in fine feather
Today we have not one, but two lovely new things to share with you.
First up: Introducing the Sparrow 2016 collection!
Quince design team members Isabell Kraemer, Melissa LaBarre, Dianna Walla, and Pam Allen whipped up a lovely set of four designs for our Sparrow linen yarn, just in time for the warming temps. 
clockwise, from top left: Aila tank by Isabell Kraemer, in color Birch; Amalia top by Pam Allen, in Maize; Zara tee by Dianna Walla, in Moon and Maize; and Pippa tank by Melissa LaBarre, in Nannyberry
Sparrow won me over to the non-wool side of knitting back when it was first released. The yarn has a beautiful sheen and gets softer and softer with each wearing and washing, and the weighty, yet buoyant hand of the fabric it creates is unlike that of any other fiber I can think of. It also opens up the possibilities for knitting things for seasons other than fall and winter, as evidenced by these wonderful shoulder-baring summery tops.
We'll be taking a closer look at each of these beauties one by one over the next week, but for now, here are a few more detail shots of what makes each piece special and unique and, we think, really fun to knit for warm-weather wearing:
above left: The sweet lace hem on the Aila tank—subtle and feminine. above right: Amalia's graceful, fluttery hem in garter stitch. That beautiful linen drape...
above left: Modern Zara, with just the right amount of horizontal and vertical stripes; the pattern tells you everything you need to know about creating those vertical lines (it's a fun technique!). above right: Sweet Pippa has a peek-a-boo panel of lace at the upper back. This is the lace pattern I swatched in the first image of Melissa's intro post—the lace is so fun and simple to work, and a lovely detail for this pretty tank top.
On to today's second release:
We're pleased to announce new colors for Sparrow! Three fresh shades have been added to the palette: pretty white Lunar, pale blue Sky, and—"oh, yes!!" was what I had to say when I first saw this one—black Eclipse.
Black linen. Yes, please.
These three colors add ever more versatility to our lightweight linen's palette. Zara in Eclipse, with Moon stripes, Amalia in Sky, Aila in Lunar...just a few pairings that come to mind from today's new offerings. I want them all.
