The Traveler

Fast forward…

The kit included in the gift was for Quench by Lisa Richardson. This is a light-as-a-feather scarf knit with Rowan Cashmere Haze, a yarn spun from alpaca, cashmere and silk. Ermagerd! Remember the TV show “I Dream of Jeannie”? I imagine the inside of her bottle decorated with pillows and throws made with this stuff. It is divine! 

The scarf is knit with two strands held together, creating very subtle color blocks. The finished scarf is 85″. This crazy length combined with the airy nature of the fabric lends itself to much wrapping around the neck. As an aside, once you start wearing this scarf, it curls in on itself a lot! It looks like one long narrow tube. I would definitely knit a wider selvedge if I were to make it again.

Carver footnote: We have moved beyond the yarn eating phase. 

Another project off the needles is the Constellate Hat by Hunter Hammersen. Her patterns are clever and visually appealing, but this was not one of my favorite knits. I really did not enjoy working on this as much as I had hoped and it has nothing to do with the pattern. Maybe it was the choice of yarn? The hat is warm and the squish factor is high, but making the elongated stitches proved a bit tedious. 

This hat was knit with Fully Spun 3 ply Sport, a deep jewel-toned marled yarn in the colorway Orion, and Cloudborn Fibers Alpaca in Rose Heather for the accent. Unfortunately, I do not have enough left over for a second pom-pom. 

School was closed in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr., and a snow storm was heading our way. That’s the perfect time to get in the kitchen. I took the opportunity to teach my son how to fabricate chicken wings and make a quick stock from the discarded tips. It is a good skill for a twenty-something fella to possess. He is good company in the kitchen and the end results were delish!

I hope everyone had happy holidays and a smooth transition into the new year!

Love to all!

Regina

Saint of the Day: St. Charles of Sezze. This is a new-to-me saint, but I fell in love with him immediately. St. Charles worked as a shepherd as a child. He joined the Franciscan order as a lay brother. His ability to read or write was limited so he served the order as a cook, porter and gardener. I read where he was described as “an accident waiting to happen”, starting a huge kitchen fire while cooking onions! What’s not to love about this man! There’s a little ReginaMary in this fella! St. Charles’ desire to be poor and to serve the poor made him a blessing to many. I could not find his patronage mentioned anywhere in my readings. Rest assured I will remember St. Charles the next time I forget the rolls under the broiler!

In My Cup: More of that yummy Barry’s Tea in this adorable travel mug. woof!

In My Earballs: Journey (Original Video Game Soundtrack) 

That One Rogue Flower

If you have been with me a while, you know that I name my Ravelry projects after video games. There are exceptions to that from time to time. Today’s post talks about one of those exceptions.

Battenfeld Farm is nursery here in Rhinebeck that grows the beautiful Anemone (a-nem-o-nee) for both wholesale and retail sale. You can pop into the work room and throw money into a cigar box and walk away with a beautiful bouquet. As I was putting my flowers in a vase, I noticed one rogue flower in the mix. A Ranunculus! And, speaking of the Ranunculus…

The Ranunculus is a pattern by Midori Hirose. It is well written and fun to knit. She provides video tutorials for most sections and there are plenty of knitters on YouTube who have done the same. I elected for the short-sleeved version and made mine a tad longer than the pattern states. This sweater is so comfortable and light-weight, and the color is stunning. A winner in my book. Please read the pattern through before knitting this and take advantage of those tutorials if you get stuck. It is so worth the effort. Carver agrees.

Oh how I loved this project. I purchased the yarn at Infinite Yarns in Farmingdale, Long Island; a friendly place with an abundance of yarn! I went with an open mind, not really knowing what yarn I wanted to work with. Then I saw it. The wall of Noro! ::she swoons:: Noro is a yarn that is lovely in photos, but in person will knock your socks off. The beauty of the Silk Garden yarn is that strand of silk that gives the yarn a subtle and distinctive sheen. The depth and variation of color makes this brand very special and I have yet to see images that do justice to its complexity . It is a woolen spun and slubby yarn that is dyed in colors that your eyes never tire of and the slight presence of lanolin make it easy on the hands. Give it a try.

Carver is getting better around my knits and it’s a good thing; there was a time when he could not be in the same room with any yarn. Look at that good boy!

Today’s Saint: Pope St. Anastasius I. Full disclosure. I picked this saint because out of all the saints whose feast is today, he was the only one that didn’t die a gruesome martyr’s death. I spared you the gories and you are most welcome. Anastasius was only Pope for 2 years, but he was a staunch defender of the faith. He is the one who instructed priests to stand and bow their head as they read from the Gospels.  Don’t confuse this fellow with the other Anastasius who, you guessed it, died a gruesome martyr’s death.

In my cup: A delish cuppa white tea in this beautiful mug-both a gift from a friend.

In my ears: Absolutely nothing. I am typing this at 5:15am. The house is dark and quiet. The fire is starting to catch. All is right with the world.

I hope all is right in your world as we get closer to the arrival of Baby Jesus!

Love,

ReginaMary

Party Planning Committee

Being on the Holiday Party Planning Committee afforded me the opportunity to expand my making beyond the world of wool. I do not consider myself creative AT. ALL. I follow directions well and stay in my lane. When I searched for centerpieces on Pinterest, I came upon something I knew I could handle.

Sweet, huh? The one on the left has a blue battery votive and the one on the right has a wax votive. I loved how quickly these came together. I made 18 in one evening. You can find detailed directions here: https://onelittleproject.com/diy-snowy-mason-jars/

I found all the materials on Amazon. When it came time to assemble, I poured a glass of Chianti, tuned in some knitting podcasts and went to town. Two hours later…voila!

Saint of the Day: St. John of the Cross. Can I be honest? I created this post so I had an excuse to talk about the saint of the day. St. John of the Cross is one of (if not my most) favorite saints EVAH! His “Dark Night of the Soul” got me through one of the most challenging periods of my life. His writings are soothing and healing, refreshing and redemptive. I believe God puts people (living and deceased) in our paths at the exact moments when we need them most. My hope is that you encounter the saints. May they transform you and bring you peace.

“In the twilight of life, God will not judge us on our earthly possessions and human success, but rather on how much we have loved.”

St. John of the Cross

The writings of St. John helped me realized that in my darkest hours, God is nearest to me. If I allow myself to trust in God, He will see me through to the other side. I can’t write about this without getting emotional. Yes, my friends, his writings are that powerful. 

In my cup: That delish Irish tea! 

In my earballs: https://open.spotify.com/album/2XnNY3GEkbWHor5kyvXLu4?si=glojp6d9QbeUzBHBT1OvPg

I love you all!

ReginaMary

Love Note No. 3

The Love Note by Tin Can Knits is one of those patterns you want to make again and again. Most of my knitting friends have at least one. It’s just that good. I love the simple, clear way the pattern is written, I love the ease of modification and the range of sizes is all-inclusive. It is this last quality that brings me to write to you today.

This is a Love Note I knit for a sweetheart grand niece who just turned two. The yarn is Blue Sky Fibers-Sweater in Lake. The website describes this yarn as “Soft, family friendly and machine washable. Sweater is versatile and the perfect blend of superwash wool and cotton.” Eliminating the mohair and going with a washable wool/cotton blend was the perfect choice for a toddler sweater and a mama who has another on the way. This yarn is a worsted weight, so I knit the 1-2 yr size. I found the cutest legging at an online boutique. The blue matched perfectly, which never happens. See those buttons along the neckline? They were given to me by a colleague whose mom had quite the collection. I couldn’t have asked for a better embellishment. I attached the buttons in a way that makes them easy for mom to remove if she wishes (but why would she?). The decision to make it short-sleeved was driven by my desire to make the garment multi-seasonal and if she had a growth spurt, the sleeves would never be an issue.

This was a fast and fun knit. If you haven’t knit one for yourself or someone you know, what the heck are you waiting for? Permission to cast on granted!

It’s the Law

I was chosen to report for jury selection on the first day of school. Clearly not idea for the school secretary. They rescheduled me and I gladly reported for duty. In the end, I was not selected, but it was a day of sitting and knitting. I was very productive.

This is the Bohdi Leaf Washcloth by Julia Farwell-Clay. It was featured in the MDK Field Guide No. 7 – Ease. You can see my Ravelry notes here. It is a terrific project for using up small amounts of cotton. It is interesting to see how the same pattern and same needles produce three different sized cloths using different brands of worsted weight yarn. These cloths will go into a gift basket for work, along with some lovely soaps.

My husband challenged me to wear this shirt to jury duty.

I did not.

Saint of the Day: Our Lady of Guadalupe. What can I say? A beautiful encounter with the Blessed Mother. ”Mary’s appearance to Juan Diego as one of his people is a powerful reminder that Mary—and the God who sent her—accept all peoples.”

In my cup: More of that yummy Irish tea. 

In my ears: Fruity Knitting. A classic knitting podcast. I am listening to the episode where Andrea and Madeleine interview the mother/daughter team behind Knitting for Olive. Check it out…their knits are beautiful and classic.

She’s Come Undone

It feels like I am coming out of a blogging hibernation. It was a long period of very little knitting and no writing. I am delighted to be back in the company of all you wonderful bloggers and readers!

As I get back into it, I would like to share my latest project: The Wild Posy, by Melodie Hoffmann. Many things make this sweater special so I will start at the beginning with the yarn.

The sweater was designed with Plötulopi, an unspun Icelandic wool. If you have ever worked with Lopi, this will feel familiar. It is a lovely, toothy wool. But it is unspun. UNSPUN, people! The yarn breaks if you look at it crossly. The yarn was given to me by my bestie who tried her darndest to like it, but soon learned it was best to part ways. As I swatched for this sweater, the yarn broke on the regular. It seems the yarn and I were coming undone. I so wanted this to work; I really loved this pattern. Not to be deterred, I decided to carry a strand of Baby Alpaca Fingering by Ice Yarns. The name is deceptive; this is really not a fingering weight. I would describe it as more of a fine lace weight yarn.

The cast:

The strand of Alpaca did the trick and knitting commenced.

In spite of its tendency to break, this yarn has some wonderful qualities. When it does break, just grab the two ends, rub between your palms and it THAT’S IT! No spit needed. (how often does a gal get to say that?)

You can see the textured yoke in the bottom photo. This is achieved by knitting stitches out of turn, much like cables. There is no need to use a cable needle, however, the stitches hang out and wait for their turn to be picked up due to the nature of the grippy wool. Finally, this has to be one of the lightest weight sweaters I have ever knit. Now that I am knitting the body, the sweater should be done in no time. Maybe in time for Christmas.

Another project recently off the needles is the Snowglobe Hat by Tin Can Knits. Knit with a strand of The Knitting Goddess BFL and that versatile Baby Alpaca mentioned above, this hat was a fun and fast knit. The pattern was easy enough to memorize. If you decide to knit one for yourself, read the pattern through before casting on. The designers create the crown decreases in pattern. It is that attention to detail that makes this a keeper. This hat is a gift for my beautiful sister!

School Shenanigans!

Nothing makes the work day fly by quite like shenanigans.

See if you can guess the references.

Two by Two Zoo came to the school as part of our Madagascar Day activities. I got kissed by this little joey. I thought we bonded, but apparently he detected the smell of cheese on my breath. I knew someday someone would find that attractive!

Let’s wrap it up, shall we?

Saint of the Day: St. John the Wonder-Worker. St. John the Wonder-Worker died on this day in the year 750. John was a fierce defender of sacred images. This position placed him in considerable danger. But fear not! This saint performed so many miracles that the ruler, Emperor Leo V was afraid to prosecute him. I am personally grateful for this man. Sacred images and icons deeply enrich my time in prayer and meditation.

What’s in my cup: This hot deliciousness:

It’s Ireland’s finest after all…Curious if my friends across the pond drink this.

In my earballs: Pardon my Stash, knitting podcast. This bunch hail from Connecticut and spend a little time talking about knitting and a lot of time laughing. They are geeks so I love them!

Be well and take care!

Love,

ReginaMary

A Little Golden Corner of the World

A formal introduction.

https://cosmicknitter.com/carvers-corner/

It only seems fitting that Carver have his own page here on Cosmicknitter. A little place we like to call Carver’s Corner. Stop by and see what the little monkey has been up to these days.

Working My Way Back To You

And just like that {{shesnapsfingers}} two years have passed. It has been too long since I last sat down to write. Where does the time go? It has been a full and eventful time, to be sure.

There are two significant updates I wish to share. We lost our treasured Razzle in November 2022. Razz lived a long and inspiring life where he did what Goldies do…bring joy, melt hearts! We were with him and held him as he passed. Not a day goes by, folks…not a day goes by.

My Boy

Enter Carver. Born two days before Thanksgiving in 2021, my husband chose the fitting name of Carver.

Carver and Razz were brothers for one year and during that time, Carver tortured the tar out of Razz (as any little brother is wont to do!) Allow me to indulge you with some photos.

Brothers. Amiright???

What these photos don’t tell you is how much Carver loves yarn. That would be 400 yds of super fine lace weight alpaca all knotted up there. Thank you very much.

There have been chewed on skeins of sock yarn and de-pom-pomed caps galore. Needless to say, there were many months of NO KNITTING! Now, y’all have known me long enough to know what happens when I don’t knit. It’s bad.

But now he’s two! And suddenly, he is a good boi. Well, almost.

Before
After

::sigh::

I hope you all are well. I look forward to catching up on all the things!

With love,

ReginaMary

On God and Fruitcake

Do you think God has an opinion on fruitcake?  I started thinking about this on my walk today.  To be accurate I started thinking about Genesis 4.

Genesis

  Cain and Abel

    Pleasing God

      First fruits

        Old fruit

          Fruitcake

Does God like fruitcake?  It’s a perfectly normal question.

For decades I have heard the story of Cain and Abel but never understood why God was so unhappy with Cain.  I am listening to the Bible in a Year podcast with Fr. Mike for the second year (yes, it’s that good) and it was his explanation of Genesis 4 that finally made things click.  Abel gave God his first fruits while Cain sort of gave God his sloppy seconds.  The re-gifted fruitcake.  No parent would stop loving their child over a fruitcake, but it would be a sad encounter for sure! And that led me to think about my daily offerings. What part of my day do I give to God? Most days it is the very first thing I do each day. I say most days. And this is ultimately the icing on the fruitcake. This is what I took away from that chapter in Genesis and the revelation on that walk. God deserves my best, but at the very least, my first.

Now, on to the knitting!

I had the joy of doing another test knit for Melinda of Yankee Knitter Designs. The Color Block Mitten is a flexible and modifiable pattern in a variety of sizes. The first set I knit according to the pattern. Size Large, I used Malabrigo Chunky – Dusty for the main color with Tutto Santa Fe Fine Merino DK – Black Gorge as the contrast. I loved the pattern and the outcome. The mittens were true to size but since I wear size Medium, I tossed them in the wash for a spell and they felted beautifully! The fabric is dense and soft. These mittens keep my paws warm on the coldest days.

This is a great pattern because it is written for circular knitting using magic loop, or dpns and a version knit flat on straight needles. For my next pair, I used the same yarn, but rather than a color block design, I knit with both yarns held together. I also knit them flat using two 6″ dpns. Aren’t they cute? You can have a lot of fun with this pattern and the potential for modifications is endless. Oh, I forgot to mention, these knit up in a day!

Our Holidays were quiet and peaceful; just the way I like them. The break from school always comes at a good time. Razz was hoping one of these gifts was for him.

I am making progress on Shawlography with only one set of clues to go. I know, better late than never.

Take a gander at this beautiful necklace. It was a gift from a very thoughtful server at our favorite restaurant. We bonded one evening over insects. These are the wings from a Brood X Cicada. Have you ever???

We had our first snow day last Friday. There is something really fun about having a snow day on a Friday and this school secretary secretly did a happy fanny dance. OK, so maybe not so secretly.

That’s all I have for the first post of the year. No resolutions, no ‘word of the year’, just a whole lot ‘o nuthin!

Saint of the Day: Saint Gregory of Nyssa. St. Gregory the Bishop of Nyssa. He was a very smart fella who fought the Arian Heresy (a really big deal). He is the patron saint of musicians, singers, students, and teachers.

“Peace is defined as harmony among those who are divided. When, therefore, we end the civil war within our nature and cultivate peace within ourselves, we become at peace.”
––St. Gregory of Nyssa

The Gift

Nature will bear the closest inspection. She invites us to lay our eye level with her smallest leaf, and take an insect view of its plain. ~Henry David Thoreau~

This beautiful necklace was given to me by a server at our favorite restaurant. A few months ago we shared a conversation about Brood X cicadas. She remembered the exchange and held on to this necklace until now. These are the wings of a Cicada. What elicited “eeewwwws” as a child has graced me with joy as an adult. I am so moved by this geature. So honored by this exchange. Thank you, Kim!

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