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Once in a Very Blue Moon SALE

On December 31st, New Years Eve, there is a blue moon. For those of you unaware of this magical phenomenon, a blue moon is the second full moon in a month. Cool, yes? We think so (hence the whole Blue Moon Fiber Arts thing), Since we are all about blue moons and believe that one falling on New Years Eve might be a bit of magic that we are more than happy to honor in kind. But wait it gets even better yet. It is also a lunar eclipse. Powerful moon mojo indeed.

In celebration we are doing something very special, rare even. We are doing something we have never done before. We are taking some of your recommendations and few thoughts of our own and are having, first, an online RARE GEM sale. (And not just any rare gems either these are rare gem mill ends.) Second, an open house here at Blue Moon all day December 31st. And, third, a worldwide blue moon cast on. Our offering to the moon that is eclipsed in blue.

So here is how we see all of this fun working.

On December 31st Blue Moon Thursday at 2:13pm EST (11:13am PST) we are offering Lightweight and Mediumweight Mill End Rare Gems in 4 color categories.

Earth, Fire, Water, and Air.  I”ll put the descriptions below along with the cost.

We will keep these up for as long as supplies last. So if you go to the website and they are no longer there, then we ran out. Sorry.

We are also limiting the number you can purchase so everyone has a chance to buy some. The limit is 2 per color category and weight for a grand total of 16 so really not too limiting after all.

These are non-returnable.

We have not offered the rare gems online before because they are very hard to put in a color grouping. These are one of a kind non repeatable colorways. We are doing our best to categorize them but make no promises. We cannot exchange them so if you are unhappy with a the color you got we suggest you trade amongst yourselves.

I don’t think it will. I have yet to meet a rare gem I did not like or love. (I might have a small rare gem problem.)

Also keep in mind these are mill ends—they cost a lot less because they have a knot or two or a loosely plied section, etc. For those of you who have purchased mill ends before, yes these are $1.00 more than usual because they are rare gems. 



Open House


When: 10:00am to 10:00pm

Where: Here at Blue Moon

What and How and Why: Bring knitting or spinning and yourselves. Carpool if you can as there are not a lot of parking options.

Bring a snack and yes we will have yarn for sale. Kind of like a very very small barn sale. And you can shop the wall of sock.

And we can all cast on together and visit and watch the moon rise (Of course it will be clear! Seriously? It’s going to go to all of this trouble to show us its power and not be visible. I think not.)

Eclipsing Blue Moon Cast On

My new bf Steve had the following suggestion, which I like a whole lot.

“To celebrate the Blue Moon this month I am going to cast on a pair of socks on the 31st using the yarn I dyed in Port Ludlow. I plan to finish the pair before the next Blue Moon (which looks like it is in August 2012).”

I love this idea and considered complicating the hell out it with a special project we would all do and a special colorway…and on and on and yet on again. It was exhausting and was while it was still little yarn thoughts so…

Instead I say we just all cast on something on the same day. (I see a Guinness record don’t you?)

It can be something you knit until the next blue moon or something you finish in a week. It can be socks or a shawl or a sweater in blue or green or orange…really whatever our woolley hearts desire. Here is what I am doing:

I am casting on a pair of sock for my friend Meg and am going to give them to her on August 9th. I think I can finish then by then, right? Shh… do not tell her.

So I think that covers everything. If you have any questions email us or put them in the comments here.

Our address is on the website and google maps will get you here. Whatever you do, do not (really) turn on Chapman Grange Road. Big Mistake!

Once in a Blue Moon Rare Gems Mill End Sale

Rare Gems are one of a kind colorways created by overdyeing existing colorways. This process creates a many hued skein of color wonder. This are non repeatable colors.

Because of this we have them grouped in four general color schemes that cover a broad spectrum and describe the predominant colors in that skein of yarn. Say you order from the Earth category you will see mostly brown-type hues but there also might be a pop in pink or green. That is the joy of these. Please look at each one carefully before ordering.

There are no returns on Rare Gems for color selection. And this batch that we are offering you now are also Mill Ends so please keep that in mind.



Earth


Picture a big pile of fallen leaves. There are as many earthy hues as plants and leaves have returned to the soil. All shades of browns speckled with green and gold and a spot or two of red maybe and maybe some muddiness as it all breaks down.These rare gems are created by overdyeing from the earthy brown end of things.

Fire

Red hot warmth. All shades of fire here from rich and warm reds and oranges to bright hot in your face ones. Be careful when you open these…we would not want you to get a color burn.

Air

Sky blue pink, silvery greens, overcast yellow…all those hazy colors that are muted in any way. A hazy lazy summer day of color.



Water


When light hits water, it reflects and shimmers. It creates jewels. These water colors are overdyed with blues or greens, which gives us our jewelish sea tones. You will find some of the red end of the spectrum here but it will be a cool jewel red. Azure… emerald… amethyst…. The world most certainly is our color oyster.



Pricing


Lightweight $15.00

Mediumweight $17.00

A merry and magical Blue Moon and New Year to all!

lots and lots going on

We had our Blue Moon Holiday party and I used it as the opportunity to move furniture a bit.  I just cannot for the life of me resist the chance to move a chair or two.

And surprise, surprise look what we found under a cushion.

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Shocking eh?

So we get the chair exactly where I want it. It only took three tries no matter what Debra tells you. And then everyone comes in from the barn and other points around PDX with TONS of food.

Our parties are really food heavy. We all live off the leftovers for days.

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Seriously food on every surface in my very petite kitchen.

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This potluck was potato heavy and Becky’s potato salad Won hands down. Yes, potato salad at a Christmas party in the dead of winter. Whats wrong with that? We had mash potatoes too. No judging.

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Sitting and chatting and wondering what that really big box under the tree is. White elephant exchange with $5.00 top. Hmmm… And yes, that is an umbrella in my living room. It rains a lot here.

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Aren’t they lovely? I love them all so much and am so blessed by each and every one of them. sniff

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Debbi was the lucky recipient of my gift. I think it was a very appropriate match.

See it?

ps The tree was resting and is now fully decorated.

cracking myself up

So… a couple of nights ago as I was knitting away on a present I noticed how far I had yet to go. I proceeded to lament, “oh my gawd I am not making any progress on this at all. It will never be done in time to ship it”.

Swift action was called for here so I decided to move the distractions out of the picture.  I switched from watching Will and Grace with my girls and moved to another room and put on some holiday type music. I love Will and Grace and when they aren’t bickering or torturing each other, my girls are hysterical and very distracting.

I also vowed to just knit (while humming along to the carols of course) and not stop so often (every 3 minutes or so) to love on what I was knitting. No admiring how the colours were playing so nicely with each other and no petting or stroking the lovely soft fibers, which honestly takes a bit of the fun out of it for me. Hey, I was on a mission with a deadline and well, I am pretty serious about my deadlines.  Ok, stop laughing.

I moved myself, got all cozy settled in for a long winters knit and “got down” to it. Some serious knitting time ensued and you know it did go a wee bit faster.  Heavy emphasis on the wee.

All of this knit time obsessing I was doing (I am sure we all see the procrastinating fact, that all of that moving and changing are valuable knit minutes) got me thinking and… .

At some point the acronym RPM popped into my head. Rows per Minute. Rpms get it? Ha ha… this tickled my funny bone pretty hard. My daughter Rabia says that these moments are only funny to me. Probably true but I don’t let that kind of deatail stop me. 

I had this whole knit-time measuring system going in seconds right? When it hit me rows per minute? Are you flippin’ insane? The row you are on has 160 stitches in it. Seriously how do think this is working out for you? 

I was a little (a lot) disappointed. So much so, that I even for a brief moment I entertained the possibility of starting a another very small project. A scarf for the dog maybe? Mittens… or hey socks even.

I did not, and I get credit for this, instead I kept eating away my stitches on my big project and as every stitch slipped by it said, “stitch per minute dumb ass?! Seriously what were you thinking? It’s stitches (steeeches) not rows you start with in this unit of time-knit-measuring madness thing you’ve got going. How can you start with rows when it is us you need to make those rows? We are the building blocks and frankly we are little insulted We expected more from you.” I will spare you the gory details of the rest of this tirade from the stitches or the tone they took with me. Just know they sounded suspiciously like my mother. Needless to say I had made a grand error and they were pissed.

Your knitting talks to you right?

In order to appease the stitch I decided that STPM stitch per minute was, of course, the only way to begin this system.  I then timed myself and came up with something like 41 stitches per minute on garter using size 5.00mm needles with my BFL sport weight.

I assumed that was slow. I have been under the impression that I am a slow knitter. I have been told this by many and I do hang with some pretty fast knitters. So… stands to reason right? My hands are sore from dyeing and do not move as quickly as they used to and I am easily distracted.  I know.. duh.

I then decided to work towards a personal best on this project and see if I could get to 60 STPM by the time I was done with it and believe you me I have ample opportunity to reach this goal.

As of this morning I am up to 49.5. It does vary depending on what is going on around me.

So my question to you is this: Is that fast or slow?

I really need to know because I am putting names to the speeds. I was going to be Slo-mo Newton but that won’t work if I am not in fact slow.

So what is your STPM?

Sounds like a really bad pick up line doesn’t it?

Also all of you speedy knitting friends of mine, and you know who you are… don’t make me send these st(b)itches after you.

I know time management. Whatever.

to give is to…

I am sitting here knitting on a gift I need to mail out soon, trying to stay warm (thank you sheepies) and thinking about the ways I love this time of year. The holiday part of it and the extreme you never know what you are to going to wake up to weather part.  I have a hard time sleeping there is so much energy the air crackles with it.

I love the music, the lights everywhere, especially the little white ones that line the streets. I love the aroma of winter with its frostiness nipping my nose and fingers and then the hint of ginger and cinnamon when you head inside where you are greeted by the warmth of baking cookies and hot cider.

So many things to love about this season but the one that keeps me awake the most (there is a deadline) and brings me the greatest comfort and joy is the giving.

I was blessed in my childhood with Winnie and Johnny my beloved grandparents. They both were lovely generous souls.  Johnny especially so, he would give you the shirt off his back if he thought you needed it . I grew up watching him make people happy and witnessing this spreading of joy.  And Christmas time, oh my goodness he was an angel a very tall, scraggly, chain smoking angel but an angel he most certainly was.

I was his elf…his helper. We delivered food to families in need collected gifts for children and volunteering where needed. He spread love and joy everywhere he went and it was returned to him twofold.

I will never forget driving home with him after one of these excursions, The radio was playing some holiday favorite, we were merrily humming along when I noticed it was just me singing. I looked over and there were tears running down his face.  I don’t think I had ever since him cry so was a bit shaken by this. He noticed I had stopped singing and looked over at me and registered my concern.

He chuckled and patted my leg and told me not to worry he just was so happy.

There are so many ways and places to give of ourselves.  From presents to loved ones to those in need to the planet we grace . So many ways and certainly not limited to a certain time of year.

Giving has many forms and faces in as many scenarios.

I have need thinking about the gifts I am making for friends and family for Christmas.

Giving gifts…whether it is going to my one of my favorites stores and purchasing just the perfect thing for the person I want to gift or making something with my very own two hands for them or even writing a note from my heart or diving into my present stash.

(I swear I have one. Don’t you?) there is not much other than that whole color texture thing that I enjoy more.

And I don’t mean to toot my own horn here but I am pretty good at it too. Ask any of my friends and family. Gift giving is one of my superpowers. Thank you Johnny.

A friend told me a few years ago that though I was great at the giving end I was not so great at the receiving end. I have thought a whole lot about this and I do not think it is true.  Giving is receiving. Isn’t that one of the universal truths?

When we give a gift we usually add a note or card or are there to tell the person what about them inspired us to think they would like what we have given them.

Sometimes the moment is so perfect this step is unspoken The love and magic fills the air between you. She opens the box that holds the sock monkey cookie jar and is so delighted and tickled because of course she loves sock monkeys beyond measure and a sock monkey cookie jar. Seriously outrageous . She is happy to have it but more than that happy that she is seen and appreciated and loved. And… in my experience that moment there is brimming and you both have received a gift.

How can all the joy and love you see on a child’s face when they get that one thing they wanted in their heart of hearts not make your own heart sing.

How can you not feel warmed to your toes when you walk next door to give your neighbor a box of cookies or a flower you picked on the way to the mailbox or a hug.

I am knitting gifts for Christmas. Just a few because time is short and I am a slow knitter.  I do not feel bad about being slow. I am fast at other things and well this is my peaceful place so slow is ok with me. I would like to be more efficient with it though.

As I knit these few fists for loved ones I was thinking that a really nice addition would be the story of this knit.  Since we pour so much of ourselves into what we create would in not enhance to share this part.

Something like this;

Leslie ( I have changed the recipients name to protect the innocent) I am gifting you this scarf I knit for you for Christmas, because I noticed that you are always putting your collar up against the cold to warm your neck. You still seem to be cold though so I am assuming this tactic is not working very well for you very well.

So I picked this very soft wool since you will be wrapping this around you neck and I want you to be cozy. I picked this shade of blue because you love blue and I though this would match the coat you wear and you do look really lovely in blue.

I made it a little extra long so you could wrap it around a time or two.

I was sitting watching Will and Grace the other night with e girls and working on this for you. I was thinking about that first time we went skating on the canal when we were teens and how even then your neck was cold. The I worried even though I have known you forever that maybe you secretly like you neck cold and well you can see where this is going.

Since you love words and I am hanging with “Rabia the wordsmith”, so there are a lot of them floating around. I am snagging some of your favorites and knitting then in here for you. You know the ones; raging, fundamental…brisk.

Whenever I work on this I feel like you are right here with me.

So my dear friend this is your new blue scarf knit by me for you and your cold neck.

p.s.  This scarf has been knit on the MAX, in Seattle, at a conference and late night in bed watching a movie.

love you

me

Something like that.

I decided on a walk recently that me theme for this holiday season would be comfort and joy. They seem to be in short supply and since we usually give out what we need them most then I think I might be covered on that whole not receiving thing.

gotta knit!

2010 Sock Club

Today is the day. On the Blue Moon Homepage on the side NAV bar you will see the RSC link. Click there and viola you will see what we have in store for 2010. It’s all pretty exciting!

General registration goes live on January 4th.

Right now those that want to purchase Gift Certificates for the knitter they love can do so.

Please read the Gift Certificate FAQ’s so you know what to expect.

All of the info you need is there either in the FAQ’s pages or the guidelines. If you still have questions after that please email us and we will be more than happy to answer your questions.

HOLIDAY ordering note;

Even with the lack of water for 24 hours we are in pretty good shape.  So if you order at any point this weekend there is a very good chance we can get it to you by Christmas.

If you would like to read more about my thought process on creating this years club go here. RSC blog

Thanks for all the “Once in a Blue Moon” ideas we are going to do a few I think so stay tuned.

Sock Camp info and sign ups to follow right on the heels of RSC registrations on the 4th of January.

Orders from sale and beyond.

We are working really hard to get everyone’s order in a timely manner. The holiday and the most recent plague have made this more of a challenge. We have brought in some temps to help with this.

We will have a whole bunch of the sale orders out as of this Friday.  We ask for your continued patience and to know that we really are working hard to get you your yarn. We do get it, Yarn… holidays… yarn!

Also for those of you inquiring about the 2010 sock club that information will be on the blue moon site at the end of next week. At that time there will be the ability to purchase Sock Club gift certificates for those of you that want to give or receive it for the holidays.  As usual January is the purchase time for regular sock club memberships.  No worries about getting in or being left out.  So far with the 2,000 cap no one has been left behind.

How is your holiday knitting coming along . I have 2 pairs of socks, i scarf , 2 shawls and a spinning project and… I am slow. What do you think my chances are?

I am optimistic and also have made some lovely cards I made that have a swatch and a snippet of yarn and a little story about the lovlely knit-gift that is coming their way. I know my time limits.

thanks for your patience!

p.s. The month has not one but two full moons. which makes December a Blue Moon month with the second one falling on New Years eve.  Doesn’t this seem special and maybe even a bit magical? I think we should celebrate in some way.  Any ideas?