Meet the Yarns By Design team-Part Two

Part two to our "Meet the Yarns By Design Team" blog series!

Next up is Natalie Belmont, Boutique Manager. 

Natalie's path to knitting and to the Yarns By Design team started in 2010 and came about when she was in search of a creative outlet. "I went to art school and when I quit, I also quit drawing and painting", she begins. "I wanted to try knitting so I bought some yarn and a pattern and gave it a shot." "When my baby bootie pattern came out to fit a 5 year old, I started looking for a place to get help." Natalie lived in Oakmont, so YBD was the next logical place to go. "Sandy (owner) took me in and taught me everything I know, and eventually employed me!"

Natalie and fam!

Natalie's favorite place to knit is on her sofa with Netflix or at Thursday evening Fiber Friends at YBD.  When she is not knitting or at the boutique she enjoys hot yoga and spending time with her husband and two boys. One of her knitting projects she is most proud of is "The Bounce Blanket, made for her newest son Otto (born in June). "It is such a fun pattern, I had a blast and it turned out beautiful". The blanket is made all out of Rios!

The Bounce Blanket designed by Tin Can Knits, made by Natalie and ready for  baby Otto!

Natalie's favorite knitting designers are Tin Can Knits and Stephen West. When asked what is currently her go-to fiber for knitting, Natalie said "I am a total Malabrigo junkie, and my favorite line of theirs is Rios!"

Natalie and Antonio, owner of Malabrigo. 

Finally, a few words of wisdom from Natalie to anyone just getting started with knitting:

"Just keep knitting! Don't leave any idle time in between projects, always have something on your needles."

Stop by to say hi to Natalie and the rest of the YBD team, we are here to help! Interested in learning to knit or crochet? Sign up for some individual or group lessons today.

Warmly, 

Sarah at Yarns By Design 

sarah@yarnsbydesignpa.com

Steel Valley Yarn Crawl 2017 Round Up

The 2017 Steel Valley Yarn Crawl has come to an end and we are all catching our breath! Yarns By Design was open during seven of the 10 days of the crawl and were fortunate enough to have quite the turnout. This year we estimated well over 200 passports stamped at our boutique. We had familiar faces stop by and many first-time visitors as well. Some of our crawlers even came from out of state just for the event. 

We noticed lots of crawlers stopping in to check out our Hedgehog Fibres and our newest brand of Brooklyn Tweed. We can't wait see what everyone has to say about trying those yarns for the first time-be sure to let us know. Don't forget to bring in your finished projects when you stop in, we enjoy seeing our yarns come alive! A special shout out to Tin Can Knits for donating the free knit pattern "Undertone Cowl" and YBD's Sarah LaVoie for designing the free crochet pattern with purchase of the featured Hedgehog Fibres yarn. Both patterns are great for transitioning to Fall weather, so get started now.

2017 Yarn Crawl Knit pattern "Undertone Cowl" by Tin Can Knits and made by Sandy

Undertone Cowl made with this fun shade of  Hedgehog Fibres DK in "Bounce" 

2017 Yarn Crawl crochet pattern "Morning Smoothie" by Sarah LaVoie

 

Morning Smoothie cowl made with this dynamic shade of Hedgehog Fibres DK  in "Birthday Cake" 

 Winners of our raffle were selected. Congratulations to our winners:
Bag #1: Faye Gardany
Bag #2: Chelsea Kelly
Bag #3: Noralynn Spiri

Congrats to Chelsea Kelly, crocheter and winner of YBD raffle bag #2 and newest fan of Hedgehog Fibres!

We hope you love your prizes as much as we do!

Have any recommendations for things you'd like to see at our shop or about the crawl in general? We would love to hear your feedback. Stop in the boutique, drop us a message or just comment below. We are trying to improve the crawl experience every year.

Some views of our 2017 crawlers in action. 

Yarns by Design would like to thank all of the crawlers that stopped by this year and we hope to see everyone again soon. Looking forward to what the 2018 crawl brings!

Warmly,

Sarah with YBD
sarah@yarnsbydesignpa.com

Oh baby!

It always seems to me like June, July and August are popular months for babies to be born. If you're like me, each summer comes with the joyous addition of newborns amongst friends, family and coworkers. Giving a handmade gift is an extra special way to say congratulations. It may even be something the little one gets attached to and treasures for years! 

Yarns By Design has some beautiful yarns that are perfect for your next baby project. Our most popular  one by J.C. Brett- Flutterby comes in a variety of colors. It's super bulky weight can make for a quick moving project if you need one done before baby gets here. This yarn has many pattern designs to use- you'll need more than one as you'll be hooked on the yarn after feeling it's marshmallow-soft fiber. Looking for something in a lighter weight? Try Cascade Yarns: Cherub Baby for sport weight or Rowan: Super Fine Merino for fingering weight. (All pictured above)

Squishy soft Flutterby yarn patterns. 

To make life even easier, Yarns By Design has in stock the  Feza Baby Gradient Blanket kit. Pattern and yarn ready to go!

J.C. Brett Flutterby Hooded Blanket on top and Feza Baby Gradient Blanket in center. 

If you see more baby projects in your future, consider a pattern book to have handy. We have a collection to choose from including patterns for blankets, booties, garments, and toys.

Just a few of the baby pattern books at YBD!

Finally, if you are looking for something a little bit different than the usual pastels of baby projects I suggest trying something like making a blanket or garment in the baby's birthstone color. June is light  amethyst or moonstone, July is ruby and August is peridot. 

Left to Right: June/Light Amethyst in Malabrigo Rios "Orchid", July/Ruby in Malabrigo Rios "Ravelry Red",  and August/Peridot in Madelintosh DK in "Grasshopper".

Bonus: all yarns mentioned and pictured are machine washable! A must for baby friendly projects.

Do you have a favorite project you like to make for the babies in your life? Share them below or bring them by the boutique to show us (babies too)!

Warmly,

Sarah from Yarns By Design

Meet the Yarns By Design team- Part One

Over the next few blog posts you'll get to meet the Yarns By Design team. 

First up is Michelle who joined our team Winter 2016. You can usually find her at the boutique on Saturdays working the floor and assisting you with your knitting needs. 

Meet Michelle!

Michelle became interested in knitting over 10 years ago when her youngest started first grade and would be gone all day.  When asked how she became interested in knitting she said, "my local YMCA was offering a free class and I thought…why not? I won't say I was hooked right away but I stuck with it and it has become therapeutic for me." "If I'm sitting, my knitting is in my lap" she continues.   

One of Michelle's work in progress. 

When Michelle isn't knitting she is busy with her  family which consists of husband James, teen aged daughters Allyson and Meghan and dog Cha-cha.  She enjoys being outdoors flower gardening and bird watching.  "Fitness is also extremely important to me", she says. "I swim laps Monday through  Friday and run on the weekends.  I also squeeze in a bike ride when I can. I volunteer with Meals on Wheels on Wednesdays."

Knitted hats. 

Her favorite place to knit is on her back porch with her dog at her feet and a glass of iced tea beside her. Her most elaborate project was a baby blanket knitted and sold to a friend to give as a gift.  

Socks handmade by Michelle

Her tips to fellow knitters: "Stick with it if you are just beginning.  Ask more experienced knitters as many questions as you can and don't be afraid to rip a project out and start over.  There isn't a mistake that I haven't been able to fix."

Another project by Michelle

 Stop in to the boutique and say hello to Michelle. Interested in learning to knit or crochet and "stick with it"? Click here for our class information!

Get ready for the Steel Valley Yarn Crawl!

It's that time of year again! Clear your calendar and clear some space for a fresh yarn stash- the yarn crawl is here.

The 4th annual Steel Valley Yarn Crawl runs from July 28th through August 6th. It gives yarn lovers the opportunity to win fantastic prizes at 11 shops in the Pittsburgh area over 10 days.
The passports and bags are now available at Yarns By Design and at each of the participating shops. For $12 you will receive a fabulous bag and eleven raffle tickets. The bag is bigger and better this year, with plenty of room for your yarn crawl purchases and later for toting your projects or even to bring to the beach this summer.

Come and get your 2017 SVYC bag today!

If you'd like to plan ahead, here is a 2017 map of the participating shops. Check out the Steel Valley Yarn Crawl website for all of the details on the event.

In addition to exciting prizes, we will have a free knit and crochet pattern featuring Hedgehog Fibres. It's the perfect opportunity to give this beautiful brand a try if you haven't already. Stop in today to pick up your bag and passport!

Our Hedgehog Fibres are yarn crawl ready. 

Warmly,

Sarah at Yarns By Design

sarah@yarnsbydesignpa.com

Summer Solstice: keep cool with linen!

Tomorrow is officially the first day of summer. The summer solstice brings backyard barbeques, days spent at the pool and the search for the perfect breathable knit or crochet project. The search is over with linen yarn.

"Crete" pattern made by Sandy using Shibui Knits linen yarn: lightweight and beautiful. 

Linen yarn is made by using fibers from the stalk of the flax (also known as linseed) plant. It has been used for over 8,000 years, first with Mediterranean civilizations and later adopted by Europe.

This top is hot weather ready, made with Shibui- Twig (46% linen) by Tamara.

So, why linen? Linen is:

• vegan friendly 
• hypo-allergenic
• breathable and lightweight (perfect for warm weather garments)
• absorbent- wicks moisture away from skin for an airy cool feeling
• durable- about 30% stronger than cotton
• quick drying (try it for a beach coverup!)
• long lasting- with careful laundering, the item will last for years. The more linen is used and washed, the softer it gets. 
• natural textured look- no need for fancy stitches or complicated patterns, linen's texture comes naturally.

"Vested Interest" pattern made by Natalie using 100% linen (Quince & Co.- Kestrel )

Yarns By Design has many linen yarns to try. Shibui Knits- Reed, Louet North America- Euroflax and Euroflax Lace, Habu- Fine Linen, Quince and Co.- Kestrel and Sparrow and Claudia and Co.- Hand Painted Yarns are all 100% linen. We also have linen blends including Shibui Knits- Twig, Rowan- Cotton Lustre,  and The Fibre Co.- Savannah. All of these will give you the lustrous and lightweight wearability you want this summer. 

Lots of linen options at Yarns By Design!

Check us out online or shop our boutique to pick up your stash of the coolest fiber in town. 

Be sure to comment below to share your linen yarn experience or bring in your linen projects to show off. We love to see what our customers create. 

Warmly, 

Sarah with Yarns By Design

sarah@yarnsbydesignpa.com

The countdown to World Wide Knit in Public Day

If you are a knitter, you probably already pack your yarn and needles with you wherever you go. Whether you are waiting for your child's practice to be over or you are sitting patiently at the doctor's office, you can't wait to fill that down time with squeezing in a few more stitches. If this sounds anything like you, join in on the World Wide Knit in Public fun in just 5 short days.

Join in on June 10th, 2017. 

What is World Wide Knit in Public Day (WWKIPD)? It is a community of knitters that started in 2005 and is held on the second Saturday of each June. The founder Danielle Landes wanted a way for knitters to get together and…well, knit. Each year, participation grows and this year is sure to be the biggest one yet. So far, 47 countries have signed up! From Turkey, to Guinea, to Slovenia to just down the street from you-knitters will be out and about with yarn in tow.

Knitters often find themselves knitting alone. It can get a little secluded. This special day will give fiber artists the opportunity to get out and show off their skills, meet new people, share tips, trade their yarn and maybe even teach some non-knitters how to get started.

Sandy with YBD knitting in public at the Pirates game. 

Check out the WWKIPD website and Facebook page for more details. You can also host your own local event. Click here for the Pennsylvania events to find your nearest host.  For the crocheters out there, don't feel left out. You'll find most of these events are NOT exclusive to knitters. I, as a crocheter will be keeping an eye out for a knitter in public and perhaps use the opportunity to start learning.  Don't forget to thank the volunteers, the entire day is volunteer run!

Need a stylish way to tote your yarn around for the big day? Stop by the Yarns By Design boutique and check out our fun selection of project bags.

Knit in public in style. 

Be sure to share your World Wide Knit in Public Day experience with us. Comment below, we'd love to hear from you.


Warmly,

Sarah with Yarns By Design
sarah@yarnsbydesignpa.com