Millicent’s News

March 2006

 

Millicent’s Yarns & More

27 N. Centre Street, Cumberland, MD 21502

Shop Hours:  Tues – Sat, 10 –5,
Wed open late until 9, Sun 2 –5

 

 

HERE’S WHAT’S COOKING AT

MILLICENT’S YARNS & MORE!

 

Interweave Knits Trunk Show – Wrap Style!  February 21 - 26

Millicent’s is hosting a trunk show that has many of the capelets, capes and ponchos in Wrap Style from Interweave Knits.  Wrap Style is one of those books from Interweave Knits which we have come to know and love:  published this fall, it is a collection of beautiful patterns written at all skill levels for knitters and crocheters.  The visiting trunk show gives us a chance to see them, feel them, and indeed become inspired from them.  This trunk show will be with us for only one short week – from February 21 to February 26.  Be sure to stop in! 

 

Capelets, Ponchos, Shrugs, Stoles, Shawls and Wraps

There has been a resurgence in the popularity of ponchos and capes and other unstructured garment that hug or drape the body.  Collectively these are called wraps (think of the old movie line:  “Just a minute, I have to get my wrap). And they are popular with knitters and crocheters.  Because they have no sleeves or armholes to speak of, a wrap can be quite easy to knit or crochet and are satisfying to wear.  Here’s the scoop on what’s what:

Shawl: shaped as a square, oblong, or triangle, it wraps around the head or shoulders (think Fiddler on the Roof).

Stole:  a long, wide scarf that is usually worn across the shoulders, but not over the head (think vestments)

Shrug:  a woman’s small jacket formed by two sleeves that extend across the back, made by sewing together the lower ends of a rectangular shawl to create the bottom half of an arm (ie, cuff to elbow, or cuff to shoulder)

Poncho:  cut a hole in the center of a wide shawl and you’ve got a poncho

Cape:  cut aponcho open in the front and make it fit closely at the neck and loosely around the shoulders

Capelet:  a short cape that falls above the elbows

All these garments are discussed in WRAP STYLE  from Interweave Press available at Millicent’s.  There are wrap patterns here for every knitter:  from simple ponchos made from a single rectangular piece, to felted capelets, triangular lace shawls, to short and long-sleeved shrugs.    This small book is also wonderful in that it has a whole chapter on designing your own wrap, with many ideas and directions. 

Millicent’s will be holding a two wrap classes in March.  Look for details at the Classes Page on our website! 

 

Spinning Class --  Sunday, March 5

We are offering one last Sunday Spinning Workshop on March 5.  Maureen Pritchard, the Barefoot Spinner, comes to us from Romney and teaches both drop-spindle spinning and spinning on a wheel.  Please register ahead for this class.

 

New Weaving Workshop  -- Saturday, March 11

A Weaving on Triangular Looms  Workshop will take place on Saturday, March 11, from 10 - 2.  There are still 3 spaces available for this workshop.  Please register as soon as possible.  Small triangular looms are available for class work and for purchase.  This weaving process is only a few steps more complicated than pot-holder loom weaving and result in beautiful end products.   You can see several triangular loom projects in process at Millicent’s.

 

Our Rigid Heddle Loom Weaving class was a great success!  Students learned how to dress or the loom, worked on stitch patterns and experiments with various kinds of yarns and fabrics, and finally started (or finished!) a larger project.  Shirley Carnahan is a very patient and clear teacher, and all students finished the three week class feeling excited about their new skill.  This class is in demand, however.  Our Weaving on a Rigid Heddle Loom Classes for April and May are already full.  We will be offering more of these classes in the future.  If you are interested, it is best that you register with us so that we can plan ahead.

 

Both triangular looms and rigid heddle looms are available for rental or rent-to-buy programs. 

Karen Phillips-Shwallon Embroidery Workshop – Sat., March 18 

There is still time to sign up for the embroidery workshop being held on March 18, 2006 from 10 am to 3 pm.  Students have enjoyed the skills learned.  If you are interested, please sign up SOON.  It is not necessary for you to have attended our earlier workshops to enjoy the upcoming workshop.  Each class fee will be $45 with materials provided.  There may be a small fee for additional materials. You can also purchase from of Karen’s own patterns.   Karen’s talents as an embroiderer are exceptional:  A  large sampler of her work on display at Millicent’s to March 18.  Don't miss out on this opportunity.

 

Beth Brown-Reinsel Knitting Workshops, Sat., March 25 and Sun., March 26

How lucky we are to be having Beth return to us this year.  Beth is a nationally recognized and much-in-demand knitting teacher and designer who gave a workshop on Gansey Sweaters for us last year.  This year she is offering two workshops:  Aran Sweaters Knit from the Top Down (stitch pattern work) and Latvian Mittens (color work) which will take place on Saturday and Sunday, March 25 and 26.  Samples of the items we will be knitting are now on display at Millicent’s – small enough to be completed within the six hour workshop, but large enough for you to learn these exciting techniques.  The cost of one workshop is $125; the cost of both workshops is $220 (a reduction of $30). 

Out-of-town guests are encouraged to spend the weekend at the nearby Inn at Walnut Bottom on Greene Street in Cumberland.

All registrants should send the remainder of their fees to Millicent’s by March 13.

 

Millicent’s will be closed for business March 25 and 26 to accommodate the Beth Brown-Reinsel workshops.

 

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New Television Series on Knitting and Crocheting

Lily Chin, known for her skill and her enthusiasm as a teacher, will be hosting a show on the Oxygen Channel.  The show is scheduled to begin Sunday, March 5 at 3pm.  Lily was named a “Master Knitter” by Vogue Knitting International and is recognized as the world’s fastest crocheter.  She has designed for magazines, yarn companies, and ready-to-wear companies for nearly 25 years and regularly appears as a spokesperson for the yarn industry in media across the U.S.   I know Lily Chin from my visits to The National Needlework Association conventions every June.  Her class on knitting with beads was inspirational.  Her energy is boundless – on day 4 of the convention when everyone else is drooping, Lily is still bouncing about.  I suspect her show on knitting and crocheting will be equally fun, upbeat,  and informative.

 

Join Our Knitting Community! 

Kids Knit takes place at Millicent’s on Tuesdays after school.  We have knitters ranging in age from 6 to 16.  This is instructional time – fees are $5.00 per hour.  Many Moms are learning to knit with us at the same time.

Knit-ins for adults are every Wednesday are from 12 noon to 2:00 and every Friday from 1:00 to 3:00.  Fee: $2.00

Hook-Ups with a crochet focus are on Wednesdays, from 3:30 to 5:30.  Fee: $2.00

Knitter’s Night Out (otherwise known as Knitter’s Therapy Night) begins at 5:00 on Wednesday evenings. $2.00

Winter Sweater Evenings are Wednesday evenings from 6 – 9 through the end of March.  This is instructional time. Fee: $15

 

Cash in on your 2005 Bonus

Your 2005 Bonuses were calculated at the end of the year and are on your bonus cards at Millicent’s, waiting for you to cash in.  The bonuses ranged from $0.02 to $35.   Don’t have a bonus card at Millicent’s?  All you have to do is ask.  We keep your card at the shop, record your pre-tax purchase amount of all yarns, books, accessories, and classes (never hesitate to remind us to record your purchase!), and then we take between 1% to 2.5% of your total purchase (depending on your total).  Your bonus is our way of thanking you for being our customer!

 

 

Happy Knitting and Crocheting

and Tatting and Weaving and Spinning

and Embroidery

from

Millicent’s Yarns & More!

 

 

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Millicent's Knits and Yarns • 49 North Centre Street • Cumberland, Maryland 21502
phone 301-722-8100 • mel@millicentsyarns.com