Newsletter 952
Q1 2027 Beginning Class Dates Are Up!
Let the clamoring for new class dates come to an end! We've published first quarter (and beyond) dates for both of our whompingly popular beginner classes: Knitting 101 and Crochet 101. Check the Classes page, look at your calendars, and give us a call at (615) 354-1007.
And in related news...one set of Knitting 101 dates is a Wednesday evening class. So if the usual Saturday daytime options have proven difficult for you, take a look at the new Wednesday evening times and see if you can make that work!
Back from Rhinebeck!
Meg and company are back from their trek to Rhinebeck this past weekend! Lots of tales and stuff to talk about. Mainly apples and cheese, but yarn too. Anyway! Meg's got her nose to the grindstone once again as we head into the busiest time of the year! And awaaaay we go....
Two New Noros: One Magazine and One Yarn!
The new Noro Magazine - Issue 29: Fall Winter 2026 - is just inches away from being here in the shop (or so the tracking keeps telling us!), but the 29 patterns associated with it are already up at Ravelry. One in particular - Spider Lily - is causing a stir; we've had several people looking for yarn for it just based solely on the magazine cover image... even though no one has the magazine in-hand yet!
Named for the "morning star," Akeboshi evokes the fleeting moment before sunrise, when the sky is still shadowed but the first hints of color begin to break through. Deep, grounded tones form the foundation of the yarn, while lively flecks and shifting strands of color appear unexpectedly throughout, like sparks of light scattered across the early morning sky. The result is a fabric with remarkable depth, movement, and the unmistakable artistry of Noro.
A luxurious blend of wool and silk gives Akeboshi warmth and substance, balanced by a soft luster and fluidity. Its gently varied texture adds dimension to even the simplest stitches, allowing stockinette, garter stitch, cables, and textured patterns to develop an organic, richly layered appearance. Great for sweaters, sculptural cardigans, cozy jackets, hats, scarves, and accessories.
- 295 yds | 150g
- 85% wool / 15% silk
- Needle size: US 9 -11
- Bulky / 12-15 stitches over 4"
- Made in Japan
The Spider Lily wrap shown above is worked up in the color Kanazawa -- which early birds have just about cleaned us out of already! We have MORE of that one already on reorder. But there are a half dozen other shades that are just as lovely. Find those RIGHT HERE. You'll need three balls for your Spider Lily. You can find the pattern RIGHT HERE.
You can go ahead and order the Issue 29/ Fall/Winter 2026 Noro magazine RIGHT HERE. It's due in the shop at any moment and we'll get it out to you as sooooon as it gets here!
Baby Blankets are Booming!
When it comes to baby blankets, demand knows no season: it's 24/7/365! With that in mind, we've got a little booklet that features four heirloom-quality patterns that are a pleasure to work up.
- Lace & Cables Baby Blanket
- Lacey Shawl Baby Blanket
- Wave Baby Blanket
- Mini Cables Blanket
All four are written specifically for Plymouth's Worsted Superwash Merino, and all are built on a series of repeats you'll master in no time.
You'll need three skeins for any of the four blankets and there are, oh, approximately nine hundred thousand and eleven colors. Check those out RIGHT HERE. You can grab a printed copy of the pattern booklet HERE.
A Local Corner Spruce-Up — Plus Wedge Bags!
Our groovy local corner got spruced up and plumped up this week - and there's more coming (more on that later)!
But it's a good time to also remind you about BlackCat Bags, a line of project bags made by our own happy-go-lucky Vicki. We love her "Open Wider" large wedge bags, and the current batch (she's always switching them out!) features adorable cats ("Wool and Cats") and dogs ("Mid Century Hygge").
Vicki's large wedge-shaped project bags feature an "open wider" zipper and tab, making each one more accessible than a standard wedge bag. Fabric placement and linings may vary, but each bag is individually "fussy cut" to showcase the design of the fabric.
- Locally made in Nashville by BlackCat Bags
- Finished size is 15" x 10" x 5"
- Swivel wrist strap clips to a D-ring.
- Approximately 5" boxed bottom corners to fit multiple yarn cakes.
You can grab one RIGHT HERE.
BTW, BlackCat Bags also has a few one-off models that are worth stopping in to take a look at; because each is unique, they don't make it to the website. So definitely pop in and visit the local corner!
The Murano Bandana, Bundled. So...a Bundana?
Fall definitely seems to have arrived (at long last!) and this spectacular Murano Squares Bandana is perfect for it! "Bandana" is a bit of a misnomer, as it's larger than that implies - more like a cowl, really. It's worked in two skeins of contrasting Polka Dot Sheep yarn: one in their Stumptown DK and one in Striata DK Gradient. Both are 100% superwash merino with 231 yards (100g) per skein.
Worked flat with just a tiny bit of seaming at the end (in the back), it's a dreamily simple mosaic project (worked one color per row via the magic of slip stitches) with a maximum WOW factor! We worked ours in the Agpar + Dusty Road combo, but we love the possibilities of all four bundles! Keep in mind that the solid color in each pairing functions as the grid that "frames" the colorwork that the variegated skein provides. If you're local (or just visiting Music City), definitely stop by and take a look at this one; it's a stunner in person.
You can grab a Murano Squares yarn bundle RIGHT HERE. The pattern is not included in the bundle, but you'll find it RIGHT HERE.
A Trio for Trinity
Queensland's Trinity is a shop favorite for a reason: its DK-weight blend of silk, wool and cotton provides the warmth of wool without the risk of itchy-itchy! If you're a fan of Remix or Elsbeth Lavold's Silky Wool, take a look at Trinity! We have it right in the middle of the danged place, on what we call "the Trinity tree" (it makes sense when you see it).
Queensland has designed a terrific set of accessories specifically for it: Evie, a stylish little easy-to-knit trio of hat, scarf and mitts that require just three skeins total. That pattern suite is RIGHT HERE. This set works up quickly and makes a terrific gift!
Trinity - in over a dozen colors -is RIGHT HERE.