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Episode 82: Tasting Menu

July 17, 2015April 11, 2016 by Sara

This episode features the following segments: The Back Porch, The Front Porch, Ever-expanding Skill Set, Off the Shelf, and Sew Forth. Yin Hoo’s kitchen has undergone Phase 1 of an update and the counter space has improved as a result. I review my stint as a guest chef at a local restaurant. New projects are going on the needles, Tour de Fleece spinning continues, and I finally made time for sewing the Schoolhouse Tunic by Sew Liberated in 100% linen. Plus, a few notes on the black, brown and white chapters of our summer read-along, Color by Victoria Finlay.

Ever-expanding Skill Set

Our kitchen "spruce up" began when we finally purchased a new stove and hood. — Our kitchen “spruce up” began when we finally purchased a new stove and hood.

Then Samuel decided to remove the ugly piece of scalloped trim and replace it with a shelf.

More shelving under the cabinets means less on the counter top. We also raised the height of this cart so that it is truly an extension of the counter top.

Phase 2 of the "spruce up" will include a pull-out pantry housed in the narrow space beside the fridge. — Phase 2 of the “spruce up” will include a pull-out pantry housed in the narrow space beside the fridge.

Off the Shelf

Finlay refers to Whistler's Symphony in White No. 1. I find it difficult to go on with reading until I've had a glimpse of the paintings she mentions. — Finlay refers to Whistler’s Symphony in White No. 1. I find it difficult to go on with reading until I’ve had a glimpse of the paintings she mentions.

Yarns at Yin Hoo listeners are invited to join in the read along of Color. Victoria Finlay’s chapter on white is fascinating. I especially enjoyed her discussion of Whistler’s Symphony in White No. 1, but I couldn’t continue reading until I had looked up the image. The white of the woman’s skin, dress, the flower she holds, and the background are ethereal and even virginal. But what about the expression of the animal at her feet? Whistler had either a wicked sense of humor or a penchant for theatrics!

Join in and read along!

July 5 — The Paintbox; Ochre
July 12 — Black and Brown; White
July 19 — Red
July 26 — Orange; Yellow
August 2 — Green
August 9 — Blue
August 16 — Indigo
August 23 — Violet
August 30 — The End of the Rainbow

And Sew Forth

I’ve been longing to carve out the time to work on the Schoolhouse Tunic. Yesterday, I thought I would have just enough time to cut the fabric, but then I ended up working on the project for several hours. Today, I finished the dress. It is a well-written pattern and I like the results. I elected to elongate the skirt so that the garment would be more like a dress than a tunic. I chose 100% linen for the dress and a printed quilting cotton for the facings. I’m most impressed with how the top and shoulders fit; I have very wide shoulders and sleeves tend to pinch under my arms if they are not correctly sized. There are clear directions for top stitching and I LOVE the way my topstitching came out! When I make this dress a second time, I will reduce the width of the skirt panels and increase the width of the front pleats The dress is a bit roomy on the bottom, but completely comfortable without looking frumpy — great for spring, summer and into fall.

Arrows and Doorways

The design for this super-cozy cowl was inspired by textiles in a hotel lobby. Concentric geometric shapes kept playing in my mind until finally I was able to chart the pattern and get it onto my needles. The interplay of this chevron-like patterning has a mesmerizing effect–while you’re knitting and when you wear the finished accessory.

Knit up a cowl with yarn from your stash, adding some magical new mini-skeins from your advent calendar, or exchange leftover yarn with a friend. The design invites frequent color changes, and makes an ideal knit for the advent season. It could be just as striking knit with two high-contrast colors.

While most cowls of this type are seamed within a band of a single color, this pattern incorporates a technique called stranded donut grafting, an incredibly clever and completely seamless graft that allows you to maintain colorwork patterning so that your starting and ending rounds are undetectable. Really! With many possibilities for color play and a new technique to add to your skill set, this cowl pattern is really an opportunity for knitters to level-up!

NEW PATTERN DESIGN!

ONE DARK BLUE NIGHT

This hat is the third in a series of patterns inspired by teachings in Clarissa Pinkola Estés’ Women Who Run with the Wolves. This time, I drew inspiration from Estés’ retelling of a Japanese tale, Tsukina Waguma or “The Crescent Moon Bear,” in which a young woman travels to the cave of an incredibly intimidating and ferocious bear. She makes several journeys to the cave, leaving food and quickly retreating, until “one dark blue night,” she musters the courage to stand her ground and ask for what she seeks--one hair from a moon-shaped patch on the bear’s chest--which she is granted. The young woman returns, triumphant, to the old healer who has sent her on this quest. She believes this single hair is the magic ingredient in solving the problem that plagues her. She holds it forth, but the healer tosses the hair into the flames. The young woman is in despair until she realizes the true lesson of her quest: that using her determination, courage, and patience, as she did with the crescent moon bear, will help her to confront the challenge at hand.

The moon phase motif of this colorwork hat is meant to capture the magic of a dark blue night--when the moon shines brightly overhead, the frosty air sparkles with possibility, and we succeed in summoning accumulated wisdom from deep within ourselves so that we can apply it to our own healing. Choose colors to conjure a wintery night sky, or select a palette of your signature colors.

Available on Ravelry December 20th.

Episode 82: Tasting Menu

Ever-expanding Skill Set

Off the Shelf

And Sew Forth

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