Millicent’s News

Millicent’s News  --  November 2009

Millicent’s Yarns & More

27 N. Centre Street Cumberland, MD 21502

301-722-8100      millicentsyarns.com

Open Tuesday – Saturday 10 – 5, Wednesday open late until 7

Sunday 1 – 4 (closed  the last Sun. of each month)

 

Millicent’s News  --  November 2009

Millicent’s Yarns & More

27 N. Centre Street Cumberland, MD 21502

301-722-8100      millicentsyarns.com

Open Tuesday – Saturday 10 – 5, Wednesday open late until 7

Sunday 1 – 4 (closed  the last Sun. of each month)

 

Don’t forget our Yarn Tasting this Sunday!

You are invited to a

Yarn Tasting at Millicent’s

Sunday, October 18, 1 – 4 pm

 

You can learn just so much by looking and feeling a yarn at Millicent’s.  But the true test of desire is to try the yarn out on needles, “up close and personal” so to say.  That’s what you’ll be able to do at Millicent’s first ever sociable Yarn Tasting on Sunday, October 18, from 1 – 4 pm.  Bring a small snack to share with others and use this opportunity to introduce a friend to Millicent’s Yarns & More.  See you there!

 

NOVEMBER SUNDAY SOCIAL

Sunday, November 8, 1:00 – 4:00 We’re having lots of fun at our Sunday Socials.  Folks are joining us from Garrett County, Bedford, and even Baltimore.  You come too!  Our November Sunday Social (second Sunday of every month) will continue to celebrate multi-color knitting with a technique called Fair Isle or Stranded Color Work.  Our workshop is geared toward beginners – you do not have to know how to do Fair Isle knitting to join us.  You’ll find the pattern for the FAKE ISLE HAT at:

 

 www:punkyeclectic.com/pattern_fakeisle.htm   

 

(If you are able to print it out from home, it would be a help for us.)  You will need a 16 inch size US6 circular needle and size US6 double points.  As for yarn, you’ll want one skein of Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Worsted and 1 skein Noro Kureyon.  In my two samples I used Lamb’s Pride Worsted with Kureyon, and Cascade 220 with our new Ty-Dy Wool, although any Worsted Weight solid and variegated wool will do.  One blogger used DK weight yarn using the size L instructions for the number of repeats and the size S/M for number of rows or length.

 

Remember that you will receive a free pattern and free instruction, as well as a second pattern to used this new skill, and be eligible for a door prize.  Bring a small snack to share if you feel so moved and join in the fun.

 

BLOCK OF THE MONTH CLUB: ARAN AFGHAN Wednesday, November 4 only

If you have not yet done Dana Hurt’s square on pp. 20 and 21, that is the one we settled on for October.  Look particularly at Charts B and E:  I had the darndest time with those charts (my bad, no doubt) until I figured out that you knit together the two knit/purl stitches from the row below.  Otherwise this square is fairly straight forward.  Our November square is by Dagmara Bertiss from Eggenstein, Germany on pp. 48 – 49.  The seed stitch border has some interesting mitering to it, but otherwise the chart itself, although spidery, is pretty straight forward.  We will meet Wednesday, Nov 4 from

2-4 only. If you are unable to attend, please make an appointment.  We’re almost done!!!!

 

KNITTING CLASSES FOR NOVEMBER We’re coming up to the holidays, so November’s knitting will be Xmas stockings, knitted covers for Christmas tree decorations,  a two-week ruffle scarf class (really unusual and eye-catching), basic socks and lace sock classes, and two Introduction to Knitting classes round out our knitted offerings.  See our Class Listing for details.

 

WE HONOR CROCHETERS! Crochet classes include crocheted covers for Christmas tree decorations, crocheted snowflakes, and (by request) an Introduction to Crochet class.  See our Class Listing for details.

 

THURSDAY AFTERNOON KIDS KNITChildren ages 6 and up are welcome to Millicent’s on Thursday afternoons at 3:30 to 4:30 learn and increase their skills in knitting and crocheting.  Parents are asked to pick up children by 4:45 at the latest please!

 

A QUESTION FOR ALL OF YOU . . .  Do you remember THE question:  Is knitting at a casual social occasion rude?  Well, we have some interesting answers.

 

Nan from Frostburg says: “I do not think it is rude when one knits at social occasions. Knitting is relaxing and one may be part of the conversation as well as eat and drink less.  Everytime that I attend a sporting event, I wish  that I had something to knit since I really feel anxious.”  And she adds, “Congratulations to you for making people happy for 8 years.”

 

Kathleen from Annapolis writes:  Your question intrigued me; here are my thoughts:  I have an opinion on EVERYTHING!  And a strong opinion at that.  Not only have I found that knitting at these social events enjoyable for myself, I like to think that I avoid many a conflict by focusing my energy on that tricky cable rather than interjecting my thought and pointing out the speaker’s general lack of intelligence, hahaha.  So you see my knitting in public is really a public service.  My acerbic tongue is held in place by the clicking of the needles . . .

 

This from Sharon who works in Cumberland:  I take my knitting to many church meetings and book club, to some social evenings, and on airplanes or in the car.  I always take my knitting to baseball games or other sporting events.  I don not enjoy sports but like to spend time with my husband and family.  So, I knit, and they watch the action.  I always take my knitting to conferences.  While speakers at conferences set up, or answer long questions, I can reflect and knit.  If the speaker is not very good, at least I have not wasted my time.  In all instances, I bring simple projects that I can put down easily.  I usually sit in an inconspicuous place, out of the center of attention.  Knitting calms me and allows me to be more reflective and considerate.  When I am knitting, I respond to conversations more slowly and thoughtfully, giving other people an opportunity to speak.  In addition, as my hands are busy, I drink and eat less.  I do not take my knitting to church services or to concerts or plays.  I feel that worship requires my full participation.  I always knit in from of TV and during long phone conversations.  I have never had anyone complain about my knitting, though some people do look at me with envy.  They probably wish they had something to do with their hands.  It is rare that I am the only person in a group knitting.

 

Yet another Sharon writes from her job at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center:I do not feel that knitting at casual social occasions is rude, nor should it be considered so.  Do any of the men turn on the television or the radio and listen to a football game or baseball game?  What about taking telephone calls?  We are talking casual here, and the person involved puts her work down and looks people in the eye when she is engaged in conversation with them.  That is polite, not rude.  My former mother-in-law criticized my knitting when my husband and I went to visit, telling him she though I was being rude and not giving her my full attention.  Of course, it was alright forher to do her needle work at the same time while we visited, and never a word was said to my face while I was there.  Life is too short to waste time on such small areas of concern.  Better she knit than knit-pick.  You may sign me . . . Older and wiser.

 

And now from the other point of view:

 

Maxine from Cumberland told us:  I knit and had the needlepoint shop.  It seems impolite to do such work at social events.  You can’t concentrate on either project and enjoy it.

 

Karen visiting from Sherman, New York said:  I work with someone who brings her knitting to meetings. This bothers me because I feel that it is disrespectful to the people running the meeting.  In a professional setting, knitting is not appropriate.

 

And from the Ask  Amy column (that started this whole she-bang):

 

“I cannot believe that you responded to “Knit Wit” by saying it’s OK to knit when you are a guest at someone’s home.  We had two couples over for dinner, and one guest asked it we would mind her knitting.  What could we say?  Knit Wit’s husband was right – it is rude.  For a couple of hours together when the host has fixed a dinner, if you cannot do without your knitting, stay home!”

 

And this from a male respondent:  “ I completely agree with Knit wit’s husband who thought it was rude to knit while in casual company.  I completely agree, and I think a lot of men would agree that this is rude.  People like to be paid attention to when they are speaking.  To be fair, I think that a lot of me like to be listend to more than we like to listen, but that’s another topic for another day.”  Signed “Knitting Widower”

 

Mel’s thought:  What is up with this guy?  Just a little jealous?  I knit everywhere, during announcements at church, in the doctor’s waiting room, and yes, during social occasions.   If the conversation gets intense, I’ll put my knitting down to blast out my opinion.  In brief, my knitting is part of my physical being—just an extension of my fingers -- and all my friends know it!  Thanks to everyone who responded.  This was fun!

 

Maryland Cancer Group Looking For Some Knitters

This from the Cumberland Times-News written by a Cancer Support Group in Maryland:  The Red Deveils (TRD) are a non-profit organization serving all of Maryland.  Their mission is to fund services to improve the quality of life for breast cancer patients and their families.  TRD ehlp ease the economic and emotional impact of breast cancer by paying for patients’ roundtrip transportation to treatments, meals, house cleaning, prescription co-payments, and other critical needs.

 

We are in need of CHEMO CAPS and SCARVES.  If you are a knitter and are willing to make and donate chemo caps and scarves, tt would be greatly appreciated.  TRD is looking to give the scarves and caps to breast cancer patients for Valentine’s Day.  There are no rules or pattern, just make them with lots of love and be sure to attach a “made by” tag.  Please feel free to visit us a www.the-red-devils.org for more information about us.  Please mail items to The Red Devils, 1220B East Joppa Road, Suite 332, Towson, MD 21286.

 

From Mel:  We do have free chemo cap patterns and very soft yarn that feels good on sensitive scalps.  Let’s do what we can to support this group.  A hat should take two days at the most – that’s no too bad, even at this crazy knitting time before Christmas. 

 

Congratulations to Amy Haskew, a Frostburg graduate student studying bats and a regular visitor and pal. Amy defended her Master’s Thesis last week and did splendidly.  Hurrah!  Now she can knit full time!

 

 

 Knit on, knit on . . .

Mel, Dick, Judith, Jola, Geni and Joanna

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Millicent's Knits and Yarns • 49 North Centre Street • Cumberland, Maryland 21502
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