twist, YARNS OF INTRIGUE

a boutique experience for knitters looking for unexpected delights. at twist, you will find one-of-a-kind original yarns, handmade by artisans from around the world. . .cloud-soft organic wools and cottons, airy lace mohairs, vibrant silk blends, buttery cashmeres and surprisingly lush natural plant fibers, including hemp, soy and bamboo. all in rich palettes of contemporary colors.

in addition to the twist signature line of exquisite hand-spun, hand-dyed blends of natural and man made fibers, twist also presents a hand-picked line of artisan yarns and fibers, a trove of originals, perfect for knitting, crochet, felting, weaving, embroidery and spinning.

at twist, you will find one-of-a-kind original yarns,handmade by artisans from around the world. . . cloud-soft organic wools and cottons, airy lace mohairs, vibrant silk blends, buttery cashmeres and surprising fiber mixes from south africa, and luscious alpaca from bolivia – all made by local women employed by special projects  that pour part or all of their profits back  into bettering the communities they come from.

More than thirty years after it happened, Cathy Karen can still pinpoint the moment when her career in art took an unexpected twist.

As a fine art major in the conceptual art department at University of California, Irvine, she had created a painting for a traditional painting class. But instead of leaving the finished canvas alone, she began pulling at the fabric – easing out individual threads, and leaving behind a painting that was as much about the canvas as it was about the paint.

“My professor looked at my work and he said, ‘You need to think about textiles.’” she recalls. “That was a pivotal moment in my art career.”
Indeed it was. The Manhattan Beach textile artist immediately refocused her studies, switched universities to enroll in one of the West Coast’s leading textile arts programs, and soon launched into a highly successful career in textile design and color consulting.

Now, at last, she’s working for herself – bringing all her skills and creative energies to her newly-opened business “twist, Yarns of Intrigue” in Manhattan Beach, California, a boutique yarn store that is already drawing raves from knitting bloggers and knitters across the country...

‘Before Sunrise’ writes: “ I was just there today and wow, everything is wonderful, instant love. I petted and bought my first Malabrigo (worsted and lace) and saw my first Habu scarf and bought a kit. Cathy is super helpful, enthused, friendly, and down to earth. I often feel intimidated or invisible at yarn stores, but she made me feel welcome and at ease. I love the selection of yarn, luxurious and earthy at the same time.”

For Karen, the store is the outlet she has long desired for her creative energies – an opportunity to express her own vision in textile and color, after years of working with others as a product designer and color consultant in the carpet industry. With “twist” she has created a store brimming with hand-picked artisan yarns, rich skeins of cashmeres, silks, organic fibers, mohair bouclés, kelp, bamboo, soy and an array of surprising blends in a finely-tuned palette of colors, many of them hand-painted.

Karen puts careful thought into her choices, spending hours and hours searching out yarns and colors that can’t be found easily, supporting women artisans whenever possible. She takes particular pride in what she calls her “yarns of conscience,” a collection of beautiful yarns from around the world made by women employed by special projects that pour part or all of their profits back into helping the communities they come from.

Her most personal yarn, however, is her own, a signature line of “twist” yarns that are surprising combinations of fibers and textures, hand-plied by Karen to create one-of-a-kind skeins that can’t be found anywhere else but in her own store or on her website.

"As a Color Consultant and Product Designer, I focus my energies on designing products and colors that will create volume and sales for the companies I work with", she says." I always balance my personal sensibilities of what I view as beautiful, with an understanding and appreciation for the target market."

“But with my shop, I get to focus on what I think is aesthetically fresh, on work that isn’t necessarily being represented in the mass market,” she continues. “There are yarn artists working in small home industries that are making breathtakingly exquisite yarns. In my shop, I’m able to bring these in. I wanted my store to give exposure to these wonderful yarns.”

Karen also carefully edits what she purchases, with an eye towards colors that are what she calls “fashion forward.” As a color consultant, who for over 25 years has participated in the Color Marketing Group, an international not-for-profit Association of 1,100 Color Designers who forecast Color Directions® one to three years in advance, she has a finely-tuned perception of color.

"A lot of people visit the shop and are amazed at the color selection. They say these are colors they don’t see everywhere,” she says. “I don’t bring in every color that each artisan or manufacturer offers. I edit with fashion and interiors in mind. And my own line of twist yarns is filling the voids that I see within that. Sometimes, I just can’t find what I’m looking for by anybody else, so I’m creating it.”

Karen’s cozy space also features her “Color Kitchen,” where she offers classes and private parties for creating modern tie-dye shirts and accessories based on Shibori techniques, a fifth-century Japanese method of coloring cloth. The colors are custom-created by Karen and are made with non-toxic, professional quality dyes.

For more information, please call: 310.374.7810

Click here for more information about the ColorKitchen

the artisans

a celebration of some of the most creative and singularly beautiful yarns being made today.This hand-picked selection of yarns features a range of knitting treasures, from highly-polished superwash sock yarns to highly-textured handspun curly mohair locks. every yarn in this group is hand-painted or kettle-dyed, and some are hand-spun...cashmere, alpaca, camel, merino, brushed mohair, cotton, wool blends, super-wash merino mixed with cashmere or bamboo and silk combined with cashmere, Merino or Seacell

a constant surprise in the making, with the yarns’ colors evolving and moving as the garment is being knit. each skein is distinctly individual, perfect for knitters who want to create a piece that is truly one of a kind.

the unexpected

Nettle fibers  befrom Tibet. Yak down from the Himalayas.

Yarns made from surprising fiber blends, including bamboo, hemp. milk, soy, paper...even sock yearn made with shrimp and crab shells. Delicate blends of fine threads, plied with plump tufts of yarn. Stainless steel fibers wrapped with shimmering silks.

Rich colors, surprising textures

Unexpected yarns that will yield definite delights.

the naturals & organics

Strictly organic. Peruvian cottons in three naturally occurring colors(no dyes!): toast, sage and cream.

Wool and wool blended with cotton made in Vermont by a company that promotes and supports sustainable agricultural and business practices. Available in a full palette of colors, made from dyes that are free of heavy metals and aromatic amines.

Yarns that are all about minimizing negative ecological impact to the planet.

Knit a beautiful garment and help sustain Mother Earth.

and… yarns with a conscience

A special offering of yarns that help change the world, one stitch at a time.Delicate beaded yarns from India, surprising fiber mixes from South Africa, luscious alpaca from Bolivia. All made by local women employed by special projects that pour part or all of their profits back into bettering the communities they come from.

Yarns with a conscience for knitters who care.

 THE COLOR KITCHEN AT  twist...

a place where you can explore your creative energy through tie-dyeing...with a modern twist, or learn traditional techniques of the japanese textile art, shibori. everything you need is here, including a wide assortment of classic and modern-cut high-quality cotton t-shirts, silk chiffon wraps, and casual bags – all ready for you to tie-dye or hand-paint, using non-toxic, hand-mixed colors created by owner and textile designer, Cathy Karen.  create on your own or get tips for new techniques from Cathy

bring your kids for a family art activity… or throw a birthday party where everyone experiences  the joy of creating and leaving with something unique . . . gather your girlfriends for a talk-and-tie-dye afternoon. . . or come on your own for some quiet time, while you make a one-of-a-kind creation for yourself  or a gift for someone special. . .

it's fast, fun and easy, no artist's credentials required. . . come play in our kitchen, no need to mess up yours!

twist for your next party!