YARNS PLUS NEWS

Collect together all your leftover handwoven fabrics made with reds, pinks and purples and try some of these ideas to celebrate February.

1. Stuff fabric hearts of various sizes to scatter decoratively about. Embellish with beads around the edge. Use dry lentils for stuffing material if you would like the feel of a beanbag, or use the traditional quilt batting for a softer, lighter heart. You might also like to add some of your favourite potpourri to scent your heart and then use it in the lingerie drawer or to hang in your closet

2. Soft hearts, filled with thin quilt batting, can also be used for necklaces or brooches. For a necklace, insert a small loop of cording at the center top before stitching the heart together. Then you can loop more cording through to allow for wearing around your neck. Use your imagination to embellish with beads, buttons or lace. You might want to try some quilting stitches on your heart.

3. If you have larger pieces of fabric to work with, you could even make some heart-shaped cushions.

4. Use heart shapes, preferably backed and lined, as jacket pockets, or, simply as a decorative element on sweatshirts, jackets or any clothing for that matter.

5. You could insert a piece of fabric behind a heart-shaped cut-out in the card for your valentine.

Of course you can always weave new fabric with heart shaped motifs for blankets, cushions, stoles and scarves.

We have added a few new colours to the mill dyed rayon chenille line. New are three blues light, mid and dark plus a terrific deep pink. We still have a supply of most of the colours we took off the shade cards so can supply if you need one of them.

The folks at Textiva expect to have mill dyed 2/20 Tencel available in February with mill dyed 2/10 on hand in March. We'll provide a list of the colours in the next issue.

Marie is designing a new scarf kit of 2/10 Tencel. This fibre will make an ideal scarf for spring and early summer wear. Watch the next issue for the first colour combinations. This kit will replace the present fine warp scarf kit.

In early December we made a yarn-buying trip and brought back some great new mill dyed Rayon Chenille colours along with a big lot of Rayon Lustre. Our supplier also came up with another lot of the Silk Noil we had in the fall, so we can continue to offer that fabulous value!

Another source came up with some great 1450 undyed rayon chenille so we can now supply Rayon Chenille in 550, 1300, 1450, 2000 and 3000 yd/lb on one- pound tubes.

Our inventory position is very strong and enables us to make immediate shipments from stock. We occasionally need a little more time if hand dyed or painted yarns are ordered to ensure multi skein orders are from the same dye lot. Generally dye lots are six skeins.

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Of the warm colours, red is the hottest and nearest in wavelength to infrared which actually produces the sensation of heat. It is the fastest moving colour in terms of catching the eye, and has the greatest emotional impact. According to the poet Yeats, "Red is the colour of magic in every country, and has been so from the very earliest times."

So you can make fabric hearts for someone special to you, we have super savings - 20 % off on everything red or close to it for January and February. Rayon Chenille, Rayon Lustre and Tencel in the colours listed are 20% off the regular price. Choose Red or Burgundy from the hand dyed line, Flame or Wine Country in hand painted plus Sangria, Cardinal, Tangier, Rosewood and Pink in mill dyed rayon chenille on one pound cones

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We will continue to absorb the higher product and shipping costs that enabled us to hold prices for 2000.

Regrettably we are forced to increase some labour intensive products. Increased are hand painted Rayon Chenille in two oz. skeins up $1.00 and hand dyed Rayon Lustre four oz. solid and variegated skeins up $2.00.

Decreased is 2000 and 3000 yd/lb undyed Rayon Chenille which is reduced $2.00 per pound. Tencel/Cotton 2/10 is up $1.00 per pound. A new price list is enclosed.

GST

During 2000 Yarns Plus crossed the threshold that triggers the Goods and Services Tax. Unfortunately we will have to collect the GST on all future Canadian orders effective January 1, 2001.

Shows, that at present, we plan to attend in the year 2,001

• April 20-21 - Cardiknits, Ancaster, ON
• May 18-20 - OHS Conference, London, ON,
• June 22-24 - 2001 MAFA Conference, Towson, MD

A little pearl….

The true mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible.
Oscar Wilde