Baby Fan Mitts

I love these Baby Fan Mitts so much I'm on my third pair. Enough said.

The pattern is available here on Ravelry. 

Yarn Along, Interrupted

Joining in with Ginny over at Small Things for this week's Yarn Along.

Last week I accidentally linked to the previous week's Yarn Along (oops) which meant that many of you may have missed an introduction to my rainbow sock! I finished the first one and have started the second. My feline friends decided that the cable of my beautiful Addi needle was yummy, so it now has tooth marks along its length. Which snags the stitches as I pull it through (I use the Magic Loop method for socks). One of my cats hopped up on the couch last night, picked up the ball of yarn with the needles stuck into it, and walked away all nonchalantly, like he'd just bagged the biggest mouse of the year.

If knitting and reading go together, I'd like to add cats into the mix. How many of you knitters out there have a cat, in spite of their yarn-tangling, needle-mangling tendencies?

It seems only fitting that as I set up my little photo session, stacking books (always one non-fiction and one fiction), some friends arrived to join in the shoot. 

Before: 

During:

 Nickolas spies his favourite chew-toy: my Addi Turbo needle.

Or perhaps it's money advice he's seeking?

I received "It's Your Money" by Gail Vaz-Oxlade as a birthday gift. It's hard to face facts when it comes to money woes, but I'm opening my heart to learning about how to truly become a woman of independent means.

 Rosie comes along to pose. She's more into the historical-fiction-dramatic-romance of Diana Gabaldon's latest book, "The Scottish Prisoner". 

For those of you who have read the Outlander series, this book takes place after the Battle of Culloden, when Jamie is a prisoner-of-war working at Helwater as an indentured servant. Intrigue, poetry, horses, lost love, whiskey...it has all the ingredients of a great tale.

For those of you who haven't read the Outlander series, get thee to a bookstore!

 The grey yarn is a skein my globetrotting father brought home from New Zealand. With the inspiration of my friend at Wabi Sabi Wanderings, I'm making a Plain Vest for Violet. She's likely to find it itchy, as she finds all things knitted, but I keep trying.

Pop by Ginny's Yarn Along to add a link to your post, or to check out what others are reading/knitting!

Yarn Along

Joining in with Ginny over at Small Things for this week's Yarn Along.

As usual, I have several things on the needles, and several books on the go: one fiction, one non-fiction.

On the needles are some nifty legwarmers, a gift for my friend over at Wabi Sabi Wanderings. They're made with Tahki's "Donegal Tweed". You may recognize the yarn; I bought 11 skeins of it to make a sweater for myself, and instead use it for all kinds of small things (like baby sweaters, hats, and legwarmers). The other ball of yarn is Fame Trend's "Party", which will hopefully enjoy its new incarnation as rainbow socks before winter is out (I finished my Noro Kureyon socks and have worn them daily ever since. They are officially my favourite socks ever). If you're a knitter intimidated by the idea of making socks, please find someone who can help you with the tricky bits. There is really nothing like them! If you are a local friend and want to learn, you know who to call...

My sweet friend Rachel sent me Haruki Murakami's The Wind Up Bird Chronicle in the mail. Isn't it delightful to receive a book in the mail from a friend who knows your tastes in such things? This is unlike anything I've read and has me thinking about all kinds of philosophical concepts that I haven't thought about before. This is fun for my brain!

Non-fiction is a bit harder to get through. Gut and Psychology Syndrome by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride describes a natural, diet-based treatment for all kinds of conditions (autism, schizophrenia, ADHD, ADD, Dyspraxia, depression, etc.) It's fascinating to explore the idea that by changing your diet, you can actually heal from many conditions that experts consider incurable. It's controversial because it flies in the face of research that suggest the MMR vaccine has nothing to do with autism, and draws a very clear connection between digestive and mental health. I'm considering following the GAPS diet in order to heal Jude's digestive system, but need to read the whole book first. It is a costly book; if you want more information before buying it, do send me an email and I can give you more background.

(Thanks to my sister Julie for getting this one for me!)

What are you reading/knitting these days?

::this moment::knitting circle::

{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, savour and remember.

Pop by Soulemama's blog to visit other moments and to share your own.

Have a peaceful, weekend with lots of rest, knitting, and reading in it!

Aviatrix

I had some Fleece Artist "Scotian Silk" left over from Margot's Rainbow Sweater; it is irresistably soft and colourful, and was the perfect yarn for this: The Aviatrix Baby Hat.

I'm kind of knitting them obsessively now; the first was green in newborn size. This second one is in the size 2-4, and fits both my girls perfectly. It looks particularly stunning with ribbon-strapped ballet dresses.

The earflap shaping is simple, clever, and beautiful.

It knits up in about two hours (that is, if you have two hours uninterrupted knitting time).

Now I'm scrounging for newborns to make these for, because really? Every newborn should have an aviator-style knitted hat, right?

Yarn Along: A Teeny Birthday Surprise!

I'm joining in with Ginny at Small Things to tell you about what I'm knitting and reading these days. Pop over to her blog to check out her Yarn Along, and links to others!

I finally ordered the book Teeny Tiny Mochi Mochis and once I'd finished giggling (I LOVE the teeny caveman!), I started knitting. And finished pretty quickly. Then I started another one, and ended up with this:

The acorn and cherry tomato are to show you exactly how teeny tiny these are!

Don't you love how the teeny elephant looks like she is trying to blow out a candle? The friend this will go to collects elephants...figurines and such. I'm pretty sure she doesn't have one like this! Heehee! I love saying teeny-tiny-teeny-tiny as much as possible.

I'm reading Elizabeth Hay's Alone in the Classroom. It's a love story/family history/murder-mystery set in rural Saskatchewan, as well as in a fictional Ottawa Valley town (which I'm guessing is Renfrew); I'm enjoying it so far. Hay's "Late Nights on Air" is also worth reading.

I'm back to work, so knitting and reading time is at a premium. Teeny tinies are perfect for right now. It's a miracle I can even read a novel...I should be reading short stories. Or sonnets. Or haikus.

Yes, haikus are teeny tiny, aren't they?

I'm going to rest my teeny tiny head on my teeny tiny pillow now...have a wonderful Wednesday!

Sweet Rainbow Sweater

It's finished...aside from the perfect buttons (I have yet to find them)...

I would offer to share this pattern with you, but I'm afraid I can't! I used the pattern for the adult Tea Leaves Cardigan for the top yoke, adjusted to fit Margot, then took it from there on my own. You can purchase a pattern for the official Tiny Tea Leaves Cardigan here! I think Madeleine Tosh's version uses less repeats of the yoke bands, but I added them till they reached close to the underarm.

I like the three-quarter length sleeves (which make sense for a toddler, don't you think?), and the beautiful soft colours. It should last a few seasons, and the great thing about top-down knitting is that the hem and cuffs are easily ravelled to add inches to the bottom and the sleeves.

This isn't my first attempt at patching together several patterns to create something new, but I think perhaps it's my favourite...so far. Margot has given it a stamp of approval (by wearing it, then discarding it in a heap on the floor, then wearing it again), so I'd call it a success. I look forward to cool autumn days so she can wear it every day.

I used Fleece Artist's Scotian Silk in Jamaica, purchased at Janie H. Knits in Perth, Ontario.

Yarn Along

Knitters and book-lovers are an obsessive lot. We collect and hoard yarn and favourite books like treasure, skulk around yarn sales and second-hand bookstores, and once we're into a great project or a great book, the world could fall down around our ears and we would see nothing but that stitch we dropped a few rows back or an author's clever turn of phrase.

Or is that just me?

I started this adaptation of the Tea Leaves Cardigan; I had purchased the pattern years ago, but haven't made it for myself. In searching for a pattern for Margot's autumn sweater, I came across the Tiny Tea Leaves, and it was just what I was looking for. However, I couldn't seem to purchase it.

So, I took my adult Tea Leaves pattern and have been adapting it as I go...it seems to be working alright! This yarn (Fleece Artist's Scotian Silk in Jamaica) is a dream to work with: a constant pastel rainbow of silky soft wool slipping through my fingers, the endless fun of watching the next colour building on the colour below it. It is creating a dense, warm fabric that will work as a coat for Margot this Fall and next Spring.

Having just finished Nick Crowe's "A Cold Night for Alligators" (an excellent read), I'm now into "The Woefield Poultry Collective" by Susan Juby. It's laugh-out-loud hilarious, narrated by four different, quirky characters that are reluctantly trying to bring an old, hard-scrabble farm on Vancouver Island back to productivity.

I've just purchased paint for my kitchen; I may have to get my husband to hide both book and knitting so I can get started on that monumental task! But not today...today, I'll be knitting, with a bit of reading on the side.

GratiTuesday: Busy

When I started GratiTuesday, it was to create an opportunity for stream-of-consciousness gratitude in the midst of my busy life. I don't always take pictures of what is on my list, because it usually just flows out as I write it. Gratitude isn't something we should PLAN, but something we should just naturally feel in the presence of the many blessings in our lives.

Here's my list, in no particular order...

.: my parents' generosity in helping us purchase a second vehicle (thus saving my sanity), and in the gift of tickets to see the Lion King at the National Arts Centre. It was unforgettable, for my kids and for me, and something I would never have been able to afford.

.: the gift of music, especially since it's something I can share with my husband, with so much joy. We had our first performance together in a long while, at the Bonnechere Caves, sharing the stage with many other local talents. Later, we recorded a video INSIDE the Caves! Amazing! Visiting with friends I haven't seen in ages, listening to the water going over the Fourth Chute of the river, and seeing the almost-full moon rise conspired to create an unforgettable evening.

.: getting together with a dear friend, whose children love my children. One older, reading child plus four smaller, book-loving children equals a beautiful storytime!

.: creating my first "stock"...piles of hats, felt crowns, knitted snails, and small cotton dolls to sell at a arts/crafts show this coming weekend.

.: having captured this moment: my mother fitting Violet for a handmade dress. I can remember standing on a chair in this same kitchen, my mother expertly holding pins in her mouth as she created a hem. The added beauty of this dress is that the darker fabric is from a dress my mother made for ME when I was in Grade Two. She'll be selling dresses like these at the craft show mentioned above!

.: the joy of a really great, can't-put-it-down read: "One Day" by David Nicholls.

.: always, always, the first sip of coffee in the morning

.: Brad Pitt as Tristan in "Legends of the Fall" which I watched last night AGAIN!

.: the cool nights that follow a wicked thunderstorm

.: bellydancing outside at a local farmers' market, settling back into my body, loving the breeze swirling my skirt and the warmth of the grass beneath my feet

.: looking at my husband in the early morning as he sleeps, marvelling that he looks EXACTLY as he did 10 years ago when we met: hands crossed across his chest, so peaceful, and so beautiful.

.: as always: Jude's freckles, Violet's cartoon-character voice, and Margot's fingers holding a paintbrush.

What I'm getting around to saying is that gratitude is not some polished stone that should be taken out and admired once a week. It's something I want to feel sifting into my soul throughout the week, at random moments, especially when I'm worrying about money, or the mess of my house, or how I can get everything done "on time". Because really: there is abundant EVERYTHING in my life right now.

Grab that button and link back to me: what are YOU grateful for this week?

Silly Knits

Usually when someone asks the question, "What are you knitting?", they have an expectation of what your response will be: socks, booties, a baby sweater, mittens...

Sometimes I like to bend people's ideas of what can be created with yarn and knitting needles.

Last week I was working on snails. Little slimy bodies with antennaes (I know there's probably some more appropriately scientific name for those things with eyes), topped by a swirl of brightly-knitted shell.

They're slow to move but quick to make.

They're tiny, colourful, and just a little silly.

The question that inevitably follows my answer of "Why, I'm knitting snails/cherry tomatoes/a gnome hat!" is

"WHY?"

The answer to THAT question is simple.

Because I can.

The Waterhorse Sweater

If you've ever spent time in Ireland, England, or Scotland, you'll know that the only things keeping you from dying of consumption are:

• peat fires
• whiskey or Guinness
• a densely knit wool sweater

It's wet in this part of the world. That famous green comes with a price: rain, fog, and mist, and lots of all three. There's a reason sheep thrive in the British Isles: their wool is warm, even when wet.

My husband's grandfather, in England, 1940s? The resemblance between this man and mine is astonishing. Note his beautiful sweater!

When I watch movies set in any of these places, I enjoy the scenery, the accents, the ruddy-cheeked men in tweed caps...but mostly, I enjoy the handknits. Think Molly Weasley's Christmas gifts to Harry and Ron, or the little wool caps and scarves Hermione wears. Think of Lucy's little cardigan when she meets Mr. Tumnus for the first time in Narnia. Think Nanny McPhee's charges during that beach picnic.

I have a fantasy of being an on-set knitter, recreating period knits for actors to wear.
So I practically drooled while watching "The Waterhorse" (based on the novel by Dick King Smith of "Babe" fame), set on Loch Ness during the Second World War. Forget that it stars Ben Chaplin (squee!), or that the little boy in it resembles my son with his dark hair, pale skin, and freckles.

Yarn posing with some wartime-era player piano rolls...

This little boy wears handknits! Lots of them, in varying shades of wartime grey. Sweaters and vests, in nearly every scene.

My young man has grown since I last knit him a sweater, so I have set out to make him what I've been calling his "Waterhorse Sweater". I'm making it up as I go, recording what I'm doing, so if it turns out, I'll share the pattern here.

I'm making it with a really rustic Canadian yarn, Briggs and Little "Heritage" (processed in New Brunswick), in a grey and white twist. Jude declares it a "little bit itchy", but I expect it will soften up with washing. The price is right, and I can buy it at our local feed and farm supply store!

Using Elizabeth Zimmerman's "Knitting Without Tears" as a guide, I've made the body from the bottom up, and have one sleeve done (from the cuff up). Once the second sleeve is done, I'll join them all in the round to create a raglan sleeve; the collar is something I'm picturing but have no name for. You'll see it when it's done. It buttons on an angle (along one raglan seam) with a split turtleneck collar that flips down...anyone? What is this called?

The appeal of knitting this way (checking your gauge, taking bits and pieces that you like from various sweaters, measuring your child as well as a favourite garment that fits about the way you hope your sweater will fit!) ensures that you'll get what you're hoping for. I try it on Jude as I go, and can decide to add a few inches here or there to accommodate his rapidly growing limbs. Note the tall drink of water that his great-grandfather is...his dad is the same way. Chances are, as the years go by, I'll just have to add inches to the cuffs and hem, and the width will fit just fine!

*Some of you may be wondering about Jude's Scrap Cardigan, started so many months ago. I started having visions of him becoming a social pariah at school, a la Dolly Parton in "Coat of Many Colours". I know. I should let him be an individual. But on the way to school, he asks me, "Do I look cool today, mom?" (with his Batman socks pulled up to his knees, his astronaut t-shirt tucked into his shorts, his sticky-uppy hair...) I always answer, "Of course!" If he was begging me for the sweater, I'd do it without hesitation. But as it grows more stripey and colourful and outrageous, he seems less and less willing to try it on for fittings. I'm not going to be one of those moms that says, "I slaved over this and you're going to WEAR IT!!", thus condemning my child to being known forevermore as "that geek in the itchy rainbow sweater". Yes, if I'd scrounged the yarn from ravelled old sweaters and he depended on the sweater for warmth, he might have to suck it up and wear it, like it or not. But we're not THAT broke. I'd rather make him something he'll wear and love. Enough said.

Charmed, I'm Sure

What do you call an octopus wearing socks?

A Socktopus, of course!

I know. Words are not necessary to express the absolute charm and pure appeal of this little creation. Photos are quite enough. The rainbow knee sock! The pouffy leg warmer! The WORK SOCK! The tiny turned heels (using short rows), and the rustic stitched face. This little lady positively oozes charm!

To the right, see the pink over-the-knee stocking...you can't see the black seam up the back, or the sexy little bow at the heel...

The pattern is clearly written, but allows for creative expression. Ideas for the socks came as I knit (the pattern doesn't give specifics), so I'm already hatching plans for the next three I make (my children have been clamouring for their own Socktopi as they watched the birth of this one).

You can imagine the thoughts that go through one's head whilst knitting socks on an octopus:

this is a knee sock, but does an octopus HAVE knees? or a heel for that matter?...a real octopus would need super-elastic socks to keep them up on those rubbery legs...an octopus doesn't have to worry if the mate to a sock goes missing!...

And so on. Then I'd catch myself ruminating on the sock-habits of an OCTOPUS for heaven's sake, and smile as only a knitter can.

This little lady is a gift for a friend of Violet's. I can't wait to see her face as she first lays eyes on her very own Socktopus.

It's one of those things: you didn't know you needed one until you get one!

The Harbinger of Spring

A few weeks (months?) ago, some dear friends gathered for what has become a seasonal tradition: an exchange of handmades, intended to grace our nature tables. We used to create Advent gifts for each other's children (and still do), but felt that the year between each exchange was too long for our creative souls. Now, every few months, we settle on a date to share our goods. The friendship of these women has been an ongoing blessing in my life.

Unfortunately, I missed our Spring exchange, because two out of my three children were ill with fevers and coughs and snotty noses. Still I sent along my contribution:

I could refer to her in no other way but as the Harbinger of Spring. Her knitted dress is a slightly adapted version of Christine Shreier's "Flower Child" dress, found in Living Crafts magazine (Spring 2008), made with Noro sock yarn. I didn't have the materials on hand to create a doll exactly like hers, so I improvised. I used a peg doll form for the body (the "neck" worked perfectly as a waist, and the "head" became her bosom!) I wired the bead head onto the peg body using a pipe cleaner. I love how she turned out! I didn't want to fuss with fabric-covered-bead hands, so I opted to sew her cuffs together, monk-like...then had to figure out what to tuck into her embrace.

What else? Pussy willows, of course. They were that perfect finishing touch. We giggled at how she kind of looked like someone you might see on the streets of Killaloe, the beautiful village where I teach and once lived...and where most of my friends still live. Her floppy hat protect her from the Spring sun, and her eyes are closed in bliss.

PS: We crafty mamas know in our hearts that these little exchanges aren't really for our kids...they're for us. We know that when our children are well past the age of being interested in peg gnomes, felted flowers, and toadstools, we'll pop on our bifocals to continue creating for each other's delight. I can picture us in our 70s, giggling with delight over cups of tea, gently holding our latest handmade treasure, and adding them to a mantelpiece piled precariously with the offerings of all the years past. This will be our legacy.

Yarn Along

Are you getting sick of my colour-effects (to brighten up my webcam photos) yet?

It's been so long since I participated in the Yarn Along, as I work on Wednesdays and rarely find the time to write a post the night before. But here I am!

The twin loves of knitting and reading go together like...well, like Hansel and Gretel. We just picked up this copy of the beloved story, adapted by Cynthia Rylant. It is beautifully illustrated by Jen Corace. If you love textiles, you'll love the details in this book: the beauty of the clothing, curtains, tablecloth is simply stunning. Little red shoes, a yellow sweater with cherries on it, shawls, and quilts...who could resist?

Who doesn't love this story? When I had it in hand at the store, I asked my husband if he thought it might be too scary for our kids. He replied that it's that delicious kind of scary that kids love. And he was right. What's wonderful about this adaptation is that it focuses on the courage and intelligence of the children, AND includes Gretel as a heroine in her own right. We love it and read it nightly.

And that other book? Oh my goodness. "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" by Brian Selznick is an absolute must-read for book lovers of all ages in your family. It's part mystery, part graphic novel, and all engrossing. It's a tale peopled by a young orphan boy who lives in the walls of a Paris train station, a girl with a mysterious key for a necklace, and a bitter old toymaker. Fate brings them together in this unforgettable story. My husband and I were wrestling it out of each other's hands when first brought it home from the library. I googled it recently in order to find a copy for my sister and her daughters, (as well as one for us to keep, for when our kids are older!) and found out that it will be released as a movie this fall. So get thee to a bookstore or a library and read it in its most beautiful form!

I'm still knitting eggs. Sigh. Oh, and that's the Baby Sophisticate, in Tahki Yarn's Donegal Tweed, for a friend who is having a baby in April...because every little man needs a dashing cardigan, n'est-ce pas? Just needs buttons now...

Spring Whispers

I've been busily creating these sweet little eggs from this Rhythm of the Home (be sure to check out the designer's blog), in preparation for a birthday celebration in April, as well as a seasonal exchange with friends. They're quick to make, and so darn delightful, especially when stored in a carton. They make me smile.

(The good old webcam comes through for me again, with some help from Picnik!)

Creative Friday: February Fun

February brings all kinds of creative possibilities:

::That sweater that I just might finish before winter's end.

::Ice mandalas, gifts from the faeries to remind us that Spring, indeed, will come.

::A bevy of handmade Valentine cards for my Kindersurprises.

::A tiny knitted that I just can't part with...it will become wall art when I find the perfect branch.

Thanks to Ravelry, and my friends Shanti and Wabi Sabi for shared ideas!

Be sure to visit Linda at Natural Suburbia for more creative inspiration!

Yarn Along!

I am not organised enough, generally, to participate in any blog-hop type things...I always think of it the day after, then remind myself to do it the next week, then I forget...my blogging habits are sporadic, at best. But this week I'm doing it! I'm joining in on the Yarn Along (visit Small Things!)...I know I did more than the indicated one photo. But I just had to give y'all a closer look at my Scrap Cardigan.

I must say I am absolutely delighted with how it is coming along; I started it less than a week ago and am already at the point where I'll set the sleeve stitches on some waste yarn in order to work on the body. It's quick and stimulating (all those changes in colour, texture, and stitch patterns!), and quite easy, actually. I'm using bits from my stash: Studio Donegal, Tahki's Donegal Tweed, Briggs and Little, and lots of unnamed stuff that has collected over the years! This sweater is a great stash-buster...you can find the pattern on Ravelry.

If you haven't read "The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie" by Alan Bradley, get thee to a bookstore! I've just finished the sequel, "The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag", and Flavia DeLuce is among my top 10 favourite book characters of all time. I've just started "The Outlander" by Gil Adamson (not to be confused with Diana Gabaldon's "Outlander", which I've read several times!)...it kept me up later than usual last night, and I only put it down when I realised I'd read a whole page with well....my eyes closed. Ahem.

We're reading lots of winter-inspired stories with the kids; two of our favourites, being Canadian and all, are "The Hockey Sweater" by Roch Carrier, and "The Lonely Inukshuk" which was written by the students at Inuglak School. My wee ones love learning the Inuktittut names of the animals in the story! Of course, "The Snowy Day" by Ezra Jack Keats is getting lots of read-time these days, too...

What better way to pass the winter, than by knitting and reading?

Baby, Remember My Name

I have an auto knitter. It’s a hand-cranked, designed-during-the-industrial-revolution sock-knitting machine. By machine, I don’t mean something with a plug that does all the work for you. I mean a heavy cast-iron thing with gears and screws and needles and a carriage. You sit and crank, carefully counting rows, create a heel, crank some more, and create a toe. It takes all of an hour to make a pair of socks, once you factor in picking up dropped stitches and grafting the toe. These were my go-to gift for several years. After our move to the homestead, the pieces got divided amongst boxes, the needles stored somewhere safe. The place I chose was so safe that I’ve been unable to find them. So, the Autoknitter is sitting idle, patiently awaiting my return.
All the socks I made on it have worn through at the ball of the foot, but I haven’t had the heart to just throw them out. I don’t want to waste the time and yarn I used just because the toes have worn through. So I kept them in a pile for years.

The other day I got a notion to cut the toes off. And I’m thrilled with the result! I like to be barefoot, but our wood floors are chilly in the winter. These little babies keep my ankles and legs warm, but give my toes freedom!

Plus, I feel like a dancer from Fame, all calloused feet and slouchy legwarmers. I’m gonna live forever!