Otter Creek Fall Knitting Workshops

Entrelac knitting workshop by Pam Mahany
Saturday Morning Sept. 8 10:00
Entrelac is a series of building blocks, one row leaning right and one leaning left. It's started with a straight cast-on, then a row of triangles for a foundation. Then alternating rows, starting with an intial triangle, then rectangles, and ending with a row of triangles. It is most easily done with short rows - increasing rather than decreasing short rows. Entrelac is wonderful with self striping yarn like Noro or Toas. You will knit a small sample to learn the technique. This is not for beginners but it is not as difficult as it looks. You will need to bring # 7 or 8 needles and one ball of Kuryon or Silk Garden or several colors of worsted yarn.

Knit Along Jacket Group
Monica Ondrusko will lead a jacket knit along class on Thursday afternoons.
You will choose one of two jackets, Einstein Jacket or the short jacket knit side to side/ cuff to cuff, featured in The Knitting Experience Book 1 The Knit Stitch by Sally Melville. You will need a copy of the book, yarn and needles. Fee is $40.00



Knitting Around Workshop with Nancy Griffin
Sock, mittens or fingerless gloves, Wednesday Afternoon
Knit with 4 needles or try using the magic loop on one circular needle. Seamless knit in the round techniques will be explored. You can to choose to knit socks or mittens. Self striping yarn or learn to create your own patterns with two colors of yarn. The fee is $40.00 the class meets every Wednesday afternoon. Come as often as you can over the next two months. Let us help you make some really cool gifts for the holidays. Everyone appreciates a beautiful handmade pair of socks , glover or mittens. They are easy to make and carry with you to knit wherever you go. You will be surprised at how fast you can get a pair made if you take them along and knit in the car or anywhere


Saturday afternoon knitters meet up continues in September
Sit and knit or crochet every Saturday 2 - 4. no fee
See what's new!! Read the latest magazines. Make a swatch with our newest yarns. Plan your next project with a little help from your new Knitting and Crochet friends. Have a cup of tea and just relax Help someone, share your skills, pass on traditions, get encouragement and meet up with like minded creative folks inspiring each other. Escape from your world into ours.

Otter Creek For Sale Sign

Meet Emmit out new kitten. This little guy loves knitted mice and his felted kitty bed.


Well its been a week since the Sale Sign went into the window. What a week! Everyone that comes in seems concerned. I did not know I would be missed so much. Although many of our customers only visit once or twice a year they look forward to coming. Some have been coming for many years. Two people yeaterday told me that every year when they come to visit family in our area they visit our store. They look forward to coming as part of their trip to Western Penna.
I did not think having the sign would create such interest. Almost every day someone has come by that is interested in buying our business. The store may sell sooner than I expected. In any case I am still going to be living in Mercer and will be part of all the local Knitters, Spinners and Weavers gatherings, guild meetings and our Monday group will continue. I will be helping Carol Capy sell her soap at the Farmers Market and at her shows. I plan to have a booth at the PGH Knit Fest in February and Knitters Fantasy in April.

Fall Knitting Workshops. I will post details soon. Pam Mahany Workshop in September.
Wednesday knitting around with Nancy, Socks Mittens and Gloves.
Jackets from the Knit Stitch book on Thursdays afternoon with Monica.
Charity Knitters would like to continue on Friday evenings. Perhaps a dinner meeting once a month?
Please email me if you are interested in coming to classes or gatherings.

Otter Creek Anniversary 20 years

Hi Friends of Otter Creek,
On August 1 1987 I rented a small store front on South Diamond Street in Mercer across from the back entrance of the Mercer County Court House. My idea was to have a studio to work and teach. The back room was a studio and a small retail space in the front of the store would work to sell my left over handspun yarn and spinning and weaving supplies. I stocked the store with other craft items from friends and Otter Creek Store was established. That was 20 years ago.

The August the 26th will be my 40th year married to Tom. I spent half of my married life working at Otter Creek Store. Wow ! I did not plan to live this way it just happened. I have been living my life one day at a time since I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1989. I did not think I would be seeing my 50th birthday. So I did not plan for retirement.

A couple years ago I started to tell my friends that I wanted to retire from Otter Creek but did nothing to hasten the process. Now I am 60 and I need to start finding someone to pass this job on to. With no likely candidates in sight I listed my business with Caldwell Banker. The sign arrived this week as you can see in the photo below.
It may take a couple years to find a buyer and I want to keep the business growing and healthy so it can go on without me. It took a long time to become established and I feel that it is a worthwhile business to keep going. I thought I should email you all so when you see the sign in the window you will not be shocked. Some of you have been coming here for a long time.

Our store is open and running as usual. I am still stocking the shelves with new yarn and gifts are coming in for the holidays. I am working on new fall classes to inspire knitters and will be updating the web pages and blogg soon.


Several folks thought that maybe I was ill. No, as far as I know I am aging normally, but that is the problem. I am just tired and need more time with Tom and my garden.

Thank you for suporting my store and letting me be a small part of your life.
Please come and visit soon, bring your knitting, we have air conditioning so its still cool here to come by and stay awhile.
Love,
Nancy