Boxing Week Bargains

We have some great bargains in both stores this week. Here's our sale list. There's an excellent selection of yarn, books and magazines at 40 - 60% off the regular price.

A great time to pick up a new project to knit or crochet on cold winter days...

Holiday Hours

We'll close at 3:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve and we'll be closed on Christmas Day. We'll reopen on Boxing Day, with regular hours for the rest of the week until New Years Eve when we'll close at 3:00 p.m. And we'll be closed New Years Day. Same hours in both stores. Don't forget, we'll be open in Edgemont on Monday, December 29. And we'll have some Boxing Day bargains for you, stay tuned for details...

We unpacked a bunch more new stuff last week. Several big boxes of Louet, we have loads of Gems Fingering and Sportweight, Euroflax and a bit of the luscious Mooi. We have more of the sumptuous Handmaiden Samira Silk on hand, as well as the delicious Great Big Sea, Mini Maiden and Stormwater Scarves. We received several more Addi Click sets, there are now a couple in Edgemont. We have the Cascade Eco Wool Chunky, tons of yardage for a great price. And we have a bunch of Offhand Designs bags and clutches, these are fabulous:

We also unpacked the latest Debbie Bliss books, Essential Baby and Essential Knits for Kids. Cute as ever....

Have fun with your last minute shopping, knitting, baking and wrapping. Somehow I have seven toques and three scarves left on my list, hope springs eternal...

Merry Christmas

From a few of the Urban Yarns gals:



Check out the Elf Disco Dance right here. Too funny....

Felting Queen

Anina's caught the felting bug. Look at the fantastic projects she's recently completed:

The Woolly Gnome and Mushrooms:


A Marie Mayhew design. We have the pattern and a little kit with all the finishing tidbits.

And the cutest little family of snowbabies:

Another Marie Mayhew design.

Then she moved on from little creatures to little purses:

This one's the Pick Up Sticks Coin Purse kit. With enough yarn for three little purses. Still time to grab one and knit three little stocking stuffers...

Blue Sky Trunk Show

Drop by our Point Grey store and fondle the beautiful garments we received this week from Blue Sky Alpacas. The best of the bunch just might be the Girls Smocked Coat:


So cute and cozy, wish I had a little girl to knit for. This would be a very quick knit with the BSA Bulky on 10mm needles. Sized for girls from 18 months to 7 years of age.

Check out the lovely Rectangle Shawl:


It's even nicer up close and personal, BSA Alpaca Silk gives this one a lovely drape and sheen. No trick to knitting this, if you've learned to knit and purl you can tackle this project.

When you drop by, be sure to say hello to Baby Bobbi Bear. Bobbi's cute and cuddly and knit with Organic Cotton. He'd be the perfect gift for any young child on your list.

We have lots more BSA samples, like the Skinny Cardigan, the Kid's Pullover and the Fingerless Gloves. We adore the BSA yarn, it's one of our favourite lines. We have all the yarns and most of the patterns.

We also have some of the Blue Sky accessories that would make perfect stocking stuffers like the Pretty Cheep Project Bags, the 5 inch dp's in tins and the Knitters Little Helper hand balm.

Weekly Special

This week it's Diamond 100% Camel at 40% off, only $5.37 per ball. This is a wonderful yarn with a whopping 230 metres per 50g ball. It's a 28st gauge on 3mm needles and machine washable. There are four lovely neutral shades including ecru, two shades of taupe and milk chocolate. Perfect for many different projects...

Please take note of this schedule change if you live on the North Shore - we'll be opening again on Mondays in Edgemont, starting December 29. Now you can visit us every day of the week!

And you should also take note of a special event we've scheduled for Thursday, January 22, in Point Grey. We'll be hosting Kate Jacobs, author of the Friday Night Knitting Club and the recently published sequel, Knit Two:

Knit Two continues the tale of friendship and community centred around the fictional Walker and Daughter Yarn Shop in Manhattan. Sadly we don't yet have the book in our stores but it will be here very soon.

There's no charge for this event but space is limited. To reserve a spot, please send an email or telephone us at 604-228-1122. Should be a fun evening, hope you can join us!

New Knitty

Issue Twenty-Six, Winter 2008. Check it out right here.

What Fun!

I was amazed to see twenty-three names on our new staff list. Unbelievable! Almost everyone showed up for our staff Christmas party and we all had a wonderful time.

Anina took some great photos. From one end of the table:

To the other:

Kathleen kept the margheritas flowing:


Our computer guy dropped by and joined the Secret Santa game:


His present was the best, good thing we had a two steal limit or it would have been passed around all night. That's Nancy (far left) who's been helping out in Point Grey on Sundays. An avid knitter and famous author, quite the combo.

It was nice to see some of our talented new staff having a giggle together:


Kalin (far right) is one of four members of a very cool craft collective, Bare Maked. Alexa (2nd right) and Venus (2nd left) are master craftsters with their own blogs. Astor (far left) isn't new but she's definitely talented. If you need help with your knitting, Astor's happy to help at Knitting Q & A most Sunday mornings.

Last but not least is Ellen (center) who definitely looks her best in the BSA Kitty Hat:

And talk about talented, Jessica keeps our Edgemont store hopping by day then creates beautiful art at night...


Valerie's an excellent knitter and all-round interesting gal who works in Edgemont a couple of days a week:


Ask about her bees sometime. Yes, bees. If you're really nice to her you might receive some delicious home-made honey.

Christa was on a tight deadline with a pair of socks:

Hope you finished them in time...

And check out these gorgeous gals:

We're super fortunate to have such a talented, fun, inspirational and energetic bunch of people working with us every day. Thanks to all of you for helping to make Urban Yarns such a special place!

Cashmere Caps

We have some luxurious Handmaiden hat kits just waiting to be knit up for holiday gifts. This one arrived yesterday:



A classic Cashmere Beret, ooh la la. This is 8 ply cashmere, knit with 5mm needles. It's available only in black and will arrive in Edgemont tomorrow.

We also have the Devin's Toque kit:


A great unisex toque, knit with 4 ply cashmere on 3.5mm needles. Anina and I have both knit many of these, it's a perfect present for almost anyone.

And here's a third option, the Cashmere Cloche:


This one has a simple repeat pattern for added knitting interest. It's also 4 ply cashmere and knit on 3.5mm needles.

Three luxurious gift ideas and still time to knit one (or more?) before Christmas...

New Lessons

We've added a couple of new lessons to our Point Grey schedule.

Tomorrow night, Wednesday December 10, Alexa Ludeman will teach you how to knit a toque from 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. Hats are always very popular gifts, they're quick to knit and pretty much everyone needs one.

I'm on a hat knitting binge right now, I've just started my ninth! I'm using Nick's hat pattern:


With the addictive Mirasol Sulka yarn. It's silky soft with a beautiful sheen and the colours are awesome.

If you've always wanted to knit someone a pair of socks for Christmas, it's not too late. Jackie Blackmore will run a Sock Boot Camp on Wednesday, December 17 from 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. You'll learn everything you need to know about knitting socks, then you'll have a week to knit them. Easy peasy.

We've just finalized our new Winter Class Schedule. Drop by to pick up a schedule or check for updates on our website in a few days.

And our special yarn this week is Filatura di Crosa Love at 40% off, only $5.98 per ball. It's a soft, fluffy yarn with wool and mohair in the mix.

We've also dropped the price on several current specials. Rowan Kidsilk Spray, Diamond Luxury Alpaca Cashmere and Sirdar Denim Tweed DK and Sport Aran have dropped to 40% off. RYC Cashcotton DK and SWTC Amaizing are now 50% off.

And we've culled our bookshelves to make room for all the new books that have been arriving lately. This morning we added more than twenty titles to our sale section at 40% off. It's a great time to add to your home library....

Lantern Moon and More

We've unpacked tons of Lantern Moon bags and baskets over the last couple of weeks. Lovely Round Drawstring baskets:

Brand new Jane and Ibiza baskets:


And a perennial favourite, Twisted Seagrass baskets from the Boca collection:


Stuff one of these baskets with a bunch of gorgeous yarn and admire your collection every time you walk by....

We've re-stocked the coveted Rosewood needles:

Both straights and DP's. Spoil yourself with a set of these and you'll never look back.

Silk needle cases make great holiday gifts:

And there are some great stocking stuffers. Peppermint Swirl tape measures:

Sheep tape measures:

There's one black sheep in every bunch. We know who you are...

Or throw in a notepad holder, knit or crochet design, take your pick:

We were hard at work yesterday unpacking loads of new Malabrigo Worsted and Lace. Stunning new colours. We also put out tons of Manos Del Uruguay kettle-dyed wool and the new Manos Silk Blend. Gorgeous....

There's a fantastic new book on our shelves, Earthworks, by Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton:


With several terrific new designs for the Earth Collections yarns, cashmere, silk and alpaca. All so scrumptious and soft...

We've never had so much yarn on hand before, we know we've gone a bit overboard when the boxes start piling up in our garages. Park the car on the street, we need more space for our yarn!

Bits and Bobs

This week's special is Sirdar Denim Chunky at 40% off. This yarn knits up quickly at a gauge of 14 stitches/19 rows on 6.5m's. These are big 100g balls with 156 metres of yarn at only $7.17 per ball.

Use Denim Chunky to knit this sweater coat for women or girls:


There are two options: long-sleeved or 3/4 length sleeved. Pick up some feature buttons for the front and you'll have a beautiful cozy cardigan to keep you warn through the chilly winter months ahead.

Or knit this Denim Chunky pattern for boys aged 1 - 12 years of age:


It's sometimes hard to find a nice boys sweater pattern and we've always liked this one. Anina finally knit it up this past summer and it's now on display in Point Grey. We have permission to distribute this pattern without charge when you buy the yarn.

We have tons more new stuff. There are luscious skeins of Handmaiden's Mini Maiden that's equal parts silk and wool, with 500 metres of yarn on a 100g skein. It's super stunning knit up, have a look:

Drool.

We have Nicky Epstein's great new book, Knitting on Top of the World: The Global Guide to Traditions, Techniques and Design:

And we've recently unpacked stacks of boxes loaded with Blue Sky Alpacas, Koigu, Lantern Moon, Louet and many more. Our shelves are bursting with fabulous yarns, perfect for holiday gifts or other terrific new projects

Don't forget about our Knit Nights on Tuesday evenings in Edgemont and Wednesday evenings in Point Grey. Combine some after work shopping with a bit of knitting or crocheting, a perfect combo!

Christmas Cheer

Be sure to have a look at the Drops Christmas Calendar, with a new design for each day up to December 24. But you can't open the box before the day arrives...

We've uncovered two wonderful designs so far. December 1 is a great felted stocking:

And today's pattern is felted needle cases:


Both straights and circulars. What a great gift idea for another knitter! I'm tempted by this one...

Be sure to check out Garnstudio's Christmas Workshop 2008 with a selection of the most popular gift ideas from the extensive Drops database. Love the felted slippers:


These three designs are all knit with the Drops Eskimo pure wool yarn that comes in a beautiful colour palette. We have tons of colours, as well as a bunch of Eskimo Print in multi-colours. Eskimo is a fabulous instant gratification type yarn that knits up very quickly on 8 - 9mm needles. You still have time to complete multiple holiday projects with this one...

Addi Clicks

The Good News:

Addi's new interchangeable needle sets have arrived in Point Grey:


These are fantastic sets, with 10 different sizes of addi tips, 3 different lengths of cord and one connector piece. Simply insert the cord into the tip, then twist. The tip will remain secure until you change it.

The Bad News:

You guessed it, we didn't receive many sets. The quantity ordered means nothing with a hot product like this. What can I say, we're in Canada, eh?

So it's first come, first served and we're pretty sure they'll be sold out today. The first customers to arrive in Point Grey or phone with $179.95 plus tax will be among the first in Canada to own one of these coveted needle sets.

If you miss out and are terribly disappointed, please accept our apologies - we're disappointed too! Just put your name on your list and we promise to call when the next shipment arrives.

Holiday Inspiration

Looking for some great gift ideas? We've picked out a few books that are loaded with inspiration.

Melanie Falick's 'Handknit Holidays' has some great designs for Christmas, Hanukkah and the Winter Solstice:

Rowan Classic 'Winter Gifts' has 24 contemporary classic gift ideas including hats, scarves, socks, gloves, mitts, legwarmers, a tea cosy and a hot water bottle, all knit with sumptuous yarns:

Louisa Harding's 'Knitting Little Luxuries' is loaded with stylish and luxurious projects that would make gorgeous gifts:

Leigh Radford's 'One Skein' has become a classic source of last minute gift ideas. All 30 projects are knit or crocheted with just one skein of yarn so they're bound to be quick:

And if you need a gift for Rover:

We have lots more fantastic ideas for every creature on your list! Just ask us, we'd be happy to help.

PS
This afternoon Becky unpacked a stack of 'Last Minute Knitted Gifts':


A veritable treasure trove of gift ideas and the projects are helpfully grouped into sections according to estimated knitting time. There are gift ideas for kids, women and men. It's not only a great book for gift inspiration but also a great gift for fellow knitters. This one's only in Point Grey right now but it will make it across the bridge to Edgemont in a few days...

New Noro

Boxes and boxes of it...

There's loads more Silk Garden Chunky in many beautiful colourways. Julia knit this beautiful capelet with three balls of SGC:

The pattern is right here. Knit in less than 24 hours, finished with a Perl Grey leaf brooch et voila, tres jolie! Thanks Julia!

Alexa used Silk Garden Chunky to knit this great scarf:


Another quick knit on 8mm needles with three balls of SGC. Just cast on 22 stitches and work a K1, P1 rib until you're done.

The Yarn Harlot is currently addicted to the Silk Garden striped scarf, she's on her third. I found this project very addicting last year:

It's Jared's pattern. I've been thinking this scarf would be a perfect Christmas gift for a friend so yesterday I came home with several skeins of Silk Garden tucked in my bag. A girl just can't have too many projects on the go, especially this time of year... We have many Silk Garden colour options, the combo possibilities are endless.

We've just unpacked several new colours of the beautiful Blossom in both stores. Try using this one for a gorgeous Bloom Shawl. There are also several fantastic Blossom projects in the many Noro books we have on our shelves.

And we have buckets of most of the other stunning Noro yarns including Kureyon, Iro, Kochoron and Transitions.

If you haven't done so already, be sure to check out Noro Mini Knits, by Jenny Watson:


Our most popular Noro book right now. It's bursting with marvellous little Noro projects, there are lots of great quick-knit gift ideas in this one. Knock yourself out!

Odds and Sods

This week's special is Pure Angora:

There are three beautiful colourways that aren't quite as bright as shown in this photo. The yarn is soft as a feather and there's 114 metres per ball. It's 40% off the regular price, only $7.77.

Don't forget our Knit Nights this week on Tuesday in Edgemont, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m and Wednesday in Point Grey, 6:30 - 9:00 p.m. As a special bonus this week, you'll receive 10% off your purchases at any Knit Night. First put a dent in your holiday gift shopping, then buy a little something for yourself. Or perhaps the other way around...

If you were disappointed we sold out of the Debbie Bliss magazine, you're in luck. We've managed to find ten more copies so call us if you want one, first come first served. We can't get more - our supplier is sold out and this issue won't be re-printed. But we've ordered lots of Issue 2, watch for it this Spring. If you don't want to miss out, put your name on our list and we'll call you when Issue 2 arrives.