Plenty of new thing just keep on rollin' through our doors -I can hardly keep up! This week we've got everything from the latest in novelty knitting to a glimpse at the styles to come in 2011!

How big a glimpse, you ask? Well, between Norah Gaughan's pattern booklet Volume 8 and the latest issue of Vogue Knitting Magazine, I'd say a fairly large glimpse :) I am always in awe of Norah's simple yet intricate geometric designs, and her latest collection is particularly stunning. Lacy, open stitch patterns are a common motif in Vol. 8, creating wistful, artistic garments knit in lightweight cotton and linen blends. The airy nature of this collection is picture perfect in pastels and features the purely divine Pure Pima and summery soft Linsey. Linsey is one of Berroco's new yarns this year and will be available on our website soon! I wish I could give you some tantalizing tidbits regarding Linsey, but I have yet to see it for myself.

The Winter 2010/11 issue of Vogue Knitting, however, is no mystery! Page after page of hip, urban designs and classic, form-fitting styles, this Vogue has something for every wintry activity! Over-sized cabled scarves such as the Blue Sky Alpaca Worsted Hand Dyes Scarf for those long weekends on the slopes and the asymmetrical Draped Cardigan for staying warm at the office without putting a crimp in your savvy fashion-sense are just a few of the fabulous patterns in this issue as well as an enticing preview of the trends ahead!

If you prefer the simplicity of everyday styles to high-fashion runway knits, consider some of the free patterns available from the Stitch Nation website. Founded by Debbie Stoller, author of the famed Stitch 'N Bitch series, Stitch Nation features a stellar line of affordable, all natural yarns as well as a continually growing collection of excellent free patterns for a wide range of ability levels. Recently posted is one of my favorites, the Beloved Shawl, available as a kit on our website! This classic shawl is knit in silky soft Bamboo Ewe, a worsted weight blend of bamboo and wool. The leaf-like lace pattern and a delicate swallow-tailed edge gains a fresh modern look from the luscious, vibrant hues of Bamboo Ewe.

Looking for something a little more... unique? Try knitting with Flounce! Much like Trendsetter's Flamenco, this new novelty yarn from Katia has an open, net-like construction that can be transformed into bouncy flouncy ruffles by knitting along one edge.  The self-striping colorways of Flounce add extra flare to the texture and depth of this particular fiber, making it perfect for scarves, accessories, accents and more! For a super easy yet striking neck warmer, use 2 balls of Flounce for the Flounce Scarf! Available as a kit, this scarf knits up in no time on size US 11 needles and the pattern, which includes detailed pictures describing how to knit with this yarn, is free on the KFI website!

Have a splendiferous week and happy knitting and crocheting!
Leanne