Laundry’s done and I’m lookin’ good!
7. 28. 2010I finally caught up on my laundry and it’s a good thing. I finished my Circular Yoke Jacket from the HPKY Giant Skein yarn last night, blocked it this morning and was able to model it for you without having to borrow someone else’s pants this time.
I’ve knit so much with the HPKY hand-paint colors, I was excited to give the semi-solids a whirl. This is in the Grass colorway and I absolutely love it!
Laura also finished hers, using the hand-paint Don Carlos colorway. She happened to have a skein of Trendsetter Joy in the exact same colorway and used it as a trim. I love her version too!
This is a VERY simple jacket that is easy enough for a new knitter to make. A perfect first sweater project, and you can finish it just in time for cooler weather. Pattern is only available with purchase of HPKY Giant Skein yarn. I made the 36″ with a 16oz skein in worsted weight. Sizes 40-44″ require a 24oz, 48-52″ a 32oz. This yarn comes in dozens of multi and semi-solid shades. Come in and let us help find the perfect color for you, or browse through them online.
Laura also finished her Girasole, using K1C2’s TyDy Sock.
She’s been very busy! You can catch Laura at SWAK in the City on Thursday mornings. She’s not only a fabulous knitter, but she is a whiz at putting yarn and projects together. Come in and let her help plan your next project!
Speaking of having someone help put you together…I’ve never been much of a shopper, and prefer to do it alone without much input from others. Since Mason was born I’ve come to the realization that my old clothes no longer worked with my new physique. The last time I went shopping at the mall, I was so happy to find LONG shirts that covered me up. I even asked random strangers if they made me look pregnant and was assured that they didn’t. I thought I was looking pretty cute until I saw this picture…
Mason looks cute. I not only look pregnant, but TWICE my real size. It was time for professional help.
So I go see my good friend Ann who owns the dress shop down the street from our Guthrie store. I left there with awesome new tops for summer. I would give you my video presentation of why they are so great, but I would probably embarrass my family. So here’s the verbal rundown - I can bend over without flashing myself or having my bum show, I can raise my arms without my stomach showing, and NO ONE has asked me if I’m pregnant. All of that and I look great, plus much of her summer merchandise is currently on sale! She also outfitted me for a funeral 2 weeks ago. It’s not very proper to gloat about your attire at a funeral, but let’s just say if I were at any other event I would have been the best dressed there.
Carol Ann’s a family outfit, with three generations of women including mom (Carol), Ann and her daughter Courtney. I tell her she’s the Pawn Stars of clothing stores. A visit there is just about as entertaining. All that’s missing is a Chumlee …and a website! I keep nagging her but may have to break down and do one for her myself. So if you are in need of professional assistance, go see Ann! Carol Ann’s is located at 107 W. Oklahoma, or give her a ring at 282-1272.
Feed Your Creativity - pt 2
7. 23. 2010Mom is chomping at the bits to get started on these projects, so I thought I’d better hurry up and get the full presentation together before my pretty boxes of yarn are turned into projects on mom’s needles. So without further adieu….
On a side note, here’s a behind the scenes look into how we make all this magic happen at SWAK….
I need to do laundry, really need to do laundry. So I rolled into work today in my best capri sweatpants with matching shirt. Within the first 10 minutes my black outfit was covered with yarn fuzz.
We decide to start filming the preview, so I nab a sweater out of the window. I still looked pretty tacky in my black sweatpants, so mom and I swapped pants. It’s a good thing we can wear the same size. After watching the video it is obvious we could use a makeup and hair person, but that isn’t in the budget. I could also use a good night’s sleep, or perhaps a spokesperson who did their laundry.
Feed Your Creativity
7. 23. 2010
We are excited to announce a new class program for fall. Kollage Yarns has put together a fantastic class program that features their fabulous & unusual yarns with projects specially designed with learning in mind. This won’t replace our existing schedule, but will be a fabulous supplement to our regular class offerings.
This program is scheduled to run for the next year, but we’re going to break it down into smaller groups to make it easier for you. Here’s the first trio of projects for the months of September - November.
(be sure to clicky for bigger pics)
Cable Rib Hat and Cowl - September
You will love the subtle sparkle of the Glisten yarn, a yummy alpaca/silk blend. The kit includes enough yarn to knit both the hat & cowl. This class will be on the September schedule at both Guthrie (9/11) and OKC (9/25).
Cassandra Cowl - October
Learn to master cables and charts with this stylish cowl knit with Scrumptious, an angora/silk blend. This class will be on the October schedule at both Guthrie (10/9) and OKC (10/16).
Dog Walking Mitts - November
Tri-color convertible mitts. Kit includes 3 colors of Solace alpaca/silk yarn. This class will be on the November schedule at both Guthrie (11/13) and OKC (11/20).
If you are interested in these classes (or just getting the kits) we have a full-trio special for you. Sign up now to receive these 3 kits. You’ll be guaranteed a kit, a spot in the class, and will be notified upon their arrival so you can have first dibs on the colors. The cost for all three kits, including patterns and yarn for all three projects is $85, a $22 savings plus you’ll get the VIP perks.
Just interested in one kit/class? We’ll put you on the list and let you know when the kits arrive. You too will be guaranteed a kit and/or spot in class. While our VIP folks will get first pick, we will have plenty of kits left for you to choose a great colorway. The cost for the individual kits are $32 (September), $30 (October), $45 (November). Classes, as always are free so there is no additional charge to attend the class.
Are you a procrastinator? Not a problem. Give us a shout and we’ll work with you to get you a kit and/or spot in class as long as supplies last.
If the class dates don’t work with your schedule, you’re welcome to come to Knit with Sherry or Knit with Laura for help with these projects, or give us a ring and we can hook you up with one of our knitting specialists.
Interested? Don’t delay! The deadline to sign up for the first installment of Feed Your Creativity is August 1st. Our first installment of kits is scheduled to arrive mid-August.
I’ll be back soon with a video presentation of the entire program. These are just a small sampling of the fabulous projects/yarns to come. Stay tuned!
SWAK Wall of Fame
7. 22. 2010After being down for maintenance, our Wall of Fame is back and looking better than ever!
We have quite an impressive collection of smooches from knitting celebrities over the past decade. Some of my favorites include…
…these sparkly crochet lips from Lily Chin. If you had blinked you might have missed it she was going so fast. It’s no wonder she was the world’s fastest crocheter.
…finally getting Nancy Bush’s smooch. This was no easy chore, considering she had never worn lipstick before. Sally Melville came to the rescue, pitched in as her makeup artist and we finally got a smooch out of her. It was touch & go there for awhile though!
…we still have no clue what this one says.
…and the most asked question after this year’s event was “so did you get Jared’s smooch?” Here’s your answer! Since I had successfully nabbed Barry Klein and Rick Mondragon’s smooch, I had a little peer pressure working in my favor, but all of the guys have been great sports.
You can see our complete Wall of Fame online, or check it out next time you’re at our Guthrie store.
This project was long overdue! The old frames were beginning to show wear & tear about a year or so ago. Then they started falling apart, leaving broken glass all over the hallway. I got tired of sweeping up glass and took them all down until I had time to figure out a solution. Our collection had also outgrown the space in the hallway. After rearranging the store this spring, I found them a perfect new home.
The new frames (sans glass this time!) arrived just before the retreat in May, but with all of the added drama this year there was no way I could get it done. I am so glad I finally got around to completing this project. It’s so nice to have them back on display where they belong!
A Really Big Sale
7. 13. 2010If it’s mid-July you know it is time for our big summer sale!
Doors open @ 10. If you want to hit both stores, the OKC location is open ’til 4, Guthrie ’til 5.
The Red Cup is also throwing us a big party Saturday from 2-4 at SWAK in the City. Our deck has been a bit of a mess this spring while Bill was busy building a fabulous new awning. He’s putting the finishing touches on it this week, and it is definitely a work of art!
So please join us for a party on the deck this Saturday, with complimentary wine, cheese and other yummy treats from the Red Cup!
It’s About Time!
7. 1. 2010
I finally got around to a long overdue project - updating customer projects on our website. One of our frequent show-n-tell knitters, Anna-Lisa moved back to Canada nearly a year ago. Yes, I still have her project pictures sitting on my camera. She knit this sweater and hat for her daughter. You can see much of her work over on our project parade.
Audean has been bringing bunches of projects to share, including this wonderful coat. Whenever she comes in she is always telling me she isn’t a very experienced knitter….I beg to differ! She’s made an intricate cabled throw & cardigan, not to mention a tumbling blocks throw. Audean is a fabulous knitter and I’m thrilled to show off her work.
Hey Laura, if you’re listening - remember this? Yep, I even found a picture of your elephant on my camera.
Cambra brought in this baby set - all of this was knit with one skein of Tempted yarn. She had one of Jenny’s project bags with a mother/child print on the fabric. It was so perfect, it became part of the gift. Too sweet!
You can check out these and more customer projects at our Project Parade on the website. We have vowed to do a better job taking pictures. Keep in mind that I’m from the family that had two Christmases on the same roll of film one year, so remembering to take pictures is not my forte.
I also got around to updating the info on my fabulous group of employees. Logan and Jill have been gone for nearly a year now but I didn’t get around to taking them off because I just like them so darn much. Logan is off in Ithaca continuing his music education and Jill is working closer to home (she lives in Norman).
Kari wandered off to New Mexico for a bit, but came back last fall sporting a baby bump. Baby Kaylynn arrived back in January and is a real sweetie.
Catherine recently moved from Guthrie to Norman, and can now be found at our OKC store.
Anna is our newest addition to our team and helps me out at the Guthrie store. She is a talented seamstress, spinner, knitter, crocheter, tatter, weaver, quilter….the list goes on.
Find out more about all of our fabulous employees at Team SWAK. I am very fortunate to have such an amazing and talented group by my side.
Hope everyone has a fun & safe Fourth of July weekend. Remember the year Keith shot me with a firecracker? I’m hoping to get through the weekend without becoming another holiday statistic. Come and see us on Saturday, but don’t forget we’ll be closed on Sunday (as usual) and on Monday July 5.
Ode to the Vanilla Bean
6. 29. 2010
Several years ago I became fed up with the shriveled up vanilla beans that you can buy at the store. So I did a little investigating and started importing them myself. Now I have fat & juicy beans that are simply fabulous. You may be wondering what one does with a kilo of vanilla beans.
•I make my own vanilla (more tasty and economical too). Here’s a link to a good recipe for that.
•I make crème brûlée (a delicacy). Crème brûlée is very easy to make, you just need to acquire the garb to do it with. Here’s how I make it:
-
1 quart heavy cream
1 vanilla bean
1/2 cup vanilla sugar*
6 large egg yolks
Preheat oven to 300
Cut vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape out the tiny black seeds. Combine cream, vanillas seeds and vanilla pod halves in a heavy saucepan. Bring to boil. Remove from heat, cover, and set aside to steep for 15 minutes. Remove vanilla pods.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine vanilla sugar and egg yolks and whisk until well blended. Add the vanilla cream and mix well.
Place round baking dishes (ramekins) in a roasting pan. Pour cream mixture into the dishes. Add enough boiling water to the pan to reach halfway up the sides of the baking dishes.
Bake just until the mixture is just set in the center, but still trembling (about 30 minutes). Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Serve with dark brown sugar sprinkled on top, caramelized with a baking torch.
The baking time will depend on your ramekin size. I use very small ramekins (the recipe fills about 16-18 of them). This recipe was written for 6 ramekins (much bigger ones). So I usually bake mine for about 20 minutes.
*Vanilla Sugar
Combine 4 vanilla beans split in two and their seeds with 4 cups of sugar. Allow to sit for several weeks to flavor the sugar.
•I am currently working on perfecting my vanilla ice cream. I think I’m going to give this recipe a whirl this weekend.
•I use them for other assorted French desserts, including petit pots de crème au chocolat (mmmmm!)
And no, I can’t use an entire kilo of beans myself so I share with others. If you’d like to get in on our next bean-buy, join us at our Ravelry group. We’re discussing it now. The beans usually range from $1.00-1.50 ea. They are sold by weight so the quantity fluctuates (as does the exchange rate). Hopefully our beans will get here before the weekend!
Really Big Book Sale
6. 28. 2010
All books 40% off
Selected patterns 40% off including:
Order Online
Enter the promotion code BOOK to receive your discount. Discount will be applied at checkout.
-or-
Shop in Person
Sale prices are good at both SWAK locations.
and now for the fine print……
Sale prices good through July 5, 2010 for in-stock items only. No backorders. All sales final - no refunds, no returns, no exchanges. Cannot be combined with other discounts or offers.
Time to Toss the Trowel
6. 23. 2010
With 100+ temps upon us it is time to toss aside the trowel and come indoors. Whatever plants have managed to survive the wind, hail and floods we’ve had so far this spring are likely to fry to a crisp in this heat.
Come and get your knit on at SWAK this summer! Are you a newer knitter wanting to learn more? Would you like to get a jump-start on your holiday knitting? Need to get out of the heat and enjoy the company of other fiberholics? Here is an overview of what we have in store for you this summer:
Learn2Knit - For our gentle readers who have yet to take the plunge, what a great time of year to break out the needles and learn to knit. By fall you will be churning out all sorts of cool things. Classes are scheduled in July/August at both locations. Class is free - you just need to buy your supplies.
If you have just learned to knit, we have several projects on the schedule for you. Beginner Bunch is taking a 
break for the summer but will be returning in the fall. I have indicated the difficulty level of all of the projects below as *(just learned/can do the knit stitch), **(feeling a bit more confident w/ the needles-not hard but uses tiny yarn), ***(need to know how to knit & purl).
*Mitts & Legwarmers
Super quick & easy to knit - you’ll also learn to sew a flawless seam. Spend a Saturday having knitterly fun - many will leave with a pair of mitts completed.
**Flip Flop Socks
Socks that you can wear through the summer. For new knitters wanting to learn sock knitting, these are a great place to start. You’ll want to make several pairs!
***Cabled Dickey
Stylish cabled neck warmer 
that is shaped for a snug fit.
***Needle Cozy
A cute little pouch for your favorite needles complete with 
a slip stitch/cable design.
*Collar Cowl
This beautiful cowl is quite clever - it can be flipped over for a different look.
*Einstein Coat
A perfect first sweater project. This timeless classic can 
take on a variety of looks depending on your yarn choice. Choose from a unique handpainted colorway or an eco-friendly solid. If you haven’t already selected your yarn for this project, come in and let us show you all of the fabulous choices. The Saturday classes begin in August, and will continue into the fall schedule. Check the schedule for dates. We will be working on this project on Thursdays too - see Knit with Sherry & Knit with Laura for dates & times.
Speaking of Knit with Sherry, Sherry is back! Here’s the thing - if you are coming on Thursday for project help you need to call to make sure we have room. If you just want to come up for comraderie and lunch, no reservation is needed. She is available in Guthrie on Thursdays from 10-3.
If you crocheters are feeling a little left out, I’m happy to report that we have super-crocheters on hand to help you out at both stores. Whether you want to learn or need help with a project, give us a call and we can “hook” you up. There is no charge for help and yarn must be purchased @ SWAK.
Download the class schedule today!
Colorfest
6. 16. 2010
Set in historic downtown Guthrie, this fall festival has something for everyone with unique shopping, fiber demonstrations, good eats, and workshops from some of the most creative minds in the southwest.
Here’s what we have in store for you!
Marketplace…
filled with hand-dyed yarns, spinning fibers & other unique wares from area indie artisans. Interested in being a vendor? Info is on the website.
Workshops…
featuring Valentina Devine, Alissa Barton, Deb Waggoner & Donna Hilton
Valentina taught at our Knit Out a few years back and she is AMAZING. Her creativity is boundless, yet make no mistake - she has a serious background as far as technique is concerned. Her workshops are geared toward knitters and crocheters alike.
Alissa is our rock-goddess instructor out of the Dallas area who came to our rescue when Sally became ill at this year’s Knit Out. We were so impressed with her workshops, that we couldn’t wait to have her back again - this time appearing as herself! She will not disappoint. She has an impressive line of patterns too- check them out at knittingfairy.com
Deb is the owner of Two Windows Dye Co and the artist behind our Knitty Bits sock yarns. She’ll be here to help you create your own uniquely dyed yarn creation.
Many of you local fiberistas are already familiar with Donna, the reigning queen of all fibery things in our area. This expert weaver & spinner is the owner of The Weavery at Indian Meridian.
And to top it off, Big Truck Tacos will be bringing the taco truck to Guthrie that evening for a fun party. Don’t miss out on an incredible epicurean treat with great door prizes!
Check out the Colorfest website for details, including workshop registration, vendor applications, and party tickets too!
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- see what's new
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