Yarnmarket's Spotlight on Rowan

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Cocoon Compassion Tunic

We can't imagine that any knitter is not familiar with the globally popular Rowan brand. This British-based yarn manufacturer produces stylish designs and quality yarns for consumers worldwide so they can look fashionable while they express their creativity.

Founded by the talented Stephen Sheard, a textile and carpet designer, and his childhood friend, Simon Cockin, who trained as an engineer, the company was built on their dream of creating a resource for knitters and weavers that supplied good wools and cottons in a wide array of colors. They made that dream a reality and today boast one of the most successful yarn companies in the world.

They achieved their dreams by giving careful evaluation of each and every yarn and of the collection of designs they offered, making certain to create a unified presentation that was always truly reflective of their brand.

Today, responsibility for the yarns lies with Kate Buller, the Rowan Brand Manager in England, and her fabulous Rowan design team. These are the yarn and knitting experts who monitor trends in the marketplace to determine what styles will be popular, and who then apply their very discriminating standards to the fibers they choose to produce. The vast majority of products that bear the Rowan label are created using natural fibers, selected after being carefully examined for hand and performance when they are knit, and also for quality of construction and durability. Kate and her team also consider whether the prospective yarn will fit into the existing Rowan collection and how it might complement the other Rowan styles that are offered.

Winter Warmers has
many smaller projects
to teach technique.

Once the actual fibers have been determined for the fashion season, the glorious task of designing can begin. British head of design, Marie Wallin, and her staff designer, Lisa Richardson, create wonderful collections twice a year, drawing not only upon their immeasurable skills, but also upon the talents of other designers whose creativity fills the pages of Rowan's fine-quality magazines. Each one presents a vast array of fashions created specifically for the yarns they use, and is beautifully photographed in settings that range from elegant country estates to rough and rugged landscapes.

Rowan has a well-established network of designers in the UK that includes luminaries like Kaffe Fassett, Brandon Mably, Martin Storey, Sarah Hatton, and Jennie Atkinson. Additionally, Magazine 51 for Spring 2012 will present six patterns by an American-based knitwear designer, Josh Bennett, a young rising star from New York City. It's exciting to see an up-and-coming North American amidst the august group of successful designers for the brand, and his entry into the fold will not only reflect a new attitude, but will also fulfill the need for more men's garments in the market. You may already be familiar with Josh's designs because he's regularly featured in Vogue Knitting, and often using Rowan yarns.

As we mentioned, the fashion experts at Rowan keep a watchful eye on trends. They recognize that knitters have changed in the last decade, and while there are more people who've taken up the craft, many who are interested in building their skills prefer to do so with smaller projects. Rowan has intelligently reacted by introducing more collections of smaller projects such as Winter Warmers, a new book that focuses on accessories using Lima baby alpaca yarn and the new Alpaca Chunky.

Another change in knitting that has caught the attention of Rowan's designers is the trend for men to learn the skill. This growing men’s knitting movement creates a challenge because men tend to have the confidence to tackle a larger or more difficult project sooner or more often than women. Rowan has always included designs for men's garments and accessories, but this year introduced Dalesmen, a book designed by Martin Storey, that has a wider variety of projects for different levels of expertise.

Dalesmen features
patterns and accessories
for men.

With a tradition of excellence and a vision for the future, Rowan's design and creative team will ensure the brand strengthens and grows while remaining loyal to its origins. They work collaboratively toward continued global success with partners throughout the world, such as Westminster Fibers in North America. In the United States, Westminster Fibers has been marketing the Rowan brand for over 30 years now. In 2008, they became responsible for Canadian distribution as well.

Westminster Fibers is an outstanding representative for their British partners because they understand that tradition and continuity is what makes the Rowan brand special and always in demand. They are proud to offer their part of the world a complete package of yarn and supporting designs that continue to be true to their foundation.

Win a Rowan Gift Package Worth Over $200

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Colourspun

This supersoft marled wool blend is ideal for your DK-weight projects. Colourspun has a base strand of single ply, tone-on-tone roving that’s wound with a variegated nylon thread. Made in Italy, this yarn is 72% wool, 14% mohair and 14% nylon. 10 tweedy colors.

Big Wool

There’s nothing more satisfying than a quick-to-create project with a big, soft, colorful wool! Whether you’re knitting for yourself or making a quick gift, you’ll love this 100% Merino wool yarn made from two soft, fat plies that look like a single yarn. We have 25 gorgeous shades.

Rowan Magazine 50

Rowan Knitting
Magazine 49

Rowan Studio Issue 22

Rowan's Greatest Knits

Kidsilk Creation

This lightweight netting yarn is a big hit this season as knitters use it to create beautiful flouncy scarves in about an hour. It’s made with the same 70% super kid mohair and 30% silk fiber as Kidsilk Haze, so it has a pretty, soft halo. Now in the 6 most popular shades of Kidsilk Haze.

Cashsoft DK

Here’s ultra-softness with superb drape. And, what’s even better is that it’s machine washable! The 57% merino wool and 33% microfiber polyester blend is made even softer with the added 10% cashmere. This yarn has outstanding stitch definition. Made in Italy in 23 colors.

Cocoon

Just touch Cocoon and you’ll be convinced that this super-soft is a must-have for hats, scarves and more! It’s made with 80% merino wool and 20% kid mohair and comes in generous 100-gram skeins so you’ll have fewer ends to weave in. This fantastic yarn is in 18 colors.

Felted Tweed Aran

This super-soft combo of 50% merino, 25% alpaca and 25% rayon is perfect for trendy fashions requiring a worsted weight yarn. It’s also available in DK-weight and Chunky if you’re looking for a fiber that’s available in different weights. We have 11 tweedy colors in stock.

Kidsilk Haze Stripe

Kaffe Fasset has a style all his own so you know that the colors he put into this yarn will reflect his creative genius. Crafted of 70% super kid mohair and 30% silk, this is a self-striping version of Kidsilk Haze. It’s available in generous 465 yard skeins in 6 pretty color combinations.

Lima

This hollow-core, chainette yarn is like a woven mini I-cord that provides fantastic stitch definition. It’s a buttery soft blend of 84% baby alpaca, 8% merino wool and 8% nylon that has terrific loft and lightness. In 16 heathery, tone-on-tone neutrals and jewel tones.

Handknit Cotton

If you’re looking for a quality made, pure cotton yarn in oodles of glorious colors, you’ve found it with Rowan’s Handknit Cotton. This perennial favorite is soft and plied, so it’s perfect for stitch definition in this season’s popular cable patterns. We have 30 colors in stock.

Rowan Tweed

Spun from 100% wool certified with the Woolmark symbol, Rowan Tweed and Tweed Fine have slubs of contrasting color throughout each strand. This yarn is spun as a single ply that’s softer than many of the traditional British tweeds. Made in the UK. 18 colors.

Purelife British Sheep Breeds DK

Here’s a classic, earth-friendly, DK-weight wool for traditional garments and accessories. Crafted of 100% British wool in the undyed, natural colors of the fleeces, Purelife British Sheep Breeds DK is available in 6 earth tones and marls.

Drift

Rowan's chunky Drift yarn gives you the same lovely results as Big Wool, but in a tweedy color palette. Spun and dyed in Italy of 100% merino wool, Drift has traditional, earth-tone multis you can coordinate with solid shades of Big Wool. We have 8 colors in stock.

Wool Cotton

If you want luxurious softness next to your skin, you’ll love Rowan Wool Cotton yarn. With 50% merino wool and 50% cotton, it’s a perfect blend of luxury and strength. Use it for winter sweaters, shawls, hats, scarves and mittens. Choose from 24 colors.

Kid Classic Yarn

Rowan Kid Classic is a beautiful, classic blend of 70% lambswool, 26% kid mohair and 4% nylon. The lambswool provides warmth; kid mohair creates a soft, pretty halo; and nylon gives the yarn strength. Perfect for feminine sweaters and shawls. 28 colors.

Kidsilk Haze

Soft as silk, light as a feather, and warmer than you’d imagine! Rowan Kidsilk Haze yarn is 70% super kid mohair and 30% silk yarn, spun with an ethereal halo that makes an elegant statement. This is one of our most popular yarns. Be sure to stock up now. 31 colors.

Silk Twist

The saturated, tone-on-tone marled colors will catch your eye. But once you feel the luxurious silk blend with a fluffy thread of mohair, you won’t be able to resist creating something soft and lovely. This Italian worsted weight yarn is perfect for winter fashions. 10 colors.

Alpaca Chunky

This super bulky braided yarn is crafted with 98% velvety soft alpaca and 2% nylon. That means you get wonderful softness plus added durability in a quick-to-create yarn. Perfect for knitted and crocheted jackets, pullovers, scarves, and more. Made in Italy. 4 colors.

Fine Lace

Imagine the sumptuous softness of 80% baby suri alpaca with 20% finest grade merino wool. Fine Lace can be single stranded for cobwebby knitted shawls and delicate crocheted scarves. Double stranded it makes fabulous heirloom-quality baby items. 10 colors.

Linda Pratt

To learn more about Rowan yarns, we spoke with Linda Pratt, the Creative Marketing Manager for Westminster Fibers. A talented knitter and former yarn shop owner, Linda has been with the company for many years, not only managing marketing for the Rowan brand in North America, but also overseeing programs for SMC and SMC Select, Regia, Lopi, Butterfly Cotton, James Brett and Stylecraft yarns. Her list of responsibilities also includes marketing for the company’s needlework products. As you’d imagine, she’s an extremely busy lady.

Recently, the company underwent reorganization, so we asked Linda what her new responsibilities include.

"My job has recently changed to focus more on the creativity aspect of marketing," she told us. "Advertising, promotions with customers, and web and social networking are three of several elements to the job."

Martha from Rowan
Magazine 50

She also focuses on the many consumer shows the company participates in and was recently at Stitches East. We met up with Linda at the VK Live Event we attended in Los Angeles and we look forward to seeing her again at Vogue’s event in New York City in January. If that’s not enough travel to keep her friendly with TSA Agents, Linda also flies to Europe for the world-famous Handarbeit + Hobby trade show in Cologne, Germany.

She tells us she enjoys these shows because she gets to meet her customers. “I live vicariously through their knitting projects, since I do not have a lot of time to knit. I love the enthusiasm of the knitter and crocheter in North America.”

Linda tells us she also likes working with yarn shop owners. "I enjoy the merchandising and promotional aspects, and love to hear that items are selling well."

When they do, Linda knows her marketing efforts are working. And when they need a little extra promotional effort, she’s happy to provide advice. With her experience as a shop owner she understands what knitters and crocheters are seeking and she knows how to help them select the fibers that are right for their projects. She knows her yarns, and loves them as much as we do.

Cordial

"I appreciate the beauty and art of knitting and crochet,” she says, “whether it’s in a beautiful pattern, a strong, focused advertisement, or simply holding a ball of yarn in my hands and dreaming."

We asked our yarn dreamer what she’d like to be knitting this season.

"This is always my favorite part of the interview," she confesses. "I can knit each garment vicariously as we discuss it!"

"From Magazine 50, I love Connie. It is the ultimate holiday sweater — soft, lacy, sexy and quite a statement."

"For daytime, I really love Martha and Cordial. These are two easy to knit jackets that complete a business wardrobe. Worn over a dress or a blouse and skirt or pants, they both dress up an outfit to give the wearer a professional look. The color palettes in the Pure Wool Aran and Big Wool respectively are wide and offer a lot of different color options."

Hornshaw

"Wilhelmina, from Nordic Tweed, is a once-in a lifetime garment that reminds me so much of Kaffe Fassett's iconic Foolish Virgins. The amount of work that goes into this garment guarantees that it will become an heirloom."

"On the other hand," Linda says, "a quick- knitting, fun, über-trendy garment like Keely from the Evolution brochure, is a lot of fun. I would try this in browns, grays or olives. There are many options in Cocoon and Drift to use."

"On a similar note, while I love all of the sweaters in Martin Storey’s Dalesmen brochure, I am smitten with Hornshaw, an easy modified drop shoulder bulky sweater in Big Wool. The model sweater features an intarsia moose — or deer, elk or caribou — depending on your region. This is totally optional. Without the motif, it's a great beginning sweater to knit, and could easily become something worn every day in the winter."

Wilhelmina

"Lastly," Linda says, "from the City Retreat brochure, in

Rowan’s Creative Focus Wool, I really love Boulevard that was also designed by Martin Storey. Martin’s cable detail on this cardigan makes it very fashionable and inspires me to consider knitting this every time I see it."

No doubt, Linda will be feverishly knitting this garment one of these days as she’s sitting near a gate, awaiting her next flight to a yarn show.

If you happen to see her at one of the Stitches or Vogue Knitting events where she’s enthusiastically demonstrating Rowan yarns, or emceeing a fabulous fashion show, you just might want to introduce yourself. Be sure to let her know which of her wonderful yarns you’re currently using for your project.

Kidsilk Haze
Alder Wrap

Kaffe Fassett has created a simple colorwork wrap that’s perfect for warmth on cold autumn and winter nights. Created in 12 shades of Kidsilk Haze yarn, the shawl has a striped effect with edges worked in moss stitch while the rest is stockinette. Finished size is 98" x 16".

Felted Tweed
Holly Tunic Cape

Designer Kaffe Fassett does it again with amazing intarsia colorwork in an autumn leaf pattern. This stunning piece is created with 11 shades of Felted Tweed yarn. A rainbow striped border encircles the garment. Wear it as a sweater or a cape.

Cashsoft & Kidsilk
Molly Pullover

Create a seductive sensation with Cashsoft DK and Kidsilk Haze yarns. The exquisitely feminine design is reminiscent of a corset worn over a delicate mohair sweater, creating a demure yet daring appeal. You’ll want to knit this little gem for fancy dinners and evenings on the town.

Connie
Pullover

This elegant sweater will be a wonderful addition to your holiday wardrobe. Crafted with Pure Wool 4-Ply and gorgeous Kidsilk Haze, it uses the intarsia technique to create peek-a-boo openings front and back. This form-fitting piece also has a ribbed neckline and hem.

Kidsilk Creation
Spiral Scarf

Got an hour? Create a sensation! This beautiful and deceptively simple scarf is crafted with Kidsilk Creation yarn. The wide knitted, net-like tube is knit along the edge to form ruffles. The pattern and instructions are inside the yarn label and just one ball makes it all!

Calmer
Pillow Covers

Nothing livens your décor like colorful throw pillows. These attractive pillow covers are created with Calmer yarn in three colors that are blended in blocks to create geometric designs. The pillow back has ribs and cables on a buttoned flap closure. 18" square and 12" square.

Lima Easy
Cabled Cowl

Are you just learning how to create cables? Then here’s a project you’ll love to make! Created with Lima yarn, the pattern features simple cables to help you perfect your skills of this fun technique. It's also a quick, easy knit for an experienced knitter! 12" x 21".

Big Wool Cardigan
Bay Jacket

You'll look chic and cozy in this jacket created with Big Wool yarn. A super chunky moss stitch across a simple raglan cardigan shows off the fundamental appeal of knitted stitches. The jacket is punctuated with eyelet raglan shaping lines and neat, edges in garter stitch.

Felted Tweed
Delphine Jacket

Jackets are big news this season…especially close fitting jackets like this flattering style in Felted Tweed yarn. The tweedy wool/alpaca blend provides a rustic look while the cables give it classic appeal. Show off your curves with a peplum and wear with a longer skirt.

Fine Tweed
Aldis Mittens

Fairisle color work is all the rage. These adorable mittens are knitted up with stripes and a Fairisle pattern that’s right in style this season. Keep your hands warm on a winter's day in 4-ply, 100% wool Fine Tweed yarn or give as a gift. A good intermediate project.

Cashsoft DK
Joyce Cardigan

This very tailored waist length cardigan is ribbed throughout and has pocket flaps for added styling. It's knitted using Cashsoft DK yarn, a wool-polyester blend with a touch of cashmere gives you ultra-softness, terrific stitch definition and machine washable.

Fine Tweed
Valdis Cardigan

We wouldn’t call this casual! It’s a chic Fairisle look in an elegantly casual front zippered cardigan. You knit it with Fine Tweed yarn, a lovely 4-ply 100% wool yarn that's perfect for Fairisle and color work. The stylish sweater is finished with a colorful collar, cuffs, and hem.

Felted Tweed
Riot Yoke Pullover

Isn’t this a gorgeous piece to add to your wardrobe? The Felted Tweed Chunky pullover will be a pleasure to knit and wear. Several simple stitches are combined to create luxurious texture in an easy-to-knit pattern. Wear this classic style with jeans or cords.

Rowan
Jacob Jacket

If you’re looking for a pattern for a young person, here’s a cozy jacket created with Felted Tweed Chunky and Colourscape Chunky yarns. The body is a pattern of squares using both yarns, the sleeves are Colourscape. Felted Tweed is used for the ribbed cuffs and hem.

Chunky Tweed
Hoy Cardigan

Fabulously crafted of quick-to-knit Felted Tweed Chunky, this jacket has all the details for which Rowan designer Erika Knight is so well known: strategic cabling on the sleeves and shoulders, functional pockets, a shaped shawl collar and an easy snap front closure.

Get great savings on
Rowan yarns at Yarnmarket's
BargainYARNS!

•30% off Big Wool Fusion

•50% off Cotton Braid

•25% off Purelife Organic Wool

•25% off Biggy Print

You'll find more savings on Rowan and other yarns every day in the BargainYARNS section of Yarnmarket

You could win a Rowan Gift Collection worth over $200.

If you love Rowan yarns, you'll want to enter this contest to win a prize package that includes:

• Rowan Magazine 50
• One skein of Rowan Kidsilk Haze Striped
• One skein of Rowan Kidsilk Creation
• 12 skeins of Rowan Big Wool Fusion

To enter, send an email with your answer to Rowan@Yarnmarket.com. Make sure the subject is: Spotlight on Rowan.

To enter, you must correctly answer this question: "Which Rowan yarn is used to create the Spiral Scarf in about an hour?"

One entry per person, please. We'll draw a winner from all the correct submissions received by midnight November 30, 2011 and announce it in our next issue of Spotlight.

Congratulations! The winner of our Debbie Bliss Spotlight gift package was Karen O'Brien of Danbury, CT.