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

New Shades of Eki Riva Kid Mohair

Eki Riva have extended their range of Kid Mohair with two new shades to brighten up the range.

Pale Pink is a lovely soft shade, whilst Fuchsia is a lively shade for garments and accessories that will turn heads and stop traffic!

Knit of the Week: Shepherd Baby Shower Pattern Book

We've featured a wide variety of knitting yarns as our Knit of the Week; and we thought it's about time you received the same benefits on a pattern book!

Shepherd Baby Shower Book 1007 features 14 projects for babies and young children.  The projects are great for knitting gifts for a new arrival, and include teddies, a pram toy, toy rabbit, nappy bag, hat, socks & mittens, cardigans, jumpers and several styles of cot blankets or pram covers.

All patterns featured are for 8ply yarn, and for those of you who love to crochet, there are two styles of cot blankets or pram covers to choose from.

Shepherd Baby Shower is just $13.45 this week (save $1.50, rrp. after promotion $14.95), so buy this week and save!

Knitting Yarns by Mail gets a Facelift

Regular visitors to our Knitting Yarns by Mail site may have noticed we've made a few 'cosmetic' changes to our site this week.  We're very excited about the new look, and will be making further changes in coming weeks to give the site a sleeker, more modern feel.


We hope you enjoy our new look, and rest assured, it's business as usual here at Knitting Yarns by Mail!




http://www.knittingyarns.com.au

New Shades of Very Crafty 8ply

 We've had to wait a while for the stock to arrive, but two new bright shades of Shepherd Very Crafty 8ply are now available.

Shade 838 (Bright Green) and 831 (Red) are lively shades ideal for kids knits.  Even though Very Crafty is a pure wool product, it's still gentle machine washable, making it easy to care for with kids on-the-go. 

You'll also love the price: at just $3.75 per 50grams ($7.50 per 100g ball), you can enjoy the peace of mind from using a 100% wool product, without the hefty pricetag.

'Knit of the Week': Heirloom Easy Care 8ply

Each week, we feature a different yarn that we know you'll love!



This week, it's Heirloom Easy Care 8ply: and it's not hard to see why.

Heirloom Easy Care 8ply comes in a wide range of shades suitable for all occasions.  As a premium pure wool yarn, it's naturally warm and soft, with a delightful twist to its finish that adds a hint of interest to everything you knit.  Easy Care is machine washable, making it both easy to care for and easy to wear!

This week only - buy Heirloom Easy Care 8ply and save 10%!

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



New Womens Pattern Book - Totem 8ply Book 1256

Features 21 styles in sizes XXS to XL for 8ply yarn.

Ideal for Intermediate to Advanced knitters, Totem 8ply provides a range of gorgeous patterns with textured patterning, detailed lace designs and cables for you to get stuck into. 

If you've been looking for a little more challenge in your 8ply knitting, this is the book for you!

www.knittingyarns.com.au/

New Pattern Book: Amber Warmers

11 designs for the whole family in Panda Amber yarn. 

Choose from a range of garments and accessories, including mitts, gauntlets, beret, beanies, scarf, tops, jumpers and vests.

At just $14.95, Amber Warmers represents great value for money.

'Knit of the Week': Cleckheaton Country Paint Box



This weeks' 'Knit of the Week' is Cleckheaton Country Paint Box 8ply.

Country Paint Box is a 100% quality wool yarn with superb softness of handle.  We were attracted to the glorious shade palette, with each blend combining several eye-catching shades to produce amazing results when knitted up. 

Try Country Paint Box for yourself this week and save 10% off our everyday low price!


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