Cascade Yarns Blog

I was really excited when Karen McKenna told me she was going to do her first book and use Cascade Yarns in it.  She has designed a number of projects for Cascade including including the Arched Cuffed Fingerless Mitts crocheted in Heritage 150 Paints  (and she was sweet enough to make a pair for me).  We will be doing a giveaway from the book on the blog and Karen will be doing a giveaway on her blog . There are 6 different sets with different styles for each. Desert Southwest Scarf, Mitts & Headband Crocheted in Casablanca This sporty set only requires 4 skeins and can be worked in any of the 21 colorways available. Heartland Hat, Scarf & Mitts Crocheted in 220 Superwash Texture and simple lines combined with a washable wool make a great gift set for the man in your life. Purple Mountain Hat & Mitts Crocheted in Casablanca Whimisical and colorful, this set takes advantage of the long color repeats of the yarn. This is the prize you can...

  Our next stop from 60 Quick Knits from America's Yarn Shops is Cozy at  770 Ninth Street,  Durham, NC.  Lisa Doherty designed Mitered Squares Cardi  - an adorable baby cardigan - knit in 220 Superwash .  This super cute project combines mitered squares on the body and stripes on the sleeps and would be a fabulous gift. Cozy opened 9/8/2001, inspired by a handful of small businesses in other cities that had diverse merchandise in one store. None were exactly like Cozy, and Cozy has certainly evolved in its 12 year history.  They have grown with their  eclectic array of merchandise, from yarn to shoes into  “a sort of chick department store.” (Not that they don’t value our male customers who knit and crochet, but where else can you find yarn, great clothing, local jewelry, shoes, accessories, and clever gifts all in one great location?) Their yarn department offers free help hours six days a week with priority to those who are work...

I love to see what I can get out of a skein.   Souk is one of our new yarns for Fall 2013 - a silk-wool blend with a tweedy texture.  Each 220 yard skein shifts through 8 colors and there are 14 colorways to choose from.  Previously I'd created an Infinity scarf from 1 skein and wanted to try to do a quick shawlette.  The beauty of this yarn is that it does most of the work and simple patterns do best. Materials -         1 skein Souk (55% Silk/45% Wool – 220 yds/100 g ) – shown in 11 (Jewels) -         Size US 10 needle -         2 Stitch Markers -         Yarn needle Finished Measuments -         1 skein = 45” wide across the top x 20” long at the point Abbreviations -         K – Knit -       ...

Time for another giveaway! Kristen Stoltzfus  designed Take-a-Bow Neckwarmer for the October issue of Crochet World .  Crocheted in Jewel , her versatile design can be worn long and drapey or close around the neck for warmth.  Jewel is a fabulous thick-thin kettle dyed Peruvian wool.  It only takes 2 skeins to crochet this lovely cowl. Cascade Yarns  is giving away the yarn to make this cowl to 2 lucky winners.  All you have to do is post your favorite crochet project in Cascade Yarns to the blog or Facebook  between September 17 and 24.  Winners will be anounced on September 26.   The prizes will include 2 hanks of Jewel color 9283 - Dusty Rose. Remember to check back on September 26 to learn who the winners are! 

  The second stop on our virtual Shop Hop through 60 Quick Knits from America's Yarn Shops is Yarn Garden in Littleton, NH.  Their pattern is Holly Hat knit in Cascade 220 .  This adorable beanie designed by Paula Herbert features a darling applique of holly leaves and berries. Yarn Garden, in Littleton, New Hampshire, is a warm, friendly shop, with a great selection of yarns.  They are celebrating their fifth anniversary this November! Susan Smith and Paula Herbert opened the shop the fall of 2008, only a month after deciding to embark on the venture.    Both women were teachers worrying about sons in the military, so they created the shop to be a feel-good haven for themselves and their customers and it has continued to be just that.    Now they have both retired from teaching and are developing their website for on-line sales.    Their staff, Katie Rose Siggins, Casey MacMillan, and Laurie Despins, are inspirational t...

In case you haven't heard, there is an exciting new book coming out this fall - 60 Quick Knits from America's Yarn Shops.  I will be blogging my way through the book and telling you about the lovely patterns as well as the fabulous shops that created them.  It is my hope to get you a little more familiar with some of the fabulous shops located around the U.S.! The first stop is Close Knit Yarns  at 300 Franklin Ave, Wyckoff, NJ.  Their pattern is Twisted Stitch Mittens knit in 220 Superwash Sport .  The mittens feature an allover mini-cable pattern and are a 2 skein project. From a tiny storefront founded by two friends in 2005, Close Knit has grown into its third location in Wyckoff, NJ and boasts eight employees and three teachers.  Representing dozens of lines of yarns, books and accessories from all over the world, Close Knit also offers a full spectrum of knitting and crochet technique and project classes.  Customers learn many skills...