I hate it when I start out with.....wow, it's been awhile since I blogged, so I won't.

What's been happening at the yarn shop?  

Sometimes I think I am a window decorator more than anything.  I love, love my display windows, don't get me wrong, but I worry about them so much that I can't get any thing else done.  January is so hard, especially after the Christmas/Winter window and I had to go all out.  I did win the downtown Winfield window decorating contest this year, which was a real thrill.....but IT IS SO MUCH PRESSURE!!

I love adding things that are knitting or crocheting!

February I have a giant heart box I put tons of yarn in to look like candy.  March is a cabled sweater and green stuff.  April was fun this year with the theme of April showers and Easter....

 The rabbits winding yarn was pure genius!!  Thank You!

So, You can see that I am under a lot of pressure to create!  My summer window I want to do under the sea........can't wait to see what we come up with!  (nope, I have no clue how to pull that one off).

Today, I have updated my website and played on this blog when I need to finish bar coding my Hiya Hiya line.  I have also restarted my Master Knit course, swearing to my self that I will make time for it.  If you don't finish within a year, you have to get the updated version of it and I have now done that twice.  I don't know if I need time management counseling or maybe a task list where I can check things off as I accomplish them?  It's hard being your own boss....especially when your boss is so nice!!  

Kandy and I attended the Central Kansas Yarn Hop meeting in Salina yesterday.  The dates have been set for October 20-26 ,  2014 and we have lengthened the hop to 6 days of hopping instead of 3.  We are also inquiring about a hopping bus tour group!!  that will be great for those who don't want to drive it or don't have anyone to go with, but that is undecided right now.  

I have one hour before I go home...think I will go knit!

Susie

My Clock Has Wings

Okay this isn't funny any more!  Where on earth is time going anyway?  According to these dates, it's almost been a year since I have blogged anything!
So, where to begin? 

Of course I don't have time to catch up a whole year, but here are some things that really stick out in my head.

I always want to talk about what happens at the yarn shop table when the gals come to knit and crochet.  You just never know what is going to come out of their mouths next and I think it really is therapy for us all!  Even new comers to the group soon realize that the yarn shop is a good place to come and relax and just let your hair down and sometimes let your gaurd down too.  We often say, "What happens at the Yarn shop, stays at the yarn shop"!  Friday evenings spent at College Hill Coffee where we eat, listen to music, drink coffee and play with yarn and Saturday morning group thereapy are my favorite parts of running a yarn shop. 
Most recently we have talked about what unlikely friends that we are.  We would not have met anywhere else and become such fast friends, all because we have a common thread that has woven us together.  Another worry of mine is that I would not want to appear cllickish to any one that walked into the shop.  All you have to do is sit down at our table and we will snatch up and call you our own before you even get your needles out!  So don't ever be afraid....yarn people are the most loving,  accepting, giving people you will ever want to meet, or maybe it's because we are just like you!

At the end of March, but I say April 1st , we celebrated 1 year at the new shop and 5 years of selling yarn!  Those that know me know that I started out with a cabinate full of yarn to start my yarn store with.  I was already a craft shop with a couple of ladies , but have now evolved into a full blown yarn shop!  It really does amaze me how far I've come and give God all the glory!

In June, Kandy , one my yarny friends, and I ,  went to Maine on a knitting cruise on a schooner!  Wow was that amazing!  What an adventure and I had someone really cool to share the experience with!  Maybe one day when I have time I will write more about this trip and post pictures!

In October we had our annual Central Kansas Yarn Shop Hop!  Wamego, Manhattan, Abiline, Salina, McPherson, Newton, Hutchinson, 2 shops in Wichita and iYarn in Winfield were involved this year.  This year was my 4th shop hop and in charge of the Grand Prize and hosting the after meeting where we draw for the prizes.....which is tomorrow!!  My whole year kind of revolves around this one event, but I am getting old and it's a lot of fun, but also exhausting, but this is what I live for....
So, when the meeting is over tomorrow and all my guests leave for their home towns, I will begin ripping my shop apart to transform it into a winter wonderland, for next weekend is Christmas Open House.....ALREADY!
So, if the year is a circle, it's spinning and picking up speed...then, I'm praying for speed bumps!
Until next time.....hopefully it won't be another year!
Susieknits

I really don't have anything to blog about.  I am sitting at the computer and my hands need to be busy.  I've started a crochet project that is wearing out my hands.  I love knitting.  I prefer to knit.Knitting is easier on my hands.  I think with the crochet, I hold it to tight or maybe it's because I have to hold it differently.  So I try holding the hook like a pencil, normally, so I try to hold the hook like a man holding a fork digging into his supper on a camping trip.  (I don't know where I get that idea about the way men hold their forks....I really don't think I pay that much attention).  But, anyway, I found a recipe for a cool looking sweater and it happens to be crocheted.  I like it so much, I don't care.  So, I bought the pattern at Annie's Attic and dive in with some dark grey yarn I had laying around and while I am on the first sleeve, I find I will not have enough yarn to complete it.  I ordered more yarn and the project goes on the back of the table and start to work on other things.  Well, no I find the yarn is on back order and winter is slowly slipping away.  I really wanted to wear this thing!  Well, now I have decided I would really like this crocheted sweater to be from a different yarn anyway....Weekend by Berocco seems to be what I want this thing out of , so I started hooking it again on Saturday.  I worked on it all day yesterday and nearly done with the back.   I am going to like it alot better and it won't be so heavy, I'm sure I can wear it into spring because it's a cotton blend yarn. 
In the meantime, I have started a Knit A Long sweater, knit sideways.  It's an easy knit, but A LOT of knitting in garter stitch.  I leave it at the shop and work on it when there is nothing else to do.  One of the participants is further along than I am!  She will have to lead the next get together tomorrow night, because she knows whats going on more than I do.  We cancelled last weeks knit a long because it snowed and I feared it getting slickery for them on the way home.  (one lives out of town).  So, I have no idea how far the others have come.  The idea is to have them knit a larger object and gain confidence from the experience. 
I am also working on a lace project I started last fall.  I picked it up again last week.  It is a Trellis and Leaf pattern and will be a beautiful shawl with short sleeves if I ever get it finished.  I have only knit 4 inces of it so far! 
An eylet and garter stitch cowl is also being worked on and almost done with the 60" I am supposed to knit.  It's lovely knitting it with a self striping yarn.  The pattern can be found online at Knitting Fever and is a Noro Pattern, but I had some Nordley's sock yarn I wanted to use.
But speaking of Noro, I am knitting a bunny for next months spring window, with Noro Kureyon...very colorful!
I love it when a customer walks through the door and shows me a project....and I usually have to make it too.  Last week it was a Bandana Cowl, a free Ravelry pattern by that name.  So I knit one with some alpaca I had in my stash from a fiber fest I went to about 3 or so years ago.  That is also why I started the eyelet cowl.....a customer was knitting them and giving them as gifts and showed it to me.  I don't know the name of it, but I eat like that too....I won't be hungry, but if my DH comes in the room eating something , I have to eat it too.  Same with knitting, if someone else is knitting it, I have to knit it too! 
I did finish the Remix sweater I started last fall it's full of cables and I lovingly called it the stupid sweater or the never ending sweater.  But, I did finish it and would love to wear it, but it is now hanging on the wall at the shop, so others will want to make it too!  (because I am sure others might have the same disease that I have.
I also started a tank top using a new yarn I am getting soon.  So I will have a model by spring!
Talking about knitting makes me want to get back to my projects, but now it's time to think about dinner......later!

Global Warming

Seems Global Warming has come to www.iyarn.webs.com  My site is no longer frozen.

In case your wondering, and if you're not, I'm going to tell you anyway!

Free websites are wonderful if your on a budget. I'm just putting that out there for ya.  So, when I was takeing steps to be iYarn, this was wonderful.  Not a great deal of freedom to design the site you always dreamed of for your business, but, hey, it's free.  Well, then, I had a little money to spare, so I thought, I think I will upgrade to premium....an ads free site, and thought it might have all the qualities of a real website, but no and I deal with it.  A year later, webs tries to automatically resubscribe my premium site, with no luck.  I first might mention it took me 3-4 weeks to figure all this out and get someone to at least email me back.  Turns out, my card had expired and they didn't have my updated imformation.  Seems to me, it's just easier to keep it free so we don't have any more problems.  Next time I decide I can afford to pay for a website, I'll do it differently.  Live and learn?
Trouble is, you get peeps used to going to your web site , it's hard to change it up...then you have to start all over....I'm to old to be starting over.....over and over again.

Moving on:

Chicks with Sticks loves to go to College Hill Coffee on Friday nights to knit and listen to live music.  However, this Friday, they will be having a spelling bee, which I signed up for.  Why?  I really don't know.  Reading my posts, you can probably tell, I don't spell well, even with spell checker handy, I don't bother to use it.  Some of the other Chicks signed up for it as well.  Might be interesting, might be pathetic, might be fun?  I will try to report if I'm not to embarrassed with the results.  This I can be sure of..... I probably won't win.  I just hope I get passed the first word. 

Im going to be late for work.....later!
SusieKnits

Okay , Ye ol' followers of iYarn Blogspot:

iYarn.webs.com has been frozen for what ever reason, so I will be posting here for now...maybe Ill just forget about the website thing for awhile and just blog about everything going on at iYarn...might be easier?  I spent the last year building it up and getting peeps used to that site....it's all over the advertising and biz cards and now it's frozen.  I have spent 2 frustrating weeks trying to contact these people, but guess what?  They can't be reached!  They will take your money for a premium site, but you can't actually talk to them if there is a problem or what the problem even is!!  GRRRRRRR

Knitting faster doesn't ease my frustrations, but I can talk nasty about them and that will make me feel better!

SO.....

Let's knit a sweater!!
Every Tuesday evening in February at 6:30, we will gather at 915 Main and do just that.  If you have never felt brave enough to begin a larger project on your own, this is for you!  No class fees, we will knit this project together, step by step.  Sound fun?  Come in to the shop and pick out your colors and order if necessary, so deadline to enter is Jan. 22 in case we need to order more patterns as well as your color.
We will begin the project by learning about gauge and knit a gauge swatch, change colors and button holes are optional in this one piece sweater.  You will gain so much confidence while knitting this sweater and learn so much!  Sign up now!

Business as usual around here this month in January.  Holiday decorations coming down and trying to transition into just winter.
Resolutions in place , which are just to finish my already begun projects, even though I still keep starting them.  I have babies due that need hats or socks, then of course scarf yarn for displays need hooked up.  And once I had to break from the other projects to knit me a hat.
I have a Remix sweater to finish, but at least Im on the sleeves.  A chunky Vest with Sundae, a now discontinued yarn to finish too.  Oh, and I almost forgot about the socks I'm knitting with Jawoll Magic in the , what Im calling tie dye colors.  I almost forgot about them because I haven't worked on them for so long.  They are two at a time toe up socks and I am working on the leg part.....the reason I am taking so long is because I am going to knit until I run out of yarn, so no yarn goes to waste!  umm, and I started a crochet project for a sweater thing.....it hurts me to crochet, but I loved the pattern enough to start it!
Finished!  I finished a long time project of a vest knit from Berroco's Captiva!  Yeah me!
I've just visited with the Euro Yarn's rep and new yarns are coming soon!  Of course I will have to make samples from them......ahhhh, so much yarn so little time!

Did you know iYarn now has #10 crochet thread?   Yup!  If you like to work with that stuff, come on in and take some out for a test spin!

Please help me spread the word!  Please forward this to any interested parties....this is where I will post all my important stuff, since those other people are being difficult!  Thank You!!
Susan

Fall Window Display 2012

Knitted pumpkins and Owl Puffs decorate this years fall windows.  I had lots of help knitting and crocheting these pumpkins to fill it up!  I have a great bunch of gals that come into the shop and are always willing to lend a hand with what ever I need!  Sometimes it's hard to admit I need help, like I have to prove that I can do this shop thing by myself....but why? 

Ive said it before, but I never get tired of saying it, I have a great bunch of yarn lovers that come into the store and I don't know what I would do without them! 

 

I have now been at my new location for 6 months!  It's gone by quickly, and I feel more busy than before.  Sales seem better here, even durring the slow summer months.  But I find with every year I am open, each year compared to the last is just a little bit better.  So, even when I feel like I don't know what Im doing, I am encouraged....maybe I am doing somthing right?  At least I feel more secure with this new building....I know the owner, she's nice enough, and if somthing goes wrong, I can get ahold of her! 

I still have a fear though, since the Manning street location, I can't open up the shop without checking things out and making sure everything is normal.  The flood was traumatic for me and I can't help thinking that Im going to go to work and it will all be destroyed by flood or worse!  But yet, because of the flood, it gave me a whole new perspective and opened my eyes to alot of things that weren't there before!    That's why I believe more than ever, things happen for a reason!  The flood was good for me and the yarn shop and it has taken me further than I have ever expected or even thought I wanted! 

 In 1999 I opened a craft shop with about 7 others and now look where I am?  Selling yarn for about 4 years now, I have my own building and it's all yarn and I am loving every minute of it!  It still amazes me and though others might get tired of hearing it, I like to look back and see where I came from....it makes me enjoy it even more!

I also tend to babble on and on.....

Summer at the yarn shop though, allows me to catch up on things and plan.  I like to plan as I knit...it helps me think.  I think I have overplanned October though!  Classes began with Knitting 101 in the evening, since it's just me, but now I also have an afternoon class planned.  Crochet 101 had one student and she's a lefty..probably good I only had her.  We also began our season of Chicks with Sticks in the store.  It ended up as an Open House and Ladies Night Out kinda thing.  It was fun and I had Rita come in with some chair massage , Pam brought her Mary Kay, Beth had her 31 bags and Sandi brought jewelry.  Most had drawings and give aways.  I gave away 2 goody bags full of yarn, book, needles and Lavashea Lotion Bars and Plymouth donated a Cowl Kit with Alpaca Chunky yarn!  We ate, drank, chatted, got massaged, put on make up and some of us knitted.  We had a good turn out and it was a fun evening!

 

Open House at iYarn

 

 

 

Aslo coming up in October is the Shop Hop!!  Early sales increased with the offer of the first 250 passports sold recieved a 2012 Yarn Shop Hop bag!  I sold out within the first 20 minutes opening day of the passport sales!  WoooHoooo!  I am so happy that more people from this area are interested in the hop.  Last year I sold 9 total....to date, I have sold 24!  So encouraging!

 

From last years hop!

Angi and Pendleton at Wamego where they started their adventure!

Jennifer and Pendleton deciding on lunch!

Marna and Pendleton in Manhattan!

Pendleton on the road with his itunes!  Isn't shop hopping fun????

 

 

I was approached by a 4-H leader to do a knitting class.  It's the Monday right after the hop!  Crikies!!  I must be mad!  I will need to solicite some help for that one though!!  Any volenteers?

This will be a fun night of teaching young people to knit and hopefully they will want to continue playing with and loving yarn!

 

I have lots of new yarns in the shop and I am having trouble finding places to put it.  My husband says, " Don't you think you have enough yarn"?  He just doesn't get it, does he?  Leave the yarn biz to me, I say, I may not know what I'm doing, but I know enough to know, YOU NEED YARN TO HAVE A YARN SHOP!!   haha I love it when peeps come in the shop and comment that I have such a nice variety of yarn and needles.  That's the hard part, not knowing what people want to see or what they will need.  If it's not in my store, they will find a store that does have it..or worse...find it online!!

 I love my husband of 38 years....he is a keeper and he is encouraging at times.  He at least supports me in this and it's a good thing he supports us financially while I build this thing!!  Thanks honey!

 

Okay, Ive had a great time blogging this morning.....I should do it more often!  I am not a woman of many words, and with facebook, the shop website and a newsletter to put out...I run out of things to say!  But though, this is more of a diary of my thoughts, I think there is alot in my brain that needs to come out from time to time.  Does anyone read this anyway?  Doesn't matter, somtimes a girl just needs to type!!

 

Enjoy your October and remember, if you knit faster, you stay warm!

Susieknits

 

 

 

One More Time

I suppose I could blog about something about now.  I'm afraid to be so bold as to think that I am going to stand in one place and act like I know what I'm doing. 
I am not in control, believe it or not!  For what ever reason, just when I get settled in and think I'm where I am supposed to be....BAM!  I remember a childhood game called Upset the Fruitbasket....it's kinda like that!  But the strange thing about what just happened is that I was working towards it all along, but thought it was for a different reason. 
I had the opportunity to purchase a building.  Not just any building.  It just so happens I have druelled over this building for as long as I can want a building for either my craft shop or my yarn shop.  However, I never EVER dreamed it would be mine one day.  It was just to far over the top for even me, the dreamer.  It happened so fast, I am still realling!  I had to make a dicision in about 3 days and I just got tired of having the anxiety attacks and called to tell them I wanted it and only at this moment in time was it even possible.  So I stepped out of my comfort zone and just went for it!
Now that I am all moved and most everything put away, I just want to sit in awe of it all. 

 iYarn's permenent location at 915 Main in beautiful downtown Winfield Kansas

www.iyarn.webs.com

home of iYarn

I have been partnered with people since the opening of our craft biz in 1999, and now, it's just me.  It's kind of scarey when I think about it.  Can I make it on my own?  Did I rush into this ?  What if the yarn shop can't support itself ?  Crap!  What have I done?
Negativity creeps in ...I have to have faith that things will be alright.  After all, God opened the doors for me every step of the way, I have to believe that I am where I am supposed to be.
I have great support, how can I fail?  My husband is a realist.  When I had the craft shop, it was a hobby and it kept me off the streets.  When I started buying yarn, he kept saying, "don't you have ENOUGH yarn"?  He doesn't get it.  I kept telling him that the yarn shop when built up, will be a great retirement business for us.  I had a need to prove to him I could make something of it.  So, when I talked to him about the building, he said go for it.  Even though, I do pretty much what I want if I feel I need to do it, I needed his approval, and maybe thought he would talk me out of it.  He didn't.
It would have been so like him to say, well, I hope you can make a go of it!  But he didn't.
After he saw the yarn shop put back together, he said very quietly,"you did good".  That meant more to me than he will ever know!
I have been there for a month now.  It was a slow month, but moves always hurt!  They need to find me again and I have alot planned for the month of May to get me kick started again. 
I think since I have a website for the shop, I plan to come here and just ramble about the shop and what happens there.  It could be fun!
Knit ON my friends!