Jimmy Beans Wool Blog

2022 Valentine's Day Gift Guide

Valentine's day is peaking around the corner! Have you found the perfect gift for your Valentine or Galentine yet?! Or maybe you need to give your partner a little nudge in the right direction for the gifts you actually are looking for. There is no need to fret, our Beans can help you play cupid this year for your yarn-obsessed Valentine!

1. Valentine's Day Bouquets

Who needs flowers that wilt in a week when you can have yarn!?! We have the perfect fiber florals to keep those project bags full! For this year's lineup, we have three delightful shawl bouquets to get on your needles: Float Bouquet, Fired Up Bouquet, and the Madelinetosh Dotted Rays Yarn Bouquet. Each bouquet includes the needles and pattern needed for the project! In addition to our bouquets, we also have the adorable Schmoopie Beanie Kit designed by Amanda Coffeen of Rosieposiedesignco. This kit includes the yarn needed for the beanie, a digital download for the pattern, two locking heart-shaped stitch markers, and a special treat! Want to leave a personal note? Please be sure to include it in the "extra comments" field upon checkout and we'll take care of the rest!

Above from left to right:

Fired Up Bouquet

Dotted Rays Bouquet

Float Bouquet

Schmoopie Beanie Kit

2. della Q Oh Snap - Love Letters

Love letters are such a tender and sweet way to display your affection for someone! That is why we created the Love Letters della Q Oh Snap collection. This design is an ode to our love for fiber arts! The mesh della Q Oh Snaps easily allow you to see your project without having to go through the trouble of digging through multiple bags. The snap button openings prevent snags while working on projects and make colorwork easier by threading your yarn between the snaps, perfect for your favorite knitter or crocheter!

3. Our Maker Life

Has your maker been looking for inspiration lately? The Our Maker Life knitting and crochet book is filled with wonderful photos and patterns sure to encourage them to try out a new project. This book offers, firsthand, the joy and fun of creating work by hand and inspiration to embrace creativity for a better everyday life!

4. Lantern Moon Ebony Interchangeable Needles Set

Lantern Moon is back! Your favorite maker deserves the best, and a Lantern Moon Ebony Interchangeable Needles Set is the perfect gift to treat them to this Valentine's Day! Each set contains Lantern Moon's signature Ebony needles with 24k plated brass connectors and a liquid silk finish, lovingly packaged in an embroidered silk case. Each set also includes both swivel and fixed cords, as well as four wooden end caps, two tightening tools, and five colorful tassel stitch markers.

5. Jimmy Beans Wool 2022 Malabrigo Shawl Club Subscription

Give the gift that keeps on giving! With an option for knitters AND crocheters, a subscription to our 2022 Malabrigo Shawl Club will make your yarn lover's heart soar. This year they can curl up with a swingy and soft new shawl with the familiar squish of Malabrigo Sock yarn. The subscription includes a beautiful knit design by Afifa Sayeed or a lovely crochet design by Meghan Ballmer, monthly stitch markers from KT and the Squid, and a special surprise each quarter!

6. della Q Maker's Canvas Tote

Is your Valentine always bringing their projects with them everywhere they go? The della Q Maker's Canvas Tote can carry it all! Suitable for knitters and crocheters, this tote can fit all their yarn, needles, hooks, bits, bobbles, patterns, and so much more! The elegant, wispy, cloudlike scarring of the genuine leather accents and waxed canvas make each tote unique. Taking projects on the go has never been more convenient and stylish!

7. Reno Rafter 7 Trellis Shawlette Kit

Are you or your valentine looking for a smaller project? The Trellis Shawlette Kit is a fast, one-skein project designed by Julee Mackessy. Knit with our recently launched Reno Rafter 7 yarn, this shawlette is sure to keep you warm and cozy this winter! Made with wool from Rafter 7 sheep raised by the University of Nevada, Reno; spun into yarn by Mountain Meadow Wool; dyed by hand at Madelintosh; and for sale exclusively at Jimmy Beans Wool! Reno Rafter 7 is special to us because it is our first-ever truly American-made yarn! Any of the soft, muted tones in this collection are a great pick for this project.

8. Floral Stitch Markers

Not sure what flowers your valentine will enjoy? Give them an array of florals with these Jimmy Beans Wool custom-designed floral stitch markers. Featuring blooms like Iris, Daffodil, Mexican Primrose, and Sunflower, these pretty markers are sure to brighten any project! This simple gift will surely impress your yarn lover because as any fiber artist knows, they can never have enough stitch markers!

9. della Q DPN + Circular Case

Sometimes the gift of organization is all your favorite creative needs! The della Q DPN + Circular Case features a quad-fold design to securely hold one complete set of DPNs (Double Point Needles) and multiple pairs of circular needles. With labeled pockets, this case is sure to please and help your maker stay organized on the go! This needle case comes in a variety of adorable patterns and fabrics that will suit any personal style.

10. Jimmy Beans Wool Beginner Ribbed Scarf Kit

Has your partner expressed interest in joining you in your knitting hobby? If you are looking for a beginner project they can start on, try our Beginner Ribbed Scarf Kit! With this project they can ease into the rhythm of knitting with a scarf they will actually wear. This kit will come with everything your beginner knitter needs to create this fun wrap-around scarf! Including Smartstix needles, a printed pattern, a darning needle, and a della Q Oh Snap bag, this kit will get them excited to start learning.

11. Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light Bare Bundles

Can you ever have enough Tosh? Never! These TML Bare Bundles come in four options and consist of three skeins of 2021's most popular colors! This delightful fingering weight yarn is a blend of Superwash and Non-Superwash wool. This yarn's natural textured feel grips hooks and needles but still feels super soft to the touch! This is a limited edition and exclusive base from MadTosh, it's only making its appearance this one time. These hues sure won't disappoint!

12. Jimmy Beans Wool 2022 Accessory Club Subscription

Help your valentine accessorize in style this year! Our 2022 Accessory Club surprises our subscribers with a new pattern and yarn each month. This is the PERFECT club to satisfy their craving for smaller projects! Each month they will receive a digital upload of one knit and one crochet pattern, the yarn needed to complete the project, and a fun notion! Hooks and needles are not included. Yarn companies, yarn weights, and projects will vary from month to month to keep things fun and interesting!

13. Malabrigo Tula Beanie Kit

Create a work of art with one skein of the bold and bright Malabrigo Rasta! This textured and easy-to-work pattern includes a video along with written instructions. This colorful, thick, chunky weight yarn feels light and works up quickly. The Tula Beanie will make a great gift for your Valentine to make or for you to make for them!

14. Jimmy Beans Wool Gift Certificate

Does your maker already have everything they need? Sometimes the most exciting gift you can give is a Gift Certificate so your yarn lover can pick exactly what they want this Valentine's Day! They can be used on our website, in our store, or even over the phone. Your gift certificate will be emailed to you within 24 hours, however, if you would like a physical copy sent to either you or the recipient, please let us know in the extra notes section of your order.

Introducing...Reno Rafter 7!

by : Jimmy Beans Wool 1:42 PM

It's been about a year in the making which makes this announcement that much sweeter - please help us welcome our very own line of yarn, Reno Rafter 7!!

Rafter 7 sheep, the namesake of our new yarn, are raised right here in Nevada - less than 250 miles from us here in Reno! The breed was developed in 1990 by our local University of Nevada, Reno’s College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources department and are raised and bred in Eureka, NV. Rafter 7 sheep are well adapted to the harsh Great Basin environment and produce some of the finest wool in the nation!

Once the sheep are shorn, their wool goes from Nevada to Wyoming to be spun and hanked at Mountain Meadow Wool, then off to Texas to be hand-dyed at our sister company, Madelinetosh. From Texas, it comes right back to us to sell to you in Reno, NV - a truly local, American-made yarn!

To really showcase our Nevada-based yarn, we appropriately selected 7 local designers to create a winter collection full of soft, muted tones, in the most gorgeous of garments!

Quinn's Quilt by MarinjaKnits

“Quinn’s Quilt” takes its name from the Quinn Canyon Range on the Eastern side of the state, north of Las Vegas and south of Ely. While Marin doesn't live in Nevada, she feels fortunate to have family in Reno that she visits often. "I definitely have a special place in my heart for Nevada and its wilderness. I love the color pallet of Rural Western Nevada, it is well reflected in the colors of this new yarn line."

The inspiration of the quilt grew from thinking about old west themes, especially woven blankets and rugs; and the elements in those designs. It morphed into the design you see based on a traditional quilt star or starburst pattern.

Genoa Canyon Cowl by Connie Peng

Longtime Nevada resident, Connie Peng, originally moved to the Lake Tahoe area for a season of snowboarding but ended up making the state home for over 19 years because of the mountains and the good life of Nevada. "The air here is clean and crisp, the space is open. Over the years I've loved seeing rainbows over the high desert and the reflection of the moon on the alpine lake on my commute from Lake Tahoe to Carson Valley for work. The colors are ever-changing over the high desert, and I love how the muted palette of Reno Rafter 7 yarn reflects that."

The Genoa Canyon Cowl took inspiration from the mountains of Western Nevada and the reflections of them onto various bodies of water around the region including Lake Tahoe, Washoe Lake, and Pyramid Lake, all sacred places for the Washoe and Paiute tribes.

Cactus Bloom and Rattlesnake Trail Sweaters by Amy Gunderson

Amy Gunderson is a relatively new Nevadan, having relocated here in 2019 for her job at Jimmy Beans Wool. Originally from Iowa, she will never get enough of seeing the majestic mountains that surround Reno - a far cry from the flatlands of the Midwest! She's lived on the east coast, in the south, and for the first time found herself on the west coast. She immediately felt a connection with Reno when she moved here, and can't imagine living anywhere else.

While the snow Sierra Nevada mountains flank the west side of Reno, it was the other desert-like landscapes and colors that inspired Amy Gunderson's sweaters for the Reno Rafter 7 collection. "At a glance, the colors here are perhaps a little boring, brown, and dry, but there is beauty and nuance in these shades. The sage greens have depth and variation. And just as in my Cactus Bloom sweater, there are pops of color to cheer things up."

Aspen Grove Tam & Mittens by Justine Chenel

Justine Chenel is a knitwear designer based in Nevada City in the Sierra Nevada foothills of California. Originally from New Orleans, Justine has spent most of her life in Northern California and has developed a deep appreciation for the natural world, especially the Sierra Nevada, where she draws her knitting inspiration from. Growing up, many of her summers were split between exploring the swamps of Louisiana, and road trips to Lake Tahoe and Carson Valley.

"For the Aspen Grove Tam and Knit set, I took inspiration from the glorious green groves of aspen trees that transform their leaves every autumn, turning the eastern Sierra Nevada and high desert of Nevada a stunning gold." This classic, yet modern, set features a cabled detail reminiscent of aspen leaves across a soft purl background and knits up beautifully in the squishy and wooly Reno Rafter 7 yarn.

Dancing Flames Hat by Natalya

For this design, Natalya was inspired by the beauty of Nevada, including the peace and quietness that can be found wandering outdoors in this state. "I have so many lifetime memories of the times I have spent in Lake Tahoe and Virginia City with wonderful people hiking and having campfire gatherings!"

Originally from Europe, she now resides in the Las Vegas area. Natalya is still finds awe of how absolutely incredible the mountains, desert landscapes, Joshua Trees, and historic towns in Nevada are.

Fireside Sweater and Trellis Cowl by Julee Mackessy

Julee Mackessy is an occupational therapist in Reno, where she works with children to strengthen their fine motor skills. She learned to crochet in grade school from a friend's grandmother and got into knitting several years later. In graduate school her love of knitting solidified, becoming her primary way of channeling stress and anxiety.

"I love getting to see my designs knit and worn by others - the colorway choices, the drape of the chosen fiber, and ease preferences of each knitter combine to suit their body types in different and unique ways. It's another thrill to see on social media or hear firsthand how much joy a knitter found in working through one of her designs."

Slalom Mitts and Crooked River Wrap by Romi Hill

Romi Hill and her family relocated to northern Nevada (Washoe territory) for the wide-open spaces and beautiful clear air from her home in the Walker River watershed.

She took her love for watching the seasons change and incorporated it into the designs she made for this collection. "In the autumn, the river traces a meandering pattern of golden sunlit foliage and deep indigo shadow across the vast high desert landscape and that is what influenced the Crooked River Wrap. For the Slalom Mitts, I took inspiration from the mountains in the winter, when skis and snowboards trace curving paths down the snowy slopes."

To recreate these stunning patterns created by these designers, you can shop the Reno Rafter 7 kits on our site!