Our Flood: An Update

March 18, 2025Ana CamposComment

On January 2nd, we opened the doors at our new location after frantically packing and moving the last week of December. Sadly, on February 19th, we were flooded out of our new space due to a burst pipe. For the time being, we are operating at Toil & Trouble Studio as a temporary location.

We want to keep you, our community, in the loop as best we can! Here is what we know so far:

When are you reopening?

We don’t know yet! We are doing everything we can to reopen no later than April 1st. On March 17th, the person in charge of our insurance claim left the company, so we’re starting from scratch with a new claim adjuster. To speed things up, we are paying upfront and of out pocket for construction materials and the contractor otherwise we’d be looking at another 1-2 months of closure.

Is your insurance and/or landlord paying for the damages?

A very large portion of our damages are being covered by insurance. Unfortunately we experienced extensive damage that will not be covered and we’ll be paying for out of pocket. We’re so appreciative that our Flood Recovery Fundraiser is going well, all the money we’re receiving is going straight to reconstruction and repair costs.

Where can we shop while you’re closed?

Our online shop is open as usual, and we’ve set up a temporary shop at Toil & Trouble Studio, our dye studio and workshop space. Find us during our normal shop hours at the studio, located in Building A at Mills 58 in Peabody.

*Our temporary shop at Toil & Trouble Studio!*

The Story Behind This Year's Samhain Fiber Witch Box

October 18, 2024Ana Campos1 Comment

In Memoriam: My beautiful Taliesin

On June 22, 2007, I brought home the most perfect kitten, with expressive eyebrows and the sweetest white dipped toes. I was new to Boston, living alone while going to grad school. Taliesin made my apartment feel like a home. From that day on, he and I were inseparable. He even visited Salem with me that fall! For the past 17 years, he’s slept curled up on my pillow, pressed against my face, blowing sweet kitty purrs against my forehead.

Taliesin was with me for so many major life developments, including moving to Salem, and leaving my career as an architect to open Circle of Stitches. My buddy through all the ups and downs. You may have even met him at one of our virtual stitch nights!

Every Fiber Witch Box comes from the heart, and my intention for this season was to honor my familiar Taliesin, my faithful companion of 17 years. We released this year’s Samhain Box on October 8th, and as the wheel turns, Taliesin passed away in my arms on October 10th. Now in his memory, this collection honors him and all our familiars, and all the love and magic they bring into our lives. This collection is a piece of my heart.

Taliesin battled heart disease, kidney disease, and cancer for the last five years, and stayed by my side much longer than our vet expected, but of course, not nearly as long as any of us hope our beloved familiars stay with us. He was a brave if fiesty boy in the face of all his exams and medications. If you’re able to support this year’s Samhain collection, please know that sales from this special Samhain Fiber Witch Box will go towards covering his extensive medical costs over the last five years, as well as his end of life costs. Any remaining proceeds will be donated to other animals in need.

Thank you, always, for your support,

Ana

Knitting to Keep My Grief Company

January 5, 2023Ana Campos

And just like that, another year has come and gone. 2022 was an incredibly difficult year for me, starting with a massive rupture that changed everything about my life. It ended dramatically too: I started December in the ER, spent the solstice holiday weekend at the emergency vet because one of my cats at a bar of soap, and ended the month putting Munin to rest, my companion of 15 years. If you’ve been part of our community for a while, you know that Munin was battling cancer for the last three years. We did everything we could, including administering chemo at home every other day for over a year. Finally, in the last week of December, it was time to say good-bye.

It’s hard to talk about the grief of losing a pet. For those who haven’t experienced a deep bond with a pet, it seems trivial. For some of us, a pet is part of the family, a daily companion and fur baby. Munin came home with us at 8 weeks old, and was a sweet, funny, affectionate, and charming companion until the very end. His sweetness was truly one of a kind, and he’s left a huge hole in my heart and my home. His sweet little face, adorable little fangs, his little chirp, and the cutest white patch on his chest.

My grief is heavy, tangible, always lurking right behind my shoulder, and sometimes washing over me completely. I know one day it will be less heavy, and eventually it will be a quieter companion, whispering rather than taking over. But in the meantime? I am going to knit. This cardigan is taking me a while to work through, so Munin had several chances to nap on my knitting and my project bag before we said goodbye. I know there’s at least a couple of his little black furs knitted into the fabric, and I will always treasure that.

It seems silly to say that knitting can get us through the hard times, but for me, knitting is a life line. When I am overwhelmed, knitting allows me to slow down and gather myself. Since my grief is so present right now, I’m knitting to keep it company. With each stitch, I allow myself to acknowledge this new companion, to sit with it and say, I see you. I feel you. And with each stitch, I hope the hole in my heart gets a little smaller.

A special thank you to everyone who donated to Munin’s healthcare fund over the last three years. With your help, we were able to give him the best possible care. If you are interested in contributing to his end of life costs, please make a donation here.