August is finally in full swing, and we're here to celebrate with free shipping through the entire month and our eighth pop-up of the year! Yeah, you read that right. EIGHTH. Where has the time gone?! For this occasion, we're taking a field trip over to Long Island, New York, to visit Long Island Yarn and Farm! This particularly excited our newsletter writer, Wren (that's me!), who comes from Long Island himself!

Tabbethia is a rock star, finding her footing in the world of fiber and establishing her business in 1996! She's always been passionate about animals, even grabbing an animal science degree, so this career choice was a no brainer for her! She likes to keep things on the natural side, letting the fibers of her animals speak for themselves with their soft, earthy color palettes. That's part of the joy of shearing because no two batches are exactly alike! That being said, she crafted a palette of shades exclusively for this pop-up, having fun with this new skill under her belt!

Unlike other crafters out there, Tabbethia did not start in the industry as an established knitter. Her love for animals was the true driving force. She learned how to spin the fibers into yarn before she picked up the knitting bug - she even had her spinning wheel with her on the beach one time!

Long Island Yarn and Farm yarns uses a beautiful blend of animal fibers to make your next project a melting pot that's as soft as it is springy, with yarn available in three weights: fingering, sport, and worsted!

To learn more about what inspires Tabbethia and have a peek at how she would decorate a yarn-themed parade float, take a look at our official blog post! There, you can read about Long Island Yarn and Farm's roots and how Tabbethia has grown into the expert color crafter she is now! We featured her in a takeover on our Instagram page - go check out what she had to say there! We also have a special announcement at the bottom of this newsletter - keep your eyes peeled!

You know what they say - when the Queen Bean is away, the makers will play! One of the things we hear from you guys is, "If I worked there, I would just sit and squish ALL THE YARN!" And we have to say - that's what we do! It's so therapeutic to get up from our desks or slip away from a shipping computer to sit for a second and give some yarn a good ol' squish! And there are so many colors that we get lost in making palettes of neons, jewel tones, or neutrals. Watching the colors melt together is so soothing!

So while we were all away from our work, we got together and played with some yarn! We laid out a bunch of Madelinetosh High Twist and made little mini palettes of three colors each, then stuffed those into Large Namaste Oh Snap pouches with a Maker's Dot Journal and full set of Knocker Blockers for good measure. Proud of how productive we were while making them, we've decided to share the wealth with these Grab Bags! Needles aren't included (mostly because we couldn't fit the darn things in there!), but we recommend a US size 6 or 7. For crocheters, a size G or 7!

Use these to make a DK weight shawl, a patchwork project, or just to stuff your stash with, because honestly, there's no reason NOT to add to your hoard of yarn! All Grab Bags are one-of-a-kind and assembled with love by the color-crafters here at Jimmy Beans. We have a limited run of these, so be sure to grab them before they're gone!

Something Spooky This Way Comes!

When thunder cracks and chilly rain teems, we've got quite the surprise this Halloween!

Last week, we unearthed the new Jimmy Beans Fright Club! We gasped and squealed with glee as we found out that this October we're going to be oh-so-cozy with the Cowl-O-Ween project!

This spooky season, curl up with a gourd-geous mosaic cowl! This scary sister to the original Jimmy Beans Craftvent Calendar is set up similarly with no tricks and all treats every day! Laid to rest in a cute coffin-shaped box, this fiber lover's dream is anything but frightening (especially with some exclusive stitch markers within)! Available in two delightful colorways, have your pick between the marvelously mellow palette or the beautifully bright color story, which are suitable for all styles of maker out there!

Using 21 balls of Madelinetosh Tosh Sock yarn, embark on this screamin' good time! Along with your yarn, you will uncover two pattern codes, one for a knit cowl and one for crochet - oh yeah, this cowl is for everyone and anyone! Day 1 comes with both a US 4 knitting needle and a size E crochet hook! "But why would I need a needle AND a crochet hook?," you may ask, and to that we must inform you that this cowl is for all makers! With both options condensed into one package, crocheters and knitters alike can take part in this petrifying project!

Here's a spooky joke to tickle your funny bone and get you in the spirit!

Why do skeletons have low self-esteem? Because they have no body to love!

Tabletop Page-Turners

Having a collection of patterns at our disposal makes us feel like superheroes of sorts. Do you need a new sweater? We got you. Some swanky socks? On it! A gorgeous shawl? Got it covered. It's kind of like being the mom friend who always checks up on their friends with a gentle, "Do you have something nice on your needles and hooks? Need something new?" Bringing new patterns into the spotlight brings us so much joy!

That's why we loooove picking up pattern books and magazines like Interweave Knits 2020 Fall.

Summer, while fun, makes us yearn for the chillier days of heavy wool crafting and sweater after sweater in our project bags. That's another reason we're stoked for this magazine - it finally gives us the goods! The goods being long-sleeved sweaters and scarves, of course!

Our own Bean, Amy Gunderson, is featured in this issue with her Pinyon Pullover! Knit up in a gorgeous honey shade, it makes us feel warm and cozy, reminding us of golden autumn afternoons ripe with the scent of cinnamon sticks and spiced apple cider! Getting this project on our needles is a high priority on our to-do list!

Adrienne's Accessories!

Have you ever had a problem where your shawl doesn't seem complete after you bind off? You excitedly wrap it around your shoulders, and you can't help but think something is missing. It's a beautiful piece, but that doesn't mean you can't experiment in how you style it, whether as a scarf, a drapey shawl, or with a shawl pin?

Sometimes a good shawl pin can be all it takes to seal the deal for your next wrap of choice, and luckily, Jul has quite the array of fun and elegant pins to tie it all together! Jul Shawl Pins and Sticks are cast in white bronze or brass, bringing a shimmering, eye-catching piece to your outfit. Each pin and stick is hand-polished, so you know that each artistic accessory is made with love and a keen eye for detail. With designs from a Dragonfly to a Wild Grape Tendril, the options are endless!

Cables! Get ya cables here! Knitter's Pride's special Ginger Cords add a new, sophisticated shade to your trusty interchangeable needles! Resilient and flexible, these cords make knitting a breeze with their no kink, no twist technology! Like all Knitter's Pride cables, they have a smooth join that enables stitches to slide on the needle and cord with ease, and are available in lengths to make a 24" or 32" circular needle. These cords are only here for a limited time, so be sure to grab them before they're gone for good!

This week, we're lifting the velvet rope for you to get an exclusive in-depth and personal look into the life of Tabbethia from Long Island Yarn and Farm! Think of this like an afterparty following a special screening of your favorite movie! After a fiber-filled few days of her eye for gorgeous color and sumptuously squishy strings, we couldn't be more excited!

Starting at 3:30 PT / 6:30 ET, join us on Zoom for a fun and educational time where everyone is invited! There, she will talk about what she does, explain how to pair yarns, and, you guessed it, introduce you to her animals and answer questions about them!

Her bright personality shines through any screen she's behind, and while we can't all hop on a plane and visit her in person, this is the next best thing (plus, who can say no to a cute sheep? Certainly not us!)!

New to Zoom? Don't worry! All you have to do is download the app, log in with an email address, click 'join', and enter in the password which is JBW. This online event will be limited to 100 people, but keep checking back to see if a spot opens up!

Nicole's Honey Bee Blanket

Isn't this blanket just the bee's knees!? Our clever crocheter, Nicole, made this ultra-cute baby blanket for one of her friends, and we're honestly a little jealous! The background is made with simple corner-to-corner crochet while she took bits and pieces of the honeycomb and bee patterns from Scheepjes YARN The After Party Patterns - 08 - Honey Bee Blanket Pattern. She took a look at this blanket and thought, "I don't wanna crochet that many hexagons!" So naturally, she modified it and made a one-of-a-kind gift for her dear friend!

The little bees add another layer of cute on top of it, and we couldn't stop gushing over them! Thank you for sharing, Nicole, and we hope your friend loves it as much as we do!