Organic Cotton Now Available

Summer is coming, and to celebrate the warmer weather, we're introducing Heirloom Organically Grown Cotton in both 4 and 8ply weights. Heirloom Organically Grown Cotton is perfect when knitting for those with sensitive skin, including babies and those with eczema or reactive skin types. It's much better for the environment too.



Heirloom Organically Grown Cotton is available in a range of subtle, almost pearlescent shades, guaranteed to inspire you with fancies of lazy strolls on soft summer evenings.

For more about 4ply Organically Grown Cotton, click here.
For 8ply Organically Grown Cotton, click here.







www.knittingyarns.com.au

A New Chunky Yarn Joins Our Ranks!

Those of you who are just starting out or who want to get results fast will love new Cleckheaton Nautico. Australian Made and wool rich, Cleckheaton Nautico is perfect for quick and easy knitting. The soft colour palette is inspiring, with shade combinations that will make your mouth water. Whilst lining up the balls for the photograph, I was almost overcome by the urge to start knitting right away! You'll be happy to know, however, I did manage to restrain myself... else the picture may have been somewhat lacking!

To complement the release of Nautico, Cleckheaton has produced a wonderful pattern book containing 18 quick and easy designs by renowned designer Jo Nathan. In keeping with the quick knit style of the yarn, the designs are stylish yet simple, and most patterns are suitable for beginner knitters.

To see Cleckheaton Nautico on our website, click here. For more about the the Nautico pattern

book, click here.

http://www.knittingyarns.com.au/

Changes to postage June 2010

Unfortunately, for the first time in several years, we've been forced to increase our flat rate postage. Even though real costs have long risen beyond the $6 flat rate we offer you, we've been subsidising part of the cost of postage as an added benefit to our customers. With Australia Posts' move to sharply increase postage costs across the board, together with the rising cost of packaging materials, we can no longer afford to keep our postage at $6.

We still feel that our new flat-rate $8 postage within Australia offers our customers one of the best deals around, particularly as businesses adjust to the increase. Most customers will find they still save several dollars off the 'real' cost of postage, particularly on larger orders or with heavier items such as pattern books.

Here are a few tips to getting the most out of our flat-rate postage:

1. Plan ahead. Remember, no matter how large your order, we'll still only charge you the flat rate - think of it like a loyalty program that rewards you the more you spend each time. It takes a bit more planning, but if you think 1 or 2 projects ahead, you'll save more in the long run.

2. Order everything you think you will need for a project at the one time. If you fall a ball or two short or don't have the right needles, not only do you pay additional postage, but you also risk having to mix dyelots and will have to wait while we process your new order. In some cases the yarn may have been discontinued in the meantime, making your yarn difficult to source. Very frustrating when you're so close to getting finished!

3. Place your order together with a friend. Work out what you both need together (which is great fun too!) then get everything sent to the one address for a single delivery fee. You can divvy up your parcel when it arrives (and get a sneak peak at everything your friend ordered at the same time!)

We hope these tips help, and we look forward to helping you with all your knitting & crochet needs into the future.

Knit Your Way to a Share in $30,000!

Do you know the cutest baby or child in Australia & New Zealand?

Check out our great range of yarns from Australian Country Spinners including PATONS, CLECKHEATON, PANDA and SHEPHERD.

Knit something using one of these yarns for your baby, your friends' baby, your niece, nephew or grandchild. Knit a cardigan, booties, blanket, toy, scarf, hat...ANYTHING! And send in your photo.

Yarn purchases must be made between 1st May and 2nd July - the ball bands and receipt to be submitted with your entry.

For full terms and conditions and a full list of yarns that can be used, see the reverse of your entry form or visit www.auspinners.com.au. Children must be aged 5 or under.

If you would like a competition entry form, order any of the eligible yarns from us and write "entry form" in the comments section of your online order.

New Shades of Heirloom Yarns for 2010

Heirloom have made a number of changes to their range for 2010. Whilst we've lost a few old favourites, these are far out-numbered by some fantastic additions, many of which have been long awaited.

Here's a rundown on what's new:

Merino Magic 8ply: has always offered a broad range of shades, but we were most excited to see a purple (shade 222) and light grey (shade 206) added to the mix. Both shades are going to be big in 2010, yet are versatile enough that they will never fall out of fashion. Also new this year are Navy, Beige, Pond (a dusty pale blue) and Wombat (a versatile deep brown). We say goodbye to shade 233 orange, which has been with us since we first began here at Knitting Yarns by Mail. Click here to go to our current Merino Magic shade card.

Easy Care 5 & 8ply: now also offers a light grey option (Shade 762), and a Grey/Navy flecked yarn (Shade 770) for those looking for a different effect. Shades 760 (Red), 761 (Camel) and 763 (Dark Green) are also new. Terracotta (Shade 733) and Bottle Green (745) are no longer available, although the new Dark Green is a good substitute.

Click here for 5ply. Click here for 8ply.

Alpaca 8ply: two new shades for you to try here: Shade 961 Deep Blue, a practical shade great for both mens' and womens' garments and accessories, and Shade 958 Berry, a vibrant and uplifting shade. Unfortunately we've lost Shades 934 Sage and 933 Dusty Pink, which were two of my favourites: hopefully they'll be back next year?!!

Click here for our current Alpaca 8ply shade card.

Cross Stitch Kits now at KYBM

Knitting Yarns by Mail is not just for knitting anymore!

We know that you're interested in a range of craft activities, and with our new range of gorgeous cross stitch kits, we're now making it easier for you to find them all in the one place.

We've got cross stitch kits for gifts; some for Mum that are perfect gifts for Mothers Day; lots for kids and teens, from adorable teddies, kittens and puppies to trendy bags and shoes; and a wide range for the home, to brighten up your mail stand, craft room or lounge.

To see what's in our range, click here.

We hope our new cross stitch kits will bring you hours of joy.

Zucchini, Bacon and Tomatoes on Toast

Here's a great recipe for all those of you growing your own produce. If your veggie patch looks anything like ours, you'll have a glut of zucchinis and tomatoes at the moment, and are wondering what on earth you're going to do with them all!

















Ingredients (Serves 2):

2 rashers of lean bacon, finely chopped
3 medium sized ripe tomatoes - home grown if possible
2 small or 1 medium zucchini - fresh from the garden, sliced
1 tbsp sunflower oil

Method:

Heat oil in saucepan and fry bacon pieces until cooked to taste. Remove from pan then add zucchini slices. Cook until transparent and starting to brown. Return bacon to pan and add chopped tomatoes. Cook for a few minutes until tomato softens. Do not overcook.

Serve on hot buttered toast. Delicious!

The picture of our completed dish was taken on top of our "Planet 3" wood stove, a great workhorse in our kitchen and wonderfully warm during the winter.

Beautiful Bamboo Yarns Now Available at KYBM

Bamboo yarns have been increasing in popularity over the past few years, and with good reason. They are both soft and gentle against the skin, and as a natural fibre, can be worn in weather conditions ranging from hot to cool. Bamboo 4 or 8ply yarn is suitable for use with most 4 or 8ply patterns, but most closely resembles a cotton yarn in the ball. Bamboo yarn is incredibly strong yet smooth, with a slight silkiness to its handle and appearance.

We are now stocking two beautiful bamboo yarns at Knitting Yarns by Mail.

Cleckheaton Bamboo 4ply is a 100% bamboo yarn, produced in a delightfully calming colour palette with shades ranging from white to pale pink, to soothing blues and greens. For contrast, try Shade 57 "Burnt Orange", which emphasises the aquamarine softness of the remainder of the shade palette. Cleckheaton have produced a pattern book to support the new yarn, containing a range of fashion garments and accessories ideal for warm to cool weather knitting.

Heirloom Bamboo 8ply is manufactured in Italy to the high standards expected in the European Union. Heirloom Bamboo features a range of pastel shades with one or two bolder shades ideal for contemporary fashion garments. I'm sure many of you will recognise Shade 885, a brilliant tangerine, from fashion stores around the country as the hot shade for 2010.

Our range is growing!

We are very excited to announce the arrival of 3 new yarn lines to our extensive range.

Patons Fifi, with its thick and chunky style, is perfect for impatient knitters (you know who you are!). Knitted on large 10mm needles, you'll be finished in no time... and with it's flecked style, the results will be stunning. Those who have knitted with Cleckheaton Gusto before will be familiar with the "chunky look" you'll achieve here with Patons Fifi, and for only $2.95 per 50g ball, your purse will love you as well!

We're expecting Cleckheatons' new yarn Country Paint Box 8ply will quickly become a firm favourite with our customers. Cleckheaton have put a great deal of thought into the creation of their shade palette, and have produced some beautiful shade combinations in these multi-hued yarns. Combined with its softness of handle, Cleckheaton's Country Paint Box is difficult to pass by.

Lastly, we welcome Panda Feltable Wool 8ply to our stable. Made from quality Australian pure new wool and available for only $3.50 per 50g ball, Panda's Feltable Wool 8ply is the perfect all-rounder, suitable for most knitted garments and accessories. Panda Feltable Wool fills the void left by the departure of Panda Woolbale last year, and in our opinion provides the quality and vivid shade range knitters of Panda Woolbale had come to love and depend upon.

As the name suggests, Panda Feltable Wool is also great for felters. If you haven't tried felting before but would like to give it a go, or you're an experienced felter looking for new patterns, this is the product for you. Right now, Panda are offering free patterns and felting instructions suitable for use with Panda Feltable Wool: further details are available on the ball band.

Introducing New Pattern Books for 2010

We're very excited about 2 new publications to our range in 2010.




Patons "The Big Book of Small Projects 2" presents a wonderful new range of highly sought after small projects, ideal for gift-giving, charity knitting, stalls and fetes. The book includes patterns for 3, 4, 5 and 8ply yarns, as well as a wide selection of crochet patterns, so there's something here to suit everyone. We were most relieved to see the wide range of knitted and crocheted toys available, as we receive numerous requests for these types of patterns. We also love the wide range of Christmas ornaments and wedding accessories, great for marking these important occasions in life. Click here to see more.




Also new to our range is Shepherd's publication "Baby Shower", containing 14 projects for new arrivals and young children. Once again, it's great to see patterns for pram toys and a stuffed animal make it into the mix. There is also a great, practical design for a nappy bag in there too. Choose from one of seven designs for pram covers and cot blankets, or knit hats, mittens, cardigans or jumpers for the 0 -9 month old in your life. Click here for further details.


www.knittingyarns.com.au

New Shades of Patons Jet & Shepherd Colour 4 Me

Two new shades are now available for 2010. Patons Jet shade 22 "Grape Crush" adds its sophistication and style to this quick-to-knit palette. Click here for more information.

Shepherd Colour 4 Me adds Shade 4989 "Tropic Isle" to its range, a luscious shade ideal for childrens garments, small projects and a range of other uses. We loved these vibrant new tones, and we're sure you will too. Click here for further details.

http://www.knittingyarns.com.au/

New Pattern Leaflets In Store Now

We know that great patterns are the key to knitting success, so we've extended our range of knitting pattern leaflets for 2010. You'll find new patterns for cotton, alpaca and wool yarns in 4ply and 8ply, and three new patterns for 5ply Easy Care yarn. To help you find what you need, we've re-organised our Pattern Leaflets section into subcategories according to yarn ply. To view all the patterns for a particular yarn ply, click on "Pattern Leaflets" on the left-hand menu, then either click on the box for the ply you want, or click on its sub-heading which now appears in the left-hand menu. We hope this will make your experience with our site simpler and your navigation easier.