YARN CAMP

Grab your blankie or, better yet, make one there! The first weekend of February (6-8) we'll be doing our first ever Yarn Camp at Washington County 4-H Center. Fees are $78 for all the fun you can stand (3 whole days and 2 nights, includes all meals) all the way down to a daily rate of $15 with brunch and dinner.

We're not planning actual classes, but how can you not pick up new tips, techniques and totally scrumptious yarn ideas from a whole passle of your New Best Friends. Overnight reservations are limited to 45; we'll take "day campers" 'til the room runs out.

Payment is required to hold your place. Reservations can be transferred but are refundable only if we can resell your spot. Please call or come by for exact amounts.

Chix with Stix

And hooks, needles or other pointy objects. We're off and running with A Likely Yarn's first meeting of Chix with Stix, an all-ages, all-skills, all-process group of talented, fun gals. Every Thursday evening, 5-7pm for $5. We can fix a glitch, help you with a new technique or just generally cheer you on.

$5 for the evening and teas, coffees, snacks, etc. are available from Zazzy's. Shop's open and we have a great time. No reservations necessary, just bring yourself, your project and a smile!

Any Wednesday

On Any Wednesday from 2-5, come out and see Whitney for a Beginning Knitting class at no cost! You will need to purchase your yarns and needles from the shop's wide array of products and you're set to go!

Stash Reduction Festival

On Saturday, November 1st & December 6th, bring in your yarn stashes (CLEAN but unused/unwanted for whatever reason) and trade it in! For every pound that is donated, you will receive a coupon for $1 store credit. For more information, call the shop or visit our website.

5 Fun Facts about Fiber Festivals

1. For those of us in Abingdon, SAFF (Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair) in Asheville, NC is the closest fiber festival
2. SAFF isn't just fiber - there's animals & demonstrations, yarn from big and small companies, fiber for spinning, felting and tools for spinners, felters, weavers, sewers, knitters AND crocheters!
3. SAFF is about 130 miles from A Likely Yarn, in Abingdon, VA
4. A Likely Yarn is chartering a bus to take all you lovely fiber people to SAFF!
5. You MUST call ahead to make your reservations, about 1/2 the seats are filled, so call right away!

The facts: We’ll be going on Saturday, October 25th. We’re taking a bus from the Cracker Barrel at Exit 19 at 7am, and will be back about 10 that night. Fare will be somewhere between $50 and $75, depending on how many of the 42 seats we fill.

Got Babies?

If you do, A Likely Yarn is the place for you! Yarn, books and patterns for knitting and crocheting all things baby are highlighted this week.

Baby projects are perfect for beginner knitters or anyone with limited knitting time: small, cute and fast!

Come by the yarn shop to see our array of baby-friendly yarn and projects!

Are you ready?

This Friday, August 22, at 5 p.m., come join the staff and friends of A Likely Yarn at a FREE yarn and tea-tasting event.



Even though this event is completely free, we need to hear from all who are coming (so we have enough food!), so be sure to RSVP to the shop by calling 276.628.2143

Yarn and Tea Tasting Event

Do you plan on going to the Bristol Races? No? Well, neither do we!

Instead of battling the heat and the noise, have a luxurious evening of tea and yarn sampling, on August 22! Come to A Likely Yarn from 5-8 p.m. to visit with the knitting community, taste some teas and sample yarn - all for free!
Catered by Zazzy's we'll have hors d'oevres, a variety of hot and cold teas, and of course, many balls of yarn for you to sample.

This is the perfect to chance to try a new yarn or stitch pattern without buying the whole ball!
If you plan on coming by, be sure you call the shop at 276.628.2143 or drop by, this week!

Want to learn to knit?

This Thursday at 5pm, at A Likely Yarn, our Beginner's Knitting class is starting! This 3 week class will teach the basics of knitting: Casting on, knitting, purling, binding off and basic pattern stitches. No prior experience is needed. We will work on a sampler and a scarf, learning the basics of reading a pattern--everything you need to know to get started making wonderful handknit items.
The cost is $100 which includes ALL materials: 2 skeins of yarn, a pair of needles and a Knitting basics sheet
The instructor is Emily Cottrill, B.A. in studio art from Wheaton College, who learned to knit 5 years ago--from her then 11 year old sister! She now always has at least 3 projects going and doesn't know what she'd do without a pair of needles in her hand. She currently runs a private library and teaches art to children of all ages.

To register, please call the shop at 276.628.2143

Socks on DPNs

On August 2nd and 3rd, come to the yarn shop to learn how to knit one of the most popular and portable hand knit items: Socks!

Natalie Johnson will teach you from scratch how to make your own pair of hand knit socks on double pointed needles with hand painted yarn! Make a pair of anklets which can be completed so quick you’ll want to make pair after pair!

Double pointed needles may seem intimidating, but don’t let that stop you! Double pointed needles are used to work in the round for small circumferences. This class will teach you how to cast one, join in the round and complete a sock on double pointed needles.

You should know how to cast on a straight needle, knit and purl to enroll in this class. The pattern is designed for beginner knitters and you need not have any sock experience to join this class.

Please come to this workshop ready to enjoy yourself and the addicting world of sock knitting! To register, call A Likely Yarn at 276.628.2143.

Natalie Johnson is from Mayberry, North Carolina and has been involved in the fiber world for over 12 years. Knitting and yarn has been a big part of her life and she enjoys making it a big part of others. Knit Fit Knitting was created as a way for her to earn an income while spending as much time as possible with her children. Natalie enjoys knitting socks and baby items the most but is up to any challenge. She enjoys creating new colors and working with all sorts of fibers to produce hand painted yarns and designs unique and youthful knitting patterns with them. When there isn’t yarn to be dyed or a pattern to write up (which is not that often) Natalie is spending time with her family, riding horses or playing with the boston terriers of the family. Natalie is also into spinning and enjoys spinning locally grown fleeces and fibers. You can find out more information on the blog, http://knitfitkit.blogspot.com/ and http://www.knitfitkits.com/

Cables!

Come learn to knit cables and make others think you're an advanced knitter! Cables are super easy and super impressive. We will learn the basics of reading a cable chart pattern and knitting cables. In the process you will get a good start making a scarf you will finish at home.

To register for this 2 hour workshop, call A Likely Yarn at 276.628.2143 or come on by!

Karen has been working with various fiber arts for years: quilting, papermaking, crochet (a little). She's taught quilting classes and loves to teach. When a friend introduced her to knitting, the friends grown daughter said "I don't think she likes knitting very much" Well, despite sweating bullets when learning to knit and purl, Karen persisted and hasn't looked back! Knitting and spinning are her activities of choice now and she's learning to weave and needlefelt. The fibers are taking over the house, along with her husband, son, dogs, cats and a very spoiled bird. In the daytime she works as a mental health counselor to pay for pet food and fiber......

-as told by Karen to Tara

Tango with Us!

TANGO....No partner required when you're jazzing up everything you touch!

You won't believe this yarn....it's a self-striping, self-ruffling dream to knit or crochet. Mitten cuffs, hat brims, sweater trims and plackets, flirty scarves...and any or everywhere on a baby! Fall palettes of gray, eggplant, olive, old rose or earthy, mossy browns; Chiquita-banana brights; pastel combos or flirty metallics for the Drama Queens!

As seen in the photos above, one ball of yarn can have two very different looks, depending on what side of the yarn you knit into.

The ruffled hat is just one of the many projects you can make; the Yarn Harlot made this lovely scarf (click!)

Beverly leads a 2-hour workshop on the technique of knitting with this exciting, Thursday evening, July 24th from 5-7. Get down to A Likely Yarn and pick your colors. The cost is $45 and includes instruction and materials.

Kid's Knitting

On Wednesday, July 16th, A Likely Yarn held the first of our Kid's Knitting classes.

Taught by Whitney , the class had 3 excited girls who ranged in age from 8-14

These classes will be held almost every Wednesday from 10-12 or 1-3. Each class is just 2 hours and you can come back for as many classes as you need!
Check the class calendar for details. To reserve a spot (they fill up quickly!), call the shop at 276.628.2143

Beginning Knitting

Sunday's beginning knitting class was great fun!
Robyn Raines taught 4 knitters the basic knit stitches in this 3 week class. In the next two classes they will be completing 2 different projects - a dishcloth and a scarf!
If you would like to register for the next round of "Beginning Knitting", which is offered on Thursdays and Sundays, please call the shop at 276.628.2143 or leave a comment below.

Our first class

Our first class, Beginning Knitting, will be held tomorrow, July 13th at 2pm. It's not too late to register, just call the shop at 276.628.2143.
This 3-week beginners' class will teach the basics and essentials of knitting. We will cast-on, knit, purl, and bind-off. All skills and techniques will be taught in project formats using single-point and circular needles with seasonal yarns. We will go over materials, terms, and the tools of the trade. By the end of the class, each student will have at least 2 finished projects and the basic skills to keep on knitting.
The tuition is $100 and covers all materials, including enough yarn and needles for 2 projects!


The instructor will be Robyn Raines. Robyn is the Director of the Appalachian Arts Center and teaches in both the art and craft departments at Southwest Virginia Community College. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Textile Design from Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia (PA) and was a two-year Core Fellowship Student at the Penland School of Crafts (NC). In her studio, Raines is a mixed-media sculptor focusing on books, paper, fiber, and installation work.

Class Schedule

Here at A Likely Yarn, we knew from the start (just 1 month ago!) that we wanted to offer a range of classes for a variety of needs and styles. We've been working on getting the best teachers and the most requested classes on the schedule for the rest of the summer.
Today, I'm proud to announce, we have a class calendar!

Just click on any day to see more information about the classes offered and more information about them. We'll be updating this weekly as we get more information!



In the next few weeks I'll be posting more information about our teachers - who they are, what they teach and what they love about knitting and crochet! Is there anything you'd like to know about one of our teachers? If so, just leave a comment below or email me at chatATalikelyyarn.com.

Welcome

Welcome to A Likely Yarn, Abingdon's only yarn store!
Check back soon for class times, more photos and the inside scoop on the shop, it's teachers and yarns!