Lookie what just flew in from France… Crochet necklaces!
Ohlala… Come soon if you want one, they are HOT.

And here is Wink’s Canyon Skirt, photographed in the Frio canyon in Texas.

And our new favorite summer drink, Rio Frio Sangria.

To make:
In a large pitcher, cut up a peach, an apple, and toss in some blueberries and blackberries and raspberries and strawberries…
Pour in 1/2 bottle of white wine, 1/2 bottle of champagne or prosecco, 1 small can or bottle of grapefruit soda-pop, and about a cup of mango juice.

Serve over ice and top with a sprig of mint.

So good and so good for you!

Lilacs and Lace and Louet Linen. Y’all come on and try this dress on. It fits everyone.

Want to get friendly with crochet? Crochet artist Elena Ferrari will be working at Yarns in the Farms all Summer. Elena, who won the coveted NEEDLE-WORKER OF THE YEAR award when she was just 15, and is now at the ripe old age of 18, can help you with all of your crochetty needs. Elena will be teaching the lace dress this summer, at Yarns in the Farms. Stay in the loop…

Lookie what we have! Pins by Cape Ann artist Bonnie Bishoff…

AND new Alchemy Silken Straw…

Tink and sister Lou hit the town in Austin, Tink in the Milagro Floofy and Lou in Julita… And then the Belizean Dress made an appearance… I vote for a knitting retreat in Austin. We would just knit and eat and knit and eat and knit. And eat.

Here we are at Hill Country Weavers…

We worked up an appetite… Yummy unhealthy food!!!

And we went shopping…

and modeled our knitwear!

Just a few blessings to share… After reading about Sarah Hackett and Haiti Projects, A group of home-schoolers were inspired to help. Children and their parents spun, dyed, and knit wool to make a quilt. They raffled the quilt and donated the proceeds to Haiti Projects!

Wait, there is more!
Here is the Luna Moth that I saw in the garden…

and here is the one Barbara saw in her imagination!

And the greens are so luscious, that I wound up some new Sprout organic cotton… And then, as I was working on my new Emmaline, a little fairy touched the yarn

and it became THIS!

Y’all remember Jan, the knitting prodigy discovered right here in Yarns in the Farms? I do believe we have an active Genius Cluster at work right here in Beverly Farms.

Henceforth, her royal eminence Jan shall be called The Floofy Queen. Floofy Queen went out on the North of Boston yarn crawl, and lookie here what she whipped up with all of her goodies…
The 1010 Yarn Crawl Floofy Skirt, a genius cluster of yarn, buttons, and ribbon.

Okay, y’all… On my needles: Debbie Bliss Tunic Dress from Coastlines book… I am using Louet Euroflax linen in a salmon color, instead of silk, because I LOVE linen. I have the bodice portion done, and it is GORGEOUS. Perfect for summer and beaches and knitinis. I went ahead a blocked it before picking up the stitches and knitting the skirt, because I love the way the linen softens up in the soak, and I just couldn’t wait!

AND, I am knitting the Collared Cardigan, also from Coastlines, out of Debbie Bliss Firefly, a blend of linen and viscose. Did i mention that I love linen? The Firefly has a very different feel than the Euroflax. The fibers are a bit more haloed, and don’t lie as smoothly. Can’t wait to see how it washes up!

Wink is knitting a sweet little shell out of Debbie Bliss Pure Silk, from the new magazine, in sapphire blue, and can’t stop fondling the luscious fiber…

Anna is using the new Debbie Bliss Amalfi, another linen blend, with cotton and silk, and is in love.

What are y’all making now in anticipation of the warmer months?

Tink’s daughter, Anna, has been visiting. It’s always fun to ask this 24 year old uber-knitter and sometimeTwist Collective model what is on her needles.

Just now, she is knitting this for her friend Charis, a tall lanky beauty who will rock this sweater…

Anna is using the new Debbie Bliss Amalfi, and is in love with this new yarn. Here is why:

“The drape is incredible, even before I have blocked the piece. I can see the individual fibers… the silk, and the cotton and the linen. The silk stands out and has a wonderful sheen to it. The stitch definition is great because of that bit of shine. I love how each stitch comes out partly shiny and partly matte… giving the fabric a really cool subtle patterning. It is wonderfully textured for spring knitting in a sunny window, especially if you can finish in time for a summer garment. Amalfi has the perfect summer fibers that go perfectly together!”

Here is where to find it… Yarns in the Farms! Y’all come on!

Wow. It was so much fun! Thanks, y’all.

Ah, Knitini Belize…The sea was warm, the sand was silky, the yarn was like butter on the needles… Start saving for next year!

Here are the beginnings of the Debbie Bliss Tunic Dress… The peach is Debbie Bliss Pure Silk, the coral is Louet Euroflax linen…

This is Jan.

She learned to knit 4 weeks ago. She has made 2 scarves, a skirt, a hat, and is on her second skirt. She knits whenever she can, and visits Yarns in the Farms on her lunch break and after work. She is now creating her own knit designs.

Recently, she asked her husband, “Honey, do I seeem different to you? Less defensive, more self confident?”

“hmmm”, he replied, “You mean less bitchy?”

“Well, yes dear, now that I am knitting… do I seem more confident?”

And he agreed. She has lost many of her old fears and hang-ups.

Another Knitting Milagro.

Tink and Wink traveled down to Texas as the guest artists here, at Laity Lodge, where Tink went to summer camp way back in the 1st millenium.

We love it there, deep in the lush canyon, the Frio River a rich glassy turquiose and jade, the air redolent with cedar, sage, and rosemary…

The guest speaker was Arthur Boers, author of The Way is Made by Walking. His book is about his experience walking the 500 mile Santiago de Compostela trail in Spain. Wink has a big old fat crush on him… Tink too. He spoke about the concept of Focal Practice.

I don’t want to lose you here with a dense philosophical definition, but here is a dense philosophical definition by philosopher Albert Borgmann:

A focal thing is something that has a commanding presence, engages your body and mind, and engages you with others. Focal things and the kinds of engagements they foster have the power to center your life, and to arrange all other things around this center in an orderly way because you know what’s important and what’s not. A focal practice results from committed engagement with the focal thing.

Like playing an instrument, eating together, hiking, running, baking, writing… and fiber arts, of course. We helped quite a few folks learn to focus on yarn… and exemplified how knitting can actually improve one’s ability to focus while attending lectures and meetings!

There were lively discussions about technology and how it can diminish focal practice. Or not.

How can we use technology to enhance focal practice? Laurie gives an example of how technology can be integrated into her focal practice. She has developed an i-phone app for fiber artists.

By wrapping her yarn around her i-phone, she makes a perfect pom-pom, or i-pom.

Nice integration, Laurie. I can see the book: “i-knits, i-phones, and i-poms“.

PS I think a MacBook would make some great fringe…

Have you ever made a garment that didn’t fit across your shoulders, boobs, hips, derriere? You need a duplicate body to help you to properly fit your handknits!

How to make a body form:
Make a cosmo for yourself and your assistant.
Don an white tee shirt, long enough to cover the widest part of your hips.
Have your assistant wrap you in 3 layers of duct tape. (Kinky, no? )
Mark your waist and back lines on the tape.
Have your assistant cut up the back of the taped up tee shirt.
Stuff your new self.
Laugh.
Make another cosmo for yourself and your assisitant.

OR, come take the BODY workshop at YitF this winter!

This is not a fairy tale, or a story for the faint of heart. Everything you are about to read is absolutely true. The names have not been changed.

Once upon a time there was a young woman, let’s call her “Anna”. She had a very special friend, let’s call him “David”. Anna loved David, and wanted to express her devotion to him by making him a snuggly warm sweater, before he moved to a land far away across the sea where they speak with a sexy posh accent like Hugh Grant or Daniel Craig. Let’s say Daniel Craig because David looks more like Daniel Craig. Sort of James Bond-like. Anyway. Anna made David an Intarsia Sweater from soft aran tweed. Henceforth the sweater shall be called “the Opus”.

Here is Anna putting the Opus together. Isn’t it so so beautiful?

Anna soaked the Opus in Kookaburra wool wash and laid it carefully out to dry, blocked to the exact specs of David’s pecs. It was a fine sunny day in early August, the sun was shining in New England and the people rejoiced. The birds were singing and the bees were buzzing and the flies were scoping for warm damp places in which to lay their eggs.

As evening fell on the idyllic scene, Anna checked on the Opus. It was covered with large crawling flies, but no matter, she whistled gaily as she carried the Opus into her home. Then she let out a gasp to break a mother’s heart.

“Mommy!”, she frowned, “There seem to be tiny seeds in the seams of the Opus.”

Mommy observed the tiny whitish “seeds”, and carried the Opus back outside to observe the mystery in better light. Within seconds, poor Opus was swarmed by huge angry flies, snarling and fighting for his seams. Mommy screeched and retreated back inside.

Anna went to Mr Google and searched for answers. Here is what she found.

Fly eggs. The little white ones at the beginning of their life cycle. We shall henceforth call it the “Death Cycle”.

Anna swooned in a graceful heap. Not really, she isn’t a wimp. She and Mommy put a small bit of bleach in a bucket of water, thinking to hasten the death cycle, and soaked the Opus for 20 minutes. She laid the Opus out to dry again, INSIDE this time. The next day, the Opus had slimy gross larvae hatching in its seams. Anna swooned in a graceful heap. Really.

Mommy took the Opus, crammed it into a plastic bag, slammed it into the microwave, and nuked the Opus and the larvae for 10 minutes. Anna stirred from her swoon, washed and blocked the Opus again, and fell into a fitful sleep.

The next day… when Anna awoke, she could hardly believe her eyes! The Opus was finally a no-fly zone, and all was, finally, well.

This is Michael. He is the new owner of Prides Deli and Pizza. He makes the best thin and crispy pizza this side of Rome.
Our favorite: White pizza with fresh Mozzerella, garlic, basil, ground black pepper, with tomato slices on top. Yummy. So yummy.

Here he is trying to work, while we hover around him, trying to fit his new beanie.

Ah! Caught him!

This is Tim. Tim works at Prides Deli across the street from YITF. He brings us pizza and enjoys the air conditioning. He is a KEEPER. This is his beanie, in progress.

Hallelujah! Time for summer parasols and ice cream! (Handy hose for rinsing)

Time for Chaco’s new hair cut!

Time for outdoor knitting!

Time to line up the shop animals for a parade!

Time to knit a giant entrelac blanket in PIECES so you don’t get to hot and bothered while making it… Chaco likes it.

So Tink went to California, LA LA land of earthquakes and fun in the sun, and look what happened!

Whoopsie daisy! That’s not Tink! Wrong knitting miracle!

THAT is 98-year-old Maria D’Antuono, who knit for 30 hours under the rubble of her apartment building after the earthquake in Italy last month, before she was rescued by these HUNKY Italian Fire Men. “Hello, boys! What took you so long!”
Look at her hands… looks like she is demonstrating “Continental” style knitting. (Tink’s method, natch!)

Anyway, back to Tink’s story.
I went to California to visit this lovely child… my child who taught me the art of Dangerous Knitting.

When I travel far far away, I try to dress appropriately. And when in Los Angeles, one must leave behind one’s puritan yankee stockings, and sport one’s fresh-off-the-needles Summer Floofy skirt… strut like a movie star, and expect MIRACLES. I got my milagro our last day in LA LA Land.

The Milagro of the Floofy Skirt, the Tow Truck, and the Hunky Fire Men

Costume:
One Floofy Skirt knit with Rowan Calmer, Artful Candy, GGH Gracia, and whatever bits of yarns I found in the seams of my couch.

Scene:
6:15 PM in front of the La Brea Tar Pits:

Upon exiting the Tar Pits, Tink and Mr Tink find that their rental car has been stolen! Wait, no, not stolen…
TOWED. TOWED away as the happy couple is about to set off for the airport to return home to the frozen northeast. TOWED with all their stuff… including cell phones and Dr Tink’s purse. (Of course, Tink carries her knitting on her person at all times, so the situation was not as dire as it could have been…)

6:20 pm:
We scurry shame-faced back into the museum, where the desk lady looks upon us sadly and calls the Evil LA Tow Yard for us. We learn from the very VERY evil towing ogre that the tow yard closes at 7 pm, sharp, and it will cost $250 to get our little rental car out of hock. Okay, thanks.

6:25 pm:
Now, LA LA Land does not feature taxis or subways… so we are left with the BUS. The kind driver lets us on free of charge, since of course we have no cash, as it is securely locked in our car, far far away.

6:40 pm:
We exit the bus a few miles down the road, no closer to the garage, ever closer to panic.

And just then, Tink remembers that she has on her FLOOFY SKIRT, and she remembers to expect a MIRACLE.

6:42 pm:
(Cue a heavenly sound like the BRUMMMMM of an Apple computer turning on… Just like that…)
Tink looks across the 6 lanes of traffic and sees…
Fire Station #29!

6:43 – 6:45 pm:
We illegally dodge traffic to cross the street in the middle of the block, since the blocks are about 2 miles long….

6:45 pm:
We enter Magical Mystical Fantasy Hunk Miracle Land.
Land of Hunky Fire Men in uniform, looking for all the world like George Clooney, Jimmy Smits, Will Smith, and Hugh Jackman. I feel swoony.
Mr Tink notices nothing out of the ordinary.

A sign on the wall says “No Sniveling”, so I keep that in mind as I beg, “HELP!!!ourcarhasbeentowed!!!andthelotclosesat7pm!!!!andwehavetocatchaplane!!!pleaseHELP!” (and kiss me you fools…)
The Hunky Fire Men go into a little huddle, glancing over their shoulders (at me in my FLOOFY SKIRT).

6:47 pm:
Captain Hunky Fire Man Garcia picks up his speaker and announces in an authoritative voice, “I need a CAV RESCUE for 15 minutes!”,
and all the Hunky Fire Men shine their pretty teeth at us, and nod reassuringly.
We are bustled through the room, into the nerve center of the station, the garage with the shiny red trucks and more Hunky Fire Men, who greet us warmly and run their eyes longingly over my soft Floofy Skirt.

6:50 pm:
Hunky Fire Dude Stine tucks us up in the back of a RESCUE VEHICLE, straps us securely in, and we dash off, lights flashing, through the crowded city to the Evil LA Tow Yard.

6:56 pm:
We arrive at the Evil LA Tow Yard, the Hunky Fire Men open the doors for us, and help us down from our carriage. They wish us good evening, and race away into the twilight.

We get our car out of hock with 3 minutes to spare.

Here are the miracles, as I perceive of them:
1. Our car was NOT stolen.
2. The kind lady at the museum called the Evil LA Tow Yard for us.
3. The bus driver let us on the bus free of charge.
4. We did not get Swine Flu.
5. We stumbled off the bus in front of Fire House #29.
6. I did not snivel at the fire station.
7. The Hunky Fire Men rescued us.
8. We made our flight home.

How much of this is due to my Floofy Skirt? Well, DUH!

Have you ever had a Knitting/Crochet Milagro? Do share.