As the weather cools, two of my favorite things come to mind: curling up with a blanket in progress and hosting friends for a cozy meal. This post is a little look at both—my latest scrap blanket and a recent fall-inspired gathering.
Good Saturday morning to you! It’s a chillyish sort of morning here—just cool enough to reach for my new sweater. I don’t take wearing this one for granted, because it was a long time coming. After all the hours of knitting, a few false starts, and plenty of patience, it’s finally finished. And just in time, too—the cool fall air feels like it arrived right on schedule so I could slip it on and enjoy it.
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 asked the designer if I could adapt the colorwork to traditional two-stranded knitting, and she said yes. With my palette of red and pale blue, the very same chart suddenly looks Scandinavian instead! It’s funny how just a small change in technique and color can shift the whole mood of a piece.
Today I have the most fun, beautiful, and economical Christmas craft to share with you! It’s one of those projects that checks all the boxes: easy enough for beginners, festive enough to make your home sparkle, and affordable enough to fit into any holiday budget. Whether you’re crafting with kids or just enjoying a crafternoon by yourself, this project is is a goody. I'm sharing it early so you can start saving champagne corks!
Hello! I don’t usually pop into your inbox on a Monday, but I didn’t want you to miss out on a time-sensitive Ravelry promotion.
Today I’m sharing a new sweater I knit as a test for Finnish designer Suvi of Suvi’s Designs. I’ve made many of her patterns, and she never disappoints—Suvi is both talented and thorough. Her instructions are clear, well-written, and easy to follow, and she takes great care to ensure a good fit. I’ve never had an issue with tricky spots like the shoulders, neckline, or overall shaping.
If you’ve been curious about lace knitting, or top down sweaters in general, I’d happily recommend this pattern as the perfect introduction.
It may not be fall on the calendar just yet (only a few days to go!) but in my house—and in my knitting basket—the season has already begun.
When it comes to decorating for autumn, my approach is to keep things simple. Since my fall decor stays up for nearly two months, I’ve learned that if I overdo it, I tire of it quickly. Instead, I focus on just a few special pieces in a few special places, and I find I enjoy them so much more.
If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you’ll recognize some familiar favorites that I bring out year after year. My little collection of ceramic pumpkins (most of them scooped up at Target over time) always makes an appearance, and I still love the orange pomegranate branches I found on Amazon—they sell out every season, so I’m glad I grabbed them when I did.
Rudolph has landed—and this time, he’s landed right on my sweater! This is the first of three Christmas sweaters I’m making this year so I thought I'd better start early. Last December I wore a different handknit Christmas sweater every day, and since I finished three then, I thought I might as well knit three more… though stopping at three will be the real challenge. There are just so many patterns I love! After all, one can never have too many festive knits when December rolls around. What first attracted me to this pattern was the folk-art style of the reindeer. It has just the right mix of whimsy and nostalgia, which made the sweater simply irresistible to me.
