Knits & Peaks

Author: Stephanie Rosenberg

  • Waterfalls, Wool, and a Trip to Oregon’s Oldest Yarn Shop

    On a recent trip to Oregon, we spent a few days in Portland and took a day trip out to Silver Falls State Park. It’s where we hiked the popular Trail of Ten Falls. It’s a beautiful 7 mile loop that features mossy forests, cliffs, and a total of ten waterfalls. The highlight is the massive South Falls trail which actually passes behind the curtain of water! The whole area can feel cinematic, and has actually been a spot for multiple films. You might recognize it from the original Twilight movie.

    On the way back into Portland, we took a slight detour through Multnomah Village. It was a quiet, walkable neighborhood that feels like its own little town. That’s where we found Northwest Wools, which is the oldest yarn store in Oregon. I did a few laps around the shop and finally settled on a boucle yarn, a texture that I’d never knit with before. It came from a local yarn brand in Oregon, Shaggy Bear Farms. I also couldn’t resist picking up a Northwest Wools T-shirt too with their sheep logo, I’ve worn it way more than I thought I would!

    I also picked up a second yarn to hold with it, from Blue Sky Fibers. In total I grabbed 5 skeins of their Woolstok light fingering weight, 100% fine highland wool yarn in color 2302 Gravel Road. The combination was perfect, fluffy and soft with just enough weight to knit on US 7 needles.

    I found a couple boucle patterns after searching Ravelry and Reddit, settling on Sweater No.24 from My Favorite Things Knitwear. This was the perfect pattern to make a comfy, oversized sweater. My only modification was doing 2×2 rib along the edges, instead of 1×1, which I felt made the boucle texture really stand out.

    The finished sweater feels like the perfect Oregon souvenir that I’ll definitely wear for a long time.

  • Revisiting the Cloud Sweater

    After knitting the Cloud Sweater in Hobbii yarn for my trip to White Sands National Park, I couldn’t resist making it again, this time with Juniper Moon’s Moonshine yarn. I really loved the pattern construction from PetiteKnit the first time around, especially the shaping of the shoulders and neckline. This design has been really popular online. I think it’s due to the simple edges (no more 2-3 inches of ribbing), and it has a flattering fit! I figured why not try it with a different yarn?

    In Albuquerque we’re lucky to have access to some great local yarn shops, and one of my favorites is the Yarn Store in Nob Hill. It’s a cozy, welcoming spot, and during a visit, I found Juniper Moon’s Moonshine yarn. This yarn is incredibly soft, with a blend of 40% merino wool, 40% alpaca, and 20% silk. The most difficult part was choosing which color to use, after debating for a long time I went with the color Honeydew, a bright glossy light green.

    As I knit through the sweater again, I could tell the Moonshine was a perfect match for the pattern. The yarn worked up beautifully, creating that a squishy, comfy texture, but with a little more sheen thanks to the alpaca and silk. I love how neat the edges turned out with this yarn. The final product is a soft, light sweater that’s perfect for layering.

    All in all, knitting the Cloud Sweater again was just as satisfying as the first time. It’s a pattern I’ll definitely return to, and the Juniper Moon Moonshine yarn made this second version feel even more special.

  • Fernlys Sweater

    I finished the Fernlys Sweater by Liv Ulven this past spring and wanted to share a project recap. I used yarn I found at Rhinebeck from Shenandoah Fiber Company and the pairing ended up working really well.

    The pattern is a top-down circular yoke, with shaping around the neckline. It has an Estonian braided detail across the chest, shoulders, and cuffs, which adds some subtle texture to the sweater. In addition, to some simple color work with usually 3-4 repeats, making the color work come together easily. It’s mostly simple stockinette once you get past the yoke, which made for a low-effort knit.

    This was my first time knitting with Shenandoah Fiber Company’s yarn. I bought it at their booth at the New York Sheep & Wool Festival in Rhinebeck. I had been walking through their booth and noticed these skeins for how soft they were, it really stood out from all the rest. They explained that this wool came from their Alpaca’s Marzipan and Ziva. I loved the little cards telling us more about the alpacas! I grabbed one skein of the green and four of the light blue. In retrospect, these colors looked beautiful next to each other as skeins, but overlapped quite a bit. If you knit this pattern, I suggest getting two colors with more contrast to make the color work stand out.

    The yarn held up well while knitting, and it blocked out nicely. It’s soft but still has enough structure to show the yoke pattern clearly. I didn’t make any major modifications to the pattern, just followed the size I normally knit and aimed for gauge.

    If you’re looking for a simple sweater that has a bit of detail, Fernlys is a good option. It’s great for knitters getting into color work or learning new techniques. And if you come across Shenandoah Fiber Company at a festival, their yarn is definitely worth checking out!

  • Taos from Summit to Skein

    A while back we packed up the car and headed north for a quick getaway to Taos. I’d been craving some mountain air, a good hike, and a visit to a few fiber shops. Taos delivered on all fronts.

    We camped near the ski village, just along the stream. Even in summer, the night air up there gets chilly, and I was grateful for my hand-knit layers. After setting up, we roasted marshmallows for s’mores. It was a simple, relaxing way to end the day.

    The next morning, he set out to hike Wheeler Peak, the highest point in New Mexico. The peak is 13,161 feet tall, and the hike is about 14 miles round trip with over 3,000 feet of elevation gain. He described the hike as one of his favorites, with alpine meadows and blooming wildflowers. The was hoping to see some bighorn sheep, but they were nowhere to be found.

    During his hike, I explored Taos. The downtown has a quiet charm with adobe buildings, colorful murals, and lots of local art. I stopped in at Mooncat Fiber, a cozy, welcoming yarn shop tucked just off the plaza. Their selection includes lots of indie-dyed skeins, and I couldn’t resist picking up a skein of hand-spun worsted weight in deep blues, purples. This was spun by Kimberly Darling in color Such A Night, a mix of 80% blue faced leicester and 20% silk. I also stopped at the Taos farmer’s market where I picked up some green chile cheddar muffins.

    On my way to meet him after the hike, I stopped at Taos Wools in Arroyo Seco, a small town just north of Taos on the way to the Ski Village. Their yarns are made with wool from regional flocks, mainly Churro sheep. I picked up a few skeins of their natural black Churro wool, and admired the baskets of wool fleece (some day I’ll learn to spin!). The owners were friendly and full of knowledge about the sheep, which I learned are part of the Navajo-Churro heritage and have been raised in the Southwest for centuries. There’s something really special about yarn that’s so deeply connected to the land and its history.

    To end the trip, we drove to Ojo Caliente for a quiet afternoon at the mineral hot springs, one of the oldest natural health resorts in the country. The pools are filled with different types of mineral water, believed to have various healing properties. After a few packed days of hiking, camping, and exploring, it felt good to soak in the warm water and let our muscles recover. We moved between the pools, relaxed in shaded lounge chairs, and enjoyed the calm pace of the day. I brought my knitting and worked a few rows between soaks, a peaceful way to wind down before heading home.

    We only spent a couple of days in the Taos area, but it was full of camping, hiking Wheeler Peak, exploring town, and making a few fiber stops along the way. A quick getaway, but a good one.

  • Sipping Lavender Lattes at Los Poblanos Farm

    If you’re in Albuquerque, definitely check out Los Poblanos Farm and Restaurant, located in the quiet Los Ranchos area. This part of town has such a laid-back, rural feel, even though it’s just a short distance from the city. It’s right along the Rio Grande, and the nearby Farmers Market is a great spot to pick up fresh, local goods. The farm itself is a beautiful, especially when the lavender fields are in full bloom.

    I couldn’t resist trying the lavender latte at their café, it’s as good as it sounds. It has a background floral flavor that pairs perfectly with the relaxed vibe of the farm. It’s definitely a unique twist on your usual latte.

    After my coffee, we stopped by the farm store, which is full of lavender-infused goods like lotions, soaps, and even sachets. There’s also a great selection of local foods and handmade items. It’s a nice mix of the farm’s own products and other local finds. On the farm there are plenty of animals to visit, some sheep and alpacas grazing too.

    I wore my Field Sweater while I was there, knit with Green Mountain Spinnery’s Sylvan Spirit in Citrine. It’s a blend of wool and tencell, a type of wood pulp, making the yarn more lightweight. The pattern is popular for this yarn on Ravelry, as the yarn knits up the grain stitches so well. The pattern is also well written, with neckline shaping merging seamlessly with the grains. This color felt like a great match for the lavender fields and sunflowers, the perfect piece to explore Los Poblanos.

  • A Fall Adventure in Rhinebeck

    Last October, when visiting home in New England, my mom and I took a trip to the Rhinebeck Sheep & Wool Festival, and we couldn’t have picked a better time to visit. The Hudson River Valley was absolutely breathtaking, with the trees in full autumn colors. We stayed at the Tarrytown House Estate in Sleepy Hollow, which was in the perfect location. The property was beautiful, with its historic buildings and peaceful grounds, and it made a great home base for our trip. One of the highlights was visiting Lyndhurst Mansion at night for a ghost tour. The mansion, with its old architecture and spooky history, had an eerie vibe as we explored its rooms for the tour. It really added to the fall magic of the whole trip!

    I made sure to bring my Pumpkin Patch Sweater for the trip. It’s knit top down in the round with shaping around the neckline. I used Berroco Alpaca Wool for the body and pumpkins and added some leftover Malabrigo Rios for the accents. It was the perfect sweater for Rhinebeck. Funny enough, I actually saw someone at the festival wearing the exact same sweater pattern! It was a fun moment, and I ended up chatting with them and taking a picture.

    Of course, the main event of the trip was the Rhinebeck Yarn Festival, which was huge! The festival was packed with booths selling every type of yarn imaginable, and there were tons of sheep too! From hand-dyed skeins to unique fibers, there was so much to see and touch. While I was at Rhinebeck, I picked out some yarn from the Shenandoah Fiber Company. Turns out, I wasn’t the only one who felt that way, there were a ton of people buying the same yarn. The yarn was from a specific sheep that must’ve been the softer than the rest. I ended up using it for the Fernlys Sweater pattern, and it’s become one of my favorite knits. The yarn was perfect for this pattern, a top down knit in the round with a slipstitch detail and Estonian braid.

    Overall, Rhinebeck was everything I hoped for and more. The festival, scenery, and the fall vibes was the perfect mix of everything that makes autumn so special. I’m already thinking about going back this year, maybe with a longer shopping list and definitely with more time to explore.

  • A Little Needle Organization Goes a Long Way

    I finally caved and bought a couple of PetiteKnit accessories: their new project bag and the foldable needle organizer. I’ve been seeing them on their website for a while and figured it was time to stop stuffing everything into random zip pouches and old makeup bags. Honestly, I didn’t expect them to make such a difference, but they really have.

    Before this, my needles were all over the place, some stuck in random WIP bags, some loose in drawers, a few I thought I lost but had actually fallen behind the couch. Now everything lives in one place, and I can actually find what I need. The organizer has just enough structure to keep things neat without being bulky. I sorted everything by size, and I even had space left for some crochet hooks and my tape measure.

    The project bag is also great, simple, sturdy, and big enough to fit a sweater project and all the little extras I always end up carrying around. I’ve taken it to knit night, on a road trip, and it’s holding up really well. It’s simple, works well, and makes keeping my stuff together way easier.

    Also, on a trip to Taos, I stumbled across some adorable project bags at a small shop, Las Comadres Women’s Gallery. The bags are originally meant to be Japanese Rice Pouches, but the designer explained they can be used for many crafts, storage, etc. They had a fun chile pepper pattern and a spooky fall design that immediately caught my eye. Both are smaller than the PetiteKnit bag, so they’re perfect for smaller projects or just keeping notions handy. It’s always fun to find locally made gear that adds a little personality to my knitting setup.

  • Sands, Sun, and Sweaters

    We took this trip in January, both of us on vacation and wanting to see parts of New Mexico we hadn’t explored yet. It felt like the perfect time to get out of town. We started our trip in Albuquerque and drove south through Alamogordo on a sunny winter morning. The scenery changed from high desert to rolling hills as we got closer to White Sands. On the way, we stopped at the famous pistachio farm, yes, the one with the world’s largest pistachio out front. We grabbed some snacks and stretched our legs before heading into the dunes.

    White Sands National Park was incredible. The dunes were bright white and stretched out forever. We hiked part of the Alkali Flat Trail, which took us up and down soft hills of sand. If you hike this trail, most start out on the intended path, and then slowly wander off exploring the dunes. The sun was blinding, the sky was clear, and the contrast between the white sand and blue sky was unreal. It felt like we were walking through a dream, except we were sweating and getting sand in our shoes. Totally worth it.

    I wore my cloud sweater on this trip, and it was perfect for the cooler winter temps. I knit it using the Cloud Sweater pattern by Petite Knit. It’s a top-down construction, first knitting the back flat, then shaping the shoulders and joining in the front. Highlights of this pattern are the shaping with short rows along the back, shoulder, and underarms, combined with a loose and comfortable body. For those who can’t stand knitting 4-5 inches of 1×1 ribbing on the neckline and cuffs, this is the sweater for you! Petiteknit designed a simple edge that rolls inward, making the collar and cuffs super comfy. I used yarn I ordered online from Hobbii, holding Highland Wool in color Dark Moss with Diablo in color Thyme (a soft mohair). It was easy to make and cozy to wear, especially in the cool desert breeze.

    After our time in White Sands, we continued on to Las Cruces and explored Old Mesilla, a small historic district just outside the city. The plaza was quiet and full of charm, lined with adobe buildings and local shops.

    The next morning, we went for a hike on the Dripping Springs Trail in the Organ Mountains. It’s a fairly easy trail with great views and just enough incline. The trail leads to some old stone buildings that used to be part of a tuberculosis sanatorium and resort. We spent some time exploring the ruins, peeking into doorways and reading a few of the signs about what the place used to be. It was quiet and a little eerie, but also really cool to see something with so much history hidden in the mountain.

    On the way back, we made a quick stop in Hatch, New Mexico, known as the “Chile Capital of the World.” It felt like a must-see given the town’s reputation, so we took a stroll through the local shops and grabbed a dried chile ristra for our door. It’s a small town, but it’s one of those places you can’t miss when exploring southern New Mexico.

    The whole trip was a mix of fun stops, amazing landscapes, and the perfect excuse to wear a handmade sweater in the desert.

  • Visiting Green Mountain Spinnery

    While visiting back home in Connecticut, my mom and I make a trip up to the Green Mountain Spinnery in Vermont. It was such a fun experience! The spinnery is tucked away in the Vermont countryside, it feels cozy and full of character. The whole space had that wonderful woolly smell, with shelves stacked high with their products.

    We got to look around the spinnery and hear about their process of turning raw wool into the soft, colorful yarns they’re known for. It was fascinating to see the machines in action and hear about how they work with local farms to source their wool. They have a commitment to sustainability, which made the visit even more special. Of course, we couldn’t leave without picking up a few skeins of yarn. We spent some time chatting with the staff, who were incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, and it was clear how much care and passion goes into every skein they produce. Below our pup Archie makes an appearance!

    The first project I worked on using yarn from Green Mountain Spinnery was the Alpine Sweater, which I made for my dad. He specifically requested his favorite green and blue colors, so I chose a combination of their Mountain Mohair and Weekend Wool that would give the sweater a bit of depth and texture. The yarn’s softness and warmth were perfect for the cozy sweater, and I love how the green and blue blend together in the colorwork. I used colors Blueberry, Peacock, Edelweiss in Mountain Mohair and color Spruce in the Weekend Wool for the body and arms. I had been so excited to knit the Alpine Sweater pattern by ViolentCatLady, especially since I’d been following her on TikTok for a while. Watching her create and sell this pattern made me even more eager to try it out myself. The sweater turned out perfectly, and the combination of Green Mountain Spinnery’s Mountain Mohair and wool gave it just the right balance.

    One of my current projects using Green Mountain Spinnery yarn is the Inge Sweater by Le Knit, which I’m also knitting with their Mountain Mohair. The colors I’ve chosen are Edelweiss, Grey Birch, and Blueberry. I’ve only completed the yoke so far, but I’m already in love with how it’s coming together. The sweater is a raglan design with shaping, and I’m especially excited about the stark diamond patterns throughout. There was some talk online of this pattern being oddly fitted in the yolk, with the lack of front neck shaping, so I’m hoping this sweater will block out nicely. Regardless, I’m looking forward to having this sweater in my wardrobe. I’m picturing myself wearing this while skiing this winter in Santa Fe!

    The visit to the spinnery was a great day with my mom, and if you’re ever in the area and love yarn, I highly recommend stopping by. It’s the perfect place to get inspired and learn more about the process behind the yarn we all love to knit with.

  • A Winter Hike in Santa Fe

    Earlier this year, we spent New Years Eve in Santa Fe, enjoying the city and lights. That weekend we hiked the Chamisa Trail in Santa Fe National Forest. The trail is about 4 miles long, with around 1,000 feet of elevation gain, and it’s located just outside of Santa Fe on the way up to the ski area. It was a chilly day, but perfect for a winter hike. The trail was peaceful, and we were mostly surrounded by tall pines and some occasional snowy patches. It wasn’t too difficult, but definitely a steady incline. We took our time, enjoying the views and the quiet, which made the hike feel even more rewarding. Plus, I was excited to wear my hand-knit hat and mittens on the trail.

    I knit the mittens using an Icelandic-style pattern by Mittens for Mimi, which was both fun and challenging to make. The design features a traditional colorwork technique that’s great for keeping hands warm in cold weather, and it was my first time trying this style of knitting. The pattern itself is simple, but it has a beautiful, repeating motif that I loved working on. For the yarn, I used a mix from Green Mountain Spinnery Mountain Mohair in color Edelweiss and Cascade 220 Superwash Wave in color Wildberry Sorbet. The wool is warm, with just the right amount of loft to make them feel cozy but not too bulky. After completing this pattern, I began to notice the inconsistency of the stitches, which led me to learning about color dominance. I hadn’t realized the importance of consistently holding the main and contrast color. There is a super helpful Brooklyn Tweed Color Dominance 101 video on youtube that I wish I’d watched before knitting this! Overall it was a great learning experience, and the mittens turned out as I hoped.

    For the hat, I used the Main Sea Captain’s Hat pattern and Malabrigo Rios in color Ivy, which is one of my favorite yarns because it’s incredibly soft and warm. What I really love about this pattern is the folded edge. It makes the hat extra cozy on the forehead and avoids that itchy feeling that some hats can give. The fold adds a nice touch of structure, and the yarn has just the right amount of softness to keep it comfortable all day. The whole hat is perfect for keeping warm on cooler hikes.

    On New Year’s Eve, we spent some time exploring Old Town Santa Fe. The weather was freezing, but the lights made up for it, and there was a live music that added a magical touch to the evening. We wandered around the plaza, enjoying the decorations, but definitely had to keep moving to stay warm. Before the celebrations, we went to see the Nosferatu movie at a local theater. It was the perfect way to get into the spooky mood of the evening. The whole night felt like a cozy, cinematic adventure, an unforgettable way to ring in the new year.