✨ New Year, New Design — Test Knitters Wanted ✨ 

The first day of January feels like the perfect moment for a fresh cast-on — and I’m excited to share that I’m officially opening a test knit call for a brand new shawl design.

This pattern (still unnamed!) is a top-down triangular shawl knit with three colors of North Bay Fiber BayBlend DK. It’s an easy, meditative knit featuring simple knits and purls, gentle striping, and cozy ribbing — the kind of project that’s perfect for settling into the new year with your needles.

If you’re looking for a relaxing, satisfying knit and would love to help bring this design to life, I’d be so happy to have you apply as a test knitter.

🧶 All the details + application are available through the link in my profile.
Test knitters selected for the project will receive 10% off yarn for this shawl.

Please be sure to apply if you’re interested — it will be so fun to knit together!

Happy New Year, Everyone!
Here’s to fresh starts, new stitches, and a beautiful year of making ✨

CLICK HERE TO APPLY TO FILL OUT THE GOOGLE FORM AND APPLY TO BE A TEST KNITTER

Our new labels arrived this week, and it felt like the right moment to share our big update.

✨ A New Year, A Thoughtful Update ✨

As we step into 2026, we’re making an intentional shift with our most loved yarn.

Over the years, our Heritage yarn has become the heart of North Bay Fiber. It wasn’t just the first yarn I developed — it’s the yarn which launched our company, and it’s our best-selling, most reliable base that so many of you return to again and again.

After nearly 5 years, we’ve realized that having a name that’s uniquely ours is more important than ever. We want to ensure this unique yarn stands out as distinctly part of the North Bay Fiber family.

We’re excited to share that Heritage is now named BayHouse™.

Just like a house wine at your favorite restaurant, BayHouse™ is our house yarn — dependable, versatile, and deeply rooted in who we are. It’s wool sourced close to home here in Michigan, milled with care, designed to be the yarn you can always come back to.

Over the course of 2026, our labels and listings will transition from Heritage to BayHouse™. Same yarn you love. Same quality. Same fiber story. Just a name that’s distinctly and unmistakably North Bay Fiber.

Thank you for growing with us and for supporting thoughtful, American-sourced yarn every step of the way.

The Sophie Scarf: A Simple, One-Skein Project You’ll Knit Again and Again

Some knits steal your heart the moment they come off the needles — and the Sophie Scarf is one of them. Our sample is worked in BayBlend DK, and it has quickly become one of my most-worn accessories. It’s soft, lightweight, effortlessly wearable, and truly the perfect little project when you want something simple, satisfying, and beautiful.

Below, I’m sharing the small modification we made to customize the shape, plus a helpful pro tip to ensure you use your skein efficiently from beginning to end.

Our Modifications

The pattern is already wonderfully straightforward, but we made one small adjustment to achieve a longer, slimmer silhouette — a look I absolutely love.

Here’s what we did:

• Instead of working the increases and decreases every 7 rows as written

• We spaced them out to every 14 rows

This tiny tweak changes the proportions just enough to give the scarf a bit more length and elegance while still keeping the simple charm of the original design.

Pro Tip

Before you cast on, take a moment to weigh your skein.

Here’s the method that ensures you don’t run out of yarn and can enjoy the longest possible scarf:

1. Weigh your full skein.

2. Knit until you’ve used half the skein, plus an extra 10% for a little wiggle room.

3. Once you hit that point, begin your decreases.

It’s an easy habit that makes a huge difference — especially with one-skein projects!

The Perfect Project for Today

The Sophie Scarf is a fantastic one-skein knit, and BayBlend DK suits it beautifully. If you haven’t tried this blend yet, today is the perfect chance. It’s next-to-skin soft, has a lovely hand, and drapes like a dream.

In celebration of Giving Tuesday, enjoy free domestic shipping on orders of $25+ — a great excuse to treat yourself to a skein (or two!) and cast on something cozy.

Happy knitting, Jill! Let me know if you want a version formatted for your newsletter, too.



LINK TO PATTERN:  CLICK HERE
LINK TO YARN:  CLICK HERE

It’s Giving Tuesday

After a weekend full of holiday excitement, today gives us the chance to slow down and focus on something especially meaningful — giving back.

What Is Giving Tuesday?

Giving Tuesday takes place each year on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. It’s a global movement built around generosity and kindness, encouraging us all to uplift the organizations, people, and causes that strengthen our communities. It’s a day dedicated to supporting the work that matters most.

How North Bay Fiber Is Giving Back

For Giving Tuesday, North Bay Fiber is donating 10% of today’s online sales to the Michigan Sheep Producers Association — a mission-driven organization we’re deeply proud to support.

This marks our fifth year contributing to MSPA. Their advocacy, mentorship programs, scholarships, and educational outreach help nurture the next generation of Michigan shepherds. After seeing firsthand the knowledge, dedication, and skill that go into American wool production, supporting their work feels more important than ever.

Because truly… if shepherds aren’t trained to shear the sheep, we wouldn’t have the wool that becomes your yarn. 🐑

And a Little Something for You…

To thank you for supporting our Giving Tuesday efforts — and to help maximize our donation — we’re offering:

✨ FREE domestic shipping on all orders of $25+ (today only!)
Use code: GIVINGTUESDAY2025

Your purchase today not only brings something cozy to your needles, but also directly supports the future of Michigan’s sheep and wool industry.

Thank you for giving back with us. 💛

The holiday season is officially here, and so is one of our biggest events of the year — the North Bay Fiber Thanksgiving Weekend Celebration!

While our in-person shop is closed for Thanksgiving week to give our team time to rest and spend the holiday with their families, we’re reopening for one very special day… and launching a full weekend of online fun starting right now.

This year, we’re bringing Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday together into one joyful, five-day celebration — with specials happening both in-store and online.

Let’s dive in!

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Join Us In the Shop — Small Business Saturday

Saturday, November 29
10 AM – 2 PM
3737 N Huron Road, Pinconning, Michigan

Come spend a cozy, festive day with us! We’ll have open knitting all day, the coziest fiber vibes, and a few new goodies for you to browse. This is one of our favorite days of the year, and we can’t wait to welcome you in.

In-Store Specials

✨ Browse brand new products
✨ 15% off North Bay Fiber yarns + NBF swag
✨ SALE ROOM: 50% off original price
✨ Spend $250+ and receive a FREE “Knit It. Purl It. Love It.” large tote (while supplies last)
✨ Every in-store purchase enters you to win a $100 NBF gift card
✨ Celebrate community + shop small with us!

🧦 Special Guest Class — Stocking Techniques

We’re thrilled to welcome Melynda Bernardi (@frenchpressknits) as our guest instructor!

She’ll be teaching her Stocking Techniques Class during our Small Business Saturday event. A few seats remain, so if you’ve been thinking about joining — now’s the time!


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Join Us Online — All Weekend Long!

Whether you're too far from Pinconning or love shopping in your PJs, we’ve got a full weekend of online fiber fun happening now through Monday.

Online Specials

Thursday, November 27 – Monday, December 1

✨ 15% off North Bay Fiber yarns + NBF swag
Use code THANKFUL2025 at checkout
(Please enter code at checkout — we cannot apply it retroactively.)

✨ Spend $250+ and receive a FREE “Knit It. Purl It. Love It.” tote
(While supplies last)

✨ $100 Gift Card Raffle
Full entry details will be shared on our Instagram page on Friday, November 28!

Thank You for Supporting Small & Supporting American Wool

Your purchases help sustain our small family business and support American sheep producers, mills, and makers. We’re so grateful for your support — especially during the holiday season.

Thank you for choosing to shop small, celebrate community, and knit with American wool.
We can’t wait to celebrate this Thanksgiving Weekend with you!

The holiday season is almost here, and we’re getting everything ready for a very special Thanksgiving Weekend celebration at North Bay Fiber! We’ll be sharing all the details in next week’s newsletter — including festive in-store happenings, online fun, and a few seasonal surprises to kick things off.

A Quick Reminder:
Holiday Hours (In-Person Shop) — The shop will be closed Thanksgiving week so our team can enjoy time with family. We will re-open for a special Small Business Saturday.

Join us for Small Business Saturday!

Saturday, November 29th
10 AM – 2 PM
3737 N Huron Road, Pinconning, Michigan

And don’t forget — our special guest Melynda Bernardi of French Press Knits will be here teaching her Stocking Techniques Class! A handful of spots remain, and it’s the perfect way to kick off your holiday making.

Full Thanksgiving Weekend details are coming soon!

P.S. Our online shop is always open! 

Introducing the High Line Pattern Collection

We are thrilled to announce the release of the High Line Pattern Collection, a collaboration with Jennifer Shiels Toland of JST Knitwear Designs. This timeless collection features two beautifully coordinated designs: the High Line Hat and the High Line Scarf.

Designed by JST Knitwear Designs, this collection blends clean lines, approachable construction, and wear-everywhere style. Paired with North Bay Fiber’s BayBlend DK, each piece has a soft, slightly woolly hand and a gorgeous drape that makes the stitches shine.

Whether you’re casting on for yourself or putting together handmade gifts, these patterns make for relaxing, satisfying knits you’ll reach for again and again.

BayBlend DK: The Yarn Behind the High Line Collection

For this collection, Jen used BayBlend DK, our soft and balanced wool–alpaca blend that creates beautifully textured fabric with an easy drape. It’s the perfect match for the modern lines in both the High Line Hat and High Line Scarf.

You can browse our full BayBlend DK color lineup right on the website and explore every shade we currently offer. Whether you love calm neutrals or bold jewel tones, there’s a palette that will make these patterns shine.

And a quick note for anyone who has been eyeing our original BayBlend batch:
This weekend is the final call for 20% off the first batch of BayBlend DK. Once it's gone, it’s gone — so if you want to stock up for holiday knitting or snag a few skeins for the High Line Collection, now’s the time.

Join Jen’s High Line KAL

To celebrate the release, Jen is hosting a High Line Knit-Along, and everyone is invited to join in. Whether you’re casting on the hat, the scarf, or both, it’s a fun and relaxed way to work through the collection together — with plenty of encouragement along the way.

She’ll be sharing tips, progress check-ins, and all the community support you love from a good KAL. It’s the perfect excuse to cast on something cozy and enjoy the process with fellow makers.

More details — including dates, how to sign up, and where to follow along — are available through Jen directly. Be sure to check out her page so you don’t miss anything.

Kick off the holiday season at our annual Holiday Open House! 


Saturday, November 8th, 10AM-2PM
North Bay Fiber
3737 N Huron Road
Pinconning, Michigan


The shop will be beautifully decorated for the holidays, and we’ll have a new batch of Bella Filato Studio yarn, Holiday Hat Kits, Open Stitch all day, a hot cocoa bar, sweet treats, and a chance to win a beautiful handmade tray filled with goodies — and of course, yarn!


Plus: Our full lineup of 40+ BayBlend DK colors will be freshly dyed and ready to shop in person! This marks the final batch from the mill, now spun with a touch more alpaca making it a dreamy 70/30 wool–alpaca blend — softer, loftier, and even more luxurious. We’re thrilled to share that the price will stay at just $19 a skein, making this special blend an incredible value.


We’re also excited to welcome special guest Allie of Isabella Flock Co., who will be knitting the day with us and giving a demo of her brand-new Knitter’s Nest and share her latest handmade creations.


New Pattern Release: We’ll also showcase our brand-new hat pattern — the Marled Marlow! It’s a quick and cozy knit for this gift-giving season, whether you’re making it for yourself or someone special. 

Preview of the hat below...

As a bonus, you’ll receive the Marled Marlow pattern free with the purchase of one skein of Bella Filato Suri Alpaca and one skein of North Bay Fiber Heritage DK or BayBlend DK.


Come for the yarn and stay for the company. 
What a perfect way to start the holiday season!


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Virtual Holiday Open House

While we wish everyone could join us in person for our Holiday Open House, we know that’s not always possible — and we don’t want to leave out any of our online friends! So, we’re bringing a little holiday cheer your way with a Virtual Holiday Open House of your own. 

Once the shop closes we will open the Virtual Holiday Open House on Saturday, November 8th at 3:00 PM EST, and run this event through Sunday night.

Here’s what’s happening online for our Virtual Holiday Open House:

🎁 Free Pattern Gift: Receive the brand-new Marled Marlow Hat pattern free with purchase of:
• one skein of Bella Filato Suri Alpaca, and
• one skein of Heritage DK or BayBlend DK

No code needed — a copy of the pattern will be sent to you when your order ships.

🎁 Holiday Hat Kits: Holiday Hat Kits are making a comeback! Limited quantities drop when our Virtual Holiday Open House begins!

🎁 Virtual Door Prize: As a little holiday cheer from us, everyone who places an online order during our Virtual Holiday Open House will be entered to win a $100 North Bay Fiber e-gift card! A winner will be chosen at random and contacted by Tuesday, November 11th.

This is our way of saying thank you as we 
kick off the Holiday Season together!

Introducing BayBlend

Our newest yarn is here — and it’s something truly special.

There’s something magical about the moment a new yarn comes to life — when all the dreaming, sketching, testing, and waiting finally come together in your hands. For us, that moment has arrived. We’re thrilled to introduce BayBlend, the newest addition to the North Bay Fiber family.

BayBlend is our very first blended base — a thoughtful combination of fibers chosen to capture everything we love about our yarns: softness, structure, and an unmistakable sense of place.

The Blend

At its heart, BayBlend is made of 85% Targhee–Polypay wool — the same beautiful, Michigan-sourced wool that gives our North Bay Fiber Heritage line its bounce and body — and 15% Huacaya alpaca, a touch of luxury that adds a gentle halo and extra warmth. Together, they create a yarn that’s light yet full, soft yet durable, and perfect for both colorwork and texture.

100% American-Made

Like all our yarns, BayBlend is sourced, spun, and hand-dyed entirely in the United States.

• Wool Sourced: Ogemaw County, Michigan
• Alpaca Sourced: North Salem, New York
• Spun: Crescent Woolen Mill Co., Wisconsin
• Hand-Dyed: Pinconning, Michigan

The Details

• Non-superwash

• Woolen spun

• 2-ply

• Wool approx 23-24 micron

• Alpaca approx 19-21 micron

• 150 yards / 137 meters per 50g skein

• Heavy DK / light worsted

A New Chapter

BayBlend made its debut at Indie Untangled 2025, and the response from the community filled our hearts. This first batch is small — a limited-run blend that will only be available while supplies last. We’ll share updates as soon as our next batch arrives from the mill, so be sure to sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop.

Creating BayBlend has been a labor of love, and we couldn’t be more excited to finally share it with you. It’s a yarn that bridges our love of heritage wool with a touch of alpaca softness — a perfect balance of comfort, craft, and connection.

We can’t wait to see what you create with it.

— Jill & the North Bay Fiber Team

Introducing Knit Therapy at North Bay Fiber

Expert help. No pressure. And a warm place to land.

We’ve all been there. You’re knitting along on your project, feeling great, and then… something doesn’t look right. A dropped stitch. A confusing pattern instruction. A weird edge that wasn’t supposed to happen. Or maybe you just haven’t picked up your needles in weeks and can’t remember where you left off.

Enter: Knit Therapy — a new weekly offering at North Bay Fiber designed to be a soft place to land when you need a little guidance, encouragement, or accountability with your knitting.

🧵 What is Knit Therapy?

Knit Therapy is a casual, drop-in support session where you can sit with one of our expert team members and get the one-on-one help you need to move forward with your project.

It’s not a full class or a private lesson — think of it more like a knitting support group, with expert guidance and friendly faces.

Whether you're:

• Starting a brand new pattern and need help with cast-on confidence

• Feeling lost in a pattern and unsure where to go next

• Trying to fix a mistake but don’t want to make it worse

• Returning to a long-lost WIP and don’t know where to pick back up

• Or just want some thoughtful guidance as you build your skills…
  

We’ve got you.

📍 When & Where

Every Thursday
10:00 AM – 12:00 NOON
At the North Bay Fiber shop — 3737 N Huron Road, Pinconning, MI

💸 How Much?

• Drop-in session: $20

• Punch card: $100 for 6 sessions (Buy 5, get 1 FREE!)
  
  

We limit each session to 6 knitters so everyone gets the time and attention they need. Pre-registration is encouraged!
Just call us at 989‑200‑2016 and we’ll add your name to the list.

✨ Why We Call It Knit Therapy

Because it really is.

There’s something about knitting that soothes the mind, settles the nerves, and brings people together. And sometimes, just having a calm, supportive space (with someone nearby who knows how to fix that miscrossed cable) is all it takes to feel confident again.

So think of this as your weekly check-in — for your project and your peace of mind.

We hope you'll join us!

Sneak Peek:
Anniversary Sale + Special Launches This Weekend!

It’s hard to believe, but this week marks the fourth anniversary of North Bay Fiber—and we are thrilled to celebrate with you!



Shown above, early days dyeing yarn in freezing temps. Fast forward to today, operating from our very own storefront (shown below).

This has been the most amazing journey of growth, creativity, and community. And through it all, your support has meant the world. THANK YOU for being part of our story!

We’re so excited to share this milestone with you—and to say thank you, we’re offering exclusive new products, special restocks, and a celebratory discount all weekend long!

This weekend we will kick off our Anniversary Celebration both in-store and online! Here's your early preview so you know what to expect when everything goes live this Friday at 10am eastern.

All sales and promos kick-off
this Friday, August 8th at 10am Eastern,
run until Sunday, August 10th, at midnight.

___________________

HERITAGE 20% OFF

We’re celebrating our journey with a special thank-you to the yarn that started it all—Heritage. This is the first yarn we ever launched at North Bay Fiber, and it continues to be our top seller and the heart of what we do. Sourced from 100% American Targhee-Polypay wool, spun at American mills and dyed by hand in our studio, Heritage represents our love for high-quality, breed-specific, custom milled yarns that honor the beauty of American wool.

20% Off All Heritage Yarn
Available in-store and online
Use code: 4THANNIVERSARY

Whether you love the DK, Sport, or Fingering weight, now is the perfect time to stock up—or finally cast on that project you’ve been dreaming about!

 Sale runs Friday through Sunday only! 

NOTE: Don’t forget to use code 4THANNIVERSARY at checkout—
we can’t go back and apply it later, so be sure to enter it before you complete your order!

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LIMITED EDITION MUGS

We’re excited to partner with Grayling Ceramics, a small pottery studio in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan, led by husband-and-wife team Maura and Shay Church. Their work reflects the beauty and spirit of the Great Lakes region—each piece thoughtfully made with both form and function in mind.

For our 4th anniversary, they’ve created a special batch of wheel-thrown mugs just for North Bay Fiber. These timeless 14oz mugs are not only beautiful—they’re built to last. Crafted from food-safe clay and glazes developed in-house, they’re both microwave and dishwasher safe. 

Available in two stunning finishes: 
a crisp, classic white and a cool, lake blue.

BUY NOW

Perfect for morning coffee, cozy knitting breaks, or gifting to a fellow maker.

 Available in-store and online starting Friday at 10AM ET.
Only available while supplies last!

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LIMITED EDITION - EXCLUSIVE COLLABORATION 
YARN RETURN

We are excited to celebrate our 4th anniversary with not one, but two exclusive sock yarn favorites—back for a limited time only!

Our custom self-striping sock yarn from Julia Vesper of Knitterly Things. These joyful, North Bay–inspired stripes were designed just for us and dyed in her signature style. If you missed them the first time, now’s your chance to scoop up this vibrant, one-of-a-kind skein before it disappears again!

BUY NOW

Also returning: the stunning sock set from Gwen Perenchio, of Bella Filato Studio, featuring an exclusive colorway created just for North Bay Fiber. Gwen’s thoughtful pairing of a speckled full skein with a perfectly matched mini makes this set ideal for socks with contrast heels and toes—or any project that could use a playful pop of color.

BUY NOW

Available in-store and online starting Friday at 10AM ET.
Only available while supplies last!

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BELLA FILATO STOCKIST

In addition to all the anniversary excitement, we’re beyond thrilled to announce that North Bay Fiber is now an official stockist of Bella Filato Studio!

If you were lucky enough to meet Gwen and see her yarns at our shop earlier this summer, you’ll understand why are obsessed. Her stunning colorways, thoughtful dyeing process, and creative energy are a great match for North Bay Fiber—and we couldn’t be happier to become a stockist of her yarns.

You can now shop a curated selection of Bella Filato Studio skeins year-round, both in-store and online. Come take a peek—you’re going to fall in love all over again.

SHOP YARN

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ICE DYED T-SHIRTS

A North Bay Fiber celebration wouldn’t be complete without a fresh batch of our one-of-a-kind, hand-dyed logo tees—and we’ve just restocked them in time for our 4th Anniversary!

Each shirt is ice-dyed in small batches, creating soft, organic swirls of color that make every single tee completely unique—just like the knitters and makers who wear them.

A true wearable piece of fiber art with no two are alike!

Available in-store and online starting Friday at 10AM ET—while they last!

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SPECIAL SATURDAY STORE HOURS & CELEBRATION

Are you in the Pinconning, Michigan area—or are you up for a road trip?
We’re opening our doors this Saturday, August 9th from 10:00AM to 2:00PM for a special Anniversary Edition of Second Saturday, and we’d love for you to join us!

Here’s what’s happening in the shop:

• Open Knit All Day – bring your WIP and stitch with us!
• Jill Tamminen of Knit Sisu in the house for her class (details below)!
• Snacks, treats, and fiber-loving camaraderie
• In-store Door Prize Drawing
• Great company + all around good vibes!

And don’t miss your chance to take Jill’s Color Play Workshop, happening right here in the shop! A few Spots are still available! It’s a wonderful way to experience the energy of our anniversary celebration while learning something new and inspiring.

CLICK HERE TO RESERVE YOUR SEAT IN CLASS

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Starting North Bay Fiber is a dream come true. I hope you continue to follow along as I share my journey; the story, sourcing, process, patterns, and of course…the YARN!⁣

Thank you for your support, stay safe, and knit lots!

Love Jill and the Boys

Middle of the Mitten Yarn Crawl — June 12th–21st

We have so much planned at North Bay Fiber to make this yarn crawl extra special!

✨ Here’s what’s happening:

🧶 Two amazing trunk shows

• Haulin’ Hoof Farm Store – June 13–14
A small family business based in the hills of southeastern Ohio, Haulin’ Hoof creates handcrafted, natural, and one-of-a-kind goods. From gorgeous yarn bowls to beautiful buttons and accessories made of wood, wool, and clay—it’s a treasure trove for fiber lovers.

• Bella Filato Studios – June 20–21
Gwen Perenchio is a Northern Michigan dyer with a distinctive style and eye for color. Her small-batch yarns are rich, vibrant, and full of personality—perfect for adding something truly special to your next project.

🧵 Special guest instructors
Join us for exclusive classes on both Saturdays of the crawl:
• June 14th: Cable Eyeglass Case Class with Valerie of Haulin Hoof – Learn beautiful cable techniques and leave with a finished project!  SIGN UP HERE
• June 21st: Gauge & Fit Workshop with Jill of Knit Sisu – Demystify gauge, learn how to tailor patterns, and walk away with confidence (and a free "Make It Fit" guide!). SIGN UP HERE

🎨 New Colorway Reveal
We’re launching a fresh new North Bay Fiber color just in time for the crawl—be the first to see it in person!

🧣 Shawl Kit Re-Release (with a twist!)
We’ve refreshed not one, but two of Jill Zielinski’s (@knitterella) classic shawl designs. Purchase a kit (in-store or online) and get the pattern free with 3+ skeins of Elemental Fingering.

🎁 Crawl-Week Gifts with Purchase (while supplies last – online + in-store):
• Purchases under $50 – surprise gift
• $51–$175 – special bonus gift
• $176+ – extra-special thank-you gift!

🎒 Grab your official Yarn Crawl Bag + Passport for just $10—available online or in the shop. Quantities are limited!  GET YOURS HERE

🧶 Join us for World Wide Knit In Public Day!
On Saturday, June 14, bring your lawn chair and your project—weather permitting, we’ll be stitching together out on the front lawn! All crafts welcome.

🕘 Extended Shop Hours (June 12–21):
• Mon: Closed
• Tue: 10–5
• Wed: 10–7:30 (Open Stitch 5–7:30)
• Thu: 10–5
• Fri: 10–5
• Sat: 10–3
• Sun: Closed

We can’t wait to see you during the crawl! 🧵🧡

SECURE YOUR BAG & PASSPORT NOW