Project Progress, Spring Funk

I'm in a sort of Spring Funk right now... I've been behind on like, everything... but here's some progress on projects:

A sling I made for my friend A and her oh so adorable baby boy....

I finally took pictures of this outfit I knitted for Baby Duck. Don't those legs look Oh, So Cute in those knitted pants!

And, finally, though, I have to rework the ribbing at the top, Goldilock's knee hi's, which she loves and would rather not have the ribbing redone on, because she wants to wear them!

I've also done more sewing, a dress and blouse for Baby Duck, without patterns, you can tell.... I'll post pics of those when I can get some. And I've been darning and mending socks and tights... I'll have to post a pic of the knitted patches I made for M's tights, too...

Until we meet again...

Creative Juices

There are sooo many things whirling around in my brain these days... I'm kind of in that stage where the things I want to make and the things I'm planning to do and the actual amount of hours in the day do not match up... I have started Goldilock's socks....

I'm planning on a blouse in purple gingham and a dark denim skirt to go with it. I'm almost finished with her blue linen dress, but first had to make a sling, since the lovely lady already paid me!

Finally, OH MY GOSH, I love this blog... isn't it a great idea to blog as sisters across the country, what a great way to stay in touch and stuff. Anyway, I'm oh, so inspired to sew after perusing this blog. I love how they just grab some fabric and then make what inspires them.

I want to do that. I want to make soooooooo many things!

Sweater Blocking

OK, so I'm not actually blocking a finished sweater. I've developed a block about sweater knitting. I think I've got knitter's ADD or something, as I can start and finish lots of projects, as long as they're small! My sweaters just don't hold my interest for as long as it takes to knit them, and so, I've got to like discipline myself to knit them or something. This is not as fun as toodling along and before you know it, the sock, mitten, hat, baby sweater is done! Also, I think I've caught the yarn buying addiction. I have enough yarn right now for like three years worth of knitting for me. Yet, today, I went ahead and bought 4 balls of sock yarn and enough Noro Silk Garden to make Hubby a giant, stripey, ribbed scarf. The sock yarn is Trekking, with which I thought I'd make a pair for Hubby, a pair of marigold socks for me, and a pair of knee socks for me. I've been winding balls of Cascade 220 for my March Almanac Sweater in anticipation of knitting a swatch cap for a.... Sweater. And I've cast on and knitted a sock for my dear Hubby. Finally, in the deep recesses of my brain I'm planning on a pair of knee socks for Goldilocks out of pretty Essential Meteor Twist yarn, which I have already purchased. I have to stop buying yarn so I can afford music lessons for my children!!!!!!!

False Start

This past week we had 70 degree weather, then it rained and froze and blew and fogged and froze some more. My crocuses were up on Saturday, today they're gone, retreating under the leaf mulch I had not yet bothered to rake off the beds. I told them that they should really wait till next month, but they didn't listen. But then, I suppose that bulbs do not have ears to hear. Our big family room, though it has a lovely view, is plagued with climate issues. It is too hot in summer, too cold in winter, and since we do EVERYTHING in there, except eat and sleep, we have to just deal. Our propane fireplace is the only real method of heating the space, and that has been on the fritz since Friday evening. We've been shivering a lot, and dressing very warmly, and I've been baking, to heat up the rest of the house! Perhaps I'll post pics of my lovely, newly baked loaves later! I have been grinding wheat for bread ever since the Christmas when my handsome hubby gave me a grain mill. Well, except for while I was pregnant, so I only baked freshly ground whole wheat bread for like 6 mos total. But I am now... and that's the point!!!

Madeleine Scarf

OK, so here it is, in all it's glory... I love it. I can wear it as a sort of shawl around my shoulders or buttoned behind my back like a shrug, or as a scarf as you see here. It's warm and fabulous and beautiful. Just like M.

And there I am... you know how it's weird to hear your own voice in a recording? That's how I feel about my pictures... that's just not how I look to myself! Anyway, enjoy the pics of the scarf, as I get to enjoy the real thing!

Madeleine

OK, I had to share this goodie, which I got in the mail yesterday. Cosette Cornelius-Bates, one of my ravelry aquaintances was getting folks to name her yarns and when I saw this, I thought of my M... well, you can see she used the name and I, of course, had to buy the yarn...

M was sooo excited that I thought of her when I saw this pretty yarn. She is always hearing people say how beautiful Goldilocks is and gets a little jealous. I think she liked me thinking of her as the pretty one. So, without further ado...

And look at this sweet label cosy made (along with attaching a card with blush roses on it to the envelope):


Well, anyway, thanks Cosy, your yarn helped me bless my baby, and besides, I'm gonna make a scarf for myself that reminds me to pray for her every time I wear it!

Bluebirds

Today we saw a couple of bluebirds on the maple tree in front of our house. I thought it was too early for bluebirds, but perhaps not in Virginia. We also saw a downy woodpecker and several blue jays. We all stopped work for a few minutes to watch these beautiful feathered creatures go about their business. Our Creator is ever faithful to provide little moments of grace to brighten our temporal existence! I hope we get some nesting bluebirds this year. That would be fun to see and a great learning experience for the kids. Here's a pic, not too good, but if you look closely, right at the center of the photo... voila, a bluebird!

I've been working on a few projects around here, and I'll post pictures later. I made a crocheted cap for M to go with a purse Goldilocks made for her. They'll both go with the red skirt I made already. I'm working on the second legwarmer for M, too. I also cut up a dress given to me by a friend and made a skirt for me. I think the rest of the useable parts of the dress, which started out quite large, will be a summer dress for one of the girls combined with some simple muslin. Perhaps I'll show before and after shots!

Before:

After:



The house is a complete disaster, which I hate, but I'd so much rather make things than clean, organize, and straighten. Still, birthday month is here, and I can't have birthday pictures recording all my homemaking neglect!