The first yarn packages are on their way out today! Three bags full, of course. Uh, this whole tracking orders and payments and packaging things up shebang takes some serious time. I don't know how someone like Dani runs a business like this and gets any knitting done at all!

Funny story... Dani and I actually use the same post office and when I showed up today with all my yarn packages, the woman who was working the counter said she knew that Dani was moving and was I her replacement. Ohhhh noooo, there's no replacing Dani! Thank goodness she'll still be dyeing her fabulous yarns from Colorado. No, no, a week or two of this yarn "business" and I'm done. Then I can get back to knitting again!

Update 11:15pm: Up for a bathroom break! I've made it to the emails from 7pm now. Almost everything is gone. Wow.

Update 9:50pm: So far, I've made it through emails that arrived by 2:20 this afternoon. Man, you all are fast! Check the yarn page for updates.

Update 8:50pm: I'm going through emails and updating the sale page now. Watch your inboxes and watch for your initial when the yarn is put on hold!

teaser pic - click here to see all the yarns for sale

The BIG YARN LIST is here.

teaser pic - click here to skip to all the SOCK yarns

And the SOCK YARN LIST is here.

Contact me by email - alison AT knitsmiths DOT us - if you are interested in any of these. We can split shipping costs. PayPal or check should be fine for payment. I will update the page as the yarn goes. Once someone has asked for a lot, I'll mark it "on hold" and once I receive payment, I'll change it to "sold". Thanks for looking!

Note: I'm out with the kiddos until this evening, so I won't be updating the page until dinner time. Send me an email with what you're interested in and I'll go through the emails in order and let you know what was left when I received your email. Good luck!

Just Scarves by Lion Brand (uncorrected b/w proof) - free (shipping costs only) [SOLD]
Tweed by Nancy Thomas - $13 [SOLD]
Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush - $12 [SOLD]
Hip to Crochet by Judith Swartz - $10
Knitting Tips and Trade Secrets by Taunton Press (1996) - $7
A Yorkshire Fable by Rowan - $10 [SOLD]
The Yarn Girls Guide to Knits for All Seasons by Julie Carles and Jordana Jacobs - $15 [SOLD]
Folk Hats by Vicki Square - $11 [SOLD]
Big Fish, Little Fish by Jil Eaton - $9 [SOLD]
Minnies by Jil Eaton- $10 [SOLD]
Family Album by Kaffe Fassett - $10 [SOLD]
Glorious Knits by Kaffe Fassett - $10 [SOLD]
Glamour Knits at Home by Erika Knight - $10 [SOLD]
Suss Design Essentials by Suss Cousins - $15 [SOLD]
Morehouse Farm Merino Knits by Margrit Lohrer - $15 [SOLD]

These are all in new condition and prices are 50% off original cover price. We can split shipping costs. Payment can be through Paypal or by check. Email me (alison AT knitsmiths DOT us) if you're interested. I'll update this post periodically throughout the day, marking the items as sold that people have asked for. And I'll wait to ship the book(s) until next week just in case you want to get some yarn in the yarn sale later this week.

Remember, yarn sale is coming Friday (there's A LOT and I have to take pics of it all!). It's all great stuff, so don't miss it!

My free time is so shrinking! I wanted to blog yesterday. But the kids had other plans. Hmmmm.

My quilt blocks are shrinking!

3", 6", 9", 12"

My first block of the month blocks were 12" square. This year's block of the month blocks are 9" square. My civil war sampler blocks are 6" square. And the teeny tiny block is the 3" square center for my latest civil war block, the North Star.

And, the best of all, my stash is shrinking! This is your warning. The BIG yarn and book sale is a-coming! I'll start by posting a list of knitting books for sale tomorrow. There's newer releases in there and some oldies-but-goodies as well. All are in like-new condition and I'll be selling them at about 50% off. Then comes the yarn. There's Debbie Bliss, Rowan, Lornas Laces and way way more. It's all gonna be priced to sell, so check back Thursday for that. Oh boy!

I spent the baby's naptime (which is also my computer time) yesterday, doing some very late spring cleaning. I've been sorting out old kids' clothes and toys to donate and preparing for a big reorganization and move of my yarn and fabric stashes. It's time for me to get my yarn crap out of the baby's room! She's shared with me long enough. Plus, she can open the doors of the yarn cabinet now and is starting to think of the yarn as her own playthings. So I'm working on a chain reaction sort of move, where the boys' toys all go in their room, my stash goes where their toys were and wee one gets some room for a little play area with a table and a dollhouse. I'll have to pare down my knitting stash to make it all fit though. So look for a pretty good yarn and knitting book sale here next week!

We all know how stressful it is sorting through the piles of stuff that accumulate over the years - and I haven't even gotten to the yarn yet! - but I'm thankful that at night I can relax with my little olive you martini hat and it's fabulously yummy looking olives. There's only one day of spring left and wee one is asleep right now, so I'd better get through that last closet fast! I can treat myself to more olives and drinks later....