Have you ever purchased a yarn so beautiful and bright and squishy that you couldn’t wait to find the perfect project? Back in June, AT Haynes House Yarns had a limited edition colorway called It’s Nobody’s Birthday (in the Haynesville Fingering base: 100% Superwash Merino, 415 yards). It was so beautiful that I NEEDED to purchase it, so I did. Immediately I started thinking about what I wanted to create. Something that will be visible in wear. An interesting visual stitch pattern. Nothing too complicated to execute. And that will use virtually all of a full skein.

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Inspiration told me a HAT would be the perfect canvas. But what stitch pattern. Not a cable. Too…. not what I wanted. Back in January, I crocheted a hat that used a puffy v-stitch. I love that hat. When I crocheted the Wintery Mix Slouch Hat, I wanted to try to do a knit version as well. This was my chance!! After some research, I found the wheat stitch. It isn’t EXACTLY the same, but the stitches are similar. Its a modified rib, so its WICKED stretchy!!

I cast-on the design project on July 27th. After 2 days, I’m getting ready to start the crown! I used my new favorite hat cast-on: the tubular cast-on with waste yarn. The first couple pattern repeats were pretty tricky. But by the 3rd time I needed to drop down and pull-up a yarn, it was really obvious.

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I can’t wait to share this pattern with all of you! I know I frequently sing the praises of AT Haynes House Yarns- but for real, all the praise is worth it! I don’t get a kick back or anything, I just want to promote the heck out of a REALLY talented dyer!

Today’s Body Acceptance and Positivity

As a (middle aged) woman I’ve got a TON of body image baggage. So I wanted to share some positivity and acceptance wins from today. I love working out and being active and strong and all that stuff. I don’t have a body that screams gym rat, even though pre-COVID I was at the gym 2-6 days per week. But with the shutdown of gyms, I’ve had a really hard time staying motivated to keep up my training. My workout motivation is definitely of an external locus nature! Getting the kids involved is a crap shoot. They are slow hikers. They complain on normal walks. They don’t pedal their bikes fast enough for me to elevate my heart rate. And after a single one-mile run, they REFUSE to try again. My gym, the YMCA, is currently holding outdoor classes. I feel they are pretty low risk for disease transmission (so many safety precautions). I went back last week for the first time since March! It might be hot and SOOO soupy humid, but it still feels good to move with intense purpose. Spin and Body Combat for the win! I haven’t added in strength training, its too hot to lift.Summer is my least favorite season because of the heat and humidity. But I’ve logged 6 days of workouts in the last two weeks. Tomorrow is a rest, then back to it Friday. Saturday and Sunday the kids and I have pool reservations and then its more classes next week. I’m feeling mentally more myself- quick and feisty.

With all that said. I’ve got some thick thighs, they make me self-conscious, regardless of my overall size. But today I had a win moment with them: a single thigh stably held my tea with plenty of room to spare. Take that skinny legs, you can’t handle the tea. So today I embraced my large thigh circumference for practicality.