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EDITOR’S LETTER Looking Back, Looking Forward ROSE CALLAHAN Where were you five years ago?

It was the fall of 2013. Some of you may not have even owned your business in the yarn industry yet, while others of you had been at it for well over 20 years. Some of you had not yet become parents; others were close to becoming empty nesters. A lot can change in five years, but of course, a lot can stay the same. Five years ago, Yarn Market News made a change. Because of dwindling advertising dollars, we announced that we would be publishing three issues a year instead of five. And this issue marks our first all-digital issue, born out of both a desire to go green and to help the magazine’s struggling bottom line. But while we’ve seen some yarn companies shutter in the past five years, we also know that thousands of new knitters and crocheters were made in that time, whether they learned at a shop, from a friend or at a festival or event. The industry has shifted as necessary to respond to these changes, becoming more innovative, more committed to the ever-present on the cover dominance of social media, more savvy overall. Now we’re looking forward. Where will we be in five years’ time? Leslie Petrovski explored Koigu’s Laceweight, available in a dizzying array of colors, this question for her article “Futurecast: Is There Such a Thing as a Crystal Yarn Ball?” (page covers a “monolith” that has 31). Read what others in the industry predict for the year 2023. drawn us to it. In 2001: A Space Odyssey, the monolith portends technological advancements. What could this mean? Erin Slonaker, Editor in Chief Photograph by Marcus Tullis

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2 Painting with Koigu

Koigu Pencil Box Collection A collabration with 12 designers and 14 new patterns to support Koigu Pencil Box packs(10x 25g skeins of KPPPM ). The collection is in print, and e- book.

Secret Garden Cowl By Unjung Yun www.koigu.com

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features

31 FUTURECAST YMN ponders the future of the yarn industry. O C T O B E R 2 018 By Leslie Petrovski 30 Cestari Sheep and Company produces yarn and other wool products sourced solely in the USA.

in every issue

2 EDITOR’S LETTER 8 MARKET REPORT 16 BOOK REVIEWS 18 YARN FORWARD 22 YARN GROUP 24 CRAFT YARN COUNCIL Namaste bags has a new owner; The Rochester-area yarn 25 ASSOCIATION FOR CREATIVE hats not hate; Craftsy rebrands; shop Yarn Culture gets a INDUSTRIES boost from its strong online must-see craft TV; training 29 and festival presence. 8 10,000 new knitters and more. 26 SMART LEGAL 27 SMART MARKETING 28 SMART ONLINE 29 RETAIL PROFILE Yarn Culture, Fairport, New York 30 COMPANY PROFILE Cestari Sheep and Wool Co., Churchville, Virginia 34 CELEBRITY INTERVIEW Yonca Ozbelli, Universal Yarn

Silk and silk-blend Yonca Ozbelli says add a welcome touch of “doing the right thing luxury to fall wardrobes. for our customers” is a 18 34 guiding principle for Universal Yarn. Balsam Mitts Red Cypress Socks

Small Pleasures An ebook featuring 7 special projects to knit using Bella Cash

Bella Cash & Bella Cash Worsted Cashmere + Merino = Love

www.universalyarn.comwww.universalyarn.com

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Editorial Director TRISHA MALCOLM

Editor in Chief ERIN SLONAKER

Creative Director JOE VIOR

Managing Editor LESLIE A. BARBER

EDITORIAL Contributing Editor LESLIE PETROVSKI

ADVERTISING Director of Advertising Sales LORI HORAK (212) 937-2554; [email protected]

Advertising Associate KARIMA AMIR (212) 225-9011; [email protected]

EVENTSANDMARKETING Events Director GABRIELLE ALD [email protected]

Marketing Manager BETH RITTER [email protected]

Events Manager KARIMA AMIR [email protected]

SOHOPUBLISHING,LLC President ART JOINNIDES Chief Executive Officer CARRIE KILMER Publisher DAVID JOINNIDES Global CrCreativeeaative ArtsArts Distributor Distributor Controller ELAINE MOWBRAY

YYOUROUR DISDISTRIBUTORTRIBUTTOR FOR ALL THINGS ADVISORYBOARD HOLLY FLOYD, Bella Filati Luxury Yarns JANET AVILA, String Theory Yarn Company JOHN KOVAL, Churchmouse Yarns & Teas CHIN, City SUZANNE MIDDLEBROOKS, Hill Country Weavers Knit & KRISTINE PORRITT, LISA RUESCH, Cream City Yarn

Magazine Publishers of America Manufactured and printed in the United States of America

Ya r n NeedlesNeedles & Hooks 1,000+ Books Yarn Market News™ is a trademark of SoHo Publishing, LLC. YMN is published three times a year, in January, May and October, in the U.S. and Canada. Copyright © 2018 by SoHo Publishing, LLC, 104 West 27th Street, 3rd floor, New York, NY 10001. No part of this book may be copied or reproduced by any means without written permission of the Publisher. Executive, publishing, editorial and advertising offices: 104 West 27th Street, 3rd floor, New York, NY 10001.

CrochetCrochet Thread OOrOrganizersganizers TToolsools & GifGifts ts HOW TO REACH US TO SUBSCRIBE, CHANGE AN ADDRESS OR CANCEL A SUBSCRIPTION: visit www.yarnmarketnews.com

Findit i all h e! EDITORIAL COMMENTS: e-mail [email protected] 1150,000+50,000+ PProductsroduccts • 1,200+ BrBrandsands notionsmarnotionsmarketing.comketing.com • 616.243.8424 616.243.8424 • 80800.748.02500.748.0250 Download the next issue of YMN in January 2019. YMN1018_KnitPro_AD.indd 1 10/23/18 12:49 PM 008-012_014-015YMOCT18.FINAL:Layout 1 10/31/18 12:32 AM Page 8

MARKET REPORT BYLESLIEPETROVSKI OMMMMM MY! M Remember Namaste bags, those that doubles as an extra project tote. thoughtfully constructed vegan “We have been very intentional [in bags in Starburst colors? They’re back. our desire] to create ways to knit out Last April, Jimmy Beans Wool of these bags,” Zander explains, “and purchased the brand and has been have included extra features that are working to refresh the brand’s look knitter-specific.” and feel, bring back staple favorites Crocheters and knitters can choose and create new handbags. The re- from five handbag styles—a fold-over incarnated Namaste line debuted in bag, a backpack, a shoulder bag, a September at Vogue Knitting LIVE! tote bag and a cross-body in teal, gray, San Francisco. “It’s super-exciting,” petal, plum and black. Other Namaste says Laura Zander, co-founder and products to expect are Oh Snap CEO of Jimmy Beans Wool, “and mesh pouches and various-sized Buddy something new to tackle.” Cases—including a stylish train case, Fans of the buttery-soft “pleather” which fits under a standard plane seat— purses will appreciate the fact that now with stronger magnetic surfaces Namaste will continue to offer multi- and tougher frames. functional bags suitable for stitching “The Namaste message was kind- and street. Each bag has classic ness,” Zander says about the brand features such as pockets designed refresh. “We have taken that and for notions and yarn, along with fresh incorporated mindfulness. The idea is elements: a tassel with removable to help you get to mindfulness faster lotus-logo marker, a key leash wherever you are, so you can take a that doubles as an emergency ruler, few minutes to breathe, slow down, do a Namaste needle , a a few stitches and ground yourself.” needle, a small bullet journal and a The bags will be available retail patent-pending yarn feeder that allows only for a time to allow for customer the bag to function as a yarn bowl. feedback. For more information, visit Bags also come packaged in a dust bag www.knitnamaste.com. NEW NAME FOR CRAFTSY M The online learning platform formerly known as Craftsy is now Olive, and The Stitch Dimension, Bluprint. The rebrand was announced in July and reflects the her primer program. site’s expanded role as a subscription service providing broader life- The NBCUniversal connection style content in addition to arts and crafts. means that Bluprint has access “We’re still very focused on the traditional part of the business,” to stars that include TV’s Making explains Bluprint’s General Manager Catherine Balsam-Schwaber, It judge Simon Doonan (pictured “which includes fabric, fiber, art and photography, as well as growing opposite), who’s featured in into wellness and performing arts categories such as dance. We had the Bluprint series Spark, about heard from the existing Craftsy audience and other research we had transforming inspiration into art conducted that members who were focused on areas like knitting and (a show that also showcases wanted classes in other areas they were passionate about.” crochet artist Olek), and Al Roker Owned by NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, Bluprint is not only of Today, who dishes up grilling leveraging a library packed with 3,000 hours of existing classes by expertise. crafting gurus including master knitter Ann Budd, cake designer “We want to meet people where they are on their journey,” Joshua John Russell and Suzy Williams of Suzy’s ; it’s also adding Balsam-Schwaber says. “Sometimes you want something to watch additional craft-oriented classes while introducing new categories and sometimes you want to learn and sometimes you want to such as dance, music, writing, yoga, fitness, home décor, entertaining get into the doing of your projects. This is the place where our mem- and family. Also fresh “Inspo-tainment” programs are coming online bers’ passion turns to action.” to support Bluprint’s content areas, including YouTuber Kristy Glass’s just- Subscribers can access Bluprint’s content at mybluprint.com, via released Jump into Knitting series, which she teaches with her daughter the Bluprint app and on Roku.

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BEANIES AGAINST BULLIES M When Shira Blumenthal, Brand Ambas- commitment to donate 2 percent of proceeds sador for Lion Brand Yarn, was in fourth from recommended yarns to Stomp Out grade, she was bullied by another girl in class. Bullying, the company also solicited makers to The classmate tormented Blumenthal about contribute 1,500 toppers to outfit students her weight, her name, her face, her brother’s in a New York school to wear on October 1. name—anything she could think of. “[After “Everyone is affected by bullying, whether school] my mom would be there and hold you were bullied yourself or know someone me so tight,” Blumenthal says, “because I who has been,” Blumenthal says. “Our goal is would just cry in her arms.” to bring awareness to this situation.” Government estimates indicate that about The #hatnothate campaign has inspired one in four kids in the United States is bullied numerous active stitchers to pick up sticks. and that regular bullying can lead to depression, Throughout the summer, Louis Boria of anxiety and suicidal behavior. Remembering Brooklyn Boy Knits posted hat-knitting shots the trauma of her own experience, Blumenthal (featuring a special yarn, Louis’s No Bully wondered whether Lion Brand could make a Blues, dyed by Knitting Wolf Luxury Yarns). difference. She contacted Stomp Out Bullying, He donated 5 percent of blue Fisherman Cap the country’s leading anti-bullying nonprofit, sales to Stomp Out Bullying. Two of Wands’ asking, “Is there a way for us to work together? Alexandra Tavel hosted a knit-along for her I know where to get some yarn.” Peace Hat and pledged $1 from all hat pat- Add a slogan—#hatnothate—the anti- terns purchased in September. Jennifer Pionk bullying color blue and the World Day of Bully- of A Crocheted Simplicity designed two free ing Prevention (October 1), and a craftivist patterns for the cause, as did Caitlyn Milward movement was born. of Tundraknits, who created a simple beanie Partnering with Stomp Out Bullying, Lion with the message “Be kind.” Brand urged crocheters and knitters to stitch Haven’t knit your own blue hat yet? Blu- up, wear and post their blue hats to menthal plans to continue #hatnothate next awareness about the issue throughout October, year. “Our community is so tightly knit to- which is Anti-Bullying Month. Offering 23 free gether,” Blumenthal says. “We can help kids tunnel.” To learn more, visit lionbrand.com/ knit and crochet hat patterns along with a understand there’s blue light at the end of the blog/end-bullying-hat-not-hate. MUST-CRAFT TV M Making It, the feel-good competition making things like snack stadi- series that pits talented makers against each ums, terrariums, forts, toys and other, has been renewed by NBC for a wedding accessories. Judges second season. Starring Parks and Recreation Simon Doonan, creative ambas- alumni Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman, sador for Barneys New York, and the six-episode craft show debuted this sum- Dayna Isom Johnson, Etsy trend mer as a ratings winner. According to Aaron expert, presided, genially award- Bastian, senior press manager for NBC Enter- ing merit badges to winners tainment Publicity, Making It was the most- in each episode’s Faster Crafter watched series premiere of the season, tying and Master Crafter categories. as the top summer-series debut among In an appearance on Late 18-to-49-year-old viewers. Margaret Lyons Night with Seth Meyers, Poehler, of The New York Times called Making It a who co-produced Making It with hot-weather tonic, writing, “A weekly dose Offerman and others, explained of glitter and whimsy.... The words of inspir- the good-natured feel of the ation from Ms. Poehler and Mr. Offerman series. “We wanted to celebrate are completely and totally refreshing.” the creation of things and show people mak- Of the renewal, Poehler and Offerman No spoilers here in case you’ve yet to ing things,” she said. “We wanted to make a punned, “We’re sew excited to be ‘making watch the series’ eight multicraftual contest- show everybody could watch and that didn’t it’ again. We promise season two will have ants hot-glue their way into America’s hearts, make you feel stressed out and humiliated.” you glued to your seat.”

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MARKET REPORT FOUND IN TRANSLATION M For those looking to reach new customers in Siberia or Copenhagen, there’s FYBA. FYBA (a play on the word “fiber”) is an online knitting and crochet pattern translation service that allows you to copy and paste articles and knitting patterns into an editing window, format them and receive translation links via email. The service also provides a handy place to stash patterns for safekeeping and search for them using keywords. When ready, you can download patterns as Microsoft Word documents, print them or upload them to your platform of choice for sale. Recognizing that knitting and crochet designers can reach potential customers all over the world through and other forms of social media, Leanne Prouse, the designer behind the yarn brand Ella Rae, spent two years creating the automatic translation service. “Costs prohibit a lot of designers from sharing patterns in other languages, as the aver- age pattern translation is expensive—and rightly so, given the time involved,” Prouse says. “The idea of FYBA came about because I could see the need for a faster, more cost- effective solution to translating.” Currently offering translations to and from seven different languages—English, German, Italian, Spanish, Danish, French and Russian—FYBA is subscription-based, with packages ranging in price from $9.99 per month for five translations to $199.99 for 150. As of mid- October, FYBA users will also be able to access proofreaders and tech editors, who can vet patterns and translations for accuracy. “We see FYBA as a big step forward for the global knitting community,” Prouse says. “Our aim is to add other languages and features, so that ultimately language won’t be a barrier, and everyone can enjoy a world of patterns that have previously been hard to access.”

DUDE STRING M It started with an aha! moment in front of the computer. In a search of project yarn, David Powers, owner of Stone Cottage Yarnworks in Blooms- bury, New Jersey, wondered whether anyone was offering yarn targeted specifically to male knitters and crocheters. “I realized no one was selling to men and women who were knitting for men,” he says. “This was an opportunity. I immediately looked for website addresses that might be available and looked up ‘menyarn,’ and two minutes later it was mine.” After a year of website building and yarn development, Menyarn.com made its debut in August with seven main types of yarn (plus a range of hand-dyes and natural whites), all developed with an eye toward men’s projects and color preferences. Fashioned primarily from domestic and alpaca, the plied yarns run the gamut from bulky to DK and offer a guy-friendly palette of neutrals, along with plenty of blues, reds, greens and other classic colors. There’s even the beyond-dad Tri Colore collection, which offers four 3-ply marled yarns along with coordinating solids, including the unexpected combo of mustard, purple and olive. “I didn’t want to go too far,” he says of his color choices. “I wanted to see what kind of a response I would get.” Currently, Menyarns.com sells yarn, needles and basic tools, but eventually the site will showcase Powers’s own sweater designs. (Powers is a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology.) “I decided to go after a different market, one that no one has approached,” he says. “Since I had a yarn business and connections, I thought it was a good thing to do.” Check it out at Menyarn.com.

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FA RO ESE FIRST M This fall marks the first time that yarn spun from Faroese wool will be widely available in North America. Kelbourne Woolens, which currently distributes its own brand of yarns (including a new domestic worsted- weight wool called Germantown) along with the Danish line BC Garn, is introducing Navia, a range of yarns from the Faroese company of the same name. Intrigued by the historic knitting tradition of this remote archipelago located halfway between Iceland and Norway, Kelbourne owners Courtney Kelley and Kate Gagnon Osborn visited the Faroe Islands last spring and decided to introduce Navia’s Faroese wool, Faroese wool-blend and alpaca yarns to an American audience. Kelbourne introduced Navia and its founder Óli Kristian á Torkilsheyggi and his wife Paula at the TNNA show in June. “It was so wonderful to have them at the show,” says Osborn. “For shops to hear the story from them was really important and adds another element and connection to the product.” To learn more about Navia and Faroese wool, visit www.kelbourne woolens.com/navia-yarn.

CLASSIC ELITE YARNS CLOSES M Classic Elite Yarns, home of Legend, Liberty Wool and La Gran The company was started as an offshoot of a Massachusetts Mohair, closed its doors last summer. In a public message, CEY mill in the 1940s. owner Betsy Perry wrote, “It was a difficult decision; one made In a blog post about the closure, designer Kristin Nicholas, with a lot of careful thought. Times change; tastes change; who worked for the company as a vice president and creative business changes. As much as those of us in the company director from 1984 until 2000, wrote about current challenges love working with yarn, creating beautiful products, fostering facing the yarn industry. There is no one reason CEY closed, a nurturing work environment, in the end it’s a business.” she observed. “It is the result of a changing marketplace.” NEVER ENOUGH KNITTERS M On November 10, Skacel Collection is Skacel explains. Others are encouraging challenging the hand-knitting industry to regulars to bring in friends to teach or are teach 10,000 newbies to knit in a single renting spaces to accommodate larger day at yarn shops around the country. “We crowds. Teachers will also be available at want to get knitters into yarn shops,” ex- Vogue Knitting LIVE! in Minneapolis on plains owner Karin Skacel, “and bring new November 10 to help neophytes wield knitters into the fold.” sticks and string. To launch the event, the yarn distributor “If we teach 10,000, maybe 1,000 will gathered up must-haves for 10,000 free continue to do it consistently,” Skacel New Knit Kits, consisting of a pattern speculates. “Every little bit helps.” for fingerless mitts, a ball of undyed HiKoo Though all the free kits are spoken for— Sueño and U.S. size 8 Addilino straight shops did not have to be Skacel customers needles. Then they promoted the event at to participate—others are strongly encour- TNNA and through their newsletter and aged to jump on the #10000newknitters social media channels. bandwagon to help evangelize the craft. Shops jumped at the chance to spread “If it goes well, next year maybe we’ll knitting love: 267 yarn shops across the work with a few other yarn companies,” U.S. are participating, with each yarn shop Skacel says. “And maybe we’ll double putting a different spin on the promotion. the ante.” To learn more, visit www.10000 Some yarn shops are hosting group classes, newknitters.com.

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MARKET REPORT CROCHET AGAINST TRAFFICKING M After visiting former Cambodian torture camps and helping in the anti-trafficking res- cue of a 3-year-old child during a humanitarian trip to southeast Asia, Dominique Calvillo returned to Los Angeles crushed. “That trip wrecked me emotionally,” Calvillo says. “I had crazy anxiety and depression, and I had never dealt with that before.” Instead of taking the antidepressants her doctor recommended, Calvillo, a hair and makeup artist, turned to art therapy and crochet for healing, spending hours every day learning new stitches, mesmerized by the beauty of the work instead of the darkness in her mind. It took about a year, but eventually she completed a crocheted gown. Encouraged by the response to the dress, she kept crocheting, linking motifs and stitches into run- way-worthy frocks. Thousands of yards of Lily Sugar ’n Cream cotton later, Calvillo has a burgeoning apparel business, Namaste and Crochet, through which she sells bespoke and one-of-a-kind dresses, skirts, jackets and tops. She has garnered a healthy dose of bridal and local media attention and has a vibrant Instagram following. Ultimately, Calvillo hopes to grow her nascent design enterprise by partnering with a Fair Trade co-op and to expand her support for organizations that are fighting human trafficking. “The ultimate goal,” she says, “is to bring awareness to human trafficking and con- scious consuming. I hope that people can see in this work the peace and oneness that art therapy brought to me at a hard time.” To view more examples of Calvillo’s work, visit namasteandcrochet.com. YA RN GOODNESS M Looking for a charity stitching project for your shop? Sustainable sell but rather links to products else- yarns? Fair Trade products? Start your search with Carpe Yarn. where; and a craftivist information Launched by Trish Richman, a graphic artist and product designer resource featuring profiles of organ- in Pacifica, California, Carpeyarn.com is the result of a health crisis– izations such as Knitted Knockers, induced knitting obsession. The more Richman delved into the craft, Project Knitwell and Yarnementary. the more she learned about socially and environmentally conscious “If we’re devoted to this lifestyle yarn companies, craftivism, knitting charities and small, independent and are going to shop,” she says, businesses run by women and underrepresented individuals in the “why not focus our consumerism industry. Having stepped away from her design work, Richman won- where it can make a difference? These dered whether she could combine her passions—design, fiber and are people in love with this craft as activism—into an online portal that would contain as much of the much as I am. Most are women, who Fair Trade, organic, inclusive craftivism goodness she could find. are making an effort, who are making a difference being environ- Part one-stop shop for socially conscious crafting—and shopping— mentally careful, or they are committed to social justice. There and part cheerleader for businesses and organizations that may be are a lot of them out there. Maybe there needs to be a resting place more under the radar, Carpeyarn.com is an encyclopedia of progres- for this information?” sive yarn companies, shops and craftivists; a “store” that doesn’t Richman is continuing to collect recommendations of companies and people to feature on Carpe Yarn under the big tent of her craftivism definition, which encompasses everything from prayer shawls to politics. At this writing Carpe Yarn has no business model and exists as a passion project, but eventually Richman hopes it will support itself and serve as a comprehensive reference of conscious yarn companies and organizations. “I wanted to create a resource for like-minded people who are trying to spend their dollars in a way they can feel great about,” she says. To find a fiber charity, Fair Trade, diverse or environmen- tally conscious company or to suggest one for Richman’s website, visit carpeyarn.com. Immigrant Yarn Project submissions (left); Carpe Yarn’s Trish Richman

12 40years 40 iconic hand-knit designs

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Celebrate 40 years of iconic Rowan with this beautiful collection of some of our best-loved patterns. With 20 designs reshot and restyled and classic images of many more, this encyclopedic retrospective is a must for any Rowan fan.

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This book is a true look back at wonderful memories of working with Rowan Yarns over the years. A must- have for any Rowan fan, and something to treasure for a long time.

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MARKET REPORT MOHAIR IN THE NEWS M Last spring the fur began to fly after the animal-rights organization apparent from the footage,” read a statement by the association. “The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals released video of workers shearing contractor has also been requested to report on its disciplinary mishandling goats at twelve South African farms. Footage showed process in respect of the persons implicated in the video footage and shearers dragging and tossing young goats across the shearing floor the measures it has undertaken to ensure the prevention of any future and inhumanely slaughtering animals deemed unprofitable. breaches of Mohair South Africa’s guidelines and policies.” In response to the dramatic video, some 80 retailers, including H&M, The association is also working closely with South Africa’s National Gap (which includes brands Athleta, Banana Republic and Old Navy) Council of the Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which and UNIQLO, banned the fiber. is conducting its own investigation. The farms appearing in PETA’s Mohair South Africa, the industry trade association, immediately footage have been suspended from mohair auctions and are required launched an investigation, during which the association disallowed to submit to monitoring by Mohair South Africa and a third-party in- the sale of fiber from implicated farms. They also brought in SAMIC, vestigator during their next shearings. an independent quality assurance company, to audit the farms in According to Mohair South Africa, the country is the world’s largest question. A month later, Mohair South Africa published the results producer of the fiber. About 30,000 people work in South Africa’s of these investigations, indicating that PETA’s video originated from mohair industry. Since the controversy emerged, says Lindsay Hum- two farms, both of which had used the same independent shearing phreys of Mohair South Africa, the organization “has been in regular contractor. contact with retailers, designers and brands and the requests for “Mohair South Africa has demanded a full report and explanation industry information and farming practices in South Africa has been from the contractor in question as to the breaches of its guidelines well received and encouraging to the mohair industry.”

CUTENESS WATCH

M Looking for something penguins in oil and in- for your holiday displays? spired thousands of knit- Written by former chil- ters worldwide to knit dren’s librarian Pat Kit- wee sweaters to warm telson and illustrated by the birds after cleaning. Adrienne Oaks, Bixley The children’s book in- Baines and the Little cludes true science and Sweaters is a fictional- a and ized account of the oil stars a warm-hearted spill off the coast of gentleman knitter. Tasmania in 2000, which For information, visit covered native little blue bixleybooks.com.

UNTWIST M Ten years after Kate Gilbert hit “publish” on the premiere edition the magazine to a new platform, Webs didn’t realize the hoped- of the online knitting magazine Twist Collective, the publication for yarn sales. “It ended up being a business decision,” Steve is shuttering. The September issue, which went live early in the month, Elkins explains. “We thought there would be more revenue than was its last. there was.” Steve and Kathy Elkins, owners of the Massachusetts yarn shop Past issues of Twist Collective will be available at twistcollective.com Webs, acquired the magazine a year ago. The hope was that Webs until the end of the year, after which pattern designers will receive could help take Twist Collective to the next level and that the magazine full rights to their patterns. would drive yarn sales through its inspirational content and patterns. “It makes me sad,” Kathy Elkins says, “that we weren’t able to In addition to myriad technical challenges involved in migrating make a better go of it.”

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Events to keep you in stitches this fall and YMN CALENDAR early winter.

October 13–November 25 October 27 November 3 November 10 World of Threads Festival: Sheep Parade: Fiber in the Boro Yarn Revolution: International Festival of Cedar City Livestock and Lane Agricultural Park NW Indie Dyer Pop-Up Contemporary Fibre Art Heritage Festival Murfreesboro, Tennessee EM Event Center Queen Elizabeth Park Community Main Street fiberintheboro.com Shoreline, Washington and Cultural Centre Cedar City, Utah nanostitchlab.com/home/yarn- Oakville, Ontario, Canada cedarlivestockfest.com/sheep- November 3–4 revolution worldofthreadsfestival.com parade Fiber Festival of New England Mallary Complex at Eastern November 10–11 October 19 October 27 States Exposition Maryland Alpaca and Fleece 5th Annual Indie Untangled Cowichan Valley Fleece and West Springfield, Massachusetts Festival Rhinebeck Trunk Show Fibre Festival easternstatesexposition.com/p/ Howard County Fairgrounds Saugerties Performing Arts Factory Cobble Hill Hall and Fairgrounds fiberfestival West Friendship, Maryland Saugerties, New York Cobble Hill, British Columbia, Canada marylandalpacas.org/page/5822/ indieuntangled.com cowichanfleeceandfibrefestival.com November 3–4 maryland-alpaca-and-fleece-festival Calgary Fibre Arts Fair October 20–21 October 27–28 Big 4 Building, Calgary November 10–11 Fiber Fusion Northwest FiberMania Stampede Grounds Nottingham Yarn Expo Evergreen State Fairgrounds Josephine County Fairgrounds Calgary, Alberta, Canada Nottingham Conference Centre Monroe, Washington Grants Pass, Oregon facebook.com/ Nottingham, England fiberfusion.net sojaa.net/page/4109/fibermania CalgaryFibreArtsFair nottinghamyarnexpo.com

October 20–21 October 27–28 November 8–11 November 11 New York Sheep & Wool Fiber Expo Knitting and Stitching Show Indie Knit & Spin Festival Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds Simmonscourt Pavilion The Ace Hotel Dutchess County Fairgrounds Ann Arbor, Michigan Ballsbridge Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Rhinebeck, New York fiberexpo.com Dublin, Ireland indieknitandspin.com sheepandwool.com theknittingandstitching November 1–4 show.com/dublin November 16–17 October 25–28 Vogue Knitting Destination: Creative Hand Show & Sale Southeast Men’s Knitting Yarn in Portland, Oregon November 9–10 Old Shawnee Town Hall Retreat Kimpton Hotel Monaco Thumb Fiber Festival Shawnee, Kansas Asbury Hills Portland, Oregon Camp Cavell Conservancy creativehandkc.org Cleveland, South Carolina vogueknittinglive.com/yarnoregon Lexington, Michigan, vicinity mensknittingretreat.com thumbfiberfest.wixsite.com/ November 17–18 November 1–4 thumbfiberfest Barcelona Knits Festival October 26–28 Stitches SoCal Barcelona, Spain Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair Pasadena Convention Center November 9–10 barcelonaknits.com Western NC Agricultural Center Pasadena, California East Texas Fiber Festival Fletcher, North Carolina knittinguniverse.com/SoCal2018 Picker’s Pavilion at November 22–25 saffsite.org Blackberry Square Knitting and Stitching Show November 2–3 Lindale, Texas Harrogate Convention Centre October 26–28 Ozark Fiber Fling easttexasfiberfestival.weebly.com Yorkshire, England Knot Another Knitting Festival Meramec Baptist Retreat Center theknittingandstitchingshow.com/ Fort Dalles Readiness Center Steelville, Missouri November 9–11 harrogate The Dalles, Oregon ozarkfiberfling.com Vogue Knitting LIVE! columbiagorgefiberfestival.com Minneapolis November 30–December 9 November 2–4 Minneapolis Convention Center Countryside Artisans October 27 Carolina Fiber Frolic Minneapolis, Minnesota Studio Tours Penns Valley Fiber Festival Community Center vogueknittinglive.com/ Sugarloaf Mountain, Maryland Old Gregg School and Sapphire, North Carolina minneapolis18 countrysideartisans.com Community Center carolinafiberfrolic.wordpress.com Spring Mills, Pennsylvania November 9–11 January 17–21, 2019 mulberryhillfarm.com/pvff.html November 2–4 Kid ’n Ewe and Llamas Creativation Northeast Handspinners Too Festival Phoenix Convention Center October 27 The Gathering Hill Country Youth Events Center Phoenix, Arizona Sagebrush and Fiber The Radisson of Nashua Kerrville, Texas afci.global Festival Nashua, New Hampshire kidnewe.com Uinta County Library nehandspinners.org/the-gathering January 25–27, 2019 Evanston, Wyoming November 10 Vogue Knitting LIVE! New York uintalibrary.org/fiberartsfestival2 November 3 Spinner’s Flock Fall Fleece Fair New York Marriott Marquis 018.html Fall Fiber Festival Beach Middle School New York, New York Eisenhower Community Center Chelsea, Michigan vogueknittinglive.com Hopkins, Minnesota sites.google.com/site/a2spinnersflock fallfiberfestival.com

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BY CAROLYN NOYES AND BOOK REVIEWS LESLIEPETROVSKI

M Rowan: 40 Years, 40 Iconic cabled cardigan from 2017, there’s of cables and colorwork and lace beaded Hand-Knit Designs a must-have knit for fierce knitters patterns, but they all work up into mohair half- Sixth&Spring Books; $27.95 everywhere in these pages. contemporary designs to comple- shell to a ISBN: 978-1640210288 ment both modern and retro furnish- geo-Aztec Rowan, today and back in the day, M Faerie Knitting: ings. Bonus: Despite the unwieldy colorwork has always cultivated the knitter’s 14 Tales of Love and Magic image that the word afghan might rectangle knitter. Whether it’s the yarn (Kid By Alice Hoffman and conjure, all of Storey’s projects trimmed Silk Haze! Felted Tweed!), designs Lisa Hoffman make great travel or everyday take- with 20 (! Louisa Harding! Kim Adams Media; $26.99 it-with-you knitting—and that applies dramatic 5-inch tassels. Zukaite Hargreaves! Martin Storey!) or the ISBN: 978-1507206553 to the larger blanket projects, too— also borrowed from the stitching beautifully styled magazines that It’s a truly magical mashup: renowned because they consist of small, indi- traditions of the countries she make you want to buy all that yarn, author Alice Hoffman (Practical vidually stitched squares or strips visited, incorporating straight-stitch this iconic Magic, The Rules of Magic) and her that are joined in finishing. hand into two of her company has knitwear-designer cousin-in-law solid-color designs. done its part Lisa Hoffman have collaborated on M Design Your Own Crochet to inspire a book that combines two things Projects M Shawls: Knit in Style stitchers to with special powers, fairy tales and By Sara Delaney By Melanie Berg do more, clever knits. Storey Publishing; $18.95 Topp; $29.95 learn more Read through ISBN: 978-1612126586 ISBN: 978-3772481406 and, yes, the 14 stories If you’ve crocheted for a while with German designer Melanie Berg, stash more. in this beau- others’ patterns and are ready to a.k.a. Mairlynd, presents 12 To create this Top 40 anthology, tiful volume— create your own, Delaney’s design previously self-published designs, editors have made impossible each illus- templates make the process easy. including her popular Solaris, choices from the company’s archives, trated with Smaller projects like scarves/cowls, Quicksilver, and the Joker and the presenting 20 designs as they were a fanciful socks and hats comprise the 18 de- Thief shawls. Joining them here initially knitted and photographed, knitted de- sign formulas, which are arranged are three new designs for a varied plus 20 that have been reknit in sign—and you’ll sense the alchemy in order of increasing difficulty. The collection of colorwork, , contemporary colors. Longtime fans that can happen when creative math-averse can trust that the de- lace and cabled patterns, as well as of the brand will be interested to spirits and ideas converge. To wit: sign templates require only the skill textures like garter stitch worked see which designs made the cut; The touching story “Blue Heron” of filling in in super-bulky newer knitters will see why gener- tells of a kind, obedient girl who the blanks with yarn. There’s ations of stitchers have been moti- learns the true nature of love and stitch and a style to vated to push the limits of their beauty from a wise, mothering heron. row values and suit whatever skills just for a chance to knit from That knowledge—and a feathered executing the knitting Rowan’s pages. knitted shawl—empowers her formula already mood you find to become a more fully realized provided. And yourself in. M Norah Gaughan: version of herself. Give this to the there’s a hidden Admittedly, not many design books 40 Timeless Knits dreamy knitter, young or not so, benefit to all warrant this warning, but if you Sixth&Spring Books; $24.95 who understands what can happen this how-to information: The glossary happen to be bilingual in English and ISBN: 978-1640210271 when you use charmed tools like of basic crochet stitches, the basic German, you might find the dual- In this greatest hits volume, Norah words and wool. structure of a pattern, the tips for language format of the instructions Gaughan and Vogue Knitting editors yarn and hook pairings and calcu- a bit distracting. For the rest of us, have chosen 40 of the 120 pieces M Martin Storey’s Afghan Knits: lating yardage also act as an easy- it’s simply time to cast on. Gaughan has designed for the mag- 18 Contemporary Designs for to-follow primer for beginning azine over Throws, Runners and Pillows crocheters. M Easy Lace Knits: the years, By Martin Storey All You Need to Know to starting with Trafalgar Square Books; $21.95 M Inspired Shawls: 15 Creative Start an elongated ISBN: 978-1570768620 Patterns for Year-Round Knitting By Anniken Allis cabled vest A longtime By Laura Zukaite Stackpole Books; $24.95 published designer for Dover; $19.95 ISBN: 978-0811719018 in the sum- Rowan and ISBN: 978-0486818511 Love the look of lace but fear mer of 1987 author of Last year Laura Zukaite threw on casting it on? Allis’s 20 designs for and culminating with a Persian- Easy Fair Isle a backpack for a trek through South shawls, tops, mitts and scarves carpet-inspired yoke pullover splashed Knitting, America—and returned home with may be just the antidote, as she across the cover of the Winter 2017/ among many all the inspiration to cast on these starts at the very beginning—by 18 issue. Each piece is depicted in others, Storey 15 new shawl designs. Drawing defining lace as a simple series of its original form, with substitute yarn applies his, from the local art, colors and natural increases and corresponding suggestions offered in cases where well, storied brand of knit magic surroundings encountered in her decreases. A stitch glossary of older yarns are no longer available. to home décor. Some projects are travels, Zukaite created patterns that the various increase and Whether it’s the A-line Clockwork mitered squares or long strips of range from simple triangular shapes techniques is illustrated with pullover from 1989 or the intricately garter stitch, while others are a mix in garter stitch and a diaphanous photos so knitters can clearly see

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how each & Carlos M Coastal Crochet M Crochet Animal Rugs type con- on the road By Karen Whooley By Ira Rott tributes to to knitting Occhi Blu Press; $24.95 SewandSo; $22.99 the look of fame 15 ISBN: 978-0972323246 ISBN 978-1446307007 finished years ago, Summer may be over, but a flip Panda is the cover star, but inside lace. Another and this through the pages of Coastal Crochet you’ll find dinosaur, cat and elephant novice- book show- will have you longing for long walks characters, among other animal mo- friendly fea- cases many on the beach or a wintertime trip to tifs, to stitch up as floor mats and ture of this of their a tropical island. Worked in cool matching ac- book recognizes that knitters have greatest shades of fingering and lace-weight cessories. different ways of understanding hits, along with new creations—85 yarns, the Each pattern stitch patterns, and so Allis pro- patterns in all. From the wearable 12 garments is skill-rated: vides both written and charted ver- (socks, slippers, sweaters) to within (pon- Easier ones sions for the lace stitches used. the whimsical (birds, , a garden chos, wraps, include a And because even experienced lace mouse), each project offers a pullovers monkey mat knitters can find it challenging to new experience, whether it’s felting, and more) and toy bag, detect where their stitch count has intricate shaping or carrying floats. will entice which begin gone awry, you’ll find tips for ways Skill-builder bonus: a coaster project crocheters with a simple oval and half-circle as to read your knitting and get your that provides a mini photo-illustrated of all skill the base of further appliqué; cro- stitches back on track. introduction to . levels (note: cheters looking for more challenging Just-for-fun bonus: Charts for the no stitch glossary is included)—and shapes will like the giraffe-face rug M Western Sakiori: A colorwork designs are eye candy knitters too: If the word crochet and pillow patterns, which also intro- Modern Guide for Rag Weaving even if you never knit from them. weren’t in the title, even an experi- duce two-color stitching. In addition to By Amanda Robinette enced maker’s eye might confuse instructions for techniques specific Stackpole Books; $27.95 M Woods the cover sweater for having been to each project, there’s an illustrated ISBN: 978-0811716093 By Verena Cohrs and knitted. And once inside, a quick glossary of crochet stitches to get Traditional Japanese sakiori rag Hanna Lisa Haferkamp glance at the visual index of Whooley’s beginners going and detailed finish- weaving originated as a way to deal Making Stories; €34 designs reveals more looks-like- ing instructions for applying nonslip with a scarcity of new to be ISBN 978-3962740009 knitting patterns that sport a less lin- backings to the rugs, as well as a made into clothing. And while many First in Making Stories’ European ear fabric than commonly thought cornstarch stiffening recipe for proj- of Robinette’s 21 weaving projects Nature Book series, Woods is of for crocheted garments. ects destined to hang on the wall. adhere to that tradition by repurposing equal parts magazine, reference old materials, guide and coffee-table page-turner. a variety of The photography is both beautifully the projects aspirational I TREND WATCH incorporate and instruc- new textiles, tional. Never Here’s what was selling the last tools and made socks week of September 2018: techniques, before? including rigid The Abisko Amazon Knitting List (print publications) heddle and pattern in- • Vogue Knitting: The Ultimate Knitting Book (revised edition), floor looms. There is a sett chart for cludes step- by the editors of Vogue Knitting (Sixth&Spring Books) rag weaving with common warp by-step • Faerie Knitting, by Alice Hoffman and Lisa Hoffman (Adams Media) yarns, a wet-finishing chart, and in- photos for working three types of • Knit Mitts: Your Handy Guide to Knitting Mittens and Gloves, structions for preparing your chosen heels—short-row, gusset and by Kate Atherley (Interweave/F+W) material. One of Robinette’s inspira- afterthought. Looking to learn more • Noro Kureyon: The 30th Anniversary Collection (Sixth&Spring Books) tions offers a creative way to preserve about sweater construction? • Easy Lace Knits, by Anniken Allis (Stackpole Books) a wedding dress as a keepsake bed Karen Templer of Fringe Association • Amy Herzog’s Ultimate Sweater Book (Abrams) runner. If only the book could supply writes about her favorite styles • Knitting Fresh Brioche, by Nancy Marchant (Sixth&Spring Books) the courage needed to make those and techniques. The authors’ shared Amazon Crochet List (print publications) one-of-a-kind cuts! interest in minimalist design and • Creepy Cute Crochet, by Christen Haden (Quirk Books) local sustainable yarns led them to • A to Z Crochet (Martingale & Co.) M Arne & Carlos Favorite organize the first Berlin Yarn Crawl • Crochet One-Skein Wonders (Storey) Designs: Greatest Hits and in 2016, which expanded their • The Complete Book of Crochet Stitch Designs, by Linda P. New Inspirations circle of like-minded knitters. And Schapper (Lark Crafts) By Arne Nerjordet and now, with the 11 patterns for Carlos Zachrison sweaters, mittens, hats and socks Barnes & Noble Knitting List (print publications) Trafalgar Square Books; $29.95 in Woods, they introduce a few • Vogue Knitting: The Ultimate Knitting Book (Sixth&Spring Books) ISBN: 978-1570768811 favorite makers, yarn producers and • Japanese Knitting Stitch Bible, by Hitomi Shida (Tuttle Publishing) Striking colorwork and innovative knitwear designers they’ve met • Slow Knitting, by Hannah Thiessen (Abrams) designs put Scandinavian duo Arne along the way.

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YARN FORWARD SMOOTH AS

SILK Pure silk and silk-blend yarns add a welcome touch

By Renee Lorion of luxury to fall wardrobes. PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARCUS TULLIS

Blue Sky Alpaca Silk Mrs. Crosby Loves to Play Carpet Bag Specs: 27 colors; 50% alpaca/50% silk; Specs: One nearly solid and 24 multi- 146yds/50g colors; 80% superwash merino wool/ Gauge: 20–24 sts = 4" on U.S. 3–5 20% silk; 240yds/100g needles Gauge: 20–22 sts = 4" on U.S. 6 needles Distinctions: When is a yarn more than Distinctions: Silk gives this wool blend the sum of its parts? When it marries not only its lovely sheen but extra strength alpaca and silk in a single dreamy, drapey as well. A single-ply, it creates a plush skein. Classified as fine and lovely when stockinette fabric and makes textured worked up into lace patterns, this elegant patterns pop. Mrs. Crosby’s unique range number can also punch above its weight of colors provides endless design in looser fabrics on larger needles. possibilities. Projects: Choose the neutrals of this Projects: This yarn creates lovely hats luxurious blend to create dazzling and shawls. Try combining nearly solid wardrobe-staple accessories. colors in The Rain Outside, an openwork striped shawl from Sylvia McFadden.

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Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend Knit One Crochet Too Niya Jade Sapphire Silk Cashmere Specs: 47 colors; 70% extrafine merino Specs: 7 colors; 100% silk; 262yds/100g Specs: Semisolid and multi colors; wool/30% silk; 150yds/50g Gauge: 17–18 sts = 4" on U.S. 7–8 55% silk/45% cashmere; 400yds/55g Gauge: 22–24 sts = 4" on U.S. 4–6 needles needles Gauge: 24–32 sts = 4" on U.S. 1–3 needles Distinctions: A longtime favorite, this Distinctions: This worsted-weight pure-silk Distinctions: Given its fiber pedigree, it’s single-ply DK-weight yarn has a slight sheen yarn has a surprisingly soft hand, and it no surprise that this 2-ply blend is pure and is hand-dyed in a range of gorgeous gets even softer with wear. Flecks of color heaven to touch. It works up into a delicate colors, including variegated shades and and a matte finish give the finished fabric a fabric, showing off lace as well as textured saturated solid jewel tones. rustic look. For garments, be sure to wash stitch patterns. This is opulent knitting. Projects: While this versatile yarn can be and block your swatch to account for the Projects: It’s hard to resist using Silk used for a wide range of projects, try bloom. Cashmere for lace shawls, but it’s also a combining sets of the stunning colors in Projects: The heavier weight makes Niya dream in simple tees or lightweight striped or colorblocked shawls. a great wool substitute for warmer cardigans. climates. Try it for a short-sleeved cardigan or shrug featuring simple cables or seed- stitch texture.

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SMOOTH AS SILK

One of life’s most luxurious pleasures on its own, silk is even more of a dream when combined with a supersoft animal fiber.

Zitron/Skacel Collection Traum Seide Koigu Wool Designs Karmen (top right) Fibra Natura/Universal Yarn Specs: 41 colors; 100% mulberry silk; Specs: 17 colors; 100% silk; 147yds/50g Whisper Lace (bottom right) 875yds/100g Gauge: 22 sts = 4" on U.S. 6–7 needles Specs: 23 colors; 70% superwash Gauge: 33–40 sts = 4" on U.S. 2–4 needles Distinctions: Karmen’s unique chainette wool/30% silk; 440yds/50g Distinctions: If you are looking for a single construction gives it loft and durability without Gauge: 28 sts = 4" on U.S. 2 needles glorious strand of silk for your lace master- losing the sheen and drape we expect from Distinctions: Silk and superwash wool piece, search no more. A pure silk in a lace silk. Koigu’s signature hand-dyed multis sing give this 2-ply fingering-weight , Traum Seide comes in a generous in this new yarn, resulting in rich veins of a lovely halo. Choose from a palette of put-up and feels as sumptuous as it looks. saturated color. classic solid colors for an heirloom lace Projects: This yarn is quietly waiting to be Projects: Cowls and shawls are a natural project or make a unique wrap with conjured into a magical shawl. The only choice, or treat yourself to a slinky top. one of the self-patterning prints. difficulty will be choosing a color from the Projects: The Augustine Scarf from expansive, vibrant palette. Universal uses the print colorway Stonework in a simple openwork pat- tern to create a plaid effect.

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Plymouth Yarn Cuzco Cashmere BC Garn/Kelbourne Woolens Artyarns Silk Dream (top left) Tussah Tweed (bottom left) Specs: Solid and multi colors; 100% Specs: 11 colors; 40% super baby Specs: 18 colors; 100% tussah silk; silk with Lurex; 400yds/90g alpaca/40% mulberry merino silk/ 273yds/50g Gauge: 20 sts = 4" on U.S. 6 needles 20% cashmere; 163yds/50g Gauge: 24 sts = 4" on U.S. 1–3 needles Distinctions: Shot through with a Gauge: 24 sts = 4" on U.S. 4 needles Distinctions: Nubby, richly marled Tussah shimmering thread of silver metallic Lurex, Distinctions: This sport-weight yarn Tweed is made from humanely harvested this 2-ply silk is pure indulgence. Choose combines a trio of luxury fibers into one silk and is versatile enough to work lace from an ever-expanding selection of hand- lush 3-ply strand. The finished fabric is on smaller needles or airy stockinette on dyed shades including highlights, multis silky and decadent. Knit it up and watch larger ones. and tonal solids. the fabric drape and shimmer. Projects: The sophisticated palette is Projects: Three gorgeous shawl patterns Projects: This super-soft yarn would inviting for lightweight garments including designed by Iris Schreier are available shine in an openwork shawl or a cowl simple tops and tanks. Try the refined with the purchase of Silk Dream. Each with a simple lace repeat. Ranunculus top from Midori Hirose, with its uses elegant lace to show off the yarn. lace-patterned yoke, to showcase Tussah Silk Twists takes only one skein and can Tweed’s subtle texture. be worn as a poncho or shawl.

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YARN GROUP BY HEATHER ZOPPETTI, CHAIR In Praise of the Local Yarn Shop

hank you for making the inaugural (or more) of these yarn/business-world attendees and 1,176 total registrants. From Local Yarn Store Day such a resounding milestones: the post-show survey, we learned that mem- T success. More than 400 retailers, 45 • I Love Yarn Day—October 13, 2018. bers loved meeting with industry leaders and wholesalers and thousands of consumers • NaKniSweMo—National Knit a Sweater newbies alike, networking with peers, dis- across the country joined together to celebrate Month, the entire month of November. covering new products and trends, and taking the bricks-and-mortar yarn store. Whole- • Small Business Saturday—always the day classes. They also enjoyed the new city, the salers and designers offered exclusive kits, after Black Friday, this year on November 24. convention center and the show-floor layout. products and colorways; retailers hosted spe- • Worldwide Knit in Public Day—June 8, 2019. Sample It! and the fashion show continue to cial events; and yarnists came out in droves— • Christmas in July—celebrate any time be the most popular events and were men- needles, hooks and wallets in hand—to show during the month. tioned as can’t-miss activities. We are looking their support. • Barbara Walker’s birthday—July 2. forward to returning to Cleveland next summer. The success of Local Yarn Shop Day • ’s birthday—August 9. TNNA will be traveling to Portland, Oregon, reminds us that our industry is capable of • First Friday—many towns host special for the winter trade show, scheduled for accomplishing amazing things when we come events celebrating small businesses on the January 31–February 3, 2019, at the Embassy together in collaboration. We are passionate, first Friday of every month. Suites by Hilton Portland Washington Square. creative and driven people. Let’s put our • Your store’s anniversary—throw a big party This will be a mixed-format hotel show similar heads together and make next year’s LYS for your customers to mark the day. to the winter market in Las Vegas last Jan- Day even bigger and better. Making connections with industry partners uary, meaning that most of the vendors will Interested in participating in next year’s is easy and fun when you attend a TNNA be showcasing their products in hotel suites. event, April 27, 2019? Check out the website, trade show. Meet and make lasting friendships However, ballrooms will also be set up with localyarnstoreday.com, for ways to get with wholesalers, manufacturers and designers traditional trade-show booths. Check the site involved. To continue the yarn love throughout at the summer or winter markets. The summer for more information: tnna.org/page/Winter. the year, consider a store event based on one market in Cleveland was rocking, with 685 Hope to see you there!

TNNA’s Yarn Group is an industry-encompassing group that promotes the growth of the yarn industry, creates awareness and appreciation of the craft, and encourages partnerships among members of the community. YMOCT18NorahGaughanBookAD:Layout 1 10/31/18 3:39 PM Page 23

Celebrate 30 years of stunning textures, mesmerizing cables and innovative constructions with 40 of Norah Gaughan’s most memorable designs from Vogue Knitting.

ISBN 978-1-64021-027-1 • Hardcover • $24.95 • 176 pages

“[This book] embodies the best of Norah Gaughan’s brilliant career and is a must-have for every knitter’s library, both for the creative patterns and the inspiration....” —Deborah Newton

“I have followed Norah’s designing career from the very beginning.... [She] is indeed one of knitting’s great treasures.” —

“Norah specs her proportions to fit and to flatter a variety of body types. Her muse seems to be the knitter herself.” —Margery Winter

“[Norah’s] avid curiosity and enduring commitment to our craft has enriched the world of knitting in ways rarely achieved by a single designer.” —Jared Flood YMOCT18CYC.FINAL:Layout 1 10/31/18 2:42 PM Page 24

CRAFT YARN COUNCIL BYJENNYBESSONETTE,EXECUTIVEDIRECTOR Celebrating the Yarnist

arn encompasses a wide range of difficult to learn (28 percent). Recent studies or repinning or posting on CYC’s Humans That crafts, not just knitting and crochet but have also shown that 48 percent of non-knitters Yarn Pinterest board. Visit the Craft Yarn Council Y weaving, macramé and so many more. and -crocheters use yarn in other ways, whether on Facebook and Instagram for more details. But more than that, yarn encompasses a wide that means wrapping yarn around a dowel Use #humansthatyarn in all your posts. range of people. Rather than focus on one spe- for a wall hanging or around cardboard to make Consider creating your own content as well. cific type of yarn project, the Craft Yarn Council’s pompoms. Post articles and blog entries about Humans fall 2018 campaign will focus on the people Through social media interviews, videos, That Yarn, or make your own videos related to behind the yarn. photographs and blog posts, the campaign will the campaign. Take and share street and studio Humans That Yarn is an inclusive campaign aim to increase interest and start conversations photographs and include pictures and infor- that showcases crafts that can be made with about yarn crafts. The term yarnist—makers mation related to the campaign in email news- yarn and the different types of people who iden- who work with yarn—will be introduced along- letters. Since Humans That Yarn is designed tify as yarnists. The campaign has several goals side the campaign to demonstrate that no matter to reach a wide audience, appeal to different aimed at making the fiber world more inclusive. how you use yarn, you can be a yarn artist. target markets, including children, Gen Z, One of those goals is to break down the barriers Retailers can promote the campaign and drive Millennials and men. to entry for people who may see yarn crafting traffic into stores in a number of ways. CYC For inspiration, ideas and content, make as too difficult or uncool. Another is to encour- is providing assets for bloggers and retailers to sure to check out our social media pages, age people who already work with yarn to take use on social media. (For photographs, blog post including Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest, up a new yarn craft. samples, a press release with sample copy and and watch our Humans That Yarn videos on CYC research has shown that the most com- more, email [email protected].) CYC’s YouTube channel. All details can be mon reasons people have for not participating You can also get involved by sharing Humans found on humansthatyarn.com. Tag your posts in yarn crafts are a lack of knowledge on how to That Yarn videos from CYC’s YouTube channel, with #humansthatyarn and #yarnist. The cam- get started (32 percent) and the perception that social media posts relating to the campaign paign launched on September 4 and will run knitting/crocheting and other yarn crafts are (either your own original posts or CYC’s posts) through the end of December.

The Craft Yarn Council was formed in 1981 to raise awareness about fibers. Visit craftyarncouncil.com or knitandcrochet.com for more information.

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Addi, Boye, Bryspun, Friendly Products, Prym, Call us today for a Susan Bates... catalog, or visit our *** And many more *** shopping cart at www.brysonknits.com YMOCT18AFCI.FINAL:Layout 1 10/31/18 3:43 PM Page 25

ASSOCIATION FOR CREATIVE INDUSTRIES BYKERICUNNINGHAM,SENIORDIRECTOROFMARKETINGANDRESEARCH Learn Yarn Arts at Creativation egistration for the 78th annual Creativation learn directly from the manufacturers they buy 600,000 hotel partners expands the number of trade event, where creative business products from,” says Andria Gibbon, AFCI’s vice discounted hotel rooms available for the event, R professionals go to learn, connect and president of education and events. Among the which gives attendees more affordable options discover, is now open at CreativationShow.org. many scheduled events, Clover Needlecraft is in and around Phoenix. For every hotel room January’s conference, organized by the Associ- offering an “Embellish with PomPoms” work- night booked through the Creativation Hotels for ation for Creative Industries, features hands-on shop at which buyer attendees can learn more Hope platform, $2 will be donated to the Kids in product workshops in popular consumer craft about this trending accessory. Need Foundation. AFCI’s goal is to raise $12,000 categories including, but not limited to, yarn arts, In response to the growing popularity of for the foundation, which supplies students needle arts, home décor, crafting, scrap- yarn among crafters of all stripes, Creativation is across the United States with school supplies. booking and mixed media. Also on offer are introducing a Yarn Pavilion on the trade show These supplies have a huge impact on students’ interactive seminars on topics that are critical to floor—home base for buyers and sellers of fiber class preparedness, class participation, self- today’s retail and creative professionals, includ- and an opportunity for retailers to learn about esteem and interest in learning. For more infor- ing social media, content and digital marketing, new products from yarn manufacturers. “AFCI, mation about booking a hotel through Hotels for business operations, legal issues, point of with its focus on attracting buyers from around Hope, visit www.CreativationShow.org. sales and technology. The show—January 19– the world, is the future of the yarn industry.... Creativation is also accepting exhibitor appli- 21 at the Phoenix (Arizona) Convention Center— This show puts you in front of the innovators cations. Manufacturers are encouraged to view kicks off on the 17th and 18th with two full and affords you opportunities not found else- the floor plan and complete an exhibit-space days of education. where in North America,” says Roxanne Yeun, contract at www.CreativationShow.org. Contact “We’re excited to host an event that pro- creative director of Zen Yarn Garden. Nadine Schwartz, director of sales and sponsor- vides universally interesting content that will AFCI has partnered with Hotels for Hope as ships, at (201) 835-1203 or nschwartz@ afci.glob- benefit all creative businesses. Our in-person the official hotel booking partner of Creativation. al. For more information and to register, visit the peer education model enables attendees to Hotels for Hope’s database of more than Creativation website.

The AFCI is the premier trade association for the global creative arts products industries. Our members include the manufacturers, retailers, distributors, designers, educators, digital content providers, professional makers and DIYers and other creative professionals who comprise the $40 billion+ creative- arts industries around the globe. For more information about AFCI, membership or the annual Creativation trade event, visit afci.global.

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SMART LEGAL Can You Keep a Secret? The 4-1-1 on nondisclosure agreements. BYCAROLJ.SULCOSKI

ollaborating with industry insiders can of a larger company, that company could also be agreement can protect you and your business. yield big payoffs: expanding your cus- made a party to the agreement. Have you developed extensive contacts with vari- tomer base, generating publicity and • Exactly what information is confidential? You’ll ous suppliers over the years? Have you created a creating innovative products, to name want the description to be as broad as possible, unique marketing strategy that must be kept under Ca few. But working with others in the same indus- for maximum protection of your trade secrets, but wraps until you roll it out? If you are a hand-dyer, try can mean disclosing information about your also detailed enough to give a clear idea of what perhaps your method of yarn, the formulas products or business to a competitor. Once you’ve information is covered. Include a provision stating for specific colorways and the sources for your revealed confidential information, what’s to stop that information shared verbally is also protected. yarns help you keep a competitive edge. Consider said competitor from using it to create products • How long will the contract be in effect? Changes whether an NDA is necessary for employees who that compete with yours or give him or her an in technology or the market may make the informa- have access to this information. advantage in the marketplace? Before you divulge tion outdated in a few years’ time. Two- to five-year For example, an NDA with your store manager hard-earned information to a third party, consider terms are common. It’s also advisable to include before she learns the ins and outs of your business whether a nondisclosure agreement makes sense. a statement that you retain all intellectual property may deter her from leaving to start her own com- rights even after the NDA expires. peting business, using your marketing and customer Risky Business • What duties does each party have under the information. Getting an NDA signed in advance A nondisclosure agreement, sometimes called an NDA? The two primary goals—keeping your valu- not only preserves the secrecy of your information “NDA” or “confidentiality agreement,” is a con- able information secret and preventing the other but also sets out clear expectations with your em- tract between two parties agreeing that shared in- party from using that information to your detriment ployees. Next, think about non-employee access to formation will remain secret and not be used to the —should be addressed. proprietary information. Perhaps you use outside other party’s detriment. In some circumstances, • What isn’t covered by the NDA? Frequently contractors. An IT firm that builds a customer data- both parties are disclosing private information, so NDAs will exclude information in the public domain base with unique features, a marketing agency cre- the duty to keep information secret and not mis- or information that the recipient receives from ating a long-term plan, or a business consultant use it applies to both. More frequently, one party is disclosing information to the other, so the duty Securing Proprietary Information to keep the information secret and not misuse it If proprietary information is important enough to protect with an NDA, it’s important binds only the recipient of the information. enough to protect in other ways too. Determine exactly what information you want to Imagine a situation in which Sophie, a seller of protect, segregate that information and remember to mark it “CONFIDENTIAL” so that needlecraft notions, invents a knitting gadget. One everyone who works for you knows that it’s protected. Don’t leave confidential information day Sophie gets a call from an online seller who lying around; instead, restrict access using password protection, locked drawers or wants to collaborate on a modified version of So- locked offices. Think about computer security: Robust passwords, virus and malware pro- phie’s gadget. She and Company X begin negotiat- tection and restricting access to certain files are all important. Make sure laptops and cell ing, discussing supply-chain capacity, modifications phones with proprietary information are secured; for example, no lending of computers to the gadget and the like. Shortly thereafter, Com- or phone to others and using security screens when in public areas. pany X breaks off negotiations; six months later, it begins selling a gadget nearly identical to Sophie’s, using the same factory and incorporating the dis- cussed modifications. If Sophie had a strong NDA someone who is not a party to the NDA. with access to all your financial records may war- signed by Company X, she could more easily prove Other common provisions include a choice-of- rant NDA protection. If you create your own prod- that Company X stole her trade secrets, and she law provision specifying where any lawsuits involv- ucts by using outside factories or manufacturers, may be entitled to a court order barring Company ing the NDA can be filed and which state’s laws an NDA can help ensure that the outside company X from selling its gadget. Assuming Company X govern any disputes. You would prefer legal action doesn’t use the information to make a competing had bad motives from the get-go, asking for an be brought in your home court with a lawyer famil- product. NDA could have deterred Company X from trying iar with your state’s laws. Include remedies for to access Sophie’s trade secrets in the first place. enforcing the NDA, like a provision that any breach Note: This article is not to be construed as legal entitles you to seek an injunction (an immediate advice, and no client-attorney relationship has been The ABCs of an NDA court order to stop the other party from breaching created. Seek advice from a qualified attorney in Like any other contract, an NDA should be in the NDA). Your attorney will have other sugges- the appropriate jurisdiction. The views expressed writing and signed by both parties. It should tions; if attorney’s fees will break your budget, con- herein are those of the author and are not attrib- address the following issues: sult various templates for possibilities. utable to her employer. • Who will be a party to the NDA? In the hypotheti- cal above, Sophie would make Company X a party The Big Picture Carol J. Sulcoski, a Philadelphia-based attorney, is to the agreement, but if Company X is a subsidiary There are other contexts in which a confidentiality also a knitting author, teacher, dyer and designer.

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SMART MARKETING The Power of Podcasting

Get into customers’ heads by leveraging this audio medium. BYKARAGOTTWARNER

ith all the noise in the online appeal to their audiences. This first step is Hold a contest or giveaway; embed episode universe, getting yourself fea- making a personal connection and showing real players on a special “podcast spotlight” page on tured on a podcast is a powerful interest in the show. Explain the value you have your website; create an Instagram Story (see Wway to get your shop, online products and to offer beyond exposure for your book, class or page 27) when your episode goes live; write a services noticed by your ideal customer. An product. Mention a takeaway from a recent epi- blog post about your episode and add the episode ever-increasing number of people are listening sode to make an amazing first impression. Con- to the footer of all other blog posts; do a live to these downloadable digital audio and/or video sider setting up interviews on several different video demonstrating a technique or something files—the episodes easily consumed on the podcasts, asking the hosts to release episodes you discuss in the episode. Always tag the pod- go—as a source for entertainment, education during a specified timeframe (usually one to two cast host in every post, which drives traffic to and general information. You can’t get much weeks) to help generate traffic and exposure for them as well as to you. closer to your audience than when you’re in a special event, course or sale in your shop. This Podcasting is a plug-and-play medium that is their earbuds. strategy increases exposure even more. Provide only getting easier to access. Consumers listen If you’ve got a powerful story to tell, leverag- the hosts with access to your bio and head shot on the go, and vehicles now come with podcast- ing a podcast is like having an enormous mega- so that they can easily promote you. ready features. This is a golden opportunity to take phone, one you get to use on a global scale. advantage of this modern form of talk radio to cre- Through the influence of the spoken word, you You’re On the Air ate your media platform and relay your authentic can position yourself in a way that has never It’s important to know your goal before you begin branding message to the yarn-crafting world. been available before. All you need is a micro- an interview. Remember why you’ve chosen to phone and a message. be on the podcast and keep that firmly in mind as you consider your answers. Ask the podcast host The Roots of Podcasting to share interview questions so you can prepare Hot Pods Podcasts began emerging as early as 2005, but your answers in advance, but don’t memorize the Check out this list of some of the top yarn back then they were expensive to make. As tech- answers or write a script. Be natural. Keep things and business podcasts to help you find nology evolved and costs dropped, new podcasts conversational and pause to allow the host to your niche audience and educate yourself continued to debut. In fact, listenership has been lead. When taping, use an external microphone, as a digital marketer. growing 21 to 24 percent each year, according not the one in your computer, for better sound. to Edison Research. In 2017, out of all media Test your computer settings and microphone in Yarn-Crafting Podcasts listening options, podcasts led the way, at 30 per- advance of the interview. • Yarn Thing with Marly Bird, cent, with AM/FM radio right behind at 25 per- As you craft your answers, put yourself in marlybird.com cent. We are at an exciting turning point in audio- the listeners’ shoes. Would you want to hear • Knitting Pipeline, knittingpipeline.com consumption history: Everyone can leverage this your story? As you speak, try not to sound like a • The Knitmore Girls, knitmoregirls “new” media, which allows small and large busi- salesperson: Nothing turns off a listener more podcast.com nesses to rub elbows on a lateral playing field. than the feeling she’s being sold a bill of goods. • Very Pink with Staci Perry, verypink.com Consider offering something for free to begin • Business of Craft with Leanne Pressly, Research Podcasts in Your Niche the “know-like-trust” relationship with listeners. stitchcraftmarketing.com Before you start your own podcast or pitch your- End with a call to action that clarifies what you • Explore Your Enthusiasm with Tara self as a featured guest on an existing one, it’s want the listener to do next. Maybe it’s to opt in Swiger, taraswiger.com a good idea to research and identify shows that on your website for a resource or free pattern, align with your brand vision and your ideal cus- learn more about a special knit- or crochet-along Business and Entrepreneurship tomer. The best way to begin is by doing research or contest, or just think of you the next time Podcasts in iTunes or another podcast app. Ask yourself: she casts on. • Online Marketing Made Easy with Amy Which podcasts does your ideal customer listen Porterfield, amyporterfield.com to? Who’s consistently showing up in Top Pod- Repurpose & Remix • Ask Pat with Pat Flynn, askpat.com casts in your niche? How many are regularly Most downloads per episode (“DPE” in pod • Smart Passive Income with Pat Flynn, publishing episodes? What are their ratings and speak) happen 24 to 48 hours after an episode smartpassiveincome.com reviews? What are they doing on social media goes live, so strike when the iron is hot and don’t and on their websites? Sign up for newsletters leave all the promoting up to the podcast host. to see what these popular shows are up to. Beyond that time period, there are also many Kara Gott Warner (KaraGottWarner.com), a teacher more ways to make your episodes “evergreen” and business coach and the former executive editor of Pitch Like a Pro so they can be shared weeks, even months, later. Creative Knitting magazine, is the host of Power Purls Research completed, it’s time to reach out to Whether you’re posting right away or later, con- podcast. She teaches in-person and online classes about potential podcast hosts to explain why you would sider the following tactics to get the word out: podcasting and digital marketing.

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SMART ONLINE

Say Cheese! BYMARYMCGURN Take advantage of Instagram’s growing popularity to better market your business.

you’ve created. To learn more about specific ana- o you post to Instagram? I suspect percent hear about a product or service through lytics and how to gain access to your Insights, that most of you do—personally, at least, the platform; more than 120 million users have refer to the “Insightful” box at left. though perhaps not for your business. visited a website, gotten directions, called a D • Ads. Only business accounts can advertise. I’d also wager that not all of you Instagrammers business, emailed or direct messaged a business; The statistics cited above show the app’s users use Instagram Stories. If you’ve been slow to and 30 percent have purchased a product they as willing to see and engage with your promo- jump on the Instagram bandwagon, take a look first discovered on Instagram.” tions. Ads can serve business goals from aware- at the numbers: The photo- and video-sharing ness to consideration to conversion. Ad creative service is the go-to information source for Opening a Business Account includes individual photos, videos and carousels Millennials and Gen Z’ers. All accounts on Instagram can be modified into as well as ads within Stories. Instagram’s ad “business” accounts. Doing so links your Insta- platform is self-serve and easy to learn. Why Instagram for Business gram account to your Facebook page—if you So how do you switch to a Business Profile? Consider this: Instagram has one billion monthly don’t have one, it creates one for you—and pro- Go to your Instagram profile and tap on the gear active users worldwide. The number of Instagram vides you with the following benefits: icon. Tap Switch to Business Profile. On the Con- users in the United States alone is expected to • A more robust profile page. Business profiles nect Your Facebook screen, you’ll see the Face- surpass 111 million in 2019. Of this number, get contact , so users can get in touch book pages for which you are an Admin. Select 55-plus million users fall in the coveted 18-to-29 with you easily. You can also establish your busi- the Page you want to associate with your Insta- age group. ness category, providing more information to po- gram Business Profile. On the Set Up Your Busi- ness Profile page, you can review your contact Insightful information, make any edits and then tap Done. Instagram’s Insights can tell you if having an Instagram account is paying off. Look Make Use of Instagram Stories primarily to these analytics to get your answer. Stories are where you’re free to tell your business • On your profile, look for the following: Reach (the number of unique users to view your story in an immediate and off-the-cuff way. Un- post); Website Clicks (the number of clicks to the links included in your business profile); like the feed, where visually polished and specific Profile Visits (the number of times a user clicks on your username to learn more about content is posted, Stories are appreciated for you); taps on your call-to-action buttons. Growth registered in this data is the first proof their spontaneous, unfiltered, behind-the-scenes of time not wasted; a decline might mean posting more frequently or with different visuals that anyone with a smartphone can cap- content. ture. Stories can record everyday moments or • On Audience, get a fix on the demographics of your followers by gender, age and top even non-moments. And they are proving effec- locations. The data will tell you if your content is attracting the right audience located tive at building community. where they are the most help to you. When you post to your Story, your profile • On Posts (photos & videos), Reach will give you the unique number of users who see image appears in a circle at the top of your fol- your posts. Since user engagement is key to besting Instagram’s algorthim, the data on lowers’ feeds, where they’ll easily see it upon the number of unique users who like, save or comment on your posts matters. The logging in. Post to your feed and the post may Discovery Insights tells you the percentage of accounts that saw your post but who are or may not be seen by all of your followers given not following you. Infer from this that your branded hashtag is getting traction. Instagram’s algorithm. If a user doesn’t tap on • On Instagram Stories, look at Reach for unique viewer numbers. The People Insights any Story and begins to scroll down their feed, gives you a list of users who have seen a particular photo or video in your story. This is the app will remind them to check the Stories helpful because, by clicking on their usernames, you can check out their accounts and waiting for them. Your followers can even set up choose to follow them—and, of course, they might reciprocate. notifications for when you post a Story. Engagement beyond the feed’s likes and Going forward, look for the menu drop-down in the upper-right corner of your profile comments is enabled in Stories. You can engage (three horizontal lines). Tap that, then select Insights. followers with sticker polls. Write a question, cus- tomize the poll choices and see real-time voting results. Instagram has added a question sticker that will let you post an open-ended question and Your competition is using Instagram. An esti- tential customers who come across your profile. receive answers—valuable information and feed- mated 71 percent of businesses in the U.S. are • Account analytics. This is the number one back from customers old and new. already using the app. This number is almost reason to switch. Instagram Insights go beyond double the number of businesses who used it in what a personal account can see in monitoring 2016. What’s fueling this growth? According to performance. Learn who your followers are and Mary McGurn of McGurn Media creates, manages Sprout Social, in 2018 “80 percent of Instagram when they’re online. View performance and en- and strategizes social media accounts for small businesses users follow a business on the platform; 60 gagement data on specific posts and stories and nonprofits.

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RETAIL PROFILE BY DARYL BROWER Yarn Culture Fairport, New York business. “My kids were in high school and year to drive advertising and product awareness. college,” she says. “I had spent my career in “We also make recommendations about best- marketing, and I was ready to do something selling colors, combinations, patterns, etc. for our completely new.” yarns based on what we know knitters purchase That something new, she decided, would be across the country, not just what other retail cus- a yarn store. But she and her husband didn’t tomers are buying.” just dive in blind. “We knew that loving yarn and In retail or wholesale, customers are the focal knitting wasn’t enough to sustain a business,” point. “We want knitters to find unique yarns she says. To deepen their understanding of the that they may have only read about or may have industry, they attended the Yarn Market News never heard of. We want our customers to be Smart Business Conference in Baltimore in inspired by our samples and motivated to knit 2013. “What we learned there, coupled with our something they’ll love.” The choice of yarns— prior experience in the business world, con- including WalkCollection, The Uncommon Thread, vinced us we should make a go of it.” The cou- The Fibre Company, Life in the Long Grass, Spun ple also made a return trek to Europe shortly Right Round, Woolfolk and Shibui—are no doubt after the conference to attend H&H, Germany’s also part of the draw, as are the events the shop major wholesale yarn show, meeting with the hosts each week. The shop offers two lively Sit designers, dyers and small manufacturers Odi- ’n’ Knit groups on Friday and Saturday afternoons What happens when you blend a nak had discovered on Ravelry. as well as regular KALs. But one thing the shop yarn shop with a distribution busi- Yarn Culture opened its doors in November doesn’t do in a big way is classes. “They’re hit- ness? Good stuff, if you take the ex- 2013, and in the five years since has built a loyal or-miss for us, so we offer them infrequently,” ample of Patti Odinak. Along with following, boosted by a strong online and festival Odinak explains. “But we love having events, her husband, Mitch, Odinak runs presence. And along the way something inter- and our customers love them too. In past years both Yarn Culture, a specialty shop esting began to happen. “We really love the we’ve hosted dyers and designers, which are yarns we sell and the people behind the brands,” the biggest hits.” On the show circuit, Odinak that features yarns and designers Odinak explains. “So those first meetings in makes a point to provide at least two new things from “around the corner and around Europe, along with our subsequent business for every show. “A number of our customers the world,” and Remarkable Yarns, growth, helped our retail relationships evolve meet up with us at multiple shows each year, the American distributor for Rosy beyond traditional retailer/vendor roles.” so I want to have something new to show them, Green Wool and other yarns. In 2015 the couple established Remarkable whether it’s a new yarn or a new sample.” Yarns, distributing one of the first yarns sold at Odinak has never regretted the decision to With both, she’s created a sustain- Yarn Culture: Rosy Green Wool. “We’ve sold a go from hobby knitter to yarn professional. “I able business that’s providing lot of it over the years, and we have an excellent know it sounds cliché, but people are really the beautiful fibers for knitters and cro- relationship with Rosy and [her husband and best part of this business,” she says. “We have cheters across the United States. business partner] Patrick,” says Odinak. “So lovely customers in the Rochester area [where when they decided they wanted a small North the shop is located] and across the United States. dinak’s entry into the yarn world echoes American distributor, it made sense that we We work with customers, dyers, designers and that of many a yarn-shop owner. She would do it.” Distribution of German designer manufacturers around the world. So many of Owas a serious hobby knitter who loved Melanie Berg’s patterns (and now her new these people have become our friends. They’re finding great yarn; joining Ravelry in 2007 con- book, Shawls), as well as U.S.-based Crave Yarn, people we look forward to seeing and connecting nected her with more yarns and a global net- happened in the same organic way. “Our shared with whenever we can. It’s truly a ton of fun.” work of designers. interests, along with a genuine regard and “I regularly scoured the site looking for appreciation for each party, established designers and yarns that were unique and not the groundwork to evolve our shared Yarn Culture QUICK widely available,” Odinak says. “I was really business to another level,” says Odinak. 1387 Fairport Rd #885, Fairport, GLANCE attracted to U.K. and European designers and Managing both a retail and wholesale New York 14450; (585) 678-4894; yarns, especially hand-dyed fibers and interesting business is working well. Odinak says www.yarnculture.com everyday experience as a retailer helps bases.” She suspects that that preference for Years in business: 5 yarns from across the pond was colored by the her to understand what wholesale Staff: 3 full-time four years her family spent living in Germany. When customers want and need. Yarn Culture Square footage: 2,700 they returned to the States in 2011, Odinak takes a booth at eight to ten yarn festi- Hours: Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.–5p.m. decided she was ready to turn her hobby into a vals and events across the country every Tuesday through Thursday, by appointment.

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“There is a lot of interest in the program, as it guar- antees sheep producers $3 per pound for raw wool COMPANY and a backup market for their lambs, with solid and PROFILE continuing educational assistance. In essence, it is franchising.” To complement the program, the com- BY MARYAM SIDDIQI pany is building a new textile mill at its sheep farm. Not afraid to innovate, the company will also soon launch a foundation called the Cestari Textile Museum, and programming in the space will include Cestari Sheep and educational symposiums and other events. “We have taken possession of many weaving looms, spin- Wool Company ning wheels, etc. from the [now permanently closed] American Textile History Museum in Lowell, Massa- chusetts,” Chester-Cestari says. Completion was scheduled for late September 2018. The company has also gotten involved in charita- ble events like the American Sheep Industry’s Make “The USDA is telling sheep people that no one wants wool anymore, which is outrageous,” says Francis Chester- Cestari, founder and CEO of Cestari Sheep and Wool Company. “This is totally contrary to what the

market is looking for: It With Wool Contest, which encourages young peo- natural fibers.” ple to design and make something using American- grown wool. Last year, the company donated prizes at both the state and national levels. Chester-Cestari believes that the personal connections he makes through these educational initiatives have the most impact when it comes to hester-Cestari has headed the eponymous silk and, of course, wool is in great demand. We business relationships and promoting the bene- family-owned operation since 1946, “at recently purchased 20 late-model cotton-producing fits of natural fibers. age 10,” he jokes, when the property was machines and have updated our woolen system “We had always been very active at TNNA, but a sheep farm. The yarn manufacturing divi- machines, [which will allow us to] increase by 400 C recently we’ve been relying instead on my visits sion was launched in 1969. Work is done on farm percent our capability to produce quality U.S.-grown and talks throughout our marketing [sectors]. We’ve property in Augusta County, Virginia, where the products,” says Chester-Cestari. “I see a great found these personal contacts and our shepherd family raises sheep for the wool in their yarn (they future for natural fibers, as the demand for them is days [at the farm] to be much more effective,” he also source wool from other reputable ranchers in growing very rapidly. The public seems to be tiring says. “People love stories, and I have lots of them.” the United States). of synthetic fibers.” Cestari’s specialty is natural processes. It uses Next year, the company will celebrate 50 years a scouring technique, rather than a carbonizing in yarn production and 73 years as a sheep-based process, to wash its wool, to keep natural lanolin operation. And it will also be celebrating the next Address: 3581 Churchville Ave., in the yarn so that it retains its natural texture. It stage in the company’s most recent initiative, “Let’s Churchville,VA24221; (540) 337-7270; means that on occasion pieces of hay or straw Grow Sheep Together,” in which Cestari sells breed- www.cestarisheep.com might be rolled up in a skein of yarn; the family con- ing ewes and rams and then offers to shear the Employees: 10 (expected to grow to 16 siders this proof of the yarn’s provenance. Cestari sheep and buy back the fleece. The company cur- this year) Fun fact: Chester-Cestari has a second yarns are sold to shops across the U.S. and Canada, rently pays $3 per pound. business called Cestari Fresh Lamb and abroad to Spain and Japan. Its best-selling “The Let’s Grow Sheep Together program was (cestarifreshlamb.com) through which yarns are its Mount Vernon 2-ply worsted-weight launched last summer. It is something that I he sells fresh frozen grain-fed lamb 100 percent fine merino and the Monticello collec- needed to be done, since the sheep population in and ships it across the U.S. Packages tion, a blend of 75 percent naturally grown Virginia the U.S. has decreased from 54 million in the early for purchase include loin chops, stew cotton and 25 percent French or Belgian soft linen. 1950s to 5.2 million now, with numbers decreasing meat, racks of lamb and more. “This Noticing an increase in sales of its cotton offer- for the past 12 years,” Chester-Cestari says. is a new approach,” he says. “This ings, the company is working to expand that part “It’s interesting to note that the sheep bought is a Columbus adventure.” of the business. “Cotton combined with linen and so far were sold to non-sheep people,” he adds.

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FUTURECAST Isthere suchathing as a CRYSTA L YA RNBALL? YMN PEERS INTO THE FUTURE OF THE YARN INDUSTRY. By Leslie Petrovski

Nationwide, yarn shops are closing. Longstanding companies including Classic Elite Yarns and Tahki•Stacy Charles are shuttering or being sold. Industry publications are ceasing production or looking for ways to cut costs. It’s as if the entire fiber industry has been tossed in the wash and shrunk like the sweater that took years to complete. What’s up with the yarniverse? And what does it mean for the future? According to sales reps, distributors, dyers, yarn shop owners and yarn crafters, lots of things are up with the yarniverse, but much of it can be distilled into a single word: competition.

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oday, at the frazzled end of 2018, individuals with a wheel or dye and bricks-and-mortar store Jimmy Beans yarn professionals are competing pot to earn a living or supplement one by Wool, agrees that increased competition with every shiny thing vying for following her bliss. and fragmentation are changing the yarn- consumers’ attention, whether Author and master knitter Ann Budd, who scape. “Indie designers now have the T it’s a demanding job, kids’ soccer travels the world teaching and hosting Knit opportunity to have their own businesses,” games, social media, everyday inconven- for Fun retreats, observes that when she she says. “The Etsy effect is not going to iences like traffic and waiting in line, or the started actively knitting in the early 1970s, go away.” general state of the world. Add to that the the yarn scene was not as complex or com- competition among the places where we petitive. “When I was a kid, there weren’t Yarn Futures shop—the neighborhood LYS, regional many choices. There was Red Heart and Nobody thinks the yarn arts will disappear, fiber fests and the borg that is Amazon.com Bernat,” she says. “You could get wool and because human beings are makers by na- among them, where yarn customers can mohair, but now there are all these blends and ture. “This industry has been around since choose from an increasingly vast array of breed-specific yarns and wonderful dyers, people first began making ,” products ranging rustic wools and gemlike whose colors are so rich and deep and inter- observes Yonca Ozbelli of Universal Yarn. hand-dyes to yarns made from tea leaves— esting. You can get anything.” “I don’t believe it will go away. Not only can and needleworkers have endless ways in The same is true for patterns. When Rav- you produce something you can use, but which to spend their money and time. elry burst on the scene more than a decade [the yarn arts] calm you down, make you fo- Customers are increasingly spending ago, it created this giant repository of free cused and happy, and improve your math their yarn budgets shopping Instagram and for-sale patterns, which did two things: skills. And now a younger generation is get- feeds, snapping up products at large con- It allowed knitters to find patterns to match ting interested.” sumer shows and at the yarn truck parked at That’s not to say the climate isn’t chal- their local farmers’ market. All this choice, THERE’S A LOT OF lenging. According to Google Trends, which and the almost instant gratification people reports search traffic, searches for both knit- receive from free two-day shipping and one- COMPETITION ting and crochet have been trending down- click shopping, have spoiled consumers. ward for the past four years. The number of Badly. “The retail industry is being disrupted; “NOWADAYS. PEOPLE ARE yarn shops in the United States has also it’s raising customer expectations,” says CONSTANTLY dropped. According to research sponsored Barbara Kahn, author of The Shopping by TNNA, in 2007 there were 2,230 yarn Revolution: How Successful Retailers Win BEINGBOMBARDED shops in the U.S.; in 2016 that number had Customers in an Era of Endless Disruption. slipped to 1,925. “Retailers who don’t understand that DIGITALLY BY FRIENDS, Complicating these flagging numbers is won’t make it.” SOCIALMEDIA, the rising price of fine wool. Decades of Nicole Reyhle, founder of Retail Minded, poor wool markets, combined with recent a retailer education service, agrees: “There NEWSFEEDSAND droughts in Australia, have constricted is a lot of competition nowadays. People are global sheep populations to near historic constantly being bombarded digitally by EMAILMARKETING,AND lows. This reduced supply, coupled with in- friends, social media, newsfeeds and email THOSEINFLUENCES creased demand from the athleisure indus- marketing, and those influences become try, which is incorporating merino into distractions. Retailers must become part of BECOME everything from tennis shoes to underwear, the influence and the distraction. You have has caused the price of fine wool to sky- to be where the customers are, and [inside DISTRACTIONS. rocket, pushing the price of everything a store] isn’t where they are. You have to from yummy socks to sock yarn. The trick welcome technology.” their stashes, and it gave designers and is finding new revenue streams. “Retailers Technology is the behind-the-scenes aspiring designers a global stage.” Suddenly need a lot of different strategies,” says wizard making all these changes possible, traditional publishers, nascent online publica- Barbara Kahn. and it has emerged in the yarn world as tions and even yarn companies that offered While there is no such thing as a crystal part tool, part enabler and part distractor. Not pattern support had to confront the tough ball of yarn, there are innovators in the only has it opened world markets to yarn reality that knitters and crocheters could yarn world who are DIYing their way toward crafters—toothy breed-specific British wools, easily purchase, or get for free, one-off pat- new horizons that provide clues to the low-micron-count cashmere from the High terns rather than buy entire magazines, future. Online companies such as We Are Himalayas, brushed wool from the books or pattern leaflets. Knitters and Wool and the Gang have kitted Faroe Islands—it’s also made it possible for Laura Zander, co-founder of the online out young, hip stitchers—and removed the

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creative strategies to boost business. Last to videos for both communication and ed- spring, Cascade Yarns made its first vending ucation—is my commitment to staying rele- foray at the big European trade show H+H vant in the midst of all these technological Cologne, to connect with existing European changes,” Lo explains. “Hopefully the media customers and develop international contacts. content we make helps people think of Skacel Collection is working to make new us as at the forefront of this craft world, try- knitters through its 10,000 New Knitters initia- ing to push forward and create products and tive (see page 11). And the venerable Brown resources for a tech-savvy and changing FUTURECAST Sheep Company opened the Brown Sheep audience.” Fiber Arts Schoolhouse in a 1930s-era school Yarn shops, too, are making increasingly hunting-and-gathering inconvenience of building across the road from the company entrepreneurial moves to extend the reach shopping in the wild—by bundling quick- mill in Mitchell, Nebraska, offering classes in of their physical shops not only into the to-knit, too-cool-for-school designs with knitting, crochet, spinning and weaving, with online world but also into markets like Vogue needles and branded yarn. With a click or plans in the works to offer loom, wheel and Knitting LIVE, New York Sheep and Wool two, Instagram followers of We Are Knitters machine rentals. and even Amazon. And in the same way (a whopping 355,000 at this writing) can Last year, SweetGeorgia augmented its wholesalers have taken to direct sales, yarn jump to the main website, where they can yarn and fiber offerings with the School of shops are developing their own yarns and score everything from a cropped crochet SweetGeorgia, an ambitious platform of online products to differentiate themselves and pullover kit (complete with embroidered label fiber arts classes in dyeing, knitting, spinning make strong brand statements. and branded packaging) or tap a pretty flat- and weaving. Initially launched as a place Shops like A Verb for Keeping Warm, lay photo for access to the company’s 100 where fiber enthusiasts can purchase one-off Fancy Tiger and Purl Soho and have all created percent Peruvian super-bulky wool. To keep their own proprietary yarns that range from up customer engagement, We Are Knitters locally sourced wools to luxury fibers. Apple has a special loyalty program for referrals, en- WE’RENOW Yarns in Bellingham, Washington, now courages customers to post project pics on SEEINGWHOLE- wholesales its own line of hand-dyed yarns social media, and delivers plenty of inspiration in various weights to more than thirty yarn and ways to connect on the company blog, “SALERSWHOARE shops nationwide. “One of the ways we’ve Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube sites. RETAILERS, diversified is having three avenues for selling: Other retailers such as Webs, which re- the physical store, appleyarns.com and cently acquired the New York–based yarn com- WHOAREONLINE Apple Fiber Studio,” explains Andrea Evans, pany Tahki•Stacy Charles and the Manhattan who owns Apple Yarns with her husband, yarn shop String, and Jimmy Beans Wool, OR HAVE Andrew. “We’ve taken everything we’ve which purchased the Namaste bags brand (see PHYSICAL STORES. learned by having a yarn shop. We share page 8), are acquiring other companies and things like really awesome samples, and if labels to grow their businesses and create THAT’S A CHANGE we miss a delivery, we pay for shipping. additional income streams. “It’s not lost on We treat LYSes with respect.” us that the marketplace is shifting dramatically IN OUR INDUSTRY AND Shops are also creating new paradigms and that it’s also accelerating,” says Webs’s IN ALL OF RETAILING: for events. In addition to regular trunk show Kathy Elkins. “I don’t think in five years it will rotations and Knit 101 classes, they are get- look like it does today.” THEBLENDING ting creative with Sip and Stitch evenings, “You’re going to see more consolidation classes that combine mindfulness or yoga at the wholesale level,” Steve Elkins adds. OF ROLES IN A WAY with , and those that expose Confronted with yarn shop closures, yarn THAT WASN’T stitchers to new needlearts such as rug hook- companies and distributors are reinventing ing, weaving, macramé and needle felting. themselves and finding alternative revenue PREVIOUSLY THE At Cream City Yarns in Brookfield, sources outside the yarn shops. Bonnie CASE. Wisconsin, the shop partnered with a local Burton, eleven-year owner of Colorful Stitches coffee shop to host a “Knit and Lit” event in Lenox, Massachusetts, worked in corpor- with best-selling author and avid knitter ate retail for decades before her LYS career. classes online, the school has now morphed Chloe Benjamin. They paired the sold-out In addition to the changes technology has into a subscription service by which” users event with the sale of a $70 colorwork cowl brought to the selling and purchasing of goods can consume educational content and partici- kit inspired by the cover of Benjamin’s on a retail level, it’s blurred previously estab- pate in community forums where they can novel The Immortalists. lished boundaries between wholesaler and connect and help each other. In addition to “Bricks-and-mortar stores need to dig retailer. “We’re seeing wholesalers who are the School of SweetGeorgia, owner Felicia Lo deep,” according to Laura Zander. “What now retailers, who are online or have physical posts a weekly knitting vlog called “Taking will draw people into your shop? It is rocket stores,” she says. “Wholesalers were Back Friday,” a podcast called “The Sweet science and it is a simple question. We never retailers. That’s a change in our industry Georgia Show” and a blogazine called “Make need to get more innovative or work harder and in all of retailing: the blending of roles and Hue.” than we did five years ago. Maybe it’s arro- in a way that wasn’t previously the case.” “My commitment to creating media con- gant to think I have the power to make our In addition to selling directly to the con- tent for the changing media landscape— business better, but I believe in being aware sumer, yarn companies are employing other moving from written blogs to audio podcasts and getting creative.”

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THE MASTERS YONCA OZBELLI

a candy store: all the yarns, all the colors and all the YO: I believe our knitters and crocheters will possibilities. Hal is an innovator and loves to get continue to grow, but their buying habits will different opinions, so he would ask for my thoughts change. We are already seeing that change. More on the yarns he was developing. Ours is a great sales will be done online—we are all, after all, partnership. We ask for each other’s opinions on influenced by Amazon—but I strongly believe the specific subjects, but neither local yarn stores who are smart and of us ever gets upset if our OUR COMMUNITY adapt to changes and make their stores ideas are overruled. “ special will continue to thrive. They are IS RICH, FULL OF IDEAS an essential part of this industry. We ES: What made you take AND NOT AFRAID TO wholesalers need to continue to bring on more responsibility at TRY NEW THINGS new and fresh ides to the marketplace Universal Yarn? OR EXPLORE NEW AD- but also learn to adapt ourselves to YO: Hal started the company VENTURES IN KNITTING the [inevitable] changes. in 2005. I have been a silent AND CROCHET. contributor since the begin- ES: Do you knit English or Continen- ning. By 2013 the company “ tal? Who taught you to knit, and had grown exponentially, and he needed help. how long ago? As the sales director at That’s when I decided to join full-time. YO: I knit English—I am a thrower—as I learned knitting in Turkey when I was 13. I am from the Universal Yarn, Yonca Ozbelli ES: How large is your team at Universal south of Turkey, where the summers are very works closely with her Yarn, and what is it like working on a team hot and humid. As a result, people in my home- of that size? town go up to the mountains during the summer husband, Hal, the company’s YO: We are still a small team; altogether we are months. My parents own a house in the moun- president. She’s done much 10 people. I like that we are not a big team, be- tains, and our next-door neighbor, who is an cause everyone does everything—we all use our avid knitter, taught me and my sister how to knit. to shape the direction of strengths in the jobs we do, and it feels like a I did not enjoy it in the beginning. We did not the company in recent years. family operation, rather than a big company atmos- have a big yarn selection at the local yarn store phere. Traditional values, such as “family first,” on the mountain. It wasn’t until Hal started YMN’s Erin Slonaker sat “the customer is always right” and “always do the Universal Yarn that I rediscovered my passion down to find out more. right thing for your customers,” are priorities for for yarn. all of us. Most importantly, we love what we do because of the people we do it with. ES: Do you think Universal Yarn will become a ES: How did you come to work in the yarn family company with the next generation? industry? What career path led you here? ES: What resources do you use to keep up YO: Although they both know how to knit, our YO: I have always been involved with textiles. with trends? Do you travel for inspiration? kids, both currently in college, do not knit for I am a chemical engineer by training but have YO: Coming from ready-to-wear, I look to the themselves but instead ask mom to knit for worked in sales since graduation. It started fashion industry for inspiration, for sure. Our them! Whether they decide to join the business in technical sales, then transitioned into retail team also travels to shows both domestically or not, only time will tell. Hal and I want them sales, then home textiles and finally ready- and internationally to get ideas and inspiration. to do what they are passionate about. I love to-wear. I was working as a sales director for But we also get inspired from our surroundings, what I’m doing, and I strongly believe that you a Danish company making labels for ready-to- nature, sometimes even graffiti on a train car. become successful in things that you love to wear garments when Hal convinced me to join do. So if yarn is their passion, there is definitely him. I resigned my position and we started ES: You’ve been instrumental in doing con- a future for them at Universal Yarn. working together. It has been a blast ever since. sumer outreach by attending knitting shows yourself. What have you learned from ES: What’s on your needles right now? ES: How did you meet Hal? Was he in the speaking directly with customers? YO: I just finished projects in Universe; we re- yarn industry at the time? YO: That they love this craft, and there is not leased the collection just recently. Right now I YO: We met at a party right after we both grad- enough yarn in the world for them! Our commu- am making a top in Papyrus, which is a cotton/ uated from college in Istanbul. He was living in nity is rich, full of ideas and not afraid to try new silk blend. It’s a fabulous yarn to knit with—so New York and I was living in Turkey, so meeting things or explore new adventures in knitting and soft and luxurious. at the party was karma! He was in the textiles crochet. Every [yarn crafter] is an artist, as you industry then, selling polyester fiber to mills start with string and end up with a beautiful proj- ES: What do you like to do in your spare time in the United States. ect. They are compassionate—most of them when you’re not knitting? knit for charity—and are always willing to share YO: I love to read and to travel. I just finished ES: What was it like to be married to the head their knowledge but are hungry to learn more. Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand; I love her style of a yarn company before you worked for the and how her nonfiction reads like fiction. I also company yourself? ES: Where do you see the yarn industry going enjoy spending time with my family—Hal and I YO: It was really cool—it was like being a child in in the coming years? became empty-nesters last year.

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