St. Patty’s Knit Club

It’s the third Sunday of the month again…… where on earth does time go?  I’ve at least got a couple of socks to show you all…. (notice I didn’t mention pairs ;)  The new sock yarn that I mentioned in the last newsletter did not disappoint.  Although not as soft and yummy as the Stitchjones yarns, the colorways worked out beautifully on both the adult and the child-size socks I’ve knitted up.

So I chose a blue/grey colorway (41359), and paired it up with my favorite Pure & Simple sock pattern number 242. I love them.

Not surprisingly, my daughter chose a brighter blue color (41356), and I used Pure & Simple 203 for her eight-year-old feet.  Socks are so portable, gratifying, and useful.  100% Superwash Wool, it keeps feet warm and is easy to care for.  $17.00/ a skein - a great investment for your sock drawer!

“When binding off at the beginning of rows for armholes and necklines, don’t knit (or purl) the first stitch.  Instead, slip it and then knit (or purl) the next stitch and bind off as usual.  Your curved edges will be much smoother.” - Stitch N Bitch Calendar 2008-

I’m personally ready for some sunshine and warmer weather, but the mountain is experiencing some awesome snow and some beautiful days - time to get some skiing, snowboarding, or snow-sport in…. by the look of the cars headed down the mountain, it’s still snowing like crazy at Skibowl and Timberline - Take Advantage!
Happy Knitting!

Knit Club - 3:00 March 15th, Zig Zag Inn Basement

Happy Valentine’s Weekend

Thanks to all who came to January’s Knit Club. We had a great time. Special thanks to Mary, who brought awesome photos from her experience in crossing the Atlantic. Gracias! It’s always fun to find out what everyone’s doing outside of the knitting circle, too!

Socks, socks and more socks……. I don’t know what exactly it is about these little goodies that are so irresistible…. Maybe it’s their portability (stuff it in your purse & go). Maybe it’s the variety of ways they can be constructed ( circulars/dpn’s, cuff down/toe up, etc.). Or maybe it’s just the wonderful colors to be knit up and worn. (See pictures below). Whatever it is, it’s got us knitters entranced to the point that there’s going to be a whole sock convention here in Portland at the beginning of August. Check out the excitement here:

http://www.socksummit.com

So…. to keep things exciting & new around here, I’ve introduced two new sock lines. The first one is from a local Portland dyer - Knitted Wit - lovely pastel colors just in time for Spring. A fingering weight that knits up at 6.5 - 7.5 sts per inch on US 2-3’s. Fiber braids are also available for spinning up your own yarn in these beautiful confectionery colors.

Just in this week….. “Yummy” sock yarn from Fibra Natura. $17.00 per skein, you can knit up a pair of socks in a whole array of colorways. A little thicker Sport/DK weight, knits up at 5 - 6 sts. per inch on US size 5-7’s. Just my kinda sock yarn….. nice superspin for a long lasting pair of socks. My problem: what color do I start with?

“Most of the yarn we buy comes with a suggested needle size. But many handspun yarns or yarns from fiber festivals don’t come with instructions. In order to figure what needle to use, double your yarn and stick it through the various holes in your needle gauge. When you find the best fit, start swatching with the corresponding needle size.” - stitch n bitch calendar 2008-

Knit Club - This Sunday, Feb 15th @ Zig Zag Basement!

To fellow crafter & mountain resident Mary Pennicooke - you will be missed……

Happy New Year

I hope everyone had a fabulous holiday season! Our family had a nice, quiet at-home Christmas. The kids had some fun activities previous to all of the craziness, including the opportunity to see Santa at the Hoodland Pre-School’s fundraiser!

I apologize to everyone for the cancellation of Knit Club and waivering shoppe hours for December…. the crazy weather turned us all upside-down for the holidays! The shoppe & the parking lot were absolutely atrocious for a couple weeks!

The last newsletter I sent out, I introduced new to Cast One On, the Stitchjones colorways. Mostly sock yarns, these colorways are lovely and selling like hot-cakes! Here’s little Miss Aria (yes, that’s Lora’s baby) modeling a hat knit with a green Stitchjones colorway with a Summit Hill purple…. awwwww… how cute!

“According to Irish folklore, if a master knitter placed her needles in the hands of a newborn baby, that baby would grow up to be a master knitter herself. The tale has it that master knitters willing to share their status were hard to come by and liquor was often used to ply the needles out of the older woman’s hands and into the baby’s.”- Stitch ‘N’ Bitch calendar 2008

Next Knit Club -

January 18th - 3:00pm ZigZag Inn

Heartsick

So, I know this blog should be about all things knitting, but I can make a connection here….. if you haven’t read the book yet, there’s a yarn craft reference, however, the tool used is not in typical fashion……
I went to a book signing/reading at the Wy’East Book Shoppe last week, and had a great time listening to Chelsea Cain let us in on her development process, and inspiration. Growing up here in the Washington/ Oregon area, and currently residing in Portland, the references in this series are very familiar for all of us here in the region, including beautiful descriptions of our lovely Mt. Hood.
I will recommend reading the books in order, Heartsick first, then the newest…..Sweetheart, and she’s currently working on a third… with a title to be announced.

Happy Thanksgiving

I hope this newsletter finds everyone happy and healthy for the holidays!

Here we are at the biggest shopping weekend of the year, and Cast One On is participating in great deals for Friday and Saturdy(28-29th)!

20% OFF IN-STOCK YARN* (Online sales use promotional code: TURKEY)

Now…. how to spend your savings??? We have all new Stitch Jones sock yarn is great colorways… just in time to whip up a pair for Aunt Mildred for Christmas! Priced between 20.00-25.00 a skein, enjoy a locally hand-dyed treasure for 16-20 bucks this weekend ONLY!

Also newly in abundunce are the super-soft skeins of Soleil - a great selling “kitchen cotton” type yarn. Makes perfect dishcloths for tossing in a gift basket!

At only $5.00 a skein, these little beauties are sure to worm their way into your stash!!!

“In Estonia during the 17th century, knitting was part of an elaborate engagement ritual. To prepare for her dowry, every woman began knitting when she was young. If a man was interested in marriage, he would send an older woman from his own family to the young woman’s home with a bottle of wine. If the young woman declined his offer, she would send back the bottle unopened. If she acepted, the bottle would come back empty, with mittens or socks tied about the neck with a garter belt. See, even then knitting was consedered sexy.” - Stitch ‘N’ Bitch calendar 2008

Have a great holiday, I wish you all well! And mark your calendar for December’s KNIT CLUB:

DECEMBER 21st - 3:00 Zig Zag Inn Basement

*Sales promotion EXCLUDES Declan Knits, and Stoneyridge Alpacas.

Month-Long Post…

Between my computer being in the shop, and the random craziness in life lately, the following post has been a w.i.p. for what seems like forever, but takes place in about a month’s time…..

Hubby has a job at the Oregon Coast right now, and we’ve been spending a couple days a week doing the beach thing. It’s April. It’s supposed to be spring. The weather is already hit-or-miss at our beaches – let’s just say we weren’t prepared for the intense coldness of last week. This week, however, we packed & dressed like the snow mountain family we are, and came out all right. April. Spring.

Yes, that’s snow in the picture. The big flakes… lots of them… I actually felt very honored to have gotten to see this. The bummer was that the beach itself was actually white for a while and I missed it. We were staying toasty and getting ready for an outing consisting of indoor activities including the “Funland” arcade.
The Seaside Aquarium is a favorite Seaside stop of mine. It’s an old facility with a lot of history and good intentions behind it. The kids find feeding the seals a huge excitement!
We got a few good moments in the sand.
Rolled out the sitting blanket on the snow day… incredible. See the little pink bag next to my purse on the towel? It’s a yarn gem.
I visited a really cute yarn store in Cannon Beach – COASTAL YARNS – I highly recommend the visit. I had heard about “Socks That Rock” (Blue Moon), but not seen them in person. I have never been a sock person, but the Dixie Chick colorway called to me from the shelf – knit me, knit me, knit me. It sat at my shoppe for a week behind my computer before I mustered up the courage to figure out what terribly tiny needles a loose knitter might need to use the Knitting Pure & Simple child’s sock pattern. I can finish a pair for my 7-year old, right?

Yes, no problem. As soon as I cast on those stitches, I was enamored. Yummy colors, nice twist to the yarn, overall a very pleasant experience. Knitting on the beach is a great time….. a little cold, perhaps, but totally worth it for the smells and sounds of the beautiful Pacific Ocean.

So….. do they fit alright? Do they stretch the proper amount to get them over the heel? They’re perfect! My daughter loves them, and even asked if she should just put them in the dirty clothes pile – what a good girl – can never be too careful with homemade knitted goods!
I have a cure for my Second-Sock-Syndrome – SOCKS THAT ROCK! That, and a simple and easy-to-navigate pattern. Needless to say, I ran back in to Coastal Yarns again for two more skeins – one for me and one for my son. He’s a little upset he doesn’t have any socks made of yarn…..yet! So now that I’ve enticed you… they won’t let me have any of this yarn for my shoppe, apparently they’ve saturated the market in Oregon with their three stores… BUMMER! However, I can’t let anyone reading this have the disappointment of denial – they do have a website: http://www.bluemoonfiberarts.com/newmoon/ - tell ‘em I sent you……

In the wake of this disappointment, I comforted myself with some yarn purchases including some new sock yarns! Well, I had to fill the hole in my heart/ shelf/ yarn stash with something, right?

First, from Mountain Colors: I have a couple new colorways, and a revival of the ever-popular Mountain Tango Colorway….. These come out so nice. Thin-ish yarn, but the colors in this buttery soft superwash Wool/ Mohair/ Nylon mix are decadent and well worth a little splurge…from Skacel, I’ve got some Trekking, Limbo, and Life Style to try out….. I’m hopeful about the Life Style as it has the same kind of spin to it that the above-mentioned yarn has that I love so much – a fabulous colorway, too…. I’ll keep you posted on that one! new sock yarn called Soxx Appeal in a yummy chocolatey-berry color scheme from K1 C2 as well as a few fun colorways in cotton and wool. 100% Cotton Ty-Dy, 100% (Feltable) Wool Paint Box, Washable Wool Arabesque, and a new 2nd time cotton color! Whew! Where on earth do I start? It’s all so overwhelmingly enticing!

Knit Club - First Quilt Done!

In Knit Club, we’ve been having fun trying new stitch patterns with a project involving 7-inch squares in pastel colors. This first baby blanket will be auctioned off at the annual Hoodland Pre-School auction. I’m so proud of the girls…. the blanket turned out great! I think this was a fun opportunity to pull out the ol’ Treasury of Knitting or Vogue Stitch Pattern books, and give the prettiest or most unusual patterns a whirl. Those of you who are curious as to what Knit Club is, well, essentially it’s a “Stitch & Bitch”… we meet in the basement of the restaurant next door for a little social interaction amongst fellow yarners. All are welcome to join in – pick up some sticks, hook, wheel, spindle, loom, or anything that makes you look like you belong in a room of flying fiber & bouncing yarn balls – come on down!

Our next blanket is ready to be assembled…..lookin’ fab! 3rd SUNDAY of each month… 3:00pm. Zig Zag Inn- Basement. Be there.

The Little Wallaby

Finally finished the Wallaby I made to put up at the store…. It’s so much easier for me to complete a project when it has a recipient. I just love this pattern. I know everyone’s doing the Pure & Simple Neck-Down patterns, but my first experience with this in-the-round/nearly no finishing thing was this Wallaby. It goes from the bottom up, and is molded like my favorite type of comfy sweatshirt. And as a bonus, it’s seven bucks for a pattern that will fit my whole family. The lovely girlz at KnitWitz in Stockton, California turned me onto this one, and I’m so happy I walked out the door with it. After completing my first Wallaby, I called up Carol of Cottage Creations and bought a handful for the shoppe. This is how you can easily leave the hood off for another option… just cast off the collar stitches at this point. Sure there are ends to tie in, but the only thing left at this point is to three-needle-bind off the armpits (you might have to put in a stitch or two between this new seam and the arm of the sweater). Voila! Also decided to find the time to press/ “block” the scarves from a couple weeks ago. What a difference that can make. You can now actually see the lacy yarn-overs in the blue and white scarf – simple and cool. Makes me SMILE. And the curly stockinette edges of the basketweave fell quickly into place under a little steam treatment.

Snow Weekend

Played hookey this weekend and left the shop to Kris. Always “working” tho…. visited a fiber festival in Prineville, and took some new scarf projects with me. We had fabulous days of snowmobiling over on the east side. I’ve been reading “Drunk, Divorced, and Covered in Cat Hair,” and she had some cute scarf patterns included… I suddenly felt inspired to knit up a couple quick neckwear items. I love this yarn….a color changing bulky weight with big needles - how can you go wrong? This is a great pattern for someone looking to do some lace work for a first time. Maybe I’ll actually block this one to see the pattern…. There was also a Rio De La Plata scarf with deliberately rolled edges, since I have this yarn in the shoppe, why not? I’ll definately be adding pom-poms to the ends like in the book… a decorative scarf. The third one is my favorite though, Vero & Vero Tweed have some great colorways that I’ve been dying to play with… not quite done, but it’s looking pretty good…. I’ll definately get a two-for-one deal out of the blocking task. The edges are rolling on this one too, but not on purpose. A quick fix with my steamer will take care of that! So pretty! Starting to actually become Spring ’round these parts (and none too soon I might add), not many more of these sno-fests this year…been fun though. Happy Stitchin’

Welcome to Cast One On

Hi and Welcome all to Cast One On’s new blog pages… I’m hoping that this will become a fun place to see what customers are making, find out what’s going on with Knit Club, and to get inspired!