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Hello!
This is our Spring issue which is great to work on as it brings
the promise that the snow bank outside the office window will be
gone shortly, or at least we hope so. Yes March roared in as a lion
in Southern Ontario.
Thanks to the nine newsletter subscribers who changed from mail
to email for the Newsletter.
To celebrate Spring Marie has created a new variegated yarn colorway
called “Daffodil”. See What’s New and Coming
for this and all the other new goodies.
The other big news is 2005 prices, see below. You’ll really
like the lower prices on all Tencel yarn.
Don and Marie
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New Lower Tencel Prices for 2005...
Revised pricing is in place as of March 1st. The good news is
we held the line, and in the case of Tencel, lowered prices across
the board. Check What’s New and Coming
!!!
The stability of the Canadian dollar, which the pundits predict
will remain so for the next year, plus the increase in our sales
to permit us to earn added buying discounts, make it possible.
There is no increase in the pricing on Rayon Chenille and Rayon.
Yarns Plus has always focussed on bringing knitters and weavers
a complete range of the products we specialize in. We will continue
to be specialists, offering you the best value and widest selection
in Tencel, Rayon Chenille and Rayon yarns.
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Color Inspiration
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I’m often asked how I decide what colors
to use for our variegated yarns and also for my personal
weaving projects. Where does my color inspiration come from?
I believe that when you are constantly involved with color
in your work, you just naturally observe color everywhere;
while traveling, while reading magazines, while visiting
museums and galleries, while shopping and so it goes on
and on. It is the first thing that I notice and am drawn
in by. |
I don’t think this is particularly unusual since most
comments on entering my weaving studio by others are related to
the colors they see. However, I do believe that my observations,
and those by other artists as well, are more detailed and complex.
I collect color images that attract me--from magazines (especially
those related to decorating, fashion and art), from books, art
postcards (collected from museums and galleries ), photographs
and interesting textiles.
A visit to the Textile Museum in Toronto is always a treat and
will supply oodles of ideas. Take along a sketchbook and be sure
to visit the bookshop. I have a file folder that I just toss them
into until I have time to sit down and put them into my color
scrapbook. You might also collect poetry or music that inspires
a color interpretation and include these in your collection. Sometimes
I will scan an image into my computer and then play and distort
the image until I’m left with just a mix of colors. I don’t
always try to work with the whole image, but rather I isolate
an area that is most appealing to me and examine those colors
and their relationships very closely. This is only a first step
because you have to decide exactly what color or, more likely,
what combination of colors is attracting your attention and why.
What are the proportions of each
color to one another?
Which colors are most intense?
Exactly what hidden colors are influencing what you see?
You must be able to describe each hue.
Is it a blue red or an orange red? Is it a pure color or is
it grayed to some degree?
How do the various colors influence each other? |
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Try to become a careful and insightful viewer,
using these questions and others to help guide your color
decisions. Sometimes it’s helpful to make a couple of
reelings to try different proportions of colors and also to
try different placements of the colours. Which colors work
best beside one another? |
Now for a couple of examples:
Just recently I had some fresh spring daffodils in the house.
I photographed them and took a close look at the shades of
yellow and the touch of green at the base of the bloom on
the underside. I then developed a new spring color combination
for Yarns Plus.
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A fabric that was inspired by another flowering plant,
the Heliconia, became a pink swing jacket.
Become aware of what’s around you. Life is
full of inspiration.
Image: Pink Swing Jacket, Rayon Chenille
hand painted warp. Dupionni Silk couching with frog closures. |
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From the Distillery |
A full schedule of events is planned for the Distillery District
during 2005. Distillery District Jazz Festival is slated for May
21—29. Many of the other favorite events that make the District
such a popular destination are returning. We’ll keep you
posted on all the planned happenings.
When you visit the Distillery District be sure to drop to Studio
105, Case Goods Building, 55 Mill Street, Toronto. Wednesday—Sunday
noon to 5 p.m.
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What's New &
Coming!
New Colorway Hand Painted Variegated Skeins…
As soon as we returned from holiday Marie started to think about
a new colorway in Tencel and Rayon Chenille hand painted skeins.
Just in time for spring is “Daffodil” a bright and
vibrant mix of two yellows and an absolutely perfect complementary
green. If you want to create a piece with total flair and pizzazthis
will do it! Tencel in 3 oz. skeins, Rayon Chenille in two ounce
skeins.
1450 Mill Dyed Rayon Chenille…
Five great new colors of Rayon Chenille 1500 yd/lb have arrived.
Two good looking blues, a Wedgewood blue grey and a very nice
light blue. The other three colors are very strong, a deep orange
brown we call Bronze, a punchy Gold and Lime, a bright green.
We expect to have before the end of March four additional colors,
a very bright red, a royal blue, a blue purple, and a Navy. We
will also be back in stock on Black. New shade cards are underway
showing all 32 colors on offer.
2000 Mill Dyed Rayon Chenille
Our spring stocking order of this popular line of Rayon Chenille
has arrived. If you want to weave with Rayon Chenille and prefer
a lighter weight piece this yarn is ideal. The nine colors available
are Red, Wine, Mid Blue, Navy, Marsh, Herb, Lichen, Grey and Black.
This yarn is done up on 1 lb. tubes.
2/16 - Tencel…
Our source for the popular Tencel 2/16 4 ply cable twist yarn
( a Yarns Plus exclusive ) has acquired another lot of the 2/16
Tencel used to twist up this yarn. We booked the entire lot and
plan to have more of the 4– ply twisted. The balance will
be coned up as 2/16 Tencel. This will bring to seven the sizes
of undyed Tencel we offer, 2/5, 2/8, 2/10/ 2/16, 2/20, 2/30 and
2/16 4 ply. We offer the widest range of undyed Tencel in North
America and all at new lower prices.
2/20 & 2/60 Silk…
As mentioned in the last issue we have added 2/60 Silk to the
2/20 silk we offer. This silk is pure white with great hand. Done
up on 500 gram ( close to nine oz. ) cones. 2/20—$49.00
per cone, 2/60’s—$54.00 per cone.
2/10 Tencel Mill Dyed Inventory Status...
All 17 colors are now in stock, for immediate shipment at new
lower prices.
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may just have it?
When we buy mill end lots of rayon chenille we often end
up with smaller quantities of some colors. When the quantity
of a color on a shade card gets low we may drop it from
the card but still have stock. One of these colors may be
just what you need for a project. Just call, we’ll
be glad to send a reeling for you to check. |
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Here are the shows
Shows we will be attending in 2005….
- May 13—15, 2005
OHS 2005 Seminar, “Stepping Stones ”,
Queens University, Kingston, Ontario
- September 17, 2005
Five Counties Seminar “ Fabrics for Fashions”,
Thorold, Ontario
- October 1, 2005
Central Region Seminar, Featuring Sharon Alderman
as speaker,
Port Perry, Ontario
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March/April Specials
Annual Dyers Special—10% off new lower 2005 prices
on all Tencel undyed yarn
If you dye your own yarn you can save during our Annual Dyer’s
Special. Every undyed Tencel yarn in stock is on sale at 10% off
the new lower 2005 prices during March and April.
| Yarn |
Sale—lb tube/cone |
| Tencel 2/5 |
$16.20 |
| Tencel 2/8 |
$13.50 |
| Tencel 2/10 |
$13.50 |
| Tencel 2/16 |
$16.20 |
| Tencel 2/20 |
$16.20 |
| Tencel 2/30 |
$18.00 |
| Tencel 2/16 4 ply |
$16.20 |
Here is the perfect addition to the Dyers Special the
G&S Procion MX Starter Kit containing:
- 25 gm dye: Yellow, Turquoise, Fuchsia and Black.
- 250 gm Sodium Carbonate
- 200 gm Urea
- 60 ml TNA Soap
- 500 gm Sodium Sulphate
- 60 ml Raycafix
- Basic Mask—Gloves
- Instructions for Batik, Immersion and Direct Application Dyeing
Complete Kit only $30.00.
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Customer Satisfaction
Guarantee
As mail order specialists we fully understand the apprehension
to purchase yarn sight unseen. If you are planning a project and
feel our yarn may be suitable we’ll be glad to send a reeling
of any yarns you may want to order so you can be sure they are
right for you. Just call toll free 1-877-448-4544.
If you buy yarn from us and discover it is not exactly what you
wanted for your project we’ll take it back. We want you
to be happy with your Yarns Plus purchase. To make it absolutely
risk free we are happy to exchange an item or give a refund. We'll
even pay the return postage. Just call!
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A Little Pearl…..
“ Tact is the knack of making a point without making an
enemy ”
Issac Newton
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