Shifting Sands: Making Memories Into Stitches

April 28, 2023Circle of StitchesComment

Tomorrow is Local Yarn Store Day, and I couldn’t resist creating a new pattern: meet Shifting Sands!

Honestly, I don’t always go into a design knowing where it’s going to end up. I recently brought Wooldreamers yarn into the shop and knew I had to play with it! Wooldreamers is a line of beautiful Spanish heritage merino wools with a beautiful story. Ramon is the creator of these gorgeous yarns, and this is the story in his words:

Wooldreamers, as its name implies, was born from a dream. The dream began with a vision of natural fibers, especially wool, overtaking the ever present synthetic materials. I envisioned conversations with longtime shepherds and ranchers, telling me how their view of wool had changed. I saw them pampering their sheep because they appreciated the value and importance of raising wool. Simultaneously in this dream, the public became aware that there is no better way to fight against micro-plastic pollution and climate change than the use of 100% biodegradable materials.

I chose Wooldreamers Dehesa de Barrera DK for my design, an absolutely stunning non-superwash Merino yarn spun from a flock of sheep that is over 200 years old. This flock was originally started by monks! How amazing is that?

I picked my three colors (Queso Curado, Alpaca de Trigo, and Campo Arado) and let the yarn take me on a journey. The result is Shifting Sands, in honor of my late father and my earliest memories of us together.

My earliest memories of my dad are of standing together at the beach, holding hands with our feet sinking into the sand as the waves washed over out feet. Dad was a being of sunshine and salt water, and from an early age, he shared his love of the ocean with me. Now, almost three years after his death, the sandy beaches are where I feel closest to him. When I visit my home country and revisit the many beaches he took me to, I dig my feet into the sand and know that he was here once too. These shifting sands connect us across space and time.

This design is full of love and memories, each stitch a little love note to my dad. I hope you love this design as much as I do! You can get your copy here. I love my sandy palette, but I couldn’t resist playing with some other color combos too!

Queso Curado, Alpaca de Trigo, Campo Arado

Verde Gordalilla, Campo Arado, Uvo Moscatel

Anochecer Manchego, Agua Lagunar, Natural

Wooldreamers Dehesa de Barrera DK — Agua Lagunar, Flamenco Rosado, Natural

Olivo en Diciembre, Verde Gordalilla, Uvo Moscatel

Knitting to Keep My Grief Company

January 5, 2023Ana Campos

And just like that, another year has come and gone. 2022 was an incredibly difficult year for me, starting with a massive rupture that changed everything about my life. It ended dramatically too: I started December in the ER, spent the solstice holiday weekend at the emergency vet because one of my cats at a bar of soap, and ended the month putting Munin to rest, my companion of 15 years. If you’ve been part of our community for a while, you know that Munin was battling cancer for the last three years. We did everything we could, including administering chemo at home every other day for over a year. Finally, in the last week of December, it was time to say good-bye.

It’s hard to talk about the grief of losing a pet. For those who haven’t experienced a deep bond with a pet, it seems trivial. For some of us, a pet is part of the family, a daily companion and fur baby. Munin came home with us at 8 weeks old, and was a sweet, funny, affectionate, and charming companion until the very end. His sweetness was truly one of a kind, and he’s left a huge hole in my heart and my home. His sweet little face, adorable little fangs, his little chirp, and the cutest white patch on his chest.

My grief is heavy, tangible, always lurking right behind my shoulder, and sometimes washing over me completely. I know one day it will be less heavy, and eventually it will be a quieter companion, whispering rather than taking over. But in the meantime? I am going to knit. This cardigan is taking me a while to work through, so Munin had several chances to nap on my knitting and my project bag before we said goodbye. I know there’s at least a couple of his little black furs knitted into the fabric, and I will always treasure that.

It seems silly to say that knitting can get us through the hard times, but for me, knitting is a life line. When I am overwhelmed, knitting allows me to slow down and gather myself. Since my grief is so present right now, I’m knitting to keep it company. With each stitch, I allow myself to acknowledge this new companion, to sit with it and say, I see you. I feel you. And with each stitch, I hope the hole in my heart gets a little smaller.

A special thank you to everyone who donated to Munin’s healthcare fund over the last three years. With your help, we were able to give him the best possible care. If you are interested in contributing to his end of life costs, please make a donation here.