For those who missed the incredible "knit, Swirl!" trunk show from December 15th to the 26th, it was a rare treat. Since Sandra McIver published her book November 2010, knitters have been drooling and wanting to make one for themselves. This past June at TNNA Columbus, I was lucky not only to have met Sandra in person, but also see all of her Swirls. While there, I met up for breakfast with Jenny Raymond of zzJonquil Designs and Deborah Robson of "Fleece & Fiber Source Book" by Storey Publishing. Deb's Swirl is made with two different colorways of Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride. To see her twirl in her swirl, click on the below photo. I love the way it moves!

There are many Swirls made by prominent folks in the fiber world. A second one by JC Briar of the award-winning "Charts Made Simple" book is in WIP status. I have seen hers up close during TNNA also, and it is utterly elegant. During Thanksgiving, when I showed my Swirl-in-progress to a friend of Christopher and I, she was smitten by the alternating welts of reverse stockinette and stockinette stitches. Inspired, she offered to trade a substantial amount of String Theory for my hardcopy book (purchased here at The Yarn Club). Unable to refuse, I accepted her offer and handed it over. By the way, the yarn is a luxurious amount (weighing close to 7 ounces) of silk/merino sport-weight blend at $30 per 4 ounces. I think I hit a nice jackpot, don't you agree?


For those curious about what yarns to use besides the ones listed in the book, here are a few to help. *Note: You must have access to Ravelry to see the details on these projects.*

The Coat of Many Colors swirl above was made in Berroco Vintage by adixonmahatoo

ChezShea's Forest Fiesta swirl above was made in MadelineTosh DK with the Tart colorway
Jill's above Sheer Beauty was made in Malabrigo and Louet
ltlknits' Winter Waves swirl above was made in Malabrigo
knittingalways' Shades of Grey swirl above was made in Cascade Rustic
So before I digress further, here are some of the latest trunk show photos. Again I apologize if you missed seeing these beauties up close and personal because they are simply GORGEOUS.
Ann in a couple of poses:


Andrea grinning in her Sheer Beauty:
Myself unable to resist trying on a swirl in black and red:
Amanda cozying up in a swirl of Mountain Colors:
Our favorite swirl in a beautiful burgundy wine color:
Now if you still want to make your very own Swirl, do not fear because we can help you! Now that I have my first Swirl under my belt, I have figured out not only to make the very long sleeves shorter, but I also figured out how to make the pattern fit larger sizes. Feel free to drop by the shop to get twirling in a swirl!! See you soon! Kimberly =:8

Diving from Spring into November

Hi there! I’m Kimberly, the newest addition to The Yarn Club family. Many of you may know me from the STITCHES Knitting Expos and my previous work with Knitter’s magazine (I’m the one constantly wearing the bunny ears at fiber events). That chapter of my life came to a close last month, but as one door closes, another one opens. I am very “hoppy” to be working with Andrea and the girls at The Yarn Club. My specialty is Social Media so I will be helping out with our Blog, Facebook, Ravelry, and other e-media. You can also find me in the shop on Thursdays and Saturdays. Since Andrea has had absolutely no time to write I will be keeping everyone up to date with all the happenings at The Club. Here are some of the highlights since May and some events to look forward to this Fall...

Spring and summer whooshed by so fast, we have had no time to talk about the fun that happened!  Back in June, Dianne Lutz of Creatively Dyed Fibers taught a workshop on how to dye a skein of yarn while bringing her awe-inspiring trunk show.  For $75 apiece, everyone attending had the chance to play with the delicious superwash worsted merino with all shade of acid dyes.  During this exclusive workshop (only one is held per state), Dianne described what to do and what to avoid in choosing colors to make personalized colorways.  The result of that day was lots of happy customers who were able to see her fabulous yarns up close and personal without having to attend a fiber festival.



With the heat of summer now gone, we are diving head first into autumn's welcoming yarns.  The hordes of merino, alpaca, cashmere, and their blends continue to arrive.  Sally Melville's book signing on October 23rd was just one of the fun events we held to round out her Tidewater Knitting Guild of VA visit. Just recently we had a sale on all cashmere and cashmere-blend yarns to celebrate Halloween.  Right now, Sandra McIver's "knit, Swirl!" trunk show will be here to coax all who touch the fabulous jackets into making one. If you have not heard of this book yet, stop by The Club and ask to see the "Sheer Beauty" I am knitting for the shop using Madeline Tosh DK in Whitewash and Cascade Yarns Kid Seta in Silver.  For specific details, check out Kimberly's Ravelry Sheer Beauty project page.



We also have 2 events happening very soon: the first is our 2-day "Early Black Friday Sale" in which you can find some really great bargains from 10% to 40% off!  This big sale kicks off on Friday the 18th at 10 AM sharp. The other event is our Men's Session that offers free knitting/crocheting lessons to those guys who have always wanted to learn. This 3-hour period starts at 11 AM on Saturday the 19th. With both of these events happening next weekend, the fully stocked shelves won't be full for long.

We look forward to seeing you during one of the social knit nights on Tuesday or Wednesday and this weekend!

Bye for now...
Kimberly =:8