It’s back to nature and back to basics with the summer issue of Knitscene. Explore leaf motifs in all their forms, as well as organic cotton yarns. Simple, warm-weather projects make great basics, while Sarah Wilson (AKA The Sexy Knitter) shows off a girly sensibility in her exclusive design collection. Discover great knitting bags, how to measure gauge accurately, and the world of knit comics. The 23 designs are simple, wearable, and free-spirited.

Visit our website to pick up your copy. Only £5.95!

Last Autumn Rowan launched some new Kidsilk yarns – a scarf yarn called Kidsilk Creation in the best selling kidsilk haze colours (which knits or crochets into a frilly scarf much like the Can Can scarves)  and a striped kidsilk haze yarn called Kidsilk Haze Stripe.

Well, they’ve now combined the two and we now have in stock Rowan Kidsilk Creation Stripe – the Creation scarf yarn, but in the Stripe colours!

Here’s how shade 352 Cool knits up:

There are 6 shades in all and you can see them all on our website here. At £18.95 per hank, it isn’t cheap. But you only need 1 hank to knit the scarf, so it would make a lovely present for someone.

We have here a video on You Tube on how to knit with Kidsilk Creation which we made last year.

Indigo is the latest book by Kim Hargreaves and arrived in the shop today. Indigo contains 21 knitting patterns for women using Rowan yarns Kidsilk Haze, Fine Lace, Siena 4ply, Cotton Glace, Pima Cotton DK, Denim, Handknit Cotton, Panama, Creative Linen, All seasons Cotton.

Subtle textures and sleek contours mixed with a dash of low-key chic sums up the season’s understated look, whilst an array of deliciously vibrant shades hold the key to making these effortless pieces zing.

I’m not convinced by the way the designs have been photographed but I do like the designs themselves.  They are all very wearable throughout Spring, Summer and even in to Autumn.

Have a look at the designs in Indigo on our website.

Rowan Studio 27 is now out. Studio 27 is a fun and fresh collection designed by Amanda Crawford.  ‘Spring retro’ look reflects the current trend for 1950′s inspired fashion. Knitted in our ever popular Wool Cotton, this summery collection also introduces the new Wool Cotton 4 Ply.

Farmhouse Retreat is a lovely patchwork fabric collection by Makower Fabrics. The patchwork fabric range is excellent quality, made from 100% Cotton Fabric. The range features corals, country-side blues and creams, and is combined with beautiful traditional and modern floral prints and checks. Available by the metre or in this pretty fat quarter bundle.

Savannah is a fabric collection from Blue Hill Fabrics. We have a number of fabrics from this collection available to purchase by the metre, however we’ve also put together a couple of fat quarter bundles that I wanted to show you. The purple is particularly striking I think!

Have you seen Moda’s Papillon jelly rolls, charm packs and layer cakes?  Papillon is the latest collection from 3 Sisters and is very, very pretty I think. (The photo here doesn’t really do it justice I’m afraid!)

Take a look at our website at these and other pre-cuts by 3 Sisters

Unfortunately, from 2nd April, Royal Mail are raising their prices by a considerable amount, which means that we must in turn, also raise the our P&P prices as well.  The rises are just too big to absorb in our costs.  In addition to this, they will no longer compensate us for lost or damaged parcels unless they are sent using a tracked service (Recorded Delivery doesn’t count as being tracked). We have had to make several compensation claims during the past couple of months, so this was of particular concern to us.

We have always tried to keep our P&P costs to a minimum and certainly don’t make any profit on them.  With this in mind we have spoken to our business account manager at Royal Mail and negotiated the best prices we can for both domestic and international delivery.

UK Mail (including Isle of Man and Channel Islands)

As always you have the choice of which service you would like to use. For small, low value items such as patterns or single fat quarters of fabric, you will be offered the normal 1st or 2nd class service as these items can be sent as Letter or Large Letter size.  Should you be purchasing a single 50g or 100g ball of yarn, or perhaps half a metre of fabric, you will also be offered the 1st or 2nd Class Packet service.  If you need these items urgently you can select the Special Delivery Guaranteed Next Day option instead.

Multiple balls of yarn, larger quantities of fabric, books or higher value items will now be sent using Royal Mail’s Tracked Service.  This is a two day service (three days to Scottish Islands) and can be tracked throughout its journey. If you are not at home to receive your parcel, you will be able to specify a safe place where the postman can leave the parcel, such as with a neighbour.  We would however suggest that if you know that you’ll be at work when the parcel is delivered, that you enter your workplace address as the delivery address and have it sent there instead just to be sure that you get your parcel as soon as possible.

Free UK Delivery

We will continue to offer Free UK Delivery, however have had to raise the order total before you can qualify for this to £40.

International Mail

All P&P charges are based on the weight of the order and destination. They can be calculated on the shopping basket page of the website, before you proceed any further with your order.

For some countries Royal Mail also offer a service called Airsure.  This service is faster and the parcel can be tracked throughout its journey.  If you live in one of these countries you will be offered this on our website as well.

Be captivated with the knitting traditions from around the world and across time. PieceWork is proud to present its latest special issue, Knitting Traditions Spring 2012. From Islamic bags to Norwegian symbolism, and Civil War Socks to 1920s vintage knits, Knitting Traditions Spring 2012 offers a vast expanse of cultural traditions as well as historical traditions.

Explore timeless knitting in three major themes:

Useful Articles—Civil War socks, a seventeenth-century undershirt, and a knitted petticoat are just some of the projects found in this section. Discover the importance that knitting has played throughout the centuries and continues to play today.

Adornments—Russian wedding gloves, Norwegian symbolism mittens, and an Orenburg scarf are a couple of the detailed patterns in this section. From colorwork, texture, and lace, this section explores traditions through beautiful knitted items.

Vintage Knits—Baby booties, a child’s frock, lace patterns, and a bunny toy are a few of the projects that come straight from the pages of vintage knitting publications and into this section. See what was being knitted in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and create them yourself!

Inside you’ll find:

• Over 35 patterns from all over the world, designed by master knitters, such as Vicki Square, Donna Druchunas, Sara Lamb, Galina A. Khmeleva, Nancy Bush, and many more.
• Inspiring and informative companion stories that frame the projects with cultural and historical context, taking you to the heart of knitting.
• Focuses on techniques ranging from Orenburg lace, optical illusion colorwork, vintage lace, textured stitches, traditional colorwork motifs, and many others that will help beginners learn and inspire even the most seasoned knitters.
• And so much more.