We are very excited at the prospect of Anna Zilboorg visiting the store on Sunday, March 21 for an afternoon book signing. And after today we are ready! We received four of her books: Magnificent Mittens, 45 Fine and Fanciful Hats, Simply Socks, and Knitting for Anarchists today. Make plans to meet this wonderfully creative woman in March.

Also in today the new Knitters Magazine!

Yesterday we wrote of Baby Seth's arrival; son of Scott the UPS Guy. What better gift than UPS baby booties? These brown and gold numbers are the perfect beginner project; they take about 4 hours to complete and teach such important techniques as knitting, purling, yarn overs, increases, decreases, and an I cord! And they are really cute, to boot!

We had a large crowd at WoolWinders yesterday, with lots of friends dropping by to chat and knit. We love a full table in the salon area; the snacks (and often wine) come out and tales are swapped, both knitting related and otherwise. Everyone is smelling spring in the air. Come see our lovely selections of spring and summer cottons, silks, ribbons and rayons. We can help you make a simple shell or sweater perfect for those warming days.

And don't forget to check out our classes. We have added several new ones including "Uh Oh" in which you can learn to correct any knitting mistake; Domino Knitting; and Knitting Beyond Scarves!

in more ways than one! Our substitute UPS Guy brought us every color of Dale of Norway's new STORK yarn. This 100% cotton yarn is meant to be used in the same manner as their wool Baby Ull, so patterns are interchangeable. This is the perfect yarn for those who want to knit those gorgeous Dale patterns in cotton rather than wool. We can't wait it use this!

And the reason we had a substitute for Scott the UPS Guy is that Scott is the proud father of son Seth, who was born last night. Mother, father and Seth's four siblings are doing great! We were quite touched to receive an email with the news, as Scott is an important member of the WoolWinders family. We have a special gift for baby Seth; look for the picture tomorrow!

In addition, we received new cotton color sock yarn from Regia, a wonderful new 3.5 st/inch cabled cotton called Splendid from Mondial (and it really is splendid!), and new colors of Linie Spirit and Vision.

Finally (drumroll here, please) we now have SIZE 15 AND SIZE 10.5 SHORT NEEDLES IN STOCK!!!! Pony Pearl came through. Wheeee!!!

We sent out our March 2004 Newsletter yesterday, a few days ahead of schedule. Our mailing list has grown to over 3000 names and postage alone was getting out of hand so we switched to electronic delivery. If you did not get the newsletter by email, it is most likely because we do not have your email address. Please sign up using the form on the left side of this page. You will get an email back from us asking you to confirm that you are "opting" to subscribe to the newsletter. Just follow the directions and you will get future announcements and newsletters electronically.

We plan to use the electronic delivery method to announce sales and specials so please do subscribe!

And the newsletter itself can be downloaded by clicking on the link on the left side of this page.

Thanks and Enjoy!

We had been missing Scott last week when several days went by without a delivery. But today he wheeled in eight boxes for us to unpack! It was a BIG pattern day, and we have now restocked our Ann Norling, Oat Couture, and Fiber Trends selections. We have new felting patterns, shawl and hat selections, as well as old favorites that fly out of the store quickly.

We were also delighted to see a box from Unique Kolours, distributors of Colinette yarns. Our Isis and Zanziba stock is full, and we received Colinette's fabulous summer ribbon, Giotto. If you have not worked with this exquisite yarn, come in and see the selections. Giotto is perfect for summer shells and T-shirt patterns, as well as light weight accent scarves and shawls.

And if you are still seeking a quick warm sweater, we have new colors of Rowan Big Wool. You can knit a sweater in a weekend with this fabulously soft merino.

WoolWinders: A Knitting Salon is ready for Spring knitters! Whether you want to learn Mosaic or Domino knitting, have a yen to make socks, or want to progress beyond scarves, we have the class for you! Our instructors Jacqui, Karen M., Karen R., Kathy, Jessica, and Kate Ann are excited about teaching new knitting techniques and projects. Our Spring schedule is now posted.

Our classes are limited to five people maximum and do fill quickly. To register, please call Jacqui at 240.632.9276 with a credit card to guarantee your spot. If you have to cancel, we ask that you do so by the week BEFORE the first class. We will cheerfully give you a store credit. After that, we cannot refund your money.

We are especially excited about our new offerings: Knitting Beyond Scarves, The "Uh Oh" Class, and Domino Knitting. Check out the descriptions for these and all our other classes. And we have expanded our class time slots: we are now giving a sock class and beginning knitting during day time hours.

So learn that technique or skill you have always wanted, with WoolWinders: A Knitting Salon!

Dominique, our fiber arts major at Towson, had a few seconds today to work on her Daria scarf.

Check out the technique! This is a great way to crochet in between customers!

Daria is Noro's venture into novelty yarn. The cotton/rayon blend makes a cool looking scarf! We are going to try a bag next.

We were privileged to have Beth Brown-Reinsel in the shop two weeks ago.
She has designed some lovely patterns for ganseys, socks, dresses, mittens etc. and distributes them through her company, Knitting Traditions. Beth travels all over the country teaching knitting techniques like Norwegian knitting, twined knitting and the like. After meeting her, we were so impressed that we called and said that we wanted to carry her pattern line. Fifteen of them arrived today! We don't normally selll patterns over our website, but if you are interested in exploring these, please give us a call. Her top-down gansey sweaters are particulary good for advanced beginner knitters. And her socks are fabulous!

We have been exploring the wonderful world of handpainted yarns, and today received our shipment of Laurel from Schaefer Yarn. If you have not experienced this world of knitting, this yarn would be a good place to start. Laurel is 100% mercerized pima cotton; it has the feel of a soft silk but the resilience and care of cotton. We are carrying the yarn in every colorway; the series is known as Memorable Women. You can tell your friends you are knitting with Judy Garland or Frida Kahlo among others! The yarn is not inexpensive, but the hanks are large (400 yards) and knit at 4-4.5 stitches to an inch. We also have several patterns to support this gorgeous yarn.

We also received some old favorites: Berroco Bulky Chinchilla (though the elusive black is STILL backordered!); Berroco pattern books #209-212; Skacel Juliet and Fiori, two fun novelty yarns that can be knit into scarves and accents for spring; and a new ladder novelty yarn called Tropicana, which has a bit of glitz to it!

We are getting the Spring newsletter ready. It will contain information about classes, yarns, patterns and accessories at the shop, and will be posted on the Website as well as sent electronically. Make sure you have given us your email address, either by clicking on the site or coming to the shop. Finally, we are in need of a knitting tip! Submit the winning one and you will receive a $20 gift certificate. Just email your entries to jacqui@woolwinders.com

Ponchos are quite hot right now. Having grown up in the sixties, we remember ponchos well and thought perhaps that they should be worn by teenagers or children. Well, Marnie proved us wrong! How cute is this? She is modeling a poncho made from Rowan Plaid, and we think it looks fabulous!!! Marnie has not been knitting all that long, and loved making her poncho. A terrific project!

Though it was a federal holiday, Scott the UPS Guy still paid us a visit. He delivered some Berroco Optik and Softwist, two of our most popular winter yarns, as well as some backordered copies of the Knitting Journal.

Safe to walk around the store without tripping over inventory, Scott the UPS Guy wheeled in eight more boxes! We are now stocked with Eros, Eros Glitz, Plymouth Encore, Cotton Classic, Manos, and Cherry Tree Hill Cotton Boucle Mini. We still have some Encore and Manos on back order; we certainly appreciate everyone's patience! The interest in knitting has taken our distributors by storm and their manufacturers are trying to keep up with demand. We are in awe of our customers' creativity and flexibility! Even though some come in clutching patterns and color swatches, they are terrific about finding something at the shop that they love! Don't hesitate to ask our staff for suggestions and advice; we are all here to help.

The new issue of Interweave magazine arrived yesterday. Two notes: there is an enormous section devoted to crochet which seems to indicate a comeback for that craft as well, and there are some beautiful patterns for beginning knitters! The styles are clean, the instructions are easy to follow, and the yarns range from Cotton Glace, a sport weight yarn, to Debbie Bliss' Cashmerino Superchunky, which is featured on the cover. Whether you want to knit in anticipation of warmer weather or get that last heavy winter sweater accomplished, this issue will meet your needs!

After a day which began with our being at the store by 7 AM, coffee in hand, we are thrilled to report that all twenty boxes are unpacked, checked in, and shelved. We have even sold some of the goodies already!

We eagerly anticipated the yarns from Brown Sheep, Euro Yarns, and Knitting Fever that greeted us. Brown Sheep makes terrific felting yarn in its Lambspride and we are now fully stocked with over fifteen colors. And their Cotton Fleece is one of our spring favorites. If you have never knit with this worsted weight yarn, we highly recommend it for three season sweaters as well as the softest baby blankets you will ever experience.

Thanks to Euro Yarns we now have cubbies and bins FILLED with sock and novelty yarns. Their Mardi Gras and Carnival novelties are fun and dyed to match in coordinated colorways. We are having these yarns knit up into scarves; we will post the results. And their Regia sock yarn is world class. Soft, easy to knit, and fabulous colors and patterns. We have tons now!!! We also treated ourselves to Euro Yarns On Line Linie yarns: Spirit and Vision. These summer cotton blends are calling to us!

Knitting Fever was equally exciting. We could hardly breathe when we caught sight of the fifteen colors of Debbie Bliss' exciting new Cotton/Angora blend. The yarn is unspeakably soft! And her colors are both rich and varied. We chose her cotton DK over many competitors because of the range of color as well as the structure of the yarn. We think you will find it exceptional for spring/summer knitting.

Perhaps the most interesting thing we received was Noro's venture in novelty yarns: Daria. This yarn is difficult to describe; it almost feels wiry and pliable; everyone who touched it had an excited response to it. Dominque is knitting with it tonight; the result will hang in the shop hopefully by this weekend.

We are also fully stocked with Sirdar and Debbie Bliss pattern books. For those knitters eager to venture beyond scarves into sweaters, we have several books geared to advanced beginners. This is the perfect time of year to explore and broaden one's talents!

We are still awaiting our shipment of Manos, Eros, and the Rowan spring line. Stay tuned!

Scott the UPS Guy picked a fine day to take a vacation. His substitute, Jim, wheeled in 20, that would be 20 boxes today. We had been eagerly expecting them and tore into them with wild abandonment. All this during store hours! With help from our wonderful staff, including Marietta who normally works weekends but just happened by, we managed to unpack, inventory, and shelve the following: Gorgeous Cotton Comfort (every color) and Mountain Mohair (seven colors) from Green Mountain Spinnery, More copies of The Knit Stitch and Purl Stitch as well as Arans and Celtics from XRX books; several hand dyed kits from Colinette as well as reorders of Isis (yes we now have lapis and zebra!) and Zanziba; short dpns from Pony in a variety of sizes including the elusive 6; four new colors of Berroco's fabulous ribbon yarn Zen, two new colors of Suede and Denim Silk; Clover needles in size 10.5 AND 17 as well as reorders of various notions; and a new color of Sizzle.

We have not even tappped into the boxes waiting for our early arrival tomorrow. These contain the spring lines from Knitting Fever and Euro yarns, including Debbie Bliss DK cotton and her new cotton/angora as well as fabulous Noro novelties and other goodies. So stay tuned.

Come meet Beth Brown-Reinsel today at WoolWinders! Beth, who is known for her dazzling color knitting and varied techniques, will be at the store to meet folks and sign pattern pamphlets beginning at 2 PM! This promises to be a fabulous and fun afternoon. Refreshments, camaraderie, and a knitting celebrity! What could be better on a crisp cold Sunday afternoon?

This cute little bundle of joy walked in our store today modeling Gigi yarn which Mom Flo made into a hat and scarf ensemble. Simple and precious!

In the middle of a rain soaked Friday, we received the Rowan Spring book #35. It was, quite literally, a breath of fresh air. The book is chock full of patterns from the likes of Kim Hargraves, Kaffe Fassett, etc. Whether you like color, texture, or stitch work, there are patterns to your liking. The book makes use of the Rowan spring line: Cotton Tape, Summer Tweed, Cotton Glace, 4 Ply, Linen Print. We carry much of their spring yarns; if we don't have a specific one we have one at the same gauge. We carry, for example, Jaeger Siena in place of the 4Py; we find the colors more vibrant and enjoy the slight sheen to the yarn. Rowan patterns have always been among our favorites. They are clearly written and elicit beautiful results. They have helped us advance as knitters because the instructions make us fearless.

Today promises to be bright and sunny, at least for part of the day. We are looking forward to swapping our raincoat for a jacket, and our boots for shoes as we settle into our spring knitting!

We didn't even have a chance to blog yesterday because the entire spring line arrived from Berroco! They continue to amaze us with their beautifully written patterns, unusual yarns, and new ideas. Last year, their Denim Silk was our best seller for the season. They have expanded this fabulous yarn's colorways to include a reddish rust, black, and ivory tones. Two new yarns grace their spring collection: Suede and Echo. Suede is a 100% nylon that knits at 4.5 stitches to the inch and looks like, you guessed it, suede. We have a terrific shawl to show you in this unusual yarn. Echo is a cotton/nylon slim tape yarn in soft tones of rust, blue, burgundy, and olive. And we are restocked in their Cotton Twist, a variegated brightly colored yarn that has a beautiful sheen. This worsted weight thread can make a lovely summer sweater or shell.

And today we received the sought after Green Mountain Spinnery books. Once we get the yarns in, you can expect us to knit a model to show off this vendor.

On a separate note, many customers have inquired about our classes. Our spring schedule is being done now and should be posted within about two weeks. Stay tuned. If there are any classes you would like to see, please send us an email!

We like to go to our customers for new product ideas. Lisa Harvey has been singing the praises of Green Mountain Spinnery for some time and we bought the book to check it out. We were blown away!

Then we received samples of their yarns and nearly stammered in our excitement as we chatted with the nice folks as GMS on the phone. We are thrilled that we will be carrying the books, every color of their Cotton Comfort, and nine colors of Mountain Mohair. Wait until you see these gorgeous yarns and patterns! A popup of the Mountain Mohair can be viewed by clicking here

Green Mountain, which exhibits at the Sheep and Wool Festival each year, produces natural fiber yarns for knitting and weaving. Their colors are exquisite, the yarns possess a wonderful hand. We will keep you posted on arrival.

We love Sundays at WoolWinders because there is a constant parade of wonderful people. Since it has been so cold out, many folks have bundled up underneath hats. Greg May was kind enough to pose for us in this one, knit by his mom Stephanie: (Click for a bigger pic!)