Our Blog

Patty Lyons’s Affiknity Retreat

by Catherine Witlox
Patty Lyons’s Affiknity Retreat
After having taken several workshops with Patty Lyons both in person and online (and reading her book), I came to learn that her way of teaching works well for me and that despite all the knitting courses I’ve been in over the past 20 or so years, there’s plenty still she can teach me. So this year, I signed up for her Affiknity knitting retreat....
Posted in affiknity, knitting retreat

Knitting/Crocheting for Mental Health

by Cathy Witlox
Knitting/Crocheting for Mental Health
I worry about us this winter. We must stay vigilant to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but taking precautions against the pandemic--particularly not being able to gather with friends and loved ones--may make winter feel especially long....
Posted in knitting and depression, mental health

Summer Top Season Is Coming!

by Cathy Witlox
Summer Top Season Is Coming!
It has become tradition every May/June that we celebrate the promise of good weather to come by casting on a summer top in our Summer Top Knit-Along (KAL). While this spring is different from any other spring any of us has seen, we are determined to stick to tradition. Summer WILL come. We WILL get to be outside. And we hopefully will get to see friends and family and neighbours who will admire our summer tops and ooh and aah at our impressive knitting skills.
Posted in KAL, knit-along, summer knitting, summer top

An Upside to the Downtime

by Cathy Witlox
An Upside to the Downtime
We're all reeling a bit from this "new normal" we're navigating due to the oppressive presence of Covid-19.  My greatest hope is that you are all s...
Posted in online store

TNNA Days 3 & 4

by Cathy Witlox
The National Needlearts Association offers learning opportunities specifically for retailers of needlearts products. In my four days in Cleveland, ...

TNNA Day 2

by Cathy Witlox
Whew! It was a whirlwind! I started my day at 6:30 (which I virtually never do!). My first workshop was at 8, and I was plagued by a not-enough-sle...

TNNA Day 1

by Cathy Witlox
TNNA Day 1
I am blogging a day late because I had just no time yesterday! I met a fellow shop owner over breakfast: Mary Virginia from Dixie Knits in Pensaco...

A Love of Knitting Unites Us

by Cathy Witlox

Hello, friends! I am blogging from Cleveland, Ohio, where I am attending my first National Needlearts Association (TNNA) conference. Exciting!

My navigation system said the drive from Cobourg was only 5.75 hours without stops—not bad. And it was a good day for a drive, with sunshine and clear skies the whole way. Since I had the whole day, I used Ravelry's new Road Trip feature, which lists all yarn stores between a traveller's starting and ending points. 

Our First Anniversary

by Cathy Witlox
Yesterday we celebrated our first year. Since practically day one, I have felt elated and overwhelmed by the response the store has received. Yesterday, though, that feeling was increased tenfold.

It Takes a Community to Build an LYS

by Cathy Witlox
Opening Yarn It! was the realization of a longtime dream. I'd never taken the dream seriously because I didn't think it was realistic, plus I had a...

Gathering and Frolicking: Helpful Hints for Attending Fibre Fests

by Cathy Witlox
Fibre fest season is in full swing, and I know that many of you are attending a festival for the first time. Thinking back to my first time at the ...

Gauge Swatching

by Cathy Witlox

Who wants to do a gauge swatch when there's all that fun knitting to do? However, for certain projects, a gauge swatch really needs to be the first thing you cast on. If you're knitting a scarf or a shawl, the gauge doesn't matter a lot. But if you're knitting a garment intended to fit the person you're knitting it for, gauge matters.

Posted in gauge, gauge swatch, getting gauge, knitting, sweater knitting