I’m a writer, podcaster, designer, speaker, teacher, blogger, crafter, and editrix of What Would Madame Defarge Knit?—Creations Inspired by Classic Characters. I write here about knitting, crafts, cooking (now gluten-free), and the myriad things in which I’m interested. My main podcast is CraftLit and that’s now spawned a sister show Just the Books—all the lit, none of the craft. You can find out more about my podcasts,...

The Maryland Side of Great Falls. The C&O Canal has a working packet boat and they run it up through a lock then turn and come back. Not a bad way to spend a cool morning with the kids.

Apologies to Lewis Carroll but there are similarities between making a gauge swatch and listening to the signs your body is sending you. How? Well, they’re both important. Every knitting and crochet pattern out there has that little line about taking time to check your gauge. Diet and fitness gurus are constantly telling us to eat better, whatever that may mean. But let’s be honest, do we do either one? Every single time? Be honest now. I...

I hate dish rags, but I LOVE hand towels. Especially hand towels that really REALLY absorb water. So I made one. When What (else) Would Madame Defarge Knit? was coming out I needed some mindless knitting to keep me cognitively anchored (ahem) but not overwhelm me. Enter my very own hand towel. I blocked mine wet… well… just because that’s what I do when I wash knitted things. It didn’t really need it. The stitch pattern is easy when you know...

Cognitive Anchoring is the thing I spoke about at MIT for the Common Cod Fiber Guild last week. It’s a term I had to make up because no one else had tied the pieces together in regards to knitting and how it affects the mind. I’m working up a teaser for the talk to post here so if you, your guild, or your LYS would like to have me come speak/teach, you’ll have something to point to. There’s been zero research into...

I’m always knitting. I should post more. Therefore, WIP Wednesdays! To learn more about the meme, visit Tami Amis’ blog post describing the gig.   This week, I’m working on a simple shawl pattern I found at MDSW. It was my birthday present from my DH and is that kind of lightweight summer shawlette that’s perfect when you live in a land of heavy air conditioning (NoVa). It’s called Surf Escapades by Jacqueline...