Knitch Magazine

When we first walked into the 27th international Handarbeit & Hobby trade fair in Cologne, Germany, we were overwhelmed by the flurry of activity that surrounded booth after booth of yarn, embroidery, needlework and handicraft suppliers. It was unlike anything we’d ever seen – and we’ve been to similar industry shows in Columbus, San Diego, Paris and Florence.

An expansive two-storey facility within the sprawling Cologne Conference Center was literally bursting with over 200 suppliers from 24 countries who’d come to showcase their products to distributors and retailers throughout the world. Sleek, modern booths displayed new materials and new designs as representatives from manufacturers eagerly informed visitors of what they thought – and they hoped -- would be taking the knitter’s fashion scene by storm next winter. Marketing materials were being distributed, orders were being written, and the flurry of activity was virtually non-stop for three days. It quickly became apparent that knitting is as popular as ever, and still appealing to young people who are looking for ways to exert their individuality. An enthusiastic market remains for designs that are quick and easy to make, appealing to the basic human need to express creativity and traditional values. And there’s always an appreciation for the more complex designs that test one’s skill as well as one’s sense of fashion.

We’d come to Cologne for the first time because we’d heard that this was the show to see, and the one that is taken very, very seriously in the knitting industry. Our advisors were right. The event had attracted, from the U.S. industry, dignitaries like Iris and Elliot Schreier of Artyarns, Kristin Muench from Muench, and Joel Davidson from Lantern Moon. They, like KnitchMagazine, had come to see what would soon be capturing the imagination of their customers back in the States.

Entry to Handarbeit & Hobby is restricted to the industry, so consumers are not permitted access. Our good friend, Stefan Kreutz, Senior Brand Manager of Gedifra, Schachenmayr and Regia yarns, was kind enough to provide KnitchMagazine with passes into the show so we’d be able to tell our readers what to expect this autumn and winter. We found him very busy in the enormous booth sponsored by Coats & Clark that dominated the upper floor of the show.

Stefan (shown here with Linda Pratt, National Marketing Manager for the U.S. Westminster Fibers operations) and his team were responsible for gorgeous displays for each of his divisions. Modern mannequins were dressed in dramatic styles crafted in new yarns and new colors for existing lines. The textures were classic – nubby tweeds, plush chunky yarns, worsteds. We saw a lot of grays, purples, tweeds, and wonderful combinations of earth tones – golds, browns and beiges -- that included a burst of blue or burnt orange for drama. The styles ranged from big knit cardigans, ponchos and jackets to slim-fitting pullovers and tunics with intricate cables.

Gedifra displayed some updated tunics including this one in purple, green, and fuschia. It’s a challenging pattern made with Silenzio wool and acrylic yarns from Schachenmayr, but it’s a style that would be well worth the effort.

This purple ribbed tunic in a combination of Gedifra's Extra Soft Merino and new Extra Soft Merino Grande yarns has a peek-a-boo bodice, ribbed collar and front button placket. The empire waist line and fingertip length is very flattering to most figures.

This asymmetrical jacket in Gedifra Videra really caught our eye. Its enormous yarn buttons, stand up collar, and textured ¾ length sleeves give it a striking look that would be perfect for evenings out or paired with jeans for a contemporary casual style.

This autumn you’ll find some fabulous patterns using Gedifra Highland Alpaca. This enormous scarf is knit in a unique color combination that we thought was great for fall – burgundy, gold, blue and green. The plush jacket on the right, made in new Riana Big Color, with the big deep cut collar, is in a pretty blue that suits just about everyone. (Notice the enormous strand of pearls on the model in the background!)

We loved this dramatic and unique top in Gedrifra Samina. The asymmetrical lines, unusual ribbed patterns and intriguing neckline are sure to make this one of their more popular high fashion items this autumn. This new yarn will be available later this year in a wide range of luminescent colors.

Another item we saw that we thought would be a big hit this winter is Dunvegan, an intricately patterned sweater in Rowan's new Felted Tweed Aran. Not only is the pattern interesting, but the color is a great combination of earth tones with complementary touches of teal and rose. We also love the accompanying Cambell Scarf that includes a touch of burnt orange.

Overall, the Gedifra patterns were striking and unique, thanks to their fabulous designer, Karola Gӧttwald, seen here speaking to a visitor at the Gedifra booth. These designs will be available in the Autumn/Winter 2009 book.

One of our favorite items from the show is this pretty, feminine cardigan made with Rowan Silky Tweed. This new yarn, a blend of 80% lambswool and 20% silk, is available in 12 soft shades with gentle flecks of tweed. We’re seeing the popular red, teal and gold color combination in this garment, making it versatile enough to wear with a number of existing wardrobe items.

We’re certain this entire collection of Rowan garments created with new, wonderfully soft Rowan Lima yarn is going to be very popular this autumn. The colors are new and flattering, and the styles will appeal to knitters of all ages. The tunic in this photograph boasts wonderful stripes in the most popular autumn colors. There’s an unexpected purple amidst the greens, blues, golds and orange. The loose, drop sleeves and V-neck give this a comfortable, casual look that’s perfect for crisp weekends.

The Kimono-style cardigan in rich burnt orange looks warm and cozy with its loose sleeves and a tie belt. We can see this sweater dressed up or down at football games or for other weekend activities.

One of our favorites in the Rowan collection is this brown and blue jacket with vertical striping that will elongate the body and bring a pretty accent to jeans or casual pants. It has a feminine shape and delicate ribbed edge that looks almost like a ruffle.

Another gorgeous display at the Coats booth presented a great new variety of Regia sock yarns. This collection convinced us that socks will remain a popular choice for knitters. We saw some terrific color combinations that will inspire sock lovers who want to complement wardrobes in the new fall colors.

The Regia and Rowan patterns and yarns we saw at the show, like those from Gedifra, are new for Autumn 2009 and will be appearing in upcoming pattern books.

Our friends from Katia were proud to celebrate their 25th year at Handarbeit & Hobby, and we want to congratulate them on their achievement.

We noticed a lot of light colors at the Katia booth, like winter white -- which is very soft and feminine. We were surprised by the juxtaposition of thick, bulky knits with layers of delicate chiffon. Oddly, it worked...in a youthful and unexpected way. Katia also offered a selection of hats that will be fun -- and quick -- to make.

The Lang booth popped with colors -- blues, greens, gold, purple, reds and burnt orange. (This must surely be THE color of the season.) We especially love this high-necked jacket with ruffled cuff and waist and leaf-inspired closures. The orange-dominated combination of earth tone colors makes it especially pretty.



Our favorite at the Lang booth just has to be this elegant 3/4-sleeve cropped jacket with a cabled collar. It's a classic design that will be worn for years to come...with everything from casual pants to elegant dresses and skirts. We're convinced this Lang pattern will be a tremendous hit with knitters because it's relatively simple to make, complements virtually every body and style, and has such clean, traditional styling -- with a dramatic collar feature -- that is sure to become a wardrobe staple.

One of the highlights of our attendance at the show was our visit to the Lana Grossa booth. There we joined Kirstin Muench, owner of Muench Yarns, and her colleague Kerry Adams for our first look at Lana Grossa's new line up of yarns. First of all, the booth was fantastic, with a variety of yarns and colors -- from bold brights to subdued earth tones. We saw cables and bobbles and lots of color and texture treatments. There were big, enveloping sweaters and close-cropped jackets, wraps and shawls and warm wooly scarves and hats. (We saw the ubiquitous orange, too!) We considered ourselves very lucky to be able to examine the books containing samples of yarns -- just to get a quick glimpse of what we'll be seeing when the autumn lines are available here in the States. We also appreciated the chance to spend some time with Kirsten and her colleague as they decided which yarns they'll be featuring next season.

Kirstin told us that eco conscious consumers made Lana Grossa’s Linea Pura line a super success for spring 2009, so they’ve added three new eco conscious yarns for Fall/Winter.

“We’ll also have a new Linea Pura magazine for Winter,” she says. “It’s due to be out in August.”

She also told us something that we’d seen ourselves while visiting Cologne: a knitting wave has hit Germany, with younger knitters joining the ranks. Lana Grossa has seen this as a great opportunity to spark more interest for them by creating a line of yarns under the new Ragazza Label. This yarn line is launching with two yarns for large needle knits because the younger group demands instant gratification. Ragazza will also introduce in late August its own magazine for the young or young at heart knitter.

Of the 11 new yarns that Lana Grossa displayed at the show, Kirstin has three definite favorites: Cinque, a single ply wool and acrylic blend with multi level muti-colored dye; Feltro & Feltrino, two weights of quality single ply felting wool; and Evento, a cotton and merino wool blend similar to Chiara with gorgeous colors and patterns.

This photograph of the GGH booth gives a great representation of the colors used to add drama and definition to the autumn 2009 palette. Here we see the rich gold, burnt orange, rust, red and deep blue that will be so popular when combined with browns, winter whites, beiges and greens. The styles are classic with a modern twist. Trend-setting but not trendy. Notice the hat on the model in the foreground. It's a slouchy, snood-like style that we saw on a beautiful little girl on a street in Germany. Outside, playing with her friends in the spring weather, she didn't know that she was, to us, the harbinger of a pretty new look we hope to see more of on this side of the ocean.

Of the yarns we saw in the GGH booth, Kirstin told us she is most excited about Arktis & Arktis Print, a super bulky quick knit for hats, scarves and vests. It’s knit on size 19 needles, so it’s great for super quick projects!

Another yarn Kirstin recommends is GGH Baby Alpaca, a pure beauty that’s all natural with no dyes. This buttery soft yarn from Peru comes in ten natural colors. She also suggests GGH Camello- wool and camel hair, a very sturdy blend that makes a beautiful, bouncy yarn.

Great patterns for each of these yarns will be available in an upcoming issue of Rebecca magazine.





Each show we attend presents one new trend that almost all manufacturers agree is going to be the next big thing. Handarbeit & Hobby was no exception. This show displayed multiple versions of what appeared to be snowballs on a string, knitted up to be soft, luxurious pieces of heaven.

Whatever its name -- and it had many -- it appeared in booth after booth:
big puffs and little puffs, solid puffs and multi-colored puffs, strung together every three or four inches on a yarn. It was used for plush hats and scarves, vests, purses...a terrific variety of items and styles to help make the snowy season soft, snuggly and warm.

We were delighted to see this yarn so overwhelmingly embraced in Europe. It was introduced to us in the U.S. earlier this year by Universal. Their Rozetti Cocoon yarn is a terrific version of what we saw in at least a dozen booths. It comes in a myriad of colors, from pretty pastels to deep, rich earth tones. We're convinced this yarn will be successful in the U.S. because it's a fun, new entry that's a little different and works up into some truly unique articles that will be quick to make and fun to show off. For those who would like to try it now, we suggest two patterns : the Loopy Crochet Cocoon Scarf and My Sister's Cocoon Scarf.



When we attend shows, we enjoy looking at the booth displays almost as much as we enjoy seeing new yarns. Handarbeit & Hobby offered us a spectacle of presentations that were truly inspiring. From the expansive Coats booth with its vast and varied fashion displays to the Opal booth that featured "robotic" models interacting with the audience, this was an exciting show.


Interspersed with yarn booths were embroidery and quilting manufacturers who gave us beautifully colored displays and interesting demonstrations. There was a fashion show that repeated three times a day, much to the delight of fascinated audiences. There was color, noise, bustling energy and optimism about our industry. There was pride in the quality of the products being presented, and for many, pride that their company has had a long history of success. And the reason for that success? They are passionate about style and creativity...and they provide knitters throughout the world with fabulous yarns and fashionable designs to make with them.