The overwhelming response to our "Ten Reasons to Love October" Sale has very encouraging this past week.

With nine days left, there's still time to take advantage of this special event and stock up on high quality, luxury yarns for this winter. Visit our Specials page for 15% off on ten of our most popular brands:

• ArtYarns
• Catherine Lowe Couture Yarns
• Chameleon Colorworks
• Habu Textiles
• Isager
• Josh Jakus
• Kauni
• Koigu Wool Designs
• Malabrigo
• ShibuiKnits

Don't want to buy yarn without a project in mind? No problem! We've put together another special edition of "Treat Yourself" that uses only yarns on sale. Check out the sidebar for some cool new ideas.

Don't miss the opportunity to learn from Julie Weisenberger, the fashion-forward knitting designer behind CoCo Knits! With three separate workshops devoted to improving both your wardrobe and knitting repertoire, these fantastic classes will help knitters build on skills they already have.

Learn how to pick the right pattern and yarns to enhance your figure, during Julie's popular What Not To Knit mini-workshop. Discover the many techniques that can be used to create beautiful, professional finished garments during Julie's Finishing/ Design Workshop. Or, simply pick your favorite CoCo Knits pattern and let Julie walk you through all the skills needed (from grafting to English Tailored seams!) in her fun and friendly CoCo Knits Cornucopia.

But sign up soon, because Julie will be at Knit Purl next weekend.

Just arrived in the States is the new yarn company, Punta Yarns of Uruguay. With them came a rare treat, Montoya Beach natural spun linen. Soft, smooth, and slightly lustrous, this 100% linen yarn is something knitters dream about.

Perfect for light-weight, gauzy garments when knit at the recommended gauge of 20 stitches over four inches, or for being held with other yarns in a Skif-like sweater, Montoya Beach has unlimited uses. Even better, with over 150 yards per 50 gram skein, this lovely yarn is both practical and economic.

And, while it's getting cold in the Northern Hemisphere, we still think linen yarn has a place in every knitters stash - especially if it's held with lace weight baby alpaca! Available in solids and "marled" colors that knit up like tweeds, we think knitters will find Montoya Beach to be the perfect base yarn for Skif patterns, or summery knits like CoCo Knits' Gisela Cardigan for those in warmer climes.

Try experimenting with Montoya Beach in your next project, and we're certain you'll be as enamored as we are!

No one can deny that winters in Denmark are brutal. The silver lining of this fact is it gives Danish designers like Ruth Sorensen an excuse to create beautiful new mitten, glove and wristlet patterns for knitters to make over long, cold winters.

Which is why we're very excited to announce the arrival of two new patterns by Ruth Sorensen.

The first, Colorful Mittens, includes four separate mitten and glove designs. Each individual pattern utilizes a different technique or skill while showing off self-striping yarns (such as Kauni Effektgarn) to their fullest potential.

The second, Beaded Wristlets, offers another three unique designs. Again, Ruth shows us her knitting prowess, as each pattern highlights a different method of construction to provide the best placement of beads in the design.

Whether or not you live in an Arctic setting or simply love colorwork, these amazing designs cannot but inspire. Make a pair of bright and cheery mittens for yourself or a set of glitzy beaded wristlets for Mom, and you'll never look at store bought mittens again!

We're giving you a much better reason than prime time TV to enjoy Wednesdays. Join us for a series of Holiday Happy Hour classes this holiday season and we'll help you get your gift knitting done without fuss.

What are Holiday Happy Hour classes?, you ask. Well, we've assembled a half dozen quick-to-knit projects (they all take less than a week to knit) that students can make as gifts this holiday season.

Each class will be focused on a specific pattern or project and one or two intermediate knitting skills needed to complete it. Every week will offer a new technique to learn and a new handknit to give.

Just as in our other ongoing classes series, students will be rewarded for taking more classes. A single class is $15, where three are specially priced at $35 and all six are $60. Visit our Classes page to see the line-up we've prepared and select the classes you want to take (they don't need to be in order!), and the discount will be applied when you checkout.

Spend an hour with us on Wednesdays and take the stress out of holiday knitting!

It's hard to make ruffles elegant, but Pam Powers has done it with her Ruffled & Ruched Scarf pattern (shown left).

Her up-and-coming new design line, Art Fiber Design, is a welcome addition to our pattern library this season.

Sophisticated and chic, the Ruffled & Ruched Scarf and Challah Infinity Scarf, are magnificent additions to any woman's winter wardrobe.

Don't be intimidated by ruching or braiding your knitting! Both of these patterns and will be the focus of two Holiday Happy Hour classes in November. Take either class and learn to knit a show-stopping scarf you won't want to take off all winter.

It's coming! Our annual gift-giving, gift-knitting, I-want-this-honey guide will be arriving in your inbox in two short weeks.

And with it will come a tutorial on creating gift registries on our new website that knitters can send to their loved ones, plus all the best seasonal projects, handknit ornaments, and unique treats that make the holidays so special.

Don't miss it!