"It's in the singing of street corner choir..."

             And suddenly the pressure is gone. My shoulders are light once again and there’s no nagging thought in the back of my mind that I’m wasting precious time that could be spent making Christmas presents. Last night concluded the marathon of Christmases that involved five different family get-togethers and spanned almost six days. It was fun, it was busy, it was stressful at times, but it is always worth it. I didn’t knit presents for everyone in my very large family, but I completed almost nineteen gifts, a couple of them given away to friends long before Christmas day. The answer to your question is yes, I am crazy.
           
             It all started the night I arrived in my hometown of Marengo, Illinois. The house was warm and cozy, a fire burned in the fireplace, and I dragged my ridiculous amount of luggage into the house. In my defense, most of it was Christmas presents and knitting material for the few projects I hadn’t completed yet. It was December 23^rd. Two of my best friends came over that night to sit by the tree and drink hot chocolate, catching each other up on the events in our lives and laughing together like the old days. We exchanged gifts with each other and two of my hand-knit pieces were given to their new owners: a scarf/shawlette for Missy and a cowl for Caitlyn. After that relaxing evening spent with friends, the days leading up to the holiday were filled with activity. Amid the hustle and bustle of getting the house ready for guests and baking batch upon batch of Christmas cookies, my hands were hardly ever still; in any free moment I had I was knitting. I’ll admit that I had thoughts of serious doubt as to whether I would finish what I needed to. And then the panic would catch up to me and I started to scold myself for taking on more than I could handle. But I calmed down quickly enough and moved my needles a little bit faster.
           
              On Christmas Eve, my immediate family in Marengo sat down together and opened our presents with the Christmas tree shining and the fireplace blazing in the background. When it was time for them to open my hand-knit items I became more excited than if I was opening a gift for myself. A hat for my brother-in-law (knit in Winona State colors since he is an alum as well), a cowl for my sister (something she can wear to keep warm or to accessorize), a nice warm wool cowl for my mom, and a pair of socks (my first handmade socks) for my stepdad. I was so proud of all my pieces, but I couldn’t stop smiling when Mook (strange name, I know, but it’s a childhood nickname that has stuck) opened his present and saw his socks. Since I started working at Yarnology almost two years ago, Mook has been teasing me and asking me why I haven’t knit him any socks. Well, he got his wish. Knit two-at-a-time from the toe up, they’re soft and beautiful in shades of green and brown with some red thrown in. I really enjoyed making them and showed them off as much as I could to my friends at Yarnology. But when they learned that they were not intended for me they gave me a look like I was crazy. “You mean you’re giving these AWAY?” Yes, and I couldn’t be happier about it. :-)
        
            Christmas morning started early and saw my family once again in the kitchen preparing for the crowd of people that would be coming to the house midday. Mook’s family, the Kundes make up about half of Marengo and it was our turn to host the annual Christmas lunch. Mook is from a family of nine kids who all have kids; he’s one of the youngest, so most of his nieces and nephews have children as well. To be brief, somewhere between forty and fifty people came over to celebrate, eat, open presents, and play games. Though it was a job to keep everything going smoothly, it was beyond worth it to have cousins, aunts, and uncles wherever you look enjoying the day and being together. The party lasted until evening and drew to a close with coffee, cookies, and a few of Mook’s siblings sitting around telling stories about their childhood in rural Marengo. We fell into bed a few hours later, exhausted but happy with the success of the day.
         
              Alright, so that’s two Christmases down, three to go. On the evening of the 26^th, Mook and I drove the half hour to Crystal Lake where one of my uncles on my mom’s side lives. It was time for the Driver family Christmas, a large group, but not even close to the amount of people from the day before. Jill and Nathan met us there, but my mom had to stay home. She started fevering early in the day and wasn’t up for going. We later found out that she had the flu. Not really what you want to get over the Christmas holiday. We did what we could to make her feel better and took on the responsibilities of food and presents that had to be transported for the party. It was a fun time even though we were missing my mom and my cousin Sarah. My sister and I are extremely close to our cousins, having grown up with them living only ten minutes away. I have no younger siblings, but they make up for that and I love them like they were my little sisters and brothers. When we get together there’s always good food, good drinks (we tried something called a Jack Frost Margarita and it was delicious!), and plenty of noise. After the presents were opened and thank-you’s were said, most of us migrated to the basement where we had some rousing games of Catch Phrase. By the second game we usually end up shouting out answers, jumping up and down, and screaming when the buzzer goes off. Whether or not it’s traditional, we’re definitely not afraid to have fun. :-)

            I had a few days between my Illinois Christmases and the one I would have up in Sparta Wisconsin with my dad and stepmom and that side of the family. On Saturday morning, the 29^th of December, I hurried north to my waiting family to celebrate a belated yet joyful Christmas. My dad and stepmom, Erynn live in a large brick house built shortly after the Civil War. As I drove up the street it greeted me with electric candles burning brightly in the windows, the sun glinting off of icicles, and cheery looking pine branches adorning the pillars on the front porch. This house radiates tradition and it dresses up quite nicely for the Christmas season. After dropping off some luggage, hugging my parents, and having a much needed cup of coffee after my drive, I headed to my Oma’s house where my aunt, uncle, and cousins were staying. Like on my mom’s side of the family, I am very close with my cousins Lisa and Erik; so close, in fact that I call Lisa’s two children my niece and nephew and they, in turn call my sister and I Tante Jill and Jenn (the German title for aunt). As I walked through my grandmother’s front door I was hit with memories of childhood and of past Christmases gathered in my Oma and Opa’s old house in Illinois. Many of the old decorations were up, the miniature Christmas village in the living room, the Santas cross-stitched and sew together by my Oma, the scenes from old Christmas cards painstakingly cut out and glued to pieces of wood by my Opa years ago. And many pairs of eyes looked up as I walked in, voices calling out hello. But my gaze fell on the empty red arm chair, my Opa’s arm chair and I took a deep breath remembering that he would not be with us to celebrate this year. This was our first Christmas without him and though the busy nature of our holiday together distracted us, I believe we all had our moments of missing him and again feeling the loss that his death brought to our family. It hit me again a few months ago when I was making my list of what Christmas presents to make and give away this year. I felt like I was missing someone and suddenly realized it was my Opa. I’ve come to terms with his passing, but that doesn’t make missing him any easier.

         When our dinner of ham, red cabbage, mashed potatoes, and green bean casserole was over, we gathered around Oma’s living room to open presents. I was lucky enough to get some amazing gifts, most of them book themed, but there were also some really creative homemade gifts and a donation in my name to the Great River Shakespeare Festival, one of my absolute favorite organizations. I love all of my presents, but I was most excited to watch as one by one my family members opened their knitted gifts from me. A pair of mittens for my Oma and Tante Margie, a hat for Onkle Joe, music themed mittens and fingerless mitts for Erik and Lisa, a scarf for Lisa’s husband Adam, a hand-knit dress for my niece Lena, and some knitted animals for my nephew Carl. Though I really try to be modest, I do love when my family exclaims over their gifts; it makes everything worth it just knowing that they appreciate the hard work and the thought that went into them. Lisa right away put Lena in her dress, though it’s a little big and will fit her much better next fall, and Carl grabbed his dog and cow (part of a farm set that I will be adding to on other holidays), cuddling them and giving them names. These things are what I remember when, in the months to come I will start making next year’s gifts, and even though I swore to myself they would be less challenging, less personalized, less complicated they probably won't be. I love the feeling of giving someone something special. Something that has meaning.

            Last night I concluded my Christmas giving with two pairs of slippers for my dad and Erynn. The five of us, my sister and Nate included, gathered together in our library of a living room and exchanged presents once again. This year almost all of the gifts to each other were handmade (with the exception of a few books and a new set of flannel sheets for me that I’m way too excited about :D), and it gave the holiday a wholesome, homey feel. We sipped tea, talked and laughed until the whining of our dog Dervla convinced us to join her in the kitchen. It was a lovely way to end the holidays and to remind me that Christmas isn’t just a day, it is a frame of mind. It exists whenever we are together with family and friends, remembering those who have gone before us, and sharing our love and appreciation for the birth of Christ. To quote Muppet’s Christmas Carol, “It’s true, wherever we find love it feels like Christmas”.

Christmas Time is Here Again

          As if you all didn’t know, Christmas is only a short time away. On the one hand I am excited beyond belief, I always am during the Christmas season; but on the other, I’m more stressed than I have been since I graduated college. Optimist that I am, I thought I would have no trouble finishing the long list of Christmas presents that I have written in the back of my journal. Check marks have been drawn next to names slowly over the past few months, but there are still blank spaces and they are what haunt me. As many of you remember from an earlier blog post, I lacked motivation to start early on these gifts and now I am paying the price. Though many of them are completed, folded up, and tucked away nicely in a drawer, I still have a large amount of knitting to do in the next week and a half. Which is why I haven’t been writing, reading, eating… well, that last one isn’t necessarily true. There have been lots of holiday treats and sweets here and I, like most people, cannot resist them. Don’t get me wrong, in a way I love the mad dash that most knitters and crafters participate in at the approach of the holidays. As frantic as it can make me feel at times, I relish in it. And it doesn’t take any of the joy out of the festivities. Quite the opposite. But that’s just me. Plus, it gives me an excuse to stay home at night, cozy in my apartment with the Christmas lights on, watching movies and knitting. Not a bad deal.

            This means, however, that I don’t have much time to dedicate to this blog. I’ve wanted to write another post for some time now, but I haven’t been willing to give up those extra moments of productivity. There have been several exciting events happening at the store and in my life and I felt the need to share those with all of you. Among other things, Steven Be, local celebrity and designer (featured in countless knitting magazines this season) came to the shop and gave a wonderful talk about inspiration and yarn selection, AND I am the proud new owner of a spinning wheel! That in itself deserves its own post. But, alas, sitting down and taking a few hours to write was, and is, out of the question. When the holidays are over and the hand-knit gifts are given I promise to sit down and write a post that’s actually worth reading. I’ll post pictures of the gifts I’m making and write all about family get-togethers, food, traditions, and all that lovely Christmas-y stuff.

            But now, as I resist the urge to break down the remaining days into hours in order to budget my time, I will only wish you a very merry Christmas (or Hanukkah or any other holiday that you celebrate, I’m not picky), and a happy New Year.  

Birthdays, Bathrooms, and Anniversaries.

Last week was a flurry of activity at Yarnology. It seemed that every day something exciting was happening, something that required us to forgo our routine and celebrate.

            It all started on Wednesday, the 14^th with Gaby’s birthday. Gaby is much more than just co-owner of the shop; she’s a friend, a teacher, and an ever-present voice of reason whether you need advice on knitting or life. Wanting to do something special for the occasion, Kelly, her business partner came up with a brilliant idea of what to give Gaby for a gift. For quite some time now, she’s been eyeing a certain pair of shoes that Kelly and many of our customers now own. You see, these shoes are kind of a big deal. Not only are they from the popular company Dansko, but they have a knitted pattern on them in bright fun colors. Every time another customer came in wearing their new Danskos, inspired by Kelly and her flashy knit shoes, Gaby would jokingly go into a jealous rage leaving no doubt in our minds that she wanted a pair for herself. The staff of Yarnology decided that if we all contributed a little bit of money, we’d have enough to buy them for her. I wasn’t actually present when she opened her gift, but I’m told that her excitement escalated to a happy dance around the store in her new shoes. I’m just happy we were able to be a part of making her birthday special.

            Birthday festivities were just a prelude to the gathering we would have the next day to celebrate the completion of Yarnology’s new, beautiful bathroom. Yes, that’s right we had a bathroom warming party. Ever since Yarnology moved to its new location in June, we’ve been anticipating the renovation of the basement where we planned to have a brand-new bathroom and kitchen area. The progress on that project, however, was much slower than we would have liked. Customers and staff alike had to resort to using the building’s original facilities which resembled a closet rather than a room. I never minded that much, except for the fact that the only sink was a large (and rather worn out) utility tub. So when the news came that things were good to go in our new and improved restroom Gaby and Kelly thought that we should share our excitement with everyone who would benefit from this reno.

We love to do this last minute at Yarnology, and we didn’t make an exception for our bathroom warming party. Just a couple hours before our guests were expected, Gaby, Kelly, and I were madly running around trying to put the finishing touches on our new lower level. Pictures were hung on walls, the floor was swept, cheese, crackers, and wine bottles were taken out and placed in our “kitchen” for our visitors to sample. The Thursday night regulars who sit, knit, and chat together were already there and quickly gave us their stamp of approval while munching my homemade oatmeal cookies. Soon others arrived to ooh and aah over the bright green painted walls and the funny sign that says “Knit or Get off the Pot!” (you’d think we’d be sophisticated at a yarn shop… ha!). My favorite part of our little shindig had to be the cocktail naming game that we challenged our guests with.  Gaby mixed a few things together and made a refreshing drink all her own, but it needed a name, one that related to our shop’s primary focus: yarn. Many suggestions were made, most of them silly, but my favorite would have to be a contribution from my coworker, Blandine: d2tog, or drink two together (for those of you who are non-knitters this may not appear very funny, but in knitting patterns there is an instruction to k2tog, or knit two stitches together; clever, no?). We wrapped up the evening on the couches of our “living room”, knitting and laughing, a common occurrence at Yarnology.

Saturday dawned and again we scrambled around the store, cleaning and putting everything in its place. We anticipated some big crowds due to the annual Art Walk around Winona, and we were not disappointed. The wonderful thing about the Art Walk, besides giving local artists and crafters a chance to showcase their material, is that people who don’t knit or crochet, who would never walk into a yarn store normally, come to check us out because we’re listed as a stop on the Walk. Then they realize that we have much more than just yarn. Our SmartWool socks were a huge success giving customers a chance to have quality wool socks without having to knit them. The lotions, purses, and bags we carry were also popular and I remember ringing up quite a few for crafters and non-crafters alike.

It was a great day for seeing friends and catching up with acquaintances as well. At any given time I could look around the store and see familiar faces talking and laughing, admiring handmade accessories, comparing schedules for their busy days, or giving opinions and advice about colors for a new knitting project. Shortly into the busy morning we were treated to an unexpected surprise in the form of former Yarnologist, Amanda. After moving home at the end of the summer, Amanda hasn’t had much of a chance to come visit her “family” at Yarnology. But without warning she walked through our back door ready to spend the day with us, and even take her place back behind the counter a few times. She is one of my best friends and having her back in the shop made an already good day great.

It just so happened that last Saturday was also Yarnology’s unofficial two year anniversary. The date didn’t quite line up, but two years ago, on the day of the Art Walk, Yarnology opened its doors for the first time. Not knowing what to expect, Gaby, Kelly, and a few family members bravely took on the crowds of people that inevitably showed up. I visited the shop for the first time in January, just a few weeks before I started working there, so I wasn’t an eye witness to this historic day, but I’m told the line of customers reached to the back of the store. To those of us who can’t picture Winona anymore without Yarnology, this comes as no surprise. But it must have been a shock to suddenly realize that this little local shop was a huge success and would continue to be for the next two years and on into the future. It’s hard to say how many people have visited, how many people we’ve met, talked to, connected with over the years, but I’ll say for certain that at least a few lives have been changed, mine included, because of this unique little business. And today, which happens to be Small Business Saturday, I encourage everyone to consider how important local businesses are to our communities. So please show your support to those of us whose lives would be significantly different if these places didn’t exist. They are much more than mere stores. They are our livelihood and, for me at least, our favorite place to be.

Thank you to everyone who made last weekend and the last two years special!

Knit the Vote

          Today, as everyone knows, was a very important day in America. It was a chance to experience democracy first hand; to see in effect what the men and women of the Revolution fought for. Early this morning I stepped out of the house, coffee in hand just in case I had to wait in line, to register and cast my ballot. The weather was cold, rainy, and thoroughly depressing, but my roommate Elizabeth and I didn’t mind. We wanted to get in and out before the rush. Though I voted in the 2008 election, I was still excited to be a part of the democratic process. It was very satisfying filling in that bubble and then putting my ballot in the counter. I wore my “I Voted” sticker all day at work and was happy to see most of our customers and other passersby proudly sporting red stickers on their jackets and shirts too.

            Though I won’t go into my political views (I have strong ones, but I don't want to offend anyone) I will say that this election makes me very nervous. I know the stakes are high, and I’ve been anxious all day to find out what the results will be. There are so many controversial and important issues on the line, and I just pray that this election will end in a way that’s best for the American people. My uneasiness over this whole process has not gone away throughout the day and it actually may have increased now that I’m home from work and watching CBS’s live coverage. Elizabeth is napping on the couch, preparing herself for a late night watching results and I’m listening intently while I type, catching the latest breaking news in respect to the election. Soon I’ll have to take out my knitting so I can relax and keep busy while waiting out the next few hours. I’m experiencing a strange combination of excitement, unease, and dread thinking through the possible outcomes. Maybe all of you are experiencing similar emotions, though I’m sure we don’t all share the same political views; at least we can rest assured that we did all we could to influence the result.

            Sitting here thinking about it, I really wouldn’t be surprised if I finished a record amount of knitting tonight. I will be furiously moving my needles either in frustration or excitement. Whichever way, this election will definitely result in personal productivity. :-) Good luck to everyone!

A Taste of Saturday

          When I tell people that I usually work all day on Saturdays, most look at me with sympathy thinking that I must be sacrificing a lot by “giving up” my weekend. This couldn’t be further from the truth. I recently spent a weekend away from Winona and though I enjoyed the time I had in my hometown with my family, I felt a void from missing one of the busiest days the shop experiences each week. It is a time when those who can’t visit the shop during the work week stop in to chat and catch us up on the goings on in their lives; it is a day when laughter can be heard from our couches, advice is exchanged both on knitting projects and life, and new things are learned by teachers and students. It is a day of happiness and camaraderie.  

            Today was a Saturday much like the one described above and though I left Yarnology quite tired at 5:00, I had spent the day smiling with friends and working with some people I truly love. I had the opportunity to teach a private lesson to two great ladies this afternoon (we made felted clogs, a wonderful project I have made many times and will again), and as I sat at the table in our “classroom” I couldn’t help but overhear some of the things going on in the rest of the shop. Our “living room” was occupied by some long-term friends and a few of those people who only get to the shop on rare occasions. Sitting on our second-hand floral couches, they had some surprisingly deep conversations for that sunny Saturday morning, swapping parenting advice and sharing personal stories. Though we often refer to knitting as therapeutic, this description became literal; it’s much cheaper to spend an hour or two at the yarn store than it is to pay for a therapy session.

            It’s always fun when you witness new friendships being made and with all the people who come and go on a Saturday, this happens often. An acquaintance of someone’s will come to sit, knit, chat, and drink coffee and in the process create new connections with others who have come to do the exact same thing. While bonding over their shared passion for knitting or crocheting, they will most likely find more common threads that exist between them. Without this yarn store many friendships would not be in existence, including some of my own, and Saturdays are the perfect time to strengthen or renew them.

            Some of the new visitors that we receive on Saturdays are parents or family members of students that go to one of our town’s colleges. Unfamiliar with Winona, they often wander downtown to see what it has to offer and we’re happy to be one of the places they stop to check out. Even if no one in the family works with yarn, Yarnology captivates their attention with its vibrant colors and interesting displays. I love hearing family members brag about their student, the happiness at being reunited with them evident. With my family far away, I know how much it means when someone you love comes to visit. It’s always a goal of mine to show visiting families and friends that Yarnology is a safe and fun place for people of all ages. I feel that we represent a piece of Winona, and I want to do this wonderful town justice.

            While my students were busily counting out stitches and rows, I became inspired to share, from my point of view, my favorite things about a Saturday at Yarnology. I quickly pulled the blank side of my pattern towards me and jotted down a list. Though I’ve just written about a few there are many more to share. It would take much longer for me write (and for you to read) all of them, so I’ll put the rest in list form, just like my untidy scribbling on the back of that pattern. So what do I love about Saturdays at Yarnology? I love…

-           parents visiting their children and discovering us for the first time.

-          teaching wonderful people something new and watching them succeed while they create something useful out of nothing.

-          seeing red-cold faces fresh from the last farmer’s market of the season.

-          people coming in with hopeless mistakes only to be reassured by the Yarnologists that actually, we CAN help you, do not be discouraged. We’ll work through this together.

-          listening to knitters talk through their Christmas knitting lists, planning special projects for special people.

-          hearing knitters say things like “I’m anti-gauge swatch” and “we have twenty four sheep” and not batting an eyelash.

-          forming and renewing connections; it’s what our store thrives on.

-          drinking 3:00 coffee with my coworkers.

 

-       knowing that I truly matter to so many people at this shop and assuring them that they matter to me.

 

           Do not pity me for having to work Saturdays. I confess if I wasn’t on the schedule I’d be down there anyway. Any day inspiring and being inspired is a day well spent. And I always leave smiling. That in itself is worth it.

Windows, Brick, and Mortar: Shop Local!

          As many of our customers know, Yarnology takes its window displays seriously. We usually switch it up and create a new display every few weeks. Kelly, the mastermind behind them, researches on Pintrest and Facebook, and scopes out ideas from other retailers all to gain inspiration for the front of our store. In the past we’ve had balloon animals, miniature motorized vehicles, creatures made from hanks of yarn, and (my personal favorite) a Christmas tree and fireplace last winter to encourage holiday cheer and warm thoughts on cold days. In our new building the front windows are much smaller compared to our last location, and we don’t have as much space to fill. This is both a blessing and a curse. The big ideas have to be scaled down, but we no longer have to stretch our resources and ideas to fill up large windows.

            One of Kelly’s more recent creative brain surges resulted in dozens of Trolls (you know, the ones with the crazy hair!) set up to catch the attention of passersby. Kelly incorporated the trolls into a fiber holiday that we celebrated at the shop on September 15^th: National Spin in Public Day. Dyed roving (wool before it’s made into yarn) connected the brightly colored hair of the trolls and was then fed into an antique spinning wheel to make it look like the little creatures were all spun together. That display was cute and quirky, so much so that we would often have families stopping on their way down the sidewalk to examine and exclaim over the trolls’ endearingly funny faces and clothing. Throughout the three weeks that the display was up we even had several people come in and ask if these vintage toys were for sale. Sorry, we had to tell them, they’re not even ours. A few of our wonderful friends and patrons lent them to Kelly so her vision could be realized.

            Just like she is known to do, Kelly came to the shop a few days back and told us that she had another great window display idea. To go along with the October theme of “You don’t have to travel far… Shop local!”, she decided to put a rickshaw in the window. Don’t worry if you’re not sure what that is, I only had a vague idea myself. A rickshaw is half bicycle and half carriage. You always see people in big cities, at least in movies and TV shows, being driven around in these things. To make all of this cooler than it already was, the rickshaw that is currently featured in our window is pink. Yes, a very awesome, attention grabbing, “big girl” pink. Since it went up last Wednesday the 3^rd, I think we’ve had several comments a day on the “bicycle thing” that’s in the window. Sometimes I think we have the most unique front windows in all of Winona. And then I think about how cool that is.

            Like I said earlier, our theme for October is “Shop Local”. I feel strongly about this cause not only because I work at a local independent retailer, but also because I’ve seen the damage that can come to a small town when residents go elsewhere for their goods and services. I am originally from a small town in Illinois called Marengo, where the majority of store fronts are vacant and dark. Once a booming railroad town, Marengo has slowly declined due to economy and outsourcing. It really is heartbreaking to go home and see “for sale or rent” signs in window after window while walking down the main street. A large part of me believes that a community can help put a stop to declining local business. Instead of going to a big box store or ordering right off the internet, visit some of your local retailers and find out if you can give your business to them instead. It might take a few more minutes or a couple extra dollars, but I don’t think that’s a bad price to guarantee that our towns will be thriving, productive places. I totally agree that deals and sales should not be passed up, but there is a way we can all help without breaking the bank.

In our most recent Yarnology newsletter, Gaby wrote about something called the 3/50 Project. This is a movement encouraging people to sit down and think about the unique and essential local businesses in their towns. It instructs everyone to choose three businesses that they would miss if they suddenly went under. Then, try to spend at least $50 a month there. According to www.the350project.net, “if half the employed population spent $50 each month in locally owned independent businesses, it would generate more than $42.6 billion in revenue”. There’s more information on the website and I encourage everyone to visit and become inspired to shop locally! So much good can come of having a strong local economy. As the holidays start arriving, think about what shopping you can do at some of your local specialty shops (like a yarn store; hint, hint) or any independent business, and give them your support! You never know, you might see some fun and unique displays in their front windows.

"There is a harmony in autumn, and a luster in its sky..." ~Percy Shelley

         Apple pie, cinnamon/vanilla lattes, spiced cider candles, leaves in a wildfire of color, crisp breezes, and warm blankets. Hot cups of coffee and cozy wool knitting projects. What do all these things have in common? They’re a few of my very favorite things about this new season we’re heading into. Although it’s only the first official days of autumn, I’m already preparing for everything that goes along with it. Most of the leaves are still green here in Winona, but they will soon be lit up in oranges, reds, and yellows, coloring the bluffs and riverbanks. The air will get colder making the warmth from a steaming cup of coffee that much more appreciated. I look forward to going to the apple orchard with my family when I make the trip home to Illinois in a few weeks. Edward’s Orchard is a family tradition and the hot apple cider and donuts we get there are beyond compare. In my opinion there’s no better feeling than curling up under a blanket and reading a good book or watching a favorite movie and knitting.
          Speaking of knitting, it has been evident in the amount of visitors we’ve had to the yarn shop that other people are feeling the need to prepare for the colder weather. There are those who don’t like to knit in the summer months and are now picking up their needles for the first time in a while, needing a new project to occupy the increasingly long evenings. The rest of us who never really stop knitting… ever… can turn our attention to the much needed sweaters and mittens that, not long ago, made us sweat just thinking about. Personally, I am excited to wear the few warm garments that I made this past spring. I finally made my first sweater and it’s definitely a warm one. The yarn, shipped out of Japan is made up of wool, silk, and mohair. It was a bit of a splurge on my part, the yarn being a tad expensive, but was well worth it. It was very fun to make even though I knew I had to wait a few months to wear it. Now the time has come and I’m so excited!
           I also have a softer than soft poncho that I was cajoled into making by a good friend and coworker at the shop. Karina has made several of these herringbone ponchos and swore that I just HAD to have one too. She has since left for her first year of college down in Kansas and I promised her at the start of the year that I would make a poncho before she left Winona. Knit out of baby alpaca and merino wool, this thing will keep me warm all winter long. It’s incredible how soft it is and will be perfect to snuggle up in when the snow starts to fly. I’m in no rush for that though. Autumn can take as long as it likes to pass.
          I think that it’s only right for me to honor the first day of fall and this deliciously brisk autumn night by brewing myself a cup of tea, settling under my Milwaukee Brewers blanket, and creating something warm as the sun goes down. I'll be happily anticipating the lovely things that come with the change of seasons and appreciating the warmth and comfort that I am blessed to have. There's something about this time of year that makes everything seem a little sweeter. At least that's this Yarnologist's opinion. Happy autumn everyone!