samples and socks

My friend Jan bought the LQS that opened a couple of years ago where we just moved from. She had been working there since it opened. The owners had become disenchanted and asked if she wanted to buy it. She always thought it could do much better than it had been. For some reason, which I don’t understand, the old owners didn't like to buy stock. The thread display was consistently out of most of the popular colors. They had gotten in a few new lines, but most of the fabric in the store had been there since they opened, had the same look and they didn't add often. There would be a sample made and they would sell out of the pattern or book and not restock that. Well Jan was only too happy to take it over. She has owned it 6 weeks now and is doing just great. The store is busy ALL the time.
One of the improvements she is trying to make is asking advice from her friends on what fabrics to buy. Since I don’t live close anymore I don’t get to help out with that as much as I would like, but 2 weekends ago there was a New England fabric representatives show in Massachusetts and she asked if I would like to go. That was right after my mom had died and I definitely needed a distraction. I had the BEST time. We bought a few complete lines and had a great time making our own collections from some others. I was able to help purchase over 200 bolts of fabric and it didn't cost me a dime. :cD The new stock that we ordered has started to come in and Jan asked if I would make some samples. Well, you don’t have to ask me twice. Her “I bought the shop” open house is next Saturday and she is holding back to new stock until then and wants to put samples out with it. I went up this weekend and picked up supplies to make a number of things. She is starting to carry hand dyed felted wool and she has no wool appliqué samples. Here is the start to some of what I am making. I’m not going to tell yet what I am doing with these Jo Morton’s. It will be a surprise when it’s finished.

On our trip up we, of course, had to stop at Marden's. I bought very little fabric since I knew I was going to be picking up a number of projects, but……. they had striped sock yarn for 1.99 a skein. How could I pass that up? I don’t know if I have mentioned this before, but I sometimes go on knitting “binges”. That’s the only way I can describe it. For some reason I start and its like I can’t stop. A few years ago I knit 36 cotton dish cloths before it was out of my system. I still have about 6 in my gift box. This past Christmas it was felted bags. I now have 4 of each size finished to give away. Yesterday, when I should have been making samples (don’t tell Jan), I couldn't stop myself from knitting socks. I finally had to force myself to stop and get those wool samples started. Now I just wish I could be home today working on my projects.