How does this inspire you?

7 on Locust is a lifestyle shop combining finds from around the world, ready-made objects and of course, Be Sweet yarn. Owner and founder (and now shop owner!) Nadine Curtis sat down with us to give us the scoop on the new retail space.

Be Sweet (BS): What inspired you to open a lifestyle shop?

Nadine Curtis (NC): I have always dreamed of opening a shop. The space in lower Mill Valley is the perfect “blank canvas” that lends itself to being an incredible gallery showroom style store. We are going to host unique events and build energy around the passion for innovative craft and design.  Salon nights, trunk shows, art openings, pop-ups, music, book signings, DIY classes… I’m excited to bring these to life in the space.

BS: Can you tell us what a “lifestyle shop” is?

NC: It’s not a traditional retail store. We are going to be open showroom hours and by appointment (currently Wed, Thurs, Fri from 12-7p).

BS: What kinds of products are you carrying and what’s your favorite item?

NC: The “lifestyle” aspect is an array of things I adore from around the world.  I spend a lot of time traveling and I must admit I never stop admiring objects and products that inspire and emulate a spirited lifestyle.  My winter break was to a small town in Mexico called Todos Santos. That place is pure magic and the leather cuff bracelets in the store are from my trip.

It’s called 7 on Locust — a collaboration with Be Sweet.  Besides of course selling Be Sweet knits and accented yarns the categories include home décor objects like hand cast wax candles, jewelry, coffee table books, pillows, custom furniture, art, photography, plus plus plus.  My favorite item at the moment are two “Ships in the Night” lounge chairs that are upholstered in custom hand printed fabric accented with vintage French linen with a “J” and “D” on the base.  I have been waiting for 13 years to decide what to do with that fabric!  $1200 each but sold as a set. I don’t think they would want to live apart from each other

BS: You founded and own Be Sweet. How does the yarn business and lifestyle business go together? Does one influence the other?

NC: Be Sweet is an incredible business because it embodies tactile goods and the sense of giving back.  I have the opportunity to work with incredible artisans who make our beautiful product range and they in turn are making better lives for themselves with the employment.  7 on Locust is an extension of that philosophy.  I wanted to expand to encompass my other passions like home décor, artifacts, designer clothing, art, rock n roll, and create an environment to bring people together and enjoy the style and energy.

BS: Many of your products are from South Africa. What draws you to that part of the world? 

NC: I spend a lot of time in South Africa because that is where the majority of Be Sweet’s products are produced.  The innovative design movement in that part of the world is ON FIRE.  I am excited and proud to be a part of it.

BS: Describe your new shop in 3 words.

NC: STYLE , COLOR, LOVE.

BS: What does your son think of the shop?

NC: Pixley, my son, rides his bike to the store after school and helps me close.  He loves the new space and most of all loves the fact that I have I have given him permission to use the spray paint in the back storage area to do a bit of creative graffiti.

BS: What are your goals for this business and who shops here?

NC: We are going to have a grand opening in early June and kick off our event calendar after that.  JD Wilson is our featured painter and we will be sharing his artwork throughout the summer.  Our clients are shoppers and designers throughout the Bay Area.  We want to be that destination shop that everyone puts on their visit list.

See you soon — come in this week and visit!

7 Locust Avenue in Mill Valley

Opening Wed – Thurs – Fri 12-7pm

People don’t realize that 2/3 of the food they put on their table has gotten there with the help of the honeybees. The more we all read and learn about CCD, the more we can help when a solution is found. It’s important for all of us to educate ourselves on this.

This story ran on NBC Nightly News on Monday:

http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly-news/51795179#51795179

This article ran on TIME magazine’s website this past Tuesday:

Beepocalypse Redux: Honey Bees Are Still Dying—and We Still Don’t Know Why

By Bryan WalshMay 07, 2013

The honey bees are dying—and we don’t really know why. That’s the conclusion of a massive Department of Agriculture report that came out late last week on colony collapse disorder (CCD), the catch-all term for the large-scale deaths of honey bee groups throughout the U.S. And given how important honey bees are to the food that we eat—bees help pollinate crops that are worth more than $200 billion a year—the fact that they are dying in large numbers, and we can’t say why, is very, very worrying.

CCD was first reported in 2006, when commercial beekeepers began noticing that their worker adult honey bees would suddenly flee the hive, ending up dead somewhere else and leading to the rapid loss of the colony. On normal years, commercial beekeepers might expect to lose 10 to 15% of their colony, but over the past five years, mortality rates for commercial operations in the U.S. have ranged from 28 to 33%. Since 2006 an estimated 10 million bee hives worth about $200 each have been lost, costing beekeepers some $2 billion. There are now 2.5 million honey bee colonies in the U.S., down from 6 million 60 years ago.And if CCD continues, the consequences for the agricultural economy—and even for our ability to feed ourselves—could be dire. “Currently, the survivorship of honey bee colonies is too low for us to be confident in our ability to meet the pollination demands of U.S. agricultural crops,” the USDA report said.

So what’s causing CCD—and how can we stop it?

The problem is that there doesn’t seem to be a single smoking gun behind CCD. The USDA report points at a range of possible causes, including:

A parasitic mite called Varroa destructor that has often been found in decimated colonies.

Several viruses

A bacterial disease called European foulbrood that is increasingly being detected in U.S. bee colonies

The use of pesticides, including neonicotinoids, a neuro-active chemical

Since CCD isn’t so much a single disease as it is a collection of symptoms, chances are that some or all of these factors, working in concert, might be behind the disappearance of the honey bees. The presence of the Varroa mite, for instance, can worsen the impact of existing viruses, while the stress of shipping bees back and forth across the country—increasingly common in commercial beekeeping—may be amplifying the stress on the insects and leaving them more vulnerable to CCD. (If you think a cross-country flight is rough on you, just imagine what it’s like for a honey bee hive.) The fact that CCD is increasingly seen in other countries as well gives more weight to the notion that there may be multiple factors at work.

Still, environmentalists have focused most on the potential role of pesticides—especially the powerful neonicotinoids—and some lab studies have found that the chemicals can adversely affect bee health. It’s not that the pesticides—which are aimed at other insects—are killing the bees outright, but rather that sublethal exposure in nectar and pollen may be interfering with the honey bees internal radar, preventing them from gathering pollen and returning safely to the hive.

The USDA report mostly withholds judgement on neonicotinoids, citing the need for more research, and the Environmental Protection Agency is conducting a very slow review of the evidence. Last week though the European Union, which is also grappling with CCD, decided it was done waiting though, and announced a two-year ban on neonictinoids. The European Commission enacted the ban on the recommendation of the European Food Safety Authority, which said in January that the pesticides should be restricted until scientists had cleared the chemicals of a role in CCD.

The chemical industry, unsurprisingly, disputes the finding. Bayer CropScience, a major pesticide manufactuer, said in a statement after the ban was announced:

As a science-based company, Bayer CropScience is disappointed that clear scientific evidence has taken a back-seat in the decision making process. This disproportionate decision is a missed opportunity to reach a solution that takes into consideration all of the existing product stewardship measures and broad stakeholder concerns. The further reduction of effective crop protection products will put at risk farmers’ ability to tackle important pests that can severely restrict their ability to grow high-quality food.

As Brad Plumer pointed out over at the Washington Post, it’s not that the E.U. necessarily has more evidence about the role that the chemicals might be playing in CCD. This is a classic case of policymaking by the precautionary principle. The pesticides are considered guilty until proven innocent, and so they’re preventively banned, even before the scientific case is rock solid. That’s not unusual for European environmental regulation, especially in regards to chemicals. In the U.S.it’s the reverse—before the federal government is likely to take the step of banning a class of pesticides, and pissing off the multi-billion dollar chemical industry, you’re likely to see a lot more science done.

So what we may get in Europe and the U.S. is a de facto field test of the real impact of neonicotinoids on CCD. In two years, if American bees are still dying and their European cousins are thriving, we might just have our answers. And if not, well, I hope you don’t like cashews, beets, broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, chestnuts, watermelons, cucumber, fennel, strawberries, macadamia, mangoes, apricots, almonds or any of the other dozens of food crops pollinated by our hard-working, six-legged, unpaid farm workers.

Check out our yummy and soft Mohair Boucle in this quick and easy one ball free scarf project! Available in eight colors you can find the kit here. If you wanted to knit your mom, sister, aunt, grandmother or friend something for Mother’s Day, hurry on over and check out what they have!

That’s not all they carry! Need a kit for Mother’s Day? Noble Knits carries our Adele Skinny Wool Scarf, Brushed Mohair Colorful Fluffy Scarves, Fine & Light, Extra Fine Sonoma Ruffled Scarf, Wanderlust Cardi, Extra Fine with Nubs, Diagonal Shawl, Magic Ball Cardi, Magic Ball Hat & Shawl, Magic Ball Textured Magic Shawl, Medium Brushed Lacey Shawl, Medium Brushed Mohair Cables Scarf, Medium Brushed Mohair Square Wrap, Medium Brushed Mohair Swing Wrap, Ribbon Ball Cowl & Long Scarf, Ribbon Ball Hat, Shrug & Tank and Striped Shawls Kits!

They also carry our Bambino, Brushed Mohair, Bubble Ball, Extra Fine Mohair, Handspun Merino Wool, Magic Ball, Medium Brushed Mohair, Ribbon Ball, Sari Silk Nubs, Satisfaction, Slubby Mohair, T-Shirt and Whipped Cream yarns.

Find all the Be Sweet goodies Noble Knits carries here.

Happy Mother’s Day from us here at Be Sweet to you and yours.

Coming in finished bust sizes of  36″, 40″, 44″ and 48″, this cardi needs 770 – 1320 yards. This is the perfect cardigan for the transition between spring and summer and again in summer to fall.

With drop shoulders, a longer back and deep v-neck, this design is simple yet modern.

Pattern available for download here.

We always like to show off when we’re featured in a publication! The latest issue of Creative Knitting is their summer edition, available on newsstands May 28th. If you simply cannot wait until them, the e-magazine is available on May 7th!

This hat is knit in our Cotton Candy yarn in Natural, Dark Purple and Lilac. How cute for those chilly summer evenings!

We’re also excited to have Knit Notes in the current issue of Mollie Makes. Have you gotten your copy yet?

We have many more publications and new garments to share with you! Stay tuned to keep on top of the latest Be Sweet news!

The Woollen Woods is an enchanting outdoor art installation, on display until November at the National Trust property Acorn Bank, as part of Eden Arts’ CANOPY exhibition. The exhibit features hundreds of woodland themed woollen artworks; all made using 100% wool, in support of ‘The Campaign for Wool.” The public have been invited to take part by making artworks for the exhibition and the project has sparked international interest. The Woollen Woods features work submitted by artists, schools, groups and individuals from throughout the UK and beyond, including Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Germany and America.

They are encouraging people to continue making artworks for the exhibition throughout 2013 and potentially touring during 2014, so it’s not too late to get involved! There are lots of artwork ideas and patterns on the Woollen Woods Pinterest page – from felted squirrels, knitted birds to crochet leaves! They also have a number of FREE downloadable patterns by renowned author Lesley Stanfield and members of the Wool Clip craft co-operative.

To get involved simply read their artwork guidelines and send your artwork along with a completed entry form to: Canopy Project, Eden Arts, 1 Sandgate, Penrith, Cumbria, UK, CA11 7TP. Contact joanne@edenarts.co.uk / 01768 899444 if you have any queries.