During the month of May -- and while the supply lasts -- you may choose a free grab bag with a minimum purchase of $15.00.

Of course, many of the items in the bags are overstocks, discontinued items or items that may be a little shelf-worn. However, we want to make these items feel like a "score" for you because they are nice products. Without revealing what is inside -- because that is the fun of a grab bag -- we have written on some of the bags so that you can choose something you are likely to use. We don't want to have a super-bulky knitter grab a bag to find yarn and/or patterns for fingering-weight yarn!

There is no peeking allowed. There is a "one grab bag per customer per day" limit, and a limit of two per customer, during this event.

The 2017 Maine Yarn Cruise is a yarn crawl, not a sail on the ocean!

We are so excited to be participating in a yarn event this summer. The organizers of this event are calling it a yarn cruise. Although the fine details are still being finalized, there is a dedicated website for this event -- Maine Yarn Cruise -- although it is not active yet. Please check back on it and we will post it on Facebook when we know the site is up.

The buy-in to participate is $9.50, which gives you a canvas tote (made in New Hampshire), a small gift from this shop and your "passport." We are interested in knowing how many people want to participate, because we need to prebuy the totes and passports. When you visit other participating yarn shops, you will be given a small gift at these shops. You will have an opportunity to win other prizes as well. This is a great way to explore the beautiful state of Maine.

Please call, come in or email us if you would like to participate. Of course there is no pressure about how many shops you visit or when you do it, although the event is scheduled to run from May 26 through September 4, 2017.

We will have 20% off on selected items that will make a great Mother's Day gift!

We will have 20% off on all interchangeable needle sets. We have a variety of needles, and if you don't need to buy a complete interchangeable set for a gift, you may want to try the Marblz interchangeables, which we sell individually.

We will also have 20% off all the yarn and items in the bookcase by the desk. This is the bookcase that holds the shawl pins and cashmere yarns, as well as a few other luxury yarns. We have many beautiful shawl pins, including those made by Maine artist Bonnie Bishoff.

Until Mother's Day, May 14, take 10% off your order from the Fiber of Maine website by using the discount code Spring2017 at the checkout.

Since the goal of Fiber of Maine is to support the fiber farmers, artisans and mills of Maine, a sale is not a frequent event.

If you've thought about ordering an item or buying a subscription, but haven't done so, we thought this was a good time to offer this incentive.

Often at the shop, we get customers who want to knit a baby hat. We used to give out a free pattern which we got from Ravelry, but found ourselves always adjusting the pattern for a different size yarn or baby.

That is why we like the newly published pattern by Fiber of Maine on Ravelry called The Maine Baby Hat. It has two cast-on options and three finishing options, three sizes of "baby" and five sizes of yarn. And it is available for free!

The pattern was written with Maine yarns in mind, but you can use any yarn in your stash that fits any of the five gauges. It is definitely a pattern to print out and keep in your knitting basket for whenever you need to whip up a baby hat!

The Tristan Baby Sweater is a super-sweet sweater that is fun and quick. We love how the delicate cable sits so nicely on the stockinette background. Designer Mer Almagro has cleverly come up with a baby sweater that can grow with the baby! The button band underneath is extra wide so that you can move the buttons as baby grows. You also have the option of making longer cuffs that can be turned up and then gradually rolled back down as arms grow. Our sample is worked up in Malabrigo Arroyo, colorful, soft and machine-washable. If this calls to you in a solid, give Plymouth Select DK or Vintage DK a try. All in all, a very satisfying knit.

Are you interested in learning to crochet?

On Saturday, May 13, from 9:30-11 am, Wendi Thompson will teach an Introduction to Crocheting class. This class will teach the basics of crocheting or serve as a refresher. Please bring a G hook and some yarn. The cost of this class is $10.00.

On Saturday, May 20, from 9:30-11:30 am, Wendi will be here again to teach an Introduction to Graph Crocheting class. Please bring a G or H hook and two different-color yarns. The cost of this class is $20.00.

The workshop will be held here at the shop, so space is limited. Please call, email or come in to reserve your seat!

On Wednesday, May 3 at 7 pm, Dr. Stephen Hornsby, the author of Picturing America: The Golden Age of Pictorial Maps, will tell how his fascinating and intriguing book came about.

The New York Times has called Picturing America "a beautifully illustrated book," and we couldn't agree more. Stephen's book showcases 158 pictorial jewels, most of which are drawn from the extensive collections of the Library of Congress.

Stephen is Director of the Canadian-American Center and Professor of Geography and Canadian Studies at the University of Maine. Many of you are familiar with the award-winning book he co-edited -- The Historical Atlas of Maine (2015).

Reservations are encouraged for this free event. Phone 207-338-9009 or email [email protected] to reserve seats. Left Bank Books is located at 109 Church St., Belfast.

Join Belfast Flying Shoes on Friday, May 5, for an evening of contra dancing at American Legion Post #43, 143 Church St. in Belfast. The evening begins at 6:30 pm with a community dance called by Chrissy Fowler. The contra dance begins at 8 pm.

This month's caller is Syracuse, N.Y.-based David Smukler. Active on the dance circuit in the Northeast for over thirty years, David is also a traditional-dance scholar and writer, and a prolific creator of new dances.

Sharing the Flying Shoes stage with David will be Genticorum, one of the top bands on the Québécois traditional music scene, with Pascal Gemme on fiddle, Yann Falquet on guitar and button accordion, and Nicholas Williams on piano and accordion. Over the past decade and a half, Genticorum has produced five CDs, played hundreds of concerts in some 20 countries, and earned four Canadian Folk Music Awards. Sound provided by Eric Weest Johnson.

For more information, phone 207-338-0979, email [email protected], visit Belfast Flying Shoes or find them on Facebook.

The free Art Together Mornings series continues on May 6 from 10 am-noon with Stained Glass Sticky Paper Collage with Bridget Matros.

All Ages Art Happenings (AAAH!) returns with the free event, Hagamos Arte! on Saturday, May 6 from 2-4 pm.

Seesaw: Anna Hepler and Karen Gelardi, from May 26-July 21. Opening reception: Friday, May 26, from 5 to 8 pm. For more than a decade Karen Gelardi and Anna Hepler have worked together, sharing an interest in textiles, and printmaking, and making work that crosses the boundaries between two and three dimensions. Seesaw will highlight their rich and intertwined language of form, surface and process with sculptures made from ceramic, fabric, paper, and images both sewn and printed.

You're invited to a free Community Supper on Saturday, May 6 at 5 pm at the Belfast United Methodist Church, 23 Mill Lane, East Belfast (Mill Lane is beside the Big Apple across from Perry's Nut House). Enjoy roast pork loin, mashed potatoes, carrots, applesauce, gravy, rolls, beverages and dessert.

Join them in their celebration of God's loving kindness. They want to pass it on! For more information, phone 207-338-5575.

On Tuesday, May 9, at 6:30 pm, at the Belfast Free Library, local resident Bob Witherill and his son Captain Dave Witherill will discuss their recently published books, followed by a book signing by both authors.

Both books are maritime-themed, but on two different topics: Steamboat Memories -- Penobscot Bay by Bob Witherill is about the steamboats that used to ply the waters of Penobscot Bay, while From Sea of Life to Sea of Dreams by Captain Dave Witherill is a memoir about his career as a ship captain.

Bob Witherill has had an infatuation with steamboats since an early age, watching the steamboats at Bayside from the shore. Unbeknownst to Bob, his son David was also writing a book at the same time and using the same publisher.

This program is free and open to all. For more information, phone the Library at 207-338-3884, ext.10.

On Tuesday, May 9, at 7 pm, Erin French, founder and owner of the acclaimed restaurant The Lost Kitchen in Freedom (Waldo County), will celebrate the release of her first cookbook, The Lost Kitchen: Recipes and a Good Life Found in Freedom, Maine. She will give a talk and sign copies of her new book (which will be released that day) at Left Bank Books in downtown Belfast.

The Lost Kitchen reflects French's emphasis on seasonal, and local, foods. She writes that one of the biggest reasons she loves Maine is because "it possesses four distinct seasons, defined by their climate, ingredient, and landscape changes." Her evocative, gorgeous cookbook includes 100 recipes, arranged by those seasons.
 
French is an entirely self-taught cook (she does not like to refer to herself as a chef) who read cookbooks to form her culinary education.

Reservations are encouraged for this free event. Phone 207-338-9009 or email [email protected] to reserve seats. Left Bank Books is located at 109 Church St., Belfast.

In May, the Belfast Bay Watershed Coalition is sponsoring several free outings and programs of special interest to birders. For directions and more information, visit BBWC or phone 207-338-1147.

Cathy Morgan Bird Week starts on May 13 this year with a 6-mile-round-trip flatwater paddle on the South Branch of the Marsh River in Frankfort from 9 am-1 pm. Meet at the Frankfort boat launch on Rt. 1A. Bring kayak/canoe, paddle, PFD, water, lunch, sun/rain/bug protection, binoculars.

A series of six morning Bird Walks are being offered from May 15 through May 20. All start at 7 am, wear tick-repellent clothing.
Monday, May 15: Head of Tide Preserve, Doak Road, Belfast.
Tuesday, May 16: Cloe and David's farm, 210 Oak Hill Rd., Swanville.
Wednesday, May 17: Ducktrap River Trail, Rt. 52, Lincolnville.
Thursday, May 18: In Town Nature Trail, meet at Kirby Lake ("The Muck") in Belfast.
Friday, May 19: Main Stream Preserve, Prospect. Meet at 7 am at the Irving gas station in Searsport to carpool.
Saturday, May 20: Sears Island, meet at the causeway gate to Sears Island in Searsport.

Thursday, May 18, at 6:30 pm at the Belfast Free Library, Jody Telfair, a Maine Master Naturalist, will review bird identification basics and discuss ways to help birds, migratory and resident, survive.

Friday, May 19, at 7:30 pm, join Mike Shannon for an Evening Woodcock Watch at 210 Oak Hill Rd., Swanville. (Rain date May 20.)

Share the Birdsong and Wildflowers of Ragged Mountain with Cloe Chunn and Roger Rittmaster on May 27 from 10 am to noon. Meet at the Georges River Trail crossing on Rt. 17 near Mirror Lake in Rockport. Bring water, lunch, protection from rain and ticks.

On National Trails Day, Saturday, June 3, join the volunteers of the Waldo County Trails Coalition from 9 am to 1:30 pm as they celebrate the Grand Opening of the Hills-to-Sea Trail at the Waldo County Technical Center, 1022 Waterville Rd., Waldo.

On Tuesday, May 15, at 6:30 pm, Herbalist Steve Byers will offer a talk, Preventing Lyme Disease Naturally, at the Belfast Free Library. The talk, co-sponsored by the Belfast Co-op, is free and open to all.

Are you afraid to go outside because of ticks? Lyme disease has become a modern epidemic, but there are many ways to protect yourself. In this presentation Byers will discuss ways to avoid ticks by using herbal insect sprays, as well how to integrate herbs into your diet to increase your immune resilience and help mitigate Lyme symptoms.

Byers has been interested in medicinal plants since the age of 10 and has studied Western Herbalism, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Cherokee Traditional Medicine. He has a wide knowledge of plants and enjoys focusing on regional botanicals which provide the most locally abundant and accessible medicine. He runs the Herbal Medicine Wellness Clinic in Belfast at 96 High St.
 
For more information, phone the Library at 207-338-3884, ext. 10.

The 2017 Green Thumb Plant Sale will be held Saturday, May 20, from 9 am to noon at the Belfast Boathouse. The nonprofit Belfast Garden Club asks that you think of its upcoming Green Thumb Plant Sale as you stroll your grounds to see what winter hath wrought and what spring will bring. Divided perennials are very welcome. Seedlings, too! And maybe now's the time to re-home that garden gewgaw or that read-already plant book.

If you can donate, phone sale coordinator Bonnie Irwin at 207-703-9057 or email her at [email protected]. Your contributions help the club do its part to keep Belfast beautiful with twelve public gardens. Learn more about the club at Belfast Garden Club.

On Tuesday, May 23, at 6:30 pm, local author and Jungian psychotherapist Cheryl Fuller will launch her new book The Fat Lady Sings: A Psychological Exploration of the Cultural Fat Complex and its Effects with a reading and discussion at the Belfast Free Library.

"Part memoir, part inquiry and inquisition, The Fat Lady Sings is a passionate, intimate, and intelligent exploration into our most intransigent prejudices. Cheryl Fuller goes toe to toe with the theories, scientific and psychological, of what it means to live in a large body in our culture. Fuller's unflinching examination of the social tyranny and internalized pain inflicted by body shaming is a tour de force. No one will think or feel the same after reading this book," says Patricia Reis, author of Motherlines: Love, Longing, and Liberation.

Cheryl Fuller, PhD, is a Jungian psychotherapist living in Belfast, Maine. She brings over 40 years of clinical experience, humor and enthusiasm to the study of Jung, psychotherapy, feminism and fat studies.

For more information, phone the Library at 207-338-3884, ext.10.

The Belfast Fourth Friday Art Walks will return for the 2017 summer season, on the fourth Fridays of every month from May through September. The art walks take place from 5:30-8 pm.

Sites on the Belfast Fourth Friday Art Walks will include:

The art walks in 2017 will take place on May 26, June 23, July 28, August 25 and September 22. Details about each Fourth Friday Art Walk will be available at Belfast Creative Coalition before the event.

All Things Nautical Yard Sale
An All Things Nautical Yard Sale will take place on Saturday, May 27, 9 am-2 pm (rain date Sunday, May 28) at the Belfast Public Landing Come Boating! Boat Shed. Seeking items for donation: nautical equipment, mooring gear, boating accessories, life jackets, paddles, oars, foul weather gear, boots, nautical books, crafts, collectibles, art, charts and small boats. All items must be in clean, workable, "sailable" condition. All proceeds to benefit Come Boating!, Belfast's community boating organization. Please call Carol now at 207-322-3090 for drop-off and pick-up arrangements by Friday, May 26.

Season Launch
Also on Saturday, May 27, 11 am-2 pm (rain date Sunday, May 28) at the Come Boating! Boat Shed there will be an open house to celebrate the start of boating season. Come down to Belfast Harbor to learn about the free community rowing program. Try rowing a Cornish Gig, a 32-foot boat with a skipper (cox) and six rowers. No experience necessary, just a desire to get out on the water and have fun. Refreshments will be served.

The Come Boating! All Things Nautical Yard Sale is known for its great deals, and Launch Day is great fun and a way to get out on the water at the start of boating season.