September 16 Yarnmarket Bulletin

Jan has just released our September Bulletin. If you'd like to get onto our mail list, just fill out the subscription information.

Welcome to the September 2008 issue of the Yarnmarket Bulletin featuring new yarns from Noro, Filatura Di Crosa & the S. Charles Collezione plus new colors from Crystal Palace, Filatura & Rowan. In addition to wonderful new yarns & colors, we have fantastic ideas to help you and your favorite relatives & friends keep up with the trends of chunky knits & great colors for the fall & winter. And as always, we have added the new projects you crave to give your wardrobe extra pizzazz plus terrific new books, kits & tools to inspire you. So relax & enjoy this quick overview of what we've added to the store since you received your copy of the September newsletter at the beginning of the month:

New Yarns & Colors from Filatura Di Crosa, S. Charles, Noro, Crystal Palace & Rowan


This month we've added fabulous new yarn options you'll want to experience first hand. From Filatura Di Crosa we have two new additions to share with you. First, when you add supersoft alpaca to sensational wool with just a touch of acrylic, the result is velvety Aliseo. And not only is this worsted-weight beauty so, so soft, it's dyed to create a subtle striping effect with tonal color shifts in solids & heathered tweeds.

Then just imagine what you get when you mix wool, cashmere & angora with a bit of acrylic and nylon -- sensationally trendy Balu. Available in both neutral hues & funky animal prints, "Balu" is a terrific yarn when knitted or crocheted by itself in superb hats, scarves & more. Also great when used as a faux-fur trim for cuffs, collars & more. Then for ideas to use both of these new yarns check out the Filatura Di Crosa: Fall/Winter 2008 Collection, which includes 27 patterns for fall & winter.

Next, when you crave extra softness with your wool plus added strength & durability, explore the supple lines of Karma from the S. Charles Collezione. With a lovely addition of angora & nylon to this wool blend, "Karma" gives you sensational loft & an airy halo effect. Constructed as a fabulous woven chainette, this yarn has a great stitch definition & drape in all your quick-to-create, chunky knitting & crochet projects and is featured in several of the 18 designs included in the new S. Charles: Fall/Winter 2008 booklet.

Then Noro's amazing Maiko is a luxurious blend of 35% silk, 25% wool and 30% kid mohair. Soft to the touch, Noro's "Maiko" knits up into easy-to-wear garments that look as great as they feel. Available in a bright palette of solid shades with a hint of tweedy highlights, this is a great addition to the Noro collection and continues the Yarnmarket commitment to carry every Noro yarn available in the U.S. And of course, we have in stock the pattern support you'll need once you fall in love with this yarn. Check out Jane Ellison's Noro Family for great project ideas too.

We've also received a variety of new colors in many of your favorite lines including:
• Almost double the color choices now in Yarnmarket's own Caledon Hills popular Worsted Wool yarn with 33 fantastic new shades recently added;
• From Crystal Palace, check out the new options in Kaya (121 & 128), Fjord Solid (4045), Fjord Print (0450 & 0453), Taos (21, 22, 23 & 24) & Panda Cotton Print (460, 461, 462 & 463);
• Then discover the newbies from Filatura Di Crosa in New Smoking (12, 13 & 14) & Zara Plus (405, 408 & 409);
• Plus take a peek at all the new hues in Rowan's Felted Tweed (170, 172, 166, 168, 165, 162, 171, 164 & 167).

Keep Up with Fashion Trends by Adding Chunky Knits & Fab Colors to Your Wardrobe

As we mentioned in the September newsletter several weeks ago, we're all checking out the fall fashion trends & showcasing those ever-popular chunky knits along with added color to your wardrobe. Because of this resurgence of chunky knitwear & bright colors, we've added sensational new choices to the Women's Vests, Ponchos & Coats, Women's Pullovers, Shawls, Stoles & Wraps & Women's Cardigans departments. As usual, we've included more Baby & Kid's Stuff too, so this month check out our hot staff picks to add color, panache & comfort to your life:

• First off, we love the updated classics from Rowan knitwear designer Sarah Hatton, and she shows her exquisite fashion sense in the Colourscape Glow Pullover. Taking lovely advantage of Kaffe Fassett's spectacular, self-striping Colourscape Chunky yarn, this pullover goes from a simple mock turtleneck to a trendy addition to your fall & winter wardrobe.

• Another great example of chunky knitwear is the marvelous Faux Fur Vest from Filatura Di Crosa designer Rosemary Drysdale. With the main body in chunky, furry Balu accented by trim in soft Aliseo, this straight-line vest is great worn with slacks, jeans & even a casual skirt. Also check out the sensational ribbed accents at the hem & collar plus the innovative front placket with toggle buttons.

• Then that special little girl in your life will enjoy keeping with the latest fashions too, and we've added several fun children's projects featuring the chunky, chenille wonder Plush by Berroco. One of our new faves -- the Plush Patsy Hooded Poncho -- will keep her in style & comfy with its faux fur look. Then the Plush Jo Jumper has great trim & use of buttons for a terrific layering option year round. Also the Plush Hooded Baby Jacket has those trendy toggle buttons plus it's a quick knit & a great gift idea. And remember -- you can also make any of these little project gems in variegated Plush Colors instead of solid-hued "Plush" as shown.

• Last but certainly not least comes a fabulous sock project from Noro designer Jane Ellison. Maiko Hepworth Socks provide a basic sock pattern transformed by soft Maiko yarn from Noro. Also the stripes & color accents for the toe, heel & cuff are very effective plus the added length gives you more style versatility. Wear with turned down cuffs & that wonderful slouchy, casual look as shown or stretch them to their full length & have almost knee-highs.

Enjoy New Tools, Scarf Kits & Circular Needles Now in Stock for Knitters & Crocheters

Lantern Moon Blonde Destiny Circular Needles


This month we've received new goodies for our Tools & Accessories, Kits & Needles areas. First off, now you can continue your favorite craft in low light or even in the dark with the Knit Light clipped on your shirt, blouse, pocket, collar or placket. And you won't disturb others with this bright white light that highlights a small area that's large enough to see your needles or hook plus the work in progress. Also includes a carrying case, adjustable, flexible neck, & magnetic base to mount unit on metal surface. Even has a red laser pointer that can be used in presentations. Great gift idea for knitters & crocheters. Available in two colors -- blue or red base for the light. Also comes with three batteries, but for back-ups, check out the Knit Light Replacement Batteries.

Then the Lantern Moon Blonde Destiny Circular Needles are made from the same Vietnamese hardwood highly prized for its straight grain as are their lovely straight knitting needles. The wood is a beautiful, light blonde color and extremely hard & durable but very light and warm to handle. All of these handcrafted needles have a brass connection that's machined, honed & polished with the needles to create a virtually seamless connection and that swivels at the base of the needles to avoid kinks. Also the nylon cord uncoils easily, stays relaxed & is tinted for improved visibility.

One more new item -- from Artyarns take a look at the stunning Kaleidoscope Cashmere Crochet Scarf Kit. Using luxurious, laceweight "Cashmere 1" yarn, Artyarns designer Sharon Sorken has created this lovely crocheted scarf kit. Building on the ever-popular retro look of granny squares, Sharon has designed this terrific collection of interconnecting granny "circles" in a superb range of 11 contrasting solid hues. Available in two colorways: Jewels or Pastels as shown.


Our expansive Books and Patterns department is the place to check when you're looking for inspiration to choose your next project. This month we've added new books we know you won't want to miss. To begin, you'll want to check out Bouton d'Or Layette & Enfant #18. To support this wonderful collection of 64 patterns for babies and children, we've added yarns to our Anny Blatt and Bouton d'Or collections to showcase selected projects from the book. Currently we are carrying only the featured colors from each new yarn, but all the colors are available by special order with no minimum number of balls required. Right now we have 8 of the 64 projects highlighted with more to come soon.

Then take a look at Debbie Bliss: Essential Knits for Kids. Offering 20 adorable new patterns for children ages 2-5 years old, all are created with beautiful Debbie Bliss yarn such as Baby Cashmerino and Rialto Aran. Patterns include tops, pullovers, a blanket, a doll and much more.

Never Not Knitting -2009 Desk Calendar
Plus here's a selection of other new books we've received the past few weeks:
• Find a collection of 15 patterns for Tahki's fall & winter tweed yarns in Tahki: Tweed Collection 2nd Ed.;
• Never Not Knitting - 2009 Desk Calendar features 365 days of wit and wisdom from the self-proclaimed "Yarn Harlot," Stephanie Pearl-McPhee;
• Skein for Skein includes 16 knitted projects with dos and don'ts of yarn substitution;
• You'll find everything you need to know to begin felting including several projects to get you started in Start to Felt;
• Tag, You're Knit includes 26 colorful knitted accessories kids will love;
• Learn to knit with the more than 30 cool, easy patterns found in Chicks with Sticks Guide to Knitting;
• Custom Knits, a unique and fascinating book, provides a wealth of information on rose-pattern knitting in Iceland plus a feast of ideas on how to apply traditional Icelandic techniques to colorful, contemporary designs;
• Lace Knitting to Go includes 25 hip and modern pattern designs on cards perfect for throwing into your knitting bag; and
• Beyond the Square: Crochet Motifs offers 144 circles, hexagons, triangles, squares and other unexpected shapes to use in your designs.

Always New Arrivals to Come Plus Great Projects Even Better the Second Time Around

As usually happens when we're finishing up the bulletin each month, our Receiving Manager has given us a preview of all the new products she's heard will be arriving soon. We've just learned that within the next few weeks we'll be enhancing our yarn collection with new yarns & colors from some of your favorite yarn companies such as Rowan, Gedifra, South West, Debbie Bliss and Artyarns. We'll also be adding two new yarn companies in the upcoming month, so keep watching the "What's New" column on the Home Page for all the latest releases.

And we do appreciate how much you've been enjoying our showcase of outstanding projects from past fall seasons, so as you've requested, we're again featuring in this issue popular projects we recommend for a second look. They've remained popular since being introduced, but with well over 2000 Project Ideas now available at Yarnmarket, we understand the challenge of finding the best options for you & your favorite friends & relatives. So check out the four we're featuring this issue for women & precious wee ones:

• To start us off with those bright colors for fall, we have the Silk Garden Lite V-Neck Vest. Designed exclusively for Silk Garden Lite by Noro, this pullover sweater vest with the deep V neckline is a sensational layering option all fall, winter & spring. Just select your favorite color combo in self-striping "Silk Garden Lite," and you can get started on this lovely right away! A great project for Intermediate knitters looking for different kinds of stitches to learn.

• Then another marvelous sweater project for your fall pullover collection is the innovative Jane's Pearls Pullover from Twisted Sisters. This little number gives you the quintessential sweater girl look of the 1940s & '50s in a soft, romantic pullover. It superbly combines the textures & hues of their Zazu & Lust yarns. Then with its knitted-on beads at the neck & sleeve bands, you have the perfect finishing touches to set off the contoured, feminine shaping.

• Of course, you can also add sensational pizzazz & color to your wardrobe with one of the luscious, large handbags now on the scene, and we recommend the oh-so-spectacular Zoom Felted Peruvia Bag from Berroco. Using an animal-print design, you can craft this superb bag from your favorite three colors of terrifically feltable Peruvia and have your own little "pet" in no time. (Is the one shown a zebra? Or the rare white tiger?) Also makes a sensational gift for your special friends & family members.

• And since we know how much you enjoy creating outfits for the babies & children in your life, we have lots of project ideas in our Baby & Kid's Stuff department too with over 400 projects available now. Baby blankets remain popular baby gifts, so just imagine your favorite little one cuddled up in the adorable Fleece Rubber Ducky Blanket from Knit One, Crochet Too. Themed to go with the traditional "rubber ducky" at bath time, we bet this design becomes your precious child's best blankie for carrying around the house too.

Stay Current with the Latest Yarnmarket Sales Available at BargainYARNS.com

As we've been reminding you lately, our Yarnmarket sale website -- BargainYARNS -- is definitely the website to check for terrific deals especially on yarn, books, needles & accessories. From sensational Yarn Bargains available at up to 50% off the suggested retail price to Imperfect Books at significant price reductions, BargainYARNS is the place to get the sales & discounts you crave. But remember -- all items listed today on BargainYARNS are available in limited quantities as discontinued items, as mill ends or as special offers, so when you see something you like, buy it immediately and in sufficient quantity for your project because it could be sold out later the same day.

Now even though we know you like to browse for yourself, here are our staff recommendations for September:

• First, take a look at the new additions from Crystal Palace -- Meringue Solid & Meringue Print. A wonderful combination of hand-dyed thick & thin yarn encircled by two criss-crossing metallic threads, this wool blend is available in a fabulous array of colors. Plus print out the free Meringue Baby Blanket to get you started with this great yarn.

• Next you won't want to miss out on Cherry Tree Hill's beautiful Jumbo Loop Mohair. A beautifully hand-painted, 100% mohair boucle yarn from Cherry Tree Hill, "Jumbo Loop Mohair" comes in a generous hank with 185 yards and a vast array of color combos. And check out the Jumbo Loop Mohair Throw. Knit on the diagonal using the seed stitch, this thick throw is recommended for the beginner and beyond. Measuring approximately 46"x56" (excluding fringe), you need 4 hanks of Cherry Tree Hill's lovely hand-dyed "Jumbo Loop Mohair" to complete the project.

• Finally, be sure to take advantage of the incredible price reductions on Malva from Filatura Di Crosa now that it's moved from Yarnmarket to BargainYARNS. Constructed of a super lightweight netting threaded through with single strands of variegated color, "Malva" is sure to become your favorite supersoft, lightweight ribbon option.

And as always, Happy Knitting!
Your Yarnmarket Knitting Store Staff

Knitting Daily Second Season

Well, it's over. Ahhh... I can breath again.

On Sunday, Jan and I drove up to Cleveland to shoot another nine episodes of Knitting Daily TV. This time, I appeared in four episodes and Jan (thank goodness) appeared in five. This was a good deal less stressful than the previous season when I had to prepare for eleven segments of "Getting Started." This is the TV series developed by Interweave Press and Shay Pendrith. We're corporate sponsors of the program. Neat, eh?

Now, if you've never done anything like this, you'd likely be surprised at how much preparation it takes. Not only do you have to plan all the dozens and dozens of yarns you're going to present, you have to learn everything you can about them (and stuff that you'd never imagine -- like that nylon was developed by DuPont in America in 1935 and was originally used for toothbrush bristles and then during WWII was used for parachutes and stockings). And you've got to pull together several wardrobe changes, get a manicure because they'll be doing close-ups of your hands, and figure out how to hide the wrinkles, circles and bags you normally can't see because your vision isn't as good as it was forty or fifty years ago.

Oh, yeah...and you have to lose twenty pounds.

Last time I went on the show, someone told me that the camera doesn't really put 15 pounds on you. They said that the problem is caused by the curvature of the TV screen, and with the new flat screens I wouldn't look like Porky Pig. Living in the joy of suspended disbelief, I bulked up on cookies and ice cream and all those other wonderful reasons for living, and went to the shoot not worried at all that I'd look the size of a planet. When the CDs of the shows arrived and I saw that all 15 pounds were on my face, I committed to losing 20 pounds before this shoot.

Okay. I lost eight or nine. But it helped. A bit.

Jan and I had a great time with Eunny, Kim, Liz and Shay. Shay brought her homemade cookies and I was so delighted with my weight loss that I celebrated by feasting on, oh maybe a dozen or so of her deliciously fattening delicacies.

I screwed up a couple of times but won't tell you where I did it because I'm hoping it will be edited out. (Let's just say that my mind went completely blank when it was supposed to remember the word "alpaca.") Jan was a real trooper and did her demonstrations on camera a few times so they could capture everything she was showing. (She gave me a great mnemonic device for the Kitchener stitch...but I forget what it is.)

Jamie, Kathy, Marilyn and Annie were all wonderful to work with on the production. They're all such lovely ladies, and they're all so knowledgeable that I'm humbled in their presence.

Thanks to all our friends at Knitting Daily TV for giving us this great opportunity. Thanks to Alex for forcing me to take on this "stretch" exercise. And a million thanks to Jan for taking on a huge chunk of the work this time around.

Now we're off to Texworld in Paris to see the new yarn fashions. And then we're meeting with the wonderful folks at Anny Blatt/Bouton D'Or. Our good friend, Jean-Christophe, has arranged for several meetings in Paris, Avignon and Nice. I'll be sure to post pictures of their mills.


Oh! I almost forgot! If you want to see the yarns I presented on the episodes currently airing, go to Knitting Daily or to Yarnmarket.

How do you get down off a buffalo?

You don't! You get down off a duck!

Remember that old joke? My Mom used to tell it to my brothers and me and we'd really laugh. Well, Yarnmarket is delighted to announce that we've got All-American Buffalo down. It's by Buffalo Gold and it's fabulously soft and warm. It's dyed and spun by Judith MacKenzie McCuin, who's famous for her artistry.

We've got lots of delicious colors, and a couple of different weights.

This is a Yarnmarket exclusive that you won't find anywhere else. No joking!

New Bargains at BargainYARNS

Josh has just sent out his monthly newsletter filled with great discounts at BargainYARNS. If you’d like to subscribe, go to BargainYARNS. You'll receive this alert each month so you'll know what's new and wonderful at BargainYARNS.

It’s that time of year again when we start getting ready for cooler weather. And with Autumn just around the corner we’ll to try to help you out with your fall and winter knitting. We’re featuring a variety of cool weather yarns from companies like Cherry Tree Hill, Crystal Palace and Stacy Charles. As always you can browse our incredible selection of Imperfect books and find a variety of inexpensive needles and accessories to keep your current and future projects moving forward. As we continue to add more yarns to our BargainYARNS inventory, keep in mind that many of our new yarns are discontinued, making their quantities very limited. Be sure to get the yardage you need while it’s still around.

Cherry Tree Hill Discounts
“Cameo Solid”
$3.85
Exceptional merino blend yarn from Crystal Palace combines beautiful stitch definition with incredible drape in a variety of colors.
SAVE 42%

Bargain Of The Week
“Ingenua” Yarn
$8.29
Katia combines the softness of mohair, the resilience of nylon and the durability of wool in an incredible yarn on sale this week only.
SAVE 30%

Featured Yarns
“Cotton Boucle” Yarn
$13.85
A 100% cotton yarn dyed in the exceptional colorways of Cherry Tree Hill in generous yardage for a great price.
SAVE 30%

“Meringue Solid”
$3.85
Merino wool, acrylic and elastic nylon combine in this Crystal Palace yarn to create beautiful and durable yarn.
SAVE 42%

“Luxor” Yarn
$6.89
The combination of textures and colors in this heavy-worsted weight yarn from the Stacy Charles Collezione make it a must have.
SAVE 30%

Red Heart Yarn
$2.85
Get “Soft Baby” yarn for an incredible price with its usual generous yardage, soft hand and excellent wash performance.
SAVE 31%

“Glitter Thick & Thin” Yarn
$24.85
The beautiful colorways of Cherry Tree Hill in this hand-dyed thick and thin yarn in large quantities at incredible discount pricing.
SAVE 30%

Moda Dea Yarn
$3.85
“Cartwheel” is a 100% wool worsted weight yarn, perfect for felted purses and a large variety of cool weather knitting projects for an amazing price.
SAVE 44%

Featured Books and Accessories

Imperfect Books
50% Off
Get exceptional savings on a wide variety of well known knitting and crochet books with minor damage or imperfections.
Save 50%

Sassy Daisy Bag
$27.85
Find great discounts on the beautiful bags of Della Q, including this 100% silk handbag with magnetic closure.
SAVE 30%

Up the Back & Down the Front
$6.97
This book provides an in depth description of how to quickly knit sweaters without shoulder seams.
SAVE 28%

Current Yarnmarket Favorites

“Indie Supersock Select”
$23.85
A Yarnmarket exclusive from Cherry Tree Hill, this hand dyed yarn is only availablein small quantities in unique colors.
“Aurora 8” Yarn
$8.85
Karabella’s superwash merino wool with rich texture and quality Italian craftsmanship in a vast array of vibrant colors.
“Panda Silk DK Solid” Yarn
$8.25
An eco-friendly fiber blend from Crystal Palace, with incredible softness, strength, warmth and sheen in beautiful colors.

Yarnmarket.com, BargainYARNS.com, and Yarndex.com are subsidiaries of Yarnmarket, LLC. Yarnmarket is an online yarn retailer with over 600 quality brands from 50 leading manufacturers, plus patterns, books and accessories. BargainYARNS provides discounts on fashionable yarns and accessories. Yarndex is a free online yarn directory offering detailed information about more than 4,000 yarns from leading manufacturers.

Bargain of the Week - Karabella Barbados

If you subscribe to the BargainYARNS newsletter you know that each week we remove one of our popular items from Yarnmarket and place it on BargainYarns at a discount. Josh takes great pains to find something interesting to offer our knitters, and then he puts the word out through Ravelry. But if you're not a Raveler, how will you ever know?

Maybe you want to check out BargainYARNS once a week because it's always changing, and everything's always 20 to 50% off. It's sort of the Tuesday Morning of the yarn world.

This week (Sept 1-8) Josh is featuring Barbados from Karabella, with beautiful eyelash texture and a fabulous array of colors. This yarn works wonderfully well alone as a component for fluffy fashions – accessories, ponchos and vests, scarves, sweaters and tops. You name it. Check it out because you can now get Barbados now for only $10.39. That’s 30% off the regular Yarnmarket price.

Jared's New Pussycat

If you've ever searched for Yarnmarket or any of our yarns on Google, you've appreciated the work of Jared, our Search Engine Optimization Guy. Jared's really sweet and smart and hard-working. I love Jared. But if he ever does anything wrong and screws up our Google words, I'm going to tell his Grandma.

I first met Jared when he was about eight years old and played in the forest in my backyard with his cousin(who's equally cute and available) Chris. Chris and all his pals went away to college and I forgot that they grew up...until one day about a year ago when Jared appeared at a party next door, sitting all alone and looking like that last thing he'd want is for some middle-aged lady to annoy him.

"Hmmm," I thought to myself, "Look at that cute young guy sitting there all alone. I think I'll go over an annoy him."

Now, if you've read my posts you know that:
a. I'm old
b. I have no memory
c. I'm doing cartwheels on the fine line between eccentric and certifiable.

I plopped myself down next to the handsome, lonely young guy and said, "Hi. Who are you?"

Now, the last time I asked what handsome young man I'd been talking to at a party next door, the hostess, Carol, exclaimed, "Deb, I don't believe you. That was Andy Groom. You've known him since he was a boy!" Andy married Janna, Jared's big sister.

(If you're from Ohio, you know who Andy Groom is. But my memory is so bad that I can watch a kid grow up, cheer him as he becomes a star on the Ohio State football team, hold his hand in a prayer circle before we eat and then say, "Who was that?")
This is a picture of Andy with some other guy. Andy's the one on the right. I'll have to ask Carol who the other guy is.

Anyway, back to Jared, Andy Groom's brother-in-law and Chris' cousin. Jared grew up, graduated college and became a Search Engine Optimization Geek. When we needed a part-time Geek, we hired him...and he's been working for us for about a year now.

Jared recently announced that he'd become the father of a brand new pussycat. (Note to Jared: A study conducted a few years ago asked women what they found sexy in a man. One of the the top responses was, "He owns a cat.") Jared got his new pussycat just a few weeks ago, and I can tell by these photos that he's already spoiling him...or her. I forgot to ask.

This is odd because I ask Jared all sorts of things. He should have learned a long time ago that he should never end his e-mails to me with the words, "If you have any other questions, please let me know." There's no end to the questions I have -- about life, the universe, and what would happen if humans were magnetic -- and poor little Jared has learned that sometimes you just don't want to know what other people are wondering about.

Anyway, I thought you'd enjoy these shots of Jared's new pussycat. I'd give you a shot of Jared but I don't have one and he's really, really shy so I won't ask for one.

You know, if I were single and 30 years younger, I'll bet any money that Jared would have a restraining order against me.

Congrats on being a new father, Jared!

September Newsletter

Jan has released another one of her terrific newsletters. This one's got a lot of great information about autumn fashions and new yarns -- and lots about the big chunky knit designs that are going to be very popular this winter. If you don't receive the newsletter, be sure to subscribe to it the next time you go onto the site.

Alex and I love to guess which of Jan's items will get the most click-throughs. When I spoke to him a few minutes ago he asked, "Which one do you think is getting the most attention?" Duh! I know what I'd click first -- the story with the photo of the pussycat! Sure enough, that's the one. Our readers are also really enthusiastic about the gorgeous Tundra Capelet.

Jan also mentions in her newsletter the Cherry Tree Hill Supersock and Supersock Limited Edition yarns. These are doing really well, especially the Impressionist Collection colors. I made the sock in the newsletter (the color is Paris Rain) and the yarn was wonderful to work with.

Be sure to get your copy of the newsletter and bulletins each month. They're great for keeping on top of all the new yarns that the YarnMartian yarn buyers have bought.

Open Letter to Bob Sherman, CEO, Serta Mattress Company

Dear Mr. Sherman,

Yarnmarket prides itself in our commitment to the happiness of knitters and critters throughout the world. Because of our commitment, we are growing deeply concerned about the future of the Serta sheep. With the current economic situation, elections in both the U.S. and Canada, the price of gasoline, and the heart-breaking tragedy of Jennifer Anniston's love life, we are all under excruciating, unrelenting stress. But the comfort and quality of the Serta mattress (and perhaps the introduction of Simply Sleep by Tylenol), has made restful sleep now possible, while it has rendered your poor little sheep redundant. It's only a matter of time before they get their pink slips and all those little sheep are put out to pasture, so to speak.

What ever will become of them?

Rather than have the Serta Sheep join the growing ranks of the unemployed, we'd like to present you with an offer: Yarnmarket will provide jobs to the Serta sheep. We'll love them and feed them and give them nice names -- rather than those cold numbers that will only remind them of their lost positions. And then once a year we'll shave off their woolly little clothes so they can frolic comfortably in the warm Ohio meadows.

Imagine how happy they'll be! Nude sheep grazing in the fields, content in the knowledge that their clothes are going to make somebody cosy warm each winter. Perhaps they'll become a soft baby blanket for a newborn in Alaska. Or a knit pant suit for a Senator in New York. Their coats could become a hand-made scarf for a new President to wear to a swearing in ceremony. Or even a set of golf club covers or a pretty, felted gun strap for the M-16 of the newly elected Vice-President...whomever it may be.

The Serta sheep might even end up becoming part of the Afghans for Afghans charity that sends warm blankets to those people in Afghanistan. Wouldn't that be nice?

When you really think about it, there's no end to the goodness that could come from the Serta Sheep's fleeces.

If you, and the Ontario Teachers Association that owns you (and who I hold responsible for any grammatical errors in this post), would be kind enough to send the Serta sheep our way, we promise we'll take excellent care of them...even if we do remove their clothes on occasion.

Best regards,
Deborah