When most people think about Spring Training, they’re picturing their favorite baseball team getting ready to start the season. Here at WEBS, Spring Training means getting warmed up for all of our fantastic spinning events, like Tour de Fleece and Spinzilla! Dust off your drop spindles and wheels, grab that fiber you’ve been hoarding since Rhinebeck, and join us on Sunday, March 12th for Spring Training from 10-4!

We even have an exclusive Rookie or All Star fiber pack from Louet, which includes all the fiber you’ll need to get started AND the 2017 Spring Training tote bag!

Choose two clinics, one in the morning from 10-12, and one in the afternoon from 2-4. In between, you’re encouraged to bring a lunch and join us for some Sunday shopping, and yoga for spinners, taught by our very own Amy Greenman! Check out the full list of skill-building workshops, here!

Planning on joining us and haven’t signed up yet? Click here. The more, the merrier!

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This week Kathy talks with Shannon Herrick of Frabjous Fibers

Shannon talks about moving to Vermont, picking up spinning and getting to work at Frabjous with beautiful fibers that she loves. There are still open seats in her upcoming classes at WEBS Nov. 7th and 8th, In Chains Plying Workshop, and 3D Texture Play.

Steve’s Yarn Picks of the week : 

Upcoming Events:

Be sure to check out all of our upcoming Events here.

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This week Kathy talks with Dave Van Stralen, owner of Louet, about the history of his family owned company.

And don’t miss your chance to try out a Louet spinning wheel, loom, or various Louet yarns and the chance to get your Louet wheel tuned up when Dave and his wife Pam stop by WEBS for a weekend-long special event October 9th and 10th!

Steve’s Yarn Picks of the week : 

Upcoming Events:

Our annual Knit and Crochet for the Cure is happening tomorrow! Sunday, October 4th.

National Spinning and Weaving Week is next week, Oct 5-10!

Be sure to check out all of our upcoming Events here.

I know, I know, I usually talk about weaving, but today I step from behind the curtain to reveal that I have a powerful obsession with spinning right now. It started with Spinzilla last year, when I made myself learn in order to support our team. Then there was a fiber binge at Rhinebeck and another one at SPA, but mostly I’ve kept it in check. Until now. Spinzilla is approaching again and not only is fiber piling up on my desk, but I convinced Kathy and Steve to bring in special fiber deals and now I have even more to stuff into my fiber closet.

We started by teaming up with Louet to put together 2 great fiber packs. As a newer spinner, I am still learning about different sheep breeds and their characteristics, so I love the WEBSzilla Monster Mile pack. It contains a half pound each of 4 different breeds – Falkland (white), Cheviot (white), Shetland Moorit (brown) and Coopworth (grey). I’m looking forward to seeing how these spin up as well as dreaming about plying and dyeing the handspun yarn. There is plenty of fiber in this pack to spin a monster mile and enough variety to keep the spinning fresh and interesting.

The second pack from Louet we are calling the Spinzilla Fun Pack. It tips the scales with 4 pounds of fiber-y goodness and a completely different assortment of sheep breeds plus some dyed fiber to keep it exciting. The pack contains half pound bags of dyed Merino, Masham Top, light grey Romney sliver, medium Romney sliver, dark Romney sliver, Dorset sliver, Wensleydale sliver, and dyed Karaoke (soysilk) top. Lots of possibilities for blending and plying…

And then, because some of us are completely captivated with gradient dyes these days, we asked our friends at Frabjous Fibers to create a special colorway for us. They started with a base of 70% Blue Face Leicester and 30% Silk and dyed it a beautiful tonal gradient that moves from the deep blue of our logo through lighter shades of blue into grey. It’s packaged like their new Lambs Tail with 5 one-ounce puffs of tonally colored fiber that gradually change shade. I have this piled on my desk right now and I just keep petting the soft richness and marveling at the wavy crimp. I know, I have a problem.

And what of you? What will you spin in October?

This week the staff is buzzing about…

1. Classic Elite Fresco has been sadly overlooked in my opinion. A lightweight yarn with a beautiful color range that has a beautiful halo of angora. This yarn is perfect for colorwork (we used this in Nancy Bush’s Estonian Mittens class) as well as simple projects that showcase the yarn. I made the store sample Capistrano cowl by Fiber Dreams in my favorite color (#45)! Hannah Fettig also uses it in her Knitbot Lightweight Pullover pattern, so soft!! > Cara S.

2. I love flipping through the fall issues of knitting magazines, and it’s even more fun when I see a name I know!  Our very own Elisabeth Parker has a design in the Fall 2011 Knitscene!  I really enjoy working with Elisabeth, and this cozy menswear-inspired cardigan is adorable in pink and brown and very much her style. > Tina M.

3. A trip to the beach always involves knitting…be it a day or a week…knitting is right by my side. Hopefully I am not driving so I am able to get in some quality time with my needles. I realized this summer that Eucalan is also a staple in my packing. I not only use it to block items while I am away but I am counted on to have it in case anyone needs something washed quickly and I always rinse out my bathing suit after being in the ocean or the pool. > Lise G.

4. Classic Elite Tobaggan – This new bulky yarn is a soft plied bulky yarn with a lofty stitch. I knit the Elf Hat as a store sample from the new Toboggan booklet (#9147). With a single skein of this new squishy yarn you can make this cute pixie-ish little hat too! Your next bulky project will be perfect and cozy in these brilliant colors.> Cara C.

5. Louet Baby Camel Top – Super soft, warm and longer staple than the camel down, this luxurious fiber is currently on my medium weight Schacht spindle, and I’m loving the smooth draft and I can’t wait to ply and finish the yarn! > Ashley F.

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Guest: Andra, our Berroco rep chats with Kathy about the new fall yarns and patterns.

• Berroco Link
• Berroco Soufflé
• Berroco Voyage
• Berroco Flicker
• Berroco Boboli
• New Berroco Patterns
• Norah Gaughan Collection Vol. 9

Andra also chats about what’s she’s seen in area yarn shops she has traveled to. Lots of small projects for vacationers and a building into afghans and sweaters.

Steve’s Yarn Picks

• Dream in Color Smooshy Sock
• Katia Aloha
• Katia Ondas
• Katia Triana Lux
• Louet MerLin Sport
• Prism Delicato
• Fiesta Baby Boom Spirit of the Southwest

Check out our YouTube channel for great new videos.

We also have a new review system on our website, so if you’ve purchased a yarn you enjoy, leave a review and let others know what it was like to knit with. You can also upload a picture of your finished project.