knot another hat

So what else have I been working on in the last 18 months?

As most already know, after the 2013 Columbia Gorge Fiber Festival I took the reigns of the show from its founder, LavenderSheep (AKA Yvonne to those of us that know her well!). In April of 2014 the CGFF returned for its fourth year and we had a bangup time. I loved getting to know all of the amazing vendors better, and we added a Happy Hour to the Friday evening marketplace opening, which just made it all the more merrier. 

 

Bumblebirch owner Sarah Kurth chatting up some festival attendees during 2014's Happy Hour.

After the 2014 show I realized the constraint our location was putting on the event. The location was lovely, but it didn't have any room to grow. We were always going to be limited to the same marketplace room (which held around 22 vendors), and just 3 classrooms. I scoured Hood River, trying to brainstorm another option that would allow us to grow while still fitting my vision of a small-ish, niche show. And then I found the perfect location - - it just wasn't in Hood River. 

Meet the Fort Dalles Readiness Center, located in The Dalles, Oregon, just 15 miles east of Hood River along the path of the mighty Columbia. 

I found this gem while scouting locations for my 20 year high school reunion, and I knew it was perfect. The new Platinum LEED Certified building offers a 10,000 sq ft marketplace area, and 3 state-of-the-art classrooms. Bonus? It's location is right next door to the campus of the Columbia Gorge Community College, meaning we would have classrooms galore at our disposal. 

Check out this view from the Marketplace floor:

More changes were in store.....right after the 2014 show, two other major events announced their dates for 2015 - and they were exactly the same dates as our traditional 3rd weekend in April. What does this have to do with our little special show? Essentially, it meant that all of the great instructors we could hope to host at the CGFF would be committed to these two large shows. And so a date change was in order. 

I could not be more excited for the 2015 CGFF, which will be held November 6-8, 2015. What more perfectly woolly time of year than early November, when we are dreaming of sweaters and beginning to think of the holidays? We have a STELLAR lineup of teachers coming in (check them out, as well as what they're teaching on the CGFF website). We have 40 vendors from around the Pacific Northwest who can't wait to show you what they've been creating (interested in vending? join our vendor list here). It's going to be one heck of a good time. 

I'll leave you with one last photo - this is a shot of The Dalles by Bill Carey Photography, from the northern shore of the Columbia. Absolutely beautiful. 

 

save the date!

We want to make sure that you have your calendars marked for two important events on the horizon!

First: March Madness! Don't forget that the entire month of March is when we mark down our closeouts and discontinued yarns and shove them on out the door! The March Newsletter will highlight the sale yarns and give you more info, so stay tuned.

 
Second: The 2nd Annual Columbia Gorge Fiber Festival! This successfuly festival is returning to Hood River the weekend of April 20-22. You will find amazing fiber artisans throughout the show (including us!), as well as a plethora of classes to get your technique up to speed. Find out more info and register for classes at LavenderSheep's CGFF page.

 

quick and dirty

There's nothing better than a little quick and dirty knitting to make you feel like you've accomplished something. I had two such projects fall into my lap last Friday, when the much-anticipated order from Rowan finally arrived!

 

• Pattern: Rowan Kidsilk Creation Scarf by Gemma Atkinson
• Yarn: 1 sk Rowan Kidsilk Creation (I used color #02, Dewberry)(limited edition yarn!)
• Needle: a sharp-pointed US 7-9 (I used an US8 lace-tipped needle)
• Time: 30 minutes.

No joke - I knit this one up in front of customers here at the shop in about a half an hour. Kidsilk Creation is a knitted tube of the long beloved Rowan CrackKidSilk Haze. There's only 11 yards on one ball of Creation - almost all of the knitting as been done for you! All you have to do is poke your needle through one edge of this amazing tube of Haze - just two stitches - and blubber along. It doesn't have to be clean, or even, or anything. It just works. And ruffles itself up into a lather. This scarf is downright frothy. I love it.

(A tip: wind this one up by hand, around a cardboard support like a paper towel tube or a postcard. Keep the yarn-tube flattened as you wind and it will be much easier to knit.)

(Oh - and limited edition means when it's gone, it's gone!)

The second project wasn't quite as quick or dirty, but a delicious cowl in one weekend of knitting and made with just one skein of yarn is pretty darn close.

 

• Pattern: Kidsilk Stripe Cowl, by moi
• Yarn: 1 sk Rowan Kidsilk Haze Stripe (I used color #002, Cool)
• Needles: US 8 (5.0mm) 16" circular

This is another new yarn from Rowan and Kaffe Fassett, the color genius. They took Kidsilk Haze, doubled the size of the skein, and dyed it in amazing, slow-striping colorways. This little cowl is a pattern I whipped up to show off the stripey colors. It's welts are made with all knit stitches (how'd she do that, you wonder!), so it's the ultimate in mindless knitting. The colors contained in each skein are impossible to see from the outside of the ball, so the entertainment comes from seeing which colors pop up next!

purlaway bohus stickning workshop recap

We had such an amazing time with Susanna Hansson this past weekend!"For The Love Of Bohus Stickning" happened over October 2nd and 3rd, and it was a jam-packed weekend full of Bohus history, knitting on fine needles with delicious Swedish yarns, laughing, swatching (!), snacking, and swagging! What a good time! Susanna is an amazing, dynamic instructor, and her passion for the Bohus story comes through in every aspect of her workshop.

Let's show you a little swag, courtesy of purlaway and purlaway's great sponsors:

Great SOAK buckets for everyone, with adorable name cards made by my amazing mother! And of close-up of the contents: 

 
(Two skeins of Classic Elite Fresco, Poems of Color by Wendy Keele, 1 of 3 of the Bohus kits everyone received, 3 patterns from me, 1 pattern from bluegirl knits (Nichole), 1 pattern from Gardiner Yarnworks, Catalina zippered pouch from Namaste, highlighter tape from Bryson, and coupons from local businesses Underpinnings, Parts & Labour, Ground & Celilo!)

Here's a shot of all 31 participants and Susanna, with everyone's Bohus cuffs in progress:

Here are some of the beautiful vintage original Bohus sweaters from Susanna's private collection (just to make you drool a bit this morning):

  

I can tell you - after seeing the real angora-blend yarns from the kits you order from Sweden, one of these sweater kits is definitely going on my Christmas list.

It was a beautiful weekend, and we thoroughly enjoyed seeing everyone who came back from last year, and getting to know all of the new attendees! Thank you everyone!

 

olympic resolution

No - I'm not about to make some sort of resolution of olympic-sized proportions. I'm going to tell you about how my 2010 Winter Knitting Olympic project turned out! I've been putting it off for too long due to poor photography, but what the hell...

If you remember, I chose my Knitting Olympics project from the 2009/2010 Winter Vogue Knitting. I started off with a bang, but I lost a lot of steam about 2/3 of the way in...

...I didn't win Gold. Or even Silver or Bronze. But I did finish my project, and I finished it in time to wear it to dinner at the 2010 YMN Smart Biz Conference in Seattle, which was my ultimate goal anyway.

• Pattern: #29, Wrap with Belt by Shiri Mor, from the 2009/2010 Winter VK
• Yarn: 4 skeins Handmaiden Fine Yarns Great Big Sea in Pewter
• Needles: US 7 (4,5mm)
• Time to complete: 4 weeks

Personally, I think Shiri Mor is a design genius. This was my second time knitting one of her designs, and both times were highly entertaining. She has a knack for creating the most interesting combinations of stitch patterns, and often uses the varying gauges of different stitches to achieve shaping that defies the laws of mathematics. The only thing that slowed me down on this one was the 60-some inches of the wrap panel - basically one big scarf.

But it was worth it!

(I didn't talk about the yarn. It's Handmaiden - what do I need to say? It speaks for itself, and it's worth every penny of its high price tag.)

are you ready?!?!?!

Today is the day! Opening ceremonies are at 8pm PST, and you can cast-on when the torch is lit!

This is so exciting - we have over 40 participants! Scroll to the bottom of this post to see a list of participants and their Olympic projects.

It's not too late to sign up! You have until 5pm PST to contact us here at the and register your 2010 Winter Knitting Olympics project! Read our original Knitting Olympics post for all the details!

OK - you might be wondering what I am going to commit to during the Olympics. I had a hard time choosing, and all of my options came from one publication: the 09/10 Winter Vogue Knitting! (Warning - the following links are all Ravelry links)

1. #15 B.A.H.: oops - already knit it, so obviously that one is out.
2. #23 Cabled Yoke Cardigan: a serious contender.
3. #28 Wrap with Belt: interesting construction, might have stash yarn to use.
4. #10 Belted Tunic: very intriquing, looked good on me at TNNA.
5. #09 Tunic Vest: didn't try this one on, just think it's super cute.

OK - here's pros and cons. 2nd choice would mean working with mohair....not sure I'm up for that right now. 3rd choice - no cons that I can see. I could use my stashed Handmaiden Ottowa...it has interesting construction and interesting stitch patterns to keep me entertained, and I tried it on at TNNA and it was very cute. 4th choice...liked this one on me, too, but that is going to be one helluva lot of stockinette stitch to do in 16 days. Hmm. 5th choice - really like this one, but I don't think I have a yarn that is right for it and so I'd have to order and don't have time.

We have a winner! #3 (#28 Wrap with Belt) is the clear choice for me. Now my only decision is yarn: I have enough stashed Handmaiden/Fleece Artist Ottowa in 2 different colorways, but I'm concerned it won't have the same drape as the sample I tried on, which was a wool/silk blend. HOWEVER - there is some LOVELY Handmaiden Great Big Sea, a wool/silk/seacell blend, calling to me from the shelf across the room....so very, very tempting...

 So - what's YOUR project??? Here are what the TEAM KAH Olympic Knitters will be undertaking:

• Wendy A - Mossy Jacket
• Penny B - Short Lucky
• Stephanie B - Garter Stitch Panel Afghan
• Helga B - Prairie Shawl from Folk Knits
• Sarah B - Combining 2 patterns for sweater for her
• Ann B - Pretty as a Peacock Shawl
• Carol C - Lace Smoke Ring
• Jodi C - Crocheted Hat
• Sarah C - Slip-Stitch Layers from IW Holiday 09
• Kristie C - Purlaway mitten
• Rachel C - February Lady Sweater
• Maureen D - Blue Sky Alpaca Silk Shrug
• Amanda D - Kaleidoscope Scarf
• Lisa E - St Johns Wort Cardigan
• Misty E - dishcloth baby sweater
• Kylie E - Chunky Knit Scarf
• Alison F - Catherine Cardigan
• Sue-Ann G - 2 Socks at once/Magic Loop
• Michelle H - Fruit Loop Socks
• Kelsey H - Cold Mountain
• Beth H - Heartstrings Fiber Arts Lace Cowl
• Beverly H - Willoughby Scarf
• Inger - Crocheted Ripple Lap Blanket
• Tracie J - Nashua Handknits Vest
• Lydia K - Meandering Vine Shawl
• Cherri K - Moss Stitch Beret
• Sarah K  - Wrap With Belt
• Claire L - WIPs busting on Purple Cardigan from Summer 09 Vogue
• Emma Marie F - Kaya Cabled Scarf
• Lisa M - Novelty Garter Scarf
• Julie M - Knit to be Square Bag
• Jill M - Panbe Dress Tunic from Winter '10 Knitscene
• Julia N - Loretto Vest from Winter '10 Knitscene
• Penny P - WIPs busting a 20 year old afghan project
• Katrina R - Lillie's Little Sweater
• Nichole R - hat design project
• Melanie R - Debbie Bliss Ruffle Coat for baby
• Sandy R - Zigzag Anklet
• Mary R - Toe Up Socks
• Lynn R - Baby Sweater
• Beth R - Knit 1 Below Sock
• Mary S - Berroco Tonia
• JaneAnn S - Unloved yarn project
• Laurie S - Fine Knit Ribbed Man Sweater
• Heidi S - Chunky Baby Blanket
• Margaret S - Shawl
• Teri S - Lace Shawl
• Janice T - WIPs bust on 5 overdue afghan squares
• Kelly T - Wandering the Moor
• Elizabeth V - 2 at once Socks
• Destiny W - Debbie Bliss Cardigan
• Missy W - Savannah Cardigan
• Mokihana W- WIPs busting: 2 blankets, shawl, toy giraffe
• Sherry W - Hoody, #15 Winter 10 Vogue
• Janice W - February Lady Sweater
• Paula W - spinning a 3-ply yarn
• Crispin Y - Top-down Baby Sweater
• Susan Z - spinning 8oz Shetland

If you think you should be on this list but don't see your name, or still want to sign up before 5pm tonight, just comment to this post!

2010 Winter Knitting Olympics: Join TEAM KAH!

If you were around KAH four years ago for the last Winter Olympics, you probably remember the exciting Knitting Winter Olympics that went along with them! If not - here's your opportunity to win Olympic Gold (AKA a $10 gift card to KAH)!

This is how it works:

 

Who: anyone who wants to take on a personal challenge can participate.

 

What: you must choose and commit to a knitting, crochet, or spinning project that is a personal challenge to you.

 

When: you must begin when the flame is lit during the 2010 Olympic Opening Ceremonies on February 12, 2010 and finish before the flame goes out at Closing Ceremonies on February 28. That's 16 days.

 

How: you must register your chosen "challenge" here at the store before 5pm PST on February 12. To register you may stop in and sign up, or leave a comment to this post with your project, name, and contact email. To win Gold (and collect your prize), you must bring your completed project to the store between Mar 2-5. Long distance web participants can email a picture of their project during the week following the Olympics to customerservice-AT-knotanotherhat-DOT-com. 

 

Take the challenge! You can follow Team KAH's progress during the Olympics here on the KAH Blog. I'll post in a couple of days with my Olympic hopeful goals...Go Team KAH!

 

 This is the official Team KAH button - feel free to add to your blog or webpage!

it's not too late!

It's not too late to grab one of the last few spots in purlaway's October workshop with Terri Shea! Come on over to scenic Hood River and join a great group for 2 days of mitten makin', featuring Ms Shea, the author of Selbuvotter, Biography of a Knitting Tradition. If for no other reason than the amazing swag bags purlaway puts together (hint, hint: check out the Partners page...).

You can register online - see you soon!

Time to Spill the Beans!

Hi Everyone!

So it's time for me to spill the beans! Part of the reason I've had no time to post (or knit, for that matter) is because I've been busy working on this:

Nichole and I have teamed up to form a new business: Purlaway, Inc. Together we are going to offer luxury knitting retreats - true getaways to relax, enjoy amazing food, and best of all, to knit!

Our first offering???

A weekend with Terri Shea, author of Selbuvotter! And where, you might ask, have we chosen to host this amazing weekend?

How does the foothills of Mt. Hood, Oregon look? 

OK - enough from me. Check out our website for the full scoop - and don't miss the Early Bird registration discounts!

(We will now return to our regularly scheduled knitting content!)