Knits & Pearls

February Class Schedule Update

2012-01-30T08:51:00.000-08:00

We had so many people take Beginning Knitting in January that we wanted to make sure we offered some great classes for new knitters. We also wanted to make sure we were offering fun projects for our more advanced knitters and beaders. Check our website http://myknitsandpearls.com for the most up-to-date, complete class schedule, but below we wanted to give you the highlights of our featured classes:

Thrummed Mittens Wednesday, February 8 & 15 1-3pm
	From the outside these look like standard, albiet thick, mittens with a little pretty dot pattern. Its the inside that make these mittens really stand out. We'll show you how to use wool roving to create a fleecy lining to hug your hands and keep them warm in the coldest weather. Two sessions; $20 Difficulty: Advanced Beginner
Placemats Saturday, February 11 & 18 1-3pm
	Juliane designed this class with all knitters in mind, including new knitters looking to practice the skills they learned in Beginning Knitting. You'll learn two repetitive motifs using basic techniques to create pretty new patterns. Two Sessions; $20. Difficulty: Advanced Beginner
Easy Casual Vest Wednesday, February 1, 22, and March 7 6-8pm
	Knit in one piece with soft, chunky yarn and minimal seaming, you'll be able to make this simple, chic vest in no time. Great for beginners looking for an interesting first or second project and advanced beginner knitters, you'll practice your increasing and decreasing skills and learn how to do seams, all while making a beautiful accessory. Three Sessions; $30 Difficulty: Advanced Beginner
Felt Your Own Project Thursday, February 9 & 23 6-8pm
	We've heard the interest for a class in felting and know this is going to be a popular class. You'll choose your project - whether it's slippers, clogs, mittens, or a bag - and we'll give you the guidance you need to knit the project and felting it successfully. Two sessions; $20 Difficulty: Advanced Beginner
Socks! Tuesday, February 7, 21, & March 6 6-8pm
	Socks! Sock knitting is uber popular and Juliane is going to teach you everything you need to know to make your first pair. Students taking this class can do any basic sock pattern from the book Sensational knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch using either double pointed needles or two circular needles. Three sessions; $10 per session.
Metal Stamping Thursday, February 9 6-8pm
	Metal Stamping Do you want to make a special Valentine's Day charm or pendant? Are you ready to start creating custom designer tags for the jewelry you sell? Do you want to create personalized charms or pendants with names, inspirational words, or birthdates? Julie will help you learn how to use metal stamps with metal blanks to create unique charms and pendants. So you can try before you buy, Julie will bring her collection of metal stamps, including a variety of sizes of letters and numbers in different fonts as well as several design stamps, for you to use in class. Please Bring: a hammer, a metal bench block or jeweler's anvil, otherwise we have them here for less than $20. Difficulty:Advanced Beginner PRICE: $15 + Supplies (bench block & metal blanks available at Knits & Pearls).
Cold Connections: Rivets Thursday, February 23 6-8pm
	Cold Connections: Rivets . Please Bring: a hammer, a metal bench block or jeweler's anvil, otherwise we have them here for less than $20. Also bring any pre-made metal pieces (including stamped or etched pieces) from your stash that you would like to rivet. Difficulty:Intermediate PRICE: $15 + Supplies (tools & metal blanks available at Knits & Pearls).

Julie's Work at the Textile Center's Holiday Sale

2011-10-30T14:01:00.000-07:00

Julie, our jewelry and beading instructor, and who works in the store on Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday, will have some of her work on display for sale at the Textile Center's Holiday Sale. Julie will have earrings, bracelets, sweater & shawl pins, and necklaces available and all feature her handmade, annealed lampwork beads.

Textile Center
3000 University Ave SE
Minneapolis, MN 55414 (Map)
Telephone 612-436-0464

Holiday Sale November 1 to December 30, 2011
Free and open to the public
Gallery & Shop Hours are
Mon-Thu 10-7,
Fri & Sat 10-5

Grand Opening Weekend for Holiday Show and Sale
Nov. 11, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Nov. 12, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Nov. 13, 12 to 4 p.m.

The textile center says this about the sale, "If you love buying and giving finely crafted, artist-made work, this show and sale is perfect for you. The Holiday Show and Sale features high-quality fiber art by more than 150 artists from Minnesota and across the country. Artwork ranges from unique knitted mittens, felted ornaments and beaded jewelry to stunning art quilts, woven placemats and shibori-dyed garments. No matter your holiday budget, you will find plenty to give and treasure."

http://www.textilecentermn.org/gallery.asp

Need Holiday Gift Ideas?

2011-10-30T13:33:00.001-07:00

We know many of you have already been in the store to pick up the first of your supplies for the Holiday gifts you are making. But, if any of you aren't sure what to make, or need more ideas for small, simple gifts for some of the special people on your list, we wanted to give you some ideas. And if you need any help finishing up your Holiday knitting the first of our Finish Your Christmas Projects clinics will be on Sunday, December 4^th from 1-3pm.

If you are trying to save a little money this year (and, really, who isn't?) and want to use some of what you already have stashed, we have a series of really great resources in the One Skein Wonders books. What is great about these pattern books, versus individual patterns, is that you get over one hundred beautiful patterns all designed to use limited amounts of yarn. You also get over one hundred opportunities to learn or practice different techniques and stitches, in small, fast-to-complete projects to help you build your knitting repertoire. All of this for less than $20.

One-Skein Wonders 101 Yarn Shop Favorites by Judith Durant	101 Designer One-Skein Wonders by Judith Durant
Sock Yarn One-Skein Wonders 101 Patterns That Go Way Beyond Socks! by Judith Durant	Luxury Yarn One-Skein Wonders 101 Small Indulgences by Judith Durant

Maybe you don't need hundreds of patterns. If you've just been wondering what is on the lips and needles of the stylish this fall, the patterns we've been getting many requests for are brimmed caps, and headbands that can be embellished with flowers. To help you get started on your search we found a few patterns on Ravelry we thought you might like, then just stop in and we'll help you find the yarn you need:

Brimmed Cap by shazzasknits Flickr	Mikey Cap by kribit Flickr
Crocheted Brimmed Cap © Lion Brand Yarn	Crocheted Visor Cap © Coats & Clark
Whitney Headband by jennlikesyarn Flickr	Garter Stitch Headband © flyingcat
Blooming Rose Headband © Veronica O'Neil	Irish Rose 2 © Leanda

Of course, if you're looking for an easy Holiday-related idea, we also have a great, really fun book on Christmas balls to knit by the very fun Arne and Carlos.

What Is Ravelry and How Does It Work?

2011-10-27T15:58:00.000-07:00

As the knitting season has been building we've been getting many people coming in to ask for specific patterns: hats in non-wool yarn, or a tunic in Mohair. While we have many books and individual patterns for you to browse, Ravelry continues to be a very efficient way of finding patterns for the yarns we carry. It tells you WHICH book or pattern to look for in the store - if it isn't available to print for free online.

Ravelry is a tool with a wide scope. It is a hub for knitters, crocheters, designers, and yarn companies to communicate and share information in an easily searchable way. You can find patterns and see images of what different people made along with their notes on the pattern and yarn. You can also use the forums to find discontinued yarn in specific dye lots, or just to ask for people's opinions on a particular product. You can join groups and communicate with like-minded crafters to share tips and ideas. If you think you'd like to give it a try for yourself, just read on and we'll tell you both how to sign up and how to browse for patterns.

If you do nothing else with the site, it is an amazing tool for finding patterns - many free - with advanced pattern search options that allow you to find patterns for specific things (hats, sweaters, socks), for specific kinds of yarn (DK, worsted, super bulky), and yarn yardage (perfect when you have a specific amount of stash you want to use), and that's just the basics of the advanced search. For Halloween, we did a search for 'Halloween' and specified that we only wanted patterns with pictures and patterns that were free. We found these patterns that you could still whip up this weekend and we have beautiful yarns that will work for all of them:

Halloween Treat Bags © barbara143	Halloween Wreath © Lion Brand Yarn
Candy Basket © DRG	Brain Monster costume hat by randomcyn Flickr

To sign up, click on the Sign Up button and provide your e-mail address. For those of you weary about giving out your e-mail address, we Ravelers in the shop wanted to let you know that we've never had a problem with spam from this site!

After entering your e-mail address and clicking the "Send Sign Up Link" button, you'll get a screen like.

We got our e-mail in less than a minute.

Click on the link they provide and you'll be send to a page where you'll pick your username and password. After that, you'll be free to roam Ravelry and enjoy all of its features, including posting your own projects and making notes on the yarn and patterns you used to make them.

To search for specific patterns click on the Patterns tab, which is visible on every page in Ravelry.

On the patterns page you can type in the general kind of pattern you want and you'll get search results, but to get specific pattern ideas you'll want to click on the pattern browser & advanced search link.

On the next page you'll see a column of options on the left-hand side of the screen. By checking items you limit the results that appear in the screen to patterns that fulfill the criteria you checked. You only have to check off criteria that matters to you. You do not need to check an item in every box if you don't care about it - like if you didn't care what fiber content of yarn you used for a particular sweater pattern, or if you didn't care what kind of pattern results you got for a particular length of a specific kind of yarn.

The criteria you can select for include:

Has a photo (yes or no)

Craft (crochet or knitting)

Availablity (free, available online, purchase in print)

Category (Clothing, accessories, home, toys, etc.)

Attributes (colorwork, construction, shapes, etc.)

Gender, Age, Size, Fit

Yarn Weight

Yarn Yardage

Yarn Meterage

Pattern Source Type

Hook Size

Fiber

Needle Size

Rating

Difficulty

Language

So, go check it out and have some fun!

October Schedule & A Peek At November

2011-09-29T16:46:00.001-07:00

We wanted to make sure everyone remembered that the Mitered Square Scarf with new instructor Shelly Kang is coming up on October 5^th. She will need to know her class numbers sooner than later, so if you have been thinking about taking this class sign up now!

Since we anticipate a busy Fall class season, please remember that we request you sign up and pay in advance by calling or visiting the store. You can now also register and pay for Julie's jewelry and beading classes online. Classes will be canceled if they do not have the minimum registered participants in advance of the class. Payments made will be applied toward future classes. For more detail, please call the store.

All classes are 6-8pm and 2 hours long, unless otherwise noted.

October 2011 Class Schedule

If the links below do not work in your browser, try going to the schedule on our website http://myknitsandpearls.com. You can also check to make sure your browser is not blocking pop-ups.

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
September 25	September 26 Knitting Clinic	September 27	September 28 Knitting Clinic	September 29	September 30	October 1 Sweater & Shawl Pins 10:30am
October 2	October 3	October 4 Pearl Knotting	October 5 Knitting Clinic Sweater Workshop 3-5pm Mitered Square Scarf (1/2)	October 6 Felted Clogs (1/2)	October 7	October 8
October 9	October 10 Knitting Clinic	October 11 Wire Wrapped Stone Cage Pendant 120 Minute Mittens	October 12 Knitting Clinic Sweater Workshop 3-5pm	October 13	October 14 Advanced Beginning Knitting session 1 (10:30am)	October 15 Metal Stamping 10:30am Beginning Knitting (1/2) 10:30am Torch Soldering 1-4pm
October 16	October 17 Knitting Clinic	October 18 Viking Knit	October 19 Knitting Clinic Mitered Square Scarf (1/2)	October 20 Felted Clogs (2/2)	October 21 Advanced Beginning Knitting session 2 (10:30am)	October 22 Beginning Knitting (2/2) 10:30am Jewelry Making Basics: Stringing 3:00pm
October 23	October 24 Knitting Clinic	October 25	October 26 Knitting Clinic	October 27	October 28 Advanced Beginning Knitting session 3 (10:30am)	October 29 Family Tree/Tree of Life Pendant 10:30am
October 30	October 31	November 1 Earrings (Loop & Wrap technique)	November 2 Knitting Clinic	November 3	November 4	November 5
November 6	November 7 Knitting Clinic	November 8	November 9 Knitting Clinic	November 10	November 11 Beaded Handbag (10:30am) 1/2	November 12 Lampworking Basics 10:30am-12:30, 1-3:30pm Intermediate Lampworking 12:30-3:30pm
November 13	November 14 Knitting Clinic	November 15 Beaded Christmas Ornament	November 16 Knitting Clinic Forged Metal Pendants	November 17	November 18	November 19

To help you identify the classes that best fit your skill level, we'll start to include these difficulty icons with the class descriptions:
Beginner requires no previous experience; you'll be learning how to use the basic tools to practice the basic techniques.
Advanced Beginner requires knowledge of and experience with the basic tools and skills. For knitting you'll need to know knitting, purling, increases, decreases, casting on, and binding off. For beading you'll need to know how to identify and use chain-nose pliers, round-nose pliers, flat-nose pliers, crimping pliers, and wire cutters, and the loop-and-wrap and basic stringing techniques. You'll be using the basic tools to expand and your palette of techniques and increase your comfort level by reptititvely practicing those techniques.
Intermediate requires the ability to carry out beginner and skills without assistancem and advanced beginner skills with very little assistance.
Experienced requires a working knowledge of a wide range of techniques.

Knit Night Update

2011-09-29T16:45:00.001-07:00

We just wanted to give everyone a heads up that, until Adrianne's new work schedule is more under control, we won't be having Knit Night. Adrianne will be in the store all day every Saturday if you want to come in and say hello!

Berroco Comfort

2011-09-29T12:14:00.000-07:00

In our ongoing effort to help spark your creativity this week we're showing you twelve project ideas from Ravelry for Berroco's Comfort worsted yarn. The patterns for these projects are mostly free on Ravelry, but we have the patterns for the others available in the store. Three of these projects have been done by our own Julie Bowen, so she'll definitely be able to give you a helping hand with those.

Neck Down Baby Sweater by Knit's & Pearl's Julie Bowen AutEvDesigns Flickr	OpArt Blanket by Knits & Pearls customer Jen Geiger © jenipear
Susie's Reading Mitts © heavyefinmetal	Intarsia Truck Sweater by yarnstashjunkie Flickr
Old Port Pullover by jaja Flickr	Simple Stripes Baby Hat © danielleb
Little Pumpkin Hat by yh9080 Flickr	Autumn HAze Afghan © msrsquared
Peace Baby Hat & Sweater set by rzarria Flickr	Turn-a-square Hat © theprettyhippy
Haruha Cowl © sadbear	Island Shawl © kimmh15
Mary Jane Slippers by AutEvDesigns Flickr	Children's Neckdown Cardigan by AutEvDesigns Flickr

Berroco Peruvia Quick

2011-09-22T13:58:00.000-07:00

Now that the weather is getting more reliably chilly, there's still time to knit yourself (or some other knit-worthy person) a cozy fall sweater, cardigan, or other cool weather gear. To help you get started we've stocked 22 colors of Berroco's Peruvia Quick and did a search for some interesting, pretty, and fun patterns using Ravelry. While some of the patterns ask for bulky rather than super bulky yarn, all of these patterns have been completed by people on Ravelry using Peruvia Quick. The patterns below are either free on Ravelry or can be purchased in the store. Click on the images to see details for the pattern on Ravelry. If you haven't signed up for Ravelry yet and want to know how to join in the fun take a look at this old blog post.

Ribbed Vest by knitterliness Flickr	Buckland © Berroco Inc.
Lore Hoodie by Saskatoon Flickr	Basic Bulky Manly Man Hat © Julie Laffoon
Carrie Causey's Cabled Coffee Cup Cozy by tamraclove Flickr	Devon © Berroco Inc.
Burberry Inspired Cowl Neck Scarf © Julianne Smith	LaLa's Simple Shawl by LaLa Flickr
Duffers: 19 row felted slippers © ColoradoGigi	Fauxthropologie Fox Stole © Katie Cunningham
Blanche-Neige Capelet by lababla Flickr	Quick Cabled Cowl by ORK Flickr

New Fall Yarns

2011-09-15T13:41:00.000-07:00

We got in some new fabulous yarns this fall. The first one we'd like to introduce to you are Berroco's Boboli

Berroco Boboli

A silky soft yarn with a subtle sheen that has beautiful color repeats in lovely combinations. Click on the images below for some pattern ideas available on the Ravelry website.

Open on Sundays

2011-09-14T10:00:00.000-07:00

Now that the kids and grandkids are back in school, summer plans are winding down, we wanted to remind you that we are again open on Sundays. open on
Sundays!

12-4pm

More Classes Added

2011-09-14T09:51:00.001-07:00

We've added a few classes to the knitting schedule since the last newsletter:

Juliane suggested a sweater workshop after the clinics on Wednesdays from 3-5pm. It's like a class because Juliane will be helping you learn the techniques and stitches you need for your sweater, but like a workshop because everyone can choose the sweater pattern of their choice. If you're interested, please call the store (651-282-0099), or stop by the Wednesday clinic (1-3pm).
Julie will be teaching Viking Knit on Tuesday, October 18^th from 6 - 8 pm.
Jess will be teaching Advanced Beginner Knitting on Friday, October 14, 21, 28 (and beyond, depending on the patterns chosen) from 10:30am - 12:30pm.
Jess has moved her beautiful Beaded Handbag class to Friday, November 11, and 18 from 10:30am - 12:30 pm, which will still give you plenty of time to make a few up for the holidays.

All classes are 6-8pm and 2 hours long, unless otherwise noted.

September/October 2011 Class Schedule

If the links below do not work in your browser, try going to the schedule on our website http://myknitsandpearls.com. You can also check to make sure your browser is not blocking pop-ups.

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
September 11	September 12 Knitting Clinic	September 13 Felted Clogs (3/3) Loop & Wrap	September 14 Knitting Clinic	September 15 Drop Stitch Shawl/Scarf (10:30am)	September 16	September 17 Beginning Knitting (1/2) Jewelry Making Basics: Stringing Socks on Saturday (1/3)
September 18	September 19 Knitting Clinic	September 20 120 Minute Mittens	September 21 Knitting Clinic Fair Isle Hat (1/3)	September 22 Knit Night	September 23	September 24 Beginning Knitting (2/2) Socks on Saturday (2/3)
September 25	September 26 Knitting Clinic	September 27 Copper Etching	September 28 Knitting Clinic Fair Isle Hat (2/3)	September 29	September 30	October 1 Socks on Saturday (3/3) Sweater & Shawl Pins
October 2	October 3	October 4 Pearl Knotting	October 5 Knitting Clinic Mitered Square Scarf (1/2)	October 6	October 7	October 8
October 9	October 10 Knitting Clinic	October 11 Wire Wrapped Stone Cage Pendant 120 Minute Mittens	October 12 Knitting Clinic Fair Isle Hat (3/3)	October 13	October 14 Advanced Beginning Knitting session 1 (10:30am)	October 15 Metal Stamping Torch Soldering
October 16	October 17 Knitting Clinic	October 18 Viking Knit	October 19 Knitting Clinic Mitered Square Scarf (1/2)	October 20	October 21 Advanced Beginning Knitting session 2 (10:30am)	October 22

Introducing New Instructor Shelly Kang

2011-08-29T15:21:00.001-07:00

We are pleased to annouce that we have a new instructor, Shelly Kang, who will be offering Fair Isle Hat and Mitered Square Scarf classes in September and October.

Shelly’s extreme fiber arts enthusiasm starts and ends with knitting, but also includes spinning, dyeing, felting, crochet, sewing and weaving with a few beads thrown in for good measure. She has been teaching at yarn shops, fiber festivals and workshops for more than a decade, and publishes her own designs for sale through local yarn shops and on Ravelry (ravelry ID – shellykang). Made famous by her Mitered Square Sock Yarn Blankie, Shelly is most likely to be caught knitting socks while carpooling her two daughters, and more complicated sweaters and shawls on the couch after they are in bed. When she’s not knitting and chasing children, Shelly loves poking around in her vegetable garden (but mostly ignoring the weeds in the flower beds), cooking and baking from scratch, training for triathlons and convincing Fred, her chocolate lab puppy to stop destroying the house and everything in it.

September/October 2011 Class Schedule

2011-08-29T15:03:00.001-07:00

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
August 28 Summer Hours: Store Closed	August 29 Back To Knitting (& Beading) Sale Knitting Clinic	August 30 Back To Knitting (& Beading) Sale Felted Clogs (2/3) Wire Bracelet Links	August 31 Back To Knitting (& Beading) Sale Knitting Clinic	September 1 Knit Night	September 2	September 3
September 4 Holiday Hours: Store Closed	September 5 Holiday Hours: Store Closed	September 6 Basic Wire Findings	September 7 Knitting Clinic	September 8	September 9	September 10
September 11	September 12 Knitting Clinic	September 13 Felted Clogs (3/3) Loop & Wrap	September 14 Knitting Clinic	September 15 Drop Stitch Shawl/Scarf (10:30am)	September 16 Beaded Handbag (10:30am)	September 17 Beginning Knitting (1/2) Jewelry Making Basics: Stringing Socks on Saturday (1/3)
September 18	September 19 Knitting Clinic	September 20 120 Minute Mittens	September 21 Knitting Clinic Fair Isle Hat (1/3)	September 22	September 23	September 24 Beginning Knitting (2/2) Socks on Saturday (2/3)
September 25	September 26 Knitting Clinic	September 27 Copper Etching	September 28 Knitting Clinic Fair Isle Hat (2/3)	September 29	September 30	October 1 Socks on Saturday (3/3) Sweater & Shawl Pins
October 2	October 3	October 4 Pearl Knotting	October 5 Knitting Clinic Mitered Square Scarf (1/2)	October 6	October 7	October 8
October 9	October 10 Knitting Clinic	October 11 Wire Wrapped Stone Cage Pendant 120 Minute Mittens	October 12 Knitting Clinic Fair Isle Hat (3/3)	October 13	October 14	October 15 Metal Stamping Torch Soldering
October 16	October 17 Knitting Clinic	October 18	October 19 Knitting Clinic Mitered Square Scarf (1/2)	October 20	October 21	October 22

Back To Knitting (& Beading) Sale

2011-08-26T10:54:00.000-07:00

The weather is starting to cool down and it is time to wander through the Creative Arts Building at the Minnesota State Fair.

Since we know both of these things inspire us to knit, we thought you might be getting the knitting bug, too. For those of you that have been hitting (or avoiding) the Back to School Sales, we wanted to offer a sale just for you.

Back To Knitting (& Beading) Sale
Monday, August 29^th through
Wednesday, August 31^st.

All store merchandise will be 20% off
with additional opportunities for saving ^*:

Berroco Linsey, Berroco Weekend, Plymouth Covington, and The Sassy Skein cotton and cotton blend yarns will be 40% off
Almost our entire selection of glass beads will be 60% off
Classic Elite Yarns Classic Silk will be 30% off

^* Please note that, like our clearance items, sales are final on these items sold with a higher discount.

August 2011 Class Schedule

2011-08-01T13:37:00.001-07:00

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
July 31 Summer Hours: Store Closed	August 1 Knitting Clinic	August 2 Jewelry Making Basics: Stringing	August 3 Knitting Clinic Intarsia! (1/3)	August 4 Knit Night	August 5	August 6 Morse Code Wire Chain
August 7 Summer Hours: Store Closed	August 8 Knitting Clinic	August 9	August 10 Knitting Clinic Intarsia! (2/3) Earrings	August 11 Tube Socks (1/2)	August 12	August 13 Beginning Knitting (1/2) Wire Wrapped Earrings & Pendants
August 14 Summer Hours: Store Closed	August 15	August 16 Felted Clogs (1/3) Metal Stamping	August 17 Knitting Clinic Intarsia! (3/3)	August 18 Correct Your Mistakes	August 19	August 20 Beginning Knitting (2/2)
August 21 Summer Hours: Store Closed	August 22 Knitting Clinic	August 23 Criss Cross Stitch Scarf	August 24 Knitting Clinic Wire Wrapped Stone Cage Pendant	August 25 Tube Socks (2/2)	August 26	August 27
August 28 Summer Hours: Store Closed	August 29 Knitting Clinic	August 30 Felted Clogs (2/3) Wire Bracelet Links	August 31 Knitting Clinic	September 1 Knit Night	September 2	September 3
September 4 Summer Hours: Store Closed	September 5 Knitting Clinic	September 6	September 7 Knitting Clinic Basic Wire Findings	September 8	September 9	September 10 Jewelry Making Basics: Stringing
September 11	September 12 Knitting Clinic	September 13 Felted Clogs (3/3) Loop & Wrap	September 14 Knitting Clinic	September 15	September 16	September 17 Beginning Knitting (1/2) Socks on Saturday (1/3)

July Specials

2011-07-08T10:00:00.000-07:00

We wanted to remind you that this month kicks off our new campaign of monthly specials. We truly do believe that being able to indulge in a creative outlet helps preserve sanity, and wanted to find a new way to help you be creative. This month Julie is sponsoring a jewelry design contest with her b-squad beads, with a chance to win gift certificates to her Etsy store. While there's not a contest involved with this month's specials, you might want to come in and see what you can create with July's selection and start flexing those creative muscles because you never know what rewards might lay ahead!

50% off select glass beads

25% off select sock yarn

New Books and Magazines in Stock

2011-07-08T09:43:00.000-07:00

We proudly embrace our status as a great enabler of creative pursuits. As such, we wanted to let you know that we have some great new books in, along with the newest copy of KnitSimple magazine. So, if you were looking for a reason to stop by for a visit, see if these spark your interest:

July/early August Class Schedule

2011-06-29T21:47:00.000-07:00

To help you identify the classes that best fit your skill level, we'll start to include these difficulty icons with the class descriptions:
Beginner requires no previous experience; you'll be learning how to use the basic tools to practice the basic techniques.
Advanced Beginner requires knowledge of and experience with the basic tools and skills. For knitting you'll need to know knitting, purling, increases, decreases, casting on, and binding off. For beading you'll need to know how to identify and use chain-nose pliers, round-nose pliers, flat-nose pliers, crimping pliers, and wire cutters, and the loop-and-wrap and basic stringing techniques. You'll be using the basic tools to expand and your palette of techniques and increase your comfort level by reptititvely practicing those techniques.
Intermediate requires the ability to carry out beginner and skills without assistance and advanced beginner skills with very little assistance.
Experienced requires a working knowledge of a wide range of techniques.

July/August 2011 Class Schedule

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
June 26 What To Do With Lampwork Workshop	June 27 Knitting Clinic	June 28	June 29 Knitting Clinic Advanced Beginner Knitting (2/4)	June 30	July 1	July 2
July 3 Summer Hours: Store Closed	July 4 Independence Day Store Closed	July 5	July 6 Knitting Clinic	July 7	July 8	July 9
July 10 Summer Hours: Store Closed	July 11 Knitting Clinic	July 12 Wire Bangle With Big-Hole Beads	July 13 Knitting Clinic Advanced Beginner Knitting (3/4)	July 14 Juliane's Tank Top (1/3)	July 15	July 16 Jewelry Making Basics: Stringing
July 17 Summer Hours: Store Closed	July 18 Knitting Clinic	July 19	July 20 Knitting Clinic Advanced Beginner Knitting (4/4) Basic Wire Findings	July 21 Juliane's Tank Top (2/3)	July 22	July 23 Wire Caged Stones
July 24 Summer Hours: Store Closed	July 25 Knitting Clinic	July 26	July 27 Knitting Clinic Wire Bracelet Links	July 28 Juliane's Tank Top (3/3) Advanced Beginner Knitting (1/4)	July 29	July 30
July 31 Summer Hours: Store Closed	August 1 Knitting Clinic	August 2 Jewelry Making Basics: Stringing	August 3 Knitting Clinic Intarsia! (1/3)	August 4 Knit Night Advanced Beginner Knitting (2/4)	August 5	August 6 Morse Code Wire Chain

Thank you & New Opportunities to SAVE!

2011-06-24T12:41:00.000-07:00

Our Summer Solstice sale is now over and we wanted to send out a genuine word of THANKS to all of you who stopped by. Your commitment to shopping locally makes a big difference in all of our lives.

We did want to mention that, Julie's Lampwork Trunk Show will be extended until Sunday, when Julie is having the What To Do With Lampwork Workshop. So, if you didn't get a chance to come in and see her stunning beads, there's still time!

Knits & Pearls is here because we truly believe it is important for people to nurture their creativity. Even in the best of times we seem to run out of the time and resources to pamper ourselves. So, we've been brainstorming about how to continue helping.

Beginning in July, we'll be having monthly specials to supplement our already-low prices and our incomparable clearance selection. To start you off, from July 1^st to July 31^st we're going to offer the majority of our glass bead selection at 50% off, and our Opal & Skacel sock yarns will be 25% off. So, start planning some projects because we'll be waiting with your supplies!

Need help thinking of project ideas? Click on the images to get project information.

© joynoel Ruffled Scarf using Zwerger Garn's Opal Maskenball	© by jennyfrommaine Flickr Pepita Overalls using Zwerger Garn's Opal Maskenball
© Sequoia2211 Baby Jacket with Zwerger Garn Opal Handwerk und Hobby	© knitteria Hitchiker Scarf using Zwerger Garn Opal Handwerk und Hobby
© Julie Bowen Glass bead strung bracelet	© Julie Bowen Glass bead earrings

Summer Solstice Sale!

2011-06-17T10:35:00.000-07:00

The door is open, the breeze is coming in, and we're having a great time with our summer knitting and beading projects. We know that summers are busy and it can be hard to make time to nurture your creative outlet, so we wanted to give you a reason to take some time out for yourself.

Tuesday, June 21^st - Thursday, June 23^rd
All regular store merchandise will be at least 15% off with additional daily specials.

Watch your e-mail inbox Monday - or check our blog - for a newsletter with more details about the sale, Julie's lampwork trunk show, happening in-store during the sale, and upcoming classes.

Restocking Shipments In & Crochet Hooks!

2011-06-10T09:06:00.000-07:00

We got two restocking shipments in today that included a bunch of notions, double points, bamboo circulars, and Addi circulars. Also, you wanted and we listened: we now have a great selection of bamboo crochet hooks from 1.15mm (10US) to 10mm (N15 US)!

New Summer Ideas and More Yarn

2011-05-27T10:20:00.000-07:00

We couldn't wait to tell you that we recently received more colors of the lovely Luna Paints yarn from Cascade.

Some projects using Luna Paints:
© loramarie78	by Susieknitster Flickr

We also wanted to give you some ideas for summer knitting projects. When we took a look on Ravelry for these free patterns we were looking for projects that were small or projects for summer clothes that wouldn't take very long and that wouldn't use heavy yarn. We certainly don't get excited about knitting heavy winter sweaters when it's warm out, and doubt you do either.

If you haven't signed up for Ravelry yet, take a look at this previous blog post for a step-by-step description of the sign-up process. Click on the images below to go to the Ravelry page for the projects.

Make Something for Yourself! Use our Berroco Linsay or Cascade Ultra Pima	New Baby on The Way? Use any of our sock yarns.
© Classic Elite Yarns	by helloyarn Flickr

Having a Playtime Teaparty? Use our Berroco Comfort DK or Vintage DK	Pretending to be a Farmer? Use our Berroco Comfort or Vintage
by TessVintageKnits Flickr	© Natalie

Interactive Story Time? Use our Berroco Comfort or Vintage	Playing Pretend with Dolly? Use our SWTC TOFUtsies sock yarn
© Susan B. Anderson	© Lisa McClure

May/June 2011 Class Schedule

2011-05-23T12:21:00.001-07:00

Please note that this schedule has been edited since it was first published. (Friday, May 27, 2011)

May 29	May 30 Memorial Day Store Closed	May 31 Rings of Wire	June 1 Knitting Clinic Summer Shawls (1/2)	June 2 Knit Night	June 3	June 4
June 5 Wire Wrapped Earrings & Pendants	June 6 Knitting Clinic	June 7 Magic Loop required for Socks classes	June 8 Knitting Clinic Stone Cage Pendant Summer Shawls (2/2)	June 9	June 10	June 11
June 12 Beading Clinic	June 13 Knitting Clinic	June 14 Socks (1/3)	June 15 Knitting Clinic Japanese Chain Maille	June 16 Market Bag (1/2)	June 17	June 18 Beginning Knitting (1/2)
June 19 Beading Clinic	June 20 Knitting Clinic	June 21	June 22 Knitting Clinic Advanced Beginner Knitting (1/4)	June 23 Market Bag (2/2)	June 24	June 25 Beginning Knitting (2/2)
June 26 Beading Clinic	June 27 Knitting Clinic	June 28 Socks (2/3)	June 29 Knitting Clinic Advanced Beginner Knitting (2/4)	June 30	July 1	July 2

Jewelry Classes for May/June 2011

2011-05-13T14:08:00.000-07:00

Is it spring yet? Whether the weather shapes up or not, chances are that you have a lot of spring and summer plans filling up your calendars. We just wanted to let you know that, if you'll be doing any traveling, we've got classes planned to help you fill the time in the car, at the airport, or at your destination. Knitting is always a great traveling passtime because there aren't a lot of loose parts, but there are also some great jewelry projects for the road. Come in and take a look!

May/June 2011 Class Schedule
For the knitters out there, never fear. The knitting classes will get posted Wednesday 5/18.

May 15 Tree of Life Pendant	May 16 Knitting Clinic	May 17	May 18 Knitting Clinic	May 19	May 20	May 21 Jewelry Making Basics
May 22 Beading Clinic	May 23 Knitting Clinic	May 24	May 25 Knitting Clinic Loop and Wrap	May 26	May 27	May 28
May 29 Beading Clinic	May 30 Knitting Clinic	May 31 Rings of Wire	June 1 Knitting Clinic	June 2	June 3	June 4
June 5 Wire Wrapped Earrings & Pendants	June 6 Knitting Clinic	June 7	June 8 Knitting Clinic Stone Cage Pendant	June 9	June 10	June 11
June 12 Beading Clinic	June 13 Knitting Clinic	June 14	June 15 Knitting Clinic Japanese Chain Maille	June 16	June 17	June 18

2011-05-09T13:01:00.000-07:00

In fact there are both knitting and beading/jewelry projects that you can take on the road with you. These are projects that take up minimal space and don't have a lot of loose parts to keep track of:

Viking Knit	Wire Wrapped Stone Pendants
I-cord Jewelry	Fashion Scarves
Socks	Bags

We'll be offering classes on many of these projects in May and June so keep your eyes open Wednesday and Thursday for our class schedule.

Need A Mother's Day Gift Idea?

2011-05-04T10:27:00.000-07:00

If your moms are like our moms then something handmade is going to be on the top of her Mother's Day wish list. Whether you're looking for a supplemental gift or a main/only gift, since Mother's Day is only a few days away, any project you choose needs to be something you can put together fast. Julie came up with a project idea that fits the bill for less than $15.

For this Mother's Day Birthstone Necklace you'll need the following tools and materials:

(from left to right) round nose pliers, chain nose pliers, flat nose pliers, and side (wire) cutters.

The quantities will depend upon the number of stones you'll be using in your necklace and whether or not you want to include spouses and grandchildren.

Crystals (or stones) in your family's birthstone colors

24" fine chain

Clasp

Small jump rings
a minimum of four are needed: two for the heart charm and one for each end of the chain. You don't need more if you're just doing siblings, but add two for each spouse/grandchild group you want to include.

Large jump rings
You'll need one for the chain end, one for the heart charm, and one for each sibling.

Heart charm

Headpins
one for each person.

Here is a table that shows the Swarovski birthstone colors with a chart of the birthstone names for each month:

January >garnet	February amethyst	March aquamarine
April diamond	May emerald	June alexandrite
July ruby	August peridot	September sapphire
October pink tourmaline	November topaz	December blue zircon

To make a charm, simply slide the crystal or stone onto a headpin and use the round nose pliers to make a ³/₄ loop 3mm above the crystal. Attach this loop to a large jump ring; if you are just including siblings you won't include the small jump rings and chain. Holding the loop with the flat nose pliers, use the chain nose pliers to wrap the tail around the wire between the loop and crystal. If you are unfamiliar with the loop and wrap technique, you can refer to this online tutorial Julie posted September 2010.

If you are including spouses and grandchildren, attach the spouse to either the large jump ring or the small jump ring attached to it. Attach the grandchildren to the small jump ring on the end of the chain connected to the large jump ring.

Slide the large jump rings with crystals attached onto the end of the necklace chain (which you can now cut shorter, if you wish). Open a short jump ring and pick up one end of the chain and the clasp. Open a second small jump ring and pick up the second end of chain and a large jump ring; the large jump ring makes it easier to close and keeps the charms from sliding off the necklace.

Have a great Mother's Day, everyone!

Basic Checked Hat Class

2011-04-20T11:59:00.000-07:00

Sunday, May 1^st, 2011
1 to 4pm
Laura Farson, The Entwined Knitter, a nationally-known knitting designer/instructor who has taught at Stitches West and Stitches Midwest this year, is in town to teach her techniques at YarnOver. While in the Twin Cities, she will be at Knits & Pearls from 1-4pm on Sunday, May 1^st, teaching her Basic Checked Hat using her twined knitting technique.

In her book, Laura describes, "'Twined' knitting is made with two strands of yarn, either from both ends of a single ball of yarn or from two separate balls. ... As you knit, each strand is twisted around the other. The resulting fabric is thicker and warmer than fabric knit with a single strand of yarn ... (and) it's still elastic and soft."

The class will be $20 and you'll receive 15% off all supplies for the class. Autographed copies of her book, which will be used in class, will be available all afternoon.

Anniversary Sale Details

2011-03-28T12:27:00.000-07:00

A reminder to those of you who forgot, and details for those of you who have been waiting, our Anniversary Party is this coming Friday April 1^st and Saturday, 2^nd. Again, we'll have extended hours on Friday, our anniversary day; we'll be open from 10am until 8pm. Saturday we'll be open our regular hours: 10am until 5pm. On both days we'll offer hors d'oeuvres and sparkling cider to sustain you while you shop these great deals:

Everything in the store will be 15% off on both days.

All Mountain Colors yarn will be 25% off on both days

For our beaders, 25% off all bead strands on both days

All Araucania yarn (100% wool tone-on-tone yarn hand dyed in Chile)40% off on Friday

Louisa Harding Hulda and Elsebeth Lavold Silky Flamme yarn 30% on Friday

Saturday we'll have 40% off of Sublime extra fine merino DK yarn

Elsebeth Lavold Baby Llama, Frog Tree alpaca and merino yarns, and T3 alpaca yarn all 30% off on Saturday

April 2011 Class Schedule

2011-03-23T12:15:00.000-07:00

Mar 20 Beading Clinic	Mar 21 Knitting Clinic	Mar 22	Mar 23 Knitting Clinic Felted Clogs (1/3)	Mar 24 Stone Cage Pendant	Mar 25	Mar 26 Beginning Knitting (2/2)
Mar 27 Beading Clinic	Mar 28 Knitting Clinic	Mar 29 I-Cord Jewelry	Mar 30 Knitting Clinic Felted Clogs (2/3)	Mar 31 Cotton Slippers	Apr 1	Apr 2
Apr 3 Beading Clinic	Apr 4 Knitting Clinic	Apr 5 Reversible Wavy Scarf	Apr 6 Knitting Clinic Sweater & Shawl Pins	Apr 7 Knit Night	Apr 8	Apr 9
Apr 10 Pearl Knotting	Apr 11 Knitting Clinic	Apr 12 Jewelry Making Basics	Apr 13 Knitting Clinic Felted Clogs (3/3) Dropped Stitch Cable Sweater (1/4)	Apr 14	Apr 15	Apr 16 Beginning Knitting (1/2)
Apr 17 Viking Knit	Apr 18 Knitting Clinic	Apr 19 Eyelet Ruffle Edge Jacket (1/5) Private Class	Apr 20 Knitting Clinic	Apr 21 Viking Bag (1/2)	Apr 22	Apr 23
Apr 24 Easter Store Closed	Apr 25 Knitting Clinic	Apr 26 Eyelet Ruffle Edge Jacket (2/5)	Apr 27 Knitting Clinic Dropped Stitch Cable Sweater (2/4)	Apr 28 Earrings	Apr 29	Apr 30 Beginning Knitting (2/2)
May 1	May 2 Knitting Clinic	May 3 Tree of Life Pendant	May 4 Knitting Clinic	May 5	May 6	May 7
May 8 Mother's Day Store Closed	May 9 Knitting Clinic	May 10	May 11 Knitting Clinic	May 12 Viking Bag (2/2)	May 13	May 14

First Anniversary Party

2011-03-18T09:41:00.001-07:00

New March Classes

2011-03-09T12:33:00.000-08:00

March is a bridge month for us, finishing up our February classes and waiting until April to hit our spring classes hard. So, we just have a few new classes to tide you over until then, including beginning knitting, felted slippers, I-cord jewelry, and wire wrapped stone cage pendants.

March 2011 Class Schedule
All WEEKDAY CLASSES are held from 6-8pm

If you don't see a class you're interested in, always remember that we have our knitting clinics ($3) on Monday evenings from 6-8pm and Wednesday afternoon from 1-3pm, and beading clinics ($5) most Sundays from 1-3pm, where you'll get expert help with the project that you are interested in.

Click on the class titles to see the class sample and read the description.

Mar 6 Socks 2 At A Time (3/3) Socks on Sunday (1/3) Beading Clinic	Mar 7 Knitting Clinic	Mar 8 Sweater & Shawl Pins	Mar 9 Knitting Clinic	Mar 10 Loop & Wrap	Mar 11	Mar 12 Lampworking Basics option 2
Mar 13 Socks on Sunday (2/3) Beading Clinic	Mar 14 Knitting Clinic	Mar 15	Mar 16 Knitting Clinic Felted Slippers (1/3)	Mar 17	Mar 18	Mar 19 Beginning Knitting (1/2)
Mar 20 Beading Clinic	Mar 21 Knitting Clinic	Mar 22	Mar 23 Knitting Clinic Felted Slippers (2/3)	Mar 24 Stone Cage Pendant	Mar 25	Mar 26 Beginning Knitting (2/2)
Mar 27 Beading Clinic	Mar 28 Knitting Clinic	Mar 29 I-Cord Jewelry	Mar 30 Knitting Clinic Felted Slippers (3/3)	Mar 31	Apr 1	Apr 2

>Our Facebook & Blog Pages

For those of you who want more updates than we send with our newsletter, we wanted to let you know about our blog and Facebook page.

Our blog is where we have been posting our newsletters after we send them, but now we'll also be posting when shipments arrive, and other changes to the store that may inspire you to stop in.

Our Facebook page is where we'll try to post more frequent updates, not only our shipments, but whether clinics are busy or not, or when we make last-minute changes like cancelling clinic. We'd love to have you follow along!

Idea for Inherited Stashes: Charity Knitting

2011-03-07T09:21:00.000-08:00

We know that there are a number of you out there that have inherited someone else's yarn stash, with odd skeins and old colors that you aren't sure what you might be able to make. With just a skein or two of a certain color, or several skeins of colors that aren't quite fashionable, there are still plenty of design ideas you can use that will get lots of use and love, like hats, shawls, mittens, scarves, and cowls. You may not have a use for (all of) these items yourself, but there are a number of charities that are looking for items that fall exactly into that category.

We do not want suggest that charity knitting should be made with our ugly and uncomfortable yarn; that yarn may be better used in a braided rug project. We'd also suggest making sure that any accessories that will be worn next to the skin be made with soft fibers and that any scratchy wool be reserved for warm afghans. However, nice yarn in odd colors can be transformed by creating retro striped scarves, a fashionable accessory that will scream Made with Love.

So, once you have identified all of your usable yarn, great resources for patterns include:

One-Skein Wonders 101 Yarn Shop Favorites by Judith Durant	101 Designer One-Skein Wonders by Judith Durant
"> Sock Yarn One-Skein Wonders 101 Patterns That Go Way Beyond Socks! by Judith Durant	Luxury Yarn One-Skein Wonders 101 Small Indulgences by Judith Durant

What is great about these pattern books, versus individual patterns, is that you get over one hundred beautiful patterns all designed to use limited amounts of yarn. You also get over one hundred opportunities to learn or practice different techniques and stitches, in small, fast-to-complete projects to help you build your knitting repertoire. All of this for less than $20.

So, once you begin finishing your charity projects, there are several reputable organizations that have lists of charities that accept and distribute knitted items, including the publisher of Interweave Knits magazine, Lion Brand Yarns, About.com, and the Knitting Goddess blog, just to list a few. Please browse through their extensive lists to find a charity that touches your heart. To save you some time we list a few beginning with 'A', but there are many, many more that merit your donations.

Afghans 4 Afghans sends hand knit and crocheted blankets and clothing to displaced Afghan families.
Algerian Action, a U.K. based non-profit project group which provides toys and clothing to needy children in Algeria. We need cardigans, hats and jumpers for children aged between 0-10 years.
Angels of Love, provides layettes to needy newborns. Need layette items; blankets, booties, hats. Sizes can be for preemies (1.25 lbs) to full-term (10 lbs). They have patterns if you would like them.
Annual Crochet & Knit-A-Thon distributes clothing in December to thousands of children who benefit from the work of Children's Home & Aid Society of Illinois (CHASI).
Artists Helping Children Distributes handmade or decorated bags full of art supplies and soft, handmade toys to children in hospitals.

Think Spring

2011-03-02T13:01:00.000-08:00

Even for Minnesota, today is unseasonably cold; but, that's no reason to put our Spring knitting on hold. Just in case you needed some visual stimulation to get motivated to knit, we wanted to show you some pretty, free, Spring-themed Ravelry patterns. Click on the picture to go to the pattern. If you aren't yet signed up for Ravelry, you can take a look at this previous blog post for help.

Spring Time Dishrag by Pam Walker Make with Fantasy Naturale yarn	Spring Time Towel by Pam Walker Make with Fantasy Naturale yarn
Spring Tide Scarf by Sally Ferguson Make with Classic Elite Alpaca Sox yarn	Dreams of Spring Scarf by Denise Twum Make with Diana Collection Silk & Merino yarn
Anouk by Kate Gilbert Make with Berroco Weekend yarn	Posy and Spring by Karen Juliano Make with Berroco Weekend yarn
Lite Bright by Song Palmese Make with Lamb's Pride & Noro	Steggie by Julia Farwell-Clay Make in Plymouth Superwash Merino
Spring Fling Tank by Alison Hansel Make in Florafil Cotton Yarn	Duck by Jeny Staiman Make in TOFUtsies
Spring Fresh Shrug by Heather Carlson Make in Big Softie yarn	Cottonspring Pullover by Sharon Sorken Make in Berroco Linsey

We hope these pattern ideas help you to Think Spring. If none of these patterns strike your fancy you can, of course, you can just do what we did and search for "Spring" on the Ravelry Pattern page and find something just right for you.

Come One, Come All to LAMPWORKING this Saturday!

2011-02-28T09:32:00.000-08:00

Julie is very excited to announce that we've gotten enough interest to hold a lampworking class this Saturday, March 5th, with a second class scheduled for Saturday, March 12th for anyone that can't make it on the 5th or wants a second practice session with help. We still have a couple of openings for anyone else who might be interested.

What is lampworking? Lampworking is the name for making handmade glass beads with a torch, glass rods, and a mandrel around which you wind the molten glass. You'll learn about safety, glass properties, and how to make beads that are symmetric around the mandrel in the morning, then in the afternoon you'll learn about using thin stringers of glass to decorate the beads. Julie will do several demos, but the class focuses on hands-on practice time with instructor-guidance when needed.

The class costs $30 and you'll need to purchase a lampworking kit for the class, which will cost $120 (call to ask about rental options). It includes everything you'll need to make beads at home:

4 Ounce Bead Separator

Hot Head Torch

Torch Bench Clamp

Dual Action Marver

Bead Hole Cleaner

10 Pc. Mandrel Set 3/32” X 9”

1/16” Stainless Steel Rake

Mandrel Rest

8” Tweezers

Fiber Blanket

12 Pc. Moretti Rod Pack (Mixed Colors Approx. 13” Long)

Safety Glasses

1 cannister each of MAPP and Propane gas

If you have any questions, Julie is working today, Wednesday, and Friday from 10-4pm. You can call the store at 651-282-0099.

More Spring Yarn Filtering In!

2011-02-25T13:14:00.000-08:00

As the Spring yarns filter in, be sure to check out our Clearance Bins! We're adding great new deals as we make room for our new yarns.

Today we got two more fun shipments of yarn. First was a replenishment shipment of Brown Sheep Co. Lamb's Pride with several very fun spring colors. We were thinking of trying a felted Easter basket (and found a fun free Ravelry pattern), or a set of nested Spring baskets with the new colors.

A selection of some of our Springier Lamb's Pride colors.

We also received a shipment of long-awaited yarn, new to our store. O-Wool is produced by the Tunney Wool Company, is 100% certified organic, is made in the USA, and comes in a great variety of pretty heathered colors.

O-Wool
50% certified organic merino wool
50% certified organic cotton
approx. 1.75oz / 50g
approx. 130yds / 120m
5 - 7 US / 3.75 - 4.5 mm
19 - 21 sts = 4" / 10cm

Nothing Livens Spirits like a Yarn Shipment

2011-02-21T12:20:00.000-08:00

Despite the new mountains of snow out in inappropriate places, like the street, today is a red banner day at Knits & Pearls as our spring yarns have begun to filter in. The first to arrive was our spring Berroco yarn including a new yarn, Linsey. Look for this pretty heathered/ varigated/ stranded skein of wonderful to officially hit the shelves on March 1st.

Berrocco Linsey
64% Cotton, 36% Linen
50g/114 yards
5sts/in on a US 7 needle

We also got some fun spring colors in Shepherd's Wool, our very soft feltable wool. And, if that isn't fun enough, we also got several colors in the new Shepherd's Wool DK weight yarn last week! Come in and check them out

Valentine's Weekend Sale

2011-02-10T17:50:00.000-08:00

Be Our Valentine

Valentines Day is a time of love and appreciation. To show our love and appreciation for you, our customers, we're offering 20% off all store merchandise Saturday, February 12th (10am - 5pm) and Sunday, February 13th, 2011 (noon - 4pm).

February 2011 Class Schedule

We hope that 2011 has been treating you well. This February we're offering some old favorites and some exciting new classes. If you don't see a class you're interested in, always remember that we have our knitting clinics ($3) on Monday evenings from 6-8pm and Wednesday afternoon from 1-3pm, and beading clinics ($5) most Sundays from 1-3pm, where you'll get expert help with the project that you are interested in.

Our new February 2011 class calendar is available on our website; the links that didn't work in the e-mail DO work on the website as long as your browser allows popups.

Are You on Ravelry?

If you have already discovered Ravelry, then you know what a great tool this website is. If you haven't joined the Ravelry world then let us introduce you. Ravelry is akin to the Facebook of knitters and crocheters. Over the next month or so, Knits & Pearls staff will be working on adding all of our store samples to our Ravelry page KnitsandPearlsMN.

If you do nothing else with the site, it is an amazing tool for finding patterns - many free - with advanced pattern search options that allow you to find patterns for specific things (hats, sweaters, socks), for specific kinds of yarn (DK, worsted, super bulky), and yarn yardage (perfect when you have a specific amount of stash you want to use), and that's just the basics of the advanced search. For Valentine's Day, we did a search for 'hearts' and specified that we only wanted patterns with pictures, knit patterns, and patterns that were free. We found this cutie that you could still whip up this weekend:

Ravelry Pattern link
Non-Ravelry link

After entering your e-mail address and clicking the "Send Sign Up Link" button, you'll get a screen like.

We got our e-mail in less than a minute.

February 2011 Classes & Yarn

2011-01-27T22:29:00.000-08:00

New Yarn!
Skacel Unisono and Trekking hand art

We are working hard to keep a new and exciting selection of yarn and supplies available for you. This month we received a shipment of sock yarns from Skacel, including the yarns for their
Twenty Years of Trekking Knit-Along, with Michelle Hunter contest.

If that weren't exciting enough, we also started carrying KnitPicks Harmony wood and Zephyr clear acrylic interchangeable kits, extra interchangeable tips and cords, as well as Harmony wood straight needles, sock yarn dpn kits, and cable needles.

February 2011 Class Schedule

Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
Jan 30 Beading Clinic	Jan 31 Knitting Clinic	Feb 1 Provincial Waistcoat (3/3)	Feb 2 Knitting Clinic	Feb 3 Felted Bag	Feb 4	Feb 5
Feb 6 Beading Clinic Socks on Sunday (3/3) 1-3pm	Feb 7 Knitting Clinic	Feb 8 Short Row Ruffled Scarf	Feb 9 Knitting Clinic Thrummed Mittens (1/2)	Feb 10 Slippers	Feb 11	Feb 12 Kids Knitting 11am-12pm
Feb 13 Socks 2 At A Time (1/3) 1-3pm	Feb 14 Knitting Clinic	Feb 15 Wavy Cable Scarf Jewelry Making Basics	Feb 16 Knitting Clinic Ins & Outs of Wristlets	Feb 17 Knit Night Embellishments	Feb 18	Feb 19 Wire Wrap Earrings Beginning Knitting (1/2)
Feb 20 Beading Clinic Socks 2 At A Time (2/3) 1-3pm	Feb 21 Knitting Clinic	Feb 22	Feb 23 Knitting Clinic Thrummed Mittens (2/2)	Feb 24 Felted Bag Private Beading Class	Feb 25	Feb 26 Beginning Knitting(2/2)
Feb 27 Beading Clinic	Feb 28 Knitting Clinic	Mar 1	Mar 2 Knitting Clinic Neckdown Sweater	Mar 3	Mar 4	Mar 5 Lampworking Basics option 1
Mar 6 Socks 2 At A Time (3/3) Socks on Sunday (1/3) Beading Clinic	Mar 7 Knitting Clinic	Mar 8 Sweater & Shawl Pins	Mar 9 Knitting Clinic	Mar 10 Loop & Wrap	Mar 11	Mar 12 Lampworking Basics option 2
Mar 13 Socks on Sunday (2/3) Beading Clinic	Mar 14 Knitting Clinic	Mar 15	Mar 16 Knitting Clinic	Mar 17	Mar 18	Mar 19

More Class Information

In addition to the regular information listed below we wanted to clarify an existing policy. We are able to offer classes with experienced and talented instructors at affordable prices by only running classes with a minimum number of participants. If register for a class and cannot attend you must cancel at least a day (or, in extenuating circumstances, as soon as possible) in advance of the class otherwise you will remain responsible for paying your class fee.

To help you select beading and jewelry-making classes, we’ve added information about the level of the class. The progression of difficulty ratings, from easiest to hardest, is: Beginner, Intermediate Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced Intermediate, & Advanced.

Beginner classes, open to everyone, will be mindful of those with zero experience and will take the time to explain the basics of tools & materials along with the techniques.
Intermediate Beginner teaches you new ways to use basic tools and techniques. It will assume you understand the functions of the basic tools such as round-nose pliers, chain-nose pliers, flat nose pliers, wire cutters, crimping pliers and can carry out basic techniques without assistance - like opening and closing jump rings, crimping a crimp tube, applying a crimp cover, making an eye-pin, and loop-and-wrap.
Intermediate classes builds further upon your basic knowledge and skills.
Advanced Intermediate classes will often use techniques learned in Intermediate classes and build upon them.
Similarly, the Advanced classes will either use multiple Intermediate techniques or build upon Advanced Intermediate techniques.

If you have any questions, Julie is happy to help.

KnitPicks now at Knits & Pearls

2011-01-19T09:34:00.000-08:00

This is an exciting announcement for all of us here. Knits & Pearls will now be carrying KnitPicks Zephyr clear and Harmony wood interchangeable needle sets, Harmony wood straght knitting needles, and Harmony wood 5" and 6" double point sock needle sets.

If you're like us and have been waiting to see these beautiful needles in person before buying some of your own, this is the time to come in and see them! We'll do our best to keep them in stock, but come in soon before they start flying out the door!

January 2011 Class Schedule and New Yarn!

2010-12-17T13:48:00.000-08:00

New Yarn!

In the past two weeks we've received and stocked our shelves with a lot of new yarn. One exciting new addition is Berroco's new DK weight Vintage. We're also carrying several new yarns from Feza, including the fun veregated chunky yarn you see in the hat at right and their Alp Light yarn (shown below), which is a skein of different coordinating yarns that produces fun textured stripes in your project. Also new is a selection of Mondial Dulce Mohair to complement our existing mohair selection.

Come on in to see the other new yarns we've received and touch them!

January 2011 Class Schedule
Our 2010 classes are winding down and we're holding our knitting clinics on Monday from 6-8pm and Wednesday from 1-3pm, with a few Thursdays from 6-8pm (please call ahead) to help everyone finish up their Christmas projects.

Click on the class titles to see the class sample and read the description.

January 2011 Class Schedule

Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
Dec 26 Christmas Holiday Hours: Closed	Dec 27 Knitting Clinic	Dec 28	Dec 29 Knitting Clinic	Dec 30	Dec 31 New Years Eve Holiday Hours: Closed	Jan 1, 2011 New Years Day Holiday Hours: Closed
Jan 2	Jan 3 Knitting Clinic	Jan 4	Jan 5 Knitting Clinic	Jan 6 Knit Night	Jan 7	Jan 8 Beginning Knitting Make-up Class for anyone who missed the second Beginning Knitting class in Nov or Dec Jewelry Making Basics
Jan 9 Kids Knitting Beading Clinic	Jan 10 Knitting Clinic	Jan 11 Provincial Waistcoat (1/3) Viking Knit	Jan 12 Knitting Clinic Thrummed Mittens (1/2)	Jan 13 Wrist Warmers & Cowls (1/2) Sweater & Shawl Pins	Jan 14	Jan 15 Beginning Knitting (1/2) Earrings
Jan 16 Socks on Sunday (1/3) Beading Clinic	Jan 17 Knitting Clinic	Jan 18 Provincial Waistcoat (2/3)	Jan 19 Knitting Clinic 120 Minute Mittens	Jan 20 Wrist Warmers & Cowls (2/2) Loop & Wrap	Jan 21	Jan 22 Beginning Knitting (2/2)
Jan 23 Socks on Sunday (2/3) Beading Clinic	Jan 24 Knitting Clinic	Jan 25 Slippers Jewelry Making Basics	Jan 26 Knitting Clinic Thrummed Mittens (2/2)	Jan 27 Reversable Wavy Scarf	Jan 28	Jan 29
Jan 30 Beading Clinic	Jan 31 Knitting Clinic	Feb 1 Provincial Waistcoat (3/3)	Feb 2 Knitting Clinic	Feb 3	Feb 4	Feb 5
Feb 6 Beading Clinic Socks on Sunday (3/3)	Feb 7 Knitting Clinic	Feb 8	Feb 9 Knitting Clinic	Feb 10	Feb 11	Feb 12

More Class Information

Please call ahead to register for classes. In most cases payment needs to be received in advance of the class to reserve your seat. We will cancel classes that do not have the required minimum people registered 72 hours before the class; if you are in a class where this is the case, we will call the number you provide when you register to let you know. If you need to cancel your place in a class, we require 24 hours notice as a courtesy to the instructor otherwise you will still be responsible for the cost of the class.

Beginner classes, open to everyone, will be mindful of those with zero experience and will take the time to explain the basics of tools & materials along with the techniques.
Intermediate Beginner teaches you new ways to use basic tools and techniques. It will assume you understand the functions of the basic tools such as round-nose pliers, chain-nose pliers, flat nose pliers, wire cutters, crimping pliers and can carry out basic techniques without assistance - like opening and closing jump rings, crimping a crimp tube, applying a crimp cover, making an eye-pin, and loop-and-wrap.
Intermediate classes builds further upon your basic knowledge and skills.
Advanced Intermediate classes will often use techniques learned in Intermediate classes and build upon them.
Similarly, the Advanced classes will either use multiple Intermediate techniques or build upon Advanced Intermediate techniques.

If you have any questions, Julie is happy to help.

Classes for October, November, and December

2010-10-12T06:55:00.000-07:00

Did You Know?

· You need to register for classes ahead of time. Check out our schedule and sign up now so the classes you want to take don't get cancelled!

· All of our fall and winter yarn is now in stock!

· We've installed full spectrum lighting to help you better view our packaged findings.

· We received a new shipment of faceted crystal in some great new shapes, colors, and sizes.

· We've restocked our Fantasy Naturalle cotton yarn so we'll have what you need for your gift knitting.

· We've restocked and expanded our selection of findings and metal components made from high quality brass with the very fashionable gunmetal, antique copper, and antique copper finishes.

· We are now offering beading clinics most Sundays from 1-3pm for $5. While it's not a substitute for a class, Julie can help with design questions and help you refine techniques you're struggling with.

· Whenever we aren't holding a class or event, you can come and work at our work table and use our jewelry-making pliers. Just call ahead to make sure the space is available. This is a great option if you're relatively new to beading and want to work on projects but haven't yet invested in your own tools, or are working on a project and want to make sure all the supplies you might need are right there.

Class & Event Calendar

We're always trying to find better ways to help you find the classes that you want and need to take, as well as the other scheduled opportunities and services we offer. The calendar we've developed lets you see what fits in your schedule, color codes the beading and jewelry classes and the knitting classes, and lets you click on links to see images and descriptions for the class, clinic, or event.

Since this is new, please bear with us as we iron out the kinks. Not all of the class pages are active yet, so if a link doesn't work today, try it out tomorrow! The links should all be active by early Wednesday. Once that is finished, we'll be modifying/deleting the existing class pages on the website. In the end you'll be able to access class information much more efficiently and we appreciate your patience while we switch things over!

All WEEKDAY CLASSES are held from 6-8pm.

Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
Oct 10	Oct 11 Knitting Clinic	Oct 12	Oct 13 Knitting Clinic	Oct 14 Jewelry Making Basics	Oct 15	Oct 16 Lampworking 10:30-12:30 & 1:30-4:30
Oct 17 Beading Clinic	Oct 18 Knitting Clinic	Oct 19 Felted Clogs (1/3)	Oct 20 Knitting Clinic Viking Knit	Oct 21 Knit Night	Oct 22	Oct 23
Oct 24 Kids Knitting 1-2pm	Oct 25 Knitting Clinic	Oct 26 Embellished Peyote Rings	Oct 27 Knitting Clinic	Oct 28 Multimedia Accessories	Oct 29	Oct 30 Beaded Christmas Ornament 1-3pm
Oct 31 Beading Clinic	Nov 1 Knitting Clinic	Nov 2 Felted Clogs (2/3)	Nov 3 Knitting Clinic Loop & Wrap	Nov 4 Felted Mittens (1/2)	Nov 5	Nov 6 Beginning Knitting (1/2) 10:30-12:30
Nov 7 Socks on Sunday (1/3) 1-3pm	Nov 8 Knitting Clinic	Nov 9 Felted Clogs (3/3)	Nov 10 Knitting Clinic 120 Minute Mittens	Nov 11 Felted Mittens (2/2) ChaCha Bracelet	Nov 12	Nov 13 Beginning Knitting (2/2) 10:30a-12:30pJewelry Making Basics 10:30a-12:30p Earrings 1-3pm
Nov 14 Beading Clinic Socks on Sunday (2/3) 1-3pm	Nov 15 Knitting Clinic	Nov 16 Felted Slippers (1/2)	Nov 17 Knitting Clinic Slide Knot Necklace	Nov 18 Knit Night	Nov 19	Nov 20
Nov 21	Nov 22 Knitting Clinic	Nov 23 Beaded Christmas Ornament	Nov 24 Knitting Clinic	Nov 25 Thanksgiving Holiday Hours: Closed	Nov 26	Nov 27
Nov 28 Socks on Sunday (3/3) 1-3pm Beading Clinic	Nov 29 Knitting Clinic	Nov 30 Felted Slippers (2/2) Pearl Knotting	Dec 1 Knitting Clinic	Dec 2 Byzantine Chain Maille Bracelet	Dec 3	Dec 4
Dec 5	Dec 6 Knitting Clinic	Dec 7	Dec 8 Knitting Clinic Jewelry Making Basics	Dec 9	Dec 10	Dec 11 Micro-Torch Soldering: Charm Bracelet 10:30-1:30
Dec 12 Beading Clinic	Dec 13 Knitting Clinic	Dec 14	Dec 15 Knitting Clinic	Dec 16 Knit Night	Dec 17	Dec 18
Dec 19 Beading Clinic	Dec 20 Knitting Clinic	Dec 21	Dec 22 Knitting Clinic	Dec 23	Dec 24 Christmas Eve Holiday Hours: 10am-2pm	Dec 25 Christmas Holiday Hours: Closed
Dec 26	Dec 27 Knitting Clinic	Dec 28	Dec 29 Knitting Clinic	Dec 30	Dec 31 New Years Eve Holiday Hours: Closed	Jan 1, 2011 New Years Day Holiday Hours: Closed

More Class Information

Please call ahead to register for classes. In most cases payment needs to be received in advance of the class to reserve your seat. We will cancel classes that have the required minimum people registered 72 hours before the class; if you are in a class where this is the case, we will call the number you provide when you register to let you know.

Beginner classes, open to everyone, will be mindful of those with zero experience and will take the time to explain the basics of tools & materials along with the techniques.
Intermediate Beginner teaches you new ways to use basic tools and techniques. It will assume you understand the functions of the basic tools such as round-nose pliers, chain-nose pliers, flat nose pliers, wire cutters, crimping pliers and can carry out basic techniques without assistance - like opening and closing jump rings, crimping a crimp tube, applying a crimp cover, making an eye-pin, and loop-and-wrap.
Intermediate classes builds further upon your basic knowledge and skills.
Advanced Intermediate classes will often use techniques learned in Intermediate classes and build upon them.
Similarly, the Advanced classes will either use multiple Intermediate techniques or build upon Advanced Intermediate techniques.

If you have any questions, Julie is happy to help.

Sept/Oct 2010 Jewelry Class Schedule & A Great Free Tutorial

2010-09-05T02:14:00.000-07:00

Repeating Our Labor Day Hours and Other Miscellany

· Knits & Pearls will be closed both SUNDAY, September 5th, and MONDAY, September 6th for Labor Day. Our normal (non-holiday) hours are M-Th 10-7, F & Sat 10-5, and Sun 12-4.

· We now carry a selection of Delica seed beads. These are cylindrical seed beads used in off-loom beadwork designs, and are a great option for bead embroidery on felted projects.

· If you're planning your fall and winter knitting projects, we have the Fall and Winter yarns out and are getting more every week.

· We will be having a glass beadmaking/lampworking demonstration at 1:00 on Saturday, September 18th. If you've seen the beautiful lampwork glass focal beads we have on display in the front of the store or the colorful glass Trollbeads, Julie will show you how they're made with glass rods and a torch.

· Beginning September 19, we will be offering regular Beading Clinics Sundays from 1-3pm for $5. If you have broken jewelry that you need help fixing or aren't sure about the next step on a project, come by and Julie will be happy to help you. If help isn't enough, for an additional fee, Julie can finish the project for you. Julie has worked as a professional jewelry artist in a wide range of media and techniques for over five years and has over 20 years of jewelry-making and repair experience. One of her designs was recently published in the WORD feature of the June/July 2010 issue of Beadwork magazine.

· Finally, whenever we aren't holding a class or event, you can come and work at our work table and use our jewelry-making pliers. Just call ahead to make sure the space is available. This is a great option if you're relatively new to beading and want to work on projects but haven't yet invested in your own tools, or are working on a project and want to make sure all the supplies you might need are right there.

Jewelry Class Schedule

September/October 2010
Jewelry Class Schedule

Since the Holidays are just around the corner, look for the Great Gifts Alert (!). Our criteria for adding this label is that:

The project is easy enough for a beginner
Is inexpensive to make
Can be easily personalized for any recipient, and even if you give the same thing to several people they won’t feel like they’re all getting the same thing.

September/October Calendar

Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
Sept 12	Sept 13	Sept 14	Sept 15	Sept 16	Sept 17	Sept 18 Jewelry Making Basics Lampworking Demo Earrings (!)
Sept 19	Sept 20	Sept 21	Sept 22 Slide Knot Necklaces (!)	Sept 23	Sept 24	Sept 25
Sept 26	Sept 27	Sept 28 Wire Rings	Sept 29	Sept 30 Wire and Ribbon Necklaces	Oct 1	Oct 2 Micro Torch Soldering
Oct 3	Oct 4	Oct 5	Oct 6 Byzantine Weave Bracelet	Oct 7	Oct 8	Oct 9
Oct 10	Oct 11	Oct 12	Oct 13	Oct 14 Jewelry Making Basics	Oct 15	Oct 16 Lampworking
Oct 17	Oct 18	Oct 19	Oct 20 Viking Knit	Oct 21	Oct 22	Oct 23
Oct 24	Oct 25	Oct 26 Embellished Peyote Rings (!)	Oct 27	Oct 28 Multimedia Accessories (!)	Oct 29	Oct 30 Beaded Christmas Ornament (!)

Please call ahead to register for classes. In most cases payment needs to be received in advance of the class to reserve your seat. We will cancel classes that have less than two people registered on the day of the class; if you are in a class where this is the case, we will call the number you provide when you register to let you know.

Jewelry and beading classes are taught by a talented local artist, Julie Schmidt Bowen. She is primarily known as a Lampwork glass bead artist and metalsmith, but regularly works with and has taught a wide variety of jewelry-making techniques and media.

To help you select classes, we’ve added information about the level of the class. The progression of difficulty ratings, from easiest to hardest, is: Beginner, Intermediate Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced Intermediate, & Advanced.

Beginner classes, open to everyone, will be mindful of those with zero experience and will take the time to explain the basics of tools & materials along with the techniques.
Intermediate Beginner teaches you new ways to use basic tools and techniques. It will assume you understand the functions of the basic tools such as round-nose pliers, chain-nose pliers, flat nose pliers, wire cutters, crimping pliers and can carry out basic techniques without assistance - like opening and closing jump rings, crimping a crimp tube, applying a crimp cover, making an eye-pin, and loop-and-wrap.
Intermediate classes builds further upon your basic knowledge and skills.
Advanced Intermediate classes will often use techniques learned in Intermediate classes and build upon them.
Similarly, the Advanced classes will either use multiple Intermediate techniques or build upon Advanced Intermediate techniques.

If you have any questions, Julie is happy to help.

Jewelry Making Basics
	If you've ever wondered how to put together a simple necklace and bracelet, are confused about what beads to use for a project, or don't know the difference between flat-nose and chain-nose pliers, this class is for you. A great class for beginners, you'll learn how to use basic findings and tools along with general design guidelines. You'll also wow everyone with the beautiful jewelry you make!
	Difficulty: Beginner (stringing) PRICE: $10 Date and Time: Saturday, September 18th, 2010 10:30am - 12:30pm or Thursday, October 14th, 2010 6-8pm
Lampworking Demo
	Come see how Julie makes the glass focal beads and Trollbeads-compatible beads that we carry in the store.
	FREE! Saturday, September 18th, 2010 1:00pm
Earrings
	Great Gifts Alert! Even if you don’t usually wear earrings, this is a must-take class to learn and practice the very important loop-and-wrap/wrapped loop technique. Four of the five kinds of earrings we’ll make use this technique, and the fifth shows you how to bend a short length of wire to make your own stone stud earrings. This class works as a prerequisite for Intermediate Beginner wireworking classes.
	Difficulty: Beginner (wireworking) PRICE: $10 Date and Time: Saturday, September 18th, 2010 2:30 - 4:30pm
Slide Knot Necklaces
	Great Gifts Alert! We've been selling tons of these necklaces in the store and wanted to show you this simple but very functional technique for making a resizable necklace out of your favorite pendant. You'll also learn or review the loop-and-wrap technique for the complementary charms at the bottom of the pendant.
	Difficulty: Beginner PRICE: $15 Date and Time: Wednesday, September 22th, 2010 6-8pm
Wire Rings
	Out of all the classes Julie has taught this one has been the most popular. You’ll learn how to create four wire rings (three sized and one adjustable) with basic wireworking techniques. You’ll practice wrapping and learn how to make spirals. NOTE: We’ll be using 18 gauge wire to make the rings durable, but since it is a thicker wire than headpins you’ll want to be comfortable using thinner wire before jumping in.
	Difficulty: Intermediate Beginner PRICE: $15 Date and Time: Tuesday, September 28th, 2010 6-8pm
Wire and Ribbon Necklaces
	You'll get a lot of value for your dollar in this class because we're not making one necklace, but two. You'll learn two unique uses for ribbon, using simple wire techniques to add texture and interest. NOTE: We’ll be using 16 gauge wire in this class. Since it is a thick wire you’ll want to be comfortable using thinner wire before jumping in.
	Difficulty: Intermediate Beginner PRICE: $15 Date and Time: Thursday, September 30th, 2010 6-8pm
Beginning Micro-Torch Soldering
	In this class you'll learn about the safety and science behind soldering, the difference between torch and iron soldering, and then use a micro torch to solder 1/2" rings. After we solder our individual rings, you'll learn how to shape and connect them to create a beautiful loop-in-loop bracelet. You will want some previous experience shaping wire and closing jump rings before taking this class. The kit for this class will cost around $100, but it will contain all of the tools you will need to solder sterling silver, copper, brass, or fine silver at home. Take a look at our gallery page and search for “soldering” to get an idea of the kinds of projects soldering allows you to do. If you have questions about kit cost or contents, please e-mail Julie.
	Difficulty: Intermediate Beginner PRICE: $20 Date and Time: Saturday, October 2nd, 2010 1-4pm
Byzantine Weave Bracelet
	If you're interested in chain maille I think this weave is a great place to start. It looks complex and intricate, but because it's repetitive you can master it by the time you leave class. What is also cool about this project is that it is a unisex design that jewelry-wearing men love! We'll be making this bracelet with pre-made jump rings – a lot of them – so make sure you are comfortable opening and closing jump rings before taking this class.
	Difficulty: Intermediate Beginner PRICE: $15 Date and Time: Wednesday, October 6th, 2010 6-8pm
Lampworking
	In the morning you'll learn about lampworking safety, basic properties of glass, how to pull stringers, and how to make a simple round bead with a Hot Head torch. In the afternoon you'll learn how to use stringers to decorate beads, how to make two-color twisty stringers, and how to make different shapes of beads. Please note that lampworking kits will cost around $120, but will contain everything you will need to make lampwork glass beads at home. If you have questions about kit cost or contents, please e-mail julie@autochthonous-evolved.com.
	Difficulty: Beginner PRICE: $30 Date and Time: Saturday, October 16th, 2010 10:30am - 12:30pm and 1:30 - 4:30pm
Viking Knit
	Viking knit is an easy, inexpensive, and portable technique that produces very beautiful woven metal chains. Join us for this class and learn how to make your own bracelet. Need more motivation? We'll show you how make a chain the right diameter to display Trollbeads or other large-hole beads.
	Difficulty: Beginner PRICE: $15 Date and Time: Wednesday, October 20th, 2010 6-8pm
Embellished Peyote Rings
	Great Gifts Alert! Beadwork is a great pastime because of its portability and low cost, and the Peyote stitch is arguably beadwork's most famous technique. These rings are a perfect introductory beading project. They don't take long to make, and you'll also learn how to embellish them, making your ring(s) unique and personal! NOTE: you will need to be able to thread a fine needle and work with small beads, so if you have or need readers or a magnifier, please bring them along.
	Difficulty: Beginner PRICE: $15 Date and Time: Tuesday, October 26th, 2010 6-8pm
Multimedia Accessories
	Great Gifts Alert! We all use multimedia: books, phones, and we want to be able to take them all on the go. In this class you’ll learn how to use basic tools to do the basic techniques for creating fun and useful gifts like beaded bookmarks, phone charms, and purse charms/ keychains.
	Difficulty: Beginner (wireworking) PRICE: $10 Date and Time: Thursday, October 28th, 2010 6-8pm
Beaded Christmas Ornament
	Great Gifts Alert! Creating a beautiful Christmas tree on a budget can be challenging, even when you only add a couple special ornaments each year. We wanted to give you an idea for a special handmade ornament for your tree. In this class you’ll learn how to create beaded netting to decorate simple, inexpensive round ornaments. With several different netting types and limitless ways to embellish the netting, you’ll learn the tools to create cherished heirlooms.
	Difficulty: Beginner (beading) PRICE: $15 Date and Time: Sunday, October 30th, 2010 1-3pm

Free Fringed Focal Tutorial

As a thank you for your patronage, we wanted to offer you a free design tutorial on this simple but lovely necklace. We think that even the newest beginner will find success with this project and that experienced beaders will learn some new tips.

Tutorial and images © 2010 Julie Schmidt Bowen
Click on the image to download the tutorial.
To read this tutorial you need Adobe Reader, which you can download for free.

Labor Day Hours & September/October Knitting Class Schedule

2010-09-03T12:15:00.000-07:00

Labor Day Hours and Other Miscellany

· Knits & Pearls will be closed both SUNDAY, September 5th, and MONDAY, September 6th for Labor Day. Our normal (non-holiday) hours are M-Th 10-7, F & Sat 10-5, and Sun 12-4.

· We now carry a selection of Delica seed beads. These are cylindrical seed beads used in off-loom beadwork designs, and are a great option for bead embroidery on felted projects.

· If you're planning your fall and winter knitting projects, we have the Fall and Winter yarns out and are getting more every week.

Knitting Class Schedule

Before we show you the regular class schedule, we'd like to introduce you to a new kind of knitting class. These aren't classes based on projects, but teach you intermediate and advanced skills that you can bring to any project.

We think the titles are pretty self-explanatory, but if you have questions Adrianne can help. We want to warn you, these classes come with homework - not because we think you don't have other things to do, but because the practice will save you time in the long run.

Finishing
Saturday, October 2, 10:30a-12:30p. COST: $15

Oops!
Saturday, October 9, 10:30a-12:30p. COST: $15

Yarn Substitutions
Saturday, October 23, 10:30a-12:30p. COST: $15

September/October 2010 Knitting Class Schedule

Beginning Knitting
	In this class, you'll learn the basics like the knit and purl stitches, increasing and decreasing in the Continental style; great for absolute beginners or anyone who needs a refresher. We have some project suggestions, but the final choice is up to you.
	Price: $10 per session; two sessions Date and Time: Saturday, September 18 & 25 OR Saturday, October 16 & 30 10:30am - 12:30pm
Socks on Sunday
	Students taking this class can do any sock pattern from the book Sensational knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch. You will need to pay for a minimum of three classes up front, but can take any three Sunday Socks classes you want, which will be offered three weeks in a row every three weeks.
	Price: $10 per session; three sessions. Dates and Times: Sunday, September 12, 19, & 26 1-3pm
Slippers
	If you're starting to think about easy, pretty and practical Holiday gifts, consider making some comfortable slippers for the people you love. They go quickly and they are a very personal gift!
	Price: $10 per session; two sessions. Dates and Times: Tuesday, September 21 & 28 6-8pm
ElleMyra Vest
	This vest is a fast knit with chunky yarn and big needles. Wear it over a tank or camisole for a little extra fashion statement in the summer or over a long sleeved T or sweater as a vest in the winter.
	Price: $10 per session; three sessions. Dates and Times: Wednesday, September 22, October 13 & 27 6-8pm
Felted Bag & Embellishments
	Have you ever needed a bag that was a specific size or color? Do you like the practical aspect of knitting but want a smaller project that's not another scarf? Do you want to learn how to felt wool? Any of those reasons, and more, are a great excuse to take this fun class!
	Price: $10 per session; two sessions. Dates and Times: Thursday, September 23 & October 14 6-8pm
Kids' Knitting
	A lot of kids and parents have been waiting and it's finally here. If you (or someone you know) is 9 or older and wants to learn to knit (and NOT from mom or grandma, etc.), Adrianne is going to take an hour and show you the basics. Then you'll be able to make YOUR scarf YOUR way in YOUR colors. Awesome.
	Price: $5 per one hour session; one session. Dates and Times: Sunday, September 26 1-2pm
Tube Socks 2@ A Time
	If you have ever suffered from Second Sock Syndrome (SSS), or don't want to experience it, and like the idea of making your own simple but pretty socks - you'll want to take this class. These tube socks aren't anything like the ones your dad or husband wear because they're textured and you can make them ANY color you want!
	Price: $10 per session; three sessions. Dates and Times: Wednesday, September 29, October 6 & 20 6-8pm* Second Sock Syndrome = having ONE very pretty knitted sock and being totally okay with that; lacking the desire to knit a second sock after toiling to knit the first.
Aran Felted Mittens
	If you've experienced a Minnesota winter, chances are you know the value of a warm pair of mittens. Luckily for us, not only are these mittens super warm but they are lovely. This is also a perfect project for anyone new to Aran knitting and wants to start small.
	Price: $10 per session; three sessions. Dates and Times: Tuesday, October 12, 19, & November 2 6-8pm
Create Your Own Cowl
	If you're a downhill skiier, then you might be familiar with the utility of a cowl to keep your neck warm without the trailing ends of a scarf. A great gift idea for the winter athletes on your list. Not only is it useful, but it's fashionable and the perfect opportunity to splurge on that one special skein of luxury yarn you've had your eye on.
	Price: $10 per session; one session. Dates and Times: Thursday, October 21 6-8pm
120 Minute Mittens
	You might have seen the Aran mittens above, but maybe you're not interested in anything fancy and you want a FAST project, something great for personal handmade gifts or much-needed charitable donations of winter clothing. Well, we like to deliver. Also great for anyone new to mittens, this pattern only takes two hours to make (plus or minus). Don't believe us? Come and see!
	Price: $10 per session; one session. Dates and Times: Tuesday, October 26 6-8pm

Jewelry Class Schedule

We don't want to overwhelm you with two huge schedules at once, so we'll send out the Jewelry class schedule Friday evening. As a teaser, we'll be offering most of the great classes we had this summer for everyone that had scheduling conflicts - including Viking Knit, Byzantine Chain Maille bracelet, Slide Knot Necklace, and Ribbon & Wire necklaces - along with a few classes geared more toward simple but practical holiday gifts like wire rings and multimedia accessories.

One other reason we wanted to make the jewelry class schedule separately is because we wanted to offer you more than a listing the paid classes. Look for simple seed bead project ideas - inspiration for beautiful and inexpensive gifts - and a free tutorial on this Fringed Focal necklace: