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Yet-to-be-appreciated Yarns, Part 2

Yet-to-be-appreciated Yarns, Part 2

Some great but yet-to-be-appreciated yarns
This season there have been a lot of changes in the yarns available for knitters. There have been a lot of yarns discontinued, and a lot of new introductions.  In times of economic uncertainty, it’s no surprise that crocheters and knitters return to their favorites.  But there are some that I have tried, and deserve a closer look.

Aiko Garments

Lang Aiko

Mohair is coming back into style, but not the ultra big fuzz-ball look.  What is important now is a light halo and a soft hand.  Enter Aiko.  This yarn is incredibly soft, but it takes up a lot of space.  The yarn itself it made up from a tiny boucle of the fibers stitched into a small tape.  When it is knit, there isn’t a lot of surface halo (fuzz), but it knits to a bigger gauge than it looks.  The Aiko styles in the Lang books are mostly used for snuggly knits, but I think it would also make a great yarn for openwork styles–a lacy scarf or wrap would be very sophisticated in this yarn.

Color, Color, Color!

Color, Color, Color!

Make a gigantic impact with Color

Regia Journal Color Effects
Fassett’s Patchwork Designs

It’s easier than ever before with Regia’s Design Line by Kaffe Fassett

Color Effects

Rowan’s Master Colorist, Kaffe Fassett, has created beautiful combinations for Regia Yarns.  Those of us familiar with his work can spot a Fassett design a mile away, and love them all.  But of course the knitting patterns were so daunting–combinations of fair isle and intarsia, with complex color changes using often dozens of colors and yarns in one project!

Now Fassett revisits some of his favorite shapes and patterns using combinations of these variegated yarns with each other and solids.   Get fabulous results with simplified technique!

The great color combinations
of Regia Design Line

Regia Design Line
Kaffe Fassett’s colorways
Yet-to-be-appreciated Yarns, Part 1

Yet-to-be-appreciated Yarns, Part 1

Some great but yet-to-be-appreciated yarns
This season there have been a lot of changes in the yarns available for knitters. There have been a lot of yarns discontinued, and a lot of new introductions.  In times of economic uncertainty, it’s no surprise that crocheters and knitters return to their favorites.  But there are some that I have tried, and deserve a closer look.

Lang Donegal     

Lang Donegal

Tweed is a trend, and this yarn is much more than a rehashed version of other tweeds.  Donegal has a DK gauge, but it is thick and thin (sometimes very thin).  If you are an intermediate knitter who hasn’t worked with thick and thin yarns, you will have to pay attention.  Donegal fulls on blocking, meaning that what looks like holes as you knit will fill in more solidly after blocking.  This quality makes Donegal an interesting choice for crochet, too!  A big plus–This is a yarn that is a man magnet!  I have a pullover OTN for John, and when our two sons were home for Christmas they both immediately snatched it up saying “this is nice!” (and they live in CA & AZ–not sweater country)  Just be sure to stick to the darker, neutral colors.  After showing off the patterns in the Lang Vintage book, they were all judged to be winners by my houseful of men.  The 50g skein has over 200 yards, so it goes a long way.

Notes from TNNA

Notes from TNNA

This was a great TNNA market! I came home feeling newly energized and enthusiastic about knitting & crochet: new yarns, new designers, fashion trends. It was actually the most exciting Market I have attended, even though there were fewer exhibitors and fewer attendees than previous markets. Maybe it was just that all the excitement was distilled down and distributed among fewer people.
I arrived Thursday afternoon and went to a class on intentional patterning of hand-dyed yarns. I need to actually try it out on some of our yarn before trying to communicate it to all of you.
Friday I spent most of the day in class with Cat Bordhi, (you’ve heard of her, right?) learning more about writing up patterns for kits. Cat is one of those people who just “charges into the fray” and somehow things come out right. So much energy!
Monday morning I spent with Lily Chin, in a class on interpreting fashion trends. What a fun and knowledgeable lady — she is soooo talented, and she talks a mile a minute.

I hope to use these classes to increase the interest in our newsletters as well as our products and patterns that we offer to you.

Next post, pictures!