{joy of seeing dad after a 3 week journey of 5,627 miles}
Saturday, July 6, 2013
{This moment} (a day late)
A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
{joy of seeing dad after a 3 week journey of 5,627 miles}
{joy of seeing dad after a 3 week journey of 5,627 miles}
Friday, June 21, 2013
{This moment}
{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Knitters in the making
It's been a whirlwind of a spring around here. Lots of camping, a fiber festival, not to mention testing at school and finishing up the school year. I can't believe summer is upon us already - although I'm very grateful for the break from school. I'll be spending lots of time with family this summer, and will post pics of our long road trip along the way
Today though I wanted to be sure to share some pictures of my knitters in the making. My 5 year old FINALLY decided she wants to learn how to knit. I bought her Annie and the Swiss Cheese scarf (which is a fabulous book and you should all buy it right now!) along with some pink yarn and beautiful needles for her birthday on January first. It took her a few months, but now she loves "to yarn". She especially likes to work a row of her knitting when I read to her before bed and to bring her knitting with her in the car. Although, she says she doesn't work on it while the car is moving because it's too dangerous.
Her knitting is beautiful for a beginner. Nice and even. It has inspired her older sister (10) to pick up her needles again and start knitting, trying especially hard to keep it as beautiful and even as her little sister's knitting.
I love my girls. (for the record, I love the boy too.)
Today though I wanted to be sure to share some pictures of my knitters in the making. My 5 year old FINALLY decided she wants to learn how to knit. I bought her Annie and the Swiss Cheese scarf (which is a fabulous book and you should all buy it right now!) along with some pink yarn and beautiful needles for her birthday on January first. It took her a few months, but now she loves "to yarn". She especially likes to work a row of her knitting when I read to her before bed and to bring her knitting with her in the car. Although, she says she doesn't work on it while the car is moving because it's too dangerous.
Her knitting is beautiful for a beginner. Nice and even. It has inspired her older sister (10) to pick up her needles again and start knitting, trying especially hard to keep it as beautiful and even as her little sister's knitting.
I love my girls. (for the record, I love the boy too.)
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Enjoying the spring time
Wow. I really thought I'd blog more now that I do it from my phone, and it's been a month and a half. Sheesh.
We have been busy getting outside and enjoying the spring time. I have been baking some yummy bread and muffins, hopefully a recipe will come your way soon but I still want to perfect it. I've also been knitting a bit, of course, but I'm planning to submit my latest project to be a published pattern, so no pics of that either.
I did finally finish the lace weight sweater for my big one. She loves it! The yarn is Madtosh lace, in Cousteau which is the most beautiful color. I want a sweater for myself out of that color! I haven't made the little chains to cinch up the sleeves, but she wears it all the time already.
I'm keeping this short and sweet and leaving you with my fav pics of spring so far. Hope you have some nice weather and beautiful flowers coming your way soon!
We have been busy getting outside and enjoying the spring time. I have been baking some yummy bread and muffins, hopefully a recipe will come your way soon but I still want to perfect it. I've also been knitting a bit, of course, but I'm planning to submit my latest project to be a published pattern, so no pics of that either.
I did finally finish the lace weight sweater for my big one. She loves it! The yarn is Madtosh lace, in Cousteau which is the most beautiful color. I want a sweater for myself out of that color! I haven't made the little chains to cinch up the sleeves, but she wears it all the time already.
I'm keeping this short and sweet and leaving you with my fav pics of spring so far. Hope you have some nice weather and beautiful flowers coming your way soon!
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Stitches!
Finally, two weeks later, I get a chance to sit down and write about Stitches West. I have quite a few pictures to share, but they don't come close to the fun of being there in the marketplace. Everywhere you look there are creative people donning their finest knitwear - shawls and sweaters in all directions!
My first stop was to see Alana Dakos (http://nevernotknitting.blogspot.com/?m=1) and have her sign my daughters' copy of Annie and the Swiss Cheese Scarf. This book is wonderful!! My daughters both love it and have been so inspired by the story, the beautiful artwork and the goodies that come with the deluxe pack. Alana and I chatted and shared pictures of our girls. If you're a knitter with a young one in your life - or maybe a child who once was young and learned to knit, but is now not so young - you need to buy them this book. And maybe one for yourself. It is a beautiful, touching story with excellent artwork. https://anniecanknit.com/
While walking around I ran into Jasmin and Gigi of the Knitmore Girls podcast and had the great fortune to meet little Danger Mouse and tickle her toes. Unfortunately I did not get a picture of these lovely ladies and their beautiful hair, but we did get to discuss the methods behind Jasmin's gorgeous pink locks.
Wandering around the market of course led to some yarn acquisitions... I brought home a few beautiful skeins of yarn, including some mini skeins from Oink Pigments (http://www.oinkpigments.com/p/online-store.html?m=0), a beautiful rusty cashmere-merino-nylon blend from Western Sky Knits which had some of the most wonderful yarn (http://www.westernskyknits.com/), a d if course two skeins of Blue Moon Fiber Arts BFL Sport - enough for a sweater. (http://www.bluemoonfiberarts.com/newmoon/). Also, I couldn't help but bring home a few skeins if Malabrigo (http://www.malabrigoyarn.com/) of which one skein I wound up and cast on some fingerless gloves immediately. The rest will be a sweater for my little man. My yarn purchases are now being lovingly displayed in my hutch, calling to me every time I walk by. However, I resist the urge to cast on anything new until I finish the sweater for my big one.
Now, on with the pictures!
My first stop was to see Alana Dakos (http://nevernotknitting.blogspot.com/?m=1) and have her sign my daughters' copy of Annie and the Swiss Cheese Scarf. This book is wonderful!! My daughters both love it and have been so inspired by the story, the beautiful artwork and the goodies that come with the deluxe pack. Alana and I chatted and shared pictures of our girls. If you're a knitter with a young one in your life - or maybe a child who once was young and learned to knit, but is now not so young - you need to buy them this book. And maybe one for yourself. It is a beautiful, touching story with excellent artwork. https://anniecanknit.com/
While walking around I ran into Jasmin and Gigi of the Knitmore Girls podcast and had the great fortune to meet little Danger Mouse and tickle her toes. Unfortunately I did not get a picture of these lovely ladies and their beautiful hair, but we did get to discuss the methods behind Jasmin's gorgeous pink locks.
Wandering around the market of course led to some yarn acquisitions... I brought home a few beautiful skeins of yarn, including some mini skeins from Oink Pigments (http://www.oinkpigments.com/p/online-store.html?m=0), a beautiful rusty cashmere-merino-nylon blend from Western Sky Knits which had some of the most wonderful yarn (http://www.westernskyknits.com/), a d if course two skeins of Blue Moon Fiber Arts BFL Sport - enough for a sweater. (http://www.bluemoonfiberarts.com/newmoon/). Also, I couldn't help but bring home a few skeins if Malabrigo (http://www.malabrigoyarn.com/) of which one skein I wound up and cast on some fingerless gloves immediately. The rest will be a sweater for my little man. My yarn purchases are now being lovingly displayed in my hutch, calling to me every time I walk by. However, I resist the urge to cast on anything new until I finish the sweater for my big one.
Now, on with the pictures!
Monday, February 25, 2013
California Countryside
This weekend I had the great fortune if joining a couple of friends at Stitches West (a knitting convention). This event will get its own blog post next; first I must share some images from my trip up.
To get to stitches, I took the train from Oceanside up the coast to LA, stopped a but at Union Station, then headed up through Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo to San Jose. It was a beautiful, comfortable 13 hour trip. I fully enjoyed quiet time to myself, got to work on some new socks for my husband, and almost finished listening to The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.
The trip was very pleasant, but mostly uneventful. When I left LA we had assigned seating, and I was not on the coastal side, so I don't have many coastal pics to share (really just one, of some early morning surfers at San Onofre), but I have many countryside pictures to share with you. I hope those of you still in the throngs of winter find these pictures bring you some hope of sunny warm days to come.
To get to stitches, I took the train from Oceanside up the coast to LA, stopped a but at Union Station, then headed up through Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo to San Jose. It was a beautiful, comfortable 13 hour trip. I fully enjoyed quiet time to myself, got to work on some new socks for my husband, and almost finished listening to The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.
The trip was very pleasant, but mostly uneventful. When I left LA we had assigned seating, and I was not on the coastal side, so I don't have many coastal pics to share (really just one, of some early morning surfers at San Onofre), but I have many countryside pictures to share with you. I hope those of you still in the throngs of winter find these pictures bring you some hope of sunny warm days to come.
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Adventures in Gargantuan Knitting
A little over a month ago I shared with my husband a blog post I stumbled upon. The girl had knit a gigantic blanket, using PVC pipes. (http://nocturnalknits.com/2011/01/giganto-blanket-finished/) I commented that this would be a great workout for my arms, thinking nothing else of it. My husband, on the other hand, took quite a liking to this blanket, and insisted that I buy the wool immediately and get started right away.
I wasn't quite sure he was serious. Really - do we need such a huge blanket? "Of course we do," he insists. "When are you going to Home Depot to buy your needles?" Well, why not then. I wanted to make him a sweater, but he couldn't decide what type of sweater he would like. So, if I can't make him a sweater, at least I could make him this.
After looking at all the pictures of the blanket, and the different projects on ravelry, my husband specified that he would like it denser than the one on the pattern page. I decided not to do the felting process described in the pattern to help open up the wool, and to use smaller PVC needles - only 1" pipes, 5 feet long. I ordered an extra pound of wool, which was shipped the same day and arrived promptly on our front door.
I cast on that night, attacking the giant 7 pound ball of wool with my duct tape tipped PVC "needles". We watched a movie, and I put in a couple hours of work, making some good progress. The next night my big one insisted on knitting a row, although it turned out she only lasted a few stitches. The pipes were fairly heavy, especially attached to all of that wool.
That 2nd night, I finished up the 7 pounds, and had a blanket that covered half of my bed. My husband advised me to immediately order another 8 pounds, so it would be shipped first thing the next morning. He wanted a blanket to cover our king size bed.
I did so, and had to spend a 3 day weekend anxiously anticipating finishing this blanket. It again arrived quickly, and a mere 2 nights later - on a appropriately chilly night - I had finished the largest feet of knitting I have yet to accomplish. The blanket is incredibly warm. Although the 15 pounds of wool makes it a bit cumbersome to handle, it is so cozy and soothing that I wonder how we ever slept without it.
As I reflect upon the many things I've managed to pull together out of some string and a couple of sticks, the most amazing accomplishments have always been at the encouragement of my husband. He has always been the one to push me to further my skills and make things that are more than just plain and simple. He inspires the artist within me. I'm very lucky and thankful to have such a wonderful partner in life.
I wasn't quite sure he was serious. Really - do we need such a huge blanket? "Of course we do," he insists. "When are you going to Home Depot to buy your needles?" Well, why not then. I wanted to make him a sweater, but he couldn't decide what type of sweater he would like. So, if I can't make him a sweater, at least I could make him this.
After looking at all the pictures of the blanket, and the different projects on ravelry, my husband specified that he would like it denser than the one on the pattern page. I decided not to do the felting process described in the pattern to help open up the wool, and to use smaller PVC needles - only 1" pipes, 5 feet long. I ordered an extra pound of wool, which was shipped the same day and arrived promptly on our front door.
I cast on that night, attacking the giant 7 pound ball of wool with my duct tape tipped PVC "needles". We watched a movie, and I put in a couple hours of work, making some good progress. The next night my big one insisted on knitting a row, although it turned out she only lasted a few stitches. The pipes were fairly heavy, especially attached to all of that wool.
That 2nd night, I finished up the 7 pounds, and had a blanket that covered half of my bed. My husband advised me to immediately order another 8 pounds, so it would be shipped first thing the next morning. He wanted a blanket to cover our king size bed.
I did so, and had to spend a 3 day weekend anxiously anticipating finishing this blanket. It again arrived quickly, and a mere 2 nights later - on a appropriately chilly night - I had finished the largest feet of knitting I have yet to accomplish. The blanket is incredibly warm. Although the 15 pounds of wool makes it a bit cumbersome to handle, it is so cozy and soothing that I wonder how we ever slept without it.
As I reflect upon the many things I've managed to pull together out of some string and a couple of sticks, the most amazing accomplishments have always been at the encouragement of my husband. He has always been the one to push me to further my skills and make things that are more than just plain and simple. He inspires the artist within me. I'm very lucky and thankful to have such a wonderful partner in life.
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