Get Up It's The First of The Month

It’s February 1st, and the reality is hitting us that STITCHES West is this month. So great! And wonderful! But also scary. February is that sneaky super-fast month, too, so we’ve got to hustle. Kristine and Adrienne are still hard at work, natural dyeing anything that isn’t nailed down to one of their signature vibrant hues. The dye pots have been so prolific, that it compelled one of our Commuknitty Stitch regulars to remark that she’d never seen our store so well-stocked with Verb yarn.

We’re also having a lot of fun planning some classes and workshops for February. Along with our regulars, like Intro to Sock Knitting and Intro to Lace, we’re scheduling some workshops for Sundays. We’re focusing on one-day workshops, so students can learn a new technique in a couple hours, and for less than the cost of a few cocktails in San Francisco. On the list are short rows, stranded color-work and steeking (eep!), double-knitting, and maybe even beads. Check the website this weekend for updates, and sign up to spend a Sunday afternoon knitting with us.

As promised, here’s my first sewing project. It’s an apron from our organic cotton khadi (handspun, handwoven cloth) from India, based on Kristine’s adorable pattern for the holiday sewing party. Don’t look at it too closely.



Learning to sew has been a fun exercise in humility and spacial awareness for me, and my first step in taking the Seam Allowance Pledge. Do you know about Seam Allowance? It’s part of how Kristine aligns Verb with values, by creating a club for makers who pledge to a wardrobe that’s at least 25% handmade. You can learn more at the Seam Allowance blog. Kristine is reviving the blog with member profiles this year. It’s a great window into the many ways diverse people can integrate handmade clothes into their busy lives. 

Thanks for reading! Don't forget to find us on Twitter (@avfkw_oakland) and Instagram (avfkw) if you want more updates. -HD