Dear Friends of The Blue Purl,
How many times have you held it together through the tough days of work, only to get sick as soon as you go on vacation?
Argh. It happens too often, to too many of us.
So, this year, when vacation is more than necessary, we are determined to keep it together, to forestall any sniffles and to make the most of our down time.
Time off matters. Letting your mind rest, matters; letting it wander off and meander into daydreaming, matters. It’s how we recharge.
So, The Blue Purl will be closed for two weeks, July 26 to August 9. The plan is to reboot our human operating system, to think hard about who we are, who we want to be and where we are going – as individuals and as a small, community-based, family-friendly business.
And when we come back, there will be a whole new array of classes and products for you to explore.
But while we are away and the shop is closed, we will have the chance to really think about our craft, what it means to us and how we can continue to help you grow, to help you become the artisan – and the person – you aspire to be.
There is so much to knitting, like gardening, or cooking, that is a stand-in for the more profound and complicated aspects of our lives. You must bring your whole self to every project, touch, sight, hearing, smell and, maybe even, taste - nah. You must begin, always, with intention.
You need to stop, think, plan a course of action, and then execute, to bring the object into existence.
Have you ever tried yoga? Well, there are lots of ways to practice yoga. Lots of schools, forms and approaches. But at the end of the day, it is a very personal practice where you run your own race and don’t worry about the person in front of you, or behind you. Each move, accompanied by a breath, is a step towards your own individual growth, regardless of how expertly you can hold a pose.
Our handcrafts are the same. Some of us can whip out super complicated, intricate patterns. Some are just beginning.
But with each stitch we all improve, we all bring an abstract idea into reality. With each stitch we take a step closer to creating a new, beautiful object – and to being the person we aspire to be. That’s not an overstatement, but a fact because the mind-body connection is so powerful.
That is why vacation, matters. Rest, matters. Downtime matters. Give it a rest. Let yourself breathe. Think about who you want to be and what it takes to get there. Then come back, refreshed and visit us. We will have taken then same summer journey and will look to make our way forward, in the fall, side by side, with you.
See you August 10.
connect + create
Patty, Wendy & TBP Team
