New Years Party

Yes, I am aware that it's Christmas Eve but since we are closed for Christmas I thought I would talk about the next holiday we will be celebrating with you guys, New Year's Day!!!!!!!!

We will be living it up at the yarn shop. There will be yummy treats, good company and lovely fiber. Come and surround yourself with fellow knitters and crocheters and bring in the New Year the right way. We will be open at 10am as usual and closing at 5pm.

We hope to see your lovely faces there to celebrate!

Get Yours

Feeling a little stressed as we move into the last week before Christmas? Trying to get all of your knitting/crocheting done before you have to wrap it up and give it away? Wanting to run away and have a mini vacation? Well, I know we've all heard that knitting/crocheting relieves stress but what happens when your deadline for crafting is what's creating the stress? I suggest keeping personal crafting in the mix.

Yes, you have lots to make for others and you can't be thinking about pulling out your gorgeous shawl or top-down sweater to work on, but why not? We need to keep our sanity during this time of year and a few rows for yourself can't hurt. So go ahead, GYG gives you permission to pull out your personal project and give it a little love before you put it aside again to work on stuff for your loved ones.

Have fun relaxing and enjoying this lovely time of year amongst all the chaos.

Is It A Crime?

So when I buy nice yarn, if it doesn't already have a plan, I take forever trying to pick out the perfect pattern to use it to its fullest potential. I want it to last, to look it's best, and to be visible to everyone. With this in mind, it rules out certain categories for nice yarn.

I mean it would be a crime to use 100% cashmere for socks......or would it? Think about it, hand knitting anything is already taking that item to a new level of luxury, which to many seems a bit excessive and unnecessary but to us knitters seems special and timeless. So, why not kick it up a notch? Knit a washcloth out of pima cotton or a bookmark out of silk or make those socks out of the cashmere.

Maybe it's the holiday spirit or the fact that I have this lovely skein of luxury yarn that I happen to want to turn into something "ordinary," whatever it is, I don't think we should have limits for our yarn. It's not like it will be your last time working with alpaca or cashmere or silk, so live it up once and a while and turn mundane items into luxury items.

We Were Gypped

I don't know if you've noticed, but this year we have one less week of Christmas celebration! Yes, yes, we still have the 24 days of December before Christmas but we all know that the celebration begins once the turkey has been cleared from the Thanksgiving table and this year that happens a week later than usual.

This means that we need to get our butts in gear. I'm not the only one who puts things off until it's "Christmas time." Start on those scarfs, hats, mittens, pot-holders, wash clothes and amigurumis now! You'll have to play it cool when you see your recipients on Thursday but I think it can be easy to distract them with stuffing or pumpkin pie. Mmmm.

So, to sum up, you've been warned.

A Chill In The Air

Fall is in full swing and that means it's prime knitting time. Dig out those needles, or hooks, and let the fire burn and the hot cocoa steam. If you're at a loss for what to knit or are bored of working on what you are working on, here are a few suggestions (all free):

Garments:

Pattern: Plain and Simple Pullover

Designer: Veera Valimaki

A nice quick knit. Something to throw over a long sleeve tee or a simple dress. The collar is fun and can be dressed up with some fancy buttons.

Pattern: Sequoia

Designer: Alegria DaSilva

This vest is also a quick knit and can be worn with so many things. Keep it plain by just throwing it over a simple shirt or make it out of festive yarn or with some mohair and have a classy piece. 

Accessories:

Pattern: Autumn in Garrison

Designer: Kate Gagnon Osborn

Who doesn't like some subtle leaves? This would make a great gift or even a little present to yourself for the holidays. Since you only need a small amount of yardage you can pamper yourself with a cashmere blend or some alpaca.

Pattern: Maize

Designer: tincanknits

These mitts come in several sizes, from toddler to Adult, are unisex, and can be made into mittens. This is a great pattern with a great payoff. Have the whole family match Christmas day with some lovely mitts or just make a couple pairs for a day out in the snow.

Home:

Pattern: Leafy Washcloth

Designer: Megan Goodacre

Now this is a nice gift. Make a couple and bundle them together under the tree with a nice ribbon. It's a great way to wash your face or even enjoy in the tub with some bubbles. They'll work up fast and you can use your scrap cotton lying around.

Pattern: Handspun Cushion

Designer: Wovenflame (Marlene)

What a great way to decorate your house for the holidays, with a festive colored pillow on the couch. It's great for snuggling or for an afternoon nap by the fire. Should whip up in no time and you'll have fun picking out matching buttons to dress it up. 

As always, we have some lovely yarn options at the shop for these patterns and the needles to go with. Hope these suggestions helped and that you can get some lovely projects done before the big man in red comes along.

Boo!

Happy Halloween everyone. We hope you're having a screamin' good time. As you wait for little ones to come around to collect their candy, you can easily add a couple more rows onto your projects. Let's choose something that's easy to pick up and put down but lets not neglect our holiday knitting just because sweet treats are the main event for the evening.

We hope everyone is safe and has fun stories to share about costumes and ghost and the like. :)

Free Patterns

We all enjoy a good pattern right? Especially if it's free. Now I know almost all of us use Ravelry for this feature and that they have everything but there are a few other websites that offer free knitting patterns and sometimes ravelry doesn't have them.

If you didn't already know them then I'll list just a few below. Check them out or explore new ones but the end objective is to find a wonderful pattern that you can't help but start and to do it all for free. :)

Berroco

Cascade Yarns

Patternfish

Skacel

Knitty

Vogue Knitting

Let us know if there is another site that you love to use for free patterns. :)

Knit Therapy

Sometimes life throws you some curve balls, life experiences you'd rather have avoided, and this is when you may think it's not a good idea to turn to your favorite hobby or even pick up a new one. You're wrong. You don't need to feel guilty about sitting down and knitting a few rows. This helps, you can't forget about yourself during the hard times. How are you supposed to move forward if you don't allow yourself to heal with some yarn therapy?

Playing with some string and a couple of sticks may seem silly but the sense of accomplishment when you walk away with a piece that helps keep someone warmer makes you feel a little better about yourself. Or making something to commemorate your strength during that tough time helps you visually experience your progress during the trial. Now, sit down and create something and let the healing begin.

A Special W.I.P.s

We hope you all can make it this Friday to W.I.P.s and Chips because it's going to be a little extra special. Our very own Cori Schrader was published in Cascade's 60 Quick Knits from America's Yarn Shops.

We will have the book available and a sample of the hat she designed out for everyone to enjoy. There will also be cake, prizes and raffles. This is going to be a fun night of celebration and we hope you all can join us.

It will be this Friday, October 4th, from 5pm - 8pm. See you there!

Decisions, Decisions

This season change, cool nights and the threat of a storm have really got me contemplating yarn......yarn is always on my mind but never more than when the weather is changing for the cooler.

The possibilities are endless. My hands crave alpaca, or the structure of wool, how about a little tweed, oh I know, something hand dyed. I just can't decide.

 Think of all the patterns I can knit from Botanical Knits with a nice yarn. The oohs and ahhs from passersby would be inevitable but I think I could handle the attention. The ladies in the yarn shop petting my sleeves while simultaneously asking where I got the yarn would be welcome.

Accessories!!!  Those whip up fast. I could have all new woolen accessories in no time. I would look that storm in the face and laugh while I play with my perfectly stitched colorwork cowl. Bed head would no longer be a problem with all the cute hats I'd have to wear.

Yep, the possibilities are endless.

4 Months

Yeah, it's super hot outside still and yeah, it seems like a long ways away but Christmas, for a knitter, is just around the corner.

You have four months to get your affairs in order so get that list together and come on by the shop and we'll hook you up. :)

We love hearing about what you intend to make for others and see what yarns you pick out, so please share with us what you'll be doing. Also, it helps us build out repertoire of ideas for ourselves and for others.

Remember that we do gift cards and can help you throw together a fun package for a knitter/crocheter if you don't happen to knit/crochet yourself.

Winner

The winner of our "Name The Goat" contest is Barb Eckerfield! So without further adieu:

Meet Mo Hair

There were so many awesome entries but unfortunately there could only be one winner. This was a tough decision but we loved Mo Hair so much that we just had to name him this.

Barb received a scarf pattern book, a small notion holder bag, wool wash and miscellaneous notions. All in all a great gift for a great name. 

Here are all the entries in no particular order:

Gauge

Misura Bianca :: white gauge

Yarny

Mo Hair

Kewetie
Tink or Tinky
Goatee
Soth (short for Sweater On The Hoof)
Billy the Kid
Kid Rock

Tweed or Tweedy

Ram-a-lam-a-ding-dong
BaaBaara
Ali Baa Baa
Rambo 

Golly Gee Goat

Gertrude
Gertie
Gretel
Moe O'Hare
Purl
Penelope

Gretel

Marshmallow

Kid Mohair

Billy

Thanks for playing and keep an eye out for any other contests .:) Also, come on by and say hi to Mo Hair!

Get Your Hooks Out

Thought it was about time that crochet was mentioned.

It's time to get those hooks out and get creating. We have a few pattern ideas for you that whip up quickly. Whether you want to make something for yourself or as a gift for a family member or friend.

Without further adieu:

  

Pattern: Shark Time Pouch

Designer: Tamara Kelly

Hook: 4.0 mm G

Yarn: Worsted (102 yds)

 

It's not too late to make a neat pencil case for those who are hitting the books, or even to be used as a coin purse. There are no end to the possibilities. It would make such an adorable gift.

 

 

Pattern: Chunky Crocheted Basket

Designer: Elizabeth Trantham

Hook: 8.0 mm L

Yarn: Super Bulky

 

Who couldn't use another basket? You can put towels, yarn, bathroom supplies, toys or even books in it. It's a great way to let visitors know that a crocheter lives there. 

 

 

Pattern: Chevron Slouch Beanie

Designer: Jen Atchison

Hook: 4.0 mm G

Yarn: DK (200-250 yds)

 



This hat is so cute and comfy. Very laid back and in style. This wouldn't take long to make up and if you wanted to make it a solid color than it would go even quicker. I'm thinking fast Christmas gifts. :)

Hope you enjoyed the suggestions and can't wait to see what you have all been crocheting lately!

Fall Thinking

Fall is coming up quickly. Now I know it's hard to think about when it's 100 degrees outside but at night you feel that crisp breeze that reminds you that your needles need some wool on them soon.

Here are a few things for you to think about:

• Bulky wools
• Sweater set ups
• Digging out all those Got Your Goat Cards to combine them to get a full card for 20% off your purchase
• Small winter knits (gift tags, ornaments, key chains, stocking stuffers)
• Gift cards
• Purchasing samples for those who want hand made but you just don't have the time

We have all that you need and are here to motivate you to think about the future. It's closer than you think.

Contest

Look at that little cutie. Well guys, Goat Your Goat Yarn Studio now has a mascot! This kid was a gift from a customer and it doesn't have a name. We thought we'd have a little contest to name our new friend.

Everyone can participate and we hope that you do because not only will you get to name the goat, but you'll also receive a little prize. So leave your name for him or her, whichever you come up with and we'll choose the winner at the end of the month and announce it.

You can leave your entry in the comments for this post, on ravelry , on facebook, or even stop by the shop and leave it will us. We can't wait to see what you guys come up with!

Sample Sale

That's right ladies, we're slinging samples!!!!  Ever come to the shop and covet what was displayed in the window or around the store? Well, it's your lucky day, that piece might be on sale for you to take home.

We have these items on mannequins and covering our back table for you to feast your eyes on. They are individually prices so come and take a look.

Not interested in buying something you can make yourself? Have a relative or friend always asking for a homemade piece that you just don't have the time to accomplish? Here's your answer, buy a ready made item that will satisfy their need. Stock up for Christmas or just indulge yourself in some fine wool already worked up.

This sale will be going on through the end of August so hurry up and come in before that one piece you wanted is gone!

**No discounts will be applied (can't use full a card) or stamps give for items.

Utilizing Your Queue

We are all addicted to Ravelry, that's a given and I'm sure I'm not the only one with a super full queue or hundreds of favorites. Now Ravelry has a way of navigating through that huge list of things to make, which after the 5th page can become a little hectic.

I'll bet that most have already learned how to do this but for those who haven't, I'm going to show you how to search through your queue.

Step 1: When you get on Ravelry and click the patterns tab you will notice a link under the search bar labeled pattern browser & advanced search. (pictured below) Click on it and move on to step 2.



Step 2: Now on the left you'll see a Jump to Filter tab. Go ahead and click that and select My Notebook. (pictured below) In this section you can check the In My Queue box and then it will show you only patterns from your queue on the right.

As you can see you can click to see only your favorites or yarn you have stashed as well, or all of the above.

Step 3: Now that only the patterns you have queued are showing you can weed through these even further by utilizing the specific boxes on the left. (pictured below) You can click on the yardage, weight, and category boxes to view only pullover sweaters knit in worsted weight that take between 900-1200 yds of yarn for example.

Play around with it and view only the patterns you were thinking about knitting for your next project. We hope this helps and if you have any questions please feel free to come on in and ask at Got Your Goat Yarn Shop. :)

Yarn Bubble

We have a couple of groups that meet at our shop and it's just such a treat when they're around. We like being a place for people to feel comfortable to hang out and bond with their friends. It doesn't hurt that you're in a yarn bubble and surrounded by your favorite craft.

Even our W.I.P.s and Chips group, which could be considered our group, brings us such joy. We hope you look forward to it as much as we do. We've had some great Friday nights getting to know you better and seeing what you're working on.

If you haven't yet joined us for a W.I.P.s and Chips night, they're the first Friday of every month from 5-8pm. And if you have a knitting group with no home check us out!

A Great Book

I don't know if you've heard about or seen the new book Botanical Knits by Alana Dakos but we're a little obsessed with it over here. We have one project knit up from the book and another is in the process and there's talk of one of the sweaters being made for the shop or used for a KAL.

Let us know if you'd be interested in a KAL from this wonderful book.

Here is a sneak peak at the hat we made that will be on display when the weather starts to cool down:

We used Madelinetosh Merino DK in the color Winter Wheat, which was a yarn suggested by the pattern.

If you haven't taken a gander at these lovely patterns you must take a look, we have copies at the shop but hurry, they go fast. We are on our third order!

The Red, White & Blue

Happy Birthday America! Now what is the best way to celebrate? Friends, family, BBQ and oh yeah, a little fiber crafting. That's right, nothing says Independence Day like picking up those needles or that hook and working with some lovely fiber.

A couple of ways to make it even more festive would be to knit with only red, white or blue. Use only American grown/milled fibers. Or throw in some sequenced or glittered yarn for the extra spark of celebration. ;)

We'd love to celebrate with you at the shop but come in early as we're closing at 3:30. Looking forward to seeing how you make this 4th extra special.

Rainy Day

It's the end of June and we get a lovely, cool rainy day before the heat comes this weekend. We have a group of lovely women here at the shop fawning over silk blends and gorgeous patterns. Our shelves are stocked with vibrant colored yarns and soft textures.

We have several coffee shops around offering warm drinks and yummy treats. Our couches are comfy and the sign says open. You may have the Monday blues but we're all smiles here at the Goat and there's plenty to go around, so drop what you're doing and shred that to-do list and join us on this wonderful Monday!

Used Patterns

Now I don't know about you but I have gone through a few ink cartridges printing out patterns. Then I mark them all up with notes and mods and which yarn and needles I used. After all of that I don't really want to throw away the paper when I'm done, unless the pattern is just that bad, I want to keep them.

This means that I end up with piles and piles of wrinkled up papers with coffee stains or tears that make it quite difficult to reuse effectively. I am trying to come up with some good storage solutions to this problem.  I was wondering what you thought of these options:

The classic Binder with paper protectors

 

The Accordion Binder

Files in a lovely file cabinet

Or page protectors fused into a slim folder

Each of these options has its pros and cons but all can be used effectively. I have recently started converting over to the last option. I find them to be easy and minimal, but I guess anything is better than a large stack of loose papers.

What do you prefer or use at the moments?  We would love to hear. :)

What's Happening In June

Do you have children in your life? Friend's children, nieces or nephews, or grandchildren? Well, we have something special for you this summer, Kids Knitting Camps!!

There are 3 stages of kids knitting camp. Week 1 will be basics, cast-on, knit, bind-off.

If the child feels comfortable with what they learned and want to continue to build their skills then sign up for Week 2, where they will learn purling, and simple increases and decreases.

The final week, if the child feels confident and wants to learn more, they will learn swatches and gauge, kitting in the round, and using double points.

Camp is for children ages 8-14 and the cost per week/per camp is $75 which includes all supplies needed. Check out our June schedule on GotYourGoatYarn for class times.

Summer is the perfect time for children to learn a new hobby, something to keep them busy during their time off and it's a wonderful skill to know.

Oye!

Meet Renegade, our new printer at the shop. Now you may think, "Why would you introduce me to an object?" Well, when said object likes to interject itself into every conversation by making loud, obnoxious noises it deserves to be named and introduced.

Renegade makes a mean copy and can print speedily but he is quite the chatterbox. I'm thinking he may be feeling neglected for those 15 hours he's left alone but every machine needs it's rest so it's tough love until he can get over it and stop interrupting good conversations. Sorry buddy but zip it.

Spring Sale

Sale

Sale

Sale

That's right folks, we are having a sale!!!!!!! We are making room for all of our new Spring and Summer stuff and therefore you get to have some amazing yarns at 25% off. I have a list of over 50 lines that will be on sale. They will be marked throughout the store so that you know which ones to throw in your bag.

The sale will be this Saturday, May 11th all day. We will have snacks, prizes, smiles and of course, yarn! Treat yourself to an early Mother's Day extravaganza. :)

Welcome Berroco

Please welcome Berroco to Got Your Goat Yarn Studio. This will be the first time we've offered it in our store and we hope you're as excited as we are.

Floret, Fuji, Captiva, Linsey, Karma, Comfort Sock and Comfort Chunky are all nicely tucked away with the rest of our lovely yarn. All of these lines are perfect for summer so come on down and take a look.

We also got some great pattern books to go along with the new yarns. :) See you soon.

A Limerick

Wool

Wool can come in light weight
It's good even when the temperature starts with eight
Moisture it wicks
Grab some tiny sticks
For socks, shawls, and hats await

GYG on TV

The Goat girls where on TV!


Amy Carabba of Good Day Sacramento was having lunch near the shop and was taken by the lovely items in the window when she was strolling by. She was shocked to learn that they were all hand knit and that the store was in fact a yarn shop.

This lead to an invitation to be on Good Day Sacramento to share with the world the advances in knit wear and the versatility of luxurious yarn.

Summer Fiber

Flax Plant

Let's try something new shall we? Now when we think of summer knitting we usually think of cotton but another fiber to keep in mind is Linen.

Linen is made from the fibers of the flax plant (pictured above). It is cool to the touch like cotton and is hygroscopic, meaning it can absorb perspiration. Then, due to its molecular structure, it will quickly evaporate. In fact, linen can absorb 20% of its dry weight before ever feeling damp or muggy. Because of these fabulous features, it is a wonderful choice for summer fiber crafting.

A few additional bonus features are: it is extremely durable, it becomes softer the more it is used and washed, it's moth and carpet beetle proof, and it doesn't pill. Not to mention it's been around since about 8000BC. The Egyptians had to know a little something about fibers for hot weather right?

I've got to tell you that I love not having to be so careful with my linen sweater because the more abuse it gets, the softer it becomes. Anyway, if you still aren't convinced that it's a great choice for summer you'll have plenty of chances to try it out. We have ordered lots of linen blends for Spring and Summer. Cascade, Classic Elite and Berroco to mention a few. Come check it out!

Lovely Colors, Lovely Yardage

Ever hear of Koigu? You know, those beautifully colored yarns with tiny yardage? Well, someone who used to dye for them has gone and started his own yarn company. The Yarns of Rhichard Devrieze are just as boldly colored but with more yardage for almost the same price.

We now carry his yarns at the shop. Peppino is pictured above and it's a fingering weight yarn, 100% merino with 225 yds. Now you can make a brilliant pair of socks or a lovely shawl without breaking the bank. We have lots of colors to choose from and look forward to a wonderful relationship with Rhichard Devrieze. Come check it out!

Madeline Tosh is HERE!

 

 

 

Dear Madelinetosh

Dear Miss Tosh,

     Remember the days we used to play together? You remember lace charts, ball winders, needles and blocking mats? Ok, so the blocking mats may not have been your favorite but beauty is pain. Back to the point, I miss you. It's been so long since I've seen your gorgeous colors or daydreamed about how you'll look in certain sweaters.....I mean I still daydream but I can only take so much teasing. You need to come back to me, you need to bring your beautiful hanks back around these parts because, and I don't mean to be rude, I'm starting to look to others for my needs.

    I mean you remember that Malabrigo? Yeah well I'm starting to think I mean a little more to them than to you. At least they show up every once and a while, and Cascade, oh Cascade, you may look down on their non-kettle ways but I'm telling you, all I have to do is pick up a phone. I don't mean to sound threatening, this isn't a competition, it's just you're the one but these guys understand it's a two way street.

   Would it help if I said I got some new knitting bags? I kept your delicate colors in mind and there are all different sizes. You would have space of your own. I promise I wouldn't smoosh in any of the other guys with you. Just you and me back together again. Know that I have great patterns printed out and just waiting for your amazing touch to bring them to life. Until then......

Sincerely,
GYG