Let's Talk Yarn......
Posted on November 20 2017
As I have discovered over the past year, there is an enormous choice of yarn available today when it comes to knitting and crochet so, trying to decide what to stock is really difficult when setting up a new business. It is not only deciding what brand and type of yarn to sell, but then trying to pick a colour range that will appeal to the majority. As someone who tends towards neutrals and muted colours I have had to 'think outside my own particular box' when it has come to making such choices. However, my main criteria has been to select quality yarns that I personally would choose to work with.
Today I have uploaded some new yarns to the site and so I thought that I would take this opportunity to discuss them in more detail in case you had not yet come across them.
Mrs Moon Scrunchie Hat in Swaddle
Mrs Moon has just launched her new Swaddle yarn and put together some delightful knitting and crochet patterns for babies. The yarn comes in 25g balls and is made from the same ethically produced superfine merino (80%) and baby alpaca (20%) as Plump and Plump DK. The latter are both beautifully soft and make great hats and cowls. With a fantastic range of bright colours, these knits will brighten up any winter day!
My order of Swaddle arrived just before a week's golfing break in Portugal so I decided to take a few balls and try out the yarn and one of the patterns. We will be selling the cardigan and scrunchie hat as a kit shortly but, in the meantime, patterns and yarns for both garments are available to purchase. Having found out today that my niece is expecting a baby in May, Swaddle has arrived at just the right time.......
Rowan is a renowned name for quality yarns and the company originated here in Yorkshire. This season they have introduced a couple of 'Select' yarns which are specials for the season. Finest is a beautiful, soft yarn made from Extra Fine Merino, Cashmere and Royal Alpaca Wool. It is available in 4 colours and a free pattern book. My own favourite cardigan from the Collection is Rockaway by Martin Storey.
Camello is another Select yarn from Rowan this season and is made from extra fine merino wool and baby camel. This yarn also comes with a free pattern book with 8 designs by Lisa Richardson and Sarah Hatton and is available in a 10 lovely colours. Another one to try out whilst stocks last.
The last yarn I would like to mention is Iris by Debbie Bliss. I cannot wait to knit something in this beautiful soft wool. Iris is a beautiful blend of superfine merino and cashmere in a chunky weight using size 4.5mm needles. Debbie Bliss has put together 10 classic patterns in her Pure Bliss Collection.
Calla from Iris Pure Bliss Collection
A final note: in my last newsletter I mentioned that more men were beginning to discover knitting as a craft and as a way to relax. Penny Batchelor in The Knitter Magazine 'celebrates a new generation of men inspiring others to take up knitting'. Designers such as Martin Storey, Kaffe Fassett, Jared Flood at Brooklyn Tweed, Stephen West, Tom Van Deijnen, Nathan Turner and Lewis Ryan founder of ManKnit whose slogan 'The Manly Way to Knit' is aimed at inspiring men to knit for the outdoors. So, if you know of any men who could do with time out or a recreational break perhaps, instead of a pair of socks for Christmas, you could send them on a Learn to Knit course (we will be holding one in January) or give them some needles and yarn to knit their own!