Heavenly Socks Yarns logo Heavenly Socks Yarns Newsletter
Color, Color, ColorOctober 2012
In This Issue
Slouched Tuva Hat
Simple Shawlette
Sock Yarn Sale
New Items
Discontinued Yarns
Hats for Kids Calling for Hats and Mittens
Advanced Spinning Class at Purple Fleece
Button Show at Methodist Church
Supper and Stories at First Church
Caring for Your Fruit Trees
Island Schoolhouse Book Signing at Beyond the Sea
The Makings of Music at Aarhus Gallery
Tinker at 80: Looking Back -- Moving Ahead at Betts Gallery
Contra Continuum at Belfast Dance Studio
Belfast Co-op October Schedule
Quick Links
Wild colors of Wildfoote Luxury Sock Yarn by Brown Sheep Company (75% washable wool/25% nylon), one of the sock yarns on sale for the month of October
Wild colors of Wildfoote Luxury Sock Yarn by Brown Sheep Company (75% washable wool/25% nylon), one of the sock yarns on sale for the month of October
Color, color, color. That may be the word to describe nature in early October in New England. And knitting is largely about color. The excitement of picking out the color of yarn to transform into a knitted garment (or art) is something we all have experienced. But what is also largely exciting for most of us is how one color interacts with other colors. How color striping is laid out determines the degree to which the knitted project is successful.

The "play" of colors -- and how to arrange it -- is a skill that comes easily to artists, but for the rest of us, it is sometimes difficult. For some of us it is an enjoyable challenge, but for others it is not. If you need inspiration in this area, there is a Web site called Design Seeds that takes colors found in nature and lays them out in an easy-to-use format. The Web site contains lovely images and it will encourage you to look at nature in a different way, likely making a direct connection to knitting. (And even if you have all the inspiration you need, the site is worth a click!)

Enjoy the changing season. For many of you, it is a time to organize the idle needles and fiber, and to turn your visions into reality!
Slouched Tuva Hat, knit by Liz in Baby Merino Silk DK by Rowan
Slouched Tuva Hat, knit by Liz in Baby Merino Silk DK by Rowan
Slouched Tuva Hat
Liz knit the Slouched Tuva Hat in Baby Merino Silk DK by Rowan (66% merino superwash wool/34% tussah silk), a fabulous yarn to work with. It's a one-ball project that Liz reports is an enjoyable pattern to knit.

 

Simple Shawlette, knit by Sara in Orielle by Louisa Hardingit by Sara in Orielle by Louisa Harding (97% baby alpaca/3% metallic polyamide)
Simple Shawlette, knit by Sara in Orielle by Louisa Harding
Simple Shawlette
This Simple Shawlette, knit by Sara in Orielle by Louisa Harding (97% baby alpaca/3% metallic polyamide), was inspired by LaLa's Simple Shawl pattern.

Sara added a row of seed beads toward the end. We carry seed beads at the shop. This is an easy technique that we will be happy to show you.


 

Sock Yarn Sale
During the month of October, all sock in our sock yarn area will be on sale at 20% off. If you don't like to make socks -- or if you just don't want to -- consider using this yarn for other projects. We have patterns for you for using this machine-washable yarn to make baby items, hats, scarves, mitts and more!
New Items
Tolten by Araucania Yarns is a chunky hand-dyed yarn in multi-colored colorways. The colors are rich, and the yarns are tightly plied, which should keep pilling to a minimum. $14.95 for 107 yards.

Andalien by Araucania Yarns is an aran-weight (16-18 sts per inch) hand-dyed wool. Unique to this yarn is a metallic thread that has been neatly woven in the chainette construction of the yarn. $12.95 for 89 yards.
Discontinued Yarns
Organic Merino Wool by Sublime is a well-loved yarn. At its full price of $9.50 ($9.95 suggested retail price) for 113 yards, it may have been a little too expensive for some knitters. Enjoy this heavy DK/light worsted wool at 45% off the suggested retail price, now $5.45 per ball.

Rustic Wool DK by Queensland is a machine-washable DK wool. It comes in lovely tone-on-tone colorways. A suggested retail price of $7.95 for 131 yards, now it is priced at $4.35 per ball.
Hats for Kids Calling for Hats and Mittens
Hats for Kids collects handmade hats and mittens for our many children in Waldo County who need warm clothing. Knitted and crocheted hats and mittens, made by kind and generous people from near and far, are distributed by Ellie Weaver, the school nurse at Troy Howard Middle School. Smaller-sized ones are sent home for younger siblings or passed on to elementary-school children.

Many thanks to those who have donated such a variety of fun hats and mittens in previous years and to those who have already donated beautiful creations for this winter. All are appreciated and put to good use. Last year Hats for Kids collected fifty-eight wonderful hats and six pairs of cozy mittens!

Preferably before December 1, donations can be dropped off at Heavenly Socks Yarns, 82 Main St., Belfast, or mailed to Hats for Kids c/o Judy Kao, 20 Commercial St., Belfast, ME 04915. Please include your name and address so Hats for Kids can thank you.

Phone Judy at 207-338-1945 if you have any questions or would like your donations picked up.
Joy Wheel, by Ashford
Joy Wheel, by Ashford
Advanced Spinning Class at Purple Fleece
Purple Fleece is offering an all-day Advanced Spinning Class on Friday, October 12. The class will start at 10 am and finish about 4:30 pm.

They will be working with different fibers, different ways to prep fiber and different ways to ply.

If you are interested in attending, please phone 207-323-1871 or e-mail [email protected] for more details.

 

Button Show at Methodist Church
On Saturday, October 20, from 10 am-2 pm, there will be a button show at Belfast United Methodist Church, 23 Mill La., Belfast. The event is sponsored by the Maine Tri-County Button Club.

There will be a nice selection of buttons for sale by many of the club members. Also, some members from the Maine State Button Society will attend. There will be door prizes and raffle tickets. There will also be refreshments.

For more information, phone Jamie's Miniatures, 207-338-0516.
Supper and Stories at First Church
Public Supper/Hootenanny at First Church

The First Church in Belfast, UCC is hosting a Public Supper/Hootenanny on Saturday, October 13, in their upstairs Fellowship Hall. The menu will include roast pork, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, green beans, squash, applesauce and apple crisp. The fruits and veggies will all be fresh harvest! Serving will commence at 5 pm and end at 6:30 pm. Cost is $8.00 for adults and $4.00 for children 10 and under. The church is located on the corner of Spring and Court streets and is handicapped-accessible using the Spring Street entrance. All are welcome. For more information, phone 207-338-2282.


Saturday Stories at First Church 
Saturday Stories, a joint effort of First Church in Belfast, UCC and Left Bank Books, presents a special story series on the first Saturday of each month at 10 am on the lawn of the church. Look for the white tent on the church lawn on Church Street, adjacent to the Belfast Police Station.

BYOB (Bring Your Own Blanket) -- they'll provide a story, lots of fun and a snack. If the weather is not good, the event will be held inside. This series is designed for children ages 3-8 and their parents or caregivers.

Scheduled for October 6, and combined with the Church Street Fair, Saturday Stories presents The Blessing of the Beasts by Ethel Pochocki. Pastors Joel Krueger and Kate Winters will bless animals that day, so bring your favorite pet. (Crated or leashed, please!)

Put these dates on your calendars:
November 3: The Saturday Story will be Dr. Desoto by William Steig. This very funny classic story has a memorable lesson about bravery and facing fears.
December 1: A special treat is planned! You'll meet a fascinating character, Brother Advent, who will tell his story and bring his favorite Christmas treat to share with all the children.

After Brother Advent tells his story, you are welcome to stay for a potluck lunch. Just bring your favorite dish to share and then join in the 3rd Annual Intergenerational Advent day. There will be a variety of things to make and do for the whole family. After the activities, help decorate the sanctuary in the annual Hanging of the Greens festival. Join us for a memory-making day to begin the Christmas season!

Left Bank Books will have copies of the books we read in the store. This wonderful book store is directly across the street from the church if you want to take a book home to read the story again (and again ... and again).
Caring for Your Fruit Trees
The October meeting of The Belfast Garden Club will take place on Tuesday, October 16, featuring a presentation and discussion, Caring for Your Fruit Trees, with Mark Fulford of Teltane Farm in Monroe.

The program is free and the public is encouraged to attend. The speaker will begin at 2 pm following a brief public club business meeting beginning at 1 pm. The afternoon meeting and program take place at St. Margaret's Episcopal Church Parish House, 95 Court St., Belfast. For more information, phone Corliss Davis 207-930-3562 or visit Belfast Garden Club.
Island Schoolhouse: One Room for All, by Eva Murray
Island Schoolhouse: One Room for All, by Eva Murray
Island Schoolhouse Book Signing at Beyond the Sea
On Friday, October 5, from 1:30-4:30 pm, Beyond the Sea, 74 Main St., Belfast, will host author Eva Murray, for a talk, Q-and-A and book signing of her new release, Island Schoolhouse: One Room for All.

On six remote, windblown Maine islands, the children are still educated in one-room schools. After two mainland one-room schools closed in 2009, these islands maintain the last taxpayer-funded public one-room elementary schools in the state. But despite very small student populations and sometimes shrinking communities, these remaining schools are not slated to close. These are among the most technologically savvy schools in the state and offer a culturally rich educational experience. Their teachers collaborate on curriculum, use Critical Friends Group techniques for problem solving, run inter-island book groups via Tandberg, and much more.
 
Author Eva Murray moved to Matinicus in 1987 to teach in the one-room school, married and raised a family on the island, and has served on the school board and volunteered in the school. She has traveled from island to island in Maine, visited two schools in the Moosehead Lake area just before they were closed and corresponded with one-room-school teachers in Alaska, Colorado, Montana and North Dakota, collecting the stories that tell how these small communities promise their handful of children a modern education within the context of a specialized and sometimes isolated lifestyle. The hows and whys will fascinate educators, and the details of island life (or the problem with brown bears on field trips in Alaska) will interest everyone.

For more information, e-mail inquiries to Nanette at [email protected], phone 207-338-2100 or find them on Facebook.
Tea-Sharp Harmony, ceramic teapot, by Meryl Ruth
Tea-Sharp Harmony, ceramic teapot, by Meryl Ruth
The Makings of Music  at Aarhus Gallery
Aarhus Gallery has invited artists from Cumberland County to Waldo County to show their musical instruments and art inspired by music or musical instruments for an exhibit entitled The Makings of Music.

Among the many pieces on view you will find a cigar box mandolin, a ceramic French horn tea pot, a contemporary cello, electric guitars, woodblock prints, paper cuts and more, all expressing, in one form or another, the makings of music. Please join Aarhus for an opening reception on Friday, October 5, 5-8 pm. The show runs from October 2-28.
 
Artists showing work will be Joe Ascrizzi, Tony Ascrizzi, Martha Briana, Stephen Brown, Jake Chase, Lincoln Clapp, Heidi Daub, Linden Frederick, David Holbrook, Kevin Johnson, Mark Kelly, Richard Mann, Edward MacKenzie, Leslie Miller, Toki Oshima, Louise Philbrick, Wesley Reddick, Willy Reddick and Meryl Ruth.
 
Aarhus Gallery, located at 50 Main St., Belfast, is open Tuesday-Sunday, 11 am-5:30 pm, and Mondays by chance. For more information and a slide show of the current exhibit, visit Aarhus Gallery or phone 207-338-0001.
Collage and sculpture, by Norm Tinker
Collage and sculpture, by Norm Tinker
Tinker at 80: Looking Back -- Moving Ahead at Betts Gallery
Betts Gallery is excited to be hosting Norman Tinker's exhibit, Tinker at 80: Looking Back -- Moving Ahead, a mini-retrospective of his years as a sculptor. The opening reception is Friday, October 5, 5:30-8 pm.
 
This body of work covers a span from 1957 through the present. Photographs of past work will accompany new collages and sculptures to bring us up to Tinker's present.  During the past year, Tinker has been making drawings and collages using some older sculptures as models. This represents a coming together of two-dimensional work with three-dimensional ideas.

Norman Tinker explains, "When I turned 79 and began my 80th year last October, I began a self-indulgent process of thinking about what I would like to do to celebrate my 80th birthday. One's 80th is a real milestone for most people, and should be for me. I soon found myself thinking about a show, something different than a normal show of just recent work." What resulted is this mini-retrospective.

Betts Gallery is located at The Belfast Framer, 96 Main St., Belfast. The gallery is open Monday-Friday, 10 am-5 pm, and Saturday, 10 am-2 pm. For more information, phone 207-338-6465 or visit The Belfast Framer.
Contra Continuum at Belfast Dance Studio
Just in time for foliage season in Midcoast Maine: Special October 7 Belfast Dance to celebrate the Contra Continuum in our fair city (from favorite chestnuts to modern contras).

The dance will take place on Sunday, October 7, at the Belfast Dance Studio, 109 High St., Belfast. Fabulous music by Lissa Schneckenburger, Bethany Waickman and Glen Loper. Cheerful calling by Chrissy Fowler. 4-5 pm: Workshop (free) (insider tips, Money Musk secrets and more). 7 pm Dance ($10.00 adults, $7.00 under 21).

Please note that the regular First Friday Belfast Flying Shoes dance is on for Friday,
October 5.
 
For more information, phone 207-338-0979 or e-mail [email protected] or [email protected].
Vignettes, by Beth Berman
Vignettes, by Beth Berman
Belfast Co-op October Schedule
October Featured Artist: Beth Berman
High Fiber, by Searsport mixed-media artist Beth Berman. On display in the Belfast Co-op Cafe for the month of October.

Senior Discount Day
Every Tuesday, Belfast Co-op customers 62 years young and up receive a discount if they inform the cashier of their eligibility. Co-op member-owners receive a 10% discount; non-member-owners 5%.

Wild Mushrooms as Functional Food
Tuesday, October 2, 6:30 pm, Belfast Free Library: Join mushroom expert, author and guide Greg Marley for this presentation, Maine's Bountiful Harvest: Wild Mushrooms as Functional Food. Free event; sponsored by the Belfast Free Library and the Belfast Co-op. For more information about Greg, visit Mushrooms for Health.

Wine Tasting and Art Opening
Friday, October 5, 7-9 pm, Belfast Co-op Cafe: Free monthly wine tasting featuring highlighted seasonal wines, gourmet cheeses and crackers, and the opening of High Fiber. Jack Scully of Easterly Wines, Jaap Helder from the Co-op's Wine Department, and mixed-media artist Beth Berman will be available to answer questions. Featured wines are 10% off during the tasting. Must be at least 21 years of age to attend.

Benefits of Hypnotherapy Presentation
Thursday, October 11, 6:30 pm, Belfast Free Library, 106 High St.: Free presentation by holistic health coach and certified hypnotherapist Holly Shue on hypnotherapy and how it can jumpstart your path to health and wellness. Sponsored by the Belfast Co-op. For more information about Holly, visit Holistic Health Habits.

Thirty Acre Farm (Whitefield) Tour
Sunday, October 14, 12:30-4:30 pm, meet at the Belfast Co-op: Transportation provided, $10.00 pre-registration, limited seating; guided tour of their organic farm fields, land-clearing pig herd and commercial lacto-fermentation kitchen. Reserve your seat at the Belfast Co-op or call 207-338-9509 with a credit card. For more information about the Farm, visit Thirty Acre Farm.

Third Thursday Donation Day
Thursday, October 18: Every third Thursday of the month, the Belfast Co-op donates 1% of the day's sales to a community organization whose work helps build local resilience. The Howard Bowers Fund has been selected as their October 18 recipient; literature will be available about the Fund, whose purpose is to strengthen the food co-op community. For more info about the Fund, visit Howard Bowers Fund.

October LOCAL Food Day
Friday, October 26, 11 am-3 pm, Belfast Co-op: Maine Coast Sea Vegetables will provide free samples of their sustainably harvested and certified organic products, the Deli will feature local products in their lunch special and select local products will be on sale throughout the store.

For more information about Belfast Co-op events, visit Belfast Co-op Store, e-mail [email protected] or phone 207-338-2532.
Heavenly Socks Yarns, 82 Main St., Belfast, ME 04915, Tel. 207-338-8388.
Shop hours: Monday-Thursday, 10 am-6 pm; Friday and Saturday, 10 am-5 pm; Sundays 12 noon to 4 pm.