The Parade of New Patterns Continues

Plus, I feel a book binge coming on…

With the Fall equinox just four days away, new knitting patterns continue being published to greet the impending sweater season. I have two new designs to tell you about this week.

First up is the Mill Valley Pullover, which I designed for Cascade Yarns nearly a year ago. I’m delighted it was finally published this week.

Photo courtesy of Cascade Yarns

This sweater was made with Cascade Yarns MeriKash, an elegant DK weight blend of 80% extra-fine Merino wool and 20% cashmere. I loved working with this yarn and will be publishing a full review in the coming weeks.

Detail of the stitch pattern from the Mill Valley Pullover. Photo courtesy of Cascade Yarns.

The pullover features a stitch pattern resembling oversized knit stitches created by working right twists and left twists on a stockinette stitch ground. The body is knit in the round to the armholes. The set-in sleeves are sewn into place and give this pullover a classic, tailored fit.

Cascade has marked the skill level for this pattern as “advanced”. I’d have called it “intermediate”. The stitch pattern is contained in panels at front and back, so the armhole shaping doesn’t encroach on the pattern—no puzzling through how to maintain pattern while shaping! The only seams are at the shoulders and armholes.

The pattern for the Mill Valley Pullover is available from Cascade Yarns for free. (No kidding. They invest in commissioning original designs, then offer the patterns for free in hopes you’ll use their yarn.) You can download your copy by clicking the button below.

If your local yarn shop does not stock MeriKash, you can order online from Great Yarns! and get free shipping on your order over $75.00.

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This week’s second new pattern is a hat I previewed a couple of weeks ago: The Boxed Diamonds Hat knit in North Bay Fiber Elemental Sport.

I wrote a full review of Elemental Sport a couple of months ago. In that review, I mentioned that I thought the yarn would be fantastic for colorwork, and this design is the proof of that hunch. The hat is soft, warm, and cozy.

I used a colorwork pattern reminiscent of those you might find on Sanquhar gloves. In a mashup of traditions, I framed the colorwork with two-color Latvian braids. The pattern includes full instructions for working the Latvian braids, which are a surprisingly easy-to-knit decorative accent. When I first learned the Latvian braid technique, I was tempted to add them to everything!

Since this is a self-published pattern, paid subscribers 🩷 received an email yesterday with a link to download a complimentary copy of the Boxed Diamonds Hat pattern. One of the benefits of a paid subscription is a free copy of every new pattern I publish.

If you’re a free subscriber, and upgrading to paid isn’t the right choice for you right now, you can take 20% off the price of this pattern on Ravelry with coupon code BOXEDDIAMONDS20. Or simply click the button below to have the Boxed Diamonds Hat pattern added to your cart and the coupon code automatically applied. The discount is available until October 15, 2025.

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Last week, I introduced you to the Skellister Vest, my contribution to the Fall 2025 print issue of Farm & Fiber Knits magazine. I also wrote an article about how I swatched a variety of color combinations for this design. That article was published on the FFK website yesterday. It is behind the subscriber paywall, so you’ll need a Farm & Fiber Knits subscription to read it.

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I’ve written before about my affection for serial fiction, but it’s been some time since I sampled a new series. After all, devotion to a fiction series is a very real commitment. Once you’re hooked, it’s hard to walk away.

Well, I’ve been hooked once again. This time, the culprit is Mick Herron and his Slough House series of novels about a group of washed-up MI5 spies who can’t seem to stay out of trouble.

The first novel in the series is Slow Horses, which has been adapted into a television series for Apple TV+.

I don’t subscribe to Apple TV+, so I haven’t seen the show, but the novel is fantastic. Herron has written an espionage thriller that mixes real suspense with sharply cynical humor. The plot is tight as a drum with twists and swerves that kept me fully engaged. The characters run the gamut from detestable and disgusting to pitiable and charming. The writing is very British, but I’ve read enough British fiction that I only had to resort to Google a couple of times.

The audiobook is read by Gerard Doyle (who reads the entire series). While his voice never detracts from the story, he isn’t the best at differentiating the characters. It sometimes took me a minute to catch up with who was speaking or whose point of view we were now inhabiting.

The ninth novel in the series, Clown Town, was published just last week.

It includes many characters from the first novel, plus a few more to fill the gaps left by those who were apparently lost in action somewhere in books 2–8. The humor, suspense, and satire I appreciated in Slow Horses are even more in evidence with Clown Town. Herron is clearly an author who has mastered this world and is writing at the top of his game.

Now, of course, I need to listen to books 2-8. I’ve already queued up Dead Lions (book 2) in my Hoopla app. I won’t be able to truly binge this series, since I have a handful of books on hold with Libby that I’ll listen to when my turn comes up. But for the next month or two, whenever I’m between audiobooks you’ll find me hanging out at Slough House.

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Some things that caught my eye…

• This short film is simply brilliant. Thanks for the tip to the amazing

  Clara Parkes
  , who always has her finger on the pulse of the world of wool.
  

• Continuing to learn new things is what keeps our minds engaged. The always thought-provoking Seth Godin shared some words of wisdom to consider before we embark on learning a new skill.

• Noting the passing of Robert Redford, a heartthrob of my youth. If I had to choose one of his films to watch again, it would be 1985’s “Out of Africa” with Meryl Streep. Which Robert Redford movie is your favorite?

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Thank you, as always, for inviting me into your world and allowing me to share mine. Continue the conversation—Have you caught the Slough House bug? Via books or the TV show? If you’ve both read and watched, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the faithfulness of the adaptation via the comments.