SUMMER'S END: WHAT DID YOU MISS, AND WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO?
New from Berroco—Lanas, 100% wool, non-superwash, worsted weight & new to Yarn Folk—Vintage Chunky, easy care acrylic/wool blend
This morning, I was listening to friends talking about what they missed during this summer, and what they’re looking forward to as we move into fall.
I miss seeing my son, who has been with his partner and her family since the stay-at-home orders began in the Pacific Northwest. This is by far the longest time I’ve gone without seeing him, and I don’t like it!
I’m also sad that the variety of small adventures Mr. Yarn Folk and I had planned to coincide with his marathon schedule were all cancelled. We’ve enjoyed each other’s company at home, but we’d have gone to Boston in the spring, Chicago in the fall, and made quick trips to Oregon and Canada in between.
With the nights already crisp, autumn is clearly on the way, and even while feeling a little wistful about a year that has not gone as planned (!), there are still things to be grateful for, and to anticipate. Even though it’s a LOT of work, and represents a very stressful need to adapt my business model, I’m looking forward to having a MUCH more functional website. (I’m switching from Squarespace to Shopify; but the site URL will remain yarnfolk.com, with current content there until we launch the revisions.) I’m looking forward to the coziness of wearing handknits, not just making them. And while we already mainly cooked at home, I bought an Instant Pot, and I’m looking forward to using it for soups and more as the weather cools.
What about you? What are you excited about?
Current open hours are Monday - Friday, 7am-3:30pm, and Saturdays, 9am-1pm. In-store shopping: mask covering nose and mouth required for the duration of your visit; two customers at a time; avoid any wait by scheduling at yarnfolk.com/scheduling. And we’re always open at yarnfolk.com/shop!
Beginning of Felix Pullover. Are you knitting along? Yarn options here.
…to learn (and do)
CURRENT CLASSES & EVENTS
Social Stitching via Zoom
Wednesday, September 9, 12:00-1:00pm https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88351111252?pwd=WFpkR2pLaEx4d1dMSFI3OXl4dWJ5Zz09 OR open Zoom and enter 883-5111-1252 for the meeting ID
Thursday, September 10, 4:00-6:00pm https://us04web.zoom.us/j/981942707?pwd=TExyQlRPWnB3OW40QkFZRCs5aVRtQT09 OR open Zoom and enter 981-942-707 for the meeting ID
Friday, September 11, 12:00-1:00pm https://us04web.zoom.us/j/741980568?pwd=bXp1ellFUHNqS0lUaFYvS1ord3Fndz09 OR open Zoom and enter 741-980-568 for the meeting ID FELIX KAL INCLUDED HERE!
PASSWORD FOR ALL MEETINGS IS 330044.
...to anticipate
Murky Depths Neptune DK
A pandemic-related change to the needlework industry was that when the summer trade show was cancelled, our trade association ceased its operations. That has led more of us to meet our vendor reps via Zoom rather than in person, and for smaller groups to meet with potential new vendors via video presentation.
My first introduction to Murky Depths Dyeworks was when I purchased a skein of Deep Sock in “Woolyn It Be Loverly?” at my friend Rachel’s shop, Woolyn, while in NYC for last year’s New York City Marathon. Then earlier this summer, dyer Debbie Bresler did a video presentation to a group of shop owners. Based on that, I ordered a few sample skeins (with a shop sample in mind), and then placed an order for 13 colors of Neptune DK. I worked with Debbie on choosing a range of colors that would work well together in pairs or trios—but if you’re looking for sweater quantities of a single color, we’ve got you covered there, too. Neptune DK comes in at 230 yards per skein, and it’s a substantial DK—even at 20 stitches over four inches, you’re getting a reasonable sweater fabric.
Unboxing video here!
The solids are subtly tonal, and the variegated colors are rich and layered creations that combine their complementary colors. I really love this yarn, and hope you will too! See below for more information on the finished The Rose That Grew From Concrete.
…to inspire
© Malabrigo Yarn — Two color Highline shawl designed by Justyna Lorkowska for Rios
I normally access Malabrigo’s website via their wholesale portal, but recently found myself perusing the part of the site that is geared toward retail customers, and friends—their curation of patterns that were either designed for or have been frequently knit with their yarns is excellent! Part of last week was spent putting away two big boxes of Rios, Worsted, Arroyo, Susurro, and Sock, so if you find a pattern that speaks to you, it’s quite likely we can find great option!
...to stitch
The Rose That Grew From Concrete
While I featured a couple of close-up shots of this project while it was in progress, I held off on sharing photos of the finished shawl until I had my order from Murky Depths in hand! The Rose That Grew From Concrete uses three colors, but there is enough left from both contrast colors to make a bonus hat (and a pattern is included). This was a fun project to work—the crochet technique for making the bobbles really helps them to stand out, and the cabled lace pattern at the end is interesting to knit. You can find kits for this project here.
Mondim Socks
I spent some time adding a few rows to my Mondim Socks (in the souvenir Murky Depths yarn purchased in Brooklyn last fall), and they are pictured here on sock blockers from A Needle Runs Through It. (There are three designs available in the shop, and they are functional AND pretty!)
