| Jimmy Beans Wool Newsletter! |
| Hi
everyone! |
|
We just returned from vacation last month and I must say that it
was absolutely incredible. For 5 days, we sailed around
the British Virgin Islands - knitting, reading, eating, and just
hanging out. Spent the same amount of time lounging around the
islands - swimming, snorkeling, eating.... Life sure is easier
when there's no work to do!!
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|
KNITTING RETREAT - JUNE 13-15 |
The retreat went
wonderfully. There were 43 of us - students and teachers. The
weather was incredible and all of the feedback was great. Lots of
classes, food, fun and good people. For those of you that didn't
attend this summer, next summer will be here before you know
it!
Check out some of the knitting retreat pictures.
|
| NEW
YARNS |
|
We
have put together a baby cap and bootie kit to dye for.... (i
mispelled that on purpose). Lorna's has dyed some bunny fur for us
in beautiful colors and we've put 2 hanks together with a pattern
for a hat and booties... packaged together in a cute
pink, white, or blue organza bag, it makes a great baby shower
gift!!
Cottons and Tapes - that's the story of the
summer!
Cotton Cashmere... yeah - you heard me --
a cotton and cashmere blend that is to die for. It's just
incredible. It's machine washable, 5 sts/inch, and comes in 16
beautiful colors (and i have them all!!)
Cotton DK ... at 4 sts/inch, this
cotton is velvety soft and comes in a ton of summery colors. the
blues and greens are my favorite.
Cotton Classic ... another sport weight
cotton, but this one is mercerized and has a bright shiny look to
it. I've got primary colors in stock, which are great for all of
the toddlers in your life!
Capri ... i can't even begin to explain
how wonderful this Cotton Tape yarn was to work with. as soon as
the UPS guy dropped off this yarn, i had to make something out of
it. (of course, at 3 sts/inch, the gauge was right in my
ballpark!!). my friend wore the tank top that i made to the
hairdressers and the women wouldn't stop touching her!! Comes in
complimentary variegated and solid colors.
Victoria ... my latest project is using
this yarn. great variegated colors, 4 sts/inch cotton blend
i-cordish yarn with a shimmery finish. i'm doing another tank top
from the Yarn Girls Guide to Simple Knits (have i mentioned that i
love this book?)
Rondo ... this cotton blend tape is a
little different from the other. it works up a bit gauzy (like the
orlando), but has more texture, a bit of shine, and deeper
colors. people have loved this yarn for summery scarves and cute
tops. mix it with 1 ball of eyelash on size 15 needles and
have a blast!!
Orlando ... another cotton tape for the
summer, but this one is very very light. almost gauzy. it's the
perfect beach yarn - cover ups, sarongs, light tank tops, you
won't believe it. Also around 3 sts/inch, so your project will fly
by.
Street ... more cotton tape .. this one
has intensly variegated colors and knits up quickly. i've seen
tops done and they're great!
Mutine ... I've had Mutine for a little
while, but i just expanded the color selection. 10 incredible
colors for this yarn - stop by and see "the halter top that i'll
never finish" - it shows how well Mutine mixes with other yarns
... and how beautiful it is by itself. Sport weight, light and
linen-y with some short metallic fibers. not too shiny, though.
just enough.
Summer Tweed ... silk and cotton tweed
that knits at 4 sts/inch. the colors are rich and i have 15 of
them in stock! only takes 3 balls to knit a small tank top.
and, as usual, the pattern support is incredible. i have a tank
knit in the store out of 3 different shades of
red
Linen Drape ... a nice light weight linen
that's perfect for shells and t-shirts (diane's t-shirt would be
perfect! and she's designed a new pattern that will be knit with
it). knits at 5 sts/inch. there's a top hanging on my front door
knit out of the linen. it knits much softer than you would ever
think. come see it!
4 Ply Cotton ... a fingering weight 100%
cotton that knits up soft and smooth. i just ordered 10 more
beautiful rowan colors, though i have to admit that i can't ever
imagine knitting with anything that thin....
:)
Capri ... i LOVE this
yarn. a super duper soft cotton blend that knits at 4/inch and has
a bit of shine to it. if i do one more tank top this summer, i'm
going to use this yarn.
Cascade ...
another 4/inch alternative! my friend Becky is still working on a
top out of this yarn... and i have a finished one hanging in my
other window. it's hard to describe - the yarn is sort of tape-y
and sort of railroad-y at the same time.
whew... i even have a few more new ones,
but i'm tired of typing!! you'll have to come in and see them!!
And, of course, always check in to see which new
novelty yarns i've gotten - 20 new eyelash colors just in the
last week!
|
| !! FURRY SECRET
SUMMER SALE !! |
|
Furry yarns are on sale for the month of July.
Come in (or
order online and enter code JULYFUR) and take 20% off of the following furry scarf (and sweater)
yarns:
|
| MY
CURRENT PROJECTS |
:: My first Noro Sweater -
using Diane's top-down sweater pattern (www.knittingpureandsimple.com),
i'm using Noro Kureyon and it's striping for me naturally! I
actually just finished this last week, but I thought you might
want to come take a look at it next time you're in town! It's
gorgeous (if i do say so myself) and the colors are some of the
richest that i've ever seen (the fibers are dyed before
they're spun.) confession -- this sweater is different shades of
brown. i'm sorry that i'm so boring.
:: yet another tank top -
using the same pattern from The
Yarn Girls Guide to Simple Knits that i knit from
earlier, this time i used Tahki Victoria in denim and brown
colors. I finished this tank during the retreat and it's darling!
:: a vest that clasps in the
front. soooo cute. it's a Gedifra pattern and i'm knitting with 1
strand of Maori and 1 of Cotton Cashmere -- and i'm knitting in
Blue!! no more brown!! i've finished the back and am doing both
front parts at the same time ... just a few more rows...
:: i started a winter sweater
and am still trying to stay away from brown. this time, i chose a
burgandy boucle called Chimere and i mixed it with cranberry
Mutine - to give it some sparkle. Again, i'm using diane's pattern
for a top down sweater, only i'm making it a bit smaller, adding a
cable to the front, and am adding shaping to the sides of it (ask
me how!). i love her patterns because i can use different yarns
and change one or two small things and it looks completely
different. and i don't have to sew anything together. that's my
idea of heaven.
:: finally, i just couldn't
help it... i've started knitting a throw with 6 different yarns.
several women have come in lately with samples of upholstry and
we've put together yarns that match perfectly... i couldn't stand
it anymore - the colors were too gorgeous, so i put together a few
yarns for myself to knit. you have to come in and see it - i put
together a boucle (chimere), a ribbon (rondo), an eyelash (metal),
a furry yarn (fee), and a shiny one (mutine). on size 19 needles,
this is going to go quickly...
UPDATES FROM THE LAST
NEWSLETTER
:: a tank top done on
circular needles up to the armholes (i always convert tank top
patterns - ask me how!) - using Plymouth
Eros . i'm using the gold color and it's starting to look like
a rain shower of jewels.. (can you imagine that?) ... Ok, i gave up on this when i realized
that i'd never wear it. I ripped out the eros and combined it with
Charm and made an incredible shawl. the whole thing took 2 balls
of eros and 4 of the charm. you'll have to come in and see it to
believe it.
:: FINISHED!!! a tank top done on
circular needles up to the armholes - using Tahki
Capri a 100% Cotton tape that knits up bulky and quickly!!
they have great variegated colors, so i just used 1 ball of each
color and created some interesting and beautiful stripes... this
is currently my favorite yarn - it is sooo soft and nice to knit
with. The pattern is from my new favorite book - The
Yarn Girls Guide to Simple Knits. :: FINISHED!!! a purse/bag out of Rowan
Biggy
Print and Big
Wool the bag is done with a red/pink multi color and the
straps and trim are done with the matching pink. it's so cute and
quick (size 15 and 19 needles) that you'll want to make one for
everyone! :: FINISHED!!!
wine bottle holders - i'm using a great furry fun yarn
called micro-chic
that knits up quickly on 10.5 needles - i've already made one
holder and given it as a present. the friend that i gave it to
loved it and wants me to knit her 3 more, so that she can use them
for blind tasting parties (she lives in sonoma)!!! ::
FINISHED!!! another tank top
from the Yarn Girls book using Turino
Silk - 100% Silk that comes in gorgeous colors. I'm using the
off-white... (everyone knows how boring my color choices are...)
:: FINISHED!!! a
scarf using 1 strand of Mutine
- a slightly furry summer weight yarn - and 1 strand of Binario -
Trendsetter's version of Eros (a railroad track yarn). I choose a
lemony yellow Mutine
and a Binario with LOTS OF COLOR. you should see it - it has
"Springtime" written all over it.... :: FINISHED (JUST LAST NIGHT)!!! and,
last but not least, a pair of incredible socks for my wonderful
husband!! i'm using lorna's
laces worsted weight superwash wool yarn . i already have a
few pair of socks for myself from this yarn and it is wonderful.
the colors are fun to knit up and the yarn is nice and soft... but
long lasting. i'm knitting both of his socks at the same time - on
2 circular needles. i usually have them at the shop, so let me
know if you'd like to see how i'm doing it!
...STILL NOT
DONE...
:: yet another tank,
but this time i allowed my creative side to shine through. i'm
working on the front first (no circular needles for this one) and
am creating diagonal stripes. here's my stripe pattern:
:: sage green Mutine
(the fun summer yarn i am also using for a scarf)
:: multi-colored ribbon from Anny
Blatt - in greens and purples. you would never expect shiny
ribbon to knit up so nicely... :: sage
green Mutine
:: 1 strand sage green Mutine
and 1 strand gold Eros
(the railroad track yarn) :: sage
green Mutine
:: 1 strand sage green Mutine
and 1 strand green and blue Charm
- a novelty yarn from Trendsetter
that has little strips of chenille in it... this section is my
favorite!!! :: felted clogs. ok, i finished the first one
back in october, but just can't seem to get the needles out to do
the 2nd one... |
| ...
and what do i have my eye on??? |
|
:: well, i've been
wanting to knit a sweater out of vamos for myself for a very long
time... i've
given up and sent the yarn to be knit by someone else. how
sad. i can't wait to see it though...
:: a top out of the Online Orlando. that tape is sooo airy, i can't stand it.
:: Stitches Midwest in August.
Becky and i are headed to chicago in august to do the Stitches
show. so, if i'm grumpy and stressed towards the end of august,
you'll know why! Wish us luck - we're also going to the new home
of Lorna's Laces to check it out... and beth, the new owner, has
agreed to work at my booth on saturday and to host a "Meet Lorna's
Laces" hour!! it will be a blast (she's one of the neatest people
i've met).
|
| Just
who is this Jimmy Bean??? |
|
It's me - Laura! Here's how
the name evolved:
When doug (my husband now) and
i first met, we were listening to a new album by Todd Snider and
heard a song that we loved called Doublewide Blues. In the song,
one of the characters' names is Jimmy.. and he's the envy of the
neighborhood because he has a blue plastic pool on his back deck.
so doug started calling me "jimmy" as in "cool like jimmy" and
has ever since. all of his friends call me the same thing.
when we decided to open the
store, we thought that it would be a good idea to also sell coffee
(and to see which worked better, the knitting or the coffee). we
thought that "jimmy bean" would be cute, fitting, and distinct!!
and when Diane said that she liked the name also, we decided that
it was a go!! |
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This
is our second newsletter, so please let us know what you think or
if you have problems reading it! Thank you!
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