YARNMARKET.COM NEWS ISSUE #94
In This Issue:
Take Time for Yourself with a New Sale, Two Great New Scarf Yarns & More Great Projects | A Huge Yarnmarket Welcome Goes to Madelinetosh Yarns + Two Great Fiber Gems | Introducing Knitter's Pride Needles Starting with Circulars & Interchangeable Starter Sets | Explore a Lighter Weight Version of Twinkle's Most Popular Yarn | Bergere de France Hits a Home run with New Aran Weight Fiber Blend | Customer Service Reminders
Take Time for Yourself with a New Sale, Two Great New Scarf Yarns & More Great Projects
It seems like every year things get a little more hectic during the holidays, and the rush to get everyone's handcrafted gift finished by the Big Day. Even if you travel from place to place and celebrate with family get-togethers spread over several days or weeks, there still seems to be that press to get things done just right and on time. Combine the letdown from the holiday rush with the traditional time of year for making New Year's resolutions, and you have the perfect opportunity to take some time for yourself instead of focusing on your family and friends.
So our greatest wish for all of you is for you to take the time over the next few months to do things for yourself. And, of course, when we think of ways we're going to indulge ourselves, we start thinking of all the ways we can indulge ourselves and make more time to enjoy our crafts. We know all the health benefits we receive from our knitting and crocheting, from getting together with our friends to work on our latest project and from even giving a newbie some tips. So we've brainstormed several ways we can recommend for you to join us in the self indulgence we so richly deserve!
Indulgence #1: Check Out the Current Sales Including One Starting Today for Great Deals!
We are excited to announce that our latest sale starts today, and it's for 20% off of all our regularly priced Tahki Yarns. Take time to make yourself the Boulder 1-Ball Scarf such as you made for everyone else's gift this year. Or take a peek at the versatile, multi-seasonal Jackson Jasmine Vest and the comfy Big Montana Sandalwood Cardigan sized from Small to 3X. And you have time to do some planning because the Tahki sale runs through Monday, January 23rd.
And keep in mind the other sales still running right now and their end dates:
Noro Yarns through January 16th,
Kollage Yarns through January 9th,
Lantern Moon Bags & Cases through January 16th and
della Q Bags & Cases through January 16th.
Indulgence #2: Indulge Yourself with One of Our New Scarf Yarns.
First off, we have the softest, highest quality addition to our Fab Scarf Yarns department that we have ever seen. As a superb addition to their "Artesania" collection of handcrafted, limited-edition, specialty offerings, the yarn aficionados at Katia have truly outdone themselves with spectacular Evita Merino yarn. Beautifully crafted in Spain from 70% merino wool & 30% polyester fur, "Evita Merino" is so sumptuously soft you may not be able to stop stroking the hank long enough to knit up or crochet your favorite scarf or cowl! The faux fur pom poms are connected to the velvety merino base strand by hand for such gorgeous results that you'll wow your friends & relatives. And we won't tell them you created your scarf or cowl yourself instead of buying it from a haute-couture boutique even when you use the free pattern to knit up the luscious Evita Merino Scarf or Cowl.
Then also from Katia, we now have in stock the original Triana yarn, the one that started the self-ruffling craze. Take a look at the adorable Child's Ruffled Scarf for your favorite little girl and the lovely Triana Ruffled Scarf for yourself, and you can see how sensationally "Triana" works up.
Indulgence #3: Take the Time to Go Through the Projects and Pick Out Several for Yourself.
Now that we've taken the time to make items for our family and friends, it's time to indulge ourselves and enjoy creating something for just us. We can go with a sumptuous, straightforward project that fits right in with the latest trends for clever yet warm accessories such as the new Silk Wool Hat, Cowl & Wrist Warmers Set I've had my eye on. Or the sensational Blackstone Tweed Cabled Poncho from the latest issue of Vogue Knitting. And the Cocoon Tribe Jacket from British designer Kim Hargreaves is sure to stand out in any crowd!
Or if you prefer more traditional styling, check out the Felted Tweed Steed Jacket designed as a classic riding jacket. Another new fave of ours is the Cassidy Hooded Cardigan with a pattern designed for a weight and gauge of yarn and not for a specific one.
A Huge Yarnmarket Welcome Goes to Madelinetosh Yarns + Two Great Fiber Gems
We the staff at Yarnmarket are very excited to welcome a new hand-dyeing yarn company to our family of yarns, and we've been negotiating for several months about which yarns and colors to add first. Popular with both established designers and independents, Madelinetosh Yarns has become a phenom in the yarn industry in the past few years. Starting off as the brainchild of one woman from Texas, Amy began her small hand-dyeing business in a suburb of Fort Worth. But quickly word got out about her gorgeous colorways and luscious fibers, and the demand quickly grew. We at Yarnmarket are excited to launch our Madelinetosh yarn collection with two of her most popular fibers in the top selling colors for each.
First off, we are introducing one of Amy's brand-new creations that has quickly grown to be a bestseller in just a few short months. The Texan yarn mavens at Madelinetosh have created a terrific true aran-weight yarn with their "Tosh Chunky." Beautifully crafted of 100% superwash merino wool, Tosh Chunky yarn works up quickly on larger needles and hooks into marvelous knitted & crocheted scarves, cowls, sweaters, ponchos, jackets, capes & accessories. Enjoy the softness, excellent stitch definition and wonderful springiness of each hank hand dyed in a gorgeous array of tone-on-tone and variegated colorways. And to check out additional Madelinetosh color combos for your project, take a peek at our Tosh Chunky Special Orders page.
And because we are also committed to adding your favorite colors from Amy's extensive offerings through our special orders pages, take a look at the Tosh Chunky (Special Order Colors) page. We are now taking orders for any color of "Tosh Chunky" currently available and not already included in our regular collection with no minimum purchase required. And once we order a color for you, we will also add it to our regular collection so that everyone can enjoy your favorites.
Then for those who prefer working with a lighter weight option yarn, Madelinetosh has available Tosh DK yarn. Beautifully crafted of 100% machine wash merino wool, "Tosh DK" has incredible spring, super softness and terrific stitch definition, just the features you need for your next knitting or crochet project. And because it's easy-care machine washable, you can use this high quality fiber gem for that special little one too! Also check out additional Madelinetosh color options for your project on our Tosh DK (Special Order Colors) page, also with no minimum purchase required.
And, of course, the designers for Madelinetosh have excellent pattern support to offer us too in the beginnings of our new Madelinetosh Patterns department. The Tosh DK projects include everything from cowls to sweaters, and here is a quick list:
The simmering Embers Cowl with two versions (short and long);
The beautiful Heirloom Blanket for your favorite little one;
The casual Storyteller Hoodie everyone's been blogging about; and
The brand-new Wanderlust Pullover sized from small to plus size.
Introducing Knitter's Pride Needles Starting with Circulars & Interchangeable Starter Sets
Since Yarnmarket first opened its doors here in Central Ohio, we have always prided ourselves on carrying some of the best Knitting Needles & Crochet Hooks in the industry. And just last week we received a shipment from a new needle company that has us all drooling over the samples and rushing like crazy to get them available for you. We have several of the items ready for sale, and the rest will be ready soon and be promoted in our monthly Bulletin on January 17th.
So what has us all so in awe?? The offerings from Knitter's Pride that's what.
Knitter's Pride of India has been in the needle making business for many years and has recently created its own line of needles for the U.S. and Canada. Its beautiful "Dreamz" collection is crafted of densified laminated birch wood, which is more affordable and much harder than neither ebony or rosewood. Also unlike with other wood needles, water absorption is negligible and there is no chance of warping according to the manufacturer.
We're launching the "Dreamz" collection with both circular needles and an interchangeable starter set:
First off, we are carrying the complete line of the Dreamz Fixed Circular Needles. Knitter's Pride offers its lovely colored woods in a full range of sizes from 0 to 19 U.S. in 4 lengths (24", 32", 40" & 47") and from 0 to 11 U.S. in 16". This wonderful collection is great for a wide range of projects whether you're working in the round or knitting a flat piece with lots of cast-on stitches. And the really marvelous feature is that each size is color coordinated so that all size 0 needles are Aquamarine all size 9 needles are Misty Green, all size 17s are Burgundy Rose, etc. That will be mighty convenient when you go to pull out the right size from your needle case, won't it?
Then we are also introducing their fantastic interchangeable knitting needles with the Dreamz Interchangeable Starter Set, a terrific way to get started with interchangeable needles and to "test out" the connections and tips before investing in a complete set. Each set contains 3 pairs of 4.5" tips in sizes 6, 9 & 10 U.S. (4, 5.5 & 6mm), and each tip is a different color of laminated birch wood to help you keep track of them easily. Also included are 2 cables (24" & 32"), 4 end caps and 2 cable keys for tightening the connectors. And all of these items are available in a clear vinyl case with convenient pockets and a fold over flap to keep everything in place.
Explore a Lighter Weight Version of Twinkle's Most Popular Yarn
We always know we'll be seeing something special and innovative when we hear that fashion designer Wenlan Chia is working on a new yarn for her Twinkle Yarn collection and her latest addition definitely exceeds our expectations.
For those who prefer working on smaller needles but still want a quick-to-create fiber gem, Wenlan has created a slightly lighter version of her ever-popular Soft Chunky yarn. Baby Chunky is a super chunky beauty also spun as a single ply, 100% virgin wool sensation. "Baby Chunky" is buttery soft, just like its big sister, that we know you'll enjoy knitting and crocheting with this roving-like beauty almost as much as you'll enjoy wearing the finished garments and accessories!
And, of course, Twinkle as Wenlan is known in the haute couture world has supported her new yarn with lovely patterns too.
Twinkle has put her high-fashion sensibilities to work in her new Twinkle's Escape (#9165) and designed four lovely projects for you to knit. We especially love the sporty Baby Chunky Eskimo's Hoodie. This great jacket has such textural detail and stitch definition from the generous hoodie, the loop stitching on the front and the side entry pockets that you'll take a great escape from winter's harsh breath when you're wearing it!
Bergere de France Hits a Home run with New Aran Weight Fiber Blend
We look forward to the new yarns and fashion magazines each season, and we especially enjoy seeing what the yarn gurus at Bergere de France have come up with. We know they will do something special with that French flair but will also keep their creations wearable and easy care. And this month's new yarn and specific projects definitely live up to our expectations.
It always amazes us what beautiful effects the experts at Bergere can achieve through their special spinning processes, and lovely Baltic yarn is no exception. Spun as a classic heavy worsted/aran-weight fiber blend, "Baltic" has a slight sheen that gives it a lustrous depth in wonderful heathered colors. It works equally well in adult and children's projects and is super easy care since it is both machine wash and tumble dry. "Baltic" is particularly effective with excellent stitch definition and making cables & ribbing really stand out.
And just as a few examples of "Baltic" projects, we highly recommend for the whole family:
The stunningly beautiful Baltic Tunic and the coordinating Beret & Wrist Warmers Set,
The clever Girl's Cabled Dress that's sure to draw all eyes,
The easy-fit Boy's Cabled Jacket & Hat and
The one-of-a-kind Baltic Coat to indulge yourself.
Customer Service Reminders
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, 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 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.
Also these next several months are the major time of the year when knitters & crocheters take the time to make things for themselves, so remember that our staff will be glad to help you choose the right project or advise you on the perfect tool, bag or accessory to suit your tastes and needs. Also with colder weather and unpredictable outdoor conditions on their way, be sure you have a variety of projects lined up to enjoy & keep you entertained so that you can avoid cabin fever. Also in next month's newsletter we'll be sharing the top projects from 2011 so that you can check out what everyone's been so excited about lately. But we'll give you a little hint as a preview -- think scarves, Scarves, SCARVES!
Thanks for reading, and we hope you have the day off from work to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday the 16th!
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.
