New Fall Yarns

I am finally able to get back online. A week and a half ago my computer decided that it didn't want to play with the internet anymore. Kaput! My beloved husband, who serves as my tech support, has spent the last 11 or 12 days taking things apart, putting in new things, putting things back together again, re-loading all the software, taking things apart, putting in new things, putting things back together again, reloading all the soft-ware, taking things apart... I could keep up with emails here on his computer, but his computer wouldn't let me into Blogger, or vice versa. Now we have that working and I'll be playing catch-up this week.

The tricky thing is that his computer has all sorts of bells and whistles that mine didn't, and I am having trouble negotiating the whole mess. But I'll get there... I've always maintained that one of the little-known secrets to a happy marriage is seperate bathrooms (and not telling him how much yarn you own), but I'm starting to suspect that seperate computers might play a role as well.

Well, if you've been in the shop in the last few weeks and peeked into the back store-room, you have noticed that it is stuffed sky-high with large cardboard boxes, all filled with gorgeous yarns for fall. Some old favorites, some old faves with a new twist, and some brand-spanking new wonderful stuff. Not being one for slinging boxes around myself, I go in now and then and see what's on top.

These are the new Pagewood Farms Sock yarns. The yarns are hand-dyed in small batches and come from San Pedro, California. Yukon is a lovely, soft blend of merino superwash, bamboo, and nylon (70/20/10). The merino makes this sock yarn soft and warm, the bamboo adds a silky sheen which is really nice, and the nylon reinforces for those hard-wearing areas. At approximately 450 yards per skein, one skein should make a wonderful pair of socks.

Also from Pagewood Farms is Alyeska, a luscious blend of merino superwash, cashmere and nylon (80/10/10). This stuff is bite-your-knuckles delicious! I really had to restrain myself until Lynn gets it into the computer system and priced. You wouldn't think that just 10% cashmere could make that much difference in a yarn, and their just plain merino superwash/nylon sock yarn, Denali, is like knitting with and wearing clouds. But Alyeska is just that much more soft, cushy and smooshy.

As I said, I've used the Pagewood Farms Denali in socks and was very happy with the softness, colors and the knitability. So I can already tell you that you're going to love these yarns! Not a sock knitter? (GASP!) Think of these for lace shawls, too, and baby sweaters!

Bringing back a yarn that Lynn had when she first opened the shop, Kiwi now has several colorways of the Montage Collection Handpaints. This 8-ply yarn is spun from New Zealand wool, and as the name might tell you is hand-painted in a gorgeous array of colors. This yarn weighs out at approximately 450 yds per 200 gms. The colors are bright and vivid and I can see this turning into beautiful sweaters, slippers, hats and scarves as well as mittens and all kinds of felting projects.

Well, fellow yarnies, I have mastered getting photos from my phone to the computer and into the blog, next to conquer getting photos from my camera into this computer so that I can post about techniques. I think my husband is starting to cringe everytime I call his name...