Snuggling up with Sothia

I love winter (OK, I like it for a limited period of time, say... 6 weeks). I love snow and winter sports and most especially, I love knitting cozy projects I can bundle up in during cold weather. 

In the northern hemisphere we're now just about halfway through meteorological winter and I've mostly been knitting fingerless mitts that will eventually become a pattern. I've also been contemplating a yarn choice for knitting a new Sothia shawl - it's such a cozy, snuggly project I like to have on my lap on a cold evening. 


Whatever you are knitting right now, I hope you are staying warm and cozy. Thanks for stopping by today, have a great weekend!

Happy New Year 2016!

In some parts of the world it is 2016 already, and for those of us in the US Eastern time zone, it soon will be. 

I want to thank everyone who stopped by my 'virtual studio' in 2015, I look forward to sharing many more knitting and other endeavors on this page in the coming year.  

I wish you all a wonderful New Year celebration and a very happy and creative 2016! 

top two photos: pinterest

Welcome December

It might not feel much like winter around here, with temperatures in the 50's, but December 1st marks the start of meteorological winter (and warm woollies season!).

To get into a bit more of a wintry mood, I've posted a few pins from my Pinterest Noel and Winter boards. 

 

December Magic

Waltzing with the wind,
in crocheted gowns of white lace…
flurries of snowflakes
sway to sweet divine music...
that only angels can hear.
 

--Pandita Sanchez

Thanks for stopping by today, happy knitting! 

(Cyber) Monday's Muse

Thanksgiving has passed, the leftovers are gone, and my email inbox is deluged with Cyber Monday savings offers. That got me to thinking, why not? So until 7 AM tomorrow morning, I'm offering a 30% savings on all the individual pattern in my Ravelry pattern store. Just use coupon code: Cyber2015 at checkout to receive your savings!

Thanks for stopping by today, happy stitching!




 

Goodbye Autumn Colors

Our autumn has been spectacular this year, with warm temperatures, dry air and plentiful sunshine.

The great weather has certainly extended our growing season; I can't believe how much is still thriving in my garden here in zone 6. Just yesterday I harvested arugula, carrots, chives and baby lettuce, with cabbages also going strong. 

It seems the good weather might be nothing but a memory now though after a rain and windstorm blew through this week, washing nearly all of the remaining color from the trees. 

It was lovely while it lasted though. 

Pattern-related knitting projects are in the works but lately I've been concentrating on top secret Christmas gift knitting. I don't always knit holiday gifts, but this year I had a couple of special ideas to work on. Maybe I'll share photos of those after the gifts have been given. 

Thanks for stopping by today, enjoy the rest of your autumn wherever you are! 

...peering from some high window; 

at the gold of November sunset

(and feeling: that if day has to become night

this is a beautiful way)

-- e.e. cummings

Apple Season

 

This week has been so beautiful - the air is dry and crisp, the skies are blue and there is just the beginning of a chill in the morning. Acorns are dropping from trees and local orchards are producing bumper crops of gorgeous apples.

As a little girl I helped my grandmother can the bounty of her garden. My mom dabbled in canning for a while also. But I hadn't done any canning for myself until this year after seeing so many beautiful, locally-grown apples.

Although I haven't yet delved into the world of pressure canning, I have achieved relative success with water bath canning tomatoes, pickles and apples (I use the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving). 

I always choose organic apples after discovering on the Environmental Working Group's Dirty Dozen list that nearly all apples are heavily contaminated with pesticides. Even so, a thorough washing is important.

A mechanical apple peeler made quick work of the peels and after the canning process was complete I ended up with 7 quarts of chopped apples, all ready to be turned into easy holiday tarts later this year. 

I saved the peels and cores to make apple cider vinegar using this recipe. 

With the cool weather I've been knitting up a stack of accessories, some to become patterns eventually. One project I finished this past spring will be published in an Interweave book in 2016. As always, I'll give first notice here.

Thanks for stopping by today, I wish you a week of happy stitching! 

Handspun Katriel

What a lovely surprise it was for me this week, upon logging on to Ravelry, to discover that one of the front page projects featured in Sarah's Community Eye Candy post was a version of my Katriel shawl design. 

Ravelry member Muriel's Handpsun Katriel was beautifully knit in gorgeous yarn spun with the colors of autumn. Just perfect for the beginning of meteorological fall. Great job Muriel!




photo: Muriel

Knitting Bucket List & Free Pattern

Do you have a knitting 'bucket list' of projects or techniques you'd like to accomplish? I certainly do! Somewhere along that list has long been a desire to knit one of Norwegian company Dale Garn's exquisite stranded stitch sweaters. 

Daleofnorway.com, the company's sister ready-to-wear site, offers intricately-patterned, classic sweaters commanding hefty prices in US boutiques (including the Peace Sweater pullover below, priced at $349 US)

 
With the recent release of Dale Garn's Peace Sweater design as a hand knitting pattern - for free download on Ravelry - I might just have to bump the project up a bit higher on my list! 

What does your knitting or crochet 'bucket list' look like? 




Top photo - Dale Garn
Second photo - Daleofnorway.com

A Penny Spent

 

I'm not much of a shopper these days, waiting until I want to start a new project before looking for yarn or other supplies. But every now and then I'll stop at a charity rummage sale, usually held at a local church, to see if there is anything useful waiting for me to take it home.

Over the years I've made quite a few scores in this area, finding wonderful knitting, crochet and sewing supplies for pennies, and I get a bonus good feeling knowing the money is going to charity. 

One such bargain sale find was an Ashford Electric Spinner (normal retail price $750) for $5. Granted, it did not include extra bobbins, a lazy kate or other accessories, but is was new in the box, in perfect condition, so I consider it money well spent. 

At other sales I've poked around under piles of acrylic yarn, abandoned plastic canvas projects and musty fabric to find vintage knitting needles in a rainbow of colors, fabulous cashmere yarn for $2, and other fun, useful things. 

I pretty much stick to a strict rule that anything I purchase must have a useful purpose, but recently I was intrigued by a tiny cardboard box, simply because it was cute. That and because it said "Paris" on the front.

Upon opening the box I was delighted to find several skeins of silky cotton embroidery floss, in lovely shades of antique beige and gold, nestled in tissue paper (see top photo). 

Not being an embroiderer, I nearly left the little box behind, but the beautiful, rich, neutral colors spoke to me and for .25 cents I decided to take it home and try my hand at a project. I might share the results here sometime, we'll see... 

How about you? Have you ever happened upon a wonderful needlework bargain? 


Thanks for stopping by my studio today, have a wonderful week!






Ashford Spinner Photo: The Woolery

Craftsy Shout Out

If you have not yet discovered Craftsy.com, you are in for something exciting. 

Craftsy is a free-to-join, member-based online crafting mecca offering video classes for knitting, crochet, spinning, weaving, sewing, quilting, cooking, gardening, jewelry and other creative interests. 

Online video classes boast an interactive format, meaning you can download class handouts, ask for and receive input from instructors, and share your class questions and projects with other members enrolled in your class.

Another excellent feature of their website is the Craftsy blog, packed with interesting articles, one of which recently featured my Philodendra scarf design in a recent piece on openwork scarves. 

An online marketplace of supplies, including yarn like this yummy Canopy Worsted from The Fibre Company,

 adds to the fun, making Craftsy a site worth checking out. 

Thanks for stopping by today, I wish you a creative weekend! 





yarn photo: Craftsy.com

Monday's Muse - Michelangelo

The knitted samples have been dropped in the mail, and the pattern for my latest design emailed to the publisher - hurray! 

Since then I've had more time for knitting projects that have languished on the back burner for a while including a recently bound-off Brandywine Falls wrap (shown in photo above), and a stranded, color work cardigan in fingering weight wool. The wrap is still in need of blocking and the cardigan has been waiting, since I reached the steeking point, for me to get brave enough to make the cut.

Today I came across this quote on my Pinterest board and the message was so simple and inspiring, I wanted to share it here: 

"I am still learning." 

- Michelangelo, age 87

That's it, just 4 words. But Michelangelo's statement, at such an age, reminded me to be diligent in pursuing mastery of things I enjoy despite trepidations, set-backs or limited time, and that no matter what age we reach, or how accomplished we become, there is always still more to learn. How exciting!  

Thanks for stopping by today, peace, blessing and happy stitching to you!