Willow Tweed & New Books

Oh boy, all the colors of Louisa Harding's new yarn called Willow Tweed have arrived -- gorgeous gorgeous I'm tellin' ya.

Willow Tweed

Plus I have almost finished a model out of this yarn which you'll see Koryn wearing, as soon as the sleeves are sewn in, from Louisa's great pattern book called "Little Cake".

Meanwhile, this sounds like a broken record, but more new books have arrived.

  

Just an update on Big Sur Betty's -- you would not believe how many gals are coming, and what wonderful gals they are! Really! We are gonna have a fantastic time! You should join us. There's still time to sign up. Call before Tuesday. Come on, do it. Anyone can camp for justonenight!

I realize I haven't given details on another event, Al Wolterbeek's visit on October 13th at 10AM (spinners know him from last year -- the Pleasanton guy with cheap fleeces!!!) but keep that day open because at the very least you can look at little lamb fleeces (so soft!) and nab a free finger-food lunch here at Monarch. More on that later!

Updates

We just got in a faboo new shipment of Heather, that popular scarf/sock merino and silk blend from Schaefer. This is the yarn we use for beaded scarves, and our beads are specially-made to match these colorways. We have more beads on the way, as well.

ooh the colors

Also, we have gotten a little carried away with the embroidery floss. More than 85 colors now!!! This is because we realize that embroiderers like to use several shades of one color to "paint" their motifs, and also because if we're going to be the go-to shop for floss, we might as well go-for-broke! Haha!!

shades and shades

Now here are some other updates: there are scores of knitters who are coming to Big Sur Betty's on October 2 & 3!! We're so excited! Here's a picture, again, of what you'll see when you stand in her field.

Big Sur Betty's!!

Just so everyone knows: this is a super-informal gathering of knitters and spinners, tent-camping, with Betty providing a BBQ on Saturday night and continental breakfast on Sunday morning. We bring pot luck for Sat. lunch (leftovers for Sunday lunch) and there will be a nice goody bag. All for $40. We meet at the top of Nacimiento, and Betty takes us the last 7 dirt-road miles to her place. Flush-toilet outhouse. Out-building with kitchen facilities. Fire pit. Fun fun fun. Knitters everywhere. Redwood forest. Swimming hole. Oh, and astronomy, too. Some planets will be aligning that weekend and we'll have telescopes to see it. How awesome is that? To sign up, call us at Monarch for your ticket.
And for spinners who want a fantastic deal on a fleece, Al Walterbeek is coming back to Monarch next month! Details later!

Show and Tell!

We really can't put into words how inspiring our customers are. And here are a couple of fantastic examples of that:

It's beaded & it's done!

Fawn took the beaded scarf class and just look at what she finished! The colors are so deep and rich and kelp forest-y and the bead hues are perfect for the silk and wool "Heather" yarn.

And then in walks Sue wearing a completed Hanne Falkenberg kit sweater! What a knitter!

Sue in her Falkenberg

Tomorrow: Interesting new stuff, plus a camping update and a Walterbeek redux!!

What else! New Stuff!

We got all of our new dyes in, and onto a new rack in the spinning room:

Acid, Procion, and Indigo Dyes!

Now, Aunt Joan says don't be intimated by dyeing! It's fun and easy and we have everything you need! Aunt Joan uses an old crockpot ("it works great" she sez.) and as for the scary-sounding "acid," she uses everyday vinegar ("fer gawdssake what's the big deal" she adds.)
Procion dyes, for cotton and other non-protein fibers, don't even need heating. We even  have everything you need for indigo dyeing! Except you provide the 5-gallon bucket.
Also just in: a couple of new books, one on knitting animals

 and a re-issue (updated and expanded) of a book I have owned, referred to and loved for a decade, Alice Starmore's Aran Knitting.

 This book has awesome designs (if you're ready for 9 stitches to an inch cable knitting) but also a great stitch dictionary.
Plus, a super gift idea: Wall Calendars!

Wall Calendars

For spinners, weavers, and now, knitters. From Interweave.

And just when you thought Encore had run the gamut, a new look in the same easy-care, economical acrylic wool blend, called Coffee Beenz. It comes in super colors and has a slubby little wrap on it for textural interest.

Encore Coffee Beenz

In the next few days: New gadgets! Plus more colors of Schaefer Heather for beaded knit scarves!

Pretend It's Yesterday

I should have put pictures up for the stuff I talked about yesterday. So, pretend it's yesterday. Here are all the super-saturated colors of the new Louisa Harding Mulberry silk:

Geez check out these colors

And a look at that scarf which would be so cool using the other new Harding yarn, called Sari ribbon.

The orangey one is ribbon threaded through lace-knit mesh

In fact, since the Sari has a strip of glitz in it, you could use a plainer (read: cheaper! Haha) yarn for the second element to this scarf.
Tomorrow: well there's bound to be more new stuff, no? Haha. Or will it be today if we're still in yesterday?

Yes Still More New Stuff

I know it sounds like a broken record but new things arrive every day at this time of year. This time, we got in some new items in the Louisa Harding line.
Now let me say one thing about this line. Many yarn shops reportedly have trouble "moving" these yarns. But we're committed to them because she is a great designer! And her yarns are all so lovely! Plus she obviously cares about the sourcing of her raw materials, and the environmental impact of their manufacture. This is worth something in our book!!!
Her pure silk is literally half the price of the Rowan one we carry, and the colors are incredible. I'll take a picture of the 4 new colors we just got in, adding to the other colors we've had for a couple of weeks.
I made a nice little beaded bag out of this silk, and Koryn is making a dramatic scarf.
Also from Louisa, a beautiful ribbon yarn with a glitzy streak down the middle, called Sari.

Louisa Harding Sari Ribbon

In some of her books, Louisa uses this effectively as a border. There's also a shrug knit entirely of Sari in the Cardigans book. And I've been thinking it would make a superb crocheted evening bag. Plus we have a weave-the-ribbon through lace scarf on display and this is a good choice for that as well.
Finally, the second Feed Your Creativity kit is in -- a lovely cowl made from an incredibly gorgeous alpaca silk blend from Kollage. The limited kits are going fast!

Feed Your Creativity Kit #2

More updates tomorrow!

More New Books & Knit-a-Square Update

Still more awesome new titles have arrived -- again, a wide range for every interest.
If you're knitting for kids, Lucinda Guy has a great new reference book: a whole bunch of charts for cute motifs like cars, tractors, flowers and animals.

And for quick, cute toys, a new Amigurumi book - the fish in here are especially nice.

Speaking of quick -- more unique gift ideas for the too-quickly-approaching holiday season.

And if you want some messy fun, no knitting, awesome, arty scarves, this is for you.

Finally, a nice new Fair-Isle knitting book with superb illustrations.

Today, off went a box of knit squares to South Africa to keep little kids warm. Thanks so much to all who participate in this great cause.

Knit-a-Squares off to South Africa

There was a tiny delay in this shipment because I figured out we'd save a ton of $$$ if we didn't ship it priority. Found a box, saved $25 on shipping. For more info on this endeavor, check out the Ravelry group or their great website,  http://www.knit-a-square.com/

Tomorrow: What else? More new stuff!!!

Fleece Fun!!!

Yep, the fleece auction at the Monterey County Fair was one big laugh riot again this year! Under the hot sun, bidders first looked through all the bags of fleece to decide on what they'd want:

Bags of fleece for inspection

 Then it was time to pay attention to the pretty young auctioneer (her first auction -- she did a fantastic job!).

Auctioneer and helper

 Suddenly, decades long friendships turned to dust as spinners bid against each other (just kidding.) (I hope.)

I got 2 fleeces, and sent one off with June Serio, who's starting her own processing business. I've seen her carded batts before and they're spectacular. So I thought I'd give her a try. My second fleece is variegated, so I decided it would be best to process it myself so I could separate out the white, grey and brown. Here it is on a sheet in my yard:

My new fleece - ain't it cute?

Yep, 3 colors in one fleece

About the only thing I dislike about processing my own fleece is using all that water. So what I'm doing this year is using the water we capture in a bucket each time we turn on the shower to wait for hot water. This will make me feel better about it. I'll post an update when I get some washed.
Meanwhile, hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday, and I hope everyone at the auction got something they wanted!!!

Swan's Island Kid's Vest

Well what a cute vest this turned out to be! The pattern is written, but must be proofed.

Kid's Vest from Swan's Island organic wool

What fun it was to work this cable chart! Hope some of you enjoy making this entertaining project with this most delicious yarn. The pattern should be ready at Monarch by late next week.

Tomorrow: Joan's other favorite day of the year, the fleece auction at the fair. Oh boy oh boy oh boy

Celebrity Spotlight on Spinning

It sure was fun to have a celebrity march into our Wool Show building at the fair this week for a closer look at the past time we love so much!

Leelynn with "California's Gold" host,  Huell Howser

Recognize Huell Howser of the PBS show called California's Gold? A-maze-ing! (That's one of his signature lines). He and his cameraman spent some time with the Anne's Web spinners on Thursday afternoon. Huell had all the gals charmed to the gills!

Marguerite's liking this

And it wasn't just wool; he got a dose of flax-spinning from Claudia; she was practicing what we learned last week at a day-long seminar.

Claudia with flax on a distaff

We sure hope you can get to the fair this year; there's also great stuff to see at both the Home Arts Building, and the fine arts at the King City room. Really, everything is so impressive! You should check it out! But in case you can't, here's a small selection of some Wool Show items: A vest by Claudia with one of Dorian's gorgeous rugs in the background:

Fair Isle vest by Claudia

A nice round-yoked sweater from Connie Pearlstein, don't touch, haha:

Connie's lovely pullover

and my own Nordic Tradition entry:

Nordic sweater by moi

And then today, scores of kids got a demonstration and little historical chat from some Anne's web mavens:

Gerry informs the kids

Don't forget, the fleece auction is Monday, Labor Day, at 12:30PM with a preview for bidders at 10AM. One of my very favorite days of the year! If you can't make it, have a happy and safe holiday!

Fun New Titles

Besides being the time of year for new yarns, it always seems like loads of new books come out around now, and this year the titles are really far-ranging. There's something for everyone!

new entrelac book

The Knitter's Magazine folks have added to their vast knitting collection with an exciting book all about entrelac -- that addicting type of knitting which winds up looking like a diagonal basketweave, but which is not knitted a square at a time and laboriously sewn together, as some would think. This book, "Entree to Entrelac," has a great range of designs for all ages.

Whimsical knitting

For the whimsical knitter, two new really fun books, one called "Knitting Mochimochi" and the other for the nursery. There is actually a Grouchy Couch in the first book, along with non-biting bedbugs with sleeping caps -- well, you get the idea. The nursery book has some cool toys we haven't seen elsewhere.

for the crochet crowd

Crocheters will find these new titles, one for the growing Prayer Shawl movement, the other for little kids' ponchos.

beautiful beaded things

And for the adventurous crocheter, incredibly intricate tapestry crochet with beads. Also in this picture you see beaded jewelry for the tatter. Want to learn to tat? Give Joan a call for a lesson.

for the spinners

Here's a great gift idea for the spinner: a Spin Off Magazine wall calendar. Loads of beautiful pictures, info on the stitches seen, and spinning/wool show events on the calendar. Also, a big huge exhaustive hardcover on wool dyeing, for the truly obsessed.

for the weavers

And finally, some great new weaving titles, including a calendar like the spinners' one, and a rigid heddle weaving book with really great ideas, from one of America's foremost weaving mavens, Jane Patrick.

Well it's off to the fair for some demonstrations and kettle korn!

P.S. We have a few issues of the new Vogue Knitting magazine left. Tomorrow: a peek at the fair.