This past Saturday, we were visited by a special group of happy sweater recipients.

In every knitter’s life the experience of an ungrateful recipient occurs. We all know the pain of knitting for hours, days and sometimes even months only to receive half a smile and nothing else. The gift may never be worn or it may end up in the back of the drawer to be quickly forgotten. Those non-knitters sometimes don’t get it!
But not this past Saturday and not with this group.

In fact, this was the happiest group of sweater wearers that Wild Purls has ever seen, not to mention the happy knitters/owners.

And as our good friend Barb would say, “They are so Stinkin’ cute!”
We couldn’t agree more.

 

You might be surprised to know what knitters can cook up. This time of year, we get some wonderful requests for knitting and our good friend Margaret asked if we could knit a few of Marie Mayhew’s darling nests for holiday gifts.

“YES!” was the reply and three of us immediately began knitting. If you want the cutest, easiest and most durable small gift, we’ve got it in the Woolly Nest Ornament kits from Marie.

When she came to visit, we were lucky to see a sample, and we have been nest crazy since.

The instructions say to place them on a cookie sheet to dry after felting. Doesn’t it look like a bakers dozen of the most fuzzy cookies around? We loved doing this project and are just a little bit sad to call Margaret and tell her that the nests are ready for 13 good homes. We’ll miss the little fellows.

BTW we are happy to share a yummy recipe from Marie that she so kindly sent to pass along to Wild Purls customers. Happy cookies, whatever kind you cook up this holiday season.

From Marie Mayhew…

QUEENS CARAMELS

1 cup butter
2-1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup light corn syrup
15 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp pure vanilla

Premeasure everything first. In a heavy 2 quart saucepan, melt butter. Add brown sugar, mixing well. Stirring constantly add corn syrup. Gradually stir in sweetened condensed milk. Continue stirring over medium heat for 12 to 15 minutes or until candy reaches 244 degrees on your candy thermometer. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and mix well.

Pour mixture into a well buttered 8 x8 pan Let cool, then remove from pan and cut into bite size pieces using a smooth edge butchers knife. Wrap in wax paper square, twisting ends.

Makes about 2 pounds.
These are the best caramels I’ve ever had, and my friends think so too!
Cheers-
Marie

 

On any given day, one might walk in to Wild Purls and observe a class laughing, knitting, sharing knitting tid bits or observe a class quietly concentrating on the next stitch.

Some classes feel they overcome the tricks of the knitting muses when they complete their projects while other classes enjoy the ease of a simple project.

Our teachers are diverse in their teaching styles,

their knitting knowledge and their class projects. One would be hard pressed to find a better group in this part of Montana.

If you have been putting off taking classes, don’t. What you gain is knowledge that will help your next project to go much easier, an awareness that you are not in it alone and most of all, a great time doing what you’ve come to love…knitting.

P S - Our Winter/Spring newsletter will be mailed in mid-December so be sure to look over the classes and give yourself the gift of a class in 2010.

 

This was knit in 3 hours! Wild Purls recently recieved in a new bulky Noro yarn called Bonbori. Of course, our knitters are always wanting to know how yarns knit up so I made this up as a shop sample. Noro Bonbori is a bulky yarn (although the label implies aran but even the Noro website declares it a bulky) - beautiful colors, just as you would expect from Noro, not as soft as the silk garden yarns but then again, there is no silk in it. It knit up great, no splitting, and it became softer after I blocked it.

I modified my Perfectly Easie Beanie pattern using the bulky gauge, did some increases in the first Stockinette row, knit a few inches higher than a normal beanie, and then started my decreases. The extra height and width makes room for the gathered area in the back. Not wasting a bit of yarn, I made an I-cord with the leftovers (about 16 - 18” long) and fed it through 4 folds in the back of the top of the hat (if that makes any sense!) I did do a bit of blocking. I shaped and pinned it first, stretching it out at the top of the head to gain more slouch so the gathered folds would have more to work with. I kind of like it!

 

Thursday night rolled around and holiday cheer could be felt throughout the shop. We had those praying for others to knit for them

and those who knew they’d best get their needles ready for action.

We had designers in our midst

and friends meeting to compare notes.

Our events make this yarn shop such fun for all who come in the door.

The shop is full of new yarns, lots of ideas for holiday projects and of course the inspiration to get things done.