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?

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!

The first time I worked at WEBS (this is the third time I’ve worked at WEBS, just for the sake of context), I got to work with Jo Sharp to arrange a visit to the store. She did a talk about her designs and explained how those beautiful yarns got to be so beautiful.

And then, her yarns weren’t here.

And now, they’re back! And we’ve got them. It really was like meeting up with an old friend as I perused the neat balls in their side-by-side glass cubes in the place of honor in the store. Hello, Silkroad Aran Tweed–remember the fun we had when we made that hat and scarf for my kid? Why, howdy, DK Cotton.  Don’t take it personally, but I’m still passing you by. I love your squishy softness, but cotton is not my thing.  And…RRRROWWWRRR, Alpaca Kid Lustre. You are inspiring me in a major way. There is much I want to knit you up in.

Luckily, Jo and her team have sent tons of patterns for these classics. The Keyhole Vest in Alpaca Kid Lustre is going right onto my needles. The Tweed Cardigan is next. When I send my oldest off to the coldest college in the universe, I’d like him to have The Bistro Sweater packed into his suitcase to remind him that you can, too, knit love.

What would inspire you to revisit a much-loved yarn?

In the store, customers sometimes ask us if we knit.  Rest assured, every member of WEBS store staff knits well and has other craft-y pursuits as well–from crochet, weaving and spinning to tatting and embroidery. And our love of yarn extends well into our non-work hours. Today, I’d like to show off some of our WIPs so you can see what we like to work on in our free time.

First up is a gorgeous linen stitch scarf that Carreen’s been knitting.  The yarn, Misti Hand Paint Sock, comes in a wide array of vibrant colors: Carreen chose #57 polar sunset, #56 edible bright, and #58 corked for her version.  She opted to treat the fringe the way weavers do by using a fringe twister, rather than simply leaving the ends loose.  The best part is there’s no real pattern for this scarf–once you find 2-3 colors that inspire you, cast on the number of stitches that will give you the length you want and cast on.  Knit until the scarf is as wide as you’d like and bind off. That’s it!

Mary is currently enrolled in our popular Top Down Sweater from Measurements class and here is her beautiful cardigan knit in the ever-popular Valley Goshen.  Mary wanted a summer sweater in a vibrant color and this project fits the bill.  Although she’s an experienced knitter, she learned a few more tricks in this class–advanced shaping techniques for a flattering fit and designing that fancy, cabled raglan shaping–a design detail that brings an added layer of sophistication to a classic shape.

Marthe is almost finished with a baby blanket she plans to give to a friend.  She decided on Valley pattern #567, the Maria Baby Blanket, and chose Berroco’s Modern Cotton in a gender-neutral color, #1652 Matunuk.  Marthe knit the 8″ x 8″ blocks and sewed them together by working through the back loops of the bound-off stitches which gives the blanket a professional finish. Two more squares to finish and Marthe will be ready to gift a lucky baby with this heirloom.

And finally, Ashley is working on a new shawl which promises to be a beauty.  She’s using a slightly larger needle size to open up the fabric.  Ashley says, “I love how the designer [Steven West] uses geometry and the contrasts of color in such striking ways in his designs.” She can’t wait to see the finished result and we can’t either!

Pretty impressive, eh? We’re are fortunate to have such a talented, smart group of folks here in the store.  Please take advantage of our knowledge and skill when you’re looking for your next project.  We’re here to help!

And now the little something extra…If you haven’t already heard, Jo Sharp yarns and patterns are available after too long of an absence on the American yarn scene.  The best news is that WEBS is the only store in the US that you can buy these sumptuous yarns and classic but stylish patterns. If you’re a long-time knitter, you know what a big deal this is.  If you’re a new-ish knitter, take the time to explore the world of Jo Sharp. You’ll be as excited as we are to have these yarns at WEBS.

Thanks for reading and knit on…