October 3, 2003

Hi everyone,

It is hard to believe that fall is already here.  Hope you are enjoying some of the same type of cool weather we have had here in Mississippi.  Summer has been a whirlwind of activity and the pace has not slowed down.  We have been out quite a bit on business/pleasure trips with more to come.  But I have squeezed in a little time for weaving and knitting in addition to dyeing and have even managed to finally get new pictures up along with a lot of new changes to the website.

Many of you have asked me to let you know when the 8/2 tencel hand painted is available.  It is here and in the process of color being applied.  In addition, new colors are available in the mill dyed.  Details are in the newsletter below.

Hope it is a wonderful fall for you filled with memorable times with family, friends and fiber.

All the best,
Margaret <:{}}}><

In This Issue:

• 8/2 Hand Painted Tencel
• Mill Dyed 8/2 Tencel
• New Colorways
• Hand Painted Availability
• Mobius Zigzag Scarf Kits
• Converting a Twill Pattern to 4-Shaft Overshot
• PayPal Shopping Cart Added for Your Convenience
• Shopping/Contact Information

8/2 Hand Painted Tencel

is ready to ship in the following colorways:  Blueberry Hill, Day's End and English Ivy (both new, and pictures finally up!), Holly Berry, Holly Jolly Christmas, Jewels are a Girl's Best Friend, Majesty and Summer Haze with availability of new colorways coming soon.

The sheen of the 8/2 is quite beautiful and also has the added advantage of durability on the loom.  No need to double selvages!  I recently enjoyed some time to weave using hand painted for a faux ikat warp and a mill dyed weft.  Laura Fry wove a scarf combining hand painted and mill dyed, a beautiful example of showcasing and extending a hand painted yarn.  Pictures of both of these scarves are at Old Favorites with the Jewels are a Girl's Best Friend colorway.

It is also a little larger in grist for you who desire to hand knit.  I recommend doubling for a quicker knit project.  I am in the process of knitting Jackie E-S's Spiral Nebula shawl with a strand of Day's End hand painted and a strand of eggplant.  The colors are quite pretty together and I am pleased with the easy nature of Jackie's lace pattern.

The handpainted is available at Hand painted Yarns.  The Spiral Nebula Shawl pattern is available at Knitting Patterns.

Mill Dyed 8/2 Tencel

is now available in convenient 8 oz. cones in 14 new colors:  amethyst, black, burgundy, dark green, dark teal, eggplant, grayed teal, iris, mineral green, navy, red purple, royal,  ruby and taupe.  When designing, you may want to consider using 2 or more colors in a blended warp to add depth of texture and color.  Pictures of the new colors and an example of a blended 8/2 tencel warp by Sandra Mayo are at Mill Dyed Yarns.

New Colorways

Pictures are up and have been a long time coming of Day's End and English Ivy.  Day's End is currently available in cotton/rayon or 8/2 tencel at America the Beautiful Collection.  English Ivy is currently available in cotton/metallic, silk noil and 8/2 tencel at The Tone on Tone Collection.

Hand Painted Availability

It has become necessary for me to limit yarns in which colorways are available with the added benefit to you of being ready to ship.  Stock on hand is listed with the colorways.  The colorway menu is Colorway Collections.  PayPal shopping cart is available for those of you in the continental U.S. or if you live within the continental U.S. and wish to use your Visa, or MasterCard, email me your phone number at Margaret@heritageyarns.com and I will be glad to call you for credit card information.

Möbius Zigzag Scarf Kits

Knitting kits are now available for the Möbius scarf in the rayon boucle and priced at $27.  One kit will make 2 möbius or 2 traditional zigzag scarves.  These knit up quickly!  Keep one for you and give one to a friend or give both as holiday gifts.  Pictures of the scarf and color availability are at Knitting Kits.  Thanks to Jackie E-S for designing such a fun, easy möbius scarf and for the great pictures.

Converting a Twill Pattern to 4-Shaft Overshot

It has been quite a while since I have enjoyed playing with different overshot treadlings as time has not permitted.  But, in the next few weeks, check this newsletter on the website for a new overshot treadling.  First, go to the newsletter menu at Heritage Fiber News and scan down to the nineteenth issue.

Until then, we will consider how to convert your favorite twill to 4-shaft overshot.  It has been said that overshot and crackle are sisters and twill is their mother. <g> Basically, overshot and crackle are derivatives of twill.  In 4-shaft overshot, 1 & 2 = A, 2 & 3 = B, 3 & 4 = C and 4 & 1 = D and like twill, blocks are threaded sequentially unless threaded on opposites (another story..).  Consider a pointed twill threaded 1-2-3-4-3-2 and balanced with 1.  For overshot, increase the blocks to 121(2)32(3)43[(4)1(4)]34(3)23(2)12 and balance with 1.  The common thread between blocks is noted by parentheses ( ) and the turning block by a bracket [ ].  Remember, that turning blocks are written with a odd number of ends and treadled with an even number.  You may increase the size of blocks to any number but consider the size of the float based on number in the block and sett.  You may change the blocks so that they aren't all the same size.  And, then, as with other overshot patterns, use tabby.  It is a lot of fun to do if you have a fiber program and can play with the myriad of options.

PayPal Shopping Cart Added for Your Convenience

PayPal shopping cart has recently been added to most items on the website.  If there is an item missing a PayPal button, contact me and I can give you a total.  Or if you would like to use your Visa or MasterCard, email your phone number and I will call you for credit card information.  You may also pay by personal check or money order in U.S. dollars.

Shopping/Contact Information

Yarn shipments are limited to the U.S. and Canada. If you live outside the U.S. or Canada and would like to place a pattern order, please inquire at Margaret@heritageyarns.com.

Visit Knitting Patterns and take a look around at the wide selection of downloadable patterns from HeartStrings.

Purchasing options:  by PayPal shopping cart, Visa, MasterCard, personal check or money order.

Margaret Pittman
Heritage Yarns
5875 Baxter Drive
Jackson, Mississippi  39211-3317 USA

Telephone - (601) 956-1478
Email - Margaret@heritageyarns.com
Fax - (601) 957-2963
Celebrating color in hand painted skeins and warps since 1994

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