Year-round yarns

Some yarns are best for cooler temperatures, and some work better in warmer weather. With all of the great blended yarns available these days, more yarns are starting to be used year round.

Berroco Maya is one of these yarns. It's a blend of pima cotton and alpaca in a chainette construction. The yarn is really lightweight, and the small amount of alpaca really softens up the cotton. For people with aversions to wool, this yarn has been a great option. 

When Maya was introduced for last spring, the colors were very pale. Gorgeous for spring and summer, but not really colors that will jump off the shelf during the other months of the year.

Last week we ordered our new Berroco yarns for spring and summer of 2014. New colors for existing yarns (like Maya) were also introduced, and on some of these, the new colors were already in stock. Normally we wait to take delivery of new colors of spring yarns until at least January, but because the fiber content of Maya makes it a true year-round yarn, we decided to take delivery immediately. And look how the new colors breathed life into the old ones!

This yarn is often used by our customers as a sweater yarn. Our Niche sweater sample (from Norah Gaughan Volume #12) has been tried on and made numerous times. 

Another popular sweater sample in Maya is the Chuparosa vest from Berroco Book #331. This is a flattering piece that can be worn over any sleeve length, making it great for winter wear.

It's also great for accessories, and our Bajada scarf sample, which takes just 3 skeins, is a fun knit. (Berroco Book #331.)

I grabbed 4 skeins of the new Hermosa Blue and started a new project over the weekend. Can't wait to finish it!

Vogue in Black & White!

contributed by Shawn 

The new Vogue Knitting Magazine is here! 

The spring/summer 2013 issue has some hot new black & white projects in it. Our customers all love the "sleek, chic white stripes" that are featured on Ellen Liguori's black mini-dress. This dress is going into so many knitting queues! 

We'll be sure to order additional stock of the Brown Sheep Cotton Fine in the colors Cotton Ball and Cavern for you this week.

Thinking Spring... Already!

contributed by Barb

Last Wednesday, I spent most of the morning on Skype with Jill and one of our sales reps looking at new spring yarns. It hasn't even turned into winter here, but we're already looking at spring yarns.

When I came out of the meeting I was sent to the basement. I thought I was being punished for being in the meeting for so long (these sales meetings can be up to 3 hours long) but as I went down the stairs into the basement I realized it was no punishment. It was a gift.

There were three huge boxes from Berroco waiting for me. These boxes contained some new spring yarns and then new colors of existing yarns. It's always so fun unloading new things, and to think Jill and I had just ordered these a little over a week ago. All of the new yarns and new colors of existing yarns will be online this week.

When the Berroco Trunk Show was at the shop, I tried on some garments in the summer yarns from last year. I decided to make a couple of them, but Andra said I may want to wait for new colors for Spring 2013 to be available. That seemed like it would be months, but now just one short month later I can start choosing colors from the new ones and get some projects on my needles.

One of the first items I will be making is the Seabrook Vest – a free pattern from Berroco knit in Captiva. 

I love the new colors we got, but I am having a hard time choosing just one. Help!

Then maybe I'll start a multi-colored scarf/shawl in Weekend.  I love to wear a scarf or shawl during the day, but I get a little over-heated in wool. 

I like the weight of a worsted shawl, and the acrylic and cotton blend of Weekend will keep me from overheating.

Opan Fans - Here's a New Schafpate!

Opal fans are always waiting for the newest collections to arrive. The calls have already started, and we've already been selling this yarn in the shop. Opal Schafpate IV is now in stock and finally online (sorry - sometimes there's a delay in getting it up!)

Colors (from top left, clockwise): 5847, 5846, 5845, 5844, 5843, 5842, 5841, 5840

The colors are great and I certainly have a few favorites: 5846, 5845, 5843, 5842 and 5840. WAIT! That's more than a few!

To Match? Or To Coordinate?

contributed by Barb

The shop is bursting with new yarns! Every time our UPS driver lugs boxes into the shop, we have so much fun unloading them. Sometimes when we open boxes from different suppliers, we get excited because the new items tend to coordinate. It give us good ideas for merchandizing, and it shows that different companies are on the same page when it comes to introducing new colors.

We just received the Harlow bag from Namaste. This bag is functional and beautiful, and comes in the new Namaste colors of Espresso, Eggplant, and Caribbean Blue. We've also got some new colors in the circular cases (the same three plus Pumpkin Spice). 

Our favorite new color is Espresso. Look how beautiful it is with the new Debbie Bliss Angel yarn in the colors Gold and Burnt Orange:

Fall is coming! Since we all love brown and orange, look at the Espresso bag paired with the Pumpkin Spice accessories:

The new Caribbean Blue is so pretty. This color has been popular for ages now, and is showing no signs of slowing down.

Once I decide which color bag I want, I will have to start a scarf. The question is will it match, or coordinate?

More New Colors

contributed by Barb

As soon as I opened the box and saw the new color of Stacy Charles Luna yarn I knew exactly which scarf I wanted to make.  

Actually, it's a variation of a scarf I did last year, the Stellaluna Drop Stitch Scarf. 

Stellaluna Drop Stitch Scarf with Stella & Luna yarns

Last year I used the Stella and Luna yarns, but this year I am going to use Crystal and Luna. The new Crystal colors are just so yummy!

5 great new Crystal colors!

Here are a few of the combinations that I came up with, the Crystal colors are all new and the Luna in the teal/green (col #35) is also new. Did you know that teal is a very popular color this year? 

New Colors of Broadway Ruffle Yarn, now in stock!

Because our customers have all been asking to be notified when each delivery of new ruffle yarns comes in, we thought it would save us time (and alert more folks), by posting it here. 

This will help, especially since some of these are going to be SOLD OUT for the season, once our quantities are gone. There is such demand for these yarns that the all the manufacturers we buy them from think there will be shortages again this year.

So today's new colors of ruffles are in Euro Yarns Broadway:

New Colors of Flounce!

Finally! We've been out of Flounce for some time now in most colors, but we've just received four gorgeous new colors, and here they are:

This promises to be another big ruffle year, so get it while the gettin's good!