2 More New Ones!! Free!

To continue our Hats Off to Our Customers! promotion, we have 2 more new hat patterns for you.

The Kureyon Roll Brim Hat which can be done in any worsted weight yarn. We chose Noro Kureyon for a colorful self-striping version and Cascade 220. This hat is a must-have for your pattern library.

Our brand new Baby's First Hat is sized for a newborn with notes to make a bigger version. We made it with Opal Sock Yarn for the bright baby colors, washability  and automatic fair-isle fun. If you knit baby hats for charity, you can get 4 newborn size hats out of one ball!

The Alpine Topper was our most popular hat in the last newsletter and with good reason!! This is The Perfect Hat! (if I do say so myself!) Kendra outdid herself this time with the timeless and easy construction of this soft and warm hat. You will love the wind-blocking lining almost as much as you will love the countless color combinations of Noro Iro (221) and Como (116). Here are a couple more combos Kendra whipped up.

Order yarn for any one of these hats and you can order any or all of the patterns Free! Just add items to your cart, and enter this code at checkout:

hatpatfeb2010

After you have chosen yarn, simply add the hat patterns to your order.

Products featured in this post:

Kureyon Roll Brim Hat

Baby's First Hat

Felted Inspirations

Don’t know how many of you caught the Felted Stone segment on Martha Stewart which aired before Valentines Day but these Felted Stone Soaps are all the rage. We have sold lots of fiber to people who felt soap but these are the first rocks we’ve seen! And aren’t they great! Here are the ones Kendra felted for the shop. Felted soap is a perfect natural exfoliant and making them is a piece of cake. Complete written instructions and a how-to video can be found on Martha Stewart’s website here..

We have made fiber kits, Felted Stone Fiber Pack especially for the stones which include an ounce each of three colors and a small amount of white for embellishment. This amount will make 1 to 2 dozen soap stones depending on size and amount of felt used for each. We chose Harrisville Dyed & Carded Wool fiber for these kits but there are other options:

Felting Fiber Felting Fiber Choose from lots of colors; one color per 4 ounce bag.

Peace Fleece batting bundles in colors Peace Fleece Batting Bundles and Peace Fleece Batting Bundles Animal Fur-Skin Tones are great for larger settings such as the classroom or fiber fairs.

Ashford Fiber Bags Ashford Spinning Fiber Bag have an assortment of 19 bright colors if you want your stones to have pizazz!

Products featured in this post:

Felted Stone Fiber Pack

Harrisville Dyed & Carded Wool

Felting Fiber

Peace Fleece Batting Bundles

Peace Fleece Batting Bundles Animal Fur-Skin Tones

Ashford Spinning Fiber Bag

New and Notable

Knitting Traditions Winter 2010 My favorite new addition to the shop! This special edition magazine published by Piece Work is chock full of amazing projects. Compiled from past issues, you will recognize many of these designs and enjoy reading the history of the techniques while planning which to start first.

Noro Taiyo New for spring knitting, we just picked up the worsted weight version of Noro’s cotton blend: 40% cotton, 30% silk, 15% wool and 15% nylon. As usual, the colors are inspiring and uplifting and the blend is a dream. Don’t think you like cotton? Try this before you decide…

DVD - Popular Wheel Mechanics 2 discs in this pack to help you finally choose the right wheel for you or make the one you have work better for you. Fundamentals, tips and hints to optimize your time at the wheel.

Hand Dyeing Yarn and Fleece - Dip-Dyeing, Hand-Painting, Tie-Dyeing, and Other Creative Te This new book by Gail Callahan is a must have for anyone dyeing their own yarn and fleece. Step-by-step instructions in easy sequences of pictures. Techniques you will want to try with a whole section on color play and principles. Equally useful for novice and experienced dyers.

Knitnotes Assorted Gift Enclosures (4) Perfect for the gifter; these gift enclosures say it just right. 4 to a package with space for fiber content and instructions.

Eco Baby Book Now on the shelf. Another great collection of baby wear from Debbie Bliss.

Products featured in this post:

Knitting Traditions Winter 2010

Noro Taiyo

DVD - Popular Wheel Mechanics

Hand Dyeing Yarn and Fleece - Dip-Dyeing, Hand-Painting, Tie-Dyeing, and Other Creative Te

Knitnotes Assorted Gift Enclosures (4)

Eco Baby Book

From the Book Department

Noro the World of Nature - Volume 26 Noro: the World of Nature is an amazing must have for Noro fans. Not only does it have stunning new patterns for Noro yarns; it has all you ever wanted to know ABOUT Noro yarns. There is a bio about Eisaku Noro himself plus pics of employees and their job descriptions. There are great pics and descriptions of all the yarn making processes from shearing (the sheep really do start out white!) to dyeing, blending, carding and spinning. Plus there is a nice Noro yarn index detailing yarn specs and colorways.

Felt Easy and Fun FELT: Easy and Fun is a beginning needle felting book by the renowned Birgitte Krag Hansen. (you may know her from Pixie Felt and Animal Felt.) She is in another hemisphere of talented and artistic and her other books may have made needle felting seem a little out of reach to us average crafters. Not so this book! The figures in this book are small and done more simply than those in other books. She published this book with teachers in mind to make the craft more accessible to all age groups.

Beautiful Sheep Beautiful Sheep: Portraits of Champion Breeds is the coffee table book of the year. For fiber enthusiasts anyway! There are almost 40 different sheep showcased with beautiful photography and all their specs to boot, including features, size, origin and distribution along with  a map.

Alice Starmore's Book of Fair Isle Knitting Knitter’s Rejoice! Alice Starmore is back in print with Alice Starmore’s Book of Fair Isle Knitting. Whether you have always been a fan and can’t find her out of print books, or you loaned yours and never got them back, or if you are a newbie and interested in THE place to learn Fair Isle technique, rest easy. This book includes the history of Shetland and Fair Isle types of patterns with charts, all the technique you could want, patterns for sweaters, mittens and hats, and a section for designing your own patterns. 190 pages for a lifetime of Fair Isle knitting for only $24.95! Crazy!!

Alice Starmore's Book of Fair Isle Knitting Crochet in Color is new for you crocheters out there. Cute updated designs using unique color combinations make for interesting and delightful new patterns. This should appeal to beginners and experienced crocheters alike with plenty of technique and easy to understand graphics.

Products featured in this post:

Noro the World of Nature - Volume 26

Felt Easy and Fun

Beautiful Sheep

Alice Starmore's Book of Fair Isle Knitting

Alice Starmore's Book of Fair Isle Knitting

New Schacht Accessories…. Fly Away!!

Schacht Maple Niddy Noddy Schacht Cherry Niddy Noddy Hold on…check this out,  Schacht has developed a Bulky Flyer unit that you can interchange with your Ladybug, and Matchless wheels, it even comes in cherry.  If you are looking to extend your plying volume or want to work in a bulkier way this flyer is a godsend.   Schacht doesn’t create new fly by night pieces, so you know it will be a quality piece,  something you’ll have forever and exactly what you’d expect from Schacht.

Schacht Ladybug Bulky Plyer Flyer Package Schacht Matchless Bulky Plyer Flyer Package Also… Some of Schacht’s older ridgid heddles (pre Flip) are looking for a new home.  We have a varied inventory of heddles that we are clearing out, so check and see what dent reeds you have and if you need any other sizes and give us a call.  They are all priced at $30.00.

Products featured in this post:

Schacht Maple Niddy Noddy

Schacht Cherry Niddy Noddy

Schacht Ladybug Bulky Plyer Flyer Package

Schacht Matchless Bulky Plyer Flyer Package

Some Fun Additions…

We just picked up a few new items that for those of us in the knitting realm will be adding to our bags of tricks here at Halcyon Yarn.  Sometimes you have to just say, “What the heck”… in no uncertain terms and pick up the sweet little addition or the practical, (but I already have two of those) things and just let it go.  So, without further ado, we thought you might like to have a peak at what those novelties might be.

Halcyon’s Very Own… Needle Gauge!!!

Halcyon Yarn Needle & Hook Gauge

It’s Plastic… and very cool, especially if you are an Addi Turbo Nut that cringes at the idea, never mind doing the inevitable needle size check with a #*@metal…. gauge… ugh!! The thought really is disheartening.  It’s sizing measures from triple zero lace needles all the way up through 19!  A must have to tuck into any project bag.

Debra's Garden Socks & Lace Needle Gauge Pendants

Debra’s Garden “precise” needle gauge pendant…

It’s for socks and lace.  Pick one up for a great gift, for yourself or for the knitter in your life.  Item #70740402

New from K & A, “Memoric Heart Stitch Markers” 20 count.

Memoric Heart Stitch Markers ( 20)

We all at one time or another knit for love…  babies, boyfriends, or the partner in your life… these sweet stitch markers remind you where to make the right stitches as well as who you are knitting them for.  Just another little do dad that’s fun and different.

Products featured in this post:

Halcyon Yarn Needle & Hook Gauge

Debra's Garden Socks & Lace Needle Gauge Pendants

Memoric Heart Stitch Markers ( 20)

A New Array of Books To Sink Into…

“Spin Control” by Amy King

Spin Control

If you want to learn a lot about spinning in a way that is fun, colorful and extremely informative then this book will appeal on every level.  Amy writes the way we speak.  If you are a new spinner this book is very easy to understand which makes beginning the craft a lot less daunting and gives you a simple yet educational tour into the art and technique behind spinning.  This book is a must have for your instructional library.

“Color Sense”  by Susan Levin

Color Sense

Author and co-inventor of the Rainbow Pick, Point and Match Color Selector has compiled a resource that gives you a “clear and concise introduction to color theory”. Color Sense will help you to sort and decide with relative ease any  color work choices that you could possibly have in any craft you choose. If you love color or just want to know what works and what doesn’t you’ll relish this guide.

“Knitting In The Sun” by Kristi Porter

Knitting in the Sun

The patterns in Kristi’s book are such a great compilation of knits that are light and chic.  The designs are eclectic in shape, but showcase a choice for a variety of tastes. The sizing is broad and knitting levels range from easy to advanced.  It gives you a opportunity to try the lighter side of knitting while keeping it interesting.  I find that heavier knits can be a bit much even in the winter when you work in an office.  Lighter knitting isn’t just for the summer, give it a try.

“aMiGURUMi TWO!” by aNa PauLa RiMOLi

Amigurumi Two!

If the title doesn’t make you stop in your tracks, tilt your head and murmur, huh? Then the little critters on the cover of the second edition of aMiGURUMi will make you smile and say, OOOhhhh. How cute!!  aMiGURUMi, in Japanese, lightly translated means, “knitted stuffed toy” but in this book, all the projects are crocheted.  If you have ever had a desire to learn crochet, this will put you over the top. The patterns are clear and easy to follow, and what a blast to have these sweet little creations hanging about or in the hands of the little ones you love.  Great fun.

“Knitted Gifts” by Ann Budd

Knitted Gifts Irresistible Projects to Make & Give

It’s never too early to start knocking some gift knitting off of your list.  Ann Budd’s new book is full of elegant and fun designs that you’ll be able to find a little something for everyone on your list… even the cat. Take a little advice and start early so the gift giving season doesn’t sneak up on you and you’ll have beautifully handknit gifts to bestow when the flakes are flying again.

“The Knitter’s Book Of Wool” by Clara Parkes  Item # 59170410

**Coming October 2009**

Once again Clara will teach us all about this amazing fiber we love.  She gives us a complete and  knowledgeable read on the history and wonderment of wool.  Reserve your copy now and come October you’ll dog ear a weekend to just sink into the prose of Ms Parkes… always a treat.

Products featured in this post:

Spin Control

Color Sense

Knitting in the Sun

Amigurumi Two!

Knitted Gifts Irresistible Projects to Make & Give

Check out the new tools…

Schacht Cherry Niddy Noddy Schacht Maple Niddy Noddy The long awaited Schacht niddy noddy has arrived.  It’s available in cherry or maple and is a skein winding wonder.  It adjusts to two sizes: 2 yards and 1 1/2 yards.  It folds flat for easy storage, has a amazing hand grip for comfort and ease when skeining.  This beautiful yet functional tool is a must have for anyone who has been yearning for that perfect tool.  Check it out.

Also, any of you that had seen the contest Schacht was sponsoring, “I Made It On My Schacht” might want to get moving on your projects.  The deadline for email submissions or mail submissions is September 1st, 2009.  Check out Schacht’s website for any details you may have missed the first time around.

Products featured in this post:

Schacht Cherry Niddy Noddy

Schacht Maple Niddy Noddy