Thursday, December 26, 2013

8 free patterns! & intro to Magic Cake Ruffle Shawl

http://tincanknits.com/index.html
I downloaded a couple of these after hearing about them on the Knitter's Pipeline podcast http://www.knittingpipeline.com/2013/11/episode-150-magic-cake-ruffle-shawl.html &&& I want to make a Magic Cake Ruffle Shawl

This one has been started by Susan B. Anderson. I like the technique & this is an incredible stash buster. Do let us know here @ Needle Rock if you start one of these. Paula, of Knitter's Pipeline mentioned an interesting way of changing up the stitches: if the yarn is variegated, knit in stockinette, if solid, knit in garter...hmmm.

We hope you have several projects on needles or dangling from your hook - stop by & share!

Happy New Year - Rock On!

Ginger & Ann

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Austrian Yarn Bike

A good friend spotted this fabulous use of stash in Melk, Austria this past summer. Hop on anybody?

Thursday, October 24, 2013

A Couple of Super Quick Hats!

Mountain Fusion Hat - on the reverse side of the Mountain Meadow's Teton yarn label! I used Tapetes de Lana, 50% Alpaca, 50% Border Leicester - totally soft, stretchy & a delight to wear.






This Ushya Hat uses only 1 skein & a size 13 needle. Knits up in an afternoon. Ushya means "soft" in Qucchua (Peruvian) & that's no lie! There's plenty of yarn to make it more slouchy if that's your taste.

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Needle Rock Red!

Brand new & in the shop today!!
Ann & Kimberly Perkins of Cat Mountain Fiber Arts designed this colorway. Kimberly was kind enough to do up a special order for lil ol' me & I believe she's added it to her palette - she sent along a couple of extra sock hanks in this new color, so if your wardrobe NEEDS some red socks & ALL wardrobes NEED red socks - I recommend this one!
This will be my winter project - a Wonderful Wallaby for yours truly - stay tuned!

Friday, October 11, 2013

Our youngest prospective knitter yet!

How is this for the cutest thing you've seen at a knitting circle - EVER! This is Amelia Dickinson & she cannot wait to learn to knit from her Aunt Cathy.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Hand Dye Day @ El Prado - The Rockers do not hold back

 Meet Jennifer, our teacher for the 2nd annual Hand Dye Day @ El Prado. Oh - the things we are about to learn

Our students are all ready to take notes & c-r-e-a-t-e color.

We were SO lucky to be able to be indoors, in the barn as the weather was San Juan sketchy outside.
 ...& they're off!

picking up any trade secrets here?
 & then we got to do tonals...


Just like in knitting, you must stand back & admire your work.

These are a lot of our creations - some 100% bamboo (morning session) others are merino & cashmere (afternoon session)

You simply have no idea how much fun this all is!

6th Anniversary & Cat Mountain Trunk Show, aka: Film Festival for the 40th time

Cat Mountain Trunk Show


An outdoor trunk show happened over Telluride's 40th annual Film Festival, featuring Cat Mountain's Hand Dyed Fusion fiber kits, single fiber hand dyes & examples of each knit up. Oh! The Eye Candy!



Kimberly, Cat Mountain's creator can't help but be pleased w/the success of this display. Jenny Sullivan, sporting her hand knit skirt caved & found a gorgeous selection.




Jenny shows off a Knit Swirl display garment in one of Kimberly's delicious colorways - you've simply GOT to come in & schmoosh these fusion fiber kits to fully understand this gushing.

We love when knitters hold down our benches!

Sunday, September 15, 2013

New Autumn Needlepoint Canvas

We will finally fill out our needlepoint canvas' with an autumn scene. We LOVE Wilson Peak in the background. We should have 2 sizes in by the end of September!

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Jenny's Queensland SKIRT!

Who knew? 6 years & we still love chocolate! Go figure.

Earlier this year, Jenny modeled THE skirt, such as it was...

& now she's flipped over the completion of THE skirt! (weird, the picture was right side up in our file, but transferred over sideways.

How swingy IS THE skirt! Again, Jenny's just flipped over it!

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Workshops & Trunk Shows - way to jumpstart your knitting!


cartoonNeedle Rocket Flash
August / 17/ 2013

Big News About Our Dye Class! 

We are enriching our September Dye Class by bringing Jennifer Miller of Theodora's Pearls to Telluride!  The format has changed slightly, but the class will be much more interesting and educational.
In addition, Jennifer will be at Needle Rock for a Trunk Show of Theodora's Pearls yarns for fall with new colorways and fiberways as well as a few surprises in her trunk.  She will be teaching some wonderful knitting classes at Needle Rock as well.  Be sure to mark your calendar and RSVP as soon as possible!
upcoming!
 CAT MOUNTAIN TRUNK SHOW
one day only
Come meet Kimberly Perkins & get to know her gorgeous hand dyed multi fiber kits & single yarns; some sparkly, some rustic, all fabulous
Saturday, August 31st
12-5 p.m. 
Friday, September 20th
Trunk Show of Theodora's Pearls at Needle Rock Fiberarts!  Check out the new fall fibers and colors of these gorgeous yarns. Meet Jennifer Miller, yarn/color designer and creator of
Dizzylettuce and Theodora's Pearls, nationally-known hand painted and hand-dyed fine fibers, using unusual and luxury fibers. 
Featured in exclusive retail stores around the country,  Jennifer is an award-winning artist and popular arts instructor, teaching both knitting, knitting design, and fiber dyeing techniques.  


2 pm - Class: Introduction to Lace Knitting,You'll love this fun beginning class for knitters who are itching to make a lace shawl! Using the Ashton Shawlette pattern by Dee O'Keefe, we'll get started on an easy-to-follow lace pattern. Jennifer shares all the tips and techniques on lace knitting that she has developed over the years. At the end of this class, you'll feel confident that you can work this shawl with a minimum of assistance!

Class topics include: 
 Beginning a shawl using the garter tab method;
·         Reading a lace chart;
·         Working with hand painted yarns to show them off beautifully;
·         Bonus topic! Placing beads in your knitting.
Max participants: 10
Class fee: $45
Check out the Theodora's Pearls yarns at the trunk show prior to class! Perfect for this pattern.
Please bring: fingering weight yarn for a shawl project (at least 375 yards); Ashton Shawlette pattern (free pattern on Ravelry). Size 4 and 5 needles, double point or straights; 24 or 32" circulars. Stitch markers.
Provided:  handouts and annotations.
Participants should know how to knit, purl, yarn over, ssk, k2tog.
Reserve your space today by calling Needle Rock at 970-728-3427.



Saturday, Sept 21, Noon - 5pm 

Trunk Show
   
2 pm - Class: Cat Bordhi's Sweet Tomato Sock Heel - Cat's new sock heel technique, which is so easy and elegant, will change your sock knitting life!  The Sweet Tomato Sock Heel is suitable for cuff-down or toe-up socks & can be easily adapted to any pattern. It's perfectly smooth with no pesky holes & requires no picked-up stitches.  Once you learn it, you never have to look at the instructions again! 

Class Preparation: please work your choice of sock pattern, either toe up or cuff-down, to the bend in your ankle. You can use your choice of needle styles: 2 circulars, double points, or magic loop.
Fee: $45 plus pattern (either single pattern or entire ebook)
Max participants: 4
Participants should know how to knit socks (using any preferred method). 
Reserve your spot in this class today by calling Needle Rock at 970-728-3427
   
5 pm - Wine and Cheese Reception, come join us!!
  
  
Sunday, Sept 22, 9am-4pm
Dyeing Workshop with Bamboo and Wool 

Learn techniques for dyeing both wool and bamboo yarns at the El Prado Barn on Wilson Mesa.  See examples of Jennifer's personal techniques for handpaints, tonals, speckle dye, and spectacular color design.
6 skeins of yarn and lunch included in workshop fee; additional skeins can be purchased, as well.
Workshop fee, $175; additional yarn skeins $12-16 ea.
   
Please wear clothes that you don't mind splashing dye & water on! Bring your own "dishwashing"-type gloves; I suggest Playtex Living Gloves

:No experience necessary! Come & have fun!  RSVP asap to Needle Rock at 970-728-3427.



Monday, Sept. 23, 2pm
EZ's February Baby Sweater

2pm - Class: Elizabeth Zimmermann's February Baby Sweater Explicated. This charming, adaptable top down sweater is a wonderful gift for a new baby. The pattern can also be easily scaled up into an adult sweater.
Class Fee: $45 plus pattern (available in Knitters Almanac by Elizabeth Zimmermann)
Max participants: 8
Participants should know how to knit, purl, increase, and decrease. 
Please bring: 350 yards of DK or sport weight yarn, suitable for a baby sweater; size 5 24" circular needles. 
Provided: handouts & annotations.
Reserve your space at Needle Rock at 970-728-3427.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

New Baskets of Africa shipment!

 YAY! A new shipment of wonderful, fair trade baskets from Ghana! Most of them start out in our shop bathtub (didn't I tell you we use every square inch of this house!) We will be shaping those that need it over the next few days, so join us for that fabulous "barn" perfume as they take their perfect shape.
 A few were ready to go, right out of AirBob's delivery plane.
The colors, the shapes...the possibilities; all the while supporting African weavers. You know, you always NEED another basket! Stop by soon to see all the beautiful choices.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Interesting stitches...

Triplicity by Knit Purl Hunter
There was no one around to take the photo while I modeled this new project, so I employed one of our hat models. This takes about 275 yds; I used Strandivarious "Heavenly" (85% Polwarth wool & 15% silk). The yarn truly is heavenly to work up.

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Peggy Sue's Pagewood Farms Mohair Locks Scarf

PSR finished this scarf back in March. Somehow I'm just posting about it now!

Friday, May 17, 2013

Galloping Goose comes home

It was quite the bit of excitement yesterday, watching our Galloping Goose return to her digs adjacent to the Court House. She's fully restored, inside & out -  I look forward to touring it!

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Ginger's Wallaby's & Color Affection Scarf

Ginger was busy this spring - 2 Wallaby's using Plymouth Select Worsted Merino Superwash. We will have a knit-a-long this summer featuring this pattern. Guaranteed - you'll make more than 1!
&&& The Color Affection scarf on Sarah - a gorgeous piece in garter stitch~
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/color-affection 

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Rosemerry's Road Map Scarf

Check out Rosemerry's Road Map scarf! She has only been knitting a little more than a year & soared through all the stitch patterns, including the bit-pesky i-cord bind off border! We are SO proud of RWT & the colors are just magnificent (Sublime Baby Cash Merino).

Monday, March 25, 2013

Still more mukluks

Ann made these for Peggy Sue's birthday - kinda like the stripe-y action. What do you think?

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Valerie is set for Spring

Valerie looking SO chic in her spring-y bulky shrug worked up in Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande - total yum!

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Knit on the Mountain 3-13

 Cathy is showing off the features of her top-down KAL - the perfect choice for the chilly, cloudy day that was Knit on the Mountain 2013.
We fortified ourselves against the cold & any germs.