Threaded Bliss

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SECOND ANNUAL FOOTBALL WIDOWS' PAJAMA PARTY

No need to get out of your pj's this Sunday or to try to knit or crochet to the sounds of football! Just grab your knitting bag and come down to the shop.

Sunday, February 5 From 1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m

If you show up to the party wearing pajamas* you'll get 10% off yarn, knitting bags and loose-leaf patterns that day.

And... if your pajamas have feet in them - it's 15% off the same items.

The sale on yarns applies to ALL yarns, even the luxury yarns - pure silk and cashmere in several weights! .

Doesn't that sound like fun?

*real pajamas only - loungewear and sweats don't count even if that is what you normally sleep in, they've got to look like pajamas or a nightgowns/nightshirts!

SECOND ANNUAL FOOTBALL WIDOWS' PAJAMA PARTY

No need to get out of your pj's this Sunday or to try to knit or crochet to the sounds of football! Just grab your knitting bag and come down to the shop.

Sunday, February 5 From 1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m

If you show up to the party wearing pajamas* you'll get 10% off yarn, knitting bags and loose-leaf patterns that day.

And... if your pajamas have feet in them - it's 15% off the same items.

The sale on yarns applies to ALL yarns, even the luxury yarns - pure silk and cashmere in several weights! .

Doesn't that sound like fun?

*real pajamas only - loungewear and sweats don't count even if that is what you normally sleep in, they've got to look like pajamas or a nightgowns/nightshirts!

The Owl Is Back

My camera's at the shop but he/she hasn't changed a bit.  What a shame it can't tell me where it's been.

The way this creature will look me directly in the eyes is the most amazing thing.  I wish I knew how or why it ends up on my patio.

Have a great Tuesday and don't forget to sign up for Team Threaded Bliss!

Team Threaded Bliss

Amy made us great buttons and you can find them here.  I'm blog design challenged at the moment but I'll put them here soon.

In the meantime, it is not at all too late to join us in the Knitting Olympics.

Read all about Team Threaded Bliss and why everyone should join here.

Much to do - more later.

I Need A Wide Angle Lens

That is just how much Cascade 220 there is - there are about 8 or more colors hidden in this shot!

It's still seriously chaotic but the feedback so far is that it is all way worth it.  Bear with us, we're shelving as fast as we can.

Mostly Pictures

Saturday Chaos, 9:00 a.m.-ish.  See, I wasn't joking when I called it chaos.

Two views of the Great Wall of Cascade 220 taken late in the day.

The Great Wall of Cascade 220 at 5:45 pm.  Note all those bags on the floor.  There are some more hidden by the boxes too.  We actually managed to forget about/miss three entire boxes from Cascade all day.  70 POUND Boxes.  Oops.

Cascade also sent us lots of Pastaza & 220 Superwash, both with some great new colors.  We've added Pima Tencel (very soft, very drapey, and very reasonably priced), Sierra (80% wool, 20% cotton and David's new favorite yarn, I think), Luna (soft as can be loosely spun 100% Peruvian cotton), Eco Wool and Eco + (great big 478 yard skeins of 100% Peruvian Wool with a fantastic price) and the brand new book: 220 Patterns Using Cascade 220 with something in it for everyone.  Ah, so much yarn.....so little time.

These pictures aren't very good ones.  I'll take more soon.  Chaos wears me out.  Cascade Yarns make me happy.  Must. Sleep. Now.

Chaos and Challenges

There's a quote from the artist Cezanne that I can't get out of my head this morning.  He once said, "We live in a rainbow of chaos."

Well, all of that Cascade 220 is going to become a rainbow of yarn when it's finally out of the boxes and bags.  Kinda cool, huh?

While all the yarn may not yet be labeled or shelved, it IS all entered into our system.  Guess what that means - you can buy it now, straight out of the box!  All the GGH/Muench is shelved, you'll find it in the middle of the wall on the right when you come in the door.

Another new addition is the "2 Bucks A Ball Bin."  If you don't find it among the mess, just ask and we'll point you in that direction. 

The latest tweaks of the shop design are the best yet.  I'm not sure how it is possible but it looks like we added square footage.  Just when I thought I couldn't like the store design/layout anymore than I already did - we unlock some wheels, push some stuff around and whammo, it's a new store.

Okay, enough about the  momentous task ahead of me today.  It's time to talk about the 2006 Knitting Olympics.  Stephanie aka Yarn Harlot is an undeniably clever woman who happened upon another fantastic idea. 

The Knitting Olympics fit perfectly with our current theme at the shop.  Many of you have taken our oath and declared the ultimate truth:  "I'm Better At This Than I Think I Am."  Most folks that knit and crochet are actually much better at it than they realize and capable of making things they think they can't.  Well, the Knitting Olympics is the perfect time to challenge yourself. 

David, Emily and I are already committed though we are all still trying to pick the right project.  On top of my list at the moment are Fair Isle gloves.  Why is this my particular challenge?  It's all about the fingers.  The thought of knitting a pinky has always intimidated me but like everything else I've tried, once I do it I'll probably wonder why I didn't try it sooner since it'll be no big deal.  I find that is always the case with all of us - once we've done it, we we wonder what the big deal was.

We encourage all of you to take part in this nearly historic event (there are already over 1800 knitters signed up!)  Even if you are not local, we'd love to have you on our team.  So, if you want to be a part of Team Threaded Bliss, either come by the shop  or email me your name, project (or possible projects), and a link if you have one.  I'll put together a Team Threaded Bliss website and will list the participants on the main site's sidebar too.  If anyone would like to create a team button, that would be great.  I may knit beautifully but web buttons are NOT my strong suit!

Think about it.  Challenge is a good thing.

Alright, enough hardly coherent rambling from me - I'm off to the shop. 

P.S. and apropos of nothing - on February 13th I may actually get to see Tai Shan in person.  I'm going to the National Zoo!

Lofty Goals

While I realized this week that I have learned so much since we opened, I've yet to figure out how to reasonably predict how long most tasks might take.  I hope this just means I'm an optimist.  Thanks to Deidre and Laura and Lori for coming to help us today.  There aren't words adequate enough to thank Wade and Frank too.  Above, beyond and brilliant come to mind though.  Wade is a merchandising, designing dynamo.   What Frank has done with the needles is fantastic too.  Just wait till you see the store.  Like I keep saying, I am truly blessed.

Until further notice,

Pardon Our Chaos!

I think it will be worth the wait because all the yarns from both Muench and Cascade are gorgeous.  My brain is about to explode because at least 8 projects jumped onto my P.I.W. list (Projects In Waiting) and I want to knit with every single new yarn that we've gotten.  My Cascade 220 ideas alone almost seem infinite. 

I'm exhausted (and then some).  Thanks for stopping by the blog.

We really do have the most amazing customers!

I can't believe how many of you have offered to come in to the shop and help us tag and shelve all this new yarn.  Those are offers I can't possibly refuse!  It is my hope that by the end of today, Soon the shop will be organized again and chock-full of some AMAZING new yarns.

That's a big goal, given the fact that part of this process is moving tons of the yarn we already have to more logical locations.  Honestly, I'm not sure it is possible but all we can do is push on and work hard and strive to make the goal.  I'm not making promises that it'll be done by tomorrow morning this weekend, but I am promising that we are going to try our hardest. Therefore, again I ask for understanding from you guys that we won't be able to help with projects while there is so much to be done unless it is something we can fix quickly (dropped stitch, twisted stitch, things like that).

Remember that when we first shifted all the shelving units, we did not shift the yarn because we knew inventory was coming, figured they'd make a big mess and we'd have to reshelve everything anyway.  So we are up to more than just pricing and shelving the NEW stuff - we are in the midst of another overhaul but it is going to be SOOOOOOO worth it.

All that being said, if anyone wants to come and pitch in, we'd LOVE IT!  We'll pick good music, make Starbucks runs as necessary (my treat) and have a good time playing with and fondling all that yarn!

I know I say it a gazillion times BUT the warmth, generosity, kindness, caring and friendship our customers bring to the shop always leaves me feeling full of warm fuzzies.

I am the luckiest girl in the world (or incredibly blessed though they are one and the same in my book).

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

Who knew . . .

that inventory does not HAVE to be as miserable as a root canal!  We left the shop about 12:20ish.  It took four people from R.G.I.S. a total of five and one half hours to accomplish what it took us 12 days to do!!  Mind you, there were 10,000 fewer pieces tonight than at the end of our 12-day inventory from hell, but still . . . Not only did these folks count incredibly fast and apparently (presumably and hopefully) accurately, but they also shelved all the yarn so neatly that I'm still stunned.  I expected a real disaster of a mess but not these guys.

Here's what I said in the evaluation they asked me to fill out:  "This went so well that I can't wait for inventory next year.  That I actually uttered the words "can't wait for inventory" is the highest compliment I can pay you."

Now, there's about 10,000 (or more) new pieces that get to come out.  As I said yesterday, we've got lots to do and miles to go but we're getting there so please bear with us.

G'night.

Get this . . .

I'm STILL at the shop being serenaded by the sound of a gazillion beeps as these incredible people are scanning everything in here.  While most of the day I was so elated to finally feel good - I'm fading and fading fast.  It seems to be very near completion though.

That's probably as much coherence as I can muster now. 

Buh-bye!