Knit nite 11/8/7

Knit-nite was busy this week! we could barley fit everybody around the table - but that's what makes it fun!

I pulled out my camera kinda late, but I did catch Sarah S. looking for the perfect shawl pattern. And a new beginner knitter came to join us - yeah!

The other Sarah finished her beautiful sweater from the book The Knitters Guide to yarn for Cocktails She made out of Cascade Pima Silk and the top is doubled with Madil Kid Seta, (both in Lime) to give it a fuzzier feel. I love seeing what one small strand of yarn can do to change the look of a yarn or fabric!

It turns out Rachael and Qiana were knitting the same hat - Foliage from Knitty.com from two different yarns. I think I want to try it now, in the chunky weight.

Rachel was also working on a beautiful sweater from an Elsebeth Lavold book: Designer's Choice, (book 6) and was trying to decide how to switch one neckline for another, having already finished the back for the origional neck - should she rip out 4 rows, or just try to finagle it?

Polly is getting close to finishing her poncho from the Loop-de-Loop book. I love how soft the yarn is, (Lana Grande) and it knits up so quick! Here she is trying it on to see how it's coming along:




The girls, Zoe and Natalie were up front, hamming it up:





And Laura finally finished her seed stitch scarf - with a little help binding off - doesn't it look great?

Thursday 2 circular socks Knit nite

Last Thursday we all had a wonderful time at knit nite. Anne showed us how to knit a sock on two circular needles. She also added a great tip/trick that I greatly appreciated - how to use a waste yarn to create live stitches for the heel. Once the waste yarn was pulled out, you had live stitches to work from, and increase into your heel.

Knitting with 2 circulars was a little confusing at first, mainly keeping track of which tips belonged to which side, and which end to use next to knit with, but once I got the hang of it, it went pretty quickly. I'm not sure if it will cause me to drop my DPN's, but I am very comfortable working with double points, so this still feels clumsy and foreign to me.

Something I liked about it was that you are less likely to loose your stitches off the ends of your needles, which would help me a lot when working on them on the train - I wouldn't have to put the stitches that dropped back on the needle when taking my work out of the bag every time. And once I got the hang of it, it was easy to see the "circle" of the sock. My only concern would then be translating the pattern from three or four needles to two, I think I'd need to use a few stitch markers to keep my place as I followed the pattern - but at least I know they wouldn't fall off either!


Qiana had just finished her fall leaves hat and it looked fabulous!

Denise was working on her vest, which was turing out beautifully in a handpainted yarn.


We had a few new visitors come and join us, to learn new techniques and sign up on the wish list for the holidays!

Quian and Katy , ... Sue and the other Denise, ... and M.P. was in awe!










And Bonnie and Christine showed off their handiwork with some georgous socks:


Come and join us in a few weeks for the free continental knitting demo (Nov 15th) and how to cable without a cable needle demo (Dec. 6th) !

Angora's wings

Remember the fabulous book that we did a reading for at SASI?? Well get ready for the sequels! Gary Scholar has written 2 new books based on that great bunny, and she's meeting new friends and getting into all sorts of trouble. In these books she's taught her friends how to knit and now they've come up with some patterns of their own.

Donna has created the new patters for Gary's book, including a pair of beautiful angel wings:
and a "turtle neck shell" for Shelly, Angora's turtle friend.

Keep an eye on this space for more information about the books' arrival dates and the website for readings and signings by the author.

Who says you can't knit with your eyes closed?

Sister-Arts Studio and the Chicago Guild for the Blind hosted a low-vision knitting class two weeks ago at the Guild.

Fifteen students enrolled and all learned to knit during the two 2 hour sessions. The students, with little to no vision, learned to knit from verbal instructions and one-on-one assistance from Donna Palicka (the owner of Sister-Arts) and Polly Abbot, Manager of Rehabilitation Services at the Guild.

To prep for the class, Donna taught her own husband John (who is visually impaired) to knit. She's been trying to get John to knit for years - as an architect he of course did a fabulous job, and was knitting within the hour. Pictures of his work to come... She is a bit jealous because his work was impeccable!! But she said he's always been a perfectionist!

The class was such a success that low-vision Crochet classes have been requested by the students. For more information on either classes contact Polly at polly@guildfortheblind.org or Donna at 773.929.7274!

Yarn Con

SASI had a great time at Yarn Con, and was delighted to see some of the Thursday knit-nite crew stop by and say hello! They biked the entire way togehter - can you believe it?? I'm glad the weather held out, it was a terrific day. Franklin stopped by the table to say hello! and I harrased him about coming to the store - he's pretty booked until the beginning of next year, but that's not too far away! Unfortunatly he won't be able to make the Anniversary party on Nov. 30th - but keep your eyes open for more details on that front!

Donna sent a small sampling of some of the favorites in the store including Be Sweet, Cascade Handpainted, Jewel and Niki, the new Toefootsies sock yarn and some others. We sold out of most of our Lanter Moon needles and felted kits, but stop by the store for more as we reorder.

As I walked around the store, I checked out some of the other vendors, and I have to say, I just loved the Pattern Tamers - magnetic place holders, to keep track of where you are in a pattern. Her design was great - they magnetically wrap around the paper so you don't lose your place, or the placeholder. A different Donna from My Small Wonders had some really pretty yarns and was wearing a beautiful shall - Did I hear that Bonnie picked up some of her yarn? I'd love to see pictures!

Piddleloop had neat little project bags, I loved the way the bags had a place for your DPN's inside the cases - and the fabric was just great too! I did jump a bit every time she hammered a grommet into the bag, but I thought it was pretty cool to give her clients that option. The Sedona Sandcape pictures created by Mary Hoyer of RikiWeave was just beautiful and inspiring, and the felted earrings from Biggie made me laugh, they were super cute! The ones on her website don't do them justice at all. And I really wish I had had more time to look through the Knitting America book by Susan Strawn, but we'll just have to find a way to get it in at the store and I'll put it on my wish list!

SASI Knit Along

SASI knitters has decided to take it up a notch!

Come join us for a KNIT ALONG!
(as we are looking forward on into spring....)

We are still voting on WHICH pattern to knit but we are leaning more towards the "sweater" angle.

The top three are:

Elfin Goth Sweater found HERE (yes Belinda - I know it's a 19 page pattern!)

Eiffel Sweater found HERE (only not out of hemp.... right?)
(IN THE LEAD)

A sweater wrap out of VOGUE Knitting Accessories book.

FILL IN THE BLANK _____ Pattern you would like to see in the knit along.

Cast your vote NOW!

Then - after we have picked a pattern it's time to PICK THE YARN!!!!!
(Okay who doesn't want to go yarn shopping?)

Donna - the lovely Sister Arts Studio owner, will order the yarn together for all - so we can get it all at the same time!!!! And have the same dye lot and the correct amount.... oh my!!!

Once the yarn is in we will CAST ON together and knit together.

Do you have to be a SASI knitter to join in?

NO!!!!
But please feel free to stop in on SASI Knit nite
Thursdays from 6:30 til whenever the vino and conversation runs out......

JOIN US as the SASI knitters KNIT ALONG!!!!!!

Our Knit Group!

THIS BOOK so sounds like our little Thursday night Knit night group.......

Why haven't you checked us out?

This group is the best! I have never felt like I needed to have something set in stone in my calender as I have with this group. I know, every Thursday night at 6:30P, I can show up at SASI and sit and knit, share a bottle of vino (and every week it's a different wine flight), knit, talk, laugh, knit and possibly maybe even make progress on an UFO! (GASP)

This SASI knitter is trying to get our knit group to read this book - TOGETHER! I don't know why.... This genre really isn't me... but because I am in a tight knit knit group (pun intended) I feel the need to delve into this story.....

So join us on KNIT night.... pop in and share in our joy!

We are warm and cozy during this Feburuary brrrrrrrrrr blast!

Presenting ANGORA - by Gary Scholar

Sunday, 11 February, at 12:00P was the debut and signing of THIS BOOK! A good time was had by all from ages 7 years to 30+ years. I am not sure who enjoyed the reading more - the adults or the kids.

From this knitters point of view - the kids got the best deal.... MEETING the author, getting their books personally signed and LEARNING how to knit. My (gasp - now) 6 year old picked up the sticks, after the reading, and started knitting with a little help from the SASI owner - Donna Palicka. As a result - she wants to have her OWN knit night and invite all her friends (which happen to include her teachers and my knit friends).

If you haven't checked out this book - stop by SASI and pick it up! It's a great book on "what really matters" and "you are what you believe!" There is even a cute little pattern for leg warmers in the back.... From Angora herself!

Knit On!

Stitching Salon - Winter Delights

Hey Ladies,

I stopped by the Stitching Salon last Saturday after work, and it was really fun!

There was a demo on making chainmaille jewelry by Rebeca Mojica and everybody got to make their own set of earrings and whatever else they had time to try out. Here are the two things I made, earrings and a necklace:
The necklace still needs a clasp - any ideas for it?
I was thinking some sort of T-ring closure maybe? I'll bring it next Thursday to knit-nite for sure!

I'm planning on going the next couple of Saturday's if anyone is interested! I'd love to go with one of you guys! If I'm working, I go from work around 11:30-12, (or if not I could go anytime). The demo's are usually from 11-4 and the salon itself closes at 5pm.

Let me know and see you guys next week!!

BTW, we are the first store listed on their "Chicago-Area Yarn and Supply Stores" sheet! Our Open Knitting is on the knitting clubs/groups too!! Knit on Sisters!!!

A 2007 Welcome! and pictures of the store!

After giving Bonzai a hard time, I finally figured it out, - how to post on the SASI blog! YEAH for me!!

So now, I'll post some pictures that have been on my computer for quite a few weeks now. I'm going to do them on separate posts, so that this one isn't the longest in the world, but I wanted to say to everyone ...

Welcome to 2007!! and to the Sister Arts Studio! If you haven't been before, come and join us any Thursday nite at the store -- there are great people and a great place to knit, crochet, talk or just see some good eye candy!!!

Speaking of eye candy, I took some pictures of the store the last knit nite I was there, and wanted to post them to show anyone who hasn't been in, what a cute store it is:

Here is your view
as you walk in the door:



I just love the color and design of the store, - it's bright and beautiful and you just feel completely comfortable walking in.









You can see the lovely Donna hard at work closing up shop at the end of the day.











This shot is from the back of the store, and just doesn't do it justice because it's dark outside (it had been quite a late knit nite....) I'll have to take another during the day, but I'm in front of the table where we usually knit.



Some of the beautiful yarn... mmmm yummy...





The shop not only carries yarn, but also has craft kits, jewelry kits and other wonderful things that anyone would love - there are just walls of great gifts and creative things to do and make...













Here are some other shots of the walls themselves and a few other wonderful and amazing (not awesome shhh! not the A-word!) things at Sister Arts....




btw, I love the little wrap dolls! They're the cutest!









Handmade/handcarved needles by.. by.. ummm somebody will have to help me with his name... but they're AWE...INSPIRING :) heeh..



These are pictures of some of the girls and designs that they have made from the weaving classes... What? didn't we mention that SASI has weaving!




Yeah, I'd have to say overall, it's a pretty great place, and the people who work there and hang out there and knit there are even more fab-u-lous!!


Next time I'll be posting pictures of our "holiday soiree" with needles, drinks and white elephant gifts in hand!