October 6, 7, 8

Every once in a while we have a sale that demands attention. This Columbus Day weekend there will be one of those sales. Three racks of sample sweaters, some even from the pages of my book, will be at the lowest price possible for hand knit sweaters. There will be a rack of $35, $50 and $75 sweaters. There will be a rack of half price sweaters and you will be able to try all of them on. This is a once in a while opportunity to own a sweater that has been hand knit by Linda, KeriAnne, Decker or Margie at a price lower than the cost of the yarn it took to make it.

Saturday 10-6pm

Sunday 1-5pm

Monday 1-5pm

Make a visit to our SUPER SAMPLE SWEATER SALE a part of your Columbus Day visit to Northampton. You’ll be celebrating all the way home.

The rumor is that once you learn to make a pair of socks you will become a sock addict. First there comes the tactile pleasure of the sock yarn itself. Soft, squishy, warm and colorful, the yarns that are now being made just for sock knitting are as varied as the feet they are meant to cuddle.

We have many new sock yarns in stock. One of the new favorites is Alpaca Socks from Classic Elite. Made of 60% alpaca, 20% merino wool, and 20% nylon (for heel and toe strength) the feel of this yarn is amazing. Your feet will never stop thanking you when you treat them to socks in this yarn. The colors are saturated and luscious and won’t settle for being stuffed into shoes. You’ll have to show them off!

Then comes the wonder and awe of actually making a shaped piece of knitting that can perfectly surround any foot with warmth and love. Turning a heel is one of the most miraculous moments in any knitters experience. Don’t deny yourself this experience!

Once the socks are knit the joy of giving or the joy of wearing these precious creations gives happiness to the sock knitters fingers as well as her heart; and the next pair of socks is ready to be cast on.

Come explore the different methods of sock knitting at Northampton Wools this fall.

The traditional method of using double pointed needles to make a sock from the leg down is where I suggest you start. All you need to do is to make one, a good and complete understanding of the whats, whys and hows of a sock can make the best foundation for future learning. This one day workshop is usually taught by Linda, and will start your sock knitting adventure on very solid ground.

Knitting socks with two circular needles came along a couple of years ago and shook the sock knitting world to its very toes. No more dropped needles, poked fingers or loose joining sts, knitting on two circs became a “why didn’t I think of that?” moment for most of the sock world. Slightly different in construction from the double pointed needle sock, this workshop will make your sock knitting fun and quick.

Finally, the magic loop came along. Sock knitting with one circular needle transformed the way knitters thought about circular needles entirely. The double pointed needles in the world quaked when even Decker (aka-I don’t do socks) became addicted to sock making with one circular needle. She loves it so much that she teaches the entire method in a three session workshop that is guaranteed change the way you think about sock knitting for the rest of your life. Check out the classes page on the website to see when the next workshop is scheduled and then call to reserve your seat. Your feet will never be cold again.

Finally Fall is just around the corner. We can tell by all the new yarns that arrive on our doorstep almost everyday. It means that everything in the store gets moved around and shuffled to new places to make room for the new stuff. One of the favorites is a yarn called Taos from Tahki Stacy Charles. This is a multi-colored yarn that is soft and warm with a good amount of loft.

Of course the sweater that Tahki designed for it is really fun to knit and great to wear. It is flattering on every body type; we know since everyone is trying it on and looking great in it.

This is always a very busy time of year. Not only are we putting yarn on the shelves, filing new patterns and books and cleaning as much as possible, we are also knitting new models as fast as we possibly can. Sometimes these new models are small: look for the ski helmet knit in Bel Air (very chic), the modular mittens in Wooly Stripes (mind boggling), and our original Rapunzel Hat (scarf and hat in one).

Shawls in every fiber are this seasons must have accessory. Check out the window at Eileen Fisher and then come choose your favorite color in your favorite yarn and create the perfect shawl for your new coat. Have you seen the 3 button shawls out there? We have lots of patterns for them and several already made in the store. This is your chance to try one on and experiment with all its different possibilities.

There are some new faces at Northampton Wools this year. We have sadly had to say goodbye to Robin Gunn. She has moved on to a teaching job in the Easthampton public schools and we wish her all the best. All I can say is that she better keep knitting!

Catherine Harper is working in NohoToo on Tues and Wed morning. Harper has years of knitting experience and is ready to help with any knitting problem you may have. She will also be able to help you decide which of the cutest baby projects to do next. Check out the changes that we have made a t Noho Too and plan the baby knitting that needs to be done now.

Maryann Clark has been working in the store all summer. Now she will be here on Tuesdays. Maryann must have the world’s most organised knitting stash, ask her about it when you visit the store.

Natalie Bell returns to work on Mon and Wed afternoons. She spent her junior summer in France and has one year left at Smith. When she graduates she may open a yarn store with her mother in their home state of Indiana.

I’m happy to welcome these knitters into the Northampton Wools family and I hope you find them as helpful and friendly as the staff at NoHo Wools has always been.

Don’t forget to check out the class and workshop schedule and to sign up soon for the class you want.

See you in the yarn bins, Linda