When the summer’s spinning stopped I found that Indian Lake Artisans knitting needles had traveled around the world. Yes, we have definitely gone global. From the top of the world north of the Arctic Circle, to France and then down under to New South Wales, Australia. Amazing. To think in one year to reach so many people in all parts of the world is just awesome.

If you travel to Inuvik, Northwest Territories you will find a wonderful book store and gallery gift shop, Boreal Books. Mary Beckett, proprietor, embraces native art and nature as she showcases an abundance of creative pieces from so many wonderful artists. Boreal Books is my newest retail shop, check out her website and store, http://www.borealbooks.com/, and it’s one of many retailers to carry our new shawl pins. The shawl sticks are basically shorter single versions of our smaller sized knitting needles. The pins are available in any wood with any topper but the most popular are the feathers, owls, fish and rowboats. My quilting friends love the feather and owl pins to use as stilettos. Just a little hint, a versatile gift for anyone on your shopping list. Speaking of gifts, Knit ‘n Style magazine loves the shawl sticks so much they made them one of their 12 Days of Christmas gifts. So many great projects to inspire your gift giving too in their December 2011 issue just hitting the newsstands now. Add a little extra warmth to your gifts this year and knit something special. Or better yet, make your friend a scarf and slip a shawl stick between the stitches to make your gift complete.

My traveling chair hasn’t physically traveled to Inuvik, France or Australia, but Mary Beckett assures me that my Jeep will handle the Dempster Highway just fine. Now I  have to decide what time of year to visit the far north. How do you decide between viewing the Northern Lights, experiencing the Midnight Sun or enjoying nature’s rainbow of fall colors and berry picking? Fall… turning colors… twirling leaves…spinning yarn…my world is starting to look a little fuzzy again, warm and fuzzy that is.

The first product spot for Indian Lake Artisans’ knitting needles came out on the “Have You Seen” page in the June 2011 issue of Knit ‘n Style magazine!!! This is so exciting and I am just thrilled to have our  knitting needles highlighted in a national publication! Knit ‘n Style is a wonderful magazine that features tips and instruction from renowned fiber artists and is always full of many wonderful patterns. I love the Vizions Open Vest, pictured on the magazine cover, and will definitely be adding it to the top of my project list. The vest is just one of many great patterns in this issue which has projects for the beginner through experienced artist, for crochet and knitting.  Make sure you pick up your copy of Knit ‘n Style, buy some new yarn and get knitting! Thank you Knit ‘n Style for supporting us and knitters everywhere.

Two Michigan knitting stores are being added to our list of shops carrying Indian Lake Artisans’ knitting needles. We are very happy to welcome Skeins on Main in Rochester and Threadbenders in Wyoming where you’ll be able to purchase not only our knitting needles, but yarns and classes and support for your creative endeavors. Skeins on Main has some activities you will not want to miss this month. All the fun starts with the Pajama Party on Saturday, April 9th. You are not going to want to miss kickin’ back in your cozy pj’s, enjoying snacks, desserts, beverages and a movie while knitting, all for $10. Lori will be on hand to help you out if you have any questions or get stuck on a pattern. The fun starts at 6 pm and wraps up around 11 pm. Grab some knitting friends and make it a fun night out! Check out the Skeins on Main newsletter for details on the Pajama Party, new class registration and the Easter Egg Hunt. Lots of new yarns coming in to the store too.

I plan to get the Traveling Chair in the Jeep and head out to Wyoming and Threadbenders. I’ll take some pictures and write you a story but you’re just going to have to be patient. Heading west soon.

Lots of happenings going on around the country too from shop hops in Minnesota to fiber retreats in Ohio. Yarn Quest 2011 is a nine store shop hop today through the weekend in the greater Minneapolis area. I would wager you might spot some Indian Lake Artisans knitting needles in a raffle gift…just a hint. So if you are in the area this would be a fabulous opportunity to have some shopping fun and win some great prizes too. Check it out. And if a retreat is what the doctor ordered, the River Cities Fiber Clan is celebrating their anniversary with their annual fiber retreat April 15 – 17th. Members come from West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky. To learn more about their guild and the retreat visit www.goodnewsllamas.com/fiberguild/. Activities abound out there – just find one that sparks your interest and get involved.

We have many new shops carrying our needles in California, Oregon, Colorado and Pennsylvania and I will do my best to write about these great shops. When traveling around the country, your home state or home town, please remember to support our retail shops. These stores offer us so much more than just a place to buy yarn and notions. They offer their expertise in the craft, friendship and support,  and patience to help us through a tough sequence of stitches long after we’ve thrown up our hands and needles in disgust.  Your best knitting friend is your local yarn shop. Next time you’re there, tell them thank you!

I’m setting a goal for myself to blog more often so you won’t need an entire lunch hour to read about the goings on at Indian Lake Artisans. I have a few articles already in my cue that I’ll be posting over the next few weeks and some new product announcements. All very exciting! In the meantime I anxiously await the ice melt off Indian Lake, a sure sign spring is here to stay. I’ll sign off now and leave you with many good wishes – happy knitting!

This may be a good time to announce our new knitting needle sizes that are now available. The sizes we handcraft are 6 through 15, and here is a brief rundown on the tops and their corresponding US sizes; the size 6 has a feather top, the size 7 has an owl, the size 8 has a fish, the size 9 sports a rowboat top, the size 10 as you know has the arrowhead, the size 10.5 has a lantern, the size 11 comes with the acorn, the size 13 has a turtle and the log cabin is on the size 15. Whew! All copper tops are very light weight and totally cool. Each of the nine needle sizes come in 8″ length double points, 10″ or 14″ length single points, and you can select them in birch, walnut or cherry wood.

Enough about the knitting needles for a minute…it’s hard for the needles, as wonderful as they are, to compete with grandbabies! Right after the show we saw our good friends in San Diego and then hightailed it right up to Oakland to meet grandbaby Henry!  His mom and dad have declared him perfect!  And he really truly is!  He is one week old and we are so blessed to be here and hold and kiss him. His parents are pretty awesome too. It will most likely be awhile before he can play with his cousin Emmett because they live far away from each other, but I have a sneaky suspicion they will become great friends. I know their Poppi cannot wait to take them fishing in our little yellow boat on Indian Lake. Oh those life moments we cherish so much. Check for yourself just how cute these two little baby boys are in their still way too big, handmade by me, “Grammy” alpaca hats…these were taken when each baby was 8 days old. Meet Emmett and Henry!

The baby is up and ready for a little snuggle with me so I’ll sign off by saying there are many projects and events on the drawing board from green planet festivals and fiber trunk shows to magazine spotlights and more. As these come closer to publication I’ll blog about them and let you all share in the adventure.  It is going to be great fun!

Tina Salgado, owner of Labor of Love, is an extremely talented artist and has an eye for color that is apparent as soon as you enter her shop. Tina’s shop has some great knitting spaces that easily accommodate groups for lessons around the table or drop in casual knitting. Labor of Love offers a wide assortment of knitting and crochet classes encompassing all levels of expertise and techniques. When you purchase a 6 week class, you have 8 weeks to complete the session of lessons. I found this quite  convenient when my class time was interrupted with my recent trip to California. I just completed a class in fair isle knitting continental style and cables. Here are some pictures of my first baby hats, I have two grandchildren on the way in December, and my cable pillow in progress. Labor of Love is carrying Indian Lake Artisan knitting needles and the needles will be  part of the winning raffle prizes from the shop hop. Did I mention that the proceeds from the shop hop passport purchases is being donated to Turning Point, a Women’s and Childrens’ Shelter?  Art Van is matching all of the donations dollar for dollar so if you can’t find time in your busy schedule to enjoy the shop tour please consider purchasing a passport to help fund this great cause. Passports are $15 prior to the tour and available for $20 during the event.  More reasons to gather some friends and head out for a day of fun and prizes.

The following shops will be on tour this coming Friday, December 3rd and Saturday, December 4th – 10am – 6pm both days

Labor of Love – Romeo

Crafty Lady Trio – Macomb

City Knits – Mt. Clemens

Knitter’s Hideaway – Armada

Sweet Pea Yarn & Gifts – St. Clair

Artisan Knits – St. Clair Shores

I understand 20% off yarn, goody bags, snacks and drinks, along with coupons for future use, will be some of the many store specials you’ll find on this first time Great  Northeastern Shop Tour. Drawing for the gifts will take place December 11th at a Holiday Party at Labor of Love, with all of the participating shops. Please plan to attend, and save and give at the same time. Drive safely, have some fun and I’ll hope to see you somewhere along the way!

Now returning to Ludington and artistic endeavors. Nautical Yarn, right downtown Ludington, is a wonderful fiber and knitting store and owner Carole has all the answers and expertise to get you going on your newest inspired project. Her shop is full of the most amazing yarns, books and notions, perfect selections for the avid fiber enthusiast. She is stocking the store with many new yarns this fall and some old favorites in new colors. Carole’s store has 14 different class offerings from beginning knitting to Latvian mittens. One of the classes is a stash stocking, a great colorful Christmas stocking, and an imaginative method to use up odds and ends of stash and leftover yarn. If you’ve had an idea for a sweater and have had no clue on how to execute your dream without a pattern, one of Carole’s classes might just fill the bill. The Unpattern class. Learn to create your dream sweater, in any size and with any yarn. Ahhh, the keys to creative success. So if knitting and fishing, or fishing and knitting, or just knitting are on your fall to do list and you are any where near Ludington, a must stop is Nautical Yarn.