All posts filed under: knitting

have you heard? westknits’ mystery knit-along launched today

Published by fairfaxhill

Not too long ago I mentioned how much I love Stephen West’s colorful shawls, and this year I have decided I absolutely need one in my closet. So, this morning, just a little after 7 a.m. San Francisco time, I joined the 2022 MKAL and selected my yarn. Now I’ll sit here patiently and wait until my kit crosses the Atlantic and reaches my mailbox all the way from beautiful Amsterdam.  Last year, the MKAL (short for mystery knit along) was a pattern called Shawlography, which might be my favorite @westknits design – so far! I love all the different textures and colors. I have been dreaming of making one exactly like the one Stephen West is holding in this photo, but this morning I ran into this one by Domic, and well, I might need both! photo credit: @westknits It makes me wonder what this year’s pattern will look like. It’s called the twists & turns shawl and there is a cable needle included in the kit, so I guess there will be some …

spring in the air, bubble waffles + my new bedford pullover

Published by fairfaxhill

Spring is in the air, flowers are blooming, and birthday season is just beginning for our family. This week we celebrated Patrick’s birthday. A nice dinner at Marinitas, the local restaurant which we’ve decided sells the best margaritas in town, was the perfect place to celebrate mid-week. The celebrations continue for the other March babies this weekend, which should be fun. Center Depot in San Anselmo: a nice treat after a morning walk I’ve been eyeing the Center Depot in San Anselmo for months — I drive past it right when they open after I drop my son off at school in the mornings. It is located about a mile from downtown San Anselmo, and I keep imagining myself stopping by with Patrick or one of my friends after a brisk morning walk on the weekend. (We’d deserve it!) I find the little camper truck super charming. Plus, the fact that it’s located in a less commercial section of town makes it even cuter. You can get bubble waffles, Italian sodas, a.k.a. “sparklers,” doughnuts, hot cocoa, and espresso drinks out of …

week 5: a new stash-busting project and a little help from Stephen West

Published by fairfaxhill

Hello! Is it just me, or did this week go by faster than last? I’ve been busy trying to complete all my wips and made some progress on the book I’m reading, but I am still working away with no finished objects to show you. On top of that, I stopped at Dharma with Shortie last weekend. I really had no business being in a yarn store considering all the projects I have to finish and the amount of yarn already in my house. Perhaps my daughter is right to say that I should limit the number of projects I start, but it’s so hard! Of course, as much as I tried, I didn’t leave empty-handed. I found this yellow yarn (Universal Yarn in Pale Banana) that looked so soft, that I wanted to try it. I was good! I only got two skeins. The color isn’t pure yellow. It has a hint of green in it, so it’s more like chartreuse, which I’ve always been drawn to. I was thinking of making a scarf and …

a collage with different knitted sweaters

week 1: bedford sweater progress + new cozy sweaters for winter

Published by fairfaxhill

Hi! I finished the first section of the Bedford sweater I started on Dec. 27. I am really enjoying this project. The resulting fabric is super soft. I am a bit baffled by the fact that I had to go down a needle size to get the pattern’s gauge and the fabric still looks pretty lose. I don’t know if it’s this yarn, or the stitch pattern, but my knitting feels and looks more relaxed than ever. Could it be that I am finally benefiting from my hobby and slowly turning into a more relaxed person? Ha, ha. Doubtfully! But still something interesting about this yarn, which I am liking a lot. The yarn I’m using is Berroco Ultra Alpaca, Peat Mix (06277), which is 50% alpaca, 50% wool. The pattern calls for Brooklyn Tweed 100% American Targhee-Columbia wool and although I would typically try to use the yarn called for in the pattern, I had just the right amount of this green wool sitting in my closet and it was time to use it …