Category: Knitting

Knitting

Arsenic and Old Lace

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blue and cream lace shawl
close up of knitting stitches in blue and cream lace shawl

I enjoy my Agatha Christie as visual experiences rather than words on the page, whether it is the cinematic classic, Witness for the Persecution, (1957 with Marlene Dietrich, Tyrone Power, and Charles Laughton) or the new streaming adaptations of Hercule Poirot starring and directed by Kenneth Brautigan.

While I know Marie Greene best as a knitting designer, instructor, and the author of six knitting books, she has a passion for mysteries. Currently she is expanding her repertoire while writing her first mystery.

Two of her fall mystery knit-alongs (MKAL) paid homage to her favorite author, Agatha Christie, with The Tuesday Night Wrap in 2023 and, most recently, last October, with Arsenic and Old Lace. As my attention was focused on unpacking and hanging art at Solstice Place, I cast on after the pattern was fully revealed. No mystery during my project.

Arsenic and Old Lace is a two-color shawl that begins by casting on five stitches and then, through a series of increases along the side edges and the center midline, grows into a lacy triangular shawl. This version artfully combines two skeins of fingering weight yarn. The pale blue is from my days as member of Sew Happy Jane’s Handdyed Yarn Club and the creamy variegated was a souvenir skein purchased during our great-niece’s destination wedding weekend in Tennessee.  It is always rewarding to stash dive and transform yards and yards of yarn into wearable art.

Happy Knitting!

Knitting

Geometric Designed Beanies

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detail of a green and cream colored beanie with a geometric design
two beanie with geometric patterns - left blue and cream colored right green and cream colored
blue and cream colored beanie with a geometric design

I recently completed two thick textured beanies while awaiting a small shipment of blended Merino – Manchego yarn from The Woolly Thistle as part of my virtual tour of Spain and Portugal.  Marie Greene designed the Adventurer Beanie as part of her stash buster series, A for Accents.

Slipped stiches create the color changes while holding only one strand per row instead of a more complex colorwork technique.  Combining two high-contrast yarns produced the bold geometric stitch pattern reminiscent of the Interlacken Headbands and Lake Stroll Cowl that I completed in February 2025. These were also stash-buster projects made with yarn on hand and remnants from previous projects.  As a Minnesotan, I know that even during today’s extreme heat advisory, caused by high daytime temperatures and uncomfortable humidity, chilly weather is only months away and cozy caps will soon be essential.

Happy knitting!

Knitting

Armchair Travels

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Spanish windmills along a hilltop with vibrant blue sky

And I am off (virtually) to the Iberian Peninsula to I explore Spain and Portugal with The Wooly Thistle Armchair Travels.  Without needing a passport, enduring cramped overseas flights, or wondering if US Customs will allow this liberal Midwesterner re-entry to the USA, I will traverse hillsides with Merino and Manchega sheep flocks and their shepherds, visit woolen mills, and learn about designs, techniques, and fiber traditions unique to that corner of the globe.  Barcelona has long been on my bucket list, so this blends nicely despite my lack of Spanish or Portuguese.

This virtual learning experience is a continuing adaptation that began with the pandemic and Richard’s Parkinson’s Disease diagnosis.  While my initial retirement plans had included an annual international knitting tour, the 2020 Copenhagen & Faroe Islands tour and Rowan Tree Travel and Fibercraft’s Wool & Whisky in 2021 were canceled due to the worldwide lockdown.  Instead, I discovered online alternatives – from the Strickmich Club with Martina Behm whose shop is in Damsdorf, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany to French knitting designer, Solène Le Roux, whom I worked with when she lived in Paris and followed her move to creating a retreat center at the Château de Parançay in southwest France.

For five years, 2020-2024, I participated in Knit Camp at the Coast with Marie Greene and enjoyed the Pacific Northwest from the comfort of Minnesota.  Her Zoom-based retreat offered technical instructions, theme related recipes, knitting accessories, and (of course) yarn.  I missed 2025 while we were in the midst of our move from First Street to Solstice Place but I am looking forward to a re-envisioned Knit Camp experience this August.  

What started in 2009 as a spiritual support project knitting prayer shawls, has evolved into daily practice with a wealth of learning experiences, camaraderie with fellow knitters, and even travel without leaving home.  As I continue exploring knitting with my fellow Knit Campers and now joining New Hampshire’s The Wooly Thistle Armchair Travels, I hope to keep my fingers nimble and my neuro-pathways flexible.

¡Bienvenidos! Bem-vindos!

Photo credit: The Wooly Thistle

Knitting · Spirituality

Red Hat Resilience

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blue house with snow, Minnesota flag and wintery morning sun

In August 2024, I bought a Minnesota state flag to hang on our Kutzky Park front porch.  It was a point of pride that my Governor was a vice-presidential candidate.  I unfurled the flag again on that frigid Saturday last month, the day of the first of reoccurring ICE out of Minnesota NOW! marches.  This time the flag on our front porch is a subtle sign of protest on a quiet street in a new neighborhood but also a sign of resilience; proud that Minnesota residents will not be bullied.

Like you, I am experiencing the challenge of how to watch the news and yet stay sane.  How to be aware of the life and death actions happening in our community and just a few miles up the road, and around the country, as well as celebrate how good people are coming together.  Since it is easy to get caught up in the onslaught of news, I am trying to avoid the trap of doomscrolling.  As you know, that is tough when the most basic of American tenants are dismantled before our eyes.  When those principles – literally written in stone – “Give me your tired and your poor…” are discarded. 

I limit my morning routine to checking several reliable news sources but then shift to the arts – knitting sometime during each day and a daily dose of poetry, a gentle salve for a bruised soul.  Simple words on paper (or a screen) that capture the complexity of modern emotions.  There are times when the Poetry Foundation’s Poem for the Day is a good fit while other days, I dig a little deeper often returning to the words of former poet laureates Joy Harjo, Ted Kooser, or Amanda Gorman. 

Gorman, the youngest inaugural poet, an award-winning author, a banned book author, is an accomplished writer who captured our angst within hours of the murder of Renee Nicole Good and again after the fatal shooting of Alex Jeffrey Pretti.  Her words honoring Renee Good reminded us:

Change is only possible,
& all the greater,
When the labour
& bitter anger of our neighbors 
Is moved by the love
& better angels of our nature.

Some mornings, I listen as her lyrical voice recites poignant words that go with the quiet flow of fiber through my fingers; a meditative quality of one stitch after another, moving from skein to project to finished item which, at the moment, are red Melt the ICE hats.

I am an early participant in today’s red hat phenomenon.  You may have heard how the owner of a small yarn store in St. Louis Park wanted to re-create the visual impact of the sea of pink hats seen worldwide at rallies in 2016.  The design draws on Minnesota’s Norwegian heritage and that country’s resistance to Nazi occupation during World War II

The Norwegian Resistance Museum in Lillehammer has on display red beanies from that era and copies of the Nazi alert forbidding anyone, under threat of punishment, from possessing a red hat, regardless of age.  Red hats have become a worldwide statement.  Over 100,000 copies of the pattern have been sold to crafters in 43-countries and over $650,000 has been distributed to metro area non-profits supporting immigrants.

Today, whether we march, or sing, or knit, let’s follow Bruce Springsteen’s call to “take a stand for this land and the stranger in our midst.”  Words that universally resonate and are making this new anthem a number one song in countries around the world. May love unfurl and lead us wherever we go:  into the streets, into caucuses or voting booths, at public meetings or any place where love creates community, justice, art – and into a practice that makes the fibers of our hope into something strong enough to give us warmth, shelter, and resilience – much like red Melt the ICE beanies.

Knitting

Kumi Cardigan

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Having seen his shadow earlier this morning, Punxsutawney Phil predicted our frosty weather will continue making this the perfect time to begin the annual Knit Camp winter sweater workshop. With pine needle green yarn in hand, my swatch knit to gauge, and an entire library of online tutorials just a click away, I am ready to cast on. Marie Greene describes the Kumi Cardigan as:

small moss covered Japanese pagoda in a lush green garden
A richly textured cardigan inspired by Japanese Kumihimo. Kumihimo are traditional Japanese braided cords (usually made with silk or other fiber), historically used for armor, kimonos, and samurai swords, but now popular for jewelry, accessories, and crafts using tools like braiding disks. The name Kumihimo means "coming together of threads," resulting in decorative and functional cords that can be round, flat, or square, with intricate patterns. This sweater design features Japanese cables that are inspired by the use of these decorative cords.

My yarn is Peruvian merino wool in light worsted/DK-weight that I have used before and know it offers wonderful stitch definition. This will ensure the Kumi textures “pop.”  The pine needle colorway has an almost heathered quality with subtle variations, not just plain green, but reminiscent of sunshine on tall swaying white pine trees.

Happy knitting!

Knitting

Melt the ICE: Knit for Justice

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red, handknitted beanie with straight sides, pointed top and a braided tassle

With a nod to Minnesota’s Norwegian heritage and honoring that country’s historic resistance to Nazi occupation during World War II, needle & skein, in St. Louis Park, is promoting a Melt the ICE Hat. Designed with versatility in mind, the beanie can be knit using fingering, DK, or worsted weight yarn. A crochet pattern is also available. A quick check of Ravelry projects reveals that since the pattern was released on January 16 thousands of fiber artists have already cast on this unique design.

The yarn store website describes the reason behind the flat, pointy, tasseled design this way: “In the 1940’s, Norwegians made and wore red pointed hats with a tassel as a form of visual protest against Nazi occupation of their country. Within two years, the Nazis made these protest hats illegal and punishable by law to wear, make, or distribute.”

For those a little less familiar with Minnesota geography, St. Louis Park is a close-in Twin Cities suburb just west of Minneapolis. Some of the news footage you have seen recently may be from those very streets. The yarn store has promised that “the proceeds from the sale of the pattern will go to the LynLake community of businesses who will distribute the funds to those impacted by the actions of ICE.”

Using a stashed skein of Kelbourne Woolens Germantown in a Persian Red, I finished the first of five (or maybe more) Melt the ICE Hats. As friends seek something rational to grasp onto after a nightmare week that revealed the best of Minnesotans who rallied in peaceful protest by the tens of thousands in sub-zero temperatures and the worst of America with the executions of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, I will use my knitting needles to proclaim:

Do justice. 
Love kindness. 
Abolish ICE.
Knitting

Celebrating the New Year with a New Sweater

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close up of shoulder and collar of a handknit sweater in silvery gray and maroon checks
handknit sweater in silvery gray and maroon checks
close up the sleeves of a handknit sweater in silvery gray and maroon checks

As I begin typing, it is midnight in Chișinău, Moldova – the most eastern locale I have visited. To celebrate 2026, I am shaking a vintage noise maker and presenting Kleine Cardigan. I began knitting this sweater in February as part of Knit Camp’s first ever virtual travel club and Marie Greene’s annual winter knit-a-long (KAL) workshop.  While I completed the knitting in August, this organic merino project was packed away for our move to Solstice Place. Just today it came off the blocking squares and it is ready to wear in the new year.  The sweater’s repeating check pattern pays homage to the Swiss flag, although I did take the liberty with my colors as the silvery gray and maroon combo will better suit my wardrobe palate.   

Happy knitting and Happy New Year! Or, more appropriately – Viel Spaß beim Stricken und ein frohes neues Jahr!

Knitting

Dragon Lace Scarf

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lacy handknit scarf in burgundy yarn
details of a lacy handknit scarf in burgundy yarn

While knitting this scarf, my imagination turned to George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones, as well as several other paranormal titles featuring dragon protagonists since independent designer, Tanya Lavine, described her lace motif as resembling dragon scales. As always, the Kenzie yarn was a joy to work with and the blend of fibers – merino, alpaca, angora, nylon, silk – will be soft and cuddly on a frosty day.

Fingers crossed, I completed this December gift-a-long (GAL) project in the allocated time which makes me eligible for randomly selected prizes. Now, I only need a recipient.

Knitting

Joining a Gift-A-Long

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two skeins of beetroot colored yarn

Just in time for holiday gift giving, over 200 indie designers are hosting Gift-A-Long 2025. Launched last evening at 5:00pm US EST, this knit-a-long / crochet-a-long (KAL/CAL) will run through December 31 at 11:59pm US EST. 

Unlike other KALs in which I have participated when there has been one pattern shared by one designer, the gift possibilities of this KAL are endless – from caps to cowls, from scarves to sweaters, and even stuffies. While all patterns by the participating designers are eligible to be knit or crocheted, only projects made from purchased patterns will be eligible to win prizes. This unique marketing technique had me scanning patterns and checking my in-house yarn inventory last evening.  And, this morning, with pattern and stashed yarn selected, I cast on a lacy scarf in this vibrant beetroot colored New Zealand merino tweed.

Happy knitting!






Knitting · New House

Yarn: Sorted and packed

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four large plastic bins filled with yarn

I took up my knitting needles for the first time in 32 years when President-Elect Obama asked Americans to volunteer on inauguration weekend 2009. All of those first projects supported a new caring ministry at church, and I was very select in my yarn purchases: three skeins of Lion Brand Homespun for a prayer shawl or a colorful yet purposeful selection of Cotton-Ease for dishcloths. Eventually, I graduated to better quality fibers, but they were always chosen for a specific pattern. At the time, I was a “monogamous knitter” and that was also how I made my fiber purchases, one at a time. It would be five years before I ventured to that slippery slope of purchasing yarn without having already planned a project.

I have distinct memories of that 2014 purchase. For weeks, before the start of each sampler afghan knitting class, I gravitated to the bin of Frabjous Fibers fingering and admired the soft, springy texture. But the weight gave me pause. I had been working with thicker strands (worsted, Aran, chunky) and the fingering selections felt fragile by comparison.

But as brown was Dad’s favorite color and he would have appreciated the dark chocolate hue, I eventually purchased a skein in the Hedgehog colorway without any idea of what it might become. That was my first step into stash creation. Then there were yarn crawls hosted by local yarn stores – each an opportunity to purchase potential. And yarn clubs with boxes of squishy mail arriving monthly from Idaho and quarterly from Germany (although not in the same year.) Each purchase was photographed and inventoried, but organization was slightly haphazard with yarn tucked in six locations around our small house.

In preparation for our move to Solstice Place, that mishmash has been corrected. Each skein (all 115) has been sorted by weight and yardage, the location has been verified in the Ravelry database, and those skeins are stored in new plastic tubs that Two Men & a Truck will move in 39 days.

Happy knitting!