Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Join us this Saturday, October 2nd, for the Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet Festival Yarn Tasting!

Yarns By Design is pleased to be participating in the Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet Festival's first Yarn Tasting on Saturday, October 2nd! The Yarn Tasting will be held at the Churchill Valley Country Club from 1-4pm and will feature products from Louet North America, Feza Yarns and Blue Heron Yarns.

You will have the opportunity to sample hundreds of yarns from each company, make swatches and test the differences among wools, bamboo, cottons, cashmere, mohair, silk and novelties. Hand dyed, variegated, solids, sport weights, lace weights, bulky, chunky, roving, and so much more. Refreshments, desserts, prizes, trunk shows and giveaways are all part of this new event. All you need to bring are your needles and/or crochet hooks. Spinning wheels and drop spindles will be available to test fibers, but you may bring your own.

Tickets will be sold at the door, but space is limited for this very special event. Click here for more information.

Because we will be attending this event, our boutique hours on Saturday, October 2nd will be 10am-1pm. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but hope to see you at the Yarn Tasting!

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Stahman's Shawl Collaboration starts this Wednesday!

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Join us for our Stahman’s Shawl Collaboration, beginning this Wednesday, September 22nd at 1:30pm. The Collaboration is a free workshop led by our customer and friend, Amy, who has been very busy working on her latest shawl to show all of you (shown above, on Tamara). The Collaboration will be held on Wednesdays, from September 22nd through October 13th, from 1:30-3:30pm. Purchase your yarn and the book Stahman's Shawls & Scarves from Yarns By Design and the collaboration is free!

Stahman's Shawls and Scarves, by Myrna A. I. Stahman, focuses on seaman's scarves and Faroese-style shawls. A Faroese shawl is a traditional piece of clothing from the Faroe Islands, often with the distinguishing characteristic of center back gusset shaping. The shawls have two triangular side panels, a trapezoid-shaped back gusset, an edge treatment, and usually shoulder shaping, which allows these shawls to drape over the shoulders and remain in place as the wearer moves, even if the shawl is not pinned in place.

"In 2008 I bought the book on shawls that Myrna wrote and fell in love," says Amy. "I am working on my tenth shawl from the book. I love them!"

Amy also offers the following reasons why you should take the collaboration:

  1. Every technique that you need to know to make these shawls is included in the book. I have learned the easiest way to make those techniques work. I understand what the author meant by those instructions. I have some little tricks that I use to make the pattern go more smoothly and therefore easier/faster for you.
  2. When you knit for a class, you tend to get things completed so that you can learn the next step, and will therefore end up with a completed project.
  3. Knitting with friends allows us to share our progress and encourage each other.

So, stop by the boutique today to try on a few of these beautiful shawls, and join us starting this Wednesday for the Collaboration!

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Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Shirley Paden Design Master Class Reminder

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Go back to school with internationally recognized hand knitwear designer Shirley Paden, who will teach her Sweater Design Master Class on Sunday, October 31 from 11:00am-6:00pm (with a one-hour lunch break). The class is based on her new book, Knitwear Design Workshop: The Comprehensive Guide to Handknits. Spots for this class are still available!

Shirley is the founder and owner of Shirley Paden Custom Knits in New York City, where she designs an exclusive line of custom-knit clothing. She teaches master knitting classes for the fashion industry and conducts seminars on lace, entrelac, cables, color knitting and finishing techniques. Her designs have appeared in magazines such as Interweave Knits, Interweave Crochet, Vogue Knitting, Knitter's, Family Circle, and Knit It! Shirley has also been featured on HGTV and Knitting Daily TV.

Learn to design knitwear with a perfect individual fit! From the initial spark of inspiration to the sewing of the last seam, Shirley will guide you through the knitwear design process. Based on the successful workshops that she teaches to the fashion industry in New York, Knitwear Design Workshop will give you the foundation to take your knitwear designs to the next level with confidence. The class fee is $150 (lunch included). Call the boutique at 412-832-0657 to reserve your spot!