The Yarn Shop and Fiber Place

Yarn of the Month: Organic Cotton

 

During the month of May, save 20% on our selection of organic cotton yarns.  Perfect for summer knits, items for baby, and for taking your mind off of this terrible spell of spring blizzards.

Many of our organic cottons are already very affordably priced, making them the perfect fit for a fair weather knitting or crochet project.  And if the fair weather isn't here by tomorrow, come on down to the shop for Open Knit Night (6-8 pm) and join us for some good old fashioned complaining.

We have plenty of inspiration for everyone.

Stoked on Habu

Wait a minute, did I just say "stoked"?  Okay, I have been hanging with my 12 year old son quite a bit lately.  But the point is, the yarns from Habu Textiles are amazing!   A couple of weeks ago, we had a brainstorming session on what to do with these incredible yarns and just got so excited.  Though these unique yarns can do just about anything, I tend to go for "simple." 

Check out our inspiration board, compiled from a simple search of "Habu" on Ravelry:

 

1. BlackBkrnd3, 2. black2, 3. Behold, The Felted Shawl, 4. Rules, 5. falling leaves scarf, 6. strangebed2, 7. Guinevere Finished!, 8. habu tunic, 9. Starry Starry Laminaria, 10. Wild Grasses Side, 11. Knitted Paper Lanterns, 12. PICT1777, 13. Kusha Kusha scarf, 14. IMG_5870, 15. bracelet from Elements of Style, 16. Back View of the Bloom Shawl

And if this isn't enough to get you going, let me mention the world of weaving.  I've been dying to weave with these yarns and have some curtain panels in my mind that I hope will see the light of day soon.  I'll keep you posted!  

Oh, and may I remind you that our Habu Textiles are on sale at 20% off for the month of March?  Seize the day to try this wonderful yarn collection!

Barbie Pink

Utterly mesmerized

I don't know when I've had so much fun knitting.  I'm creating our Yarn of the Month free patterns out of the Habu Textiles and a lace-weight kid mohair/silk blend.  It's a small shoulder wrap that I've decided to call "Cherry Blossoms". 

I can hardly wait to get up in the morning and rush to my knitting.  Or to sit down with a cup of tea in the evening to add a few more rows.  It's a very slow and meditative kind of knitting.  Working with such fine yarns on large needles, I find I must pay close attention to placing the needle into each stitch. 

It's hard to explain why I love this so much; the slowness of the work seems in sharp contrast to my usual rush-rush pace.  And perhaps that's the gist of it right there.  The slowness and the exquisitely beautiful yarns.  The name "Cherry Blossom" was inspired by one Habu yarn in particular, the Paper Moire.  It has tiny little tufts of linen paper on a nylon core that look so much like tiny leaves on a vine or blossoms on a branch. 

We hope you enjoy this month's free pattern--please come on by the shop to pick up a copy or download a copy by clicking on the link below.

Download Cherry Blossoms

I hope that some of you will enjoy knitting this ethereal shawl as much as I have!

Barbie Pink

February's Featured Product: 13 Mile Organic Wool

Pardon me a few moments here while I wax rhapsodic about the 13 Mile Lamb & Wool Co.  Let's face it, it doesn't get much better than this;  A sheep farm in the most idyllic setting possible, with the gorgeous Bridger Mountains as a backdrop, a fiber mill where the wool is washed, carded, spun into yarn, and dyed with natural plant dyes, and all of this owned by the nicest folks you could ever hope to meet, Becky Weed and David Tyler.  

The mill is in a picturesque old barn...with solar panels on the roof.  David, a retired engineer, figured out the system for heating the water to wash the wool with solar energy in specially designed sinks that drain all the waste water into a truck that spreads it on their pastures as natural fertilizer.  The farm is certified organic and everything about the operation has been carefully thought out to maximize positive effects on the environment, right down to the sweet-smelling composting outhouse across the creek from the barn. 

Organic AND predator friendly, a status earned by working with nature to minimize losses from predators, rather than taking an "us" vs. "them" attitude about our wild Montana predators such as wolves and mountain lions.

Becky is the wool-queen extraodinaire.  She has worked for years to tweak every aspect of the washing, carding, spinning, dyeing and everything else until she was confident in their consistently excellent product.  13 Mile Organic Wool now holds a place of honor as one of the best organic wools in the entire country.  And it's made right here in the Gallatin Valley!  Yay!

This wonderful wool is our Yarn of the Month this month, and we are offering it at 20% off the regular price--roving or yarn.   If you haven't ever tried it, please treat yourself!  Will it be the beautiful natural colors or the plant-dyed colors or a combination of the two?  Whatever you decide, know that your support of this special mill is good for the earth, good for the local economy, and good for you!  Enjoy!

Read more about the 13 Mile Lamb & Wool Co. here.

Can You Habu?

We're getting very excited about the Yarn Shop's 12th anniversary in January.  Almost to the point of having idea overload.  We might have to drag the celebration out for a while because there are just too many fun things to do in one month!  I'll keep you posted on the plans, but for now I want to just mention one idea that I hope you'll find intriguing:  a Habu Textiles contest. 

 

There has been a lot of interest in the unusual Habu yarns that we are now carrying, but folks inevitably ask, "What can you make with this?"  The answer to this question would most certainly be, "Anything you want!"  The caveat with the Habu Textiles is that they are a thinking knitter's yarn.  It takes a bit of imagination and an adventurous spirit!

I was privileged to meet the owner of Habu Textiles, Takako Ueki, at a trade show last summer.  I did my fair share of holding up various unique yarns and saying "What can you make with this?"  She very gently and sweetly explained to me that she really doesn't like to give people suggestions about what to do with the yarns.  She feels that it is more freeing and allows more individual creativity if a person is not told what can and can't be done with the yarn.  I certainly see her point and now you know what I mean about a thinking knitter's yarn! 

I do agree that there is something to be said for working with a yarn for awhile, learning its particular characteristics, before expecting it to grab your imagination and furl you into unimagined heights of creativity!  But fear not:  we do have Habu patterns and kits available to help you along during those times that imagination falters. 

Let the furling begin!  Perhaps as you contemplate these amazing yarns, a most unexpected project idea will occur to you!.  You may design it yourself, use a commercial pattern, or even use a Habu pattern (one designed specifically for Habu yarns).    You may knit, crochet, weave, or something else.  But please start thinking about entering this contest!  More on this later, including categories and prizes.  Wahoo!

Stay warm,

Barbie Pink