Blog a la Cart

Drop Stitch Cowl

I’ve had six skeins of this soft, gorgeous, chunky yarn by Debbie Bliss burning a hole in my knitting bag since last season. Yes, I’m serious. I knew I wanted to make a big ol’ cowl/circle scarf piece with the yarn and had been on the hunt for a pattern I could adapt.

Fortunately, I was introduced to a fellow Pownal Mama/Blogger/Knitter/Farmer who has a great pattern for a Drop Stitch Cowl in her Ravelry profile. Her name is Abi. She owns two alpacas. I am jealous. And her blog, Spider Woman Knits, is delightful. I recommend that you take a gander.

To create my cowl, I used six skeins of Debbie Bliss Paloma in charcoal and worked the pattern on US 15, 16″ circular needle. To adapt Abi’s pattern, I worked 90 stitches rather than 46, and I added two rounds to the pattern so it looked like:

Round 1: Knit
Round 2: Purl
Round 3: Knit
Round 4: Purl
Round 5: Knit
Round 6: Purl
Round 7: Knit 1, YO twice* repeat all the way around
Round 8: Purl around dropping the YO’s without working them

I then repeated this pattern until I’d almost used up the last of the six skeins, and then I bound off on a knit round.

More details about the project in my ravelry profile here. This piece is already a staple of this season’s wardrobe. I’ve worn it everyday since it was completed last week. Now that’s the sign of a successful project! What do you think?

Amanda Jane Jones

How unbelievably clever, cute and well-designed are these Year in Review holiday cards? So so so much so. But believe your eyes, friends, as both of these cards were created by the very talented Amanda Jane Jones – a blogger/designer that I’ve been following for some time, primarily inspired by my love of her My Better Half series. I dream that one day James and I will be a part of this awesomeness!

She’s currently running a giveaway on her blog for one lucky reader to have their “Year in Review” designed and printed thanks to her and Cleanwash Letterpress. My fingers are extra-super crossed that I win – but I thought I could share the opportunity with all of you. How great would it be to highlight the purchase of Cartwheel Farm, our flock of hens with one rogue rooster, and our three-legged wonder dog? What a year it has been! The giveaway details are here. Good luck!

Images & Designs: Courtesy of Amanda Jane Jones

Trick-or-Treat 2012

The Big Bad Wolf and Little Red Riding Hood together. At last! They had quite the evening trick-or-treating. Courtland was still asleep when I left the house at 8:30 this morning. We tuckered that one out! Or it’s the epic sugar crash talking. I know I’m rocking a sugar hangover – seriously, my head is pounding! Any solutions for a post-Halloween headache (that was no way alcohol-induced)?

Of course, everyone thought these two were quite the pair. And of course everyone thought that Courtland was a boy (not a princess + dressed in grey = boy. It’s basic math, apparently). People would say to Addison, “Oh! Look at your scary brother, the Big Bad Wolf!” and she would declare, “That’s my sister! SIS-TER!” before stomping off their porch. She had no qualms about taking their candy and putting them in their place. Double whammy.

The Wolf chasing Little Red. Run run, Sunny!

Prior to trick-or-treating, we had dinner with two groups of friends and their littles. Sunny was thrilled that she and her BFF Esmé were together. They were quite the giggly, excited pair.

We took the local neighborhood by storm, thanks to some coaxing from the grown-up contingent.

Kaki’s FGF and Baby Dragon Brie joined us for the festivities. The cuteness factor went up exponentially thanks to Brie’s chubby cheeks and baby smile. That kid will kill you dead with the cute. Add a plush animal head to the mix and stick a fork in you, you’re done!

Overall, a fun and festive Halloween night. What did you do for the evening? Any cute stories/pix to share? I’d love to hear!