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Stocking Stuffer Alert!
50 Socks - 50 States CD Book
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50 Socks - 50 States, edited by Laura Andersson and published by Sirius Knitting, is a CD book containing over 50 sock patterns (including ones for Canada, Mexico and the US territories) using CPY yarn. All patterns are in PDF format, and include "Fun Facts" and designer inspiration notes for each state or territory. The CD comes in both PC and Mac versions. This tasty item would make a perfect gift or stocking stuffer. Contact your local or online yarn shop to purchase or order directly from the publisher.
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Greetings!
Happy Thanksgiving! This is unofficially the National "Yikes, I Really Have To Make That Project" Month. Whether you are desperately gathering up supplies to complete those gifts for the holidays, or just realizing that it is really getting cold and your wardrobe is lacking, this is the best time of year to be inspired for your knitting and crochet projects. In this issue, we are featuring our beautiful Merino 5 yarn. We also have several great suggestions for gifts for the holidays, including many free patterns and indie publications.
Happy stitching!
Sincerely, Cathy Campbell
Crystal Palace Yarns
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Merino 5:
A Beautiful Basic
 We are very fortunate in this day in age to have an astonishing array of yarns from which to choose. But sometimes, we are just looking for a high quality, basic worsted-weight wool in a great color. Well, our Merino 5 fits the bill quite nicely. Merino 5 is 100% machine-washable merino wool. The merino makes it soft while the washability makes it a practical and desirable choice for all types of garments. The multi-ply and high-twist construction makes it flexible, durable and perfect for both knitting and crochet. But what makes Merino 5 stand out above the rest are its reasonable retail price per ball and its extensive color range; Merino 5 boasts a palette of 32 prints, 27 solids and counting.
 Because of its softness and easy care, Merino 5 is ideal for baby sweaters, hats, etc. Ann Norling's Pattern #53 Kid's Basic Top-Down Raglan, pictured to the right, is an excellent pattern choice for Merino 5, offering a variety of sizes and style options. Check out the Merino 5 Holiday Ornament (below) and all Merino 5 free patterns on our website for other project ideas. Visit your local or online shop to stock up on this superb yarn.
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Free Gift Patterns
 The fall and winter holidays are approaching and many of you are looking for quick gift projects to make for the season. One great gift idea is our new Cotton Chenille Bath Mitt by Laura Andersson. The mitt uses two balls of Cotton Chenille, doubled for extra absorbency. The plush pile of the Chenille resembles thick velvet, which makes this a luxurious bathroom accessory. The mitt has a ribbed cuff and rev St st hand for extra squishiness. You could use either two skeins of the same color or use two different colors, as shown in the sample. We have tested the mitt in action and found that it lathers up nicely and holds up very well in the bath and shower. Wrap this up with a handmade bar of soap to make a great presentation. See also the Flower Wash Cloth by Cindy Taylor, the Cotton Chenille Wash Cloth by Ann Norling and the 3 Cotton Chenille Wash Cloths by Barbara Breiter for more gift ideas using Cotton Chenille.
 Other fun new free patterns recently added to our website are the Chunky Mochi Cable Scarf, the Silk Road Journey Socks, the Chunky Mochi Cowl and the Mochi Plus Lattice Cowl with Ruffle. The Chunky Mochi Cable Scarf, pictured to the left, uses three balls of Chunky Mochi and features a delectably bulky center cable on a seed stitch background. The Silk Road Journey Socks pattern, inspired by the "Spice Market" colorway and the silk road, uses two balls of Mini Mochi with a short, ribbed cuff. The Chunky Mochi Cowl by Barbara Breiter is an excellent alternative to the beginner scarf, using alternating rounds of knit and purl. The Mochi Plus Lattice Cowl with Ruffle by Laura Andersson features a lattice lace accent and ruffled edge. All of these patterns are affordable projects and good choices for gift-giving.
  Another fun project for the holidays is our Holiday Ornament, designed by the talented Radka Chamberlain. The pattern calls for either Merino 5 (shown to the left) or Fjord, but it would also work up nicely in Mochi Plus. Each set of two balls (main color and contrast color) will yield three ornaments.
They can be hung on trees, in windows or doorways. Without the cord, they can be used as child's toys or decorative coffee table pieces. Add a little catnip in with the stuffing, and they would make nice cat toys as well. They are great commuter projects, fitting nicely into your purse or knitting bag.
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Indie News:
Sock Yarn One-Skein Wonders
 Sock Yarn One-Skein Wonders, edited by Judith Durant, is the fourth and newest in a series of one-skein books published by Storey Publishing. This is a brilliant idea for a book. The term "sock yarn" is a bit unfair to the many beautiful fingering-weight yarns in the world, seeming to limit them only to one type of project. Don't get me wrong; I LOVE knitting socks. But variety is the spice of life, and Sock Yarn One-Skein Wonders is spicy! The book is comprised of 101 patterns, from gloves to baby sweaters to bags to shawls to jewelry and back to socks.
The list of projects includes six designs using Crystal Palace Yarns. The Posy Cozy by Rebecca Mercier in Panda Cotton is a great cozy for your favorite liquid soap, lotion or beverage, featuring unique, overlapping petals. The Beady Necklace by Judith Durant uses Panda Soy and glossy beads to create an elegant choker (great for winter parties). Flip to the next pattern and you will find a mobius scarf out of Panda Superwash with earrings to match, designed by Grace (Maggie) Covey. There is of course a sock pattern, the cute Lacy Summer Footlets, designed by Betsy McCarthy out of Panda Silk. And even I had to get in on the sock yarn fun. The Golden Eyelet Cable Mitts and the Spring Garden Shorties, both fingerless gloves by yours truly, feature a cable-and-eyelet rib in Panda Silk and a diamond lace pattern out of Panda Soy, respectively. All the projects in the book, including the book itself, would make wonderful holiday gifts. Contact your local or online yarn shop or Storey Publishing to order yours today!
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Ravelry Free Pattern:
Mochi Plus "Shoreline Baby" Entrelac Blanket
 Gorgeous. That is the first thing that comes to mind when I first saw Suzy Swanson's latest CPY project. The Shoreline Baby Blanket features entrelac stitch which accentuates the delicate color changes of Mochi Plus. Even though it is called Shoreline Baby, it can easily work as an adult throw for a living room or bedroom. It uses nine balls of Mochi and 35" circular needles US size 8 (or needle necessary to obtain gauge.)
 New to entrelac? Do not be afraid. There are multiple steps for the technique, but you will eventually develop a rhythm for it and will most likely find it to be quite fun, especially as you see the beautiful piece of fabric unfold before you. Check out the About.com entrelac tutorial for step-by-step instructions. Download the free PDF on Ravelry, buy your favorite Mochi Plus color from your local or online shop and get crackin'! I cannot wait to start one myself.
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