Newsletter September 2007

Summer is almost over in the County and now comes Fall, one of the nicest times of the year.  This is also when knitters start to think of Fall and Winter projects while visitors check out our wineries and shopping opportunities. 

Rose Haven Farm Store has continued to be on a quest to be a delightful shopping experience for gifts and for fibre enthusiasts.  We now have a wonderful supply of hand made sweaters in several sizes for men, women and children, delightful environmentally friendly stuffed animals made from soy, unusual trigger mittens, sheepskin items such as seat belt protectors and bicycle seat pads and fabulous collector mohair bears.  And we always have our Thermohair socks.

We welcome knitters and crocheters to check out the new lines of yarns we now carry: Lanaknits ( hemp), Art Yarns & Tilli Thomas ~ both of which offer beaded silk and wonderful glittery evening embellishment yarns.  In previous lines we now have the newest Frabjous yarns ( solids and tone on tone silks in Sari silk), amazing Filatura di Crosa’s Superior (70% Cashmere, 30% Silk) for gossamer shawls, Nashua’s Grand Opera ~ sparkly but with a soft handle and Schaeffer’s new Nancy and Martha yarns, both hand-dyed.

For fibre artists we have increased our array of rovings, batts and especially dyed fibres.  We now have specialty Shetland blends (one with silk) from Hopeful Shetlands.  We have been increasing our array of dyed fibres from Pat’s Colours and now offer multi-colour packs as well as fibres for spinners and wet & needle felters by the gm., as well as roving braids from Fleece Artist.

Our pursuit of earth-friendly yarns continues and we now have yarns in bamboo and bamboo blends, soy, soy blends, corn, hemp, hemp blends, milk fibre and modal, as well as many other natural fibres, some of which have been naturally dyed.  A special feature in September is our Boot Camp for Socks, sponsored by South West Trading.  With over 25 colours in TOFUTsies and a 10 % discount from September 19 – 30, this is the time to purchase yarn or to learn how to knit socks.  We have a great handout on sock knitting, samples, a SWTC draw, scheduled times for staff to help out on sock construction, sample socks, patterns and lots of sock books. 

Classes are now starting up for the Fall.  Our first major class is Gossamer Felting with Maureen Harding of Dreamspin Fibres.  We are offering classes September 29 & 30 and could accommodate up to 2 more persons per class.  Cost is $110 and includes all materials and lunch.  Maureen’s scarves are works of art and much admired with some we have sold traveling as far as Australia and Taiwan.  Call or e-mail.

Then we will commence our regular classes in October: Beginner Knitting, Beginners Crochet, Felted bags, Felted Mittens, Knitted & Crocheted Flower Embellishments, and Easy Quick Sweater Making.  In the new year we hope to offer classes with Gayle Bunn, a County resident who is very skilled and often has designs in Vogue Knitting.  For details please see our Website: www.rosehavenfarm.net

Rose Haven Farm Store will be going to several shows in October: Spin-in in Campbellford (Oct. 2), OHS Central Region in Etobicoke (Oct. 13), Inspirations Needleworks in Ottawa (Oct. 19 & 20) and finally Creative Festival in Toronto (Oct. 28-30).  Look for us at these shows but let us know if you want us to bring any items specifically for you.  The store in Picton will be open all times that we are at shows.

Lamb meat cuts continue at the shop, with Tracy & Garry Smith of Oram Road in the County being our current preferred supplier.  If you need a quantity of special cuts, call but give us at least 1 – 2 weeks to put in place.  Lamb sausage is back and we continue with our lambie pies made by Pastry House on our behalf.

And don’t forget that Rose Haven Nature Cottage is a year round log house available for your visits to Prince Edward County.  Lots of fibre folks have enjoyed the wing chairs while many others like the restfulness, quiet and stars.  And as the colder weather comes on, the wood burning stove makes it a cozy place.  As a fully self-contained hideaway, the Cottage can accommodate small groups of 5 individuals as well as families.