WWKIP Day
(World Wide Knit in Public Day)
June 8th, 2019

Little Fox Bosa

Dyed for us by Aimee of Little Fox Yarn in Texas, Bōsa is an otherworldly blend of superwash merino, yak and silk in a versatile dk weight, which creates a sumptuous yarn with a slightly heathered effect that you will not want to put down.

One skein of Bōsa would make a quick-to-knit hat (of course, we can think of nothing but Amy van de Laar's Beeswax Hat!), and we're thiiiiiiis close to scrapping all our currents works-in-progress to cast on the Soldotna Crop by Caitlin Hunter. The entire palette range sings together, and instead of a high-contrast sweater, we imagine the colorwork would melt together like a shimmering jewel.

Find Little Fox Bōsa HERE.

Summertime: Back to Basics

Summer. It's finally here, after what feels like an eternity. For us, summer is almost like the start of a new year, and for one reason or another (placing bets on the increased exposure to vitamin D!), this is the time of year we're inspired to try new things, set new goals, start new projects. And if we're being entirely honest, knitting doesn't always make the cut. Summer is a perfect time to be creative, but what might that look like if your creative outlets don't involve knitting? We'll never not be wholly devoted to our first love (wool!), but here are some other ways we like to unwind--and create!--when the weather gets warm:

Get outside. We know--it's not always as simple as it sounds. You're busy. Life is busy. But as often as you can, find a little green--or a little blue!--to help soothe, refresh and re-ignite your soul. Nell swears by twilight gardening sessions, and an hour spent hunting for Petoskey stones along Lake Michigan's shoreline is the gateway to my mental bliss. 

Make jam. The best way to capture summer's fleeting flavors. Going through these basic, stripped-down, analog routines--washing and sterilizing the jars, peeling the fruits, listening, waiting, watching--gives me deep, primal joy and helps me hold communion with the people in my life who've spent sticky summer afternoons in the same satisfactory way. (What's more fulfilling than that ping? Or seeing those jars lined up so smartly in your pantry?!?) Try this Strawberry Meyer Lemon recipe from Marisa at Food in Jars. Liz is aiming for some strawberry rhubarb sauce this season, but she's also willing to accept the fruits of someone else's labor, too, wink wink. I'm hoping to recreate this transcendent Raspberry Lavender jam I bought at the Santa Fe Farmer's Market in March, but if I can't, well, I know where to find it!

Learn a new craft. Think embroidery, spinning or punch needle. Take a painting class from your local art association. There are a few on the schedules at the Old Art Building in Leland or the Glen Arbor Arts Center that look amazing. So maybe you're not Matisse. You might be inspired by color in ways you never conceived--which in turn casts an entirely different light on your knitting or crochet life. You could even meet a new friend! Chelsey has been offering to teach us all to crochet--we can't wait.

Try a new recipe. One of my friends is hosting a party on Sunday night devoted entirely to salads--my contribution will be  a cold peanut/shrimp/cilantro pasta salad that's been a back-pocket recipe for 10 years. (Thanks, Kenna!) Judy's apple pie is so iconic that it's the family staple at summer family reunions on Elk Lake. Liz has been attempting lots of new recipes lately--even sushi! Annie's summer goal is to perfect quick-pickled veggies (but we're actually the ones that make out, since she is gracious enough to bring her kitchen feats in to the office!)

Tackle that mending pile. Visible mending is such a unique way to breathe new life into your favorite clothing--and the tiny, simple stitches are nothing short of meditative. We love Mending Matters by Katrina Rodabaugh--it's a concise, clear and beautiful entry into the ideas behind slow fashion.

Start a knitting journal. Write down your goals for the season, the year, your five-year goals. While they're fresh in your mind, jot down the details--and a sketch or a printed photo--of your lastest finished piece. We love our leather bee journals with their blank, unlined pages or the handsome Laine journals that have more focused prompts.

Knit something new for summer. Nell is working on the Olive Cardigan by Joji Locatelli in Primo Fingering (in preparation for our Plucky soirée in July), and it feels like Judy has a freshly cast-off sweater to show off every other week. You can NEVER go wrong with a pair of speckly socks!

L to R: Cityscape Tank by Lisa Ross, June Sun Hat by Ashleigh Kiser, Monstera Punch Needle Kit by our sweet friend Gwen Perenchio of Williamsburg.

Teach someone to knit or crochet. Who else remembers spending part of their summer on their elder neighbor's floral polyester couch, size 8 Susan Bates in hand and a world of possibilities laid out ahead of them? Whether you're teaching a child who's on summer vacation to crochet or hosting a margarita/mitten mixer with your co-workers, the world needs more Makers. Isn't it time we each gave someone a glimpse into what makes us tick? If teaching isn't necessarily your strong point, might we suggest a copy of Knit How, the newest comprehensive guide to learning how to knit, including tutorials, tips and 10 patterns for the new knitter.

The Ce Mitts from Knit How requires just one skein of DK weight....how about Bōsa?

Read. Read, read...and read some more. There's nothing that means summer more to me than reading. Nothing. Nell says any book is a good book. Judy has time on her deck reading and knitting penciled into her calendar. Annie is listening to Circe by Madeline Miller's on audiobook...in case she missed something the first time around. Liz is going nuts for the Medical Medium series. I am tearing through Edward Lee's Buttermilk Graffiti, just finished the Little Book of Lykke and am always anticipating the monthly feature from the Cottage Book Shop's book club.

Because we know we're not the only ones who are wild about words, we've really fluffed up our bookshelves at the shop with new titles that you're bound to love. Taproot is a back-to-the-earth magazine that celebrates  traditional handcrafts and whole-body living. Amirisu is a bilingual knitting magazine that features modern and elegant Japanese aesthetic. Pom Pom s a quarterly publication that presents knitting, crochet, and craft in the modern, beautiful, and meaningful way its editors have always known it should be. Mainly conceived as a collection of patterns complemented by thoughtful writing and useful tutorials, they celebrate the joy of making, hopefully without taking themselves too seriously! 

Happy Summer, friends. What are YOUR plans?