yup, you all wait until i’m stuck in a hoop skirt corset combo of feathers and a dolly parton wig 10,000 miles away from nowhere, then you bring out the gourmet food. fine be that way. i just wanted to tell y’all that i’m going to be here tuesday and you had all better show up. oh and there is a new newsletter on the classes page, and a really great picture of ann’s purse (sign up for the class) on the what’s new page. check it out and be there tuesday……or else. ((trust me you don’t want a giant chicken showing up outside your living room window (oh i’ll totally do it too.)) rock out…………………………..shannon

Hi, fellow yarn-a-holics!  It’s Andrea, understudy for your favorite knitter/blogger/actress Shannon.  She’s running around Kansas this fall, dressed in a giant chicken suit performing “The Little Red Hen” or at least that’s what she’s telling us.  Debbie asked me to stand in for her and post a blog entry. 

First, let me say that this past Tuesday our Open Knit Night reached record numbers with a grand total of 30 participants!!!!!  It was like a chinese fire drill with knitting needles.  We were so excited that Debbie went down to Carl’s Furniture and bought another vintage table and four chairs exactly like the ones that used to sit in my Aunt Dort’s kitchen in the late 60’s so we now have expanded seating capacity.  Come check out this grand new spot to knit at yarn - - - the chairs even have casters on them! 

We also want to thank the Queens of the Kitchen - Jan and Denise - for bringing dinner (baked ravioli and asiago cheese bread).  It was sensational and we’re thrilled to be lab rats for any and all new recipes.  Our friend Betty’s moving away soon and brought wine to go with.  We’ll miss her smiling face and great stories. 

Now, to answer an actual knitting question - - -

We had a customer stop in recently asking how you P2 tog tbl or purl two stitches together through the back of the loops (stitches).  I agree, the first time I tried it felt like I was trying to put both feet behind my head.  Here’s the trick that makes it easier:

Slip 1 st from the left to the right needle kwise, slip the next st from the left to the right needle kwise.  Then, return both stitches to the left needle, being careful not to flip them over in the process.  The stitches should now be properly oriented and it should be easy to slide the right needle through the back of both stitches (starting with the second stitch from the end of the left needle) and purl them together. 

There, now that wasn’t so hard, was it?  And for those of you who think we’re born with that knowledge, I actually drove 100 miles round trip to have someone show me that little technique a few years ago.  It’s so good to have a LYS in my own town now where I can get my questions answered.

Let us know if you have other knitting questions you’d like us to address on this blog.  Just email us at debbie@yarnthestore.com.

close your eyes and imagine a cool field trip where you and your friends could go and check out all of the yarn shops in central kansas. then let’s pretend that all of these shops have gotten together to suprise you with goodies at each stop….and just for going to all of these awesome havens of wooliness you could win a “basket of goodies”.  well on november 9, 10, and 11 your dreams will come true. yarn is participating in the first annual CENTRAL KANSAS YARN HOP!

the hop includes 8 shops from minneapolis to wichita and a good time can be had by all.  you know i did this sort of thing in college once, except instead of yarn shops it was pubs, and it was more like a crawl than a hop, and the “basket of goodies” was really wide open to interpretation. trust me this yarn thing is better, you won’t have a hang over, nor that particular feeling that you’ve lost your left shoe in some skeezy bathroom. oh and we’ll be open on sunday! that alone is worth the trip. cheers…shannon