Snow and Socks and Cats, Oh My!

So, I am not quite sure where the last week has gone, but it has been a week since I've posted. Sorry! I am not even sure where to start, there's so much happening.

Not to sound like a broken record, but I have to say the weather here in our neck of the woods is not helping anything. It's remained colder than average and just plain yucky. Plus, we had several days of Nor'easter hysteria leading into this weekend, including one "official" blurb that described the potential storm as "epic" and "100 year". . . . it's just plain disgusting. I feel awful for those folks who are flooded (more to follow on that topic). It's particularly discouraging because today in Massachusetts it is Patriot's Day. We are the only state that celebrates this holiday and it really only applies to the Boston Metro area. It has always been one of my favorite holidays, especially when I lived in the Boston area. It was a "bonus" day off. The Red Sox always play an 11 a.m. home game, the Boston Marathon is run and ends not far from Fenway, so you can potentially go to the game and then zip over to Boylston Street for the finish of the Marathon. The city always has a great vibe on this day and I miss it. But historically, it's usually nice weather - often the first really nice day of the spring. I've sat in the bleachers of Fenway many times underestimating the sunshine and ending up a bit crispy. Not today. I was glad to be hunkered down in my office by my trusty space heater.

We recorded a great podcast/show last week, interviewing Daphne Marinopoulos from The Fibre Company. It's available here to download/listen. This week's show will feature an interview with Amy Singer of Knitty.com and the new book No Sheep for You. We'll also be continuing work on our Deep Breath Top Down Sweater. We left no time for poor Pixie last week. We promise to have more time this week to talk about the sleeves. I am only two rows away from being ready to start the sleeves myself. I have been knitting like a fiend to catch up. Love my yarn, Autunno from Di.Ve/Cascade. My newest problem involves my needles. So, I"m nearly ready for the sleeves and need smaller circs. I am using Rosewood Colonials, which I love, love, love. I was at the store yesterday (way more on that to come) and went over to grab myself a pair of 16". There I stood, staring at the needle wall. Our HUGE, VAST, needle wall - the needle wall with nearly every knitting needle known to mankind (well, not quite, but you get the idea). Guess what we DON'T carry. BINGO! Rosewood Colonial 16" circs. I think, no biggie, I'll call Terry and Jim at Colonial and have them send me a pair. I did just that today and Jim was thrilled to send me the needles, but there is one problem. Their UPS depot is flooded (see - that weather is getting in my way again). So, with only two rounds to go, I will have to wait until at least Wednesday for my smaller needles to come. Yes, there are tricks around this, but having never knit a top down sweater before, I don't want to mess it up. It's coming out lovely so far. So wait I will. It's not like I don't have other projects to work on. . . . .

Which brings me to my next item. Two Words. Log Cabin.

I am a regular reader of January One's blog (and got to even meet her at Stitches East) and for those of you who also read her, you know she has been knitting mitred squares from the Mason Dixon book for awhile now. She is admittedly out of control. Although some folks have expressed getting bored with her continued mitre-ing, I for one have been fascinated. To a fault. While at the store for our event yesterday (more on that, just stay with me) I knit on my top down and perused the Mason Dixon book, which I probably haven't looked at since it first arrived. At about this time Dena arrives for the event with a project for our next catalog. A log cabin baby blanket using one of our yarns. It's incredible. I love it. I have to knit it. Then I'm back to my own knitting and flipping through M/D and come to their section on log cabin. I begin to get really, really twitchy. Poor Melissa was sitting next to me and I think she found it incredibly funny. I was babbling about log cabin. I'm off looking at colors, telling everyone my plan. Then Leslie Ann sees me. She asks what I'm up to. I tell her. That's when my future project was set in stone. She too is working on a log cabin blanket for a class she is teaching for us this summer. IT IS CROCHETED. Now, I am in need of oxygen. I am now completely obsessed with log cabin design. I have to finish the topdown sweater and then a catalog project but then - stand back!!! I cannot be held accountable for my actions. I saw the crocheted log cabin today - it's amazing.

Okay, breath. . . . . . really, I'm breathing. . . .

So yesterday, we had our Bootcamp for Socks event sponsored by Southwest Trading Company. This is what my drive to the store looked like:




I called Steve who was supervising the boys and their respective playdates. I said "Nobody is going to come, it's terrible out." His reply? "We just had two more people register 10 minutes ago. . . . " Once again, he was right. We had about 50 people trek to the store for the festivities. We had a learn to knit sock area, Melissa was our resident Sock Doc:




Who was even sporting her own Tofutsies Socks:



Now that's a "Team" player" You may see the pattern available in the future (crossing fingers and toes!). .. .

We gave out prizes, free samples of Tofutsies and samples of foot cream from a local woman:

Despite the weather, fun was had by all. This is what Northampton looked like as we were opening:

And a HUGE THANK YOU and HUGS to our amazing store staff that ignored the ugly weather and came in for the event (we are so lucky - we truly have the best of the best):

Look, even Steve made a guest appearance:

Told you I'd get you in the shirt one way or another Honey!

Our Anniversary Sale continues and the entire staff has been working incredibly hard. We're about 4 days out on shipping - not bad. I'll have some much anticipated shots in my next post.

I'll be posting more about the Yarn Harlot event in the next day or two. Lots to update everyone about.

Kathy

P.S. Last but not least, last week we had a customer in who travels 52 weeks per year and knits along the way. The reason for the travelling? She has a national champion Coon Cat. She was in the store and brought him and his siblings in to visit. We are HUGE animal folks so were thrilled to meet this beauty:

This cat was suppose to be in Europe, but some glitch with the paperwork kept him stateside.

Just another day at WEBS. I didn't get pictures of the hula-hoopers that were in a few weeks ago. . .. thought it might be a bit over the top :)