Blueberry Hill Crafting

Cherry oat bars

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In preparation for a summer of fresh fruit for jam-making, I’m clearing out my freezer, and needed a use for leftover pie cherries.  This recipe for cherry oat bars is easy and delicious, and it turned out perfectly!

Ingredients for cherry filling:
4 cups fresh or frozen cherries (pitted and stemmed)
2/3 cup sugar
8 tbsp cornstarch
juice from two lemons

Ingredients for bars:
1 1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cup quick oats
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
3/4 cup butter

Cherry filling:  In saucepan, bring cherries, sugar, and lemon juice to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.  Whisk in cornstarch and boil, stirring, until thickened (about 1 minute).  Let cool to room temperature (although truth be told, and only let it cool a little, and it worked just fine).

Bars:  Mix together ingredients, cutting in the butter until you form a crumbly mixture.  Line a 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper.  Spread 2/3 of the bars mixture in the bottom of the pan and pat firmly and evenly.  Spread the cherry filling over the base, then crumble the rest of the bar mixture over the filling.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, until light golden brown.  Cool completely before cutting.

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Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

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This shawl design arose out of my desire to use every color of YOTH’s beautiful new marls :)  It’s very generously sized, feels so nice against the skin but not heavy or overly warm – a perfect three-season wrap!

Pattern:  Won’t You Be My Neighbor wraparound

Yarn:  YOTH’s Neighbor – 1 skein each of Light Blue Marl, Blue Marl, Blue, Mustard, Mustard Marl, and Light Mustard Marl, and 1 skein of Natural (I used every yard of this, so you might want to purchase two skeins, just to be safe)

Needles:  US 8s

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My version of a Camel Hair Coat

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I love this version of my Red Spire Cardigan, knit in the luxurious and utterly wonderful Clever Camel yarn.

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This yarn (actually made from camel hair!) has such loft and lightness, but with a wonderful cozy warmth.  It’s truly perfect year-round!

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Yarn:  11 skeins of Clever Camel (100% baby camel), color Naked, 110 yds/ea

Needles:  US 7s or 8s (uh-oh, guess I didn’t take very good notes . . .)

Size:  41″

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Yarn Sale!

Part of my spring cleaning regimen is to say goodbye to yarns that are much loved, but don’t have a place in my knitting queue.  They are all beautiful and recently purchased, I just don’t have any use for them, and I need to make space!  I’m selling them all at a much reduced price, so if you love any of them, e-mail me (andrea.hungerford@mac.com) and they’re yours!  Shipping included in the price :)

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Two skeins Ewetopia Kickapoo Sock and one skein A Hundred Ravens Chinthe (all fingering weight) ($50)

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Comfort Fade Cardi kit ‘Hawk Boy’ – seven skeins of The Farmer’s Daughter Juicy DK + pattern ($125)

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Four skeins of The Farmer’s Daughter Foxy Lady (silk/merino) – two skeins of Strawberry and one skein each of Leaning Tree and Lake Missoula ($80)

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Walk in the Woods pullover

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I’ve just released my newest pattern – Walk in the Woods.  This comfortable, classic pullover is perfect for unpredictable spring weather – wear it alone or over a light layer, stick it under your raincoat or over a skirt – this is a wear-anywhere piece that knits up quick!  Little details add to the overall appeal of the pullover; the hem splits right at the side seam to give you extra movement and keeps the edge from rising up, and the seamed construction keeps the shoulders tidy, not slouchy.  The yarn – two types of Isager knit double-stranded – makes the whole garment light and warm.

 

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I’ve already knit three of these sweaters, and am close to finishing a fourth – they are so perfect for all weather and every occasion, I want one in every color!  You can find the pattern now on Ravelry.

Pattern:  Walk in the Woods Pullover

Yarn:  Isager Strik Alpaca 2 and Isager Strik Tweed

Needles:  US 6s

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I convinced my reluctant two oldest daughters to help me model these sweaters, and I love how the photos showcase the different ways the sweaters can be sized.  On Bella (wearing the taupe sweater), the look is slightly oversized; on Emmersen (wearing the black sweater), the garment is worn with a slight bit of negative ease, and on me (wearing the magenta sweater), the sweater is worn in a traditional style, with just an inch or two of positive ease.  Three different looks, all flattering and classic!

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Fading

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Working a fade on my own improvised cardigan . . .

Yarn (from top down):  Junkyarn DK in colors Fleur (1 skein), Lara (2 skeins), Dolly (2 skeins), and Diana (2 skeins)

Needles:  US 6s

The  sweater is constructed so that it’s completely reversible, but I like how the colors blend and fade better on the reverse stockinette side :)

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Black and White and Striped All Over

 

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I was intrigued by Andrea Mowry’s new design in Amirisu, but I didn’t think that the big, lacy collar would work well for me, so I replaced it with a wide ribbed band (in black, instead of white).

Pattern:  Hachinosu by Andrea Mowry

Yarn:  YOTH Daughter (100% Domestic Rambouillet and Merino wool blend) – 1 ¼ skeins Natural Vanilla, and 2 skeins + a little bit of a Daughter Mini skein in Truffle (330 yds/ea)

Needles:  US 6s

Size:  40″ (this turned out pretty tight, especially in the sleeves, so I skipped a few of the sleeve decrease.  I was surprised by the tight, skimpy fit, since 40″ should have given me about 3″ of positive ease).

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YOTH’s Daughter yarn is very “farmy,” with a lot of texture and at this gauge, it creates a very sturdy, dense fabric.  At first it wasn’t what I expected for a little cardigan in this style, but it grew on me once the project was finished and blocked.  I was really worried about bleeding during the wet blocking, so I added one cup of white vinegar and I didn’t let the sweater soak for more than 10-20 minutes, and it came out with no visible color transfer.

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I’m not sure how I feel about this one – I usually don’t like cropped cardis (they’re not super flattering for my build), and the same goes for cardis that are so open in the front, without a lot of coverage (even though I knit the button bands almost 4″ wide!)  But I think it might work well in the spring – to pull on when it’s cool in the morning, but without a lot of bulk or smothery softness once it starts to warm up.  I do like the black with the natural vanilla color, and the way the wide stripes look, but this is one I’ll have to wear a few times before I decide whether it has a permanent place in my wardrobe.

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Snow Speckle Crewneck

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Pattern:  Personal design

Yarn:  MC:  Hazel Knits Artisan Sock (90% superwash merino / 10% nylon) color Nekkid – 5 skeins (1650 yds)
CC:  Junkyarn Smooth Sock 4-ply (75% superwash merion / 25% nylon) color Eternal Sailor Moon – 1 skein (463 yds – used every yard)
(NOTE:  Knit with yarns held doubled throughout)

Gauge:  19 sts x 25.5 rows

Needles:  US 6s

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Beetroot and Rhubarb colorwork pullover

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Pattern:  Lighthouse Pullover

Yarn:  YOTH Big Sister (80% superwash merino / 10% cashmere / 10% nylon) – 6 skeins Beetroot and one partial skein each of Rhubarb and Sea Salt

Needles:  US 6s

Size:  39 1/4″

Mods:  Knit body 1″ longer (to 16″)

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Love the fit!  This yarn is incredibly soft and it creates a nice form-fitting silhouette.  It tends to fuzz and pill a little with wear, but I don’t mind :)  I’m not usually all that crazy about how yoked pullovers look – they really broaden out my shoulders and chest – but the colorwork is beautiful and well worth it on this one.

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Archer button-up shirt

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My first button-up shirt!  I hadn’t ever sewn a shirt with a collar, button bands, and plackets, but this pattern’s easy-to-follow directions made it totally doable.  I love how it came out – I chose a soft, lightweight shirting fabric with a subtle stripe and it’s exactly what I had in mind in terms of fit and feel.

Pattern:  Archer Button Up Shirt by Grainline Studio

Fabric:  Pickering International Organic Cotton/Hemp Yarn Dyed Ticking in Indigo (purchased last summer at Drygoods Design in Seattle)

Size:  10 (I was a little nervous that it would be slightly too small in some areas, but the fit is spot-on)

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New Year’s Mitts

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Pattern:  New Year’s Mitts by YOTH Yarns

Yarns:  One skein of YOTH Daughter Mini (Natural Vanilla) and two skeins of Spincycle Dyed in the Wool (Truth Bomb) (knit double-stranded through) – I bought the “Puppies” set of YOTH Daughter Mini + two skeins of Spincycle wound together

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Needles:  US 8s (the pattern also called for US 9s for the cuff, but I didn’t have this size in dpns, and it didn’t seem to negatively affect the fit around the cuff to use US 8s

Size:  Smaller of the two sizes

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Notes:  The fit is good around the wrist, but a little too snug around the palm of the hand and there isn’t a lot of give (probably because of the stitch pattern).  I had to cast off tightly to give a snug fit around the opening at the fingers.  I’d like to increase the size around the palm a little, without changing the fit around the wrist or fingertips.

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Dockside Cardigan

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I pulled together a customized pattern to showcase these gorgeous yarns – it incorporates some pieces of Albini Cardigan and some of the color scheme of BlueSand Cardigan.  The yarn is a merino, silk and yak blend, and you cannot believe how silky soft it feels!  And, I love how it takes color . . . because it’s so soft, I think it’s likely going to pill, but I’m okay with that :)  The merino helps give it some structure, but it still has a great deal of drape, so I wanted a project that wasn’t likely to stretch out of shape or try to show off a lot of texture.

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This cardigan differs from most that I’ve been knitting lately — closer fitting, not overly long or oversized.  I like the close fit and the fact that the crewneck means I don’t have to wear anything under it.

Yarn:  Nice & Knit DK Luxe (65/20/15% merino/silk/yak) – 3 skeins Harpoon, 2 skeins Hazy Skies, 1 skein Dockside

Needles:  US 6s

Size:  Knit to approx. 39″ (about 2″ of positive ease)

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Speckled beanie

 

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Today’s attempts at getting modeling shots with a goofy 12-year-old . . .

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This is a nice one-skein project – perfect if you needed to make a whole bunch of hats for gift-giving.

Pattern:  Nice & Knit Beanie
Yarn:  One skein of Nice & Knit Worsted (color Melon)
Needles:  US 7s

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Cashmere shawl for fall

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My first time working with Plucky Groovy, Baby! . . . interesting construction, with a lot of spiral and twist to the yarn.  It takes color beautifully, but I think I like Plucky Cashmere better – it’s definitely softer (even though this yarn is also 100% cashmere).

Pattern:  Imposter’s Shawl

Yarn:  Plucky Groovy, Baby! (100% cashmere) – 1.5 skeins (380 yds/ea) in color Livery

Needles:  US 8s

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Notes:  Since this is a fingering weight yarn, I knit with yarn doubled.  I completed the number of repeats as specified by the pattern, but didn’t do the edging as called for the in the pattern; I found the directions confusing, unfortunately.  Instead, I just picked up all of the yarn-overs along the edge, then used a K1, KPK repeat, and then bound off.  I like the effect just as well, and the difference is hardly noticeable when wearing the shawl.  The color IRL is a darker purple in most light – it looks deeper and more interesting than it does in the photos.

This is great size and shape of shawl for wearing here in Oregon, where it doesn’t often get cold enough that you want something really warm – like cashmere – wrapped too many times around your neck.  It’s big enough to keep you warm, but not so big as to make you feel like you’re drowning in it.

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Cranberry Lemon Muffins

cranberry lemon muffins

RECIPE:
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Zest of one lemon
1 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Line a muffin tin with wrappers, or grease well.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt.
In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, yogurt, apple sauce, oil, vanilla, and lemon zest.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk together until just combined.
Fold in the cranberries.
Fill each muffin tin 2/3 full with the batter.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until puffed, firm, and golden brown on top.

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