The Whole Nine Yarns

It's so cold that yarn is the only thing keeping me warm.

it's so cold here! I know, having grown up in New York state, that Georgia doesn't get really cold, but this is close enough for me.  Friday I leave for Long beach, site of the winter TNNA show.  I cannot wait for the sun - and of course, all the wonderful yarn!  I'm anxious to find the best and come back to share it with you all.

Around the shop, things have been pretty quiet.  We got a huge box from Rowan.  Not only did we restock our Kidsilk Haze:

 
(Just look at how luscious that is!) We also got new colors of Rowan's incredible alpaca yarn, Lima.  I cannot get over the depth of colors and the fabulous hand of the knitted fabric. This color is called Machu Pichu.

 

There's red and brown and gold and even a little green, all making this the most luscious of yarns you'll work with. For now at least. Wow.

Let me remind you guys that the Purljama party is coming up next friday, January 15. From 7 PM - midnight, we'll be gathered for fun and fiber.  If you feel like bringing a dish to share, I encourage you; I don't know if I will get over last year. . .  but I'm hoping this year will be better!

See you after TNNA!

Debi and the rest of the TWNY gang
 

Happy New Year!

I think you'll all be happy to hear that it's my New Year's Resolution to keep the blog updated better.  Every Wednesday this year, there's going to be a new post to look forward to.  It should be easy to find material - there's always something going on here - but finding the time will be the trick! Nonetheless, I promise we're not disappearing!

So, speaking of the New Year, I want to make sure that you all know about our upcoming Purljama 2010.  On January 15, from 7-12 PM, we'll be relaxing, playing with yarn, talking with friends and generally having more fun that non-knitting muggles would believe! Bring a dish to share - and don't worry, you don't have to share yarn - and get ready to do some serious post-holiday unwinding.

Now, what you're really here to see is the new stuff in the shop.  Talking with Jenna last night, she suggested our motto should be "Inspiration, with cashmere on top." I don't know if that's one I'll go with all the time, but I do love this new cashmere.

 

We've got laceweight cashmere from Jojoland and DK weight cashmere from Classic Elite.  You know your hands need some cashmere to help you recover from holiday stress! 

We've also gotten in some yarn from Cascade that I really love - Magnum.  It's so huge, but it's a big single full of yum, with great colors and wonderful texture.

 

It's perfect for a quick project.  What about a cool purse for you? Or a scarf for you? Don't you deserve it after the stress of holiday knitting?

Cascade is really knocking out the great yarns.  There are tons of free patterns on their website using all their different yarns, including this Alpaca Laceweight.

Seriously, isn't this just begging you to come in and see how beautiful the colors really are?  It's so silky and soft with really deep color. It comes in hanks that are just right for a small shawl, so it wouldn't be a huge addition to your stash, now would it?

Have you seen the January class calendar?   Here are two samples of what's come up.  First, there are Louise's Felted Ballet Slippers:

They are so cute!  Imagine the variations you can make in them with just a change of color and buttons. And here is Jenna's Twined Knitted Hat.  It's a fun technique which really makes a warm fabric and does interesting things to multi-colored yarns.

There are plenty of good things to enjoy around the shop.  Plus, I'm heading out to Market in January and you know I'll be coming back with a lot of wonderful yarns and ideas!

Happy New Year!  May the new year be full of yarn and lots of fun for you all!

Debi and the rest of the TWNY gang

Recovering from Cat - with Yarn!

Wow, it's been such a great week.  Spending a weekend with Cat Bordhi is an eye opening and almost life changing event.  You come out feeling like there's nothing you can't do - and no reason not to try.  We're going to try to hold onto that idea with a monthly "Creative Consortium" (named by Amy De) to inspire and support each other in being creative and innovative.  Stay tuned for more details about that - it will probably start in November, since October is just about INSANE!

Every year, we look forward to hosting our Breast Cancer event, raising money for Sisters of Support. SoS is a local breast cancer support group and we're always pleased to be able to help them. On Sunday, October 11, from 12-4, we'll be having an event at the shop.  It's a $5 donation at the door, followed by a lot of fun and incredible prizes.  We'll be knitting on prayer shawls as well as playing games and enjoying the friendship of other knitters. Our vendors have been very generous, so you can expect to see amazing door prizes and incredible silent auction items.  We're also lucky enough to have a local hairdresser come to donate pink extensions to anyone who wants for $5. All proceeds from the extensions and from the whole event will be going to Sisters of Support. It's going to be a great time for a great cause and I hope you can join us.

But of course, that's not all that's going on around here.  We're still getting in great new things all the time.  Just take a look at these buttons by Lantern Moon:

Some are made of shell, some are enamel on shell and some are enamel on coconut.  You know how much I love buttons - they define a garment.  We had a customer last night who bought some like the green ones to sew onto the store bought sweater she had one.  The color was perfect and it made what was a nice sweater into something really special.

And speaking of special, take a look at these Amy Butler bag patterns!  The Chelsea would make a great needle bag or small project bag.  The Sophia would be perfect for a sweater project.  We also have Amy Butler fabric, so you can make these things quickly enough to have a place to put the sweater you know you want to make!

Now, we never have a shortage of patterns, but designers keep coming out with more great ones.  The new book Folklorica from Tahki is one wonderful example.  The book is full of patterns using their Presto yarn, which frankly doesn't photograph well enough for me to show you how lovely it is.  Maybe the book's cover will show you:

And then, of course, there is the continuing challenge of finding a pattern that fits a really curvy figure.  Classic Elite has come out with a great pattern book, full of things that just beg to be knitted.  Check it out!

Remember, the Atlanta Shop Hop begins this Saturday, October 3, to Sunday October 11. A $1 passport means you can visit all the participating shops and get the passport stamped with a $10 purchase.  If you visit all the shops on the hop, you'll be entered for the grand prize. Also, each store will have a free original pattern for Shop Hoppers. I'm pretty sure you'll love ours, but no matter what, you'll have fun!

Debi and the rest of the TWNY gang

Book Signing With Cat Bordhi!

Hi everyone!  It's been a busy week and another busy weekend ahead.  I want to thank everyone who took the time to come to the Purl for the Planet event last Friday - we exceeded our goal and I know we all had a lot of fun!

That's the old news, though - this weekend we will have the one and only Cat Bordhi teaching at the store.  Her classes are filled up, but Cat has agreed to do a book signing on Sunday, September 27!  From 11-12, Cat will be signing her books, including her latest, Personal Footprints for Insouciant Sock Knitters. 

I love this book, which we've gotten in just as it came out!  There are so many inspirations here and so many though provoking ideas.  Whether you are in a class this weekend or not, I strongly encourage you to come Sunday, meet the Great Mind of Socks and get your books signed! We've got Cat's previous books (Socks Soar on Two Circulars, A Treasury of Magical Knitting, A Second Treasury of Magical Knitting and New Pathways for Sock Knitters) ready in case you don't have them. Believe me - once you realize how amazing Cat is, you'll want more!

Oh, and speaking of how amazing Cat is, she has designed these stitch markers with Skacel.

Each is marked with a letter and will fit on small needles.  More interestingly, they can be slipped over the cord of a circular needle for easy moving and changing no matter what the pattern calls for.  Clever, cute and efficient - what more can you ask for?

Speaking of cute, look what the clever Jan Linton has made for us!

These are some of the cutest guys I've ever seen. We can help you find just the right colors for your little guys and if you start now, you can have a whole lot of cuteness by Christmas. These guys are enough to make me want winter NOW.

Speaking of fuzzy and warm, just take a look at this alpaca we got in:

Some of these are pure alpaca, some are mixed with Corriedale Wool and some are mixed with bamboo.  All of them are beautiful, soft and waiting for you. Isn't it really time to add spinning to your skills? Or needle felting? And you just know that these would be so gorgeous displayed in a bowl, inviting your fingers to pat them.  Of course, the only way you'll know for sure is if you come into the store to see!

I hope I see lots of you this weekend for the book signing - remember Sunday, from 11 AM - Noon with Cat Bordhi. 

Debi and the rest of the TWNY gang

Purl for the Planet - and more!

Hi everyone!  Remember a couple of weeks ago when I posted about our Purl for the Planet event? Well, it's finally almost here!  This Friday, September 18, from 7 PM to midnight, we'll be playing with fiber, sharing time with friends and, I hope, raising a lot of money for a worthy cause: Keep The Fleece. Bring what you'd like to drink and if you want to bring some food to share, that would be great, too.  Admission is free, but we will gratefully accept donations for Keep the Fleece.  Caryn and Jenna are working on knit and crochet versions of TWNY's contribution to the World's Longest Scarf, ready for you to add a few rows. Oh, and we'll also be having a sample sale, so that sweater you've had your eye on might just be available! We look forward to seeing you there!

Now, on to the the new stuff!  I have to start with this little guy:

Is he not the cutest thing? He's a sample from the new needle felting kits from Lorna's Wool.  There are also kits for sheep and pigs, as well as sampler kits with different colors that are just made for needle felters.  The owner of the company has her own flock of sheep and she uses their wool to make her kits!  How cool is that? Trust me - you've got to see the sheep. The kit includes all you need to make the sheep, with the bases already felted, the needles and even little locks to give the sheep extra texture and realism. 

And then, on a much more grown up note, I want to share the Botanica Medallion Cardigan by our newest teacher, Louise!

The class is on October and I know you're going to love it.  I think her cardigan is much more lovely in person than in this picture, let alone in the magazine. The color, texture and pattern are just gorgeous! And just consider all the colors that cotton comes in - imagine what you can do!

Speaking of colors, just take a look at these scarves from Lantern Moon. They are so soft and elegant and would be great presents for anyone - including you!  You could add knit or crocheted embellishments easily - you could even add needle felting.

I was trying for a photo that captured the colors, but just imagine the possibilities. 

We've also gotten in new patterns,yarns and sock patterns from Fiber Trends. The sock yarn is a wool/nylon/alpaca/possum blend and comes in a great range of colors - many of which are perfect for men!  In a world full of gorgeous handpaints, it can be hard to find a sock yarn a man will wear - look no further.

And, lastly, I have to share something I am so thrilled about.  Anyone who's been knitting a while knows the name Alice Starmore. She is the queen of Fair Isle knitting, but her seminal book on the subject has been out of print for years. Copies on Ebay were going for hundreds of dollars, but now Alice Starmore's Book of Fair Isle Knitting has been reprinted!  And trust me, you can get it for a lot less that $300.

This is a history book, a pattern book, a technique book and a design primer all in one!  You haven't ever seen anything like it and believe me, you'll want to. If you've never done Fair Isle before, don't worry.  Jenna will be teaching a Fair Isle class in November, so you can get settled in with the technique and then be inspired to create your own designs!

Have a great week - and keep an eye on your e-mail. Good things may be coming your way!

Debi and the rest of the TWNY gang

Patterns and knitters and more!

The week has been flying by here at the shop. Between new yarns and patterns coming in and getting ready for our Purl for the Planet event and for Cat Bordhi to come, we just don't have enough hours in the day!  That said, there's always time for a little fun. Today, Caryn and I wrapped Jenna in duct tape - really.

We were helping her get  ready for her class, Dress Me Up. With duct tape, a t-shirt and a little help, you can made a custom dress form. Imagine how much fun this could be!  And with all the colors of duct tape out there these days, there's no reason to stick with silver.  Come in the shop to see the finished model and to sign up for the fun!

I know you didn't read this to see someone wrapped in duct tape - you wanted to see what's new. Well how about this pattern?

You can't put a scarf on a baby, but you can make a hat with nice long flaps to keep their ears covered and their neck warm.  Not to mention, the photo ops!

We've also gotten in some wonderful Ozark Handspun in glorious colors.  I love the texture of this stuff and the fact that it's not like anything else out there.

One skein can make a great hat, but what about using it at the top of a felted purse? I've seen it and believe me, it's wonderful. You could also use it in the yoke of a classic top down sweater for a unique look - lots of texture and color, without a lot of work. Just start imagining.

If you need a little help in the imagination department, we've gotten two great new magazines in this week:

Debbie Bliss Knitting Magazine and Interweave Knits Weekend knits are both full of great things to knit and interesting things to read. I like more than patterns in my knitting - I like useful informations as well as features of new products.

Speaking of which, have you see the latest offer of Spin Off? We sold out of our first batch already, but more are on the way.  It is, as always, a really interesting read, but it's also got something special this month.  Our favorite woodworking spinner, creator of the Trindle, Jeremy Armstrong, is featured along with his creation. Trindles are one of our favorite toys around here and one of the most eagerly anticipated parts of Spin Night is seeing if Jeremy has brought us any new trindles. We're the exclusive brick and mortar store for trindles and believe me, I know how honored we are! Even if you've tried other drop spindles without success, you owe it to yourself to try a trindle.

And while we're on the the subject of spinning, look at these dangerous looking instruments!

Wool combs! These are from Majacraft and come in both single and double tiered versions. They are perfect for long wools and are great for blending color as well as making your own wonderful soft fiber blends. Getting good tools makes any job easier and these are a dream!

As always at TWNY, we're hoping to share the love of knitting with the next generation.  I want you to meet one of our youngest knitters - Kennedy. He's in 6th grade in school, but so ahead in knitting!  He's a helpful model, too - showing off a tam mde by Ginny.

The next time someone tells you only grandmothers knit, you'll be able to prove them wrong! Why wait until you have grandchildren to enjoy the good stuff, after all?

And speaking of sharing the joy of knitting, don't forget that the third annual Atlanta Shop Hop starts October 3 and reuns through October 11. We'll haveextended hours during the weekend and you know you're anxious to see what Mariana comes up with this year for our Shop Hop pattern! Details can be found at The Atlanta Shop Hop Blog.  I hope to see you all before then! 

Debi and the rest of the TWNY gang

And we're back!

Last week, I had such a great post, full of new things and information - and then, the computer froze.  The good news for you is that I have all the photos - and some of the new stuff - still and am back with even more!

Last week's post started out with a photo of the new Hiya Hiya Interchangeable Needles!  I mean, really, I love the fact that the sizing goes from 2's to 8's, which are the sizes I seem to use the most.  The set, packaged in the coolest case, also includes 4 cables, sized 16", 24", 32" and 40".  Can you imagine how many projects you can have going at one time with this set?

 

OK, if you've got as many projects going on at one time as I do, you might need two sets. 

Now I wouldn't want you crocheters to feel left out.  Denise has come out with an interchangeable crochet set, which is so great if you're into Tunisian crochet.  Catherine, who works in the store on Saturdays, has started and baby blanket using Tunisian crochet and it is flying off the nee -, I mean, hook!

 

I wouldn't want you to think that the only really great stuff I have to show you this week involves needles and hooks.  Perish the thought!  Take a look at this - Brae Tweed from Knit One, Crochet Too. 

 

The colors are insanely gorgeous with names like Peat, Slate and Moor and the fiber content is positively lush:  60% merino wool/20% baby llama/10% bamboo/10% donegal . You need to feel this stuff just to believe it. Plus the pattern support is just wonderful as always from this company.  Jenna's already working on the Kelly Pullover. 

We've also gotten in Misti Alpaca Tonos Worsted.  The colors are tonal and rich, but they just didn't want to photograph well.  It's a wool/alpaca blend, 50/50, but it's spun for loft and should have great stitch definition.  Imagine the next time you're thinking of using worsted weight - this just bumps it up another notch and you'll feel the difference.

We've also gotten in Yang from Southwest Trading Company. If you think you need a little sparkle in your life, this may be your new favorite yarn!  

 

The fiber blend is so nice and soft, which is unusual for yarns with sparkle: 60% wool, 20% silk, 20% bamboo.  Maybe this will be the perfect yarn for a holiday wrap.  Just think, if you start now, you'll be able to wear it this year!

OK, now it's time for something completely different.  Some of you may be aware that we carry fabrics by Amy Butler; her Midwest Modern style is unique and her color sense is really amazing.  Well, we thought it was time to show you guys what to do with all this lovely stuff, so we've brought in a lot of her patterns!

 

Can't you see a lot of these bags for knitting and notions?  Imagine our surprise when two days after one customer bought the pattern and the fabric, she came in with this completely wonderful and reversible bag!

 

Betsy Kinchen rocks!  Just had to share that with you! So come in and get inspired.

I want to leave you with a date to add to your calendars - September 18, 2009, we'll be hosting "Purls for the Planet".  We support the Save The Fleece organization and will be having a fun night to help raise money and awareness about natural fibers.  There's no cost to come, but donations to Save The Fleece are encouraged and we'll work on our part of the World's Longest Scarf. You can read more about Save The Fleece at Save The Fleece. We're looking forward to the event and we're looking forward to seeing you then!

Thanks and have a great week!

Debi and the rest of the TWNY team

Ho Ho Ho!

Hello again!  Last weekend, we celebrated our annual Christmas in July and I think it's safe to say we all had a jolly time.  Our instructors were there, with simple and quick knits to get holiday knitting off to a roaring start!  Here's Caryn, my manager and the main crochet teacher; she also organizes all the classes, so I think you can imagine how much I appreciate her.

We had BJ with her "I Got Your Lace" shawl and Ginny with her "Tam-tastic" pattern.  (I'd show you pictures of them, but they were surrounded by customers the whole time!) Here's Judy with her continuous strand  weaving; she'll be teaching that this fall for us!

 But I don't want you to think that's all the news for this week.  We've been receiving regular visits from the Man in the Brown Truck!  Just Monday, he dropped off four HUGE boxes from Berroco. The new pattern books are so fabulous, but the yarns are just as good.  Here's Sundae, a bulky weight yarn with amazing depth of color:

 

See what I mean? I'm also in love with their Vintage Wool, which comes in such a great range of colors and is washable! Oh, and the Lustra - a wool tencel blend with shine and softness to make you just need this yarn!  The patterns are also just so good - a range of wearable things no matter what age you are. 

 

And then, just when we found room for all of that wonderful yarn, along came the boxes from Aslan Trends.  They've launched three new lines of yarn, all kettle dyed. There's a sock weight, a worsted weight and a bulky weight all in the same colorways. With that, you could either mix and match yarns in one piece or have socks that perfectly match your sweaters!

 

The other thing I love about yarns like this is that they can make a simple sweater really look special.  We had one customer who bought the purple worsted weight to make her first garment - a vest.  It is such a basic pattern, but it will pop in the yarn she chose. Who says basic has to be boring?

On a final note, I want to encourage you to check our class listings from the main store site. We have 15 instructors and they are always coming up with new projects. We've also added two new instructors. Melissa will be teaching the Bianca sweater and Louise will be teaching the Botanica Medallion cardigan from the summer Vogue. Welcome to both of them!  The shawl below is the Limbo shawl which was designed for new knitters.  It will teach you everything from gauge to cables, to lace, to seaming.  Just look for it on the August calendar!

 

Keep knitting and thanks for checking in with us!

Debi and the rest of the TWNY gang

Is It Tuesday already?

Welcome back!  It's time for our regular Tuesday update.  Just so you know - we'll be updating at least every Tuesday, but maybe more often.  Sometimes, it's just too hard to wait to let you guys know about new stuff.

We've been working hard this week planning our annual Christmas in July event.  Sunday, June 19, from 1-4 PM, we'll be helping you to get an early start on your holiday knitting.  Many of our instructors will be there, displaying simple patterns that make great gifts and showing you previews of their fall classes; there'll even be a discount offered on class supplies purchased that day.  For $5 at the door, you will get inspiration, lots of patterns and some serious new knitting mojo. Oh, and sweet treats to eat.  Can you think of a more fun way to spend a hot Sunday afternoon in July?

Now, to reward ourselves for all the work we're doing to get ready for Christmas in July, we're having a PurlJama party this Friday night!  We had one back in December and it was so much fun that we had to have another.  So, put on your favorite pj's, grab some knitting that doesn't need you to pay too much attention and get to The Whole Nine Yarns at 7 PM this Friday, July 10.  There's no charge for this event, but if you want to bring a dish to share and whatever you feel like drinking, that would be great. We'll be keeping an eye out for those of you who make an extra effort with your outfit - there could be some good stuff in it for you!  See you there! (Teddy bears are optional.)

Now, I just got a delivery from my favorite man in brown - my anniversary Schacht Matchless spinning wheel in cherry is here!  I have to get out my tools and play!