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This week Amy talks with Shannon Dunbabin, Creative Director of Cascade Yarns.

Learn all about the history of Cascade Yarns and about some of their newest Fall yarns: Melilla, Spuntaneous, Mondo, and 220 Superwash Merino.

Steve’s Yarn Picks of the week:

Check out what the staff at WEBS is buzzing about this week.

I recently knit a Danger Crafts monster with Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Worsted and I really enjoyed the yarn. It is super soft and I love that it’s machine washable. The next time I’m working on a project that needs to be easy to care for, I think I’ll take a closer look at Shepherd Worsted. I just love the colors too! > Mary K.-H.

I’m really excited about my new pattern Myceria! Both the mittens and hat are made top-down so you can customize the fit and the little ridges at the cuffs and brim have an interesting construction and add surprising detail. I enjoyed working with Valley Yarns Williamstown. It’s so soft, has great drape, even in fairly dense crochet work, and the little pops of tweedy color kept me smiling through the whole project. > Sara D.

I wanted to knit a cowl for a friend and was searching my stash for the softest yarn I could find. Filatura di Crosa Superior was the clear winner with its lofty cashmere. A quick search on Ravelry and I found a simple free cowl pattern by Patricia Scribner and was off to knitting in no time. Now that its finished I know I will need to make one for myself. It’s so light and airy, and crazy soft. It was also a great simple project I could work on if I only had a few minutes. No counting or concentrating required. Sometimes you just need that kind of project. > Dena C.

My New Year’s resolution is to get at least one holiday gift done each month of 2012. For January I’m working on a pair of Gnome Mittens by SpillyJane for my sister. I’m using mostly Valley Yarns Huntington and a few colors in Cascade Yarns 220 Fingering. I’m also using my go-to mitten needles, US size 2 Pony Pearls. I can be kind of rough on dpns and these have great strength as well as flexibility. > Sara D.

Best of Handwoven Technique Series: Twills on Four Shafts – This soon-to-be released eBook from Handwoven features a set of placemats in Valley Yarns 10/2 Valley Cotton designed and woven by Barbara Elkins and originally published in the March/April, 2001 issue of Handwoven. The pattern is an advancing point twill on 4 shafts that could easily be mistaken for a lot more shafts! It’s really easy to weave and takes just one cone each of 3794 Burgundy and 2629 Ink. Or adapt it to a 60/2 silk scarf using 666 Burgundy and 635 Navy.

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This week the staff at WEBS is buzzing about…

1. Craft Activism is a gorgeous book with fun projects representing the many different ways crafters are working to positively impact their environments, create community or support a cause!  The book is filled with interesting stories and colorful projects – I especially like the choose-your-own-chart colorwork mittens, and the tin can flowers are adorable. I can’t wait to see some of these projects in person at the Craft Activism event next week! > Tina M.

2. Cascade Yarns 220 Fingering – The notoriously reliable 220 line introduces another versatile basic in a fingering weight. Soft and lightly plied at 7.5 stitches per one inch on a US 2.  We are carrying a lovely range of 57 shades!! Visions of colorwork are dancing in my head! > Cara S.

3. Swans Island Fingering yarn is a magical combination of soft, sturdy, and sproing-y that you don’t see too often. I just knit up a sweater in it on size 6 needles, and the yarn not only held its own at the bigger gauge, but made an incredibly light, soft fabric – in fact, my boyfriend and roommate now make fun of me every time I pick it up because I’ve raved about it so much!

4. Knitter’s Pride Symfonie Rose Crochet Hook Set – I fell hard for this set of hooks when I first saw them. They are simply stunning and are embellished with Swarovski crystals! Sparkly crochet hooks that look and feel great – what more can a girl ask for? > Kathy

5. I am buzzing with excitement about the National Spinning and Weaving Week here at WEBS. We will be having a wide variety of activities including daily demonstrations, mini-workshops and more. Tuesday night will be a spinning open house and the store will be open until 9pm, with demonstrations of all our spinning wheels. Wednesday we will welcome weavers and spinners from near and far for a meetup day with raffles, goodies bags and more. > Leslie Ann B.