In-Store Discount with Twitter

If you follow us on Twitter, you can get a special deal at the store today (4/10) and tomorrow (4/11). You must show proof of our latest Twitter tweet in order to receive this deal. Restrictions:

• In store merchandise only
• Cannot be combined with other discounts
• Cannot be used for classes, finishing, custom painting or other services.

To follow us on Twitter, just go to www.twitter.com, sign up and start following 3KittensNeedle.

TWEET, TWEET, TWEET

Customer Appreciation #1

When you bring your finished items into 3 Kittens to show us, remind us to take a photo of you so we can put you on our blog. I want to make this a regular feature of our blog - so take note.

Here's our first customer photo of Diane Berg with her wonderful sock monkey that she knit, stuffed and embellished.

The sock monkey is almost as big as Diane, whom we affectionately call Big D. Diane is not only a knitter; she also crochets and needlepoints. Thanks Diane for sharing your sock monkey with us!

The Power of Knitting (And Other Needle Crafts)

My mother-in-law recently sent me an article that she had torn out from a magazine. I can't tell what magazine it is, but it's from a column called Mindwise. The article said:

According to research at the Harvard-affiliated Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine, the repetitive motion and focus of needlework can elicit what's known as the relaxation response - a calming meditation-like state that slows heart rate and causes blood pressure to drop. In addition, a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society suggests that knitting is associated with a lower risk of dementia for those 65 and older.

Food for thought, eh? It reminds me of a talk I heard at The National Needlearts Association market last year given by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee of Yarn Harlot fame. She talked about the science behind repetitive motions like knitting and crocheting, and how people are smarter and more creative when they do things like this. I wish I could remember all the details - but instead of taking notes, I was knitting (what a surprise, eh?).

Finally, I received a postcard in the mail a couple of days ago advertising a Contemplative Knitting Workshop on Friday, May 15, 2009 from 9am-5pm at the Shambhala Meditation Center of Minneapolis. For more information check out the Shambhala Center's website.

More Yarn for Your Buck

We've moved several yarns into our clearance area:

• Mirasol Cotanani $3.90 (originally $6.50)
• Berroco Glace $4.80 (originally $8.00)
• Berroco Softwist $3.60 (originally $6.00)
• Plymouth Baby Alpaca Brush $4.80 (originally $8.00)
• Classic Elite Four Seasons $3.15 (originally $5.25)
• Berroco Chinchilla Bulky $4.35 (originally $7.25)
• Sandnesgarn Mandarin Fiesta Solids/Prints $3.90/$4.50 (originally $6.50/$7.50)

Plus we have all of our Serendipity knitting needles at 40% off while supplies last, and we have a few patterns and books available in the clearance area as well.

Skacel Spring Arrivals

We received two new yarns today from Skacel! The first is a wonderful blend of merino and cotton from Schulana aptly named Merino Cotton 90.

The next one is Urban Silk by Skacel.

This is a beautiful blend of silk and cotton, but we only received 4 skeins of 6 different colors, so it's sure to go quickly.

Knit & Crochet Out 2009

Cis, Janine and Laura spent a busy weekend at the Mall of America entertaining scores of knitters and crocheters who stopped by our booth. While we weren't the biggest draw - that would have to be Steven of the Yarn Garage who organized the fashion shows and show and tell events - we did take a couple of new products that seemed to intrigue everyone who stopped by. Here's one of them:

Cotton Kisses from Plymouth

This baby yarn gives you a whole project in a very compact package - one skein of yarn, two buttons and two patterns (one is the henley pictured above and the other is a v-neck cardigan) - all for just $14.50. We're carrying all available colors of this product at 3 Kittens.

A Knitting Comic Book

We received a shipment of ten copies of a new comic book, Handknit Hereos, earlier this week. It's about three superheroes with bullet-proof knitted fabric. The issue we have is Issue 1, and it introduces all the characters in prep for more super-heroics in the quarterly issues to follow. Each issue also contains a knitting pattern. This issue's pattern is pictured above.

As of this morning, there were only 2 copies left in the store. We may have to order more!