MAKING PROGRESS

...delighted to find that

London-Wul Fibre Arts and the Atlantic ÉCONOMUSÉE Network have been featured in the Jan/Feb 2007 edition of Progress Magazine!

back to the London-Wul Homepage: www.thewoolworks.com

NEW ARRIVALS

... adding a splash of colour to the month of January, new arrivals from Fleece Artist and Hand Maiden.

Notes on Einstein: better late than never I have started to work on the KAL project "for real". I have finished approximately 2/3 of the bottom skirt...... having allot of fun with it! I am knitting with with Lopi but using a kid mohair strand along with it. The mohair is fine enough so as not to throw the gauge off. I don't have a huge amount of this embellishment so I'm using it sparingly.

ON BUTTON HOLES: Since button holes are up and coming for me I took a peek ahead to see how things are going to come together. I noticed that the button holes as written in the pattern do not match the spacing pictured in the sample coats (pictured in the book). With a quick Google search I found that Sally Melville has addressed this observation in answer to yet another on-line Einstein knitter. She writes: "The buttonholes as written are a little higher in the garment than shown in the picture. The reason for this is that when we combined the men’s and women’s sizes, it seemed like the placement of the buttonholes as on the men’s worked better for the larger sizes. So, the first buttonhole is perhaps 4 (I can’t tell from the photo) sts higher on the women’s coats than shown.
Please forgive this: but the choice was to combine the patterns and suffer the consequences OR delete at least 1 other pattern from the book."

Bottom Line...just follow the pattern and all will be well. I love this project!

...back to the London-Wul Homepage: www.thewoolworks.com

V.I.P. VISITOR

There has been a celebrity in our midst....
This weekend (during a substantial snow storm) we were visited by Flat Stanley!
That's right "THE" Flat Stanley.


Flat Stanley was sent to Sandy Spiller in the state of Maine. He was mailed to Sandy by Veronica who lives in Westmoreland Kansas. Sandy brought Flat Stanley to Canada. Veronica and her classmates are taking part in The Flat Stanley Project. When Flat Stanley returns to Kansas Veronica's job will be to learn about all of the places that he has travelled and the people that he has met.


Here's Flat Stanley visiting the Museum of Hand Spinning at London-Wul Fibre Arts:

Stanley also took the V.I.P. tour through my studio. Here he is having a look at my stash of rug hooking wool and visiting with a lovely sheep felted by the talented Gwyneth Jones of Nova Scotia:


Thank you Veronica and Sandy. It was a pleasure having flat Stanley as our guest. He was an absolute gentleman.
........... Sandy, by the way, is a wonderful felt artist. You can see her work by visiting EssentaillyFelt.com.

back to the LondonWul Homepage: www.thewoolworks.com

POM POM

... finished spinning an order of Pomeranian hair (dog that is, we actually own a Pomeranian goose named Lainey, lest you think that, on second thought... skip it) . I do spin quite a number of dog coats and I must say that I found Pomeranian to be quite a nice fibre. Such wee little dogs, I was actually spinning a combination of several Pom coats.

Here's my little "Pom" (of the Newfoundland variety). Angus has brilliantly discovered that if he sleeps close enough to my wheel he will receive a soothing back rub while I spin. Further to this, if I curl my toes over the edge of the treadle he gets the full massage treatment. There are no bounds to the therapeutic qualities of spinning. Sorry about the severe cropping, there's only so much Angus that will fit into a close shot.

Notes on the Einstein: Congratulations to Peg who has made it to the finish Line with her "Not So Warm" version of the coat. I love the colour on you Peg and the shorter length looks great as well.

Hats off to Gwen in Montreal and Pat here in Moncton who are working on the Einstein as their first big project.

Needles up for both Cathy and Inga who bravely frogged and reknit the skirt section.

And to Lorrie who, just this week, threw caution to the wind and joined in!

A special thanks to Nadine who sent me a great postcard this week. Thanks Nadine, you made my long trip to the mailbox (It's far, we have to drive ) soo worthwhile! I love suprises:) Did you all know that Nadine works as a fibre artist? Check this out : www.nadinefenton.com.

back to the London-Wul Homepage: www.thewoolworks.com

FINN GLOVES FINISHED

... just finished these gloves for a friend who keeps Finn sheep.

They are handspun and knit with the help of Anne Budds calculations ("The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns") and textured as suggested by Rita Buchanan in "Homespun HandKnit".

..... am currently spinning up miles and miles of Pomeranian lace - most exotic:)

Notes on the KAL: My Einstein knitting (or, hmm, planning) is relegated to down time at home, in the evenings. For those of you who are off at somewhat less than warp speed I should let you know that I have not technically cast on as of yet (but my swatches are outstanding!). I would be pleased to serve as she with whom you measure your, now seemingly substantial, progress.

back to the London-Wul Homepage: www.thewoolworks.com

INTERLUDE

...we interrupt this Einstein Knit-A-Long to bring you our new arrival of dreamy Merino lace - in a wonderful selection of colorways.... mmmm Merino lace.

Also available several new titles including "Victorian Lace Today" and "Arctic Lace".

...next KAL, Lace?

......aaand we have added this fabulous wall of "Trekking" yarn to our sock selection!

Latest sock title to arrive:"Sensational Knitted Socks".

.... next KAL, socks?

back to the London-Wul Homepage: www.thewoolworks.com

BEGINNINGS

... some of the varied samples, swatches and begginnings of the Einstein:
Cathy has made a magnificent choice, IF you ask me. Here is the beginning of her coat made out of none other than Handspun "Pheona".

..... and here's Pheona (left) and her sister Shelly both residents of London-Wul. (She was a wee bit bigger when shorn for Cathy's Einstein). Actually, Pheona and Shelly are four years old now and, true to London-Wul policy they will be neither destroyed nor sold for the remainder of their lives.

Judianne is knitting the "not so warm coat" in a linen blend.

...and yet one more sneak preview knit by Lise, who has chosen to create a lopi/mohair boucle Einstein in a gorgeous burgandy colourway!

great knitting everyone!

back to the London-Wul Homepage: www.thewoolworks.com

DAY 1: ASPIRATIONS

...and so it began.

The Einstein KAL started yesterday. Many happy beginnings as we measured, calculated and cast on. Bonding that can only take place while sharing bust size and hip circumference was apparent. Copies of "The knit Stitch" abounded as we gazed longingly at our target, elegantly modelled in glossy print. That will be us someday damn it ! THAT WILL BE US !!

How are all of our on-line Knitters doing? You have all been formally introduced and we're anxiously awaiting words of your progress.

back to the London-Wul Homepage: www.thewoolworks.com

BLOG WATCH

Hi All,
I am just about to receive our regular Wednesday night stitch and bitch gang. For my part I shall begin to piece out some semblance of a plan for my Einstein tonight (so that I will not be shamefully unprepared for a Sunday afternoon start). We have a great group on board for the in shop knit-a-long. And for the cyber version of the festivities, here are some blogs to watch..... let the games begin.

BY TANYA : a blog, well, by Tanya, who visits London-Wul both via the world of blogging and in person.
WOOL IN MY SOUP : written by Peg, a summer visitor to London-Wul who resides, knits and blogs in Comox BC.
KNITTING WITH A POODLE: by Nadine, Hi Nadine! Who frequents the London-Wul blog along with her handsome companion. Have you decided what yarn your using yet? Something tells me your coat is going to be totally "designer".
KNITTING AUNTIE: written by Sharon out of Ashland Massachusetts. I love the premise of this blog, 'cause I'm a knitting Auntie too!
CANTLIVEWITHOUTKNIT : By Ilene who joins us from Brockton Massachusetts. Is Brockton near Ashland??

...and some more reports from "knitters away" Inga and Gwen have been consulting on the Einstein. Swatches have been made and ...they're off! Congrats to Gwen who is a new knitter!

Cathy, of the LW study group fame, is speaking of knitting the coat using handspun. She is the only member of the knit-a-long doing so (I think). Maybe Manon will be knitting with handspun also?? Anyone else?

....and Charlene in Portage la Prairie says " "The Knit Stitch" has become my bible. I've read it from cover to cover. On our yearly pilgrimage to the studio this summer, I'll be bringing the book with me. I think I know what sweater I want to knit next with those cool buttons you carry, see? haven't even started this project, and I'm on to another one already!!!!
Wish I could be there with you all on Sunday. I'll be sitting at home knitting, but it'll be my time (I'm 2 hours ahead of you), so I'll be knitting from 3-6 your time Sunday."

.... don't you just love a knitters enthusiasm?

back to the London-Wul Homepage: www.thewoolworks.com