If there was a prize for most finished projects in a month, it would go LAURA EISENMAN! Just take a look at all the lovely projects she finished up in her safari knitting class last month: socks, hats, and a beautiful bag! Great job, Laura! Keep up the good work! And now a PRIZE for the rest of you! Join us on our WOOLWINDERS RAVELRY GROUP PAGE at http://www.ravelry.com/groups/woolwinders-yarn-shop and follow our NEW "KNITTING SHAME" CONTEST THREAD and tell us your funniest or most embarrassing knitting or crocheting "oops" moment and we'll enter your name in our raffle to WIN a $25 WOOLWINDERS GIFT CARD next month! Enter as many times as you like. The funniest, TRUE, knitting shame story wins! Good luck!!

What perfect timing! The new Spring 2013 issue of INTERWEAVE KNITS MAGAZINE arrived today filled with loads of wonderful summer patterns for you to knit in time to wear on that summer vacation or to that special summer event! Pressed for time? No worries, choose one of the many lovely lace patterns in this issue to work on over the summer and have it ready to wear next spring. That's one of the best things about yarn and knitting/crocheting--it doesn't go bad, folks! Happy knitting/crocheting, everyone!

Hurry! There's still time, and a couple of open spots left, for you to join this Saturdays, May 11th SHADES OF GREY AFGHAN SQUARE KNITALONG CLASS! This month features TWO NEW afghan square patterns. A fun and easy CELTIC SUN I-CORD pattern paired with a more challenging lovely EYELET LACE HEARTS pattern. Be the first to get the patterns AND to get help knitting them by joining Terry this Saturday! My fingers are itching already!

And we have a winner! The winner of our METRO YARN CRAWL RAFFLE this year at Woolwinders is (drumroll please!):  SHELLY GOLDIN! Congratulations, Shelly, you are now the owner of a brand new set of the newest addition to the Addi Interchangeable Needle Kits: the ADDI LACE LONG TIP INTERCHANGEABLE NEEDLE KIT! You can NEVER have enough needles to knit all the beautiful yarn you bought during the crawl! Enjoy!

Don't miss out on these great skill builder classes! Now that Sheep and Wool is over and you've built up your stash, now figure out something new to do with it! In addition to our other great classes, why not try: FIXING KNITTING MISTAKES on June 1st with our new instructor, Jennifer Raymond; or learn the surprisingly simple INTARSIA IN THE ROUND technique with Paige on May 18th like Jo Seymour did while knitting this adorable Little Bo Sheep Gift Bag; or join the sock craze and enjoy using all those new handpainted sock yarns and finally earn to knit socks in INTRODUCTION TO SOCKS with Terry Cammack on Saturdays, June 8, 22, and 29 ALL at Woolwinders, your neighborhood yarn shop!  

I can remember when Thursday afternoon safari class member SUE BRAUNSTEIN first came to Woolwinders, frustrated with a sweater she was knitting with a textured stitch pattern. And look at her NOW! Enjoying the lovely spring weather in a gorgeous new textured lace stitched cardigan she knitted (rather quickly at that!) using STONEHEDGE FIBER MILL SHEPHERD'S WOOL. With her instructor Kim's, help and the support of her knitting group pals, Sue now has a beautiful looking and beautifully knitted and fitted cardigan that she can say is truly her own. What a wonderful example of learning and growing in the craft! Wonderful job, Sue!    

Congratulations to KATHY SHUMAN from our Wednesday morning safari class! Just in time for grandchild number three, Kathy finished this beautiful baby afghan using BLUE SKIES WORSTED COTTON. From start to finish, Kathy made sure it was perfect in every way and her attention to detail was well worth her efforts. She now has a lovely gift made with love for her new granddaughter:) Great job, Kathy! NEW TODAY: New colors of ROWAN COCCON and STONEHEDGE FIBER MILL SHEPHERD'S WOOL!    

Please join us this May for our THIRD ANNUAL PREEMIE HAT drive to support the neonatal unit at Shady Grove Adventist Hospital. Beginning May 1st, for every preemie hat you hand knit/handcrochet and donate to our drive you will receive a raffle ticket to be entered in our drawing for one free skein of either ART YARNS TRANQUILITY or ART YARNS RHAPSODY GLITTER yarn! We have plenty of washable yarn for you to choose from and we will also have FREE PREEMIE HAT PATTERNS at the store AND on our RAVELRY GROUP page to help you get started. After your hat(s) is completed, simply drop it off at our store and collect your raffle ticket(s). It's as easy as that! Don't live near us? Nor worries--you can mail us your donations and still be eligible for our raffle drawing! We will be accepting donations through May 31st and will hold our drawing on June 1st. Thank you so much for supporting our May charity drive and the children in our community, at Woolwinders, your neighborhood yarn shop. Knit and crochet on, friends!

Summer is fast approaching and amidst all the warm weather events that will soon be filling up your calendars, don't forget to check out our SUMMER CLASS SCHEDULE with new classes including FIXING MISTAKES, INTRODUCTION TO SOCKS, INTARSIA IN THE ROUND, BEGINNING KNITTING/CROCHET and much more! PLUS, we are extremely pleased to welcome our newest instructor, JENNIFER CROWLEY-RAYMOND to our staff and hope everyone will give her a warm welcome into our fold here at Woolwinders. Jennifer is a knit and crochet designer who creates quirky yet classic garments. Teaching up and down the east coast, she has turned a hobby into a career and her recent and upcoming publications include Sockupied, Three Irish Girls, Classic Elite Yarns, and Knitpicks. Her classes feature a high energy style and ready sense of humor. Please join us in giving Jennifer a warm welcome to Woolwinders!

REMINDER! Sunday, April 28th is the LAST DAY to order your STITCH N' PITCH TICKETS! Join us at Nationals Park at 7:00 PM, Friday, JUNE 7TH as the Nationals take on the Mariners and knit the night away with other knitting and crocheting baseball fans! Tickets cost $25 each and must be pre-ordered and paid by 5:00 PM on the 28th. Stop in to the store or call us at 240-632-9276 and reserve your spot at this fun annual event TODAY!