for 2012

 i have been thinking of what i'd like to finish for this year in the way of handmade. there are two sweaters for sure. well, one is a left over from this fall. but once i figure how i want my cuffs, that will be done. there will be hats for crafthope, then i'll finish this shawl i'm working on for myself.

there is a t-shirt quilt for the youngest's 18th birthday in august. i have the design in my head. this was anna's when she turned 18.

and in the middle of that i'd like to do some hand stitching. i'm currently repairing a quilt top, but it's not the most convenient to haul around when i'm on the go.

i wanted to make each of the girls a dresden  plate quilt. when i was very young, my grandmother and her ladies church group in maine worked on two, one for my sister and one for me. i cherish mine. it just occurred to me to show a photo here. but i'm losing light so that will need to wait.

what i do know is that i wanted my fabric choices to include feed sack cotton prints. you probably know i have a love of antiques and the newest word, 'vintage'. after thinking about this for many months, i decided i would look for some plates already assembled to include these early prints. i searched several auction sites.

 i found what i liked a few weeks apart from each other. two different styles, one set is hand pieced together and the other machine. one is smaller than the other, and will be laid out differently in the finished design. they will be appliqued on white cotton squares then assembled.

 each cotton square can travel with me when i choose to keep my hands busy with needle and thread. while i feel bad that the person who pieced these together did not get to finish their work, i like that we shared a similar interest of these delicate and fun cotton prints.

this will be time-consuming i know, but having something in the workbasket to change things up this year is some how comforting.

a weekend without a stitch

forgive me. this post is short on photos.

i have over 175 from the weekend, but most are from lib's bonspiel. um, to the casual observer, they just look all alike, so i'll spare you.

we hit the road friday at noon. with only one exam for her in the morning, the day was pretty stress free. a quick stop to target for nail polish (libby), and a few unexpected sale/clothing items, plus some snacks and we were on our way. rain all the way to the cape. i suppose it might have been snow if it were any other winter than the one we are having.

nails were painted and a nap was taken after we arrived at the hotel. dinner at our favorite diner, (betsy's in falmouth with the best kitchen tables ever!)  then a 9:45pm game and win. i was still waking from the nap i think, but enjoyed good conversation with dear friends.

no knitting.

saturday brought two games, both were wins so an advance to the first event finals for sunday. libby's team was made up of friends she has curled with over the past six years, all from our local club, but not from the same school. they have a special friendship, and watching them on the ice reminded me how lucky she is to have these relationships. they are all seniors and will be going their separate ways next september. in their own way they celebrated what would be their last hurrah. and it began to hit me. she really is going away to school, and that things are changing. i have this not-so-good habit of burying emotions, and have moved along in the college process as if it were just a job, never dwelling on how i feel about it all. well, emotions are surfacing. sigh. it was all smiles, all weekend though. i couldn't take my eyes off them, on and off the ice. 

so, no knitting.

saturday night i found myself on the phone with anna as she struggled with issues of the pre-adult variety. it's hard at almost 21. i listened, offered advice, and heard her play things out over and over. i couldn't fix the situation, nor should i, just offered support from afar. it tugs at your heart that's for sure, when things are so good for one child and not the other. the kids went to a movie and dinner hosted by the curling club for all the players. the parents went out for a fabulous dinner. later, our kids and families hung out for a bit in a conference room at the hotel, playing cards, bannagrams and sharing stories and a glass of wine. (parents, not kids) funny, i think it's exactly what we all wanted to do.

sunday's game was a tough one, a nail-biter to be sure. 

definitely no knitting.

the last end was set-up perfectly for a win for our team, and a finish as the event winners. the last stone was thrown, only to catch something in the ice and fall out of play. heartbreaking.
i don't think i could have been more proud of how our kids handled that loss. they quickly realized there was nothing they could do, customarily shook hands with the other team and came off the ice with smiles. many teams would not have behaved so maturely. 

these are some great young people. they are going to be even better adults.

lib was a bit teary-eyed as she recognized her teammates during awards. it's exciting to be where she's at in her life, and bittersweet too. good memories will take her a long way, and make the journey that much easier. for that i am thankful.

so we are off this monday. back to school and a new and final semester. oh boy.

ok, now i might need to knit.

this afternoon...mail!

it's turned raining and grey today. but the afternoon brought a gift in the mail! i was the lucky winner of these note cards. karen's photos are so pretty and these are just perfect to cheer a january day.

there is the sweetest birch tag on the package. 

you can find karen's cards here along with bags, linens, pillows and more. 
visit her blog too, for some inspiring words and photos of her time spent in vermont.
thanks karen. this was a perfect bright spot in my day! 


 
libby's perfect day? well, that would be a cookie jar. stocked.


tomorrow's friday and i'll be watching some curling. at 9:45pm to be exact. happy weekend all!

a photo project

you can find our collaborative photo journal here.

beginning today, one photo each, a few times a week, between mother and daughter. 
living in different places and different times in our lives, but both with a camera.

i hope you'll visit.
xo

sunday

saving a part of sunday.

preparing for the week. 

there will be midterms, ending with weekend travel for some of us.

what is it about a snowy saturday that just slows me right down? 

hoping to find some energy and a better pace for tomorrow.

stay warm and dry friends.

quick knits

 wrist warmers. a set for anna before she returns for the new semester.

 and, a set (almost done) for lib.
 the yarn was plied by my mother when she first learned to spin.
 i really like the easy feel here.

 weekend knitting!

catching up with sleeves and a shawl.

 so, finally a post. having A home from school has been wonderful. we've had a good time together, so my time here has been limited, and frankly, i just didn't want to get into the new resolution thing and all that. it is what it is, and life goes on, with changes or without. this is a big year for me as L chooses a school and then heads off in late august. i'm processing that in my own way and find that i take things one day, one thing at a time. the same can not be said for my knitting.

there are multiple projects to choose from.
i get hung up in the sleeves. the first one drags on, and the poor sweater finds itself sitting unattended. once that first one is complete, i move along to the second sleeve and wonder what i waited for. 
this yellow piece has been here before. a candide pattern from a million years ago. i hope to have it blocked and buttons on by the end of the weekend. it's a bartlett yarn, quite dense, and i'm hoping it settles a bit after it's blocked.

 the buttons are from a bag of vintage buttons i found at a church sale in maine.

 next, this sweater from quince yarn. i winged it on this one, and combined two patterns i liked. i love how it turned out. it's finished. sort of. the buttons (same as above) need to go on and then i could wear it. except...that i don't like how i finished the cuffs. i wanted 3/4 sleeves and that's what they are, except that i made them too wide. at first i wanted a swingy type of look. of course, once it was done and on and i wore it around the house to get a feel, i decided to change them.

 so i'm ripping them out. just the cuff portion. it won't take long,and i'll be happier. i'll post when it's done.

i was given a gift card at christmas for yarn from webs. so, i bought some, during their blowout sale.

 with another gift card, i picked up this book. i love this one. i think perhaps it ties me to my swedish heritage. if you haven't seen it, you might want to check it out.

 

and of course i have begun an easy shawl. i don't choose to do a lot of work on size 3 needles, but i think i'm going to enjoy this. the yarn is a fingerling cascade 220 in camel. i didn't invest in an expensive yarn, as it wasn't sure about the whole shawl thing. but i like cascade and it feels nice to work with.

 

and finally, i picked up this wool while i was ordering. i love the heather blue and have set it aside for another shawl. i've used this yarn before and am happy with it. super economical.

you can find it here.

ok, so that's what's in my basket. we won't talk about what's on the shelves.

saving sunday

i pulled some books from my cupboard and began planning some projects for this winter.

not a lot, but some new things i want to try. new yarn, new patterns, and some hand sewing.

saving a part of sunday to take me through the week.

how about you?

to begin

saving a little piece of sunday.

i allowed myself to stop and find some quiet today. 

a perfect start to the new year. 

one more day off from school and i plan on moving slow tomorrow. 

to begin, there will be baking in the early morning. some curling later. i'll knit while she practices. this cardigan only needs one sleeve. now that the holidays are over, i should be able to take more than a minute or two to work on it.  
enjoy this first week of twenty twelve.

2012

wishing you all a very happy new year.

let's fill it with kindness to one another every single day, shall we?

xo