Happiness is a new pair of handknitted socks on a cold January evening.  All too often I get asked the question from newbie sock knitters whether or not they can knit a pair of socks on a yarn weight other than fingering/sock weight. the answer is a resounding, "YES!" I knitted this pair of EESTI TRAIL HIKING SOCKS by Nancy Bush from the book FAVORITE SOCKS from Interweave (p. 97) for my son and I used MALABRIGO WORSTED--a soft worsted weight yarn and size US #4 needles. Not only do they take less time (despite the large feet they were made to fit!), but they make wonderful boot socks for outdoor activities or comfy house socks to keep your toes toasty on cold winter nights! Our next INTRO. TO SOCKS CLASS is being offered on SATURDAYS, MARCH 2, 9, & 16th from 12-2 PM and registration is still open. Join the crowd and knit yourself and your loved ones up some happiness at Woolwinders, your neighborhood yarn shop!  

Don't forget--tonight is the second night of our DOWNTON ABBEY KNITALONG (KAL)! Tonight we'll all be knitting along on the second section of our DOWNTON ABBEY SAMPLER SCARF: LORD GRANTHAM. If you haven't already joined us, it's not too late to follow along on our RAVELRY GROUP PAGE at http://ravelry.com/groups/woolwinders-yarn-shop. Happy knitting tonight, everyone!  

These classes are filling up so quickly we can't fit everyone! SO we're offering them AGAIN! Beginning today, we've opened up registration for another INTRODUCTION TO SOCKS class on Saturdays, MARCH 2, 9 & 16th from 12-2 PM. Once you've knit your first sock, you'll be hooked! We've also opened up registration for another MODULAR SCARF class on Sunday, FEBRUARY 3rd from 1-4 PM (you'll be home in plenty of time for the Superbowl!). Warning: modular knitting can be addictive--plan on making more than one of these beautiful scarves! AND Don't forget about our next installment of our DOWNTOWN ABBEY KAL this Sunday night! Follow along and knit along with us with the next section of our DOWNTON ABBEY SAMPLER SCARF on our WOOLWINDERS RAVELRY GROUP PAGE at http://www.ravelry.com/groups/woolwinders-yarn-shop. Happy all-SORTS-of-knitting, friends!

What better way to kick off the weekend than with visiting Woolwinders and choosing yarns for a new winter project from out HUGE new shipment of CASCADE YARNS and the new Spring/Summer 2013 issue of DEBBIE BLISS MAGAZINE?! On our shelves tomorrow: NEW COLORS and tried-and-true customer favorites alike of BABY ALPACA CHUNKY and CHUNKY PAINTS, 220 SUPERWASH and SUPERWASH PAINTS, CHERUB ARAN, and new customer fave MAGNUM PAINTS! The perfect yarns for afghans, children items, and quick-knit accessories. Ride the "wave of color" this weekend at Woolwinders, your neighborhood yarn shop!

Our FEBRUARY CLASSES are filling up quickly! Check out the list below and REGISTER TODAY either online, or by calling or visiting the shop at 240-632-9276. ALSO, it's not too late to join our DOWNTON ABBEY KNITALONG on our RAVELRY GROUP PAGE and join over 400+ Downton Abbey knitters! Go to http:/www.ravelry.com/groups/woolwinders-yarn-shop and join the FUN at Woolwinders, your neighborhood yarn shop!  MODULAR SCARF (second offering!): Sunday, February 3rd from 1-4 PM; WHIPPED SCARF: Sundays, February 3 & 24 from 4-6 PM; BEGINNING KNITTING: Sundays, Febuary 3 & 10 from 10-12 PM;  BEGINNING CROCHET: Saturdays, February 9 & 23 from 2-4 PM; MONDAY NIGHT KNITALONG: YARN BOMBING! Mondays, February 4 & 11 from 6-8 PM SHORT ROW SHOULDER SHAPING: Saturday, February 23 from 12-3 PM    

Looking for the perfect sweater for a winter's afternoon walking the dog or lounging in front of the fire? Look no further! Here's the KENNEDY SWEATER by Anniken Allis from KNITSCENE MAGAZINE SPECIAL ISSUE FALL 2012. Knitted with MADELINETOSH TOSH DK yarn, the classically beautiful cablework will look equally as stunning with any worsted weight yarn. And the KENNEDY SWEATER pattern puts a new spin on the classic cable sweater by knitting the entire sweater in the round, making it faster and easier to knit than ever! We did change the neckline since the mock turtleneck  tends to look better on some of us more youth-challenged ladies (lol!) but all in all, this is a great, favorite sweater in the making that you will wear lovingly year after year!

Holy cow! Thank you to all the WONDERFUL people from around the WORLD who have joined us at Woolwinders Yarn Shop for our DOWNTON ABBEY KNITALONG! Last night was the first night and the first section of our mystery scarf featured THOMAS, using a navy blue yarn. It is so thrilling to be sharing this project with so many of you! If you haven't joined already and are interested in knitting along with us on Sunday evenings and would like copies of the weekly patterns, please refer to our thread on our WOOLWINDERS YARN SHOP RAVELRY  GROUP at http://www.ravelry.com/groups/woolwinders-yarn-shop or stop in to our store in Rockville, MD. The email list is now full and we are not accepting any more email requests for patterns. Happy Downton Knitting Everyone!  

Calling all fans of Downton Abbey! Our Woolwinders DOWNTON ABBEY KNITALONG begins TOMORROW! To kick off the new season, we've come up with a sampler scarf pattern for you to knit while you watch the show! Each week we will feature a different yarn and a different pattern for one of the major characters.  At the end of the season you will have your own DOWNTON ABBEY SCARF. There are TWO easy ways for you to knit along with us: 1) Follow our RAVELRY GROUP THREAD on our WOOLWINDERS RAVELRY GROUP PAGE (just follow, "Hank," our little red sheep); or 2) sign up to receive your weekly pattern by sending your email to rrwaffle@comcast.net. Bust your stash or go in "halfsies" and split a skein of our Downton Abbey colors with a friend:) You will need size US #6 needles (we're going for an appoximate gauge of 5 sts = 1") and approximately 100 yards of each of the following yarns: CASCADE 220 SUPERWASH SPORT in colors 854, 1910, 819, 855, 1946, 878, 1913; MANOS SILK DK in colors 3120 and 3303; ROWAN FELTED TWEED ARAN in color 721, CLASSIC ELITE PORTLAND TWEED in color 5039; CASCADE 220 SUPERWASH in color 1912. Be ready tomorrow night when we kick off our first scarf section with "THOMAS" using Cascade 220 Superwash Sport in #854 navy at Woolwinders, your neighborhood yarn shop!

BRRR! Baby, it's cold outside! And that's GREAT! That means we get to knit and wear wonderful scarves, cowls, hats, mittens, and shawls to keep us and our loved ones warm. Today, the lovely MARY JO SMITH stopped in to show us her completed FEZA ALP PREMIERE SCARF. What a beauty!  The colors and textures are so vibrant and fun they brighten up any winter's day. Thanks for sharing, Mary Jo:) Coming very soon to Woolwinders: a huge order of CASCADE YARNS including more BABY ALPACA CHUNKY and CHUNKY PAINTS, MAGNUM PAINTS, CHERUB ARAN, 220 SUPERWASH and 220 PAINTS! Great for those scarves, cowls, hats, mittens, and shawls but let's not forget perfect for sweaters and afghans as well!

We received in a mini shipment of the supersoft, superbulky, super lovely MALABRIGO RASTA yarn and have already put it on the shelves! Only 25 skeins in 8 different colorways! Our next large MALABRIGO YARN order including, RASTA, RIOS, and SOCK yarn won't arrive for a few more weeks but in the meantime, we managed to get a RASTA-FIX for you until then! Beginning knitter JULIANA GARABEDIAN got her RASTA-FIX and knitted this beautiful garter stitch scarf to ward off the cold in style this winter! What will you make with YOUR RASTA-FIX?