Lovely of the Day 1/3/08

Helmet Hat

Last month, after all the Thanksgiving festivities, I sat down and knit this hat for Malcolm. It only took me two days which I'm pretty proud of because sometimes these things stay on the needles for a long time. It was getting cold out and the little guy needed something so that was very motivating. It also helped that I already had the yarn (from the stash) and the pattern (from one of the Interweave Knits magazines - I don't know where it is now so I couldn't tell you the issue). The idea of this "helmet hat" is that the ear flaps cup the ears without the need of ties under the chin. I must have made it a little too big because it tends to slide around on the little guy's head. This week I plan to add some ties and that should help.
By the way Gymboree sells some awesome bubbles. My friend Sarah let me in on that piece of magic.

bags

I made two more dents in the fabric stash and out came these two Christmas presents for my Amy Jane and my Vera Jane.

Christmas Stocking Update

Merry Christmas.


Stockings were hung with care. But not as was originally envisioned. Months after Malcolm was born I started knitting him a Christmas Stocking. I was doing a random stripe pattern with his name and Christmas trees. I worked on it all the way down to the toe and stopped. Here's the problem, there were parts of the stocking that I liked, but overall it just wasn't turning out like I wanted. The random stripeiness was getting a little too crazy, even for me, and the yarn that was carried over for the lettering was pulled too tight. I don't know how else to explain, but it just wasn't feeling good. I think that as I went along, adding more colors and textures and trees - I was secretly yearning for something simpler in design. So I made the move to put it away - unfinished - waiting to be unraveled and knit into something else. A little sad when it was almost done, but it is never a good sign when you are working on something and you keep having to convince yourself that you are liking the outcome. My pottery teacher once said - "Sometimes you have to scarp it, take it off the wheel, and back to the wedging board." At this point, when it comes to knitting I think that there are other things I'd rather sink my needles into - like witches britches.
So, I made a little peace with my fabric stash, and in one afternoon stockings for the family became a reality. Unfortunately they don't have orange clearance - I should have checked before I cut out all the fabric. But, a favorite candy bar slips in nicely. Santa left me a Twix, Dave an Almond Joy, and Malcolm some "jingle bells" (Hershey Kisses).

pengle.esty.com

So I see my Aunt Paula has been adding beautiful things to her shop. Her pottery is truly amazing. Check it out.

Book Club Reads

One of my favorite things about being human is the energy of sharing ideas. Today ideas are alive in my brain. Thursday night, we did it, a friend of mine (also a Sarah) started Respite: a Book Club. We had our first meeting where we each invited a few people we knew. It was a great turn out - we had 15 people. We ate good food, wore "hello my name is ____" tags, and talked about books! Everyone shared books that they loved or books that they would be interested in reading. We came up with a huge list - so varied and full of life. We only planed out the next 8 months, until we break for summer, but we probably could have planed out the next three years. It was so exciting. We lined up hostesses and book leaders and now instead of it being "Sarah and Sarah's idea of a book club" it is now everyone's book club. The book first up is Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye. This is one on my list that I have wanted to read for a long time but have yet to - it's a long list. There is a book sale at the library today, wouldn't that be great if they had a copy for sale? If not, I'll be in the right place to check one out.

Lucky me, this is in addition to the Relief Society Book Club with the women from church. This month we are reading Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods. I'm having a great time with this one. This part had me laughing out loud. The background - Bill Bryson is getting ready to hike the Appalachian Trail and he has been reading a book on bear attacks. "Up to that moment it had not occurred to me that bears might prowl in parties. What on earth would I do if four bears came into my camp? Why, I would die, of course. Literally sh-- myself lifeless. I would blow my sphincter out my backside like one of those unrolling paper streamers you get at children's parties - I daresay it would give a merry toot - and bleed to a messy death in my sleeping bag."

This leads me to one thing I truly miss in New York - Book Group. Each time I would go I came back home feeling new, fresh, inspired. Some of the best women ever are there reading and sharing.

So here's my challenge to myself. Two books a month. We'll see how it goes. Some may have to be book on tape to past the time in the car or folding laundry.

What's on your reading list?

Knitting Circle

(I started this post awhile back, but here it is now 10/8/07...a month later.)
Another reason to LOVE the library - it has a knitting circle that meets twice a month. I went for the 1st time on Thursday and it was lovely. I had been looking forward to going for a few weeks but when it came to the actual night I could feel myself start to get a little funny about going. It was that uneasy "I'm new. I don't know anybody. I want this to be great and what if it's not." nonsense. These feelings could not be entertained. So I put on some cute shoes, put a special scarf in my hair (you know the one Annie) and walked over. I came a little late - the room was full of happy knitters. Where to sit? One jolly lady called out "Come over here, I want to share a seat with you." There weren't any open chairs in the room and for a split second I wondered, does she actually want to sit on the same chair?, that would make for some awkward knitting. No. We brought in some more chairs from the neighboring conference room. All settled then. I looked over at her yarn. "That looks like the same yarn I'm using!" Soft, nubby, cotton. She pulled out her tag "Mission Falls I knew I wanted you to sit by me when you came in." I was tickled and so was she.

It's sad because I haven't made my way back to the Knitting Circle since. The last two times things have come up. Sad and sad. But I'll be back. In the mean time I've continued my work on this bag. I can not recall how many times I have had to start over on this. So many times it makes me blush, but I've finally got the hang of it.

Our little library.

Last night I stayed up late setting up our books. We have lived in this house for three months, but I know this is home when the books find their place. It has taken a while for this to happen since we had to replace the glass shelves in the cabinets with wood that would be better suited for book stacking.


It makes me smile how they end up - my Shel Silverstein next to my Shakespeare.

bath basket

So, a lot of the BIGGER projects have yet to see completion, but here is a little something that is finished - and that makes me happy.

Basket. Yard Sale. 25 cents.

I got busy with the spray paint while Malcolm napped. I like how it allows the toys to dry out between baths. Malcolm likes to take the toys out of the basket and "hide" them in the laundry hamper. He is very busy. He looks at me like, "Hey Mom, I have serious work to do here."

library love: Knit 2 Together

Let me start off by saying, I love the library. Well, I love books and the library lets me take them home for free if I promise to take good care and return. Can do. I love that our library is a short walk from our house. Malcolm and I are regulars. They have a fish tank that he loves. I learned quickly to 1st pick out the book or magazine that I want to flip through and then take M to the fish and kids books. Here's one that I picked up and it makes me want to pick up my knitting needles.

Knit 2 Together: Patterns and Stories for Serious Knitting Fun by Tracey Ullman and Mel Clark
These are the projects I book marked.

"Witches Britches" - I can't resist.

hoodie - sizes for the whole family!

house slippers - I love the possibilities.