Yarn Market Knitting News!

	YARNMARKET.COM NEWS ISSUE #97 In This Issue: Latest Fashion Trends: Spring Has Sprung with Innovative Striping & the Hot Color for the Season | Enjoy Rowan Yarns on Sale at 20% Off Through April 23rd Plus Other Yarn Sales Continuing | Noro Creates One New Fiber Gem and Brings Another Back to the U.S. By Popular Demand | Explore a New Bag Company with Eco-Friendly Options at Affordable Prices Just in Time for Mother's Day | Other Great Mother's Day Gift Ideas of Things to Make for Her | Some Customer Service Reminders Latest Fashion Trends: Spring Has Sprung with Innovative Striping & the Hot Color for the Season   Rowan Toulon Top   Well, for the past six weeks or so, we've all been dealing with the transitional, in-between-seasons type of weather and trying to figure out the best way to dress. We've gone over advice about how to layer your wardrobe, how to choose the right fibers that can go from cool to warm and back again, and how to accessorize your wardrobe to stay in style too. But now we're ready to embrace the latest trends for Spring 2012, and in this issue we'll be overviewing one of the hottest trends plus some of the best colors for jazzing up your wardrobe for the next few months.   Linsey Zariski Shrug   One of the most prominent trends for spring as witnessed on the runways of Milan, Paris, New York and London is the use of striping. But this year we're moving well past the nautical striping that was so popular just last spring. This year it seems as if the more innovative designers and classicists alike are indulging themselves in a variety of types of stripes, running in multiple directions in the same outfit and mixing things up for a bit more fun and funk. From Dolce & Gabbana to Michael Kors and from Donna Karen to Stella McCartney, everyone is exploring stripes and giving their imaginations free rein. For example, Tommy Hilfiger explains that he's "updating Pendleton stripes in upbeat, warm colors." That means he's giving his fans a modern twist on a traditional approach to basic wardrobe elements and accessories and is enhancing everything from tank tops to totes with innovative stripe patterns.   Rialto Simple Striped Tank   Now when we turn to our favorite knitwear designers to check out how they have incorporated this recent trend, we find wonderful variety as we always expect. Some are innovative by combining textures, while others mix and mingle different types and directions of striping for added appeal. First off, we know we can count on Norah Gaughan and her creative design team at Berroco to keep up with this great trend, and the new Berroco #319: Linsey Geometry lives up to our high expectations. The lovely projects featuring self-striping Linsey Colors yarn show us how terrifically we can let the yarn do the work for us in some respects. One such beauty is the outstanding Linsey Zariski Shrug. We love the way the front is designed to drape and not to fasten closed so that multiple sizes are accommodated with each version, from size X-Small to 2X. Also the auto stripes are really enhanced by the yoke/sleeves being worked sideways from the right sleeve cuff to the left sleeve cuff. Then the lower eight squares are each worked in the round and are joined as you go along so that the jacket is seamless!   Smiley Stripes Ballerina Wrap   Also showing us how classic styles can be jazzed up with unique blending of textures, the designers at Rowan give us the Rowan Toulon Top in their latest magazine issue. This multi-fiber pullover is created by combining three different Rowan yarns with different fiber compositions, textures and yarn weights in a semi random striping pattern. The end result is simply stunning and gives us another easy-to-fit option to add to our spring/summer collection. Then the seasonal stylings of Debbie Bliss are sure to meet our expectations as always, and her Spring 2012 collection is no exception. Take a peek at the Rialto Simple Striped Tank, and you'll see what we mean. Debbie takes a classic spring/summer garment -- the tank top -- and transforms it into something so much more by alternating three shades of Rialto 4 Ply yarn. And Debbie even incorporates the hottest color of the year -- Tangerine Tango, an enticing juicy orange -- into her creation for added fun and pizzazz that you can wear by itself, paired with your favorite cardigan as a twinset or even worn as a vest over your favorite blouse this fall. And we must fulfill our promise to keep the children in our lives up with the hottest fashion trends too. For little girls, the Smiley Stripes Ballerina Wrap from those children's knitwear gurus at Sirdar. Or using the same self-striping yarn, we can deck out our little boys in the handsome Smiley Stripes V-Neck Pullover. The yarn does much of the work for you and truly does turn a traditional pattern into something extraordinary. Enjoy Rowan Yarns on Sale at 20% Off Through April 23rd Plus Other Yarn Sales Continuing   Cotton Menton Pullover   We are always excited when our favorite yarn brands are on sale and today begins our 20% off sale on all Rowan yarns including such popular lines as Felted Tweed, All Seasons Cotton, Kidsilk Haze and Handknit Cotton just to name a few. You know what fantastic spring and year-round outfits you can create too, but one of our highest staff recommendations is for the Handknit Cotton Menton Pullover with its easy fit and great range of sizes available all in the same pattern. And to explore the other brands currently on sale, the best places to check out a quick overview on any given day is to take a peek at our Current Sale Events page and the home page for our Yarnmarket's Bargain Yarns department. But because our space is limited, we rotate the listed sales when we have more than a few brands on sale at the same time, so here's a quick rundown on the current sales. Gorgeous Sublime Yarns are on sale for a few more days through next Monday, April 9th. So be sure to order your Sublime faves soon to enjoy 20% off. Also on sale at 20% off through April 9th are all Stitch Nation yarns with a variety of your favorite classic yarns -- and be sure to check out all the free Stitch Nation Pattern Downloads for a little inspiration. And last but certainly not least, be sure to enjoy all of the terrific Berroco yarns on sale at 20% off for another two weeks (through April 16th). Noro Creates One New Fiber Gem and Brings Another Back to the U.S. By Popular Demand   Karuta Lace Top   Just in time for this introduction to spring styles and trends, one of our favorite yarn companies well known for auto-striping yarns and exquisite colorways has come up with a great multi-seasonal, innovative fiber creation and has returned to the yarn family another that they had retired last year.   Silk Garden Sock Cardi   Eisaku Noro and his yarn mavens at Noro Yarns have created a delightful, multi-seasonal fiber gem to intrigue you. Karuta yarn is beautifully crafted in Japan of 40% silk, 30% wool & 30% cotton. It's spun as a single-ply, heavy worsted fiber for elegance year round and especially during those in-between seasons like spring & fall when the weather keeps changing. You can knit and crochet "Karuta" into a wide range of tops, sweaters, scarves, shawls and other accessories. This yarn also comes in generous 100-gram, 164-yard balls so that you'll have less finishing work and fewer tie-ins too. Of course, the Noro design team has developed wonderful patterns featuring "Karuta" and there are four projects in the new Noro Volume 31. We love the feminine, layering Karuta Lace Top with its open weave and wonderful saturation of colors, and the short-sleeved Karuta Top with its front cables comes in a close second. We're also considering the two great accessory patterns of the Crocheted Hat with its face-framing brim and the stunning Open Weave Scarf that will be a standout in any crowd. We're also excited that one of our all-time Noro faves -- Silk Garden Sock -- has been brought back by popular demand and is once again being distributed in the U.S. Dyed in the most popular color combos of Silk Garden, "Silk Garden Sock" gives you the same marvelous wool/silk/mohair fiber concoction but this time with nylon added for snap-back spring. And just think what fabulous hats, gloves, socks & more you can knit & crochet in this self-striping wonder! And for some design inspiration, we can turn to Jenny Watson's new Noro book -- Noro Designer Mini Knits Three. We highly recommend the versatile Silk Garden Sock Cardigan with its short cap sleeves and lovely drape. Also the Cabled Socks With Pom-Poms look comfy and colorful and would make a great gift, while the retro Silk Garden Sock Crochet Hat is a year-round winner. Explore a New Bag Company with Eco-Friendly Options at Affordable Prices Just in Time for Mother's Day   Southampton Tote   You know that we love our collection of bags and cases that we even set up a special department for Bags & Cases and added a tab for it to the main menu at the top of every page on our website. Well, now we have another new brand of totes and bags in stock and ready to ship just in time for Mother's Day! We at Yarnmarket are very excited to introduce the bag collection of Run Run Run in this issue of the newsletter. The philosophy at Run Run Run is to help make the world a safer, cleaner place through superior design. Their product line of totes and shoppers are environmentally friendly and promote better treatment of our planet. In keeping with this company mantra, a percentage of sales is donated to organizations committed to these ideals including the Surfrider Foundation, the Plastic Pollution Coalition and 1% for the Planet. All of their bag designs are named after cities and/or countries that have banned the use of plastic bags, and we now have in stock two of their lovely creations.   Italia Shopper   Their Southampton Tote is a sophisticated bag celebrating Southampton, New York, as the first city to ban plastic bags in the state. This short-handled tote is just as perfect for Park Ave. or the Hamptons as it is for storing your latest craft project. It's also the only Run Run Run bag with expandable snaps on the sides, zippered pocket inside as well as an additional larger pocket inside and a cell phone slot. And just look at the reinforced handles and bag bottom for added durability & detailing! Add that each bag holds up to 65 pounds and is certified lead-free, BPA-free and phthalates free, and you have a terrific choice as a gift or an addition to your own bag collection. Then the other Run Run Run bag we're introducing celebrates an entire country that has gone plastic bagless. The Italia Shopper is crafted of machine washable polyester fabric with a liner made from recycled plastic bottles. Whether you're shopping at the grocery or your favorite yarn shop, the Italia will store everything up to the equivalent of three supermarket plastic bags. And since they are double stitched, they can also withstand heavy weights as needed. And one other thing we adore about these bags is that one has a special message inside coordinated with the specific color/design. Some of our favorite sayings include "Life is short - Eat dessert first" (Black Italia), "Mistakes are just one part of a full life" (Lime Fresca Italia), "Live the life you've imagined (Cockatoo Southampton), "Life is too important to take seriously" (Metropolis Southampton) and "Follow your heart and you'll never get lost" (Red Ikat Italia). Other Great Mother's Day Gift Ideas of Things to Make for Her   Lace Frill Stole   Over the past few months we've been brainstorming something we could make as a special gift for our mom, grandmother or special aunt, and we've looked through our various projects departments for some inspiration including the Gifts To Treasure area, One Ball Projects, the Scarves & Shawls and the Home Decor department. So now we have several staff recommendations for you to consider.   Noro Tissue Box Cover   We love the delicate drape of Rialto Lace from Debbie Bliss and think the Rialto Lace Frill Edged Stole is simply outstanding. Just imagine how your mom or grandmother would enjoy the intricacies of this shawl and all the compliments she will receive too! Or if you prefer to crochet your gift, take a peek at the gorgeous Mini Mochi Crochet Floral Shawl with its generous sizing. Then for one-ball projects, you can't go wrong with the Beaded Ensemble Scarf starting with a pattern that comes free with your yarn purchase. Or if a one hank shawl is more interesting for you, check out the spectacular Crock-O-Dye Rule of Three Shawl for a creative use of a tone-on-tone sock yarn. And a third recommendation that requires just one hank of yarn is the pair of Baby Boom Campfire Socks. And last but not least, home decor items are popular with many generations, and the new Silk Garden Sock Tissue Box Cover would look great on her bedside table or by her special chair in the living room. Some Customer Service Reminders We the staff of Yarnmarket.com pride ourselves on our customer service. Each order is packed with pride by Amy, Tina, Lisa, Janice 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. And when you're traveling on business or taking a little family vacation for spring break, please remember that our staff knitters will be glad to help you choose the right project to take with you and to enjoy during all those hours in route traveling to your final destination. And during those family get-togethers and celebrations for the upcoming holidays of Passover and Easter, remember that handcrafted items have special meaning when you knit or crochet them for your special relatives and friends. Thanks for reading, and in the upcoming weeks we wish you Happy Passover starting this upcoming Friday evening, April 6th, a Happy Easter this Sunday, April 8th. Also keep in mind that Earth Day is celebrated on Sunday, April 22nd, so think of ways that you can make your life more eco-friendly and protect our natural resources for the next generations. 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, Yarndex.com and KnitchMagazine.com are subsidiaries of Yarnmarket, LLC. Yarnmarket is an online yarn retailer with over 1000 quality brands from over 100 leading manufacturers, plus patterns, books and accessories. Yarndex is a free online yarn directory offering detailed information about more than 6000 yarns from leading manufacturers. Knitch Magazine is an online publication showcasing knitting and crochet fashions for yarn lovers.