Our Anniversary Sale is coming to a close tomorrow! We’ve had two full months of incredible deals on yarns for knitters, crocheters and weavers, as well as needle and hook sets. With just over 24 hours before these sale prices end you have one last chance to shop these deals and build your stash for summer and even holiday knitting!

left, top-bottom: Tahki Cotton Classic Lite, Noro Taiyo, Knitter's Pride Dreamz Deluxe Interchangeable 
Needle Set and Cascade 220, Debbie Bliss Boheme, Lorna's Laces Solemate

right: Jade Sapphire Khata

Take home your choice of over 100 yarns and needle/hook sets now, at savings of up to 30%, while you still can! Wednesday morning at 12:00am they’ll all be full price again.

I have to tell you, even I was surprised by the luxury fibers in this year’s sale! We have 6 yarns with cashmere!

If you’re looking for a workhorse yarn for incredible garments that has just a little extra oomph we’ve got two choices for you.  Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran is a classic,  a machine washable blend of 55% Merino Wool/33% Microfibre/12% Cashmere in over 3 dozen saturated solids is perfect for trend defying garments and accessories that you’ll wear for years. And if tweed is your thing then Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed couldn’t be better. A softly plied and lofty blend of wool, silk and cashmere in tonal tweeds for classically rustic garments, and shawls you want to wrap up in all year long.

DK is a versatile weight equally suited to adult and children’s garments and accessories and there’s no reason to shy away from a little bit of luxury there. Sublime Baby Cashmere Merino Silk DK is a touchably soft blend of merino wool, silk and cashmere for a yarn with lots of bounce and shine! With over 30 colors to choose from it’s ideal for colorwork projects. And if you want a little hand dyed color in your cashmere stash, pick up a few skeins of Mrs. Crosby Hat Box. the color wizards at Lorna’s Laces have dreamed up all new colorways reminiscent of exoctic locales and travels.

On the finer side, if you’re a lace or shawl person Dream in Color Smooshy with Cashmere is another gorgeous hand-dyed yarn with a superwash merino, cashmere and nylon blend that would be gorgeous for shawls and durable enough for incredible socks! But my favorite of the cashmere yarns in this sale has to be the Greylock from Valley Yarns. This beauty is 100% cashmere, lightly spun and plied for an airy yarn with the slightest halo. It’s soft and squishy with an incredibly generous 300 yds in each ball.

That Greylock is honestly calling my name, and the JoSharp has my wheels turning. Which yarns will you be adding to your stash?

Baby Cashmerino has long been one of my go-to yarns when I want to enjoy my knitting as much as the finished baby garments. This Spring Debbie Bliss has introduced Baby Cashmerino Tonals and I’m thrilled by the possibilities of combining these colors with some of my favorite solids.  Never one to disappoint, Debbie Bliss has released a full pattern collection of tiny sweaters perfect for the little one in your life, and this yarn!

If you’re looking to knit for yourself this spring try the new Cotton Denim DK. Not only is it a machine washable, 100% cotton, but it’s available in almost a dozen soft, summer shades. I have my eye on the several of the patterns from the accompanying collection.

And for a little fun in your wardrobe try the two new yarns from Conway + Bliss!

A soft chainette tube, Cleo feels like t-shirt material! This will make terrific warm-weather garments and accessories in bright, solid colors. Lolli is another chainette-type yarn in bright, solid hues, but with surprise bursts of color throughout! This one will knit up into fun hats, scarves, cowls or other accessories, and there’s great pattern support for both.

You can read more about these yarns and see lots of pattern ideas in our new Spring 2016 Catalog.

Photo copyright Debbie Bliss

I have been loving Debbie Bliss’s Fine Donegal from afar these days, but I grabbed a skein to check out a particularly pleasing color this afternoon (it has an antiseptic number instead of a name, but if I were the Head Namer at Debbie Bliss, I would probably call it Pine Forest with New-Growth Leaves), and I fell in love with it all over again.  It’s a scrumptious blend of wool and cashmere in a sport-weight gauge of 6.5 stitches to an inch on US size 3’s, which is my sweet spot. My love was confirmed when I went wandering around on Ravelry to see what folks are making with this delicious stuff, and found The Vintage Leaf Sweater, designed by Debbie herself and found in the pattern book that supports this yarn (also called Fine Donegal). All the pictures in this book must have been taken on a really hot day because the model looks really mad. No matter; the garments drew me in and especially Ms. Vintage Leaf. Body-conscious, close-fitting at the neck, and with a hypnotic twisted-stitch lace pattern that looks like –you guessed it — leaves. It has an afterthought collar, and elbow-length sleeves that add even more class.

It’s snowing here today, and even though we had the coldest weekend ever, I’m hopeful that looking at some sweet tweedy yarn will bring a little spring to mind. Happy knitting!

Our Fall 2015 Catalog might be my favorite this year. We’ve featured Malabrigo Mecha on the cover in the gorgeous Springbanks Blanket from Malabrigo Book 8.

Inside you’ll find lots of new Fall yarns from Rowan, Shibui and the Fibre Company. New patterns from Debbie Bliss,  Jo Sharp and Stacy Charles Fine Yarns, and all the needles and hooks you’ll need to get going on your holiday knitting. So check your mailbox (sign up to receive the catalog here), or browse online, and see what’s hiding in those 64 pages that will inspire you this Fall!

Not to belabor the point, but we’ve had more snow in the last month than we had all last winter. As much as I like winter, I’m now throwing up my hands and admitting defeat. This week, I thought I’d spotlight some fun yarns in vibrant, warm colors to get us all thinking about spring. Even though some of my picks are built for cold-weather projects, it will still lighten my thoughts to see these intense shades on the needles.

Debbie Bliss Paloma is a bulky-weight yarn but the slightly tubular chainette construction makes it feel super-light. And the rich dark pink that caught my eye would make a great-looking tam to take you from freezing outdoors to cozy inside. Cascade Avalon Multi in a sweet pastel palette would be perfect for a pullover vest or shrug to layer over a long-sleeve tee. And who doesn’t love Madeline Tosh? Tosh DK in Fluoro Rose makes a bold statement, so just a little will go a long way. Maybe a loose cowl or some fingerless mitts? It’s never too early to plan your garden, and to help with that, take a peek at Schachenmayr Tahiti in a variegated green/yellow/teal color combo. It can’t help but bring lacy flowering shrubs and lilac bushes to mind.
Are you thinking of spring? What would be your dream color or project?

We’re so excited to share this next design with you! The amazing Debbie Bliss has designed the cozy Waterfall Jacket in our Valley Yarns Deerfield. 

She has put together a modern, boxy cardigan in a simple but sophisticated broken rib pattern that is sure to become one of your go-to wardrobe staples. Designed with just the right amount of positive ease and fantastic front pockets this sweater looks great dressed up or styled more casually. You can never go wrong with a pocket! 

Debbie Bliss has released a new collection of crochet projects for the home, Crochet Living.

There are some simple but visually stunning blankets and home accessories, like pillows and table linens, as well as cozy, wearable accessories. With lots of colors available in Baby Cashmerino, Cashmerino Aran and Rialto DK you can take any of these patterns and make them your own.

I’m really loving the simple grey poncho with that pop of color from the orange buttons.

This week the staff at WEBS is buzzing about two great yarns and a new knitting needle set.

It’s been a couple of years since I’ve last knit with Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino. But when the six new colors passed by my desk this week, I was reminded all over again how much I love knitting with this yarn.

I’ve used Baby Cashmerino twice: once to make the Knitting at Knoon Sweet Pea sacque and once for my final project sweater for the WEBS Expert Knitting Certification Program. Each time I was delighted by how enjoyable it was to knit with. The springyness of the yarn made my stitches look so even. I have another baby gift that I need to make soon. It may be time to have fun with this yarn again. > Dena C.

I have been working with Knit One Crochet Too Ty-Dy Socks and it is scrumptious! The stitch definition is absolutely beautiful. I was considering making these as a gift, but have come to realize that I cannot wait to get these on my feet! The fiber blend of 80% merino and 20% nylon creates a lovely springy sock that I know will hug my feet and keep my toes cozy and snug. > Karen M.

Knitter’s Pride Cubics Interchangeable Circular Deluxe Set – I’ve been anxiously awaiting this set ever since we got our first shipment of Knitter’s Pride needles. I was a huge Cubics skeptic at first, and thought the shape wouldn’t feel right and would throw off my knitting. The square needles are so much more comfortable in my hands than round needles. I think I get a better grip on them. I’ve heard some knitters see a change in their gauge with these but I haven’t had a problem. Knitting up a quick gauge swatch when you first knit with them is a good idea. The joins of this interchangeable set are just right. They hold the tips in firm without snagging the yarn. This set is high on my wish list! > Grace H.

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Kirsten and Kathy chat about the fall photoshoot and how she came up with the collection of projects.

Check out the behind the scenes video!

Steve’s Yarn Picks

• Debbie Bliss Paloma
• Debbie Bliss Riva
• Madelinetosh Tosh Chunky
• Classic Elite Pirouette
• Be Sweet Simply Sweet Satisfaction
• Be Sweet Simply Sweet Whipped Cream
• Classic Elite Premiere Closeout
• Classic Elite Waterlily Closeout

CAL – Valley Cowl

Pattern is laid out with the notes and special stitches on the first page, so you have to go to the second page to know exactly how much to chain.

Foundation double crochet! Not as hard as you think it is
– Directions are very clear as to exactly where to put your hook (through the face of the chain and under the nub) Sounds weird, but makes a lot of sense when you’re looking at your chain
– I found an Addi hook to be the most useful, nearly a necessity: the head is pointy and narrow and fits into the chain easier than other hooks.
– Doing the foundation double crochet exactly as directed makes a very clean edge and the resulting chain is really flexible and stretchy

Gauge is given in Foundation Double Crochets, which is very handy. You can check your gauge as you’re starting your project!