A new sweater, plus summer days and simple pleasures
July 03, 2026
This unique product has characteristics closer to fine fibers like cashmere and baby yak than to wool, not at all scratchy. It is a pleasure to knit with as it is to wear. As an added bonus, it has a beautiful stitch definition.
Out of deep respect for animal welfare, nomads shear the sheep by hand in the traditional way that has been used for centuries. The wool is collected following the natural life rhythms of the animals and the people who raise them. The Tibetan sheep are a very strong breed that has adapted to pretty rough environmental conditions. They can also be found in semi – desertic area and we have chosen one of these poorer areas for the sourcing of this collection to bring a better income to these communities. Like with our Baby Yak and Tibetan Cashmere, our aim is to give this thousand of years old nomadic lifestyle an opportunity to thrive and prosper in uncertain modern times. We seek to promote what the nomads have been producing since time immemorial while adding value by having the fiber spun and dyed in Biella, at the foothills of the Italian Alps, the cradle of most ancient and prestigious Italian textile excellence.
Meanwhile, back in the garden...
Here in Northern California, we've had the coolest spring that I can remember—and none of our friends can remember one cooler either. It's been in the 60s and 70s, and we're certainly not complaining. The garden has loved every minute of it. The dahlia bed is spectacular, and the zinnias are really beginning to show off their colors.
I've stayed true to my plan of dividing the garden chores into one manageable task each morning so I don't end up with a sore back or a grumbling disposition. Monday brought the first big tomato harvest and the first batch of roasted tomato sauce—six quarts tucked into the freezer. Tuesday was devoted to freezing green beans and making two quarts of refrigerator pickles. We've already eaten two jars, and there are another nine jars chilling in the refrigerator, so I think I'm just about ready to close the pickle factory for the year—and it's only the first week of July!
Wednesday's project was another batch of summer squash fritters for the freezer, and Thursday was another big tomato harvest along with six more quarts of sauce. Between the tomatoes, vegetables, orange juice, and lime juice, the freezer is getting to its max. You'd think I'd be a canner, but I gave that up years ago. Freezing suits me much better.
On a sad note, the cool weather was not kind to the berry crop. We got word from our favorite nearby you-pick ranch that the harvest was disappointingly small. They were only able to open for two days, and unfortunately neither one worked with our schedule. I'm hoping the farmers market will come to the rescue. If I can find a flat of olallieberries or boysenberries, I'll be happy just to make one batch of jam this summer.
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| I was going to crop his little feet out, but they looked too cute! |
I've been knitting as much as I can, but when I finished the sweater above, I had no other knitting project to pick up! That almost never happens. I usually have two, three, or even four projects on the needles, but this time there was just the one.
In a moment of mild panic, I pulled out my redwork quilt, which I started in 1998 (so says the label!), put the binding on it, and quilted one square. It felt so good to be quilting again. I think I'm also going to organize and set up a needlepoint project to work on out on the patio this summer. Needlepoint and summer seem to go nicely together.
But back to knitting...I have plenty of yarn and patterns waiting in the wings, so finding a couple of new projects to cast on wasn't difficult at all.
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| Love the idea of a plain gray sweater with pretty lines in a soft wool. |
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| The Phoebe Scarf will be an easy take-with-me project. |
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| The last of the sweet peas! Goodbye darlings. |
Needlepoint can be an expensive hobby, but I've found a company in England that produces beautiful printed canvases at very reasonable prices. Even the shipping is affordable, and they're having a sale right now! They carry designs by wonderful artists such as Kaffe Fassett and Brandon Mably, along with many inspired by the V&A Museum and masterpieces by Klimt. Ehrman Tapestry.
My octopus is a Brandon Mably design (I had dinner with Brandon and Kaffe many years ago!), and I can't wait to get started. Each printed canvas comes with gorgeous 100% wool, full-color instructions, and everything is very reasonably priced. If you've ever thought about trying needlepoint, they're definitely worth a look.
It will take me about an hour to separate and label all the colors, and then I'll be ready to enjoy a summer of needlepoint out on the patio.
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| This was last summer's project. I made it into a pillow and will make a post with a step by step instruction very soon. |
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| I would have never remembered what year this was started except for this! |
If you live in the USA, I hope you're able to celebrate this weekend with a gathering that's worthy of our country's 250th birthday! We've got our flag flying high and are so happy to be invited to a friend's backyard barbecue.
Have a wonderful Fourth of July weekend, everyone. Stay safe, have fun, and enjoy every minute of this special celebration!
Stayed tuned for next week when I have a Best Of Ravelry post that is truly the BEST! I think you'll love the designs I've chosen to showcase.
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