Two down, two to go

Great news: Regina and Womack, two of our current foster kittens, have been pre-adopted! Now we just need to find forever homes for Texas and McClain.

Texas (or Texanne, as we like to call her) is a cuddly girl with the cutest white star on her belly. She's not easy to photograph, though, as you can see! She loves to run and play.

McClain wasn't particularly interested in holding still for a photo, either. He'd just finished a big breakfast and was eager to wash his handsome face. He's pretty much solid black, with just a few stray white hairs on his chest. And look at those eyes!

We're fostering these babies for Dekalb County Animal Services, who happen to be running a special promotion this month: the adoption fee for cats and kittens is just $10 in the month of August! That includes spay/neuter, up-to-date vaccinations, and microchip. So hurry and stop by DCAS to fill out an application, so you can take advantage of this great deal and make one (or both) of these cuties part of your family.

Tatamy DK cotton for all seasons

Summer may be winding down, but we know there's still plenty of warm weather left. And in our mild climate, a medium-weight cotton is a great choice for year-round wear.

With all that in mind, we're fully stocked on colors of Tatamy DK from Kraemer Yarns. This 45% cotton/55% acrylic blend is machine washable and dryable, making it a fantastic choice for garments, afghans, or whatever you can dream up. Take a look at all these beautiful colors we have in stock.

Stacy recently made this adorable sweater for a friend's baby, using just over one skein.

The pattern is Seamless Yoked Baby Sweater by Carole Barenys. It's a simple (and free) pattern available from Ravelry. Need more ideas for Tatamy DK? We'll be glad to help you brainstorm!

Introducing...Copper Dancer Designs

Here at Sheepish, we believe strongly in the importance of supporting local businesses, artists, and craftspeople. So we're very excited to announce these new additions to our inventory, all handcrafted by Copper Dancer Designs!

These sturdy wire-work bookmarks come in a variety of clever shapes and pretty colors. It's never too soon to start thinking about stocking stuffers....

Take a look at these gorgeous lampwork bead pendants. We can't decide which one is our favorite--they're all fabulous. The clasps of these leather cord necklaces are handworked copper.

Here's a closer view of the pendants. Surely you need at least a couple of these to coordinate with different outfits. :)

For you shawl knitters out there, consider one of these beauties to adorn your next masterpiece. Each shawl pin is unique. These would make great gifts, too.

Prices on these handcrafted items range from $12 - $49. Stop by and check them out, and remember to support local folks whenever you can. For more info and news about Copper Dancer Designs, be sure to like their Facebook page.

4th annual Stash Sale

It's here! Our Stash Sale kicked off last night with the Preview Party, which also doubled as Carrie's birthday party.

Big thanks to everyone who braved the wet weather to come out and join us. Great yarn deals were made, margaritas were flowing, and we all had a great time!

The Stash Sale continues all weekend--Sat. 8/9 11am-5pm, Sun. 8/10 12pm-5pm. Remember, Stash Sale transactions are cash or check only.

While you're here, be sure to take a look at our trunk show of Michele Ritan's eco dyed accessories and garments, and meet our current foster kittens!

Trunk show: eco-dyed accessories

Looking forward to our 4th annual Stash Sale? Planning on coming to the Preview Party and celebrating Carrie's birthday with us on Friday night? Well, here's yet another reason to visit us this weekend...

If you've seen our hand-dyed yarns with the Decatur Dye Studio label, you're already familiar with Michele Ritan's work. Michele is now experimenting with eco dyeing on fabric, and we're happy to be hosting a trunk show of her new work, starting this Friday, August 8.

Tank top eco dyed by Michele Ritan

What is eco dyeing? Michele explains it as...

"...a technique of adding color, pattern, and texture to cloth using only local plant materials. No external paints, inks or dyes are used–simply the natural compounds within the plants. Eco-printing techniques emphasize bioregionalism and the use of sustainable, organic, and non-toxic materials. Results are unique and vary with the seasons that influence the growth and colors of the plants used. "

The trunk show will feature scarves, tops, and more. These items will be for sale, but Michele is also very interested in hearing your feedback about this new work, so anyone who fills out a short feedback form will receive $5 off their eco dyed purchase.

Please do stop by and see these unique accessories and garments. They're even more beautiful in person!

More foster babies

In the past few weeks, the most frequently asked question we’ve heard at the shop has been, “No kittens??” as customers glance disappointedly at the empty cage. Well, don’t worry, feline fans—after a brief summer break, we’re back in the fostering game!

So, let’s introduce you to our latest lodgers. This litter of three girls and one boy are about seven or eight weeks old.  Dekalb County Animal Services named them, so we’ll just refer to them by the names they came with.

This is Womack (girl) on the left and McClain (boy) on the right. They were both shy at first, but are getting used to people and are super sweet. Womack, in particular, is becoming a real snuggler. She's mostly black except for a couple of little white areas on her neck and belly. McClain is solid black. (By the way, did you know that black cats are less likely to get adopted than other cats? Help these little ones beat the odds!)

You can’t necessarily tell from this casual pose, but Regina is the most outgoing of the group. She’s pretty fearless when it comes to climbing, being first to the food bowl, and interacting with humans. And what a cutie she is, with her classic tabby markings.

And here we have Texas. This little girl is so easy-going! She likes to be held, and will even let you lay her down on her back while you pet the cute white star on her belly. But she also knows how to be independent and entertain herself with toys.

These sweetie pies aren’t quite big enough to go to their forever homes yet, but if you’re interested in adopting one (or more) of them, you can apply to pre-adopt. And here's more good news: during DCAS's Tail End of Summer event, throughout August, cat and kitten adoptions are just $10! This includes spay/neuter, vaccinations, and microchip. What a perfect time to add a special someone (or someones) to your family.

Shop Hop 2014

Get ready, yarn lovers-- the 8th annual Atlanta Area Yarn Shop Hop will take place September 13 - 21! This year's participating shops are Cast On Cottage, Needle Nook, Only Ewe & Cotton Too, Strings & Strands, The Whole Nine Yarns, Yarn Garden, and of course, Sheepish.

 

For those who are new to this event, or just need a refresher, here's how it works: Shop Hop passports will go on sale next Thursday, August 7. Purchase a passport for just $1. Then, during the Shop Hop, make a $10 purchase at each shop to get a stamp on your passport. If you collect stamps from all seven participating shops, you'll be eligible for the Grand Prize--a $100 gift certificate from each shop. That's right--$700 to spend on yarn, gadgets, or whatever your fiber-loving heart desires! Even if you don't get all seven stamps, you'll be entered to win smaller (but still awesome) prizes donated by the shops.

 

There are a couple of new twists to this year's Shop Hop. First, if you spend $25 or more at any shop, you can buy a second passport and earn an extra stamp. Spend $25 or more at other shops to receive additional stamps on your passports. This gives you many more chances of winning a prize in the drawing.

 

Also, Jenna from The Whole Nine Yarns has designed a special shawl pattern for Shop Hop. The pattern is written in seven parts, and you can pick up a part in each of the seven shops when you get your passport stamped. We'll be sharing more details about this in the coming weeks. For now, we'll just say that the pattern is beautiful and we can't wait to see the versions you all will create with it.

 

Shop Hop has become an annual tradition, and an exciting way for us to kick off our busiest season. Make plans to carpool with friends, do lunch, and have fun!