Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Knitting on the Go

As much as we'd all like to have a couple of free hours to knit every day, in reality it rarely happens. It seems that the "little" details like work, family and even housework and other commitments get in the way. Instead of sitting and knitting with our feet up and a cold glass of lemonade (here in Ontario we are in the middle of a major summer heat wave), most of us need to grab a few precious minutes with our needles in snippets of time between other activities.


This is where the "Go Knit" by KnowKnits bag comes in. It is a lightweight, colourful, bag made out of durable ripstop nylon. It is available in 3 sizes to accomodate various size projects, has a drawstring to keep everything in place, a yarn loop to guide your yarn and a snap strap to attach the bag to your belt, purse or wrist. I always have the small size bag, complete with a sock in progress within easy reach in my vehicle. It's perfect whenever you have unexpected waiting time. The few rounds that you knit while waiting for the kids or stopped in traffic can quickly add up to a finished project.

This is an example of how resourceful one of our customers is with her Go Knit bag. Roselle attaches the bag to her treadmill as she walks. Knitting and exercise at the same time - perfectly efficient! She is productive with her knitting time and still manages to get a great workout. Very impressive!

Karen

Friday, July 18, 2008

Bits & Pieces






This is our newest customer at Serenity Knits, Joan's new family member "Panda" - looking for the perfect colour yarn and also checking to make sure we really do have a dog treat jar right next to our candy dish. Panda is a 3 month old Shihtzu and comes to Joan from the O.S.P.C.A. (Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals).


Our summer classes are underway and as usual, we have groups of lovely ladies, all enjoying the pleasure of knitting while learning new techniques. Most of our summer classes are workshops that are just one or two classes long on interesting knitting or crochet topics. Shown above is a garment option from Gabriela's lace class. It is knit from 3 colours of "On Your Toes Bamboo" and is so incredibly soft with a beautiful drape. To see a full listing of our summer workshop - there are still several to choose from - check our website at www.serenityknits.ca.



Wednesday, July 16, 2008

I'm Back - All is Well

As we all know, sometimes there are surprises for us in life - things just don't always go the way we imagine. Two weekends ago, I was planning which knitting projects to take to the cottage for a week of relaxation and knitting. Would I indulge in a new project or finish off some that have been W.I.P. for much too long? I received a phone call informing me that my father (in London, ON) had been in a serious car accident. What followed was a week of the hospital emergency department and doctor appointments. There was plenty of knitting time while I waited and waited, but the stress doesn't make for quality relaxation. I am happy to report that while his car was a "write-off", there was no one else hurt and my dear dad is on the mend. I have left him in the care of a kind nurse and several friends, so he will be well looked after until I can return again soon.

It was hard to believe how homesick I could be in just a week and a half. I thought that homesickness was a child's "illness" - something you'd get when you were away at summer camp and I didn't expect to be hit with that "bug". It feels good to be back to the familiar of family, friends and my second home - Serenity Knits. I guess that was a long-winded way of explaining why there haven't been any updates from the store on the blog. I certainly appreciate my great business partner, Beth, who has filled in and taken over everything for me while I was away.

In my absence, our knitters continue to work on their wonderful projects. There is a rush to finish summer tops to wear during this heat spell. Here are the completed "Cotton Joy" tops of talented Maria (left) and Jeanette (right). The garments are just perfect for these balmy summer days and look great.


Posted by Karen