Yarn Market Knitting News!

	YARNMARKET.COM NEWS ISSUE #91 In This Issue: Updating Your Fall Wardrobe with the Latest "In" Colors for the Season | Get Advance Look at Two New Rowan Kidsilk Yarns Plus Lightweight Tweed Now in Stock | Iris Schreier of Artyarns Creates Two Great New Dressy Fiber Gems | Enjoy Two New Yarn Creations from Crystal Palace for Year-Round Fun | Filatura Di Crosa Wows Us with Two New Stunning Yarn Options | Knitting & Crocheting for a Better World, Part 2: Choosing a Charity to Support | An Update on BargainYARNS.com Plus Some Customer Service Reminders Updating Your Fall Wardrobe with the Latest "In" Colors for the Season   Absolu Vivian Scarf   Last month in our September newsletter and in our follow-up September bulletin, we've started discussing the trends that will be the hallmarks of Fall 2011. We featured the "cozy" sweater and teased you a bit about the colors, so this month we'll look at the hottest colors for fall in more detail and give examples from many of your favorite yarn companies.   Sublime Goya Pullover   As with every season, you need to consider what the fashion gurus are showcasing as the hottest new colors as featured on the runways of Paris, Milan, London and New York, and then you have to decide which hues suit you best from the options. It doesn't matter if every designer in the world is featuring bright yellow if that shade makes you look sallow and washed out. So let's see what the Pantone Color Institute is predicting as the best colors for Fall 2011. Reddish pink Honeysuckle continues strongly from the spring palette in a shade or two darker, while Bamboo, a yellow almost mustard tone with a touch of green we would usually see for spring, brings a hint of an autumn sunset to the color range. Emberglow reflects the warmth of a flickering fire as a traditional shade for fall, and Cedar is a mid-tone dark green that reminds us of a forest at dawn. Then to add some jewel tones to the mix, magical, deep purple Phlox adds a hint of drama to the palette as does Deep Teal, a vivid and deep blue green. Once again we need to balance these intense shades with a staple of neutrals too, and this season’s color recommendations include four lovely neutrals, some even enhanced by subtle undertones. Deep Coffee Liqueur is elegant and a trendy alternative to the ever-popular black and camel-tan Nougat adds warmth and contrast to the palette. Then two very different gray hues round out the Top 10 – Orchid Hush is an unusual tone with complex hints of orchid to enliven the gray, and Quarry is a classic medium gray to serve as a backdrop to the brighter shades in the collection.   Ultra Alpaca Boot Toppers   Now let's turn to some of our favorite yarn companies and knitwear designers to see how they have incorporated these shades into their fall/winter offerings. First, we have the talented team at Anny Blatt in the brand-new Anny Blatt: Fall/Winter 2011 (#213) and Anny Blatt Couture Collection (#212) pattern collections. We love the stunning Absolu Vivian Scarf showcasing rare Absolu yarn that's naturally shaded as that medium gray "Quarry" everyone craves. Also the gorgeous Absolu Hunton Pullover is the ultimate in luxury and is worked in a tight rib with a cable down the center front.   Cocoon Mabel Tunic   Another fantastic sweater project comes from the talented designers at Sublime Yarns. The marvelous Goya Pullover is featured in a hue similar to Deep Coffee Liqueur. With its wide Marilyn-style neckline (made famous by Marilyn Monroe) and its strategic use of ribbing, this sweater combines sexy and classic in equal parts. Or if you prefer an easy-to-fit option sized from X-Small to 2X, check out the lovely Ophelia Draped Cardi in sumptuous teal. Also accessories can be excellent ways to introduce the latest color trends into your wardrobe without dedicating an entire new outfit to just one shade. For example, that teal we just saw in the cardigan projects is equally attractive in an accessory such as the Ultra Alpaca Cabled Boot Toppers. Featured in the new and timely collection Gifted, these cabled and frilly items are knitted up in Ultra Alpaca Light from Berroco so that they peek out from the top of your favorite boots. With a skirt and tights, these are the perfect accessory and a subtle way to add a new shade for the season. Another superb accessory that can add a touch of Honeysuckle to your collection is the Angel Lacy Stole from Debbie Bliss. Airy and lightweight, this show-stopping shawl makes a fashion statement whether you wear it for an evening out or teamed with jeans for a more casual style. And it's generously sized as 29" by 66". And last but not least, the children in your life want those special touches of color added to their wardrobes too. In the new Rowan pattern book Winter Kids, the designers show several examples of how bright colors work as effectively for children as they do for adults. For instance, the adorable Cocoon Mabel Tunic features a wonderful shade of purple any little girl will adore. And for those on your gift list who prefer blues, check out the terrific use of solids and multis in the Rowan Jacob Jacket. Or if your young one prefers a more neutral shade, choose the naturally hued, undyed British Sheep Doris Jacket that's even crafted of an eco-friendly yarn. Get Advance Look at Two New Rowan Kidsilk Yarns Plus Lightweight Tweed Now in Stock   Kidsilk Creation Spiral Scarf   Every time we the staff at Yarnmarket get a chance to see the latest offerings from our favorite yarn gurus, we can hardly wait until we start getting all of the lovely new things in stock. Now we're excited to announce that we have three new fiber gems from Rowan to share with you, and with two of them we've received a small supply in advance of the rest of the shops in North America. The first of the early-release yarns is Kidsilk Creation. We know how much you have loved Rowan's luxurious Kidsilk Haze yarn over the years, and now you can experience the same luscious fiber blend in a fabulous limited-edition version. "Kidsilk Creation" is spun as an ethereal, tubular netting yarn but it's definitely a netting yarn with a difference. This fiber gem ruffles automatically but uses fewer stitches and less effort to achieve gorgeous results. The yarn mavens at Rowan have even dyed this marvelous "Creation" in the most popular of the original "Kidsilk Haze" shades. Add that you need only one hank to knit or crochet the lovely scarf pattern included on each label, and you have the perfect yarn for your own accessories and to create as gifts. Take a look at the Kidsilk Creation Spiral Scarf, and you'll see just how beautifully this yarn works up.   Kidsilk Haze Stripe Scarf   And we have another advance peek of another new "Kidsilk" fiber development to share too. Just imagine what you would get if you combined Rowan's ever-popular "Kidsilk Haze" with the color genius of Kaffe Fassett. Well, now you don't have to imagine it any longer because the yarn aficionados at Rowan have created Kidsilk Haze Stripe yarn for your knitting & crocheting pleasure. Sensationally crafted of 70% super kid mohair & 30% silk, auto-striping "Kidsilk Haze Stripe" has long color repeats in unique colorways from Kaffe for definite color bliss. And since each ball contains a generous 465 yards, just one is all you need for a terrific scarf to accent your favorite coat, jacket, suit or sweater. "Kidsilk Haze Stripe" also works up marvelously in any "Kidsilk Haze" projects such as shawls, tops, cardigans, hats, pullovers and more. For some knitting inspiration, you can use the pattern on the inside of each ball band to create the Kidsilk Haze Stripe Scarf too. Limited quantities of both "Kidsilk Creation" and "Kidsilk Haze Stripe" for now but more is arriving the end of this month. That means we highly recommend that you get your order in as soon as you select your favorite color combination. Remember that we fill backorders first before we offer any additional stock in our store.   Tweed Geirhild Cardigan   Then last but certainly not least, when you're looking for a classic British tweed specifically designed for colorwork, discover the wonders of Rowan Fine Tweed yarn from the yarn mavens at Rowan Yarns. As the fingering-weight cousin of Rowan Tweed, "Rowan Fine Tweed" gives you that same 100% feltable wool in a single ply yarn that's softer than many traditional tweeds. "Rowan Fine Tweed" is even wound into affordable 25-gram balls so that you can knit and crochet your colorwork projects without being hampered by larger balls to manipulate. And just as with Rowan's other tweeds, "Rowan Fine Tweed" is beautifully crafted in the UK of 100% wool certified by the Woolmark on every label. And, of course, those talented Rowan designers have created sensational projects to showcase the terrific features of "Rowan Fine Tweed" including: The easy-fit yet beautiful Rowan Tweed Geirhild Cardigan that also doubles as a button-up vest for layering; The innovative Halla Pullover that's a veritable montage of colors and designs; The clever Bjorg Tunic with its combination of fairisle with colorblocking and the two weights of tweed yarns too; The more casual Valdis Cardigan with its zippered front and ribbed collar, cuffs and bottom; and The traditional Thora Pullover for a true Nordic look with a reindeer insignia on the front. Iris Schreier of Artyarns Creates Two Great New Dressy Fiber Gems   Beaded Silk & Sequins Tank   Looking to the glitz and glamour we need in our wardrobes for the upcoming holidays, yarn guru Iris Schreier of Artyarns brings us two brand-new yarns with plenty of pizzazz and shimmer. To start us off with a bang, Iris has created Beaded Silk & Sequins Light yarn as a fabulous lighter version of the original worsted-weight Beaded Silk & Sequins. Crafted of 100% shimmering silk, each strand of "Beaded Silk & Sequins Light" has a marvelous thread of complementary beads and sequins entwined with the base yarn. Now you can knit and crochet this luscious yarn in your DK-weight projects, and it works especially well in scarves, shawls, tops and more. Also Iris selects whether gold or silver accents will work the best with a specific color combination, so watch for the "G" or "S" after the color number to pick out your favorite.   Rhapsody Glitter Lace Tee   This fiber beauty will work in many of your favorite DK-weight patterns, and we highly recommend the Artyarns pattern designed exclusively for it. Check out the Beaded Silk & Sequins Tank to team up with your best silk skirt or dressy slacks or wear under your favorite silk jacket for a night out on the town. The other new creation from Iris is just as stunningly beautiful and is sure to become one of your out-of-the-ordinary yarn choices. Building on the popularity of worsted-weight Silk Rhapsody and Silk Rhapsody Glitter, Iris has listened to your requests for a lighter version. Silk Rhapsody Glitter Light gives you that gorgeous 50/50 blend of sumptuous silk and supersoft kid mohair you love in the original yarns. Also running parallel to the base strand is a thread of shimmering lurex for added glitz & glamour. "Silk Rhapsody Glitter Light" is spun as a DK-weight fiber gem that's perfect for all your knitted and crocheted shawls, jackets, scarves, tops and other dressy outfits, and Iris has once again selected whether gold or silver accents will work the best with a specific colorway (watch for the "G" or "S" after the color number). In order to support this spectacular new yarn, Iris has available three lovely patterns to demonstrate the superb drape and sheen of this gorgeous yarn (the first two are her own designs): The gorgeous Rhapsody Glitter Lace Tee that's ideal to wear over your favorite camisole year round; The marvelous Chevron Ruana with an ombre effect in a garment worn similar to a vest; And last but certainly not least comes the dramatic Boleyn Shawl project from designer Deborah Glaser. Enjoy Two New Yarn Creations from Crystal Palace for Year-Round Fun   Moonshine Neck Wrap   As great additions to our New Yarns for Fall/Winter department and a lovely follow up to Monaco introduced last month, we have two more fiber sensations from Crystal Palace for your knitting & crocheting pleasure. First off, owner Susan Druding and her yarn aficionados give us Moonshine yarn just in time for the holidays and all your dressy occasions year round. Beautifully crafted of 73% nylon, 10% kid mohair, 9% wool & 8% metallic, "Moonshine" is a gorgeous mixture of softness, fluffiness and shimmer at an affordable price. And since "Moonshine" is spun as a versatile worsted-weight yarn with periodic nubs of glitter, it is ideal for all your knitted & crocheted scarf, shawl, top, sweater and jacket projects.   TuTu & Cotton Twirl Baby Hat   Then take a peek at how sensationally "Moonshine" works up in two free patterns -- the pleated Moonshine Neck Wrap even an Advanced Beginner can knit up and the fantastic Moonshine Cable Panel Scarf combining a classic pattern with touches of bling -- and we bet you'll definitely see what we mean. Next for a second surefire winner from Crystal Palace this season, check out Susan Druding's new novelty yarn -- TuTu. As its name implies, "TuTu" is a self-ruffling wonder where you knit on the edge with larger needles and voila! You get a gorgeous set of ruffles in no time. Use auto-ruffling "TuTu" yarn for a wonderful scarf (requires just 2 hanks!) or as the trim on a sensational shawl, jacket, top, hat and more. Just give your imagination free rein and think of all the things you can adorn with ruffles that are oh so easy to create. Of course, Susan and her design team have several free patterns for you to enjoy too including: The precious TuTu & Cotton Twirl Baby Hat that uses "TuTu as the accenting trim around the brim of the hat; The grown-up Boa Scarf that shows just how spectacularly "TuTu" works up on its own; and The outstanding TuTu & Cotton Twirl Scarf with its fabulous contrast of textures and colors. Filatura Di Crosa Wows Us with Two New Stunning Yarn Options   Interlude Surplice Top   We are also excited to have two new Filatura Di Crosa Yarns now in stock to enhance your dressy and eveningwear collections.   Filatura Tunic Cardigan   First up, we have the stunningly soft fiber gem of Nirvana yarn. Created as a fabulous companion to Filatura's cashmere/silk Superior yarn, laceweight "Nirvana" is blissfully soft and sensationally crafted in Italy of 100% extrafine mercerized superwash merino wool. The mercerizing, superwash process has made luscious merino softer than ever -- something we didn't think possible -- and is a fabulous lightweight addition to the Filatura merino collection. "Nirvana" knits up and crochets sensationally teamed up with "Superior" (check out hues dyed to go together) or by itself as a laceweight wonder in scarves, shawls, really any lacy creation. Add that "Nirvana" is wound in generous 372-yard balls, and you have a great option for your open-weave projects. And, of course, there is sensational pattern support for "Nirvana" with the pattern leaflet Filatura Di Crosa: Duets dedicated completely to Nirvana/Superior creations. So for some of our favorite "Nirvana" projects, take a peek at the multi-seasonal Filatura Interlude Surplice Top shown in oh-so popular teal for the season, the figure-flattering Sounds of Silence Cardigan, the easy-fit Nirvana & Superior Reunited Shrug and the versatile Lacy Shawl/Scarf. Then as the little sister of perennial favorite New Smoking, Filatura's Night yarn is a great way to add glitz and glamour to any outfit. No matter what you're knitting and crocheting, you can use "Night" as a companion yarn to dress up the results. Since "Night" won't change the gauge of your project, it's ideal to enhance any other Filatura Di Crosa yarn or any weight of yarn you prefer. Also remember that "Night" is superbly crafted in Italy of 65% rayon & 35% polyester, and we highly recommend the sexy Zara & Night Ribbed Vest to wear as a top as shown or layered as a vest plus the spectacular Superior & Night Tunic Cardigan that's long enough to wear as a stunning coat. Knitting & Crocheting for a Better World, Part 2: Choosing a Charity to Support As we mentioned last month, we are once again featuring a variety of charitable organizations & non-profit groups who can use your crafty skills. Thank you for all of your emails with suggestions and we are still sorting through and investigating many of those submitted. We are starting off our overview with one charity that we here at Yarnmarket support plus information on several others recommended by our customers with more to come next month too. First off, we want to congratulate the recent recipients of Yarnmarket gift certificates in honor of their work for afghans for Afghans, "a humanitarian and educational people-to-people project that sends hand-knit and crocheted blankets and sweaters, vests, hats, mittens and socks to the beleaguered people of Afghanistan." Each quarter three names are randomly selected from all those who have donated items, and they each get a $50 Yarnmarket gift certificate. Recent winners in the drawing are: Sara Wolff Judy Wheeler and Kristina Kinney   Shelter Pup Enjoying a New Blankie   We also have four other charitable organizations in need of your handcrafted items and these were all recommended by one or more of our customers and staff: For the animal lovers among us, check out Hugs for Homeless Animals also known as the Snuggles Project. This group has been collecting handmade pet blankets for the past 12 years so that pets housed in animal shelters will have "a bit of comfort to call their own" and they have donated over 500,000 blankets in that time. Each blanket is called a "snuggle," thus the name for the program. You can find patterns, project sheets & blanket sizes on the Snuggles Project website. Another outstanding group operating throughout the United States is a favorite of ours because it focuses on children who are seriously ill, traumatized or otherwise in need. Project Linus has been collecting handmade blankets from "blanketeers" to be donated throughout the U.S., and an average of 350 blankets given every month to local children. As their website states, "Together we have distributed over three million blankets to children in need since our inception in 1995." You can check the Project Linus website for local chapters in your area because they now have groups busily working on a variety of projects in all 50 states. Also you can check the website for blanket pattern ideas too. Or if you prefer to help out a relatively new group that's just getting started with charity work, learn about the Angel Snugs program operating in Lake Mary, Florida. This group works on handcrafted scarves, beanies, blankets, socks, etc. for the children with cancer being cared for at the Arnold Palmer Hospital. And for those who wish to support breast cancer education and care with your handcrafts, especially during this Breast Cancer Awareness month of October, read up on The Knit One, Cure One group. They operate out of the Washington, DC, area and knit for breast cancer fundraising, They are in need of finished scarves, shawls, baby items and yarn, and all money raised from the sale of these items is donated to the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. Also remember that 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 about the organization including the website address, contact person's name, e-mail address, etc. Then watch future issues of this newsletter for updates throughout the upcoming holiday months. An Update on BargainYARNS.com Plus Some Customer Service Reminders As we've been updating the past few months, we've been busy moving products from our BargainYARNs.com website over to our Yarnmarket's Bargain Yarns department for your shopping convenience. We are excited to announce that all of the yarns have been moved and many of the needles including ChiaGoo Needles, AslanTrends Bamboo Needles and HiyaHiya. We're up to books whose titles start with "M" in moving the Imperfect Books over to Yarnmarket along with lots of Free Pattern Downloads for many of your favorite value brands. So remember to check out Yarnmarket's Bargain Yarns often for the latest goodies. Also 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, Janice, Pat or Lynn –- 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. These next few weeks are the time of year when we're starting to gear up for the busy holiday season ahead. We wish our Canadian friends Happy Thanksgiving as they celebrate next Monday, October 10th, with their families and friends. The same day in the United States is Columbus Day, so enjoy the parades, special shopping extravaganza and perhaps the day off that many of us usually enjoy. Then the young ones in your life are probably looking forward to dressing up in fun costumes for Halloween the end of the month -- officially Monday, October 31st, or whenever your community decides to celebrate the traditional "Beggar's Night" this year. And remember that you can even create cute costumes for your favorite wee one too, so check out our Holiday Items where you'll find a pirate outfit, a frog onesie, a cow costume and even a pumpkin hat! 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 900 quality brands from over 85 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 5000 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.