This month we are featuring A Charity Guide for Knitters by Debbie Macomber.

We, as knitters, crocheters and fiber artists, seem to share a love of those less fortunate than us and this book is a great resource for connecting in meaningful ways to children, to soldiers, to animals and the homeless.                                              

Take a look at it.    Capture the vision.    Enrich your life.     Help others.

 CARING MAKES YOU A BETTER PERSON & THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE

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We want to “meet” your dog (or other pet)!

Please send us a picture of your precious one with a short bio

and we will post it on

Copper’s Corner!

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oh   ^the    sheer    _joy    of    ^spring!

Bamboo Stitch Scarf

Needles:

Size 9 and 10.5

Yarn:

2 skeins of Baby Alpaca Grande, or any bulky weight yarn, approx 220 yds total

Gauge:

8 pattern repeats = 16 sts in 4”

Abbreviations:

k = knit

pm = place marker

slm = slip marker

yo = yarn over

sts = stitches

BO = bind off

Directions:

Cast on 22 stitches, using the smaller size 9 needle.

Knit 5 rows.

Change to the larger size 10.5 needle and  begin pattern as follows:

Row 1:  K3, pm , purl to last 3 stitches pm, k3.

Row 2:  K3, slm, *yo, k2, pass yo over the 2 knit stitches,* repeat between *’s to last 3 sts., slm, k3.

Repeat  rows 1 and 2 until scarf measures approximately 62 inches ending having worked row 1, saving 4 yards of yarn.

Change to the smaller size 9 needle

Knit 5 rows.

BO using your larger needle.

Weave in ends.

You’ve gotta see um to believe um!

Every Saturday at the Full Circle Cafe’, Colleen serves up homemade, from scratch, BIG & BEAUTIFUL CINNAMON ROLLS AND PECAN STICKY BUNS. These are the real deal folks and not some funky version of monkey bread or buy um frozen, bake um off and call it homemade buns.

Colleen’s buns are mixed with fresh ingredients and kneaded by her own gifted hands, sprinkled and rolled, sliced and set to rise every Friday night, rain or shine, not matter what! Saturday before the sun is up, Colleen is back in the kitchen, warming her little oven and baking those big fluffy buns to golden perfection.

Sometimes Colleen makes more on Sunday…often she doesn’t. So don’t dilly dally. Either call ahead to reserve yours on Friday or make a date to be here early Saturday! Time and buns wait for no man.

Tender mouthwatering Cinnamon Roll gently topped with cream cheese icing.

Big and tender Pecan Sticky Buns drip with carmel and loaded with nuts.

One of our customers shared this story from his journal with Colleen and we share it with you here now…

At the beach 2.27.10

I woke up this morning and went to open the blinds

Crack open the window to hear ocean sounds that sooth my mind.

With my slippers on, I stepped on a log

During the night duty left behind by my dog.

Walking out to the back door to greet a rainy day

That’s when I noticed a terrible fume wafting my way.

I love my little boy but he threw me for a loop

I didn’t notice at first that I had stepped in his poop.

I tracked it around the soft squishy bedroom floor

Yep, I didn’t notice till I was at the back door.

I yelled and I shouted but this to no avail

All Benny could do was wag his wiggly tail.

Poop’s hard to see on a brown shag rug

And Benny just stared with that innocent little mug.

Washing and cleaning while down on my knees

Thats when I saw the signs that he had also peed.

I grabbed all the things to clean up the mess

And became fuming mad and wasn’t at my best.

I followed the trail and finally came to the spot

Where last night he dropped a bomb that musta been warm but not hot.

The odor was so bad, it really just stunk

I thought it was worse than the smell of a skunk.

I lit scented candles and opened all doors of the house

The stench was so bad now it could kill any mouse.

Benny went running when he heard my foul cussing words

He was completely aware Dad had stepped in his turds.

I got carried away with my anger and wrath

When I realized I had spread it over a very long path.

I finished the cleaning but the rug needs shampooed

A wretched start to the day when in the house my dog pooed.

Being sound asleep, I hadn’t heard his call

To tell me he needed out and it wasn’t his fault.

So we let it go and bye gones be gone

I love my little dog and when he’s bad still does no wrong.

Now snuggled together under a blanket as one

Me and my dog and the clean up is done.

~by Randy VanDyk

Not to be outdone by Copper (or his likeness), Lucky perches atop the building next to the  Coppervane. This picture was captured by our friend and customer, Ilona, on her camera phone! Keep taking those great candid shots Ilona…we love them

It Is Beautiful Outside!

But I bet you already noticed huh   The view from here is breathtaking, blue water, white surf, clean crisp air. Life just doesn’t get any better than this.

Take a walk, breath deeply, then get ready to start knitting again! We have several festivals which we are reserving space at and if you want to be in on the action, talk to Colleen. The sooner the better.

The Yarn Dude has ordered lots of new books, patterns and yarn to inspire and excite all of us.

How about this great inexpensive project?  This is Fiber Trends Seascape Shawl by Evelyn A. Clark. It is a lovely design of cone shells, sand dollars, scallops and starfish in the shallows by the waves of the sea.

I suggest doing this in our soft shell pink Merino Lace laceweight yarn. The pattern sells for $6.50, the yarn for $13.99. So your total investment in this project is $20.49 plus tax! The shawl is worked on a size 6 circular needle so it is a fairly decent size too!

Come on in, let’s get started!

Colleen,

I just wanted to say thank you. I was in on Saturday with my boyfriend, daughter, and one of her friends. Copper was kind enough to keep the kids occupied while I found what I couldn’t live without. The advice and tips from your husband (the Yarn Dude) are indispensable and couldn’t have been timed better.

This morning I came in again with the girls to get the “baby alpaca” I’d somehow not purchased the day before. You made the girls’ day with the finger knitting directions! I gave them each a skein of yarn and off they went. They knitted the whole way home.

Thank you so much.

Heidi H.

As always, we had a great time this past week-end with the Clatsop Spinners and Weavers here at the store! What a friendly and informative group of ladies. They brought looms and spinning wheels, roving and hand spun yarn, and produced intricate weaving projects right before our eyes!  There was a good turn out of people who came to see what spinning and weaving is all about. From the very young to the not so young, people of all ages came. Thank you ladies of the Clatsop Spinners and Weavers.

VALENTINE’S DAY SPECIALS

Sunday, February 14th

Breakfast

Lox of Love Eggs Benedict

Two gently poached eggs topped with smoked lox and perched atop an english muffin then draped with homemade hollandaise sauce. Served with a fruit bowl.

$9.95

Lunch

Cupid’s Crab Cakes

Collen’s amazing Crab Cake recipe served with crisp green salad and your choice of dressing along with our famous cheese bread stick.

$10.95

And for the finale (drum roll please….)

COLLEEN’S HOMEMADE 4 LAYER CHOCOLATE CAKE!

$4.25 per slice

We all have them…we say it’s because “you never know when I’ll need an extra”…and nobody could possible expect us to remember which ones we have and which ones we need…the excuses are as many and varied as colors of DMC floss.

Yes, I’m talking about needles and hooks. Personally, I no longer discuss how many size 8 needles I own. It’s really nobody’s business.

If you can relate to this subject then I am your new hero! I have found a gem of a site that provides, free of charge, an inventory sheet so we can all get a handle on our needles!

Gary has been telling me for years to write them down on a slip of paper and stick it in my purse…you think I’ve done it? Heck no. So why do I think I will do this? Because it’s not only a needle inventory! This kind soul has also provided beautiful and thoughtfully designed journal pages, project planner, yarn stash inventory, notes page, even graph paper to get those ideas down on paper! I can’t resist.

Opps…I hit a button, now everything is bold…hmmm

Anyway, check it out at http://kathrynivy.com/patterns/extras/knitting-journal/ Then, after you get your needle inventory done, bring in those extras to Knitting Group and we’ll have a needle exchange. See you there!