Newsletter 913
It's, Uh, Spring Already, Folks: Second Quarter Crochet Classes!
The schedule for Crochet 101 classes for the second quarter of 2026 is up! Kendall's booked a full slate of Saturday classes all the way through July...so if you're thinking of learning crochet basics and couldn't get in to the early 2026 sessions, check the Classes page, double-check your calendars and give us a call at 615.354.1007 to book your spot!
Jewelspun with Wool Chunky...with Project Ideas!
New in-Haus: Jewelspun with Wool Chunky, a perfect bulky blend of acrylic and wool (80/20) that's soft to the touch, quick to work up, and washable washable washable! Created by spinning multiple strands of different shades together to create multi-colored marls, each quick knitting ball transitions from hue to hue as you knit. It's an ideal accessory yarn, great for ponchos, scarves, hats and the like. It's also got like a ton of yardage: 328 per ball.
With that in mind, read on for a couple of patterns perfect for it that only use one or two balls. Folks, these are $5 patterns. The yarn is washable. You don't need much of it, and it works up fast. What more could you want?
The Marbled Hat and Mittens set uses just a single ball of Jewelspun with Wool Chunky to turn out a gorgeous duo of accessories made up in half-fisherman's rib (it's easy!). This is a great way to sample Sirdar Jewelspun With Wool and the end results will spiff up your favorite winter coat. Let us repeat: you only need one ball. The set in the photo above is worked up in Mother of Pearl.
The Strata Tie Scarf uses two balls of Jewelspun with Wool Chunky, and if you use every inch of it, you'll get a whopping 90-inch scarf out of it! This is a great first knitting project for new crafters. The simple garter stitch fabric, with neat slipped stitches at the edges, adds gorgeous texture to the stunning stripes (and remember: the yarn does all the striping work for you...your mind can wander like crazy). You'll need two balls of Jewelspun with Wool Chunky. The scarf in the photo above uses Shimmering Seaglass, but you cannot go wrong with any color.
This one was linky-linky, we know. Here's the shortcut list:
Jewelspun with Wool Chunky
Marbled Hat and Mittens pattern
Strata Tie Scarf pattern
Hey Baby!
Appalachian Baby has quickly become a shop workhorse yarn since we picked it up mid-last-year. Straddling the line between Sport and DK, Appalachian Baby's homegrown, U.S.-sourced organic cotton yarn is perfect for projects written for either of those gauges, and makes the absolute best baby blankets! We've got it in over a dozen colors: traditional baby pink and baby blue, of course, as well as a wide swath of non-traditional options. Veer a little!
Annnnd.... there are kits! Read on:
The Pick-a-Knit Blanket is a classic sampler blanket that uses four different stitches: basket weave, zigzag rib, and checker and seed stitch for the border. Skill level: easy! You can find the kit RIGHT HERE. The printed pattern is included and features both square and rectangular options. If you'd rather go your own way color-wise, you can find the Pick-a-Knit pattern and open stock of Appalachian Baby yarn RIGHT HERE. Pick-a-Knit uses six cakes: two each of three colors.
The Boho Baby Blanket features a chevron stitch and is rated for the "intermediate" knitter. We've got the kit in two colorways: Blush/Silver and Indigo/Silver, and the printed pattern is included. You can find those kits RIGHT HERE. If you'd like to wing it color-wise, you can find the pattern and the open stock yarn HERE. You'll need six cakes - four of one color, two of another.
The Sweet Dreams Blanket uses seed stitch, stockinette stitch, and knit one-purl one ribbing and is rated "moderately easy." You can find the kit RIGHT HERE; it's kitted up in three different color options - Blush, Indigo and Sky Blue. The printed pattern is included. If you'd like to choose your own colors, you can find the Sweet Dreams Blanket pattern and open stock of Appalachian Baby yarn RIGHT HERE. Sweet Dreams uses six cakes of a single color.
Mid-Month KAL Check-In and Restock News
Well, it's the middle of January, so we're checking in! How's your Block-a-Month Afghan going? Does your Triangles in Relief block look like the one above?
If you're wondering what we're blathering on about, click RIGHT HERE and get up to speed. It's never too late to join in. All you need is a US8 needle, 2400 yards of your favorite worsted weight yarn (200 yards per each month's block; we're using Plymouth Select Superwash Merino), and the patterns. Speaking of those last two, both have been restocked in huge quantity. The Plymouth wall is stacked to the rafters with Afghan quantities of almost every color, so whether you're knitalonging with just a single color for your whole blanket or switching it up each month, we've got you covered (it's a blanket; we mean that literally). And we have a fresh stack of Haus founder Carolyn Smith's Block-a-Month Afghan sourcebook.
Join in and get caught up whenever you wanna! The next in-store meetup will be Monday, Feb 2 at 11 am, where you can both show-and-tell your January square and ask questions about February's block, an appealingly graphic knits-and-purls job called Harlequin.