‘If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy,
don’t hesitate. Give in to it. There are plenty
of lives and whole towns destroyed or about
to be. We are not wise, and not very often
kind. And much can never be redeemed.
Still, life has some possibility left. Perhaps this
is its way of fighting back, that sometimes
something happens better than all the riches
or power in the world. It could be anything,
but very likely you notice it in the instant
when love begins. Anyway, that’s often the
case. Anyway, whatever it is, don’t be afraid
of its plenty. Joy is not made to be a crumb.’
-Mary Oliver, ‘Don’t Hesitate’
* * * * *
We are learning‑‑slowly learning‑‑that Joy does not exist in a vacuum. We cannot separate nor isolate Joy from daily happenings, that we are allowed to look for, experience, create beauty‑‑despite chaos. That we can be deeply sad and exquisitely joyful at the same time. Operating from the both/and mindset is how we survive‑‑and, when the stars are aligned, it’s how we thrive. You are allowed to wade in the depths and to shore yourself up with small, beautiful things that illuminate the horizon.
We’d like to introduce to you a gentle collection of sweet delights that sparkle and pop‑‑and feel like Joy. We took these photos during a dark week, and cradling these gorgeous gifts in our hands‑‑and thinking both about the hands that created them and the hands that will hold them after they leave ours‑‑felt like stringing our halls with tiny, blinking twinkle lights. You’ll sense a carryover of the weekend’s sock theme, accoutrement for all your sock knitting adventures (including a cooling foot balm!) that are good for giving and for getting. It’s a shadowy season ahead, but it can also be filled with patches of light when we look.
‘Pip & Pop’‑‑the yarn and the nail polish!‑‑was created exclusively for Wool & Honey for the Holiday Season 2022, based on the brilliant, joy-filled Meow Wolf Santa Fe exhibit by Australian artist Tanya Shultz of Pip & Pop. This polish is a clear base with multi-color sparkles, so you can wear it on its own, or over a base layer of Northern Nail for extra color pop.
These Wool & Honey Sock Blockers, etched with iconic Leelanau motifs, are the knitterly accessories we never knew we needed. Sock blockers help with quickly and correctly calculating the size of socks, following a pattern without mistakes, controlling the knitting density and knitting without play-by-play fitting. Made of lightweight plywood, the removable toe allows for sizing socks in American sizes from 5 to 14. The hand-drawn motifs on the blockers were designed for us by our longtime friend, artist Emilie Eklund of Lief Design in Grand Rapids, Michigan and the blockers were made by Vicky in Kharkiv, Ukraine.
How many times have you seen Kitchener stitch used in a pattern and thought, “Wait, how do I do that again?” We’ve all been there. This enamel pin features a unique hinged, two-layer design. Lift the cover to reveal easy step-by-step directions for the Kitchener Stitch engraved on the interior. With the Kitchener Stitch Pin, you can enjoy the best of both worlds: a beautiful piece of art to add to your favorite knitting bag, as well as a handy reference tool for the Kitchener stitch.
The Keeper’s Collective is an all-natural skincare brand from Snoqualmie, Washington that creates nourishing, pure, handmade products with the help of our friend, the mighty honeybee. Boasting raw honey, bee propolis, bee pollen, and royal jelly to heal dry skin, lighten dark spots and combat acne, the Secret Salve is a must-have for every medicine cabinet, nightstand and knitting bag. The Peppermint Tea Tree Heel & Foot Balm combines lavender, peppermint, and tea tree essential oils, along with beeswax and bee propolis. Together, these natural ingredients work hard to soften and soothe even the driest patches of skin. The Goat Milk & Honey Bath Soak‑‑in either Lavender or Rose Gold‑‑is the day-end luxury you deserve. Goat milk, with its naturally exfoliating and moisturizing properties, pairs perfectly with humectant honey to help cleanse and deeply nourish your skin.
Paisley & Gold Sewing was founded in Macon, GA in 2016 when Erika Green was a full-time college student. In need of a creative outlet, she put her sewing skills to the test and created her burgeoning craft business. Paisley & Gold bags bring together the finest materials and stunning design to create something very special. She believes in quality, care, and creating unique products that everyone can enjoy. Colorful, creative, and inspired by what she sees everyday, each product represents what she loves about the world she lives in. Her mission is to ensure that every item is made with heart and integrity. She believes in reviving the United States fashion industry by ethically producing all of her items in studio in the Slow Fashion way. Her hope is to educate customers on the importance of handcrafted products and small business. Every item is made by Erika in Columbus, Ohio.