yhNLJuly2011

July 2011

Happy Summer everyone, I hope all of your vacations are wonderful and that you are having great times where ever you may be. Didn't we all know what a hot one we were going to have here in Texas. The boys are going to Arizona to see their grandmother. While they are there they are going to call me. We are going to see whose sidewalks fry eggs faster, Arizona or Texas, should be a fun experiment. If you plan on traveling here's a tip from the TSA website about knitting needles;

Transporting Knitting Needles & Needlepoint
Traveling with Special Items
Knitting needles are permitted in your carry-on baggage or checked baggage.
Items needed to pursue a Needlepoint project are permitted in your carry-on
baggage or checked baggage with the exception of circular thread cutters or
any cutter with a blade contained inside which cannot go through the
checkpoint and must go in your checked baggage.

The weather is not the only thing hot, hot, hot... the new fabulous yarns & needles here at Yarn Heaven are sizzling!! The Handmaiden Sea Silk just keeps flying off of the shelves! We are getting ready to place another order keeping in mind it takes about 8 weeks to get it. We hopefully will have enough for everyone until then. I am re-knitting my Tabitha top pattern in the Sea Silk and I cannot knit fast enough. I love this yarn and am so happy when I am knitting with it. Any Jojoland Patterns that call for Melody SW, any Kollage Patterns that call for Corntastic, Riveting or Milky Way also work really well for Sea Silk. Yes, we are ordering much more Sea Sock. Those that have tried my sock on understand how awesome this yarn feels.

Not to be outdone by the Sea Silk, is the Artyarns, Beaded Silk. This is also a hand painted 100% Silk with Murano Glass Beads. I have knitted with it on everything from a US 4 to a US 15. On the US 4 in just plain stockinette stitch, I found the beads to be a little much, but on larger size needles; starting with a 7 and a lace pattern, WOW is all I can say. With each skein of this yarn you get your choice of one of three patterns. They are all gorgeous patterns and in the middle of getting knitted up as shop models. We have 12 colors so far, and the other 12 are being dyed for us as I am typing this. Also from Artyarns, is the new Rhapsody Light w/glitter, (we choose gold glitter) if you want the yarn with silver glitter, I have the perfect store to send you to because she to has all the colors only she choose the silver glitter. This hand painted silk/mohair blend is unbelieveable. I didn't used to like mohair until this yarn and Silk Hair from Lana Grossa came in. Just a perfect blend of light and yet warm, knit it loose or knit it tight, it is beautiful no matter how you knit it. We have 12 colors and the other 12 are on their way.

I just have to talk about our new knitting bags. The Nantucket Bagg! What a discovery. I love mine and use it everyday. I am much more organized because of the 32 pockets this bag has. Did I tell you the bag is reversible? Can be turned into a backpack, a tool belt, hung on the wall? I can't believe a carpenter invented this bag and it is so perfect for knitters and crocheters, artists, school kids, sleepover bag, it's uses are overwhelming. Comes in five cool colors and they are ready to go now!

Our German Beads have been restocked and what wonderful new colors and shapes. They make great necklace pieces.

New Needles you say!!! Are y'all sitting down... Pony Rosewoods are here in INTERCHANGEABLE SETS!!!! Yes, you read correctly. They come in sizes 4 to 10.5, 16", 24" and 32" cables, the carry case is handmade, canvas, fits in your purse and the needles are delicious!! And, we only have three sets left...

One of our very favorite pattern companies; Knitting Pure & Sinple, have come out with 4 fabulous new patterns. Muklux Slippers (great for our newest charity), Chemo Caps for my Sister, Neck down Swing Cardigan and Bulky Neck down Pullover for men

The reason we have so much now is sadly there has been a large price increase across the board, yarn, needles, accessories. In one week, we got 5 snail mails and 6 emails from vendors that we use, informing us of major price increases. There were many, many reasons for the increases, and not much we as store owners can do about it.

If you plan on knitted Christmas presents, now is about the time to get started (Tarie)! We will resume our class schedule in September with a gorgeous entrelac vest. In October, we will be having a Chris Bylsma workshop. The fee is $175.00 for Friday Evening, Saturday and three hours on Sunday. A $75.00 deposit will hold your spot in this workshop. Her classes are fun, super educational and she is very easy to learn from. Learn what to do with those odds and ends of yarns, get your fit from a professional as Chris takes your measurements and teaches you how to take them correctly. Messed up on your knitting, let Chris teach you how to take your mistake and turn it into an awesome knitted piece. I enjoyed her classes very much when I took them and know our knitters will benefit greatly from her expertise. We only have space for 20 people and I believe we have 10 signed up now so please do not wait!

I want to take this time to take the thousands of volunteers that helped us make, collect and deliver 16,682 helmet liners (not including the box I got today). Yesterday I got a very simple email, all it said, was "I returned home from Iraq this week, today I got around to emptying my duffel bag, thank you so much for the helmet liner it kept me warm on many cold nights."
That was it, but nothing more needed to be said. So simply from my heart, their hearts, you're an awesome, simply awesome group of people. THANK YOU!!!

Now it is time to announce our newest Charity. This one is even closer to home and really close to my heart. It is called

Stitching 4 America.

Soon you will be seeing ads for this. We are asking yarn shops all over the country to be a distribution point for people to bring in items that are hand made (or Not) to be distributed to the victims of all of the latest disasters in the United States. As we were forming this idea how it would work, we got very sad news. A wonderful, dear friend of the shop Patty Allers, is from Minot, ND. Her whole family lives there and now half of her family is homeless due to the flooding. Her mother will be celebrating her 80th birthday soon, hopefully the big celebration they had planned will still be able to happen. Patty's family will be the first family we donate to, we also have the second family lined up, they happen to be very, very good friends to our dear Judy Williams and are from Joplin, Missouri. If you knew Judy and Patty you would understand why they are the first. It is because they always give of themselves and never ask for themselves, so we have a lot of knitting to do for these families.

We are asking for hand knitted or crocheted, socks, hats, scarves, gloves, mittens, face clothes, dish clothes and afghans. We are targeting the people who are 50 and above. What the recession did not do to them these natural disasters have. Yes the Salvation Army is there, but there is NOTHING like a gift from the heart thru the hands. Yarn Shops all over the US are asking their knitters and crocheters for these items, we are hoping to get stockpiled, but I think as soon as the items come in they will go out just as fast. Please put notes of encouragement in your items, provide us with an email address so we can acknowledge your donations. Please help us, help our neighbors, they are so many people in need and with the holidays coming, it will bring smiles and hope to many people who need that right now. As soon as possible we need two afghans for men in green, a teenage girl in pink, an adult woman in purple. Size 10 on the female socks and size 10 & 11 men's socks. Neutrals are great but colors make people happy. Great way of using up stash, and you can use any patterns you want to use. The first to donate to this new cause gets a $10.00 gift certificate to Yarn Heaven to show our appreciation for your efforts. Please address your packages to Stitching 4 America!

One more item, the economy, it's killing us all. I wanted to remind everyone again of the 3/50 project. Save your Local Economy three stores at a time. Saving the Brick and Mortars our nation is build on. Not just your favorite local yarn stores (although the economy is hurting us too and like all small businesses, we need you to help keep our doors open!)

The 3/50 Project

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Think about which three independently owned businesses you would miss most if they were gone. Stop in and hello. Pick up a little something that will make someone smile. Your contribution is what keeps those businesses around.

50
If just half the employed US Population spent $50.00 each month in independently owned businesses, their purchases would generate more than $42.6 billion in revenue (US Bureau of Labor Statistics 02/06/2009) Imagine the positive impact if three quarters of the employed population did that.

68
For every $100 spent in independently owned stores, $68.00 returns to the community through taxes, payroll and other expenditures. If you spend that in a national chain, only $43 stays here. (Civic Economics Study 2008). Spend it online and
NOTHING COMES HOME. (Unless, of course, it is Yarnheaven.com)

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The Number of People it takes to start the trend... YOU

This is so true, in my life personally, every sandwich place I used to eat at in Arlington has closed, two little boutiques I frequented have closed, every day on my way to work, I see another little mom and pop business like mine has closed. (Wild Bird's Unlimited...sob!) July and August is a hard month for all small businesses, please keep us in mind when you are planning your budgets.

Don't forget Thursday Therapy... too much fun had by all! Our next knit a long... Pedi Socks as seen on facebook http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Yarn-Heaven-Knitters-and-Crocheters/101390576586388

Now for a little fun:

Tom Hank's knitting prank on Julia Roberts
For those that like pranks, check out the behind-the-scenes prank that Tom Hanks played on his "Larry Crowne" co-star Julia Roberts during the filming of their new movie that involves knitting.
Click the link below to view
http://www.accesshollywood.com/access-hollywood-live-tom-hanks-larry-crowne-knitting-prank-on-julia- roberts_video_1335958

Last, but not least, please have a safe, happy 4th of July! Enjoy our free pattern!

Tarie Dillard Williams
Yarn Heaven
817-226-9276
877-280=-9276
work4yarn@yarnheaven.com
www.Yarnheaven.com
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