WELCOME TO OUR 25TH YEAR!

Bernard fan-art, by Donna Stubbs!

POTLUCK LUNCH, SATURDAY, December 20th, 12:30

Save the Date!

It's the end of one year, and the beginning of another. Let's celebrate it all with a shared meal, and some companionship at the big table! Bring a dish to share, a project to work on, and whatever you have finished to show off so we can ooh and aah. We love seeing your faces around the table!

Happy December, everyone! I am writing to you from the Big Table, with Bernard in my lap and Abbey Road playing on the stereo. It's cold outside, and the kettle pretty much always has hot water in it because tea is required at a moment's notice. The shop has the particular smell of cooking walnuts wafting through as I am making a giant pot of dye. So, overall, a pretty nice spot to be in.

Addendum- that peaceful scene lasted about as long as it took me to write that paragraph!

the ride home from work

As the title of this newsletter suggests, I am thinking a lot about what a "good" gift is, and while there are details to those thoughts, they all really boil down to time and intent.

There are two paths here-

Have I invested the time to get to know someone well enough that the small, impulse purchase is actually the right thing? My life long friend, Veronika, knows I love nothing better than a good laugh and silliness. When I was feeling down a couple of years ago she sent me a surprise package to cheer me up. It was the single, most hideous thing I have ever been given- a neoprene fanny pack printed with the photograph of a bare, hairy, man-belly. I guffawed so loudly while opening the box on my porch it brought my neighbour to the window to see what was going on! We don't carry hairy belly fanny packs here (I wonder if I could make a convincing tapestry of one?), but we do have plenty of yarn, a few Malabrigo "Entramado" knitting kits, natural dye kits... and of course, gift certificates. I was telling someone this morning that there is nothing impersonal about a gift certificate. Knowing that someone is happier choosing their own yarn/tool/hat means you have spent the time getting to know them.

The second path is the gift that was made with time, attention, and intention. The time could be mine, or someone else's. While it is not for sale, the first rug below is an example of what I am talking about. I forget the name of the weaver at the moment, but she was a very well known rug maker who spent her creative life trying to bring recognition and respect to the Navajo weavers she learned from. When I stand on this rug, I stand in a space created by her effort, her desire to learn and share, and her passion for a tradition that was threatened at the time she made this rug. The second rug (which is for sale) is one that I have finally finished that was woven with the last Icelandic wool to come out of Sunnyside Farms in Janesville, CA. It's an entirely experimental rug that I loved making, and I hope whoever standing on it can feel the care that went into the raising of the sheep, the calm joy of the weaving, and the warmth it generates.

Of course there is the gift of the time you put into making something yourself! I want to knit a sweater for my son. Not just any sweater. A 6' 7" adult Ernie sweater! Yep. The sweater worn by his most loved Sesame Street character! Instinctually I know he will love it and wear it to death, but I want to make sure I have his correct measurements, and that I am not deluded in thinking this would be a great gift. So I will give him a picture of it, a couple of skeins of the yarn I would use (which we carry in shop for $9-$11 a skein, and is an amazing deal), and a date that it will be ready by ( I can keep a making schedule). This way, if I am off base completely I will not be giving a burden to someone who doesn't need one. Seeing as I knitted him a Keffiyeh Wrap from "Modern Top-Down Knitting" a couple of years back, I know he likes unusual things. Unless you are one of those super-focused speed knitters, a sweater is probably not what you want to start for a holiday gift now, but you could totally make a pair of hand warmers in your choice of style (I made a pair with pinloom squares in an afternoon, and I am wearing them right now!), a hat, or a simple scarf in time. Come on in and we'll help you find a pattern and yarn to make it happen.

my workhorse hand warmers

on my dye stained hands

made with pinloom squares

in an afternoon

Alright, this is long enough! Come drop by the shop and find something fun, and unique to give to the person you love. This is only place you will find a handknit chicken stuffed with a seed bomb of local wild flower seeds! Or Melissa Harris' fantastic raw honey. Or glorious thick-n-thin Icelandic yarn from Sunnyside farms? Or a churro rug, dyed by us with our own plants and woven in the shop on Bonnie's 55 year old Macomber loom with wool raised in Modoc.

Surprise Valley Fibershed Learning Center

YOGA AT THE WEAVERS!!!

ON HIATUS IN DECEMBER

This is a 60 minute intro class, priced at $12.50 per class, cash at the door. We will hold the class upstairs in the second floor class space. Because this is an exploratory class to assess general interest for a (near) future series, students will need to bring their own mats/blankets and any bolsters/cushions/blocks they would normally need in class.

oooooooohh

!

Crochet Classes!

DECEMBER 13th & 27th, from 10am to 12noon.

NOW FREE! JUST SHOW UP!

Just starting out? Barbara will teach you the basics and get you going on your first scarf (which you must wear, even if it is wonkey). Already know a few things but are stuck on something new? Barbara is excellent at helping work through those spots and teaching you how to, as well. Just want to sit and crochet with others while soaking up crafting wisdom? That's the way we like it, too! Ongoing classes.

If you are interested in learning one-on-one, please call the shop and we can schedule a private class at your convenience. $20/hr per person.

Detail of picked up armhole edging on a vest made of Noro Silk Garden.

Open Knitting Class

DECEMBER 6TH & 20TH 10:30-12:30

Adrienne will be at the craft table downstairs to help you learn how to knit or to help workout that new technique you've been dying to try. All levels welcome. This is an informal, no pressure learning offering and a great way to get started! .

As with all our classes, if you are interested in one-on-one learning, please call the shop and we can schedule a private class at your convenience. $20/hr per person.