Provisions
Yes, we are off on our annual fall excursion. And yes, I will doubtless be detailing it all at alarming length over the next few weeks. But before we left, we had the traditional herb massacre and making of herb salts. I wrote all about making herb salts last year (here and here). We followed much the same procedure this year. Just for my own records, we used three bowls full of herbs (sage, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and marjoram), 4.5 pounds of coarse salt, and four full heads of garlic, and the results look to be just as delicious of [...]
Best of Intentions
I meant for this to be road knitting. Really I did. But the hat was finished, and I had just a few minutes, and I felt like knitting. Then, somehow, all of a sudden...there it was. All I can say is that it is damn cute, and I'm not really sure how much apologizing can be done for that level of cuteness. And now that I see how little yarn it takes (and how much of my second ball I have left over), I find myself wondering if a little cowl might round out this set nicely...
Ahead of Schedule
I know that this was supposed to be road knitting. And I know that this is a finished hat perched on my back fence. All I can say is that it's an easy pattern, it's a pretty yarn, and sometimes I fall prey to knitting spurts and need to bang these things out quickly. In my defense, I will take the mitts on the road. And perhaps this way I can get pattern pics while I'm away and re-release this pattern this season.
Persevere
When last we left the hat, I was wrestling with the perpetual brimmed hat question...will my laziness win out? Or will I conquer the deep folded brim. Four full inches of 1 by 1 twisted ribbing later, I can proudly say I was victorious. It looks ridiculous when it's left unfolded of course, but when it's turned up, it's adorable. Now comes the too short/too long/too short/too long dance that marks the final few inches of every hat. I have high expectations for this one.
Tempest (review and giveaway)
My love affair with SweetGeorgia yarns is well documented. I've used it in three of my books (it's on the cover of the most recent one), and there may well be a SweetGeorgia project on one of my sample knitters' needles right this very moment. So, when I heard that Felicia Lo (yarn mastermind at SweetGeorgia) and Holli Yeoh (designer of deliciously modern knitting patterns) were teaming up to create a book of patterns for SweetGeorgia yarns, I expected grand things. And, now that I've had the pleasure of seeing Tempest in person, I can happily say it's even more [...]
Perfectly Normal
Someone reassure me that it is perfectly normal to have 'block the knits you plan to photograph on the trip' as a step on one's adventure planning checklist. Everybody does that, right? That's the blue socks you've all been asking about and the purple hat and mitts from last winter. That hat and mitts are totally totally done (as in the pattern is written, laid out, and tested). As soon as I have proper pics slotted in, I'll be ready to release it. And The Boy (it's his hat) and I are off to somewhere both picturesque and chilly here [...]
How to Knit a Hat
The hat is underway. The hat, destined as it is to have a nice deep brim, begins with an almost interminable stretch of 1 x 1 twisted ribbing. The hat is whispering to me how much more interesting life will be when I start the patterned bit, and I am firmly pointing out that it will be more fun to wear with a deep brim. I'll let you know how the conflict ends. In the meantime, I thought I'd tell you how to knit a hat. 1) Decide upon yarn, pattern, and needles. 2) Knit a nice swatch and, armed [...]
Worth the Wait
Sometimes it takes a little while for the perfect yarn and the perfect project to meet up. That's not a bad thing. That is, in fact, why we have stashes. You have to be well supplied when inspiration strikes. I got this delightful mountain of yarn from Christine of Skeinny Dipping when I was sourcing yarns for the book that comes out next month (eep...next month...eep). We were chatting about colors and yarns and plans, and this lovely little experiment just happened to show up on my doorstep. It didn't turn out to be quite the right color for the [...]
Lifecycle
Once, long ago, I took a weekend trip. It was cold, so I made a hat. I had a tiny bit of yarn left, so I made some very very wee cuffs to go with it. Then, as is the way with knitted things, I wore the heck out of them. They've been used for four winters, and they are showing some serious signs of wear. But, this isn't all bad. I've been having great fun reworking and re-releasing old patterns. I've always wanted the mitts to be a bit taller, and I've been feeling the need for a hat [...]
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