New Year New Yarns

Let’s talk about some recent arrivals for the spring knitting season!

The older brother of our already popular DK, King Cole’s Authentic Cotton Mix Chunky is a great option for anyone looking to knit something fast but still spring/summer appropriate. I’m thinking a summer sweater project along the lines of Margeau Soboti’s Boyfriend Sweater.

The third edition of Regia’s Arne & Carlos design line is here, featuring a wider stripe effect and the fascinatingly offbeat colour combinations the previous two editions are already famous for! If you’re wondering what they look like knit up, you can check out all of the colourways – and the projects that have used them – on the yarn’s Ravelry page.

Now I can’t say enough about how much I love love love these new colours in King Cole’s Smarty DK. They are so fun! Speckles are always a great compromise between the pattern-obstructing self-stripers and the oft-boring-to-work solids… this yarn would look great in any project, but lately I’ve been thinking I might like it enough to whip up a crochet blanket like Amy Solovay’s Fast & Easy.

Other new spring colour arrivals in our sock section include Lang Jawoll Colour and King Cole Zig Zag – broad stripes for folks like me crazy enough to be thinking about casting on Longitudinal or Exotic Whirlpool and the variegated side for patterns like Scatterby.

If heavier yarns are more your style, we are now carrying Cascade’s 220 Superwash Effects and have brought in some new Rustic Aran Tweed colours. Both yarns are perfect for patterns that need a little more umph than your usual solid.

Not heavy enough?

Some old favourite colours of Fuego are back in stock! Perfect for last minute projects like the Aujourd’hui cowl by tante ehm.

Also back in stock is the Jewel Metallic ladder yarn, a popular less expensive alternative to Firefly. We also are happy to be hosting Downton Abbey’s Lady Sybil line of yarns – a sportweight featuring 85g of an acrylic/mohair blend. We’ve already sold out of the light pink, but there’s more on the way! Perfect for spring projects like the Hyde Park hat or Vasama convertible mitts.

We’ve refreshed our Soak inventory & added some new patterns
– including this adorable Regia baby book!

Last but certainly not least, we’ve brought in the very Easter-y King Cole Vogue, a pure cotton DK that comes in 50g balls. All I am seeing is crocheted easter eggs!

Thats all for now, yarn lovers~

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New Winter Class Schedule!

If you’ve checked the Events Calendar on our website recently, you’ve noticed a new slate of classes have been added for our January through April session. Let’s take a look!

Sock Drop-In
Fridays 1-3PM
January 22nd, February 5th & 19th
March 4th & 18th, April 1st, 15th & 29th
Saturdays 10:30AM-12:30PM
January 16th & 30th, February 13th & 27th
March 12th & 26th, April 9th & 23rd

First, a major change to our Sock class – due to its popularity, we’ve decided to make it a weekly feature. Alternating between Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings, there’s now two hours every week set aside for talking about my one true love – socks! This makes it easier for everyone to take part in the action, as you only pay for the classes you can attend, when you can attend them, working up a pair of socks at your own pace.

Learn to Knit
Thursday, January 28th 1 – 3PM
Thursday, February 18th 6 – 8PM
Thursday, March 24th 6 – 8PM
Thursday, April 21st 6 – 8PM

Learn to Crochet
Thursday, February 4th 6 – 8PM
Thursday, March 3rd 6 – 8PM
Thursday, April 7th 6 -8PM

We’re also of course offering the classic Learn to Knit and Learn to Crochet classes for absolute beginners! You’ll learn how to start, work the basics, and finish a project, all in 2 hours. Free patterns are provided, along with some practice yarn to play with in-class, but students are welcome to bring their own materials.

Crochet a Cowl
February 6th 10:30AM – 12:30PM

Our Crochet a Cowl class is back as well, perfect for a beginner or intermediate crocheter looking for a warm, quick winter project!
The pattern Triple Luxe Cowl by Stephanie Jessica Lau is available for free online here.

 Brioche Knitting
Friday, February 12th & 26th, March 11th 10:30AM – 12:30PM

Thanks to many customer requests, we’re happy to offer for the first time a Brioche Knitting Workshop! Three sessions that cover working Brioche flat, in the round, and with multiple colours!

Granny Square Workshop
Thursday, March 10th, 6PM – 8PM

Another much requested class – granny squares! This session will cover all the basics involved in this classic crochet project. Copies of Cyndy’s own granny square pattern will be on hand as well.

Knitting Colourwork Mittens
Saturday, February 20th, March 5th & 19th 10:30AM – 12:30PM

Learn to knit a pair of Norwegian-style colourwork mittens using Henriette Hope’s free pattern Norwegian Selbu Mittens! Stranded colourwork is an addictive and impressive -looking technique that involves reading charts – this class is perfect for the knitter who has knit mittens before but wants to try stranded colourwork, or perhaps the knitter who has tried stranded colourwork but never a selbu mitten! Three sessions long, there’ll be plenty of time for you to finish a mitten at your own pace.

Knit a Cabled Hat
Thursday March 17th & 31st 1 – 3PM

Nothing says cold weather chic like a cabled hat! Perfect for either the hat or cable beginner looking for their next project, we’ll use the Purl Soho classic Traveling Cable toque pattern to work up a new staple for your winter wardrobe – or a great gift for that worthy person in your life! The first session will allow us to start the hat and talk about different cabling techniques, and two weeks later we will meet again for a second session to tackle any issues you encountered and talk about decreasing and finishing.

Crochet a Hat
Saturday, April 2nd 11AM – 1PM
A perfect class for the beginner or intermediate crocheter seeking a fast project to introduce working in the round & shaping! Copies of free pattern provided, simply bring your own worsted weight yarn & 4.5mm or 5mm hook.

…and last but definitely not least,
our winter Yarn Social dates!

Thursday Afternoons 1 – 3PM
January 7th & 21st, February 4th & 18th
March 3rd, 10th & 24th, April 7th & 21st
Thursday Evenings 6 – 8PM
January 14th & 28th, February 11th & 25th
March 17th & 31st, April 14th & 28th

So mark your calendars and ready your project bags, yarn lovers~