Classic Elite Yarns Closing its Doors

We hear a lot these days about local yarn shops closing their doors, but less often do big players — or what we think of as big players, anyway — in the yarn industry shut down.

But that’s what’s happening soon with Classic Elite Yarns, which announced on its blog that it will be “closing its doors in the very near future.”

Their post doesn’t provide a lot of detail on the why, but one of the company’s first creative directors, Kristin Nicholas, explained on her blog that the yarn industry is a tough business to be in and no one really knows what is going on behind the scenes (which she learned when she saw what was behind all those glossy back-cover ads on the major knitting magazines).

I agree with her about many of the factors that make things hard for yarn companies these days, from the aforementioned closure of local yarn shops to the proliferation of small-scale yarn producers able to reach customers online and at shows. And there will always be people who only buy the bargain yarns from the big-box stores. And running a company with employees, production and distribution will always be hard and expensive.

I’m sad to see Classic Elite go. They have made some great yarns through the years. I’m actually working on a project with one of their yarns now. I love the sentiment from company president Betsy Perry, who said:

I am proud of what we did for all these years. Classic Elite Yarns will live on – on your needles or in your stash, as finished pieces, on Ravelry, and yes, for a while anyway, in shops. But as it fades away, be sure you do your best to enjoy the craft and do your best to support those who bring you the fibers and designs we all love.

Did you use Classic Elite Yarns? I’d love to know about your favorites.

Next Pattern:

I love a little cowl because it’s perfect to tuck into your coat when the weather is cold, but you can also wear it when it’s not as cold because it doesn’t make you as warm as a big scarf wrapped around your neck.

They’re also faster to knit than a big long scarf or shawl, and they make great gifts for anyone on your list. They can also be a way to learn new skills, like with my mosaic knit cowl if you haven’t done mosaic knitting before. Let’s check out some more great small cowl knitting patterns you can whip up as last-minute holiday gifts or a way to treat yourself.

If you’re looking for a perfectly simple cowl knitting pattern for beginners, Luxe Knittery has what you need. Their one skein knitting pattern is mostly stockinette stitch, with a cute picot border on one end and a I-cord bind off on the other. It calls for worsted weight yarn (though they also have a sport weight version) and there are links to video tutorials for the special skills needed for the edges.

Stitch up simple warmth in a hurry with the super bulky Sunrise Cowl form Wooly Bear Knits. This is a great one to use leftover yarn to make an ombre effect, of you can stitch it in stripes or a solid color if you’d rather. Either way it will stitch up in no time and be super warm and cozy!

Add a little more colorwork that’s still really easy with the Over the Rainbow knit cowl from Spruce Hill Knits. This free pattern calls for five colors of yarn but it would also be fun to do with a variegated yarn as the contrasting colors (which would give a similar look as my cowl linked above, just with a different motif). This pattern calls for DK or light worsted yarn and is so cheery it would be perfect for gray winter days.

The Odds and Ends Cowl from Kathryn Ashley-Wright offers a lot of options for using what you have. There are fingering/sport weight and DK/worsted weight options, and you can use as few as two or as many as nine colors depending on what you have on hand. You can grab this one on Ravelry.

For allover colorwork, try the Horae Cowl from VSR Design. It uses two colors of fingering weight yarn, so it will take longer to knit than some of these other options but it will keep you cozy without being too heavy. There’s also a matching tam pattern.

Add a little whimsy with the Road Runner Cowl pattern from Jennifer Berg, which you can find on Ravelry. It uses DK weight yarn in two colors and features a large bird on the body of the cowl.

And lest you think all small cowls have to be tubes, Cloud Drift from Gudrun Johnston turns a small cowl into a kerchief cowl with a fun colorwork design. It uses fingering and lace weight yarns held together (a wool and a mohair/silk blend) to work at a DK gauge and make an accessory that’s light as a cloud. It’s also worked flat and seamed at the back for easy wearing. Find it on Ravelry.

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