BAYBERRY BLOG

FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER

2012-01-30T23:23:00.004-05:00

Greetings!

Bayberry would like to give many thanks to my sister, Mert who has been unselfishly by my side everyday with a helping hand. Also, I am happy to welcome back my well-rested, vacationing husband, Jim. Without the two of them and others behind the scenes, this endeavor would not be possible.

Now to business.... we have many things happening at Bayberry Knitting in February.

Betty

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COLOR OF THE MONTH

BLUE

15% off any yarns with the color BLUE in them for the month of February

*This offer excludes all special orders*

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YARN OF THE MONTH

LOUET YARNS - 15% OFF

Louet Euroflax - 100% Wet Spun Linen

Louet KidLin - 49% Linen/35% Kid Mohair/16% Nylon

Louet Merlin - 60% Wet Spun Linen/40% Merino

Whether you use it to knit or weave, this yarn is awesome. Feels a little stiff while in a hank but don't be mistaken. These yarns are "Machine wash and Machine Dry" The more you wash and dry your item, the softer it gets. Euroflax and Merlin are considered a fine/sport weight yarn. Kidlin is a lace weight yarn. Don't pass up this opportunity to get some of these great Spring/Summer yarns at a great savings!!

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NEEDLES, NEEDLES, NEEDLES...
Bayberry is still carrying Knit Picks Needles, but we have decided, per customer requests, to offer our customers another alternative.

KNITTER'S PRIDE NEEDLES
There is a new needle company in Town. An India based family business started out making paintbrushes and now over the past year has introduced knitting needles, crochet hooks and other items. Bayberry will be carrying...

Symfonie Wood - Dreamz (Laminated birch wood-exported from Vermont, USA) are color coded by size.

Symfonie Wood - Cubics have a "SQUARE" section that gradually tapers. These needles have been well received by knitters of all levels, especially those with arthritis. If you have never tried a square needle, you owe it to yourself to stop by and give then a try.

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DID YOU KNOW....
Bayberry Knitting offers a "FREE REWARDS PROGRAM" as an incentive to repeat customers. This program allows us to show our appreciation to loyal customers for their continued patronage. Ask us for details the next time you visit.

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REMINDERS...

CLASSES - Please remember to check out our New Class Schedule - Click on the Training link in the left index to view our Workshop Catalog and our Schedule of Classes.

BOOKLETS - 30% OFF

RED DOT SPECIAL - NEEDLES - 20% OFF

OPEN KNITTING - To Old and New Customers... Please remember that our doors at Bayberry Knitting are ALWAYS OPEN. Come and relax before work, after work, on your lunch break, on your day off or just because. We promise you will enjoy the atmosphere and the company.

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We hope to see you soon!

Betty & Jim
Bayberry Knitting LLC

REVISION TO WORKSHOP CATALOG IS OUT... CHECK IT OUT!

2012-01-08T14:33:00.001-05:00

Just to let you know that we have just published a new version of our WORKSHOP CATALOG. We've updated some workshop descriptions, added new photos and tried to dazzle you with some new artwork.

It's the New Year!

Click the WORKSHOP CATALOG AND SCHEDULE link in the left sidebar.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2012-01-02T23:25:00.004-05:00

We'd like to wish you a new year full of peace, love and happiness as we welcome in 2012! We look forward to a new year filled with family, friends, good food and some knitting or crochet time.

*** JANUARY SPECIALS ***

RED DOT SPECIAL

SELECT KNITTING NEEDLES

25% OFF

(Discount taken at register)

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BOOKLET BLOW-OUT

30% Off Special

We have a wide selection of knitting booklets - 30% off. These booklets are from many different designers with many different and unique patterns to choose from. We are sure you will find one that will inspire you.

*select booklets as marked.

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REMINDER

COLOR OF THE MONTH

BLACK - 15% OFF

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CLASS SCHEDULE
Please remember that our class schedule has been posted and you can find it by clicking on the "WORKSHOP CATALOG AND SCHEDULE" link on the left sidebar. We look forward to having you join us for our 2012 classes!

Hope to see you soon.

WINTER IS HERE! AND A MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

2011-12-21T11:00:00.002-05:00

Just a short note to let everyone know that we have just published our new WINTER 2012 Schedule and have a new revision of our WORKSHOP CATALOG (Edition 8) to match. We have some fun new workshops to offer to keep our training program alive and fun. Visit our 'TRAINING SERVICES' page of our website or come in and we'll tell you all about it.

In the meantime, we wish you all a joyous and peaceful Christmass and may the New Year bring you good health and prosperity!

NEW HOURS AT BAYBERRY KNITTING!

2011-09-28T21:27:00.000-04:00

We are always looking for ways that we can best meet your needs. This summer we experimented with slight differences in our hours of operation. As a result, we found that we should shorten our daily hours but increase the number of days that we are open. So, our new hours are as follows:

Tuesday: 10am - 5pm

Wednesday: 10am - 5pm

Thursday: 10am - 8pm

Friday: 10am - 5pm

Saturday: 10am - 4pm

We are closed on Sunday and Monday.

Let us know what you think!

2011 FALL WORKSHOP SCHEDULE IS POSTED... CHECK IT OUT!

2011-09-19T23:44:00.000-04:00

Just to let you know that we just posted the Workshop Schedule for the next few months. You will find it in the TRAINING SERVICES section of our website. Please check it out and sign up.

JOIN US AT THE NY STATE SHEEP WOOL FESTIVAL!

2011-09-05T21:19:00.001-04:00

OCTOBER 15th & 16th, 2011 Saturday 9am-5pm, Sunday 10am-5pm

Visit www.sheepandwool.com

Mark Your Calendar

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2011

Bayberry Knitting is hosting a BUS TRIP to the NY STATE SHEEP WOOL FESTIVAL. Fare per person is $50* which includes admission to Festival. Bus leaves Bayberry Knitting at 7:30 am and returns to Bayberry Knitting at 7:30 pm. Call/email/visit us to register. (*Fare is not refundable.)

36 Whiting Street, Suite One

Plainville, Connecticut 06062

1.860.410.4250

info@bayberryknitting.com

www.bayberryknitting.com

NEW WORKSHOP CATALOG IS AVAILABLE!

2011-08-28T08:54:00.002-04:00

"SCHOOL TIME", by WINSLOW HOMER, 1874.

Just to let everyone know that the BAYBERRY KNITTING WORKSHOP CATALOG has been published and is available in the TRAINING SERVICES section of our website. Once again, with this edition, we are delighted to introduce several new workshops.

Also, we are changing our approach for organizing our workshops. Our new catalog which does not include a WORKSHOP SCHEDULE presents all of the work shops that we intend to offer in the months ahead in 2011 and 2012. In a few days, we will release separately a Workshop Schedule for our Fall Quarter as we have in the past. So, our schedules will continue to be published on a quarterly basis while our Workshop Catalog will be published annually.

Again, both will be available on our web site, or you may come in and ask for your personal copy anytime. As always, we would appreciate your comments and opinions about our Work Shops. We spend a great amount of time to produce that special set of workshops that will please you.

Check it out and we would appreciate your feedback on any other workshop that you think we should offer.

SUMMER HOURS OF OPERATION.... STARTING 6 JULY!

2011-07-01T10:59:00.001-04:00

Please note that starting on 6 July, our hours of operation will be shortened a little to close a little earlier.

We will continue to open at our regular time of 10 o'clock in the morning but our closing hours on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday will be one hour earlier. Our Thursday hours will be unchanged. So here are the new hours:

Wednesday:  10 am to 5 pm
Thursday:      10 am to 8 pm
Friday:           10 am to 5 pm
Saturday:       10 am to 4 pm

We wish you all a very pleasant and enjoyable summer!

TAKING A LITTLE TIME OFF...

2011-05-14T11:18:00.000-04:00

Just to let our customers know that we will be closed the last week in May... from the 25th until the 28th.

We will return to welcome you all the following Wednesday on the 1st day of June.

NEW WORKSHOP SCHEDULE FOR SPRING 2011

2011-03-23T14:54:00.001-04:00

"Grazing" by Bartlett

Just to let everyone know that the Workshop Schedule for the upcoming SPRING 2011 term has been published and is available in the TRAINING SERVICES section of our website.
We are delighted to introduce several new workshops.

Check it out and we would appreciate your feedback on any other workshop that you think we should offer.

Note that the catalog is not included in this distribution. We expect the catalog to be published soon after our Instructors complete their work with the workshop descriptions.

ANOTHER MAJOR SALE FOR OUR GREAT CUSTOMERS…

2011-03-08T13:15:00.001-05:00

30% MARK DOWN MAJOR BRAND KNITTING NEEDLES

Just a quick note to our best customers to let you know that when we open our doors on Wednesday, 9 March, all of our stock in knitting needles for the following major brands will drop in price by 30%:

Plymouth - Bamboo
Clover - Bamboo
Inox / Prym
Bryson

This sale will continue for two weeks until Saturday, 19 March or until we run out. Be there on the 9th before word spreads.

Thank you for your continued patronage and support.

SAVE MONEY WITH OUR NEW "KNITTERS HELPER"...

2010-12-31T08:24:00.001-05:00

Our Workshop customers get all the help they need free of charge whenever the help is needed. But what about our other customers?

Our "Knitters Helper" card assures that all of our customers will get the needed help anytime our shop is open and they save money!

The customer may purchase a card for four, eight or 12 HELP sessions at a price of $20 for four sessions. A fifth HELP session is added FREE OF CHARGE after every 4th session.

The card is fully transferable to another person, or may be used towards a purchase, or may be purchased as a gift.

It is a great tool that will allow us to organize our activities so that we will always be in position to help our customers when they most need our help. Please ask us about this new tool.

WINTER 2011 WORKSHOP SCHEDULE HAS BEEN PUBLISHED...

2010-12-26T23:09:00.001-05:00

Long Lake in Winter. St-Agatha, Maine

Just to let everyone know that the Workshop Schedule for the upcoming WINTER 2011 term has been published and is available in the TRAINING SERVICES section of our website. Many of you have become accustomed to picking up the Schedule and Catalogs from the sidebar of this blog. But Google made some changes recently to their BLOG software which made it difficult for some of our users to download the Catalog from the Blog. So, we moved the Catalog and Schedule to our website.

We are delighted to introduce several new workshops including some in spinning! Check it out and we would appreciate your feedback on any other workshop that you think we should offer. Note that the catalog is not included in this distribution. We expect the catalog to be published in early January after our Instructors complete their work with the workshop descriptions.

BAYBERRY ANNOUNCES THE NEW "KNIT-ALONG", WEDNESDAY EVENINGS...

2010-12-26T18:39:00.003-05:00

Last fall, we instituted a new activity on a trial basis that some of our customers called the "KNIT-ALONG". From the nickname, the main value of the activity is made clear. Our customers get together to knit along with each other and by doing so, they take advantage of the expertise and experience of some of the others. It is tremendous fun!

So, because the activity was very successful, we have decided to make it a permanent part of our business operation. Beginning in early January, we will open our Shop exclusively for our "Knit-Along' customers only. Those who come in have a choice of two activities: participate with others in our "Elsie's Corner" to work on a special project, or they may choose to join others in our Knitting Parlor to work on their own projects while socializing with other customers and friends. The entry fee is $5 to help cover the cost of utilities.
For those in Elsie's Corner working on the special project, the Instructor will introduce the project and give some instruction on how to get started. From then on, the individuals will be on their own to complete the project. The special project will be announced before the first session begins.

Since our Instructor will be present, our customers may also ask the Instructor to help with a question or a problem by using their new "KNITTERS' HELPER" card.

PRE-INVENTORY SALE... SAVE 20% !! STARTING 15 DECEMBER

2010-12-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

Betty and Jim just announced a gigantic sale on all yarns and accessories. Here's a chance to save 20% on those items. The sale will start when Jim opens their doors on Wednesday, 15 December and runs four days ending on the 18th.

So, stock up on your yarns for those projects that you are planning in the New Year!!

CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE: a grand success!

2010-12-12T14:25:00.013-05:00

Just a briefing posting to let everyone know about our most successful Christmas Open House at Bayberry Knitting yesterday. Our shop was full much of the time. Many of our friends and faithful customers came by to visit and enjoy Melissa Cunningham's demonstrations as shown in the slide presentation below. Several of our customers brought in desserts and hors d/oeuvres to add to the generous layout of other desserts, shrimp, Swedish meat balls and delectable delights provided by Betty and the family.

Customers also very generously donated items for the Plainville Food Pantry that will supplement their kitchen for Christmas. A hearty thanks to all for their generosity.
(MOVE YOUR CURSOR ON SLIDE SHOW AREA AND CLICK ON BUTTON IN LOWER RIGHT CORNER OF SLIDE SHOW TO EXPAND PRESENTATION.)

Finally, we are happy to report that a large number of our customers took advantage of our sale to stock up their knitting supplies for the New Year!

We want to thank Mert for those super photos! We wish all a very joyous and Merry Christmas!

BAYBERRY KNITTING'S CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE: SATURDAY, 11 DECEMBER, 10 - 5PM

2010-12-04T00:21:00.007-05:00

Well, it is true that Santa Claus is coming to town soon. So, we must get ourselves in that special Christmas mood to give him a roaring greeting when he arrives. So to get us going, Betty and Jim are inviting all to a CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE on Saturday, 11 December from 10 until 5PM... a real party!

We have invited a very special guest MELISSA CUNNINGHAM, a Shepherdess and an expert spinner. She will demonstrate DROP SPINDLE SPINNING. For those interested in this unique craft, this will be just the beginning because Betty is offering a special workshop in the WINTER TERM on this wonderful craft.

But this is also the season for looking out for each other especially those less fortunate than us. So, when you join us please bring an item to donate to the PLAINVILLE FOOD PANTRY. To those who do, Betty and Jim will give a 10% DISCOUNT on their purchases during the OPEN HOUSE.

So, come one, come all. Please join us Saturday, 11 December anytime from 10AM until 5PM. We promise a good time with lots of Christmas frivolity and cheer!

BAYBERRY HOSTS WATERBURY HOSPITAL TEAM-BUILDING

2010-12-03T22:27:00.015-05:00

We had the great honor yesterday of hosting the department managers of Waterbury Hospital and their Chief Operating Officer (COO) for an afternoon of team-building. Betty custom-tailored a workshop for the team that assured that each team member would learn something new; would be challenged to doing something they had never done before and most important, each would go home with a 'take-away'; some enjoyable and important experiences and a tangible result that the team could use to do something good.

Betty's instructors, Jan (left) and Linda (right) monitor each
individual's progress. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

The team included the COO, Mary and 10 of her department managers. All have been working closely together to keep Waterbury Hospital operating smoothly while providing health services to the central Connecticut area. Of the 11 managers, 9 were women and 2 were men. While the assignment was difficult enough for the women, few of which had ever knitted before, it was a special challenge for the men in a few different ways. This was especially true for Frank who though a 'south paw', insisted on knitting right-handed.

Team leader, Mary (standing right), an accomplished

knitter helping her team in their team-building exercise.

In the background, Betty (stand rear center) and her

instructors (Linda, Mert and Jan (white sweater) help

the team move toward their goal. (Click on photo to

enlarge.)

The project was for each member of the team to knit a square measuring 5" by 5". When everyone finished his or her square, the eleven squares would be knitted together by Mary to produce a comfortable 55" scarf that the team will donate. After a short session by Betty to introduce the basics of knitting and how to get started, the team was off and running with their individual squares. Meanwhile, Betty's assistants Mert, Jan and Linda went around to each team member to check technique, correct mistakes and help the team toward their goal of developing their colorful and comfortable scarf. Otherwise, the team worked together, cheered each other on with encouragements and with a few pokes and prods between friends. It was a delight to watch a great team in operation!

Later on in the afternoon, the team members in turn completed their squares and left them for their leader to 'pull together' as she does during their hospital operations back in Waterbury. Congratulations to the Waterbury Hospital team. You are all good sports. We were honored that you chose Bayberry Knitting to be part of this important team-building event. We hope that you will return!

(Download this article for printing.)

New York Sheep & Wool Festival Trip

2010-10-25T14:28:00.005-04:00

Hello to Our New York Travelers, Thank you so much for making our NY Sheep & Wool Festival trip a success. We couldn't have done it without you!! From the reports I'm getting thus far, it sounds like a good time was had by all. I would like to express our sincere appreciation for your patience on our return to Plainville. We had an emergency that delayed us for a short period of time but all ended well (Barb is fine). There are other customers/travelers I'd like to personally thank: Mary-Great Pastry, Sue-Beverages, Cheryl, Lisa, Mert and others who helped with their medical assistance. Happy Knitting, Betty & Jim

BAYBERRY KNITTING'S "NEXT STEP"...

2010-10-01T14:36:00.000-04:00

All businesses from time to time have to pause long enough to take a deep breath and evaluate their operation to see if the business is heading in the correct direction. Aside from the BOTTOM LINE, there are many other aspects of the business that must be evaluated;

We penned a letter to our customers recently that reports on our business evaluation and talks about the direction that we will be taking. We invite you to read that letter and would welcome your comments and questions when we see you next time in our shop.

Here is the letter on our 'NEXT STEP'...

EXCITING NEWS FOR OUR BAYBERRY KNITTERS

2010-09-27T16:57:00.005-04:00

KNIT-ALONG SEAMLESS SWEATER, or KNIT-ALONG HATS.

Join us for six evenings to "Knit-Along" with everyone else to produce either a Seamless Sweater, or a Hat.

We will meet every other Wednesday evening (after hours 6:00 to 8:30PM) October 6 & 20, November 3 & 17 and December 1 & 15. There will be a $5.00 fee, per evening for participating. We will provide snacks and beverages and guarantee you will have a very enjoyable time. We’d love to have you join us; give us a call 860-410-4250 or email betty@bayberryknitting.com to reserve your spot.

FALL WORKSHOP CATALOG HAS BEEN RELEASED...

2010-09-20T22:06:00.001-04:00

'DESTINATION SAGUENAY', Michel Mecteau

Just a short note to let everyone know that our FALL 2010 WORKSHOP CATALOG is available. Copies have been mailed to all of our VIP Customers by e-mail. If you would like to have your e-mail address added to our mailing list scroll down the left side-bar to the VIP CUSTOMER MAILING LIST section and add your e-mail address.

We have yet again some lovely new additions to our collection of workshops. Check them out. They're listed in RED. And, again, let us know if you would be interested in a particular work shop. If there is sufficient interest, we are very flexible and willing to set one up for the Fall Term.

DEBUNKING RUMORS...

2010-09-13T13:54:00.004-04:00

We picked up a rumor recently that Jim doesn't do anything at Bayberry Knitting. Well, I know better and I want to debunk that rumor because I know that my brother-in-law works hard.

Heck, I even have a picture of him working right there at the shop. See for yourself!

So to all those who have been spreading this rumor around, forget about it! We know better.

BAYBERRY KNITTING SUPPORTS PLAINVILLE DOWNTOWN BLOCK PARTY...

2010-09-10T17:33:00.012-04:00

Bayberry Knitting and several of its customers teamed up last Spring to design, knit and assemble an Afghan blanket for Plainville's DOWNTOWN BLOCK PARTY raffle. The DOWNTOWN BLOCK PARTY will be Saturday night, 25 September from 5-10pm. The Bayberry Knitting Team started their work on the blanket last April and met every Thursday to work on the project. The very substantial team included the following knitters all from Plainville and the surrounding towns: April, Jennifer, Jan A., Jackie, Carolyn, Lynn S., Emilene, Julie, Gena, Sandi, Ann, Linda, Melissa, Barbara, Wanda, Robert, Lynn S., Denise, Lisa, Kim, Jan B., Rena, Jim and Betty. While the project required only 20 knitters, there were so many volunteers for the project that the design of the blanket was enlarged to include 24 knitters.

Finally in July, they were able to put the finishing touches to the blanket which was keyed to the Plainville High School colors; blue and white. Each square in the blanket was knitted using a knit pattern different from the other squares. These patterns may be seen by clicking to enlarge the photo in lower right.

Bayberry Knitting, LLC is very proud to submit this beautiful blanket to the Plainville DOWNTOWN BLOCK PARTY for its raffle. The Afghan is very ample in size and is made up of 24- 12" squares with a fringe around the outer edge which finishes the blanket. It will serve its owner with many years of warmth and comfort.

As we mentioned earlier, the response to the Bayberry Knitting's call for volunteers was so great that Bayberry Knitting is already planning next year's DOWNTOWN BLOCK PARTY if only to involve those volunteers who were not able to be included in this year's project.

V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N !!

2010-08-25T00:56:00.001-04:00

Just a quick note to let you know that Jim and Betty will be taking a 'breather' for a few days beginning on Wednesday, 1 September. They will return on Tuesday, 7 September and be ready to open the Bayberry Knitting shop the following day on Wednesday, 8 September.

We wish you all an enjoyable 'rest of the summer' and we will see you in September, 8 September to be exact.

Something to look forward to will be our Fall Workshop Catalog. If there is any particular workshop you would like to see us offer, let us know by e-mail or voice-mail message anytime.

Have fun all!

SUMMER HOURS... PLEASE TAKE NOTE!

2010-07-01T15:51:00.002-04:00

Well, we are going to try to set an example here and we will slow down a little for the summer. So, please note the following changes in our hours which will be in effect through Labor Day weekend:

* We will be closed Saturday, 3 July to celebrate our Nation's birthday...
* During the summer, we will close one hour early on Wednesday and Friday, closing at 5 and Saturday, closing at 4. Thursday hours will remain the same.
* We will be closed Saturday, 4 September to celebrate our Labor Day...

Okay, enjoy your summer!

SUMMER WORKSHOP CATALOG IS AVAILABLE... COME AND GET IT!!

2010-06-26T10:50:00.014-04:00

Just to let everyone know that our new Workshop Catalog for the Summer is now available. Stop by and pick up a copy if you are not on our VIP Customer's E-Mailing List or look over to the LEFT SIDEBAR to the "WORKSHOP CATALOG" and simply download it to your own computer where you can either browse through it or print it on your own printer.

The catalog features several new workshops that many of you asked for. So please review our catalog at your leisure. The Catalog cover features the artwork of an American artist from the 19th century, Winslow Homer, titled "BOYS IN A PASTURE" which Homer completed in 1874. (Click on the graphic to enlarge.) We thought that Winslow's touch of nostalgia would help move us into the summer season... Have you ever laid down in the grass on a beautiful summer day and watched the clouds go by? If you have not, you are missing a wonderful experience. Head for the park and try it out!

OUR 'KNITTING IN PUBLIC" PARTY...

2010-06-25T21:26:00.008-04:00

It was a beautiful summer day when we all joined with countless other Knitters around the world to 'KNIT IN PUBLIC'. Many of our good customers, both guys and gals, joined us on the front lawn of our shop on Whiting Street in Plainville. We set up some tents to shade us from the sun and it was fun to be able to greet our towns people as they passed by.

Here are a few snapshots of the affair taken at one point during the day....

IT'S FESTIVAL TIME!

2010-06-16T09:20:00.013-04:00

We're always looking for new ways of providing greater service to our customers while also doing something fun... So, here's our latest thought: Let's go for a fun bus ride!
As many of you know, the New York State SHEEP AND WOOL FESTIVAL is coming up in Rhinebeck, New York. Please visit their website to see what those folks have in store for us.

We have commissioned a bus which will transport us to the Festival on Saturday, 16 October 2010. We will leave from here at Bayberry Knitting at 7:30 in the morning and will return to Bayberry Knitting at around 7:30 in the evening.
Now, although our bus has a large number of seats, we expect that those seats will be sold quickly. So, don't miss out on this fun deal by delaying until later what you should do TODAY. Please come in to purchase your ticket NOW and secure your place on our "Fun-Ride" Bus. We have worked very hard to secure group pricing with the Festival to keep the price of the ticket at a rock bottom $45. The fare includes the bus transportation as well as entry to the Festival.
Please keep in mind that if for some reason after you purchase your ticket you are not able to join us, we will not be able to refund your ticket purchase.

WE'RE HAVING A PARTY!

2010-06-10T11:17:00.003-04:00

It seemed like yesterday that we announced our GRAND OPENING but in fact it was last year at about this time... in fact, on 9 July. So, we feel like throwing a party and we would like you to come. Here are the details.

We are planning a very significant 20% SALE on selected yarns including brands like Cascade, Plymouth, Classic Elite, Noro, Tahki and Bollicini. And, our sale will be held from Wednesday, 14th of July through to Saturday, the 17th.

It has been a GRAND PARTY all year with you. We have spent alot of fun times together... we learned a few things together but mostly, we simply enjoyed ourselves with you. We appreciate your patronage during our first year and we truly hope that you will continue to visit with us. We will try to keep it interesting all the way through.

So our FIRST ANNIVERSARY SALE will include the following yarns:

From CASCADE YARNS: GREENLAND and FIXATION SASSY STRIPES;
From PLYMOUTH YARN: SOCKOTTA, ENCORE SOCK, BUNGEE, BABY ALPACA LACE and POPPIN;
From CLASSIC ELITE YARNS: CENTOLAVAGGI, CLASSIC ELITE YARNS, DOVE and LUSH;
From NORO: SILK GARDEN LITE;
From TAHKI YARNS: RIO, and
From BOLLICINI: SISSI

ROLLING OUT THE WORKSHOP CATALOG FOR THE SPRING

2010-03-28T23:35:00.003-04:00

Just to let everyone know that we have rolled out our new Workshop Catalog for the Spring. Stop by and pick up a copy if you are not on our VIP Customer's E-Mailing List or scroll down the LEFT SIDEBAR to the "WORKSHOP CATALOG" and simply download it to your own computer where you can either browse through it or print it on your own printer. If you are on our VIP Customer's E-Mailing List, you already have the Workshop Catalog which we sent you by e-mail a few days ago.

The catalog features several new workshops that many of you asked for and some others that are a total surprise. So check it out. Here's what the cover looks like... it features the artwork of one of our favorite French artists, Claude Monet, an impressionist of the 19th century... We share with Claude Monet an appreciation for the poppy or as they call it in France, 'coquelicot', or in Spain 'amapola'. A most beautiful flower...

Lambing Season at Wind Song Farm

2010-03-25T22:04:00.019-04:00

Chatting with our neighbors Bill and Sharon of Wind Song Farm recently, we learned that their lambing season was finally over and that they had acquired about two dozen lambs in the process. Bill and Sharon raise Tunis sheep. Here's a short description of the Tunis from the Colgate Agricultural College website (http://cooley.colgate.edu/tunissheep/):

"The Tunis is a medium sized sheep with a very distinctive look. Tunis have a creamy colored wool that is set off by a solid tan to cinnamon red colored head and legs. Tunis sheep have a slender head, very expressive eyes and long ears. Their expression conveys a calm and docile nature, which is a hallmark of the breed. Tunis lambs are robust at birth and are warmed by a double coat which is mahogany red on the surface. The creamy white fleece appears as the lamb matures. The Tunis is one of the oldest breeds of sheep having decended from ancient fat-tailed sheep referred to in the Bible. As the name indicates, the Tunis originated in Tunisia on the Northern coast of Africa. The Tunis popularity spread quickly and flocks were started primarily on the East coast and New England, where many remain today."

Sharon mentioned that she had 'inherited' 2-3 lambs whose mothers had rejected them and so, she was bottle feeding them 2-3 times a day until they can feed on their own. They invited us to come over for a visit which we gladly accepted. Later, I asked my daughter, Jill and a friend, Kaitlin to join me. Jill is an equestrian who raises horses close-by. Both of our daughters have always had a special connection with animals especially dogs and horses, but Jill has always had several horses to train and 5-6 dogs running around the farm... mostly Australian Cattle dog.

So, on the day of our visit, Jill and Kaitlin arrived and we drove up to Wind Song Farm up the hill. As we arrived at their farm which is perched on top of a hill and enjoys exquisite views of the western mountains, we saw Sharon emerge from her home with 2-3 bottles filled with milk for her 'little orphans'. As we entered the barn, we were greeted by a cacophony of bleating by the young lambs and in no time, the first of Sharon's three 'bottle-feeders' who she named 'Patches' came running to Sharon but unexpectedly shifted to Jill. Jill offered to feed Patches and the two bonded immediately.(See slideshow above.)

In no time, Patches drank her lunch and was looking for more. But with two more to feed, Sharon dismissed Patches' insistent muzzling for more food and went into one of the pens to fetch the second of her 'orphans'.. this one a week-old ram. We could see his small nubs on his head. Questioning Sharon about the Tunis sheep, she explained that the rams never grow their horns but stay with these small nubs on their head. As Sharon brought him over for feeding, it was apparent that this one was not nearly as energetic as Patches and was not as eager to feed. But Sharon eventually fed him his portion of milk and afterward, Kaitlin was able to hold him for a while (See slideshow below)

It was a great visit and brought back alot of old memories of Grandfather's sheep in northern Maine. Thank you Bill and Sharon for your gracious hospitality! Here is a slideshow of the rest of the herd at Bill and Sharon's farm.

About our VIP BAYBERRY CUSTOMER MAILING LIST

2010-03-20T09:36:00.000-04:00

We value being able to keep you up-to-date on our plans and our current events. But being on our VIP Customer Mailing List is important not only to ourselves but to you as well because you will be the first to learn of our sales and other special activities.

So, to 'break the ice', we will send you a special discount coupon if you will send us an e-mail now to ask us to add your name and e-mail to our mailing list. Click on this link to SEND US YOUR REQUEST.

Moreover, to encourage everyone to keep their e-mail address up-to-date with us, we will award a special discount coupon every year to our customers whose address was kept up-to-date throughout the year.

We hold your personal information as CONFIDENTIAL, not to be shared with anyone.

Finally, if you wish to remove your e-mail address from our VIP CUSTOMER LIST, just let us know. Your address will be removed with no questions asked.

BOOK REVIEW: "Men's Knits" by Erika Knight

2010-03-17T20:42:00.037-04:00

(This posting may be downloaded to save or print.)

Puttering around my local library a few days ago, a book caught my eye. Titled "Men's Knits" by Erika Knight*, I wondered whether this might be a book on knitting for men, or a book on knits for men. Either way, it looked like I might be able to impress the females in my family with my 'knitting know-how" if I gave it a read, so I checked it out.

Erika explains in the Introduction to the book that she grew up in a household of four brothers and inevitably emerged as a tomboy with a thing for knitwear. Later, she shared her 'woolly ethos' with her partner, Ian who has a passion for clothes and eventually they created their own label, Molto! Some of their works were worn by many 'faces' of the era including most notably Boy George.

She admits that finding the right knitting project for a man in your life whether your husband, your father, or your best friend can be difficult. Men don't want anything fussy or too trendy. They want something that will be comfortable and durable for years. In this book, she gives us the benefit of her more than 20 years of experience in designing menswear and of her understanding of men's clothes-buying mentality.

"Men's Knits" presents the details of some 20 sweater knitting projects that Erika says your '...guys are sure to wear." She organizes them into three different categories: basics, casual favorites, and modern classics. To wrap up, she throws in four accessories projects: a weekend hat, a beanie, a striped scarf and a very dramatic 92-inch 'big cable scarf' shown on the cover and in the photo on the left. (These projects are illustrated in the photos here. Click on each photo to enlarge.)

Before she delves into the details of her projects, she covers a few 'knitting know-how' topics which explain the different types of yarn including alpaca, bamboo, cashmere, cotton, hemp, Donegal tweed, kid mohair, wool and even silk! She makes recommendations for the yarn of choice for each of her projects and if you prefer to use a different yarn, she will help you make those decisions as well. Equally helpful is a section on 'Sizing' which discusses how to select the absolutely correct size for the man for your project. She wraps up this helpful section with a discussion on garment care; washing, rinsing, spinning, drying, blocking and removing stains.

In presenting the details of each of her projects, she specifies the dimensions for chest, length and sleeve for each of the different sizes, a list of materials, the gauge, specific tips and techniques for each project and of course, the detail instructions for knitting the back, knitting the left front, and right front, knitting the sleeves, the collar or neckband and the pockets. She concludes each project with instructions on finishing the garment.

The list of projects that she includes in her well-written book will keep a good knitter busy for long time. The list includes the following:

-Striped Full-Zip Cardigan
-Week-Day Sweater
-1950's-Style Cardigan
-Half-Zip Sweater
-Casual Cardigan
-Simple Vest
   -Hand-Dyed Sweater
   -Multi-Stripe Sweater
   -Favorite SweatShirt
   -Herringbone Sweater
   -Collegiate Cardigan
   -New Classic V-Neck and Crewneck Sweaters
   -Fine-Knit Cardigan
   -Plain, Argyle and Checkered Vests
   -Funnel-Neck Sweater
   -Cabled Sweater

In addition to these 20 projects, Erika also details the instructions for a 'weekend hat', a 'beanie', a 'striped scarf' and a gigantic 'big cable scarf' (which would be a delight under any man's Christmas tree).

This book fully delivers its value not only in the sheer volume of the 20 projects plus accessories but more importantly, in the superb quality of the specifications and instructions for those projects. Now, mind you, I'm just an engineer. I know nothing about knitting. But reading over those instructions, I felt that even I could successfully complete these projects. The instructions are explicit, detailed and very comprehensive. I'm happy to report that on searching the Internet for reviews of this book, most knitters (many males) reported it as a 4-5 star book. So, it doesn't sound like I'm too far off.

But drop in to Bayberry Knitting, Betty should be getting a few copies. Ask to thumb through the book and see for yourself. And, let me know if you think my assessment is correct. I would like to know. I might even try a project for myself!

*(Published by Potter Craft, New York. Sept 2009. 144 pages. ISBN 978-0-307-46049-3; http://www.pottercraft.com//. Visit Erika Knight's website at http://www.erikaknight.co.uk/)

IT IS THE SEASON FOR LAMBING...

2010-03-14T22:02:00.000-04:00

Every year at this time of the year, the sheep population spikes upward as millions of ewes (female sheep) around the world give birth to their lambs. With sheep, twins are most common but sometimes single births do occur. I remember in my youth how my grandfather, Pépere Trudelle on his modest farm in Upper Frenchville, Maine, would become preoccupied with his ewes, watching them to see who was approaching the final week of pregnancy and looking for signs of problems. He would often spend the night with some of his ewes who had a history of difficult pregnancies. For a very comprehensive and authoritative article on lambing, check out this Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences article.

My sisters Betty and Mert took a 'Sheep to Shawl" class last year from Melissa Cunningham who is a Shepardess. She has two sheep named 'Lacey' and 'Shiloh'. Lacey recently delivered two lambs, a ram who she named 'Traveler' and a ewe named 'Hadley' pictured here. In the two photos, Traveler is the one with his mouth open and the quiet one is the ewe of course, Hadley. Melissa's other sheep, Shiloh delivered her twins, a ram and a ewe this past Monday.
We are delighted to announce that Melissa will be teaching spinning this Spring or Summer term in our shop. So please plan on joining us for a most interesting workshop on spinning.

FOR OUR CUSTOMERS NOT ON OUR MAILING LIST...

2010-03-13T10:38:00.007-05:00

Please plan on joining us for our “SPRING CLEANING YARN SALE" on March 17th through 20th (Wednesday - Saturday). We will discount our regular stock yarns including CASCADE, PLYMOUTH, CLASSIC ELITE, TAHKI, NORO, DE.VI, BOLLICINE, and NASHUA by a huge 30 PERCENT. Do not miss this sale because we may not be be able to repeat this offer. Since this sale is on our existing stock, there will be NO BACK ORDERS, RETURNS OR EXCHANGES.

ALSO...
Please note that we have a change in hours for EASTER WEEK:
Wednesday, March 31, 10-6PM; Thursday, April 1, 10-6PM
Friday, April 2, CLOSED Saturday, April 3, CLOSED

ALSO...
We are making plans for the PLAINVILLE BLOCK PARTY RAFFLE coming up soon. So we are asking our Bayberry Knitting customers to team up with us to knit a 'GREAT NORTH AMERICAN AFGHAN' that we together would donate to the Block Party Raffle when it comes up. So, join us for six weeks of knitting together on Thursday evenings from 6 to 8PM starting April 8, then 15, 22, 29, May 6 and ending on May 13. Each of us will make a 12" by 12" square and once they're all done, we will put them together in a beautiful afghan that we will call our "GREAT NORTH AMERICAN AFGHAN".

ALSO...
In honor of "Knitting in Public" week we will be holding a "Knitting in Public Day" on Saturday, June 19th with a rain date of Sunday, June 20th. Please bring your own chair and we will have tables set up outside (weather permitting).

WE'VE ROLLED OUT OUR WINTER WORKSHOP CATALOG!

2010-02-11T11:55:00.008-05:00

Just to let everyone know that we have rolled out our new Workshop Catalog for this winter. Stop by and pick up a copy if you are not on our Customer's List or scroll down the LEFT SIDEBAR to the "WORKSHOP CATALOG" and simply download it to your own computer where you can either browse through it or print it on your own printer. If you are on our Customer's List, we are sending you a copy by e-mail as we speak.

The catalog features several new workshops that many of you asked for and some others that are a total surprise. So check it out. Here's what the cover looks like... it features the artwork of one of our favorite Canadian artists, Yvon Duranleau, an expressionist... a relatively new breed of artists who favor exaggerating their vision of the world. Hope you like it!

HAVE YOU SEEN OUR ENDLESS ACCESSORIES WALL?

2010-02-10T13:18:00.005-05:00

We thought that we should throw a little limelight on our Accessories Wall because many of our customers have commented on how extensive and complete it is. "It virtually goes on forever" some of you have said. So, we have asked our friends at the PLAINVILLE HOMETOWN CONNECTION to put up a little graphic for us to get the word out. Here it is on the left (click on graphic to enlarge)...

We have every possible kind of knitting needle... here's a short list of some of the things you will find on our ENDLESS ACCESSORIES WALL: Plymouth Bamboo needles, Bryce Spun Circular needles, Bryce Spun Single/Double Pointed needles. We have Susan Bates stitch holders, Pom-pom makers, yarn needles, knit counters, needle holders, stitch markers, Denise Interchangeable knitting needles... and I'm out of breath! Come see for yourself!

WORKSHOP CALENDAR FOR WINTER 2010 IS AVAILABLE !

2010-01-13T10:00:00.004-05:00

Just a brief note to let everyone know that our Workshop Calendar for the Winter term of 2010 has been published. It is posted in the Training section of our website and is available here in the left sidebar.

We continue working on the Workshop Descriptions and expect to publish the entire Catalog for Winter 2010 in the next week.

Let us know of any comments or questions.

MAY 2010 BRING YOU HEALTH, HAPPINESS AND SUCCESS IN YOUR ENDEAVORS...

2010-01-10T16:10:00.011-05:00

Here we are, looking at the holidays in our 'rear-view window'... we hope that your holidays were merry and peaceful. We look forward to seeing you and talking with you in the New Year. We are very confident that the New Year will be better than the last. Let's work together to make that happen.

LET'S MAKE A DIFFERENCE! In fact, we are going to try to make a difference in our community this winter. We have begun to work on plans to help our local 'FOOD PANTRY'in one or two ways: one is a program to encourage our customers to provide knit items like mittens, hats, socks to the Pantry by giving those customers a 5% discount for each item that they knit for the Pantry up to five items. Think of it... this is a WIN-WIN situation for everybody! The other initiative is a Charity Knitting project to support the Phillips House and our Naval Reserve troops. Stay tuned for more details, but as we said, we want to work with you to make this a better year for everyone in our local community.

BACK TO NORMAL... We have returned to our normal hours at Bayberry Knitting and enjoy welcoming our loyal customers to our shop. It is always warm and cozy inside and Jim makes sure that the coffee and hot water are always on. If you have not yet dropped in for a visit, please do so soon. Going through my photos recently, one caught my eye: one of our customers relaxing and enjoying herself while going through our little library of books.

NEW WORKSHOP SCHEDULE FOR WINTER 2010... We are in the final hours of putting our new Workshop Schedule for the Winter 2010 term. We plan to 'roll-out' the new schedule on Tuesday, 12 January. If you are not on our MAILING LIST, come in to pick up the WINTER 2010 Schedule and while you're here with us, tell us to add your name to our mailing lists so that you will be sure to get the new schedules every quarter when it is released. If there is a particular Work Shop that you would like, please let us know by e-mail or, better, come on in and let's talk about it!

Au revoir!

A DAY FOR SHEARING SHEEP...

2009-11-28T17:56:00.057-05:00

Just in case you have forgotten where the wool in your ski cap, scarf, mittens and socks comes from, here is a photo at right to remind us.

In our neighborhood, good friends of ours, Bill and Sharon own a small sheep farm, named Wind Song Farm (windsongfarms@charter.net) where they raise Tunis sheep for breeding and for show. (Visit the OSU website for more information on the Tunis sheep.) Typically, sheep are shorn once a year in late spring so that they won't get too hot in the summer months. But since these sheep are for show and competition, they are shorn twice a year. These sheep without a doubt are the best cared for sheep I have ever seen.

So, today is a day for shearing sheep and Bill invited his favorite Sheep Shearer, Aaron Loux, to come do the honors. I had forgotten how much of a back-breaking job it is to shear sheep but Aaron made it look like light work, taking about 3-4 minutes for each sheep. In sheep shearing competitions, I don't know of anyone who can shear a sheep under 2.5 minutes. So Aaron is pretty fast. The sheep are docile and therefore, tend to cooperate with Aaron in the various moves that he must make going with his clippers from the underbelly up to the top and back of the sheep. It took about an hour and half to shear about two dozen sheep; some four rams and the rest all ewes.

I understand that this particular breed is bred for meat rather than for its wool although I have also been told that wool spinners prefer to spin Tunis wool over other wool possibly because of the lanolin content. It keeps the spinners' hands soft. The texture of wool is measured by the diameter of the fiber. The finest wool which is from the Merino sheep is less than 17 microns. The Tunis wool on the other hand is not quite as fine and measures 24-30 micros in diameter. That difference was lost on me because the texture of the fleece that was produced today appears to me to be very fine.

In any case, Bill generously allowed me to take a few pounds of the fleece from today's shearing. My sister, Betty will send it to one of her friends to have it washed, dried and 'carded', ready for spinning. The carding process combs the fleece into 'rolags' which are the size of a large pencil and about 5 inches long. (In a future posting, we will show you the details of the carding process with lots of photos.) The combing process aligns the fibers so that they are parallel to each other. The process of spinning the yarn takes advantage of the wavy shape of the fleece fibers, to bind all the fibers into a long strand of yard.

From a handful of fleece that was shorn today (photo at left), I took a very close (macro) shot of the fibers within the black-lined rectangle (photo at right), where you can see the wavy fibers. (Click on photo to enlarge. If after you enlarge the photo, your cursor shows a PLUS SIGN, click on the photo again for even more enlargement.) When seen enlarged, the fleece appears to sparkle with beads of moisure. This 'moisture' is lanolin.

Bill organized the sheep by dividing them into groups of about six each. Each group was lead to a pen close to Aaron's work area. Some of the sheep waiting in the pen closeby watched Aaron shearing the others. As Aaron finished with one, the newly-shorn sheep was led back to the waiting pen with the others, and the next 'volunteer' would be taken sometimes after a short chase around the pen.

Aaron begins by trimming the sheep's hoofs, then starts the shearing process by cutting the course fleece off the underbelly and around the hoofs, and then proceeds to the head shearing around the ears and the neck. Then with several long swaths across the body going from top to bottom, the main fleece is shorn. Where the fleece will be sold for processing, the shearer takes care to leave the main body of the fleece in one piece, which apparently increases the value of the fleece.

The last group to be shorn were the rams who tend to be more aggressive, heavier and a little more difficult to handle. But Aaron didn't seem to have any great problems with them.

I prepared a small slideshow with captions of the days' activities at Bill and Sharon's Wind Song Farms. Hope you enjoy it. If the photos advance too fast, click on the 'Pause' button to pause the show and advance each slide manually. Also, for other beautiful photos of Tunis sheep, checkout the Unicorner Farm.

TRYING OUT A NEW LOOK FOR OUR BLOG... WHAT DO YOU THINK?

2009-11-20T13:47:00.016-05:00

Well, as you can see, we made some cosmetic changes to our Blog to try to improve its readability. A Blog has so much going on, so much information, so many photos, that it sometimes is overwhelming. We think that by going with a light print on dark background will allow each article (posting) to stand out and will allow the photos to stand out as well. The sidebar is more obvious along with all of its various sections. The color scheme, blue and gold picks up the colors of the Bayberry Knitting broche.

Please let us know what you think of the new layout whether good or bad, either way. We want to hear from you, loud and clear. For those of you with smaller screens and also those who use dial-up to access the Internet, let us know if our Blog displays properly on your display or is everything pushed together in a jumble. Also, do our blog pages take longer than usual to download?

This blog works both ways; to talk to you and for you to talk to us. Let's try it out... just click on the word 'comments' just below and write up your comment to us. Then in the "Comment as:" box below the comment field, left click on the down arrow and select "Anonymous" if you don't have a Google account, or select your Google userid if you have an account. That's it! If you are interested in opening a Google account, go here to do so.

PLAINVILLE JUNIOR GIRL SCOUTS TRY OUT KNITTING!

2009-11-17T09:06:00.044-05:00

We had some fun guests a few days ago in Elsie's Corner... ten Junior Girl Scouts from the local Troop 66709 in Plainville dropped in to see what knitting was all about. Their Troop Leaders were Betty's niece, Kim Dinielli and her two colleagues, Linda Tanner and Colleen Brunelle. It turned out to be a lot of fun. Volunteer Instructors Rena and Anna, good friends of Betty were there to help with those first knit and purl stitches.

So, here's an idea: what if each Girl Scout were to send a comment to let us know what they thought of the whole experience. If this is your first time to submit a comment, scroll down to our article on the right side of your screen, titled "FIRST TIME BLOGGER?" for instructions on how to submit a comment. It's very easy.

An even better idea: perhaps the Scout Leaders could make a project of having those girls who participated in the knitting project, write an account of their individual experiences. Each Girl Scout could submit their individual accounts in a comment to the Bayberry Blog. We could even have a judging of the best account! I wonder if there might be a badge for this project. Let's go ladies! Here are some photos (click on each photo to enlarge and there will be more coming later). I hope that we will get more photos because we don't see all Girl Scouts in these photos.

EDITION 2 OF OUR FALL 2009 WORKSHOP CATALOG IS OUT!

2009-11-10T19:54:00.028-05:00

Well, we've just declared victory on Edition 2 of our Workshop Catalog. We're very proud of this second edition. It is colorful with lots of photos of the workshop projects. It is very useful because it presents the Fall Calendar (October through December) with all 47 workshops listed on their respective dates in the calendar. (Left click on the illustrations to enlarge.) In fact, you can view the Calendar anytime by going to the WORKSHOP CALENDAR section of the sidebar on the right and click on the current Workshop Calendar.

Following the Calendar are the Workshop Descriptions; the schedule for each workshop is given, the instructor is identified, the skill level of the workshop, the fee, required materials and prerequisites. Also important is a commitment by the Bayberry Knitting teaching staff of the skills and techniques that will be learned. A separate section is devoted to our Teaching Staff which presents short biographies and the qualifications for each instructor. So, go to Training Services on our website and download your copy now. Print it so that you will have it handy when you need to refer to it. We are delighted with it. We hope that you will be as well. Have fun!

REVISED WORKSHOP SCHEDULE TO BE ROLLED OUT SOON!

2009-11-06T11:21:00.008-05:00

We're in the process of revamping our Workshop Schedule. (We've dropped the old Training Schedule name... sounds too serious.) It will include the complete schedule for the Fall and will also include a detailed catalog for all of the workshops for the Fall. Ask Betty how it's coming along... We will announce the roll-out right here and of course, the schedule is downloadable from the Training Services page of our website.

BEST PLACE TO RELAX, KNIT AND SIT WITH FRIENDS...

2009-11-06T10:57:00.009-05:00

You know the old saying "A picture is worth a thousand words"? This photo says it all about the Bayberry Knitting shop. It's a great place to come with your friends, to knit and just enjoy each others company. Just before Betty took this photo, she made room in the Knitting Parlor for customers Lisa, Lynn and Lynn and invited them to enjoy the more comfortable parlor. But 'No" said the three. "We're fine right here. Thanks, Bet."

Actually the atmosphere of Betty's shop with the quiet chatter and the beautiful soft music that is always playing, belies the rush of the workshop operations that are going on at full steam right now. The workshop staff is almost at the midpoint of their Fall Schedule which includes some 78 workshops going on everyday just barely behind the scenes in Elsie's Corner. What fun! Come see what's going on. It's okay to take a peek into Elsie's Corner...

HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A CURLY-HAIRED GOAT?

2009-10-06T09:01:00.025-04:00

We learned from one of our good customers, Patty that there is such a thing as a curly-haired goat. In fact, she owns one. Recently, Patty brought in a photo of her goat and gave us a copy to share with you. Click on the photo to see his curly locks. Now, has any one told that goat that his curly hair could become yarn some day? ...if he doesn't watch his curls that is.

We all know that angora goats make beautiful yarns. Can you imagine the yarn that Patty's goat could produce? By the way, I came across a very humorous account about goat yarns. It's from 'Yarn Harlot', another knitting blog by knitter 'sister', author and very funny fellow blogger, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee from Canada. Click here to read it. By the way, anybody know the name of this goat? Let us know in a return comment. Click on the underlined "comments" below to append a comment. We'd love to hear from Patty to let us know more about her goat with the coiffure. Another question: anyone know where 'angora goats' originate from? (country and region)

OUR TRAINING PROGRAM IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS...

2009-10-03T12:43:00.014-04:00

Well, our Training Services program is in place, we have published our Workshop Schedule and last night, we held our first training class on crocheting! This session was led and instructed by Karen Drouin. Karen has been crocheting and knitting for 30+ years. Previously, she has taught crochet adult education classes for the towns of Farmington & Thomaston. Recently, Karen has been pursuing a career in needlework design. She has many published patterns for Caron International, Red Heart, and Coats & Clark and her patterns have also appeared in Annie’s Attic magazine. Karen’s latest cardigan pattern has been published in the new book entitled “Crochet Gifts” by Interweaver/Kim Werker. So we took a few photos of the session last night and as you can see, it was a fun ordeal! Checkout the photo slides...

HOT OFF THE PRESS! NEW WORKSHOP SCHEDULE HAS ARRIVED...

2009-09-30T17:44:00.011-04:00

Just a short posting to let everyone know that our WORKSHOP SCHEDULE has been posted on the Training Services section of our website. It's loaded with information. So please check it out. You can either navigate to the Training Services section or click on this link to download the WORKSHOP SCHEDULE.

OUR GRAND OPENING REDUX...

2009-08-28T20:26:00.016-04:00

We just love to go back to the wonderful day with our family, friends, associates and customers who were all here with us to celebrate the once-in-a-lifetime experience of a Grand Opening. These photos just arrived from California, right off of Denise Ouellette Bohlen's camera and into our Blog. Denise, of course, is Betty's daughter (number one child). Here's a little slide show.

ELSIE, THE CHARLESTON QUEEN

2009-08-26T17:05:00.032-04:00

Betty decided from the very beginning of her planning for Bayberry Knitting, that her shop would commemorate our mother, Elsie. Her training classroom called "Elsie's Corner" does that very well. I heard a song today that Mother had told me some time ago, was one of her favorites when she was a teenager living in the small town of Upper Frenchville, Maine. The song is titled 'South' and it was recorded by Benny Moten's Kansas City Orchestra in 1928 when Elsie was 15 years old.

A little bit of history regarding Elsie. In her teen's (1926-1932), Elsie, much to her mother's chagrin, loved to dance. (Her mother although a very sweet lady, was very, very straight-laced.) Elsie and her sister, Mamie would sometimes sneak out to the dance hall in Fort Kent, Maine where they would enjoy dancing and of course, also enjoyed socializing. They would brow-beat their mild-mannered brother, Ned into driving them there. In fact she was well-known as a 'Charleston' dancer.

The 'Charleston' was a dance that emerged out of the South (Charleston, NC) in the African-American community there. It was a wild dance that eventually broke out into the white community as Elsie entered her teens during the days of the 'flappers' and speakeasies. It was a wild time for the teens of those days. In the photo above, Josephine Baker is dancing the Charleston at the Folies Bergère, Paris, in 1926. Although not a Charleston tune, an equally wild song was Benny Moten's "South" which was at that time, one of Elsie's favorite tunes. To listen to the tune, click here.

Imagine Elsie dancing to that tune. Wild! (In photo at left - click on photo to enlarge, Elsie is with a boyfriend at a splashy affair. The boyfriend, Theodule, here still in his teens, turned out to be her husband later.) Years' later in the late 40's, now a mother with four children, she would tell us about those days and confided that she enjoyed dancing the Charleston very much and even demonstrated the dance to us, once or twice. She was still agile enough to be able to tap the bottoms of her shoes as the Charleston requires. Yes, we had a very cool mother.

THE SBDC GIVES KUDOS TO BAYBERRY KNITTING...

2009-08-24T10:48:00.012-04:00

In the Aug/Sep 2009 release of Connecticut's Small Business Development Center's bimonthly called "Taking Care of Business", the SBDC's Specialist Rosita Forte-Dobson reported on Betty and Jim's progress with their Bayberry Knitting shop.

The most telling of Rosita's report (article on page 7) was her final sentence where she says that... "Betty is proof that even in these challenging economic times, passion, hard work and determination can result in a successful business." It was also very gratifying for the family that Rosita acknowledged the role that Mother had in teaching her daughters the important skill of knitting and crocheting.

We want to thank the SBDC and their fine staff for the important role that they played in steering our enterprise on a path to success. The SBDC is taking care of business!

BRISTOL PRESS COMES TO VISIT...

2009-08-07T14:55:00.015-04:00

We had some very distinguished visitors recently... from the Bristol Press, who wanted to know all about us. So, we gave them the grand tour and we think that they were suitably impressed. The resulting article is titled "Focus on Plainville: New life for storefronts", by Diane Church. It focuses on three businesses in Plainville. The Bristol Press left convinced that our Bayberry Knitting is not your typical knit shop. Check out the article. By the way, we found a posting about Bayberry Knitting in another blog named "continueunprotected"... Alicia, the blogger, humorously pokes fun at our "NOW OPEN" sign. She came at our shop one day during our closed period and of course found our doors closed. 'How could that be?' she said, the sign says 'NOW OPEN'.. well, just to be sure, we pointed her to our website for our business hours. :)

OUR GRAND OPENING HAPPENED !!

2009-07-09T10:49:00.007-04:00

Before we knew it, our Grand Opening was upon us... it was truly a 'happening'... beyond our wildest expectations. Our little shop was overflowing with friends, family, customers... everyone. It was absolutely phenomenal. All for our little knit shop... Thank you all for your great support. Here are some photos...

BAYBERRY VIP CUSTOMER LIST...

2009-06-27T13:26:00.023-04:00

Many of our customers have asked us to place their names on our growing VIP Customer List. When we have sales to announce, or new yarn products or new training workshops coming up, these customers will be the first to know. So, if you wish to be placed on our VIP Customer List, please send us an e-mail by clicking on our e-mail address here: info@bayberryknitting.com, and give us your name, phone number, mailing address and you will be one our list of Bayberry Knitting VIP Customers! Our pledge to you is that we will keep our VIP Customer List confidential to our business, protected by our security software and will never be distributed nor sold to other businesses. Betty

COUNTDOWN TO GRAND OPENING on JULY 6

2009-06-22T15:39:00.027-04:00

Well, here I am finally, writing my first posting for the 'Bayberry Blog'. After a short training session on blogging with my brother Ralph (known on this blog as 'JR'), I am now 'on-line' to fill you in on what's going on, the latest 'Bayberry Knitting' news and some ideas for new products and classes.

As the earlier postings suggest, we've been having a good time and making new friends since we opened unofficially on 3 June. In fact, many of you have returned to visit us several times. Business has been vigorous and fun. For this, we thank all of you, our patrons.

But now we have set our sights on our Grand Opening on July 6 when our doors will officially open. Some of our town officials will be joining us for the festivities as will the individuals responsible for coaching us through our planning process.

Although we will be sending invitations to a few people, invitations are not required and of course YOU ARE ALL INVITED!!!

PHOTO TOUR OF BAYBERRY KNITTING...

2009-06-16T13:33:00.018-04:00

Here are a few photos of our shop. Let me know if you have any questions about any of our products, or anything that you see in this slide show.

OUR PLACE IS JUMPIN' !!

2009-06-15T23:53:00.057-04:00

We are absolutely delighted at the response that we have received to the unofficial opening of our Bayberry Knitting shop in June. We hope that you have enjoyed your visit with us as much as we have enjoyed yours. We hope that you will be back soon.

Here are a few photos of some of our guests, our customers, and some of our staff... do you recognize any faces? (Click on the photos to enlarge)

On sunny days, our customers enjoy our front patio on Whiting Street as arriving customers walk down Bayberry Lane from our parking lot in back...

Our very gracious hostess greeting our customers and ringing up a sale... how can you resist her charm?

Our maintenance man playing with balloons... it's very hard to find good help these days.

WELCOME TO OUR CUSTOMERS!

2009-05-03T12:57:00.046-04:00

(Click on photo to enlarge...) Just a quick note to welcome everyone to our brand new 'Bayberry Knitting' blog... We will use this little corner of cyberspace to keep in touch with you, our customers and website visitors. If you have questions about how we are doing or our plans, please append a comment to this message and we will be quick to respond. The advantage to using a blog to keep in touch with each other is that everyone can share in any message that each of us exchange on this blog. So please feel free to use this blog. To wrap up, let me introduce Bayberry Knitting to you... Betty (PHS Class of 1964) and Jim Ouellette are long-time residents of Plainville. They are thrilled for this opportunity to add to thte Town Center's family of businesses. The Bayberry Knitting shop will host gatherings of customers interested in knitting, fashion, techniques and other related topics. The Bayberry Knitting shop's Business Plan focuses on sales and training. Our sales include a collection of yarns and textiles, a broad choice of patterns and a variety of accessories that include books, needles and other articles. The training program includes a three-pronged set of services: (1) Impromptu training for cusomters using the shop's 'KNITTING PARLOT', (2) Private lessons and (3) Workshops conducted in our training facility, 'ELSIE'S CORNER'. Bayberry Knitting maintains this website and blog to reach and stay in touch with clients from areas beyond Plainville.