A peek at right now

I've missed sharing here. We've had huge family things going on that changed my mood about blogging, and once you're away, it's hard to come back.  Even now, I'm not sure I can commit to being back regularly, but I can say, today I'm here.  The easiest way, for me, I think, is to just jump in with now, rather than trying to catch up.

Right now, we're having a sick day. It's just what we needed--some slow time and no pressure to do anything but rest. 

Right now, I'm crocheting some African Flower Hexagons.  (And looking at that photo as I posted it, I realize I made a glaring mistake in that top one!  How funny.  I've looked at it again and again in person, but never noticed.  Will have to fix that.)  I've been up way too late at night, addicted to working on these (while watching Downton Abby on Hulu.)

Right now, Lucy (age 3.10) is appliqueing a mushroom of her own design.  It's to become a pillow for our couch.  She is constantly planning projects these days, inspired by everything around her.  This one was inspired by a candy-cane appliqued sachet I helped her make as a Christmas gift, and by some modeling wax I'd been playing with, ultimately ending up with a little mushroom. 

Yarn along: anticipation

 
Ahh...I'm finally able to join in again for Ginny's yarn along.  I haven't had much time lately for either reading or crochet, but I have only one more day of work before I get to go on vacation!  So I've picked out a pattern and some yarn and have it packed and ready to go (6 1/2 hours in the car minus tons of Lucy-entertaining-time equals some time for crochet, I hope!)

I wanted something super-simple to help me ease back in to crochet after a long absence (my brain is going to be in vacation mode, after all), and I wanted to use yarn we had on hand (thanks, Melissa!).  I chose Merlin.  Wish me luck; maybe I'll come back from vacation inspired to be crafty again.

I'm reading One Vacant Chair by Joe Coomer, but unfortunately, it's been slow going.  In the past, I've loved Joe Coomer's books, especially Beachcombing for a Shipwrecked God.  (I read that many years ago, and immediately began it again, very rare for me.  A few years later, I found myself in Portsmouth, NH, and kept saying "I've been here before," "I know this place," though I hadn't.  I finally realized it was his descriptive writing that made me feel I'd been there.)  This time, however, I'm just not getting into it.  I can't blame the book.  I've been like this with most books lately.  I just don't have the time to sink deeply into a book, and I am almost always sleep deprived.  I've packed pure fluff reading for this trip to accommodate my current brain fog.

Have any good recommendations for this tired, time-crunched Mama?

Yarn along: tying up loose ends

I finished two crochet projects yesterday! (Well, almost; just need to weave in ends.)

I finally did the sock-monkey coffee-cozy I'd intended for a Christmas gift for my sister. (It got bumped for her birthday next week.) Unfortunately, I don't think it's going to fit an actual take-out cup! (Not without spilled coffee everywhere.) It's awfully cute, though. Shoot. (Edited to add: it fits!)

And I finished my purple cardiff cowl. Next up is Lucy's matching one, by request, and then I'm going to move on to something other than cowls (I've made 5 of these since Thanksgiving!)

I'm reading a bit of fluff at the moment, because I just finished something horrifying. I'm also reading All Together Singing in the Kitchen, written by local musicians/former parent-in-my-classroom/Lucy's infant music teachers Katryna and Nerissa Neilds. Like me, they were raised in a musical home, with parents who made music and instruments all around, and it really shaped who they are. I've just begun the book, but I can tell already it's going to be inspiring and useful. (There are little ideas that are so obvious, but somehow I hadn't thought of them. Like sitting at the piano, playing a note, and playing match-the-note, singing it with your child. Lucy loves to play at the piano, and would enjoy a simple game like that.)

What are you working on? Check out Ginny's yarn along for more inspiration.

Yarn along, with an extra book

(Whoa--a whole week went by! I had so much I wanted to share. Oh, well, it was well-spent relaxing.) Meanwhile, here we are back at the Yarn Along. My cardiff cowl is coming along very slowly (argh...I had to pull out the first row twice! I've been distracted...), but at least I have no deadline on this one! I've started The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt, which was a Christmas present. It's such a fascinating book, told all in vintage pictures and scraps of text, as if it's a scrapbook from the twenties. (Lucy says "grown-up books don't usually have pictures!") It doesn't feel quite like reading a novel, but I'm really enjoying it! If you like the 20s or enjoy looking through vintage ephemera, you should definitely check this one out.

And, since I was on vacation, I finished my last book and read a whole other book since the last yarn-along, and I just had to mention it, because it was a great read! After Astrid and Veronika (a truly beautiful book, but very sad), I needed something lighter. I looked through the heap I'd thrifted recently with a friend and chose:

Shelter Me
It turned out to be less chick-lit-ish than I suspected it might be. I loved the characters, and found myself completely wrapped up in the story. It was rather predictable, but I didn't care one bit; it was just the perfect read for vacation. Recommended!

Yarn along: even more cowls

I've finally finished all my Christmas crochet projects, and it's time for one for me. I've been wearing the not-good-enough-for-a-gift cardiff cowl a lot, and have been wanting to make myself some more scarves for wearing all day as part of an outfit (not just for outdoors). I'd made my wool-sensitive sister a cotton-and-cashmere version, and loved it so much, I decided to make myself the same one. (And Lucy's requested a smaller matching one for herself.)

After the first version of this cowl, I learned to do a foundation single crochet, which made subsequent ones so much nicer (I love the helpful comments on ravelry for tips like that). I'm terribly slow at it and not very tidy yet, but I'm getting there. Meanwhile, I'm still reading Astrid and Veronika, which is turning out to be just the right pace for Christmas vacation.

Now that I can reveal the past month's work, here's one of the finished cowls, made as a gift for a friend:

And, if you're interested in that kind of thing, here's the ravelry link for the replacement red one I made for my sister.

I'm joining in to Ginny's Yarn Along. There's lots more yarn-and-book inspiration there!

Yarn along: easy reading and tricky crochet

We're having a sick day here--all of us with fevers--so I'll keep this brief. But I did want to share a project with the Yarn-Along, as I'm so happy to be crocheting again! The Christmas-gift bug has hit! I'm making (and unmaking, and making again) a Cardiff Cowl. For some reason, I'm finding this pattern a bit tricky to follow, and have ripped out and started again several times. But I'm loving the look, and the yarn is fabulous, so I still have high hopes. If it works, there will be more.

I'm reading something very unusual for me, a suspense novel: Every Secret Thing, by Laura Lippman. Too much going on right now for "serious" reading.

The photo was taken on the picnic table, as it's been unseasonably warm this week and I've been crocheting while the kids play outside!

Yarn along, after a long absence

(Sick of these arm warmers yet? I am. There's just been no time or energy or motivation for crochet lately, and when I let a project languish too long, I tend to lose interest.)

My family's been dealt a terrible blow recently, and I'm having a hard time thinking about anything else. Blogging about anything seems trivial in the face of it. And yet, life does go on, and I want to spend part of it focusing on the positive.

In that light, I wanted to return for the yarn along, which I've missed.

I'm reading a wonderful new book. I was lucky enough to be able to hear Jodi read from it this week, accompanied by Ellen (the songwriter for the included CD soundtrack). Jodi Picoult cracks me up (when I see her in person), and all her books make me want to block off a day just to read. But the theme of this one, of course, is near and dear to my family's life, and so I was particularly thrilled to be able to see her this time. I love how, whatever issue she's addressing, she can make you feel sympathetic to characters on both sides (doubt it'll happen this time, but you never know...). The signing line was long and super-efficient at this reading, but I managed to tell her "thank you--if anyone can change minds, you can." She said "I hope so." Me, too.

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Work has stalled on my arm warmers, until I can get to the store for a new hook. And I'm still reading The Book Thief (no fault of the book, just of my too-busy life). But mostly, of course, I'm reading picture books. This week's favorites are two vintage Little Golden Books.

Most-read is The Monster at the End of this Book, both by me to the kids, and by the kids themselves. Here's part of what I wrote to their parents today about it:

Do you remember The Monster at the End of this Book? It’s a 1970s Little Golden Book about Grover—and is probably the only t.v.-tie-in book you’ll ever see in this house. But it’s such a great one, it deserves its solitary existence here. We’ve been reading it a lot this week. On the first reading, some of the kids worried it might be too scary (there’s a monster at the end, you know). But once the older kids start laughing, the younger kids edge closer to find out why, and soon we’re past that first reading and on to the pleas for “again!” (If you’re not familiar with it, Grover is worried because the title page said there’d be a monster at the end of the book. He does everything he can to stop us from turning pages to get there. But it turns out it’s just him!) Of course, the kids love it because it’s very funny. And it’s fun to keep turning pages that have been tied shut or bricked over, creating havoc and panic for Grover. I love it for those reasons, too. But I also have a secret teacher-y love for it. Do you see the giant text as Grover yells? And the speech bubbles? And colored lettering? It all draws children’s attention to the text, and keeps it there as they read the book themselves. Big text tells them to yell. Tiny text tells them to whisper. And they’re looking at it all as they “read” the quickly-familiar words, nudging them one step closer on their path toward reading. And read it they do, over and over. I caught everyone “reading” this book to themselves or to a friend at various times today: “I’m going to tie this page up so you can’t turn the page.” “You turned another page!”

And then there's The New Baby (or Baby Dear). Mother cares for her new baby, while new-big-sister cares for her new doll. Totally sweet. I have been so inspired as I read this one over and over by the clothes! There's the cutest green bonnet with embroidered flowers that I think I must make for Lucy. And the striped dress has me thinking about a men's shirt I could transform...

There's lots more yarn-along inspiration at Ginny's blog.

Sometimes, there just aren't any pretty pics to post

Remember those arm warmers I was making for myself? Stalled, due to this situation:

(Toddler+lovely bamboo crochet hook left down too low=disaster. The photo's not great, but that hook is snapped right in half. Note that it's the only hook I had in that size.)

Oh, and last week's batch of syrup? Looks like this:

(Not your usual pretty blog pic, is it?)

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Still reading the same book and working on the same arm warmers. (We've had visits from 4 grandparents, 1 aunt, and 2 cousins in the past week, so there's been little time!)

Only after I bought the yarn did I read the part in the pattern where it said self-striping yarn would pool strangely on these, and I guess it is. But I'm so happy with how they're coming out! I'd procrastinated getting started because the pattern is for an extra-small woman, which I am definitely not. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to adjust it properly. But I've been trying it on as I go, and it's fitting beautifully, with only slight adjustments (a hook one size larger; one extra row to make more room for my thumb). This is only the second thing I've made for myself, and I'm really looking forward to wearing them.

Want more crochet, knitting, or reading inspiration? Check out all the yarn along posts linked at Ginny's blog today.

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Not a lot of time for reading or crafting this week (other than Lucy's birthday cake, of course.) But I've read enough to be getting into my book (a slow start, but one that promises to be very good). And I've pulled out this beautiful yarn again, and am determined to get started on those fingerless gloves, at last.

Maybe seeing everyone else's Yarn Along projects will inspire me to get going with them!

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I'm still reading and crocheting the same things as last week, so rather than take an identical picture, I thought I'd share some of the most-requested children's books of the week. (See my tiny heart there on Katy? I'm getting better at them...)

Lucy and I have been reading Nancy Tafuri's Snowy, Flowy, Blowy over and over. As always, we love her illustrations, especially of animals. And this book is of particular interest to Lucy right now because it's about the months of the year. It's almost Lucy's birthday, and she loves talking about when all her favorite people's birthdays are. So when I read "February; flowy," she says "me in February!" and when I read "March; blowy," she says "Mommy in March! Me remember!" etc.

And, of course, we're reading Katy and the Big Snow right now, as our town gets covered in snow much like Geopolis. If you don't know Virginia Lee Burton, run out to the library right now and get some of her books! They're treasures. There is so much to discover in the details and margins of the illustrations, and so much to talk about. I look forward to reading them over and over as she grows, because there's much more to discover and discuss later, though the story is engaging and beloved right now too.

Yarn-along participants should especially enjoy Five Little Foxes and the Snow, by Tony Johnston and Cyndy Szekeres. It's a sweet story about a family of foxes who want to go out to play in the snow, but Gramma keeps them inside because "your paws will be cold," suggesting other pastimes "while I knit--click, click--by the fire." In the end, Christmas arrives, with new mittens for all the foxes, and out they go to play in the snow. I love the illustrations of their cozy nestled-in-tree-roots home, the play and reading and painting and baking going on, and of course, all the knitting! (That's not an affiliate link; just trying to find it somewhere to show you.)

Last is Charlie Needs a Cloak, by Tomi dePaola. Again, perfect for those who love yarn! Charlie the shepherd needs a cloak, because his sheep have nibbled his to shreds. So he sheers, washes, cards, dyes, spins, weaves, sews, etc., until he has a beautiful new red cloak. We love watching the whole process, laugh at the sheep's reluctance to share their wool, delight in watching a mouse sneak off with many small objects from Charlie's home, and giggle to see the sheep start to nibble the new cloak right away. I think this is one of the best see-the-process books I've come across.

Check out other books and works-in-progress at Ginny's Yarn-Along!

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If you haven't yet joined Ginny's Yarn Along, today's the day to do it; she's hosting a giveaway!

A few weeks ago, Ginny's yarn-along post reminded me of these hearts I'd wanted to try since last year. I tried one, and really struggled with the tiny scale; it came out nearly unrecognizable as a heart. So then I tried this pattern, with more success. That gave me the courage to try more super-tiny ones, and this time, they came out pretty cute. I'm thinking the larger ones will become a valentine's day garland for my kitchen window, and the smaller ones maybe for my mirror.

And I'm still reading One Thousand White Women, and highly recommend it!

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Time again for Ginny's Yarn Along.

I finished the necklet I was making for myself last week (after pulling the whole thing out and starting again; apparently that class took all my brain power and I failed to notice I'd made it twice as wide as it should have been). I added some gorgeous vintage-inspired buttons. I love it! It's the first crochet project I've made for myself.

Up next is some fingerless gloves, also for me. Check out that fabulous yarn I got for them! As an added bonus, my friend used this yarn to teach me his mother's technique for rolling a ball of yarn so that you can pull it from the center. I had no idea you could do such a thing! (We got him yarn and hooks for his birthday, and it seems we've successfully recruited him.) I've been wanting some fingerless gloves to keep my hands warm while crocheting outside and to wear when I sit down to work at nap time (if you stop moving, this house is freezing!). Most of the crocheted ones I've seen look too bulky, but these look just right to me. (Wish me luck resizing them; I'm still learning that skill.)

I'm reading One Thousand White Women. (Well, "reading" in the mom-of-toddler sense of the word; I've read one page!)

What are you reading and making?

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This is my wishful-thinking morning photo: wishing for a snow day today to read and crochet and drink coffee on the couch. (What do you think are the odds that all the families will stay sensibly at home in the snow today?)

I haven't done much crochet this week, but I did begin a simple cowl for myself (I've made so many crocheted things for other people, but nothing yet for me). (It'll be like this one.) On Saturday, we were in an all-day foster-parenting class, and I'd packed lots of yarn, thinking it the perfect opportunity to do some mindless crochet like this cowl. But it must have been more interesting than I'd expected, because this is as far as I got. (I did finish my sweater from last week; you can see it here.)

I'm reading Home to Woefield, which I'd describe as a fluff read--but a good one. Funny characters, sustainability theme, and the kind of plot that makes you want to keep reading into the night, but completely implausible. Fine--it's just what I need right now, with a sleep-deprived brain and seriously limited time.

Check out what others are reading and making at Ginny's Yarn Along.

Finished!

I finished the sweater I was working on last week. I didn't post it right away, because I thought I'd take a good on-Lucy action shot of it first, but I forgot:
a) she's a toddler and doesn't slow down long enough to be photographed,
b) there's barely any decent sun these days, and
c) she has nothing that matches this sweater.

Oops.

So, here it is in the boring laid-on-the-table pose. (And yes, that is an end I forgot to weave in dangling out of the sleeve. Lucy has decided that's there so she has a built-in cat toy.)

The sweater ended up quite a bit different from the original. This is how I made my "design decisions":

I used the red yarn until it ran out. Then I used the blue yarn until it, too, nearly ran out.
Thinking I had just enough left for a bird, I started one (from this book). With just an inch or two of yarn left, I decided that bird would have to have a smaller head than planned. That made the bird look better in an upright pose.
I searched for buttons to match, and found one blue and two red. The neck placement on the original didn't work (because the sweater's a bit snug on Lucy; I should have added some stitches), so I moved them down. I took a three-year-old's advice when I was trying to choose blue or red buttons; she said "or, you could use all three."

I'm happy with all those aspects. Less happy with the single crochet stitch around the edging, which I used to try to stop the curling edges (suggested by this pattern). It didn't work, and I'm terrible at evenly spacing stitches along row ends. (Please, don't look too closely.)

Overall, I think it's pretty cute, and Lucy agrees. (Ravelry notes here.)

Now I just have to make her something to wear with it.

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Back to Ginny's Yarn Along. (Check it out. I'm loving the inspiration it's giving me to keep making progress.)

This week, I'm working on a sweater for Lucy. I'm loving the pattern, which is easy to follow and is coming out so cute. I'm making a wild guess at how to re-size it (it's a 12-month pattern and I'm not that accomplished yet to really know what I'm doing), so we'll see if it works!

Meanwhile, I've been getting lots of inspiration from my heap of new crafty books I got for Christmas. As I work on this sweater, I keep thinking "maybe on the next one I could try one of those fancy edges..." and "maybe at the color change I could switch to one of those interesting stitches..." I haven't had time for actual reading lately, but peeking into one of these here and there is filling the gap.

(And yes, we do barricade our Christmas tree with the coffee table during the day when the house is full of toddlers.)

Gifts, revealed: more cowls

Apparently, this was the Christmas of the cowls; I made several. Here are some more. This one was made from cotton, for my sister who can't stand wool's itchiness:

It's super soft and comfy, and when I tried it on, I wished I were keeping it for myself. (That's my I'm-too-busy-making-gifts-to-primp look in the photo):

I tried a new stitch pattern for this one--stacked shells--after admiring a friend's afghan-in-progress. It turned out to make a quick and beautiful scarf! So I made more. This one (in wool, this time) for Andi:

And this one for a friend (it's hard to see in the photo, but those are some cool clay buttons that match the color of the yarn perfectly):

As I worked on these, each one came out just a bit better than the last--to the point that I wanted to remake the first ones! I think I've got it down, now, and these are sure to become a common gift from my hooks.

Gifts, revealed: cousins' capelets

I've been busy with family this week, so no time for posting. But I'd still like to share some of the last-minute (or secret) Christmas gifts I made this year. First--I'm happy to report that I did, in fact, finish all three capelets for Lucy and her cousins!

I ran out of white yarn for the second capelet (yes, running out of yarn seems to be a theme for this Christmas!), so I switched to green and stopped when it, too, ran out. In the end, I like the look, but the yarn I used was far too limp and floppy for this project. Shoot.

Lucy's capelet, on the other hand, came out beautifully! Her cousins won't wear wool, but Lucy doesn't mind, so her capelet has much more structure than theirs. I am in love with the yarn I used (a gift from a friend). So soft and beautiful! Working with it was a pleasure, and was really my first understanding of why people rave about yarn! (Sorry for the hideous photos, but when you finish gifts in the wee hours of Christmas Eve, you have to click it quick and wrap it up!)

I never did get the three-cousins photo I envisioned, with each in her capelet (and, in fact, I'll need to move buttons for the older girls before theirs really fit), but I do think they're awfully cute.

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I'm working on the second of three capelets for Christmas--I doubt I'll make it at this point. (I haven't given up yet, though!)

Among many other things, we've been reading variations on the Gingerbread Man story. In this last week before vacation, the kids and I are making our annual batch of gingerbread cookies--quite an undertaking with 6 little ones!

See what other people are making and reading over at Ginny's Yarn Along.