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?

It’s the Fourth Quarter of our 40th Anniversary year and we’re excited to share a whole new batch of products and designs with you.

The wonderful team at Dream in Color has worked magic on our Charlemont yarn and we have 12 amazing colors, including an exclusive Ruby colorway!

The Tirrick Shawl from Gudrun Johnston is one of her favorite garter-based, shetland patterns worked in an ever decreasing series of wedges that form a soft crescent that hugs your shoulders.

Edie Eckman has designed the College Park Shawl to be one of the most versatile accessories you could have, it works as a shawl, a scarf, a kerchief and more!

The Clivia Hat and Mitten Set has fun, decorative buttoned details and the pattern includes a fingerless mitts version.

Of course we’ve got another exclusive project bag from Della-Q, there will be three more weaving drafts as well as a few additional patterns and surprises before the end of the year! Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google +, Instagram, or on Ravelry for all the latest.

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Guest: Kathy talks with Steve from Stitches Midwest.  Steve and the team traveled out to Schaumburg Illinois earlier in the week to set up our booths, between aisles 500 and 600. The sales floor is open to registered students on Thursday evening and opened to the public starting Friday morning through Sunday afternoon.

We have an exclusive debut of the new Madeline Tosh yarn ASAP, a limited supply of Perfectly Plush Single Ply from Dream in Color, and we’re also the only vendor at Stitches Midwest with kits for Chelsea’s Shawl to benefit Chelsea’s Light.

 Steve’s Yarn Picks

• Classic Elite Ava
• Classic Elite Horizons
• Ella Rae Cozy Soft Prints
• James C. Brett Flutterby Chunky
• My Mountain Schachenmayr Boston
• My Mountain Schachenmayr Lova

A copy of Big Foot Knits will be e-mailed to the following, randomly chosen, winners from the contest last week:

#1 – Sally who said, “I can knit a generic sock. Knitting a sock that fits is a different story. Thanks for writing this book.”

and

#2 – Naiaha who said, “This book would be great for me! I sometimes knit socks for myself (women’s size 5.5) but I more often knit socks for DH (men’s size 10.5.) When sock patterns provide only one size, it just doesn’t cut it!”

Thanks to everyone that commented, you had some great reasons for wanting (or needing!) this book:

– I … have, ahem, curvy foot proportions!

Upcoming Events:

Registration has opened for our 7th Annual Bus Trip to the NY Sheep & Wool Festival in Rhinebeck!

 

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Guest: Kathy talks with first-time guest Andi Smith, designer and author of  Big Foot Knits. Originally from Yorkshire England, Andi has been knitting and crocheting for as long as she can remember. 10 years ago she met Shannon Oakey of Cooperative Press and on a drive back from Rhinebeck they talked about socks,how they didn’t fit, what Andi had been doing to alter sock patterns so they would fit and the book idea was born.

The first section of the book is all about helping you to make socks that really fit you. There is some math involved with figuring out your specific measurements and your gauge but then you are ready to make all kinds of socks that fit you well!

Copies of the book are available through Cooperative Press and Ravelry. Comment on this post and tell us why you need Big Foot Knits to win your own copy! Comments must be posted by 11:59pm EDT on Monday, August 5, 2013. 2 Winners will be chosen and will be announced on the show next week. Please make sure to include your e-mail address in the comments so we can contact you if you’re one of our winners!

Steve’s Yarn Picks

• Universal Yarns Jubilation Kettle Dye
• Buffalo Wool Co. Sexy
• Noro Cyochin
• Noro Obi
• Rowan Alpaca Color
• Rowan Thick n Thin
• Rowan Magazine 54

• Classic Elite Wool Bamboo
• Plymouth Vita
• Noro Hitsuji
• Valley Yarns Enfield

Upcoming Events:

Stitches Midwest is happening NEXT weekend! August 8-11 at the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel & Convention Center in Schaumburg, IL.

We will have yarn and hat samples from Schachenmayr yarn’s new My Mountain collection at our booth. We will also be partnering with Dream in Color yarns to offer a shawl kit to benefit Chelsea’s Light. Check out the recent podcast from Ben Levisay, The Fiber Hooligan for more details.

Registration has opened for our 7th Annual Bus Trip to the NY Sheep & Wool Festival in Rhinebeck!

 

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Guest: Kathy talks with Veronica from Dream in Color about how their line of yarns got started; from the small yarn shop that she and her partner Nancy used to own to the company it is today.

Veronica talks about how they choose their base yarns and colors as well as her favorite yarn, Dream in Color Everlasting Sock and Kathy’s favorite, Dream in Color Starry.

They also discuss the line of Herdy products that they distribute. Did you know that the adorable sheep image is based on the Herdwick breed of Sheep that is so plentiful in the Lake District of England where these products originate?

Steve’s Yarn Picks

• Plymouth Yarn Capetown Collection Toria
• Plymouth Yarns Capetown Collection Johanne
• Plymouth Yarn Colca Canyon
• Plymouth Yarns Revel
• Plymouth Yarn Monte Donegal
• Plymouth Yarn Bamtastic
• Grignasco Knits Camel Hair
• SMC  Tweed Montage – Closeout
• Rowan Kidsilk Creation – Closeout
• Rowan Purelife Renew – Closeout
• Regia Hand Dye Effect, Discount Colors – Closeout

The 3rd Annual I-91 Shop Hop is happening this weekend – make sure you have your passport!

We are closed next Thursday, July 4th so our Staff can spend the holiday with friends and family.

We will be open Regular hours, 10:00am to 5:30pm on Friday, July 5th and Saturday, July 6th for your shopping convenience.

No show next week.

Upcoming Events: 

The New England Weavers Seminar (NEWS) is happening July 11-14, on the Smith College campus.

Sweater Basics and Finishing class with Ann Budd, July 13-14.

 

Thanks to everyone who commented, Over 1,200 responses! You had some great ideas for this beautiful yarn.

The following people have won a copy of the Trinity Scarf pattern and one skein of the Perfectly Posh Sport yarn pictured above:

1 – Suzanne, who said, Very Lovely Yarn and Pattern. I would love to make that for my daughters teacher, it would suite her to a T.

2 – Gayle H., who said, Beautiful yarn, would make a lovely cowl or lacy shawlette

3 – Maryellen C., who said, I would make as many ornaments and crafts as I could get out of the skein to sell at our Christmas fundraiser to raise money for Rays of Hope and Cancer Connection

4 – Stephanie O., who said, The scarf is beautiful.

5 – Christine L., who said, Interesting, but simple enough to work on while watching TV or at knitting group…Amanda Keep’s Voyage Scarf. I made one last Christmas and the recipient loved it. Definitely looks harder than it is!

6 – Barb L., who said, Spring colors, misty mountains, Perfectly Posh is perfectly beautiful! I can think of many things to try!

7 – Melissa H., who said, I’d like to make a headband!

8 – Sabrina who said, This yarn is SO pretty! Not sure what I would chose to do with it, but a simple garter stitch cowl sometimes the perfect project for a variegated yarn.

9 – Kitty C., who said, I’d like to make a cover for my e-reader with a snazzy yarn like this! I’m keeping my fingers crossed!

10 – Sue K., who said, Love the colors! Great yarn.

Congratulations to our winners!

It is time once again to have another giveaway with one of Dream in Color’s lovely hand dyed yarns along with a stylish scarf pattern. This month’s yarn is called Perfectly Posh Sport, and the colors are reminiscent of early spring flowers; think crocus, pansy and violet!

The fiber is 70% wool/10% cashmere/10% silk/10% mohair, and has shades of deep, earthy greens, rich purples and pale pinks, with hints of the blue-grey of Spring skies peeking through. With 320 yds per skein you have plenty of yardage for Kay Dahlquist’s Trinity Scarf.

I love finding the perfect little project to use up one skein of gorgeous yarn. This scarf has the most clever little feature, a built in French loop to keep your scarf perfectly in place. As an added bonus your gauge swatch IS the the first section of your edging!

Do you have a perfect one-skein project or a favorite scarf pattern? Do you already have ideas for what you’d do with a skein of Perfectly Posh Sport if you won?

Leave a comment below by 3/07/13, 11:59 pm EST to be entered into the March drawing for one skein of Dream in Color Perfectly Posh Sport along with the Trinity Scarf pattern. There will be 10 lucky winners! Be sure to check the blog on Friday March 8th to see if your name was picked.

Best of Luck!

Wow, such a fantastic response to our Dream in Color March Giveaway! I really enjoyed reading the comments you all posted. I am thrilled that so many of you love shawls as much as I do. And equally thrilled at how many of you gained some inspiration to try your first lacy shawl project.

So without further ado, our ten lucky winners are:

#47 Rosalind Scott
#76 Christine
#128 Grace S.
#184 kipperdog
#300 PrincessMargie
#314 Boursin
#315 Momyof8
#429 Valerie Kay Evangelista
#628 Viv
#679 Megan Williams

Please contact kminott (at) yarn.com by Friday April 6th with your information so we can mail you your skein of Absolutely Marvelous and the Vostok pattern.

Thank you everyone for taking the time to post your comments, and for the lucky winners. We love “show and tell” so be sure to share your finished project with this lovely yarn, whether you knit the Vostok shawl or use it for some other lovely project!

Congratulations!

-Karen

It is time once again to have another giveaway with one of Dream in Color’s lovely hand dyed yarns along with a beautiful shawl pattern. This month’s yarn is called Absolutely Marvelous, and it is absolutely marvelous! Kind of like the weather we have had over the past week here in Massachusetts!

The fiber is 50% silk, 50% wool, consists of shades of grey and there is a generous 1100 yards for your fingers to fly through to make the beautiful Vostok Shawl designed by Beth King.

I am a huge fan of shawls; they are probably one of my favorite items to knit other than socks. Watching my skein of yarn get smaller, but yet, not seeing the results until the end when it is time for blocking is just one big happy surprise. I am always so very proud of my shawls and rarely give them away, but when I do, the appreciation from the receiver of such a gift creates such a sense of accomplishment and pride!

One of my favorite shawl pattern books is Knitted Lace of Estonia by Nancy Bush. Not only do I want to make every shawl in this book, I also had the privilege of taking a couple of classes with Nancy when she taught here a few years back! That was quite a treat!

If you have never done a lace project, maybe it is time to give it a try! Just start with a simpler design, possibly a rectangular shawl, or even a lacey scarf, such as Fiber Trends Estonian Garden Shawl and Scarf. Once you knit something so beautiful, and watch the magic happen when you block it, you will be hooked!

So, tell us what some of your favorite shawl patterns are, or books! Do you enjoy the thrill and challenge of knitting such a piece?

Leave a comment below by 3/29/12, 11:59 pm EST to be entered into the March drawing for one skein of Dream in Color Absolutely Marvelous along with the Vostok shawl pattern. There will be 10 lucky winners! Be sure to check the blog on Friday 3/30/2012 to see if your name was picked. If you win, you will need to contact us by 4/3/12, otherwise we’ll have to find an alternate winner.

Good Luck!
-Karen