Knitting With Nieces

Five years ago, I gifted my first two nieces matching sweaters. Niece number 1 then learned the knit stitch, which I chronicled here. Today, we did a quick review and then went straight to a lace pattern.

Very little conferring was needed, even to interpret the lace pattern. She just learned the symbols and asked an occasional question about the execution of a stitch. Slowly but surely she made her way through the pattern. The purl stitch; so much patience needed! Whew!

We used the snowflake part of the Snowflake
Sweater pattern by Tin Can Knits.

Let's show some serious appreciation for the fact that she used relatively tiny needles (size 3) and DK weight yarn.  The stitches are so even and look professional.What an amazing crafty young lady!

The evening could not end without a quick lesson on blocking, the most important part in the finishing process.

I can't stop blogging without bragging about my niece one more time. Check out these lovely place tags she made for our festive holiday dinner. She even painted the faces on the button to make it look like a snowman. She is My People!

Bye Bye Bella Oak

Tonight we bid a tearful good-bye to Bella, who died unexpectedly this afternoon while we were away in Chicago. Bella is the beautiful brown alpaca in all of these pictures, and was a big prize winner in her youth. Her fleece was so soft and fine.

Her other herd sisters will remember her as bossy and a bully trying to steal all of their hay and grain. Bella had the best indignant groan/grunt to keep them away from the food containers!

We are once again indebted to our neighbors, who took her to the Purdue Animal Hospital, about 2 hours away, this afternoon. The clinic will be doing an extensive autopsy to see if our other alpacas are at risk. Hopefully this is yet another mysterious death of some kind of natural cause. In the meantime, we mourn the loss of the only alpaca you didn't mind being touched if you sidled up to her quietly.

Rest in peace, sweet Bella. 2005 to 12/22/2017

Knitty Kitty

Well, this update confirms some cat + knitting cliches. China Cat Sunflower is a very rambunctious teenager, but is somehow gaining some self-control around yarn and needles. I can't get my video of him playing with knitting needles to load. That's how I usually keep him from batting around the items on my lap! Enjoy the photo array below, followed by a book recommendation.

If you need to read a book about these topics to a three-year-old, check out this oldie-but-goodie title: Knitty Kitty. Enjoy!

Just Waiting for My Tea to Cool

It's that insane part of the year, filled with way too many activities, vegetable canning, playing exam grading responsibilities, playing music professionally, etc, etc. And the weather is offering up (a few) cooler days. In other words, it would be nice to knit every now and again, both to take the edge off of all the stress and to celebrate Fall. A few years ago I deliberately delayed mindless knitting, trying to force myself to be creative and productive in every facet of my life. Fortunately I realized the error of my ways, so I could learn from them at a later date...

This year I am simply reaching for a new Done by Monday blanket that I started last summer and following that easy pattern when I have the urge. Plus, I definitely need to stay productive while I am waiting for a quart jar full of boiling hot peppermint tea to cool down every few hours on the weekend. This is not the season that offers rest for the weary, after all!

Happy Fall! 

Chop Chop!!

Well, here we are again: another three years has passed and I cut off another foot of hair for donation. I am too lazy to go to the hairdresser, so my hair keeps growing longer and longer. Cute kitten is a bonus in this new short hair shot!

We've also had lots of tree work done recently. Today a friend came over to chop down the weeds, which you can see here, are taller than a human.

The backyard is so nice and clear. We need to burn the wood piles this week, and then we'll be ready for discing and putting in the pasture next weekend!

Three cheers for fresh looks!

Fifth Birthday Love

A number of years ago, my mother handed me a stack of mail that I had received for my 5th birthday. I was so overwhelmed by the loving and sweet words from friends and relatives that I made a vow to do better remembering and cherishing the people important to me. (My follow-through is underwhelming; apologies to all who should be honored better by me.)

As it turns out, I also received a Knitting Nancy from my Godmother that year, thus launching my knitting career. The Knitting Nancy has enjoyed cameos on this blog here and here.

Coincidentally, I became aware of two new picture books featuring knitting this year. In addition, a nephew and a niece turn FIVE today, and both love to work with their hands. So I had decided to make a crafty/reading birthday for them. I hope it is a special, filled with great people and memories as mine was!

For my niece, I got "A Hat For Mrs. Goldman," pom pom makers, and some fun yarn. The little girl in the book assists Mrs. Goldman's hat-knitting by making the pom poms for the top of each hat. There is more to the story, but I won't ruin it for those of you wanting to read it yourselves.

I gave the gift early, during our family vacation, and we learned how to make pom poms on a sunny afternoon. I wasn't sure if she was that thrilled with it after making one.



But a few days after vacation, I got this picture in a text! She was making a bunch for her cat at home!

"Argyle Fox" is a book about a playful boy fox who has trouble having fun on a windy day. He solves his problem with a craft project that includes knitting. Again, I won't give any spoilers! To go with this book, my nephew also received his own Knitting Nancy and lots of yarn scraps from my collection.

Here we are trying to master this fine art! Notice I found a zoom feature in my photo editing to check out the detail of the hands at work.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my dear new 5-year-olds! Here's to books, and crafts, and lots of loving from your Auntie E and Unc!

I Was Enabled, I Promise...

Forgot to post this lovely skein of yarn while still in Vermont.

I had a souvenir yarn rule: one skein, or if I actually had a project, enough for the project. The Farmer had another idea: you can get souvenir yarn in every town!

How does one resist more ultra-soft, locally produced yarn from a shop named The Whipple Tree in Woodstock, VT? Well, it looks like I need to knit a second hat! Or some mitts… Thanks, Farmer!

Yarn is Corriedale and Cormo blend in a natural white from Savage Hart Farm, 137 yards in DK weight (2oz) from this year. You can find their farm blog here.