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It’s been a beautiful week here on the porch of Yin Hoo. In this episode, I talk about making progress on knitting, fleece processing, and sewing projects. I also review some of the gorgeous Brushwork yarn from Blacker. Listen for the details of how to enter a prize draw for 4 balls of this plush and beautiful limited-edition yarn.

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The Front Porch

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The Back Porch

This week, I took the time to wash a portion of the Cheviot X fleece I purchased at Maryland Sheep & Wool this year.  Just look at the extraordinary crimp.  The staple length averages 6″ and the fiber is wonderfully lustrous. After a 24-hour cold water soak, which removed the majority of the dirt and grease, the fleece endured one hot scour bath and one hot soak.

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Brushwork Review

Blacker Yarns sent a ball of their new yarn for review. I received the Impasto colorway, and knit two swatches on US4 needles.

This sport weight,  2-ply, woolen-spun yarn is plump and bouncy as you knit; it is plush and velvety upon soaking and blocking. The knitted fabric has real integrity and softness, a combination that is quite unusual. Because the fibers have been dyed in the wool and blended, some qualities in the color include tweediness, heathering, and even a bit of frostiness, as undyed fibers form a halo above the knitted surface. The first thing I thought of was a hat, cowl and mitts set, maybe with some colorwork. This yarn would be incredible worked up into cables or texture.  At first, I was doubtful about the appropriateness for a shawl or anything with drape — but a bit of drape did emerge in the soaked and blocked swatch. I think this yarn would pair well with any woolen-spun yarn in stash.  What comes to mind is a sweater in a neutral color featuring a colorwork yoke knit in two or three of these Brushwork colorways.

Katie sent along 4 balls of Brushwork yarn (660 yards) in the Velatura colorway, a beautiful, rich blue. Yes, I peeked into this package! Enter to win by posting in the Yarns at Yin Hoo thread on Ravelry.

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Casting off, casting on, incorporating magic ingredients, and new sewing challenges.  It’s all here in this episode.

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The Back Porch

This heirloom piece will be a favorite and a wardrobe staple. It’s A Twist to It by Melanie Berg, knit with 1,000 yards of Flat Island / silk blend Shackleton yarn.

 

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The Front Porch

• Ujo by Ankestrick
• Tempting Ewe Yarns / Ewe So Happy Sock / Maryland Sheep & Wool colorway
• Becoming Art / Agave Fingering / Phenomenal Woman
• Malabrigo / Sock / Rayon Vert (854)

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Ever-expanding Skill Set

• Magic ingredient ideas — click here for the discussion thread!
• nutritional yeast
• fresh ginger
• cinnamon
• balsamic vinegar
• cashews soaked overnight
• horseradish
• smoked paprika
• pickled red onion
• red chile paste
• smoked sea salt
• miso paste
• za’atar (Middle Eastern spice blend)
• pesto

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So much color in the Natural Dye Intensive course I took with Jane Woodhouse.  The class, hosted by Hope’s Favorite Things, was an excellent primer on achieving the natural color you want by making careful calculations and mixing dye extracts.

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The Back Porch

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The Front Porch

I’m planning to cast on Ujo, a dress design by Ankestrick, for the #hipsterkal hosted by Jaclyn of the Brooklyn Knitfolk podcast.

I think I’m going to get mileage out of single skeins by using this color palette.

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Ever-expanding Skill Set

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“Perennials” is the term assigned to the new ageless generation. of 40+ women. Find out more in this article by Leah Hardy in the UK Telegraph.

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The Front Porch

 

 

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Yarn Lover at Large

 

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And Sew Forth

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This episode includes: The Back Porch, The Front Porch, Ever-expanding Skill Set, And Sew Forth.  I announce the winners of #summertopmal prizes at the top of this episode.

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Thank you for contributing prizes for the #summertopmal:

• CraftBuzz
• MadebyFe
• The Woolly Thistle

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The Back Porch

 

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The Front Porch

• Rose Candy by Martina Behm, knit in Jill Draper’s Rifton
• A Twist to It by Melanie Berg, knit in Shackleton yarn

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Ever-expanding Skill Set

• Mark Bittman’s Falafel recipe and video

Note: The video is vintage Minimalist (2007). I use the food processor attachment for my blender to create a course texture when grinding the beans.  And I used black-eyed peas instead of chickpeas.  If the dough is too wet, add a tablespoon of chickpea or other flour to absorb the moisture.

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Natural Dyeing

 

 

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And Sew Forth

• Farrow Dress, pattern by Grainline Studios
• Staple Dress, pattern by April Rhodes, with pocket detail from Odacier’s Ann Carolyn Smock and front shaping from AVFKW’s Endless Summer Tunic

 

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This episode includes the following segments: Yarn Lover at Large, The Front Porch, The Back Porch, and Off the Shelf.

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Yarn Lover at Large

• Georgia O’Keeffe Living Modern exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum
• Thread Cult episode featuring an interview with exhibit curator Wanda Corn

“to fill space in a beautiful way”

 

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The Back Porch

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The Front Porch

The #summertopmal will continue until I record Episode 172 — so you have about two more weeks to create and chatter on the Ravelry thread.

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Off the Shelf

As I thought more about Georgia O’Keeffe, I grew curious about any ekphrastic poetry that may exist.  A little searching led me to a collection by Jessica Jacobs.  In this episode, I read the title poem of the collection, which was awarded the 2015 New Mexico Book Award in Poetry. Click the link below to see an image of the painting that inspired the poem.

• link to image of Pelvis with Distance 
• Pelvis with Distance: a collection of poems by Jessica Jacobs