nina turns 6!

We’re excited to have our first Fashion Show on Tuesday, August 17th from 5-8 pm.
Join us for an evening of fashion, drinks, discounts and door prizes.
Please stop by to see some of our favorite projects, and get a glimpse into fall trends.
Here’s a little preview:

We have this pattern for sale at the shop and lots of beautiful Madelinetosh yarn.

Choose a color of Misti Alpaca Chunky and some fun buttons and you have a great fall cardi.
The pattern is free.

This version of the ever popular Clapotis is made with fingering (sock) yarn for a lighter version.
The pattern is free on knitty.com

There are so many nice sock yarns to select from… you’ll want to make several of these.
The Churchmouse Classics pattern can be purchased at our shop.

Notice how different this Ruffle Scarf looks in a bright, playful color.

holly
A simple pattern from Rowan Studio 18 using Rowan felted tweed.

9 color kid silk haze scarf
Choose your 9 favorite shades of Rowan’s kid silk haze and cast on this beauty.
The free pattern is available at our shop.

This piece can be worn several different ways. We have the yarn and the pattern.

A simple, small wrap using sock yarn.
The pattern is for sale on Ravelry. Just click the link above.

A perfect cozy wrap knit with Madelinetosh yarn. The pattern is free on madelinetosh.com.
A Chicago Area Yarn Crawl has been organized – beginning on Friday, August 13 and ending on Sunday, August 22.
21 yarn shops are participating, and here’s how it works:
You pick up a passport at one of the shops listed below and get it stamped at each shop you visit. You’ll receive a 10% discount at each shop, an exclusive free shop pattern, and a chance to enter a raffle.
Each shop will have a prize package worth at least $100 to raffle off. There will also be a grand prize raffle for a gift basket worth over $500. There are 3 chances to enter the grand prize drawing – one for visiting 10 shops, one for visiting shops in all 5 regions, and one for visiting 15 shops.
Hope you take this opportunity to visit Chicago area yarn shops. It’s fun to discover what each one has to offer. For more information about each shop’s location, hours, and special events, check out the Chicagoland Yarn Crawl Group on Ravelry here.
Special things going on in our shop during the Yarn Crawl include:
* Fashion Show Tuesday Aug 17th from 5-8 pm featuring fall project ideas, drinks, discounts & and prizes
* Trunk Show Aug 15-18 (during regular shop hours) highlighting patterns by Madelinetosh, Blue Sky Alpacas, and Churchmouse Classics
* New products from Malabrigo, Madelinetosh, Zealana, Jul, Blue Sky Alpacas, and Spud & Chloe (among others)
Here is a list of all the participating shops:
Region 1
Knit 1 – Chicago
Knitter’s Niche – Chicago
Knitting Workshop – Chicago
Loopy Yarns – Chicago
Nina – Chicago
Sister-Arts Studio – Chicago
Region 2
Fuzzy Wuzzy – Arlington Heights
Gene Ann’s – Barrington
I’d Rather Be Knitting – Long Grove
Knit Happens – Buffalo Grove
Region 3
Closeknits – Evanston
Montoya Fiber Studio – Evanston
Mosaic Yarn Studio – Des Plaines
Three Bags Full – Northbrook
Woolly Lamb – Chicago
Region 4
Chix with Stix – Forest Park
Idea Studio – LaGrange
Knitche – Downers Grove
Wool and Company – Geneva
Region 5
My Sister’s Knits – Chicago
Yarns to Dye For – Frankfort

Thanks to Susan Anderson for visiting our shop last Friday afternoon,
and thanks to those of you who came to meet her.

We enjoyed seeing all of the adorable toys from her book, Itty-Bitty Toys.
Susan really brought them to life for us. Her designs are so clever.

Everyone loved the giraffe that MaryJo and Kelly are playing with. I wonder if Kelly will knit it for the baby she’s expecting this summer.

Those ducks on wheels make me smile.
Here’s Meegan and her sweet baby boy (wearing the Turtle Hat from Itty-Bitty Hats).

After becoming friends through blog conversations, (susanbanderson.blogspot.com) Susan and Chris finally had the opportunity to meet in person.

We sold lots of books during the event. But we still have plenty left, so stop by to get your copy.
Our Blue Sky Cotton and Spud and Chloe Sweater yarn shown here are perfect for many of the projects. They come in a wide range of fabulous colors.

Don’t you just want to squeeze every one of those cute animals… especially that hippo!
Thanks again, Susan. We hope you’ll come back for a visit when your next book is available.
We’re so excited to welcome Susan B. Anderson to our shop on Friday, March 5th.

We’ll be selling all 3 of Susan’s great books: Itty-Bitty Hats, Itty-Bitty Nursery, and her latest book, Itty-Bitty Toys.
Her patterns are absolutely adorable!
Join us from 1-3 on Friday, March 5th
for a meet and greet, book signing, trunk show, and light refreshments.

Our event with the owners of Misti Alpaca was great.
Thanks to all who came. Hope you make some lovely things with the alpaca you purchased. I was certainly inspired by all the amazing projects that were knit with Misti Alpaca yarns.
It was a real pleasure to have the staff of Misti in our shop. And what a treat to watch the owners, Miguel & Lisa, dance to Peruvian music. We appreciate all they contributed to our event, including these special prizes.

We’re lucky to still have Misti projects hanging in the shop.
So if you missed the event, you should stop by soon to see them. Here are some…





Adorable alpacas from Misti International

The softest yarn in the shop – Misti Alpaca Chunky
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Join us for a special event and sale on Wednesday, Oct 7th.
Stop by from 5:00 – 7:30 pm to meet the owners of Misti Alpaca yarn company.
Have a glass of wine, enter our prize drawing, and enjoy 20% off all Misti yarns.
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Want to win an alpaca??!!
Wear something you’ve made with Misti yarn,
or bring a project you’re working on,
and we’ll enter you in our prize drawing.
Below are a few of the samples you’ll see hanging in the shop.
Plus we’ll have lots more displayed… socks, hats, lace scarves, shawls, a throw…
Irish Hiking Scarf in Misti Chunky

Rosemary Ribbed Shawl in Misti Chunky
Cosmo Jacket in Misti Hand Paint Chunky
Come see our new fall yarns from Misti – and the whole collection
of Lace, Sock, DK, Worsted and Chunky yarns.
It’s all 20% off during the event on October 7th.
We look forward to seeing you!

Help us welcome Tobias and Antonio, the owners of Malabrigo,
a very special yarn company from Uruguay.
They'll be visiting our shop on Wednesday, September 9th from 5 – 8 pm.
Come meet them, learn about their new products,
and enjoy 20% off all Malabrigo yarns.

Above: Breathe Deep Mittens knit with Malabrigo Worsted
Below: Daybreak Shawl knit with Malabrigo Sock

Wear something you've made with Malabrigo yarn
or bring a project you're working on and we'll enter you in a prize drawing.

Above: Entomology Mittens knit with Malabrigo Worsted
Below: Little Girl's Shrug knit with Malabrigo Silky Merino

Stock up on Malabrigo yarn for all your fall projects.
You'll find many choices of Lace, Sock, DK, Worsted, Chunky and Bulky
all 20% off for the evening.

Hope to see you on the 9th!
Thursday July 2
5-9 pm
Photographer Katherine Pacchiana
has assembled a collection of original photographs taken along Route 66.
Join us for wine and cheese as you meet Katherine
and learn about the images taken on her drive from Chicago to LA.

We'll be selling her photographs during the event
and we'll keep them on display for a while afterward.
If you want to shop for yarn
we'll be offering a special discount during the evening.
We look forward to seeing you on July 2nd.
The shop occasionally hosts special events, book signings, trunk shows, and sales. Private events can also be arranged at the shop by request.
Perhaps you'd like to have a birthday party centered around a knitting lesson. Or a baby shower during which everyone learns to knit a square for a baby blanket. Or a corporate networking event that features knitting instruction. Or a book club that encourages participants to knit while discussing the book. Nina: a well-knit shop is available for these and other special events.
Contact us to learn more.