Month: December 2021

week 52: current mood + inspiration for the new year

Published by fairfaxhill

Hello! I wish I could be more cheery on this last day of the year, but waking up to the news of the fires in Colorado plus the test result I got this morning was all a bit disappointing. This could have all been avoided if I’d just said no to end-of-year gatherings. As an introvert, I would have been delighted to stay home. So, I am now stuck in my room for the next week, hoping to keep the rest of our household virus-free.  On the positive side of things, I am pretty good at finding ways to keep busy when I am by myself. I can blog, work on knitting projects, learn something on SkillShare, do some sudoku, try to draw or sew something, do some needlepoint, watch a movie, or read. Maybe this won’t be so terrible. At least, so far, I am not feeling too bad. Before realizing I had been blessed with this stupid virus, I started working on the Bedford Sweater, a pattern I found on the Brooklyn Tweed …

week 50 – a holiday cowl pattern, balaclavas, babka buns, and Tucci’s memoir

Published by fairfaxhill

New Holiday Cowl Pattern Hello! I’ve finished a new cowl. Every winter, I crave something red to go with my black sweaters, especially during the holidays. So, in an attempt to feel like a real knitwear designer (#goals), I decided to get some yarn (Highland Duo alpaca merino wool blend from Cascade Yarns), chose a stitch pattern I liked and tried something on my own. I cast on 50 stitches and knit until the cowl was about 11 inches deep. This yarn will forever be my favorite for things that are close to my neck. It is so soft! I made a blue cowl with it a few years ago. Interested in the pattern? Check out my new Etsy store (a work in progress). After trying the cowl on, I realized it was snug enough to pull over my head like a cap. This got me thinking about the balaclava craze that’s going on in the knitting world. Have you noticed? I first saw one on Petite Knit’s Instagram account and thought they were adorable …

week 48 – welcoming December, paper crafts, and knitting ideas for cozy evenings at home

Published by fairfaxhill

Do you agree that it feels like December comes out of nowhere? There you are, enjoying another leftover turkey sandwich from your Thanksgiving dinner when suddenly you need to buy and decorate a tree, put up lights outside, and find thoughtful presents for loved ones! I am not a huge holiday decorator, but I do love a bright and happy Christmas tree! Patrick is the best at getting the lights just right on the tree, and the kids love to add the ornaments. My favorite part is getting the tree, especially when we make it a day trip and don’t buy it locally. When I was little, there was a tree farm not too far from our house. Getting our Christmas tree was always something my sisters and I looked forward to each November. (We got our trees pretty early back then!) My grandparents and some of our cousins lived close by, so some years we would all go together to the tree farm. The farm felt ginormous to us as little kids! We loved …

a relaxing afternon at stinson beach

Published by fairfaxhill

So, I did it. I took myself to the beach last weekend and had the most relaxing afternoon. I watched the waves and the seagulls, the young people playing volleyball and surfing, and I worked on my sweater. It was a gorgeous day with almost no wind. I’d forgotten how pretty it is at Stinson. I am so glad I went! I highly recommend a day trip to Stinson in the wintertime. Believe it or not, it can be warmer on a winter day when there is little fog at the beach than at the height of summer. Here’s how my afternoon went and what you could do: Get some food Grab brunch or lunch at the Parkside Cafe (my favorite place for breakfast with Patrick and reading the Sunday paper back when we lived there), or grab a burger or hot dog next door at the Parkside Snack Bar. Sitting by myself at the restaurant didn’t sound fun, so I ordered a sandwich from the Snack Bar and sat on a bench to eat …