Some projects start with a color. Some start with an idea. A Collection of Memory started with a memory.

Earlier this year, my dad passed away. He was someone who supported everything I did, no matter how big or small. As I began learning more about knitting and experimenting with new projects, he became increasingly excited to see what I was working on. Every new idea, every finished piece, and every update was met with encouragement.

While planning his memorial and celebration of life, I found myself thinking about how much he had supported me and how much he would have enjoyed seeing Sideshow Knitting grow. That's when the idea for A Collection of Memory began to take shape. I wanted to create something that honored him while also reflecting what I was building with this shop. The colors of the collection were an easy choice.

For most of my life, my dad worked at a college he was incredibly proud to be part of. The school's green and gold colors became closely associated with him in my mind. It felt right to build the collection around those colors and make them instantly recognizable to anyone who knew him and the institution that meant so much to him.

As the collection grew, it became more than a single product.

A Collection of Memory includes a headband, hat, gloves, slipper socks, and a throw blanket. Some of those were products I already knew how to make, while others challenged me to learn new techniques and create entirely new offerings for the shop. In many ways, this collection helped shape the future of Sideshow Knitting by pushing me to experiment and expand beyond what I had made before.

The process wasn't always smooth. There are plenty of mismatched socks, test hats, and practice pieces that never made the final cut. Since I'm still early in my knitting journey, I wanted every item in the collection to meet the standards I set for myself. That meant a lot of trial and error, a lot of learning, and a lot of patience. Looking back, those challenges became some of my favorite parts of the project.

The slipper socks and throw blanket are especially meaningful to me because they started as simple ideas and eventually became finished products through research, testing, and persistence. Seeing them come together reminded me why I enjoy creating in the first place.

More than anything, this collection is about remembering the people who help shape our lives. I hope that when people see these pieces, they see more than yarn and stitches. I hope the colors spark conversations, memories, and connections. I hope they remind people of someone important in their own lives—a parent, friend, mentor, or loved one whose support helped shape who they are today.

Throughout June, 50% of all Sideshow Knitting sales will be donated to The Trevor Project. I chose this organization because I believe everyone deserves someone to lean on during difficult times. There have been moments in my own life when having support made all the difference, and I know how important it can be to know you're not alone.

A Collection of Memory represents remembrance, support, growth, and the idea that the people who encourage us continue to shape us long after they're gone.

Thank you for taking the time to learn the story behind it.

— Blair, Sideshow Knitting