BULLETIN! This just in: Woolwinders Yarn Shop is adding a FAIR ISLE HAT CLASS to our September Class Schedule! Many of you expressed interest in learning two-color stranding but preferred to learn on a hat as your class project. Well, here it is! the oh so lovely ALL SEASON'S HAT by Jared Flood (pattern available as a paid ravelry download). The perfect trendy slouch hat suitable for all genders, all ages, and it knits up beautifully in a wide array of colors. REGISTER NOW for this great technique class on SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28TH from 12-4 PM by calling us at 240-632-9276 or registering on line at www.woolwinders.com. Please note: this is not a beginner class. Can't wait to see you at class and see what colors YOU choose to make this great hat your own (or your daughter's, or son's, or sister's or mother's, or husband's, or boyfriend's own...) at Woolwinders, your neighborhood yarn shop!

Tonight we applaud the Wednesday evening safari lite class! A nice mixture of beginners and not-so-beginners who are working on some very pretty projects! Like mom and daughter team LINDA and ELA doing just great knitting in the round for the first time and brand spanking new knitter SUSAN SOILEAU who picked up needles for the first time tonight and left with the beginnings of her first scarf. WONDERFUL job, ladies! Keep up the good work--it gets easier, lol!

OOH LA LA! Looking for that easy-to-knit, quick-to-knit gift that make a big impression at gift giving time? Look no further! This lovely little scarf is an adaptation of a pattern by Julie Harris using coordinating colors of just one skein each of ART YARN BEADED SILK & SEQUINS, ART YARN RHAPSODY GLITTER, and SHIBUI SILK CLOUD. The SILK CLOUD lends a lovely halo and softness to the gorgeous shading of the Rhapsody Glitter, all offset by the show stopping beading on the ends. The model size is 7' x 52" but you can make it as long or as short as you like. Use 2 skeins of the BEADED SILK & SEQUINS and you will have enough to comfortably knit two scarves. Add an elegant SHAUNE BAZNER SHAWL PIN and viola--a stunning, lovely, handknitted gift for the holidays!

Recently sidelined by an injured foot, I am blissfully under doctor's orders to ice and rest this weekend. That means I spent a lovely afternoon today actually knitting! I have been working on the Mudblood Cardigan from the new Unofficial Harry Potter Knits Magazine and after three different tries, I have finally gotten the shoulder shaping the way I want it and replaced the super ugly flat black "circus-looking" buttons I previously had with some pretty irridescent buttons from G Street Fabrics today. Why am I telling you all this? To offer up some encouragement to you for when your knitting doesn't come out the way you'd planned. "But I followed the pattern exactly and it just doesn't fit right!" Well, so did I. Guess what? The designer doesn't know YOUR body. She or he was writing a pattern that will generally fit the widest range of body types, most likely using RANGES of sizes in their calculations. Even if you did everything the pattern said perfectly correct, something may not fit exactly the way you would like. This is where you need to remember: IT'S YOUR KNITTING! Instead of abandoning all your hard work and $$$, put it aside for a day or two, and then take a second look and see where you can make modifications to the pattern to fit YOU. There are narrow vs. broad shoulders, short vs. long waistlines, generous vs. less generous busts, short vs.long arms, and a plethora of truly unique stomach and hip measurements out there. No one can write a pattern to perfectly fit you, except YOU! The moral of my story today is this: no knitter is perfect, no pattern writer is perfect, no body type is perfect. If there is something about your project you don't like, don't be ready to settle or, worse, afraid to frog. NO! Take the time and care with your unique creation and make it what you want it to be! You CAN do it! And you will be happier once you have:) Knit on, friends!

It's time again for lovely full shelves of that wonderfully popular worsted weight, auto-striping CRYSTAL PALACE MOCHI PLUS yarn! Tell me, who doesn't like MOCHI PLUS? And now, Crystal Palace has offered up Mochi Plus on steroids introducing: GOLDRUSH! GOLDRUSH has all the same lovely halo and auto-striping qualities as Mochi Plus but is also has BLING! A strand of sparkly gold nylon thread runs throughout the skein! And don't forget the bulkier weight and generous yardage in another holiday bling favorite yarn: HPKY VENICE! 'Tis getting to be the gift season, NOW is the time to knit up your holiday gifts or holiday party accessories! And be sure to add a little GOLDRUSH to your wardrobe or gifts this season brought to you by Woolwinders, your neighborhood yarn shop!  

Everyone can use a little "Irish" in their wardrobes--THREE IRISH GIRLS YARN, that is! We have simply lovely selections of silk blend yarns from Three Irish Girls just begging to be knitted by you! Our own KATHY CLEMENTE graciously loaned us this beautiful model, "DEBASER,"  by Megan Jackson (pattern is a ravelry download) which she knitted using THREE IRISH GIRLS FELICITY merino/silk blend yarn. The photo looks great, but the FEEL is even better! The combination of the luscious soft merino wool and the even softer silk make for one fabulous lace cowl/shawlette for your Fall wardrobe:)  ALSO, from THREE IRISH GIRLS, VIVIE SILK ALPACA DK yarn, here another softy that combines alpaca and silk. Our dear friend JULES GARABEDIAN knitted this too-soft-to-see-in-a-photo but really, really pretty BLUE AND WHITE HAT using the VIVIE SILK ALPACA! And for you quick and bulky lovers, there are several fun handpainted options of SPRINGVALE BULKY for those super quick cowls and scarves! Thanks KATHY and JULES--you guys are great! And so is this yarn--stop in today and see for yourself at Woolwinders, your neighborhood yarn shop!  

When DORIS stopped in our shop with her three year old son, GRANT, he stole the show! With charm to spare, Grant agreed to pose for multiple photo ops wearing the new sweater his mom Doris knitted for him using CASCADE MAGNUM PAINTS yarn, proudly telling us with only the innocence and aplomb a three year old can, that, "My MOM knitted this for me, you know!" We know, Grant, isn't she awesome?!  

Neighborhood friends ANNA URBAN (pictured) and RENATE GARUFI always lend a touch of old world class to our store when they visit. These ladies know their knitting and they know their yarns! Pictured here is the elegant ANNA wearing a simply lovely bias knit scarf her friend RENATE expertly knitted for her using MALABRIGO SOCK yarn in a rich, regal purple. Busy knitting gifts for others and for charity, these ladies are the perfect example that true class never goes out of style.  

Woolwinders is pleased to invite you to our lovely shop for a very special BOOK SIGNING AND TRUNK SHOW EVENT on SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21ST featuring local author SIMONA MERCHANT-DEST to promote one of the hottest knitting books of the season: THE ART OF SEAMLESS KNITTING! Models from the patterns in the book are on display NOW for you to see just how lovely seamless knitting can be. On the 21st you may: Meet Simona and enjoy refreshments while picking up your own signed copy of her book between 11-1 PM! Check out the beautiful models knitted from the patterns in her book and browse our lovely selection of Fall yarns! Register for a class this Fall with Simona and learn from the author herself  how to knit your own seamless sweaters! Whether you're looking for gorgeous yarn offerings for Fall, wonderful helpful staff, instructors, and classes, or fun special events, we have it all FOR YOU right here at Woolwinders, your neighborhood yarn shop!

Our super popular COIN PURSE CLASS is back by popular demand this Fall! Join KAREN SEEK on SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6TH from 1-5 PM and learn to use short rows to knit up one or more of these adorable little coin purses during class that day! The purse measures approximately 4"x 4" and is knitted using ANCHOR ARTISTE METALLIC YARN (pictured) or ART YARNS BEADED SILK & SEQUINS and makes the perfect sparkly little girlfriend gift or stocking stuffer around the holidays! But watch out, these little guys are addictive--we bet you can't make just one! We'll have the purse closures on hand for sale in gold and silver but be sure to choose which matches your yarn the best. To register, call us at 240-632-9276 or register online at www.woolwinders.com. Think happy knitted holiday gifts!