Tea time. What does this mean? In July we celebrate our independence from the Isle of Tea.

Long gone are the days of duping earl gray into the Boston Bay. Nowadays, though, we don't get most of our steeped leaves from Albion, but there is another product we seem to crave from those parliamentarian cheddar eaters: Yarn.

This year, for the moth of July, Springwater is celebrating sticking it to the Brits by discounting all of our British yarns by 20%. This means all Rowan, Colinette, and Jaeger Yarns, and Selvedge Magazine are 20% off.

Take that Sir Elton John!

Alternative Fibers, 3rd installment

So far in our discussion of alternative fibers, we have discussed plants. Hemp, Corn and Bamboo are all vegan in nature. But what about us animal-users? Is there anything new out there for us? Of course! Another product by Southwest Trading Company, TOFUtsies contains the exciting fiber CHITIN. No, its not tofu. I know tofu is vegan. Chitin its actually produced from shrimp and crab shells. Yes, now you can wear seafood (and note: this is not the same as see-food as some of you familiar with small children may know.)

Source: http://extravayarnza.typepad.com/extravayarnza/images/img_8716.jpg

Chitin makes an ideal fiber for sock yarn, for several reasons: one is its soft, strong feel. Besides this, though, it is naturally antibacterial. It will help your feet to not itch, stink, and generally be feet. This product comes in some splendid patterned colors as well, just perfect for some summer socks. And to top it all, it is a pleasure to touch and knit.

DISCLAIMER: The writer of this blog does not condone the rubbing of sea creatures on one’s feet for medicinal purposes. The Chitin in TOFUtsies works just fine thank you

Alternative Fibers, 2nd Installment

Its everywhere. Its on your table, its in your soft drinks, its in your fuel, and now you can wear it. It is corn. Yes, corn. Southwest Trading Company’s A-MAIZEing yarn now brings you this new fiber to drape over your shoulders, and drape it does! This ribbon-esque yarn falls loosely and coolly, making it perfect for a summer tank or a light wrap.



But how? What part of the corn, you might ask, is in this product? Well, its not the husks, as many might believe, nor is it the stringy bits between the husks and the ear. Corn fiber is made from a mash of the corn starch which is then pulled into long strands which are then blended, plied, or organized however the manufacturer sees fit. The resulting product has a surprising amount of body and strength, while maintaining a lightweight feel.

The next time you stop by Springwater, come check out this new product, and support your national corn growers ;-) You too will be A-MAIZE-d.

Fiber Camp! Knitting Camp!

Say you're 7,8,9,10,11 or 12 years old. Say you want something to do for a week or two in the summer. Say you're a parent looking for something to occupy a kid for a week or two in the summer. You're crafty? You like doing things with your hands? How about Fiber Camp?

We are offering two different camps this summer. Knitting camp, for ages 9-12 will meet in the afternoons (12:30-3:00) and focus on teaching basic knitting techniques. Each camper will knit a sock puppet during the week-long session. Fiber camp, for ages 7-11, will meet in the morning, and give the campers exposure to a variety of fiber arts, from weaving to knitting to spinning and dying.

Both camps are offered in week-long sessions. The first session is June 25-29, the second is July 30-August 3, and the last is August 6-10. They both cost $155 per session, with a materials fee of $15 for knitting camp, or $10 for fiber camp.

The picture above is Samantha Lee, a twice veteran of the camp, with a skein of her own hand-dyed yarn!

For details on registration and times, please consult the listings here:

http://springwaterfiber.org/html/kid.html

Stitch 'n Pitch

So you like sports. And you like knitting. There are more of you out there than you know. There are hockey players who knit in the time-out box. There are rowers who make sweaters. And now, there is Stitch ‘n Pitch. For everyone who thought sharp, pointy sticks and flying baseballs were a GREAT combination, this is your event! For everyone who thought baseball was deathly boring except for a few seconds of excitement every 30-40 minutes, this will give you something to do while you wait.

Along with other organizations, Springwater will be selling tickets to this year’s Stitch ‘n Pitch, which is to be May 14, at RFK stadium. Put on by the National Needle Arts Association, this event will cost $10 per ticket, and that will get you admission plus the kinds of goodies you expect from a day at the ballpark.

Come on down, eat a hot dog, knit a shawl and catch a fly ball. Great fun will be had by all.

The Alternative Fiber Series, Part 1: Hemp

Yes, hemp. No, not like that.

More like this:

Source: http://www.ingenkonst.se/images/hemp_bls.jpg

As summer approaches, we tend to start to think cottons. Lighter weight and cooler than wool, it is clearly the year-round knitter’s fiber of choice. But why should we limit ourselves? Hemp provides many of the same perks as cotton, and often beats it at its own game.

Argument 1: hemp is softer than cotton. Don’t be fooled. You may not feel it right off the bat, as it takes a while for this fiber to loosen, but anyone who has worn this stuff for more than a day will tell you it simply feels amazing.

Argument 2: hemp is stronger than cotton. Actually, it is one of the strongest plant fibers anywhere. You would be hard pressed to accidentally break or fray this stuff.

Argument 3: It is better for the environment. Okay, so this is a bit hippie-dippie, but cotton growing is a large enterprise that takes up a lot of land and resources. Hemp, on the other hand, is produced in smaller quantities, and grows like, well, weeds.

Argument 4: The stuff we carry at Springwater (shown above) is luscious, Elsabeth Lavold yarn. Her products in general are of high and consistent quality.

If you’re not convinced, come try it for yourself. See what you think. And I promise, it is totally legal.

double your discount!

The April special at Springwater is double the normal 10% discount on items purchased by Springwater members. This means for this month, all members get 20% off all their supply purchases!

This would be a great time to become a member, as the cost would pay for itself in no time at all. For $45, you become a member (and supporter!) of Springwater and its academic, community and artistic programs, and in doing so, gain the benifits of discounted classes, the discount on supplies and member's only events and functions.

As a non-profit, Springwater depends on support from its community to stay effective and open. Please consider membership for this reason, and for your own benifit.