brainstorming.

It's funny how inspiration can strike you in the oddest places. I was reflecting on the Shale Baby Blanket while in the shower this weekend, and with a head-full of shampoo, had a 'eureka' moment for a new product for knitters! I'm excited to spend some time in my newly-tidied office doing some market research and sketching out a few ideas for the initial concept. I have a pretty clear picture of what I want the end product to look like--getting it out of my head and turning it into a sellable item will be equal parts creatively-challenging and fun. 

On Sunday, I spent some quality time curled up with a soft, bouncy skein of Quince & Co. Lark. The longer I knit with the Canvas colorway, the more I marvel at how appropriately-named it is. This particular shade of beige adapts to the light in the most wonderful ways. At times, it looks more oatmeal, other times, more cafe au lait.  When it's bright and sunny, it takes on the neutral, beachy tones of seashells. When it's overcast, the grays become more predominant, giving the fiber a vintage, ballet slipper hue. The beauty of this neutral colorway is that you can confidently pair it with both warm and cool colors, making your hand knit instantly more versatile. It's really quite lovely, especially for indecisive knitters. 

Tonight, I'm going to try my hand at winding a center-pull ball. I love learning new tricks, don't you?

hello, weekend!

Is anyone else out there ready for summer to be over? There were a few mornings this week where I felt that back-to-school, fall-tinge in the air and got really excited. So much so, that I wore two cabled sweaters to work this week, which baffled some of my co-workers. Part of it's because they keep the air conditioning on so high, and part of it's because I'm hoping to wish autumn into existence... 

What's everyone up to this weekend? Now that my Berkeley class is finally over, I plan on knocking out at least four 28-row repeats of lace on my Topiary Wrap. That will bring me up to 10 completed repeats, which means there are 8 more to go before I get to the cast-off side ribbing. This thing is going to be gigantic. I also plan on swatching some of my new Tosh Vintage--there's a new cowl design in my sketchbook and want to see how the speckles look in the stitch pattern. 

Here's a little #knitspiration to get your weekend started:

No. 1 :: I've been wanting to knit Gudrun's Fidra Hat for some time now, and I think pairing the pattern with The Fibre Co.'s Arranmore yarn in Finian might result in the perfect October hat, don't you?

No. 2 :: Hunter Ammersen just released her second collection of shawls in her new book, Curls 2. There are 14 patterns total, all in the most gorgeous stitch combinations. Check out the individual designs here. 

No. 3 :: This time of year puts me in an organizing mood, and these wool Twig & Horn notions pouches, with their cotton muslin lining and bison leather pulls, are a little fancier than the old chocolate tin I'm currently using. Bonus: these would make excellent back-to-school pencil holders. 

No. 4 :: Since I primarily knit with circulars now, my straight needles have all but strangely disappeared. These artisan knitting needles might convince me to start growing my collection again! Hand-carved out of reclaimed apple wood branches, these beauties would look so pretty displayed in a ceramic vase, wouldn't they?

Hope your weekend's filled with lots of coffee and wool....

Photos courtesy of: Kelbourne Woolens, Pantsville Press, Quince & Co., Never Not Knitting

have a great weekend.

What's everyone up to this weekend? We're going to drive to NJ to pick up our cuckoo clock from the repair shop and maybe catch a movie. I'm hoping to spend some quality time in my knitting room and working through a few more lace repeats on my wrap. If my math is correct, there's a mere 352 rows to go! 

To help get this weekend started, here's a little #knitspiration from around the community:

No. 1 :: I love to refresh my kitchen linens each season, and these Fringe Supply Co.'s Flour Sack Towels will look equally pretty folded neatly on the front of the kitchen stove or tossed over my shoulder while I'm washing dishes. | $16 each

No. 2 :: How pretty is this deep berry, wine-colored wool? O-Wool's O-Wash Fingering in the Juneberry colorway would make a lovely pair of socks or fingerless mitts. The best part? O-Wash uses a GOTS certified organic compound so that their yarns are machine washable. Guilt-free superwash! | $15.99 for 428 yards.

No. 3 :: Stylish and functional, Tolt's Leather Wrist Rulers are perfect for measuring projects on the go. So now when the pattern says, knit 1x1 rib for 3", simply whip off your bracelet to check your progress! | $20, Made in Portland, OR

Have a good one!

Photos courtesy of Fringe Supply Company, O-Wool, and Tolt Yarn & Wool

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

Weekend #knitspiration

Hello, weekend! Do you ever have one of those work weeks where all of the small things keep piling on top of each other, keeping the real work from getting done? That's what this week felt like to me. Luckily, I have a rocking chair and knitting basket in my office, so I made a conscious effort to step away from the constant emails, office visits, and meetings and just sit and knit for half an hour each day. This mid-day fiber break really helped to clear my mind and refocus my energy, which definitely improved my afternoon productivity. I think I'll make this a daily practice...

What about you? What do you do during the week to stay sane?

To get you out of the workweek mindset, here's a little weekend #knitspiration:

No. 1 :: Twig and Horn Wood Yarn Bowls | These Maine-crafted yarn bowls are perfect for keeping your precious balls of wool from rolling off of rickety lakeside docks this summer. Available in Maple and Red Oak. 

No. 2 :: Purl Soho's Close Knit Washcloths | This is the perfect sitting-by-the-bonfire knitting pattern. Knit in Purl Soho's newest yarn, Cotton Pure, an unmercerized Pima cotton that comes in 43 gorgeous colors. Their carefully-curated yarn bundles provide enough yardage for nine washcloths! Bonus: you'll have something to wash your face with before tucking yourself into bed!

No. 3 :: Bailey Island Mitts Pattern by Kirsten Kapur | Knit with Swans Island light fingering-weight merino on teeny-tiny size 2 double pointed needles, these cabled beauties will be a welcome treat once the cool autumn days finally arrive...

Have a lovely weekend, everyone!   

p.s. Here's a New York Times article on the health benefits of knitting. 

Weekend #knitspiration

What's everyone up to this weekend? The hubby and I just got back from a nice long vacation not too long ago, so we're looking forward to spending a couple of nice, quiet weekends at home. I'm going to block my two hats and get back to work on my Topiary wrap. What about you? What's on your needles?

Here are a few things to get your weekend #knitspiration started:

No. 1 :: Never Not Knitting's Botanical Gift Set | A gorgeous kit of notions, including acorn snips and the cutest little pinecone stitch markers! Comes with a signed book of your choice. 

No. 2 :: Quince & Co. Kestrel Yarn in Urchin | There's something about this time of year that makes me want to reach for light, drapey linen, and this Urchin color way reminds me of the ocean. 

No. 3 :: Nouri Sweater Pattern | Pom Pom Quarterly, Issue 17: Summer 2016 was recently released, and Carol Feller's Nouri sweater looks like the perfect cover-up for nights spent near the water.

Hope you have a good one!