Have you met Ayllu?

We're so glad we decided to open an account with Misti Alpaca Yarns last year. It's been such a pleasure to support this Fair Trade company, not to mention the fact that their yarns are WONDERFUL!

Well, hello there.

Case in point: Ayllu (which Misti Alpaca informs us means "community" in the Andean language of Qechua) is an alpaca yarn that's wrapped with a fine nylon thread to create a cozy thick-and-thin texture. It's overdyed, so some parts of the skein show the hand-dyed colorway and other parts are black. Gorgeous! Here's a closer look at the colors we have in stock:

Top, L-R: El Dorado, Italian Ice, Cabaret. Bottom, L-R: Dynasty, Galapagos, Rose.

 

Misti Alpaca classifies Ayllu as an aran weight, knitting up at 3.5 sts/in on a US 9 needle. 120-yd skein/$23.

We haven't made a shop sample with this yet. What would you like to see made out of it?

Sheepish Winter Games Challenge

The 2014 Olympics are fast approaching, and that means it's time for a fun Sheepish tradition. Pick a project using yarn purchased at Sheepish, begin it during opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics, finish by the end of closing ceremonies, and you'll be entered to win prizes! 

Like the 2012 Summer Games Challenge, here are our three categories:

• Small projects:  hats, scarves, baby sweaters, etc
• Socks
• Big projects: adult sweaters, blankets, etc

There's no judging or scoring--the idea is simply to complete a project that's challenging to you. Just stick to the rules and finish by the deadline, and you'll qualify for a drawing where we'll be giving away shop gift certificates and maybe other goodies. If you're not sure what category your project would fit in, just ask! We'll help you figure it out. 

Remember, you must purchase your yarn at Sheepish to qualify for the prize drawing!

The opening ceremonies will be broadcast on Friday, February 7, and the closing ceremonies on Sunday, February 23. (Note: this year some Olympic events will actually happen the day before the opening ceremony. We aren't counting that day in our challenge. It starts when the broadcast of the opening ceremony starts. This is the honor system here.)

If you like to watch the games as much as we do, this is a great way to keep your hands occupied while you cheer on Team USA!

Stock up on solids

For a while now, we've been noticing that people are buying hand-dyed or kettle-dyed fingering weight yarns just as often for shawls as for socks. The color changes of those yarns lend themselves beautifully to a project like Hitchhiker or Ripples.

So what about you sock knitters? This winter we're focusing on bringing you more solid color options in addition to the variegated yarns we continue to carry. A few days ago we introduced you to American B.R.A.N.D. Now let's take a look at a few more great solids we've added to our inventory.

Austermann Step Classic: 460yds, 75% superwash virgin wool, 25% nylon, w/Aloe Vera & Jojoba Oil, $19.00/skein.

Brown Sheep Wildfoote: 215yds, 75% superwash, 25% nylon, $7.00/skein.

Fortissima Socka: 230yds, 75% superwash virgin wool, 25% nylon, $7.50/skein.

You can make a whole pair of socks from one skein of Step. The smaller skeins of Wildfoote and Socka are great for those times when you need smaller quantities of multiple colors for stripes or colorwork.

We also like the fact that Socka comes in all these great "manly" colors for the less-colorful sock lovers in your life.

Solids are such a great way to show off intricate textures. Add some of these yarns to your stash and you'll be prepared for that next gorgeous cabled or lacy sock pattern that catches your eye!

American B.R.A.N.D.

As you probably know, we strive to be very aware of where our yarns come from. Whenever possible, we prefer to deal with U.S. companies or foreign companies that have been certified Fair Trade. That's why we're really excited about a new yarn that arrived this week: American B.R.A.N.D. (Born, Raised, And Naturally Dyed).

This fingering weight yarn is 80% superwash wool and 20% nylon--perfect for socks. The wool comes from U.S.-raised Rambouillet sheep and is spun and dyed in the U.S. as well.

The colors really distinguish this yarn from any other sock yarn we've seen. The dyes are all derived from natural materials such as flowers, nuts, and roots, giving American B.R.A.N.D. a uniquely organic color palette.

This is a new product for us, so for now we're testing it out by stocking just one skein of each of its 12 colors. If it proves to be popular, we'll continue to carry more of it. So, please give us your feedback! We really think you'll like it.

The price for this all-American, naturally-dyed yarn is a little higher than some sock yarns ($30), but we believe it's worth it. With 440 yards per skein, you'll have plenty to make a really special, gorgeous pair of socks (or maybe a scarf? cowl? small shawl?). Carrie made a tiny sock with the sample skein the company gave us, and loved working with it.

Stop by and experience American B.R.A.N.D. for yourself!

Sewing "The Anything Organizer"

Our evening sewing sessions with Chrissy Weeks have been very successful so far. We're so glad you like them! We have another fun one planned for you this month.

On Tuesday*, January 28, 6:00-9:00pm, Chrissy will be teaching a class on sewing a handy organizer. Of course, we think this project is an ideal place to keep your knitting needles and crochet hooks, but it's very customizable, so you can store all kinds of different things in there.

Here's the list of supplies you'll need to bring:

• Your Sewing Machine, all parts and manual if possible
  
• Scissors – 6 or 8 inch dress shears are best
  
• Measuring tape and/or ruler
• Thread to match your project (but please have white, gray and black with you as a back up)
  
• Pins and pin cushion or magnet
  
• Tailor's chalk or other washable marking tool (regular pencil will work in a pinch)
  
• Extra sewing machine needles
  
• Hand sewing needles (small for finishing and sewing buttons)
  
• Seam ripper
• Whatever you plan to put in your organizer: knitting needles, crochet hooks, pencils, crayons, make-up brushes, paint brushes, etc...

Cost for the class is $20 (CASH or CHECK only, please). That includes the fabric and the pattern.

To register, email Chrissy at c@chrissyweeks.com or give us a call at 404-377-6875.

*We will still have Knit Night and be open for business like any other Tuesday, so even if you're not sewing with us, bring a project and hang out!

Dream Club: January 2014

Happy New Year! We hope everyone had a great holiday season and that you all have been keeping warm during the recent Polar Vortex (which, by the way, would be a great name for a big, wooly yarn--or a band).

After the frantic pace of the holidays, are you ready to kick back and relax with a new project? Take a look at the latest Dream Club offering from Dream In Color.

This month's yarn is really a set of two yarns. They're both Perfectly Posh Sport, but one is a 70g variegated skein, and one is a 30g semi-solid skein. Perfectly Posh Sport is a wonderfully soft blend of 70% domestic fine merino wool, 10% mohair, 10% silk, 10% cashmere. Price for the two-skein set (about 320 yards total) is $32.00.

 

The pattern included with purchase of this month's yarn is the Zumi Cowl by Kay Dahlquist. The construction of this cowl looks like it would be a fun knitting challenge!

Reminders: As always, Dream Club yarns are limited edition, so get yours while you can. And if you haven't yet, check out the Dream Club Ravelry group for knit-alongs, giveaways, and other fun stuff.