This month, all the yarn in our sock yarn area will be on sale at 20% off.

Of course, anytime of year is a great time to have socks on needles, but as many of you know, sock yarn can be used for almost anything. Our recent Alchemy shawl model is made using the incredibly soft and beautiful Manos del Uruguay's Alegria yarn, which is in our sock yarn area.

We have sock yarn in a variety of weights and fibers, with new inventory arriving regularly. (We'll even include our wool reinforcing/repair thread in our sale.) We also have heavy worsted weight wool sock yarn for holiday stockings at a great price.

We would like to mention two events in Belfast that may make this colorful time of year even more amazing.

On Saturday, October 5, Belfast will be having its Fall Festival. Many businesses will be having special events and promotions. Read more about this family-focused event at   Fall Festival. And please stop into our shop to see our many new fall yarns that are simply scrumptious -- and put your name in for a door prize! We will be having an hourly door prize with the first name being drawn at 11 am.

Also, don't forget about Knit Maine-ia happening the following week on Saturday afternoon, October 12. Read more about the event in the article below.

At KnitMaine-ia 2019, come celebrate local knit and crochet artistry modeled on the runway, hear live musicians Splendid Ibis, bid on hand-knit shawls at their silent auction, win a door prize, and sip cider and savor delicacies at the reception to follow. This ten-year anniversary show will include favorite pieces and themes from the past. An event not to be missed!

When: October 12 at 2pm
Where: Belfast Boathouse
What: Fashion Show benefiting New Hope for Women
How: $12/ ticket at the door
Who: Presented by the Women of St. Margaret's

For more information, visit Knit the Community, find them on Facebook or phone 978-325-0045.

Belfast Fiberarts, LLC, a retail shop and community maker space for fiber artists, located at 171 High St., Belfast, is opening soon.

Retail Membership
Belfast Fiberarts is inviting applicants for Retail Membership. Imagine a shop filled with high-quality, hand-crafted textiles -- knitted, woven, felted, hooked, crocheted, quilted, embroidered, sewn. Soft handspun wearables, natural-fiber table linens, tea towels and warm cuddly blankets, and beautiful handmade baskets ready to fill with goodies for gift giving, or to grace the home. Weaving looms and spinning wheels, locally raised fiber, weaving yarn, tools, and supplies will also be available for sale.

Studio Membership
Work in a professional space, alongside other creative professionals. Studio Membership (includes Retail Membership) is perfect for fiber artists who don't have space, or don't want to dedicate space in their home as a working studio. Our fully equipped studio has everything you need to create, or set up your own equipment. Studio membership is a great way to mingle and meet other local artists in the Midcoast Maine community, and be able to sell what you produce in the Belfast Fiberarts retail shop.

Community Membership
Be a part of the Belfast Fiberarts Community! With a yearly Community Membership you are welcome to come by anytime during open hours, enjoy a cuppa, and spend time in a creative environment among working artists in the studio. You may use equipment in the Makers Space, do your own handwork or get help with a project. Membership includes a 10% discount on classes and supplies, plus a free Belfast Fiberarts Project Bag.

Workshops and Classes
A separate space is set up for teaching workshops and classes, filled with common supplies, scissors, rulers, tape measures, colored pencils, etc. Local and nationally known teachers will be invited to share their knowledge. The first workshop will be Victoria's Basket with Nancy Donker, on Saturday, October 5, 9 am to 3 pm, $45.00.

Monthly Potluck
A monthly potluck gathering with an educational presentation will be available to members at all levels. The first will be held on Friday, October 11, at 6 pm. Bring a covered dish to share; beverages and dishware will be provided. The topic will be: Collaboration. RSVP alice@BelfastFiberarts.com.

For more information, visit Belfast Fiberarts.

We'd like to welcome Reah Janise Kauffman, a knitwear designer who recently moved to Belfast. She calls herself an accidental designer because she's not trained in design, but made the leap into designing through curiosity and a desire for challenge. (She worked for a nonprofit environmental organization for 30 years.) Her enjoyment for designing sweaters moved her into pattern writing to share these designs. She also designs shawls, cowls, socks and mittens. Once a pattern is ready, it goes to a tech editor "to make sure I haven't messed up the math or something even more important." Our shop and Good Karma Farm were a huge attraction for her in Belfast.

You can find her patterns on Ravelry. Take a look at her recent Pocket Poncho using Good Karma's worsted weight yarn. As a bonus, she's offering a free cowl pattern, Purl Swirl, designed exclusively for Heavenly Yarns, for the month of October. Use the coupon code heavenly.

(By the way, her husband took up spinning yarn to "support her habit.")

A little tradition with a bit of a twist. Ieva knit our Armadale shop sample and reported that this was a new take on an old favorite. In place of the usual garter stitch body, the shawl is worked with a lovely texture stitch ... think something like a tiny bow. If you are a feather and fan aficionado you'll enjoy the thrill of the two- (or three-) color feather and fan version in the lower section of the shawl. The designer, Melanie Berg, gives you her clever take that isn't simply striping colors, but still just working a single color at a time.

Our sample is knit in the fabulously soft and lofty, sport weight Lalland from Di Gilpin Yarns. It's 100% lambswool from Scotland. The original pattern called for four colors; we went with three. There are a variety of colors in the shop, including many brights -- to go with your kilt, perhaps!

The Belfast Free Library features ongoing programs for all ages, art shows and presentations on a wide range of topics. See their October calendar for details.

For more events happening in Belfast in September, please see Our Town Belfast's events page and the Belfast Area Chamber of Commerce's October calendar.