Wholesale Customers: please register to access secure areas of the site. PLEASE HELP US, when you register on the site please include your web site and 2 industry references in the application. We must verify every business before permitting access to our secure areas. Thank you for your help with this. My Toll free fax number if you need help with orders is: 1-866-325-3566. 

• Brown Sheep has another new addition to their fiber line up. If you like Lamb's Pride, you will love LanaLoft (also available on cones). This fiber is like Lamb's Pride sans the mohair and available in worsted and sport weights. It has a beautiful hand and a wonderful loft to the fiber. Hence the name! All the Brown Sheep fiber information sheets have been updated with the new fall colors and their respective color numbers for your ease of ordering.  Don't forget Brown sheep is sold by the item not the bag. This helps you service your customers with special orders.
• Cristine from Artistic Visions has done it again with her new "hand painted" shoes! Please take a moment and visit her link above to see these fabulous new creations. This is a wonderful addition for those of you looking to add the rare and unusual to your shop.
• Our Becca from BagSmith has a new book hot off the presses. Featuring patterns using size #52 needles. Of course the needles are availble from BagSmith along with, might I say one huge crochet hook size #Z. It's big!  
• Patti from Great Adirondack has wonderful new line up of fall fibers. She is a wild woman when it comes to color! The GA link is above, check back frequently, as the colors and fibers are coming out of the dye pot they are being added to the showcase. 
• YarnSisters is a new distributor coming out with Zealana and KiaOra. These fibers are manufactured by Woolyarns, one of the finest mills in New Zealand. Previous to the release of Zealana, these fibers were sold to top-tier clothing designers only. KiaOra is a step-up in luxury fibers with 3 blends of possum, merino and cashmere are sure to tempt you.
• AslanTrends new spring pattern book has now arrived and is being shipped this week. Their new Ecolana all natural (no dye) fiber is a surperb example of the beauty of an aplaca merino blend. 
• Looking for Alpaca with a twist? T3 Weavers offers the most exquisite natural alpaca fiber you will have ever knit with. Seasonally, the natural undyed colors are available after the alpaca have been sheared. Be the 1st to reserve these colors for fall. All the dyed colors are available in 1lb or 1.5 lb cones as well as a 4oz hanks. Mixed bags available. 
• Robin from Pagewood Farms just sent me one hank of each of her new sock colors to make my display rings. I think you will all be thrilled to see this new color pallet. Imagine wearing socks lovingly knitted from Bluefaced Leicester and nylon and if that does not melt your heart Alyeska is cashmere, merino and nylon. This added to her already to "dye" for superwash fibers should bring in even the most avid gardener to your shop to knit this summer. Those of you ordering "Bling" get your orders in now for fall delivery!
• Steadfast Fibers for all of you unfamiliar with the line is a woman's co-op in Idaho. Their dying is most rare and unusual. The colors look like you would like to eat them as candy. The pallet is subtle tone-on-tone colors and multi's. You can see the pictures in the gallery. Let me know if you would like color cards and samples before I get to your shop. Sold by the skein!
• You will all be thrilled to know that Mango Moon is overdying their hand spun silk. Chakra their hand spun fiber with beads and stones has been a big hit with the early season knitters.  
• My talented designer Jackie from HeartStrings has recently added new patterns. Jackie will be at TNNA for those of you interested in meeting her. This would be an opportuntiy to sign her up to teach a class for you and register for her patterns autoship program. A list of her patterns is available for download.  
• Oasis yarns has added many new colors of sock yarn for this upcoming fall. Of couse there is the discriminating color pallet for Joe's 4 ply Australian wool available in 2 weights - worsted and bulky. Joe's fibers are all cost effective and profitable for shops.
• For my Colonial Needles customers there is always something special for you when you buy through me. Call and ask!

Industry Trends:

There has been an interest in rovings that I have seen increased this past year not just for spinning, rather for knitting. Becca (from BagSmith) in her new book features a pattern or 2 knit from Brown Sheep roving. I have several shops that are buying roving and knitting with it as well. Food for thought for some of you adventuresome shop owners. 

Shock, awe, surprise I have some customers ordering eyelash again. 

On a personal note:

Lee has just come back from Africa and has decided to retire. For those few of you who are aware of his charitable work. He will be persuing full time his work with Habitat for Humanity, Mission Jamaica, and his passion for Africa and the charitable work that needs to be done there.  

I am now back to traveling MN, and WI. I have spoken to or e-mailed all of you at one time or another since January please stay with me while I adjust to being solo in my business. 

I also want to thank all of you for your condolences during my mother's illness and death from cancer. Hospice is a wonderful entity and makes keeping our loved ones home during a terminal illness possible.