This moment

Inspired by Soulemama --  {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.

Yarn Along

Following Ginny's Yarn Along at Small Things where we share our latest knits and reads...

In the basket this week, I'm starting to work on my littlest's fall wardrobe of knitted pants.  I've got a lot to knit him, lucky little man.  I plan on doing several pairs with an elastic waistband for easy changing.  Of my three, he is the most difficult to change diapers.  It is like a wrestling match every time and of course he takes them all off so he has to be in good ol' pins.  These pair will be made with Marr Haven Merino Ramboulette dyed in a simple tan to go with everything. I'm trying something new with them to reduce bulk by knitting the inside of the waistband in worsted gaia and then I plan to switch it on the outside of the waistband to the Marr Haven. 

I'm still working on Organized Simplicity.  The statistics of TV watching and mindless use of technology is staggering to me.  The TV doesn't personally lure me in but I can spend way too many hours on the computer.  I know I've had to really take myself away from many online "groups" I participated in when I noticed how much time it was taking away from my home life.  Making that commitment was hard, but it sure was worth it.  I'm enjoying this book.  So far it has a lot of good discussion topics for my husband and I. 

Looking forward to seeing what everyone else is up to!

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On a side note...I am looking for a needlepoint/embroidery pattern of a woman in braids doing handwork. I usually see in in red thread.  I know it is in a picture in Soulemama's book and I've seen it online often.  I want it!   Anyone know what it is called?  :)

On the needles

Even with this burst of hot summer heat, I've been clicking away.  Some days I get a chunk done and others I don't get to my needles until late at night.  But I'm motivated.  Fall has to be here soon.  Knowing my luck, it will be cold really fast and all of my woolly plans will be started too late. 

Right now I've got four projects in the works.  I attended a Knitter's Retreat with my local yarn store, Klose Knits, where we learned some Fair Isle knitting, miniature sock knitting, and adding beads.  Although I knew how to do all of these (and I didn't realize that it was a beginners kind of retreat) it was fun and I was happy to lead a hand when needed.  One of the projects was to knit felted wine bag.  I'm just about done with the green and will add some red and white trim to the top.  Easy and simple knit and it was good practice with multiple color knitting. 

I'm plugging away on a lap blanket by Brooklyn Tweed - The Tweed Baby Blanket.  I wanted something garter and something with the hap lace for those cold winter nights.  I unfortunately ran out of the main body yarn and now have to search for more.  I opted out of using the SHELTER yarn for the entire thing and substituted Cascade Eco for the center panel.  I'm looking forward to tackling the outside lace portion of the blanket and am so annoyed at myself for not getting enough to begin with.  I hate waiting to work on things.  On a side note - if you are a Brooklyn Tweed fan...their new fall collection, Wool People, is so beautiful.  You must go and see!

Tonight I should finish the sock yarn sweater for Logan.  It is so much smaller than I wanted it to be.  I knit tight and even though I went up a size on the pattern, it still is not as large as I wanted it to be - even with a gauge swatch.  Maybe he won't grow much this winter!  Luckily I can always add length later if I need to.  I opted for a layered look on the sleeves and ribbed wrists since I'm not a fan of loose sweaters on little people.

Soon, I'll start on the first pair of longies of the season. I've collected (aka hoarded) a lot of really fun wools for Logan - some was even hoarded for Mason before he potty trained - and have a lot of plans for that this fall.  Since Logan is my last little monster, I plan on decking him out in homemade goodness whether he wants me to or not. 

Over the weekend

There were sounds of sawing, drilling, and sanding coming from the garage.  Nathan built me a wonderful shelf for our dining room/art room to store our supplies on.  I love it.  It is perfect.  It is handmade.  It is wood.  He and Mason bought really pretty knot free wood and I "stained" it with beeswax.  It is so light and pretty and will last a long time. 

There were sounds of things being built on the table.  Lots and lots of Lego time.  One boy following the directions and one never even looking at them.  Both enjoying their time together.

There were sounds of clicking needles.  Lots of clicking needles.  It seems forever that I've actually got more than just a bit of knitting done. More on that to come later.

There were sounds of babble as the youngest had to join in.  Had to.  Tried, as always, to be right in the middle of it.  The middle of the table is where he really wanted to be.

There were all sorts of that good kind of noise.  The kind I'm already afraid of missing when they get just a little be older.

Around here

It is so hot here.  I don't want to complain because I know it has been hotter and hotter for longer in other parts of the country, but man, is it hot here.  It is too hot to play outside.  It just isn't any fun.  It feels like it does in the winter with all of the curtains closed to conserve energy.  It is dark inside.  A balmy 78 inside instead of the cool 64 it is in the winter - but you get the drift.  We're stuck inside.  It is a bummer no matter what time of the year it is.

We are embracing the heat with lot of different things.  Puzzles have been played with a lot, Thomas The Train has made an apperance again, musical instruments can be heard all day (lucky me), books books and more books, a play date,  Trio Lego clicks from morning to night, and a trip to the mall just to get out and walk a bit.  TV has been forgotten with as many adventures that are being had.  I like that part the most. 

I think Logan has had the most outside time in the last couple of days since he wakes up at 5.  For a 17 month old, he is exceptionally good at watering plants. 

These moments

I could have blogged about a lot of things lately.  Finding the time to do it would help.  Possibly finally joining Facebook might have something to do with it.  Or, possibly, it was a week where the word "survival" came to mind more often than not.

I could blog about seeing my sweet sister-in-law and how she came and stayed with us and cooked us a most fabulous meal.  I should have taken a picture of all the dirty dishes and how we devoured it.  I could blog and blog about how wonderful she is and how much my boys (and all of us) adore her. 

I could blog about some finished knitted socks and how I have a hard time not starting project after project or how I can't seem to get much knitting done. 

Or I could have just blogged about these fat little legs.  Don't you just want to nibble them?

Yarn Along

This week, I find myself in the "self help" section of my little home library.  Being a never ending "nester", I'm constantly looking for more ways to make our family space happy, quiet, simple, and intentional.  The more my kids develop into themselves, I find I'm constantly needing to change my surroundings and to not cave into all of their wants of more "stuff".  I've picked up Organized Simplicity to give me an extra boost in this department.  I've been really working in my space a lot lately trying to simplify and reduce.  It seems to be a very hard thing to do with three little boys.  I've also picked up Simplicity Parenting based on my friend via Yarn Along Rachel's reads.  I'm really looking forward to starting it this week.

Continuing the simple theme, I'm knitting a simple sock yarn sweater.  I love the colorway (I had the same one in longies for my middle son) and have decided to make it look like a layered t-shirt.  I think it will be a great weight for my littlest to wear this fall and winter.  A very simple knit. 

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Continuing to follow along with Ginny at Small Things! 

This Moment

Inspired by Soulemama - {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.

 

Yarn Along Wednesday

Last night I've finally finished the 'quick' read,  Made From Scratch.  It was a great little book and I feel that I learned a bit and it didn't make me feel guilty for not having all of the means to live off the land.  Sometimes I feel like, when reading this genre of book, authors tend to make such strong points and valadations for what they deem is the best that there is no way I could ever win with them.  She championed just growing a bit of produce in a pot if that is all you can do - and I appreciate that!

I've also just finished the knit I was working on last week, Transatlantic.  I went with the minor mistakes I made and still like it in the end.  They keyholes it has will be quite handy since I'm always picking kids up and hate it when shawls/scarves fall off.  I also got the last of my Hats For Japan finished and should be in the mail this week. Nothing like waiting for last minute.  Now I'm just finishing up plain ol' socks.  A bit boring but I'm glad to get them done.   I've got plans on starting this little sweater out of sock yarn.  I think I'll stripe it too.  One can never have enough stripes. 


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Following Ginny's weekly Yarn Along! 

family fun

We had such a nice 4th of July.  Nathan came home from being gone for 6 days - ending a very long traveling month. 

Our good friends had a lovely party.  Good food, games, and fun! 

We stayed up late to enjoy the fireworks.  I think they are still feeling hung over from it.

A little crafting

It has been a while since I've shared some crafty goodness.  I have been crafting - a lot- and it hasn't been all knitting!  A stretch for me for sure.  I'm not a patient knitter or a very patient stitcher but I'm working on it. 

So here is a little mishmash of what I've been up to in the last few weeks.

From left to right:  Transatlantic, booties, a dress sewn for a gift from a Simplicity pattern, In Threes Cardi, one simple socks, Stripes Study (again), Embroidery and Curtain from Alicia Paulson's Embroidery Companion. 


Phew.  That was fun!

this moment...

Inspired by Soulemama - {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.