London

No photos to share, they're all still on the camera, but I'm having a lovely time here in London, despite the rain! We did our obligatory bus tour, which we love to do in each new city we land in and have been hitting the major department stores.

Harrods is very impressive and very expensive. Liberty has one of the coolest upholstery fabric departments I've ever seen and they even had a huge selection of Rowan yarn! Not to mention sewing goods. The jewelry department was impressive too, there was a trunk show for custom made charm bracelets and necklaces using original Victorian era charms. I almost caved, but didn't. The store was built out of tall sailing ships and is a Tudor style, its an interesting shopping experience.

And we fell in love with a silver coffee table made in Egypt at Selfridges, but it was the only one they had and sold already! Hmmmm, we than went to London's Heal's furniture shop and found a very similar coffee table but not quite what we wanted. So the hunt is on.

We had dinner at an Indian restaurant in London's financial district last night and it was a lot like being in NY's Wall St area, lots of busy looking people in suits.

Its raining today so I slept late and had a nice workout. Time to go get my day started.

July 2010 Newsletter

Special Announcement: Sandrasingh.com will be closed for shipping yarn from July 9 - 25th, you may order yarn during this time and it will be shipped after July 25th. Patterns sold as PDF downloads will be emailed after purchase as usual.

Lazy days at the pool, outdoor concerts and dining al fresco, summer is in full swing and you're in need of cool knitting projects that travel with ease. Celebrate with these new patterns and 5-40% Off all my Cotton Yarns. And if you're thinking about fall with gift giving season only 6 months away, get started on one of these new cold weather projects that are still small enough to knit now. So sit back & relax, these new projects and yarn sales are only a click away!

In This Issue: Save on Cool Crisp Cotton / Summer is a Time for Lace / Sweet Treats for Your Feet(s) / Lil Summer Dress / Think Fall /

Save on Cool Crisp Cotton
If you enjoy knitting wash cloths, market bags or light and breezy summer tops I have the cotton yarn on sale that you need. Schaefer's sport weight Susan, Laurel a worsted and the bulky Sandra are all 25% Off and can be purchased by the single skein or dyeloted bag. Some quick project ideas for these 3 yarns are the Susan Drop Stitch Diamond Shell or Boatneck Shell, the Laurel Top, Summer Sampler or Knapsack and the Sandra Hooded Child's Cardigan.

Worsted weight Cherry Tree Hill North Country Cotton is 40% Off and one skein would knit up quickly into a beautiful washcloth that would make a thoughtful gift. Berroco's Cotton Twist is 30% Off. Karabella's sport weight Vintage Cotton and DK Zodiac are 5% Off per skein and 15% Off a dyeloted bag of 10 and Karabella Aurora 8, Aurora 4 & Aurora Bulky are just $4.99 a ball! All yarn sales end July 8th.

Straw Into Gold

Summer is a Time for Lace
Savor your summer knitting with one of these new lacey designs. Ilga Leja's Straw Into Gold is an elegant example of how bias knitting can create a luxurious shawl with exquisite drape. Begin with a few stitches and, using the magic of strategically placed increases and decreases, you'll feel as though you're knitting straw into gold. La Lana Wools Phat Silk Fine or Schaefer's Susan will work beautifully.

Bella

Lily Go, the queen of empire waist top designs such as Lace Sleeves & Dahlia, has turned her attention to shawls. And you'll be happy she did once you see her new, darling triangular shawl Bella. Bella combines a stockinette stitch body with scalloped edges and its knit quickly in only 370 yards of a fingering weight. Pigeonroof Studios' Circe or Original Sock would make this shawl as unique as it is beautiful.

Elegant and lovely the Fickleknitter's quick-to-knit shawlette Flyleaf is constructed in the traditional triangle method with knit on edging and short rows to shape the edging around the center point of the body. Knit yours in either Margaret Stove's Artisan Lace or Malabrigo's Lace Baby Merino.

Rock Candy

Ribbon Taffy

Sweet Treats for Your Feet(s)
Of course a sock project or two is on your summer knitting list and Goddess Knits' has two new candy-coated designs! Her cabled Rock Candy, and the twisted stitch Ribbon Taffy socks which are knit in one skein of my Sandrasingh.com Superwash Fingering yarn. Both will satisfy your sock knitting sweet tooth!

Lil Summer Dress
Is there a special little girl to knit for this summer? You'll love the one-piece construction of Lisa Ellis Designs' Lil Summer Dress or Tunic Top. And you'll also love the Instructional Video link Lisa provides in the pattern to assist you with the Baltic Trim. The pattern includes instructions for sizes: 6-9 months, 9-12 mths, 1-2T, 2-4T, 4–5 yrs, 5-6 yrs and is knit in a sport weight cotton yarn such as Karabella's machine washable Zodiac.

Think Fall
You're enjoying lazy weekends at the beach but you still have your eye toward your Fall and gift knitting. I've compiled this new collection of patterns that are perfect for gifting yet small enough for comfortable summer knitting, start one today and you'll have it ready for wrapping by December!

Lace Maple Leaf Socks

For a Mother - Daughter duo knit Fickleknitter's Lace Leaf Hats with only one skein of Malabrigo Merino Worsted, they're knit from the brim to the crown and the pattern is written for adult & child sizes. Designer Feather and Fan is the first to write a pattern for Malabrigo's new Twist yarn, her slouchy ribbed beret and matching reversible scarf Here Comes the Sun are knit with just three skeins. And HeartStrings FiberArts' Lace Maple Leaf Socks will give you a lace fix while allowing you to dream of the gold & orange leaves of Autumn.

Plaid Dog Sweater

Love to crochet, you'll adore these new designs from Knotsewcute and Freshstitches. Knotsewcute lets you keep your entire family warm, even the dog, their Arctic Wind Wrist Warmers includes 5 sizes and 2 edging options making them customizable for men, women & children, the Wrapped in Bows Baby Blanket makes a sweet gift for mom-to-be and Fido will love staying warm in his new Plaid Dog Sweater. While Freshstitches keeps you laughing with these clever Amigurumi, Gordon the Flamingo, Willy the Fish, Peter the Duckling and the practical Learie Jr. the Teddy Bear Key Chain.

Thank you for being a Sandrasingh.com customer and for reading my July Newsletter. I'm always here to help you with any of your fiber arts needs, email sandrasingh@sandrasingh.com, phone 877/519-1693, Facebook Sandra Singh, my Ravelry group Sandrasingh.com or tweet me on Twitter, Sandrasinghcom. Have a great summer!

Introducing HeartStrings FiberArts' Summer 2010 Collection

Jackie E-S has designed a new Summer Collection that will inspire you to knit something beautiful, yet practical for yourself and your whole family.
Celebrate the Fourth of July with her Patriotic Bead Striped Socks, these simple yet fascinating socks, with alternate blue and white beads on the cuffs, are worked in a simple knit & purl. The stripes of beads suggest the U.S. flag waving in the breeze.

ackie brings you 3 new lace designs. The first is a gem of a stole the Bi-directional Lace Strips, the narrow lace strips are joined as the panels are knit, thus eliminating the need for sewing. There are three sets of strips, each in a different color. The undulating edges around the stole and between the strips add movement and interest to this eye-catching piece.

This stole is created by using two unusual features, the panels are worked in opposite direction of the panel they're joined to, thus creating vertical symmetry of the tear-drop pendant motifs across the six adjoining panels and a lengthwise separation is used to form two narrower sections of three strips each that give variety to how the stole can be worn. Its knit on size US 7 (4.5mm) needles.

ackie redefines the traditional triangle shawl with a shallower profile worked side-to-side beginning with just four stitches, the Shallow Sideways Tri Shawl. The cable-ribbed lace pattern softens the edges in beautifully sculpted outlines. A bonus is that the pattern is pleasingly reversible, giving you the freedom to wear this shawl in a multitude of ways. Its knit on size US 5 (3.75mm) needles.

Crisp outlines of cable stitches frame the back drop of lace on her Lacy Maizy Wrap. The cables are carried out to each edge, preserving the overall flow of the curving lines. And normally Jackie would not do fringe on a scarf, but this one called for it, the long oval shapes that frame the lace eyelets are like ears of corn and the fringe is like the corn silk of the tassel. Its knit on size US 7 (4.5mm) needles.

Get a head start on your Fall knitting, Jackie brings you two new dickey designs. The quick & easy Cowl Dickey is knit in the round. The loose-fitting draped neckline results in a comfortable accessory that will fit almost anyone.

And her Buffalo Guys and Gals Dickey is also quick and easy-to-knit and suitable for both men and women. Using far less yardage than an entire sweater, you can still get the look of a sweater in a luxury fiber by wearing this dickey under an open-collared, V or crew neck shirt.

All HeartStrings FiberArts patterns are sold as PDF downloads and emailed to you after purchase with no shipping fees. View the entire line: Beaded Lace, Lace, Socks, Men & Women's Garments and Children.

My Second Celebrity Sighting: Prince Harry

This morning DH had a race in Central Park. I noticed right away that it was larger than the race DH was in the day before and that Fox News was there. They weren't the only ones in attendance, Prince Harry of Wales was there!
At first I could only get shots of his back. I never did meet him, but he seemed very friendly.
Finally despite all the mean looking security trying to blend in I was able to get a pic of his face. He even ran the race.
This is Tom Cruise and his wife Katie, I didn't take this pic. But I did see him on the same day this photo was taken, its from last Monday June 21 and they're in the Village some place. I saw Tom later in the evening at the Mandarin Hotel at Columbus Circle. He walked right by me, wearing this same outfit shades and all, and I could have reached out and touched him, though I didn't!

Color Theory: More Green

My first Color Theory about Green got me thinking about the green yarns in my inventory and how the shades are often inspired by nature. So to further my tribute to Green, and its many hues, I present More Green!
Karabella's Soft Tweed color 1110
A dark rich forest green.

Sandrasingh.com Yarn 1 Ply Merino Worsted color Spring
A happy mix of fresh Spring Green and new shoot Yellow.
Cascade 220 Superwash color 841Moss Green
A delicate mossy green.
Berroco Suede color 3786 Aloe Vera
Think New Mexico and lime, a burst of summer.
Schaefer Anne Dian Fossey
A tribute to this American Zoologist and the time she spent in the mountain rain forests in Rwanda working with gorillas.
Schaefer Lola Elizabeth Zimmerman
This master knitter was a huge advocate for knitting in the round, I'm not sure if her favorite color was green, but this colorway is gorgeous!
Berroco Lullaby 4207 Quince
A delicious fruit related to apples & pears with a delicate green cast.
Berroco Ultra Alpaca 6249 Fennel
Fennel yields both a herb and spice and is used as a savory addition to meats and sauces.
Berroco Ultra Alpaca 6247 Fern
This ancient plant still thrives today and is loved for its refreshing beauty.

Frillery

In May when I introduced my own yarn line, Sandrasingh.com Yarn I immediately began working with knitwear designers to create pattern support. Renee Leverington of "Goddess Knits" is the first to work up two beautiful patterns just in time for your summer knitting, a shawl for my Lace and a sock pattern for my Superwash Fingering.

Introducing Frillery, this crescent shaped shawl is knit with one skein of my Lace. Renee combined stockinette stitch with a lace edging for beautiful and pleasing results and you can make Frilllery even more special by adding beads.

Renee's second design are the Ribbon Taffy socks, pictured in the post below. Bring back fond memories of this special summer treat, ribbon taffy candy, with Renee's sweetly cabled socks. They're knit from the cuff down with only one skein of my Superwash Fingering yarn and the twisted stitches create the taffy inspired fabric.

Both designs are sold as Patterns Only which are PDF downloads with no shipping charges and as Kits. And to celebrate the release of these two new designs my Lace and Superwash Fingering yarns are both 10% Off!

New Credit Cards accepted on Sandrasingh.com

During the past few weeks you may have tried to make a purchase on Sandrasingh.com using your Credit Card and found you were not able to do so. We've been making some changes to our Secure Checkout System and it was down for periods of time.

Our Checkout System is still secure, always has been and will remain so, but we have expanded our Credit Card system to now accept Maestro and Solo cards along with Visa, Discover, Mastercard and American Express.

And you still have the option to use your Paypal account.

If you ever have difficulty with a purchase please call me toll free, 877/519-1693 or email me at Sandrasingh@sandrasingh.com I'm always happy to help!

Thank you for being a Sandrasingh.com Customer.