knitting retreat at the lake

Hi everyone. We are open at the lake now and look forward to seeing everyone.

One of the first things we are going to do is have a knitting retreat on June 23rd from 9-3pm. Choose from one of 4 classes and sign up now. $45 plus supplies (includes lunch and triple punch on your cards).

Choices:
1: 6 stitch Pillow with Carol: You will learn 6 different stitches as you make a great 14 inch pillow. Uses bulky weight yarn so you will finish the front during the class. Beginners and intermediate knitters

2. Weaving with Kathy: Learn how to warp and weave on our cricket rigid heddle loom. Beginners

3. Ruffled Wristlets with Jane: learn how to use dpn needles as you make this AWESOME wristlet with sequins and ruffles. must know how to knit and purl. intermediate

4. Toe up socks with Beth: learn the magic loop method of making socks, starting from the toe. must know how to knit and purl. Intermediate

Call the Okoboji shop (712-332-2131) or email beth@bethsyarnbasket.com to sign up. Or send a check for $45 with your name and address and phone number and what class you want to
The Yarn Basket
512 N. Adams
Carroll, IA 51401

hurry as class sizes are limited. (there is only so much room at the Okoboji shop: )

Hope to see you soon at either location
til then, happy knitting and crocheting, Beth

New Okoboji Location

Hi! We are really excited that the Okoboji shop has a new location. It is next to the Antique Mall in Arnolds Park. We have lots more room and much better lighting. Plenty of parking, too.

Thanks to all of you who were able to make it to our Spring retreat. We hope you had as much fun as we did. It was great to see all the colors of wristlets, socks, slippers, vests, purses and pillows everyone was making. Makes me want to make all of them.

Next we have our Quilt Shop Hop starting Wed the 23rd. Hope to see all you wonderful quilters and that you can make it to all 10 shops to be in for the grand prize drawings of a $500 chair and the $25 gift certificates. Even if you can't make all of them, you will be in for a $50 gift from each shop you go to.

Then back to the knitters, we are having our 3rd Easter Open House over Easter weekend with NEW spring ideas, treats and drawings. SO, make plans to be in Carroll for these exciting events.

For those of you attending the Spring retreat, we hope you liked your gift of our new "Fresh from the Basket" yarn dyed just for us by Lorna's Laces. It is yummy!
til next time, happy knitting, crocheting and quilting. Beth

I'm Back

After a long (gasp) time period, I have gotten back to my blog. I can't believe I have let it go for so long but alas..... Anyway, I'm glad to be back and hope you will enjoy hearing what The Yarn Basket and Quilt Shop is doing for 2011!!!



Check out the class page and come join our quilting groups on first monday of every month, our Mystery Quilt class on Feb 5th and our Shop Hop in March 23-26. ALSO coming, our Valentines present to all of you quilters is to have a sale. More information to follow as we are working on t he details now.

In the Yarn: Come join us at our Annual Winter Retreat. Choose one of 6 classes offered and join fellow knitters for a grrrreat day of fun. Here are the classes offered:

1. 14 inch pillow where you learn 5 different stitches


2. French Press slippers, felted cute as can be slippers that fit and stay on


3. Ruffled edge wristlets, great for texting


4. Malabrigo vest, learn inc, dec, pu stitches and more


5. Ruffled Purse: so much fun and great to carry all your treasures in


6. DPN Socks, yes this one is done on double points.

If you want to come, call us 712-792-2890 and tell us what you want to take. $45 includes lunch, class instructor fees and a gift from us. Chocolate, pop and coffee are of course on the house!

Then watch for our Monthly clubs we are working on. We will mail you yarn and patterns for any and all of the following clubs that will start in February: VEST club (very easy sleeveless tops, which could include shrugs as well as vests); Sock club (sock yarn but maybe not a sock pattern as there are LOTs to do with sock yarn as well as make socks): Fresh from the Basket Club (we are really excited about this one as we have Lorna's Laces making us a color all our own); and Luxery club (one skein projects with yarns that are so yummy!!!)

Quilting Monthly clubs will also start in February and will include a kids one, wool one (yes, we are finally getting started on this one) and a Moda Batiks. The clubs range from 5 to 10 months. Then in May, we will have a Halloween and then in the summer a Christmas one.

Promise to write often, til then hope to see you in the shop and stay warm. Remember, this weather is great to sew or knit.

Beth

Classes are posted

We now have posted classes for June and July on the website. Hopefully we will see you at one or more of them. Lots of great projects and fellowship.

Last Monday at the Quilter's Gathering we had Gram (my mom) show us how to combine the contrary wife block with a 4 patch block. Then she showed us Jacob's ladder, which is these two put together. She makes it look so easy. It is fun to see all of you and LOVE the show and tell from the previous month's "topic". If you haven't come to our gatherings, we would love to have you join us. (VERY informal and still room for more.)

My son Matt is also bringing me into the present in communicating and we are now on Facebook. To follow us go to www.facebook.com and search Beth's Yarn Basket.

Enjoy the flowers. Christmas fabric and winter yarns are knocking at the door.
Beth

Hope everyone is enjoying our Quilting Block of the Month. (April's is pictured) If you don't know, we have been taking pictures of Carroll county barn quilts and making the patterns for our BOM club. Still open to anyone wanting to join, and those who make all 12, get 2 yards of fabric free at the end of the year to sash, border or use anyway your heart desires.

And now, Craig (my wonderful husband) and I are putting a quilt block on our shed. Anyone want to guess the design?? Exciting!!!

Okoboji is OPEN and it is great to see all of you. Class listing will be posted Soon. We are offering Workshop Wednesdays so plan on coming to The Yarn Basket in Okoboji on Wednesday and join us.
Til then, Beth

OK, my mid year new years resolution is to be more active with my blog. Sorry about the LOOOOONG time lag!!

New: Okoboji opens this Friday, May 29th and will be open now for the summer months. 10-5pm with lots of fun yarns and classes. Hope to see you there.

Quilting: Mom and I just got back from Quilt Market and I am soooo excited about felted wool. Although I am not much for hand work (unless I have needles in my hands for knitting) I do want to branch out and try this applique technique with wool. You don't have to turn under the edges so it is easy. We are going to start a block of the month and create the most gorgeous quilt you ever saw! Also have other individual patterns for working with wool. So much fun! Stop in and see the patterns.

Our Barn Quilt Block of the Month is going well. It is so fun to see which barn we are going to do next. What we find amazing is how fast the months roll around and we need to get the next one ready. Wow, life is fast!!!

Yarn: Great projects we are doing are the shawl Heather made for spring, baby blu (jeans for the baby made with Rowan Denim), top down cardigans, tank tops, and much more.

Would love to see you in the shops or call us and we can ship.
til then, Happy knitting, crocheting and quilting, Beth

Thanks to all of you who made it Monday for our first Quilter's Gathering group. We had a good turnout and hope to add more of you every month. If you were there, remember, this is just for fun and you don't have to do the block assignment, however, I bet some of you already have yours done!! : )
If you weren't there and want to join in on the show and tell next month (which will be March 1st Monday from 7pm -8:30pm), we are doing something with a patch. It can be a block for a quilt or table runner, it can be part of a tote, etc. Just make a 4 patch, 9 patch, 25 patch, block of your choice.
Hope to see all of you there. Next month's topic will have Donna showing us how to do a 9 patch and have a mirror image one also when she is done. Wow.

Our knitting retreat for Feb 13th still has some room so if you can make it, please call the shop and have us reserve a place for you. We always have a great time knitting and eating.

til then, Beth