The Unique Sheep

An Interview with Teaman

2012-01-31T14:39:00.000-08:00

Teaman's Etsy Shop is one of our favorite places to buy hand blended teas. We have included his tea in several of our club shipments and we will be giving away free samples with every non-club order over $30 placed in February. We asked Tim to tell us a little more about how he got into tea-blending and answer some interview questions:

How and why did you get into tea blending?
I used to blend tea for a company in Canada back in the 90's before moving to the US. More about Tim's past experience can be read on his blog.

Where do you find inspiration for new flavors?
I usually take note of popular beverages that employ new combinations and get my wheels turning as to if this same combination would work with tea.

Describe your favorite tea drinking scenario.
Nothing beats a tall glass of iced Chai Yerba Mate in the heat and sun of a summer day!

1. What is your favorite word?
Exacatactly...fond memories from a local weatherman from the 70's and 80's.
2. What is your least favorite word?
Really....so overused.
3. What turns you on?
I absolutely love hockey and I can't wait to watch games.
4. What turns you off?
Barking dogs drive me nuts. I have two dogs on my own but they rarely bark.
5. What sound do you love?
Frogs in the spring, in fact I can't wait to hear them. Winter is so long...
6. What sound do you hate?
Once again....dogs barking. Headache inducing big dogs barking all day.
7. What is your favorite curse word?
Dipsh*t
8. What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?
Audio/Video sales or car sales. My two hobbies.
9. What profession would you not like to do?
Cleaning animal cages at the zoo....lol
10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?
Hello Tim, your Mom is right here to welcome you.

Warm Heads, Full Bellies

2011-12-30T10:54:00.001-08:00

I am busy in the kitchen today preparing to have the family over for the holiday weekend. As I peel carrots and open cans I am thankful that I have good food to fill the plates and bellies of my loved ones. Unfortunately not everyone is so lucky. My home town, Winston-Salem, NC was just named the worst place in the country for hungry kids and the food banks shelves are often completely empty. Growing up I had no idea that kids I saw at school might not have food to eat at home and now that I am more aware it still shocks me. So this year part of my annual giving is going to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC. To help raise money we are donating 100% of sales our Basic Ribbed Hat pattern to the Food Bank. So far we have raised about $130 in pattern sales and we have decided that we will MATCH all money raised through pattern sales by Jan 1. So if you'd like to help us fill the shelves please purchase a copy of the hat pattern in the next day or two and we'll donate the $10 from the pattern sale PLUS an additional $10. This hat pattern is my favorite for quick, warm hats which are perfect for giving to homeless shelters

An Interview with LoBug

2011-12-29T00:01:00.000-08:00

In 2012 we have resolved to celebrate the independent designers and artisans that we have the honor of working with through The Unique Sheep. To start things off we have selected LoBug (Laurel Coombs) as our artist of the month. All orders over $30 placed in January, 2012, will receive a free pattern by LoBug.

Laurel has been designing for The Unique Sheep since back when The Unique Sheep first began and when she was just getting started designing professionally. She has been involved in many of our clubs, most notably the Lord of the Rings inspired sock clubs which resulted in our LotR Socks booklets. We asked Laurel to tell us a little bit more about how she got into knitting and designing and to answer some interview questions so we could learn a bit more about her. Enjoy!

I fell into professional knitwear design by accident in 2007 when I joined Ravelry.com and answered a call for submissions. I had been knitting and doing limited design for my family for 4 years before that. Knitting and design is a huge part of my life now, but it was never something I even considered before my friend showed me the magic of 2 sticks and a string in 2003. I dream of designs in between homeschooling my 4 children and cooking food for my wonderful husband. I live in Portland, Oregon, and cover my family in knits to keep them warm and dry.

Designing came about because there were no sweater patterns available that my husband liked, so I designed one. It was so much fun to match a design to a person, that I never looked back. I love turning ideas and images into knitwear, and am willing to try just about anything. New techniques are often learned in new designs, and my favorite thing about knitting is that there is always something more to learn and try. I believe firmly in adventurous knitting- after all, if you make a mistake, the worst thing that can happen is that you have to rip it out and knit some more; and more knitting is always a good thing, right? (That being said, lifelines are my best friend.)

1. What is your favorite word? Onomatopoeia. I just love how it sounds.

2. What is your least favorite word? Poop

3. What turns you on? My husband cleaning my house and doing the dishes….

4. What turns you off? Lack of sleep, lots of noise.

5. What sound do you love? Silence

6. What sound do you hate? Bickering children

7. What is your favorite curse word? Blast

8. What profession other than yours would you like to attempt? Accounting

9. What profession would you not like to do? Garbage disposal- or cloth diaper service. I’m over the dirty diapers.

10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates? Well done, good and faithful servant.

1. when did you learn to knit? November, 2003. I remember b/c my 2^nd child was 2 months old, and I taught myself to purl with a book on the way to the In-laws for Thanksgiving.

2. Who taught you? My dear friend, Michelle, from my church.

3. what is your favorite yarn company (HAHA) The Unique Sheep of course!!! But if I can’t get their yarns, I’d prefer Classic Elite or Louet.

4. Wood or metal? I’ve gone back and forth a couple times; currently I prefer metal. Signatures, if you want to be specific. ;)

5. what is your favorite weight yarn to work with? Both for design and for personal use. (If you have one) I just love yarn. I’m not too picky- but I’m not immensely fond of either bulky or lace. I’ll use them, but it’s not as easy or fun for me. Sport is probably my favorite, if I have to pick.

6. What do you have coming up that you can tell us about? Next July, I have a new sock booklet coming out with Charing Cross Publishers. I’m pretty excited about that. Plus some secret projects I’ve been working on with you…. Then in 2013, my first book of patterns that’s not exclusively socks will be published. I’m working on those designs now and loving it.

You can follow Laurel on her blog, A Bug's Life.

Crochet Block of the Month Club

2011-12-03T08:27:00.000-08:00

We have some exciting news!

First of all, the Crochet Block Kits from 2011 are now available for individual purchase on the You can pick your favorites or order them all!

Second, the Crochet Block of the Month Club is continuing in 2012! We will have fresh new patterns and colors for the new year and are welcoming two new designers- Donna Kay Lacey and Margaret MacInnis!! All 2012 blocks will remain exclusive to club members until the end of the year.

As usual, you can sign up for the Crochet Block of the Month Club on our website.

New! Fresh From the Farm Club!

2011-11-30T15:26:00.001-08:00

For the very first time, The Unique Sheep is offering our handdyed colors on a beautiful, one of a kind yarn from a small local farm. Find out more on our website!

Mini Skein Club

2011-11-14T20:14:00.001-08:00

Are you knitting the BeeKeeper's Quilt or the Mitred Square Sock Blanket? Do you like to do mismatched socks or stripes of different colors? Scrap-yarn projects are so much fun and a great way to use up stash, but what if your stash isn't big enough? Or maybe you just don't have all the colors you need. If you need small amounts of lots of different colors on sock weight yarn, this is the club for you!

Click HERE for more information

Retreat 2012

2011-11-14T16:28:00.000-08:00

Mark your calendars- the annual Unique Sheep Retreat will be August 24-26, 2012. We'll be at Hawkesdene House in western North Carolina again. Find out more here and email me at laura@theuniquesheep.com to reserve your spot.

Movember

2011-11-11T09:52:00.000-08:00

I love a man with a bit of facial hair. Even more, I love a healthy man. Since the Unique Sheep is run by women we can't join the Movember movement as true participants -- no one wants to see us try to grow a mustache--but we've thrown in our support with the Balls for Balls colorway. One of our "colors for a cause" 50% of sales of this colorway are donated to the Prostate Cancer Foundation and Live Strong through Movember.

Halloween Contest Results!

2011-11-04T10:04:00.001-07:00

Thank you for everyone who submitted photos to the Halloween Contest!

We used a random number generator to determine the winners. And the winners are....

Vicki (with the handsome little pirate) and Brandon, i.e. the Green Man! Congratulations!

Halloween Contest

2011-10-30T20:32:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is the big day but since Halloween is on a Monday this year many of us celebrated early in order to get our partying in during the weekend. Chris and I (Laura) had a party at our house on Saturday with some of Chris's coworkers. Living out in the country we don't get any trick or treaters, so Halloween parties are our only excuse to dress up. I was an 18th century zombie and Chris went as Ron Swanson from Parks and Recreation.

If you celebrated already I hope you remembered to take photos. If not, don't forget your camera when you dress up tomorrow! We've already received several great submissions which we have posted on Flickr. Remember, send your submissions to laura@theuniquesheep.com

BOO!

2011-10-27T10:05:00.001-07:00

I love Halloween, and not just because of all the sweet treats. I love the costumes. If I could, I would wear costumes throughout the year but since that would likely end with padded walls I have to wait till that one night a year when costumes are celebrated. I'll be going as a 18th Century Zombie. I found this great dress at a local theatre's sale, it was rather worn with some of the lace coming off and a ripped seam or two so I got it for a steal. Then I added a bit more grim by splashing it with black tea and dragging the hem in some dirt. The look is finished off with zombie makeup. I just have to decide if I want to wear a poufy white wig or if I'll be able to tease my hair into something resembling a Marie Antoinette style do. I'll make sure to take some photos at Saturday's Halloween Party so you can see how it turns out.

Aside from the fun of dressing up yourself, there is also the fun of seeing all of your friends dressed up for the holiday. We'd like to see YOUR costumes and to motivate you we are offering up a prize or two. Keep reading for contest rules and details.

Contest Rules

1. Submit a photo of you, your spouse, child or pet dressed up for Halloween by emailing the photo to laura@theuniquesheep.com no later than November 3rd.

2. Photo does not have to be from this year.

3. By sending us your photo you give us permission to post them on Flickr and on this blog.

4. You can send multiple photos if you want to, but you'll only get one entry per person.

5. Winners will be selected by random drawing from all entries on November 4th.

PRIZES

We will be giving away skeins of our special HALLOWEEN themed colorways. The exact colors, yarns and number of prizes awarded will be a surprise.

Holiday Gifts

2011-10-03T09:10:00.000-07:00

Now that it is October its time to get serious about our holiday gift making and shopping. I hate to leave it to the last minute because I don't like battling the crowds downtown or at the shopping mall once we get into December. Like most of your I'll be making a few of my gifts this year. My little brother has requested his annual knit hat. He always asks for the same pattern, which I designed for him, but picks out different colors each year. This year he has asked for green and yellow to support our cousin Ryan who joined the Packers this fall.

Of course some of my friends and family knit for themselves so they will be receiving yarn as gifts, rather than finished items. That way they can enjoy the process and the finished result. Since part of the fun is picking out your own yarn and colors, I'll be wrapping up Unique Sheep gift certificates in pretty envelopes to put under the tree.

Not all of my gifts will be yarn related, of course. I've also been searching Etsy for gift. This really unique handmade mug looks perfect for one of my slightly-eccentric caffeine addicted friends!

For neighbors, the ladies in my knitting group and my square dancing club I think I'll do some baking. Which of course means that I need to "practice" some of my recipes now to make sure they taste ok! I think this week I'll do shortbread cookies and use some cute fall cookie cutters to make them festive.

I love gift giving. The challenge of finding the perfect gift - or making it- and then the reward of seeing the recipient open and enjoy the gift. But anytime I'm going to be spending money, even if its on other people, I try to be responsible in my spending habits. So I choose to spend my money at small businesses and on artisan produced goods. My baking ingredients will come from a local co-op grocer, my gifts will be found on etsy or at independent artisans' websites.

What gift making and giving do you have planned for this year?

New Pattern Releases!

2011-09-28T11:27:00.001-07:00

We have added a bunch of new patterns to the website today!

Absolem Socks

Hanging Gardens Socks

Jewel Box Mitts

Down the Rabbit Hole Socks

White Rabbit Socks

Queen of Hearts Socks

Tulip Festival Shawlette

Enchanted Mitts

Khufu Mitts

The Knit and Crochet Show- Greensboro, NC

2011-09-25T17:52:00.001-07:00

Thanks to everyone who stopped by this weekend at the Knit and Crochet Show! We had such a wonderful time meeting new customers and spending time with old friends. Now its back to the dye studio we go to prepare for our next show-- SAFF in Asheville, NC October 21-23. See you there!

Come See Us at The Knit and Crochet Show!

2011-09-20T12:18:00.000-07:00

We will have a booth at the Knit and Crochet Show in Greensboro, NC Sept 23-25 so stop by and say hello! There is a great line up of vendors and teachers so it looks like it'll be a fun weekend.

See you there!

The wrath of Irene

2011-09-04T09:48:00.000-07:00

The flooding from Irene has caused great devastation in Vermont, the state where I (Kelly) grew up. The people of Vermont have lost big parts of hundreds of roads, and many, many bridges were destroyed, including several historic covered bridges.

Here is a part of the road that my family used every day to go to work, school, and even the grocery store. This road abuts the Cold River, so there was more than this one wash out along the 10 miles we used to travel.

It is going to take a long time for this little state to recover. Homes and businesses were destroyed and damaged, along with all the roads and bridges. I grew up with the owner of Wilk's Paving, pictured below:

Although I now call North Carolina "Home" (well really anywhere my DH resides is home for me :)), seeing all the pictures and videos of Vermont, after Irene, has brought tears to my eyes and lumps in my throat. I have seen pictures of disaster many times before, but seeing places under water and torn apart, that I knew as a child and young adult, make this storm much more personal.

As you all might know, we donate 5% of our net profits to charity every year, so Laura and I decided this is a good time to put some of that money to work. We know that other states have suffered great damage due to Irene, including many counties in the Eastern part of our beautiful state, North Carolina, so we chose to donate $1000 to the Red Cross. Since it is an international organization, we are sure they will find a good place to spend our donation to help people in need no matter where they are, including Vermont.

We want to also take this time to thank all of our customers for their support of The Unique Sheep. If not for you, we would not be able to make this generous donation.

Warm, fuzzy and hand painted HUGS to all of you....

Kelly and Laura

New Pattern: Bashful Butterflies

2011-07-22T12:58:00.000-07:00

We are so pleased to announce the release of this new shawlette pattern! It can be knit with one of our Fingering Weight Sock Sets (the sample is in Sushi Socks) or 200g of Pima Petite. Julia is an up-and-coming designer from the UK; you can see more of her designs on Ravelry.

Canadian Post

2011-06-15T09:29:00.001-07:00

Canadian Customers,
Due to the Canadian Post strike and lock out it is unclear when packages sent to Canadian addresses will arrive. If you would like for us to send your package using a different shipping method (i.e. UPS, FedEx, etc) or hold your package until the lock out is over please let us know. There may be an extra charge for shipping but we'll handle it on a case by case basis. You can email us at laura@theuniquesheep.com or include a comment with your order to let us know what you'd like us to do!

Laura & Kelly

Come See us at the Carolina Fiber Fest this weekend!

2011-05-15T15:16:00.001-07:00

The Unique Sheep will have a booth at the Carolina Fiber Fest in Raleigh this weekend, May 20-22. This is our first year doing this festival and they have a great line up of vendors, teachers and speakers. We will have lots of Gradiance yarns, of course, and may even pull out our Serendipity basket with odds and ends of our yarns at deep discounts. Laura will be driving all the way from her new home in Kentucky for the event so come out and say hello! This will be our last event before our Retreat in August so don't miss it!

Extra Yarn

2011-05-06T08:46:00.000-07:00

Many of our customers have been knitting Susan Pandorf's In Dreams shawl using one of our Gradiance sets. Unfortunately Susan has announced that if they ordered 4oz they may run short near the end. Susan has posted alternate instructions for completing the shawl with the original 4oz on her website. This is the recommended strategy if you fear you are going to run out of yarn. If you'd like to continue with the original pattern, however, and order an additional 1oz skein of yarn to add to your 4oz Gradiance you can order these extra skeins for Eos or for Marici on our website. When you order, please let us know which end of the colorway you want your extra skein added to. Handdyed yarn is, by its nature, unique and varies significantly from batch to batch. Because of this we cannot guarantee that the extra skein we dye will match your original set. For that reason we suggest that you use the alternate instructions and stick with the original 4 oz, but we are leaving that decision up to you!

The Phoenix and The Carpet Mystery KAL

2011-05-02T08:30:00.000-07:00

We are excited to announce our next mystery lace KAL- The Phoenix and the Carpet! Find out more on our website.

Yarn for Susan Pandorf's Lothlorien Cape

2011-03-11T15:50:00.001-08:00

Susan Pandorf just revealed her stunning Lothlorien Cape pattern and guess what? She used Unique Sheep's Wild Thing yarn for it! Wild Thing is a really nice yarn that doesn't get much attention because its DK and DK yarns just don't seem to be that popular right now. But if you've been drowning in miles of laceweight and fingering weight yarn you'll welcome the extra heft of this soft, smooth silk/merino blend. Its a great choice for cables because it has great stitch definition and the thickness of the yarn makes the cables nice and plump.

We collaborated with Susan to create the Nature Walk Gradiance colorway just for this pattern, but I'm sure it would look lovely in other colors as well. Because it calls for an unusual amount of yarn we have set up a special listing on the website to make sure you get exactly what you need for this project!

The Unique Sheep at Juniper Moon Fiber Farm

2011-03-02T10:47:00.001-08:00

For the last month Kelly and I have been going nuts keeping a secret from you guys and finally we get to spill the beans! You can now find exclusive colorways and base yarns by The Unique Sheep available only through Juniper Moon (previously Martha's Vineyard Fiber Farm). The Spring 2011 collection has just been posted in their online yarn shop. The colors in the Spring collection are exclusive to Juniper Moon and will only be available this spring. Once summer arrives we will be replacing them with summer colors so make sure to stock up now!

We are dying to order, just like we do on our own website, so you can order as much as you want and we will dye everything you order in the same dye lot. I.E. if you need to order 6 skeins for a sweater, we'll dye them together to make sure they match. Usually it can be hard to find a sweater's worth of hand dyed yarn from the same batch.

2011-03-02T10:31:00.001-08:00

Make Custom Gifts at CafePress

Amani Children's Foundation

2011-01-25T18:31:00.000-08:00

Every three months we send in a donation to Amani Children's Foundation based on sales of our Amani colorway and sock pattern. And after they receive our check they always send us a thank-you note with an update on how the kids are doing and pictures. I always look forward to these letters and when one arrive this weekend I thought you might enjoy it too!

Thank you so much for your gift to care for children at New Life Home! Hooray for Unique Sheep, your beautiful wool, and your thoughtful spirit. What a difference your gift will make for a child as he waits for his new Kenyan parents this coming year!

We've just received word from the social workers at New Life Home that they completed their 100th adoption from New Life Home for the year during the week before Christmas. I'm attaching a picture of Fidel, one of the little boys whose adoption was completed during the last week of last year, as well as Arthur, his buddy who is still awaiting adoption in the Nairobi home.

Your gift will go to care for Arthur and the other 46 toddler boys in the 4 baby homes across the country. Little girls are usually adopted within their first year of life, so in this coming year, the social workers and advocates at New Life Home will be hard at work to find new parents for them--as your gift is hard at work caring for them until they are found.

You'll receive a hard copy receipt and letter in the mail, but I wanted you to know that your hard earned and faithful gift is already at work

Thank you!

Jane Stephens

Krienik Threads

2011-01-22T07:25:00.001-08:00

Here at the Unique Sheep we are usually talking about natural fiber yarns but since I know that many of you also enjoy the occasional "bling" in your knitting or use metallic threads in your other crafting pursuits (like needlework) I'd like to tell you about a wonderful company that I had the pleasure of touring this week: Krienik- Metallic, Silk and Iron on Threads & Embellishments.

Krienik manufactures beautiful metallic threads and yarns and they do it all with 18 employees (many of whom have been with the company for 20+yrs) in an office park in Parkersburg, WV. The company was started back in the 1970s when Estelle Krienik was frustrated not being able to find quality threads for her needlework. Like any good entrepreneur she realized that if she was looking for a source of unique, quality threads then there were likely to be others in the same position. And so the company was born. Her husband Jerry soon joined the business and later their sons took over. Today Doug, one of Estelle and Jerry's sons, runs the business.

As it happens, Doug and his wife were taking Jerry and Estelle out to dinner to celebrate Jerry's birthday on Tuesday night at the same restaurant where Chris and I were out to eat with Chris's parents and grandma. And Chris's mom, having grown up with the Krieniks, stopped at their table to wish Jerry a happy birthday and somehow the conversation turned to yarn and before I knew it Doug was inviting us over for a tour of his factory the next morning.

The factory was really, really neat. First of all, the place is full of shelves and shelves full of brightly colored thread and yarn. Wow. Compared to the wools I'm accustomed to the metallic yarns are SO vivid. And then there were all the machines. I can't show you pictures of many of them, I'm afraid, because I wouldn't want any of Doug's "trade secrets" to get out. But there were machines- most of them made or customized by Doug and his employees- to braid thread, twist yarn, wind skeins, fill cones, label bobbins and even a machine to put the little bobbins of yarn in those plastic blister packs you see on the shelves at the thread shop. I always wondered how they did that!

But best of all was Doug's enthusiasm and his clear passion for his work, his employees and the needlework industry. I could have spent the day chatting with Doug about the changes hes seen in the 30+ years he has been in the industry, the amazing things his designers and customers are coming up with and where he sees the future of the needlearts industry headed. Oh and can you guess what Doug said I asked him if he was familiar with TNNA ? Why yes, he just got back from the Long Beach conference and, get this, he used to be on the BOARD OF DIRECTORS. Wow. If I wasn't trying to play professional business woman myself I probably would have squeed and asked him for his autograph.

So if you are looking for metallics to carry with your knitting yarn for a bit of bling, or threads for your embroidery or cross stitch and you want to support a small, family owned business right here in the US, choose Krienik. You can find them everywhere from small sewing shops to online stores to JoAnn's! I personally have my eye on this cute sheep kit!

Fiber Arts Marketplace THIS WEEKEND in Sanford NC

2011-01-05T09:09:00.000-08:00

If you are in North Carolina and are a Knitter, Quilter or Fiber Artist, be sure to check out the Quilting and Fiber Arts Marketplace in Sanford, NC this Friday & Saturday (Jan 7-8). The Unique Sheep will have be there along with many other great vendors. This is our first year with a booth but I visited last year as a shopper and came away very inspired (and loaded down with shopping bags!). The marketplace is indoors so you don't have to worry about chilly weather and there is plenty of parking. Even if you don't have any shopping to do its worth a visit just to see all the beautiful samples on display and be inspired by what other fiber artists are up to!

More Information Here

New Friends

2010-12-07T17:28:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I met a few new friends at Juniper Moon Farm. Though Shepherd Suzie was out of town, Apprentices Eleanor and Jen were gracious hostesses and made me feel right at home. They didn't even make me do any chores! It was a cold but beautiful day and the farm blew me away. Its just perfect. In fact, if I hadn't seen all the animals I wouldn't have believed it was a real, working farm-- it was just too clean and neat! Well, at least I thought so until one of the goats rubbed pee on me (did you know that male goats pee on their own faces during mating season? Yep.). The sheep were, of course, beautiful to watch grazing in the fields, enjoying the last of the season's green grass. And I was pleasantly surprised at how friendly all the other animals were. Once Sabine the livestock guardian dog was confident that I wasn't there to steal her sheep she was eager for belly rubs. Its nice to see that even working dogs can be spoiled rotten! And then I met two of the handsomest fellows on the farm- Charley and Churchill. They are pet potbellied pigs and so friendly and funny. It was hard to get a photo of them because when I knelt down they wanted to climb up into my lap or nibble on the camera. Apparently they love to be scratched. And now I'm pretty sure I need a pet pig of my own.

But of course I couldn't stay away from my own home for too long, after all I had a backyard full of very chilly poultry waiting on me to return!

Block of the Month Crochet Along

2010-12-02T20:29:00.000-08:00

I have always wanted a big, cozy blanket made out of crocheted squares. Something kind of scrappy but in a pulled together sort of way. Casual enough to wrap up in on the couch but with the quality that will make it an heirloom. I bet you've always wanted one too, haven't you? Or maybe you just want an opportunity to learn new crochet stitches or freshen up old skills. Perhaps its just that you can't resist the idea of yarny gift from The Unique Sheep in your mailbox every month. Whatever your reason, our new Block of the Month Crochet Along Club is the perfect club for anyone handy with a hook. And priced at only $17 per month (including domestic shipping) its even the perfect price.

Find out more on our website.

Holiday Sale

2010-11-29T09:44:00.001-08:00

Corelli Crochet A-Long

2010-11-10T14:04:00.000-08:00

The Corelli CAL is a mystery lace crocheting club. Charles Voth has designed an elegant crocheted scarf for our very first Crochet-A-Long. In designing this pattern, Charles was inspired by the music of Corelli, a composer of the Trio Sonata, a musical form popular during the Baroque period of music. This scarf is baroque in nature having 3 different motifs that play against each other but butress and support each other beautifully. To find out more, and reserve your spot, please visit our website!

Wonderland II

2010-11-10T13:25:00.000-08:00

Once again we invite you to travel down the rabbit hole to Alice's Wonderland. Join us for another round of imaginative sock making!

What is "Indie"

2010-10-28T07:55:00.000-07:00

When I have time I love to follow the discussion in the Yarnthropology discussion group on Ravelry. Though it is often inspired by current issues (ehem, dramas)in the fiber world, discussions generally succeed at being more intellectual and impartial than simply rubber necking. The discussion at the top of the list right now regards the meaning of the term "Indie" when applied to dyers and designers. Kelly and I identify ourselves as being indie dyers and see ourselves as part of the indie community so this is an idea that has kept rolling around in my mind since I first came across the discussion. So, without further ado, here is what I think about it.

Indie is a term that is used in different markets/communities to mean different things.You can make certain comparisons between, for example, indie musicians and indie yarn dyers but there are also a lot of differences in the way the term is used in the different communities. So for the purposes of today's discussion we are only talking about indies in the fiber arts (indie yarn dyers and pattern designers as well as people who make and sell knitting accessories such as stitch markers or knitting bags).

Within the fiber arts, the term means different things to different people. This makes it hard to define on a broad scale but an attempt can still be made to distill the important attributes that most definitions hold in common. Some of these include:

business structure - working independently of a major label/brand/corporation. question- what about independent contracting? When a designer has a pattern picked up by Interweave Knits are they no longer indie? What about if a dyer has her yarn used in a Fiber Trends pattern?
size- indies are generally considered to be small, that's a given. But in our industry even the BIG companies (Cascade, Crystal Palace, etc) are really small compared to most corporations in the non-fiber arts world. So the question is, how small does one have to be to be considered Indie. Is size a reference the the amount of annual sales, the number of hands in the pot (one owner/no employees vs. partner owners vs. owner + employees, etc) or some harder to define idea of the size of the brand in the consumer's eye?
money- does the financial success of the artist make a difference? is someone more or less indie if their work provides "fun money" to supplement their regular income, pays for their share of a family income or supports an entire family? Similarly, does it matter if the fiber business is a full time job, a part time job supplementing a paid day job or a part time job supplementing a non-paid day job as a parent/spouse.
availability- does something have to be scarce or hard to acquire to be indie? Do indies only sell retail, direct to customer or can they sell wholesale to LYS and online yarn shops as well? Does having an etsy/artfire shop vs. a dedicated website make a difference? For designers, how does selling through Ravelry fit in?

Now I have to go write a lawyer-speak letter to a candy brand upset about our use of Chocolate Kiss as a colorway. More about that later. I'll follow up with more thoughts about the indie concept soon!

Laura's Thoughts

2010-10-28T07:51:00.000-07:00

Something about this time of year always makes me more thoughtful. Or maybe its because by the end of October we are done with festivals for the year and I can settle back in at home with a cup of coffee and a view out the kitchen window of the chickens scratching through the blanket of colored leaves. Writing about my thoughts helps me organize them, and re-reading what I've written helps me to evaluate these thoughts. So over the next week or so I'm going to try to post some of these mental meanderings to the blog. I'd love to have your input so please leave comments.

Christmas Club

2010-09-11T10:37:00.000-07:00

When Kelly and Laura asked me if I would like to design a Christmas themed sock or stocking I was delighted. I immediately had a vision of an old fashioned, Victorian style dressing gown – the sort of thing that scrooge might wear in a heavy brocade fabric with a fur collar.

This is what inspired the design. A heavily textured, brocade like stitch pattern, topped with a fluffy cuff and of course leg shaping adds up to a fun knee sock that you can wear over the holidays. Not into knee socks? Hold the yarn double and make a beautiful Christmas stocking to hang on you mantel on Christmas Eve.

---Janine le Cras

more...

Carolina Tiger Rescue

2010-08-24T22:20:00.000-07:00

Carolina Tiger Rescue is a non-profit wildlife sanctuary that rescues wildcats, educates the public and advocates for the preservation of natural habitats for wildcats and the humane care for those held in captivity. The Unique Sheep supports Caroline Tiger Rescue by donating 50% of the sales of the Tiger, Tiger colorway and the patterns Fierce and Reginald.

Computer Problems and Eos Sale

2010-06-29T14:09:00.000-07:00

I use a laptop for almost all of the Unique Sheep Business. Having experience the devastation of hard drive crashes and viruses I conscientiously back up to an external hard drive. What I never expected was the have the screen/lid break off from the body/keyboard! But somehow that's exactly what happened and the only way to get it fixed is to send it off to the manufacturer and it could be gone for up to a week! I'll be able to use my husband's laptop for emails and basic things but please forgive me if I'm a bit scattered or delayed in responding to emails. Without my laptop I feel like I'm missing half my brain!

One of the things I won't be able to do until my laptop is returned is to edit the website. Which means that I can't take down the Eos sale which was supposed to end at the end of June. So now instead of taking 10% off Eos until the end of June, you have until I get my laptop (and its website editing software) back!

New Yarns!

2010-05-19T21:21:00.000-07:00

We have three brand new yarns to introduce you to! Lace weight yarns are very popular right now- in fact we have a hard time keeping them in stock. So we have added two new lace weight yarns to our collection

Ling is an elegant, cultivated silk/superwash merino blend that soaks up deep, bold and bright colorways. The twist is tight, giving the yarn more the slightest texture that keeps it from slipping from your needles as easily as 100% silk and making it not quite so shiny.

Ostara is a more casual alternative in 100% cotton. Ideal for those sensitive to animal fibers, it is also perfect for lightweight summer wraps. It is also a more economical alternative to some of our more expensive lace weight yarns.

If your taste is for soft and squishy yarns in a slightly thicker fingering weight, you'll be delighted with Pashmi. This Cashmere/SW Merino/Nylon blend makes the most luxurious shawls and scarves and can even be used for extra special socks. Its so soft, I can't stop knitting baby items out of it!

We have all three yarns in stock and they are available on our website now! Or, encourage your favorite Unique Sheep retailer to place a wholesale order for these great new yarns!

New Color for a Cause

2010-04-17T14:22:00.001-07:00

The green of new rice seedlings for the children and their innocence
The blue of the clear sky over the coastal ocean for the endless potential in each child
The burnish orange of baked bricks for the foundation upon which each child needs to grow
The red of the watermelon for the sweetness of sharing our lives and bounty

Find out more here!

Sharing our Gifts: Project 6

2010-03-23T11:19:00.000-07:00

This month's Sharing our Gifts project is a lot of fun- we are making stockings and toys for needy children in Virginia. Toys are one of my favorite things to make so I jumped at the excuse to try a few new patterns. These googley eyed toys by cheezombie are addicting! I used size 3 needles and scraps of Super Wool for everything except the eyes which are done in mystery scraps of white and black that I found in my stash. They were so much fun to make! And quick and easy, too. The sheep was a bit fiddly with all its parts- the slug was the easiest and seems to have the most personality, somehow. I have just packed them up and now they are off to Virginia!

SWAG

2010-03-04T21:38:00.000-08:00

You asked for it, and now we've got it! Mugs and mini-notebooks with the Unique Sheep logo, just for you! We only have a limited supply of these, so get yours while they last! They can both be found under "Accessories" on our website.

Moonfleet Mystery Lace KAL!

2010-03-04T21:24:00.001-08:00

Are you ready for an adventure?
Click Below

Eos is Back!

2010-02-20T17:43:00.001-08:00

We have great news- we finally have Eos back in stock!! We were completely unprepared for the rush of orders for Eos for the Evenstar KAL and not only did we run out, our distributor ran out! So we had to wait for more to be spun. But big boxes of cones arrived this week and we are ready to fill more orders now. So if you have been wanting Eos for Evenstar or for your other lace knitting projects, now is the time to order! We've also been adding more pictures of our colorways dyed on Eos to the website. We love how Eos takes colors in a soft, shimmery almost magical way!

Unique Sheep SWAG

2010-01-16T11:29:00.000-08:00

Customers keep asking for us to offer coffee mugs with the Unique Sheep Logo on them, and maybe even t-shirts or tote bags. We'd love to offer these things for sale or as "extras" in our club shipments. But to get decent prices we need to order large batches, so we need to decide on just a few things that we want a lot of (rather than a lot of different things that we only want a few of). And its really hard to decide because there are so many options! So we want your help. Leave us a comment and let us know:

1) Would you prefer a t-shirt, mug and/or tote bag? If you would buy more than one thing, let us know that, too!

For Mugs:
1) Do you prefer white, dark color, pastel or bright color for the main color of the mug?
2) How large a mug do you like? (small/med/large or # ounces)
3) Do you like the standard shaped mugs or the fancier ones with smooth curves or interesting shapes?
4) How much would you pay for a Unique Sheep Mug? (this will help us choose a mug style since they range in price)

For T-Shirts:
1) short sleeved or long sleeved?
2) favorite color?
3) size?
4) How much would you pay for a Unique Sheep T-Shirt?

We need to do more research about tote-bag options before we know which questions to ask!

Thanks for your help!

Unique Sheep Ambassadors

2010-01-15T16:02:00.001-08:00

We love all of our customers, but sometimes a customer stands out above the rest. This is the customer who talks about her experiences with The Unique Sheep on his blog and podcast, encourages her LYS to start carrying Unique Sheep yarns or convinces all of her friends to join our clubs. This is the customer who keeps our Ravelry boards active and encourages her fellow club members when they need help with the patterns or are indecisive about continuing. We can't do enough to thank these customers; not only do they help our business grow (word of mouth is our primary form of "advertising") but they make it so much fun for us and for other customers. And they do it without being asked or receiving any reward. But we feel like they do deserve to be recognized for all that they have done, and so we have decided to give them the honored title of Unique Sheep Ambassador.

We would like to publicly thank and recognize the following customers as official, card carrying, Unique Sheep Ambassadors:

Ivy Reisner: Ivy is a member of many of our clubs and an active participant in our Ravelry groups. She is almost always the first to have finished her club projects! She has brought many new customers to The Unique Sheep through her podcast, Knit Spirit.

L-B Hessa and Ruth Hamlin-Douglas: L-B and Ruth are two of our most active customers on Plurk. They first discovered The Unique Sheep when they signed up for our Secret Garden Mystery Shawl KAL and since then have been so enthusiastic about the KAL and Unique Sheep in general that we credit them with the increased subscription to our next mystery KAL, The Enchanted Wood!

David Reidy: Well known for his podcast Sticks and String, David has been a member of our Ram Club since the first series and everytime he receives a club shipment he reviews it on his podcast. Its so much fun for us to be listening to his show and suddenly hear him mention us!

Allison George: Alli is our official Head Groupie. Aside from the important job of keeping Laura sane, she helps run the booth at SAFF. As an employee at her LYS she has encouraged many new customers to try Unique Sheep yarn.

Chelsea Powers: In addition to being outspoken on Plurk, Chelsea told her LYS owner about us and encouraged her to place an order. Now the Middleford Yarn and Stitchery Shoppe is one of the best places on the West coast to buy Gradiance Sets!

Do you know of someone who deserves the title of Unique Sheep Ambassador? Please nominate them by emailing us at laura@theuniquesheep.com and telling us who and why.

The Crisis in Haiti

2010-01-14T10:33:00.000-08:00

As the world rushes to help Haiti after the massive earthquake hit the small country, many people are wondering what they can do to help. In a situation like this its easy to feel powerless when we are stuck at home, dealing with the every day needs of our families, work, etc. The best thing to do, if you are able, is to donate money to an organization such as Doctors without Borders. Stephanie Pearl McPhee encouraged knitters to do exactly this on her blog, and if you haven't read it yet then please do.

We have noticed that many designers/dyers/etc have been posting products for sale where a portion of the proceeds are donated to Doctors without Borders or the Red Cross. We feel that simply donating to the organization of your choice is best because then 100% of the proceeds go directly to those in need. However, if you prefer to donate by purchasing, we'd like to remind you of our Doctors without Borders colorways and pattern. You could even buy a skein, knit a pair of socks and then send them to Doctors without Borders to keep the feet of one of their doctors or nurses warm and dry!

Knitting for Knitters

2010-01-10T21:43:00.000-08:00

You know what we don't do enough of? Knitting for each other. As in, for other knitters. As knitters, we often knit for other people. But how often are those other people knitters? If you are like me, almost never. When I need to give a gift to a knitter I chose yarn or needles or fun notions. Instead of gifting a knitter with socks, I give her a pattern and skein of yarn and tell her to knit her own. And there is nothing wrong with that- she gets to enjoy knitting them and then wearing them, its like a gift that keeps giving. But its also nice to give, and receive, already knit items. I can only think of three hand knit gifts that I have ever received, and yet as a knitter I'm hugely excited and appreciative of hand knit gifts (unlike many non-knitters who don't understand the time and attention and expensive yarn that goes into hand knit gifts). I need to remember this the next time I have a knitter friend that needs a gift!

You might wonder why I'm thinking about this topic, and I have a good reason. My good friend Alli (the Official Unique Sheep Groupie, really, she has a card. and a button) knit me a beautiful cowl as a Christmas present and gave it to me yesterday. I wore it out to dinner today and love, love love it. And you know what makes it even more special? She used a pattern designed by one of my friends- Daniella at Danido Crafty. The pattern is the Verge Neckwarmer, but made a bit smaller so that it didn't eat me (what can I say, I'm petite). And you know what makes it even more super special? She used Unique Sheep yarn. So I can wear it at festivals and stuff to show off Unique Sheep yarn. Plus, its Super Wool Gigante so its insanely soft and squishy and warm. How lucky am I?

And the winner is...

2010-01-08T17:56:00.001-08:00

Our random number generator has picked the following comment as our winner:

errs said...: Oh - definitely Reflecting Pool.

Congratulations Errs! I'll ship the magazine to you next week!

p.s. Reflecting Pool is even the color I ended up picking- I'll post photos soon!

Ruth's Tunic

2010-01-03T13:51:00.000-08:00

Now that all my holiday projects are done, I'm ready to cast on something for myself and I think its time for a new sweater! Every since Ruth's Tunic was published in Yarn Forward this fall its been calling my name. So I've decided that if I can get one more thing off the needles I'll let myself cast on. I'm going to use Sashimi since its the yarn the pattern was written for and because its soo soft and light but I don't have a sweater in it yet. But what colorway? It needs to be Gradiance, obviously. I like to wear blues, browns and greens. Maybe Queen Krista or Reflecting Pool? Or something more neutral like Wood Stock? Or a bit bolder with Hurricane Meadow? Its so hard to decide!

If you were going to knit this sweater, which colorway would you pick? Leave a comment with you answer and we'll randomly pick one commenter to win a FREE COPY OF YARN FORWARD, including this pattern!

Thanks to ALL!

2009-12-31T09:38:00.000-08:00

Thank you all for helping The Unique Sheep have a very successful 2009! We are so lucky to get to create products for warm, fuzzy, generous fiber people and try our best to make sure that all the Unique Sheep packages that reach your doors are opened with smiles. We look forward to providing you with more lovely, fibery goodness in the next year.

We wish that 2010 brings you much joy, love and peace and that all your fiber projects come out better than you imagine.

Kelly and Laura

On a separate note: I want to publicly thank my beautiful, talented, and extremely intelligent Unique Sheep partner, Laura. She has been compassionate and supportive as a few sad, family events took me away from the dye studio much more than I would have liked this year. She even encouraged me to stay home with my mom who badly broke her leg the day before we were supposed to leave for SAFF.

Laura works very hard to make all of our Unique Sheep customers as happy as possible. I am constantly delighted by her talent and believe she could not be a better partner.

So, Thank You, Laura. I look forward to working along with you in 2010 to make sure The Unique Sheep continues to flourish.

Kelly

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-22T18:01:00.001-08:00

We hope that you are celebrating the holidays with good food, good company and plenty of time to relax and knit. That's what we plan to do as well, so we won't be spending much time in the studio during the next week. We'll still be checking email and you are welcome to place your order through the website. And after a short break we'll both be eager to have our hands back in the dye pots!!

Introducing... Flounce

2009-12-21T13:12:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to announce the release of a new pattern by the talented young designer Danido Crafty. This is Dani's first pattern released by us, but she has a number of other great patterns on her website and Ravelry. Flounce is a small project that would make a great gift, or a treat for yourself once all the holiday gift knitting is done. It is my favorite type of project- one that gives you a chance to try lots of interesting techniques but not too much of any one thing to get bored!

New International Shipping Policy

2009-12-17T23:01:00.000-08:00

We have just updated our International shipping policy. Now, each order is charged a flat rate of $7 for shipping. This is almost always going to be less than the actual cost, but it will be easier for everyone than our previous system (sending separate shipping bills for each order).

You can read up on all of our shipping policies on the website. And remember, International only applies to customers outside of the US and Canada. Because (for now, at least) shipping to Canada doesn't cost much more than shipping across the country, we include Canada as "domestic"!

Sharing our Gifts: 50 Projects for 50 States

2009-11-03T23:58:00.000-08:00

Charity knitting is great but as an impatient and easily bored knitter, I have a hard time sticking to a charity knitting project that requires me to make many of the same pattern or item. Some people can crank out baby hats for Newborns in Need or blanket squares for Warming America, but that's just not me. Thankfully I found out about a new charity group - Sharing our Gifts: 50 Projects for 50 States. This group is picking a different charity organization in a different state each month and encouraging members to knit/crochet/sew/craft for that particular organization. The first charity chosen was a veterans facility in Oregon that requested men's hats and slippers. I dug through the stash and came up with a fast and easy pair of slippers. Now the group is working on women and children's hats and mittens for the Lee Shore Center in Alaska which provides a safe haven for women and children affected by domestic abuse. I had actually been wanting to knit mittens out of our new Super Wool Gigante and had even dyed up a skein in bright red for the project. Since mittens really aren't very practical here in NC the yarn ended up being used for a pair of children's mittens using this free pattern.

Bark n Knit Podcast

2009-11-02T19:15:00.000-08:00

About a week ago I attended SAFF where we had a booth for a second year. I'll be posting more about the weekend soon, including lots of pictures. One of the many people I had the opportunity to meet over the weekend was Natalie from the Bark n Knit podcast. Natalie and I have two important things in common- we both love to knit and we both LOVE our dogs. I love that Nat podcasts about both of these things and that she always tries to encourage people to adopt pets that have been abandoned or neglected. As you know, my own little puppy dog princess is a rescue! Natalie even took time out of her weekend to come by the booth and do an interview. This is the first time I've been interviewed on a podcast and it sure is weird to hear myself coming out of the computer speakers. She had some good questions and managed to prevent me from embarrassing myself too much. Plus she has some other interesting interviews in the same podcast, so its definitely worth listening to. Check our Natalie's Blog and make sure to listen to episode 37!

SAFF

2009-10-21T16:45:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow we are loading up the truck and heading to Asheville, NC for SAFF! The festival runs Friday through Sunday and we will have a booth downstairs in the main hall (exactly opposite from the main entrance).

Laura will be teaching a class on knitting with Gradiance yarns Saturday afternoon and there are still spaces available; you can sign up at the door.

We will have limited internet access while we are away, so we may be a little slower than usual to answer emails or respond to Ravelry posts.

If you'll be at SAFF please make sure to stop by and say hello!

Amani Children's Foundation

2009-10-14T19:08:00.000-07:00

Every couple of months we get a letter from the Amani Children's Foundation with an update on how things are going and usually a short story about the kids they help and a photo. I always enjoy reading their letters, and I thought you might enjoy it too. You should be able to click on the letter to the right to be taken to a larger and hopefully readable version.

Learn more about the colorway that we dye to support Amani!

Charitible Contributions

2009-09-29T02:38:00.000-07:00

At the end of every quarter I add up 50% of all the yarn and patterns we sold supporting specific charities and send in our donations. I thought you might be interested in knowing what your purchases have allowed us to donate this quarter:

Doctors without Borders: $265.38 Here is the link to their website, and here is the link to our colorways supporting them

Susan G Komen: $99.50 Here is the link to their website, and here and here are the links to our colorways supporting them

Amani Children's Foundation: $33 Here is the link to their website, and here is the link to our colorway supporting them

Animal Rescue: $143 Links to our colorways are Here and Here. We choose a different Animal Rescue group to donate to each quarter. If you would like to recommend an organization, please let us know!

Introducing....Super Wool Gigante!

2009-09-28T14:31:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to introduce the newest yarn in our collection- Super Wool GIGANTE! This bulky yarn is softer than you can imagine and dyes up in the most brilliant colors. I've already knit myself a hat and a sweater out of it and am now eagerly awaiting colder winter weather so I can wear them!

Two Tattoos

2009-09-10T00:56:00.000-07:00

For several years I've been talking about getting a tattoo of the multicolored sheep that we use as our logo. Three years ago my mother in law drew the line drawing of the sheep and I colored it in with watercolor colored pencils and since then its come to represent the company which means so much to me and seems to consume every waking (and more than a few sleeping) moments of my life now a days. So it felt right that my first tattoo should recognize something so important to my life and who I am as a person.

Finally, about a week ago, my husband and I took a trip to a tattoo shop, Blue Flame, that came highly recommended. We thought we would have to schedule an appointment for later in the week, but they said that for such a small tattoo we could come back in an hour. And before I knew it, I had a tattoo! You can see a few photos of my tattoo experience here.

To celebrate my new tattoo, I'm getting one for you too! Only, yours won't hurt as much and will come off with a bit of scrubbing in the shower. I had temporary tattoos made using our logo Sheep. We will have them with us at festivals (like the one coming up on October 4th!) and you can also snag one with your next order. Just tell us that you'd like one in the comments section when you check out!

ETA: the tattoo is on my thigh, for those wondering!

When I grow up...

2009-09-07T19:22:00.000-07:00

I want to be a shepherdess. I remember the day in college that my career advisor asked me what my goal in life was. I said "to own a llama". I don't think he had gotten that response before at my small, private liberal arts college and he didn't quite know what to make of it. Since then I've decided that llamas are a bit too aloof, really, and that I'd be happier if I stuck to sheep and goats, maybe with a guard-donkey (cause who doesn't love donkies?). This is still one of my goals in life, but I've had to acknowledge that its one that will have to wait until Chris and I are about more settled both geographically (we may have to move in 1.5yrs for Chris's residency) and financially. So, sadly, now is not the time for me to be starting a spinner's flock. But if you have always dreamed of owning fiber goats or you know of someone who has, and your life is more conducive to the owning of livestock, check out the Spinner's Flock Giveaway at Martha's Vineyard Fiber Farm. They are actually GIVING AWAY a small flock of their gorgeous angora goats. Heck, even if you aren't interested in owning goats go on over and check out the adorable pictures of the angora kids. Irresistible!

Wool Therapy

2009-09-06T19:46:00.001-07:00

I cannot get enough of shawl knitting. I have made a few rectangular versions, 2 Syncopated Lace, and then decided to try my 1st Faroese pattern. I bought the All-Over Lace Faroese Shawl pattern and decided to use a shawl set of Green Sheep Wool Sport in Gradiance

from the 15-step Joy color strip. (15, 1-5). This shawl was mean to be for me, because shawls and stoles are my go-to outerwear during the cold months, and I have decided that several styles, weights, and color ways are needed to go with my outfits, the weather,etc.

Right before the final edge was finished we found out my MIL was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Luckily it is a small tumor, so her prognosis should be good, but more testing needs to be done before we know what treatment will be needed.

I had every intention of knitting my MIL a different shawl, but when the Faroese was finished and I put it on, it told me that it longed to be on her shoulders, giving her special wool hugs as she moved forward with the process of dealing with her cancer.

The colors are perfect for her, and the Faroese design is also just right, as she lives in Seattle with my SIL and BIL and their 3 young children, so she will not have to worry about the shawl slipping off her shoulders as she plays with the young ones.

So I named the shawl "Wool Therapy" and soon it will be travelling across the country to my dear MIL where she will receive our love in form of knitted stitches in cuddly, soft Merino.

The Enchanted Garden Mystery KAL

2009-09-01T19:30:00.000-07:00

Now that we are wrapping up The Secret Garden mystery KAL, its time to introduce our next Mystery Lace Shawl KAL!

The Enchanted Wood KAL will begin in January 2010 and is designed by Janine le Cras, the same talented designer that brought us The Secret Garden shawl. This time we will be knitting a triangular shawl with optional beads. Read all the details here. We are already half full, so if you are thinking of signing up, don't delay!

The Secret Garden Shawl

2009-09-01T19:12:00.000-07:00

We are wrapping up our first mystery KAL- The Secret Garden Shawl- and it has been SO much fun. And the shawls that are coming off the needles are incredible. Once more members have finished I'll put up a gallery to show off all their gorgeous shawls.

I know that many of you missed out on the club but guess what? You can still knit your own Secret Garden Shawl! We have the pattern for sale on the website and it takes one Gradiance Shawl Set in Luxe, Verve or Green Sheep Fingering (or 3 non-Gradiance skeins in those yarns).

Serendipity Update

2009-08-27T21:52:00.000-07:00

Sometimes skeins don't turn out quite as planned. Maybe the color is a bit different than expected, or the skein doesn't quite weigh enough. Or maybe there are a few knots. Other times we are experimenting with new colorways. These odds and ends skeins end up in our Serendipity Collection with a deeply discounted price tag. We just updated the listing of Serendipity skeins which we keep on an Etsy shop, so if you are in the market for a good deal, check it out!

Shawl Sticks back in stock!

2009-08-27T18:41:00.000-07:00

Shawl Sticks are back in stock! Come and get 'em while they're still here!

Christmas Knitting

2009-08-26T20:52:00.000-07:00

Someone just pointed out to me that we only have four months left until Christmas. Broiling in the summer heat its hard to imagine that it will be here so soon, but its true. And, being knitters, this means that we have 4 months remaining to get our holiday gift knitting/crocheting/etc done. I can't tell you all of my plans because certain friends and family members read this blog, but my largest project is a lap-gan for my grandparents. I have the yarn, needles and pattern but haven't actually started yet. What do you have planned?

I also want to do a bunch of small handmade gifts for my knitting friends. Projects that won't take more than an evening or two to finish, just enough to say "I'm glad you are my friend." Do you have any suggestions of little gifts that you have given or been given in the past? Or things that you would enjoy receiving?

This might be a good time to remind you that sometimes the best gift is also the easiest-- a gift certificate! So if you have a knitter on your gift list but no idea what to get her or him, consider a Unique Sheep gift certificate. You really can't go wrong with that!

Come see us at Farm Fest

2009-08-26T15:49:00.000-07:00

Every year I look forward to spending the day at Rising Meadow Farm for their annual Farm Fest. This year they have moved the date to October 4th so hopefully the weather will be a bit cooler. Its a fun day full of great fiber arts vendors, live music, local food stands and sheep. What could be better? Well this year it IS going to be even better because The Unique Sheep will have a booth! So if you are in or near central NC on Oct 4th, come on by and say hello!

Introducing...The Sip 'n Stitch Club

2009-08-24T23:44:00.001-07:00

You know what I love about cold weather? How cozy it is to curl up with a mug of hot coffee and a wooly project on my needles. But when I pour myself a cup of coffee it can't be just any coffee. I am spoiled rotten by all the great local, indie coffee roasters within miles of where I live. And of course while I'm sipping on my morning brew I can't help but think about the colors that the flavors invoke in my mind, or the inspiring cultures and geographies of the regions the beans come from: Guatamala, Peru, Indonesia, Africa...

So this fall and winter we are going to share this experience with you through our Sip 'n Stitch club. Every other month you'll receive a half pound bag of freshly roasted coffee and a 100g skein of one of our sock yarns OR 4oz of roving dyeing in an exclusive colorway inspired by that month's coffee. You can get all the details on the website, of course. The first shipment will be in November and you have until the end of September to sign up!

Fun at Knit Picky!

2009-08-22T09:40:00.000-07:00

Last night Kelly and I had so much fun at the pajama party hosted by Knit Picky Yarns in Winston-Salem, NC. We brought bags full of yarn to sell plus goody bags for everyone and Knit Picky provided salad, pizza and a masseuse. Some of my favorite ladies were in attendance and so of course it was a blast. I only got a few photos but I know that there were other cameras floating around, anyone want to share?

Luxe is Back!

2009-08-17T13:32:00.001-07:00

After selling out of Luxe much more quickly than anticipated, we finally have it back in stock! If you have pre-ordered any, we will be dyeing it up and shipping it very soon. If you've been waiting to place an order, now is your chance!

Unique Sheep Trunk Show & Party at The Unique Sheep

2009-08-16T10:50:00.000-07:00

This Friday from 4-6pm we will have a HUGE selection of yarn (especially Gradiance sets), samples and photos and stories from Sock Summit at Knit Picky Yarns in Winston-Salem, NC. That evening we will be having a pajama party with dinner, wine, massages…there are a limited number of spaces for the party but I think there are still a few left. You can contact Jo at info@knitpickyyarns.com about that. But even if you can’t come to the party, we’ll be having plenty of fun all afternoon. Maybe I’ll even bake cookies!

Missing Packages

2009-08-13T19:25:00.000-07:00

Several weeks ago the air conditioning in my studio broke. Because we are renting, I had to contact the landlord to contact the a/c repair people to find a time to come fix it- so it took a few days. No big deal, the rest of the house was still cool (thank goodness for separate a/c systems!) so I just focused on work I could do outside of the studio for a few days. Unfortunately, the envelopes I use to ship packages were in my studio and it appears that the adhesive that keeps them from falling apart in the mail was adversely affected by the high temperatures. And of course we didn't realize this until after we shipped over 100 packages. So if you have received an email from us saying that your order has shipped, or if you are in our LotR inspired sock club, but have not received anything from us-- or have received an empty envelope-- please let us know by emailing laura@theuniquesheep.com!!

Best Knitting Quote Ever

2009-08-13T16:36:00.001-07:00

We just had a non-knitter make this comment while listening to some of our club members talk about our Secret Garden KAL:

"this sounds so extremely cool. I've never seen knitting to be so... Exciting!"

Welcome to our New LYS's!

2009-08-13T15:55:00.001-07:00

Guess what happened at Sock Summit? We made a few new friends who just happen to own yarn shops! We'd like to announce that you can now find Unique Sheep yarn at:

Middleford Yarn & Stitchery Shoppe located in Medford Oregon. They took home quite the stash of Gradiance yarns, plus some single skeins, patterns and other goodies. They are even planning some classes using Unique Sheep yarns, so if you are in the area you'll want to sign up for their newsletter and keep an eye on the website. It sounds like Middleford Yarn & Stitchery Shoppe has some really nice knit-nights and help sessions and is the type of yarn shop that builds a community around it!

Diva Yarn is located in Port Townsend, Washington. Unlike your average yarn shop, this shop has a large selection of trims, buttons, cords, sequins and other glitzy stuff to make your eyes glow in addition to the ordinary yarns, needles and patterns. An armload of Gradiance sock sets went home with Lois so if you are in the neighborhood please stop by and give them a look and a squeeze!

Sock Summit Review

2009-08-12T10:38:00.000-07:00

I had grand plans to blog every day of the Sock Summit. That didn't happen, did it? Instead, every evening as soon as I sat down at the laptop I fell asleep. I spent most of the week in the booth, of course, so I didn't get to see much of what was happening outside of my small corner of the marketplace. This article has a nice overview including a photo gallery with a number of good photos from the Sock Museum.

We had a wonderful time. I really don't think there is much that I would change-- my only regret is that I didn't have time to take classes with any of the incredible instructors. That and I wish I'd eaten more vegetables-- my body isn't used to a diet of donuts, hamburgers and beer!

Its not hard to imagine how fun it is to be surrounded by knitters, dyers, designers, crocheters, instructors, etc (plus all the yarn, patterns, needles, accessories you can dream of) for a week. And it was just as wonderful as you'd imagine. Better, even. I always love meeting knitters and they never really feel like strangers, you know? But this was the first time we've gone to an event and every time we turned around we would see someone else who we have talked to online, sold yarn to, followed the blog of, taken a class from, read a book by, etc. People came to Sock Summit from all over the world, and yet it felt like such a small community of friends.

If I add too many photos to this blog post the formatting gets awkward, so I'm including a few of my favorites but you can see more on our Flickr account. You can also see a short interview with me, and a lot of other great shots of the Sock Summit marketplace and reviews with other vendors here and even more about Sock Summit (and a photo of my Thigh's the Limit stockings) on the Knitting Daily blog!

Thank you Laurel!

2009-08-11T13:29:00.001-07:00

I cannot thank Laurel, and her family, enough for being such wonderful hosts to me this week. I was always coming home late, whining like a baby about having to wake up early and made more of a mess than her three young children combined. Everyone in the family- from babysitting Grandma (who I just realized I know only as "Grandma" though I'm sure she has another name...) to the visiting sister, Crystal, to Laurel's own children and husband- was SO kind. The Sock Summit itself was wonderful, but my experience was made so much richer by having a quiet, comfortable place to come home to at night and a bowl of handmade granola to start each morning off with. Thanks to Joel for sharing his wife, his house and his coffee. Thanks to the kids for reminding me how to play. And the biggest thank you of all to Laurel for letting me into her home during a time when she was already so busy as a teacher at Sock Summit, not to mention a very pregnant mother, wife, daughter and sister. I couldn't have asked for a better place to stay and I cannot thank you enough.

Set up Day at Sock Summit

2009-08-06T07:59:00.000-07:00

After hanging out with Laurel's wonderful family all morning, we arrived at the convention center with a van full of boxes and only the vaguest of plans. Several hours later and its starting to look like something! We still have all of this morning to finish up the details and run errands and hopefully they we'll be ready when the marketplace opens to the public this afternoon!

After setting up yesterday I had a special treat- Chelsea (YarnGeek) had just arrived in town with a friend (her LYS owner) and so we went out for a lovely dinner. Afterwards we stuck our feet in the hot tub/pool at their hotel and chatted for hours. Its so fun to finally meet people in person who I've spent so much time talking to online!

See You at Sock Summit!

2009-08-04T01:30:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Tamsie for the fun graphic!

New Patterns

2009-07-28T23:56:00.000-07:00

I'm pleased to introduce a handful of new patterns that you can order from our website. Like most of our patterns, they are available as both PDFs and as print copies.

The Woven Checkerboard L aptop Bag and Purse are easy enough for beginner knitters and knit up quickly in garter stitch and worsted weight yarn. For those of you headed back to school, the large bag would be perfect for carrying your books or laptop while the small bag is just the right size for life's little necessities (wallet, phone, lipgloss and sunglasses)!

Before we know it there will be a chill in the air as we head towards fall. But there is no need to pack away your summer skirts- just slip on a pair of The Thigh's The Limit thigh-high stockings! They are also great layered under pants for an extra layer of wooly warmth once the winter freeze sets in. This pattern is written for our Gradiance collection.

For those of you attending the Sock Summit next week or celebrating this historic event from afar, here is a sock pattern for you! Peaks and Valleys has a mountain range inspired pattern that is fun to knit and ideal for multicolored yarns. You can really get in the Sock Summit spirit by knitting it in our Ascent colorway which was inspired by the Sock Summit logo!

Sock Summit 2009

2009-06-30T16:10:00.000-07:00

We are so excited that we will be involved in Sock Summit 2009! We will be in booth 1018 and will be involved in several of the exciting things planned for the weekend, like the demonstration area and Color Me Crazy booth and we will be attending the Luminary Panel, Sock Hop and Opening Night Reception.

If you'll be attending Sock Summit, please stop by the booth and say hello. If you have one of our Unique Sheep buttons, or a button from one of our many clubs, wear it on your shirt or knitting bag-- that way we'll all be able to recognize each other! People are coming from all over the country and we can't wait to meet everyone.

Stephanie and Tina, the organizers of SS'09 have done so much to make this a fun event. And they keep announcing even more great "extras" to add to the fun. One of these is the Dyeing for Glory colorway contest. They have invited all of the dyers selling at SS'09 to come up with colorways inspired by the Sock Summit and there will be a vote towards the end of July. We had already created two new colorways inspired by the event, one is a Gradiance colorway and the other is a regular/single skein version, but this is a fun way to share them with others. We will be bringing a bunch with us to the show, of course, but if you want to make sure to get a skein for yourself we are accepting pre-orders for pick up at the show. If you aren't attending the show don't worry, the colorways will be available for sale on the website after SS'09 is over!

Big Shop Update at Eat. Sleep. Knit.

2009-06-28T19:38:00.000-07:00

Eat. Sleep. Knit. just received a huge box of Unique Sheep yarn and has more on the way. Though we always appreciate your orders on our website, we also love it when you support our retail partners. Plus you are likely to receive your order much faster since its already been dyed and is ready to be packed and on its way!

Shipping Changes

2009-06-19T22:14:00.001-07:00

We have just made a couple of small changes to our shipping policy. Canadians are now included in the free shipping over $40 offer. It doesn't cost much more to ship to our northern neighbors anyway. We've also increased our standard shipping cost for orders under $40 to $3.50 for all US/Canadian orders. We've had it set at $2.50 but it almost always costs us much more than that, especially when you factor in the envelopes and other packing material we use. Customers located outside of North America will still be charged the exact shipping cost in a separate paypal bill after we receive your order.

Speaking of shipping, have you ever wondered why you often receive your orders in parts? Its because Kelly and I actually live across the state from each other and so we only get together in person once every month or two. We each have our own colors so if you place an order with some skeins in Kelly's colors and some in my colors we each dye our separate parts and then usually ship them separately. If you are ever curious about whose colors are whose, look at the ballband. All of Laura's colors have an L in the dye lot number. The exceptions are roving and cotton or cotton/bamboo yarns. Laura dyes almost all of the roving and Kelly dyes all of the cotton and cotton/bamboo yarns, regardless of the color ordered! Its a little different, I know, but it works for us and allows us to be partners even though we live over an hour apart.

Look Who's Talking

2009-06-13T13:24:00.000-07:00

We may have been quiet lately, but others having been talking about The Unique Sheep all over the internet! Ivy Reisner talked about the Ram Club and Fiber Fetish Club on her podcast (Knit Spirit) on May 29th and on her June 12th offers a contest to win a free kit for the first Fiber Fetish project (entries are due by June 24th). Lime & Violet reviewed the first Fiber Fetish Club shipment in Episode 89 of their podcast. And David at Sticks & String gave us a lovely mention of the Gradiance collection in show 104 of his podcast. We have been a bit blown away by all this attention! Have you heard us on any other podcasts or blogs? If so, we'd love to include links, so leave us a comment!

Martha's Vineyard Fiber Farm

2009-06-13T12:58:00.000-07:00

First, let me apologize for my lack of blog posting recently. The problem is that in order to blog, I have to take my hands out of the dye pots or away from the skein winder and lately I haven't had much opportunity to do that! Thanks to all of our wonderful customers we have been very busy lately! We've also been planning a little surprise in conjunction with Martha's Vineyard Fiber Farm. Check out their blog to see all the details! And while you are there, make sure to take a look at their LambCam and all their great farm photos. The baby goats and sheep will melt your heart!

Serendipity Skeins

2009-05-22T13:14:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we end up with a skein that isn't quite right. Maybe it only weighs 80g when its supposed to weigh 100g, or the color isn't exactly what we were going for (like that time I accidentally used blue instead of purple dye in a batch of Mystic Purple...). Or maybe the skein has a few knots in it. Often the yarn is perfectly usable, it just can't be sold as one of our regular skeins. So it ends up in the Serendipity box and these "irregular" skeins can be purchased at a discount price on our etsy shop.

I just added a bunch of new skeins to the listings and will be adding more over the next week. And remember, these great deals will not be repeated. So if you see something you like, buy it before someone else does!

Introducing...The Secret Garden Knitting Club

2009-05-13T16:11:00.000-07:00

Join us as we walk along the hidden path and enter the Secret Garden. No one knows what waits inside, bit whispers of lace and hints of color becken us forward through the maze. Holding hands we'll venture forth, around each corner to see what lies beyond. What will you discover at the end of the path?

Lovely Emma

2009-05-08T18:08:00.001-07:00

Earlier this week the summer issue of Knotions, a free online knitting magazine, went live. And one of the many lovely designs featured is Emma. Emma is a light and lacy short sleeved cardigan knit out of Eos, our silk/merino lace weight yarn. When designer Janine le Cras first told me about her design my first reaction was "a sweater in lace weight yarn? really?" but then I stopped and actually thought about it. I love knitting lace and though I usually prefer fingering weight, Eos is fairly substantial for a lace weight. A lace shawl, my usual project, is a pretty large project when you consider the square footage. And finally, my least favorite part about sweaters are the sleeves. So really, a lace weight cardigan makes perfect sense. It is actually a smaller project than a shawl, doesn't have those pesky sleeves (the cute little cap sleeves can't possibly take much time to knit), and can you imagine how great it will feel during those hot hot summer days? Needless to say, I've already dyed up a skein of Eos for my own Emma. Won't you join me?

Introducing...Jane

2009-04-25T21:43:00.000-07:00

Just in time for spring, I'm pleased to announce our newest crochet pattern, the elegant "Jane". Designer Jennifer Benson created "Jane" after her pattern "Miss Austin" was received with such enthusiasm. "Jane takes" less yarn (only two skeins of Tinsel Toes) and is faster to crochet than the full circle "Miss Austen", but has the same drape and sophisticated style.

Maryland Sheep and Wool Cont.

2009-04-25T20:01:00.000-07:00

We want to make sure you figure The Unique Sheep into your festival budget, so here is a summary of what we will be bringing to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival this weekend.

We are sending a variety of single skein yarns in various colors. This will be a great opportunity for people to try Unique Sheep yarn and use a base yarn that they may not have tried before. These skeins can be used for socks or other small projects.

We are sending a variety of kits:

--The Coffee Cozies always seem like a winner for an “end cap” or by the cash register. They are inexpensive and a quick knit. The colors are “Coffee House" (kinda like Starbucks colors :)) and Sinful- which looks just like a yummy latte.

--The Todos throw kits give a sampling of various yarn bases while using a simple lace pattern to knit a lovely blanket to show off in the Family Room.

--Todos scarf kits—another popular seller, and a mini version of the throw. This time the knitted result is a fun, textural scarf. This is the pattern that we used for our recent Knit-a-Long/ Purl-a-Long

--Crochet Baby Shoe—is hard to resist for those who have babies in their lives

--Crochet Adult Slippers—a quick project to keep the toes toasty.

--Crochet Baby cardigan—This is a crochet version of the famous “Baby Surprise Jacket”. It is a very fun project to make.

--Quatrefoil—a shrug that is perfect for this time of year! We have an updated pattern and some fun colors.

--Estonian Embrace—Estonian stitch work is HOT! There are 3 different cuff choices included in this pattern. There is enough yarn in the kit for most men’s sizes and these are made with Super Wool, so perfect for a house sock, a clog sock, or a boot sock. And they knit up fast!

--Lacey Yug—This shawl is incredibly easy to knit and can be done VERY quickly. It is a great option for those who want to knit a shawl as a “comfort” gift. I receive tons of compliments every time I wear mine.

--Into the Woods—We had the guys in mind when this pattern was developed. It features a very unique pattern stitch. (of course the ladies are welcome to make if for themselves :)) We included one in House Blend in a single colorway and 2 in Super Wool from yarns from our Gradiance Collection. The pattern also is written with instructions on when and how to change skeins for use with Gradiance sets.

The rest are things from our Gradiance Collection:

We have worked over the past year to develop pattern support and color options for this line of yarn that is exclusive to The Unique Sheep. .

--Gradiance Sock sets in Tinsel Toes, Sushi Sock, Verve and Luxe. These can be sold as yarn alone, or paired with our free Gradiance Sock patterns that explain how and when to change skeins. The Slipped Ridges patterns are available for people to purchase with Verve or Luxe. That pattern features leg and arch shaping and also explains how to use the Gradiance yarn sock sets.

--Gradiance Scarf kits- This simple lace scarf pattern was written to show people how to use the Gradiance sets and end up with a really fun scarf—since not everyone loves to knit socks! It also included Luxe, a merino/silk yarn base developed exclusively for The Unique Sheep.

--Syncopated Lace Shawl—this pattern is not for the faint-of-heart, but the resulting shawl is worth every stitch. A 16 page booklet with written instructions AND a 12 page booklet of charts is included in each kit.

--Lepidoptra—This pattern was designed by Laura and is a stunning use of our Gradiance Shawl sets.

--We have also included 11 Gradiance Shawl Sets in various fingering weight yarn bases. These are all 6- 50 gram skeins for a total of 300 grams of yarn. We have found that lots of shawl patterns call for about this amount of yarn and most of our shawl patterns are made with 300 grams of yarn. Other than Lepidoptra, we do not have a shawl pattern specifically written for Gradiance yarn, but an adventurous knitter could easily adapt these yarns to use with a shawl pattern of their choice. Just follow the instructions on our website.

Maryland Sheep and Wool

2009-04-25T09:05:00.000-07:00

Its that time of year again, when knitters and spinners from all over the east coast trek to Maryland for the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. And guess what? This year I'll be there too!! I (Laura) went for the first time a few years ago and loved it. Now this year a group of my knitting friends at Knit Picky Yarns is taking a bus up together. This means that we get to hang out and knit the whole way there!

And in case my presence isn't enough, our YARN will be there too! Once again Cloverhill Yarn Shop is filling their booth with yarn and fiber from over two dozen indie dyers and artisans (click the link to find out who). The list of names is impressive and we are honored to be listed amongst so many talented men and women. The booth is located in the Main Exhibition Hall D2 and D3 (click the link for a map of the fairgrounds). I won't be working at the booth, but I'll be stopping by to see how things are going and maybe giving the volunteers working there a break or two. And I'll be bringing samples! If you are going to be there and have a particular sample you'd like to see, just let me know and I'll add it to the suitcase.

Speaking of suitcases, I need to decide what to pack. And most importantly, which knitting projects I want to bring...

Introducing...Harbor Tweed

2009-04-14T17:48:00.001-07:00

Have you ever noticed how some men can be such princesses when it comes to their feet? These socks are too scratchy, those don't fit right. The heels on these are two baggy, the toes on those too pointy. Though my husband appreciates any socks I knit for him, I'd never made a perfect pair until I knit this pattern for him. Finally, a sock that fits "just right".

Harbor Tweed was originally published as part of the Ram Club and was designed by Stitch Stud.

Introducing---Two New Colors for a Cause!

2009-04-02T23:09:00.001-07:00

Here at The Unique Sheep we love our pets. Both of us spoil our dogs rotten and can't imagine our lives without them. And like any proud parents' we think that our dogs are the BEST dogs ever. And there is something special about our dogs. They were all rescued. My dog, Avi, was discovered by neighbors after a family moved away and left their dog and her brand new litter of puppies locked up in a small cage in the backyard. In February. In the snow. Now she lives a much more pampered life, though if you came for a visit she'd insist that we never fed her nor gave her any attention.

When I was coming up with my colorway, Unconditional, I thought about all the animals that have been part of my life. I thought of the brilliant blue eyes of the neighbor's Malamut that I befriended as a child and so I put in a bit of blue. Growing up my family had cats and several had the most beautiful orange coats, so in went some orange. Green was added for the eyes of those orange coated cats. All mixed in with a background of brown because regardless of the pet, mine always end up leaving muddy paw prints on my life!

Now I'll let Kelly tell you a bit about her pets and the inspiration behind her colorway, Rescued:

I found Bradly (aka: Lovey) wandering in the middle of a very busy street on the way to work one morning. I knew if I did not stop to try to help him, he would not make it. Luckily, he let me capture him, and off we went to the vet to make sure he was healthy enough to bring home. I figured we would foster him til his owners called for him, but after leaving a description at animal shelters in 4 ajoining counties and 5 area vets, no one claimed him, so he quickly became a permanent member of our family.

Last October we lost our beloved little Min Pin, Spike. We have been a two dog family for many years, and knew we would eventually get a new dog. Spike was a paid for "Blue Blood" and we loved him so much, but after bringing Bradley into our home, we knew any dog that followed would be a Rescue Dog. Our wonderful pet sitter told us about an adoption fair that Ruff Love Rescue was having on Valentine's Day. After watching 20-30 dogs run around the play arena, I picked out Sam (on the right). He is the perfect size for a playmate for Bradley. He is full of energy and has already adapted to his new home very well.

I came up with a Gradiance colorway that is almost a literal translation of the colors that are in the two amazing dogs we have. They both have a brindle coloring so the Gradiance transitions from brown to almost black. The red throughout represents the collar. (another color could be substituded for the red if you like).

These color ways will be part of our Yarns for a Cause collection, so half the proceeds from sales will go to local rescue organizations.

New Retail Partner

2009-04-02T19:53:00.001-07:00

You can now find Unique Sheep Yarns at another great online yarn shop: Simply Socks! Simply Socks has JUST posted a bunch of our Gradiance Skein Sets and Gradiance Scarf Kits. You know what would make us feel REALLY good? If they sold out. Because then they would order even MORE Unique Sheep yarn, and we'd be one step closer to taking over the world and covering it in a huge, colorful pile of yarn.

Shawl Sticks back in stock!

2009-03-27T14:20:00.000-07:00

We finally have more shawl sticks in stock! We have everything except the Dual-Light and Star-Light which, for some reason, aren't available. We only got a few of each style/color in, though, so if you have been wanting one don't wait around. These go quickly!

NEW Men's Sock Pattern

2009-03-23T16:53:00.001-07:00

Our first Ram Club sock pattern is now available for anyone to buy! The Toe Up Men's Work Sock with a Twist is a toe up sock perfect for wearing with boots because of its length and thickness. Though its knit with fingering weight yarn, you hold two strands together so that it knits up thick and quick! Its a basic enough style to pass the standards of most men, but with a neat zigzag design element on the side to add some interest. And one of the best things is that its written for men's shoe sizes 9-15. That's a HUGE range. The pattern lists the foot/calf measurements in case you aren't sure which shoe size you are.

Free Sock Patterns!

2009-03-16T20:11:00.000-07:00

We have just posted two new FREE sock patterns for use with our Gradiance yarn sets. They are basic ribbed, top down socks, one is written for Verve and Luxe and the other is for Tinsel Toes and Sushi Socks, which are a bit thicker. Once you have knit one pair of socks using Gradiance yarns and these patterns, you can easily adapt any sock pattern for Gradiance yarns.

We will be adding patterns for men's and children's sizes, additional yarn bases and toe up versions as we get them tested.

Knitty Review

2009-03-11T14:50:00.000-07:00

Guess who has been reviewed by the Knitty Roundtable? Earlier this year we sent in samples of Luxe to be reviewed by the Knitty Yarn Roundtable. This is a peer-review where they get a bunch of everyday knitters together, make up little balls of all the yarns sent in, and start knitting swatches. The reviews always seem to be pretty good, probably because instead of posting negative reviews they just don't include reviews of yarns that they don't like. So my fear was that when the Spring Knitty was posted, our yarn wouldn't be included. But there it is! With glowing reviews, even! We are SO honored to be listed among such high quality yarns on such a wonderful website. I still kind of can't believe it, and have to keep going back to the page to make sure I'm not dreaming the whole thing!

I promised Amy (the founder of Knitty) that next time we would send in a non-wool yarn so she can have a chance to play with it, too!

p.s. in case you are wondering, the colors in our photo are, from left to right, Beach Sunset, a Strength Gradiance set (one of our Colors for a Cause) and Moss.

A Talented Young Designer

2009-03-07T14:46:00.000-08:00

Best friend, designer, and teacher extraordinaire, Merike Saarniit, has been teaching her 10 year old neighbor to knit. Elizabeth took to knitting quite quickly and decided she wants to design just like her mentor.

She came up with this idea:

Merike thought that the idea was good enough to enter the "Think Outside the Sox Contest", so she asked us to dye some yarns for the sock. Elizabeth won her age category! Scroll down the page and you will see.

We are so happy to be able to provide yarn for such talented designers. Someday we hope that Elizabeth will design a project just for us. :)

I have a feeling that will not be too far off, as these were Elizabeth's 2nd pair of socks OTN's. When she finished these she went home and made a pair of matching socks for her doll, with no help at all from Merike!

Congratualtions to Elizabeth and all the other contest winners.

New Child's Sweater Pattern!!

2009-03-06T20:08:00.001-08:00

I just posted a new child's sweater pattern on the website!

The Marshmallow Sweater is a great sweater for children ages 4-12yrs. Its got just enough cabling to be interesting to knit, without becoming overwhelming for either the knitter or the wearer. Raglan shaping is easy to knit and fun to wear. And because its knit in worsted weight Back to Basics it works up fast and is cuddly and warm!