Something to Marvel At

We have something Marvelous coming up.

This weekend is the Lacombe Light Up the Night Festival. Starting on Wednesday Night when you can listen to Flat Iron Jazz for a small ticket price all the way to Sunday Night when you can enjoy a free Christmas Concert at Burman University after a day of a $5 brunch, hay rides and skating.  It's just Marvelous! If there was such a thing as a skate for your butt, then I could probably skate.

One of the high points, and starting years before the festival was created, is Moonlight Madness. On Thursday night after the parade, come shop at local merchants downtown and at the mall where you can take advantage of sales and enter for prizes. More Marvelous!

We are a part of that. Come into the store and shop our sales and scratch off our tickets that will give you a further discount at the till. Yep, it's Marvelous, especially if you score a 50% off ticket.

Plus we will have a special that we only do one night a year. We will be selling some of our model knit and crochet pieces. These have never been worn and have only been on display in the store. Once we no longer have the yarn or the pattern they are retired.

Lori has always been adamant that she doesn't want to be a clothing store so she refuses to sell them any other time of the year.

Be aware that not every model in our store is for sale. Just the ones that will be set aside for the sale. So come in early to take a look. Even your non-knitting friends can enjoy this sale.

And speaking of sales, we are still doing our 75% off sale this week. It's Marvelous!

75% OFF

Diamond Select Marvel

80% Polyester, 20% Wool

50 g/80 m Aran (4)

Regular Price: $3.50

Sale Price: 88¢

Yes that's right. Eighty eight cents for yarn! And it's really lovely yarn! We have it in a wide variety of colors. Think sweaters, scarves and hats. Great gifts and no on has to know how little you paid!
Now that's a marvel!

Posted by Anna Maria Junus (happy employee who is looking over the Light Up the Night booklet and making plans).

It's Coming! Are You Ready?

I know. You're still desperately trying to hang on to your summer tan. It was just days ago that you finally put the RV and boat away. You cleaned the summer cabin. You're still cooking hot dogs over an open fire.

You don't want to hear this.

Christmas is coming.

Which means that if you're the type of crafter who makes things as gifts, you really need to speed it up, otherwise you'll just be handing out pictures of the item with promises for Christmas.

When I was growing up, because of my Finnish father we celebrated Christmas on the Eve. Presents were opened then and we got our stockings the following morning. I was told at a young age that there was no Santa which was a disappointment for a kid with a huge imagination. It didn't stop me from wanting to sit on Santa's lap and tell him what I wanted for Christmas. One Christmas the Hudson's Bay in Victoria had a Santa Wonderland in the window (remember the time when windows were dressed for Christmas?). The lines to Santa wound around and beside the window  and my sisters and I stood in the long long line waving to our parents on the other side of the window.

We also had smorgasbord, a Swedish tradition (we were influenced by Sweden due to my father growing up partially in that country). On Christmas Eve we would lay out crackers and cheese, sliced meats and pickles, pickled herring (we called roly mops) and vegetables. On Christmas Day we

would have turkey or sometimes goose. I married a man who celebrated a more traditional Canadian Christmas. One present the night before and the rest Christmas morning. He loved the idea of the smorgasbord and so we combined our two traditions. Smorgasbord and one present Christmas Eve and the rest of the presents Christmas morning. He took over the smorg and added all kinds of goodies, such as chicken wings, egg rolls, and other things found in the frozen food section.

I turned the one Christmas present into pajamas. It's became a joke "I wonder what this is," they would say holding up the gift that said "open Christmas Eve". And I would say "I have no idea." And they would say, "I know it's pajamas." And I would say, "you don't know that." And of course it was always pajamas which they say now as adults, it wouldn't be Christmas without them.

My first married Christmas was hard. I couldn't wait. I camped out in the living room by the tree waiting for morning. It was agonizing.

I also began creating Christmas Eve concerts for the kids to perform for their father. Some years I wrote entire musicals, skits and songs, other years it would be the nativity with the latest baby playing Jesus, and some years it would be a series of well known songs I would get them to perform. They reached a point where they refused to do it, which disappoints my youngest daughter, the seventh child, who never got to participate and would have loved it.

When I became single again I decided that I wanted a different tree every year. Ornaments are cheap so I built up a lovely supply of different colors. That first year I did silver and blue. The following was red and gold. One year we did silver, gold and purple. This year is my last in Alberta so I'll be handing off my Christmas decorations (except for my handmade ones) to the kids. I can always buy new ones.

I now prefer presents Christmas morning. If I'm home the smorgasbord has gotten smaller. Or I'll visit my grown children in either Calgary or Edmonton happy that I'm not responsible for the entire Christmas and happier that they have continued the same traditions while incorporating their spouse's traditions. I have a daughter-in-law that makes everything for the smorg  from scratch. If they have egg rolls, she's actually made the egg rolls, not just taken them out of a box and heated them up. I really need to get to that family's Christmas but they're always too far away.

Moving away from my kids means that I'll have to start new traditions. But I've found that traditions change according to circumstances.

Anyway, there is a point to this related to knitting. Our sale!

Lots of lovely thick yarn that can quickly turn into scarves! You only need one ball. Quick to make holiday gifts. With arm knitting you can make a gift in under an hour. Even if you use needles this yarn will knit up quickly.

75% OFF SALE

Ice Yarns Marine

97% Australian Wool 3% Elastan

150 g/ 15 m Super Bulky

Regular Price: $25.00

Sale Price: $6.25

Red Heart Grande

78% Acrylic, 22% Wool

150 g/ 46 y/42 m Super Bulky

Free pattern on ball band. One ball.

Regular Price: $7.70

Sale Price: $1.93 

Ice Yarns Panpa

60% Acrylic, 40% Wool

100 g/49 y/45 m Super Bulky

Regular Price: $12.00

Sale Price: $3.00

If you need to learn how to arm knit, for a small fee Lori will give you lessons. Just call to set up an appointment.

Also, I would love to hear about your holiday traditions.


Oh, one last gift to consider....

Just what EVERYONE
wants for Christmas

Posted by Anna Maria Junus (happy employee who doesn't make Christmas gifts because she can't deal with the stress).

Roving Rants

I googled yarn roving and got several different explanations.

And that's the way it is in the knitting world. Because it's filled with creative people there aren't any

hard and fast rules. Which is great in the creative side of it - who wants to be restricted by rules? But it can also make the more practical aspect a little bit frustrating leading to ridiculously impossible statements like, "I'm giving up knitting for the rest of my life."

For instance, needle measurements. There's imperial. There's US. and there's metric. A size 4 mm is also a 6 US and an 8 imperial. This is important to know when you go digging out your patterns and it only mentions one size of needle either because the designer doesn't know that there are things outside of her stash, or the pattern is so old there wasn't anything else at the time. You need to find out what the weight of the yarn is and the gauge in order to figure out what they're talking about. Otherwise your baby sweater can turn into your husband's which is fine if it's a solid color cable, but might not go over well if it has intarsia duckies.

It's almost as bad as that screwdriver situation that men created. You can't have just one all purpose screwdriver with all screws being the same. Nope, you have to have a dozen screwdrivers and different screws all to do the EXACT SAME THING. Really, does it matter if it's a flat head or a star shape that does the job? Personally I wish they would just make all screws and drivers flat heads so you can use a butter knife or a coin.

But that's the practical side of me. It's also the side that says that they should just make uniform size yarns and to stop naming them stupid names - like calling a bulky yarn a sport or naming a worsted weight yarn a lace. It's like calling a mastiff Fifi or a chihuahua King Goliath Commander of Legions. It would be like insisting that the sky is red and grass is blue and the earth is flat and no one landed on the moon and American politics has no effect on us.

So back to roving. We have roving on sale. It's the kind you knit with not the kind you spin. You can also use it for felting which is great for bags or those 50 pairs of mitts you want to make for your entire family for Christmas because one grandchild asked for a pair, which means you have to make a pair for every grandchild and their parents, and make doggy sweaters because even though you had nothing to do with it, everyone insists that the dog calls you Grandma too.

I refuse to be called Grandma by a dog. I'm still struggling with the concept of being old enough to be a Grandma to people. And I've had ten years of practice.

Yes, if you were paying attention you will notice that I said the C word. Christmas is coming. If you are making things you need to get started now, otherwise you'll be wrapping up a picture, and a half finished project with a promise to finish it. Yes, I've done this. It doesn't have quite the same effect and then you spend Boxing Day trying to finish it which is really hard because you're still battling turkey sleep, which by the way, is way better than staying home from Christmas parties to finish a project. And yes, I've done that too.

So here's your sale.

75% OFF

Patons Classic Wool Roving

100% Pure New Wool

100 g/109 m/ 120 y  Chunky (5)

Regular Price: $9.00

Sale Price: $2.25

Posted by Anna Maria Junus (happy employee who is thinking of making up a petition to demand a uniform system for screws and their drivers)

Guid Gear Comes in Sma’ Bulk*

While looking for information about Scotland and knitting, I came across this...

From the book "Knit Your Own Scotland" by Jackie Holt and Ruth Bailey. For more information about the designers
you can go to Costume Designers Create Woolen Tributes to National Icons

Yes, folks, it's your very own knitted Loch Ness Monster. With a plaid crown. I think she's quite lovely actually.

Scotland and knitting go back to the days of cavemen. While he was out riding mammoths and jousting with pterodactyls, she was at home gathering up the fur the mammoth shed, spinning it by hand and then knitting it into cabled and fair isle sweaters for him. She designed these cables and fair isles by observing flowers and trees which she also used to decorate the cave, and make medicine, dyes, tea, and food.  She did this while knocking out saber tooth tigers that came to the door, which she then detoothed and turned those teeth into lovely knitting needles and crochet hooks. Of course she domesticated the tigers and bred them smaller and smaller so that she could have something to sit in her lap while she knit.

And that is how cats, knitting, and tea became synonymous.

Now of course, instead of mammoths, sheep populate Scotland and the Shetland Islands have become renowned for their knitted goods and yarns.

If you google Scotland and knitting you'll get several choices of knitting tours. One day I'll go on one and then write a novel about it. You'll all buy it and I'll make enough to pay for my trip.

One trip I found said that as part of the package you get a complimentary yarn kit. Well, no, that's part of the package you paid for. So it isn't really complimentary is it? Why not just say that the yarn kit is part of the package. But no, they make it sound like it's free. Did I just go off on a tangent? Okay, Anna, heid doon arse up**.

So what do I have for you for this week's sale. Could it be something Scottish?

Not really. But it does have a Scottish name. And it is what the title is all about.

75% OFF SALE

Katia Kilt

46% Wool 46% Acrylic 8% Polyamid

65 m/71 y/ 50 g  Bulky (6)

Vest pattern

Regular Price: $12.00

Sale Price: $3.00

Posted by Anna Maria Junus (happy employee who loves plaid and the occasional bagpipe playing).

*Translation: Good things come in small packages.
**Translation: Get on with it.

Read This. It's Important, Cool, and Way Better Than That Thing Happening Down South

Photo credit: Lacombe Express Editor - Kalisha Mendonsa

We are pleased to announce (sound of fanfare) our very own in house artist!

Margaret Blank is not only one of the Crafty Ladies, but she is a textile artist in her own right. And you can see her most important work at the Lacombe Memorial Centre.

Margaret has been working on her piece "Mark On the Body" for the past three years. It tells the story of her husband's struggle with Type 1 Diabetes which is very different from the more common Type 2.

Unlike her other art pieces which she sells in different venues, Mark on the Body is a statement piece and intended for education.

There's also a write up in the Lacombe Express with a very lovely picture of her. See that lovely picture above?

Her opening reception will be on Wednesday October 26 (that's this week) at 7.00 pm. She will be there to talk about her installation, her experience living with Type 1 Diabetes, and sell copies of her book "Mark on the Body: Honouring Those Who Live With Type 1 Diabetes". Proceeds from the sale of the book will be going to JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) Canada and The Canadian Diabetes Association.

We will be there to support our girl!

Refreshments will be served because that's important.


This week, we have for sale Cutie Pie. Sure we could attribute that name to Margaret but she might protest.

She does have a red heart though and a red car named Cutie Pie. Now isn't that appropriate?

75% OFF SALE

Red Heart Cutie Pie

100% Polyester (chenille type yarn)

100 g/326 y/298 m dk weight (3)

Regular Price: $5.70

Sale Price: $1.42

Posted by Anna Maria Junus (happy employee who is honored to call Margaret "friend".)

A Dozen Reasons Why Making a Sweater is Terrifying

With winter now officially here in Alberta in spite of the calendar - don't you think Winter is a little greedy demanding more than it's allotted three months? - it's time to make sweaters!

Stop gasping. Okay, grabbing your throat and convulsing on the floor is going a bit extreme, don't you think?

I came across one woman on Facebook who claimed she was terrified to make a sweater which made me wonder what she was so terrified about. My very first knitting project was a sweater that I had to adjust because the needles I had didn't give me the correct gauge.

So after some serious contemplation, I've come up with the following reasons why making a sweater is a terrifying proposition.

1. During your attempts to make one, your yarn will rise up, curl around you and strangle you to death.
2. Your needles will revolt. They will leave your hands, levitate upwards, turn around, and stab you in the chest.
3. Your family will form a circle, hold hands, and dance around you singing "ring around the failure". 
4. Making a sweater will unlock the door to the zombie apocalypse. Finishing a sweater will unlock the doors to all the other apocalypses. 
5. Your other sweaters will get jealous and hide your underwear.
6. Your lovely affectionate cat will turn into a ninja that hides in dark places and pounces on you with nine inch claws and two rows of ten inch teeth.
7. Making a sweater will cause your significant other to leave you, your children to become drug addicts, that crazy guy in the states to become president, and your cookies to burn. 
8. After you've completed your sweater your leftover yarn will stare at you. So you decide to use it to make a matching hat. When you are near the end you will run out of yarn which will cause a stop at your LYS. There you will discover that the yarn is no longer available - or even worse - you will discover that it is. You will buy it, go home and make your hat. With the leftover yarn from the hat you will decide to make a matching cowl only to discover when you're nearly finished that you've run out of yarn, so you make a trip to the LYS. After purchasing yarn you go home to make your cowl. With the leftover yarn you will start to make matching mittens. When you are nearly finished, you will run out of yarn so you will go to the LYS...
9. Buying the same yarn over and over again causes you to pull your hair out of your head.
10. Now you have to use your yarn money to buy a wig.
11. If your sweater is a disaster you will still insist on wearing it because you spent all that time and money on it. You will model it defiantly proud while your family and friends say things like, "It's interesting." "You really worked hard on that." "Good for you for finishing that project." "Have you ever considered taking up airplane flying?"
12. If your sweater ends up being beautiful and fits you to perfection making you look slimmer and your breasts look perkier, your hair shinier and your skin glow like you've been touched by an angel, something even worse will happen. Your family and friends will all demand that you make them one too. 

So guess what we have in store for you this week? Sweater yarn in glorious colors! Jewel tones, fall colors, and neutrals. Of course you could decide to not make a sweater and just stick to scarves, hats and mitts. That's okay too. But come on. I dare you.

75% OFF SALE

PATONS CLASSIC WOOL BULKY

100% wool 71 m/78y

We have one copy of this publication! Which
means there may be serious knitting needle
fights and death threats by crochet hook over it.

Regular Price: $9.00

Sale Price: $2.25

Posted by Anna Maria Junus (happy employee who defies the reasons and makes sweaters anyway because I don't know the meaning of  too complicated)

When Your Family Says ENOUGH!

As I write this, Alberta is being given an early unwanted Christmas present.

The leaves aren't even off the trees and we're already getting the white stuff. And I don't mean fields of cotton or dandelion fluff.

So for those of you concerned about the welfare of your trees and toys, there is the perfect solution.

You can knit or crochet them: SWEATERS!

Start off small and protect your bike. Not only
will it keep it warm, but what thief will
want to be seen riding it?

A granny square afghan complete with tire
socks.

A lovely crocheted evening gown for a chilly night out.

Ask your friends to make pom poms for your car!
We have the pom pom makers.

Don't forget about making something for your
double decker bus. Especially if it's more used
to rainy coastal weather rather than Alberta snow.

The train in your backyard could use some love too. It will
get the message that it can no matter what hills it has
to climb.

Monster benches! If you sit on it the right way, it will
look like your bench is eating you. Great way to
scare the kids.

Your Tardis will thank you for the extra
warmth as it hurtles you through
time and space. Outer space can
get a little chilly.

Stairs get cold and slippery too, so don't
forget to offer them a blanket of warmth.
A cup of coffee might be nice too.

Your husband will love the Christmas gift of a coat for his
backyard tank. Now when he invades other neighborhoods
he can do it in style.

The lovely tree that gives you blossoms in the spring,
shade in the summer, and fruit in the fall, will
appreciate a little love in the winter.

 So have I inspired you?

This week we're offering you something not wintry because if we pretend it doesn't exist it will go away. Ribbon yarn! You can knit or crochet shawls and other simple garments. The secret is to have a loose gauge, so use larger needles or hooks. You can also use ribbon yarns in Christmas ornaments and decor or as trims to other projects.

Great idea for a shawl. Gather together those bits of yarn, novelty skeins, fabric strips from saris, and other fun stuff (including this week's special). Don't worry about matching thicknesses. Knit or crochet one row leaving long strips on either side for fringe. Then knit another row of something else. You will end up with a fringed shawl. Make sure you finish your fringe with knots to secure the ends. Knot two or more yarns together. If you want you can do several rows of these by staggering your knots.  Something like this...

If you need more direction, you can use any simple shawl pattern, or you can do a Las Vegas shawl. For that you need 6 yarns or families of yarn, a die and a coin. Number each of your yarns 1-6. Now roll the die, That's your yarn. Toss the coin. Heads is knit, tails is purl. If you want to use more yarns you could choose 12 different ones and use two dice. You can also just skip the coin and choose to use garter stitch. If you want ambiance, you can crank up the air conditioning, lower the lights and have neon bulbs flashing at you while the sounds of winning bells go off in the background. To really get in the mood, don an Elvis costume or decorate Elvis style.

Crochet your own Elvis wig

Or make your own Elvis doll

Sure people will think you're nuts. But who cares? You're knitting, and you're happy, and you have something to show for it when you're done - like all your hair while others are ripping out theirs.

Oh yeah, did I mention that knitting and crocheting are the perfect remedy for stress and winter?

75% OFF SALE

Dolce 

(it means sweet in Italian)

100% Polyamid

50 g/85 m/93 y Ribbon

Regular Price: $3.50

Sale Price: 88¢ 

Posted by Anna Maria Junus (happy employee who isn't happy about that winter comes before Thanksgiving.)