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

Classes and more

We are having a retreat on Feb 13th in the Yarn Basket side. Come enjoy Valentin'e weekend with fellow knitters and work on one project all day. Choices are an awesome mitered shawl, top down sweater, top down mittens and cabled scarf and hat. Call us 712--792-2890 to reserve your spot. $45 includes lunch and triple punch on your card.

The Quilt shop is having lots of classes and events coming up. Starting this Sat, we are making a table topper (free), next Sat, a notion's tote (free), Feb 27 and / or April 10th Mystery quilt ($30 includes lunch) and t-shirt quilt on March 13th. Call the shop to sign up for any and all of them.

Then, we are starting a new group called "Quilter's Gathering". the first Monday of each month, starting Feb 1st from 7-8:30pm we will meet to share, visit and learn from one another quilting techniques and tips. Come join us. No cost, just bring your smile and a 3 ring binder to gather handouts.

Hope to see all of you at any of the above.
Til then, awesome yarns and fabric coming through the door almost daily for all of us to enjoy,
Beth

Wow, where does time go??? With the opening of the Quilt Shop in the back of the Yarn Basket, we have been busy with new fabrics, projects and then back to knitting and retreats and you know how it goes..... Anyway, I felt it was time to add to my blog and tell you what is in the future and what we are doing now.
Now: really fun and easy to make is the Christmas Creep scarf. Uses one skein of Twinkly Soft Chunky or Burly Spun yarn and #19 needle (called the Christmas Creep because you can still get it done before Christmas even as it creeps up on you!) Cast on 10 stitches and every row is as follows: K1 * YO, K2tog* K1. That is it. We fringed ours long with 10 inch fringes and love it.

Also now: great hats, mittens and other scarf patterns from warm to frilly.

New in yarn: If you haven't seen the Plymouth pattern for the easy shrug, then stop in. Uses bulky yarn and goes fast. You only have to knit and purl. We have one made with the new Manos Rittenhouse yarn that we doubled.
Also new: My Secret shrug (so easy that the secret is in the sewing the seams together and that is even easy) yet it looks like a very hard pattern. We have made it mostly in Alpaca with a twist's Highlander but the pattern can be used on any yarns.
Also new: big needle hats, a new kimino from plymouth and and a easy shawl from Aslantrends.

In the quilting, we are going to have classes every Sat starting the middle of January. We have mystery quilts, t-shirt, tote bag and others so stop in and check out what is happening each week.

THEN: our block of the month is Carroll County barn quilts. We have gone around the county taking pictures of quilts in Carroll county and are busy making the blocks to go with the barns. We will start in January and each month will feature a different barn block with the colors of that barn. The cost is $8 per month with includes the patten and material to make that block plus some information on the location of the barn. Then if you do all 12, you get 2 yards of 45 inch fabric free to do your choice of sashing, borders, etc. We would love to have any and everyone join us in this fun project.

We will be closing the Okoboji shop the 24th of December, open for the winter games, Fri and Sat the last weekend of January and then close until Memorial Day.
Carroll is taking the 25th and 26th of December off but open the rest of the time.


Til next time, Merry Christmas and happy New Year.

Then for the

Christmas To Do List

The other day we were talking about getting organized for the holidays and someone suggested we make a "to-do" list and have a time set aside where we can come to The Yarn Basket and work on our projects. So on Saturdays from 10-12, come in and join others as we work on our list. We have patterns for all the "ideas" on the list so feel free to make these or choose your own.

We hope to make your shopping and knitting less stressful so we here is a "to-do" list for each of you to help you get started.

1. Hubby or significant other
   Idea: Wallaby Sweater
   Idea: Toe up Socks
2. Mom
   Idea: gift bag from “Last Minute knitted Gifts”
   Idea: My Secret Shrug
3. Dad
   Idea: Jared Flood’s Striped Scarf
   Idea: Jared Flood’s Turn a Square Hat
4. Dancing daughter or sister
   Idea: Leg Warmers
5. Cell Phone Daughter or sister
   Idea: Wristlets
6. College Son or brother
   Idea: Sock Hat
   Idea: “Thorpe” earflap hat
7. Teen Son or brother
   Idea: Harry Potter Scarf
   Idea: top down mittens
8. Favorite Pet
   Idea: “Fetch” bone or Catnip Mouse
9. Grandma
   Idea: One button Ribbed Scarf
10. Grandpa
    Idea: Felted Ice Mitten
11. Baby or Grandbaby
    Idea: Spud and Chole Sweater
    Idea: Heaven Ripple Blanket
    Idea: Baby Wallaby
12. Mother-in-law
    Idea: Market Bag
13. Father-in-law
    Idea: Ribbed Scarf in Blackstone Tweed
14. College Kid
    Idea: Bulky Slippers
15. Hostess Gift
    Idea: Felted Wine Cozies
16. Wine Drinking Friend (s)
    Idea: Drunken Rib Scarf
17. Crazy Girlfriend or sister
    Idea: Twinkle Twisted Scarf
18. Teacher
    Idea: Gift Certificate to The Yarn Basket
19. Sunday School Teacher
    Idea: favorite Dishcloth
20. Knitting Friend or Relative
    Gift certificate to The Yarn Basket
    
    
    The Yarn Basket 512 N. Adams Carroll, IA 51401 712-792-2890
    And 1302 N. Hwy 71 Okoboji, IA 50355 712-223-3121

Alpaca Beginners Shrug

Please ignore the person modeling our

We have created the best shrug pattern EVER and anyone from beginner to advanced can make it. Stop in or call the shop to see it and try it on. We have kits available for yarn using either Alpaca with a Twist's Highlander (model shown in Black) or Big Baby.

Please ignore the person modeling our Best Shrug ever as we were just snapping pictures and joking around. Imagine how great You will look in something that matches!!!!!

Happy knitting, Beth

Fall retreat

We are having our Annual Fall knitting retreat again on Sat, November 14th from 9-3:30. Hope to see you there. Below is a sheet you can mail in to us with your choices.


Fall Knitting Retreat: November 14th 9-3:30pm. Please mark a check with first, second and third class choices for the day. We will do our best to fill your first 2 but need to on a first come, first served basis. We are only taking 24 people (6 per class). Lunch and triple punch card good that day in the store.

Please enclose a check for $45 to reserve your place.
Name:

Address:


Phone:

First Choice
Second Choice
Third Choice
Fourth Choice

1. February sweater and Beginning Lace (learn how to read a chart, to make this fun and easy top down sweater made from worsted weight yarn)

2. Continental knitting with design pattern (We will show you how to knit continental and throw so you can carry 2 different yarns to use with colored patterns)

3. Fixing Mistakes: we will take you through the most common mistakes and encourage you to bring questions of your own

4. Seams and finishing techniques

5. Intarsia, changing yarns and beginnings

6. Top down Mittens (using semi bulky yarn, learn how to make mittens that fit)

7. Entralec: using self striping yarn, begin this awesome scarf

8. Learn to knit back words so you don’t have to purl

9. Crochet 101: basics of crocheting

10. Cables: learn to read a chart, make cables without a cable needle and how to begin and end your cable for a better look


Happy knitting, Beth

where did summer go???

How can it be almost the end of August already? It seems like we were just talking about sleeveless tops and fun airy scarves and now we need to add sleeves to those summer tops that we haven't finished yet and knit our scarves a little closer? : )

Also, since I am sooooo bad about blogging and updating my website, and we are beginning a new season, I will try and correct that. Thanks for all of you sticking with me in the process. My camera broke, my computer died (so if you have a yarn order out there "pending" we are back in business now and GREATLY appologize to you for any inconvienence) but my needles are still working. Coming soon a cabled flaired, double breasted jacket pattern that we hope to have available. Also coming soon is an out of this world shrug made with Alpaca with a twist yarn.
Stop in and inquire about either one. You will want to make both, believe me.

So thank you all for your understanding and realizing that I love to knit and procrastinate the web.
Til later, happy knitting and crocheting, Beth