Blessed
in just a single word
Blessed
In the midst of the many things
that don’t go right, I am in constant and active remembrance of an
overwhelming appreciation for all
the things that do.
This summer they came like ocean
waves.
swells after swells of them
Why yes, there was the retreat
of them, but all I choose to see, feel and remember is the soft and gentle
seafoam of those moments that
wrapped around my ankles and swept me
up.
I realized at one point that I
had to start writing them down.
There were just so many of
them…these waves of gratitude for these exceptionally priceless moments that
were there for a fleeting moment and then gone in the same way that a wave on
the beach is there one brief moment and then not the next.
Last week it was found in the
moments preparing and creating these little felted mushrooms for our
celebration of the local fungus festival.
I am such a pushover…give me a handful of colorful wool,
some soapy water, fresh gathered green moss, sweet little alder cones, with a
friend by my side, and I am in heaven. I was thinking of this one thing. It is the power of multiplication in handcrafts, and how it is actually an exponential process, for the passing of a new creative idea
multiplies itself in unforeseen ways. One idea always seems to expand itself into many more, above and beyond what I initially introduce. We ended up with a wonderful array of beautiful mushrooms under glass and globe. I don’t know what it is about a bright red cap and a little white stalk
that gets to me, but it just does, and I was delighted to see purple ones and
multicolor shaded ones appear and come to life in this amazing way when
surrounded by fresh moss and miniature woodland gatherings. A wave upon the shore.
Two nights ago , Anna Hernandez, our local librarian
came by the shop. Her arms were
full of a heavy load; large bags overflowing with skeins of beautiful hand dyed yarns. We were to put together her new yarn
launch, and so together, we visited and shared an evening filled with thoughts
and ideas, as we prepared the upstairs Net Loft tables for the unveiling.
As I scurried about, under my
breath, I thought to myself, “THIS
moment… is one of those moments, don’t miss it”. And so, paying close attention, I tried to keep my eyes wide
open to all that was going on around me.
Anna’s new yarns are lovely,
just like her, full of beauty and grace, both sweet and thoughtful.
Read here and you will
understand better the concept of
“Skeins in the Stacks” and
Anna’s first release.
True to her librarian roots, the
yarns are organized in a Dewey Decimal sort of way, 100 being the finest laceweight, 200 Fingering, 300 Sportweight,
400 DK..etc. Each weight is
named after an author such as “Potter”,
which is a luxurious laceweight cloud-like angora with over 437 yards
per 50 grams.
The first release has two
components. The natural dyed
component, “First Frost
Cranberries” is dyed with hand gathered low bush cranberries, gathered by Anna
and her mother. It has
shades of soft ballerina pink,
that vary into a soft pale
magenta. Natural dyed yarns have
an essence unique to them alone.
The soft undertones of this plant dyed collection causes one to simply
say, “Ahh..” It has immersed
within its fibers, walks in the woods on fall days with buckets filled with
natures gems, ripe bright red cranberries. These yarns have a few that are not part of her regular yarns including a fine 4 ply Corriedale, 50/50 Mohair Wool DK, and a 12ply Heavy Worsted Corriedale. All yarns with great wearability. They may not be as soft, but they are good wearing wools and make for articles that need that wearability factor. Good old fashioned wool. Some are on angora lace, and a few are on the Organic Dk.
"First Frost Cranberries"
"First Frost Cranberries"
The other component is a
collection of conventionally dyed yarns that follow the book theme of the story
of Peter Rabbit. Named after
different elements of the storybook,
Anna stays true to her librarian roots with displays that are a reflection
of that aspect of her life using the old familiar card catalog trays for
displaying her creations.
Her colors are:
"The Little Jacket and the Shoes"
"Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail"
The bases she uses for these are
the following, which are all Anna’s invention:
Laceweight Yarns – “Potter”
Long Staple
Angora
437 yards 50 g
Like a cloud. If the fog could kiss you, this would
be what it would be like. Ultimate luxury. Perfect for a fine lace scarf or
cowl. The bunny yarn.
Fingering Weight Yarns – “Herriot”
Superwash BFL 75%, Nylon 25%
464 yards
100 g
Rarity, warm and durable Superwash
Blue Faced Leicester is great for sweaters, socks, and wristers. Picture James
Herriot pulling on his handknit socks from this yarn as he goes out on a late
night winter call.
DK Weight Yarns – “Thoreau”
Ultrafine Organic Merino Wool
246 yards 100 g
Ultrasoft, high quality organic yarn,
as Thoreau would have appreciated. Very good stitch definition. Great for
babywear and children’s clothing, men or women’s accessories such as hats, mittens or wristers.
Worsted Weight Yarns – “Austen”
Merino Worsted Superwash
218 yards 100 g
If Jane could have had a superwash
wool,she would have chosen this yarn to knit herself a cozy shawl. 4 ply with
great stitch detail, perfect for cable stitch patterns. Would make a beautiful
sweater.
And so, we had a lovely party yesterday afternoon, complete with Anna’s delicious home baked carrot cake with yummy
frosting decked with fresh juicy blackberries in true Beatrix Potter
fashion. We gathered around,
oogled over her yarns, hand made dolls and knitted kitty cats, made lavender
sachets with Anna’s trial skeins, drank chamomile tea and Net Loft punch and
left the world beyond the doors of the classroom behind.
I have recently begun to refer to this space as “La La Land”,
where, for that moment I walk through the doorway, there is nothing left behind the
doors that open into our classroom loft.
Paperwork, boxes of unpriced freight, piles of unfinished and unresolved
merchandise issues and unopened mail, conveniently disappear when you pass through the gateway to “Lala
Land”. And these past two weekends
were a pleasant journey to this special place, where the waves lap up and wrap
themselves around your ankles, and the pleasant sensation of the moments that
make up these special times amongst the company of friends and fiber
prevail.
We are excited to be the launching
site for Anna’s new yarns and hope you get the opportunity to swing by and take
a peek and soak up her Peter Rabbit inspired collection. For any of you whose childhood or
parenthood included repetive readings of this familiar tale, it will conjure up
memories of this sweet bunny and Beatrix Potter’s engaging watercolor drawings
that often say as much as the words themselves. We look forward with anticipation to Anna’s future releases
and wonder… which book will she choose next?
We hope you will join us, even if it
be via the internet as we journey into that place where handcrafts and
friendship intersect, and that you are able to sense and savor the waves of
special moments in your own daily life that lap around your very own ankles,
even if they be for brief moments as they retreat to the sea.
Blessed
Truly blessed.
as always,
Happy Handcrafts
yours truly
net loft dotty
next week...the premiere of Sharon from Three Irish Girls Fall Collection..
All this wonderful yarn!
Knitting and Crochet Season is upon us.
Come see next week our cozy up and knit for fall table
the wools are waiting for you...
2 comments:
Dotty,
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!
Love,
Anna
Thank you Anna! The yarns are lovely and we are happy to have them at the shop.
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