About the New Year's Day Sale...

Just one more reminder that we will be open for our Blowout New Year's Day Sale on Friday, January 1, 2010 - yes, 2010! - from 11am to 3pm only! Come with your money (plastic or real), your largest shopping bag and a generous portion of patience for the long lines of yarn-buyers! All in-stock, full-priced yarns and selected books will be 25% off. A few things to remember:

Doors will open promptly at 11am and close promptly at 3pm!
Needles, notions, fibers, bags and other miscellaneous items are not on sale.
Sale prices are on in-stock, full-priced yarns only.
All sales are FINAL: no returns or exchanges.
Tea service will not be available.
Stamp cards will not be stamped and full cards cannot be used.

Due to the New Year's Day holiday and the sale, the January Knit Nite will be held on Friday, January 8, 6-8pm. See you there.

Happy New Year, everyone! See you at the sale.

A blowout sale and a Cookie

Okay, people, we must now move (almost) past the Christmas knitting and mosey on to the 2010 celebration. You know what that means at VYT: the New Year's Day BLOWOUT SALE!!!! Yes, it's true - we will play that game we normally play on January 1; namely, how many people can we cram into the yarn shop in 4 hours? If you show up at VYT between the hours of 11am and 3pm on the first day of 2010, you can be one of those sardines. But being a sardine will be worth it when you can walk out of here with all the yarn and books you can carry at 25% off. Bring your patience and your big shopping bag and we will greet you with a smile and try to herd you all toward the cash register in an orderly fashion... Once again, that will be January 1, 2010, 11am to 3pm. Be there or be knitting with last year's yarn!

A Cookie, you say? Haven't we had enough cookies for one season? Well, yes, if we were talking about the crumbly, calorie-filled type. But! We're talking about the creative sock-knitting-designing-top-down-toe-up crazy good Cookie - Cookie A! We are so thrilled that Cookie A will be back with us once again this January. She'll be teaching two sessions of her toe-up socks with gussets class on Friday, January 29. Each session is already half-full, so to reserve your spot, call the shop ASAP with your credit card at the ready. Choose your session: 10am to 1pm or 2pm to 5pm. Cost for each is just $40 - a bargain for all the knowledge and fun you'll get.

In the meantime, there are still plenty of holiday shopping hours left at VYT: Tue-Fri we're open till 8pm!

Let the gift buying commence

Not that it hasn't already commenced, but you know it must continue for another couple of weeks at least. And then there will be the after-holidays gift card spending and the beginning of the year BLOWOUT SALE and... and... well, you get my drift!

All fiber people: share this blog with your significant other or your mother or your best friend!

We have some good gifts here at VYT! How about some loose teas and a Stump teapot? We have these fun little pots in several colors, along with our popular snowman serving trays and napkins. Or. Victoria’s sister brought us back from Bali some lovely embroidered silk knitting bags in several sizes, knitting needles with handcarved tops and bone shawl pins in lots of designs. Or add to your collection of Good-to-be-Girl project bags or handmade polymer clay stitch markers - good enough to eat mini donuts, French macaroons and Amy’s famous pink snowmen! Or. For those fiberholics on your list, get some Frabjous Fibers merino and a drop spindle - or check out the new Punta yarns in oh-so-yummy merino worsted or bulky weights.

If all else fails, gift cards are always a popular choice and we know all knitters love them! We look forward to helping you pick the perfect gift for the knitters and spinners in YOUR life!

How about some spinning?

If the holiday bustle has your head spinning, why not take a break from that kind of motion and relax by spinning some fiber at our monthly Spin-in? I had my wheel out today while teaching a friend to spin on her new wheel and it was sooooo relaxing! Join us Thursday, Dec 10 from 6-8pm and make some yarn!

Holiday Happenings

Okay, as of midnight tonight, it's December. DECEMBER! To us, December means knitting at warp-speed, celebrating with all of you as you come in to get supplies to frantically knit, decorating the shop (this year in shades of blue and silver, thanks to our lovely Amy of Good-to-be-Girl fame) and stopping once in a while to take a breath, gulp a cup of tea and reflect on how grateful we are for the joys of the past year. And speaking of Amy - she just dropped off a new supply of her mom's knitting bags in several sizes: snowmen, mittens and more designs to tempt you.

This week, there are a couple of opportunities to get together with all of your knitting pals and make some progress on those last-minute knitted gifts: Friday, Dec 4 is Knit Nite, 6-8pm. Join us for the music of the season by Ray Skjelbred and his dolceola (miniature piano). Ray is a well-known local musician and husband of our infamous VYT fan Elsa - hear Ray's music from 6-7. Treats will be provided by Dinners Ready and we'll get to know more of our neighbors from the Towne Center.

Saturday, Dec 5 is our Holiday Open House and we'll be in celebratory form all day with yummy goodies from Svedala Bakery, hot tea (of course), harp music by our friend Valerie Day from 10am-1pm and a holiday ornament Make & Take from 12-3, with Susan Dirk. If this day doesn't get you in the mood for the up-coming holidays, we don't know what will! So bring your smiles and show off your projects and join us for the fun!

Black Friday?

That's the traditional name for the day after Thanksgiving and all of its shopping madness. It won't be black or bleak at Village Yarn and Tea that day, though, because we have yarn in all kinds of colors and tea in all kinds of flavors to soothe the savage shopping beast. Come in and get some!

Just to make the day a little more special, join us in celebrating the launch of the newest book from Interweave Press by Mary Scott Huff: "The New Stranded Colorwork." We'll have a trunk show, book signing and reception. Mary is the aunt of one of our very favorite customers, Katy Scott - and Katy knitted one of the projects in the book! Way to go, Katy! Mary will be with us from 11am to 1pm on Friday, Nov 27.

We'll be closed on Thanksgiving Day and we wish you and yours a happy holiday filled with lovely memories, delicious food - and productive knitting, of course!

Mitten, mitten, who's got a mitten?

You will, if you sign up for Lisa Ellis's class on knitting twined mittens, coming up on Sunday, November 22 from 2-4pm. These mittens are made using an easy technique that gives you a firm, double-thick fabric that no wind and cold can possibly get through! You'll learn twining in stockinette and rib stitch, plus experience a thumb gusset and top of the mitten shaping. Lisa always has plenty of extra tips and tricks to share and her energy is definitely contagious. Reserve your spot by calling the shop ASAP - at $30, this jam-packed class is a steal!

Yarn: oh, yeah, babe!

You may have noticed that now we're in the Towne Centre, our yarns are flying out the door at an alarming rate of speed. Lucky for you, they're flying in at almost the same rate! Why, it was just a few days ago that the Mink/Cashmere blend blew in. Yes, I did say mink. As you knit with it, it magically blooms into an amazingly soft and light piece - and at 230 yds per skein, you can knit a cowl and fingerless gloves from one.

Today a box of Dream in Color Smooshy and Starry appeared at our door. If you haven't tried knitting socks or scarves or fantastic small shawls with this yarn, now is the time. Somehow, Joni managed to leave the shop without any Starry in her bag. We're betting by Thursday, she'll reconsider.

Faye, however, did not make it out the door without a couple of skeins of Aslan Trends Santa Fe sock yarn. Because, you know she has no sock yarn at home... Anyway, she did use restraint, because she was about to leave with FOUR skeins and then guilt got the best of her. At $6.50 per 190yd skein, you can see why she got so excited!

Speaking of Aslan Trends, Invernal is here! This angora/merino blend is another yarn that blooms when your hands touch it. Check out the soft, subtle colors at a great price.

See you soon around the shelves!

Knit yourself an event

If we all get together, we can knit ourselves an event! Two are coming up this weekend. Join us Fri, Nov 6 for the first-ever Knit Nite in our new space. Meet our new neighbors from Dinners Ready and Lake Forest Park Bar & Grill, who are welcoming us (and you) to the neighborhood with yummy snacks.

If your knit-fix is still not complete, join our friends at Third Place Books for a knit-in in the Commons and be lulled by the Kana Wind Quintet. What could be more relaxing? Sun, Nov 8, 1-4 pm. See you there!

Excitement!

Energy's all around us at VYT these days - new space, new faces visiting us, new flavors of tea and a fun new energy that we knew would happen when we got all settled into our fab space at the Lake Forest Park Towne Centre.

Don't forget - starting next week, we'll be staying open till 8pm Tue-Fri nights. You'll have plenty of time to grab dinner and come on down for a little yarn treat afterward. There are classes going on most nights, but there's plenty of room for shopping and tea-sipping.

Joni's back "home" too, and she's raring to help you with your knitting, crochet and spinning questions and is also available to teach private lessons and seam up those sweaters you've been putting off finishing.

There's no better place to be than VYT on these chilly, gray days. Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Yes, we're open!

And in our new space, too. We packed it all up and we moved it all down the hill, and we're loving our new shop. Hope you will too! We have yarn. We have tea. Come visit!

Lake Forest Park Towne Centre
17171 Bothell Way NE #A016B
Lake Forest Park WA 98155

We're on the upper level of the Towne Centre next to Dinners Ready and near the Lake Forest Park Bar & Grill.

We're moving this week!

It's been a long time coming, but as with most major life events, our shop move is suddenly upon us! Monday, Sept 28 will be our last day open in our current location. We're so grateful to have had this space for the past five years - we've loved every minute of being here and enjoying lots of tea drinking and stitching with all of you. And, we can't wait for it to continue in our brand, new space at the Lake Forest Park Towne Centre - can you say PARKING? No more trudging up the hill in the rain for you all and no more riding the elevator to the third floor to search for backstock for us! We're so blessed to find our fabulous new home. Here's the scoop:

17171 Bothell Way NE #A016B
Lake Forest Park WA 98155
206.361.7256
Open Hours: 10am-5pm daily, starting Saturday, October 3

The new shop is next to Dinners Ready on the top level of the Towne Centre. We look forward to showing off our new digs starting next weekend! See you there.

New and Improved!!

Many of you that have been in the shop this month may have noticed the absence of our usual tea-pot-and-china-cup service. We still serve the same great teas - just in a different container.

Our new space does not allow for a kitchen - a necessity for serving tea in pots and china cups - so we've had to change to paper. However, if you would like to drink your tea old style, you are welcome to bring your own cup or mug; we just can't wash it for you. The good news is that our fabulous neighbor at Dinners Ready will let us use her convection oven so we can still serve fresh scones! And, we'll still have tables for you to sit at and enjoy your treats.

It's gonna be fabulous!! :-)

Big Moving Sale!

If you've been in the shop lately, you may have noticed some pre-moving disarray going on. That's because we're getting ready for a HUGE moving sale! You know how it is - you want to move as little as possible into your new home. So mark your calendar for next weekend's sale! You'll find china, furniture - oh, and YARN! We'll have lots and lots of yarn for sale at bargain prices, 30-75% off. And this is all because we appreciate you so much and want to do our best to enhance your yarn stashes!

Fri, Sat and Sun, Sept 18-20. Be there with your BIG shopping bags!

*Cute guy for carrying your bags is busy that weekend...

Elizabeth Zimmermann Study Group

Looking for a new project for the Fall?
Intrigued by the classic designs of Elizabeth Zimmermann?
Ready to become "the boss of your knitting?

Then come and join the Elizabeth Zimmermann Study Group on the 3rd Wednesday of each month. We share our insights into Elizabeth's patterns and work either on individual projects or on a KAL. Faye has been knitting Zimmermann designs for , well , more years than she'd like to admit, and is ready to share tips and tricks to help any knitter become a "Zimmermanniac".
Sweathers, shawls, hats, socks, mittens.....there is a Zimmermann pattern for almost anything you could want to knit.

See you on Wednesday night at 6:00pm

We're MOVING!!!!!

Yipee!!!!! Finally!!!!!!

We are moving to Lake Forest Park Towne Centre at the end of the month. We don't have a "solid" opening date yet but we are shooting for the first week of October. We are SO excited! This is where we have always wanted to be and many of you have wished for this as well. Parking galore!!!! The sign isn't up yet - the photo is just a mock-up - but we'll be on the top part of the mall; close to the Bar & Grill. (Can you say "happy hour?")

Moving also means moving sales! We need to slim down a little to make the move easier. Be sure to come by this month for some great deals. :-)

Stirch 'n' Pitch

Calling all Stitch 'n'Pitchers....be sure to stop and visit the Village Yarn and Tea spot while at the game. Victoria will have some fantastic Sunshine hand paint sock yarns in Northwest and Twilight inspired colors. These are sure to fly off the table and onto your needles. Be sure to also check out the handmade needles from Bali, Good To Be Girl's stitch markers, and cute functional fabric project bags.

The doors open at 5:05 pm, with tha game starting at 7:05 pm. See you at the game!

A Taste of Fall

Mums in the marketplace, shorter days, a nip in the air this morning......these all signal that Fall is on its way. And with the start of Fall it means time to start thinking about sweaters, hats, mittens , socks, and afghans.

Afghans make great portable knitting projects and we have 2 different afghan classes starting in September. Susan will be offering a new session of the ever popular Great American Afghan starting Monday, Spetember 28th. Comprised of 24 different squares, the afghan will help you to build your knitting skills.

For the Aran lover Faye will be teaching the Taste of Aran Afghan starting Tuesday September 8th. The 20 squares in this afghan will help the knitter to master the various Aran stitches so familiar in Aran sweaters.

Both afghans are on display in the shop and either would make a treasured heirloom.

The Fall Class schedule is coming together and will be out soon. with great projects for Fall knitting or Christmas giving.

The days are warm, but the nights are cool... its time to start planning Fall knitting projects.

Making Room for Fall Sale

We need to make room for all the new, great Fall yarns that will be arriving soon. Come on in and check out the great gift items marked down 25-60% off their original prices. (Some great Christmas gift ideas). Then check out the Sale Corner where many of the yarns are now marked down 50% off their original prices.

Two words.....

AIR CONDITIONING!

Come on in and cool off with some great iced tea and fabulous company. :-)

This just in....

825 yards of Extrafine Lambswool goodness. Mmmmmmmmmmmm.

Woman's Health Fair

In our recent newsletter I mentioned the upcoming Woman's Health Fair that we sponsor each year. We have heard from many of our customers over the years that they would not have taken the step to get their mammograms if it weren't for the Breast Express. We are so pleased that so many of you find this helpful!

I would like to share a message that was just sent to us at the shop from one of our customers (with her permission). I hope it will serve as an inspiration to some of you who still haven't taken that very important step:

Dear Village Yarn and Tea:
I just had to let you know that I am so applauding you for your Women's Health Days. My life has almost certainly been saved because of a routine screening mammogram. I had no symptoms, no family history and I am only 47. I was 2 years overdue getting my most recent mammogram, and now I'm having a mastectomy next week, and start chemo in a month or so. I don't know that missing my mammograms got me to this place, but I do know that had I not gone in when I did, my future might have a much different outlook. Please feel free to use my story any time to continue to encourage women to get those routine mammos!

Thanks for all you do,
Beth Sheehan

Thank you for sharing your story with us, Beth, and we wish you the best of luck in your recovery.

Woman's Health Fair
August 21-22, 2009
We are making appointments from 10:00 am to 4:45 pm on both Friday and Saturday.
The Breast Express takes most major insurance or you can pay with a credit card or check. The cost is $230.

Calling All Harry Potter Fans....

To celebrate the upcoming release of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" all Opal Harry Potter yarns will be 25% off from Wednesday July 15 through Sunday July 19th. Not into socks... the yarn also makes great hats, scarves, and fingerless gloves.

Come choose your favorite from Harry, Ron, Tonks (my favorite), Hedwig, Draco, Dumbledore, or Lupine.

A Few More Things....

Stitch N Pitch tickets are in the house! The game is on Thursday, August 27 @ 7:10pm. Get em while they are hot!

We have added a second class for Tuulia Salmela's- A Tailored Sweater. The class is on Saturday, July 18th from 10-4pm. and the cost is $80.00. Her first class filled up fast, so give us call or come into the shop to sign up. Tuulia has been so generous to schedule a second class with us before she moves back to Finland.

And lastly, we are closed on Saturday, July 4th for Independence Day!

Knit Nite this Friday, July 3rd 6-9pm

Yes, we will be hosting Knit Nite this Friday for all of you that are staying in town for the holiday. Come and join in the community spirit with others who are passionate about knitting, crocheting, spinning, ah heck just about anything to do with fiber.

Speaking of Knit Nite we are fortunate to have Elisha Weinberg, L.Ac - Relaxation Expert joining us in the fun. She will be demonstrating Reiki, Acupuncture and holding mini consultations to all who are interested.

We have a couple of new arrivals in the shop this week. Crystal Palace Mini Mochi is back in the house. We love this yarn for its softness and great colorways. Also, brand new to us is the Kollage Square Knitting Needles, which are easy on the hands and give the knitter more uniform stitches. They are perfect for knitters who have arthritis, carpal tunnel, or stiffness in their hands and fingers. You've got to try them!

Come in and see us, we have lots of project ideas for your next road trip or vacation!
Happy Independence Day to you and yours,
Victoria, Deb, Kari, Karla, Faye, Megan and Christy

Sunshine Sale

We're celebrating the sunshine this Saturday and Sunday with two great sales.

Looking for a summer project that's small, lightweight and easy to take with you on your travels.
Check out our Lace sale where all lace yarns and lace patterns are 25% off.

And all merchandise in the Sale Corner is an additional 25% off the marked sale price. Lots of cottons for summer knitting just waiting for you.

Summer Class List

After a bit of a delay, we have finally finished our Summer/Early Fall class list!

You can view the new classes on line and/or download your own PDF copy.

Friday Special

So, I'm not referring to any kind of romantic rendezvous (I wish!) but I AM referring to a nice little sale.

Come in any time this Friday (June 5th - Knit Nite!) and take home 5 - count 'em - FIVE sale patterns for $1 or any sale book for $1! That's right, just $1!!! All the sale patterns and books are in the sale section of the store surrounded by other great deals on yarn and accessories.

Caveat: There is no limit on how much you can buy but there will be no returns on any sale items

New Fibers

Hey all you spinners and felters out there! We have some new fibers that you should see:

100% Hand-dyed Bluefaced Leicester from Woolgatherings

Woolgatherings began over 25 years ago when Sandy Sitzman started selling the brightly dyed wool from her small flock of sheep, llamas, and alpacas at local craft and fiber shows. Her work as been featured in many publications including “The Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook.” Today, Woolgatherings is still a family business, owned and operated by Kate Sitzman, and recently relocated to Duvall, Washington. Kate shares Sandy’s love of fiber and color and draws a lot of inspiration from her travels and from the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

50/50 Hand-dyed Merino/Tencel from BJS Fiber Creations

Barbara Seeler, our newest spinning instructor, also dyes up some fantastic fibers. She will be bringing by more of her lovely hand-dyes, including some cotton, over the next few weeks. Meet her on Spinning Night here at the shop!

Great classes coming up

Just a reminder that we have some fantastic classes coming up:

Choosing Colors for Fair Isle
with Janine Bajus

Sunday, May 31, 10 am - 4:30 pm

Knitting a Skirt that Fits
with Carol Lansinger
Saturday, May 30, 10:00 - 5:00 pm

And a new session of Build Your Skills Knitting class has been added:
with Christy Buckman
Wednesday, June 10, 17, 24, July 1, 8, 6:30 - 8:30 pm

check our class page for details

LYS Tour 2009

Wow! What a great bunch of people we've had come through so far. Thursday - opening day - was pretty busy and today has been just as manic but in a good way. It's great to see people out having fun. And the weather is perfect! (Just like I ordered.)

We would love to hear about your experiences on the tour. Drop us an email or give us a call. We hope you're having as much fun attending as we are hosting!

New Spinning Instructors

As many of you may know, our beloved Joni is now helping her dear friend Deborah (new owner) run the Main Street Yarn shop in Mill Creek. Thankfully, we have been able to pick up where Joni left off with the spinning classes by welcoming back one of our past instructors - Kim Myhre - and by introducing a new instructor to our area - Barbara Seeler. Here is a little bit about Barbara:

Barbara Seeler is a life long fiber addict. She began her love affair with color and texture when as a 5 year old, her Russian piano teacher suggested she learn to knit as a way of increasing finger dexterity. In 1993 Barbara's adult daughter gave her a spinning wheel and spinning lessons as20a holiday gift. On the advice of her spinning teacher, she joined her local guild, The Greater Los Angeles Spinning Guild. As a member of the Greater Los Angeles Spinning Guild, she held a variety of elected positions, Co-President, Events Chair, Secretary and Editor of the newsletter.

In 1998 when Barbara retired she and her husband moved to the Atlanta area to be nearer to her daughter. She joined the Chatahoochee Handweavers Guild where she was a board member, serving as Properties Chair and Public Relations committee chair. She also served on the Education Committee and was for several years the editor of the quarterly education brochure. She also taught knitting, fiber preparation, beginning and advanced spinning for the Guild.

In 2000 Barbara was appointed to the Board of Directors of HGA as a Fundraising Chair, first filling the unexpired term of a board member that resigned and then elected starting in 2003 to the board for 2 consecutive 3 year terms. She has served as Fundraising Chair, second and first vice-president and co-chair of the Certificate of Excellence program.

Barbara is a graduate of San Jose State University and UCLA. She was a Senior Research Associate in UCLA's Biology Department for twenty years where she actively published in the field of Endocrinology. She then was a member of the administration for an additional ten years where she served as a Facilities Co-Manager,=2 0Emergency Management Team Co-ordinator, Vivarium Manager and finished her academic career as the Executive Officer of the Life Sciences South Administrative Unit.

Barbara feels the partially completed tapestry that represents her life journey is composed of many different threads, seemingly from divergent sources but woven together create a unique and functional design.

Kim has scheduled her first Drop Spindle 101 class for May 31st, 12:30 - 3:30 pm.
Barbara will teach her first Beginning Wheel Spinning class May 27; Jun 3 6:30-8:30 pm.

Come meet Barbara at this month's Spinning Night - Thursday, May 14th!

Ally, Ally, In Come Free!

All of you who have completed (or nearly completed) your February Lady Sweater should bring them into the shop so we can have them on display in time for the LYS Tour! We would love to see all of them!

Karla's List

My turn to list some of my favorite yarns. (Deb says I can only pick 2 per week or the readers might get bored.) I really only knit lace these days so my favorites are all in the fingering to lace weight category.

Anything by Fleece Artist. (So what, I cheated a little.) I especially like the Sea Wool for shawls. You can see one of my favorite lace shawls in the shop. The colors are fantastic and the hand is very nice.

I also love the Blue Sky Alpaca Silk (50% Alpaca/ 50% Silk) and the Classic Elite Alpaca Sox (60% Alpaca/20% Merino/20% Nylon). I really like the sheen and drape of silk blend yarns.

Karla

Faye's Favorites

Deb's blog about color started me thinking about my favorite fibers for knitting. Wool in all its many types has always been a favorite, but my 2 favorite "blended" yarns are Elsebeth Lavold's Hempathy and Jaggerspun Zephyr Wool-Silk. Much of my knitting is lace in it's every variety and I know that these two yarns, as dissimilar as they are, will meet my needs.

Jaggerspun Zephyr Wool-Silk is fine lace weight yarn composed of 50 percent merino and 50 percent Tussah silk. The merino lends each project a wonderful softness and the silk gives the yarn a luxurious and subtle shine. The addition of silk to this yarn gives it strength in addition to sheen and softness. I've knit everything from a wedding shawl to Estonian lace to a beautiful christening blanket from this yarn. And their colors are wonderfully rich. I always have at least 3 or 4 balls in my stash. My dream is to own every single color. Jaggerspun Zephyr is also a great buy at ~1250 yarns for $18.25.


Elsebeth Lavold's Hempathy is at the other end of my lace knitting. A hemp, cotton, modal blend ( yes it is the only yarn with cotton I will knit with), Hempathy is workhorse yarn for many projects. A feature of any yarn with hemp is that it will soften with every washing, and the cotton/modal addition adds even more softness. Lacy summer tops are perfect for Hempathy, as are shawls. Each time I wear my Old Shale lace shawl at the shop customers are amazed to hear that it is knit from Hempathy. Comments range from "But it's so soft" to "You can knit lace with Hempathy?" My favorite quick-to-knit gift is a Hempathy lace face cloth and sachet . At $7.25 for 153 yards, Hempathy is a great bargain. (Deb loves it, too!)

Keep these yarns in mind as you plan your summer knitting. Tops for summer, lace shawls for cool nights, and perhaps an early start on Christmas knitting.

Cookie A and Lana Grossa

We are THRILLED to have Cookie A. coming to the shop in June to teach her Top Down Sock Design workshop. In celebration of this event, we would like to offer a 25% discount on all Lana Grossa sock yarn to any student that signs up and pays in full for Cookie's class from now to May 13th. We have lots of great Lana Grossa yarns to choose from including Seta/Cashmere, Marmi, Meeting, Stile, Fantasy and many more.

Top Down Sock Design
Sunday, June 28th
Class from 3 - 6 pm
cost: $40

Book signing social from 6 - 7:30
cost: FREE

Color me......

....solid.

Many of you that have known me for a while know that I am a color junky. I love Noro because of all the colors and textures. Solids don't usually do it for me unless they are tweedy or heathered. Even the most intricate lace or cable pattern looks better to me with a little tone-on-tone action. It's just the way I'm wired!

But, I have two solid favorites that I'd like to share with you today. First is Jamieson's Sheltland Spindrift - so many colors, so little time. I have been using this a LOT for my multi-color work. I know that it is cheating just a little since I am not really using it for a "solid" project but they do have many heathers that I would consider using on their own. (Victoria made a beautiful shawl with the Cloud color.) If I could line the walls of my bedroom with all the colors they offer, I'd wake up every morning a happy camper.

My second solid choice is the Manos Silk Blend. Of course they have beautiful multi-color options but their solids are deep and rich and look great on their own or together. I'm currently using two of my favorites together in a cute Fair Isle project from the Manos Primera book. It is SO soft and lucious. And did you know it felts beautifully??

These are by no means the only solid yarns I like but they are my favorites d'jour. (I have quite an ongoing thing for Berroco Ultra Alpaca, too.)

Whatever your taste, I'm sure we'll have something that will float your boat as well. :-)
Deb

So who taught you how to knit....

I was pondering this question the other day; remembering my beginning knitting days. My mom taught me how to knit when I was in third or fourth grade. I started knitting clothes for my Barbie dolls. I know for others they have been taught to knit by their grandmother, or by a friend, and some even self taught. I was thinking about my mom and that I will be seeing her on Mother's Day and what I could make for her to honor her on this day. My mom isn't knitting as much as she use to, so knitting a gift for her is something that she would enjoy. Whether you are a mom or not, Mother's Day is a day to honor the divine feminine in you. So what will you do for yourself on May 10th?

Come in and see us for inspiration! We have new French Scarf kits with the Claudia Hand Painted yarns that are yummy, yummy colors.

Happy Easter!

We'll be closed this coming Sunday, April 12, for the Easter holiday. Enjoy some (knitting) time with your families!

Spring Things!

We're breaking out the iced tea and wearing our flipflops in the shop this week - because it's SUNNY! Doesn't the sunshine just brighten your mood and make you want to knit a bikini? Okay, we'll not go that far - but instead, check out the bright colors of Euroflax sportweight linen we got in. We bought this to inspire you all to knit the Net Duffel Bag that's featured in the Spring Interweave Knits magazine. Designed by the Domino knitting queen, Vivian Hoxbro, this bag is a fun knit that expands to hold all your summer treats, from fruit to swimsuits and towels.

On the knitting book front, we now have plenty of copies of Cookie A's "Sock Innovations." Those of you who enjoy a challenging sock pattern will love this book. Cookie never fails to inspire with her twisting, turning designs. Another new book we recommend is Marianne Isager's "Japanese Inspired Knits." There's a sweater for each month and you'll be sure to find one to suit your fancy.

Come in and have a glass of iced tea with us and we'll help you find that perfect spring project!

Knit Nite This Friday!

I know! It's April already! Could spring flowers be far behind? Knit Nite is Friday, April 3 from 6-9pm. This month we're fortunate to have Laurie Sharp from Wool Pets with us. She'll be here demonstrating how wool can magically turn into cute little animals with just a few pokes of the felting needles. Plus, we'll be raffling off one of her kits that night. You must be present to win - but that's no hardship. Who could resist being at a knit shop full of yarn and tea with good friends? See you there!

More New Sock Yarns

If you're looking for a new spring project, check out these yummy sock yarns we just got in. The first is Cascade Heritage in solids and handpaints, 75% washable merino wool, 25% nylon, 437 yards per skein. Next we have the luscious Online Supersocke Silk in some of the sweetest spring colors. Imagine your favorite Easter basket stacked with spring-colored eggs. Then imagine those eggs turning into balls of yarn - that's what these silky yarns remind me of. They're perfect for knitting those intricate Cookie A socks from her new book that should be here this week. Supersocke Silk is 220 yards per ball, 55% merino, 20% silk and 25% nylon. Finally, you'll want to take a look at the new colors of Misti Hand Paint Sock. There's one with lots of purple and green that's calling my name!

And don't forget, sock yarns are not just for socks! Think of the beautiful lacy shoulder wraps you can make with these - summer's a-comin'!

Calling All February Ladies!

We started our February Lady KAL back in January and I hope some of you are finished with yours so we can hang a display of them soon. I know there are lots of them out there, because some of you have been in for some technical assistance since we started - and they were coming along nicely. I (Joni) have knitted two myself: one with sleeves and one without. I love this pattern! It's so easy to fit and looks good in so many yarns. If you have yours finished, please drop it off at the shop on or before our next Knit Nite (Fri, April 3). Make sure you put your name and phone number on it so we know how to contact with you when we're finished showing your works of art off. In the meantime, here are mine!

Mushishi

No, you don't have to say "bless you." Mushishi is the name of a new FANTASTIC yarn from Plymouth that we are freakin' out over! It is 95% Wool, 5% silk, and - are you ready - approximately 491 yds for $32! The gauge is 5 sts = 1" on US #7 needles AND each skein comes with two free patterns (crochet and knit) for a hat and scarf set that takes just the one skein. The colors are beautiful and it is very, very soft. (Faye is already planning on a new vest pattern for the gray.....) I'm pretty sure we'll have to reorder this one right away. :-)

Spring Classes

The Spring class schedule is available in the shop now and will soon be available on our website. Poor Deb suffered from a corrupted web file, but she is busily recreating it and will have it posted this week. For those of you who may still be toying with the idea of taking Carol Lansinger's Knitting a Skirt to Fit class, we'll hold sign-ups open until this Wed, March 11. Carol needs at least 2 more people for the class to go with throttle up!

Also, there has been a date change on Deb's Cable-knitted Pillow class. It was scheduled for Mon, March 30, 6-8pm, but has now been changed to Sat, March 21 from 10am-noon. For some reason, Deb thinks she needs a vacation to warmer parts the week of the 3oth. Okay, I guess she deserves it!

We have some fabulous classes for spring. Check out new employee Faye's Mobius scarf class. She showed me her very easy cast-on today and anyone can learn this in a matter of minutes. Voila, a new skill to be added to your repertoire just like that. Susan Dirk also has some fun classes scheduled, like her lace Ring Bearer's pillow, perfect for those summer weddings. And, she'll be starting a quarterly felted Tea Cozy class to pair with our regional teas. If you're a tea-drinker, you can never have too many cozies!

So check out the schedule and remember, sign up early so we don't have to even think about cancelling a class!

Classes coming up!

We're coming up on the end of our Winter Quarter classes and there are still some wonderful ones to be had. Sign up soon and build your knitting skill set! Spring class schedules will be out in a week or so.

Knit a Slipped-stitch Bag with Lisa Ellis

Sat, Mar 7 10am-noon, $30

Beginning Knitting with Joni

Sun, Mar 8, 15, 22, 29; Apr 5 - 4-6pm, $75

Drop Spinning 101 with Joni

Wed, Mar 11, 6-8pm, $20

Knit a Skirt that Fits with Carol Lansinger

Sat, Mar 14, 10am-5pm, $80

How to Read a Knitting Pattern with Deb

Sun, Mar 15, 2-4pm, $20

Beginning Wheel Spinning with Joni

Wed, Mar 25; Apr 1, 6-8pm, $30

Knit a Cabled Pillow with Deb

Mon, Mar 30, 6-8pm, $20

New teas!

Not only are some new yarns coming in, so are some new teas. Come in and have a cup with us!

Wild Orange Spice
CERTIFIED ORGANIC, CERTIFIED KOSHER: Black teas of origin: India and Sri Lanka. A lively blend of organic teas from the foothills of the Blue Mountain Range in South India and the mountainous peaks of Sri Lanka, this orange flavored tea is full of nuance provided by orange bits, cinnamon chips, cloves, ginger and a light addition of Tellicherry peppercorns. The resulting taste is on the wild side: a mild orange spice flavor that changes slightly as the orange bits infuse the liquor and a slight after-bounce of warmth from the peppercorns. Smooth taste with no astringency nor bite, it's orange spice with a twist.

Snow Berry
CERTIFIED KOSHER: Black teas of origin: India, Sri Lanka and China. When you imagine Snowberry Tea think of a flavor mixture between strawberries, raspberries and blackberries. The secret in this flavor combination is the vanilla and spice note in the background. One would overlook them if not aware that they are present. We think it makes a good iced tea in summer and is extra special at Christmas. If you like berry flavors, choose this one first - it's very special.

Earl Grey Lavender
CERTIFIED KOSHER: Black tea origin: China. We've taken the famous Earl Grey flavored tea and added organic lavender petals from Provence. Earl Grey with Lavender Tea is smooth and aromatic - an Earl Grey taste with light lavender overtone. If you almost like Earl Grey, organic lavender petals provides a subtle, uplifting difference. The special aroma and flavor is calming yet uplifting. Truly a self-drinker, sweetener may be added.

Czar Grey
CERTIFIED ORGANIC: Black tea from Sri Lanka and China. Ceylon and Keemun make a traditional combination with a citrus flavor and a light smoky over note. Czar Grey is delicately flavored and produces a medium-bodied, aromatic cup of tea. Will tolerate sweetener and lemon but no milk, please. It's best as a self-drinking tea.

Knit Nite This Friday

I know, it's February already and it's time for you all to treat yourselves to your own personal knitting mini-vacation at VYT. This Friday's Knit Nite will feature sweet treats, warming tea and yoga for knitters with Jessica Powers. If you need a little get-away, come away to the sea of yarn on Friday from 6-9pm.

While you're here, you can check out new colors of several yarns, including the subtle variegated Berroco Seduce, as well as sherbety shades of Sirdar BabyBamboo and Sublime Soya Cotton. Yummy!

See you Friday!

All points bulletin!

New sock yarn at VYT! Yes, I said new sock yarn! I promise you will love it, because we sure do. We got two types today and the colors are to die for. We got Mini Mochi by Crystal Palace, 80% superwash merino, 20% nylon, 195 yards per ball - so you'll need 2 balls for a pair of socks. And we got Zauberball from Skacel, 75% superwash wool, 25% nylon, 460 yards per ball. Both yarns are beautiful variegated colors that will not only knit up into gorgeous socks, but luscious scarves and shawls as well.

Get here quick! These are not going to last (but don't worry, we'll reorder)!

Emma has outdone herself!

Today we got brand new colors of sea wool fiber, dyed by Emma of Dragonfibers. Run far and run fast to get some before it sells out - and believe me, these beauties will sell out quickly. With its sheen and softness, sea wool is a great choice for you spinners to try out. Here are just a few of the new colors: Koi, Electric Sherbet and Olive Bar. Can you say YUM?

Along with the fiber, we got a new yarn from Sirdar called Crofters. It's a washable, DK weight, self-patterning yarn that will be great for kids items, socks and all things spring - and the colors are light and luscious. It came with a snazzy pattern book, too.

So dash in and see what trouble you can get in here at the shop.

What is that golden orb in the sky?

Why - it's the sun! We haven't seen it in so long that it's quite a surprise. It does make us at VYT look toward spring and of course, spring YARNS. Victoria just got back from TNNA in San Diego and she ordered some wonderful new yarns for you to look forward to in a month or so. Kari and I (Joni) are making samples out of a new alpaca-blend sock yarn and another nice alpaca for hats - because you know we're still going to have some winter weather coming...

Janine Bajus' class Choosing Colors for Fair Isle Knitting is filling up fast, so if you're interested in taking it, now's the time to sign up. Ruth Sorensen's steeked shawl class is almost full, but her Fair Isle mitts and bags class still has some room. Sign up today so you don't miss your chance to learn from these popular out-of-the-area instructors. Holly Monek-Anderson has her socks on two circular needles class coming up starting Mon, Feb 2 from 6-8pm and I'll be teaching Entrelac knitting on Wed, Jan 28 and Feb 4 from 6-8pm. Sign up early so we don't have to cancel any of these great classes!

Stop by and have a cup of tea with us and show us your latest project!

Afghan Class Change

Our very popular American Afghan Class schedule has been changed a little. The class that was to meet on the 3rd Wednesday of the month is now going to meet on the 4th Wednesday of each month. Unfortunately, Brad Steiner has a scheduling conflict and is unable to continue as the instructor so Susan Dirk has kindly stepped in to take over the class. If you have any questions, please feel free to call the shop.

Ruth's class price reduced!

The cost of the Ruth Sorensen workshops has been reduced to $85! And she just sent us this photo of one of her steeked shawls. Sign up now!

Classes with Ruth

Ruth Sorensen is well known for her work with the Kauni and Evilla yarns of Estonia. She will be visiting us here in the US again and we couldn't be happier! She will be offering two different workshops:
Saturday, January 31 10-4pm - Knitted Shawl
Ruth says, "Using yarn that changes color can add such dimension to a lace shawl." Everyone knows that knitting in the round is easier and faster than having to purl on wrong side rows, right? In this class, Ruth will give us some tips on knitting a shawl in the round and then steek it (cut it with scissors) and finally, knit on the edging. She'll give us design tips for the shawl itself and the beautiful edgins that make your project sing!

Sunday, February 1, 10-4pm - Stranded Bags and Wristlets
Ruth says, "I want the students to work with the creative process and not just copy what I have made." You may have seen Ruth's Fair Isle wristlet and bag patterns that we have displayed in the shop - these are quick and easy "first" Fair Isle patterns for those of you who have never done Fair Isle knitting. Ruth will teach you how to knit using two colors AND how to design your own patterns to make you projects your own using self-striping yarn (such as Kauni, Evilla or Noro).

Also coming up this week, these classes still have space:
Sat, Jan 17, 10am-noon - Knit a Cabled Pillow with Deb. Have you always wanted to try cables but need some help getting started? This is the class for you! Deb's great tips for this technique will have you cabling in no time!

Sat, Jan 17, 1-3pm - Knitting the Mitered Square with Joni. Knitting mitered squares is a great way to use up your leftover yarns and bust that stash. Or, you can use one of the fabulous self-striping or variegated yarns to make it even easier.

There are lots more classes coming this quarter. Sign up early to reserve your spot!

Double the fun

Since Men's Knit Nite fell on January 1 this year and we were busy holding our blowout sale, we've decided to combine it with our monthly spin-in for double your pleasure, men (and women)! So show up this Thursday, Jan 8 with your wheel, spindle and/or knitting supplies and enjoy some fibery company from 6-9pm.

Yesterday we had a dozen or so people come to cast on the February Lady sweater with us. If you weren't able to make it, you can still cast yours on. And Joni's available to give you help with your questions on this pattern every Thursday from 6-7pm. (Don't worry, if you get stuck another time during the week, any staff member can also help you out.)

Believe it or not, we still have yarn!

Yes, Virginia, even after that HUMONGOUS New Year's Day sale, we still have some yarn left - and our sale corner still has some great deals for your shopping pleasure. There are even a few holiday goodies left at 50% off, in case you want to put away some gifts for next year's giving.

Just when we thought it was safe, we got a big box from Estonia on Saturday, and you know what that means! Evilla yarns and pre-yarns in several pretty new colors. For those of you who don't know what pre-yarn is - well, it's a spinner's dream, is what it is. It's pencil roving in miniature form and all you have to do to spin it is let it wind on to your bobbin or spindle - no drafting needed! Very quick gratification for this first week of the new year.

Evilla yarns are similar to our Kauni yarns - long color repeats, just in different colorways. We've got plenty in preparation for our visit from Norwegian knitting teacher extraordinaire Ruth Sorensen, who will be here to teach a couple of classes for us at the end of the month. Check out our website for more details.

We're a Class-y Place

Yes, we are - in so many ways! But now that it's 2009, we'd like to encourage you all to take a look at our very classy class schedule for this quarter, which is packed with classes in all kinds of knitting, plus spinning and crochet, too.

In fact, we have new classes starting next week - and that doesn't include our regularly-scheduled Knit Nite TONIGHT (Fri, Jan 2) and Spin-in (next Thur, Jan 8) AND the casting on of our winter KAL, the February Lady sweater, this Sunday, Jan 4, at 3pm. (Go here to print out your pattern.) If you haven't picked out yarn for yours yet, come early and buy some!

But I digress. Back to the classes starting this week:

Wed, 1/7: Drop Spinning 101 with Joni, 6-8pm
Sat, 1/10: Fair Isle Bulky Hats with Susan Dirk, 1-4pm
Sun, 1/11: Beginning Knitting with Brad, 1-3pm

There are so many more starting soon. Go to our website (www.villageyarnandtea.com) to check them out. Sign up early to reserve your place and ensure that we don't have to cancel for lack of students!

And oh, by the way - we wish you all even tension and no dropped stitches in all of 2009!