Be ALERT. The world needs more lerts!

Josh works hard to ensure that we've got oodles of bargains on BargainYARNS, so he was thrilled when we decided to tell everybody about it with a new monthly newsletter, BargainYARNS ALERT! He wasn't so thrilled when we said, "Okay...now go write it."

What he learned was that writing it is the easy part. The tough part is what Pat had to do: make the darned thing look good in every web browser imaginable.

Now, far be it from me to disparage the multi-millionaire geniuses at Microsoft, but I've got their new Vista program and...well, it's a Hoover. Nothing I see looks like what everyone else is seeing. Maybe there was some secret code I was supposed to type in during installation, but whatever the reason, Vista turns every newsletter I get into a literary Picasso. You can see the parts, and you know they're supposed to go together somehow, but you just can't figure out how.

Pat and Josh worked on that newsletter for days to try to get it to look nice in Vista, but no matter what they did it still looked like a dog's breakfast by the time it reached my computer. Finally, we had to call in the Big Guns: Andy. Andy is Geek Extraordinaire and if he can't figure out how to make something work, it's because Bill Gates has Andy-proofed the code.

Andy figured out what the problem was, and it turned out that it wasn't Bill's fault at all. It was Larry Schmidt's fault because he and his Gang o' Googlers were stripping out code for some reason. Nobody knows why...and if there were any real, live humans who worked at Google, we might call to ask them. (Okay. There are some real, live Googlers. Rachael and Rebecca help us with our Google ads. But I'm absolutely convinced they're the only human Googlers in the organization. Organics, Gmail, and everything else is run entirely by robots. Or gerbils. We've asked Rachael and Rebecca if there are any other people besides them at Google Headquarters, but they've been sworn to secrecy. We're sure we can hear the squeaks of thousands of gerbils in the background whenever we have a teleconference with them.)

Once Andy had found the real culprit, Josh and Pat finished the newsletter and off it went to thousands of people around the world. And do you know what? They liked it! They really liked it! A lot of them signed up to receive future Alerts! so they'll know what's new at BargainYARNS. (In case you didn't know, that's the Yarnmarket sale site.)

If you'd like to get the monthly lowdown on our low-priced yarns, books and other stuff, be sure to subscribe to Josh and Pat's new newsletter. After all their hard work, they'd really appreciate it.

Devra's Vest Revisited

In December of 2006, I made my very first garment for my friend, Devra. I didn't make a vest because I wanted to, but because Devra complained that all I ever gave her were scarves and now that she's got a whole bunch of scarves she'd like something else. A sweater. Well, I wasn't about to start on a real sweater with my very limited skills, so I asked Jan to find something easy for me. Jan found what was supposed to be a nice, simple vest. It turned out to be the vest that would never die.


The pattern -- which really was simple enough for any beginner -- came from RYC's Classic Beach collection. I made a small adjustment to it: I wanted their outside to be my inside. I figured Devra would prefer the smooth knitting on the outside rather than the nubbly texture the pattern suggested. Because she looks pretty in pastels, I chose Natural Silk Aran. This is a lovely yarn of viscose, silk and linen, and the colors are muted and feminine.


Anyway, this vest was to be Devra's Christmas present, and I worked feverishly to get it done on time. I took the vest to doctor's appointments. I took it to visit my Mom in Canada. I took it on business trips. I spent hours on that darned vest. Knitting and ripping. Knitting and ripping. But as I knitted and ripped, I didn't realize I'd made one small error: instead of the scoop neckline, I'd made the men's crew neckline. And, not only that, being a beginner I didn't know to cast off loosely enough for the neck to stretch, so it was a tight fit over the head. But I figured Devra had a nice, little head so it wouldn't be too much of a problem.


Well, Christmas came and I proudly delivered to Devra her beautiful striped silk aran vest. She loved it. Well, she said she loved it...because she's very nice. But I watched in dismay as she struggled to pull the darned thing over her head. She pulled and pulled and pulled...and I thought her ears might come flying off. But eventually she got it on and we all ooohed and aaaahed and said how lovely it was even though we knew that the neck was a real problem.


Devra gave me some of her absolutely incredible home-made caramels for Christmas and everyone was happy.


FAST FORWARD TO 2007-- This year I decided to make Devra the same vest in a different yarn, and with a neckline she could get over her head. She was so happy when she received it. And I was so happy that finally I'd made her something she'd actually be able to wear. Because Vest #2 turned out so well, I thought I'd better fix Vest #1.



A couple of weeks ago Devra returned the first vest to me and I set out on the daunting task of ripping and repairing to give it the right neckline. The vest went with me to Canada to visit my Mom (she's getting to know this vest very well) and I sat and ripped and ripped and ripped as I got caught up on all the family news: sister-in-law Donna is winning her courageous fight against breast cancer; cousin Pauline wants another Linda Lundstrom coat because the designer is going out of business and Pauline loves her parkas; brother John is making his own dill pickles). Once the deconstruction was completed, it was no mean feat to ensure I had all the right number of stitches and that I was picking up at the right spot. I don't know how many times I counted...over and over again to ensure that I wasn't about to screw up again.


Anyway, after a few evenings of working on it, I had re-created Devra's vest and I think it looks pretty good considering what it's been through.


Today I'm having lunch with Devra and will proudly present to her the new, improved old vest. Unless her head has grown to gargantuan proportions, she'll have no trouble getting the vest over it. I hope.


I think I've decided that my favorite thing about knitting is that you can do the same thing all over again and still feel a sense of accomplishment.


Next year, Devra's getting a sock.

Vicuna -- the rarest, finest, most expensive fiber -- is here!

It's here! It's here! And it's sitting on my desk! Brought to us by the wonderful folks at Jacques Cartier in Canada, we have the luxuriously soft and almost insanely expensive Vicuna. This is the yarn you dream about! It's the yarn you'd use to create a family heirloom, and then go right out and start a family just so you'll have someone to inherit your beautiful heirloom.

For only $299.85 per ball you can knit a shawl...or a scarf...or anything light and airy and so wonderfully warm you won't believe your thermometer.

The critters that give us this luxury live at the highest altitudes of the Andes Mountains. There are not very many of them left because they were nearly hunted to extinction. But thanks to conservation efforts, the numbers are improving, and they can now safely be used for yarn. Each animal produces only about 4 ounces of harvestable fiber, so it takes a lot of vicunas to make a sweater. One ball weighs 28.5 grams...which is about 1/4 of an entire vicuna.

Only one color is available and that's the natural cinnamon shade of the animal. The folks at Jacques Cartier don't dye it because the fiber is delicate and sensitive to chemicals, so it's best just left alone. (Hey! It just occured to me that Jacques Cartier is probably plain old "Jack Carter" in America. Boy, those French can make anything sound luxurious.)

If you really, really, really, really love somebody, you might want to make them something out of this gorgeous, unbelievably soft and wonderful Vicuna. It would have to be someone you love more than anyone else in the world. Someone like David Bowie. (Hey, Iman! Wouldn't your husband look nice in beautiful Vicuna sweater?)

I'd be happy to make my husband a scarf out of this Vicuna, but he assures me (in the interest of keeping his savings account) that he's really not worth it!

Stitches West Fashion Show

Susan Lazear and Rick Mondragon hosted an absolutely stunning fashion show featuring over 100 fabulous designs and a surprise appearance by Vickie Howell. Alex was delighted to see Susan at the show because they knew each other in a previous life -- in the high-tech industry! She was a little more than surprised to see him...so it was a fun reunion.

We couldn't take photos, unfortunately, or I'd have dozens up here. There was so many wonderful fashions to see!

Among my favorite garments featured was a Swing Coat designed by Full Thread Ahead using Cherry Tree Hill's Oceania yarn. The drape of this garment was lovely...and the colors were, of course, spectacular. Cheryl's hand-dyed combinations are always magnificent.

Gaia, a complex Celtic-inspired piece, was designed by Jonelle Raffino in SWTC's Terra. It was a lovely piece for spring, in celery green yarn with a pattern that looked straight from the Book of Kells. I checked the SWTC site and they don't have the yarn or the pattern up yet. But keep an eye out for them because they're absolutely stunning.



I also loved the South West Trading Company Karaoke Mitered Jacket designed by Joan Somerville. Turns out that we sell it as a kit at Yarnmarket -- which makes it even better!

My very favorite piece of all was the Shore Cardigan in Mission Falls 1824 Cotton. No, it wasn't the most dramatic piece, but it was by far the most flattering for virtually every body shape. Check it out on the Mission Falls site. The horizontal lines at the top, with the empire waist and vertical stripes on the body are wonderfully slimming.

Overall, I'd say there was a lot of lace and romance in wraps, capes and shawls. Colors ranged from muted pastels to vibrant jewel tones, plus sparkles and feathers. The funniest point in the evening was the appearance of a runway model wearing her garment upside down! It was a Fiber Fiend sweater with a terrific cable pattern along the sleeve. How she managed to put it on upside down is a mystery. Yet, oddly enough, it actually looked okay.

We're at Stitches West

Alex and I arrived at Stitches West this morning and were amazed by the crowds of ladies entering the conference center here in Santa Clara. The place is absolutely packed! There are lots of wonderful displays of yarns by manufacturers and retailers, and the attendees are having fun learning new techniques, seeing the latest yarns and patterns, and finding the occasional bargain. We've encountered quite a few friends here today -- the folks at South West Trading Company who are giving out bright red bags to visitors to their booth, Cheryl from Cherry Tree Hill, Becca from Bagsmith who's giving demonstrations with her Extreme Needles.

SWTC's biggest hit is their Tofutsies Stitches Collectors Edition bags that should sell out before the show is over. (If you're reading this while you're at Stitches, get over to their booth right away to make sure you aren't disappointed!)

I picked up a softest, most luxurious cashmere roving at the Wild Fibers magazine booth and now have to figure out what to do with it. Cindy, of Foxglove Fiberarts, made a noble attempt to teach me to spin but I was hopeless. I did a bit better with her loom, though, and might want to try my hand at weaving. Still...what do I do with the cashmere? It was just too exquisitely soft to turn down.

Tonight we'll be seeing the fashion show that we've heard is really spectacular. This is our first time at Stitches and we're really enjoying the opportunity to see people from other yarn shops throughout the country, and to watch as knitters discover wonderful new yarns and patterns to enjoy.

Tomorrow I'll write about the fashion show.

Happy Valentine's Day

We're a romantic group here at Yarnmarket. (That's the "lust" in Life and lust at Yarnmarket.) And being hopeless romantics, Jill and Susie felt compelled to turn our sweet little sheep into a sexy, sultry, seductive Love Ewe.


Looking as if she just leapt off a Victoria's Secret catwalk, she's wearing a luxurious red stole, beaded necklace with matching bracelet, and -- of course -- her heart-shaped YarnMartian antennae. You can't see the false eyelashes in this shot but, believe me, they're there.


During the Valentine's Day Yarn Rush, our Love Ewe is greeting unsuspecting visitors when they arrive at Yarnmarket World Headquarters in the thriving megalopolis of Pickerington, OH. (Don't believe it? Well, we have a Starbucks in our Kroger store...and Starbucks wouldn't put one of their high-falutin' coffee shops just any old place, would they?)


If you're in our neighborhood, drop by and take a look at Love Ewe. You'll also want to see all the sumptuous new yarns that have recently arrived following our TNNA buying spree.

The new Panda Silk from Crystal Palace is to die for! Well, not literally. But it sure is great...and it's eco-friendly, too. We might need to create the lovely ribbed scarf for our sheep. It's getting cold here in the heartland and this fun project would be perfect for everyone...including ewe!

Welcome to our Blog

A lot of Yarnmarket shoppers have said they want to know more about us: who we are...what we do...and what it's like to work in a place with a gazillion skeins of yarn. Well, it's fun. And it's busy. And it's changing all the time.


There are about 20 of us now -- mostly part-time. We've got a lot of moms who drop the kids off at school, work at Yarnmarket for a few hours, and then pick the kids up. We figure it's a win-win for everyone because we've got some really smart and talented ladies, and they get to have that ever-elusive life/work balance. Well, they get to TRY to have that ever-elusive life/work balance.


I'm going to be doing most of the writing on our blog, but I'm sure I'll be able to coax others to make postings. (Jan? If you ever get a free moment, blog away!) Jan writes our newsletter, so most of you already know her...sort of. She also works with Alex to select our yarns. And she does a dozen other things I'll write about another time.


Actually, I'll write about everyone who works here who isn't too shy to appear on a blog. Some people might not want to be featured. (They're the ones who are part of the Witness Protection Program or who are alien scouts reporting to Remulak on the activities of Earthlings. We know who you are, Jill, and we're not afraid of you and your Remulakian leaders!)


Here's a little bit about me: I do a lot of our communications work. Like advertising, public relations and our blog (of course!) I love yarn and am often found wandering our warehouse looking for something really neat to knit. I recently found some lovely cashmere. Ahhh... I can't wait to find our Vicuna when it arrives.


Right now, I'm knitting socks. Socks are fun. And quick.


I hope you'll visit our blog regularly. I'll be writing about the YarnMartians (that's us!), our new arrivals, and our behind-the-scenes fun.


Just one word of warning: this blog's going to change every once in a while so don't get worried that you've come to the wrong blogspot. We'll be adding our nifty new logo that Amanda -- the world's finest designer -- is busily developing. And we'll enhance the functionality as soon as our IT guys have time to work on the code. I'm not sure of everything we're going to change. But just know that this is going to be a dynamic place, so don't be surprised if someday when you show up things look a little bit different.




This is Steve, one of our owners.
Well, he says it's him.