River Colors Journal

Finishing can be fun

2012-01-30T17:47:00.000-08:00

What a lovely day I had today. I kind of hibernated and focused on the tasks at hand, finishing projects. First of all, I took the time to use the measurement schematics from my Rasta Jacket and wet blocked them on my fancy blocking board(i.e. the basement floor). Now mind you, I have a blocking mat but in this case I wanted the freedom to use as much space as I needed. On Saturday I started sewing the sleeves in without blocking, but decided that blocking was an absolutely necessary part of this garment looking its best. After consulting with the book "Seven Things that Can Make Or Break a Sweater", I sewed the sleeves in again. Once the sleeves were in place I knew I could pin and measure the pieces to match. I used a water mister to encourage the fibers to relax and stretch to measurements...a little patting to smooth out eased in seams and I left the piece to dry....hoping that the fit was going to be as excellent as my mind was saying it was going to be.

The next task at hand was the Leigh Radford hat pattern. I had to finish the knitting today so I could felt and see how the "new" hat was going to turn out. Finish that I did and now it is in the machine to see if this time it will successfully fit my head.

Startitis part one

2012-01-29T04:05:00.000-08:00

In my mind, part of startitis is the beleif that you can start and finish a project within a very short time. Of course though, this time does not include the luxury of mistakes. I have an example here. I adore the 1920's Ribbon Hat by Leigh Radford. This hat is felted and uses the Imperial Yarn Columbia 2 ply. I decided that was going to be the first project I launched into. Finish it I did(as you can see by my pictures). The hat before felting, and the hat after. What I did not really think about before I started was the fact that I have a new fancy washing machine....So by all accounts I can tell you I have started and finished this hat and it is as cute as it looks. The problem however; as a shopowner with a high code of ethics, is that I have to tell you that my head is too small for the finished project. This is a polite way of saying this project after felting is still waaaaay too big, which of course you could never tell by my picture. I am confessing and telling you I am going to take another shot at the project with a different yarn that I know felts well...like Malabrigo worsted. I am also going to knit up a swatch of the leftover yarn and see if it will felt better if I knit it looser, though honestly that does not seem to make sense with the printed gauge. Stay tuned as I try to problem solve the final product(by the way, I looked it up on Ravelry and I saw at least one person where the hat turned out way too small).....sigh, the art of felting projects.

The path is clear

2012-01-23T17:47:00.000-08:00

The path is clear...let startitis begin!!!

Path clearing

2012-01-20T11:56:00.000-08:00

So, a knitting marathon is going on in my house. This is actually happening for a number of related/unrelated reasons.
#1) My daughter Kelsey hit the the guilt button about her sweater " hey mom, not to be pushy or anything, but do you think you can make the sweater so I can wear it THIS winter?"
#2) I want to start some new projects but I have at least 3 that are really close to completion and want to finish them but I can't because I first have to finish the reason for the marathon #1.
#3) I want to get to my fiber spinning again and can't until reason #1 and #2 are done.

Here you will see the Knitting Pure & Simple Topdown for Kels in Madelinetosh Vintage in the color Tart. I gotta tell you this is going to be a difficult sweater to just hand over...so warm, cozy and brilliant in color....maybe I can borrow it sometimes! The sweater right next to the tosh sweater is my original topdown that I have to keep reclaiming from Kelsey's room. She borrows it and then just somehow forgets to put it back...hence her very own sweater is on the needles.

The little bowl with nuts you see pictured is my abacus. My abacus is strictly for amusement purposes. Alot of times when I am knitting nothing but stockinette I need little tasks to keep me working, so as I finish a round I move the nut out of the bowl to another location. Oddly enough it gives me instant gratification and I can amuse myself with the knitting and nutmoving much longer than if I just knitted and didn't keep track of myself. Kinda weird huh?

The Schaefer Yarn Company

2012-01-01T16:17:00.000-08:00

The Schaefer Yarn Company is located in the Finger Lakes region of New York. They are a family owned business with years of experience creating fantastic silk, wool, wool blend and pima cotton hand-painted yarns. Their website offers examples of their patterns and yarn styles. Visit Schaefer Yarn Company at www.schaeferyarn.com.

Meischay Elite at PureAlpacaYarn.com

2012-01-01T15:27:00.000-08:00

Meischay Elite is a great source for high quality Alpaca Yarns. Their yarn is made from their own Alpacas board and breed at Beachwood Creek Farm in Fowler, Ohio. Their 100% alpaca fiber took third place at the 2010 Nationals for Fiber Arts & Skeins. If your looking for a quality American made, all natural Alpaca fiber visit purealpacayarn.com.

Projects on December 24th

2011-12-24T03:25:00.000-08:00

So I have very limited time to write because I have yet another slipper to knit this morning but I wanted to share the fun of making this slipper. The pattern I used is the Retro Thrummed Slipper from the Imperial Valley Yarn people. It was alot of fun to get the thrums ready(cuz I love roving you know). You have to break up the knitting if you can because your knit fabric needs to be tight so that it wears better. So I have pictures to show you the furry inside animal that you create.

The other project I have to show you is so gratifying to complete so quickly..It is called the Rasta Neckwarmer and is out of Malabrigo book 3.

Store Hours

2011-12-18T05:16:00.000-08:00

SPECIAL HOLiDAY HOURS for 2011
12/18 12-4
12/19 1-6
12/20 11-7
12/21 11-6
12/22 11-8
12/23 11-6
12/24 10-3
closed 12/25 & 12/26
closed 1/1& 1/2

The week of 12/28-12/31 we will have normal operating hours

Hours as of 11/1/11
Sunday 1-4
Monday closed
Tuesday 11-6
Wed, Fri. 11-5
Thursday 11-8
Saturday 11-4

Trying to find us for the first time? We are tucked behind Blackbird Baking Company(their signs are very obvious)

By Day, By Night

2011-12-10T03:24:00.000-08:00

Recently I was invited to be a presenter at one of the Grindstone Knitting Guild meetings. I wanted to share a technique that I thought would feature some of the new bulkier yarns that are popular this season. Lo and behold the new shipment of Plymouth's Adriafil Collection came in that day. I couldn't decide which yarn I wanted to use...the Malizia with it's sparkle or the Mito with it's organic homespun feeling.....the result of being nondecisive is the By Day, By Night Scarf. I wrote the pattern up so that the Indian Cross Stitch was featured and you can now download the pattern here. I used one ball for each half. If you are going out on the town, put the sparkly side forward; have errands and just want to be warm, put the non-sparkle side forward. The members of the guild and I had a wonderful time, and I now have a great pattern to share with you. I am proud to say that we were recently the featured shop in the recent Plymouth newsletter and our pattern was part of the mailing.

Starting all over again

2011-12-05T04:32:00.000-08:00

I fell in love with the simplicity of the Purl Bee Bandana Cowl….With a studio full of yarn I knew I had to find just the perfect elegant, simplistic yarn to make this baby….it is all about the drape(oh and let me tell you by experience…the detail) I looked at Ravelry a number of times to see what other knitters had created that I liked…The review of finished projects made me decide very quickly that I wanted an natural looking fiber. Finally I decided on my all time favorite: Blue Sky Alpace worsted. Whenever I knit with this yarn I am amazed at how it feels in my hands. I recklessly launched into the project. Well that was all fine and dandy until I looked closer at what my wonderful yarn was showing me…that I was a reckless knitter(no slack being cut here). I didn’t pay attention to the detailing of the decreases…there is a very clear line up the first couple rows of garter(I like to think of it as the little line that runs up from the center of your lip to your nose).. that was all a mess..no little line…my short rows….messy… I had not paid attention …thinking I was above it all. Well let me tell you, my yarn scolded me. I looked at my cowl…not so beautiful right now…put it down…walked away. Decided I needed to start all over again…fresh approach. So humbling a simple project can be, so much more enjoyable when you pay attention.

Interviewing the project for the job

2011-10-21T05:42:00.000-07:00

If you are like me, one of the most important parts of getting ready for a vacation/trip is to have the right project with you. Who knows...you may get stuck somewhere for a period of time longer than anticipated and that is precious crocheting/knitting time. When I travel in a car it is always easy to pack; I take many of the things that are in my que. Flying, that is a whole different story. When you fly you have to narrow down how many things you take with you. Flying internationally, it gets even worse. You narrow it down to one, or at least I do because I travel light...I hate to carry things when I get on the plane. Peter and I went to see Kelsey at the beginning of October and I spent much of September deliberating my que. I promised Kelsey a Knitting Pure and Simple, Neckdown pullover made out of Malabrigo yarn in the Paris Nights colorway and it seemed like I should work on that...but I hadn't swatched and I was worried about needle sizing. I wound yarn for the Plymouth Mushishi shawl #2141 and thought I was going to take that but then....the morning I was leaving I looked at the Koigu Kppm colors and thought of the Churchmouse Classics Linen scarf. I thought about the simplicity of carrying the yarn, and the tremendous amount of knitting that would go with it and that project won. I am so happy with my decision. I am still not done with it but I love the way it looks.

I do beleive that international security is tighter now than it was 2 years ago. In Geneva they had a picture of things that were not allowed to be in your carry on luggage. Two of the items I focused on were very tiny scissors, which in the past have not been an issue and straight metal knitting needles. I decided to ditch my scissors but I took a chance on the circular bamboo needles that my scarf was on...I couldn't give up all that knitting time! Risk was on my side and I was able to knit the whole way back. So. word of warning to traveling international crafters. You might get your project there but you might have to pack it in on the way back...take a book just in case!

I'm having a play day!

2011-09-19T11:55:00.000-07:00

The fall is always an exciting time around the shop. New people, new yarns, new classes and lots of ideas and plans. It is a time when I get overwhelmed and hardly feel like I can knit or crochet. I woke up this morning feeling pretty overwhelmed by it all. What's the thing to do when overwhelmed? Steady yourself by playing with yarn of course, and that is exactly what I am doing. I picked big needle projects so that I can feel a sense of accomplishment. New yarns so that I will be doing something productive for the shop(sorry really the class list will be up soon!). My first project was the Katia Evita yarn using the free pattern they have online. Smashing sucess with those little fur balls. I can tell you that if the little fur balls start to congregate, you can easily slip them along the yarn so they are scattered more. I am right now working with the Imperial Stock Ranch 2 pencil roving. It is taking some time to get use to it. I started this project once before and realized that I needed to get to know the art of knitting with the pencil roving better. I am flying along on this project and will devote one whole posting on tips for working with this fiber.
The other scarf that I started today is the Big Lace Scarf from More Last Minute Knitted Gifts. I'll show you the finished projects with specifcs at another time.

Yarn Discovery Tour

2011-09-08T06:16:00.000-07:00

Join the Yarn Discovery Tour. We look forward to meeting new faces and and chatting with those we already know. Please note that we will be honoring"TOUR" hours so do stop by to see us!!!!

There she goes

2011-08-30T18:49:00.000-07:00

And there she goes....the last one from the nest this August! Nature delayed this departure by a couple days(thanks hurricane irene!). Kelsey is off to Genenva, Switzerland to study and do an internship! And how lucky is she? She has a new blog and hopes to record her "happenings"....so if you are looking for a diversion check it out. http://heartlanding.blogspot.com/

Our pasture of sheep

2011-08-29T09:04:00.000-07:00

Soooo cute! Check out our recently acquired pasture of sheep. These hand made original salt and pepper shakers are now for sale at the store. The same artist is making yarn bowls...I just couldn't help but laugh when I saw them and I hope you do too!

Parting is such sweet sorrow?

2011-08-16T04:39:00.000-07:00

Parting is such sweet sorrow. Ya. I have been saying that to myself the whole week leading up to dropping Nik off for his freshman year at Purdue. I kept saying sure...it will be ok because there are so many things that I need to do and this is supposed to happen.....the kid moving on and growing up....I'll spin more and knit more and crochet more and bead more(oh ya, exercise more) Well. I will but ,man I am gonna miss seeing that face every morning at 6 am. Hugs and kisses to my boy.

Whirlwind August

2011-08-12T07:28:00.000-07:00

3 kids
3 kids leaving
3 kids leaving 3 different weeks in August.
ANASTASIA(ANA)(kid #2)
So last weekend we took Ana back to school in Columbia,South Carolina. According to Mapquest this is a 10 hour trip....straight down I-77 from Cleveland....no potty breaks. We go down on Saturday and return on Sunday. PERFECTTTTTT for knitting, lots of car time. I have to say this trip was an excellent example of why knitters carry more that one project in their bag when they are traveling. I kept running into little "glitches" and would have to change projects so...here is a run down.
My lovely Sasperilla shawl....I was so happy I had rounded the corner and was well on the way to finishing when I found a mistake....a serious mistake so I had to rip and then couldn't get myself back on track(I'll be able to it is just that I was grumpy from being so close to the finish and then having to backtrack). So then I switched to my little Kanoke pants. A sweet little pair of baby pants only to find that I needed my double points to work on the legs separately. The last project I pulled out to work on was the Inspira Cowl. I love working on this project because of the color sequencing. Anyway.....I'll be able to work on these projects some more this weekend as we drive Nikolas out to Purdue!

Darn Good Yarn Recycled Silk Yarn Store

2011-08-01T09:30:00.000-07:00

Darn Good Yarn offers eco-friendly recycled silk yarn. Their site www.darngoodyarn.com is dedicated to all recycled silk sari yarns, sari silk ribbon and pure silk yarn.

Recycled silk yarn is one of the most unique fibers you will encounter. Silk thrums, the fringe of warp threads left on a loom after the cloth has been cut off, are hand spun into silk yarn wound in a loose long coil. Vibrant, textured yarn is created in a endless wide of colorways.

Handspun recycled silks, natural inconsistencies turn simple designs into charming and unique projects.

Finishing projects

2011-07-03T05:25:00.000-07:00

I have not been blogging but I have been knitting! I came across a number of projects that I had sitting in bags...begging to be held. I couldn't resist and picked up the oldest one. This shawl is made from Classic Elite Portland Tweed and the pattern is Sarsparilla. It is one of those knitting projects that I glanced at and thought, ":Oh, I'll just whip that up". Whenever I do that I get in trouble. I am not a good judge of time. Mind you, it is not that the project takes that long...it is just that I set an unrealistic goal. The project was set aside because the garter stitch was not going as fast as I wanted....so recently I was just doing a row a day and voila I was at the border. I got myself going on the border and absolutely adore doing it. The border is a 6 row repeat and is edging the whole garter stitch shawl. The edging is composed of a cable and a couple stitches that will be dropped and used for fringe once the cable edging is complete. I really want to just knit on it but there are so many fun competing interests! I am supposed to be spinning for the Tour de Fleece and started before the race and have not been spinning during. I must focus...tonight!
Then, this Saturday(July 16th) at the store we are hosting the Ohio Fiber Natural Network and Destination Yarns ! It is going to be such a busy day, connecting with friends... looking at local fleece, dying, talking, spinning, crocheting, knitting.....yowser Don't miss it!

Annual Sale and Worldwide Knit in Public Day

2011-06-06T08:14:00.000-07:00

20% off all in stock yarns
Our annual sale starts this Tuesday June 7th and goes through June 11th. All in stock yarns are 20% off. Our frequent fiber cards do not apply during the sale.
Worldwide Knit in Pubic Day will take place on the 11th from 12-4. We will have refreshments, bring a chair for sitting outside and be prepared to end the day with a smile!

Great Lakes Fiber Festival and Me!

2011-06-03T05:17:00.001-07:00

The Great Lakes Fiber Festival has become part of my Memorial Weekend. My approach this year was so different because of my new spinning passion. In the past I used to go and look at the yarns and eye the animals. This year I still looked at the yarns but also eyed raw fleeces, checked out roving, bats and top. I looked at mohair locks and glitter trying to picture how to incorporate it into my spinning. I eyed drop spindles as I have decided they will be my new thing to collect.....I do love wooden objects....I did alot of eyeing and walked away with only two items. Two incredible finds that I will be able to have at the store by the end of June. The roving is from White Creek Wool in Michigan and the transitional cotton is from Wolle's in Virginia. The roving is subtle and beautiful with many wonderful natural tones. The cotton is incredibly vibrant with so many awesome colorways. We will let you know as soon as our shipment arrives!

My first hanks!

2011-05-25T06:19:00.000-07:00

Here we have it. My first wheel spun and plied hanks of yarn. The first pictures are previous to their soaking to set....the second photos are after they are drying on my outside chairs. After you ply yarn you are supposed to let it soak in water so that the fibers "become one" I love, love love my first yarn. I like uneven knobby yarns so my beginner skein is perfect for the artsy side of me. I can see that I am progressing to a much more controlled even spin as I practice. They say it is hard to go back to the funky look after. I need to know that I can do both and then I will feel like " I get it". I couldn't help but try an unusual color;one we can't usually order! Next, the project...I have to estimate how much I have and then based on that; what I will make. Oh ya...I'm not sure the "become one" concept shows in the photos....just sayin...

Addictions....ahh hahhh

2011-05-20T03:43:00.000-07:00

Addictions are funny little things that just sneak up on you when you least realize it. You know that feeling you get when you are about to get on a plane or go on a long card ride and you panic because you can't find your crocheting or knitting project? How about getting ready for a trip; all you think about is what project is going to be packed, the heck with the clothing! Then there is that crazy feeling you get when you sit down to a bowl of salad, pasta, and garlic bread......where the heck is the red wine? Lucky for me, these current addictions are not serious to my health and not embaressing to my family. I have lived with them for awhile and openly claim them as mine....BUT... I have a new one that snuck up on me this morning, spinning. I briefly talked about it a couple entries ago.....how spinning was becoming my new obsession. I did not realize however that is was incorporating itself into a physical addiction. I woke up this morning came right down to start spinning and encountered a very serious issue. I had no fiber to spin! My body did that little twitch that I know all too well as the addiction twitch....ahh haaa.....funny how they sneak up on you. NOTE TO SELF....BRING HOME FIBER...don't like this feeling.

I confess

2011-05-16T10:35:00.000-07:00

I confess, I am glad the weather is lousy. I know I should be clamoring for sunny days and warm temps and yes, yesterday I was whining about how it is never going to be nice outside. But honestly, today I am happy because my options are narrowed way down due to the weather. It is my day off and I am knitting, sewing spinning and sneaking in a movie. Today I worked a tiny bit on Kelsey's dress & pressed the material for my blouse. I then proceeded to finish spinning my Targhee from Abstract Fibers. It has to sit a little before I ply it(so I've been told). I am anxious to produce my first yarn to knit with but am trying not to rush through the process Because I was really struggling with the targhee I decided to try the Blue Faced Leicester(bfl) from Mountain Colors. Classic case of wondering if it is hard because I am a newbie, or is it the fiber? It is spinning so much easier.....there must be a learning lesson here but I don't know enough yet, to figure out what that lesson is. Anyone out there have wisdom to share with me? My Noro purse is done and I think it is quite fun. Actually after I was done with it I decided it would be a perfect pattern for handspun.... The last two things I am hoping to sneak in are loading the ArtYarns onto the website and working on my brother in law's slippers. Amazing day!

Getting back on track!

2011-05-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

One of the hardest things for me to do is to compartmentalize my personal life and studio life. I think that is a common theme for small business owners. Sometimes it is just plain old difficult to shut down one....they seem to merge into this big awesome, daunting, amorphous blob. Last week I was in Charleston, South Carolina and now I am back trying to figure out what I should do first. What I decided to do for now is just get back into info sharing so here I am. One picture from Charleston and one picture from knitting that I was doing while traveling. Charleston has these nostaligic beautiful southern homes with wonderful patio gardens and historic gateways. I love peering through the gates to see the lush greenery and vibrant flowering plants.

My knitting is a purse project that is from the Noro volume #27. One of our customers had started on one and I was intrigued by the shaping so I decided to start on one myself. The yarn I am using is Noro Furisode and the one they use in the book is Taiyo. It is going to have a lovely shape and interesting sling effect. Watch for the finished project!

Day off fun

2011-04-26T07:21:00.000-07:00

I always have a good time taking Kelsey back to Ohio University and today was no exception. One of our customers told me all about the store Sew To Speak, a fabric store in the Columbus area. When she first told me about it I visited their website and knew that I had to go to the brick and mortar store. Ya know.....Columbus is on the way to Athens......Let me tell you I was not disappointed. So many choices but I did narrow down my focus with the help of Kels. The dress she wants me to make for her is this sweet little demure dress....with this sweet little traditional print...except check out the detail of the print.HA....what an edgey little sweet dress! I knew that I wanted some linen towels so we got some of that and then there was this wonderful cotton and a festive ribbon which just happened to match...then there was the Linen Craft book and the wonderful colors of Pearl Cotton which I now Know I have to get for the store. I didn't realize the wonderful colors it came in.

Lunch came next and we ended up at the Day Star Cafe. Can I tell you how wondeful the food was? After we were done in Clintonville(the suburb Sew To speak and Day Star are located in)we headed on our way....into the rain and 80 degree temps. I was happy though...my textile cravings had been fed for the day.

Classes at River Colors

2011-04-21T04:47:00.000-07:00

River Colors is zeroing in on a couple of new knitting and crocheting classes for the latter spring and summer. We will have our traditional sock classes plus a couple new ones. Check out this awesome little colorwork bag class(Starry Night Bag) that would be perfect using the bright fun colors of Amy Butler organic cotton yarns or Cascade 220 wool(we offer small balls as well). Register now
Annnnd this May we will have our first drop spindle class. Register now I am so excited about adding the fiber spinning to our store collection. We have more and more people asking about spinning and we are going to help you learn about this incredible artform and craft! Look for more classes to come!

Stylin Day, Schaefer Trunk Show, Color Me Happy

2011-03-31T06:25:00.000-07:00

April 16th 11-3
Andrea Marquis representing Jul Accessories, Kelbourne Woolens and Schaefer Company will be here to help you reinvent and restyle your knitted and crocheted pieces.

A Spring Schaefer Trunk show will be here for the day. Included will be yarns to create these two favorite designs using Schaefer yarns.

Color Me Happy
Put some Spring in your smile (coral, anyone?) and pamper your skin! Try a relaxing hand treatment, take home some eye color to test and treat yourself to a little beauty booty! (Enter to win a Satin Hands set!) Mary Kay independent beauty consultant Kristen Hampshire Ohly shares spring makeup trends and timeless skincare classics.

April 9th Events at the Studio

2011-03-31T06:05:00.000-07:00

Some fun events are coming up in April:

April 9th
Felted Beads and Tapestry Crochet
Join us on this day to make some summer accessories. Sign up for our Tapestry Crochet class and create a lime slice pin....later on in the day
We will have a free demo on making your own felted beads which you can later embellish with sparklies and turn into a necklace or bracelet.

Meet Mik(very knitworthy)

2011-03-30T05:01:00.000-07:00

I want you to meet Mik. He is my nephew in Lake Tahoe that is attending college in Santa Cruz. He was home on break when we were visiting so we were lucky enough to ski with him. He is a competitive trick skier and very knitworthy. He had my son Nik all over the slopes.....he slowed way down to keep me company. He put on the hat I made him(like three years ago and never put in the mail to him) and wore it almost the whole time we were there. Not only is he knitworthy cuz he loved his hat but also 'cuz he looks so smashing in the hat!

A very special Wednesday

2011-03-16T16:43:00.000-07:00

So I was alone at the shop today...customers scattered throughout the day. I found myself wandering throughout and taking pics of newer things that you might enjoy seeing without coming to the shop. I would love you to come to the shop but this way you do know what is new....without even leaving your house! Lets start with the drop spindles....cute little things that make yarn with your help. We plan to offer classes in May so you can carry your little spindle wherever you go this summer! the new Lantern Moon Knit boxes are ingenious and loverly to contain your yarn and keep critters away from your projects. Then there is the new Lantern Moon Hobo bag. Perfect for carrying projects to the beach or elsewhere, To wear: we have the unique and stunning Triana yarn. Here we have both the yarn knitted up and the colors options available, Noro this spring has introduced new colors for Taiyo.....a brilliant all season yarn. So many people loved Taiyo this year that Noro also introduced a Taiyo sock....light and perfect for warm temps, Malabrigo book 3 is now in along with wonderful yarns to aid you in the decision of which project to pick,

starving artist beret

2011-03-16T07:45:00.001-07:00

The Starving Artist Beret is a quicky! Lots of people have done it on Ravelry and they all say the same thing....fun and quick. I made mine with Dream In Colors Groovy limited edition.

Erika's Sparkly beret(aka Blushing Beret)

2011-03-15T04:45:00.000-07:00

I love berets. I have one favorite(which Fred was wearing last posting) There is something about its sparkle and its softness that makes me feel very special when I wear it. It is perfect for the still chilly March winds. I have started calling it my sparkly beret and the designer Breean Elyse Miller calls it her Blushing Beret. I used the Artyarns Mohair splash and then doubled the Classic Elite Silky Alpaca Lace. I also used smaller needles because I like me berets snug around my head. There is actually quite a bit of Mohair Splash left....maybe an elegant pair of fingerless gloves?

Making Fred's Day

2011-03-09T07:29:00.000-08:00

My oldest daughter Kelsey is a sculptor. She takes seemingly mundane things and turns them into wonderful 3 dimensional characters, objects, pieces of art.(thanks Mrs. Buckley and Sally Price) Fred is one of the characters that I adopted. He sits on my front porch, greeting visitors or the mailman. He sits there regardless of the weather but he has told me that sunny days are his favorite. He watches our dogs play, snuggles up to the cat and collects leaves in the fall. It has been a hard winter for him....some of his paper mache has come loose so he is looking forward to spring....when his wire can expand and feel the heat. Fred looked so sad the last snowfall that I decided to cheer him up with some color. I swear I saw him smile!

Sweater Babe Knitting & Crochet

2011-03-04T13:58:00.000-08:00

SweaterBabe.com Knitting and Crochet Patterns from Hollywood sells many wonderful Knitting and Crochet patterns. Sign Up for their monthly free patterns, giveaways and contests.

The website has detailed information about the patterns before you buy them including:

The Fiber Needed
Measurements
Skill Level
Total Yardage Required
Pattern Gauge
Some Suggested Yarn Substitutes
Knitting Needles Used

For example #84 Sexy Organic Cotton Camisole Knitting Pattern this is a sexy knit lace Camisole with ribbed straps, peplum shaping, and ribbon tied at the waist. This was created using Blue Sky Alpacas Organic Cotton. You can purchase Blue Sky Alpacas Organic Cotton at River Colors Online Store.

This is an excellent website with a huge selection of patterns. Check them out at
SweaterBabe.com

So Much Fun at Spin in

2011-03-03T06:45:00.000-08:00

..
Best pictures from the event are located here at Emily's blog "Zween"

I want to thank everyone for making our first spin in day a success. There were knitters and crocheters and people who sew(if you say sewer it looks like another word)all gathered round tables and spinning wheels and drop spindles and buttons and yarn and roving and there was laughter and concentration and inspiration and motivation and...and...and

Thank-you for the lesson!

2011-02-23T04:08:00.000-08:00

So my new found obsession continues....the spinning yarn thing. The drop spindle is such a basic looking tool. I have to admit I like a challenge. I like to do things that other people ask "why"? I have been asking lots of people if they spin, the response is yes to a spinning wheel but no....not really to the spindle. The common theme is that once you spin on a wheel you will not want to bother with the spindle, it takes too long. That being said, I watched a couple you tube videos and tried to teach myself. It didn't look that hard but I just couldn't get it started. THEN...in walks a customer and innocently asks about the drop spindles that I have distributed throughout the shop. I ask my spinning question and loa and behold she does spin on a drop spindle(and wheel as well)....and then even beyond that....offers to teach me! How can a girl say no to that???? The next hour was a delight and I now have some yarn on a drop spindle to show you. She is very excited about this upcoming Saturday and promises to be there. Thank-you for the lesson!

Spinning yarn obsession

2011-02-22T03:29:00.000-08:00

So here you see a picture of my new obsession and a new toy around our house. In contrast to other fibery things I have brought home, this item (a Louet Victoria spinning wheel) has everyone in the family curious. Peter kept asking me if I wasn't going to take it out of the box and when I finally did he took control and put it together and promptly started to play with it. After about an hour he cited that there is alot more skill in spinning yarn than he realized. Nik put the bigger Julia model together at the store and then all of the sudden was asking me about how to use it. He tried for a bit and had help from a couple customers that were knitting at the store that day. There is defintely an intrigue that goes along with the wheel. I have been bitten by the bug for sure. Stop by the store this Saturday and come play. There will be the free spinning demos and some bead making with roving and awesome colors and lots of laughing.

Spinning and buttons

2011-02-21T16:12:00.000-08:00

Please come visit us this Saturday 2/26/11. We have a wonderful button trunk show plus our Spin/In/Out. The buttons are here for a week and are funky and unique. Come pick out something you love and plan a project around it or just visit us and watch the magic and fun of the yarn spinning that will be taking place throughout the store. We have free yrn spinning demos planned plus many of our customers are going to bring their wheels and enjoy the fun of spinning with friends. We will have spinning fiber available for purchase from a couple small indie dyers. The spinning is sooo fun and addictive you have got to give it a try.

Love, hearts and baby hats

2011-02-08T04:56:00.000-08:00

Sometimes is is just fun to make something unexpected and watch the reactions of people as you pull them out of your bag....that is how it is with these fun little hearts(just in time for Valentines Day of course. The multi colored hearts are made from the Noro Kids Collection of patterns. The little delicate hearts are made from the Mags Kandis book called Gifted. You still have time and we have the supplies!

The baby hat is a winner. I was tired of moving things around at the store this past Monday and wanted to knit. I picked out this ball of Big Baby and grabbed the Blue Sky Bulky Baby hat pattern and guess what I had in less than an hour. How can you say no to this baby project that takes less than an hour and costs less than $15.00?

Remember the Nubbins?

2011-01-30T04:12:00.000-08:00

Remember the what? Yes, remember the nubbins? Yesterday one of our customers came in wearing the nubbins! Let me tell you about nubbins. They are little fringy fun, funky things that you can put on the edge of things. My friend Kim used to walk around the store wearing a nubbins scarf and I always wanted one. Our customer yesterday inspired me to knit one. She was kind enough to share the directions with me so I am going to share them with you.

Cast on 15 stitches.
knit the first row
at the end of the row cast on 10 stitches
bind off the 10 stitches you just cast on
knit to the end of the row
cast on 10 stitches
bind off the 10 stitches you just cast on.
knit to the end of the row.

Voila! NUBBINS
My picture is using the Kudos yarn by Plymouth
I am on a size 8

New regulars at the store

2011-01-28T04:57:00.000-08:00

So many of you have been asking about who the guy is that is working at the studio on Sundays. That would be my son Nik...this store is in his blood. When we first opened he was there many a day and learned to knit. At that time many of the scarf samples that hung about the store were knit by him. Nowadays he is working on Sundays because I needed some extra help, he needed some work and he knows the store. A couple of weeks ago one of our customers brought in her son Parker. Nik was winding yarn for someone and Parker was totally taken by the whole ball winder, swift thing so Nik taught him how to do it. The next Sunday Parker came in looking for Nik and the ball winder. His mom tells me that he talked all week about the whole process....sooo it looks like Parker is going to be one of our new regulars!

River Colors favorite Infinity Scarf

2010-12-21T01:32:00.000-08:00

Our customers are loving the Coziest Ever Infinity Scarf designed by our Lakewood local, Heidi of Stitch Cleveland. Rachel has been wearing her very brilliant version made of Lambs Pride Bulky and I have been trying to wear my grey version made of Rowan Cocoon. I say trying because I'm having to do battle with my Kelsey to keep it for my own(shhh xmas is coming there might be something on the needles for her!). Anyway, we thought you might enjoy taking a gander at ways to wear the scarf. One version is just a couple wraps around your neck to keep out the cold,the other version encourages the hood look. The hood is perfect to take off the chill and not mess with your hair too much. Anyway it goes, our cutomers see them being worn and want to make them too! The pattern is perfect for a long weekend at home and enjoying the knitting process.

The earflap hat and december winds update

2010-12-16T06:56:00.000-08:00

The hardest part about blogging is the picture taking. I wanted to update you on my December winds entry....the finished projects turned out awesome. I actually did everything I said I was going to, it may have taken a day or two longer than expected but I have decreased the number of bags with started projects. My pictures started out kinda boring and then my girls started to help me out. That is when the fun started. We started the photo shoot and making the accessories come to life.
I love the end results of each of these projects and just wanted to share them with you. The gloves and scarf(Urbana from the Stephen West collection) are patterns that need to be purchased. The hat is one I will share with you. It is dedicated to a promising young knitter that requested an earflap hat.

The River Colors Bulky Earflap Hat
1 Hank of Cascade Magnum
50 yards of Contrast yarn(overestimate)
16' circular size 15 needles
double point needles
stitch marker
gauge 8sts = 4 inches

earflaps
cast on 3 stitches and purl back
knit one, make one left, knit one, make one right,knit one
purl back
knit one, make one left, knit 3, make one right, knit one
purl back
continue with the increases on the 2nd and 2nd to last stitch, working the stitches in between until there are 11 stitches
purl back and cut yarn and leave on the cord

start earflap number 2 and follow the directions for the first one BUT DO NOT CUT THE YARN. purl back and cable cast on 8 stitches, purl across the other flap.
turn and knit across all stitches, pm, cable cast on 10 stitches and join.(40 stitches total).
purl one row, knit one row for 11 rounds total(end with a purl row)
continue just knitting until the length from the beginning is 6 inches.
begin decreases:
knit 6, knit 2 together...repeat until you get to the marker
knit 5, knit 2 together...repeat until you get to the marker
knit 4, knit 2 together...repeat until you get to the marker
knit 3, knit 2 together...repeat until you get to the marker
knit 2, knit 2 together...repeat until you get to the marker
knit 1, knit 2 together...repeat until you get to the marker
knit 2 together...repeat until you get to the marker

cut the yarn so there is around 6 inches left and thread back through the live stitches. weave in the ends.

I will add the rest of the info later.

Ear Flap hat

2010-12-15T16:31:00.001-08:00

Oh young knitter that I promised the ear flap hat pattern to ....I have not forgotten you!
i have the hat all knitted and just need to write the details of the pattern...check in again Thursday PLEASE!

December Winds

2010-12-13T01:52:00.000-08:00

This morning I woke up very early to the December winds of Cleveland. I tried to make myself go back to sleep but then decided to approach the day with a purpose. Today is going to be the day I eliminate some of the bags that I carry back and forth to the shop and every day. In other words I am going to finish some of the projects that I have on the needles.
My list for the day includes.
1. work on Stephen West's Urbana. I shared the beginning stages with you but then put it on the back burner. One of our customers shared her finished Stephen West's Daybreak with me and I want to start one myself....but not until Urbana is done.
2. put the thumbs and buttons on my Noro Retro fingerless gloves
3. create and knit a pattern for an earflap hat using my Cascade Magnum that I will be recycling.
4. put a button on my Malabrio Rasta vest that is hanging at the store. Once I put the button on I can actually wear it!

I think I should be able to do these things today....they are not crazy unrealistic like my usual lists. Look for the update by the end of the day.

Projects are always new to someone else

2010-12-11T03:03:00.000-08:00

I was wearing my Maine Mitts in the studio the other day....there was a chill in the air and the warmth on my wrists always helps take that chill off. The customer I was helping was making the Noro necklet and thoroughly enjoying it....she asked "do you have any other cute fast projects like this?. I usually am pretty good at answering questions like that but that day I waas a little off. I was slow to answer and then she gave me the prompt; "are those gloves that you are wearing hard to make?". Well that was history. We got the pattern out for her, picked out some Noro Kureyon and off she went very excited about her new project(by the way she has come back and made a couple pairs. I am terribly grateful to her for reminding me that an old project to me may be a new project to someone else. Kind of like the old "make new friends but keep the old" lyric from my Girl Scout days.

recycling yarn

2010-12-07T06:01:00.000-08:00

Well the good thing about yarn is that it can be recycled. As much as we hate when a project doesn't turn out, it is not the end of the world! Here you see a wonderful hat that I believe the jolly green giant or Shrek could wear. It is indeed very cute...just huge. I can't blame it on the stitch gauge, that came out right on. There was not a row gauge given so who would have thought? I had such high hopes for this hat.....I spent the afternoon working on it yesterday because I wanted to share it with you as a fast and easy.....don't do it, that is unless you know very large, giant like people that would like it. I was all set to embellish it with the contrast yarn you see pictured.....sooooo beautiful except for the fact that it is not really usable. I wanted to share it with you before I ripped because I want you to know....we all rip and the recycle. Maybe you don't launch into the new project right away....maybe it takes some time to heal from the failed project but we all do it. The beauty of crocheting and knitting is that we can recycle...think of how painful it would be if you just had to throw the yarn away because the project didn't work. Look for my recycled yarn in future postings!

Arm warmers (or hand warmers) of many colors

2010-12-02T05:58:00.000-08:00

I have to confess I love the way these arm warmers look and they are so now. They are classic and contemporary in their style. What I mean is that if you have wonderful smooth skin, or a sexy little tattoo that peeks out from under these warmers you are going to look great(besides being wonderfully warm thanks to those cute little alpacas. Blue Sky alpaca pattern designs are almost always this way, edgy yet classic. So that being said, these warmers can easily be converted into hand warmers by leaving off the length of the arm. You start at the point closest to your fingers and then knit length on so you can stop whenever you want.
Recently I was using mine as a sample to describe a technique of creating the thumb hole without creating a gusset and I received alot of ooohing and aahhing from the other people in the shop. I didn't expect such a wonderful reception so I decided I better share them with you! Rachel and I put together some color suggestions that we thought you might enjoy.

The colors choices are as follows top to bottom
You need 2 hanks of the main color and one hank of the contrast

Melange 806 & 815
Melange 802 & 813
Sport 503 & 504
Sport 519 & 525

Oh Christmas Crochet Bowl(sung to oh christmas tree)

2010-12-02T04:50:00.000-08:00

How cute is this crochet bowl? I have been walking around humming the melody of Oh Christmas Tree and playing with this bowl. I can't help myself, the dandy little thing is just so cute! First I put paper clips in it, then rubber bands and finally peppermint xmas candy balls. That is how the bowl has made me most happy. I have it out at the store filled with candy. It's funny though, I never see anyone eating the candy.....but the bowl keeps on emptying out.....hmmmm somone else out there must like it as a candy dish! By the way we are offering it as a class on December 11th. If you know how to single and double crochet this class is for you. You will learn how to crochet in the round and sculpt your yarn into this spiffy bowl. By the time you are done with the class you will also know how to crochet a hat in the round. Let me tell you as well that we have a wonderful collection of colors to chose from in our Small Ball Collection. Let me also add that the bowls go quickly and will make great gifts for teachers, gift exchanges and presents for someone that has everything.

Craft Site Directory

2010-12-01T07:11:00.000-08:00

In our never ending pursuit of great fiber related websites we have come across The Craft Site Directory. The Craft Site Directory contains listings of quality arts and crafts web sites. Many of these Web sites offer:

Tutorials on various crafting topics
Free craft projects
Free patterns
Craft supplies sites
Individual craft shops
Art galleries

The Directory shows off the works of talented crafters and artists many offering personalized gifts and offering custom work. Craft and gift shop owners can shop for finished wholesale crafts.

Visit The Craft Site Directory.

The Colinette Point Five Drop Stitch Scarf Pattern

2010-11-26T13:45:00.000-08:00

So one of our customers(thanks Martha) knit this up and then wrote out the pattern to share with you. We used only one hank of point five so that you can see how far one hank goes.

One hank of Point five yarn
U.S. 15 needles(10.00mm)

cast on 11 stitches
knit 4 rows
row 5:wrap three time around the needle and then knit the stitch
row 6:knit dropping 2 wraps from each stitch
row 7: knit
repeat rows 5,6,7 until most of the yarn is used reserving enough to knit 3 more rows. bind off last row

weave in loose ends.

This scarf looks magnificent with ribbon and mohair fringe, have fun turning this basic pattern into one designed by you

Sharing patterns & recipes

2010-11-24T04:15:00.000-08:00

So it is the day before Thanksgiving and my kids are all home safely....I'm such the worry wart about their safety and thankful that they are here to share time with. That being said I want to share some things with you. When Anne Hanson was here teaching we had a wonderful get together which included food that I prepared. I had so many people ask me for the recipes that I decided to put it into print.(Thanksgiving seemed like a good time to do it) Four Fifths of my family is vegetarian so I am always looking for ways to sneak some protein into our diet. Just like any contemporary family however, time spent in the kitchen has to be minimal because there are so many places to be!

Quinoa is an old fashioned grain that is loaded with protein, I have been trying to use it more and more. The following is my Protein packed spinach, feta, quinoa recipe. Served in a low platter it is pleasing to the eye and the tastebuds!

Erika's Protein Packed Spinach, Feta, Quinoa Side Dish

Ingredients: 1 cup(uncooked)Red Quinoa, 1 can Navy Beans, 1 pack of fresh Spinach, 1 clove Garlic, 3 oz. Feta, Fresh Red peppers(optional for garnish), 1 cube vegetable boullion, tablespoon olive oil, teaspoon lemon juice.

Take one cup of quinoa, 2 cups of water, one vegetable cube and bring to boil. reduce to simmer and cook until the water is almost gone(about 15 minutes). Add the olive oil and stir and then put into the serving platter. Place the drained navy beans on top of the quinoa. Take the spinach with a touch of moisture still from rinsing and throw into a saute pan with the garlic. Toss the spinach until it is just wilted and throw on top of the navy beans. Take the feta and lemon juice and sprinkle over the top. Add salt and pepper as desired. Slice the red peppers and garnish the entire platter. This dish is wonderful served at room temperature.

The other dish that I served is what I call an eggplant casserole. I'm not sure about the heaalth benefits but I can tell you that is wonderful on the tastebuds! This dish is one of our staples when the harvest has brought in all of the eggplants at once! The other thing I have to say is that it is not a dish you put out to have people ooh and aah over how pretty it is. It is visually ugly and I can not make excuses for it!

Eggplant Casserole:bake at 350 degrees
ingredients: 2 medium eggplants, 1 medium yellow onion, 2 stalks of celery, 1 large green pepper(for kick use part of a hot pepper if you want), 1 16 oz container of mixed grated mexican cheese, 1 16 oz. can of tomatoe sauce.

Cube the eggplant skin and all and steam until mooshy. While the eggplant is steaming, chop the peppers, celery and onions and saute until all the vegetables are very soft. Take a casserole dish and mix all the vegetables, sauce and cheese together. Cover the dish and put in the oven for at least one hour.....sometimes baking a little longer improves the flavor. Serve warm with rice pilaf, the spinach quinoa and a nice crisp salad!

OK Now we need to think about warm knitted and crocheted accessories for the cooler months.

We have pictured today:
Quickie Malabrigo Rasta Hat and Quickie Colinette Point Five Scarf. both of these items are done on big needles and make up quickly when you are pressed for time.

Quickie Malabrigo Rasta Hat
1 hank of Rasta yarn
16' circular size 15 needles
double point needles
stitch marker
gauge 8sts = 4 inches

cast on 40 stitches
place marker and join in round
purl one row, knit one row for 11 rounds total(end with a purl row)
continue just knitting until the length from the beginning is 6 inches.
begin decreases:
knit 6, knit 2 together...repeat until you get to the marker
knit 5, knit 2 together...repeat until you get to the marker
knit 4, knit 2 together...repeat until you get to the marker
knit 3, knit 2 together...repeat until you get to the marker
knit 2, knit 2 together...repeat until you get to the marker
knit 1, knit 2 together...repeat until you get to the marker
knit 2 together...repeat until you get to the marker

cut the yarn so there is around 6 inches left and thread back through the live stitches. weave in the ends.

I have run out of time so I will post the pattern for the scarf tommorrow!

Enjoy your time with those around you and give thanks for all that is.

Simply sweet Noro necklet revisited

2010-11-17T06:35:00.000-08:00

I really wanted to share how the necklet turned out with the Noro King yarn doubled. The colors are so opposite the first one but equally beautiful. I confess I became a color control freak at the end., I really wanted the turqoise to appear so I cut the yarn on one of the strands and pulled it out until I got the turqoise. I recommend that if you want to have the tie you change to a bigger needle at the double sided increase section. This will relax the tie section. You will see from my photos that the King piece came out a little bit shorter than the Tidiori piece. I pulled a bit and got it longer but it would be so much better by loosening the stitch.

simply sweet noro necklet

2010-11-16T06:50:00.000-08:00

Well, in honor of simply sweet week I thought I would share this very simple but eyecatching/sweet necklet pattern(I think I just made up the word). I am calling it a necklet because of the way it wears on your neck. Tying the ends into a sporty little knot make it look different than just a triangle scarf....which is what it really is. The yarn is called Tidiori and is a discontinued Noro product of which we still have a few balls. I am one of those storeowners that falls in love with a yarn and just has to hold onto it until it is gone.

I decided to experiment with the new Noro lace yarn called King(holding it double) and follow the same pattern. King has such an interesting nubby character and now that I am knitting with it I can also see the halo that the kid mohair and the contrast that the silk adds to the yarn as it knits. Ohhh I do love silk! By the way you should know that these knit up quickly and only take one ball(great little gifts!)

So here is the pattern:
1 ball Noro Tidiori
knitting needles US 13

1)cast on 3 stitches
2)increase at the beginning of each row until the piece measures 6-7 inches from the point
3)increase at the begining and end of each row until the piece measures 9 inches from the point.
4)Bind off VERY loosely.

weave in the loose ends

simply sweet week

2010-11-15T03:53:00.000-08:00

Can I tell you how much I love my kids? This past Saturday we had a big party just three of us. My oldest daughter,Kelsey and my youngest Nikolas(unfortunately Ana is in south Carolina and couldn't join us) rocked out in our kitchen. The two of them baked me this fantabulous torte The torte was made with almond meal and bittersweet chocolate. The decorations quite natural; raspberries and a celery leaf(who doesn't decorate with celery leaves?). We ate cake and danced around the kitchen, one song stands out in my mind....it's called Officer by Slightly Stoopid. It is one of those songs that have you singing the refrain over and over,feeling the beat. It is also one of those songs that if you actually listen to the lyrics you have to say......can't play that song for everyone! You might want to check it out but don't say I didn't warn you!

When something is so right....

2010-10-18T04:27:00.000-07:00

So when something is so right I have a tendency to procrastinate, admire, interview and just daydream about it rather than knit it. There is something wonderful about the feeling you get when you think about it...this feeling does not come often in life(or at least not for me)...absolute adoration...I like, enjoy and love alot....BUT adore no. The project you see being swatched(my adoration project) slowly evolved over the past month. It first started with the Madelintosh vintage arriving. I had all the yarn out on the table for customers to see and they did see them, lovingly picked them up and purchased them. I watched my color Chambray sitting there and then swooped up the whole lot of them and put them in my office. Never for the customer to see. Guilt? yes I felt plenty of it but not enough to put it out for others to see or share. Why tempt fate?

Early in the month we had a wonderful weekend retreat with Anne Hanson of Knitspot. To say we had a great time this weekend is an understatement. Anne shared a wonderful collection of knitted samples with us and we purchased patterns galore! There are so many different choices you have to visit her pattern shop. The patterns contain incredible detail and are well written, with charts, schematics and have been test knitted.

Soooo, this all ties together because I became totally smitten with Anne's pattern the Jackie Leisure Jacket. Now remember my Madelintosh Chambray is hidden in the back room....no one knows it is there. I keep thinking about the color and would it just be too light for the Jackie Jacket? I finally can't stand it any longer and bring my yarn out from the backroom to ask for an opinion from Anne and Linda. It was funny to watch Anne's reaction(if you follow her blog she usually uses muted earth tones). She looks at the Chambray and thinks, frowns(and I'm thinking this is not good), thinks some more and then breaks into a huge grin. "It is perfect, think of it with winter white.....and then she starts chattering about how it will look and Linda joins her. The chatter continued into the start of the next day...they have picked out buttons and discussed this color way that presents a whole new look. Have I told you how smitten I am with this project?

Embellishing the shawl

2010-09-23T13:07:00.000-07:00

Embellishing is an active process and for many of us never stops. I see a piece and often think of how I might alter the look by adding a simple button, some fringe, a couple embroidered stitches and so on. I had this wonderful vision of the items I wanted to add to the shawl. Often times when embellishing you have to wait for the right items to present themselves. I played with a number of yarns, looks, buttons textures but nothing quite grabbed my attention. I actually stopped looking and decided to revisit the embellishing another day. As I was walking through the store I noticed a button on a bottom shelf and decided it was just perfect(carpe diem!). I fringed the shawl, knit a flower to go with the button and then tried to attach it. As soon as I lifted the shawl up I realized my mistake with this embellishing venture. Because of the dropped stitch the fabric of this shawl becomes very open and drapey, not of the substance necessary to carry off what looked wonderful on the table. I decided that sometimes simplicity is best and decided to scrap all of the embellishments but the fringe. I now have a freeflowing swishy shawl which is perfect just the way it is.

The Drop Stitch Shawl

2010-09-23T12:54:00.000-07:00

So my drop stitch shawl by Chris Bylsma has had a whole little life of its own. If you receive our emails we did a little feature the last two that we sent out. I thought I would document it all in one location for others to look at as they wish. First of all we used the Noro Furisode yarn to knit up a basic solid fabric shawl. Just before your bind off row we drop stitches which actually give the open weave look that makes this shawl so attractive.

did you know computers care?

2010-09-18T03:48:00.001-07:00

TAA DAA! THANK-YOU ALL FOR PUTTING UP WITH US THROUGH THE CHANGES!
The register move is complete! I will tell you though, what should have been a simple move from one half of the store to the other turned into an arduous 3 week process. The only explanation I can come up with(because it just should not have been this painful) is that the computers care about where they are and don't like change. After all they have been sitting in the same place on the same fixture for seven years now. Here I come along, strip them of their nestled location and expose all of their wires. I think they dealt with this change by acting out but I did not give in to their immature tantrums instead I held true and steady. I think they are starting to like their new location after all; our customers have been complimenting us on the changes. Maybe all it takes to get a computer to cooperate is a little flattery???

Laughing at myself

2010-08-20T03:34:00.000-07:00

No one laughs harder at me then myself. Recently I was going to be home totally alone for at least three hours. It was an evening and for some bizarre reason I felt like someone had given me three MORE hours in my day. I walked around the store collecting all the different projects I was going to work on with ALL that extra time. I went home and went directly to my favorite spot in the house...our sun room. I looked at what I brought from the store, these projects all to be done tonight and started laughing. It is amazing how a gift of a couple hours can make you feel so empowered! I am plugging away at those projects, a week later almost done with all of them soon to be shared with you. For right now just join me in laughing at the picture of my pile!

When the walls come down...lalala

2010-08-12T04:51:00.000-07:00

So I've been very distracted these past three weeks. One child going off to her freshmen semester of college, another looking at colleges for next year and one cruising into her junior year of college. All of these people coming and going, planning, laughing, crying. And then there is the store which keeps me sane/insane through all of this. I have so many projects on the needles right now with plans of having great new samples soon! The knitting is what I do when I am home or traveling because I have taken down a wall in the store so that we may be more efficient when we are helping you. We are redesigning our check out and shipping area to start and then will be doing more. Stay tuned for updates!

Action shot

2010-07-20T05:49:00.000-07:00

So I am feeling quite proud of my photography. Check out my bumblebee in motion shot! One of the highlights of the garden outside the store is this exceptionally beautiful flower. I have no idea what it is outside of the fact that I beleive it is some form of thistle. It is the one thing that I left in the garden when we moved here 7 years ago(wow! where has time gone?. Every June I count on it blooming for worldwide knit in public day...this year it fooled me. It bloomed in July and is now slowly winding down. The bees love it. Sometimes you will have 3 to 4 bees on it at one time. That is actually all I have to say today. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Erika(for some reason I felt a need to sign off today)

we weren't trying to have a party..

2010-07-12T14:52:00.000-07:00

We weren't trying to have a party, it just turned into one.
It all started out with a basic sock class. I was innocently trying to teach and people started to come in(you know I can't say no). My wonderful students obliged me and put up with me helping customers between their questions. Then thank goodness, Laura came in and attempted to rescue me so that I could pay attention to my students...then shift one students came in for the log cabin class.....then shift two came in for the log cabin class....then the students for the circular blanket class came in. In the meantime my sock students are starting to enjoy the randomness of all of this craziness. Then I hear one of our regular knitters showing us her wonderful shawls and it turns into an informal one person trunk show for which we are all thankful for because of its loveliness. and the day just goes on that way....lots of fun....lots of laughter and lots of inspiration. Thanks for the lovely day all!!!!

Get over it Erika!

2010-07-02T04:58:00.000-07:00

I did get over it. All the things that were in my way last week. Knitting, mindless, knitting, all day last Thursday I helped. Friday morning I put on my big girl shoes and moved on to finish my Sweet Jazz. I think my mind was having an inner temper tantrum because the shawl was taking longer than I expected...I had to grow up and move on because I wanted my scarf. I have it now...it is done and I love it. It is quite circular because of the short rows...and quite light and drapey because of the soy, cotton, wool blend in the Tofutsie yarn. No I did not do it with just one ball of yarn. I used the second ball only for the bind off row. I am not sure,,,,maybe I could have done it with only one ball but I did not want to find out in the bind off row of 700 something stitches.

Is it a full moon yet?

2010-06-25T05:01:00.000-07:00

I think that the full moon is just around the corner...I'm having a bad week. I just can't concentrate. Thursday was the perfect example of it. We received a shipment of Jitterbug...gorgeous...I should of taken individual pictures and added the inventory to the computer. The we received our first shipment of the Amy Butler yarns and book. I should have taken individual pictures and added the inventory to the computer. Then we got the backordered colors of the Namaste Monroe Bags. I should have taken individual pictures and added the inventory to the computer. I did take big grouping shots...that was fun. Then we received the Dimension button trunk show. I did unpack and inventory that and took pictures. Then I blew off what I should have done and just sat done with a project on large needles and knitted and knitted until I went home.

Darn, I hate when that happens

2010-06-21T03:24:00.000-07:00

450 Stitches a row . At one time on the Sweet Jazz scarf there are 450 stitches. Don't you know...I have 436. I slept on that number thinking that my sub concious would have an explanation and I would wake up this morning ready to fix the problem and finish the scarf today.....Wrong. I recounted thinking maybe I messed up the first time....still 436. I only have to go back 3 rows I am sure but....450(actually 436) stitches ripped on size 3 needles with yarn overs.I do get a little antsy. It is surely not getting done this way. I have vented and now I must tackle the rows and the small needles and the yarn overs and the number of stitches.

post ripping notes: Controlled Ripping
It occurred to me that maybe I should share how I approached this ripping session with those of you that are interested because I did start with a strategy and plan. First of all I made sure that I had needles on hand that were smaller than the ones I was actually knitting on. I ripped back two rows and then on the third row I took the smaller needles and ripped a couple stitches than put them on the smaller needle...ripped a couple stitches and added it to the other stitches until I was at the end of the row. I counted to make sure that I now had the 450 stitches I was looking for and proceeded to put them back on the bigger needle so that I had the correct stitch orientation . I could have just knitted off the smaller needle but there was something comforting about the whole reorientation process.

Tosh Sock Commercial Break

2010-06-15T15:07:00.000-07:00

So here is a picture of the recent Madelinetosh tosh sock yarn shipment. We are due to receive her worsted and light over the next couple weeks. The colors are so pure and vibrant and I am not sure a camera can do them justice. I have been a Madelintosh(Amy is her real name) fan for a long time...following her journal over the years she inspired me by her simple,whimsical and romantic entries. In her early years of blogging she posted links to music and introduced me to Feist, to whom I listen to on a regular basis still. We are so happy to have her back and invite you to bathe yourself in the purity of her yarn colors either by visiting the Lakewood,Ohio location or by visiting online

Sweet Jazz addiction

2010-06-11T05:17:00.000-07:00

No, I'm not talking about music when I titled this entry Sweet Jazz addiction. I'm talking about the pattern by Samantha Roshak of KnitQuest. One Thursday, Karen the teacher of our group class comes in with this sweet little scarf/shawl. She made hers out of Koigu..there are so many colors to choose from! We were all over it (especially me). I kept showing it to people as they walked in because it is just so classy looking. I finally started one myself. I decided to make mine with Tofutsie because I wanted a lighter weight version for the summer. I have been knitting away because I want to see it finished and share it with you. Today you can see it as a work in progress....my goal is to have it done by Tuesday of next week. The pattern is written in an easy to read format and it looks a tad daunting at first but it is really just broken down into sections. Deal with each section as the time comes and you will be good to go. I highly recommend the first section of Sweet Jazz for a social project because the rows are long and you can knit away while chatting. While I was working on mine I realized that I have not made public the fact that Amy Butler and Rown have come out with a yarn line and designs to go with it! We are scheduled to be receiving it any day now. We will keep you posted!

Emmaline and musings on the color yellow.

2010-06-01T17:39:00.001-07:00

So here is my Emmaline sweater, the pattern is free on Knitty.com this season. I totally love the sweater made from the Classic Elite yarn Sprout. This yarn is cotton, is perfect for the non-cold temperatures(is that a word?) and knits up quickly on a size U.S. 10 needle for most people(come on you know if you knit loose or tight.......fess it up!). Yellow? I'm not sure why I chose yellow. Maybe because I associate it with buttercups and blue skies and laying in fields and staring at the clouds. Maybe it is because the color yellow makes me happy...my kitchen is in yellow and I loooooove to cook...or maybe somewhere I read that yellow is the color of the season. I do love yellow whatever the reason.

Noro Sekku and Multnomah

2010-05-19T12:27:00.000-07:00

It is the time of year for butterflies..uplifting,airy and colorful. I could not help but think that the Multnomah shawl worked up in Noro Sekku(their new lace weight yarn)is reminiscent of a butterfly's wing spread.

French Press Slippers

2010-05-19T12:17:00.000-07:00

We have so many projects to share with you. Heading into spring/summer you might be interested in covering your feet with some cush and style....therefore I present... the French Press Slippers. You can buy the pattern, buttons and yarn with us..or just the pattern at ......If you are local just come on in and we will help you with your selection. To purchase the materials from an off site location...just give us a call or shoot us an email and we will be glad to put the materials together for you. The slippers are quick, easy and inexpensive.

River Colors reconnects

2010-05-19T11:52:00.000-07:00

Hi there,
We have gone through some major shopping cart upgrades at the Rivercolors.com website. I will tell you we are thrilled with the changes. First of all please notice the fun yarn ball that rotates while loading the thumbnail presentation of colors and inventory numbers. The next feature that I absolutely adore is the ability to place a number of color choices on the screen so that you may compare, contrast and eventually select.
Thanks for your patience while we were changing servers and implementing improvements! These changes are better than a brick and mortar store..no dust to clean up! Erika and other staff members are happy dancing and hope that placing an order with us will make you happy too!
Thanks from Erika@ Rivercolors.com

granny squares and a sunny day

2010-02-01T14:06:00.002-08:00

Well, the bottom line is that I live in Cleveland and it is February. The day today is gloriously sunny and I can feel the warmth of the sun through the windows(definitely not outside....a burning 11 degrees F.) It is that sunshine that is putting me in this absolutely unrealistic mood; that of washing my bed sheets and hanging them out in the sun to dry. The mood to snap the sheets as I hang them outside and take them down smelling all lovely of fresh air and crisp feeling. That sun is deluding me quite a bit and I have to instill a bit of reality into my thoughts. "O.K. Erika, the sun is nice but it is cold outside and your silly little fingers would get frostbite if you hung sheets outside.... how about you crochet on your granny square today instead."
I have been having a lovely affair with the colors in this square. I was itching to work with these colors of the Blue Sky sport weight and melange yarns and finally came up with the never ending granny square. The colors make me happy and the motion of the double crochets and chains just make me happy.... no pressure, not too much thinking... just repetitive relaxing hand motion which will put me back into my warmth daydream...hanging out sheets in the sunshine......

The February Lady at River Colors

2010-02-01T14:04:00.001-08:00

Here is my finished February Lady Sweater. Many of you that come into the shop on a regular basis have already seen it but I thought it would be great to share with others. I am not going to take credit for being the only one to knit on this sweater....as a matter of fact it probably would not even be in existence if it had not been for my friend Kimberley(she started it..I finished). She came in the shop one day and told me that "everyone was knitting it and that I needed a store sample."...well she was right. Check it out on Ravelry(8006 projects translated into 6 languages) or Flintknits .com. So many people have done this sweater it is incredible. Each one has its own personalty.....Kim and I picked out the Plymouth Tweed and then finished it with some sparkly vintage buttons from the Muench yarn company. We at River Colors encourage you to knit this sweater this month. We are offering it as a class for those advanced beginners that need to build confidence or will just help you pick out yarn to do it. Hats off to designer Pamela Wynne for creating such a loved design!

Download the FREE pattern at Flintknits.com

Mystery Sock class #2

2010-01-18T04:42:00.000-08:00

Back by popular demand -Mystery Sock class # 2 is coming on January 30th 10-12.!
You can register here

The Cowls in my life

2010-01-11T11:18:00.001-08:00

Colinette Point five in the color Carmel
Blue Sky worsted in the color Green 2002. The pattern used is the Luxe Neck Warmer from Tacey Ullman's fun book Knit 2 Together
The yarn used is rowan's Cocoon in the color Shale(804). The pattern used is available at StitchCleveland.com. Click here.

Bags, Bags, Bags

2009-11-23T11:02:00.000-08:00

Left to Right: Namaste Hermosa, Lantern Moon Maya Bag, Atenti Doctor Bags
Check out our bag collection here

Mystery sock class

2009-11-13T10:43:00.000-08:00

Well we are going to have a little fun this December 6th. We are having a mystery person come and teach a mystery sock class! You should know you will need Panda Silk in a plain color to showcase the finished sock. You can register here

Continuous loop/Infinity scarf/moebius cast on

2009-11-03T01:43:00.000-08:00

So the big long continuous loop or infinity scarves are all the rage now. I have had customers bringing in pictures and people describing them to me. The easiest way to make them is to just knit a long scarf, give a twist and then stitch the two ends together. I decided however that this is the perfect time to learn how to do Cat Bhordi's moebius cast on. I have been wanting to teach myself for awhile so I grabbed her book A Treasury of Magical Knitting and sat down with it. I must say it was kind of fun to just blindly follow the book's description. I decided to try my hand at Fringed Cedar Bark Scarf. It is made out of Colinette Giotto which is soft to my neck. The technique and the scarf ranked an A+ in my book...quick , easy and classy.

Sev{en} circles/study in blues

2009-10-30T06:06:00.001-07:00

Well here is completed Sev{en} Circles(found on ravelry) and I must say I truly love it. It has an ethnic, artistic, organic feel about it. Peter told me that it looks like a traditional african necklaces. I defintely see the resemblance. I started out doing this in the Berocco Merino Nuance and ended up throwing in their Love It Colors by accident. I was knitting along and noticed the label looked different.....I actually did not feel it in in the hand. Once I recognized the label difference I started thinking that can't be....I must just have the wrong label and started comparing....of course there was a difference and I had to decide if I was going to rip or not. I decided to not only make this piece a study in blues but also a study in fibers! Interestingly enough I threw the whole piece in the washing machine and the dryer and I am not noticing a difference in the way the two yarns react. The first two rings have stretched but I actually decided that was because I must have knitted looser at the beginning. I am going to put some little tucks in them to shorten them a bit. The other thing I find interesting is the finishing. I actually think that it needs a little tab to scrunch up the piece that sits on your neck. I do not beleive there is any mention of finishing other than weaving in the loose ends. I truly love this piece and will be making another one out of something finer and silky....probably tone on tone colors. Enjoy.

Fiber Sculptures

2009-10-29T11:44:00.000-07:00

It has been awhile since I was in awe of a project. This piece called sev{en} circles is one that created that feeling for me. I love when something I am knitting starts to make me feel like I have clay in my hands.....that I am creating some type of organic three dimensional sculpture. This piece is actually so simple in concept. I loved moving it around while I was working on it trying to picture it as a wall hanging or something of that sort. Here are pictures of the scultpural piece and I am officially naming it "A Study in Blues"and tomorrow I will show you how it is really supposed to look.

sock slippers known as fuzzy feet

2009-10-25T12:37:00.001-07:00

We are having some fun with the pattern Fuzzy Feet(a free pattern at Knitty.com). Pictured here is a pair knitted out of Cascade Eco Wool and a single waiting for its mate in Malabrigo worsted. As soon as the mate is done I will be felting and posting the results. If you are afraid to tackle this project by yourself we do have a class coming up on November 1st. I can't wait to see the shrunken results!

Sweet November-yummy blue sky worsted

2009-10-25T11:59:00.000-07:00

Remember how we were all talking about the movie Sweet November and the scarf that starred in it. It turns out that it was a simple crochet triangle with drapey fringe worn just the right way! I was skimming ravelry crochet patterns the other day and it popped out at me so of course I had to make one. I decided to use the Blue Sky worsted because I absolutely adore the way it drapes and feels. The pattern is located here.

Demo Day-Ravelry

2009-10-07T14:43:00.000-07:00

One more entry about Demo Day October 10th. Just a reminder about the Ravelry workshop on Saturday from 2-4. During this Ravelry introductory session we will help you join(if you have not already),learn the basics and become active with this online social crochet/knit community.

What does a picture of our button collection have to do with it? ABBBsolutely nothing.....loved the way the picture turned out and wanted to share it with you. We have reorganized the buttons within the store so you can easily see them.

Another part of Demo Day 10/10/09

2009-10-06T15:28:00.000-07:00

Here is the Jared Flood/ Noro Silk Garden scarf that I am working on. On October 10th 12-2:30 we will be helping customers pick colors and get started on this scarf. We will be helping you with little details like slipping the stitch and carrying the yarn for the striping if you purchase the yarn at River Colors. We expect it to be a bustling, fun day on Saturday.....remember to bring your needles size 6 through 8.

October 10th demo day at River Colors

2009-10-05T13:56:00.000-07:00

On Saturday October 10th 1:30-3:30 we are available to help you learn how to knit with either Trendsetter Cha Cha yarn or Prism Intermezzo yarn. Both of these yarns are designed to create magnificent ruffles using only the knit stitch. Bring your needles in US size 6 and US size 10. We will be so happy to share with you!

Maggie Trapiche/knit along piece

2009-09-29T14:30:00.000-07:00

We thought you might enjoy seeing the other RCS recommended knit along project: the Trapich Wrap from book 14.

Maggie Jackson knitalong

2009-09-29T05:39:00.000-07:00

Now through November 28th we are designating Saturdays 10-12 as official Maggie Knit Along times. We recommend the Cloughjordan(book 16) or Trapiche Wrap(book14) as great projects for this knitalong. Posted here is a picture of the Cloughjordan done in linen(unfortunately the camel linen is out of stock in Maggi's warehouse). Linda's use of the linen gives the design a beautiful drape that can be worn in all climates. Thanks for the picture Linda!

Being there AND BACK

2009-09-15T05:15:00.000-07:00

It has been quite a summer.Those of you that have seen me on a regular basis know that I have been out of the store a lot because of my surgery. I am a person that believes that things happen for a reason. This surgery way back in May forced me to slow down and hang....a thing I am not good at. When push came to shove I actually had a lot of fun hanging. My sixteen year old son was getting his license in July and "needed" to get in drive time so we spent countless hours with him at the wheel and me riding(perfect for crutches). He is good company and a good driver to boot so the rides were always fun....usually to get some fresh produce at some market.....maybe a croissant and cup of coffee at Blackbird baking company or just driving through the Metroparks. I also have a 17 year old daughter....she keeps to herself alot. She is wonderful company too...the trick with her however is to be there when she feels like talking(not unlike her mother I may say). It was a summer where I was there. While I hated not being able to get around like I wanted to and I had to let things go a bit at the store I was there for some very precious time.

p.s.for those of you that are wondering what happened to the 18 year old daughter: she was off to Quebec City most of the summer learning how to fly(metaphorically) and speak french fluently!

Blackbird Baking Company

2009-07-02T06:57:00.000-07:00

You have to stop by and visit our neighbors, the Blackbird Baking Company. They have fresh and yummy cookies, croissants, artisan breads and coffee or drinks.The entrances are in the parking lot close to Detroit and the red door in front of Stitch Cleveland off of Sloane. Delighted, we are absolutely delighted to have them right next door!

Maggi Jackson plus Julie

2009-05-25T05:31:00.000-07:00

I feel like a little kid I am so excited about Maggi coming to the store this weekend. She is so much fun, her designs are so contemporary and she is bringing her U.K. operations manager Julie to see how classes run in the U.S. We will have our own little sampling of the U.K. and Irish culture about the store. They will both be in the store on Friday if people are not able to come to the other events to meet them stop by and say Hi.

Sweetest crochet baby blanket

2009-05-24T09:05:00.000-07:00

O.K. those of you that love to crochet or want to learn to crochet, check out this baby blanket....probably the sweetest I have seen in a while.....It is so simple...maybe it is the simplicity that makes it so wonderful....maybe the fact that it is made out of the Blue Sky Alpaca organic cotton.....maybe the fact that I am a sucker for scalloped edgings and ribbon...anyway here is the picture and the free downloadable pattern link:

Here's Sasha

2009-05-06T14:18:00.000-07:00

Here we go....Sasha wanted to be seen.....sorry for the delay....I finally found my camera cord....so look out....I have lots of pictures stored up!

Maggiknits project next!

2009-05-06T12:27:00.000-07:00

So I am on a little bit of a linen kick, having just finished Sasha and all. I decided it is time for me to start working with some of our Maggiknits Linen. I have a multitude of projects I have wanted to start with the linen. I love the Aranmore shawl from her incredible Maggie's Ireland book(we have a store sample if you are curious).
We did the Alaca wrap in a store knitalong...that was alot of fun because there is alot of lace work in individual squares...so there was always variety. I actually think I am just going to do a simple project(the Camas Bolero) from her book the The Gathered Look because I think my mind will be mush for the first week or so after my surgery. I am hoping I will have it done by the time Maggi comes for our Maggi Jackson weekend.

sasha is in the washing machine

2009-04-07T14:42:00.000-07:00

Well Sasha and I have been together now for about 2-3 weeks. She has been on my mind night and day. She finally came off the needles this afternoon and she is in the washing machine......I am feeling kind of lonely because I was always feeling her presence.(those of you that know that feeling after finishing a big project know exactly what I am talking about.) I can't wait to put her in the dryer!

Stitch Cleveland, Strawberries & Whipped Cream

2009-04-01T13:49:00.000-07:00

Ok....So I like to think of Stitch Cleveland as the whipped cream on my strawberries....I mean strawberries are great by themselves but add whipped cream and it takes the strawberries to a whole new level of flavor..
The perfect example of how Stitch Cleveland enhances our abilities is the bag that you see pictured in this entry. We knit the bag and knew we wanted it to look "spunkier". I went back to Stitch...picked out the material....told them I wanted a cloth handle with a big old bow on it...and the rest is history....I love what they did with the lining and the bow...because they did that part I then focused on even more embellishment....the ribbons and the button. I love it!

Realistic goal setting and the Sasha skirt

2009-03-30T13:14:00.000-07:00

Every so often I need a reality check on my goal setting. The perfect example is my beleif that I was going to crank out the Sasha skirt in one week. Well, yes I was able to do the underskirt and ruffle in one week...while on vacation. Maybe I could have even gotten further but....my hands got sore from too many hours of continuous knitting. I had to take a break and put it down sometimes. The funniest part is that I actually just cranked out the stockinette skirt part of it and thought I was just about done....the reality hit when I was doing the willowy, drapey ruffle part...you continuosly increase to create those ruffles....and my oh my I do love those ruffles but....you can NOT crank them out....they go on and on and on and then you bind off. The bind off is where you find out why it is called the sasha skirt. After you have bound off the endless amount of stitches and try the skirt on.....the ruffles just want to make you sashay down a dance floor.....or rumba or waltz or something like that. This underskirt is a beaut of a piece all by itself. Once I have the whole ruffley skirt done I intend to knit myself a plain old naked underskirt and live in it! I have posted a picture of my underskirt....I guess it is blurry because I kept on moving those damn ruffles(just couldn't help myself) during the picture taking! Please recognize it is not yet blocked or finished... just a fitting to make sure the skirt fits......but I love it just the way it is! I guess I am just a simple girl.

my cast, my sasha skirt and my flow top

2009-03-25T07:32:00.000-07:00

o.k., sometimes i have to go away from everything to make myself sit down. this vacation is good for me....it is forcing me to just sit and put my cast up...i am hoping it is healing time and that miraculous things are happening within my tendon... time will tell.
i am cranking away on my louet linen sasha skirt....and thank goodness for ravelry because there have been a number of times that i questioned whether i was following the directions correctly....everytime that happenend i just raveled the skirt and looked at all the wonderful entries that are available....studied the pictures and confirmed that everything was o.k.
for the record because my memory is sooooo bad....
1. i changed the waistband....i followed the directions that go with the indigo ripple skirt...we will have to wait to see how that works out....i didnt like the bulk of the casing.
2. i used size 2 u.s. needles for the underskirt......that is what worked with the gauge for me.....

i am working on the skirt ruffle and hope to get that finished toda.

Flow top made out of Seduce....oh my I am absolutely in love with the fabric that is resulting out of this yarn. The Yarn Harlot blogged about this top last year and I always liked the way it looked.....I needed some good mindless knitting along with my
Sasha so I brought it along.....oooh laa laa I want to wear it badly because I am sure it will feel good on my skin......
I need to knit.....we will be back home soon and then the idea of actually finishing something becomes alot less realistic....
I´ll be back with pictures of both projects once I get home!!!

Cha Cha Yarn Keyhole Scarf Pattern

2009-03-18T05:46:00.000-07:00

Here we go....this is a quickie and such a great look! The way the yarn curls up it has the look of a persian lamb scarf....great for us vegetarians!

You need:
1 hank of Trendsetter Cha Cha Yarn(you could easily get two scarves out of one hank)
Size 15 needles

Cast on 6 stitches
knit for 5 inches
knit 2 stitches, then bind off 2 stitches and knit the 2 remaining stitches
knit 2 sitches, cast on 2 stitches using the e wrap method, knit the last 2 stitches.
Knit until the scarf measures 26inches(you will want to make this longer....beware...it will stretch with time!).
bind off.
work in the loose ends of the ribbon.