I’m writing this to say farewell (shortly, I imagine) to the last yarn skein Maria has to sell. It marks the end of a very successful time for Maria, but she needs to make and sell things constantly to keep the love she loves so much.

When this skein goes, this very lovely chapter will end, and she can work on the next. For selfish as well as loving reasons, I hope this is today.

The yarn is personal for both of us; this skein comes from our sheep Socks. All of the skeins come from the sheep on the farm.

Maria had a nice few weeks, but the artist’s life is all about ups and downs. She is very eager to get back to work to make more beautiful things and pay for her health care at the end of this and every month.

“I really need to get back into my studio,” she said this morning, “I’ve been shipping and bookkeeping for weeks. I want to make something.”

I took note of the edge in her voice. The work of the independent artist is never done. Selling what she makes is great, but she gets very unhappy when she isn’t making her art.

It’s time.

She told me yesterday that there was only one skein left of the yarn we brought back from the knitting mill in Vermont just a couple of weeks ago. It’s a pretty rust color.

Since then, many potholders, posters, scarves, magnets, skeins, and every dryer ball on sale have left her Etsy studio and gone out into the world.

I asked her if I could take a picture of the last skein above, which sells for $27 plus shipping.  She said, “sure.” The skein is rust-colored, 200 yards, 3-ply worsted.

It looked a little lonely out there, and it is the only skein left on Maria’s Etsy Page.

So long, skein, go out there and be something pretty.