YARNMARKET.COM NEWS ISSUE #80
In This Issue:
Fall Fashion Trend: Popular Fashion Item from Former Years Is Back With New Looks & Styles | Noro Introduces Two New Fiber Gems & New Pattern Collection for Fall & Winter | Filatura Di Crosa Keeps Right in Step with High-Fashion Trends with New Yarns & Pattern Booklets | Enhance Your Sweater and Footwear Wardrobes with New Yarns & Projects from Knit One Crochet Too | Your Precious Young Ones Can Also Stay Up to Date with New Filatura Di Crosa Baby Yarn & Book | Aslan Trends Gives Alpaca the Royal Treatment with New Yarn & Two Free Patterns | November's Flower of the Month from Fiesta Reminds Us of Cooler Weather & Fall Holidays | Customer Service Reminders
Fall Fashion Trend: Popular Fashion Item from Former Years Is Back With New Looks & Styles
As we previewed in the September newsletter and in the October newsletter last month, we've been working on getting you ready for all the fall fashion trends and latest must-haves. The first two items we previewed were the must-have garment of the season -- the cardigan in all its glory and many versions -- along with the Top 10 colors for the cool-weather months. Then last month we took a look at how cables were once again taking over the store offerings and the latest fad in footwear. Now in this issue of the Yarnmarket News, we are exploring how a once-popular garment has returned to the runways of Paris, Milan and New York with a bang.
We have to admit that the rebirth of this fave from the turn of this century has caught us a bit by surprise yet has fired our imaginations also. The cape is back in all its former glory and brings to mind a wide range of images and possibilities. And, no, we’re not thinking here of the Caped Crusader or Count Dracula or even Sherlock Holmes except perhaps when we were planning out Halloween costumes. Definitely the cape is one of the most dominant themes this season on haute-couture runways and in knitwear designs alike.
Now technically according to dictionary definitions, a cape is an outer garment without sleeves that hangs over the shoulders and back and often has a front neck closure. The term “capelet” has also come into vogue and refers to a shorter cape that usually covers only the shoulders. From the draped, flowing elegance of the capes worn as jackets by the models of Yves St. Laurent to the chunky-knit capes from DYNK, a cape is a great investment for your fall outerwear. But these haute-couture fashions are a bit pricey for our budgets, so how can we invest our time and dollars wisely this season? By checking out what cape and capelet options are available from some of our favorite yarn companies, of course!
For instance, consider the lovely stylings of the designers from Rowan for wonderful cape examples. Designer Kim Hargreaves features the sensational Big Wool Valentine Cape in her pattern collection Winter Blooms. This quick-to-knit project is perfect to create for yourself or for your favorite someone as a holiday gift and it even features those oh-so trendy cables we've already mentioned.
Or if you prefer a more classic Rowan cape design, take a peek at the eco-friendly, traditionally styled British Sheep Mahonia Cape from Rowan designer Marie Wallin. With its wide ribbed neckline for a comfortable fit and the chunky cabling for super texture, this cape is one of those pieces that's both rustic and chic at the same time.
Of course, our favorite knitwear designers at Berroco are keeping right in step with the latest fashions developments too, and Creative Director Norah Gaughan and her design team have developed projects that combine the elements of several types of outerwear as with the Borealis Kensington Cape Cardi. Haute-couture designers have coined such terms as "cape cardi" and "cape coat" to reflect that a garment has elements from each traditional style. This Borealis creation is part jacket, part cardigan and part cape, but it's all sophisticated chic to enhance your fall/winter wardrobe. Add that it's an easy-fit piece with the shaping of a classic cape, and you have the best of all worlds -- a terrific choice that looks stunning on sizes X-Small to 2X and that also teams up well with whatever you want to pair with it.
Another yarn company on our Top 10 list -- Tahki Yarns -- has followed this innovative trend and developed the stunning Rio Winged Victory Cape-Cardi. This garment is shaped like a cape but with sleeves and a hood. The zippered front also gives it the feel of a jacket, but no matter what you call it, this piece is great for a variety of occasions. The body is worked in a striped seed stitch with two shades of lovely alpaca/wool/silk blend Rio yarn, creating a tweedy look with a wide solid ribbed bottom edge.
And your favorite wee ones must be included in the latest trend for capes too although parents and grandparents prefer to dress their little ones in ponchos instead of classic capes because they may be easier to stay on active babies and children. We highly recommend the adorable Tinkerbell Poncho sensationally crafted of supersoft, fluffy Tinkerbell yarn from the world-renowned British company Wendy/Peter Pan. Or for a more classic cape look, check out the Royal Tweed Nordic Girl Capelet.
Noro Introduces Two New Fiber Gems & New Pattern Collection for Fall & Winter
We know how much you eagerly await the latest yarn and pattern creations of well-renowned color & textile artist Eisaku Noro, and we're excited to announce that we've received our 1st shipment of new goodies from Japan. We've recently expanded our Noro Yarn collection with two gorgeous fiber blends that are great for autumn along with a new pattern booklet in Noro's ever-popular series.
First off, building on the success of his 1st laceweight yarn Sekku this past spring, Noro continues his fascination with interesting fiber blends plus spectacular colorways with his Kirameki yarn. For lace and fine-gauge knitting & crochet projects all year round, "Kirameki" is a shining star in the Noro collection in more ways than one. Beautifully crafted in Japan of 60% rayon, 25% nylon, 10% wool & 5% cashmere, "Kirameki" gives you lovely sheen and durability with a touch of luxury too. Just imagine what gorgeous shawls, scarves and more you can create with "Kirameki" especially with its generous 495-yard balls.
Then for those who prefer working with a little heavier gauged yarn but still one that's lightweight, Noro has developed a very interesting fiber blend in a DK/sport-weight option. His King yarn mixes silk, mohair & wool with acrylic plus a touch of nylon to give you gorgeous sheen and brilliant color saturation in this auto-striping yarn. He achieves this superb look and feel because"King" is constructed with two side-by-side contrasting strands entwined by a narrow thread for added texture & interest. We know you'll love this fiber gem in all your multi-seasonal knitting & crochet projects because it works up beautifully and looks as if you've devoted much more time to the project than you actually have.
Now in order to superbly support both "King" and "Kirameki" along with long-time Noro faves, we now have in stock and ready to ship to you the next volume in Noro's popular series -- Noro Volume 28. This pattern booklet includes two marvelous projects for the Noro new yarns: the King Waves Shrug knitted as one piece with a simple 12-row repeating design throughout and the stunning Kirameki Crocheted Scarf that is actually large enough to be worn as a shawl too (finished size is approximately 17" by 50"). Also included in this wonderful collection are projects for many of your favorite Noro yarns including the colorful Kureyon Lacy Mitts, the beautiful Silk Garden Leaf Cable Vest and the heirloom-quality Iro Textured Wrap just to name a few of the 28 projects in the collection.
Filatura Di Crosa Keeps Right in Step with High-Fashion Trends with New Yarns & Pattern Booklets
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 favorite high-fashion yarn companies -- Italian cutting-edge Filatura Di Crosa Yarns. This latest shipment contained two sensational fall/winter yarns to enhance our New Yarns for Fall/Winter department plus a pattern collection dedicated to each yarn.
First off, when you crave a lovely ribbon yarn with a dramatic name, Filatura's Operadarte is a great quick-to-create sensation. Constructed with one edge as a traditional ladder and the other with a scalloped mohair accent, this yarn knits and crochets up two ways: you can either knit or crochet in the open ladder spaces periodically, and the yarn will create ruffles automatically for you. Or you can knit & crochet "Operadarte" as a traditional ribbon yarn with added texture. Either way "Operadarte" works up into stunning accessories, scarves, shawls, bags, hats, tops and more. We also appreciate that it's spectacularly crafted in Italy of 39% wool, 39% acrylic, 13% nylon & 9% kid mohair for excellent drape and texture.
And to see just how beautifully "Operadarte" works up, take a look at the dedicated pattern booklet Filatura Di Crosa: Operadarte Fall/Winter 2010 featuring 11 projects with "Operadarte" knitted up by itself or in combination with another high-quality Filatura fiber gem. For example, the Zara & Operadarte Scarf is a sensational accessory that will dramatically accent the neckline of any top, sweater jacket or coat, while the spectacular Zara & Operadarte Wrap is a dramatic, gorgeous way to finish off any special-occasion outfit. And for the ultimate in haute-couture styling in a classic little cardi, we highly recommend the Zara & Operadarte Jacket.
Second of the newly released options and right in step with the current faux fur craze, the yarn gurus of Filatura Di Crosa bring us fantastic Cincilla yarn. Designed as a chenille-effect yarn, super chunky "Cincilla" knits and crochets up quickly into fabulous stoles, funky hats, wonderful scarves and so much more! As soft as the fur from the mammal for which it is named, "Cincilla" is gorgeous used alone or combined with other sophisticated Filatura Di Crosa yarns and is superbly crafted in Italy of 52% wool, 34% acrylic & 14% nylon.
For plenty of great ideas on the best ways to work with fabulously fashionable "Cincilla" check out the newly released Filatura Di Crosa: Cincilla Fall/Winter 2010 pattern booklet. Here are our top staff picks for your Cincilla projects:
The trendy, face-flattering Cincilla & Zara Cowl;
The classic, chic Cincilla & Zarina Jacket with its Chanel-inspired lines that will stay right in style for years to come;
The glamorous, feminine Cincilla Ribbon Stole for an elegant accessory; and
The fun & funky Cincilla Strips Scarf to accent your favorite top, sweater, jacket or coat.
Enhance Your Sweater and Footwear Wardrobes with New Yarns & Projects from Knit One Crochet Too
We always know we'll be seeing something special when we hear that the new seasonal yarns from Knit One, Crochet Too have arrived, and it's so much fun to see what company founder Helene Rush has cooked up for us all. This season we're thrilled to have two new yarns and lots of pattern support from Knit One, Crochet Too now in stock and ready to ship to you.
To start off this magnificent duo, take a peek at thick & thin Wrapunzel yarn. This ever-versatile worsted weight beauty is perfect for your knitted and crocheted sweater, jacket, scarf, shawl, hat and bag projects all fall & winter long. The name "Wrapunzel" comes from the construction of the yarn: one strand of matte-finish yarn wraps around a strand with a bit of sheen. The end result is a gorgeous, machine-washable, multi-shaded concoction crafted of 70% superwash wool & 30% acrylic that takes "sweater yarn" to a whole new level.
Then building on the success of fabulous Ty-Dy Socks yarn, Knit One Crochet Too yarn aficionados have created another multi-colored version with Ty-Dy Socks Dots. This yarn is crafted of the same 80% superwash wool plus 20% snap-back nylon, but "Ty-Dy Socks Dots" is dyed periodically throughout each strand with contrasting bursts of color for a tweedy effect. And this version is totally interchangeable in patterns too with "Ty-Dy Socks" since the gauge and yardage are exactly the same. So we highly recommend "Ty-Dy Socks Dots" as a gorgeous choice for lacy shawls, lightweight scarves, comfy socks and machine washable baby and children's items.
With every new yarn introduction, we can count on Helene Rush and her team of designers to launch these two new yarns with great pattern support also. We know you enjoy browsing for yourself and may even have your own favorite worsted-weight and sock projects ready to knit & crochet, but here are also some of our favorite staff picks for you to consider that are newly released from Knit One, Crochet Too:
The clever & attractive Ty-Dy Socks Lacy Tiles Socks;
The versatile Wrapunzel Fiona Cardigan ideal for multi-seasonal layering;
The trendy, Asian-inspired Wrapunzel & Tartelette Wasabi Jacket with its wide kimono sleeves, drop shoulders and contrasting front edge and sleeve cuffs;
The face-flattering & cute Wrapunzel & Tartelette Rasta Hat to add to your accessories wardrobe and including both a knitted & crocheted version;
The easy-fit, unstructured Wrapunzel Blue Bayou Tunic with its swingy, flowing lines; and
The classic, crew-necked Wrapunzel Rio Cardigan that's totally transformed into something extraordinary by this fantastic yarn.
Your Precious Young Ones Can Also Stay Up to Date with New Filatura Di Crosa Baby Yarn & Book
When we crave fashionable, stylish outfits for ourselves, we know we can turn to the gorgeous Italian yarns and designs of Filatura Di Crosa, and many of you have also enjoyed Filatura's sensational baby yarn collection as part of the Yarnmarket Adorable Baby Yarns department. Now for Fall 2010, the yarn aficionados at Filatura have enhanced this terrific collection with another out-of-the-ordinary baby yarn and a great new pattern collection too.
First off, for nubby softness and interesting texture in your baby and children's projects, discover the wonders of Pop Corn yarn. Constructed with a base strand of solid-colored, chenille-like yarn, "Pop Corn" then has a shiny, multi-colored thread throughout that's used to crimp up the soft base into a nubby, almost boucle type of texture. The end result is a quick-to-create, chunky yarn for all your sweater, jacket, coat, scarf, hat and other accessories projects. Also remember that "Pop Corn" is beautifully crafted in Italy of 61% nylon, 22% rayon & 17% acrylic, so there are no scratchy fibers included to irritate your little one's sensitive skin.
Of course, the designers at Filatura Di Crosa have also supported this lovely new yarn with several projects so that you can see what types of wondrous designs you can create from this multi-hued, multi-textured fiber gem. For example, in the new pattern collection Filatura Di Crosa: Baby Fall/Winter 2010, the versatile, unisex Pop Corn & Zarina Hoodie is perfect for young ones sizes 5 to 8 years old. This hooded jacket is a simple knit that's comfy, cozy and quick to make from such a chunky-weight option. Or when you want to create something a little more feminine for the little girl in your life, take a peek at the adorable Pop Corn Pompom Cardigan. From its picot edging to its simple neckties that end in fun pom poms, this cardi is great for layering looks to rival those the ladies are sporting this season.
Aslan Trends Gives Alpaca the Royal Treatment with New Yarn & Two Free Patterns
We always enjoy oohing and aahing over any new shipment from Aslan Trends Yarns, and this season is no exception with a luxurious new fall/winter yarn in stock plus several supporting patterns free with your yarn purchase for the projects that are always up to date with the latest fashion trends.
Aslan's gorgeous new fall/winter yarn is Royal Alpaca, and it is genuinely "royal," a term used to identify that special 1% of all alpaca fiber production in the world that can be classified as royal. It is a rare and unique fiber that's completely de-haired and therefore ultra soft. At 19 to 19.5 microns in thickness, "Royal Alpaca" yarn is super soft and often cited as being lighter and warmer than cashmere and is one of the best values you'll find anywhere for a truly high-quality alpaca yarn. Discover the difference that 100% "Royal Alpaca" can make in your knitted and crocheted garments and accessories, and with its versatile worsted-weight yarn gauge and generous 220 yards per hank, you'll need to purchase fewer hanks and have less finishing work since you'll have fewer tie-ins to address.
With every new yarn introduction we can count on the designers at Aslan Trends to launch any new fiber concoction with great pattern support, and we know you especially enjoy their patterns that are free with your yarn purchase. As marvelous support for "Royal Alpaca," they have created two wonderful pieces right in step with the latest runway styles:
The classic Royal Alpaca Cropped Cardi gives you a traditional style with a simple one-button neck closure for and a terrific way to add the must-have garment of the season to your collection.
Then building on the popularity of cowls for fall & winter, the eye-catching Royal Alpaca Entrelac Cowl will look sensational as a neck accent for your favorite coat, jacket or sweater. Just choose you favorite three contrasting shades of "Royal Alpaca," and create this masterpiece for yourself.
November's Flower of the Month from Fiesta Reminds Us of Cooler Weather & Fall Holidays
We know how much the past six months you've been enjoying the brand-new, limited-edition Flower of the Month Collection colorways from Fiesta Yarn. We at Yarnmarket continue to marvel at how beautifully the artisans at Fiesta interpret each new flower. We've also appreciated your feedback on the terrific monthly hues and all the gorgeous Fiesta fibers we've been introducing to you. 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 in the Marigold, Morning Glory, Gladiolus and even a few offerings from the earlier Calla Lily, Rose, Gerber Daisy and Tiger Lily. 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.
Now for the 9th release in the series, the Fiesta fiber mavens have chosen the wonderful "Chrysanthemum," a flower with a rich history, to hand-dye in three of Fiesta's most popular fiber gems. Since it was first cultivated in China as a flowering herb as early as the 15th century B.C., chrysanthemums have been revered throughout Asia for their healing powers. Early written records cite their boiled roots as being used for a headache remedy, the young sprouts and flower petals being included in healthy salads and their leaves brewed to make tea.
Ancient growers of chrysanthemums would not recognize the flowers we fondly call "mums" today. Originally they were small, yellow daisy-like flowers according to the U.S. National Chrysanthemum Society, while today they come in a wide range of colors and sizes and are much larger and more dramatic. Chrysanthemums were introduced to North America during colonial times, its popularity has grown enormously and has become known as the "Queen of the Fall Flowers" and is actually the official U.S. flower for the month of November. But be careful when sending mums as gifts to those from different cultural backgrounds. While many Americans have very positive associations with the chrysanthemum (football-game corsages, house-warming gifts, etc.), in many European countries like Belgium and Austria the mum is know as the death flower and is used primarily for memorials on graves.
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.
Since we carry some but not all of the yarns in this collection, here is an overview of the Fiesta yarns currently in the Flower of the Month collection (yarns given below in alphabetical order for your convenience):
32 Degrees is a terrific worsted/heavy worsted fiber gem spun from baby alpaca, extrafine merino & silk and comes in 100-gram hanks. Its knitting gauge is 16 sts & 32 rows per 4" on size 9 U.S. (5.5mm) needles.
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. (3.5mm) knitting needles.
Ballerina is a beautiful fingering-weight superfine alpaca/Tencel fiber blend that comes in 100-gram hanks, each with a generous 925 yds. The knitting gauge for "Ballerina" is 28 sts & 32 rows = 4" on size 5 U.S. (3.75mm) 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 DK is a brand-new yarn from Fiesta this fall beautifully crafted of luxurious merino, silk & cashmere. With a gauge of 21 sts & 29 rows on a size 6 U.S. (4.25mm) needle, "Gracie's DK" will give you superb results in your DK-weight projects.
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 & 32 rows = 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, is 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 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 "Chrysanthemum" colorway for November, one each in the three gorgeous Fiesta yarns for the month. 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 "Chrysanthemum" colorway is retired near the end of this month. So here is a quick overview of the three November projects:
The fun, colorful Baby Boom Campfire Socks that will jazz up your footwear collection,
The stunning, multi-purpose La Boheme Cowl with its easy, repeating pattern and
The feminine Ballet Eyelet Wrap that's terrific as a first lace project for lace beginners.
Customer Service Reminders
Now you know that we the staff of Yarnmarket.com pride ourselves on our customer service. Each order is packed with pride by Amy, Tina, Lisa, Julie, Lynn or Janice –- 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 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.
Now these next few weeks are the time of year when we're enjoying the wonderful days of fall when the days get shorter and the nights get longer and there's a crispness in the air that's invigorating. Also remember that here in the U.S., we'll be going off from Daylight Savings Time and returning to Standard Time beginning at 2 a.m. next Sunday, November 7th. That means you need to "fall back" by setting your clocks back an hour.
And with Veteran's Day coming up on November 11th in the U.S., we want to take this time to thank the men and women in our armed services stationed throughout the world. Then with Thanksgiving being celebrated in the U.S. on Thursday, November 25th, be sure to take time with family and friends during this special holiday celebration. And when you're looking for ideas of what project to take along with you for that trip home, whether knitting and crocheting on the plane or riding in the car, remember that we're your one-stop shopping resource for yarn, patterns and advice on what to create.
Thanks for reading
and as always,
Happy Knitting & Crocheting!
Your Yarnmarket Knitting Store Staff
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