Yarn Along: B is for . . .

 

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs.  I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! 

~Ginny at Small Things

I am taking a break from my (very late) holiday clean-up to join in the sharing at Small Things!

Within a few weeks of each other last year, Kim shared a knitted ball she completed for a friend's baby, and Wendy wrote about about sewing a tactile ball for her little one.  Taking inspiration from both, I have been working on this beach ball pattern using different natural fibers (wool and cotton) from my stash to make a colorful, textural experience ball for Mouse.  I'm at the assembly point now, and am thinking I'll add in some jingle bells when I stuff it for an extra surprise.  Thank you so much Kim & Wendy!

My January book club book, The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa just arrived in yesterday's mail.  I only had time to scratch the surface last night, but the premise is intriguing (like "Beautiful Mind" meets "50 First Dates"). 

What are you knitting and reading?  

Disclosure: this post contains some affiliate links.

Yarn Along: Jury Duty Edition

 

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs.  I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! 

~Ginny at Small Things

Moose's birthday party was over the weekend and, with the whirlwind of preparations, I didn't expect to have much to show for myself today.  BUT, I had to report to jury duty on Monday and the end result was a landslide of knitting and reading!

To be clear (and avoid any perception that I am slacking on my civic duty), I was not knitting in the jury box.  The majority of Monday was spent in the jury assembly room (think airport waiting area and you've got a pretty accurate mental image), where I finished the Christmas hat I shared last week and got some good work done on an Oaklet Shawl (right) I'm working on for a friend (shh). Yesterday I cast on (and made great headway on) another Vintage Sweet (left) in the same super-soft Cotton Supreme as the purple Christmas hat.  It's wearer isn't due until the end of December but is being induced today to avoid a lurking potential complication.

I also enjoyed some reading time in between monotonous rows of the Oaklet's main part and got underway with The Billionaire's Vinegar .  I am reading it for my IRL foodie book club and it is a great read for anyone with even a vague interest in wine and an appreciation for a good mystery: it is the story of the sale at auction of a bottle of wine alleged to have been owned by Thomas Jefferson.

Oh, and in case you couldn't guess, I ended up being "struck" as a juror.  Just in time for my normal Wednesday at-home day with Moose and Mouse!  I'm not even remotely surprised: while I practice elder law and estate planning now, once upon a time in law school I interned at the ATF, which means I don't expect any defense attorney will ever keep me on a criminal jury.

What are you knitting and reading?  Come join the sharing at Small Things! 

Disclosure: this post contains an Amazon affiliate link.

Yarn Along: Christmas Knitting

 

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs.  I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! 

~Ginny at Small Things

I am in the midst of some Christmas knitting.  Mostly of the hat variety (yes, really).  This Miranda hat is for a friend's daughter.  Although I bought the Cotton Supreme yarn I'm using largely because it was crazy on sale, it has turned out to be crazy soft, too.  Win win!  I'm also modifying my favorite Adventure Hat pattern to make complimenting Christmas hats for Moose and Mouse.

In the interest of full disclosure, I have to admit that before getting a good photo of the hat-in-progress on our Christmas tree, I managed to drop the ball of yarn down through the branches, where it got royally tangled up.  So artsy though it may be, I do not recommend if you are clumsy like me.  Or at least not until you've had a cup of coffee!
  

I am currently bookless.  Was contemplating starting Life of Pi but now I'm not so sure.  The last week has been emotionally trying (Moose keeping up the tradition of being a jerk on his birthday, stress of Thanksgiving, preparing for Moose's birthday party, and some questionable health news) and I think something lighter may be in order.  Any suggestions?

What are you knitting and reading?  Come join the sharing at Small Things! 

Yarn Along: Happy Birthday to Me!

 

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs.  I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! 

~Ginny at Small Things

I turned 33 over the weekend.  I will admit that I've always been kind of a birthday princess.  So while we were too busy with our dear baby girl to put together any kind of celebration, I did indulge in a bit of self-celebration after the fact.

I treated myself to some gorgeous new yarn from my favorite LYS.  The photo doesn't do it justice, but it definitely lives up to its name: "autumn flame".  And even though I still have the baby blanket on the needles, plus some Christmas gifts to do, I couldn't resist casting on the Aestlight Shawl.

I also treated myself to the third Charles Lenox Mystery, The Fleet Street Murders.  Although I'm usually die hard about buying "real" books, I made an exception and bought the e-version this time after I discovered a major perk to my Kindle Fire: I can read virtually hands-free (only one finger needed to swipe to the next page) while cuddling my Baby Mouse (so-called, at least for now, since Moose has repeatedly observed that his baby sister "squeaks"). 

What are you knitting and reading?  Come join the sharing at Small Things! 

Disclosure: this post contains some affiliate links.

Yarn Along: Its a Girl!

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us!

~Ginny at Small Things

 

Do you remember when I said I needed to hurry up and get buttons for my Coffee Bean sweater?

I told me so!

I grabbed these darling sheep at my favorite LYS on Thursday while we were waiting to find out if we had been chosen to be the parents of a beautiful baby girl born the day before. I didn't want to jinx things by buying pink ...

I sewed the buttons on at 4:45 a.m. on Saturday before getting in the car to drive to Florida . . .

But despite my efforts our new daughter left the hospital on Monday evening in the little ivory Cashmerino hat I finished at Christmas time: the sweater is much, much to big for her current 6lb13oz.

As for reading, will it surprise you that the only thing I've been reading are the sweet and funny expressions on her little face?

Have you ever had your momentous knitting plans foiled by a baby's or child's size?

Wishing you all a Wonderful Wednesday!  With thanks, as always, to Ginny for hosting!

Yarn Along: Ready for Baby

 

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs.  I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! 

~Ginny at Small Things

Above is my artfully-arranged photograph du jour.

And here is the photo I really want to share:

It's done!!  The baby's sweater is done!  All it needs now is a wearer!

Actually, it needs to be washed and blocked a little.  And I need to find some really great buttons.   

Will you help me?

What I would really like to do is get two sets of buttons - a boyish set and a girlish set - to have in reserve and ready to sew on when we are matched.  I can't bank on having time to get buttons once we are matched - with Moose, he was born on a Monday, we matched on Tuesday, and picked him up on Wednesday!  Those of you who visit from Ginny's place are all creative and knowledgeable about sourcing beautiful, unique, hand-crafted or lovingly repurposed crafting items, so if you happen upon this Yarn Along post today (or tomorrow, or when life slows down at the weekend . . .) I would be so grateful if you would leave a comment and tell me where you like to source really great baby sweater buttons!

Oh, and yes, I've just started reading Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise , the August selection for the Kitchen Reader book club.  Sadly, Death Comes to Pemberley is beginning to slow its pace . . .

What are you knitting and reading?  Come join the sharing at Small Things and have a beautiful Wednesday!

Disclosure: this post contains some affiliate links.

Yan Along: Junior Raveler

 

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs.  I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! 

~Ginny at Small Things

Progress on the baby blanket continues (aided greatly by a 90 minute wait at the doctor's office on Monday!).  Since it looks pretty much the same (except bigger), today I am sharing instead a photo of Moose making a "hat" for his "baby" (the Gloworm).  He snatched this fun rainbow yarn out of my squeaky yarn stash and set to work at unrolling it and wrapping it around her.  I have since secreted away the yarn to make a real hat for his baby. I'm hoping the preemie size of the Adventure Hat will work.

I am half-way through Death Comes to Pemberley and thoroughly enjoying it!  While not pure Austen or pure P.D. James, it has enough of both to make it satisfying to me as a fan, and is such a well-crafted mystery in itself that I learned the hard way I can't read it immediately before bed . . .

What are you knitting and reading?  Come join the sharing at Small Things! 

Disclosure: this post contains some affiliate links.

Yarn Along: Already August!

 

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs.  I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! 

~Ginny at Small Things

Work continues on the baby blanket for our hopeful addition.  Yesterday evening I changed over to the fourth ball of yarn (of eleven total).  Having smaller-yardage balls certainly gives the impression of quick progress!

I had some time to kill (!) after an out-of-office meeting last week and made a stop at the library.  I am usually a major proponent of libraries, but our local branch has always had a dismal selection so I'll admit I haven't even bothered looking there in ages.  Imagine my surprise that they had Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James! I realize it has gotten poor reviews, but so far I am enjoying it immensely!  (And for the record, of the dozen or so books I looked up in my browsing, this was the only one they had - so I'm afraid that it was just a lucky break and not a tide change at the library).

What are you knitting and reading?  Come join the sharing at Small Things! 

Disclosure: this post contains some affiliate links.

Yarn Along: More Baby Hats

 

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs.  I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! 

~Ginny at Small Things

The baby blanket is still progressing (slowly).  I've taken time away from it this past week, however, to knit up some baby hats for some soon-to-be babies of friends.  On the left is a Vintage Sweet (for which I owe thanks to Kylie, a fellow Yarn Alonger for introducing me to the pattern in her post last week).  On the right is an Adventure Hat with the ribbing edge and beanie shaping options.  Both are knit in organic cotton (Knit Picks Simply Cotton Worsted - Haze Heather and Blue Sky Alpaca Worsted Cotton - Sky, respectively).

As always seems to be the case, when I have a stellar knitting week, I have a somewhat pitiful reading week.  I am trying to finish Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil by next week for a new, local culinary book club.

What are you knitting and reading?  Come join the sharing at Small Things! 

Disclosure: this post contains some affiliate links.

Yarn Along: Back to the Baby Blanket

 

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs.  I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! 

~ Ginny at Small Things

 

I haven't been able to muster the energy for the mental gymnastics involved in making another sleeve on the baby sweater, so I returned to the baby blanket I started ages ago (during Lent!).  It makes for great mindless knitting and is really looking beautiful!  The intended recipient was born in early June, so I think, when it is finished, I'll hang on to it to gift for Christmas.

My ulterior motive in finishing this baby blanket is my desire to start another (different pattern) for my own little-one-to-be.  I got some gorgeous Debbie Bliss eco cotton yarn on sale last week that I'm itching to turn into a blanket to match the new nursery (also to-be).  

In the wake of my ill-fated weekend with Moose, I've picked up Playful Parenting (purchased when Moose was about 18 months old but set aside early on when it didn't feel quite applicable to where he was at the time), which I keep hearing/reading such excellent things about.

Come share your knitting and reading adventures with Ginny and friends!

Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links.

Where In the World Is . . .

Where in the world have I been?

Nope, sadly, I've not traveling to any exotic locations.

The last month has left me a bit flummoxed.  I'm not quite sure why.  Nothing big happened.  Nothing is wrong.  I just haven't been feeling myself, so I've been keeping to myself (I've even missed the last two Yarn Alongs - gasp!), and focusing a little more on reflecting inward (which is not such a bad thing during Lent). 

I've been baking . . .

I made these wonderful chocolate chip scones with the Moose, using star and flower cookie cutters, thanks to some inspiration from Baking Unadorned.

I've been reading, reflecting, and journaling about my faith . . .

Actually, my reading was a bit scattered until I discovered this beautiful journal in my local Catholic bookstore.  I've been jotting some notes as I read and have found myself going much deeper into the content (despite having three books going at once).

I've been knitting (a little) . . .

I am teaching a friend to knit, and have been trying to come up with a simple scarf pattern for her that's more than boring garter stitch. This attempt was garter bands alternated with a drop stitch row.  I've also been working on finishing up the Mystery Birthday Project.

I've been exercising again (woo hoo!) . . .

Last summer I completed a full three-month rotation of P90X Lean.  I lost weight, felt great.  It was win-win.  Then I tweaked my shoulder, and then the Moose decided he wasn't so interested in sleeping anymore and I teetered off the wagon.

Well, the sleep is only marginally more consistent, but this warm weather we've been having and the looming necessity of shorts convinced me that I had to do something. 

I'm sharing some clips of my current favorites, in case you happen to be in need of some inspiration.

Bob Harper's Yoga for the Warrior



Physique 57 - I created a playlist of some FREE fitness sequences they recorded recently for The Daily.



I also (finally) discovered . . .

(Does this one really need any explanation?)

Hopefully I'll be back to some regularly scheduled cooking/reading/knitting/Tot School programming soon!

P.S. Can I tell you how much I LOVED that show Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego when I was a kid?!  I can't be the only one!

Yarn Along: Mystery Birthday Project 2.0

After yarning alone last week, I am delighted to be back where I belong on a Wednesday, Yarning Along with Ginny and friends!

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs.  I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~

I promise I'm not being sketchy for the sake of being sketchy.  I restarted the Mystery Birthday Project that I mentioned a few weeks ago.  I am half-way done and wanted to share it, but also didn't want to give away the surprise.  Actually, the photo is doubly a tease, since the yarn doesn't look exactly like that - it is more of a heathered teal in real life.

So, why the restart?  I was being realistic with myself.  The original Mystery Birthday Project used fingering weight yarn and US Size 3 needles.  What work I finished looked lovely, but there is no denying that they were going to take forever!  In addition to that project, I have a baby bolero, baby blanket, and mommy-to-be shawl in the queue, so I found a pattern for a similar object that uses worsted weight yarn and US Size 9 needles.  The work so far is lovely and I'm half-done after only four days, so I'm viewing the decision as a win-win rather than a cop out.

After a few weeks of floundering with a Saint with whom I was not connecting, I gave myself permission to go out of order (gasp!) with A Book of Saints for Catholic Moms .  I am enjoying a very fulfilling week with Saint Monica.

Be sure to check out Small Things for more knitting and reading inspiration and tell me what's on your needles at the moment! Ginny is sharing a delightful children's book about knitting today!

Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links.

Yarn Alon[e]

 

Any given Wednesday, you'll find me joining in at Ginny's wonderful Yarn Along.   However, life really interfered with my plans this week.  

As I mentioned last week, Moose is having some (read: lots of) separation anxiety when he is dropped off at school.  This week, he has added to it with sleep disruption and his first cry-out-for-Mommy nightmare.

Needless to say, I am exhausted - emotionally and physically - and this week has just been about meeting his needs and getting by.

When Wednesday dawned, there was not a single new stitch knitted to report.  

Today, the Moose and I are home together (our usual Friday) and while he naps, I am yarning alone instead of yarning along.

No heavy lifting here.  I've started an eyelet cotton washcloth for a friend's newish baby who outgrew the hat I made for him before I could make it to the post office (oops!).  I was also on the hunt for some easy recipes for the coming days in case our sleep quotient doesn't improve: my cooking creativity is directly proportional to my energy level, and right now both are flagging.

Wishing my readers a restful, peaceful weekend!

Yarn Along: Consolation Cowl

I'm always happy to wake up and realize it is Wednesday and time, once again, to join Ginny and her wonderful Yarn Along!

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs.  I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~

I finally finished up the Moose's dishtowel, and began a new cowl for myself as consolation for the one I seriously undersized recently. 

I am still working my way through Organized Simplicity (and have made some great headway in organizing my junk drawer, kitchen counters, and dining room).  I am delighted at the practical inspiration the book delivers, without making me feel guilty for all my past organizational failings.  I also pulled out Montessori Play And Learn and How To Raise An Amazing Child the Montessori Way this week to get some activity ideas for the Moose after we had a great Montessori Moment playing with ice last week.

Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links.

Yarn Along: Mystery Birthday Project

I am one again delighted to be joining Ginny for her wonderful Wednesday Yarn Along (and here I am straggling in on Thursday . . .)

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs.  I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~

I haven't had a chance to start any additional projects, so I am posting a photo of the early stages of the mystery birthday project that I mentioned in last week's Yarn Along post.  In truth, I haven't been able to steal too many moments for knitting or reading this past week.


I've had Organized Simplicity on my mental wish list since this time last year, and when it became available as a free Kindle download this week, I couldn't resist!  I was too inspired by reading the introduction yesterday and decided to clean out the junk drawer in the kitchen and left more of a mess than I started with.

Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links.

Yarn Along: Of Finishings and Beginnings

I am happy to be linking up with Ginny's wonderful Yarn Along again today

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs.  I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~

So much going on at once!  I finished the neckwarmer I began at Christmastime, only to discover that in my haze and haste I selected the completely wrong set of needles - US4s instead of US8s!  It fits, but more in manner of a turtleneck than a cowl.  I have offered it to a friend's five-year-old daughter so at least it will get some use.


I am making progress on the Moose's dishtowel and have cast on a birthday gift for a friend but will have to abstain from photos or details here while it is in progress, as this friend reads my blog.  


I am continuing The Soul of a Chef, which, I have to admit, is hard reading.  The author does an exceedingly excellent job at conveying the frantic, nerve-fraying pace of the lives of the chefs he is following.  It makes for poor bedtime reading, as I find myself having nightmares about the Bar Exam (which I took almost eight years ago!) and other restless dreams.  I've also been leafing through Elizabeth Pantley's No-Cry Potty Training Solution this morning in light of Moose's first potty success last night.


I am teaching a friend to knit today!  I gifted her needles and some pretty purple yarn for Christmas to get her going (she has been talking about wanting to learn for awhile), and if we can get our boys to play on their own for awhile this morning, we will have a go at it.  So maybe there's a guest post from her in my future!

Yarn Along: Loose Ends

Once again linking up with Ginny's delightful Yarn Along today

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs.  I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~

 I finished up another baby hat earlier this week:

I especially love the spiral top:

I have a baby shrug to cast on for my new niece (due in April), a birthday gift to cast on for a friend, and a hat in special edition yarn to cast on for myself (the yarn for all three of which came from a delightful new LYS I sneaked out to last Friday).

But then I cleaned out my knitting corner today and found some unfinished things that need some attention too  A pumpkin hat I started for the Moose  before he was one (and by now will probably be for eventual #2), a Celtic cable neckwarmer that has been snoozing for a long time, and this bunny dishcloth/towel I'm working on for the Moose's play kitchen:

All of which is to say that I'm having a difficult time prioritizing.

In the meantime, I'm reading Michael Ruhlman's The Soul of a Chef, this month's Kitchen Reader selection.