Because my ancestors spent centuries drinking vodka by the chilly shores of the Baltic Sea, I am not a summer person. My pasty Polish skin always burns, I don’t particularly like to swim, and the heat makes me cranky. That means it is not an exaggeration to say that my favorite thing about summer is the release each July of…
Re-entry
If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you probably remember that like true Philadelphians, each summer we go “downa shore.” Our preferred New Jersey beach town is Cape May. When we first started going to the beach, my kids looked like this: Now they look like this. Sometimes my mom gets wistful about the kids getting older; she…
No-Bull Book Review: Noro 1-2-3
Today’s book review: the new Noro book from Sixth & Spring. It’s called Knit Noro 1 2 3 Skeins, and as the title suggests, all the patterns in the book can be made with either one, two or three skeins of Noro yarn. Noro yarns come in all gauges, and this book takes advantage of that, featuring yarns as fine…
Giveaway winner and a new pattern
Congratulations to Judy, the winner of the Knits That Breathe giveaway! I’ve contact Judy and will get her book to her shortly. I’m also very excited about a new pattern of mine that has just been released as part of the WEBS 40th Anniversary celebration. It’s called the Maplewood Cardigan, and it’s intended to be an easy, comfortable layering piece.…
FO & Giveaway: Knits That Breathe (so you’d better comment)
Before I announce the giveaway, allow me to show you a FO. It’s a quilt that I made for a co-worker of my husband — someone who has been undergoing some tough times and needs a reminder that not everyone is as big a jerk as her soon-to-be-ex-husband. I started out with a pack of Kaffe Fassett charm squares in…
Book Review: Knits That Breathe, by Julie Turjoman
Call this one perfect timing: if you despair of finding interesting, fun-to-knit garments that are appropriate for warmer weather, or if you’re like me, and find pure wool sweaters are often too warm, you’re going to love Knits That Breathe: 12 Breezy Projects To Keep You Cool, by my pal Julie Turjoman. Julie’s goal was simple: to create a collection…
Take a peek!
Late last week, we mailed out the very first packages of the Pairings Yarn Club. It was a family affair: the kids helped me tape labels and pack envelopes, and even Mr. Black Bunny assisted with packing. (He wanted to put a slip of paper inside the envelopes that said “Lovingly packed by Tom” but I told him that would…
And now a word from my kid
Hi everyone. I’m James (also known as Elvis). You’ve probably seen me on this blog and watched me grow up over the years. Ever since I can remember, my mom’s had knitting needles in her hands and yarn between her fingers. Her passion and dedication to her work simply amazes me. Last summer, I started playing around with some yarn…
Preview: Noro Magazine Spring/Summer 2014
I just got a review copy of the latest issue of Noro Magazine, and since you know how much I enjoy doing previews…let’s take a look. My love of Noro yarns is long and well-documented. They are some of my favorite yarns to knit and design with. So can you blame me if I love Noro Magazine? The latest issue…