Going Home

Hi Knitters,

I ended the day last Saturday visiting the homes of both sets of my grandparents in Anoka, Minnesota. My parents both grew up in Anoka. I spent a lot of time here in my younger years. I hadn't seen these homes for 20 years. I was nervous. It was a bittersweet moment for me. The memories of my younger parents and grandparents are still running through my mind days later. I knew it would make me sad to see these homes but I felt a strong need to go.

I used to walk through that very door straight into my grandma's kitchen. I can see the inside of that house so clearly. My favorite thing was when my mom and grandma and maybe an aunt or two would gather with a cup of hot coffee around the tiny kitchen table. The table was round and tucked into a corner. There were four bucket chairs that would swivel. The ladies would sit and tell stories. I would crowd in. Usually, being the youngest, I would get to sit in my mom's warm lap. I was mesmerized. The laughter and love was rich.

As kids, we spent so much time outside just playing and exploring, in all seasons, at times only coming inside to eat. I remember the yard and my grandma's enormous garden (which is now grass) as vividly as the inside of the house.

I remember looking at my grandma's hands while at the kitchen table. They were riddled with arthritis but I thought they were beautiful and hardworking. My mom, sister and I would always stay at this house when we visited. My two brothers and dad would stay on the other side of town (only a few minutes away) at the following house. We couldn't all fit in one house.

My parents and grandparents came from very humble beginnings but there was always plenty of love and support. They all traveled down many wonderful and difficult roads in life as we all do.

The journey that came before me was apparent and crystal clear last Saturday. The missing and longing over loss never fades. I remember every square inch of these homes like I was there yesterday.

...swirling memories. It was a touching day in Anoka, worlds away but so close.

best, susie

p.s. For my brother's 50th birthday gift I printed out about 20 photos of our grandparents' homes and put them in a little photo album to give to him. He is a sweet, nostalgic brother and he loved and studied the photos. I wanted to go to these homes mostly for him so I could show and tell him all about it.

Shepherd's Choice-Anoka Part 2

Hi Knitters,

Get ready for a long one today with lots of photos! Tomorrow I will post part 3!

First off, I have found something out. Little kids LOVE the tiniest doll inside the Matryoshka, Russian Nesting Dolls. I mean just look at that little girl in the photo above. What a sincere reaction! Little ones want to keep the tiny doll and tuck it in their hand or pocket. It is so fun watching this.

The reaction I've been seeing reminded me that I always liked the tiniest doll, too. I remember unstacking the dolls and anxiously trying to get to the tiniest one, the tinier the doll the more exciting the whole thing was. Do you remember doing that? In fact, I don't think I even owned a set of Russian Nesting Dolls growing up but I remember lucky friends sharing their sets with me. Now I have a few sets of nesting dolls and it never gets old. When the adult knitters see this set in person they immediately dig in and stack and pull apart the dolls. I love it.

Anyway, to step back a moment, I arrived at Shepherd's Choice, a brand new yarn shop in the quaint downtown of Anoka, Minnesota. The store was already packed full of people. I got the honor of attending the shop's grand opening and it was the most amazing event. The shop is extraordinary, beautiful, well-stocked, organized, warm and most importantly, welcoming. The excitement was running so high inside those doors. I was pulled inside and surrounded by the most fun, funny, happy group of knitters ever. They enveloped the shop and me with love and joy. The owner, Kathy, is something really special. She has the sweetest face and way about her. Kathy has her own yarn line and soap and lotion products all under the name Shepherd's Choice. I bought some of her beautiful wool and will share that later with you.

The one thing I want to point out about Shepherd's Choice is that it is an online shop, too. The shop hosts the entire line from Blue Sky Alpacas AND Spud & Chloë!! You can order it all right here. You can also order Kathy's incredible soaps and lush lotions and moisturizers and believe me, they smell so good. I was gifted a cake of the cinnamon soap (thank you, Ali!) and I felt like taking a bite. mmmmm....

In the photo directly above I want to point out that by the front door (left in the photo) is Kate from Knits in Class (with the short dark hair) and her cute mom (in front of the door). They came from St. Paul and it was fantastic to meet her in person.
Here's the mom to this cute blonde pair. These kids enjoyed the toy table so much. They circled about and tried and touched everything.
I signed and chatted and hugged the knitters. What a warm, friendly crowd. I literally felt like I was home. Be sure to look at the background of these photos. The store has a warm golden tin high ceiling and the walls are painted in creams and peaches and honey and pumpkin shades. The displays are gorgeous and the walls of yarn incredible.
Right behind me is the wall of soaps and other sundries. What a great addition to a yarn shop. Knitters love stuff like this. My sweet friend Rachel Russ took all of the photos for me during the event. She is a staff member at Blue Sky Alpacas and this is her local yarn shop. She designs lots of patterns for Blue Sky and Spud & Chloë. Those leg warmers from the last post are her design. She is a talented soul with four children and she home schools all of them (I just pack lunches, the home schoolers put me to shame:). Rachel also has knitted about four Tiny Turkeys and a couple of Ribbits for the shop. That was fun to see. Thanks for being the photographer, Rachel. Now I have photos to cherish.
Here is Awilda and her beautiful daughter. This is her Ravelry link! Awilda just finished the tote bag from Itty-Bitty Nursery! Love it! See how that side pocket fits her water bottle perfectly? Oh yeah. Her daughter is wearing the Upside Down Daisy Hat from Itty-Bitty Hats and she is adorable. Awilda hung out and looked like she was having the best time. I loved meeting her and I want to thank her for coming and spending time with me and for sharing her knitting with me. Awilda is cute and so proud of her sweet daughter.I am reaching in for a hug from Merri. I finally got to meet Merri who is a newer staff member at Blue Sky. I have just started working with her on a few new projects for the Spud & Chloë pattern line. She is wonderful and she just sent me a big box of Outer yarn. You gotta like that. That's her daughter and her husband's head. She was great to meet and I am glad I got the chance to meet her family, too.

You know it is always kind of strange to work with people and not get to see them in person or even just to see what they look like. I am a visual person so I love seeing people in person. I am always making my editor at Artisan, Trent, describe what people look like or tell me how old they are. I need an image in my head for some reason. Poor Trent:)
Okay, here are some more fantastic designers and knitters. Ali Williams is better known as Skeins Her Way. Ali is next to me. She is so supportive and fun. She has seven kids and home schools and knits and designs on top of all of that. What fun to meet her in person. She has done a lot of design work for Blue Sky Alpacas. Check out her site, along with her free hat pattern on the sidebar. It is really cute. Ali gifted me the cinnamon soap and be sure to look at the background of the photo above. It is so beautiful inside this shop. There is a kitchen area where Kathy makes all of these products out of the purest ingredients. Her yarns, Shepherd's Choice, are all dyed with natural dyes only and they are gorgeous.

The other lovely knitter (standing behind) is none other than The Blonde Knitter. She does a ton of test knitting for Blue Sky Alpacas. What a fun knitter she is, she never stopped smiling the entire event and she stayed until the end. I loved it. Her 16 year old daughter is really cute and you can see her modeling on her blog. Her ravelry page is here. You should check out her knitting, you will be impressed. She home schools her daughter, too.
This is Colleen checking out Sylvia's Cat and Mouse Toy. Colleen is the CFO for Blue Sky and I get to see her lovely signature on my paychecks. Love you, Colleen!! She is fun and nice and down to earth. One of her kids is getting married next summer and she is so excited. She was off after the event to make dinner for her family after their deer hunting day. She's the salt of the earth and fun to talk to. Colleen has done some sock and glove designs for Spud & Chloë. I got a sneak peek at her upcoming sock design and you are going to love it. She is smart and talented and fun! Thanks for coming, Colleen.

Colleen is trying to figure out that reversible toy. Sylvia Hager knit that sample toy for me and I usually stitck the two characters together at the top so they don't pull out but it is kind of fun to see it pulled apart like that.
Yes, there were more babies at the event. This is Sylvia (Ali's sister), another Blue Sky employee but now she is a stay at home mommy with her adorable, sweet daughter, Lizzie. Sylvia has done tons of designing for Blue Sky through the years and she has recently done the Playground Hoodie and the Lovey Dovey top for Spud & Chloë. Sylvia has started a new blog and you should really take the time to check it out. It is called, Fresh Maked and it is a good one. Check out her reversibles, too.
I knitted the Upside Down Daisy Hat as a baby gift for Lizzie when she was born. That is fun to see her wearing it so cutely.
Okay, look at the loft area in this photo. Kathy hired musicians to play and sing. It was lovely and added so much to the festive atmosphere. There was wine and food, too. It was an energy of happiness and excitement for this new shop! It is difficult to describe. On the left side of the loft, which also houses lots and lots of yarn, there were two people spinning on wheels the entire time. I would love to spin someday....if only I had time. I really enjoyed the atmosphere in this space.
This was an exciting visitor to meet! It's Susan from the Rainey Sisters blog!! She brought her two Elefantes (my free pattern-see the sidebar!) for me to enjoy. Boy, was this a treat. If you don't read this blog you just have to pop over and indulge yourself for a bit. These two sisters are knitters like no one's business. I have loved their blog for a long time now.

Oh, I just popped over to get her link and Susan has already posted on meeting me! That's a weird blog coincidence, right? Her photo is way better than mine, too. (I have to laugh, I just read that I look better in person than in the photo. That's too good and it makes me laugh.) Thank you, Susan, for the support and coming to see me and the blog post! You are incredible and what an honor. Here is the Rainey Sisters blog. Go check it out! The photo for their header is Susan and her sister in the 1970's and it is one of the best headers out there. I love looking at that photo.

Edited to add: Check out Susan of the Rainey Sisters Santa from Itty-Bitty Toys! It is fantastic and she is going to put it on her Christmas mantle this holiday season.
I even got to hold sweet baby, Lizzie, in her Itty-Bitty Hat!
That's right, I put lots of photos of this baby in! Isn't she cute? I loved her sweet little body. I got to hold her for awhile and that always makes my day. I love the babies. Never hesitate to bring your babies or kids to any event of mine. They make my day!
I want to be sure to include my sweet Anoka girl, Annie or Lesli (on the left), she goes by both. Her blog is on my sidebar and she does a wonderful job. She hasn't posted lately but it is worth the time to look back through her entries. She is busy working full-time as a school librarian in Anoka along with taking care of her two kids. She has made the effort to come and see me three times now at events. I appreciate the effort and support and I was crossing my fingers you would come. That is Lesli's fun, nice sister who also knits. I was happy to meet her, too.
Really, the store is so artistically and beautifully displayed. The space is huge and airy and warm. You can really move around and play with the yarns and products. There is no clutter at all but yet the shop is stocked to the brim, overflowing with oodles of luscious yarns. I didn't want to leave here, ever.

There is a knit night on Thursday nights and if I was in the area I would be there. There were my Knit Chickens in the window along with the Tiny Turkeys, all dressed for the fall season.
Like Susan from the Rainey Sisters said, this was an EVENT!

Thank you for everything and the loving response. What a great group of knitters. You don't know how lucky you are, really. I hope to come back soon when my next book comes out or even sooner.

My day continued on from here, it wasn't over yet. It took a personal turn at this point. Tomorrow I am going to share a tiny bit of what happened next.... plus I have a couple more photos from earlier in the day to include so look for those, too.

Have a good day, Knitters.

best, susie

My Minnesota Morning

Hi Knitters,

I am having a hard time even thinking about how to write down my experiences from yesterday. I get kind of overwhelmed just thinking about it and then I can't figure out a good and appropriate way to tell you about it. I decided to break down the day into sections. Hopefully this will help me sort it out.

By the way, can you get over that great expression in the photo above? I can't. It makes me laugh.

On Saturday morning, the owner of Blue Sky Alpacas/Spud & Chloë, along with her kind husband (who does all of their fantastic pattern photography), picked me up at the hotel. I was checked out and ready to go. They took me out to their house, which was wonderful. They are in the midst of a renovation which was all familiar to me. I loved seeing the work in progress and all of her tile and color and floor samples. I eat that stuff up. The best part besides spending time with my beloved boss lady? I got to meet her three alpacas that live with her on the farm. I have never even been near an alpaca before and it was a treat.

I didn't realize that these animals have enormously endearing personalities. That's why they are so sought after and popular, I guess. I can't remember the names except the golden one is named, Colonel Mustard. Isn't that great? He was a funny one, too. She kept telling him to put his teeth in! That made me laugh.

My boss lady was extremely excited about her manure spreader that you can see in the distance there. It has opened a whole new world for her. Too good, right?
We had some carrots with us which they thoroughly enjoyed. I love the hair on top of their heads so much. Funny.
This experience was so fun for me. I know people think Wisconsin is all farms and everyone lives on a farm (and a lot do) but I am just a city girl with horrible allergies. I have very little experience with animals of any sort due to my life long battle with allergies and asthma. For me this close up experience was a treat.
The alpacas are incredible animals. They have a sweetness about them that would be tough to match in any other animal. They are kind of nervous or flightly but I could tell they really love and trust their owner.
I have an extreme cat allergy so I didn't linger about these adorable kittens but I did appreciate their cuteness. They were full of sweet kitten noises, too. When my mom was a little girl she had a kitten she named Lil' Sweetheart. Every time I see a cute kitten I always think of my mom and her Lil' Sweetheart that she loved so dearly. These two are definitely lil' sweetheart caliber.After the house visit I got to visit the Blue Sky Alpacas/Spud & Chloë office and warehouse. I took a ton of pictures but when I looked through I noticed that in most every shot there were projects and new colorways and things that haven't been released yet. I couldn't post those so I will just tell you that I didn't want to leave the premises when it was time. I could stay there for a week and still not want to leave. The creative energy is palpable. The yarn is the most beautiful and unique in the industry and the people who work there are top-notch. The beauty of the studio space is something I have never seen or experienced anywhere. You should know that when you buy Spud & Chloë or Blue Sky Alpacas yarn and patterns and needles and bags that it all comes from an exquisite little Minnesota hideaway that is truly like a fiber/design dreamland. It is a magical spot tucked away in the wilderness.

I was loaded up with gifts and love and new, fresh inspiration. My boss lady (she doesn't like public recognition which makes me love her even more) is incredible and generous. She gets me wishing I had a lot more hours in the day to work and knit and create. She inspires me. I got sneak peeks at all kinds of cool yarn, colors, projects, ideas, sketches, textiles, etc. It was priceless. After this stop I could have just packed up and gone on home.

We went to lunch and headed off to the Shepherd's Choice in Anoka.

Little did I know the day was only going to get better from here on out!

Here is a very short 30 second video I took of the alpacas. At one point I turned the camera as if I was taking a photo, which wasn't good, but I still thought you might enjoy seeing exactly what I got to see:)

I'll be back tomorrow with part 2 of Anoka, Minnesota.

best, susie

Minneapolis!

Hi Knitters,

I'm here in Minneapolis this morning and this afternoon I will be in Anoka at Shepherd's Choice (see my sidebar for details). It's their grand opening today at 1:00pm. Yesterday I got off the plane and was whisked to KARE 11, the Minneapolis NBC station to do a live segment for Showcase Minnesota. That was very fun. The host Corbin sincerely loves the knitting and the toys. She was really funny and cute and silly. You can watch the segment here if you missed it.
Here is the table I set up for the show. There was a chef preparing his segment right next to me. Cooking segments are so much work. I can't believe all of the prep for a quick few minutes. It smelled spicy and yummy. My set up is simple in comparison.
The toys looked so sweet and inviting. They did me proud.
Everyone loves seeing the reversibles in person. There is nothing like holding one of these in your hands.
The puppies wrapped up in their blankets is one of the most popular patterns so far. You never know what will take off. They are pretty sweet.

Anyway, it was fun and fast. In the green room before my segment I got to hang out with Bobcat Goldthwait. Love it! I thought it was him but he looks different than when I last saw him. He has short or no hair, he wore big dark rimmed glasses and a little plaid newsboy hat. I realized for certain it was him when the station staff kept filing in and telling him how much they loved him and what certain skit or movie or David Letterman appearance they loved. He was very gracious and kind. He was performing in Minneapolis. Bobcat was interested in my book tour and where I was going. I found him really nice and quiet and humble. It was good to see. He talked about his daughter who is currently in Massachusetts filming a documentary on the Kennedy family. Prior to that she was working on a reality show about Carnie Wilson called, Carnie Unstapled. Fantastic.

Seriously, I can't make this stuff up. Last tour I was in a green room with a child star singer who sang Jesus Take the Wheel for her segment and her stage mother behind the scenes was craaaazy. It was incredible. I just smile and soak it all in. These are the kinds of moments when you can't believe you are where you are. It's so removed from my everyday life.
That afternoon I went to Needlework Unlimited in Minneapolis. I love coming to this shop, it is my third visit. The beginning of the event was fast and furious. I signed so many books, the staff kept bringing out stacks and stacks. The shop owner had already sold several boxes of books before my event. That is so good to hear. We almost ran out of books by the end but there were a some left and I signed the remainders if anyone wants to pick up a signed book at the shop.

This grandma, daughter and granddaughter came with Itty-Bitty Hats all knit up. The grandma is working her way through the entire book. They were so fun and enthusiastic and proud. I enjoyed them thoroughly. Thanks for sharing!! What a beautiful baby. Itty-Bitty Hats continues to be one of this shop's best-sellers in books. They have sold hundreds and hundreds of copies since it came out. That is amazing for a yarn shop. I love to hear good news like that.
I had lots and lots of kids show up with parents. They enjoyed all of the toys but especially the reversibles and the felted super balls. This little guy reminded me so much of my nephew. I had to do a double-take when he walked in. The brother-sister pair were very fun and spent lots of time at the table with their mom.
Here she is! The gorgeous model from page 155 came to the signing along with her little sister and mom. Her name is Anya and it was a treat and a half to meet her. Her mom was so excited and proud.
Anya was kind enough to be in a picture in with me. Thanks for making the effort to stop by, it was great to meet you and thanks for being a part of the book. I think the mom bought four copies of Itty-Bitty Toys and had me sign all of them.
The shop had a couple Kristin Nicholas pillows on display.
Aren't they gorgeous? I will be reviewing Kristin's new book as soon as I get a chance.
Finally, Amy Jensen stopped by with her mom and daughter. I had to get a photo of her Spud & Chloë leg warmers. She looked so incredibly cute with her skirt, boots and leg warmers. I loved it. Her daughter and mom were really fun and stayed a long time. You can get the pattern for these right here. Pretty cool, right Rachel?

I'll be back with more about Minnesota, Anoka and Shepherd's Choice soon!

best, susie

T.C.'s On the Move

Hi Knitters,

The Collector (new abbreviation is going to be T.C. for today anyway) has been in the most crazy crafting mode lately. She is non-stop with it. A short while ago T.C. finished her second sock toy and I hadn't shared it yet. She made Rosie the Elephant. That's not the project name in the book (Stray Sock Sewing, Too), she came up with the name.
I helped her stitch on the layered buttons for she selected for the eyes and the wooden heart button for the belly button. She used black yarn and a yarn needle to stitch the smiley mouth.
I love the way the arms are just the sock folded over with a running stitch down the center. Her instinctive sewing is amazing to see. She just kind of figures out how to stitch on her own. T.C. is already almost finished with her second elephant in a gray, black and white striped sock. Her plan is for the elephants to be good friends.
T.C. also made these two hats which I am going to bring with me to donate for her to Knitting for Noggins (see the tour schedule on my sidebar for more information and a link) in Little Rock. The hat on the left is the Bunny Tail hat from Itty-Bitty Hats out of Blue Sky Alpacas Dyed Cotton. I knitted the ears on top for her, that was a little beyond her skills.

The other hat is some fuzzy yarn she picked up at Stitcher's Crossing (she biked up there with a friend and came home with this) and absolutely loves for its fluffy softness. I want to say it is called, Heaven? Anyone recognize that? This type of yarn is always appealing to kids but it is tricky to knit with. I just took the gauge and figured out the number to cast on for this one. I can't remember what that number is and believe me you can't even count those stitches with that yarn. I suggested the two pom-pom ears to make it look kind of bear-like. It is very sweet. She loves making the pom-poms, too.
Okay, a kitchen remodel update is due. Our house still has some unfinished odds and ends if you can even believe it. We started the remodel last July and it still continues. The stone tile for our back splash has now arrived. It's a poor picture in my dimly lit storage area in the basement but it is super cool green variegated stone. It's called, Ming Green. As soon as it is installed I will take some photos of the completed kitchen to share. I promise. I haven't forgotten.

Have a great Wednesday, Knitters!

best, susie

p.s. You wouldn't believe how many emails I have received about my Mary Jane's from a couple of posts ago. The brand name is, Think! and they are made in Germany. I bought mine at a small local shoe store that doesn't have a website and I don't know anything more about them. They were pricey for me but I will have them the rest of my life for sure. Have at it!

Sewing Green & Knitterly Gifts

Hi Knitters,

Yesterday I received a copy of Sewing Green from Betz White. I would have purchased this book anyway but Betz told me she would send me one. I couldn't wait to get a copy of my own. The book is wonderful and packed full of green information and projects. That's Betz's gorgeous niece on the cover which I am sure makes it even more special for Betz. The beautiful photography is by John Gruen.
The patterns are included and inserted into the back flap of the book. That is a wonderful inclusion. Sewing Green is a good and educational read on its own but the projects are truly fun and Betz at her best. She has a way of making practical items but shining them up with fun twists and turns. I love this new book from Betz and I think you will, too.
These sweet coasters would make any table come to life. The instructions are well-written and clear. The projects in total seem to encompass all skill levels, easy to a little more advanced. There is something for everyone basically. I am a new sewer and I feel like I could tackle any project in the book.
This is perhaps my favorite pair of projects, not hard to guess why. Baby hat + stuffed toy = the best projects ever! The adorable hat and stuffed dog are made out of recycled materials which is the point of the entire book. You can't get any cuter than that. Love it!
This bag (I really want to make this one!) is made out of place mats. Isn't it great?

Betz used to live in Madison before moving out to Maryland a couple of years ago. I got to know her when she was in town here and we still stay in touch. She is a constant source of inspiration and ideas and support. Her blog is fantastic and she has a new line of organic fabrics that she sells on her etsy shop. I have some of her new fabric and it is gorgeous and fun. She has a new pattern line to support the fabric as well. All of this is worth taking the time to check out. Her site is here and the site has links for all of these pieces including being able to order a signed copy of the book directly from Betz!

Congratulations, Betz! You are on a major roll and it sure is fun to watch.
Okay, I told you that last weekend while I was in Grand Rapids I had two sweet knitters give me a couple of knitterly gifts. These are the best kind in my eyes. Being a knitter means that no one ever (or rarely) knits for me. These gifts were a surprise and a treat.

First, I mentioned Linda and how she has made 40 Garden Mice from Itty-Bitty Nursery , my second book. I absolutely had to show you a closer look at the mouse she gave me. You are going to want to make one or two for yourself. Linda gives them as gifts and ties them to packages. She said people go crazy over her mice when they get one and I can see why.
The mouse is wearing red long johns! I mean....
....complete with a back-flap and tiny black beads for buttons. Have you ever? I swear I haven't seen a cuter version. The original mouse is made in Blue Sky Alpacas Cotton and the body is striped.
I guess Linda does all sorts of versions of the Garden Mice. She had one with her that was Halloween-style with orange and black stripes and a mask. I am completely impressed and I want to go back and make a bunch more mice just like Linda! It is so inspiring. Thank you for making my day, Linda, and for inspiring me.

The Ravelry link for the Garden Mice is here.
Hilary presented me with this soft, beautiful hat as a gift. Hilary, that is so thoughtful and sweet. I love the hat and I will probably have to fight for it around my house.
Hilary knitted the hat out of Spud & Chloë Sweater yarn and she added a big button. It's an awesome hat. Now, I don't know what pattern Hilary used or if she made it up herself so I can't help you there. Hilary, if you are reading this could you please leave the pattern information in the comments if there is anything you can share? I know people are going to ask. I knew the minute I touched the hat that it was Spud & Chloë Sweater yarn because it is squishy, warm and incredibly soft. It feels like heaven next to your skin. It would only take one skein (160 yards) to make a hat like this.

You can purchase Spud & Chloë Sweater yarn here, here and here.

There you have it for today. I hope you get to knit a lot this week, Knitters.

best, susie