Millicent’s News

September 2008

 

Millicent’s Yarns & More

27 N. Centre Street, Cumberland, MD 21502

301-722-8100 or www.millicentsyarns.com

 

 Shop Hours:  Tues - Sat 10-5, Wed 10-7, Sun 1-4

Closed all Mondays and the last Sunday of every month

 

Position Open: 1 Day a Week

There is a position for an assistant at Millicent’s for Tuesdays from 10 – 5 (and possilbly additional days during busy periods). 

Requirements:  a good understanding of knitting, pattern reading, fixing (!), no fear of the computer, some basic understanding of crocheting, good people skills, ability to research

Responsibilities: everything from vacuuming the floors and sweeping the walks to shelving new inventory to assisting Mel in classes – it’s never dull at Millicent’s!

Interested?  Please come in to pick up an application anytime.

 

Trunk Show

We had a surprise Trunk Show of purses and bags from the Pursenalities books which so many of you have come to love.  It came and went in 10 days.  BUT, a second Pursenalities Trunk show will be arriving around August 15 and stay with us for two weeks.  Make sure to come in to see the bags.  We were surprised how big some were and how small others were that we thought would be huge!  We have already had a request for a class to make the Ruffle Bag found in PursenalitiesPlus.

 

Look forward to Fall Classes and Workshops at Millicent’s

Our Fall classes try to cover the basics for new knitters, opportunities for beginners to advance their skills, and a treat or two for more advanced knitters.  In the new year we will take up advanced skills, like cables and color work, and larger projects, like sweaters and afghans.  Our Block of the Month Club will be The Great  American Aran Afghan of cabled patterns.

 

September:  Dyeing Workshop with Maureen at her studio, Introduction to Lace Knitting, a Knit Your First Sweater: Making a Model, Crochet Catch-up, Embellished Felted Bags, Knitting Socks from the Toe-Up, PLUS two times to take an Introduction to Knitting class.

 

October:  Spinning Workshop with Maureen at Millicent’s, Slip-Stitch Hat, Fall Shawl Lace Pattern, Filet Crochet Shawl with Carolyn, Christmas Stocking, and two workshops: Yarn-Substitution Workshop and Pattern-Reading Workshop, PLUS three times to take an Introduction to Knitting class.

 

November: Needle Felting Workshop with Maureen and Dana, Socks and Mittens, Crocheted Snowflakes, Ruffled Bag from Pursenalities, Knitting with Lace Weight Yarn, Seasonal Needle Felting on Hats or Bags, Entralac Socks, PLUS two times to take an Introduction to Knitting class.

 

December: Finish It Class for help in finishing knitted presents,  Fix It Class, two Sunday Gift Ideas Drop-Ins for gift-givers for knitters, and evening Help Workshops during the two weeks before Christmas.

 

Kids Knit Again

Our program for kids ages 6 to 18 who want to learn to knit will be held on Thursday afternoons of every week (except holidays).  The 45 minute classes begin at 4:00 pm.  Children must be enrolled for 4 classes at a time for consistency and reinforcement of skills.  Class Fees are $20 for 4 weeks, plus approximately $15 for a starter pair of needles and 1 skein of yarn for a first project.  As your kid progresses, other needle sizes and more yarn will need to be purchased.  Registration is limited to 6.

 

Sock of the Month Club Meeting Schedule

September:  Wednesday, Sept. 3(5:00 – 7:00)  OR  Sunday, Sept 7 (2:00 – 4:00)

October:  Wednesday, Oct. 1 (5:00 – 7:00 or Sunday, October 5 (2:00 – 4:00)

November:  Sunday,  Nov. 2 (2:000 – 4:00) or Wednesday, Nov. 5 (5:00 – 7:00)

December: Wednesday, Dec. 3 (5:00 – 7:00)  or Sunday, Dec. 7 (2:00 – 4:00)

 

We have four more months of the Sock of the Month Club.  If you have not been active, this is just the time for you to jump in.  We have been busy knitting different stitch patterns, trying out different heels, knitting our socks cuff-down and toe-up. 

 

I have become enamored with sock knitting this year, thanks to our monthly meetings.  I’ve discovered that I can try out all sorts of knitting that I might steer away from on a larger project, like lace and cables.  Socks are small and have a controlled space, so experimenting is a reasonable investment of time.  I’ve tried different kinds of sock architecture and shaping, even knitting two socks at a time.  It’s fun and satisfying.  And there is always something new to master.  Even if I want to knit just plain ol’ socks, I know that even those will be new and exciting because of the variety of self-striping and self-patterning yarns we have.

 

We have brought in many new kinds of sock yarn:  alpaca, merino, hand-dyed sock yarns from a variety of smaller companies (ie farmers from  Connecticut), and the tried and trusted yarns from larger companies.  We have new Opal yarn, and come December we will have Opal Yarns “Harry Potter” colors !!

 

Do feel free to join us, even if you are a new sock knitter.  We learn a lot from each other.

 

2009 Monthly "Club"

We will be working from “The Great American Aran Afghan” pattern for our monthly club, knitting cabled squares, one more complex than the other, until we are SO GOOD at knitting cables and reading cabled patterns that we will be able to crow crow crow!  We have brought in lots and lots of colors in Cascade Yarns (the pattern was written using Cascade) so you will have many wonderful choices for your Aran Afghan.

 

Please remember those who lost all in Iowa:

Carol Anderson of Cottage Creations Designs for knitters is collecting hand-knitted items for devastated areas in Iowa suffering from the early summer floods.  Ninety-nine counties have been declared disaster areas, which means too many people have lost everything, including farms, homes, and personal clothing. Unfortunately the winter is very cold in Iowa.  Carol will work through the Salvation Army to distribute hand-knit items produced by her customers, friends, and shops who purchase her patterns to distribute hand-knits to communities along the Cedar River (35,000 displaced in Cedar Rapids alone) and to the tornado-ravaged Parkersburg area.  Carol and the local Salvation Army are looking for mittens, caps, scarves, afghans, prayer shawls, baby blankets, dishcloths, socks, and infant, children and adult sweaters.

Any items you would like to donate should have the following information:

name of item;  size, if applicable;  fiber content (try for machine wash and dry, if possible);  if desired, your name and address; if desired, please write words of encouragement.

Millicent’s will be a collection center for any hand-knit donations.  Perhaps this is something your church-group or women’s club would like to take on.  Try to find the time to make something:  Carol says that recipients during the last disaster she attended to wept to think that people from far away had them in their thoughts.

 

Fall Fiber Festivals

If you like the Maryland Sheep and Wool Show, the Fall Fiber Festival and Montpelier Sheepdog Trials is similar without the heat and without the overwhelming crowds.  Enjoy it on the Saturday, Oct. 4 (10 – 5) and Oct. 5 (10 – 4) at James Madison’s Montpelier home at Montpelier Station in Orange County, VA.  You might also want to catch the Shenandoah Valley Fiber Festival at the Ruritan Fair Grounds in Berryville, VA on the weekend of October 25 and 26 (10 – 5).  There are classes, workshops, vendors and demonstrations at both of these festivals.  They advertise as family events for “both fiber fanatics and the uninitiated.”

 

New Yarns and Patterns

They are coming in every week, boxes and boxes of yarns and patterns.  Last week we received an absolutely gorgeous yarn from designer Louisa Harding.  It’s contents are 55% merino wool, 35% microfiber, and 10% cashmere, so that it is very soft and rich feeling.  Moreover, this yarn is machine washable.  But the very best part of this yarn is its structure: a multi-plied cabled yarn that makes it strong as a yarn can be.  I brought this yarn in DK weight and Aran weight, and a variety of colors.  I did however get only one bag of each color, so that we could try this out on infant sweaters, hats, mittens, etc.  I suspect, however, that Kashmir DK and Kashmir Aran will become a Millicent’s regular offering.

 

We are also bringing in lace weight yarn that is so beautiful in its color ways – not to be believed. They stem from the hand-dying companies of Mountain Colors and Cherry Tree Hill.  Speaking of Cherry Tree Hill, we have brought in a fresh array of sock yarn from them as well as a DK merino.  And speaking of sock yarn, we now have a sprinkling of sock yarn from Fiesta Yarns – oh la la!

 

From another new company for us, Farmhouse Yarns, in Connecticut, we are bringing in a hand-dyed sock yarn in strong colors, which the owner calls “Fannie’s Fingering” as well as some of the softest merino/nylon blend we’ve come across called “Mary’s Little Lamb.”  Mary’s Little Lamb knits up at 4 – 6 stitches per inch on a US 8 – 6 and comes in skeins of 450 yards priced at only $24.00.  That’s enough to knit an infant sweater with one skein only.  Did I tell you it is soft? . . . . 

 

We have also been bringing in many new patterns.  For children’s sweaters, look at the Roo Patterns which have cute animals knit in intarsia on the front.  We also have great new sock patterns (I keep looking for harder and harder ones to satisfy my need to torture myself – you may like that too!)

 

New Yarns in, Old Yarns Out 

As we bring in new yarns -- ever a better quality than what we’ve had before – we are needing to make room on shelves.  So some of our older yarns are going out.  Be sure to check the 50% sale rack for some very good buys, as well as the front table which has yarns sold a ridiculously low price of $2.00 per skein and free patterns!

 

Suede soon to be gone . . . .

It’s always sad to see a favorite yarn go out of production.  Berroco’s Suede, a 100% nylon tape that looks and feels just like suede, has disappeared from the vendor’s warehouse  and now is going from the shelves of shops.  Our favorite item to knit with suede is a five-ball triangular shawl that is a classy number, and great to throw over a blouse or T-shirt when the evening gets cool.  We have many colors still.  If you have been one of those who have admired our fringed shawl, the time to get this yarn in NOW (pattern for the shawl is free).

 

 

Knitter’s Anonymous Meetings (aka Knit-Ins) every Wednesday and Friday, 12 -2 and Sundays during our open hours (1 – 4)

Hook-Up for Crocheters  every Wednesday 3:30 – 5:00

 

 “Knit on, with confidence and hope, through all crises.”

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