Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and New Year!
Holiday Opening Times:
24th December – 10.30am – 3.30pm – OPEN
25th December – 28th December – CLOSED
Re-opening – Tuesday 29th December
Thursday 31st December – 10.30 – 3.30pm – OPEN
Friday 1st -January 2016 – CLOSED
Saturday 2nd January 2016 – OPEN
Sunday 3rd January 2016 – 2pm – 5pm OPEN
Still unpacking from the weekend’s fabulous Edinburgh Yarn Festival, the Marchmont shop will be closed between Wednesday 25th and Monday, 30th March, re-opening on Tuesday 31st March, as I will be working on the Lotus Yarns’ stand at H+H Cologne, a major annual trade show in Germany.
I will be opened on Monday 23rd and Tuesday 24th 
March from 10.30 – 5.00. Online orders will be fulfilled on my return on Tuesday.
If you missed Karie Westermann’s class at the Edinburgh Yarn Festival, she will be doing a one-day Two Handed Stranded Colourwork workshop at the shop on Saturday, 18th April 2015.
Are you suffering from “the second sock syndrome”? Why not try knitting socks two at a time and from the toe-up, Becky Mead will be running a 2 x 2 hour class on the technique, which is scheduled for Sundays 19th April and 26 April from 2.30 – 4.30pm.
This is suitable for experienced knitters who are familiar with the magic loop technique with long circulars.
More information and booking info on classes can be found on www.bookwhen.com/beinspiredfibres.
Crochet for Knitters – Taught by Karie Westermann, Saturday, 24 January 2015. 10.30am – 4.30pm with lunch included
Reserve your place or book online at www.bookwhen.com/beinspiredfibres
Are you a knitter who is mystified by crochet? Fed up seeing knitting patterns that use crochet? Feeling slightly scared by using just a hook to create thing?
This one-day workshop will teach you the essential stitches, read a crochet pattern, understand crochet terminology and then show you just how crochet can be applied to your knitting.
The possibilities are endless: you can use crochet as a finishing technique, embellish your knits, lend structure to your knitted projects and secure steeks.
One-Day Workshop with Karie Westermann, Knitwear Designer & Consultant
For Advanced Beginners and Experienced Knitters
Sunday, 12th October 2014 – 10.30am – 4.30pm – Lunch included – Course Fee £53/£55, materials are not included, but there will be 10% discount on the day for purchases for the class
Places are still available, reserve your online at: www.bookwhen.com/beinspiredfibres. Last opportunity to book!
What is two handed knitting?
There are many good reasons for wanting to use the Continental style of knitting: it is fast, it is efficient, and it is brilliant for colourwork!
This class focuses on knitting colourwork using both hands and two different knitting techniques at the same time!
You will learn how to knit and purl Continental style and we will also take a look at yarn dominance and colour theory. (Please note this is not a learn-to-knit workshop but rather a workshop for English/throwing-style knitters who are looking to expand their arsenal of techniques and also for those who already knit continental to practice using the English method.)
About the teacher: Born in Denmark and currently residing in Scotland, Karie Westermann is a creative and multi-talented knitwear designer, knitting and crochet tutor, and translator. Karie has an impressive portfolio of collaborators including Rowan Yarns, Old Maiden Aunt Yarns, the Island Wool Company and the Edinburgh Yarn Festival. She is thrilled to be sharing her passion for Nordic knitting traditions and modern aesthetics with local knitters.
Learn to Crochet a Motif Scarf in One Day with Carol Meldrum
Spaces are still available, you can book online at: www.bookwhen.com/beinspiredfibres.
Suitable for complete beginners and refreshers
Sunday, 5th October 2014, 10.30am – 4.30pm – light lunch and wool included. Cost – £53 / £55 pounds
Inspired by flowers of all shapes and sizes, learn how to create a variety of motifs and granny squares and how to join them together to create the perfect scarf or wrap.
On the day, you will learn how to do the basic crochet stitches, how to read from a crochet pattern, work in the round, change colour and how to join the shapes together. You will be totally amazed how quickly you will have a finished masterpiece!
About your tutor: Carol Meldrum is a textile designer, and workshop tutor and author of many popular knitting and crochet titles. She is also the creative force behind the fashion accessories label Beatknit.
Since graduating from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in Dundee, she has worked within the textile industry as a designer for many High Street fashion outlets as well as internationally renowned hand label Rowan.
As the evenings are quickly getting darker and the leaves are starting to fall from the trees, it definitely feels like it is time to get those needles and hooks out of the closet and start thinking about Christmas presents. Winter yarns have started to arrive in the shop, including a re-stock of Malabrigo Rastita (Sport weight / 285m, Single Ply, Merino ) – the shop now stocks 13 colours.
Malabrigo Rastita
Favourite Scarf Ever – one skein of Malabrigo Rastita in the Glitter colourway.
It is very hard to resist Malabrigo’s very soft and beautiful hand dyed yarns, they are perfect for quick and last minute gifts. This is a free scarf pattern by Lisa Bruce on Ravelry, which is extremely easy to remember and very effective for highly variegated yarns. One skein of the Rastita is enough for a scarf measuring about 140cm.
As knitting was always more accessible to me in the past, I never really managed to get into crochet, but having recently completed my first few crochet projects, which are not granny square blankets, but actual items and accessories I can wear, I am now totally hooked!
My first crochet project – “Emma Lace Scarf” by Simona Merchant-Dest
I can now see the benefits of being able to crochet, as you only need to learn 4 basic stitches, and the possibilities are endless. It is great for last minute gifts, embellishments for garments, jewellery making, toys, home accessories and also for finishing off projects. I also find it is great for using up odds and ends of wool and also single skeins of yarns that I have been collecting over the years. The great thing about crochet is that once you learn the basics, you can really see results quickly and you start building up confidence fast.
So I am really delighted to be able to fit in Carol Meldrum’s Learn to Crochet workshop here in Marchmont, Edinburgh on Sunday, 22nd June, 10.30am – 4.30pm. Carol is a very experienced tutor and designer based in Scotland, but travels widely around the country and the world teaching. The course is aimed at complete beginners or people who would like to refresh their basic skills.
The workshop price £50 / £55 includes a light sandwich lunch and wool, but you will need to purchase or bring along a 3.75mm or 4.00mm hook. For further information and online booking please visit:http://bookwhen.com/beinspiredfibres Learn to Crochet with Carol Meldrum
Rico Essential Cotton DK
Currently stocking 16 colours of Rico Essential Cottons DK, (100% Mercerised Cotton) £3.00 per 50g / 130m per ball. This yarn is perfect for a wide range of knitting and crochet projects and perfect for toys, baby blankets and home accessories.
Rico Creative Cotton – Aran
Also stocking Rico Creative Cotton (Aran), which is great for dish cloths, toys, bags and home accessories, each ball is £2.00 for 50g / 85m.
Crocuses in the Meadows
Winter in Edinburgh has been rather mild this year and I cannot believe that Spring is here already, what has happened to the snow this year?
The days have started to get longer and brighter, the crocuses have started appearing everywhere around the Meadows, very soon the tulips, the daffodils and the cherry blossoms will appear. Spring is definitely the time for anticipation!
For spring, I’ve just had a recent delivery from Holst Garn, a Danish independent brand which provides a very versatile range of 4 ply and lace weight yarn bases with the most amazing colour palette. The yarns complements the IT0-Yarns and Habu from Japan in the shop. I also love combining them with Icelandic wool, especially their 4ply/lace weight Einband (11 colours currently in stock), to give them an extra touch of softness and drape.
Holst Garn Supersoft – 25g
The Holst Garn range is great for the experimental and creative crocheters and knitters, who are not afraid to combine and play around with different textures, colours and weights. Swatching is absolutely essential, but the creative possibilities are endless and much more fun. The yarns are slightly greased, therefore, it is important to wash the knitted swatch to get the true gauge and to feel the actual texture and drape of the yarn once it has time to settle and bloom.
I’ve added many more colours to the versatile Supersoft 4 ply – 25g (100% pure wool ) range, which is a great yarn for colour stranded and fair isle knitting. I also have a small introductory stock of Holst Garn’s Samarkand – 50g / approx 287m (Wool/Silk blend), Coast – 50g / 350m (Wool/Cotton) and Titicaca – 50g / approx 400m (100% Pure Alpaca Lace).
Holst Garn Titicaca
Holst Garn’s Coast – Wool / Cotton
Holst Garn’s Samarkand – Wool Silk Blend
The yarns are great for lace shawls, shrugs, airy cardigans and sweaters and suitable patterns can be found on Ravelry. I would recommend having a look at the patterns by Isabell Kraemer, Julie Weisenberger, Heidi Kirmaier, Olga Buraya Kefelian, Olga Rambell, La Maison Rillie and Ankestrick.
2 x 2 hour sessions on Sundays 19th January and 26th January 2014 – £36 / £ 40
Taught by Jo Kelly, Director of the Edinburgh Yarn Festival
2.30 – 4.30pm
There are only 2 places left and still enough time to book…
Introduction to Fair Isle in the Round
This course is aimed at beyond beginners and will provide an introduction to stranded colour knitting and knitting in the round at the same time. You will get started on a pair of fingerless mittens designed by Jo and practice colour work techniques, which are used in Fair Isle and Nordic knitting.
Session One: – casting on for knitting in the round using circular needles, practice the magic loop technique – making perfect ribbing – reading a pattern and a colour chart – working with two colours
Session Two: – more advanced colour work techniques (weaving in long floats) – working a thumb gore – finishing and blocking – if time permits – an introduction to designing own patterns.
Bookings and payments can be made online at www.bookwhen.com/beinspiredfibres or you may call the shop on 0131 629 2059 or email beinspiredfibres@gmail.com to reserve a place and pay in person by credit card, cheque or cash.
Materials are not included in the tuition fee, but there will be a 10% discount on all purchases for the classes.
Be Inspired Fibres Yarn Shop 