We had fun this month combining fabric with yarn, working with Fiddlehead Artisan Supply and creating a Summer Dress. This was an easy project to do, but the pattern has been translated from the original French version and so there is some text that isn't as clear as it could be. The bodice is knitted from the top down, and if you've knitted a top-down garment before, it will not be a problem.

The pattern comes in sizes 2 and 4 years using fingering yarn. We used one skein of a light sport for the smaller size, Elsebeth Lavold's Hempathy, and a #2 needle. You should have no problem making a size larger than a 4 by using a larger-gauge yarn.

Fiddlehead Artisan Supply added a half-yard of fabric for the skirt and would also be happy to help you with how to attach it to the bodice. They have an amazing selection of fabric for just this project. They also have a model of this dress, in a different colorway, in their shop. (Please see more information about Fiddlehead Artisan Supply in the next article.)

If you don't want to sew with fabric, you can easily knit the skirt portion of the dress. We also love another child's dress made with Hempathy in Elsebeth Lavold's Book Twentyfour from The Sugar and Spice Collection, Saffron.

We still meet people in our shop who do not yet know about Fiddlehead Artisan Supply or have not walked through their doors into an exciting atmosphere of color and beauty! Because we know the folks at Fiddlehead Artisan Supply well, we thought we would let you know that we try and collaborate with them as much as we can, and hope to do more in the future.

Fiddlehead is offering a 10% discount on the fabric and thread needed to make this dress. You can print the coupon below, or come into our shop and we will give you one!

"It's the perfect baby shower gift!" is how one of our customers described the Puerperium Cardigan after seeing it for the first time. Knit seamlessly from the top down, it's an easy unisex pattern that has a high "cute factor."

Ours used less than one skein of Llama Soft Cotton from Queensland, a new yarn for us. There is even enough left over for a pair of booties or hat!

This scarf is made with Berroco's Maya. Maya is a new yarn in Berroco's line of quality yarns. It is worsted weight and made of 85% cotton and 15% alpaca fiber. It is incredibly soft, and is machine washable! The chainette construction helps to keep any pilling to a minimum and produces a lightweight garment of integrity. 137 yards of Maya sells for $7.95. The pattern is in Berroco's Booklet #331.

Though there are a lot of free patterns available, Berroco has done a great job, in our view, of providing pattern support for their yarns at a low cost. Booklet #331 contains six patterns for Maya and sells for only $7.00.

Kristen TenDyke is the author of a newly published book from Interweave Press, Finish-Free Knits. Please join her here at the shop on Friday, April 19, from 4-6 pm. We will have books available at 20% off during the event, and there will be light refreshments. Kristen will sign copies of her book, show the sweaters from her book, and talk about the seamless techniques she used in constructing the sweaters.

Knitwear and crochet designer and knitting technical editor Kristen TenDyke's designs have appeared in other books, including Weekend Hats, Knitting Green and The Knitter's Handy Book of Top-Down Sweater Patterns, as well as many publications including Interweave Knits, Interweave Crochet, Vogue Knitting, Knitty and Knit Simple. She recently launched Caterpillar Knits and is a former staff member of Classic Elite. Kristen lives in Maine.
 
You can read more about her book at Kristen TenDyke.

We have lots of new yarns, and we have also new colorways in some of our existing lines.

Here are a few new yarns to come and touch:

Fino by Manos Del Uruguay -- This is a hand-dyed yarn that can be knit in a range from 24-28 stitches per inch. Each hank has 490 yards of 70% extrafine merino, 30% silk -- luxurious fiber ready for your fingers. $28.00 per skein.

Tosh Merino Light by Madeline Tosh -- We have had this yarn in the past but our order of ten months ago has finally arrived! This fingering-weight superwash yarn comes in hand-dyed tonal hanks of 420 yards for $19.95.

Andrea by Schaefer Yarn -- A lusciously soft hand-painted skein of laceweight yarn of 100% cultivated silk. It is has 3.5 oz./1093 yds. per skein, knitting at about 8 sts/inch. Regularly priced at $49.00, now $29.00.

Kidlin --A linen/kid mohair/nylon-blend yarn. Though the label says "laceweight," it is a worsted-weight yarn. Each 50-gram skein is 250 yards. Regularly $14.95, now $8.50.

Inox circular needles -- We have so many needle varieties that managing and reordering them is very time-consuming, and the selection process is a little overwhelming for many customers. We are now offering Inox circular needles at 40% off. They were a good value at their suggested retail price and now they are a great value!

Misti Cotton -- A hand-dyed dk/sportweight cotton/silk blend. The skein is 327 yards. Originally $19.50, now $11.00.

Date and time: Saturday, April 27, 9 am-noon.
Cost: $20.00.
Skill: All levels.
Knowledge needed: How to knit and purl. Experience working with stranded knitting a plus.

Class description:
Double knitting creates a reversible, two-layer fabric. You work both sides of the fabric at once, with stitches from each side of the fabric alternating on the needles. Double knitting can come in handy when you would like to create a warm, double-thick knitted fabric that is completely reversible, or a scarf with stockinette on both sides. Depending on the pattern, one side can be predominantly one color while the other side is predominantly the second color. Students will learn the basics of the technique, how to fix mistakes and discuss various applications for the technique. A simple striped scarf pattern will be included.

Materials students must bring to class:
Students should bring to class size US #8 needles (#9s if you tend to knit tighter). Bamboo or wood straights with somewhat pointy tips are recommended. Two contrasting colors of a smooth sport-weight yarn (no novelty yarns) on which to to learn the technique, and two contrasting colors of fine kid mohair yarn (like Kid Silk Haze or similar-weight yarn), providing there is time for students to start the scarf.

Free Samoyed Undercoat Hair for Spinning
Janet Combers has a large sack of clean Samoyed hair from her dog. The fiber is ready for spinning. If interested, you may phone Janet at 207-322-2550.

Helen's Knitting Machine
Helen's knitting machine is for sale. It's a Silver Reed Punch Card Knitter, Model SK 280, fine gauge (up to DK-weight yarn), with ribber. The punch card allows you to include motifs and repeat designs, and the ribber attachment lets you knit in circular. Barely used, asking $500.00.

If you have anything to sell, swap or seek that is fiber-related, please e-mail us your information.

A community knitting circle will be held in the library at St. Margaret's Church on Friday, April 5 from 4-6 pm. The monthly gatherings will take place on the first Friday of the month from now until summer begins. The circle is open to the knitting community, and others who wish to bring their handwork. Bring your projects and your friends! For more information, phone Sara Brand-New at 987-325-0045, or e-mail Jillian Liversidge at jillianliver@gmail.com.

Do you ever meet up with a friend in Belfast and want something new to try? How about a drop-in yoga class? ("Drop-in" means no commitment necessary.)

Classes are offered Monday-Friday from 8:30-9:30 am at 39 Main St., Belfast. The cost for each drop-in class is $10.00; for an unlimited number of classes, the cost is $75.00.

Sara is also designing a line of yoga knitwear. If you are in Belfast, enjoy one of her yoga classes and see her colorful creations. For more information, phone Sara at 978-325-0045.

Call for knit, crocheted, sewn, embroidered, woven, painted, artistically designed tank tops to be made and donated for the Thanks But No Tank Tank Top Party! Save the date -- the evening of Thursday, June 27 -- to join in the celebration and silent auction of the artistically created tank tops at the Belfast Boathouse to benefit Thanks But No Tank. Display of the auctioned tank tops, food and entertainment are being planned.

Knit, crocheted, sewn and other art- and fiber-embellished tank tops are being accepted for the event. Plans are being made to photograph the tank tops and post online prior to the silent auction. Submission deadline of donated tank tops is June 1.

All monetary proceeds will benefit the community actions of Thanks But No Tank (TBNT). TBNT's mission is to support and protect the upper Penobscot Bay region's balance of economy, environment, scenic character and quality of life. TBNT members are concerned about the safety and security threat posed by the proposed DCP Searsport LLC Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) tank and terminal, and the cumulative impacts of heavy industrial development.

For more information, or for donated tank top submission forms, please contact event organizers Betty Schopmeyer, betty.schopmeyer@gmail.com, 207-548-2230; or Tara Hollander, tarahollander@gmail.com, 207-567-3219. Also, visit TBNT.

(A note from the shop: Inclusion of this press release is not necessarily an endorsement of the event.)

First Church in Belfast, UCC is hosting an indoor yard and rummage sale in their Parish House on April 6 from 8 am-1 pm. Table rentals are $15.00 for one or $25.00 for two. Homemade scones and other tasty treats will be available for purchase. A church representative will be at the hall on Friday evening from 6-8 pm for early setups. For table rentals or for more information, phone 207-338-6771 or 207-322-2818 (10 am-8 pm) or the church office at 207-338-2282 (Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday 9 am-noon).

First Church is located on the corner of Spring and Court streets, and is handicapped accessible using either Spring or Court entrances. All are welcomed.

Please join Left Bank Books at 109 Church St. in Belfast on Saturday, March 30, at 7 pm for a book launch and signing party for David Loxterkamp, MD, in celebration of his new book, What Matters in Medicine: Lessons from a Life in Primary Care.

Loxterkamp is co-founder of Seaport Family Practice and has been a primary care doctor in Belfast for nearly thirty years. A noted expert on family practice, he speaks and writes widely on medical policy. In 1998 he was profiled in a cover story for LIFE Magazine entitled "What Makes a Good Doctor?" In 2000 he was featured in the ABC Nightline special "Country Doctors," and he has been interviewed twice for NPR Weekend Edition, most recently in 2011. He is also the author of dozens of articles and essays, and of the 1997 memoir A Measure of My Days: The Journal of a Country Doctor.

In his new book, What Matters In Medicine: Lessons from a Life in Primary Care, David takes a particular look at the past, present and future of general practice. Through memoir and conversation, he reflects on the heroes and role models who drew him to family medicine, his many years in family practice in Belfast, and the challenges we face as we struggle to balance the need for health care with its rising costs.

The University of Michigan Press, his publisher, is using the book to launch an entire new series on contemporary medicine.

For more information, phone Left Bank Books at 207-338-9009.

Please join Aarhus Gallery for an opening reception on Friday, April 5, from 5-8 pm, for a show entitled Forest for the Trees which runs April 4-28.
 
With National Arbor Day and Earth Day happening in April, and the new Aarhus partner Tom O'Donovan having his annual tree show at Harbor Square Gallery in Rockland also this April, Aarhus has decided to branch out and have a tree show.
 
Featured artists include: Michael Alpert, Mary Barnes, Kenny Cole, Susan Cooney, Al Crichton, Kris Engman, Jerri Finch, Alan Fishman, Dave Johnson, Kevin Johnson, Mark Kelly, Richard Mann, Ed Moffitt, Thomas O'Donovan, Ben Potter, Wesley Reddick, Willy Reddick and Carol Sloane.
 
Aarhus Gallery, 50 Main St., Belfast, operating under winter hours, is open February-May, Thursday-Sunday 11 am-5:30 pm. For more information, phone 207-338-0001 or visit Aarhus Gallery, where a slide show of the current works is available.

Earth, Waterfall Arts' annual open call show, opens on Friday, April 5 with a reception for the artists from 5-8 pm, immediately followed by the Poets and Fools Costume Ball.

The annual open call exhibit seeks to bring together artists young and old, professional and novice, in a spirit of experimentation and free expression around the theme of our common experience of earth. All forms of creativity on the subject are welcome.

The exhibit will be on display in the Clifford Gallery from April 5-May 24; work must be delivered Tuesday, March 26 through Friday, March 29.

The Poets and Fools Costume Ball will be held in the newly remodeled Fallout Shelter Performance Space at Waterfall Arts. The party starts at 8 pm and features dance music by the high-energy band The Hips; readings by local poets Brianna Housman, Elizabeth Garber, Jacob Fricke and Mike Fletcher, with Eric Sanders as MC; a costume contest with prizes and celebrity judges; a 50-50 raffle and mini-auction; lots of happy fools; a performance by Dancing Machine, a Courtney Porter production; plus a cash bar, refreshments and fun with friends. All are invited to attend; wear a costume if you like, and celebrate community and creativity. Admission to the fundraiser is on a sliding scale, $5.00 to $25.00, at the door.

The Earth show and Poets and Fools Costume Ball are generously sponsored by Michelle Morrow, DMD, Coyote Moon, the Green Store, the Good Table and Fiddlehead Artisan Supply, all located in Belfast.

Waterfall Arts, located at 256 High St. in Belfast, is a non-profit dedicated to creating community in harmony with nature through the transformative power of the arts. Office and gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday from 10 am to 5 pm and by appointment. For more information, visit Waterfall Arts or phone 207-338-2222.