Bluebirdbaby

Hers and a Heavenly Day

Well, I started the little one's cowl yesterday and finished it at the breakfast table this morning. I used leftovers from her sweaters. It came off the needles and she exclaimed, "Mama! It only took you two days to knit me this!" And she put it right on. She was very excited about the idea of having warm cheeks on our walks. So we headed right out to put it to good use.

Perhaps this wasn't the best day for cowl wearing because it warmed up to a marvelous 48 degrees! I was outside in my t-shirt shoveling snow for the chickens (who went on vacation and hopefully will be back really soon!) and cleaning up the back porch. It was amazing. Regardless of this warming trend, I'm still starting my cowl tomorrow...

We found a bird's next on our walk home. A teensy tiny one that I placed on our window sill looking out into the backyard. I like to think of it as a reminder that spring is on its way. Our seed order has been placed, our garden will expand slightly to accomodate more winter storage veggies, I'm looking into my bees (!!!!!! So excited and just wanted to thank you all again for the marvelous links you sent me last summer after my bee lust post. I really hope it happens this year!), and we're about ready to tap the trees. I can't wait to taste the cool, clear sap again. Spring tonic. This full moon (Friday!) will start the Sap Moon, which means spring is definitely on its way! (Check out this book...I adore it.)

I hung my first line of laundry in about four months. I'm pretty sure this is one of the first day in months above 30 degrees. And 30 degrees was a rarity this winter. We were mostly dealing with subzero temps. Killer. I can take the snow, but the cold I would rather leave behind.

The little one played outside all day. We went on bike rides, stomped in puddles, let Mr. Pickles (who decided today was much too nice to sleep away) explore the barn a little, and tried to teach Pepper to fetch. Then it was more walks, a little acupuncture, more soaking in the sunshine, and a lovely dinner full of greens.

And it looks like tomorrow might be a repeat which makes me very, very happy indeed.

What are you loving about late February??

A Cowl and a Cozy Cat

My friend's birthday was last week and I had the urge to make her something. She spends a lot of time outdoors with her goats and chickens and dogs, and I knew I had to knit her a little gift to help her stay warm. So I dropped my cowl to start hers! I used a brown super soft wool (I think it's alpaca) that a reader sent me long ago and it knit up so sweetly.

Basically I just cast on about 140 stitches and knit in the round until I had it at the desired width. I want it to curl at the top and bottom to add a bit of contrast. I decreased halfway up to make the top closer fitting.

I really love the end result and can't wait to get working on mine. Except now the little one is begging me for a cowl, so tomorrow I cast on with purple (she wants stripes too). Oh, and a big thanks to her for taking these pictures. She's really been loving my camera lately...

The cowl is up on Ravelry!

And I leave you with some cozy cat pictures. I kid you not, Mr. Pickles sleeps all day and all night curled up on the little one's bed. I'm currently trying to figure out how to write the laziest cat in the world into our "Super Cat" books. But he's a Super Cat in his own special way...mostly his cuddling and his beloved tummy rubs. He's the cutest!

A Fisherman Sweater for someone small

Well, I finished it. I finished it today in the midst of two dogs running around and a small child pretending to be a dog...so make that three. But in the midst of all that dogness, I finally completed the sweater I started in December. It's my second sweater and this one I made without any help! So that was very satisfying. The little one has been watching me make it from the very beginning and has been patiently (and sometimes not so patiently) waiting for it to be done.

It was a sweet moment when I finished it this afternoon and she came over and excitedly said, "It's really finished mama?! Really?!!! Can I wear it now?!" Oh man, so super sweet. So she put it right on. I didn't get any action shots of it, but I will soon enough. She picked out the yarn color...a "mermaid green" which was a refreshing choice after all the purple we've experienced the last two years.

I still have to block it, but for now it's still looking good and keeping her extra toasty in this crazy cold weather we've been having. Next up? A fancy scarf for mama from this book!

All notes on the sweater are here!

(Oh, and I'm SO not sore from spinning last night. BUT...I will be after the step aerobics class I took tonight with the same pal. Man, it kicked my butt!)

Hats for All

Thanks to all who entered the giveaway!!! Random.org chose #26 ::

Kimberly Busby said...

Money can't buy quality time spent with family! Thanks for bringing such a cool company to our attention.

 

Yay Kimberly!! E-mail me at ewallacephoto@gmail.com with your address and Holstee will get your new wallet off to you!

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I finally finished Sasa's hat, just in time for Solstice! I started it in November (I think) and it being my first hat ever, I was a wee bit confused starting out. I ripped it out three times before finally settling on the right size. But then it all came together and it fits him perfectly!

So the I moved onto one for the little one. It took me a day from start to finish, which was so satisfying. She loves it too!

And then I had to have one too, of course! So I started mine today and will likely have it finished by tonight. Yay!

All pattern details and notes are here!

In other news, we have been busy, busy elves lately. I'm finished up oodles of work tonight in time for the big day, and am also a bit under the weather. But our tree looks amazing, the presents are coming together, and all the sweet goodies have been baked. Yay!

Merry Christmas everyone! Maybe I'll be back before the big day, but just in case I'm not...enjoy your holiday!! xoxo.

Making

There has been lots of making going on here lately. Knitting, sewing, canning, cooking...it's all about creating. I love it. I got to thinking today how my personality seems to shift quite dramatically throughout the year. I am greatly affected by the moon's patterns, the seasons, and life around me. The seasonal change gets me every time. When I settle into fall (which is typically a good 3-4 weeks before fall is actually here...), I become more of a home body. I love being domestic. I love hanging laundry, cleaning up the dishes after lunch, and tending to the garden. It makes me feel so connected to myself. I also love to spend more time in the woods. The summer is all about the beach, but come fall I have a craving to get out into the woods and hike and explore. The little one seems to do this naturally too.

In addition to all these autumnal cravings, I also start creating more with my hands. I'm working on a secret present for the little one's birthday coming up next week (she'll be four...oh my!) and have settled into a nice rhythm of knitting after breakfast on the back porch, during quiet time after lunch, and after dinner with a glass of wine. I love it. I'm hooked on knitting and can't believe I only learned last winter. I was missing so much!

I've also gotten some sewing in lately. Two more pants for the little one and matching pants for Alex. I love, love, love this pattern I made up a couple of years ago. They are 3/4 length pants now, but will fit for a full three years and turn into shorts as she gets bigger. And Alex is pretty thrilled with his "new threads", as the little one likes to say.

And the skirts. Well, there's no denying that my girl loves layers. She definitely gets it from her mama. As it's getting cooler, she's adding more and more layers to her outfits. Undershirts, long-sleeved shirts, then a short-sleeved shirt over that. When she put on a pair of wide-legged jeans the other day, I thought she was all ready to go. But she quickly corrected me and said, "Mama...I haven't put my layer over my pants yet!" I tried to explain to her that teensy tiny skirts with shorts attached underneath were going to be very hard to put over wide leg jeans, but she managed somehow. We decided that morning to make a trip to my favorite little fabric shop to see Rhea-Rhea, and the little one got to pick out her own fabric for some skirts. So she did, then we came home and made them. They are long enough to fit for a few years. And they are much easier to put over jeans! Purple Violet got a skirt too, because I couldn't leave her out.

We've also been making pickles (14 jars of dill and confetti pickles) and pasta sauce for the winter. Yum! Between our jam, frozen berries, pickles, frozen zucchini, and pasta sauce, we are gearing up for a long winter ahead. I feel good about all the work we've done, both in the garden and in the kitchen. Next on the list is freezing some of the delicata squash we've been getting. Our kale and rainbow chard are still going strong and we're enjoying those daily. I can't wait until our winter lettuce comes up!

So...what are you making these days? Do you find that your intentions and attitude shift seasonally as well? I'd love to hear more about what you all think!

A Scarf of His Very Own

Thanks to all who entered Mandy's giveaway!! It was so fun reading your favorite winter activities....snuggling up under a cozy blanket seemed to be the winner, but there were a few shoveling favs in there too! My random number generator chose #24 ::

Cool giveaway! My favorite winter activity is snuggling. Can't get enough of it.

Posted by: Leslie

So Leslie, please e-mail me and I'll get you in touch with Mandy to choose your print! Thanks again Mandy!!

Since learning to knit this fall, I've turned out three (and a half) scarves. A purple scarf for the little one, a purple scarf for Purple Violet, an attempted and ripped out a total of nine times brown alpaca scarf for me, and finally...this manly alpaca (and amazingly soft and cozy) scarf for my man. He adores it. He won't take it off. And it really wasn't that hard.

Knit 4, purl 4. Repeat for 4 rows. Switch (purl 4, knit 4) for 4 rows. Then switch back to knit 4, purl 4. Super easy. Super fun. And it created this super awesome checkerboard look that he absolutely loves.

And now? I'm addicted to knitting. And oh my, what an expensive hobby it is! Currently on the needles is a simple sweater for the little one (you guessed it...purple!). Thank goodness for having so many awesome knitter friends. It's like having personal knitting instructors everywhere I go!

And now I think I may just snuggle up on the couch with some leftovers and a good book. It's another snowy day out there...

My First Project

So, I took all your advice and started on a scarf. I've always wanted to knit, but every time I've started I always run into some problem and haven't had anyone close by to help. But now? Now I seem to be surrounded by knitters! Many thanks to Ann, Melissa, and Ananda for all their help!

I bought some super soft alpaca from a local yarn shop and started a scarf for the little one. It was done in no time at all and I've already moved on to the next one. I think that wool sweater vest for the little one isn't too far off now!

And the little one likes it enough to keep it on, which is saying a lot. She got hot halfway through our walk and promptly handed the scarf to Sasa who, I might add, looks very handsome in purple. (Oh, and the piggy hat was mine as a kid. It's way too big for her little head, but she just adores it and it draws quite a bit of attention...)

I hope you had a lovely day! I'm happy to announce there will be a super great giveaway in this space on Friday. Stay tuned!!