Good morning from foggy New Orleans! It is warm and wet today with the high temperature predicted to be 77 degrees. A dense fog advisory is in effect as it has been for about three days. Personally, I love the fog because it rounds off all the rough edges and puts the world into soft focus. I often pass this mysterious house on my early morning walks.
Indoor Gardening
This morning I brought home a new baby! The tag describes her as a Crassula but she doesn’t look the slightest bit like my other one. I think she’s perfectly lovely!
This happened over the weekend. I can’t believe it! Things never bloom for me! This unusual plant was a gift from Adrienne and I’m so happy that I didn’t let her down by killing it.
Happy Knits!
I’ve been making some lovely fabric for Hudson + West Company over the last few weeks. This is such a relaxing and intuitive knit, I can barely put it down. The fingering weight Weld is just so lovely in the hand. Though it is a semi-worsted yarn, it has an unusual silky quality which is delightful and rare in a yarn so light and airy.
I am working with a lovely woolen spun yarn at the moment, Shetland Fingering by Harrisville Designs, in my new Octavia Shawl. This is a beautiful puffy yarn that feels very rough until it is worked, then softens immediately. I’m in love with this red shade, Russet. It’s a bit of a stretch for me but I am drawn in by its richness. I’m very happy with the way this new cold-weather shawl is shaping up and I’m excited to see how Tipsy Knitter Natasha is getting along with hers!
Woolen Spun Yarn
You may be noticing a woolen spun trend happening here. Look what I ordered yesterday from the Woolly Mammoth Fibre Co.!
I cannot wait until it arrives. I’ve been enjoying Emma’s podcast, particularly the bit about finding a flock of sheep, tracking down the owner and purchasing the fleece. When the Jacobs appeared in Emma’s shop update, I had to have it.
This is a special, limited edition, one farm yarn. It’s grown in Slaght, Ballymena, Co. Antrim (Northern Ireland) and spun in west Wales. It’s a woollen spun yarn with nice grippy texture for colour work. It is undyed and naturally dark grey. It’s also non- superwash and nylon free as are all of my yarns 🙂 It’s a 2ply yarn (meaning two strands make up the yarn), beautifully lofty and tonally varied throughout the skein.
In the fall, I came upon a lovely all-over cable pattern that incorporates openwork. I’ve featured the stitch in this new shawl design, Torrey. I knew Emma’s yarn would be perfect! Counting the days….
Well, that just about catches us up! I hope your week is wonderful. Check in on Friday for the weekly pattern discounts.
Love,
Cheryl
