This month has been interesting for us - and definitely out of our usual rhythm. We introduced short run sales; colours that I didn't include in the the pre order but that folks are asking for because the colour is trending. Short run yarns don't include kits; sweaters, socks, etc., they're just the main skeins (unless, I suppose, the item that was trending was a sweater, to be dealt with when we get there I guess).

We are also about to update the standing inventory for the online shop, and start having in-person shopping and regular knit nights. 

This was also our first month of accepting pre orders for ceramics, which has been an interesting experiment for me. I think it will work out; but we'll wait and see what the customers think, as with all hand made items there will be variation, of course, and that can be kind of frightening for the artist. 

Finally, we have abandoned the old system of the beginning/end of the month for large pre orders in favour of just putting up yarn when we're ready, and when we know the previous months pre orders will be complete. 

Feel free to send feedback on any of these changes; since The Blue Brick is just Tito and myself these days we've had to be very flexible to accommodate wearing so many hats in a day; yarn prep, website maintenance, social media, photography, ceramics, skeining, ball banding, shipping, colour development and documentation, and of course, actually dyeing the stuff.

 It's been a ride, but I think Tito and I are hitting a good rhythm. Read on to see what we've got planned next!

Cobblestone

Cobblestone is a very old colour for us, one of our first totals in fact. This colour holds teal, charcoal and blackish brown in a dark and gritty colourway. 

The original image was shot in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico around 2012. 

Shown here on Niagara silk singles, which I will be adding to the pre order options for tonal only. We will also continue to carry Simcoe, but only as a tonal. 

Ireland

Little known fact:I traveled to Ireland to accompany a Celtic rock band on tour. I'd been friends with the guys since the early nineties and it promised to be a good time. I was a legit groupie. They're called Enter the Haggis if you're curious, look them up!

The photo was taken in the Ring of Kerry, which was the Parking Lot of Kerry at the time. The image is shot through a coach window, which explains the blue tint and weird distortion. 

Lipstick

The third (and possibly final) tonal yarn for February is a punchy, unapologetic red/purple with slight golden tones. It was actually dyed to go with one of my gradients this month - see below for that bad boy! 

If you were looking to get a kaizen kit this would be this month's option :)

A Kaizen kit requires a husky, a coordinating tonal and one extension, so if you love reds this one is for you.

Winterberry

There are at least four gradients coming this month, but I'm going to show off Winterberry here, since it was designed to go with Lipstick. Winterberry was a one off that I dyed over the holiday season as an inventory item, but folks liked it so much that it sold out quickly. Here is a chance to get it again, in any base you like!

Below you can see Winterberry swatched, and also how Winterberry and Lipstick look together.