Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays from the staff of OTBP-Karen & Gary, Lynn, Rachel, Rexie and Gale! We will be closed Christmas Day and will reopen Wednesday, 11-5 . Stay safe and remember to take some time out for yourself to knit/Crochet/Weave/Spin!!

Feel good Charity Knittins

WHEW! Look at all the knittin this one has been up to! Way to go Chris and thanks for contrinuting to the Warm Up Wisconsin afghan!

New Books!!

We recently received:

• Knitting Circles Around Socks
• Knit One, Stripe Two
• A to Z of Knitting & Crocheting
• 365 Knitting Stitches a Year & 365 Crochet Stitches a Year
• 200 Knitted Blocks
• Ultimate Knitted Tee
• Knitter's Book of finishing Techniques
• Crochet Socks!
• Blankets, Hats, & Booties

New Knitting Class: Tomton Jacket

Knit this beautiful childs jacket on January 8th in a class taught by Cathy. Call or stop in today to sign up!

Have an item you need help with? We can set up class time to help you through even the most seemingly impossible knitting crisis. Class rates start at $15 an hour.

Mary shows off her Yin...

Mary proudly shows off her newest creation, a sweater made from Yin (a bamboo silk and mulberry silk blend yarn). YEAH! Looks like an oober soft & warm sweater.

What an achievement Mary!

Something Fishy going on at OTBP...

NEWS!!!!
A ‘swimmingly’ unique contest for our customers! Join the 'knitting school' & knit a fish out of our yarn scraps & one of you will win a $50 Gift Certificate! Originality (?) counts. Needles, yarn & patterns will be provided to knit your fish here in the store. Of course, patterns are available for you to purchase would you care to make one for yourself. Fish knit in our yarns must remain here at the store and your name will go on it would you need to finish it another day. If you do not return within two weeks the fish will be open for someone else to complete. The one who finishes the fish will be the one who gets credit in the contest.
Wouldn't be a contest without a challenge!
The contest is open ‘till March 31st when judging will begin! There will be in-store voting & online via a poll. The one with the most votes will be awarded a $50 GC!!! (The fish will remain the property of OTBP, thus we will have our 'school' with plenty of fond memories.)
Come on in today and knit a fish. Coffee, tea are complimentary & sometimes even other fine, eatable treats. Bring a treat to share if you wish

New Candice Strick Pattern Kits

We have new Candice Strick kits in! Stop in today to see the demo's in their full glory.

New Yarns, New Class, Sock blockers!

We have new Merino and Merino/Mohair yarns from FarmHouse Yarns in a wonderful array of colors!

We have a new class for Candice Eisner Strick's Sonatina Jacket that will be taught by Cathy Digman during Janurary. Call or stop by today to sign up.

Sock blockers are in by popular request!

MITTEN CLASS RESCEDUELED

The 2-SPI Mitten class has been postponed till January 18th due to the fantastic amount of snow coming to Madison today (12.11). Please give us a call if you have any questions and we will be happy to assist.

Bambou Soft sale!

Our entire stock of Bambou Soft is on sale for 15% off! Come in to get your new stash acquisition while it lasts!

We still have the entire front room on clearance at 50% off to make room for new natural fiber yarns!

The weather outside may be frightful, but the weather in here is OHhhh so delightful!

Quick Knitted Gift Ideas

We have many quick and easy patterns to accommodate any knitter who wants to gift a special someone with a hand-knit item. Take for example this quick and easy caplet done with one skein of Cherry Tree Hill Thick-n-Thin. You can knit this up in just a couple of hours!

We also have many quick and easy felting patterns that are also fun to create! Felted hats, mittens, clogs, slippers and more! Perfect for this cold Wisconsin winter weather! Stop on in today to see more possibilities.

New Creative Knitting Mag is in!

The January edition of Creative Knitting is in! Need help with a project in the magazine? We can accommodate! Just ask!

ROVING!! SQUEEEEeeeeeeee!!

We just got in some SWTC Soysilk rovings in half-pound quantities in these beautiful colorways! Squeeee with me! I love roving, don't you? Don't know how to spin but would like to learn? We have spinning demo's every 1st Saturday each month.

We can also order any roving from our roving sample cards (below). Just ask! Want a different color of soysilk roving? Just ask! We'd be happy to order them for you. Special orders must be paid for at the time the order is placed. We'll give you a call when they arrive at the shop.

New Yarns!

Check out these lucious beauties!! This is Vivki Howell's Rock yarn. It is a super soft and durable blend of soysilk, fine wool, and hemp. Come in today and check them out!

Don't forget: We still have many-many yarns on half off to make room for new natural fiber arns. Now is the perfect time to aquire stash for the upcoming snow-days or make gifts from.

Lobster Paws and Fish, OH MY!

Who knew Lobster Claws could be so fun! Great job Chris! Those'll keep your fingers warm while you use your snow-blower this winter!

Say hello to Mr. Fish! Nice!

Bring your creation into the shop today and you too can be featured on our store blog!

Tofutsies of the Month - December

We have ten skiens of this wonderful limited edition "Winterberry" colorway (#744) but only for the month of December! A free "Winterberry" sock pattern comes with every purchase of this colorway. Hurry in today to get yours before they are gone forever!

Speaking of Candice...

There are few spaces left for the classes Candice is having here at OTBP on the weekend of December 9th and 10th!

There is ONE spot left in the "Chill Out Hybrid Shawl" class and 4 spots left for the

"Love is a Many Mitered Thing".

Call today to sign up at 60-221-0219. We accept Visa/MasterCard over the phone and check/cash/Visa/Mastercard in store.

Don't miss out on this fantastic oportunity to meet Candice Eisner Strick!!

A Candice Shawl!

Here we have me, Rexie (OTBP staff member), adorning a hot-off-the-needles Candice Eisner Strick shawl knit out of Oasis Soy Silk. OOOoo pretty! I love the feel of the yarn as it is so spongy and squishy! Let's not forget warm to boot!!

Stacy's Hat!

BRrrrrrrrrrrr!!! What a perfect Wisconsin winter day to adorn yourself with a loverly, quick hand-knitted hat out of Canto yarn! Great job Stacy!

After Thanksgiving Sale-a-thon!

We have some fantastic deals for you holiday shoppers! All the sale yarns in the front (check-out room) are 50% off! These yarns include Encore, Cherry Tree Hill, Microfiber yarn, Fantasy Cotton, Royal Bamboo and many more! Stock is limited to what is on the shelves. Once they are gone, they are gone forever. This fantastic sale will help make room for new and more exciting natural fiber yarns! Now is the perfect time to think about purchasing yarn for those community and charity projects. The Red Scarf Project starts again next year and they accept donations between September and October only. Find out more about this orphan charity project here.

That's right! But wait! There's more!!

There's more?

YES!!

.

The yarns in the bathroom hallway (on the way to the kitchen area) are also 50% off! This batch includes Mountain Colors, Kitten Mohair blends, Funny, and lots more (notions and patterns are excluded from this sale unless otherwise marked).

Not sure where to find these fantastic deals in our plethora of eye-catching yarns to choose from? Feel free to ask!! We will gladly show you the way to the sale-a-thon.

Hope to see you soon!!

New Products and Knitters/Crocheters Gift Boxes!

First up we have some wonderful hand made, needle felted, fair trade notion bags made by Women in Nepal. Support fair trade!



Second we got in some wonderful bamboo needle and crochet gift box sets perfect for that special fiber artist in your life. The crochet set has hook sizes G/8 - P/16 and the Knitting Needle set has sizes 6 - 11.

The crochet hook set is really neat-o! The ends are decoratively turned and they also have chinese characters with english translations on the other side of the hooks. A few of those words are Faith, Happiness, love and Luck. Totally cool!


We also have many new beaded and felted gifts made by local artists, just in time for the Holidays. Stop in today to see them!

Scarves make wonderful handmade gifts and we have a plethora of patterns available for purchase or free with a yarn purchase. They knit or crochet up quickly and are fun to give!

We will have surprises ready for After Thanksgiving shopping. Shhhh! 'Tis a secret till then!

Don't forget! We have Classes On Demand and Gift Certificates available. Stop in or call today!

Judy's Beanie

Judy came in to the shop thinking her baby cap, knit out of Eggplant and Green Bambou Soft, was gonna drown in the Frog Pond. Karen was able to help her bring it back from the brink and finish it.

Can you tell she is one proud knitter?

What an accomplishment Judy! Show that pattern who's boss and make another!

Rumor Control

Contrary to popular rumor, we are not going-out-of-business, we are not closing and all scheduled classes and special events are on schedule. If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to call us up. We will be happy to answer any questions and put to rest any concerns.

Feel the warmth of the Khroma

Sqeeeeeee with me! More luscious yarns!! Khorma by the Fibre Company is an uber soft mix of half Baby Alpaca and half Merino in a 160 yard, DK weight skein.

Customer FO's!

Here at Off the Beaten Path Yarnhouse we like to feature items that our customers have completed. Here we have a beautiful cardigan wrap knit up by Bonnie in Yin!

Take it Easy, Norwegian Spirit Style!

Squeal with me now! NEW YARNS!! SQEEEEEEE!!

We just got in some wonderful 100% Australian Merino, chunky wieght yarn from Norweigian Spirit called "Easy". This stuff is dreamy soft and felts like a dream.

It is available in maroon, red, orange, ivory, charcoal, black, tan, brown, blue, teal, olive green, and forest green. We've also got a book of patterns dedicated to this new yarn, featuring sweaters for the whole family, hats, scarves, and fun winter accessories.

Knitting Green

The sentiment, "No one can do everything, but everyone can do something," is particularly true for matters of conserving the enviornment. But what can knitters do? It's only yarn, afterall. Actually, the number one best thing knitters can do for the environment is to use green yarns. These are yarns that are made of natural fibers and are processed in ways that have a minimal impact on the environment.

We at OTBP believe strongly in helping the environment in every way that we can and in reducing our footprint. As such, we specialize in in yarns made from natural fibers like alpaca, bamboo, cotton, corn, linen, rayon, silk, soy, wool and blends thereof. We encourage you to choose a natural fiber for your next knitting project!

Southwest Trading Company's yarns are particularly green because they make yarns of natural materials, such as corn, milk, bamboo, and SOYSILK®.

October 2007 Newsletter

OTBP is welcoming in a Happy, Wonderful Fall Season filled with new classes and new yarns. Yeah!

Crochet Nite (T), Sock’r Nite (Th) and Wed Nite Knit-in times have been moved to the 2nd, 3rd & 4th Saturday mornings (10-12 Noon) respectively.

We would also extend an apology for any confusion created by the change in our hours over the last 2 months. We initially changed our morning hours based on traffic; however, quickly ran into problem #2 in September ‘07 when we experienced more demand for classes than we had available spots. We converted some of the evening time to classes. Shopping on demand is available during class time by calling 608-221- 0219 and reserving your personal shopping experience. This will allow us to make sure all our students are able to park in on the property during classes. There will undoubtedly be a couple of extra spots and we would schedule appointments so more than one person can use them.
Thank you so much for understanding and for coming in for classes! Check out October online! We hope to see many of you in class this fall.

NEW YARNS & CLASSES TO MATCH
New yarns for Fall and Winter are coming in every day! Delicious new sock yarns called Jigsaw are available in great self-striping colors. Australian Merino for socks, too gorgeous, yes... Louet's Riverstone wools have multiplied into even more gorgeous, soft, reliably feltable colors! Download your own free "Caroline" felted sweater pattern (available through our link to Louet) or receive it free here with purchase! Not quite sure about the measurements, felting, etc? Knit-along with designer Kathy Digman in a workshop & felt your sweater on-site with the experts! (Wednesday Nites, Oct 10, 17, 24 & 31) New colors are here in Yin & Yang; Southwest Trading’s (oh-so-soft) blend of wool, bamboo & silk in Red, Black and Cream (Holiday...). Super Wow; wonderfully soft washable wools in fingering weight by Norwegian Spirit’s Lanett with Pattern books absolutely interchangeable with 100% Egyptian fingering wt cottons (oh-my-oh-my, I feel faint...). No regrets when you try the new Italian worsteds in Needful’s Cucciolo and Puppy, both yummy soft and wonderfully washable.

UPCOMING EVENTS
Reserve your seat now. Knit a mini-version of the "Chill Out Shawl" with Candace Eisner Strick on Sunday, December 9th ($60/3 hrs). This workshop will give us the necessary nuances to make our own at home. Visit our Link page - go to & view the Adagio shawl on-line; or, come into the store and view it in person! Why not stay over in Madison or Monona and come to both workshops! Knitters will making a mini-version of "Love is a Many Mitered Thing" with Candace on Monday, Dec 10th ($100/6 hrs) before she speaks at the Madison Knitters Guild’s monthly meeting (Monona Community Center). View that shawl here on our website. Candace’s Kits are arriving and are available now! Special Student pricing... See for more details & see how many spots are left. Limit: 12.

NEW HOURS
OTBP’s new hours will be 11:00 am - 5:00 pm (Tue, Wed, Thurs) and 10:00 am - 4:00 pm (Friday, Sat). The store will be closed on Sunday & Monday. Appointments may be made on an individual basis.

NEW CLASSES
Evenings on Tues, Wed & Thursday between 6:00 - 8:00pm will be dedicated to classes. We were unable to fulfill the number of requests for classes in September, so we are offering more spaces and some of those classes in October. In addition to the space already reserved, there is currently space available for knitters to choose their class of choice and book it. First come first serve.
Karen is offering a felted hat & mitten class for those who may be looking for a simple and easy way to introduce themselves to their first hat, mittens & felting. Knit a portion of both, felt them and then add the non-felted portions later. Stop in to see the sample. $55/4 2-hr sessions, felting on-site. Just in time for the cold weather!
Class prices will increase slightly. We have been here for two years & need to keep up with the cost of living. In general, a 1-hour session is still $15; a 2-hour session is still $25; however, each additional 2-hour session added to the class will increase the price by $10. Exceptions are when we bring in designers.

GROUPS
We want to thank all of you; our crocheters (T), knitters (W) & sock’rs (Th), for your time, inspiration, sharing, joviality & shopping over the last two years. We will really miss you dearly on class nights and will offer you new spaces and niches for gathering. In the interest of furthering the many special relationships begun around these tables; we will now offer meeting times during the following Saturday time slots:
2nd Saturday, 10-12 JoJo’s Crochet (for Mary, Renee, Lynn, Gary & others)
3rd Saturday, 10-12 Jamie’s Sock’rs (for Carin, Rose, Ken, Janice, Carol, Mary & others)
4th Saturday, 10-12 Knit-In (for Marcia, Carol, Sandy, Kim, Elin, Dora, Kathy & others)
We mention just a few of the names of those we have come to greatly know & love over the last two years; however this, in no way, minimizes how we mushy we were beginning to feel about the newest members who were beginning to call these groups home. Please feel free to come in during theses times. Call us and let us know how you are doing. We will have the coffee pot on; and it will be a great way to start a Sunny Saturday over the coming winter months. The kitchen will be open and not available for classes during these activities.

H a p p y K n i t t i n g

CLASS ON DEMAND
Please reserve space by Visa/MasterCard or by sending your check in early. Classes must be paid to schedule. All of our classes are available "On Demand." Choose a class for yourself, or with friends and we will schedule it when it works for you. Limit: 4 per class Materials & a student discount are available at OTBP day of class (or sooner). More info @ 608-221-0219.
We offer the following:
Add-a-class $15/1 hr
American Girl w/Sandy $45/3 sessions
Any Store Demo $25-75/2-6 sessions
Baby Surprise Sweater w/Karen $45/3 sessions
Basketweave Purse w/Becca $55/4 sessions
Beginning Knitting $25/1 session
Beginning Crochet w/JoJo $25/1 session

Limited Edition Tofutsies!!

New for the Month of October: only 10 6 balls remaining!

of Colorway #741-Mosses! Free pattern with purchase; Oc-Toe-ber Socks "Fiddlesticks!"

Every month we will be getting a new limited edition colorway of Tofutsies with companion pattern for our Sock Club.

Spinning Demos!

Rexie will be doing spinning demos every 1st Saturday from 12-2:00 pm. Spinners are welcome to bring their wheels to spin along with us.

Our Hours have changed...AGAIN!

Please take note that our store hours have changed again to allow time for more class offerings.

We are now closed Sundays & Mondays.

Tues, Wed, Thurs we are open from 11-5:00 pm, from 6-8:00 pm we will be open for pre-registered classes & shopping appointments. We would have two to three parking spaces available, so don't hesitate to call us if you need to pop in. Rachel will be happy to help you!

Friday & Saturdays we are open from 10-4:00 pm

Classes

Below is our October class list. Currently scheduled classes are highlighted in red, new classes are in bold. To sign up for a class please call us 608-221-0219. We accept Visa and Mastercard.

Add-a-class ½ session (1 hr) $15
American Girl w/Sandy 3 sessions $45
Any Store Demo 2-6 sessions $25-75
Baby Surprise Sweater w/Karen 3 sessions $45
Basketweave Purse w/Becca 4 sessions $55
Beginning Knitting 1 session $25
Beginning Crochet w/JoJo 1 session $25
Bobblicious Hat w/Becca 3 sessions $45
BYO (Bring Your Own) Pattern Per session $25-$75
Chevy Shawl w/Karen 2 sessions $35
Cocoon Wrapw/Lynn 2 sessions $35
Crochet Aviator Hat w/JoJo 3 sessions $45
Crochet Bolero w/JoJo 4 sessions $55
Crochet Duo Socks w/Jamie 3 sessions $45
Crochet Gypsy Wrap w/JoJo 2 sessions $35
Crochet Simple Hat w/JoJo 2 sessions $35
Crochet Pillow w/JoJo 2 sessions $35
Crochet Poncho w/JoJo 4 sessions $55
Diamond Patch Sweater w/Kathy 3 sessions $55
Dancing Ladies w/Becca 3 sessions $45
Felted Caroline Sweater w/Kathy 4 Sessions $55 (Wednesdays, October 10, 17, and 24 from 6-8pm)
Felled Hats w/Karen 2 sessions $35
Felled Purses w/Karen 2 sessions $35
Felled Slippers w/Karen 3 sessions $45
Swirls Felled Hat w/Becca 3 sessions $45 (Wednesdays October 17, 24, and 31 from 6-8pm)
Fingerless Gloves 1-3 session(s) $25-45
Finishing Techniques w/Kathy 2 sessions $35
Flamingo Fun Felled Mittens w/Becca 3 sessions $45
Heartbeat Sweater w/Kathy 3 sessions $45
Helmut Hat (cables/short rows/ribbing) w/Karen 3 session $45
Hidden Gems Purse w/Rebecca 4 sessions $55
Increases/Decreases w/Kathy 1 session $25
Little Lillie's Sweater 3 sessions $45
Magic Loop Sox w/Rexie 3 sessions $45
Railey's Sweater w/Karen 3 sessions $45
Rambling Rose Jacket 4 sessions $55
Sox on DPNs w/Ken 3 sessions $45 (Thursdays, October 11, 18, and 25 from 6-8pm)
Sox on Circulars w/Sandy 3 sessions $45
Sox Toe Up w/Sandy 3 Sessions $45 (Tuesdays October 9, 16, and 23 from 6-8pm)
Shoulder Shawl w/Karen 2 sessions $35
Swing Coat w/Kathy 3 sessions $45
Then & Now w/Kathy 4 sessions $55
Tofutsies Sock Club Color & Pattern 3 sessions $45
Too Cold To Care Hat w/Karen 3 sessions $45
Triangle Shawl w/Karen 2 sessions $35
Wind & Snow Hat w/Rebecca 3 sessions $45

Yarn Bucks are Back!

To celebrate our 2nd Anniversary :) :), we are offering Yarn Bucks during the month of September. You can earn a $2 yarn buck for every $20 you spend on regularly priced items, redeemable one at a time.

Store Hours Change

Dear Patron Saints: Thank you for your interest, involvement, curiosity and willingness to share in the brave new adventure called Off the Beaten Path Yarnhouse (OTBP). Thank you for all the feedback, kindness and support in making this one of the most innovative yarn shops in our area! Because of the help and feedback provided, OTBP has been able to bring in wonderful yarns never before seen and now enjoyed. Willingness to try new yarns and patterns has been essential in getting to know whether they will be trustworthy as well as beautiful. The world isn't just about wool anymore; although a good wool cannot be beat! OTBP now brings Louet's Riverstone here in gorgeous, soft, reliably feltable colors!

Over the last 2 years, OTBP has learned a great deal; especially about its Patron Saints (customers). You're open-minded, helpful, kind to others, understanding and easy to know. Many have shared their projects, time and been patient with our newest knitters. Some are designing and teaching! Groups have grown and many have been with us since day one! Thank you for the referrals and friends sent!

While dedicated to local, family and global fiber companies who are industry leaders and going green, we are also striving to improve OTBP's footprint as well. OTBP will begin new hours reflecting what has been learned over the past two seasons. It will allow us to conserve on clerking hours, heating, air conditioning and lighting resources; all of which can be translated into NEW YARNS!

A traffic pattern has emerged and there is clarity about when most knitters come to visit and shop for yarn and/or inspiration. Most show up between 3 and 8 PM on Tuesday; Noon to 8 PM on Wednesday and Thursday; and Fridays and Saturdays between 10 AM and 4 PM. Folks are always partying between Noon and 4 PM on Sundays. These hours will now be OTBP's "Official" seasonal hours of operation. Summer hours may vary.

However; to those of you who must shop during the other hours, OTBP feels your needs are just as important and will honor appointments on an individual basis. Coming in from out-of-town or out-of-state? Give a call on the appointment line at 608-279-KNIT (5648) and reserve a time. Please leave a name, number and desired time of shopping. Safari(s) are welcome! 48 hours notice and a confirmation number is required.


Classes will be scheduled and held during "off-hours" by appointment. Candace Eisner Strick will teach here on December 9th and 10th before speaking at the Madison Knitters' Guild on December 10th, 2007. Sign up early as space is limited.

Groups may also meet during "off-hours" by calling the appointment line.

We are beginning a new chapter! We hope you will all remain on board and let us know how we are serving your needs personally as well as a community.

Happy Knitting!!

Knittin' for A Cause: Knitting for Charity

HI there! Rexie here!

We are organizing a group for those of us who want to knit or crochet something for charity. Although that day has not been set as of yet, keep an eye out for an announcement when it takes off! In the meantime...you are invited to knit afghan squares that you can drop off at the shop during business hours. When we have enough (49 per afghan) we will set a special date when others can join in and help put all the squares together. Once complete the afghans will be distributed locally to our neighboring Seniors. I have a wonderful Senior lady, Lucile, that lives right across from me and she is the sweetest neighbor I have ever had the pleasure of living next to. I aim to knit her an afghan before the new year. This was inspired by Warm Up America. Suggested square sizes are 7-9 inches and patterns can be found here: http://www.warmupamerica.com/patterns.html . Squares may be knit or crocheted out of worsted yarn.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that there are many local charities that accept hand-knit items for donation including the Human Society of Dane County. Why not stop on in to the shop to pick up a hand out that lists them and what they accept. While you are there, peruse the endless sea of yarns, sit down for a cuppa-tea or coffee, and relax with a WIP (work in progress).

Some national charities that accept hand-knit items that you may not be aware of include:
Orphan Foundation of America's Red Scarf Project who distribute your hand-knit UNISEX scarves to orphans entering into college to remind them they are not alone. Click the link to read more information about Foundation and the Red Scarf Project and where to send them. They shortened the deadline to send in scarfs this year from Sept 1st-Oct 15th because last year they received over 15,000 scarves...of which they had many leftover to send to neighboring charities to distribute! They are also putting a limit on how many people should make and that is up to 5 per person. Talk about a success!! WOW!! Bring in your Red UNISEX scarves to OTBP and we can send one giant package in care of OTBP. Don't forget include care tags(PDF) with your red scarf and if you like, include a nice card with information of how to contact you so that the recipient (if they choose to) can get a-hold of you to say thanks.

More to come! Keep your eyes peeled!