in this week....

Yesterday we got a big order of Manos in at the shop. Our most popular variegated colors are now back in stock, including our number 1 seller--Wildflower. And let me say that this particular batch of Wildflower is truly stunning. Each batch of Manos is a little different, and the colors are always a surprise. This Wildflower was a great surprise. Come in and pick out a wonderful wool for a sweater or some cozy mittens!

We also have restocked our Cascade 220 colors. You are making this yarn a great success. We are glad we decided to stock it! Please let us know specific colors you would like to see us add!

Finally, we have received a shipment of Schaefer Yarn's fantastic sock yarn--Anne. Is it a coincidence that this yarn carries the same name as our resident Sock Queen? I like to think the Schaefer folks had a hunch. Come in a pick out a great variegated color for fancy socks. I am in love with the shades of pink.

Delicious.

just in time.

We have new things! Just under the wire for the holidays we have some new wonderful yarns as well as some new colors in old favourites.

New Yarns
Crystal Palace Bamboozle
This is a beautiful yarn we are adding to our wonderful wall of kid-friendly fibers. It is a blend of 55% Bamboo, 24% Cotton, and 21% Elastic Nylon that knits up at 4.5 stitches to the inch on a size US 8 needle. Crystal Palace says.... Great for adult garments, baby projects and socks, too! A lovely lustre and feel due to the bamboo & cotton.

Plymouth Happy Feet
This yarn is so new that the company has yet to add a page for it on their website! This soft 90% Superwash Merino Wool, 10% Nylon blend knits at 8 stitches to the inch on a size US 2 needle and come in beautiful variegated shades. This is by far our best value in the handpainted look yarns. You can knit a pair of socks for under $15! Tuck this in your favourite sock knitter's stocking and you will have more than Happy Feet!

Crystal Palace Kid Merino
You ask for it, and Lyn listens! In an effort to bring more affordable choices in mohair yarns to the shop, Lyn is testing out this beautiful Kid Mohair, Merino wool, and Nylon blend that knits anywhere from a lace gauge to a DK weight depending on the needle size you select. This offering is very similar to Rowan's Kidsilk Haze (which we will continue to carry!) but comes in some different colors and has a lower price point. Please give us feedback on this yarn and help us decide if we should continue to expand our selection.

Cascade 220
We are pleased to announce that we are now be carrying a perennial favourite for both felters and garment knitters--Cascade 220! Somewhat sadly this means we will be parting ways with Lamb's Pride. It will not be 100% out of our lives. We are still happy to special order anything from them you need. Part of our decision was based on getting you a better price--you get more yards for less money with Cascade 220. Another part of our decision was based on color selection. We hope the bright shades we ordered will fill your needs! As we expand this line, please let us know what colors you want to see.

New Colors
Berroco Ultra Alpaca
This yarn is a store favourite. I am using it to knit the Gathered Pullover from the current issue of Interweave Knits. Lyn has a stunning Kaffe Fasset sweater (in about 20 colors!) on the needles for her husband and Anne has a very pretty cabled number going for herself in Ultra Alpaca. If the test of any product's quality is whether or not the suppliers are knitting with it, then I would say this one passes with flying colors. Make that... lots of new flying colors!

Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande
We cannot keep this yarn on the shelf! Now more colors to love! We added a pink/wine twist, chocolate brown, and beige (in addition to restocking old favourites). You still have enough time to knit a quick hat or scarf in this chunky gauge yarn. Or!! Give the gift of softness to the knitter you love!


Plymouth Baby Alpaca Brush
The soft and fuzzy cousin of Grande, this yarn is a good value and beautiful alternative for folks who cannot wear mohair. We have added two "paints" colors plus a soft pink and mauve! Come in and fall in love with this little cloud of softness!

(Great story from the shop... This week a husband came in and bought his knitter wife a sweater quantity of Baby Alpaca Brush! This thoughtful man included a pattern, notions kit, and Sweater Wizard Software in her stocking. Have you been training your Special Santa the way one savvy knitter has?)


Special Buy!

Crystal Palace is discontinuing some of their yarns and Lyn snapped them up to give you a chance to get your hands on them before they are gone! Buy what you need while we have it, these darlings are able to be reordered.

First we have Labrador, a 100% wool thick and thin yarn that knits at a super bulky gauge. Next we have Cotton Chenille in discontinued colors like a lovely pale salmon. Spring will be here before you know it, and wouldn't be lovely to have a bit of this in your stash?

Check back at the blog for more discontinued yarns in the future. Lyn has her eyes peeled for these special buys so we can bring you special yarns before they are gone for good.

disappearing act

Normally I make weekly updates about what has come into the shop. I say "normally" because i have obviously not been doing that for a bit now. Why is that, you may ask? Well. I will tell you.

We cannot keep our new shipments on the shelves. Everything we are order this time of year is to restock bare shelves, and you fantastic folks keep buying us out right after we open the boxes!

I'm not complaining. Really. Please, take our Baby Alpaca Grande. Take our Baby Alpaca Brush. Be gone with the Ultra Alpaca and Pure Merino! Manos del Uruguay, adieu! And Cashmere. Ahh, Karabella Cashmere Elite.... fair thee well.

The good news is that I can safely say that we ordered 6 boxes of the French Blue Cashmere Elite, and we still have it in stock. Knit the Pure Bliss Scarf! You know you want to. Still finishing your holiday knitting and don't have the "time" to knit yourself a cashmere delight?

We'll still be here after January 1st... you know... when you buy yourself what you really wanted.

you know you want to.

The shipment we received of Manos del Uruguay on Wednesday is out of the boxes and on the floor. Look at that stunning color. Look at the variety to select from. See the abundant stock?

Come in for a visit and take some of it home.

You know you want to!

out of the boxes

We have had several shipments of fantastic things hit the store just in time for the after-Thanksgiving-shopping-rush. Even a few new items! We received a big shipment of books--both new titles and some oldies-but-goodies no one should be without.

Restocked Yarn

The big news is that we received a huge shipment of Manos del Uruguay. We are stocking some new colors and we have expanded our selection in the yellow/orange/red family. Come in to check out "topaz" and "pumpkin" to see how beautiful oranges can be!

We received a big order from Berroco that contained many of our diminished color stocks of Pure Merino and Ultra Alpaca.

Similarly, Trendsetter got us up to speed on colors for Tonalita and Dune.

Plymouth rounds out our restock with a huge shipment of Encore and Baby Alpaca Grande. We are pleased to announce that the variegated shades of Baby Alpaca Grande were so popular that we restocked the two we "tested" and added a third variegated shade!

Books

We are pleased to say that some of our most requested titles are back in stock. We have Sally Melville's The Knit Stitch, Ann Budd's The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns, and Debbie Stoller's Stitch'n'Bitch back on the shelves and waiting to go home with you!

While you are here, check out Sally Melville's other two books in The Knitting Experience line: The Purl Stitch and Color. We also stock other titles by Debbie Stoller including Stitch'n'Bitch Crochet:The Happy Hooker and her brand new titles Son of Stitch'n'Bitch. This is a fantastic book of patterns devoted to the men in our lives.

Finally, we have the perfect suggestions to get your holiday knitting up and running--small project books. We have restocked old favorites Last-Minute Knitted Gifts and Leigh Radford's Oneskein.

The new kid on the block is Judith Durant's new book 101 Designer One-Skein Wonders. It is her follow-up offering after last year's One-Skein Wonders, and in this blogger's opinion, the new book contains far superior designs. The focus has shifted away from novelty yarns to beautiful stitches that show off the stunning yarn selections.

boxes everywhere!

We have been getting many boxes over the last two weeks, and our stock of some of our favorite yarns is greatly replenished. Come in and see the new colors, return of old favorites, and a brand new baby yarn.

Classics

Berroco Pure Merino
Our color selection has been improved by two shipments hot on the heels of one another. Come in and get your pick of this soft, machine washable 100% merino wool.

Berroco Jasper
Quickly coming a favorite this fall, come in and get the colors before they go out of stock once again. We have ordered a new color this go around--a beautiful range of greens with purple accents. Truly stunning. This yarn is super soft for accessories and sweaters or perfect for a felting project.

Mano del Uruguay
Kettle dyed goodness is back! We have restocked many popular colors including two we can't keep on the shelves--the bright chartreuse green "Citric" and the multi-red "Flame".


Big'n'Chunky

Rowan Big Wool
Big Wool is back! Two new colors you must check out-- a soft leaf green and a rich aubergine purple. Last minute knitted gift? No problem with the fast and thick Big Wool.

Karabella Puffy
Like Big Wool, but... puffier! This fun yarn come sin solids and multicolor shades to add a bit of whimsy to your quick knits.


Baby

Shepherd Aussie Baby DK
We have added a new member to our DK baby yarn family. This delightful yarn comes in a range of colors not covered by our other favorites--Peter Pan, and Dreambaby DK. Check it out for your next kiddo project.


Socks

Handpaints return! We restocked both Great Adirondack Silky Sock (a silk/wool blend) and Mountain Colors Bearfoot (a wonderful sport weight wool blend).

We also have new colors of Jawoll, Lana Grossa and Fortissma to brighten up your sock knitting life.