Featured Yarn

NORO - stripes of splendid color and fiber combinations to delight your fingers!

Noro Taiayo

Noro is one of our newest yarns (new to us, anyway). Noro has been around for a while, and it has gained amazing popularity due to its unique color palette. Now, The Yarn Club has begun to carry it, and we are all very excited to see what everyone does.

What makes Noro unique is its extremely long color repeats. It is a self-striping yarn, but self-striping hardly begins to describe it. Each colorway has something like 5-10 colors, each of which slowly blends into the next over the course of a few rows of knitting. Because of this, noro has a way of making itself a knitting experience. Because knitting patterns vary in width, you never know quite where the colors are going to fall, so it can sometimes feel as if the colors are knitting you instead of the other way around.

Noro 2013 Ayatori/Adirondack Shawl

It really is necessary to knit some Noro up for yourself to really understand the experience. One quintessential Noro pattern is Jared Flood's Noro Striped Scarf, which takes two colorways and alternates between them (doubling the amount of unknown color combinations). Another great way to incorporate Noro is to stripe one colorway of it with a solid yarn; keep an eye out for an upcoming Knit-Along using this idea with Thomas.

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It is a Mad, Mad, Madelinetosh World!

Oh, the joys of knitting with Madelinetosh yarn! Once you cast on, this will be your “go-to” yarn. All the fibers are spectacular to knit. Talk of a wonderful hand with the perfect combination of colors and WOW! Madelinetosh fibers are superwash and that comes in very handy when deciding who the recipient may be. All the yarns are perfect for children’s knits and adults alike.

Let’s start by talking about Tosh Merino Light. This has quickly become a shop favorite and our number one selling yarn. The colors are spectacular. Each one shades with depth and has the look of virtual texture. The yarn is tonal, not variegated, and the colors move throughout your finished piece. TML has a soft hand and a lovely drape. It is the chosen yarn for Catherine’s Shawl which uses two skeins and is knit side to side with an added ruffle. I know why the folks at Madelinetosh chose this pattern and this yarn. They complement one other perfectly and are both fit for a princess. We also have our own pattern for this yarn in the works. It is a simple duster vest knit with 3-4 skeins. You can knit in all in one color or go crazy and make the back a contrasting color. The yarn blocks beautifully and exact gauge is not important. For anyone interested in sticking their big toe into the MadTosh world, I would definitely start here. - 420 yards per skein!

Next is Tosh Sock. An equally amazing yarn filled with color and excitement. It will probably be the fastest sock you will ever knit because you will not want to put the needles down. With some “sock specific” colors and all 200 of their other friends, Tosh Sock is just fantastic. Some of the colors are slightly softer than their TML buddies and the ply of the yarn brings out different highlights as well. Unlike TML, Tosh Sock is a two-ply yarn. The twist adds definition to your stitches and stability to your fabric. It has been the requested yarn for all of our sock classes by our wonderful sock teachers. 395 yards per skein!

Moving up in gauge is Tosh Sport. At 22-24 stitches over 4”, this yarn is a winner. We have amazing colors in stock with a house favorite being Ink. This smokey blue colorway lends itself perfectly for a pattern with a bunch of stockinette. It adds life and drama to an otherwise simple stitch. Lora made up her own pattern using Byzantine and WOW! This yarn rocks. -275 yards per skein!

Pashmina should logically come in next since I am listing by gauge, but it is probably my personal favorite of the group. This yarn has 360 yards and is Merino, Silk and Cashmere. Ooooo, la, la! Talk of a special feel and a great value. The colors tend to be soft and smooth and the texture blends in perfect harmony. Several of our customers have knit with Pashmina for a summer sweater. What! Cashmere in the summer??? Yes, it feels cool and comfortable on even the hottest Virginia day. I don’t know how Tosh does it, but this yarn is delicious.

Tosh DK weighs in at 22-20 stitches over 4”. Many customers are happy with it in a light worsted gauge and have used it for everything from shawls to sweaters and accessories’ too. Stop in to see the Tower Mill Shawl knit for us by Amanda using three skeins of Tosh DK in Steam Age. The color is breath taking. The yarn holds a cable and complex pattern like an old pro. It is quickly becoming a requested yarn and we are pleased to take custom orders for the colors of your choice. -225 yards per skein. Shown here in color “Edison Bulb” (Man, that’s bright!)

In the Worsted family we start with Tosh Vintage. The Tosh Vintage craze started with my knitting group. When I first asked the “Purl Girls” which yarns they admire most, they all said “Tosh Vintage” and immediately placed orders. I didn’t even have my lease signed and the color requests came flying in. With this much fanfare, I took notice quickly. When the order arrived, it did not disappoint us. In fact, I was almost sold out the first month open. Ok, I learned my lesson; buy more Tosh! Suzie started it all with her Bella Hoodie by C2knits. This pattern has a simple lace and cable design around the hood and front with the main body in stockinette stitch. Her color choice was Tart, our store’s favorite color. The rich reds with hints of black make this sweater a show stopper. Tosh Vintage gets 18-20 stitches over 4” and has 200 yards per skein.

A new favorite is Tosh Worsted. This is a single ply worsted yarn and has made the most elegant Citron Shawl, knit by Valerie. Valerie does not care for fingering weight yarns. Her smallest needle of choice is a US 8. She knit the Citron using a size 11 needle and got the perfect drape, with the most amazing color. Flashdance lit up the store the day she finished it. Tosh Worsted is perfect for scarves, shawls, sweaters, hats, mittens and well, just about everything. You won’t believe its wool because of its softness. It’s a real winter favorite here at The Yarn Club and a must cast on for any knitter.

The newest addition to the Tosh family from the folks at Madelinetosh is Tosh Chunky. The colors hold the same spectacular fascination as the rest of the family and are soft and very knittable. The gauge is not quite what others call chunky. This one is happiest as an aran weight. We recommend a 9-11 needle and holding at a 16 over 4” gauge. Great for many of today’s winter patterns! The Boreas Cowl was the first shop KAL in Tosh Chunky. Pam finished hers and loves it. She can’t wait for the weather to get colder and really put this yarn to the test.

Oops, I almost forgot our little gem, Tussah Silk. This spot of luxury surely cannot be forgotten. With 1000 yards of pure silk in the most spectacular colors, this is truly the “crème de la crème” of yarns. We have a silk nightgown being knit by two of our customers who want to wrap themselves in the finest that life has to offer each night. The colors dance and play with the light, like a firefly across a pond at night. It is captivating to hold this baby in your hands!

Tosh Lace is on back order and due in soon. I’m sure it will add joy and excitement like the rest of its Tosh family. “Once you go Tosh, you never go back”!

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Hand Painted Knitting Yarns Trunk Show on Display through May 2011

Every once in a while a yarn company will take you by surprise. Where you may find your eyes delving into a skein like it was a fine painting in a museum or a breath taking sunset. I found that feeling the first time I laid eyes on Hand Painted Knitting Yarns. First, Bjorn finds the finest fiber; then uses it as a canvas to explore color variations and texture. The colors explode and the textures delight. Then it is twisted into a creatively presented braid or bundled into a GIANT skein in several possibilities. Lastly, there are the patterns. The guys at HPKY keep the patterns simple. One reason is because you do not want the pattern to detract from the yarn. Anything complicated could get lost. Bjorn says it’s best to let the knitter use their imagination as to what to create. He recommends letting the yarn do the talking and it will tell you what it should be.

At The Yarn Club we are so excited to have these gems in our shop. The Venice Shawl has been making the biggest splash. In variegated or tonal alpaca with gold glitz, this shawl is luscious. We have been wrapping ourselves in its flowing warmth and not wanting to let go. It’s like a cocoon of love with the colors of a butterfly. This kit has been selling quickly, so come on in while it’s still here.

The Giant Skeins are awesome, and I do mean G-I-A-N-T!!! 16, 20 and 26oz. of pure color. Named after the Opera, these gems can sing. My favorite is definitely Madam Butterfly with Parsifal a close second, La Boheme and …… okay, they are all really special. These inspiring bundles knit up the Striped Cardi or the Wavy Shawl like Rembrandt’s canvas.

Also making waves is the Regina Shawl. We moved them to the center so you can feel the excitement in every kit. I’m still not sure how they make this really cool fringe. Someone please let me know if you have started yours. The shawls are all one of a kind works of art.

Now, we have yet to chat about the fibers themselves. Can you say A-L-P-A-C-A!!!!!! Wow! And Wow, again. We have all run to the back of the store and given it a big hug. Picture yourself knitting the perfect alpaca afghan on a cool evening with a cup of tea or a class of wine, just waiting for the weather to get a bit colder…. Okay, it’s only going to get hotter than _____ at the Beach, but this stuff is warm and cuddly and not staying around that long. So cuddly in fact that Bjorn has a braided afghan kit named the “Cuddle Afghan”. This simple feather and fan pattern is perfect for the softest, most cuddly, most scrumptious yarn in the shop. We cannot forget Cuddles cousin, “Alpaca Afghan” in awe inspiring colors in a medium weight fiber. Also shown in feather and fan, this one is just too sweet to pass up.

The newest arrival from HPKY is the Bolero. Sporty and cute in many different colors, this one is just plain fun. Knit with five different colors, the artist can choose which yarn to put where. There is a different skein for the arms, the back, the fronts and the collar. You choose and have fun with this super quick knit.

Sadly, HPKY is a trunk show. That means the yarns are only with us a short time. Through May you can experience the wonder of color and fiber hand crafted by HPKY at The Yarn Club.As many of you may know, I am an artist. This company has brought the passion of color into yarns like I do with a canvas and paint. Inspiring all of us to unlock your inner Picasso, knitting with HPKY is like a day in an art studio. Indulge yourself in color.