Moo Dog Knits

“Winter makes summer all the sweeter,” notes Halcyon Blake, founder and owner of Halcyon Yarn in Maine, who knows that March is a transitional month in New England. Warm sun one day, snow the next, makes having a knitted hat along a useful thing. This is part two of her story. (Details about the colorful knitted alpine toppers and the yarns used in the video below.)

“I think the range of supplies that we offer suits people from beginners up through professionals in their craft,” she notes. “We’ve found or encouraged new suppliers to create interesting tools and have created the exclusive Halcyon signature yarns/color lines. These complement fine yarns we select from here in Maine and throughout America, Europe, Asia, Africa and South America.” Halcyon’s yarn and fiber emporium (and its online counterpart with zoomable images) mark a ruby anniversary throughout 2011. While she admits that picking a favorite yarn can depend much on the season or a project, she will single out “our signature yarn of Victorian mohair bouclé and Victorian mohair brushed.” (Both are 74% mohair, 15.5% wool, 10.5% nylon.)

Each year, spring and fall catalogs (full-color glossy magazines, lavish with photography) are mailed out. “Our customers tend to hold on to these use them as a resource,” she said.

Bath is called the “City of Ships” and offers visitors to the mid-coast of Maine numerous attractions including its rugged and breathtaking views of the full force of the Atlantic Ocean. In addition to Halcyon Yarn, there is the Maine Maritime Museum, which gets 100,000 visitors a year, a vibrant Main Street, notable architecture and the Bath Iron Works.The Kennebec River flows to the sea past Waterfront Park along Commercial Street. A landing attracts visitors who can enjoy the views, then stroll to enjoy shops and restaurants on Front Street.
Next: Halcyon Blake shares a selection of yarns and patterns and books especially for knitters and their companion dogs.