Good morning! I have a new sweater to share that I made from an old pattern, in a gorgeous yarn in a beautiful color. A win all the way around! Let me tell you about it...
While I was knitting mine, I watched a YouTuber’s video about her trip to the New York State Sheep & Wool Festival in Rhinebeck, and I couldn’t help but notice dozens of Ooey Gooey sweaters in the crowd. Then she went to an Ooey Gooey Meetup hosted by Andrea herself — and that’s when it clicked. This must be her official Rhinebeck sweater! There were hundreds of them!
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!
