Monthly Archives: June 2012

I went to Columbus, and I ate ice cream

I skipped going to TNNA last year because I had just come home from my epic UK trip, but nothing got in my way this year! Yes, I go to talk to yarn companies and see what’s new in the industry, but really I just go to catch up with my internet friends in real life, shop, and eat a lot of Jeni’s splended ice cream. I didn’t even take my camera this year, so these are all somewhat crappy iphone shots.

I didn’t have a booth, so I was pretty free to roam around. I got some great yarns, and I found a few things I was looking for! It’s always an inspiring trip, and like everyone else, I’m now overflowing with ideas that my hands aren’t fast enough to knit up.

Jeni’s – I went 5 times in three days, but I only took one photo:

jeni's

That’s juniper & lemon curd on top, and hiding underneath is brown butter almond brittle. It’s a good thing I don’t live within even shipping distance of Jeni’s, because it would be rather dangerous. I am, however, about to dive into the world of the Jeni’s cookbook, so…I’d better start working out more.

Cute blurry friends.

blurry friends

Epic baby cuteness.

epic cuteness

Comfest – screwed up people’s phone signals due to sheer volume, and there were SO MANY PEOPLE out on the streets. I took a short walk through and saw a Jeni’s truck, many fried foods, music stages, and a lot of people drinking in the park. I think that’s pretty much the spirit of it.

comfest

Such a great time. I love TNNA, and I hope I can make it out to the winter show in California in January!

First up on my needles from the show is some awesome chainette linen from Shibui – I am very excited about it.

shibui linen

urban farmer

First of all, thank you all so much for your awesome response to Afternoon Tea volume one!
I’m hard at work on the next one, which will shoot in late August. Kind of tough to work on fall/winter stuff in the summer, but such is the life of a pattern designer. I’ve also been super busy working at lettuce knit, and dealing with some family medical issues (good vibes for my dad’s recovery from heart surgery would be appreciated).

But luckily I have a lovely spot to sit and knit now – my apartment (which you may remember I moved into late last summer) is on a second floor and has a nice big porch out front. I’d been without outdoor space for a couple years before moving here, so I was really excited to start up a container garden again! It’s been a pretty slow process of getting things ready, finding containers and everything, but now that it’s warm out the plants seem to be humming along.

First thing I planted in late April was peas, in just a plastic container from Ikea – I have a pretty random assortment of containers, mostly plastic pails. The peas are flowering now and there are few pods too. There won’t be a huge harvest or anything, probably not even enough for a meal, but raw peas straight off the vine are such a treat!

peas

The chard I planted is doing pretty well, though it was slow to germinate. It’s Rainbow Lights, so the stems will be different colours.

chard

Poor romaine. It got nibbled at pretty well before I got some chicken wire (the peas too). It’s finally growing pretty well, but I need even more chicken wire!

romaine

Basil – I love basil and I have about 8 plants! The container on the left is what I grew from seed, the rest I bought.

basil

Just planted beans last week and they’ve popped up really nicely! I’ve got tendergreen and royal burgundy.

beans!

Left to right: Early Girl tomatoes, Husky tomatoes, Bambino eggplant and basil. I know I’m pushing my luck with 2 tomatoes in the same planter. I can’t decide whether I want to spend money on more planters, more soil, and more plants – it’s a slippery slope.

tomatoes, eggplant, basil

I got a nice folding table and chairs from Ikea and we’ve eaten dinner outside a few times. It’s quite lovely.

front porch garden

Today’s first harvest – baby spinach, baby chard, a few leaves of romaine and some basil. A tiny salad?

first porch garden harvest

In fibery news, I’m knitting a lot, and I’ve been crocheting a lot on this blanket:

ripple

It’s almost done now!

Afternoon Tea Volume One

I have something to share with you!

Click through to see and buy my new pattern collection!

I’ve been working really hard at getting out these patterns, I hope you like them.