Month: December 2021

week 52: current mood + inspiration for the new year

Published by fairfaxhill

Hello! I wish I could be more cheery on this last day of the year, but waking up to the news of the fires in Colorado plus the test result I got this morning was all a bit disappointing. This could have all been avoided if I’d just said no to end-of-year gatherings. As an introvert, I would have been delighted to stay home. So, I am now stuck in my room for the next week, hoping to keep the rest of our household virus-free.  On the positive side of things, I am pretty good at finding ways to keep busy when I am by myself. I can blog, work on knitting projects, learn something on SkillShare, do some sudoku, try to draw or sew something, do some needlepoint, watch a movie, or read. Maybe this won’t be so terrible. At least, so far, I am not feeling too bad. Before realizing I had been blessed with this stupid virus, I started working on the Bedford Sweater, a pattern I found on the Brooklyn Tweed …

week 50 – a holiday cowl pattern, balaclavas, babka buns, and Tucci’s memoir

Published by fairfaxhill

New Holiday Cowl Pattern Hello! I’ve finished a new cowl. Every winter, I crave something red to go with my black sweaters, especially during the holidays. So, in an attempt to feel like a real knitwear designer (#goals), I decided to get some yarn (Highland Duo alpaca merino wool blend from Cascade Yarns), chose a stitch pattern I liked and tried something on my own. I cast on 50 stitches and knit until the cowl was about 11 inches deep. This yarn will forever be my favorite for things that are close to my neck. It is so soft! I made a blue cowl with it a few years ago. Interested in the pattern? Check out my new Etsy store (a work in progress). After trying the cowl on, I realized it was snug enough to pull over my head like a cap. This got me thinking about the balaclava craze that’s going on in the knitting world. Have you noticed? I first saw one on Petite Knit’s Instagram account and thought they were adorable …