In Stock Now!

7 vibrant new shades of Dazzle 8ply are now available!  Kids will love these vivid new shades, and they complement eachother perfectly, making them great for striping.  For further details, visit our website.

www.knittingyarns.com.au

They're just around the corner...

Keep an eye out this week for 7 new shades of Dazzle 8ply bringing the total up to 19 shades - our largest budget range available!  The extended shade palette, which will include both brights and pastels, will quickly make Dazzle your yarn-of-choice for everyday kids' garments, toys and accessories.  The large 100 gram balls are ideal for knitters on a budget, with a whopping 310m of yarn in every ball!

www.knittingyarns.com.au

Save on Jo Sharp Yarn this week!



Jo Sharp yarns are something of an Australian icon.  Based in Western Australia, Jo Sharp is renowned for her premium yarn blends and modern, fashionable patterns.

So this week only, we're featuring Jo Sharp's Silkroad DK Tweed yarn with an unprecedented discount 25% per ball: that's a saving of almost $3 on every ball!

As an 8ply yarn, Silkroad DK Tweed is a practical choice, as it is suitable for most 8ply patterns.  Jo Sharp pattern publications include the classic Jo Sharp Knit: Issue 1; Jo Sharp Knit: Issue 7; and Jo Sharp Book 9: Saturday.

Big Savings on Noro Silk Garden yarn!

This week only, we're featuring Noro's popular Silk Garden knitting yarn, and this means big savings for you!

Silk Garden is a decadent blend of silk, kid mohair and lambswool, in an eye-catching range of multi shades.  It's great for adding a touch of the exotic and elegance to an outfit, and its quality is impossible to miss.

As an additional bonus, whenever you buy 2 or more balls of Noro Silk Garden, we'll send you a copy of our Cherry Blossom Time scarf pattern, absolutely free.

Noro Silk Garden is usually $15 per ball.
This week only save a huge 25%: just $11.25 per ball!

Don't miss out!



Pure Wools - all created equal?

As a yarn stockist, we get to handle ALOT of yarn in our day-to-day lives. 

Many people make the mistake of believing all wool yarns are the same; they assume that any product marked as 'pure wool' will give the same results, but consistently find their wool garments are scratchy, stiff and uncomfortable. Many end up blaming wool as a fibre, or even abandon natural fibres altogether, and instead move onto working with manmade fibres, which produce inferior-looking and often less hard-wearing (but less itchy) results.

Softness of handle is the key difference between a budget pure wool product and a premium one, and it's impossible to convey this difference in an image; you need to feel the difference for yourself.  At Knitting Yarns by Mail, we invite you to ask for a sample card and feel the texture and handle of the yarn you're looking at before you buy.  Budget wools are fine for projects such as toys and some homewares, but if you're planning to wear the yarn against your skin - once you've tried a premium wool yarn such as Patons Dreamtime or Heirloom Bliss, you'll never look back!

The difference in handle has little to do with processing or chemicals; it's simply a matter of the age and quality of the animal the wool grew on.  Younger sheep produce a more valuable softer, finer fleece, suitable for premium wool yarns; as the animal grows older the fleece becomes coarser and consequently fetches a lower price.  Sheep, as with angora goats (who produce mohair) are bred with optimising the quality of the fleece in mind, and this also affects the quality of the eventual yarn.  A third factor is the area of the sheep the wool came from: wool from the neck, belly and skirtings are separated from the rest of the fleece, as this wool tends to be stained and contains more vegetable matter, whilst also being of uneven length.

Without touching the yarn yourself it can be very difficult to compare yarns, as the packaging merely states a product is 'pure wool' or '!00% wool', perhaps with 'premium' added as a descriptor.  The best guide to quality available to our customers without handling actual samples is recommended retail price (RRP).  Whilst price may not always be a great indicator of quality, before we add any new yarn to our range, we compare the product to other similarly priced yarns to ensure it represents excellent value for money to our customers.  We have pure wool yarns to meet a range of needs, from the coarser budget yarns such as Panda Feltable Wool and Shepherd Very Crafty, through the middle ground of Heirloom Easy Care or Merino Magic, up to the premium pure wool products including Patons Dreamtime and Heirloom Bliss, which represent the very best pure wool yarns money can buy.  From time to time you may see premium yarns at a discounted price; and you may be able to buy a top of the range pure wool yarn for the same price as a middle of the range product.  So long as you are aware of the RRP of each product, you can shop smart and snag yourself a bargain!

Cotton yarn: Summer Delight or Genuine All-Rounder?

Cotton is hardwearing, breathable and comfortable; qualities which have made it one of the most popular fibres for garments of all types.  Cotton yarn itself has no elasticity, but your choice of stitch can add stretch to the finished garment.  Cotton yarn has a 'neat', smooth look when compared to wool or alpaca fibre yarns - it doesn't go fuzzy or fluffy.  This is a wonderful attribute when you're looking to do more complicated stitch patterns, as the stitches and patterning are much clearer and visible than in their woollen counterparts. We've used it in the past to make a variety of patterned washcloths and handtowels with great results.

But contrary to popular opinion, you don't have to live in Queensland to enjoy cotton yarns over Winter!  Cotton is a great fibre choice for tops, which can be worn underneath a heavier woollen jacket or coat in the southern states, or as a light jacket in warmer climates.  Whilst its breathability ensures you'll stay comfortable even on the warmest of days, this is a great quality too when working in heated office buildings over the colder months, when heavier garments can become stifling and uncomforable.

Heirloom 8ply Cotton is currently our 'Knit of the Week', so there's never been a better time to try out this 'yarn for all seasons'!

Panda Adds a Splash of Colour!

Panda Feltable Wool 8ply: now more versatile than ever!

Panda Feltable Wool 8ply is now available in six new shades, giving this affordable yet quality Australian pure wool yarn a much needed facelift! We thought we'd take this opportunity to answer a few of the most commonly asked questions about this yarn.

"What is 'Feltable Wool'?"
"Feltable Wool" describes the way the wool will behave when it's subjected to certain conditions.  If you're a felter, one of the methods used to create a "felt" look to a finished garment is to run it through the washing machine several times until the desired look is achieved.  Many wool yarns nowadays are machine washable, and as such, they won't turn to felt when washed this way.  This is great if you want your knitted jumper to maintain it's knitted look; but not so great if you're trying to achieve a felt finish.

"So can I use Feltable Wool for non-felting projects?"
Absolutely!  Panda Feltable Wool is the perfect all-rounder.  Being a pure wool product knitted at a standard 8ply tension, you can use it to knit anything from jumpers to gloves to beanies.  The new range of shades give you the flexibility to knit garments for both children and adults alike.  Just remember though, your finished item will need to be hand-washed to preserve its knitted look.  If hand-washing's not for you, some alternative 8ply wool yarns that are machine-washable include Cleckheaton Country Paint Box, Heirloom Bliss, Heirloom Colorworks, Heirloom Easy Care, Shepherd Colour 4 Me, Shepherd Very Crafty or one of our most popular yarns, Heirloom Merino Magic.  Even with machine washable yarns, we recommend hand-washing when possible; but if not, put your garment into a delicates bag before washing and use a gentle or woollens cycle on your machine.

Panda are offering free patterns and felting instructions for use with this yarn (further details on the ball-band), so if you haven't tried felting before it's a great way to start.

The new shades of Panda Feltable Wool have been unpacked and are ready for immediate sale through our website, so go ahead and plan your new Winter project now!

The vibrant new shades of Feltable Wool 8ply (from left to right): Sunshine, Mauve, Neptune, Pink Candy, Apple and Grape.

Real World Sample: Merino Magic Natural Fleck

 

We recently introduced you to a new shade of Merino Magic, 'natural fleck'.  I made mention of how difficult it was to see the true nature of this yarn in the ball, and we were swamped with requests to see a sample of the yarn knitted up.  So I've rolled out my trusty 4mm knitting needles, and I'm now proud to present to you the finished product!  As you can see, the flecking is not too heavy, and is in both light and dark shades of brown.  The subtle flecking adds interest to the finished work without dominating the piece (in the way a double-shade twisted yarn would).

Our next edition of 'Nimble Fingers' will feature a Fingerless Gloves pattern utilising this yarn which we hope you'll enjoy.  These gloves are great during the colder weather when you want to keep your hands warm but need your fingers free for fine work (such as when knitting or typing, for example).  The above sample is actually a section from the back of the glove. 

We hope this knitted up sample gives you a better insight into the character of this new yarn, and we're so pleased we could bring it to you!

Knit of the Week - commencing April 2nd

 

We are currently featuring Jo Sharp Alpaca Silk Georgette as our 'Knit of the Week'.

This is one of my favourite yarns to knit with.  It feels absolutely wonderful as it runs through your fingers, and the silk gives the yarn a lustrous shine that looks truly amazing in your completed project.

I used it a few years back to knit myself a simple broken rib scarf in shade ecru, and it is still one of my most frequently used items in my winter wardrobe. 

www.knittingyarns.com.au

A New All-Rounder

OK, we know it's not exactly ground-breaking to introduce 'beige' into our Easy Care range!  But I think you'll all agree how useful a beige accessory or over-garment can be in your wardrobe.  Beige complements most other shades, so you can change your outfit without having to change all your accessories.  Beige Easy Care is now available in both 5ply and 8ply, so it will suit most patterns you already have stashed away in your knitting kit. 

Click here to see the 5ply Easy Care range >>
Click here for the 8ply Easy Care range >>


www.knittingyarns.com.au

New Shade of Merino Magic 8ply

Wow, were we excited about this one!

Natural Fleck is a bit of a departure from the rest of the Merino Magic range, which have so far all been solid shades.  They're terming this variation "Merino Fleck", even though it's still a part of the Merino Magic family.  To be honest, we didn't think much of it in the ball - but seeing it knitted up was an absolute revelation!  The subtle fleck throughout adds character to the finished piece, and would look great knitted up into a jumper, top, scarf or even a beanie.  Unfortunately our picture doesn't really do it justice, and even a sample card won't fully reflect the flecking throughout.  But if you're willing to take a leap of faith on this one, we're sure you won't be disappointed!

New Shades of Mohair Mist

Soft Green 340

Blush

These two new shades of this beautiful new 12ply yarn have just arrived in our warehouse.  The new shades will add greater depth to the colour palette, giving you more options to work with on your next project.

Knit of the Week - week beg. 9th March

Heirloom Alpaca 8ply has the honour of being this weeks' "Knit of the Week".  As an 8ply yarn knitted at standard tension, Alpaca 8ply can be used for most 8ply projects you have tucked away in your stash (check the suggested tension on the pattern and knit a tension square to be sure it will work out).

Alpaca is a wonderful natural fibre to wear. It's warm and cosy without being itchy, and luxuriously soft to handle.  Heirloom Alpaca 8ply is available in a wide range of shades, including quite a few shades suitable for mens' garments, so it's great for knits for the whole family.

If you haven't already got a pattern in mind, we stock several pattern leaflets designed especially for Alpaca 8ply including those shown below.  Otherwise, any of our pattern books with designs for 8ply wool yarns should be suitable (click here to view our pattern book range).

Click to view details of this Alpaca Top pattern

Click to view details of this Alpaca Jumper pattern


If you haven't previously tried an alternate natural fibre to wool, alpaca is a great place to start; and this week it's a more affordable choice too!

Happy Knitting!

There's a new Italian in town...

Heirloom Damasco Print 8ply has just reached our shores; and we couldn't be happier with what we're seeing!

Made in Italy, Damasco Print is a multi-shade brushed mohair-blend yarn, available in blues, mauves and earth-tones.  It's shade combinations are reminiscent in style to that of Heirloom Picasso, yet as an 8ply yarn knitted at a standard tension it's suitable for most 8ply patterns, giving you a much more diverse range of patterns and projects to knit it in.

Chunky Mohair Blend Yarn Now Available

Heirloom Mohair Mist joins our range; a chunky 12ply blend of 85% mohair and 15% wool.  It's chunky style makes it fast to knit, whilst the brushed pile lends garments that dressier feel, so it's great for evening wear.  It's also fabulous for creating warm yet very light scarves and accessories; it's innate 'fluffiness' fills in much of the space between stitches in open weave or lacy patterns, allowing you to create a warm yet stylish scarf with only a couple of balls of yarn. 

Heirloom Mohair Mist has been Made in Australia from Australian Mohair, so you can rest assured that you are getting a quality product.

New Shades of Heirloom Baby Silk 4ply

A touch of silk makes for a softer handle in this delightful baby yarn - whilst remaining machine washable!

We feel the addition of a lemon and green shade will give you more versatility with this yarn, whilst maintaining its integrity as a 'baby' yarn.  The new shades are now in stock and ready for shipment to your door.

www.knittingyarns.com.au

New Shades of Big Baby 4ply

These two shades have recently arrived in our warehouse, expanding the flexibility of the Big Baby 4ply range. The new shades provide a bridge from pastels into brights, allowing you more options for your projects.


Big Baby 4ply is soft to touch, and most importantly machine washable; so new Mums will thank you!


Best of all, Big Baby 4ply is now on special until March 15th or whilst current stocks last, so there's never been a better time to get started on that baby blanket, shawl or jacket!!


www.knittingyarns.com.au