Boy or Girl?

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..

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

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"?

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!

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

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

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

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.

Knit'n Bitch groups - an update

Dear knitters, here comes an update regarding our Knit'n Bitch times and workshops.
First off, the Knit'n Bitch dates are now set to:

• second Thursday of the month, 2-4 pm, knitting and socializing
• third Thursday of the month, 2-4 pm, for knitting club plus workshops
• last Friday of the month, 6:30-9 pm, knitting and socializing.

We had a great feedback for the evening as well for the afternoon sessions. Also, Pam's first workshop on "Finishing Techniques" went over very well. Now, Pam came up with a series of more workshops for the upcoming months, and we already got first members signed up (fee to Pam is $10). Here comes a selection of workshops:

• Knitting socks on 2 circular needles
• Lace Knitting
• Handed Fair Isle in the Round
• Moebius Scarf
• Socks on 4/5 needles
• Felting
• Cables.

Attention: Knitting Club members who are coming for the Knit'n Bitch part only and don't want to participate in the workshop are welcome. They don't pay the workshop fee and don't get the hand-out. Please sign up for the workshops as the number of participants is limited. See you at the next Knit'n Bitch!!

Remember: Our knitting groups require no membership fee, and during group sessions participants get a 15% discount on yarn and knitting accessories!

ROWAN, Cascade and Shepherd

After a number of new yarns from Berroco and Regia, we got several new brands in to round up our large selection of yarns for hand knitting and crocheting:

from Shepherd Yarns in Australia: Shepherd Classic 100% Wool - a versatile 100% wool yarn that will knit to either a DK or worsted weight. A great choice for sweaters, accessories, and perfect for felting. We just received a shipment with over thirty colours, so come check it out or check the shade card. Each 100g ball boasts 200 meters and retails for only $6.95. This yarn is an affordable replacement for our Patons Classic Merino line.

from Cascade Yarns: Cascade 220 Heathers and Cascade 220 Hand Paints, made in Peru - a long time favorite for felters, we are pleased to now stock this lovely, worsted weight 100% Peruvian Highland wool in a range of heathered and variegated colours. Not just for felting, this yarn also works well for sweaters, hats and other wearables. Each 100g skein boasts an impressive 200 meters (220 yards) and retails for $7.95 (heathers) and $9.25 (hand paints). Cascade is perfect for the range of Noni felted bags we now carry as well.

from ROWAN Classic Yarns: Cashsoft Aran - a luxurious aran weight blend of wool and cashmere that is a pleasure to knit and wear. The 50g ball has 87 meters and retails for $8.50. See the shade card.

from ROWAN: kidsilk haze - a versatile mix of 70% Super Kid Mohair and 30%Silk which can be cleverly adapted to create a lustrous, cobweb like finish of knitted double to create a fabric with more substance. The 25 g ball boasts 210 meters and retails for $14.95. See shade card.

Ecological Yarns are "in"!

After Nashua's Natural Focus Ecologie Cotton and Natural Focus Ecologie Wool (read earlier blog postings), we got three more ecological yarns, just in time for your spring and summer projects:

from Marks & Kattens: ECO baby bomull - a sport weight cotton in a lovely range of colours. Perfect for babies and little ones (big ones, too!). Each 50g ball retails for $6.95 and has 160 meters. Here is the shade card.

from ROWAN: purelife Organic Cotton Naturally Dyed - a DK weihgt, 100% organic cotton, available in naturally dyed colours. Each 50g ball has 120 meters and retails for $10.95. See shade card.

from Estelle: Cloud Cotton Eco - a 100% organic cotton that knits up to an aran weight. We received it in natural shades, and each 100g skein reteils for $9.25 (150 meters). Check the shade card. This yarn makes a great egological substitute for other popular aran weight cottons such as Mission Falls.

Another Treat for your Feet

When I thought I was done with documenting new yarns, two new very unique ones came in to push our huge selection of sock yarns one step further!

New from Regia:

Regia Silk Color - a super soft 4-ply Merino yarn with 20% Silk! Silk provides exceptional comfort and a rich look. Merino wool adds warmth. The addition of Polyamide makes this yarn machine washable and dryable. This yarn is so soft - it's good for your baby, too! Here is the shade card.

Regia Pompon - a soft 4-ply yarn with fluffy-soft pompons for a pleasant-homely wearing comfort. Washable and dryable - and perfect for babies, too. Check the shades.

Try these Basic Boot Socks

Using our new On Your Toes DK, infused with Aloe Vera, this classic boot sock pattern features our “easy knit heel”. Try one pair and you’ll be making them for everyone on your list! Email us for the pattern at info@needlenart.com.

Find more FREE patterns in our web site!

Socks, Socks and much more

A huge selection of sock yarns and our store expertise should bring us on top of the sock knitting trend. But we got even more in store and the fun doesn't end!

Two new yarns from REGIA:
Regia Design Line by Kaffe Fassett - a sock yarn from the Design line of renowned knitwear designer Kaffe Fassett. His exceptional eye for colour is reflected in the stunning shades of this variegated yarn. Each 50g ball reteils for $8.50; check our shade card!

Regia Softy - a versatile sport weight yarn with a touch of eyelash detail for snuggly softness. It's cozy, machine washable blend is perfect for sweaters, socks, accessories and kidswear. Wonderful for babies, too! We have it in nine great shades (see shade card) and each 50g ball retails for $9,95.
We also received a wonderful collection of designs for this yarn, Regia Softy Journal 602, which includes a wide range of knits for all ages. See example to the left!

New from Kertzer:
On Your Toes DK - a DK boot sock yarn with Aloe Vera. The same yarn as "On your Toes", but new is the slightly heavier DK weight. Perfect for work or hiking socks in our wetter West Coast climate. Each shade (see shade card here) is a composite of three colors, giving it a tweed effect. It also has the added touch of Aloe Vera, making it softer on the knitting hands. Each 100g ball has 250 meters and retails for $10.45. Make a pair of rugged, long lasting socks for under $25.00!

New from SandnesGarn:
Strompegarn - a great basic sock yarn at a better price! We have it in four solig shades and five tweeds (see shade card). The best part? Each 100g ball retails for only $8.50!

New from Estelle:
Arequipa - we can hardly pronounce the name, but we know we like it! A hand painted sock weight alpaca blend made in Peru, that's a treat for your toes. Each 100g skein retails for $17.00 and will make a pair of socks. Also fabulous for scarves, shawls and lace knitting! Check our shade card.

"dress up" your projects with Chili

This came in from SandnesGarn: Chili, an eyelash blend with a touch of glitter in aran weight. Great for scarves, or add it to your favorite knit as a glamorous trim. This yarn looks great in felted items - simply knit along with your wool, then felt as usual. Chili won't felt, instead adding an interesting eyelash effect that will "dress-up" your project. We have several pattern books with patterns and ideas using this versatile yarn. Check the shade card.

I liked it right away

Neat little trick to make this hat with a double rolled brim. I had to look twice to understand how the brims roll up. It's called "School Colors Hat" and the pattern from fibertrends is available through us ($6.75). Inge knit it in a combination of our Vero and Smart yarns, but any worsted or bulky weight yarn would do.

More Dream Yarns from Berroco

New from Berroco: Seduce - a worsted weight rayon, linen, nylon and silk blend that has a lusterous look and feel to it. A great choice for sweaters, scarves and accessories. Each 40g skein retails for $8.80. See shade card.

New from Berroco: NaturLin - a lovely sport weight yarn with the beauty of linen combined with easy-care rayon. A great choice for summer projects, children's garments or knits for the home, Each 50g skein retails for $7.70 - get the shadecard here.

We also have two new books with pattern support for both yarns: Norah Gaughan Collection, Vol.2 for $19.75 and Home Essentials, NaturLin #273 for $10.95 - see cover to the right!

A Fireworks of New Yarns!

Some arrived late last year, more arrive now, some already for Spring and Summer! Stay tuned and check the blog often or even better, come visit our Needle & Arts Centre and check the look and feel: all unique, all beautiful yarns - plus many new patterns coming with them.

New from Berroco: Comfort DK; An ultrasoft microfibre yarn in the popular double knitting sport weight. Perfect for baby and kids knits, or for those sensitive to wool. This is a great, easy care yarn that will hold its shape and lustre, wash after wash. It's good value, too, for $3.25 for the 50g ball! We got all colours: check the shadecard! See also the Berroco pattern book #274, "Just for Tots", for a nice range of children's patterns featuring this yarn (photo left).

New from Berroco: SOX - a sock yarn with character! A new self-patterning yarn in twelve exciting colorways. Each 100g ball retails for $12.95 and will make a pair of socks. See shade card here.

Happy Knitting - Diagonal Scarf in Sarek

Happy New Year and Happy and Creative Knitting in 2008!

This pattern just came from Pam. This scarf comes out in a diagonal pattern, overlayed by horizontal colour segments (non repetitive colours!). Email us at info@needlenart.com for the pdf file!

Sarek from Marks & Kattens in Norway is 100% wool in twisted variegated threads. Check the shade card!

More and more free patterns are published in our pattern page. Check it out!

“Knit in the Park” items given to Ann Elmore House

For two years now local knitters celebrated the National “Knit in the Park” in Robert Ostler Park. Each year more than 20 knitters from all over the Island followed the invitation by the Needle & Arts Centre to enjoy the company and mostly sunny August days in the park, dedicating the jointly produced items to a charity.

Our Needle & Arts Centre donated yarn, needles and instructions, and 7-Eleven the refreshments. In the 2006 event the participants were knitting piles of squares for Afghans which were later crocheted together with love by Cindy Simpson. For 2007 different sock patterns were prepared for use by the participants.
Now, with all products finished and just timely for the cold days and Christmas, the knitters proudly presented their items to the Ann Elmore House, which is operated by the Campbell River and North Island Transition Society. In total: four warm Afghans, 13 pairs of colourful hand knitted socks for kids and moms, a kids sweater with touque, a scarf with touque and a scarf with hat. One of the Afghans was crocheted and donated by Leslie Skidmore.

The Campbell River and North Island Transition Society (CRNITS) is a non-profit registered society and registered Charitable Organization. The CRNITS was formed in 1985 for the purpose of providing service to women and children who are dealing with issues of abuse and violence. The Ann Elmore Transition House was opened in 1987 and has been sheltering women and children ever since. In 1997 services were expanded to include residential recovery from substance addiction. Various projects and programs have been added over the years.

Thanks all knitters who actively participated in this fun fundraiser and good cause!

In the photo you see standing from the left: Alison, Cindy, Janice, Valery Puetz (Ann Elmore House) and Inge; front row: Lois and Alison's Katie.

Warmth without Weight!

This is the slogan of Misti Alpaca, our latest yarn supplier. You have to touch it to believe the other slogan: "The softest yarn ever". Wow, this is 100% Peruvian Baby Alpaca at its best.

We are pleased to introduce a new line of yarns: Misti Alpaca Chunky and Misti Alpaca Handpaint Chunky. This chunky weight 100% Baby Alpaca offers next-to-the-skin softness and comes in generous 100 gram skeins. It will knit up quickly and beautifully into scarves and accessories, sweaters, and is soft enough for baby and children's items. The solid skeins sell for $16.95 and the hand painted skeins retail for $24.95. You may want to visit www.mistialpaca.com and learn more about these unique animals.

Our Misti Alpaca sales rep Miriam Leth-Espensen sent us two of her patterns: Simple Sideways West in Garter, and Sideways Stripes in Orchid Sweater. Alison is checking them out and we will be glad to give them to you soon.

Quickly done: Lace Insert Scarf

Alison brought this scarf in: it is one of those little projects which can be done in no time as a gift for a special someone. It also shows the sophistication of the "Carat" lace yarn by Marks & Kattens, see the shade card. Here is the pattern for the Lace Insert Scarf from only one ball of Carat!

Don't fear the Sock!

"Socks are one of the most popular projects among experienced knitters, yet they hold an aura of mystique among beginning knitters. Sure, socks require techniques not typically used in simple projects such as scarves and hats, but these techniques are as easy to learn as the basic knit and purl stitches." This was taken from an earlier issue of KnittingDaily. If you haven't signed up yet, go to http://www.knittingdaily.com/!

We don't fear the sock for several reasons. First, we have a selection of sock yarn a knitter can dream of. We don't brag to have the biggest selection, but I think we actually have...

Secondly, we have a lot of sock knitting expertise in our store which we like to share one on one in our Knit Cafe.

Now, as a special treat, we received Zitron's Trekking Hand Art (photo above) - a hand dyed yarn that raises sock knitting to an art form. Treat yourself (or the sock knitter in your life) to a skein or two of this luxurious yarn. A 100g ball retails for $20.95 and will make one pair of socks. It's beautiful for lace, baby and children's projects, too!

In Summer we had our Knit in the Park, as you remember. The project was to knit socks for our Women's Centre (correct: the Ann Elmore Transition House). Here they are, nicely decorating the Christmas tree in our store. In a couple of days, these socks and a couple of blankets will be handed over to warm the needy.

Recycled Silk Yarn from India is in!

As you might know by now, we started importing Surina knitting and crochet needles and accessories directly from India. The most amazing product which came with the last shipment was a bunch of skeins of beautiful Recycled Silk yarn in different hues.

The charm of recycled Sari silk is that it is unpredictable, making knitting with it just as rewarding as your finished product. Each Recycled Silk skein is handspun creating natural inconsistencies and a rather scrappy nature. The yardage varies from skein to skein as does the colorway, gauge, twist and texture. The weight is between 100g and 250g per skein.

Each skein is an adventure and you can expect to find little bits of India in it.

Find all our Surina products at www.needlenart.com/id65.html.

Elegant Shawl Brooches from India!

With our first shipment as Surina Importers Canada we got a good selection of elegant Shawl Brooches in, made either from Surina wood or Sea Shells.
The Shawl Brooches come in diamond and in oval shape. The Shawl Brooches made from authentic Sea Shells are beautifully crafted and leightweight. They add more glamour to your attire. The Surina wood is lightweight, with a grained look and superb smoothness. The Luster-polish finish on the Shawl Brooches is achieved without use of any harmful chemical or agent.

Check our Surina product page for all new Surina products - try them and tell your friends!

Sweat Baby Cap - In a Storm

We were hit by a gigantic storm about 10 days ago and afterwards Alison sent me this email: "I hope you and the house survived the big windstorm intact. We fared well, except for our back fence which needed to be put back up, and a scared dog who hid under the bed for three hours after the lightning storm. We were without power for most of yesterday, but all is well.

The power outage gave me lots of time to knit yesterday (no housework with no electricity!), and I got a baby hat made from a pattern I found online.

It works really nicely with sock yarn, and can be made with less than one 50 gm ball. It should also work with Naturally Stella (bamboo), Mandarin Petit (cotton) and Alpaca with a Twist Fino for those who don't want to knit it in wool. I'll bring the hat in tomorrow".

Get the pattern and the source where Alison found it HERE and enjoy it even without having a storm!

Vivian Høxbro Design Collection arrived!

We are now carrying the coveted and beautiful knitting kits by Vivian Høxbro, distributed by Harrisville Designs. Find all designs at http://www.viv.dk/ and more about the historic Harrisville Mill and their products (including looms!) at http://www.harrisville.com/. As a Harrisville dealer we can get you any product pretty quick if we don't have it in stock!
Order from our web site at www.needlenart.com/id53.html !

About the Design Collection: This collection is created using Domino-Knitting as well as Shadow-Knitting. Vivian has worked especially with these 2 techniques and loves working with them - but she will of course work with other techniques also. Vivian loves techniques that are fun to knit and she wants the garments to be interesting to look at and flattering to wear.
In Vivian's own words: "It is important to me that knitting is very amusing and great fun, as well as being truly knittable. I cannot say that my designs are for beginners, but the instructions are very detailed and instructive, so - if you can keep a gauge - just get started."

About the Kits: Each model is available as a kit and comes in a vinyl bag with yarn, photos and instructions. This guarantees that you receive the correct yarn, colors and the desired end result!

SIZES: In this collection you will find designsfor all sizes, even size XS and XXL. Often the same garment will fit the short and/or slim knitters. It is only a question of choosing the right size. Some of the garments are only meant for slim persons, such as SHADOWS etc.

YARN: All kits come with 100% New England Shetland wool in beautiful colours from the Harrisville Mill in New Hampshire! (photo above)

last but not least... new Sock Yarns!

We added two new Fortissima sock yarns from Schoeller + Stahl to our LARGE selection of sock colours:

Fortissima Socka Bambou - A variegated blend of superwash wool, bamboo and nylon. The bamboo adds both reinforcement and softness to the yarn. Nicely priced at $19.95 for a 100g ball. Here is the shade card!

Sockina Cotton - For those who love socks but have trouble with wood, try this variegated blend of cotton, acrylic and nylon. It retails for $15.95 for 100g. Shadecard is coming soon.

We also have new colours in the ever-popular Marble yarn. This 100% acrylic yarn has the look and feel of wool and works well for kid and adult knits. See the updated shade card.

A new source: Alpaca with a Twist

From Alpaca with a Twist we received three new alpaca yarns - made in Peru.

Never tried alpaca? If not, give it a try! It's benefits include:
- Incredible color range;
- Hypoallergenic - many peaople who cannot wear other natural fibres such as wool or mohair find that alpaca is okay for them, as it is less irritatiing to the skin;
- Next-to-the-skin softness, which makes it ideal for baby and childrfens items, sweaters, hats and gloves;
- Alpaca is a natural fiber, so it's perfect for those who prefer ecologically friendly yarns. It's versatile too, so you can even felt with it.

Baby Twist - is a 100% baby alpaca yarn that knitsup to DK weight. This yarn has a heathered effect and would be perfect for baby knits, sweaters and accessories. It retails for $9.95 per 50mg ball - find a not so perfect shade card here.

Big Baby - if you prefer bulkier knits, try Big Baby, also made with 100% baby alpaca. This yarn knits up to 3 sts per inch on 8 mm needles and would look fabulous in hats, scarves, even sweaters. It retails for $19.95 per 100mg skein. Here is the shade card.

Fino - for those who enjoy lace knitting, we are pleased to off Fino, a lace weight blend of baby alpaca and silk. Besides lace, this yarn would also work beautifully for classic baby knits that call for 4 ply yarns (28 sts par 4 inches). The 100 g skein has 875 yards and retails for $29.95. Check the shade card.

Now in: Amazing Berroco Yarns

I thought it would be coming to an end, but here is another treat: we brought in several new yarns from Berroco!

Trilogy - An aran weight yarn in a mix of wool, cotton and nylon. As the name suggest, this yarn is the composite of at least three yarns, giving it some variety in texture and color. We have several sweater patterns for this yarn and it would also look great in accent pieces such as hats and scarves. See the Trilogy shadecard here, it retails for $8.95. See photo of free pattern to the right!

Jasper - A gorgeous aran weight merino wool dyed in multicolored jeweled tones. With next-to-the-skin softness, Jasperwould be perfect for sweaters and accessories. Check the shadecard; it retails for $8.95

Memoirs - A variegated mohair/wool blend that works up to a chunky weight. This one must be seen and felt to be truly appreciated, and would look stunning in a hat, scarf or sweater. Check out the shadecard, it retails for $10.95.

Visit http://www.berroco.com/ for free patterns and pattern book previews for these yarns!

More exciting new books!

You find all books and prices at www.needlenart.com/id53.html. Buy them online or in our store!

From the publishers of Knitter's Magazine, in the "Knitter's Dozen" series: Ponchos and Wraps - twenty-two favorites from past issues of Knitter's, including an adaptation of Elizabeth Zimmerman's "Pi" shawl. If you have a knitter on your gift list, here's a great book to "wrap up" your shopping early!

Kids - another "Knitter's Dozen"; this one with nineteen great designs for children. Many of the sweaters go up to size twelve, so you are sure to find something for your favorite kids, whether they be toddlers or tweenies.

Arans and Celtics - Classic cabled sweater, vest and accessories patterns from past issues. This one is sure to become a favorite of intermediate and advanced knitters who enjoy the challenge of arans and guernseys.

The Great American Aran Afghan - This is the fourth afghan in the magazine's popular series of afghans published in past issues. It includes twenty-four cabled square designs, so you can create your own, one-of-a-bird heirloom afghan.

Last, but certainly not least, popular designer Cat Bordhi has a new book, New Pathways for Sock Knitters: Book One. With her innovative techniques and patterns, Cat is guaranteed to catch the attention of new and experienced sock knitters alike. We also have in stock copies of two of her other books, A Treasury of Magical Knitting, and A Second Treasury of Magical Knitting.

Check www.needlenart.com/id53.html for more!

That's about it for this year...

We think, our yarn selection now covers it all and is pretty amazing. These yarns all arrived in September and Inge and Alison need all hands to find space and to knit samples. Again: check the "news" for a special event coming up in October. Stay tuned!

From renowned Australian designer Jo Sharp: Silkroad DK Tweed; a glorious wool, silk and cashmere blend that must be felt to be appreciated. This worsted weight yarn with a subtle tweed effect would work up nicely in sweaters, hats, scarves and other accessories. We have in stock Jo Sharp's Knit: Issue 3, which includes several patterns for this yarn which retails for $10.95 per ball. Click for the shade card.

From Scheepjeswol we got Alpine, a 75% wool/25% acrylic blend variegated yarn that works up to a chunky weight. Check the shade card. This one has the look and feel of pure wool with the convenience of being machine washable. Alpine retails for $5.95 and would be terrific in sweaters, blankets, scarves and other accessories.

Our popular yarn Ambiance from Markoma now comes with a multicolored version called Ambiance Print. Like the original, this yarn is a wool/acrylic blend that knits up to a chunky weight. The 100g ball retails for $8.95 and here is the shade card.

And finally from Naturally we got the italian yarn KISS - a chunky weight eyelash and mohair mix with a touch of glitter. Perfect for scarves and accessories for the upcoming holiday season. It retails for $15.95. Pick your colour from this shade card!

New Books for new Projects

Here comes the first "batch" of interesting new books in store. See details and prices at www.needlenart.com/id53.html!

New books from the "Vogue Knitting On the Go" series: Chunky Scarves and Hats and Svarves Two. Lots of great projects for the upcoming fall and holiday seasons.

Two books from renowned British designer Debbie Bliss: Junior Knits features fun and functional patterns for kids aged 3 to 10 years. Baby Knits for Beginners features simple yet sensational designs for the little ones in our life.

More, more ....

More Fall shipments roll in these days with several new yarns and still more coming - and a special event coming up in October. Stay tuned!

Just arrived:
We are now introducing yarns from Nashua Handknits!

Creative Focus Worsted from Nashua - a worsted weight wool and alpaca blend, this one would be perfect for sweaters, hats and accessories. Check the shade card. It has great yardage at 200 meters per 100g ball. Great for felting, too! Retails for $11.95.

For those who prefer organically produced fibers:
Natural Focus Ecologie Cotton from Nashua - a worsted weight, naturally dyed pima cotton. See the shade card! Wonderful for baby items, sweaters and accessories. Retails for $9.95.

Natural Focus Ecologie Wool from Nashua - a chunky weight, naturally dyed wool. See the shade card. This is a thick to thin yarn, so it would look great in scarves and other accessories. Very soft, it would feel great next to your skin as well, and would also be a nice choice for felting. Retails for $11.25.

From SandnesGarn:
Alpakka - a pure alpaca yarn that knits to a double knitting weight. Perfect for baby & kids knits, sweaters and accessories. This yarn retails for $7.95 and we have it in fifteen enticing colours! We also received a pattern book with over fifteen beatiful designs for this yarn.

From Marks & Kattens:
Sarek - a gorgeous bulky weight wool that changes colour as you work with it. We have it in six exciting colourways and it's guaranteed to work up quickly on 7 mm needles. Sarek retails for $7.95 per 50g ball and would look stunning in sweaters, scarves, hats and other accessories.

Stay tuned for more!!

Ready, Set, ...

Get ready for the next knitting season and start your projects now - if you ever had taken a break. All our Fall shipments roll in these days with several new yarns - and a special event coming up in October. Stay tuned!

Just arrived:
Carat from Marks & Kattens - a chunky weight ribbon yarn with a touch of glitter. Check the shade card. Perfect for scarves, shawls and for the upcoming holiday season. Retails for $11.95.

Duo from Marks & Kattens - a super bulky acrylic wool ribbon yarn. Check the shade card. Great for sweaters and accessories. Retails for $10.95. On 15 mm needles, everything will knit up extra quickly with this yarn!

A new hit from Kertzer: Northern Worsted - a very affordable easy care acrylic yarn in many solid and ombre (variegated) shades . It has the look and feel of wool and great yardage at 210m per 100g ball. In our store, Northern Worsted is a cheaper and better quality substitute of Patons Decor. It's a great choice for afghans, sweaters, hats, scarves and kid's knits.

Stay tuned for more yarns to come in (and others to drop out)!

New Yarns in June

Summer is here and time just flying. I've got some new projects/patterns to publish in this blog but still run behind.
Just a brief heads-up that we got some new yarns and are expecting more this week. Click on the yarn names for shade cards.

Stella is a fingering to sport weight yarn in 100% Bamboo from Naturally. It comes in five colours and includes some nice baby and adult patterns. Great for warm summer days! It retails for $8.95.

Dawn is a new fingering weight yharn in a luxurious wool and silk blend. Available in six colours, great for lace knitting, shawls and other lightweight items. It's also from Naturally and retails for $6.95.

Angora-Tweed is a new Angora and Merino blend from Garnstudio/Drops and comes in five colours and as usual with beautiful free patterns. It retails for $12.95. It is extremely soft and versatile and can also be used for felting.

"cool" patterns from Pam

Wristers are "in" and a good summer project for cooler days. Pam designed this one and as usual the pattern is $2 or free with the order of yarn. Pick your DK yarn from our yarn list by weight!

Two other treats coming from Pam:

First, a pattern for Basic Socks on 2 Circular Needles (instead of on 4 or 5 double pointed needles).

Second, a very handy Basic Formula for Socks. This gives you a basic sock pattern plus a table of stitches to cast on for Sock, DK and Worsted Weight Yarn and sizes ranging from Baby to X-large Adult! Again: $2 each or free with purchase of yarn. Ask your sock experts! We have one of largest selections of sock yarns for you!

Four new top yarns, plus new colours!

We just got four new high end yarns in which all are "to die for..", really "divine" to feel them.

Schulana's Sojabama from Bamboo and Soy fibres; Skacel's Adagio from baby llama and silk; Skacel's Divine from baby alpaca, silk and cashmere (!); Zitron's funny couloured Farfalla for felting and more.

Plus we got new colours in for several yarns. We got solid colours for Zitron's sock yarn Trekking pro natura, which contains 25% Bamboo.

Visit our News Page in our web site to learn more and see the shade cards.

We restructured our web Yarn Store...

... for easy navigation! It helps you find the right yarns and accessories for your projects!

We introduced Yarn Lists sorted by Yarn Name, Manufacturer, Yarn Weight and Project, and added a News Page and a Kits, Books and Accessories Page. Try it out - and if not already done so, please join our mailing list!

NEW Felting Kit for Summer Projects!

Try this out - Artfelt from Zitron is a new way of felting. We just got these felting kits in beautiful colour combinations, made by Zitron in Germany. What a nice Summer project which can be done outside and by the whole creative family.
Each kit (in a transparent bag) contains enough roving (150 g in different colours) and Easyfelt Paper to make either a scarf, several pillows, or a purse. It also contains two barbed needles, one plastic sheet for felting, and an instructional slide show DVD!

Each kit is Can$ 49.50 and can be ordered online. Ask for colour combinations (1-888-588-7834) or pick them in our store!
See sample projects in the picture.

Colours, Colours, Sunshine!

Spring here shows only glimpses of what it could be, but Summer is close and we will eventually see the sunny days and enjoy the beaches as these kids do.

Looking through the new pattern books and new yarns of this season, these photos just make me feel good about what we have to offer. The boy's red/blue sweater is done with Loft Classic, the other two colourful bulky sweaters are knit with Unikat. All yarns are from Zitron and all patterns in the newest Zitron kids pattern book - a feast for the eyes!

Great New Books just arrived!

I just posted 9 new books in our web site, which adds nicely to the ones which were already listed there. We carry more in our store, of course!

This is Inge's favourite new book:
Amy R. Singer: No Sheep For You - your guide to the wonders of knitting without wool. Get cozy with some of the most luxurious (not most expensive) fibres on the planet. Learn all about nonwool yarns, including cotton, silk, linen, soy, bamboo, hemp, Tencel, rayon, and their characteristics. Delight in the 21 knockout patterns. "No Sheep For You is full of wit, wisdom, and answers to questions I never even thought to ask about my favorite fibers. And it's a wonderful pattern book."

If you cannot wear wool, this is the perfect guide. We are glad to offer the beautiful and affordable Bamboo yarn Eden from Madil (see my earlier posting) - amazing colours and sheen! See our web site.

Bamboo Yarn - the "green" alternative for Silk

Eden by Madil is an Italian yarn made from 100% bamboo. Bamboo is an ecologically friendly source of fibre, as it grows fast without the need for special fertilizers. The resulting fibre looks and feels like silk, and drapes like silk, but at a fraction of the cost. This fibre breathes well, is cool, and wicks moisture away from the body.
It is available is solid colours and prints. When working with prints we recommend using two balls at once, knitting two rows with one ball and two rows with the other, and carrying the yarn up the side of the work. This will reduce the chances of "pooling" or getting patches of colour.

"This is the perfect summer fabric" says Kate O'Connor; "In addition to being less expensive and more environmental friendly than luxury textiles such as silk and cashmere, the green fabrics also enable designers to attract vegetarian and vegan customers who shun animal-based products. The novelty is only a plus".

Check out the solid Eden Bamboo colours in our store! Beautiful sheen!

NEW 100% Acrylic: Carro Magic

This new Marks+Kattens yarn comes in fresh variegated summer colours. For those who don't want to wear wool. Check the shade card, ask for these patterns!

Live and Learn - Knitting!

Enjoy a vacation while you learn knitting at April Point Resort & Spa, on Quadra Island, just off Campbell River.

From April 10 - 12 Pam will be holding a knitting workshop in this wonderful setting. Hone your knitting skills through three different projects designed for beginning and intermediate knitters! The package price is Can $149 and includes 2 nights accommodation and program instruction.

Please make your reservation with April Point Resort. See the detailed program in our web site!

Pam will have a selection of yarns and needles available for you to purchase, so you don't need to bring it all!