The Yarn & Fiber Company

Recently, The Yarn & Fiber Company moved the whole store from Windham to the Clearbrook Center in Derry. I had been to the Y&F Co. a few times at the old location. And I took a lovely sock dying workshop there in 2007 with the owner of Cherry Tree Hill yarn company.

The new location is marvelous! I walked around and around the shelves of yarn, enjoying all of the colors. There is much more room at the new location. And there are two different areas for gathering. One is a sit, knit and chat area with upholstered chairs and couches and then there is a separate class area with a table.

I went Friday night because the Y&F Co. hosts a Friday night knitting event. Fiber enthusiasts can gather, knit and chat together while working on projects. It's a good time and a lot of the ManchVegas knitting members go. I just don't get to see that group as much as I would like since the normal knitting night for ManchVegas is Wednesday and it's too late of an evening for me on a work night.

I bought some new yarn on my visit to Y&F Co. last night, of course. I got some luxury angora in a light green so I could knit up some baby booties. The angora is so soft and I wish that it wasn't so expensive so I could make myself an adult size pair of booties. Lucas seems to be a fan of the angora as well. He stops to snuffle it when he walks by it in my knitting basket. And because my Madeline Tosh sock yarn in the peony colorway has just lasted forever, I bought a new skein in the Baltic colorway. I also got some Soak detergent so I can wash some of my more delicate hand knits in a pretty smelling cleaner.

Swirly Baby Hat

Finally! I made it through this baby hat pattern. There was an error in the pattern, and Donna was able to find me an errata for the pattern. However, even with the correction, there was still something wrong. I managed to finish and I am glad to have it done. I could have made three hats if you actually counted all of the time I spent knitting, and then unknitting, and then re-knitting this pattern. And, there is STILL Madeline Tosh peony sock yarn left on that skein. Maybe enough to make some matching baby thumbless mittens. All of my detailed notes are out on ravelry.

Madeline Tosh Baby Socks

The one skein of Madeline Tosh sock yarn is still going! I love the peony colorway, of course, since I love peonies. In April, I bought this yarn to make Serena's baby leg warmers and was pleased to find I had leftover yarn. So then I made this pair of baby socks in June thinking it would use up the rest of the skein. There is still enough yarn left over to make another project. So I have cast on a new Swirly Baby Hat. That has got to take care of the remainder of this skein, but we'll see! I suspect I will have to find a coordinating yarn to finish the top of the hat, but I could be pleasantly surprised.

Secret Santa

We had our Human Resources annual Holiday party on Friday night. We got Italian take out and went to our co-worker Iris' house in Concord. We've gone to Iris' house for the past several years and she makes our party so homey and comfortable.

This year, my Secret Santa was Sue N. from the front office, and she did an incredible job surprising me. I received Sox Stix in size 2 for knitting socks, and a skein of Lang Lawoll sock yarn. And how wonderful is a skein of sock yarn that comes with matching reinforcing thread for the heels and toes stuffed up inside!? I also got a primitive snowman ornament and some Christmas scented candles. I must have been really, really good this year!

I did cast on a sock Friday night, and did about 3 inches of the sock. The pattern of the Jawoll is really nice, but the size 2 is a bit too big for this specific sock yarn. But the size 2 will be perfect for my J. Knits, Mountain colors, or Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn. The Sox Stix are so smooth that I felt like I was able to cruise through my sock stitches.

The part of the Secret Santa that was the biggest surprise was that Sue spent the better part of the last week or so telling me that my Secret Santa was (sorry to stereotype) but one of the guys and that I shouldn't expect much effort or creativity. She had me completely thrown off on who my real Secret Santa was.