California Red sheep are a cross between American Tunis and Barbados Blackbelly sheep. I obtained a pound of California Red  from Apple Rose farms in New Jersey.  The wool is a warm oatmeal colour with raspberry hairs scattered throughout. I spun the fleece just as it was when it arrived, with a fair bit of [...]

One blustery day last fall, I wrapped myself up in my  Hestia shawl to take my little Kinders out for recess. Huddled against the cold September wind, it occurred to me that a cardigan made with this same luxurious alpaca yarn would be pure comfort. And so… Solace was born.  The yarn is 2 ply, [...]

While listening to the Knit Picks podcast for March 31, entitled Sensational Sock Yarns, I was reminded of another great way to use up all those bits of sock yarn left over from various projects. I cleared out a basket full of fine weight yarn bits last year by making these machine knit toques for [...]

Numerous things have conspired to keep me from posting the past 3 months or so, not the least of which is my return to work as a full time Kindergarten teacher. I’m having more fun as a teacher than I’ve had in 20 years but, at my age, a full day in the classroom with [...]

I recently discovered this book at my local library and liked so many of the patterns in it that I bought the book for myself. It’s full of easy and fun hat projects, most of which can be crocheted in an evening or two. The designer is Afya Ibomu. Her crocheted hats are popular with [...]