49 Days

49 days until Christmas.  Growing up my mother encouraged us to make gifts for one another.  She always felt if someone cared enough to give up their time it was truly a gift of sacrifice and love.  Mama wasn't a knitter, but she was an amazing cook.  Each year a few days before Christmas, we would bake her famous cinnamon rolls.  Some with pecans, some with raisins and others with both depending on who was receiving the rolls.  I can still smell of yeast dough rising in the laundry room (on top of the dryer of course).  But that was nothing compared to the smell of cinnamon as the bread baked.  Now I am not talking about a couple of pans of rolls, I saying 3 dozen pans!  (She collected the aluminum pie pans all year and stored them in cabinet below the bread bag drawer).  You see my parents were children of the depression, and they saved everything.  In this world where it is cheaper to buy a new one than fix it, I appreciate the lessons they taught me about using what you have and learning to fix things yourself.  My dad could fix anything.  He grew up as the son of a farmer and had a career as a rocket scientist for NASA.  I am truly blessed to have parents who taught me to love others by sharing your gifts, to value what God has given you and take care of it. 

Now back to the rolls.  When they were done, we would cover them with icing, package them up, and my brother David and I would go out for delivery.  Of course we were greeted with squills of delight as we knocked on doors and handed over the much anticipated rolls.  Even now Mama's Cinnamon Rolls are a topic when we see old friends.  I believe I'll bake up a batch or two for my friends this Christmas, in between knitting up the scarves and hats I have in my project line-up.  Since I only have 49 days, I better get busy. 

What are you knitting for Christmas?  Have you got your list made up of all the memorable gifts you are planning?  I am working on slippers for Gary.  I've discovered thrumming and I am thrumming the bottoms of a cozy pair of felted slippers.  They will be at the shop Wednesday.  Stop by to see them.  Linda has worked up a beautiful scarf that is fast using a size 35 needle.  We've got some great projects and beautiful hand dyed yarns just waiting for you at the shop.  If you are running out of time, we are having a shop sample sale on Saturday, December 3 from 10-3.  Bring in what you are working on so we can gather some more ideas.  See you soon. 

The Marathon

The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres (26 miles and 385 yards),^[1] that is usually run as a road race. The event was instituted in commemoration of the fabled run of the Greek soldier Pheidippides, a messenger from the Battle of Marathon (the namesake of the race) to Athens.

From Wikipedia

            I feel like the past six weeks have been a marathon of knitting.  Linda and I have been knitting up a storm in July and August, preparing for the Fall Cpt Kyle Comfort Benefit Fashion Show at the Jacksonville Community Center on Sept 10 at 9:30-12:00.  We are designing new knitwear, which means that I have been doing a lot of knitting and taking out, and starting over the see what looks cool.  (Something I never thought I would have the heart or the will to do).  We have sweaters, shawls, scarves, hats and cowls in the works and they are impressive, if I may say so myself.  You have to come out to the Fashion Show and see them.

            I have found that when I wear something I have knitted, it usually elicits the response- "Wow that's gorgeous- where'd you get it?"  I love to say, I made it.  Or more often I say Linda knit it and it was too big for her so she gave it to me.  Isn't it wonderful!  I have learned that if I practice and relax my knitting muscles will become stronger and stronger.  Soon I will be knitting like Linda!

            So, back the marathon.  They say there is something very rewarding about a marathon.  In order to complete it, one must practice and grow progressively stronger.  When it comes to knitting, you begin with easy patterns and then challenge yourself with new stitches and more complicated techniques.  Linda, Susan and I try to teach classes that advance your skills.   In September Susan is teaching a pattern Linda wrote and knitted which we have put together with a shawl box.   The pattern will include simple lace patterns, combined with other techniques.  Linda is teaching a sleeveless vest/sweater with an inserted medallion.  It is stunning and looks complicated, but when broken down into individual parts it is easy to tackle with Linda's gifted teaching and encouragement.  I will be teaching a class which will use you bits and pieces of stash yarn to knit a beautiful caplet. 

            With Fall just around the corner (a refreshing thought with temperatures kissing 100 degrees) it is time to begin thinking about knitting Christmas gifts.  I have heard there are actually people who have all their gifts wrapped by October.  I can't imagine.... and where is the fun in that?  My mom always felt there was nothing more special than a hand made gift.  A loaf of bread, homemade jelly, a pair of knitted slippers, or a beautiful shawl or afghan.  Come see what Yarns HomePlace Farm is putting together for your holiday knitting.  Scarf boxes, shawl boxes and more are in the works.  We are busy dyeing Auburn and Alabama yarn for fall, and other striking color ways that are only limited by your imagination. 
            To bring this blog to an end, I wanted to share some of the past projects we have knitted up to inspire us all to begin training for our own marathons. 

Inspirations

“The Community”

Last year about this time, a friend confided to me her first thought on hearing that Linda and I were opening a yarn shop.  Note that she waited until we were busy with customers and new ideas before admitting thinking “who opens a yarn shop in Alabama, in the middle of a recession, in the summer, are they crazy?”  Note that my friend is from Wisconsin and her mother is a wonderful knitter.  And also note she is one of our biggest fans.  Realize there have been days when Linda and I have asked ourselves the same question.  We are delighted at how much we have enjoyed our first year here are “Yarns”.  It seems yarn shops are more than just retail outlets.  “They are more than the yarns that line the shelves, they are the people that bring life to the place.”  For the Love of Knitting.  They are a community.  I read once that the yarn shop is a place of respite, where knitters can turn with confidence when they run into snags along the way.  Sometimes yarn snags, and other times life snags.  We are amazed at how many of life little problems are solved at the Thursday Night Knit Along.  We once laughed that our classes should be free, and that therapy and entertainment should cost extra. 

The yarn shop is the knitter’s candy store.  We always visit LYS when traveling the country.  Linda was recently in the French Quarters and didn’t miss the chance to visit the Quarter Stitch yarn shop.  It is a wonderful way to meet new people in the “community,” and get fresh ideas for new projects.  I found a yarn shop in Sacramento named Rumpelstiltskin’s.   I’ll stop by when I head out to California in July to see my grandson Derek and his parents.  We can all visit yarn shops all over the world using the net.  How about stopping by a LYS on your next summer vacation, then come by and tell us all about what you discovered and who you met in the “community.”