July 2011 Newsletter

Are you an environmental and socially conscious knitter? Then our newest yarn, Frog Tree's Pediboo, will be right up your alley! Pediboo is a delightfully squishy and soft yarn made from 80% Merino Wool and 20% Bamboo. Processed in the viscose method to give this yarn strength and durability, Pediboo is a wonderful choice for more hard-wearing garments.

Not only are we super excited to start carrying such a beautiful sock yarn (that's machine washable!) but we're also very excited to start working with Frog Tree, a family owned and operated business since the 90's. One of the more unique aspects of this company is that they are a non-for-profit business that is geared towards supporting fair trade organizations. So not only are you buying beautiful yarn, you are also supporting a great cause!

As our love affair with sock yarns continues to grow, we couldn't just stop at Pediboo, could we? SweetGeorgia Yarns is another company we've just started a great friendship with! Felicia Lo, the owner of SweetGeorgia Yarns, actually had an educational background in pharmaceutical science, communication design, photography, and textile arts - talk about being well-rounded! Hailing from Vancouver, Canada, this spectacular artisan yarn company individually dyes their yarns by hand - creating color blends with personality, boldness, and "unapologetic color". As you can see, the color-ways speak for themselves, but we did want to briefly introduce the first line we have started to carry from SweetGeorgia...

After a highly anticipated wait, Ysolda Teague's guide to perfecting sweater construction is finally here! Little Red in the City addresses several of our fit issues with knitted garments and provides the dream guide to customizing almost any project for your body. Ysolda acknowledges that women don't always fit into the typical Small, Medium, and Large sizing and thus includes a wide range of sizes for the seven designs in her book. "Little Red in the City" is the hybrid book of knitting reference and pattern design you've been looking for, making it an awesome addition to your knitting library!

Clover Bamboo needles just got better with the introduction of their new interchangeable needle sets! Complete with twelve sizes of needles ranging from US 3 to US 15 and cord lenths 16", 24", 29", 36" and 48", this set has everything you need for completing gorgeous knitted masterpieces! The whole set is stored in a lovely zippered case that will also hold all of your cables, plus a few other small notions here and there. If you are a big fan of Clover's quality bamboo needles, consider adding this versatile interchangeable set to round-out your collection!

Knitted jewelry? Yes, please! The new Butin Collar kit by Laura Nelkin is a stylish and simple necklace design that only takes 20 yards of fingering weight yarn and some classy glass beads. The kit has everything you need to knit up this lovely necklace including the yarn, beads, clasp, and the pattern. You could even use this design to knit up some of that leftover fingering weight yarn you have lying around in your stash! The Butin Collar is a beautiful and unique design that knits up quickly and makes for a great last-minute gift or accessory for your next big event!

Be still, my heart-- or maybe just stop altogether with Addi's new HeartStopper accessories! Made to click into any of the Addi Click sets, these little stoppers are useful for freeing up needle tips for other projects, creating super flexible straight needles, or doing Tunisian crochet. They add tons of versatility to your Addi Clicks, Addi Lace Clicks, Addi Natura Clicks, or Addi Click Crochet sets! Luckily, Addi Heart Stoppers won't actually stop your heart, but they certainly will stop your stitches from falling off the cables, making them a valuable addition to your Addi Interchangeable system!

Looking for an attractive and portable storage method for those loose patterns and skeins of yarn? Well, the Lantern Moon Classic Caddy just might be the solution to your problem! This sturdy caddy with its black wooden frame and woven Uzu fiber outer basket are classically beautiful and will go with a wide range of decor. The basket is lined with a cotton and linen blend of fabric to protect your yarn and prevent snagging. Consider this lovely caddy as a new way to store in-progress projects right next to the couch or by your go-to knitting chair!

We love Interweave's Special Issue Magazines -- in particular Knit and Spin! This year's issue contains a wealth of knowledge for those knitters and spinners out there who love both crafts equally or the newbies who are interested to learn how to spin their own yarn! With tips for new spinners, 30 different projects for hand-spun yarn, plus tons of other tips and techniques, this issue of Knit and Spin is a great addition to your knitting library! Plus, one of our own very talented beans Allison, wrote the book and video review section for this issue! So exciting!

With an easy-peasy stitch patterning and a subtle change of hook size, this beginner openwork Twisty cowl is a charming project for end of summer knitting! You'll be sure to have this crocheted accessory finished and ready to wear in just a few evenings, just in time for the cooler months ahead!

My favorite aspect of this kit is the fact that it calls for Rowan's Belle Organic Dk yarn, created by the famous U.S. designer Amy Butler. Composed of 50% organic wool and 50% organic cotton, this yarn is spectacular for transitional weather garments since it is so versatile. This outstanding organic fiber is also dyed in a rich array of bold and whimsical colors to brighten up any outfit.

Of course, since this kit is now priced at 20% off for the month, you'll want to make up a few of these in every color. I'm sure you have a birthday present or two on your list, too!