When I finished re-knitting the end of my shawlette, I also re-named it. It’s Starstruck, which is a punchier, easier to remember name. Also, there aren’t a million Starstrucks on Ravelry, so it will be easier to search, too. Test knitters are sending me gorgeous pictures of their projects, so we are on track to publish at the end of February. Can’t wait!
Brioche Pastiche
I was at loose ends for my next project, so I am knitting a second Brioche Pastiche cowl, just like this one, while I wait for some yarn to come in the mail. This set is knit in MDK Atlas Rambouillet Worsted. It’s beautifully wooly.
I’m packing up to head to Tacoma, Washington for Red Alder Fiber Arts Festival, where I’ll be teaching Brioche Pastiche (beginning brioche, choose your own adventure), as well as Brioche Doctor, Whale Conga Line, and assigned pooling. It will be a fun weekend!
I’m also preparing to teach a brioche plus assigned pooling class for Virtual Knitting Live, online on Sunday March 2. A mashup of two of my favorite things!
I’m also giving a lecture, Blocking: It’s Magic on that Sunday as part of the same event.
Gotta run! Time to pack and hit the road…see you on the flip side!
I had a quick weekend in New York City, teaching at Knitting Live by Vogue Knitting (the official name, but we mostly still call it Vogue Knitting Live). I taught five classes, saw friends old and new, checked out the market, and came home! Thursday to Sunday, bam. Some pictures to amuse you:
I left Portland at dawn Thursday, and enjoyed the view of Mount Hood. I arrived in time for the teachers’ meeting Thursday evening, and saw lots of teacher friends.
Barbara was in my Tink Drop Frog (fixing mistakes) class, but I think she really wants to fix brioche mistakes. She ordered a copy of my Brioche Knit Love book on the spot.
All ready for Minerva entrelac class, with step-outs at the ready. This is how we stay ahead of the students in class.
So many smiles!
The marketplace was hopping, with fashion shows and interviews on stage, and lots of beautiful yarn and clever products.
My favorite thing: Talisman necklaces by Birdie Parker Designs. A stockinette themed charm, semi-precious stone, crochet hook, hand-made silver darning needle, and two stitch markers.
Remember my DIY cable hook holder? This is next level.
Sweet wreath with wool locks knit in from Long Island Yarn and Farm
There are art installations outside the marketplace (which is on two floors). Here’s a taste:
Crochet art by Will ChatloshDragon by Going GnomeEllie D’Eustachio is a textile street artistBeam me up with fiber artist Sarah Divi! Loved this fun display.Sara Elizabeth Kellner’s knitted Victorian Housecats
I finished my last class at 5 pm on Sunday, and scurried to the airport. It was snowing lightly, and I was worried about my flight home. We ended up with a 3 hour delay for plowing the runways and de-icing the plane.
De-icing, us and the neighbor plane
I was relieved that we actually took off!
Hello 2 AM Portland!
I love teaching at VKLive. It’s a big vibrant show, with something for every knitter, at all levels. Definitely something to experience!
Now it’s back to work. I need to finish writing the pattern for this shawlette, which I enjoyed wearing this weekend. I think I’m going to remove the bind off and use the rest of the yarn to make it just a little bigger, now that I have time.
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Not as I do. Was it ridiculous to knit til 1:30 am on Monday night/Tuesday morning so I could soak and block my new shawlette?
Deadlines. I’m headed to New York early Thursday, and I knew it would take two days to dry completely. So, it was worth it to me! I want to wear it at VKLive this weekend. I still have to write the pattern, but that will have to wait until I get back.
I love this color combination. It’s from A Chick that Knitz, Hibernation and Caramel. The shawlette still needs a name. Starstruck? or Stardust? Stardust Nebula? Help me decide.
Oh, also in the “Do as I say, not as I do”: Remember to take breaks and stretch when you’re on a knitting marathon! I can feel a little achiness in my forearm tendons. I’m giving my arms a break for a couple days. Time to pack!
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We spent a week in Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii earlier this month. This is a favorite place of ours. The west coast is on the dry side of the island, and we see more rocky lava than beach. We stayed in a different condo complex this year, the Keauhou Kona Surf and Racquet Club. Still oceanfront overlooking lava rock and the ocean.
We made it in time for sunset. I woke the next morning at 5 am, after moonset and before sunrise, so I had the joy of watching the Geminid meteor shower around the setting Orion constellation. I saw 12 meteors in the 45 minutes before the sky began to lighten. This was the only morning the Geminids were visible; on subsequent days there was too much light from either the setting moon or the rising sun.
I love hanging out on the lanai. I saw kayakers, canoers, dolphins, waves, and this beautiful rainbow.
Our complex was just south of Mākole’ā Beach. It has tide pools, black and tan sand, and Ke’eku Heiau, a restored temple.
West end of Ke’eku HeiauStatues at the east end of Ke’eku HeiauLooking north past Ke’eku Heiau towards Kahalu’uSpiny sea urchins
One morning I saw schools of yellow tang in the waves!
Sunset over tidepools at Mākole’ā Beach
It was a great place to watch the sunset, but I think I like sunset on the lanai even more.
Aloha Costco!
We explored more of Kaloko Honokōhau National Historic Park. The park ranger advised starting the loop with the lava field and ending with the more pleasant beach and petroglyphs. Good advice; a mile over lava rock trail wasn’t very pleasant. Glad to have my hiking poles.
The next feature was Kaloko Fish Pond. This was built by native Hawaiians for raising fish. The ocean is to your left. The rock wall has been rebuilt; it’s impressively level.
The trail continues along part of the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail, which follows the coast. It eventually comes to Honokōhau Beach, which is my favorite place to look for honu (green turtles).
I wasn’t that close; this is zoomed *and* cropped!
The trail continues on to Ai’opio Beach, which has a fish trap and heiau, another favorite place for turtle spotting. The trail then heads back up towards the welcome center and lava fields, while passing a petroglyph field.
I see people, a long gun, a fish hook…what do you see?
Of course there was knitting on the lanai. Heres a sneak peek at my latest design project.
It was a lovely relaxing week, and we came back ready to tackle Christmas and Hanukkah prep. Which was good, because I hadn’t done any beforehand!
I hope your holidays are merry and bright. Looking forward to new adventures in 2025!
I’m a little slow getting ready for the holidays, but I work best under pressure. We arrived home from Kona (Hawaii) on Thursday night, and Friday I put new lights on the porch.
It wasn’t raining, so the timing was perfect.
I put up my tree, on top of the piano. That surfing Santa is finally getting his legs glued back onto the surfboard this year; one of our cats knocked him off the piano years ago. I also put up the Christmas stockings on the mantel.
Old picture, same stockings!
I’ve added my knitted lights bow to my Christmas wreath. I’m skipping the knitted ribbon with dpns, because last year the dpns got…moldy? Mildewed? Gross, whatever. The bow is fine by itself.
I made a double batch of Irish Cream from the recipe in this post, and I’ll make one more batch today.
I helped a friend decorate cookies. Aren’t these cute?
And I knit this little korknisse for Carole at coffee this morning.
Shopping is done. There are a few presents to wrap, a little more housecleaning to do (tomorrow, because it needs to be tidy the day after). And we’re hosting Christmas dinner here on Wednesday.
Lots of pictures in this post, so I’ll do a Hawaii post separately. We had a great time!
Are you ready for the holidays? I actually cleaned the wax off our menorahs, so I’m ready for Christmas AND Hanukkah!
Cherry Blossom Wrapture, Trailing Leaves, Star Flower, Nymphaea
Thank you for your response to my sample sale! Most of the smaller items are sold, but the bigger ones are a little slower to move. Incentive time! I’m dropping the price of the remaining items by $10, so it would be equivalent to free shipping. I’m planning to mail everything out at the end of this week, so this is your chance for handmade gifts, without having to make them.
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving, with all of the DH-side relatives meeting up in St. Louis. It’s been a few years since we’ve all been together for Thanksgiving, so it was a treat. We managed to successfully prepare Thanksgiving dinner in our Airbnb kitchen, and then transport it to our party room at Mom’s assisted living center.
The gang’s all here
I think the best part of these trips is that the next generation gets to spend time together, and we get to spend time with them, too.
I didn’t have a moment to knit until I was on the plane headed home. The entrelac is close to yarn chicken stage; I’ll be finished soon. (Is it cheating if I use a scale?)
We had seats on the floor, Row 19. But if you’re short, the floor is not ideal for actually seeing the performers. Thank goodness for the monitors!
The show went 3 hours, 20 minutes. Lots of great music, and the band was in fine form.
This was our Airbnb. The heater in the main area wasn’t working properly, so it was a bit chilly. We had a good time anyway.
The view was great, and we were right by Rogers Arena, the concert venue.
Photo credit: Terry Weiner
Good friends, good times!
Berroco Wizard in Fluorite colorway
And I got to play with a new-to-me yarn. I’m planning an entrelac class at Hook and Needle on March 29, and I wanted to see if this yarn they carry is appropriate. Why yes, it is. This is Berroco Wizard, 85/15 Superwash Wool/Nylon. It’s a very light and lofty chainette, classified as bulky. Recommended needle size is 10-10 1/2 (6-6.5 mm), but I’m using a US9 because I like the fabric better. Based on current progress, I’m guessing this 100g ball will result in a 36 – 40” length. Perfect for a light and lofty Minerva cowl. If you’d like to learn to knit entrelac with me, stay tuned!
Are you planning your 2025 knitting? It’s just around the corner!
VKL NYC lineup
I’ll be teaching at Vogue Knitting Live in NYC January 17-19. My newest class is Whale Conga Line, which includes brioche, syncopated brioche, and increases and decreases. I’m also teaching YO? YO! Fun and Fancy Stitches, Minerva Entrelac Cowl, Log Cabin Knitting, Tink Drop Frog (Fixing Mistakes), and Sheepy Steeky Coasters, which is always a favorite. The New York show is always amazing, especially the market and fashion shows. Come knit with us!
Red Alder lineup
Red Alder Fiber Arts Retreat is February 13-16 in Tacoma, Washington. This retreat is at the Hotel Murano, which is lovely with lots of art glass on display. The classes are wide ranging, including knitting, spinning, weaving, and crochet. I’m teaching Brioche Pastiche (beginning brioche in the round), Whale Conga Line, Brioche Doctor, and Fun Stitches for Assigned Pooling. Come play with us!
I’m planning to attend Nash Yarn Fest in Nashville with the crew of Modern Daily Knitting March 14-15. This one’s just for fun for me! I’ll go to the all day festival, and the before and after parties. There will be lots of vendors that are new to me, so let’s see what comes home with me! I may have to spend some extra time before or after; I love the music scene in Nashville. And the boots!
Are you planning to attend any fiber events in 2025?
I left town before dawn last Thursday to teach for the Minnesota Knitters’ Days retreat. Our topics for the weekend: brioche, more brioche, and assigned pooling. All my favorite things!
Look at all the smiling brioche knitters! We worked on Brioche Pastiche, my choose your own adventure pattern for hat or cowl, plain or embellished. (I’m teaching this class again at Hook and Needle on Saturday; if you’re local and want to learn to knit brioche, please sign up!) We also worked on Whale Conga Line, as an introduction to brioche knit flat and syncopated brioche. That’s a lot of brioche!
Ursula and Beth finished their hats over the weekend.
And Janet simplified and fancied up the cowl pattern. I love it!
On Sunday morning we played with assigned pooling, which was a great palate cleanser. It’s fun to let the yarn boss you around…a little. You’re still the boss of your knitting, overall.
The knitters were a great group, with lots of mad skills! (Thanks to Stacey for recommending me; she was in my class at YarnOver Minnesota a couple years ago, and here too.)
Kris’s purple sweater on the left is amazing; I love the lively ribbing pattern on the collar and cuffs.
Sheryl (on the right) is the organizer of this well-run event. This is the 40th anniversary of this retreat; Sheryl was a long-time participant and took over when the previous organizer retired. Many of the participants have known each other through this event for a very long time!
Sheryl’s show and tell sweater was a fantastic example of yarn color dominance. Those stripes aren’t ribbing; they’re 1×1 stockinette stripes.
Linn brought her cardigan to show me what she did with Yarn Snob Keith’s Cabana Boy pooling colorway. I love how the white stripes lightened things up; you can see on the bottom band that the colors are pretty intense! And look how the hot pink pooled on one sleeve, and the orange pooled on the back of the other. You could never get it to do that if you were planning it.
Cabana Boy yarn
We were at a Franciscan retreat center in Prior Lake, and the grounds were lovely.
Labyrintha quiet place for tai chiOne of Minnesota’s 10,000 lakesSame sunsetMount Hood on the way home
Why yes, I choose my seat for the Mount Hood view! And now I’m home, and prepping for this weekend’s classes. Brioche Pastiche at Hook and Needle, and a stranded colorwork class at For Yarn’s Sake on Sunday, based on the Shetland Wool Week Islesburgh Toorie.
Find my patterns on Ravelry: Michele Bernstein Designs
Here are some of my favorites, and the newest. Many of my designs are also available through my Payhip store.
PDXKnitterati 