Unwind - Knitting for your body and mind

Spring Cleaning and a Mess of Needles

How many folks out there are guilty? Guilty of that drawer or box or clattering pile of needles tucked "safely" under the bed? You know who you are. You know you do.

Some of you try to pass off this mess as decor. You'll gather some of your errant needles and hooks and dump them "gracefully" into a vase, claiming that you're encouraging guests to knit when they visit. Sure.

You're the ones (like me) who just know you have one more pair of US 6 straight needles somewhere. But since you can't find them, you'll just buy another pair. No bother that you already have 3 sets of US 6 straights...somewhere.

Well now that Spring beckons, it's time to organize the clattering mess so you can actually FIND the needles that you already have.
And Unwind is here to help.

Join us for a Boogybags Special Order Trunk Show Extravaganza!

Be the first to see the brand new Boogybags fabrics and products.

Design and order your own custom combination of cases and bags.

Join us on either
Friday, March 24 during Feet Fridays from 5:00 - 8:00 p.m or
Saturday, April 29, from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Call us 818/840-0800 or shoot us an email to let us know you'll be there!

One Skein At A Time

Rochelle was working at Unwind one day, minding her own business, and then...

ONE SKEIN has inspired me.

It’s been awhile since I was truly inspired. After finishing a particularly large afghan last month, I’ve been dragging my feet over finding new projects. I wasn’t burnt out, just not quite sure where to begin again.

When ONE SKEIN came in this month, though, I hit inspiration pay dirt—tons of truly great projects. Some were practical, some were innovative, some were simply fun, but all were exciting. Best of all, the idea of “one skein” means affordable!
I flipped through the book saying to myself, “I want to make this and this, I need to make this and this, and I absolutely must make this and this and this,” knowing that I had the means, the ability, the time and the desire to do so. Naturally I immediately began work on no less than four new knitting endeavors.
My current queue of projects include:

1) Fabulous Cabled Footies (which is my first foray into the cable world) using 1 skein of Lorna’s Laces shepherd worsted;
2) Felted Bowls using 1 skein of Cascade 220 (yes, I said felted bowls);

3) Two baby hats using 1 skein of Rowan Cashsoft DK; and
4) The knitted Labyrinth Circle Rug using all my worsted weight stash yarn and remnants.
And I’m knitting them at the same time!

Honestly, I’ll work 10 rows on the footies -- enough for two complete cables -- then switch and knit a few stripes on my rug, then a few rows of the hat or the bowls, then start all over again. I already have one footie done and am starting the second!

Clearly I can’t help but gush my affection for this book. Luckily, Unwind is having a ONE SKEIN-along every Saturday in March, so I cannot only gush with fellow ONE SKEIN-aholics over this great book but also be inspired by fellow knitters.
Can’t wait to see you Saturdays!

- Rochelle

Camille Shawl Kit in Fantastic New Colors!

Have you made the Camille Shawl yet?  Well we're introducing some amazing new colors to this super-easy, big needle warp.  From left to right -- wine/camel, lavender/purple, blue/aqua.

March Sock of The Month

This is Jaywalker. An amazing sock pattern from Grumperina. You know all about my Odessa hat -- also by Grumperina -- so you know how we at Unwind adore her patterns. Jaywalker is Unwind's Sock of the Month for March 2006. You'll use one hank of Cherry Tree Hill's (words cannot describe the beauty) Supersock. Sign up for our Jaywalker tutorial to practice the pattern and get the gauge. And enjoy our Feet Fridays with great company, wine and snacks, socks and all kinds of other projects. I'm making my Jaywalker now. Won't you join me?

Jaywalker Sock & Cherry Tree Hill Supersock

Gifts of the Month - Another in the 50 Projects Under $50

This is Glitter Alpaca from Cherry Tree Hill. 214 yards of luxurious hand-painted alpaca with a hint of glimmer for only $15/hank. Plus with each purchase, you can choose a pattern for a simple lace scarf (1 hank), lovely socks (2 hanks) or a stunning stole (3 hanks).
All amazing projects under $50.

Our March Gift of The Month Class is the 1 hank Glitter Alpaca Lace Scarf. If you haven't tried lace knitting before, this is the perfect opportunity. The yarn is a dream to work with; you get to use reasonable sized needles, and Karyn is the best knitting teacher in town -- is I do say so myself.

Of Knitted Babes and Little Girls

Oh Little Girls!

Doesn't seem to matter how much of the tomboy factor exists in any of them; if you show them a doll, they're hooked.

The other day, my four and a half year old daughter, Mia, picked up her first Barbie doll. Upon successfully ripping off all the creature's designer duds, Mia says to me, "Mommy, where's her baby-hole?"

I beg your pardon? I realized quickly that Mia may be ready for Barbie and all of her nearly anatomically correct parts, but I sure as shootin am NOT! So what does a mommy who is a knitter and yarn shop proprietress do? I bring Mia to Unwind and show her some Knitted Babes.

Thank goodness for the babes and their handcrafted loveliness. They seemed to erase any desire for questions about ladies' parts. What a relief! Of course, now I feel required to make her one...or two. :)

These simple beauties are very easy to knit. And what an amazing gift for the girl (of any age) in your life. The Babes have been visiting Unwind, and even though they are leaving soon and continuing their tour, Unwind is still in full Babe mode. Our first Knitted Babe workshop was a ton of fun. Students gathered together to work through the beginnings of constructing their Babes. Picking yarns, choosing wardrobes and more.

If you'd like to join in the fun, drop by Unwind to pick up the Knitted Babe pattern book. Or buy it online at www.unwindyarn.com/shop. And if you're interested in joining in another Knitted Babe Workshop, let us know at info@unwindyarn.com. We'll be happy to set one up.

And for those of you who wonder about my delightful girl, here is Miss Mia's first trip to the snow! Literally 15 minutes spent of the highway to Mt. Pinos along Interstate 5. She's trying to catch snowflakes on her tongue. Of course, you can tell it is Los Angeles, as someone left a Doritos bag in the background. It wasn't us!