May
Dream in Color
Posted by Emily in yarnHere’s a fun one we haven’t talked much about yet - Dream in Color. The Yarn Harlot has been all about this yummy stuff lately, and it’s burning up the blogosphere. We’re carrying the Smooshy Sock Yarn to start, but winter could well bring a few boxes of the Classy (worsted weight) and Fatty (chunky weight)…
This yarn is pretty and practical. They use a veil dying process, which gives it all the unique character of other hand-dyed yarns but without the tendency to “landscape” or “pool.” It’s also spun from 22 micron 100% Australian merino wool, whereas most traditional wool is 28 microns and higher, making it exceptionally soft. I mean, really soft. Like puppy fur soft. And since it’s superwash as well, Dream in Color is perfect for socks and baby garments that need to be machine washed and even dried.
May
this was to have been the day
Posted by Shannon in the shop
so, today was supposed to have been the big opening day, but alas and alack, we are unable to open. we tried, dear readers. we really did. i was convinced that sheer optimism would be enough to carry us through. not the case.
we are diligently working away at the things yet to be done in order for twisted to open, and open big and beautiful. soon, we will be throwing open our doors and selling yarn, embroidery kits, tea, and juice to the masses. not today, but in a day in the not-too-distant future, twisted will be a real, live shop.
in the meantime, let’s craft. some fabulous family (hi, jill! hi jackie!) came into town for the “opening,” and we are taking full advantage of the together-time and crafting like crazy.
emily’s folks are in town for the opening-that-isn’t, and they, too, are having a grand time.
May
road trippin’
Posted by Shannon in the shopmy beloved hubbie, s, had to make a trip to olympia earlier this week. it just so happened that emily and i needed shelving, and had agreed to go the ikea route, as our hookup for shelving fell through at the last minute. s graciously agreed to rent a trailer, borrow a truck, and head into the overwhelming insanity that is ikea for lil ole twisted.
we were sooo happy not to have to go up there - it’s a full day’s trip, and there is just so much to do at the shop. the next morning, he unloaded all 15 shelving units, and there they sat, practically stacked up to the rafters. em and i looked at each other, shrugged, and started tearing apart the boxes on the nearest unit. we couldn’t wait, even though dust has been flying, and in a short period of time, em and i had put an expedit shelving unit together. to mark this momentous occasion, we posed it with a gorgeous lil skein of woolarina’s wonderful sock yarn.
May
Five good things
Posted by Emily in yarn, socksAs is unavoidable in any venture, we’ve hit a few roadblocks here and there on our way to opening the most amazing yarn, craft and tea shop in Portland. Though I think of myself as a realist of the give-it-to-me-straight, harsh-truth variety, I probably tend a bit toward the pessimistic… This is just no fun for Shannon, I fear, who chooses to focus on optimism and best case scenarios and silver linings. What a better way to go through life! She’s a good egg, as they say, and may just reform me one of these days. So I dedicate this list to Shannon!
The five best things going on right now at Twisted (in no particular order other than the flotsam and jetsam of my mind):
- The package of sock yarn we received today from Zen String, including our custom-dyed Twisted colorway! Photos can’t do the rich, beautifully varied colors justice and certainly can’t even begin to convey the springy softness.
- My parents arrive on Wednesday, and Shannon’s on Friday. We pretty much have the best four parental units out there and can’t wait to see them and hug them to little bitty pieces.
And put them to work.
That too.
- Wild Carrot Herbals. You just can’t beat the lotions from Wild Carrot. Not only are they luxurious for every sense, but they’re produced in Oregon using all natural ingredients and sustainable farming practices. Plus, the owner, Jodie, is every bit as fantastic as her products and - as of yesterday - she is also a first-time mom. Congratulations on your baby carrot, Jodie!
- Columbia Gorge Organics juices. Not only are their juices fresh, local and fantastic, but they even gave us a dozen samples to help us decide what flavors to carry. So every day as we wait for UPS in the morning, we crack open a new bottle and sip away. And can I just say - yum. My personal favorite is the red ginger limeade, but I’ve been trying to branch out and have yet to be disappointed.
- Addi turbo lace needles! They have arrived. And they’re red. Gorgeous ruby red. Sigh. Everything we’d all dreamed of.
May
glued and screwed. or, the face lift, phase two.
Posted by Shannon in the shop
i have the bestest sister and husband in the entire universe (well, em’s hubbie, m, is pretty cool, too - he’s our architect. can you imagine having your own architect, who is at your beck and call, and of whom you can ask a question before he’s even had his first cup of coffee? ooh, lala. schmancy).
j (sister) and s (husband) have been working away on a fairly involved project for twisted. namely, our counters.
they worked their fool booties off for 2 days straight, and, with some stellar advice from my uber-knowledgeable dad, by the end of those two days, what they had created surpassed all expectations we had had. em and i knew they would do a fantastic job, there was no question of that, but i for one thought they would be super-utilitarian (not that there’s anything wrong with that) and a bit basic. not so. these puppies are anything but basic - they fit into the space perfectly; they are all true (square); they are the exact specified height; and they will accommodate all of our needs perfectly. we joked that they will be the last things standing after the apocalypse, just those counters and the termites. we also found the perfect tops for the counters: butcher-blocks from ikea, and some gorgeous cherry for the front of the counters at mr. plywood. just wait till you all see the finished product.
other aspects of the shop are plugging along, as well. we are fairly certain that may 19 was a dream-land, best-case-scenario date for opening, and, although everything is working out well, we are not living in dream-land. who really lives in dream-land, though? even paris hilton got booted from that place.
May
We heart Sweden
Posted by Emily in the shopLast weekend the little Volvo that could made a trip to Seattle and returned ladened with all things Ikea. Given that the Vo is old enough to buy its own liquor and currently has no overdrive despite our best efforts to search I5 for compatible fuses, we salute its dedication to our cause. At Ikea, after I recovered from my shock at the sheer joy of the place, we bought bookshelves, tables, chairs, silverware and even countertop. In this picture, if you look closely, you will see that a) the car is absolutely packed to the rafters, b) Shannon is securing the tailgate closed with a bungee cord, and c) just behind Shannon is a huge bag of Peanut M&Ms from Costco.
