To Your Health

Can you believe it's been almost a year since we last saw the Swedish Hospital Mammogram Bus at Village Yarn and Tea Shop? No one can say we're not a full-service yarn shop! For the convenience of all of you women who have been putting off your mammograms this year, we'll be holding our annual Women's Health Fair on Friday and Saturday, August 22 and 23, and it'll be a lot more fun than your standard-issue mammogram! FYI: the Swedish Breast Care Express is a full-service, self contained, 64-foot mammography clinic on wheels. The Express features the latest in digital full-field mammography technology as well as a complete rooftop satellite system enabling the transmission of images to radiologists at Swedish.

While you're here, you can get some good health information from various health professionals, including Dr. Jana M. Hagen, Naturopathic Physician and many others. And, you'll get a fabulous goodie bag filled with all sorts of yummy fiber treats (the yarn kind of fiber, that is!). We're taking sign-ups now, so call early to get your preferred day and time. This is NOT a free service, but most insurance carriers are accepted for your mammogram, so be sure to bring your insurance information and/or checkbook with you that day.

So make your appointment today by calling the shop at 206.361.7256. We'll post more information as it becomes available.

Grits 'n Stitches y'all

Hey y'all, it's Ellen, now back from our family vacation to North Carolina. My husband's mom grew up there, and he hadn't been back for 30 years, so we thought it would be great to show our kids part of their "roots".

This trip was full of firsts for me - fireflies (so cool!), cardinals, NC BBQ, vultures (!), a lot of the beautiful countryside and much more. One of the best highlights besides visiting family was checking out the pottery shops in Seagrove. Most were closed on Mondays, but I saw and purchased enough to keep me happy!

My knitting project for the plane and visiting time was socks. I always have a pair of socks on the needles and the yarn of choice for me this time was our Claudia's Handpaints in the Blue Fields colorway. I chose to knit up the No-Purl Monkeys that Sarah of Plucky Knitter fame had recently done. What a quick and easy pattern to knit! The yarn is also so very soft and nice to work with. Apparently none of our North Carolina relatives knit, so everyone was so impressed that I could knit socks.

What do you have on your needles for this summer????

We've Got Leather and Deb's Got France!

Handles from Grayson, that is - just in time to sew on to those Brighton Bags you're all knitting so diligently! There are long ones and short ones in rich neutrals and fun brights - even red! Joni says she might have to knit one more just to use those red ones. They'd be great on a felted bag, too, so come check them out before supplies get low again.

Speaking of leather-like items, we have some yummy new Namaste Newport bags just like the ones Victoria saw when she went to the TNNA conference a few weeks ago. Take your choice of fuschia, a luscious teal, saddle brown or an awesome olive green. They'll hold your knitting project with room to spare for your day-to-day personal items.

In other news, shop owner Deb has flown the coop to France. We know she's over there sampling tasty French morsels, checking out the scenery, resting and relaxing and who knows what else - while we're here holding down the fort. (But we're not bitter...) We hope Deb's having a wonderful time and we know she'll look forward to sharing her adventures when she returns in a few weeks.

Summer Staff Picks and Ladybugs!

Yes, we know that it's cold and dark and drippy, but we have faith that we WILL have summer in Seattle one of these days. So, we've been knitting summer things in preparation for that soon-coming morning when we wake up and see that big yellow ball emerge from behind the clouds. Here are some of our favorite warm-weather yarns:

Victoria likes Louisa Harding Cinnabar, a cotton-linen blend in slightly sparkly colors that are perfect for the oh-so-cute skirts she's been making this spring.

Ellen loves the Cascade Pima Tencel because it's worsted weight and has a wonderful drape for that lacy summer top she just made in preparation for her upcoming vacation (to somewhere warm - perhaps we can all live vicariously!) She is also really liking the Berroco Seduce - she just made a really cute shell out of that one too.

Deb just created one of her fabulous crochet patterns from Noro Matsuri, a new cotton blend from one of our favorite yarn companies. Check out her lovely shrug, perfect for wearing now while it's chilly in the evenings.

Joni is really thinking summer - she just knows that there will be some warm days when she can wear the Lacy Steps Tank from Nashua that she just finished knitting from Elsebeth Lavold Bamboucle - a fast and easy knit that could also be worn over a tshirt (in case it stays cool for a few more... weeks? months?).

Kari made a really cute top out of Elsebeth Lavold Hempathy. A really great fiber that's easy care too!

Megan is learning how to knit socks - she's already on the foot part of her first sock!

Karla is making the pretty lace shawl out of the current Knit 1 magazine.

Later this summer, the shop will become infested with Ladybugs - the spinning wheel variety, not the flying kind! We'll be carrying these Schacht spinning wheels, which are cute as the bugs they're named for starting later this summer. We're happy to add the Schacht line of products to our shop, so watch for the Ladybugs and come in and try one on for size this August. (If you'd like to have one for yourself, let us know so we can add to our current order.) We'll also carry the Matchless wheel, one of our favorites.

Summer Incentive Sale!

June 5th through June 20th

We're all about keeping you knitting through the summer. Buy a project's worth of yarn (8 or more skeins of the same yarn on the same day) and save 20%! Check out our hot new patterns for eveything from tank tops to throws to fall jackets and stock up at a great price!