Yarn Shop Day Tomorrow!

We’re all very excited because tomorrow (Saturday 2nd May) is Yarn Shop Day!

There are lots of special things planned for the day at Stash Fine Yarns.  We’ve got Jeni from Fyberspates visiting to launch her lovely new shades of Vivacious and Gleem Lace and we’ll have luxury undyed yarns from Chester Wool Company too.

We’ve also got a raffle with fabulous prizes, lovely goodie bags for the first 15 customers who spend over £35 an ex display garment sale and cake!

We’d love to see you so do pop in and say hello 🙂

Happy Knitting!

Fyberspates Cumulus Trunk Show Tomorrow!

Just a quick reminder, it’s our Fyberspates Cumulus Trunk Show tomorrow!

Between 11am-4pm Jeni from Fyberspates will be here and you’ll be able to try on samples from the new patterns, pet some yarn and choose your next project. We can even help the non knitters in your life choose the perfect Christmas present for you.

We’re also offering an amazing 20% discount on all in store purchases tomorrow, so you can stock up and fill your stash.

We can’t wait to get our hands on the yummy new yarn and patterns like this beautiful one by Anniken Allis…….

We can’t wait to see you there 🙂

Happy Knitting!

Woolly Wanderings

Steve took a trip to the Craft Hobby and Stitch International Show last weekend and saw some amazing knitted displays! 

This is ‘Above and Below the Waves’, an amazing project organised by Alison Murray in aid of the R.N.L.I. and over 2000 knitters contributed to the project!

This beautiful exhibit included an underwater tunnel, just like an aquarium re-imagined in yarn…..

…. full of hundreds of knitted fish…..

……. a whale and squid…..

….. and even seaweed and mermaids!

Other stunning displays from Alison Murray at the show were The Gingerbread House (the whole house and everything in it is knitted)…..

……. and her latest project, Giant Textile Books, which also incorporates felting, quilting and embroidery too. 

We love the pots of knitted flowers and that cute little blue tit sitting on one of them!

There’s a whole woodland full of flora and fauna in this section of the exhibit (we love those toadstools and squirrels nestling amongst the leaves)…..

….. and this wise old owl is keeping an eye on everything from his perch!

If you want to find out more about Alison’s projects, you can read more on her website here.

Happy Knitting!

The Great British Sewing Bee

I am sure by now a lot of you will have heard about the new exciting programme that will be starting this Tuesday 2nd April at 20.00 on BBC 2? Well for those that haven’t, the producers of The Great British Bake Off have come up with another quaint old British hobby they have gathered a team together and have created The Great British Sewing Bee. Like Bake Off, The Great British Sewing Bee puts amateur enthusiasts against each other in a highly pressurised setting, the only prize being the prestige of being crowned the winner and a trophy. With Claudia Winkleman presenting the hour long weekly TV show, it begins with eight hopefuls being tested on their sewing and dressmaking skills as they compete to be crowned Britain’s best amateur sewer. Claudia being an unusual choice as she claims,

“When I was asked if I wanted to present a show that would do the same for sewing as The Great British Bake Off has done for cake-making, I was like, ‘What are you talking about? I don’t sew!’

“In the same way that Bake Off hosts Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins aren’t bakers, I am definitely not a sewer, I’m rubbish.”

After reading more it appears that she is a great laugh and brings fun and humour to the show. To read more on what tips Claudia has picked up and how she wants to try them click here.

Judges May Martin, an acclaimed needlework teacher, and Patrick Grant, an award-winning menswear designer.

The First Episode

‘Over three challenges, they must follow a simple pattern for an A-line skirt, transform a high street top by altering the neckline and produce a made-to-measure dress for a model under intense time pressure. The judges, May Martin from the Women’s Institute and Saville Row’s Patrick Grant, scrutinise every stitch as they look out for puckering seam lines and perfect top stitching. One sewer is awarded garment of the week whilst two leave the Sewing Bee’

The Contestants

 

  Sandra & Ann

 

Jane & Michelle

 

Lauren & Tilly

 

Mark & Stuart

To find out more about the wonderful contestants and read their profile click on the links on their names.

And finally don’t forget to catch the show on Tuesday at 20.00 BBC 2!

Craft Hobby + Stitch International 2013

Last month Steve and Helen (the Boss’s!) managed to grab a nice day out to the Craft Hobby + Stitch International show at The NEC, Birmingham.

Craft Hobby + Stitch International is Europe’s largest dedicated trade show for the art, craft, needlecraft, fabric, and hobby industries. So, of course this involved a day of browsing, stroking and caressing lots of lovely new and existing yarny products. I’m sure you all feel just as jealous as the rest of us that didn’t manage to get down there for the weekend. Thinking of us here, Steve and Helen took a few photographs to show to us, surely not to brag? but for work purposes only haha. Here they are …

           

         Helen Browsing the DY stand.                                 Jeni & Andy – Fyberspates.

                                           More of the Designer Yarns Stand.

Busy Days

Steve and I have just returned from a very busy weekend in Cologne at the Handarbeit and Hobby Craft Show. As ever we were not disappointed as it is one of the best trade shows in our business. We have seen some fantastic new Season’s yarns for Autumn/Winter and placed orders for some new products as well. I will give you some more information next week. Here’s a snapshot of some goodies to whet your appetites!

 We are having an open day this Saturday 16th April from 11am till 4pm to give all you lovely customers a chance to visit us at the weekend. I thought I had better make some cakes for you to have with a cup of tea or freshly brewed coffee. 

This was my kitchen at 7pm this evening……………………………….

Please try to make it on Saturday if not for the yarns but for the cake, as I have made far too much for Anne and Les to eat on their own LOL!

I am afraid that Steve and I won’t be around on Saturday as we are going to Rowan’s home at Holmfirth Yorks tomorrow, to see the new A/W collections from them. 

More news about that as well next week. All I can say at the moment is that we are going to be having a wonderful selection of finest quality yarns and patterns this coming season – I can’t wait!! I hope that you all have a lovely weekend Helen x

Victoria Sandwiches and Bara Brith

“Be Sweet” due to arrive soon but not soon enough for me!!

Do you know that I get so impatient when I have seen and ordered a new yarn and then I have to wait for it to come in! I am worse than a small child with a bag of sweets!While we were at the Handarbeit trade show in Cologne last month we met up with a lovely Californian lady, Nadine who has set up a business selling quirky yarns from South Africa. Her company is called “Be Sweet”, you may have seen her adverts in Designer Knitting (Vogue).

Be Sweet baby hat in ‘Strawberry Shortcake’

Most of her yarns are very fine mohairs to make cobweb shawls with and the colous available are amazing! Ofcourse I had to have them! She has one yarn that will knit up one ladies hat or 2 babies’ hats from one skein and it has at least 4 different yarns in it, so as you knit ribbons,bows and a gorgeous slubby yarn appear in your knitting!

Hopefully it should be in quite soon, so keep an eye on the website in the arrivals section. Happy knitting Helen x

Discussing new season yarns with Debbie Bliss

Debbie Bliss discusses forthcoming new season yarns/patterns with Stash’s Helen

 On our recent trip to the Handarbeit and Hobby Trade Fair in Cologne, Germany I was lucky to have a lengthy chat about the forthcoming season’s offerings from ‘Knitting Diva’, Debbie Bliss. Debbie told me of her two new yarns for Autumn/Winter 2010/11. They are called Debbie Bliss Glen & Debbie Bliss Andes. Any more than that I can’t say quite yet, it’ll spoil the surprise for you! Debbie then showed me her latest designs for next season……as always, absolutely fabulous!   Also on the Designer Yarns stand were top British knitwear designers Louisa Harding, Jenny Watson, Jane Ellison and Cornelia Hamilton from Sweden.  Louisa has some more lovely yarns and patterns too for the Autumn/Winter Season. I have chosen and ordered them so they will be available at Stash in August/September.    

Designer Yarns made us most welcome all weekend and had a fabulous stand showcasing their new offerings for Autumn/Winter 2010/11. Debbie Bliss, Louisa Harding, Noro, Mirasol and Araucania yarns were all on display along with pattern support from their premier knitwear Designers proving Designer Yarns are right at the top of the yarn league!  

Designer Yarns Stand at Handerbeit & Hobby

I’d love to share more with you, but you’ll just have to wait a little longer till the official UK launch or I’ll be in big trouble with Debbie and Louisa!