Posts filed under 'General'
We’re delighted to welcome back teacher and author, Eileen Adler. Eileen is the author of the book Matching Knits for Girls and Dolls. She’ll be teaching a one-session class this Friday, August 22nd from 2 pm to 5 pm. Eileen will be demonstrating all of the techniques you need to know to make this unusual wearable. Techniques include Cat Bordhi’s Moebius cast-on, a diagonal lace pattern incorporating yarnovers and k2togs, and an unusual increase - purling into the front and back. You’ll also learn how to knit the bind-off.
In addition to writing the book mentioned above, several of Eileen’s designs have also appeared in Creative Knitting Magazine and other notable publications.
- Date: Friday, August 22nd, 2-5 pm
- Materials: 185 yards of sport to light worsted yarn (approx. 22sts/4 inches), one stitch marker, size 10 or 10.5 needles (40″ - 47″ long).
- Cost: $30
Please call the shop at 650-685-6205.
August 18th, 2008
I hate doing unnecessary paperwork. Being a small business owner has driven me crazy with paperwork. Don’t get me wrong - I don’t mind paying taxes for all the nice parks, schools and the benefits we get for living in this beautiful, wonderful area. I don’t mind paying my personal income taxes, business taxes to the Federal and State governments once a year. I don’t mind paying sales tax - I do mind paying them monthly though. But I have to give props to the state of California for finally allowing me to pay them online.
But county taxes? I know that a portion of the sales tax goes to the county. What I did not know until recently is that you are supposed to pay taxes to the county of San Mateo.
So I get an official notice from the county and now I have to figure out Form 571-L. The form wouldn’t be bad by itself but the lady at the county office wants our annual tax returns - I suspect she needs Form 4562 actually - and I am gathering those up as well. And then I have to make sure some of those numbers match and I have to figure out how much to take out for depreciation. Following me so far? No? Me neither. I lost myself a while back.
The final upshot is that I am going to owe the county something in the range of $200 for 2 YEARS! So, I am telling this story to my sister-in-law who is a CPA and she has a very pithy comment - it’s not even worth anyone’s time to process all this paperwork at the county office. That got me thinking - so what’s the point?
July 31st, 2008
Our recent workshop with Rosemary Hill has inspired a number of people to take their lace-knitting skills to the next level. We’d like to invite those who participated in the workshop (and anyone else enamored of this design who couldn’t make it), to join Sudha in making this beautiful and versatile project.
All you need is one skein of Kidsilk Haze and 16″ needles in sizes 5, 7 and 8. The cowl pattern is available on the Knitty website. Please print out your copies before coming to the first class. The pattern can be made with the beads or without the beads. If you need beads, the closest store is our friends at the Beading Frenzy.
There will be four Sunday afternoon sessions from 2-4 pm, beginning on August 10th. You should get your materials before the first session, if you are planning to join us.
Here’s the schedule for the KAL:
- Sunday, 8/10: Getting started: learn the picot beaded cast on, how to join in the round and establish the pattern
- Sunday, 8/17: Changing needles, increases and decreases in pattern
- Sunday, 8/24: Problem-solving and catch up
- Sunday, 9/7: Finishing up and casting off!
We hope you can join us for any or all of these sessions to work on this great project. Please call the store and register for the KAL. We are limiting this KAL to 15 people and think this will fill fast.
July 30th, 2008
The much-anticipated Nine Rubies bags are finally here, coinciding with the new iPhone release from Apple. I can safely say that our bag launch will be smoother, will not require 2-year contracts, and will not require you to stand in line for three hours or more. The bags are in the store. If you got coupons from us at the WWKIP day, come by and exchange a bag for a coupon. If you did come for WWKIP day and we ran out of coupons before we could get one to you, your name will be on a “special” list at the front desk. If you would still like one of the great new Eco bags, you can buy one for a nominal price of $9 - all your regular discounts apply.
If this the first time you are hearing about this, the new bags are so we don’t give out as many plastic bags as we do. If you have a bag and then make a purchase of $20 or more, we will refund you $1 on your purchase. Of course, this means you don’t get one of our plastic bags.
Hope you’ll help us make the environment a wee bit healthier with recycle-bags that you’ll be happy to carry.
July 12th, 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
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