yarnalong: onto the hood

...Joining Ginny's YarnAlong, sharing what I'm knitting and reading...

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...Knitting...

I'm now working on the hood! It's been fun watching things come together and I'm excited that it's looking like an actual sweater at this point. All of my knitting focus has been going into this sweater to get it finished in time for Bracken's birthday. 

...Reading...

Still reading 'The Gift of Fear.' I would definitely recommend it, but I would also give the warning that it is very graphic and some of the stories are hard to take. That being said, I feel it contains a lot of really valuable information and I'm really grateful it was recommended to me. 

How about you?

Knitting? Reading?

yarnalong: joining the sleeves & the gift of fear

...Joining Ginny's YarnAlong, sharing what I'm knitting and reading...

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...Knitting...

I finished knitting both of the sleeves for Bracken's sweater. When it came time to join them I got a bit confused, but eventually figured it out. I'm making progress! Though this is technically my second sweater, the first one was knit in one piece and then stitched together up the sides, so the construction of this second sweater is new to me. It's empowering to learn new things with my knitting.

...Reading...

In the comments from Saturday's post, three of you recommended the book 'The Gift of Fear' by Gavin De Becker. I had a feeling I really needed to read it so called the library and was happy to hear they had it. They put it on hold and Jeff picked it up for me after his physical therapy appointment. Right when I held the book in my hands I got goosebumps. A chapter in, this book is exactly what I need to read right now. I'm so grateful for the recommendations, thank you!

How about you?

Knitting? Reading?

yarnalong: in blueberry blue

...Joining Ginny's YarnAlong, sharing what I'm knitting and reading...

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...Knitting...

 On the first day of the month, I cast on a new knitting project. It's a sweater for Bracken for his birthday. I searched for yarn in a "blueberry blue" color, since it's his very favorite color, and was happy with the colorway River, in Lark yarn by Quince & Co. The pattern is called: Odette Hoodie. I've admired this pattern for a long time. Knowing I only had a little over a month to knit his entire sweater and that my hands seem to be so full at home all the time, I brought my knitting to market last weekend and knit while I walked throughout the day. I made some good progress on the sweater body that way. Then I started the sleeves, made a blooper, caught my mistake and started again on the first sleeve. One market friend said "you started knitting over a month before you need to finish it, you're doing so good!" That made me laugh because I didn't think that was very prepared at all. My other market friend (a knitter) looked at my very beginnings of a sweater and heard when I needed to finish it and just the thought of it stressed her out. Exactly. I've got to keep rocking and rolling on it to get his sweater done in time.

The night before, Bracken came and sat next to me on the couch while I was knitting the part that took a little concentration, so I could have easy knitting for the market day. He had a piece of wool in his hand and a paper clip. He moved the paper clip back and forth, back and forth. He informed me that he was knitting a sweater for his Aunt Sam. I thought that was one of the cutest things ever. The next day he brought it to market and started working on it again and said he was making something for a friend.

...Reading...

I finished the sequel to 'Bridget Jone's Diary'. I was so glad to finally have a resolution. The characters were driving me nuts with their lack of communication. It always drives me nuts when that happens. Then I started a new book. After Bracken was born, Jeff started reading aloud to our family from 'The Egg and I' by Betty MacDonald. We both thought it was great, but it got set aside and he never finished reading it out loud. While cleaning recently, I came across it again. I've been in the mood for humor and remembered that it was funny. I'm not very far in, but it's already been cracking me up like crazy. It's hilarious. I love the author's sense of humor. It's so important in life.

How about you?

Knitting? Reading?

yarnalong: two socks (they're finished!)

...Joining Ginny's YarnAlong, sharing what I'm knitting and reading...

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...Knitting...
My socks are finished! I'm calling them an early birthday present to myself, since my birthday is on the twenty first. It's the first time I've experienced wearing handknit socks and it is a wonderful feeling. Thanks to my photographer Jeff for getting some pictures of me wearing them. (There was only one part I did a tad differently than the pattern because I made a little blooper, more on that in my Ravelry notes here.)

The yarn is from our friends at Timberwolf Farm (they have some beautiful yarns available in their Etsy shop right now.) And the sock pattern was created by our friend Inge, part of the duo behind Timberwolf Farm, and it's available on Ravelry and on Etsy.

...Reading...
I finished reading 'Bridget Jone's Diary' by Helen Fielding. Luckily I had picked up the sequel at the library at the same time I  had gotten the first one. The first one sort of leaves you hanging and the second picks up right where the first left off. Again, it's very funny. (Also makes me grateful I'm choosing a life without so much drama, it's a bit exhausting just reading about it sometimes.)

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How about you?
Knitting? Reading?

yarnalong: the toe & some good humor

...Joining Ginny's YarnAlong, sharing what I'm knitting and reading...

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...Knitting...

I thought for sure I would have my socks finished for today's yarn along. Then I saw I had dropped two stitches right before changing to blue yarn for the toe. I hadn't noticed until knitting for a bit. I brought it to Inge hoping there was some sort of knitting miracle cure I didn't know about, but I had been decreasing so picking up those stitches would have proved to be difficult. So I ripped it out past those dropped stitches. Picking up those wee stitches takes some concentration. I got started again. I saw the toe wasn't looking like my other one and then realized that I made another blooper: I was decreasing one row, knitting one row, instead of decreasing one and knitting two. Whoops! So I ripped it back again. Now I'm very close to finishing the toe.

...Reading...

When I asked for a funny book at the library last week (thanks for your suggestions, by the way) they recommended one book to me: Bridget Jone's Diary by Helen Fielding. At first I sort of dismissed the idea since I'd already seen the movie many years ago. But then I thought I really needed something different since I always seem to go to the very same shelves in the library and it brought me to new section entirely. Last week on the mornings I woke up early, I had productive work time and creative time. This week when I've woken up early, I've been reading by headlamp. This book is actually really hilarious. The author is very funny. I like diaries because I enjoy seeing behind the surface of people- what their thoughts and feelings are, where they are coming from. I love being able to relate to people, see what we have in common, and understand them, whether we have many similarities or our lives are very different. Last night I talked to my grandma on the phone and told her what I was reading. I told her it was funny, but inappropriate. She joked that my great grandmother would not have approved then, because after she read books she would tape little notes in them saying things like: "too much cussing" or "too much drinking." This book has both of those things, for starters, but it's serving it's purpose quite well: which is getting me to laugh.

How about you? 

Knitting? Reading?

yarnalong: the second sock

...Joining Ginny's YarnAlong, sharing what I'm knitting and reading...

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...Knitting...

It says on my Ravelry page that I started these socks sometime in January. Our friend Inge wrote the pattern and asked if I'd like to be a test-knitter for her pattern. I said I'd love to. If I remember correctly she asked me last fall. Now it's the following summer. (The world's slowest test-knitter? Thankfully Inge is so sweet about it.) But I can now say that I'm getting close! I discovered something about myself- knitting with size 1 knitting needles is not my strong suit. But the effort is well worth it because these are going to be the most fabulous socks I've ever made. As I knitted them, with how tightly woven they are, I could tell they would hold up better than any socks I've made previously. And these socks are for me! This will be the first pair of socks I've knit for myself. This project kept getting pushed back for various reasons- because I had gifts to knit, because I came to a part that required a miniscule amount of concentration so I set them aside for that rare moment, but mostly because I don't bring knitting projects on double pointed needles along with me. I leave them at home. I decided to change that recently and have been bringing them with me. I'm determined to finish these beautiful socks. Not long ago Inge and I were able to go over the pattern together and she put the finishing touches on her sock pattern. I'm excited to announce that her sock pattern is now available on her Etsy Shop and on Ravelry. She creates such lovely patterns and I talked to her about making them available on Ravelry. I'm so happy to say she now has nine of her patterns there. (By the way, The Multiple Plait Cable Headband is how I first learned to cable and I would highly recommend it as a beginning cable project.) Inge also started a Timberwolf Farm yarn & fiber group on Ravelry where people can share the projects they make with her patterns and yarn. (If you've knit anything with Timberwolf Farm yarns or start up one of her knitting projects, please share your project there, I know she would be so delighted!)

...Reading...

I'm in between reading right now. It was time for me to return the cookbooks to the library so Jeff scanned a few favorite recipes for me to keep on hand. Today I went to the library to return them. We picked up some books for Bracken. I told the librarian that I was in the mood for something funny and asked if she had any recommendations. I wanted something different than what I normally choose. She couldn't think of anything. She asked another librarian and they searched the computer and gave me the name of one author. Shouldn't libraries and bookstores have entire sections devoted to humor? I think so. If this book is funny, I'll let you know. And also, if you've read anything particularly humorous lately, please share!

How about you?

Knitting? Reading?

yarnalong: her red owl purse

...Joining Ginny's YarnAlong, sharing what I'm knitting and reading...

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...Knitting...

Since my mom has opened her gift, I can safely share the finished owl purse that I made for her. I was scrambling to get it mailed out in time. I added tassles on the bottom of the purse. Then I attached an old leather belt that had been my mom's years ago, to use for the strap. I was really excited to surprise her with that part. Jeff made special buttons in reclaimed mountain mahogany wood for the owl eyes. Then I attached a button in black walnut near the top that a yarn loop hooked around, for the closure. The yarn is Quince & Co. Puffin in the Peaks Ferry colorway. It's a bright and fun color and I enjoyed knitting in a color I don't knit with much. My Ravelry notes are here, in case you're interested. Jeff had a really good idea to attach the buttons with the buttonholes vertically because it made them look much more like owl eyes. I didn't have time to block it, but a spritz of water and a bit of ironing on the wool setting did the trick. (That was news to me, I didn't know our iron had a wool setting.)

How about you?

Knitting? Reading?

yarnalong: more owl love (& coconut oil love)

...Joining Ginny's YarnAlong, sharing what I'm knitting and reading...

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...Knitting...

I'm knitting an owl again. My mom loved the owl hat that I made for Bracken and said she would love an owl purse. With her birthday coming up, I asked her to pick out the color yarn she wanted and when it arrived I got busy knitting her purse. (It's okay, I can write about it here because it's no secret. She knows exactly what I'm making her for her birthday.)  I'm modifying the owl hat pattern to make it a purse instead. I wanted to knit the owl from the top down, instead of from the bottom up like in the pattern. I started knitting the owl chart upside down, but quickly saw that it wasn't turning out right. I ripped it out and then started knitting the owl chart upside down and backwards. (Goodness, doesn't that sound confusing.) Now it's looking like it's supposed to. That set me a little behind and I have lots of progress to make to finish it and get it mailed out in time.

...Reading...

I'm reading 'Cooking with Coconut Oil: Gluten-Free, Grain-Free Recipes for Good Living' by Elizabeth Nyland. You already know how much I love coconut oil and I like getting new inspirations for adding more of it into our diet. Not only does this cookbook have coconut oil in every single recipe, all the recipes are paleo style. There are so many good ideas in it and beautiful photography, so I'm really enjoying it. I'll probably be checking this one out from the library often. (And I just saw she has a cookbook filled with avocado recipes that looks fun too.) I always need fresh ideas in the kitchen.

How about you?

Knitting? Reading?

yarnalong: more primal fare & a grey cowl

...Joining Ginny's YarnAlong, sharing what I'm knitting and reading...

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...Knitting...

I finished both of the owl hats that I was working on and they went to their new homes. Now I'm almost finished with a grey cowl. (Gotta love how quickly the single skein projects in the bulky yarn knit up! It makes me feel so prolific.) I'm tweaking the cowl pattern that I'm working on and hope I'll have it this time. I want to be completely happy with it before I share it.

...Reading...

I'm still enjoying cookbooks, like last week. I finished 'Dishing Up Oregon' by Ashley Gartland. I liked the little features on local farms, restaurants, and food centered businesses that were scattered throughout and tucked between recipes. I was excited to see there is an Oregon Olive Mill! That was news to me. Now I'm savoring every page of 'Primal Blueprint Quick & Easy Meals' by Mark Sisson and Jennifer Meier. As I read it, I think: 'Now here's a cookbook with recipes I will really make!' They are simple recipes, easy to prepare, and nutritious to boot. I love when cookbooks include a picture with every single recipe. This one has several pictures with each recipe: one with ingredients, one showing the process, and one showing the finished meal. There's so many good recipes, I want to make them all and plan on renewing this book from the library for as long as I can. 

How about you?

Knitting? Reading?

yarnalong: two owl hats & a stack of cookbooks

...Joining Ginny's YarnAlong, sharing what I'm knitting and reading...

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...Knitting...

After we returned from Iowa I set to work making a hat for our friend's birthday and I've been on a roll making owl hats ever since. One of Bracken's buds has shown love for Bracken's owl hat quite a few times when he's come over to play, so I decided to make him one of his own. I made Bracken's owl hat in a very light grey and chose a darker grey for his friend's, so each will be a bit different. I've finished knitting it now and just need to sew on the button eyes in time for his birthday in a few days. 

Then I cast on a second owl hat. Of all the knitting projects I've made, the two that get the most compliments, by far, are Bracken's bear hoodie and his owl hat. Our beekeeping friends had a baby girl over the winter and I made her a little beehive hat, which has gotten much use. Her mama saw Bracken's owl hat one day and asked if she could pay me to make one for her baby girl and I said I'd love to make her one and asked if she'd like to trade for some honey instead. She was thrilled with the idea and we are a honey loving family, so very happy about it too. This is the third owl hat I've knit (I love the pattern) and I made it in a medium grey. As you can see above, I'm nearly finished with it. I've been amazed how quickly these owl hats knit up in that bulky yarn and perhaps knitting a pattern again, when it's not your very first time knitting it, makes it go faster.

...Reading...

When we made a trip to the library last week, I emerged with more books than I intended to bring home. I tend to do that often when I go to the library. I wandered by the cookbook section and quickly grabbed three that caught my eye, while Jeff and Bracken waited for me. Before Bracken was born I would be running around the house and yard accomplishing tasks and had a hard time slowing down and taking breaks (after he was born, though, nursing a baby certainly gets you to do that.) What I would do was sit down on the couch and read my cookbooks for my "break time." It was really relaxing and I loved it. I tend to reach for my knitting these days, but thought it would be fun to get some new inspirations for the kitchen and flip through some new cookbooks.

 'Eating Close To Home' by Elin Kristina England, was a quick read because most of it was recipes, which were quick to flip through. The author lives in Oregon and even goes to the same farmer's market we do, so it was fun to hear mention of local farms that we know of. Eating local foods is a topic I love and am passionate about so the book was right up my alley. I passed by the recipes with ingredients we don't eat, but found some good ideas as I flipped through. I started looking through the pictures in 'Dishing Up Oregon' by Gartland before I even started reading it. Gorgeous food photography is something I love to look at. The cookbook I'm most excited about right now, though, is the 'Primal Blueprint Quick and Easy Meals' because it contains the most recipes that we actually eat. I love Mark Sisson's books (the Primal diet is near and dear to my heart.) I have 'The Primal Blueprint' and The Primal Blueprint Cookbook. When I saw that the library had the one book by him that I don't currently own, I was thrilled. Jeff started reading the recipes to me on the way home and my mouth was watering the whole time. (And I now have it on my wishlist, it's wonderful.) At the library, my favorite librarian (she's so friendly and has a great sense of humor to boot) pointed to that cookbook and said she loved it. I told her I was looking for paleo-style cookbooks on the shelves and that was the only one I found. She joked that it was probably because she had them all checked out and that she would put them on hold for me when she returned them. She said she started a primal/paleo style diet and already lost 25 pounds! It's completely changed her health around so we had fun talking about that, and it's not the first time I've heard that.

How about you?

Knitting? Reading?

yarnalong: unexpected progress

...Joining Ginny's YarnAlong, sharing what I'm knitting and reading...

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...Knitting...

 As I was packing a knitting project at the last minute for our trip, Jeff asked me something along the lines of: "Are you going to have any time for knitting?" It turns out much more than I was even expecting. I knit while we waited at the airports, I knit while we were on the plane, and sometimes when we were riding in the car. I knit some at my grandma's house. It all added up. I was amazed to return home with most of a Milo Vest finished for Bracken after being gone for only a short visit! I did a complete experiment with the owl on the front, so we'll see how it turns out. (At least I'm not doing it upside down this time- ha!)

...Reading...

Even though I had plenty of time for knitting, I didn't pack a single book for our trip. I didn't think I would have any time for reading. Knitting was something I could do while I still watched Bracken and something I could do while chatting with people, so it's much easier to bring knitting along. I did finish the last few pages of 'Joyful Movement' when I got back. Then I started flipping through 'Crafts Through The Year' by Thomas and Petra Berger, that was gifted to me. Bracken woke up and saw me looking at it one morning. I told him it was book with ideas of craft projects to make. He preceded to point at quite a few pictures saying "yeah" and telling me he wanted to make every single project he saw. It has some fun crafting inspiration so far. I like that it's based on the seasons. It says: "Making homemade toys and decorations is an excellent way for children to become involved in the celebration of festivals throughout the year."

How about you?

Knitting? Reading?

yarnalong: one in snap pea, one in sorbet

...Joining Ginny's YarnAlong, sharing what I'm knitting and reading...

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...Knitting...

 I finished knitting two cowls in time for the Black Sheep Gathering. Both in Quince & Co. puffin yarn, one in the snap pea colorway and one in the sorbet colorway. Jeff made me special buttons for each, three cedar buttons for the snap pea cowl and four hemlock buttons for the sorbet cowl. Both of the woods are from our yard and favorites of ours. He drilled the buttonholes larger than he usually does because I wanted to attach the buttons with the bulky size yarn. He took these pictures last week (the buttons looked a bit wonky in some of the pictures where I'm wearing the cowls.) The cowls got a lot of attention at the show and I really wanted to have some items in our booth that showed our buttons in action, so those were great for that. (They're now posted in the shop.) Also, I had something else in mind. Have I ever told you I have a dream to design knitting patterns? I've knit many cowls over the years and after quite a few, have most often settled on making ribbed cowls in bulky yarn. I've had many people ask me for the pattern, but I didn't have one written down. With these two latest cowls, I wrote down what I did as I went along and did the math for the buttonholes and all that. I wanted to give an option for three larger buttons or four smaller buttons. I was pleased with the cowls, but then I tried them on and saw the pictures that Jeff took of me wearing them and wasn't completely satisfied with how they wore. I want to move the buttons closer to the edge and not have such an overlap, for one thing. I'm going to tweak the pattern a bit more, but then I will be sharing it as soon as it's ready. I've been pretty excited about it. And happy to finally be doing it after intending to for so long.

...Reading...

I finished reading the kindergarten homeschool curriculum from Christopherus and started reading a companion book by the same author called 'Joyful Movement- A Resource For Nurturing Balance, Movement, And The Senses.' I've had some ideas of things I've wanted to do and create in our yard and this book is further inspiring those ideas and giving me new ones. (Think slides, swings, hoola hoops, jump ropes, forts and more.)

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How about you? 

Knitting? Reading?

P.S. When I asked Jeff to take some pictures of me wearing the cowls and Bracken saw it was picture time, he wanted to be in some pictures too.

yarnalong: another cowl & monadnock table

...Joining Ginny's YarnAlong, sharing what I'm knitting and reading...

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...Knitting...

I'm working on a second cowl in another colorway. Jeff started making some buttons for me for the two cowls I've been working on. I'll be sure to show them when they're finished. I'm really enjoying knitting with bulky weight yarn right now, I love how quickly I make progress!

...Reading...

Sweet Kim sent me two issues of Monadnock Table, a magazine she photographs for. I love seeing what farms in another part of the country are growing and producing and it's fun getting a peek into another community. I'm looking forward to reading the other issue.

How about you?

Knitting? Reading?

yarnalong: something simple, something green

...Joining Ginny's YarnAlong, sharing what I'm knitting and reading...

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...Knitting...

On Sunday, when our internet was out for the day, I had plenty of work to do, but decided to spend Bracken's nap time by giving myself a rare gift: quiet time to myself to simply knit. I told Bracken that I was going to put an owl on the front of his grey Milo Vest. A period of time with my full concentration was the perfect opportunity to start it. I used the same owl design from the hat I made for him. I did the math to get it centered on the front of the vest, got started and was happy to be making some good progress when I realized that I was doing the owl upside down! (On the hat the owl is worked from the bottom up.) Whoops. I had to rip it out and then before I knew it I frogged the whole vest. Considering I started the vest in February, it had months' worth of knitting in it, even if it was just a bit here and there. But the vest I made for him before is still big on him so I know he'll wear his owl vest for years and I wanted to start over and fix my mistakes that had been bothering me. After all that, I decided to switch gears and turn to something very simple. I'm knitting a green cowl in puffin yarn from Quince & Co. I love knitting with bulky weight yarn and it's a nice change for right now.

...Reading...

Still reading the Christopherus Homeschool Resources book from last week. While Waldorf is not a one hundred percent fit for us, there are many things about it that I like and I'm enjoying reading through the kindergarten curriculum. This morning I read Bracken the story about the enormous turnip.

How about you? 

Knitting? Reading?

yarnalong: another milo & enriching experiences

...Joining Ginny's YarnAlong, sharing what I'm knitting and reading...

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...Knitting...

Bracken has gotten so much use out of the blue milo I made for him and I decided to knit him another one in a different color. I found this beautiful grey wool yarn, in the DK weight I needed, from Timberwolf Farm. I actually started this project during our Florida trip because I thought it would be a great knitting project for traveling. When we returned, it got set aside while I finished other knitting projects and I just brought it back out again. It came along to the restaurant last weekend while we ate dinner with my dad and uncle and of course I told them about how wonderful knitting is and about this talk saying they've found the same rare brain waves in knitters as they've found in meditating monks. "I'm tellin' ya, knitting is awesome!"

Even with this simple to follow pattern, I made two noticeable mistakes so far (knitting two rows in a row rather than knit one row, purl one row.) I seriously considered ripping the whole thing out and starting over again, but Jeff assured me you couldn't tell at all (as an outside observer) and I talked myself out of doing it. I tell my perfectionist side: it's those "mistakes" that add so much character to handmade things. 

...Reading...

I was gifted some books from Christopherus Homeschool Resources and am finally reading one. I'm reading 'Kindergarten With Your Three To Six Year Old' by Donna Simmons. There's a lot of good information and inspiration in it. When we started Rainbow Bridge, some other children were starting kindergarten at other places at age two. I was so surprised because I had no idea there were even kindergartens for that age group. People often ask when Bracken is starting school or ask what grade he is in, (or those who know we'll be homeschooling ask about our homeschooling now) and it always surprises me a bit since he is only three. This Waldorf style homeschooling book for kindergarten starts at age three, which surprised me as well. (But while reading it and seeing the approach, it makes more sense to me.) I always thought more along the lines of five years old for kindergarten. Honestly, the typical ideas about "academic learning" are not a focus for us at his age. We're more concerned about providing Bracken with enriching experiences. And there is so much important learning that happens at home like cooking, cleaning, and gardening, and in the communities that we are a part of. I feel that daily household tasks are so important for children to be immersed in. (Bracken already knows so much more about where food comes from and how to grow it in his first three years of life than I did in my first twenty!) So when I started reading this book I was somewhat relieved when I realized that we're already doing many of the things that she talks about, and it's giving me inspiration for other things to do as well. To me, spending time is nature is essential for children (and everyone) and I love that Waldorf highly values that. I feel time outside is so vitally important for us to give our children.

How about you? 

Knitting? Reading?

yarnalong: elf knots baby hat & good humor

...Joining Ginny's YarnAlong, sharing what I'm knitting and reading...

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...Knitting...

I finished the Elf Knots hat. I wasn't able to make it to my friend's baby shower and I was bummed about that, but with Bracken being under the weather he really needed his mommy that day and of course it was the most important place for me to be. So I wrapped the hat up and am looking forward to surprising her with it soon. I finished it with a Wooly Moss Roots Button. I think it's such a cute pattern (and looks even cuter being worn that just lying there in my pictures above.) The yarn is Lark from Quince & Co., in the colorway: delft. (Ravelry notes here.) I must say (and I've probably said this before) that I love knitting tiny items for babies. And I like having knitting projects that I can finish up so quickly. I need more of those kinds of projects.

...Reading...

I finished reading 'The Prize Winner from Defiance, Ohio.' What an incredible book! After talking about it to Jeff for a really long time, I recommended it to my mom when she called me on the phone and then mentioned it to my grandmother as well. The mother in the story, Evelyn Ryan, is someone I find incredibly inspiring. I know I'll carry this story with me always, it's certainly had an impact. Evelyn saw the humor in life no matter how dire the circumstances at the time and used to her creativity to create seemingly miraculous solutions. 

After finishing it, I started a book I requested from the library that they (happily) ordered for me. 'The Amazing Thing About The Way It Goes: Stories of Tidiness, Self-Esteem, and Other Things I Gave Up On' by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. I've read a few of Stephanie's books before and she is hilarious. Through her I discovered that there is such a thing as knitting humor, and it's wonderful. This one is not all about knitting, but it's equally hilarious. I always appreciate a good dose of humor. Sometimes I have to catch myself from laughing (too loudly) out loud because my reading time is while Bracken is sleeping.

How about you? 

Knitting? Reading?

yarnalong: blue baby hat & persevering mothers

...Joining Ginny's YarnAlong, sharing what I'm knitting and reading...

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...Knitting...

My friend's baby shower will be happening soon and I've been working on a baby hat for what will be her third boy. Originally, I had a sweater pattern in mind and the yarn all picked out, but I needed to keep my spending down so I decided to change plans. I already had one skein of worsted weight yarn (I'd been saving to make Bracken mittens, but he doesn't need those right now) and decided to make a hat  for her baby instead. Plus a hat is a much quicker project, which is nice. I searched Ravelry for a baby hat pattern with worsted weight yarn. I thought it would be really great if the pattern called for a button too, since I'm always happiest when my knitting projects require buttons. I found the perfect pattern: Elf Knots by Amanda Keeys. It's adorable and it has a button on it, so there you go. I'll share pictures when I finish it (which needs to be soon.)

...Reading...

I finished reading 'The Color of Water', that I mentioned last week. It was a moving story. I shared a summary of it with Jeff on a car ride this week (don't worry, I didn't ruin it for him, he's busy with other books and won't be reading it.) I like to read books about people with lives and experiences different than my own, it gives me a broader perspective. The strength of spirit of the characters in the book was inspiring to me. Then I started reading 'The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: How My Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 Words or Less' by Terry Ryan. Also very inspiring so far. In my mind, the mother Evelyn is a good example of the doors that can open and the solutions that can present themselves when you follow your intuition and use your natural gifts. What's interesting is reading both of these books side by side, since they have a lot of similarities. In the first, a mother of twelve is raising her children in New York, barely making ends meet. In the second, a mother of ten is raising her children in Ohio, barely making ends meet. It's their strength through hardships that I find so inspiring. When I have a hard day, I think: 'Ruth had four children in a one bedroom apartment with a shared bathroom' and 'Evelyn had nine children sharing a single bedroom.' It helps put my struggles in perspective and we can all use some of that on a daily basis. 

How about you?

Knitting? Reading?

yarnalong: his coat (at last!)

...Joining Ginny's YarnAlong, sharing what I'm knitting and reading...

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...Knitting...

My friends, at last I have finished knitting my very first sweater! It's a pretty big event in my knitting world and it feels like a huge accomplishment. Even with the bloopers I made in it's creation, I'm proud of it. The pattern is the Shawl Collar Baby Coat (& here on Ravelry.) The pattern is one that I would definitely recommend. Above, Bracken is wearing his new coat and showing me his "silly face." I got the yarn (Imperial Yarn Columbia in the colorway wheat) on our trip to my favorite yarn shop, Stash. The yarn was on sale and I wanted to knit a sweater for Bracken with it, but I was unsure about the color at first because I thought anything that light could get stained too easily. Darker colors seemed like a better idea to me and I even thought of dyeing the yarn a bit darker, but the color really does suit Bracken and reminds me of a favorite song. I intended to finish it for the fall (it looks like a fall coat to me), but didn't finish it until the spring. (I did skip one little part in the pattern: notes on Ravelry here.) It took me awhile to do the button loops while I hand sewed them because I had a hard time getting them to look good and re-did them (no one else would probably have this problem, I was just button loop challenged for some reason.) I finished the coat with two WoolyMossRoots Buttons in black walnut wood (like these.) I think the black walnut wood suits this coat perfectly! After seeing the coat on Bracken for awhile, I wished I would have moved the buttons over more so the coat would have fit more snug. But I did a lot of work to make an interior button and loop that is constructed (and hidden) where the front ones connect so it would be quite a bit of work to change the position of the buttons now. He was only wearing a t-shirt underneath in the picture above, but when he has a lot of layers underneath and we use it as a coat, it is nice to have it roomier. As it's big on him, he's going to get a lot of use out of it! I'm happy about that because I worried that by the time I finally finished knitting it he would have outgrown it. Yesterday he wore his coat for the first time to our Rainbow Bridge class. I tried to get some pictures of him wearing it during random moments throughout our day: outside the chiropractor's office (Jeff had an appointment and it helped a lot) and at the smoothie stand, but Bracken wasn't really into staying still for pictures yesterday (and our camera's not one for action shots.) But I did get a few.

...Reading...

I started a new book called 'The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother' by James McBride. I'm not very far into it, but I'm already hooked. I'm fascinated by the characters and by their life experiences. It's a really good book so far. 

And now, let's see some more pictures of that coat, shall we?

This morning I tried to take a few more and, bless his heart, he did stand still for some pictures and he even smiled instead making his usual silly faces...

We immediately took it off after the picture because when the sun came out from behind the clouds it was so warm that he didn't need it. Every time I complete a project it's so satisfying. This one was especially so.

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How about you? 

Knitting? Reading?