E-Newsletter: July 17, 2008

Dear Reader,

My husband often tells me that I get my entrepreneurial spirit from my grandfather. With his father and his brother, he owned and operated the Oconomowoc Canning Company until his death in 1964. My grandmother also was a businesswoman. In the early 1920’s she went to work for the Carnation Company and revolutionized their steno pool when she learned to use a newfangled contraption called a typewriter, and then taught the other stenographers to use it as well.

I don’t know what Grandma and Bapa would think of the way business is done today, but I’m pretty sure they’d be pleased with the way their skills and talents have filtered down through the gene pool to me. I know I have advantages they never dreamed of, courtesy of modern technology. The computer gives us the ability to be connected to each other, even though we’re many miles away.

I love opening my e-mail the day after the newsletter has gone out. I hear from so many customers, some looking for a particular item, some looking for help on a project, others just saying “thanks for the update.” For me, this business is so much more than just selling yarn. It’s the sense of community that keeps me opening the door, turning on my computer, unpacking those boxes and writing this newsletter every week.

Thanks, Bapa, for giving me the passion and the moxie to sustain a retail business. Thanks, Grandma, for teaching me to knit all those years ago. Who knew it’d lead to this!

What’s New in the Store

Haste Makes Waste
I was in such a hurry last week to finish the newsletter before the weather finished our electricity that I completely forgot to tell you about the Go Knit Pouches that came in. We’ve carried these for several years and they’ve been quite popular. This year, Jennifer Lipman, the creator of these clever little bags, has dedicated a portion of the sale of the orchid colored bags to Alzheimer’s research.

I was so impressed with the idea that orchid was the only color of these bags that I ordered. They’re in stock, along with Jennifer’s nifty new Go Green Pouch (thatGo Green puch detail comes in many bright colors). The Go Green Pouch is a tiny square pouch that’s filled with a large nylon tote bag. The pouch is attached to the bag and actually becomes a pocket on the inside of the bag. I’m going to have a handful of these in my car for grocery shopping, etc.

This week saw a slew of new merchandise arrive at Yarn Expressions, like:

• Noro Silk Garden Sock in 8 shades
• Berroco’s new Ultra Alpaca Fine
• Mountain Colors River Twist in Firehole River
• Bison/bamboo/merino/cashmere fiber from Louet

What We’re Working On

Vacation Knitting
We’ve been rotating vacation time at the store lately. Jill just got back from a trip to the West Coast to tour colleges with her daughter. She wanted something small, simple and colorful to work on while she was gone. Inspiration struck when she happened to see some partial skeins of Koigu sitting in a basket. She grabbed them and started making socks for Christmas gift giving. Shown here is the first sock, using three cheerful colors done in three row stripes. You can bet that we’re all pawing through our treasure troves of Koigu to see what combinations we can come up with!

What You’re Working On

Such Brilliant Color
This was the week for show and tell of yarn dyed during last month’s workshop. Wendy came in to show us the sock she started with one of the skeins she dyed.

Helen blogged about the yarn she dyed at the workshop. Do click on the link to see the spectacular colors she came up with. I’m in love with them both!

Suzanne was disappointed with the results of her original dye job, so she overdyed both skeins and is delighted with the results. She should be — they’re gorgeous!

What’s Going On Around Here

More Yarn On The Way
We’ve had calls and e-mails back and forth with several suppliers. The next couple of weeks should bring us more boxes than we have room to hold. They’ll contain:

• Lorna’s Laces—Franklin’s Panopticon Shepherd Sock, along with a few hanks of Helen’s Lace.
• Yarn and fiber from Pagewood Farms—Denali, Alyeska, Yukon, and close to 20 pounds of mill ends for scrap yarn blankets!
• Louet’s new Mooi yarn—that luscious bison/bamboo/cashmere blend everyone’s been talking about. We’ve ordered generous quantities of almost every color.
• Cascade 200—just shy of 100 colors. We’re going to have to do some serious redecorating around here!
• Sock yarn from two new-to-us indie dyers. I promise, you’ll love ‘em!

What’s In the Works

KAL’s and Special Events
A knitalong is a great way to get started on a new, enticing project and do it with company. They’re a popular on-line tool, and I’d like to see them come to the real world at Yarn Expressions. We have some ideas for KAL’s we’d like to lead, but I’m hoping that there are folks out there who’d like to start a group project and meet at the shop. We have plenty of space and would love to have the company. If you have a KAL you’d like to begin, or one you’d like to participate in, just let me know. Give me a call or send a quick e-mail. There’s no charge to use our space, we just need a heads-up so we can reserve the space for you.

Mark November 11 and 12 on your calendar. Those are the dates that Robin Page from Pagewood Farm will be here to share her creative talents with us. Not only is Robin an amazing dye artist, but she spins the most intriguing yarns. We haven’t finalized the plans for her classes yet, but rest assured that whatever Robin has to offer you’ll want to learn. Stay tuned for more details.

 

Did you read Dear Abby in today’s paper? In it there’s a letter from someone who wants to know if Abby considers it rude to knit/crochet/quilt during a meeting. Abby says yes, she thinks it is. What do you think? Could you sit still without your knitting? Would you focus better if you had handwork to occupy that busy part of your brain? Let us know what you think, and we’ll share the results of this unscientific poll in next week’s newsletter. Comments for and against are welcomed.

Sincerely,

and all the crew at Yarn Expressions