The Summer of Paula ~ Hyla Brook

Hi, Knitters,

Well, I'm back after an unexpected leave of absence. I am having troublesome technology issues that involve a complete meltdown of my laptop and the permanent loss of years of data. There were failed back-ups and computer insides. Anyway, that's all that will be said about that. It's sad and upsetting to lose work that can't be retrieved but I always try my best to keep things in perspective and move on. 

On to happier topics, I have randomly selected a winner for the Dropcloth Sampler Subscription from the last blog post. And the winner is....... Anni! Congratulations to Anni! I have already contacted both Rebecca Ringquist and Anni to pass on the good news.

I mentioned in my last video podcast that I am having an unofficially official self-proclaimed Summer of Paula. I am talking about my friend and knitting cohort Paula Emons-Fuessle, host of the wildly popular Knitting Pipeline podcast. I am definitely following through with the Paula theme so far. Any of you are free to join in with me if you are interested. Here are the two simple things that The Summer of Paula includes:

1. Knitting as many Paula Emons-Fuessle shawls as you can squeeze in. I have now knit four of Paula's shawls and I have three more to go before I can say I am caught up. I know I won't finish her shawl patterns this summer but I will just keep working at it as the season changes to the fall.

2. Listening to Paula's fantastic audio podcast, The Knitting Pipeline, starting from Episode 1 and working my way back up to the current episode. I spend a lot of time outside running and hiking. Each day when I am out doing these activities I listen to at least a couple of back episodes. There are 177 Episodes and I am up to Episode 36. 

Repeat 1 and 2 until you are caught up!

Now, I have to say that the Knitting Pipeline is a podcast that over the years I have gone back to listen to older episodes again and again. It is the ONLY podcast where I repeatedly listen to old episodes. I have never done repeat listening in an organized way as I am doing now. It is really fun.

What I find is that it is even better when you go back for the second, third or fourth time. Paula is funny, you have to listen closely to her side remarks, she slips them in. She is also smart, informative and interesting on all sorts of topics. There is so much that I have forgotten in these old episodes.... bb guns in a closet (her son's), Paula's likening herself to squirrels going splat after falling and jumping right up and running away (I loved this so much I had to stop and laugh on my run), Paula's sincere love of basil, her lime-basil butter recipe (I'm making it today), a salmon rub recipe (coming up this weekend at my house), pattern discussions and recommendations, quotes, crows remembering human faces (I guess it's true! I told my kids this and they were creeped out.), nature information of all sorts, book recommendations - both knitting and non-knitting (I have read so many fiction books at Paula's advice and have loved them all), and much more. Paula's the real deal and you are missing out if you don't follow along with her. 

I especially love hearing Paula read Elizabeth Zimmermann's old letters to her. Boy, could that Elizabeth write, even in casual correspondence. It's amazing to hear her personality come through the written words. Her descriptions and tone set a scene like no one else. It really makes me sad to think that letter writing is such a lost art. No one is going to pull up old emails to read years later. Listening to these letters from Elizabeth makes me want to do some letter writing.... and to read Elizabeth's books again, I have them all.

I know I'll be writing more about The Summer of Paula. Let me know if you are joining in somehow. I'd love to hear about it.

Here are some Paula related links for you to check out:

The Knitting Pipeline website (blog, shownotes, tutorials, links, podcasts - you can even listen from here!)

Paula Emons-Fuessle patterns!

The Knitting Pipeline Ravelry Group

Paula's YouTube video tutorials!

Now for my first finished Paula shawl of the summer. This shawl is called Hyla Brook. It is fast, fun and simple. I added a beaded bind off just like the one in my shawl pattern the Quaker Ridge Shawlette. I love the beads on a ruffled edge. It adds just the right amount of weight to the shawl. I wore my new Hyla Brook all day yesterday as it was chilly around here, strange as it is for July.

Here is the information about my Hyla Brook:

Click here for the pattern for Hyla Brook!

Yarn: Quince & Co. Finch in the Storm colorway I added a couple of repeats so I ran out of yarn on the bind off. I added in some other Quince Finch I had to complete the bind off. It isn't exactly the same shade, it is one of the heathered grays, but you can't see it at all.

US size 6 needles, 32-inch circulars

Size 6 beads, clear with a silver lining, applied using a flosser (There are YouTube videos on how to do this.) I applied the beads to every other stitch on the bind off. It was really fun and I love the finished effect.

Click here for the exact beads I used ~ two tubes required. I have many left over.

I love the yarn, it is light as air. The wool blocks out beautifully and easily. I used 2 pins to block the shawl. It was so simple.  Paula has video tutorials on blocking shawls just like this one, and much more. 

(photo by Kelsey Kobik for Quince & Co.)

Paula's newest shawl was released through Quince & Co. last week. It is called Sister Bay which is a location in Door County Wisconsin. I love it that Paula loves Door County as it is one of my favorite Wisconsin spots, too.

Paula is hosting a Sister Bay Knitalong right now. It is not too late to join. Click here for more information.

Click here to find out more about the pattern Sister Bay!

I love this shawl so much. It is very wearable. I love the two colors in the design but I have 5 skeins of Chickadee from Quince & Co. sitting in my stash in the Nasturtium color way. I can't remember why I purchased it. It is enough to make the larger size of Sister Bay. I may just do this shawl in one color. I think it would be a perfect use of the yarn I already have! Even better.

Okay, so I'm back here blogging away. I hope you are back, too! Summer love and kisses to you all. I'll be back soon with more.
best, susie
p.s. Did you all see this pattern collection by one of my faves? I am crazy for all of it.