Yarn Folk will be closed until at least March 26th, when we’ll reevaluate public health information.

I expect to be okay. This will be a big challenge, and the financial ramifications are significant. Not just for me, but also for my suppliers, small and smaller. (Even the companies that seem “big” in the yarn world are mostly small businesses by any other measure.)

During this period of closure, I will be going to the shop periodically to fill any mail order requests, do remote shopping assistance, and provide curbside pick up. The shop will not be open for regular shopping; rather, I will be happy to discuss your projects with you by phone or email, and send photos of options. My phone is 509-304-4588 (please leave a message if I don’t answer) and email is ann@yarnfolk.com

This week, I plan to be in the shop from 11-2 on Wednesday and Friday. Depending on your location, delivery may be an option; we can discuss. Unfortunately, since I live in Roslyn, I won’t be able to facilitate on-demand deliveries—they would need to happen before or after the times I am at the shop. If I add availability, I will post here (www.yarnfolk.com/yarnfolkblog) and on Facebook.

***

Adding a personal note, I want to express how grateful I am to all my customers during this time of stress and upheaval. I made the decision to temporarily close the shop on Sunday (you can read the announcement I posted on Facebook here) prior to Governor Inslee’s announcement of additional measures to limit public interaction. While the virus is not life-threatening for most people, it does appear to be highly contagious, and transmissible even absent clear symptoms. I have many customers who have celebrated more than 60 birthdays, and the data shows that more serious complications are more likely to occur for folks in that age group. My goal is to help us all to protect each other.

As it happens, we yarn lovers are exceptionally well-suited to entertaining ourselves and remaining productive at home. When I’m at the shop, I’ll be putting together some pattern and yarn suggestions to keep you inspired. I’m not inclined to be too opportunistic in this regard, but I do think that making things is a fine coping mechanism, and it expresses a kind of faith in the future.

Stay steady, and keep showing compassion and kindness to everyone.

…to learn (and do)

All social circles temporarily suspended through March. This includes Beginning Knitting, Thursday and Sunday Social Stitching, and the Hinterland KAL.

Introduction to Lace Knitting: Kindness Shawl

May 2 & 9, 10:00am-12:00pm | Instructor: Lynn Bethke | $40 + materials

Learn the essentials of creating lacey knitted items in this project based class! We’ll explore the basics of lace knitting, how to read a chart, and tips and tricks to promote your confidence and success.

Pre-requisites: Able to knit and purl, cast-on and bind off. Some pattern reading experience.

Advanced Tink

May 16, 10:00am-1:00pm | Instructor: Michele Lee Bernstein, PDXKnitterati | $40 + $3 materials fee

Join Michele and learn how to fix common mistakes in your plain and lace knitting. You’ll play with a cable, too! Class will focus on reading your knitting, unknitting stitch by stitch (tinking), adding or removing a decrease, tearing out rows at a time (frogging), and other common lace mistakes.

Prerequisites: For this intermediate class, you should know basic increases/decreases and have the ability to read and work from a simple chart.

...to anticipate

Spring is on the horizon, and Bamboo Pop is back! Including, for the first time, a great, true red! We’ve also got a few cute amigurumi kits, if you need a fiddly (and cute!) small project to keep yourself busy.

Yarn Ball Kitty pins from Robot Dance Battle are back, too!

…to inspire

It’s pretty surreal when Mason-Dixon Knitting’s March Mayhem is THE March tournament…knitters, it’s up to us be a beacon of friendly competition. March Mayhem is explained here, and voting begins on Friday, March 20, when you can choose your eight favorite patterns from each of four categories. (Voting happens through Survey Monkey, and will be linked at Mason-Dixon Knitting.) As I did last year, I have compiled all of the patterns into one easy-to-view Ravelry bundle, and I’ll be highlighting some of my favorites (plus yarn suggestions!) throughout the tournament.

...to stitch