So Much August Goodness
“Cherish your solitude. Take trains by yourself to places you have never been. Sleep out alone under the stars. Learn how to drive a stick shift. Go so far away that you stop being afraid of not coming back. Say no when you don’t want to do something. Say yes if your instincts are strong, even if everyone around you disagrees. Decide whether you want to be liked or admired. Decide if fitting in is more important than finding out what you’re doing here. Believe in kissing.”
Dear One,
I realize that every month has its upside, but I can't help feeling that August gets more than its share of good stuff. The bounty of tomatoes and sweet corn and melon alone tip the scales pretty far in August's favor. If you're lucky, you can add lake time or river time, perhaps your local county fair, and I will argue that it's also the best month for reading fiction in a shady hammock.
August also tends to be a great month in the yarn shop. We have fun meeting all of the visitors who travel to (and through) Winona in the late summer and enjoy introducing them to yarns they may not have yet met. Typically, though, we don't welcome a whole lot of new yarns to the shop at this point in the year.
But our friends at Malabrigo have turned that outlook on its head and we've just opened some delicious boxes full of their just-released-even-if-it's-August yarn!
If you find yourself in a bit of a late-summer knitting/crochet slump right now, I'm pretty sure the allure of Malabrigo's new Torzal will snap you right out of it. It's two strands of glorious superwash merino twisted together to form a Sport/DK weight. It's the soft serve twist cone of the yarn world and you need it in your life!
The skeins are a great size at 50g/106 yards, so if you're using Torzal as an accent or in color work, you won't end up with a bunch of leftovers. As of this writing, we have all 16 colors in the shop, but check them out soon, because I predict they won't sit around.
I am itching to work Torzal into a sweater this autumn and I think our new shop sample will be a stunning version of The Shift by Andrea Mowry. But if you feel like burying your hands in this beautiful, color-happy yarn right away (like I do), may I suggest the instant gratification of the Jackie Bandana by Susanne Muller?
Jackie requires exactly one skein and feels like a truly August-worthy project. I love the idea of using a knitted or crocheted bandana to cover up weekend hair while I run errands. And it makes me happy knowing it will look equally fabulous tied around the neck (when my hair isn't wonky). Note: it feels like the Jackie pattern might only be available in German, but when you click to purchase it, you can choose either English or German.
I was also completely charmed by the Tunisian Crochet EmPower Bandana by Natalie at Detroit Knots. Tunisian crochet makes a fabric that almost looks woven and will surely show off this yarn in a fabulous way.
Do August the way you want to. Celebrate it. Ignore it. Escape it, if you need to. But I hope you have some fun with it. I'm thinking root beer float kind of fun. I'm thinking wild berries for breakfast kind of fun. I'm thinking just sweet corn and tomato slices for dinner kind of fun. Because what other month offers such opportunity?
Warmly.
Gaby
On-Going Opportunities:
Makers Mornings -- the 3rd Saturday of each month (Jan-May and Sep-Nov)
Beginning Crochet Class -- usually once per month on a Thursday afternoon
Beginning Knit Class -- usually once per month on a Thursday afternoon
