Desert Days Pullover and saying goodbye to Brooklyn Tweed and the summer garden
September 26, 2025
This week I’m back with more knitting—a sweater I had the pleasure of test knitting, Desert Days by Briana Arlene. It has several features that make it a great knit: it’s worked top-down with short rows to shape the upper back, and it uses clever invisible increases for the bodice.
The sleeves are the real showpiece. In the original design, they’re worked in several colors using a mix of stranded and mosaic techniques, along with both knit and purl stitches. The effect is striking, with an American Southwest vibe.
I know I’ve talked about test knitting on this blog before. Most designers are wonderfully attentive and available during the process (and some aren’t—but in those cases, I only test for them once!). Brianna, on the other hand, is the kind of designer I’d happily test knit for again and again.
Her Desert Days pattern is beautifully written—so clear and thorough that it could easily serve as a primer for a beginner knitter. If you’re looking for a classic top-down pullover in sport or light DK weight, this is one to add to your pattern library. The colorwork is completely optional.
For now, I’m knitting my way through most of my BT stash, savoring every skein. When it’s gone, that’s it—except for the occasional treasure that might pop up on eBay. My BT stash isn’t large, and truthfully, I don’t want it to be. I’ve learned that when a yarn I love is discontinued, another equally wonderful one will eventually take its place.
I’ll miss Brooklyn Tweed yarns, but more than anything, I wish Jared and the entire team the very best as they continue their design work. Their vision and creativity have left a lasting mark on the knitting world and aren't we lucky for it?
Well, summer is over—just ask my veggie garden. We stopped watering a few weeks ago and still this week managed to gather a handful of tomatoes and peppers, but it was definitely time to say goodbye. In California, the season starts so early that by mid-September the plants are all but begging to be composted.
One last Brandywine tomato plant came through for us, though, with a few beauties perfect for slicing. They gave us our final BLTs of the season (eyes welling up with tears) and the last bowl of chopped tomatoes for salsa. A sweet farewell to summer.
For me, it’s always a little bittersweet to say goodbye to the summer garden. I’ll certainly miss the tomatoes and also filling rooms with vases of fresh flowers (and I can’t even bear to think about how much I’ll miss the evenings outside). Still, I find myself looking forward to the shift in seasons. Life slows down, and I’ll appreciate that. The days grow quieter, and—truth—I like it when it gets dark at 5:00. Then comes the coziness of fall: pulling out all my woolly sweaters, knitting by the fire, simmering soups on the stove, and the promise of holidays just around the corner. Letting go of summer’s abundance makes space for a different kind of abundance. Still, my eyes are welling up.
One last harvest. I’ve had great luck drying basil, sage, and chives (pictured here). Oregano and rosemary have done well too. They usually take about a week to fully dry, with a mix of time outside in the shade and some indoor time as well. The whole house smells amazing while they’re inside.
I may have gotten a little carried away, though—over the summer I’ve dried so much that I’ve managed to fill entire mason jars with home-dried herbs!
We just finished Black Rabbit, a 9-part series on Netflix, and it’s outstanding. The story, acting, and directing are fabulous—but honestly, the music and New York City locations alone are worth the watch (the Led Zeppelin Physical Graffiti album cover building makes several appearances!). What really stayed with me, though, was the moving portrayal of brotherly love and devotion—it’s handled masterfully. A must watch, just get through the first episode which sets up the series and can be a little confusing. Let me know what you think.
I'll be back soon with knitting. :)
I hope you enjoyed this post and found it helpful—I'd love to have you visit again! I publish about once a week and would be honored if you subscribed to the Knitionary blog. If you'd like to join, just click here. I promise never to sell your email address (honestly, I wouldn’t even know how to do that). Most of my posts are about knitting, but I also share my love for gardening, crafting, and entertaining. Occasionally, I use affiliate links to help offset the cost of running this blog. If you click one and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Knitionary! If you'd like to leave a comment, please scroll down. I respond to every comment, and my reply will appear just below yours. If you’d prefer a personal reply, feel free to reach out via the contact form located on the right, near the bottom, of the site.
1 Comments
This whole post - beautifully said. Chloe
ReplyDeleteYou make my day when you make a comment!