Fair Winds Issue 3: Friends, fall, and a lot of nachos

Posted by Jessica Knopp on October 02, 2026

Holy crap.

How did it get to be October already? Welcome to another Fair Winds, where this month I'm trying to figure out whether I've experienced time travel or just regular time doing what it does. Either way, I'll say this: this letter has become something I genuinely look forward to writing each month, which is not something I typically say about writing emails.

October is a big one. If you've seen our events calendar, you know it's chock full, and I've got a bit of travel stacked on top. There's a couple of little friendship trips, plus the Nest x Hermès American Craft Convening in New York. Meanwhile, Billy will be holding down the fort here, digging into design work and a lot of pre-production for the holidays.

I might actually get to wear a sweater in New York in October!

Mostly, though, what's happening this month is happening right here at home. It's the start of the fourth quarter, which is our Super Bowl season. Fall always brings the cozy vibes, the holidays add a little twinkling buzz, and it's an important time for retail, especially small businesses, to make good on the year. But this year feels especially exciting. I talk about it a lot, but we live in the same neighborhood as our shop, so it feels really good to move into this season with the intention to be present and involved.

There's a lot on the calendar this month, but two events in particular have that make-something, DIY energy that always seems to kick in once the weather cools down. Our Sidewalk Sale is back October 17–18, and this time we're pulling out a bunch of studio supplies and materials alongside marked-down pieces. (The materials always seem to go first, so plan accordingly.) Then on October 24, Dirty Bones Design Co. is hosting a screenprinting workshop at the shop, where you'll learn to screenprint and go home with your own tote.

There's another stained glass workshop, too!

Behind the scenes, we're deep in the throes of planning: looking hard at the storefront, planning merchandise, and hunting down inspired, exciting things to bring into the shop. I've especially been wanting a fresh look at our displays. I touched on this last month, but after fifteen years your own work starts to blur into the background. You're so used to looking at it that you stop seeing it. We've been trying to snap out of that, to recontextualize things and find new ways to put them out into the world. Part of that is a little collaboration I'm working on with Guten Co. to literally bring something new to the table where we display our jewelry. More on that soon.

That's a big part of why I'm so excited for New York next week. I'm not totally sure what to expect, but I'm going to try to look at my own product, our displays, and our brand with fresh eyes, and hopefully come home with a new bit of perspective. I'm really looking forward to meeting the other 29 makers. I technically already know two of them (maybe more, honestly, I'm not sure who all is coming). I'm also stoked to be in a room with other creatives running businesses, seeing how they do things, commiserating over the struggles and joys, and getting to know new friends.

Speaking of community, finding my people here has been its own slow project. We lived in Austin for a long time, and that's where much of my core group is (or was, before a lot of them scattered across the country). When we moved to San Antonio four years ago, I arrived without my people. Friendships like that don't happen overnight, and I've loved watching them take shape slowly here. It's exciting to be in a city with so many people doing interesting things, that also seems to hold on to an emphasis on connection.

Just to be clear, this was not accomplished at craft night. But I have embroidered before!

Lately that's turned into a little craft night with a few friends. I wouldn't say we gather under the guise of embroidery, but I will admit I didn't do as much stitching as I did laughing and snacking. We share a meal, have a glass or two of wine, make rowdy plates of nachos, and sit around the dining room table working on projects. Not to monetize anything. Honestly, not even to accomplish anything. Just for the joy of it, with no expected outcome. It's been really cathartic.

Billy's getting his own version of this, too. While I'm in New York, he's headed to a friend's house to take on some real Tim-the-Toolman-Taylor home improvement projects. (Pray for the drywall.) We're both digging into our friendships and using our hands in the process, which feels about right.

So this season feels very much about relationships to me. Relationships with the people who come into the shop, with the makers spread around the country who do what we do, and with the people right down the street. We think of the store as an extension of our home in a lot of ways, and we're excited to dig in. It'll be busy, but we're protecting the slow stuff. We're prioritizing relationships, experiences, and gathering, and we hope some of that can happen here at the shop. And if you're not in San Antonio, we hope we can send a few little sparks of joy your way as you shop for the people you love between now and the end of the year. (We ship, y'all!)