WoolWinders is pleased to introduce SCARFABLES, the perfect solution for new (or not so new) scarf knitters! Thanks to Lynne Warren, who came up with the idea (and who is holding the sign introducing our new product) , we have gone through our bins and found fabulous bargains perfect for scarves. We found novelty yarns, handpainted beauties, and the softest of merinos. We have, in some cases, combined yarns (as in the second photo below) that you can knit together for a perfect accessory. Included in the Scarfable bag are yarn and three different patterns ranging from the simplest garter stitch scarf to a more advanced drop stitch beauty. And best of all, the cost is 35% off the orginal price!

Seeking a new quick project for the beach? A brand new knitter seeking to go beyond swatches? Need a lovely gift for a friend? Check out SCARFABLES!

Nothing warms our hearts more than when customers come in proudly showing off their latest projects. Today we were treated to three: First Kim (who will soon be working at WoolWinders during the week) in her gorgeous Juliet scarf!

Next, Liz displays her first ever shell, begun in the Knitting a Summer Shell class held a few weeks ago. Liz's pattern was custom designed for her using the Sweater Wizard program we have at the store, and was done from Mission Falls 1824 Cotton!

Finally, a rather shy Sandy modelled her Schaefer Yarns Laurel in colorway Shari Lewis. Isn't it fabulous? She knit a new Oat Couture pattern calle Bistro Shirt designed for new knitters!

Thanks to all who took the time to come in and show us their finished works. We are so proud of them, and they are proud of themselves as well!

Of course we knew this would happen; Walter has brought in one box a day and is saving the nine box deliveries for our vacation which begins August 9! Today he sheepishly left one small box, but oh! what a box! Two gorgeous colors (lilac and chautreuse) of Blue Sky Alpaca's sport weight yarn. We are working with this yarn now doing a lace sweater pattern from Sally Melville. It makes us yearn for cool weather so we can feel the alpaca softness against our skin!

Also in, the new Fall Vogue Knitting. Can we all say P-O-N-C-H-O?????

We have eagerly awaited receipt of the new colorways of Colinette's popular Absolutely Fabulous afghan kits and today they arrived! These are must-sees; colors that only Colinette could conjure. We asked our staff and they came up with these descriptions: Berryville (a soft creamy mauve collection), Carnivale (bright jeweled tones), Dry Leaves (autumn rustic tones), and Denim (speaks for itself). New features include a shawl pattern along with the afghan and crochet instructions for a scallop afghan! Also received, a gorgeous coral colourway of her Point Five yarn. We can't wait to do a loopy scarf from this yarn!

We are also fully stocked with necessary notions including fork pins (great for blocking) and lock ring markers. Whether you need yarn, patterns, or notions, we are ready to help you.

Wow! We are “back to school” with enthusiasm and gusto. Fall is our favorite time for teaching; so much is going on in the knitting world!

What is back? As always, we continue to hold classes for Absolute Beginners. Our instructors are patient, funny, and love introducing the craft of knitting to newcomers. And our Knitting Safari is back by popular demand. If you are just beyond a beginner, this is the class for you! Pick a project beyond your capacity (or we will help you do so) and work with a “guide” for four to six weeks, receiving help and tips every step of the way. This is one of our most popular classes, not only for the instruction, but also for the group dynamics. Also returning, Aran Knitting (learn to make those fabulous cable/bobble/stitch designs that grace Fisherman Knit sweaters), Socks (both on double point and circular needles), and our annual Holiday Gift sessions that conclude with our wild and wooly Last Minute Gift groups. You can take one or more of these sessions and learn to make popular holiday presents for friends, family, and your favorite person, YOU!

What’s NEW at WoolWinders? We are tremendously excited about some new offerings. Join Jessica in making gorgeous Fair Isle Christmas Stockings. Lisa Twomey will lead a class “Something Borrowed” teaching knitters how to incorporate existing designs into new sweater patterns. And many of our instructors will help out with Monday Methods; quick one hour sessions that instruct those often-asked questions such as “How Do I Pick Up Stitches” or “Why do I need to learn different increases and decreases?” Check out these fast and inexpensive sessions that will help you become a better knitter. We have jumped on the Poncho craze. Join Karen Richardson in making a Weekend Poncho (not limited to wearing on the weekends, just that you can knit this in LESS than a weekend!). Finally, we introduce an oft-requested class, Knitting for Baby. Join Jacqui in making the easiest baby blanket and booties around. Great for those expectant knitters (dads, too!) and those who have friends and family due!

Complete details are available by clicking on the "classes" tab at the top of the page. Or call us to find out how to enroll at WoolWinders University!

After a brief respite from boxes, we received two noteworthy deliveries today. We are now fully restocked with Schaefer's GORGEOUS Esperanza yarn, a bulky 3 to the inch handpainted beauty comprised of lambswool and alpaca. Come see the colorways we have in stock including the magnficent Indira Ghandi. This sold out in a week the last time we had it in,and if you swing by the store after Friday you will get to see Jacqui's Oregon Vest made from it!

We also are now stocked with the Frida Kahlo colorway of Schaefer's Laurel. This is the perfect yarn and color to usher in Autumn!

Also in, Fuego mohair in deep purple. Unlike most commercially produced mohair, this contains no nylon and felts beautifully. We carry Fuego in six colors!

We love the weekends at WoolWinders. People gather to show off their latest creations, chat, and knit. Even though it was a muggy weekend in July, we had a big crowd this past weekend, and thought we would share some of the snapshots with you!

Thanks to our staff members Karina and Tori, we are attracting a much younger crowd! We love hearing about the "high school hotties" that attract their attention, and love to see them progress as knitters!

And doesn't Sharessa look fabulous in her Billie Holliday (Laurel) shawl?

Sharon shared with us her beautiful summer sweater out of Classic Elite Newport

And Elizabeth, a brand new knitter, shows off her self fringing scarf from Tagliatelli. We are so proud of her accomplishment! And so is she.

In response to several customer requests, we now have in stock the Blue Sky Alpaca Bobbi Bear pattern. This adorable teddy bear requires 7 hanks of their bulky yarn and is a quick knit on size 17 needles. Bobbi stands a respectable 20" when knit. What a wonderful gift!

Also, please note that we are FILLED with poncho patterns for all levels of knitters and all weights of yarn! We even have a notebook of patterns which are FREE with the purchase of yarn. Come check out the selection.

Several customers have asked about upcoming classes. Our classes are scheduled according to the season, and as you can imagine, most of our summer classes are filled. However, we have space in three September classes that may satisfy your knitting needs.

First, we are fond of saying at WoolWinders that good finishing is the difference between your knitting looking handmade (yes!) and homemade (no!). Kathy Cea, one of our most gifted instructors, will share the basics of good finishing techniques on Wednesday September 1 and 8 from 6-8 PM. You do NOT have to bring a garment that needs to be finished; rather this is a technique class where you will learn seaming, button bands, picking up stitches etc. on swatches. This is a TERRIFIC, no stress way to learn the fundamentals of finishing. Cost? $65.00

Second, we are very excited about introducing customers to the wild world of Felting. Felting yarn is the process of knitting with 100% wool then "boiling" it in hot water and agitation. The result? A smaller, tighter object. It is very cool and a lot of fun. We will be making a market bag perfect for carrying knitting, gym clothes, or items from the farmer's market.

And the final class will be held at the instructor's house so that you can observe the actual felting technique in her washing machine! This class will be held Sunday 10-12 on September 12 and 19 with a final class for about one hour on September 26. Cost for the three sessions is $65.

Finally, by popular request, we are instituting short sessions to teach distinct knitting skills. If you have ever wanted to learn such things as Knitting in the Round, Short Rows, Cables, Three Needle Bind-off, etc., this is the class for you. Each Monday from 6-7 PM we will instruct one new technique, and send you on your way with a pattern illustrating that technque. Short on time? Monday Methods may be for you! We will hold these classes through October, when we will then switch to our popular Holiday Project classes. We have scheduled Knitting in the Round for August 30, Short Rows for September 13, and Using Double Pointed Needles for September 20. Cost is $15 per session.

To register for any of these classes, please call Jacqui at 240.632.9276. And our Fall schedule, beginning October 1, will be out in about two weeks.

Even though it is our day off, we sensed that some terrific stuff had arrived so checked in with Jessica. Sure enough, Walter the UPS Guy had brought a box from Unicorn books (and the lovely Amelia). We were particulary excited about the offerings, as two were among our most popular items that were out of stock: Stitch n Bitch and the 365 Stitches a Year Perpetual Calendar. In addition, we received two incredibly clever items: a pair of inexpensive books containing perfect handmade gift patterns for little ones-Knit Baby Blankets, and Knit Baby Heads and Toes. These are adorable!

We had been on the lookout for more than a year for a Knitting Kit for adults (somehow the Dale Learn to Knit Kit with its little cardboard house just didn't cut it for the over-10 crowd). We were thrilled to find Knit Knack Kit: Simple Instructions and Tools for 25 Terrific Knitting Projects. This would be the PERFECT back-to-school gift.

Finally, a reorder of the popular book Knitting with Novelty Yarns.This has fabulous patterns making use of the yarns you have come to embrace: hand-dyes, eyelash, carry alongs, ladders, etc. You will not believe the possibilities. And don't forget that we are expecting Prism, the mother of all novelty yarns, this fall.

And yet another box from Berroco: a wonderful jewel toned colorway of Jewel FX and matching offering from Optik. Combine these two for a fabulous scarf or poncho!

Berroco just keeps the hits comin'! Today we received a new color of Suede-a deep rich blue that just cries out for a poncho or even a cool skirt featured in their new fall pattern books.

In addition, we are fully stocked on the popular multi colored Plume eyelash yarn; this the curly variation in shades of blue/purple, plum/rust/green and black/white. We have a fabulous poncho pattern made from Chinchilla and Plume, free with the purchase of yarn!

We had a very special guest at the shop yesterday. Grandma Varda proves that it is never too early to introduce the craft of knitting to a young one. And doesn't Jade have excellent taste starting out with Debbie Bliss Merino DK and Lantern Moon needles?

Also showing terrific taste (and skills), Sharon shared with us her beautiful summer sweater out of Classic Elite Newport, and Michaelene made us yearn for Fall in her Colinette Zanziba.

We can see the floor again! Come see all our beautiful new yarns from Berroco,Skacel, and Debbie Bliss!

Berroco sent fabulous new colors of Suede including bright orange and hot pink (doesn't everyone deserve a hot pink poncho?) and some beautiful autumnal greens. In addition, we are fully stocked on the very popular Mosaic FX (half the yardage and price of Eros), and Plume FX for all the eyelash knitting you want to do. We also received their new fall books #227-230. For those summer knitters, we are fully stocked with the popular summer books 223-227 as well.

Lang yarns are distributed from Berroco-check out the very elegant Tonga, a ladder yarn in subtle tones; Tahoma, a gorgeous 3 to the inch alpaca blend; and Venezia, a blissfully soft mohair blend that can be worn directly to the skin!

And Debbie Bliss has done it again. Marietta, Lynn and Lisa were oohing and aahing over her Merino DK and Merino Chunky. Whether you want a lightweight project or one of more weight, these yarns will satisfy. We also received new colors of her popular Cashmerino Aran. Finally, we LOVED her Aran Tweed; a 4.5 stitch to the inch tweed with a bit of a kick.

We are tired but so excited about all our new offerings! As one of our customers exclaimed, "WOW! The store makes me want to knit!"

We are beginning to take this personally. Today we dashed to DC over the lunch hour to take Lew to lunch for his birthday only to learn from Jessica and Adrian (our new American Idols for their hard work this week) that Ted, the substitute UPS Guy has dropped off another three enormous boxes. This time, the goodies were from Skacel.

And what goodies they were! We had forgotten about the funky, fabulous, and fun novelties we ordered from them last Spring. We envision ponchos from Fiori Print, Shawls from Tropicana, and funky scarves from a very cool yarn called Sofa. (We think it is because it looks so cozy.) Also in, two fabulous accent yarns: Angora Shulana (100% angora, yummmmmm), and Boogie, a fur perfect for cuffs, necklines, and trims.

We also oohed and aahed over College, a merino/acrylic blend that knits at a quick 2.5 stitches to the inch. And Jolt lives up to its name; this fun and sparkly yarn will make fabulous scarves and sweaters with a bit of kick to them.

Just have a bit of sparkly fun with Karat, a carry along thread that will add glamour and glitz (but no weight or gauge change) to anything you knit. Last year we made a fabulous holiday sweater with something like this and got compliments every time we wore it.

We can't wait to work with Kalinka, a fun furry yarn that looks, literally delicious. One color way reminded us of Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia! We want a bit of whimsy in our wardrobe this fall and this will fit the bill.

And we continue to love Skacel's self patterning sock yarn. We are now stocked with the popular Disco Fortissma; a bit of sparkle on your feet as well!

Thanks to the incredible efforts of the fabulous WoolWinders staff, all of the Berroco is now shelved. The Skacel and Debbie Bliss should be out by the end of the weekend. We are, we confess, looking forward to a 2 day break from UPS, no matter how much we like Walter and Ted!

It figures that when we leave for a quick visit to the folks, Walter staggers in to the store with: The rest of our Fall order of Berroco/Lang, our entire show order of Colinette, and several boxes of Debbie Bliss yarn from Knitting Fever. But did this faze Adrian, Jessica and Jackie? Heck no. (well, yes, but they coped beautifully!). Upon my return, all the Colinette was tagged and ready to be shelved. Now it is all on shelves, on spin arounds, and in cubbies and looks JUST GORGEOUS! Colinette has some brilliant new colors and several new yarns including Enigma, a silky ribbon, and Silky Chic, a fabulous fun fur for scarves and trim. As always, their hand dyed color ways are magnificent! We ordered plenty of the ever popular Isis, Zanziba, Point Five, Giotto and Tagliatelli. Also in stock, the GORGEOUS Colinette kits for throws and ponchos. (And speaking of ponchos, guess what we saw in the window of every store we went into in Boca Raton, FL?)

We also bought all the new books from Colinette featuring these yarns: Circe Collection (works with Isis), Arty Facts, Wayfarer, La Bella Vita, Shimmer Five, and Silky Chic. Treat yourself to this very special yarn line for some very special projects!

Tomorrow we will tackle the Berroco and Lang and give a full report. And we should have the Debbie Bliss out by the weekend. Nothing like coming back to a store full of fabulous stuff.

Ted our substitute UPS Guy (not to be confused with Walter, our new UPS Guy) greeted us at the door today with two boxes filled with fabulous books!

First, the eagerly awaited second book by Corneila Tuttle Hamilton filled with designs using Noro yarns.

Her first book sold out twice here and we expect this one to fly out as quickly. Hamilton recognizes that the best patterns for NORO are the simple ones, as there is just a lot going on in the yarn. Check out her designs for scarves, sweaters, hats, and even a dog sweater!

Next, Unicorn Press sent us our montly auto-ship, which we love because of its element of surprise. Today we received two new Miss Bea books of children's patterns: Miss Bea's Seaside, and Miss Bea's Band.

If you are not familiar with the Miss Bea series, we guarantee you will fall in love with these wonderful children's books using Rowan yarns.

We also received Denim People, and anticipate stocking this unusual yarn next Spring. In the mean time, you can use these designs with any DK/light worsted yarn.

We were particularly excited to see Debbie Abrahams 25 Cushions to Knit. Many customers have requested more patterns for home projects-this book will fit the bill.

Finally, a wonderful technique book from Alison Jenkins: The Knitting Directory. We honestly believe that one cannot have too many knitting references; they are such helps in those wee hours of the morning when we hit snags!

We are off to see the folks tomorrow for a few days, so no blogs until Thursday. Our wonderful staff will be "minding the store." See you soon!

We confess. We are bag junkies. As you can see by Adrian, Jackie, and Karina, we ADORE getting in new knitting bags. These, designed by Susan Todd in Santa Fe, NM, are really special. We don't know if it is the retro, Judy Jetsonish designs, or the care with which they are lined and stitched, but we fell in LOVE with these at the TNNA show. We bought each design in three styles: a large market bag, a smaller project bag (OK, it will also fit your lunch!) and the lovely "ditty" bags that Jackie is using for earrings in the photo. We have already sold three of these, so come in SOON and see!

We were honored to welcome Debbie Stoller, author of Stitch n' Bitch, to WoolWinders today. Debbie talked about her love of knitting, her tribute to her grandmother who knit well past her 100th birthday, and her commitment as a feminist to "Take Back the Knit". As editor of Bust magazine, Debbie is dedicated to recognizing women in crafts and arts. Her book is a collection of patterns and stories from groups around the country.

Our wonderful customers turned out not only to have their books signed by Debbie but to pay tribute to her by showing off their projects from Stitch n Bitch. We got some great pictures! First, Debbie talking to the group

Then admiring the alien scarf, one of the most popular projects!

And how about the skeleton backpack? A great way to learn intarsia!

And Dora shows off the poncho that keeps her warm while she attends Cornell University in Ithaca, NY!

We were thrilled to meet Debbie; her visit made our regular Thursday night S n B group really special. Stay tuned for receipt of her new book due out in October, Stitch n Bitch Nation!

Walter the UPS Guy staggered in today under the weight of three enormous boxes (think houses for cats!) filled with Brown Sheep Yarn. We LOVE Brown Sheep for its practical uses, fabulous colors and lovely hands. We carry Lambs Pride in both worsted and, yes back by popular demand, bulky as well as the soft-as-a-dream Cotton Fleece. Lambs Pride is our favorite yarn for felting; the 15% mohair gives your projects an exotic look, and we just finished two sweaters in Cotton Fleece! Come see all our new colors. It is never too early to start your holiday felting projects.

Also in today, a new color of Berroco Hip Hop (black/white) as well as four new colors of Jewel FX, a terrific novelty yarn that adds a bit of glitz to scarves, shawls and dressy shells. And we are now fully stocked with Design Source patterns. Check out the ivory sweater hanging in our window. Called "Texture", we made it for our upcoming trip to Alaska and had more fun doing it. If you like stitch work, this is the pattern for you!

Reminder: Join us for a book signing tomorrow complete with wine, cheese, and Debbie Stoller, author of Stitch n' Bitch. She will be here from 4-5 PM.

Dad David sent us this picture of Hannah in her Cotton Glace finery knit by mom, Flo. Isn't she lovely?

And to all, a Happy Fourth of July! Stay safe; come see us on Monday; we are open 12-5!

Cheryl Schaefer's yarns simply knock us out! Her sense of color, her commitment to women's issues (note the names of her colorways), and her uncanny eye for fibers that belong together create extraordinary results. Laurel, her pima cotton, sold out in all colors not once, not twice, but three times this summer!

Today we received her fall/winter selections. Here is what we did: back in April we called and said, "Give us your three best selling yarns in the eight best selling colors." In other words, we put ourselves completely in her hands. The result? Esperanza, Anne, and Elaine now grace our store in indescribeable colors. We have already pilfered two skeins of Indira Ghandi to do Oat Couture's Oregon Vest.

Both Esperanza and Elaine are chunky knits, approximating 3-3/5 stitches per inch. Esperanza is a wool/alpaca blend, while Elaine is a wool boucle with an amazing texture. Anne is her popular fingering weight yarn, great for socks or baby clothes.

Though this weekend promises to be hot and muggy, we will be happily knitting our first Fall vest of the new season. Come and see the work in progress!!!

Also in, new patterns Effectiveness by Design. Ponchos for kids, throws for adults, children's sweaters and blankies, and sweaters for the grown ups. Fabulous designs with clearly written pattern instructions.

Remember we will be open Saturday and Monday regular hours, closed Sunday. A Happy Fourth to all!

PLEASE NOTE WOOLWINDERS HOLIDAY HOURS:

SATURDAY, JULY 3 10-5:30
SUNDAY, JULY 4 CLOSED
MONDAY, JULY 5 12-5

We were beside ourselves with excitement as the Kollage Yarns arrived today! The colors stopped us dead in our tracks at the TNNA show, and we think they will do the same to you!

We ordered Inspiration, Radiance and Splendor to start. All are mohair/viscose blends, all have 150 yards of hand-dyed elegance, and can be worked in gauges ranging from 4 to the inch on a size 8 to 2 to the inch on a size 15. They range in price from $40.99 to $54.99. We would guess that shawls and scarves made from these extraordinary yarns would cost triple in the stores!

Click on the thumbnails above to see the yarns in more detail. We love the color names: Inspiration brought us aqua rapids, chrome, dark safari, gemstone, kimono, purple petal, seagrass and vision. Radiance includes chalice, flower wood, garden, indigo, ripe currant, sungold, twilight dusk, and valley river. And come see the "splendor" colors of agave, antimony, black canyon, blue frost, blue jean, merlot, oasis green, and plum perfect.