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Yarn Along: new yarns

No school lessons.  A wee bit more free time.  An extra pair of hands to help with dinner prep and clean up (thanks, Mom).  All of these things add up to more knitting and reading this week.  I finished the body of my black Annabel and am working through one sleeve.  I think I should have it completed for next week.  Exciting! 

Even more exciting is discovering stumbling upon a new yarn store in the area.  On Friday, we (grandmother, mother and daughter) had a girls'-day-out and visited 3 yarns stores nearby.  We intended to visit only the first being that we did not know the other two existed.  (the owner of the first store told us of the other two stores)  Good thing she did (or not so good depending on how you look at it...he he)... at any rate, I came home with a linen yarn (Louet Euroflax in Pewter) and a few skeins of Berroco Seduce in Graphite.  I'm thinking of a simple lacy scarf for the Euroflax, but the jury's still out for the Berroco yarn.  Might go back and buy more to make this top or this one.  I saw a sample knit of the 2nd top at the store and bought a pattern since I like the ruching on the front.  But with my ahem figure, it may not be the best match.  We'll see. 

At night I've been reading a combination of things: various cookbooks, recipes, printouts from Heather's 30-Day Vegan workshop, and  An Everlasting Meal by Tamar Adler.  After reading Amanda's post on the book (read her post - she very eloquently talks about the book!), I ordered it from the library.  Haven't gotten too far but am enjoying what I've read up to this point.  The author makes you approach eating in a new way; it's more of mini 'essays'. (No, no...not the boring and lengthy paragraphs that we were forced to write and read about in school!) These 'essays' are filled with lively adjectives and tidbits on how to use foods in a creative and common sense way rather than recipes per se.   How to Boil Water is the very first chapter heading...interesting, indeed! 

So what are you reading and knitting for Ginny's Yarn Along this week?

Yarn Along: Annabel progress

Ginny's Yarn Along has snuck up on me again.  I have been knitting (albeit a few rows or rounds here and there) but somehow not enough to show a big difference.  I've made progress on my Black Annabel although from the picture above you probably just see a big old mess of knitting.  Right now, I'm thinking that finishing the present skein of yarn and perhaps using another will cover the body, and then I'll just have to move onto the sleeves.  My goal is to try and finish the sweater by the end of May (and perhaps the purple scarf as well), but since my parents are visiting this week, and ...ahem... I foresee a few visits to local yarn stores...meeting that goal may prove challenging. 

Reading has consisted of prepping for homeschool again and drooling over the pictures in the La Tartine Gourmande.  I like the freshness and combinations of food used throughout the book.  The photos remind me of some of the gourmet cooking books that I would pore over when we were first married (when we had more leisure time...remember leisure time?)

Right now, my time is limited and honestly, my interest has shifted away from recipes that require a hundred unique ingredients and thousands of hours spent in the kitchen to execute that one gourmet meal.  Instead, I'm into simpler, wholesome recipes that are also easier to make and much quicker to grace our table. Admittedly, this cookbook does lean to the gourmet side (maybe for special occasions?), but there are few recipes that fit the easy/quick need.  Of course there is one recipe that caught my eye right away when I browsed through this at the library.  It'll probably take a bit of time to execute but who knows?  I'm willing to give it a go.  Chocolate crepes.  What do you think?  Have any of you tried recipes from this book?

What are you reading and crafting?

Yarn Along: treading water

Like my title for this installment of Ginny's Yarn Along ? I think treading water would make a nice name for a knitting project, don't you agree?  I imagine a long flowing scarf or shawl that cascades down to my knees or puddles at my feet using a silky turquoise yarn that I would knit in an undulating design.  Something to wear to the beach?  No.  Too hot. Too much time to knit...never mind. Besides, if I wore a scarf that lengthy, I might end up like Isadora...

Actually, my knitting and reading this week have once again seen very little of me. Hence the title of this post. Treading water.  It's not anything big.  It's just a lot of 'little' things that are taking up my time again: helping the seniors find part-time employment, finalizing college stuff, trying to figure out a date to have a graduation party (sort of like trying to write the guest list for a wedding, I tell you), continuing on with school lessons, hoping the piano recital goes well, readying the house for family, realizing only yesterday that we need to call an exterminator, looking forward to dinner with a friend and her family... you get the picture.

After finishing my husband's scarf, I knit roughly two more inches of the Lace Ribbon Scarf.  I like knitting this pattern design much more.  It seems to go faster.  Good thing I have 3 skeins since I'm on my 2nd skein now, and it looks like I'll definitely need the 3rd in order to have the scarf long enough.  But as you can tell, I'm in no hurry...it'll get done...eventually. 

Reading has consisted of beginning to read aloud the final two physical science books for my younger boys: Light and Sound.  Good thing.  We just finished the Magnets & Electromagnetism book in the series and all of us were getting sort of 'bored' with it.  I think it's just that time of year.

Knitting: Circle & Stripe Scarf

Finally!  I finally managed to finish my husband's very belated Christmas present a few days ago:  the Circle and Stripe Scarf!  What a patient man he is.  And good-natured!  He humored me by modeling it in almost 80 degree heat.  In that last photo there with his Peter Pan stance, I asked him, "what are you doing?" to which he replied, "sucking in my gut of course..."  There...ahem... seems to a bit of sucking in the gut at our house lately (both of us!).  At least the scarf will fit.  smile. 

I haven't blocked the scarf and probably won't since I actually like the way it curls on the edges into a tube.  The Malabrigo yarn was soft and easy to work with.  The colorway reminds me of salt & pepper...sort of like the direction his beard is headed...

Yarn Along: Husband's Scarf

For Ginny's Yarn Along, I had hoped to show you the finished scarf for my husband.  You know the one.  The scarf that should have been a Christmas present?  Well...my progress was the close-but-no-cigar type progress... and honestly, I've done little knitting this week.  In fact, my needles have been relatively quiet for some time now.  I think it's the weather.  I keep staring at my pile of fabric and want to sew rather than knit.  I also think it's just the busyness of the season.  I know we're busy doing something, but when I look back at what those things are, I can't remember.  Nothing memorable or creative.  Just a whole bunch of must-do projects: dentist visits, renewing temps, piano lessons, car fixing, grocery shopping, running around with a seemingly endless number of errands...

So you can probably guess how my reading this week has been as well.  Not a whole lot of in-depth study other than browsing more new books that we'll hit next year for school...like, for instance, King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.  I'm previewing it for the boys.  I'm sure they'll like it! 

What are you hoping to knit or read in the coming week(s)?

Yarn Along: Knitted Pockets

For Ginny's Yarn Along this week, I whipped up a few pockets after seeing Lori's post.  I chose some watery blues and greens, both bright and muted.  All Cascade wool.  You might recognize a few of the colors from other projects.  What a fun little distraction this project provided: quick and wonderful knowing that they'll be going to a good cause. 

The knitting portion was easy, but the crochet portion?  Stinky.  My daughter knows how to crochet and taught herself.  I do not.  Yes, a single chain and edging wasn't too difficult, but weaving in the ends proved a bit challenging.  Oh well.  They're made with a little sprinkling of love and care.  Did you join in too? 

Reading has been simply browsing through some new homeschool books (when I really should first finish my other school books for this year!).  I'm excited about using Artistic Pursuits with my two younger boys next year.  Funny, I went to art school but found in our homeschool journey, that art was/is often pushed to the side for other must-do's.  I reasoned with myself (with pride I might add, ugh!) that "I could teach them that...why do I need a program?" or "yuck, I dislike the drawings/artwork in this curriculum, so I'll just make up my own"...

Well, art (vs crafts) simply didn't get done unless we were in a co-op or someone else was teaching the course.  This year, I hope to use Artistic Pursuits.  It teaches the elements of art in simple ways, includes art history and art appreciation as well as exercises and finished projects to work towards.  I've also been scouting the internet for some interesting videos to demonstrate the art elements as well as using some art books we already own.  Throw in more picture studies, and It should be fun. Have you used the program?  Likes/dislikes?

So what are you knitting and reading this week?

Yarn Along: Lace Ribbon continued for a 2nd time

Popping in for Ginny's Yarn Along again...

Knitting has been somewhat sparse.  This past weekend, I knit a few more rounds of my black Annabel, a few more rows of my husband's scarf and a few more rows of the Lace Ribbon scarf.  I've finished one skein of yarn and wound the 2nd so that it's ready to go when I have any down time.  Right now I have a total of about 20" complete.  The pattern says it'll be about 6' long so with my 3 skeins, I should be just about on target. 

Reading also has been sparse.  I don't know what it is.  Feast or famine so it seems.  Perhaps after this tournament, I'll have a little more time to read.  I am still enjoying Death comes to Pemberley and finally received the next installment of The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place (audiobook form) from our library.  My daughter reminded me that we hadn't quite finished listening to the 2nd one in the series and shouldn't we wait to listen to this one so as to not spoil it?  Yes, yes, yes...but...

What are you reading and knitting or crocheting this week? 

Yarn Along: Honey Cowl!

Happy to be joining in again for Ginny's Yarn Along...

Knitting: I'm still inching along on my Lace Ribbon Scarf and realizing that it may take longer than expected. Today, I show you my completed Honey Cowl or as my youngest thought... a knitted cow :)  Thanks to my 2nd son for taking the photos of me wearing it...

Yes, the weather has changed, and I won't be modeling this until next winter, but I'm glad it's complete.  An easy pattern, certainly... just sort of monotonous in execution. 

Rather than complete the suggested 11" in width, I opted to make it only 8 1/2" wide.  I wanted it done. Simple as that.

I love the textures on both sides of the scarf.  And despite my getting bored with the pattern, I really do like the stitch and am wondering how to apply it to another project in the future. 

Reading: Haven't done too much reading again this week.  I'm continuing with last week's book as well as flipping through The Art of Argument...a book on logic for my two younger boys.  Hoping to incorporate it (with some other logic books we already own) into next year's schooling.  I don't know about you (homeschoolers or teachers can relate?), but even when there's plenty to do to finish out the present year and those straggling lessons...somehow, always around this time (or earlier), I get the itch to start planning for next year's schooling...

So what are you reading and creating?

 

Yarn Along: Lace Ribbon Scarf continued

I'm slowly making progress on my scarf for Ginny's Yarn Along this week.  After several restarts, I managed to knit just a little over  6" long.  And shhh...don't tell anyone, but for some reason (brain fog) I did not alternate the first 24 rows as planned.  The pattern should be slanting one way for 10 rows then switch at the 11th row and continue on until row 23 in the new direction, finishing with row 24 then repeating all 24 rows again. You get a zig-zag pattern going on as well as the lace pattern (alternating in even/odd rows).  Well, I misread the pattern and did 18 rows one way and then began the opposite slant after that...oh well.  Rather than frog yet again, I decided to just leave it, continue on and add an extra few rows at the opposite end before casting off.  No one but me (and now you, fellow yarn alongers, will know).  But I have to say, I really like the texture of this yarn.  So soft and...silky...I guess that's why they call it silky merino...duh!

Reading:  I've been delving into a little bit of Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James.  So far, I like it.  It is heavy on description and little on dialogue, and I hope that changes/improves as the story unfolds.  At first I was simply drawn to the cover and the title, and then finding that the story is an imagined continuation of Pride & Prejudice, I thought it would be an entertaining read.  I do hope however, that none of the characters I find so endearing in Pride & Prejudice turn out to be the guilty party in this murder mystery.  Except for perhaps Mr. Wickham :)  I'm just now starting the part where the mysterious carriage furiously rides up (in a great storm no less) with sister Lydia screaming murder...

Yarn Along: Lace Ribbon Scarf

Joining in with Ginny's Yarn Along after a too-long hiatus.  Funny, how only a week away feels sooooo much longer.  I should really call this yarn along 'beginnings' since neither my knitting or reading has actually begun! 

On the knitting front, you'd think that since I have 4 (no, 5!) projects that need finishing, that I'd work on those any chance I get.  Call it spring fever, but I decided to pull out something new, something with a bit more color to it.  I found Malabrigo Silky Merino in my stash (a birthday present from my husband 4 years ago?) in a lovely purple called nocturnal and matched it with a pattern: Lace Ribbon Scarf by Veronika Avery.  No, I haven't begun this yet, but I'm hoping it works.  Then...I'll have to return to all those ufos.  Have you used this yarn or made this pattern?

Reading also is just beginning...our homeschooling book called The Bronze Bow.  My older two read it and forgot what it's about.  I never read it with them, just checked their reading progress along the way.  This time, my two younger boys will be reading it for our Ancient study.  I have 3 copies of it so that all 3 of us can now take turns reading.  But I figured that I should try to pre-read it before they do.  We'll see.  Maybe this time around I'll find out what this book is all about?  Have you read it?

What are you knitting and reading this week?