My New Logo 🧶 A Little Dream Called Verona’s Strickstube ❤️

I’m happy to share something special, my new Verona’s Strickstube logo! I created it together with a help from my AI buddy, ChatGPT. I had the idea and vision, and with a little back-and-forth, changing the design, colors, lettering, and details until everything felt just right, ChatGPT helped me bring that vision to life. I think we make a pretty good creative team!
Those who know me know that yarn, knitting, and creating have always been a big part of my life.
Many years ago, one of my knitting students, Pilar, and I opened a yarn shop together called All About Yarn. Pilar was the crocheter, and I was the knitter, and together we created a wonderful little shop that became a very special place for people who shared our love of yarn and handmade creations.
Over time, my teaching load expanded, and my time at the yarn shop became really limited because my career demanded more and more of my attention. Eventually, I left All About Yarn, while Pilar continued running the shop on her own for several more years. Sadly, when COVID came along, keeping the store open was no longer possible, and the shop eventually closed its doors.
But apparently, you can close the door to a yarn shop without completely closing the door to the dream.
All these years later, I still think about how wonderful it would be to have a yarn shop again perhaps this time a little differently and with everything I learned from the first experience. So today, I’m very happy to give Verona’s Strickstube a fresh new look with its very own logo!
I don’t know yet exactly where this little dream will take me, but I can hardly wait to explore the possibilities more deeply. Maybe Verona’s Strickstube will simply remain the place where I share my knitting adventures, or maybe, just maybe, there is another little yarn shop somewhere in my future.

Sometimes an old dream deserves a new beginning.

Reversible Diamond Pattern – Two Sides, Two Beautiful Looks

I finally finished my reversible Diamond Pattern hat and scarf, and I am very happy with how they turned out!

What I especially like about this pattern is that both sides are beautiful. Each side has its own look, so there really isn't a wrong side. This works especially well for the scarf because it can twist and turn while you wear it, and the pattern still looks pretty.

For the hat, I adapted the same Diamond Pattern so I could knit it in the round. I love how the diamonds wrap around the hat and how nicely the pattern matches the scarf.

I chose white yarn because it really shows off all the different knit and purl stitches and lets the diamond design stand out.

One pattern, two different sides, and now a matching hat and scarf. 

I knitted the beanie and scarf, and AI created this beautiful flyer for my pattern! 🧶💕 I think we make a pretty good team! 😊 

My Newest Knitting Project — Diamonds in Valentina

I haven't had much time lately to knit or devote to my knitting blog. Teaching and getting everything ready for my classes has kept me pretty busy. But today, after I was finally done with my teaching prep for next week, I had some time to sit down, relax, and knit—and I almost finished my newest scarf! 

I really like this diamond pattern. It is easy to follow, not difficult to knit, and once you get going, it has such a nice rhythm to it. You don't have to constantly stop and figure out where you are, and it knits up pretty fast.
The yarn I am using is RIOS Valentina 689, 100% Superwash Merino Wool. I really like the color, and I think it works beautifully with the diamond pattern.

There is one little thing I would have done differently from the start. The pattern calls for 2 knit stitches on each side on every row. I think I would have made it 4 knit stitches on each side instead. The sides are rolling inward quite a bit, so the scarf will definitely need to be blocked when it is finished. I think the extra two stitches on each side might have helped with that. 

But that is really only a small thing. I enjoy knitting this pattern very much, and I am happy with how the scarf is turning out.
Now I just have to finish it! And if I have enough yarn left over, I would like to make a matching headband to go with it.
It was really nice to have a little time for knitting again today.

Cast On 38 Stitches

Row	Instructions
1	K8, K2tog, YO, K1, YO, sl1, K1, PSSO, K12, rep once, K8
2 (WS)	K2, P to last 2 sts (including YOs), K2
3	K7, K2tog, YO, K3, YO, sl1, K1, PSSO, K10, rep once, K7
4 (WS)	K2, P to last 2 sts, K2
5	K6, K2tog, YO, K5, YO, sl1, K1, PSSO, K8, rep once, K6
6 (WS)	K2, P to last 2 sts, K2
7	K5, K2tog, YO, K7, YO, sl1, K1, PSSO, K6, rep once, K5
8 (WS)	K2, P to last 2 sts, K2
9	K4, K2tog, YO, K9, YO, sl1, K1, PSSO, K4, rep once, K4
10 (WS)	K2, P to last 2 sts, K2
11	K3, K2tog, YO, K11, YO, sl1, K1, PSSO, K2, rep once, K3
12 (WS)	K2, P to last 2 sts, K2
13	Repeat Row 9
14 (WS)	K2, P to last 2 sts, K2
15	Repeat Row 7
16 (WS)	K2, P to last 2 sts, K2
17	Repeat Row 5
18 (WS)	K2, P to last 2 sts, K2
19	Repeat Row 3
20 (WS)	Repeat Row 2

Happy me....

 

Well... it's finally done!

My little She-Shack / Yarn Studio is officially finished, and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out. Everything is organized exactly the way I wanted it. The shelving is in place, my books are where they belong, the KALLAX cubes are filled with my yarn stash, and the little loft is holding all those boxes of yarn I have collected... or should I say bought... over the years.
My knitting machine is set up and just waiting for me to get started. Every time I walk in there, I smile. Everything is exactly where I wanted it, and it just feels so comfortable and peaceful. I finally have my own little place where I can knit, design patterns, organize my yarn, and enjoy doing what I love.
Now the fun begins! Time to stop organizing and start knitting. I can't wait to share my next projects with all of you!

Another project from my knitting archives!

I knitted this infinity scarf several years ago, and it remains one of my favorite cold-weather accessories. The combination of off-white and deep purple creates a striking contrast, while the repeating pattern gives the scarf plenty of texture and visual interest.

What I love most about infinity scarves is how easy they are to wear. No ends to tuck in, no fussing with how it hangs, it just hangs around your neck keeps you warm and comfortably with a touch of style.

This project was enjoyable to knit because the pattern was repetitive enough to be relaxing, yet interesting enough to keep me engaged. 

Looking back at older projects always reminds me how many stitches, ideas, and memories are wrapped up in every piece we make. This infinity scarf is one of those projects that still makes me smile years later, especially when I see my daughter wearing it in the wnter time. 

Question: Have you ever gone back through your knitting projects and rediscovered an old favorite?

Some yarns do most of the work for you, and Noro Silk Garden is definitely one of them. This beret is a great example. The colors flow naturally from one shade to the next, making even a simple project look special. As I knitted, I never really knew what color was coming next, which made the project even more fun.

Noro Silk Garden has always been one of my favorite yarns because of its rich colors and unique texture. The blend of silk, mohair, and wool gives it a soft feel with a little sheen, and it creates a lightweight fabric that works beautifully for a beret. The ribbed brim helps the hat keep its shape, while the top has just enough slouch to make it comfortable and easy to wear.
What I enjoy most about this yarn is that every project turns out a little different. The color changes create interest without needing complicated stitch patterns. The yarn itself becomes the star of the project.

It was a relaxing project, quick to knit, and one of those pieces that still makes me smile.   

Nancy’s creativity...

Nancy, from our Wednesday knitting group started out making a little flower potholder, but somewhere along the way it turned into the sweetest little hat, and it fits Lu perfectly! That’s one of the things I love most about knitting: sometimes a project has plans of its own. The stitches, colors, and shape came together so naturally, and seeing Lu wear it made all of us smile. Handmade pieces always seem to carry a little bit of the person who made them, and this tiny hat is full of Nancy’s creativity.

I just finished another sweet little sweater, like the raglan sweater, this pattern too was created using the Knitting App Aompanion I built. It’s always exciting to see a design go from digital concept to real stitches on my needles.

The sweater in the photo has been beautifully styled with a decorative background added by Microsoft Copilot, giving the finished piece a soft, inviting presentation that really highlights the texture and colors. I’m very happy with how it turned out and can’t wait to share more projects with patterns created by my Knitting app and sharing it on my here on my Knitting blog,

Pictures with and without background changes: