It’s time once again to explore more National Parks through yarny goodness. Over the past four years, we have explored the United States through its National Parks, and in 2020, we will have represented them all. Many of these are lesser-known National Parks, and we hope you spend some time exploring them through the links we’ve shared.
Check out our Socks on Vacay/Socks on Staycay summertime sock knitting collaboration with our friend Shannon Squire, too: https://shannonsquire.com/socks-on-vacay-staycay-2020/
Thanks for exploring parks and making socks with us once again this summer! To get your yarn, check out our list of LYS’s offering National Parks (Parks yarn will ONLY be available at our LYS partners through the summer): https://knittedwit.com/
Where is this National Park located?
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is located in Southern Colorado.
Whose land does this National Park reside upon?
Many Native peoples lived on or around the land on which the park now occupies, including the Uts, the Jacarilla Apaches, the Navajo, and the Twea/Tiwa. The traditional Ute phrase for the Great Sand Dunes is Saa waap maa nache (sand that moves). Jicarilla Apaches settled in northern New Mexico and called the dunes Sei-anyedi (it goes up and down). Blanca Peak, just southeast of the dunes, is one of the four sacred mountains of the Navajo, who call it Sisnaajini (White Shell Mountain). These various tribes collected the inner layers of bark from ponderosa pine trees for use as food and medicine. The people from the Tewa/Tiwa-speaking pueblos along the Rio Grande remember a traditional site of great importance located in the valley near the dunes: the lake through which their people emerged into the present world. They call the lake Sip’ophe (Sandy Place Lake), which is thought to be the springs or lakes immediately west of the dunefield.
When was it established as a National Park?
March 17, 1932
Why is this park amazing?
This park is home to the largest dunes in North America, huge dunes like the towering Star Dune, and for the seasonal Medano Creek and beach created at the base of the dunes. The backcountry Medano Pass Primitive Road winds through a canyon toward the Sangre de Cristo mountains. Trails lead to forests, wetlands and alpine lakes like Medano Lake, which is home to trout and tundra wildlife.
Why did we choose these colors?
The photo we found perfectly captured the park at sunset, and we tried to pull out the sky, the mountains, the water, the reeds, the wildlife. It’s a dreamy skein of a dreamy photo of what we can only imagine is a dreamy space.
For more information:
- NPS website: https://www.nps.gov/grsa/index.htm
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greatsanddunesnps/
Ripppppp out the sleeve!
Two different skeins, but looking pretty good for a match. And really, I love this yarn soooo much I don’t mind all the reknitting I’ve been doing. I’m choosing to look at it as an opportunity to learn new tricks to take to the next pattern. I’m 90% sure I’ll be knitting one of these in my size, so I’ll be knitting another one soon enough!
I couldn’t keep my knits and my purls where they needed to be!!! There were plenty of reasons to rip back 😉
Don’t worry, I cast on new socks that didn’t require any brain power! I’m using Shannon’s 
They are growing so fast!!! I have about an inch and a half until I get to the heel. For the moment they’re going to sit in my stack of socks that are to the heel. But that’s a story for another day 😉
A dear friend of mine introduced me to Korean skin care, and it’s fair to say I’m a bit obsessed. Not crazy about taking a bath, take a moment to do something nice for yourself and your skin! A little bit of love goes a long way.
Mmmmmm and lavender might just be my favorite scent ever. My big summer goal is to make it to a lavender festival. And maybe roll around in the field 😉 There’s a chance I’m counting down the days to summer tonight!
What do you do for self care? What’s feels like a quick easy thing to do and what’s a more luxurious take? Some times for me, cleaning the bathroom feels luxurious to get to that bath! And at the end I still have a clean bathroom!!
Fun fact about me, I’m a terrible reader. I mean, I read a ton. Of romance novels. But I don’t do well with reading instructions. Over drinks with a teacher friend we tipsily diagnosed me as an auditory learner. I used to be anyways. I think part of it is I haven’t been in a learning situation in a while, so I’m out of the habit. Anyways, trying new patterns is a tough chore for me. You might have noticed I tend to knit the same thing over and over again. Once I have it figured out I don’t have to study the instructions as closely. I can intuit what needs to happen. The same with sewing. I can’t tell you how many mistakes I’ve made because I don’t read the instructions, or don’t slow down to read them thoroughly. For 2018 I really want to work on this skill. Teacher people: if you have an adult idea on reading comprehension let me know! Okay, but back to Little Weekender. It’s knit in Bulky so a quick project. The pattern isn’t super long so it wasn’t super intimidating to read through. And it’s knit in 4 pieces, front/back/sleeves. There’s also an adult version of this sweater, 
Oh look! I did the side column wrong and had to drop stitches! No worries, I picked them all up and knit it right. Almost. I had to work it out two more times and finally got it right! 
Are there any projects that you haven’t tackled because it was intimidating? Or are you a fearless crafter? I’m excited about these successes to build confidence to tackle more projects! Okay, I have three more inches to go on the back! I’m going back in!