The Print Copies Are Landing!

Planning on some indulgent knitting in 2015? Ready to cast on something new? How about that New Year's Resolution you've been thinking about 'Make the perfect sweater I will wear and wear'?

Vivacious Volume 1 goes live in 3 days just in time to help you with those goals. We're so excited about this collection of 10 timeless knits aimed at indulgent weekend knitting and those of you taking your first steps in knitting. These patterns are simple enough for beginners while still providing plenty of interest for those more experienced knitters who like a little comfort knitting from time to time.

Our retailers agree and have started ordering in the copies of Vivacious Volume 1 and if you can't wait for the online launch, you can contact the following stores as printed copies are winging their way now:

Handmade Studios- Hampshire, UK
iknit- London, UK
Purlescence- Oxfordshire, UK
Twist Yarns- Suffolk, UK
Wild and Woolly- London, UK
Yarn Cafe- Coventry, UK

TitiTyy Oy- Jyväskylä, Finland
The Stash Cupboard- Hobart, Australia

Need the yarn? Check out our retailers list to find your nearest Vivacious stockist.

The Perfect Knitting Project for the Cold Weather

It's cold and dark here in the Northern hemisphere and we're aware that so many of you will finally be settling down, after all the Holiday rush, to a little selfish knitting. We thought it was time we made a simple, soothing knit available for download to celebrate!

Cogges Armwarmers and Hat

Worked up quickly in chunky weight luxury yarn, these armwarmers and hat are perfect for beginners knitters and those looking for a soothing knit after all that gift knitting. 

Cogges Armwarmers

Available as two single downloads, the Cogges set were popular accessories to knit from our Scrumptious Volume 1 Collection. First, there is the Cogges Armwarmers which call for two skeins of Scrumptious Chunky. These fun and quick cabled fingerless armwarmers fit all sizes by changing the circumference during finishing with the ribbon to cinch them in as necessary. The cable pattern is simple enough for those who’ve never cabled before and provides a soothing rhythm to this simple knit.

Cogges Hat

The Cogges Hat is another speedy project that will just fly off your needles – it is knitted flat with just one quick seam to sew up at the end. The cable pattern is simple enough for those who’ve never cabled before and provides a soothing rhythm to this simple knit.

Knit flat before seaming, these are the perfect patterns for beginners looking to try new stitches or an instant gratification knit for those knitters in a hurry. Time for a little indulgent knitting after all your hard work!

(We've also got 15% off the whole Fyberspates store, including patterns until New Year- Enjoy!)

Festive Wishes!

It's been an incredible year and it's amazing to think of all the people we've met, yarn we've fondled and patterns we've shared with you all. Please do come tell us about your favourite Fyberspates moments in 2014 in the Ravelry group- we love to see what you've working on!

To add a little festive cheer and to say a heartfelt THANK YOU for all your support this year, please enjoy 15% off all purchases on patterns from the Fyberspates Ravelry store. No coupon code necessary, just enjoy your knitting! Offer ends 30th January 2014.

Happy Holidays!

Vivacious Volume 1

~Whatever comfort the weekend brings you, do it in Vivacious knitwear.

Did you see our announcement on Facebook earlier? Come tell us YOUR 2015 plans. We think we see plenty of snuggly knitwear in ours....

Cumulus Arrives at This Is Knit

This is Knit, located in Dublin, Ireland, have been Scrumptious and Vivacious stockists for some time and recently added Cumulus to their line up of Fyberspates yarns. We thought it was time for a little celebration of this wonderful shop as well as a giveaway (more on that in a moment).

Fyberspates in stock at This Is Knit

This is Knit started life back in 2006 as a small market stall and website, run by mother and daughter team Jacqui and Lisa Sisk. Their aim was to supply natural fibre yarns in a broad range of colours to knitters and crocheters and to offer friendly advice and a range of classes and workshops. The business grew each year through a lot of hard work and re-investment, and in 2009 Jacqui and Lisa moved from the south Dublin suburb of Blackrock to the City Centre. In 2011 they took over an even larger shop unit in the beautiful surroundings of the Powerscourt Centre and Lisa's sister Jenny also joined the team shortly afterwards.

The classes on offer in store vary from Beginner Knitting and Crochet to Professional Finishing classes, and we also regularly host guest designer workshops from names like Ysolda Teague, Carol Feller and Woolly Wormhead. All classes can be booked online here.

The Ashton Shawlette by Dee O'Keefe

Jacqui and Lisa are true Fyberspates fans too as they regular blog and share the projects they've worked up in Fyberspates yarns. There was a little gasp at Fyberspates HQ when we spotted the Ashton Shawlette worked up in Scrumptious 4ply and Jacqui's gorgeous Laar in Scrumptious Lace. Absolutely stunning! You can find details of the shawl in this blog post from their lovely blog and more project notes on Laar here. 

'Laar' worked up in Scrumptious Lace

If you want to keep up with all the latest news from This Is Knit, as well as following their blog you can find them on Twitter here, and on Facebook here. They also have a Ravelry Group is at this link.

Want to win a project's worth of Cumulus yarn? This is Knit are hosting a giveaway to win your choice of pattern and your choice of colourway to knit it in! The post has some gorgeous ideas to start you off with so why not pop over to leave a comment and win? Good luck!

Bollo

Today seemed like a day for celebration. Why? Well, we just packed a very special something off to the printers! It's not long now until we can reveal ALL the Vivacious Volume 1 details. To celebrate, we wanted to release a digital version of a pattern we love from Rachel Coopey, one of the designers featured in the coming collection.

Rachel is a designer who loves details: whether it's intricate cables, inspirational colourwork or the biggest pom pom any hat could possibly take! We've worked with Rachel a number of times and love her giggle on photoshoots and inspirational knitting designs. If you're a Coopknits fan (her design name) you will already know that Rachel designed pieces for Scrumptious Volume 3 as well as producing several patterns we love in Fyberspates yarns.

Bollo is a textured cowl with two sizing options that works up fast in a chunky weight yarn. This stylish accessory has plenty of details to make knitting and wearing fun while still being simple enough to memorise the lace pattern. If you're still feverishly cranking out gifts, this might be just the cowl you need to save your sanity!

Worked up in Scrumptious Chunky, the addition of silk in this luxury yarn means a lustrous sheen and a cowl that feels deliciously soft around the neck. Instructions are given both in a chart form as well as written and details include two different size options. The small size has a 56.5cm (169 inches) circumference and takes one full skein of Fyberspates Scrumptious Chunky. The large size has a 22.25cm (66.5 inches) circumference and takes 3 skeins of Fyberspates Scrumptious Chunky. Both sizes are 24.5cm (9.5in) tall. 

Want to win the yarn to make this cowl and the pattern? We're offering two lucky winners, chosen at random, the chance to win either a single skein of Scrumptious Chunky or 3 skeins to make the larger version. Both winners will also receive the pattern. To win, all you need to do is visit the pattern page and leave a comment telling us which of the Scrumptious colourways you would choose to knit Bollo in should you win. 

We will announce the winners on Facebook on Tuesday so keep an eye there to see if you won. 

Have a great weekend!

Mulled Wine and Festive Fyberspates

It's no secret that most of us at Fyberspates are pretty foodie and many work sessions have ground to a halt as we discuss cakes we'll be baking across the weekend. This time of year gets us particularly excited as food traditions and knitting traditions seem to be easily combined. One tradition we love each year if the Jimmy Beans Fit for Feast Collections. Have you spotted the Jimmy Beans Fit for a Feast 2014 yet? 13 yarn companies come together to bring yarn treats themed for the Holidays and a recipe booklet is included with each 'dish'.

Sweet Potato Cowl kits

Fyberspates and Malabrigo were brought together for the Sweet Potato Cowl kit: Vivacious DK and Malabrigo Rueca in suitably festive colours. You'll find a Sweet Potato side dish recipe from Jeni in the recipe book too.

Last year, Jeni contributed this fabulous Mulled Wine Recipe and so we're sharing it here to get you in the festive mood. Enjoy!

Mulled Wine

Serves: 4 people. Double quantity for 6-8 people.

Total Time: 20 minutes.

Ingredients:

·         6 Tablespoons sugar

·         4 cloves

·         2 2-inch sticks of cinnamon

·         1 Star Anise

·         2 lemons, thinly sliced

·         1 orange thinly sliced

·         1 bottle red wine

·         1/3 cup Cognac (optional)

Directions:

Pour the wine into a saucepan and then add all the other ingredients together. Heat gently (do not boil) until all the sugar has dissolved. Strain into a punch bowl or bowl. Serve hot, decorate with orange and lemon slices.

Knitsonik Stranded Colourwork Sourcebook by Felicity Ford

When I read about this book, I knew I was going to love it. I wanted my review to be not one of just reading and talking, I wanted to try and convey how I felt inspired when I read it. The Stranded Colourwork Sourcebook is the kind of book I would put in my suitcase and travel with, because I would spend hours mentally planning all the possible knitting. This book is in essence, translating something you love, or something that inspires you into your knitting, and its very effective in its method.


So before we start, I think its fair to say, that I approach most new projects with a good level of chaos. I say chaos because I don't really do things in a logical order, After all these years, I know that I have a good relationship with failure because I am confident that if I keep trying I will get there in the end even if it will take me years! Now you might be thinking at this point, 'what on earth is she on about, I thought this was a book review?' Well it is.. but I needed to give you some back ground about my process because I don't want my chaotic process to distract from the book!

I love books on making stuff way more than pretty much anything else in the world. I tend to read them, get inspired, have a go, mess up, go back, check what I did wrong now with a little more experience, try again, mess up again and so on; this is my creative process. This process can last pretty much years for me... I do it with cooking all the time, especially bread. I now know that the more mess ups I have the better because then I understand what's going on because I am motivated to get it right and learn on the way.

I normally get bored and skip steps, but with this Sourcebook, each section  was so much fun that I found I was motivated to do each little bit at a time. I have read other fair-isle books and I can say, they never ever motivated me to even get my pencils out let alone my needles... this was SO different!

So... back to the book! From the initial flick through I thought, 'oh yes, this is a book for me', Felicity's book has lots of fabulous pictures which brings alive Felicity's ideas and passion. It  has little tips and sections for helping your ideas. It also maps out a system, to help guide you through your creative process. I loved that each section on its own was a project in itself,  I couldn't wait to get started! It was like being a child again reading my mum's craft books in the summer holidays, planning my daily projects!

So here is what happened when I followed the book, in my own 'creative' way:

-----

The first step was to choose something that I loved to translate into a design, which is the crux of the book. For me I love the shapes and colours of succulents, and this is my very favourite that I have grown:

I love the shapes in these plants, and I think if I kept messing about I could come up with something quite amazing for a design, but for now I wanted to keep it simple, so I started with  leaf, and sketched it out in pencil.

Next I looked at what colours I had that would work with the the system suggested, I decided on Scrumptious 4ply because it has a wide range of colours and its been used fairly successfully for fairisle before.

Next I chose my coloured pencils.. this really was a lot of fun too!

And went about colouring in the leaf shape to match my succulent leaves.

Next I had the idea to colour them in and cut them out rather than drawing them, then I could see better what they were going to look like in different positions:

By this point I was totally hooked, I was very pleased!

The next part of the journey was to check that the backgrounds worked well... this is where it started to get a bit more tricky, I wanted the background to be a gradient, but the colours I had weren't perfect. However, me being me, I carried on anyway- this is a good way to learn after all!

I wound up some little balls of Scrumptious and I cast on. After firstly messing up totally, and getting the colours the wrong way around I started again. After a few rows I realised I probably had too many colours in one row i.e more than 2. This wouldn't necessarily be such issue if it was a different yarn, or if my colourwork was better, but it wasn't and quite honestly looked urm... how shall we say? Like a dogs dinner?!? I promptly threw the knitting across the room and took a swig of gin tea. I realised, probably this wasn't the best yarn to start on, and secondly to keep it simple.

I was initially disappointed that I couldn't use the 4ply, but then I thought about choosing more colours and going through the process again, and I had forgotten in an instant my failed attempt, and started planning ALL THE YARNS! I decided that it could be awesome to dye my own colours for the swatches, perhaps using Nef 4ply or something from my hand dyeing days....

(You can see how I rarely ever get to the end of creative things... they almost always end up as the beginning of something new!!!)

Suffice to say.... this could go on for a very long time!!

I can honestly say this is one of the best and most inspirational knitting books I have had in a very long time, I will honestly treasure it, and I think you will to. Even if you have never done colourwork before, I absolutely urge you to have a go using this book, Perhaps, knit your loved one some mitts with something personal to you both in it. Or recreate your Nan's cake. Or a beautiful tin containing something special....

I am desperate now to capture things around me and turn them into knitting, all the things I love and this book has helped give me a way to do it, which was fun, exciting,It feels like everything I see around me, I just have to knit!

Go buy the book! It will be the best 18.99 you will spend this year, and its also a super duper thing to ask for on your Christmas wishlist. Let me warn you thought- don't look until boxing day or you won't get much cooking done!!


- Jeni x

Purlescence

Right now things are looking pretty busy at Fyberspates HQ. Jeni is travelling down to London with precious new collection samples and goodies for the double trunkshow weekend and meanwhile we're looking ahead at Thanksgiving sales, the Vivacious Collection release and a fabulous KNIT ALONG.

We've teamed up with one of our retailers, Purlescence, to launch a Knitalong in the New Year that's going to encourage you to cast on and create your new favourite sweater. We're so excited! 

It's all going to start with a long held tradition for us: the Purlescence Christmas Open day. Each year, Jeni has joined Sarah and the team to enjoy some mince pies, knitting chatter and plenty of yarnie goodness. This year the event takes place on the 6th December 2014 and marks the beginning of a very special collaboration. 

Purlescence will be helping us host  the Vivacious Sweater KAL in which we will be helping you choose your favourite sweater from the collection, work out best fit and knit up a new wardrobe staple using Vivacious yarns. At the open day you will be able to try on samples, chat to Jeni and Sarah about fit and colour as well as order your yarn ready to cast on 1st January 2014. 

We are so excited to announce that there will be a grand prize for this knit along: win back a sweater's quantity of Fyberspates yarn! More details will follow in the near future such as where to enter your finished objects, the chatter and support you can find during the KAL and a super fun interactive competition on social media (with more prizes from Fyberspates!). The deadline for knitting will coincide with Unravel which is an annual event both Jeni and Sarah have always loved. 

We can't wait to see everyone on the 6th December 2014 at Purlescence and hope everyone will join us for the sweater KAL too. 

ppsssssttttt As we roll into a Thanksgiving weekend for our American friends, we're celebrating with a special sale- 20% off all single patterns using the code Fyberspates20 at checkout. Offers ends midnight GMT on Sunday 30th November 2014. 

Starsky and Hutch Tea Cosy.

Our limited edition kits just sold out!!!!

The Starsky and Hutch Tea Cosy is a cute, quick knit, inspired by the series ‘Starsky and Hutch’ and designed by Jeni, our creative director. This easy to follow pattern is worked in pieces so is good for beginners looking for a little challenge of new to them stitches. Worked up in chunky weight yarn, this is a fast one too!

The perfect gift for tea lovers, we've distributed kits with chunky white yarn and the pattern across the EU and UK for customers to work up for a tea lover this holidays or gift a keen knitter. This kit is limited edition to as we've already sold out at Fyberspates HQ so grab it from your local store quickly!

Available from:

UK:
Twist Yarns Suffolk
The Pincushion in Oswestry
Bridport Yarns
Purlescence

EU:
Wereldwol - Netherlands


pppssstttttt! Not in the UK or EU? Don't worry! The pattern can be found on Ravelry available for download right away.

iknit London

Last week we revealed that we're taking Fyberspates on the road to visit some of our retailers and let you get some exclusive sneak peeks of the soon to be released collection. Next up for our retailer focus is iknit London, a south London shop we've been fans of for years.

iknit is located in Lower Marsh, a shopping street at the South side of Waterloo Station, running from Waterloo Road to Westminster Bridge Road. There's lots of foodie action, vintage stores and fun places to explore in the area so it's making us doubly excited to go as it feels like a real destination for our weekend of knitty indulgence!

iknit is run by Gerard who describes iknit as a club, shop and sanctuary for knitters. Gerard's commitment to the community around knitting (and craft in general- Gerard is very multicraftual) means that the shop carries a licence so you can pop in and have a drink while you knit and there's all sorts of activities from knit groups to book groups and more.

The other thing that makes iknit fun is that it seems to regularly be in the news, hosting filming crew or similar! It's great to see knitters getting a chance in the spotlight and Gerard has really made the most of famous visitors too- autographs and press clippings are everywhere in this well stocked shop!

Inside the store you will find a range of yarns to suit all tastes, with well-known names nestled alongside one-off hand-dyed hanks from independent producers as well as iknit's own hand dyed range, I Knit or Dye. With a higher than average selection of yarns sourced from the British Isles alongside a number of more exotic fibres from overseas there's something to suit all tastes too. We've always found the notions and needles selection plus the library of inspiring books to be one of the best we've come across so a visit is usually very enabling!

The trunkshow will be on Saturday 29 November so please do come and join Jeni and the iknit team for an exclusive first look at the soon to be released Vivacious Collection. You will be able to try on samples, preorder the book and generally have a fab time. You'll find more details on iknits blog here and don't forget to check in on Ravelry to let us know you're coming. 

Loving the idea of Vivacious goodies? You can win these skeins as part of a very special competition we're hosting over on Facebook. Go enter!

Wild and Woolly

It's a busy time of year as we run up to Christmas and the New Year and it's about to get really busy for Fyberspates as we're gearing up for a run of trunk shows with a special focus.... yes, there's a new Collection coming! To make sure everyone gets a taster of what to expect, we're taking part in a number of trunk shows where we'll be letting you get an exclusive first glimpse at the samples, try them on and preorder yarn and the Collection. Over the next few weeks we'll be sharing details of those retailers hosting us and stay tuned for more news on that Collection release!

One of the places hosting us will be Wild and Woolly, run and owned by Anna who only opened her doors a few months ago which is hard to believe when you look at this hive of activity. Wild and Woolly describe themselves as "a small wool shop in Hackney devoted to knitting supplies and support for seasoned knit-sters, nervous newbies, local craftisans and anyone else seeking new adventures with yarn." Everything about that description makes us smile and it really does sum up the joyful feel of the Wild and Woolly shop- it's a real treasure trove of delights.

Wild and Woolly display

Wild and Woolly is located on Lower Clapton Road in Hackney and stocks Vivacious, our 100% Superwash high twist Merino base in 4ply and DK. Anna's shop is small but perfectly formed with a welcoming buzz and lots of inspiration. It's always a happy day in the office when we spot the pictures of Anna's window displays on Facebook!

Wild and Woolly Window Display

You can keep up to date with all of Wild and Woolly's latest news via Facebook and on their insightful blog. We're all looking forward to our tea party on 30th November 2014 at 4pm where we'll be sipping tea, sharing cake, knit chatter and enjoying all the good things that happen when your weekend is full of knitters and yarn for company. Want to join us? You can find all the details here. 

Excited about the Collection? Us too! Sign up to the newsletter for an exclusive first look and keep up to date with our special launch, trunkshows, Knit Along and discount codes. More news coming very soon!

'Yokes' by Kate Davies

Kate Davies designs have always inspired knitters and wool lovers and her much anticipated book 'Yokes' has been enjoying an enormous success already as Kate slowly reveals each pattern in the build up to the release. 

It is so exciting to finally be able to announce that Fyberspates will be distributing 'Yokes' by Kate Davies across Europe and the US! If you're a retailer wishing to stock this inspiring new Collection, now is the time to get in touch and join our mailing list as we will be sending out more details very soon!

In this exciting new book, writer and designer Kate Davies unravels the tale of one of the Twentieth Century’s most distinctive sweater styles - the circular yoke. From Shetland and Iceland to Canada and Sweden, Kate’s essays and conversations take you on a journey around the North Atlantic, exploring the yoke’s intriguing and often surprising regional narratives.

A garment with unexpected national and political resonances; an important marker of personal and cultural identity; a fashionable barometer of trends and technical transformations from the 1920s to today, yokes have connected the lives and livelihoods of many different women. In this book you’ll hear the voices of those women, from designers to artists, from knitters to entrepreneurs. You will read about Elizabeth Zimmermann’s seamless innovations, learn more of Kerstin Olsson’s knitterly aesthetics, and discover the fascinating influence of the Greenlandic nuilarmiut.

(c) Kate Davies Designs

The essays and conversations are accompanied by a collection of eleven signature yoke patterns. Featuring a wide range of design elements from colourwork and cables to beads and texture, Kate has created a yoke for every knitter. What's more, Kate has included Fyberspates yarns in her design work. Frost at Midnight features the yoke as jewellery with a yoke that is decorated with a stunning necklace of over a thousand glass beads. Worked up in Fyberspates luxurious silk and merino laceweight yarn 'Scrumptious Lace' in the Slate colourway, the garment is worked straight from hem to bust and the simple shape drapes beautifully from the yoke. Short rows shape the neckline, which scoops to frame the face and neck.

(c) Kate Davies Designs

So take up your needles, open up this book, and discover the story of the sweater that changed the shape of modern knitting. To find out your nearest retailer, please be sure to keep an eye on Facebook where we'll be featuring retailers stocking the Collection. 

Holiday Gift Knitting Gets Scrumptious!

It's that time of year where, if you're anything like us, the Christmas decorations starting to go in the shops has suddenly reminded us the it's gift knitting time. We've been inundated with requests for quick to knit patterns and any news of yarn on discount to get you knitting.

To help you out, here is our round up of some knitting patterns for unisex accessories, single skein wonders and chunky items that work up quickly to give amazing results. We also sent out a list of retailers currently offering discounts on the yarn last week and will continue to do so in the fortnightly newsletter as we run up to the Holiday season. So if you're not signed up for the newsletter, make sure you are soon because we will be packing it with sales, discounts, patterns ideas and events to keep you feeling in good spirits this season.

Hats:
These single skein knitted hat patterns might be just the thing you need for your colleagues and loved ones.

Arncott by Jen Arnall-Culliford

The perfect unisex knitted hat, Arncott is worked up in Scrumptious 4ply. It's even photographed in the perfect Christmas colourway: Cherry Red!

Kenwyn by Rachel Coopey

The Kenwyn Hat featured in The Scrumptious Collection Volume 3 (which is currently 20% off the whole collection on Ravelry with the code TBTScrumptious3- ends at midnight). Worked up in Scrumptious Aran, this works up fast for a beautiful textured hat.

Garments:
There's just enough time to work up some heavier weight garments for you (hey, who doesn't want to gift themselves a sweater??) or your loved ones for Christmas.

Uffington by Jeni Hewlett

The perfect sweater vest- quick, a little detail and a feminine finish, Uffington calls for Scrumptious Chunky, our bulky weight luxury yarn.

Larigan by Amanda Crawford

Larigan is a beautiful cowl-neck sweater, with cosy moss stitch cuffs and all-over cable pattern. This is another quick knit from The Scrumptious Collection Volume 3 so go use that code to get knitting!

Gloves/ Mittens:
These are always welcome for all the family!

Hendred Mittens by Elly Doyle

Unisex, simple and warm these Hendred Mittens are a perfect single skein knitting pattern for Holiday knitting.

Hinksey by Lily Kate France

We love Hinksey Mittens as our go to mitten pattern for gifts. Beautiful cables make interesting detail while keeping the pattern simple enough to be unisex.

Shawls and Special Knits:
Sometimes you want to push the boat out. If you're pushed for time, these simple knits should get you great results without the headache.

Childry by Elly Doyle

Childry is our incredibly popular single skein shawl pattern. Ruffles, potato chip knitting and fast results. Perfect.

Sonning by Jen Arnall Culliford

Sonning is a shawl with interesting construction: the two side triangles are knitted first and are joined together with a delicate lace and twisted stitch panel. This means a large shawl that is easy travel knitting meaning you can double your knitting time!


Chunky Knits:
Fast and effective for when time is feeling a little tight.

Cogges Handwarmers by Jeni Hewlett

Cogges Handwarmers. These single skein chunky warmers are perfect for beginners wishing to try their hand at cables.

Rock Lea by Judy Furlong

Rock Lea is a fast and warm scarf pattern with cables and texture that maintain interest when knitting to give a perfect comforting gift. Another pattern from Volume 3- have we convinced you to purchase it yet?

Whatever you knit up in Scrumptious or from the Collections, please do come and show us in the Ravelry group. It's always great to hear what you're working on!

Cumulus Launch at Stash Fine Yarns

It's always exciting when one of our retailers tells us that they want more Fyberspates yarns. It feels good to send boxes of our luxury yarns out with pattern support and see them knit up all over the world. Sometimes sending a box isn't enough though so we're going to have a launch at Stash Fine Yarns to celebrate the launch of Cumulus!


Join us and the Stash Fine Yarns team on Saturday 15th November 11am-4pm for the launch of the new Fyberspates Cumulus yarn, our 74% Baby Suri Alpaca and 26% Silk blend that comes in 25g balls of 150 metres [164 yards]. Stash have been Fyberspates retailers for a while now and it's such a pleasure to see them expand their range to include Cumulus.

You will find Cumulus in all of our well-loved jewel tones as well as a special palette of soft colours specifically developed for this yarn, Cumulus is perfect for fine accessories and garments and so we'll be bringing all the Cumulus samples of knitting patterns we've launched so far. 

Modra Pullover 

So pop it in your diaries, bring a friend and come celebrate with us. There will be samples to try on, yarn to try out and plenty of people on hand to help you decide your best project. Maybe you can even drop some not-so-subtle hints to your loved ones about the perfect Christmas present you'd like to open on Christmas day- a pattern and delicately soft yarn, ready to cast on! There will be refreshments on hand and you can get any further details you might need by contacting Stash Fine Yarns directly. 

See you there?

Round Up: Blog Loving!

Welcome to the new home of Fyberspates blogging!

To kick us off, we're recommending some essential reading from some of our favourite blogs from our retailers:

Best for How To's = LoveKnitting. Amongst other great features, we love the how to's and tutorials that are helping show you some of the best knitting techniques in a really visual and easy to understand way. Perfect for beginner knitters and crafters.

Best for Knitting Community = This is Knit. A great blog that contains everything you need to know about this lovely Irish shop, it's surroundings and community. A lovely read with a cup of tea!

Best for Interviews and Features = Knit with Attitude. From WoolandtheGang to the latest happening in London, Maya B brings as many insights as possible into our favourite members of the knit community with a particular focus on sustainability and ethical fashion.

Best Eye Candy/ Inspirational = Tity Tyy. Everything about this blog just makes us want to knit, stash, crochet and more. A really inspirational blog that is worth adding to your RSS for the endless ideas and blissful pictures.

Best for Pattern Ideas = Wereldwol. Each product that's stocked at this lovely store gets a full feature on a regular basis with fresh ideas for what to make. It certainly keeps us crafting!

So what's your favourite blog? Have you been following a great knitting blogger for a while you'd like to tell us about? Let us know over on Facebook- we're about to collect some of our favourites!

Vivacious Lyde Beret in 'Deep Forest'

pssstttt last few hours to grab the Vivacious Lyde Beret while it's still 50% off!