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News & Announcements

• contact me via PM on Ravelry if you’d like to enter the lottery for the Knit Local Getaway
• the winter session of Fleece to Finished Object is fully-subscribed, but you can contact Hope’s Favorite Things for a waiting list or to find out about other fiber arts classes

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The Back Porch

• Hedgewitch by Nat Raedwulf in Isle Yarns Clayground & Barnleaze

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• NYTimes obituary
• Mindful

The Pine Woods

by Mary Oliver

Just before dawn
three deer
came walking
down the hill

as if the moment were nothing different
from eternity–
as lightly as that
they nibbled

the leaves,
they drank
from the pond,
their pretty mouths

sucking the loose silver,
their heavy eyes
shining.
Listen,

I did not really see them.
I came later and saw their tracks
on empty sand.
But I don’t believe

only to the edge
of what my eyes actually see
in the kindness of the morning,
do you?

And my life,
which is my body surely,
is also something more–
isn’t yours?

I suppose the deer waited
to see the sun lift itself up,
filling the hills with light and shadows–
they were leaping

back into the rough, uncharted pinewoods
where I have lived so much of my life,
where everything is so quick and uncertain,
so glancing, so improbable, so real.

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Happy New Year!  In this episode, I share an update on recent projects, and respond to prairiepoet’s question about the tubular cast on and bind off that I have referenced so frequently over the past few years.  It has really become a favorite set of techniques.  If you haven’t yet tried them, I hope that this episode provides some inspiration and encouragement.  I also hope that knitters experienced with these techniques will share some of their tips and suggestions on the episode thread in our YAYH group on Ravelry.

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A new four-session series begins on February 2nd at Hope’s Favorite Things in Richmond, PA.  Send me a PM if you have questions about this course, or call Hope’s shop to sign up!

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I completed the Wood Hollow Hat & Mittens set designed by Kirsten Kapur and I am just in love with these warm woolies for the cold weather.  Knit in Blacker Yarns TOR from The Woolly Thistle and topped with a fur pompom from Hope’s Favorite Things. I began this hat with a tubular cast on on US 3 needles; when I joined to knit in the round, I shifted to US 4 needles and worked a twisted rib.

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Working the Hedgewitch Shawl along with so many wonderful knitters has been one of the joys of my holiday season.  With only the border left to knit, I feel confident that I will complete this project by January’s Wolf Moon.

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TUBULAR CAST ON and BIND OFF

• Ysolda Teague’s long tail tubular cast on video
• Very Pink Knit’s tubular (sewn) bind off video
• Quick & Basic Coffee Cozy by Reed Piernock

The tubular cast on method I use requires knitting the piece flat for the first few rows, then joining in the round.  This results in a gap, as you can see in this photo of my sock cuff.

Use the tail of your long-tail tubular cast on to seam up the gap.

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How many knitting projects is the perfect number of knitting projects?  For me, three is ideas.  Any more, and projects languish.  Fewer, and I don’t do as much knitting. Since the last episode, I’ve completed three knitting projects and three sewing project. Plus, I have three new things on the needles.

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The Back Porch

• handknit socks for Jessie in Rad(ish) Targhee yarn from Joanna of KnitSpinFarm
• Stephen West’s Stringband cowl for Samuel
• Zarah Necklace by Ambah O’Brien for Laura

The Front Porch

• Hedgewitch shawl designed by Nat Raedwulf in Isle Yarns
• Wood Hollow hat and mittens designed by Kirsten Kapur in Blacker Yarns Tor
• Venus & Cupid (pattern coming in early February) socks knit with Fibernymph Dye Works Ridgetop (NEW!)

And Sew Forth

• Klimt dress from Japanese pattern book
• Staple dress by April Rhodes
• Mandy Boat Tee by Tessuti

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I’m smitten with this little ceramic village by Allison Borthwick of Buchlyvie Pottery. It’s such a charming addition to our holiday decorations and sits in tranquility on my kitchen window sill. At the opening of the episode, I go on quite a bit about IndieMart in Narrowsburg, NY.  Some other spots I mention are The Heron and Tusten Theatre.

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Did you miss out on the fall/winter sessions of From Fleece to Finished Object?  I’ll be starting up a winter/spring series beginning in February.  Check the details on the website of Hope’s Favorite Things and call the shop to sign up!

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The Back Porch

Here’s a glimpse of my recent sock design, to be published in early February.  The pair you see here is knit in Carole Foster’s Northumberland 100% USA made superwash merino/nylon blend–dyed by Carole.

As I knit along with my test knitters, I’ll be trying out a new base from Lisa of Fibernymph Dye Works.  The color here is Wild Bergamot.  Isn’t it gorgeous?  I’ll be reporting back with my impressions of this new base as I knit.

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The Front Porch

• Stringband hat/cowl by Stephen West
• Wood Hollow hat & mittens by Kirsten Kapur
• Doocot by Kate Davies
• Yell by Marie Wallin
• Seachange by Jennifer Steingass
• Nimue by Cirilia Rose

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And Sew Forth

Gustav Klimt’s THE KISS cut into a front dress panel.  This could be a very cool holiday frock or a total disaster.  I’m going to use the burrito roll method and try for a completely lined dress.

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What’s November 31st? It’s a holiday for knitters. How do you celebrate? Stay up late to complete the project you had all month to knit.  Around 11:45 pm, pour yourself a Scotch to celebrate while you bind off!

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The Back Porch 

Midnight libations! I still have  a lot of finishing to do on my tunic-length version of Doocot by Kate Davies, so I’ll post photos to my project page later. For now, here’s the designer modeling her cropped sweater.  I think that I do want to knit this version. I think the piece would pair well with sleeveless dresses and extend my warmer weather wardrobe into the colder months. Look how good this is with a bold necklace!

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Off the Shelf

This week I share a passage from Kate Davies’ memoir, Handywoman. I purchased my copy from The Woolly Thistle and I’m really enjoying it.

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Ever-Expanding Skill Set

I didn’t take any photos, but I’ve made Eric Kim’s recipe for Sheet Pan Chicken several times.  I use a package of six boneless, skinless chicken thighs and find that the spice blend is enough for two dinners, so I reserve half in a small container to make the next preparation EVEN EASIER! On another sheet pan, I spread a mixture of vegetables (potatoes and carrots or broccoli and Brussels sprouts) that have been tossed in olive oil and sprinkled with salt. The chicken is great the first night and even better in the dishes I dream up over the course of the week: quesadillas, rice bowls, grain salads  . . . the list goes on.

This is my favorite recipe for pumpkin gnocchi.  I’ve used canned pumpkin, but I may try sweet potatoes in my next batch.  I say that this recipe is from Food52, but I found it on Recipe Tin Eats.  The ricotta makes these gnocchi pillowy soft and the dough is easy to handle.  One batch is enough for two dinners. I reserve half the gnocchi and put the remainder on a sheet pan to flash freeze and then bag for an easy meal.  I like these gnocchi with a creamy sauce., but the sage butter is also very good. There were some chicken-apple sausages in my freezer, which were perfect in the dish.

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I’ve been infatuated with hand embroidery and dimensional appliqué on knitted fabric over the past week.  Now it’s time to get back to my knitting if I want to complete the Doocot during the month of November.

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And Sew Forth

The series of photos below shows the details of my latest sewing project, the Haremere jacket, from Merchant & Mills’ Workbook. To date, this is the most complex pattern I have attempted.  I’m pleased with the results, and you can see by the photos that I’ve been wearing this jacket — a lot! For the most part, I found the directions clear and easy to follow.  The sleeve directions had me scratching my head though, and I’m not sure that I made them as directed; my sleeve does not look like those pictured in the book.  I made the size small, and it’s a very good fit through the body.  The length is perfect.  The sleeves are a bit short.  When I make this again I will extend the sleeves to the medium length.  I love the lined and roomy pockets, as well as the softened shaping throughout, plus little details like the loop to hang the jacket.

Here’s a shot of my Alabama Chanin style knit scarf in progress.

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Off the Shelf

“The Problem” by Jane Hirschfield

I was introduced to a new word — quipu, which has been described as a textile version of an abacus, used by ancient Incas to record information and calculations, as they did not have a system of written language.  You can find out more here.