Musings of an avid knitter, middle-of-the-pack runner, and native New Englander
Having made two pairs of socks with the lovely Game of Thrones-inspired yarns from Bumblebee Acres Farms, I was a sucker for a couple more skeins before they discontinued sales. One here in Brienne of Tarth: https://www.instagram.com/p/BwFh2Tdp06L/? Although I don't know the characters, I was pretty sure that the beautiful blues, cream, and slight silvery … Continue reading WIP: Hitchhiker
I'd figured out about a month ago that the log cabin blanket would be bigger than your usual baby blanket. OK, I figured it as soon as I started. The pattern is called Log Cabin Throw -- no mention of "baby" at all. But I really liked the color combination, and I'm a fan of … Continue reading The Thing About Babies
As I ripped out the heel and attempted gusset of the Frasier Fir sock for the third time yesterday, I had some serious doubts about my professed desire to learn new techniques. I'd looked at several videos -- multiple times each -- in my attempt to figure out how the whole toe-up wrap-and-turn heel was … Continue reading WIP Wednesday: Time Out
Learn how to fix a twisted or backward stitch.
Most of my afternoon knitting sessions with tween girls consist of a lively mix of joke telling, spontaneous singing and dancing, high volume stories of school, sports, and friends, and occasional knitting. I'll often knit a row or round for every one they knit. However, this week, I unconsciously threw down the knitting gauntlet (after all, … Continue reading How to Light a Fire Under a Knitter
Each Friday, I spend 90 minutes with 7 or 8 fourth grade girls at a nearby after-school program. I'm there to teach knitting, but mostly I just try to keep up with their questions, energy, anxieties, and aspirations. "Help! I messed up! Oh wait, never mind." "I want to knit slippers. How many stitches should … Continue reading Nothing like finishing
I haven't knit anything baby-ish in a while, but the Gidday Baby sweater (Tosh DK in Leopard and Maple Leaf) and reminds me how enjoyable such projects can be. Starting with the first few rows of garter stitch in alternating colors, I was hooked. My recent spate of travels gave me lots of opportunities to … Continue reading Good Day for a Baby Sweater
There's a new person our street, a baby girl born last month, and that is a cause for celebration! And how does (this) one celebrate a new life? By knitting something small that isn't a pair of socks. I showed what I consider remarkable fortitude by searching through my stash for yarn with which to … Continue reading Knits for a New Life
Since she joined my knitting class in the fall, Tracy has proved herself an intrepid and very generous knitter. Her very first project was a lovely GAPtastic shawl for her teen daughter. Her most recent finished project is a super cozy, very soft garter stitch baby blanket. It's made with a super bulky acrylic yarn, something … Continue reading Wrapped Up in Knitted Love
Fearless Knitter Rachel, she of the lovely chromatic cowl among other projects, emailed recently to show off her knitted tea cozy. Knit in the round in garter stitch (I think), it's bright, snug, and sure to keep your teapot warm. Rachel's from England so she knows tea. Looking for a gift to knit for a … Continue reading Isn’t That Cozy?!
Longtime readers have heard how much I love to teach knitting. This year, I've expanded my students to include three marvelous pre-teen girls, each a Fearless Knitter in her own right. At our most recent class, L finished the garter stitch hat that she'd knitted with a rainbow of Noro. She had declared her previous … Continue reading Two Girls, Two Knitted Tubes
10 year old Brigid turned her hat-to-be into a fingerless glove.
There are few life events better than becoming a grandparent. At least, that's what new grandparents tell me. It's not a transition I expect to be making anytime soon. My dear friend Pat is justifiably besotted with her first granddaughter, a lovely, bright-eyed sprite born in mid-May to Pat's son and his sweet wife. As Pat's own … Continue reading Baby Steps Complete
Beauty can be found in the intricate and the simple and, sometimes, in the combination of the two. For example, the Albers Cowl, which takes the simple square and, like its inspiration, Homage to the Square by designer-artist-educator Josef Albers, invites an almost endless interplay of color. The cowl was the project featured in the … Continue reading Simply Square
Saltwater Hill Knits 