it is. Remember for every $50. spent less tax; your name goes into the barrell for the gift box valued at $137.00.....did I mention the gift box has chocolate wine in it? We have our items for next months gift box all ready to go and can't wait to tell you about the next couple of small businesses we are going to promote. Again, we want to thank Forever Young Records for their contribution and to again remind you; for your hard to find musical needs, please remember Forever Young Records in Arlingotn. 972-352-6299 www.foreveryoungrecords.com! Thank you Pat, love being across the freeway from you! Becky O. please thank you husband again for the wine, it will be so appreciated! This basket is all about relax!

And if you haven't heard yet.....the new outlet mall is open, Chicos, Bloomingdales, Saks, just to name a few and the exit off of 360 either direction is Mayfield, stop and see us before you go or come show us what you bought!
 

On a sad note, we regret to inform you of the passing of Karen Rex. Karen was a regular Thursday nite participant and she will be missed.Every time I look at a purple yarn I think of Karen. She was as passionate about purple as I am about blue! Karen battled with Pulmonary Hypertension and gave it a very good fight. RIP Karen.

I am very excited to announce that I have been ask to teach some knitting classes on the Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas Stitch and Sail Cruise! October 2013!! What a way to celebrate 20 years in business.   I am so excited, I have always wanted to go to the Bahama's and I can't believe they are paying me to do this!   Here is the link on ravelry to the cruise info!  http://www.ravelry.com/groups/stitch-and-sail  and of course now in my head the only song I hear is Sailing Away by the Beach Boys.  Some days, I just feel so lucky!

 

With the kids back in school, more knitting and crocheting time!! Yahoo, and we invite y'all to come join the crazy crowd on Thursday nites, I actually have two finished projects to show, I hope that Leslie Balboa comes tonight!! And as always, thank you for continuing to support this small business. Everyone of you are appreciated!

August 8 2012 Update

I swear the faster technology moves, the more behind I get it seems like!!  We have so much new "technology" here at the shop now.  If you haven't been in the last week or two, we have a new way of taking credit cards.  Af first, I didn't want to do it (sort of like texting) and now I love it! (again, sort of like texting!)  Not only can you text the shop now at our regular 817-226-9276 number, but when you use a credit card, you sign with your FINGER!  and your credit card receipt gets emailed to you.  Do you know how many CPA's and accountants are loving this new way of doing business?  No more rumpled up receipts.  With the economy being what it is and so much competition for yarn now a days it was time to find ways to cut costs.  I have to tell you if you are a small business owner and you still have a land line, I saved over $170 a month switching the shop phone to a cell phone.  Switching from land line credit card processing to a go payment system has also saved me well over $100 a month, just by making a few changes, we are saving $300 per month and are on the technology move.  FYI, easier for us to get pictures of customers finished projects, just text them to us!  We are working on our counter display of revolving pictures.  The item I lack the most is TIME! and it doesn't seem to be slowing down one darn bit.

A few of the "new" items that I left out in the last update.  Have you heard about the "new" cable protectors for your Addi interchangable needle sets?  They are so cool.  They are in the shape of hearts and you can literally leave your work on the actual cable, remove the tips put your heart cable protector on and use your tips and come back to your work at anytime and all the stitches are in the same place.  Just love them I do.  

Knitter's Pride Dreamz and Cubics are in stock, both single circulars as well as the sets.  The Dreamz have two sets, the full set which includes 4 cords (24", 2 32" and a 40") knitting needle tips from US Size 4/3.5mm to US 11/8.0mm and the Starter Set which 1 24" and 1 32" cord and needle tip sizes US 6/4.0mm, US 9/5.5mm and US 10 6.0mm.  Then Knitter's Pride came out with the Cubics, which are the interchangeable square needle sets.  There are also two kinds of sets in the Cubics.  One is the 16" interchangeable set, Symfonie Rose SPECIAL  which has 2 16" cords and US needle sizes  6/4.0mm to US 10/6.0mm.  (These are so cute!)   Then there is the Symphonie Rose DELUXE which has 4 cords (24", 2 32" and a 40") andu US Needle sizes 6/4.0mm to 11/8.0mm.   Each of the sets come with size makrers, end caps (which can turn the needle into a straight needle) cord keys and a case.  They are really nice needles and with Christmas right around the corner, now is the time to be thinking about what to give and what to ask for!

The new Lace blocking wires are in, if I could just finish my lace shawl I would get to try them.  There's an idea, a finished project!!

Next I want to talk about the changes that are coming to our classes.  We LOVE your enthusiusm at the beginning of the class, but it seems we hear that there is not enough time to get the knitting done.  We have heard you and put alot of thought into how we can make it better.  For our short classes, like two at a time socks, the entrelac purse class (coming up) they will still be two saturdays in a row.  The sweater classes are where the changes are coming.  We are going to offer the Amelie Knitted or Crocheted Sweater Class again, as well as, the gorgeous Cabled Vest Class. 

CABLED VEST - This class will meet on the first Saturday of October, November, December and January.  We will finish the vest in class in January.  Each class you attend will be $25.00. 
October  6 - Saturday 10:30 to 1:00pm - Gauge Swatch, measurements, cast on for back of vest -$25.00
November 3 - Saturday  10:30 to 12:30 - Back of vest should be finished, starting both fronts at the same time, Q&A about pattern, problems - $25.00
December 1 - Saturday 10:30-12:30 - three needle bind off on shoulders, pick up stitches for hood, start hood - $25.00
January 5 - Saturday 10:30 -1pm - Sew Hood closed, pick up ribbing around armholes and finish, button band and button holes, sew on buttons, pose for class picture with beautiful new hooded vest.  $25.00

Please see the class schedule for the rest of our classes http://yhclasses.blogspot.com/.

I am in the process of teaching myself  Swing Knitting.  This method has been around forever and is really fun to do.It is a very special practice of short row knitting.  It is called Swing Knitting, because it "swings" - it's like knitting music.  You knit only one color at a time and your "knitting melody" gives the beat.  You knit "stanzas" - defined knitted areas.  This kind of knitting is both exciting and relaxing at the same time, it just "swings!" Sounds like fun, huh?   It will be listed on the class schedule, which should be done by tomorrow.

My heart has been heavy for a week or so now.  The absolute hardest part of this store is saying goodbye, whether you guys are just moving to Dallas (so you don't pop in as frequently) or Alaska, as a few of my fun customers have gone, or Rockford, IL, where Marlene ended up, or Oklahoma where several of you have gone, most recently Stacy, or Michigan where our dear Andie ended up.   Following corporate husbands has to be so hard on the families but on the other hand, it can be fun!  Promotions are almost like ransoms if you have to move to get them.  But, you guys are all settled now and Skyping on Thursdays can be fun, if this keeps up, I will have IPads on the couch instead of real bodies!  It's when good bye is final that makes it so very hard.  Many of you knew Shirley Binder.  It was with much sadness that I learned of her passing about 10 days ago.  So many memories of her came flooding back and before I knew it I was laughing out loud, which is definately what she would have wanted.  She lost her long fight with cancer, this newsletter is for you Shirley, I know you enjoyed them!  And to our dear, dear friend Patty Allers.  Patty lost her mother unexpectedly this week.  We want you to know, when you are ready we are all here for you.  To both families, my most sincere condelences.

My husband and I had the most interesting conversation about the dog days of summer and when they were supposed to be, and today I found this little nugget of information and can't wait to share it with him, but you heard it hear first!!

Did you know that the phrase "the dog days of summer" refers to the placement of Sirius, the largest star in the Canis Major ("big dog") constellation, in the night sky?  For most of July and August, Sirius rises and sets in coordination with the sun, and the ancient Romans believed that the brightness of Sirius added to that of the sun was responsible for the warmer weather.  We know now that the earth's tilt is responsible for the change in seasons, but the old expression has persisted nonetheless!!

And as always, we continue to invite you to join us for Therapy Thursday!  We are looking for a traveling massage therapist again.  I have someone I am going to call, but she has moved and is farther away now, so if you know anyone please have them call the shop!  Every Thursday, come join us for a wonderful time!  Anytime after 5pm

Oh, one last thing, if you are a knitter in the Houston Areas, close to the main MD ANDERSON hospital and are interested in teaching a cancer patient there how to knit would you please contact me either thru text or phone call at the shop.  817-226-9276.  Thank you!