Our Mission Statement

Our knitting and crochet yarns and patterns are perfect for creating beautiful, handmade treasures. We know that every piece that you knit or crochet is special, so we provide only the finest patterns, needles, yarns and accessories. First class customer consulting is included!

New: Fiber Trends Patterns are in!

Check our beautiful new Fiber Trends kids patterns and the many new patterns for felted items: baby shoes, slippers, hilarious purses...

Check This Out: Thousands of FREE Patterns!!

Good reason to get excited!

We carry most of their yarns in our store: Garnstudio is a Norwegian yarn manufacturer, their yarn lines are called Drops Design, our Canadian supplier is most professional and we usually get within 2-3 days what we don't have in stock.

As professional is Garnstudio's Web site and their beautiful patterns. Any of their patterns which were ever published in books and pattern sheets are now available for free on their web site http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/en. You may select patterns by yarn type or by theme (ladies, men, crochet, baby, children, ponchos, accessories, felted...), print them out and see our store to feel the yarn, purchase it and get assistance!

This is Garnstudio's message:

You find:

• yarn alternatives given in the patterns
• color cards for all yarns, to select your colours at home
• Knitting alternatives (for expl sweater on cable needle or back and front separately)
• a knitting diagram for each pattern (don't forget to print this separately)
• new patterns of the last 10, 20, 30 days; so you don't have to go through the whole collection all over

Inge and I selected these pattern photos to make you even more excited! They are for a children's sweater in Italian Velvet, a children's sweater in Alaska with stripes, a pullover in Eskimo, a pullover in Silke-Tweed and a cardigan in Vivaldi with hood.

Some more hints:

Don't get caught in the Norwegian part of the web site. Some messages might come up in Norwegian, but it's easy to get the essentials and you will feel all comfortable in the English site. Some patterns differ for Britain and for North America.

Pam says: "This is the best yarn Web site I came across"

Try it out right away and if you bring in your printed pattern between now and the end of January, you'll get a discount of 15% on your yarn purchase for this pattern!!

Ribs, purls and beer at men's knitting night

NEW YORK (REUTERS)
Hi all, comments welcome, which guy joins me in knitting?

If you're stuck for entertainment in New York on a Friday night, and as long as you're man enough, try learning to rib at "Boyz Nite" at a Greenwich Village venue from 9 until late.

That's rib as in knitting the cuff of your sweater...

Knit New York, a wool and craft store in Lower Manhattan, is fighting the stereotype that knitting is the province of women. "Are you strong enough to knit and man enough to purl?" says an advertisement for Boz Nite on the shop's Web site.

The store draws dozens of men to its weekly men's night where beginners and experts gather to exchange tips over beer and hot dogs.

"Believe me, we love women," said store manager Josh Bennett. "But it's like when guys get together to watch a football game, they have all that in common so there is that sense of excitement. After a long week, you can come and work on your project have a couple of beers and hang out." story goes on.

What do you think? Would your husband like this idea? Should I start a knitter's group? Cheers, Jurgen - I knit!

A New Era in our Customer Relationship!

Dear customers and friends of the Needle & Arts Centre!

I just started our Yarn Blog on this beautiful Sunday. How exciting. May all our upcoming postings be well received and well commented by you, our customers. Feel free to ask and comment - online or in the store.

For the start:
1. Inge and Pam had some sales reps in last week and ordered new yarns. Shipments will arrive soon and we also plan a "Surprise Sale" of selected items very soon. Check often in our store what's new!
They ordered:

• Baby Yarn "Darling" from S.A.Kertzer in new trend colours and with new patterns
• New colours and a new book for "Lopi"
• Baby Yarn "Marble" from S.A.Kertzer with interesting variegated colours and new patterns. Very good price of $6.00 for 100g
• New "Mano" Yarns from Uruguay, hand spun and hand dyed Merino for a very affordable price!
• New Spring colours for many of our Nowegian yarn lines

2. I downloaded several pictures of store projects of the past months. To all of them we have patterns and yarns available. They are free with the purchase of yarn. More patterns are available in the store and all new ones will be posted in this Blog!

3. We are now members of the "West Coast Knitters Guild". Pick up a membership application form and become a member, too! We also signed up to be a "Knitters Guild Friendly Store". All Guild members get 10% discount. Get this: If you are a senior and a member, you get 10% + 10% discount on Mondays!

See you soon in our store! Jurgen (seen above with a store knitted sweater and toque)

Discovery Felted Purse

This is only one of MANY patterns and samples of felted purses in our store. Is this beautiful or what? This is a knit and felted purse with a flap, finished size about 8" x 8". Felted purses and totes are good projects for beginners!

Check out the other patterns, too:

• Ripple Rock Felted Purse
• Storries Beach Tote Bag
• Tiny Totes (an ideal kid's knitting project!)

Tyee Rolled Brim Hat

This hat is versatile and can be knitted in various yarns for various sized heads. The decreases form a neat-looking spiral on top. You can add a "top knot", pom-pom, tassel, stripes, etc. You are only limited by your imagination!

Check out our Quadra Cap pattern as well.

Pier Street Poncho

This is our friend and neighbour Jessica proudly wearing Inge's first Poncho. As our knitting expert Jurgen tends to say: it is easy knit, just a bunch of scarves which are crocheted together. The biggest pain are the fringes... Check out other colour combinations!

Johnstone Strait Pullover

An easy fitting pullover in children's sizes 3-10 with raglan sleeves and trendy curled up edges. An easy project for a beginner knitter which introduces the use of a cable needle. The sweater is knitted in worsted weight yarn but can also be knitted with Aran weight yarn.

Funky Scarf

These scarves are worked sideways and can be as long as you like. Easy knit on circular needles. If desired, add more yarn, beads etc to the fringe.

Rebecca Spit Felted Slippers

Our good friend and knitter Cissel brought this pattern from Norway. Easy to knit but tricky to sew together - but soooo cozy!! Like all our felted knit patterns, this requires 100% wool, in this case we used Patons Classic Merino.

Quinsam Scarf

A soft, luxurious scarf, perfect to cheer up a winter's day; knitted in chenille on fat needles in a couple of evenings. An easy project for a beginner. This sample knit with Patons Bohemian.

Mia's Dress

This is not a doll; Mia is Jessica's daughter and as cute and red haired as can be. Check out this dress in our store, it's a real advanced project, though.

Ocean's Edge Cardigan

A sweet little kids cardigan with a V neck and frilled edge, knitted in Sirdar Snowflake (or Basics Tiramisu). Warm and cozy for the winter months. Our pattern covers 6 sizes from 0-3 months to 5-6 years.

Willow Creek Felted Slippers

These beautiful embroidered felted slippers come in lady/man sizes 2 - 10.

Rainbow Baby Sweater

Pam knitted this colourful Baby sweater with Lanett yarn (from Norway) for Cissel who took it home to Norway for her grand child - the yarn went a long way ...

Suzanna's Shawl

This elegant shawl is knitted like a wide scarf, using large needles and bulky weight yarn. We suggest Patons Divine or Naturally Woodland Mohair, plus Mega ladder yarn knitted together for a wonderful texture and a bit of shine.