Welcome to 2018!  I have the feeling she's going to be a good one.

And thank you all for making 2017 such a fun, joyous & yarn filled adventure.

We may have been a little on the silent side with regards to posts here on the blog, but we've managed to cram a lot of yarny goodness to the last 365 days.  We've collaborated with some very clever & wonderful designers - Ambah O'Brien & Mary-Anne Mace, helped sponsor some fantastic craft events- Woolgathering 2017 & The Craft Sessions September Retreat, attended some more of the same (Australian sheep & Wool Show, we're looking at you!). We've  shared cheese platters & Woodend Winestore fun with some of you & met some (actually, many) new & inspiring people along the way.  

It's been a blast.  And yet, we couldn't do this thing that is The Purl Box without your support, so from the bottom of our hearts we thank you for joining us in this yarn life.

And the yarn! Lets not forget that. ..... as I did afterall call this blog New Year, New Yarn....

Last year we introduced two new bases to the Oyster Yarns line up - Maven & Maven DK & brought in the magnificent Nua yarn by Stolen Stitches, aka Carol Feller, plus some great new colours in the Fyberspates Vivacious & Scrumptious ranges.

This year we have plans afoot to bring you even more truly lovely things to knit with.  Over the last year Anita & I have been thinking seriously about what to bring into the fold & what would work well with what we aim to provide.  We have always only ever aimed to stock yarns that we ourselves love & wish to knit with  - yarn that feels good when knitting, makes a great looking project & just as importantly, wears well, so you can enjoy your labours (ha!) long after they're off the needles.

This first new range, therefore was a bit of a no-brainer as its been on our 'must get' list for some time:

We've long been a stockist for Jamieson & Smith - their 2 Ply Jumper Weight yarn is (IMO) the best thing hands down for colourwork & fair-isle knitting.  Their Shetland wool is sturdy, warm, softens with blocking & is amazingly weatherproof, keeping you snug & dry when the extremes of winter sneak up on you ... and lets face it, weather seems to be doing a whole lot of extremes these days!

So now, as well as the fabulous, colourful range of the 2 Ply Jumperweight yarns, we have for you the stunning natural shades of their Shetland Supreme Jumperweight range.  These yarns are undyed & come in nine Shetland wool colours, from natural White to Shetland Black - with such awesome & fun names like Mooskit, Shaela & Katmollet in between. 

 They can be easily used either alone, with each other, or, as they are the same relative 3-4 ply weight, they can also be used alongside any of the coloured J & S 2 ply Jumperweight yarns, depending on your project (or whim).  They'd make the perfect body for a fun colourful yoked sweater ... or the yoke.... or a hat ... or a .... 

The Shetland Supreme range comes as 50g balls with 172 m or 188 yards in each ball.  They also smell so incredibly divine - like sheep & summer straw & it may be that I spent as much time sniffing & squishing them as photographing them.  

We can't wait to see what you think of these - and what you make with them!

Happy Knitting!

Kylie