Although it seems distant on the horizon, the holiday season is creeping up again. That's right, Christmas is just three months away!

In an effort to save you, our favorite knitters, from the stress and strain of knitting all your gifts just days before they're due, we're getting into the holiday spirit a little early. Get started on those handknits now so you can sit back and relax during Christmas, Channukah, Kwanzaa, and Yule this year.

Make you life simple and join our Christmas Countdown KAL on ravelry, for weekly reminders, gifting suggestions, and a gentle reality check with our Christmas Countdown Timer.

We'll be hosting our Holiday Happy Hour workshops again, so you can make quick gifts while learning something new. Also look forward to a new series of Knit Purl Originals Christmas Ornaments, Staff Gifting Picks, and our extremely popular Holiday Special. But, first, you might want to make up a list and check it twice!

A long-standing favorite, Debbie Bliss' Donegal Luxury Tweed is a modern take on a traditional yarn. A soft and nubby blend of wool and angora, it is gentle enough for delicate skin yet wooly enough to wear like iron.

A slubby single-ply, each color features an array of brightly contrasting wool flecks. Intended to look like homespun, it has a rustic appeal and classic feel.

Now available in even more colors, there is a veritable rainbow of Donegal Luxury Tweed to choose from. From standard natural neutrals to brilliant Autumn hues, the new palette is sure to tempt any knitter. Perfect for thick and cushy Arans or gallant Ganseys, this all-Irish yarn is just what knitters crave in the Fall.

It was bound to happen. After assembling the crew we did for this year's Sock Club, we weren't too surprised when we sold out early. We were a little taken aback when we did the final tally and realised that we had enrolled too many people!

The solution was fairly simple - just order more yarn - but then the entreaties started coming in and we couldn't bear the teary calls and pleading emails. So, after some creative rearranging, we've figured out how to extend enrollment for another week.

From now through midnight (Pacific time) on September 30th, we'll be taking more members to this year's Sock Club. After that, it is closed for good. So, if you're one of the many, many knitters who has emailed, phoned, or visited in person about squeezing in, here's you chance! But join soon, because logistically-speaking, we have to close enrollment on October 1st.

There's nothing more iconic in our culture than a knitter with a ball of wool (and, possibly, a cat). It's a given and, in fact, 'wool' was often used in place of the term 'yarn' in many vintage patterns.

Therefore, it truly does make sense to name a line of all-wool yarns "Classic", as Ella Rae has done. Simple worsted and chunky weight yarns, these lofty heathers are what people expect to find in a knitter's basket.

Ella Rae's Classic Superwash Chunky (shown above) is a thick and cushy yarn that is perfect for hardwearing knits. 100% superwash wool, it will withstand abuse and resist pilling with five plies of machine-washable goodness. Knit at a gauge of 14 stitches over 4 inches, it works up quickly for speedy knits that will be extra warm. Ideal for super-toasty sweaters that need practical care instructions, we think this new yarn is going to be a favorite among knitters in Northern climes very quickly.

Classic Heathers Truly worthy of the name, Ella Rae's Classic Heathers (shown right) is exactly what you'd expect to find in your grandmother's knitting basket. 100% wool, this 4-ply worsted weight yarn is the same basic knitters have been using for centuries. One of the warmest fibers on Earth, wool retains heat in even the most extreme environments and wicks away moisture.

Classic Heathers in particular is ideal for traditionally-inspired garments like Aran sweaters, Ganseys, and Ski sweaters. Available in a selection of rich Autumn tones, this new yarn line is ideal for warm and cozy garments you won't want to take off until Spring comes.

That's right, Churchmouse Classics has expanded their pattern line, including a new branch, Churchmouse Wee Ones! They've just published eleven new patterns, seven of which are for our favorite demographic - babies. Cuter than a button, these new patterns for your own Wee One will make adults nearby coo in adoration.

Shown left is the Easy Peasy Baby Jacket, one of three baby sweater designs from the collection. Knit entirely in Garter stitch, this pattern is ideal for new knitters. Written with two sizes and in two gauges, it can be adapted to any yarn you choose and will knit up in record time.

Also in the collection are patterns for three baby blankets, a pair of stay-on booties, and two more beginner-friendly sweaters. Great gift ideas for showers and first birthdays, these sweet designs are going to become go-to classics in no time.

Also included in this release are four accessory patterns for those treasures in your stash. Ranging from lacy little mitts to first socks, these new designs are sure to satisfy and entertain. Each design uses minimal amounts of yarn, giving knitters an excuse to splurge on those little skeins of luxury yarn we all covet. Shown right, the Lace Back Fingerless Gloves can be made with a single skein of hand-painted cashmere! Perfect for gifting or as a personal indulgence, these clever mitts can be adapted to meet your needs and will be sure to impress.

See the full line of Churchmouse Classics and Churchmouse Wee Ones on our website, and take the frustration out of compiling a gift list this year. Truly, they have something for everyone!

Hold onto your caps, because this is some exciting news! Rebecca Danger, the quirky and creative force behind the popular Danger Crafts pattern line, has agreed to teach at Knit Purl in October.

Rebecca will be coming down to teach two technique-packed classes at our request, her Toy Workshop and the brand-new Design Your Own Monster workshop.

Learn the ins and outs of making your very own knit toys in Rebecca's signature Toy Workshop. Rebecca will be teaching her own tried and true expert methods for making adorable toys that will be enjoyed for years to come. Everything you need to know to make toys that look handmade (vs. homemade) will be covered in the fun and educational class.

Fancy creating your very own monster? Well, Rebecca has agreed to design a class to our specifications on just that subject - Design Your Own Monster! Pick shapes from a repertoire of patterns and make a monster that is entirely unique to, well, you! Students will leave the class with one monster in progress and a library of design pieces for future projects.

For more information on these fantastic classes, visit our Class registration page. To learn more about Danger Crafts, be sure to check out Rebecca's blog. But be sure to do it soon, because space is limited in these special events.

Tweed seems to be The Thing this Fall, what with new Debbie Bliss tweeds and several new yarn lines (one of which will debut next Friday!) all producing flecked yarns for knitters to enjoy. All of these speckled yarns made us wonder, what makes some tweeds Donegal tweeds and others not?

If you were expecting, like us, the answer to involve a special fiber or processing technique, you might be amazed to discover that a tweed only counts as a 'Donegal' tweed if it comes from the Country Donegal in Ireland!

Derived from traditional, handspun woolen yarns, the modern Dogenal tweed is almost always 100% wool (although not always, as we discovered this week!) and spun in a lofty woolen yarn. The flecks and heathery color variation are due to a long history of hand-carding wool that would pick up vegetable debris and other bits of wool. The yarn's ply structure and thick'n'thin quality can vary, as long as it was grown, milled and dyed in County Donegal.

Usually an Aran to worsted weight yarn, Donegal yarns are reported to be weather-resistant and hard-wearing, which explains the longevity of Donegal tweed production. If you'd like to learn more about the history of tweed and the County Donegal, in particular, be sure to visit Wikipedia or grab a copy of Alice Starmore's unparalleled Aran Knitting, now back in print!