Knitting

Mystery Knit-Along: Postcard from the Edge

June 2, 2025June 2, 2025 annbh3562 Comments

handknit shawl in purple, green, and peach colors on a white background

close up detail of a handknit shawl in purple, green, and peach colors on a white background

My in-house “colorist” helped select the lovely hues for the Spring String mystery knit-along. I am so pleased with the result that I am keeping the Postcard from the Edge shawl for personal use. When making my initial yarn selection, I identified several pairings from among my stash that looked good but I was stumped when moving beyond two complimentary skeins. However, the pattern required a third selection – a main color, a contrasting color and an accent. I will admit I was hesitant when Richard chose Farmers Market (MC), Macrame (CC), and Pumpkin Spice, a variegated accent skein as I could not envision the outcome. (Note to self – Trust the artist in the house!)

Knitting began when the first of five mystery clues was revealed on April 1 and continued quickly with the release of a new clue each Tuesday; all while learning several new stitches. The hand-dyed organic Merino from Heather Best at Sew Happy Jane had a lovely feel, flowing through my fingers. The Knit Camp pattern from Marie Greene offered clear, tech-edited directions and even provided stitch counts as the shawl grew by four stitches every other row – from just five stitches at cast-on to 419 at bind-off. The end result a triangular shawl featuring lacy scallops and slipped stitches drawn into flowery bursts.

Happy knitting!

Knitting

No fool’n…

April 1, 2025 annbh3563 Comments

…it is time for Knit Camp’s 2025 Spring String Mystery Knit-along (MKAL).

The first clue dropped today without any April Fools tomfoolery. The remainder of the pattern will be revealed over the next four weeks. Just like a well-written dust jacket blurb that offers story hints without giving away the plot, the pattern’s pre-release notes provided an overview sufficient to know this will be a triangular shawl, in three colors using fingering weight yarn.

three skeins of yarn with colors (left to right) purple, varigated coral, and green — Colors: Farmers Market, Pumpkin Spice & Macrame

The yarn for Postcard from the Edge is a lovely selection of hand-dyed, organic Merino from Heather Best at Sew Happy Jane. And, with a move to a new house always on the fringe of my consciousness, there will be three fewer skeins to pack and move as I did a “stash dive” for this project.

Happy knitting!

Park Shawl

April 25, 2024 annbh3561 Comment

snow covered mountain in the distance against a blue sky with trees and craggy rock in the foreground — Glacier National Park – July 2006

two-toned taupe and speckled pink and green hand knit shawl on on wooden hanger — Glacier National Park – July 2006

Just off my needles is Christina Campbell’s International Peace Park Shawl. Her inspiration for this simple asymmetrical shawl knit in two colors, came from Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, the world’s first international park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The design begins and ends with solid segments representing the two bordering countries, color shifting stripes portray the mountain ridges, and the delicate lace segments depict the fragile nature of peace.

My knitting journal usually documents December projects designed by Christina when I have joined 100s of other knitters participating in her annual Project Peace knit-alongs (KAL). The delicate hand-dyed merino fingering skeins from last June’s Hand Dyed Happy Yarn Club are reminiscent of craggy peaks after snowmelt and spring flowers dotting high mountain meadows. The pattern sat in my queue while I waited for that just right combo of yarns since, after three visits, Glacier National Park remains among my favorite natural places with these fond memories…

A mid-summer visit with nieces and nephews when thirteen of us hiked a glacier trail. The sun sparkling so brightly off the snowpack there were sunburned calves, despite a slathering of sunscreen.
When, despite a sunny June day, we could only venture as far as Lake McDonald Lodge as heavy, late season snowfalls blocked Going-to-the Sun Road.
And the thwarted plans to visit Glacier’s Canadian counterpart, Waterton Lakes National Park of Canada, due to lack of proper documentation. We had incorrectly assumed drivers’ licenses were sufficient IDs and we learned (too late) that without our passports, US customs would not allow reentry. Instead, we simply enjoyed rustic Rocky Mountain scenery on our side of the border.

Happy knitting on happy trails!

Knitting

Double Diamond Cowl

April 8, 2024 annbh3563 Comments

an incomplete handknit cowl in rust colored tones with a lace pattern of repeated diamonds resting on a marble background and a green yarn bowl in the upper left corner — A Work-in-Progress

handknit cowl in rust colored tones with a lace pattern of repeated diamonds on a marble background — A Work-in-Progress

With seven cowls tucked away in tissue paper with protective lavender sachets, I recognize I should pause from knitting any more of these wardrobe accessories. This particular article of clothing is a favorite among pattern designers. As proof, I need only refer to the last three collections of new patterns that I’ve bought. Within the knitting universe, cowls provide a quick project that often enables the knitter to explore a new or challenging technique on a small scale with the added benefit of putting into service a beautiful, but solo skein of yarn. I am less certain of their popularity among those seeking soft, squishy neckwear.

My latest finished object features a two-tone, double-diamond lace pattern. Rather than relying on bold contrasts, the color shifts are subtle. The pattern specifically called for “analogous colors – or colors that fall next to each other on the color wheel.” The Double Diamond Cowl is part of Marie Greene’s recently released D is for Diamonds Stashbuster Series. Fully embracing the spirit of the project, this fingering weight yarn came from my stash of lovely hand-dyed fibers acquired while participating in Heather Best’s Hand Dyed Happy Yarn Club.

Happy knitting!

Knitting

If knitting was like baseball

September 3, 2023 annbh3564 Comments

hand knit triangular shawl with a cream colored star and orange accents

… the game would be tied 3 Scarves – 3 Shawls. An earlier decision to skip a summer sweater knit-along (KAL) did not result in a knitting hiatus but rather a steady flow of smaller projects, just perfect for gifts and silent auction donations.

Having worried I would be overwhelmed when I committed to two fingering skeins each month from the Happy Hand Dyed Yarn Club, multiple skeins of Heather Best’s rich color combos have gone directly from mailbox to needles. The purple and white shawl with a whimsical bobble edge was a Knit Camp mystery KAL pattern which paired one of the April skeins with stashed yarn. The deep teal was the second in the April showers yarn offering, again mixed with a lovely merino silk blend. Heather’s dye pots yielded totally different hues for August (reminiscent of a large scoop vanilla bean ice cream served in an old-fashioned waffle cone on a hot day) and these were transformed into Martina Behm’s Half Norwegian. My zigzag choice for Sommer Camp.

Knitting

Getting Ziggy

August 7, 2023August 27, 2023 annbh3563 Comments

While zigzags are not required, they are the theme for the 2023 Sommer Camp hosted by Martina Behm. This annual event begins today and provides the perfect opportunity to mix up my knitting repertoire as I have been stuck on repeat. My camp project will be Martina’s Half Norwegian; a new shawl pattern designed specifically for seafaring participants of a knitting craft cruise to Norway where she was the featured instructor.

Since the pattern requires contrasting colors, I’ll be able to use two of my stashed combo skeins from the Hand Dyed Happy Yarn Club. Plus, Sommer Camp will be an ideal bridge from summer fun with Swiss cousins speaking Schweizerdeutsch (Swiss German) while waiting for September’s Knit Camp at the Coast 2023 with Marie Greene.

Photo credit: Martina Behm

Knitting

A Sheep Story: MKAL

March 22, 2023 annbh3561 Comment

two skeins of yarn with aqua varigated tones on the left and peachy colored on the right

Who doesn’t love a mystery? Whether on paper or film? Puzzle or yarn? As a reader, channeling one’s own powers of detection against the author’s controlled revelation of details which may or may not be clues leading to the discovery of whodunit. As a knitter, reveling in a new stitch and then trying to deduce where the design will go next.

Despite our Minnesota days feeling nothing like spring, it is nearly time for Marie Greene’s spring mystery knit-along (MKAL). Her new pattern will be revealed in four clues, over 10 days, April 3-13. The advance teaser alerted MKAL participants that this will be a triangular shawl in two contrasting colors, knit from top-center down, incorporate texture and special design elements, and the accompanying story will feature the adventures of one rambunctious sheep – hence the title of the MKAL and the shawl – A Sheep Story.

The March surprises in my Sew Happy Jane Hand Dyed Happy Yarn Club subscription could combine nicely for a lovely A Sheep Story mystery shawl. But, my April box arrives on Friday, so I will make my final decision with two new skeins in hand.

Knitting

Filling the time ‘till testing

March 9, 2023August 7, 2023 annbh3563 Comments

hand knit triangular green and purple shawl draped on wooden hanger

My knitting time during these deep winter months (January into March) has focused on small, quick-to-complete projects while I await participation in my first test knit. The sage colored cowl uses yarn I hand-dyed with Kool-Aid as part of a class with Heather Best and I did a stash dive for the wool, alpaca, mohair, silk blend that resulted in the soft, squishy cable bordered shawl.

The pattern I volunteered to test is currently in the making by Jennifer Berg, Native Knitter. While her projects often incorporate geometric images in contrasting colors reminiscent of Acoma pottery or Navajo blankets, a first glimpse of her new design reflects the dramatic colors the raw southwestern landscape. Proceeds from the sale of this soon-to-be released pattern will benefit MMIW – Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

Knitting

Vibrant Colors on a Winter Day

February 23, 2023August 7, 2023 annbh3563 Comments

two skeins of yarn aqua on left and varigated yellow on right

handknit aqua and coral striped shawl on hanger

My stash has lots of blue, green, and purple skeins with an infrequent pop of red. I joined the Sew Happy Jane Hand Dyed Happy Yarn Club intent on stretching my color palate.

While I tracked my first hand-dyed installment from Idaho, I wondered if the new skeins would blend with the predominant hues already in my stash or provide challenges from the color wheel. Both of these thoughts proved true. The solid aqua skein was well within my color comfort zone. The variegated skein is one I definitely would never have selected with its repeating runs of un-dyed natural cream to yellow to coral to burnt orange.

I knew I needed to use this odd yellow skein right away or it would languish for years. A new shawl pattern from Marie Greene featuring lacy contrasting stripes was released at just the right moment for a February project inspiration.

Knitting

Happy Yarn

January 13, 2023 annbh3567 Comments

white mailing box surrounded by skeins of different colored yarn

Martina Behm’s Strickmich! Club has gone on hiatus for 2023 so no squishy packages will arrive this winter from Damsdorf, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Lest I miss the excitement of mystery yarn deliveries, I have filled the gap by joining the Sew Happy Jane Hand Dyed Happy Yarn Club.

Heather Best is an amazing fiber colorist. I used her DK tweed in the Brighter Day colorway for my Fireworks pullover and a matching cowl. The yarn was lovely to work with and that sweater is among my favorites for a bit of warm color on a gray winter day. Using her Kool-Aid formulas, (Yes, the sweet summer drink concoction!) I took five skeins from au naturel wool to subtle hues all the while learning that my passion is not as a dyer.

She begins dying each month’s palate only after club orders are placed. This ensures accurate quantities without overstocking and enables members to choose Fingering or DK weight yarn in single 100g. skeins or to double the fun with a pair of perfectly coordinated hanks – 1 tonal and 1 painted. And, if beautiful yarn is not a prize in itself, each themed box includes curated gifts. Club members may vary weights and quantities each month and even pause participation for a month or two without totally disengaging. The flexible subscription plan is great for participants, although I imagine this marketing approach requires more recordkeeping. Waiting is the only downside of this new yarn service. On these gray January days, while Heather is deep in color-filled production, I must wait to discover the treasures of my February Happy Yarn Club box.

Happy knitting!