Here is a look at what I’ve finished over the last month and what I’m working on in September. Please note the design and test knit links throughout this post are to the Ravelry unless they say otherwise. I know the new look of Ravelry is really bothering some people, if this is the case for you I’m sorry you are having to deal with this and hope they’ll have it figured out soon. Yarn links are to yarn companies. Etsy links are to my shop.
FINISHED
The Astrid tee pattern is released!! simple top-down layering tee with a slight scoop neck and simple mock cable edging. I expanded the sizing on this one to include an 8th size. Sample tee worked in Treasure Goddess Yarns DK Treasures in the color Ruby Daggers. Astrid on Etsy.
Tallgrass Knitting (my Etsy shop) is up and running! Currently, the shop carries a good chunk of my knitting patterns, stitch marker sets, mini-stitch marker sets to mix and match and my first kit!!!
ON THE NEEDLES
I’m picking back up my sweater designs for this Fall and Winter. I’m knitting on this DK weight dark teal/turquoise cabled top down sweater. This design is a simple top-down seamless raglan with positive ease and a center front cable panel. I don’t always make sample sweaters in my size but this one I definitely am. I love the color, I love the cable, I love the weight and I love how soothing and joyful it is to knit. The yarn for this sample is Knit Picks Gloss DK in the color Kenia.
I also finally started this top-down simple crescent fingering weight shawl in a deep, beautiful red named Cranberry from Wichita Woolery. I’ve been having a lot of fun figuring out how a new way to work the increases on this one. I think I need a sweater this color at some point. I love the deep red.
I’m finally ready to start working on my new Sherri Pullover too. My old one is worn out so I’m excited to get this one ready to wear this Fall. This version is knit out of Valley Yarns Amherst in the color Harvest Gold.
And I’ve got this next cowl design very close to ready for a test knit to begin. The sample cowl is knit out of Mirasol Yarns Nuna (link to Nuna yarn on WEBS) in the color Butternut. If you listen to me on the Geminate Podcast, you’ll know that this yarn really took a beating and held up super well.
As I was taking these progress pictures, I noticed that all 4 of these yarns have a very Fall look and feel. That made me happy enough that I smooshed them all together for this pic.
I’m busy working on a new holiday cowl for 2020 too. I’ve mentioned before that I live in a yarn desert with the closest LYS more than an hour away. That makes finding just the right new yarn for a project tricky. This time with the help of a good friend and the owner of Yarn Social in KC I was able to “shop” for the perfect pink yarn for this design. The pink yarn is Blue Sky Fibers Woolstok Worsted in the color Quartz Crystal (100% highland wool, the wool smell of this yarn is so comforting) and the green is Berroco Vintage Worsted in the color Envy. If you follow my designs, you know I don’t write colorwork patterns. Instead, I’ll be using both yarns for two separate sample cowls for the design. I’m excited for this one to come out!!
The Prairie Winds Pullover test knit just started. top down seamless raglan with a shallow scoop neck and 3/4-length slightly flared bell sleeves. The diagonal lace panels at the bottom of the body and sleeves evoke the ever-present winds on the prairie. Fingering weight sweater!!!! Turns out I love wearing a fingering weight sweater so I see many more of these in my future. Sample worked in Miss Babs Woodbury (65% Merino Wool, 35% Tussah Silk) in the color Old Gold. I love this sweater with the slightly belled sleeves and lace at the bottom of the body and sleeves!
The Hot Chocolate Hat test knit is moving fast with all of the 11 testers already completing their projects!! The Hot Chocolate Hat combines a simple cable with a mock cable in an all-over repeat. This hat uses the same cables as my Café Blend Cowl making a nice matching set. Find the Cafe Blend in Tallgrass Knitting (my Etsy Shop) here. This pattern in written in 5 sizes. The sample hats out of Knit Picks Wool of the Andes on US Size 7 (4.50 mm) needles.
The garden growth is slowing down. The tomato plants are looking less and less happy. The husband’s hops has been harvested. The okra plants are now almost as tall as I am. And we’re getting lots of peppers. Now that the peppers are larger I can start to see where I planted which types. I might have gone a little overboard with all the varieties I planted – black Hungarian peppers, Marconi peppers, banana peppers, jalepeno peppers, King of the North peppers and bullnose peppers. I’m just about to the point in the year where I need the younger teen to take over the garden to keep it alive since I’m loosing interest.
I feel relieved that 2020 is more than half over. I ordered this new funny tee because parts of 2020 have definitely stunk. But, in all honesty, there have been plenty of good in 2020 too – family game nights, family movie nights, brothers hanging out together, finding out I like curbside grocery pickup, the garden, both teens learned to play new musical instruments and important subjects like social equality being discussed just to name a few. I hope you can make your own list of what good has happened in 2020. Please be kind to yourself and others as we all move forward.
