E-Newsletter: July 31, 2008

Dear Reader,

It’s been a quiet week around here. In Huntsville it’s the last week before school starts, so everyone is scurrying around trying to get one last vacation in, or getting school supplies, or just trying to catch their breath from a busy, busy summer. When we’re not unpacking boxes, we’ve been responding to the flurry of e-mails and phone calls about the visit by Franklin Habit in October. You can read more about that in the goings on section.

I was dismayed when I picked up the paper earlier this week and saw the headline "More Price-Hike Pain on the Way, retailers prepare to pass along their higher costs."

Well not here. For the time being, we’ll be absorbing the increases our suppliers are sending our way. For more than 14 years you’ve given us your business and your trust, and we want to do all we can to continue that relationship.

I was without my camera this week, and no one had any photos to share with me, so the news will be shared in words only.

What’s New in the Store

Who Knew Yarn Weighed That Much?
Remember last week when I wondered if we’d have room for the 267 pounds of yarn Plymouth was sending us? Well, the answer is yes. We now have a full restock of Encore Worsted, including a couple of new colors for 2008. We also received a huge shipment of Dream Baby DK, and I learned that my favorite color, #122, a pale pistachio green, has been discontinued. Rats! Also in this shipment was the new Encore DK Sock. Plymouth has taken selected self-striping shades of Encore DK and moved it up to a 100 gram ball — perfect for socks! We have a good supply of all the colors.

Also available now are mill ends of Pagewood Farm sock yarns. This makes for wonderful modular blankets, like the mitered square blanket I’ve been working on forever, or the new Barn Raising Blanket from the book Knit-Along. They’re also great for doll clothes, Janet tells me. We also have a shipment of Mountain Colors Bearfoot mill ends on the way, and hope to have Koigu mill ends in the not-too-distant future.

What You’re Working On

What Are You Working On?
I’ve had many people comment on how nice it is to see what others are working on. I love it when folks come in to show off their newly completed projects. Send me pictures of your projects, or stop by so I can snap a photo (camera will be back in action tomorrow), to share in this space next week.

What’s Going On Around Here

Fantastic Response to 1,000 Knitters Project
I was pleased to be inundated with calls and e-mails on Monday, requesting model release forms and more information on the 1,000 Knitters Project coming to Yarn Expressions on October 11. There still are spaces available, and an e-mail from Franklin today says he’s trying to wangle a few more spots for us. So if you’re interested, don’t delay. E-mail me for a release form today. Just hit “reply” to this newsletter and you’ll have my address.

Several people have expressed reservations about language in the release that reads (in part)

…even though the finished product may be distorted, blurred, altered or used in composite forms, in conjunction with factual or fictional text, either intentionally or otherwise and subject me to scandal, scorn, ridicule, reproach or indignity…

Please rest assured that this is standard language in this kind of release. If you’ve spent any time reading Franklin’s blog, you’ll know that he’s not given to scandal, scorn, ridicule, reproach or indignity. That language is aimed at people like me. I hate having my picture taken. Ask BJ Bass, he’ll tell you that I’ve never seen a photo of myself that I’ve liked. Since everyone participating in this photo shoot has volunteered, they must like having their picture taken. Right? So no problem.

What’s In the Works

More is Always Better
We’re still waiting for our shipment of Cascade 220. I can’t wait to dive into however many boxes 92 colors takes up. We’ll be getting a model of the Great American Afghan too, along with copies of the pattern booklet. Knit-along anyone?

Also expected in the next week or so are more boxes of Pagewood Farm sock yarns and larger bags of their wonderful mixed spinning fiber. The Mountain Colors mill ends leave Corvallis this morning, so they should show up by late next week. Also wending its way to us from the suburbs of Chicago is more Dream In Color Classy, that fabulous machine washable worsted wool that keeps flying off the shelf.

I was excited to read in the Majacraft dealers newsletter the other day that they’re getting ready to introduce a beginners wheel. No word yet on a release date, but I’ll be ordering some when they’re available. If you’re in the market for a beginner wheel, don’t forget that we have a couple of Schacht Ladybugs looking for good homes.

 

Stay cool — don’t let the heat get to you this week, and don’t forget that our spinning group is meeting on Monday, from 4:00 to 8:00. Next week we’ll catch up with pictures of projects and lists of classes for fall.

Sincerely,

and all the crew at Yarn Expressions