What a year of travel!

I have so many great photos of the trips I took this year (2023): Italy (Umbria), Japan and South Korea, a cruise to Norway, Iceland, and the Orkney Islands, and back to Italy (Tuscany). Wow, no wonder I am so tired!  But I sure had fun, trying out traditional foods in all these countries (bannock! […]

Getting Ready for Japan!

Having just gotten back from Italy, I have a week to unpack and repack for a 28 day cruise from Japan to Seattle.  I am looking forward to teaching in the mornings and chilling out in the afternoons. I walked a lot in Italy (too much) but I saw art from 2000 years ago that […]

Come With Me to Italy!

March 19-29, 2023, a 10-day tour This trip has just been added to my schedule!  We will begin in Rome, and after 2 nights will go to our home base in Umbria, where we will stay for 6 nights, having some knitting classes and taking short day trips out to savor what Italy has to […]

Exploring Fringes: from the Baltic and Finland

I have had a lot of fun pouring over books, trying to decipher illustrations, some with Estonian directions which I can’t read, to understand how fringes are made.  There are many more methods than I first thought, some are very finicky to make, and others are made to be quite stable, “locked in” as it […]

Cat Bordhi and Val Curtis

Please read this open letter to the knitting community, remembering Cat and acknowledging Val’s work to keep Cat’s legacy alive… (There are links at the bottom to access other info about Cat’s patterns and the community..) Maintaining Cat Bordhi’s legacy Cat Bordhi was one of the most creative people we’ve ever known, and one of […]

I’m HOME! Wales and Cornwall were wonderful!

I got home from the UK on May 2 and I think I slept for a week. We did so much, saw so many things over there.  I never knew Wales was SO lovely.  There are rolling hills (like central Maryland) but not like in Wales. Deep valleys are squeezed in between peaks, with white […]

I am SO Excited: WALES!

In less than two weeks I will be on my way to England to meet my group of knitters.  We will travel by coach to Wales, visiting a sheep farm, gardens, museums, a castle, a gorgeous cathedral, and more.  Then we will continue on to Cornwall, going by Plymouth where our ancestors started out on […]

Fun at Red Alder!

Last week I taught at Red Alder Fiber Retreat in Tacoma, WA.  My students were so enthusiastic and grateful to be at a fiber conference again.  I know the feeling!  My 2-day class on the Icelandic Lopapeysa (the lopi sweater) was such fun.  Take a look at the photos I took of my class and […]

A New Year!

Happy New Year everyone! I am looking forward to exploring new ways of sharing knitting information through my Patreon Project.  I will be discussing my process of designing, starting with a Lopi cardigan this winter. Photos from my many travels will be another way to inspire as we see other parts of the world.  I […]

New Pattern: Karneval Gloves

I finished up my pattern inspired by Estonian Roositud gloves: Karneval. All the little bits of color in these gloves remind me of the fabulous parades and celebrations in New Orleans for Mardis Gras and Karneval in Rio de Janeiro, as well as in Germany and Spain and more!  This pattern will teach you the […]

At Sea is Now Available!

This gansey pattern was originally published in the fabulous book Knitting In America,  by Melanie Falick.  It is now available in FIVE  sizes (the original had three sizes) with updated charts.  You can learn more about it, and purchase it, here.

Ice Cave- Inspired by Estonian Roositud Gloves

My newest pattern, Ice Cave, is available in The Knitting Guild Association’s (TKGA) Cast-on magazine, the Winter 2021 issue.   You must be a member of TKGA to access this magazine, which also has lots of other patterns and technical articles.  Roosimine (the technique of creating Roositud items) is a fun technique for adding color […]

Crimson Maples Fair Isle Gloves Newly Released!

Finally, I am able to offer my newest pattern, Crimson Maples for sale!  This glove pattern is written for three sizes.  Learn more about these lovely gloves, originally published in TKGA’s Cast-On Magazine, on this page.

Announcing: Newhaven!!!

Newhaven is my gansey that appeared in my first book and the second as well.  Now I am releasing it as a stand-alone pattern. This gansey is patterned horizontally which means it is easier to knit, having only one motif to contend with at a time.  There are two options for the neckband: a rolled […]

Join my Patreon Project!

Over the three years that I have been posting on my Patreon project, I have covered historic knitting,  highlights of my travels to China and the UK, created videos of technique and sent copies of my patterns to my patrons. Through February and March, I discussed the wonderful Swedish sweaters from the Halland district that were knitted for pay for a known customer in the late 1800s to early 1900s. In the past month, I have delved deeper into the construction of the Scottish Sanquhar gloves.

A New Class: Unique Latvian Cuffs

 I have just completed writing a new class and handout focused on some of the beautiful Latvian Cuff methods not regularly seen in today’s mittens.  IN this class, students will create three edges: the Twisted Garter Edge, the Scalloped Edge, and the Diagonal Boxes Cuff.  They all require three colors.  As one cuff is practiced, […]