Archive for June, 2008
Like many of you, we are devoted fans of Interweave Knits. In particular, we love Eunny Jang’s designs, and it’s great to see them reach a wider audience (she’s the editor now). Eunny favors Fair Isle projects (designs like the Ivy League Vest (pictured here) and Autumn Rose that use two colors per row), and we’ve just received the perfect yarn!
Jamieson’s Spindrift is a fingering weight yarn that comes in a ton (and we mean a ton) of solid and heathered colors. It’s designed to be used in Fair Isle projects because you carry more than one color acros the back, and a fine yarn won’t be too bulky.
We’re working on a class for fall that uses this yarn and introduces advanced Fair Isle techniques like steeking (actually cutting your knitting)! We’ll keep you posted. In the meantime, we have lots of Fair Isle project ideas (some simple and others more complex), so come in and chek out this great new yarn. Don’t forget, it will be on sale over the 4th of July weekend.
June 26th, 2008
Summer-time knitting can be a challenge but here is a fabulous idea for a bright and happy project. Nancy Berry, one of our more adventurous customers, created this vest in GGH Linova, a cotton-linen blend that comes in a great color range.
The pattern is from the Vogue Knitting Spring Summer 2005. In this issue it is pattern #6 and called the “Sleeveles Vest” and designed by Martha Cleary. She used 3 colors in the GGH Linova - Blue (10), Taupe(27) and Rust(25). One of the great things about the sleeveless vest on Nancy is that it fits her well. We love bright and young summer knits.
As always, keep sending us pictures of your Finished Objects and let us inspire other people with them. We love to see where your creativity takes you!!
June 25th, 2008
Hannah Kelley became Hannah Alvarez this weekend when she got married to Travis Alvarez. Travis is Linda’s son - Linda is a wonderful friend of Nine Rubies - if we had a BFF, Linda is that BFF. As many of you know, Hannah moved here from Texas at the end of 2007 to be closed to Travis and started work at Nine Rubies in early January 2008.
Hannah, The Woodland Nymph
Hannah and Travis got married on June 21st in a beautiful woodside setting under a canopy of redwoods. The ceremony was attended by close family and friends. Hannah wore a dress designed by her and Linda, and built by Linda. Her “wrap” was a beautiful hand-painted scarf made for her by her step-grandmother. Travis’ jacket was based on a tunic from the 95th British Rifles and yes, made by Linda as well. Amazing!!
Ric, Hannah, Travis and Linda
The couple is off to Yosemite for their honeymoon and we will think of them with love and happiness in our hearts. And when you see Hannah back at the store, be sure to congratulate her and wish her the very best for the next chapter of her life!
June 22nd, 2008
Mary Wong brought the best Oatmeal cookies to WWKIP Day in the park. There was much oohing and aahing over the cookies and they were gone really fast. I know I had something to do with them disappearing really fast but Andrea and Kumi asked for the recipe and Mary Wong very kindly agreed to provide them for the blog. So here it is:
Oatmeal Quick Cookies
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs well beaten together
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (sift after measuring)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup raisins (optional)
1 cup chocolate chips (optional)
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350F. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until well combined. Add the eggs and beat until creamy. Mix in the vanilla.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sifted flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix well. Stir in the oats and, if desired, the raisins, chocolate chips, and/or nuts, and mix well (if too stiff add a little water). Drop by the teaspoon on cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until ready.
Enjoy!!
June 21st, 2008
We had a wonderful gathering in San Mateo’s Central park for World Wide Knit In Public Day on June 14th, 2008. First of all, we had quite a few people join us. Some preferred the shade and some preferred the sun - we had the perfect spot.
We got to see everyone’s projects:
Christa’s fabulous blanket
Nini and her special projects
Sandra hiding behind her Baby Surprise Jacket
Those were just a few of the projects. Good laughs, meeting friends old and new, a fabulous day and spending an hour or two knitting away in a park - aaah! Pure Bliss. For all those who came, thank you - you did us knitters proud!!
June 19th, 2008
Evelyn A. Clark is a lace genius, and one of her most popular projects is the Swallowtail Shawl. It was first published in Interweave Knits in the Fall of 2006, and it was recently voted one of the 5 most popular patterns that have ever been in the magazine.
Many lace projects are very complex, but Swallowtail is one of those wonderful projects that look much more difficult than it actually is. We’ll be teaching all the techniques you need to complete this spectacular shawl: learn how to read charts, use a provisional cast on, work increases and decreases, create the signature nupps (akin to a bobble but in a lightweight yarn), work with fine gauge yarns, block your project, and more.
For details on the class, please check out our class schedule.
June 18th, 2008
Our annual 4th of July holiday sale is here again. You’ve got a couple of weeks to think about all the garments you’ll want to knit this fall or the scarves you’ll be giving as holiday gifts or the felted bag you’re dying to make. Maybe you’re just looking for a good opportunity to enhance your stash? We’re here to help! The Sale starts at 10 am on Saturday, July 5th and continues until 5 pm on Sunday, July 6th.
All merchandise in the store will be 15% off the original price. Sales merchandise will be an additional 10% off. As always members will get an additional 5% discount. Store members can also shop during the week before (starting Monday, June 30th) and avoid the rush (and get the best selection). We will be closed on Friday, July 4th, so plan accordingly. We will be closing early at 5 pm on Thursday, 3rd of July so we can get the carpets cleaned and let everyone get back to their families.
*Classes and gift certificates are not eligible for discounts.
*Returns only with receipts.
*Unfortunately, we won’t be able to wind your yarn on sale day. We will be happy to wind it for you on another day.
June 17th, 2008
We’re always proud of our customer’s accomplishments, so this is a new feature to our newsletter. We’ll be profiling a customer and one of their fabulous finished objects in every newsletter. If you’ve got a project that you’d like us to feature, let us know. Just email us at info AT ninerubies DOT com. Of course, we may just ask you instead!
Many of our customers know Amanda, one of our youngest customers (and Stitches West demo queen!). She’s always up for a challenge, so she took Linda’s Fair Isle Mitts class a couple of months back. Here she is with her first (almost) completed mitt. The second one will be done before school gets out because it’s an end-of-year teacher gift.
So, if you’re thinking that you can’t knit Fair Isle, think again. If a 10-year-old can knit Fair Isle, you can too! The patterns are available in the store if you want to get started right away. The first offering of this class was sold out, so we’ll be offering another session in the fall. You can always check our website for the latest class list.
June 5th, 2008
We’ve had the good fortune to have a number of designers come to the shop to share their knowledge with us. This fall is no exception. We’re delighted that the renowned sock designer Cookie A. (creator of the uber-popular Monkey socks) will be coming to the shop on November 1st. Spend the day learning sock techniques with one of the hottest sock designers in the country. There will two classes 10-1 and 2-5. So, mark your calendar and come join us for own local celebrity. For more details see our Class Schedule.
June 3rd, 2008
