Piggybacking on my post from the other day, and revealing a bit more of my inherent dorkiness, I’m going to tell you a little story, but first, some background… When I first started knitting, I fell fast and I fell hard. It just spoke to me, in a way my previous crafty obsessions never really had. The only problem was, …
Knit it: A Stockinette Hug
This pattern, called A Stockinette Hug, came about during a 12-hour hang-out and planning session JJ and I had in readiness for the class we taught at Wool n Wares a few weeks ago. We met at 9:30am, and JJ walked out the door at 10pm. What a day! We did talk about the class. And life. And knitting. And …
Too hot to knit? NEVER!
It’s hot here in PDX. Like, really, really hot. Like, yucky, uncomfortably hot. Like, over 100 degrees hot. So what does one knit when it’s too hot to knit? How about a shawlette? I’ve got a few one-skein, fingering-weight shawlette patterns that are mindless enough to knit when your brains are melting, but perfect for Fall wearing or holiday gift-giving. …
Knit it: The Piedras Collection
Wow. Today was a big day for me. I released a project I’ve been working on for a very long time (and, in fact, was absolutely finishing a few things while on our big road trip from my last few posts) – my Malabrigo Freelance Pattern Project! It’s called the Piedras Collection. You can get the whole she-bang for $15, …
Summer Road Trip, part 5 – heading home
And then that was it. It was time to head home. Well, right before we headed home, we celebrated 9 years of marriage. Bonkers! On our way home, we took a small trip down memory lane, in Williams, California, to the place we spent one crazy summer, living at a tomato processing plant, hauling tomatoes from 8pm to 8am every …
Summer Road Trip, part 1
We had a big trip at the end of June – we drove from Portland, to Coos Bay, to Sacramento, to Los Angeles, to San Diego, visiting loved ones along the way, and then we drove the whole.way.home in three long hot days. It was a great trip – the girls played with so many kids, we reconnected with so …
The answer to my rip or knit quandry
Thanks to everyone who chimed in here or on Facebook – you all have helped so much, even though you’re completely split down the middle. How does that help, you ask? How do I decide to rip or knit if the very metrics by which I was making my decision say that I should do neither, or both? Well, that’s …
The JJ & Shannon Show at Wool ‘n Wares
Along with one of my fiber besties, JJ Foster, of Buttonhole Buttons and The Traveling Ewe, I am teaching a class at Wool ‘n Wares on Saturday, July 25th. They’ve named it the JJ & Shannon Show, and we’re going to discuss how you can modify patterns to better fit your own bad self. What: the JJ & Shannon Show …
Groupthink help
Years ago, I had an idea for a pattern. I grabbed three skeins of Knitted Wit‘s gorgeous Single Fingering, and started knitting. I knit. And knit. And knit. And then I decided it would be amazing to offer the pattern in different gauges, so I grabbed three skeins from my stash and started knitting, and before I knew it, I …
Pompomville
Sometimes, you just need to pom it up. There’s something so satisfying about creating a big, beautiful pompom (pompon?). I’m addicted to adding them to all of my recently-completed hats. These pompom makers seriously make it so easy. Lovely, bright, colorful balls of squish. Unleashing the pommy beast. A pompom in action. And one at rest. Where are you on …
Knit it: BASS #3 – Summertide Wrap
I’d like to introduce you all to the third pattern in the Big Ass Skein Society, the Summertide Wrap. True confession time: designing is not always easy. It’s not even always fun. It’s mostly fun, and super gratifying, but sometimes, you hit a wall of creative blockage. For some reason, this pattern really kicked my booty. Not because it’s difficult, …
What’s round on the sides and HI in the middle?
oHIo!!! I had a stellar time in the heart of it all, visiting family and having so much fun that barely any photos were snapped. Lots of catching up, laughs, hugs and yummy food. The time with my sweet nieces was particularly special – I don’t get the chance to see them that often, and spending so much quality time …