We will be closing at 5:00pm on December 24th and closed December 25th. We will also be closing at 5:00pm on December 31st and closed January 1, 2010

So, um, about that Holiday Knitting… As of this writing, there are 22 days until Christmas, 19 days until Winter Solstice, and oh, we won’t talk about how little time there is before the first night of Hanukah. We are not going to say “We told you so,” but we will remind you that we offered ideas for knitted and crocheted gifts back during our Holidays in July. However, take heart, it is NOT too late. In case you missed the July suggestions, here’s a recap of the blog posts, followed by a few ideas for gifts you can make in a hurry. Lace Hats: these are faster than you may think, and the Foliage suggested here knit with Malabrigo Chunky will go super-quickly. Crochet: Charissa has been there, done that with last minute crochet and she offers some suggestions for small, quick projects. Mittens: Who wouldn’t love a pair of cozy, warm, hand-made mittens in December? Unique Gifts: here I’ve compiled some of the more, um, interesting links that our Queen of the Free Patterns (aka Carla) has sent me. And now, some more ideas: Gifted: mittens knit in a bulky yarn are a fast project The Dolores Park Cowl is a snuggly choice for Malabrigo Chunky or Cascade Baby Alpaca. Need to make multiple gifts in a hurry? Try coffee cup cozies (and they’d make a great accompaniment for a Starbucks gift card). Here’s a plain cabled one, and of course, here’s our obligatory owl cable project. Whoooo loves coffee? For other coffee and tea lovers on your list, here’s a mug cozy that can be knit for a French press coffee maker as well. Beer sweaters, anyone? These can be adapted for wine bottles, too. Knitted ornaments brighten any tree and are a great use for your yarn scraps If it helps, we are in the same boat as you are. I asked the staff what holiday projects they were working on. Charissa: I have already finished a bunch of crocheted cotton soap sacks, suede bottomed wool slippers for hubby, socks for my mom, a coffee cup cozy, and a hat for my 9 year old. Also in the works are socks for hubby and all three kids, a rasta tam for foster son, and fish hats for the 3 year old and hubby (the little guy got his fish hat early because he didn't have any hats that fit). Kelli: I made an Ann Norling Head Hugger Hat for my stepfather and an Irish Hiking Hat for my mother, both out of Cascade Alpaca. For my sister, I am knitting a Sweetheart Top from Lana Knits in Louet Gems. Anna: I also have a Fish Hat in progress for my son. For my brother, I’m making the Armondo Hat out of our exclusive Steelers Pride from Lorna’s Laces. For my new sister-in-law, I’ve started a Peaks Island Hood in Malabrigo Worsted. I also have a tradition of making hats out of Malabrigo Worsted for my sister-in-law’s nieces out of Malabrigo Worsted; because the yarn is so soft, these are the only hats the girls will wear! And finally, brace yourselves, Dear Readers, Yvonne’s Answer: Holiday knitting? OMG, this is the first time EVER I have done holiday knitting. I think it has something to do with working at the yarn store. An Adamas Shawl in a worsted weight wool/bamboo yarn (that seriously feels like cotton) for my stepmother who lives in Pensacola, FL. A prayer/comfort shawl (Simple Garter Stitch Prairie Shawl from Folk Shawls by Cheryl Oberle) of the Marble Chunky in Rosebush for my dear friend whose husband has just been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. A beanie for my older son Robert (he's very noncommital and wants "black with a green stripe"). Socks for my younger son Matthew in Harry Potter yarn from Opal in the Draco colorway (I haven't cast on for these yet, someone help me). My husband has asked for a sweater, and after much debate over what yarn (not just color but whether I should use a natural fiber or an acrylic or a blend), I have ordered some Eco Wool in the mocha colorway and plan on knitting Carla's top down sweater for him. Plus I want to make something for my mom, because if I make something for my stepmother and not for my mom, I will be shunned and excommunicated from the family. Finally, I bought LOADS of worsted weight sock yarn to make socks for the family, because their feet are always cold....yet I have yet to cast on...again, I need HELP!! Intervention! Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's knitting schedule from Lene would be nice. (Please, someone scrape me off the floor when Christmas is over.)

The Natural Stitches Registry I posted this on the blog last week, but writing out all our holiday knitting and crocheting made me hope that all of you out there who are working so hard on gifts for others are taking a moment to think of yourselves, and to paraphrase Oprah, put yourself on the list. Warning: I’m about to make some sexist generalizations, but hey, I’m just reporting what we’ve observed. Increasingly at this time of year, we get a lot of husbands and significant others wandering into the store, mumbling that they’d like to buy something for their wives but have no idea what to get. We always suggest gift cards, but many say that they like to have a physical gift for the recipient to open. While we are good at making recommendations, we can’t always pin down what the recipient longs for secretly in her heart. So our solution is the Natural Stitches Gift Registry. The next time you are in, ask one of us for a registry form to fill out. We’ll keep it on file for you, and when your significant other comes in, he or she will have concrete ideas for what to get you. Or, if you know what you want, email us at shop@naturalstitches.com and we’ll send you the form to fill out and email back to us. As an example, here’s my registry list (um, not that I’m emailing this to my husband or anything): One skein of Pagewood Willow Creek in Really Red One copy of Knitting from the Top Down Any of the Barbara Walker Treasuries One Lantern Moon peppermint tape measure One Needle Gauge Pendant with cord A Lantern Moon Knit Out box in red What’s in your registry? You can choose anything, from an Addi Click set to seven skeins of Eco Alpaca in Baby Camel color 1529 for a sweater project. Go wild!

What’s New? We were closed one day last week for some minor renovations. Here’s Yvonne hard at work behind our new, expansive desk. For those who love to knit and crochet toys, we have several new books in, including the latest in Susan B. Anderson’s Itty Bitty series, Itty Bitty Toys, Knitted Toy Tales, Fairy Tale Knits, and Ysolda Teague’s Whimsical Little Knits. We’re thrilled to carry Eco Duo, a lovely worsted that combines undyed merino and undyed alpaca for a natural look with a bit of a soft halo.

Want More Natural Stitches? Do you read our blog? Make sure you check out our Recipe Box and the Ask Carla regular features. You can “friend” us on Ravelry and participate in our Ravelry Group. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. See you on the web!

Want to Laugh? Pittsburgh has been the subject of a few pop culture jokes in the past few weeks. In case you haven’t seen them: Dr. House finally acknowledges the resemblance between his fellow Dr. Foreman and Mike Tomlin. In The Onion (a satirical newsletter), Pittsburgh students lead the nation in spelling “Roethlisberger.” We hope this newsletter finds you safe, snug, and warm, and enjoying the holiday season!

From the entire staff of Natural Stitches, we wish you happy knits, creative crochets and splendid spinnings. And, as always, if there's anything we can do to help, just let us know!

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