I’m writing to you at the tail end of our 2-week filming trip through Paris, Barcelona, and Lisbon, and have decided that for the next three weeks, I’m going to write you three newsletters that depart just a bit from our usual weekly format.
They will be sort of extended picture-postcards of filming in each location with each Star.

My phone is so full of photos that convey the intimacy and immersiveness of these filming trips! So for these three weeks, I will be sharing more pictures and fewer words, so that you can get a visual sense of what it’s like to be on location in these beautiful places with these brilliant people.

So it all started with me leaving my “baby” Charles Barkley in the capable hands of my “baby” Mallory for a couple of weeks…

Delta delivered me sleepily to the City of Love, where I met up with cinematographer Brad for the first of many, many cappuccinos to come.

Maybe the wildest thing about Knit Stars is one minute, I’m on Zoom with this icon I’ve admired for decades, and the next thing I’m walking into Franklin Habit’s kitchen in Paris’ 10th Arrondissement.

And I’m taking in all of these tiny details all at once, and Franklin is explaining that this plastic bat hanging in his kitchen was a Halloween decoration gifted to him by Joyce, his father’s wife, and he was so charmed by the gesture, he named the bat Alphonse and keeps him out year-round.

And then before you know it, Brad has transformed the space into a set and we are off to the races, filming Franklin’s masterclass for Season 10!

In between takes, Franklin regales us with stories, like the one about his neighbor across the courtyard who likes to lean out his window, taking potshots at pigeons with his slingshot while wearing only his “tighty whities.”

Once the masterclass filming was complete, we ventured out to discover Franklin’s Paris – a completely different Paris than I thought I knew.

And the food…oh, the glorious, glorious food.

On day 2, I witnessed something I’ve never seen before. Franklin wanted to try a crepêrie he had heard about but hadn’t yet been to, called La Crêpe Rit Du Clown. When our crêpes arrived and I dug in, moaning a bit at the first bite, I realized something was happening next to me with Brad…

He was weeping. Actual tears running down his face. “It’s just…it’s just so good” he managed to say between bites.

The restaurant’s name might be the Laughing Clown, but to me it will always be the Crying Crêpe.

After a final foray to one of Franklin’s favorite Parisian haunts, the famous Père-Lachaise cemetery (a fascinating and ginormous place with too long a story to tell here, but I encourage you to look it up!), I Facetimed with Charles Barkley and melted when he recognized me and his face lit up!

I’ll be home soon, Charlie…just two more filmings to go!

xoxo,

One of the most delightful discoveries in the 10th Arrondissement was Franklin’s favorite yarn shop, Les Tricoteurs Volants, and its fabulous owner, Enrico.

If you have plans in the near – or far – future to visit Paris, you will definitely want to put this place on your yarn bucket list. They have an amazing collection of yarns, many of them French-sourced.

And on display are many of Enrico’s own designs. Turns out he has a bunch of beautiful patterns available on Ravelry, too!

His most-favorited pattern is “Wuthering Heights.” He writes: “Wuthering Heights is one of my favourite books ever, and I love the song by Kate Bush, inspired by the vibrant characters of the novel. Wuthering Heights is also the name of this cabled jumper for men, knitted from the top down and completely seamless. A diamond-shaped cable embellishes the front and the sleeves of the garment, as a small irregular cable runs down the sides.”

And his popular “Troisième Sexe” is a two-colour crescent shawl knitted from the top down. With the first colour, you work a series of interesting stitch patterns. With the second, you repeat a lively diamond lace pattern, concluding with an edging of dotted lace.

You can see all of the patterns on Ravelry here.
Shop the store’s website here.
And find their fun store bags for sale here.

photo and recipe courtesy of Champagne Tastes

Julia Child’s French Crêpe Recipe

I searched for a recipe from La Crêpe Rit Du Clown without luck, but you can never go wrong with Julia Child’s classic recipe for French crêpes at home! With just a bit of practice they are surprisingly simple to make. Fill them with your favorite savories or sweets – Nutella is a French favorite! And before long, you may be weeping at your own delicious creations.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ⅔ cup cold milk
• ⅔ cup cold water
• 3 eggs
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons melted butter, plus more butter or oil for brushing hot pan

Optional add-ins for savory crêpes:

• diced fresh herbs

Optional add-ins for sweet crêpes:

• dash sweet liqueur

• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

Instructions:

1. Whisk together all ingredients in a bowl.
2. Let batter sit in the refrigerator at least 1 hour (or overnight).
3. Pre-heat non-stick pan on high heat, and brush or spray with oil or butter. Oil should shimmer on the pan.
4. Holding pan just off heat, add 2-3 TB batter and swirl to coat pan. Place back on heat and cook for about 90 seconds, until the bottom of the crêpe is golden and slides off the pan easily.
5. Flip and cook the other side for 5-10 seconds. Move crêpe to a wire rack or plate to cool, and repeat with remaining batter.
6. Make Ahead: Stack with wax paper in between crêpes. Refrigerate for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 3-4 months in an airtight container. Don’t skip the wax paper– the crêpes will stick together.