hurrayic

Yarn Along ~ November 30

Popping in after a 10 1/2 hour car trip (exhausting...but lots of good car knitting!) for Ginny's Yarn Along.  Started a Meandering Rib scarf along the way for a certain someone on my Christmas list while listening (and finishing) The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place ~ The Mysterious Howling.  Wonderful and funny book to listen to.  Well written and very engaging.  I almost think that listening to this rather than reading it made it come to life more.  The performer used various voices and animals howlings.  My husband, children and I can't wait for the next installment.

What are you knitting and reading?

Thankfulness

The First Thanksgiving at Plymouth ~ Jennie Augusta Brownscombe (1914)

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hoping for a wonderful time to spend together with family and friends
Enjoying the bounty that God has graciously endowed upon us
Being thankful to Him for all we have 
And eating some turkey too!

I'll be away for a few days to enjoy the holiday... See you next week.

Yarn Along ~ November 23

Yarning along this time is short & sweet: besides the wips (and all that Thanksgiving prep) that I really should be working on, I chose to cast on** yet another little project called Clara's Cowl.  It's by Gretchen from he sows, she sews.  I had a few problems at first and had to unravel it several times (it was me) and even contacted Gretchen, who very graciously encouraged me to continue.  I think all is well.  The yarn is from my stash: Sheep Shop Yarn Company (which is defunct now but you can read a little article about the company here).

As for reading, right now, I'm drifting between books... Discover Nature in Winter (one of many in a series) is only one that I'm currently looking at.  With winter just round the bend, I wanted to somehow keep all our nature studies going (we're in a nature lull right now ~too busy~too cold) and this one has tips on how to study nature things while outside during the colder months.  Still working on Wildwood and still liking it.

** I actually cast this on about a week prior and wrestled with it, but am still working on it when I should be helping to prepare for the big turkey day...

What are you reading and knitting?

Learning

When we were at the library a few days ago (filling up on more essentials for before our long journey!), my youngest brought home a book about landscape drawing.  Totally his own idea.  He plopped down at the kitchen table and for several hours, busied himself with learning something new.  Simple as that. 

I say not bad for his first attempt.  A little wonky with his perspectives and perhaps a tad too heavy-handed with the shading... but all by himself for sure. 

Enjoying

After a whirlwind of a week and weekend...

Hello!  Happy Monday again. 

I've been enjoying...

Smiling over a few thrift store treasures: a chunky coffee cup and some wool yarn all for a few dollars (yes, they were already wound and tied with their labels!)...
Dragging the dulcimers out from under the bed, dusting them off (loads of dust!) and letting the children rediscover their sound...
Smiling again at a new palette of yarn that arrived in the mail: hoping to turn this into a new bag...after all that holiday gifting that needs to be made first...
Baking chocolate chip cookies for our long journey...essentials for any car trip! (found a site that has the recipe posted just in case you're interested)

Glad for the color of this chair on a rainy morning...

Hoping these sugar pumpkins will hold out until we return...need to make pie and toasted pumpkin seeds...

Watching my two boys fill our feeders (another pre-trip activity) and discovering how incredibly stinky wet old bird seed is (maybe that's why so few birds have been visiting?)...

Waiting and hoping new little chickadees or robins or bluejays or swallows (excuse me, sparrows, as my youngest corrected me!) and yes, even the squirrels will appreciate their newly-filled feeders...

 

{this moment}**

Listening and watching my oldest try out a cigar box dulcimer! 
(made by my brother)

{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. ~ Soule Mama

{this moment}** a single photo with a few accompanying words ~ hurrayic

Enjoy a lovely weekend!

Knitting: Sheepy Pants

Wish I had made these when my children were younger...
Love the color of these Sheepy Pants.
So-so about the pattern.
Positively: lots of sizes, waist band and hem choices to choose from
Negatively: a tad confusing on picking up stitches in the crotch area for 2nd leg and not sure about the increases in the bum area - made tiny tiny gaps.  (Maybe it's me?)

Rolled hem
Ribbed waist with no drawstring
Straight legs
9 1/2" inseam (before hem)
Size: Medium
Only used 1 skein.
Had just enough yarn as I bound off.

Yarn Along ~ November 16

For Ginny's Yarn Along this week, I tried something brand new to me:  color stranding.  I ended up with 1 skein leftover from my Sheepy Pants (which I'll share tomorrow) and have been toying with the idea of testing out color knitting.  I found the Inga Hat on Ravelry and after seeing this person's rendition (complete with tassel) I decided to give it a try.  Maybe I should have chosen something less complicated for my first go-round?  Not sure.  So far, so good.  Since I'm a continental knitter, I wanted to be able to hold both colors in my left hand rather than the standard 2-handed approach.  I found this video and this one helpful.  If anyone else has done knitted colorwork using continental, please let me know. 

On the reading front I'm continuing with Wildwood.  A very entertaining read for sure.  Someone asked me if it were appropriate for 5 and 7 year olds... there are a few minor things I would change (so far) if reading it aloud for those ages.  For example...the main character, Prue, 'curses under her breath' - why does the author need to even say this?  Obviously there are no curses in the book, and yet...should a child be 'cursing' under their breath to begin with? Hmmm...  just a thought.  If reading it aloud to young ones, I might substitute 'mutters under her breath' instead.  And there are a few scenes that might be sort of scary (wolves come to mind)...Of course, I think the best thing is to read the book first and then decide if you think it's good for your children.  Overall...I'm enjoying it a lot and will pass it on/read it aloud to my 2 'younger' ones who are 11 & 13.

 

Knitting: Some Small Finished Projects

A pair of Saartje's Bootees with slight mods.
A Pebble 'dress'
An upsized Pebble vest
Knitted several months ago.
All 3 patiently waited for buttons.
Sewed on buttons in no time at all.
Wondered why it took me so long to complete.

Enjoying

Good Monday Morning!

Recently, I've been enjoying...

Capturing some of the season in a jar and making table centerpieces for an event: canning jars, weeds & leaves from my yard = free decor...

Loving the grays of a sudden storm and how its light casts an eerie glow on the yellow leaves in our backyard...

Anticipating the new year with the purchase of two new calendars: Inherit and Art...

Surprised that little creatures and plants haven't taken up residence in these already considering the length of time they've been sitting outside (and the many rainstorms they've endured)...

Hoping that this forgotten egg experiment makes it safely into the trash can...

Thankful for the overwhelming swirl of clean clothes (yes, clean) despite their need to be folded.  Want to come for a folding party?

Thankful too for a quick lunch of leftovers...black beans, guacamole, rice w/cumin and cheddar!

Happy that a pair of baby woolens are off the needles...

Hoping that as we all head into our busy weeks with much to do, that we remember to be grateful for all the whats and wheres and whos we have about us...