Category Archives: travel

Back from the east coast and knitting again

Posted on September 21, 2022 | 6 comments

*Finally* knitting again!

I finished knitting this project while in Maine. Some of you may have seen it at Knit Maine (couldn’t not try it out!). I mostly love it, but there are some tweaks I want to do as I write the pattern. I don’t want to frog this, so I’ve ordered more yarn for the reknit.

It took a week to catch up enough that I could cast on a new project. This is Bonnie Isle, this year’s free pattern from Shetland Wool Week. It’s fun to knit. I wasn’t sure about the colors when I pulled them out of the kit bag from For Yarn’s Sake (it was the Lipstick that made me say hmmmm), but with the white background it all tones down into a harmonious symphony of color. (The kits come in several colorways, in case this pink is not your style.)

My gauge is way off; I knew it would be because I’ve knit with the same yarn for the past two Shetland Wool Week keps. Which means my previous hats are perfect gauge swatches! I don’t want to use smaller needles (these are US 3/3.25 mm) because I like the fabric. So I’ve done some math, and I’m knitting happily and getting the size I want.

I’m teaching a stranded colorwork class via Zoom for For Yarn’s Sake on November 6, using this hat as a jumping off point. I’ll give you all my best pointers on stranded colorwork knitting, and also resizing if you’re interested in that, too. Register here.

My Bonnie Isle project is in a new bag from Madder Root; I bought this bag at Knit Maine.

When I saw the lining I had to have it as my Maine souvenir. (Shown here with my class materials from my Thrumbelina slippers class.)

Rising full Harvest Moon, Deer Isle, Maine

Because the moon made a big Maine impression on me over the weekend! So orange, so full, so gorgeous.

I’m going to be posting bits and bobs from my travels as I catch up. It’s too much for a giant post; you wouldn’t hear from me until next month if I waited to put it all together! More soon.

6 Comments

Posted in classes, Knit, pattern design, travel

Tagged Bonnie Isle Hat, Knit Maine, Madder Root, New York City

Halfway through the East Coast swing

Posted on September 6, 2022 | 1 comment

The Vogue Knitting Cruise was great fun; I met lots of knitters and also got to know my fellow teacher, Vogue Knitting Editor in Chief Norah Gaughan.

Norah Gaughan and me on the balconies — Hi Norah!

I met blogger Brenda Solman/Kingshearte in Halifax; we’ve been reading each other’s blogs and commenting back and forth for years. So nice to meet in person!

I was thrilled to accidentally wake up early and see the Statue of Liberty as we returned to New York. So cool! The person in the next stateroom said that she had booked her portside cabin and set her alarm to get this view. Me? I lucked out at 5 am.

I’m spending a few days in NYC and then heading to Maine tomorrow for Knit Maine with Peacetree Fiber Adventures.

I’ll post more about the cruise, and Knit Maine, when I get back next week. Knit on!

1 Comment

Posted in Blogging, Knit, travel

Tagged Knit Maine, New York City, Vogue Knitting Cruise

Quick trip to Sisters

Posted on August 16, 2022 | 6 comments

Summer and time is running so quickly!

I went to Sisters to visit fellow Pie Bird Becky and her family. We went to a concert and made some music. We even remembered how to play our instruments, easy for me (just basic guitar) but Becky plays guitar, mandolin, and banjo, and it’s been a while.

Becky works at Pine Meadow Ranch, the home of the Roundhouse Foundation, which focuses on projects that work with and through the arts. Their four program areas: arts and culture, environmental stewardship, education, and social services. She gave us a tour of the ranch, which is a working ranch and also uses the restored ranch buildings for artists’ residencies.

Interactive art installation that makes colored light and sound when you move under it. Note the tile mural across the way…

Sisters (the town) is named for the Three Sisters mountains in the Cascade Range. The town hosts a quilt festival each summer, and that’s reflected here.

Tile “quilt” on the greenhouse by Kathy Deggendorfer

This year’s quilt garden contest winner by June Jaeger. See the 3 Sisters?

Detail from the quilt; I love the birds, and music notes in the snow creases

And the garden inspired by the quilt. I wish you could see it from above!

A panel from a 7 panel tile mural, designed by Rochelle Schueler and Lynn Adamo

Pencil shaving…as you walk around it, it looks like it unfurls

There’s a lot more art, and sheep and cattle, too. It’s a beautiful and inspiring setting.

I’m home now, setting up classes for fall, and getting ready for the Vogue Knitting cruise and Knit Maine. Time is racing by!

6 Comments

Posted in Other craftiness, Pie Birds, travel

Tagged pie birds, Pine Meadow Ranch, Roundhouse Foundation, Sisters Oregon

Cape Perpetua getaway

Posted on August 3, 2022 | 5 comments

It’s was ridiculously hot here last week (90 to 100F), so a planned camping trip with the ladies was a welcome respite. We went to Cape Perpetua, near Yachats, on the central Oregon coast.

It was a cool and misty weekend, with highs in the mid-60s. The curtains of mist falling past the cape were ethereally lovely.

I brought my assigned pooling cowl, but didn’t do a lot of knitting. There was a whole world to explore.

This Sitka Spruce was here before Columbus arrived in the New World. Older than Henry VIII?!

The hollow underneath was formed as the tree grew out of a nurse log, which then rotted away, hundreds of years ago.

fauna growing from nurse log — What’s going to grow from this nurse log? Who will see it hundreds of years from now?

Stone shelter built by the CCC in the 1930s. Workers (young men) earned $30/month. They kept $5, and $25 went home to the family.

Cape Perpetua is on a pretty rocky part of the coast, but there are occasional sandy beaches. Tillicum Beach was wide and inviting.

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The rise and fall in Thor’s Well is mesmerizing.

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Spouting Horn blow hole

Farewell to our mascot, who stayed with us all weekend

Back in town, where it’s cooled off a bit. Time to work out my next design!

3 skeins of yarn: white speckle, gray, and yellow

I’ve gone through two design ideas so far. One would require an extra skein of speckled yarn, so no go on that one. It’s risky to order another and expect that the speckles will be the same (ask me how I know). Both this idea and the next idea involve working from the large end to the small end, in order to make the motif right side up. It’s a lot more planning and math, but it will be worth it. I hope. Onward!

5 Comments

Posted in Knit, pattern design, travel

Tagged camping, Cape Perpetua

Knit Maine this September

Posted on May 20, 2022 | 2 comments

I’m looking forward to spending a beautiful long weekend in Maine, teaching at Knit Maine September 8-11 with PeaceTree Fiber Adventures. It’s at the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts. I’ll be teaching with five other teachers: Kristin Drysdale, Casey Ryder, Cal Patch, Shaina Bilow, and Louis Boria. Gaye Glasspie of GGMadeIt will be there to party with us, too! You get to choose your classes from these any/all of these teachers. It looks like there are only 3 spots left, so hurry!

I’m teaching Petite Brioche, Brioche Increases & Decreases (with my new Whale Watch hat and cowl pattern, I think), Thrumbelina thrummed slippers, YO? YO! Fancy stitches, and Planned Pooling. Currently plotting and planning the yarn with Keith Leonard (Knits All Done/YarnSnob) for the planned pooling class; it’s so gorgeous.

I’ve been to Maine once before, to Sebasco Harbor for one of DH’s work retreats. Such a beautiful place.

How far in advance are you planning your life? It’s weird to be planning things again, after Covid lockdowns. I know the virus is still out there, and I’m trying to strike a balance between caution and life. Knit on!

2 Comments

Posted in classes, events, travel

Tagged Knit Maine

Crowning glory

Posted on May 17, 2022 | 4 comments

I have crowns on my mind. More hat crowns.

For Better or Worsted MCN from Anzula Luxury Yarns, yum

I love a pretty crown on a hat. This one hits all the right notes. It’s for the hat and cowl pattern that I’m designing for the class I’m teaching on the Vogue Knitting Cruise in August. The class covers beginning 2 color brioche rib in the round, and brioche increases and decreases. Does this sound like Brioche Pastiche? Yes and no! This set includes a cowl, for non-hat wearers. An a nautical theme!

Malabrigo Rios, a favorite yarn for brioche

This crown is slightly simpler, but the overall effect is the same. I just sent the pattern off to my tech editor, and I’m looking forward to moving on with these designs.

There are a few spots left on this cruise. Do you have to cruise with us to knit this hat and/or cowl? Of course not. But it would be really fun! Here’s a list of the places we’re going.

I’ll show you the whole set soon, after tech editing. I love them!

4 Comments

Posted in classes, events, Knit, pattern design, travel

Tagged Brioche knitting, Vogue Knitting Cruise

Red Alder 2022 recap

Posted on March 2, 2022 | 3 comments

This picture says it all. It was so wonderful to be back in a classroom with my knitters! This is my Brioche Pastiche class from Thursday morning. This was my first ”away” teaching since Red Alder in 2020. It’s been a long two years.

I taught 4 classes, and it was a joy. I brought my laptop and document camera, so it was the best of both worlds. Everyone could see the demonstration at the same time like a Zoom class, and then i could go around the room and fine tune with people.

The market was fun, and I had a great time signing books with the fun peeps from Northwest Yarns.

Melissa, Heather, Tristan, and Echo from Northwest Yarns

Nancy of Schmutzerella Yarns with her ravishing Oregon Sky

Dyers Jen of Matchmaker Yarns & Kalliope of Anzula Luxury Fibers

I met Kris in person; she was so helpful test knitting for Brioche Knit Love. So nice to put faces with names!

Here’s what came home with me:

Sparkly fingering weight yarn from Schmutzerella, and beads from Bead Biz. I have a plan for this combination.

Sparkly DK weight yarn from Anzula Luxury Fibers. Apparently I was having a thing for all things sparkly. I think I have a plan for this, too.

And worsted weight yarn from Anzula, as a backup if the sparkles don’t work for what I was planning…

Red Alder is already planning for next year; mark your calendars for February 16-19, 2023!

Here are more pictures from the weekend.

Chihuly art glass at the old Union Station

Union Station reflection on the Bridge of Glass

Mural. I’ve seen this expression on Bisquee

The mountain peeked out at sunset on Friday

Now hard at work (at home) trying to pare down the to-do list! It grew quite a bit these past two weeks. Onward!

3 Comments

Posted in classes, events, Knit, travel, yarn

Tagged Anzula, Bead Biz, Red Alder Fiber Arts, Schmutzerella

Christmas aloha

Posted on December 23, 2021 | 18 comments

It’s been a minute or two, hasn’t it? I came home from Minnesota on a Friday, did a book signing and taught on the weekend, and left for Hawaii on Monday…two and a half weeks ago?!

We had planned for the kids to be with us, but after traveling at Thanksgiving and then learning of the omicron variant, they decided to opt out this year. That left us with the usual 3 BR condo, and lots of room to spread out. We worked *and* played.

Not a bad place to knit! I decided that I wanted the Dotty Bed Socks to have the dot pattern on the top of the instep, instead of an all striped instep, but some of my test knitters loved that wrap around stripe. Which do you like?

Knitter’s choice! Instructions for both insteps will be in the pattern. I’ll publish it next week, or the week after, along with the Slip Away Cowl. If you’re interested in a combo deal, make sure you’re subscribed to my newsletter!

Now I’m home, and scrambling to catch up. (More aloha pictures at the end of this post.) I put up new Christmas lights on the house on Tuesday. I still need to put the knitted fairy lights on my wreath, hopefully today.

The tiny tree is up, and both Biscuit…

…and Calvin have investigated. One of my Korknisse was missing, but I found him under the piano, and all is well.

I just made a batch of Irish Cream for gifts. The recipe is in this post, and the picture is a re-run because it’s biz (Bisquee?) as usual around here! Onto the next thing! But I’ll leave you with a little more aloha…

Mele Kalikimaka to you!

18 Comments

Posted in cat, Knit, pattern design, travel

Tagged Aloha, birds, christmas, hawaii, honu

Oh the places I’ll go…

Posted on October 28, 2021 | 3 comments

At least, I hope I will! I’m planning to teach at several knitting events in 2022, and I hope they all happen. I’ve already mentioned Red Alder Fiber Arts Retreat, February 17 – 20. And then…

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I’m teaching at Yarn Over, the annual retreat for the Minnesota Knitters Guild. This was supposed to happen in 2020, and you know what happened to that year. This event is April 29 to May 1, and I’m teaching brioche and herringbone braids.

I’m teaching on a cruise for Vogue Knitting at the end of August. We haven’t chosen the class yet, but there’s time. Norah Gaughan is the other onboard teacher, and we’ll be visiting with Bristol Ivy in Portland, Maine. The *other Portland!

I have several more irons in the fire, so I’ll keep you posted as we go. I’m vaccinated and ready to roll.

Coming right up via Zoom, next week I’ll be the special guest for Makers’ Nite on Tuesday, November 2 at 5 pm Pacific. Makers’ Nite is a fun, monthly, online hangout event from Makers’ Mercantile LYS. “Bring your spinning, crochet, knitting, weaving, sewing, felting, tatting (did we forget anyone?) and spend some time with your fellow Makers.” You can come hang out with us! Here’s the link to register; it’s free but registration is encouraged. I’ll be chatting about my book, and whatever else Kyle Kunnecke decides to ask me about.

I’m at For Yarn’s Sake this Saturday from 1 to 2:30 pm, if you’d like to come by and get your book signed. I’ll have all my samples with me, so you can see them in real life.

Ann Miner of Yarn Folk in Ellensburg, Washington hosted my very first book party last Saturday, and we had a great time! (I forgot to actually take a picture with Ann, though.)

Kathy Temple (left) brought her beautiful Oregon Sky Shawlette

And I even had a chance to hike with my friend Vickie. She really wanted me to see the larch trees up at Blewett Pass, and now I know why.

on the Swauk Forest Discovery Trail, an easy 2.5 mile loop

These deciduous conifers turn bright yellow in autumn, before shedding their needles. Gorgeous. A great weekend getaway, all around.

What are you doing to enjoy autumn (or spring, down under?)? I love the changing seasons. And are you planning to be out and about next year?

3 Comments

Posted in events, Knit, my book project, travel

Tagged cruise, larch, larch trees, VogueKnittingLive, Yarn Folk, yarn over

Seagull Flight

Posted on October 1, 2021 | 16 comments

I’ve spent all of Friday working on getting the 21 patterns in Brioche Knit Love set up on Ravelry. I’m still not done! But I’m close. After I get that set, I can start sharing the projects on other social media, and my test knitters will be able to share, too.

But I’m not all that patient, so I’m going to go ahead and show you Seagull Flight. It’s a half-pi shawl, and lots of fun to knit. It’s actually pretty easy knitting, because I already did all the math for you. (Blue yarn is Huckleberry Knits Gradient in Echo, white yarn is MadelineTosh Twist Light in White Wash)

I was at the coast at the end of July with some friends, and Becky took these pictures for me. She was a trouper!

It was really fun to play in the breeze! Seagull Flight is one of my favorite patterns in Brioche Knit Love. I found out yesterday that pre-orders are going to ship just a bit early, so you’ll probably have your book before the actual publication date (October 19). Or you can wait and get it from your local yarn shop (ask if they’re going to carry it), so you can support your LYS!