Purl's of wisdom (get it???)

We've created a cutie-patotie Needle-size Reminder for your purse. It folds up to about 2.75" square, can slide in your wallet and has a place where you can note what needle sizes you have at home! No more duplicates!

Although, i think everyone should have 4 sets of circular Addi's, size 6mm. Yup.

We also included a tiny little measure, and some rules of knitting. Here are a few:

1. It's knitting, not brain surgery. If you ade a mistake, we can fix it.

2. Ensure your knitting bag is well stocked with chocolate and liquor.

3. Crap in, crap out. You use crappy yarn to make your project, your project will look crappy.

Pick yours up next time you are in!

(p.s. hi Carol)

Next Project Girls!

Just what we need for our "Change of Life" Project... yes?

Namaste and Holy Mackerel!

(which is kind of like saying holy holy!)

Last Friday (or Thursday .... hmmmm?) i received 10 knitting bags from Namaste and 5 notions cases, in many delightful colours. One week later, I have 3 knitting bags and one notions case left.

NAMASTE! Can you hear me? Send more! Quick!

Reordering this afternoon - if there is anything in particular you would like ...

and, namaste.

oh no! Leaks!

oh no! my beautiful new place ... leaks. I have a big leak in my ceiling! Never mind. Don will fix it. Don fixes everything! He's my hero - and my landlord.

I hope this will not be the first time Don can't fix something.

"Well, i just can't think about that right now; As God is my witness, as God is my witness they're not going to lick me! I'm going to live through this and when it's all over, I'll never be hungry again! No, nor any of my folk. If I have to lie, steal, cheat or kill! As God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again! "

Sorry. That was a little over the top.

I'm sure Don will fix it.

Fiddle de dee

Just in case you thought you were the only one!

JUST in case you thought you were the only one who had several UFO's (unfinished objects to the uninitiated), i thought i would bring you up-to-date on what's revolving around my knitting chair, or rather my knitting nest, as Taryn calls it. I'm gonna take a picture one of these days!

Christmas Socks for Christopher - cuff done on one.

Baby Sweater for display in shop - back done and most of one sleeve

Summer "T" that i'm TEACHING - back done, 1/4 of front (thank goodness it has short sleeves!)

Dominican Shawl in Giotto - cast on, oops, pulled off. Gotta start again.

Debbie Bliss Shawl - stalled.

Christmas stocking - demo to be done to teach. Not done. Yarn selected.

Dying to Dye workshop - gotta prepare the jigs for Socks and get one dyed. Not. Right. Now.

Diamond's Famous Sweater - not on the needles yet.

Leaf and Vine Scarf - not on the needles yet.

Master Knitters Course - got 8 sections out of 30 done.

In my mind, in order to be a KNITTER, one must have many projects started, many in the mind and many not on the needles yet.

I have heard of people who actually begin a project, execute it, finish it, BLOCK IT. And wear it. Hmmmm. What a concept.

One can but dream...

oooohhhhhhh - what could it be? NAMASTE?

I just love it when the Canada Post lady comes in - even if i do have to pay her exhorbitant rates for duty and customs. I just don't care (well, i kinda do, but...) Look what she brings! New Stuff! What could it be? Is it yarn? Is it notions? OH MY GOODNESS, is it from Namaste?

Wow! The newest shipment of Namaste bags have arrived! The quintessential knitting bag in two sizes, notions caddy and mini project clutch! As always, they are lovely!

This year we have brought in the Hermosa, the largest knitting bag they have ever made, in three colours, eggplant, saddle and black and it retails for $84.99.

The Zuma, a new shape and a bag i could quite easily use for a dinner engagement (not that have i have dinner engagements, just wanted to say it). We have Zuma in three colours, olive, eggplant and peacock at $74.99 with a fourth (lime green) due to arrive in August.

Something else new: Cali Clutch - folds in half with clasps at both ends. Unfold it and there are several places to store your needles. The Cali Clutch at $39.99 is available in olive, saddle and turquoise. And the most exciting of all - the Buddy Case! A hardcover case with a magnetic board inside so your wool needles will never fall out again! We have buddy cases in peacock, lime, olive, eggplant and saddle at $19.99.

And remember their motto: "Leather is hard to clean; this isn't."

These knitting bags didn't last long in the shop last year; come early and come often!

And Namaste.

Sorry, can't help it. I gotta go. I wanna go.

Unfortunately ON THE LAMB will be closed on Saturday July 25th.

You see, i only have one Aunt left hanging around and it's her 80th birthday on Saturday. And she's my favourite Aunt (i know, but she calls me her favourite niece and i'm her only niece!) And her and my uncle have been so supportive of ON THE LAMB (almost as much as my mom.)

And it's her birthday on Saturday.

So you see. I gotta go. I wanna go.

But unfortunately, that means ON THE LAMB will be closed on Saturday July 25th.

All will return to normal on Tuesday July 28th.

Happy Birthday Aunty Shirley!

Super Ten on Super Sale!

Taryn has balked. She doesn't want to move anything more upstairs. She's also curious that every time she comes to the shop, it's time to move some stuff upstairs. Hmmmmmmm, i'm a little surprised.

SO. In order to make room for the new stuff that is on it's way - Super Ten is on sale! 8 fab colours, dk weight, 230m per skein, 100% mercerized Cotton. The good stuff. Regularly $11.99.

Now $6.99!

Won't last long - and won't be repeated!

Woohoo - i love this Roomba!

Let's face it. I don't have time to clean. I don't like to clean. And i don't have time to clean. And i don't like it.

So it was with elation that i accepted Carolynne's offer to loan me her Roomba! Have you seen these little gaffers? They are round robots, about 12" in diameter, that go round and round your home (or your "room") and vacuum up all the dust and pieces of wool and bits of paper. It just goes and goes until it's done. And then it goes back to it's "docking" station, and i didn't even have to get it a beer.

My life is complete.

What was that?

oh my goodness - who's up for it? I say we could do telephone poles? Signs for shops. Come'on! How cute is this?

... it's official!

It's official - the new place is wonderful! It's calm, dignified and 'grown-up'! AND we have telephones, thanks to Compton Cable. I don't want to name the other place that couldn't/wouldn't help but their name rhymes with shell. Never mind, no negativity!

I just have two baskets left to unpack. Next week i begin to move cottons upstairs and heavy yarns start to be delivered! OOOHHHH! I can hardly wait!

I finished my Giotto cardi - well, almost. Have a look! Just in case someone is checking and is going to try and catch me out, the fronts have extensions that provide the collars. And those little things that look like Knitted Knockers are sleeves.

AND it's blocked. All things must be blocked. Blocking is good. Do not fear blocking! Are you hypnotized yet? Have i brainwashed you into blocking all your work? (except ribbing and some novelty yarns.)

Hope to see you soon at the New Home of On The Lamb!!!!

The first space was too big, the second space was too small. This space is JUST RIGHT!

Just like Goldilocks - The first space was too big, the second space was too small but this one is juuussstttt right! (thanks Connie for the reference - too funny!)

We've been a little quiet for the past week because we've been organizing and packing and shuffling stuff and packing! We originally decided to pack on Friday July 10th and move on Saturday July 11th. I had the brawny men all lined up to move us.

This is the Darling Daughter packing her little heart out! We stopped for lunch for about 20 minutes and then kept going! I had to - she can be mean when she's crossed! (very determined little thing - i wonder where she got that from?)

BUT, the 'organizing-queen' also known as Taryn, waved her magic wand and TADA - the empty, cavernous, warehouse-like

space was beginning to be transformed. I had painted the walls a couple of days beforehand (actually DH put the second coat of paint on and got the slat wall reinstalled - actually my nephew and my brother-in-law helped move the slat wall - then they all went

upstairs for a beer - does anyone else notice the inconsistency in efforts here - and rewards!!!???)

But NO ONE gets in the way of the 'Organizing-Queen'! We were moved in by 6 p.m. on Friday. ALL OF IT. TARYN AND ME AND MOM ONLY. TADA. US ONLY. NO BRAWNY MEN. (has the parade started yet? 'cause my arm is getting tired from patting myself and my team on the back!)

We do have a few remaining issues - like Bell for the internet (Booooo) and Compton for the telephone (Yeahhhhh!). Those systems are rudimentary at best - i think we have a cable running across the hall just now. But Compton will fix that. I'm certain of it.So we just put the finishing touches on the shop on Saturday and Sunday. Of course the space no longer feels empty, cavernous or warehouse-like - we managed to fill the up the area quite nicely.

I am so pleased with the results - please come and see for yourself!

- ellen

Head Wool Gatherer

Beautiful Colinette Ribbon!

This is the lovliest, most elegant, delightful ribbon i've seen in a long time. It comes to us from Colinette, a wool house in Wales. You will be seeing a lot more of this kind of quality! I've already started a little cropped cardi for demo in the shop. It has a squishy soft hand, and the rayon allows for a lovely drape. The composition is cotton, rayon and nylon. This means that it won't be overwhelmingly hot when layered.

Please drop in and see - it's a beauty!

Remember last week i was knitting the wonderful Shrug, made from Baby Alpaca? It's done and up for show! It only takes 4 skeins and looks wonderful on everyone!

The 2 x 2 ribbing around the waist hugs your curves, or makes curves where there weren't any! It looks especially pretty with one of Bijoux's Sparklies pinning it together. I have five colours - the coral is my fav - with five more new fall colors arriving in September. It really does give you maximum impact for minimum effort. Consider making several for Christmas gifts.

Gotta go now and watch the drywall compound dry across the hall!

I'm so excited ... and i just can't hide it ...

i'm about to lose control and .... i can't remember the rest of the words.

I'm watching Daniel drywall my new shop! And the new paint is sitting just waiting to be spread around. And i've done my floorplan for the zillionth time. And the flooring has been picked (again!) and the fireplace ... well, you saw the picture of the fireplace!

Deep breath ... more tomorrow on the most beeoootiful ribbon yarn i've ever seen!!!