Pattern Release: Bolinas Cardigan

The last pattern of the Beachwalk Knits collection, the Bolinas Cardigan, is now live! The sample is done in Kelbourne Woolens Scout, a really nice workhorse wool yarn.

Here are the details!

This gorgeously cabled, oversized cardi is sure to keep you warm on chilly days or evenings!

The sweater is knit from the top down, with stitches picked up from the shoulder straps, fronts and back joined at the armholes, and the garment continued in one piece.

The sleeves are worked by picking up stitches along the armhole, working short rows for the cap shaping, then continuing in the round.

Sizes
Women’s XS (S, M, L, XL, 2X, 3X)

To fit bust: 28 (32, 36, 40, 44, 48, 52)“ / 71 (81.5, 91.5, 101.5, 112, 122, 132) cm with 5½ – 7” / 14 – 17.5 cm of ease

Finished Measurements
Bust: 34½ (37½, 41½, 45½, 50½, 55, 58¾)“ / 87.5 (95.5, 105.5, 115.5, 128.5, 139.5, 149) cm

Shown in size 2x

See schematic for full measurements.

Yarn
Kelbourne Woolens Scout, 100% wool (274 yds / 250 m per 100 g), est 5 (6, 6, 7, 8, 9, 9) skeins approx 1293 (1380, 1516, 1706, 1923, 2224, 2345) yds / 1182 (1262, 1386, 1560, 1758, 2034, 2144) m, shown in Oatmeal.

See pattern notes regarding yardage.

Needles
US 4 / 3.5 mm needles or size needed to obtain gauge
US 3 / 3.25 mm needles or one size smaller than size needed to obtain gauge for ribbing

Your choice of circular or straight needles for flat knitting and circular or DPNs for in the round
Spare circular needles for tubular bind off

Gauge
22 sts and 32 rows / rounds in 4” / 10 cm in Spot Stitch pattern
Approx 30 sts in 4” / 10 cm over cabled patterns

Notions
(10) stitch markers; waste yarn or stitch holders; cable needle; yarn needle

Skills
cabling, reading charts, picking up stitches, short row shaping, optional tubular bind off

Surprise!

Surprise blog post, because surprise lambs!

I’d been thinking the last few weeks that Lyra might possibly be bred, but I hadn’t seen any real evidence, so I’d only been casually checking on her. There was no udder growth to speak of, she was simply getting fat. I thought, then, that going away for the weekend would be no big deal.

My sister had gotten me tickets for Christmas to see My Favorite Murder in DC, and since she lives not far from the city, we planned to make a whole weekend of it. All was going swimmingly until right as we were getting onto the Metro, when I got a text from Emily saying that there were new lambs in the field.

*cue panic*

The good news is that Neve was uncharacteristically at home rather than work on a Saturday afternoon, and so crisis was averted. Lyra had birthed two sturdy ewe lambs on her own, and Neve made sure they were dried and nursing before getting them into their own pen and finding food and a water bucket for Lyra. Fortunately it was also much warmer than it has been the last week, you know, what with the Polar Vortex and all.

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The white lamb is called Iona, after the Scottish isle.

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The black lamb is called Islay, after the Scottish Isle from whence the best whisky comes.

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Thanks to Neve I was able to enjoy the show last night (seriously, Karen and Georgia are the best……random drunk lady who got on stage and couldn’t keep it together, not so much. Hopefully that didn’t put them off from coming back to DC in the future).

Today I returned home to two beautiful new ewe lambs to snuggle and a reminder that I should probably make more effort to keep this space alive. Happy February!

Photo A Day Challenge: Start With ‘R’…

Rowboat

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Menemsha.  Martha’s Vineyard

https://citysonnet.wordpress.com/2019/02/01/february-colors-and-letters/

Photo A Day Challenge: Favorite Color…

Taking liberties and posting my favorite coloringNot only is it February, the month of hearts, but also my favorite color changes from time to time and they’re pretty much all here. 🙂

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https://citysonnet.wordpress.com/2019/02/01/february-colors-and-letters/

 

Reflecting The Sunset…

The sunset over New Jersey from the Henry Hudson Parkway along the Hudson River in New York City.

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Sunset reflected in windows.

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Photo A Day Challenge: Ice Blue…

This particular challenge prompted me to revisit pictures from a  cruise to Alaska in 1988. (I took pictures of the pictures so they might be a little grainy).

As the ship sailed into Glacier Bay a small fog bank lifted and there in front of us was Mendenhall Glacier.

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You could hear the glacier groaning and moaning as it inched its way to the bay… the last picture is of ice and snow falling into the water.

 

One of my favorite pictures is from the helicopter flying over the glacier.

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Walking on the glacier.

 

Leaving.

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https://citysonnet.wordpress.com/2019/01/01/january-colors-and-letters/

Photo A Day Challenge: With Letter ‘W’…

Water wheel. 

Cooper Grist Mill, Chester, New Jersey

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https://citysonnet.wordpress.com/2019/01/01/january-colors-and-letters/

Photo A Day Challenge: Frosted Amethyst…

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https://citysonnet.wordpress.com/2019/01/01/january-colors-and-letters/

Encouragement and Inspiration…

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Everywhere you look this time of year there are words of encouragement, hope, and inspiration to help you along with those pesky new year’s resolutions so many of us fail to keep. We all know the sayings and catch phrases and remember them at least for awhile.

When I saw this card… it jumped right out at me… I read it… liked what it said and put it back. Then picked it up again. Put it back and walked away. It pulled me back and it was obvious I wasn’t leaving the store without it.

It’s not just the words, I like the colors, the contented look on the woman’s face.. peaceful and all knowing without being all preachy about it.

Some of these things will be easy to embrace, others not so much.

* Embrace change –- Never an easy thing for me, I usually like things the way they are and fight against too much change… some would say all change but I disagree, I’m trying to accept some change.

*Take the journey back to yourself –- Ahhh, it’s so easy to lose the ‘self’ we are, the one that is inside our heads talking to us. We lose ourselves and become someones mother, wife, sister, friend… the essence of our inner self gets overshadowed. I am definitely encouraging my inner self to stand out and up more often.

*Speak of gratitude –- I am grateful and do speak of it often and hope that it comes through to those I am grateful to, and for.

*Wear yellow shoes—  I used to have yellow heels and yellow patent leather flats and they made me happy. They say you should always have a pair of red shoes and I agree with that, but yellow, now there’s a pair of shoes to dance among the stars in.  (Never got yellow shoes but I have ones with stars on them).

*Unleash your creative spirit –I do unleash my creative spirit… this blog is one example…  and I also like write and to color among other things.

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 *Be positive – I’m not generally positive, I am a pessimist with optimistic leanings but I shall endeavor to switch that around. Really, I’m positive about that !

*Believe in healing — Definitely, no doubt about it…mentally, physically and spiritually.. we can heal.

*Share your inner light— I try to do that, a smile here, a smile there, it’s amazing how many people react positively to that… see, I’m being positive🙂

*Surprise yourself and do things you didn’t think you could do –I’m always surprised at what I do that I didn’t think I could… I usually need a gentle push from loved ones..okay sometimes a shove.

*Live as if you only have one chance –We definitely only have one chance at the life we’re living now.

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Photo A Day Challenge: Start With ‘K’…

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Edgartown ~ Martha’s Vineyard

 

https://citysonnet.wordpress.com/2019/01/01/january-colors-and-letters/