Well, well, it seems like I’ve fallen into the glorious distraction of springtime. But I do miss the interaction of this space – how better than to pop back in for a yarn along post.

The garden has been calling for lots of attention and hard work these past couple of weeks but my needles have not been forgotten.

…Okay, perhaps, some of my projects have been a little neglected (*cough* grace cardi) but I’ve had fun with some teeny knits.

I have a handful of knits blocking in my bathroom right now – some new, some recently de-muddied, a few destined for the post office. I’m way behind in updating my ravelry projects but once my recent finished objects are dry and buttons are sewn on, I’ll share some photos.

At the moment, though, I’m knitting a newborn sized baby vertebrae. This one is especially special because it’s for the new addition we are expecting!! Number seven is on the way – rather sooner than later as it happens (more on that later) so it’s knit time! I’m knitting it in another stashed wool – Debbie Bliss’ cashmerino aran. The wool is gorgeous and unreal soft. It pairs so nicely with this awesome pattern by Kelly Brooker. I love many of Kelly’s patterns (shout out to the puerperium cardigan) – they are well written and clear with so many options for sizing and yarn weight. I adore a pattern that allows me to match with a yarn from my stash.

When I find a chance to grab a book I’m finally reading My Antonia. I started it a few months ago but the library called it back too soon. It must have been on a course reading list because suddenly it had over 50 holds so I had a wait before it came back to my hands again. It’s early days but I’m enjoying it. I’m finding my imagination is picturing the landscape as that of On the Banks of Plum Creek, I like the familiarity.

(Psst…my new project bag up there is sewn from luvinthemommyhood‘s reversible sock knitting project bag pattern. I’ve got more gushing to do in a future post, but I couldn’t resist sharing how much I love her clever but simple pattern.)

And now I’m off to knit a few rows before bedtime summons.

Happy Wednesday! Thanks for dropping by!

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for more yarn along post visit Ginny at Small Things.

You know I’ve been very good, right?! All these weeks with only my grace cardi eating up my limited knitting time.

And then it snowed. Again. Which demanded a break from brown stockinette.

I chose the perfect wool from my stash for the distraction – Malabrigo Rios in Archangel. It’s a delight to watch the array of colours coming out of this skein – coral, yellow, orange, purple. I knit a plain vest a month or so ago using the first skein of this duo and the recipient’s baby sister needs a matching vest. I’m using the pattern Little Pearl Vest by designer (and fellow yarn alonger) Gretchen. It is just what I wanting for this vibrant wool and will pair so nicely with the cardi for big sis.

I haven’t neglected my spring’s grace, though, I have only a few inches until the bottom ribbing (now that I’ve realized my long torso is going to require some added length) so I’m working a few rows at least every day (which lately has been about all the knitting I’ve managed). I will get there…and hopefully keep my calm when it comes to the sleeves.

As for reading, I’m still enjoying two of the same books as last week: A Handful of Time with my oldest two at bedtime, and Raising Cain for my own reading. The girls have become quite captivated by the story and it had the unexpected bonus of making my oldest very thankful she doesn’t have a mom like the one in the book. Raising Cain continues to be interesting – it’s good insight into the working of a boy’s mind. Although many of the issues revolve more around adolescent challenges, as most emotional troubles do, they have their roots in younger childhood. I’m curious what practical tools they may offer towards the end of the book.

For my photo I grabbed the latest Where’s Waldo that Liam has been choosing at bedtime. While I prefer gearing down for bed with a story, I do enjoy our special time with heads bent together over this book (despite the head bumping and squinting).

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And now the chore list calls and sunshine beckons for laundry! Happy May Day!

What are you creating and enjoying these days?

:: joining Ginny for yarn along ::

Well, I did it. I’ve stuck to my grace all week without any derailing for just one little instant gratification knit. I never manage that! I haven’t had much time for knitting in truth, but row by row this long body of stockinette is growing. There is still a number of inches to go but I’m really hoping to keep this momentum going when I get to the sleeves.

In the meantime I’m wearing blinders whenever I come near any of my stashed yarn in various corners of the house.

I’m still working on my books from last week and continuing to enjoy them. In addition I’ve talked the older two girls into a new read-aloud. While I was promptly presented with The Fellowship of the Rings, I decided we might all need a breather after The Hobbit took us months to get through. Instead Elizabeth presented me with A Handful of Time by Kit Pearson. I’d picked up a nearly pristine copy (along with the Guests of War trilogy) a few weeks ago while thrifting and hoped one of the older two would pull it off the shelf. Although not full of the type of adventures they usually seek out in a novel, it is a favourite from my youth so I’m quite happy to be rereading with them now.

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What exciting projects do you have on the go?? Surely a little wooly eye candy won’t distract me too much…

joining Ginny for yarn along

Oh it has been a while since I joined up for yarn along. Life has been buzzing along and taking me with it…But not without enough knitting to keep me sane during the process. It’s been particularly during these snowy days of spring which will not melt!
I’ve been tempted to get distracted but these past weeks I’ve (mostly) stayed focused on my main project – the grace cardigan. The troubles I feared in my last knitty post were not unfounded. I had to shrink my needles down two sizes to get gauge and frog what I had done to that point. Now three weeks later I’ve made it, albeit with a few bumps, through the lace portion and now it’s stockinette till the cows come home. (Sadly, I neglected to check for errata before I launched into it but with sock yarn on 2.75mm needles I decided to forgive the minor wobbles and continue on.)
A week ago I was anxious to get through the lace (watching new episodes of Doctor Who while knitting lace was not working for me). Now I’m having occasional panic attacks about the length of stockinette remaining. I’m not a short person – there is a long back to knit, followed by long sleeves. Goodness, it’s makes me a little short of breath.
Lest I need to run in search of a paper bag I may just cast on a wee pebble vest (only my fourth this spring…) for a little lady who arrived a few weeks ago in this pretty wool from my stash. Just a little distraction from the tiny brown stitches.

In between knitting sessions, and sometimes during, I’ve got two books on the go. Both interesting, neither quite as cheery or captivating as I’d like but they’re keeping me out of trouble.

After enjoying Call the Midwife I started the second book by Jennifer Worth, Shadows of the Workhouse. It is an eye opening and at times upsetting retelling of stories she learned while working as a nurse and midwife in East End London during the 50′s. Reading about families, and in particular children, sent into the workhouses and the brutality they faced there has been at times difficult. I do appreciate, though, how she writes with honesty and joy amidst the sadness of the stories she tells.

Also on my reading pile is Raising Cain, Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys. It was recommended by a friend and I’m just getting started with it. There has been a lot of discussion about the sensitivity of boys and their often unrealized emotional needs, and I agree wholeheartedly. In reading it I am looking for practical tools to help us work through the complex emotions of childhood so I’m curious to see what the rest of the book holds.

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Have you been finding moments to craft and create during the busy days of spring? Are you reading a book you can’t put down? Please share!

:: joining Ginny for yarn along ::

I did it. I finally launched into knitting my spring’s grace cardigan.

I decided to ignore my gauging troubles from last week and try it with my smaller needle. I’m okay with a little extra room in the cardigan (is what I’m saying now). *

The pattern, from Jane Richmond‘s Island, is clear although because most of my knitting happens close to midnight – after kids’ bedtime, blogging, and clean-up – I’m a bit of a dunce about following the pattern properly. I keep missing yarn overs so I’m counting and recounting. Hoping I get into the swing of it and can stop staring quite so closely at the espresso wool! Despite my slow learning curve, the lace looks beautiful. I am excited to see more of it come together.

While I was fumbling to keep track of my stitch count on the grace, I took a break to choose and sew on buttons for two of the little sweaters which had been awaiting them. As fortune would have it I have a friend who is easily distracted by buttons so I threw my button jar at her and she helped me find some combos that work. The in threes I began at some forgotten time, and the smoky pebble I recently finished have buttons! Two pebble vests remain on the shelf but the buttons for those are ready and waiting also.

It feels so good to get that finishing work done! I put it off for so long but it is rewarding when I get there.

I sped through the rest of The Midwife (known as Call the Midwife outside of North America). It was wonderful (as I wrote here last week). Now I’m waiting to get my hands on the second book in the trilogy! In the meantime I went searching through my bookshelf before settling on a tried and true friend, Northanger Abbey. I scanned the first few lines in a couple of books but it was good old Jane Austen that grabbed me.

Now the sun is shining, the kids are playing, there’s still popcorn in the pot, and I’ve got itchy fingers ready for knitting.

*Ack!! I got some gauge advice from sweet Rebecca of nook and it looks like I’ve got to try another swatch or I’ll be knitting a behemoth of a sweater. My fingers are less itchy for that…especially if it means I’m starting this sweater over. *sob* I think I’ll be adding some chocolate to my snack…

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How are you for finishing projects? Want to come help with mine? I’d love to hear what you’re crafting and/or reading these days!

:: joining Ginny for yarn along ::