cottageknits.com Blog

August! The “dog days of summer”, “back to school”, time to think Fall Knitting!
I am so excited about the Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride on the shelves at Cottage Knits that i couldn’t help myself, i had to get some of it on my needles! I knitted up a quick little project that i can’t wait to share with you. A great little felted hat, and that got me thinking.

Felting is not an exact science, but there are some tips that have proven make a huge difference in the outcome of my many felted projects and what better way to share them with you… than to show you. Therefore, you will want to read about the Felt It Session on the August class list and sign up early.

Now about that hat…..felted hats are not only stylish, they are warm. I have to confess that i have knitted a couple that have not turned out quite as planned…and let’s just say i went looking for somebody to gift with my “experiments”. So i want to share my experiences with you so you won’t have any surprises and will benefit from my “oops!”.

First of all…choose your pattern wisely. Be careful when substituting yarns for these projects! Fibers do felt differently….and the pattern writers know this and have given you their best outcome. Secondly, follow the pattern exactly…don’t assume you can “fudge a little” (well you can, but then…who knows what you may end up with). Use the needle size recommended. In otherwords…in this case your pattern is not a guideline. It is your tool for success.
Finally, hover over your washing machine while shrinking your hat…and shaping at the end is vital…and that’s what makes for a masterpiece! I think you will agree, the end result is terrific!

And here’s more good news for you. I have a felted hat pattern…to give to you when you purchase Lamb’s Pride Yarn for your project. This pattern is compliments of Cottage Knits and Brown Sheep Yarn. And isn’t that a great way to begin to introduce a new yarn to you?

Have a great day….and stop in soon…there’s always something happening at the cottage!

Have you heard? There is a Summer Sale at Cottage Knits this week! Select yarns are on sale this week. Stock up on fiber and lighten up the shelves to make way for fall/winter yarns! 20% off everything on the far west wall! You will find a variety of yarn ….many cottons and even some notions! In stock, only.

There are some great classes at Cottage Knits this summer and we are excited to see so many new faces. New knitters! The excitement they bring is contagious…
The July Knit Clinics are about to wrap up…but there are still seats available for a free clinic and knit a Mini-Bear! Join Linda this Wednesday from 1-3PM and learn how to knit these little creatures…great for baby showers, little friends and for the ER at Columbus Regional Hospital!
While these knit clinics are free for you, the instructors are paid to offer them. Therefore, you are required to purchase your materials at Cottage Knits. This enables us to pay for their services.

One more housekeeping note…If you wish to schedule a tutor session with one of the Cottage Knits instructors please call ahead to reserve your time, keeping my mind that they are not employees of Cottage Knits. These ladies will charge you by the hour. In order to get the most for your money you might bring notes to get all of your questions answered in a timely manner.

It’s a balance running a business such as a yarn shop, built on relationships. But i have a commitment to you to be here for the long haul. While some decisions are made with the heart, others have to be made using my head…keeping in mind that Cottage Knits is a small business and i can’t lose sight of that piece of it…after all, that’s my investment in the future for all of us!

Looks like a great day today…wishing you laughter and joy…and of course, a few minutes of knitting!
~cathi

It is July…and i can’t wait to visit the county fair and check out the entries for knitting and crochet. Rumor has it that many of the Cottage Knits family have done well in the competition…which got us to thinking. How many times have we started that “perfect project” and something went amiss? Whether it be a lost pattern (leaving it only to our imagination how to proceed), wrong yarn, wrong gauge, or it simply didn’t turn out as wonderful as you had imagined. There’s not a knitter i know (and a few of you crocheters too) who don’t have a story. Flashbulb! A contest! Let’s make it a contest!
It’s designed to include all skill levels of knitters and to show you that a masterpiece just might be around the corner for that project that drove you to your knees and made you wonder why you love to knit! You know, the one you stuffed in a closet and vowed to come back to it…and it’s been there for years. Dig it out..we have a deal for you!
Here’s our challenge: Bring in your worst knitting disaster and leave it with us. Of course you will want to bring in yarn and the original pattern (if you can find them). Your entry will be “judged” by all who dare and the “winning piece” will be our challenge…to turn it into a masterpiece and return something to you that you can be proud of! Before you get too excited remember that we are not offering to finish something as you had planned…that cabled sweater might just turn into a felted bag…If you have an open mind…you’ll love the results. It’s about being open -minded to the endless possibilities.
So today we celebrate all those brave souls who will admit to despair and together we will overcome! If you are game, we are!
And if you haven’t been by lately, you will want to make a Cottage Knits stop. Great stuff is arriving that was ordered from the trade show. This week Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride made it to our shelves (great yarn…can’t wait to get some on my needles). New patterns from Gardiner Yarn Works, more Mini-Mochi sock yarn, a nice assortment of colors of Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino and organic cotton from the Sublime fibers. Yes, things are looking good at the Cottage and i’d love to show you some of the great shop models the instructors have been working on.
Hope you have a good day…thanks for checking in!
~cathi

When the Abilene Project took off I never would have thought that I would be there with Abilene when she took “her bears” to share with friends at Riley Children’s Hospital. However, that is just what took place yesterday afternoon. We loaded them up in two boxes and left for Indianapolis. Once again, I was blessed to see the joy and gratitude from your generous gifts of time, resources and talents. I thank each and every one of you who participated in this effort. Those bears will give comfort to kids undergoing all kinds of unpleasant tests.
Abilene was scheduled for a difficult test yesterday. Due to all kinds of conflicts it was not possible for her Daddy, nor her Grandma Joy, (who is a nurse and most qualified to handle these kind of situations) to go for support. I offered to go with Katie (daughter-in-law) and Abilene, knowing I was most likely not the ideal one to help but a pair of hands to help comfort and calm. A nurse I am not, just ask my children.
After what seemed like eternity to all of us, through a grueling test procedure, tears and fears, the urologist came to give us her opinion of the results. I am happy to report to all of you who have shown us so much concern (and of course the prayers) that she was fairly positive about Abilene’s condition. Yes, there are some issues, but things have not deteriorated and Abilene is showing such great strides that it just might be that surgery may not be required to correct her condition. (For those of you who do not know Abilene, she is one year old and the thought of spinal surgery is really scary for us.)
So all in all it was a good day for all of us…the bears all have been delivered for adoption, Abilene is home and putting yesterday behind her, and we are back to work with a smile on our faces to be blessed by such a wonderful little girl in our lives and such great and caring friends who carry us through.
And lastly thanks to Mark…who taxied us all and carried those bears all over the hospital and took it all in stride.
More tests on the 15th and i will keep you posted…