Classes

It is that time of year...I love seeing new and familiar faces and helping them dive into a new project. I am posting this falls class schedule classes, and updating dates and times tomorrow. If you are interested in a class, Please call the shop at (309) 820-0174, and we will get you set up. If there isn't a class listed that you are interested in, give Jennifer a call and she will be open to adding some more classes as needed.

Beginning Knitting This is a class for true beginners. Learn to knit, purl, cast-on and bind off. After finishing these two sessions, you will be ready for your first project.

Beginning Sock Class Socks remain the perfect project for new knitters. They're easy and portable. This class will focus on starting our sock at the cuff, as well as teach you sock anatomy and many sock tips.

2 Socks at a Time Why 2 socks at once? Well, why not? Two socks started and finished at the same time. Their still portable, still fun, but no "second-sock syndrome."

Beginning Crochet This is another class for true beginners. Learn the basics of crochet in this one 2 hour session. Taught by Terri.

The Knitting Technique to Change your Knitting Forever This class is perfect for beginners to intermediate. Take your knitting to the next level when we learn to knit with two hands. This technique is perfect for fair isle, but also in all of your future knitting projects. There will be 3 projects to choose from for this class.

The Wonderful Wallaby with Improvements A classic sweater from Cottage Creations. This is a unisex hoodie (or collared) sweater with a hand warming pouch knit from the top down, eliminating seams. Sized for the whole family & tweaked to perfection for any level of knitter.

The Great American Aran Afghan You will receive assistance in the squares from this fabulous, timeless book. Designs feature a wide variety of techniques from basic cable to more innovative stitch configurations. Join this class at any time.

Claudia Mitten Featured in Vogue Knitting 2008 Fall issue, you will keep your hands toasty in these adorable mittens. The popular "Potpourri Mittens" by Tania Gray will be our featured project. A must have for your winter wardrobe.

Fiber Trends Improved Felted Clog Still one our most popular projects, it continues to be the perfect, quick project for beginner to advance. you will find yourself making a pair for everyone in your home and on your Holiday Gift List.

Project Class Are you stuck on one project, perhaps two -- maybe even three. Maybe you're ready to start your first knitting project. Come join Jennifer and use her expertise to get your questions answered, problems solved and projects finished. Great for every level of knitter.

Beginning Tatting Join the fun of learning this Victorian Art. It has a variety of uses; edging of pockets and collars, crazy quilts, Christmas ornaments, etc. Tatting is very portable and uses fine thread.

Saartje's Bootees Are you looking for that perfect gift for a new mother or for a bootee that will stay on. We will learn different increases and decreases, and even a few cast ons in this class. This will be the project for every grandmother's hope chest and every new mother's baby.

Happy Holidays Knitted Cards and Ornaments From an I-Cord candy cane to an eyelet-patterned tree (and many more, including a book mark) we will explore many patterns and techniques to impress your recipient. Easy and fun new projects.

Learn New Skills Jennifer is so excited about the addition of this class. We will make dishcloths/facecloths/ or afghan squares in each class. While doing so we will learn new skills from pattern reading and charts, to learning about gauges, increases, decreases, cables, picking up stitches, seaming and so many more. Barbara Walker, Elizabeth Zimmerman and many other great teachers are foundational people for many of these techniques.

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.