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Back to the States
Name: Kaitlyn
Date: Sept 25
Current Location: Portsmouth, NH
Hey folks!
Between travel and a family wedding, it’s been longer than I’d expected. I tragically got incredibly sick in Portugal, so I saw very little outside of my hotel room. I’ll have to make another trip back to the country later to check out their yarn as it didn’t work out this time.
I’m now back in NH celebrating my brother’s wedding and hanging out with family for a few weeks. I’m ducking down to DC for a brief visit before I head to Montreal for a few months.
It’s always a strange feeling, coming back to my hometown. The bittersweet sensation of familiarity mixed with permanent loss is a struggle to deal with. I try to focus on meeting up with friends, who I’m always happy to see. I also try to visit my town the way a tourist might, so I can appreciate it for what it is now, rather than focusing on how it’s changed.
One of those changes? THERE’S A NEW LOCAL YARN STORE IN MY HOMETOWN!!!!!
…but it’s closed for the next few weeks and isn’t opening until after I leave…
C’est la vie.
Current WIPs:
Squishy Cowl
Trucking along on this one. It’s soft and squishy, which is the main point. It’s my go-to project for when I’m in meetings or classes and want to keep my fingers busy but don’t have the attention to spare for a more in-depth pattern.
Christmas Shawl
I’m taking another stab at the Whippoorwill Shawl from Carina Spencer. My first one came out incredibly small, as I didn’t swatch or make any attempt at matching the recommended gauge. Will I learn anything from this? Absolutely not!
I’m using red and green Alpakka yarn from Sandnes Garn, also picked up in Sweden.
Aztecana – BebaBlanket
I can FINALLY show off my Aztecana blanket, designed by the amazingly talented BebaBlanket. I had to keep this one under wraps, as it was a gift for my brother and sister-in-law for their wedding. It’s finally been delivered, so now you get to see it, too!
Up Next:
I’ll be spending the winter in Montreal, so I’m very excited for snow, yarn, and some seasonal excitement!
See you all next time! ❤
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Estonia – Land of the Haapsalu
Name: Kaitlyn
Date: August 10
Current Location: Tallinn, Estonia
Tallinn, Estonia has a beautiful old town. It’s the perfect place for a stroll, wandering in and out of shops. And many of those shops had yarn!
Most of the stores asked me not to take photo or video, so please enjoy some lovely, scenic views from Tallinn and the surrounding countryside!
Eesti Käsitöö Maja
These are a local chain of Estonian handicrafts. Filled with beautiful souvenirs and gorgeous Estonian sweaters, they also have several small shelves of Estonian wool yarn. I picked up some Haapsalu lace yarn here in classic white, as well as a multi-color pack.
Domus Linum
A tiny shop tucked away along the tragically-closed Knit Market, this tiny souvenir shop has an entire wall dedicated to lace weight wool. I picked up some more lace yarn here.
Wool & Woollen
A classic little yarn store with a wide range of lace weight yarns available. I picked up a fabulous, sparkly lace yarn here that I’m excited to turn into an evening shawl.
Karnalucks OÜ
An absolute MUST for any fibercrafters or sewists visiting Tallin, Karnalucks is a veritable warehouse of sewing supplies and yarn. The entire first floor is dedicated to fabric, patterns, and sewing notions. A small landing up the stairs contains a sewing machine repair shop, and the then yarn takes up the entirety of the second floor. Aisle after aisle of yarn, boxes and bag of it piled up on every surface. I could have visited this store alone and been well-satisfied with my trip to Tallin!
Current WIPs:
Squishy Cowl
My own “design” if we’re being generous. I’m using a broad shaker rib (AKA – lazy brioche) to create a wide, squishy scarf that I will attach at the ends and make into a cowl. I’m using the beautifully soft Alpakka Silke from Sandnes Garn (it’s blue, I promise, even if the lighting in the photos doesn’t agree!). I’d originally intended to use it for a lacy scarf, but really didn’t like how that was turning out. I’m also much happier and more relaxed working on the simply 4-stitch repeat of the cowl.
Up Next:
I’m off to Lisbon, Portugal for a real vacation, although I certainly intend to duck into some of the local yarn shops while I’m there J
See you all next time! ❤
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Farewell, Stockholm!
Name: Katie
Date: July 28
Current Location: Stockholm, Sweden
I’m headed off for a new country today. It’s always exciting, but I’m also sad to say goodbye to one of my favorite cities. I would move to Stockholm in a heartbeat if it made sense, but it’s a very expensive city, and getting residency in Sweden is a beast.
Litet Nystan
Officially my favorite yarn store in Stockholm, Litet Nystan is located in Södermalm. A knit rainbow flag hangs over the door, and the floor-to-ceiling shelves are stuffed with yarn. There’s a spacious feel to the store, despite it being crammed with shelves and displays of yarn and notions. I picked up some more yarn here – my first taste of Sandnes Garn!
Fingerborg
Just a few blocks from Litet Nystan, Fingerborg is a tiny little yarn shop whose proprietress can always be found behind the counter knitting away on one project or another. A smaller selection due to size constraints, but you can find many high-quality yarns here for your next project!
Makeri 14
Located in Stockholm’s famous Gamla Stan neighborhood, Makeri 14 is a little yarn shop down one of the many winding, narrow streets. A small but beautifully curated selection of yarn awaits!
Søstrene Grene
A homegoods store that I never would have stopped into if it hadn’t been for a post from Kutovakika. The store is floor-to-ceiling wood with a very rustic, homey feel to it. They have a small selection of yarn and notions available, beautifully displayed in baskets, shelves, and cubbies.
Current WIPs:
Advent Scarf
On the last mini skein (day 8), so this will soon be put on hold and then I need to decide if I want to knit a cowl or a tank top for my next project…
Up Next:
I’m off to Tallinn, Estonia, land of the Haapsalu shawls, for a few weeks. We’ll see what kind of fiber-related shenanigans I can get up to there 🙂
See you all next time! ❤
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Greetings from Finland!
Name: Katie
Date: July 20
Current Location: Helsinki, Finland
I decided to spend a long weekend in Finland. The weather was beautiful, and I had access to AC for the first time in over a month, which was a nice change.
I also made my first ever video, which you can watch HERE. Who says elderly millennials can’t learn the hip new technology?
Helsinki is a clean, quiet city, with lots of restaurants, shops, and parks. Ice cream carts are on nearly every corner, and there are some particularly aggressive seagulls at the piers. Tragically, I lost a cone of delicious raspberry sorbet to the winged thieves!
Helsinki also had loads of yarn available, as knitting is a deeply ingrained local tradition. I stopped at a number of local yarn stores, and was delighted with the range and variety available at all price points.
Sunday Knitting Club
My first stop as it was just a few blocks from my hotel. A cool, quiet space with clean white shelves and large windows. They have little tables and booths set up where you can settle in to work on a project and chat with others. I particularly liked their rack of several dozen sample knits, each clearly labeled with the yarn and pattern used. I also appreciated the number of books available for purchase.
Snurre
Easily my favorite stop in Helsinki, Snurre has lovely, large windows and floor-to-ceiling shelves full of yarn! I visited twice and purchased yarn here – I’ll finally be trying out a Knitting for Olive yarn (Pure Silk) and will see what all the fuss is about!
FiinaNeule
Right around the corner from Snurre, this tiny little shop is overflowing with yarn! It’s quiet, cozy, and makes you want to dive face first into all of the beautiful yarn!
Villi Solmu
A handicraft store in Porvoo, just an hour from Helsinki, I was impressed with the range of yarns available in this tiny shop. There were also a large number of handknit items for sale, created in-shop by the owner herself!
Local Grocery and Department Stores
Finland is the first country I’ve visited where the grocery stores have yarn available. Gotta say, I really love it!
Current WIPs:
Advent Scarf
Nearly through all the mini skeins I brought with me, so it will soon go on hold until I can get back to the States to get the rest of the yarn.
Completed Projects
Drops Summer Halo Tee (Attempt #2!)
Finished!! I’m very pleased with how this came out, but I have come to the conclusion that any wool or alpaca projects must be designed to have a layer under them. Even this super soft alpaca yarn is very itchy to me.
Up Next:
I’m headed back to Stockholm for a bit before I head to Tallinn, Estonia for a few weeks and then Lisbon, Portugal. Catch you soon!
Do you have any suggestions for yarn- and fiber-related stops I should make in any of these cities? Let me know!
See you all next time! ❤
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Happy Midsommer!
Name: Katie
Date: June 20
Current Location: Stockholm, Sweden
And here I thought I wouldn’t have such a long gap between updates. *facepalm*
So, my life and changed a great deal in the last few months. I’ve given up my apartment in the US and I’ve decided to do the digital nomad life full-time, with my first stop in Sweden! I arrived two weeks ago and have been buried in an intensive Swedish language course for that entire time. In other news, I can now eavesdrop on approximately 15% of what I hear on the bus!
With the language class taking up most of my day and then the evenings spent working my day job, I haven’t had a ton of time to play tourist yet. I have, however, had time to check out a couple of the local yarn stores!
Wincent Rowan
Just a block away from the Odenplan metro station, this shop is all elegant, dark wood paneling and cubbies of yarn stacked to the ceiling! Truly a beautiful little shop. They also have several hundred colors of embroidery floss for those looking for a different fiber hobby.
Slöjd-Detaljer
The first store I stopped at on my very first day in the city! It’s definitely a general crafts store rather than yarn-specific, but they still had an entire wall of yarn options available.
Klara Tyg & Garn
A cozy little gem tucked away down a side street, this is my favorite shop I’ve visited so far. It has that crowded, cluttered, comfy feeling, with yarn and hooks and needles and notions. It’s the sort of place where you walk in and think, “I would like one of everything, please and thank you!”
This is also where I made my first Sweden yarn purchase – Creative Cotton Dégradé from Rico Design. I was enamored with the beautiful color changes, and I plan to knit a shawl with this!
Current Projects:
The Aztecana Blanket from BebaBlanket
Still in progress – I just need to finish the border. I’m refraining from sharing more photos at this time as it’s a gift for someone who may very well read this blog, so you’ll have to wait with bated breath until it’s gifted later this year, but it looks VERY nice 😊 (please take my word for it 😭)
Advent Scarf
Still slowly but surely working my way through this one! I brought a few of the mini skeins with me, so it’s going to get longer while I’m here in Sweden.
Drops Summer Halo Tee (Attempt #2!)
While I liked the first one I made, it ended up much more cropped than I’d anticipated. I blame my lack of swatching and general inexperience with creating sized clothing items. I had a bunch of Cloudborn Alpaca fingering weight yarn and I decided to give it another go and see what happened. Learning nothing from my first attempt, I also did not swatch this time.
After futzing around with the neckline for longer than I’d like to admit, I’ve made it through the lace in just a few days and I’m plowing my way through the yoke and towards the sleeves. Go me!
It’s a little difficult to see this color against such a light background, but the lace is looking good! Up Next:
I’m here in Stockholm for the next month and a half, and there are at least three more yarn shops I want to check out in the area. I also have weekends planned in Helsinki and Tallinn, with a short list of yarn shops to check out in both!
Do you have any suggestions for yarn- and fiber-related stops I should make in any of these cities? Let me know!
See you all next time! ❤
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Long Time, No See!
Name: Katie
Date: March 6
Current Location: Bethesda, MD
Hey folks!
It’s been a while! Between the holidays and the US ripping itself apart, I haven’t been in a writing mood for the last few months.
But it’s my birthday today, and I do enjoy sharing my progress on my fun and fuzzy fiber projects. So, if you are still interested, I am still writing!
My major focus right now is trying to complete all of my WIPs so I can either store or gift them before I head overseas and reduce my stash. …we’ll see how well that goes.
Finished Projects
Christmas Gifts
Now that December is behind us, I can share the final results of my frantic Christmas Crochet Marathon.
Behold! The many beautiful blankets that were distributed to my friends for the holidays.
Current Projects:
The Aztecana Blanket from BebaBlanket
This one’s really coming along! I’m super excited to see it when it’s finished!
Temperature Blanket 2024
Finally finished the main body! …and it’s not a rectangle o.O
I need to go back and review the pattern I used, because theoretically, this should have been a rectangle and not a wonky 6-sided rhombus.
I do, however, quite like it, despite its unexpected shape! I’ll be doing a black border around this one, which will hopefully let me cover up a bunch of the ends so I don’t have to weave in ALL OF THEM (T.T)
A cute advent scarf! I got two dozen beautiful mini skeins of sock yarn that coordinate beautifully with each other, and I’m (slowly) working my way through this sampler pattern. It’s taking longer than expected, as I keep making mistakes learning the new stitches, but I’m making prodigious use of lifelines and am slowly but surely getting through it.
Casablanca Afghan from Annie’s Kit Clubs
Trucking right along on this crochet kit blanket. I’m having such a good time working on it – there’s so many ideas and stitch techniques that even I, as a 20-year crochet veteran, am learning something new with every kit!
Up Next:
So, I am seriously considering fleeing the country. At the very least, I’ll be spending time in Sweden this summer. I’ll likely be in the DC area for the next few months, though, frantically crafting up a storm!
See you all next time! ❤
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Master Weaver – Check!
Name: Katie
Date: October 18
Current Location: Greenfield, MA
Hey folks!
Ok, so I’m not actually a Master Weaver, but I’ve completed my weaving immersion and have had SUCH a great time! I’ve learned so much and been able to try out all kinds of different patterns and techniques! It was also just wonderful to take a few months to dedicate myself to a craft, squirreled away from daily life in a lovely old farmhouse in the woods. It was incredibly peaceful, and I am so grateful I was able to participate!
Check out all the cool things I made!
Finished Projects
Green/Purple Granny Square and Pink/Brown Granny Square
My obsession with Granny Squares continues…
Current Projects:
The Aztecana Blanket from BebaBlanket
Cruising right along, although it may end up with a different recipient than originally intended…
Another Granny Square – Gray/Purple
Would you believe me if I told you I didn’t actually like Granny Squares all that much?
Up Next:
I’m hoping in a car and taking off for a New England road trip before I head back south to DC. Stay tuned for some fall foliage pics!
See you all next time! ❤
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Weaving Up a Storm
Name: Katie
Date: September 10
Current Location: Greenfield, MA
Hey folks!
I’m up in Massachusetts at the Vävstuga Swedish Weaving School for an 8-week immersion program. I’m having a blast and learning so much – it’s a bit of a firehose of information. I’m also continuing to work while I’m here, which is quite the balancing act. It’s a lot, but I’m very happy that this program worked out for me!
We started Day 1 by taking apart and rebuilding a loom from the ground up, and it’s been basically a nonstop fiber party since! We’ve made towels, matching bands, and yardage, are planning blankets for our next personal project, and have wound on no fewer than 8 warps for group projects. There’s such a variety of weaving techniques and styles that we get to work on – I’m super excited about trying drawloom weaving, smålandsvav, and an overshot Christmas Star pattern, but other projects include damask, deflected double weave, and upholstery.
It’s also so nice that I get to spend time in the woods of Western Massachusetts during the fall – the weather is cool, sunny, and lovely nearly every day!
Finished Projects
Towels
Broken twill variations across four towels, with a variety of striping patterns. Hemmed and ready to go!
Band
The matching band which will be attached to the corners of the towels for easy hanging
Yardage
~4 meters of fabric that I’m debating how I will use. I’m thinking a skirt, but that will require me to learn how to sew. *facepalm* I always need more fibercraft hobbies, right?
I’m very pleased with how the color gradation came out, and I owe a debt of thanks to my fellow student, Susan, who suggested both of the colors I ended up using in my weft.
Current Projects:
Green/Purple Granny Square
My obsession with Granny Squares continues…
The Aztecana Blanket from BebaBlanket
A gorgeous pattern I’m frantically working up so it will be finished in time to gift to its intended recipients. I’m using Hobbii Universe yarn in the colorway Interstellar for the design, with their Classic Acrylic in a light peachy-apricot for the main color.
Up Next:
I’ll be here in Massachusetts for another month and a half, then I’ll be renting a car and taking a leisurely road trip through New England before I head back south to DC.
See you all next time! ❤
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Sweltering Under the Heat Dome
Name: Katie
Date: July 12
Current Location: New York City, NY
Hey all!
We’ve been stuck under a heat dome for a few weeks here in the mid-Atlantic, and it’s been miserable to go outside at all. I’ve been sitting in front of my fan and busying myself with work, reading, and fibercrafts.
I took a break and headed up to NYC for a long weekend with an old friend 🙂 We got far more drinking done than crafting, but it was still a solid trip, and I was so happy to see her. We visited a beautiful club on Long Island Sound, and it was beautiful to look out over the water, even in the heat. I’m planning to visit her again when I go on a New England Road Trip later this fall.
Next month, I’ll be heading out to Vävstuga Weaving School for their Swedish Weaving Immersion. I received a full scholarship to participate, and I’m so excited! I can’t wait to share photos of all of the incredible fabric I’m going to make.
Finished Projects
Snowflakes
I’ve sent out my first batch and have plenty more crochet thread. Let me know if you want any!
Current Projects:
Giant Blue-Tone Granny Square
I enjoyed the rainbow one so much, I immediately started another one in a different colorway! Perpetual granny squares may be my new go-to travel project. They’re light, easily transported, don’t require a pattern, and if they unravel a bit, it’s easy to fix. What’s not to like?
The Aztecana Blanket from BebaBlanket
A gorgeous pattern I’m frantically working up so it will be finished in time to gift to its intended recipients. I’m using Hobbii Universe yarn in the colorway Interstellar for the design, with their Classic Acrylic in a light peachy-apricot for the main color.
Temperature Blanket
We’re into June now, and I’m really enjoying watching the color changes. I was worried I wouldn’t have enough yarn, but I think I’ll only need second skeins of a few of the colors. I hear a lot about folks ending up with enormous blankets larger than they’d intended, but mine is turning out much smaller than I thought it would be. It’s still lovely and squishy, though.
Up Next:
Most of August I’ll be hanging out in the DC area, but I’ll send you photos of Massachusetts when I get there!
See you all next time! ❤
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Cooling Off Up North
Name: Katie
Date: June 10
Current Location: Portsmouth, NH
Hey all!
I ventured up to New Hampshire for a week to visit family and get out of the hot summer sun down in DC. I love me some average highs in the 70s and cool nights in the 50s, haha!
Between wandering my old stomping grounds downtown, at the library, and at the beach, I also spent a few days up in the mountains, lounging in the cooler altitudes. 10/10, highly recommend 😉
Finished Projects
Whippoorwill Shawl from Carina Spencer
I finally finished! I love how it turned out, however I definitely messed up the gauge on this one, as it is WAY too small for me to wear. Will make some adjustments on the needle size and gauge and maybe try this one again – see if someone larger than a toddler can wear the next one!
Giant Rainbow Granny Square
I was looking for something easy to bring on my trip north, and I plowed through this one over two plane trips and a couple days of downtime.
Snowflakes
It’s that time of year! I have my first orders for Christmas décor coming in, so I’ve started ticking away at snowflakes to get them done and in the mail on time. Let me know if you want any!
Current Projects:
Giant Blue-Tone Granny Square
I enjoyed the rainbow one so much, I immediately started another one in a different colorway!
Up Next:
Heading to NYC to visit friends next month!
See you all next time! ❤
