September 2011 Newsletter
Feature of the Month - Zealana's Heron

Just in is Zealana's Heron yarn, a lovely soft blend of New Zealand merino and possum.  This single ply, 18-20 stitch gauge yarn comes in a variety of marled colours, which provides great depth of colour.  In addition, it is wonderfully lightweight and warm because the hollow core of the possum fur fibre provides exceptional thermal properties.  Garments made from Possum yarns are 55 percent warmer than 100 percent Merino wool and 35 percent warmer than 100 percent cashmere.  Plus, this fiber is long wearing, resistant to pilling and has a beautiful halo effect on the surface. Learn more about possums here.

Adventurous Zealana contains 16 patterns featuring this yarn including all sorts of sweaters, hats, gloves and leg warmers.  A favourite is the Outdoor Pullover, a multicoloured top-down raglan that is not only stylish but will keep you warm on those cold winter evenings. 
Always Something New


Chunky is all the rage this fall and Debbie Bliss has provided us with three new yarns and accompanying books that fit the bill.

 

Paloma is a lofty, chainette yarn composed of baby alpaca and merino.  The Paloma book, which exclusively features this yarn, contains a variety of beautiful patterns for sweaters and scarves.

 

Another chunky yarn by Debbie Bliss is Riva, a lovely, soft, single ply wool blend that knits up very quickly.  The lace edged dress featured on the right is stunning; the pattern is available in the Riva book, along with a variety of other fabulous projects.

 

And, Rialto Chunky, a 100% extra fine merino wool that has the softness and bounce of all the Rialtos, is also supported by a book full of cozy sweater patterns.

 

New colours in Glen and Angel are also just in, as well as more books including Simply Glen, Time for Tweed, and The Charleston Collection.

 

Also new are three yarns by Classic Elite including: Vail, a light fingering baby alpaca, bamboo blend, designed for garments and accessories; Vista, a blend of superfine alpaca and wool that is soft, long wearing and perfect for all kinds of garments; and, Crestone, composed of two undyed shades plyed together to create an interesting natural yarn that produces a beautiful, durable fabric.

 

For Sweet Georgia fans, we have a variety of new colours in the Cashluxe Fine, Superwash Worsted and Cashsilk Lace

 

And, from Great Adirondack we now carry mulberry silk and blue-face leicester roving, as well as mohair locks.

 

If you don't already follow us on facebook, it is a great way to keep up to date on all the fun new products that are arriving daily!
 
Project Ideas
 
Our newest favourite patterns are from Tiny Owl Knits.  These whimsical and fun patterns are all designed by Stephanie Dosen, an American singer who lives in London. Some examples of her patterns are listed below.

 

The Sweet Robin Wristees featured on the right are, as Stephanie points out, "the perfect thing to wear when feeding birds at the park.  Simply point to your wrist & explain that you're a friend. Works a charm!"  Any 4 ply or fingering weight wool can be used for this pattern of which we most certainly have a large selection to choose from.

 

Ships & Seaside is a unique cozy seaside cowl with lots of stripes.  This cowl is just like an inner tube, beginning with a provisional cast-on and worked in the round, finishing up with a long row of Kitchener stitch, so no seams and no wrong side. An aran weight kid mohair such as Rowan Kid Classic is suggested for this pattern.  A sample is available for viewing at our Point Grey location.

 

We also love Free Rapunzel, a hat knit with two long braids, a sample of which is also available for viewing at our Point Grey location.  This pattern knits up quickly using a super bulky yarn such as Rowan Drift.
 

Upcoming Events

 

On Saturday, September 24th, join us for the Yarn Harvest, Yarn Crawl organized by the Fraser Valley Knitting Guild.  A $5.00 membership fee gets you a pin allowing you to visit all participating stores for 15% off many products as well as other in-store promotions and draws.  We will open at 8:00 am for early morning shoppers who have a pin.  Click here for more information.

 

The Knit Noro book has arrived and contains a stunning collection of 30 patterns ranging from an entrelac scarf and cowl neck vest to a felted cloche and chevron throw.  An accompanying trunk show will be available for viewing at our Point Grey store for one week beginning September 26th.   

Classes

 

Don't forget to check out our incredibly diverse selection of classes for beginner, intermediate, and experienced knitters at both of our locations.  Visit our website, or call us for details at 604-228-1122.

                   Happy Knitting & Crocheting

                                   Urban Yarns                           Urban Yarns
                                      Point Grey                                   Edgemont
                          4437 West 10th Avenue          3111 Highland Boulevard
                                Vancouver, B.C.                      North Vancouver, B.C.
                          Phone: 604-228-1122                  Phone: 604-984-2214

                                           Toll Free:  1-877-488-YARN (9276)

                            Find us on Facebook              Follow us on Twitter
Join Our Mailing List