Well, we've made it to another Friday. And, for some of us (those of us living in the United States), this week may have either been a short work week or even a vacation week. Huzzah!
So, this week, the slip into 'wine' down Friday may have been a bit more leisurely.
As for me, I took the entire week off from the day job in celebration of my trip around the sun anniversary. So, I was surrounded by friends and family for the birthday and the 4th. Pretty much the entire week was a big celebration and I'm super grateful but also exhausted! But, now that everyone has gone back home, I get today to spend some time 'wine'ing down from turning up. HA! (#introvertproblems) So, let's talk Stitches and Sips. I am excited by all the 'stitchery' (I make up as I go sometimes) in my life lately.
This week the Simply Summer Crochet Tank was released. (Links provided to both Ravelry and Etsy) For my bday I offered her for free to all my website subscribers (by the way my site subscribers are always getting something awesome from me, if not free patterns then other perks and deals so If you haven't subscribed it will not hurt you to subscribe only benefit, so get on it) I literally gave this pattern to over 100 people FOR FREE, so yeah. The stitches we discussed in last week's Stitch This, Sip this corresponds to the Simply Summer Tank so the basics relating to how she is stitched were given! I still love the triangle details and the colorwork in this pattern. The perfect blend of the right yarn with the right stitches! I used Scheepjes Whirl but you can likely achieve similar results with Lion Brand Ombre Life or something similar.
The other cool stitchery thing that happened this week was the release of another of my magazine published patterns! Which I know is a sore spot for some of my followers as they wish I'd just self-publish so that they wouldn't have to subscribe to magazines for my patterns. But these magazine publications are keeping me in the stitching biz for now so.... I gotta. lol
So yes, this latest design you will only be able to get from I Like Crochet Magazine. The Stellar Pullover is probably one of my most favorite designs yet. There are so many things about it that I ADORE! (before I forget, photo credit to I Like Crochet)
Let's dig into those stitches! I love the rippled texture so much. AND ... these stitches are SO beginner stitcher friendly. Can you double (treble for UK) crochet? Can you single (double for UK) crochet? If ya' can, you can absolutely make this frink'in adorable pullover for yourself!
Here's what I tell my Facebook Pattern Support Group (a place where people who have purchased my patterns congregate and I assist with any questions and what not - if interested, the link can be found here). But I say, I like to make the things that look difficult WAY easier! So, in order to get through this pullover over, and this will probably blow your mind, the following is pretty much the only thing you'll be doing on repeat:
'sc in a st, sk next st, dc in a st, working behind dc just made, sc in the skipped sc. And that's pretty much it, folks! There is the small shaping aspect, but I did that it is very interesting way this time around and I think it is a bit more intuitive. So, if you can do what I just wrote, you CAN MAKE THIS SWEATER!
To build your confidence, get your 'Hooks Up' and try the following square:
Fsc 26
Row 1 (RS): Ch 1, sc in first sc, *sk next sc, dc in next sc, working behind dc just made, sc in skipped sc; rep from * to last sc, sc in last sc, turn. (26 sts)
Row 2 (WS): Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn.
Rows 3-15: Rep Rows 1-2
Did you get through it? Is your confidence built? Wanna make this pullover?? If yes, yes, yes, let me know about.
***These hooks are like 30 bucks off right now at Craftsy. I've used these hooks for a LONG time and love them - if you have been eyeing them waiting for the price to drop, here's your chance!***** Psst... Take a look at Amazon too! :-)
Okay, Stitch This done .... now on to Sip This! Woo-hoo! Some may have noticed that I changed my Instagram Bio. I really do think it is more fitting. HA! I REALLY, REALLY dig wine (all alcohol, not just wine ;o)) But not in the way you may think, I never drink to get, as they say, "crunked" LOL Not my style.
In another part of my life I am a certified Master Food Preserver in the county in which I live - that means I have been certified in the safe methods of preserving food at home. Ya' know, like if you have a garden and you've got an explosion of green beans or beets or cucumbers, you wanna preserve them to be eaten later. You gotta do correctly, because you can literally die, botulism is real and it is orderless, colorless and will kill you... so yeah - I am really about the chemistry making stuff of and chemistry of making alcohol really intrigues me.
This week's, Sip This happens to be a red wine blend ~ which is the chemistry of combining different grape varietals into one frink'in awesomely delicious bottle of wine!
As I have previously said, you gotta get out there at try different wines, if you are really a wine lover. I recently became a "member" of this winery after trying a Groupon wine tasting at the location.
Campione is a scrumptious blend of Sangiovese, Merlot and Cab (which is probably my favorite varietal). I love that blending wines is a winemaker's form of designing! ;0) They really have to know what the grape varietals add and take from one another - just like I am not going to use a super bulky yarn and mesh stitches for a summer garment - in this case I can only surmise that the winemaker wanted to soften the acidity of the Sangiovese (which is an Italian grape varietal - Sangiovese-based wines are usually lightly colored with high acid, light body and moderate to high tannins) with the addition of the Merlot (which tends to be less dry and mild in tannis) but then the winemaker proceeded to add high tannis, deeper color, and draw out more of the dry side with the Cab - which I actually think it very interesting. Just the right amount of all three produced this fantastic red blend which was very much enjoyed with grilled meat and veggies over the holiday.
T'was a great week. I encourage you to challenge yourself with stitching something you've been too intimated to stitch - I am passionate about this, people who tell me 'I can never make X' My response to them is get the pattern and I will walk you through it; and I am serious when I say it! Also, expand your wine-ing, I'm always down to join in a glass of wine! ;-)
Until next time, may your Stitches and Sips be plenty!
The Stellar Pullover!