Hi, friends — just a quick note today to let you know there’s a Warehouse Sale happening over at Fringe Supply Co.! Meaning clearance prices on seconds and odds and ends, while they last. There’s even more variety than what’s pictured here (including a few Porter Bins), and we have very few of some things and quite a lot of others, so click quick! But please do read the listing thoroughly before placing your order.
Back to regular programming tomorrow …
Before I get to the links list, today is the launch of our annual Limited Edition “Holiday Hewett” Field Bag! This year’s is a reprise of our December 2016 print (which was grey on grey), this time in toffee-colored ink on natural canvas, and it is a beauty! It will be available at 9am CT [UPDATE: It’s now live!], and I repeat: It is a Limited Edition! These sell out every year so if you want one, please don’t hesitate.
And with that, some Elsewheres!
— If you loved my Grace pullover, good news: The pattern, by Denise Bayron, is now available on its own
— If you’re a charity knitter in the US or Canada, here’s a chance to get some donated yarn for your cause
— I’m obsessed with the new Hosta pattern from my friends at Fancy Tiger! (Did I say this already? I’ve been waiting impatiently for months …)
— “Making my own clothes transformed my body image — and my life”
— How about making a peace and justice advent calendar?
— and I love these simple framed quilt blocks
Have a cozy weekend, everyone! Thank you for reading.
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PREVIOUSLY: Elsewhere
It was my hope to have a links roundup for you this holiday weekend, but family matters have taken precedence — and you might like this even better! To show my thanks for your support of Fringe Supply Co. this year, we’ll be putting a free gift in all US orders $75* and up this weekend:
FRIDAY: Spiral pocket notepad
SATURDAY: Canvas and leather drawstring bag
SUNDAY: “Garter-stitch” border bandana
MONDAY: Leather stitch marker pouch (with markers)
All beautiful, useful goods made in conjunction with other small businesses.
There’s no way for me to ever adequately express my gratitude to you for the time you spend here or your support of this little business of mine, from the day it was first announced on this blog until now. But I give thanks for you every day of the year.
I have something super cute to show you next week, so I’ll see you back here then!
*Offer good on orders shipping to US addresses with a merchandise total of $75 or more; colors may vary; no substitutions; not redeemable for cash. One gift per order. Effective Nov 29-Dec 2, 2019, Central Time.
THIS NEVER HAPPENS: All Field Bags on sale 20% off*
Five years ago today, I published these beautiful photos — the first public view of this little project bag I had designed, now known as the Fringe Field Bag — shot by my friend Kathy Cadigan. At the time it was just called the Fringe Supply Project Bag and only came in natural, and it was the star of the first lookbook I ever put together. (Then, as now, I’m the “model.”) I’d been working on it all year, with my friend Alyssa Minadeo’s invaluable help — obsessing over every dimension and detail, and trying to find a way to produce it. For the sake of that holiday season, and to find out if anyone even liked it, I hired Alyssa to make a small initial batch, put these photos out into the world, and held my breath.
I never could have imagined what would happen next.
I was still a new knitter at the time, and I designed it because I desperately wanted it and couldn’t find anything like it — a simple, utility-grade bag that stood upright and open-mouthed, had pockets specific to a knitter’s needs, was made from natural materials, responsibly and in the US, and had a wrist strap for toting it around when not stuffed into a larger bag. I hoped enough other people would want one that we’d be able to sell that first batch, and if that happened I’d keep trying to find a domestic factory that could sew it. I also had no idea how hard that would be, but during the course of that year, Bob and I had moved to Nashville (out from under Bay Area cost of living) to see if I could turn my little fledgling website into a small business. And the response to this bag — combined with the luck of eventually finding a factory right here in Nashville — is what gave Fringe Supply Co. a fighting chance.
The landscape has changed so much in these five years. These days, you have a lot of choices when it comes to project bags, and the fact that so many of you have chosen the Field Bag (in all its ensuing variations over the years) is deeply humbling and definitely one of the most unexpected experiences of my life. Your support of it has contributed to jobs for my tiny crew and the sewers at the small, woman-owned, local factory where it’s now made; revenue for the stores that carry it; charitable donations; business for the professional contractors we work with (my bookkeeper, photographers …); and far from either last or least, my collaboration with Jen Hewett on the various printed versions we’ve done together, past and present.
We don’t normally offer discounts (we don’t pad our prices), but in order to say THANK YOU and honor this milestone, that’s exactly what we’re doing. Today and tomorrow only, all Field Bags (canvas, waxed and printed) are 20% off!*
Thank you from the bottom of my heart. And happy birthday, little bag.
*No code required. In-stock items only; not retroactive. Offer expires at Midnight CT on Nov 22, 2019, and is good at Fringe Supply Co. and participating stockists (check with the one nearest you to see if they’re participating).
Today is that rare and thrilling day when I finally get to show you something we’ve been working on for months on end: Meet the new Rambler cross-body satchel! This is my answer to your requests for a cross-body bag, which actually works as a cross-body or a shoulder bag, as well as in the hand. I’ve been carrying it daily, traveling with and loving it for half the year — and I hope you’ll love it, too. Today is also Winter 2019 Lookbook day, and you can read lots more about the Rambler in the lookbook intro or on the product page in the shop.
We gave subscribers to the shop newsletter first dibs on the Rambler last month, as supplies will be limited, and I want to emphasize this with you all, too — supplies will be limited! There are only so many we can produce for the holiday season, so if you want one, act on it. And if you run into a Sold Out moment, please use the Notify Me button to be alerted whenever a new batch arrives. We’ll do our very best to make sure everyone who wants one can get one, but can make no guarantees!
The Rambler design was obviously inspired by the Porter Bin, my personal favorite of our bags, and having the canvas and webbing in the right weight and color for the Rambler has meant that the Porter is now finally available in toffee, too! Which I know you’ll be as happy about as I am.
And I hope you’ll also take a moment to look through this winter’s lookbook. Creating the lookbook is possibly my favorite of my many jobs with Fringe, and I’m really pleased with what we’ve put together for your perusal this holiday season. It was shot by my friend Hannah Messinger down at the pretty little Airbnb at Bloomsbury Farm, which has become my favorite place to shoot. It’s equal parts beautiful and rugged, which is just what I aim for with all things Fringe!
Happy start of holiday season, and happy weekend!
I’ve been a little awol this week because there’s a lot going on behind the scenes at Fringe Supply Co., with two delightful new goods for you today: First is the new Fringe Supply bandana pictured here — a 100% US-made cotton bandana (hard to come by!) with a “garter stitch” border hand-drawn by yours truly and available in two colors. For more on that, click through to the webshop.
And to be revealed at 9am CT is a new color of the Town Bag! So if you’re potentially into that, hold off on your bandana order till then. I’ll update this post once that’s live, but you might want to set an alarm to show up at the webshop right at that time. UPDATE: It’s FIG w/ waxed plum, and it’s a knockout!
We’ve also got eggplant Bento Bags and charcoal Mamoru Mitts kits back in stock! And so much more, as always, at Fringe Supply Co.
Happy weekend, everyone — see you next week!
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Somehow I decided to participate in Me-Made May for real this year — although, by that I do not mean taking 31 days of selfies! What I am going to do is track my wears for the month on a little chart I’m designing in my mini bullet journal. (I’ll show you that asap, and elaborate on it — I’ve had a lot of questions about how I’m doing it.) I will be posting the occasional outfit selfie on Instagram, and will do a wrap-up here at month’s end. I’ve been in a real dressing slump lately and am hoping this will get me re-engaged with my closet — loves and loathes, needs and wants, as we head into the hot zone. Will I run into you on #memademay2019? I’d love to hear your plans.
Speaking of things I’ve announced on Instagram lately, if you haven’t already, please read my Squam update!
IN SHOP NEWS: We’ve got the new Helga Isager book, Stitches, and wow is it gorgeous! So many stunning patterns in a beautiful hard-bound volume. BUT WAIT — we’ve also got a new Town Bag color launching at 9am CT! It’s quite possibly my favorite bag we’ve done so far, and I hope you’ll love it too! I’ll update the photos on this post once it’s been revealed [UPDATED: IT’S OLIVE!], but if you’re following @fringesupplyco, turn on post notifications or just pop onto Fringe Supply Co. at 9am! (Where you’ll also find the needles and notebooks pictured.)
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I hope you have a lovely, restful, restorative weekend. I’ll be seaming my vest so I can finally dig into the fun bits! How about you?
Photos by Kathy Cadigan for Fringe Supply Co
