$5 Donation For Each Skein

It’s not quiet right now. The news is loud. Our phones won’t stop buzzing. Grief, outrage, disbelief — and under all of it, we wonder: How do we show up for each other?

This is one way.

Ten years ago, Why Knot Fibers dyed a colorway for our Sleeping Bear Yarn Club — a red so vivid, so immediate, it practically glows. We called it Cedar Cardinal. The punchiest bright red — just the buzz our retinas need in the middle of a blowy, snowy winter. That skein has been tucked in my stash ever since. Waiting for the right moment. That moment is now.

We’re bringing back Cedar Cardinal as a fundraiser — a collaboration between Wool & Honey and our dear friend and neighbor Kat of Why Knot Fibers — to support immigrant families impacted by ICE’s violent actions. Each skein holds more than yarn:

• Cedar, our home, speaking up in solidarity with our collective brothers and sisters.
• Cardinal, a spiritual messenger said to appear when someone we've lost is near, bringing hope and comfort in times of sorrow
• Hand-dyed, by Kat, who lives this work and this love
• $5 from every skein, going directly to RAICES, based in TX where the most detainees are being held. 
• Pattern donations, 'Melt The ICE Hat' and 'Melt The ICE (crochet version)' proceeds go directly to families affected in the Twin Cities
• The red hat, a small but unmistakable protest you can wear daily

Pre-orders for Cedar Cardinal are open through February 13th. Each skein will be dyed to order and ready to ship or pick up March 13th. Available in Fingering (enough for two hats) and DK.

This is quiet work — but not passive. A symbol. A message: you are not alone. We'll stand with you.

With heart, from the Hive

Liz and the Bees

We’ve had tech hiccups lately . . .

There’s been a quiet hum behind the scenes at the Hive—one that’s felt a little more like static lately than song.

Between tech snags, life’s messes, and the thick fog of winter illness, we missed more time with you than we ever meant to this holiday season. The shop has still been full of wool and warmth, but the lines of connection—the newsletters, the little stories, the sneak peeks—went quiet.

We’re working on that.

This is the year we hope to invest in tech that lets us share our rhythm with you more seamlessly again—so every skein, every story, every soft little launch makes its way to your inbox. But until then, we’re starting here:

A week long thank you.

20% OFF everything in the shop

Our way of saying thank you for sticking with us through the knots and tangles. For being patient. For still showing up. Call it a reset. Call it a deep breath. Call it our first stitch of the year. Now through Friday, January 16th

We’ve had tech hiccups lately—enough that we’re not sure who’s been getting our emails and who’s been left out in the cold. If you’re reading this, you made it through—and we’re so glad.

If you know someone who hasn’t heard from us in a while, would you pass this along? Forward the email, share the post, whisper it over a cup of tea. We don’t want anyone to miss what’s happening in the Hive

(Use code: THANKYOU20 at checkout)

January Club Color

This colorway is a pre-order, will ship with the January 2026 installment of the Sleeping Bear Yarn Club and is available only to current members. Not yet a member? Click HERE to sign up. 

We are thrilled to announce January’s installment of the Sleeping Bear Yarn Club: Quartz of Wintertide. Dyed for us by the talented Shannon of Yarn Baby in Northern Colorado, this colorway is a winter blue born from movement—ancient and ongoing.

Lilith Sock
90% extra fine superwash merino, 10% recycled nylon
Full skein 437 yds, 100g/ Mini 87 yds, 20g

Lucinda DK
90% extra fine superwash merino, 10% recycled nylon
Full skein 246 yds, 100g/ Mini 49 yds, 20g

For millennia, quartz stones have been grinding against each other in these waters—first by glacier, now by wave. What began in ice continues in motion, a slow wearing down that leaves just enough crystal present to scatter the light.

The result is this rare color we glimpse only in deep winter: bright but quiet, bold but blurred at the edges. Like the lake itself, when it’s both restless and still.

Reindeer Games Holiday Kit

Not sure if we're being naughty or nice - but we are here to tempt you. Not all holiday magic comes from the North Pole. Some of it is created right here—in Cedar, in candle studios, at kitchen tables covered in stitch markers and string. 

We’re calling this one Reindeer Games: a merry little kit, full of cheer and a touch of mischief, for Cyber Monday 'while supplies last!

Inside:

• A skein of Reindeer Games by Bella Filato—dyed locally in wild winter hues: plum, pine, berry, gold.
• A mini Cranberry + Spruce candle from Farmhouse Candle Co.—hand-poured down the road.
• An iridescent stitch marker set from Liz Saile—catching cozy holiday light.

Want to take it up a notch?

Our Deluxe Kit adds:

• A second skein in deep magenta
• The Dutch Tulips pattern by Alina Appasova.

And for those who prefer their holiday knitting quick and cozy: a skein of La Bien Aimée Little Kumo in Bone pairs perfectly for the Basic Buzz hat. Add a skeins to your order of the Reindeer Games Holiday Kit

Local. Lovely. Lighthearted. A little something to make the season handmade. 
Come play along.

Plaid Friday

Friday, November 28th

* CLOSED TO IN-STORE TRAFFIC *
* Shop From Home In Your PJ's *
* 20% SALE ALL DAY Online *

Coupon Code: plaid2025

Small Business Saturday

Saturday, November 29th
9 am to 4 pm

* Double-Punches *
* Coupons For Both Here & Bee Well For Future Holiday Shopping *
* Surprise Announcement (Get Ready!) *
* Open Stitch (PJ’s Encouraged) *

Cyber Monday

Monday, Dec 1st
10 am to 5 pm
️
* A Surprise (Naturally!) *
* Online & In-Store *

Giving Tuesday

Tuesday, Dec 2nd
10 am to 5 pm

* Supporting Our Community Non-Profit Space’s 1 Year Anniversary *
️* Online & In-Store *

Light It Up, Cedar + Parents Night

Wednesday, Dec 3rd
4 pm to 8:30 pm 

️
* Holiday Shopping *
* Passport & Grand Prize Drawing *
* Treats & Drinks Throughout Town *
* Wreath Making *
* Tree Lighting & More *

Omena Red Machete Shoppe Set

Simple Sock
75% Superwash Merino Wool, 25% Nylon
Full skein 463 yds, 100g/ Mini 92 yds, 20g

Dirty DK
75% Superwash Merino Wool, 25% Nylon
Full skein 245 yds, 100g/ Mini 24 yds, 20g

We are thrilled to announce the September's installment of the Sleeping Bear Yarn Club: Omena Red. Dyed for us by the talented Brittany of Machete Shoppe in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. Named for the village along Grand Traverse Bay, and for the Ojibwe word “is that so?” “is that true?”—a quiet question of wonder. In the skeins, the story deepens—veins of purple, pink, and red glowing against dusky undertones, with flashes of orange and gold that call to mind sunlight through a canopy. Paired with the solid golden mini, it feels like the last warm rays of afternoon holding steady before the shift into evening. This shade holds the brilliance of a maple hillside in Fall: scarlet, crimson, ember, each leaf its own small masterpiece. Standing among them, it’s hard to believe such beauty is possible, a thousand fiery brushstrokes gathered into one breathtaking view.

Sleeping Bear Yarn Club 2.0

What's New With The Club?

Friends, if only you can all see how excited we are about the progression of the Sleeping Bear Yarn Club! 

No Patterns 
In twelve years, we have seen patterns change how they can be purchased. In the last few years it has become almost exclusively digital. We love picking out projects that these special colorways can be showcased but each one of our Bees has their own unique taste and project preference. We will keep sending you ideas we feel would be fun on the Sleeping Bear Yarn Club Members Only Exclusive Offers page. We've heard that most members came for the yarn and not the patterns, so . . . 

Minis
What could we add in place of a pattern to this package? How about MORE YARN! And not just more yardage for that value but a complementary mini that opens up us makers to so many fun options! Socks of course, but how about edges of ribbing on hats, mittens, sweaters? A stripe of color in a shawl. After a few months maybe a colorwork yoke. After 12 months you could make a shawl with just the minis! We'll be including pattern ideas in the Sleeping Bear Yarn Club Members Only Exclusive Offers page for minis as well. So feel free to give us a call and we'll be happy to discuss over the phone with you. 

Fingering or DK
Also something we've heard since year 1 has been, "I just don't knit with that fine of yarn" and Makers, we hear ya! B

uckets and buckets of fingering weight is daunting and a lot on our digits. For the FIRST TIME we will be having memberships in either weights! And this isn't only for a long term commitment. I mean, we can't switch every month, but you can pick a DK or Fingering every 3 consecutive months of your membership. This might sound confusing 

Add-on Skeins & Stitch Markers
Not everything is changing. We still love our handmade precious gemstone stitch markers that come every month in the package and you can still order stitch marker sets as well. Liz Saile is still making all these one-of-a-kind pieces for us. And you will still always be able to order additional full skeins ‑‑ now in both DK and Fingering weights.

We haven't made plans to have add-on minis but down the road, you never know! Well that took me a whole week before I changed my mind. Mini's WILL be an add-on option in both weights.

And to make it extra complicated for our Packing Bees, your add-on skeins could be of a different weight than your membership (insert the smell of your mind overheating). 

That is plenty to try and digest all to say ‑‑ WE ARE SO EXCITED! And we know you are going to love this new and improved Sleeping Bear Yarn Club 2.0. Here is to another 12 years of color!

As well as the free gifts for NEW 12-month members, Thank You gifts for Year Two members and Leelanau Lifetime Members for those in Years Three through Twelve.*

Making Comfort KAL

This is a pre-order and will ship the week of August 25th, 2025.

Join us for the Making Comfort KAL at the end of Summer and meet the upcoming cool season with a warm, lightweight shawl. Evenings outside by a fire, an early more coffee on the front steps--we see this as a staple piece you will quickly grab to throw on your shoulders.

This shawl uses the Heritage DK by North Bay Fiber--a Targhee-Polypay yarn known for it's consistent, quality fleece. The fine wool heritage is evident in their wool. The yarn is soft and fine, but also durable. This makes it an excellent choice for everyday garments and accessories. Heritage is woolen spun yarn that takes the dye beautifully. The yarn is light and lofty. An ideal yarn for colorwork, but also contains enough body to showcase texture.

September 6th-October 13th, 2025

Now - July 13th: Order the yarn and needles now through July thth. Everything will arrive in the store (or straight to your doorstep!) with plenty of time for you to cast on by September 6th. When you’re done, we’ll expect to see finished shots of you and your sweater! Email us at thebuzz@woolandhoney.com with your finished piece, and while you're knitting, use the #WoolAndHoney hashtag on Instagram or post on our Facebook page.

Help every Saturday: We’ll be dedicating our Saturday morning Open Stitch Zoom gatherings to the Making Comfort KAL September 6th-October 12th. We’ll be here to chat in real time, help you if you get in a rut or offer insights into navigating the pattern--but primarily it’ll be a chance for us to motivate each other.

15% Discount: the needles AND the yarn. We’ll be knitting ours with the Heritage DK .  Need to order needles? Find them HERE.

Prizes: The prize for finishers? Every single participant who completes their shawl will receive an Upcycled Leather Shawl Cuff! Each cuff is unique so we'll aim to coordinate your cuff with your shawl color–a $24 value–AND every single participant who completes their sweater will be entered in a drawing to win a $50 Gift Certificate to North Bay Fiber.

In the words of the designer, our dear friend Jill Zielinski...

"The Making Comfort shawl is a classic top-down, triangular shawl. Rows of relaxing garter stitch are broken up with a simple, easy-to-memorize textural stitch, and the piece is finished with a clean, ribbed border. Knit in our Heritage DK—a light, lofty yarn spun from 100% Targhee-Polypay wool—it offers beautiful body and bounce, making for a cozy, wearable shawl that’s as comforting to knit as it is to wrap up in.

Size:
Approx. 58” / 148cm wingspan x 25.5" / 65cm deep at center spine

Yarn:
North Bay Fiber Heritage DK (100% Targhee-Polypay; 150 yd / 137 m per 50 g); 5 skeins

Needles:
Gauge Needle: Size US 7 (4.5 mm) 40” / 100 cm (circ) needle (a circular needle long enough to accommodate stitches)— or size necessary to obtain gauge
Larger Needle (optional): One size larger than Gauge Needle, recommended for bind off. See Notes.
(Use the needle size you need to achieve gauge.)

Gauge:
16 sts x 32 rows = 4” in garter stitch
Measured in the round after blocking.

KIT INCLUDES:

5 skeins of Heritage DK and 'Making Comfort' pattern.

North Bay Fiber Trunk Show
June 27th-29th

We are thrilled to announce that we are welcoming a major fiber icon BACK to our neck of the woods the weekend of June 27-29th: North Bay Fiber with Jill Zielinski. Last time they were here it was a Winter Wonderland so we are ready to have fun in some sun this time!

So much has happened since North Bay was here. Their store front opened and they were awarded Michigan's Best Small Business. We are so lucky to have such an amazing fiber company come visit us. Also since our last gathering, mills have closed, yarn companies have said good-bye and yarn from other countries have new challenges. A lot has changed since we were face-to-face and we are eager to fill our buckets with the joy that North Bay Fibers brings to our industry. ​​​​​​​

The shop will be open to everyone–you are ALL welcome here!

On Friday, June 27th from 6-8 pm, we'll have an evening launch for the trunk show (mocktails included). Shoppers will have the first chance to shop a full range of colors in their yarn that weekend. You'll be able to try on the sample, pick your size and what colors look best on you. We love helping you choose colors so please ask - it adds to our excitement! There will be more lines from North Bay Fiber that were NOT here before and samples so BE READY. You'll have some time to ask Jill questions about North Bay Fiber and her design journey.

On Saturday, June 28th from 10 am to 4 pm, we’ll be hosting North Bay Fiber at Wool & Honey all day long. From 10 am - noon, come enjoy Open Stitch with Jill. We'll sit and make together. We'll have drawings for customers just on Saturday.  

Beach Stitching 7-9 pm. Perhaps the perfect intersection of our favorite things: community, yarn and the beach. We’ll gather at Lake Michigan (maybe a bonfire and s'more goodies) and stitch together at the shoreline. We'll be meeting at what locals call 'Bad Harbor'‑‑the end of County Road 669/Bohemian Road. 

​​​​​​​(Please note: you will need a National Park pass for the beach, which you can obtain on site for the day at the self-pay fee canister, or at the Visitors Center in Empire this week.)

On Sunday, June 29th Quiet Shopping from 10-1pm. Take your time to plan and take in the projects. Sometimes less (people) is more.

We know not everyone can make it here in person so we want to make things available to you as well. A Virtual Trunk Show. More details to come!

Wanderful Sweater Kit

Two strands held together of La Bien Aimee​​​​​​​ Little Kumo to make a  'Wanderful Sweater'. We've put together our closest option to the original colorway - a soft, light sweater in summer tones. But - as we do - we needed an option for brights plus these jewel tones were calling to us.

Find the Wanderful Sweater Kit HERE.

It's amazing how far these skeins of Baby Suri will go. You'll only need 2-3 skeins of the main color, and 1 skein of the contrasting colors. Color options from above listed top to bottom:

Avoine, Kokko, Hegelia + Fluoro Morganite
Confetti Cake,​ Kokko, Sunburst + AS IF
Lichen, Malachite, Yellow Brick Road + Sari