Hat!

I finished my hat. It's not perfect, but oh well. I had the hardest time picking a trim pattern. I didn't like the trim they featured in the book (Hip to Crochet) so I tried a bunch of versions, decided to go with a double crochet, got about half way through, and then decided to see if a half double crochet with (I think) three chains would work. It turned out it looked better, but then I had to undo all the trim so I could start over. Anyway, after it took me forever to undo the half-double three chain thing I decided I had spent enough time on the trim thank you very much and continued with the double crochet. The flower was equally as annoying. After about 45 minutes of trying different chain lengths and patterns I decided to hell with it and went with the one you see in the picture. Arg. The book called for Bulky yarn and a size H/8 hook. I used the Lions Brand mohair and a size 6 hook (and I crochet pretty tight, too). So, if you start this project I suggest you use a sport-weight yarn or a smaller hook. Also, I had to increase more times than they called for. If I had gone with the actual directions in the book then even a small-headed lemur couldn't have fit into that hat. Just had an idea, maybe the publisher has a note online about corrections ... Nope, no corrections on the hat. Hmmm, maybe it's just me? Anyway I did two more increases on the seventh row ( in the frontish) and an increase on the eight( in front and in back) then one on both sides on the 11th row and I think one or two more increases but I can't seem to find them and I didn't write it down cuz I'm cool like that ... Basically I was just putting the hat, on saying oh my that's two tight, then frogging at least half a row and putting an increase.

Moving right along

So things are moving along with the store. S has picked color, light blue. We have a start date, July 9th (I think?), and D has already contacted yarn manufacturers. We obviously already have a store front picked out too, but I won't divulge the actual address, yet.

The knitting projects are also moving along too, it's not just a crochet hook anymore. Unfortunately I'm not 90% happy with my hat, but more about that when I actually finish the thing.

So why on earth am I referring to everyone my their first name initial? I'm not quite sure, and I do agree it's a little weird, ok maybe it's more than a little weird. I suppose it's just a precaution against using full names because I will eventually not be content with our actual names and will then go back to all the postings and refer to myself as Crescendo, and all the rest of my family as Ubermeister, Crepe, and LaFawnduh.

Projects

J is working on a sleeveless V-neck. Oooh.



I'm working on a hat. Oooh.

Mittens

J finished my spiffy mittens today. Unfortunately I can't share the instructions because that would be copyright infringement. Oh well.

No Yarn Involved

Ok, so this doesn't actually involve yarn or knitting, but I made some California Rolls over the weekend. It was my third time trying to make them, and it turned out all right, not as good as my first attempt, but not as horrid as my second. I used a different kind of rice for my second attempt, so maybe that was what went wrong, anyway here's a website about making sushi (use Calrose rice if you decide to try it).

www.sushi-guide.co.uk

Why Blog

So, why would a yarn store need a blog?
Besides the obvious fact that it provides us with another venue for shameless promotion, a simple website just isn’t dynamic enough for That Yarn Store. We don't want our yarn store to be a place where you just come to buy yarn, we want the store to be a friendly place where people can sit and knit and talk. A blog will provide us with a way to connect with people even though they may be sitting in their home wearing their favorite Star Wars PJs. Although you’re more than welcome to come to the store in your Star Wars PJs, we won’t judge.

What's going to be on this blog? Our calendar of events of course (there's a rumor we're going to have a jazz band performing on our opening day) we'll also have pictures of the knitting projects all the family members are working on, plus some tips, doubtless there will whole posts on some of the "oh man I totally messed it up" projects, and maybe a couple of pictures of the family, or more likely there will be some hand-drawn pictures of the family since a few of us are camera shy.

Officially Official

This just in from Pop - " We are officially a business today. All papers, permits and licenses are done."
Yay.

It begins . . .

That Yarn Store in Eagle Rock is now an official business! We got the business license yesterday. We don't have any yarn yet, but as far as the government is concerened we can sell ourselves silly.

That Yarn Store in Eagle Rock (as a name) wasn't even in the running three weeks ago, but then Pop attended a business seminar. Gone went the names Plaknit Yarn (the K is silent!) and my personal favorite "Nobody's Business." Fortunately the seminar pointed out that people outside of your family wouldn't consider a name such as Knits of the Round Table to be terribly witty.

more later . . .