it’s that (fine, fine) time again

Posted on Posted in book reviews/events, designing, food and garden, projects, yarn and dyeing

deer10_09

yesterday i was running my usual circuit of nearby neighborhoods as a break from desktop madness, when two young dear nonchalantly crossed the street just in front of me, as they grazed from one yard to another. the stillness of that street and their quietude instantly made me drop my shoulders and take a deep breath. this is why i do this, i thought, as they allowed me to get quite close to snap photos. i just love running . . .

with my ankle all healed up now (thank goodness), i’m training for a november half marathon event with a course on the towpath running alongside the ohio  and erie canal. of all the races i did in the last year, this was my favorite, running almost the whole way in the woods along the water—i wish they were all like that.

meanwhile back at work, things are just a tad crazy around here right now, as we all get ready for our trek to rhinebeck next week.

RByarnPacking10_09

david and anastasia are packing yarn for our booth at indie untangled on friday, 10/17 as well as our popup shop which opens on sunday, 10/19 at the kingston courtyard marriott

RByarnPackingA10_09

we’ll be in that location for three days, participating in our fun after party retreat. the store there will be larger and chock full of luscious yarn, patterns, and design samples (we’ll also have needles and natural buttons available)

RBsamplePacking10_09

as well as kits for my newest designs. we are bringing as much as we can fit into the van but if you know you want a sweater or blanket quantity of something specific and would like to be sure, please let us know—we are happy to take pre-orders.

RBswatching10_09

we’ll be doing a whole concentration on color knitting at the retreat, working out how color (or shade) and stitch patterns relate to one another. some spots still available for classes if you are making last minute plans to come—we welcome you to join us!

RBswatchNew10_09

don’t worry that these classes might to be too difficult—the emphasis for this one is on simple constructions and techniques so that we can fully explore and appreciate color behavior. we will  have one whole day just for working on a project.

massTransitOrangeRS10_09

i’ve got a couple of new designs to use in that class or you could work with one of the recently released color projects. i’ve just finished this mass transit cowl using several shades of our new confection sport yarn along with a multi-colorway of briar rose fourth of july. i just love it!

massTransitOrangeWS10_09

i also love the back side of this one a LOT, where the orange yarn is more dominant—isn’t that pretty? this one is especially dear to me because it was an exclusive colorway that appeared in our first fall color club.

wakeEddyScarf10_09

speaking of samples, i finally remembered to snap a few photos of barb’s wake and eddy test knit in spirit trail birte. it’s SO rich and lush, mmm.

wakeEddyCowlB10_05

the scarf or infinity scarf require two skeins; the short cowl cowl requires one skein.

wakeEddyScarfA10_09

sarah is editing the pictures from our photo shoot yesterday; i will be releasing this pattern next week just before we leave for new york. this scarf and the coordinating cowl will appear in jen’s booth as a show special—details to be announced.

SugarDance803_72dpi

we will also be showing a beautiful new set called sugardance, designed by our friend lara smoot and knit in our ghillie sport/DK

SugarDance826_72dpi

this cozy cowl and matching fingerless mitts are a wonderful weight for late fall weather and so attractive. i love the texture and those big holes; it always makes me want to look closer.

new samples in bare naked wools are arriving every day, in fact; it’s so exciting that other designers are publishing patterns for our yarns. we will be showing them off frequently in the months to come

jenHaganSamples10_09

look for this brand spanking new set, including a sweater plus accessories knit up in breakfast blend DK by jen hagan to be released tomorrow. the sweater is just gorgeous; i can’t wait to see her photos. and she sent  a stack of hats along with it so we can take pictures too. these samples will be featured in our booths as well, so you can see them in person when you visit.

and last but not least, my friend laura nelkin has published a book recently—you may have heard. she’s going to be at rhinebeck signing them in the author’s alley at the sheep and wool show.

KKcov10_09

knockout knits is a collection of technique-driven designs that are paired with how-to segments for a variety of knitting types. include are instructional sections for such techniques as lace, wrapped stitches, beading, etc.

laura explains the purpose of each type and illustrates/demonstrates how to perform each one. discussion might also include appropriate choices for materials.

and then there are patterns to support each section of the book—these run the gamut from very simple and quick beginner projects to those that are more involved. this makes it nice for experienced knitters who have never beaded, but can handle (and even appreciate) a more complex project. at the same time, newbies or those with less time are not left behind. i like that feature a lot.

this is a beautiful book; if you are considering a gift for a new or intermediate knitter who has more to learn, this would be an excellent choice.

secretKNitting10_09

alright now, somebody here said something about being REALLY busy and still working on materials and secret knitting for next week—sounds like she should get her heinie back to work right this minute!

sugarDance10_09

oh and by the way, for those who are not coming to rhinebeck—our BNWs boutique will remain open while we are traveling; david, anastasia, emily, and erica will be manning the fort while we’re gone.

boutiqueErica10_09

7 thoughts on “it’s that (fine, fine) time again

  1. Oh, I’ve been waiting on Jen’s new pattern to come out tomorrow! I was so excited about the design I didn’t even read the part in her blog about the yarn that was used. It’s so exciting to see what a wonderful collaboration this is. I’ve been on such a sweater craze lately and I can’t pick one to start with. Each time I think I’ve decided, another lovely design comes out and throws me for a loop.

  2. Good to hear that you are back running again. I LOVE that purple colourwork swatch, I do hope that you release that pattern, I HAVE to knit something with those yarns. Have an amazing time at Rhinebeck!

  3. Wow you guys are busy, I had to read this post twice to get all the info! Loving all these patterns, and hope everything goes great at Rhinebeck, I’ll be sorry to miss all the fun this year!

  4. What excitement chez Hanson. So much going on. I absolutely love all the colorways you have designed in Mass Transit. At first I was entranced by the pine-green and silvery gray one, and now you have dazzled me with the orange and gray one and orange isn’t even one of my favorite colors (although I’ve always loved it with gray for some reason). I can’t decide if it’s your way with colors or the yarn or both!

    We have had dear in our backyard and neighborhood too and it is always awe-inspiring (even if they eat too many plants.)

  5. Thank you so much for taking such beautiful pictures of Sarah modeling Sugardance! I loved working with Ghillie, it has wonderful stitch definition.

Comments are closed.