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These days some customers are truly window shopping! (click to zoom) |
The Changing Situation
Where do we begin this month?
First, we give our sincere sympathy to any of our customers who have friends or family members battling the vicious virus. All of America has been impacted in one way or another, but human suffering is the most difficult to recover from. However, love is powerful and with it we can get through this awful situation.
Most people like things to be "normal," and only like to have things changed up when they control that change. Obviously, what is happening now cannot be controlled by anyone, so let us focus on what we can control: our handwork.
Helen recently experienced that starting a new project while watching a Janis Joplin documentary relaxed her and made everything seem normal for a few hours. Could it be that simply starting a new project made for a rewarding evening? Since many of us have more time at home now, this may be the perfect time to start a new project -- maybe one that has us try a new technique or even challenge our current skill level.
Though our shop is closed to walk-in customers until the time the government allows us to reopen, we are still here Mondays through Saturdays, 11 am-4 pm, for phone orders -- to ship, with free shipping on purchases of $30 or more -- and to answer knitting questions as best we can over the phone. Our online company, Fiber of Maine, now has a section that has photos of the shop: a Virtual Heavenly Yarns page. If you see something that interests you, feel free to phone us and ask about it at 207-338-8388. However, some of the projects featured below will be able to be purchased online directly from the Virtual Heavenly Yarns page. If you are ordering from Fiber of Maine or Virtual Heavenly Yarns, please use the discount code LOVEMAINE at the checkout to receive the free shipping.
Thank you for your support, and we hope you feel that it is mutual.
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Lil' Rosebud, knit by Emily in Berroco's Corsica (click to zoom) |
Lil' Rosebud Dress Pattern
When a customer came into our shop recently and showed us this adorable pattern that she wanted to knit, Helen and Emily wanted to knit it too!
Lil' Rosebud
is a pattern for sale on Ravelry. It uses a dk weight yarn, and is sized from 3 months to 6 years.
Emily chose to knit it in Berroco's Corsica, having knit a sweater in that yarn for herself. She loves the way this yarn wears as well as the way it machine washes and dries. Corsica is a cotton blend (10% cashmere) that knits more like wool than a typical cotton yarn. She used three skeins of Corsica knitting a 2-year-old size for her granddaughter.
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Lil' Rosebud, knit by Helen in Cascade Yarn's Noble Cotton (click to zoom) |
Helen knit a shop sample and wanted to try a cotton new to the shop -- Cascade Yarn's Noble Cotton. This is a mercerized machine wash and dry cotton that Helen reports did not split while working almost 400 yards of it. Helen knit an 18-month size and used two skeins.
Both of these yarns can be purchased directly from us here. Knit in one piece from the top down, this pattern is fun to knit and the lace work is easily memorized. After a while, it becomes mindless without being boring! If you haven't haven't knit lace before, don't let it deter you as this is a great first lace project.
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Baby Fir Jacket, knit by Cheryl in Debbie Bliss' Cashmerino (click to zoom) |
Baby Fir Jacket
Cheryl just finished
Baby Fir Jacket for her new great-niece. She was going to leave it on display at the shop for a few weeks, but the current situation has made that option impossible. Since it is so darling, we just wanted to share.
Cheryl made the smallest size and used two balls of Debbie Bliss' Baby Cashmerino (a merino blend perfectly matched for the pattern gauge) for the main color, and one ball for the contrasting color, though the pattern is shown by the designer in one color. As some of you may know, Debbie Bliss went out of business a year or so ago. We have a few colorways with her label left, and the company that distributed her yarn in the US bought the yarn line and is now marketing it under the name of Ella Rae Cashmereno Sport. If you haven't already experienced this yarn, it is a pleasure to knit or crochet with. The yarn has such spring and bounce and it is machine washable.
Both yarns can be directly purchased
online from us. The Debbie Bliss label will be 25% off.
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Tillandsia, being knit by Cheryl in Plymouth Yarn's Yakima (click to zoom) |
Staff Projects
What is the staff knitting during this time?
Cheryl is gauging for a new project: Tillandsia. The yarn is Yakima from Plymouth Yarn (a single-ply 85% merino/25% yak blend), and though it is hard to see in this photo because the swatch is curled, she reports that the plain stitches are beautiful and remarkably even. She is looking forward to knitting and wearing this top -- maybe even as a vest over a blouse, making it a three-season top!
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Lil' Rosebud, being knit by Emily in Berroco's Corsica (click to zoom) |
Emily loved making Lil' Rosebud, and so she is knitting another using one of her favorite yarns -- Berroco's Corsica.
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Little Aiden, being knit by Liz in Quince and Co.'s Willet (click to zoom) |
Liz just finished two big projects, both colorwork sweaters, so she decided to
start something smaller and simpler for the shop. Helen has been encouraging her
to knit a cotton sample for a while, but while cotton is not really her thing, as she
prefers rustic wools, a quarantine seemed as good a time as any to stretch
herself. Curious about Quince and Co.'s Willet and thinking it would make a nice
fabric for a baby project, she settled on a cute baby gansey from the designers
at Quince. She reports, "So far so good!" The pattern, Little Aiden, is
available on Ravelry, and is an interesting knit so far.
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Reah Janise Kauffman's Lace Up Summer Tee, being knit by Helen in Gatto Yarn's Hollywood (click to zoom) |
Helen likes to try a make a new cotton top every year. This year her top is being knit with Gatto Yarn's Hollywood -- a cotton/acrylic blend with a metallic thread. She is using Reah Janise Kauffman's pattern
Lace Up Summer Tee
. The pattern is easy to follow and fun. The only adjustment Helen made so far is the stitch count, since the Hollywood yarn is a sport weight gauge and the pattern is fingering. Since the pattern is straightforward and flat, it allows for an easy adjustment of yarn gauge.
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Jenn Steingass' Treysta, being knit by Sara in Lamb's Pride worsted (click to zoom) |
Sara finds the temptation to turn a sweater into a long dress irresistible! After spending a year deciding on colors, she is knitting Jenn Steingass'
Treysta with Lamb's Pride worsted.
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Edward's Menagerie: The New Collection, by Kerry Lord, featured on the latest Fruity Knitting (click to zoom) |
For You Crocheters!
We have one of the books that are featured on
the latest episode of Fruity Knitting
!
Edward's Menagerie: The New Collection
, by Kerry Lord, has 50 animal patterns to learn to crochet. Enjoy!
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Schacht Cricket Loom (click to zoom) |
Belfast Fiberarts News
Belfast Fiberarts store is closed to observe Stay Healthy and Stay Home,
but you can visit their website at
Belfast Fiberarts
and stay creative by following online videos.
Here's a link to the first video (in progress):
Use the promotional code
stayhome
to stream for free.
"Stay healthy and be creative. We will get through this!" says Alice.
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Digital Library Resources
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Belfast Free Library and Creativebug present online art and craft video classes. |
The
Belfast Free Library is temporarily closed, and all library programs are suspended till further notice. During this temporary closure, please take advantage of the library's digital resources: e-books and e-audiobooks on
CloudLibrary and
RBDigital; movies on
Kanopy; craft projects on
Creativebug; self-publishing and a variety of other resources on
Biblioboard; and a multitude of information resources through the
Digital Maine Library. For more information, watch Belfast Community Media's video,
Online Information Services.
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The new 2020 BACC magazine |
More Belfast Resources
The Belfast Area Chamber of Commerce is assembling information for our businesses and community to get us through this critical time. Check their
Updates, List and Resources.
Our Town Belfast is tracking current downtown business activity. Check their
Updates.
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Temporary shop hours: Monday-Saturday, 11 am-4 pm
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