Hello lovely friends! Today, I’m excited to introduce “cool stitches” posts on the blog. These will be posts focusing on cool knitters, crocheters, embroiderers, weavers, textile arts people, clothing – you know, stuff made – or to be made – with needles, yarn or thread.
The goal is to highlight and share the work of other makers that inspire me, or that simply brighten up my days, while bringing you a little joy and inspiration weekly.
cool stitches posts might highlight new knitting patterns or give you a peek into a maker’s studio. cool stitches may also include links to ready-made clothes and textiles that I’d love to have in my closet or my home (and when possible, ideas of how to make something similar, if you are 100% into slow-fashion).
So enough explaining, here’s my first cool stitches post to give you an idea of what to expect:
Meet @momshoo
You may already be familiar with the work of Shu Ning, @momshoo on Instagram. I love her traveling tuna cutlery pouches, which you can buy on her Etsy shop.
@momshoo‘s work is simple and playful — I love how she creates unique pieces using a mix of linen and other colorful fabrics, adding Sashiko-like stitches to complete each design. These pouches remind me of things my grandmother would make; probably the reason they bring a big smile to my face, and why I thought I would share them with you.
I would have loved to have these fish cutlery pouches to send in my kids’ lunches when they were little, and I think they would also be great to take on a family picnic or camping trip, even now that they are not so little anymore!
@momshoo‘s work inspires me to try playing with thread. Check out her account for some more stitch inspiration!
And if you’re in need of a present, now you know where you can get these.
I stumbled upon the APRIL BLOUSE from Sandnes Garn the other day while scrolling Instagram and I immediately knew I wanted one. I loved the light brown color, the loose fit, and all that texture!
I think this blouse will be a nice addition to my closet for when the weather gets hot. And seeing that it most likely won’t be hot in Marin until at least August or September, (I’m still wearing sweaters!) I should have plenty of time to knit mine before the summer ends.
photo @sandnesgarn
Of course, this project will require my full attention, as this doesn’t look like an easy knit – just look at those details!
But, I’m up for it.
Sandnes Garn is a Norwegian brand that I haven’t been able to find locally. So, I was thrilled to find out that I could purchase this yarn and the patterns online in the U.S. through motherknitter.com.
This pattern is part of the SOMMER DAME Collection / 2305. You can get the brochure with all the patterns (available in English) when you buy enough yarn for one of the projects on the Mother Knitter website.
photo @sandnesgarn
There are some other retailers sprinkled around California that carry this yarn, but I’m not sure you can buy just the brochure from any of them.
I ordered all the materials to make the APRIL BLOUSE a few days ago and over the weekend I enjoyed looking through all the pretty patterns and photos.
photos @sandnesgarn
This blouse is worked in the round from the hem up using 100% cotton yarn called Mandarin Petite. I chose the same color as the one in the photos, but there are over 40 colors to choose from!
Unfortunately, I realized I needed some #2 needles before I could get started. Finding a 2.5mm needle in Marin was not easy (I guess it’s not a very popular size), so I spent most of Saturday trying to find one. I found a 24” “Addi” circular needle (metal) that is working fine, so far. I rarely use metal needles, so I’m glad I only need these for the ribbing, although they are growing on me. But I love bamboo.
Another pattern from this collection I want to try is called DAWN SINGLET. This looks a little easier. So, if things get a bit too difficult with the APRIL BLOUSE, I might have to cast this one on sooner than later.
photo @sandnesgarn
I’ll post my progress soon. In the meantime, may you have a beautiful week knitting up something beautiful. Let me know what you think and what you’re working on in the comments!
Hello friends! Has it really been a whole month since I last shared an update? I’ve missed this place.
Let’s see, in April, I traveled home to Costa Rica to visit my family, so I disconnected for a bit. We also had prom, a birthday and Mothers’ Day. It always takes me a while to readjust after I get back from vacation, so blogging dropped to the bottom of my list.
I was thinking of sharing some more details about our trip in a separate post. People often ask me for recommendations of places to see and things to do in Costa Rica and I never feel like I can give them a good answer. This time, I tried to take some notes, so check back for that content!
Since I got back, I’ve been focusing on doing a little bit of spring cleaning and trying to get outside more. I also gifted myself a monthly swimming pass, so I’ve been at the pool a lot.
I love swimming. I love being under the water, disconnecting from everything, focusing on breathing and improving my form, and these days I’m working really hard to improve my breaststroke technique, which I’m truly awful at!
When I was in college, my older sister and I loved going to the university’s swimming pool to swim laps. It was a great way to get some exercise and an easy way to get a tan (very important for our younger selves! 🤭) One of the swimming coaches was always at the pool when we swam. Every now and then, he would give us pointers on how to improve our technique, but when it came to breaststroke, I think he thought I was hopeless. He made me do lots of kicking drills, but I just couldn’t get the motion right.
I still don’t quite know how to do it. So, I’m practicing. I’m watching videos on Youtube. I practice kicking in the water and standing up in my living room. I know it probably sounds crazy, but I can get a bit obsessive about things. But the only thing that matters is that I’m having fun, right? Who knows, I might finally crack the breaststroke code!
Okay, enough chit-chat. I want to show you my F.O.s (finished objects for those not familiar with this term.) Both are crochet projects, which is different for me.
Granny Squares Tote
I started making granny squares about three years ago, when I planned to crochet a small cosmetics pouch. As I made more and more squares, I started dreaming about making a blanket for our bed, which is a hilarious thought.
My great grandmother, Pepén, used to crochet bedspreads and tablecloths all the time, so for a moment I thought, maybe I could do that. Except, I remembered that perhaps the fact that she could do that was that she didn’t have a job! it would take me about a century to finish a bedspread. So, I decided to keep my goals a bit more realistic and make a small handbag instead.
I had already crocheted enough squares to make a bag. All I had to do was figure out how I wanted to arrange them. When I found a combination I liked, I took a picture so I would remember which one went where. After that, I connected them with a simple slip stitch.
To give the bag some depth, I picked up stitches around three of the edges of the big square and worked back and forth in single crochet until I reached the width I liked. I then joined the second rectangle and crocheted around the top edge, also in single crochet. To finish, I added some handles to each side.
I like the result! All the granny squares I used (but one) had the same color (yellow) in the center. I worried about that at first, but it ended up making my bag a bit different from most granny square bags I’d seen.
When I finished, I decided to line the bag with white fabric. I used leftovers from the days of making masks. I thought it would look nicer and it would also make the bag more practical. I followed Vicky Howell’s instructions for adding a lining to a bag on YouTube and even added one of my Fairfax Hill Studio labels. (So proud!)
Japanese Knot Bag (Mosu Bag)
The second project I finished last weekend is a Japanese knot bag. This is a free pattern by @sweetsofties that you can find on YouTube. My mom sent me the link about a week ago and I decided to drop all of my other projects to make it. This type of bag had been on my wish list for a while.
It took me only about one day to crochet the bag. It still needs a lining, which should be easy to add, now that I’ve learned how to do it.
To make it, I used one ball of Lily Sugar‘n Cream cotton yarn in the color Bamboo with the recommended hook and followed along with the girl in the video. After I completed the base of the bag, I was able to take the project with me to the beach to finish the body. I returned to the video to see how to attach the handles, and that was it! Super easy.
My bag is about 10 inches square, and the handles are about 3 inches wide, one longer than the other so that you can “knot” it.
If you know how to crochet an oval, you can make this bag in any size and stitch combination you like. You can also change the base to a circle for the bag to stand up easily.
I love this bag’s design for carrying small projects. It will also be perfect for carrying my goggles, cap and I.D. next time I go for a swim. It’s the perfect size.
Hook Matters
While working on the Mosu bag, I learned that the kind of crochet hook you use can make a big difference in what your final project looks like. I started my bag using a standard aluminum “H” hook, which at times made pulling the yarn through the loops a bit difficult. It seemed as though the head of the hook was a little too big, so it was getting stuck. This slowed me down and was resulting in some larger gaps in a few spots.
Then, after I misplaced that hook, I grabbed a different one I had recently bought at Dharma. My goodness! What a difference! Everything was smoother and easier. The newer hook also had a soft handle, which felt great in my hand. The brand is Clover Amour. They are a little more expensive than your standard aluminum set, but definitely worth it.
At times I feel like I’m solar powered. That’s why I love it so much when spring finally arrives in Marin. The sunshine makes me feel happy and energized. Last Saturday, it looked like we were finally going to enjoy a little sunlight and warmth after what has been the rainiest winter I can remember — and just in time for Easter!
On my Saturday “to-do” list was making dessert for the family potluck on Sunday. Sarah suggested making lemon bars from Tartine’s cookbook — one of her favorite desserts.
A picture from my walk last Saturday.
Sarah has always made the lemon bars, but I thought it was about time I tried making them myself. Making the lemon bars turned out to be pretty easy; the last step was to place the tray in the fridge to allow the bars to set and cool overnight. I was proud of myself for getting everything everything ready a day early. Time to relax!
The next morning, the lemon bars were ready, but Sarah was sick, so we thought it would be best for the four of us to skip Easter lunch in case we were contagious. Unfortunately, that didn’t mean we got to keep the dessert. (Potluck assignments are serious business in this family!) Thanks to Patrick the lemon bars were delivered right on time, as requested.
After waiting a whole day for lemon bars, Sarah and I were a bit disappointed. We were both looking forward to indulging in a little dessert, and I especially was curious about how my first time making the famous Tartine lemon bars had turned out.
We considered making another batch, but that meant waiting another day to eat something sweet. (We didn’t have time for that!) So, when I saw Elsa Billgren’s Instagram story, a short reel with the most beautiful pictures showing how she made lemon cake, I knew we had our answer.
You may not know Elsa Billgren. I didn’t know who she was either, until recently. She is a Swedish blogger I stumbled upon while reading a magazine I borrowed from the library via the Libby app about a year ago. I started reading Elsa’s blog on and off and following her Instagram account to practice my Swedish. I love reading other people’s blogs, and the photos she posts are beautiful; they definitely make me want to visit Sweden again.
This cake is gluten-free. But don’t be scared away by this if you’ve never baked GF recipes!
I had never made a gluten-free cake before, and I was a bit skeptical and nervous that it wouldn’t turn out right. Trust me, this cake tastes great — and I’ve translated the recipe for you. You are welcome! 😉
Also, if you aren’t into GF and don’t have any food allergies, you can substitute all-purpose flour for the GF flour. I hope you like it as much as we did!
Elsa’s Lemon Cake adapted from Elsa Billgren‘s Citronkaka
Ingredients
200 g butter (room temperature) (approx. 14 tablespoons or a little less than 2 sticks) 2 dl sugar 3 eggs (room temperature) 0.75 dl yogurt (approx. ⅓ cup) 2 dl almond flour (approx. ¾ cup) 2 dl gluten-free flour (approx. ¾ cup) 1.5 tsp baking powder 1 pinch of sea salt flakes (I used Maldon sea salt) zest of 1 lemon, plus a little extra for decorating juice of 1/2 lemon 1 tsp vanilla extract
Set the oven to 350 F. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. With the mixer at medium speed, add the eggs, one at a time, and mix well.
Zest and juice the lemon.
In another bowl, using a whisk, combine the almond and gluten-free flours, salt and baking powder. Add this to the sugar mixture, followed by the yogurt and the vanilla.
Line a loaf pan (1lb. capacity/9×5 inches) with parchment paper and pour the batter into it. Bake in the middle rack of the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and the top is nice and golden.
Important! Let the cake cool down on a wire rack for about 20 minutes before glazing.
Mix the powdered sugar with the lemon juice to make the glaze. Drizzle or spread the glaze over the top of the cake once it has cooled down and sprinkle with more lemon zest before serving.
Notes/Tips: This cake is not your typical pound cake. The texture is a little sandy and softer than the lemon cake you’d find at Peet’s, for example.
Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature for the best results.
Last week I was also inspired by Brittany Jepsen, from @thehouselarsbuilt to make Easter egg candles. I followed the instructions I found here to make them. This is a simple way to recycle old candles and crayons. You know, all those random little bits you find in your kitchen drawers.
Keeping the wick in place was the toughest part. I am not sure how well the candles will burn if the wick isn’t straight, but I love how they turned out!
Looking forward to a mini vacation
I am having a hard time believing I might have a chance to wear my crochet cover up in just about one week. I can’t wait! If you are interested in making one of these to take on your next beach vacation, here’s the link to the pattern.
