Friday, January 21, 2011

All Strung Out in Guelph

It's been a whirlwind week, and I don't just mean the weather.

Tuesday night I was voted president of the Forest City Knit Club.  I had tried to take the position last year, but my out-of-town job intervened.  This year my work situation feels so stable, I thought I'd try again.  I'm so excited because I've got lots of great ideas and the people in the group are so excited and enthusiastic.  If you live in the London, Ontario area, come check us out.

Then I went to work on Wednesday in Waterloo and I also stayed overnight on Thursday because of a big meeting on Friday.  Well, Thursday night is the knit and chat evening at All Strung Out in Guelph and here was my chance to check it out. 


First off, All Strung Out just moved to a new location that has beautiful stone in the walls, a high antique tin ceiling, a wonderfully huge street-front window, and it's packed to the gills with yarn.  The place is Cascade heaven.  Just check out this gorgeous wall of color as rendered by Cascade 220 and Cascade sport:


And that's just the tip of the iceberg.  Almost every weight and put-up of Cascade was represented.  Plus plenty of other yarns, some fiber, and a generous selection of needles and accessories.  They stocked up the new location plenty and I'm pretty sure they aren't done yet.


But I didn't get to all these delectable details until after the knit and chat.  When I first came in, the store was packed with happy knitters doing what we do best.  It was a little intimidating, I'll own, but they soon made me welcome with a hearty shout out and showing me a chair.  It didn't take long before I felt just like one of the gang.  There was a new knitter, just trying out her first sock.  There was lace knitters, a sweater design in progress, and one girl was using the store's ball winder and swift to turn her skeins into cakes.  A bunch of yarn was making the rounds for pats and smooshes. 

Of course I bought yarn.  I know you want to see, so here it is:

The red I'm going to swatch up and then get Paula to order me enough to make Kilronan for Jim.  The greeny-blue is Cascade hand paint sock yarn.  I just couldn't leave that color behind!  And that glittery Berroco is what I'll be working with tonight. I can hardly wait.  I'm going to make a store sample of my Fiber Fish mitten pattern.  I wonder if I can get it done to show you on Sunday evening? 

9 comments:

  1. Yay on your presidency! And I think that red looks yummy...

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  2. Congrats on your presidency! That collection of Cascade is amazing. I am going to Vancouver tomorrow and a friend and I are doing a yarn crawl. Cascade is at the top of my wish list.

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  3. It's been far too long since I've been to Guelph, now I have another reason to go!

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  4. Hey, congratulations! I wish I could join in on that group, but I think Maryland is just a tad too far to make the trip...your yarn pic makes me want to run upstairs and risk waking the hubby to go get my knitting!

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  5. Woot on spreading your enthusiasm for knitting via the group. Those store pics are heavenly. Looks like a place that provides exactly the kind of colorful, tactile, creative pick-me-up a winter-weary soul needs.

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  6. What a nice looking store...luv the stonework.
    DS lives in Waterloo so when I visit him I will check that store out. It's on the way!
    Are you going to the Knitter's Fair this year Laurie? We (Hubbert Farms) will be there. We are not going to do the Frolic this year as we much prefer the space at The Fair better. I am going to have some great new rovings made with our Gotland/Alpaca and Finnwool/Alpaca for the show!

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  7. Congratulations Pres! All Strung Out looks like a wonderful store.
    B

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  8. Congratulations on your presidency! LOVE that yarn shop...hmmm...road trip from Columbus, Ohio, to Guelph...

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  9. I am delighted that you will be our knitterly leader at the Forest City Knit Club! Yay!

    Love that yarn store and love your yarns! Can't wait to see the fibre fish mitten in that berroco!

    Lucky Jim!

    See you soon :-)

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