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Don’t obsess over your weight; eat like a heroine; exercise intuitively and renew through nature — sound advice and ‘elegant strategies’ that can be extracted from Jane Austen’s novels and applied to contemporary life.  In this episode I read an excerpt from Byran Kozlowski’s recent article, talk about completed projects and new cast ons, and discuss three updates I made when sewing Grainline Studio’s Farrow dress for the second time.

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The Back Porch

• The Clincher by Ash Kearns
• Ursa by Jacqueline Cieslak

The Front Porch

• Simple Yoga Socks by Jennifer Wang
• Yell by Marie Wallin

Off the Shelf

• Jane Austen’s health advice: article by Bryan Kozlowski

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And Sew Forth

• Farrow Dress by Grainline Studio

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DISTELFINK, my new design for a colorwork beanie in fingering weight yarn, will be available on Ravelry April 15th.

I adore Meghan of Distelfink Fiber, and was so proud to deliver a booth sample and copies of my pattern to her booth at the Allentown Fiber Festival.  Visit Meghan, and her parents, Sean and Coleen of Mulberry Hill Farm, at Maryland Sheep & Wool.

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There was some shopping and visiting this weekend when I met up with LauraKnitsPA at the Merchant Mall in Allentown.  I selected yarn for several planned projects.

• Spencer Hill Yarn
• Fibernymph Dye Works

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The Front Porch

• Ursa by Jacqueline Cieslak (Photos on Rav soon!)

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Review

• Boody Shaper Bra and Padded Shaper Bra

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And Sew Forth

• New Look 6397

I wore my just-finished New Look unlined jacket in 100% European linen to my student Avni’s Ethical Fashion Night lecture and clothing swap.

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Off the Shelf

• “Words are Birds” by Francisco X. Alarcón

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This episode is a primer for getaway participants, and includes an overview of the retreat, information about lodging, dining and activities, plus tips for packing.  The details will be sent to all retreat participants in the form of an email. Two great places to find out more are the home page of the Farm & Fiber Tour and the Ravelry thread for our getaway.

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News & Announcements

I’m in need of a few test knitters for my new design — a colorwork beanie.  Please get in touch via Ravelry if you’re interested.

The Knit Local Getaway is fully booked!  I’ll be putting up a brief podcast with details, packing suggestions, etc. for those who are attending the retreat.  Look for this episode in early April.

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The Back Porch

I’m so pleased with my completed Arlequin Cowl, a design by Sidney Rakotoriello.  I used a variety of handspun yarns in natural and botanically-dyed colors.  This cowl was lots of fun to knit and will be a cozy accessory as well as a helpful teaching tool.  I found Sidney’s cowl in a bundle of patterns by BIPOC designers, which is featured on the Solidarity Swap group page.

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The Front Porch

• The Clincher by Ash Kearns, knit in NYS BFL/silk dyed by Maya of Mad Mermaid Fiberworks in the colorway Sea Urchin
• Deschain by Leila Raabe in yarn from Battenkill Fiber Mill

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Ever-expanding Skill Set

• Corn, Spring Onion and Ricotta Tart

Savory pies are nutritious, filling, and last for several days.  They can be eaten hot or at room temperature, and make an excellent lunch. This recipe didn’t get great reviews, so I knew that I needed to do some doctoring to amp up the flavor!

Instead of following the recipe for the tart crust, I made my usual dough for a pie crust, replacing 1/4 of the flour with cornmeal.

For the filling, I added sliced asparagus, diced yellow onion, and crumbled bacon to the corn and spring onions.  I like to sauté all of the vegetables to remove excess water.  I stirred the grated rind of one lemon, plus some salt and pepper into the ricotta, and added dallops of this mixture, which stayed on the surface of the pie.

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Off the Shelf

• “The March Thaw” by Edwin Curran

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This week I talk about knitting and sewing projects, recipes, and a recent purchase of leggings and a sports bra from Girlfriend Collective.

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If you’d like to sign up for the Knit Local Getaway lottery, use this LINK to enter your information.  HERE is further information about the event.

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Current Knitting Projects

• Arlequin Cowl by Sidney Rakotaorivelo
• Wit Beyond Measure by Dianna Walla

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Review

• Paloma Bra and LITE High Rise Leggings from Girlfriend Collective
• Do you have suggestions for sustainably-made garments and footwear?  I hope that you will post your suggestions on the Ravelry discussion thread.

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Ever-Expanding Skill Set

• granola recipe from A Wooden Nest
  • I’ve been replacing a cup of the oats with unsweetened coconut and using date syrup as well as one egg to coat the mixture before putting it into the oven.
• French Braised Chicken and Lentils

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And Sew Forth

• Thea Rachelle Raglan designed by Ellen Mason (Odacier)

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In this episode, I work on cultivating a contemporary warrior princess vibe with a completed Nimue sweater, plus, new cast-ons and and my discovery of a new collection by a poet whose work I have long admired.

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The Back Porch

• Nimue cropped sweater designed by Cirilia Rose

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The Front Porch

• Wit Beyond Measure mittens designed by Dianna Walla
• Arlequin Cowl designed by Sidney Rakotoarivelo
• I’ll be gifting some patterns from the bundle of designers featured in the Solidarity Swap.  If you would like to enter to win a pattern or to win one for a friend, enter with a post on the Ravelry thread for this episode.

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Off the Shelf

• Natasha Trethewey author bio found on Poetry Foundation website
• “Meditation at Decatur Square”
• interview with NPR’s Scott Simon
• selection of poems from Trethewey’s collection Bellocq’s Ophelia