Week 38 of 2026

This week I finished knitting a hat -

The pattern is the Musselburgh by Ysolda Teague. This is the second one I have made and it is a lovely pattern. This has been on the go since January as my take along project because it is simply knitting in the round (I finished a few other projects along the way too because I knew I wouldn't need a hat for a while).

I used some handspun that had been a few other projects before this, but I think it is perfect as a hat. It is a very light fingering weight yarn (almost lace weight), knitted on 2.5mm needles.

Photos from Around -

Sunset this evening.

Miss Maggie so high up.

Chickens helping clear the garden.

Molly at sunrise during the week.

GingerSnap! having a nap.

All the best!♥︎

 

Week 37 of 2026

This week I put a new project on the loom -

Another set of towels. The pattern is the "Color Nuggets Towels" from the Summer 2026 issue of Handwoven Magazine (on the cover of the magazine). I put on a longer warp (over 7 yards) using colours I have, and will probably try a few different tie-ups from "A Weaver's Book of 8-Shaft Patterns" by Carol Strickler, since this is a light/dark straight draw threading and there are a few interesting pattern options in the book.

I have also been knitting on my cardigan - the sleeves are coming along.

Photos from Around -

This week has been about cleaning up after a storm last Sunday (quite a few trees fell). GingerSnap! wasn't bothered about the chainsawing that was happening.

The chickens came for a visit.

This week has also been about canning different types of tomato sauces.

These are some of the ingredients for one batch, but the tomatoes are inside because I can't let them ripen in the garden or the chickens will eat them.

All the best!♥︎

Week 36 of 2026

This week I finished hemming tea towels, and knotting fringes on table runners of my latest handwoven project-

This was woven as part of a weave along on Ravelry for the Marguerite P. Davison in Colour Group. The draft is the Rose Point Pattern on p 86 in the green book. I used 2/16 cotton for the warp and tabby weft, and 2/8 cotton for the pattern weft (all from Maurice Brassard). I used treadle sequence II for the yellow towel, and treadle sequence I for the all the others. More details can be found on my Ravelry project page.

This week has really been all about preserving apples - apple sauce, spiced apple sauce, freeze dried apples, and I tried something new, apple jam (the jars on the left, next to the apple sauce, link to the recipe I used), I am hoping it will be good to flavour homemade yogurt.

Pets - 

Miss Maggie has been spending a lot more time sleeping inside during the day (we still have summer weather).

GingerSnap! is always up to something.

Molly was hoping for a ride in the little truck.

A treat is how we get the chickens back in the coop after a day out.

All the best!♥︎

Week 35 of 2026

The table runners/towels came off the loom this week -

The towels still need to be hemmed,

but I have started to knot the fringe on one of the table runners (I am trying something different for this one).

I finished a ball of yarn on the cardigan I am knitting, so put the body stitches on hold while I knit the sleeves (two at a time on a long circular needle). I should have plenty of yarn, but just want to make sure.

Photos from Around -

Preserving the bounty of the garden is still well under way. This is the start of salsa - I thought the red onions were so beautiful.

Molly had an itchy nose on our walk.

GingerSnap! found an odd spot for a nap.

Miss Maggie found a better spot.

All the best!♥︎

Week 34 of 2026

The garden is doing well, and this week has been taken up with preserving the bounty of the garden and the fruit trees (apple season is in full swing) -

The vegetable garden.

Almost finished weaving the warp on the loom.

The sleeve stitches for the cardigan are on hold, and it is just straight knit/purl for the body.

Photos from Around - 

Miss Maggie returned from hunting covered in cobwebs and seed heads.

Molly having a rest in the shade.

GingerSnap! resting after a night out.

All the chickens this morning.

All the best!♥︎

Week 33 of 2026

This week has been all about cutting more dead trees, chipping branches and spreading the wood chips, but I have a few projects on the go -

I am knitting a cardigan with yarn I finished spinning during Tour de Fleece (using a pattern that I won during last year's TdF - the TANi Cardigan by ANKESTRiCK).

Also have a new project on the loom - more towels (there is a table runner in there too). This is part of a weave along on Ravelry. It is a 'barleycorn weave pattern', something new for me.

Photos from Around -

Some of the chickens ready for bed.

These two are sound asleep.

With all the wood cutting and chipping this week Molly spent lots of time in her most favourite spot - the truck (she loves going for a ride as long as we don't leave home). I think she thought I was asking her to come out, because she wouldn't look at me.

A sunrise this week.

All the best!♥︎

Week 32 of 2026

This week I finished knitting a little scarf -

The pattern is Leaf Fall by Nicola Diggins.

 I knit it with handspun yarn, a merino/silk blend that I dyed before spinning. I had used the yarn for another scarf years ago and never wore it, so I took it apart to use the yarn again.

It was quite curled before blocking.

After blocking it lays flat.

It was an easy, fun knit, and the pattern was very clear.

Today was the end of the second part of Tour de Fleece (Tour de Fleece Femmes), and I finished spinning the sock yarn I started in the first part of TdF, and I spun some more wool on the Indianhead spinner this week.

Photos from Around -

Molly runs around the pool with a ball in her mouth every time we go swimming (she has worn quite the path!). She gets so excited when we get our swimsuits out. When she was a puppy, and we swam in the pond, she ran around that too (she doesn't like to go in water, and is not a swimmer).

This piece of rebar in the garden makes a good scratching spot for Miss Maggie.

GingerSnap! discovered that he can catch sparrows that zip through the little door in the chicken coop (he has startled a hen or two also, but doesn't bother them).

There are lots of Black Swallowtail caterpillars in the garden (as well as some chrysalises).

A Tiger Swallowtail butterfly visited the garden yesterday.

Dust bath time for some of the chickens.

We harvested some honey this week.

All the best!♥︎

Week 31 of 2026

This week I sewed a skirt -

It matches the top I made last week. This is some fabric I was given too, maybe a linen or a linen blend.

It is a Lutterloh pattern - #94 from supplement 341/Summer 2026.

I did add pockets (it has to have pockets!).

Photos from Around -

Curious chickens coming to visit.

The friendliest chicken, Greta, disappeared in June. We don't know what happened to her and it still breaks my heart.

Miss Maggie keeping an eye on some chickens (she doesn't like to get too close).

GingerSnap! found a cool spot in the shade on a very hot day.

All the best!♥︎