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.