Ewe Knit Kits & Yarn

We have a Winner!

Robin is our winner of this first contest from Ewe Knit Kits & Yarn.  This is Pat and she picked the lucky winner of a beautiful Sweater Kit here last evening!  We had about 50 entries.  Some even did research to find out that Peggy's Cove is in Nova Scotia.  It's a beautiful fishing village outside of Halifax, the nation's capitol.  We visited there 38 years ago and went back a few weeks ago.  That is one place in the world that has NOT changed!!  It's beautiful, it's quaint and your are sure to fall in love with the place!

Thank you all for emailing me!  We are sure to have more contests just because everyone was so excited about this one...... AND, we just love excitement!!!

Claudia Hand Painted Yarns

What can I say!?!?!?  I found another yarn that is one of my favorites!!!!!  I met Claudia at the TNNA Convention.  I was immediately attracted to her colors and ordered enough to make a pair of  socks - Spring Break.  Her yarn was the first to be delivered of the things I ordered at the show and this sock was finished in record time.  She does short strands of color and combines absolutely gorgeous shades.  As soon as my "sock" customers saw the yarn, they ran to her website and told me what colors to order.  If you look at Claudia Hand Painted Yarns on the Yarn page at http://www.eweknitkits.com , you will see what has arrived already.  I have since sent in yet another order of this fantastic yarn!!!!  She also sells, sport and worsted weight of the same Merino and many other yarns, all in her wonderful colorways.  It looks like I will be getting some of the "other" yarns as well, since it is making such a hit at the store :o)))  AND, look at my last BLOG before this... The contest is still going on:o))

Vacation!

Just got back from a week away and did we have a great time!  Here is the deal.... email me at bobbiereich@cox.net and tell me where Peggy's Cove is located.  If you are right, your name will be placed in a bowl and we will draw a name for a WINNER of a Kit from Ewe Knit Kits & Yarn.  The drawing will take place on Wednesday, July 12, 2006.  Please make sure you include your name in the email.

Sydney Socks

AND, why would I call these socks "Sydney" socks?  Sydney, my new and FIRST granddaughter, was born on June 1 and I was knitting these through labor and delivery:o))  The yarn is Regia Silk and WOW, how nice to knit!  I knit them together with Magic Loop and enjoyed the process.  Usually, I knit one at a time, but lately, with sooo much knitting going on, I was afraid to do only one and never getting to the second. 

In honor of Sydney's birth and of my completing these socks, the Regia is on sale on our website.  All colors posted are available!  Check out http://www.eweknitkits.com Go to yarn and then Regia.  ENJOY!

Fantasy is Fantastic!

We at Ewe Knit Kits & Yarn just love to receive new boxes from our shipping servers, and Tuesday we recieved 6!  5 of these boxes were our newest yarns.  Four was Fantasy by Dark Horse and 1 was new yarns from Blue Heron - Rayon Metallic and Loop Boucle.  I am finding 2 MAJOR problems with the orders.  I didn't buy ENOUGH!  Everyone who has come into the store has not left without some Fantasy and there are a mere 2 skeins left from the Blue Heron box!

Let's talk...  The owner of both companies came to see me in person about a month ago (distributors and designers TAKE NOTE).  They both told me that they had some great products, did not take a lot of my time and showed me some absolutely great things.  I ordered, they delivered everything that they promised.  I am happy, my customers seem to be happy and all is right with the world.  Of course, I had to take some of this yarn home with me so that I could make sure all was "safe."

Fantasy is wonderful!  It is 50% acrylic and 50% nylon.  This is worsted weight and perfect for baby clothes and EVERYTHING else!  So many people claim to be allergic to wool, but want that feel when they are knitting, and so many do not want to work with wool for babies.  This yarn is perfect for those reasons alone!  I started a pale pink circular baby blanket.  Husband has been out of town for a couple of days and when he is away I become a knitting maniac.  I was able to finish one skein.  Owner of company admits to 205 yards on the skeins (written on the label), but says that not to disappoint people if they are short.  He verbally says there is really about 215 to 220.  I think there is more than that.  I already have a 9 1/2 inch perimeter!  It is very soft and the yarn is a pleasure to knit. As soon as it is completed, the blanket is going in the washer.  The label says the yarn is machine washable.  It says to lie flat to dry, but the sample I saw when this was presented to me had been machine dried and it looked perfect.  I will test dry this in a machine on a delicate cycle... Results to follow when blanket is complete.

In between knitting this adorable blankie and getting NOT ENOUGH sleep, I started working with the Rayon Metallic.  I have a special party to go to the middle of June and hope I finish this in time. This is a DK weight and there are 550 yards per skein.  If you are not familiar with Blue Heron Yarn, this is a small company of hand dyed yarns.  The big attraction (to me and many others) are the boldness of the colors!  Many of the colors are truly electrfying!  The color I chose is Rhasberry.  It has purple, fushia, some burnt orange and it is GORGEOUS!  I am getting 5.5 stitches to the inch on a size five needle (most people would get the same on a #6, but I knit loose).  I have designed a diagonal shell with a cable going down the middle and there is not going to be enough yarn in the color that I chose.  See, I do these things to myself also.  Don't think you are the only ONE!  2 major things have been observed with this yarn... Oh, the colors and it is soooooooooo soft to work with.  The drape looks great and WOW!  I guess that was 4 things noted about the yarn :o)

I could not get pictures of this yarn on our website, because the yarn left here so quickly, but you can see all of the wonderful colors of the Fantasy (what a great name for this yarn) in the yarn section under Dark Horse - http://www.eweknitkits.com .  We have an introductory special on this yarn and minus 2 of the variagated, all are in stock at the moment. 

Multidirectional Scarf

I really spoiled myself with this scarf!  The yarn is The Purled Llama Sierra Silk DK in the KnittaPalooza, 2007 colors.  I knitted it with Lantern Moon needles and WOW!  The pattern can be found in Iris Schreier' book, "Modular Knits" on page 31.  We have the book, the needles and the yarn!!!

In addition, we have some Art Yarns and patterns on our website!!  Please take a look at http://www.eweknitkits.com  in the Patterns section, as well as the Yarn section and see the beginning collection of some wonderful stuff. I have already placed another order for this great yarn! Some Regal Silk has been ordered and is getting ready to be dyed just for us!  If you are into knitting lists and multidirectional knitting, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/multidirectional/ for a really enlightening list!

KnittaPalooza 2007

Oh my, oh my... So much time has passed!  Not only has KnittaPalooza 2006 been over for more than a week, but major plans are on the way for KnittaPalooza 2007.  We all had a great time!  To prove it, we already have 60 guests signed up for next year!  Sally Melville will be joining us, among some other great designers and we are planning an even better time than this year was!  The dates for next year are March 15-18, 2007.  Please put it on your calender and plan to attend the greatest KnittaPalooza ever!

Spring has sprung here in Virginia Beach.  The Dogwoods are in bloom and the azaleas are beginning to pop.  This is such a beautiful time of year!   Spring colors are throughout Ewe Knit Kits & Yarn.  Please come and visit and see the beautiful yarns to knit and crochet great tops for the this time of year... I am knitting a beautiful baby sweater for my new granddaughter who is "coming" in May.  It is in the ever so popular green shade.  The yarn is one of Nashua's new yarns for the spring.  I just completed a beautiful white Babies and Bears sweater in Berroco's new yarn, Touche' for another granddaughter due in August.... Both yarns are wonderfully soft and a delight to work with.  Can't wait to show you!

Soooooooooooooooooooooooooo, did you hear my news in that last paragraph?!?!  In a family that is packed full of boyssssssssssssssssssssss, we are getting 2 girls!  Maybe the tide has finally broken after many generations!  Our three sons and three grandsons (and mannnnnnnnnnnny nephews and great nephews) are just super and we love them ALL.  BUT, wow, pink is such a pretty color and purple too!  And ruffles and frills... I never learned to smock because it isn't a "boy" thing, but that fancy stuff is coming my way!

KnittaPalooza is only 2 weeks away!

Can you believe it!  We are 2 weeks away.  All the planning and we are this close!  Knitters are still signing up.  The momemtum is great and we are all so excited.  Yes, there are a couple of classes that are full, but there is plenty of room for YOU!  The Trunk Shows are starting to come in... Supplies for the teachers are arriving (you should see what Lucy Neatby has sent :o).. Door Prizes are coming in and WOW!  And wait till you see what we have for you!

Everyone who comes in the store is getting really excited.. It must be the atmosphere... It might also be all the new yarn that's coming in.  A couple of years ago, all of the new yarns were all the "fuzzies" , as I like to refer to them.  Now, the craze is "soft"... Each yarn is softer than the next, and soooooooooooooooooo lush!  We also received some Meditation......... Lavender scented.. WOW and FUN!  I am told the scent lasts for 40 washings!  You have to see this!

Quilt Fest

Yes, I am talking about the BIG Quilt Fest in Hampton that is being held this weekend!  Why am I talking about this if Ewe Knit Kits & Yarn is a YARN store?  Not only do quilters like to knit, but Lyn Worley, who will be one of our great teachers at KnittaPalooza, 2006 is there and I took a class with her yesterday!  NOW, I can say that I have taken classes with all three "long distance" teachers who will be with us this year!  Lucy was one of the first teachers with whom I ever took a class.  It was in Richmond, VA in the late 90S.  Edie came to our local guild a few years ago and I took a class on swatching and the Top 10 Tricks that she will be teaching on Friday (March 31).  The class I took with Lyn was How to Design a Sweater.  She didn't know I was coming.  At the end of the morning, she asked if I had learned anything new.  Number 1, believe me, I do not know ALL there is to know about knitting, and Number 2 (and foremost), I always learn something new when I attend a class.  We did a lot of talking about short rows and fit among other things.  Both most of my customers and I do not always fit the shape of a perfect model. We sometimes would like to make changes to the fit of some patterns we knit.  This class was a great experience and a lot of fun!  Come one, come all and we can work on shape of some of your designs.  I don't know it all, but we can always check with the expert if I need additional information!   AND, Lyn is a lot of FUN.  If you live close enough and would like to meet Lyn (she is in Booth #314) and see a wonderful Quilt Show, go to Hampton either today or tomorrow and have a great time! 

A bus load of Quilters from Texas will be visiting Ewe Knit Kits & Yarn today.  They traveled to this wonderful part of the world for this special weekend and are spending their afternoon in Virginia Beach visiting needlecraft stores:o)  Can't wait to meet everyone!

We are back into "Blogging!"

So sorry for the lonnnnnnng delay.  Lots of activity at Ewe Knit Kits & Yarn since October.  Where o where do I begin????????????????  How about the present!

We are extremely busy with KnittaPalooza, 2006 which will be next month!  There is plenty of time to register and be with us for this most spectacular event.  March 31, April 1 and 2.  This will be held right here in Virginia Beach.  There are some great teachers this year - Lucy Neatby, Edie Eckman, Lyn Worley, Judy Wilkinson (back for the the 3rd year in a row), Linda Fraile, Linda Johnson, Sherry Goldstein and Pam Porter.  Classes are filling up and all of the excitement is growing.  Let us hear from you TODAY!  The brochure is on our homepage http://www.eweknitkits.com and we will be happy to mail you one as well!

People are still talking about our great sale we had on Super Sunday.  This has become an annual event and people are coming from far and wide to get some real deals! Please don't forget to come next year to this great event!  It was Feb. 5!

I will include pictures with my next blog to you and I promise it will NOT be months!