Wizard of OZ yarn club 2009-2010

I'd like to let you all in on a special club I'll be designing for this year... I'm doing 4 of the 9 patterns... (and they aren't all socks!!!)


















Fresh From the Cauldron's Wizard of OZ yarn club!

Sign ups: NOW!

Price includes, 2 hanks of yarn, 1 pattern, swag, and priority shipping each month.

Club dates: May 2009 thru January 2010.

There are 18 colorways, so 2 per month for nine months.

This is a yarn club not a sock club, therefore, fiber content and yarn weights will vary.

This club uses all luxury fibers; i.e. silk blends, cashmere blends, bfl, etc. I've got some of them here and I must say they are really nice!

Patterns will be applicable to one, if not both, colorways per shipment.

Price has been set to $75 per month. This includes 2 hanks of luxury yarn, priority shipping in the US, 1 pattern, and swag (Jen is known for fantastic swag, people).

International members are more than welcome :)

FINE PRINT: This club is limited to 15 spots and 9 are already filled. Hurry!

If you're on Ravelry go directly here to sign up.

Other links of interest:

Squib Stitcher's Blog

Fresh From the Cauldron Etsy Shop

Fresh From the Cauldron Ravelry Group

Errata - Prairie House Shawl

This is no proud moment for me but despite outside test knitting and proofing, there is a problem with the early version of the Prairie House Shawl pattern.

This is how the "Center Panel" instructions should read:

Center Panel:
7 Eyelet Stripes:
Work Eyelet Lace Pattern A. (96 sts)
Row 13: Sl 1, yo, ssk, ssk, yo, *k2, ssk, yo; rep to last 3 sts, k3.
Row 14: K1, p to last st, k1.
Row 15: Sl 1, yo, ssk, k to end.
Row 16: (and all even rows until the end) K1, p to last 3 sts, p2tog, k1.
Row 17: Sl 1, yo, ssk, k1. *k2tog, yo, k2; rep to last 3 sts, k3.
Row 19: Rep row 15.
Row 21: Sl 1, yo, ssk, k1, ssk, yo, *k2, ssk, yo; rep to last 3 sts, k3.
Row 23: Rep row 15.
Row 25: Rep row 17.
Row 27: Rep row 15.
Row 28: Rep row 16. (89 sts)

If you bought the pattern, you should have been emailed this information along with a link to download the latest version. Let me know if you have any problems!

Thanks for your patience, and I am deeply sorry for the error. All patterns purchased after Feb 27th, 2009 will be fine.

This week in the free world

Whatta week! Here are the top ten events of the last seven days:

1. The teacher list was announced today for the Sock Summit. Go ahead and look, then come right back. I'll still be here.

Are you kidding me?!

I know!!!!

I'm one of the teachers, along with Barbara Walker, Meg Swansen, Nancy Bush, Cat Bordhi, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, etc. etc. etc. Let's just say I'm a wee bit nervous and will probably do something to embarrass myself within moments of arrival. If not sooner.

Also, trying to explain to muggles why this is a big freaking deal isn't fun. You people get it though, yeah? I believe this picture explains sock knitting very well:



2. I talked to Stephanie Pearl-McPhee on the phone. For over 20 minutes. Pretending it was normal.

3. Actually, I have a borderline psychotic outgoing message on my cell phone voicemail. It pleases me to no end that she had to listen to it in order to leave me a message. And she complimented me on it.

Yes, the first 3 were all about the Sock Summit. It was by far the biggest thing that happened this week, obviously.

4. A promotion at work! I work at Twisted yarn shop. I've been made assistant to the regional manager. And I got a fancy pen. Jealous?

5. What a lovely response to the Prairie House Shawl pattern (modeled by Brooke). Thanks all!



6. Movies! The Portland International Film Fest is nearly over but I've thoroughly enjoyed the ride.

7. New brake pads. I'm enjoying the sudden ease of stopping. I suffer the $400 price tag.

8. Got the Knitscene project shipped. You'll know more what this is about in July or so.

9. I love Portland, but I missed California a bit this week. There. I said it.

10. I've been waiting many years to make this happen... you see, I really wanted to go see the Harlem Globetrotters this weekend. I couldn't think of anyone else who would want to see them. (see #9) Oh well. Maybe next year?

Prairie House Shawl

New pattern alert!

This project was inspired by something a young Laura Ingalls Wilder might sport in anticipation of spring. (Cue Little House on the Prairie theme)



Peaks and valleys (or knots and eyelets) make up this pretty and practical shawlette using only 350 yards of fingering weight yarn. Because this project is worked side to side, it is a great way to jump into lace knitting without the casting on or binding off of hundreds of stitches.



The middle shawl here is knit from Schaefer Yarns Heather (55% Merino wool Superwash, 35% cultivated silk, 15% Nylon; 400 yards [365 m] / 4oz [113 g]), 1 skein.



The shawl pictured here and in the first pic is knit from Claudia’s Hand Painted Yarns, Fingering Weight (100% Merino; 175 yards [160 m] / 1.75oz [50 g]), 2 skeins. Color: Desert Dusk.

Closing credits: Many thanks to my lovely models Brooke and Vivian!

(End of episode, get a snack)

$4 buy now

Arctic Blast Mitts

Spoiler alert: if you are in the Single Skein Club you might want to look away!

Of course, I'd rather you stayed a minute. I'd like to show off some armwarmers I made, even though the pattern is in limited release at the mo.

Backstory: December 2008, Portland. A snow storm hit our town hard. Some called it Snowpocalypse. It was offically named Arctic Blast. So too are these fingerless gloves I was knitting at the time.



(Thanks to Vivian Harbert for being such a fun hand model!)

This is a pattern I wrote for the Single Skein Club for Twisted Yarn Shop in Portland, OR. It will be available to the public after Feb 1st, 2010.

Yarn: Malabrigo Silky Merino (50% Silk, 50% Merino; 50 grams,150 yards/137 m) 1 skein



Some people live in towns that expect two feet of snow. These towns have snow plows and salt and intrepid spirits that function despite the challenges.

I live in a town that panicked. We had some plowing of the major streets, with sand instead of salt. But if you didn't have chains, you weren't driving anywhere.

I did what I had to do... I stayed at home with some hot tea, bad movies, and knit some armwarmers. And now I get to brag that I officially survived the Arctic Blast of Ought Eight.