This week I’m headed to Paris to film with Franklin Habit, then Spain with Cecilia Losada, then Portugal with Filipa Carneiro, all for Knit Stars Season 10.

But it won’t be the “postcard Paris” you can get on the Travel Channel or one of those river cruises…

The Stars always put lots of thought into what they’ll wear on camera. Maybe Franklin will wear this old French work jacket (“bleu de travail”) that he’s been embroidering?

No, this is going to be Franklin’s Paris, Ceci’s Barcelona and Filipa’s Lisbon.

Because the whole point of traveling to each Star’s hometown to film with them is to take you inside their world, understand them on a deep human level, and get that magical glimpse into what makes them tick, creatively. ✨

That good old song from Sesame Street keeps coming to mind…

🎵Oh these are the people in your neighborhood, in your neighborhood…🎵

(Or in Paris, would that be in your arrondissement? Might be little harder to rhyme! 😅)

After filming with Pope in Santiago, I’ve gotten super interested in that secret sauce of creative genius that drives these folks…it’s a little different for everyone, and I’ve asked them to reflect on it before I arrive, so we can dive deep and capture their brilliance in action, so it can ignite the same spark in you.

Cecilia’s Instagram profile says she lives in Barcelona because it’s easier for people to place, but her home is really Sant Pere de Ribes, a small town nearer the coastal city of Sitges. She’s been very busy on her porch sipping water while working up swatches and “step-outs” for her mosaic masterclass, which will include both crochet and knit versions of a colorful new poncho design.

And then there’s sweet Filipa, who has been dashing all around Lisbon preparing for our arrival.

“I hear Brad likes coffee, so I went to my favorite store to buy fresh toasted Brasil blend coffee,” she wrote. “It’s one of the most charming shops in my neighborhood.”

Then she went to the bakery “to make sure the pastel de Nata is still delicious.”

And she’s even been baking star-shaped cookies for us! Between the Paris croissants, the Spanish food, and Filipa’s goodies, I’d better pack my elastic waist pants! 😎

Also going in my carry-on will be my “Bee Vest” by Pope Vergara, which is coming along nicely. I’d forgotten how addictive beaded knitting can be!

Until next Sunday, when I’m sure to have some mouth-watering Parisian photos for you… passe une belle semain! 💕

xoxo,

Filipa puts the final touches on her purl inlay cardigan for her Knit Stars class, while her kitten, Cuca, sleeps on her desk.

Out of curiosity, I cruised over to Ravelry to see which of our Euro Stars’ projects have the most favorites.

Franklin’s number one design, the “Princess Franklin Plaid Collar,” is oh-so-Parisian-chic. He has such a sophisticated sense of color.  And bonus, the pattern is free, here.

Cecilia’s number-one pattern is “Abya Yala.”

She writes that “Abya Yala in the language of the Kuna culture means ‘mature land,’ ‘living land’ or ‘land that blooms’ and is synonymous with America. The expression Abya Yala has been used by the original cultures of the continent to self-designate, as opposed to the expression ‘America.’
It is the name of our lands before being colonized.”

And oh lookie here, as of this writing this pattern is free, too! Find it here.

“Cascata” by Filipa Carneiro, photo credit alexandragoucha on Ravelry

And whoa…we have a trifecta. Because Filipa’s top-favorited design on Ravelry (at a whopping 25K+ favorites!) is “Cascata” – and it is also a free pattern!

Cascata means waterfall in Portuguese, and this is such a pretty summer design. 💕 You can access it on Ravelry here.

Spicy and Saucy Cherry Tomato Pasta
My yogi friend Tina came over for dinner again this weekend, so you know what that means…it’s vegetarian recipe week! This Spicy and Saucy Cherry Tomato Pasta by Alexa Weibel for New York Times Cooking has almost 4,000 5-star reviews. I was initially intrigued by the pan-toasting of the tomato paste to get a smoky flavor…but what really won the day was the fried capers. Crispy, briny and caper-y…they are so easy, and a revelation! Served with a green salad and bread, I didn’t miss the meat one bit. 

Ingredients:

• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons drained jarred capers
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 to 2 teaspoons red-pepper flakes (optional)
• 16 ounces orecchiette or other shaped pasta (I used rigatoni)
• 1½pounds cherry tomatoes, halved
• ½packed cup thinly sliced fresh basil, plus small whole leaves, for garnish
• Fresh ricotta, shaved ricotta salata, or grated pecorino or Parmesan, for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Pat the capers dry, then add them to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the capers to a paper towel-lined plate.
3. Add the tomato paste to the skillet and cook over medium-high, stirring frequently, until tomato paste darkens in color and deepens in flavor, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, the garlic and red-pepper flakes, if using, and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is softened and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the pasta to the boiling water and reduce heat to medium. Cook according to package instructions until al dente.
5. While the pasta cooks, add the cherry tomatoes to the skillet, season with salt and pepper and cook over medium-high, stirring, 5 minutes. Add ⅔ cup pasta cooking water from the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes start to fall apart and the liquid becomes saucy, about 10 minutes.
6. Drain the pasta, and transfer it to the skillet with the sauce to combine. (If your skillet is too full to accommodate the pasta, you can transfer the cooked pasta back to the pot, then add the sauce to combine.) Stir in half the basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Divide among plates or bowls and top with capers and remaining basil, plus cheese and whole basil leaves. Serve immediately.