Web-Letter Issue 237 – Introducing the Spring 2012 Collection Boston is already giddy with spring fever in a March of unprecedented high temperatures--outdoor cafes are bustling and the sidewalks are packed with windowshoppers. Even the magnolia trees decided to put on their show a little early this year. Though the 80 degree temperatures proved fleeting, the zeal for summertime it aroused in me was not. Wool's great, but my hands now crave the crispness of linen, the bounce of organic cotton, the slinkiness of bamboo...What's destined for my needles this spring? Tremont, a tie-front cardigan knit side-to-side with fun stripes on the collar and cuffs. With 73 colors of Provence to choose from, this should be a fun one! Bayou, a drapey pullover with dolman sleeves and a leaf motif over the right shoulder, gets just a touch of glamour from our new spring yarn, Sanibel. I'm currently obsessing over the Redwood colorway. Tupelo, a short-row shawlette from Peabody Path, is on my short list. Knit in just three balls of Firefly, I may be able to finish it in a weekend (overly confident?) This year's spring lineup sings with color and texture. We hope you enjoy it!

Sanibel - 42% Cotton, 58% Viscose - 125 yards/ball Sanibel: Funny story...When this yarn arrived from the mill in Italy, it was labelled with the mill's Italian name for it, Brillo. Admittedly NOT a word in English that we embrace to mean something soft, wearable and sophisticated, though Sanibel is all these things and more. Is it novelty? Is it "fashion yarn"? Neither word seems to fit. The tonal colors are like light and shadow reflected in a summer creek, and the glimmer running through it is the mica glittering just under the surface. The twelve colors range from bright to sophisticated, in coral pink, deep amethyst, and incandescent gold (among others).

Seedling Handpaint - 100% Organic Cotton - 110 yards/ball Seedling Handpaints: When this yarn first arrived almost a year ago, you could hear the squeals of delight as each colorway was pulled out of the box. Seedling started out as the "little sister" to Sprout, a finer version of the 100% organic cotton, chunky bestseller. It has since earned standalone status for its finer gauge, unusual texture, deep colors and the weightless fabric it creates. The handpainted line was a no-brainer, in eight gorgeous colors.

The Patterns Of course we have dedicated booklets for both our new yarns, Sanibel and Seedling Handpaints. Devotees of Silky Alpaca Lace will be happy to hear that we have an entire booklet dedicated to it, for the first time ever! Also find booklets for Allegoro, Classic Silk, Cotton Bam Boo, Cotton Bam Boo Print, Cricket, Firefly, Katydid, Provence, Seedling, Soft Linen, Solstice, and Sprout. For the crocheters amongst us, you'll find crochet designs in six booklets, from the gorgeous vest Couchette from the Soft Linen booklet, Locomotive to the cover garment from our Classic Silk booklet Riverside, Canoe.

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