Tag: yarn

Friday Favorites

Hello, hello! My, it’s been awhile.  I thought I’d pop in and say HI! I’m still here! And prove it with a few Friday Favorites.  I’ve been missing this space.  The past six weeks have been a whirlwind: first our lovely and long trip back to the US, then Yarndale, starting a new job, and starting up cardigan classes at Northern Yarn.  I’m looking forward to settling into quiet autumn routines and hopefully writing here in a more regular way again!

Anyway, enough of that, onto some Friday Favorites!

  • Jen and Jim of AC Knitwear are at it again!  They’ve released another book in their aweomse Something to Learn About series … this time on helical knitting!  This time, it’s e-book only and each chapter is released every two weeks, making for a fun knitalong! The first chapter just came out this week, so there’s still time to sign up and have all the mystery and fun of the next three chapter releases.  I really like the projects I’ve seen from this book, and as with all of their books, you just pick up loads of tips and tricks along the way that let you level up your knitting! I am planning on casting on a cowl or three using helical stripes as soon as I can clear a few things from the needles!
  • Cooler temps always have me itching to cast on hats.  I love this Thunderstorm Toque (and, er, may have gotten some special yarn for it at Yarndale …) and Mountainside hat.
  • I’ve been beavering away on my St Catherines cardigan using Kate from Northern Yarn’s lovely new Jennett 4-ply in its undyed state.  She’s just gotten a batch of yarn back from the handdyers though, and my, the colors are gorgeous.  I can’t wait to get a skein or three!
  • Autumn is the time of a thousand new amazing pattern releases, but I’m especially excited about the first Mild Woman collection, due out tomorrow.  I can’t wait to cast on the Tawney Pullover designed by lovely friend Jenni of Wool is My Bread.
  • Finally, though it’s not knitting related, I want to shout about my new favorite audio podcast: Me, My Shelf, and I, which airs in New Zealand and is hosted by a lovely friend of mine from college (this Friday Favorites could almost just be “cool things my friends are involved in!)  It’s such a fun half hour podcast that deals with books, language, and nature — I eagerly await each week’s installment!

I’ve got lots of posts in my head, so look out next week for them! In the meantime, have a lovely weekend!  More soon! xx K

Friday Favorites

Phew, it’s been ages since I’ve gotten a Friday Favorites post up — though I’ve certainly not been wanting for material!  It seems that not a day goes by without the release of some glorious new yarn or pattern — what’s a knitter to do?!  Without further ado, a quick list of things that have caught my eye recently!

Image Copyright Kate Davies Designs
Image of Katla Sweater Copyright Whitney Howard
Image from Retrosaria
Image of Bubble & Squeak Fingerless Mitts Copyright Jane Burns

Fiber

  • Have you seen these beautiful, colorful sheep pins?  They are gorgeous and a fundraiser for a very good cause: shepherds in Portugal who lost their flocks during wildfires this summer.  One might be winging its way to me to join my “flock” of sheep-y enamel pins!
  • My love for pretty much everything Kate Davies done is well-documented on this blog, and her new yarn, currently available as part of her West Highland Way club, is no exception.  It’s currently taking all my willpower to not sign up for the club and yarn — I keep reminding myself that I have plenty of yarn and projects planned, and that it would be better to wait and buy the yarn when I know I’ll be able to cast on with it right away. I particularly loved Kate’s post about how the yarn was finished, something that, as she points out, doesn’t get talked about much in the yarn world.
  • And speaking of new yarn, did you see that Shetland designer extraordinaire Donna Smith released her own, new yarn? The wonderful, undyed Shetland wool is too die (dye?) for — some of the colors and all the kits have already sold out, but I think she’ll have more from this year’s clip soon.  All of the wool is from sheep on hers and neighbors crofts — amazing!
  • I’ve really been digging the idea of sweaters with big, graphic colorwork on the torso. Like this new release from Quince and Co and this beauty from the book Knitting from the North.
  • And how cute are these little fingerless mitts, which use self-striping yarn to excellent effect?  The Christmas version is so festive and cheery!

Sustenance

  • I love a good curry, and this chicken curry, which I saw on Saturday Kitchen, looks like the perfect thing to try out this weekend.
  • American Thanksgiving is next week, and since it’s my favorite holiday, we’re planning a mini-Thanksgiving dinner: I’m going to try out this pumpkin pudding, which my mom has already made and says is super easy and SUPER delicious.  I can’t wait to try it!
  • With the cold weather, I’ve been craving comforting stews and soups. How yummy does this vegetarian chickpea and chard stew look? Adding it to the “to make” list!

What’s caught your eye this week?  Do you have a favorite fall recipe that you’re craving?  A yarn or pattern that’s caught your eye this week?

Have a great weekend! xo K

 

Yarn Shop Visit: Northern Yarn

When Mr. N got offered his job here in Lancaster last fall, one of the first things I did was scope out the local yarn scene.  I was sad to see there didn’t seem to be a ton in the area we’d be living in, but figured I’d do plenty of yarn-related travel here.  Then, I heard tell of a woman who sold local wool at the twice weekly farmer’s market.  Promising!  And, not long before the move, I heard that the very same woman was soon going to be opening a yarn shop! Brilliant! I hadn’t been in Lancaster too long before I passed the shop, with the windows papered over and a note that it would be open soon.

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Continue reading “Yarn Shop Visit: Northern Yarn”

Yarn Shop Visit: Wollhaus

Hi friends!

How was your weekend?!  Lots was happening around parts — preliminary cleaning, sorting, and packing (how is it possible that we’re leaving here next Saturday?!) and, most importantly, a lot of knitting, nay, finishing (!!! yes I finished not one, not two, but THREE knits, woo hoo!) happened.  Continue reading “Yarn Shop Visit: Wollhaus”

The Big Chill

A couple of months ago,  Florence of Avocado House (an excellent blog that I enthusiastically recommend!) wrote a lovely post about Sturtevant Camp, nestled up in the San Gabriel Mountains, not too far from where Mr N. and I live (at least, for the next few weeks!)

Continue reading “The Big Chill”

Stock Taking

If you follow me over on Instagram, you might have seen that I finished Starting Point yesterday (queue happy dance) !

And because I’m in the somewhat unusual position of having a limited amount of yarn with me, I thought this might be a nice moment to take stock and show you what pretties I’ll be keeping myself busy with until my stash and I are reunited … which, given the speed with which our stuff will cross the ocean, won’t be until sometime in September.

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It helps, when doing an infographic, to check your spelling — that should be tegna, not tenga, oops!

Continue reading “Stock Taking”

Friday Favorites

Hi friends, and happy Friday!

How are we halfway through June?!?

Well, there’s been lots that caught my eye in the knitting world this week, so here’s a little batch of Friday Favorites to finish off the week!

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Clockwise from top left: (1) Yarn ball stud earrings, from Hedgling Shop, Etsy (2) Nerdy Alpaca Skein Coat, Precious Knits (3) Vatlsand Jumper, Image (C) Ella Gordon (4) Sunbeam Sweater Set, Madelinetosh 
  • I’ll confess that I already have several pairs of knitting-related earrings (because I’m cool! But also, they’re pretty subtle) and I think this pair of silver yarn balls is adorable and needs to be added to the collection, ASAP.
  • Have you seen Ella Gordon’s latest sweater design? Even though the temperature is nudging over 90 F as I type, I still really want to cast on for this woolly, worsted-weight sweater right. this. minute. — that’s true love!
  • Looking for something lighter weight to knit? How about this adorable, new lace hat by Jane Lithgow or this simple pullover from the Pom Pom anniversary reboot (I love its vintage-y feel!)
  • I stumbled across these skein coats earlier this week.  They keep your yarn ball all tidy while you knit, apparently.  How cute is this alpaca print one?!
  • So, I’ve been having a yarn buying issue lately, in that I keep wanting to buy yarn. (Ok, this is always an issue, but it’s been more intense lately!) I spied this beautiful set of yellow yarn by Madelinetosh yesterday, and I’m in love. How cute would an all yellow So Faded sweater be??  Or a sock blanket yarn all in yellow?  Must put it out of my mind … back away from the yarn …

Hope you’re all set for a lovely weekend!  What’s caught your eye this week?