This weekend marks the first one in May and we have two exciting programs for you. First, our SATURDAY KNITALONG begins with the amazingly fun DIAGONAL TRIANGLE TANK (short sleeves optional). Check out the model we have hanging in the window. If you have been curious about MODULAR KNITTING and are in need of a flattering tank for summer months, you will love this program. We meet each SATURDAY from 2-4 PM and work on the project together. You get friendship, help, snacks, and wine (!) absolutely FREE OF CHARGE.

And on SUNDAY from 2-4 PM we will be working on BABY BOOTIES that actually stay on the baby’s feet! We know because we’ve tested them. You will need one skein of SOCK WEIGHT yarn (actually, you will probably get two pairs from one skein) and size 3 needles. Again, the program is free of charge. To sign up for either of these programs, just call the shop at 240.632.9276

Please note that neither of these programs is a substitute for beginning knitting lessons, though. We do expect participants to have basic skills such as casting on, knitting, purling, binding off, and pattern reading. If you don’t, consider signing up for ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS in May or June, or taking a private lesson. Just call the shop to schedule one!

And we are fully restocked with CASCADE SIERRA, a wonderful spring/summer machine wash/dry yarn in a glorious color range, as well as the NONI BAG patterns.

Our Spring Sale, which includes THE ENTIRE STORE at 15-50% OFF ends TODAY at 5 PM (by 5:15 we hope to have our feet up, some wine in our hand, and two aleve in our aching body!). It has been going GANGBUSTERS and we are delighted to cross off yarns that have completely sold out. Spring is a short knitting season in the mid-Atlantic, and when some yarns are gone, they are…just gone. Why? Because believe it or not, we have already met with our major rep from ROWAN (which included NASHUA and RYC) for FALL YARNS!!!! Yes, even yarn has seasonal purchasing. So come check out the sale today for the best of bargains. By next week, we will be taking orders for CASCADE 220 from the 12 lucky participants in NORA BELLOWS’ NONI BAG program in June).

And to all who made this weekend so fabulous, our sincerest thanks. Our customers rock. Especially the ones who attend our weekend programs and work cheerfully through the chaos of our sale. We love you all.

Interested in participating in upcoming KNITALONGS or SUNDAYS IN THE SALON???? Take advantage of the sale! Everything in the store is at least 15% off, and lucky sale-seekers have been scarfing up some real bargains (like SUBLIME CASHMERE SILK BLEND) at 50% off!!! If you’ve wanted to work with pure silk, now is your chance to make the DIAGONAL TRIANGLE SHELL next month at a great price. We’ll teach you MODULAR KNITTING while you’re sitting at the table exclaiming over your savvy savings! (and the pattern is free!)

Looking for a nifty FATHER’S DAY GIFT? Join us SUNDAY from 2-4 to knit a LINEN STITCH TIE. It’s pretty fabulous. Lew loved his until our littlest cat got to it and chewed the back edge (note: cats love MERINO. ). You can make it with any sport weight yarn; we used just ONE SKEIN OF KOIGU, which is, you guessed it, 15% OFF!!! Just give us a call if you want to join us at the big table on Sunday. The program is free and includes wine, snacks, and camaraderie.

15-50% Off All Yarns!

And to cap it off? Everything else in the store is 15% off! That includes Needles, Knitting Bags, Notions, and Books! It does NOT include the staff or furniture!

No special orders taken. All sales final. Absoutely no returns or exchanges can be made at these prices. Classes and lessons excluded from discounts. Sale prices limited to existing inventory - no rain checks, special orders, or drop ships.No frequent buyer points awarded for sale purchases. Sale prices cannot be combined with any other discount including frequent buyer card and birthday!

Whether you need a gift for your mother, stepmother, grandmother, mother-to-be, or earth mother, we have the perfect solution-a hand sewn knitting bag from BUTTERMILK ROAD DESIGNS. We ran out of these a few weeks ago for the THIRD time, and just received EIGHT MORE. These are works of art, with strong construction, long straps, and vibrant fabrics. And if you’re the mom in question, treat yourself!

OK, we have had a set of DENISE INTERCHANGEABLE NEEDLES in the Lost and Found for over a year now. One size is missing. Identify it and the set is yours!! If no one steps up to the plate by next week, HEATHER is going to give them a good home.

The JOJOLAND yarn has arrived and it’s pretty spectacular in hand, color, and price. How great? How about 800 yards of laceweight yarn for $8.99? Not a typo folks. Ready to try laceweight knitting but don’t want to overcommit? This is the perfect way to start. We have lots of lovely lace patterns that are suitable for a shawl or scarf. And if you love the colors but don’t love the thread-like weight, hold the yarn double and knit a sportweight pattern. Still inexpensive and your project will fly off your needles!!! And for you socknitters, we also have JOJOLAND MELODY in stock; superwash merino sock yarn. Same great color, price, and hand AND machine washable!

And for those of you needing an update, JACOB CAME IN SECOND in the POETRY SLAM. He was great. And in true Jacob fashion, mentioned how terrific everyone else was as he accepted his prize.

We began the adorable, wearable BAMBOO SHRUG last weekend, and everyone fell in love with it. So much so that we are taking orders for additional ROWAN BAMBOO yarn. If you want to get in on the project and don’t mind sitting on the couch (or at the “kid’s table” we can set up on the other side of the store!) come join us this Sunday as the project continues. It is super easy and fast so we don’t mind giving the instructions again. You will need five balls of BAMBOO (we have four colors left) or a similar weight yarn (consider doing it in two skeins of the gorgeous MOUNTAIN COLORS MERINO TAPE for a fall/winter shrug) plus size 11 circular needles. Just give us a call if you want to join in the free fun!!! 2-4 on Sunday.

First off, just in time for MOTHER’S DAY, we are now stocked with the ultimate gift: A SWIFT and WINDER combination. These tools make knitting a pleasure—no more draping hanks of yarn around chairs, doorknobs, knees or necks! Perfect for your mom (or send your kids in if you’re the guest of honor on this special day!). They’re also great for all that lovely hand-dyed yarn you will find irresistible at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival in May. NONE of it comes in pull skeins! (Yeah, we know you’re going. We know you’ll cheat on us. We’ve come to terms with it. We’ll even help you find patterns for the yarn you buy which you will, pardon the pun, sheepishly bring to our shop after the festival….)

Also in a timely fashion, two new colors of lovely ART YARNS SILK for next month’s KNIT ALONG—THE DIAGONAL TRIANGLE TANK. Learn modular knitting while creating a flattering tank (with short sleeves if you like) for the upcoming warm months. The program runs on every SATURDAY in May from 2-4 PM. It’s free of charge and you don’t have to commit to every week. Just try to come on the first or second to learn the technique. Other than that, the KAL is about camaraderie and fun. And wine.

Finally, please note that we are CLOSING EARLY TOMORROW, FRIDAY APRIL 18TH AT 5:00 PM. Why? Because we firmly believe in the truth that as you progress through life you never wish you had spent more time at work, but rather more time with loved ones and friends. Toward that end, we are going to see the fabulous JACOB, whom many of you know through his summer employment at the shop, in his second POETRY SLAM at Blair High. Go JACOB!!!!

Our lovely finisher had emergency surgery last weekend, and we are pleased to report that all went well and she is resting comfortably at home. She will be out of comission for about two weeks and then will resume performing the miracles that she does on your knitted projects. We appreciate your patience. Since most of the things that have been brought in over the past week are wooly winter things, we are going to wait until Marina has recovered to bring them to her. If anyone has a finishing emergency, let us know. We have a few staff members who are willing to step in, or at the very least you can take a private finishing lesson that will enable you to do the work on your own!

It’s not too early to sign up for the MAY KNITALONG: DIAGONAL TRIANGLE TANK. We love this top—we call it the MAGICAL TANK because it looks good on EVERYONE!!! The top may be done in ARTYARNS SILK and we have plenty of lovely colors in stock; we have some other options but please check with us because this project does require making both stitch and row gauge. We will have the original pattern for you complimentary with the purchase of yarn. This is a wonderful way to learn MODULAR KNITTING and the perfect project for those people who don’t like to purl—there is very little purling in the whole garment. The program will run each SATURDAY in MAY from 2-4 PM and is free of charge; just give us a call to let us know you want a seat at the table!

It’s a beautiful spring day and our thoughts turn to…..SHRUGS. We have always had mixed feelings about these; we believe that most are best suited for, how shall we say this politely, the young and small among us. But we found a pattern that looks GREAT on normal women!!! Trust us. We tried it on. We are neither small nor young. A picture just won’t do this bamboo beauty justice; come in and try it on. It is the perfect cover up for a dress or tank and will add drapey beauty to any outfit. We will be making this SHRUG in the NEXT TWO SUNDAYS IN THE SALON from 2-4 PM. The program is free of charge with the purchase of six skeins of ROWAN BAMBOO (or suitable substitute) , You will also need size 11 or 13 needles. Just give us a call at 240.632.9276 to sign up.

One of the reasons we love our customers is that they often turn us onto yarns we have yet to discover. Thanks to MARY in our TUESDAY SAFARI, we will be putting in an opening order to JOJOLAND YARNS. We invite our customers to check out their website at www.jojoland.com. Let us know if there is anything that strikes your fancy, particularly within their lovely superwash MELODY fingering weight yarn and their HARMONY variegated lace. We find their colorways unusual and we think you will as well. Send us an email at jacqui@woolwinders.com with your requests; we will let you know if we can include them in our order this week. If not, don’t despair. We will be meeting with them at the TNNA show in June will be ordering more then!

Need an idea for a quick toddler knit? Like a discount? We’ve cleaned our cubbies of SINGLE SKEINS of the beautiful SCHAEFER YARN NANCY (worsted weight) and ELAINE (bulky weight) yarns. Think about knitting a HAIKU sweater out of just this one skein. How do we know it works? Because we made FOUR for holiday gifts!!!! What a lovely idea. And think what a jump you will have on those holiday projects in the fall!

We received the rest of the SPRING COLLECTION from NONI BAGS today, including the incredibly beautiful TULIP TOTE shown below. Come and get ‘em!

ROAlso in, new colors of the very popular DALE OF NORWAY SVALE and ROWAN CALMER. We have finished one Vermont Fiber Designs summer shell in the SVALE and are now deeply into our new obsession of short sleeved tops. Want to join us?

We are starting a new month and we are so excited about that prospect that we are not going to wait until mid-week to describe our upcoming weekend events. We are starting our LACE BLANKET SQUARES on Saturday; that KAL will go through the month and will give participants an opportunity to learn 12 different lace patterns. We have all the samples knit up and can assure you that they are fun and easy.

And continuing with our lace obsession (we promise it will end soon!), we invite you to join us on SUNDAY for our REVERSIBLE LACE SHAWL. You’ve learned reversible cables, now learn a super-easy two row/9 stitch repeat that will create a gorgeous lace shawl that is completely reversible. Though our sample is knit in KOIGU we will also teach you how to use virtually any yarn for this project. And best of all, thanks to our wonderfully creative customer GALE, we will also show you how to turn this shawl into a shrug (which we should have done since we are the clumsiest shawl wearer in the western world….). As always, the program is FREE OF CHARGE and will run from 2-4 PM on Sunday. Just give the shop a call at 240.632.9276 to sign up so everyone has a place to sit.