Fall Preview

Look What's Coming Soon (and other news)

Fall 2013 Preview

As you know, I attended The National Needlearts Association convention in Columbus, Ohio back in mid-June.  With it being my first time attending and I attended alone, I was overwhelmed by all the exciting new things.  Of course, I couldn't help but keep in mind new things, especially things that you may not find in the other yarn stores in the Milwaukee area, but I also gravitated towards things that caught my eye (including designers I admire).

Nevertheless, I did walk away from the convention with some exciting orders placed for brand new yarn and kits for the upcoming fall season.  All things that would provide for excellent class projects and inspirational fall/winter knitting.  So here's a few things you can expect to see on your fall class roster:

If you'd like to sign up in advance for any of the classes below, contact me at info@midwestyarn.com for more details (and selecting kit colors).

- The Color Wave Shawl, featuring Kauni Effektgarn (100% wool, sport weight). Class price $40, plus cost of kit, coming later this fall (class dates to be determined).

Copyright RYN

- The Block Party Eternity Scarf, featuring fingering weight yarns from Knit One/Crochet Too.  A great pattern to learn a good provisional cast-on and mosaic knitting (beginner level color work which allows you to work one color at a time per row...it's almost magical).  

Class price $55 (4 classes), plus cost of kit.  

Sundays, 12pm - 2 pm

September 22, 29, October 6, 13

 Contact me ASAP as the kits are set to arrive September, so I will need to know if more will need to be ordered prior to that.

Copyright Knit One, Crochet Too

- Sea Lettuce Shawl.  The sample for this is already on display in the shop, mainly because I couldn't put this gorgeous yarn down.  Featuring Crock 'o Dye fingering weight yarn from Knit One, Crochet Too.  

Learn striping color work, drop stitches (on purpose), and how to read lace charts.  More of an intermediate/advanced class, so must have basic knitting skills like casting on, working in garter stitch (knit all rows) and binding off.

Class price $55 (4 classes), plus cost of kit.  

Saturdays, 12pm - 2 pm

September 28, October 5, 12, 19

More classes are to be listed soon...

Midwest Yarn's Makeover

We've also updated our shop to make room for more yarn and give it more of a boutique atmosphere.  With that change, we are also upgrading the website to be more user-friendly and aesthetically pleasing.  Do bear with me as those changes are being made, I want to make sure that it is easier in the future to run sales online and even make the online customer rewards program an automatic process, rather than run manually on my end.

Other news

Unfortunately, due to the lack of interest and no pre-orders made, we will not be adding spinning wheels and accessories to our inventory until further notice. I do urge our customers to continue to support Midwest Yarn's growth by participating in yarn and supply pre-orders.  Remember, we are a smaller shop and big risks like bringing in new yarn lines and other products must be worthwhile in order for us to make it and continue serving the Milwaukee area. 

 A big thank you to those who take advantage of special ordering yarn from the companies we have accounts with.  We may not have room for everything, but we still make sure you can get what you need as quickly as possible.  If you don't see what you're looking for, ask to take a look at our catalogs.  Most custom orders arrive within a week, because our suppliers are awesome!  Don't worry, you customers are awesome too and I live to make you happy by providing yarny goodness.

Lastly, we'll be closed Friday and Saturday the third week in August to go mobile.  That's right I'll be running a booth at the Mid-Ohio Fiber Fair in Newark, Ohio (just outside of Columbus), selling not only the wonderful yarns we have in the shop, but also OMG's hand dyed yarn, hand dyed fiber, and hand spun yarn.  My patterns will also be available for purchase as well.  

Until next time!

It's Worth It

When I was pregnant with Peanut, I managed a small women's clinic which was a 45 minute drive from my house.  It was the middle of my 3rd year at that location, so the scenic drive through southern Wisconsin was monotonous.  I loved to spice things up by singing or stopping off at local small shops or restaurants on my way to and from work.  So, it's no surprise to me now that Vincent loves to ride in the car, sing along to my favorite music, and even have the occasional mother/son dance party at the shop and at home.

Vincent saying "smile" instead of actually
smiling for the Boys Will Be Boys photo shoot

Lately, I've had to start calling him Mr. Sassypants, because, like his mommy, he can be quick to respond to comments with a roll of his eyes or a, "Don't even go there."  I can't decide if it's annoyingly entertaining or entertainingly annoying.  My answer will change depending on the day.  Like most moms, especially ones that stop into the shop, it really depends on what's going on that day, or how sassy he actually gets.  Three going on 13, Vincent may even lecture me on how I'm supposed to be organizing things in the shop.  Maybe he takes his title of VP of Sales and Marketing a little too seriously (then again, he did insist upon that title).

Am I giving a little too much credit to my son's intelligence?  Not in the least.  For almost 2 years, I've been his interpreter.  I picked up what his nonsensical babbling meant from an early age, and you cannot imagine the relief it was for him when he noticed that I was starting to understand.  It's almost as though he was learning English as a second language.

With all my projects going on, I've had to come up with my own way of communicating with myself in order to keep track of everything.  I've never been one for writing anything down, drawing diagrams, but I did like making lists.  I occasionally ask Siri to remind me to pick up my medication, but a lot of it just stays in my head.

On the Lido Deck of the Carnival Legend cruise ship
wearing the All the Stops Dress that took
about a year to knit

It's been a process: teaching myself how to sketch an idea so that I don't forget about a cool design; remembering to eat my breakfast, even though it's sitting right in front of me; and yes, responding to emails and writing a journal or blog entry.  As someone notorious for taking on too much at once, I'm learning how to say "no" to more projects, or putting some things on the back burner while I work out other, more pressing items.  I believe they call that prioritizing.  Meh.

I don't like things to be too structured, that's just not how I function, but I know that if one day I'm obsessed with knitting a certain project, I have to tell myself, you only have until midnight before you do something else or you can only work up until this row on the chart.  Then, I make myself take a break, go to bed, take a shower, etc.  

And so far, it's working.  I've got one pattern in testing, three that are in the sample stage (knitting a sample/taking notes in order to write the rough copy for testing), and quite a few sketches that are currently just ideas that are looking for the right yarn, colors or designer call.  Is this what professional designers end up doing?  If only I could talk to someone like Debbie Bliss or Jenny Watson, or anyone who churns out more design ideas than I'd know what to do with.  

Could those same designers also run their own yarn shop while caring for a toddler and keeping up with other fiber related hobbies?  Who knows?  I feel like I'm barely holding on to sanity at times, but all I know is that I'm enjoying it ten thousand times more than all my other jobs combined.  And part of owning a business is about taking the risk, not knowing if your gamble will inevitably fail or if it can continue to sustain itself indefinitely.

Me dressed up as Aretha Franklin after the
Carnival Legends show with the cruise ship dance
staff member assigned as my "escort" for the evening

I wish I could know that one day all these days of struggle would mean something.  Will I be able to make this a career or will this just be a couple of years where I tried something that didn't work?  It's worth the shot.  Though word on the cruise ship was that, if all else fails, I'd probably be able to make a good living as a singer.  :)

For Little Ones in Need

Knit and Crochet For Little Ones in Need

Ever since her birth back in October 2011, I've been following little Maia Cavanaugh - the daughter of two people I grew up with - and her progress with her many medical complications: Down's Syndrome, heart surgery, gi tubes, etc.  This adorable little girl's story is not only inspirational, but also impressive because she and her family have survived so many things in the past 15 months.

When checking email while on vacation, I was shocked to find that she had been diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Lukemia (AML) requiring 6 to 9 months of inpatient care!  Many friends and family have stepped up to help with meals and care of Maia's older brother Noah, who is Vincent's age.

Since we fiber artists have a lot of causes that we like to contribute to (ie, The Linus Project, etc.), I wanted to ask if anyone would be interested in knitting or crocheting items for Maia and her brother, Noah.  They are likely to be going back and forth to the hospital during the next several months, most of which during the winter and spring.  Before starting any projects, please let me know if you are interested by responding in any of the following ways:

• here on the blog in the comments
• email: melina@midwestyarn.com
• Twitter
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/midwestyarn

A friend of their family is coordinating a lot of the physical help they will receive and I have been in touch with her.  Should we get a lot of interest, items that Noah and Maia can use will be sent to them directly and the remainder will be donated to Children's Hospital in Madison on Maia's behalf, because there are plenty of children in need of something to help brighten their day during a particularly difficult time in their lives.

Potential items include:

• Hats
• Mittens
• Blankets
• Cardigans (I will check on sizes for both of them) - please, no pullovers because Maia has tubes and wires for treatment
• Yarn - maybe - for example, if you don't have time, yarn can be donated to other members of the fiber community to knit/crochet donated items

More details to follow as we get an idea of who is interested and the potential for donated items.  I wish there was more I, personally, could do, but unfortunately, I am unable to donate blood or marrow due to my own autoimmune condition.

If you'd like to read more about Maia, please visit her Caring Bridge.org page at: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/maiacavanaugh

Knit One, Meditate Too

Anticipation Anxiety

 If you've stopped by the shop or spoken with me over the phone this past week, you may have noticed that I've been a bit aloof.  I've just completely lost focus with all that's going on in the shop.  I may spend 30 minutes here and there spinning (like the baby alpaca yarn pictured on the left), answering the phone, talking with customers in the shop, packaging orders, knitting, entertaining my increasingly cranky 3 year old, and the list goes on...

Truth is, I may just have trouble prioritizing some days, or other days, I get so excited from the anticipation of what could become of the shop that I lose track of what I was doing.  And then, the internet service went awry.  So not only do I have to run the shop on my iPhone, I have to do a lot of work arounds on things I was already accustomed to doing on the computer.  Simple things like printing out a pattern have become 45 minute tasks, because my printer just does not want to cooperate with the wireless network.  But I'm good at troubleshooting, so IT fixes are no problem for me.  

The good thing is that I've learned to find some easy ways to meditate to calm down my brain.  Most days it works, other days, I just have to tell myself that tomorrow is another day.  What does it mean for me in the long run?  I'm more productive when stressed.  So, I did some refreshing of my crochet skills, which are a lot better than I remember (see crochet hat on the right).  I even taught myself a new spinning technique, the Navajo 3-ply, which has allowed me to finally spin a yarn thicker than lace or fingering weight on my vintage, handmade spinning wheel (see below).

It's weeks like these - the ones that leave me exhausted, crabby, and begging for one extra hour of sleep - that test my resolve, but in the end, I know that I'm doing what I'm meant to be doing.  Even if I have to remind myself of that every few minutes while on hold with a vendor or when pouring over the

books (accounting).

Increasing My Design Expertise

Now, I'm working on design, design, design.  As a business owner, I always have to find new sources of revenue that are low costs to the business.  Designing, which I LOVE to do, is one of them.  Yes, it takes a lot of time and effort to design, but in the long run, there's not much money that is put in to self-publishing, so profit in dollars is maximized.  At least when you look at it from a business perspective.

Because I love creating new things, I will sketch (something at which, let's just say, I'm not very skilled), doodle, or knit things that pop into my head. Just yesterday, I was wracking my brain on what to propose for the Knit Picks designer call that's posted on Ravelry, and I started doodling on graph paper to clear my mind.  What I ended up with was an 8 stitch repeating pattern in fair isle that I can turn into a sweater pattern for another project!  What's the most shocking about that, I've only knit one fair isle design, which was my own, and I absolutely HATED it.  Meaning, I hated knitting the fair isle.  I was asked to design and knit 5 beanie caps with my brother in law's band name on them.  He was impressed with how they turned out, how consistent all of them were ("like factory made!"), and he even kept one.  He actually just wore it the other day.

I finally got an idea for my design while driving home from the shop this afternoon.  It was one of those "a-ha!" moments, making me realize that I had just put too much thought into it.  So we'll see if I can get the sketch and proposal just right and I'm crossing my fingers and toes that it gets accepted, it would mean a lot for me and the shop.

And of course because this is a business...Shameless Plug  :)

Finally, I'm pleased to announce that a few things are in the planning stages for the rest of this year.  First, I'm working on a customer rewards program.  I'm not sure how to roll this out yet, but at the very least it will include volume discounts and loyalty rewards.  We will also be celebrating Small Business Saturday on November 24, the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

I'm still promoting the pre-orders of Addi Turbo and Addi Lace circular needles, including the interchangable sets that are now available in both Turbo and Lace tips.  These are wonderful needles to work with.  They have smooth coating that allows for faster knitting.  Lace tips feature a longer point that eases lace knitting, no matter what gauge yarn and needle size.  As mentioned in the previous blog entry, pre-orders are what allow us to bring new lines into the shop.  Being that we are a small business, it's a little bit more difficult to bring in new brands because of minimum orders required.  Support your local yarn shop by pre-ordering today.  Contact me for pricing and pre-order you Addi needles today.  

Thank you!

One display area which includes items for sale
crocheted by Grey Havens

I want to thank everyone who came in for our Grand Opening on Tuesday.  It was great meeting the knitters and crocheters from the area and getting their input on how we're doing.  Some of you even got to meet Peanut, my very social 2 year old, who'd greet a lot of customers with a hug.  While he won't be here all day or every day, he is one of the reasons why I do this.


We were featured in the Bay View Compass, the local newspaper, which brought in even more people.

Hat made from Noro Ayatori, on display with
Noro Yarns

So, what's next?  I'm working on getting more yarn, doing more designing, and increasing the number of patterns available for purchase in the shop.  I'm also continuing to contact people for consignment opportunities and looking at getting some indie dyed yarn soon in order to continue with the boutique feel of the shop.  My husband is working on the permanent sign so that the shop is easier to find as well.


All this isn't possible without you, so again I thank you all for your patronage.


In the next blog post, I will be featuring a little blurb on the artisans whose items are now available at the shop: Giant Anteater; Knit, Nicole, Knit!; and Grey Havens.

Midwest Yarn's LYS is Opening Soon!

Could I possibly be any busier?  I'd been knitting and working like crazy to get a lot of things ready for the vendor fair that I participated on Saturday.  There were 135 vendors present (you can see the guy behind me who had tie dyed items and recycled glass items).


I brought a lot of yarn, met some great people, and made some connections.  Turn out was low, but I got a lot of time in working on the Sock Madness Round 3 socks.  In spite of how much time I'd spent on the fair, I made it on to Round 4!

The Round 3 socks were made in Ella Rae Lace Merino in the color Rose Pink.


After a long day at the vendor fair, my husband called to tell me that he'd spoken with the landlord of our retail space who'd agreed to let us get the keys a week and a half ahead of schedule!  It's now three days later, we've got a lot of items moved in, including the yarn.  Sunday, we move in the fixtures and furniture and from there I start setting up and decorating.


The official Grand Opening for our shop is June 5, 2012.  Should everything be set up sooner than that, I will announce it here, on Ravelry and Facebook.  The biggest challenge is changing the signage so that people don't think that we're the previous shop.


Tentative shop hours are as follows:


Tuesday: 10am - 6pm
Wednesday: 10am - 6pm
Thursday: 10am - 6pm
Friday: 10am - 6pm
Saturday: 10am - 4pm


Everything's happening so quickly, but I'm excited that we're on our way!  Check back soon!

Rollercoaster

They don't tell you in business school that starting your own business is overwhelming on many levels.  You worry about your own success, the success of the business, and definitely about the toll it will take if you don't immediately realize what you call success.

While I continue to do the basic parts of what I love - knitting, designing, and running a business - I'm also expanding other parts of my creativity as a way to keep my mind off of things while I wait for certain milestones to happen.  


First, I'm counting down the days to a HUGE vendor expo, featuring 135 vendors, including a number of craft retailers that will be taking place in a little over a week.  Midwest Yarn will have its own booth so that people can stop by, check out some of the stock, and meet me.


I've also made tons of stitch markers as something handmade to sell at the expo as well.  Whatever stitch markers I don't sell there, I'll be listing in my Cherished Moments shop on Etsy.  If I can find a few more vintage craft books, I'll be selling those as well (I've got a number of vintage and antique craft books that are pretty cool).


There's also only 10 days left on my Kickstarter campaign and we're only at 5% funding.  

Finally, Sock Madness is on an optional round due to the holidays, so I took this time to give Peanut all the attention he can get for Easter.  That meant seeing bunnies at The Elegant Farmer, a haircut, and Easter dinner with family (both Saturday and Sunday nights!).  He and I are also visiting my parents at their bed and breakfast this week so he can get spoiled by his Mimi for a few days as well!

There's officially no turning back now.  I get the keys to the retail space soon, which means our storage space will be emptied, our house will be rearranged (all of my personal yarn and craft stash will be heading to the shop), and I will be in full swing.  I cannot wait until this new chapter begins.  Not to mention that my 30th birthday will be happening during the first month that the shop will be opening, so I have all kinds of milestones happening.

De-stashing (ASAP)

Hi all!

I have to post this everywhere possible because I am getting a jump start on my spring cleaning and quickly realizing how big my yarn stash really is.  Here's a hint: it will not fit in my hubby's CR-V, even with all the seats down!  That means, as sad as I am to say this, I have to get rid of some of it.  I'm going to be selling it on Ravelry.com in order to get some additional capital for a few of the projects I have to do before we open (like decorate, paint, buy a few additional fixtures, etc.).  If you're a Ravelry member, click here. 

All that I have listed has to go.  In order to save costs after the store opens, I must get rid of our storage unit and my yarn stash is preventing additional items from getting back into our basement.  Yup, I'm bordering on being a yarn hoarder.  :)  I'm currently only shipping the stash to the US and Canada because it's more expensive to ship International.  Prices are about 50% of retail for each item and I have about two or three more boxes of yarn to take photos of (I'm hoping to cut my stash by at least 50% within the next week).

Still Here!

Sock Madness Round 2 - Submitted last night

After a week of knitting and planning to exhaustion, I'm happy to sit at my computer to take a break.  I found out this morning that I've made it on to Round 3 of Sock Madness!  After completing the first sock using US 0 sized dpns, I nearly kicked myself because I'd forgotten that gauges change with cables.  My right sock ended up way too small around my ankles, but fortunately was long enough for me to continue without frogging the sock.  I plunged forward using US 2 dpns and ended up with a sock that didn't cut off my circulation a day and half later.

My first "official" pattern - Garter Stripes Cardigan
for 0 to 24 months

This particular round was interesting, as it featured an afterthought heel which I'd heard of, but never tried before.  I used to be one of those who, after reading the specs of a pattern, would not attempt a pattern if it featured a technique I didn't know.  After this past year of picking up skills left and right, I've changed that behavior.  I guess I've found that it was much easier to learn something new than it was to find a pattern with techniques I'd already mastered.  Not to mention that it makes me feel better if I make a mistake because, hey, I'm learning.

My favorite design - Falling Leaves Jumper

I'm also in the midst of putting together crafts and yarn for a few craft/vendor fairs.  One has already passed and a HUGE one is coming up on April 24 at Potowatomi Casino in Milwaukee.  I'm very excited about this one, as I'll be setting up an area almost like a booth at a yarn trade show in hopes of raising some additional capital for the shop.  After the first show, I did figure out the yarn capacity of my car and got some very funny looks while travelling.  


And as if I didn't have enough to do, I've been convinced by my mother to write a book of patterns for baby clothes.  To raise money for that venture I started a Kickstarter campaign, so if you like my designs, please contribute to the cause (and there are some great rewards out there too).  I've got quite a few sketches ready and some other ideas that need to make it onto paper, but funding is mainly to get materials for testing patterns, making swatches, paying a photographer, etc.  I have also made plans to attend the publishing workshop at Stitches Midwest in August.  I will be booking the class soon, just have to price hotel stays etc.  Wish me luck!

My son, Peanut, modeling a few of my impromptu
child hat designs.  Above - Groundhog ; Below - Packers/Sport Beanie

I Love What I Do!

This evening while eating dinner in our office, I turned and looked at my husband and said, "This is really gonna happen..."  We were eating at the table I purchased for classes in the shop and it just hit me that starting a yarn shop was no longer a dream, it's a reality!  I have all of the larger "fixtures" for the store, and the rest will all be incidentals.  Of course, there's all that fun business stuff that needs to be taken care of before we open, but that's just a matter of time (and paperwork).

My goal is to get a lot of things second hand or "found" in nature.  I've come across things like hat boxes, interesting dress forms, some cool artwork, or even pieces that speak to me.  I a battered suitcase for decoration, a metal milk jug, and plenty of baskets.  My mother is also giving me a lot of her old baskets that she used to make when I was younger!

In the mean time, I've been knitting like crazy for both Sock Madness and what is to be the first knit along.  Round 1 for sock madness started out with a pair of socks that require a set of dice to choose at random whether or not you will C2F every 4th row.  The result is a pair of "mismatched" socks with cables randomly happening along the instep and leg.  I took (bad) progress pictures along the way and to submit at the end of the round.

I dyed the sock yarn with
Black Cherry Kool-Aid!

At the end of each day of frantic sock knitting, I'd spend my evenings "resting" by starting the All the Stops dress, a great pattern in Juniper Moon Farm's Findley Dappled booklet.  I'll be able to post a few pictures in a few days, as we've got terrible lighting in the house and pictures are not turning out quite right.  I want to be able to do this yarn justice because the variegated Findley Dappled is breathtaking, no matter what colorway you're using!  It feels like pure silk as I knit (it should, it's 50% silk and 50% merino wool).

Peanut, my son, checks out the shelves I plan
to use for Juniper Moon Farm yarns.  :)

It was first hard to imagine how this dress was going to turn out, but it became apparent quickly that the two stitches surrounded by stitch markers are where the shoulder seam is to be.  From there, you work your way down in three sections - left front, back, and right front.  I am now to where dart decreases are made.  I've sewn darts before, but have never knit darts, an interesting concept, but they serve the same purpose - to tailor the bust line. So far, it appears that I may be the only one who's documented doing this pattern (other than the tester), so I hope someone joins me in this project soon.  My dress, once complete, will be displayed in the shop and I'll also be wearing it on a cruise in January 2013, assuming I don't gain a massive amount of weight before then.

 Last, but not least, I got permission to share an appreciation photo from the layette set I designed and made for my hubby's boss.  I know I posted it on Facebook, but here's the little boy wearing the hat and socks from the set.  I was also told that they're giving me a copy of him in the whole outfit once they get the pictures from the hospital photographer.

Don't forget: Noro Ayatori yarns are here in 6 great colors!  It's DK, 60% wool, 40% silk and absolutely wonderful. I almost felt like it was my birthday 3 months early when I got the big package on Friday.  It ships same day and you won't want to put this yarn down.

Good Things to Come

This weekend marked the beginning of a lot of work for me and my family.  I signed the lease to our retail space, started Sock Madness (a fun sock knitting competition on Ravelry.com), started planning the first knit along, and met with another yarn rep.

The future home of Midwest Yarn!

The retail space should be opening to the public in June as long as there are no hiccups along the way.  Currently, there's a lovely little art boutique there.

I've started collecting furniture and other pieces for the shop, which will have a modern day country cottage/rustic feel to it.  I plan on having artwork and other vintage/antique items on display to decorate the store.

So why am I doing Sock Madness in the middle of this busy time for Midwest Yarn?  I promised myself last year that I'd join the competition, especially since I'd missed last year's by a few days.  It's a great way to learn new knitting skills and have fun talking to over 100 other people knitting the exact thing you are.  I learned Judy's Magic Cast On and Jenny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off both of which were easy techniques to pick up.  I'm in the midst of round 1, so wish me luck!

I'll be hosting our first knit along on Ravelry.com.  This will start as soon as there is enough interest in the knit along.  In fact, I'm starting on my pattern early because I couldn't resist the piles of silky soft Findley Dappled yarn.  I'm knitting the All the Stops Dress, featured on the cover of Juniper Moon Farm's Findley Dappled booklet that was just released.

To get ready, stop by Midwest Yarn's website and pick up the yarn and pattern books for a Juniper Moon Farm project.  I have Findley Dappled and Sabine yarn/booklets in stock for the projects and can order more if there are enough people interested.  Special orders for Yearling and Yearling Booklets can be made too.

You can use the Grand Opening coupon code WELCOME20 for 20% off yarn, the booklets, and other supplies you'll need for the knit along.  Then follow here or on Midwest Yarn's Ravelry.com group (Friends of Midwest Yarn).  Don't forget to email me if you have questions or need help with your project.

Coming soon...I just ordered fingering weight/sock yarn in 13 colorways from Claudia's Hand Painted Yarns.  They'll be available for purchase as soon as we get them in!

Open for Business!

As of today, February 22, 2012, Midwest Yarn is open for business!
Available for order now:

• Ella Rae Classic Wool and Heathers
• Ella Rae Lace Merino
• Juniper Moon Farm Findley Dappled and Sabine
• Clover Takumi Velvet Knitting Needles (DPNs, straight, and circulars)
• Noro Silk Garden (Color - Royals)

Coming soon:

• Crochet hooks and knitting accessories
• Louisa Harding Nerissa, Ondine, Grace Hand Dyed, Grace Wool & Silk
• Sirdar Snuggly Baby Bamboo and Smiley Stripes
• Debbie Bliss Rialto Aran

Special orders can be placed for Ella Rae, Juniper Moon Farm, Louisa Harding, Sirdar, and Debbie Bliss. Email me at orders@midwestyarn.com for a special order request.

Don't forget coupon code WELCOME20 for 20% off your first order!

What We'll Carry

We're right on schedule to go live by the end of February!

I'm happy to report that our yarn and knitting needle orders have been made!  Some of the yarns I ordered are newer, meaning new lines or new colors so they will take longer to be stocked in the online shop.  Once we get a decent amount of stock in, we will go live!  But here's what you can expect to see coming soon:

• Noro - Silk Garden and Silk Garden Lite (newer colors, so will take some time to get in).  Noro is a one-of-a-kind type of yarn.  Its lines have unique color combinations, making finished items like a work of art.
• Louisa Harding - Ondine, Nerissa (new line), Grace Hand Dyed and Grace Silk & Wool. 
• Sirdar - Baby Bamboo and Smiley Stripes.
• Juniper Moon Farm - Findley Dappled and Sabine (both are new yarn lines).
• Ella Rae - Classic Wool and Lace Merino.
• Debbie Bliss - Rialto Aran.

We'll be sure to carry some of the books that support the yarn lines that we have coming in. 

The knitting needles are Clover.  All needles, including the circulars are bamboo.  The dpns are Takumi Velvet, an excellent bamboo dpn (have a set and LOVE them).  We'll be ordering crochet hooks soon, can't forget you crocheters out there!

I'm also starting what I call the "Wish List".  It'll be a list of the yarn lines I'd like to carry as we grow.  You can always leave comment on the blog, Facebook, Twitter, or Ravelry group for lines to add to the wishlist, which will be kept on the blog and updated as we get recommendations.

Check out Knitting Fever's website for free patterns and for a preview of what we'll have available (or to add items to the wish list).

Welcome to Midwest Yarn!

We will post when our website is set to go live.  It should be up and running by mid to late February.  Until then our Ravelry ads will point you to the blog.

Welcome to the Midwest Yarn blog!  Midwest Yarn, a Cherished Moments company, is a small business operated out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. My name is Melina and I am the proud owner of this wonderful yarn shop.  Over the past few years, I have been operating Cherished Moments, dreaming about the many different options available for needle artists when it comes to yarn.  And then it hit me, OPEN A YARN STORE!

Our goal is to provide the highest quality yarn to knitters and crocheters alike.  There's nothing like proudly wearing a handmade garment and feeling how soft and luxurious the yarn is.  We carefully select our yarns to make sure that we only stock lines made from natural fibers. Silks, wools, cotton, and their blends make wonderful fibers to work with. 

You may not see yarns from nylon, acrylic, or polyester, but you will see high end brands like Noro, Debbie Bliss, and more. We will also carry yarn made from organic fibers and are working to find spinners and dyers who would like to sell their natural fiber yarns as well.

 

To start we will carry some great new yarns and some favorites like:

• Noro
• Louisa Harding
• Sirdar
• Juniper Moon Farm
• Ella Rae
• Debbie Bliss 

We will do everything we can to provide excellent customer service, support for your projects, and a welcoming environment for yarn lovers everywhere. All the comforts of your local yarn shop without having to leave your home.

If you do love the atmosphere of your local yarn shop, don't worry!  My goal for Midwest Yarn is to also open a brick-and-mortar shop as soon as possible.  Until we reach that goal, check out what we have to offer and let us know how we're doing.

I will be using this blog to support other knitters and their projects, keep you updated with what's going on with our store, and offer you special deals.  For now, make sure you follow our blog.  Ravelry group (Friends of Midwest Yarn), blog, Facebook page, or Twitter (@midwestyarn) followers receive a 10% discount - more details to follow.

GRAND OPENING SPECIAL:

Enjoy 20% off your first order using the coupon code WELCOME20 at checkout. 

Otherwise, any order over $50 shipped in the US will receive free shipping.