Week 44 of 2026

This week I finished knitting a cardigan -

The pattern is the TANi cardigan by ANKESTRiCK.

I knitted it with handspun yarn that started as this bundle of fibre. 

Some natural wool (white and brown) from local fleeces I was given years ago (I washed and combed it), that I drum carded with beige cashmere, white Angora, a bit of green sparkle (trying to use up my fibre stash), and cut up scraps of handspun (for flecks of colour).

I ended up with these batts (the ones on the left had the scraps of yarn, and the batts on the right had the sparkle, for a two ply yarn with different add-ins in each ply),

and spun them in to this yarn - about 400g/750m of sport weight yarn.

I am so happy with how the cardigan turned out. The pattern has really nice details.

More details can be found on my Ravelry project page.

The new chickens are settling in OK, still very skittish, but I think they will always be since we didn't raise them from day old chicks like the other hens.

All the best!♥︎

Week 40 of 2026

This week has been about getting the yard and gardens ready for winter, but progress is still being made on a couple of projects I am working on -

This week I finished knitting the sleeves on the cardigan, and I am back knitting on the body.

I tried out a different tie-up and treadling pattern on the Big Top towels.

Photos from Around -

Miss Maggie and GingerSnap! taking turns at the water dish (GingerSnap! didn't have much patience and took a swipe at her, but he was the one that ended up with a cut on his nose!).

This Great Blue Heron flew around the yard and frightened the chickens.

Molly kept an eye on the chickens.

She was not the bravest when someone got the scale out to weight themselves, and had to hide in the basement.

All the best!♥︎

Week 39 of 2026

This week I started a new "take-along" project -

A pair of handspun socks. Knit two-at-a-time on a long circular needle, from both ends of a ball of yarn. Knitting toe-up, with a simple stitch pattern for interest (knit for two rows, K2, P2 for two rows).

Still working on the "Big Top" towels.

The sleeves on the cardigan are slowly growing too.

Photos from Around -

This year's harvest of garlic, onions and shallots (some dried flowers in there too).

The cats tagging along on a walk.

Full moon over the horizon on tonight's walk.

All the best!♥︎

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 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!♥︎