Hello, March

Well, did you all have fun Yarn Crawling?  We had a great time seeing so many new faces and introducing people to our shop.  Thank you to everyone who participated!

Now that the dust has settled and we have caught our collective breath, let's get back to the yarn.  We have so many lovely new things at the shop right now.  Let's start with some Manos del Uruguay, shall we?  They have upped their game, my friends.  Over the last few years, their patterns have gone from dated and dowdy to stylish and modern, and I could not be happier to see the trunk show at the shop right now.

Um, garter stitch blanket?  That might be my middle name.  On Monday, I opened a large box with all of the colors for the Salida del Sol Throw, and I was so taken.  The highlighter yellow in the middle is pretty serious, and the dusky purple up at the top corner is gorgeous in person.  Worked in Manos Wool Clasica, the blanket is generous, too...perfect for wrapping up on the couch or by the fire.  I am trying to resist, but it might be futile.

I do plan to make Palette, but I think I need a brighter color.  The Cameo version is very pretty, but I think I'll use some Chartreuse Maxima that has been patiently waiting for me to settle on a project.  The original here was made with Wool Clasica, too, and I am surprised at how soft and cozy it is.  The length is perfect and the simple stitch pattern produces an interesting effect.  Maybe I'll make a few.

Quite a few knitters noticed the Oruga Scarf sample we had out over the weekend, too.  We now have the pattern in stock and many options for lace weight yarns.  Check out the cool detail running up the spine.

We also have samples of the Fumior gloves and Beaubourg, both knit in lovely lovely Maxima. (Both of these photos are from the Fairmount Fibers site.)

I really love what Manos del Uruguay stands for, so it makes me so happy to see these stunning designs and spot-on styling.  They are a cooperative that has been giving jobs and opportunities to women in Uruguay for decades, and they continue to establish new co-ops around the country.  They provide health insurance, vacations, maternity leave, and pensions to their employees, and they are responsible for the first kindergartens in Uruguay.  You can read more about their operation on the website.  

Each skein of yarn has a handwritten bit telling you the name of the person who dyed your yarn and the village where it was dyed.  The yarn has always been beautiful and high quality, and I hope these new designs will appeal to an even larger audience.  I know they have my attention!

Bringing the yarn focus a little closer to home, let's talk about a Portland yarn company.  If you are interested in playing with some Shibui yarn, please join us for the Mix Party Wednesday night!  There will be little mini skeins of the Shibui yarns to try out and mix and match, look books for the Shibui Mix line, and new spring patterns.  Give us a call at the shop to let us know you're coming (503.488.4568), and bring some needles, size US4 to 9ish.

See you soon!