SURPRISE Flash Mob Shopping Spree

Friends of The Naked Sheep Knit Shop gathered at Atomic Pizza on Sunday afternoon (April 9), paraded down the street to the shop at about 2pm with balloons, flowers, treats, and lots of hugs; and completely surprised me with a Surprise Flash Mob Shopping Spree! Big thanks to Jenna from Atomic Pizza for organizing this amazing event, to Kristin (still my head purl girl) for running the cash register so I could enjoy the afternoon, and to all my lovely customers, family, and neighbor businesses that participated in the

afternoon. I am truly blessed, and am so thankful for the amazing community that has developed at The Naked Sheep. 

THANK SO MUCH!!!

Scroll down for more fun pics of the day...

A Sad Day for The Naked Sheep

Unfortunately, I have some sad news to share with you all...

After 12 wonderful years, The Naked Sheep Knit Shop is closing its doors. We love our customers and our neighborhood, where we have lived for over 25 years. We are very grateful for your business, support, and encouragement all these years.

Unfortunately, it has become too difficult to make ends meet.  Our current lease expires May 31, and our landlord is demanding a large increase that makes it impossible for us to remain here. In light of the current economic climate in Portland, we also can’t afford to move. So we will turn out the lights when our lease is up at the end of May.

We have made many new friends and shared so many precious life events with you. We will keep an online presence, and Cheri will still be active in the Portland knitting community, working and teaching at Twisted in NE Portland.

Thank you for helping us fulfill our dream; the past 12 years have been amazing! We are looking forward to a new chapter in our lives; as well as keeping in touch with you!

-Cheri and Brad

Playing with Yarn

I’m currently designing an infinity scarf using Sisa, from Mirasol. This amazing blend of merino wool and baby alpaca is so incredibly soft…I love it! I chose this creamy off-white, and I think I’ll use 5-6 skeins by the time I’m done. I started with 330 stitches for about a 66” circumference. I'm using my Karbonz Interchangeable Needles for this project, and they work so well with this yarn! 

Both the yarn and the needle set are available at The Naked Sheep Knit Shop! 

I'll share the finished pattern soon! 

Daily Giveaways for the RCYC

I'm getting things ready for the upcoming Rose City Yarn Crawl, March 3-6. I’ve been collecting yarn for our Daily Giveaways at The Naked Sheep Knit Shop, as well as gift certificates from some of my favorite local businesses, who are listed on the site as our Hot Spots during The Crawl.

A Great Big THANK YOU to Atomic Pizza, Blend Coffee Lounge, Milk Glass Mrkt, and The Old Gold for your incredible generousity! You are amazing neighbors!

I’m currently designing a cowl using Sisa from Mirasol. This worsted weight blend of wool and alpaca is so nice to knit with! It’s a chainette construction, and is so light and airy. 

We have all 12 colors available in this amazing yarn. 

Pattern details coming soon!

Hats and Mittens for Shaver Elementary Kiddos!

We got a request from a special customer and her daughter for some knitted or crocheted hats and gloves/mittens for some kids in need at Lily's school. Please read Tracy's note below, and knit up an item or two to donate...Thanks! We're offering 15% OFF yarn purchases toward this project, just mention "hats for kids" when checking out!

Hello fellow knitters and crocheters! The holiday season is in full swing, and with it comes the cold weather. My daughter attends Shaver Elementary, in the Parkrose School District, and at a recent PTA meeting, I learned that 90% of the students are living at or below the poverty line.

There are many children in need of warm clothing, including hats and gloves. I am asking you to consider knitting up a hat or a pair of gloves, (or both!) Anything you can do, would be very much appreciated. Cheri has been kind enough to provide a collection bin at the knit shop that will be around through December and beginning of January.  

If you don't feel like knitting or don't have the time, we would gladly welcome store bought hats and gloves. Thanks in advance to you all and happy holidays! - Tracy

Windy Day Scarf

To celebrate the release of Brad's first children's book, There's Only One You!, I've designed several knitted items. The first to be released is the Windy Day Scarf. This pattern will be free on my blog for a limited time!  

I designed the scarf using Longwood, and extrafine merino superwash from Cascade yarns. This soft and squishy yarn was a pleasure to knit with, and you'll love having it around your neck to keep you cozy during the cold weather. We have lots of color combinations to choose from at the shop right now!  

You'll need 6 skeins of Longwood, 3 of each color; and size 6-16 inch circular needles (or whatever size gives you 5 stitches and 6.5 rounds to an inch in circular stockinette).

Here's the instructions to make the scarf:

Using yellow, cast on 72 stitches. Place marker and join in the round; knit 24 rounds. Change to purple and knit 8 rounds. Repeat the last 32 rounds 7 more times.

Using yellow, knit 8 rounds. Change to purple and knit 24 rounds. Repeat the last 32 rounds 7 more times.

Bind-off. Apply purple fringe to the yellow end and yellow fringe to the purple edge. 

Enjoy your cozy new scarf!

Farewell from Kristin

My Dearest Knitters and Crocheters,

 

I am both sad and excited to tell you that after 10 (TEN!) years, I will be stepping down from my prestigious post as Head Purl Girl at The Naked Sheep. As many of you know, my kids are teenagers now and incurring expenses at an alarming rate! So, it's time for me to make room in my life to pursue more full-time endeavors. An exciting new chapter is about to begin!

 

I have been incredibly lucky to work at The Naked Sheep. To come in contact with all of you amazing, creative crafters has certainly enriched my life! I can't overstate how much I've enjoyed getting to know each and every one of you. You are like family to me. I've often said that every day is a good day when you work at a knit shop. It's lovely to walk into such a warm and colorful environment filled with loving and cheerful people.

 

Cheri and Brad have succeeded in their dream of making a fun and friendly knit shop. They are wonderful people to work for and dear, dear friends. I am honored to have been a part of something so precious to them. To be sure, I have learned SO MUCH from Cheri. When I started working here, I wasn't really certain I could distinguish a DK weight from a worsted weight in a line-up.... She had faith that I would get it. I've enjoyed our collaborations, breakfast meetings, and especially our friendship. That will never change, no matter where I work! So. Much. Gratitude.

 

I will continue to teach some classes, though not quite as many. All classes that are currently on the schedule will remain there through the end of the year. And there will be a new Square of the Month series starting in 2016 (sign up early!). I look forward to seeing you in the classroom!

 

PLEASE come visit me during my final days behind the counter. My last day will be Sunday, November 29.

 

With love,

Kristin

2016 Square of the Month

The Square of the Month Afghan series begins its 9^th year on January 10^th! Don’t miss this opportunity to join in the fun.

What:  The Square of the Month class is a great way to learn many techniques, tricks, and skills. This class meets just once per month. In each 2-hour class you will learn one new knitting technique in the form of an afghan square lovingly designed by Kristin Kelly. She will instruct you on the technique, help you get started, provide you with a pattern, and send you on your way to knit two 10” x10” afghan squares. At the end of the year you will have enough squares to make a 40” x60” afghan. You will also be invited to a fun and celebratory Assembly Party at the end of the year, during which Kristin will have a mini-workshop on assembly techniques!

When: The class meets on the second Sunday of every month. 12:30 – 2:30pm, beginning January 10, 2016.

Cost: The class is $60/quarter.

Materials:        
Approx. 650 yards each x 4 colors worsted weight yarn
Size US 7 needles – 24” circular, DPNs, 16” circular
Size 7 or H crochet hook
Cable needle
Stitch markers

Here’s what people are saying about the Square of the Month:

“Confidence! Wow, I am far more confident in my knitting skills after completing this class.”

“Every single month I surprised myself with my own abilities.”

“Kristin is a patient and skilled teacher. I totally appreciate her range of knowledge.”

“Even though I’ve been knitting for years, I learned lots of great little tricks from Kristin. This class is for knitters of all levels.”

Class size is limited, so sign up early. Come into the shop to pick out your colors and order your yarn today!

Some skills we will cover include:

Log Cabin Knitting
Lace
Relief Knitting
Cables
Knitting In the Round
Entrelac
Mosaic Knitting
Short Rows
Stranded Knitting
Granny Squares (Yes, crochet!)
Shadow Knitting
Intarsia

Infusion Handpaints Baby Hat

Love, love, love this new yarn from Universal Yarn, Infusion Handpaints. We have all 6 colorways available now at The Naked Sheep Knit Shop. I knit up a cute little baby hat last night, so soft and squishy! It's a blend of 50% wool and 50% acrylic, and it's machine washable!

Here are the details for the baby hat:

Materials

1 skein Infusion Handpaints

Size 4 16-inch circular and double pointed needle's

stitch marker

Instructions

Using circular needles, cast on 88 stitches. Place marker and join in the round, being careful not to twist.

Work 1 inch in k1/p1 ribbing (knit one stitch, purl one stitch; repeat to end of round).

Change to stockinette stitch (knitting every round) until hat measures 5" from cast on edge.

Work the following decrease rounds, changing to dpn's when necessary:

Knit 6, knit 2 together; repeat to end of round.
Knit.
Knit 5, knit 2 together; repeat to end of round.
Knit.
Knit 4, knit 2 together; repeat to end of round.
Knit.
Knit 3, knit 2 together; repeat to end of round.
Knit.
Knit 2, knit 2 together; repeat to end of round.
Knit.
Knit 1, knit 2 together; repeat to end of round.
Knit 2 together; repeat to end of round.
Knit 2 together until 4 stitches remain.

Work a 3 inch I-cord on the remaining 4 stitches. Bind-off, and attach to hat to form a little loop. Weave in ends.

Enjoy! Hope to see you soon!

Fun and Friendly Since 2005

Wow! I am so excited to be celebrating 10 years of being your Fun and Friendly Knit Shop! It's been amazing, and I'm so thankful for all the wonderful people I've had the honor to teach, assist with projects, and just hang out with. You make my job so fun and rewarding!

A BIG thanks to all the staff who have helped us become what we are today...Kristin, Carolyn, Andi, Margo, Judy and Emily. We've also had some amazing teachers...Kristin K, Bob S, Natalie L, Meghan G, LaVon M, Leann B, Anne B, Chrissy G, Kristina T, Kristin S, Holly L and Vickie V. I'm especially grateful to Kristin Kelly, my Head Purl Girl, and really looking forward to celebrating her 10 year anniversary with us this October!

And I definitely could not have made it without my best friend and business partner, Brad...our VP of Everything here at The Naked Sheep! Thanks for keeping all the light bulbs lit and bringing fun and laughter with you every time you walk through the door!

Okay, this is starting to sound like an awards ceremony speech, so I'll wrap it up! THANKS AGAIN, and please join us this weekend as we celebrate the past 10 years, as well as look forward to the coming 10 years of beingYour Place to Knit!

-Cheri and Brad

I'm So EXCITED!!!

I'm so excited! Organizing all the goodies we've received for our BIG 10th Anniversary Sale and Celebration!  

I have Gift Certificates from: 

Atomic Pizza, 

Blend Coffee, 

Blooming Moon Spa, 

Lost and Found Lounge, 

Milk Glass Mrkt,

NoPo Paws, 

Pause Kitchen and Bar 

and The Old Gold!

As well as awesome donations from:

  Bar-Maids, 

Bryson Distributing (Knitter's Pride), 

Cascade Yarns, 

Euro Yarns, 

R&M West Coast Distributors,

Universal Yarn 

and Woolpets!

Save The Date!!! 10th Anniversary Sale and Celebration!

Save the Date!!!

Mark your calendars NOW for our BIG 10th Anniversary Sale and Celebration, 

July 2-5!

We'll kick off the festivities with a special Knit Nite Party on Thursday from 6-8pm. We'll have snacks, in store specials, 

and lots of giveaways! 

Sharon Spence of Stitch Jones will be with

us on both Friday and Saturday with her lovely hand painted yarn and fiber! And as a special treat, she's created our very own colorway to celebrate our 10th Anniversary! Each skein will come with a free pattern I'm creating especially for this amazing weekend!

We'll have Happy Anniversary Cupcakes on Sunday, Special Prizes Packages we'll be giving away at the end of each day and so much more! Please come CELEBRATE with us! It wouldn't be the same without YOU!

Spring 2015 Bike Rack Yarn Bomb!

I had fun using up some stashed Cascade Yarns, and creating these bike rack cozies for The Naked Sheep Knit Shop!

Wondering what to yarn bomb next? Share some of your favorites in the comments below, or share with me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/yarnshop!

Fear of Finishing...I could use your help!

Hi everyone, I could use your help!

I'm working on updating my Fear of Finishing Workshop; a class at The Naked Sheep Knit Shop where we cover basic finishing techniques that can be stressful or frustrating for new knitters, as well as some seasoned knitters.

Let me know what it is about finishing, if anything, that scares, frustrates or intimidates you. Or something you feel that you just don't know how to do very well.

Please feel free to leave a comment here, or contact me at cheri@thenakedsheepknitshop.com.

I want to make this workshop even more helpful for people. You can also let me know if you have a super slick technique in your finishing repertoire that you're excited to share!

Thanks!

Errata for the Rose Trellis Wrap

Hi knitters,

So sorry for the errata on this pattern. Somehow I missed this in the final proofing of the Rose Trellis Wrap.

There is a line of instruction missing from the pattern. After completing the row of bind-offs for the buttonholes, you need to work a row adding those stitches back before you knit the final three rows and bind-off the piece.

Here is the missing row:

Knit 2, cast on 5, *knit 6, cast on 5; repeat from the * to the last 3 stitches, knit 3.

Again, so sorry! Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions!

cheri@thenakedsheepknitshop.com

My Stripey Tubular Cowl

I wanted to knit something up using these 3 colors of Huasco DK from Auracania Yarns (#104-A, 107-B and 108-C), and I decided to make this fun stripey, tubular cowl.  I also needed an easy, somewhat mindless project to work on during the holidays. This project fits the bill! It starts with a provisional cast on (a little thinking) and ends with kitchener (a good amount of thinking); but the middle was a sea of lovely knitting and simple color changes.

Here's what you'll need...3 skeins of Huasco DK in 3 different colors, 2 sets of size 6-16" circular needles, another size 6 needle (it can be a dpn, single point or circular; you'll use this for kitchener at the end), a size G crochet hook, waste yarn and a stitch marker.

You can find the pattern on our website!

We have 12 gorgeous colorways of Huasco DK available now at The Naked Sheep Knit Shop.

And I found the perfect model to show off my finished cowl! Thanks Brad, our VP of Everything here at The Naked Sheep, for being such a great sport and a super model!

Knit Some Squares with Kristin!

Hello Knitters!

We are just wrapping up another amazing year of the Square of the Month Afghan and The Great American Aran Afghan.   These 21 students have been working hard to create some amazing heirloom afghans – and they’ve learned MUCH along the way.

I would like to welcome you to join me for this great adventure in 2015!  This is a fun class to take with a friend, sibling, or coworker!  We meet just once a month for two hours. 

Because these classes are so popular, we are opening up registration NOW.  Space is limited!

Here’s what these classes have to offer:

The Square of the Month Afghan (1 class per month, 12 months)
Suitable for knitters and purlers of all levels. Each month I will teach you the basics of a technique in a 10” x 10” square. This is a FANTASTIC way to take your knitting and purling skills to the next level in a bite-sized way! These 2-hour workshops will take place on the first Sunday or Monday of each month. Some of the things you’ll learn include…

·         Log Cabin

·         Lace

·         Cables

·         Chart Reading

·         Entrelac

·         Short Rows

·         Knitting in the Round

·         Fair Isle

·         Mosaic

·         Intarsia

·         Shadow Knitting

·         Crochet (yes, really!)

·         Weaving in Ends

·         Picking up Stitches

·         Much, much more!

You will receive all the patterns in class as part of your registration fee.

The Great American Afghan (1 class per month, 24 months)
Suitable for the intermediate knitter. This stunning heirloom afghan has intrigued me (and many of you) for years.   In this class, we will be meeting on the third Tuesday of each month throughout 2015 and 2016.  In each class, I will provide fully charted patterns, teach technique, share insight, troubleshoot problems, and much more!  This is a great project to knit with the support of a community!

Call the shop to sign-up! (503) 283-2004

Gingham Cowl

Just finished weaving in the ends of my Gingham Cowl, a class I'll be offering this fall at The Naked Sheep Knit Shop.

This double knit project was super fun to make; it was like knitting a puzzle! A very good exercise for my brain!

I also learned to do an I-cord cast-on, as well as an I-cord bind-off. Always great to learn new ways to do things!

I used Cascade 220, and it worked really well for this technique. Want to learn double knitting? Sign up for the Gingham Cowl on Wednesdays evenings in December!

Call the shop to sign up...503.283.2004

My Favorite Smoothie Recipe

Lately, smoothies have become a routine part of my mornings. They're quick and easy to make, and full of healthy and delicious things!

Here's my favorite, go-to morning smoothie recipe:
1 cup water
1/4 avocado
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 TBSP ground flaxseed
1 TBSP almond butter

So nummy! This morning I added a small banana, and it's extra sweet and delicious! And I love the new Blender Bottle I found at New Seasons. Pretty AND useful!

Share your favorite smoothie recipes with me on Facebook; or send to cheri@thenakedsheepknitshop.com

Cheers to our health and happiness!