Mushrooms – Good Things Come In Small Packages

by Evin // September 8, 2020 // No Comments

Mushrooms can so easily be overlooked in the grocery market. Not only are they small, but also a pale khaki color. At first glance, it makes you wonder who first thought of picking a mushroom from the dirt in a... Continue reading →

Beefy Comfort Food: Meatloaf, Burgers, and Shepherd’s Pie

by Evin // September 1, 2020 // 1 Comment

Nothing warms up a house like a hot oven and these three recipes are sure to do just that. Each recipe uses two pounds of ground beef in a different and delicious way. Of course, you can substitute ground turkey... Continue reading →

I Want to Knit

by Evin // August 27, 2020 // No Comments

I have made several I Want To Knit lists before and it seems like each time it gets longer and longer. So many beautiful patterns and inspiring yarns and colorways…and only so much time to knit. This year’s list will repeat... Continue reading →

Interview with DesignsBySinéad

by Evin // August 25, 2020 // No Comments

Handcrafted can mean so many different things and represent a variety of methods and crafts, so I love when I encounter a combination of crafts in one talented maker. In this case, I’m talking about Sinéad O’Toole of DesignsBySinéad. You may... Continue reading →

Brilliant Things: Almost Everything We’ve Bought in 2020

by Evin // August 22, 2020 // No Comments

We bought a few new things this year and are loving them, so I thought I’d share a list of what we spent our money on in 2020, since you know it wasn’t travel or dining out. Really, this list... Continue reading →

Reflecting on the Reality of the 1918 Flu

by Evin // August 21, 2020 // No Comments

This pandemic experience has brought my grandmother to my mind a lot. She lost her youngest brother to the 1918 flu, which was devastating. He was just a little older than my younger son is now. I now wonder what kind... Continue reading →

Ultraviolet Knits – Wreath Nebula Mitts

by Evin // August 20, 2020 // 1 Comment

Wreath Nebula Mitts There is something so satisfying about quick knits that are also soft and cosy. Using two colors of DK yarn, these mitts are knit flat, top down, and seamed up the side, leaving an opening for the... Continue reading →

Interview with TheHandmadeStudio.ie

by Evin // August 18, 2020 // No Comments

In the latest interview with a maker in my ongoing series, we learn about Sharon Murphy and her creations in The Handmade Studio.ie. Her handcrafted work brings together bespoke design and vibrant colors for original items you’ll love in your life.... Continue reading →

From Tide to Table: Preparing & Cooking Fresh Caught Fish

by Evin // August 15, 2020 // No Comments

In the summers when we first moved to Ireland, my husband would go sea fishing with his friends. He doesn’t eat fish, but I love it so brought me treats. One particular day, he returned with some Whiting, Cod, and... Continue reading →

Ultraviolet Knits – Rigel Cowl & Rigel Mitts

by Evin // August 13, 2020 // No Comments

Rigel is the brightest star in the constellation of Orion. The star looks blue-white to the naked eye. The Rigel Cowl is knit from the top down, this cowl is soft and a fun way to use special buttons. The... Continue reading →

Make Ahead Vegan Tomato & Corn Salad for a Picnic

by Evin // August 11, 2020 // No Comments

During the restrictions when we were self-isolating, I found myself relying more and more on the herbs grown on our balcony. My parsley and cilantro/coriander were inconsistent in their robustness, but the mint, chives, and scallions were always reaching for... Continue reading →

Ultraviolet Knits – Porch Light Shawl

by Evin // August 6, 2020 // No Comments

  Georsan modelled the shawl for these photos, Martina Leahy styled the outfits, and Niall Twamley was the photographer. You can access a list of all the UV Knits posts HERE!   Porch Light Shawl The warm illumination of a porch light... Continue reading →

Falling Petals Shawl – A Versatile Knit in Lace or 4ply Weight

by Evin // August 5, 2020 // No Comments

I designed Falling Petals Shawl in 2013 to showcase a semi-solid lace yarn for my first book, Bake Knit Sew (Anchor and Bee, 2014). Of course, that doesn’t limit the pattern, which works equally beautifully in 4ply/sock weight yarn. You’ll... Continue reading →

Interview with 2bOrganic

by Evin // August 4, 2020 // No Comments

I was delighted when Simone Nelson of 2bOrganic agreed to be interviewed for my blog. For the past year, I’ve been conducting and sharing interviews with small makers and artisans, you can read the other posts HERE. Simone and I first ‘met’ through... Continue reading →

Useful List of Shawl Knitting Patterns I’ve Designed – Great for Yarn Scraps and Mini Skeins

by Evin // August 3, 2020 // No Comments

We each have leftover partial skeins of yarn, mini skeins, or scraps. Their beauty just as admirable as when they were full skeins, but somehow feel less useful. Their purpose shifts because the weight isn’t a nice even 100g, but that... Continue reading →

Comprehensive List of Patterns to Use with Mini Skeins, Scraps & Yarn Calendar Sets

by Evin // August 2, 2020 // 2 Comments

We all have those mini skeins we treasure, smaller yardage balls, and are maybe even eyeing a hand-dyed mini skein set for a daily knitting project. When I dine out, I love a nice main course, but have you ever... Continue reading →

Ultraviolet Knits – Phare Hat

by Evin // July 30, 2020 // No Comments

Phare Hat Inspired by lighthouses perched on the coastline, I named this hat pattern for the French word for lighthouse. With slipped stitches and textures to emulate the beacon of light. The hat pattern has three sizes and can be... Continue reading →

How to Create Your Own Yarn Countdown Calendar with Leftover Sock Scraps

by Evin // July 29, 2020 // No Comments

We’ve all admired winter Yarn Countdown Calendars, but it isn’t always feasible or prudent to buy more yarn, especially when many of us have leftover bits waiting to fulfil their destiny. So, I decided to see if I could create my own... Continue reading →

Imitation Crab Salad

by Evin // July 28, 2020 // 1 Comment

Now that I’m a parent and making meals for four of us every day (sometimes twice a day), I think back to the balanced and delicious meals my own mother cooked for us. Honestly, at the time I was used... Continue reading →

How I Started Blogging and My Favorite Writing Books

by Evin // July 27, 2020 // No Comments

Since I learned what letters and words do, I’ve put them together to convey ideas or just for fun. In college, I was editor-in-chief of the campus newspaper, I was an interning editor for an educational catalog/magazine for three summers,... Continue reading →