The shop is very very quiet...it's the silence of people concentrating very hard on the cabled swatches they're knitting for Brigitte's class. It's dusting snow, too, so it finally feels a bit like winter. I was beginning to wonder if we'd ever have it again. It's one of those days when having a yarn shop seems just perfect - it's cozy in here! But we do need to make more class space, so Josh and I are planning a big shop rearrangement as soon as this round of classes is over. We're going to make the big table & class space in the rear of the store so people can actually shop while we're having a class without having to squeeze past butts on stools. They don't seem to mind that much, but I love the idea of it being less congested in here.
My knitting progress:
Patchwork sweater: in progress, and looking good color-wise.
Crocheted vintage 'rib tickler' vest - major dud, due to my complete incomprehension of crochet instructions. Of course it's like learning to knit, in that you get the basic stitches but the junctures are weird - where and how to attach yarn, how to make everything neat...and counting, which somehow thwarts me in knitting too. Must practice more.
And, I'm participating in Judy's Sweaterpower 101 class here at KnitWit. We're designing our own basic sweaters from our measurements, planning and swatching and the whole ball of wax. Finally admitted to myself that I wasn't going to buckle down and do it on my own, I need the actual class time and deadline and group impetus thing. I raided my own stash - I've been sitting on this discontinued Anny Blatt super thick fuchsia colored stuff for ages and I think its time has finally come. It makes me realize, though, how I more often have an idea for a design and then the yarn choice happens rather than vice versa. I'm scratching my head over it a bit - I want to make something dramatic but keep it simple, which is harder than I thought it would be!
Need to revamp front window of shop. Currently giant pompoms from xmas are still there. Their only benefit now is that they provoke comments from customers like that of the lady the other day who said to my husband with great enthusiasm, "I love your balls!" They both smoothly continued the conversation, with me snickering in the back like the super-mature human being that I am...
Today I'm pondering holes in our yarn selection. I wish I had a trust fund and could just order whatever I wanted. (Although if I had one of those I might just not have any sort of job at all...)