Birthday traditions (or, the annual handknit top)

Back in spring 2018, after having been a knitter for about seven and a half years, I decided it was time to try my hand at knitting myself a top for my birthday. After some looking around online, I fell for the Derecho pattern from Berroco (link to the pattern on Berroco’s website). A gorgeous circular yoke (I didn’t want to attempt any seams, though I’ve relaxed a bit on that score since, having learned the three-needle bind-off) and some flattering shaping, plus I was keen to try their Remix Light yarn partly for its linen content as well as for the fact that the fibers are recycled. The pattern was a joy to knit, and I was delighted with the results (though further scrutiny suggests I missed a row or two in the yoke directions somewhere- not that anyone would notice).

Last year I decided to do it again, this time in a gorgeous green shade, making some improvements on my pattern-following skills along the way. And while I would happily knit it many more times over (there are so many delightful shades of Remix Light, too, and I’m a fan of finding something you like and having it in multiple colors for simplicity), I decided this year I’d make something completely different. I had purchased Remix Light in a light purple shade from the delightful Spinning Yarns in Dover, NH, on a trip a couple of years ago and decided to use it for the “Mapleshade” pattern by Sloane Rosenthal (link to her blog, her post includes an embedded link to Ravelry). I’ve discovered over the past year that I quite like knitting a raglan construction, having attempted one for an infant cousin last year. The pattern is delightful – there’s a diagonal cable on each side to keep things interesting, and the accompanying spreadsheet (to keep track of repeats) is a lifesaver – it seems extremely complicated at first (cable section plus adding/removing stitches to make the diagonal, and some A-line shaping) but that made it all make sense. Very clever, clearly written, and actually much easier to knit than I was expecting. It’s been a little too hot to wear it much over the summer (it’s a short-sleeve top, but the sleeves are long short-sleeves) but I’m very much looking forward to having it in frequent rotation over the next few months!

Go local: near Schroon Lake, NY

IMG-3297It is oddly reassuring to me that, in this hyper-connected day and age, there are places not all that far from my house that I can go and have limited or no cell service. An hour-and-a-half drive from my house, after passing the sign on the Northway (I-87 north from Albany) that says “Limited Cell Service next 64 miles; Emergency phone boxes every 2 miles”, we arrive at the north end of Schroon Lake and head into the woods off Adirondack Road for the half-mile hike in to Gull Pond. Even if the small parking area appears crowded, after multiple visits we’ve discovered that it’s generally unusual to actually run into more than a couple of people on a visit- which makes it perfect for social distancing! It is really beautiful up there – evergreen forest cover with a view IMG-3300across the pond to cliffs that provide a sharp backdrop against a clear blue sky, with just the sound of the birds and fish jumping in the water for company. There are trout in the pond, too, and although we haven’t tried the swimming (yet), we’ve seen other people in the water, so presumably it can’t be that cold. And best of all – no cell service, so no text messages going off, no Instagrammers blocking the view, no email, no shouted conversations about subjects inane or stressful. There are trout in the pond- some of which can actually be caught instead of just eating the worm around the hook!-so it’s perfect for a few hours’ fishing (or, in our case, fishing-and-knitting).

A few minutes’ drive into the village of Schroon Lake will bring you to a Stewart’s, a bait shop, a village store, and our preferred dinner when we’re up that way: Sticks and Stones Wood Fired Bistro and Bar, which has excellent food at reasonable prices in a family-friendly environment. You can order online for takeout, and even bring it over to the village park overlooking Schroon Lake. Highly recommended.

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