Newsletter 2009 June

Finished Objects

Here's a selection of objects finished with yarn from our shop.

Baby Surprise Jacket in various colors of Malabrigo Worsted	January is for Karen in Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock	Saartje's bootees knit with Aslan Trends Glaciar del Cielo in Bone. It's nice and soft and even holds it shape pretty well after seaming. Good stuff!
First Handspun Shawl!	Keegan wearing an in-progress beanie	Hedera in Malabrigo Sock
Knotted Openwork Scarf in Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock	DNA scarf in Lorna's Laces Green Line DK	Socks in Perhaps Today is a Good Day to Dye
Icarus in Malabrigo Sock	Tulip in Dream in Color	Lite Brite socks in Perhaps Today is a Good Day to Dye and Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock

Could we feature your finished object? Drop us a line if we can use your photos!

Upcoming Shop Events & News

2009: The Year of the Afghan
The June square! As you know already, while we will be using yarn from our shop to make each square, the patterns will be written for any worsted weight yarn that gets approximately 4.5 stitches/inch on a US 8. So feel free to substitute anything you have in your stash! At the end of the year you will have twelve squares (more, if you do some of them twice) and while the squares will be interesting enough to keep even advanced knitters interested, it would also be a good project for the new or intermediate knitter who is interested in learning some new skills throughout the year. The squares are designed to get increasingly more challenging and exciting as the year goes on, but this month we've slipped in one that is easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy. The June Square is nothing but knits, purls, and slipped stitches. This is going to be a great one for using up scraps of yarn from previous squares (if you've been using different colors) or for showing off some variegated colorways. I like this pattern so much I've already made two, will be making a third this month, and can see myself coming back to it later in the year when I have more bits of other colorways to work through.

We did want to say a word about July, as a teaser - if you liked May, you'll love July! Think of it as the next step to cables; those that travel! While it may sound complicated, it really is a pattern that anyone familiar with casting on, the knit stitch, the purl stitch, and binding off can do. It is a charted design, rather than written out, but don't let that scare you. Charts are a lot easier than they look, as long as you don't try to read them like a book-- the right side rows are read right to left (as if you were looking at front of the knitted piece) and the left side rows are read left to right (as if you were going backwards across the front of the knitted piece). The every-fabulous Knitty.com has an article here that we recommend you look over. There is also a shorter article on About.com (here) that is pretty informative.

The June pattern is available here, and you can check it out on Ravelry here.

Do you think you might need help with some of the squares? While the patterns will always be free, we will be offering some workshops that for a fee will give you three hours of class time and instruction, a set of needles, and appropriate yarn for the project. June's workshop is Saturday, June 6th, from 2-5 PM. You can sign up in advance at the shop or by calling us at 352-338-7222; the price of the workshop is $30 and includes materials, or $15 if you provide your own yarn and needles.

Stitch & Pitch

Hanks is proud to say that we're one of many shops in the Gainesville and Jacksonville areas working together to help plan (...drumroll please...) Stitch 'n' Pitch at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville!

Sunday, June 7th at 3:05 PM, the Jacksonville Suns will be taking on the Carolina Mudcats, and you know you want to be there. Cheer on the Suns as you crochet or knit (or embroider... or cross-stitch...) and show other fans that your love of baseball is almost as much as your love for the fiber and needle arts. Did we mention that goody-bags are available for crafters while supplies last? Friends and family are of course welcome too!

You can get tickets (only $9 each) and meal tickets ($10 each, redeemable for a large sandwich, large beverage, and a snack) by calling Meghan Clark at 904-358-2846.

Apple Harvest

The November 2008 Sock Club Colorway, Apple Harvest, will be available for sale during the second week of June (same week we'll release the next-to-the-last colorway for this round of the club). We will have this in both our Superwash Merino and also the Merino/Bamboo base. After feedback from the club members, the colorway will have one minor change from the photo to the right, in that there will be shorter bursts of dark green and brown, and more red.

Interested in the sock club? It's almost time for Round Two - spots will be available after this round's final club colorway release in August! As before, there will be three options for the sock club (which begins in October of 2009):

Option 1 –
$100 for in-store pickup/$130 with shipping
You will get six 400-yard skeins of hand-dyed sock yarn, one each during the months of October, December, February, April, June, and August.

Option 2 –
$50 for in-store pickup/$65 with shipping
You will get three 400-yard skeins of hand-dyed sock yarn, one each during the months of October, February, and June.

Option 3 -
$50 for in-store pickup/$65 with shipping
You will get three 400-yard skeins of hand-dyed sock yarn, one each during the months of December, April, and August.

And now, the pinky swear: we promise to send you hand-dyed sock yarn and we promise to do our best to produce a quality product. We promise that the color for each month will not be for sale in our shop until six months after the month that we send it to you. We understand that the colors we choose to dye may not wind up being your particular favorite; we ask that just as we are not selling that color in a retail setting for six months, that you also do the same and promise not to sell anything you don’t like until after the six month mark.

Upcoming Classes

Classes do fill up early; so please reserve your space in the class by paying in advance as it is unlikely we will be able to accommodate walk-ins. Payment is required within 7 days of signing up for the class or within one week before the class begins (whichever comes first). All classes limited to five people unless otherwise stated. A minimum of 2 students is required for most classes to take place. If the minimum for a class is not reached, we will cancel or reschedule the class and a full refund will be given. Individual classes/lessons available by request (prices may vary). Homework is required in most of our classes; we know that all of you have busy schedules but please be sure to allow time to finish the work needed for classes.

Introduction to Knitting
June 4, 11, 18, and 25 (Thursdays) | 6:00-8:00 | $100 | Materials Included

Introduction to Knitting Hats
June 13, 20, and 27 (Saturdays) | 10:30-1:30 | $75 | Materials Included
This class is already full - rest assured it will be offered again over the summer!

Green Gable (Knit a Tank Top)
June 3, 10, and 24 (Wednesdays) | 6:00-8:00 | $40 | Materials Not Included

2009 Afghan: The June Square
June 6 (Saturday) 2:00-5:00 | $15 (materials not included)/$30 (materials included)

Advanced Sock Knitting: Pheasant Run
June 13, 20, and 27 (Saturdays) | 2:00-5:00 | $75 | Materials Included
Due to some unexpected scheduling events, we are dropping this to a $50, 2-week class. The first class will be on Saturday June 13th (we'll do the cuff and get you started on the lace pattern) and the second class will be on June 20th (we'll do the heel flap, turn the heel, and get you started on gusset decreases). Should you get stuck on your toe-closing, we are all experienced sock knitters here at the shop and you can stop by for help any time.

Introduction to Needle Felting
June 15 and 22 (Mondays) | 6:00-8:00 | $60 | Materials Included

Introduction to Crock Pot Dyeing (Sock Weight Yarn)
June 29 (Monday) | 6:00-8:00 | $50 | Materials Included

Introduction to Spinning
June 5, 12, 26, and July 10 (Fridays) | 6:00-8:00 | $125 | Materials Included

We are working hard on the finishing touches to the July - September class schedule - keep an eye on our blog for up-to-the-minute information!


	Your cart is empty.