GOTTA-GO-SALE  February 8 - 12
It's time to empty some of Millicent's shelves so we have room for spring and summer yarns (oh, yes, the warm weather of last week will return -- in a couple months).  You'll find wools, wool blends, some baby yarns, even some of our cottons on sale.  Prices will be just right for building your stash!

Millicent's Is Looking for Parttime Help
We are swamped with the growing interest in knitting!   And Mel can't get to the paperwork with the phone ringing, the email waiting to be answered, the classes to be taught, the sales to be rung up, and most importantly, the many customers to help out.  Mel needs HELP!!

We "pay" our help with with yarn, supplies, and books.  You work for the equivalent of $6.00 to $8.00 per hour (depending on your knowledge of knitting, crocheting, and customer service), and we let you select whatever you would like at Millicent's Knits & Yarns for your dollars earned.  WHAT A DEAL!!

We are looking for a quiet yet competent indivdual/individuals who is friendly and helpful with the public and has a strong willingness to pitch in.  We are looking for a listener, not a talker (our customers come to Millicent's to be nurtured -- right everybody?)  An advanced beginner or higher knowledge of knitting and some smattering of crochet is necessary.  The rest we can teach you.
 
If you are interested in working one or more days for three to six hours a day, call us at 301-722-8100.  


February Classes
January, February and March are the best months to learn new skills in knitting -- let's face it, the craze of holiday knitting is over and gardening frenzy has not yet begun.  It is a good time to nuture yourself and build your skills so that  next year's holiday knitting will be a new challenge for you and great new surprises for your friends and family.

Our focus for February is color work and design.  We will be teaching skills for adding design and color and will use the new skills creating purses and bags.  We will introduce you to intarsia, mosaic, stranded color work, short row work and beaded knitting.  This might sound like Greek to some of you, but explanations of these terms are included in the class descriptions.
 

2005 Knit-Along

Our Knit-Along for 2005 will be a follow-up from the Gansey Workshop.  Join us on February5 as we venture forth on our adult-sized Gansey Sweaters, complete with cables and stitch patterns, traditionally constructed shoulders and gussets and welts – the whole she-bang!! Patterns are available in Beth’s book entitled Gansey Sweaters, and I have several modernized Gansey patterns available as well. 

 

What is a Knit-Along?  It is a four-month-long support group for those of us who struggle with completing large projects (you’ll know if you are that kind of person if you look at your stash and see lots of yarn for sweaters and afghans that haven’t gotten past the ribbing!)  We meet once a month to compare notes, encourage one another, and generally have a good time.

 

The Gansey Knit-Along will take place on Saturdays from 2 to closing on Saturdays, January 29,  February 26, March 26, and April 23.  We ask that you purchase your yarns and supplies at Millicent’s.  The Knit-Along fee is only $5.00 per meeting.  Join us – we have a lot of fun.

P.S.  For those of you who explored this idea with us last year, you’ll remember that the number of participants grew increasingly smaller through our three Knit-Alongs.  Okay, okay, we bit off more than we collectively can chew!   We will focus on just one project per year from now on.

 

Superbowl Party at Millicent's
Not too long ago a customer came into the shop and mused, "Wouldn't it be nice to have a quiet party for knitters on Superbowl Sunday?  I just hate being at home with the guys and the television blaring!" 

We couldn't agree more and are now officially announcing  the First Annual Superbowl Party at Millicent's Knits & Yarns.  Leave the chips, chili and dip at home for the guys and bring your veggies and sweets and your knitting, crocheting, and tatting to Millicent's on Sunday, February 6, between 2:00 and 5:00.  Won't it be nice to have the quiet?

Oh yes -- I almost forgot -- our Superbowl Party friends have first dibs at the Gotto-Go Sale!


Beading Comes to Millicent's
Beading is an ancient art form which has been revived in the last several years.  It has become particularly popular among knitters and crocheters. 

Our Queen of Beading is Carolyn Groves who is also our crocheting and tatting teacher and is a more than a fair knitter too!  Last month Carolyn challenged the brave and the few to learn to knit mini-pendant bags using thread and size 0000 needles!

Our February beading class is for the less brave of us who want to use at least a size 0 needle!  See our Classes Page for more detail.

We will be getting in kits of beaded bags and scarves in the near future and hope to be offering more beading classes in the future.


April Purse and Bag Show

Our Purse and Bag Show in  April will be at Millicent's Knits and Yarns.  Millicent's invites you to create your heart out making purses (small and very small) and bags (large and more) and then exhibit them at Millicents.  All entries or loaners must be tatted, crocheted, knitted or woven or using fiber arts of some kind.  During the month of April, we will have your masterpieces on display to inspire other knitters, crocheters and tatters.  You may price them for sale.  

The April Purse and Bag Show will be held between April 5 through April 30.  All loaners (items to exhibit) must be delivered to Millicent's Knits & Yarns by Saturday, April 2.  Pieces may be picked up during the week of May 3 - 7.

Something New:  Short Courses
Mel used to work at a small school which had "short courses" every Friday afternoon.  These were given to expose the students to something they wouldn't otherwise learn about in the classroom.

We are introducing this same idea to Millicent's.  Our short courses will be only 2 1/2 hour long classes which, in February at least, will be a jump start to anyone wishing to learn basic knitting skills in order to make the ever popular scarf -- the fashion accessory of the year(and last and the year before that, I think).  The short classes are priced at $20.00 only (1/2 price for students) plus the cost of materials. 

See our class page for days and times.  Please register ahead!


"Ask and ye shall receive . . . ."
Customers have asked for particular patterns recently and they are now in:
* A Felted Flock (toy sheep from Fibertrends)
* Spiral Hats (also from Fibertrends)
* Entralac Bag (from Oat Couture)
* and many many poncho patterns from infant to X-large, heavy weight to feather light


Free Pattern for Blue Heron Yarns Chenille
Almost everyone has stopped by the Blue Heron Bulky Chenille displayed in the front of the shop.  Priced at $32.50, the yarn needs to be used well.  Here is a simple pattern to produce a beautiful scarf:

CO 25
Section A
Row 1:  K5 (KPKPK) K5 (KPKPK) K5
Row 2:  K5 (PKPKP) K5 (PKPKP) P5
Rep Rows 1 and 2 three times total

Section B
Row 1:  (KPKPK) K5 (KPKPK) K5 (KPKPK)
Row 2:  (PKPKP) K5 (PKPKP) K5 (PKPKP)
Rep Rows 1 and 2 three times total

Alternate Section A and B until there is just enough yarn to BO.

TGKA/CGOA Regional Conference 
 The Knitting Guild of American and the Crochet Guild of America are having their Regional Conference in Pennsylvania -- almost in our back yard -- from March 31 to April 3.  The conference, held at the Valley Forge Convention Center in King of Prussia, PA, has three days of knitting and crochet classes, fashion shows, a yarn market, and banquets in-between.  For more information see www.TKGA.com or talk to Mel.

Happy Knitting
From
Mel and Dick
at
Millicent’s Knits & Yarns

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