Many Thanks to Two Darling Yarn Shops!

Many thanks to my friends at Yarn Social in Kansas City and Yarn Bar in Billings, Montana for helping make January such a fun month for me and my Fifty Four Ten Studio knitting design business.  I can't thank them enough for their kindness and for recommending my knitting patterns to their customers.

THANK YOU - YARN SOCIAL IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI!

Yarn Social hosted a five day trunk show of about ten of my knitting pattern samples at their darling shop in Kansas City, Missouri.  This was my first knitting trunk show and it was such an honor to be invited to display my samples at Kansas City's newest yarn shop!

My husband built this beautiful display stand for my blanket and scarf samples the night before the show.  (I didn't give him much notice!)

Fifty Four Ten Studio trunk show at Yarn Social in Kansas City, Missouri.

Samples shown on display in the photo above (from top to bottom) - click any link to read more about each pattern here on my blog:

On the Porch blanket (ivory)
Quality Time scarf (dark blue)
Prairie Fields blanket (green)
Northern Trail blanket (tan)
On the Map blanket (blue)

Quality Time scarf and Prairie Fields blanket knitting pattern samples.

Last weekend I taught my first knitting class at Yarn Social.  It was so fun to spend the afternoon with eight delightful, enthusiastic knitters!  They worked on small sampler projects using stitch patterns from four of my patterns and we talked about a variety of knitting topics, including blocking.  (Blocking is one of the best things you can do to improve the appearance of your finished project! Click here to read my blog post about blocking.)

Here's a photo of the knitting class in progress...sampler pattern instructions, pretty yarns, blocking demonstration and snacks!

Knitting class at Yarn Social!

The 'Toast' shade of yarn that I used for the examples of the sampler project (photo above) is Spud & Chloe 'Sweater' yarn from Blue Sky Fibers. I love how this yarn knits up!  Great stitch definition and it blocks beautifully. 

Spud & Chloe 'Sweater' is a blend of wool and cotton.  It's available in a beautiful selection of colorways...see Yarn Social's display below.  I'm looking forward to using this yarn in a future project! (Shh...a secret plan is in the works!)

Spud and Chloe 'Sweater' yarn in beautiful colorways at Yarn Social.

If you live in the Kansas City, or are visiting from out of town, be sure to make time to stop in at Yarn Social!  Trish has a beautiful selection of yarns and she has created a warm and inviting shop. 

Yarn Social is located in the West Plaza / Westport area...near 45th & State Line Road.  

Address: 1707 W. 45th Street, Kansas City, MO (near the antique shops)

Check the Yarn Social website for hours!

Yarn Social - yarn shop in Kansas City, Missouri

THANK YOU - YARN BAR IN BILLINGS, MONTANA!

In January, Yarn Bar in Billings, Montana hosted a 'Cheers to Nifty Fifty Four Ten Studio KAL' - how fun is that?!  They suggested using any of my Fifty Four Ten Studio blanket or pillow knitting patterns as cozy winter project for the knit-a-long (KAL).  

One of their customers finished a throw size Prairie Fields blanket! (Photo below.) I love that she used a beautiful ivory colored yarn so her stitches really shine!  Lovely knitting and blocking. 

Prairie Fields blanket (ivory) made by a Yarn Bar customer!

And, the yellow blanket...that's my On the Porch blanket design that Sue and Linda made up as a sample for their shop!  They tell me the yarn is Cestari Sheep Mount Vernon in the colorway 'Daffodil'.  This blanket is so cheery and full of sunshine!

On the Porch blanket on display at the Yarn Bar in Billings, Montana.

On their website, Sue and Linda shared that the 'On the Porch' blanket pattern has been quite popular with their customers: 

Our friend Teddy zipped in to knit a second one as soon as she got a request from the 'hipster' niece who had received the original one Teddy made, gets the 'where did you get that blanket' comment from fellow hipster parents, and wanted another one in different color.

Such a fun story!

I'm so honored that Sue and Linda hosted this knit-a-long and that they have been recommending my patterns to their customers for a long time.  One of these days I'm going to make it out to Billings, Montana to meet them in person!! 

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I'm excited about other plans in the works for the coming months.  There's lots happening behind the scenes...if only I could knit faster!

Thank you so much for reading!  Happy knitting!

Mary Lee 

Fifty Four Ten Studio