Fur Yarn by Paula Lishman Newsletter third Edition Fall 2006 In this issue

Fur Yarn by
Paula Lishman
Newsletter
Fall 2008
In this issue:

Message from Paula

Introducing Helen

Subscriber Pattern:
Circular Knit Mittens

Bargain Corner

Fur Yarn News

Message from Paula

Hello knitters, crocheter, weavers and generally interested folks. Welcome to the long overdue fur yarn newsletter - Things have been so busy we haven't had the time to put one together in a while!. We have had an exciting year, with lots of challenges and many rewards. Our little operation here is growing very quickly, as we continue to add yarn stores across Canada and the US to our list.
The design team here at the Lishman studio is in overdrive - we are creating incredible runway pieces for several overseas fashion events and are stretching the boundaries of what can be done with fur. It is astonishing the variations in texture weight and feel that we can evoke by using different techniques and by blending materials, adding overlays and even knitting leather! Pictures will be posted on our corporate site after the launch.
As summer winds down and the cool weather approaches, it is the perfect time to start that special project that you have been meaning to get around to, and what better way to make a project special than incorporating the softest, most luxurious yarn available! I have always felt that if one is to invest the most valuable things we have, our time and energy, into making something, why use inferior materials? Special projects require special yarns, and none are more special than our own real fur yarn.

-Paula

Introducing Helen

Hello and welcome to a brand new edition of our Fur Yarn newsletter! I’m Helen Firing, otherwise known as the voice on the other end of the line at our toll-free order/customer service desk number (877-FUR-YARN). I’ll be doing my best to keep you updated on the goings-on at Fur Yarn by Paula Lishman, from new designs and new colour introductions to special sales and free pattern offerings. I’ll also share what I’m learning along the way about this amazing fiber and what I discover about knitting and crochet on my travels to various trade shows and consumer events. I’ll also fill you in on where to find Fur Yarn, from patterns and profiles in your favorite magazines to special Fur Yarn by Paula Lishman classes taking place at a LYS near you and in conjunction with various craft shows.On the subject of my travels, I was like a kid in a candy store at the beginning of June, where I attended The National NeedleArts Association (TNNA) trade show in Columbus Ohio. All the big yarn companies were there (including us, of course!), showing off new yarns and patterns for the fall buying season. I saw a lot of shawls both in the booths and in the Yarn Group’s fabulous fashion show, which has the design wheels turning in my head for some fur-edged shawls from us. Among other things, we were showcasing our Red Fox Fur Yarn, available at the same price as our regular fox yarn, but with a shorter length. This yarn has the look of our Raccoon yarn, where the tips of the fur still retain a slightly golden hue, but the handle is much softer. I’m a fan! It’s only available in limited colours at the moment, so call or email me for further details.

Fur Yarn Designs in Magazines

For those of you who read Knit N Style Magazine, you may have noticed a Fur Yarn by Paula Lishman scarf in its pages. The October 2008 issue marked the beginning of a run on magazine patterns for us this season. In case you missed it, Knit N Style featured our Bell Bottom Scarf in Red, which is available as our kit S102, both on-line and through our retailers. Look for more from us in both Knit N Style and Knit Simple’s Holiday 2008 issues.

Upcoming Fur Yarn Shows

Fur yarn is now available at many fine yarn stores in Canada and the US. To find your closest visit on-line directory.
As always, if you are interested in purchasing fur yarn through your local yarn shop, please have them contact us

We are working hard at getting fur yarn into the hands of the crafters. If you know of a store that would be a natural fit for fur yarn, please email questions@furyarn.com with their contact information, or just march on in and tell them to visit furyarn.com and click on "become a retailer"

This year we have 3 fur garment sample lines that will be traveling store to store in Canada and the US. This gives you and the store owner the experience of seeing and handling finished fur yarn garments. Some of these shows will be supplemented with a basic techniques workshop, to be held at the store. The schedule to date is:

Sept 16 – Oct 6:
Unwound – 131-1 Morris St, Blowing Rock NC

Sept 19 – Sept 29:
Soft N Sassy – 8047 Broadview Rd, Broadview Heights OH

Oct 3 – Oct 14:
Colorful Stitches – 48 Main St, Lenox MA

Oct 17 – Oct 27:
Clever Ewe – 590 Ada Dr SE, Ada MI

Oct 24 – Nov 3:
Gotta Knit – 14 East 34^th St, 5^th Fl., New York NY

Oct 31 – Nov 10:
Yarn Garage – 2980 145^th St W, Rosemount MN

Nov 7 – Nov 17:
Country Yarns – 327 North Colony Rd, Wallingford CT

Nov 14 – Nov 24:
Frou Frou – 601 Lancaster Ave, Berwyn PA

Nov 21 – Dec 1:
Knit Stop – 3941 E 86^th St, Indianapolis, IN

Nov 28 – Dec 8:
Needlework Unlimited – 4420 Drew Ave S, Minneapolis MN

Dec 5 –Dec 15:
String – 130 East 82^nd St, New York NY

Oct 20 – Nov 3:
Janie H Knits – 528 Glen Tay Rd, Perth Ontario

Nov 10 – Nov 24:
Wool N’ Things – 1439 Youville Dr, Unit 20, Orleans Ontario

Trunk show With Workshops
(contact store for date of workshop)

Sept 5 – Sept 15:
Knit Witz – 120 W. Bonita Ave, San Dimas CA
909 599 8025

Oct 3 – Oct 14:
Ewe To You Yarns – 11225 S Saginaw, Ste 6, Grand Blanc MI
810 344 2218

Oct 17 – Oct 27:
Amazing Threads – 11262 86^th Ave N, Maple Grove MN
763 391 7700

Oct 31 – Nov 10:
Unwound – 131-1 Morris St, Blowing Rock NC
828 295 5051

Feedback

I would like to thank all those who have taken the time to send in questions about fur yarn. Here are some common questions,

What other types of yarn work best with fur yarn?

It is good idea to use a slub yarn, the bumps will help lock the yarn in place. most Raw silk and cotton yarns provide and excellent base for the fur. We do not recommend using wool as a base as it does not hold up well during brushing.

How exactly is the yarn made?

We purchase top quality pelts from the auction, pelt collectors or dealers. Each pelt is inspected, dressed, dyed and blocked, graded, trimmed and sent home to a cutter. The cutters use a razor blade to hand-cut a strip 2 - 3 mm wide from the outside in a spiral fashion. This cut yarn is inspected here and then processed through a specailly designed twisting machine that gives a consistent twist and combines the fur yarn with a colour matched cotton yarn. The final yarn is wound into balls and sold or used to create Paula Lishman knit fur garments. For more information check out About Fur Yarn.

How Much Yarn does it take to trim the edge of a garment?

Depending on the technique used it can be two to three times the length of the edge to be trimmed. Techniques for trimming can be found on the furyarn website, under techniques For example to do a set of cuffs and a collar you will have to trim a total of 36 to 42 inches, multiply this by 2 or 3 = max 146" to get the total yarn use, . Because there are many factors effecting the weight of the yarn, there is no exact ratio of length to weight, but you will roughly get 18 inches per gram of beaver fur, 12 inches for fox - so a 15 gram ball should have at least 180" of yarn. This should be sufficient to trim collar and cuffs of most garments.

For more answers please visit the FAQ section of furyarn.com.

Newsletter Subscriber Free Pattern
Circular Mittens

An excellent project for those special people on your list! Start now and you will have time to make a pair for yourself as well. These mittens are amazing, soft warm, therapeutic and stylish, be prepared to make more. We carry them in our small retail studio and can never keep enough in stock. Try this issue’s free pattern – M102 Circular Mittens - available in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF formats. You’ll need 100 grams of Standard Grade Beaver Yarn to complete the project, and don’t forget to order a 50 gram ball of our cotton slub yarn to match the fur..

Bargain Corner

What would a quarterly Fur Yarn Newsletter be without a sale section? This time around we are offering 20% off our regular retail pricing on the following Fur Yarn colors in Standard Grade Beaver fur:

As is the way with our discounted yarns, they are only available in limited quantities and this offer is only good until the release of our next newsletter, scheduled for November.

Newsletter subscribers have special access to certain fur yarn specials. To receive these discounts, place an order for the discounted colors and enter the code when checking out.

Fur	Colours	Code	Discount
Beaver	black olive	NWSL7	20%
Beaver	cocoa	NWSL7	20%
Beaver	forest green	NWSL7	20%
Beaver	cashmere	NWSL7	20%
Beaver	cinnamon	NWSL7	20%

Fur Yarn News

If you attend Creativ Festival in Toronto, Ontario, you’ve probably received your copy of their Show Guide. Amongst the other stellar class offerings by well-known designers of crochet, knitwear and felted goods you’ll find our first-ever major North American conference class on working with Fur Yarn. I’ll be joining Paula herself as we introduce you to the many ways to use our yarns both in our designs and in your own. We will also host a second class which will give you all the materials and know-how to make a Fur Yarn Headband. These classes are offered with discounted pricing on the yarn, so mark Friday October 17 on your calendar and sign up for our fantastic class!

If you’re out in Eastern Ontario, or you’d just like a nice fall drive in the country, come out to Rose Haven Farm Store in Picton. As of now, you can pre-register for my Fur Yarn Workshop and Trunk Show scheduled for Saturday, October 25 from 1pm to 4pm. Follow the link to the store and speak to Linda Swaine about what we have planned.

Knitters in the vicinity of Sarnia can meet me and our fabulous Fur Yarns and garments at Feather Your Nest. I will be dropping by one day on a weekend in early November. Contact me or the store for the exact date.

Interested in what can be done with fur yarn? Go to www.paulalishman.com and view our 2008/9 collections, as well you can view runway shows from the 2005 and 2006 2007 2008 Montreal fur fairs.

Fur Yarn's retail presence is growing quickly! If there is a store you think should carry fur yarn, please have them contact us or fill out the retailer web form

Our catalog is available as a download through www.furyarn.com.

Davey Crockett hat
($226.64 us)