Friday, July 19, 2013

An Idea....


Net Loft Hospitality Project

It is quite simple actually.
It is about a cookie and a cup of tea
some yarn and a cozy corner
it’s as simple as that


Catherine so kindly offered us her lovely crystal jar to use for this project.
It is perfect.
For those that want to come and knit and have a place to find a haven whether one needs a momentary escape from home life, a spot to meet with a friend for a little knit together, if one is a seasonal worker, migrant family, or even just visiting for a few days, we would like to extend an invitation when the shop is open to drop in to the upstairs room and have a cup of tea and a cookie and sit  for a bit.  Yarn + tea  and a little treat.  That is the thought. 

I remember my days living in a bunkroom and I remember my friend, Bonnie, inviting me to her bunk room for a cup of tea and home made toast.  Little things can be big things. In those moments, I felt a sense of "home" and belonging.   We would like to offer our upstairs space as a place to come and sit and knit and make yourself a cup of tea and have a cookie compliments of those who are willing to share a few cookies to add to our cookie jar.  What I am thinking is that when you are baking at home, if you so desire, if you would just slip 2 or 3 cookies  of your batch into a little zip bag and bring them by the shop and drop them in the jar, altogether, we would be able to have a little home baked treat for those  who are passing through.  It is a little way to say “we welcome you”. 

Being a migratory family for  as long as I remember, I have come to believe that home is where you are at that moment,  no matter how long that may be.  Whether it be on a boat or in a bunkroom, in a tent,  cabin, or house,  we all need to feel that sense of home and belonging.   We want those that spend time in Cordova to know they are welcome and this is just a very simple little way to help us do that.  This may sound corny, but to me, to have a home baked cookie from someone is like getting a little hug. 

We welcome everyone to make use of the space upstairs when we are open when a class is not happening.  Come sit and knit, meet with a friend, have a cup of tea and cookie for a little retreat, especially on those rainy days.  If you are able to and love to cook and have an extra cookie or two, help us keep our cookie jar full as a token of our fine Cordova hospitality.  Thanks!

with love and a stitch or two,
Net Loft Dotty

Saturday, July 6, 2013

Jumping in...

The whirlwind of summertime.
I feel bad for my lack of posting, but what it really means is that  I have had my mind, hands, and feet feverishly occupied in the shop, as well as with family in and out from fishing.
I refer to it as "The Grand Juggle".
Boxes in the shop hallway means new merchandise is here.  Dwindling boxes in the hallway means new merchandise is out on the shelves an tables. 

As the shop takes on its summertime persona, a full bulletin board of classes and activities means preparing, planning and gathering around the upstairs table for frequent craftfests and knitting circles.



In the midst of this comes a desire to participate in an activity seen in  Shelly Kocan’s Blog, South of Ultima Thune.   Shelly is the Yarn Artist and creator of Snow Capped Yarns,  one of our beautiful lines of locally dyed yarns.  I have been wanting to participate in something she has been doing, Weekly Love, and though my work is piled in piles upon piles and lists upon lists, if I don’t just jump in, I will blink and another week will go by.  The project comes from HERE.

Amidst the busy ness, I am jumping in and although so much is personal, so much this time of year is woven into shop life.


A week of gratitudes

SATURDAY

Planning
Preparing
Picking
Painting  with daughter Nelly, the soon to be bride.



SUNDAY

REST
Plan
Punch
Paint (even if just a little)


MONDAY

A room full of knitters and the sweet sound of the hum of voices in conversation in tune with the click of needles in motion



TUESDAY

35
through storms and calm seas
still afloat




WEDNESDAY
Alaska Fisherman Yarn
Materialization of the wisp of a notion.



THURSDAY
twofold

dreamy project shown from Christa


time together
Shelly and Snow Capped
Shelly's soft touch permeating her lovely skeins of yarn
Thoughts of those delightful hand dyed hanks venturing out into world into the hands of knitters
Beauty and function intertwined as they reach  their final destination.


FRIDAY
Loving hands of parent and grandparent helpers and the voices and creations of the children as they gather round the Net Loft classroom table.


And there you have it.

There are all sorts of  happenings stirring about in the store this next week, including yarn releases from Snow Capped and Skeins in the Stacks, complete with parties and give aways. Details also for the Alaska Fisherman Yarn on the way, but just wanted to take time at this moment for “the list” before I missed the deadline AGAIN, and always good to stop everything, take a breath and count our blessings, and  acknowledge those grateful moments of daily life.  Join in if you get a notion.   "Weekly Love"  Even if you don’t post it online, it's nice to just take a moment to jot down a weeks worth.  I could have filled pages and pages as I stopped and thought of all the daily gratefulnesses of this past week. 

Hope you have time for a crafty break. Come see us if you’d like us to help with that.  We invite you  to  climb up the Net Loft staircase,  and escape for a Net Loft craft break via any of our many classes or for our drop in times.

Note the following dates you won't want to miss.
SNOW CAPPED RELEASE  (in shop and online)  In shop Wednesday July 10, 7 pm.  On line, live with newest yarns, 6:30 pm Alaska Time same day.  We will be having an online GIVEAWAY so stay tuned.

SKEINS IN THE STACKS  Saturday in shop at 3 pm.  Online dates to be announced.

SHOREBIRD Needlefelt Workshop   9 am Saturday July 13.  We are repeating this workshop from the Shorebrid Festival due to customer requests. There are a few spots left, so if  you are interested you can register easily right online or at the store.  Simply select "Needlefelting" from the drop down menu if you register online.

We are now on Twitter AND on Instagram. Join us for the latest in Net Loft news if you like.
Always love seeing you walk through "the door", whether it be here in the shop or here on our screen.


Love  to you this summer day,
Net Loft Dotty