Hello!

In November we posted a complete rework of the web site to make it more customer friendly. From the opening screen you can get to where you want to be and from there to anywhere else on the site. The reaction has been all we hoped it would be, especially to the pop up windows for illustrations. If you have not checked yarnsplus.com in a while, look us up, I'm sure you will enjoy the visit. Don & Marie

[To Top of  Page]

Mill Happenings….

Things are a little quieter at the Mill following the pre-Christmas season. The Gallery shop is open on Saturday and Sunday for the next two months.

Marie and Josette are working feverishly to be ready for the Gallery Valentine event opening on Saturday February 9th. On Wednesday February 13th a soiree at the Mill will provide an opportunity to choose a special way of saying "Be My Valentine". All the studios at the mill will be featuring work using colours of the heart. Red , red, everywhere!

If you have a winter Saturday free why not plan a visit to the Willams Mill in Glen Williams. "The Glen" as it is known locally is located on the north east corner of Georgetown, Ontario. The Glen Oven Bakery around the corner always has a hearty soup on the menu, ideal for a winter lunch time break.

Marie will starting another session of Weaving Lessons at the Mill in late winter. If you know of anyone interested in lessons please have them get in touch with Marie.

[To Top of  Page]

"Hearts of Fire"

Stitched shibori - Stitching as a way of resisting the dye has been used to greater extent by the Japanese than any other peoples. They have found, through the flexibility and control that this technique allows the means with which to create designs of great variety. The unique effects possible with stitched shibori are created by the type of stitch, whether or not the cloth is folded and the arrangement ( straight, curved, parallel, area enclosing ) of the stitches.

After the stitching of a piece is completed, the cloth is drawn into tight gathers and secured by knotting . It is then dyed. The cloth within the gathers is largely protected from the dye. The principal stitch used in shibori is the simple running stitch. The thread must be a weight appropriate to the fabric and of a strength that allows it to be tied without breaking. Doubled thread can be easily tied after the stitching is completed and drawn tight.

Much more detailed info on this technique is explained in Shibori the Inventive Art of Japanese Shaped Resist Dyeing - Yoshiko Wada, Mary Kellog-Rice and Jane Barton,
ISBN 4-7700-2399-5

Use a blank silk scarf. Wash and press before beginning your stitching. Use an autofade marker to draw on your shape and lines and then stitch along these lines. Gather up your stitching lines as tightly as possible and secure with a knot ( large enough that it will hold well ). Proceed with your choice of dyes and colors. Fibre reactive Procion MX dyes can be used, as well as acid dyes. Wash out your work as the dye you have chosen dictates. Undo your stitching and press your scarf.

As you can see I tried a heart shape with radiating lines out from it. Have fun !

[To Top of  Page]

What's New & Coming!

Tencel- The new shades of Tencel mill dyed are here and they are fantastic! Violet, Emerald, Mauve and Light Indigo are in stock and ready to ship. In the spring we expect to add Seafoam, Adobe, Gold, Silver, Acorn and Fuchsia. There will then be 16 colors in total. All these colors will be available on 500 gr. cones $40.00 ea. or 250 gr. tubes at $23.50 ea. In addition to thefour new colors, we have in stock- Tussah, Herb Green,
Moroccan Blue, Persian Red, Purple Sage and Black.

Chenille- The shade cards for mill dyed Rayon Chenille have been revised. For the latest color availability check the web site under Products-Rayon Chenille-Mill Dyed.

We are expecting a new lot of undyed 1450 Rayon Chenille to arrive any day. This will put us back in a full stock position on all five undyed weights, 550, 1300, 1450, 2000 and 3000 yd/lb.

Prices for 2002

We had hoped to hold the line on pricing for 2002 until a double digit increase was made to the Tencel line in early December. Regrettably we have had to adjust Tencel prices by varying amounts effective January 1st.

We are holding the line on prices as we did last year for Rayon Chenille and Rayon Lustre undyed, mill dyed, hand dyed and hand painted. The falling Canadian dollar has been a challenge in the past year as we buy all our yarns in the United States. We took a decision to absorb the difference in 2001 and are gambling on things improving this year.

A new price list is enclosed that reflects the changes.

[To Top of  Page]

Here are the shows we are planning to attend in 2002!

• May 10-12 Wasoon, Sault Ste Marie, Ontario
• August 1-4 Convergence, Vancouver, B.C.
• September 22nd Five Counties Seminar, Milton, Ontario
• October 19th OHS Central Region Seminar, Cobourg, Ontario

January/February Special

Silk Chenille- Greatly Reduced-55% off!!!

That's right 55% off our current price to make it only $55./lb

Here's the story. We bought this undyed 1300yd/lb Silk Chenille in mid 2000 for a customer who specialized in making up kits. We overbought and introduced it to Yarns Plus customers with a special of $100.00 a pound and a regular price of $125.00. The customer exited the kit business last spring and Yarns Plus ended up with in a serious overstock position. The time has arrived to clear it out!

This yarn was made by Royal American Mills of Hialeah, Florida and is a very bulky 1300 yb/lb. The natural color is a rich creamy shade. Marie has dyed it with Procion MX dyes and found it takes the color beautifully. She used it in a woven scarf both ways and produced a beautiful piece with great drape. It would be ideal both ways, in mixed warps, or as weft to a finer yarn warp.

If you are looking for a special yarn for a special project, this yarn is for you. We'll be glad to send you a generous reeling so you won't have to imagine the feel of chenille combined with the luxury of silk.

[To Top of  Page]

Customer Satisfaction/Risk Free Mail Order

We want everyone who buys our yarn and kits to be pleased with their purchase. As mail order specialists we fully understand the apprehension to purchase a product sight unseen. If you buy something from us and discover it is not exactly what you wanted for your project we'll take it back. That's why we are happy to exchange an item or accept a return for refund.

We want your Yarns Plus purchases to be absolutely risk free. We'll even pay the return postage. We try to make sure you will never have a problem but if it ever happens, we are only a toll free call away 1-877-448-4544

[To Top of  Page]

Gallery Photos

We are still looking for additions to the Gallery section of yarnsplus.com. If you have a piece that turned out just right using our yarn we'd like to share it with all the visitors to the site.

Please consider sharing your talent with your fellow artists. Your work could be an inspiration that prompts creativity to blossom.

[To Top of  Page]

A Little Pearl…..

"You agree-I'm sure you agree, that beauty is the only thing worth living for."

Agatha Christie