Just in at YBD: the Gretel Tank Pattern!

Stop by the boutique today to pick up the pattern that is sure to be a staple of your summer wardrobe - the Gretel tank! Designed by Julie Weisenberger of cocoknits, this easy and flattering tank uses just two to four skeins of Habu Cotton Gima, making it an excellent value as well.



Habu Cotton Gima is a unique cotton yarn that feels like paper. "Gima" literally means "fake linen" in Japanese, and it feels like linen paper if you do not know it! Currently, we have Oak, Sepia, Cafe, Violet, Olive and Smoke in stock, but more colors are on their way from Habu.

A tisket, a tasket...

A basket filled with spinning supplies!



Want to spin? We can help! Visit the boutique to shop our fine selection of spinning supplies. We stock Louet fibers including BFL, Merino wool, baby llama, angora, yak, cashmere and silk, as well as drop spindles. Our selection of spinning books includes Spin Control by Amy King, Start Spinning by Maggie Casey and Respect the Spindle by Abby Franquemont. Just in are instructional DVDs including Popular Wheel Mechanics with Judith MacKenzie, Respect the Spindle with Abby Franquemont and Start Spinning with Maggie Casey and Eunny Jang.

This week at Yarns By Design!

In just a few days, Sandy whipped up this great little spring/summer sweater from one of the boutique's newest yarns, Nashua Daylily! The pattern is the "Scoop Neck Cardigan," which can be found in Nashua's Daylily pattern booklet.



Coming up this weekend is a double-header of cardigan classes — one knit, and one crochet. On Saturday, March 20 from 10:00am-12:00pm, join us as we knit Stefanie Japel's "Cardigan With Ribbing," from her book, Fitted Knits. This top-down sweater is knitted with Cascade 128 — a bulky yarn — and requires no seaming, so you'll be wearing your finished sweater in no time! Bring your hooks for the second class of the day, when we'll be crocheting Robyn Chachula's "Comfy Cardi" from the book Crochet Me: Designs to Fuel the Crochet Revolution by Kim Werker. The suggested yarn for this pattern is Blue Sky Alpaca Silk, and we have a wonderful selection of colors for you to choose from. The class will be held from 1:00pm-3:00pm. Both the knit class and the crochet class will have a second session at the same times on Saturday, March 27. Pre-registration is required for classes, and each student will receive 10% off class materials. Call ahead at 412 832 0657 for more details and to register.

Also, don't forget to stop by the boutique this Thursday, March 18 from 10:00am-7:00pm for Customer Appreciation Day!

Cabled Mitts Class - March 12!

Photo © Blue Sky Alpacas

Sign up today for our Cabled Mitts class at YBD! This elegant and easy first cable project, knit in Blue Sky Alpaca Silk, will be a blast. You will have so much fun that you will not want to stop! The pattern requires either a set of US size 3 double pointed needles or two US 3 24” circulars, and one hank of Alpaca Silk. We have more than 20 colors of Alpaca Silk here at the boutique for you to choose from!



The class will take place on Friday, March 12 from 11:00am - 12:30pm. Pre-registration is required for classes. Each student will receive 10% off class materials. Call ahead for details at 412 832 0657.

Spring is coming!

Although it seems difficult to believe when you look out your window, spring will be here before you know it. We are excited to offer some new fibers and patterns that will be sure to freshen up your spring and summer wardrobe!



Rowan Purelife Revive is a DK weight yarn made up of 36% recycled silk, 36% recycled cotton and 28% recycled viscose. The yarn is completely recycled and recyclable. We have seven beautiful colors for you to choose from, and the accompanying pattern booklet featuring 15 designs for men and women.



Nashua Handknits Daylily (46% cotton, 31% acrylic, 23% nylon) is a colorful cotton blend for quick and easy to knit garments. The accompanying pattern booklet includes ten patterns that are sure to be knit up in a jiffy in this worsted weight yarn.



Nashua Handknits Creative Focus Linen is a worsted weight yarn made up of 50% linen and 50% cotton and put up in generous 220 yard (100g) skeins. We have 11 fantastic colors and the pattern booklet features nine patterns for women and the home.



Berroco Origami (58% acrylic, 16% linen, 15% nylon, 11% cotton) is an exciting new yarn for warm weather months. Many multicolored strands run parallel to each other, wrapped by a black binder and it knits into a remarkably light and crisp finished fabric. The pattern booklet features nine designs for knit and crochet.