The Long Pink Table — July 5, 2026

Hi friends,

I'm writing this from the car on the way up to Narrowsburg, a mindless knit in my lap and no plan beyond it. I'll run out of yarn before the week's out — I always do — and cast on something else. Maybe a visible mending project this time; I've got a small pile of things that are one hole away from the rag bin.

The other plan is to hit the local thrift stores for some well-worn tees. The kids have gotten into thrifting lately, which is so fun to watch — they'll dig through a rack for an hour and come out glowing over a two-dollar find. I'm not going to be the one to tell them they didn't invent it.

Summer makers are a specific breed. Nobody's knitting a wool sweater in this heat — you're crocheting a market bag and quietly deciding it counts as productivity. I respect it completely. This week's WIP list leans all the way in: a bag, some napkins, and one breezy tee for the four minutes of cool evening August might hand us.

Come see us. The pink table has room, the chairs are open, and the air conditioning is — against the odds and its own history — working.

— Joey

P.S. Leave a comment or email me and tell me what you're making this summer. I read every one, and I am extremely nosy.

What's On Our WIP List

Three summer makes, sorted by exactly what you'll use them for.

For hauling home the farmers market — a crochet mesh market bag: stretchy, packable, capable of holding an alarming quantity of tomatoes. Mesh totes are having a real moment, and this is the summer project you'll actually finish in a weekend. Free pattern: Winding Road's Crochet Market Tote. Make it in Line, our warm-weather best seller, sturdy enough to trust with the good peaches. Want hands-on help? Our Crochet Class: Piper Beach Bag covers the same skills.

For eating outside every night until September — mitered-corner linen napkins. A beginner-friendly sew that photographs like you tried much harder than you did, and makes a paper-towel household feel briefly civilized. Free tutorial: Purl Soho's Classic Mitered Corner Napkins. Sew them in Essex Yarn-Dyed Indigo Stripe or the ever-useful Essex Linen in Natural.

For the one cool evening we'll get — a simple top-down tee: no seams, no sleeves to overthink, just a light cotton layer for when the sun finally goes down. Yes, I'm recommending Line again. It's that good and I don't apologize. Free pattern: Simple Top-Down Tee by Amanda Kaffka. Knit it in Line in a bold summer shade, or grab a fistful of Cotton Mini DK for stripes.

New In The Shop

Yes, that's Christmas fabric. It's July. We don't make the shipping schedules, we just unpack the boxes.

Forest Cuties — Blush Cotton + Steel · from $3.50

Christmas Plaid — Jolly Tidings Cloud9 organic · from $3.50

Hand-Sewing Stitch Gauge Guide homesewn · $3.00

Trending in the Maker World

This week's vision board: "vampire chic" crochet, cut with acid brights.

Yes, in July. The maker internet has gone full vampire — crocheted black lace collars, scalloped edges on everything, doily motifs blown up into whole garments — in a palette of oxblood, black cherry, and gossamer "vampire skin" white. And running right alongside it, because the internet contains multitudes, are loud unapologetic brights. Pick a lane, or don't. I'm not the boss of you.

I keep a vision board for every trend — here's this week's pair, fresh on Pinterest: Vampire Chic Crochet ✦ Unapologetic Brights

Oxblood & black cherry Malabrigo Rios	Gossamer lace collars Soft Silk Mohair
Acid brights Cotton Mini DK	Do-it-for-you gradients Spin Spin DK

Around Delco This Week

• Dining Under the Stars — State Street closes to cars every Wednesday evening (next one's July 8, from 5:30) and turns into one long outdoor dinner table. Bring your new napkins if you're feeling smug.

• Rose Tree Summer Festival — free concerts under the trees, 7:30pm. Jimmy & the Parrots on July 8 and Four Lean Hounds on July 9. Pack a chair.

• Looking ahead: the 22 Park Avenue Swing Band takes the Rose Tree stage July 19 if you want to plan a proper evening out.

That's the week. Leave a comment or email me and tell me who you're rooting for at Wimbledon — I need someone to be dramatic about it with. See you at the pink table.

— Joey