Dear Crafters and Makers,

Welcome to the start of JIMMY BEANS WOOL UNIVERSITY (or ewe-niversity, hehe)! This summer will mark the beginnings of a fabulous, fiber-filled journey as we learn the ins and outs of our craft as well as the history behind the materials and techniques we use today. We hope that by doing this, we can all have a new appreciation for the art behind the project!

To start this summer out right, we've assembled the first four weeks of the school season in a smart little syllabus to give you a heads up about what lessons we will be covering in the coming weeks (Hint: This week is history!). We will update the syllabus as the summer progresses to always keep you in the (magic) loop with class schedules and summer projects! To top it off, we'll end each class with a small quiz. You might want to study up! If you get 100% on every single quiz, you'll be entered into a drawing to win a fully loaded Namaste Maker's Train Case or Namaste Maker's Backpack!

Pop Quiz! Were you paying attention to last week's newsletter? Test your knowledge!

Here are some projects to get you through through summer while staying crafty during your lessons. Stay tuned next week to hear how you can get extra credit with them!

DID YOU KNOW?: It's widely believed that the origins of what would become modern day knitting came from Egyptian fisherman (somewhere between 500 and 1200 A.D.!) They would loop fibers together to make nets for a more bountiful harvest.

Men played a HUGE role in the history of knitting and took the crafting world by storm! As early as the 14th century, men established knitting guilds to develop their skills and hone their artistic vision. Joining one of these distinguished guilds, however, was no walk in the park.

These groups were highly sought after - it was a pretty cutthroat business (dueling with needles, anyone?)! ...Okay, maybe they didn't sword fight using their needles, but their training was still rigorous and demanding!

Think you have what it takes to join one of these illustrious groups? Well, here's a checklist they had to abide by:

• Be a boy (this part is very important).
• Decide to devote your life to the craft of knitting, leave your family, and live with a Knitting Master. (Don't worry; he'll pay for your living expenses as long as you continue to knit)
• Spend three years of your life apprenticing under your Knitting Master.

And that's it, right?! Well, not quite...

• Some guilds required you to spend another three (sometimes four!) years traveling the world to learn new techniques and patterns (traveling AND knitting? Sign us up!)
• Return home and take your (extremely challenging) final exam. Think of this like you're being judged on your favorite reality competition show. (England's Next Top Knitter?)

This exam would consist of something called your "masterwork" which were your final portfolio pieces (including a shirt, hat, pair of stockings, and a color-work CARPET!). By the way, did we mention you only had about thirteen weeks to complete your projects? Talk about a serious time crunch!

Interested in learning more? Check out our required reading, "Brave New Purled" over on our blog this week!

Speaking of men in knitting, Father's Day is quickly approaching! Men used to rule the knitting world, so it only makes sense to return to those roots to get them that perfect present, right? Even if the men in your life don't partake in the craft; everyone can appreciate the time and effort it takes to make something special by hand.

DID YOU KNOW?: In 1663, England had exported about 240,000 pairs of socks to Normandy, France alone. That isn't even counting the amounts of smuggling that went on behind closed doors!

Did Someone Say Sale?!

Rowan was established and brought to life in 1978 by Stephen Sheard and Simon Cockin. Their goal was to produce excellent yarns that could be "translated into timeless design". Quality and elegance have always been a theme in the knitting and crochet world, from the fiber content in the yarns you use to the garments you create. To bring Rowan's vision to your needles and hooks, we're having a SALE! After all, sharing is caring, hehe!

To celebrate the start of Jimmy Beans Wool University, throughout the next several weeks, we will continue to hand-pick more yarns that we love so we can share them with you at a delicious discount (some are even 25%-55% off!).

DID YOU KNOW?: Men were considered the pinnacle of fashion because of their knit stockings. If you wore stockings as a man and they were baggy or didn't fit you correctly, you were then labeled as a fashion disaster (which, of course, nobody wanted)! Eek!

It's His Turn to Learn!

Okay, so maybe your father doesn't knit, but hey, it's never too late to learn, right? Knitting can help with focus and dexterity by strengthening your hands and soothing your mind. It's an activity that can pair well with other hobbies (like watching your favorite movie!), so starting a project with him can embark you both on a mega-cool bonding adventure! Here are some fun finds to help him cast on with ease:

Is your father a macho man? Well, he's in luck, because he can even use his power tools to wind his yarn! By hooking up the household power drill (or screwdriver) to the Winderfull Kit, you can wind to your heart's content. No tangles or yarn barf here!

Storing your projects when you take a break is just as important as crafting them. With the Namaste Maker's Train Case in black and the Namaste Maker's Backpack in brown, he can store any project he wants without fear of knots or losing his place. Each product is stylishly made with a smooth, buttery feel and smart yarn feeders to keep him craftin' on the go while still staying organized!

DID YOU KNOW?: The phrase "to knit" doesn't have any Latin or Greek roots? It didn't appear in the Oxford Unabridged English Dictionary until the fifteenth century and didn't become a common phrase until the Renaissance.

Danielle Landes created World Wide Knit in Public Day in 2005. This rapidly growing holiday was made to bring the crafting community together because knitting and crocheting can easily be something you do alone, so why not gather with other like-minded people? We had the best time here at Jimmy Beans Wool during this magical event last weekend: we all fished for prizes, took a swing at our claw machine, and best of all, we browsed our sweet selection of YARN! We want to thank everyone who showed up and can't wait for next year!!

DID YOU KNOW?: World Wide Knit in Public Day is the largest knitter-run event in the world! It's run purely by volunteers for the love of the craft.

Universal Yarn's Bamboo Pop Socks

This perfect pair is sure to knock your socks off! This springy project uses Universal Yarn's Bamboo Pop Sock yarn and contains no animal fibers, making it ideal for anyone to enjoy! It's knit from the toe up with a Turkish heel for a simple, yet stunning garment, elevated by the vibrant self-striping effect of the yarn.