November 11th is Singles' Day, and although we have never been particularly good at following every shopping occasion on the calendar, this one made us think about something a little different this year. Because whether we are single, married, happily in love, somewhere in between, or still figuring it all out, there is one thing we all need from time to time, and that is a little warmth. Not only the kind that keeps our shoulders cosy when the weather turns cold, but also the warmth we receive from other people, from friendships, kindness, and all those beautiful little connections that make life feel a little less lonely. 

And speaking of beautiful people, today we would love to introduce you to someone very dear to us. Her name is Jura, and she is one of those women whose life reminds us that there is no particular age at which we have to stop discovering, creating, contributing, or beginning something new. 

Meet Jura 

Jura is my friend, a wonderful woman with a beautiful spirit, a curious mind, and more talents than I could possibly fit into one little introduction. After spending more than a decade living in the United Kingdom, she returned home to Kaunas, Lithuania, to care for her mother and, at the same time, begin building another chapter of her own life here. 

And what a beautiful chapter she is creating! 

Although officially retired, Jura is anything but retired from life. She works, dedicates a great deal of her time to volunteering, writes, stays curious about the world, and somehow finds the energy to do all sorts of wonderful things that make the lives of people around her a little brighter. She is one of those women who remind me that a full life is not necessarily measured by how busy we are, but by how much of ourselves we bring into what we do. 

Among her many talents, Jura also loves knitting, and when I say loves, I mean the kind of love that makes someone genuinely happy to sit down with yarn, needles, and a new little project, watching something beautiful slowly take shape in their hands. 

And one day, while talking about this and that, a rather simple thought came to mind. 

Why don't we do something together? 

A Little Collaboration Between Friends 

At Son de Flor, we spend a lot of time thinking about how to make things thoughtfully, how to keep traditional skills alive, and how to create products that carry something more than just their material value. We work with wonderful people here in Lithuania, and over the years we have learned that some of the most beautiful ideas begin not in a meeting room, but in ordinary conversations with people we love. 

So when I thought about Jura and her knitting, it seemed only natural to ask whether we could bring our worlds together. 

She could continue doing something she genuinely enjoys, earn a little extra income from her beautiful work, and we could offer our community something very special: small woollen shawls, knitted by hand, one by one, by a real person whose story we know and whose company we enjoy. 

No complicated business plan, no grand ambitions, just two women finding a lovely way to work together and create something that might bring a little warmth into somebody else's life. 

And that is how our newest little 100%  merino wool shawls came to be. 

A Little Woollen Hug

We have always loved wool as a companion to linen, especially here in Lithuania, where the colder months are long enough to remind us how grateful we should be for a good sweater, a warm scarf, or something soft to wrap around our shoulders. 

Jura's shawls are small, practical, and wonderfully comforting, made to be worn around the shoulders, tucked close to the neck, or simply kept nearby for those moments when you need an extra little layer of warmth. 

They are the sort of pieces you can wear while reading a book, working at your desk, going for a walk, or sitting with a cup of tea on a cold morning. We also love how naturally they work with our linen dresses, adding that lovely contrast of textures and making it easier to continue wearing our favourite linen pieces through autumn and winter. 

Every shawl is knitted by hand, with the patience and attention that handmade things require, and while they may not all be perfectly identical, that is part of what makes them so lovely. There is something very special about knowing that another person's hands have spent time making something that will eventually find its way into your everyday life. 

And in a world where so many things are produced anonymously, we find ourselves appreciating these little human connections more and more. 

When you wrap yourself in one of Jura's shawls, you will know exactly whose hands made it, and we think that makes the warmth feel a little different. 

What Does Singles' Day Have to Do With All This?

Well, we thought about that too!

Singles' Day began as a celebration of being single and has since grown into one of the biggest shopping occasions in the world, but we wanted to approach it in our own little Son de Flor way. 

Because the more we think about it, the more we realise that life is full of different kinds of love, and not all of them come in the form of a romantic relationship. 

There is the love between friends, the love between mothers and daughters, the kindness of people who show up when we need them, and the wonderful friendships that sometimes begin at the most unexpected moments. There is also the relationship we have with ourselves, which, if you ask me, might be one of the most important relationships we spend our lives learning to nurture. 

Being single doesn't mean being incomplete, and being in a relationship doesn't automatically mean we never feel lonely. We all move through different seasons of life, sometimes surrounded by people and sometimes spending more time on our own, but what matters is that we continue finding ways to care for ourselves and one another. 

And somehow, a small handmade wool shawl felt like a lovely symbol of that. 

Something to wrap around yourself when the days get cold, something made with care by another human being, and a little reminder that warmth can arrive in so many different forms. 

A Little Gift From Us to You

And because today is Singles' Day, we thought we would celebrate this new little collaboration with a gift! 

Today only, Nov. 11th every order of €100 or more will receive one of Jura's handmade wool shawls as a gift, in a randomly selected colour. ❤️ 

We hope you will enjoy the little surprise, and even more, we hope you will enjoy knowing the story of the woman who made it. 

For us, this is also a lovely opportunity to support Jura's work, introduce her to our international community, and see how this small collaboration between friends might grow over time. 

We don't know exactly where it will lead, and that is perfectly fine. Some things are worth beginning simply because they feel good, make sense, and bring a little joy to everyone involved. 

Stay Warm, and Never Forget How Loved You Are 

As the colder days settle in and we slowly begin preparing for the festive season, we hope you will find little ways to keep yourself warm, both inside and out. 

Call a friend, visit someone you haven't seen in a while, make yourself a beautiful cup of tea, put on your favourite dress, or wrap yourself in something soft and woollen before heading out into the autumn air. 

And if you happen to be single this Singles' Day, we hope you are enjoying the beautiful freedom of your own company, remembering that your life is already full of possibilities, friendships, and love in all its different forms. 

We are so happy to welcome Jura and her beautiful handmade merino wool shawls into the Son de Flor family, and we hope this little project will bring as much joy to you as it has already brought to us. 

Stay warm, whether single or not, and may you always feel connected to the beautiful people who make life worth sharing. 

With love from Lithuania, 

Vaida & Son de Flor Girls 🌿