Let's Migrate!

As promised! The new blog is ready!

Check it out at http://blog.yarn.com.

Be sure to update your links, bloglines, feeds, etc. Any problems - just email me at kathy.elkins AT yarn DOT com.

Comment on the new site and let me know what you think!

Kathy

Tomorrow's the Day!

I can barely stand it! Tomorrow I will be redirecting to the new blog! Woohoo! It's taken much longer than I anticipated - somehow these tech things always do. I am very excited about the new blog, how it looks and all of the flexibility I have with the new platform.

So - tomorrow we'll celebrate (hopefully you will like it as much as I do) and then next week I'll be back to a consistent blog schedule!

Kathy

Coming Along

Steve & I are back from our mini-vacation. Just a few short days away - no kids, no work-related reason for the trip. It was wonderful. Highlights - lots of downtime, great food and two holes where I out-drove Steve :) To clarify, I was playing from the ladies tees, he from the back, BUT, that is how a golf course is designed to work and although I didn't hit it as far as he did, I did out drive him.

I know I announced our migration to Wordpress a while back. Between our trip and the usual workings it takes to make these things happen, it's taking a tad longer than I had hoped. It is looking GREAT though! A few more days is all I think it will be, so please bear with me :)

Most important item right now - please be sure to join this Sunday from 12-4 for our 5th Annual Knit/Crochet for a Cure. We will be creating squares this year that will become blankets. If you are a spinner, come on in and bring your wheel. For those of you with Rigid Heddle Looms - bring them in as well. We're adapting a design for "strips" that you can weave and contribute to the cause. This is always a fun day, so please stop by.

Snacks and such as always. Raffles a definite. Come and join in this very worth cause to benefit the Cancer Connection right here in Northampton.

Kathy

On The Move!

Tons to post about but it seems I am out of time! Steve and I are off for a few days of R&R - sun and golf which is our favorite kind of trip.

Most importantly, I want to let everyone know that this blog is on the move. I am migrating to Wordpress, which is something I've been planning for awhile. Many of you know my frustrations with Blogger and ultimately, I need more control over the blog for a variety of reasons. Stay tuned for the redirect and be sure to update your links when the move is complete. I'll keep you posted! Just bear with me and the tech team while they get this accomplished.

Kathy

The Week+ In Review

September has been quite the whirlwind. Last I left you all, I was off on a trip to St. Louis. I was gone for 3 days, which isn't all that long, but long enough to unsettle the schedule. I was originally suppose to be gone longer, but Mom responsibilities called and Steve had to travel to Manhattan to speak at the Big Apple Knitters Guild Annual Luncheon. He didn't take any pictures, but I sure would've liked to have been a fly on the wall watching him and 87 knitters!

I left again last Tuesday to head to Cleveland for the second season taping of Knitting Daily TV. I was pretty nervous when we went for the taping last April, but this time was much less stressful. Steve once again stayed home. We've been away so much this year we really felt we couldn't leave the boys again unless it was necessary for us both to be somewhere. In this case it wasn't.

I was met at the airport by the lovely Shannon Okey, who was kind enough to give me a bit of a lift. It was greatly appreciated given that I did not have time to ship all of the "stuff" for my segments in advance so I had one huge suitcase with yarn and props for seven segments along with a second smaller bag packed with seven different outfits. I was also carrying with me yarn that she was in need of for a rush project, so the helping hands worked both ways! Thanks Shannon - great to see you!

I went directly to the studios to prep for my segments and then the next day was taping day!

I did take a few snapshots to share. Here's Liz Gipson and Eunny Jang prepping in the "Green Room" - it really is green.

Here's Shay Pendray working a project in between segments. She is one of the loveliest people I have ever met.

Here's Kim Werker on set prepping for a segment with producer Kathy.

It was great fun to do the TV thing again, but I was equally happy to head for home again.

The night before I left for Cleveland, the WEBS crew gathered for a surprise shower for Mary. I was in charge of carrying out the cover story and getting her to the restaurant on-time. She thought we were meeting our designer and one of our printers for dinner to discuss business. When we walked into the retaurant, she instead found this:

She was completely surprised and we had a lovely celebration. The wedding is only 3 weeks away and we're excited to share in her special day!

I flew home from Cleveland in time to record this week's podcast which featured Norah Gaughan! She was in town for a store appearance that night so it was the perfect opportunity to have her back on the show. I was a little delirious from the traveling and started out the interview by calling one of Berroco's yarns by the wrong name. Consumate professional - yep, that's me.

We finished the recording and Steve and I headed over to UMass to make a presentation to a marketing class. It was great fun but a little tough since Steve had written the presentation while I was gone. I think we muddled through pretty well.

Then it was back to the store to prep for the event with Norah. As exhausted as I was, the event was GREAT! We had many of the Fall '08 garments on hand and most in two sizes.

Our sales rep Andra and Berroco Designer (and former WEBS staffer) Cirilia modeled:

I picked this picture in particular because of the garment. I apologize that the shot is a bit blurry. This is Assemblage from NGV3 (Norah Gaughan Book volume 3). Norah explained that initially she had envisioned this cardigan with a wrap that would attach. She brought along the piece and attached it for us to see the look. I love Assemblage as is, but I like it this way too! It's knit in Pure Merino DK.

I am also including this picture of Portrait (knit in Inca Gold), also found in NGV3 for a reason.

The design inspiration for this garment is a knitted cable. Norah, with the help of Margery, pixelated what a knitted cable looks like and incorporated it into this design. When I first saw this garment, I did not see the cable. In fact, depending on the person, it has a sort of "hologram" effect as different people see different things. Now that we know what it is, it's clear as day. That Norah, she's a smart cookie.

I have video from both KDTV and Norah's event, but that's going to take a little more editing time. I will post them soon though!

The remainder of this week was uneventful. All I know Toto "there's no place like home".

Kathy

Wrap Ups and Ramp Ups

Sorry for not posting sooner. The weekend was crazy with Twist and I took off yesterday for a business trip.

Twist was an absolute blast! Thanks to everyone who came out - especially those of you who made the trek in the remnants of Hanna. It was such a great community event - Lexie & Cory you guys rock!

Here's our own LA demoing the Rigid Heddle Loom on Friday evening.

I manned the show on Saturday and the interest in the loom was incredible.

Here's Christa & Tina from WEBS! Christa was selling her beautiful handknits while Tina makes amazing necklaces.

For those of you who missed the event, rumor has it that a Twist 2.0 may be in the works, so be sure to stay tuned!

Now, as much as I hate to say goodbye to summer, there's no question that fall is just around the corner. Our new fall catalog is arriving in homes and I have to say a great big "Thank you" to everyone who has taken time to email or post a comment or blog about it. We are really proud of this issue as it incorporates many new ideas I've been working on. If yours hasn't arrived yet, don't despair! The catalogs are at the mercy of the USPS so please have patience. If you aren't currently on our mailing list and want to receive a copy, simply email customerservice@yarn.com with the request and be sure to include your name and mailing address.

For those of you who have already dog-eared several pages, what projects are you planning to make? Time to get fall knitting in full swing!

Kathy

Ready, Set, Knit #95 Yarn, Events & Carol Sulcoski

This week on Ready, Set, Knit Steve & I discuss more new yarns and upcoming events.

While Pixie is still on holiday, I invited back one of my favorite guests, author, indie dyer and blogger, Carol Sulcoski! Carol is co-author of the lovely book Knit So Fine and she has a second book due out this December, which we discuss. You can see Carol's gorgeous yarns at www.blackbunnyfibers.com and read her blog at www.goknitinyourhat.blogspot.com.

You can get Ready, Set, Knit at http://www.yarn.com/ or on iTunes!

Enjoy!

Kathy

P.S. If you have suggestions for topics, KALs or special guests, please email me at readysetknit@yarn.com! I'd love to hear from you!