I was down in the Craft Underground yesterday putting together the pieces of our Murder Box (sorry, sold out), listening to a podcast about decolonizing astrology. I don’t know a lot about astrology, even though my latest big project was very Zodiac-based; but reading Tarot draws from a lot of the same themes they were talking about. The phrase “As above, so below” came up, and it set off a cascade of connections for me. I’ve been listening to Phoebe Bridgers’ new album a lot lately, and her song “As Above” immediately resonated for me, even more than the song I bought the album for. I’d researched the concept a couple of years ago doing a deep dive on alchemy for an RPG campaign I ran for my gang a couple of years ago. I love how Phoebe Bridgers puts so many personal details in her lyrics: references that remain a mystery but are the same sorts of things we all go through. They don’t have to be explained explicity. I enjoy going to dance performances for similar reasons, or looking at abstract art. Sometimes the things that can’t be explained or fully comprehended are the things that make the most sense. Listening to the album right after the podcast, thinking of the music, the games, the divination, the philosophy, the books I’ve been reading, the conversations I’ve been having with friends, everything seemed to connect and I had this vast overwhelming sense of being a tiny piece in a vast puzzle. This morning, I read something that put a name to that awe: Beauty. It’s something that can never be defined precisely, but I like the “likeness tempered with difference” description. The last ten years have made it hard to see the beauty in the world, and in other people sometimes. It’s been easier to see the world as a hostile place, or at least an indifferent place. And yet the beauty of the world, and the beauty of the people I care about always tempt me back to falling in love with the world again.

It’s impossible to keep your heart safe while making yourself vulnerable. Sometimes it seems worth it to hunker down and hide. But I am so thankful for the people who draw me out, who make me show myself and try harder. Seeing the results of the election, and seeing the community gathered together on Sunday in the space we’ve made, I feel like I’m surrounded by beauty. Talking with the architect and structural engineer on Thursday, the next stage of the Craft Underground could get a little messy as we get the lift built. But we are messy people who are willing to be vulnerable with each other, who are willing to lean on each other and offer what we can give to people we are still getting to know. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything more beautiful than that.

I’m still not sure what it was about that phrase that set me off. There’s a whole web of connections to explore. But I love that what we’ve started upstairs at Purl’s is coming to fruition in a new way downstairs. I love that despite the malfunctions of Microsoft Outlook and air traffic control, the connections that matter the most are still getting stronger.

Come see the new crafting community center we are making happen! Join us around the back of the building this afternoon (Sunday , Nov 8) starting at 1pm and going until 8. Once we get our lift built, you’ll be able to access the Craft Underground through Purl’s, and we are hoping to get that done early in 2027. But come see what plans are brewing and what is already happening. Free seltzer, coffee, tea, and snacks all day. Whether you want to meet people or just sit and craft awhile, you are welcome to come hang with the gang!

It was a good night! Not only did the Democrats take back the US House and Senate, but we won back the NC General Assembly and almost evened up the NC Senate (flipping one more seat would let the Dem Lt. Gov break ties). That’s a huge feat since Art Pope’s theft of the state legislature in 2010 has led to openly unconstitutional gerrymandering (as well as defunding schools, hollowing out state institutions and services, and much other general shittiness). Last night that gerrymandering finally backfired as the maps the GOP redrew to increase their US House delegation from 10 out of 14 seats to 11 proved to stretch way too thin in a blue wave election. Now it looks like it will be 10-4 the other way, with Democrats representing the vast majority of Tar Heels in Washington.

2028 would be a great time to get back to Howard Dean’s 50-state strategy. We are going to have to work together as a large and diverse party that includes Blacks, Latinx, queer folx, rural whites, people across all incomes and education levels. There will be plenty of disagreement within, but we have to manage internal fights for expanding civil rights while not becoming the regularly scheduled circular firing squad. Candidates need to hear over and over that it’s unacceptable to throw immigrants and trans people under the bus, that abortion rights and access need to be enshrined in law, and that pedophiles need to be prosecuted, even (and especially) if that means powerful people within their own party, too.

This is an incredible opportunity. We can stanch the bleeding of our Democracy. But real healing is still going to take a long time, and the US electorate is notoriously fickle (dare I say dumb?). I’m so happy that Kim Roney is our new mayor, but it’s going to be an uphill battle to build coalitions with a lot of the same people who’ve been voting against her time and time again. It’s great to have Jamie Ager in congress, but we all need to continually remind him that the GOP will show AI ads of him dancing with drag queens even when he refuses to protect trans folks. We need to demand that he does better at that. We know he loves the trans cousin he grew up with, and he needs to get comfortable explaining that compassion works better than hate and fear, even in these WNC mountain communities.

If you need a place to celebrate with other people, we’ve got stitch groups all day, and we welcome you whether it’s your first time with us, or if you’ve been with Purl’s longer than Rik & Elizabeth. Come get hugs!

I have to fiddle around with the graphics, but we are halfway to Floor 5k now! Thanks for all your support so far. It’s a long way up, but we are moving!

You’ve come a very long way to see what you’ve seen. And don’t discount your experience, but keep in mind that you are only seeing a tiny piece of a very large world. You have it within yourself to attain mastery of something small. It might seem like it doesn’t matter to anyone else but you, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t matter. Maintain focus in order to produce the results you want. It’s easy to get distracted or sidetracked when there’s so much going on, but your desires matter and are worth pursuing.

I’m looking forward to one last day at the show. Thanks for all the comments on my cape! Come to our Open House on November 8 and help fund our lift.

Then Elizabeth and I are taking a couple of days away to celebrate our 30th Anniversary together. We’ll be back at the shop on Wednesday. Enjoy this busy time of year but remember to take time for yourself too.

Work toward your crowning achievement, and then figure out how to top yourself. But don’t do it alone! Work together, and find a friend to help get you over the finish line (or help do the same for them). Come get a reading from me at SAFF!

For the opening of SAFF, here’s my three card pull: The Fool means it’s okay to trust, even if it means getting burned. Knit and Purl is an attempt to find balance between that trust and protecting yourself. Broken Yarn is that feared betrayal, but remember that you can spit splice and repair. Taking risks is essential to growth, even when it brings pain.

This is what happens when you dye a lot of yarn and the shop is too busy to get labels added right away. #SAFFlife

We got more of everything, but check out these new gradient sock yarn cakes, same as a regular sock skein, $26 each. We’ll be getting more of these with each order as they make more, but right now supplies are limited.