Is this my favorite knitting technique?

My love for this knitting style sits between elation and exasperation...

Inside: knitting delights and sorrows, a shepherdess, fiber arts folks, heartfelt writing, celtic patterns + yummy cake.

I’ve enjoyed wearing my Tara Top in Chiang Mai. I always feel so good when I’m wearing something I’ve created by hand.

This week, I gifted a hand towel I’d knitted to a security guard that always looks after our family in the condominium we live in. He was excited because he said (all in Thai) that it was the only one in the world. How true!

One of the joys of knitting is gifting something and them really appreciating it.

My next project is a lace pattern, by Stephanie Lotven of Tellybean Knits (the True Nature Tee.) I’ve been swatching with bamboo/cotton yarn in stockinette and that’s come up beautifully. It’s so light and drapey.

I’m excited to see the finished product but it’ll take time.

I’ve also been practicing the lace pattern repeats because there’s a few techniques in the design I’m not familiar with. Bless Stephanie for including video tutorials on those! They’re increases and decreases: a 5 stitch increase and a CDD (central double decrease.)

Once you know what you have to do it’s easy, so I’m thankful for some guidance.

I’ve been thinking about lace knitting, and when people see those patterns they think “goodness that looks too complicated, I couldn’t do that.” I thought the same a few years ago. But if you don’t challenge yourself, you don’t improve.

I wanted to do impressive knits (lace knits look lovely.) So when I’ve done socks with a lace pattern, the compliments I get are always welcome! Because all the effort you go to to knit a lace design is much more than simple garter stitch.

I’d love to know if you do lace knitting or if you’re thinking about trying it!

A trip down memory lane…

I visited Ermelo in the Netherlands with my family back in 2019. On a bike ride, through the forest which was gorgeous, I met a shepherdess who had a flock of sheep roaming the commons.

At that time of year, I think it was summer, the heather was in bloom. So there was a large flat piece of land with purple flowers everywhere that looked spectacular.

Seeing the sheep with their woolly coats dotted around was so much fun! And I enjoyed listening to the shepherdess say how the sheep are so free and happy, and how they help maintain the common. They keep the weeds down.

That was interesting to learn!

I found a small yarn shop in the town which was a find!

I was encouraged to buy a Scheepjes self-patterning yarn and I made a pair of socks. It took me a while because I made them above the knee. (Good for winter!)

That was lots of fun. I always love going to local yarn shops and seeing the different yarn types available overseas is fascinating.

What I’ve loved this week: reads, listens, visuals and gratitudes…

I wanted to share with you something I’d learned from my son, about recommending other newsletters on Substack. Wow! What a fantastic resource and I wish I’d known about it earlier.

I’ve got some suggestions about who I’m recommending. There are many people writing on Substack and are doing an absolutely amazing job! I find them so inspirational. So I’ve got a big list you might want to look at.

There, I explain to you why each one is worth your time. If you have a favorite fiber artist or maker here on Substack I’d love to hear your suggestions.

Another thing I’ve been trying is Substack Notes (little short snippets of different aspects of my life like my creativity, and beautiful flowers from my daily walks here in Chiang Mai.) Nature pics always bring a smile to my face.

So if you see my notes I hope you enjoy them!

I'm still listening to Phosphorescence by Julia Baird, and I love the way she writes. There’s so much stuff in there, like life lessons I think are important.

I’ve also started another audiobook by Anne Funder called Wifedom, which talks about the wife of George Orwell, the famous writer.

I haven’t gotten far enough in the book to have an opinion, but so far it talks about how difficult this woman’s life was.

Do you have recommendations for me? I’d love to hear them.

I’m talking about cable designs and Celtic patterns, and the combination of the two. I knitted the Fancy Celtic Cable scarf by Kristen McDonnell of Studio Knit and gifted it to my baker friend who loves it. I’m really pleased with that.

It’s always rewarding if the recipient loves the knitting you do.

That cabled pattern design is a 32-row repeat (you can make any length and it still comes up beautifully.) The teal yarn I used was from my previous project (a textured blanket of swatches.)

I loved knitting that pattern, it was not easy, but it was easier because I didn’t use the cable needle. Rearranging stitches for me is better.

I’ve created a video tutorial that shows you how to do the cables in Kristen’s design without a cable needle. Have a look and let me know what you think.

Do you like knitting with cable needles or do you prefer rearranging the stitches? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Food, and particularly, cake. I’ve been visiting the bakery and eating my friend’s delicious fine crumbed delights! I feel grateful there are people in the world who are incredible bakers and I’d love to be able to do something like that.

I wondered if you love cake too, and what flavor?

A thought for you to ponder this coming week…

I'll leave you with this beautiful quote from Anne Vally of Nourishing Things.

“Creative work can spring forth in so many different ways. It might look like classic ‘creativity’—drawing or painting—but, actually, I think creativity is anything and everything that engages our hearts and our eyes and our hands and our hopes. It’s visual art, but it’s also growing things. It’s all the things that make us feel more alive.”

So, may you give yourself the grace of patience, and the courage to try new things. When you slow down, you can relish the stillness.

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