Out of the Darkness, Into the Light

“There is always light. If only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.”

Amanda Gorman

Dear One,

If you are sitting in some sub-tropical place, drinking your coffee iced, and can feel a soft breeze on your cheek, perhaps this is not the note for you.


If, on the other hand, your morning includes a moment or two spent deciding how many layers of wool to wear on any given day, please read on.


This is the time of year when I most notice the length of day changing. Even though the increase in daylight is just a few minutes per day, suddenly there seems to be so much more of it. And, rather than night falling dramatically like a magician's cloak, it is beginning to filter in and allow more lovely, dusky evening before the darkness becomes complete.


At no other time of year do I appreciate the daylight, the darkness, and the space in between quite as much as right now.

During this exact stretch of time when my brain is most attuned to the light and the dark, this exquisite new yarn arrives in the shop. I am pleased to introduce Nightshades and Daylights, two new-to-us DK yarns from our friends at Harrisville Designs. Both are created from a blend of wool and American Cormo--all the sheep live their best lives in Montana and all the spinning of the yarn happens in New Hampshire.


The Nightshades line consists of ten shades of black, each distinguished by a sprinkling of another hue. The one in the photo is Street Lamp and the extra tint is yellow.


The Daylights collection is six delicate shades of creamy white, each spun with a hint of another color. The skein in the photo is Chirp, which has a bit of blue in the midst of it.


While each hue is fascinating, my favorite thing about this yarn is how it feels. Cormo is a long-staple wool, with a softness akin to merino--but it has more "spring" than its better-known cousin. I can hardly wait for you to give it a squeeze.

Personally, when I fall head over heels for a new DK, I immediately wonder which sweater I might make from it. But I am smack dab in the middle of a sweater right now, I know not everyone is a crazy sweater knitter, and it occurs to me that you might be craving a project with more instant gratification.


Above you see Elle's Night & Day Cowl by Andrea Mowry. I had to beg her to take it off of her body for a quick photo shoot...and she said she knit the large size (the pattern has four sizes) because she was having too much fun to stop. How's that for a testimonial?


Choose any one of the moody Nightshades and any one of the lighthearted Daylights and your ready to get started on this delightful project.

I hope you find some time to notice the light and the darkness and the space in between this week. It's a season of changing contrast, for sure!


Warmly,

Gaby