a gypsy caravan

squall hat

I haven't been knitting much lately. Not sure why but we've just been busy.  I did manage to finish the Squall Hat which I was making for myself. Turns out I have an exceedingly large head and it didn't even come close to fitting me. So I gave it to Anne, who looks ravishing in that blue. Don'tcha think?

Here is the pattern. I'm gypsycaravan on Ravelry though I often forget to post my projects. The yarn is Sweet Georgia's Superwash Chunky in the Hush colorway. Though I think they should rename the color "Exactly Anne's Eyes". 

april ruffle wrap-yarn along

Warm weather is coming our way here in Northeast Ohio so I am trying to finish my November Ruffle Wrap before the chill is out of the air. Right now the temperatures are in the mid fifties with an occasional jump into the sixties. When the summer months come, I tend to work on smaller projects that aren't quite so warm on my lap. I like the way the charcoal grey is speckled with the lighter weight alpaca. I think I will wear it alot on cold winter nights.

I've been reading The Family Kitchen Garden and really love the way the projects are broken down on a month by month basis. We are in hardiness zone 6 which means I can follow the book as written without adjusting our growing calendar. Ben planted shell peas two weeks ago and they are beginning to sprout out back.  The strawberries also have new leaves. We should have a bumper crop for jam and for eating. 

I plan to put in an herb garden on the west side of the house this spring and am looking for design ideas. I like circular gardens with small paths between plantings so I'm considering that idea.  The Kid's Herb Book has a nice list of medicinal herbs and kitchen herbs that are child friendly plus some easy activities/recipes for children and parents to do together. 

I lost a hive of bees this winter. I heard a lot of people lost bees this year. I'm trying not to feel too badly about it and have ordered replacements to pick up the first week of May. My strong hive last year that subsequently survived this winter were Carnolians and the ones that died were Italians. So I ordered another colony of Carniolans. Here's hoping! In the meantime, I'm going to try to be more diligent to read the beekeeping books that are lying around my home and become a bit more educated in that regard. For those of you who keep bees, do you have a favorite go-to resource to answer your bee questions?

Happy Wednesday, my friends!

You can find more Yarn Alongs at Ginny's. 

mae's owlet

Seems I've been working on her owlet for a looong time. I finally finished it a few days ago but hadn't added the buttons until last night. 

Mae isn't one to sit still or to have her photo taken.  So these are the best pictures I could squeak out with my iPhone camera.

First, she wanted you to see her little hair twists.

She is very fond of the owls' button eyes.

She makes this face a lot.

As I mentioned, she doesn't like to have her photo taken. But she likes to sit on the heater.  She sat on the heater vent for all of thirty seconds and made faces while I tried to capture her in her Owlet sweater. 

More Yarn Alongs at Ginny's. 

narnian yarn along

The kids and I have been reading the Chronicles of Narnia books aloud before bed and, occasionally, at tea time.  For some of them, it's a re-read.  For others, the lovely stories are brand new. Ben heard all of the Narnia books read aloud three times by the time he was nine. When I realized that some of my children hadn't any idea of who Mr. Tumnus was, I decided to fix that. We are most of the way through The Magician's Nephew. I am always torn whether to begin there or with The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.  Thoughts?

I'm still working on Mae's Owlet. I thought I would have finished it by now except that, instead of knitting, I've been cleaning like a crazy woman.  Actually, Mary and Christopher and I have been cleaning like crazy... people. Here is my progress on her Owlet...Can you see the owls? 

I LOVE them. 

That temporary scrap yarn under the sleeves is holding stitches until I can graft the sleeves into place.

There will be tiny buttons for owl eyes after all is said and done. 

Not only have we been reading the Narnia stories, but after receiving a thoughtful family Christmas present of a bookstore gift card from Ben's godmother for Christmas, we all went shopping for books and I bought myself the Unofficial Narnia Cookbook. I so love this book! It contains a recipe for every mention of food from the series of books. I made the delicious porridge (I've never had porridge before) the other day and we are anxious to try our hand at making Turkish Delight! 

 

I hope you are all staying warm and are enjoying these slower days of January. 

You can see more entries at Ginny's Yarn Along. 

Have a wonderful day! 

winter days

I know I vowed to record our family's happenings more faithfully but it seems Autumn has passed and Advent and Christmas as well.  Here it is the New Year of 2013 and I am only now saying hello to you!

Our Christmas was lovely and was then followed by a two+ week Flu Season. I have just recently begun to emerge from the kleenex, flannel, tea-filled world of family illness. Mae was hardest hit and took the longest to recover.  She wanted nothing to do with anything less than constant contact with me. She slept upright on my chest for several nights. The crick in my neck is now beginning to loosen. We made several blanket forts and played lots of playdough during the recovery time.  Did I mention she is a Dora and Diego fanatic? Honestly, I've never seen the likes. We watched an inordinate amount of Dora and Diego together during the last two weeks. This diversion was gratefully embraced by the woman who never wanted a television...  

I have spent a fair amount of time knitting while snuggling with Mae.  I started her Owlet so long ago and am only recently getting close to finishing it. I am on the third row of cable and can't believe I've never done a cable project before.  It really intimidated me and now I realize just how simple it is. 

It's probably difficult to see the true color since the above photos are so icky. My table reflects the overhead light and makes it so difficult to make out the colorway of the yarn. Anyhow, it is Knit Picks Swish Bulky in Blackberry. I am hoping to finish the sweater by the weekend. I have a patterned blouse in the same shade of plum that I plan to repurpose into a skirt for Mae to go with the sweater. She will look like a doll in it. (Either that or she'll decide she hates it on the spot and refuse to pull it on.  Feisty one, that girl.) 

Also on the needles are a pair of socks. I've never worked on size one needles before and I can tell you that the K2 P2 ribbing is tedious but somehow comforting. They are my take-along project. At least that's what I keep telling myself since I haven't gone anywhere recently. :) 

The yarn is Plaid Blanket Madelinetosh Tosh Merino. I love the self striping sock yarns.  I live in clogs during the winter and so enjoy fun, handmade socks peeking out. 

My sidebars are terribly out of date.  I will update them soon. I've been reading Forty Dreams of St. John Bosco while  in the bathtub late at night. Honestly, I don't get to read much alone during the day. Seems I can only read aloud to Mae and Anne and rarely have time to read for myself.  If you haven't read this book and enjoy stories of the saints, you will find it fascinating. I so love St. John Bosco.  

I am squeaking under the wire to join Ginny's Yarn Along. Hope you are staying warm and are surrounded by people you love.

a handmade baby shower

The girls and I recently attended a baby shower for a family friend.  This young mother has always loved handmade things so the girls and I set out to make some presents for her little boy who is due next month.

At the suggestion of a friend, I made some burp cloths by sewing grosgrain or satin ribbon down the seam of a cloth diaper.  The ribbon helps distinguish between a burpie and a regular cloth diaper as this mom was planning to use cloth and wraps.

We also made a sweater vest and matching hat by using patterns from Heartfelt which a lovely book about upcycling felted wool sweaters into new pieces. 

Lastly, I knit a green toddler hat for next winter in some stashed yarn of Plymouth Tweed.  I am sorry that the company stopped making this yarn because it has such fabulous hues and knits up beautifully. 

 

The simple pattern can be found here although I tweaked the bind off and did an i-cord for the knot at the top.  

The girls and I enjoyed making the little gifts to welcome another sweet baby boy into the world. It's been some time since I've had a baby boy and I enjoyed the crafting immensely! 

early autumn knitting-adonis wrap

Fall is the perfect time for reading and knitting. I love to hunker down on the sofa in the evenings while knitting or sit up in bed and read. I've been on a poetry kick lately.  A large compilation of Keats sits on my nightstand.  I'm also reading the controversial Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. I haven't gotten to anything controversial yet though I am only a couple of chapters in. I do think she is very humorous and that her humor might be lost if you aren't used to that subtle sarcasm. 

There is a lovely knit shop just a few miles from my house that is owned by Kate Jackson.  Kate is a charming and creative young woman who has just recently published her first book called Sunday Drive. Some fabulous patterns grace its pages. It is available for download in her ravelry store. But if you're a bibliophile like me, you will want the print version. Because paper is oh so nice!

Kate recently offered a test pattern at the shop called the Adonis Wrap. I started it during the Olympic opening ceremonies and finished it the other day. I am not a very fast knitter, catching five minutes here and there to get things done. It is one of the first things I have knit for myself as I usually make things for my children or give away my projects as gifts once they are completed.  But this wrap is mine. :)

Be sure to visit Ginny for more Yarn Along inspiration!

Yarn Along

I have been working on a Milo Vest for Tess using Georgie Hallam's pattern.  The Plymouth Superwash Merino is so soft and nice to work with. I haven't been knitting nearly as much as I'd like because we are moving from the outlying township into the village, right off the town square.  I have been packing and picking out paint and appliances which is plenty fun but I miss having quiet knitting time. We will be moving into a large, historic house that was built in 1870. It should be fun to live there, in the midst of the village. There will be sidewalks for the girls to ride their bikes and scooters. And did I mention a coffee shop, library, antique shops and small town hardware store within walking distance? :)

When I can catch a few minutes, I've been reading A Child's Garden and The Family Kitchen Garden.  I'm looking forward to planting some perennnial beds, including a tea garden. I will miss the house in the woods (and especially all of the hummingbirds) but I am looking forward to our new adventure!  

I'm knitting the Milo vest in a larger size than needed in hopes that I actually complete it while she can still wear it. 

Sorry that all of my photos are taken in front of this same window, on this same place on the table. The current house is dark inside because it is surrounded by trees.  There is only a small amount natural light on the main floor of the house so all of my pictures seem to be taken there. :)

If you'd like to see more Yarn Along projects, stop over at Ginny's. 

winter knitting

I love to knit in January and February. The pressure to complete a project before Christmas has passed and the weather allows me to sit down on the sofa for a bit each day. Usually, a couple of little people snuggle up next to me or on my lap while I knit which makes the knitting a little more difficult but a much toastier experience. 

I have been reading Kate's blog for some time.  She has a whole slew of fabulous and affordable patterns.  I recently purchased both Owls and Owlet. I think the button eyes on the owls are so cute!  I've not yet started the adult version but have the children's Owlet on the needles for little Tess.   I allowed her to choose her yarn colorway from Knitpicks. She pointed her chubby little dimpled finger at the screen and chose Damson Plum which really looks more like the Blackberry colorway in real life. It is much deeper than the appearance of the photo on Knitpicks' site. I love the Swish Bulky because it is a superwash Merino--one of the softest I've felt.  It knits up so nicely and feels great in my hands. I haven't gotten to the owl cable on the sweater yet, a couple of inches to go before I begin that part.  I have never done any cable work before but am looking forward to creating those sweet little owls!

I read quite a few good reviews about the Harmony Wood interchangeable circular needles before I purchased a set for myself.  They're smooth and beautifully crafted.  There isn't a rough spot to be found and the connections to the cables is almost seamless.  Knitting with them has been a pleasure. Plus they are just so darn pretty!

I also recently bought Georgie Hallam's Milo vest pattern. I am making one both for Annie and Tess. I bought Plymouth DK Superwash Merino for Tess'.  There is no color name on the label but rather a number.  The shade reminds me of a spring strawberry so that is what I'm naming it--Spring Strawberry. 

(Nevermind the wrinkled tablecloth, ok?)

The Milo vest has a small strip of cable down the front of the vest.  There are several cable pattern options included but I'm not sure which to use as of yet. I want to try my hand at making a tiny vest for Tess before attempting Annie's in the larger size.  I'm kind of excited to be knitting two patterns with cable.  It's a new frontier for me. :)

{Side note: little Tess' real name is Teresa Mae.  I usually call her Mae. So if I slip and call her that, don't think we had another child and you missed the announcement. :) My maternal great grandmother's name was Anna Mae, which is why Tess has that middle name.  Anna Mae insisted on being called Annabelle, even by her children and grandchildren. Apparently, she also dyed her hair black until she was in her eighties.  I do not know much more about her, except that she had a farm, lived in the country and liked to crochet.  In fact, she was the one who crafted The Pink Pillow that was eventually handed down to her daughter, my grandma, and then eventually ended up in my home.}

My Mary is growing to be a young lady and is almost out of children's sized clothing.  I am looking forward to that transition because the older girls' department is much more difficult to shop than the ladies' section.  I intended to make a Milo vest for her as well but the pattern is only up to a size 6.  If any of you know of a similar ladies' sized pattern, please let me know. 

I hope you are all well and staying warm.

Love, Rebecca

swift and ball winder

It has been almost 16 years since I learned to knit.  My firstborn son was just a couple of weeks old when a package arrived for him via UPS.  The UPS driver was always friendly and asked me whether I knew the lady, Chris, on the next street who had also recently had a baby.  I said that I hadn't met her yet.  Within a few days, we exchanged phone numbers via the UPS driver and became friends.  I spent many hours over her house when Ben was a baby.  We sat and nursed our babies and drank tea. She liked to spin and knit.  I liked to watch her. Chris soon asked whether I'd like to learn to knit.  I was so happy to learn and made my first project under her direction--a navy blue merino wool pilot cap for my new baby boy.  

One of my favorite things to do while visiting her was to watch her turn the skeins or hanks of yarn into balls using her yarn swift.  There was something so very Mary Poppins-ish about that umbrella-like yarn swift. I was mesmerized and always wanted to purchase one for myself.  This Christmas, sixteen years later, I did just that.  

My yarn swift arrived the other day. I am really pleased with the quality. I was concerned it might be poorly made since it was much less expensive than other swifts I've priced.  Quite the opposite.  It is sturdy, well-made and pleasant to look at. I ordered it from Knitpicks. We've had such fun using it!

I also purchased the yarn baller from the same company.  It works wonderfully and is highly addictive to use. Everyone in the family has tried their hand at winding the yarn into balls.  

The simple, useful, old fashioned things always bring my family so much happiness. Now that all of my yarn is ready to knit, I need to get going on my knitting projects! I have a little something in the works for baby Tess. More on that later. 

I hope you all are staying warm and enjoying the winter months with your families. Love, Rebecca

simple woman's daybook-march 3

Outside my window... bright sunshine on sparkling white snow.  It appears we only have a few inches left that hasn't melted.  And BIRDS! The beautiful sound of the birds singing as the sun came up this morning.  Such a welcome sound that spring is on its way! 

I am thinking.....about raspberry bushes and strawberry seedlings, about spinach and peppers and maybe even brussel sprouts.  The kids and I have been planning our summer garden.  Such fun to think about. :)

I am thankful for.... recent acts of kindness, thoughtfulness and love. 

From the kitchen....chai, hot blueberry muffins, fresh fruit.

I am creating.....quite a bit from upcycled felted wool sweaters: mittens, brooches, handbags and a lot of other fun things.  Here's a bag I made for Mary Kathryn.

 

I am wearing...charcoal grey warm up pants with a white stripe down the side, charcoal grey t-shirt, bare feet (sorry Flylady), a silver miraculous medal, a bracelet with my children's names engraved on it, little silver knot earrings.

I am going...out to the garage to see if we caught a possum in the catch and release trap.  I went out to put the cat away the other night and found a possum sleeping in the cat bed.  Aaah!

I am reading....The Shack by William P. Young.  It was a Christmas gift.  Not sure how I feel about it yet but I'll let you know when I'm done.

I am hoping....for a few days of warm weather so I can paint the bedroom. I am painting it blue.  And those of you who have been to my home know that is out of the ordinary.  Because every room in my home(s) for the last fifteen years has been a warm shade of sage green, warm yellow or dark red.  But blue is calling me and I am pretty excited to make the change.

I am hearing ...the girls playing in their bedroom, the birds singing in the rhododendron bushes, Tess babbling her sweet baby sounds as she crawls around the room. 

Around the house ... spent yesterday cleaning the storage closet, organizing games and puzzles.  We bought a high chair for Tessie and assembled it.  Feels good to accomplish things in spurts as the baby gets a little older. 

One of my favorite things ...a photo of my grandfather's shop.  More on that later. 

A few plans for the rest of the week: swimming at the YMCA, making potato kale soup, working on Mary's First Communion album, knitting when I can catch a chance. :) And happy that Ben is finished with his wrestling season so we'll be seeing more of him after school this week.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing~my recent knitting project.  A bramble stitch shawl in teal mohair.  Perfect for a summer evening. :)

More Daybooks at Peggy's. 

knitted rucksack

My little Annie recently turned five years old.  For one of her birthday presents, I made the heart rucksack from Little Badger Knitwear.

I am so pleased with how it knitted up.  Annie was all smiles when I gave it to her.  :)

popping in to say "hello"

I finally completed the Toasties for my sister-in-law.  The pattern is from Leslie's site which is such a lovely place to visit. I have been knitting in spurts, a few minutes a day.  Her birthday is next week and I am going to ship them off sometime soon.  The good thing is that we have plenty of winter left here in Northeast Ohio.  So I am hoping she is able to get some use out of them. 

 
I have started another pair for a different birthday gift, this time in charcoal grey.  I'll post photos when I am further along. 

In other news, there have been some mighty sweet cowgirls running through the house, yelling "Giddyap" and generally creating a ruckus.  Funny, I thought the Sheriff was supposed to bring about law and order.  Apparently, not in these parts, badge or no badge.

I hope you all had a relaxing weekend with your families.  Thanks for stopping by this winter evening.

we're having a heat wave

It's a balmy 8 degrees here in Northeast Ohio.  Balmy compared to yesterday's -11 degrees!  We are used to Cleveland winters but it is pretty amazing when it gets so cold that your breath freezes in your nose after being outside for a few minutes.  There has been a lot of tea brewing this weekend as I recently received my shipment from Adagio.  Adagio has so many delicious teas but my favorites are the peppermint, spearmint, chamomile, Masala Chai, Jasmine #12 and Foxtrot.   All of them smell heavenly while brewing and they taste so good on these chilly days. Today, I am drinking the chai with a splash of maple syrup.

If you like Jasmine tea, the #12 is the best I have ever had, hands down. I love to watch the little buds unfurl in the hot water.   Two or three of them make a delicious cup.  No need for an entire teaspoonful, in my opinion.

Because I had a chance to sit a spell late last night, I picked up my knitting again.  Not working on the Tasha Tudor shawl as I should be.  Instead,  I started a pair of Toasties for two of  my sister in laws who have February birthdays.  Leslie has a very lovely, simple pattern posted on her blog "a Friend to knit with".   I am using Debbie Bliss' Donegal Luxury Tweed which is 85% wool and 15% angora.  It is just enough angora to make the wool ever so soft.   I am fond of angora though I don't like the mess it leaves behind.  This is just a touch of angora so it doesn't have the fuzzy effect.

This afternoon,  I have floors to sweep and laundry to do but, this evening, we will be here knitting, sipping and playing games by the fire.  I hope all of you are warm and well. 

Fingerknitted Flowers

I think my Mary would love to make one of these sweet flowers.  I was talking with a friend recently about the purpose of fingerknitting.  I realized that I have no idea what the specific purpose is, other than to make pretty things with your hands.  :)

Fingerknitting has been a favorite of Mary's since last autumn when she learned how to do it.   She make belts, headbands, stuffed animal leashes and bracelets.  It makes her happy and keeps her peaceful so it's alright by me. :)

How to Finger Knit--a Demonstration

I thought this was very helpful.  Perhaps now we can make something other than leashes for Mary's stuffed animals.  :)

Korknisse Ornaments

I've yet to add the ribbon for hanging.  Here is the pattern. 

I think they are so darn cute.

Finger Knit Garlands

Last summer, during my investigation into Waldorf homeschooling, I was intrigued by the concept of finger knitting for young children.  While I don't ascribe to Rudolph Steiner's  philosophy or the esoteric reasons for introducing fingerknitting, the handcraft itself sounded like a whole lot of fun in its own right.

In hopes of teaching Mary to fingerknit while the rest of us used needles, I bought the book Finger Knitting by Katsuno Suzuki.  I expected to find directions for teaching children to make some simple projects.  There are a couple simple projects but most of those in Suzuki's book are downright complicated even for an adult! 

Needless to say, my Mary is still making single crocheted chains with her fingers.  We haven't progressed past that yet and I am not sure we will any time soon.   She has made several leashes for her stuffed dogs, some reins for her horses and lots of pretty belts and headbands for her mommy. :)

Today we began to make some garland for the tree.  I brought out the red and green yarn and the kids had much fun making chains.  I was inspired to do so from these posts over at Soule Mama. 

Even Annie got in on the act, trying to finger knit with her chubby little hands.   

When we finish the garlands, I will post some photos for you to see. 

Have a beautiful day and thanks for visiting. :)

Update:  How to Finger Knit video clip here.

 

Complimentary Knitting Patterns

I just had to share this link. There are hundreds of free patterns at Knitting Pattern Central available for knitters to use. With all of these lovely things to make, one might never have to buy a pattern again!

You might also find this instruction page useful. It explains many basic knitting techniques such as casting on, binding off, knitting in the round, adding a ball of yarn and more.

But do me a favor, don't sit in front of the computer and try to knit. Print out the directions and sit on your sofa with your children. Play some classical music or an Irish jig. Turn off the ringer on the phone and enjoy the moment. It will be much more satisfying than knitting by the glow of the computer screen. :)

Tasha Tudor Shawl

A couple of people have asked about the shawl in my knitting photo album. It is based on Tasha Tudor's own shawl which she is never without on a chilly Vermont day. My friend Chris sent me the pattern as she knows I love Tasha Tudor. Chris is the patient woman who taught me to knit when Benjamin was just a tiny baby. :)

You can view and print out your own copy of the pattern here. It knits up beautifully and is a relatively simple design as the entire shawl, sans the lace edging, is done in garter stitch. Tasha and her family have a lovely website with many of their wares available for purchase. Enjoy!