Creating

Lots of wee ones coming these past few weeks and I have been busy with needles of all kinds getting ready for their arrival! I love making baby snugglies for lots of reasons, but the main ones are that it is a terrific way to surround them with lots of love and, frankly, because they are so much faster than a baby to make!

Here are just a few of the things I have created this month...

A jelly roll quilt..

Redwork pillows

Cabled knit baby blanket

Baby surprise jacket

Easy peasy baby hat

Crochet baby blanket

Two more baby sweaters and a baby blanket were finished, as well, but I neglected to take a picture before they went to their respective owners.... so frustrating to forget that, isn't it??

We had quite a bit of snow last week which gave me a few days of making. It was quite delicious to snuggle up with fiber, cats, and tea and just watch the snow as I puttered away. I do think retirement will be easy for me -- when that time comes!

Are you creating a lot these days? How are you spending these icy cold days?

Beautiful....

  One baby blankie... 

 Two baby blankie... 

Three baby blankie... 

Nothing brings me more joy than knitting something warm and snuggely for a new life coming into this sometimes cold and unkind world. I knit love and good wishes into each stitch, thinking of the new life and the potential that is there. And, it seems, these days, I am surrounded by a lot of new life, great potential, coming into this world. I hope they are able to make of this world what my generation seems to have failed at --- kinder, more loving, and gentler... 

And stars to dream by... 

What is beautiful in your world? 

Projects, Pigs, Pals...

Pigged!

Feeding and watering the pigs is always fun! They are so cute and have such interesting personalities....and their favorite thing to do is to rub against me to scratch their backs. This means I leave the pig pen covered in mud. Sometimes, they put their noses against my legs to smell where I have been and I leave with a perfect oval with two small holes from their snout. Trust me. If pigs had thumbs, we'd be working for them...

Clara, more faithful than the pups... and won't be still...

Out of the 21 goats, Clara is the most faithful. Where ever I go in the pasture, she is right by me and will knock the others out of the way if they dare to get closer than she!

Me, 18, Monterrey Beach

Been cleaning out pictures this week during the particularly hot and steamy parts of the day. I found this picture and could taste the way the day felt to me.... Isn't it funny how a photograph can trigger such a tangible memory? I spent the better part of two years, three months of it on beaches, bumming around the country starting when I was 18. This day was cool, by beach standards, and the sun was sparkling, the sky astoundingly blue. Delicious...

Cutest booties ever...

Finished the baby blanket and sweater and had enough yarn left to make these adorable booties. Honestly, they knit up in less than 30 minutes and are the cutest things ever! And, since they took so little yarn, I see that these might become my go-to project for leftovers! I like to give pregnant students a little something handknit for their babies and these would be perfect -- fast, inexpensive, and useable!

Evening walks..

Every day ends with a lovely walk. The pups love the swimming that comes with the walk... I love the stillness to bookend my days...

Equipment repair

And, as always on the farm, one repairs rather than replaces. Installing new handles, a little scrub of a wire brush, some oil, and these are good as new. This week, I am teaching myself to change the oil in my tractor. It won't be today, however. The rain has poured all night and we have flash flood warnings. So, it is a "finish in the house" day -- touch up some paint in the upstairs bath, finish the three doors in the dining room, rough up the trim in the downstairs bath and repaint.

What are you into this week?

Summer Assignments....

One of the biggest chores this summer is just finishing projects. They range from house to fiber to yard / garden to... well, you see how it goes... Always something more to add to the list!

I have set out a list of projects that must be done before I return to campus. These are the ones that I think are MOST important and probably wouldn't make other people's list At All.

Spinning mohair / wool /nylon from Serial Knitters in Seattle. 

 

Setting the twist on handspun from Riverslea Farm NH. (Hi, Liz!)

Knitting a baby blankie from Cascade Cherub Aran. (Love this fiber! Sooo soft!)

 

 

 

 

It has been in the 90s here which is highly unusual. So, staying inside and playing with wool or fiber is a delicious way to spend the day.

When I am not playing with fiber, I have been sorting One More Time to clean out space. We are doing some serious downsizing and many things have to go. The first time through, well, a lot of things didn't go. The second time, though, it is easier to let those things go that are not sentimental, heirlooms, or beautiful. I can't express how freeing it is to see things go to others who will be able to give them a good home. I'm going to miss the Mister - hahahahaha.

How are you staying cool??

Creating

 Having way too much fun these days with finding and finishing projects.

These little guys were up in the wardrobe...

I remember buying the cheater cloth and thinking I'd make them...

oh...

a few years ago!

So, I have stitched up the little pillows...

 

And then I stitched up two little banners from the smaller pillows...

 

 

And rummaged through my buttons and found these cunning guys...

Lots and lots of heart buttons in the stash, some vintage and some not...

 

And then I decided it was time to commit

to a project I have wanted to do for some time...

knit through Elizabeth Zimmerman's "Knitter's Alamanac" in one year...

So I have cast on the January project, "An Aran For You", and started it.

This is some wonderful

local natural Corriedale worsted that I bought at SAFF,

oh, about the same time I bought the cheater cloth...

enough said...

 

 

And, I finished this darling shawlette from my very first handspun.

This does not favor to the cherry red yarn,

but, for some reason,

the camera doesn't want to show that pretty, pretty colour.

 

And, I am listening to this guy. Remember him?

 

 

I feel so productive and homey! What are you working on these days?

Just a Note

Polly continues to sit on "her" eggs.

Capri continues to get her head caught in the fence. At 18 months old, she should be past this challenge. Not her. I think she is a slow learner or an optimistic one...

Baby chicks are fabulous. Only one died from transit, which is marvelous!

Fresh basil on the kitchen table for pesto tonight!

Four sachets knit for the demonstration I will be doing at Grayson Highlands State Park. I can sell any item that "matches" my demo. Thus, knitting... Portable, easy, and can talk while doing it!

Still in the 40s at night. My garden will never come in.

Sweet Pea, the bunny, explored the kitchen last night. He liked it all. And didn't poop on the floor. Joy abounds!

The rooster is singing to his hens. I need to find  way to share this... YouTube??

Soap to make today. I am nearly OUT of the 150 or so bars I started with in May. This is a good problem.... Made four batches last night. Today?? At least four or five more.... and I need to make two batches of base soap.

Finished another 12 aprons yesterday with my Cissie.They are so cute! Easy peasy.

What are you up to today? I love reading about it!

First Day Musings --- Creative Homemaking

Yarn holder and handmade knitting needles: Riverslea Farm

The Hidden Art of Homemaking, by Edith Shaeffer

Knitting project: Hannah's hat with Bear Yarn (shetland wool)

Several bloggers have written about Edith Schaeffer's The Hidden Art of Homemaking, and, frankly, after reading it the first time, I didn't get it. Where were the hints on organization? Recipes? Patterns? Anything, please?? Nothing of that kind was there. It was a book about creativity and how to tap in and use it in your life -- not just your home.

The first publishing was in 1971 -- how well I recall that year! I was in love with Iverson James McCann and wanted to live on his family farm in South Georgia growing peanuts. Yeah. It was a good year. But, if you can remember those days, you recall, too, that was a time of great confusion about gender roles and Just Whom Am I? This book seems to answer some of those lingering questions.

Homemaking is neither masculine or feminine. Rather, it is our way of attempting to create a full life which honors our Creator. And, since we all have the Breath of God in us, we are all, to some extent, creators as well.

So many people like to cite the Proverbs 31 woman as the perfect wife. However, if you look closely at the scripture, you will see that she is strong, wise, hard working, physically active, prudent, determined, and CREATIVE. Aren't these qualities that describe men as well as women? Isn't this really what all of us should be? Women are not meant to "love pink, fluffiness, glitter, and watching men's muscles" as I read on a blog not long ago. Frankly, I nearly tossed my cookies. Such a statement demeans a woman, but also the man, if all he is good for is physical labor and admiration.

Women are strong. We are wise. We are demanding. We are tender. But, most of all, we are just as unique as the men we adore. Flex those muscles, emotional, mental, spiritual AND physical! It is within your means to create the life you want to live. As Shaeffer writes: "The Christian should have more vividly expressed creativity in his daily life, and have more creative freedom, as well as the possiblity of a continuing development in creative activities." In short, why are you just sitting here? Get up and create something beautiful!

Cunning

You can't tell from the photo, but these are baby socks. Little, tiny, adorable baby socks that were knit in about an hour. Aren't they cunning? What is even more darling is that they have a true heel and toe! No sissy baby socks for the fella who wears these! No, sir! These are real grown-up socks!

To knit:

Yarn: This is a true sock yarn left over from a pair I made myself.
Needles: 2 or 2.5 dbl point
Gauge: Gauge is for sissies...

Cast on 30 stitches.
Knit one round.
K1P1 for 12 rows.
Knit 12 more rows.

Heel flap:
Knit 15 stitches.
Slip remaining stitches onto one needle or stitch holder.
Working on only the 15 stitches, knit 12 rows, always slipping the FIRST stitch of EACH row.

Turn heel:
Knit 6 stitches, sl 1, k1, psso. Turn work
Purl 6 stitches, P2tog. Turn work.
Continue in this manner until all stitches are knit up. You should have eight stitches on the needle.

Gusset:
First needle: Knit across the heel. Using a knitting needle or crochet hook, pick up ONE stitch in each SLIP stitch (should be 6 stitches).
Second needle: Knit stitches being held on the stitch holder.
Third needle: Pick up another 6 stitches along the second gusset.
Now, divide the 8 stitches of the heel onto the FIRST and THIRD needles. You should have 10 stitches on needle ONE and THREE and 15 on needle TWO.

Needle one: Knit until the last three. K2tog. K1.
Needle two: Knit.
Needle three: K1, S1, K1, psso, knit to end.

Continue in this manner until there are 8 stitches on needles one and three and the 15 on needle two. You will have 31 stitches total.

Knit 12 more rows.

Decrease for the toe in like manner:
Needle one: K to last three stitches, K2together, K1.
Needle two: K1, sl 1, K1, psso, knit to last three. K2tog, K1.
Needle three: K1, sl 1, K1, psso, knit to end.

Continue in like manner until there are seven stitches left. Cut a long tail and, using a large eyed darning needle, run the thread through the remaining stitches and pull together snugly. Push the needle through the toe center, and secure your yarn in your favorite manner.

Okay, so it seems difficult, maybe, but it isn't. Truly. These are so much fun because they knit so quickly! Won't you try a pair and let me know how you like 'em? And, if you find an error, will you please let me know, too?

Happy knitting!

I {Heart} Sally Melville!

It took me a long time to give in to purchasing The Knit Stitch by Sally Melville, but now that I have, I am in love! Every pattern in the book is based on the knit stitch. Literally. No Purl. All Garter Stitch, which is wonderful if you are going for speed and texture.

This is the first piece from the collection that I am knitting -- an asymetrical Vest. But, I am making it Symetrical instead. I just don't like the idea of my clothes looking as though I buttoned them wrong. I can do that on my own...

This is knit from Yukon that I had purchased, oh, longer ago than we can speak of here. It was for another project, long since fallen out of love with (read: for the Mister before I knew that he stayed too hot to wear sweaters). The project is on size 10.5 needles and really goes quite fast. There is a huge (note the sarcasm) amount of stitches on the needle -- 48 for the front and 53 for the back. This is going to be snug and warm. I suspect I will wear it a lot because I love vests.

It is interesting to see what Melville has done with the simple garter stitch in her collection. Elizabeth Zimmerman used a lot of this stitch because she, as I, really preferred not to purl. And, she, as I, really liked to avoid much sewing, so most things were knit in one piece with creative bind offs and cast ons. Melville has carried these same ideas through her collection, leaving me with the desire to knit Every Single Thing In The Book. I feel the stash shrinking...

What are you knitting these days??

Don't forget Farm Friend Friday over at Verde Farms!

When Will It End???

Wild 'n Wooly in Lexington, MA, is one of my favorite yarn shops in the world. I only get to visit it in July while I am in Concord for my three weeks, so it is a full Saturday visit for me. Jackie and her wonderful staff let me wander, drool, fondle, and pet all the yarn in the shop, all the while offering me food, drinks, and a chair. I love visiting them and always come home with a nice selection of projects for the coming year, which is delish as we have no local yarn shop within a two hour drive.

Let me introduce you to my friend, the Dragon Melody Shawl.

I started it two summers ago and have worked on it since. Reportedly, it is a "quick knit" but apparently I have hit the knitter's hole. You know --- that place where you knit and knit and knit only to discover that you haven't made any progress... The first part went quite easily -- straight stockinette for 12 inches and then a knit lace edge. But, then the real fun begins. All the end stitches are kept "live" as a knit lace edging (35 stitches) is added along the bottom. According to my math (and remember, I teach English) there are about 600 stitches to pick up along the bottom, one every other row, in a 12 row lace pattern. This translates to 93 repeats of the lace pattern to pick up all the stitches.

I have knit through Lost Horizon, Jesus Christ Superstar, Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Toy Story, Aladin, Terror of Tiny Town, Zoolander, Sleepy Hollow (okay, I drooled a lot during that movie and did little knitting), and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Bugs Bunny's Cartoon Collection  and still seem to be making no progress. I even added markers every 36 stitches to give me some kind of "check point" to indicate that I really am making progress. I wake up thinking about getting it done before I go back to work next week. I knit during supper. I have even awakened myself, holding the sheets as if they were needles and mumbling to myself, "just a few more stitches...." I am exhausted.

That being said... any suggestions on where to block what the designer calls a large shawl? I am thinking the front yard...

It's a Pair!

One pair of socks done!

We had a pre-retirement meeting today which gave me the chance to knit all day so I could finish Corrie's second sock. I am a little disappointed that there are two rows difference in the toe. Most likely I was off in the colour round when I cast on, but you know, they are identical to that point, so who cares??

There is something that makes the second sock go so much faster, at least for me. I guess it is because it feels like I am on the home stretch. Actually, I feel the same way when I turn the heel in the first sock. Either way, I love knitting them and always have a pair on the needles. Even if they are just my plain Jane's, there is something so special about wearing a pair of hand knit socks. You know that you are loved!

What are you making these days?

Btw, this is my 300th post! I can't believe how quickly they have flown by and how many wonderful folks I have met along the way. I am posting a giveaway to celebrate later this week. Stay tuned!

We Made Up

After my shameful temper tantrum yesterday morning, I packed up, went to Mother's for the day (she was 75 yesterday!), planted bulbs for her, and then came home and picked up the prayer shawl pattern, needles, and yarn and started again.

I am far past where I was when the unfortunate fire incident, er, happened. Why was this so tough? I can't imagine now; it has just flown off the needles this time. Maybe my head is more into it or perhaps I am now familiar enough with the pattern that it works easily. Either way, I am into the third pattern repeat and clicking right along.

This is rather emblematic of life, isn't it? We attempt something, say learning a new skill, and we fail miserably. Now we have two choices. Try again or quit. Many times we choose to quit just because "it's hard." Yet, isn't there a wonderful satisfaction when we accomplish that difficult task?

Math was always a trial for me. It started in fifth grade when the boy next to me whispered to me when I earned an "A" on a test, "That's okay; girls can't do hard Math." That was it. I couldn't after that. I bought the lie and ran with it. So, now I am enrolled in a developmental Math class and am determined to overcome my Math phobia. It is hard, make no mistake. But, I am learning it and I am very proud of myself.

Knitting was the same way. I first wanted to learn when I was expecting John. A very lovely lady whose sister was at our nursing home tried for three months to teach me. Mrs. Sheel would have me to her house, come to the home, and meet me for lunch, all to encourage me. After three months I had twelve rows of a baby sweater that had six very decorative holes in it from dropped stitches. I put it down and didn't pick it up again until I was in graduate school and had four teenagers in my care. It was knit or drink. I couldn't drink and drive, so I learned to knit. My friend Jill came over on a Sunday afternoon and we sat on a quilt under the pear tree in the back yard. After ten minutes of watching her, I had it and off I went. That was more than 15 years ago and I have never been without a project on my needles.

This is all to say that maybe we give up too soon. Or, maybe we have to be ready to learn before we can. I guess, for me, the lesson is to never give up even when I really want to find the matches and remove the challenge in a more creative way. But, as I knit along on the shawl, I realize that the anxiety and frustration is worth it. I only hope that my life will be as lovely as the shawl I hold.