Vancouver Island Yarn

See how good you are, compared...

2011-11-11T13:33:00.000-08:00

Sorry about the long gaps in between my postings. Many interesting things which could be communicated... but lack of time. Double sorry!

Here's something funny for in between, which Alison suggested that I should post it:

click here

If you are a beginner and not content with this Knitting 101, don't despair. There are at least 2 things you could do:
1. come in on Tuesdays or Thursdays and learn how to knit. Buy your yarn and needles and pay only $5 to Lois or whoever is you teacher, and stay as long as you want. Experience shows that a week after this you finished your first scarf!
2. choose one of our many ready knit garments, buy funny hats or super soft Merino mittens for your loved ones. You find MANY ideas for Christmas gifts in our store!

Cheers, see you here!

Let the F/SUN begin!

2011-06-10T13:16:00.000-07:00

A friendly ‘bombing’ took place on Pier Street in front of our Needle & Arts Centre. One of the still pretty naked planetrees was wrapped in colourful handknit scarves in preparation of fun things to happen around downtown this summer.

First, for the fourth year, the local yarn store is calling knitters and crocheters to gather along the sidewalk underneath the decorated tree for the World Wide Knit in Public event.

The Needle and Arts Centre is pleased to host the Campbell River WWKiP event on Pier Streeta again. Knitters and crocheters are invited to bring their favorite project and a lawn chair down to the store on this Saturday, June 11 between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm and take part in the fun. Weather permitted, the hosts hope to form a long line of crafters. Non-knitters/crocheters and those interested in learning are welcome as well! In case of bad weather all will move inside the Needle & Arts Centre and The Framing Post.

On June 18, Pier Street Association and the Downtown BIA invite all Campbell Riverites down to the first Campbell River Market Day SUNFEST. A Mile of market madness with goods, crafts, entertainment and fun in the sun starts a Pier Street and is marked by hundreds of sunflowers, all the way to Shoppers Row and 11th Avenue. The decorated tree will fit in nicely, as do all the recently installed downtown banners, and there may more such ideas pop up to brighten up our downtown for summer.

Later on, the ever growing Canada Day festivities will take place downtown, followed by the traditional “Knit in the Park” on August 13, where knitters and crocheters will produce slippers for the women at Ann Elmore Transition House.

We are so happy to see the sun finally here and sun, fun and colours are the ingredients to attract customers and visitors into our shopping area. We like to help to decorate our fair waterfront city.

For more information on the World Wide Knit in Public visit the website: www.needlenart.com/ and the WWKiP website, http://www.wwkipday.com/index.html, or phone 250-287-8898.

Fritidsgarn Slippers

2011-06-10T13:02:00.000-07:00

Inge just did these snuggly felted slippers. We got the Fritidsgarn Slippers pattern from our friends at Nordic Yarn Imports, our suppliers of Drops, Marks & Kattens, Sandnesgarn, Zealana and Punta yarns. Inge used three balls of Fritidsgarn for these medium sized slippers and washed them 3 times to fit.

Great for the Summer cabin! Enjoy the sunshine!

You get this free pattern by contacting us.

Innovative Dress knit in Remix

2011-02-25T07:19:00.000-08:00

Look at this cutie. Not only do we have this little dress as a sampler in our store, but Pam also knit it up in different colours.

Simo is an innovative dress for little ones. Short sleeves, pockets and a circular yoke make for a comfortable everyday garment, while a sewn-on scarf adds a little panache. You find the intermediate level pattern in Berroco book #303.

Made entirely from recycled fibers, Remix is a clever blend of cotton, silk, nylon, linen and acrylic, and knits up to an Aran weight. Soft to the touch, Remix is the perfect choice for kids knits, sweaters and accessories. Check out the designs in Berroco Book #303. Read more about the Remix idea in the shade card. Remix is machine washable and a great buy for the 200 meter, 100g ball at $10.25!

The Wind-Proof Beanie

2010-12-31T13:38:00.000-08:00

Alison came across this Beanpole Beanie pattern in Ravelry and Inge made it during the Holidays. This free pattern is downloadable from Ravelry courtesy of Rachel Weaver. If you cannot download it, email us.

The special feature is, that this beanie is knit in 2 different gauges and sits tight on your head. Good not only for the 'Windy City' but also for our sometimes pretty blustery West Coast. You also learn how to do the cabled rib pattern without a cable needle!

Inge knit this Beanpole Beanie with 2 balls of Rowan Classic Yarns Cashsoft Aran.

Linda's Sweater

2010-12-11T16:23:00.000-08:00

... look how proud she is after she finished the sweater for her son. She visited the store to show the beautiful gift off, after several knit-along Saturday sessions here.

It's called "Guernsey Guys" from "Aran & Celtics Knits" (Best of Knitter's Magazine) and was done in Berroco Vintage. Congratulations, Linda!

Check our class and workshop schedule here.

Our First Yarn Tasting was a Success!

2010-10-14T09:47:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, we had our first very well received Yarn Tasting of several but not all of the new Fall/Winter yarns. On November 6 we'll have the second Yarn Tasting. Please let us know which ones you'd like to check out in our store!

The first Yarn Tasting was well attended by 13 customers. They tested/tasted (fuzzy!) 13 yarns, some of them had been already stocked in the store for a while but were widely unnoticed. Some customers found yarns by trying, which they were always looking for. The participants knitted swatches for each yarn, which they passed around, together with an evaluation sheet.

Here is the list of tasted yarns:

Alpaca Silk ; Baby Alpaca and Silk; silky, yummy, good yardage, firm and soft
Evviva Colour ; Wool and Acrylic; fluffy, colourful, busy, fairly high priced
Schulana Pacolana ; Wool, Alpaca and Microfibre; spongy soft, very cozy, good yardage
Maggi's Linen ; Cotton and Linen; earthy, very fine, a bit rough
Eskimo ; 100% Wool; spongy, soft, well priced, warm, good for felting
Cincilla ; Wool, acrylic, polyamide; fuzzy, cuddly, elegant
Polo ; Cotton, Acrylic; love it, excellent, smooth, fairly priced
Tara Tweed ; Wool and Nylon; light, nice to knit, cozy
Mosco ; Viscose, Mohair and Nylon; shiny, silky soft, pretty, a bit expensive
Aran Tweed ; Merino and Wool; tweedy, soft, rustic, soft and firm
Riana Big Color ; Wool, Acrylic and Viscose; fluffy, plush, tweedy, easy, earth tones
Remix ; recycled Nylon, Cotton, Acrylic, Silk, Linen; tweedy, very soft, gorgeous earth tones
Baby Merino ; extra fine wool superwash; lovely soft, creamy, luxurious, good value

Don't forget the next yarn tasting on November 6 at 1:30 pm!

New Fall Yarns 2010 - Overview!

2010-10-12T10:16:00.000-07:00

Glad to be back, it's been a while since our last posting.

In the meantime, the new Fall yarns have arrived, which is a clear indication that Summer has come to a close. New colourful yarns will brighten up the darker months ahead of us and their incredible softness will keep us cozy, while the new fancy ones will lift our spirits.

All together we've got - can you believe it - 25 new yarn lines ... Alison did great write-ups for all of them which gives the best overview in one document ... Read More!

A Maggiknits Wall Hanger

2010-07-20T10:47:00.000-07:00

For our B&B we needed a wall-hanging type of curtain for a connecting glass door. Inge modified the New Abbey Wall Hanger in Maggiknits Irish MK Collection Book 6: Home Interiors.

This courtain is knit in Maggi's Linen in Natural (about 13 balls), with 127 stitches cast on, without the tassels, though, but with the Maggi style stepwise bottom end.

It is hanging in the store now as one of the many projects finished here after Maggie Jackson's class in Spring. See earlier posting.

Colourful Kids Vest

2010-07-20T10:30:00.000-07:00

Inge found this "KiddyColors" vest for cooler Summer or Fall days in the Summer 2010 Knitter's Magazine, page 42. She knit up this sweater with one 200g skein of Naturally Aspire, a chunky yarn (70% NZ wool and 30% Alpaca) which comes in beautiful colour combinations.

This vest in the photo is not blocked yet. One aspect to use this yarn is the contribution to Child Cancer Foundations with every purchase of Aspire.

The Seduction Srawl for warm Summer nights...

2010-07-19T16:48:00.000-07:00

That's a hot name for a wonderful filigrane shawl which Alison came up with. You see it in this photo draped over a tank top (knit by Pam), closed with a matching Surina Shawl Pin. Both garments are knit in Berroco's Seduce (ah, that's where the name is coming from) and both look beautifully light for a warm Sommer night!

For this Seduction Scrawl you need 3 skeins Berroco Seduce, or approximately 300 meters of a similar worsted weight yarn, and 4.5 mm needles. Ask for the pattern and yarn.

Thank You Churchmouse!

2010-07-19T16:11:00.000-07:00

Pam first saw this Welted Wristers pattern in the Churchmouse Yarns & Teas (Bainbridge Island, near Seattle) Newsletter and adapted it for yarn sold at the Needle & Arts Centre. She loves the pattern. We give it away with the purchase of yarn.

You will need:
- 2 balls Drops Extra Fine Merino (you need just over one ball so you can use oddments of yarn and stripe the welts or buy three co-ordinating colours and make two pairs).
- Set of 4.5 mm DPN’s or 2 x 4.5 mm circ. needles
- 2 markers

Contact us for yarn and pattern!

Project Linus Blanket

2010-07-19T15:44:00.000-07:00

Our customer Brenda came in and showed us her just finished "Box Stitch Carriage Robe".
She crocheted it in our Baby Marble by Kertzer (she used 4 balls) and thought that the pattern came out nicer than she had expected.

You can find more information on the Linus Project (providing security for children through blankets) and find the free crochet pattern here.

Iced for cool Summer days

2010-07-10T14:53:00.000-07:00

Alison found this FREE pattern in the knitty web site and since the "Iced Beauty" cardigan is knit in our Garnstudio Drops "Ice" (55% cotton, 45% acrylic), she liked me to post this information. Download or print the pattern, pick a shade from our Ice shade card, and order the yarn from us!

This is meant to be a not too warm cardigan for cooler days ahead of us, and sitting in this heat wave right now we can only dream of these days.... But we wanted the summer to finally kick in. Enjoy weather and knit on!

Next Class: Baby Surprise Jacket

2010-06-17T17:06:00.000-07:00

Pam knit up this cute Baby Surprise Jacket from a pattern by Elizabeth Zimmermann (see photo). Why surprise? You knit it all in one piece, you really don't know what you knit and where you are, but in the end it's this adorable baby jacket. Pam decided to offer a class for it which is not in our schedule yet.

Sign up for the class on Tuesday July 13th from 2 to 4 pm - the pattern will be available here. $10 to Pam, including a follow-up 2 weeks later.

The Moebius Cowl Hype

2010-06-17T16:49:00.000-07:00

Wow, we had 12 (or more) knitters in the store on the 8th of June and Pam and Inge were busy helping them to start their Moebius Cowl - see also the posting below. All had fun and found that this small project (although a bit tricky) makes a perfect gift. In the meantime the number of cowls (by Inge and Pam) in the store grew, see photo.

We had some more inquiries in the meantime to repeat this class on a Saturday, in Fall ...

If you are interested to participate in a later Moebius Cowl class, please drop us an email and tell us which day of the week you prefer (best for Pam is Tuesday, but we take other days too), which time of day, and which season (Summer or Fall).

Our babies will appreciate this!

2010-06-07T11:32:00.000-07:00

Over the last couple of weeks we got new baby yarns and patterns. Wonderful colours sitting on my desk, see photo. After having experienced our newly born grand daughter Chloe for a week beginning of May, even a guy's heart can warm up for cute kids patterns.

Jill Eaton Cottontail

New yarn fron Classic Elite: famed knitwear designer Jil Eaton (Minnowknits) has expanded her own yarn line with the addition of this aran weight cotton. The perfect choice for baby and children's knits, Cottontail is easy care, machine wash and dry, plus comes in a stunning array of bright colours. Use it in any of Jill's patterns that call for aran weight yarn. 90 yards per 50g ball, Cottontail sells for $9.25.

It's great for Sassy Skein patterns, too.

Filatura Di Crosa Baby: Bubble and Bubble Print

This is a novelty yarn at its fines in this fun new chunky weight yarn. A blend of superwash Merino and Polyamid, Bubble features a ladder stitch with evenly spaced tufts of yarn which add interest to your project. Add some fun to your baby and children's knits, or try it alone in a scarf or hat. Available in both solid or variegated colours, the 50g skein has 95 meters and retails for $11.95 (solids) or $12.95 (variegated).

Cashmere Moebius Cowl

2010-05-14T07:15:00.000-07:00

Diane from Skacel gave us this hint and Pam and Inge just jumped on it and knitted their first Cashmere Moebius Cowl. It's a free pattern from Cat Bordhi (known as the author of several knitting books which we carry), which you can either download from http://www.catborghi.com/ or ask us for a free pdf file.

This Moebius can be worn many ways - draped over the head, circling the neck, or even around your hips! Inge used Schoppel's InSilk, but we carry a lot of other yarns which are perfect for this cowl: Loft, Nimbus, Fashion Silk, Lush, Fundus or Urban Silk. It takes you only 3-4 hours to get this perfect gift done!

Good Memories - Lots of Inspiration

2010-04-09T14:43:00.000-07:00

The wine, cheese and appies on March 26 would have easily fed 10 more, but those who attended our (first ever) fashion show with Maggie Jackson thoroughly enjoyed what they saw. And the models had fun as well: friends, customers and staff of different ages and sizes.

It was Maggie's first visit to remote Campbell River (from her view, and people in Victoria had said to her "why in the world would you want to go to Campbell River?"). We made friends with this vulcano of an Irish fashion designer, had a wonderful fashion show as an introduction into her world, two subsequent intense workshop and even another bonus day with Maggie.

A number of projects were started spontaneously ("I think all I have knitted so far was boring" said one knitting pro). Maggiknits' very special yarns and pattern books are now available in our store, a Maggiknits knit-along starts on April 10th (interested knitters can also join at a later date) and we made tentative plans to have Maggie Jackson back in 2011 for workshops and/or a special retreat.

Please take in a couple of shots taken during this fashion show. The first photo on top of the posting shows Maggie Jackson (to the right).

Many more photos were shot, but I am struggling to get them posted here. I will try to set up a slideshow.

Thanks to all helpers! The models were stunning!

"real" comments are appreciated!

2010-04-08T10:49:00.000-07:00

Dear reader of our "Yarn Blog";

For some years now, this blog provides our customers and other readers with snapshots from our knitting world: new products, upcoming and past events, projects we found interesting, free patterns, personal stories, ... all information which complement our already information packed web site and monthly newsletters.

It turned out that this blog is read by many, but it did not develop into a chat blog, which is ok as long as the information and entertainment purpose is fulfilled and as long as it supports our business. It was an interesting effect, though, to see an unusual number of garbage comments on my posting of Maggie Jackson's workshops (below: "WOW", ...). This Wow must have attracted some internet predators.

Well, I rather would see the one or other "real" comment, either as a blog comment or as an email! Thanks for following my postings! Jurgen

Cute shoelaces from leftovers

2010-03-12T21:04:00.000-08:00

I found this idea in one of the Knitting Daily newsletters and showed the write-up to our knitting ladies. "It's just an I-cord" was the response. I liked it, these I-cord shoelaces can make even these boots look cute!

One ball of yarn should give you many pairs of shoelaces, but this is a great idea to use up leftover sock yarns, for example. Want to have the little instruction sheet? Just email me.

The sun is shining...

2010-03-12T14:54:00.000-08:00

Here's Alison's newest:
"The sun is shining,
so it seems fitting,
to sit on your deck
and do some spring and summer knitting!"

She also writes this: It's a sure sign of spring when the new colourful yarns are arriving. Here some great ones to get excited about:

From Schulana: Sierra
A double knitting cotton blend, dyed to give the effect of your favourite sock yarn. Sierra is a cotton/silk blend for softness and strength. We can see it working up as a great summer tank top, baby hat, or even a perfect pair of summer socks. Pamper yourself! The 50g ball has 110 meters and retails for $9.95. See shade card.

From Filatura di Crosa: Lovely Jeans
Get the look and feel of your favourite pair of jeans with this fabulous new cotton. The label says it works as chunky weight, but we suspect it would be great knit as an aran weight, too. Great colours and the comfort of cotton make this yarn a great choice for children's wear and spring/summer wearables. The 50g ball has 85 meters and retails for $9.95. Check the shade card. Be sure to check out the patterns designed for this yarn in two new publications: Filatura di Crosa "Cute Kids" and "Lovely Jeans". See this Chain Stitch Pullover from the book Lovely Jeans!

Other new pattern books from Filatura di Crosa, both for Spring 2010, are the "Classics" and "Fancy" Collections. See our book page. We are pleased to see that both books feature several crochet patterns in addition to their knitted ones.

From Schoppel Wolle: In-Silk
The luxury of silk is combined perfectly with the softness of Merino Wool in this gorgeous aran weight yarn that is a dream to work with. We see it as a hat and fingerless glove set, or in a shawl or sweater. A lady sweater size S requires 500g. Silk touches the wool while felting. It's an evenly smooth yarn in bright colours. The 100g skein is made up of 75% wirgin merino wool and 25% silk, and has an impressive 200 meters. In-Silk retails for $23.95 - see the beautiful shades.

From Riverstone Yarns: Mohair
We are pleased to see that mohair is making a comeback, and we are in love with this new worsted weight yarn that is made in South Africa and hand-dyed in Creston, British Columbia. Exceptionally soft, this yarn features a touch of wool and nylon for strength. The 2 ounce skein has 110 yards and retails for $16.25, the colour and texture has to be seen to be appreciated! There is no shade card yet, so come visit us to see this and all the other yarns, in parson.

WOW! Maggie Jackson Workshops in March!

2010-01-02T16:29:00.000-08:00

For the weekend March 26th till 28th the Needle & Arts Centre has invited internationally acclaimed designer Maggie Jackson from Ireland for a fashion show and two workshops on creative knitting in the store. For those participants travelling from Washington or the Lower Mainland to our wonderful City we have arranged for special rate accommodations in B&B's and Cottages in walking distance.

Read details here and sign up at 250-287-8898 or toll-free at 1-888-588-7834 or info@needlenart.com. This workshop will fill up fast!

Wear it "Anyway" you like!

2010-01-01T15:35:00.000-08:00

We found this unique hat pattern in Turvid's Blog. You may wear the hat in different ways, thus the name. See photos in the pattern.

The pattern knits up very nicely and quick with two strands of chunky yarn held together, like our Northern Chunky or Marble Chunky. Works equally nice with one strand of a super bulky yarn like Quick or Woolly Bully. Alison made the hat from one ball of Quick!

You may also email us for a pdf file of the Anyway Hat pattern! This pattern is for private use only.

Baby Snug and Hat

2009-12-09T17:33:00.000-08:00

Alison found this pattern: Snug, An (Almost) Seamless Baby Hoodie, on Ravelry. It's a great pattern for an almost seamless baby hoodie knit out of less than one ball of a great new yarn, Cascade Eco Wool: http://www.needlenart.com/Shadecards/EcoWool.html
The front and back of the sweater are knit in one piece sideways, then the front lapel and hood are picked up and knit as one piece. Ingenious use of scrap yarns allows the sleeves to be knit right on to the body as well. It's a fun and fast knit, and teaches you some neat techniques too.

You must be a member of Ravelry to download the pattern: http://www.ravelry.com/. Ravelry is a free site for knitters and crocheters, and one of the most comprehensive sites online. If you're not a member already, please join, and visit our store group: http://www.ravelry.com/groups/needle--arts-centre
You can find the pattern on Ravelry here: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/snug-9
If you have trouble accessing the pattern, please email us.

The accompanying hat was designed by Alison, and is a very easy knit. The pattern is available in store, or email us for it.

Alison made both the snug and the hat from one skein of Cascade Eco Wool, for just Can$16.95!

That's GRANDE: one ball, one night, one hat

2009-11-14T20:55:00.000-08:00

We offer these little bags containing one ball of Schulana Grande and a pattern flyer with 4 Beanie patterns. One ball of this soft bulky yarn (100g = 55m, 100% Virgin Wool), knit on a set of double pointed needles size 10mm (US15) makes one cable beanie in just one evening!

The yarn comes in a rainbow of bright colours - just right to bring some light into these darker winter days! Price: $21.95 Can.

Patterns to the yarns - that helps a lot

2009-11-04T07:56:00.000-08:00

Good new yarns from Kertzer gets you prepared for the winter knits. Based on the success of yarns like Marble DK , Marble Chunky and Northern Worsted, Kertzer has added lines of new yarns and added pattern booklets for each of them.

These pattern booklets feature Marble Chunky and Marble DK and are $4.25 and $4.95 only:

Baby Marble - Marble DK has been a great seller, especially for children's knits, so this new DK yarn fits in perfectly with its colorful baby shades. Use existing Marble patterns or enjoy the new patterns (below) for this yarn. Like Marble, Baby Marble is 100% acrylic, making it washer-friendly. The 100g skein retails for only $6.95 and has about 268 metres. Great Value!

Northern Worsted Tweed - A fleck of color adds to the personality of this worsted weight, 100% acrylic yarn. The tweed shades coordinate perfectly with existing Northern shades, and it's a great choice for afghans, sweaters and other garments that require more frequent washing. The 100g skein has about 210 meters and retails for ONLY $4.95!

Northern Chunky - Like its worsted counterpart, Northern Chunky (new edition!) is made from easy-care acrylic, making it perfect for sweaters, blankets and accessories. This version knits up faster because of its chunky weight, making it a quick knit! Available in beautiful shades, a 100g ball has about 150m and retails for $4.95. See booklets left and below!

Tweed Montage - A beautiful new chunky weight yarn. Tweed Montage is a blend of colours that change gradually, combined with flecks of colour throughout, giving it the look of a muich more expensive yarn. It combines the warmth of wool (56%) with the easycare of acrylic, and it works up beautifullyin scarves, hats, sweaters. The 150g skein has about 225 meters, making it a great value at $15.95. Check the pattern booklets left and below (both $4.95).

Rejuvenation - A new 100% wool worsted weight from Kertzer, Rejuvenation is the perfect choice for sweaters, hats and warm winter accessories. Great for felting, too! Rejuvenation would work well when used with similar worsted weight wools such as Shepherd Classic or Drops Alaska. The 100g ball has 200m and retails for $6.95. 43 shades! (click on the name/link above); see shade books!

New products from REGIA

2009-10-21T16:13:00.000-07:00

With all the new books and yarns (click to get the lists of the new products) in September, I nearly forgot to announce two handy dandy products from Regia.

Regia ABS Latex - You can now create your own non-slip socks with this Latex product which comes in three colours, red, blue and black and is without Ammoniak.

Anyone who has tried wearing socks or slippers on hardwood flooring knows the importance of a good grip. Now you can add it to the bottom of any sock or slipper. The latex boes on like glue (it comes with a handy template collection), then quickly dries, creating a rubber-like surface with excellent grip. The 100ml bottle will do several pairs and retails for $13.25.

Regia 4-ply Color Sock Yarn "Flusi the Sock Monster"

This fun sock yarn comes with a little kids booklet by Bine Braendle, which also includes basic sock knitting instructions and a size table for children's socks.

The Regia "Flusi" sock yarn has shorter repeats especially for children's socks. Come see our samples. The 50g ball (210m) retails for $8.45; the yarn is made from 75% wool and 25% Polyamide and is machine washable. Here is the funniest shade card!

Sassy Skein Designs and more ...

2009-09-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a time gap since my last posting. Talk about a busy summer!

New products from Sassy Skein came in. An innovative new line of children's knitwear, featuring bright colors and beautiful yarns. We are pleased to now have in stock several of the Sassy Skein pattern kits, which include the pattern, complete with educational "tips and techniques" plus necessary notions, such as buttons, decals and ribbon (no yarn). Most of the designs can be knit with one of our favourite cottons, "Super 10 Butterfly". We keep a wide range of colors in stock, so you can start on your new project right away for your favourite little one. The pattern kits retail for $9.95.

Also from Sassy Skein - Buttons! Many of our customers asked in the past if we carry buttons, but up until now it's been difficult to find lines that we were really excited about! The button line from Sassy Skein is truly one of a kind, featuring bright, fun designs that will dress up your knits for the young at heart. Buttons are individually priced. The perfect finishing touch!

We also received a shipment from Nancy's Knit Knacks, including more of the popular Double-Point Work-in-Progress Tubes (DP WiP Tubes), which allow you to store your partially done socks and needles in a handy protective tube. No more losing your stitches when you put work away! We first stocked these tubes last fall, but quickly sold out. The set includes two WiP tubes plus a bonus tube to store your double point needles, and retails for $8.95.

Ready, Set: Knit in the Park again!

2009-07-15T20:58:00.000-07:00

On Saturday August 15th the Needle & Arts Centre will have their national Knit in the Park again. On Ostler Park, just across from our store. Yarn and refreshments are on us. The project will be Cotton Caps for chemo patients in our local cancer care program. Drop in any time between 11-4 pm, bring your lawn chair and something to nibble... Beginners are welcome, it's fun!

And if you come from out of town, our very own Hidden Harbour B&B takes easily 4, even up to 8 knitters.

New Books - New Baby Yarn

2009-07-15T20:40:00.000-07:00

Knitting More Circles around Socks - Author Antje Gillingham shows you step-by-step how to knit two socks at a time on circular needles. Great pattern support too, with directions on making several designs in either the toe up or cuff down method, Retails for $31.95

The Easy "Learn to Knit" in Just One Day - Want a quick and easy way to learn to knit? This may just be the book for you. Great diagrams combined with easy to follow instructions make getting started a breze. It also includes several great patterns that any beginner knitter would enjoy as a first project. Retails for $20.25.

New from Filature di Crosa:

Zarine Baby Print - Filatura di Crosa recently revamped the popular DK version of this yarn, Zara, and we are now pleased to also carry this lighter sportweight version. Zarina is a 100% extra fine merino wool, with the added feature of being superwash, meaning it can be machine washed! Zarina Baby Print (click for shade card) comes in variegated shades, making it the perfect choice for baby and children's wear. It comes in 50g balls, for $9.95, and has 165 metres.

Lantern Moon is shining

2009-06-24T09:06:00.000-07:00

We are proud to now carry products from Lantern Moon, a company specialising in beautiful and functional handcrafted products. They support "socially and globally conscious living".

New from Lantern Moon:

Sox Stix - a beautiful handcrafed set of 6 double pointed sock needles, made from rosewood and packaged in a silk plaid organza bag. We have them in 2.0 and 2.75 mm sizes and 5" length and they retail for $23.95 per set. Other sizes and 6" length available on request.

Buttons - hand crafted shell buttons make a perfect closure for a shawl or cardigan. We got them in a variety of styles and sizes, ranging from 1.5 to 2,5" in diameter. Price by size. The buttons are either $3.5 or $5.95 ea - they are a work of art!

Purse Handles - we received handles in two styles: oblong wood (either natural or ebony) or straight rosewood. The oblong sets retail for $9.95/pair and the straight handles are $21.95/pair. A great way to finish a felted or quilted bag!

Needle Cases - these beautiful quilted cases are hand crafted from 100% silk and come in 2 styles. The circular cases hold 18 or more circular needles, while the combination cases hold both straight, double pointed and circular sets or crochet hooks. Both styles retail for $45.95 and make a great gift for the knitter in your life.

Capitán Hat

2009-06-23T16:31:00.000-07:00

Alison found this hat pattern by Rosi Garmendia and knitted the hat for display in one night. The pattern is for private use only. Alison used a skein of our MistiAlpaca Chunky 2-ply. Looks great!

Rosi says: "Here’s a hat pattern that is easy to memorize and fits from a child to an adult with a big head or lots of hair! Knit this up in a couple of hours for a quick gift". Email us for the free pattern in pdf format.

Muse Hat

2009-06-23T14:30:00.000-07:00

Alison found this (free) pattern a while ago and it's for private use only. Click this link to get to the pattern!

Sharon, the owner of the blog Shazzas Patterns writes: I love crocheted hats but unfortunately I cannot crochet. Many years ago I remember knitting a jacket which had a stitch pattern that looked just like crochet so after sorting through my old pattern books I found the pattern and used it to make my Muse Hat. Why Muse you ask? It reminds me of the hats that the beautiful wives / girlfriends of famous musicians and artists were always pictured wearing in my mums New Idea magazines during the '60s and '70's, complete with the false eyelashes and long hair.

Enjoy! Click on photo to enlarge.

Come Summer, Come Fall

2009-06-11T15:52:00.000-07:00

New Yarns!! means already Fall yarns these days which we enjoy as our first real sunny and summer days we badly waited for. We always get excited with each new "arrival" and have to share the good news with you. This time our friends from Skacel shipped us new yarns from Zitron and Schulana:

Mosco by Schulana is a dreamy blend of mohair, viscose & Nylon that knits up to a fingering weight. The mohair gives it a nice halo effect, making it the perfect choice for wraps, scarves and other accessories. The 25g ball has 125m and retails for $10.25 - see the shade card!

Fundus by Zitron - Merino wool is known for its next-to-the-skin softness, and this lovely chunky weight yarn is no exception. Made of 100% new wool, Fundus comes in striking variegated shades and would be stnning in a sweater, scarf or hat. Felts great, too! The 50g skein has 10m and retails for $11.25 0 this is the shade card.
Also new is the Schulana Nr.24 magazine, which features a stunning ladies cardigan done in Mosco (design #9). See our book page in http://www.needlenart.com/.

Trekking 6ply by Zitron - A new sock yarn from a company well-known to most sock knitters, this new weight works up at a double knitting/sports weight other than the traditional fingering weight of other sock yarns.
Thicker socks are good for hiking or work. This 6ply sock yarn has the same superwash wool and nylon as other sock yarns, so wears and washes equally well. The 150g ball has 390m and will make a pair of average adult socks. It etails for $27.95 and has a good colour mix. Ask us for a free sock pattern for this yarn weight once you are in the store.
This yarn is a grat choice for sweaters and accessories too - just use any DK weigt pattern.

Also from Zitron is Opus 1 - more variegated merino goodness, this time in a worsted weight. Opus truly has to be seen and felt to be appreciated, as the colours in the photos not do it justice. 100% Merino means that it can be worn next to the skin, making it ideal for hats, scarves, sweaters and even children's wear. This yarn is infused with Aloe Vera and Jooba oils which both guarantee an ultra touch of softness. The 100g skein has a generous 190m and retails for $26.50. See shade card.

Bear in Mind!

2009-05-12T11:41:00.000-07:00

Our regular customer, Knit Cafe and knitting club member Jane did these cute beary garments, and the bears (it will be three) will be travelling soon to her granddaughter in England.

The patterns are available in our store. email inf0@needlenart.com or phone!

Brick and Mortar stores - important stuff!

2009-05-11T15:27:00.000-07:00

"Save your local economy - one store at a time". This is the core message of the 3/50 project, started in March 2009 in the States, but true everywhere. Read the text below, visit www.the350project.net , and be an active supporter!!

Piece of Art

2009-05-08T12:53:00.000-07:00

Inge just finished this felted bag in wonderful colours. Not just "another bag", but one which catches your eye. It is called Janite, is for intermediate skill level and knit from 6 hanks of Berroco Jasper, with nice bobbles on colourful stripes.

You find this pattern in Berroco's pattern book #276 for Geode & Jasper yarns, containing sweaters and hats as well.

Click to enlarge!

lost in transport

2009-04-25T14:07:00.000-07:00

Nearly lost - one box of yarn from Kertzer finally arrived 5 weeks later, with this new yarn:

Trenton Worsted - A new superwash merino yarn that works up to a worsted weight. Warm, washable and soft, this is the perfect yarn for hats, sweaters, mitts and blankets. The variegated colours make it fun to knit with as well. Retails for $9.95 for the 100g skein, which has 200 metres.

free pattern: Nimbus Jacket

2009-04-22T13:40:00.000-07:00

This is a free pattern from the Estelle website. Never been there? Go to our pattern page and find the links to most of our supplier's free pattern pages there.

Alison knit this Nimbus Jacket in Drops Eskimo. The smallest size (32" chest") took 9 50g balls. We have copies of the pattern in the store in case you don't find it online. Or just email us for help. It's a great little cover up for spring dresses or for cool summer knits. It could also be knit out of Drops Ice (cotton), Quick by Marks & Kattens or other bulky yarns.

As you can see on the sign: April's Yarn of the Month with a 20% discount is - Eskimo!

Anna

2009-04-16T10:12:00.000-07:00

This is Anna, Max' girl friend, and we wished she would visit us more often, not only to model for our garments...

You remember that I mentioned this sweater in an earlier blog: It is the cover sweater from Norah Gaughan's Collection Volume 4. There are several other Summer projects in this volume as well, which you may order from us for $19.75. It's knit in Pure Pima which retails for $6.25 for the 50g skein with 115 yards. Check the shade card!

Here is the front ornament, click on picture to enlarge!

Pam knitted this capelet (or shrug or little cardi), which is also featured in our p attern page. It's called Anthropologie and Pam's pattern version is inspired by the numerous versions doing the rounds on the Internet. It can be knitted in various yarns, all available in our store. This one was done in Schulana Fashion Silk.

Cute Cupcake!

2009-04-13T18:41:00.000-07:00

Alison knit this adorable little sweater in Peter Pan Cupcake. She calls it a quick, fun knit, and the yarn a joy to work with. The design ranges in size from 18 to 25 inches (approximately 6 months to 4 years) and requires 3 to 5 balls of Peter Pan Cupcake yarn.

The featured design is Peter Pan pattern P1043 which is available in our store ($4.25).

Indulge your feet!

2009-04-13T18:26:00.000-07:00

New from Lang Yarns:

Jawoll Silk - Add a touch of luxury to your next pairs of socks! A blend of 20% silk added to the superwash wool and nylon blend of this sock yarn makes it extra enticing. Great colour effects make for a great looking as well. The 100g ball sells for $17.95, and is enough to make an average pair of adult socks. Check the shade card!
A small spool of reinforcement thread makes it easy to strengthen heels and toes as well (included).

Inge's Prayer Shawl

2009-04-13T17:38:00.000-07:00

I wrote about our Prayer Shawl experience in our last Newsletter:

Inge was inspired to knit this filigrane white prayer shawl, when our youngest son was heading off to his four month trip through South America and started a month ago in Venezuela, a place which would scare all parents. He made it safely through to Ecuador so far.

The pattern is from the book "The Prayer Shawl Companion" and Inge wanted to add that she used a mix of Drops Symphony, some Gedifra Amara, some white ribbon yarn leftover and white Funny yarn.

Affordable Baby yarn - great toddler patterns

2009-04-13T15:18:00.000-07:00

I was so sure that I had already shared this great pattern book "just for tots" for our best buy baby yarn Comfort DK (from Berroco, just $3.95 for the 50g ball!) - but I couldn't find a posting. So here it is, with the front cover to the left and the same garment of the front cover in our store.

This is what Alison wrote: As always, baby and children's knits are a favourite at our store. Caleb is a toddler's pullover made from Berroco's Comfort DK. This great little design ranges in size from 9 months to 6 years. Side neck buttons make it easy to get over the little heads, and the easy-care blend of the yarn makes it washer friendly. Featured in Berroco book #274, it requires between 4 and 6 balls of yarn (that is only Canadian $16-$24).

Great new books, have a peek!

2009-04-01T15:27:00.001-07:00

Together with our Spring/Summer yarns we ordered a large number of pattern bookletts for this season of the year, which you will all find in our book page now!

I would like to point out two very unique books here:

Knit One Below - by Elise Duvekot
The bright idea behind this book with 35 patterns for the entire family is to build an entire collection around one simple stitch that creates many intriguing effects. Shown in knitting instructions as "k1b" (knit 1 below), the technique involves knitting into the stitch one row below the stitch on the needle with either a knit or a purl stitch. The result is an easy-to-knit fabric with wonderful drape and flexibility that looks equally good on both sides. The color effects possible are also impressive. Use the technique for sweaters, cardigans, bags and even socks!

This book with 35 patterns for the entire family costs only $23.95.

Socks a la Carte - by Jonelle Raffino and Katherine Cade
This innovative book allows you to customize your sock pattern, using the cuff, body and heel/toe techniques of your choice. Over a dozen of choices (on split pages) for each part of your sock makes the design possibilities nearly unlimited!
Readers can flip these split pages to see how the individual elements work together and then mix and match these patterns to create unique sock styles that they can then knit according to their personal preferences. A bonus gallery will feature a number of finished sock styles in a variety of colors as inspiration for the reader. Price: $25.50.

Possum!? Awesome!

2009-04-01T06:41:00.000-07:00

It's April 1st today, but this is true!

Rimu from Zealana Yarns - Our friends at Nordic Yarn Imports bring us this lovely DK blend of Merino and Possum wool from New Zealand. Yes, you heard right. Possum fibre is well-known for its unique qualities of softness, lightness and warmth. The addition of merino wool adds to these qualities, creating a yarn that's beautiful to the eye and touch. It's also durable, machine washable, and resists pilling. Learn more in our shade card with some more information on possums, which are considered a pest in New Zealand.

Rimu has 140 yds in the 50g ball and retails for $12.95.

Summer is coming closer!

2009-03-30T08:53:00.000-07:00

Wonderful Summer yarns and "tons" of pattern books arrived. Check below and in our book page.

New from Berroco
Pure Pima - Pima cotton is one of the softest cottons around, making this new DK weight yarn a great choice for Summer projects. Pure Pima is 100% cotton, which means it breathes and wears well. Great for Summer tops, childrens wear and baby projects like sweaters, hats and blankets. Berroco sent us this lovely sample sweater done in Pure Pima - you have to check it out. It is the cover sweater from Norah Gaughan's Collection Volume 4. There are several other Summer projects in this volume as well, which you may order from us for $19.75.

Pure Pima retails for $6.25 for the 50g skein with 115 yards. Check the shade card!

Comfort Chunky - Due to overwhelming response to the Sock, DK and Worsted versions of this yarn, Berroco has come out with a chunky version of Comfort. A silky, smooth combination of nylon and acrylic makes this an easy-care choice for blankets, sweaters, kidswaer and accessories. Great colour choices, and an excellent buy at $7.75 for the 100g and 150yd skein. Here is the shade card.

New from Lana Grossa
Secondo - Secondo is a beautiful blend of silk, cotton and polyamide that knits up to a sports weight. It's slinky feel suggests that it would be perfect for a short sleeve top, wrap or a beautiful cardigan. The 50g ball has 125 metres and retails for $14.25. Check the beautiful Summer shades!

Biosoja - This wonderful worsted weight yarn is part of Lana Grossa's "Linea Pura" line. Biosoja is an organic blend of soy, cotton, and bamboo that subtly changes hues as you work with it. Perfect for a Summer top or twin set. The 50g ball has 110 metres and retails for $13.25 - check the shade card.

There are several designs for Biosoja in the new Linea Pura book Vol.1, which we have in stock - check our book page!

New from Classic Elite Yarns

Solstice - is part of Classic Elite's Verde Collection, which was designed with nature in mind. Solstice is a beautiful blend of 70% organic cotton and 30% wool. Very soft and subtle, Solstice knits up to a worsted weight, and would be gorgeous as a sweater, hat, shawl, even for fingerless gloves for the cool Spring nights ahead.

We also received several copies of the Johns Bay pattern book, which features 10 designs for Solstice and other CE Yarns. Check our book list. Solstice retails for $8.25 for the 50g skein with 100 yds. Here is the shade card.

New from Tahki Yarns

Sierra - An aran weight silk and linen blend that has a wonderful flecked tweed look. Great for Summer tops, jackets, even a skirt. The 50g skein has 135 yds and retails for $10.25, here are the shades. We also received a pattern book with several designs for Sierra, see under "Sierra" in our book list.

New from Stylecraft
Life Aran - Part of Stylecraft's Life series, Aran combines the beauty of wool with the easy care of acrylic in soft and sumptuous yarn. As the name suggests, this yarn works up to a classic aran gauge of 18 sts/4inches, and is a great choice for sweaters, blankets, accessories and kidswear. It's very economical too, at $6.95 for the 100gram, 198 metre skein. We have it in a range of solid and tweed colors.

New from Schachenmayr/Kertzer
Catania - A lovely new Summer yarn, Catania is a sports weight mercerized cotton that comes in a wide range of stunning colours. 100% cotton for comfort and easycare, mercerization for a light sheen. Kertzer has published two great books with patterns for fantastic baby and children's wear done in Catania. It retails for $4.95 for the 50g/125m skein, see shade card.

The great little Kertzer books #420 and 421 with four patterns each sell for $4.25 each (see below).

Daylily arrived a bit later

2009-03-09T22:20:00.000-07:00

from Nashua Handknits: You might have noticed the mentioning of the Daylily pattern booklet in the last blog posting, we found it so pretty that we were ahead of the actual yarn shipment.

Daylily - Add a touch of glamour to your Spring and Summer wardrobe with a shell made out of this lovely new aran weight yarn. This cotton blend has a nylon binder that gives it some sheen.

We also have in stock copies of Nashua's Daylily pattern collection (see last blog posting), which features several ladies sweater designs for this yarn. It retails for $9.25 for the 50g skein. Here is the shade card.

New Yarns and Patterns Galore!

2009-03-02T12:15:00.000-08:00

Please read on, I want to put all the latest new Spring arrivals in this one blog. We are not only very happy with our new yarns, but more so about the number and quality of all the new pattern books coming with the yarns, including some free patterns. Check our web site for the new books and free patterns! This is what Alison has to tell you (not all shade cards are ready yet):

New from Nashua Handknits:
Creative Focus Silk - Nothing compares to the look and feel of 100% silk, and we think Nashua has found a winner with this worsted weight yarn. This is perfect for a Spring shawl, tank top, even a sweater set. Beautiful colours, and a great buy at $9.95 for the 120 yards ball. We also received an attractive book, Creative Focus Silk ($13.95) with several great patterns specifically for this yarn.

Desert Flower - This worsted weight yarn offers up a stunning array of variegated shades and is the perfect summer blend of cotton and linen, with a touch of nylon to help it retain its shape. It's an ideal choice for a Summer tank top or a shell underneath your favourite jacket. The 50g skein offers 112 yds for $9.95. Look for the great Mitered tank top, featured on the cover of Style: Easy Breezy, done in Desert Flower. The book retails for $10.95, and we have several copies in stock.

Other new books from Nashua include: Style: Natural Style ($10.95), which features designs in ecologically friendly yarns, such as Natural Focus Ecologie Cotton, which we brought in last season and will continue to feature this year. Also look for Daylily ($13.95), a book featuring women's designs done in variegated yarns.

New from Regia:
Cotton Weekend Color - A sock weight yarn with added cotton for Summer socks. This yarn comes in several bright colorways and retails for $17.50 for the 100g skein. It has 400m, enough for an average adult pair of socks. The colours would be great for chidren and baby wear as well, and we have several great patterns in stock which feature this weight, including those by Knees Bees Designs. We just received Regia Magazine #114, which is devoted to baby and toddlers designs done in this sock weight yarn and several other Regia yarns we carry, including Pompon, Silk Color and Softy. This magazine retails for $15.95.

New from Gedifra:
Amara - A yummy, silky blend of cotton and polyamide, done up in a worsted weight yarn that is calling us to knit it up into a shawl or evening top. The added sheen makes it perfect for a dressy design for a Summer wedding or family gathering - check the shade card. The 50g skein has 100m and retails for $10.50. There are several designs for this yarn in Gedifra Highlights 091 which is also in stock.

New from Cascade Yarns:
Egological Wool - We are pleased to now stock this Eco Wool by Cascade. This chunky weight wool is not only an exceptional value at $16.95 for the 250g/437m skein, it's also environmentally friendly. Available in several natural, undyed shades, it's a great choice for outdoor sweaters, hats and accessories, even felting. The Cascade website offers free sweater patterns for this yarn which you find in our web site.

A new book from Lana Grossa: Linea Pura No.1, their latest collection, featuring designs done in environmentally friendly yarns. It retails for $16.95.

New from King Cole:
Baby Big Value DK - We brought this yarn in last year in a fingering weight, and it has proven to be popular, so we are adding the double knitting weight. This 100% acrylic baby yarn is an excellent value at $5.25 for the 100g ball - see the shade card here.

New from Kertzer:
Peter Pan Cupcake - Knit something sweet for your little sweetie! Cupcake is a worsted weight blend of nylon and acrylic that's buttery soft to the touch. It combines a chenille strand with a shiny strand to create a vibrant, one of a kind yarn. Great colour and pattern choices make it perfect for baby and kids knits. It retails for $6.95 for the 50g ball.

Wendy Origin - Get back to basics with this great bouclé. Origin is an easy care blend of wool and acrylic, and works up to a chunky weight. It comes in a nice array of marled colours and we received several patterns to go along with it. The 100g ball has 125m and retails for $13.95.

New from Lang:
Jawoll Color Aktion - A great new sock yarn that combines gorgeous color shades into a terrific jaquard pattern. Great for men's socks, but ladies will love it, too. Each skein also comes with a spool of reinforcement yarn for heel and toe! The 100g skein has plenty of yarn for a pair of adult socks (420m) and sells for $15.50. For each shade we have a sample pair of men's socks in our store! see picture to the right and click to enlarge.

Alison's Spring Poem

2009-02-21T16:29:00.000-08:00

We got some dream lines from a completely new manufacturer, an established yarn mill in Uruguay, many lines are hand painted, for sensational prices. When Alison put these new arrivals in the shelves, she got inspired by all the colour mixes:

The weather is grand,
so we think it's fittin'
to introduce new yarns
for Spring crochet and knittin'

Well done, Alison. Here you go! This is what she summarized:

Punta Yarns brings exciting and beautiful new lines of merino and mohair yarns from Uruguay. There are some solid shades, but we are particularly excited by the wonderful range of hand painted shades. Here is a peek:

Merisoft - is a 100% merino yarn with fantastic yardage. The label states it knits to chunky weight, but we suspect it's closer to an aran weight. It is available in 100g skeins which boast 197 yds, and comes in three ranges:
Solid, which retails for $10.95 (see shade card);
Space Dyed, which is a variegated skein, done in various colour ranges (i.e. rusts, blues, ..). It retails for $11.95 (see shade card);
Hand Painted, another variegated with a wider colour range. The hand painted retails for only $13.95 for 100g, which is an excellent price for a merino of this quality and colour variation. Here is the shade card.

If you like the look of hand painted yarns but want something that's a bit more easy care, try the
Lava Hand Painted - this is about the same weight as the Merisoft, but is a blend of 30% wool and 70% acrylic. It has the look and feel of pure wool and is an excellent value at $9.25 for the 100g/230yd skein, Check the shade card.

We would recommend both the Merisoft and Lava as a great choice for sweaters, children's wear and accessories. Both are exceptionally soft and can be worn next to the skin.

We had been saddened by the recent discontinuation of two of our favorite mohairs: Whisper by Estelle and Memoirs by Berocco - so we are very pleased to now carry
Kid Mohair Hand Painted - also by Punta Yarns. This is a blend of Kid Mohair and nylon and works up to a DK weight. It comes in a gorgeous range of handpainted colours and works beautifully into a scarf, shawl or the ever-popular fingerless mittens. The 50g skein has 246 yards and retails for $12.95. See shade card.

Once again: our Ball Winding Service

2009-02-21T16:24:00.000-08:00

We are seeing more and more of our yarns coming out in hanks, and therefore have recently purchased and installed a yarn swift and ball winder. We can now wind the hanks into skeins at the store - this is a free service, one we are glad to provide for our customers!
We sell swifts and ball winders, too!

NEW Yarn for Shadow and Domino Knitting!

2009-02-21T13:06:00.000-08:00

After Miriam's workshops on Shadow Knitting and Domino Knitting in January (see our earlier blog posting and also our book list) we ordered the perfect yarn for these techniques, which gained a lot of interest from our customers!

Harrisville Designs:

New England Shetland - We have had a similar yarn in worsted weight before and now are pleased to offer it in a finer sportsweight (6.5 stitches per inch). This yarn is the one which comes with the Vivian Hoxbro kits. This Shetland yarn is perfect for lighter weight summer sweaters, hats, gloves and even socks. It's 100% pure wool that wears well, and comes in a nice range of heathered colours (we didn't bring them all in but can order them). See our shade card of available colours. The 50g skein has 217 yards and retails for $9.25.

The Spring & Summer Yarns are coming!

2009-02-20T13:44:00.000-08:00

Nearly every day now we receive a shipment and enjoy the new colours.

From Classic Elite Yarns:

Classic Silk - a yummy blend of cotton, silk and nylon, that knits up to a worsted weight. What a great hand! This silk/cotton combination has a great nubby look with a little sheen and a great natural silk feel. Used in fair isle, for stripes or as just a single color, it's a spring/summer weight that looks perfect for a Summer cardigan or sweater. The 50g ball has 135 yards and retails for $11.25. Check out the shade card.

Patterns are available in these Classic Elite books: "Round Pond" and "Curvy Knits Vol.1". Check out our books page and order them from us.

Merino plus Superwash

2009-02-20T12:24:00.000-08:00

Merino Extra Fine - this new yarn from Garnstudio/Drops arrived weeks ago and nearly went under in all the recent new arrivals and our large yarn sale. For $6.50 per ball, considering that it is spun from finest Merino wool AND is super wash treated, this is an excellent choice for garments as well as kids patterns.

As usual, there are a lot of free patterns available in the Garnstudio library, as this one on the right. Check the shade card and read more about this yarn there!

Shadow Knitting and Domino Knitting Classes

2009-02-01T17:53:00.000-08:00

All those who receive our newsletters (sign up at http://www.needlenart.com/) knew about the two weekend classes with Miriam Leth-Espensen which we had 2 weeks ago.

This is what Pam summarized:

January 10th and 11th saw customers and some members of staff enjoying an interesting and informative weekend with Miriam Leth-Espensen from Santa Fe. January 10th saw us learning the art of Shadow Knitting as defined by the Danish needle artist, Vivian Hoxbro (http://www.viv.dk/). January 11th was spent on Domino Knittting, the art of knitting mitred squares with no sewn seams. Both these skills could be defined as "advanced" techniques, but Miriams's down-to-earth teaching manner and friendly personality made the whole experience very enjoyable.

The Needle & Arts Centre carries Vivian Hoxbro knitting kits as well as her books on Shadow Knitting and Domino Knitting - you may order them online. Arriving shortly will be the Harrisville Shetland Wool that is recommended in the books and which form the kits. We also carry wool and cotton yarns that can be substituted.

About Miriam:
Miriam Leth-Espensen visited us all the way from Santa Fé, New Mexico! She is a renowned and inspirational weaver and knitting teacher. Read more about Miriam here!

About Shadow Knitting:
Add magic to your knitting projects! Read about this clever technique in Wikipedia or even better about Vivian Høxbro's book "Shadow Knitting" in this review. Miriam's class is based on this book and the Vivian Høxbro patterns. Complete shadow knitting kits are available in our store or can be ordered, as well as the book.

About Domino Knitting:
Miriam's class is based on Vivian Høxbro's book "Knit to Be Square", Vivian's second book on Domino Knitting. The beauty of this technique is that you can create any colour pattern you want. Read more about the book and this detailed review.

New Yarns in January: Classic Elite

2009-02-01T17:38:00.000-08:00

From Classic Elite:
Summer Sox - a sock/fingering weight, variegated blend of cotton for comfort and merino and nylon for strength. Perfect for socks for the Spring and Summer days that seem so far away.
This would be a great choice for lighter weight knits such as tank tops or Summer sweaters, as well.
The 5o g ball has 175 yards and retails for $12.25 - check out the shade card.

From Twinkle Handknits (a Division of Classic Elite):
Soft Chunky - a super bulky 100% wool that is as soft as air, and knits up beautifully into sweaters, hats, scarves and other accessories. Here is the shade card.
The 200 g skein has 83 yards and retails for $26.95. Great free pattern for this yarn is available at www.canadianliving.com/crafts/knitting/knit_a_chunky_cabled_cardigan.php.

NEW in store: Filatura Di Crosa

2009-01-13T13:48:00.000-08:00

You may have seen a lot of advertising for these wonderful Italian yarns in knitting magazines - now we got our first shipment, with more to come soon!

Zara - This is one of Filatura Di Crosa's best sellers, and we are pleased to have it now in stock. This yarn is a pleasure to work with, as it is composed of 100% extra fine merino. It's easy care as well, thanks to its superwash composition. It knits to a DK weight, and is perfect for sweaters, accessories, even children's wear. For a tweedy version, try Zara Chiné. Both retail for $9.25 for the 50g ball and boast 125 meters. Check the shade card.

We also have in stock the brand new Filati Di Crosa Fall/Winter 2008-2009 magazine, and the Merino Collection, both with several patterns for Zara and Zara Chiné. See both books in our web site and one of the patterns to the left!

Centolavaggi - Lace knitters rejoice! We are pleased to now carry this 100% extrafine, superwash merino wool in a fingering/lace weight. It comes in a beautiful array of solid colours and retails for $19.95 For the 100g and 180 meter hank. Be sure to ask us to wind it into a ball with our new swft and ball winder!

Join (us) in Ravelry!

2009-01-11T15:17:00.000-08:00

Alison and Pam have been talking about the benefits of an online knitting and crochet community called Ravelry for months, but it's taken until now to convince us to join. Now we are hooked, and think you should join, too.

What is Ravelry? Simply put, it's a comprehensive database for knitters, crocheters, designers, spinners, dyers and other needlework enthusiasts. Use it to keep track of your yarns, tools, books and pattern information, and look to others for ideas and inspiration. It's a great search tool, and can be used to find out the specifics of yarns past and present, pattern ideas, and information. It's easy to see what other members are making, what patterns they have chosen, yarns they have used, pictures of finished projects, and more. You can even get ideas for how to use up leftover yarn, or look for that elusive ball or two needed to finish up a project. The possibilities are endless, and given the massive scope of the site, it's very user-friendly and relatively easy to navigate.

Ravelry is also a great online community, with hundreds of groups that members are free to join and explore. Look for groups by region, interests (i.e. lace-knitting), favorite designers, and more. Find groups that will help you deistic, join a yarn or project swap, knit-along, and more. You can search by key word or tag, and membership is free (as is membership to Ravelry). If you can't find a group to meet your needs, you can even start your own.

Another great feature is the ability to network; meaning you can easily find other needle enthusiasts or groups in your area, or those with similar interests. It's easy tocontact other members as well, either by posting in-group forums or using the private message feature to write to other members directly. There's also a great yarn store database, so you can find stores to visit on vacation, or find new ones in your area. The possibilities are endless!

Ravelry is also a great place to find pattern ideas and information, and you can search for patterns by yarn, yarn weight, style or craft. Alison found this great neckwarmer, the Darkside Cowl, as a free Ravelry download, and made a version for the store using just less than two skeins of BerrocoJasper (see earlier post below). This is just one of several hundred free downloads available on Ravelry.

So have we convinced you to join yet? If you want to learn more, or are ready to join, visit their website, http://www.ravelry.com/. To join, look for the "request an invitation" link on the homepage. Depending on how many people are waiting to join it will take anywhere from a few days to a week to get an invitation. Once you're on, be sure to visit our store's group, Needle & Arts Centre(http://www.ravelry.com/groups/needle--arts-centre). We'd love to have you join our group.

Plus: Keep your Neck (and Ears) warm!

2009-01-11T13:35:00.000-08:00

Now that we got you going with one of the wristwarmer patterns, here comes the "Darkside Cowl" by Sarah Fama. It's a free pattern which you can find in Ravelry (more about Ravelry in my next posting!). Alison brought it in and advises that she used about one and a half skeins of Berroco Jasper for it.

The rib stitch used in the cowl makes it extremely stretchy. This cowl is designed to fit fairly close to the neck, and is snug enough that it could be pulled up and worn as a earwarmer... If you don't find it in Ravelry, get the free pattern here.

Keep your Wrists warm!

2009-01-08T11:28:00.000-08:00

These wristwarmers are just timely with Winter all across Canada. Here is another wristwarmer pattern which Pam adapted for our store and which is an easy knit!

You need one ball of wool yarn, or a combination of yarns. If you add Drops Kid-Silk for increased smootheness, Pam advises that one 25 gram ball is enough for two pairs of wristwarmers.

email us for the free pattern!

New from Berroco - it feels like Christmas

2008-12-20T12:44:00.000-08:00

Christmas is close now and this is why I am late to post the arrival of these wonderful new Berroco yarns:

Ultra Alpaca - We love alpaca, and we are pleased to add this wonderful worsted weight yarn to our ever growing family. It's 50% wool and 50% alpaca blend makes it light but warm, and it works up nicely into sweaters, hats, scarves and accessories. It felts nicely, too! The 100g skein has 215 yds, making it a great buy at $10.25; free patterns for Ultra Alpaca are accessible through the shade card or Berroco's web site. See the detail photo of the Ursa sweater from pattern book #279 to the right.

Comfort - This acrylic/nylon blend has been popular with our customers in the sock and double knitting weights, and we predict it will be equally welcomed in this worsted weight. We have it in nine beautiful variegated shades. Perfect for Afghans, sweaters, kidswear and more! The 100g ball has over 200 yds and retails for $6.95.

Cuzco - Similar to Ultra Alpaca, Cuzco is a slightly heavier chunky weight version. We immediately fell in love with the sample jacket (Cosima, the cover sweater from pattern book #281, see picture), and have had more than one customer do the same. It's a perfect blend of 50% superfine alpaca and 50% Peruvian wool, and retails for $10.75 for the 100g skein (130 yds). See shade card. Great for sewaters, blankets and accessories. Yummy!

Berroco Sox Metallic - A great new sock yarn with a bit of "bling". This is the same weight and fiber content as regular Berroco Sox, but has an added metallic strand that gives a glint of glitter. Fun for socks with a bit of glam to them, also for other accessories such as wristers, hats or scarves. Make a cute shell for under your favourite jacket for an upcoming special occasion! The 100g skein has 380 yds and retails for $18.95. See shade card.

Knit a pair of Wristers now!

2008-11-18T09:51:00.000-08:00

We just got this new yarn from Lana Grossa in, and the first thing Inge did with it is to knit a pair of Wristers (aka fingerless gloves) as a gift for one of our daughters in law. email us for a free pattern!

Chiara is an incredibly soft mohair blend that knits up to a sport weight. The rayon gives this yarn a sheen and adds to the slight halo effect of the mohair, and you've got a blend that is perfect for hats, scarves and other delicious accessories.

The wristers Inge is working on right now is a "must have" accessory for this season and a fast little gift.
The 50g ball of Chiara has 190 meters and retails for $14.25. See the shade card.

"This is it!!" will it ever end??

2008-10-29T12:04:00.000-07:00

This is what Alison said when she gave me the list of the latest yarns which we got in. Let's see if these were the last for this year. Enough for all these fall and winter projects and again, beautiful and timeless colours! Click on photo to enlarge!

From Classic Elite: Fresco - A lovely, sport weight blend of wool, baby alpaca and angora. A yummy yarn for baby knits, accessories and sweaters. The 50g skein has 164 yds and retails for $10.95. Here is the shade card.

From Classic Elite: Silky Alpaca Lace - Lace knitters rejoice, as we have many new and exciting yarns for you, including this fingering weight alpaca & silk blend. Lovely for shawls, scarves, baby knits, even socks! The 50g ball has 460 yards and retails for $10.50. Check the shade card.

From Schachenmayr: Manifesto - A terrific new self-striping yarn that knits up to a chunky weight. It's an easy care blend of superwash wool; acrylic and viscose make it perfect for children's wear, sweaters and accessories. The 50g ball has 72 metres & retails for $6.95. Beautiful shades.

Gift Ideas for Christmas

2008-10-21T09:25:00.000-07:00

Inge is producing a series of attractive knitted hats. A hat every night, that makes ?? till Christmas - as samples for the store and eventually they'll become gifts for "the kids" - maybe I get one, too.

The hat with decorative earflaps is knit in Vero Tweed, also the diagonally knit scarf. Ask her for the pattern.

The other two with cables and more are knit after free patterns from Estelle. The grey/brown one in Granite and the grey/pink one in Nimbus, both wonderfully soft.

Top Yarn Designs by Kaffe Fassett

2008-10-20T16:57:00.000-07:00

NEW from Regia:

These beautiful new colour worlds "out of this world" are perfect for socks, but also for sweaters and more. See the new Regia pattern books which come with them.

Galaxy "Saturn" - for a true "out of this world sock knitting experience we recommend this new yarn. A unique yarn with a self-striping pattern that evokes the shape of ovals, arrows and spirals. Each of the twelve colorways is named after rings of the Saturn system and make it a "stellar" yarn sock. The 100g ball retails for $17.25 and at 420 metres is enough for the average pair of adult socks.

Kaffe Fassett Design Line - Designer Kaffe Fassett created the "Mirage", "Landscape" and Exotic color inspirations exclusively for Regia."It was quite a challenge for me to create a new self-striping yarn for Regia. It was a wonderful experience in my career. I hope all knitting enthusiasts will have fun knitting and experiencing my color inspirations" says Kaffe Fassett.

Check the shade cards for all our new Regia sock yarns: the Design Line, Design Line Color and Exotic Color. Some of the yarns are 4-ply and some 6-ply. All come on 50g balls and retail for $8.50.

Last not least: We already had Regia Softy sock yarn in our store since February, now Regia added lush variegated colours as Softy Color for the same price of $9.95. Here is the updated shade card.

Check some of the new Regia design books here!

NEW Brand in Store: Classic Elite

2008-10-17T15:18:00.000-07:00

One of our main suppliers has now taken over distribution of the Classic Elite yarns which you find featured in all knitting magazines. This means that we could virtually supply you with all their yarn lines. We started with this one:

Lush - Oooooh so soft! A divine combination of wool and Angora made in Peru, that knits up to a chunky weight. Sweaters, hats, scarves, even kid's knits ... Lush would be lovely for any and all of them. Surprisingly affordable for an angora blend too, Lush retails for $12.95 for the 124 yds, 50 g skein. See the shades here.

There are two quality Fall knitting books from Classic Elite available which offer patterns for Lush and other yarns, and which you can find in our store or in the web site.

NEW Yarns from Alpaca With A Twist!

2008-10-17T13:46:00.000-07:00

In case you haven't heard, we love Alpaca, and if you give it a try, you'll love it, too (and the very special and affectionate Alpaca creatures as well)!

Socrates - is a new sock yarn made from a blend of baby alpaca, merino wool, bamboo and a touch of nylon for added strength. This lovely yarn isn't just for socks, though; try it for your lace work, baby knits or any other design that vcalls for fingering weight yarn. The 100g skein has great yardage with 400 yds and retails for $18.95. Check out the shades.

Mojito - A great new variegated 100% baby alpaca yarn that knits up to an aran weight. Perfect for hats, scarves, sweaters and accessories. The 100g skein has 145 yds and retails for $24.95. We love the colours!

Temptation - The name says it all with this one! A dreamy blend of alpaca and silk makes this worsted weight yarn a great choice for warm winter sweaters, shawls and accessories. The 50g, 109 yard skein retails for $10.95. Check out the shade card.

A Bunch of NEW Yarns from Estelle

2008-10-17T11:21:00.000-07:00

Estelle is one of our suppliers, with yarns under their own brand name and they also distribute other brands with good names. This is what we got in October:

Meilenweit Sunset from Lana Grossa - A new member of the popular Meilenweit sock yarn family. Sunset comes in gorgeous variegated colour combinations with longer lengths of colour, giving your sock a lovely striped effect, as you see in the shade card. The 100g ball retails for $16.95.

Cloud Cotton from Estelle - We already enjoyed the Cloud Cotton Eco yarn in natural colours and now brought in more shades of the dyed version. We also got several free patterns for this yarn in store (see picture)!

Big Value Baby 4 Ply from King Cole - In response to customer requests for a fingering weight 100% acrylic yarn for baby knits, we have brought in this yarn in several baby-friendly colours. This yarn knits up to a gauge of 28 sts over 10cm, so use it for your older Patons or Pinquoin patterns, or with newer patterns that call for this weight. Each 100g ball retails for $7.25 and offers 400m. See the shades.

Pastaza from Cascade Yarns - A luscious blend of 50% Llama/50% Wool made in Peru that knits up to a chunky weight. This yarn's next-to-skin softness makes it perfect for sweaters, hats, scarves and accessories. Nice for felting, too! Each 100g skein has 132 yards and retails for $9.25 - here is the shade card.

Introducing Coulourscape Chunky by Kaffe Fassett

2008-10-16T13:59:00.000-07:00

He made it again: Renowned British designer Kaffe Fassett lends his remarkable ability to combine colours to this beautiful line of handdyed 100% lambswool yarn.

Colourscape Chunky by Rowan - It has a longer colour repeat, so it changes more gradually as you knit. Colourscape Chunky is put up on 100g skeins, offering 160 meters for $27.95. This is the shade card. As the name suggests, it knits up to a chunky weight, so it works up quickly. This yarn truly has to be seen to be appreciated.

While you are in store, be sure to check the stunning designs offered in "The Colourscape Chunky Collection". You find this book also in our web site. Inge has knit up the "Valour" pattern from this book (photo) and you can see it here.

NEW from Misti Alpaca

2008-10-16T13:49:00.000-07:00

I'm not at the finish line yet with all our new fall yarns and just love the colours! I have in hand a soft and colourful skein of

Hand Paint Sock Yarn Fingering - "dyed to the stitch" they say: A lovely alpaca blend, also done in a handpainted style. If you haven't tried knitting socks with alpaca yarn, we would recommend you try it. Many of our customers who have, say they are warmer and more comfortable than those made from traditional wool sock yarn. This one also features added silk and nylon for strength and durability. The 100g skein has 400 (!) meters, enough for a pair of average adult sized socks, and retails for $19.95. See the swatch shade card and also the swatch to the right!

NEW from Marks & Kattens

2008-10-16T12:22:00.000-07:00

ECO Ull and ECO Multi Ull - A new 100% wool, with minimum 20% Merino, that is "eco friendly". It knits to a chunky weight and comes in 7 natural plus several variegated colours. It has a put up of 80 meters per 50g skein. A great "organic" look with a soft touch!

The plain version (shade card) sells for $6.50, and the variegated "multi" version (shade card) retails for $6.75. We have in stock several patterns for this yarn as well.

NEW from Zitron

2008-10-16T12:08:00.000-07:00

Nimbus Multi - A beautiful, hand dyed 100% organic Merino that knits to an aran weight. Nimbus is the successor of our Loft yarn, except that it's certified organic now. Lovely for sweaters, scarves and accessories. A 50g ball offers 100 meters for $15.50. Check the shade card. Inge is just knitting a touque and loves the yarn.

NEW from Kertzer and Stylecraft

2008-10-15T12:17:00.000-07:00

Northern Chunky - A new heavier version of Kertzer's popular Northern Worsted. This 100% acrylic yarn comes in great variegated shades and will work with any chunky pattern. Perfect for sweaters, afghans, kidswear and accessories. The big 200g ball (!) boasts 300 meters and retails for only $9.95! Check the shade card.

Accent Worsted - An acrylic and wool blend in a worsted weight with an impressive price! We're not naming names, but this 75% acrylic/25%wool blend yarn is a great choice for any "decor". Perfect for sweaters, afghans and accessories. The 110g ball comes in several solid and heathered shades and has 200 meters. It retails for $4.95. Here is the shade card.

Pure Luxury Merino - The luxury of merino wool at an affordable price. The next-to-the-skin softness of this DK weight yarn makes it perfect for baby and children's wear. The 50 g ball has 119yds and retails for $8.25. Beautiful shades and the Stylecraft book #602 presents a stylish baby collection of contemporary designs for babies from birth to 24 months ($11.95).

NEW from Misti Alpaca

2008-10-14T12:18:00.000-07:00

Hand Paint Worsted - A new hand painted version of Misti's popular alpaca yarn, this time in worsted weight. It's perfect for sweaters, baby items and accessories. Each 100g skein has 200 meters and sells for $22.50; the shade card doesn't give you the exact colours.

Alison tried this yarn with an easy lace pattern that works nicely into a scarf. Ask us for the pattern!

NEW Baby yarns from Shepherd Yarns

2008-10-14T11:48:00.000-07:00

We extended our large selection of baby yarns by these two fine products from New Zealand:

Baby Wool 4 Ply - A new fingering weight pure wool baby yarn that is mashine washable. This is a great yarn substitute for some of the older Penguin and Paton's children's designs that call for a fingering weight yarn. Each 50g ball offers 165 meters and retails for $6.95 - check the shade card.

Baby Velvet DK - A fun, double knitting yarn that looks like a cross between a chenille and bouclee. This is a wool.nylon blend that is machine washable, making it perfect for baby and kid's wear. Each 50g skein has 117 meters and retails for $6.95. Here is the shade card.

We have in stock several lovely patterns for this yarn as well, as for example this Moss Stitch Sweater with Crew Neck. Ask for the pattern ($6.25).

NEW Alpaca Yarn from SandnesGarn

2008-10-14T11:40:00.000-07:00

Mini Alpakka - This is a lighter weight version of our popular Alpakka yarn which knits up to a light sports weight (about 27 sts to 10cm on 3mm needles). 100% alpaca yarns such as this are a great choice for almost any person, even those who have trouble with other natural fibers like wool and mohair. As a result it's a wonderful yarn for sweaters, accessories and children's knits. Each 50g skein has 150 m and retails for $7.50. Here you see the shade card.

Look in our store for SandnesGarn book #0806, which offers 15 patterns for this yarn!

NEW from Nashua Handknits

2008-10-13T19:13:00.000-07:00

Geologie - A yummy blend of mohair, wool and acrylic that knits up quickly in a chunky weight. It's colour changes subtly as you work with it, giving you a beautiful handdyed look that is perfect for scarves, shawls and other accessories. It would work beautifully as a bolero or cardigan, too. Each 50g skein offers an impressive 130 meters and retails for $11.45. Here are the shades.

Granite - A tweedy wool and acrylic blend that knits to chunky weight. The subtle colour variances in this yarn reminds us of the colour of the rockface as we drive the Sea to Sky Highway (in BC). A lovely yarn for sweaters, vests and other cool weather knits. The 50 g skein has 75 meters and reteils for $9.95. Check the shade card! See the Granite sweater to the right, which you can see in our store. It's a Raglan Cardigan with Tie and the book is available in the store or in our web site.

Creative Focus Brushed Alpaca - Love the look and feel of mohair, but have trouble with the "itch" factor? This may be the yarn for you. This gorgeous 100% Alpaca yarn has been brushed to give it the look of mohair while still retaining the "next to skin" softness of Alpaca. It knits to a chunky weight and is a great buy, with 173 meters per 50g ball. It retails for $9.95 and has these wonderful shades.

We also have several new patern books with design support for these new yarns.

Bestseller!

2008-10-11T14:10:00.000-07:00

We sold Sally Melville's knitting books for quite a while but only after Pam knit the Einstein Coat for herself and the Baby Albert Coat for her grand child, and displayed them in our store, we had to reorder the books a couple of times!

These patterns are both in Book 1: The Knitting Stitch. You find all three books (newly adjusted prices!) in our web site/book page. As Pam says: even a very experienced knitter finds interesting knitting tips in these excellent books.

The Einstein Coat was knit in Alafoss Lopi and the Baby Albert Coat (which actually can be more colourful as well) in Smart Superwash. There is also a pattern for the very colourful Baby Albert Bunting in this book, which Inge knit for our new born baby girl.

Fall is here - NEW from Trendsetter

2008-10-11T13:47:00.000-07:00

Though we hate to admit it, we are inmidst of fall. One of the beauties of this season is the world being painted in a new set of colours. Many of the new yarns we get in are contributing to this colour variety which will help us get through the darker part of the year. This one is new to our store, although successfully around for a while.

Dune - A mohair blend from Trendsetter. This chunky weight yarn is a beautiful variegated blend of mohair, wool and viscose, which gives it some added sheen. We can't wait to try it in a scarf! Perfect for accessories such as shawls, hats and gloves as well. The 50g skein retails for $18.50. Here is the large selection of shades.

NEW from Schulana

2008-10-10T17:12:00.000-07:00

Merino Superlight - A soft merino blend yarn with a unique cable construction, a featherlight icord wool. This beautiful yarn will knit up with the speed of a chunky weight without the bulk. Perfect for sweaters, hats, scarves and accessories. It retails for $12.95 for a 50g ball (90m). Here is the shade card.

Schulana's latest magazine, Créalana No.23 features several designs for this and other Schulana yarns we carry.

NEW Yarn from Naturally

2008-10-10T10:57:00.000-07:00

Loyal - a new machine washable, DK weight wool for those knitters and crocheters who prefer the beauty of pure wool, but like the easy care of superwash, making it perfect for children and babies wear. Each 50g ball retails for $5.25, here are the shades.

We wind your skeins for you!

2008-10-06T15:09:00.000-07:00

A Swift and Ball Winder is now available for our valued customers. We are happy to wind skeins into centre pull balls for you - or you do it yourself!

OOOOOOOOOOH! Great Andirondack Yarn

2008-10-06T12:26:00.000-07:00

We got exciting new yarns in from The Great Andirondack Yarn Co. in Amsterdam, New York. As Alison says: This yarn has the "ooooh" factor built into it, and has to be seen and felt to be appreciated. Each skein is hand dyed in a variety of colours (we started with four) and fibers (three so far).

Sierra - a chunky 100% Alpaca yarn that comes in 600 yard skeins (about 230g) which retail for $58.95; see our four shades.
Clouds - a beautiful "cloudy" mohair blend with metallic fibre spun into it for scarf knitters. See the available shades.
Bella - has some nylon, rayon and metallic fibers added to kid mohair for a really luxurious mix. See shades in the picture to the left.
This yarn must be seen to be appreciated, so stop by!

NEW from Harrisville Designs

2008-10-04T14:38:00.000-07:00

New England Highland - We recently brought in several Harrisville Designs (aran knitters take note!) and their aran to worsted weight yarn: New England Highland. Available in many heathered shades, this 100% wool is perfect for aran sweaters or designs calling for a worsted weight yarn.

We ordered it in seven beautiful shades and can't wait to try it out. This yarn gives a great value for your dollar, as each 200 yard skein retails for $10.00. Here are the seven shades.

We also received several lovely designs that complement this yarn. Make this classic "Village Raglan", pattern #738, for as little as $60,00!

NEW from Classic Elite Yarns / Jil Eaton

2008-10-04T12:15:00.000-07:00

MinnowMerino - Anyone who has knit for young children is probably familiar with Jil Eaton's line, MinnowKnits.

We are pleased to now carry several of her patterns, plus her new yarn line, MinnowMerino. It's an aran weight superwash merino wool in bright, friendly colours. Each 50g skein has 77 yards/77m and retails for $10.50; see the MinnowMerino shade card. Pictured to the right is pattern #206 "Block and Roll"

It's Stella!

2008-10-04T11:21:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago we were all hype about our first grand child to arrive, and believe me, Inge and our staff and friends were knitting A LOT. Especially after Stella was born mid of August and the colours were easier to decide on. Here is our precious little addition to our family.

Inge is going to visit her in Edmonton this week and the last two projects she will have in her suitcase are these soft little somethings. The purple "ribbed jacket" is taken from Special Knits by Debbie Bliss, see our book list. The pattern for the white/pink combination is available on request. Both are knit in Drops Silke Alpaca, Funny yarn added to the latter.

NEW from Berroco

2008-10-03T16:25:00.000-07:00

Peruvia and Peruvia Colors - A beautiful aran weight yarn made from 100% Peruvian Highland Wool for next to the skin softness. Peruvia is dyed in solid shades with a slight heathered effect, and Peruvia Colors is dyed in gorgeous variegated shades. Click the shade cards for Peruvia and Peruvia Colors!

Both come in generous 100g skeins with 160m/174 yds. A great price too, at only $8.50 a skein for the solids and $10.50 for the colours. We also have in stock many of the new Berroco pattern books for fall, including #276 Geode & Jasper, #277 Peruvia (see right), #278 Comfort Home, #279 Ultra Alpaca, #280 Sockcetera and #281 Cuzco & Peruvia

NEW from James C.Brett/Kertzer

2008-10-03T15:52:00.000-07:00

Marble Chunky - The DK version of this yarn, Marble, has proven so popular, that the manufacturers have come up with a chunky version. Like the original, this wonderful yarn has the look and feel of wool with the easycare of acrylic, and comes in a number of colourways in a marbled effect. Check the shade card.

It's a great value too, as each 200g ball has 312 m and retails for only $12.25. We have a great children's pattern book with several nice designs that only use 2 balls! (SRK415, $ 4.25 - see left)

Check out the free earflap hat pattern available in store or on the Kertzer web site.

New in Store, from Nancy's Knitknacks

2008-10-02T13:16:00.000-07:00

We got this at the beginning of Summer 2008 and our customers just love these knitting helpers:

Color Wheel and Color Palettes Book: Take the guesswork out of choosing colour combinations with this handy tool developed by Nancy Shroyer. Use the wheel and accompanying book to find colour combinations for your knitting and other fiber arts projevts. Retails for $18 only.

Double Point WiP Tubes - Keeps your works in progress (WiP) protected with these ingenious telescopic protector tubes. Socks stay secure and on your needles every time! A set of two tubes retails for $9.00

Double Point Needle Tube - Protect and store your double point needles with these telescopic tubes. Each tupe can hold five needles up to 10 inches in length. A set of four tubes retails for $6.50

Project Kards - Keep track of your projects with these handy information cards. Each card includes space for you to record who the project was for, yarn used, he pattern and more. A great way to record your finished knitted and crocheted items. A bag of ten cards retails for $5.00

Circular Needles ID Tags - A great way to identify your circulars! Each bag includes 29 ID tags, and comes in two sizes: small (2-4.25 mm) and large (4.5 - 19 mm). Retails for $8.00 per bag.

New from Berroco

2008-05-28T15:13:00.000-07:00

Bonsai - Enjoy the beauty and versatility of bamboo with this lovely worsted weight yarn. Bonsai is a ribbon yarn with a binder that adds a beautiful sheen, making it ideal for sweaters and accessories. It retails for $6.50 for a 50g skein. Berroco also sent us two pattern books, bonsai #255 (right) and #271, filled with lightweight designs for our upcoming summer season. Here is the shade card.

Comfort Sock - For those who love handknit socks but have trouble wearing wool, we are pleased to now have available an all nylon and acrylic blend yarn in sock weight . Great colours, and a great price too - each 100g ball retails for only $7.95! Check the shade card here.

DROPS Big Fabel

2008-05-28T15:05:00.000-07:00

This is our our exciting thick sock yarn in 100g balls, 75% wool superwash / 25% polyamide.

Due to popular demand, and stemming from the the success of our Fabel sock yarn all over the world, we are now introducing DROPS Big Fabel. Big Fabel is produced in the same fine quality as the ever popular DROPS Fabel, but is spun thicker and with 4 threads. Big Fabel is spun with thick winter socks in mind, but is a very versatile, all-round yarn and will be used for gloves, hats, bags, and accessories, as well as for Jackets and Sweaters. Check the shade card!
DROPS Big Fabel has a popular gauge with a lot of pattern support. All patterns in Alaska, Silke-Alpaca and Paris can be used.The picture to the right is not knitted with Big Fabel, but shows a typical design for this yarn.

Boy or Girl?

2008-05-28T11:54:00.000-07:00

Our grand child is expected in August and all we know so far is that "it's a baby". That doesn't stop Inge from going through our baby pattern books and picking her projects. Lovely little pieces have already been created and the expecting mom who visited us a week ago is happy and thrilled.

Inge knit this beautifully simple Raglan Sweater with soft, rolling edges and fully fashioned detailing on the raglan shaping, from Debbie Bliss "the baby knits book", with our perfect Debbie Bliss substitute Rowan Classic Yarns: Cashsoft Aran. The cashmere content of the yarn makes it wonderfully soft against a baby's skin. Inge added the cute little sheeps and needle felted their bodies to make the sweater look more baby like... Check the yarn's shade card! You may order book and yarn from www.needlenart.com/id20.html !

Alison did this sharp little Polo Pullover "Kieran" by Holli Yeoh (Bee's Knees Pattern) with 3 balls of Stella yarn from Naturally (100% Bamboo) as main colour and 2 balls of Regia Silk Color (self patterning sock yarn with silk), which creates a Fair Isle effect on the collar and sleeves. Needles: 2.0 and 2.5. The size fits 1-2 years and it's really warm and cosy for a spring or fall day! Find the shade cards here: Stella and Regia Silk Color, and order pattern and yarn from us!

Put a little sparkle in your life..

2008-04-28T10:45:00.000-07:00

Put a little sparkle in your life - with Lumina, the lovely new DK weight yarn from renowned Australian designer Jo Sharp.

Jo Sharp's new glamorous slinky 'Lumina' yarn is a luxurious blend of cotton and viscose, with an explosion of lustrous sequins, like stars in the night, stranded into the yarn. It's perfect for bags, scarves, shawls or evening wear. Check the shade card!

We also have in stock Jo Sharp's magazine, "knit" Issue 4, which includes several designs for Lumina.

New: Bee's Knees Knits

2008-04-15T10:10:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to now carry the children's line of Canadian knitting patterns "Bee's Knees Knits" by designer Holli Yeoh.

Her innovative designs combine the magic of self-striping sock yarns with solid colors to create distinctive knits for the little ones in your life. Visit her web site at http://www.beeskneesknits.ca/ and order the patterns from us!

This is a photo of the "Avery" pattern: this playful pullover has blocks of colour on the front that coordinate with the Fair Isls-like patterned sleeves. Corrugated ribbing ties it all together.

How do you like this "Elephant Foot"?

2008-04-10T15:24:00.000-07:00

Is this knitting fun, or what?

Felting projects are still well "en vogue", and with so many beautiful wool around and creative knitters inventing new patterns and creations all the time, the possibilities seem endless.

We got a number of NONI patterns in and Inge tried out this "Dr. Seuss-ish Elephant Foot". These bags are worked in the round, in one piece, knitted from top down. It looked harmless at first, then turned out to be more of a sleeping bag, but in the end after felting the result was a well sized and eye catching shoulder bag!

A nice change in between baby projects...

Grandma -- HELP!

2008-04-09T11:11:00.000-07:00

Over time we come across so many useful conversion tables, terms and abreviation lists, gadgets etc that we decided to put them all together in one handy Help/Support page. Try the link!

And if you have more or better tools than offered here, please let me know at support@needlenart.com. Thank You! Jurgen

Baby talk - Baby knit

2008-04-03T16:43:00.000-07:00

Inge always has at least five knitting projects on the go. Lately, after learning that our oldest son and his wife will have a baby in August, she light heartedly and fully excited added a couple of baby projects on top. And - miracles happen, she will beat me for this - this little "Kids Color Block Cardigan" and Baby Hat (bottom on the photo) are finished and just wait for the baby (to be a year old).

Pam did the same pattern from the book "OneSkein - 30 quick projects to knit and crochet" by Leigh Radford. Pam used Schoeller + Stahl Wonderwool (51% wool and 49% acrylic) on 6 mm needles, whereas Inge used our Trendsetter Tonalita (52% wool and 48% acrylic) on 5 mm needles.

It started quite a hype here and more customers and friends started this easy and cute, colourful asymetric pattern.

Book ($19.95) and yarns (see shadecards Wonderwool and Tonalita) can be bought/ordered in our store.

just briefly

2008-04-02T08:31:00.000-07:00

I don't want to bother you with too many new yarns and rather write about our in-store projects - which will follow today.

We just got in from Alpaca with a Twist: Punch!

Alison writes: Add some "Punch" to your knitting with this lovely new yarn. An alpaca/nylon blend, Punch works up to a sport weight and would work well in sweaters, scarves and accessories. It's exceptional softness makes it perfect for babies as well. Each 50g ball retails for $8.25 and boasts 127 yards. See the shade card here.

And - I nearly "forgot" these 2 exceptional sock yarns: On Your Toes 4-ply and On Your Toes Bamboo. The latter one is our only (soft!!!!) sock yarn from Bamboo and nylon. Click on the names for the shade cards.

New: Online Waist Shaping Calculator

2008-03-29T09:42:00.000-07:00

This came today from KnittingDaily, for curvy Waist Shaping:

This little wonder widget takes you through the steps of Waist Shaping and does the math for you! It asks you for all the pertinent information: stitch and row gauge, hip/waist/bust measurements, desired ease, and the necessary vertical measurements, then gives you stitch counts, row counts, and fills in the blanks for such things as "work decrease row every X row Y times."

Click below and get also more information about using this calculator.