creativity in progress

The past few months have been full of behind-the-scenes creativity, and I'm finally starting to make a bit of progress towards my long-term goals. Each morning, I awake at 5:15am, make myself a cup of coffee, then sit at my dining room table to work on something knitting-related before heading into the office. Whether it's pattern writing, swatch knitting, perfecting a call-for-submission, notion designing, or knitting a few rows on a personal project, I've grown to love this quiet and productive creative time. 

There are three main projects I'm focusing on right now, each with it's own special significance. I'm excited to eventually share them with you!  

Since tomorrow’s a holiday, I plan to spend my day pattern writing and knitting the front gansey on my Willow sweater. I hope you all have a wonderful Fourth of July!

progress + planning

January is always the longest month of the year for me, but in the best kind of way. Work abruptly quiets down, and the weekends--once packed with holiday events and family get-togethers--finally return back to normal. Over the past month, I've spent some serious time by the fireplace with my needles and a big-ol' pile of fiber. I'm about halfway through this Shale Baby Blanket, and because it's such a slow, meditative patten, I've had a lot of time to think about the future and where I want to focus my creative energy. For so long, it's been my dream to join the knitting world professionally, and I've officially decided to start planning ways to achieve that goal over the next few years. There are so many ideas running through my head, but I want to be slow and deliberate about how to move forward into this new space. There are still lots of questions to work through first: Do I want to build my own brand? (Tempting) Do I want to join the marketing team of an established fiber company? (Absolutely) Should I do both? (Could be fun...)

Either way, I think we'll eventually end up moving to Maine, the unofficial capitol of the knitting world. Last year, the hubby and I spent Christmas in Kennebunkport, and even in the dead of winter, we immediately knew it was the place for us. This year, we're planning two trips Downeast. The first will take place in the late spring--we'll fly into Bangor, then explore the entire coastline from Camden all the way up into Lubec. We can't wait to scope out some of the smaller, seaside neighborhoods and visit some of the homes I obsessively save on Zillow each weekend. We'll whale-watch, hike through Acadia, eat our weight in lobster rolls, and do the touristy, schooner-thing. Then, for Christmas, we'll rent a cabin in the mountains, to ski, watch holiday movies, and drink hot toddies by the fire. 

It's fun to plan and dream, and have nice things to look forward to...

p.s. If you have any recommendations on where to stay or what to see in Maine, we'd love to hear them! 

spring shale

There's something special about casting on a new Brooklyn Tweed pattern, wouldn't you agree? They're well-constructed, thoughtfully written, and beautifully presented. For me, these details quietly elevate the already enjoyable experience of knitting. When my co-worker asked if I would knit her expecting niece a baby blanket, I immediately knew that I wanted to cast on Jared's Shale Baby Blanket, with its sweet, feather-and-fan lace and eyelet cables. 

I was told that the baby's nursery was lavender, cream, and gray, so I picked this pale, dusty shade of soft purple to pair with the pattern. The yarn is Knit Pick's Brava Worsted in Seraphim. Now, I'm a firm believer that all babies should be exposed to wool early on, but when I think back to when I was a brand-new momma, I certainly didn't have time to delicately hand wash and block wool baby blankets. The reality of those early (reflux-heavy) baby days, was that I needed something that could be easily thrown into the washer and dryer, so that I could get it back into rotation as quickly as possible. 

I started the project on bamboo needles, but the blunt tips and grip of the bamboo made it difficult to knit some of the large decreases. I switched to lace-tip stainless steel needles, which has made all the difference--especially when you have to ssssk and k4tog! 

This pattern is quickly memorized--after the first four row repeat, I was good to go. So even though it looks complicated, it's quite a simple and relaxing knit. The vintage pattern, combined with the old-fashioned lavender yarn (which, in case you haven't heard, is apparently getting ready to dethrone millennial pink), makes this piece feel like an instant modern heirloom. 

growing up.

The busy season at work is finally over, which means holiday knitting projects (and blogging) are back in full swing! Three projects are already off the needles, and this weekend, I happily cast on for project number four — the Bray Cap by Jared Flood. Part of the BT Fall 2013 collection, it's the right amount of 'cool' for my 13-year old niece. Every year, she gets a new Christmas woolen — usually, a classic stockinette cap. This year, since she's becoming a little more responsible with her belongings (meaning: less prone to losing things), I thought it was time to 'move her up' in knitwear — both in quality of wool and complexity of pattern. 

The yarn is Shelter, in the Soot colorway. As if you don't already know, this wool is a true joy to knit with. I'm hoping that she thinks of this hat as her first heirloom piece — the one she'll reach for time and again; the one she'll send back to me for mending one too many times. These are things I like to think about when I'm making. 

p.s. Yarn purchased online from the charming Loop Yarn in Philadelphia — thank you again for shipping the yarn so quickly!

have a lovely weekend.

Who else is anxious to get this weekend started? I can't believe how quickly this week flew by...there was so much to catch up on after being out of the office all last week. The hubs and I have lots of fun packed into this weekend. On Saturday, we're heading down to Westminster, MD with our two best friends to check out the Maryland Wine Festival. In addition to wine, there's an entire cheese pavilion, which I'm super excited about. Plus, there will be lots of artisan booths and craft vendors, so I'm secretly hoping I'll be able to get my hands on some local wool. 

We'll also be heading to the local Sängerbund for its annual Oktoberfest celebration. We're looking forward to hanging out with friends and family, watching our nieces and nephew dance the Schuhplattler (shoe slapping dance), and eating brats with warm, vinegary German potato salad. Oh, and drinking beer, of course! Marrying into a German family was a pretty awesome decision. 

There will also be knitting...lots of knitting. There are a couple of babies and a wedding on the way, not to mention winter! There are so many beautiful things I want to knit...how I'll fit it all in is beyond me. It's the classic knitter's dilemma. 

Speaking of beautiful things, here's a little #knitspiration to kick off your weekend:

No. 1 :: Brooklyn Tweed's Fall 2016 collection was released this week! As someone who's drawn to classic menswear styles, I love, love, love the his & hers bespoke concept this season. The standout pattern? Veronica Avery's Vika cabled turtleneck sweater. Between the spectacular cables, the drop shoulder, and the boxy, knuckle-grazing coziness, I'm sold. Pour a hot cup of french press on Saturday morning and check out the gorgeous lookbook. 

No 2 :: As my hubby well knows, I'm quite particular about my drinking vessels, particularly when it comes to coffee and tea. It's been a while since I've added a new mug to my collection, and this sweet little llama is calling my name. Side note: have you ever knit with llama? I was part of the test knit team for Steven West's Earth and Sky Shawl, and selected three shades of Llama Luxury to work up the sample. It almost feels like cashmere!

No 3 :: The closer we get to the cooler months, the more I want a sturdier wool on my needles. Hinterland's Cabin yarn is a single ply, mule spun Navajo Churro Lopi wool. It might be fun to knit this up into a pair of slippers to help keep toes cozy as fall sets in. 

Enjoy your weekend!

Photos from: Brooklyn Tweed, Anthropologie, and Woolful Mercantile

loop yarn love

We spent the night in Philly on Saturday for the Barbra Streisand concert (which was amazing, by the way...), so before we got back on the road to Delaware, we made a quick stop at Loop Yarn! I've been wanting to visit this local yarn shop for quite some time now, so it was nice to finally have the opportunity to check it out. Since I follow the shop on Twitter, I knew that they had the new Brooklyn Tweed Marls in stock, as well as Jared's new book, Woolens. 

The shop was bright and modern and filled with all sorts of wooly goodness and friendly people. I think I spent a good 30 minutes just walking around petting all of the skeins, which were stacked neatly along the walls in their white cubes. There were a few samples perched around the shop--including the most gorgeous Halligarth Shawl knit in Loft (shown on mannequin above). 

I was impressed both with the amount of self-control I displayed, and with how patient my dear husband was with my indecisiveness. After much debate, I ended up adopting two skeins of Tosh Vintage in the Optic colorway--a creamy white base dusted with navy- and rust-colored speckles. I'm thinking about working up a cowl or shawl to go with my navy winter peacoat this winter. 

And of course, I couldn't leave the shop without at least few skeins of the Shelter Marls in Newsprint. While my gut tells me these should be whipped into a brioche scarf, I may want to work up a swatch or two to see how the black and white twist renders in different stitch patterns. 

If you haven't yet visited Loop, be sure to stop by their shop next time you're in town. You can also check their goods online--be sure to sign up for their Rewards program! Also, follow them on the 'Gram or Twitter for some #knitspiration. 

Have a great week, everyone!

have a great weekend

Summer weekends are slowly coming to a close. The boy went back to school yesterday and it's hard to believe that my little guy is now a 10th grader. In just three short years, he'll be off to school and we'll be empty nesters...it's kind of bizarre to think about. He's starting driver's ed this year, which I'm completely unprepared for--I have a hard time picturing him behind the wheel of a car, especially since I still have to remind him to close the cereal box before putting it back into the pantry. Teenagers. 

What's everyone up to this weekend? I'm so excited because the hubby and I are going to see Barbra Streisand in concert this Saturday! My parents gave me the tickets for my 40th birthday--my Dad and I are huge fans (I know, I have pretty old musical tastes), so the four of us are going to have a fun night on the town in Philadelphia. 

Other than that, I'll be finishing up my test knit for Alicia Plummer's new hat design (it's super cute!) and getting back to work on my Topiary Wrap. Also, I'd like to finally write up the pattern for a pair of socks I designed a while back and put it in my Ravelry shop. I'll be putting out a call for test knitters soon! 

Here's your weekend #knitspiration:

• Jared Flood's book, Woolens finally came out and it looks spectacular. I want to knit everything, starting with this Fair Hills Scarf. Check out the book preview here.  
• The Fringe and Friends Knitalong kicked off this week, and it's fun to watch everyone's progress on Instagram: #fringeandfriendskal2016. If you're interested in learning about top-down sweater construction, Karen has a ton of great tutorials on her blog, including how to incorporate a stitch pattern. 
• The Fibre Co. launched their new Arranmore line of yarn inspired by Ireland's Northern Headlands. Comprised of cashmere, silk, and fine merino, this gorgeous line of tweed yarn comes in 18 colorways. Check out the collection of patterns here. (Carrowkeel by Kate Gagnon Osborn is my favorite of the bunch.) 

Have fun!

weekend #knitspiration

What's everyone up to this weekend? My sister and I are taking a road trip up to Long Island for our cousin's bridal shower! We're excited to spend the night with our youngest sister, her husband, and our two little nephews. We're going to drink wine, eat pizza, and do a little swimming with the boys!

I can't decide what I want to knit on the car ride up...the Topiary shawl is way too complicated for car conversations, so I'm thinking about getting a head start on my Christmas knitting and casting on a new hat or cowl. Any pattern suggestions?

Whatever you're doing this weekend, I hope it involves some knitting! Here's a little #knitspiration curated from our little fiber community this week:

No. 1 :: In case you guys haven't heard (wink, wink), Brooklyn Tweed released three marled color ways into his worsted weight Shelter line this week. Shelter Marls comes in three gorgeous colorways: Narwhal (shown), Newsprint, and Caribou. For a limited time, Jared's offering a free copy of his new Mawson Hat pattern when you purchase 1 or 2 skeins of the new yarn!

No. 2 :: Pam Allen has done it again with her new Andromeda Sweater pattern. Part of Quince's new collection, Tern 2016, this lightweight, open cardigan is the perfect piece for layering over summer dresses as we head into the cooler weather. 

No. 3 :: Now that I've learned my swatch lesson, I think Twig & Horn's Square Gauge Ruler is in order. The clever square design will ensure I'm hitting both stitch and row gauge. Check out the #twigswatching hashtag on Instagram—the ruler makes swatches look like framed pieces of art!

No. 4 :: I'm about to start a new counted cross-stitch sampler, and Never Not Knitting's Ornate Sewing Scissors might be the perfect way to snip away all of those tiny threads.

Have a lovely weekend! 

Photos courtesy of Brooklyn Tweed, Quince & Co., Twig & Horn, Never Not Knitting

hello!

Welcome to Thornwood Knits! Some of you may remember me from back in the day at Sorella & Company…it seems like many moons ago that I was a stay-at-home mamma with lots of free time to knit, bake and indulge in all things domestic. Since going back to work over 5 years ago, I’ve really missed having a creative outlet and connecting with this little fiber community of ours.

I’ve decided it's time to carve out a small space to indulge in all things cozy—a place to share my works-in-progress, my love of yarn and notions, and glimpses into my domestic puttering. You’ll probably see a few cocktails as well, because nothing pairs better with wool on needles than a perfectly mixed drink. [The Sellwood is the house favorite.] My head is swirling with plans for this site, so don't miss out on the fun—check in often! 

I'd love it if you'd take a moment to introduce yourself in the comments! Oh, and let’s also meet up on Instagram and Ravelry too, ok?

-Jenny

p.s. Pattern :: Brooklyn Tweed's Topiary Lace & Cable Wrap | Yarn :: Knit Picks Comfy Worsted in Ivory...more to come on the project later.