Simmer Dim

Another day, another shipment of new yarn, patterns and/or accessories received. This past week has been quite exciting with new yarn up the wazoo and a bazillion new-to-us patterns! That's right, a bazillion. We've just added Ysolda Teague, The Shetland Trader, Stephen West and Winged Knits to our already extensive pattern library. Being the one who enters all of these tantalizing designs into our system, I am now suffering from an acute case of "I MUST KNIT THIS NOW!" No joke, I am so overwhelmed with possibilities I am nearly paralyzed trying to decide what to knit next. The Shetland Trader Simmer Dim shawl? I do so love shawls, and this one would look great in the subtly variegated solids of Araucania Itata (now on sale!) or my favorite color of Tosh Merino Light, Bungalow.

Bethany's future cardi!

But then there is the Goodale cardi from Cecily Glowick MacDonald of Winged Knits. Bethany is trying to get me to knit this one for her, and I'm inclined to oblige, it looks like so much fun! A sweet little number with a wide, open neck and short sleeves, this simple sweater features unique yet functional pockets created by folding the front edges back. The pattern suggests Madalinetosh Pashmina, but would also look stunning in Shepherd Sport (perhaps in the March Limited Edition Color, Symphony?), or Cascade 220 Sport which is both super soft and affordable!
Of course I can't ignore Ysolda and her Damson shawl or Veyla Mitts... not to mention her book, Whimsical Little Knits! All of her gorgeous designs have that special combination of trendy fashion without the attitude making them perfect for the everyday fashionista's eclectic wardrobe.
And let's not forget the indescribable genius of Stephen West! Sharon was practically bouncing off the walls when his patterns and books arrived. As Kristen mentioned in her post last week, Sharon has already cast on the Colonnade Shawl in the sumptuous shade of Nebula in Tosh Merino DK and is knitting her fingers off so she can wear her FO pronto! While his designs are truly one-of-a-kind, I am most impressed by Stephen West's ability to create shawls, scarves and hats that look striking on both men and women as well as his talent for producing simple and artistic designs that showcase the natural beauty of the yarn used to knit them. If one or two patterns isn't enough to satiate your Stephen West cravings, consider Westknits Book 1 and Book 2, both stellar collections of his modern styles that will never cease to inspire you.

Colonnade Shawl

Whew! Can you see my dilemma? And that is just a smattering of my favorite favorites! Do you have a favorite or two? Are you dying to cast on one (or more) of these new patterns? Please share by leaving a comment on this post! I want to know what you are excited about too!    

Eros II Color 3263

Of course you're going to need some yarn to go with all those patterns, and as always, we've got your back ;) New Silky Merino from Malabrigo is settling in on our shelves, as are 50 colors of Plymouth Galway in a wide ranging palette of rustic heathers and vibrant solids. A versatile yarn for family knits and felting, Galway is 100% worsted weight wool and comes with 210 yards per skein. At $6 a ball, that is quite a deal! Also new to our Plymouth lineup, Eros II is quickly becoming a go-to yarn for those texturrific trendy projects. Similar to Trendsetter's Binario (now discontinued), Eros II is a shiny multicolor ribbon yarn ideal for adding fashion-forward style to any garment of accessory!

436 Atardecer

Since I'd hate just gloss over it, let's backtrack for a moment to the Silky Merino. A 50/50 blend of silk and merino wool, this exquisite yarn from Malabrigo is like Seventh Heaven for your fingers and your eyes. The single ply fiber holds the kettle-dyed colorways with intensity resulting in vivid, splendiferous hues. A DK weight yarn, Silky Merino come with 150 yards per 50g skein and works up beautifully on size US 6 needles. Shevawn has already grabbed two hanks in Atardecer and is planning to cast on Seedling, one of the new hat patterns from Never Not Knitting!

Wild Stuff in Nevada

Ok, I've got to squeeze this last one in before signing off, it is just that amazing. Cool Stuff and Wild Stuff from Prism Yarns! Cool and Wild are understatements to say the least... these yarns are over the moon stupendous wondtastical fantabulous! Varying lengths of extraordinary and marvelously textured novelty yarns from sparkling metallics to fluttery eyelash acrylics are hand tied end to end for a one-of-a-kind and truly unique ball of yarn. Each hank (300 yards) or half hank (150 yards) is an uncommon composition of razzle-dazzle colors and eye-catching fibers you will hardly be able look away from. Use it for shawls and scarves or an artistic shug or cardi that is sure to turn heads!
Love working with self-striping and multi-texture yarns? Let us know which one is your favorite by taking the poll located in the top right-hand corner of this blog :)

Have a lovely week and happy knitting and crocheting!
Leanne :)