At last, on Tuesday, June 19th, we finally had a new window in place. The light is now streaming in showing off all the beautiful colors of the yarns as well as the dust and fingerprints already on the glass. Oh well, the balance of life continues; good and bad.

I am so happy to be able to see out onto the street. I have decorated the first window display with a little selection from the Ireland trip. Many of the people that took the trip have finished the Ireland souvenir scarf and have very generously allowed me to display them in the window.  Check it out the next time you are strolling by. This display is a good example of how color, yarn texture and individual knitting tension can affect the way a design looks. While we were on the trip knitting, I was surprised and amused to hear each person marvel at the other person’s knitting. Every one was eager to comment on the beauty of the other knitter’s yarn choice and I can’t tell you how many times I heard someone say that they wished they had chosen another color. And yet no one is really unhappy with their scarf when it is done. Each scarf is unique and very beautiful. I guess we just never get enough color, we always want more and more.

Also in the window is a little photo montage of some of the sights from the trip. I hope you enjoy seeing them. The word is that Jim P. is in Peru right now, working on putting together the next knitting tour for us. Keep checking the blog because as soon as he sends me information I will be posting it.

Knitters have been signing up for the summer workshops so be sure to check the class page to see if something there is of interest to you. The Magic Loop class and the hand dye your own sock yarn class have been generating a lot of interest. I can’t wait to see the creations from both of these classes.

ON THE WAY: The new “Lace” needles from Skacel are on their way. Sometime next week we will be unpacking them just in time for your next knitting project. These needles are circular, gold in color and have an even more flexible cord than the addi turbo’s. I must admit that I at first poo-poohed them; thinking how can I possibly justify another needle type in the shop. However, I was given a pair at the trade show and after knitting with them for a short time, I am hooked. I spoke with many other shop owners and everyone of them said that their knitter’s love them so much that they request certain sizes to be held for them so that they don’t have to fight off anyone else looking for that needle. So far the needles are available in various lengths, but only in sizes 0-6. We will look for larger sizes to be  made in the future.

Keep on Knitting! Linda

Here it is the middle of June and still no window. Chase glass was supposed to install on Friday and called to cancel. They are now saying Mon or Tues. Guess they don’t really care that all of Northampton is waiting to see just how long it takes them to do a simple installation.Oh well, we continue on happy to see every face that comes through the door.

Every once in a while an item comes along that is just to cute or appealing to pass up. The Itty Bitty notecards are just that kind of thing.

These cards have toothpick knitting needles with a small swatch of knitting on the cover and very clever little wishes or notes on the outside and inside. The biggest problem with these cards is that every knitter who buys one won’t want to give it away. These are the kind of cards you wish someone would send you. The entire selection is available on the big table in the big store. here is a sample of one of the many choices awaiting your perusal.

Those of you that have been downtown in the last 2 weeks know that our window is still not fixed. I must have been windowless in a past life and am having to relive some of that drama now.

Robin, KeriAnne and I set off on May 31 to attend the TNNA Fall trade show in Columbus, Ohio. The day before we left I had spoken with the glass company and was excited to learn that they were ready to install the window that Thurs or Fri. I was only sad that I wouldn’t be here to see it go in. As I sat on the plane to Columbus I dreamed of returning to the store with sunlight streaming through the clear, clean glass of a brand new window.

On Friday morning I was taking a crochet class with Dharma Raymond. I was happily and industriously creating a piece of shadow crochet, thinking about teaching this method in a workshop this summer when to my surprise my cell phone rang. My husband was calling to tell me that the glass company had just called him to say that they had broken the window when they were getting it ready for installation and that it would take another 2 weeks before they could get another piece of glass and install it.

I’m surprised the entire convention didn’t arrive to see what the yelling and wailing was all about. It took a while, but I finally calmed down and found that zen place. I can’t control this, so I must go with it. Today the glass company told me that the glass was due to arrive next Wednesday. I sure hope that by next Friday I will be once again watching the traffic on Pleasant St through a plate glass window.

In the meantime the three of us had a wonderful time at the trade show. We are excited about the new fall things, some of which will be coming before fall. I will begin to show you these things and to talk more about them in the next session. Happy Knitting and remember to watch for a new window display.

Linda

May is the time for graduation in the valley. All five of colleges send the next wave of eager young adults off into the world to make the most of their education. This year we celebrate with them as our own KeriAnne Shaw graduates from Smith College. KeriAnne will continue to work at Northampton Wools through the summer and into the fall. Congratulations KeriAnne!!

We celebrate every year. Graduation and the reunions that occur at the same time, fill our little town with people from all over the world. It is always a happy time for me, welcoming back some familiar faces that have been gone for a while. I get to see and hear about the life since graduating of some of our favorite Smith and Mt Holyoke alumni, meet their husbands and children, and take a proud look at how much their knitting skills have grown.

Some mothers of these students have made visiting with us a part of the visit to their daughter or son at every opportunity, and I am sad to see graduation and moving day come because I know I will probably not ever see them again. On the other hand I had a customer tell me last weekend that her daughter was graduating and that she had come into the store when she dropped her daughter off as a freshman and now when she was picking her daughter up at the end of her four years. At least her attendance at the store was 100% when she was in town.

No matter how often people visit town, I am happy that they choose to make us a part of their knitting adventure.

I didn’t expect to be writing about philosophy, but every once in a while the yarn business and life connect in such a way as to provide profound opportunities for exploring life’s questions. As many of you know the plate glass window in the store was shattered last Saturday. No one was seriously hurt, thank goodness and the breakage was due to an old fashioned scuffle between two boisterous men on the sidewalk. The noise was tremendous, the police presence was comforting and the support and sympathy from the people milling about was helpful. By the end of the day the glass was cleaned up and the window was boarded up with the usual unattractive plywood.

Now we enter the wonderful world of insurance and the mountain of paperwork it takes to replace one broken window. Nothing ever happens quickly enough so I have decided to stop the worry and the frenetic pace of everything else and let the window get fixed whenever the insurance company and the window company can get their paperwork done.

In the meantime we are open for business as usual and trying to have some fun with things life throws at us. That window breaking has actually been one of my biggest fears ever since I first moved Northampton Wools to this location. Now that it has actually happened I find that I didn’t have to be as worried about it as I was. The thing I feared most has happened, I lived through it, I dealt with it, and realized that my fear was greater than the actual event. A life lesson- our fears are usually worse than reality.

So don’t be afraid of starting that big project or trying that new stitch or even of moving on to start your first sweater. Right now thinking about doing it is worse than doing it! Trust me, I’m still waiting for a new window.  Linda

The stillness in the air in Ireland is remarkable. I have never heard such quiet, even the baaing of the lambs seems subdued and relaxing.

From April 18th through the 28th, 15 knitters and some of their partners and I toured through southern Ireland and Wales. What an exciting trip. We saw lots and lots of sheep and lambs, green fields and pastures that stretched on forever, flowers in full bloom in colors that filled our eyes and we found yarn. We were able to spend three hours in the factory at Colinette yarns touching, choosing and sampling every color of every yarn they make. I could barely breathe as I walked around 2 rooms full to overflowing with the rich colors and the “touch-me” textures. Some of us were able to regain our self control and stop buying in order to visit Powys castle, others of us stayed at Colinette until every pile of yarn had been explored. It was heaven!

Now the adventure is over and I have some wonderful memories and some fantastic pictures. Ask to see them when you visit us, it just might tempt you to join our next expedition to Peru.

We returned to spring in New England, finally. The cotton and cotton blend yarns have arrived and are ready for knitting. Choose from several weights and textures to make your summer knitting project bright, fun and fast. Come in soon while the selection is good, some of these yarns are making a one time appearance. Don’t forget to check the class schedule and sign up for a workshop that will make your summer knitting fun and interesting. Socks are the perfect summer project, portable, lightweight and easy.

After May 31st Northampton Wools Too will be closed on Monday and Tuesday for the summer. Hope to see you in the shop soon, Linda

Welcome to the Northampton Wools web site and blog. I am building this place slowly so that I can understand the whole process. My deepest thanks to Anthony Sambilene and KeriAnne Shaw for helping to make this whole thing happen.

As you can see we have only begun the adventure of bringing Northampton Wools into the 21st century. On these pages I will be bringing you information and updates on the latest yarns, needles, trends and pattern books. You will also get the latest scoop on what is going on in the shop, who is knitting what, what is the favorite project, and what classes and workshops are on offer.