Happy holidays, knitters! We hope you all had a magical weekend full of love and celebration, friends and family, great food... and of course, lots of cozy knits! We're still riding the high of a very decadent dinner, healthy helpings of mulled wine and chocolate, and Sinatra's greatest Christmas hits--a delightful holiday was had by all!

But as fun and fulfilling as the holidays can be, there's an awful lot of hustle and bustle tied in, too. After the long holiday weekend, today is a day to kick back and relax. You made it!

From the number of excited gift-givers we heard from in the weeks prior to Christmas, we think quite a few of you readers might have received Knit Purl gift cards under the tree! Or maybe you've been knitting gifts frantically since Halloween, with nary a thought of your own project queue. In any case, now's the time to get yourself what Santa missed this year!

Like a gorgeous Lantern Moon Interchangeable Needle set, for instance. These beautiful hardwood needles, handcrafted from flawless ebony or rosewood, are the ultimate in luxury for the discerning knitter.

Each divine set contains 10 pairs of needle tips, size 4 though 13, as well as four flexible swiveling cords (17", 26", 32", and 40") to create a whopping 40 different needle combinations. Pretty standard, you may say, but the real magic lies in the subtle details. Sturdy, gold-plated joins screw on tight to keep your knitting on the needles where it belongs; impeccably smooth tips beg your fingers to pick them up and prevent any snags; and an elegant silk case holds it all in style.

Now, let's talk yarn. Though the cold weather shows no sign of letting up anytime soon, we've already been bundled up for months, and frankly, we're getting a little tired of bulky knits! We long for an ethereal little something that won't weigh down the needles, or our spirits. It's time to bring pretty back with lightweight luxury fibers.

These are decidedly not workhorse yarns; they're not bulky or heavy or made for quick and simple knits. They are pure pleasure in a skein, with delicate strands of sumptuous fibers for your most intricate, imaginative projects.

Madelinetosh Prairie, a fine merino lace weight yarn, is a rustic yet refined answer to how to elevate wool to the next level. Its single-ply construction creates a remarkably light yet surprisingly warm fabric with a soft halo. Hannah Fettig's Featherweight Cardigan is the perfect piece to show off Prairie's beautiful hand-dyed hues (bonus: you can knit it with only a skein or two!)

We'd hesitate to put two Tosh yarns in a row on this list, but the stunning Pure Silk Lace surely justifies all the love. It's a hand-dyed Tussah silk lace weight yarn that glides through your fingers and flies off the needles like quicksilver. The fibers glisten and gleam with light and soak up every bit of Tosh's singular dye blends for some of the richest shades we've ever seen. A yarn this lovely deserves to sit right against your skin as a lightweight shawl or scarf; an elegant lace piece like Romi Hill's Asterope is just the thing.

You can't go wrong with a little cashmere, and Handmaiden Bess has it in spades. Mixing cashmere with soft superwash merino adds some practicality, but doesn't detract from the pure luxury of this yarn. The plump sport weight Bess blooms with a touchable cashmere halo upon blocking; fair warning, you might become addicted to stroking the fabric gently against your cheek. Try Bess in a dainty shawlette like Ysolda Teague's Damson, or go all-out with a sweater, like Veera Valimaki's Hay Cardigan.

In this post-holiday haze of joy, we'd like to thank you for everything you've given us in the last year. By reading this very newsletter each week, you give us the great pleasure of chatting with you about our greatest passion, and every skein or pattern you buy from Knit Purl keeps making this all possible!

As a token of our gratitude, we want to give you a special treat with your next big order. From today through December 31st, you'll receive an exclusive Shibui Knits Mistletoe Sock Kit with every order of $125 or more. The perfect little project to brighten up your winter, Mistletoe will keep your toes toasty with Shibui Sock in luscious Cranberry red. It's a great project for even the novice sock knitter, but will also keep experts intrigued with its lace pattern.

And for our Portland friends, the offer includes in-store purchases as well! All of us at Knit Purl sincerely thank you for your support, and we hope that we continue to be your go-to source for the best the knitting world has to offer. Here's to an even more fabulous 2012!

Picture it: you've bound off your latest knitted triumph, blocked it precisely to size, tried it on... and the darned thing keeps slipping off your shoulders! We've got you covered with these gorgeous metal shawl pins, handcrafted right here in Portland by Plover Designs. These copper and sterling silver designs are the perfect marriage of form and function, keeping your knits together with unique style.

Handmade by artisan jewelry designer Colin Boyce, Plover shawl pins make a great adornment to any scarf or shawl. And Boyce really knows his stuff--his wife and business partner, Donna Arney, is an accomplished knitter and knitting instructor who lends her insider knowledge about what knitters really want to their products. Plover's pins are simple to use and add a striking touch to any knitted garment.