Back from My Summer Siesta

• Posted on 8 September 2025
• By Anne
• 0

Miss me? I took the summer off, enjoying travel, family time, and just kicking back with a bunch of pretty string. Here's some of how I spent my wonderful three-month hiatus.

Slow down. Be present. Enjoy each day as it comes. Pay attention to life's gifts that surround you. Heard these words before? Well, having heard these suggestions many times in the past, I decided to pay attention. And what a treat!

In late June, the family boarded a plane and spent 2 weeks enjoying our aloha state - Hawaii. The island of Maui to be specific. Fourteen enchanting days in a gorgeous condo next to a secluded beach with my husband, kids, and granddaughters. Swimming, playing games on the lanai, watching for turtles, listening to the sound of gentle waves crashing on the sand, gazing at the stars, and sipping more than my fair share of Mai Tais. Perfection! So when it came time to come home at the end of the month, it was really hard to break out of island mode. That's when I decided to extend my vacation and take a full on summer break.

My apologies - one of the breaks I took was from writing this blog. I promise you'll get monthly posts going forward. We also slowed down at the shop, holding off on orders until we knew how the tariffs would impact us. Well, that question's been answered, so time to move ahead. As we move into fall, you'll start to see some fun new things trickling in. A new line of fingering weight yarn from Barker Wool. Waifu Yarns' delightfully squishy and colorful Oishi DK. A 100% US sourced breed specific wool from Juniper Moon Farms. And the latest collaboration between Laine Magazine and West Yorkshire Spinners - a brand new yarn called Laine x Novida. Lots to look forward to as the summer fades away and fall arrives in earnest, so stay tuned.

But back to my summer after aloha. I of course found more time to spend with those I love most - hubby, grandkids, and two terriers, Petunia and Albus. A few short road trips - a Mariners game (and they won!), a trip to Napa, a day trip to Carlton. And of course, a bunch of time indulging my habit - playing with pretty string. Another gnome, lots of fun with assigned pooling projects, a few socks, a dabble with crochet, and best of all, a completed sweater.

Many months ago now, I came across the perfect color combination for an Andrea Mowry Metamorhic pullover sweater. In one of their weekly newsletters (I think they were in the midst of Metamorhic KAL), Spincycle shared which colors one of their employees had chosen for her sweater. It was a lovely combination of a pastel pink tonal yarn with Dyed In the Wool 'Miss Me' - a soft blend of greens and pinks. It reminded me of a hydrangea. My colors! As usual, I was hooked, and started my own Metamorphic, only to be drawn away by the next shiny object. With a lazy, no commitments summer at hand, that sweater came right back to the front of the cue. And I loved knitting it! Just my colors, an easy, mesmerizing, tranquil knit, and finished just in time to wear this fall. But not just fun, pretty and finished. I actually learned something new and amazing - how to work the kitchener stitch with . . . wait for it . . . just one needle! No way, right? Way!!! And so cool. The sweater has a lovely tubular bind-off that requires the kitchener stitch. Andrea included a video tutorial for kitchener stitch on one needle. www.yutu.be./UNVNaKhxV4o.  I urge you to give it a try. Amazing!

That was my amazing, relaxing, knitting filled summer break. Best treat I've given myself in a long while. Even worth the scramble to tackle the to-do-list now staring me down. As the saying goes, "Take time to smell the roses." Or in this case, sniff the wool.