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YARNMARKET.COM NEWS ISSUE #43
In This Issue:
Fall Fashion Trends: Volume for All, Jackets Galore & Jazzy Accessories That Will Last You All Season Long | Enjoy the Major Yarnmarket Expansion of Our Needful Yarns Collection | Also Now Available New Yarns & Colors from Two of Your Favorite Companies -- Noro & Debbie Bliss | Then There Are Even More New Yarns Now in Stock from Knit One, Crochet Too & Cherry Tree Hill | Starting on Your Holiday Gift Making: Handcrafted Toys, the Safe Alternative | | Knitting & Crocheting for a Better World, Part 3: Easy Ways to Support Breast Cancer Research | Customer Service the Yarnmarket Way
Fall Fashion Trends: Volume for All, Jackets Galore & Jazzy Accessories That Will Last You All Season Long
Following up on our start to the fall fashion outlook in the August newsletter and our continuation in the September issue, we've been researching what will be the most trendy & eye-catching items for you to wear during the cool days & nights of fall & winter. Of course, we're also paying close attention to the color trends too so that we'll have in stock just what you need when you need it. As always, we're transforming the trends outlined in our favorite haute-couture mags into more comfortable, figure-flattering designs without losing any of the cutting-edge pizzazz. So as you've come to expect, we've added some striking new creations to our Project Ideas department, so you'll see what you need to make in order to keep you & yours fashionably dressed with plenty of gift ideas too.
To follow up on the cardis of Vogue's "Back to School Cool" in August and the fashionable cable stitch from September, we're adding the characteristic of volume for the fall & winter as it works for layering and even showcasing cables at times. We've all seen the oversized, generously proportioned jackets & sweaters on display so prominently in all the stores today. Well, we've recently added several projects that will keep you right in style with the latest "hot" looks for the fall & winter chill along with fashionable accessories that are exclusive to Yarnmarket:
First off, for the latest in high-fashion trends, we always look to design powerhouse Gedifra and this month is no exception. Building on the beautiful softness of Gedifra's Lordana Boucle is the sensational Lordana Jacket for your fall & winter wardrobe. Enjoy its generous fit & the European flair you expect from those creative designers at Gedifra. Add the subtle striping & nubby texture of "Lordana Boucle" yarn, and you have a surefire winner all season long!
Then for a little different jacket style and adding those popular cable accents, we have a terrific creation from up-and-coming Norah Gaughan of Berroco. The Alpaca Elodie Cabled Shrug is finely crafted of Ultra Alpaca Light. With terrific cabling & that distinctive Norah Gaughan shaping, this lovely shrug is a fall/winter must-have. Generously sized for many body shapes & sizes, this little jacket works well for petite, average & tall women, and we particularly like that it's sized for your height & general proportions.
Other delightful jacket & cardigan projects that will give you that oversized, voluminous effect are included in the Women's Jackets & Coats and the Women's Cardigans departments. Of course, we can't resist suggesting a few goodies too for you like:
Rowan's clever, feminine Hermione Biggy Print Jacket with its innovative loop trim;
From Maggi Knits comes the Clarin Cardi Coat with its sleek yet generous lines and its ability to be shortened to jacket length by just unbuttoning the bottom section;
The innovative Knot the Point Jacket with all the flair & pizzazz you expect from the Twisted Sisters; and
The Posh Boxy Cardigan from knitwear maven Michael Kors and featuring Classic Elite's exquisite Posh yarn.
For long-sleeved sweater pizzazz with plenty of volume, the design aficionados at Vogue Knitting commissioned the modernized version of a 1990s ski sweater in the Cashmere Blend Cabled Pullover. Based on an original Donna Karan knitwear design, this tunic-length sweater or mini-dress gets its distinctive bell shape from a combination of all-over cables, circular yoke & ribbed mock turtleneck. The body & sleeves, knit in Lion Brand's Cashmere Blend, are stitched in the round to the yoke, where everything is knitted upward circularly.
In addition to all these scrumptious jackets & sweaters, the other hot items for enlivening your fall/winter wardrobe are colorful scarves & wraps, but don't choose just any old design or pattern. We've taken care to add projects to our Scarves & Ties area and to the Shawls, Stoles & Wraps department that will keep you on the cutting edge of fashion and looking distinctive.
One such distinctive scarf is the Supermerino Chevron Scarf, a lovely yet straightforward creation that we know you'll love. Designed specifically for Yarnmarket's exclusive colorways of the Impressionist Collection, this striped scarf is a lovely addition to your accessories wardrobe. With its gentle chevron wave pattern & generous sizing, this accessory will quickly become a treasured accent for your favorite jacket or coat. It even starts with a free pattern downloadable at home, so what could be easier than that?
Then in terms of lovely shawls, you can't beat the Lace Transparent Shawl, ideal as a 1st lace project for the Beginning Intermediate knitter. Using an easy-to-remember, repetitive openwork pattern, Cherry Tree Hill founder Cheryl Potter has provided a free design to get you started on this lacy shawl. Any laceweight yarn will work, but the style is most perfectly suited to Cherry Tree Hill's limited-edition Orenburg Lace because of its lightness & high quality. Wrap yourself in luxury with a reasonable investment and another free pattern.
And last but never least comes our newest project for the wee ones in your life. We have found one of the cutest yet still relatively easy sweaters for boys & girls in the PJ's Something Fishy Pullover. Whether your favorite little one has fish as pets or just loves to go fishing, this cute sweater is the ideal unisex choice. Designed exclusively for "PJ's" from Knit One, Crochet Too, this comfy pullover knits up beautifully in a variety of coordinating combos of the single hues of PJ's Solid & the color-coordinated variegated prints of PJ's. Just consult with that special child on his or her favorite shades & then get started on this precious gem.
Enjoy the Major Yarnmarket Expansion of Our Needful Yarns Collection
In just the past few weeks we're excited that we've been able to expand significantly our collection of beautiful fibers from Needful Yarn for your knitting & crocheting enjoyment. From self-stripers to feltable fibers and from baby goodies to intriguing marls & tweeds, the Needful Yarn family is more & more a one-stop brand for all your fall & winter craft needs.
First off, we are introducing what has quickly become the tweedy favorite of such well-respected designers as Sally Melville & Fiona Ellis -- London Tweed. Definitely with a British flair yet with Italian craftsmanship & softness, "London Tweed" gives you terrific knitting & crocheting options almost too numerous to list! Just take a look at the Needful: Sally Melville Collection with its spectacular cabled jumper you can knit in "London Tweed" or in cotton-blend Kim, and you'll see exactly what we mean. Add that it's feltable with a touch of lovely rayon flecks of color, and you have a marvelous option at a reasonable price.
Our second new addition to the Needful family of yarns is also a feltable beauty and it's self-striping to boot! Joy is well named because the yarn gurus at Needful have developed some definitely "joyful" color combos for this gem. From the neutrals so popular this season to the luscious purples & bright oranges & reds of fall, "Joy" is a terrific option for all your worsted-weight garments & accessories. And since the lovely stripes develop automatically, anything you create will fascinate your friends & relatives who will find it hard to believe you when you explain how easy working with this yarn really was.
We even have a new baby & children's goodie for you to enjoy, and we bet you'll love crocheting & knitting with Puppy yarn just as much as your favorite little one will enjoy snuggling in it all fall and winter. Just take a look at the sensational color combos ideal for precious little bundles of joy, and we know your fingers will start itching to create a beautiful heirloom. And since "Puppy" is that most versatile of all yarn weights -- worsted -- you can make a wide range of blankets, pullovers, hats, cardigan jackets, really a whole wardrobe for your favorite little girl or boy.
Last but certainly not least of the new yarns comes a multi-colored, marled version of the oh-so-popular Van Dyck yarn. Needful's Van Dyck Stampato is the variegated or print version ("stampato" is Italian for "printed") that combines several of the lovely solid colors into one fabulous, marled creation. The two yarns are totally interchangeable as to gauge too, of course, so you can substitute one for the other in any Van Dyck Needful book or pattern. Add the chunky, quick-to-create perfection of the "Van Dyck" mighty duo, and you have a wonderful option for all your projects on larger needles & hooks.
And one more thing to explore in the Needful collection of fall & winter yarns -- we've expanded your color choices in our well-established Needful Yarns too. Be sure to take a look at the new hues available in Van Dyck (7 in stock now & 1 more to come), Extra Stampato (10 more now available!) and Bambini Soft formerly known as "Baby Soft" (2 new neutrals).
Also Now Available New Yarns & Colors from Two of Your Favorite Companies -- Noro & Debbie Bliss
With new fall yarns and colors arriving every day from some of our favorite yarn companies, we're always checking out our deliveries to see what new goodies have just come in. Besides the new fiber collections we're featuring this issue in separate articles, we now have new yarns in stock from Noro and Debbie Bliss plus new colors in established yarns from them too.
We know how much you enjoy the luscious colorways & luxurious fiber blends of Silk Garden and Silk Garden Lite, and with these two options your worsted & DK-weight knitting & crochet projects have been covered. But now we're happy to announce that we have the bulky-weight addition in stock & ready to ship to you -- Silk Garden Chunky. Eisaku Noro has worked his special magic once again to give you the same scrumptious blend of high-quality fibers but at a quick-to-create gauge on larger needles & hooks. Now you can knit up your favorite jacket, pullover, scarf, shawl or bag in those superb self-striping hues even faster than before!
In addition to this bulky-weight beauty from Noro, we are now carrying the brand-new fiber development from Debbie Bliss -- Luxury Tweed. Starting with her traditional formula for her Donegal Tweed Aran, she's transformed it into something even more spectacular by adding angora to the fiber mix. As a superb addition to her Irish tweed collection from Kilcar, Ireland, "Luxury Tweed" gives you an added softness & suppleness you'll rarely find elsewhere. And as you've come to expect, Debbie Bliss launches her new fiber creation with the support of the great patterns in the Luxury Collection and also featuring other of her extraordinary yarns such as Pure Cashmere and Cashmerino Chunky.
Also check out all the spectacular new hues & color combos we've just received & are still processing in most of the wide range Noro & Debbie Bliss yarns including Alpaca Silk, Alpaca Silk DK, Baby Cashmerino, Cashmerino Aran, Cashmerino Chunky, Cashmerino DK, Cashmerino Superchunky, Donegal Tweed Aran, SoHo, Cashmere Island, Iro, Cash Iroha, Kochoran, Silk Mountain and Silver Thaw. But we recommend that you check all of their fall/winter yarns because we're getting shipments every day, and even if the "pre-order now" label is still posted on a color, if the caption reads "in stock," then we do have it available.
Then There Are Even More New Yarns Now in Stock from Knit One, Crochet Too & Cherry Tree Hill
Now we know you enjoy the wonderful fibers brought to you by Knit One, Crochet Too and the lovely color combinations from Cherry Tree Hill. So we try our very best to keep you up to date on the latest offerings from these two Yarnmarket faves. And this month is no exception because we bring you two delicious new yarns from Knit One, Crochet Too and one from Cherry Tree that's a never-before-released creation resulting from a new partnership much like Cherry Tree Hill has recently developed with Louet.
First off is the partnership Cherry Tree Hill has developed with Wool in the Woods. Similar to the arrangements Cherry Tree made with Louet to dye Louet Gems in the Cherry Hill Tree colorways, Cherry Tree has gotten permission to make available never-before-released Harmony from Wool in the Woods. A lovely blend of wool, mohair & silk with a touch of nylon, "Harmony" is a sensational boucle option in variegated hues & solid colors. Add the terrific texture a small-looped boucle can give your creations, and then give your imagination free reign to think of all the worsted-weight afghans, jackets, shrugs, ponchos, shawls and more you can knit & crochet.
Then as we turn our attention to luxury fibers once again, you can't get much more luxurious than velvety soft Ambrosia from Knit One, Crochet Too. With wonderful, lightweight elegance, "Ambrosia" is the perfect choice for your fingering-weight projects. With its superb blend of silk, cashmere & baby alpaca (without the fuzz!), this marvelous yarn knits up & crochets beautifully into delicate shawls, splendid tops, free-flowing scarves and even lacy socks.
Then for the 1st time that we know of, Knit One, Crochet Too has developed a handpainted version of one of their single-hued wonders. They now have available Handpainted Ambrosia combining some of our favorite shades of solid-colored "Ambrosia." What could be better than having the two options to mix & match? And since the yarns are totally interchangeable by gauge & yardage, you can substitute one for the other in such fabulous new Knit One Crochet Too patterns as:
Ambrosia Clouds of Lace Scarf (#1468) that teams "Ambrosia" with ever-popular Douceur et Soie for a heavenly soft accessory;
The Ambrosia Crocheted Triangles Shawl (#1281) for a lovely, lacy effect, and the same style is also available in a knitted version as the Ambrosia Triangles Shawl (#1280);
The Ambrosia Fuji Bolero (#3976) that mixes the solid colors with the multis;
A fun footwear pattern using the variegated yarn but equally well suited to the solids in the Ambrosia Zig Socks (#1474);
The East-West Pullover (#1268) knitted side to side for some innovative detailing & figure-enhancing features;
The uniquely designed, long-sleeved top pattern for the Ambrosia Graceful Gathers II (#1272); and
A traditional, simple scarf rendered extraordinary in "Ambrosia" -- Cathy's Seaman Scarf (#0986).
Starting on Your Holiday Gift Making: Handcrafted Toys, the Safe Alternative
We all have holiday shopping ahead of us of one kind or another, and if you're like the majority of the staff here at Yarnmarket, you've been paying careful attention to the recent news stories about children's toys recalled because of a variety of dangers & hazards. Now we all want to keep our precious little ones entertained yet safe during the upcoming celebrations, and what could be safer than giving handcrafted toys to your favorite tykes? Our Toys department has many fun ideas for stuffed toys, and of course, you can count on us to feature some new ones too along with some ever-popular faves.
One of our recently added new toy projects is the Comfort Sweater Bear, a precious little buddy for your most precious little one. One of the things that makes this teddy bear so interesting is that his attractive Fair Isle sweater is knitted on as that section of his body so that little fingers can't tug it off. Then since the rest of him is crafted of dark brown, supersoft, non-allergenic Comfort from Berroco, you get the traditional teddy bear with a built-in pullover. Now how's that for an all-in-one toy project!
Another new toy project that's just adorable is the Cashmerino Bunny by children's knitwear guru Debbie Bliss. Just 8" tall counting the ears, this cute stuffed rabbit is also a well-dressed option for that special baby or child, and with this one, the garment is removable. Just pick out your favorite color of Baby Cashmerino for the bunny & the front heart motif and a contrasting color for the garment & you'll be all set. For example, the bunny could be light pink & the jumper dark pink, or you could choose yellow & brown or cream & green or purple with lilac or, well, you get the idea. The color combos are pretty much wide open and are limited only by your imagination. And if you have lots of children or grandchildren, you can make each new pal a little bit differently!
Then several other tried & true toy projects stay ever popular and we continue to recommend them such as:
The easy Striped Snake for children who love slithery, crawling things. What better "pet" than a "non-poisonous" toy reptile to wind around their arm and snuggle in bed with!
Another rabbit project called Baby's First Bunny Rabbit but this one is crafted of extra-soft Darling yarn from Wendy/Peter Pan.
And a larger teddy bear option designed for a little girl -- the Catherine Bear in the White Dress.
Knitting & Crocheting for a Better World, Part 3: Easy Ways to Support Breast Cancer Research
As we introduced in the August newsletter and continued in the September newsletter, we're showcasing our annual feature of highlighting worthy causes in need of your handcrafted items. Thank you for your great suggestions last month, and since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and October 21st is National Mammography Day in the U.S., we're doing something a little different as a support to charity with our crafts. For this month's feature, we're highlighting craft items that you can enjoy yourself or give as wonderful gifts and at the same time benefit breast cancer research:
One of our favorite companies continues to donate a portion of its profits directly & entirely to the S.D. Ireland Cancer Research Fund, a not-for-profit organization that pays all of its own adminsitrative costs so that 100% of donated monies go directly for research. Every time you buy any of the Denise Pink Items for Breast Cancer Research you are supporting this worthy cause. The Denise Knitting Needle Company donates $5 for each pink kit, $2 for each pink companion set & $1 for each pink extension cord.
Then one of our most respected American yarn companies has developed a special colorway in their ever-popular Shepherd Sock yarn. Lorna's Laces contributes 20% of all sales of color #507 "Flamingo Stripe" to breast cancer charities, so all you sock knitters, please take note & get in the pink today!
Also the company you've come to rely on for high-quality, handcrafted bags, cases & totes brings you a special accessory for carrying your latest project everywhere you travel. Lantern Moon has developed the Tote for the Cure as a very special edition of their Palm Leaf Tote. You'll love this tote's black braided palm exterior plus the black & pink taffeta gingham lining & inside zipper pocket. Add the magnetic snap closure & sleek wooden handle, and you have a handbag you'll be proud to carry. Even better, Lantern Moon donates $2 for each tote sold to Living Beyond Breast Cancer, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering women affected by breast cancer through wellness, education & support programs.
Also because we believe so strongly in charitable giving, we'll keep highlighting groups and organizations with which you can get involved, especially through the upcoming holiday months to remind us that those in need can benefit greatly from our beloved crafts. To suggest a non-profit, charitable group for us to feature, just e-mail the newsletter editor and share your suggestions. Please provide any details you have including the website address, contact person's name, e-mail address, etc. Then watch future issues of this newsletter for updates at least through the upcoming holiday months.
Customer Service the Yarnmarket Way
You know that we the staff of www.yarnmarket.com pride ourselves on our customer service. Each order is packed with pride by Alma, Amy, Lisa, Tina, Suzi, Julie or Debbie –- and we’re happy to say that although we have the occasional glitch, we have an almost 99% accuracy rate. If something does go wrong, we’ll do everything we can to make it right for you . . . right away! Just send us an e-mail at orders@yarnmarket.com or call us at 1-888-996-9276, and we’ll take care of the problem. Our customer service hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.
Also we're available to help you be sure you have all of the knitting & crochet supplies you need for the upcoming major holiday gift-giving season. We can suggest projects & patterns, select lovely color combos, even figure out yarn substitutions as needed for patterns you already have. Just let us know how we can help out & we'll be sure to do our best to support you in your love of our favorite crafts.
Thanks for reading, and please remember to take time for yourself as the busy fall season is just getting started with all its upcoming celebrations, holiday madness & shopping craziness. Reading, getting a little extra rest and of course, knitting & crocheting are terrific options for keeping you relaxed & ready for all the demands of this busy time of year.
And as always,
Happy Knitting & Crocheting!
Your Yarnmarket Knitting Store Staff
Yarnmarket, BargainYARNS and Yarndex are subsidiaries of Yarnmarket, LLC. Yarnmarket is an online yarn retailer with over 500 quality brands from 50 leading manufacturers, plus patterns, books and accessories. BargainYARNS provides discounts on fashionable yarns and accessories. Yarndex is a free online yarn directory offering detailed information about specific yarns from leading manufacturers.
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