Yarn Market Knitting News!

	YARNMARKET.COM NEWS ISSUE #77 In This Issue: Multi-Seasonal Versatility: Transitioning Your Wardrobe from Summer Heat to Cooler Autumn Temps | Exciting New Seasonless Yarns & Pattern Collection from Manos del Uruguay | New Fall 2010 Yarns from Berroco Add Texture, Color & Even Glamour to Your Cool-Weather Projects | Explore the Wonderful World of Silk & Alpaca with New Yarn & Dedicated Pattern Book by Debbie Bliss | August's Flower of the Month from Fiesta Gives You Fab Colors & Superb Pattern Support | Win One of 25 Cowl Girls Pattern Books Available Exclusively for Newsletter Readers and Check Out the Latest Release of Knitch Magazine | Customer Service Updates & Reminders Multi-Seasonal Versatility: Transitioning Your Wardrobe from Summer Heat to Cooler Autumn Temps   Wool Clasica Cutaway Vest   As we discussed most recently in the July newsletter last month, surviving the hot days of summer is keeping us busy trying to stay cool yet refurbish our wardrobes for the upcoming days of fall (officially a little over seven weeks away). It's a tricky enterprise because it means trying to stay cool and comfortable plus preparing outfits that will move effortlessly from warm days to the cooler evenings to come without needing all new garments. So here's a rundown on the best styles that will keep you and yours comfy and up to date over these remaining days of summer and early days of fall.   Kiddy Colors Unisex Vest   First off, what Frances Renner, senior sales & marketing VP of Barneys New York, refers to as "seasonless dressing" or "transition dressing" are the official terms for our dilemma. (Now doesn't it make you feel better to have some fashion jargon to drop into your conversations???) And as we've seen recently, layering is the best way to stay fashionable & comfortable now & also keep up with the cooler weather to come. It's also a terrific way not to break the bank as you work on enhancing your wardrobe without starting over for the upcoming season. Also expanding our accessories collection with lovely wraps and shawls is also just perfect this time of year. According to StyleBakery.com, creative layering is the only way to survive and maintain your fashion savoir faire. And in just four areas of our Project Ideas department -- Women's Tops, Women's Cardigans, Women's Vests and Women's Jackets & Coats, we have over 1500 layering ideas for you to try out.   Haiku Impressionist Wrap   Of course, our favorite knitwear designers are giving us terrific knitted and crocheted options for our warm-weather wardrobes to keep up with this embellishment trend. Designers for Manos del Uruguay have really outdone themselves. The attractive Wool Clasica Cutaway Vest is a Design By Judith creation with lovely lines. The asymmetrical trend is hot for fall, and this vest combines asymmetry with a textured basketweave stitch for added appeal. The end result is a fabulous layering option for your fall and winter wardrobe.   Kidsilk Sofia Wrap   Then also from Manos, be sure to check out the multi-seasonal Silk Vortex Vest with its funky, unique flair. The back of the piece is striped horizontally with four shades, some semi-solid and some space-dyed. Then the front panels are worked diagonally with fewer colors for a really interesting finished piece and definitely one that will stand out in any crowd and garner you many compliments. The layered vest trend is an easy one to add to your young ones' wardrobes too as so aptly demonstrated in the unisex Big Baby Kiddy Colors Vest. A super quick-to-knit project, this little vest looks equally adorable on girls as it does on boys so just choose your favorite color combo of brushed acrylic Big Baby yarn and get started on this one right away. The other major layering trend for summer moving in to fall is accessorizing with your favorite wrap or shawl, and do we have some real gems to inspire you. The beautiful yet straightforward Haiku Impressionist Wrap will simply take your breath away. From its alternating bands of slip stitch rib and stockinette ruching to the analogous color transitions, this shawl is a must-have no matter what the climate where you live. And for those of you looking forward to those cooler temps ahead, check out the classic styling of the Kidsilk Aura Sofia Wrap. Knitwear designer extraordinaire Kaffe Fassett has incorporated over a dozen shades, and used Intarsia to create the multi-colored blocks that make up this wrap for an end result well worth the effort. Exciting New Seasonless Yarns & Pattern Collection from Manos del Uruguay   Serena Martina Pullover   We are very excited this month to be introducing two wonderful multi-seasonal yarns plus a dedicated pattern collection from one of your favorite yarn companies. You've come to count on Manos del Uruguay for high-quality wools and silk/wool blends. Now discover what their creative yarn mavens have been developing lately.   Serena Ana Pullover   First off, we are introducing the sensational Manos Serena Semi-Solid yarn that gives you effortless multi-seasonal accessorizing combined with velvety softness. Finely handcrafted by a non-profit women's cooperative of over 400 artisans, "Serena Semi-Solid" yarn is hand spun and hand dyed following traditions passed down from one generation to the next. Superbly crafted in Uruguay of 60% baby alpaca & 40% pima cotton, "Serena" combines two luxurious fibers known for fabulous softness & texture. Then the yarn is hand dyed in large kettles to create a marbelized, subtly striated effect for a gorgeous palette of semi-solid shades. Then as a terrific complement to these semi-solid hues, take a peek at variegated Manos Serena Space-Dyed yarn. By combining the same velvety baby alpaca with breathable, wearable pima cotton, they have created a wondrous fiber blend that spans multiple seasons. Add lovely kettle-dyed multi-color combos in a lightweight concoction, and "Serena Space-Dyed" gives you a fabulous DK/sport-weight option for tops, sweaters, scarves, shawls, wraps & more for fall, spring & summer. Now you know we would add two new yarns only if they also had terrific pattern support, so take a peek at the lovely designs from Serena Collection 1 featuring both versions of "Serena": The classic, short-sleeved Serena Martina Pullover; The unique, easy-to-fit Serena Ana Pullover with its flowing lines and gorgeous drape; The feminine, ruffly Serena Cecilia Cardigan; and The figure-enhancing Serena Sofia Shrug with its superb use of cabling. New Fall 2010 Yarns from Berroco Add Texture, Color & Even Glamour to Your Cool-Weather Projects   Remix Sarkis Bag   We the staff at Yarnmarket.com always get excited when we hear of a shipment of new yarns and books coming in from one of our all-time favorite yarn companies -- American knitwear powerhouse Berroco Yarns. And this latest shipment is even more exciting than usual because it marks the start of the fall preview season for us. We so enjoy seeing what Creative Director Norah Gaughan and her team designers have in mind for our cool-weather wardrobes, and we're launching the collection with three new fall/winter fiber blends.   Campus Helvellyn Vest   First up and in keeping with our emphasis on multi-seasonal yarns, eco-friendly Remix yarn blends 100% recycled cotton, silk, linen, nylon & acrylic into a wonderful tweedy fiber. Incredibly soft and spun as that ever-versatile worsted-weight gauge, "Remix" yarn works up beautifully into crocheted & knitted sweaters, jackets, scarves, hats, bags, vests, shawls, really any worsted project you have in mind. Add that it's machine washable and has a multi-seasonal color palette, and we bet "Remix" will quickly become your go-to yarn for year-round projects that are environmentally responsible. Then for some design inspiration check out all the terrific designs for the whole family in Berroco #303: Remix. From the artful shaping of our favorite new accessory -- the Remix Sarkis Bag to the adorable yet functional Remix Arshile Hoodie and to the terrific mother-daughter duo of the Remix Abi Tunic and the Remix Paz Jumper, "Remix" really shines in this Berroco pattern book. On the other hand, for a different yet equally beautiful tweed blend, check out brand-new Campus yarn and the related pattern booklet -- Berroco #301: Campus. Reminiscent of the classic stylings often seen on the campus greens of Harvard, Yale & Princeton, this classic option gives you the traditional look with a much softer hand than the word "tweed" may conjure up for you. By combining 50% wool & 40% acrylic plus a touch of alpaca, the Italian masters have created a superb blend of durability, fluffiness and softness. Add that "Campus" yarn is quick to knit up and crochet, and you have a marvelous choice for all your chunky-weight project ideas.   Borealis McGowan Cardigan   Of course, Norah and her gang have plenty of ideas to share with you too, and we highly recommend the trendy Campus Helvellyn Vest, the right-in-style Flitwick Cowl and the Lutt-Witt Hooded Sweater as several of our new faves for fall. We've saved the most fantastic of all as the climax of this preview because Borealis yarn definitely lives up to its name. Subtle auto-striping depending on the design gives Berroco's "Borealis" yarn a distinctive look with touches of dressiness and special occasion dressing. Beautifully crafted in Italy of 60% acrylic & 40% wool, "Borealis" is a quick-to-create fiber gem for all your knitted & crocheted jackets, pullovers, cardis, boleros, scarves, hats, shawls, really any chunky-weight project for multi-seasonal style. And the touch of shimmer in every strand transforms lovely "Borealis" into a simply stunning addition to your wardrobe. And when you consider all the terrific projects in Berroco #300: Borealis, we know your fingers will be itching to get started on one of these "Borealis" projects just as ours are: The versatile Borealis Nouveau Vest with its limitless options for layering; The classic Borealis McGowan Cardigan featuring shades of "Borealis" in alternating stripes; and The unusually shaped Kensington Cape Cardi with its comfortable, generous arms for easy fit. Explore the Wonderful World of Silk & Alpaca with New Yarn & Dedicated Pattern Book by Debbie Bliss   Andes One-Button Shrug   Because we are committed to carrying the yarns you crave and know that many of you are always on the watch for the latest from your favorite designers, this month we're bringing you a terrific new yarn from ever-popular Debbie Bliss. We just received this one last week but knew you'd be excited to see the latest creation, so we hustled to get it ready for this newsletter. Yarn guru and knitwear designer par excellence Debbie Bliss has created lustrous Andes yarn for your knitting & crocheting pleasure. By combining luxurious, cultivated mulberry silk with supersoft baby alpaca, Debbie has created a lovely option for all your DK-weight projects. You'll revel at the luscious feel of this yarn as you knit and crochet with it and when you wear it next to your skin in sweaters, scarves, shawls & more. Just to give you some idea of what wondrous things you can create with sensational "Andes," take a peek at the projects in her dedicated book aptly called Andes too: The strikingly beautiful Andes One-Button Shrug is right in style for the fall; The straightforward Simple Ribbed Top shows just how great a designer Debbie Bliss really is; and Last but certainly not least, the lovely Ribbon Tied Sweater with all the cables & bobbles for which Debbie is best known. August's Flower of the Month from Fiesta Gives You Fab Colors & Superb Pattern Support   Flower of the Month August's Gladiolus   We know how much the past four months you've been enjoying brand-new, limited-edition Flower of the Month Collection colorways from Fiesta Yarn. We at Yarnmarket are excited to be one of the few stores in the U.S. to be chosen to offer this series, and we've appreciated your feedback on the terrific March Tulip color combos, the colorful April Gerber Daisy multis, the sensational May Tiger Lily creations, the ever-popular Rose hues for June, the stunning Calla Lily colorways for July and all the gorgeous Fiesta fibers. Now for the featured colorways these past months we have enough hanks in stock so that you can still make several of the featured items and we're expecting more of the "Rose Ballet" and the "Tiger Lily Cottonista" yarn in by the end of the month. But our stock is limited to what we currently have on hand and on order, so if you've been planning to pick up any of the previous projects, please be sure to order them soon to avoid disappointment. And you can always give us a call to get specific information on what we've yet to receive soon from last month's featured colorway.   Lazy River Socks   Now for the 6th release in the series, the Fiesta fiber mavens have chosen the striking "Gladiolus" as their inspiration for hand-dyed color combos in three of Fiesta's wonderful fiber gems. Since the days when Greek gods were commonly discussed and studied and not just as part of a course on mythology, the gladiolus has been an important flower in bouquets and in the language of floral messages. Known to day as the birth flower for August, the origins of the name come from "gladius" or Rowan sword (also the same root word for "gladiator." Because of the shape of the glad's sword-like leaves, it seemed natural that the flower share its name with something so reminiscent and visual. Glads are actually members of the Iris family but spring up from bulbs instead of tubers. The gladiolus is native primarily to South America but has been cultivated and introduced throughout the world to flower lovers everywhere. The common names for the gladiolus are "corn-flag," "corn iris" and "sword lily." As you discovered with earlier releases, sometimes the yarns in the series are Fiesta yarns we already carry, but usually they are new Fiesta yarns for us. In all cases, the flower colorway is featured in a pattern collection free with your yarn purchase and the owner of Fiesta Yarns has decided that any purchase of FOM yarn -- even 1 hank -- will qualify you to receive the FOM pattern booklet of your choice so long as we still have it in stock. Then the latest color combo will be retired after its designated month, and that means you'll need to order your yarn faves right away so that we can fill your order and re-order the yarn as needed within the designated month too.   August Flower Vest   Since we already carry some but not all of the yarns in this collection, here is an overview of the remaining yarns from previous months plus the new August/Gladiolus collection (given in alphabetical order for your convenience):   August Lacy Shawl   Baby Boom is crafted of supersoft extrafine superwash merino with a touch of snap-back nylon for added wearability. It comes in a generous 440-yard hank and knits up at a DK/sport-weight gauge of 26 sts & 32 rows per 4” on size 4 U.S. knitting needles. Ballet is a lovely DK-weight version of Ballerina's same alpaca/Tencel blend, and since we already carry this terrific fiber gem, please see the YM product page for all the technical yarn details. Boomerang is a terrific worsted-weight superwash merino that comes in a generous 320-yard hank. The gauge for "Boomerang" is 18 sts & 25 rows = 4” on size 8 U.S. (5mm) knitting needles. Gracie's Lace is a luxurious blend of merino, silk & cashmere so that it's wonderfully soft and supple. Each hank contains a generous 950 yds. of this fingering-weight beauty, and your knitting gauge is 28 sts = 4” on a size 5 U.S.(4.25mm) knitting needles. La Boheme is one of our hand-dyed, ever-versatile worsted-weight yarns from Fiesta, and its wondrous 2-strand construction is simply scrumptious to knit and crochet for year-round enjoyment. (Please take a look our YM product page to see all the technical yarn details such as exact gauge, fiber composition and care instructions). La Luz Multi is a DK-weight yarn crafted of 100% mulberry silk, the finest grade of cultivated silk in the world. It comes in 2 oz. hanks, each with 210 yds., and has a gauge of 23 sts & 29 rows = 4" on size 6 U.S. (4.25mm) knitting needles. Rayon Boucle, beautifully spun from 100% rayon and then hand-dyed to Fiesta's exacting specifications for consistency. Available in 4 oz. hanks with 240 yds. per hank, this light worsted beauty has a stitch gauge of 20 sts & 24 rows = 4" on size 7 U.S. (4.5mm) knitting needles. And last but certainly not least comes brand-new Starburst Rayon Boucle sensationally spun from 96% rayon with 4% metallic for a little glitz & glamour. Available in 4 oz. hanks also with a generous 240 yds. and a stitch gauge of 20 sts & 24 rows = 4" on 7 U.S. (4.5mm) knitting needles. Also this month we have three terrific new projects to overview for you featuring the spectacular "Gladiolus" colorway for August, one each in the three gorgeous Fiesta yarns, but please keep in mind that the yarns have different gauges & yardage so cannot be substituted in the featured projects. And remember that with the purchase of the yarn for any of these Flower of the Month projects, you'll receive the pattern booklet absolutely free. So start off with your favorite and then check out the other two from the booklet so that you'll have time to order more right away before the "Calla Lily " colorway is retired later this month. So here is a quick overview of the three August projects: The fun, colorful pair of Lazy River Socks, The versatile, multi-seasonal August Flower Vest and The feminine August Lacy Shawl for year-round chic. Win One of 25 Cowl Girls Pattern Books Available Exclusively for Newsletter Readers and Check Out the Latest Release of Knitch Magazine   Win a Copy of Cowl Girls   The pattern book Cowl Girls is a must-have for the upcoming fashion season, and we have a very special offer for you, our dedicated newsletter readers. By partnering with the publisher, we are able to promote this wonderful new book and give you the chance of winning your very own copy well before the October 2010 official release date. Author and designer Cathy Carron presents over 35 hip new patterns for the coolest cool-weather accessory we've seen in ages. Gorgeously flattering cowls! These updated versions of a classic style include such things as an iPod holder! There are casual and sophisticated styles and even a Swarovski crystal necklace for you to create. This contest is open only to Yarnmarket shoppers who fill out the entry form. Be sure to enter by noon EDT on Tuesday, August 17th (EDT), and the drawing will be held later that same day. The winners will be announced on Shear Bagatelle, the Yarnmarket blog.   Knitch Magazine   Thank you for all of your feedback on the past issues of our quarterly magazine -- Knitch, and we're excited to announce that the new Summer 2010 "Addition" is now available for your reading pleasure. We've expanded on many of our Spring 2010 features and updated them for the hot weather and also included all of those interviews and reviews you so enjoy. We know you'll enjoy the interview with author and knitter Debbie Macomber along with the insights you'll gain from the ever-popular designer Nicky Epstein plus information about Nicky's new book. Other features in Knitch we highly recommend include: An update on the 25th anniversary of The Knitting Guild Association and its director Penny Sitler, Summer Swimsuit Trends so that you can be sure you have the right style for the latest fashions and your figure type, The Must-Haves for the season are featured in the article Summer Trendsetter, Gilda's Club explaining how the life of Gilda Radner inspired the formation of an organization that provides a nurturing atmosphere for individuals with cancer and their families and Lots of new of new yarn and book reviews from Barbara Rottman. Also to be sure you don't miss any of the upcoming issues, sign up to receive an email alert to let you know when the next issue is available online. Just click on the "Newsletter" link in the upper right hand corner of the Knitch Home Page, and register today. Customer Service Updates & Reminders You know that we the staff of Yarnmarket.com pride ourselves on our customer service. Each order is packed with pride by Lynn, Tina, Lisa or Amy –- 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. Now these next few weeks are the time of year when we're enjoying our vacations, spending time at the neighborhood pool or puttering around the garden and getting ready for back to school with our favorite young ones. Now be sure to plan ways to relax on vacation and relieve stress by bringing along a fun knitting or crochet project. And no matter how busy you get with back-to-school shopping and activities, take some time for yourself and your favorite crafts. Thanks for reading and as always, Happy Knitting & Crocheting! Your Yarnmarket Knitting Store Staff Be sure to keep up with the latest Yarnmarket & Yarndex news as it's happening! Contests, promotions, new yarns and behind-the-scenes fun can be found on: Yarnmarket.com, BargainYARNS.com, Yarndex.com, Shear Bagatelle and KnitchMagazine.com are subsidiaries of Yarnmarket, LLC. Yarnmarket is an online yarn retailer with over 700 quality brands from over 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 more than 4500 yarns from leading manufacturers. Shear Bagatelle is the Yarnmarket blog, an inside view of all the happenings behind the scenes at Yarnmarket. Knitch Magazine is an online publication showcasing knitting and crochet fashions for yarn lovers.