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Elfing

In the past few weeks knitting has been about Christmas.  This little toy set Is a gift that I knit for a friend.  The toys fit inside the little knitted sack :-)  The tomtens were made from this pattern, and the mouse and sack were knit from patterns in this book.  I used O-wool Balance (50/50 cotton/merino) for the white, and Plymouth Select (superwash merino) for the green and red colors.   

All through Advent I've been reading books about the Blessed Virgin. I love this book about the many apparitions of Mary and the miracles associated with them. It's difficult for me to express how deeply inspired I am by the accounts in this book.  

Monday was the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  We made a pinata that we painted to look like the world, and had a Mexican supper of fajitas, rice, and beans. After supper I read the story of Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe to my children.  The next day, my oldest son told me that he was very moved by the story.  He looked up the details of the blessed Tilma and was amazed by what he learned.  

Joining Ginny for her weekly Yarn Along.

Reading and Knitting

Today was a very full day.  There was storytime at the library in the morning with Luke, and then after lunch Seth and I drove into Boston to spend the afternoon comparing ancient sculptures at the Museum of Fine Arts.  We've taken three trips to the museum this semester, and every time it has rained.  I'm glad to be home now with a steaming hot cup of tea, and my book and knitting beside me :- )

A couple of weeks ago I saw this quote on Kortney's blog, which led me to The Illumined Heart, by Frederica Mathewes-Green.  What a wise, beautiful, encouraging and insightful little book for those who desire a deeper understanding of the ancient path of Christianity.  I liked it so much that I put several of Mathewes-Green's books in my queue at the library.  Today I started reading, The Lost Gospel of Mary:  The Mother of Jesus in Three Ancient Texts, in preparation for Advent.  

I haven't been knitting too much because of the pain in my hand, but of course, I must knit a little :- ) I'm making  s l o w  progress on my Tea Leaves Cardi.  I'd say I'm about three quarters through the body. Yesterday I put it aside so that I could begin knitting caps for the troops.  This is a project that I am working on in conjunction with my church group, The Friends of St. Anthony.  Once a month the Friends volunteer time to pack care packages with HOTS (Helping Our Troops).  It's cold in Afghanistan this time of year, and the troops need wool knit caps to keep their heads warm, even under their helmets. HOTS provided the pattern, a very simple stockinette hat with three tows of 1 x 1 ribbing around the edge. I'm using Plymouth Select Worsted Merino Superwash color #12. I hope to complete a hat every other day. I'm experimenting with different ways to hold my needles to help alleviate my hand pain (and I'm being very mindful about keeping my hands loose).  Do any of you knitters have some helpful tips?  

Joining Ginny at Small Things for her weekly Yarn Along.    

Ouch!

Progress on my Tea Leaves Cardigan has  s l o w e d  this week due to pain in my right hand.  The large joint at the base of my thumb is really sore and my entire hand is weak.  I have a regualr physical scheduled on Friday, so I'm going to mention it to my doctor.  I hope it's not arthritis :- (

Since I can't knit (much), I've been reading more.  I'm thoroughly enjoying Miss Read's Fairacre series. I'm also reading My Life With the Saints, which is excellent--very engaging.  

I'm also enjoying walks in the woods.  Last weekend's snowstorm (all melted now) gave me a sense of urgency to get out there before the woods fill up with snow.  

Yarning along with Ginny at Small Things.

Whipporwil

Whipporwill by Carina Spencer.  I loved this pattern--it was clever, fun, and fairly quick to knit.  Raveled about here.

Yarning Along with Ginny here.

Knitting, Books, Diary

Joining Ginny in her Wednesday Yarn Along:

I'm in the final section of the Whipporwil shawl for my daughter.  This has been such a fun knit, and much quicker than I thought it would be.  Hopefully it will be blocked and ready to photograph next week.

My friend Annie sent me a book of short stories called, Lucy's Eggs, which I am enjoying.  And, I started the second book in P.B. Ryan's Nell Sweeney series. This one is called, Murder In a MIll Town.  One of the things that I find annoying about reading series books is the inevitable re-cap of past events and characters at the beginning of each book. I wonder if the authors think that it's important, or if it's something that publishers require them to do in an attempt to make each book stand-alone.  It really destroys the pacing of the story.  But, I love Nell Sweeney's character and the setting of this series enough to suffer through the re-caps.   

Today our power was out for almost two hours, which sent us rushing off to the nearest pet shop to find a battery powered air pump for Z's fish aquariums.  He said that if the power was off for much longer than two hours the fish would die.  Unfortunately, the pet shop's electicity was out, too. The traffic lights were also out, making driving quite hazardous.  Happily, by the time we got back home the power had been restored, and there were no fatalities, human or aquatic.  

I spent the morning editing a story for a friend who is taking a univeristy fiction class.  She and I grew up next door to one another, and the story was based on her memories of when her childhood home burned down. I was three years old when it happened, and she was five, yet we both have pretty vivid recollections of it.  I remember being woken up in the middle of the night, the sky flickering orange-bright, casting weird shadows on the walls of my bedroom, my father's strong arms lifing me.  I remember the fire engines filling our narrow lane, how loud they were, and how big.  My family went across the street to my uncle's house.  My aunt made me hot chocolate and toast. My cousin Judy was asleep upstairs and couldn't play with me; I was disappointed.  I was wearing a pink blanket sleeper.  It had lost it's softness and was covered in pills.  When I read my friend's story of her memories of the fire, I cried. There were things that I had forgotten, like how her sister had to jump from a second story window and broke her leg, and that her asthmatic brother was hospitalized with smoke inhalation. Her family had to live in a rented house for almost a full year while their house was being re-built. I had forgotten all that.  It's funny, the things you recall, and the things that you don't. 

Today was the first sunny day of the week.  I'm still waiting for the trees to burst into color.  It seems late to me.  I did see a large V of Canada Geese high in the sky this afternoon, heading south for the winter.  Does the fall foliage seem to be on schedule where you live?

Yarn and Books

Last weekend my family was out-of-town for my nephew's wedding.  My two older sons were groomsmen, and they were so handsome in their tuxedos.  The wedding was lovely, but when we got back home we all came down with colds. This week has been full of laundry, bills, sniffley kids, and a few appointments. One of them was for a new haircut for me.  I let my stylist have her way with me, and she went really short, the shortest my hair has ever been.  It's a change, but I think I like it. There's something about having really short hair that is kind of liberating.  

Goodreads now offers recommendations for what to read next, based on the books that you've read and reviewed.  One of their recommendations for me was P.B. Ryan's, Still Life With Murder, which is out of print, but available as an eBook.  I think Kindle offers it for free; I paid 99 cents from Kobo.  All I can say is:  Wow.  What a story--what characters!  Still Life With Murder is a  mystery set in Boston in 1868.  It is rich in historical detail, yet compellingly vivid.  I really like P.B. Ryan's straight-forward storytelling style and multi-faceted characters.  This is one of the most entertaining books that I've read this year. I will definitely be reading more from P.B. Ryan.

The whipporwil shawl is coming along nicely.  I didn't bring it with me on our our weekend trip, as I knew that I would be too busy visiting with family to knit, but this week I'm making good progress on 'section two".  I just started working the second band of contrasting color.  I think it's going to look really cool when it's finished.  

Yarn and Books

I've almost finished 'section one' of the Whipporwil Shawl.  It doesn't look like much yet, but I am really enjoying the knitting process.  The shawl began with just five stitches and now has three hundred nineteen.  I can't wait to start 'section two", which will begin the wavy eyelet rows of contrasting color.  

I've been reading The Return of Captain John Emmett for a long time (about a month) now.  It's a well-written mystery set in post WWI England.  I love the setting, and would like to read more novels set in this time period, however, the story is uneventful and not very engaging.  After reading more than 300 pages, the main character is still an enigma to me. I kept thinking that as the story progressed I would get to know more about him and his life before the war.  That never happened, and so I don't feel a strong reader-connection to  him.  He has a love interest, and that subplot was handled very awkwardly by the author, who is a historian.  I wish that I could recommend this book, because it is well-written from a mechanical and stylistic perspective, and it is very well researched.  However, the story itself has a very dry, forensic feel to it, and the mystery is just not all that interesting.  

Joining Ginny at Small Things for her weekly Yarn Along.

Wild Bear-y

If you go out in the woods today, you'd better not go alone.  It's lovely out in the woods today, but better to stay at home.  Beneath the trees wear nobody sees...is a beary  w i l d  animal!  

Pattern:  Baby Bear, from Susan B. Anderson's, Itty Bitty Toys (I love this book!).  Knit with some Noro Kureyon sock yarn from my stash (colorway S184).  

E has named him Rory.   

yarn along wednesday

Joining Ginny's weekly "yarn along" at Small Things.

This little piggy...

...is just in time for Easter. 

This is the "Pig" pattern from Susan B. Anderson's Itty Bitty Toys book. Yarn:  Blue Sky Cotton Hand-dye in shell, and a small amount of some tan cotton I had on hand for Piggy's snout.  All of Susan's patterns are fun and simple to make. Piggy only took a few evenings to whip up.  

As for books, I'm trying to decide what to read next.  I may start Lady's Maid, by Margaret Forster, later today. It's a historical novel about Lily Wilson, who becomes lady's maid to the fragile, housebound Elizbeth Barrett--whose poetry I have always loved.  But, I need to go to the library to return some books, so who knows what treasure I might find?  I am going to look for Jane Austen's, Sanditon, which was recommended to me by my friend Sarah, who inspires me with her beauty and wisdom everyday.

yarn along wednesday

Joining Ginny at Small Things today, for her weekly "yarn along":

This dimly lit photo is evidence of the soggy, dark, wet April day here in New England.  

In my knitting basket this week are shell pink knitted piggy parts :- )  I can't wait to sew them together.

About a month ago I read a book called, Different Learners: Identifying, Preventing, and Treating Your Child's Learning Problems, by Jane M. Healey.  In it she shared a beautiful quote by twelfth century medieval mystic, Hildegard of Bingen.  That quote enchanted me and made me wonder about Hildegard of Bingen. I had never heard of her before.  I wrote to a friend about Hildegard,  who replied, "I do know and love Hildegard.  She was a healer and mystic and wrote music and painted.  Amazing woman."  Of course, now I had to know more!  My quest has led me to the beautiful picture book (yes, I read "children's books"--why do we continually draw distinctions between children and ourselves???) called, The Secret World of Hildegard, by Jonah Winter and Jeannette Winter; and The Journal of Hildegard of Bingen, by Barbara Lachman.  Hildegard is indeed, an amazing woman who was one of God's special friends. It is impossible not to love her.  And, now I have a new friend in heaven, too :- ) 

Fisherlad

 

This sweater was a quick and easy knit.  I made L's with Knit Picks Comfy worsted in Creme Brulee, which is a buttery soft, easy care cotton blend.  I don't like all of Knit Picks yarns, but I highly recommend Comfy, and will definitely use it again.  I plan on making another Fisherlad sweater for L in blue.  

Fisherlad is a Yankee Knitter pattern by Melanie Goodfellow.  All of Melanie's patterns are classic designs that are easy to follow and understand, and are written in a large range of sizes.   They are perfect for beginners, although I find myself turning to them year after year.  You just can't beat a well-designed classic.  

Fisherlad for L:

• 5 balls Comfy worsted in Creme Brulee
• US 4 and US 7 straight needles, US 4 circular needle for collar (16 in.)
• Knit in child's size 6.  (This patter ranges from child size 2 to adult chest size 46)
• Modifications:  I omitted 8 rows on the back and front to save yarn...and ended up running out of yarn and having to buy one more ball, anyway.  Of course, now I wish I hadn't omitted those rows, as I would have liked the sweater a bit longer.  That new ball was a different dye lot, but I only had to use it to knit the neckband, and thankfully, it's not noticably different.  

More yellow loveliness:  

 We are having so much fun with our new babies.  They're already bigger than they were.  Each ofthe chicks has her own personality and distinguishing featrues, so it's quite easy to tell them apart.  We've named them:  

• Lucy: (pictured left front) who was the littlest and weakest when the chicks arrived, now seems to be the leader of the flock!
• Henrietta: (next to Lucy, right front) has a pale  yellow head and is the roundest :-)
• Trixie:  is wild and bold--the trouble maker of the group (of course, she's the only one with her back to the camera).
• Penny: (pictured in the middle) who is an all-over lovely, soft shade of brown.  She is the gentlest and sweetest of our girls, and L's favorite.  

Here's Penny (facing the camera) and Henrietta:

yarn along wednesday

Joining Ginny's yarn along at Small things:

This week the book Chick Days, by Jenna Woginrich, is my handy guide as we nurture our new little flock of baby hens, which arrived at our house yesterday. Later today, I plan on casting on some  Blue Sky Worsted Cotton Hand-dye yarn in the shell colorway to knit the Pig from Susan B. Anderson's, Itty Bitty Toy Book.  Gosh, I love that book!  Usually, when I buy a pattern book I'm lucky if I use one or two of the patterns, but I've already made up several of Susan's adorable toys (click the links, or view on Ravlery).  I hope to have Mr. Pig done by Easter so I can tuck it into L's basket.   

The novel I'm reading this week is The Winter Sea, by Susanna Kearsley.  Oh, my, it is wonderful.  I am having a hard time putting it down.  It's a very well-researched historical novel infused with romance, intrigue, and mystery.  From the back cover:

In the spring of 1708, an invading Jacobite fllet of French and Scottish soldiers nearly succeeded in landing the exiled James Stewart in Scotland to reclaim his crown.

Now, Carrie McClelland hopes to turn that story into her next bestselling novel.  Settling herself in the shadow of Slains Castle, she creates a heroine named for one of her own ancestors and starts to write.

But, when she discovers her novel is more fact than fiction, Carrie wonders if she might be dealing with ancestral memory, making her the only living person who knows the truth--the ultimate betrayal--that happened all those years ago, and that knowledge comes very close to destroying her...

This is the first Susanna Kearsley book I've read, and now I will have to read them all.

L's Fisherlad sweater is off the needles and blocking. If you would like to see it, I'll be posting details and pictures tomorrow :- )

yarn along wednesday

Joining Ginny at Small Things on her weekly yarn along:

I haven't made a whole lot of progress with L's Fisherlad sweater since last week, because I've been busy planning for our chicks to arrive, and designing our garden beds :- ). Everyone except hubby and E have come down with colds (including me, sniff, sniff), and there is another snowstorm heading our way tomorrow night. It was a really long winter, and I hope we are not in for a cold spring.  I will be so happy when warmer days finally arrive.  

I'm still reading The Silent Governess, which I am enjoying more than I thought I would.  It's like Jane Eyre-light, which is good for me right now, because my brain is engaged with so many other projects. We went to our Border's going out of business sale the other day, and the prices are really slashed now. Eveything is 50 to 60 percent off.  I picked up Hillary Lang's doll making book, Wee Wonderfuls, and another Julie Klassen novel called, The Girl in The Gatehouse.

I hope I feel better by tonight, because I'm going to see Stevie Nicks and Rod Stewart perform at the Garden! I've loved Stevie since I was a teen (I had several year's worth of bad perms to prove it), but I've never seen her live.  When my hubby heard she was coming to Boston, he and the children got me tickets for my birthday.  I've been looking forward to this concert for months, and now, of course, I have a cold.  Bleh!

yarn along wednesday

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading?~Ginny at Small Things

I have to say that I am amazed at how quickly this sweater is coming together for me.  Only one more sleeve and the collar left to go!   L should be wearing it by next week  Yesterday, I ordered the yarn for my next project from kpixie, which is located here in Massachusetts. It shipped out right away, so I expect it to arrive in the mail tomorrow :-)

This week I'm planning the veggie beds and the chicken coop, so I've got my copy of The Backyard Homestead  handy.  We sheet-mulched an area of our yard last fall, and now we're thinking about building some frames for raised beds.  

Later today I plan on starting The Silent Governess, by Julie Klassen.  Have you read this or any of Klassen's other books?  She is a new author to me.  

yarn along: creme brulee and glass feet

From Small Things:

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? ~

I woke this morning to a pewter sky and cold rain; a  perfect day to join Ginnys Yarn Along.  This week I started knitting a pullover sweater for L.  I've only got two more rows to go before the back is finished and I can cast on for the front. The pattern is Melanie Goodfellow's Fisherlad Guernsey.  I'm using Knit Picks "Comfy" worsted in creme brulee, and it is buttery soft.  This is the first time that I've used this yarn, and I love it!  I will definitely be ordering more.  

I'm reading The Girl With Glass Feet, by Ali Shaw; a very unusual story that has really captured my imagination.  The story has a dream like quality, somewhat like a fairy tale set in modern times. The tone is dark and foreboding, as it is in all good fairy tales.  Without giving too much of the story away, it is about a young woman named Ida Maclaird who has developed a strange affliction:  she is turning to glass.  She returns to the island where she last went on holiday, for it was there that she met a man who told her about glass corpses he found in a bog.  At the island she meets Midas Crook, a solitary young man who is more comfortable behind his camera than with people.  Midas finds himself drawn to Ida, although it frieghtens him, and he feels compelled to help her.  Publishers weekly calls the book both love story and dirge. So far, I call it magic.  

baby love

 I   knitting baby things.  A friend of mine just gave birth to her third child--a girl.  My go-to baby sweater pattern is an online freebie, Seamless Yoked Baby Sweater, designed by Carole Barenys.  I knit this sweater in a cotton blend worsted weight yarn, to fit a baby six months to a year old.  It took me a week, but a fast knitter could knit it up in a couple of days. 

I wasn't really crazy about this yarn (I wanted to use Brown Sheep's Cotton Fleece, but my LYS didn't have any pinks, and I didnt have time to wait for shipping), and now I wish that I had chosen wool rather than cotton, as it would have made my tension problem less apparent.

I have been trying to correct my tension for several months now, without much success.  I have taught myself three different ways to purl in an attempt to prevent my tendency to "row out".  I've also tried Combination knitting, and using differnt size needles on purl rows, but my problem persists.  Do any of you knitters have advice for me?   

looking out and in

The view from my front window after about a foot of snow melted over a balmy 40F weekend:

Can you see my mailbox peeking out from the top of the snow?  It is nice to be able to see it from the window now.  And, our road is finally bare.  But, my there is a long way to go before we see anything green outside.

But, inside S has new socks to warm his toes:

I modified Veronik Avery's and Mona Schmidt's Ribbed Sock pattern from Reynold's Steppin' Out booklet to knit from the toe-up.  I also did my usual short row heel.  The yarn is from my stash; some old Knit Picks Essential (it's called Stroll now) in Trooper Tweed.  I love the colored flecks in this yarn, and it knit up really nicely.  The finished socks are soft and a comfortable weight (not too thick).  

I really like to support my LYS (local yarn shop), but on a recent visit I just couldn't find what I wanted:  a soft sunshiny color in a cotton blend to knit a spring  sweater for L.  So, it was back to Knit Picks. The other day there was a box of sunshine waiting in my mailbox:

I plan on casting on that sweater in the coming weekend.  For now, I have these colorful socks on my needles in Opal Good Morning City:

This bright morning I have to head out to the post office to mail a Valentine to my parents.  I'm sending them the DVD of Knight and Day.  It's just the thing to beat the winter blues:  fast paced, funny, and great scenery (Tom Cruise ;- ).  

ripley

Ripley hat pattern by the incomparable Ysolda Teague:

This hat was quick and fun to knit, and looks really cute on A.  The yarn is Worsted Hand Dye in Red by Blue Sky Alpacas.  

It's such a dismal, gray day here today.  After snowing most of the day yesterday, it rained all morning today, and it's supposed to freeze up tonight.  If the snow turns hard and icy, E plans on skating in the backyard :- )  

I've made very little progress on S's socks, because whenever I get a minute I pick up The Wrong Mother instead of my knitting.  

 

while waiting for spring...

I've been knitting up lots of green things.  This set is for L.  The earflap hat was knit from a pattern called, "Kim's Hats" from the book Last Minute Knitted Gifts.   The mittens were knit from an old Yankee Knitter pattern called "Pattern Mittens".  Yankee Knitter patterns are favorites of mine--classic designs, well-constructed, and easy to follow; I highly recommend them.  I used a really inexpensive yarn called Stitch Nation Alpaca Love color Fern--$4.99 for 85g ball, because I knew that this hat and mitten set would get lots of use playing out in the snow.  The yarn was a bit stiff on the needles, but softened nicely upon blocking.  The photo doesn't really capture the true color, which has a bit more yellow to it...kinda Shrek green.  It coordinates perfectly with L's winter coat. 

Now I've got a pair of khaki green socks on my needles for S.  I'm a quarter of the way through the second sock, so I'll be posting pictures soon!

wispy

Although my wispy cardi has been off the needles for a few weeks now, I finally got around to blocking it just last Thursday. 

 

Here are the details: 

• Pattern:  Wispy Cardi by Hannah Fettig
• Yarn:  Malabrigo Lace in Bergamota
• Needles:  Knit Picks Harmony Wood circulars in US 5 and US 7

Things I loved about this project: 

• This sweater had a very Interesting construction and modern lines
• Lusciously soft yarn
• Gorgeous color that I never tired of knitting

Things I didn't like about this project:

• Stockinette and more stockinette
• My gauge swatch lied, and I had to start over and go up a needle size (I think this was because Malabrigo Lace is very springy and kind of shrunk up a little after it sat awhile)
• The one ply lace-weight yarn was very thin in some places, and actually broke once

Lessons learned while knitting this pattern:  I have really uneven tension that results in an unsightly phenomenon called "rowing out".  I've spent the past few weeks practicing tightening my purl rows and knitting more loosely.  My knitted fabric is beginning to look much better, but I still have a bit more practicing to do.  

My cardi was dry and ready to wear just in time for Mass on Sunday morning:

  

curtain time

A couple of years ago I was out shopping for some new kitchen towels, and as I admired the fabric of some very pretty linen ones the thought struck me:  I could make a curtain out of these, and it would be easy to do and very inexpensive. 

The project took me about 25 minutes to complete, and the results were lovely.  The benefits of using kitchen towels are:

• They are inexpensive
• They are pre-hemmed
• They come in lots of seasonal colors and patterns
• You can easily mix and match patterns and solids to create an interesting, one-of-a-kind window topper

Last week I found these linen towels at the supermarket.  They were only a $1.50 a piece and I loved the autumn colors.  I knew they would be perfect for a new kitchen window topper:

 
Here's how I did it:

The first step is to decide how many towels you need.  You will need enough to cover your window plus one or two more (depending on how much fullness you want).  I needed five towels for my new curtain for a total project cost of:  $7.50! 

Step two is simply butting the long edges of the towels together and then using the zigzag stitch on your sewing machine to connect the two edges like this:

 
Repeat step two until all the towels are connected.

Next, you fold over the top edge of your curtain to make the ruffle and rod pocket.  I folded my top down about 6 inches, because I wanted a 2 1/2 inch ruffle, and since I have one of those wide flat curtain rods, I needed a 3 1/2 inch pocket to accomodate it.  Pin the edge of the folded over piece to the curtain and sew along the edge.  Then, measure the size you need for your rod pocket from the sewed edged toward the fold, and mark it with chalk like this:

 
Fourth step, sew along the line you just chalked. 

Press your curtain, and voila, you're done!

 

one-yard wonders

We first heard of Rebecca Yaker's book, One-Yard Wonders last year on Sarah's blog, and we've been having fun with it ever since.  Here are two bags that A and I recently whipped up together (she did the sewing, I did the encouraging). 

 
Last night we watched an old movie:  Bullit, starring Steve McQueen, which has the most awesome car chase scene that I have ever seen.   I got a bit of knitting done on my Wispy Cardi during the movie.  Wispy is coming along  s l o w l y,  but  surely. 

frog it!

I was almost finished with the first sleeve of Wispy, when the weirdest thing happened: the yarn broke at the cast-on edge.  This has never happened to me before.  Malabrigo Lace is a very delicate one-ply, but I never imagined that it would break.  And, I still don't know how it broke.  But, it did.  So, as I was looking at the damage, I decided to check my gauge one more time....and it was completely off!  I mean  W A Y off.   But, my swatch had knitted up perfectly to gauge.  ARGGGGHHHH!  There was nothing else to do but frog the entire sleeve and start over (this time on larger needles). 

 

I really hope that the knitted fabric looks better after it is blocked.  So far, I'm not thrilled with how this project is shaping up.

Yesterday we went to Lexington to play on the playground and wander a bit around town.  On Tuesday afternoons there is a great farmers market there, but we ended up (somehow) at Candy Castle, which meant homemade icecream and chocolate cigarettes and bubblegum. 

In the evening E showed me a movie she had made with her Littlest Pet Shop pets.  In it, the pets took a trip to (I'm not kidding) Viagara Falls.  I really must plan more geography lessons this term.  But, truly there is no escaping those annoying television commercials; they play them during every sporting event.  Luckily, E thinks Viagara is a tourist attraction in upstate New York!

goodbye earl

Hurricane Earl blew by (thankfully) quite softly during the night, and we awoke to bright, sunny skies and a cool breeze.  It was a great day to be outside.  L swam and rode his bike, and we had a very nice walk with our dog Buddy around the pond.  We saw great blue herons, blue jays, Canada geese, and the resident swan family.  Already the leaves are changing; pockets of gold and crimson shone here and there throughout the woods.  The foliage is changing early this year. I read in the Boston Globe that the trees are about a month ahead of schedule.

The girls' room is almost finished. Hooray!  I just have to sew up the curtains tomorrow, and then I will post pictures.  The room turned out really nice--better than I thought it would (don't you just love when that happens?) 

I finished Case Histories, by Kate Atkinson this morning.  I have a bad habit of reading at the breakfast table, which I really need to change before we begin our fall homeschooling routine.  Paula of Knitorama recommended Kate Atkinson, and I really loved her writing.  Case Histories was a fun and fascinating read, with really great characters.  I didn't want the story to end, so I ran right out to Border's this afternoon and picked up the second book in the Jackson Brodie series, One Good Turn.  Maybe I will get a chance to read a chapter or two before bed.

I'm still working on the first sleeve of the Wispy Cardi.  May I have a wish please kind Knitting Fairy?  Please, help me knit faster.  (I am woefully slow.)  Oh, and help me fit in more time for knitting.  (I've stayed up until 1 am every. night. this. week.  I'm not kidding.  Twenty four hours is a joke, isn't it?)

Tonight's supper was a trio of homemade pizzas accompanied by Tara's version of cucumber red onion salad (thanks for the recipe, Tara, it was very yummy!).  We had a bonfire out in the back yarden this evening and listened to the crickets chirping, while we watched the bats do their crazy sky dance.  We teased each other and sang, too, which was loads of fun.  Then I made a batch of oatmeal chocolate chip cookie bars and we watched the Corpse Bride on DVD. 

   
  
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars (from Family Circle Magazine)

1 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (1 1/2 sticks)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk
2 cups quick oats – old fashioned would probably taste too grainy
1-1/4 cups semisweet or extra dark chocolate chips (divided use)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line an 8 inch metal pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.

Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

Beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in vanilla and milk.  Stir in the flour mixture. Stir in oats and 1 cup of the chocolate chips.

Spread batter into prepared baking pan. Bake for 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack. Melt remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips in microwave or in a double boiler and drizzle over bars. Chill to set chocolate. Lift from pan and slice into bars.

wispy

Look what arrived in the mail yesterday:

 
It's a Knitbot Wispy Cardigan kit!   It was so exciting to open my package and find my yarn and pattern all nicely packed in its own cute fabric Knitbot drawstring bag.  I went with the Malabrigo Lace yarn in Bergamota, which is a gorgeous tomato red (I definitely need a new camera).  I did up a swatch last night, and oooooo this lovely one-ply baby merino knits-up into such soft and luscious fabric.  I can't wait to cast on Wispy later today. 

hippo happy

Halloooooo!  I'm back after a delightful, hot, fabulous summer full of swimming, biking, daily walks, nature hikes, beach combing, backyard camping, fishing, out-of-town guests, al fresco suppers, reading, and knitting.  It truly has been one of the best summers ever. 

Just off the needles, this purplicious hippo is a pattern from Susan Anderson's book, Itty Bitty Toys (I have had so much fun with this book!).  I knit mine with the recommended yarns and colors:  Dream in Color Smooshy in Wisterious for the body (this colorway is amazing--the photo doesn't even come close to capturing it), and Koigu Light Pink for the foot pads and inner ears.  All of Susan's patterns are easy to follow and fun to knit-up.  I plan to knit her Pig (from the same book) later this fall. 

woof

 It took me several nights to knit up this sweet napping puppy from Susan B. Anderson's Itty Bitty Toys, but only because I have so little time for knitting.  It is really a quick and simple little project.  I love how the puppy's blanket wraps around him burrito style, and is held in place by a cute little bobble.   I made it up from the O-Wool I had left over from the egg-bird-nest project from the same book. 

My husband brought me a bouquet of yellow tulips yesterday (yellow is my favorite color).  I love my life.  Sarah commented that my days seem like a peaceful, domestic dream.  Well, there are days, and then there are days, but for the most part, she is right.  The peace and happy domesticity that I have embraced are not by accident.  It has taken much thought and hard work to create this lifestyle, and it has required many sacrifices.  I have had to make tough choices along the way, and exchange some very bright and exciting dreams for a simple and ordinary existence.  But, I can tell you that there is magic in the ordinary.  I have known the quiet thrill of playing This Little Piggy with fifty baby toes.  I have known the satisfaction of folding snowy white, sunshine scented cloth diapers fresh from the clothes line.  I have wondered at the mystery of a mockingbird singing in the middle of a dark night as I've nursed my little one back to sleep.  And, I've known the joy of cooking...and baking...and even of washing dishes.  It has--all of it-- been worth it.

  

chirp

nest

egg

bird

 

love 

I am having so much fun with Susan B. Anderson's book, Itty Bitty Toys.  It's filled with adorable toys that are simply and ingeniously constructed.  This little birdy toy set knit up very quickly with easy to follow pattern instructions.  The egg/bird is one of those reversible toys that little children love..first it's an egg, then it's a bird--magic!

I used the rcommended yarn: O-Wool  Balance in Agate, Natural, and Opal.  It's the first time I've used this yarn, and I LOVE it.  It reminds me a bit of Brown Sheep Co.'s Cotton Fleece, only it has more of a hand-spun quality to it, and it is lusciously soft in a 50% merino/50% cotton blend.  I have plenty of yarn left over to knit at least another bird set, maybe even two. 

 

It has been very mild outside the last few days.  I've been sleeping with my bedroom window slightly open, and the last two mornings I awoke to birdsong.  The robins are back--hooray!

jenny wren

 
I finally finished the jenny wren socks. These should have taken me a couple of weeks at most...but, life happens.  The pattern, by Beth LaPensee, was well-written, easy to follow, and includes charts.  There are so many things that I love, love, love about this sock pattern--I will definitely be making another pair:  

1. The simple design (I think these socks would work well for women or men)
2. Knit from the toe up  (my preference) 
3. Judy's Magic Cast-on (my favorite cast-on method for socks)
4. Short row heels
5. The snazzy cable up the side

The only change I made to the pattern was that I casted on more stitches to begin the toe. 

I learned a new bind-off technique in knitting these socks: the tubular bind-off.  Savannachik  has an excellent tutorial, which was recommended in the pattern notes.   

Having said all of that, I hated the yarn that I used.  It's Paton's Kroy Socks FX  in color Cascade. While I had no problems achieving gauge, it knits up into a thicker fabric than I like for socks.  Also, the yarn is rather fuzzy and has a tendency to felt, resulting in poor stitch definition.  And, although I tried and tried, it was impossible to match the color striping between the two socks.  In fact, after comparing the two finished socks side by side, it looks like two different colorways to me, even though both balls of yarn were from the same dye lot!  (The color in in the top photo above is much bluer than the socks really are.  The second photo shows the true color, which is teal.) 

In the end, I love the pattern, but I am not especially pleased with my socks.  I think they will be "house socks", since they are really too thick to wear comfortably in my usual winter shoes. 

And now, I am off to run some errands, which will include picking up a new set of dpn's to begin a knitting project from the book Itty Bitty Toys, by Susan B. Anderson. 

Happy Day!

weekend review

It's a grey, dripping, wet Monday.  The snow is slushy soft and grey.  The sky is soft and grey, too.  I have a few errands to run later today after the lesson work is done, and then I'm going to sit with one of the cats on my lap and sip hot tea while I read more of The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane, which Sarah recommended last summer, but I've just now taken off the bookshelf. 

This weekend we drove down to Foxborough to visit Bass Pro Shop. It was really something to see:  part native natural history museum, part aquarium, and part shopping--kinda made me feel like I was away on vacation at an elaborate museum/theme park/gift shop.  We saw a live reptile show with an alligator and an albino python.  The boys had fun target shooting at a coin operated laser target range right in the middle of the store.  And everywhere you looked there was stuffed wildlife:  foxes, raccoons, deer, black bear, beaver, and every kind of fish from brook trout to sharks.  There was even a life size replica of a humpback whale.    Our favorite part of the place was the stocked trout stream complete with painted turtles swimming and basking on a log.

On Sunday afternoon S, Z, and I went to see Sherlock Holmes.  I love period films, and I wanted to be sure to see this one at the theater.  I'm so glad I did.  Robert Downey Jr. played a brilliant, very quirky Holmes to Jude Law's quite sensible Dr. Watson.  It was a rip roaring fun film, more adventure than mystery suspense... and more digression than adaptation--but who cares? 

Sunday dinner was pot roast.  Afterwards I worked on my Jenny Wren socks.  I almost have the first one finished.  Maybe I'll be wearing them by next weekend!   A, E, and I watched the newest version of Emma on Masterpiece Theater, which I thought was wonderful.  If you missed it, you can watch the first full episode online.  Episodes two and three will air on the next consecutive Sunday nights. I think Romola Garai is the perfect Emma Woodhouse--and this version captures the comic essence of the story...I smiled through the entire episode and laughed out loud more than once.

knitting night

Once a month a few moms and daughters from our homeschool group get together at my house for knitting night.  My friend Lynn and I offer instruction and knitting help to whoever needs it.  And, all of us sit and knit and talk and laugh for a couple of hours before gathering 'round my kitchen table for tea and dessert (I always try to make this tea time special and use my china tea set).  It's a fun evening.  

Usually the conversation is witty and light; we talk about books and films, and things we've done and seen--appropriate topics for this mixed age group (our daughters range in age from eight to thirteen years old).  But, last night our conversation veered off into a direction that I wish it hadn't.  It was bizarre really, how it all came about.  I was sharing about our visit to Orchard House and the very interesting lives of the Alcott family, when one of the other mothers offered that the Alcott's were Transcendentalists, not Christians, and that Louisa May Alcott's books are infused with her heretical liberal beliefs.  She went on to instruct us about the dangers of Unitarian Universalism, pronouncing over and over again not Christian. My blood, literally, boiled.  I actually couldn't speak for several minutes, because I was physically shaking; I thought my voice would betray me, and I had to clasp my hands in my lap to mask their trembling.  I do not understand this judgmental spirit that looks at other believers and says, not. 

Finally, when I regained my composure I said, 'I wonder if the Alcotts considered themselves Christians?"  My guest didn't skip a beat before she replied that her father considers himself a Christian, but is certainly not.  She then went to great lengths to catalog all of her fathers evils, past and present--drugs, alcohol, womanizing, rock music (ouch!)etc--in front of the children!  She exposed a lot of her hurts, and I felt truly sorry for her, but at the same time I was dismayed by her lack of discretion and her spiritual arrogance. 

Religion is like this:  imagine being in a dark room filled with many people.  Into the dark room God throws a bag of stones.  Everyone grabs a stone, hoping that he has caught the Pearl of Great Price, but the room is dark; no one knows for certain what he has. Therefore, the best anyone can do is be kind to all of the others in the room and learn what he can from each of them--for it is very possible that it is one of them, and not he, who holds the Pearl! 

I hope that in the end, it is revealed that many who once held ordinary pebbles now hold pearls, and that the openness of our minds and hearts can transform us just as surely as an oyster makes a treasure out of sand.