Valley Yarns Huntington is Steve’s Deal of the Day until Sunday (7/29) at midnight for $3.29/50g hank, normally $4.79. Use promo code FBHUNTING2 in your shopping cart to get the deal price.

Since Valley Yarns Huntington is on sale this weekend as Steve’s Deal of the Day, I’d like to highlight a few projects posted on Ravelry which use this yarn. Four years ago we wanted to add a solid color sock yarn to our collection of Valley Yarns. But as you can see below, Huntington is not just for socks. It’s also perfect for fine-gauge sweaters, colorwork, and gorgeous lacy shawls.

Check out the great projects WEBS customers have been knitting (and designing) lately.

Henry Street Shawl by Nina Machlin Dayton knit by ninaknits
Available for purchase on Ravelry.

Dot’s Lace Shawlette knit by happykat
Available as a free Ravelry download.

Shetland Shorty by Gudrun Johnston knit by craftygeek
Available for free from knitty.com.

Fields of Flowers by Sarah Bordelon knit by Laceknitting
Available for purchase on Ravelry.

Dance of Robots by Soile Pyhänniska knit by yarnbee
Available for free on Ravelry.

Baby Merry-Jane – Booties by Bekah Knits knit by aaronruby
Available for purchase on Ravelry.

Waterville Hat by Marcy Vandale
Available for purchase from yarn.com.

 

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Guest: Andra Asars, our Berroco Yarns Rep., talks with Kathy about the new Fall yarns from Berroco.

They chat about the new engineered yarns, Cirrus and Elements as well as Boboli and Boboli Quick.  Andra mentions a pattern she’s working on from Norah Gaughan Vol. 11, and two free pattern from the Berroco website: the Checkerboard Throw and the Woodhaven mittens.

They also discuss Andra’s conversion to Knitter’s Pride Interchangeable Needles, Stitches Midwest and Kathy’s second Super-Big-Exciting announcement for the Fall schedule.

Kathy and Andra’s Yarn Picks:

• Fiber Company Tundra
• Cascade Yarns Sitka
• Cascade Yarns Venezia Sport
• Cascade Yarns Casablanca
• Euro Yarns Broadway
• Wisdom Yarns Poems Silk
• Cascade Yarns Cotton Rich DK Closeout

• Clones Irish Lace event and demonstration with Maire Treanor in store on July 28th

Whew! It’s hot all over the Northern Hemisphere right now, and it’s hard to even think about those heavy wool and alpaca sweaters we love so much in winter, much less knit them. But high temperatures don’t have to mean idle hands – it can be the perfect time for some special projects that you might not think about in the other seasons.

First, there are small projects: sure, you may not want to wear hats and mittens right now, but in a few months, you’ll sure be glad to be able to throw them on for the first cold snap and to give to knit-worthy loved ones for the holidays (That’s right! Holiday knitting! In November, you’ll be glad you started now). And the small size means you can easily knit them on the go without a lot of yarn or work-in-progress in your lap.

Try the Silver Lining Hat, out of light and lovely hand dyed Valley Yarns 2/14 Alpaca Silk or crocheting the delightful Wheatleigh Hat and Gloves.

 

How’s about making some cute little penguins and polar bears to make you think of colder days? Knitted and crocheted toys are perfect little projects to carry around during the summer.

 

Another tip is working with thin yarn and plant fibers. The less warm fiber in your hands, the cooler you’ll be. Consider some fast and fun, loose-gauge lace weight sweaters, like the Bordeaux Pullover, made with Valley Yarns Colrain Lace or the elegant Iced Branch Shawl out of the cool and surprisingly easy to knit Valley Yarns Longmeadow.

Making socks? Fingering weight wool is cooler and more breathable on your hands and feet than thicker wool yarns. Try our soft and smooth Valley Yarns Huntington in the Sunny Day Socks.

If your knit-worthy gift recipient is demanding a warm winter blanket, and you have to knit it right now, no sweat! Just find a pattern that’s made of small motifs, squares or strips that you can join together later, like the stunning Amethyst Brook blanket or the refreshing Valley Log Cabin Blanket. (Hint: This tip can also apply to sweaters – even if you’re usually a fan of seamless construction, summer has a way of making you appreciate those small cardigan fronts!)

 

And let’s not forget spinning and weaving! Nothing like the cool breeze from a fast spinning wheel, and the summertime is a great time for spinning up all your fiber for fall, winter and spring knitting.

Weaving is a great way to work with less elastic, cool fibers like cotton, tencel, and linen for projects that are needed in every season. Another big bonus for weaving – none of it’s sitting on your lap! If you don’t already know these great, all-seasons crafts, consider taking the summer months as chance to learn something new. You may want to check out Learning to Weave by Deborah Chandler or the Learn To Spin Kit from Nancy’s Knit Knacks.

What kind of projects do you like to do during the hot months of summer? Share your ideas in the comments below. We’d love to hear how you deal with the heat.

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Guest: Julie Hoover, knitwear designer, talks with Kathy about her new collection for Manos del Uruguay yarns.

They chat about her early work as a visual merchandiser and freelance art director and the fateful trip to her local yarn shop in 2006 that began her knitting career.

Julie also talks about her design esthetic, the importance of seams for the structure and framework they add to a garment as well as their use as decorative detail.

Julie’s first design collection for Manos del Uruguay, a mix of garments and fashionable accessories, will be available soon.

Steve’s Yarn Picks

• Blue Sky Alpacas Metalico
• Knit Collage Rolling Stone
• Knitting Fever Tricor Lux
• Circulo Sensual Paete
• Trendsetter Yarns Summit
• Classic Elite Yarns Color by Kristin
• Studio Tricot Cedrone Closeout

• Clones Irish Lace event and demonstration with Maire Treanor in store on July 28th

  

Summer is the perfect time for knitting and crocheting smaller projects such as baby and kids garments and accessories. Nobody wants a big afghan or sweater sitting on their lap when it’s hot and sticky outside.

Valley Yarns Valley Superwash DK is a great yarn for baby and kids projects since it’s soft, machine washable, and comes in 22 fun colors. And at $5.49/50g ball, it’s a great price for a 100% extrafine merino superwash yarn.

In this issue of Valley Yarns on Ravelry, I’m sharing some cute projects knit and crocheted in Valley Superwash DK – hats, sweaters, an elephant and even a stylin’ chevron stripe dress.

Zippy by Valerie Morris knit by ilovemath
Available for purchase on Ravelry.

Puerperium Cardigan by Kelly Brooker knit by eversosmall
Available as a free Ravelry download.

Easy Baby Cardigan by Diane Soucy knit by chipmunk-knits
Available for free from Knitting Pure & Simple.

Elephant by Kristen rask crocheted by chipmunk-knits
Available in the book Creature Crochet.

December Stripes Hat by Elinor Brown knit by knittywood
Available as a free Ravelry download.

Sweet Little Hat crocheted and designed by April Garwood
Available for purchase on Ravelry.

What cute baby and kid projects have you made with Valley Superwash DK?

Many of you have used our Franklin Hand Dyed sock yarn before and even have a favorite Kangaroo Dyer colorway. But did you know that undyed Franklin is also available on cones? These cones are perfect for the hand dyer.

Valley Yarns Franklin Natural is sold by the pound, $18.99/lb.
75% Wool/25% Nylon and machine washable, it’s perfect for socks. But it’s also great for any fingering weight project.

Below you’ll find a collection of inspiring Ravelry projects showcasing some of the interesting things you can create when you experiment with dyeing your own yarn.

OpArt by Melissa Dominguez, pattern available for free from Knitty.com, knit by beakerm
With the way Becky’s hand dyed Franklin looks in the OpArt pattern, “Dr. Who Meets Dr. Seuss” is the perfect name for this baby blanket.

 

Pogona by Stephen West, available in Westknits Book One pattern book, knit by Blunckie
Andrea dyed Franklin in an ochre yellow creating a beautifully subtle tonal color.

 

Snowbird Mittens by Elli Stubenrauch, pattern available from Vogueknitting, knit by Marlana
Marlana dyed Franklin to match a coat and combined the green with the undyed yarn to create stunning two-color mittens.

 

Luiza by MaweLucky/Jane Araujo, available for purchase on Ravelry, knit by Mawelucky
Even though dyeing the yarn didn’t turn out as Jane had planned, I think the darker edge of the shawl is a happy accident, creating a cool “dipped” effect.

 

Zirkel by Stephanie van der Linden, available for purchase on Ravelry, knit by ikumi
Ikumi creates a lovely plum color using Cushing’s Acid Dye.

 

Nikolai by Marysia Nodzykowska, pattern available for free, knit by momtofour
Shawna hand dyed the yarn with egg coloring to create a pretty, dappled look.

 

Koi and Lotus Sweater by AlphaMango
Wanting to commemorate a family trip to China, Jen dyed Franklin with Sapphire Blue, Royal Blue and Black to create a semi-solid blue with depth and character. Don’t miss reading her whole story of this incredible sweater.

 

Black Tie, Optional by Adrienne Fong, available for free on Ravelry, knit by AlwaysRosie
Carol chooses to use the undyed Franklin for her socks to really let the pattern shine.

Have you ever tried dyeing your own yarn? Share your dyeing tips, triumphs, and mishaps in the comments.

Our Anniversary Sale is ending in a week. But there’s one more yarn in the sale I’d like to highlight. Valley Yarns 2/10 Merino Tencel (also known as Colrain Lace) has been around for over 4 years now and has grown to be a favorite with knitters, crocheters, and weavers. I think one of the things I love most about this lace weight yarn is the beautiful color palette. I still daydream about getting one of each color and having fun playing with combining them.

2/10 Merino Tencel is on sale through 5/31/12 for $16.79/cone (normal retail is $23.99). Check out these great Ravelry projects for a little inspiration for what you can create with this yarn.

Vitamin D by Heidi Kirrmaier, available for purchase on Ravelry, knit by lismete

 

Java Wrap by Nariko Oomae, available from a Japanese pattern book, crocheted by herbivore100

 

Eyelet Twist Pullover by Kira Dulaney, available for purchase on Ravelry, knit by bekala and combined with Classic Elite Wool Bam Boo, also on sale this month

 

Queen Anne’s Lace by MMario, available as a free Ravelry download, knit by violinknitter

 

Camber Cardigan by jeshknits, available for purchase on Ravelry

 

Echo Flower Shawl by Jenny Johnson Johnen, available as a free Ravelry download, knit by LindaLovesLace

 

Twill Scarves available from handweaving.net, woven by knit4fun972

What’s your favorite color of 2/10 Merino Tencel? I could get lost in the Ocean Blue myself.

Have a great holiday weekend everyone!

- Dena

 

This week, The Buzz at WEBS highlights our fabulous store staff! Our store staffers are on the floor with customers all day; working hands on with our products and getting great feed back from our customers too.  Here’s what the store staff is buzzing about this week…

Madelinetosh Tosh Vintage has been a favorite of mine since it came out. I still had a few skeins from my Christmas knitting, so I decided to use it for these sweaters for twins that are due soon. Knitting for newborns is fun but usually the sweater only lasts a few weeks and then is put away, so I put the sweater on a bear that hopefully will be a blessing for years to come. The pattern is Manda Ruth by Jane Richmond. > Lise G.

One of my favorite podcasts is Knitting Pipeline. I needed a simple project to work on while watching my grand kids and traveling in the car and this worked beautifully. The pattern is Piper’s Journey by  Paula Emons-Fuessle. This pattern works beautifully in any gauge but I  had a cone of our wonderful closeout 2/8 wool so I wound it into 4 pies and had a beautiful shawl to wear on the back deck instead of the Beauty and the Beast comforter I usually grab!! > Lise G.

An ode to Swans Island Worsted: When my Mom suggested I make my brother a gift for his graduation, I knew it would have to be made from a very special yarn. I decided to make him the Laredo sweater vest because every English major worth their salt needs a sweater vest! Plus I wouldn’t have to knit sleeves! After much agonizing, I settled on Swans Island Worsted in Indigo and I was so pleased with my choice. The organic merino fiber is so soft and lofty, the hand dyed color deep and right knitting it was an absolute joy. There is one pit fall to knitting with this yarn, many of the colors have an indigo based dye which caused some (unavoidable) dye rub-off on my hands. However, the dye is not toxic and washes off easily. As you can see, the finished product is so beautiful that it was well worth that small inconvenience. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I am already planning to knit The Sullivan Street Cardigan for myself! > Greta S.

Wearwithall: Knits for Your Life - This brand new volume, a collaboration by several knitwear designers, will please adventurous beginners and those with lots of knitting experience. There are a variety of stylish and timeless garments and accessories for home and family: many would make beautiful gifts. The patterns appear to be clearly written, and, many use yarns we carry (Rowan Kidsilk Haze, Berroco Ultra Alpaca, Cascade 220 and Louet Euroflax among others. This book is a keeper! > Stephanie G.

When I needed to match a top to a jacket, I brought it to WEBS and found Juniper Moon Farm Findley Dappled in color 104. The yarn is wonderful to work with and I love the final product to be worn to my 50th Nursing School reunion. > Marion H.

I have wanted to knit the Wingspan scarf that’s been in the “top 10 patterns” list on Ravelry, and I finally cast on! Plymouth Gina seems to be made for this pattern. The gradual changes of the colors are wonderful! The yarn is really nice to work with too. > Danielle D.

Circular Knitting Workshop by Margaret Radcliffe – There is lots and lots and lots of useful information in this book! Excellent and colorful pictures highlight text and techniques. Lots of patterns (including converting flat to circular) that work for beginners and more experienced knitters. The format is clean and nicely done too! > Nancy B.

The May portion of our Anniversary Sale is in full swing right now with over 40 new yarns on sale this month. One of those yarns is customer favorite Valley Yarns Goshen,on sale for $2.79/skein. This Peruvian cotton blend yarn is not only soft and drapy, the Modal® and silk add durability which will prevent pilling.

Here are some Ravelry projects using Valley Yarns Goshen, great for your spring/summer wardrobe.

Fan Kimono by Vicki Square, available from the book Knit Kimono, knit by Cyn557

 

Two-Tone Shrug by Erika and Monika Simmons, available as a free pattern, crocheted by deadalchemist

 

Abigail by Cheri Christian, available as a downloadable PDF pattern, knit by danceswithcats

 

Miette by Andi Satterlund, available as a free Ravelry download, knit by debby

 

Miss Terry by Kyla Hurst, available for purchase on Ravelry, knit by blackpebble

So, which of these garments would you most like to add to your wardrobe and why? I’m always curious what draws someone to a particular pattern.

Stay tuned to the blog next week when we kick off a new knitalong using Valley Yarns Goshen! We’re getting kind of excited for it.

Have a great weekend.
-Dena

There are just 4 days left of the April portion of our Anniversary Sale. One of the yarns on sale through Monday is Valley Yarns Longmeadow, an incredibly soft cotton and microfiber blend in a DK weight. Longmeadow normally $3.49, is on sale for $2.49. That’s quite a deal. Check out some of these customer projects found on Ravelry. Apparently the Lettuce color has been popular, a nice spring green.

Titania by Elizabeth Klett

knit by fiddletwist

(pattern available for free on A Mingled Yarn)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lace Cardigan by Simona Merchant-Dest

knit by mris

(pattern available for purchase on Ravelry)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dream Stripes by Cailliau Berangere

knit by Manduuuh

(pattern available for free on Ravelry)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summer Coaster Set by ChickenBetty

crocheted by ChickenBetty

(pattern available for purchase on Ravelry)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gavrosh Pants by Elena Nodel

knit by Tessa-Jane

(pattern available for purchase on Ravelry)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Audrey In Unst by Gudrun Johnston

knit by wonderliza

(pattern available for purchase from Twist Collective)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Courthouse Step Log Cabin Blanket

knit by SmokingHotNeedles

(pattern available from the book Mason-Dixon Knitting)

 

 

 

 

 

What’s on your needles or hook this spring?