Millicent’s News

April 2006

 

Millicent’s Yarns & More

27 N. Centre Street, Cumberland, MD 21502

Shop Hours:  Tues – Sat, 10 –5,
Wed open late until 7

 

Millicent’s “summer hours” begin April 1 and continue to Sept 1.

This means that we will be open on Tuesday through Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM, but no longer on Sunday.  We will resume Sunday hours again in September.  We will continue with Wednesday Knitter’s Night Out, but we will close at 7 PM rather than 9 PM.

 

SUMMER KNITTING IS COOL !

So, and you thought knitting was a winter sport!  Summer knitting is delightful!! You can let your hands run through the silky cottons and cool linens.  You can knit or crochet small – stop thinking afghans or  felted suitcases or sweaters for your very tall and very large husband, and begin thinking  SMALL:   summer bags, socks, tees, tank tops, fashion belts, sun hats, evening shawls and wraps.  The possibilities are endless, and we’ll be guiding you through them in our classes and summer activities.   Mel has already been busy knitting and crocheting summer bags – pretty, unusual, quick, and delightful!

 

New Yarns  -- and many new patterns

One of our favorite new yarns is Laurel, by Schaefer Yarns.  This hand-dyed cotton feels like silk.  The colors used are vibrant, unexpected and breathtaking.  I’ve made a summer bag  sample for you to see in Laurel in greens, creams, pinks and peach colors – the response is overwhelmingly positive.  Laurel is flying off the shelves.  The bag pattern is free to you with purchase of the yarn. 

 

Cotton Stria from our favorite Manos Del Uruguay returns in many colors and with many new patterns.  Cotton Stria is wonderful for baby and children’s items, and soft and lush for adult sweaters, vests, and tees.  We now have three collections of women’s patterns using Cotton Stria for your viewing pleasure and many children’s patterns designed by Minnowknits. 

 

Another new yarn for Millicent’s this season is 2nd Time Cotton from a company called K1C2 which is known for its sophisticated designs.  Second Time Cotton, in concept at least, is much like the Silk Tibetan yarn we have in store – it is yarn spun from what is left at the mills which would otherwise be thrown away as too little for this or that production.   It is a marled yarn, which means that has strands of yarn of two or even four different colors that are spun together to give a color collage.  Mel has  got a summer bag underway in this cotton too!

 

We have brought in several summer yarns from the Berroco Yarn Company – ribbons and cottons that knit and crochet into summer sweaters, market bags, hats, halter tops, and even a beautiful white child’s dressy dress, which is on my list of things-to-knit.  Accompanying the yarns are four pattern books written for that particular yarn – one just for children’s fashion, one just for crocheters, and two with women’s fashion. 

 

Our selection of linen from Louet Yarns has increased, not only in color but also in weight.  We continue to carry the fine linen called Euroflax Originals and Euroflax Barcelona in a beautiful array of colors, and are now introducing

Euroflax Geneva, a worsted weight yarns.  Linen, like cotton, is derived from a plant, but unlike cotton, gets softer and softer with use and wear and washing and , yes, machine drying!  And our patterns:  shawls, baby  blankets, T-shirts and tank tops, and the sassiest layered “gypsy” skirt you’ve every seen (in a choice of 22”, 30”, and 40” lengths)!

 

Finally, we have our tried and true cottons on hand for you this summer:   the beautifully soft  Cotton Patine from Elsbeth Lavold accompanied by her wondrous patterns, Saucy Cotton and Saucy Sport from Reynolds – strong enough to knit and crochet summer hats that will stand up to heat and droop, Cotton Fleece from Brown Sheep which we have in abundant colors in its DK weight and, also new to our shop, Cotton Fine from Brown Sheep for knitting summer shawls.

 

For all you intrepid addicted felters (ah, me, I have to include myself here), we have renewed our resources and added colors in Cascade 220, Lambs’ Pride Worsted, and Peace Fleece.

 

 

 

 

Deco Ribbon Trunk Show

One of my favorite summer ribbon yarns is Deco Ribbon from Crystal Palace.  The colors are brilliant and the knitting goes fast because it is a bulky weight, knitting at three stitches per inch on a size 10 or 10.5 needle.  I enjoyed knitting the tank top from a Fiber Trends pattern and many of you have knitted the same.  Now Crystal Palace has sent us a specially made  trunk show (think garments on loan for show-and-tell) of a Deco Ribbon shrug, purse, tank and skirt combo, and a stunning jacket.  All of these just to get our summer knitting juices going.  What is especially kind of Crystal Palace is that all their patterns are free off the net – look at www.straw.com for a wide selection of patterns in Deco Ribbon.  I have just crocheted a sweet summer bag and am getting on with a knitted bag as soon as my 2nd Time Cotton bag is finished!

 

Premie Caps Sent to Mississippi

Last week we sent off our first box of premie caps to a neo-natal care unit in a Mississippi Gulf Coast hospital.  There were over 100 little caps in that box – I thank every one of you who helped and continue to help in providing needed knitted goods for the hurricane stricken areas.  Please don’t forget our effort – the babies are still coming!  We have found that you can get two caps from one ball of Dreambaby DK and three caps from Italy Baby cotton.

 

New Call for Chemo Caps

My yarn rep, Donna, who was in Mississippi after Katrina and who has handed her yarn shops the challenge of helping out, now gives us a new challenge.  In the six months since Katrina, one hospital has been able to open its department for cancer patients, and an  Oncology Center independent of any hospital has been able to re-open its doors.  Donna tells me that the need for chemo caps is urgent.  I will have free chemo cap patterns at the shop for use with Chinchilla yarn.  I also have other chemo cap patterns or you can go on the net to search for chemo cap patterns.  Please use an especially soft yarn, like Chinchilla.   And here’s my challenge to you:  I have perhaps 80 to 100 balls of Chinchilla in the shop.  Let’s see if we can use them all for Chemo Caps for Mississippi.  Moreover, for every cap you knit and return to the shop, I’ll give you a 30% discount on your next ball of Chinchilla.

 

Last Call for the Beth Brown-Reinsel Workshops  The weekend of the Aran sweater workshop and the Latvian Mitten workshop are upon us finally – how long has this wait been?  15 months?  Well, we’re here!  Yeah!  There is still room in both workshop (Beth allows as many as 20 participants).  If you have been mulling over this opportunity to learn from one of the best teachers of knitting in the country, the time to decide to be part of our workshops is NOW.  Call Mel at 301-722-8100 for more information.

 

MAY WORKSHOP in TRIANGULAR LOOM WEAVING

Another great opportunity has come to us.  Those of you who go to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Show have probably seen the large display of triangular looms of all sizes up on the hill near the classroom building.  They are manufactured by Carol Leigh and her husband who travel to Maryland from Missouri.  At her shop – Hillcreek Fiber Studio -- Carol gives workshops and classes that explore the many possibilities for working with a triangular loom. While ordering looms for our Intro to Triangular Loom class, I lamented to her  how far away she was from us and how inaccessible her classes were.  And then, bingo!, we both realized that she would be in our area in early May.  She has agreed to come to Cumberland to offer a two-day triangular loom workshop.   While the workshop is open for beginners, Carol will be taking us far from the “potholder loom” mentality and encourage us to explore various weaves and color combinations.  Carol will bring a seven-foot loom for each of us to use during the workshop and will work us hard.  We will be at it from 9 AM to 7 PM on Tuesday, May 9 and Wednesday, May 10.  The two-day workshop fee is $100.  You will need to purchase your yarn for your weaving, and I ask that folk pitch in with snacks etc for the group.  I can make arrangements at a local bed-and-breakfast for those of you from out-of-town.   For more information and to register, call us at 301-722-8100.

 

New Television Series on Knitting and Crocheting

Don’t forget to see Lily Chin’s new show on the Oxygen Channel, Sundays at 3 pm.  Lily was named a “Master Knitter” by Vogue Knitting International and is recognized as the world’s fastest crocheter.  On of our teen knitters has already taken up one of her ideas and is making it for a present. 

 

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

 

 

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