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N O V E M B E R H A P P E N I N G S
Skeins on Main
428 S. Main St., Rochester, MI 48307 248-656-9300
www.skeinsonmain.com
Store Hours:
Closed Sunday
Monday – Thursday 9:30 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Friday & Saturday 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
We’ll help you overcome your fear of needles.
In The Store & Around Town New This Week Skeins has certainly been hopping this week. We’re getting ready for two major events over the next two weeks, so yarns are coming in like crazy! And yes, I mean literally like “Stonehedge Crazy..” Friday eve‐
ning we re‐
ceived a nice, big box of Crazy Mill Ends from Shepherd’s Wool. This very unique yarn, where each skein is one‐of‐a‐
kind, is created from the mill ends of one of our favorites, Shepherd’s Wool. That means the two pair per‐
fectly together if you need to bulk one up. And you should see them felted together! Crazy Mill Ends is a DK‐weight, working nicely at about 20‐22 stitches over 4”. The yardage is approximately 200‐220. Look at this pretty new sweater! We have to confess—this photo isn’t of our sweater. Ours is in burgundy and just didn’t photograph as well. It’s a Tahki pattern, made out of the new Kismet brushed alpaca yarn that we told you about a couple of weeks ago (thanks to Sandy, our speed knit‐
ter!). It used only 4 balls of yarn and is oh‐so‐soft! The shaping in the front and back makes it flattering for any body type. Yummy!! Week of November 3, 2014
Back in May when we were at TNNA (our annual conference for retail yarn shops), we met a young lady from Royal Oak. She’s an amazing hand‐dyer with not only gorgeous colors, but also gorgeous fibers. This week, we’re introducing her “Fave” sock yarn. We know it’ll soon be one of your new fave’s, too. Check out those colors! But beware… On Satur‐
day they were jumping right out of the box and into people’s hands. They had no choice—the yarn literally insisted on going home with them. Can you believe that?! Now we have pushy yarn! This one feels just as beautiful as it looks, making it totally irresistible. Don’t you just love it when hand‐dyers pick in‐
credible bases that you know will last a lifetime? The Marblz needles have certainly been a big hit at Skeins, so we’ve brought in the new Interchangeable sets, just in time for the Holidays (note the absence of a shameless plug for Shop Hop, Dabble & Babble, and Knit Michigan). You may want to grab them, though. The com‐
pany is running out frequently. They’re made of acrylic, which is perfect for those who find metal needles a bit too slippery. The cords work with all other sets from Dreamz (Karbonz, Cubics, Dreamz, etc), too, which makes them that much more versatile. Tosh Dandelion is here! Everyone is always asking for this beautiful wool/
linen blend from Madelinetosh, so… here it is! We’ve brought in ten new colors, perfect for doing the Hitofude sweater you see here. We used five hanks for the large (barely going into the fifth), but we also lengthened it for Lori. If you don’t need it longer, you could definitely get away with four for the large, or even three for the medium. Gotta love that! Noro is back! It’s been a long time coming, but we’ve finally started bring‐
ing Noro back to Skeins. This week, it was Silk Garden Sock. There are eight colorways on the shelf. You can knit this one as tight as 26 stitches over four inches for socks, or up to 20 stitches or larger for a shawl. And what a yummy item that would be! In case you’re not familiar, this is a self‐
striping yarn. Noro is very well‐
known for their exquisite colorways. And, as the name indicates, this par‐
ticular yarn from them is a blend of wool and silk (with a little mohair for fluff and softness). In The Store & Around Town If you can’t resist Silk Garden Sock but need a project and don’t want to make socks, how about “Hekla” from the West‐
Knits 5 book? This sweater uses two yarns, one self‐
striping or variegated and one solid, to create this gorgeous effect. The sleeves are picked up and knit in the round, so for those of you out there that just hate sewing, this could be the answer for you! It’s fun to wear (and no, the sleeves don’t get in the way) and looks good on any body type. For this example, Lori used Freia Sport and Soie et Lin from Knit One, Crochet Too. The fibers are completely different, which you can see works beautifully in this sweater. She used only two balls for Freia in the Flex style, and 3 of the Soie et Lin (at nearly 300 yards each). It’s fun to knit, and a really good beginner pro‐
ject. Debbie Bliss’ Cashmerino Baby has been a favorite among knitters for years. Not only is it a scrump‐
tious yarn to work with it, it comes in beautiful colors for all ages and has incredible stitch definition, making it suitable for all sorts of projects. And, after a long hiatus, we’re pleased to say it’s back. We’ve brought in ten colors to start, with more to follow, and it’s already selling well for us. By the way, have you seen Debbie Bliss’ de‐
signs? Ooh la la! She’s one very tal‐
ented lady. There are three of her books in stock now, ranging from baby through pre‐teen sizing. The yarn knits up at 25 stitches to four inches and is on the shelf now. Week of November 3, 2014
Inca Tweed arrived for the first time just a few weeks ago and we knew it was special. It’s an alpaca blend with a beautiful tweed fleck. What we didn’t know was just how much people would enjoy knitting afghans with it. Yep, af‐
ghans. We thought about sweaters, fingerless mitts, hats, scarves. But we never considered afghans. And ya know something? All those people are onto some‐
thing. This yarn is per‐
fect! We can do anything we want to with it. And we’ll prove that… A brand new shipment of Inca Tweed arrived this week, and the com‐
pany is already announcing new colors for next year. YAY! We love hearing that one of our favorites will be staying around and that it’ll be expanded. Hootie‐hoo! Happy knitting! Hurry—
this one doesn’t stay on the shelves for long. It’s a great chunky weight, with a very slight thick‐and‐thin style. Speaking of great afghan yarns, we also stocked up on Vintage Chunky this past week. This is a long‐
time favorite. It’s mostly wool with just enough acrylic to help it hold it’s shape, no mat‐
ter how you’re using it. It’s also wash‐
able, so perfect for all your knitting needs. Don’t think of it just for af‐
ghans—it’s definitely not. What about hats and scarves? Jackets? It might be just perfect for a certain Shop Hop item, too… Shop Hop 2014 There’s certainly lots more going on in the store, but nothing we can tell you about just yet. What we CAN tell you is that Shop Hop 2014 takes place next weekend! That’s right—it’s November 7th and 8th. We’re attaching a flier for it to this newsletter so you have all the information you need. But in case you don’t want to read the flier, here’s the quick and dirty for you: Stores are required to be open from 10am‐7pm, but since we normally open at 9:30, we’ll open at our normal hours. Why tell you that? So you don’t start Hopping at another store and get confused when they’re not open at 9:30. We’re looking out for you. ;) Saturday hours are from 9am until 5pm. For us, that means we’ll open earlier than usual and stay open later. Let the fun begin! When you begin your Hopping, be sure to pick up a free passport at the first shop you visit. Each time you spend a minimum of $15 pre‐tax at a shop, ask them to stamp your pass‐
port. You’ll also receive a free gift. What’s better than a free gift? A SKEINS free gift! Each store should have specials run‐
ning, free snacks/munchies, and tons of fun to be had. We know we defi‐
nitely will! On Wednesday evening, Skeins will be sending out our “Shop Hop Newslet‐
ter,” filled with all the information planners need to have ahead of time. If you don’t like to plan your adven‐
tures, just come on in. We’re going to have all sorts of fun happening at Skeins! Oh yeah… The passports and what they mean. We almost forgot! Get your passport stamped at each store in either of the two groups listed and enter it to win a wonderful prize. Get stamped at all eight stores, and enter to win an incredible prize basket, filled with all sorts of “Made in Michi‐
gan” items. Let the shopping begin!! Shop Hop Hours The shop will close early, at 8pm, on Thursday, November 6, to prepare for the Shop Hop festivities. Art and open knitting will still take place. Art will be at the normal time, and open knitting will run from 5:30pm‐8pm. As stated above, we’ll be open 9:30am until 7pm on Friday, Novem‐
ber 7th, and 9am‐5pm on Saturday, November 8th. Dabble & Babble for Knit Michigan Dabble and Babble is going to be an evening of fun, entertainment, snacks (let us know if you’d like to help by bringing a snack to share) and fundraising. It’ll be held on Sat‐
urday, November 15th (Hunting Wid‐
ows’ Weekend), from 5‐10pm. Fun abounds! Here’s how it’ll work… You’ll need to sign up for this event and make a minimum donation of $20, cash or check, to Knit Michigan. We’ll have four class areas set up throughout the evening, each teaching one‐hour “dabble” classes. That just means we’ll focus on one thing only, and get you started (unless noted). There are all sorts of things, for all sorts of crafters. Classes are all free, but you’ll need to cover any materials cost. When you sign up for the event, you can sign up for the classes you want, too. Take as many or as few as you’d like. Some materials will be paid for when you sign up, others will be paid while you’re there (the prices may vary on those). Many of the classes are based on new items being shown at Shop Hop that we would normally offer classes to help you with. In‐
stead, you can do everything in one evening, and still be helping out a great cause at the same time. Can’t wait to hear what we’re offering? You’re in luck – here we go!! Beaded Jew‐
elry – Tami, a new friend, has outstanding bracelets (among other kits) that you can make & take that evening! The kits are only $9.50! ANYONE can make these, even Lori, and she has no jewelry‐making ex‐
perience whatsoever. The band is actually elastic and will fit any size wrist. The beads are Kazuri fair trade beads, so we love that, too. You really can’t go wrong with this one—
it’s quick, easy, and a fantastic gift idea for the Holidays. Needle‐Felted Silk Scarf – This class is always popular around the Holi‐
days. Learn to make this gorgeous silk scarf in just one quick class! Kit and felting materials are ad‐
ditional and will be avail‐
able the evening of the event (hopefully before, but the scarves have to be dyed). It’s another “make and take,” perfect Holi‐
day gift, and the best part is… you get to pound on something and take out all your aggressions. You’ll be happy, re‐
laxed, AND be working on that Holiday list all at the same time. Can’t say that when you go the mall during the Holi‐
days, can you? Clay Buttons – Have you been eyeball‐
ing Cris’ gor‐
geous, hand‐
made clay but‐
tons? They’re beautiful (shown here). For $10, you can learn to make them and cus‐
tomize them. Then come back later on during the event to glaze them. Cris will take them home, fire them, and call you to pick them up before the Holidays. This is a great way to create the perfect accessory for a new sweater, too! Can’t decide what you’ll use them for? That’s easy—buy new yarn to match them! Yarn Dyeing – We had so much fun with this at retreat that we’ve decided to offer it again. We’ll be dyeing ½ hanks of fingering weight yarn, using two or more colors of Kool‐Aid. You can bring your own materials (visit us at Shop Hop!), or you can purchase them that evening, based on how many colors you choose, etc. Materials price will be under $20, even with a full hank of yarn. Hand/Chair Massage – Our very good friend Ann, a professional massage therapist, will be doing 10‐minute hand or chair massages for $10 each. ALL proceeds are being donated! You’ll be able to choose your appointment time when you register. Quilted Stitch – This beautiful stitch will be shown in two different Shop Hop items at Skeins. It’s normally a class in itself, but tonight you can learn to do it for nothing more than your initial donation. Don’t worry – it just looks complicated. This one is really pretty easy, but gor‐
geous. In order to help everyone who needs it, we’re requesting the pur‐
chase of the materials from Skeins either at Shop Hop or the week after to create one of our exclusive items using this stitch. Woven Stitch – Estonian Stitches, including this one, aren’t difficult. They simply challenge you to move your hands in ways you’ve previously been told not to. By doing that, you’ll be able to start the gorgeous cowl offered at Shop Hop, using Stitch Sprouts Yellowstone yarn. Yummy! In order to help every‐
one who needs it, we’re requesting the purchase of the pattern and ma‐
terials from Skeins using this stitch prior to taking the class. They’ll be available at Shop Hop. Look closely—
the knit stitches go in both directions on this one! Nupps – This word, pronounced “noops,” is just fun to say! The stitch is pretty fun to do, too. It’s another of the Estonian Stitches. Try using it around a neckline, at the bottom of a sweater, or maybe, for instance, on a pair of fingerless gloves? Check them out in action at the bottom of the photo for the quilted stitch – they’re right there above the fingertips, look‐
ing like a little string of pearls. It’s not only fun, it looks really cool, too! Again, just bring some scrap yarn. In order to help everyone who needs it, we’re requesting the purchase of a Shop Hop project using this stitch prior to taking the class. They’ll be available at Shop Hop. Dabble & Babble for Knit Michigan Intro to Art – Geri, our amaz‐
ing art teacher at Skeins, is generously of‐
fering her time and talent to teach an intro‐
duction to art that is guaranteed to prove you really can do it (has she met Lori yet?). Sit with her for an hour and walk away with your first completed piece. Fun, fun!! The ma‐
terials fee on this one is $20, includ‐
ing the brushes and canvas you’ll get to take home with you. We’re confi‐
dent you’ll be needing them as your inner artist emerges. Fur, fur, fur! Fur is the hot‐
test thing out there right now. Ameri‐
cans can’t get enough. Sue will be teaching you how to get started on some fun pieces, using faux fur and yarn (yes, you have to knit for these). The knitting is the easy part, as long as you can knit and purl. And the fur isn’t difficult, it’s just a little scary to start for the first time. You’ll learn to mark the fur and pick up your stitches, and you might even get a chance to start knitting. We do require a fur kit, available at Shop Hop or the week after, for ma‐
terials for this class. Beginning Crochet – Crochet is one of those things every knitter should know, even if they only learn the basics. Not only can you use it to create virtually anything, but it makes a great accompaniment to knitting. For this class, Jen C. will teach the basics of crochet. Learn to make a chain and single crochet. From there the rest is easy! For this one, just bring some scrap yarn and a crochet hook of an appropriate size. If you need help with that, our tal‐
ented staff is happy to assist. Movie & Popcorn – for those who just want an evening out, we’ll be running movies and “movie theater” pop‐
corn in the front of the shop all evening. Kick back and relax, enjoy‐
ing the company of others. Our instruc‐
tors will come up and help answer ques‐
tions as often as possible. Soap Making – Join us in the kitchen for Soap Making 101. We’ll learn the “melt and pour” method of making soaps, coloring them, and scenting them. Each participant will make multi‐
ple customized soaps, perfect for gift giving at the Holidays. Materials cost will be $6 per batch of soap made, which is equivalent to 2 large bars of soap, or a little more than six minis (they’re not THAT mini—they’re pretty perfect for stocking stuffers). It also includes use of the molds, the scents, the coloring, etc. We’ll have two differ‐
ent bases to choose from and can pur‐
chase more than one set of materials. We’re very sorry, but the molds must stay with us. Psychic Medium – Cookie, one of the most renowned psychic mediums in our area, will be joining us to do readings. The readings will be by appointment. The cost is only $30 (includes gratuity) and is payable when you schedule your appointment. In the event you’re run‐
ning late, we’ll do our best to resched‐
ule you at a later time that evening. So there you have it. Phew! That’s a lot to remember and type! There will obvi‐
ously be A LOT going on that evening. Some classes will be offered more than once, others may not. For the Nupps, Woven Stitch, Quilted Stitch and the fur kits, please only sign up if you’ve pur‐
chased (or plan to purchase) a kit at Shop Hop that uses one of those stitches. We know that’s tough since you don’t yet know what the kits are. Just ask us and we’ll show you exam‐
ples of the stitches and describe the kits to you. Our Classes Classes at Skeins Our class session has just begun, but it’s definitely not too late to get in on the fun. Classes are $50 for each 6‐
week session (since it’s already started, you’d be pro‐rated) and stu‐
dents enjoy a 10% discount on all in‐
stock, regularly‐priced yarns during the class session. Class times are as follows, with full classes shown in gray and drop‐in classes shown in red: Monday, 9:30am‐11:30am w/Cris Monday, 12noon‐2pm w/ Lori Monday, 5‐7pm w/ Lori Monday, 5‐7pm w/ Sharon Monday, 7‐9pm w/ Lori Tuesday, 9:30‐11:30am w/ Lori Tuesday, 1:30‐3:30pm w/ Cris Tuesday, 5‐7pm w/ Jen L Tuesday, 7‐9pm w/ Jen L Wednesday, 9:30‐11:30am w/ Cris Wednesday, 12‐2pm w/ Cris Wednesday, 4‐5:30 Young People’s Knitting w/ Cris Wednesday, 5‐7pm w/ Lori Wednesday, 7‐9pm w/ Lori Wednesday, 7‐9pm w/ Sue Wednesday, 7‐9pm w/ Jen C Thursday, 9:30‐11:30am w/ Idy Thursday, 12‐2pm w/ Idy Thursday, 4‐5:30pm Young People’s Knitting w/ Idy Friday, 9:30‐11:30 w/ Trish Friday, 12‐2pm Drop‐In w/ Idy Saturday, 10am‐12noon w/ Lori Saturday, 12:30‐2:30pm w/ Lori This drop‐in list is for the week of No‐
vember 3rd only and may change weekly. We’ll post a new list in each week’s newsletter so you don’t miss the fun! Events‐at‐a‐Glance Shop Hop – Nov 7 & 8 9:30am‐7pm on 11/7 9am‐5pm on 11/8 Dabble & Babble – Nov 15 $20 5 – 10pm Open Knitting – Thursdays 6‐8:30pm (no charge)