The beginning of the new year is a great time to start a new project, maybe something just for yourself! The Anouk Cowl, designed by the incredible Dora Ohrenstein, is a unique combination of stitches and technique that results in a easy accessory with gorgeous texture.

Crocheted with our 2/10 Merino Tencel, this cowl has incredible drape and a shine that peeks out from behind the soft merino haze.  Get your hooks out and crochet this beauty for yourself now!

June is here and summer is just around the corner! While we might all be ready for poolside barbeques and heat waves, Mother Nature seems to have different plans. It’s been rather chilly in the Northeast lately and the newest design from Doris Chan might be the perfect thing to keep you warm at that Graduation or late Spring wedding! The Lace Stole, crocheted in Valley Yarns 2/10 Merino Tencel is the third design from Doris Chan as WEBS Designer in Residence.

Lace accessories are not about warmth or coverage; they’re all about drama. Yes, in the cold you could gather up the Lace Stole and softly twist it around your head and neck for a scarf and enjoy the cozy feeling of silky wool yarn. But the glorious nature of a lace weight stole is truly revealed when you think of it as a statement piece. This whisper-light, crush proof, packable stole is born for travel. Simply stash it in a compact bundle in your bag (hopefully protected from snagging on anything), and when the moment is right to transition from dress-down casual to dress-up drama, pull it out, shake it loose with a flourish, and fling it around your shoulders. Graciously accept all the compliments!

Whether you prefer classic neutrals, or rich jewel tones, there’s a shade of 2/10 Merino Tencel that’s perfect for your own version of the Lace Stole. Which color will you choose?

The Year of the Sheep, according to the the Lunar New Year, begins tomorrow and I am excited to celebrate. Partly because the sheep is described as a sign of creativity, but mostly because I love the soft, curly, squishy fleece sheep produce. Wool fiber and yarn are staples of the textile arts and for good reason. Wool is warm, making it perfect for winter blankets and throws, scarves and shawls and wraps. And it dyes beautifully, giving us colorful palettes of vibrant hues with which to weave cloth.

I love to weave blankets and wool is my fiber of choice, especially this year as I stare at the mountains of snow that are piled outside my New England home.  Jaggerspun Heather is a beautiful 100% wool with stunning heathered colors and a true bargain with 498 yds per 100g skein. The sett is 12 – 16 epi, which makes a cozy, warm blanket that weaves up incredibly fast. And – spoiler alert! – we will have a fantastic draft for a lap robe in deflected doubleweave available in early April!

Another of my favorite wool blends is Valley Yarns 2/10 Merino Tencel. The tencel in this yarn adds a lovely sheen and drape, making this a great choice for shawls that feel like a warm, comforting hug. We have experimented with the care on this yarn and have had good success washing hand wovens on a gentle cycle in cool water following by air drying. Check out Draft #61 Plaited Twill Shawl for an 8-shaft weave (I love the plaited effect that makes it seem like a weave within a weave) or try the Dornik Twill Throw, Draft # 7, for 4-shaft looms. Barbara just wove a new version of this throw in a different colorway; the color range of the yarn lends itself to many great combinations.

For pure luxury it’s hard to beat Jaggerspun Zephyr, which is a 50-50 blend of merino wool and silk. Although the sett is not too fine (20 – 30 epi), the yarn is soft and light and feels like sinking into a cloud. We combined two closely related colors to create a lacy shawl that is almost iridescent, with warp and weft floats that shimmer. There are lots of colors to choose from, so you can create your own combination to weave the Zephyr Shawl in Atwater-Bronson, Draft #67.

So start counting sheep and the ways we love them (as an aside – it’s lambing season, which is about as lovable and cute as it gets! Visit the website of your favorite sheep farmer to confirm this and say “awww”.). And since it is the Year of the Sheep, how will you celebrate with wool in your weaving?

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

Hi Everyone,

This week we begin a look at the garments from our holiday catalog. Have you checked it out yet? There are some fantastic gift ideas in there!

We’re starting with 428 Bordeaux Pullover. Occasional cables create spots of opacity in this sheer and light-weight top-down raglan pullover.

This pullover is knit in Valley Yarns 2/10 Merino Tencel. This is a lace version of our staff-favorite Colrain. It comes on cones, so your don’t have to worry about joining new balls, just keep knitting straight from the cone! The coned yarn also means this is an affordable project. Just one cone for all of the sizes!

We tried on the 36″

Kirsten
Height: 5’3″
Bust: 37″
Waist: 30″
Hips: 42″

“Totally love this sweater. I think it’s just my style. I like the cropped body length with the long sleeves.”

Dena
Height: 5’4¾”
Bust: 35½”
Waist: 29½”
Hips: 40″

“I really love how this sweater feels. 2/10 Merino Tencel is perfect for next-to-skin sweaters with no itchiness. The lace fabric stretched to fit me just right. This could be one of those sweaters where I could dress it up or down. I would normally never choose this plum color, but was surprised by how much I liked the color too.”

Mary
Height: 5’4″
Bust: 39½
Waist: 32″
Hips: 43″

“I would knit this in a larger size and also quite a bit longer. I do love layering, so I like the idea of this sweater but it would definitely be more flattering in a larger size. I’d knit it at least 3″ longer, but that’s the great thing about top-down sweaters! The 2/10 Merino Tencel feels great!”

Tina
Height: 5’2″
Bust: 40″
Waist: 33½”
Hips: 43″

“This pullover would be a wonderful layering piece for transitional seasons.  For myself I would knit it two sizes larger.  I would want it to be flowy and drapey. I would like this to be longer as well, but I think that going up in size would help with the length of this on me.”

Come back next week for another Show & Tell!

Mary