Yarn and finished projects

More arrivals....Pure, SWTC, has arrived at Mary Lynn's. It is truly beautiful. Due to arrive shortly behind this new yarn, more TOFUtsie colors are due out. Always more yarn to look forward to seeing and buying :)

There are some new customers here at Mary Lynn's...They did a wonderful job, and I expect to see some amazing creations come from their little hands

R has finished her 3rd Einstein coat. This one is for another lucky granddaughter. I can just see the child so excited to wear the coat in this 90 degree heat, bring on the cold weather.

Mary has finished her beautiful shawl for the upcoming wedding of her 4th child...make that 5th child. She was even able to find a dress to match her beautiful creation. She has told the shop her next project will be another lace creation...I didn't think she would, but it just tells you how easy lace is if you learn to "read" your stitches. Beautiful job Mary! Her yarn was Buckingham by Plymouth, and the pattern is from one of Plymouths latest pattern books, Bristol Yarns.

I hope to have more customer's work up within the next few days -- keep them coming!

Beautiful Yarns

There are some beautiful new yarns in at Mary Lynn's.



Schaefer's lace yarn, Andrea, arrived in 6 colors. Each unique skein has almost 1100 yards, so there is enough to make many scarves, or a beautiful shawl.









The folks at Fiesta have done it again! Ballet is a beautiful alpaca/tencel blend in their dreamy color combinations. The alpaca provides warmth while the tencel lends a lovely sheen. This yarn would make stunning wraps, sweaters, and even socks!Content: 50% Superfine Alpaca, 50% Tencel




















We also have Frog Tree's worsted weight alpaca in 3 colors. I was able to make a pair of ladies mittens that are will be a wonderful treat to wear this winter with one skeins of this yarn.


Classes are continuing to fill... We have several people about to finish their first toe-up sock, children knitting, and even a few people who are thinking of the cold weather ahead and have begun making hats for themselves and for gifts. Several people have learned how to crochet and we have others making baby booties for gifts as well as for upcoming arrivals. Upcoming September Classes include:

Felted Purses/Bags
Mezza Luna Purse
Beginning Sock Class
Beginning Crochet
Beginning Lace
Christmas Stockings
Market Square Bag
Basic Sweater
Kids Lessons
Portuguese Knitting

August Classes

Classes are in full swing...Here is a listing of upcoming classes for the month of August.



Sock Class (Toe - Up)
Beginning Crochet
Baby Booties
Kids Lessons

While there are many classes starting, and many more in September, we are also busy helping customers finish projects from the month of July.

I happened to remember to catch Jessica's and Julie's socks in progress. Both Jessica and Julie are new to knitting, but each are churning out truly wonderful projects. The receiptiants of these socks will truly love them and be asking for another pair.

Marcia's dragon scale scarf is spectacular in Stacy Charles Ritratto yarn. When she finishes and blocks this scarf it will gather many compliments from jealous friends. The camera didn't seem to capture the unique quality of this yarn...it has brilliant color with a touch of sparkle woven throughout.

Baby Chick Hat

Sarah was able wear her Broken Egg hat out to the ballpark today. The hat was quite the "belle of the ball" at the field. This hat was recently knit out of Cascade's new yarn, Cash Vero DK in white. The chicks were added after the hat was completed using Tahki's Cotton Classic yarn. This Itty Bitty Hat Book is becoming almost a bible for me. I am able to whip up hats quite quickly, and each are so unique (and so easy to customize). Our Cotton Classic yarn, and the Cascades Cash Vero line make these hats so versatile. Can't wait to show you the next one...look for it in the next few days.

Customers Creations, New yarn

Gay recently brought her turquoise Cascade 220 felted purse into the shop to show us how cute it turned out. The colors really compliment each other, and the young lady who is to receive it will feel quite lucky to have such a fabulous purse.

Julie finished her Pick up Sticks Vertical Stripe Tote in 2 colors of Cascade 220. This is going to be a great summer tote for her. Julie and a couple other of Mary Lynn's customers have been great in letting me teach them how to knit left handed.

We also have had a few new yarns appear at the shop this week... Frog Trees fingering weight alpaca yarn came in in 3 luscious colors. Madil's Eden arrived in a few new colors, and we even have a sample of Elizabeth Zimmerman's February baby sweater made from Eden. Lastly, new colors of DiVi's Teseo are on the shelf. These new colors of Teseo have me anxious to start knitting for winter 2007-2008

Finished projects

Classes are off to a great start this session. I look forward to sharing some of our customers new creations as they finish.

In the meantime I wanted to share some of the new shop samples with everyone.

Our shop's resident "Jacob" or aka "Jake" is finished and on display. He really is so much cuter in person. The joy of this project was not only obtaining a new "project bag"(and everyone knows I always need/want a new one of those) but the fact that EVERYTHING you need to complete this project came in the bag. I literally was able to finish knitting and then finish little Jake the bunny all in one sitting. (Jake's real information is Schaefer yarns Lola Bunny Love)

The fish have turned out to be quite addicting. 2 fishes were felted, and the kool-aid dyed yarn is so cute (as well as the fish pattern) that I had to make a simply knitted fish. The pattern was modified just a smidgin to make the knitted version look as professional as the felted. As for the embellishment, my mind is really racing for ideas on future fish. Perhaps Mary Lynn and I will even have to make miniature "Jennifer" and "Mary Lynn" fish (ie fish that we think look like us)

Stocking 1 (Our fun July stocking) is blocked and in the shop, and our true Christmas stocking has hopes of being hung with care on Thursday. It is hard to believe that I will need to fill these beautiful stockings in just 159 days, 2 hours and 19 minutes (whose counting?)

Our Garden of Hats continues to grow with this unisex paper bag hat. I must say it turned out quite nice in the color scheme we choose of Tahki Cotton Classic yarn.

Schaefer's Cute as Button Bunny

Oh-me, oh-my. The shop has beautiful new bunny kits...Schaefer's Yarn has put together a kit that includes everything you need to make this cute project. Their yarn is absolutely stunning. I cannot wait to share our bunny with my cutie and everyone at the shop.

Bus Trip

It is official...Mary Lynn's Yarn Garden will be taking a bus trip to Stitches Midwest on August 12, 2007. The bus will be leaving Mary Lynn's parking lot (all bus goers can leave the cars in any of the building's parking spots for the entire day) at 8am sharp. So all attendees need to be on the bus by 7:45. That means we will get the the market shortly after the doors open. Cost for the trip is $40 and includes your ticket to attend the event. How exciting to enjoy a day with ladies that enjoy knitting...I may even have to come up with a special bus project. Anyone interested in attending with Mary Lynn and I will need to come up to the shop and book their spot -- look forward to spending the day with everyone.

I also wanted to share this photo with everyone. This is a blanket that many of our customer's helped create for Sarah. I just love it so...We have been able to use it often, even in the middle of summer. It was knit out of Tahki's cotton classic yarn, so it washes and dries beautifully, but it also breathes - so it has been a great nursing blanket. I giggle whenever little Sarah is able to get a few fingers or toes to pop thru...just love our blanket of love.

Customer's Creations and Shop Samples

Customers at the shop have been very busy...Our resident Guru, Mary has knit this beautiful vest in no time. She found the patterns in Knitter's Issue 86, Spring 2007 and it was pattern Laced Latte knit out of Berroco's Nostalgia. Mary successfully changed the yarn to a beautiful 100% black silk, Berger du Nord Yarn's Belle. Mary's finished piece is stunning.

Carol has been quite busy too. She knit one of our new felted purse patterns using buttons and beads. She choose wonderful colors -- and has even brought a friend up to choose colors for the purse she will knit the friend.

As for myself, I have finished the Cat Bordhi moebius sample. I met Cat at market (as did Sarah and Lauren) and have enjoyed some nice conversations with her at TNNA market and since. What a truly remarkable woman she is. I used one skein of the wonderful Jade Sapphire's 2-ply Cashmere. I really love how it turned out, and it was so much fun to knit. I cast on 5 or 6 times, not because of mistakes, rather that it was so enjoyable.

My beginning lace sample is also now in the shop. This was actually a very therapeutic piece to knit. I do so enjoy lace. This piece accompanied me allover Bloomington-Normal as I was able to visually knit the scarf. So it did not require a lot of room to take with me. I also knit this piece out of Jade Sapphires 2-ply Cashmere.

Exciting new yarn and yarn companies

Just when I thought it was going to be a quiet day in the shop....Mom has now added Art Yarns hand painted yarns to the shop. I fell in love with every color the yarn rep kept pulling out. We have ordered 10 colors in Silk Rhapsody, Regal Silk and Ultramerino. All of which are due into the shop in the Fall. There are many also many great patterns by Art Yarns that will be coming with the yarn.

As if that was not enough. Berroco has come out with a fabulous new yarn. This yarn in nylon and acrylic, which doesn't sound too pretty...But boy is this yarn a great buy, in great colors, at a great feel. I cannot remember the yarns name, as the yarn is not due to even ship until the end of July. It is machine washable and machine dryable which is even further appealing. And of course, Berroco would not be introducing this great yarn without great pattern support. All of the new Berroco pattern booklets are also on order, and we look forward to opening that box.

We also found out that are EVERY Lang/Jawoll sock yarn skein comes with reinforcing yarn. We like to say our Jawoll skeins are expecting babies...as the reinforcing yarn is tucked tight into the bellies of each skein. This yarn company has been around since the 1800's, and they sure know how to make a great, affordable, durable sock. Come by and let our Jawoll skeins birth their "babies" for you.


And just when I was walking out the door, in came a new yarn from Plymouth/Cleckheaton, Cocoon. It is a pretty worsted weight wool and nylon. It too, came with a new pattern booklet with some beautiful garments.

Children's Classes

I forgot to mention that we are now featuring Children's Classes at Mary Lynn's Yarn Garden. There are two children's classes in the next schedule. I am so excited to get this new generation learning handarts, and I hope to do this by customizing projects to each child's needs/personality. We have also started scheduling children's birthday parties for children ages 8-12. The parties include one-on-one consultations with the birthday girl to make sure the project for the party is something that excites her and her guests. The parties will run for 90 minutes and we have enough space to accommodate cake and ice cream after we finish our project.

It's Final Here

It's finally here... The 2007 Fall Class Schedule is in the mail, and should be in your mailbox anyday. Mary Lynn's Yarn Garden still has many favorites on the calender - such as the Beginning Knitting, Einstein Coat, Felting and socks, but we also have many other great classes just beginning: Entrelac, more toe-up socks, children's articles of clothing, moebuis knitting - as well as Beginning crochet and a great new felted bag, Mezza Luna. There are many new display items coming into the shop daily, so take some time and come in to check them out, and get inspired.

Last week the Opal Sock Representative was in, and mom couldn't let her leave with an order. We have so much new coming, Schaefers Yarn and Claudia's yarn, more Tilli Tomas and Jade Sapphire. New Black Purl patterns, as well as Cabin Fever and Chris Bylsma patterns. Tofutsies is here -- as well as Mountain Colors and Jowell, and Friday Sisu patterns and sock kits arrived. Fabulous silk and alpaca yarn (King George)came in on Thursday from Plymouth, as well as a beautiful new lace yarn, Buckingham. There is much more new on the way.














Finally, Lantern Moon bags are now on sale...these are definately Must Have Bags for the knitter and non-knitters alike. Stop in and pick out a favorite before they are gone.

Happy Knitting
Jennifer

New Blog for Mary Lynn's Yarn Garden; Bloomington, Illinois

She has been anxious to start her own blog for her store - so I am anxious to give mom (Mary Lynn) a call and let her know that she can officially start blogging shop news. How exciting this will be...Mary Lynn's Yarn Garden has been open for just over a year now in Central Illinois - we are a full service yarn and needlepoint store located in downtown Bloomington. The shop has a beautiful view from the 4th floor of the CII East Building. Mom and I have made so many new friends since the shop open, and we can now let all of our friends know about different going-ons at the shop. Love to all - Jennifer