Dear Friends of
The B
lue Purl,
Our first responsibility is to you, all of you. We want to support you, to be your first stop for all your yarn needs, and most of all, we want to make sure you are safe.
We know there are a lot of opinions about what is the right thing to do now that shops are allowed to open again, but until we know for sure, and we mean like 100 percent for sure, we will err on the side of caution.
So yes, we are here for you, but we will retain some guardrails to ensure your well-being. You can still purchase yarn over the phone and through our
online shop
.
What’s changing is we will have shop appointments at a table by the front door (back if raining), Tuesdays through Fridays,
by appointment
, from 11am to 4pm and Saturdays from 10am to 1pm. We know everyone is eager to plunge back in (we would love to host everyone back at the tables NOW) but we are starting with baby steps and will continue to observe all of the social distancing best practices. We are asking that you
make an appointment
and then we will bring the yarn you request for you to see, touch, and consider. There is no fixing at this time. We will direct you to help as we have been.
The details are listed below, but first; please know how much we appreciate you and thank you for sticking with us through this difficult and unprecedented time. We will get where we all want to be, back side-by-side knitting, and crocheting, enjoying trunk shows, helping with fixes. But it will take time.
Still, let’s take a major step forward, together.
Right now, here is what to can expect beginning next week:
- You can buy yarn over the phone and email for curbside pick-up or to be mailed
- Continue to shop on our online store for curbside or to be mailed.
- Schedule (by phone or email) a 20 min. appointment, to visit us at scheduled times. We will have a table by the door and bring yarn for you to examine (with masks and hand sanitizer) and help you with your purchases.
Here is how it will work:
- We will be re-opening for appointment and phone/FaceTime/e-mail (online always open:) shopping on Tuesdays-Fridays from 11-4pm and on Saturdays from 10-1pm. We will be closed on Sunday/Mondays.
- We will have a table by the front door, where we can bring yarns for our customers to see and touch (provided they use the hand sanitizers which will be on hand and wearing masks). These shopping appointments will be approximately 20 minutes long. We ask our customers to come with project ideas in mind in order to accommodate the 20-minute timeframe.
- We will continue to operate in the same manner we have been doing, i.e. fulfilling online orders, answering phones/e-mails to help our customers with their selections and doing virtual shopping visits via FaceTime.
- Masks need to be be properly worn at all times during the 20 minute appointments.
- Our clients will need to use hand sanitizer, which we will provide, prior to handling our yarn.
- We will continue to abide best practices and ask that everyone keep social distance rules in mind to respect each other and our staff.
- Social distancing guidelines prevent us from being able to offer hands-on knitting help at this time. Keri and Liz have very graciously been our point people for virtual help, in addition to teaching classes on Zoom. Thank you both!
- Social distancing guidelines prevent the ability to have open knitting at our community tables at this time. We are so fortunate that Cheri Fisher has graciously taken this up and holds a virtual meet every Saturday for our regular customers on Zoom.
- If yarn winding is requested, we can only wind one skein of yarn per project, if waiting. If more winding is required, customer will have to come back at a later time to pick up
We will operate in this manner for the next month or so (mid-July) and see how things are going and reassess at that time. We also plan to take vacation the last week of July and first week of August, so the shop will be closed. Please let us know if you would like to stock up on something beforehand.
Thanks again.
We miss you.
connect + create
Patty & Wendy
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Hours Beginning Tuesday June 16
Tuesday - Friday:
11am-4pm phone/facetime/email sales and curbside pickup will continue as we have been - adding 20 min scheduled appointments at table by front of store - back door if weather is uncooperative.
Saturday:
10-1pm same as above.
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We have a few spaces open in each of our zoom classes! And this group will wrap up until late August brings us back to learn. Our classes are limited and supportive. The teachers answer questions and help you through issues through chats and support videos - whatever means necessary! AND it's fun to be together for an hour or so....Try it!
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Basic Cuff Down Socks
Level: Advanced Beginner: need to know how to cast on, knit & purl & knit in the round
Instructor: Carolyn Hanson
Class dates: 3 Tuesdays - June 16, 23, 30
Time: 5:30 - 7 PM
Pattern: provided by instructor
Cost: $35 + supplies from The Blue Purl
There is nothing like handmade socks, so toasty, so comfy. Learn to make a basic sock using either double points, one long circular needle or 2 circular needles. Choose a lovely self striping yarn
(like our opal sock yarn) and you’re ready to go.
Techniques: You will learn to turn a heel, gusset, and kitchener stitch.
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Bright Star - an heirloom project! - Zoom Class
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Instructor: Keri Samuels
Level: Advanced Beginner- on up
Class Dates & Zoom Time- Thursdays: June 18, 4-6pm, June 25, 4-5:30, July 9, 4-5:30
Cost: $
30 + supplies from The Blue Purl
"Inspired by the intricate piecing of patchwork quilts, the large, brightly colored stars in this afghan are mainly composed of
mitered squares
. Since the color changes within the squares are all in straight, intuitive lines, this is a perfect project on which to learn the art of
intarsia
."
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Instructor: Carolyn Hanson
Level: Beginner and Advanced Beginner
Class Dates & Zoom Time- 2 Mondays: June 22 & 29, 5:30-6:30pm,
Cost: $25 + supplies from The Blue Purl
Pattern: Provided by teacher
This is a great, classic, summer bag made in raffia, and a great beginning crochet project. Learn to read a pattern make an icord, and the bag of course.
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July Knit Along with Liz- Soundtrack Sweater
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Designer Marie Greene, aka, Olive Knits will start her 4th annual sweater knit-along this July and our lovely Liz will be hosting a zoom room for this. This year's sweater is
Soundtrack, knit in
Kelbourne Scout. Soundtrack can be knit in any DK weight, with basic mosaic colorwork for the contrast color, this is a good advanced beginner project.
The pattern will release on July 1st and the knit along runs until August 1st.
Pattern
is discounted to $8 on Ravelry if you purchase by June 15th; it'll be in your Ravelry library on the release date- July 1st.
What: It's a virtual Knit-Along, come join the fun! Compare notes, colors, techniques & Liz will be there if you want advice, but not teach.
When: Wednesdays, 7pm-8pm, July 1, July 8, July 15, July 22, & July 29
How: in a Zoom room.
Email
or call us to sign up. We'll send zoom sign-in credentials ahead of the 1st meeting.
Cost: FREE, with materials purchased from the Blue Purl
Want some ideas for your Soundtrack Sweater? Check out these
Scout
combos. Sweater quantities of
Scout
can be found in our online shop. The combo with self striping
Edition 3 would mimic more complicated colorwork.
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Want a superwash or hand dyed option for the Soundtrack sweater? We expect a shipment of Tosh DK in sweater quantities to arrive in early July. We don't have a definitive delivery date yet, so it may not arrive until after the knit along starts, but it's tentatively expected in the first week of July. If you'd like to preorder these, please email or call the shop to prepurchase these colors.
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Emilia - Perfect summer take-along everywhere
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Yiba brought her
Emilia by designer Em
ilia
Menéndez, made with 3 skeins of
Shibui Vine AND WE LOVED IT!!! This is a quick beautiful knit and we have free pattern copies of this using the DK weight. Vine is papery and thin. A perfect choice for a sleeveless coverup. Go
online to order or call 973-377-5648 or
email us
info@thebluepurl.com.
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Lounging Top by Joji Locatelli
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Our lovely Kathleen pointed out this cool summer top from Joji Locatelli. Knit in fingering weight, top down with no seaming, the pattern is sized from XS to 4XL. For the entire month of June, all proceeds from this pattern are donated to the
Loveland Foundation!
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Stepping Stones Cardigan by Rebecca McKenzie, is knit in Fibre Company's Arranmore Light. Why do we like it? 3 words- CUSTOM FIT BICEP! The pattern is knit from bottom up with minimal seaming, adjustable length, custom fit sleeve and custom fit BICEP. We rarely find patterns that offer this much flexibility and we know customers always ask our help with this. And there's more---Until June 16th, the pattern is 20% off, no code needed. Also until June 16th, the designer is donating 15% of pattern sales to the
Loveland Foundation.
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Crochet Corner- Featuring the Merrick Scarf
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We thought we'd start a crochet corner as more of you "graduate" from our beginner crochet class. We're kicking things off with a scarf by Toni Lipsey,
Merrick, in conjunction with the first Madelinetosh Collection.
Worked in Tosh DK, "this scarf is organized chaos, pure joy in color. Worked entirely in extended single crochet, stripes, and intarsia, you’ll have a ton of fun seeing this scarf grow. A coloring page is included at the end of this pattern so you can plot out your own unique color scheme if desired."
Besides our existing Tosh DK inventory, check out these bright colors we're expecting in our July shipment. Call or
email
us for ordering info.
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Casapinka's Hug Shot-free pattern expires 6/14
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Casapinka's latest free pattern with yarn store purchase, Hug Shot is free with code until June 14th.
Kits are available on ou
r online shop now.
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Festival of Stitches by Lisa Hannes
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Our newest kit,
Festival of Stitches by Lisa Hannes, aka Maliha Designs, is an addictive knit with easy colorwork, cables, eyelets & stripes. "No super complicated techniques are used...Every section in this pattern is completely adjustable to your liking..." We have gorgeous kits created with Madelinetosh Merino Light and Sock. The pattern is available on
Ravelry.
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Rowan Kits for Dropshipping
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Rowan created new dropship kits in their summer weight yarns- Cotton Cashmere, Summerlite, Island Blend combined with Kidsilk Haze. Each kit includes the yarn and printed pattern. Patterns are also available for free on Ravelry. Call or
email us to get details.
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A little help from our friends at Berroco
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From Berroco:
We are aware that many of our LYS have had to temporarily close their doors for their safety in accordance with regulations from their governors. We recognize it's a difficult time for many of our brick and mortar shops. Many shops are transitioning to curbside and e-commerce options but we wanted to help them offer something more! We are happy to introduce Berroco 123 DropShip, to ship Berroco yarns directly to your home.
Isn't that great!
Here (click in) is how it works
...
you find what you want and then call us and we'll place your order and they'll ship it. This week's drop ship free patterns are
Villa
and
Maldives
.
Both sweaters are knit with Berroco Medina, one of our summer favorites! Call us- 973 377-5648 or
email to get the free patterns with yarn purchase through us.
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Annie's Breathe & Hope...
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Annie made this beautiful
Breathe and Hope shawl by Casapinka with Baah La Jolla-Frozen & April 20. (still have some in the shop if you like!) It was Casapinka's gift to us for the cancelled Local Yarn Store Day. Thank you Casapinka and thank you Annie for supporting us! It sure is a beauty!
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Beautiful Fiskar by Becky
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Becky's
Fiskar sweater in
Woolfolk Tov is so awesome we are sharing it before it is done! We were working on buttons outside and snapped the picture just in case she doesn't get a picture back to us before giving it to her son :) This design is by Veta Romanenkova. And honestly it, is stunning!
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Tam's growing sweater collection...
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Some people grow plants, Tam is trying to grow her knitwear wardrobe. This
Etude sweater is the latest addition. Can't wait to see what's next!
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Ch
eryl knitted this hat for her granddaughter and then crocheted a terrier appliqué that resembles her pup Rusty. AHHHHHH! Love it Cheryl! The tongue!
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Using Madeline Tosh DK yarn for a baby sweater is soooo cool! Love it Janet!! The sweater is the
Verde Cardigan and the hat is
Babbity Baby Hat - Gorgeous!
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Sheila made her
Sasha Cowl in Keri's class this winter with Vintage Chunky and an
Oh, Helen! scarf is perfect for a summer evening. You're all set Sheila. They are lovely
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A 4th of July Baby Blanket!
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Carrie hatched a few chicks this spring with a Susan B. Anderson
D is for Ducklings pattern. They are so cute Carrie!
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Or you could sign up for our sock class!! - see above....
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