Excerpted from New York Post article by Raquel Laneri, 11/21/19.
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, the biopic about the iconic Fred Rogers, has just been released to critical acclaim, and I’m so looking forward to seeing it. Who else could have been cast as Mr. Rogers except Tom Hanks, another well-known nice guy? I never really thought about Mr. Rogers’ famous zip-up cardigans until this evening, when I read an article that popped up in my news feed, all about the knitter who was selected to make identical copies of them. One of his red ones is actually in the Smithsonian now. All of them were Christmas gifts handmade by his mother.
Anyhow, meet Yasmin Esmek, a talented tailor who helps create costumes for operas, Broadway shows, ballets, and other productions.
Ms. Esmek now lives in New Jersey, but grew up in Germany, where she learned to knit as a child. She studied knitwear design at NYC’s Fashion Institute of Technology. She also had her own line of knitwear featured at Barneys. When she agreed to recreate some of Mr. Rogers’ sweaters, she first researched his work in children’s TV and thoroughly familiarized herself with his signature look. Her first task was to locate some appropriate yarn, making a trek to my absolute favorite yarn store, Webs of Northampton, MA. After making up swatches from the many yarns she considered, she and the costume designers chose a cotton, and determined which particular sweaters to replicate. Ms Esmek would knit 6 cardigans, 2 in red and 1 each in mustard yellow, purple, teal, and green. She made them all over the course of nine weeks in 2018. Two were made on a machine, to represent those that Rogers bought after his mother had died.
Can’t wait to see A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, as much to check out those cardigans as to watch some evocative acting performances! Thanks to the Post and writer Laneri for their fascinating story.
How cool 😎 is Finnish snowboard coach Antti Koskinen, a man who has discovered for himself one of the perks of knitting !? This shot was taken yesterday while the coach was awaiting the run of team member Roope Tonteri in the slopestyle event. Now the news is going viral on Twitter, everyone wanting to know what Mr. Koskinen is making. According to the Olympic Team Finland, Finnish President Sauli Niinistö and his wife Jenni Haukio announced the birth of their son at the beginning of February, so the team is now knitting up squares for a blanket to welcome the baby. What a special gift, you’ve gotta love 💕 it!
No, it’s not a yellow ribbon, it’s probably not even yellow. Neither is it another form of yarn bombing, which is sort of wasteful when you think about it. Rather, there’s a new trend spreading across the country. People are tying scarves, handmade or store bought, around trees is urban areas, parks, and neighborhoods. They’re labelled with messages like, “No, I’m not lost. Please take me with you if you’re cold. Hope it helps.” Since the trend started in Seymour,Indiana, church groups, schools fundraisers and kind random strangers from almost every state are pitching in to make sure a good portion of the 1.56 million homeless Americans are a little warmer this winter! A bit of good news in this most difficult of months following the elections. A fuller version of this heartwarming little story can be found on Facebook or at 
Rare surviving examples of early 19th century work clothes were found stuffed up a chimney in Toft monks, Norfolk.
Just read a fascinating article describing the discovery of ancient, twisted, wild flax fibers, embedded in soil samples taken from the Dzudzuana Cave in the Republic of Georgia.
Dances with Wools 