From East to West...

I'm pleased to announce that The Quilted Purl now carries six lines of yarn from Green Mountain Spinnery, the only shop in Colorado to do so, I believe.  The Green Mountain Spinnery story is as interesting as their yarn is beautiful.  Click on the link to read about their cooperative and be sure to take the virtual tour of their operation.  As a former history teacher, I'm especially impressed with the fact that they're still using a machine built in 1896!  Fantastic!

I'm very excited to be able to support American producers of wool and manufacturers of yarn and to offer it to my customers.  Check out the new yarns here or better yet, come by to see and touch them in person!

Alpaca Elegance
50% New England Alpaca 50% Fine Wool DK weight

Sylvan Spirit
50% Fine Wool/50% TENCEL Lyocell combine to make a soft yarn with a satiny sheen. DK weight

New Mexico Organic
100% Fine Wool grown in New Mexico & Certified Organic by the NM Organic Commondity Commission. Processing Certified Organic by Vermont Organic Farmers  DK weight

Mountain Mohair
30% Yearling Mohair and 70% Wool Worsted Weight

Cotton Comfort
80% Fine Wool/20% Organic Cotton combines the pure softness of organic cotton with the
elasticity and delicacy of fine wool.      DK weight


And Finally...Yarn Over

Yarn Over Red
Carded wool & mohair left from a range of Spinnery dye lots is blended to create "once only" muted colors.
Heavy worsted weight

Pre-"Sockupied"

On January 1, 2013, I didn't know how to knit socks and if you've been following this blog, you know that I didn't much care.  However, I'd decided to expand my knitting horizons and socks were at the top of the list.

Mountain Colors Crazyfoot

As of April 1st, I'm working on my ninth pair of socks, making my way through the yarns in the shop to determine which work well for sock knitting.  Since it's important for me to be able to make recommendations, 8 of the 9 pairs of socks have been for me so I can judge the comfort, fit, and washability.  I really do have the perfect job, don't I?  The 9th pair went to my son for his birthday with washing instructions and the warning that failure to follow them will result in socks for his wife!

Lonesome Stone Alpaca Tracks

So, the results... haven't found a yarn in the shop yet that I don't love for socks!  An unexpected result: sock knitting can be fattening!  I didn't really think of quilting as an athletic activity, but there is a fair amount of jumping up and down from the sewing machine to the cutting table or ironing board.  Sitting for eight hours a day knitting socks doesn't burn calories, so I'm back to quilting during the day and knitting at night.  Be forewarned ~ your fingers moving as you knit do not burn many calories!

Universal Yarns Instant Print

Mountain Colors Bearfoot

Mountain Colors 4/8s Wool

Mountain Colors Twizzle

I'd like to take credit for the "Sockupied," but I'm not that clever.  Interested in some knitting patterns for socks?  Follow this link: "Sockupied".

Lonesome Stone Mountain Feat

Quilting from 6 to 96

 A couple of weeks ago while having lunch with my brother John, he told me about a project that parishioners in his church worked on a few years ago.  Folks from 6 to 96 years of age gathered to create quilts to donate to a children's hospital as part of their Lenten program.

As one parishioner wrote, "Lots of people had donated fabric, and many had donated funds to help us buy other needed materials.  It really felt like it brought us all together, young and old, those who sew, and those who don't, all to provide for babies in need. "

The completed quilts made one stop on the way to the hospital, adorning St. Rose Parish Church in northern New Hampshire for Easter Sunday, where the loving work of so many hands and hearts became part of the Easter joy and celebration.

A Blessed and Happy Easter

and a

Happy Passover for my Jewish readers!

Some Knitting Tips

http://www.knittingdaily.com/blogs/daily/archive/2013/03/20/becoming-a-better-knitter.aspx

I saw this post this morning and wanted to pass it along.  The tip on knitting stripes especially caught my attention as I have never been thrilled with my results when ribbing stripes, to the extent that I avoid it.  Now I don't have to limit myself!

Check it out here: http://www.knittingdaily.com/blogs/daily/archive/2013/03/20/becoming-a-better-knitter.aspx

Heels, and Gussets, and Toes, Oh My!

One down and one to go!  Our first "Socks Made Simple" course at The Quilted Purl ended yesterday with at least one of everyone's feet clad in a brand new, custom fitted sock. Before they left the shop, the students completed at least two rows of the mate to the pair lest anyone suffer from "Second Sock Syndrome."  Though with such great looking socks, who wouldn't want to quickly complete the mate and get to the business of wearing them and showing them off?

Interested in trying your hand at sock knitting?  Stop by the shop so we can discuss possibilities for a second go around with "Socks Made Simple!"

A Mother's Hands Memorial

Ethel Trask, a dear friend and my maid of honor 42 years ago, just shared this link on Facebook: http://www.mothershandsmemorial.org/.  Ethel is of Armenian descent and is naturally interested in this new memorial. I was struck immediately by the beautiful imagery in the introductory paragraphs of the piece:

A Mother's Hands

Knot by knot, her hands weave the history of her people. The delicacy of the crochet integrated into this cross stone is symbolic of the beauty and strength of the Armenian heritage. This ancient culture lives forever, just as the imprint of the first genocide of the 20th century in the collective memory of the Armenians.

The blooming crossstone is the permanent reminder that the slaughter of more than 1.5 million Armenians within the Ottoman Empire will never be forgotten, that in spite of the pain and horror of the genocide, knot by knot, the Armenian People everywhere weave their hopes and dreams, as they bloom and prosper..

Most mothers and women thankfully, will never be called upon to experience the horror the Armenians suffered, but like the Armenians, "People everywhere weave their hopes and dreams, as they bloom and prosper.."

Lowell, Massachusetts is part of my family's history.  My mother grew up there among her immediate and extended family, many of whom worked in the very textile mills which were the foundation and origin of the town during the industrial revolution in America.  Those of you who've been in The Quilted Purl have perhaps noticed the "flying shuttles" and bobbins that came from those Lowell mills.  Many years later, my two sons were born in Lowell.

Hats off to the Mayor and City Council of Lowell for supporting this worthwhile endeavor and best wishes to the Armenian community in achieving their goal.

Pomp and Circumstance

If you've been following this blog for awhile, you've seen this pretty smile before, though it no longer glitters with braces.  Nancy has completed her "finals" in piecing, layering, quilting, and binding and is ready to move on to greater heights (she's taken up rock climbing!).  I'm delighted with her final project, a 45' x 45" lap quilt.  She used two Moda Scrap Bags of "Reunion" for the sampler blocks and for the final border.   Nancy began the quilt last summer, then took off to attend a family reunion in New England.  How appropriate!  She finished today and by the look on her face, I think she's pleased too!