We don't get trick or treaters out here in the country, so Halloween is not much of an event beyond putting pumpkins on our porch. And, since I don't really need any candy myself, I decided to go a different direction this year and donate blood. If you've never given blood before, consider giving. If you have given before, maybe it's time to give again. Blood is always in demand, and it doesn't take much to do it. The Red Cross has some interesting statistics on this pag

After the crazy cabin experience, we outran a tornado back to Charlotte and dropped off the dog. Then we got right back on the Airbnb horse and booked ourselves another cabin! This one was clean, cute and full of charm, and even came with complimentary deer visitors. So my sister, the yarn and I ensconced ourselves and prepared for our friends to join us for SAFF. There is something so fun about a girl's weekend. The stories, the laughter, the wine and food, and the fiber!

Every year my sister and I take a sister trip. It's a tradition we started several years ago after my first husband died. At first it was a way of coping with grief but we soon realized it was a brilliant idea on it's own merit and it has become a sacred tradition ever since. Each of our sister trips has been completely different and this year we decided to rent a cabin in the mountains of North Carolina and spend a week knitting, cooking, laughing and attending SAFF. So I

Here is the first new pattern off my needles in years - Ametista (amethyst in Portuguese). It's been a while since I exercised my knitting chops and I had to remember how to write a pattern. But, it's kind of like riding a bicycle, you might be shaky at first but it all comes rushing back. This cute little number was inspired by the beautiful amethysts from Brazil, and it's part of the Armchair Travelers series that I have started designing. I am so happy to be knitting a

I've had a bit of a hiatus from knitting and blogging in my life as I navigated some real life stuff. But, I'm happy to report, that the knitting love has come back to me, and I'm back to designing again. One of the things that happens when you are a knitwear designer, is that you rarely knit for pleasure. You're always working out pattern logistics and, at least for me, I feel guilty if I'm knitting and it's not design work. Now that my knitting mojo has come back to me, I