Dear Friends of The Blue Purl,
We often say that knitting, like cooking, is a metaphor for life.
So, if you will indulge us, we want to start off today by talking about food because the food we eat can say so much about who we are and where we come from. Let’s take a step back in time, for just a few sentences, to peek at the foods that defined Patty and Wendy’s worlds when they were growing up.
Wendy grew up in a home where the big treats were Byrek (spinach pie,) and SpaghettiOs - her two fav foods both of which spoke to her heritage as an Albanian-American.
Patty was a big fan of Empanadas and Mac N Cheese, two staples that spoke to her Colombian-American heritage.
This is one quality that makes our world, our country, our community, so special. To be American is to be a bit of yesterday, a bit of today and a bit of tomorrow. It is an opportunity to be different and the same.
This is so true of our community, too. We come to knitting and crocheting from so many different backgrounds. And yet, it is the common ground or our craft that unites us in purpose. It is our mutual desire to make beautiful objects, to keep learning, to push ourselves outside of our comfort zone.
There is so much the world can learn from you. We wish they were listening. How boring the world would be if we all ate nothing but spinach pie. How boring it would be if we all at nothing but Mac N Cheese. How boring it would be if we all only knitted blue cowls.
At The Blue Purl, we appreciate that each of you come to the craft from different places and have different tastes. That is what makes working with you all so fun and satisfying. We are here to help you be you, to find your voice with your hands, to create the objects that speak to you and that make you feel good. Knitting and crocheting is as much an expression of how we are, as the foods that we eat.
Let us help you figure this out. We can offer instruction, guidance, camaraderie and the most beautiful fibers around. The good news is, it is calorie free.
connect + create
Patty, Wendy & TBP Team
Team Eats
Keri - Watermelon with salt & pepper & Icebox Cake
Tam- Dim Sum & Hot Pot meals
Yiba - Steamed Chinese Meat Loaf & Hostess Twinkies
Kathleen - 100% Irish Dad's Marinara Sauce & Campbells Chicken Soup
Carolyn - Pizza Rustic - (Italian Easter Cake) & Hi-C Ice Pops
Liz - Grandma's for peirogies & chicken soup then to Coney Island for Nathan's hot dogs & french fries
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SEE WHAT WE'RE UP TO! FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM
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Shop Hours
Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays, 11am-5 pm
Wednesdays, 11am-7 pm
***Wednesday Knit Night 4pm-7pm***
Saturdays, 11am-4 pm
Closed Sundays & Mondays
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Per Madison Township ordinance, the shop can no longer provide paper bags to customers. We urge you please to bring your own bag(s). Paper bags are available for purchase, however, if you forget.
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We can offer knitting help/fixing mistakes in the shop again on projects with yarn purchased at TBP but can only spend 5-10 minutes for drop-in issues.
- Keri is back on Tuesdays and Thursdays for in-shop appointments on projects with yarn purchased from our shop. Please call ahead to schedule.
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Wednesday Knit Nights! Wendy is hosting open knitting on Wednesdays 4pm-7pm. Please bring projects with yarn purchased from TBP. This is social knitting to catch up with everyone and to ooh and aah over each other's work. We will be unable to provide fixing mistakes help during this time. The shop is also open for shopping during these hours.
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EXCLUSIVE: Kimberly's Top for TBP |
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Kimberly McAlindin, designer, youtube celeb of Knit a Rainbow fame brought in her TBP t op (currently being test knitted and so new it’s not named yet!) designed specifically for our shop in our own Marianated's HT Scrumptious' The Blue Purl colorway.
Lovely breezy lace panels roll down the sides. Absolutely perfect for spring and summer. It's a wonderful must see in-person. Beautiful Kimberly!!! Come see what this Jersey girl can do at the @newjerseywoolwalk! She’s planning to be at the Shop Sunday, April 24!!!
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One of our kits for NJ WoolWalk '22 is Siki Shawl by Dawn Henderson. Our version uses earthy, bouncy and cozy Ansel by Jill Draper. So, love the colors.
Below, we've reimagined the very popular Stroller Blankie by Andra Asars using Cascade's Ultra Pima Cotton. At the shop, we've made up 2 color versions. These colors not your cup of tea? Well, we invite you to come in to make your own combo. |
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NEW Meiju K-P's Contrasts: Textured Knitting |
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Meiju K-P's new hardback book, Contrasts: Textured Knitting, is filled with so many absolutely gorgeous patterns. Every piece is a gem. Please call 973-377-5648 or email us at info@thebluepurl.com to order yours.
From the publisher, Laine:
Meiju K-P’s patterns are filled with elaborate lace, beautiful cables and carefully finished details – but at the same time they are fun to make. As a designer, Meiju likes to combine challenging techniques with a pleasant knitting experience. Meiju’s debut book, Contrasts – Textured Knitting, contains 22 patterns, including pullovers, cardigans, scarves and hats in a soft, delicate and feminine style. They have been designed by Meiju to be functional and fit well. The pullovers and cardigans are mostly knitted from the top down, making their size easy to adjust.
- 280 pages
- 22 knitting patterns (9 sweaters, 5 cardigans, 1 poncho, 4 shawls, 3 hats), additional pattern modifications given
- Both charts and written instructions provided
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Pre-Order: Laine, Issue 14, Summer 2022 |
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Walking barefooted on a meadow wet with morning dew.
A call of a bird echoing over a silent lake.
Wandering home through the sleeping city at sunrise.
Issue 14, summer 2022, is inspired by the light Nordic summer nights – gentle, delicate and carefree. Our beloved summers are so short and sweet, that even the wee small hours feel too precious to spend asleep. The 10 designs featured in our summer collection embody that summer night’s magic and explore colourwork, texture and delicate details.
- 148 pages
- 10 knitting patterns, beautifully photographed and illustrated (both charts and written instructions provided)
Designers featured in this issue: Isabella Clark, Evgeniya Dupliy, Lindsey Fowler, Katrine Hannibal, Ema Marinescu, Claudia Quintanilla, Maria Walters and Sylvia Watts-Cherry.
Pre-Order your copy now by calling 973-377-5648 or email us at info@thebluepurl.com. May 6th release date. |
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Restock: Kelbourne's Scout |
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Just in this week is a restock of Kelbourne's Scout. We have sweater quantities on hand. No, it's not too late to cast on a DK weight, transitional temp garment or shawl. Come see our colors! |
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Restock: The Farmer's Daughter |
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Update: For NJ Woolwalk '22 @ TBP... |
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TBP's NJ Woolwalk '22 journey begins on Saturday, April 23 through Sunday, May 1st.
Click here to our webpage link to see more details.
Ahead of the festivities, we've been busy:
- The Farmer's Daughter Pop Up Shop - Soooo many bases, sooo little time!
- MORE Special Treasures added to our Clearance section
- New Kits for NJWW
- New Trunk Shows from Tamy Gore, ( **Jersey Girl Alert**) of Narrow Path Designs and others
- Our very own Marianated's ( **Jersey Girl Alert**) The Blue Purl in HT Scrumptious and Playtime DK
- Kimberly McAlindin ( **Jersey Girl Alert**) will visit on Sunday, the 24th and be wearing her creation
- Trunk Shows from Brooklyn Tweed, Woolfolk, including their newest yarns mohair-merino Tage, a few Fleck items and their linen-merino mix Stra.
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Some of the items Tamy will have on display - her NEW Trelawny Top, Amani and Swept Along, two gorgeous shawls, and Riverwinds pullover -are just some of her items which will be visiting during WoolWalk - Can't wait! Let's come together to celebrate our craft and this "Jersey girl" designer! |
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NJ WoolWalk 2022 - Passports plus... |
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Demand has been red hot for our very own reusable TBP goodie/project bag filled with: TBP wooden marker, NJWW gauge ruler, NJWW passport, W's TBP double stamped metal marker: all for $20.
Items also available a la carte. Remember: NJWW passports are $6, of which $1 will be donated to the Community Food Bank of NJ. TBP stitch markers are $2.50 (regular or locking), NJWW gauge ruler for $5 and TBP project bag available for $7.
Our town, Madison is bag free, so please bring your own.
Feel free to call 973-377-5648 or email us at info@thebluepurl.com to get yours! |
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Happy Spring Critters plus |
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Nothing says spring better than our Spring Critters Ravelry bundle. It's filled with many quick little knits & crochet projects bound to make you smile as you create. Also, checkout: A Dozen Knitted Eggs patterns by Arne & Carlos. So, very darling! |
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Our Wonderful Community (At Work!) |
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Keri's Spring Bunny Class - Bunny WIPs |
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Here are super cute, little bunnies from Keri's Spring Bunny class, pattern by Susan B. Anderson. They are all wonderful. Nice work, everyone! |
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Parva's building and building |
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Keri's helping Parva with her Michelle Hunter's Building in Color Blanket (books in shop) from a recent class. Here, Keri's giving tips on seaming. Parva used Vintage Chunky. Nice work and choice of spring colors! |
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Seeking baby blanket makers |
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One of our dear customers, Michelle, is looking for help knitting up blankets to donate to newborn babies at a local hospital. This has been an ongoing project for her and she has now purchased Baby Blossom Chunky yarn for more donations to this worthy cause. Please contact the shop by calling 973-377-5648 or emailing info@thebluepurl.com, if you'd like to help. Thank you, Michelle! |
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Maker's Day & Gates Avenue Knitters |
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Not long ago, Arlene organized 11 of her Gates Avenue Knitters for a fundraiser at the Long Hill Township Public Library on Maker's Day. The idea was to teach kids how to knit. The response was overwhelmingly positive and students, not surprisingly included many adults. TBP was glad to have been able to procure some 40 pairs of needles. According to Arlene, "The knitters were given needles and yarn to make 4” squares that would relate to a story about a child’s blanket that got smaller as the child got bigger. The story it is based on the book, Owen by Kevin Henkes." Very sweet!
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Kate, Y's well-read, well-heeled, translator extraordinaire friend visiting briefly from Germany & Spain by way of Long Island, is sporting the In The Stacks wrap, pattern by Jennifer Weissman. What an enjoyable and engaging knit! Y used Cascade 220 Superwash for a slightly larger wrap. The pattern calls for sport weight. It's a Finally-Get-to-See-You-&-Gene gift. Thank you for the picture and, especially, the visit with you both! |
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If you like this section, check out our Before & ...After on Instagram! Consider following us @thebluepurl
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BEFORE & AFTER... A couple months ago, we posted this fab before & after with Allison holding @blueskyfibers Woolstok yarn, and the after picture was of her standing with the beautiful@boylandknitworks Halibut sweater. Allison made it for her friend Nathaniel in Alaska and promised to get a pic of him in the sweater (she made it after he sent a picture of him with a halibut he had caught) Love seeing projects “in the wild”.
This is worth a reboot! Such a beautiful after picture!!! Awesome, Allison!❤️
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