NEW THIS YEAR
We have a lot of new items for you in the Notions and Quilting categories plus this year we have added Dark Horse Yarn. If you have never tried their yarn, you are missing a great experience of softness and color that is unmatched in the yarn industry. Their main line is Fantasy which is a heavy worsted weight knitting yarn that is an oh-so-soft yarn that is a pleasure to knit. Made of 50% Nylon and 50% Acrylic it is a very durable and easy care yarn that is perfect for Afghans, Sweaters, Hats and Jackets as well as for Crib Blankets, Booties and other Baby Clothing. The Acrylic and Nylon composition makes it warm and durable without the worry of allergies. Black Horse Yarn is very economical to use.

 Another of their really great yarns is Rhapsody which is a extra soft 100% Merino Wool yarn. Great for regular knitting projects, this yarn is great for Sweaters, Hats and Jackets plus it is a great yarn for that felting project you’ve been wanting to knit or crochet. Rhapsody is a very soft merino wool yarn at a very economical price – definitely a winning combination in this trying economy.     

 Here are a few tips I thought you might use -

1. First of all, and you’ve heard this many times - BE SURE TO MAKE A TEST SWATCH on any yarn you decide to use. Your knitting will most likely be different than the author of the pattern. If you don’t knit a test swatch, you stand a good chance to run out of yarn before you finish garment, or it may not fit when you are done.
2. Crochet - you use about 1/3 more yarn than a knitter. Plan on it when you are figuring your yarn needs or when converting a knitting pattern to crochet.
3. Keep all the bands from the yarn ball or skein when you knit a garment. The information will probably come in handy later. Also, it is a good idea to keep a knitting ledger or scrapbook with all the bands and other information on any garment you knit (or crochet) in it. It will more than likely serve you at least once more at a later time, and probably many times.
4. Don’t mix yarns of different types! If you are using natural fibers, don’t mix them with an acrylic or you could have a strange looking garment. Also, if you are knitting with 100% anything, don’t try to add any mixture (50/50 or anything else) of any other yarn. Yarns will stretch at different rates and you will be able to see the difference in your garment.
5. Acrylics can stretch. They offer the best in easy care fabrics, but they stretch and that sweater pattern you knitted last year with wool, won’t fit this year if you knit one this year with acrylic yarn.
6. When felting, there is a general rule that says you can’t use any yarn that has a non-natural fiber in it such as nylon or acrylic. They just won’t felt.
7. When selecting your yarn, ask the store owner or helper how it knits. Chances are she (or he) has probably knit something with it (I know we ALWAYS knit with our yarns) and the shop person can usually tell you first hand of any quirks with that yarn. They can also tell you such things as, is it hyper-allergenic or, can it be used for sweater material, or is it a good sock material?. And the best questions of all,,, Would you recommend using it for the project I plan to knit,,,, or,  "Is there something better?"
8. If you are knitting for a baby, be sure to use a yarn that will make an easy care fabric. Here acrylics and nylons really are truly best. They are soft and warm and best of all, mom can throw them in the washer and dryer . Not so with cotton or natural fibers which can shrink or bias when washed. They often need to be dry cleaned. I’ve had a couple of babies and grandbabies and believe me, anything that was not washer and dryer friendly did not get used very often.
9. Last but not least, Yarn AND needle size are very important. Be sure to check your pattern for knitting gauge as related to needle size. And MAKE A SWATCH – this is so important. Sometimes even a variation in needles of the same gauge can throw your project off size. You many need to adjust your needle size or machine settings to get the gauge called for in your pattern.

 Here are a few special products and ideas that I  feel are worth mentioning - please take a moment to look at them.

• Dark Horse Yarn makes a multitude of different yarns for knit or crochet. Yarns include an Acrylic/Nylon in worsted weight, 100% Merino Wool Yarn; several Fancy Yarns for glitter and flash and an Eyelash yarn for enhancing that sweater or jacket or maybe even making a hat. Several of these yarns knit great on a Mid-Gauge or Bulky knitting machine.
• Tamm 3 ply yarn (on cones) - for machine (or hand) knitters. This is a sport weight three ply yarn that has lots of great colors and great yardage. There is enough yarn on one cone to knit a man’s medium/large size sweater (about 2300 yards - approx 1 lb). These yarns are not just for machine knitters, they work well as a hand knitting yarn too and are very economical to use.
• ANN NORLING PATTERNS – Great patterns that are written so you can use up those leftover yarns – a specialty with Ann Norling. We have many Ann Norling Patterns for making Hats, sweaters, jackets and many other garments from wee kids to adults. Be sure to take a look at these.
• Multi-Lingual Kits & Crafts – We are able to offer many different kits in various languages (language varies by kit), these are made for the knitter, Crochet, Cross Stitch, Crafter or Needle Arts person whose native language may not be English. These make a really nice gift!
• Knitting Machine Training Videos - Mostly for new machine knitters these videos (DVD format) can also be a great refresher for those of us who may have set machine knitting aside while we worked outside the home or raised our families. Nothing beats visual operating instructions when it comes to machine knitting. There are a lot of first time machine owners who want to learn the basics of how to use their knitting machine and would like a “show me” video - this is the next best thing to having a personal tutor! And the price makes them VERY affordable.
• Hand Knitting and Crochet Training Videos - for the beginning knitter or crochet-er. Great videos that show how to get started knitting and crocheting – and the nice thing is if you don’t completely understand the instructor on the first go-around, you can back it up and watch it again. What a great learning tool!
• Christmas Stockings – We sell kits, patterns AND finished stockings. We have many Christmas Stockings you won’t find anywhere else. Many are offered as a finished stocking – ready for hanging. They may be a reminder of a child’s favorite toy or an everyday item such as a tractor or Hobby Horse that can make a nice seasonal gift – one that will work for the whole season (and every year after) instead of just a day or two. Plus we have stockings honoring our military too - they make a really great gift. And we have the traditional stockings as well – finished and ready to hang – at unbelievably low prices. Available finished for those that may be knitting challenged but want a great (and unusual) holiday memento that will become a family heirloom.
• NEW FOR 2010 – A "Holiday Vest” with interchangeable panels - such a great idea. This vest has interchangeable (button on & off) front panels for a new look at each holiday season without having to buy a totally new vest. Vests are available as ready to wear only.
• NEW FOR 2010 -knitting machine manuals via E-Transfer. The prices are very low and there are no shipping fees! You can order them today and be using them tomorrow.

Please remember, we are here to help you; whether it be for hand knitting, machine knitting, or crochet. We have a toll free number that works throughout the U.S. (866-463-8810). Phones are manned weekdays from 11am -5pm Eastern Time Zone) - and of course you can contact us via our internet site (http://www.theknittingcloset.com/) or Email us at knittingcloset@cfl.rr.com. If you would like us to call you, be sure to leave a current call back number and best time to call.
We hope to hear from you soon. Happy Knitting,
Judy